​Charles Box
Sin caused a separation between God and man. The gospel is the good news of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection that makes our salvation possible. In our Bible the gospel is described this way, "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) Man has a sin problem. "For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin." (Ecclesiastes 7:20) Man is basically sinful; God is holy and repulsed by sin. Because God is holy and to be revered He sent redemption to His people. "He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name." (Psalms 111:9) The writer of Hebrews knew that the only answer to man's sin problem was the sacrifice of Jesus. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:28) God did for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Does the Bible teach that we must obey the gospel? In 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 we read that, "When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." The Bible teaches that vengeance will be taken on those who obey not the gospel. We know that the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. So the Bible teaches that if we do not obey the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that God will take vengeance on us. Peter wrote, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17) The vengeance of God will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel.
How do we obey the gospel? We learn how to obey the gospel in Romans 6:1-6, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” We are baptized into His death; we are buried with Him through baptism; we are raised to walk in newness of life after baptism. There must be a death, burial, and resurrection before this new life is possible. In baptism we are transformed from death to life because we have obeyed the gospel. When people obey that form of the Lord's death, burial, and resurrection they are at the point of baptism then made free from the sin and they become the servant of righteousness. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (Romans 6:17-18)
Have you obeyed the gospel? Have you obeyed the gospel by being buried in baptism with Christ, by being baptized into His death, and by being raised up out of the grave of water with Him to walk in newness of life? The blood of Christ provides us with the hope of heaven. Paul spoke of “The hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel." (Colossians 1:5) Hope is provided “by way of the cross.” With Paul, all should say, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14) The cross shows both God’s love for mankind and His hatred for sin. Salvation, peace, contentment and real joy comes through the cross of Calvary. God has done His part. He has provided salvation through Jesus. Man’s part, through small, is also necessary to reach heaven. Man must obey the gospel to be saved. Have you obeyed the gospel.
Faith is the beginning point of acceptable service to God. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Faith is the motivation for all obedience toward God. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) Repentance is also required. Repentance is a change of mind or heart that results in a change in life. "The Lord is...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) It is either repent or perish. Confession of faith in Jesus as Lord also plays a part in our salvation. (Romans 10:9-10) A simple confession of one's faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ is a necessary step in conversion. The final step in becoming a Christian is baptism into Christ. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) At baptism a person contacts the blood of Jesus that washes his sins away. Every command of God is important and baptism is a command of God. (Mark 16:16) The New Testament plan of salvation is a simple plan, but salvation can be obtained in no other way!

​In the book of Romans Paul shows the necessity of the cross. He establishes the following truths: (1) the gospel is God's power unto salvation (Romans 1:16), (2) the need for salvation is universal (Romans 3:10), (3) salvation is by the blood of Jesus (Romans 3:25), (4) both Jew and Gentile need the cross (Romans 3:29), and (5) Christ died that He might be "Lord." "...For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living." (Romans 14:8-9)
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." Romans 5:8-11 is a profound section of scripture dealing with the cross. It shows that the cross is the:
Manifestation of God’s Love: That God demonstrated His love for man is best seen as Jesus dies as a sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 2:9) Jesus' substituting death for our sins is the greatest fact of history. Nothing shows God's love, good will or benevolence for mankind more than the cross.
Means of Justification: Paul powerfully states that we are justified by Christ's blood. (Romans 5:9) The only ground for man's justification is Jesus' death. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins." (Acts 13:38) Jesus knew no sin but He was made sin on our behalf that we might have God's righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Because of the cross God can be just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)
Motivation for reconciliation: Reconciliation to God is through the death of Jesus. (Romans 5:10) Sin separates man from God. (Isaiah 59:1-2) Man is returned to God's favor through the cross of Christ. Because of the cross Christians can cry out to a lost world, "be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Repentance and baptism are man's response to God's offer of salvation by the blood of Christ. (Acts 2:36-38) Do you see God's love at the cross? Do you recognize the cross as the only means of justification? Have you been motivated by the cross to be reconciled to God? If the cross will not move you, nothing will!

​Charles Box
Jesus said, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." (Matthew 16:6) The term "Beware" is in 26 verses in our King James Bible. No verse is more vivid nor is any warning more strong then when Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15) False prophets are to be understood as those religious teachers who are teaching contrary to the will of God. They claim to have a message from God, but God did not speak it. In Ezekiel 22:28 we read, "And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken." Jesus spoke of false prophets who would come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
False prophets have always existed and there are false prophets today. False prophets are those who claim to have knowledge of God's will while speaking something other than what He has commanded. Often they do not even blush as they teach damnable doctrines. "How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 8:8-12) Jesus warned, "many false prophets will rise up and deceive many." (Matthew 24:11) The most popular religious belief in our day is that any church, any doctrine, any worship or any religious practice is acceptable to God. Peter wrote about false prophets saying, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Peter 2:1-2)
Who is a false prophet? Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15) But just before he said that He said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14) One reason so few will find the straight and narrow way is because of false prophets. False prophets teach people to do contrary to the will of God. Yet Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)
What does sheep's clothing mean? The false prophets look good and sound good. They seem very religious and right. Likely they quote a little Scripture or maybe a lot of Scripture. They seem very believable. These people are convincing. Yet, they would utter from the heart words of falsehood. (Isaiah 59:13) They speak smoothly, but they speak lying words. Jeremiah wrote, "Trust ye not in lying words." (Jeremiah 7:4)
 Who are these ravenous wolves? False teachers are never what they appear to be. They seem to be a good tree, but they bear only bad fruit. "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." (Matthew 7:16-18) The reason these false prophets are ravenous wolves is because all who follow them will hear the Lord say, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:23)
Are you certain that what you believe and practice in religion is from the Lord? We are told in 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." To be saved from sin hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (Mark 16:16), repent of sins (Luke 13:5), confess Jesus as Lord (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3-4) After baptism, live in Christ and have Christ in you (Galatians 4:19) It will be sad indeed if on the Judgment Day you learn that you depended on a wolf in sheep's clothing. You had better study the Bible for yourself to be sure!

​By Wayne Jackson
The Christians in the city of Thessalonica were apparently disturbed about several uncertainties which they entertained concerning their loved ones who had died in the Lord. Hence, Paul gave them brief instruction regarding this matter and concluded by suggesting: “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
Words, especially those of the Holy Scriptures, do have the power to comfort (cf. Romans 15:4). Let us call attention to three (of the several) important points which the apostle made within the context of 1 Thessalonians 4:13ff.
First, the inspired writer referred to departed Christians as ones who had fallen “asleep.” Underline the word “asleep” and in your margin write: See Daniel 12:2; John 11:11,43,44.
In the Bible, the word “sleep,” is only used of the condition of the body in death. The soul does not sleep. The sleeping metaphor is probably employed of the body in death for two reasons.
Just as the soul does not cease to exist while we are literally sleeping, neither does it cease to exist when the physical body dies.
As the sleep of the body is temporary, so shall the death of the human body be temporary. The body will be raised from the dead (see 1 Corinthians 15). Even the wicked will experience a resurrection (John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15).
Second, Paul admonishes that we should not “sorrow, even as the rest, who have no hope.” He does not say that it is wrong to mourn when we lose a dear one. Elsewhere, the apostle implied that if his beloved friend Epaphroditus had died, he would have experienced “sorrow upon sorrow” (Philippians 2:27). The point made here is this: we do not sorrow “even as” those who are without hope.
Mark the expression “even as.” It translates a Greek word which denotes degree or extent. Make that marginal notation.
From this context we may also necessarily infer that “hope” is the possession of Christians; it does not belong to “the rest,” i.e., those who remain identified with the world. Concerning those who die outside of Christ (note the phrase “in Christ” vv. 14,16), i.e., outside of His spiritual body, the church (Colossians 1:18,24), there is no hope. But those who have died “in Christ”:
are happy (cf. Revelation 14:13, where those who have died in the Lord are said to be “blessed,” meaning happy);
are at rest (again, see Revelation 14:13);
will accompany Christ when He returns to effect the resurrection and to claim living saints (4:14b,16,17);
will enjoy a blissful reunion with their loved ones who have died in the service of God (cf. Genesis 25:8; 2 Samuel 12:23; Matthew 8:11);
shall “ever be with the Lord” (4:17).
We must add this point as well. Those “in Christ” are they who, through faith, have been immersed for the forgiveness of their sins, hence, have entered into Him (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26,27).
Third, the basis of our confidence and comfort is the fact that “Jesus died and rose again” (v. 14). If Christ was not raised, then our faith and preaching are in vain. If such is the case, our hope has been only in this life and we are therefore most pitiable (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:13-19).
Scripture References
1 Thessalonians 4:18; Romans 15:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; Daniel 12:2; John 11:11, 43, 44; 1 Corinthians 15; John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Philippians 2:27; Colossians 1:18, 24; Revelation 14:13; Genesis 25:8; 2 Samuel 12:23; Matthew 8:11; Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 15:13-19