All posts by bobmccollough

The Seriousness of Sexual Sin

June 18, 2018Articlesadultery, fornication, homosexuality, lewdness, sexual sinbobmccollough

The Seriousness of Sexual Sin

It is not the purpose of this article to list and address every mention of sexual sin in the Bible, but merely to show that sexual sins are indeed portrayed as being serious and defiling in the New Testament in a similar way as they were in the Old Testament. In ushering in the New Covenant, Jesus & His Apostles and the writers of the New Testament did not suddenly begin winking at such sins. They taught that sexual sin, unless repented of and forsaken, would disqualify people from finally entering the eternal kingdom of God. There are various sorts of sexual sin. Sometimes sexual sin is spoken against in a general manner in the New Testament, and sometimes we find such sins being spoken against very specifically. However, it is very clear that whatever type of sexual sin is being practiced, it is all defiling (i.e. it all causes spiritual uncleanness). For example: Continue reading The Seriousness of Sexual Sin →

A. Campbell’s Address on War

June 14, 2018ArticlesAddress on War, Alexander Campbellbobmccollough

A Sermon Using Alexander Campbell’s Address on War

Introduction/Foreword (by Bob McCollough)

In 1836, the Republic of Texas won its independence from Mexico. Nine years later, in 1845, the United States officially annexed the Republic of Texas which was then admitted as a state. Because Mexico still felt like Texas belonged to them, this brought about the Mexican-American war (1846-1848)[1]. As a result of its decisive victory in this war, the U.S. gained a huge chunk of Mexican territory which is now the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. When the war ended, Alexander Campbell (b. 1788; d. 1866)–who was arguably the most prominent and influential pioneer (esp. during the first half of the 1800s) of what eventually became known as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement–gave an address on the subject of war. The words and thoughts contained in this lesson I am presenting this morning are essentially his. Campbell’s Address on War (delivered in 1848) is sixteen pages long. So, for the most part, I just condensed his words down to about three pages and put them in modern, everyday English.

Continue reading A. Campbell’s Address on War →

WAR

June 12, 2018Articlesnonresistance, Tolbert Fanning, Warbobmccollough

WAR

by Tolbert Fanning (b. 1810; d. 1874)[1]

Attentive Reader,–Will you agree to set aside your previous beliefs and stifle your prejudices while we examine, by the light of the Scriptures, a theme most dear to the interests of Messiah’s kingdom?

At no period in the world’s history has a discussion of the subject of war been more urgently demanded than at the present. Nations and individuals still settle their difficulties by mortal combat—not at all questioning the divine right of slaying their fellows.

These remarks are not just intended for savages or infidels, but for the civilized nations of the earth, and for such professed Christians as feel authorized by God and their country to take the life of their fellow man. Continue reading WAR →

The Way of Salvation

May 21, 2018Articlessalvation; the way; gospel tractbobmccollough

The New Testament Teaching Concerning

THE WAY OF SALVATION

Have you ever heard Christians speak of the “plan of salvation” and wondered what they meant by such an expression? The expression is often used to refer to the normative process revealed in the New Testament by which a person initially becomes a Christian. While the phrase “plan of salvation” is not entirely misleading, it has been a bit overused. After all, the exact expression is nowhere found in the New Testament. Continue reading The Way of Salvation →

Martin Luther’s Influence

April 13, 2018Audio Sermons & Lessonsfaith alone, Martin Luther, worksbobmccollough

a lesson in historical theology & from the Scriptures by David Bercot

Christ is the Cause of Salvation; Faith & Good Works are the Conditions

March 23, 2018Articlesantinomianism, Apostle Paul, atonement, conditional security, conditions, double justification, Eternal Security, faith alone, obedience, repent, repentance, sola fide, William Paley, worksbobmccollough

Christ is the Cause of Salvation; Faith & Good Works are the Conditions

(The efficacy of the death of Christ consistent with the necessity of a good life)[1]

by William Paley (b. July 1743 – d. May 1805)

Our first argument to support the thesis stated above is that although the Bible clearly represents Christ’s atonement as efficacious for the salvation of mankind, it also clearly teaches the necessity of our own efforts toward virtue and good works for salvation’s sake. But the Scriptures go further than that. The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Scriptures, foresaw that as the death & atonement of Christ was revealed to Christians as being instrumental to salvation, that this would lead some Christians to the [mistaken] opinion that mankind’s own works, their own virtue, their personal efforts, were to be set aside or done away with. In other words, the Holy Spirit foresaw that some Christians would [mistakenly] conclude that if the sacrificial death of Christ was effective for salvation, that this would mean that all the moral efforts or good works of mankind were unnecessary for salvation. The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Scriptures, foresaw that some Christians would draw this [mistaken] conclusion from certain teachings that are now located in the New Testament and so He, through the Scriptures, provided a remedy for this erroneous interpretation. Continue reading Christ is the Cause of Salvation; Faith & Good Works are the Conditions →