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Christian Faith|Montreal Christian Church Faithfulness in Your Christian Walk
May 30th
Montreal Christian Church Faithfulness in Your Christian Walk
Copyright (c) 2008 Colin Meunier
Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
What is faithfulness? What does faithfulness mean to you, and in your Christian walk? Faithfulness means that whatever you say you will do, you will do. When you are faithful, you are a trustworthy person and can be trusted with your word and when you are asked to do something.
Faithfulness as an employee, your Boss does not have wonder if you are going to show up for work. You just do, because that’s what you do as an employee. And as a faithful boss/employer your employees don’t have to wonder if they are going to get paid on payday. They just know, because they trust you in your faithfulness.
So what about as a Christian?
Faithfulness is found in the very heart of our Christian lifestyle. As leaders in the church we need to be able to be trusted. This comes by being faithful. First with little and more as we grow older in the Lord. We need to be setting the example to faithfulness to others in the church so that when they look at us or hear of us, they will know what faithfulness is, and that as a leader we can be trusted. This is what makes you a leader, that you have been proved to be faithful. First with little, then more. Only with faithfulness can we function properly as a team.
Comiting to faithfulness. Faithfulness does not come without commitment. You can only be faithful to someone or something if you are committed. If you are not committed then where is your motivation? Jesus calls us to be committed to our faith and our walk with him. When we are committed to Him we will be faithful in our walk as a Christian.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
It is only with commitment that we will be able to move forward and not look back. If you are not committed than how can you press on? So what Jesus is saying is… Be committed!
Continue on in your faith. This goes right with being committed. Which is why you must be committed first. Then you must continue on. Being committed to and attending the church meetings.
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. And continuing on just as Christ did…
Phillipians2:5-8 “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient {even} unto death, yea, the death of the cross.”
So may I encourage you to be faithful in all that you do. In the work place, in your family, friendships, and in church meetings and fellowship.
Colin is committed to serving and giving praise to the Lord Jesus Christ in a local body of a Montreal Christian Church by the name of Victory Heights International
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Lessons For The Church From Isaiah (Chapter 1)
May 29th
Lessons For The Church From Isaiah (Chapter 1)
Paul says, in Rom. 15:4, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning” (NKJV) as he writes to the saints (Christians) in Rome (Rom. 1:7 NKJV). The prophetic book of Isaiah written hundreds of years before Christ can teach us much about God – what pleases him, what displeases him, his nature (who he is, what or how he feels, his thoughts), his sense of justice, etc. I think most of us would like to know God better and Isaiah gives us that opportunity. There are lessons for the church, God’s people, found in the very first chapter of Isaiah.
As Isaiah chapter one opens (Isa. 1:1) we learn that we are being told of a vision Isaiah saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem (God’s people in that Old Testament time). I mention that for we must remember that we who are Christians are God’s people today so in terms of broad principles at least, versus specific laws, there is application for us here in Isaiah as well as for those who lived back then. Here are some of the lessons found in the first chapter.
(1) God’s people can cease to know him or understand him. “The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider.” (Isa. 1:3 NKJV) Under the Law of Moses a child was born a Jew, a child of God, by physical birth. He/she would have to grow into a knowledge of God and his will as they grew and matured and were taught. Under the Christian dispensation one cannot become a child of God, a Christian, without first having obtained a knowledge of Christ. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” (John 6:44-45 NKJV)
However, I do not believe Isaiah is talking about an ignorance of God like I might have an ignorance of Chemistry or of Physics but rather a rejection based on the idea that things do not matter to God. They had gradually, and it seems almost totally, drifted away from God in their belief that what he had said mattered or that he really cared about the things he had told them through the law and the prophets.
Here is the great lesson for the church and individual Christians today. Have you ever heard it said, “I know what it (reference to the word of God) says but I don’t believe … it matters.” I have heard it. I wonder if people in Isaiah’s day were saying that sort of thing? I once knew a lady who was gung ho on women preachers. Paul said, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.” (1 Tim. 2:12 NKJV) What an inspired preacher had to say about the subject did not matter to her. She rejected Paul but would have argued all day with you that she believed the Bible.
The Jews of Isaiah’s day had recreated God in their own image. He would become what they wanted him to be. We have to be very careful today lest we do the exact same thing. When we begin to say things like that was then this is now, we have to adapt the Bible to modern times, etc., we are starting to travel a dangerous road. Who is the man who is qualified to tell us what changes need to be made in the Christian faith and practice of today versus that of the first century as found in the pages of the New Testament? There are many who feel they are qualified for they are busy telling us all the time what is allowable today even though unheard of in the New Testament but I have always been a little afraid of blind guides leading blind people. That man has created his own brand of Christianity today to suit himself is found in the fact that there are hundreds if not thousands of denominations. They all argue they know God. Do you believe it? I don’t.
Reminds me of the church of the Laodiceans in Rev. 3:14-19 in that Jesus said of them, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-“. (Rev. 3:17 NKJV) The fact an individual or a church calls itself Christian and feels good about itself amounts to about 2 cents if that much. The measuring stick is not man nor men (singular or plural) but the word of God. Even Sardis had a name but Jesus said they were dead (Rev. 3:1); the majority of them like the people in Isaiah’s day had defiled their garments (Rev. 3:4).
There is only one way to know and understand God. One must become a faithful and diligent student of the word of God, not just an occasional and casual reader. One must believe what he reads which involves not only faith in facts that are presented but a trust in God and his promises. One must act upon what he has learned which is to say he must be obedient to it and that from the heart. To know and understand God is to accept God as God which means God over me – my God. In Isaiah’s day God had been forsaken and despised (Isa. 1:4 ESV) for what he had taught no longer mattered. A person or a group’s attitude toward the word of God can tell you a lot about them.
(2) People who reject God may still hold worship services but do so in vain. If one will read Isa. 1:11-15 it becomes clear that the people were still offering sacrifices, burnt offerings, incense, holding to the appointed feasts, observing the Sabbaths, etc. These were divinely given acts of worship but God was not pleased for neither the heart nor the life was right in the worshippers.
God says, “I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.” (Isa. 1:13 ESV) He says their incense “is an abomination to me.” (Isa. 1:13 ESV) Of the new moons and the appointed feasts he says he hates them (Isa. 1:14).
Worship is not acceptable to God that does not first come from a life of purity based on belief of and obedience to God through his word. Please do not let my use of the word purity mislead you into thinking perfection. Perfection is the goal but while man can obtain maturity in the Christian life he cannot obtain perfection in the sense in which we use the word today. The idea Isaiah presents to us is of a people who were practicing iniquity. Sin was a way of life with them. Hypocrites cannot please God nor worship him in a manner acceptable to him. To worship God acceptably one must be making a sincere effort to obey God and live the life. “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.” (Prov. 28:9 NKJV)
We all would do well to memorize Prov. 28:9 just quoted for that is our status with God when we become involved in sin and have not or will not repent of it. I would like to have people pray for me as I am sure you would as well if you are a believer but that said I know the prayers of a certain class that might pray for me would all be for naught. Is your life such that if you had a family member in need of prayer you could pray with hope that the prayer would be accepted by God? Are you the righteous man or woman whose prayer avails much (James 5:16)?
We also need to remember that while the application of the lesson is to the individual Isaiah was talking to people who as a group had almost all fallen into this category of iniquity. The point is an entire body of people can fall into this classification, continue to worship God outwardly, and yet the worship be in vain. “In vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt. 15:9 NKJV) Jesus spoke those words in Matthew but he said it was a prophecy of Isaiah and applied it to the people of his own time. That said it is a truth that will always be applicable to those who will teach “as doctrines the commandments of men” and who still try to worship God while doing so.
(3) A third lesson we can take from Isaiah 1 is that God gives man the ability and the opportunity to cleanse himself of sin. “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good.” (Isa. 1:16 NKJV) A little clarification is in order lest there be misunderstanding. God is not saying that man has it in his own hands to cleanse himself of sin apart from God. God is saying he will conditionally forgive them if they will meet the conditions and it is in their hands as to whether or not they will do so.
The Jews of that day did not have to be living a life of sin. No one forced it on them. They lived that way by choice. Likewise, if they would, they could choose to live a life of godliness and righteousness. They could wash themselves clean by complying with God’s laws of pardon under the Law of Moses but, of course, God would only accept those sacrifices made as an offering for sin if made in sincerity of heart from a penitent heart, a heart that had been genuinely changed, so the pardon was conditional. God always has given accountable man responsibility for his own salvation. There was never a time when salvation was unconditional. (Of course all forgiveness under the Law of Moses looked forward to the atonement for sin made by Jesus on the cross – see Heb. 9:15, 10:1-4, Rom. 3:25.)
(4) A fourth lesson is that God is able and willing to save the greatest of sinners if they will repent and turn to him seeking salvation in his appointed way. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isa. 1:18 NKJV) The colors are put in contrast. Scarlet is a reddish color, the color of blood, signifying great sin. White is the color of purity. The intent is to array opposites against one another. God is saying even now as great as your sin has been I can cleanse you if you are but willing and I can cleanse you perfectly, completely.
We often forget that those who Peter said were guilty of taking Jesus by lawless hands and crucifying him were by faith and obedience to the gospel of Christ, preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, forgiven of their sins and saved. How much greater sin can one commit than that of crucifying Christ? If one can be forgiven of that, cleansed, and made white as snow then men need not fear that their sin is too great for God’s forgiveness.
Elsewhere Paul gave himself as an example of one who had done great sin yet was forgiven by God. He called himself chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) and says he was forgiven (“obtained mercy”) so that in him Jesus “might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life.” (1 Tim. 1:15 NKJV) Isaiah teaches us today that sin is not so great that God cannot forgive or is unwilling to forgive. The question lies not with God but with our willingness to give up sin and come to him.
I would also remind those who are backsliding Christians that Isaiah was writing to the people of God. Isaiah teaches restoration of the penitent child of God. “Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her penitents with righteousness.” (Isa. 1:27 NKJV) Sometimes children of God will wonder away and then have a desire to come home to God but have doubts they can do so, doubts he will have them. The Bible teaches just the opposite. It teaches his great desire to have them come home.
(5) A fifth lesson I take from Isaiah chapter one (although there might well be others in addition should we pursue it in more depth) is that there is a penalty to be paid for rebellion and disobedience, for a life of sin from which one refuses to repent. After Isaiah speaks of the penitents in Isa. 1:27, of their being saved, he goes on in the next verse and says, and I am going to quote from the NLT for its clarity in meaning, “But rebels and sinners will be completely destroyed, and those who desert the Lord will be consumed.” (Isa. 1:28 NLT) Then in the last verse of the chapter, “They and their evil works will burn up together, and no one will be able to put out the fire.” (Isa. 1:31 NLT)
One cannot rebel against one’s creator, the God of the universe. One will pay for his sin, “For the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23 NKJV) One does not have to be a genius to know the New Testament teaches there is a hell reserved for the unrighteous. It is sometimes called “the second death” or “the lake of fire” (see Rev. 20:14). Jesus says there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 25:30) and says on the Day of Judgment that those on his left hand will be told, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41 NKJV)
Let me tell you a little story right here. I stopped writing awhile ago and made a trip to the store. I had the radio on and it just so happened there was a preacher on telling about another preacher who said that in their congregation they did not believe God would punish anyone. They did not believe in a God like that. What good does a Bible do a group of people like that? Does it remind you of the people in Isaiah’s day? Christianity is just a joke among people like that for how do you make a claim of being a believer, a believer in Christ, and hardly believe a word he says?
We have to remember it does not have to end this way for the sinner. God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV) God would have “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4 NKJV) That is why Christ was sent into the world and is what the cross is all about. Nevertheless, if one remains rebellious there will be a penalty to be paid.
In conclusion while the book of Isaiah was not written directly to us today we can, nevertheless, learn a great deal from it and we ought to do that. The first chapter tells us a lot about God. If you are interested in God, and I hope you are for you need to be, and you are concerned about having a correct relationship with God then read and study Isaiah chapter 1. It will help you.
Denny Smith’s articles are all listed on his web site – dennysmith.net – along with many audio sermons by Waymon Swain. There are also links that will take you to hundreds of other articles and audio sermons found on other recommended sites.
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The Cleansing Of The Church At Ephesus (The Washing Of Water)
May 28th
The Cleansing Of The Church At Ephesus (The Washing Of Water)
Many believe the church at Ephesus (the church being the membership) was cleansed from sin by faith based on the teachings of their denomination and the famous Ephesian passage found in chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (NAS) Many, many passages of the New Testament teach that salvation is a matter of God’s grace (Acts 15:11, Rom. 3:24, Gal. 2:21, 5:4, Eph. 1:7, 2:5, 2 Thess. 2:16, 2 Tim. 1:9, Titus 2:11, Titus 3:7, 1 Peter 1:10, 1 Peter 1:13). I have listed most of them here so the reader will know I am well aware of them.
I might also add here I am thankful it is that way. If salvation was of works a man might well come up short (the Bible teaches he would – see Gal. 3:21). He would need worry continually about what works (do I know all of them I am to do), have I done enough, did I do those I did well enough to pass the test. Just about all of us have been involved in working endeavors in our life where we gave it our best, worked as hard as we could, and yet failed in the end. Every time you watch a ballgame someone who has worked hard falls short and loses. Many a man or woman has given their all on a job and then been let go. Many a student has worked hard in preparing for a test and failed it. How many more examples could be given? So, yes, I think we are all glad salvation is a matter of God’s grace.
God’s grace is granted to us as a result of faith we possess. “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.” (Rom. 5:1-2 NAS) “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” (Eph. 2:8 NAS) There are many other passages teaching we are saved by faith. Here are quite a number of them: John 3:14-16, John 8:24, John 11:25-26, John 20:31, Acts 16:31, Rom. 10:9, 1 Cor. 1:21, Gal. 3:22, 1 Tim. 1:16, Heb. 11:6, 1 John 5:13, Rom. 3:26, 28, 30, 5:1, 11:20, Gal. 2:16, 3:24, 26, Eph. 2:8, Philippians 3:9, 1 Peter 1:9. These were again listed that the reader might know I am fully aware of them.
The question that arises, however, is what is this faith that justifies? I am not asking what the object of the faith is for we know that and agree upon it. I am asking what is the nature of this faith. Most are persuaded today (and have been since the Reformation) that it is merely a state of the mind regarding a belief one has in Jesus, who he is, and what he has accomplished for us. It is mental assent to the teachings of the scriptures about him. This is the faith that it is said saves. I certainly agree with that as far as it goes but it stops short, too short. The demons believed (make that knew) who Jesus was (Matt. 8:29, Mark 1:34, Luke 4:41).
One must not only believe what the scriptures teach about Jesus, who he was, what he accomplished for us, but faith also commits us to believe the man himself, believe what he said, and act on it. If faith does not lead to action it is dead faith (James 2:17). James says it is “useless.” (James 2:20 NAS) Even in this world as regards worldly matters how can we say we have faith in a man when we will not take the man at his word?
The faith the Ephesians had that resulted in their cleansing from sin was the faith they had in what Jesus taught them. Paul was an inspired man but the Holy Spirit whether speaking through Paul or through any other apostle or first century prophet did not speak on his own initiative. “He will not speak on his own initiative, but whatever he hears, he will speak…he shall take of mine, and shall disclose it to you.” (John 16:13-14 NAS – the words of Jesus referring to the Holy Spirit) Thus the Holy Spirit spoke the words of Jesus. No one knows who first brought the gospel to Ephesus but we can be certain in view of the fact that Paul addresses those to whom he writes the book as “saints” that they were taught the truth and obeyed it. Who was their teacher? Jesus, “But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you heard him.” (Eph. 4:20-21 NAS) Him, the teacher, was Christ.
Paul said later in the book of Ephesians that Jesus cleansed the church, “by the washing of water with the word.” (Eph. 5:25 NAS) Who was cleansed that way? Those Paul said earlier had been saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). The washing of water with the word is clearly a reference to baptism. What did Jesus teach about baptism? “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16 NAS) “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 NAS)
John 3:5 and Eph. 5:25 teach basically the same thing. The Spirit gave the word. The Spirit working through the word works on our spirit if we will allow it changing our thinking, our attitudes, our desires, our will bringing us to the point where we are ready to put the old man that was us to death and be baptized to arise in “newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4 NAS) To be cleansed by the washing of water with the word is the same as to be born of water and the Spirit. Furthermore in scripture the church and the kingdom generally, not always but generally, are interchangeable terms. Peter was given the keys of the kingdom. When he used those keys by preaching the gospel on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 when people believed and obeyed they were added to the church – one and the same.
Were the Ephesians saved by grace through faith “before” they were cleansed? Let me quote that passage in its entirety. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her; that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.” (Eph. 5:25-26 NAS) What was the church (the church being the members) cleansed of if not sin? Can you be saved without first being cleansed of sin? They were saved by grace through faith when cleansed by the washing of water with the word. That washing was done by “the obedience of faith.” (Rom. 1:5 NAS) Paul said he had received grace and apostleship, “to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles.” (Rom. 1:5 NAS)
Paul himself, obviously a church member, was told at his own conversion, “Why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16 NAS) Paul had experienced the same washing and for the same reason as the church had at Ephesus. No, water itself cannot wash away sins, that is not in and of itself, but it can if God has made the decision that that is the time and place where he will act in response to man’s faith. Some have said it is a test of faith and I do not argue with them.
Naaman in the Old Testament “became furious” (2 Kings 5:11 NKJV) when told he needed to go wash in the Jordan 7 times to be healed of his leprosy. He did not want to do it that way. His faith had brought him thus far to Elisha and he felt that should be good enough. Elisha should just come out and “stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:11 NKJV) Obedience of faith had no place in his thinking. One is reminded of today.
No, the water of the Jordan had no magic powers but faith in what God told Naaman through God’s prophet Elisha to do, a faith strong enough to get him to act simply because God said to do it, was the faith that made the difference. Naaman is an excellent example of a man who experienced two types of faith. The first failed him in obtaining his objective. The second led him on his journey home a cleansed man. So it is today in the spiritual realm with baptism.
There are two types of faith in what is commonly referred to as Christendom as it relates to our salvation. The one says we will stop here (at the point of faith – mental assent) and do it this way, we have gone far enough, let God do the rest, while the other says God said to do it (be baptized) for this reason (the remission of sins – Acts 2:38), I believe him, and I will do what he says because I do believe. Both have faith but clearly the faith is not the same.
One also has to ask the question if Paul did not consider baptism to be salvation by works why should we? I do not know that I have ever heard a direct answer to that question? Paul tells the Ephesians they have been saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8) and then tells them at the same time they have been cleansed by the washing of water through the word (Eph. 5:26). He doesn’t miss a beat, doesn’t seem in the least to feel he has contradicted himself, so why should we feel that the two passages are contradictory and feel we have to try and explain it away, one way or another, that the washing of water is not baptism?
But there is much more in proof of the point I am making. In Eph. 1:7 Paul says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” (NAS) In him is a reference, obviously, to Jesus who shed his blood for us. How does one get into him, into Christ? Gal. 3:27 says we were “baptized into Christ” and so does Rom. 6:3, “do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus.” I know of no passage in the New Testament anywhere that tells one how to get into Christ other than through baptism.
If you were to start through the book of Ephesians and start marking about every passage you come to that talks about different things that are found “in him,” “in Christ,” “in the Beloved,” here is some of what you would come up with: (1) every spiritual blessing – Eph. 1:3, (2) grace – Eph. 1:6, (3) redemption – Eph. 1:7, (4) an inheritance – Eph. 1:10-11, (5) sealed with the Holy Spirit – Eph. 1:13, (6) seated us in heavenly places – Eph. 2:6, (7) kindness toward us – Eph. 2:7, (8) his workmanship – Eph. 2:10, (9) brought near by the blood of Christ – Eph. 2:13, (10) partakers of the promise – Eph. 3:6. But one must note that all of these blessings are in, not outside of but in, Christ. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Gal. 3:27 NAS) How does one enter Christ? By baptism. If one is clothed with Christ (baptism again) are you in Christ?
Paul says elsewhere in the book of Ephesians, “we are members of his body.” (Eph. 5:30 NAS) But, then Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 12:13 how we get into that body, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” (NAS) What is Christ the Savior of according to Paul in Ephesians? “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, he himself being the Savior of the body.” (Eph. 5: 23 NAS) This is same body we are baptized into, that is if we are in it, for that is the only way the scriptures give of entering into it – not by baptism alone but by the obedience of faith that results in baptism.
Where is grace found? “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 2:1 NAS) Paul tells the Ephesians that this grace is “bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:6 NAS) Again, how does one get into Christ, the Beloved, according to the scriptures? We have already answered that above. When one is led by faith to believe Jesus and obey him in baptism for the remission of sins he enters into Christ, into the realm of grace by which he is saved.
In the book of Acts chapter 19 Paul comes to Ephesus and finds 12 men there who are disciples. He asks them this question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2 NAS) They respond no and that they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul then says, “Into what then were you baptized?” (Acts 19:3 NAS) Please note this one thing – Paul takes it for granted that if they were Christians they had been baptized. He doesn’t ask them if they have been baptized. Why not? Paul doesn’t ask them because he knows what it takes to become a Christian and be saved. “Why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.” (Acts 22:16 KJV, Ananias speaking to Saul, a believer, prior to Saul’s baptism)
One also ought to note the first thing Paul did with these 12 men after learning their situation was to have them “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 19:5 NAS) Yes, Paul taught baptism at Ephesus. Paul stayed in Ephesus at least 2 years (see Acts 19:10) after this event so when Paul said later in Ephesians that the church was cleansed by the washing of water with the word there is no doubt he knew from personal experience all about baptism at Ephesus. There is no such thing as an unbaptized Christian for Jesus commanded in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19) that all disciples be baptized. Paul either baptized them personally or saw to it that they were baptized by one or more of those who helped with the work. Either that or he disobeyed Christ for which disciple was it that Christ said need not be baptized?
Faith is not just something to be believed but also obeyed. One must obey the gospel to be saved (2 Thess. 1:7-8). In a sense the gospel is the faith (Jude 3), it is that body of doctrine that is to be believed, but within that body of doctrine that constitutes the faith there are things that must be obeyed as well as believed. In addition to mental assent to the truth about Jesus as revealed in the scripture one must repent of sins (Acts 17:30), one must confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus (Rom. 10:9-10), and one must be baptized into Christ, baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, Gal. 3:27). Faith, the faith that saves, is not a dead faith but active. It is by faith that a man does these things, by faith because he heard the words of God and believed them enough to take them to heart and obey them.
Do not allow yourself to be misled. A person who does not believe Jesus who said, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16 NAS) but rather believes man who says, “He who has believed and has not been baptized shall be saved” is not a man of faith. He may think he is but if so then one can clearly disregard the words of Jesus as being essential to faith. I have asked this question before but never gotten an answer. If Jesus wanted man to know that baptism was essential to the remission of sins how would he say it in a way to get man to understand it? He could not say “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38 KJV) for he already said that and men will not accept it. How would he say it in order to make it plain and simple enough so all could understand it? No one has yet answered that question. The truth is Jesus has stated it as clearly as it can be stated by mere words alone. Men will either accept it or reject it and thereby be judged.
Have you been cleansed with the washing of water by the word? Will you be one with those saints in Ephesus Paul wrote to or are you going to be another kind of Christian unknown to the church at Ephesus and fearfully unknown to God in the last day?
Denny Smith’s articles are all listed on his web site – dennysmith.net – along with many audio sermons by Waymon Swain. There are also links that will take you to hundreds of other articles and audio sermons found on other recommended sites.
There is much debate about who wrote the book of Ephesians. It is a book which outlines the relationship between husbands and wives. More at www.bibledex.com
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Sunday Church Creationism
May 27th
Sunday Church Creationism
My my my how religion loves to create rules, forms, formulas, laws, and traditionalism(s). Sunday is a day of rest, but how I grew up, SUnday sure didn’t feel like rest. Up early Sunday while my neighbors slept in. Sunday school, church, lunch with leadership, home to change clothes, back for training union, Sunday night servie and home by 9pm to sort out my “work clothes” for Monday.
Seems to me as though God really RESTED on that allegorical seventh day- otherwise known as the Sabbath.
And it seems to me that I remember the prophets alluding to God saying something like, “You observe days, months, seasons, and years and I am afraid that you LABOR in VAIN! Oh can I get and give a WITNESS on that one. Is going to church all day long really observing the Sabbath? 
And the silly ideas that we Americans derived from “making a formula” out of the Sabbath. o you remember the blue laws?
>No dancing on Sunday.
>No beer purchases until church is out at noon as though Jesus would approve of that one.
>Bars couldn’t open until after 1pm on Sunday thinking that would make people go to church.
Did anyone think that people could stock up on Saturday evening and not really give a rip if beer could be purchased on Sunday. And isn’t forcing or trying to manipulate people to go to church on Sunday morning not in keeping with the Spirit? And who came up with the rule that you had to go to church on Sunday anyway? I guess the Seventh Day Adventists didn’t get the memo.
And neither did the jews from when we got the Sabbath stuff to start with as they get it on starting Friday night at 6pm.
Have you ever wondered what other LAWS that the church tries to force on people isn’t God as well? I guess w should just leave all of that alone. But it surely seems that the church has created a lot of things that God didn’t, and that Jesus didn’t adhere to anyway.
As a spiritual-futurist my commentaries and articles deal primarily with an interpretation of current events in light of macro-universal forces at play.
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Palmer, Alaska Seventh-Day Adventist Church – Submit Prayer Requests, Let Us Pray For You
May 27th
Palmer, Alaska Seventh-Day Adventist Church – Submit Prayer Requests, Let Us Pray For You
Prayer requests
Submit a prayer request
I pray in the name of jesus Christ our savior that Shaun Micheal Stell my see some kind of light in his life and recognise he has a son that needs a father. His son is his blessing in life and I pray he recognizes it I also pray for my brother to humble himself from being so self ritious and for my 2 sisters to loose the desire they have for meth. As well as Shauns addictions. I prey the that the lord puts the devil under his feet for everyone of these loved ones in my life. And a special prayer request for the Maschanco’s house who burnt down here at the Y. Amen
Layla – March 03, 2009
May the lord heal the three loved ones in my life that battle with drug addiction. May my sons father have more love in his heart for his child than for his sin. Amen.
layla – February 24, 2009
to help me with my studies at university
julian – February 21, 2009
A friend of mine is struggling with depression. She would take better care of herself. Also, she has a heart problem. God would heal that problem. She has recently decided to re commit herself to missionary work; God’s will be done. A silent request; God’s will be done. A friend of mine in in rehab. Salvation for all those we came into contact recently. Thanks for your prayers. .I got a job recently. Thanks
anonymous – January 26, 2009
Jim and I would appreciate your prayers for the recovery of his mom Betsy Stocker. She fell and broke her hip and had surgery yesterday 1/16. She is 76. We pray she will recover fully and be able to walk to attend her grand daughters graducation in September. Please pray that with gods strength she will have the will power to recover and regain her strength.
Bev Stocker – January 24, 2009
Christian Singles:Role of Church in Forging Viable Relationships
May 27th
Christian Singles:Role of Church in Forging Viable Relationships
When the first church convened in Antioch, little did they know what the current church will be facing today in terms of marriage relationships. Christian singles have found it rough to juggle their Christian beliefs and the pressure of modern living. The complex nature of modernity and the busy lives we live sometimes mean that we might not have time to socialize often, which is one of the immaculate ways of meeting Christian singles like us and starting viable dating relationships. Career issues and work related complexities has meant that we have no choice but start relationships with anybody, which is the wrong decision for a born again Christian to make. The church has the sole role of making sure that its flock and community does not engage in sinful actions all in the act of finding the right person to forge the right relationship with. The many divorces that are experience in the church today are a testament that there are some discrepancies in the church that has cropped up and has affected Christianity in a way. A divorce means that there was some fornication or adultery involved which made one of the partners to take a step towards ending the failed union. Christian singles who see some of these things have been left at crossroads, and they might not believe in the church if it does not cement its rightful role in issues of relationships. The first thing the church should do to help you to meet your right partner while at the same time you don’t compromise your belief in God is making sure that Christian singles are meeting often. We are human beings, which mean that we are social beings and we occasionally want to meet new people and forge new relationships. The less we meet new Christian friends, the more the pressure to meet any new people, believers or not, and as years carry on, the pressure to just be in any relationship. The church comes up with bible study lessons, youth activities and conferences, plus youth choirs and praise teams, which you should actively involve yourself in to make sure you don’t face the danger of engaging in any relationship with anybody, but the right person. Christian singles who are busy in life with matters pertaining with careers and making a living should also be convinced to make use of avenues that will lead to socialization instances. These are very many. Some of these Christian singles are going for lunch hour church meetings and visiting each other later in the day to make sure they motivate each other in the Lord, and have forged viable relationships. It helps them in releasing unnecessary tension from work and making them appreciated. It is this kind of caring for one another that will make them begin Christian dating among each other as they look forward to formulating that inherent responsibility and attraction towards each other. The church also makes sure that its Christian singles flock is catered for by holding counseling sessions in many occasions and always having feedback sessions with them after church meetings.
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rhythms for contemporary christian music – left hand and right hand.
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Which Church Is The True Church Of God?
May 27th
Which Church Is The True Church Of God?
Which church is the one true church of God? This is one of most debated questions in human history. While searching for truth, many people have struggled with this question. Literally thousands of churches, denominations, and religious organizations throughout the world and throughout history have laid claim to the title “the one true church of God.” Even today, many people remain convinced their denomination is the anointed one of God. As a result, it’s not difficult to see how people can easily become frustrated in regard to this question.
So how does a person searching for truth find the one true church? With so many options – Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and literally thousands of alternatives, the average Christian can not reasonably be expected to examine the tenets of each and every one. Yet each of these groups harbors a certain number of adherents who believe their church is the “one true church of God,” while all other groups are inferior or even outright evil. Some even promote such a declaration as their official position. In light of these circumstances, many will honestly wonder: does a “one true church of God” exist? And if it does, where is it?
To find the answer, one needs to consult the definitive authority on the matter – the bible, the very Word of God Himself. According to the bible, the one true church of God does exist, but it can’t be identified by man-made tradition or human declaration or doctrines or rules. And it doesn’t gather in a single building every Sunday. Such ideas are worldly conceptions of what the church should be.
The one true church of God is comprised of various individuals from every walk of life, who live in a multitude of places stretching from one end of the earth to the other. Each of these individuals is a part of the body of Christ, and the very Spirit of Jesus Christ resides in their hearts.
Christians In Name Only
One of the problems with identifying the one true church of God is that not all people who call themselves Christians are really Christians. The Lord Jesus Himself revealed that on the Day of Judgment, many will claim they lived their lives for Christ but will be exposed as “Christians” in name only:
”Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)
Who are these people? These are people who use Christ’s name here on earth for their own purposes, be it to acquire fame, wealth, adulation, or some other selfish ambition. Yet these same people actually reject Christ in their hearts.
This passage frightens many true Christians, who begin second-guessing their own standing with God. But such thinking comes from Satan. If you truly believe in Christ and trust in Him, you need not worry about your failure to adhere to some doctrine of which you are unaware. If you believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Son of the living God, who died for your sins, then your salvation is secure.
Everything Must Point to Jesus
For members of the one true church, Jesus is central to all things. Any teaching, belief, tradition, or doctrine that fails to glorify Jesus is false.
”Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NLT)
Jesus did not say, “This or that church is the way, the truth, and the life.” He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
If you want to call yourself a Christian, Christ must be the basis of your faith, not the pronouncements of a church. In fact, the very definition of the word Christian is “follower of Christ,” and Jesus Himself explicitly stated His criteria for all who wish to follow Him:
”Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.’” Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)
To be a true Christian, you must replace your own selfish ambition and worldly desires with the will of God. Christ must be the dominate influence in your life, not human traditions. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their insistence that others follow their rigid and burdensome traditions:
”Jesus replied, ‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.’ Then he said, ‘You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.’” Mark 7:6-9 (NLT)
Living for Christ requires suffering and an unyielding willingness to sacrifice everything that is not of Christ in order to serve Him.
The Holy Spirit
If earthly organizations are not responsible for salvation, then who are the members of the one true church of God? No matter what worldly church a person attends (if any), the only way they can become members of the one true church of God is if they allow the Holy Spirit to enter their lives. Members of the one true church of God must be born again. Jesus explained this to Nicodemus nearly 2,000 years ago:
”Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.’ ‘What do you mean?’ exclaimed Nicodemus. ‘How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?’ Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.’” John 3:3-8 (NLT)
When you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, accepting His blood as payment for your sins, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. You then become part of the Body of Christ, the one true church of God:
”For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Romans 8:14 (NLT)
The Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of Christ. It is the means by which He identifies the members of His church:
”It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NLT)
If belonging to Christ requires the Holy Spirit, how can you know for sure if you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit? This is a good question, and it requires a personal examination of your relationship with God.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in your life will lead to great transformation. Being “born again,” you will become a new creation, meaning the sinful desires of your old life will give way to the desires of Christ. It isn’t necessary to be struck by lightning or to have some Hollywood epiphany. The transformation may be gradual, but it will be noticeable.
Salvation
Many earthly churches and religious organizations claim to have a monopoly on salvation. But only one path to salvation exists, and it has nothing to do with the doctrines of earthly churches and religious organizations:
”If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.’ Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9-13 (NLT)
Salvation is equally available to both Jew and Gentile. Even though they may observe different religious traditions, both are saved when they “call on the name of the Lord.” For salvation comes not from the traditions of man or from his good works, but only from God’s mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ:
”He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5 (NLT)
The ability to wash away sins and give new life through the Holy Spirit is NOT a power enjoyed by self-righteous humans or earthly religious groups. It is the exclusive domain of God Himself:
”God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
Earthly religious organizations should never boast of their ability to save souls, because salvation doesn’t come from churches or mosques or synagogues. No earthly organization can take credit for God’s amazing grace. Salvation is a gift from God, bestowed by His saving grace for all who believe in Christ.
Conclusion
Members of the one true church of God live by the laws of God’s Kingdom, not by the human laws of this earthly kingdom. This isn’t an indictment of the churches here on earth, only a reminder that a church is not an end unto itself. A person’s focus should be on Jesus Christ, and a church is worthless unless it aids in furthering this purpose.
The one true church lives through the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of individuals of varying circumstances. Some are rich; some are poor. They are people of many different races, languages, and nations. And they are people of many different religious upbringings, members of many different earthly religious denominations. Some are Catholic. Some are Protestant. Some are neither.
Do you find this concept difficult to accept?
Then ask yourself where your true allegiance lies. Is your ultimate authority a religious group? Or is your ultimate authority Jesus Christ? For a person can only obey one or the other:
”Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master?” Romans 6:16 (NLT)
Do you believe the church you attend on Sunday is infallible? Do you believe a particular denomination is the only path to truth and salvation? If so, you’re putting your faith in a human created organization and not Jesus Christ. According to Jesus, this is not the road to Him:
”No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24 (NLT)
Which is your master? The traditions of man, or Jesus Christ?
Britt Gillette is author of BrittGillette.Com, a website studying the links between bible prophecy and advanced technology. To learn more about bible prophecy and which church is the true church of God, visit his site.
Who are Seventh-day Adventists
How to Choose a Church
May 27th
How to Choose a Church
What do they believe? Sometimes churches not only have non-traditional practices [a good thing] they have unscriptural beliefs, even if it is a denomination that normally goes with scriptural beliefs.
I once had business with a church in a city East of Dallas. A friend I was staying with was of this denomination but was reluctant to attend because the pastor was a lady.
I may disagree that the pastor should be a lady, but that is a personal interpretation. What is much more important is Do they believe the Bible? So I asked the following question of her. “Do you believe that the Bible, as written in the original languages, is the literal, inerrant, inspired [meaning God breathed] word of God? Her answer was “That’s a long question”. Well it kind of is, but my response to her was “That’s a yes or no question”. And it is.
John chapter 1 makes it clear that Jesus is the Living Word.
So, first we must ask the following questions:
“Do you believe that the Protestant Bible, without the apocrypha, as written in the original languages is the literal, inerrant, inspired [meaning God-breathed] written word of God? If the answer to that question is anything other than a simple “yes”, it is time to move on to another church. Do you believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone? I’m not as concerned about the answer to this question being a simple “yes” as I am the one above. Perhaps it’s a personal opinion, but I grew up in a denomination that taught baptism as part of the “plan of salvation.” They used scriptures like Acts 2:38 and Mark 16:16 for this doctrine. I later changed my mind on this because scripture stretching was being used to also promote this doctrine [John 3:3] and by reading other scriptures in the book of Acts. So, long as the concept is there that’s fine. Different denominations have various “steps” in the plan of salvation. Do you believe in the Trinity? There are variations in the answer to this question. One thing that can happen with this question is that the answer can be a simple “yes”, but they mean something else. As the Mormons do. Another thing that can happen with this question is that they can say something similar to “No, not like you do” and actually believe like you do. I learned about this by attending a Seventh Day Adventist Church. They do not consider the Trinity as not personal, but in their Sabbath Classes talked about the Holy Spirit Guiding you. A pastor once told me that it’s important to believe in the Trinity because if you don’t, then you believe in a different God. As I read the scripture I see plenty of scriptures that suggest the Trinity but I’m not convinced that his statement is true. It is important to recognize the Divinity of Christ, and the Divinity of the Godhead. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh? This is a question to ask spirits, according to 1st John 4:1-3. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 1st John 4:1-3 KJV What translation do you use? Why is this an important question? Because the written word gives us guidance as to whether or not someone is telling the truth. There is a book by a fellow named Antony LeVey who wrote a book called the satanic bible. Now, it’s unlikely that a church claiming to be Christian will use that. But satan is a liar and the father of lies, and he can and does work through interpretations and translations. You need to be sure that the leaders are not false teachers. Ask any questions you can think of. Ask why they use their style of music, ask about things you notice during the service, and if they don’t like all your questions, it may be that they think you are interfering. If they think you are not worth the time and effort to answer questions, even questions they do not like or may not like what it implies, it’s not a good thing. Under no circumstances should the leaders give you the impression you are not wanted. They may be able to expect repentance, but it should always be allowed, no matter what your past, and what you have done.
“Butch” West is a Christian and gardener who has studied nutrition and works for a local Fitness Center in Pflugerville, Texas.
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