Looking Forward

“I do not advise that we end the year on a somber note. The march, not the dirge, has ever been the music of Christianity. If we are good students in the school of life, there is much that the years have to teach us. But the Christian is more than a student, more than a philosopher. He is a believer, and the object of his faith makes the difference, the mighty difference. Of all persons the Christian should be best prepared for whatever the New Year brings. He has dealt with life at its source. In Christ he has disposed of a thousand enemies that other men must face alone and unprepared. He can face his tomorrow cheerful and unafraid because yesterday he turned his feet into the ways of peace and today he lives in God. The man who has made God his dwelling place will always have a safe habitation.” 

— A.W. Tozer

2017 Bible Reading Schedule

For anyone wanting to read the Bible in its entirety in 2017, here is a 5 days-a-week Bible reading schedule released by Biblclassmaterial.com.

2017 Bible Reading Schedule

The Significance of Baptism

“Why Do You Preach So Much On Baptism?”

An all-too common complaint we regularly hear made against the church concerns the preaching of baptism.  The world and various denominations argue that the Church of Christ puts too much emphasis on baptism.  They might even go as far as to accuse us of elevating the act of baptism above God’s grace.

So why do we stress baptism so much?

The short answer:  The world doesn’t preach it enough…  If at all!

Baptism is listed some 116 times in the New Testament.  In nearly every example of conversion and salvation, baptism is mentioned.  With that much Scriptural support, how could any believer overlook the significance of baptism?

The Symbolism of Baptism

Let’s begin by examining the symbolic significance of baptism…


• Baptism and the Flood

Peter likened baptism to the waters of the Flood.

1 Peter 3:21 ...Who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…

Notice that baptism is more than just a mere physical bathing.  It is through the resurrection of Christ, the power of God Himself that this simple physical act is imbued with its soul-saving power.  Baptism is not a work of man, but of God!


• Baptism and Circumcision

Paul called baptism a sort of spiritual circumcision.

Colossians 2:11-12 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

There is a notable difference between the physical circumcision of the Old Testament and the spiritual circumcision of baptism in the New Testament.  While in the Old Testament circumcision was done shortly after birth, there is no evidence of baptizing infant in the New Testament.  Belief in the Word of God is meant to precede baptism according to New Testament examples.


• Baptism and the Gospel

Consider this:  During the act of baptism we are reenacting the Gospel story.  The Bible tells us as much!

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…

Compare the synopsis of the Gospel story recorded in 1 Corinthians to what is said of baptism in Romans…

Romans 6:3-7 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.

As we can see, the act of baptism is a reenactment of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection:  In baptism we “die” to sin, are “buried” in the water of salvation (the blood of Christ), and a “resurrected” free from sin!

This idea of baptism being a reenactment of a burial accounts for only one method of baptism (Ephesians 4:5)…  Baptism by immersion which is exemplified at various points in the New Testament (Mark1:10 – Jesus “came up out of the water”, Acts 8:38 – Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch “both went down into the water”).  This excludes other methods such as sprinkling.

Baptism is Endorsed by Jesus

Baptism is also significant because it was endorsed by Jesus Himself in three ways:


• Jesus’ Example

One of Jesus’ first recorded acts of His earthly ministry was being baptized.  At first, John didn’t feel that He had the right to baptize the Son of God, but Jesus pointed out that it was necessary.

Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

While Jesus, being sinless, did not technically need baptism, He pointed out that it was fitting for the fulfillment of righteousness.  This account affirms that baptism is the means by which God makes men righteous.   Jesus was baptized to set an example for us!  Additionally, we see that God was so delighted with His Son’s obedient example that He commended Jesus by audibly speaking.

Sometimes I feel like this miraculous event is almost treated as a side note, but isn’t it interesting that of the two times God directly spoke in the Gospels that one of these instances was to approve of Jesus’ baptism?


• Jesus’ Sacrifice

Our entire faith hinges upon Christ’s death upon the cross.  Baptism is connected to that major event as well!

Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Notice that the language used here to describe the intended effect of Christ’s blood is identical to the purpose of baptism that Peter detailed on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38)!

Additionally, Jesus’ self-sacrifice also references the Old Testament account of the Passover which involved the blood of lambs as a signal to spare the Israelites in the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:13 - "When I see the blood, I will pass over you").

1 Peter 1:18-19 …Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

John pointed out a blatant parallel between baptism and Christ’s sacrifice in his description of Jesus.

1 John 5:6-8  This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.


• Jesus’ Command

Jesus, the Son of God Himself, commands that believers be baptized.

Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

As Jesus points out here, baptism and salvation are inexorably linked.

Why Reject Baptism?

In spite of all this evidence we have discussed so far concerning baptism, many still reject baptism as God’s means of salvation for one reason or another.

Consider the account of Naaman recounted in 2 Kings 5:1-14.

If you recall, Naaman was a commander of the Syrian army who was afflicted with leprosy.  The abridged version of the story goes like this:

The prophet Elisha was sent to heal Naaman of his leprosy.  Elisha gave Naaman some simple instructions.  He told him to “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”  (2 Kings 5:10)

However, Naaman rejected these directions…  He even “became furious”!  He didn’t agree with the method by which he was to be healed.  He questioned Elisha’s instructions:  Why couldn’t Elisha just call on the name of the Lord and wave his hand over me?  Aren’t other rivers besides the Jordan just as good if not better to be cleansed in?

One of Naaman’s wise servants came and tried to reason with him, saying “…If the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”  (2 Kings 5:13)

Naaman finally did as Elisha said and, sure enough, he found that “his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2 Kings 5:14).

While this account does not directly refer to baptism, it does make an important point about God’s instructions:  If God offers us a means of salvation… who are we to question or reject His terms?

Conclusion:  What is Your Condition With and Without Baptism?

I read the following in a tract during a Bible study years ago and always thought it brilliantly summed up just how vital baptism is...

IF WHEN BAPTIZED YOU:

• Put on Christ

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

• Wash Away Sins

Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

• Have Remission of Sins

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…”

• Are Made Free from Sin

Romans 6:17-18 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

• Benefit by Jesus’ Death

Romans 6:3-4 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

• Enter the Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

...THEN WHAT IS YOUR CONDITION WITHOUT BAPTISM?

To recap and hopefully drive these final points home:  If through baptism one puts on Christ, washes away their sin, have remission of their sins, benefits by Jesus' death, and enters the Body of Christ - if Scripture tells us that baptism does all these things - then surely our condition without baptism is the opposite of these!

We cannot disregard the significance of baptism!

“Baptism is a Work, and We are Not Saved by Works!”

There is a great deal of confusion concerning baptism’s role in salvation.

Some argue that baptism cannot be a vital component in salvation because being baptized is a work.  They may cite the second chapter of Ephesians as evidence for this view.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Certainly baptism is something that is done and – in that sense at least – it could be considered a “work”.

However, there are some important questions to answer in approaching this matter:  Is baptism a work of merit, by which one earns salvation?  Or is baptism a work of faith, by which one receives salvation?

When we consider the work involved in baptism, it has to be asked:  Who is the one truly “at work”?  Is it the man or woman who submits to being immersed?  Or is it God who forgives and regenerates through the blood of Jesus and the working of the Holy Spirit?

As we address this misconception and look into the Word of God for the answers to these questions, I think that we will find that there is in fact no contradiction between the idea that we are saved by faith and not by works and that – at the same time – we are saved by baptism.

Works of Merit versus Works of Faith

We must understand that there are different kinds of works.

First, there are works of merit.

These works are done to “earn” something.  Those that have done such works believe that they deserve something in return for what they have done.

Some people think that merely being a good person is a sufficient work to earn salvation.  Others believe that how well they keep the Ten Commandments or benevolent works or even their church attendance somehow grants them the right to salvation.  However, as we previously read in Ephesians, this is a mistake!

There is no way that we can earn salvation!  All of the good that we might do cannot outweigh even one sin.

James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

Those that make this argument against baptism make the mistake of lumping baptism in with works of merit.

However, we must recognize that there are also works of faith.

While these works are done to receive something, those who do such works believe that they deserve nothing in return.

Works of faith are done by believers with the understanding that their obedience does not earn or merit salvation.  Additionally, believers understand that their salvation rests upon the mercy of God and His grace.

These works could be called “works of God”.  Take belief for example, which Jesus Himself calls a “work”.

John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Other works of faith commanded by God include repentance (Acts 17:30) and confession (Romans 10:9-10).

Even though belief, repentance, and confession are commanded works we recognize that, like baptism, these are not meritorious works and we do not earn salvation through them.  Instead, these are works that God Himself has ordained that we do to receive His salvation…

Therefore baptism is not a contradiction; When all is said and done, salvation is still through God’s grace and mercy!

Baptism is a Work of Faith, Not Merit

Another scripture that is often misused to discredit baptism is found in Mark.

Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Some would argue that since baptism is not mentioned in the second part of this verse that belief is what is truly important.  However, this verse actually further confirms the point that baptism is work of faith and is necessary for salvation!

No one would argue with the logic of a similarly worded statement such as:  “He who eats and digests will live, but he who does not eat will die.”  The two acts are jointly necessary for survival.

 Thus, it is obvious that Jesus’ words clearly indicate that belief and baptism go hand in hand.

After all, if one does not believe, why would they bother going through baptism - or any other act of faith?

We understand that belief is prerequisite of baptism.  Faith in God and His Word come first.  We are compelled by that belief to be baptized!

Acts 8:36-37 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?” Then 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.”

Continuing on we see that baptism is an act of faith by which one receives (not earns)…

The Forgiveness of Sins and the Gift of the Holy Spirit 

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…”

A Union with Christ

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Baptism not being a work of merit is further emphasized in Titus.

Titus 3:4-5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…

Notice that the allusion that Paul makes to baptism in this verse: “the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”  Notice also that Paul points out again that we are not saved by “works of righteousness” (works of merit), but it is God who saves us through this “washing”.
Clearly, baptism is not some work of righteousness done to earn salvation!

Who Does the Work in Baptism?

I suppose if we approach baptism from a purely physical standpoint, then the one performing the immersion is doing the “work”.  However, as we have already established, baptism is more than just a physical action.

1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…

No, baptism is a spiritual work of faith, but the question remains:  Who actually does the work in baptism?

Colossians 2:12  …Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

It is God who is at work in baptism.  Ultimately, it is God who does the work, not man!

Colossians 2:13  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses…

As we just read, man is dead in his sins, but God makes him alive by forgiving him of his sins.  Thus, it is God who saves us, not we ourselves.  Baptism just happens to be the chosen mode through which God decided salvation would be offered to us.

Baptism:  The Most Passive Act of Faith?

Many people reject baptism because they see it as something you do.  But if we truly think about it in the context of the Word of God, baptism is actually the most passive of the acts of faith.

Consider that belief, repentance and confession are all active acts of faith on our part.  These are all things that we do.

However, we baptism is different.  Baptism is something that is done to us.  This makes baptism a passive, submissive act of faith in which we submit to the work of God in our lives.

If we were to object to baptism because it requires one to do something, then – by the same logic – we would have to object to belief, repentance, and confession!

Baptism According to Martin Luther

It was Martin Luther that coined the phrase, “salvation by faith only.”  However, in spite of this doctrine he helped give birth to, it’s ironic to know that even Luther understood the role of baptism.

When presented with the question, “What gifts or benefits does Baptism bestow?”  Luther responded, “It affects the forgiveness of sins.”

In regards to baptism’s impact on a sinner, Luther wrote, “To put it most simply:  The power, effect, benefit, fruit, and purpose of baptism is to save.”

Finally, in response to those who would call his view a salvation by works, Martin Luther wrote, “Yes it is true that our works are of no use for salvation.  Baptism, however, is not our work, but God’s.”

Obviously, we should be more concerned with God’s Word than what any man says, but it’s interesting to see that the originator of this misconception had a firm understanding of baptism’s role in salvation.

Conclusion

As we have seen established throughout this lesson:  Baptism is a Work of God, and We are Saved by Faith in the Working of God!

Have you submitted to the working of God in baptism?

Acts 22:16  And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’.

Serving in Sincerity: Giving God Your Whole Heart

“The smile means nothing without sincerity.” 

– Joshua Hamlet

When you know someone well enough, it’s not difficult to tell when they are forcing a smile in a given situation.

There are actually studies on this that focus on how to tell how genuine a smile actually is based on facial muscles.  Apparently a “true” smile involves the flexing of muscles near the eyes and the mouth while a fake smile flexes just one muscle in the mouth region.  The “Pan Am smile” is a term commonly given to faked or forced smiles usually used in customer service, named for the put-on smile employed by flight attendants when dealing with passengers.

Whether it’s a fake smile or an inauthentic tone of voice, people can’t stand it when others aren’t genuine.  We don’t like half-heartedness or insincerity

It should come as little surprise – seeing that we’re made in His image – to know that God doesn’t appreciate insincerity either, especially among His followers!

God desires sincerity and wholeheartedness in our service to Him.

God doesn’t want us to serve sincerity, but rather He wants us to serve in sincerity!  God desires our whole heart!

Joshua 24:14  Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!

Psalm 9:1 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

The Chinese philosopher Confucius is credited with the saying:

 “Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.”

I think that there is a great deal of truth to that statement.  Any good that we seek to do must be done with a sincere heart – otherwise, can we actually call it good?

Remember: God Knows Us

We need to always remember that God knows us through and through.  God knows the true intentions of our heart.  While we may fool others into thinking that we are sincere in our service, God knows us better than anyone and can easily see through any facade that we might hide behind.

Psalm 44:21  Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

We may think that we can hide something from God, but we only deceive ourselves.  Recall the account of Aninias and Sapphira, for example:

Acts 5:1-4  But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

The Danger of Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is pretending to be what one isn’t.

When we go to worship the Lord, is it for real or is it just and hypocritical act that we engage in to impress others with how spiritual we are?

Jeremiah 3:10 “…And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the Lord.

We know that the Scribes and Pharisees were regularly rebuked by Jesus for putting on false righteousness.  Jesus rightly called them hypocrites for their insincere service.

Matthew 23:27-28  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Luke 16:15  And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God..."

The Importance of Sincerity

We must understand that it is not enough to please God by merely “going through the motions”.  We must be sincere in our service, obeying from the heart.

Romans 6:17  But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

Ephesians 6:6  ...Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart…

Colossians 3:22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.

We know that when we give we make an offering that we do so from the heart.

2 Corinthians 9:7  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Likewise, worshiping without sincerity of the heart is worthless, to truly worship we must do so “in spirit and in truth."

John 4:24  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

We talk a lot about that verse, stressing the importance of the truth aspect.

Indeed, our doctrine is certainly important, but this verse can also apply to the true nature of our attitude toward worship!

Additionally, it is not enough to merely say that we love our neighbor, our love must be sincere!

Romans 12:9  Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

1 Timothy 1:5  Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith…

I worry sometimes that we allow being a Christian to become a sort of routine aspect of our lives rather than the primary focus of our life.  We go to church on Sundays because that’s what we’ve always done.  Perhaps abstaining from certain things (drunkenness, profanity) is easy for us because it’s merely against our nature to begin with, not necessarily because God’s commandments one way or the other.  So how can we tell if we are actually sincere toward God?

John 14:15  If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Do we say that we love God, yet not obey Him?  Do we ignore the commandments that we don’t like or are difficult for us to follow?  Do we say that we love God, but not spend much time in prayer?  Is it a chore for us to study our Bibles or attend worship services?

We know when someone truly loves us in the flesh because their actions reflect their words.  It’s no different with God.  If our actions are not congruent with what ought to be the conduct of a Christian, then perhaps we aren’t as sincere in our devotion as we would like to think.

1 John 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

The old saying “actions speak louder than words” rings true.  Time and time again, we are reminded that mere words are not enough.  Our love and devotion to God, to our neighbors should be evident based on our actions.

Do You Already Have Your Reward?

The attitude of the heart is what we need to actively monitor.   Before doing anything, we should be mindful of our motivations.  As with all things, self-control and discipline are key.

We must always remember that a Christian’s motivation should be seeking to glorify God alone, not himself.

Recall the Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee…

Luke 18:9-10 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector..."

First, notice how Jesus details the prayer of the Pharisee...

Luke 18:11-12  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

Elsewhere, Jesus described the deeds of other Pharisees…

Matthew 6:1-2, 5 Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men.  Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward;  And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Jesus points out the folly of those that do charitable deeds and publicly pray for selfish reasons.  Calling them hypocrites, He goes on to say that “they have their reward.”

Friends, if we already have our reward through the adoration of others, then that’s a serious problem!

Now take a moment to notice the difference between the Pharisee and the Tax Collector…

Luke 18:13-14  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

The tax collector was far more sincere in his dedication to God and – as Jesus points out – his service was pleasing to God!  Let us strive to be like the Tax Collector, not the Pharisee.  Let us have a wholehearted, sincere dedication in our service to God!

Unlike the Pharisee, we should be striving toward the ultimate reward, a home in heaven!

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.