Addiction
by William C. Sexton
The word addiction is one we usually associate with drugs. An "addict" is defined as "one who has a confirmed habit, as the overuse of drugs…" (Webster’s).
If we look, however, we can see that one can be addicted to almost anything; that is, to have a "confirmed habit." I suggest that many in our day are addicts, that is they have "a confirmed habit" of deviate sexual behavior. One can become involved over a period of time to practices that God does not approve. One can do it to the point that he becomes obsessed, addicted to that practice.
Just as one is not born with the urge to consume alcohol or other drugs, one is not born with the desire to engage in deviant sex practices. Yet, one may learn to do so, by experimentation, or by seeing others engage in such, or by hearing others talk about it. That is why pornography is so harmful today. Being available, many are introduced to it, and they get gratification from viewing it. People see things on the printed page (pictures) and view in prono movies acts that are glorified so as to arouse the sexual impulse in an individual. It begins to work on one’s mind, and he becomed obsessed with such till the point that he’ll do things that are very hurtful to his well-being and that of many others!
The Meeting-Place of Prayer
Our Savior meets us in our place of need. It is the intersecting of our hearts’ desire with the Person Who has the ultimate qualifications — the Person Who spoke the world into being, the Creator of all things.
In the account of Jesus’ intersecting with the woman of Canaan, in Matthew 15:21-28, we see God’s providence, "His most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions" (Shorter Catechism Q.11).1 How did Christ draw the woman to Himself? The most visible means is the sorrowful cruelty of the enemy’s work in her child. We do not have to imagine the extent of pain caused by wickedness, for we are no strangers to Satan’s deceitful powers. Because of His love, the Good Shepherd was seeking the woman. Because of her need, the woman was seeking Him.
Give Her of the Fruit of Her Hands
Proverbs 31: “Give Her of the Fruit of Her Hands” Ina Manly Painter
Proverbs 31:1-9 gives us, by divine inspiration, a window into the affectionate instruction of a godly mother. This solemn tenderness is a bold antithesis between righteousness and unrighteousness and a godly example for all ages. We suspect that this mother’s instruction may have been a near picture of herself; however, this chapter in its entirety is most assuredly a mirror for Christian women and a blueprint for every Christian man in the selection of a wife.
What Is Biblical Baptism
In this article I will be presenting a close look at an ordinance of the Church — Baptism. In order to properly worship our Savior we need to be sure that we fully understand this area, and use it as it was intended to be used in the Church. I have divided our study into six areas: origin, significance, mode, efficacy, subjects and application.
A. ORIGIN OF BAPTISM: Ritual baptism is as old as the Law. The Old Testament is full of instances of ceremonial purifications, which were a type of baptism. It was considered a symbol of divine cleansing (Ezek 36:25). This type of baptism continued right into the New Testament with the baptism of John and Jewish proselyte baptism.
Christian baptism, however, was not simply a continuation of these but was a different baptism performed at the command of Christ. (Acts 19:3 ff.) The other baptisms were for the most part commanded by God as an outward act of cleansing, however, true cleansing was impossible with water. True cleansing could only come from the shed Blood of Christ on Calvary. Even John’s baptism was to cleanse the Jews to prepare them to receive the true cleansing of Jesus Christ.
The origin of Christian baptism is found in the person of Jesus Christ. It is because of and through Him that the Christian can participate in complete cleansing through salvation by faith in Christ. Jesus Himself was baptized to complete all righteousness. It is important to note that when Christ was baptized, He was already perfectly clean (never had, nor could sin). In the same way the Christian is Baptized after Salvation by Faith, to visibly illustrate the perfect cleansing that had already taken place within.
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