The church is essential in God’s eternal plan of redeeming man. God’s wisdom is shown through the eternal plan He had for the establishment of Christ’s church, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11). Jesus came to the earth to fulfill this plan and promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18). Jesus functions as its foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11) and head (Colossians 1:18). The church was so essential that Christ shed His blood to purchase it (Acts 20:28). Jesus gave Himself, His very life, for the church (Ephesians 5:25). When He returns one day He will present her to His heavenly home as a husband who brings home His bride (Ephesians 5:27).

However, many have a concept that removes the church from being essential to salvation. A common teaching that has circulated throughout the religious world for years is the concept that one is saved and then joins the church of one’s choice. In Acts 2, there were not multiple denominations with various beliefs and practices that served as options for those wanting to follow Christ. There was but one church: Christ’s church. When men felt the guilt of their sins, they asked what to do (Acts 2:37). They were told to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38). Those who gladly received this instruction were baptized and added by the Lord to the number (Acts 2:41); after all, the Lord adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). This one church “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Multiple doctrines and fellowships were not a part of the Lord’s plan; His plan was for His followers to be one, united in one body (John 17:20-21; Ephesians 4:3-6).

Today when many people think of a church, they think of a building or a denomination; however, the New Testament never alludes to the church in these ways. It speaks of the church being a body of people: men and women. When Saul persecuted the church, he was entering into houses and dragging of men and women to prison (Acts 8:1-4). To do this to Christ’s saved body was tantamount to doing this to Christ Himself (Acts 9:4). First Corinthians 12 uses the illustration of a physical body to highlight the roles of individual members in the body of Christ. As the head controls the body, Christ rules over the church. God’s eternal plan called for such and He fulfilled it in that He, “hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). God did not design different churches for the Jews and Gentiles, different though they were, but rather designated that reconciliation to Him would be found in the one body, the church of Christ (Ephesians 2:16).

Instead of pulling down the church from its essential place in God’s plan of salvation to an optional matter to suit one’s personal desires, the exalted and essential place of Christ’s church as revealed in God’s Word ought to be recognized. We are not here to “improve” upon God’s plan for the church, but to recognize how His plan is superior to the mess men often create.

 

-Mark Day

When Jesus was about to leave this world by His death on the cross, He prayed to the Father for His disciples, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-16). While Jesus’ death and resurrection would spell defeat for the prince of this world (John 12:31), the devil can still lure the disciples of the Lord into eternal ruin. Christ’s victory will be consummated at the end when He delivers up the kingdom to the Father and death, the last enemy, is destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). In the meantime, children of God must still live in a world that lies in wickedness (1 John 5:19).

While Christ’s followers are to be distinct from the world just as He was not of the world (John 17:16; cf. Romans 12:2), He does not desire that they be removed from the world. Our task is to fight a cosmic conflict. Our Lord has not commissioned that we be withdrawn from the world, but rather go out and engage the world with the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47). We must confront the world while not being confused with the world. The Pharisees so separated themselves that they despised Jesus for eating with publicans and sinners; He did not participate in their sin with them, but as a physician heals the sick He brought them to repentance (Matthew 9:9-13). Matthew himself was one of these. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth, holding up the truth for the world, that men may be saved by coming to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4; 3:15).

Jesus identified His followers as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt preserves and purifies. It was used in sacrifices and offerings (Leviticus 2:13; Ezekiel 43:24; Mark 9:49). Elisha used salt to purify poisoned waters of Jericho (2 Kings 2:19-22). Christians are the chief preserving agents of righteousness in the world. Without them the world would look like it did before the Flood—God’s universal punishment. Then the wickedness of man was great on the earth, men’s hearts were only imagining evil continually, and the earth was filled with violence; the only exception was Noah—the preacher of righteousness—and his family, the eight souls who were saved by water while the ungodly were drowned (Genesis 6:5, 11; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5). Light shines in the darkness and stands out. Paul’s desire for Christians at Philippi was not that they would be identified with the world, nor be removed from the world, but, as he writes, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16a).

Salt can lose its savor and light can grow dim; beware, this world can contaminate the Christian. However, let us also remember that the devil came to our Lord while He was alone in the wilderness (Mark 1:13). Conflict with the spiritual powers of darkness is part of the Christian life; we must stand wearing the armor of God instead of turning our backs and retreating (Ephesians 6:10-18).

-Mark Day

Baptism is a much debated subject in the religious world. The necessity and place of baptism in being saved is discussed. Some claim baptism is not essential, only optional, while others affirm baptism is indeed essential and not optional.

J.W. Shepherd, in responding to why he wrote his book “Handbook On Baptism” wrote “WHY should another book be written on the subject of baptism? Why should any one preach about it, or discuss it, ever again? Why not, as do many, ignore the questions arising out of it in our writing and preaching, and say, as do they, that the subject has been worn threadbare, that it is a matter of comparatively little importance, that more harm is done by discussing it than good, and that therefore it ought to be left alone? I reply: the questions concerning baptism are living, practical issues, which must be considered by every human being who intelligently endeavors to follow Christ. Men may talk as they will, but the facts remain. The duty to be baptized confronts every man who reads the Bible. He meets the subject near the beginning of Matthew, and it comes up again and again in many places – in commands, examples, exhortations, and in many incidental ways, as he goes on through the four Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles; and the last book (Revelation) with tremendous power enforces the necessity of keeping the commandments.”

Consider with me this morning the following as we discuss in the sermon “Why Be Baptized”:

 

Because God says baptism saves us from eternal destruction.

Verses: ______Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16                    

Because God says faith in Jesus is not enough.

Verses: John 3:16, John 12:42-43, compare Matt. 10:32; James 2:24 .

Because God shows us that sincerity and prayer are not enough.

Verses: Paul sees Jesus (Acts 9:5) prays (Acts 9:11) sorrowful (Acts 9:9) “what he MUST do” (Acts 9:6, see Acts 22:16).

Because baptism is the natural response of a honest heart who has heard Jesus preached.

Verses: Acts 8:35-39    .

Because baptism is found consistently in the Biblical cases of conversion.

Verses:   Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12, Acts 36-38, Acts 9, Acts 10, Acts 16:15, Acts 16:30-34, Acts 18:8

Because of the obvious urgency associated with baptism.

Verses: Acts 2:40-41, Acts 8:36-38, Acts 16:33    

Clearly the Bible presents many reasons for the person lost in sin to be baptized. If a person has not been baptized in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) they are lost. To delay is dangerous and that person will face eternal destruction after death.

This article has taught what the Bible says in regard specifically to baptism. But please understand, God’s plan of salvation, fully defined according to the Bible is Hearing the Gospel (Luke 11:28), Believing that Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24), Repenting of a life of sin (Luke 13:3), Confessing Jesus (Matthew 10:32), and being Baptized for the forgiveness of sin (Mark 16:16).

–Jerry D. Sturgill

To the Romans who were under the rule of the iniquitous Nero, Paul wrote, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1). While God does not approve of every decision made by human governments, He has ordained them to be a terror to evil works, administering punishment to curb evil (Rom. 13:3; 1 Peter 2:14). Paul went on to write, by inspiration of God, concerning government, “he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” (Rom. 13:4). The sword was an instrument of death in the first century. Paul is referring to the exercise of capital punishment. As early as Genesis 9:6, when God was explaining to Noah and his descendants the difference between shedding animal blood and human blood, we find the injunction, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” Man is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). God gives humans an eternal spirit. This is what separate man from the animals. God forms the spirit of man within him (Zechariah 12:1). In God we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). What does the giver of life say about taking life? To take innocent life is such an insult to God and man that the perpetrator under these instructions in Genesis was to have his blood shed by man. This seems to be the origin of God-ordained governmental punishment in the biblical record.

For human government to carry out capital punishment on the murderer was not itself murder. The law of Moses likewise showed this distinction in giving the command, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13), while also commanding, “He that that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death” (Exodus 21:12). It is not murder to put murderers to death. This is why the NKJV highlights the distinction by translating Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.”

In the teaching of the New Testament, Jesus acknowledged that God gives power to human governments to put evildoers to death (Romans 13:1-4). Pilate asked Jesus, “Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?” (John 19:10). To this Jesus replied, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin” (John 19:11). To unjustly put an innocent man to death would be a sin, but Jesus did acknowledge the power of Pilate to crucify criminals was given by God. When he stood before Festus, the apostle Paul declared, “For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar” (Acts 25:11). Instead of arguing against the death penalty under all circumstances, Paul stated that he would take that punishment if he were guilty. Festus found that Paul “had committed nothing worthy of death” (Acts 25:25).

While Paul instructs Christians in Romans 12:19 not to seek personal vengeance, he goes immediately into the role of civil government in exacting vengeance in Romans 13:1-4. A society that promotes the shedding of innocent blood while prohibiting the death penalty on those who have shed innocent blood is diametrically opposed to God’s revealed will.

-Mark Day