"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" What Then Shall I Do With Jesus? (27:22) by Mark Copeland

 

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

What Then Shall I Do With Jesus? (27:22)

INTRODUCTION

1. In Mt 27:11-22, we read of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor...
   a. While Jesus admitted to being the King of the Jews, He refused to
      answer the accusations of the chief priests and elders - Mt 27: 11-12
   b. His silence caused Pilate to marvel greatly - Mt 27:13-14
   c. Pilate sought to release Jesus, but the multitude asked for
      Barabbas instead - Mt 27:15-21
   d. Which prompted Pilate to ask the question:  "When then shall I do
      with Jesus who is called Christ?" - Mt 27:22

2. Pilate's question, "What then shall I do with Jesus?", is one that
   every person must ask...
   a. Many would prefer to ignore it
   b. Many try to let others make the choice (as did Pilate)

3. But it is a question from which we cannot run away...
   a. We shall all one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ - 2Co 5:10
   b. His words will be the standard by which we will be judged - Jn 12:48

[And so each one of us should be asking ourselves, "What Then Shall I
Do With Jesus?"  To help answer this question, consider another question...]

I. WHAT HAS JESUS OFFERED YOU?

   A. JESUS HAS PROVIDED THE CHANCE...
      1. For an abundant life, filled with true peace - Jn 10:10; 16:33
      2. To find salvation - Lk 19:10
      3. To enjoy cleansing from sin through His blood - 1Jn 1:7

   B. JESUS HAS PROCLAIMED THE CONDITIONS...
      1. We must believe in Him  - Jn 8:24
      2. We must repent of our sins - Lk 13:3
      3. We must confess our faith before men - Mt 10:32-33; Ro 10:9-10
      4. We must be baptized for the remission of our sins - Mt 28:19; Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38
      5. We must remain faithful even to death - Re 2:10

   C. JESUS HAS PREDETERMINED THE ALTERNATIVES...
      1. Reject Him, and we will die in our sins to face the terrible
         consequences - Jn 8:24; 2Th 1:7-9; Re 21:8
      2. Believe in Him, and we receive everlasting life - Jn 5:24; Mt 19:29

[Having consider what Jesus has offered us, we return to our original question...]

II. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

   A. WHAT SOME HAVE TRIED TO DO...
      1. Pilate tried to pass the choice on to others - Mt 27:24
         a. Are we guilty of doing something similar today?
         b. Trying to let others decide for us what we will do or believe about Jesus?
      2. Some in Athens simply mocked - Ac 17:32
         a. Many take this route in what they do with Jesus
         b. Rather than make the effort to decide what they should do, they simply laugh
      3. Felix tried to wait for a more convenient time - Ac 24:25
         a. This is another common reaction
         b. Hoping that through delay, they will not have to make the choice
      -- But we cannot escape the fact that we will one day be judged
         by Him - Ac 17:30-31

   B. WHAT WE SHOULD DO...
      1. Accept His gracious offer of salvation by obeying Him - He 5:9
      2. Become His disciples, committed to doing what He commanded 
         - Mt 28:19-20
      3. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2Pe 3:18
      4. Walk in Him, well-established in the faith - Col 2:6-7
      5. Develop the mind of Christ, the attitude of sacrifice and service - Php 2:1-8

CONCLUSION

1. We have seen the feeble attempt by Pilate and others to answer the
   question "What Then Shall I Do With Jesus?"

2. Let us not think we can answer the question by...
   a. Simply ignoring Him
   b. Simply not doing anything actively against Him
   -- For as Jesus said on another occasion:  "He who is not with Me is
      against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad." Mt 12:30

Jesus has given us every reason to accept and obey Him as our Savior
and Lord.  If you have not yet done so, will you not today respond to
His gracious invitation to receive eternal life? 

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

Things God Cannot Do by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

 

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1240

Things God Cannot Do

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Both Christians and atheists generally have assumed that if the God depicted in the Bible exists, He can do anything—since He is represented as being all-powerful. However, this assumption is incorrect. The Bible does not claim that the omnipotence of God implies that He can do anything and everything. In reality, “omnipotence” does not, and cannot, apply to that which does not lend itself to power. Skeptics and atheists have posed queries that they feel nullify the notion of omnipotence, thereby demonstrating the nonexistence of God. For example, “Can God create a boulder so large that He, Himself, cannot lift it?”

Separate and apart from the fact that God is not, Himself, physical, and that He created the entire physical Universe, though He is metaphysical and transcendent of the Universe, the question is a conceptual absurdity. It’s like asking, “Can God create a round square or a four-sided triangle?” No, He cannot—but not for the reasons implied by the atheist: that He does not exist or that He is not omnipotent. Rather, it is because the question is, itself, self-contradictory and incoherent. It is nonsensical terminology. Rather than saying God cannot do such things, it would be more in harmony with the truth to say simply that such things cannot be done at all! God is infinite in power, but power meaningfully relates only to what can be done, to what is possible of accomplishment—not to what is impossible! It is absurd to speak of any power (even infinite power) being able to do what simply cannot be done. Logical absurdities do not lend themselves to being accomplished, and so, are not subject to power, not even to infinite power (see Warren, 1972, pp. 27ff.).

While God can do whatever is possible to be done, in reality, He will do only what is in harmony with His nature. Further, to suggest that God is deficient or limited in power if He cannot create a rock so large that He cannot lift, is to imply that He could do so if He simply had more power. But this is false. Creating a rock that He, Himself, cannot lift, or creating a four-sided triangle, or making a ball that is at the same time both white all over and black all over, or creating a ninety-year-old teenager, or making a car that is larger on the inside that it is on the outside—to propose such things is to affirm logical contradictions and absurdities. Such propositions do not really say anything at all. Though one can imagine logical absurdities that cannot be accomplished, they do not constitute a telling blow against the view that God is infinite in power.

So, no, the concept of “omnipotence” does not mean that there are no limits to what an omnipotent being can do. In fact, the Bible pinpoints specific things that God cannot do. For example, the Bible states unequivocally that God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; 2 Timothy 2:13; Titus 1:2). He is a Being whose very essence entails truthfulness. Falsehood is completely out of harmony with His divine nature. Further, God cannot be tempted by evil (James 1:13).

Another impossibility pertaining to God’s power is the fact that He shows no partiality or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17; Romans 2:11; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17). He is “open and above board”—evenhanded—with all His creatures. He can be counted on to interact with human beings as He said He would. His treatment of us centers on our own self-chosen behavior—not on our ethnicity or skin color (Acts 10:34-35; 1 Samuel 16:7).

A third instance that qualifies the meaning of “omnipotent” is seen in God’s inability to forgive the individual who will not repent and forsake his or her sin (Joshua 24:19; Proverbs 28:13; Matthew 6:15; 18:35; Luke 13:3,5). As great and as magnificent as the mercy and forgiveness of God are, it is impossible to bestow forgiveness upon the person who does not seek that forgiveness by meeting the pre-conditions of remission. God is literally powerless to bestow forgiveness through any other avenue than the blood of Jesus and obedience to the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16; 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17).

The more one studies the Bible, examining the attributes and characteristics of the God depicted there, the more one is struck with (1) the inspiration of the Bible—since its skillful handling of such matters places it beyond the charge of successful contradiction, and (2) awe at the infinitude of God. Not one of the factors discussed in this article reflects adversely upon the reality of God’s omnipotence. But it is abundantly clear that a person may so live as to render the God of heaven incapable of coming to that person’s aid. It is imperative that every human being recognizes the need to understand His will and to conform one’s behavior to that will. It is imperative that every individual avoid placing self in the precarious position of being in need of that which God cannot do.

REFERENCES

Warren, Thomas B. (1972), Have Atheists Proved There Is No God (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press).

There Will Be No Signs! by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

 

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=937

There Will Be No Signs!

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

It is not uncommon to hear people discussing the end of time and delineating the “signs” that, they say, are proof that Christ’s return is imminent. These signs include “wars and rumors of wars,” “earthquakes,” and various political/military events that one observes on the evening news. These loud proponents of gloom claim to be representing the Bible in their calculations and forecasts. Of course, to date, every attempt to pinpoint the date of Christ’s return has failed.

The fact is that earthquakes could not have been intended by God to be a sign of the end of the world. Since 1900 alone, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that several million earthquakes occur in the world each year. Many go undetected because they hit remote areas or have very small magnitudes. The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) now locates about 50 earthquakes each day, or about 20,000 a year (NEIC Web Team, 2003). Since earthquakes have been fairly constant for the last 2,000 years, and occur on a daily basis, they would be completely useless in attempting to recognize the end of the world. However, if Jesus intended them to be immediate signs, contemporaneous with the first century, they would have served a useful purpose.

Consider for a moment what the Bible actually teaches on this matter. In Matthew 24, Jesus pinpointed numerous signs by which His disciples and Jewish Christians could recognize the occasion of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The signs that Jesus mentioned included “wars and rumors of wars” (vs. 6), “famines and earthquakes” (vs. 7), the Gospel preached to the whole world (vs. 14), and the approach of the Roman armies (vs. 15; cf. Luke 21:20). These events functioned as signals by which the faithful could identify the “end” (vss. 6,14) of the Jewish commonwealth. Jesus provided descriptive detail in response to the disciples’ question concerning the destruction of the temple (vss. 2-3). Just as tender branches and fresh leaves signal the approach of summer (vs. 32), so the multiple signs that Jesus pinpointed would signal the coming of Christ in judgment on the Jewish nation (vs. 33) in A.D. 70.

Then, beginning in verse 36, Jesus turned His attention to the question of the end of time and His Second Coming. Notice the difference! Jesus went out of His way to stress the total absence of signs signaling the end of the world and the Second Coming. He declared that His final coming would be comparable to the Deluge of Noah’s day (vs. 37), in that it will be totally unexpected. Right up to the very day that Noah and his family entered the ark, life was going on as usual. No signs! Jesus said farmers will be in the field as usual (vs. 40); women will be involved in their activities as usual (vs. 41). Jesus even likened the unexpected nature of His final coming to the exploits of a thief (vs. 43). Both Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:2) and Peter (2 Peter 3:10) repeat this analogy. As the coming of a thief in the night is preceded by absolutely no signs, so the final coming of Jesus will be preceded by absolutely no signals.

Contrary to the prevailing notions of today concerning “the signs of the times,” the Bible asserts that there will be a total absence of signs to prepare the world for the end of time. The only hope of the entire world is to render obedience to the written revelation of the Bible (Matthew 24:46). Noah preached, apparently for many years, in hopes of alerting the world’s population to the coming judgment upon them. They refused to listen. Likewise, the only “tip off ” available today is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that instructs every accountable individual what to do to be right with God. When one brings one’s life into compliance with those directives, “signs” by which to anticipate the return of Christ are completely superfluous.

REFERENCES

NEIC Web Team (2003), “Earthquake Facts and Statistics,” [On-line], URL: http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqstats.html.

There is Still Hope for Israel by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

 

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=4186

There is Still Hope for Israel

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Many years after God gave laws through Moses in Exodus 34:10-16 and Deuteronomy 7:1-5 pertaining to marriage, the people were exiled in Babylon. When the Persians toppled the Babylonian Empire, the Persian king Cyrus issued a decree in 536 B.C. permitting Israelites to return to Palestine and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Zerubbabel led the first wave of Jewish exiles back to their homeland and eventually the temple was rebuilt by 515 B.C. (Ezra 1-6). Over 50 years elapsed when, in 458 B.C., Artaxerxes, then king of Persia, granted permission for Ezra to gather a second wave of exiles to return to Jerusalem (Ezra 7-10). Ezra was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses. It took him and his traveling companions five months to get to Jerusalem.

Ezra’s great purpose was to bring religious reform to the Jews in Palestine, to re-establish Mosaic institutions, and to revive the spirituality of a people who had degenerated socially, morally, and religiously. He worked feverishly to call them back to God’s written Word. Ezra sought to do what Jeremiah had tried to do: “ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein” (Jeremiah 6:16). Ezra was just the man for the job: “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). When God’s Israel today (cf. Galatians 6:16) grows lax and neglectful of God’s will, we, too, stand in dire need of men who know the truth and who will teach it to the church!

So in Ezra 8:15, Ezra began to tackle the enormous task before him, beginning by organizing the financial offerings as well as sacrificing burnt offerings to God. But then things got tough. Obeying God and bringing one’s self back into harmony with God’s wishes is often tough. Read carefully Ezra 9:1-­10:12 and notice the following six lessons to be learned:

1. If a marriage relationship is unauthorized (i.e., not in harmony with God’s will), it must be dissolved. This proves that divorce or putting away is not always wrong, but is, in certain situations, God’s command.
2. Even if children have been born to the illicit marriage union, the relationship still must bedissolved. Yes, submission to divine authority sometimes entails the sacrifice of human companionship to facilitate fellowship with God (Luke 18:29­-30).
3. Repentance, in the case of relation­ships, entails more than simply acknow­ledging or confessing one’s sin. It includes the termination of that union in order for God to be pleased.
4. We need more members of the church who will possess the deep sorrow and penitent shame that Ezra manifested, instead of excusing sin or proposing absurd quibbles or foolish arguments in an effort to dodge the stringency of God’s will. We need people who, instead of grasping for straws or scraping the bottom of the barrel in a frantic effort to justify adulterous unions, will just face and accept the truth like Shechaniah: “We have been unfaithful to our God.... Let it be done according to the Law” (Ezra 10:2-3).
5. We need to understand that if there was hope for Israel then (10:2), there is hope for Israel now—not by expecting God to just look the other way, or wave His hand and make unrenounced sin go away. God has given “a little space” of grace (9:8). He has punished us less than our sins deserve (9:13). Our hope lies in our resolute decision to repent and turn from relationships that are out of harmony with God’s will. Then He will forgive and bless. Refusal to do so must be confronted with expulsion from the congregation (10:8; cf. 1Corinthians 5:13).
6. We need to get ourselves back to “trembling at the word of the Lord” (9:4; 10:3).We’re just not too impressed by divine words anymore. We do not know what it means to “fear God” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) or to “fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Ezra did. He asked rhetorically: “Should we again break Your commandments and join in marriage with the people of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed, so that there would be no remnant or survivor?” (9:14). Ezra was right in step with the words of Paul: “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11). He knew that there would be no substitute for straightforward obedience if, indeed, “the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us in this matter” (10:14).

The Bible teaches us that, sooner or later, we will reap what we have sown. Jesus said there are only two possibilities—repent or perish (Luke 13:3). Let us never be reluctant or hesitant to bring our lives into conformity with God’s will, regardless of the hardship or difficulty involved. Let us love Him (1 John 5:3), for “there is still hope in Israel.”

IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! A Tribute to Jesus’ Victory by Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

 

https://thepreachersword.com/2016/12/31/its-friday-but-sundays-coming/#more-1309

 

IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! A Tribute to Jesus’ Victory

(This post was in the top 5 in 2012, and rose to the #1  most read in 2016)

S. M. Lockridge (1913-2000)  was a prominent African-American preacher known for his dynamic, passionate, and fervent sermons.  His most famous sermon  was “He’s my King.”  Several years ago author and speaker Tony Campolo was so impressed by Lockridge’s lesson on “It’s Friday. But Sunday’s Coming!” that he began to deliver the lesson himself and even wrote a book with that title.  Each Friday on ThePreachersWord we are going to share some aspect of death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that speak to this grand theme.  You see, the narrative of Jesus crucifixion is one of betrayal.  Denial. Cowardice. Envy.  Hate.  Brutality.  Suffering. Despair. Defeat.  Death.

Yet, Christians celebrate the cross because the story does not end on that fateful Friday. It does not end at the cross.  The irony of the cross was the very instrument Jesus’ enemies used to defeat Him became His greatest victory.  Little did they know when Friday ended what would happen on Sunday to change the course of the world’s history.

And so in the spirit of this theme, I want to share a part of that famous sermon by Lockridge.  As you read this, just remember that regardless of what today brings.  Regardless of today’s problems. Challenges.  Or defeats.  Just remember that Sunday’s coming!  And that you will enjoy the privilege of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.  Communing with Him and fellow saints. And beginning a new week with renewed vision, vigor and vitality.

I know it’s Friday.  But thanks be to God that Sunday’s coming!

It’s Friday. Jesus is praying. Peter’s a sleeping. Judas is betraying. But Sunday’s comin’. 

It’s Friday.  Pilate’s struggling.  The council is conspiring. The crowd is vilifying. They don’t even know That Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The disciples are running Like sheep without a shepherd. Mary’s crying. Peter is    denying. But they don’t know That Sunday’s a comin’.

It’s Friday.  The Romans beat my Jesus.  They robe him in scarlet.  They crown him with        thorns.  But they don’t know That Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. See Jesus walking to Calvary.  His blood dripping.  His body stumbling.  And his spirit’s burdened.  But you see, it’s only Friday. Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The world’s winning. People are sinning. And evil’s grinning.   

It’s Friday. The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands To the cross. They nail my Savior’s feet
To the cross.  And then they raise him up Next to criminals.  It’s Friday.  But let me tell you    something Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.  The disciples are questioning.  What has happened to their King.  And the Pharisees are celebrating That their scheming Has been achieved. But they don’t know It’s only Friday.  Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.  He’s hanging on the cross.  Feeling forsaken by his Father.  Left alone and dying
Can nobody save him?  Ooooh It’s Friday.  But Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The earth trembles.  The sky grows dark.  My King yields his spirit.  It’s Friday.
Hope is lost.  Death has won. Sin has conquered.  and Satan’s just a laughin’.

It’s Friday. Jesus is buried. A soldier stands guard. And a rock is rolled into place.  But it’s  Friday. It is only Friday.  Sunday is a comin’!

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

A Different Look at the Inquisition --George L. Faull, Rel. D.

 

http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-different-look-at-inquisition-george-l.html

A Different Look at the Inquisition --George L. Faull, Rel. D.

 In Zurich Switzerland, on January 18th, 1525 an order was given by the Zurich Council that all infants must be baptized within 8 days of birth. Those not compliant to this ruling would be banished from Zurich. On January 21st, all opponents of this decree were not allowed to meet or speak in public.

 This led to martyrdom and many of those who were martyred were Anabaptist. An Anabaptist is not speaking of those called Baptists today. They were a people who were nicknamed “Anabaptist”. This comes from the Greek which means “over again” and “baptism”. So an Anabaptist is “One who baptizes again!” They did not consider infant baptism or sprinkling a recognized baptism, so they did not consider believer-baptism a rebaptism so they rejected the nickname.

 In March of 1525, this order was given: “You know without doubt, and have heard from many that for a long time, some peculiar men, who imagine that they are learned, have come forward astonishingly, and without any evidence of the Holy Scriptures, given as a pretext by simple and pious men, have preached, and without the permission and consent of the church, have proclaimed that infant baptism did not proceed from God, but from the devil, and, therefore, ought not to be practiced… We, therefore, ordain and require that hereafter all men, women, boys and girls forsake rebaptism, and shall not make use of it hereafter, and shall let infants be baptized; whoever shall act contrary to this public edict shall be fined for every offense, one mark; and IF ANY BE DISOBEDIENT AND STUBBORN THEY SHALL BE TREATED WITH SEVERITY; for, the obedient we will protect; the disobedient we will punish according to his deserts, without fail; by this all are to conduct themselves. All this we confirm by this public document, stamped with the seal of our city, and given on St. Andrew’s Day, A. D., 1525.”

 RESULTS: Felix Manz, Henry Reiman, Jacob Falk were drowned. December 1527 they were told, “He who immersed shall be immersed”. A townsman said, “They like immersion, so let us immerse them”.

 Balthasar Hobmaier said, “The command is to baptize those who believe, to baptize those who do not believe, therefore is forbidden. He was imprisoned and later when he was supposed to recant instead he shouted, “Infant baptism is not of God and men must be baptized by faith in Christ. I have never taught Anabaptism…but the right baptism of Christ, which is preceded by teaching and oral confession of faith, I teach, and say that infant baptism is a robbery of the right baptism of Christ.” On March 10th, 1528 in Vienna, he was burned at the stake and 8 days later, his wife was drowned.

 Not only in Zurich and Vienna was this persecution against those who were for immersion and against infant baptism practiced but at St. Gall, Switzerland they issued this decree – September 9th, 1527: “In order that the dangerous, wicked, turbulent and seditious sect of the Baptists may be eradicated, we have thus decreed: If anyone is suspected of rebaptism, he is to be warned by the magistracy to leave the territory under penalty of the designated punishment [to be drowned]. Every person is obliged to report those favorable to rebaptism. Whoever shall not comply with this ordinance is liable to punishment according to the sentence of the magistracy. Teachers of rebaptism, baptizing preachers, and leaders of hedge meetings ARE TO BE DROWNED. Those previously released from prison who have sworn to desist from such things, shall incur the same penalty. Foreign Baptists are to be driven out; if they return they SHALL BE DROWNED. No one is allowed to secede from the [Zwinglian] church and to absent himself from the Holy Supper.”

 The decree on March 26th , 1530, was even more severe: “All who adhere to or favor the false sect of the Baptists, and who attend hedge-meetings, shall suffer the most severe punishments. BAPTIST LEADERS, THEIR FOLLOWERS, AND PROTECTORS SHALL BE DROWNED WITHOUT MERCY. Those, however, who "From the cowardice that shrinks from new truth, from the laziness that is content with halftruths, from the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth, O, God of Truth, deliver us." Ulrich Zwingli 2 THE GOSPEL UNASHAMED July 2015 assist them, or fail to report or to arrest them shall be punished otherwise on body and goods as injurious and faithless subjects.”

 Likewise, the Geneva’s Switzerland council in 1632, hung and burned men for denying the Trinity. The same persecution was in Dasil and Berne.

 In Germany, Luther taught immersion even translating “baptize” as “dip”. He wrote these words in 1518: “The signification of baptism demands, for it signifies that the old man and sinful birth from the flesh and blood shall be completely drowned through the grace of God.

 Therefore, a man should sufficiently perform the signification and a right perfect sign. The sign rests, in this, that a man plunge a person in water in the name of the Father, etc., but does not leave him therein but lifts him out again; therefore it is called being lifted out of the font or depths. And so must all of both of these things be the sign; the dipping and the lifting out. Thirdly, the signification is a saving death of the sins and of the resurrection of the grace of God. The baptism is a bath of the new birth. Also a drowning of the sins in the baptism” (Luther, Opera Lutheri, I. 319. Folio edition).

 He also wrote: “The term baptism is a Greek word; it may be rendered into Latin by “mersio”: when we immerse anything in water, that it may be entirely covered with water. And though that custom be quite abolished among the generality, (for neither do they entirely dip children, but only sprinkle them with a little water,) nevertheless they ought to be wholly immersed, and immediately to be drawn out again, for the etymology of the word seems to require it. The Germans call baptism “tauf”, from depth, which they call “tief” in their language; as if it were proper those should be deeply immersed, who are baptized. And truly, if you consider what baptism signifies that the old man and our native character that is full of sin, entirely of flesh and blood as it is, may be overwhelmed by divine grace. The manner of baptism, therefore ought to answer to the signification of baptism, so that it may show forth a sign that is certain and full.” – Opera

 “When the washing away of sin is attributed to baptism, it is rightly so attributed; but the meaning of the phrase is too slight and weak to fully express baptism, which is rather a symbol of death and resurrection. For this reason I could wish that the baptized should be totally immersed, according to the meaning of the word and signification of the mystery; not that I think it necessary to do so, but that it would be well that so complete and perfect thing as baptism should have its sign also in completeness and perfection, even as it was doubtless instituted by Christ.” – Primary Works, p. 192.

 Later, Luther began to oppose immersion and those who opposed infant baptism. Though he was opposed to executing them he wished them all to be banished for disagreeing with his doctrines. Again, he changed his mind and encouraged the destruction of peasants who revolted from the lords seeking their freedom.

 He wrote: “The peasants would not listen; they would not let anyone tell them anything; their ears must be unbuttoned with bullets, till their heads jump off their shoulders. ... On the obstinate, hardened, blinded peasants, let no one have mercy, but let everyone, as he is able, hew, stab, slay, lay about him as though among mad dogs, . . . . so that peace and safety may be maintained...” [Martin Luther, Werke, Erlangen edition, vol. 24, p. 294; vol.15, p. 276]

 (Over 100,000 peasants died. Do I accuse falsely? - GLF)

 He wrote: “It was I, Martin Luther, who slew all the peasants in the insurrection, for I commanded them to be slaughtered. All their blood is upon my shoulders. But I cast it on our Lord God who commanded me to speak in this way.” [Martin Luther, Werke, Erlangen edition, vol. 59, p. 284]

 So Luther sought the death of those opposing infant baptism and favored believers’ immersion. In 1529, the Diet of Speirs all Anabaptists were condemned to death. Mr. Halley points out 400 special police were hired to hunt down those believers and execute them on the spot. Thousands were burned across Europe for their faith. So the Lutherans killed many of the immersed believers.

 Urbanus Rhegius was a Lutheran who wrote a book in 1528 showing a river running into the ocean of water that was on fire. This was the view of Switzerland and Germany that immersion led to hell.

 Banishment, death, burnings, hangings, torturing, branding, and imprisonment was their fate.

 Likewise, Calvin was a persecutor and a murderer. “So entirely was he in favour of persecuting measures, that he wrote a treatise in defence of them, maintaining the lawfulness of putting heretics to death; and he reduced these rigid theories to practice, in his conduct towards Castellio, Jerom Bolsee, and Servetus, whose fates are too generally known to require being here repeated. At the council of Geneva, 1632, Nicholas Anthoine was condemned to be first hanged and then burned for opposing the doctrine of the Trinity...” (J.J. Stockdale, The History of the Inquisitions, 1810, p. xxviii). Martin Luther John Calvin July 2015 THE GOSPEL UNASHAMED 3 In the days of King Edward VI of England, Calvin wrote a letter to Lord Protector Somerset and urged him to put Anabaptists to death: “These altogether deserve to be well punished by the sword, seeing that they do conspire against God, who had set him in his royal seat” (John Christian, A History of the Baptists, Vol. 1, chap. 15).

 Historian John Christian observes that Calvin “was responsible in a large measure for the demon of hate and fierce hostility which the Baptists of England had to encounter.”

 In October 1563, Calvin had Servetus killed, burned at the stake for disagreeing on the Trinity. It was approved by both Melanchthon of Germany and Bullinger of Geneva and other leading reformers. Some of the worst persecutions were done by the Calvinists against the Arminians.

 Some were beheaded, imprisoned, or banished. Likewise, the Church of England under King Henry VIII, as well as King Edward VI and King James, persecuted immersionists. They organized burnings. These included both men and women. Many of their names are recorded in history but all in God’s book of martyrs. Hangings were common as well persecutions and imprisonments which continued over several centuries.

 Why do I print this? It shows that it is not only the Muslims and Catholics that kill their opponents. The reformers also persecuted those who insisted on immersion and other Bible truths. The very founders of Protestantism were also butchers filled with murderous practices on those who disagreed with their doctrines.

 The Legacy of Zwingli today - He was the one responsible for calling baptism a work and establish the “faith only” doctrine we contend with to this day.

 As for John Calvin, the founder of Calvinism, predestination is still taught in many mainline churches and was the cause of the death of many believers in Christ. Yet he did not predestinate the murders.

 Martin Luther by his own mouth caused the deaths of many in Germany and Prussia. His hatred and persecution of Jews is also renowned. The Church of England likewise took their toll on religious freedom.

 Ironically, these men had been greatly persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church. However, where they established themselves elsewhere in Switzerland, Germany, England, etc., they motivated other countries to prosecute and persecute. The persecuted became the persecutors. Romans 11:16 says, “If the root is holy, so are the branches.” Is not the opposite true? “If the root is unholy, can the branches be holy?”

 Isn’t it strange and ironic that the adherents to these men’s heritage now are saying that the mode, purpose, and candidates for baptism is simply immaterial? The rotting corpses of hundreds of thousands whom their ancestors tortured and slew over these questions gave their lives for believers’ immersion. Christ never intended His Kingdom to be spread by force. Those who do so prove they are none of His. It was at the price of the martyrs’ blood that we have the freedom today to preach believers baptism. Truly many of our own brethren lack the courage in this free society to preach the necessity of believer’s baptism.

 Today, if we teach what the restoration fathers taught in rejecting the reformer’s teachings, both would be counted worthy of martyrdom by the founding reformers. The tolerance many brothers show toward the doctrine of the founding reformers to me is astounding. To teach the faith-only doctrine of Zwingli, the doctrine of election of Calvin, and the non-necessity of immersion of Luther as practiced now by many in the Church of Christ, denies not only the teaching of Jesus Christ but is a rejection of our heritage. It cheapens and tramples the blood of Christ and the blood of the martyrs. It makes the martyrs radical legalists who simply died on the wrong hill.

 (This article was collected from many sources. We especially are thankful for the writings of David Cloud.)

Prayer: Power from God by Joe Andrasik

 

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Andrasik/Joseph/1947/pray.html

Prayer: Power from God

Prayer has the power to move mountains. This is certainly so if our prayer is to the God of Ages. Yes, there are many examples of prayers in the Bible which have literally changed the world. Moses parted the Red Sea and Israel vanquished great armies, and many other events are examples of the power of prayer.

The power of prayer lies in the power of the God of Ages and His willingness to listen to our requests and to respond in a powerful way because He cares about us. Prayer is powerful because our God is powerful.

Recognizing God as our Lord

All prayer must begin with our recognition of God as our omnipotent, sovereign Creator and Lord. Even though we might not say it directly in our prayer, our attitude must recognize God as our sovereign Lord whenever we approach Him in prayer. Without recognizing God as preeminent in our lives we cannot expect that God would even listen to our requests. God will listen to us because faithful prayer is a part of a two way relationship with God which God preordained. Prayer must come as a direct result of faith. Prayer is our voice of faith. We are affirming that we believe God's Word when He tells us He is our Father, Creator and benefactor and that He will listen to His faithful children. Therefore we pray as a natural extension of this faithful relationship with God. Then God makes it possible through faith for Him to remember His original intended relationship with His children. God remembers His original promise to Abraham that he would bless His offspring.
Genesis 22:18 - "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

Righteous prayer

A prayer that God will listen to and answer in a positive way comes from a humble, obedient and contrite heart. Isaiah 57:15 - "For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.'" When we are humble in our attitude, God shows His loves us and has compassion for us and our needs. This includes listening to our requests.

Unrighteous prayer

It is possible for our prayer to be such that God will not answer in a positive way. Do you remember the story of the wicked prophet Balaam the son of Beor? Joshua 24:9-10 - "Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. 'But I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand.'" If our attitude is not right and we do not have the proper attitude towards God and others, God tells us He will not listen to an unrighteous prayer. But when our attitude properly recognizes God as our sovereign Lord and we ask for help in anything according to His will, He promises to answer our prayers in a positive way.

The disciples of Jesus understood the importance of prayer. I am sure they often saw our Lord and Savior Jesus in prayer to the Father. The disciples asked Him in
Luke 11:1 - "Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.'" Jesus was steadfast and continuously in prayer to the Father. If Jesus the Son of God needed to pray regularly and often, should we not recognize prayer as absolutely necessary for a healthy and significant relationship with our Father in heaven? Is it not wonderful that God, the Creator of heaven and earth is willing to listen to our needs and wants and in most instances answers our prayers in a positive manner? Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount taught that the Father loves us and hears us when we ask His favor. Matthew 7:7-11 - "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Using God's gift

And yet it is possible that prayer is the most under-utilized gift our Father in Heaven has given to us. We might look back at own life and see the many missed opportunities when we could have exercised prayer and the power that God extends to us through prayer and be sadden by it. Prayer is the key to utilizing God's power to change this world for the better.

One might say to ones self, I am a sinner. I have not been faithful. How can God hear my prayer? And yet these are the very word's God wants to hear from us.

Luke 18:10-14 - "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Each Person is important to God

Many often underestimate the importance of their own prayers. We might think it is enough that the elders and minister prays for the needs of the congregation. God does not need our prayers. We are forgetting that God looks at each one of us as His child. Each one of us is personally important to God. The truth is that you might be the humblest person praying for someone's needs. Matthew 18:1-4 - "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" God does not view greatness the way we do.

Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?

Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? It is the humble child. Are you a humble child of God? God will listen to you. But you must ask him. God wants a two way relationship with you. Our own prayers are an untapped source of power for us and the Kingdom of God if we will just pray with faith. John 15:15-16 - "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

When you pray to Him you are responding in faith and God promised to bless you when you are faithful. He will also bless those we extend our prayers to as well, if it is His will.

Joe Andrasik

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

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

Check it out by Gary Rose

 

Virtually all adult human beings understand the concept of right and wrong (the sane among us, anyway). So, what do we do when we realize that we have done something that is wrong? Forget it, explain it away, try to do better next time, blame it on something or someone else. The fact is that none of these things actually work. They may SEEM to work, but they do not. Why? Because we cannot change what has occurred, that is why.

But, even though we can not make something wrong into something right, God can. God offered up his one and only son in our place; for everyone who truly believes in God and obeys him is forgiven by the precious blood of Jesus on the cross at Calvary.

I like the above check because it puts the Gospel (The good news of God’s gift of grace in Jesus) in terms that almost anyone can understand. For, when we do something wrong, we all know that we will ultimately have to pay for what we have done. Since we can’t pay the debt for our sins, Jesus did. It is up to us to accept this FACT and obey according the the manner that God has prescribed. Consider the following about how God made the one and only way to be forgiven for our sins ...

The FACT of it – Jesus died on a Roman cross

Matthew 27 ( World English Bible )

³¹ When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.

³² As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.

³³ They came to a place called “Golgotha,” that is to say, “The place of a skull.”

³⁴ They gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink.

³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,

³⁶ and they sat and watched him there.

³⁷ They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

³⁸ Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left.

³⁹ Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,

⁴⁰ and saying, “You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

⁴¹ Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said,

⁴² “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

⁴⁴ The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

⁴⁶ About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

⁴⁷ Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”

⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.

⁴⁹ The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.

⁵¹ Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.

⁵² The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴ Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

The First Preaching of it (at Pentecost)

Acts 2 ( WEB )

¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

¹⁵ For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.

¹⁶ But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.

¹⁸ Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.

¹⁹ I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.

²⁰ The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

²¹ It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

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 in the midst of 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 neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh 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.

⁴² They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

⁴³ Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

⁴⁴ All who believed were together, and had all things in common.

⁴⁵ They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

⁴⁶ Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

⁴⁷ praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

The Belief of it- As expressed in Baptism

Mark 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.

The Power of it – The blood of Jesus

1 Peter 1 ( WEB )

¹⁸ knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

¹⁹ but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;

The superiority of it - Grace

Romans 3 ( WEB )

²¹ But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;

²² even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,

²³ for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

²⁴ being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;

²⁵ whom God set forth to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;

²⁶ to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Human solutions can not solve the problem of sin. God is our one and only hope. God has made a way for us, but it is up to us to cash in our check of forgiveness. Re-read the Acts passage above and do what those who listened to the very first sermon did. Anything else is foolishness. Be wise and follow God and do not lean on your own understanding.