Search results for: Faith, Works, and Baptism.htm

Error 404 - Page Not Found

Sorry, I've looked everywhere but I can't find the page you're looking for.

If you follow the link from another website, I may have removed or renamed the page some time ago. You may want to try searching for the page:

Suggested results

I've done a courtesy search for the term Faith, Works, and Baptism.htm for you. See if you can find what you're looking for in the list below:

  • Faith, Works, and Baptism

    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 »Many are the men and women who believe that since the Bible teaches justificatio…

  • Is Holy Spirit Baptism The Baptism That Saves?

    In an article I wrote some time ago I had a gentleman of the Pentecostal persuasion respond seemingly upset with me over the issue of baptism as I was emphasizing the importance of water baptism which he was discounting as being nothing more than a picture of salvation (whatever that means).  Of course, his emphasis was on Holy Spirit baptism.  In any case since I said I would respond I will do so here thinking I might as well make an article ou…

  • Is Denominational Baptism Scriptural?

    There are many different baptisms being performed today by religious people–different methods and for different purposes.  However, the only baptism that I as an individual facing eternity ought to be concerned with is the baptism that Jesus spoke of when he said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16 NKJV) This is the baptism of the Great Commission when Jesus told the apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of a…

  • 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…

  • Bible Contradictions on Salvation?

    rks of obedience to Christ.  Too many are ready to say that obedience is more or less equivalent to law keeping.  Since we are not saved by law they do not see obedience as being essential.  True, for example, Christ commands baptism but one does not have to obey that to be saved.  To require it would be law keeping or salvation by works. The trouble with that way of thinking is that the idea is in conflict with passages such as those I have just…

  • Jesus’ Baptism and You?

    Does baptism matter?  Most Americans have come to the conclusion that it does not, a person can be saved and go to heaven baptized or not.  It is such a settled conviction with most that they are not willing to give the study of the topic the time of day.  It is ridiculous to even consider it as they see it. It seems to me this is taking the same attitude the Pharisees took back in the first century.  They had their settled law and there was no …

  • Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation?

    One of the great dangers we all face in Bible study is that of taking a particular passage, isolating it from all the rest of the scriptures, and make it teach a doctrine it was never meant to teach.  The question asked in the title of this article, are works essential for Christian salvation, is easily answered by taking one such passage and doing exactly that.  The passage is Eph. 2:8-9 which reads, “For by grace you have been saved thro…

  • If Baptism is Not Essential for Salvation

    Baptism is not essential for salvation according to most denominations.  The thought came to me recently if baptism is not essential for salvation what then?  What are the necessary implications of such a doctrine?  (1)  If baptism is not essential for salvation then Jesus taught error when he said, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5 NKJV) for you can enter the kingdom of God without water …

  • The Cleansing of the Church at Ephesus

    ch, “by the washing of water with the word.” (Eph. 5:26 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 NA…

  • Christian Circumcision

    m, who is the head of all principality and power.  In him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, in which you also were raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has made alive together with…

  • The Kind of Faith in God That Destroys

    they have the book of James covered by the good works which they do. The trouble is they will not take God at his word.  They cannot accept that Jesus and the Holy Spirit said what they meant and meant what they said.  Forget baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21).  They do not believe the words out of Jesus’ own mouth, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbeliev…

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

    r was involved in salvation. “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 NAS)  He said, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16 NAS) What is baptism?  It is one aspect of obedience of faith.  In Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached that first sermon would there have been obedience of faith had those he spoke to failed to heed his admonition?  What i…

  • The Mysterious Eloquent Evangelist

    …hesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wanted to go across to Achaia,…

  • Faith is Not Just What You Believe

    6:46 NKJV)  He is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (Heb. 5:9 NKJV) Thus a salvation by faith without works of obedience would also be a salvation without love for God.  Faith only advocates will not have baptism as an element of salvation for they fear it is a work.  Well, no more so than repentance.  When the Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith and not of works, Eph. 2:8-9, is that passage teaching we are save…

  • Faith and Baptism in Paul’s Preaching

    15 NAS) We are not told exactly what Paul said in his sermon but we know he preached at least the following:  (1) Man as a sinner in need of salvation, (2) Jesus as Lord and Savior, (3) Faith in Jesus, (4) Repentance, and (5) Baptism.  We can glean a lot about Paul’s preaching from Lydia’s statement to Paul and Silas, “if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay,” (Acts 16:15 NAS) and then…

  • Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith)

    …rist, that you may be married to another–to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” (Rom. 7:4 NKJV)  But, one is not married until he/she is married despite the feelings of the heart.  Baptism seems to be the marriage ceremony (so to speak) of the disciple with Christ.  Paul himself says we die in baptism (Rom. 6:4) and walk in newness of life upon our baptism, read all of Rom. 6:1-8.  This means our state…

  • The Grace of God in Baptism

    Most Americans of a Christian persuasion believe that baptism has little to nothing to do with the grace of God. One wonders have they never read Titus 3:4-7? The truth about God’s grace and its tie in with baptism is clearly set forth in Paul’s passage to Titus which reads as follows: “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he s…

  • For By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith Alone

    or he says it again, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal. 3:26-27 NKJV)  By the way, can you put on Christ without baptism?  (see also 1 Cor. 12:13) Why is a man a son of God through faith in Christ Jesus?  Because he was baptized into Christ.  Reread Gal. 3:26-27 again.  I challenge one and all to find even a single passage of scripture…

  • Baptism

    Baptism has been a hot topic down through the ages–who should be baptized, why, for what purpose, are there any prerequisites, what is accomplished in it, does it matter, is it essential for salvation or have anything at all to do with it, what is baptism (is it sprinkling, pouring, immersion, or take your choice?).  So many questions but are there no answers?  Was God such a poor communicator that he could not make the subject clear?  Wha…

  • The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept

    it.  Again, there is no being in between.  You are either in or you are out.  You cannot join his spiritual body.  Paul did not say go out and join God’s spiritual body.  He said to be baptized into it.  If there is no baptism then there is no being in the body of Christ.  Case closed.  You cannot join Christ’s body, you are baptized into it. What does this mean then as far as what is considered to be religiously correct in the denom…

  • Misunderstanding the Grace of God

    ike, you can find on this site and read for yourself.  It was deemed to be unfit for a Christian article directory.  The editor of the directory made it clear to me in an e-mail that he believed man was saved by grace without baptism which in the context of the article submitted meant without obeying Peter’s directive on the Day of Pentecost as found in Acts 2:38. His position is not unusual.  Millions of people have read Paul’s state…

  • How Does the Blood of Jesus and Baptism Tie Together

    …w you and I do this.  He says in Rom. 6:3, “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (NKJV)  He goes on, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom 6:4 NKJV)  When is a person to walk in newness of life?  After baptism….

  • 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…

  • Ways into Christ–How Many Ways Are There?

    hrist, prerequisites if you will, namely faith, repentance, and confession all of which are absolutely essential to salvation but none of those things by themselves or even taken collectively 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 Ch…

  • Abraham’s Faith (Faith Accounted for Righteousness)

    Every person who truly believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is interested in having what we might term “saving faith.”  The Bible could not be any clearer than it is on our need for such faith.  Paul tells the Ephesian Christians, “By grace you have been saved through faith.” (Eph. 2:8 NKJV)  To the Christians at Rome he speaks of them “having been justified by faith” (Rom. 5:1 NKJV) and then the…

  • How Was Noah Saved Through Water?

    How was Noah and his family saved through water?  Peter, in 1 Peter 3:20-21, says they were but just how is a little hard to understand without some thought and study.  The passage reads as follows:  “when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.  There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism (not the removal of the f…

  • The Washing of Water by the Word–Baptism and Salvation

    Baptism is essential to salvation but there are many non-believers.  I want to deal with one passage today that teaches this but which is seldom used because the word baptize is not found in the passage.  The phrase used is “washing of water” as found in Eph. 5:25-27. Eph. 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,…

  • Faith in the New Testament–Different Meanings

    …rriam Webster Dictionary that I have being curious as to what I would find.  I found 4 meanings listed as follows:  (1) allegiance to duty or a person which you could call loyalty (2) belief or trust in God (3) complete trust and (4) a system of religious beliefs. I then went to another book I have entitled An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W. E. Vine.  This is a standard work, a word definition book quite well known by Bible stu…

  • Christ and Baptism in Colossians

    The fact that baptism is essential to becoming a Christian and being saved is written on page after page in the New Testament despite being rejected by most who call themselves Christians.  I have never understood how something so clearly taught can so readily be rejected by so many other than through the power that tradition and religious heritage exerts on people. Error believed has the same faith affect upon a man or woman as truth believed a…

  • The Case of Cornelius and the Holy Spirit

    sion of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 NKJV)  Now note, when does the Holy Spirit promise these believers they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?  Is it before repentance and baptism for the remission of sins or after?  The answer is evident.  This raises a question.  Is there one gospel in one location and another in a different location so that we can never really know what the gospel is?  Does…

  • A New Creation in Christ

    cur?  Paul answers. “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we als…

  • What Is Baptism (the Sprinkling Hoax)

    It may well be that there is no Bible subject that has caused more confusion among men than the subject of baptism.  What is baptism?  What is its purpose?  Who should be baptized?  Why?  I would like to take a look at all of these questions and deal with all of them over time but for the present, for the purposes of this article, I will confine myself to the question what is baptism.  I doubt that very many people know what I am about to say.  …

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

    piration in Acts 2:38, we readily see why that was the case.  What did Paul preach to Lydia?  We all agree he taught the fundamentals of the Christian faith.  With Paul, as with the other evangelists of his day, that included baptism for the remission of sins.  The text says Lydia was baptized along with her household (Acts 16:15) but when did she do this and why?  The verse before, verse 14, tells us that she was responding “to the things …

  • A Good and Pure Conscience

    , “There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (NKJV)  How can baptism be the answer of a good conscience toward God?  Most say that even though God commanded it (John 3:5, Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, etc.) baptism is not really necessary.  Most would say, “…

  • Faith Comes by Hearing the Word of God–the Implications

    “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17 NKJV)  On its surface this proclamation by Paul is very simple and easy to understand and yet the failure to grasp its implications has brought much division and strife among those who believe Jesus is the Son of God.  Faith and opinion are mixed and it seems no one is able to separate the two.  It appears to the casual observer that one man’s faith is another man’s op…

  • Peter’s Preaching and the Apostle’s Preaching

    matter no mention of faith is made in this Acts 5 sermon either but it is implied.  Where is the man to be found capable of scriptural repentance who does not first believe?  Where is the man who is willing to be obedient to baptism who does not first believe?  Can a man be scripturally baptized who does not believe?  No!  When a thing is clearly implied in scripture it does not need to be mentioned. It is said that the Catholics baptize babies …

  • Cornelius’ Conversion–Final Thoughts

    ence to God (gospel obedience) for there can be no obedience to what is thrust upon you (baptism of the Holy Spirit).  To say that obedience to the gospel (a command of God–2 Thess. 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17) equals Holy Spirit baptism and vice versa is to say in reality that there is nothing to obey since only Jesus could baptize one with the Holy Spirit.  Had Cornelius obeyed the gospel? Paul said, concerning the matter of salvation in Rom. 6:17-…

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

    and another something different. In Peter’s gospel sermon in Acts 2, the first such sermon ever preached after Christ’s ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, Peter preached repentance and baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).  Was one required to believe him?  Was this something a person had to believe in order to be saved?  Was what he preached a part of the gospel?  Did he preach by inspiration tha…

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

    Abel, the son of Adam and Eve, is the first person listed among many in Hebrews chapter 11 commended by the Holy Spirit for their faith.  Of Abel it is said, “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.” (Heb. 11:4 NKJV)  Men have long been troubled by this passage trying to figure ou…

  • Weak, Defiled, and Seared Consciences

    ristian who has not first had to deal with his/her conscience which was convicting them of sin.  Clean, clear consciences do not lead men to repentance.  So, yes, consciences can be cleansed.  They are cleansed, made good, in 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 …

  • The New Birth and Water

    Having written on the subject of the new birth before I was surprised, although I doubt I should have been, to have gotten some comments back to the effect that the water mentioned in John 3:5 where Jesus says, “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (NKJV) had reference not to baptism but to the water of childbirth.  Probably shows what a sheltered life I have led to be surp…

  • He Feared

    n chapter 6 verse 11, tells them to, “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” (NAS)  In verse 13 he explains saying, “that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”  In speaking of this armor he refers to faith as a shield (verse 16). In ancient times in battle as long as a man had a shield and could keep it placed between his body and the swo…

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

    …ken to Saul by Ananias?  Is there more than one gospel that will save?  It has already shown in previous articles, as taken in chronological order, that in every instance the preaching by these inspired men immediately led to baptism on the part of those who accepted the preaching.  Baptism was a part of the message.  Is it any different this time with Cornelius?  No!  Hear Peter, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized…

  • 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 …

  • The Faith of Enoch

    The Bible tells us that, “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.” (Heb. 11:5 NAS)  Enoch and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11) were the only two men to ever be born and not die a physical death.  Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven after a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated him from …

  • Christ Did Not Send Paul to Baptize

    not he/she is baptized?  It is the purpose of this article to show the folly of taking that kind of stance based on this scripture.  Let me begin by asking a question that must be answered if one is to take the position that baptism does not matter and that Paul was teaching that in this passage.  Here is the question–if it did not matter, if it has nothing to do with salvation, if Christ did not want Paul to baptize why did Paul baptize? …

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

    ded from the truth out of willingness to be blind and preference for it.  God has said you must be born of water (and spirit of course) but they say it is not so and we will not do it. Needless to say, water is a reference to baptism.  However, lest I be like the man who says water is not water but offers no proof I need to prove my statement.  First of all Jesus taught baptism as essential when he gave the Great Commission.  He says, He who has …

  • Disobedience to Jesus

    sobedience to Jesus?  Have you confessed with your mouth the Lord Jesus?  Jesus commanded it (Rom. 10:9-10, Matt. 10:32-33, Phil. 2:11, 1 John 4:3).  We either confess him or we live in disobedience to Jesus.  Jesus commanded baptism and we all know it (Mark 16:15-15, Matt. 28:18-20, John 3:5) and whether you or I like it or not it does not matter.  He commanded it and the Bible says it is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).  Will we obey or w…

  • 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?

    Over the course of time just about all of us are confronted with the reality of suffering and abuse not just on newscasts but in our own personal world where we live day by day and experience life up close.  Why are small precious children abused?  Why do many of them from all outward appearances not have a chance from the get go due to the circumstances they were born into?  Why do old people often get in such horrible conditions as you find th…

  • The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer

    u were talking about me like that.  If the whole world of Christendom gangs up on me on this issue I can only say stone me if it makes you feel good.  Be that as it may what I do know for sure is that Paul once again preaches baptism to the Philippian jailer for the text says of the jailer, “immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.” (Acts 16:33 NAS)  I say Paul preached baptism again for earlier in the same city and in t…

  • Christian Wars–A Misnomer

    blems and it centers around one thing.  They are wedded to the idea that a man is saved by faith alone and that the new birth, born of water and the spirit, has nothing to do with becoming a Christian.  The new birth involves baptism in water for the remission of sins and that they will not accept.  Water to them is only symbolic. It was not symbolic to Peter on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38 for he said it was for the remission of sins.  I ha…

  • Faith

    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 Implications Faith, Works, and Baptism Abel’s Sacrifice by Faith versus Cain’s Sacrifice Abraham’s Faith (Faith Accounted for Righteousness) The Faith of Enoch Moses, the Waters of Marah, and a Lesson for Today Everlasting Life–The…

  • Work Out Your Own Salvation

    As I was thinking about doing an article on this famous passage from the book of Philippians (Phil. 2:12-13) I first did a little Google research to see if anyone else had done so and if so to see what they were saying.  I did find a couple of authors whose work I took a look at.  It seemed to me like both had worked themselves almost into a state of frenzy trying to deny what the passage clearly states, that a man must work out his own salvatio…

  • How Does One Get Into the Church Christ Built?

    :38 NKJV)  There are many who will say that yes they believe in order to be saved one must also in addition to having faith repent of his sins.  However, that is where they want to stop.  They want to separate repentance from baptism in the passage and gladly ignore the fact there is a coordinating conjunction there, the word “and,” that joins the two words making one just as essential as another.  (They do the same thing with the word “and” in M…

  • Confirmation Sunday–No Bibles Required

    ady knew it was not in the New Testament as you also know if you have ever read it. The lady says in the early church (she means the Catholic church not the first century New Testament church) confirmation was associated with baptism.  I guess from what she wrote that a bishop would confirm a new convert after his/her baptism and sometimes quite a long while after that baptism.  Confirmation was thus just some words a bishop would utter in some k…

  • I Can Do All Things Through Christ

    The passage written by the apostle Paul and found in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (NKJV) is a verse I became very familiar with when our young son entered kindergarten many years ago.  Tears and fear is what we had on a regular basis that first year.  It tears a Dad and Mom’s heart out to send them off into what is for them the dark terrifying unknown when as they leave the house it is all they can d…

  • They Loved the Praise of Men

    st certainly will concede on doctrinal matters.  Is it not true that the desire for the praise of men is behind much of the extremely liberal views of the Bible?  The New Testament is clear in its teaching on subjects such as baptism, the role of women, homosexuality and yet it makes but little difference to many.  We must be politically correct and pleasing to the culture of the time.  To teach against things such as homosexuality is considered …

  • Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives

    How God gives to men is not only an interesting study but also one of upmost importance as it relates to our salvation, a salvation which is clearly set forth in the scriptures as being a free gift of God to man.  “Being justified freely by is grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3:24 NKJV)  It is by grace through faith that we are saved and not by works. (Eph. 2:8-9)  Salvation is specifically said to be “the gift of God…

  • Peter’s Second Gospel Sermon

    have “the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38 NAS).  What was that one thing he mentioned that it would take to obtain the forgiveness of sins in addition to repentance on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2?  It was baptism. Now note what Barnes said as quoted earlier.  “It (a reference to the Greek word translated “return” in the NAS or “be converted” in the NKJV–DS) is a word used in a general sense…

  • Everlasting Life–The Believer of John 3:16

    Who has everlasting life?  Is it the man Jesus spoke of in John 3:16 when he said, “whoever believes in him (speaking of himself–DS) should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV) or is it the man he spoke of in John 5:24 when he said, “I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life” (NKJV)?  First,  Jesus says in the former passage believe in him for everlasting life wh…

  • The Parable of the Talents–the Sin of Fear

    The parable of the talents is found in Matthew 25:14-30 with an account that is similar in many respects in Luke 19:12-28 although there are differences.  Only the account given in Matthew is referred to, by men, as the parable of the talents but it is profitable to read Luke along with Matthew.  Differences aside both accounts seem to be teaching about the same lesson and one I have needed throughout my life. The account is too long to quote he…

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

    usness, 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 or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.  For in fact the body is not one member but many.” (…

  • Baptized For the Dead

    …for the dead.”  It is common to find in most commentaries an extended discussion of the verse with much more space being devoted to it than there is to the average verse. I have no doubt that the verse is a reference to water baptism for the remission of sins (yes, I can hear my critics already).  Why do I say that?  In the very first chapter of First Corinthians Paul begins a discussion of the divisions in the church at Corinth.  To show the bre…

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

    Why write an article on the topic the kingdom of God and the new birth?  The answer is really quite simple.  As long as people today have a desire to be saved in the way Jesus saved some during his personal ministry on earth–by faith without baptism–there will be a need to show the error of that position.  On this subject timing makes all the difference. When did Jesus become a king with a kingdom over which to rule?  When Jesus was …

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

    ority? Remember when Jesus was confronted by the chief priests and elders who wanted to know by what authority he was doing the things he was doing?  He told them he would answer when they answered his question which was “The baptism of John, where was it from?  From heaven or from men?” (Matt. 21:25 NKJV)  Thus we need to ask the question of the instrument in Christian worship, where was it from, from heaven or from man?  To ask is to answer if …

  • Demas Has Forsaken Me

    The man by the name of Demas is only mentioned in the Bible three times, all three times by the apostle Paul.  Demas was for a time a fellow traveler and fellow worker with Paul.  He is mentioned in the closing of the book of Colossians, a book written around AD 60, as one who with Paul and others sent their greetings to the church at Closse (Col. 4:14). Again in the book of Philemon in verse 23 and 24 he along with Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, …

  • One Church—A Thing Hard to Accept

    of truth no matter how many scriptures you show them.  They would flunk out of a high school or college class for they will not accept factual statements or any kind of sound reasoning.  Show them a passage like Acts 2:38 on baptism for the remission of sins (add to that Acts 22:16 and 1 Peter 3:21) and they will say the text cannot mean what it seems to be saying, that would be impossible from their point of view, for like the lady with O.J. it…

  • The Church Christ Built–Marks of Identification

    It begins with the Spirit in that through the Spirit’s word, the gospel message, man is led to faith and repentance and a willingness and desire to confess Christ for who he is–the Son of God–and it culminates in baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16) but more succinctly to put to death the old man of sin and to arise a new spiritual creation (Rom. 6:4-6).  The old man dies in baptism (Rom. 6:4), “we were buried with …

  • Faith, Manna, and Grumbling Against God

    In 1 Cor. 10:10 the Christian is commanded to not grumble (NASB).  Taken in context (1 Cor. 10:1-11) the passage is telling us not to follow the example of the children of Israel in the things they did of which grumbling against God was one and which thing seemed to be a national pastime.  If you read the book of Exodus you soon learn they were continually grumbling against God.  They were a dissatisfied and unhappy lot and their dissatisfaction…

  • The Need to Sing in Worship

    …a sore throat, or something along those lines there would be no problem.  Sometimes we cannot sing. It is not for me to judge you when you do not sing for I do not know your situation but when Sunday after Sunday rolls around and you never sing while physically able to do so there is a problem.  When you never or only very rarely sing there is a problem. What is that problem?  The question is answered with another.  Is singing a command of God fo…

  • The Parable of the 10 Virgins–7 Lessons

    The parable of the 10 virgins found in Matt. 25:1-13 has more to say to us than we often realize. One of the things that troubles a person most, that nags and gnaws at our spirit, is when we mess up, make a bad mistake, and then have to pay for it when we had realized from the beginning what it was we needed to do which would have avoided the whole thing but simply failed to do it for one reason or another.  We blame ourselves for the mess we go…

  • Resource Sites

    . Kurfees.  As soon as you click the link here you will see the contents outlined so you can immediately go to the chapter that interests you the most.  A pretty exhaustive study and covers about every aspect of the subject.) Baptism  (A sermon by J. W. McGarvey on the subject taking an approach to its study that is unusual and one I have not taken in any of the writing I have done on the topic.  Another late 1800′s sermon.) The Course to P…

  • Faith Based On Deception–Gen. 37:31-33

    no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Cor. 11:14-15 NKJV) Satan quoted scripture to Jesus while tempting him after his baptism. False teachers can quote scripture. We today are gullible. We believe about anything that is called Christian, whether in doctrine or works, is God approved. We just accept it and go on and assume it is fine with Go…

  • Behold the Judge is Standing at the Door

    It is sometimes hard for Christians to grasp emotionally that they will be judged by Christ on the Day of Judgment.  So much has been made of the grace of God and God’s love that it is hard to come to grips with the idea of judgment but James in writing to Christians says, “Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.  Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” (James 5:9 NKJV)  That ought to be a sober…

  • Mary of Bethany–Doing What You Can

    Sometimes even when we do good we receive criticism and blame as though that which we did was evil rather than good.  Such was the case with Mary of Bethany a friend of Jesus and one whom Jesus loved (John 11:5).  If you are not familiar with the story of Mary who anointed Jesus with some very expensive oil of spikenard not long before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion you can read the account in Matt. 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, and John 12:1-8. I w…

  • Israel’s Rebellion at the Red Sea

    The children of Israel that God sent Moses to bring out of Egyptian bondage into the Promised Land were a faithless group almost from the very beginning.  Their rebellion against God began before Mt. Sinai and even before the Red Sea crossing.  The Psalmist said, “Our fathers in Egypt did not understand your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of your mercies, but rebelled by the sea–the Red Sea.” (Psa. 106:7 NKJV)  It…

  • Ashamed of Jesus and His Words

    em and will not teach them.  To them those gathered on that Pentecost day were saved the minute they repented and as they would put it “received Jesus into their hearts” and so you cannot believe these words about baptism for the forgiveness of sins that Peter spoke on behalf of Christ. You can go to other passages and try and convince them.  For example, Ananias told Saul, “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calli…

  • Moses, the Waters of Marah, and a Lesson for Today

    not dipped in the Jordan as instructed?  Would the walls of Jericho have come crashing down without the marching around it?  You get the idea and you have the right idea exactly.  The answer is an emphatic no.  So it is with baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). I have asked the question before and never gotten an answer yet but I will ask it again.  If Jesus (God) wanted you to know baptism was for the remission of your sins how would …

  • Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter

    e of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Act 2:38 NKJV)  Their faith was evident by their asking the question. Denominationalists say Peter could not have meant what the words he spoke seem to be saying–that baptism is for the remission of sins.  Hmmm!  I thought he was inspired; I thought the Holy Spirit fell on him and the other apostles that day prior to the sermon.  If so, and I thought it was, I thought God was capable of s…

  • Why Men Today Cannot Be Saved Like The Thief On The Cross?

    I recently had an individual ask the question that if baptism is essential for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38) then why did not Jesus tell the rich young ruler?  (This individual does not believe what Peter taught on the subject in Acts 2 where Peter makes baptism essential to salvation.)  It is the wrong question to ask.  Why?  Because when Jesus was talking to the rich young ruler he was not talking to you and me.  The only lessons in the …

  • Unhappy With the Church of Christ?

    is the denominational world does not understand what gospel obedience is.  As sincere as they may be, and I do not doubt them on that count, they do not and will not accept Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost that baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).  Until they are ready to accept and obey that clearly stated fact they remain outside the body of Christ which is what Christ is saving.  One gets into the body of Christ by …

  • If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications

    Have miracles ceased?  They have if we are talking about the kind of miracles performed by Jesus, the apostles, and those possessed of spiritual gifts in New Testament times.  The purpose of those miracles was to confirm that the word spoken was from God himself.  Such confirmation was needed.  Put yourself in the shoes of those living back then.  Here one comes into your midst claiming to speak for God.  Is he delusional, a mad man?  Is he a ch…

  • Non-Offensive Christianity

    If someone was to ask you or me what constitutes Christian character what would we say?  Off the top of our head we would most likely say love for God and our fellowman and faith in the Lord Jesus.  As we thought about it more intently we would add things like the fruit of the spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23 NKJV)  We m…

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

    asing 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 his death (meaning the benefits of his death).  Read carefully Rom. 6:2-8 and then read the c…

  • Repent–How Hard It Is To Do

    …in convincing men to repent. He was not the first preacher to have that problem.  The Bible calls Noah “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5 NKJV).  Most Bible students believe Noah preached 120 years (based on Gen. 6:3) and yet the only ones converted by his preaching were members of his own family.  Only 8 people were saved from the flood–Noah and his wife and his sons and their wives. The Bible says of those who died in the flood th…

  • Sin in the Desert–Testing God at Massah and Meribah

    …“Nor let us try the Lord.” (1 Cor 10:9 NASB)  A lot of translations use the word “test” here rather than the word “try” as the meaning is the same.  According to Peter, in Acts 5:9, Ananias and Sapphira “put the Spirit of the Lord to the test” (NASB) and died as a consequence. This is the very thing the children of Israel did time and time again.  In Numbers 14:22-23 the Lord says, in speaking to Mo…

  • Repentance–How Can I Be Sure?

    Acts 2, the conclusion of Peter’s inspired sermon was, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38 NKJV)  Repentance was made essential to salvation (as was baptism unless you have a good set of scissors which many do). Who must repent?  Sinners.  “For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.  As it is written:  ‘There is none righteous, no, n…

  • Christianity and Multiculturalism

    ndreds and hundreds of years after Christ built his church starting on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 thus they are not the church he established.  Furthermore, it takes along with faith, repentance, and confession of Christ, baptism to make a Christian which virtually every denomination denies and rejects.  Peter said baptism was for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), that it saves us (1 Peter 3:21), but they deny it making Peter out as one who …

  • The Book of Ecclesiastes

    Is the book of Ecclesiastes the most depressing book in the Bible?  Well, it can be–no doubt about it.  I don’t think it would make very many people’s list of favorite Bible books.  I know personally it always kind of depressed me in days gone by when I would read it but that was my fault, not the book’s fault.  I would like to try and show the upbeat side of the book of Ecclesiastes. What the book of Ecclesiastes does is…

  • Religious Titles Forbidden in Christianity

    I recently got into a discussion with a messianic Jew who insisted he had the right to use the title “Rabbi” without any violation of scripture.  I pointed him to Matt. 23:8, “but you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren” (NKJV) to no avail.  He is not alone for you could point a Catholic priest to Matt. 23:9, “do not call anyone on earth your father; f…

  • Jesus and the Furnace of Fire

    Hell is not real for most people.  They think little about it and really do not believe that if there is such a place they could end up there.  Hell would only be reserved for characters like Hitler, Himmler, Stalin, murderers, child molesters, etc., the very worst society has to offer.  It is not a place for the average man or woman is the general thinking. The Bible teaches no such thing.  What it does teach is that it is very possible for you…

  • Jesus Defines Repentance

    The Bible clearly teaches that repentance is a command of God to all men (Acts 17:30) and that if we fail to repent we shall perish (Luke 13:3, 5).  It is essential then that we come to a proper understanding of the meaning of repentance.  What does it mean to repent?  Jesus tells us and we can find no higher authority on the subject than Christ himself.  Let us hear what he has said. “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this ge…

  • Abuse of the Old Testament

    There are many things practiced in the name of Christianity today that have no biblical basis to be found in the law of Christ.  The Old Testament is, at times, appealed to as the source of authority.  Does the Old Testament have the same authority for Christians today as the New Testament?  How should Christians today relate to and handle the Old Testament scriptures?  These are questions we all ought to be interested in for we are saved by tru…

  • The Grace of God and the Parable of the Laborers–Is God Just?

    Everyone is pleased to have the grace of God in their life but are we disturbed by it when his grace shows up in the lives of others seemingly more generously than in our own?  I am afraid that is sometimes the case.  The parable of the laborers found in Matt. 20:1-16 is a perfect example and is also an excellent illustration of how man feels he knows more about what is just and right than God does. The passage is too long to quote here but I wi…

  • He Went Away Grieved

    People came to Jesus while he was on earth for different reasons.  Some came because they felt he could provide them with the necessities of life.  After having fed the 5,000 the crowd intended to take him by force to make him king (John 6:15).  Jesus said to them, “You seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” (John 6:26 NKJV) Others sought after him that they might be healed of sickness and dis…

  • Philip Preaching the Gospel in Samaria

    ptized.  Thus we see that in the beginning of the church, of Christianity, of faith in Christ, that when the gospel was preached and believed or received it led to people being baptized.  There has to be a reason for that. Is baptism a part of the gospel?  Is it a part of the good news?  It is if it is “for the forgiveness of your sins” as per Acts 2:38.  It is if Peter preached it.  It is if Philip preached it.  It is if these two Ho…

  • 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…

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

    Paul, in answer to the question proposed, would say faith is but folly if Christ did not rise from the dead.  “For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (1 Cor. 15:16-17 NKJV)  If Christ did not rise from the dead what hope do we have as we grow old and face the inevitable?  Are we but animals? The evolutionist would say yes we are only animals and talk l…

  • The Silence of the Scriptures

    From a book entitled A Short History of Christianity by Stephen Tomkins I quote as follows:  “The basic difference between Zwingli and Luther was in their attitudes to the Bible.  Zwingli saw it as a precise blueprint for church life.  For Luther, what is not forbidden is permitted; for Zwingli, what is not permitted is forbidden.” (page 141)  Both Zwingli and Luther lived in the Age of Reformation often called the Protestant Reforma…

  • The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman

    Every person that has ever contemplated the subject of life and death, the meaning of life and eternal destiny, and has chosen faith in Christ as the route he/she desires to walk has found himself/herself in a constant struggle.  On the one hand there is the deep desire to do what is right according to the will of God as we read it in the Bible and on the other hand there is that desire within us that wants to do what we want to do which often m…

  • The Christian, Politics, and the Government

    What role if any should the Christian play in politics?  All any man can know about the subject is what the Bible says and since it was written for the benefit and enlightenment of all men in all ages of time from the time it was first penned until the last day of this earth’s existence and for all cultures and under all the different kinds of governments under which men have lived it speaks to us not in specifics but in general statements on th…

  • Never Give Up

    When we learn the truth of the gospel message, come to believe it, and then sincerely obey it we sometimes expect more of ourselves than is humanly possible for us to deliver.  When we first come out of the water of our baptism we are determined that we will not sin, we are going to live sin free.  This attitude is to be highly commended but is also unrealistic. Many who obey the gospel do so when young and thus their own expectations about life…

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

    …ked the authority of Christ.  Did he?  That is the subject I wish to pursue in this article.  I add that the reality is that if what Paul wrote is not authoritative then we cannot stop there but have to go right down the line and ask about what Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, James, Peter, and Jude wrote as well. The truth of the matter is every single word of the New Testament excepting only those words added by translators for clarification (usually…

  • Jesus the Foundation of and the Builder of the Church

    …ph. 1:22-23 and Col. 1:18).  “He is the Savior of the body.” (Eph. 5:23 NKJV)  This is the body which he sanctified and cleansed “with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26 NKJV), a reference to baptism all denominations to the contrary notwithstanding, in order that “he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.&…

  • What is it a Man Must Believe in Order to be Saved?

    edition of the Bible (read John 16:12-15 for proof of this statement). Many are the men who say they believe in Jesus but who do not believe what he said about the new birth having water in it (John 3:5) or what he said about baptism (Mark 16:16).  One must believe Jesus, must believe what he said on each and every topic about which he spoke.  For me to say I believe in a man but I just do not believe what he said about this or that shows my beli…

  • Is Church Attendance Essential for Christian Salvation?

    Whether or not a Christian must attend church to be saved is a question of utmost importance.  There is nothing more important than one’s eternal salvation.  Where will one spend eternity?  Will it be in a place of happiness and joy where “there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain” (Rev. 21:4 NKJV) or will it be in the place of torment “where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’” (Mar…

  • 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 …

  • Lessons for the Church from Isaiah (Chapter 1)

    …rs 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 …

  • When did Obedience Become Legalism?

    We seem to be living in a time in the present Christian era where people seem to feel that all that matters in Christianity is love and God’s grace, that obedience is simply legalism, and that people do not have to obey Bible commands for salvation (except, of course, for the command to believe in Jesus as the Savior). Grace is made cheap.  Live as you like, call yourself a Christian, and God’s grace will cover you.  It is said it is what is in …

  • The Conscience as a Witness

    A man can run from many things but one thing he cannot run from is his own conscience.  Wherever a man goes his conscience follows him just as much as his shadow and is a constant companion.  It is a man’s witness to himself and to God of his character as it relates to his willingness or unwillingness to abide in what he considers to be that which is right and good. The conscience cannot be a man’s perfect guide for it like man’…

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

    …born” could have been “begotten”.  It is a translator’s choice as to which word to use.  In fact, the Analytical-Literal Translation uses the word “begotten.”  Use the word “begotten” and the conflict between verse 12 and 13 disappears. How do we know the word “begotten” is the correct word to use here when either “begotten” or “born” can be used with justification as a…

  • Fear God

    …r banished from his life whether young or old. Just a few verses later John says, “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments”.  (1 John 5:3)  This freedom from fear is available to any Christian living a faithful and dedicated life, one who is observing all the commandments of God, who truly repents when he does transgress, who puts God first in his life in every respect.  Such a man fears neither man, death, nor the judgment. Paul w…

  • Why Do Men Run From God?

    le only teaches one church and one faith and it does not teach a thousand different competing doctrines.   ”There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph. 4:4-6 NKJV)  Churches today have many, many people in them who are in reality running from God but are not willing to admit …

  • Can one be Just a Christian in Christ’s Church without being in a Denomination?

    …ment, the word of God alone, as our guide a lot of things will have to be given up.  One does not read in his New Testament of, as examples, sprinkling of infants, christenings, sprinkling of any one at any age and calling it baptism, baptism for any purpose other than the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), instruments of music being used in worship, dramas being performed, group musical performances, and a host of other things that have today become…

  • Receiving the Gospel (Acts 2:41)

    public record proclaiming that?  If you would not then why not?  Most denominational bodies run into serious trouble with this verse for if Peter did indeed preach a gospel sermon here then to receive it the text teaches that baptism is required.  They cannot accept that nor are they willing to.  The New Living Translation, a dynamic equivalence translation, puts it this way, “Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to th…

  • Mt. Sinai and the Day of Judgment

    What do the children of Israel coming to Mt. Sinai have to do with the Day of Judgment?  More than you might think.  The children of Israel reached Mt. Sinai in the third month after they left Egypt (Ex. 19:1-2).  They had had by this time many experiences and had seen God working actively on their behalf in miracle after miracle.  They had seen the plagues in Egypt from many of which they were spared.  They had crossed the Red Sea on dry ground…

  • Looking Down Your Nose

    The expression “looking down your nose” was and is an American idiom used with reference to looking upon someone dishonorably with a degree of contempt.  It is felt that the person so looked upon is beneath the one doing the judging in respect to honor and dignity.  That is the subject of this article. James says: “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.  For if there sho…

  • Saved by Jesus Outside the Church?

    It is not uncommon to hear people express their opinion that organized religion (the church) has nothing to do with salvation.  All that matters it is said is whether or not one has a personal relationship with Jesus. I do not know where this “personal relationship with Jesus” language came from for if you type in the phrase in any online Bible concordance you will not get a single return for the phrase is manmade and not found in sc…

  • Who Gets to Decide–God or the Church?

    There are approximately 38,000 denominations in the world today calling themselves Christian according to the results I found on the subject doing a Google search.  I was astounded and find that number hard to believe but be that as it may we all know there are a vast multitude of them and I suppose the number you come up with depends on how you decide to count them.  If this number is correct we have gone from 1 church in the New Testament to 3…

  • Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

    told you–repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins. So a man can prepare to meet God in death by hearing, believing, and obeying the gospel which includes not only faith but also repentance, confession, and baptism for the remission of sins.  This many have not done and thus wait unprepared for the bridegroom. In Matt. 24:35-44 Jesus is speaking to his disciples and says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words wil…

  • Bible Conversions

    soul’s peril. The links below will take you to articles (written by me) and audio sermons (sermons by a friend of mine–Waymon Swain) discussing mainly conversions recorded in the book of Acts with the emphasis on baptism.  Why that emphasis?  Because very few, if any, debate the necessity of faith, repentance, or the need to confess Christ. Receiving the Gospel – Acts 2:41 Peter’s Second Gospel Sermon Peter’s Preach…

  • Grace

    Misunderstanding the Grace of God For by Grace You Have Been Saved by Faith Alone The Grace of God and the Parable of the Laborers How Was Noah Saved Through Water   Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) How God’s Grace Works The Gospel of the Grace of God Noah Found Grace …

  • The Prodigal Son–When He Came to Himself

    The story of the prodigal son as told by Jesus in Luke 15:11-32 is too long to quote here but also so well known that almost everyone acquainted with the Bible at all knows the story and the main thrust of the lesson taught there.  However, there is one phrase in the account we do not talk enough about–the phrase “when he came to himself” found in verse 17. This verse marks the point in the young man’s life where his eyes were opened to th…

  • Singing and Playing in Christian Worship

    …long period of time it was before the church ever introduced even the first instrument of music, what an awfully long period of time it was where the only music in worship was that of singing.  This helps me get a grasp on it and maybe it will help you as well.  It is now the year 2011.  Let us take 670 years from that and see how far back we get.  That takes us back to the year 1341 A.D.  If we phrase it this way and reverse the events (in order…

  • Must the Christian Keep the Sabbath?

    There are many people who believe the Christian must keep the Sabbath.  It is one of the Ten Commandments and many believe we are under command to keep all the Ten Commandments.  Are they correct?  What does the Bible say about the Sabbath?  Who was to keep it–was it for all men and for all time?  How was it to be kept?  Let us see what the Bible has to say about the matter. The first time one finds the word “Sabbath” in the Bi…

  • Why Men Do Not Believe

    (While this study is meant to be primarily a study of those who reject Christianity on the grounds of disbelief some of what is said would apply equally to those who call themselves Christians but hold to false doctrine in one realm or another.) Paul in writing to the Thessalonians asked the brethren to “pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we may be delivered fro…

  • Though He Slay Me

    The title for this article comes from the Old Testament book of Job, chapter 13 verse 15, where Job makes the statement, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” (NKJV) The story of Job as told in the Old Testament is one of pain, suffering, and sorrow, of the loss of loved ones (sons and daughters), of possessions, of health, and very nearly of hope.  His state got to be such that his wife’s advice was, “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9 NKJV)  De…

  • Things People Do Not Know About the Church

    Christ is to be baptized into his spiritual body (based upon a genuine faith, repentance of sins, and a willingness to confess him with the mouth)–“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” (1 Cor. 12:13)  Baptism is into Christ (Rom. 6:3, Gal. 3:27).  “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” (the words of Jesus–Mark 16:16 NKJV) “But, why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6…

  • Salvation (Becoming a Christian)

    Peter’s Second Gospel Sermon Peter’s Preaching and the Apostle’s Preaching Jesus as the Bread of Life Must a Man Seek God? Jesus and the Furnace of Fire Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You? Indifference – The Great Destroyer God’s Plea–On Christ’s Behalf be Reconciled to God Why You Cannot be Saved like the Thief on the Cross Bible Contradictions on Salvation How Was Noah Saved Through Water? How Doe…

  • Must a Man Seek God?

    Should a man seek God?  Many men and women who if you were to ask them if they believed there is a supreme being we call God would answer in the affirmative and yet they feel no need to seek God.  With them God is God and he is just and good and so he will save them as long as they live what they consider to be a reasonably good life (reasonably good by their own personal standards and society’s standard).  They do not concern themselves w…

  • Indifference – The Great Destroyer

    Indifference is one of the scariest words in the English language for it is a word whose companion is another word called failure. The word indifference refers to an attitude held by a man or woman indicating a lack of zeal or commitment or concern regarding whatever that person is indifferent toward. There are many things a person can be indifferent toward and it does not make the least bit of difference. For example, I am indifferent toward wh…

  • Christian Living

    an Fear God Regrets If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications Work Out Your Own Salvation Behold the Judge is Standing at the Door Looking Down Your Nose He Went Away Grieved Bible Authority, Foot Washing, the Holy Kiss, and Head Coverings King Saul–As Long as it Glorifies God When Did Obedience Become Legalism? Christianity–Who Rules Reason or Emotions? Healing For the Brokenhearted Deeper Spiritual Understanding They Loved the …

  • Abortion Luke 1 – All You Need to Know

    Luke 1 tells you all you need to know about abortion and a woman’s right to choose.  Abortion in politically correct liberal speech is referred to as a choice today but I am far more concerned with scripturally correct speech than I am politically correct speech and I think you ought to be too.  Our concern ought not to be how society views a matter or how those who have gained power view a subject but how God sees it. I remind you that th…

  • Christianity–Who Rules Reason or Emotions?

    A man is either led in life by his reason or his emotions and which makes all the difference in the world.  A life ruled by emotions is a life destined for disaster, a life where reason is always found in the back seat where it cannot be heard over the roar of the engine of emotion as it propels an individual down the road of life. When emotions rule your life everything is done on the basis of feelings with minimal thought being given to truth …

  • Fornication–Take It Lightly at Your Peril

    “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:  adultery, fornication…and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21 NKJV)  One of two things is true today–the world either believes it can treat God with utter contempt or no longer believes in him and his word period.  Man has always had to battle sexual desire …

  • Regrets

    While it would be wonderful to live a life of no regrets there are few if any of us that have or will.  By the time one reaches old age, and generally a long, long time before, one can look back at his life and see things he wishes he had done differently.  These things may relate to about any area of our life.   I think it would do us some good to look back at some of the Bible’s famous men and see if they had any regrets.  By doing so it…

  • The Joy and the Danger of a Clean Conscience

    A good conscience is a wonderful thing to have.  Without it there is no inner peace–only turmoil, anxiety, and restlessness.  Anyone who has ever violated his conscience knows of that which I speak. A bad conscience pricks us continually without let up.  It is the perfect tormentor.  Day and night we suffer from its attacks.  Wherever we go it travels with us.  We cannot lose it.  It is determined to give us no rest or relief. Rest can onl…

  • The Faithfulness of Jesus to God the Father

    Hebrews 3:1-2 reads as follows:  “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him who appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house.” (NKJV) Reading this passage and its surrounding context awhile back got me to thinking about the faithfulness of Jesus.  We seldom think about Jesus being “faithful,” that…

  • The Army of the Lord–the Church

    The army of the Lord is a phrase found only one time in the NKJV of the Bible and that in the Old Testament in Joshua 5:14 where Joshua in the vicinity of Jericho meets up with one who says of himself that he is “Commander of the army of the Lord.” (NKJV)  However, having said that, it is clear from many different New Testament passages that while the church is never called an army it is clearly described as an army in that each Christian is con…

  • Which Denomination Did Jesus Build?

    Years ago I had a lady tell me it was impossible to be just a Christian without being in a denomination.  Did Jesus build a denomination?  Which denomination did Jesus build?  I fear the lady I spoke of above was in grave error those many years ago but she was in a bind.  What do I mean?  Those who are in denominational churches generally all agree that those in other denominations can and will be saved the same as they will be.  Which means wha…

  • Spiritual Mirages

    It is so easy to be misled in life.  Things appear to be a certain way when the reality is they are just the opposite of what they seem to be.  Ask any young man or woman or husband or wife who has been deeply in love and then found out to their utter dismay that the love they felt sure was mutual between them and their beloved was all just an illusion and the object of their affections was in reality ready to dump them.  The first reaction is o…

  • DennySmith.Net

    on site according to WordPress.  Most of the articles if printed out would average 3 pages or more.  Waymon has over 110 audio sermons here.  You may find things here you do not agree with especially if you are one who feels baptism is a non-essential for salvation.  I learned this the hard way by posting my articles on various article directories around the web beginning back in 2008.  Believe me when I say I heard about it.  Nevertheless, I th…

  • Deeper Spiritual Understanding–How do I Acquire It?

    u read from God’s word, all of it for it is not a buffet where you get to pick and choose, or will it be you have no intention of acting on any commandment unless it suits what you think is fitting or proper? The rejection of baptism is rampant in the religious world today as is God’s teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, women in leadership positions in the church, and we are heading to the point where God’s teaching on homosexuality wi…

  • Who is the Believer in John 3:16?

    … Jesus had to be a teacher from God because of the miracles he had been doing.  “No one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” (John 3:2 NKJV)  The reader would do well to open his Bible to John 3 and if you have a red letter edition all the better.  You can readily see this conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus runs from John 3:1-21. John 3:16 has given comfort to many, self included, as it should.  It clearly tea…

  • 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 The C…

  • Diotrephes Loves To Have the Preeminence

    In the third book of John we read about a man by the name of Diotrephes as follows: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.  Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words.  And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.” (3 John 1:9-10 …

  • Keep Your Heart With All Diligence

    If you are like me you were always a little fearful that you were perhaps not normal.  That is to say you have struggled being the person you ought to be and like Eve have desired the forbidden fruit and the thought has come to your mind that that is not normal, not normal for those who want to do what is right.  We get to the point where we question our heart.  Maybe we just have a bad heart.  Maybe we are just a little more depraved than other…

  • The Blessing of Affliction and the Goodness of God

    In the book of Psalms 119, verse 71, there is a passage that has come to have personal meaning to me as I have contemplated it over time and made application to the things that have befallen me.  The Psalmist said, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” (NKJV)  Earlier in the same chapter the writer had said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.” (Psalms 119:67 NKJV) We all learn very early in life that we wi…

  • Assorted

    This page consists of articles that do not fit well into any of the other categories listed on the menu.  Likewise with the audio sermons at the bottom of the page. Christianity and Multiculturalism Christian Wars–A Misnomer Christianity–Who Rules Reason or Emotions? The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications Lincoln’s Tomb and Jesus’ Tomb Abortion Luke 1 – All You …

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

    Sometimes we take it for granted that everyone who calls themselves a Christian holds the New Testament scriptures in as high a regard as we do.  However, that is not the case.  Some, while calling themselves Christians, do not believe in the all sufficiency of the New Testament scriptures to save a man.  They feel man needs more guidance and direction than can be found in the scriptures alone. Questions immediately come to my mind.  If the New …

  • Things God Cannot Do

    The Bible teaches there are things God cannot do.  Why not?  It is certainly not because he is wanting in power or knowledge but it is a matter of who he is, his nature or character.  We can understand that.  There are things you and I could do but our character would never allow it.  I thought it would be good to use an online Bible concordance for the New King James Version and type in the word “cannot” and see what came up.  I was…

  • Children of Israel

    Israel’s Rebellion at the Red Sea Moses, the Waters of Marah, and a Lesson for Today Faith, Manna, and Grumbling Against God Sin in the Desert–Testing God at Massah and Meribah Mt. Sinai and the Day of Judgment Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives The Chastening of the Lord …

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

    The church in the New Testament is described under various appellations the best known perhaps being the family of God.  It is the designation that touches the heart with the greatest force.  We long to be part of a family, to have people that care about us and care how we are doing and who will help us willingly and gladly should we need it, people who do love us.  One of the saddest things one can experience in life, a gut wrenching experience…

  • Three Benefits of Being a Christian in This Life – Hope, Love, Peace

    One thing that is often overlooked is the value of being a Christian and living the Christian life in the here and now, not just for the benefit of the afterlife to come.  There is nothing as important as where you are going to live in eternity but there are enormous benefits to living the Christian life aside from those benefits to come when this life has ended.  I list but three of those benefits here. (1)  Hope When one takes hope away from a…

  • Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation

    Most everyone is willing to concede they desire to go to heaven after this life is over and live there with God eternally versus dying and going to hell “where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’” (Mark 9:48 NKJV)  That is the way we ought to feel and God certainly approves of our desire along that line.  Unfortunately, our desire for heaven and our attitudes while living here on earth are often in con…

  • Bible Authority, Foot Washing, the Holy Kiss, and Head Coverings?

    Does Bible authority matter or is man free to do as he sees fit in the Christian religion?  Most have come to the conclusion today that it does not matter.  The result is that there are more unheard of things going on in Christian worship today than ever before.  You name it and it is being done somewhere.  Every type of special service the mind can imagine (and many that you cannot) is being held.  The idea is that anything we do in worship wit…

  • God’s Hardening of the Human Heart

    …harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.” (Exod. 4:21 NKJV) Why did God do this?  He tells us as he told Pharaoh, “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” (Exod. 9:16 NKJV)  Paul quotes this passage in Rom. 9:17 and then in the very next verse says, “Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He ha…

  • More on Willful Sin—Can Anyone be Saved?

    In July 2008 I posted an article online entitled “Willful Sin – Can Anyone Be Saved?  Heb 10:26-27.”  Within the past couple of weeks I received a comment from a lady who was reading the article for the first time.  She took the position that there was no hope for a person who committed a willful sin after their conversion.  That was the way I read her comment and I was not the only one for not long thereafter another lady commented …

  • God’s Plea–On Christ’s Behalf be Reconciled to God

    The word reconciliation is a very emotionally laden word.  There are millions upon millions of people in this world of billions who have sorrow in their hearts that words cannot express.  It is a sadness that goes with them day by day and night by night, month by month and year by year, and how can they tell anyone about it?  What can they say?  They cannot verbalize the feelings even to themselves let alone to others.  It is a sadness, a depres…

  • Ignorance Does Not Excuse Sin

    God does not consider ignorance an excuse for sin and will not overlook a sin just because you or I were ignorant of the sin when we committed it.  The verse that teaches this is found in Lev. 5:17, “If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.” (NKJV)  (See also Lev. 4:1-2, 13, 22, 27 and Lev. 5:2 and 5:…

  • Hypocrites in the Church

    Are there hypocrites in the church?  Surely, there are some.  Paul dealt with such in his day for he said in 2 Cor. 11:13, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” (NASU)  In Gal. 2:4 he speaks of “false brethren secretly brought in.” (NASU)  Hypocrisy is thus an age old problem and one we will never rid ourselves of in this life. There are hypocrites about everywh…

  • The Pleasures of Sin

    V) There is another passage found in 2 Thess. 2:12 that also teaches there is pleasure in sin.  That text simply speaks of those who will be condemned because they had “pleasure in unrighteousness.” (NKJV) One would be a liar and fully aware of his lie if he was to deny that sin can be pleasurable.  He would know he was lying not only because of what the word of God has said about it in the passages above but also from his own personal life exper…

  • A Heart Right With God (Test Your Heart)

    In Acts 8:21 Peter uttered the following words to Simon who was in his company, “Your heart is not right in the sight of God.” (NKJV)  How important it is that the heart be right with God.  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8 NKJV)  Simon could not be saved without a change of heart.  It is imperative that we know all we can about the human heart of which the Bible speaks and which we each possess.  Knowing the he…

  • Acceptable Prayer

    When a person runs into trouble in his or her life they are often counseled to pray.  That is usually one of the very first things that is done and most certainly we ought to turn to God in our times of trouble.  James says, “Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.” (James 5:13 NAS)  The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grac…