Why the Thief on the Cross is Not the Pattern for Salvation Today

  • The New Covenant was not yet in effect. It came into effect after Christ’s death (Heb. 9:15–17; Col. 2:14). The thief was forgiven under the Old Covenant, not the New Covenant of Christ. We now live under a different covenant with different conditions of forgiveness.
  • The Great Commission had not yet begun. Jesus had not yet commanded belief and baptism for the salvation of all nations (Mt. 28:19–20; Mk. 16:15–16).
  • Jesus still had authority on earth to forgive sins personally.
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Samaria: The Site of Sin for Centuries

From Jeroboam’s corruption to Philip’s Gospel preaching—how a region known for rebellion became ripe for redemption.

When King Jeroboam led the northern kingdom of Israel away from Jerusalem (c. 931 B.C.), he also led them away from God. Fearing that the people would return to Jerusalem to worship, he set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan, saying, “Behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (1 Kin. 12:28).… Read more

Consumer-Based Christianity

Too many people today are looking for a church that meets their personal preferences rather than meeting the Lord’s requirements. Instead of asking what Christ wants, people are asking:

• Do they have lots of activities for my children?
• Will I like this preacher better than others I’ve heard?
• Is the building big, beautiful, and modern?
• Is the worship entertaining and exciting?
• Will it make me feel good without requiring change?

Friends, these are the wrong questions.… Read more

Another Jesus, Another Spirit, Another Gospel

Paul feared that the Corinthians might be deceived as Eve was, being led away from the pure doctrine of Christ. He wrote, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:3–4).… Read more

Why Christians Do Not Observe the Sabbath (Brief)

The Bible teaches that the Sabbath was given only to Israel, and only from the time of Moses until the cross of Christ. It was never meant to be a law for all people across all generations. Today, under the New Covenant, Christians live under the Law of Christ, not the Law of Moses. The following points briefly explain why Christians do not observe the Sabbath.

  • Because the word “Sabbath” is not found in Genesis—there was no Sabbath command, example, or punishment for anyone from Adam to Moses, indicating it was not a universal law for all people of all periods.
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Questions for Those Who Observe the Sabbath

Some religious groups claim that Sabbath observance is still required today—whether on Saturday or Sunday. However, the Bible teaches that the Old Covenant, including the Sabbath law, was given only to Israel and was never intended to be a law for all people in all generations. Under the New Covenant, Christians follow the Law of Christ, not the Law of Moses. The following questions are designed to challenge the belief that Sabbath-keeping is still binding today.… Read more

Should We Observe the Sabbath?

The question of whether people should still observe the Sabbath is a contentious issue among various religious groups today. Many sincerely believe that keeping the Sabbath is a moral requirement today, making it a test of salvation. This topic is crucial because false doctrines related to the Sabbath can place unnecessary burdens on people’s consciences and even corrupt the true Gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-9).

Understanding what the Bible teaches about the Sabbath is essential for distinguishing between obsolete Old Testament requirements and New Testament commands.… Read more

ChatGPT Recommends Christianity and the Churches of Christ

Question for ChatGPT:

Out of all world religions, which religion is most likely to be true? Please answer in only one word.

ChatGPT said:

Christianity.

Another question for ChatGPT:

You said that out of all world religions, Christianity is most likely to be true. If you could only choose one religious group that is most likely to be following the Bible and pleasing to God, which group would that be? In your answer, please only state that one group.… Read more

What A.I. Says About “Jehovah’s Witnesses”

An Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) chatbot allows people to ask it questions of practically any kind, and it “works by processing large amounts of text data and using patterns in that data to generate responses that are relevant and coherent” (chatgpt.com). The most widely used chatbot is called ChatGPT: “As of September 2024, ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool in the world. The AI chatbot receives 3.1 billion monthly website visits from over 180 million users” (explodingtopics.com).… Read more

Does It Matter Which Church I Attend?

Faithful attendance is a crucial part of Christianity (Hebrews 10:23-31), and many believe that as long as a person believes in Jesus, the church he attends does not matter; but the truth is that the church one attends matters greatly:

  1. It matters because God said there is only one true plan of salvation, and churches teaching conflicting plans of salvation cannot all be correct. The Apostle Paul wrote, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8; cf.
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What A.I. Says About the Catholic Church

An Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) chatbot allows people to ask it questions of practically any kind, and it “works by processing large amounts of text data and using patterns in that data to generate responses that are relevant and coherent” (chatgpt.com). The most widely used chatbot is called ChatGPT: “As of September 2024, ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool in the world. The AI chatbot receives 3.1 billion monthly website visits from over 180 million users” (explodingtopics.com).… Read more

What A.I. Says About Presbyterian Churches

An Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) chatbot allows people to ask it questions of practically any kind, and it “works by processing large amounts of text data and using patterns in that data to generate responses that are relevant and coherent” (chatgpt.com). The most widely used chatbot is called ChatGPT: “As of September 2024, ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool in the world. The AI chatbot receives 3.1 billion monthly website visits from over 180 million users” (explodingtopics.com).… Read more

What A.I. Says About Methodist Churches

An Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) chatbot allows people to ask it questions of practically any kind, and it “works by processing large amounts of text data and using patterns in that data to generate responses that are relevant and coherent” (chatgpt.com). The most widely used chatbot is called ChatGPT: “As of September 2024, ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool in the world. The AI chatbot receives 3.1 billion monthly website visits from over 180 million users” (explodingtopics.com).… Read more

What A.I. Says about Baptist Churches

An Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) chatbot allows people to ask it questions of practically any kind, and it “works by processing large amounts of text data and using patterns in that data to generate responses that are relevant and coherent” (chatgpt.com). The most widely used chatbot is called ChatGPT: “As of September 2024, ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool in the world. The AI chatbot receives 3.1 billion monthly website visits from over 180 million users” (explodingtopics.com).… Read more

What A.I. Says About Pentecostal Churches

An Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) chatbot allows people to ask it questions of practically any kind, and it “works by processing large amounts of text data and using patterns in that data to generate responses that are relevant and coherent” (chatgpt.com). The most widely used chatbot is called ChatGPT: “As of September 2024, ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool in the world. The AI chatbot receives 3.1 billion monthly website visits from over 180 million users” (explodingtopics.com).… Read more