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• Cornelius’ Conversion–Final Thoughts

  …ster WongMixxMySpaceNetvouzNewsvineoneviewOnlyWirePlugIMPropellerRedditSegnaloShoutwireSimpySlashdotSurphaceSphinnSpurlSquidooStumbleUponTechnoratiThisNextTwitterWebrideWindows LiveYahoo!Email This to a Friend  Link HTML:  Permalink:  If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.Powered by Bookmarkify™ More »The idea is in vogue in some quarters that Cornelius was saved when the Ho…

• Was Cornelius Saved Before Baptism? (Cornelius’ Conversion)

  I have written a series of articles on the subject of obeying the gospel in the first century based on the history given in the book of Acts.  The idea has been to cover every such conversion to Christianity listed in Acts.  This is another installment dealing with the same subject.  Why do so?  Because there is absolutely no possibility that Holy Spirit inspired men, some apostles, could have gotten it wrong.  The case of Cornelius is unique in…

• The Case of Cornelius and the Holy Spirit

  ” (Eph. 4:4) while saying also of one who preaches another gospel “let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8).  All of this being the case then how does one account for the fact that in the account of Cornelius’ conversion we have the Holy Spirit arriving before, rather than after, baptism?  Has the Holy Spirit suddenly changed his mind on repentance and baptism being for the forgiveness of sins as he formerly taught?  And, if he ha…

• Saved by Faith or Saved by Holy Spirit Baptism–Which Is It?

  Is a man saved by faith or saved by Holy Spirit baptism?  I personally do not believe either but there are many advocates of one or the other.  (Yes, I believe faith is essential but just not that it is the final step to salvation.) There are a number of people in what is commonly called the Christian community who are thoroughly convinced that one is saved by Holy Spirit baptism.  I do not believe they are in the majority but they are out ther…

• The Great Commission and Cornelius

  A great many people believe that Cornelius was saved the moment the Holy Spirit fell on him to which I disagree.  It seems to be a topic of interest so I have decided to write on the subject from a different vantage point than is usual. This is really, at its core, a discussion of whether or not water baptism is for the remission of sins as stated in Acts 2:38.  Since that is the basis of opposition every related subject such as conversion, the …

• Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith)

  man with the Holy Spirit.  The answer has to be only one thing.  He told Paul what to do in order to become a Christian.  Paul had faith, had repented, was willing to confess Jesus, but had not yet been told about taking the final step into Christ–baptism.  It is Christians that God gives the Holy Spirit to.  The only time in Christian history (which is Pentecost onward) a non Christian was baptized with the Holy Spirit was the case of Cor…

• Case of Cornelius

  Was Cornelius Saved Before Baptism? The Case of Cornelius and the Holy Spirit The Great Commission and Cornelius Saved by Faith or Saved by Holy Spirit Baptism? Cornelius’ Conversion–Final Thoughts …

• Be Faithful to the Lord (The Conversion of Lydia)

  ve not already done so.  Would she have been judged faithful if she had not been baptized?  Think on that long and hard.  Paul taught it.  Let us say she refused to do it.  Would she then have been judged to be faithful?  One final fact about Lydia’s conversion that has caused trouble is that the text says “she and her household ” were baptized (Acts 16:15 NAS).  The thought is that this means her and her young children maybe in…

• Saul’s Conversion

  “And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized.” (Acts 9:18 NAS)  In Acts chapter 9 verses 1 through 18 we have the account of Saul’s conversion from a persecutor of Christians to an apostle of Christ.  In the early years of Christianity when a person heard and believed the gospel, accepting it, it always led immediately to baptism.  The reader and Bible…

• Repentance–How Can I Be Sure?

  … (Matt. 3:8 NKJV)  Reformation is, to a degree, a measure of repentance.  A man who truly repents reforms his life. Let me clarify that last statement.  There are sincere people who truly have repented who come to doubt their conversion at this very point.  When we obey the gospel we have it in our minds that we are going to live an almost perfect life thereafter.  We are committed as we ought to be.  Unfortunately, we never live the perfect life…

• Bible Conversions

  In the book of Acts one finds the inspired apostles and evangelists going out into the world and preaching the gospel.  That statement in itself while true is misleading to a degree for if those who preached the gospel were inspired the preaching was in reality that of the Holy Spirit.  What was demanded of those being converted for salvation was being demanded not by Peter, Philip, or Paul but rather by the Holy Spirit himself. The conversion e…

• Looking Down Your Nose

  … him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?  Listen, my beloved brethren:  Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?  But you have dishonored the poor man.  Do not the rich…

• Baptism

  …irit” Mean? The New Birth and Water Who is the Believer in John 3:16? Faith, Works, and Baptism Receiving the Gospel – Acts 2:41 Philip Preaching the Gospel in Samaria Preaching Jesus Means Preaching Baptism (The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch) Moses, the Waters of Marah, and a Lesson for Today Saul’s Conversion Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith) Was Cornelius Saved Before Baptism? The Great Commission and Cornel…

• The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer

  In Acts 16 verses 23 through 34 we have the account of the conversion of the Philippian jailer at the hands of Paul and Silas who preached the gospel to him and his household.  As you recall Paul and Silas had been jailed in Philippi when an earthquake at midnight loosed their bonds and opened all the prison doors.  Being responsible for the prisoners the jailer assumed all had escaped and was ready to take his own life when Paul called out to h…

• Keep Your Heart With All Diligence

  …digress. In the book of Proverbs, chapter 23 verse 7, we read of a man, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (NKJV)  Make no mistake about it–our struggle is with our hearts within.  “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man.” (Matt. 15:19-20 NKJV)  Take special care here to notice that the first sin Jesus lists is “evil thou…

• Must a Man Seek God?

  …you don’t you are not good.  I, a man, get to judge you, God, as to your goodness. The reality is it does not work that way.  Man does not get to pass judgment on God nor bully God into saving him.  “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,’ says the Lord.  ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” (…

• What Does The Phrase “Born Of Water And The Spirit” Mean? (The New Birth)

  …sometimes accept for we know people we would consider good people who are not Christians.  They are moral people, they are honest, they work hard, treat us well, and it is hard to see how God could reject them.  They are like Cornelius in Acts 10 but I remind the reader Cornelius in order to be saved had to hear, believe, and obey the gospel for salvation.  If he was saved in the state he was in why bother Peter?  Why does Peter need to travel to…

• Things People Do Not Know About the Church

  …outside it who are of accountable age and mentally competent.  “The prayer of the upright is his delight.” (Pro. 15:8 NKJV)  “He hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Pro. 15:29 NKJV) If it be said that God heard the prayer of Cornelius, a man at the time outside the church, the answer is yes he did.  He will hear your prayer also outside the church “if” you are willing to hear and obey his word.  Those who are willing have become Christians (or w…

• Acceptable Prayer

  …0;He (Jesus–DS) was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.” (NAS)  As you recall this parable was the one of the widow who went to the judge continually until he finally granted her request “lest by continually coming she wear me out.” (Luke 18:2-5)  We should never give up in despair on prayer. If one only prays once for a thing how badly does he want the thing or how ba…

• Ways into Christ–How Many Ways Are There?

  …will put you “into Christ.”  Only baptism is said to do that–no not baptism by itself (emphasis on that) but baptism that is built on faith accompanied by repentance with a willingness to confess Christ.  Baptism is the final step one takes to enter Christ and find salvation in him. Hear the language Paul uses:  “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:3 NKJV), “as many of you as were baptized into Chr…

• Preaching Jesus Means Preaching Baptism–The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch

  “And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.  And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:35-36 NAS) This is the account of Philip and his encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.  It shows that when Jesus is preached baptism is preached as a part of preaching Jesus to an alien sinner.  When th…

• Does God Really Care?

  … died from persecution, easier than to God in heaven although they are one.  Jesus suffered ridicule, hatred, continual persecution from his enemies in so far as they were able to do it, was continually judged to be evil, and finally was betrayed, beaten, and murdered without justice.  What a life to live.  Put yourself in his place.  During his lifetime every move he made, every word he spoke, was cast in the worst light possible by his enemies….

• The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman

  …es, I have made him.” (Isa. 43:7 NKJV)  The sin of the world after God made man could be summed up by saying, “although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Rom. 1:21 NKJV)  This led to all types of specific sins a result of the state of their minds and hearts. Jesus said in his prayer to the Father, “I have glorifi…

• Abuse of the Old Testament

  …how can they be wrong?  The writer of Proverbs says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Prov. 16:25 NKJV)  God speaking in Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV) says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.  ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’”  …

• Abraham’s Faith (Faith Accounted for Righteousness)

  …om. 4 Paul says Abraham “is the father of us all” with the reference to all who believe. (Rom. 4:16)  He says in Galatians, “only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” (Gal. 3:7 NKJV)  And, then finally, “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” (Gal. 3:9 NKJV)  If we can learn the nature of Abraham’s faith and then copy it in our own lives we too can and will be blessed….

• The Mysterious Eloquent Evangelist

  …idity to it having been completely replaced by the baptism of the Great Commission.  The one baptism looked forward to Christ’s death while the other looked back. In closing I want to leave the reader with some critical thoughts with regards to salvation.  Luke says these men whom Paul found were disciples (Acts 19:1) and yet were not baptized?  Were they saved already anyway?  What is a disciple?  A disciple is, according to Vine’s E…

• Diotrephes Loves To Have the Preeminence

  …en.  Pride as any Bible reader knows is condemned over and over again in the Bible.  Since this is common knowledge I will quote only one such passage, Mark 7:21-22, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All of these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” (N…

• The Conscience as a Witness

  …t have the Law of Moses during that Old Testament dispensation of time and says in part of them, “who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” (NKJV)  So we learn the conscience is indeed a witness of the heart and it will either accuse us or else excuse us.  The conscience gives rise to those thoughts for good or ill…

• Behold the Judge is Standing at the Door

  …he “will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts” (1 Cor. 4:5 NKJV) for “he knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalms 44:21 NKJV)  Yes, he knows your evil thoughts (Matt. 9:4) and we will be judged for evil thoughts for they are listed in a list of sins as found in Matt. 15:18-19.  “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 2:16 NKJV)  “All th…

• Parable of the Tares–No Middle Ground

  …ly” to the point that they cannot give spiritual matters the time of day? They live their lives giving God little to no consideration.  “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.” (Psalms 10:4 NKJV)  No, to you and me they do not seem “wicked” as we generally think of the term but we must remember we do not think as God thinks nor do we see or understand as he does.  ̶…

• A Heart Right With God (Test Your Heart)

  … Egypt.  “They always go astray in their heart.” (Heb. 3:10 NKJV, see also Psalms 95:10)  “God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” (1 John 3:20 NKJV)  The Bible says, speaking of Jesus, “But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts?’’  Jesus could read a man’s thoughts and knew their hearts.  We cannot hide from God for, “There is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open …

• Abortion Luke 1 – All You Need to Know

  …his political party or that one, or this politician or that one, has to say really means absolutely nothing as to whether or not a thing is right in God’s eyes.  God does not determine righteousness based on man’s thoughts, opinions, or consensus.  Whatever it is whether living together outside of marriage, homosexual unions, abortion, or whatever, it makes no difference what public opinion polls say the majority believe and are willi…

• He Went Away Grieved

  … in his own heart is a fool.” (Prov. 28:26 NKJV) I do not believe the rich young man knew his heart but he found out about it.  Jesus showed it to him.  There are so many sins we commit that are hidden in the heart–evil thoughts, motives, attitudes, and so on.  Jesus can see our heart and so can we if we are willing.  We are often not willing for the love of the sin is greater than the love of God.  If a man could not possibly know his own …

• The Fragrance of Christ

  …the country as I do.  The smell of new mown hay, the smell of a cornfield in July on a late summer evening about dusk, the smell of the farm field after having just been turned over (plowed) in the spring.  All evoke pleasant thoughts; arouse an inner peace and contentment, a satisfaction with God’s creation, and a comfort in knowing he is out there Lord over all his creation.  Strange how smells can direct one to thoughts of God but then God cre…

• Resource Sites

  Here are some links to what I consider to be some great sites I highly recommend. Christian Courier  (This site is owned and run by Wayne Jackson who does the writing found on it.  I don’t know where you would go to find more scholarly Christian articles on the web.  The man does his homework which means he does extensive research before he starts writing.  All of this will be readily evident to you once you read an article or two of his. …

• What Must a Man Believe to be Saved by the Gospel?

  … the end of the preaching we find those who were receptive to the preaching being baptized.  Hard to be baptized if you know nothing about baptism which is the case if it is not being preached as a part of the gospel in these conversion accounts.  Thus we see one must believe there is a need to be baptized after repentance and then do it. Well, what else?  Well, a man must believe he needs to confess Christ and then do that as well.  “If yo…

• God’s Willingness to Forgive–King Manasseh

  ….  Manasseh was a child of God who strayed greatly.  You and I are God’s children. We should never give up on ourselves or other Christians no matter how far away we or they may stray.  God will forgive if we will repent. One final thought and then I close.  Do you think Manasseh would ever have had his eyes opened and been led to repent had things continued going well with him and his people?  Set backs, problems, difficulties, and troubles in o…

• Obedience of Faith and Justification by Faith–Opposing Doctrines?

  …What was left to be done?  An obedience of faith. What did that consist of?  In Peter’s own words, “repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38 NAS) Paul’s conversion was similar as found in Acts chapters 9, 22, and 26.  When the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus there was no doubt but what faith came instantly to him.  Salvation by faith only advocates have Paul sav…

• Faith and Baptism in Paul’s Preaching

  …e world preaching the gospel.  In this article I want to take a look at the apostle Paul and what he taught and practiced in making Christians in the city of Philippi as recorded in Acts 16:12-34.  We have in that chapter two conversions made by Paul–that of Lydia (Acts 16:12-15) and that of the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:30-34).  We begin with that of Lydia. The story of Lydia’s conversion is so short we can quote all scripture has t…

• The Hardening of the Human Heart

  …8220;All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:13 NKJV)  David in speaking to his son Solomon said, “The Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.” (1 Chron. 28:9 NKJV)  One can fool other men as to his motives and as to what he thinks.  He can mislead, deceive, and even tell outright lies but he cannot fool God for God knows–he has searched out e…

• The Church as the Family of God–Things Found in It

  …e, is a wonderful family. I could extend this article indefinitely talking about the wonderful Father and older brother we have but time and space will only allow a brief comment or two. As I think about God as my Father four thoughts come to my mind foremost: (1) God loves me.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV)  He is “not wi…

• The Heart of Man from a Biblical Perspective

  …g a look at. (1) The heart is the thinking aspect of man.  “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7 NKJV)  Jesus asks, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?” (Matt. 9:4 NKJV)  “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts.” (Matt. 15:19 NKJV)  “If that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming.’” (Matt. 24:48 NKJV)  The evil servant says this in his heart because that is what he is thinking.  “But Mary kept al…

• The Army of the Lord–the Church

  …s is the word which is described in the Hebrew letter as being, “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12 NKJV) There are those today who would remake the sword of the Spirit into a butter knife.  Just sharp enough to cut soft butter and that’s it.  They do not want the sharpest two…

• Instrumental Music in Christian Worship–Is it God’s Will?

  …s?  How can you be sure?  Do you just know it because your heart tells you so? Jeremiah said, (Jer. 17:9 NKJV), “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”  Again the Lord says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” (Isa. 55:8 NKJV)  Just how can a person know that a thing that clearly came from man, not God, is a matter of little or no consequence with him?…

• Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives

  ….  Man would say man was earning the land, earning it the hard way with combat, but God called it giving.  There is an important lesson here.  We need to learn to think the way God thinks, not the way human beings think. “My thoughts are not your thoughts,” (Isa. 55:8 NKJV) is what God says.  When God gives to man a gift it does not necessarily mean no effort is required to take possession of the gift.  It does mean, however, because God is givi…

• Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation

  …their own image, that is built up a God in their mind of their liking, one who agrees with them on their way of thinking about life and eternity, and so they are happy.  Isaiah 55:8 means nothing to them, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,’ says the Lord.” (NKJV)  There is a good chance they do not even know the passage exists due to their indifference. There is an arrogance in this attitud…

• Are the New Testament Scriptures Alone a Sufficient Guide to Heaven?

  …ew Testament if they believe it at all.  The New Testament is not seen as being trustworthy in its statements and man must decide what is true and what is not, separate fact from fiction, and build his own religion on his own thoughts (thoughts that are an addition to scripture thus making the scriptures insufficient). What do the scriptures themselves teach on the subject?  If they make the claim to be sufficient then those denying such make it …

• For By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith Alone

  … find someone who would be willing to do it for you.  And, I add, that is to say nothing of those internal sins that no man can see in another, those sins that only God knows about you.  Many people are unaware that even evil thoughts are sin in God’s sight. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man.” (Matt. 15:19-2…

• The Church Christ Built–Marks of Identification

  …us 1:5, Heb. 13:17).  Thus in the church Christ built there were no women in leadership positions or teaching over men (preachers) nor was there any such thing as the modern pastor system.  Those things are from men, not God. Finally, there was a group of men known as deacons who also had an organized work to do under the direction of the eldership.  Qualifications for these men are found in 1 Tim. 3:8-13.  Some feel the 7 men chosen to supervise…

• Bible Contradictions on Salvation?

  …of grace.  He was under no obligation to give us his word, his will for us telling us how to be saved, under no obligation to send Christ as a Savior into the world.  All of these things were God’s grace extended to us. Cornelius was told to call for Peter who would “tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” (Acts 11:14 KJV)  Without the word of God we would never know of Jesus as the Savior of the world, …

• Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter

  …oor Peter never did get it right his whole life.  If only he could have received some counseling by today’s Christians (?) who are in the know.  In Acts 10:48 he is again commanding people to be baptized at the house of Cornelius.  “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” (NKJV)  The gall of the man, commanding a non-essential, but then if memory recalls correctly I believe that man was inspired was he not…

• Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation?

  …to answer. Jesus said, “I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day.” (John 9:4 NKJV)  Has God not given us works to do?  Was Jesus the only one required to work the works of God?  Peter said while at Cornelius’ house, “in every nation whoever fears him (God–DS) and works righteousness is accepted by him.” (Acts 10:35 NKJV)  Christianity is not just what you believe but also what you do and/or fail…

• Christianity, Homosexuality, and Gay Marriage–What Do We Do With the Bible?

  …by God.  We are the best God has on earth–that is the way we think.  He ought to be glad we are as good as we are, so we think, because we are pretty good.  We are even better than he is and that is good, real good. The final step then will be to regulate freedom of speech and the freedom of churches to act.  How do you like the term “hate speech?”  Would you like to see speech regulated?  I am not sure it is that far away nor am I sure tha…

• Though He Slay Me

  …n reaching a point of desperation.  You find no answers.  In an article in a recent edition of the local area newspaper I read of a woman who had been living in an alley with her two children eating out of garbage dumps until finally someone was made aware of her plight and came to her aid.  Yes, we have desperate people living among us in despair not knowing where to turn or what to do who like Paul have nearly given up. With others it may be in…

• If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications

  …stand that prophecy, tongues, and inspired knowledge as spiritual gifts were representative of all spiritual gifts in that all were to vanish and not just those three. That which “is perfect” in the passage is the final total revealed will of Christ–the completed revelation of Christ–the New Testament in its totality of inspired teaching.  Revelation was not all given in a single day or a single year.  It was a matter of a…

• Jesus and the Furnace of Fire

  …ared.  Like an infant running toward the busy highway having no concept of the consequences that awaits them they go day by day walking toward the precipice from whence once the last step is taken there will be no return, the final step into hell. I am scared because their indifference is great.  I am scared because they presume, just presume.  I am scared because they have no interest in searching the scriptures to see what they need to do and h…

• Weak, Defiled, and Seared Consciences

  …n baptism (see 1 Peter 3:21)–a baptism preceded by faith, repentance, and confession of Christ as the Son of God.  One meets up, spiritually speaking, with the blood of Christ in the waters of baptism, baptism being the final step of entering into Christ where forgiveness is found (see Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Gal. 3:26-27, Rom. 6:3, etc.).  One last passage–the passage is Heb. 10:22 on the evil conscience.  “Let us draw near with…

• The Kingdom of God and the New Birth–A Matter of Timing

  …he water but in believing God enough to do what God said to do.  And just so it is with baptism today.  When God said to do it that leaves one who wants to be saved without a choice. I am going to close this out with this one final comment.  Jesus was really the one who did the preaching on the day of Pentecost.  Hear Jesus speaking in John 16:13-14, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He …

• The Church as the Body of Christ–Which Means What?

  …he Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.” (Rom. 10:9-10 NKJV) The final condition one is met with before it can be said he has entered the body of Christ of which Christ said he is the Savior (Eph. 5:23) is baptism.  “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews …

• Honestly Deceived

  … we must be led by the Spirit, by the word of God.  In this Eve failed and we all are in danger of doing the same if we are not most diligent in bringing our bodies into subjection as Paul would say. I close this study with a final thought for consideration.  There is a penalty to pay for disobedience to God.  Eve knew that for God had told her.  Yet, it did not deter her.  Will it deter us? We ought to learn from what happened to the man of God …

• Is Holy Spirit Baptism The Baptism That Saves?

  …ting the burden on me but I cannot obey Holy Spirit baptism for that responsibility is on Jesus.  I have not clothed myself with Christ, and cannot do so, if it is out of my hands to do it which it is in Holy Spirit baptism.  Finally, Col. 2:12, which he says is a reference to Holy Spirit baptism, reads as follows with me including verses 11 and 13 in order to read the text in context.  “And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcis…

• DennySmith.Net

  …  Nevertheless, I think Peter gave awfully good advice (if you want to call it advice) when he said “we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29 NKJV) and that is what I have tried to do in my writing. In the final analysis we are all responsible for our own salvation in that we are responsible for what we believe and either obey or disobey.  I can only write those things I believe to be the truth. I hope you profit from the site…

• Israel’s Rebellion at the Red Sea

  …or not–one they failed.  Man’s job before God is to trust and obey and be patient.  If you really trust God, really have faith, patience will come easier for you know God will be there for you in time. I think the final lesson for me, at least for the purposes of this article, is never look back and doubt.  Our life with God is not about looking behind us but about going forward in faith.  Peter said, “For if, after they have es…

• Mt. Sinai and the Day of Judgment

  … and foolish men.  Wise men learn a lesson from terror and it remains with them.  Wise men can learn from what has happened to others.  Foolish men can only learn when the stripes are laid directly on their own backs. (3) The final lesson in this article pertains to the terror of the Lord itself.  The children of Israel were terrified with God when directly in his presence at the foot of the mountain.  Now I want to ask one thing.  Do you think i…

• Is Church Attendance Essential for Christian Salvation?

  …s not die and the fire is not quenched’” (Mark 9:44 NKJV) and “shall never be quenched.” (Mark 9:43 NKJV) This is a question that is really very easily answered if one will accept the word of God as being the one and only and final authority on deciding the question.  The answer is no; one cannot be saved if he will not attend church by which is meant the church worship services.  Hear God’s word on the subject. (1) “And let us consider one anoth…

• Mary of Bethany–Doing What You Can

  …ile doing good and learn to deal with it.  Our real problem comes when we never receive criticism.  “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26 NKJV) (4) Finally, this is the point I have been wanting to get to.  The text (Jesus speaking) says of Mary, “She has done what she could.” (Mark 14:8 NKJV)  What more could be asked of a man or of a woman?  What more does…

• He Feared

  …d unfaithfulness?  The apostle Peter’s faith failed him 3 times out of fear.  He walked on the water believing Jesus would make this possible for him until his faith failed.  He denied Jesus 3 times after Jesus was arrested.  Finally, in Galatians the second chapter Paul tells us Peter withdrew from eating with the Gentiles sinning and that out of fear. The account of Peter walking on the water is found in Matt. 14:25-31.  Jesus had just fed the …

• Hypocrites in the Church

  …r lives.  It may be that the public did not see it but in our inner man we have known we were not right with God.  We were tempted for a time and fell.  Can you do better than we have done?  Great!  It is time to get started. Finally, and I think I will make this my last point, where is the compassion?  A lot that passes for hypocrisy is merely ignorance of Bible teaching.  True, given time, we ought to study and gain knowledge on our own but it …

• More on Willful Sin—Can Anyone be Saved?

  ian to do about his sin?  John tells us in the very next verse where he says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NKJV)  Finally, he says, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10 NKJV) The Christian who sins needs to confess his sins to God after having become penitent.  R…

• New Birth

  Born Again at the Point of Faith – John 1:12-13 Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith) What Does the Phrase “Born of Water and the Spirit” Mean? The Kingdom of God and The New Birth The New Birth and Water A New Creation in Christ The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept   Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) Born Again When One Obeys the Gospel Things That Happen With Gospel Obedience Why I Am a Christian Keeping…

• Faith

  Paul’s Conversion–Justified by Faith Faith Comes by Hearing the Word of God–the Implications Who is the Believer in John 3:16? What is it a Man Must Believe in Order to be Saved? Faith is Not Just What You Believe Obedience of Faith and Justification by Faith–Opposing Doctrines? Disobedience to Jesus The Faithfulness of Jesus to God the Father I Can Do All Things Through Christ If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implicatio…

• Gospel Obedience at Corinth

  Did Paul preach the same gospel at Corinth that he taught elsewhere?  Everywhere else he taught, as part of the gospel, baptism for the remission of sins.  One can go to Acts 16 and read two accounts, in the same chapter, of conversions made by Paul–Lydia and the Philippian jailer–in which in both instances those being converted were baptized.  Paul himself, in his conversion, was baptized.  You may recall the words of Ananias to him…

• Are Paul’s Writings as Authoritative as Jesus’ Words?

  … the scriptures but also says his writings can be twisted to one’s destruction.  That would be a little hard to do if they were uninspired writings would it not?  If one recalls correctly Ananias was sent to Paul at his conversion with one reason being that Paul might be “filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17 NKJV) Sometimes people latch on to a few statements made by Paul in 1 Cor. 7 and read into them more than they should …

• Born Again At The Point Of Faith – John 1:12-13

  …ee reasons.  (1) The Bible cannot contradict itself and be true.  Use the word “born” here and you have a contradiction between the two verses.  (2) There is always a begetting before a birth.  (3) By Paul’s conversion experience. Paul most certainly believed when confronted by Jesus himself on the road to Damascus (Acts 22) but when Ananias came to him 3 days later he told Paul to “‘Arise, and be baptized, and wash …

• Christian Wars–A Misnomer

  … the church (the saved) was built.  “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1Cor. 3:11NKJV)  That foundation is solid only because Jesus was and is the Son of God. Finally, to become a Christian, or as the Bible sometimes phrases it, a new creation, one must be baptized into Christ.  Outside of Christ there is no salvation for he is the Savior of the body and that body is his body, the…

• The Cleansing of the Church at Ephesus

  …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 …

• Did Christ Rise From the Dead or is Faith Folly?

  …erils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (2 Cor. 11:23-27 NKJV) Why would a man like Paul was before his conversion with all the advantages he had in the religious system he was in (Judaism) become a Christian and place upon himself all these things he endured if he had no certain proof that Jesus had risen from the dead?  What…

• My Blog

  I have a blog over on Blogger entitled Thoughts on the Scriptures but you can find the posts (articles) all here on site but I would be glad for you to check the blog out.   …

• Jesus as the Bread of Life (John 6:48)

  …e him even to the extent of becoming obsessed with doing so.  Was not Christ obsessed with pleasing the Father? In closing it needs to be repeated for emphasis sake that it all begins with gospel obedience and contrary to the thoughts of the denominational world that does include not only faith and repentance but also baptism as well.  It is only in baptism that we die to sin for it is there where we were crucified with Christ being baptized into…

• One Church—A Thing Hard to Accept

  …y some thousand. I would like to ask a question.  Sometimes we cannot wrap our minds around concepts because the concepts are too big for our finite minds to comprehend and when that happens our defensive mechanism is to cast thoughts about such matters aside.  Here are some examples:  the number of stars, distances in space, the national debt, our own death, hell, eternity, etc.  These are some things that are hard to grasp hold of.  These are t…

• The Peace Found in Forgiveness of Others

  …n from the beginning.  “And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart.” (Gen. 6:6 NKJV)  This was because “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5 NKJV) It is easy to say that was generations ago and times have changed, we are not that way today.  Yes, easy to say but also easy to know we are deceiving ourselv…

• Fools, Speech, and Christianity

  …I want to put emphasis on what Jesus said in Matt. 12 quoted above when he said, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” (Matt. 12:34 NAS)  Elsewhere Jesus said, “Out of the heart come evil thoughts.” (Matt. 15:19 NAS)  It is the pure in heart that shall see God (Matt. 5:8).  It is the heart that loves God and loves man that is blessed with eternal life and happiness.  “He who does not love abides i…

• The Faith of Enoch

  …xcuse” (Rom. 1:20 NAS) as it relates to sin and we know man was sinning.  Man had grown wicked in pre-flood days.  “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5 NAS) Jude makes clear that Enoch’s prophesy, as recorded in Jude 14 and 15, is applicable to those living in Jude’s day but when you read it you r…

• Demas Has Forsaken Me

  … on the number of times we should be willing to forgive.  He is indirectly also telling us that is also the way it is with the Father? Isaiah says (Isa. 55:7 NKJV), “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For he will abundantly pardon.” In Luke 17:3–4 Jesus says (NAS) “Be on your guard!  If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, fo…

• Faith is Not Just What You Believe

  Sometimes I think faith is about the only subject everyone is an expert on but faith is a complex subject involving far more than just the mind and its thoughts and is a subject that needs continual study to mine all its depths. Faith is not just thought but action.  It is a driving force, an inward power that drives man to act and do, to sacrifice, to seek, to suffer, to endure, to commit, and drive on when there appears to be no longer reason …

• The Lord’s Supper as a Part of a Larger Meal–Right or Wrong?

  …is to answer. Paul wants them to partake of the Lord’s Supper and do it right. That means waiting on the group to assemble, eating together the unleavened bread and drinking the fruit of the vine (with due attention to proper thoughts as to the meaning and proper behavior), and sharing in such a way so that all can do so. One must remember the poverty of the first century. Some well may not have been able to bring anything and evidently in the fi…

• Everlasting Life–The Believer of John 3:16

  …#8221; or the phrase “is saved,” or the words “will see the kingdom of heaven.”  Whatever Jesus states as necessary to salvation under any and all such descriptive terms is required of man, man’s thoughts to the contrary notwithstanding.  To fail to believe Jesus (fail to believe what he says) is to fail to believe in him. A good example of what I am talking about is found in Matt. 7:21 where Jesus says, “Not e…

• Abel’s Sacrifice by Faith versus Cain’s Sacrifice

  …we cannot, think about things of which we have no background information.  My grandparents died in the sixties.  How much time do you think they spent thinking about the Internet?  It was impossible for them to even have such thoughts, to conceive of such a thing, and so I ask again where did Abel and Cain get the idea about making an offering to God (the writer of the book of Hebrews calls it a sacrifice)? The answer has to be such information w…

• A New Creation in Christ

  …ess they think they have acquired. “A broken and a contrite heart– these, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalms 51:17 NKJV) “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.” (Psalms 10:4 NKJV)  Why not?  Because he is satisfied individual. Yes, two men went up to pray but only one came back forgiven.  A broken heart was healed while a hard heart became harder. …

• Christ and Baptism in Colossians

  … in heaven and on earth.” (Matt. 28:18 NAS)  Paul teaches in the book of Colossians that all we need is Christ, him and him alone, him and nothing else.  Christ is found in his word and not outside it in someone else’s ideas, thoughts, or imaginations, or as Paul says in the NAS “in self-made religion.” (Col. 2:23)  If Christ in me is “the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27 NAS) how does Paul tell us that this is brought about?  One must remember Paul is …

• The Need to Sing in Worship

  …ces in the assembly.  But, it is against the spirit of the teaching of the Bible to say that a man ought to just whisper the words.  Whispering is not exactly singing.  A joyous heart does sing, not whisper. Quickly, two more thoughts and I close.  Sometimes we know we ought to sing but we are embarrassed.  We have never sung; we were not from a singing family; we are shy about it.  I have been there and know how it feels.  What do you do?  Well,…

• How Was Noah Saved Through Water?

  … aware of the story of how the flood came about.  After God made man in due time mankind came to be great sinners before God.  “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5 NKJV)  God determined to destroy man for his evil, an evil so great it grieved God in his heart and made him sorry he had created man. (Gen. 6:6-7) However, the tex…

• Regrets

  …“to the death.”  One wonders how many mothers were in the group of those who were persecuted leaving children as orphans.  Do you think Paul had regrets?  Do you think those regrets ever completely passed from his thoughts as he lived day to day? Peter’s case is too well known to recount here but we are all well aware of his regret having denied Jesus just at the time when Jesus could have used support the most. A lesser known c…

• The Wicked Shall be Turned into Hell

  …ing it, obeying it.  The wicked does none of these things nor does he care about them.  Serving God or obeying his word is far from his mind. “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.” (Psalms 10:4 NKJV)  “There is no fear of God before his eyes.” (Psalm 36:1 NKJV)  “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.” (Psalm 119:155 NKJV) A man mu…

• Who Gets to Decide–God or the Church?

  …it of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.“ (emphasis mine – DS)  Yet, polls show most who call themselves Christians do not believe Paul, a spirit inspired man.  The New Testament is not to be taken literally as the actual …

• 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 a…

• Christ the Savior of the Body but Which One–the Matter of Timing?

  …rally realize these things, it is only common sense, a little logic, pretty much like two plus two equals four, simple reasoning, and yet it is so troubling to allow our minds to dwell on these things that we quickly shut the thoughts off from our mind.  If we do not see an answer, a way out, our mind seems to say let go of it.  We pretend the problem is not there, it is non-existent, and we refuse to think about it.  Why?  Because it is so troub…

• They Loved the Praise of Men

  … wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?  Listen, my beloved brethren:  Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?  But you have dishonored the poor man.” (NKJV) Peter …