What Does The Bible Say?

Send us a textIn this episode, Arnie and Fred begin a look at what the Bible says an individual must do to be saved. We start out by noting what Jesus directed the apostles to do upon His departure. We note Mathew and Mark's account of what Jesus said to them right before He ascended to heaven. We begin in Acts chapter 2 when Peter preached the first gospel sermon. We read the record of that occasion and note that the people asked what they needed to do, and Peter gave them specific instructions that were in line with what Jesus told them. The next occasion is when Philip went to Samaria. There he taught the people things concerning the kingdom of God, and both men and women were baptized. There was a sorcerer there as well who eventually obeyed his preaching. Philip was also sent to a desert area in Gaza by the Holy Spirit where he found an Ethiopian eunuch, the treasurer of the Queen of Ethiopia. They had a discussion of Isaiah chapter 53 that he was reading. We read the passages and find out what the Ethiopian eunuch did. We note that it is consistent with what Jesus commanded to be done. Saul, later to be known as Paul the apostle, was contacted by the Lord on the road to Damascus as Saul intended to go there and persecute Christians. We discuss what he was told to do. We begin our discussion of Cornelius the Roman Centurion but run out of time to finish it. We will finish that discussion in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this last episode on this subject, Arnie and Fred finish their discussion of some men who were part of the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin, John Knox and John Smyth. We noted that most Protestant churches resulted from the Reformation Movement and have roots in those major denominations. We discuss five other non-Catholic religious bodies, who established them and the date they were established. We note that all Protestant denominations are less than 700 years old. We go back to the Bible to again, see what it says about Christ's Church and when He built it. We review some of the things that Christ said about His Church as well as His answer to those who thought they were serving Him and were not. We encourage our listeners to study their Bibles and make sure the church they attend is doing what the Lord says. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie, Fred and Glenn continue their discussion of the apostacy or falling away from the New Testament pattern that occurred and, in this episode, continue to look at its history. We reviewed some of the departures we noted last week, in baptism and the Lord's Supper. Some began to worship men and women in the Catholic church, and we note that. Priests in the Catholic church also began hearing people confess their sins to them and we look at what this meant. We also discuss what was added to all the Bibles for a time. There were rules set up regulate what was eaten on certain days and, whether an individual ought to fast and even if priests and nuns could be married. We discuss these. Popes took upon themselves new titles and authorities that we note as well. All of these changes ended up causing a split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern, Greek Orthodox Church. We complete this episode by beginning to discuss some of the individuals, such as John Wycliff, John Hus, Martin Luther, who began to question the changes that were made which resulted in what is called the Protestant Reformation. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. A transcript of this Buzzsprout episode is provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie, Fred and Glenn continue their discussion of the apostacy or falling away that Paul said would occur from the original pattern for Christ's Church. We discussed some of the small changes that began in the early 2nd century in the last episode. Beginning with Constatine, pagans were granted church membership which changed a number of church practices. Constatine had himself sprinkled as baptism on May 22nd in 337AD right before he died. We discuss again the pattern of baptism in the New Testament and examine a number of changes that appeared after the first century. There also appeared a number of changes relating to the Lord's Supper, mainly by the Catholic Church. Several other changes were made including the addition of instrumental music. We discuss a good bit about the original pattern and the words supplied to us by the inspired writers of those words and why it is important to follow what those words say. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textFred and Glenn begin this episode noting that Paul predicted that there would be a falling away or apostacy that was a departure from the original gospel soon after the death of the apostles. We note that God has always provided a pattern for His people to follow. Noah was given specific instructions on how to build the ark. We note that Moses was given a pattern for building the tabernacle and those implements in it. We also talk about the pattern for the temple that God gave to David and the fact that David gave that same pattern to Solomon to follow in building the temple in Jerusalem. We then move our discussion to note that the New Testament contains the pattern for Christ's Church as well as the pattern for the Christian's behavior. We then begin to look at the historical record of the apostasy that Paul predicted would begin among the elders or bishops. We talk about the creation of dioceses that occurred in the second century and how this departed from the New Testament pattern. We then look at the changes that were instituted relating to the pattern for the bishops and the resulting hierarchy. We look briefly at Constatine's Edict of Milan that he issued in AD313 and what it did. We next talk about the Council of Nicaea and what it did in AD325. We close out this episode by noting when the first universal Pope or Bishop was named and what the structure of the church of that day resembled. We will begin the next episode talking about Constatine granting pagans church membership. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie, Fred and Glenn continue their discussion of what the Bible says about Christ's Church or men's churches. In this episode, we begin our discussion about the membership of Christ's Church. We begin by noting what Peter said about the saved when he preached the first gospel sermon on Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. We next look at what Jesus said that individuals who heard the gospel were required to do. We return to Acts chapter 2 to note that some of those who heard Peters sermon that were convicted of having Jesus crucified, wanted to know what they must do because of what they did. We talk about his answer. There was an Ethiopian eunuch, a proselyte Jew, who was returning to his home country that Philip was sent by the Holy Spirit to teach. He was reading from Isaiah chapter 53 and invited Philip up into his chariot to learn what it meant. We note what Philip told him and what the eunuch said and did. We next move on to talk about the name Christian and when it was applied to Christ's disciples. We close out this episode by looking at how long Christ's Church and words will last. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this third episode, Arnie, Fred and Glenn continue their discussion of the various characteristics that identify Christ's Church. We begin by looking at the worship His Church engages in. Glenn begins by noting passages that mention singing as a part of that worship. He notes that this singing comes from the heart of the worshipper. Part of the apostle's doctrine mentioned that occurred on Pentecost when the saints first began worshipping was prayers. We briefly look at that. We next note that Paul instructed Timothy to not neglect the reading of scripture and that was included in worship. Gospel preaching was another item of worship on the first day of the week that is recorded in Acts chapter 20. Observance of the Lord's supper is also mentioned there. Paul also gave the same order to the church at Corinth in chapter 16 of first Corinthians about the collection for the saints that he had given to the churches of Galatia. We move on to the mission that Christ gave to His Church. We note that Paul reminded Timothy that Christ's Church is the pillar and ground of the truth and is to teach that truth everywhere, to evangelize. Consequently, this action is designed to also edify or build up the saints. We note that since the collection on the first day of the week is for the saints, benevolence toward needy saints is included in the church's mission. We discuss Paul's specific directions to Timothy concerning this important area. We close out this episode by beginning our discussion of the membership of Christ's Church, the saved. We will have to pick up who constitutes the saved in our next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this episode, Arnie, Fred and Glenn continue to discuss Christ's Church and begin with the fact that Christ ordained or prescribed certain things relating to His Church. First, we note that Christ named His church using a number of terms. Some relate to His ownership, and some relate to certain characteristics of His church. We note that there are some names that relate to the location of local churches or assemblies of the Lord. We take some time to discuss where these names are mentioned in the Bible. We next talk about the organization of these local bodies. We find they are all organized in the same way and are autonomous. Each local church in the New Testament has elders which are also called bishops and pastors. We note that these terms refer to the same individuals and what they do in the local congregation. We also find that Bible tells us about deacons in the local church. We talk about the term deacon and what the Lord gave them to do. We also find the Bible mentioning preachers or evangelists. As with the elders and deacons, we look at the work the evangelists do. We close out this episode with a discussion about the doctrine or teaching we find taught, its completeness and whether anything else is acceptable. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. For your convenience, there is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided.

Send us a textIn this episode, Arnie, Fred and Glenn begin by briefly tracing the establishment of the Lord's Church. In later episodes we will look at the beginnings of various religious bodies existent today. We begin by noting that Jesus promised to build His Church.  We note the meaning of the word "Church" and also point out that it is also called His Kingdom. We move on to discuss the fact that Christ did establish His church as He promised. Our discussion notes that the Bible tells us when it was established and how it was to come into being and we note those passages. The Bible is clear as to the Founder of Christ's Church and we talk about that. Christ's Church has a head that is specified in one passage, and we look at that passage. The basis of the establishment of Christ's Church is also revealed to us in the scriptures. We discuss two of those passages found in Acts. We close out this episode by noting the uniqueness of Christ's Church. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying, There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie, Fred and Glenn continue their discussion of suicide and how one's faith defeats it. We begin by noting that Paul had reminded the brethren at Corinth how God had delivered him and those who were with him from a certain death they were threatened with in Asia, illustrating God's faithfulness and ability to do so.  Paul continued to discuss with them that we are all subject to death and we don't like that because we desire the eternal body promised us in heaven. He also challenges them to examine themselves whether they are in the faith, which is absolutely important. We note that Paul reminded the Ephesian Christians of when God identified the group that would be His chosen ones and why this is a fact every saint should know. We then look at what Paul told the Philippian brethren what Christ was able to do for them. A fact that they needed to remember as they went through the difficulties of a faithful life. The Colossian Christians were Gentiles and Paul reminded them of their spiritual condition before they obeyed the Lord so they would remember the life that they now enjoyed in Him. We move on to what James had to say about the various temptations we are subject to in this life and the kind of attitude we ought to have toward them. We close out this episode by noting that John says that the Lord knows that we, as Christians still sin from time to time and reassures us that if we confess those sins to Him, He will forgive us. There is never a situation so bad that we can't do this. So, one's faith in the Lord will defeat any thoughts of suicide. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie, Fred and Glenn continue the discussion about suicide and what the Bible says about it. We begin by looking at more passages in the Old Testament that relate to one's faith and how that defeats suicide. David is the first faithful individual we look at and he questions why he is cast down and disquieted when he has hope in God. Solomon first discusses the trust he has in God and then asks the question of why would one die before his time? Next Isaiah tells God's people not to be dismayed and they should not be disquieted because He is with them. We look at what Jeremiah recorded that God said to His people while they were in captivity where He reminded them that His thoughts of them were for peace and not evil in order to keep them from being discouraged. God's people need to remember that God always has their best interest at heart. We move to the New Testament and look first at Jesus' emphasis on his disciples being faithful in keeping His words. We note that Jesus reminded His people that they would always experience difficulties in this life, but to maintain their faith in His ability to help them weather the storms of life. We next look at what Paul said about the danger of being conformed to the world, to the way it looks at things, its philosophy. He notes the need for the faithful Christian to transform his thinking and follow more closely the Lord's words. We close this episode out by looking at our relationship with the Lord as the kings He made us and our reign with Him. And finally, a short discussion about our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit and what that means to the faithful Christian. Leading a faithful life serving the Lord defeats any possibility of suicide. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred begin this episode by looking at what the Bible says about suicide. We note that everyone faces some kind of discouragement from time to time. If we consider it to be unfixable, our thinking may lead us to hopelessness and despair and ultimately to harmful behaviors and even to suicide. The Bible records a number of people who resorted to this. We begin by noting 5 individuals. The first is Abimelech who was engaged in battle and became disabled. The Bible record of this is in Judges chapter 9. We talk about that situation. King Saul was battling the Philistines and was wounded by their archers according to 1 Samuel 31. We look at that record. Next, we note that David's son, Absalum engaged in a rebellion against his father who was the king. We talk about what happened to his advisor Ahithophel as well as himself according to the Bible record. The last of the Old Testament individuals we look at are about a hundred years later. Those involved are Baasha, who was king of Israel for a short period, Zimri who was commander of half the kings chariot company and Omri who was appointed commander of the Army. We discuss this at length. The last individual we note is Judas Iscariot who most are familiar with. Nevertheless, we review his suicide. With that background, we begin a discussion of how faith can defeat suicide. This will be the primary focus of the remaining episodes on suicide. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this final episode, Arnie and Glenn discuss that John sent his disciples to Jesus while he was in prison for their benefit. The miracles that Jesus performed and the fact that the poor heard the gospel provided them the evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. A couple of passages were next noted that showed how John closed out the Old Testament period of prophesy. It was also mentioned that there was a lot of violence that occurred whenever the kingdom was discussed. The fact that John saw the kingdom at hand but was never in it was looked at next. John's imprisonment and death close out this episode. John had criticized Herod for taking his brother Phillip's wife who because of it wanted him dead. Arnie and Glenn discuss at length what led to his death at the hands of Herod the Tetrarch. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience. 

Send us a textArnie and Glenn begin this episode with a discussion of the preeminence of Christ because John was asked a number of times if he was the Christ, the Messiah. Glenn notes an interesting fact in the context of Colossians 3:18 which tells us of the preeminence of Christ. A discussion of this context ensues. We next note the problem of few receiving Christ even though John pointed to Him as the Messiah and His message was God given. We next talk about the fact that eternal life demands that one believes and obeys the Son. The meaning of the word believe as used in the Bible is explored. John the Baptizer provided testimony of Jesus to the religious elitists but by and large they rejected it. We discuss the other things they rejected concerning Jesus as well. Take about 30 -minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bibe handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience. 

Send us a textIn this fourth episode, Arnie and Glenn continue their discussion about John the Baptizer. The discussion begins with a look at the prophesy that John's father Zacharias stated about him which first appeared in the Old Testament. Johns' youth was spent in the desert, and he continued this life up until the time he came to the public. We note this. An Old Testament prophecy by Malachi said one like Elijah would return at some point. We look at numerous occasions in the New Testament that people discussed this prophecy and how it relates to John the Baptizer. John and Jesus were related. They were cousins, John being 6 months older than Jesus. But there was a more important relationship which we discuss next. We also look at what the religious leaders were trying to do relating to John's disciples and Jesus. John was aware of this and had much to say about the issue being raised. We note what John had to say. We run out of time for this episode before completing this subject. We'll start here next week. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what is being said. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this third episode, Arnie and Glenn continue discussing what the Bible says about John the Baptizer. We begin by noting that John, according to Jesus, was come to fulfill all righteousness. Part of that work was to identify Jesus as the Christ or Messiah. There are two sections of scripture that tell us of the duration of John's baptism. We discuss both of those sections which is very important to know. John's background, his birth and early life is what is noted next. John had righteous parents, and it is noted that his father, Zacharias, was a priest who served in the temple and his mother, Elizabeth, was a daughter of Aaron. Zacharias had been praying for his wife to have a child and was visited by the angel Gabriel while he was serving in the temple. Gabriel told him that Elizabeth would have a child, told him the name to call him and a number of other important facts that we discuss. Jesus' mother Mary was Elizabeth's cousin, and she went to visit her. We look at that visit and what occurred. This episode closes with John's birth, his naming and Zacharias's prophesy. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Glenn continue to discuss what the Bible says about John the Baptizer in this second episode. We begin by noting that John always performed his mission faithfully. We look at John the apostles record of the occasion the priests and Levites questioned John the Baptizer and note his answers using Old Testament prophecies concerning him. John had tremendous influence with the inhabitants in Jerusalem, Judea, the Jordan Valley and all Israel. We discuss the scriptures that relate that to us. We note that the record tells us that even the most notorious sinners responded to John's preaching. In the rest of this episode, we look at John's baptism. The religious authorities questioned Jesus' authority for what He said and did. Jesus discussed John's baptism in answering their questions. We note that discussion because it ultimately reveals the authority for John's baptism to us. We closeout this episode by looking at the purpose for John's baptism but run out of time before we could finish. We will pick up here in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Glenn begin this episode on John the Baptizer or Immerser, by first noting that his ministry began just before Jesus' work did and lasted only a year or two. Even though he worked such a short time, John was one of the most important and best-known men influencing 1st Century Palestine. Unfortunately, much of his importance is overlooked by many disciples today. As far as we can tell, John began his work about AD 27. His mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah or Christ. We look at the prophesy that tells us that in the Old Testament. John the apostle tells us in his gospel that John the Baptizer was to prepare men to believe in the Light. We discuss what that means. He had a specific message that he was to preach. We discuss what that message included. John included the common man, religious leaders as well as the politically powerful. A number of those situations are looked at. We talk about the "fruits of repentance" that John mentions. Of course, he preached about the coming of the Messiah and we look at some of what he had to say. John guided his disciples' spiritual growth including teaching them how to pray and fast. We note how this applied to Jesus' disciples. This episode concludes with us noting how faithfully John the Immerser performed his mission. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. For your convenience, there is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided. 

Send us a textArnie and Glenn begin this final episode on the Bible being literal or figurative by reviewing some of what they said in the last episode. They note that sometimes people make up their minds prematurely about what a passage says without considering the complete case. It is important to note if the writer identifies which figure of speech is being used. It is also important to see how other writers or speakers treat a particular Bible event. Finally, it is noted that Bible events should be considered literal unless being so forces them to be impossible or nonsense. A common saying that should help to properly understand what is written is noted. Arnie and Glenn talk about the need to use common sense in understanding all written or spoken communications in the Bible. Many of the things that we write or say include some kind of figurative language. It is also noted how important it is to have a genuine desire to know and obey God's word. We complete this episode by noting that both the Old and New Testament Scriptures include both literal and figurative language and we discuss some of the things they provide to us. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on what we are saying. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what is said. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie is joined by Glenn Landrum to continue the discussion of the literal and figurative aspects of the Bible. This episode begins by noting some helpful hints on how to distinguish between literal and figurative expressions in the Bible. We shouldn't make up our minds prematurely on a particular subject without considering the context of it. The time that the Pharisees misrepresented Moses as commanding divorce is discussed at length. Sometimes Jesus or one of the writers tells us which figure of speech is being used, whether it is a parable or an allegory. That is discussed. We ought to note how the inspired writers or speakers treat an event recorded in the Bible. Jesus speaking about Moses at the burning bush and the Hebrew writer noting Noah and the flood is looked at. We discuss Jotham's fable to show some of the figurative language found in the Bible and how to understand it. A good guide to follow is what someone has been quoted as saying, which is, "The sense that makes the most sense is the correct sense." There is a little bit more that needs to be said about this subject, so we will complete it in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this episode, Arnie and Fred continue their discussion of examples of other figures of speech. We begin by talking about similes. We note that similes are words or phrases that compare two things. We look at two examples that have the words like or as in them. Next is a discussion of similitudes. We explain what they are and look at two Bible examples where this figure of speech occurs. Hyperboles are looked at next. They are obvious and intentional exaggerations indicating excitement or used to make a point. Jesus used them as did the apostles. We discuss four examples. Personifications are used in both the Old and New Testaments. We note what they are and look at several passages where they appear. Finally, we begin to talk about how to distinguish figurative from literal language but will have to complete this in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this second episode, Arnie and Fred continue to discuss the literal and figurative aspects of the Bible. We begin here by noting that Jesus and the apostles understood that some of the historical and literal Bible accounts contained figurative language, since they supplied the words. We note the words that Abraham received Isaac from the dead, the passages that appears in, and why it is important to understand it properly. We discuss Parables, noting that they are realistic stories conveying a moral thought as contained in the parable of the Sower.  We look at Proverbs that are understood to be old sayings that communicate practical truths. We look at what Jesus said about the Physician in Luke 4. We continue by noting the allegory that Paul identified of the Bondwoman and Freewoman. We talk about that allegory and how Paul applied it. We close out this episode with a discussion of metaphors. We look at three that are found in the New Testament, two that Jesus used, and one Paul wrote about. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this episode, Arnie and Fred begin a discussion of what some people think of the Bible. Some Bible student's regard everything the Scriptures say to be literally true, for instance trees talked and chose a king. Others think the entire Bible is figurative, that everything symbolizes something else, and no one can understand it except a special few. Neither view is correct. We begin by noting that Paul mentioned using a figure of speech in one of his letters to the Christians in Corinth. Arnie discusses what is recorded in Judges chapter 9 of what Jotham said there to illustrate some of the figurative language he used. We note that the Bible is verbally inspired. We discuss what this means, and how specific it is in what is recorded. Jesus discussed a number of events from the Old Testament and treated them as historically accurate and literal. We discuss the implications of what He had to say. We close out this episode by noting that Jesus and the apostles understood some historical and literal Bible accounts to contain figurative language. We look at one of those accounts. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred continue to discuss what the Bible says about Jesus' birth and the timeline of it. We begin this episode by noting what Luke said about the requirement in the law of Moses that all male children were to be circumcised and when that was to occur. We noted that Luke also recorded Jesus' presentation at the Temple and purification requirements for Mariam recorded in Leviticus. Matthew records the visit of the wisemen, and notes that this occurred when Jesus was a young child. In Matthew's account, much is recorded of the interest that Herod had concerning Jesus' birth and where that occurred. Herod ordered them to report back to him after they saw Jesus. We discuss the warning they received concerning this ruler, Herod the Great. We also talk about the warning Joseph received concerning Herod and why that was important. Matthew records what Herod did to the children in Judea and we have a discussion about this. Matthew also records the return of Joseph and his family and why they ended up in Nazareth. WE discuss the significance of that city's name. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this episode, Arnie and Fred discuss Jesus' birth and try to establish a timeline of it based on what the Bible says. We begin by noting that of the four gospels, Mark is the only one who says nothing about Jesus' birth. We discuss the phrase, "the fulness of time" that Paul refers to in his letter to the Christians in Galatia. We look at the first reference to Jesus in the scriptures. John only refers to Jesus' birth in one verse. We note that verse. Luke records the angel Gabriel's visit with Mary when he explained to her about her becoming Jesus' mother and what that entailed. We look at what Luke said about that. Matthew records what Joseph initially thought about Mary when he found her to be expecting a child. Matthew records when the angel of the Lord visited Joseph to explain the situation to him. We discuss that visit. Luke records the reason Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem as well as Jesus' birth. We note the significance of Luke's mentioning the Roman officials at that time. We complete this episode by looking at Luke's record of shepherds who were visited by angels and their travel to Bethlehem to see Jesus. Luke provides us with an important fact in developing our timeline. We talk about this. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this final episode on morality, Arnie and Fred begin by discussing the fact that immorality is the same as sin. We note that James discusses what happens when an individual knows what is good to do but decides not to do it. John in two passages identifies what sin is. We look at what he says there. Paul has a discussion in Romans 14 relating to one that has doubts about what he is doing and what the result is if he continues to do it. We discuss this situation. Paul also has a long discussion of quite a few different sins in Romans chapter 1. Arnie spends some time looking at what Paul says about those sins. Fred discusses what Paul said to the Christians in Galatia when he listed a similar number of sins in Chapter 5. We move on to talk about what Paul wrote to the brethren in Ephesus about other sources of immorality which are equally serious. We complete this episode by looking at the consequence of unrighteousness and note that Adam and Eve understood that in the very beginning. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this episode, we follow up on our last episode where we concluded with the fact that God is the Author and Determiner of morality. Arnie and Fred begin by noting that moral character is unique to mankind. We discuss the human spirit which was created by God when He created mankind in His image. We look at several passages in Genesis which tell us this. Jesus notes that God is a Spirit which identifies us as spiritual beings as Moses said, made in His image. Both Paul and Peter discuss our conscience which functions as our moral compass if we listen to it properly. We look at what Paul says about the possibility of searing our conscience to the point it is desensitized and doesn't work as God intended. We note that morality is universally applicable. God is no respecter of persons. His moral requirements apply to all countries and people who live in them. We close out this episode by noting that immorality is the same as sin. We will begin our next episode by a fuller discussion of this fact. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience. 

Send us a textArnie and Fred begin this episode on what the Bible says about morality, by noting that morality is not determined by philosophers and their philosophizing. So-called deep thinkers in every culture possess the same human desires and emotions as other people. So, they tend to approve or condemn moral principles according to their own interests. We move on to discuss the fact that morality is not religiously decreed. Canaanite religion in the Old Testament offered human sacrifices as part of their worship. Abortion today is seen in much the same light as being no problem.  The phallic cult included fornication, incest, sodomy, bestiality and other immoral activities. We discuss what is commanded in the Qur'an that are clearly immoral from God's standards. We talk about some of what the Catholic Church did during the Crusades that were a part of that religion at the time. Many denominations today accept certain behavior as a part of their religion that is clearly wrong. We next note that morality is not legislated or enforced by government and look at what the apostles said about that. We discuss several instances that our own government has done in this regard. We also note that morality is not ordered by judicial fiat even though in our society we find it being done. We look at that situation. We close this episode out by discussing the fact that God is the Author and Determiner of morality and moral character is unique to mankind. We discuss why this is the case by examining some Bible passages that teach us this fact. We will have to finish this part of the episode in the next one. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred begin a new episode by discussing what the Bible says about morality. We begin by looking at what Paul went through while he was in protective custody by a Roman garrison and his discussion with the Roman official in charge of the area where he was imprisoned. We find out that the Roman official was totally unprincipled and rather immoral. This was not unusual for Roman officials. We then note that in large measure, modern day America is not much different as is much of the world. We discuss the fact that morality is not of human origin. Observing human activity, one gets the idea that each individual has their own morality. We note that it is the Lord who provided the standard of morality to the Israelites. We note that this hasn't changed. We also talk about the fact that morality is not legislated by the majority, even though we see this done all the time. We continue by looking at what the Bible says about philosophies and the deep thinkers who produce these in every culture. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and will have to address this item in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen to this episode. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this final episode of why the Bible was written, Arnie and Fred note that it teaches how to live as a Christian. We discuss the fact that all of the New Testament epistles were written to and for Christians. In the second chapter to Titus, Paul said that God's grace teaches us what we must deny and also specifies how we should live. In the second chapter of Peter's first epistle, he describes God's people in verse 9. We discuss that description. We talk about what Paul said about the Christians at Rome in the first verse of that letter. Paul also addressed the disciples in Ephesus in the first verse of chapter one. We look at that. Likewise, we note what Peter said in the first verse of his second epistle. We talk about how Paul told Timothy and Titus that Christians are required to live acceptably unto God. The Bible teaches how a disciple develops and grows or doesn't grow as a child of God. We note what Jesus, Paul and the Hebrew writer say about this. We close out this episode by noting that the Bible reveals the destiny of our souls, telling us that our souls continue to live after the body dies. We talk about what Jesus said about this when He discussed the rich man and Lazarus in Luke chapter 16. Jesus tells us of the judgment scene where He will judge everyone. We talk about what He says about that. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred continue to discuss why the Bible was written. We pick up where we left off in the last episode by noting that the Bible explains how people become Christians. We look at what Luke says in Acts about when the disciples were first called Christians. We note that there was a prophesy that discussed this in the Old Testament. We move on to look at various passages that tell us how to obey the gospel, that is, how to become a Christian. Jesus and Paul both note why it is important to hear and learn the gospel. Mark records what Jesus said about believing, as did Luke when he wrote Acts 16 verses 30 and 31. Jesus has something to say about repentance and we discuss that. Paul was on Mars Hill and had a lengthy discussion with the intelligentsia of Athens there and talked about the need for repentance. We close out this episode by noting two occasions that Luke recorded in Acts that contained references to baptism. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussions. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience. 

Send us a textIn this fourth episode, Arnie and Fred begin by noting that the Bible produces faith in Jesus Christ. It does this by providing the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. We look at Luke's Gospel account first and note that it was addressed to a high-ranking Roman official with the intended purpose of providing the eye-witness accounts of what they believed. We also point out that Luke wrote Acts and addressed it to the same official. We discuss the fact that the Bible contains and provides the evidence needed for the belief that is required to produce that faith. We discuss at length how the Bible identifies the Lord's church. It contains the promise that Jusus made that He would build His church, singular. He built only one church, and we point out where the Bible states that it is a spiritual body in heaven. We also discuss the local churches that existed in the first century and note that Paul on a number of occasions made sure that we know that he preached the same thing in every local church. This shows us that the Bible records the specific pattern for the Lord's church. We begin our final discussion in this episode about how the Bible teaches an individual to become saved. We run out of time before finishing it. We will begin the next episode on what the Bible teaches us about what we must do to be saved. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred begin this episode where they left off, that is, the Bible reveals the identity of the Messiah. Jesus criticized the Jewish leaders in John 5 for refusing to accept that He was the Messiah even though the Old Testament scriptures that they studied identified Him as the Messiah. We look at 2 other scriptures in the New Testament that identify Jesus as the Christ. We move on to talk about how the Bible reveals the source of our salvation. We note that man cannot save themselves from their sins. God made salvation possible by providing a way that makes that possible. Again, mankind could not know this unless God revealed it in His written word, the Bible. We close out this episode by beginning our discussion of how the Bible produces faith in Jesus Christ. We look at some of the words and deeds recorded in the Bible that produces this faith. We will finish this particular point in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred continue their discussion on why the Bible was written by looking again into more of the scriptures that reveal the purpose of man, why we are here. Jesus, Solomon and Micah all provide us with some of that information. We discuss what they say. We move next to how the Bible reveals the nature of sin to us. We note that without God telling us, we would not know we were violating God's laws. We look at what Paul said about that. We finish this point by discussing some of the passages that tell us the consequences of our sins. The last point in this episode is to look at how the Bible revealed the Messiah to mankind. We discuss both Old and New Testament scriptures that do this. We run out of time before finishing this point. But we close out this episode by noting Jesus' criticism of the Jewish religious leaders of the day for their failure to accept the Old Testament scriptures that identified Him as the Messiah. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred begin this new episode on what does the Bible say by discussing why the Bible was written. We suspect that most people have given little thought to the reasons the Bible was written. They don't seem to realize that it is the total revelation of God's will - that it really is the Word of God. Many it seems regard it as just containing the opinions of religious men - men that they may or may not hold in especially high regard, for one reason or another. Only a few people actually realize or accept the Bible as having been God - breathed as it says. We begin by looking at what Jesus had to say to the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. We see that some of the purposes the Bible was written are revealed in those passages. The first purpose we see is that the nature of God is revealed there. We talk about the physical creation and the evidence it provides to show the existence of God. We then note that a different method was needed to reveal God's will to man. We look at that method. We begin our next point by noticing that the Bible reveals the purpose of man, why we are here, what God expects of us. We run out of time before we can complete this point. We will begin here in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on what we have to say. Have your Bible handy so you can verify that. For your convenience, there is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided. 

Send us a textArnie and Fred begin this last episode about New Testament worship by discussing the reading of scripture that we find was done during that time. Paul wrote to Timothy about this practice. Luke records in Acts about scripture that was written to the church at Antioch which they read during their worship. In looking at these six elements of New Testament worship, we have noted that if there are items added to them or if any of these items are excluded, the worship engaged in would not be "in spirit and in truth as Jesus requires. We move on to discuss the church as the New Testament body of Christians. We look at the word "church" noting is meaning from the original Koine Greek word. We look at a number of passages that this word is used in and point out what each passage is saying. We look at passages that teach us that the Lord's church is called a "spiritual house". We take some time to talk about the difference between this spiritual house and the local churches the various letters in the New Testament were addressed to. We close out this episode by noting that all of Christ's local churches believed and taught the same things and worked and worshipped in the same way. Since the New Testament specifies the kind of worship God requires, we pose the question, "Is it the kind of worship that you offer?" Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. For your convenience, there is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided.

Send us a textArnie and Fred continue their discussion of New Testament Worship and begin with the memorial to Christ known primarily as the Lord's Supper. We note at length what Paul said to the Christians in Corinth concerning the proper way to remember the Lord's death as a part of their worship. We look at the day that was specified and the fact that it was confirmed by a miracle. We move on to note that it was on the same day that a collection was taken up. We discuss again, what Paul said to the Christians at Corinth concerning this important worship activity. It is so important that Paul found it necessary to specify the day, the attitudes as well as the preparation for this activity. We complete this episode with a discussion of the preaching that was done by Paul. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textArnie and Fred continue to discuss New Testament worship according to what the Bible says. We begin by noting what Jesus said according to John on why we must worship correctly. This led us to begin to look at the elements of worship that are mentioned in the New Testament. The New Testament mentions music but specifies singing or Acapella music which is without mechanical instruments. We look at a number of passages that discuss that kind of music which the saints in the first century engaged in during their worship. We look at all of the aspects of this portion of New Testament worship. That is, what to sing, how, to whom it is directed, its purpose, and where it is to be done. We next discuss prayer and some of the passages that mention it. Paul tells the Christians in the church at Corinth two specific things required in their prayers. We talk about them. We begin to note the observance of the Lord's Supper during our worship and run out of time before finishing. We will revisit this memorial to Christ in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience. 

Send us a textIn this new episode, Arnie and Fred look at what the Bible says about the worship we find in the New Testament. We begin by noting a discussion about worship that Jesus had with a Samaritan woman that He met at the Sychar well. Jesus told the woman that there was a time coming that people would not worship in the mountain that she mentioned, nor would they worship in Jerusalem. He told her that The Father seeks true worshippers who would worship Him in spirit and truth as He requires. We talk about four kinds of worship that the New Testament mentions and what they are. We note that these still exist today. The New Testament also mentions a number of objects that are mentioned and why they shouldn't be worshipped. We discuss each of these. We run out of time before getting to the elements of worship mentioned in the New Testament. We'll open the next episode by looking at them. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can listen in on our discussion and verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience. 

Send us a textIn this final episode on how the Holy Spirit works today, Arnie and Fred begin discussing the source of our understanding of what the Bible says. We look at both Old and New Testament passages to see what some scriptures say about this. We find the New Testament mentioning sanctification in a number of places. We talk about this word, what it means and how this is done. We note that the Holy Spirit even though He is God, He can still be resisted. How this is done is looked at. Some are surprised that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. We talk about how this is possible and what can cause this. In a very short verse, Paul tells the Christians in Thessalonica, "Quench not the Spirit".  Again, we look at a number of passages that show how it is possible that an individual can quench the Spirit. Many are familiar with what Jesus said about blaspheming the Holy Spirit. We note what the Bible says about how this is done. We have a short discussion about what Jesus said about the hour that was coming when all that are in the graves would hear His voice and be resurrected and how what Paul wrote to the Roman Christians is connected to this. We close out this episode talking about what the judgment will be based upon; what standard will be used. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcription of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this episode, Arnie and Fred continue to discuss how the Holy Spirit works today and begin with the comfort He provides and how He accomplishes this. We talk about the comfort that Paul mentioned related to what was written in the Old Testament and how that was received. The grace of God is a popular subject we hear a lot about. We look at some passages that tell us what this is and where it is found. We talk about how the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and use an illustration that we have discussed in previous episodes. We find that the word of God is said to live within the believer. We look at several passages that will help us understand how this occurs. We next talk about spirituality and how that is created in us. Jesus discusses water that He gives that will cause one never to be thirsty again. We look at what this means to us. We close out this episode by noting what happens to us when God's word enters us. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a textIn this second episode on how the Holy Spirit works today, Arnie and Fred begin with item eight on our list. We note that the apostles desire that all be filled with spiritual knowledge. Paul discusses this in several passages and mentions how the Holy Spirit accomplishes this. We next talk about the word of God dwelling in the Christian and the Christian being filled with the Spirit. Again, Paul addresses how this is done. We look at a couple of passages in the Old Testament that tell us how God leads us, as well as one passage from Luke about that subject. John tells us that the Holy Spirit bears witness to us, and he then tells us about the record that He uses to do so. We talk about this. We look at what Peter says about the spiritual babe in Christ, how he is born, and how he grows. It is a very enlightening discussion. Paul told the brethren in Thessalonica how the Holy Spirit's work is accomplished within the Christian and we discuss this. There are a couple places that Paul refers to the fruit of the Spirit. We look at the passage where he tells the Colossians how that fruit is produced. John mentions those who were walking in truth. We look at this concept and what that means relating to the Holy Spirit. We complete this episode by talking about the source of our strength. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a Text Message.Arnie and Fred begin this new episode by discussing how the Holy Spirit works today. We note that many will tell you that they understand what the Bible says based on something that the Holy Spirit does to reveal the true meaning to them apart from what the words actually say. Since they believe the Holy Spirit leads them directly, they think they cannot be wrong in their understanding, no matter what someone might show them. They will even deny a plain Bible verse. We discuss where this erroneous belief comes from. We will ultimately look at 31 items that show that the Holy Spirit uses His sword, the word of God, to do His work among men today. We start with how we are spiritually begotten. John records what Jesus says about that, and both James and Paul expand upon it. Jesus tells us how we are born again or from above and Peter explains it to us clearly. Our heart is quickened, and it is done so through the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. We look at five passages that explain that to us. We also discuss our spiritual cleansing and how that occurs. Peter and John talk about our souls being purified. We note what they say about that. Next, we discuss what James and Paul say about how our soul is saved. We close out this episode by looking at how we are justified. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Arnie and Fred begin by discussing the parables that Jesus used to clarify and illustrate points in His lessons. We note that these parables appear over 50 times in the New Testament. The first one we look at has to do with repairing an old garment and Jesus relates this to the Old Testament and the New Testament. He then talks about new wine in old bottles, applying this to His teaching. He talks about a master who took a trip and gave responsibility to his servants to take care of his possessions. The need to be watchful servants in order to be ready when the master returns is emphasized. Jesus uses hidden treasure that is found in a field and what the discoverer did to teach a lesson on the value of the kingdom of heaven and what we should do relating to it. Many of the people Jesus taught were fishermen. Using nets to catch fish and the sorting that the fishermen do was used by Jesus to teach a lesson about the kingdom of heaven. The final parable that we discuss was about two debtors, a Pharisee and a woman who was a sinner. We talk about this parable at length. We complete this episode by noting what Jesus said to Nicodemus about being born again. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Arnie and Fred continue discussing the fact that Jesus had no formal training as a speaker but was successful in moving multitudes with His teaching. His teaching was centered on what the Old Testament scriptures said that He was immersed in as He was growing up. Consequently, his teaching did not include the human traditions that the Scribes and Pharisees demanded to be followed. Jesus' teaching and the miracles He performed convinced a number of people that He was a teacher sent from God. We look at several of those people. We also talk about the fact that Jesus confessed to the people that He was in fact sent by the Father. We note that most of the Jewish religious leaders refused to believe this and were constantly questioning Him and trying to undermine what He said. We find Jesus being referred to as "The Word". We discuss what that meant. We note that Jesus did not mislead anyone. Only those who refused to believe what He said were misled. We close this episode out by noting that their teacher was in fact God, the Son, just as He said He was. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcription provided of this Buzzsprout episode for your convenience.

Send us a Text Message.Arnie and Fred continue their discussion of Jesus being the master teacher and the Bible passages that teach this. In the last episode we ended with what Jesus said about Christians being the light of the world. Our light, our righteous actions, must be seen, not just heard of. We looked at what Peter said about the suffering that we go through sometimes because of our faithful living. John notes how we ought to walk, and we discussed what he meant by that. Paul pointed out to both the brethren in Corinth and Philippi the importance of following the right examples. We look at those passages. These actions are needed in order for us to be effective teachers of the gospel. We move on to look at Jesus' development under the guidance of His parents in the unimpressive village of Nazareth. We note that there is very little information about His educational development. We do point out that it was customary for boys to attend the village synagogue school till the age of 15. We also note that Jesus did not have the benefit of a formal education with a renowned teacher like Paul did. We talk about some of the times the well-educated were offended by the wisdom that Jesus displayed, who could not understand how He possessed such, being a carpenter's son from Nazareth. We look at passages that show Jesus could both read and write. We complete this episode by beginning to discuss Jesus' ability to move multitudes with His teaching, even though He had no formal training as a speaker. We will complete this item in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Arnie and Fred begin a series of discussions of Jesus being the master teacher. We begin by noting that Jesus taught as one with power and authority and the common people recognized this. We note that Jesus' life illustrated His teaching. We note that it was the truth that He taught, and we look at what John said about that when Jesus was talking with Thomas. Jesus had a discussion with the religious teachers of His time, and there is a great contrast made with Him. We look at the various deeds that Jesus was involved in and how they related to His identity and authority. There was a situation where a woman was brought before Jesus who the religious leaders had discovered committing adultery. We talk about how Jesus handled this situation and how it teaches us a number of things about Him. Philip had asked Jesus to show them the Father. We discuss how Jesus answered this question. We end this episode by beginning to look at what it means to have our light to shine among men. We ran out of time to complete this subject, so we'll begin the next episode with it. Take about thirty-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a Text Message.In this final episode of what the Bible says about the church that Jesus built, Arnie and Fred discuss first the fact that the Lord's church teaches only the doctrine of Christ. There are numerous passages that teach this. We focus in on three passages from what the apostles Peter, John and Paul say about this subject. We note that the "social gospel" is not included in the doctrine of Christ. There are no conventions to decide what will be taught or practiced. We find no manuals, disciplines or creeds included in the Lord's teachings. We note that the purpose of the gospel is to save people from being lost forever. We look at what Paul said to the Romans about being saved. There are a number of requirements included in the doctrine of Christ that must be obeyed. We talk about each one and note that it is the Lord who requires that we obey Him. We close out this episode by noting that the church that Jesus build is composed of those He has saved, and He adds them to it. Take abut 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Arnie and Fred discuss the worship that God directs the church that Jesus built to offer. We begin by noting that Jesus specified the kind of worship this must be. We note that the scriptures describe this worship in detail. We talk about the worship that the church at Jerusalem engaged in on Pentecost according to Acts chapter 2 which included prayer and when that was. Paul taught the church at Corinth about both singing and praying. We discuss what he said to them. Singing is also mentioned by Paul when he wrote to the church at Ephesus and also in his letter to the Hebrews. We look at what he said there. Giving on the first day of the week is also a part of worship in spirit and in truth. We note what Paul said to the church at Corinth concerning this. Paul also discussed scripture reading that was included in the worship at the church in Colossae. We look at what he said to them. We complete this episode on the worship that the church Jesus built must offer by looking at the preaching and the Lord's Supper that was also done on the first day of the week. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.  

Send us a Text Message.In this fourth episode about the church that Jesus built, Arnie and Fred discuss the fact that the Bible says the Lord's church has no earthly organization except the local congregation. We note that Jesus says He has all authority in heaven and in earth and thus He is the only central authority. Consequently, there is no such thing as a diocese or similar organization in the Lord's church. We talk about the local congregations which represent the only earthly organization that the Lord set up. We note that each local church is separate from others. We look at passages that show us that each congregation had its own elders which are also called overseers and shepherds. We talk about those words. We also look at the extensive qualifications for these spiritual leaders that the Lord specifies in order for one to be an elder.  We note two passages that discuss the work they are responsible for doing. We end this episode by looking at the fact that each congregation also had servants that were also referred to as deacons. Like the elders, the Lord specified certain qualifications that they had to meet in order to serve in that capacity. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript provided for your convenience. 

Send us a Text Message.In this third episode about the church that Jesus built, Arnie and Fred begin by discussing the fact that it was revealed in the gospel of Christ. Jesus had told His followers the Parable of the Sower. This parable was about the kingdom and church of the Lord. He told of the seed of the kingdom and the condition of the various hearts of men that it is sowed in. We look at what Peter said about this seed and what it does. We note that the scriptures are the only place that the true nature of the Lord's church/kingdom is correctly revealed. We discuss what Paul said about the church and look at how clear he is in what he wrote and how hard it is to misunderstand what he wrote. This episode is completed by looking at the fact that the Lord's church is not a denomination. Jesus spoke of that fact as did Paul and Jude. We note those passages. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussions. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.