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Theme for Worship on Sunday, November 29:
Keep Watch - The Lord is Coming!
 Click image to open this week's worship video bulletin.
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"Peace to you!" from
Pastor Jon Cox
Thank you for visiting the Bethel website!
Bethel is a family of believers in the one true God. He has done all that the world needs to be saved from sin.
Jesus Christ, is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Through faith in his life, death, and resurrection, all people may have forgiveness of sins and life in heaven.
No matter what troubles may confront us in this life, God promises to provide for all life, to care for his believers, and to work through all circumstances to bring about good for those who love him.
I have been a pastor since 1992, and have had the privilege to serve many people in various situations. I want to serve you too.
If you would like any spiritual or pastoral care from me, questions answered, prayers prayed, or just a listening ear, please call me on my cell phone or send an email message to me.
Pastor Jon Cox
608.582.9998
jon.nathan.cox@gmail.com
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Forward in Christ
| Q&A: Am I being judgmental if I point out someone’s sin?
 I have a friend who is caught in a sin. I care about her, so I try to talk to her about it, but she just says, “The Bible says not to judge!” Am I being judgmental by trying to point out her sin? Where “don’t judge” comes from Our world promotes the idea of […]
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Faith Related Q and A
| Regarding a question about who you would endorse for U.S. president, you gave the following response:
"WELS does not endorse any candidate for political office. Doing so would be a violation of the Internal Revenue Code and jeopardize the synod’s tax-exempt status."
Would it not be highly improper to let government benefits affect what the synod or its congregations would endorse or not endorse? I feel like the only thing guiding the preaching and official statements of a church body should be the Word of God. If the church, as a consequence of that, would lose various economic benefits, that's a price we as Christians should be ready to pay (Rev. 13:17).
In This We Believe, we make this profession: “2. We believe that God has given the church and the state their own distinct responsibilities. To the church the Lord has assigned the responsibility of calling sinners to repentance, of proclaiming forgiveness through the cross of Christ, and of encouraging believers in their Christian living. The purpose is to lead the elect of God to eternal salvation through faith in Christ. To the state the Lord has assigned the duty of keeping good order and peace, of punishing the wrongdoer, and of arranging all civil matters in society (Romans 13:3,4). The purpose is ‘that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness’ (1 Timothy 2:2).
“3. We believe that the only means God has given to the church to carry out its assigned purpose are the Word and sacraments (Matthew 28:19,20). People are converted by the Holy Spirit only through the message of law and gospel, sin and grace, the wrath of God against sin and the mercy of God in Christ. We believe that the means given to the state to fulfill its assignment is civil law with its punishments and rewards, set up and used according to the light of reason (Romans 13:4). The light of reason includes the natural knowledge of God, the natural knowledge of the law, and conscience.
“4. We believe the proper relation is preserved between the church and the state only when each remains within its divinely assigned sphere and uses its divinely entrusted means. The church should not exercise civil authority nor interfere with the state as the state carries out its responsibilities. The state should not become a messenger of the gospel nor interfere with the church in its preaching mission. The church should not attempt to use the civil law and force to lead people to Christ. The state should not seek to govern by means of the gospel. On the other hand, the church and the state may cooperate in an endeavor as long as each remains within its assigned place and uses its entrusted means.”
Endorsing political candidates is not a function of the church. Jeopardizing tax-exempt status by doing so would be irresponsible and a mismanagement of God’s gifts. What the church does is teach and encourage responsible citizenship. That includes exercising the right to vote.
The “mark” or seal in Revelation 13:16-17 is a symbolic way of denoting ownership: those people belong to the beast. Just as God’s people are symbolically marked or sealed (Revelation 7:4), so those who belong to Satan are also symbolically marked or sealed.
| Recently I've been struggling with sola Scriptura (Scripture alone). I've read the verses pointed to as evidence, but I'm having a hard time connecting them as evidence for sola Scriptura. In their context, they don't seem like proof. How should the dots be connected between these verses?
God makes it very clear that people are not to add to or subtract from his word (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19). The context shows that God is responsible for the content of his word and he considers any tampering of it to be a serious offense.
Ephesians 2:20 teaches that God’s word, written through the prophets and apostles, is the foundation of the Christian Church, and Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. The context illustrates that there is a single foundation to the “building” (Ephesians 2:21), and the Church rests on the foundation of God’s word.
Luke 16:29 teaches that people are not to look anywhere else for saving truth. The context concerns the rich fool in hell who wanted his brothers on earth to avoid hell and enjoy salvation by means of a special revelation instead of the clear words of Scripture.
Matthew 15:7-9 is the record of Jesus’ words of condemnation of those who tried to supplement the word of God. The context addresses the practice of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law in adding to what Scripture says.
Hebrews 1:1-2 teaches that God spoke through his inspired writers and provided the “last word” through his Son, Jesus Christ. The context shows that we are not to look to any other supposed revelations about God.
Key Bible passages, understood in their context, clearly teach sola Scriptura (Scripture alone). I hope this is helpful for you.
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