Parents

Critics of the Bible often imagine they have found a flaw in the sacred text. Though they know it not, the flaw is with them. Such is the case in one criticism of comments made regarding the ostrich in the book of Job.

What can a father do to protect his children from Satan’s grasp? A wise dad will have a plan in place, well before the challenging teen years.

What did Jesus mean in Mark 7:11-12 when he condemned the Pharisees’ practice of “Corban”?

Is has been said that at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee, Mary made a request of Jesus, and that he obeyed. This is supposed to show that she is worthy of praise and worship due to the influence she exercises over her Son. What are the facts?

We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Often we deceive ourselves, thinking that we can escape immediate consequences. After all, we can change someday — some convenient season. Actually, we can not avoid the destructiveness of habitual sin (Hebrews 3:12-13). Let us learn from several who were caught in the act that we might always take sin seriously.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches the dogma of the “primacy of Peter.” Does the Gospel of Mark hold a key piece of evidence pertaining to this controversy?

Does the home influence the religious development of children?

Are extraordinary methods for achieving pregnancy, e.g., artificial insemination by a third party donor, ethically permissible? Some contend that “how” a woman achieves pregnancy is not a material issue. The Old Testament case of Tamar is even employed as proof. What does the evidence really show?

Does one generation “inherit” accountability for the sins of a previous generation? Is “guilt” genetically transmitted? Some passages may seem to suggest this, but what is the truth of the matter? Study this issue with us.

Do public school officials have the right to force students to read materials that they or their parents deem to be morally offensive?

Do we realize the impact that television is having on our children? Can we fathom how the character of television is changing right before our eyes? Reflect on these questions in this week’s Penpoints article.

Though the use of mechanical instruments of music in worship are common in both the Catholic and Protestant communities of "Christendom, " most people do not realize that this function was unknown to the churches of the apostolic age. Rather, the practice was an innovation that came centuries after the establishment of Christ’s church, and such was wholly without New Testament authority. Noted scholar William Woodson discusses this digression in this month’s Feature article.

Samuel’s prophecy concerning the coming kingdom of Christ discredits the theory of premillennialism.

Why do our children succumb to apostasy when they reach maturity? What can we do about it?

Who determined which books were to go into the Bible? Exactly when did that occur? What are the Apocryphal books? Wayne Jackson addresses these important questions.

The idea that all people will be saved appears to be gaining momentum. But the fact is, this dogma has no basis in Scripture and logically it is irrational.

The Bible frequently speaks of the “reading” of the Scriptures, and even the reading of them aloud. Is this mere circumstance, or is there a deeper truth implied in these descriptives?

In an article published sometime back, we denied that Peter was the “rock” upon which Christ built his church, as alleged by Roman Catholicism. A kindly critic objects to this position. Wayne Jackson discusses the matter further.

In recent years much publicity has been given to certain “Bible codes” that are reputed to predict future events. Some even claim that these codes are evidence for the divine origin of the Scriptures. What are the facts? Wayne Jackson addresses this in this month’s Feature article.

The practice of having “baby dedication” services is becoming increasingly popular within some churches of Christ? Is this ritual a mere expedient, or does it reflect an unwarranted innovation? This article addresses this growing controversy.