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Unity and Division: The Blessing and the Curse (Part One)
'Ready Answer' by Charles WhitakerUnity seems to be 'godly,' while division is 'ungodly.' However, unity and division are not as black and white as we typically think of them.
Drawing Lines
Sermonette by Joseph B. BaityThe lines separating morality from immorality are blurred. We must recognize these lines and redraw them where we have allowed them to become blurred.
Spiritual Gifts: Unity, Edification, and Order
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughPaul desires to convey to the Corinthians three primary principles to help them use and manage the gifts God had graciously and abundantly bestowed on them.
Dealing With Change
Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)God deliberately places change in our lives to bring about spiritual growth toward perfection.
James and Unleavened Bread (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe epistle of James stresses both faith and works, emphasizing those factors necessary for growth, enabling us to produce a bountiful harvest of fruit.
A Body in Motion (2012)
Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Churches are powerless to stop the legalization of perversion; the secular progressives intend to cram this immorality down everybody's throat.
Simplifying Life (Part One)
Sermon by David F. MaasWe must cleanse not only our physical spaces, but our minds, schedules, and hearts—removing distractions, negative thoughts, and emotional burdens.
Outside the Normal Pattern of Order
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod is a God of order and not confusion; all He does follows a specific order—summarized by the adage, a time and a place for everything.
Order in the Midst of Chaos
Sermonette by Joseph B. BaityGod can restore order without us, but He wants to share the project with us, enabling us to become little oases of God's order during unbelievable chaos.
Grace, Faith, and Love
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPride condemned Satan to a fate of manipulating rather than serving. This presumptuous self-centered trait creates disunity and ultimately destruction.
Eating: How Good It Is! (Part Seven)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughOur physical bodies have a defense system to keep out invaders. Spiritually, how well do we maintain our defenses against error and contamination?
What Does God Really Want? (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe priorities in Matthew 6:33 indicates that the primary emphasis should be on repentance and overcoming rather than mastering a technicality.
Avoiding Superficiality
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughSuccess in spiritual things does not consist in growing large and powerful, but humbly living by faith, overcoming, and yielding to God's shaping power.
God's Sea of Glass (Part 1)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsUnlike tumultuous waves, the sea of glass before God's throne is tranquil and serene. Before we can stand on this sea of glass, we must be set apart and cleansed.
The Beginning of Sorrows
Sermon by Clyde FinkleaThe "last days" began with Christ's resurrection, when Satan was formally deposed as ruler of earth. God made His kingdom available at that time.
Creator, Sustainer, Head (Part One)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe book of Hebrews resonates for the church of God at this time due to the strong parallels between our circumstances and those of the first century church.
Knowing God: Formality and Customs (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughDisorder emerges as a manifestation of humanity's fallen nature, rooted in the same principle described by the second law of thermodynamics—the tendency of all material things to degenerate toward decay and chaos. Just as Hebrews 1:10-12 shows creation "waxing old like a garment" while God alone remains unchanging, and Romans 8:20-23 describes creation subjected to "vanity" and "bondage of corruption," human beings, being material, are likewise pulled toward moral degeneracy, disorganization, and casual informality rather than order. This pull must be constantly resisted through deliberate choice, or chaos inevitably results. This principle directly applies to the church experience. Doubts about belief create confusion, confusion produces division, and division ultimately scatters the body into disorganization, where "random informality of chaos dominates." By contrast, I Corinthians 12 reveals that God organizes His church deliberately, gifting each member—like parts of a physical body—for specific functions, so that the body remains unified rather than descending into randomness. The command to submit to God's order is therefore essential to counteracting this natural drift toward disorder. Old Testament examples illustrate God's insistence on formal order over disorder. The precise camp arrangement in Numbers 2-3, with twelve tribes surrounding the tabernacle, the Levites forming an inner ring, and the priests stationed directly before its entrance, established three deliberate "walls of defense" against unauthorized intrusion—a structure as intentional as the cherubim guarding Eden's Tree of Life. When Korah and his allies rebelled against this arrangement, claiming it was unfairly restrictive, they were judged as challenging God Himself, and they paid with their lives. This demonstrates that God's formal order is not open to casual renegotiation based on human preference. Modern parallels reinforce this warning: over-indulgence at the Feast of Tabernacles, casual disregard for solemn occasions, and the pattern of small groups abandoning structured congregational worship for informal circles all reflect the same tendency toward disorder that Scripture warns against. Nadab and Abihu's death for approaching their priestly duties under the influence of alcohol—which fogs the mind and dissolves self-control—stands as an eternal reminder that casualness in sacred service carries serious consequences, for God is just and His wrath is not always withheld. Ultimately, resisting disorder requires recognizing that formality and decorum are not empty rules but reflections of God's own holy, unchanging character. Since access to God's presence is a privilege purchased at the cost of Christ's life, believers must actively choose order, self-discipline, and reverence rather than surrendering to the natural pull toward degeneracy—understanding that what is external, including dress and conduct, should faithfully mirror internal repentance and honor toward God.
The Sovereignty of God (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod not only upholds, but also guides and propels His creation, periodically overruling man's mismanagement with floods, fires, winds, and earthquakes.
Government (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod intended government to be a positive force of bringing order out of chaos, keeping on a straight course, educating, and edifying with necessary laws.