Good day everyone and welcome back. We continue with our study on The Church as it is seen in The Holy Scriptures. I appreciate the comments that some are sending and hope this devotional site will continue to be of help and encouragement to many. So let's begin.
IV. THE CHURCH OF CHRIST USES THE WORD OF GOD AS THE ONLY RULE OF DISCIPLINE.
We have in our world today far too many religious organizations doing their own thing in the name of God or a god. There are even "good intentions" as these folks continue on in their endeavors. Humanitarian efforts are achieved as they may feed the hungry, clothe those in need of warmth, and even save some from disasters that come in life. These are no doubt good as they help people and encourage them to live on and even turn and help others along the way. There is a problem, however, in the end. The problem is we all die and after death we are going to be judged, whether we believe it or not. This judgment is not in accordance with any man-made laws or ideas. The judgment will be directly related to what God Himself has spoken to us in His Word. We cannot change it or revise it no matter how many votes we cast or count. Some groups have even gone so far as to accept certain parts of God's Word and discount the parts THEY deem not true or relevant. This does no one any good in the end. The Bible, God's written Word, was given to us as God wanted it. We have no business making any changes whatsoever to fit a group or religious organization.
The Bible says in 2 Tim. 3:16-17, "All Scriptures is inspired by God and profitable, for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." All THE Church needs is the Bible, but the church needs the entire Bible to direct her. If a church uses any other book than the Bible or uses any book as being equal to the Bible, that church is not the Church that Christ intended. Revelation 22:19 says, "and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (RSV) Let the Bible speak for itself and listen to no man or group who wants to change it.
V. THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IMMERSES ONLY.
We now come to one of the most controversial subjects in religious conversations today. The subject is that of "baptism". Over the years and centuries the term baptism has gone through some definite changes. These changes have not been in accordance with the original language God placed in His Word. Every Bible study must begin and end by looking at the original language and the context within. The term baptism in the original Greek means only one thing, to immerse. Over the years man has accepted the change of this term to mean one of three things. It has been accepted as sprinkling or pouring or immersion. Again, this does no one any good in the end. God had, or has, a purpose for everything He placed in His Word and to change it for our convenience is not beneficial for our salvation. God has statutes or laws we must follow and not change because WE FEEL it is a different time and culture. Baptism means to immerse, dip, plunge or bury. Many references in scripture show this as being true.
The Bible says in Rom. 6:4, " . . . we are buried with Him through baptism. . . " The Bible says in Col. 2:12, "having been buried with Him in baptism, . . ." To bury an object is to cover up that object. Bible baptism is immersion in water, not sprinkling or pouring water upon the person. Read the book of Acts and see for yourself how God, through His Apostles' preaching, made this a most relevant part of His Church. It is at the point of Baptism, after a person truly repents and confesses Christ as God's Son, that sin is forgiven by God and God Himself, by way of His Holy Spirit, comes to live in us. (Acts 2:38) To deny what The Word says is to deny what God has spoken as being true.
May God bless as you read and study and may HE be praised. Until next time...Mark
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