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

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• Why Men Do Not Believe

  dly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.” (2 Thess. 3:2 NAS) The question I want to deal with in this article is why do men not believe?  This is a question that has bothered me over the years for it seems to me only natural to believe.  Yet, I cannot deny what is obvious to all just as Paul said, “not all have faith.”  What does the Bibl…

• They Loved the Praise of Men

  …, in trouble with the Lord and Savior. In studying the subject of why faith fails we find an account of a group of men who had this very problem–the desire for the praise of men. “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:42-43, NKJV) Sometimes we want to …

• 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…

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

  That the gospel of Christ must be believed (as well as obeyed) in order to receive Christian salvation is made abundantly clear by the apostle Paul in one of the best known passages found in the Bible–Rom. 1:16:  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16 NAS)  It thus becomes essential that we learn what it is that …

• Does God Really Care?

  tainly a definition of suffering.  Isaiah says, in Isaiah 53:3, in reference to Jesus, that he was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (NKJV) We too must suffer.  I would like to read a paraphrase that I believe to be accurate in terms of expressing the meaning of Rom. 8:17 from the New Living Translation.  “And since we are his children, we are his heirs.  In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glor…

• 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…

• One Church—A Thing Hard to Accept

  Many Americans can remember years ago when O. J. Simpson was arrested and put on trial for the murder of his ex-wife and Ron Goldman.  I remember a comment I heard on TV at the time that simply astounded me.  One lady that was being interviewed, for what reason I no longer recall, made the comment that if she had seen O. J. commit the murder with her owns eyes she would not believe it.  I guess her idea was that she could not trust herself, she …

• Repent–How Hard It Is To Do

  It is hard to repent, no doubt about it.  I remember the comment made by a well known preacher of the nineteenth century that the hardest thing there was to do was to get men to repent.  By contrast it was easy to get men to believe.  He considered his greatest failure was 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 b…

• Non-Offensive Christianity

  …#8221; (Rom. 12:18 NKJV).  How is it then when it is the Christian’s desire to be non-offensive to others and he/she has good character that the Christian ends up offending so many? The answer lies in what the Christian believes.  The very fact the Christian believes what he does is offensive to many.  To whom you might ask?  To those who believe otherwise—to the Islamist, to the atheist, to the secularist, to the communist, to those who wi…

• Jesus’ Baptism and You?

  tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John, where was it from?  From heaven or from men?’  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us ‘Why then did you not believe him?’  ‘But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.’” Jesus is saying John’s baptism has to be either from God or from man, which was it?  Jesus knew it was from God and was bap…

• The Kind of Faith in God That Destroys

  There is a faith, a so called Christian faith, which destroys.  Those who hold such a faith, while sincere, do not understand faith from a scriptural point of view.  Faith is all too often defined as “what I believe.”  There is more to saving faith than just believing in Jesus, believing he is the Son of God. If faith alone, defined as what one believes, could save by itself then even the demons could be saved for James says, “…

• Disobedience to Jesus

  n out of men’s lives the sense of any kind of responsibility to obey God other than mentally assenting to the son ship of Jesus.  Disobedience to Jesus is thus not considered a sin that will damn you just as long as you believe. What does the Bible have to say on the subject?  In John 3:36 we find this passage, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides…

• 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 …

• Demas Has Forsaken Me

  and fall away then any man can, every man can, and so the threat is real.  And threat it is for to fall away is to be eternally lost if we do not repent. Can you and I learn anything from the life of Demas worth our while?  I believe we can. Paul says Demas loved the present world.  John says, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world.  If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15 NAS)  The greatest ba…

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

  ave not listened to my voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned me see it.” (NASB) Men only test God, or attempt to, when they lack faith, when they do not believe.  When a student takes a test in school it is an attempt on the part of the teacher to see if that student measures up to a set standard.  If we already knew he did (had knowledge of that) then we would not bother te…

• Which Denomination Did Jesus Build?

  take the position this woman took.  Jesus is “the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23 NKJV) and the body is his body, the church. (Eph. 1:22-23)  That is the very thing your denomination can never admit to being if you believe others in other denominations can and will be saved. Think about that long and hard.  You can never admit your group is the body of Christ, the church Jesus built.  Is there something wrong here?  Why would anyone wa…

• The Christian, Politics, and the Government

  ing in a democracy and having been given the right to vote I feel I have the duty to go vote even if it means for the lesser of two evils so to speak.  Beyond that I think I need to leave it with God for my soul’s sake. If we believe God is still an active God in the affairs of man (I believe the Bible teaches he is) then he is going to work it all out eventually in the way that is in accord with his will and righteous nature.  Yes, that may mean…

• Walk in Truth—the Joy of John the Apostle

  The Bible is a troublesome book.  It is full of things men do not want to believe and often want even less to obey.  The thing that makes it most troublesome is that it just will not go away.  It is always there to bother the mind and the conscience.  Worse yet you cannot get it to read any differently in this enlightened high tech computer age in which we live than it did 200 years ago when in this country people were still living a primitive l…

• Ashamed of Jesus and His Words

  think a little deeper about the matter.  Is Jesus just talking about our mental state of mind when he gives this warning against being ashamed of him?  I think not. Jesus made another statement found in Matt. 10:32-33 that I believe ties in with the Luke 9 passage just quoted above.  He says, “Everyone therefore who shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my father who is in heaven.  But whoever shall deny me before men…

• 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…

• 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…

• 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…

• Who is the Believer in John 3:16?

  Sometimes things that are the most obvious are also the easiest to overlook.  No passage in the Bible is better known nor been memorized more than Jesus’ statement in John 3:16, “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.” (NKJV)  This was part of a conversation that Jesus was having with a man named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who …

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

  …aved today by animal sacrifice, by worshipping as they worshipped, by observing Jewish festivals, etc.. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17).  Where there is no word from God there can be no faith.  Yes, people believe it is okay to use instruments of music in Christian worship but their belief is not based on the word of God and thus is not faith as defined by the word of God (Rom. 10:17); faith based on the word of God demands wo…

• Jesus Defines Repentance

  described as a wicked city (Jonah 1:2) to which God sent Jonah in order to give them the message that in 40 days Nineveh would be overthrown (Jonah 3:4).  Now note the first response to this message. “So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.” (Jonah 3:5 NKJV)  Now belief is not repentance but it is a prerequisite to it.  Where there is no belief there will be no repent…

• The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept

  “all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”  (2 Tim. 2:10 NKJV)  A teacher might say to a Bible class “raise your hand if you believe salvation is found outside Christ.”  Would you raise your hand or would you accept what Paul said about it?  Paul said salvation is “in Christ.” Well, how does one enter Christ?  Paul says elsewhere…

• The Mysterious Eloquent Evangelist

  e and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he helped greatly those who had believed through grace; for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.” The first great mystery is how could this man have been instructed in the way of the L…

• The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer

  you and your household.” (Acts 16:31 NAS)  This was a statement that needed clarification calling for preaching.  What does it mean to “believe in the Lord Jesus”?  The jailer needed to know.  What was to be believed?  He was receptive if he could only learn what it was he was to believe.  Verse 32 indicates that Paul and Silas did speak “the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.” (Acts 16:…

• Finding Truth in Divided Christendom

  th is.  Many no longer think it is possible to know the truth in any absolute sense.  It is just a matter of individual opinion is a common thought.  Consequently, it is not unusual to hear sentiments like just as long as you believe in Jesus and are sincere that is all that matters and any church will do, just find the church of your choice. It is easy enough for the sincere seeker after truth to just throw up his/her hands in despair and give u…

• Resource Sites

  ook of sermons that can still be purchased entitled, The Gospel Preacher, Vol. I by Benjamin Franklin.  This one sermon book may well have had more influence on me than any other that I have ever read and I have read many.  I believe the book of sermons, of which this sermon was one of twenty, was first published in 1869.  In any case it is free online now at:  http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/bfranklin/tgp1/TGP00.HTM.) The Audio Sermons of B…

• What Is Baptism (the Sprinkling Hoax)

  , find out that what I have said is the truth, and yet it will not make one bit of difference in their view of the subject if they have by tradition had sprinkling handed down to them in their particular faith.  We confess we believe in the Bible.  We also ought to confess that we believe in a lot of other things too, namely, man’s additions to it.  It reminds me a lot of the Jews in the days of Jesus.  They professed that they were abiding…

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

  defines reason. The atheist, the evolutionist, all non-believers have staked their eternal well being on their thesis that Christ did not rise from the dead.  Thus the faith of the non-believers and the faith of those who do believe both revolve around the matter of the resurrection (did it or did it not occur).  If it occurred there is a God in heaven and Jesus is his Son, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. The Bible itself teaches th…

• The Church Christ Built–Marks of Identification

  … translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.” (NKJV) Peter used the keys of the kingdom (the keys being the gospel message with its requirements) on the day of Pentecost.  When the 3,000 that day heard the message, believed it, repented of their sins (as instructed to do–Acts 2:38), and were baptized for the forgiveness of sins (as instructed to do–Acts 2:38) they were then translated into the kingdom of God by God himself….

• Honestly Deceived

  …:8-9 NASB) We have a sincere and honest man seeking to do God’s will and apparently trying his best and yet he is struck down by God for what many of us would be inclined to see as an honest error.  Was it an honest error?  I believe the man of God thought that was the case.  He had been lied to and that by another man of God.  From a human point of view it is certainly easy to understand why the man from Judah did as he did. Why did God strike t…

• A New Creation in Christ

  on, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.” (Rom. 6:2-8 NKJV) Where and when does a man die with Jesus (2 Tim. 2:11)?  Paul said in the Roman passage just quoted that when we were baptized we were baptized into Jesus…

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

  nd us and let us handle this we will take care of it.  Yes, maybe you had it right once but you have grown old and we are young and our intellects are sharp and it is a new day. We are so arrogant that sometimes it is hard to believe.  Maybe we ought to call this the Age of Arrogance.  We would prefer to call it something like the Age of Enlightenment but if memory serves me correct that appellation has already been taken.  Oh, well, maybe we can…

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

  …reader should not make more of what I have said than what I stated for I do not mean to imply this is a common practice but if it is found even once it is once too often.  Every congregation is different and the whole body of believers should never be judged on the basis of what one might find in a particular location.  Do we think it would be fair to judge all of the congregations that belong to Christ based on the church of Sardis as described …

• Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives

  passage stating that God either had given the children of Israel the land of Canaan or would do so. But if it is a gift from God freely given then surely there is nothing the children of Israel must do to obtain it other than believe is there?  The way people think today, if they were to be consistent, they would have to answer “no there is not.”  They will not do that for they know their Old Testament history well enough to know that while God h…

• If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications

  …e a charlatan?  Why should I give him the time of day? People speak of blind faith.  The kind of faith the Bible demands of men is not blind faith but faith built upon reason based on the word of God confirmed by miracles.  I believe not because I am naive and will believe anything and will buy bridges in deserts but rather because God said, “come now, and let us reason together.” (Isa. 1:18 NKJV)  I have done that–reasoning bas…

• Ways into Christ–How Many Ways Are There?

  ions as we find them in Acts?  In Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost when the first gospel sermon was preached that was ever preached and that by inspiration of the apostle Peter (thus God speaking through Peter) people were made believers.  Were they saved?  God did not consider them saved for his command to them through Peter 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)  …

• 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 …

• Why Do Men Run From God?

  at all) in which they did at least some things which cannot be found in the New Testament of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, things that sprang up in some man’s mind once upon a time and that was taken up by a body of believers and has been handed down by tradition through the years as if it came from Jesus’ own mouth.  They placed God’s stamp of approval on those things without a single word from God voicing his approval.  Th…

• Regrets

  e.  We think to ourselves if I had just done this or that differently.  We blame ourselves.  I failed my child or my children. I do not claim Samuel sinned in the way he raised his family for I have no way of knowing but I do believe every parent will blame himself or herself, at least to an extent, and have regrets.  When one looks back in time there were a number of great men of God who could not have qualified to be an elder in the church in t…

• Lessons for the Church from Isaiah (Chapter 1)

  …and I will raise him up at the last day.  It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’  Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” (John 6:44-45 NKJV) However, I do not believe Isaiah is talking about an ignorance of God like I might have an ignorance of chemistry or of physics but rather a rejection of him based on the idea that things do not matter to God.  They had gradually, and it seem…

• The Cleansing of the Church at Ephesus

  Many believe the church at Ephesus (the church being the membership) was cleansed from sin by faith based on the teachings of their denomination and the famous Ephesian passage found in chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (NAS)  Many, many passages of the New Testament teach that salvation is a matter of …

• Better to Never Have Been Born–Why?

  Jesus in reference to his betrayer Judas said, “It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” (Matt. 26:24 ESV)  Most of us who believe the Bible can understand what Jesus said and why as it pertains to Judas and if we could leave it at that we could rest in peace.  Why then does such a statement torment us? The answer is because we know the truth to be that any man or woman whether it is our mother or dad, our wif…

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

  …se to be the body of the saved?  “He is the Savior of the body.” (Eph. 5:23 NKJV)  The body is his spiritual body, his church, “He is the head of the body, the church.” (Col. 1:18 NKJV)  The Lord adds us to the church when we believe and obey the gospel (Acts 2:47).  Paul says of Christians, “you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (1 Cor. 12:27 NKJV) But it is now said that that is not enough–if the lady was correct.  Now to…

• Mt. Sinai and the Day of Judgment

  t I want to talk about.  Moses returns with the words of the people to the Lord.  The Lord then says to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.” (Ex. 19:9 NASB)  All Bible students are well aware this will be the time when God descends on Mt. Sinai in view of the people though he will be hidden in a cloud.  “On the third day (afte…

• The Silence of the Scriptures

  eaning of the word “truth” itself.  Pilate asked the question of Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38 NKJV)  Had he of listened carefully to what Jesus told him just prior to his question and would have believed what Jesus said he would not have needed to ask the question.  Hear Jesus in the verse just prior to verse 38, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into …

• 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…

• Healing For the Brokenhearted

  …e.  We are put in a position where we cannot act in a proactive way for we have lost that power.  Events have overwhelmed us.  We need outside help. What can God do?  We might respond what is there that God cannot do?  Do you believe God can and does intervene in the affairs of men?  If he does not why then do you pray? Let me quote a passage to you from Psalms 34:15-19 (NASU), “The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are…

• The Faith of Enoch

  indeed spoke them as a prophet.  His faith was in God by means of what God spoke to him which is to say as Paul said “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17 NKJV)  God spoke and Enoch believed.  Without word from God Enoch could only have known that God existed, that he had great power, knowledge, and understanding. But we can learn even more from the few scriptures we have on Enoch.  It is said Enoch ple…

• Who Governs the Church if We Follow the Bible?

  .  In Acts 14:23 when Paul and Barnabas were on their first missionary journey the text says, “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (NKJV) Paul wrote to Titus, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.” (Titus 1:5 NKJV) …

• 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…

• 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 …

• Jesus the Foundation of and the Builder of the Church

  Christ, the Son of the living God,” (Matt. 16:16 NKJV) is the rock Jesus built the church on (Matt. 16:18 NKJV) Catholic doctrine to the contrary notwithstanding.  No one can enter the church built by Jesus who does not believe this foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. Jesus is described by Peter as a living stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious (1 Peter 2:4).  He goes on a couple of verses later to say, “it is…

• Christian Wars–A Misnomer

  u have ever read your New Testament you know these things are true.  Do you really think a true Christian could call for such wars and true Christians answer the call to arms for such wars?  Let us go kill the pagans.  Do you believe that? You might subdue by force of arms those of another religion but you could not convert them that way, not to Christianity.  One can only become a Christian by genuine faith and sincerity of heart.  Force of arms…

• How Does One Get Into the Church Christ Built?

  oes mean, however, that you must be in the church to be saved for that is where those who will be saved are placed by God. Upon hearing the gospel before one can be added to the church, before God will do the adding, one must believe what he has heard.  Paul defines the gospel by which we are saved if we believe in 1 Cor. 15:3-4, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:  that Christ died for our sins according to the scrip…

• Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith)

  give Saul?  Most certainly!  Paul later says, “But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Tim. 1:16 NLT)  The NLT (New Living Translation) is not a literal translation but I believe it is an accurate rendition of the meaning of this verse and makes it easy to und…

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

  …the waters were parted for the children of Israel but collapsed on the Egyptians and the children of Israel should have seen God’s determination to hold fast to his promise to them. Why then would the children of Israel believe that God would allow them to perish for want of water after seeing all he had already done on their behalf?  Did they not believe in God?  Did they not trust him after all they had both seen and heard?  According to …

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

  Eph. 6:9, Col. 3:25), and teaches us that it is a sin to show partiality (James 2:9), then God did the very thing in converting Lydia that he says, through his word, that he does not do and that he condemns in us.  None of us believe that.  Lydia’s heart was opened by God’s word in the same natural way yours and mine is.  For example, all of us have read passages in the Bible that condemns us in something we have done at one time or a…

• Faith and Baptism in Paul’s Preaching

  use.  And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.  And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.” (Acts 16:31-34 NAS) Did Paul preach faith in Jesus?  We know he did.  Did he preach baptism as a part of faith in Jesus?  We know he did.  Again, if Paul did not preach baptis…

• The Need to Preach on Sin

  There is a great need to preach on sin today.  I am not at all sure that sin is any worse or more prevalent today than in generations gone by for one can go back in history and find unimaginable sin.  Human sacrifice, cannibalism, idol worship, all forms of sexual debauchery, witchcraft, mass murderers (think Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot), you name it and you can find it in the history of the sins of mankind.  History teaches us just how bad man…

• The Parable of the Talents–the Sin of Fear

  epared to go on a long journey back in the days when that meant he would be gone a long time.  He being a man of means and needing to keep affairs at home going while he was gone divided his goods up among 3 servants.  He did not divide evenly but gave each what he thought he could reasonably be expected to succeed with.  Upon his return home after returning from “a far country,” as the Bible calls it, the servants were called in to g…

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

  e them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.” (Matt. 20:12 NKJV) It is easy to read this account and at first impulse feel that indeed the earliest workers were mistreated.  We have all been raised to believe in the concept of quid pro quo, so much money for so much work, pay based on the amount of work done, the more work the more money.  The last workers in this parable did not do equal work, far less, yet received equa…

• Bible Contradictions on Salvation?

  If we believe the Bible is the word of God why do we often interpret it in a way that makes it contradict itself?  Truth is harmonious or else it’s not truth and cannot be.  Jesus says of God’s word, “your word is truth.” (John 17:17)  It does not oppose itself when properly interpreted. Martin Luther was persuaded he had found contradiction in the Bible between what Paul wrote in Romans about salvation being by faith ver…

• 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 …

• How Does the Blood of Jesus and Baptism Tie Together

  I know of no one who claims to be a Christian but what believes we are saved by the blood of Jesus.  All believe that for the Bible clearly teaches it stating it plainly, “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Eph 1:7 NKJV)  There are very few, however, who realize where God has placed that blood spiritually speaking.  Christianity is a religion of the spirit.  No man is saved by coming into physical contac…

• He Feared

  keeping us from going there is faithful obedience we will be faithful.  Sin is a direct result of a weak faith.  We some how convince ourselves that we can disobey God and yet be saved which is another way of saying we do not believe what God has said.  To quote the Hebrew writer, speaking of Jesus, “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” (Hebrews 5:9 NKJV)  We either believe that or we do not. But who was the man whose f…

• Saved by Jesus Outside the Church?

  erds, and overseers (all one and the same referring to the same men and the same work).  How does the man who claims to be saved by “a personal relationship with Jesus” separate and apart from an organized body of believers (a congregation) obey the injunction given him to obey and be submissive (Heb. 13:7)?  By refusing to join in with fellow disciples in such a body he separates himself from them and disobeys God. The truth is every…

• The Conscience as a Witness

  …s well as all others who involved themselves in such doings. Just because one has been taught from childhood a thing is right and has accepted it as fact does not mean there is truth in the doctrine one was taught and came to believe.  A conscience can be trained in error just as easily as in righteousness for the conscience itself is unable to determine truth from error.  It acts like a computer in the sense that it can do no more nor less than …

• Christianity and Multiculturalism

  be taken into all the world and preached to every creature is clearly taught in the Great Commission.  “And he (Jesus–DS) said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’” (Mark 16:15-16 NKJV)  God is “the Savior of all men” (1 Tim. 4:10 NKJV), not just the Savior of one nationality…

• 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 …

• He Went Away Grieved

  xtremely rich” (Luke 18:23 NAS).  He was a rich young ruler with probably a long life ahead of him. This young man had a lot of good qualities.  He was deeply interested in spiritual matters, he sought Jesus out, he seemed to believe in him, and Mark tells us that “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.” (Mark 10:21, NKJV)  There is every indication that he was a moral youth and one who had respect for authority.  He ran to Jesus, he didn’t walk he ra…

• Faith is Not Just What You Believe

  saves is thus a working faith, a faith that leads to action, to doing, to be specific it is a faith that obeys.  So many emphasize faith and grace to the extent that works (obedience) is discounted.  Who needs to obey?  Just believe is the cry.  That is not what Jesus taught. Jesus taught that a failure to obey was a failure to love.  Hear Jesus, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15 NKJV)  “He who has My commandments and kee…

• Peter’s Preaching and the Apostle’s Preaching

  is does it have to be when it is clearly implied?  For that 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…

• Israel’s Rebellion at the Red Sea

  e being poured on the ground and becoming blood.  The snake when picked up by the tail became a staff again and the hand placed into the cloak after becoming leprous was returned healthy.  The Bible says, “So the people believed.” (Ex. 4:31 NKJV) However, when Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh requesting he let the children of Israel go it seems it made Pharaoh angry and he increased greatly the work load on the Israelites.  Furtherm…

• Hypocrites in the Church

  e are hypocrites about everywhere you look so why be surprised or shocked to find some in the church?  There is a good chance you work with one or more hypocrites–a man or woman who claims to be laboring but simply does not in reality do the job that he or she was hired to do.  They are slackers on the job but the pretense is that they work hard. There are men who are pretending to be husbands but are not, women pretending to be wives but a…

• Is Holy Spirit Baptism The Baptism That Saves?

    Did he preach baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) “beginning at Jerusalem”?  Yes, he did.  My critic denies it is necessary to preach what Peter did “beginning at Jerusalem” for he does not believe what Peter through the Holy Spirit said that day (at least as it relates to us today).   He would then, if he was to preach, have to preach something other than what Peter did “beginning at Jerusalem.”   …

• Fools, Speech, and Christianity

  …g.  You and I know what the English meaning of the English word fool is without being told but is that what the Greek meant and that is the debated question. Most of the old commentators I consulted (Barnes, Clarke, and Gill) believe it means a wicked reprobate man.  Gill says, “The word ‘fool’ does not signify a man of weak parts, one that is very ignorant in things natural; this the word Raca imports; but a wicked reprobate ma…

• God’s Hardening of the Human Heart

  hat plague it was Pharaoh who hardened his own heart. John 12:37-40 is a New Testament passage on this subject that has caused some people some problems: “But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,   that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: ‘Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?’   Therefore they could not believ…

• God’s Willingness to Forgive–King Manasseh

  ut is an attitude, an attitude of recklessness and carelessness, an attitude of almost indifference to righteousness, an attitude of no real commitment to battle sin.  Just do it and then ask God to forgive and all is well. I believe the Bible teaches that a man might commit the same sin over many, many times and God would still forgive him provided his attitude was right, the sorrow genuine, and the repentance from the depths of the heart each t…

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

  e personal sin. But I really think he wants to condemn all braided hair or arranging of the hair, all pearls, or gold.  In other words unless you let your hair go wild as he sees it you have abandoned this passage, you do not believe it, and thus you are no better than he is in that you too just do what you want to do in religion and thus he has justified himself.  He wants us all in the same boat he is in (I think it may have a leak).  If you we…

• Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter

  honored by those who proclaimed faith in God and belief in Christ as the Son of God.  Today, however, men who claim Christianity pretty much just ignore his sermon that day for they do not like what he said and they no longer believe it. Peter was given the keys of the kingdom of heaven by Jesus himself in Matt. 16:19, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whateve…

• How Was Noah Saved Through Water?

  …asize too much the teaching of this text.  That said it goes against almost everything that men today have to say about grace.  Grace today, as men see it, means you need do nothing at all toward your own salvation other than believe in Jesus.  If more was required of you that would be, so they reason, salvation by works. How did God show Noah grace?  Was it not by telling him what was going to happen (judgment was to befall the inhabitants of th…

• Faith, Works, and Baptism

  Many are the men and women who believe that since the Bible teaches justification by faith (Rom. 5:1) and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5) that baptism is excluded as an act essential to salvation despite many passages that teach the contrary (Acts 2:38, 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21, Titus 3:5, Eph. 5:26, 1 Cor. 12:13 compared with Eph. 5:23, John 3:5, Gal. 3:26-27, etc.).  They are greatly mistaken. In the first place the Bible clearly teaches that …

• Cornelius’ Conversion–Final Thoughts

  The idea is in vogue in some quarters that Cornelius was saved when the Holy Spirit fell upon him (Acts 10:44) without any further action on his part.  One of the verses used to support this idea is 1 John 4:13, “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” (NKJV)  So, it is said that settles it. I went to take a look at that verse and read it in context.  Now understand I believe the Sp…

• Confirmation Sunday–No Bibles Required

  …much Bible authority to baptize him as there is an infant who can know no more than Tator does about what is going on and why.  The Bible says, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 NKJV)  The infant can clearly not go to God in faith or act by faith nor does he/she need to as one is accountable for sin onl…

• Without Natural Affection and Covenant Breakers

  … teaches.  I refer to 1 Tim. 1:16 where Paul says, “But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.  Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” (NLT) It is not a matter of saying I was just born without it, without natural affection, what can I do?  We are the way we are because of attitudes we have developed over time.  Sau…

• 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

  There are many who believe beyond doubt that Cornelius was saved at the time the Holy Spirit came upon him and his household.  It is a topic that ought to be discussed.  While I have written once before on this subject more needs to be said as there has been some objection to what was written.  I know of no person who claims to be a Christian who would deny the fact that the very first gospel sermon ever preached after Christ’s death, buri…

• Looking Down Your Nose

  Looking back on it yes I did.  Showing partiality is a two way street.  In rare circumstances it may be the poorer one who proves to be guilty. But, while the text from James is using economic well being as an example, do you believe the command is limited to monetary matters?  Have people never shown partiality by race, sex, age, looks, social skills, or the lack thereof? Kids are often embarrassed by parents and sometimes would like to hide the…

• Spiritual Mirages

  … to Egypt to dwell there. They shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. And none of them shall remain or escape from the disaster that I will bring upon them.‘” (Jer. 42:15-17 NKJV) The people did not believe Jeremiah, accused him of lying (Jer. 43:2), and left for Egypt dragging Jeremiah along with them.  Once there they continued their idol worship (Jer. 44:8) and continued ignoring Jeremiah’s prophetic warnings (…

• Behold the Judge is Standing at the Door

  (Heb. 4:13 NKJV) What I have written so far I have written both to the saint (the Christian) and to the sinner (the one who has never obeyed the gospel).  But, I want to direct my words now to those who are Christians or who believe they are but are smug in the idea that there is no need to be overly concerned about their salvation just kind of taking it for granted.  Be forewarned, “The Lord will judge his people.” (Heb. 10:30 NKJV)…

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

  …gospel being made known to all nations with the purpose being “obedience of faith.” (Rom. 16:26 NAS) Obedience of faith is simply the obedience that grows out of or is the result of faith.  No man obeys God who does not first believe God.  Without faith there is no motivation for obedience.  Where there is no faith the natural man prevails–our fleshly human nature.  We do that which pleases us without thought of God. Faith is always the fir…

• 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…

• 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…

• For By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith Alone

  No, Eph. 2:8-9 does not read that way but that is the way most seem to want to read it.  Let me quote the verses for you from the New King James version. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” There is no believer in his right mind who would discount the grace of God in man’s salvation.  You do not believe you deserve to be sav…

• Faith in the New Testament–Different Meanings

  … in Vine’s dictionary I found the Greek word behind it to be “pistis.”  Vine says the word means, depending on the passage in which it is being used, (a) trust (b) trustworthiness or faithfulness (c) what is believed, the contents of belief (d) the grounds for faith, assurance and (d) a pledge of fidelity.  He gives scriptural references for each of these usages. If I was to stop this article now and go no further with it than I…

• Pray For Others Lest You Sin

  Is it a sin to not pray for others?  When we think of sin I am sure a failure to pray for others does not come immediately to mind like say robbery, murder, adultery,  lying, and the list goes on of the more notorious sins.  Yet, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 12, verse 23, we read this statement from Samuel spoken to the children of Israel:  “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you….

• Fear God

  een, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household.”  (Heb. 11:7 NKJV)  You can interpret that any way you want but what I get out of it is that Noah was afraid not to build the ark.  Why?  Because he believed God. A man who believes God today concerning what he has had to say about the judgment to come and eternal punishment and orders his life accordingly will simply be following in the footsteps of Noah who acted out o…

• Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

  salvation.  Peter did not tell them there is nothing you can do; there is no preparation a man can make to meet God in judgment.  We know he did not tell them that but rather gave them an answer.  The sermon had already made believers out of them so he says nothing about faith but says, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38 NKJV) In further proof of this point…

• Weak, Defiled, and Seared Consciences

  …God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons.” (1 Cor. 10:20 ASV)  When a pagan idolater was taught the truth and converted to Christianity his views changed.  He was no longer an idolater, no longer a believer in idolatrous gods, but still he remained susceptible to the call of his past.  It was certainly possible for him to turn again and go back to idolatry.  The Bible talks of various degrees of faith.  There is little…

• Things God Cannot Do

  s eternal life.  What a joyous thought and hope. But, we must also remember that when we are being told that God cannot lie it pertains to everything God has said.  We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Bible we want to believe and obey.  God cannot lie about anything he has said.  If he has given a commandment you or I do not like we have to remember God was not lying when he gave us the commandment.  He meant for it to be kept and obeyed….

• 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…

• Abuse of the Old Testament

  e can buy also include as an addition the books of Psalms and Proverbs.  They are books that are often consulted by men today and rightly so. I have said many good and true things in praise of the Old Testament scriptures.  I believe everything I have said has been scriptural and so much so that I do not believe anyone who calls himself a Christian would disagree with me to this point. We have now come to the time in this article where we need to…

• Christian Circumcision

  …hrist.” (NKJV)  Baptism is “the answer of a good conscience toward God” thus a matter of the heart.  Let us take a look at some examples showing this. On the Day of Pentecost when Peter required of those who believed to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) if you were a believer could you have turned your back and walked away and said I am a believer and I can have a good conscience (a good heart) while d…

• The Prodigal Son–When He Came to Himself

  light of the things they saw and experienced with Jesus.  They appear to have lost all reason and common sense.  Miracle after miracle, miracles that cannot be denied, are performed before their very eyes and yet they cannot believe.  He raises Lazarus from the tomb, from death to life, after he has been dead 4 days (John 11:39).  How is that possible? When he performs all these miracles it is obvious God is with him.  Nicodemus says, “Rabbi, we…

• Deeper Spiritual Understanding–How do I Acquire It?

  A person who is a sincere Christian, a true believer from the depths of his/her heart, is a person who hungers and thirsts for righteousness (Matt. 5:6) desiring deeper spiritual understanding.  There is always a desire to know more and understand better.  There is an inner longing to draw nearer to God and feel closer to him and so the way is sought to do so. But the question is how do I do this or accomplish this which I so desire?  If I just …

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

  , about killing animals in those early days of man’s existence on earth.  Thus for Abel to take this bold step God must have revealed to him that it was okay to do so. We are thus at the point where we (should I say I?) believe God gave directions for making offerings/sacrifices.  I think this can be further confirmed by a passage found in the New Testament–Rom. 10:17.  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of…

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

  ve that long) and when you get there you will know about the need for hope. “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” (1 Thess. 4:13-14 NKJV)  The Christian lives “in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before …

• Indifference – The Great Destroyer

  is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him,” (Heb. 11:6 NKJV) the very thing the indifferent will not do. No need to study the Bible. God is love. God is grace. God is going to save everyone no matter what he or she believes or practices just as long as he believes that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world and that in the most abstract sort of way. Attend services wherever you so desire, no matter what they teach or practice,…

• Faith, Manna, and Grumbling Against God

  h to gather (Ex. 16:27) even though none was to found and they had been told ahead of time this was not to be done.  That is why they collected double the amount on the day prior to the Sabbath. The children of Israel neither believed God nor obeyed him.  Why go out on the Sabbath to gather when you have been told by God’s spokesperson, “on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none?” (Ex. 16:26 NASB)  Would you go out if …

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

  ber of things given in the Bible by which we are sanctified will you cast aside as of no account on your own authority?  Will it be the washing of water?  If so it is on your own authority.  The wise man says if God said it I believe it and it is essential to believe and obey to the very best of one’s ability.  We do not have an option of picking and choosing.  We cannot legislate for God.  Can you be sanctified without the washing of water…

• 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…

• Repentance–How Can I Be Sure?

  as 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, not one.” (Rom. 3:9-10 NKJV)  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23 NKJV)  Repentance is repentance of and from sin against God. Well, if I am commanded to repent on the penalty of repent or pe…

• Gospel Obedience at Corinth

  …od question deserving a response.  We know Paul preached baptism at Corinth.  How do we know?  In Acts 18:8 we find the result of Paul’s preaching at Corinth.  The text says, “Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.” (Acts 18:8 NAS)  I stop here and ask a question.  If Paul was not preaching baptism at Corint…

• What Does the Phrase “My Name” Mean in the Bible?

  ecause of my name.”  Because of me, “my name” stands for the person. Mark 16:17 is an example where the phrase means by my authority (authority carries with it the idea of power).  Jesus is there speaking of believers and says, “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in my name they will cast out demons…” (NASU) I want to take a look before closing at the passages that aroused my interest resulting in th…

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

  NAS)   It was necessary for Peter to complete that message which included baptism.  But let us look at it from another point of view.  What if Cornelius had told Peter “no thanks I have been saved by faith and grace.  I believe in Jesus.  I think I will just pass on the baptism.”  Would he have been saved?  Many preach today that he would have for the gospel they preach has no water in it unlike Peter’s gospel.  He would not hav…

• The Faithfulness of Jesus to God the Father

  …rasted with the unfaithfulness of the Israelites who left Egypt led by Moses as they headed to the Promised Land.  They did not enter into the Promised Land because they did not obey and they did not obey because they did not believe (Heb. 3:18-19).  The warning given to the Hebrews then living, to whom the writer of Hebrews was writing, was not to “fall after the same example of disobedience.” (Heb. 4:11 NKJV)   Disobedience is unfai…

• King Saul–As Long as It Glorifies God

  …” in the NIV.  The meaning seems to be that Saul was determined to do his will rather than God’s.  Would he dare do it?  He did but why?  Surely he had some fear of God. It seems Saul had the same idea many men have today who believe they are pleasing God all the while clearly being disobedient to his word.  They consider themselves godly men and would defend themselves as Saul did before Samuel, at least as long as he could. (1 Sam. 15:20-21)  T…

• A Heart Right With God (Test Your Heart)

  ed and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:13 NKJV) There is no use trying to think about hiding your innermost thoughts, feelings, or desires from God.  You can lie to God but you cannot get him to believe it no more than Ananias and Sapphira could in Acts 5.  He cannot be fooled.  God sees right through a man even when a man “deceives his own heart” (James 1:26 NKJV) and yes, a man can fool himself.  “All the ways of …

• Philip Preaching the Gospel in Samaria

  “But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.” (Acts 8:12 NAS) It would be good to read an earlier article on this web site from an earlier time in the book of Acts, an article entitled, “Receiving the Gospel–Acts 2:41,” as Acts 8:12 is pretty much a parallel passage teaching the same thing as Acts 2:41.  …

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

  really does not mean what it seems to be saying) and you could not get them to do it.  I was generous in making that statement.  I said most.  I should have said nearly 100 percent.  They do not preach it because they do not believe there is a single ounce of water in a man’s salvation despite John 3:5 and the very words of Jesus.  This means they cannot preach what Peter did. We ought to go with the man with the keys rather than with thos…

• 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…

• Christ Did Not Send Paul to Baptize

  his household (Acts 16:29-33).    Why if Paul felt baptism was unnecessary did he teach baptism in Rom. 6:1-7, 1 Cor. 6:11, 1 Cor. 12:13, Gal. 3:26-27, Eph. 5:25-26, Col. 2:11-12, Titus 3:5, and if Paul wrote Hebrews as many believe he did in Heb. 10:22?  If baptism does not matter and Paul did not care whether people were baptized or not then why was Paul baptized?  Was more required of Paul than anyone else in becoming a Christian?  The comman…

• More on Willful Sin—Can Anyone be Saved?

  every commentator will tell you that the passage has reference to one whose intent is to leave the faith altogether.  He willfully chooses to go another direction.  I do not think this person is one who necessarily ceases to believe.  I say that because of verse 27 where there is with this individual “a certain fearful expectation of judgment.” (NKJV)  If I understand that verse correctly the individual involved in such an action sti…

• The Blessing of Affliction and the Goodness of God

  …20 NKJV) It would be good to read the verse that is the subject of this article (Psalms 119:71) in context.  “You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word.  Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe your commandments.  Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.  You are good, and do good; teach me your statutes…I will keep your precepts with my whole heart… I delight in your law.  It is good…

• DennySmith.Net

  …re 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 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 …

• The Joy and the Danger of a Clean Conscience

  …ived authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.” Was this sin, even great sin?  Absolutely, but it was not a violation of his conscience for at that time he believed with all his heart it was the right thing to do according to his religion, a Jew of the Pharisee sect. (Acts 26:5)  There is probably nothing in a man’s life harder to change than his religion.  There is so mu…

• 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…

• Parable of the Tares–No Middle Ground

  that to them gospel obedience and faithfulness is no big deal.  What they are thinking (or how) I will never know, I guess, and that saddens me too?  I am not sure they know.  Do they think the Bible is a fairy tale?  Do they believe you cannot trust God’s word?  Do they believe God exists or do they believe, as absurd as it sounds, that life somehow evolved from non-living matter?  Or, do they think they are special and God is going to giv…

• 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…

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

  John 1:12-13 from the New American Standard Version:  “(12) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name:  (13) who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will on man, but of God.” [verse numbers added by me for clarification—DS] Many believe that they are born again (become Christians) at the moment they come to believe in Jesus as t…

• Misunderstanding the Grace of God

  Sometime back I had an article rejected that I had submitted to an article directory, a site that says it is a Christian article directory.  It was a short article entitled “Receiving the Gospel” which, if you like, 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 …

• Keep Your Heart With All Diligence

  nother individual and see what they are inside (“For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?” 1 Cor. 2:11 NKJV) we doubt ourselves. As I have grown older in life I have finally come to believe we are all pretty much in the same boat.  “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” (Gal. 5:17 …

• The Heart of Man from a Biblical Perspective

  eart” means to will in your heart as used in this context. “Take from among you an offering to the Lord.  Whoever is of a willing heart.” (Exod. 35:5 NKJV)  One cannot obey God whose heart is unwilling.  There were rulers who believed in Jesus (John 12:42) but were unwilling to confess him lest they be put out of the synagogue.  The widow who put in two mites into the collection did so for she willed to do so. (Mark 12:41-44 NKJV)  No man has obe…

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

  now your need? While the phrase “the family of God” is not found in the New Testament the concept is.  We are the children of God, “Beloved, now we are children of God.” (1 John 3:2 NKJV)  Christians are born of God, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (1 John 5:1 NKJV)  We are begotten of God in that he has “according to his abundant mercy…begotten us again.” (1 Peter 1:3 NKJV)  The Christian has been born again into the …

• The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman

  to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the…

• Work Out Your Own Salvation

  denied the Greek was correctly translated and made his argument on that basis. Let me quote the Philippians passage to you so we will have it before us and know what it says. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13 NKJV) Is this a c…

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

  …mes angry and lives in bitterness and hate, resentful.  Sometimes both parties involved come to feel that way but often it is a one party matter.  The individual feels that he/she was done wrong and mistreated whether true or not; that is how they see it. I knew a family once, and there are many such families, whose only child, a son, ran away from home while alienated as a teenager and that was the last they ever saw him or heard from him.  The …

• The Hardening of the Human Heart

  …nt where he/she is so hardened that they can no longer repent and thus lose all possibility of  being forgiven.  Sufficient hardening leads to damnation.  When your heart becomes so hard you cannot repent, for your heart will not allow it, you are done. The spiritual heart of man can be likened to cement in that when cement is wet, before it has settled and dried, you can fashion it in whatever manner you choose but once it has hardened it become…

• The Sin of Being Unthankful and the Need for Thanksgiving

  When we are unthankful it tells a lot about our character.  It tells all who can see that we are unloving and uncaring.  Not only is it a sin to be unloving it is also a sin to be unthankful (actually the two are tied together).  In writing to Timothy, Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit lists a long list of sins in 2 Tim. 3:1-5, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lover…

• Mary of Bethany–Doing What You Can

  would make at one’s passing from this life into the next.  He/she has done what he/she could do. Every man and every woman is capable of obtaining just such an epitaph from God.  I would like to mention three of whom I believe this could be said. The Poor Widow.  I have already mentioned this poverty stricken woman but one no doubt rich spiritually and who I think we can confidently say is living in paradise.  As you recall Jesus was sitti…

• Bible Conversions

  ’s salvation was to be understood when put into practise after his death and ascension back to heaven and the guide to that was the Holy Spirit speaking through inspired men telling alien sinners not only what they must believe but also what they must do.  A lot of people miss that last point.  The Holy Spirit made demands on men who were being converted in the book of Acts.  It is a point that a man overlooks or misses at his own soul̵…

• Acceptable Prayer

  hat–(1) be a child of God and (2) be faithful.  Does this mean God will not hear the prayer of one who is not a Christian? That depends.  Is the person one who is seeking God and who will, as quickly as he can learn it, believe and obey what God has to tell him?  If so, like Cornelius in Acts 10, God will listen.  It is said that Cornelius “prayed to God continually” (Acts 10:2 NAS) and then when the angel appears to him the ang…

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

  …s 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 the preaching is received (Acts 2:41) or believed (Acts 8:12) it results in people being baptized.  The case of the Ethiopian eunuch was no exception. Why would the eunuch request baptism if he had not been taught it by Philip?  Furthermore, why would he request it…

• The Wicked Shall be Turned into Hell

  re.” (Matt. 13:49-50 NKJV)  No one has to go into the furnace of fire.  It is our decision, our choice.  We do not have to live a life of rebellion against God and righteousness.  Why not repent today of all wickedness, believe, and obey the gospel and thus find yourself on the side of the just when Jesus comes again with his angels?  What a foolish choice it is to choose the furnace of fire when the alternative is a place of bliss.   …

• The Peace Found in Forgiveness of Others

  owed him mercy and Paul later says concerning this, “But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Tim. 1:16 NLT) Of those 3,000 on the day of Pentecost who obeyed the gospel and were saved that day Peter says to them about Jesus, “you have taken by lawless hands, have crucifie…

• Christianity–Who Rules Reason or Emotions?

  New Testament with regards to what it is we want to do on our special Sunday. I could probably not give a better Bible example of the destructive nature of emotions ruling in religion than the case of the Jews who refused to believe in Jesus.  Their emotions ruled them, over rode all reason, and ended up destroying them.  There was no reasoning with them.  The miracles of Jesus were to them like water off a duck’s back.  So Lazarus was raised fr…

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

  …ave trouble with Pentecostalism which in turn wants nothing to do with the Episcopalians are all going to be saved and go to heaven.  Their doctrines are as far apart as east is from west.  To get everybody to heaven who just believes in Jesus, as men view belief, means there is no such thing as truth.  In the denominational world one man’s truth is another man’s lie.  Let a Baptist and an Episcopalian get together and talk about homosexuality an…

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

  unic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.’” (NKJV) Faith can be based on false information or misunderstanding and yet be so strong that one is firmly convinced that the error he believes is the truth. Because of the evidence presented to him (misinformation) Jacob was certain his son Joseph was dead, killed as he said by “a wild beast”. (Gen 37:33 NAS) He was fed disinformation and with …

• Peter’s Second Gospel Sermon

  d the whole New Testament emphasizes faith.  The explanation lies elsewhere.  In Acts 3 faith in Christ is understood.  How so?  No one repents until convicted by guilt.  No one is convicted by guilt of sin until they come to believe.  It is not possible to repent until you believe.  Repentance itself will be proof of faith. If one will take the time to read Acts 3:12-18 he will see clearly that Peter has preached Christ to them and the sin he po…

• I Can Do All Things Through Christ

  while as we would talk.  Is that the way God strengthens us?  I have little doubt that there is strength in the word of God–power to strengthen not only a babe but people of all ages.  If we will only hear the word and believe it with conviction of heart we will find the power to overcome. What is there in faith that gives strength?  The writer of the book of Hebrews says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of …

• Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation?

  rk 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 to do as the case may be. In Matt. 7 we have Jesus speaking and making a contrast between the one who “hears these sayings of mine and does them” (Matt. 7:24 NKJV) and the…

• Though He Slay Me

  …he establishment of the church?  Why did John live so long?  Why did Paul have to suffer so much?  Jesus had said he would, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16 NKJV)  We have to believe God is being active behind the scenes and trust him, believe it will all work out in the end even if we die getting to the end. All of this brings us back to the beginning, to Job.  What is going on?  He did not know…

• Receiving the Gospel (Acts 2:41)

  …el 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 the church that day ….”   The International Standard Version translates this way, “So those who welcomed his message were baptized ….”   The New King Jame…

• Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation

  ngs be which you have provided?’  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’” (NKJV) Everyone is for success versus failure but can success be deceitful?  Can success lead you to believe too much in yourself?  “For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’” (1 Cor. 1:19 NKJV)  “For you see your calling,…

• Lincoln’s Tomb and Jesus’ Tomb

  …ak trees and quiet as cemeteries generally are, very well kept. It was for me a melancholy occasion.  The tomb, or mausoleum, was dark and quiet and one felt as if he was indeed in the presence of death and the dead.  I could not help but think how long it has been and how many years Lincoln’s body has already lain there.  The same could be said of many of the graves in the cemetery outside the tomb.  Many have been dead for years and years and t…

• 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 …

• Assorted

  to Have Never Been Born Though He Slay Me The Fragrance of Christ Deeper Spiritual Understanding Things God Cannot Do Without Natural Affection and Covenant Breakers The Christian, Politics, and the Government Why Men Do Not Believe Did Christ Rise From the Dead or is Faith Folly? Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter Which Denomination Did Jesus Build? What Does the Phrase “My Name” Mean in the Bible?   Audio Sermons (b…

• Unhappy With the Church of Christ?

  Savior of something that does not exist today (reread the Eph. 5:23 quote in the paragraph above) and if it does not exist you cannot be part of it and cannot be saved. The lady’s idea was that no matter what a body of believers was to believe and practice today it would end up being no more than another denomination for it is simply impossible in our day and age to have the original New Testament church.  It is sad we have come to that ki…

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

  …  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 Caesarea in view of the fact it is a waste of his time to preach to Cornelius if Corneli…

• Praying to God to Bless the Bread–Really?

  pper was being observed.  Do they understand what they are doing?  I think not.  Partaking of the Lord’s Supper is serious business.  It needs to be done showing all respect, reverence, honor, and thanksgiving. I do not believe there is the least bit of evidence in scripture for the idea that Jesus ever blessed  the bread or the fruit of the vine in instituting the Lord’s Supper based on what is recorded in the word.  If he did where …

• Abortion Luke 1 – All You Need to Know

  s 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 willing to accept–not with God.  God does not care. “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD.” (Isa. 55:8 NKJV)  To the sinner in Psalms…

• Willful Sin–Can Anyone Be Saved?

  … knew what they were doing.  The word translated “immorality” in this verse in the NAS is translated in the NKJV and others as “fornication”.  It is the Greek word “porneia.”  Do you really believe these people did not know fornication was sinful?  They were committing willful sin and yet we see they could be forgiven if they would but repent. What then is the meaning of Heb. 10:26-27?  Any sin you are knowingl…

• The Book of Ecclesiastes

  ity” as he begins to write (Eccl. 1:2) he is simply telling us that to build a life based on the things of this world is a vain thing that is but for a short time and has no lasting value.  When we die we lose it all. I believe we error greatly, however, when we read the book and get from it the idea that there is no use or value in striving to achieve in this life.  When we live this life with understanding and purpose, God being at its ce…

• The Need to Sing in Worship

  se 20, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Up until preparing this article I had always taken that to be in reference to prayer, not song, not singing.  I believe I have been wrong.  Take a close look at the verse for yourself and read it in context.  I believe it refers to singing, giving God thanks in singing. Barnes says of this verse, “This is probably designed to be…

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

  es (words to that effect) is to just eat enough at home to knock the top off your hunger so you do not make a hog of yourself when you arrive at the assembly where a meal will be served and eat it all up before others arrive. Believe it if you can. The very verses that are said to prove this prove just the opposite, verses 33 and 34 of 1 Cor. 11. “Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is …

• Things People Do Not Know About the Church

  d or else he is no part of it at all.  Can one be saved outside it?  To ask is to answer. (10)  The church is where God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are.  Jesus said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” (John 17:20-21 NKJV)  Christians are the chu…

• The Sin of Contempt (Verbal Abuse)

  …estament Words says, “It was a word of utter contempt, signifying empty, intellectually rather than morally, empty-headed.”  Strong’s Dictionary described it as “a term of utter vilification.”  I believe from my study that the YLT (Young’s Literal Translation) comes the closest of any of the translations in giving the best translation of the Greek. When one takes a look at the various translations given above f…

• Christian Living

  Pray For Others Lest You Sin Is Church Attendance Essential for Christian Salvation? Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation? Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? More on Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? Ignorance Does Not Excuse Sin Never Give Up Does God Really Care? Three Benefits of Being a Christian in This Life – Hope, Love, Peace The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman Fear God Regrets If Miracles Have Cease…

• Is America a Christian Nation—the Sandra Fluke Controversy

  … attacks. I have written all of the above so you the reader have the necessary background information before you to see where I am coming from in the remarks I am about to make.  First, I want to tell you what this article is not about it.  It is not about the use of contraceptives.  It is not about whether or not the government should mandate that health care plans cover contraceptives.  It is not about the Catholic Church or any of its doctrine…

• A Good and Pure Conscience

  A good and pure conscience is essential to a person’s happiness and sense of well-being.  One can never depend on his/her conscience as an infallible guide for that it is not the function of the conscience, not its role, but nevertheless violate your conscience and the end result is a sense of guilt, sorrow, and unhappiness. The conscience is that which is within us that pricks us, perhaps troubles us would be a better way of putting it, w…

• Anger

  …said here and what if any application the passage might have to us today. I suspect most of us have at one point in time or another just read over the passage and gone on. That is what we often do with passages we really do not understand. Yet, if there is a lesson for us in the passage as there was for those who first heard it we need to learn it. I begin with the subject of anger, the first clause of this paragraph. Does Jesus completely fo…

• Baptized For the Dead

  15 NKJV) This does not mean that only a few of those whom Paul converted in Corinth were baptized, not at all.  Paul established the church in Corinth in Acts 18 and it is said there that “Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” (Act 18:8 NKJV)  What were the Corinthians hearing? They were hearing the entire gospel message (1 Cor. 15:3-4),…

• Sin

  Jesus Must a Man Seek God Indifference – The Great Destroyer Looking Down Your Nose Ghost Hunting and Consulting the Dead Christianity, Homosexuality, and Gay Marriage The Wicked Shall be Turned into Hell Ignorance Does Not Excuse Sin The Need to Preach on Sin Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter Fornication–Take it Lightly at Your Peril Without Natural Affection and Covenant Breakers The Peace Found in the Forgiveness of Other…

• Bible Characters

  Mary of Bethany–Doing What You Can Demas Has Forsaken Me Diotrephes Loves to Have the Preeminence The Mysterious Eloquent Evangelist Never Give Up (Moses and David) Regrets He Feared (Peter) Honestly Deceived (the young prophet and Eve) He Went Away Grieved (the rich young ruler) King Saul–As Long as it Glorifies God They Loved the Praise of Men Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) Moses–The Fork in the Road …

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

  …ody contrary to Paul’s teaching on the subject in 1 Tim. 2:12. Over the course of the many years that have transpired since that time I have heard the same or similar comments regarding things Paul wrote.  It seems many believe he lacked 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 righ…

• The Army of the Lord–the Church

  …ut it that was pretty much the same reason Jesus was crucified was it not?  But, all the talk today by the so called Christian soldiers seems to be about getting along, how we are all going to the same place no matter what we believe or practice anyway, and how it is so unchristian to fight one another.  Some are willing to go so far with this approach as to say one does not even have to be a Christian–any religion will do. Jude says he wro…

• The Parable of the 10 Virgins–7 Lessons

  do not drink, do not curse, have a great family and family life yet have no interest in religion, in Christ, the Bible, or God although they may offer a prayer at the Thanksgiving meal.  They may, if pressed, make a claim to believe in God but a Bible would last them 10,000 years for it would never be used nor would there ever be any point in expecting to see them in the public worship.  In many ways they are good people, good like the 5 virgins…

• Is Church Attendance Essential for Christian Salvation?

  r worship is not doing this in any form or manner for how can he?  His example would overrule all his words.  His neighbors know the truth. (8) Then there is the matter of example, “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42 NKJV)  There are a lot of people to be concerned about other than just self. Our exa…

• Ghost Hunting and Consulting the Dead

  Ghost hunting has become popular on TV in recent years.  Just about all of us are curious about those things that are unknown, mysterious, and frightening and we think maybe even a little dangerous.  Some people believe in ghosts and some do not.  The disciples thought they were seeing a ghost when they saw Jesus walking on the water–Matt. 14:26, Mark 6:49–but that may have been simply because they felt there was no other way of acco…

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

  goes on to say that in verse 56 the phrase, “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” denote in the Greek continuous action thus is an ongoing action in a person’s life. I do not believe one has to be a Greek scholar to understand eating the bread of life begins with surrender to Christ in gospel faith and obedience nor do I think one has to be a Greek scholar to understand that if one later chooses …

• Ignorance Does Not Excuse Sin

  ommand the gospel be preached in all the world to every creature (Mark 16:15 NKJV) if it is not needed?  If a man can be saved in his sins then the conclusion must be that sin is no big deal and Jesus died for nothing.  Do we believe that? (2)  Another lesson learned is that there is an enormous burden upon Christians to preach the gospel throughout every corner of the world no matter how remote.  If a person is lost without the gospel and we wer…