6/22/20

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" Are You On The Right Way? (7:13-14)

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Are You On The Right Way? (7:13-14)

INTRODUCTION

1. Everyone is on a spiritual journey as they travel through life...
   a. Whether religious or not, we travel a spiritual path
   b. Every day we make choices that affects the direction in which we are headed

2. Many people think that the paths we can travel are many...
   a. In one sense that may be true; there are all kinds of religions
   b. But in another sense there are really only two paths or ways

3. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus spoke of these two ways - Mt 7:13-14
   a. Each with its own beginning, each with its own end
   b. One way is heavily populated, the other is traveled by few

4. Where are you in your spiritual sojourn?
   a. Are you on the right way?
   b. Are you heading in the right direction?

[To answer such questions, let's look closely at what Jesus said.  Note first that...]

I. THERE ARE TWO GATES

   A. THE WIDE GATE...
      1. "for wide is the gate..." - Mt 7:13
      2. This "gate" represents the beginning to the "way" that leads to destruction
      3. It is described as "wide"; evidently it is a gate which:
         a. Allows many to enter with no sacrifice on their part
            1) It does not require giving up anything
            2) One is allowed to bring along whatever "baggage" they desire
               a) E.g., materialism
               b) E.g., prejudice, hatred, an unforgiving spirit
               c) E.g., believe whatever one wants to believe
         b. Is therefore chosen by most people
            1) For there are no restrictions concerning belief and behavior
            2) It also opens the way to "the path of least resistance"

   B. THE NARROW GATE...
      1. "Enter by the narrow gate.." - Mt 7:13
      2. This "gate" represents the beginning, or starting point, to
         the "way" that leads to life
      3. Why is it "narrow"?  Because it is a gate which:
         a. Requires self-denial and obedience - cf. Mt 16:24
         b. Has no room for...
            1) A consuming desire for earthly goods - Mt 6:19-20
            2) An unforgiving spirit - Mt 6:14-15
            3) Self-righteousness - Mt 6:1
            -- As Jesus has already stressed in His sermon on the mount

[These two "gates" are only the starting points.  Let's now take a
closer look at the fact that...]

II. THERE ARE TWO WAYS

   A. THE BROAD WAY...
      1. "...broad is the way" - Mt 7:13
      2. The way that leads to destruction is broad because it allows:
         a. Any behavior one desires
         b. No need for reformation or changes in one's "lifestyle"
      3. Many people love this path
         a. They think they are "free"
         b. They believe they are "open-minded"
         c. They view themselves as "tolerant" of others in this same way

   B. THE CONSTRICTED WAY...
      1. "...difficult is the way" - Mt 7:14 (NKJV)
         a. "...narrow the road" (NIV)
         b. "the way is narrow" (NASB)
         c. "narrow is the way" (KJV)
         -- The picture is one of a narrow and difficult path between two cliffs
      2. The way that leads to life is "difficult" because it requires:
         a. A righteousness that exceeds that of many religious people- Mt 5:20
         b. A change in our behavior - cf. Mt 5:21-7:12
      3. Because of its difficulty, many choose not to travel its path
         a. They think it too "confining"
         b. They think it is too "narrow-minded"

[As Jesus describes the two gates and the two ways, He also reminds us that...]

III. THERE ARE TWO GROUPS

   A. THE MANY...
      1. "There are many who go in by it" - Mt 7:13
      2. We have seen reasons why this is so:
         a. The entrance is wide:  "Come as you are!  No changes necessary!"
         b. The way is broad:  "Make your own rules!  Believe what you
            want!  Do what you want!"
      3. This is the way people travel by default;  unless they are
         actively seeking the narrow path, this is the one they will travel

   B. THE FEW...
      1. "there are few who find it" - Mt 7:14
      2. As proven true so often in the past, only few will be saved
         a. E.g., the millions lost in the flood vs. the eight saved on the ark
         b. E.g., the hundreds of thousands lost in the wilderness vs.
            the two who entered the promised land
         -- So Jesus warned on another occasion - Lk 13:23-24
      3. That it must be "found" suggests effort must extended
         a. As Jesus said in Lk 13:24:  "Strive to enter through the narrow gate..."
         b. Even then not all will be saved:  "...for many, I say to
            you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
         -- Not just effort, but the right kind of effort - cf. Mt 5:6;6:33

[Finally, we note that Jesus tells us that...]

IV. THERE ARE TWO DESTINATIONS

   A. DESTRUCTION...
      1. "...broad is the way that leads to destruction" - Mt 7:13
      2. Paul wrote of the "everlasting destruction" that is to come- 2Th 1:7-9
         a. Upon those who know not God
         b. Upon those who obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ
      3. John described it as "a lake of fire" - Re 20:15; 21:8
      -- A most sobering thought are these words of Jesus:  "...there
         are many who go in by it." - Mt 7:13

   B. LIFE...
      1. "...difficult is the way which leads to life" - Mt 7:14
      2. This "life" is the "everlasting life" received at the judgment- Mt 25:46
      3. It is the "gift of God", given at the end - Ro 6:22-23
         a. To those who have been set free from sin - cf. Ro 6:3-7
         b. To those who became slaves of God and of righteousness- cf. Ro 6:17-18
         c. To those who bore the fruit of holiness - cf. Ro 6:20-22
      -- Another sobering thought are these words about the way that
         leads to this life: "...there are few who find it." - Mt 7:14

CONCLUSION

1. So we have seen that Jesus describes:
   a. Two gates
   b. Two ways
   c. Two groups
   d. Two destinations

2. Are there many roads that lead to heaven?
   a. Many people like to think so
   b. That all religions lead to heaven
   c. That it really doesn't matter what you believe or do, as long as
      you are sincere

3. But according to Jesus...
   a. There are only two roads (ways)
   b. One leads to life, i.e., heaven
   c. The other road, filled with many people with many different
      beliefs, leads to destruction!

4. Are you on the right way, the only way, that leads to life?
   a. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes
      to the Father except through Me." - Jn 14:6
   b. The way that He provides is a narrow one, for He requires that
      people keep His commandments - Mt 28:19-20

Will you be among the few, or the many?  Let Jesus direct you along the
narrow way that leads to eternal life!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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Legalism by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1211

Legalism

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

One pervasive cultural phenomenon in American society is the predilection to be averse to law, restriction, and limitation. “Freedom” gradually has come to be conceptualized as freedom from restraint. Those who do not embrace a lax, casual, and open attitude toward moral value and ethical behavior are labeled “intolerant” and “mean-spirited.” Even within Christian circles, stressing the need to conform strictly to the will of God in all matters of faith and practice can cause one to be labeled as a “fundamentalist.” He is set aside as an immature and pharisaical misfit who simply has never “grown” to the point of grasping the true spirit of Jesus. He is “negative” and lacks “compassion.” And, yes, he is a “legalist.”

Listening carefully to the majority of those who fling about the term “legalistic,” it is soon apparent that they understand the term to refer to too much attention to legal detail. In the 1960s, Joseph Fletcher, the “Father of Situation Ethics,” pinpointed the popular notion of “legalism”:

In this ethical strategy the “situational variables” are taken into consideration, but the circumstances are always subordinated to predetermined general “laws” of morality. Legalistic ethics treats many of it rules idolatrously by making them into absolutes. In this kind of morality, properly labeled as legalism or law ethics, obedience to prefabricated “rules of conduct” is more important than freedom to make responsible decisions (1967, p. 31).

It would be difficult to underestimate the cataclysmic consequences of this depiction on the moral fiber of human civilization. Typical of the widespread misconception that “legalism” has to do with giving too much attention to complete obedience, is the illustration given by a preacher, college professor, and prominent marriage and family therapist in a university lecture titled “Getting Ahead: Taking Your Family With You:”

I found out when you’re dialing numbers...you have to dial about eighteen numbers to get started, and then you have to dial eighteen more—you know what I’m talking about? And if you miss, what? If you miss ONE—just ONE—you say ugly things to yourself, don’t you? Because you know you blew it again. It is amazing how legalistic the telephone company is (Faulkner, 1992, emp. added).

The very idea that obedience to God’s laws would one day be viewed as negative by those who profess adherence to Christianity, and then for this obedience to be denounced as “legalism,” is utterly incomprehensible. Such a posture should be expected to shake the very foundations of a nation’s standards of morality, stimulating a corresponding widespread relaxation of moral behavior. Yet is this not precisely what has happened to American civilization in the last forty years?

What exactly is “legalism” according to the Bible? Is “legalism” to be equated with too much concern for obedience? Is “legalism” equivalent to ardent determination to keep God’s commandments? One who possesses such a view would naturally tend to gloss over “details” of New Testament teaching, relegating to the realm of minimal importance various matters that he or she deems are not “weightier matters of the law.” In the words of one rather permissive preacher, “We don’t sweat the small stuff.”

It may be surprising to some to learn that the term “legalism” does not actually occur in the Bible. However, numerous extrabiblical words have been coined to describe biblical concepts (e.g., “providence”). In its classical, negative usage, “legalism” entails trusting one’s own goodness. Legalism pertains to one’s attitude about his own person (i.e., having an inflated sense of self-importance—Luke 18:11-12; Proverbs 25:27; Romans 12:3) and practice (i.e., thinking he or she can earn or merit salvation on the basis of performance—Luke 17:10; Romans 3:9-18,23; 11:35; 1 Corinthians 9:16). Legalism does not pertain to the propriety of the practices themselves. God always has condemned the person who is proud of his obedient actions, who trusts in his own goodness, and who expects to receive God’s grace on the basis of those actions (cf. Luke 18:9ff.; Romans 9:31ff.). But He always has commended the person who maintains absolute fidelity to the specifics of His commands (e.g., John 14:15; Romans 2:6-7,13; 6:16; Hebrews 5:9). The difference between the former and the latter is the attitude of the individual—a factor that only God is in a position to perceive (Luke 6:8). How presumptuous it is for one Christian to denounce another Christian simply on the basis that the latter exhibits meticulous loyalty to God’s Word—as if the former is able automatically to know his brother’s motive, and thus somehow read his mind. Purveyors of religious error often redefine otherwise good terms, placing their own spin on the word, and thereby subjecting unsuspecting listeners to their false doctrine. Those of a liberal persuasion have redefined “legalism” in such a fashion, shifting the meaning from the attitude of being self-righteous to the action of conscientious obedience to all of God’s Word.

As proof of this, consider the classic example of “legalism” in the New Testament: the Pharisees. Why may the Pharisees be classified as legalists? To answer that question, one must examine wherein Jesus found fault with the Pharisees. He reprimanded them for three central failings. First, they were guilty of hypocrisy. They pretended to be devoted, and went to great lengths to appear righteous, but they did not actually follow through with genuine, loving obedience to God (Matthew 23:4-7,25-28). Second, they gave attention to some biblical matters, but neglected others of greater importance (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). Jesus referred to this tendency as straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24). (Of course, He was not, thereby, advocating nor endorsing gnat-swallowing). Third, they misinterpreted Mosaic law (Matthew 5:17-48), and even went about binding and enforcing their fallacious interpretations, elevating these human traditions, laws, and doctrines to the level of scripture (Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13). Jesus repeatedly upbraided the Pharisees for these three spiritual maladies. But with these three shortcomings in mind, notice that the “legalism” of the Pharisees did not have to do with fervent attention to fulfilling the “letter of the law.” The Pharisees were not condemned because they were too zealous about strict obedience to God’s will. They were condemned because “they say, and do not” (Matthew 23:2).

As a matter of fact, God always has been vitally concerned that those who wish to be pleasing to Him give great care to obeying the details and particulars of His instructions (e.g., Leviticus 10:1-3; 2 Samuel 6:1-7; 1 Chronicles 15:12-13). Jesus even equated this crucial sensitivity to obedience with love for Him (John 14:15; 15:14). Many who possess a flippant, blasé attitude toward rigid obedience, think that they are avoiding a “legalistic” syndrome, when they actually are demonstrating lax, weak spirituality and unfaithfulness.

“Faithfulness” is, by definition, obedient trust or loyal compliance with the stipulations of God’s will (James 2:17-26). “Righteousness” is, by definition, right doing (Acts 10:34-35; 1 John 3:7). Abraham understood this (Genesis 26:5; Hebrews 11:8). Moses understood this (Deuteronomy 4:2; 6:17; 10:12; 11:8,13,22,27-28). Joshua understood this (Joshua 23:6,11; 24:14-15). John understood this (1 John 5:3). So did Paul (Romans 6:16). Indeed, the Bible never pits the grace of God against obedience to God.

In reality, outcries of “legalism” can serve as a convenient smoke screen to justify departure from the faith, and to cloak an agenda that seeks to introduce unbiblical worship innovations into the body of Christ. Make no mistake: there are hypocrites in the church, as well as those with critical hearts whose demands for conformity arise out of self-righteous arrogance. But the major threat confronting the people of God today is the perennial problem of humanity: a stubborn, rebellious propensity for deviation/apostasy—i.e., an unwillingness to submit humbly to God’s directives (e.g., Genesis 4:7; 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Micah 6:8; Matthew 7:13-14; Romans 3:10-12; 6:16; 10:21; 2 Thessalonians 1:8). That is precisely why, after rebuking the Pharisees for neglecting the “weightier matters of the law” (i.e., justice, mercy, faith, and the love of God; cf. John 5:42), Jesus reiterated: “These (i.e., the weightier matters—DM) you ought to have done, without leaving the others (i.e., the less weightier mattersDM) undone” (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42, emp. added). This also is why Jesus declared: “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19-20). He meant that careful attention to all of God’s commandments—including those deemed “least”—demonstrates a conscientious regard for pleasing God. Whether under Judaism or in the kingdom of Christ, seeking to obey God with an humble attitude is paramount. Those who relegate some doctrinal matters to a status of “less importance” (e.g., worshipping God without human additions—like instrumental music, praise teams, choirs, and baby dedications), and who teach others to participate in these unscriptural innovations, thinking that God will not be “nit-picky” over such “minor” things, will find themselves facing eternal tragedy.

Yes, we must avoid “legalism.” A smug sense of superiority and spiritual self-sufficiency will cause a person to be lost eternally (e.g., Luke 18:9-14). But who would have imagined—who could have anticipated—that the day could come when God’s demand for obedience would be circumvented, derided, and set aside as “legalism”? Those who advance this viewpoint are, in actuality, advocating “illegalism”! We dare not mistake “legalism” for loving obedience to the will of God in every facet of our lives. Instead, we must carefully “do all those things which are commanded” (Luke 17:10), recalling Jesus’ words: “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). We must stake our lives upon the grace of God, but then we must love and obey Him, remembering that “this is love for God: that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3).

REFERENCES

Faulkner, Paul (1992), “Getting Ahead: Taking Your Family With You” (Henderson, TN: Freed-Hardeman University Lectureship).

Fletcher, Joseph (1967), Moral Responsibility (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press.).

Laying On of Hands by Dave Miller, Ph.D.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=3782

Laying On of Hands
by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The ability to perform miracles in the first century church was granted by God in essentially two ways: baptism of the Holy Spirit and the laying on of the apostles’ hands. The Bible only mentions the former avenue as occurring twice (Acts 2 and Acts 10), and then only for special and limited purposes, with a third occurrence implied in connection with Paul’s unique calling (Acts 9:15; 22:21; Romans 1:5; 11:13; 1 Corinthians 15:8; Galatians 1:16; 2:7-8; et al. See Miller, 2003). The latter avenue is specifically described by Luke in his account of the initial proclamation of the Gospel to the Samaritans:

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-19, emp. added).

Since the New Testament expounds no other means by which any person may receive ability to perform miracles, it inevitably follows that no person living on Earth today has miraculous capability. Holy Spirit baptism was unique, exclusive, and limited at the beginning of the church, and no apostles are alive today to impart miraculous ability to anyone.

Some have challenged the exclusivity of the role of the apostles in their unique ability to impart miraculous capability by calling attention to the admonition given by Paul to Timothy: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership” (1 Timothy 4:14, emp. added). Based on this verse, some insist that the apostles were not the only conduit through which God would/will impart miraculous ability. Does the New Testament clarify this situation?

In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul plainly declared that the “gift of God” which Timothy possessed was conferred “through the laying on of my hands.” How does one harmonize 1 Timothy 4:14 with 2 Timothy 1:6? Was Timothy’s miraculous ability conferred upon him by Paul, by the eldership, or by both? The grammar of the text provides the answer. In 2 Timothy 1:6, where Paul claimed sole credit for imparting the gift to Timothy, the Holy Spirit employed the Greek preposition dia with the genitive, which means “through” or “by means of ” (Machen, 1923, p. 41; Dana and Mantey, 1927, p. 101). However, in 1 Timothy 4:14, where Paul included the eldership in the action of impartation, he employed a completely different Greek preposition—meta. The root meaning of meta is “in the midst of ” (Dana and Mantey, p. 107). It denotes “the attendant circumstances of something that takes place”—the “accompanying phenomena” (Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, pp. 510-511, emp. added). It means “in association with” or “accompanied by” (Moule, 1959, p. 61; Thayer, 1901, p. 404; cf. Robertson, 1934, p. 611). In other words, Paul—as an apostle—imparted the miraculous gift to Timothy. It came from God through Paul. However, on that occasion, the local eldership of the church was present and participated with Paul in the event, lending their simultaneous support and accompanying commendation. After examining the grammatical data on the matter, Nicoll concluded: “[I]t was the imposition of hands by St. Paul that was the instrument used by God in the communication of the charisma to Timothy” (1900, 4:127; cf. Jamieson, et al., n.d., 2:414; Williams, 1960, p. 956). Consequently, 1 Timothy 4:14 provides no proof that miraculous capability could be received through other means in addition to apostolic imposition of hands and the two clear instances of Holy Spirit baptism.

[NOTE: For a more thorough study of miracles, see "Modern-Day Miracles, Tongue-Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation—EXTENDED VERSION"]

REFERENCES

Arndt, William and F.W. Gingrich (1957), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).

Dana, H.E. and Julius Mantey (1927), A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Toronto, Canada: Macmillan).

Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset, and David Brown (no date), A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

Machen, J. Gresham (1923), New Testament Greek for Beginners (Toronto, Canada: Macmillan).

Miller, Dave (2003), “Modern-Day Miracles, Tongue-Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation—EXTENDED VERSION,” /apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1399.

Moule, C.F.D. (1959), An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek (Cambridge: University Press, 1977 reprint).

Nicoll, W. Robertson, ed. (1900), The Expositor’s Greek Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Robertson, A.T. (1934), A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press).

Thayer, J.H. (1901), Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977 reprint).

Williams, George (1960), The Student’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel), sixth edition.

Joseph of Arimathea and the Great Stone by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=3504

Joseph of Arimathea and the Great Stone

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Recently, a gentleman contacted our offices questioning some of the events surrounding the burial of Christ. He specifically wanted to know about the likelihood of Joseph of Arimathea being able to roll “a great stone” (Matthew 27:60) against the entrance of the tomb. A person can understand how one man could transport the body of Jesus, wrap it in linen, and lay it in a tomb (27:59-60), but how could one man roll a “very large” (Mark 16:4) stone over the opening of the tomb of Jesus?

First, one should keep in mind that Joseph was very familiar with this tomb. He was the owner of it and also the one who had hewn the tomb out of the rock (Matthew 27:60; cf. Isaiah 53:9). It could be that he had made provision so that a large stone could easily be set against the entrance of the tomb (even by one man), yet when set in place, it might be extremely difficult to remove (even for several men). If the entrance of the tomb, for example, was at a lower elevation, and the large stone was on an incline, temporarily held in place by smaller stones and/or by a slight indentation in the ground, Joseph might easily have been able to roll the stone against the entrance by himself.

Second, and more importantly, Joseph was not by himself. Although Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not mention anyone else helping Joseph roll the stone against the tomb’s entrance, they also do not expressly state or imply that he was alone. In fact, John records that Nicodemus helped Joseph prepare Jesus’ body for burial, and afterwards “they laid Jesus” in the tomb (John 19:42, emp. added). In truth, since none of the gospel writers indicates that only one or two men buried Jesus, an untold number of people (e.g., Joseph’s servants) may have helped Joseph and Nicodemus roll the “great stone” against the entrance of Jesus’ tomb.

It is imperative for Bible students and skeptics to keep in mind as they read through Scripture, and especially the gospel accounts, that silence does not negate supplementation. Just because the synoptic writers were silent about Nicodemus helping Joseph bury Jesus, does not mean Nicodemus could not have helped Joseph or that John was mistaken. Furthermore, simply because the gospel writers were silent about others (such as servants that a “rich man” like Joseph probably had—Matthew 27:57) who might have helped Joseph and Nicodemus roll the large stone over the entrance of the tomb, does not mean there were not any. In short, nothing in the gospel accounts concerning Joseph of Arimathea or the great stone that covered the entrance of Jesus’ tomb is impossible or discrepant.

DID YOU LEARN THAT FROM SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES? by steve finnell


http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/03/did-you-learn-that-searching-scriptures.html

DID YOU LEARN THAT FROM SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES?
by steve finnell


Did you learn God's doctrine from searching the Scriptures? Do you rightly divide the word of truth? Did you gladly receive God's word? 

Acts 17:10-11.....they received the word with readiness, and searched the Scriptures to find out whether these things were so. (NKJV)

Acts 2:40-41 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (NKJV)

2 Timothy 2:15...rightly dividing the word of truth. (NKJV)

If you believe that water baptism is not essential in order to be saved; did you learn that from searching the Scriptures?

If you are convinced that babies are guilty of Adam's sin at birth; are you rightly dividing the word of truth?

If you are teaching that men have no responsibility in their salvation because God gives them the faith to be saved; are you gladly receiving God's word?

If you think water baptism is simply done as testimony of faith; did you learn that from searching the Scriptures?

If you believe that men will get another chance at salvation when Jesus returns; are rightly dividing the word of truth?

If you are convinced that Jesus is one of many ways to heaven; did you learn that from searching the Scriptures?

If you think you can be saved like the thief on the cross; are you rightly dividing the word of truth?

WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES TEACH US?

Salvation requirements are not hard to understand if you put pride aside.

1. Belief precedes confession and water immersion. (Mark 16:16)

2. Confessing Jesus as Lord and believing God raised Him from the dead is essential. (Romans 10:9-10) The thief on the cross did not believe  that God raised Jesus from the dead.  

3. Repentance is essential. Babies and dead people cannot believe nor can they repent.( Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) Babies are sinless.

4. No water baptism, no forgiveness. (Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21, John 3:5, Acts 22:16, Acts 2:38, Galatians 3:27)

If you did not learn it from searching the Scriptures; then why do you believe it.

God is love by Roy Davison


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


God is love

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8).

Love is an innate characteristic of God. Love is His nature. We must learn to love; we must grow in love. God is love.

This may not be reversed. That God is love does not mean that love is God. This misconception reduces God to the personification of a virtue. John also says, “God is light” (1 John 1:5). This does not mean that light is God.

'God is love' defines His nature.

In John's first letter he emphasizes God's love for us and how we should respond.

God showed His love by sending His Son.

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9, 10).

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16).

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:4, 5).

Nothing external can separate us from God's love: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38, 39).

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).

God's love comforts us and gives us confidence to have a close relationship with Him: “We have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:16-19).

“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

God deserves our utmost love. Jesus said, “'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37, 38).

Paul refers to “haters of God” in Romans 1:30.

God has demonstrated His love. He deserves our love. He inspires our love. Yet, each person chooses either to love or to hate God. A neutral attitude to God is not possible. God punishes those who hate Him and blesses those who love Him (Exodus 20:5, 6).

Why would anyone hate God? Because he has more love for something else. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

When we accept the loving grace of God by being baptized, God's Spirit is poured out on us: “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

Through the Spirit, the love of God is poured out in our hearts: “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).

We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

The love of God is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us. Because we have experienced God's love, we want to love Him and others the way He loves us.

He who loves God must love his brother also.

“And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment” (1 John 3:23).

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us” (1 John 4:7-12).

Paul told the Thessalonians: “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9).

“This is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1 John 3:11).

People ought to recognize us as followers of Christ because of our love for one another. Jesus tells His followers: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34, 35).

It is not enough to say we love our brethren. True love gives practical assistance where needed: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18).

“If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20, 21).

He who loves God keeps His commandments.

Jesus says: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:12-14).

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6).

Some misuse the statement, “If we love one another, God abides in us” (1 John 4:12) to claim that what we teach or how we worship is not important as long as we love one another. But John explains: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:2, 3). “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (2 John 6).

If our teaching and worship are not according to the word of the Lord, we are liars when we say we love God and we are liars when we say we love the brethren, according to the Apostle John.

What have we learned about God's love and our response?

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8).

God showed His love by sending His Son. We love Him because He first loved us. He who loves God must love his brother also. He who loves God keeps His commandments.

“Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God” (2 Thessalonians 3:5). “Keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 21).

“Be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11). “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

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)

A message in a bottle by Gary Rose



Vaguely, I remember an old movie where someone finds a message in a bottle. Well, here is the modern equivalent. I wonder, if you found this: What WOULD YOU DO? Since this is obviously from someone who is a bit of a computer enthusiast, I would ask myself: Do I know anyone who might do this and why would they bother to go to all the trouble to send a message in such a complicated way? I know I wouldn’t go to all the trouble to do this, would you? I can only think of one reason why someone would do this – Because the message was so large it had to be conveyed this way. Today, jump drives like this (some people call them pen drives, flash drives or memory sticks) can hold an incredible amount of information, even to the point of being able to back up and entire computer. If this sounds far fetched, it isn’t. Last year I purchased a jump drive that has a capacity of two Terabytes and that is enough to do a backup on most any computer out there.


Point is: the world is changing. The ways we grew up communicating are changing as well. Think about it: we used to have outside public phones and manual typewriters (and they didn’t even have electricity either), mimeographs and stock market tickers. OK, I know that for some of you these are strange terms, but again, the point is – THINGS CHANGE! Just because we are used to communicating in one preferred way, doesn’t mean we will always use it.


And if you think this is just about the transition between the 20th and the 21st centuries, consider this passage from the Apostle John’s third letter….


3 John ( World English Bible )

13 I had many things to write to you, but I am unwilling to write to you with ink and pen;

14 but I hope to see you soon, and we will speak face to face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.


Some people actually prefer to communicate using conversation; face to face. This is true, even today, for a person communicates a lot of non-verbal information having a face to face conversation.


So, the next time you open your Bible, think about how else you might study the Scriptures. Today, people also use the internet, a smart phone, a tablet or desktop or even a laptop computer.


Things may change, but God never does. No matter how you obtain it, God’s message is eternal. Even if it might be encased in something as strange as a jump drive sealed in a bottle!