Here is a sample of this coming Lord's Day sermon...
2 Corinthians 4...
Another method the "god of this world" uses to blind those that perish is to blind them to the real power of God. Paul tells us in the seventh verse that we have this treasure in an earthen vessel.
Think of that, the treasure of the gospel, the greatest treasure the world has ever known or EVER WILL know, and it is carried around in an earthen vessel. The earthen vessel of the human being---the gospel treasure in a crock of clay.
This treasure of the gospel in the earthen vessel is a reference to Gideon and his three hundred in their victory over the Midianites.(Judges 7)
Late one night the 300 on three sides above their enemy held a vase in one hand and a trumpet in the other. Inside the vase was a burning lamp.
The signal was given; 300 trumpets sounded in the dark of night, these clay vases were thrown down and broken, the mountain was ablaze with light and the soldiers of Gideon shouted, "The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon."
As an earthen vessel the fragile gospel preacher may break at any time, but the light of the world continues to light the way to victory.
Such a treasure is worthy of a greater demonstration of God's power. Think of it, I preach a message that tells you the plan of salvation. This is a message that tells how you can live forever.
If you want to live forever, come join us as we worship and serve our Great and Holy God.
May God bless...
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The 10 Commandments in the N.T.
1 Timothy 1:8-11 "We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers-- and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me." (NIV)
If these false teachers of Pauls' day were teaching "the law" to the Christians in Ephesus, what Paul has written would certainly contradict what they had been teaching. Why does Paul, through The Holy Spirit, give us this long list of persons affected by the law?
Maybe the law teachers were so completely ignorant
of "the law" that they needed this rather elementary information.
It could have been some of these teachers were practicing some of the sins here mentioned. In this case they would be condemned by the very subject they were teaching.
Commentators see a similarity in Paul's prohibitions here, to those of the Ten Commandments. Note this table of comparison as given by Homer Kent:
The first table of the Decalogue is covered in general terms.
I Timothy 1:9, 10 Exodus 20:1-17
Lawless and disobedient 1. Thou shalt have no other
gods before me.
Ungodly and sinners 2. Thou shalt not make
unto thee any graven image
Unholy and profane 3. Thou shalt not take
the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day.
By these three pairs of words the second table is covered more completely:
Father-smiters and 5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
mother-smiters
Murderers 6. Thou shalt not kill.
Fornicators, Sodomites 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Kidnappers 8. Thou shalt not steal,
Liars, perjurers 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Any other thing. 10. Thou shalt not covet.
The above information as to the proper use of "the law" is in perfect agreement to, and a part of, the Good News entrusted to Paul. The Gospel (or the Faith) would teach that sinners are to be brought under the judgment of God by the law. When mankind is shown to be guilty and condemned before God's righteous law, our prayer is they will hear with eagerness the Good News that "Christ died to save sinners".
Share "His Good News" today with someone who needs to hear it. God Bless until our next time...
If these false teachers of Pauls' day were teaching "the law" to the Christians in Ephesus, what Paul has written would certainly contradict what they had been teaching. Why does Paul, through The Holy Spirit, give us this long list of persons affected by the law?
Maybe the law teachers were so completely ignorant
of "the law" that they needed this rather elementary information.
It could have been some of these teachers were practicing some of the sins here mentioned. In this case they would be condemned by the very subject they were teaching.
Commentators see a similarity in Paul's prohibitions here, to those of the Ten Commandments. Note this table of comparison as given by Homer Kent:
The first table of the Decalogue is covered in general terms.
I Timothy 1:9, 10 Exodus 20:1-17
Lawless and disobedient 1. Thou shalt have no other
gods before me.
Ungodly and sinners 2. Thou shalt not make
unto thee any graven image
Unholy and profane 3. Thou shalt not take
the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day.
By these three pairs of words the second table is covered more completely:
Father-smiters and 5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
mother-smiters
Murderers 6. Thou shalt not kill.
Fornicators, Sodomites 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Kidnappers 8. Thou shalt not steal,
Liars, perjurers 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Any other thing. 10. Thou shalt not covet.
The above information as to the proper use of "the law" is in perfect agreement to, and a part of, the Good News entrusted to Paul. The Gospel (or the Faith) would teach that sinners are to be brought under the judgment of God by the law. When mankind is shown to be guilty and condemned before God's righteous law, our prayer is they will hear with eagerness the Good News that "Christ died to save sinners".
Share "His Good News" today with someone who needs to hear it. God Bless until our next time...
Saturday, December 10, 2011
BIBLE BAPTISM
Our word "baptize" is translated from the original Greek word "baptizo", which means to immerse. All Greek Bible dictionaries define the word "baptizo" only as immerse, dip or plunge. "Baptizo" does not mean sprinkle or pour. If our Lord had wanted people to be sprinkled, he would have inspired the New Testament writers to use the Greek word "rhantizo". If our Lord wanted people to be poured He would have inspired New Testament writers to use the Greek word "katacheo". But he didn’t, so "baptizo" was used, which can only mean to immerse.
Let’s look in the Bible to see how people were baptized. In John 3:23 we read, "Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there." Why was John baptizing near Salim? "Because there was much water there." Scriptural baptism, which is immersion, according to the Bible requires much water.
In Mark 1:5 we read, "Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to Him, and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River." Why was John baptizing in the Jordan River? Could it be "because there was much water there" in a river?
In Mark 1:9-10, we continue to read, "And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove." When Jesus was baptized, he was baptized in the Jordan River. Why? Again, because there is much water in a river which is required for scriptural baptism, which is immersion. Also notice after Jesus was baptized, he came "up out of the water." So scriptural baptism not only requires much water, but it also requires "coming up out of the water." This cannot be said of sprinkling or pouring.
Next we turn to Acts 8:36-39. The evangelist, Philip, had been teaching the gospel or good news of Christ to an Ethiopian eunuch while they were riding along in a chariot. Then in verses 36-39 we read: "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, See here is water, what hinders me from being baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." Here we see the baptism God has authorized in the Bible requires the "coming to some water", "going down into the water," and after a person is immersed it requires "coming up out of the water." How much clearer could the Bible be on the mode of baptism? Also notice after the eunuch was baptized, "he went on his way rejoicing." Why? Because he was now saved and all of his sins had been taken away. This is certainly something for one to rejoice.
Romans 6:4 says, "Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death." Here we see that baptism is a burial, which is what is done when one is immersed. Sprinkling is not a burial; it is only sprinkling. Neither is pouring a burial. Both are unlawful substitutions made by man which will cause many people to be lost.
Colossians 2:12 says we are "buried with him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him." Here again God requires the one being baptized, to be buried and raised when he is baptized. When we bury a dead person in the cemetery, we do not lay him out on the grass and sprinkle a little dirt on him. No, that would be absurd, and it is just as absurd in trying to substitute sprinkling for baptism. Sprinkling for baptism is foreign to the scriptures. God did not authorize it. There is not one instance anywhere in the Bible where anyone was sprinkled for baptism.
But we then ask the question, from where then did sprinkling or pouring come? The first recorded case in all of early church history was that of Novatian in 251 AD, who lay sick on his bed and water was poured on him. Who made this first exception, man or God? Man did without the authorization of God. God has not approved of it. Sprinkling is just as vain as if it had never been done. This man made exception over the centuries became the man made accepted practice until at the Council of Ravenna in 1311 AD, man legalized sprinkling for baptism, but without God’s authority.
The person who insists on following this man made teaching of sprinkling or pouring has refused to obey God. Sprinkling is without God’s authority. There is no baptism in the absence of immersion. If you were sprinkled or poured, then you have not been scripturally baptized. You still have every sin that you have ever committed and are still lost. If you refuse to admit that your sprinkling is wrong, you will go to your grave refusing to do God's will. On the Day of Judgment you will be eternally condemned to the fires of Hell. Such a tragedy.
Let’s look in the Bible to see how people were baptized. In John 3:23 we read, "Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there." Why was John baptizing near Salim? "Because there was much water there." Scriptural baptism, which is immersion, according to the Bible requires much water.
In Mark 1:5 we read, "Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to Him, and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River." Why was John baptizing in the Jordan River? Could it be "because there was much water there" in a river?
In Mark 1:9-10, we continue to read, "And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove." When Jesus was baptized, he was baptized in the Jordan River. Why? Again, because there is much water in a river which is required for scriptural baptism, which is immersion. Also notice after Jesus was baptized, he came "up out of the water." So scriptural baptism not only requires much water, but it also requires "coming up out of the water." This cannot be said of sprinkling or pouring.
Next we turn to Acts 8:36-39. The evangelist, Philip, had been teaching the gospel or good news of Christ to an Ethiopian eunuch while they were riding along in a chariot. Then in verses 36-39 we read: "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, See here is water, what hinders me from being baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." Here we see the baptism God has authorized in the Bible requires the "coming to some water", "going down into the water," and after a person is immersed it requires "coming up out of the water." How much clearer could the Bible be on the mode of baptism? Also notice after the eunuch was baptized, "he went on his way rejoicing." Why? Because he was now saved and all of his sins had been taken away. This is certainly something for one to rejoice.
Romans 6:4 says, "Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death." Here we see that baptism is a burial, which is what is done when one is immersed. Sprinkling is not a burial; it is only sprinkling. Neither is pouring a burial. Both are unlawful substitutions made by man which will cause many people to be lost.
Colossians 2:12 says we are "buried with him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him." Here again God requires the one being baptized, to be buried and raised when he is baptized. When we bury a dead person in the cemetery, we do not lay him out on the grass and sprinkle a little dirt on him. No, that would be absurd, and it is just as absurd in trying to substitute sprinkling for baptism. Sprinkling for baptism is foreign to the scriptures. God did not authorize it. There is not one instance anywhere in the Bible where anyone was sprinkled for baptism.
But we then ask the question, from where then did sprinkling or pouring come? The first recorded case in all of early church history was that of Novatian in 251 AD, who lay sick on his bed and water was poured on him. Who made this first exception, man or God? Man did without the authorization of God. God has not approved of it. Sprinkling is just as vain as if it had never been done. This man made exception over the centuries became the man made accepted practice until at the Council of Ravenna in 1311 AD, man legalized sprinkling for baptism, but without God’s authority.
The person who insists on following this man made teaching of sprinkling or pouring has refused to obey God. Sprinkling is without God’s authority. There is no baptism in the absence of immersion. If you were sprinkled or poured, then you have not been scripturally baptized. You still have every sin that you have ever committed and are still lost. If you refuse to admit that your sprinkling is wrong, you will go to your grave refusing to do God's will. On the Day of Judgment you will be eternally condemned to the fires of Hell. Such a tragedy.
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