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Blog

Welcome to the footnote¹ blog. Our goal each day is to examine a verse and give a short summary in commentary form or simply an encouraging note to help you remain faithful to God throughout the week. Either way we hope that the footnote¹ blog will comfort you through God's word and give you a better understanding of His will.

John

Let Jesus Set You Free!

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” (John 8.34-36, ESV)

Someone once said, “So long as a person is convinced He has no problem, He will seek no solution.” Therefore, people do not come to Jesus for forgiveness (the solution) because they do not believe they have a sin-problem.

However, the Bible teaches, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3.23, ESV). If you’re reading this, more than likely you have sinned (transgressed God’s law) and need salvation. Sin is the problem. Jesus’ cleansing blood is the answer. Since life is in the blood (Lev. 17.11) and death is because of sin (Rom. 6.23), choose life today! Choose to obey Jesus to be washed in His precious blood that saves (1 Peter 1.18-19, 22-23).

Obey Jesus today by being baptized upon your faith, repentance of sins, and confession of faith: “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22.16)

Contact us today if we can help you: evangelist@txkchurch.com | call/text 903.308.4905 | message us on Facebook

The Bible Is Our Standard

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

 

“The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” (John 12.48, ESV)¹

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¹We must have standards for all we do in life. Standard is defined: “as a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable; ideas about morally correct and acceptable behavior; something that is very good and that is used to make judgments about the quality of other things" (Merriam-Webster). Thus, without standards we would and could not agree on anything and disunity and chaos would follow. For example, the employee policy hanging on the wall at work is the standard by which all employees must measure themselves. If an employee is found lacking in a particular area, his or her employer has the necessary tools to either help the employee improve or if the employee continues to spiral down, terminate them. Therefore, we understand the policy to keep the employee working effectively and efficiently.

Another standard worth mentioning is the handy dandy tape measure. Without it our buildings would be crooked and unstable and our furniture would be uncomfortable to look at and sit on! This is because we would never agree to the length of a piece of wood. One builder might say the length is 10 inches, while another argues the length is 14 inches. Thus, to eliminate disunity and chaos, these builders would have to adopt a standard by which they measure each piece of wood.

In the religious world, the Bible is our standard. With it we measure our faith (2 Cor. 13.5; James 1.25), our maturity in Christ (2 Tim. 3.16-17; 2 Peter 1.3) and our eternal outcome will be measured by our faithfulness (Rev. 2.10). Since God’s word will be the judge, that is, our standard, it would do us well to heed and obey the words of Christ in all things (Col. 3.17). BG

Are you interested in learning more about God's word? Message us on Facebook, e-mail us, or text 903.308.4905.

Do You Listen and Follow Jesus?

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

 

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (John 11.28-29, ESV)¹

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¹Speaking of His sheep (disciples), Jesus gives all a beautiful promise – “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” and “no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand”. Too often people claim that this means that His disciples cannot be lost.

The first problem is that this belief is built on a system of beliefs that state that the child of God cannot be lost (often referred to as once saved always saved), and the second problem is that this belief requires those who accept it to overlook the context of the verse in question and deny clear passages that teach a Christian can lose his salvation (see Gal. 5.4; James 5.19-20; Heb. 3.13; 2 Peter 2.20-22, etc.). Additioanlly, one has to overlook the fact that salvation and remaining saved is conditional. 

For example, prior to giving this promise, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 11.28, ESV). This implies that His disciples choose to “hear” and “follow”. To hear Jesus is to listen to all that He teaches and to follow Jesus is to obey all that He commands. Many people listen and yet do not follow (refuse to obey). The promise of eternal life does not apply to them. Many people claim to follow and yet do not listen (claim to have a relationship with Christ and yet live immoral lives). For example, Jesus said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6.46, ESV). The promise of eternal life does not apply to them.

Therefore, for all who listen and follow, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”

If you’re interested in learning more about God’s will, e-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

The Gospel of Jesus

Thursday, April 06, 2017

 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3.16, ESV)¹

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¹John 3.16 is a verse that is loved by all in the religious world. In fact, it is the gospel (good news) message in a nutshell. Unfortunately, too many people distort this wonderful verse and teach something Jesus does not mean.

First, some teach that one must simply believe in Christ (as in a mental faith that Jesus lived and died for us), and secondly, that this belief (mental faith) is all one needs to be saved. While it is true that Jesus said we must believe to be saved, surely no one would exclude repentance from our sins, confession of our faith that we believe in Jesus, baptism in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and obedience and faithfulness to His will for the rest of our lives (Acts 17.30-31; Rom. 10.9-10; Acts 2.38; Luke 6.46).

Simply put, the believer of John 3.16 is obedient to Christ in all that He commands or he is not the believer Jesus is speaking about!

 

Will you obey Jesus today?

‘G’od so loved the world, that he gave his

‘O’nly

‘S’on that whoever believes in him should not

‘P’erish but have

‘E’ternal

‘L’ife

That’s the GOSPEL!

 

If you’re interested in learning more about the gospel, e-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

A New Commandment

Thursday, February 16, 2017

John 13.34 ESV “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”¹

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¹It has always been the case that man was to love his neighbor as himself (see Lev. 19.18). Therefore, when Jesus commanded His followers to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22.39), this was not some new idea. However, there was a new command that had not been practiced before. This new command was to love one another as Christ loved them. Jesus demonstrated true love when He laid down His life for all of mankind (1 John 4.8-11, 19). Therefore, it can be said that He gave love a new meaning (see also John 15.12-13; 1 John 3.16).

Do you want to learn more about the love of Christ? E-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

 
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