Centered on Christ Podcast

Although Paul’s epistles were written to different congregations in various places and addressed a variety of issues, they have certain things in common. In most of his letters, he not only identifies himself by name but also refers to himself as an apostle. Additionally, Paul’s letters normally include a salutation that mentions both grace and peace. What you might not realize, however, is that a...

In our last article , we discussed both the definition and danger of “cherry picking” certain verses of the Bible out of their original contexts. We pointed out that all of God’s Word is inspired truth and that we must not add to or take away from it. In this article, we want to look at a specific passage that has been taken out of its context and has been abused to teach false doctrine: Romans 10...

In Acts 15, some began teaching that unless Gentiles are circumcised and keep the law of Moses, they could not be saved. This false teaching strikes at the very heart of the gospel, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the sufficiency of His sacrifice. As we will see in this chapter, this false teaching was strongly opposed by the apostles, the elders of the church, and by the Holy Spirit Himself. Get f...

There is work to be done in the kingdom. There are challenges that need to be met in the church. There are battles to be waged by the armies of God. There are lost souls that need to be saved in the world. Dear readers, every Christian is called to do these things. Each child of God must make up his mind about his Christian service. If you will not take hold of your obligations, there is a Bible p...

This article begins a new series in which we will be examining and discussing the concept of “cherry-picking” certain verses of the Bible and the danger of doing so. We will be looking at specific verses throughout our series, but this article will serve as an introduction to our study. Defining Terms We want to begin by defining our terms. What do we mean by “cherry picking?” “Cherry Picking” ref...

Acts 14 is quite an eventful chapter! Paul and Barnabas are run out of town (again), and then people believe them to be “gods,” and try to worship them. After this, the same group of people are convinced that Paul actually deserves to die. Through all of these tribulations, Paul continues to proclaim God’s word and encourage people to remain faithful to God. Get full access to Centered on Christ a...

Thus far in our series, we have noticed that one who truly belongs to Christ is one who has obeyed the Gospel , is a faithful member of the Lord’s church , and lives a transformed life . We now want to close out our series by emphasizing that spiritual growth and faithfully “walking in the light” unto death is essential to belong to Christ now and on into eternity. The Importance of Remaining Fait...

A “best” friend is very difficult to obtain. Most of us only have two or three best friends in our lifetime. We value our best friends. We know just how much of a blessing they are to our lives. There are many things we could do without, but we will not do without our best friend. One of our best friends, if we will allow Him to be, is Jesus Christ. This seems like it would be impossible because H...

Acts 13 is a shift in the focus of Acts. Up until this point, the focus has been mostly on the apostle Peter in Palestine. Now, the focus will shift to the apostle Paul and his travels among the Gentiles. But the same gospel message is being preached. The same gospel of Jesus Christ is for both the Jews and Gentiles. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

So far in our study, we have examined that one who truly belongs to Christ has obeyed the Gospel of Christ (Rom. 6:3-6) and, as a result, was added by the Lord to the church of Christ (Acts 2:38-47). This week, we continue our series by pointing to the fact that one who truly belongs to Christ is one who truly lives a transformed life. How Are Our Lives Transformed? The apostle Paul completely tra...

My college football team (Ole Miss, for those who don’t know) won against Nick Saban’s teams only three times. Their overall record against Nick Saban, including his time at LSU and Alabama, was three wins to nineteen losses. So when he decided to retire at the end of the 2023 season, I wasn’t exactly sad to see him go. However, something that impressed me about his coaching is what’s come to be k...

After a “break” from persecution, the church faces another round of persecution - this time with the Roman government getting involved to appease the Jewish people. But once again, the same pattern is followed. The Lord’s people suffer for a time, the persecutor is removed, and the Lord’s word continues to grow and multiply. It is a great source of comfort to know that we serve the true “Lord of l...

Last week, we launched a new series answering the question, “Who truly belongs to Christ?” We noted that simply saying Jesus is your Lord and Savior does not mean that He is (Matt. 7:21; Luke 6:46). The first point in our series was that one who has truly died to sin upon obedience to the Gospel is one who truly belongs to Christ (Rom. 6:1-18). This week, we want to note, from the New Testament, t...

The home was the first divine institution God established on the earth. God solved man’s aloneness by creating a woman from his rib. He, then, brought her unto the man and joined them together in holy matrimony (Gen. 2:18-24). God ordered the home with the man being over the woman. “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head...

After the conversion of an uncircumcised man in Acts 10, Peter is immediately confronted about it when he returns to Jerusalem. This is a serious discussion, and one that has a monumental impact on the gospel of Jesus Christ: must a person first become a “Jew” before they can become a Christian? This chapter demonstrates that the blessings in Christ Jesus are available to all people, including Jew...

This article begins a new series in which we will examine, from the Scriptures, what it means and looks like to truly belong to Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul makes a statement that triggered this thought in my mind: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Rom. 8:9). Notice the ph...

At the conclusion of the sixth day of creation, God examined his work, “and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). This description not only applied to the physical properties of the universe but also to the moral purity of the first man and woman—Adam and Eve. Man is Given the Freedom to Choose When they were created, Adam and Eve were sinless but were also endowed with free will. This fact is...

Acts 10 is an important moment in the book of Acts, and in God’s eternal plan (Ephesians 3:1-7). It’s the moment when God demonstrates that He will accept even uncircumcised Gentiles in Christ, and not just circumcised Jewish people, or people who have converted to Judaism. The gospel truly is for all, and the blessings in Christ Jesus are offered to everyone in Him (Galatians 3:26-29). Get full a...

Last week, we began this series discussing “dangerous isms” by looking at the poisonous system known as Atheism . This week, we want to examine “Humanism.” Our goal is to define our terms, then look to the Word of God to find the answer to our question. What is Humanism? Humanism is a worldview that elevates mankind as the source of truth and morality. It promotes the idea that humans are self-suf...

Although the difficulties and trials of life are real, they do not result from any deficiency on God’s part. God is not incapable, nor is He unconcerned. Perhaps this was the thinking of the people to whom Isaiah wrote. If God was so powerful, why were His people in foreign captivity? They had not stopped worshipping (Isaiah 1:11-15). They had not stopped fasting (Isaiah 58:3). Nevertheless, God d...

In Acts 9, a great persecutor of the church becomes a great proclaimer of the gospel. Saul realized he had been wrong after Jesus spoke with him on the road to Damascus - Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The man who once hunted down Christians became a hunted man himself by some of the very same people he had once persecuted Christians alongside. And the same people he had once tried to kill b...

With this article, we begin a new series entitled, “Dangerous “Isms.” I must give credit to the Southaven Church of Christ in Southaven, Mississippi, for this title. For many years, they hosted the POWER Lectureship, and in 1997, they had a lectureship under this heading. I had the privilege of attending this lectureship from 2016-2018 while I was a student at the Memphis School of Preaching. I ce...

Various terms are used to describe Jesus in Scripture. Speaking of Him more than seven hundred years before His birth, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). At the beginning of His ministry, John the Baptist called Him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). In the book...

Acts 8 begins with intense persecution of the Lord’s church that drives the Christians out of Jerusalem and into the surrounding regions. But we also find the church growing - perhaps even more rapidly - because the Christians proclaim the good news of Christ everywhere they go. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

I hope and pray that this series of articles has been helpful and have honored God. It is always my goal, as the title of this article suggests, to provide Scriptural answers to spiritual questions. This week, as we conclude our series, we examine the question, “What does the Bible say about the use of mechanical instruments in worship to God?” Questions to Consider As we begin our study, please g...