The great flood has been of great interest in the world. In ancient civilizations the “flood story” became the subject of myth and legend. There are some that deny the historicity of the flood or diminish it to localized events, while others believe that discoveries in archaeology and geology have verified flood layers around the… Read More What Noah Has Taught Me – Ken Thomas
How shall we view the Bible? Is it just one of many “holy books”—no better or worse than, say, the Qu’ran of Islam, the Reg Veda of Hinduism, or the Book of Mormon? Is it nothing more than an outstanding piece of literature—on par with the works of Shakespeare, “inspired” in the way that any… Read More Is The Bible God’s Word? — David W. Hester
David e-mailed the Carolina Messenger board of directors in mid-April and told us he was resigning from the board due to health reasons about which he briefly but thoroughly elaborated. He gave us this news matter-of-factly and with no fanfare, adding only that “It has been an honor to work with Carolina Messenger over the… Read More “Honor To Whom Honor Is Owed”: Remembering David Pharr And A Life Well Lived
We live in a world full of suffering, heartache and wickedness. In astonishment some may ask: “Is there any hope?” YES! There is an everlasting hope. You can find peace. A follow up question might be: “Where can we find this hope?” The answer is found in His Word! In fact, in our text for… Read More In His Word I Hope — Ray Reynolds, Ph.D.
Psalm 127 is one of two Psalms attributed to Solomon. It speaks of God’s sovereignty and the blessings that come from depending on Him. The reader is reminded of the futility of seeking success on one’s own merit without trusting in God. The psalm begins: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain… Read More Unless The Lord Builds A House — Michael Grooms
The story of Samson from his pre-birth to his death encompasses Judges 13-16. As with Jesus, Samson’s early life is rather obscure. Though Samson judged Israel twenty years, three of the four chapters seem to focus upon the conclusion of his life. As one reads through the few reported instances of his life there are… Read More Judges: Learning From Samson — Roy Knight
We must ask ourselves whom we desire to follow: the Father or the world. If we choose the follow the Father, His way is distinct and produces fruit within His followers.… Read More The Fruit of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh — Roy Knight
It is not my task to give a summary of the epistles of Peter and John but to briefly share with you lessons that have helped me in my Christian walk. 1 Peter 1:3-5 has taught me that I have “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (NKJV). As my… Read More What I Have Learned From Peter and John — Roy Knight
Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles or methods of interpretation concerning the biblical text. Many of us who preach “cut our teeth” on a book entitled Hermeneutics by D.R. Dungan. In the field of hermeneutics, emphasis is placed upon employing the best method of interpretation concerning a particular text. The reason for this… Read More The Perfect Hermeneutic — Barry Grider
Editor’s Note: Last year these four brothers in Christ co-wrote a book titled, It’s There in Black and White: Scriptural Answers to 37 Questions People Are Asking about Racial Tension in the Church. Recognizing its relevancy in the times in which we live, I read the book and was glad I did. The insights laid… Read More It’s There in Black and White: A Conversation with Glenn Colley, Ben Giselbach, Hiram Kemp, and Melvin Otey
Moses was a great leader of Israel, but he stumbled at the start of his mighty ministry. He is remembered for having been called by God from a burning bush that miraculously stayed whole (Ex. 3:3). Bible readers may be surprised to learn that Moses was rather hesitant (and resistant) to answering this call. The… Read More Lessons Learned From Moses’ Excuses — Dustin Forthun
The Ten Words (Decalogue) were spoken by Jehovah in a mighty display of majesty, authority and power. They were subsequently preserved on stone tablets, “written by the finger of God” (Ex. 31:18). “Both the choice of stone as the material for the tables, and the fact that the writing was engraved, were intended to indicate… Read More Are Christians Under The Ten Commandments Today? — David R. Pharr
The Old Testament is a treasure trove of information for the diligent student. Paul beautifully declares that the Old Testament was written for our learning (Rom. 15:4). It is also credited with bringing us to Christ (Gal. 3:25). Despite this high praise, some still claim that members of churches of Christ don’t believe in the… Read More The Value of the Old Testament — Dustin Forthun
In continuing our series of editorials on what the Bible says about government, we now turn to the issue of capital punishment. God inspired Paul to command us to bless our persecutors, repay no one evil for evil, live peaceably as much as possible with all and not avenge ourselves when wrongs are done to… Read More Government and Capital Punishment — Jon Mitchell, Editor (Editorial: March/April, 2020)
Despite what evolutionists claim, it is a fact that Jehovah created this world and universe in six literal days, and then rested on the seventh day. Centuries later, God blessed the seventh day and set it apart from the other days. The seventh day became known as “the Sabbath Day,” from the Hebrew word shabbath,… Read More What The Bible Teaches About The Sabbath Day — Jon Mitchell
The reader has likely deduced that answering common accusations thrown against the Lord’s church is the theme of this issue of the Carolina Messenger. The need to do so is apparent when we remember the divine directive to “always (be) prepared to make a defense” (1 Pet. 3:15) and “contend for the faith that was… Read More “What DO You Believe, Christian?” — Jon Mitchell, Editor (Editorial: September, 2019)
There are many issues on which the churches of Christ are often criticized about. “You think you are the only ones going to Heaven!” “You don’t respect the Old Testament!” and others are often thrown our way. Perhaps the most well known criticism is the one that people give about water baptism. They will say… Read More “You Believe In Water Salvation!” — Drew Milligan
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