5/20/20

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" Nipping Adultery In The Bud (5:27-30) by Mark Copeland

                        "THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

                 Nipping Adultery In The Bud (5:27-30)

INTRODUCTION

1. Though our society takes adultery lightly, it is a serious offense
   in the eyes of God...
   a. He listed it right after murder in the Ten Commandments - Exo 20:13-14
   b. He made it a capital offense in the Old Testament, worthy of the
      death penalty - Lev 20:10
   c. God has promised to judge those who are adulterers - He 13:4; 1Co 6:9-10
   -- It destroys friendships, marriages, and families, contributing to
      the destruction of many children's lives!

2. How can one avoid the sin of adultery?
   a. Is the solution one of just making sure that you don't commit the actual act?
   b. Or is there way that one can "nip it in the bud"?

3. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus challenged His disciples...
   a. To exceed "the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees" - Mt 5:20
   b. He illustrated what He meant through a series on contrasts
      1) Between what they had heard from those of old
      2) And what He was now declaring to them

4. In the second contrast (Mt 5:27-30), Jesus addressed the issue of adultery...
   a. In which we learn where adultery really begins
   b. And what steps can be taken to ward off committing such a serious offense

[On the subject of adultery, let's first note the contrast between...]

I. JESUS AND THE TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION

   A. THE "TRADITIONAL" INTERPRETATION...
      1. The oral traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees certainly
         repeated the written commandment found in the Law - Mt 5:27
      2. But they evidently stressed that as long as one did not commit
         the actual act, one was not guilty
      3. Thereby emphasizing the "letter" of the Law, but not 
         appreciating the "spirit" behind the Law as well

   B. JESUS TAUGHT DIFFERENTLY...
      1. One does not have to commit the "act" to be guilty of adultery
      2. One is just as guilty when one "looks at a woman to lust for her" - Mt 5:28
      3. Note:  Not the "looking" per se, but looking "to lust" for her
         is what is wrong
         a. "to lust" means to have a strong desire for, to possess and
            dominate completely
         b. A person may look at another with admiration for beauty and
            not be guilty of "lust"

   C. JESUS' INTERPRETATION WAS IN HARMONY WITH THE LAW...
      1. Notice that the Tenth Commandment condemned coveting a 
         neighbor's wife - Exo 20:17
      2. Even in the time of Job, to "look at a woman to lust for her"
         was considered wrong - Job 31:1

[So the problem begins in the heart (cf. Mk 7:21-23).  If we can
prevent the lusting in the heart (or the "lustful eye"), the problem of
adultery is "nipped in the bud"!  Jesus goes on to say what we should
do with respect to the lustful eye or any other stumbling blocks...]

II. JESUS' PROGNOSIS FOR LUSTFUL EYES AND OTHER STUMBLING BLOCKS

   A. "PLUCK IT OUT AND CAST IT FROM YOU..."
      1. That Jesus is not being literal should be obvious, for one
         could still stumble with the left eye or hand
      2. The key to understanding this passage is found in Mt 18:7-9
         a. The "eye" and "hand" represent "offenses"
         b. Offenses are "stumbling blocks" that lead a person to sin
         c. These would be enticements to do wrong, beguiling allurements

   B. THE MEANING OF JESUS' TEACHING...
      1. "Take drastic action in getting rid of whatever in the natural
         course of events will tempt you to sin" (Hendriksen)
      2. Such should be the case in regards to ALL sin, as well as the sin of adultery

[As we contemplate Jesus' words, there are several...]

III. IMPORTANT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

   A. THE PRESENT IS NOT OUR ONLY LIFE; WE ARE DESTINED FOR ETERNITY!
      1. The future holds the possibility of "hell" 
(Greek, GEHENNA, the place of everlasting torment) 2. What we do or not do in the present will determine our place in the future B. NOTHING, NO MATTER HOW PRECIOUS, SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DOOM OUR GLORIOUS DESTINY! 1. God's goal for us is the "kingdom of heaven" in all its eternal glory! 2. What on "earth" (such as an adulterous relationship) can be worthy of losing that? C. SIN, BEING A VERY DESTRUCTIVE FORCE, MUST NOT BE PAMPERED! 1. Do we need to be convinced that sin (like adultery) is destructive to those around us? 2. Sin is to the soul what cancer is to the body a. Delay can be deadly! b. Halfway measures, halfhearted efforts, only give sin time to wreak havoc! 2. "Radical surgery" is what's necessary to treat the "cancer" of sin! a. Cut off those things that might lead you to look upon others to lust after them b. How much better to dwell upon such things as mentioned in Php 4:8! c. Remove all stumbling blocks that encourage you to sin! 1) Such as certain books, movies, pictures 2) Or possible companions, associates - cf. 1Co 15:33 -- As Paul exhorted the Corinthians , and Joseph illustrated by example, "flee sexual immorality"! - 1Co 6:18; Gen 39:7-12 CONCLUSION 1. Our families, our friends, our lives, and especially our souls are too precious to allow the sin of adultery to destroy them! 2. But if we desire to "nip it in the bud", we cannot be content with the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees... a. Who may have faithfully quoted the Law to others b. But were unwilling to deal with the real problem, which is one of the heart! 3. In view of the reality of hell, the eternal abode of impenitent adulterers... a. Let us be willing to tackle the "cancer" of sin seriously b. Performing whatever "radical surgery" might be necessary! While one may not be able to rebuild the lives destroyed by the sin of adultery, for the penitent adulterer there is still the hope of salvation in Christ Jesus, as there is for all... - cf. 1Co 6:9-11

If Cornelius Had the Holy Spirit, Doesn’t That Mean He Was Saved? by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1693

If Cornelius Had the Holy Spirit, Doesn’t That Mean He Was Saved?

by  Kyle Butt, M.Div.

Acts 10 contains the exciting story of Peter preaching the first Gospel sermon to the Gentiles. Until this time, many of the Jewish converts believed that the Gospel was for the Jews, and they thought that those who obeyed the Gospel were also supposed to keep the Law of Moses. That was not God’s plan, however, and through several miraculous visions and angelic appearances, God orchestrated events so that Cornelius, a devout Gentile, and all the members of his household, were able to hear Peter preach the good news about Jesus Christ.

God knew, however, that many of those in the Jewish nation would have difficulty accepting the truth that the Gentiles were just as eligible to obey the Gospel as the Jews. Thus, the Bible tells us that while Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his family, “the Holy Spirit fell upon those who heard the word” (Acts 10:44). The result of this was that the Gentiles could speak in tongues just as the apostles did on the Day of Pentecost. When Peter saw what had happened, he said: “Can anyone forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” He then “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48).

This episode in the book of Acts has been used by some to teach that Cornelius and his family were saved before they were baptized. Their reasoning is this: If the Gentiles had been given the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, then they must have already been saved, because only those who are saved can be “filled with the Spirit.” Sometimes, those who use this argument will go to Ephesians 1:14 and contend that the Bible says that the Holy Spirit is “the guarantee of our inheritance,” and if anyone has “the Spirit,” that proves he or she is saved. Is this line of argument correct? Is it true that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit prove that a person is saved? When we explore the entirety of the Bible, we see that this reasoning cannot be sustained.

Those Who Had Miraculous Gifts, But Were Not Saved

Throughout the Bible, we see that the miraculous powers bestowed by the Holy Spirit were not used to prove an individual’s salvation. On several occasions, we see people that were not saved being given such powers. For instance, in the book of 1 Samuel, we learn about the first king of Israel—King Saul. When he was chosen, Saul was the ideal candidate to be king. And yet because of a series of poor decisions that resulted in disobedience to God’s commands, he was rejected by God. In 1 Samual 16:14, the text explains that “the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.” Due to Saul’s hardened, disobedient heart, he began to chase David in an attempt to kill him. Saul’s debased mind even led him to bring about the death of an entire city of the Lord’s priests. On one occasion, as he was chasing David, he heard that David was with Samuel in the city of Ramah. Saul sent messengers to capture David, but when they arrived, “the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they prophesied. And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers a third time, and they prophesied also” (1 Samuel 19:20-21). Notice that the fact that the Holy Spirit came upon the messengers was not an indication of their being saved, but instead was a miraculous intervention on God’s behalf to save David. Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah in an attempt to capture and kill David. When he got there, “the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah” (1 Samuel 19:22-24). The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit were a sign from God, but not one meant to indicate Saul’s salvation. Instead, it was a sign to show that God was with Samuel and was protecting David.

In the New Testament, we see another instance of a person who was not saved being given miraculous power by the Holy Spirit. In John 11:45-57, the Pharisees and chief priests had gathered together to form a plan to eliminate Jesus. Some of their party were distraught because so many people were following Jesus. They opined: “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” Caiaphas, who was the High Priest that year, calmed the group and said: “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:50). Where did Caiaphas get such keen insight? The text explains: “Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.” If he “prophesied” that Jesus would die, where did he get such accurate information? Only the Holy Spirit could have supplied him with such an accurate prophetic utterance.

The Gifts of the Spirit or the Fruit of the Spirit

Furthermore, the Bible clearly explains that miraculous gifts say nothing about whether a person is saved or lost. In the book of 1 Corinthians, the church in Corinth was having problems with some of their members. Some were bragging about the miraculous powers they had been given. Others were wishing they had different powers. Some in the church were using their miraculous powers in the assembly to draw attention to themselves. In chapters 12-14, Paul gave instructions that would help Christians use the miraculous powers of the Holy Spirit in the best way. Chapter 13 is one of the most famous chapters in all the Bible. It is often called the love chapter. In this chapter, Paul explains that miraculous powers given by the Holy Spirit do not prove salvation. In fact, if those powers are being used by a person who does not have love in his or her heart, then that person is lost. Paul said: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). Notice that Paul’s statement shows that an amazing display of the miraculous powers of the Holy Spirit would indicate nothing about a person’s salvation, since such a display could be done without love.

Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 13 also helps us to understand something else about the Holy Spirit. There is a difference between the miraculous powers bestowed on people by the Holy Spirit, and the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells in saved Christians. Ephesians 1:14 says that if the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, that fact verifies that he or she is saved. We read a similar statement in 1 John 3:24: “And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” In 1 Corinthians we read, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (6:19). Notice, however, that in Galatians 5:22 we read that the fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Thus we can see that Paul stated that a person could have the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit without having love. But from Galatians 5:22 we understand that the true fruit of the Spirit, that indicates that the Spirit lives in a person and that shows that person is saved, begins with love. Therefore, it was possible for a person to have the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit and be able to speak in tongues, and yet not have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside him in the sense that the person was saved (see Miller, 2003).

CONCLUSION

Throughtout the Bible, we can see that God used the miraculous powers of the Holy Spirit to accomplish many things. This miraculous power was not an indication of the spiritual status of the one being empowered by the Holy Spirit. In fact, it was sometimes the case that those who were empowered with such abilities were wicked enemies of God. Thus, we can see that the story of Cornelius and the fact that the Gentiles received the miraculous powers of the Holy Spirit does not show that the Gentiles were saved before they repented or were baptized. On the contrary, the apostle Peter understood God’s message perfectly. The miraculous powers were bestowed upon the Gentiles to show that God accepted them as candidates for salvation just as He accepted the Jews. Peter, in accordance with the Gospel message he had preached in Acts 2, instructed the Gentiles to be baptized in water just as he instructed those on the Day of Pentecost to be baptized. The reason in Acts 10 for baptism was the same as that in Acts 2:38—“for the remission of sins.”

REFERENCE

Miller, Dave (2003), “Modern-Day Miracles, Tongue-Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation,” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=264.

Hyperbole: A Common Biblical Figure of Speech by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=2407

Hyperbole: A Common Biblical Figure of Speech

by  Kyle Butt, M.Div.

The Bible is by far the most popular book ever printed. As such, it is also the most read. Those who read the Bible are reading the inspired message of God (see Butt, 2007). Yet, even though the Bible is God’s inspired message, it contains figures of speech that commonly occur in secular writings. E.W. Bullinger wrote more than a thousand pages of material describing these figures of speech in his excellent volume Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (1968). In order to properly understand the Bible, a basic knowledge of commonly used figures of speech is important. Furthermore, such knowledge is often helpful in refuting erroneous claims, made by skeptics, that the Bible contains errors or discrepancies.

A common figure of speech used in the Bible is that of hyperbole. Bullinger defines hyperbole as: “when more is said than is literally meant” (1968, p. 423). He also calls hyperbole “exaggeration.” We who use the English language are quite familiar with the use of hyperbole, even though we may not be as familiar with the term itself. When a teenager explains to her parent that “everybody” is going to be at the party, does she mean that literally the world’s population of 6.6 billion people will be there? Of course she does not. She is intentionally exaggerating to make a point. When a teacher explains to his class that “everybody” knows who the first president of the United States was, does the teacher believe all toddlers can correctly answer the question? No. Once again, the teacher is simply using a well-understood figure of speech to convey a point.

In a similar way, the Bible uses hyperbole on numerous occasions. Take John 4:39 as an example. In this passage, a Samaritan woman spoke of Jesus and said: “He told me all that I ever did” (emp. added). Had Jesus really told that woman everything that she had ever done in her life? No, she was using hyperbole to make her point.

To illustrate further, consider Mark 1:4-5: “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins” (emp. added). Taken literally, these verses would mean that John baptized every single person (man, woman, and child) in all of Judea and Jerusalem. But these verses are not to be taken literally. They are utilizing hyperbole, in which intentional “exaggeration” is employed to explain that John’s baptism was extremely popular.

The importance of understanding hyperbole can be seen when comparing another passage to Mark 1:4-5. In Luke 7:24-35, Jesus extolled the righteousness of John the Baptizer. Some of His listeners appreciated Jesus’ comments about John and some did not. Verses 29 and 30 explain: “And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.” Are we to conclude that the Pharisees and lawyers did not dwell in Judea and Jerusalem and that is why they had not been baptized—as Mark 1:4-5 would imply if taken literally? That would certainly be a stretch. The best answer in this case is to show that Mark’s use of hyperbole would allow some, such as the Pharisees and lawyers, to have rejected John and not to have received his baptism.

Another example of hyperbole is found in John 3:26. In that context, John’s disciples were telling John about the increasing popularity of Jesus’ ministry. They said to him: “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” (emp. added). Was it true that literally “all” the people in the world were coming to Jesus? No, it was simply the case that John’s disciples were intentionally exaggerating, using hyperbole, to describe Jesus’ spreading fame. [NOTE: For more examples see Bullinger, 1968, pp. 423-428.]

Honest-hearted Bible readers can benefit greatly from knowing when and how the Bible writers used hyperbole. Many of the challenges of skeptics can also be answered based on such information. After all, everybody knows that great literature always uses figures of speech such as hyperbole to convey its message.

REFERENCES

Bullinger, E.W. (1968 reprint), Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Butt, Kyle (2007), Behold! The Word of God (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

How Were Mary and Elizabeth Related? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=2532

How Were Mary and Elizabeth Related?

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Q.

The New Testament contains two genealogies of Christ. Matthew recorded the genealogy of Christ from Abraham to Jesus (1:1-16), while Luke recorded Christ’s genealogy from Jesus all the way back to Adam (3:23-38). The differences in the genealogies result from the fact that Matthew gives the genealogy of Jesus through Joseph, while Luke presents the genealogy of Jesus through Mary (see Miller, 2003; cf. Luke 1:30-32). [NOTE: Luke followed the strict Hebrew tradition of mentioning only the names of males. Therefore, in Luke 3, Mary is designated by her husband’s name (see Lyons, 2003, pp. 157-159).] Still, some wonder how Mary could be a descendant of David. Skeptic Dennis McKinsey, for example, asked in his journal, Biblical Errancy, “If, using the genealogy in Luke, Jesus’s claim to descent [sic] from David, of the tribe of Judah, is through Mary rather than Joseph, then how can it be that Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, was descended from the house of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi?” (1998, emp. added). Does Luke 1:5,36 imply that Mary could not have been a blood descendant of King David?

A.

First, the King James translation of the term syngenis as “cousin” (Luke 1:36) is unwarranted and somewhat misleading to those who normally interpret the word to mean “first cousin.” The Greek term syngenis simply means “relative” (NKJV, NASB, NIV) or “kinswoman” (ASV, RSV). It is “a general term, meaning ‘of the same family’” (Vincent, 1997). Thus, Mary and Elizabeth may have been first cousins, or they may have been fourth cousins. All we know for sure is that they were kin.

Second, Mary and Elizabeth could have been from different tribes and still have been first cousins. It may be that their mothers were sisters. Their mothers could have been from the tribe of Judah or Levi. As commentator Matthew Henry noted: “Though Elisabeth was, on the father’s side, of the daughters of Aaron (v. 5), yet on the mother’s side she might be of the house of David, for those two families often intermarried, as an earnest of the uniting of the royalty and the priesthood of the Messiah” (1997).

However Mary and Elizabeth were related, tribal heritage among the descendants of Jacob was passed down through fathers, not mothers (cf. Ruth 4:18-22); children were always of their father’s tribe, not their mother’s. Thus, Elizabeth and Mary were descendants of Aaron and David, respectively, by way of their fathers’ ancestry, and not necessarily of their mothers’.

REFERENCES

Henry, Matthew (1997), Commentary on the Whole Bible (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).

Lyons, Eric (2003), The Anvil Rings (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

McKinsey, Dennis (1998), “Tough Questions for the Christian Church,” Biblical Errancy, October, [On-line], URL: http://home.comcast.net/~errancy/issues/iss190.htm.

Miller, Dave (2003), “The Genealogies of Matthew and Luke,” [On-line], URL: http://apologeticspress.org/articles/1834.

Vincent, Marvin R. (1997), Word Studies in the New Testament (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).

SALVATION WITHOUT FORGIVENESS BY STEVE FINNELL



http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/03/salvation-without-forgiveness-by-steve.html

SALVATION WITHOUT FORGIVENESS   BY STEVE FINNELL

Is it possible to be saved without having your sins forgiven? Was  Saul saved by faith alone before his sins were forgiven?

If Saul was saved on the road to Damascus, then he was saved without having his sins forgiven.

Saul believed in Jesus on the road Damascus, but his sins were forgiven three days later in Damascus 
Act 9:1-19......9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank....

Saul sins were forgiven in Damascus, three days later, not on the road to Damascus.
Acts 22:1-16.....10 And I said, 'What shall I do Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed  for you to do.'.......16 Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins,calling on His name!

Saul was not saved by faith only. Saul was saved by believing and being baptized in water.

Jesus did not establish faith only salvation on the road to Damascus. Jesus confirmed what He already had said "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved"... (Mark 16:16)

You cannot be saved unless your sins have been forgiven. 

In order to support the doctrine of faith only men have offered many reasons why the Scriptures cannot be trusted.
REASONS.
1. The Bible is not the inerrant word of God, it has many errors and contradictions.
2. You have to be a Greek scholar to understand the Bible. If you understand the original Greek language, then you would know water baptism is not essential for forgiveness of sins.
3. You need to use extra-Biblical writings to understand the plan of salvation.
4. The Bible has been mistranslated, therefore men are saved by faith only and not the way it is presented in the Bible. 

If God is not smart enough to give men an accurate translation of His plan for salvation and Christian living, then why would anyone trust in Him for salvation or for anything else.

God has given us His plan of salvation in many translations, in different languages. You do not have to know Greek.You do not have to have a Greek dictionary. You do have to be Greek. If men had to be able to read and understand original Greek to understand the Bible, then all Bibles would be in Greek.

GOD IS INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO GIVE A TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE IN THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU READ! JUST READ IT AND BELIEVE IT.

Men are not saved by faith only and there is no verse of Scripture that states men are saved by faith only. Men are saved by faith, but not by faith only. 

How can we maintain the unity of the Spirit? by Roy Davison


http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/unityots.html

How can we maintain the unity of the Spirit?

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul describes unity in Christ: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:1-6).

Christians are called to peace in the one body of Christ.

Paul beseeches us to walk worthy of our calling. We are called to peace in the one body of Christ: "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body" (Colossians 3:12-15).

Unity is not optional. We must endeavor " to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). Our walk, our way of life, must be worthy of this call to peace in Christ.

Unity is based on love.

Love is the "bond of perfection," the "the bond of peace," the glue that binds the members of the body together in Christ. We love one another as Jesus has loved us. A bucket full of chicken feathers may appear united, but try throwing them in the air.

Love bears fruit: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, as Christ forgives us. These are ingredients in the recipe for unity.

Unity must be maintained.

We must "keep the unity of the Spirit." Christian unity is not man's invention. It is not created by the formation of central authorities or by the publication of human creeds. These are actually departures from unity in Christ.

Christian unity is a gift from God that must be preserved, kept, maintained. We must be careful that we do not lose the unity of the Spirit.

There is one Lord; there is one God and Father of all.

"For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live" (1 Corinthians 8:5, 6).

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all" (1 Timothy 2:5, 6).

There is one body.

Since there is one God, there is also only one true religion.

And the one true religion cannot be subdivided. There is one body, not two or two-thousand, one and only one. A body is indivisible.

It does not say there should be one body. There is one body. Paul asks: "Is Christ divided?" (1 Corinthians 1:13).

The body is the church of Christ. The Father has placed all things under His authority "and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body" (Ephesians 1:22, 23). Paul wrote to the Colossians: "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church" (Colossians 1:24).

Thus the one body in which the unity of the Spirit must be preserved is the church of Christ.

"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another" (Romans 12:4, 5; see also 1 Corinthians 12:20).

"For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17). This one body is the church, which partakes of the one loaf in the Lord's supper each first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

The unity of the Spirit can exist only in the church of Christ because only He can make all people one. He joins Jews and Gentiles together as one body: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:14-18).

There are many different churches in the world, established and maintained by men who are not satisfied with the body of Christ. There is great division among those who are outside the body of Christ. If you are a member of some church or religious organization other than the church that Jesus founded, you are not serving God in the one body of Christ. The unity of the Spirit exists only in His body, the church of Christ.

There is one Spirit.

By one Spirit we are united into one body. "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -- and have all been made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:12, 13).

There is one baptism.

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13). Only by the one baptism can we be one in Christ: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:27, 28). Baptism must be a burial (Romans 6:4). We must be "buried with Him in baptism" (Colossians 2:12). We must be born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5). "For there are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one" (1 John 5:7, 8).We must be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). There is one baptism.

In the world there are many kinds of baptism because people are not satisfied with the one baptism into the body of Christ. Because of unbiblical forms of baptism, people are excluded from unity in Christ. If you have not been baptized with the one baptism of the New Testament, you are not yet in the body of Christ, His church. The unity of the Spirit exists only among those who by one Spirit have been baptized into the one body, the church of Christ.

There is one faith.

The one faith is the original faith. Jude wrote: "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).

Our salvation depends on that original faith. Titus was to rebuke the Cretans, "that they might be sound in the faith" (Titus 1:13). Paul warned the Corinthians: "Watch, stand fast in the faith" (1 Corinthians 16:13). Paul told the Colossians that they must "continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast" (Colossians 1:23). Shortly before his death, Paul could write: "I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:6).

In Ephesians 4:11-16 Paul explains how Jesus has given His church leaders to promote the 'unity of the faith'.

First, apostles and prophets are mentioned. "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets" (Ephesians 4:11). These are the apostles and prophets of the first century, who together with Christ form the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20). This refers to the twelve original apostles. Of Zion we read: "Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Revelation 21:14).

To preserve the unity of the faith, we must follow the teachings of the apostles and prophets of the New Testament.

Evangelists, elders and teachers have also been given to the church to preach and teach the one faith.

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-13).

The 'unity of the faith' is also the unity of the 'knowledge of Christ'. This knowledge comes through the holy Scriptures: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

This "unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God" protects us from the division that is sown by false teachers, "that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting" (Ephesians 4:14).

There is one faith. To maintain the unity of the faith we must know the Scriptures well enough that winds of false doctrine will not blow us away like chicken feathers. An elder must hold "fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). "Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned" (Titus 3:10, 11).

In the world there are many faiths because people want to believe something different from the one faith that was delivered to the saints once and for all (Jude 3). Outside the one faith, division prevails. "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

The unity of the Spirit exists only among those who have the one faith of the one Lord, those who have been baptized by the one Spirit into the one body, the church of Christ.

Let us strive to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:3-6). Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Indestructible! by Gary Rose



I read in the news today that 17 states have passed “Red Flag” laws. Laws that give the state the right to take away a gun away from anyone who has even an anonymous complaint against them. Terrible idea! This is not the America that I grew up in. Our freedoms are being attacked on almost a daily basis. The radical left has advanced the most Socialist agenda imaginable! This sort of thing led to the rise of Adolph Hitler in the 1930’s and it appears that we are heading in the same direction. Remember what happened in Germany; vote against those who advocate this authoritarian government for the United States of America!


But, what if the radical left succeeded in their godless agenda; what then? When all our civil liberties are only a memory and all our wealth and even our own bodies should be owned by the state; then what?


The picture asks a really important question: “What’s something no one can take away from you?” The answer to this is found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians…


Romans 8 ( World English Bible )

28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. *

30 Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?

33 Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


God works everything for good; absolutely everything! This truth is hard for me to comprehend at times, but nevertheless- it is true! God’s love, exemplified by Jesus and revealed in Jesus’ loving sacrifice for even the worst human being that ever lived is INDESTRUCTIBLE! No person, no power on this planet can stand against God. History has proved this beyond all doubt. God wins. And those who follow HIM are on the winning side; now and forever. Believe that because its true- FOREVER!