Discover the profound implications of the virgin birth of Christ and its place in old-time religion. This episode unpacks the importance of adhering to biblical teachings, respecting the divine inspiration that guides our beliefs, and how these core values offer solutions to social and moral dilemmas today. We invite you to engage with us on this enriching journey through Scripture.
The old hymn said, Give me that old-time religion, it’s good enough for me. Friends, let’s see what the Bible says about that good old-time religion. That’s today from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. We’re so glad you’ve decided to listen to our program today. In a world of challenges, we need God’s Word to help us face those challenges. Thank you for joining us in this period of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. So let’s listen today.
SPEAKER 01 :
Here’s Jeff. Well, thank you to our J-Web and greetings to all of you. Great having you with us today for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. You know, years ago, people used to talk about and sing that old song, Old Time Religion. Now, usually it would refer to a hand-clapping, shouting, and mourner’s bench type of religion. You know it would say it’s good enough for my mother or good enough for my father. I’ve heard it said good enough for Moses, good enough for Abraham, and go on and on. And it’s good enough for me. Well, today, let’s think about characteristics if a person truly embraces what the Bible says concerning religion. Old-time religion, what would one do? We’ll look at that in a moment, but first, we’ll be back in about 30 seconds. Here’s a few words from Our J-Web.
SPEAKER 02 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
And again, folks, follow us there on X, formerly known as Twitter. We’ll also note quickly, if you are into Facebook or Instagram, follow us there at International Gospel Hour. Old Time Religion Might we submit that with old-time religion, maybe we need to believe and respect the Bible? If we expect to embrace religion according to God and His plan, then we need to believe and respect His Word. we must believe the Bible to be the inspired and errant Word of God. 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17 says, For all Scripture has been given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. that the man of God may be complete or perfected, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. In 2 Peter 1 and verse 21, For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The affirmation of the inspiration of those who would write the word of God, and even on the day of Pentecost, when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak with other tongues or languages as the Spirit gave them utterance. And they heard the teaching of God that day. Friends, we must believe that both the thoughts and words are inspired of God. In Matthew 10, 19, and 20, in what we call the Limited Commission, Jesus told them, When they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak, for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. In 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 13, we find where Paul says, These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. So, friends, we can believe the Bible to be inspired and inerrant, and know that the thoughts and words are inspired of God through the Son, through the Spirit. And, friends, that’s why we must believe and respect the Bible if we want to embrace any type of the old-time religion. We must believe that we can only bind on people what is bound in heaven. Matthew 16 and verse 19, when Jesus gave his command and told Peter that whatever he would bind on earth would be bound in heaven, whatever is loosed on earth would be loosed in heaven, and it’s also said again in Matthew 18 and verse 18. So the word that comes from heaven, and we must believe that, and the Bible is sufficient as we noted moments ago from 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. And we note from 2 Peter 1 and verse 3 how that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Friends, we must believe the Bible to be the inspired and errant word of God and know that the thoughts and the words that have come forth are from God. We need to bind on people what is bound in heaven or in the Word of God, if you will. And, friends, we must believe that the Bible is sufficient to guide us in all that God would have us to know. Now, friends, there is nothing wrong with what we have affirmed, and we will stand on that here with our studies from International Gospel Hour. May we submit also, concerning believing and respecting the Bible, that we must believe that the Bible contains the answers to social and moral questions. Think with me about Matthew 7 and verse 12, what we have commonly called the Golden Rule. That whatsoever you would that men do unto you, you do also unto them. For this is the law and the prophets. We make the move of treating people how we would want to be treated. Now imagine how much suffering in the world would cease if people simply walked by the golden rule, how to treat one another. What about from Matthew 22, 37-40, of loving the Lord our God with all of our heart and our soul and our mind, and that is the first and great commandment, Jesus answered. The second is like unto it you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Imagine for a moment an individual who would love his neighbor as himself. We’re not going to do harm to ourselves, and we’re going to treat our neighbor the way we would want to be treated. And in so doing, we’re loving the Lord our God with all of our heart, our soul, and our mind. Imagine how a life would be well lived to be guided accordingly. And you know in Galatians 5, 19-21, Paul talks about the works of the flesh which are evident. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, adultery, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. Paul said of which I tell you before, just as I have also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. When we believe and respect the Bible, we will not be walking according to the things we just mentioned, the works of the flesh. We must believe, then, that the Bible contains the answers to social and moral questions and how better life would be if we walked by the word of God. We must believe that man will be judged by the word of God. For Jesus said in John 12, 48, He that rejects me and receives not my words hath one that will judge him. The word that I have spoken, the same will judge him in the last day. Therefore, friends, those who believe in old-time religion, well, friends, those individuals must believe and respect the Bible first and foremost. Let’s consider a second reason. to believe in the virgin birth of Christ. If we’re going to embrace old-time religion, why not embrace the virgin birth of Christ? There has been none other birth that could ever be imagined. You know, Christ is referred to as the seed of woman in the prophecy of Genesis 3 and verse 15, to where God tells the serpent, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. In Isaiah 7 and verse 14, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Friends, when we take a look at that prophecy of Isaiah 7 and verse 14, Does not Matthew give the fulfillment of that prophecy from Matthew 1, 18-23, when the angel goes unto Mary and tells her that she would bear a son? And in Matthew 1, 24-25, if Mary was not a virgin, why would the statement be that Joseph knew her not? She was betrothed unto Joseph, what we would call a very strong engagement, almost to marriage. But Joseph did not know her or had not had relations with her in an intimate way, as husband and wife. Mary was called a virgin. To believe in the virgin birth of Christ sets the Christ apart from anyone ever born. And, friends, when we think about those who wish to believe in old-time religion, we must believe in the virgin birth of Christ. When we think of the multitudes of people that flock to what we refer to as the Holy Land, to where Jesus was born, it always is upheld that he was born of a virgin. And friends, the Bible upholds that clearly. Let’s think on these things, and I’ll be back in a moment to wrap up our broadcast. But for now, here are a few words about our friends at the World Video Bible School.
SPEAKER 02 :
Streaming television content is quickly growing. And with that said, check out our friends at World Video Bible School. Their website is wvbs.org. Between listening to us here at International Gospel Hour, check out over 2,400 videos and get this, enroll in their online school and work at your own pace absolutely free. That’s wvbs.org. Again, that’s wvbs.org.
SPEAKER 01 :
And friends, in between listening to our broadcast, please feel free to study along at worldvideobibleschool.org, wvbs.org. A special thank you to my friend Phil Leonard and the gift, 60 Years in the Pulpit, a book about his late father, Charles Leonard, whom I was privileged to know. Brother Leonard preached from Michigan to Mississippi a number of years, as stated in the pulpit, and we’re honored to use his work here on International Gospel Hour with our study of Old Time Religion. Now, we’ll have a couple of other lessons concerning this as we build upon this. But friends, if we’re going to walk with old-time religion, let’s trust in the things that have stood the test of time, and the teaching will continue to please God. Let’s believe and respect the Bible, believe in the virgin birth of Christ, and we’ll study together at another time. Thanks for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
May this study prompt your search of God’s word for his will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to our other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory. God be with you till we meet again.
