Is That Really What It Means? | Limestone Church of Christ

May 31, 2015October 5, 2025

Wives, Submit To Your Husbands In All Things

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

For years, I’ve heard concern, even defiance from both non-Christian and Christian women to a particular Bible text. Their ages range from early 20s thru mid-70s. Some were single, some married, some divorced. But one thing they all had in common was a skewed idea about what the Bible says on marriage. Perhaps some heard a pontificating man use the text to affirm male dominance. Some may have read the work of a raging feminist spewing hatred about archaic Bible concepts. Or it may be that some simply read it themselves and failed to see the whole picture. Whatever the case, Ephesians 5:22-24 has been sorely mishandled at times. Notice the text:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

May 24, 2015October 5, 2025

Unity – Can Two Walk Together Unless They Agree?

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

The Bible emphasizes the need for unity and peace among God’s people. We can find texts in both the Old (Psalm 133:1; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 1 Chronicles 12:17) and New Testament (John 17:21-23; Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:1-6) that tell us to pursue unity. Several years ago, I taught an eight lesson series on the topic—there is that much material and more in the Bible about unity.

Occasionally in the discussion of unity among God’s people, you will hear folks reference a short, but powerful verse in Amos. It reads:

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3)

May 17, 2015October 5, 2025

Salvation By Grace Through Faith in Christ

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

Every serious Bible student understands that grace and faith are essential components in any discussion about salvation. The Bible is emphatic, using the word grace 128 times in the New Testament and words like faith and believe (from the same Greek word) in excess of 300 times.

Hear what Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

…by grace you have been saved … by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:5, 8-9)

May 10, 2015October 5, 2025

Vengeance in the Bible: “Eye for Eye”

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

The scneario plays out every day, potentially millions of times every day. Someone does something nasty to another – what it is doesn’t matter, the same reaction will result whether it is serious or frivolous. The one who was wronged may articulate it clear and concise or may simply reserve the thought in his heart. When verbalized, it often comes out like this” “He’ll get his,” or “He’s gonna get what’s coming to him,” or “Vengeance is sweet,” or a variety of other sayinggs, some wwhich are unfit to repeat. It matters not what we call it; getting even, or payback, or retribution, or tit for tat; the end result is always the same – someone did something nasty to me, so I’m going to do something nasty to them.

May 3, 2015October 5, 2025

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

As we have stressed, it is important when we read the Bible to set things into their context. Here are a few guidelines to help to help us set a verse in context:

Read at least 7 verses before and after, to give a 15 verse span. That is usually sufficient to set a verse in it’s literary context.
Who was the original recipient of the text? Make sure our understanding or application of the verse 1. doesn’t ignore its significance to them. Are we in a similar situation to the original recipient?
What are the historical circumstances surrounding the text? Noting this will sometimes help us see the limitation or scope of a verse.

April 26, 2015October 5, 2025

The Bible is Not Open To Our Private Interpretation

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

Many potentially enlightening Bible discussions have been avoided by fluffing off differences as merely a matter of opinion. “You believe it your way, I believe it my way” is a sad but all too common Bible conversation closer. I recall one discussion when I had simply read a passage of Scripture, and before I could say anything about it, a hostile accusation was levied, “That’s your interpretation!” The person was not really interested in what the Bible said, let alone what I might have to say about it.

April 19, 2015October 5, 2025

When Two Or Three Gather Together In Jesus’ Name

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

You’re going on vacation, but there is no faithful congregation of God’s people meeting anywhere near your destination of choice. You believe it is important to meet with Christians each Sunday for worship. So, what do you do?

choose a different vacation spot?
go to the desired location, but leave a day late or come back a day early so you can assemble with Christians on the Lord’s day?
just skip out on worship for the Sunday in question, and trust that God will understand? (NOTE – if this is your choice, know for certain that God understands. He understands that serving Him is NOT the most important thing in your life. Read Matthew 16:24-26, and consider your need to repent before it is too late).

April 5, 2015October 4, 2025

Understand the Bible Better: The Power of Words and Context

IS THAT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS?

“Inconceivable!” If you have seen the movie The Princess Bride, you recognize this as the word used repeatedly by Vizzini, a witty Sicilian criminal mastermind. After hearing his boss use it several times, the hired swordsman, Inigo Montoya declared, “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.” There have been times I’ve had the same thought about how folks use the Bible— “…I don’t think that verse means what you think it means.”