Values are a person’s
principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment
of what is important in life. Our values define who we are. They
guide our actions and behavior. They play a central role in
every choice and decision we make. Here are eight values that
ought to underpin everything we do.
God Comes First, Period. God spake these words to Israel,
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew
22:37). Matthew 6:33 records, “But seek ye first the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness …” Before everything and everyone,
God is first and foremost. Before work. Before play. Even before
family. “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not
worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is
not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37). He deserves nothing
less.
The Bible Is the Final Authority in Every Issue. It is
our northern star, compass, and GPS. Where it leads, we follow.
The Scriptures are God-breathed and equip us to every good work
(2Timothy 3:16‑17). Within its pages are “… all things
that pertain unto life and godliness …” (2Peter 1:3).
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The
statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the
commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear
of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the
Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are
they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than
honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
and in keeping of them there is great reward” (Psalm
19:7-11). Therefore, the principles of the Bible are our
principles. The word of God is the standard of right and wrong.
The Church Is the Greatest of Institutions. It is
according to God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10-11).
It was built by the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:18).
It was purchased with the precious blood of Christ (Acts
20:28). Christ is the Saviour of it (Ephesians 5:23).
It will be delivered up to God at the end (1Corinthians
15:24). Membership in the Lord’s church is the highest
blessing and greatest privilege in life.
The Home As God Would Have It. One man for one woman for
life is the relationship established by God at the beginning
(Genesis 2:18-24). Fornication, adultery, polygamy, no-fault
divorce, same-sex relationships and the like are contrary to
divine revelation. The role of man as husband and father is to
love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it
(Ephesians 5:25) and to bring up his children in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). The
place of woman as wife and mother is to love her husband and her
children (Titus 2:4).
Treat Others As If We Were the Others. The Golden Rule
states, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and
the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
Say What We Mean and Do What We Say. Act with integrity.
Keep your word. “… He that sweareth to his own hurt, and
changeth not” (Psalm 15:4). “But let your communication
be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh
of evil” (Matthew 5:37).
Take Personal Accountability. Admit mistakes. Avoid
blaming others. “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the
wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons”
(Colossians 3:25).
By Love Serve One Another. Galatians 5:13, “… use not
liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one
another.”
May the values represented in the word of God be reflected in
our lives. They are the greatest values of all!
—John Isaac Edwards
Is It Reasonable to
Believe the Creation Account?
The fact that you and I are able
to consider such a question is quite astounding in and of
itself. The word “reasonable” suggests based on good sense.
There is no question about it, man is a reasonable being. He is
able to think, understand, and form judgments by a logical
process. How did man acquire such power of the mind?
What the Bible Says. The Bible says, “In the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The
account of this creation is recorded in the first two chapters
of the Bible. Exodus 20:11 affirms, “For in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and
rested the seventh day …” On day six of the creation week, “God
said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and
over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God
created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26‑27).
Thus, man was formed; a full-grown, highly-skilled, intelligent
and intellectual person. He was given the capacity to reproduce
(Genesis 1:28), able to tend a garden (Genesis 2:15),
placed under a system of law (Genesis 2:16-17), possessed
the power of language (Genesis 2:20), the privilege of
choice (Genesis 3:1‑6), and the ability to feel fear, guilt and
shame (Genesis 3:8-10). How did man develop the ability
to reason? The Creator endowed him with that power when He made
him in His own image at the beginning.
What Man Says. Man theorizes that the universe was
created in an enormous explosion nearly 14 billion years ago and
that all phases, forms, and grades of life that now exist
evolved from a single cell. We are told that original cell was a
non-sex cell and that upon millions and millions of years it
accidentally divided itself and became a dual cell, male and
female. Through a process of evolution that took place over
millions of years, here we are.
Which is more reasonable, what the Bible says or what man says?
That is for you to decide. How do you account for your ability
to reason, not to mention all the order and design in the
universe around us? Is it by chance or the result of Almighty
God? “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by
the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3). What the Bible
says is more reasonable than alternative explanations of man.
This
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