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The Golden Rule (Part One)

CGG Weekly by John Reiss

God's way of life is a way of outgoing concern for the good of others. It is offering a hand to help others to do what they cannot do for themselves.

Love

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

A Bible study on love, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Excellence in Character (Part Three)

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

Each Christian must develop godliness through righteous behavior and service, adding virtue to their faith.

Themes of Ruth (Part Four): Kindness and Faith

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Both Ruth and Naomi demonstrated covenant loyalty in this marriages long after the death of their spouses. Ruth faithfully continued to serve her mother-in-law.

Fearing God

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Kim Myers

If we fear our boss, college professor, employer, or spouse more than God, we are guilty of idolatry, putting human figures in the place of God.

Time for Self-Evaluation

'Ready Answer' by John O. Reid

Prior to the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are told to examine ourselves. How can we do that? Here are a few pointers on doing a thorough, honest once over.

"If I Have Not Charity"

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Christianity has both an inward aspect (building godly character or becoming sanctified) and an outward aspect (doing practical good works).

Love God, Love Neighbor

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The outgoing concern toward other beings begins with God the Father to Christ to us. How much we love our brethren may be a good gauge of how much we love God.

No Real Love Without God

Sermon by John O. Reid

The love of God is the true essence of what the world desperately needs, a love that brings peace, harmony, joy, happiness, fulfillment, purpose, and brotherly affection to all mankind. This love, defined as agape, reflects God's willful direction toward humanity, always seeking what is best for us, even when it differs from our desires. As John 3:16 reveals, God so loved the world that He gave His Son as a sacrifice, not to fulfill human wants, but to meet our deepest need for justification and reconciliation with Him upon repentance. God's love is characterized by benevolence, a disposition to do good, marked by kindness, sympathy, and generosity in individual dealings, while His overarching plan is philanthropic on the grandest scale, aiming to elevate mankind into the Kingdom of God. This love originates from God Himself, reflecting His Spirit in us, and as we exhibit it, we take on the nature of our Father. Those who reflect this love show they are born of Him, while those who do not, regardless of their knowledge, fail to truly know God. The proof of God's love is evident in the world He has provided, where rain falls on the just and unjust alike, in His patience toward us, and most profoundly, in sending His Son as a sacrifice to reconcile us to Him. Even when we were ignorant of His ways and opposed to Him, He loved us and desired the best for us. As I John 3:16 states, we perceive God's love because He laid down His life for us, and in like manner, we are called to lay down our lives for the brethren, perfecting His love in us through active application toward others. Jesus taught in John 13:35 that love for one another identifies His disciples, serving as a sign of belonging to God, just as keeping the Sabbath does. Perfect love casts out fear, and as we grow in it, we take on His nature, gaining boldness to stand before Him. We love Him because He first loved us, and this love is not ours but God's love working through us, urging us to love our fellow man as the Father and Son love us. The greatest commandment, as Jesus declared, is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, submitting every faculty to His will and devoting ourselves to glorify Him by being like Him in all we do. The first four commandments show direct love to God, requiring us to honor Him above all else, rid ourselves of idols, represent His name with honor in every aspect of life, and keep the Sabbath as holy time to rest, study, and encourage one another. The second great commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves, extends this love to all around us—family, friends, countrymen, and even enemies—by seeking their good, refraining from harm, and showing kindness, even when their actions do not warrant it. True love of God produces a desire to live His way, embracing His commandments not as burdens but as essential boundaries that train us to become like Him. Obedience to His Word, as John states, perfects His love in us, establishing an intimate relationship with Jesus and the Father, leading toward becoming members of the God Family. If true love exists in the heart, it will be reflected in our way of living, demonstrating that we belong to Him through our outgoing concern for others. Above all, we are to put on godly love, forgiving as we have been forgiven by Christ, uniting all aspects of God's calling and opening His mind for us to emulate.

Overcoming (Part 10): Self-Pity

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

We all have low days, but when our despondency turns to self-pity, we have a problem. 'Woe is me' can hamper our growth because it is self-centeredness.

Why Do You Feel Entitled?

Sermon by Kim Myers

The entitlement attitude has crept into God's church, with people seemingly feeling they should be served instead of eagerly serving others.

Go Forward

Sermon by Mark Schindler

Are we ready to sacrifice as was Moses, realizing that our precious calling is far more than the imaginary quest of Don Quixote?

Leadership and Covenants (Part Twenty-Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Much of Protestantism misconstrues the significance of the New Covenant as a 'free pass into Heaven' without paying attention to the Law within the Covenant.

Dating (Part 3): A Love Worthy of Your Life

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Society's interpretation of love is lust or infatuation. Premarital sex leads to long-term devastating effects, and never leads to adjustment in marriage.

Love

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. Reid

God appreciates when we show concern for others, developing the maturity to overlook the slights others have made to us. Love sets an example for others.

The Ultimate Gift

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark Schindler

Paul reveals God's plan to save all Israel (Romans 11:25-36); the ultimate gift to His saints is the ability to help in the reconciliation process.

Altruism

CGG Weekly by John Reiss

God's way of giving is true altruism, and while we will never attain to such a perfect standard, He exhorts us to develop this characteristic.

Back to Basics

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Increasing knowledge without the capacity to process it leads to insanity. To combat information overload, we must get back to the basics of Christianity.

Overcoming (Part 7): Selfishness

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

Perhaps the main impediment to overcoming is our innate selfishness. Our goal is to bear the character of our God, whose primary characteristic outgoing concern.

Prepare for Your Future Now

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. Reid

We have been base and ignoble, but Christ has enabled us to be cleaned up and transformed or shaped into offspring of God to be joint heirs with Christ.

Abstaining From Evil

'Ready Answer' by John O. Reid

God does not just want us not to sin, He also wants us not even to appear to be doing evil. We must guard their thoughts, words and deeds at all times.

Be a Good Neighbor

CGG Weekly by John Reiss

Some have wondered, 'How far should we go in helping someone who is not in the church of God?' How does the Bible respond to this question?

Conduct of the New Life

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Driving out the evil must be followed by cultivating goodness and righteousness. An antidote to depression is to get our hearts focused on someone else.

Joy

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

True joy is based neither on material accumulation, nor in extraordinary physical accomplishments, but in the hope of salvation and the promises of God.

Abraham's Sacrifice (Part Three): Hope Demonstrated

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Abraham's resolute intent to sacrifice Isaac displayed his unreserved devotion to God's purpose for him. We must display the same kind of tenacity.

What's in It for Me?

Sermonette by Mark Schindler

Because seed-bearing designates fruit that is good for food, it is possible that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was not seed-bearing.

Reach for the Goal

Sermon by John O. Reid

Similar to the way people pull together in times of crisis, we must also have a goal, a vision of the finish line, in order to overcome and grow.

Don't Stand Still!

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The best way to conquer evil is to do righteousness, serving God and mankind. Sins of omission are every bit as devastating as sins of commission.

The Rest of the Story

Sermon by Mark Schindler

In I Corinthians 11:29, we are cautioned not to partake of the Passover in an unworthy manner, a primary example of which is the shabby treatment of brethren.

Thankfulness

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

The apostle Paul predicted the end-time generation to be unthankful. We need to buck this trend and show our appreciation to God and fellow man.

Matthew (Part Ten)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Entering the Kingdom requires choosing the narrow, difficult path of sacrifice, service, and humility over the easy, broad path of selfishness.