November 2005

Know Your Bible November 2005

The Gospel And Absolutism

The gospel of Jesus Christ leaves us few options for salvation, we will be saved by the blood of Christ and in the manner prescribed or we won't be saved at all. And it's that last statement, "or we won't be saved at all," that people dislike. It sounds so narrow minded and bigoted to modern ears accustomed to defining "truth" as men see fit.

Muslims cannot be saved, inasmuch as they reject the Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, No one comes to the Father except through Me" (Jn. 14:6). "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (Jn. 8:24). Those are pretty absolute statements. Jesus rules out any other possibilities for salvation. Buddhists, Taoists, and Hindus need the saving truth of the gospel. Jews need to accept their own Messiah. The world needs to recognize the existence of God and His Son and submit to Their rule. It's that simple. Of course, the very simplicity of truth makes it "unsophisticated" and "narrow" in the minds of many, yet the truth of God's Word stands. As Paul said,"Let God be true, though every man a liar!" (Rom. 3:4).

Jesus charged His apostles, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mk. 16:15,16). That's not a difficult set of instructions. Jesus requires belief plus baptism for salvation. Why, if men acknowledge His Lordship, do they jump through hoops to eliminate baptism from the equation? Scripture contains multiple passages explaining the nature of baptism and its relationship to faith and grace, and yet many still turn up their noses at the teaching of obedience to Christ. Still, the words of Christ stand, "he who does not believe will be condemned."

And even among those who recognize Christ as Savior, why is there not a greater sensitivity for submitting to His authority in modern religious practice? Jesus plainly stated, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'" (Matt. 7:21-23). It should be clear that the Lord expects to be served in His way, not ours.

---Steve Dewhirst

Page 1

Why Be Baptized?

If you BELIEVE with all your heart that Jesus is the son of God, (John. 20:30-31; Acts 8:35-39) you should REPENT of your sins, (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30), CONFESS your faith in Christ (Mt. 10:32; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:37) and BE BAPTIZED for the following reasons:

1. Because God commands it. Acts 10:48
2. To fulfill all righteousness. Mt. 3:15
3. To be a friend of Christ. John 15:14
4. Because you love God. 1 John 5:3; John 14:15
5. Lest you reject the council of God against yourself. Luke 7:30
6. To be born again. John 3:3-5
7. To enter the kingdom. John 3:5
8. For remission (forgiveness) of sins. Acts 2:38
9. To receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38
10. In order to be saved. Mark 16:16
11. To wash away your sins. Acts 22:16
12. To get into the death of Jesus where blood was shed. Rom. 6:3
13. To be buried with Christ. Roman 6:4
14. To be raised with Christ. Rom. 6:4; Col. 3:1; 2:12
15. To rise to walk in the newness of life. Romans 6:4
16. To be a child of God by faith. Galatians 3:26-27
17. To get into the body, which is the Church. 1 Cor. 12:13; Col 1:18
18. To have a good conscience. 1 Peter 3:21
19. To get INTO Christ. Gal. 3:27
20. Because "baptism doth also now save us." 1 Peter 3:21

I have given twenty scriptural reasons why a penitent believer should be baptized. Can you think of ONE REASON why he should not be baptized? Ask your preacher if he preaches that people should be baptized for these twenty reasons. If he doesn't, he is a false teacher. Insist that he preach the truth about baptism, because his soul and the souls of those he teaches are at stake.(1 Tim. 4:16) Preachers might make fun of baptism but God's Word will continue to stand. (1 Peter 1:22-25)

---Carroll R. Sutton

Page 2

How Can We Help You?

If you were asked, "What do you want in a church?", how would you answer? Many churches today offer a host of social programs and entertainment to cater to the "whole man". While such things may satisfy carnal demands should they be the purpose of a church? Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). Paul noted, "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17)

We are striving to be the church of Christ you read about in the New Testament. Nothing more and nothing less. Because of this we do not offer social programs, general benevolence within society or entertainment. So what do we offer? We offer:

(1) Worship that is simple and based on the Bible (John 4:24).
(2) Preaching that is based only on the word of God (1 Peter 4:11).
(3) Bible classes for all ages twice a week where we study God's word (2 Timothy 2:15).
(4) Personal studies in your home, by mail, or the Internet in the form of Bible correspondence courses (Acts 20:20).
(5) An opportunity to hear the gospel preached:
On radio (Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM, 103.5 FM).
On TV (Sunday 2 PM and Wednesday 8:30 PM Adelphia Cable Channel 37).
On the Internet (Audio Sermons at www.wisechurch.com).
(6) Answers to Bible questions in person, in writing (P.O. Box 1899 Wise,VA 24293), or e-mail (wisechurch@adelphia.net)

If you are looking for a church that is striving to be like the church you read about in the New Testament, we invite you to come check us out.

Adapted from article by
---Thomas A. Thornhill Jr.

Page 3

Back To Know Your Bible Home Page