6/19/17

Page 2 by Gary Rose


I haven't seen people selling newspapers like this... ever. I have seen old movies depicting someone doing this, but I guess in this electronic age, this practice has gone the way of the do-do bird.

However, the message is still the same; the headline has not changed one bit. But, the message that would be below that headline (perhaps on page 2) has been distorted by some. 

The Scripture says...


Mark, Chapter 16 (WEB)
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.   16  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. 

Some say: "All you have to do is believe in your heart and you will be saved"; others, "just say the say the 'sinners prayer'". Well, those things sound nice, but read verse 16 above; the person who believes AND is BAPTIZED will be saved. Change what God has said and you change the message- it becomes what you say and not what God has said. Think I am wrong? Listen to the words of the first Gospel sermon; Peter says...


Acts, Chapter 2 (WEB)

  22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,  23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.  25 For David says concerning him, 


‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. 




  26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. 
Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope; 



  27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,
neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. 



  28 You made known to me the ways of life. 
You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’




  29 “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,  31 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay.  32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.  33 Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.  34 For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, 



‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand   35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’




  36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 



  37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 



  38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”  40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 



  41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. (emp. added vss. 40f)



Why were those people baptized? Verse 38 tells us- for "forgiveness of sins" and verse 40 exhorts them to "save yourselves" And those who responded to the Gospel message responded by being baptized - verse 41.

This is God's message. Believe it, follow it- LIVE!!!