How To Become A Christian and Have Your Sins Washed Away

God loves all people. God wants everyone to be saved and enjoy eternal life in heaven. His desire is that no one perish! (II Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God’s salvation applies to all people no matter what sin they have committed. We are all in need of God’s salvation, since we all have sinned. (Romans 3:23)For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

In the New Testament parable a man’s younger son runs away with his inheritance and lives a wild life. In time he realizes he has sinned against his father and God. Returning to his home, with a repentant heart, his father welcomes him with open arms. The man’s father forgives his son and their relationship is strengthened. (Luke 15:11-24) And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Sin is a violation of God’s law. And no one is good except God alone. No one is righteous. We have all violated God’s plan and are in need of His love and forgiveness. (Romans 3:10-12) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Every person struggles with some kind of sin. (Psalm 143:2) And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. We are all guilty of sin in our lives. (Ecclesiastes 7:20) For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Because everyone is a sinner, God has provided salvation. Salvation is a universal need. (Romans 8:1-2)There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

God offers all sinners equal opportunity to come to Him through His grace. Sin separates us from God. You and I need to be in a right relationship with God. (Isaiah 59:2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

God has gone to extremes for us by sacrificing His own Son on the cross for our sins. (John 3:16-18) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Jesus had to die for us because we cannot save ourselves. Through His Son, God offers the gift of life to all who accept him. All people are children of God when we accept Christ through faith as our savior. (Galatians 3:26-27 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

God wants all His people to regret their sins and repent. This is not a request from God: it’s a command. (Acts 17:30) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Christ died on the cross so that man could be saved from his sins. This positive message of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection brings new life and is offered to all nations of people. (Luke 24:46-47) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem In order to receive the gift of salvation and enjoy the counsel of the Holy Spirit, we must die to sin in our watery grave. We must be baptized. God loves the world but hates all sin. In baptism our sins are washed away through the blood of Christ shed on the cross. Baptism is a decision we make. Baptism is an action by faith.

Now, (as new babes in Christ) each one begins to walk with God. We are commanded to love as God loves. That means we love all sinners. As we study God’s word, His Spirit teaches us that homosexuality like other ungodly behavior is a sin. But the sins of others are not worse than our sins. Remember sin is sin! Often Christians are guilty of condemning some as being worse sinners than themselves. Judging and condemning others for their sins, takes the focus off of our own sinful life. This is wrong thinking and ungodly behavior. As Christians, we must pray for all sinners and teach them the way of God.

All wicked behavior is sin. No one who is unsaved and continues to live an ungodly life will go to heaven. (I Corinthians 6:9-11) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Our bodies are not meant for wrong immorality. We are commanded to honor our bodies as the temple of God. (I Corinthians 6:12-20) All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Wrong immorality, among other sins against the body, is sinful. Wrong immorality is unacceptable in God’s eyes. All sin is a transgression of God’s laws. (I John 3:4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Any sin against the body outside of the marriage bond (between a man and woman) is wrong and sinful. Wrong immorality is not tolerated by God. His word is clear when it comes to this behavior. (Leviticus 18:22) Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. We are to worship God with our bodies and praise Him as the God of creation. By not following the ways of God, God will give us over to our shameful lusts, and we will have to suffer the consequences.

(Romans 1:26-28)For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; God is just.

Through Christ, God offers opportunity to rid us of sinful behavior. No matter what our sin, there is hope for the sinner. Wrong doers have a choice. They can go on living a life of sin or come to God on His terms. For the some, as with any sin, change is not easily won. A wrong doer must have a desire to change and the will to carry out his convictions. No one is alone in his or her sin. The wrong doers cannot bring about change in his behavior on his own. Christians as Christ’s disciples must display not only their love for all but also their willingness to encourage and teach them the word of God. The sinner must feel that he is loved and no worse sinner then we are. Remembering that Christ died for the ungodly, that means you and me as well as anybody else

By Gordon

Conviction vs. Condemnation

How secure do you feel about your standing before God? Do you have a rock solid assurance that, regardless of your sinful nature, you will spend eternity in the presence of God? Could it be instead that you struggle with doubts about your destiny after this life?
Some believers have trouble with this issue because they live by the inconsistency of their emotions. Facts are always more reliable than our feelings. The Bible offers you an eternal assurance this is crystal clear. God intended for you to be stable and steadfast in your faith.
Perhaps you feel condemned and convicted. In Romans 8 it says that “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
(the law is the law of the old testament)

1. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins.

What is the difference between condemnation and conviction? “There is now no more condemnation of those who are in Jesus Christ.”That is found in Romans 8. Jesus also assured us that He did not come into the world to condemn it but to save it. Therefore Christians are free of condemnation, but conviction is another matter. The Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts when we confess Christ as Lord to men and are baptized for the forgiveness of our sins. He awakens us to those things in our lives that are unpleasing to God, this is called conviction. It is the Spirit of God nudging us to avoid sin and live in the way God intends us to live.

2. The Holy Spirit assures us of God’s approval.

Beyond conviction of daily sin, the Spirit of God does something else. He lets us know not only when we have done something wrong, but when we have done something right. He is delighted on those occasions when He fills us with the satisfaction of knowing we are being obedient. He reveals God’s approval, so that we can be encouraged that we have kept in step with the kind of life He wants us to lead. Therefore in every action we take, the Holy Spirit of God is guiding us to do what is right and pleasing to God.

3. The Holy Spirit speaks to unbelievers about their standing before God.

How, then, is the spirit of God manifested in the life of an unbeliever? He convicts that person of sin, just as He does for the believer. He penetrates the heart and makes an unbeliever aware of impurities in action and attitude. However, the Holy Spirit’s primary focus is that individual’s standing before God. He reveals the lack of a relationship to Christ, and He makes people aware of their danger of judgement before Almighty God. His great goal is to bring every unbeliever to confession, baptism, repentance, and salvation through the acceptance of the death and Resurrection of God’s Son. His motivation is amazing love for every one of us.

4. The Holy Spirit speaks to believers about their relationship to Christ.

While the Holy Spirit deals with unbelievers on the basis of their eternal standing. He relates to Christians based on the intimate personal relationship we have with Christ. He convicts us of our sin and disobedience, and He encourages us toward living the Spirit filled life. He convicts, but He never condemns. As we have seen in Romans 8, there is no condemnation whatsoever for those who have become children of God and adopted into His Kingdom. Our sins have been forgiven once and for all, so it is our conduct that is the Spirit’s focus, not our eternal standing.

5. We are free of condemnation because we are “in Christ.

”Romans 8 tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are “in Christ.” What does that phrase mean? The Apostle Paul uses it frequently, and it refers to the eternal relationship we have with Christ. At the moment we are baptized we are forgiven of our sins and we are saved, we enjoy a new standing before God. It is a perfect standing that results from all our sin, past, present, and future, being forgiven once and for all. No behavior or conduct can have any effect on that relationship while we are in Christ, because this forgiveness is something God alone has done.

6. We are free of condemnation because we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Paul uses another important phrase about our new condition. He says we have been “sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.” Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Not only are we in Christ, but we have been “sealed” there permanently at the moment of salvation. We have become children of God, and what He has done cannot be undone. The Spirit is God’s pledge that we now belong to Him, and that someday we will live with Him eternally.

7. We are not free to sin or to waste our lives.

The devil harasses us with feelings of condemnation, but those feelings are deceptions. Jesus has told us that He came into the world to save it rather than condemn it, and only if we reject Him will there be condemnation. Since you and I know that we enjoy that kind of eternal security, does it mean we are free to sin? Absolutely not. We are free to be accountable to Him, to serve Him, and to honor Him in every possible way. We are responsible to our God, and therefore we feel conviction rather than condemnation. As Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you; Go your way. From now on sin no more.” We can read that in John 8 v 11.

8. We can enjoy this freedom only when we accept the gift of eternal life.

My friend, there is nothing in this universe that is more wonderful than the assurance of eternal security that we can enjoy. That tremendous freedom is only available to us, however, when we obey what He teaches us to do to be saved, and that is confess Him before man, be baptized for the forgivness of our sins, and repent of our sins and remain faithful until death. This is how we accept His Lordship and salvation. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, has already paid the price for our sins, otherwise we would face the full condemnation of God’s righteous wrath. All we need to do is say yes to the Holy Spirit and follow what He has commanded us to do, and that means we have to be obedient. Only then can we enter into all the joy He wishes you and I to receive.

Conclusion:

Where is your standing before our loving Father? Do you know for a certainty that you have received His free gift? Have you accepted His forgiveness, been saved, redeemed, and are you being sanctified by the Lord each day? If you are one of those people standing on the outside, wondering about Jesus Christ without receiving Him, I offer you this advice with all my heart. The wisest thing you can do is to lay aside your arguments and doubts. Walk away from those entanglements that hold you back from God’s love. You may not understand everything, but God will accept you just as you are. Believe in Him is the first thing you have to do, confess Him before men, and be baptized for the forgivness of your sins, and repent of any sins in your life, and remain faithful till death. Then you will receive the gift of eternal life with God.

By Gordon

Does God Give A Second Chance After Death?

Satan doesn’t care how much you read the Bible as long as you allow him to influence what you believe about God’s Word.
The “father of lies” in (John 8 v 44) knows how to twist Scripture, and one of his falsehoods is that those who die without Christ get a second chance with God after death. Many people find this idea appealing and buy into the enemy’s reasoning that it must be true since “He is a God of love.” However, they will eventually discover that their misguided trust was a tragic mistake. To defend ourselves against error and regret, we must examine what the Word of God teaches. Let’s begin by looking at passages that are often misused to support the idea of a “second chance.”

1. Teaching Points:
Explanation of Verses That Support a “Second Chance”

1st Timothy 2v4 and 2nd Peter 3v9 both refer to the fact that God desires all people to be saved. Some people argue that God will surely bring about whatever He desires, so anyone who doesn’t make it in this life can be saved afterward. That line of thinking doesn’t take into account that God has allowed free will, though sin is certainly not what He desires for mankind. These verses, therefore, are not an indication that everyone will be saved; they simple point out God’s loving preference.

Scripture says, “At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, of those who are in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”(Philippians 2 v 10-11) “Heaven” and “on earth” refer to all saints and angels in Heaven plus believers living at that time. “Under the earth” speaks of all the demonic spirits and the lost who died without receiving Christ. They will not have another chance to accept Christ as Savior. Rather, it will be an involuntary recognition that Jesus is who He claimed to be. It does not refer to universal salvation.
Some claim 1st Corinthians 15v29 is “proof” of a second chance because baptism was performed on behalf of the deceased who had never received Christ. However, Paul was simply referring to a practice devised because people feared the loss of loved ones who had rejected Christ. The apostle in no way condoned the practice. He knew we are saved by personal faith in Christ, we cannot be baptized for others any more than we can apply our faith to their life and salvation. Such a teaching is absolutely unscriptural.

2. Purgatory

Misinterpretation of the Scripture leads to a second error: purgatory, a false teaching based on the idea that everybody is a sinner needing “purification” in a temporary place of punishment before arriving in Heaven. One central doctrine invalidates the idea of purgatory: the Cross. Christ’s atoning death was all-sufficient, there is absolutely nothing we can do to add to it. In fact, the concept of needing additional purification is an insult to God! It is the equivalent of saying, “You sent Your Son to die a horrible death for me, but it wasn’t enough. When I finally complete the process, I’ll come to Heaven.”

3. Explanation of Verses “Supporting” Purgatory

In Matthew 5v26 we read (“You shall not come out of there, until you have paid, the last cent”) is often quoted to support the claim that we must finish paying for our sins in purgatory, but the context has nothing to do with that. The passage speaks about proper treatment of others in relationship; it gives practical advice about handling difficult situations in such a way that going to court is not necessary.
The fire of 1st Corinthians 3v15 is often taken to mean purgatory’s purifying flames, but that simple is not the context. The passage speaks of rewards for what is done well and with right motives (gold, silver, precious stones), and loss of rewards for shoddy efforts (wood, hay, straw). The quality of our endeavors will be revealed with fire, which will consume works without eternal value, not people! The “fire” will be the holiness and wisdom of God, who knows if we have done our best.
“The Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that say” (2nd Timothy 1v18) has nothing to do with purgatory. It was simply Paul’s way to show encouragement, much like “God bless you” or “God have mercy” today.

4. Verses That Contradict a “Second Chance”

Paul felt pulled in two directions because he wanted both to die and to remain alive. His preference actually would have been death because being with Jesus is “very much better.” (Philippians 1 v 21-25)

Imagine what Paul would have felt if there were a purgatory. Before conversion, he had aggressively persecuted the church in an attempt to destroy it. How would he have longed to face God with all that sin to make reparation for the punishment of purgatory?

Paul’s teaching is crystal clear that the moment a believer dies, he is instantly in the Lord’s presence. (2nd Corinthians 5v8) There is no stop in between!
Hebrews 9 v 27 tells us, “It is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgement.” While the Lord is very patient (Exodus 34 v 6), offering many “second chances” in this life (Jonah 3v1), the Scriptures make it clear that upon death, our choice for or against God is sealed and unchangeable.

If anyone deserved punishment, the thief on the cross did, by his own admission, he was guilty. And yet, once this criminal expressed faith, the Lord assured him that they would be together in Paradise that very day. (Luke 23 v 41-43) This is one of Scripture’s most indisputable denials of the existence of purgatory.

Nothing in Scripture supports the practice of praying for the dead to alter their eternal destination or speed up their arrival in Heaven. Some people quote the Apocrypha as justification, but those writings contain multiple contradictions of God’s Word and simply are not reliable scriptural sources. This erroneous teaching leads to bondage, the obligation to offer money and prayer so that the deceased can leave the place of punishment and go to Heaven.

Luke 16 v 19-31 is not a parable but an actual account about real people, Jesus describes a rich man who died and was “in torment,” while the poor man Lazarus died and was “carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom,” or paradise. (V22) There is no mention of torment being “for a season,” and furthermore, “there is a great chasm fixed,” which prevents anyone from switching sides.(v26) if a person dies and goes to torment, his condition is permanent. If praying someone out of that place of punishment were a possibility, the rich man would have said, “Get a message to my brothers so that they will pray for my release.” Instead, he begged that his family be warned so that they would not meet the same fate he did. (Verses 27-28)

Conclusion:

The cross, and the cross alone, is the only way to go from a life of sin on this earth to a life of righteousness and pure holiness in Heaven. Once we die, our eternal destiny is fixed; the Bible simply does not teach a second chance after death. If the lost could be saved after they are deceased, the subject would be so important that Scripture would set it forth without doubt. The widely accepted but erroneous idea of a second chance is based on misinterpretation of Scripture and actually ignores the clear statement of God’s Word. This false idea places people in fear and bondage, contradicts the doctrine of Christ’s atonement, and undermines the mandate of the Great Commission. That is why we must preach the Gospel to every creature, and proclaim not only God’s love, but also His righteousness and holiness.

By Gordon

“IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS”

The above passage is a statement from our Lord found in John 14:15. Given the context of this verse, one understands the Lord to be saying to his disciples, "Don't show your love to me by sorrow, mourning, and being troubled for my departure; but show it by your obedience to what I have commanded you." This same conditional statement applies to the Lord's modern day disciples as well.

One’s love for the Lord, and one another, must not simply be encased in compliment and flattery, but must discover itself in a strict observance of all the commandments of Jehovah God. This is the only proper evidence and confirmation of our love to Jesus. Simply saying we love Jesus is not proof of our love. But, that love for Him which leads one to do all of His will, to love one another, to deny oneself, to take up his cross, and to follow him completely through the bitter and the sweet, that is love.

How does one know when a child truly loves his parents? It is evident when that child is willing, without hesitation, without contradiction, or without murmuring, to do all that the parents require him to do. So disciples of Christ are required to show they are attached to Him supremely, above all others, by yielding to all of His requirements and by patiently doing His will in the face of opposition and ridicule

1 John 2,3). And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
The continuation of God's work (in Christ) is based upon His disciples’ love for Him. Love for Him is to be the motive in a disciple’s life. Obedience to Him is to be the standard for all of one’s activities (1 Corinthians 13:1-3; Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 1Co 16:14; Let all your things be done with charity.

2 Corinthians 5:14; For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
Galatians 5:6) For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

The test for genuine love is the keeping of His commandments. Those who do not keep the commandments of the Lord shall suffer destruction
(2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
The Lord presses obedience to His commandments as a means, and indeed the only means, by which one can declare his love to Him. One’s obedience is the fruit of his true love for Christ.

Now, can one truly love the Lord and not obey His commandments? Suppose He commands to admonish one another?
(Romans 15:14) And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Suppose He commands to reprove and rebuke our brethren who are in sin? (2 Timothy 4:2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Suppose our Lord commands to discipline the unruly members of the body of Christ and finally withdraw fellowship from all of those who continue to walk disorderly and will not repent (Romans 16:17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

(1 Corinthians 5:5) To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

(2 Thessalonians 3:6) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Would obedience to these commands be unloving? Or would obeying these be the fruit of one’s true love for our God and His Christ?
God will provide goodness and spiritual prosperity for those who abide in His will (2 Thessalonians 1:11,12) 11

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. However, He will also provide severity and destruction for those who do not abide in His will (Romans 11:22) Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. Who would dare to call Jehovah God unloving?

When one obeys the commandments of Christ, he is showing his love for Him and for one another! When one lets the sins of his brethren go unnoticed, when he overlooks, covers up, or even takes up for their sins, he does not show his love for Him but he shows his contempt, his disdain, and his haughtiness for the love of God and His word

(1 Corinthians 5:2) And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

(1 Corinthians 5:6-7) 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

(2 John 1:9) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

The Lord knew that obedience to the Father would not always be pleasant for His disciples (Matthew 10:16-24) 16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

And even though He personally would have had it otherwise, He gave His life in obedience to the Father (Luke 22:42) Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Hebrews 5:8-9) 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Jesus always obeyed the will of His Father (John 6:38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And at His death He lost His friends, He lost His family, all because of His love for the Father. But He knew that the resurrection was sure and that heaven would be worth it all. When one fully realizes that heaven will be worth it all, then, and only then, will he display his love for Christ, and for others, and obey all of His commandments, even the unpleasant ones

(1 John 5:1-3) 1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Do you really love Jesus? If so, keep His commandments.
By Gordon

Lazuris And The Rich Man

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the events of Lazuris and the rich man. This is not a parable, but it is a telling of the history of two men. These verses briefly tell of the lives of Lazuris and the rich man and then where they found themselves after they both died. From this we can learn what happens to all of us immediately after death. We can know what to expect when we die. The body can no longer sustain life but it is not the end of the human soul. Both Lazuris and the rich man continue to exist to this day but not here on the earth.

The life of the rich man is summed up with the following words of Luke 16:9, There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. The rich man lived with the best of everything. He wore the finest and most expensive clothing. He lived in luxury every day. He is not condemned for being rich but because the rich man had no compassion on Lazuris. He had no love for his fellow man. With his wealth, the rich man had the means to help Lazuris and many others like Lazuris, but he did not. By contrast Lazuris was a man in deep need. His life is summed up with the words of verses 20 and 21, But there was a certain beggar named Lazuris, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. Lazuris is poor and physically incapable of working. He is full of sores and must be laid at the rich man's gate. He cannot walk. Lazuris must rely on the mercy, compassion and generosity of others. He does not ask for much. He only wants what falls from the rich man's table. He only wants what the rich man would have thrown away but the dogs had more compassion toward Lazuris than does the rich man. The poverty of Lazuris does not make him righteous. The wealth of the rich man is not sin. Both men die in verse 22 and both receive their reward for the things they have done in this life. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

Death comes to all, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the helpless. Lazuris dies and is carried away by angels to a place called Abraham's bosom. This is also referred to as paradise in Luke 23:43. This place is not heaven. Heaven is the final reward which comes after the judgment of all mankind on judgment day. Abraham's bosom however is in Hades. Hades is a place where souls wait for final reward or punishment which will come at the end when Christ returns to judge all. Hades is divided into two areas: Abraham's bosom and torments. Angels carry the saved to Abraham's bosom (or paradise). The unrighteous are not carried but find themselves in torments. This can be seen by what the rich man finds in verse 23, And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. The rich man is found unrighteous.

After his death the rich man lifts up his eyes and is aware of where he is. His body is left behind and he is now a soul in torments. The rich man can see Lazuris and recognize him. He can also see and recognize Abraham. The rich man is not with them. He is separated from them but is able to speak to Abraham. In verse 24 he calls to Abraham, Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazuris that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' He calls for mercy from Abraham and Lazuris. His soul is being tormented by flame. The rich man is no longer rich. The luxury of his life ended. He is in torments because of his actions in life. Now he sees immediately where his sins have led him. Death closed the door on his life but opened a new door into torments. His works or lack of works led him there.

Abraham speaks to the rich man. These are the words of Abraham centuries after Abrahams own death (Genesis 25:8). His response to the rich man is in verses 25 and 26, But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazuris evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' There is only punishment for the rich man now. That is all he can expect. Even if Abraham wanted to pass from paradise into torments it could not be done. There is a great gulf or expanse between the two areas of Hades. The Greek words could also be translated a great chasm. There is no passing from one area to another. On one side are the protected righteous and on the other side are the unrighteous held in punishment. One side is comforted and the other is tormented. There is no passing between the two. No one can do what the rich man asks.

The rich man then asks one more thing of Abraham. Once again it is something Abraham does not have the power to do. We find this request in verses 27 and 28, Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' The rich man asks that Lazuris be sent back from the dead to teach his five brothers. The rich man knows his brothers will eventually die. He does not want his brothers to be punished like himself. He knows Lazuris had the truth in life. He knows that Lazarus was more than a beggar. He knows Lazuris was a righteous man. He knows the truth would help his brothers. Abraham answers him in verse 29, Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' This is spoken to a Jewish man whose brothers still lived under the Law of Moses. They were to live their lives under the laws found in the Old Testament. Abraham calls this Moses and the prophets. The word of God was enough.

The rich man pleads with Abraham in verse 30 and then in verse 31 Abraham gives his final response, And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' The word of God is all that is needed. If someone is not willing to believe God's word through the prophets then they will not believe even if someone came back from the dead to teach them. The message would be the same. The words of Abraham are true. In John chapter 11 Jesus raised a different Lazarus from the dead. Does this convince the Pharisees and the Sadducees to believe? No. In John 12:10 the chief priests plot to kill Jesus and the newly resurrected Lazuris.

Abraham, Lazaris continue to live in Paradise and the rich man continue to live in Hades to this day. Through the centuries Lazurus and Abraham are still comforted while the rich man remains in torment. All the dead are alive in Hades waiting for final judgment. In Mark 12:26-27 Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6 by saying of God, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. He continues to be the God of these men long after they died on the earth. All the dead continue to exist and live in Hades.

By Gordon

Ten Facts About Hell

By Gordon

Hell is a place as is Heaven. It is a place away from the presence of the Lord God, and is prepared for those who do not obey the Gospel of Christ. Paul wrote to the (2 Thessalonians 1:8- 9) 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power ;

With this in mind, please note these ten facts about Hell.

Fact One: Hell is likened to a LAKE OF FIRE into which the wicked will be cast alive

(Revelation 19:20) 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 20:15) 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

 

Fact Two: Hell is likened to a BOTTOMLESS PIT.

(Revelation 20:1) 1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Fact Three: Hell was PREPARED for the DEVIL and his ANGELS. (Matthew 25:41) 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Fact Four: Hell is a place of EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT.

(Matthew 25:46) 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Fact Five: Hell is a place where one can never REPENT.

(Matthew 12:32) 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Fact Six: Hell is a place of TORMENTS.

(Luke 16:23) 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Fact Seven: Hell is a place where the WORM DIES NOT and the FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.

(Mark 9:46) 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Fact Eight: Hell is a place of EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of God.

(2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Fact Nine: Hell is a WATER LESS place with no EXIT.

(Luke 16:24-26) 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Fact Ten: Hell is a place of OUTER DARKNESS, WEEPING, and GNASHING OF TEETH.

(Matthew 25:30) 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

If all of the descriptive definitions of Hell above are figurative, then how much worse are the realities of Hell going to be. Hell is not a place that any rational thinking person would want to go or want anyone else to go. Those who are unrighteous will be in Hell. Obey the Gospel of Christ today to avoid the horrors of this place in eternity.

 

 

 

 The Conditions For Forgiveness

By Gordon

I believe the scriptures we considered in the past couple writings teach the following three things: (1) It is possible for children of God to sin. (2) It is God’s will that they turn away from sin. (3) Those who continue to live in sin will be denied an entrance into heaven.

In this writing we shall be looking for scripture which will give us the answers for the following question.

Question #1: - Is it possible for children of God to live an absolute sinless life?

All who lived before the time of Christ committed sin
Rom. 3 : 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Christ was tempted but he did not sin Heb. 2 : 16-18  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
1^st Peter 1 : 22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Are the children of God who have been redeemed by him, able to live a sinless life?  1^st John 1 : 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. and 1^st John 1 : 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

say no. Yes, the proclamation found in these two scriptures, is that if children of God say they have no sin, the truth is not in them; and they make God a liar.

Question #2: - Since God will condemn his children who sin, and since all of them will sin, will any of them be saved?

Those who turn back to a wilful life of sin will not be saved Heb. 10 : 26-27 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
2 ^nd Peter 2 : 20-22  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Luke 12 : 41-46 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

However, the blood of Christ will cleanse those who are striving to live in obedience to all of God’s commandments 1^st John 1 : 7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
1^st John 2 : 1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Question #3: - Is this cleansing unconditional ? Let see what the scriptures say. I believe they say there are five conditions which children of God must comply with in order to be forgiven.

Condition #1: - They must be willing to repent. Jesus by the parable of the prodical son, teaches that God’s prodical children must (have a change of mind) repent in order to be forgiven (Luke 15 : 11-32). Acts 8 : 13-23 gives us an account of a child of God who sinned. The Apostle Peter told this man he must repent, Paul, in speaks of the impossibility of renewing again, unto repentance, some child of God who fall away. Heb. 6 : 4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Peter, in 2^nd Peter 3 : 9 teaches that all must repent or perish. 2nd Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Peter, teaches that we must repent or perish.
Condition #2: - They must through prayer, confess their sins unto God and ask for forgiveness. The Apostle John wrote: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
1^st John 1 : 9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Apostle Peter, who in Acts 8 : 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. said to Simon, repent, also said pray.
Condition #3: - They must be willing to forgive those who sin against them. Jesus in teaching his disciples how and for what to pray, said: "God will not forgive you unless you forgive those who sin against you. Jesus also taught them by way of a parable, that they must forgive in order to be forgiven and to escape the consequences of being cast into the lake of fire Matt. 18 : 23-35  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Rom. 8 : 12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Rev. 21 : 7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Condition #4: - When they sin against other people, they must confess that sin unto them as well as unto God
Luke 17 : 3-4 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Note: This scripture says: If the guilty person turns saying I repent, forgive him. Yes, those who are guilty must confess; and they must do before they (by prayer) confess unto God and ask for his forgiveness Matt. 5 : 23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Condition #5: - Under some circumstances, children of God are to confess a sin unto the church. That which Luke wrote, in Luke 17 : 3-4  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. proves that when a child of God sins against one person, he must confess with his mouth unto that person. Yes, it says if he will say unto you I repent , he is to be forgiven. Inasmuch as children of God must confess a sin committed against one person, it necessarily follows that a sin committed against a group of people must be confessed unto the group.What is the church? It is a group of God’s children
Acts 2 : 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Col. 1 : 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
1^st Cor. 1 : 2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
1^st Cor 12 : 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church Rom. 2 : 21-23 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
1^st Cor. 6 : 1-6 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, that
it is said in 1^st Cor. 3 : 16-17  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
God will destroy those who defile his temple or church. Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church. Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church.
Question #4: - Do the scriptures teach that the members of the Lord’s church are to confess their sins unto some church official.

Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church.

Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church.

Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church.

Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church.

Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church.

Therefore, if one member commits a public sin, he or she has committed a sin against all the other members. Why? Because, most always, all the members are judged by what is seen in one. Then too, a member who commits public sin provides the enemies of Christ with ammunition to fire against his church  Let the children of God be made aware and never forget, thatit is said in  God will destroy those who defile his temple or church. There is one scripture which teaches they are to confess their sins unto God.
1^st John 1 : 9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Likewise, there is one scripture in which it is specified that they are to confess to any one person whom they have sinned against Luke 17 v 3-4  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

This same scripture by necessary inference teaches they are to confess unto any group whom they have sinned against. That group might be a Sewing Club, the City Council or the Lord’s church. Then too, there is one scripture which teaches this confession is to be made to those who sin against, before we confess unto God Matt. 5 : 23-24  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Also there is one scripture which teaches all members are to confess their sins one to another James 5 : 16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

When? When they sin against one another
Luke 17 : 3-4  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Matt. 5 : 23-24  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Now finally, No! No! No! There is not any scripture which teaches the members are to confess their sins unto a church official. This same scripture by necessary inference teaches they are to confess unto any group whom they have sinned against. That group might be a Sewing Club, the City Council or the Lord’s church. Then too, there is one scripture which teaches this confession is to be made to those who sin against, before we confess unto God   Also there is one scripture which teaches all members are to confess their sins one to another   When? When they sin against one another     
Question #5: - Will God forgive wilful? The father in the parable of the prodigal son represents God; and the prodigal son represents a son of God. The prodigal son wilfully left his father. Yet, later when he repented and returned to his father, he was forgiven. The Apostle Peter instructed a child of God who had committed a wilful sin to repent and pray to God for forgiveness Acts 8 : 18-22  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

The Apostle Paul, in 2^nd Cor. 2 : 6-7 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

Paul told the church to renew their fellowship unto a penitent wilful sinner, whom he before had commanded then to withdraw from 1^st Cor.5 You see, when a wilful sinner repents he ceases to be a wilful sinner. So, when he confesses his sin unto God and prays for forgiveness, well, forgiveness is granted. Yes, as children of God, we can and we do sin. Nevertheless, the blood of Jesus that washed away our alien sins, is still available for us. That is, provided we comply with God’s conditions for receiving forgiveness. So, as much as in us is, let us strive to turn away sin. Then too, when we do fall short, let us remember there are conditions with which we must comply, in order to receive forgiveness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the Bible all about?
By Albert Brown

What is the Bible all about?  Some might say, “The Bible is a book that tells us how to be good.”  Others might say, “The Bible is a book that shows man who God is and why we should worship Him.”  Even others might say, “The Bible is a book that shows us how we should love God, how to love one another, and how God loves us”.  Each of these answers is wrong because it doesn’t address the whole question:  What is the Bible all about?

        Don’t get me wrong; each of those statements by itself is true.  The Bible shows man how to be good (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).  The Bible also shows us who God is and why we should worship Him (Exodus 20:5).  And the Bible does indeed teach us to love God and man and shows us that God loves us (Matthew 22:37-38; John 3:16).  But these statements, although true, do not answer the question of what the Bible is all about.

        It is important for you and me, if we are to handle the Bible effectively, to understand the reason why it was written.  It is true that the Bible can be useful for explaining to us many things concerning the universe that God created, the history of this world, and the tendencies of man.  But the Bible is best applied to the use it was specifically designed for. 

        So, what is the Bible all about?  The Bible is about the salvation of man from his sin.  That is why it was written.   This article will show that man needs the Bible because of sin and because of the solution to the problem of sin. 

        First let’s look at sin and why man needs the Bible because of sin.

        When man was first created and lived in the Garden of  Eden, everything was perfect.  When I use the word perfect I mean that it was complete.  All was exactly the way God had planned it, everything worked exactly the way God had meant it to work.  God Himself saw that it was very good (Genesis 1:31).

        Mankind was perfect (or complete).  They had everything they needed.  They had food to eat, they had each other, and they were with God.  There was nothing that mankind needed that they didn’t have.

        But then man sinned.  That is, he disobeyed God.  God had given mankind only one, “Thou shalt not...”, but they decided to do it anyway. 

        What does it mean to sin?  According to Vine’s Dictionary the Greek word for “sin” means “to miss the mark”.  An archer when shooting at a mark (or target) has not “sinned” unless he misses.  God has given us marks (commandments) to make (keep).  When we miss that mark (break His commandment), we sin.  This is what Adam and Eve did in the garden.  This is what each man has done, himself, since that day (Romans 3:23).

        God told man that the day he sinned he would die (Genesis 2:17).  Adam and Eve did not die physically on that day.  In fact, Adam went on to live to a ripe old age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5).   However, consider what death really is:  Death is a separation.  In physical death the soul is separated from the body.  In spiritual death the soul is separated from God.  The day that Adam and Eve sinned they were kicked out of the Garden and away from their special relationship with God.  They sinned and their sin did indeed bring forth death on that day -- the death of separation from God.  The Bible tells us that this is what sin brings about -- death (James 1:15).

        When the first man sinned in the garden, he no longer had that special relationship with God.  Sinful man without God is lost, and God, knowing that, had a plan.  His plan provided the way for sinful man to be brought back to that special relationship with God.  In Revelation 22:1-5 we see that man can be returned to that special relationship. 

 

         Next let us consider how God used the Old Testament writings to point the way to the solution for sin. 

        The Bible is naturally divided into two separate parts.  The first 39 books of the Bible comprise the Old Testament.  The remaining 27 books are known as the New Testament.  Why are the two divisions called “old” and “new”?  Well, the word testament is only used twice in the entire Bible, both times in Hebrews 9:16, 17.  In this passage we see that another word for testament is covenant (or agreement).  Within the context  of Hebrews chapter 9, the writer is showing that the old covenant (Hebrews 8:13 - 9:1) was replaced by the new covenant (Hebrews 9:15-17). 

        The old covenant was the agreement that God had made with the Israelites.  This is the covenant spoken of in Deuteronomy 5:1-33.  In those verses Moses reminds the Israelites that they had a covenant (agreement) with God.  This covenant centered around the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6-21).   Along with these Ten Commandments that the people were to obey, God told Moses to write other commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the people were also to keep (Deuteronomy 5:30-33).

        But why did God give the Israelites all of these commands, statutes, and ordinances to follow?   And what was the purpose of this covenant that God made with Israel?  Why did God preserve these people, give them the promised land, and make them great under the kings Saul, David, and Solomon?  And why would God continue to preserve them for another 300+ years -- until He finally got fed up with their idolatry and sent them into captivity?  But the covenant didn’t end with captivity.  The questions continue:  Why did God bring them back out of captivity after 70 years, allow them to live in the promised land again, and demand that they again follow the Law (the covenant) He had given their fathers?   And why did He allow  them to stay in the promised land until the time of Christ, even though they added unnecessary traditions to the Law He had given?  What was so important about this Law? 

        The New Testament book of Galatians answers these questions.

        In Galatians 3:16 Paul says that God had made a promise to Abraham and to his Seed.  Paul goes on to explain that Abraham’s Seed was the Christ and that the Law was given because of sin until Christ (the Seed) came (Galatians 3:19).  Paul further explains that the Law was in effect until the time that man would be justified by faith.  In fact the purpose of the Law was to guide those under the Law until the time of Christ.  The Law was to guide them to Christ. 

        Now that the time of justification by faith has come we are no longer under the Law (Galatians 3:21-25).  The Old Covenant -- with its commands, statutes and ordinances -- had been fulfilled by Christ.  In his death the Law had been nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14).  The writer of Hebrews shows us that the Old Covenant had been made obsolete when the New Covenant came into effect (Hebrews 8:13), and the New Covenant came into effect with the death of Christ (Hebrews 9:14-17).  So, once the New Covenant (New Testament) became active, the Old Covenant (Old Testament) was no longer effective. 

        The Old Testament has served its purpose:  it shows us how the world was prepared for the coming of the Christ.  It’s the New Testament that we are to follow.  It is the New Testament that defines our covenant with God.  The New Testament  is the covenant we are supposed to obey, and this is the covenant that explains the solution to the sin of mankind. 

 

          Finally let us note that the solution to sin is revealed in the New Testament.

          The first four books of the New Testament are also called the Gospel accounts.  They make up almost half of the New Testament.  They tell about the life and mission of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  When Christ was on the earth, before his crucifixion, the Old Covenant was still in effect.  This is obvious since it was not taken away until Christ’s death on the cross (Colossians 2:14).  The New Testament tells us that Jesus never sinned, even though he was tempted as all men are (Hebrews 4:14-15).   He kept the Old Covenant perfectly.  Jesus did what no man had ever done before and has never done since:  He lived a life on this earth without sin (Romans 3:23).   Then this sinless man was offered on the cross for the salvation of the world (1 Peter 2:24).  All of this was done to redeem man from his sin (Titus 2:14). 

          God’s plan to redeem man from sin was written about centuries before the birth of Jesus.  In fact, since the Old Testament guided man up to the time of Christ, it is logical it should include the purpose for Jesus’ coming to earth.  In the book of Isaiah, which was written over 700 years before the birth of the Christ, we see a remarkable prophecy concerning Jesus Christ.  In the twelfth verse of chapter fifty-three the writer says that “...he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12, ASV).  This writer, centuries before the time of Christ, prophesied that Jesus would sacrifice his life while bearing the sins of others.  Later, Jesus himself stated in Luke 22:37 that his death would fulfill this prophecy.  Twenty to twenty-five years after Christ’s death Paul, writing to the Corinthians, said, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3, ASV).  We see from these passages that Jesus’ death for the sins of men was known before, during, and after his life on this earth.   

          But Christ’s death was not the end of God’s plan of salvation.  Following Jesus’ death we see that he rose from the dead (Matthew 28:1-7).  This too, was prophesied in the Old Testament (Psalm 16:10).  His resurrection had to occur for man to be justified, for he was “delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25, ASV).  In other words, for us to have our sins forgiven Christ not only had to die, but he also had to raise from the dead. 

          And God’s plan doesn’t end with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.  Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11).  From his place at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33), he is our mediator with God so that we might have forgiveness of sins (I Timothy 2:5; I John 2:1-2). 

          So Christ is the solution to sin.  He is the source of salvation.  In his death and resurrection he provided the only way for man to receive forgiveness of sins.  Jesus said in John 14:6 that he is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him.  That includes those who were born under the Old Covenant.  Jesus’ death paid for forgiveness for all who accept God’s plan no matter which covenant they live under. 

          “But wait a minute”, you might ask. “Didn’t those under the Old Covenant offer sacrifices of animals for their sins?”  Yes, they offered the blood of bulls and goats so that they might be forgiven, but it was not those sacrifices that ultimately forgave them. Look at Hebrews chapter 10.   In verse 1 we see that the law was only a shadow of the good things to come.  Under the Old Covenant the Jews sacrificed animals to receive forgiveness of sins (Leviticus 4:13-26), but in Hebrews 10:4 the inspired writer says, “. . . it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins” (ASV).  There is no contradiction here.  The Jews offered sacrifices under the Old Covenant so that their sins would be forgiven, but those sacrifices took part in forgiving sins only because the people were being obedient to God’s will.  Their obedience granted them access to Christ’s blood (Hebrews 10:8-12).  If they had not sacrificed according to God’s Old Covenant, then they would not have had access to Christ’s blood and therefore would not have received forgiveness of their sins. 

          But what about the New Covenant?  We all know that Christ died for the sins of those under the New Covenant, too.  How do we receive access to Christ’s blood today?  
         Just before Christ ascended into heaven, he left his Apostles with this command: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15, ASV).  It is through this gospel (or good news) that man learns what he must do to be saved (Romans 1:16). 

If you would like to know the New Testament plan that God offers as access to salvation see the next article titled "Our New Covenant Access To Salvation".

Resources

Vine, W.E., John R. Kohlenberger III, and James A. Swanson.  The Expanded Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.  Minneapolis:  Bethany House, 1984.

Our New Covenant Access to Salvation
By Albert Brown
albertgbrown@aol.com

          In the previous article (What Is The Bible All About?), we noticed that the people under the Old Covenant received access to the saving power of Christ’s blood by sacrificing bulls and goats (Hebrews 10:4, 8-12).  But now we live under a New Covenant (Hebrews 8:13-9:1 & 9:15-17) and under that New Covenant we also have access to Christ’s blood, but not through the blood of bulls and goats.  This week we will begin to study how we can have access to the saving power of Christ’s blood today.  We will begin with an understanding of what it means to be a disciple and what it means to believe the gospel. 

          In Matthew 28:18, we read that, just prior to his ascension into heaven, Jesus came to his apostles and told them that all authority had been given to him in heaven and on earth.  This authority permitted Jesus to command his apostles to “Go...and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).  How were they supposed to “make disciples”?  By proclaiming the gospel to the people.  In Mark 16:15 Jesus told his apostles, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (ASV).  But how was preaching the gospel going to “make disciples”?  Before we answer that question let’s briefly look at what a disciple is.

          A disciple is one who follows the teaching of another.  The New Testament Greek  word for disciple literally means “a learner”, but is rooted in the idea of “thought accompanied by endeavor (action)”¹.   So we see that when the apostles taught the gospel, the people who followed their teaching became disciples.  That is, the disciples observed (obeyed) all the things that the apostles taught them as Jesus had commanded (Matthew 28:20).

Believe
          One can see how the definition of disciple goes hand-in-hand with the part each man plays in his own salvation.  Since Jesus told the apostles that they were to take the gospel to a lost world, the next logical step surrounds what that lost world does with his gospel.  Mark 16:16 tells us that one who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ must believe it; if one is to be saved, one must believe the gospel.  But  what is the gospel?

          Most people will tell you that the word gospel means “good news”, and the Bible tells us exactly what that good news is.  In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul defines the gospel for us.  The gospel is “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, ASV).  So people need to believe that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and was raised from the dead if they wish to be saved. 

          Is it that simple?  We just need to believe the gospel?  No, it is not quite that simple.  First, one must understand what it means to believe.

          In John 3:16 the writer tells us that if one believes in Jesus Christ he should be saved.  Now, if that verse were the only verse that has a bearing on our salvation, then we would certainly say that belief is all that is necessary.   However, John 3:16 is not the only verse that addresses salvation.  For example, in John 3:36 (just twenty verses later) John says this: “‘He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him’” (NAS).  We note two points about this verse.  First, more than simple belief is required to receive eternal life.  When I say “simple belief” I mean “just giving intellectual assent that Jesus is who he says he is.”  Such belief is not enough for salvation.  One must also be obedient to Christ, and that leads us to the second point.  From John 3:36, we see the relationship between belief and obedience.  Jesus says in this verse that if you believe you will have eternal life, but if you do not obey you will not see life.  Belief includes obedience.  Therefore obedient belief is part of the New Testament access to Christ’s blood.

          James notes that there are two types of faith (James 2:14-26):  one that is dead (or useless), and one that will justify (make sinless).  The faith that is dead (or useless) is the same faith that the demons have (v. 19).  They believe in God but are unwilling to obey Him.  James says that this kind of faith will not save a man’s soul (v. 14).  He goes on to say that faith alone will not justify a man (make him sinless) (v. 24), but faith must be united with works for a man to be justified (made sinless) before God. 

          We have seen that a man must have a faith that is coupled with works and a belief that includes obedience.  Without works (obedience), faith (belief) will not save.

          Will a man who believes the gospel be saved?  The answer is yes, because a man who believes will do all that God requires of him to be saved, because a man who truly believes is an obedient man.

          Next we will see the next step toward salvation, and that step includes obedience also.  That next step is repentance. 

 
Repent

        Once a man believes the gospel of Jesus Christ, he then has a decision to make:  “What am I  going to do about it?”  In Acts chapter two Peter tells the Jews on the day of Pentecost that they had crucified the very Messiah that they had been waiting for.  Peter also explains to them that this same Messiah is raised from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God (Acts 2:22-36).  The Jews believed Peter’s message.  Notice their response:  “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37, NASB). 

        These people obviously believed that Jesus was Lord and Christ.  They believed that this Jesus whom they had killed had raised from the dead.  They believed that he had ascended to God and was now sitting in a place of power, “on the right hand of God” (Acts 2:33-34).  These people believed, and their belief convicted (convinced) them that they were in sin and that they needed to do something about it.  Peter tells them in Acts 2:38 that they need to repent.  Note in Acts 2:38 that repentance is something that must be done “for the forgiveness of sins”.  But what does it mean to repent? 

        Repentance is an often-misunderstood word.  Many people when asked to define repentance might answer, “It means to be sorry”.  The Bible defines repentance as an action that follows sorrow.  In II Corinthians 7:10 Paul, writing about sorrow, says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (NIV).  Here we see that one repents before being saved and that one is sorry before repenting.  So repentance is not being sorry, but comes about because one is sorry.  So we must ask again:  Since we must repent to be saved, what does it mean to repent? 

        The Greek word for repent signifies “to change one’s mind or purpose.”¹    Peter is telling these people who believe the gospel that if they are to be forgiven of their sins they must change their lives.  Until this time, they had been serving Satan’s purpose.  In crucifying the Christ they had shown themselves to be Satan’s servants.  Now Peter was saying, “Change your lives so that you now serve God”.  Jesus said the same thing in Luke 13:5, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (NASB).  And Paul, talking to the idol worshipers in Athens, said this:  “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30, NIV).

        So we have seen that repentance is a commandment of God for all people everywhere (Acts 17:30).  Repentance is necessary to keep us from perishing (Luke 13:5).  Repentance must be done to be saved (II Corinthians 7:10), and repentance must be done “for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38). 

        Our New Covenant access to salvation includes repentance.   If we wish to be saved from our sins, our belief in Christ must include repentance.  We must change our lives so that we seek to be obedient to God’s commands (Hebrews 5:9), not to Satan’s whims.

Confess
       In this third part of our study on New Testament salvation we will look at a very simple and seldom-contested step on the road to salvation.  So far we have seen that the scripture very clearly teaches the need for belief in Christ and for repentance from sin.  Without those two acts of obedience the sinner cannot receive forgiveness of his sins.  Now we will study a third act of obedience that must be accomplished before one is saved:  confessing Jesus.

      The author of this article knows of only two passages which definitively speaks on this important step toward salvation.  One of those passages is Romans 10:9-10.  In that passage Paul the apostle says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (NKJV).  The order of events is clear in this passage of scripture.  Salvation plainly follows confession; it does not precede it.  To put it another way, a sinner is not saved before he has made this confession. 

      But what does it mean to confess the Lord Jesus?

      We have noted in previous articles that the Bible was written in order that man might know what God requires of him.   The Old Testament was given to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:23-24).  The New Testament explains to us man’s New Covenant with God that has been established through Christ’s death (Galatians 9:14-15).  The entire Bible focuses on what Jesus accomplished when he died and then rose from the dead.  The one who wants to become a Christian must acknowledge  belief in this man who is also God  (John 1:1-3, 14). 

      In Matthew 16, Peter provides a good example of one who knows who Jesus is and who makes a statement to that effect.  In response to Christ asking “‘Who do you say I am?’,  Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:15b-16, NIV).  With that statement Peter confessed what he believed about Jesus.  If the sinner is to be forgiven, he must do the same thing (Romans 10:9-10).  He must confess his belief about Jesus.

            Once again, this step toward salvation is simple and seldom contested.  Next we will study a topic that is just as simple, but contested very strongly by many people.   Next let us consider baptism, both what it is and what it does.

Be Baptized
       So far in this article we have seen that one must must believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16) before one is saved from his sins.  We have also seen scriptural proof that one must repent of his sins if he is to have those sins forgiven (Acts 2:38).  Last week we saw from God’s word that one must confess belief in Jesus in order to receive salvation (Romans 10:9-10).  Under the New Covenant, each of these steps is a requirement from God that must be obeyed if one wants to have his sins forgiven.  These three steps are rarely contested once a person is shown from God’s word that he needs to fulfill them in order to be saved.   However, many people refuse to accept the next step of our New Covenant access to salvation.  That next step is baptism.

        Baptism -- what is it, and what does it do?  We would like to answer these two questions in this article.  First, what is baptism?

        Baptism is a transliterated word.  By that, I mean that the word “baptism” was brought directly into English without translating it from the Greek.  The Greek word from which we get our word “baptism” is baptisma.  When we look at this Greek word, it is obvious that the translaters merely dropped the “a” from the end before adding it to the English language.  As a consequence, because they transliterated the word instead of translating it, the meaning became confused. 

        However, we can still know the meaning of the original Greek word.  According to numerous Greek scholars, the proper translation of baptisma is “to immerse”.  One of the most often quoted dictionaries of the New Testament Greek language was produced by W. E. Vine.  Concerning the Greek word baptisma, Vine says,  “consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence (from bapto, ‘to dip’)”¹. 

        The recorded examples of baptism are also helpful in revealing the meaning of the word.  We know that Jesus was baptized by John the baptist (meaning “one who immerses”).  In Matthew’s account of Christ’s baptism we see that he “went up out of the water” following his baptism (Matthew 3:16).  You see, to be baptized he had to step down into the water so John could submerge him under it.

        In Acts 8 we can read of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, when Philip taught him the gospel and baptized him.  In verse 38 we see that in order to be baptized they both went down into the water.  Following the baptism, they both came out of the water (v. 39).  The reason that they went into the water was so that Philip could submerge him under the water.  In both of these examples, we see that baptism means to be submerged under water.

        Some people teach that one can be baptized by having water sprinkled or poured upon them.  Obviously, this teaching would ignore the definition of the Greek word for baptism and ignore the examples in the Bible.  If we want to be followers of God, we need to do things God’s way.  Baptism is God’s idea in the first place.  Since it is His idea, why don’t we all decide to do it His way?  

        The second point about baptism concerns the reason for it.  Why is baptism even mentioned in the Bible?  What purpose did God have in moving those inspired writers even to write about it?  Is baptism just a small inconsequential thing?  Or does it have a major role to play in the life of a follower of God?

        Many people believe that baptism is “an outward sign of an inward change”.  This is a nice, easily understandable phrase.  Obviously this phase is saying that baptism is something you do to show other people that you have obeyed the gospel.  There is only one problem with that:  This phrase is not in the Bible.  Neither is there any scripture that teaches that concept.  I would appreciate anyone who has knowledge of any scripture that teaches this concept to contact me -- please! -- and let me know where it is, because I can’t find it.  Meanwhile, let me show you the verses that I do know which speak on the purpose of baptism.

        In Mark 16:16 Jesus said that if a man believes and is baptized he will be saved.  Many people point out that the rest of the verse says that if you don’t believe you will be condemned.  I have no problem with that.  One must believe.  But that verse does state that we must be baptized to be saved.

        In Acts 2:38 Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit, said that baptism was for the forgiveness of sins.  In other words to have our sins forgiven we must be baptized.

        In Acts 22:16 Ananias, a Christian sent by God to teach the gospel, told Paul that baptism washes away sins.  So sins are still present before baptism; through baptism sins are washed away.  

        In Romans 6:3-8 Paul says that it is through baptism that we are buried with Christ into death and that our new life does not begin until after baptism has occurred (vv. 3, 4).  And in verse 7 he says that we are not freed from sin until we have died.  The death he is talking about comes during baptism (vv. 3, 4, 8).  So we are not freed from sin before baptism.

        In II Corinthians 5:17 Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (NIV).  Here we see that the new comes when one is “in Christ”.  But how does one get into Christ?   Paul speaks again about this concept in Galatians 3:27.  There he writes, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (NIV).  It is upon obeying the command to be baptized that one clothes himself with Christ.  So before baptism one is not clothed with Christ, and therefore one is not in Christ.  If one is not in Christ he is not a new creation.  If one is not a new creation, he is still the old creation and is full of sin. 

        In 1 Peter 3:20, 21 we see that, just as Noah and his family were saved by water, sinners today are saved by water also.  Peter tells us that the water that saves us today is baptism.  Ironically, in Noah’s day those who didn’t believe about the water were destroyed because of the water.  Today many do not wish to believe in salvation by water (baptism) and will therefore be destroyed eternally because they don’t believe in the water.

        What does baptism do?  We have seen here that baptism saves, is for the forgiveness of sins, washes away sins, buries us with Christ thus freeing us from sin, and clothes us in Christ making us a new creation.  But nowhere in the Bible does it say that it is merely an outward sign of an inward change. 

            If you have any questions concerning these verses or anything I have written, please feel free to contact me.  


Resources
 

¹ Vine, W.E., John R. Kohlenberger III, and James A. Swanson.  The Expanded Vine’s Expository Dictionary

 

Baptism and The Thief On The Cross 
By Albert Brown
albertgbrown@aol.com
 
In the last article (Our New Covenant Access To Salvation), we saw from God’s word that a person is not saved until after he has been baptized for the forgiveness of his sins.  Although this truth comes directly from the Bible, many people have difficulty with God’s instruction on baptism.  And they have constructed many arguments in an attempt to deny this truth that the Bible clearly teaches.   One of those arguments involve one of the thieves that was crucified at the same time as Christ.

        The repentant thief on the cross was saved before he died.  This cannot be denied, for the Bible clearly teaches that it is so. 

        While Jesus was on the cross he was mocked by many of those who witnessed his death, including both thieves who were crucified with him (Matthew 27:38-44).  But sometime following this time of mocking one of the thieves obviously had a change of heart.  We see this in Luke’s account of the crucifixion.  In that passage we see one of the thieves mocking Jesus as before, but the other rebuked his fellow thief and asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into his kingdom (Luke 23:39-42).  Jesus obviously recognized the repentant attitude of the thief and said “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43, ASV).  With this statement it is obvious that Jesus forgave the thief’s sins, therefore putting the thief in a saved condition.  After all, only those who are forgiven will be saved and enter heaven.  

        So where does this leave us?  Obviously the thief was not taken off his cross to be baptized, and we know that the thief died before he was taken off the cross (John 19:31-32).  How was he saved?  The one who wants to believe that baptism is not necessary for salvation sees this instance as proof of his position.  It is not.  Let me show you why.

        One must realize that the thief did not live under the New Covenant.  Even Jesus didn’t live under the New Covenant while on this earth.  When Jesus walked this earth he was required to keep the Law of Moses and the words of the prophets.  Until Christ’s death on the cross every Jew was required to follow the Old Covenant.  It was not until Jesus died on the cross that the Old Covenant was fulfilled and made obsolete (Colossians 2:13-14; Hebrews 8:13-9:17; Galatians 3:21-26).  So the thief is a poor example in that his salvation was given under a different covenant than the one we live under today. 

        How were sins forgiven under the Old Covenant?  An animal had to be sacrificed.  This obviously was not done when Jesus forgave the thief.  Does this mean that animal sacrifice was not a requirement under the Old Law?  By no means.  Animal sacrifice was a requirement of the Old Covenant in order for sins to be forgiven by God (Leviticus 1:1-4).  But Jesus circumvented this rule.  He forgave this man’s sins without the sacrifice of an animal. 

        Furthermore, this is not the only time Jesus forgave sin without the required animal sacrifice.  In Luke 5:18-25 Jesus forgave the sins of a man with palsy.  In fact, when Jesus forgave him, the teachers of the Law considered Jesus to be blaspheming for they knew that only God could forgive sins.  However, what they didn’t know was that Jesus is God (John 1:1-3, 14), and therefore he has the power to forgive sins any way or any time that he wants (Luke 5:24).

        After his resurrection and just before his ascension into heaven, Jesus came to the apostles and gave them a commission.   In Matthew 28:18, he assured them that he had the authority to give this commission:  “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth” (ASV).  Then, exercising that authority, Jesus told them this:  “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20, ASV). 

        In Mark’s account of this great commission, Jesus also informed them what believing in him and being baptized will do for a person:  it will save him (Mark 16:16).  In this way, Jesus (who is God and who has the power to forgive the sinner) revealed the plan that will save, and that plan includes baptism.  That is why Peter on the day of Pentecost tells the crowd to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38).

        Was the thief baptized under the New Covenant plan of salvation?  No, because the thief did not live under the New Covenant.  However, the thief did not receive forgiveness of sins according to the Old Covenant way either.  Jesus as God has the power to forgive men any way he wants, and he forgave the thief. 

        In the New Testament we have been shown the way of salvation.  Let’s you and I make a conscious effort to fulfill the New Covenant way of salvation and stop worrying about one man whom Jesus decided to save in a different way under a different Covenant. 

Is Baptism Part of the Gospel?
By Albert Brown

      Often when one mentions that baptism is part of God’s salvation plan, the one who stands opposed to this idea will point to I Corinthians 1:17.  In that verse the apostle Paul writes, “For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel:  not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void” (ASV).  The one who points to this verse contends that Paul is making an obvious contrast between baptism and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

        What exactly is the gospel?  The gospel of Christ is the good news of what Jesus did by coming to earth, dying on the cross, being raised on the third day (I Corinthians 15:1-4) -- thereby giving man access to salvation (Romans 1:16).  By pointing to I Corinthians 1:17, some attempt to prove that baptism has no part in man’s access to salvation through Christ’s death.  Certainly, those who wish to use this verse to prove salvation doesn’t include baptism might have a point -- IF Paul were making a contrast between baptism and the gospel.  However, this verse does not contrast baptism and the gospel, but instead it contrasts baptism and preaching:  “For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach....”

        Let’s look at the context of I Corinthians 1:17. 

        Starting in verse 10, Paul appeals to the church in Corinth to agree with one another and to stop dividing the church.  It would seem that some members of the church were rallying behind different individuals.  By doing this they were partially excluding others in the church from their fellowship.  Paul, by asking rhetorical questions, points out to them in verse 13 that Christ is not divided and that he (Paul) is not the one who should be followed.  Christ was crucified for them;  they were baptized in the name of Christ;  therefore, they should be following Christ. 

        In verse 14 Paul starts speaking about baptism and says that he is thankful that he had not baptized many of them.  In verse 15 he tells them why he is thankful: “so no one can say that you were baptized into my name” (I Corinthians 1:15, NIV).  Paul knew that with their tendency toward “hero worship,” he might have gained unwanted followers just because he had baptized them.  Obviously the matter of who baptized whom was being used as a reason for following certain people and possibly for shunning certain others in Corinth. 

        Now, with that context in mind, let’s look again at verse 17.  “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void” (I Corinthians 1:17, ASV).  Paul is telling them that he is not important.  The fact that someone was baptized by him should not be considered important.  He was sent to preach and not to baptize, and he goes on to point out that how he preached was not important but what he preached was very important.  In other words, he means something like this:  “Do not put me on a pedestal, for I am just a messenger.”  Paul makes that point again in I Corinthians 3:1-8.  There he again rebukes those who cause division in the church, and in verse 5 he tells them that he is only a servant, nothing more, and certainly not worthy of being followed as Christ should be followed.

        Let us not stop here.  Let’s go back a few years.  What happened when Paul took the gospel of Christ to Corinth?  We can actually read about the planting of the Corinthian church in Acts 18.

        When Paul first arrived in Corinth, he lived and worked with a couple who made tents (Acts 18:1-3).  Every Saturday he went to the synagogue to try and convert those Jews who would listen (vv. 4, 5).  When the Jews opposed his teaching, he told them that he was done with trying to convert them, and he began teaching the gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews) in that city (v. 6).

         Right next door to the synagogue was the house of a Gentile named Titius, and Paul went to his house first (v. 7).  During Paul’s time in Corinth many were brought to Christ, and in Acts 18:8 we read this concerning the beginning of the church there: “And Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized” (NAS).  What?!  Wait a minute!  How did they know to be baptized?  We saw in I Corinthians 1:17 that Paul was sent to preach the gospel.  But when the Corinthians believed what he preached, they were baptized.  How did they know to be baptized?  Obviously part of the gospel that Paul preached included baptism. 

        Some might ask:  What about Crispus?  Acts 18:8 mentions that he believed, but it doesn’t say that he was baptized.  However, if we go back to I Corinthians 1:14 we find that Crispus was one of the few in Corinth that Paul baptized himself.  Who baptized everyone else?  We can only speculate, but in Acts 18:5 we see that once Timothy and Silas came to Corinth Paul “....devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ” (NIV).  In Acts 19:22 we find that Timothy was one of Paul’s helpers.  While Paul was preaching the gospel, just as Christ sent him to do (I Corinthians 1:17), others were baptizing those who were obeying that gospel.  Timothy, as Paul’s helper, was probably one of those who was doing the baptizing.  We must admit that we do not know for certain who was doing the baptizing, but we do know who was baptized:  Those who heard and believed the gospel (Acts 18:8).

        As we asked earlier -- how did they know to be baptized?  They knew because Paul taught them the gospel of  Christ.  Paul’s words in I Corinthians 1:17 don’t contradict the concept of baptism for forgiveness of sins.  Instead, when combined with context and the events recorded in Acts 18, I Corinthians 1:17 proves that baptism is part of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

        Concerning the gospel that Paul preached, he wrote this in Galatians 1:8:  “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (NIV).   Paul issues this warning to anyone who teaches a different gospel than the one he taught. 

            So...which gospel should we teach?  And which one should we follow?

 

Is Baptism A Work? 
By Albert Brown

Many people deny that baptism plays an important role in Christ’s gospel.  They reason that baptism cannot be a part of salvation because baptism is a work.  But is baptism truly a work?   And then, if it is a work, would baptism be unnecessary for our salvation?  I would like to answer the second question before answering the first.  Consider this question with me:  If baptism were a work, would baptism be unnecessary for our salvation?

        The idea of “works salvation” is shunned by most churches today.  Many feel that they have scriptural support to prove that works are not necessary for our salvation.  For instance, in Ephesians 2:8-9 Paul wrote this: “for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not of works, that no man should glory” (ASV).  When reading these two verses by themselves, it is easy to contend that works have no part in salvation. But does this passage prove that works are useless toward salvation?

        For the student of the Bible, one constant rule must always be applied to Scripture:   The Bible never contradicts itself.  Since the Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), it is obvious that the Bible could not contradict itself.  We have already seen in Ephesians 2:8-9 that it is “by grace” that the Christian is saved and that this grace is accessed “through faith”.   However, this passage in Ephesians is not the only Scripture showing that grace is accessed through faith.  

        In Romans 5:1-2 we read: “Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (ASV).  Paul clearly states that grace is accessed by faith.  But how does that happen?  We read in verse 1 that it is by faith that we are justified.  According to W. E. Vine, this Greek word “justified” means “to deem to be right”.  So, even though I may be a sinner, when I am justified God makes me “just as if I” never sinned.  Faith is the vehicle to our justification.  Paul clearly states that Christians are “justified by faith”.  But is faith all that justifies us? 

        James 2:14-26 explains the relationship between faith and works.  “What use is it...if a man says he has faith, but he has no works?  Can that faith save him?” (v. 14, NASB).  In verse 17 James answers his own question, stating that faith without works is dead.  He then emphasizes his point by saying that even the demons believe (v. 20), yet they obviously do not do the works of God.  Then James illustrates from the life of  Abraham, showing that Abraham’s faith and works together caused him to be righteous in the sight of God (vv. 21-23).  This brings us to verse 24.

        Let’s compare James 2:24 with Romans 5:1.  Remember that in Romans 5:1 Paul said that Christians are “justified by faith”.   However James says, “You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone” (James 2:24, NASB).  How can this be? Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-9 that grace comes “through faith...not of works”, but James says that faith alone won’t justify, but must be accompanied by works. 

        Remember the rule: The Bible never contradicts itself.  What’s the answer?

        As is often the case, the answer lies in the context.  Many people do not go on to read what else Paul says in Ephesians 2.  Look at verse 10.  Paul writes that we were created to do good works.  He does not deny the importance of works.  On the contrary, he says that Christians were created for doing good works.  James does not contradict Paul, but instead he shows the relationship of faith to works.  The type of faith that accesses grace is a faith that accomplishes good works.  Any other type of faith will not justify and is therefore dead.

        What is a “good work”?  A good work is any action that accomplishes God’s will according to His command.   Jesus says many will be condemned on the day of judgment because they didn’t do the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21).  Those who do not do the Father’s will are not obedient to God’s commands. 

        Scripture clearly teaches that baptism is commanded by God.  Baptism for the forgiveness of sins is a command from God (Acts 2:38).  Baptism to wash away sins is also a command from God (Acts 22:16).  God tells us that baptism saves (Mark 16:16; I Peter 3:21).  God also tells us that baptism clothes one with Christ (Galatians 3:27).  Therefore, if baptism is a work, then it is one that is necessary to justify us, because God commanded us to do it in order to be justified.  If we do not follow this command from God, then our faith is dead and will not save us.

        Now, for the other question:  Is baptism a work?   Well, that depends on your definition of “work”.  If by “work” you mean something we do that merits our salvation, then no, baptism is not a work.  Nothing we do can merit our salvation, for salvation is a gift from God (Romans 6:23).

        However, when you say “work” -- if you simply mean something that we do (an action) -- then yes, baptism is a work.  Baptism is something that we are commanded to do in order to be saved. 

            Many cannot accept this idea of work (action) having a part in our justification before God, but the Bible clearly teaches it.   Consider this: if works were not necessary, then we wouldn’t even have to believe in Christ in order to be saved.  However Jesus tells us in John 6:28-29 that belief in him is a work that we must do.  So if you believe that belief in Jesus is necessary for your salvation, then you already believe that works are necessary.  Belief is a work commanded by God for our salvation.  Just like baptism.