Author: Bryan Gibson

Weekly Bulletin
August 26, 2018

Grace and Works: They Really Do Go Together
by Bryan Gibson
Have you ever seen the grace of God? Barnabas sure did. “When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord” (Acts 11:23). What Barnabas saw, of course, was the effect of God’s grace—the effect it had on these people in Antioch, which was that “a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21). What Barnabas actually saw was their service to the Lord, clear proof that they had received or accepted God’s grace.
God’s grace is not an end in itself—it has an aim or purpose. Its initial aim, of course, is to provide the means for the forgiveness of our sins, but it goes beyond that. God’s grace is designed to change us in such a way that when people see us, they see the grace of God, just like Barnabas did when he saw the new Christians in Antioch.
Here is a partial list of the changes God’s grace should produce in us. These were selected because the passages indicated show a clear connection between grace and works.
That we die to sin and walk in newness of life (Romans 5:20-6:1-4).
That we change from being slaves of sin to being slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:15-23).
That we deny ourselves “ungodliness and worldly lusts,” and instead “live soberly, righteously, and godly” (Titus 2:11-12).
That we no longer live for ourselves, but for Jesus, who died for us (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
That we first give ourselves to the Lord and then to others (2 Corinthians 8:5).
That we become “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14); that we labor “abundantly” for the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:10).
Too many believe that obedience somehow detracts from the grace of God. Nothing could be further from the truth. Obedience brings the grace of God into clearer light, for all to see. As we can see from the above passages, the very design of God’s grace is to lead us to obedience. “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1). His grace toward us WILL be in vain, unless it produces the above changes in our lives.

Does Jesus Still Speak to People Today?
by Bryan Gibson
Let’s make sure that we’re guided, not by what we “think” or “feel,” but by what the Bible teaches.
1 Corinthians 2:10-13 says the Holy Spirit searched “the things of God” and revealed them to the apostles. This fulfilled the promise Jesus made to His apostles, that the Holy Spirit would “guide them into all truth” (John 16:13). The apostles preached what was revealed to them, but they also wrote it down so others could “read and understand” (Ephesians 3:3-5).
If the Holy Spirit guided the apostles into “all truth,” and they in turn wrote this down for all future generations to read, what need is there for additional revelation? 2 Peter 1:3 says the Lord “has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” We have all we need in the Scriptures to make us “complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In other words, the revelation we have in the Bible is complete, so complete that God warns us not to go outside of it (2 John 1:9), take away from it, or add to it (Revelation 22:18-19; see also Galatians 1:6-9).
Notice carefully the wording of Hebrews 1:1-2: “God…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” He does not continue to speak; He has spoken, and He has done that through the written word. If we want to hear Jesus speak today, we must listen to His word, the Bible, and specifically the New Testament. After all, it is by His word that we will be judged in the final day (John 12:48).

Contact Information
	P.O. Box 680872 / Prattville, AL 36067
	(334) 365-5887 / (334) 868-0801
	prattmont@gmail.com / prattmontchurchofchrist.org

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The Prattmont Church of Christ is just what the name suggests, a church that belongs to Christ. We are not a denomination; we are simply a group of Christians trying very hard to practice the teachings of our Head, Jesus Christ. The New Testament offers a complete pattern for what each local church should be like—its organization, its worship, its work, etc. We are committed to following that pattern. We cordially invite you to attend our services. We would also welcome any comments or questions about this bulletin.

TIMES OF SERVICES:
Sunday
Bible Study 9:00 A.M.
Worship 10:00 A.M.
Training Class 5:00 P.M.
Worship 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday:
Bible Study 7:00 P.M.