Ironworks

          In 2021, I began work with Matt McBrayer on our first book, Conformed or Transformed: Issues Hindering the Church. We decided to write that book to address complex issues within our brotherhood in a way that could be utilized in bible study in congregations and in members' homes.  We published this book on August 2, 2022, and we have been greatly encouraged by the good reports we have received from readers.       We decided to call ourselves Ironworks based on Proverbs 27:17 which reads, “Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” This is exactly the mission that we had in mind when we began writing. We are happy to announce that this work is growing, and we are eager to produce more and more content.       In 2023 we have made a plan to begin and release a podcast that is focused on questions and answers to Bible questions. We both have made efforts to do this in congregations where we have served and it has been of great benefit. We are no

  Honesty is the best policy. This is the old adage that many people have valued for many years. In our employment we are expected to be honest. To be dishonest would be an offense that could lead to punishment including dismissal from that work. How many of us want to deal with dishonest people in commerce? None of us do. We recognize that honesty plays a large role in dependability, faithfulness, and love.  Lying in every instance is a sin, and, because of that, we must avoid lying at any time.  Occasionally, there are members of the Lord’s church that lie to one another. This takes varying forms. Some brethren will overtly lie. This can be premeditated or compulsive. The intent is what makes it such. This would be the case if a brother or sister seeks to defraud another. This, in most cases, would be very infrequent. Lying is condemned in such a clear fashion it seems almost elementary regardless of one's maturity in Christ. However, the events of Acts 5:1-11, in particular

                 Was Jesus born on December 25th? To many in this world, the answer seems obvious. This time of year we will see different groups that are going to put up nativity scenes along with banners that say “Joy to the World” or “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” Does it matter? Yes, it does indeed. While we might be grateful for individuals in the world speaking the name of Jesus at this time of year, we need to remember if they are speaking things that are inaccurate about Jesus or binding traditions foreign to Scripture; that is a sin. In this article, we will look at several points concerning what is called Christmas and the appropriate Christian response by Christians.  The Shepherds The Bible does not give us a specific date, everyone would agree on that. However, does the evidence in the Bible begin to suggest this is the time of year that Jesus was born? Let us first consider one of the details of the account found in Luke 2:8. The shepherds were said to be found i

“A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies.  The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he shall have no lack of gain. “ Prov 31:10-11 A godly wife is an irreplaceable treasure. A godly wife is a blessing to her husband, their children, and the church of the Living God. When we consider the Bible, there are many accounts of the type of women we need in the Lord’s church.       We need women of great faith. Mark 5:25-34 tells of a woman who suffered from an issue of blood for a period of twelve years. She did not just suffer from the issue of bleeding and the uncleanliness (Lev 15) that would go along with it, she suffered at the hands of the very physicians that were supposed to be able to heal her. She had every reason to be bitter and angry. Her faith was still great. “For she said, If I touch but his garments, I shall be made whole”  (Mark 5:28). When she reached out and touched the Lord, she received the healing she so desired. Jesus recognized her faith,

            We are not surprised that at this time of year many of our number will come down with some sort of seasonal illness. Everything from the common cold, to the flu, and even the corona virus have effected some of us and still will throughout the “cold season”. It is at this time of year that we also may become more vigilant in washing our hands and wiping down surfaces such as door knobs. Why do we do that? We do it because we understand many infectious diseases are transferred through clothing and other inanimate objects.  So what about when Moses writes in Leviticus 13:47-59; and 14:33-35 about clothing and buildings being infected with leprosy? Is is possible for clothing or homes to have leprosy on or in them? It seems that we might be tempted to explain away this as a myth of the ancient world. If we take a closer look, we can understand that there were a variety of diseases in the ancient world covered under the blanket term leprosy, which are not the equivalent of t

     Are you thankful it is over? What is over? The constant barrage of political advertisements on television, YouTube, and in  our mail. However, if the Lord does not return first, it is coming back. It will happen again every 2 years just like it has since our nation's founding. There will even be special elections and local elections that will happen in the meantime, but now you can take a rest for a while. As temporary citizens of the United States, we understand this is the way our nation is governed. The problem we have though is that some would have the church of our Lord operate like the government in our own land.       Some congregations have imported a denominational practice of reaffirmation of elders. It was recently brought to my attention that a congregation in Arkansas has elected to do this. I attempted to ask one of their elders to describe the process and the authority by which they came to this conclusion. The Lord’s church must have authority for all matters f

     This week we will begin a series on the qualifications of elders. We know the pattern for the New Testament church is that elders be appointed in every congregation (cf. Titus 1:5). Each of those who would be appointed as elders must be fully qualified according to what the Holy Spirit has revealed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4, and Acts 20:28.  We are very blessed to have good and godly men, Bob, Jack, and Gary, who have served and continue to serve well. With Bob and Colene’s relocation, our elders have taken the task of looking at adding a man to the eldership. It is important that all of the congregation be invested in our study of such an important role in the Lord’s church.       When elders are appointed, they must be fully qualified according to the Scriptures. If they are not fully qualified, they must not serve in that role. A brother made the observation recently that it is easier to get a man in than it is to get him out. So it is of the utmost importa

      Have you ever been in discussion with someone of an opposing view? As you talk you may give them the time to make their points and then you will make a rebuttal. When you speak to someone who believes a doctrine unfounded in the Bible, how might you correct it? With the Bible a common thing that I have found when discussing the error of Perseverance of the Saints or “Once Saved Always Saved,” is that when confronted with the Word that disproves this doctrine, they will resort to this statement, “He/she was not saved in the first place.” So how might we answer that?      In Acts 8:4-24, we read of the account of Philip’s preaching in Samaria. Simon believed and was baptized into Christ (cf Acts 8:13;Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). However, when he saw that Peter and John were able to give the gift of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, he offered money to buy it. Peter did not tell him to be baptized so that his sins would be remitted. He had already become a Christian. So now this

Our next item that is up for dismantling is the false doctrine of Irresistible Grace. This, like every other element of Calvinism, is dependent upon the doctrine of Total Hereditary Depravity, which we have dismantled previously. I still want to present the case on why the doctrine of Irresistible Grace does not stand up to the test of the Scriptures.  What Is the Doctrine of Irresistible Grace? The Orthodox Presbyterian Confession of faith states,  "This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it." What is the Logical Conclusion of this Doctrine?  The advocates of the doctrine of Irresistible grace contend that because man is so depraved that he cannot do anything good whatsoever, he must be kidnapped and forced into salvation with God. W

     Who limits the power of Christ? Who limits the power of Almighty God? I know who tries, anyone who would teach a doctrine of limited atonement. This, like every other element of Calvinism, is dependent upon the doctrine of Total Hereditary Depravity, which we have dismantled previously. We still must prove why this is not a Biblical doctrine in our ongoing study.  What is Limited Atonement?      First, we want to allow those who espouse such to properly define their doctrine. David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas in their book The Five Points of Calvinism, Defined, Defended, Documented, said, "Christ's redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners.” As with all things, we want to test the comments of men against the Word of God, and we will always defer to the latter in all matters of faith and practice.  John 3:16      The

     Unconditional election is the doctrine held by many individuals in the religious world. “Unconditional election means that God does not foresee an action or condition on our part that induces Him to save us. Rather, election rests on God's sovereign decision to save whomever He is pleased to save.” Simply put, the doctrine of Unconditional Election states that you simply do not have to do anything to be saved. There is no command you have to follow, no submission to God’s will. Rather, God takes your free will from you and forces you to be His child.       Edwin Palmer, who served as executive secretary on the NIV Committee on Bible Translation, and was coordinator of all translation on the NIV said. “Foreordination means God’s sovereign plan, whereby He decides all that is to happen in the universe. Nothing in this world happens by chance. God is in back of everything. He decides and causes all things to happen that do happen. He is not sitting on the sidelines wondering and

     “I was born that way.” “We have a sinful nature.” You have likely heard these expressions or something like them from someone who teaches the concept of original sin. They practice their presentations and will put out so many verses to present a false doctrine that has been the cornerstone of many religious bodies (i.e. Reformed Theology and the like). I do not want to paint with such a broad brush because many people who are Calvinists do not know they hold to an error that was organized in the 15th century and its very basic origins in Augustine in the fourth and fifth centuries. Over the next few weeks, I will aim to write on the five points of Calvinism, sometimes called by the acronym T.U.L.I.P. We shall begin with T for Total Hereditary Depravity.       This erroneous doctrine teaches that man is born with the inherited sin of Adam. Thus, every human born of the seed of Adam is born totally depraved, he is sinful from his first cry, and there is nothing that he can do about

  “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.” Proverbs 25:19 From time to time I receive a call from various denominational groups that want the congregation I serve with to purchase something from them. I have received calls about camp rentals, books, and most recently a call from an organization called RightNow Media. Sadly, this was not my first encounter with this group. I was familiar with this group because I have seen a link to this organization on the websites of several congregations across the nation. So why is this a problem? Please consider the evidence. What is Right Now Media RightNow Media, according to their website, is, “A streaming library of more than 20,000 Bible study videos for leaders to share with their people.” Seems innocent enough. In fact, we in the 21st century have seen that streaming videos have been very successful as a means of communicating the truth of the Gospel. However, RightNow Media d

     For Father’s Day, my wife and the kids gifted me with a little gadget called a “Tile.”  It is a little key tag that you can attach to your keys and with the app on your phone you can locate your keys if you misplace them. If you misplace your phone you can click the tag and find your phone also. It is pretty neat.. I can think about all the times I have been delayed, frustrated, and upset because I did not have my keys. As the church we need to remember the significance of the keys which are in the Lord’s hands.  “The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19      The authority to lay the terms and conditions of entrance into the kingdom of heaven are Christ’s alone. He gave His Apostles those keys to the kingdom which they subsequently preached in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost after

“Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. For their heart studieth oppression, and their lips talk of mischief” Proverbs 24:1-2.     You know you have heard the expression, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” A Christian needs to examine this saying a little closer. If you remember a few Sunday mornings ago that we discussed the sin of covetousness. I want to bring back to your mind that covetousness is desiring something that is not yours, and also it is desiring something that you cannot have. God’s warnings are throughout the Scriptures. New Testament Christians must remember we cannot have the life of the wicked.       Through the Inspired Word he declares do not be envious against evil men. Why would we envy evil men? Why would we want anything that evil men enjoy? Sometimes it’s the case that we want the benefits of their evil. A Christian who is not wealthy might look at the riches of the wicked and be willing to walk away f

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins.” Matthew 26:26-28      One of the most significant sources of confusion in Bible interpretation is when individuals will interpret figurative language as literal. Webster’s Dictionary defines figurative language like this: “Figurative language refers to words or phrases that are meaningful, but not literally true.” In addition.  We might think of this by simple expressions in the Bible. The church is the body of Christ as we spoke of last Sunday (Eph 1:22-23, 4:4. 5:23). Should we interpret the church as the literal, physical body of Christ? Do we transform into Jesus when we follow him? If so, what happens when I sin against God? I want to illustrate this point by speaking about