Month February 2019

THROWING OUT THE TRUTH WITH THE BATHWATER

The Preacher Leave a comment

Most of you understand the expression, “THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATHWATER” because you lived it. Back in the days of old, before the days of indoor plumbing, the family would take their baths in a large metal wash tub. After everyone was done, the last usually being the youngest, the bathwater was tossed out into the yard.

The idiom reminds us not to discard the precious as we attempt to rid ourselves of the despised.

I bring this to your attention because there is a movement among many to “toss out the bathwater” of baptism.

They’re TOSSING out the TRUTH of salvation as they seek to rid themselves of the baptismal waters. In their zeal to remove the ‘bathwater’ they have missed the simple truth about the Gospel.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. [Mat 23:24]

Those who are now working to rid the church of the ‘bathwater’ are repeating the mistakes of those in the past and tossing out the precious truth about salvation & baptism.

One fellow said that the baptism spoken of in Acts 2:38 is ‘spiritual immersion.’ What he’s done is thrown out SALVATION with the baptism water. Look at 1Peter 3:21; what is being taught?

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” [1Peter 3:21]

The Apostle Peter makes a specific reference to water when he says, “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.” Why would he bring up ‘the filth of the flesh’ unless saving baptism involves water? If salvation was ‘faith only’ then this addition is completely pointless. He brought it up because he was talking about WATER BAPTISM. He was teaching us not to confuse the water baptism obeyed through faith with a physical cleansing. WATER BAPTISM, submitted through faith, provides a SPIRITUAL CLEANSING.

Paul was told, “arise, and be baptized, and WASH AWAY THY SINS, calling on the name of the Lord.” [Acts 22:16] Upon hearing the preaching of Jesus by Phillip, the Ethiopian Eunuch asked, “See, here is WATER; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” [Acts 8:36] (emphasis mine, seb) These verses harmonize BECAUSE they are teaching WATER BAPTISM. They make no sense if salvation occurs BEFORE water baptism.

No one is teaching a ‘works’ salvation, for no one, submitting to the simple command of God in Christ, is able to do anything of themselves while under the water. Christ is doing the spiritual cleansing [Rev 1:5]. Christ is doing the saving [Matt 1:21]. Christ is adding to the church those that are being saved [Acts 2:47].

If you believe…

  • You were saved before you were water baptized,
  • That baptism is not immersion in water,
  • That baptism doesn’t save you,
  • Were baptized in or into a denomination,
  • You were saved by being baptized as a baby,

Then you are guilty of ‘THROWING OUT THE TRUTH WITH THE BATHWATER’ and remain in your sin.

Saving Baptism in the bible is…

  • Commanded by Christ, Matt 28:19; Mark 16:16
  • For the remission of sins, Acts 2:38; Mat 26:28
  • What washes away sin, Acts 22:16
  • Death to sin, Romans 6:1-4
  • A Burial, Colossians 2:12
  • Immersion in water, 1Peter 3:21; Acts 8:36
  • What saves you, by faith, 1Peter 3:21; Heb 11:7
  • Taught by Peter, Paul, & others Acts 2:38; 19:5; 22:16;
  • The Putting on of Christ, Galatians 3:27
  • AFTER Hearing, Believing, Repenting & Confessing, Mark 16:15, 16

3 Ways the Lost RID themselves of Christ.

The Preacher Leave a comment

If you haven’t noticed, many of these articles are written for 2 purposes. First, to strengthen the Christian in their hope of salvation. Second, to empower the Christian with information that could be used to reach the lost. The titles are designed to evoke some emotion that makes someone want to see what it’s about.

Today’s article does both because we know the lost world needs Christ, and it’s possible for the Christian to drift away [Heb 2:2-3].

HOW DOES THE LOST RID THEMSELVES OF CHRIST?

Whether a person does it intentionally or by neglect, the results are the same, they’re lost. So, here’s what scripture tells us how a person RIDs himself of Christ.

REJECTING CHRIST:

One of the ways to get Christ out of your life is to reject Him, reject His commands and totally reject His will for your life. This is what the Jews did during His personal ministry. “And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:” [Mark 12:10].

Jesus warned, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” [John 12:48]

The result of rejecting Christ is found in the example of Esau, “For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected:” [Heb 12:17] The same fate awaits those who reject Christ, that is, to be rejected by God.

IGNORING CHRIST:

Probably the most common way to RID yourself of Christ is to IGNORE Him. We see this in most folks as they take zero consideration for their eternity. These may say they believe in God & Christ, may even attend a church service somewhere, but they make no effort to know what His will is about godly living, worship or even His commands about baptism.

Paul faced this attitude when he spoke with Agrippa. “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” [Acts 26:28] To ignore Christ is just as fatal as to reject Him.

Our Lord spoke about those who ignored His commands when He said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” [Mat 7:21]

Some say that doctrine is not important. But the Holy Spirit says that there is a ‘sound doctrine’ which means that some would be following unsound doctrine ignoring the Doctrine of Christ. [2Tim 4:3; 2John 1:9]

DELAYING OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST:

The last one will RID Christ from your life just as effectively even though the person in this position may say they want to obey the Gospel. Saying you want to do something has zero effect on one’s salvation. Christ said, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” [Luke 6:46]

There is something you must do. Saul (later called Paul) knew this, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Jesus then sent him to a Christian to tell him what to do. Nobody accesses salvation without actively doing what the Lord requires. The Jailor, upon hearing about Jesus, obeyed the gospel “the same hour of the night’ without delay. [Acts 16:33]

Don’t be like Felix; “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” [Acts 24:25] He delayed, and we have no idea if he ever responded to the gospel. How sad.

All 3 of these can be applied to those outside of Christ as well as those who are in Christ. You see, we can lose our salvation when we REJECT, IGNORE or DELAY in doing the commands of the Lord. Please, Salvation has appeared to all men [Titus 2:11], don’t RID yourselves of that Grace.

What comes first Water or Salvation?

The Preacher 2 Comments

People in the denominational world want to rid water from God’s plan of salvation. Oh, they’ll say it’s important, one false teacher even said, “Baptism is not essential to salvation, but you aren’t saved if you refuse it.” That’s confusing. When you show them the simple instructions of the Master, (Mark 16:16) they still can’t see it. So, let’s take a different approach by asking, WHAT CAME FIRST, WATER OR SALVATION?

When you open your Bible, you won’t go far before you come to THE STORY OF NOAH’S ARK (Genesis 6-8). A novice could answer the question, WHAT CAME FIRST, WATER OR SALVATION?

Noah was commanded to build an ark. He moved with Godly fear and built the ark, according to the pattern (Heb 11:7). He entered the ark with his family. God closed the only door. It rained. The ark rose above the water. Everyone outside of the ark died. The ark landed on Ararat. Noah & his family were saved. He Heard God’s instructions, Believed, Obeyed, WATER.

A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG and you’ll read of the Israelites in Egyptian bondage (Exodus 1-14). Once again, a casual reading reveals a similar story. Moses heard God’s instructions. He believed. They obeyed God’s instruction. They found themselves by the red sea with Pharaoh’s army in pursuit. They walked on dry ground surrounded by WATER. They were free on the other side of the water, while Pharaoh’s army drowned.

“And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;” (1Cor 10:2)

KEEP READING and you’ll come to the story of a man named Naaman who had leprosy (2King 5:1-14). He HEARD about a cure and BELIEVED it was true, so much that he brought great wealth to pay for it. However, those weren’t the instructions. The instructions were to dip seven times in the Jordan river. He became angry and wanted a modification to the instruction. That wasn’t in the message either. So, after a little reasoning with his servant, humbly he went to the WATER in obedience. Then, and only then did he receive the cure.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT we read of a man born blind, (John 9:1-7). This story has some amazing similarities to the others. He HEARD some instructions. BELIEVING them, he went in faithful OBEDIENCE to the pool of Siloam. WATER was the dividing line between blindness and sight.

WITH ALL THESE ACCOUNTS before us, we ask again, WHAT CAME FIRST, WATER OR SALVATION? The answer is clear…WATER. God desired water to be the dividing line between the Fully convinced believer and Salvation.

NOW, AS WE LOOK AT His command for salvation under the New Covenant, what do we find?

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16)

“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

(Acts 22:16)

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” (1Peter 3:21)

“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

(Acts 8:12)

THIS IS THE PATTERN of the New Covenant. Jesus commanded baptism, the Apostles taught it and believers obeyed it prior to their salvation. The question now becomes; do you love Jesus enough to do what He says? (Luke 6:46; John 14:15) Or will you follow the pattern of the Pharisees? “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.” (Luke 7:30)

For further study there are additional scriptures on the (here).