The Unveiled Gospel Volume: 1 Co-editors: Danny Aragon/Tom Wright February 2016

Identified With Christ

“…and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with

Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:17).

Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to being identified as a follower of Christ than

just proclaiming to be a Christian. One of the greatest doctrines of the Christian life is the fact

that God came to earth in the flesh so we might have opportunity to be identified with Him in

all the key events of His great work of salvation. One part of this “i.d.” process is the death we

need to be identified with: “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). Paul shows that God

sees him through Christ as dead to life in the flesh.

But we must remember that this is only one part of Jesus’ work of salvation. We must also be

identified with the burial of Christ. Through baptism we can see ourselves being associated

with Christ in the burial phase of salvation: “We are buried with Him by baptism into

death” (Romans 6:4). Baptism is immersion under water to associate us with Jesus and His

time in the tomb. It is our hearts revealing to God that we are submissive to His will. We know

God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins because He raised Him from the dead. When we are

buried with Christ, God raises us from the dead also, identifying us with the resurrection: “…

having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through

faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead (Colossians 2:12).

This is God’s way of identifying us with the life He has given us in Christ. As we remember the

resurrection let us also follow God’s plan to be identified with the Risen Savior. Let us die to

the ways of the world and live through the grace of God which he gives us to guide un in His

will: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny

ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior,

Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for

Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:11-14). God knows

who we are so let’s make sure we are identified with His Son through our obedience to His

gospel of life.

Cub Orcutt is the preacher for the Trinidad church of Christ. He has a tremendous love for the

church and loves to evangelize the lost. He makes it his goal to reach the lost and build up

the church of our Lord.

LITTLE ORPHAN GRANNY THE CRUCIFIXION OF SATAN THE ORIGIN OF 666 FOREWORD FOREWORD FOREWORD THE NEED FOR BENEVOLENCE BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION THE ISLAND OF PATMOS THE PURPOSE OF BENEVOLENCE DURING THE CRUCIFIXION WORSHIP GOD THE GOAL OF BENEVOLENCE AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION CLARIFYING 666 ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THE ORIGIN OF ABORTION THE ORIGIN OF IDOLATRY THE ORIGIN OF IMMORALITY FOREWORD FOREWORD FOREWORD ABORTION IS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT THE IMAGE AND LIKENESSS OF GOD THE EXISTENCE OF IMMORALITY ABORTION INSIDE THE WOMB IMAGES AND IDOLS IMMORALITY THROUGH THE AGES ABORTION OUTSIDE THE WOMB CHRIST AND CHRISTIANS FLEEING IMMORALITY ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR Didymus Books, c/o Thomas G. Wright, didymusbooks@juno.com, 1-719-964-8493, $5.00 Each Retail (plus shipping & any applicable

sales tax) Note: All books are suitable for individual & group Bible study, four-week Sunday morning & Wednesday evening Bible study class, or

as gifts.

The staff for “The Unveiled Gospel” want to offer our services to your con-

gregation through:

- Seminars (offered on weekends to encourage and inspire members)

- Evangelize (offered on weekdays to teach and help seek and save the

lost)

Call Tom @ 719-964-8493 or Danny @ 719-980-0587

If you would like to receive a free subscription to “The Unveiled Gospel” please send us an email to dapreacher238@hotmail.com or

didymusbooks@juno.com. In the email please include if this is an individual or congregational subscription and how many copies you

will need. Also, include your address, contact name and number and email address. At this time we are able to offer free subscriptions

to those who would like them. However, if you would like to donate to this great work please send check or money order made out to

the Limon church of Christ, P.O. Box 391, Limon, CO 80828 or to the Kim church of Christ, P.O. Box 121, Kim, CO 81049. Please earmark

check for “The Unveiled Gospel.” Thank you very much for your prayers and support. ~ Staff members

The Righteous Live by Faith

~ Adam Hahn ~

One cannot properly understand the book of Hebrews without first understanding how various Old Testament Scriptures are

used throughout its pages. From the Psalms to Jeremiah, the Hebrew writer weaves key Old Testament Scriptures into his letter to bring

more understanding to his Jewish audience. One Scripture that the author uses plays a heavy role in Hebrews chapters ten and eleven. In

referencing Habakkuk 2:3-4 in Hebrews 10, the Hebrew writer drew upon a text that is absolutely saturated with the concepts of faith

and righteousness (which is a key theme throughout the book of Hebrews).

The context of Habakkuk is set just before the Babylonian captivity. Habakkuk is one of the last prophets to write before Judah

is enslaved by the wicked Chaldeans. Rather than speaking on behalf of the people, Habakkuk asks God a series of his own questions

regarding the imminent enslavement. He wonders why it seems that God is doing nothing for the people and seems to not hear their

cries. God answers Habakkuk’s many questions, with His most famous and promising statements found in Habakkuk 2:2-4. “Then the

Lord answered me and said, “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the

appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.

Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:2-4 NASB). Although

these things have yet to happen, there is a certainty about them that God conveys. He ensures that the one who knows (reads) this reve-

lation will run. In other words, they will have the utmost confidence in its fulfillment. In God’s time, the promise of deliverance for His

people will come to pass…and it does. The proud mentioned here are those who do not live by faith. Their pride and foolishness blind

them to the fact that God is in control. The proud man is the opposite of the righteous man who lives by faith. Those who live by faith in

the time of Habakkuk put their trust in God (He who is unseen) despite the current troubles they see with their physical eyes. Despite the

calamity coming upon them, they still themselves and put their hope in God. The righteous rise above their human doubts and look to

God’s promises.

Hebrews 10:37-38 is part of a much larger context of faithfulness and righteousness that looks forward to the promise of the

Lord’s second coming and all the benefits therein. Here, the Hebrew writer quotes heavily from Habakkuk 2:3-4 by saying, “For yet in a

very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My

soul has no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:37-38). Prior to his writing of Hebrews 10:37-38, the Hebrew writer begins building toward a

heavy discussion of faith and righteousness by alluding to those things that are worth staying faithful for. In Hebrews 1:14, the writer

references an eternal salvation mankind is to inherit if they stay faithful. Hebrews 4:16 makes note of the mercy and grace that will be

for those who hold out until the end. Hebrews 9:28 speaks of Christ’s second coming and the salvation He delivers to those who eagerly

await Him. Hebrews 10:1 talks about the good things to come. Hebrews 10:25 speaks of staying faithful to the Christian assembly as

man sees the “day drawing near.”

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is an example and application section that follows the writer’s words in Hebrews 10:37-38.

Many know Hebrews 11 as the “heroes of faith” chapter. These “heroes” are the people that lived faithfully while facing their own trou-

bles. The phrase “by faith” is extremely prevalent in this section, ultimately referring back to those key verses in chapter 10. The lesson

is simple. One must live by faith in order to please God. That is what all of these great men and women did who are referenced in chap-

ter 11. Even though many of the figures listed did not live long enough to see the results of the promises made to them, the promises

were always fulfilled by God. They acted according to what God had told them and each gained approval through their faith (11:39).

The application of these verses for the modern reader is essentially the same, just with different circumstances facing each

individual. The second coming of Christ and the various other promises of God are surely coming. They will be fulfilled in God’s time,

not man’s. Just as the Israelites looked for definite deliverance from the Chaldeans in the future, so also must people today look for

God’s promises and endure faithfully until that day comes (Hebrews 12:1). Do not give up! Do not shrink back from the confession of

Christ! He who is coming will come and not delay! Do not be prideful and become blind to the fact that God is in control. God deliv-

ered His people in the time of Habakkuk and He will continue to deliver His people who remain faithful. Rise above human doubt.

Realize that God can be trusted in every crisis. Know that the real purpose of religion is not to have all doubts removed, but to be sure

of God and His faithfulness toward His faithful few.

Unless the Lord Builds the House

Sometime between the time of Noah and the call of Abram Genesis 11:1 – 2 describes how the whole earth

spoke the same language and came to dwell in the land of Shinar. Verses 3 – 9 of this chapter record the consequences

of their decision to build according to their desires rather than God’s. The plan is provided in Verses 3 and 4, “Then

they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They had brick for stone, and they had

asphalt for mortar. And they said, ‘Come , let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us

make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” The problem is clearly that

they left God out of their plans, and purposed to make a name for themselves.

Because of the motive, the LORD said in Verse 7, “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language,

that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of

all the earth, and they ceased building the city.” This place is known throughout time as Babel because of the confu-

sion of language. God simply does not approve of empires built apart from His will.

In contrast to mankind taking it upon themselves to build as they desired, the book of Exodus includes instruc-

tions for the tabernacle and all of its furnishings. These came not from man, but from God. When time came to build,

Exodus 31 tells us that the LORD spoke to Moses and told him who He had called to build according to His instruc-

tions. “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him

with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic

works, to work in gold, in sliver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of

workmanship” (Exodus 31:3 – 5). Bezalel and others chosen by the LORD for the workmanship built precisely per the

LORD’s instructions.

At the close of the book of Exodus we are told in 40:35 that “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Be-

cause the workmen followed His instructions the LORD was with them throughout all their journeys. Does it not re-

main the same thousands of years later in the twenty-first century? When we build without God’s direction, trying to

create our own empire, does not confusion result? When we follow God’s instructions for building a spiritual house,

then He is with us always (Matthew 28:20). As Psalm 127:1 proclaims, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor

in vain who build it. Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” Unless we trust and rely on

the LORD, it is all meaningless, but when we trust and rely on Him, He is always with us and protects us.

~Terry Smalling