In churches of Christ, we are often charged with "making too much of baptism." Just how much does one have to make of baptism to make too much of it? As long as we make of it only what the Bible makes of it, we are not making too much of it. That very naturally leads us into the very important question: "Just how much does the New Testament make of baptism?

Those who make a ‘sacrament’ of baptism make it some-thing the Bible never deals with. It is not a Biblical concept. Others make of baptism an initiation into their denomination. Since the Bible knows nothing of denominations, that is obviously not a New Testament practice.

Many make baptism a condition of church membership but not a condition of salvation. Actually, it is God who made it a condition of salvation.

A fine young Baptist preacher and his tour group joined us on a tour of the Bible lands. We had a most enjoyable time together. He had in his group a fine couple who were his good friends and were also Baptists. I asked if they were members of his congregation. He said, "No. As a matter of fact they are not Southern Baptists and we are close friends but have no spiritual fellowship." He went further to say that if they should decide to become members where he preached, they would have to be baptized again. His practice cannot be sustained by scripture.

Just what does the New Testament make of baptism? It is a command of God, Acts 10:48. It is an essential part of the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16. When the full gospel was first preached on Pentecost, those who crucified Christ asked, "What must we do?" Peter answered, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Acts 2:38. When Saul of Tarsus asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?", he was told to go into the city of Damascus and it will be told thee. He did and he was told "Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins." Acts 22:16. Several like scriptures can be given. When we teach men to do the same, are we making too much of baptism?

I want to make no more and no less of baptism than does the word of God. If we stick with the scriptures, we cannot go astray.

Last week we gave notice to the evils of voting on doctrines. When God has spoken, men have no right to legislate. This amounts to substituting human wisdom in the place of divine wisdom. We are warned against adding to, or taking from, the word of God. Rev. 22:18-19.

There is another evil which is practiced in voting which deserves notice.

Several years ago, a man from a community near Ralls, TX, came to see me about a matter of grave concern to him. This church had just gone through a revival meeting. His mother was a very worldly sinner and he wished to see her saved. So, he talked his mother into going. He said the preacher gave a very stirring sermon and his mother was moved by it. She went forward too "be saved and join the church."

The local "pastor" announced he was happy to see her make this decision for Christ and to want to join the church. He further stated, "However, we all know what a sinful life Mrs. Butler has led. So, I will put her on a three month’s probation and if during that time she proves the genuineness of her conversion, we will then take a vote on whether or not to baptize her and receive her into the church."

Her son said to me, "Mama is discouraged and she has not been back." I remarked to him, "I’m with Mama!"

Can you imagine Jesus’ saying to the Samaritan at Jacob’s Well, "You Samaritans have been a pretty bad lot. I think it best to put you on a three months probation."

Or, maybe hear Jesus say to Zacchaeus, "I hear what you are saying about giving to the poor and repaying those you have defrauded. But, with your reputation, I think I had better wait and see if you make good on your word."

If from all outward appearances it seems that one has obeyed the gospel of Christ, how dare a group of people presume to play God and decide on the genuineness of his conversion.

Unbelievers will tell you there are no moral absolutes, no right and no wrong. They think that what you believe is right is right for you. It is that old philosophy "I’m O.K., You’re O.K." Many people who claim to be Christians take the view that it does not matter what you believe. If that is true, then it does not matter if you believe at all!

If there are no divine rules, then all we have left are human rules. Unless human rules are grounded in higher rules, then no set of human beings would have the right to tell the rest of us human beings what to do or not to do.

Keep in mind that God is always right, always has been, always will be. God gave us rules to live by because he loves us. He did not arbitrarily rule that stealing is wrong. It is inherently wrong. Even without a Bible I would know it is wrong to steal because I do not want you to steal what is mine. One does not need a Bible to tell him it is wrong to commit adultery. The fact that a man does not want his wife and children taken by some other man will tell him this. By giving laws against such wrongs, God left man without excuse. Even if you removed God’s laws from a religious setting, they would still be the greatest standard of conduct.

"Honor thy father and thy mother." Who would sanely object to parental respect? The world badly needs that lesson now.

Man’s disregard for sexual purity has resulted in sexually transmitted diseases, millions of illegitimate births annually, broken homes, wounded consciences, alienation from God, jealousy and even murder.

The command "Thou shalt not kill" teaches respect for life in general. Life must be respected because it comes from God. Those who have adopted a liberal view of abortion may one day suffer the consequence of living in a society that does not respect life on any level. "Thou shalt not kill" includes unborn babies, the elderly and the infirm.

We are told to love our neighbor as ourselves. We do not always live by that but our failure in no way negates the command.

There is absolute truth and we need to live by it.

Nothing is more basic than authority. The principle is so simple that one would think that all men would see it and appreciate it. Not so.

Authority carries with it power. Power is not easy to handle. Give a man power, authority, and he wants to exert it.

I have seen men who seemed meek and humble. But, when they were made elders in the church, some became obsessed with their power. They ruled for the sake of ruling. When power is used like that, it will often be misused. It always causes trouble.

Sometime ago we saw an example of the misuse of power in one of our state's football teams. Any player should know that the coach is supposed to be in control. When a quarterback decides he knows better than his coach what plays should be called, he is asking for trouble. In fact, he is asking for a seat on the bench. That is where he belongs. It is an insult to the coach. It is unfair to his teammates.

In religion, we need to always remember who is in charge. It is the Lord God Almighty who is in charge. God calls the shots. When we try to take over, it always causes ruin and destruction.

Some preachers think they have a better plan of salvation than God has given in the Great Commission and in the preaching of the apostles in the Book of Acts. They do not.

Some church leaders think they have better ideas on public worship than God does. They introduce concerts with bands and praise leaders. They are not content with simple prayers and congregational gospel singing.

Most churches have their written creeds whether it be the Prayer Book, or Church Manual, or Discipline, or whatever. They are not content with a "Thus saith the Lord" from the Bible. Why have a human creed? "It defines our peculiar stance and doctrine and distinguishes us from other churches." Why would any Christian want to be distinguished from any other group of Christians?

Any creed which has more than the Bible has too much. Any creed which has less than the Bible has too little. So, why have them? You have a Bible!

Stick with the proper authority - the Bible.

Several years ago I had a dear friend (now deceased) who was as good a preacher as I ever heard. He stayed with the Bible and he could tell it in a powerful way.

He attended a seminary in the Washington, D. C., area. He became too smart for his own good. Among other things, he decided that there really never was any Adam and Eve. That was a symbolic myth.

The story of creation was too much for him to swallow. When we accept the idea of God, the creation story is not difficult to accept. In the words of scripture, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14.

This man's denial was in sharp contrast to another man's faith. When asked if he believed the story of Jonah and the whale, he said, "If the Bible said that Jonah swallowed the whale, I would believe that!"

Any student of the Bible knows that the Bible has figurative language. When Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches", we know what he was really saying. When he said he was the door to the sheepfold, we know he was saying he was the means of entrance.

However, Jesus actually believed the Genesis account. He said, "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female?" Matthew 19:4.

Luke traced the genealogy of Christ all the way back to Adam. Luke 3:23-38. He believed that Christ was a lineal descendant of Adam.

Paul believed in the reality of Adam. "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses." Romans 5:14. He not only believed there was an Adam, he accepted the story of the fall of man and its effect on the whole human race. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Corinthians 15:22. Death through Adam is as real as life through Christ. If one is true, the other is also true.

When one considers the vastness of God's creation, it is evident that our God is an awesome God. I cannot comprehend how even God could have made it all and continues to control it all. I rejoice to know my fate is in the hands of such a wonderful, loving, and all-powerful God. He can save my sinful soul and give me eternal life.

Nominal: "in name only; not in fact." Titles can be meaningful. Or, they can be for the sake of show, pretense. We realize there is value in being a Christian or else we would not claim to be one. The concept of what it means to be a Christian may vary widely depending on whether or not one is informed in the scriptures. We speak of a ‘Christian nation’ meaning a country in which most of its people profess to believe in Christ.

A man may be called a Christian because he has high moral standards. Another claims to be a Christian because he feels that he has been born again. Another claims no such experience but his name is on a church roll, so, he says he is a Christian.

Much of modern day preaching contributes to our ignorance rather than enlightenment. Thousands may be gathered in a meeting in which the evangelist exhorts listeners to "just take Jesus as your Savior; open the door of your heart and let him in." No commitment is required. No change in lifestyle is demanded, just a profession of faith. How does that square with the teachings of Jesus? Luke 14:26-27 "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." (NRSV) This is very demanding. Notice the wording "cannot be my disciple."

In the First Century, many Christians died as martyrs. It was either deny their faith or else die. They chose to die. How many people who are willing to raise their hand during a revival meeting are willing to die for their faith? Most are not even willing to attend church, to pray daily, to read their Bibles or to speak a word of salvation to some lost soul.

It is not uncommon to visit someone who is terminally ill and hear "I am a Christian. I know the Lord." Yet, that person may not have darkened the door to the church in years, if ever. What is even worse, sometimes it is a person who uses bad language, is a drug user, a drunk, or adulterer. Many people have no awareness of being a sinner.

Last week while waiting for an elevator, without eavesdropping, I overheard two ladies talking. One asked the other if she attended church on weekends. The lady answered, "Not routinely. I go when I want to."  I was sure I knew what routinely means but I looked it up anyway. It means "following a regular, more or less unvarying procedure."  The lady’s manner seemed to say that she did not attend church very much. Why? She did not want to attend!

This lady is not in a class by herself. She has a lot of company. A great many church members are in that category.  It is sad that so many seem to regard doing the will of God as being optional. Of course God gives us the choice to obey or disobey. However, we cannot disobey without very serious consequences.

Preachers are not exempt. On September 9, 1832, Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered his final sermon as pastor of the Second Church, Boston. It was titled "The Lord’s Supper." He refused to administer it or to observe it. He said, "This mode of commemorating Christ is not suitable to me. That is reason enough why I should abandon it. If I believed it was enjoined by Jesus on his disciples . . . and yet on trial it was disagreeable to my own feelings, I should not adopt it. I should choose other ways which, as more effectual upon me, he would approve more." Page 116, The Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Modern Library Book, N. Y. 1950.

It seems very brazen for anyone to say he would not do something even if he believed that is what God wants done. And to go further and say that he could choose other ways that God would approve. It seems worse that a preacher would publicly take such a stand..

Churches all over America are tailoring their church services and programs to suit the whims and fancy of potential members.

In an interview with Peter Jennings on a national network Bill Hybels (Willow Creek Community Church) said "What we are doing is not worship. It is to get people off the streets and into our building."

There has been a very divisive issue introduced into the Southern Baptist Convention. Should women be allowed to be pastors? Their answer was "No". This meant that many, many existing pastors who are women would no longer be allowed to serve in that capacity.

The Convention stood its ground. On what basis? That the scriptures do not allow this practice. In the newspaper reports of it, I did not read any arguments made from scripture to back them up. That does not mean they are wrong.

There were several flaws in their approach. In the first place, there was the misconception of what a New Testament pastor is. The word ‘pastor’ simply means ‘shepherd’, someone in charge of a flock. In the New Testament, those who oversee the church are referred to by three terms, each of which is translated by two different terms in the King James Version. They are designated as pastors or shepherds; bishops or overseers; elders or presbyters. These terms described those who led and governed the flock, not necessarily those who preached. These were to be men, men who had wives and children, 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1.

In the second place, the Convention did not rule against women in the pulpit, just women who had charge of the church. As for women in the pulpit, Paul wrote the Corinthians concerning their public assemblies, "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak." 1 Cor. 14:34.

Women are very important to the church. Usually the very best workers are women. Percentage wise, more women are faithful to attend church than men. They may be far more capable of filling a pulpit than many preachers are. That is not the question. It is a matter of the role God gave them and the pulpit is not that role.

Can you imagine trying to play football, baseball, golf or any other sport without rules? It would be chaos. Tempers would flare, fights would ensue. In fact, these things sometimes happen even with rules! Rules do not make for trouble and unhappiness. Rules actually make for peace and goodwill. In base-ball, a batter may wish he had a fourth strike but he knows it does not work that way. "Three strikes and you’re out!" That’s the way it is supposed to be.

Strangely enough, in religion, some folk seem to think there are no rules. To them, everything is grace. God’s grace is great and marvelous but it does not cover everything. The blood of Jesus will wipe out every kind of sin except that of the unrepentant sinner. So long as a man stands in open defiance of the will of God, he cannot and will not be forgiven. There is a sin for which we need not pray, 1 John 5:16.

If God had no rules, there would be no need for grace. No one will ever appreciate the grace of God apart from a realization of the magnitude of our sins. It is humiliating to me to think that MY sins are so great it takes the death of God’s own Son to remove my sins, but, that is the case.

Even though there are conditions to be met in order to be saved, it is still the grace of God that allows me to be pardoned under those conditions. A gift is no less a gift even if there are conditions to be met. Even when we obey God, we profit him nothing. Jesus said that we have done all that it is our duty to do, we have become unprofitable servants. Luke 17:10.

Unless we play by the rules, even the grace of God will not save us. Learn to play by the rules.

Edgar A. Guest wrote, "I’d rather see a sermon than to hear one any day, I’d rather one would walk with me than merely point the way." Sometimes we say, "Talk is cheap." Or, "It’s easier said than done." We have a way of tuning others out when we do not want to hear. But, it is hard to argue with a demonstration, and an example is a demonstration.

The apostle Paul powerfully set forth the doctrine of Christ. But, he wrote "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Phil. 4:9. Paul’s life demonstrated what his message said.

Jesus said, "I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you." John 13:15. Peter wrote that we should suffer for well doing and cited Christ as our example. 1 Peter 2:21, " Hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." During the first century, thousands of people emulated the example of Christ and died for their faith. Before asking if you would die rather than deny your faith, ask if you would live for Christ rather than to deny your faith.

Nothing will open the door for sinners to become believers like a godly example. Peter wrote that husbands may turn a deaf ear to the word of the gospel but be won by the godly manner of life of his wife.

You may talk about your faith and loudly say you are a believer and then negate it all by foul language, dirty jokes, drinking strong drink, carousing. And what seems so innocent, you do none of those vile things but simply stay away from the church, choose companions who do not love the Lord, take in all kinds of sports on the Lord’s Day rather than meeting with the saints. Your example says a lot. What is it saying?

If you are a parent, or grandparent, it is especially important that you set the very best example for your little ones. They pick up on things very quickly. They will know if Christ comes first in your life or not. It is like signing for the deaf. If your fingers say one thing and your face says something else, they will believe your face every time.

We all sin and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23. The seriousness of that is seen in the fact that "The wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. Ezekiel said, "The soul that sinneth shall die", Ezek. 18:20. Sin is a blight on the soul of man and unless removed will result in being punished and banished forever from the presence of God. 2 Thess. 1:6-9.

Most of us are aware that we are sinners and in need of salvation. Even the pagan jailor at Philippi, before he heard the gospel, asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" People sometimes are very adamant in telling you they are saved and know they are saved. But, they many times may be described in the words of Shakespeare, "Thou protesteth too much." They may be trying to convince themselves.

The matter of salvation is too important to trifle with it. What is the evidence of pardon? How can I know when I am saved, or, if I am still lost? Since God gives peace which passes understanding, does it seem reasonable to think that God would leave us in the dark? Do we have to go through life guessing about our salvation? An old man in Lingleville, TX, told his neighbor, "Rube, here I am at the end of the row and I am wondering if that ‘experience’ I have testified about for all these years really happened." Surely there must be something more reliable. There definitely is!

Many people are long on talking about trusting Christ for their salvation but are short on doing it. True faith will take Jesus at his word. He never fails to keep his promises. What he says, he will do.

What better evidence of salvation would you want than the inspired word of God? Many people seek the subjective. They look within themselves. Others are objective. They believe the evidence of pardon is outside themselves, and that is true. When Jesus said, "Except you believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins", do you accept that? When he said, "Except you repent, you will perish", do you believe him? When he said that unless we confess him before men, he will deny us before the Father, is that really true? When he said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved", can you depend on that? If you have done these things, what further need do you have of some sort of ‘experience’ to convince you that you are saved?

Following his resurrection, Jesus commissioned his apostles, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:16. They either did or did not do as they were told. If they did as they were told to do, we know what the gospel is. If they did not do as they were told to do, we are at a complete loss to know what truth is. They were faithful to their charge. We have the truth in the Bible.

How were the apostles to know what to preach? How would they know what is gospel and what is not? Jesus made sure they were equipped. They were not on their own. "Take no thought [do not premeditate] how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Matt. 10:19-20. Jesus promised his apostles, "The Comforter , which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26. "When he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." John 16:8. The Comforter came on Pentecost, "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:4. When Peter and the other apostles preached, what did they say? They told the people they had by wicked hands crucified the very Son of God. But God raised him from the dead. It did convict them of sin. They said, "Men and brethren, what must we do?" They were told, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, for the remission of sins." Acts 2:38. Sermons in the Book of Acts are filled with preaching about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Those saved were all saved by hearing and obeying the same message. There are not two or more ways of salvation. Some of the accounts are fuller than others. But, the one thing that is found in all eight cases of conversion is very plain: in each case, they were baptized. Why? In the commission given by Christ, He said "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark 16:16. No amount of reasoning will take away the force of that simple statement, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."

There are some deep things in scripture, but the things we must know to become and be a Christian. Thank God, those are simple.

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The apostle Paul wrote the church at Corinth saying he determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2. Yet, in this letter he writes about the sin of division and how they must be perfectly united. He also writes about their pride (being puffed up) and what he had endured for the sake of Christ.

Paul also dealt with the sin of incest and their attitude of acceptance of the guilty party. He wrote of the duties of marriage. Also, he wrote of the support of gospel preachers, eating sacrifices to idols, a denial of the resurrection and many other matters.

These things are said to point out the fact that preaching Christ seems to include many things other than the story of the crucifixion.

I could not fully preach Christ without preaching him as the Son of God. There are many people today who say we preach intolerance and promote hatred when we preach Christ as the Son of God. Why? Because it is offensive to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and other religious people who do not profess Christianity.

Why did the Jews hate Christ enough to demand his death? They told Pilate, "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." John 19:7.

Some misguided souls will tell you that Christ never claimed to be the Son of God. But, when he asked his disciples, "Who do you say I am?", Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then Jesus said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 16:16-17. How much plainer claim could he have made? He said that the Father in heaven was Peter’s source of information that he was the Christ! Mary was told by an angel  "that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35. Unclean spirits cried out, "Thou art the Son of God." Mark 3:11. Jesus said the Jews accused him of blasphemy "because I said, I am the Son of God." John 10:36.

His resurrection declared him to be the Son of God. Romans 1:4.

Christianity stands or falls on the claim that Christ is the Son of God.

Christ said, "No man cometh to the Father but by me." John 14:6. There is no other way. Your neighbor may be an excellent person but outside of Christ he is lost. Muslims and Jews may be exceptionally good but if they deny Christ as the Son of God and our only Savior, they are lost.

When Christ was born, angels told the shepherds, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11.

A Samaritan woman brought the men of the city to meet Jesus at Jacob’s well. After hearing him, they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." John 4:42.

Peter and the other apostles preached, " The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Acts 5:30-31.

Paul preached in Antioch, "Of this man's seed (David) hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus." Acts 13:23.

"Who (God) hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Timothy 1:9-10.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior." Titus 3:5-6.

"They have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 2:20.

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In Matthew 16:18, Christ promised, "I will build my church."  Many people say, "Christ, yes. The church, no." They mean by this they will accept Christ but will not accept his church.  The church is the body of Christ and he is its head, Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18. It will not do to sever the head from the body.

Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, Eph. 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." In fact, he loved the church so much that he gave his life’s blood for it. "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Acts 20:28.

Christ bought the church with his blood in the sense that all those who make up his church have been bought with his blood. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, ...But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter 1:18-19.

As the head of his church, Christ should control it. He has the say as to what will be done in its work and worship. Too many people view worship as directed toward man rather than toward God. People will tell you frankly they love organ music. Have you ever considered if that is what God loves? People love to clap their hands and dance in the aisles. But, is that what pleases God. How will you know? Read your Bible to see what Christ has spoken. Always remember he is the head of his church. Make sure of your loyalties. Christ had a consuming passion. He said, "The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." John 8:29. May we always do what pleases him.

Acts 4:12 says, "neither is there salvation in any other." "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him." Heb. 7:25.

God designed the scheme of redemption, the plan of salvation. Christ carried it out and the Holy Spirit gave it life. God does not save men apart from their voluntary will. Salvation is freely offered but it must as freely be received. But how?

It seems that I constantly encounter groups who advocate what is called "The Sinner’s Prayer." In brief, it says we must 1) admit we are sinners who are unable to save ourselves, 2) acknowledge that Christ is the only Savior, and, 3) accept him as our Savior by confessing ourselves to be sinners and saying "Lord, I accept you as my Savior." One writer said, "It’s that simple, but it is a prayer with eternal results."

That may sound good, but where do you read that in the Bible? When the people on Pentecost realized they had crucified the very Son of God and asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?", did Peter say "Pray"? He did not! They were told to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38. When Saul of Tarsus had been praying and fasting for three days and nights, what did Ananias tell him to do? "Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22:16. It was Christ who said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark 16:16. That is not popular. Why not? Because we know so many good people who have never done it that way and we feel that to teach the necessity of being baptized would in effect be condemning them. We do not preach the truth to condemn people but to persuade people to accept Jesus’ plan of salvation.

Raising you hand for prayer calls for no commitment. To humble yourself to the command to be baptized when it looks so useless is a true admission of our helplessness and dependence on God’s grace.

"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." John 5:22

Many people do not believe there will be a Judgment Day. Judgment is as certain as death. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. 9:27.

Jesus pictured Judgment like a shepherd dividing his sheep from his goats. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." Matt. 25:31-33. He said those on his right would enter eternal life and those on his left would go into eternal damnation. v. 34, 41, 46.

Paul addressed men of Athens saying God would judge the world by the One whom He had raised from the dead (Christ), Acts 17:31.

Paul also wrote that Christ would come again in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and who obey not the gospel. 2 Thess. 1:6-9. The same reading says his coming again will be to give rest to those who have been troubled by persecutors.

The word of Jesus will be the standard by which we will be judged, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." John 12:48. We will not be judged by the Koran, the Torah, nor the Book of Mormon, but by the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. That word is nothing more or less than the gospel, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Rom. 2:16.

This should comfort the heart of any believer because we do not have to guess. We know what the standard is. So, live by it and be ready!

"But now is Christ risen from the dead." 1 Cor. 15:20.

Man has an innate desire to live again. To most people it is abhorrent to think of ceasing to exist. Centuries before the coming of Christ, Job asked, "If a man die, shall he live again?" Job 14:14. We do not have to speculate. Christ said, "I am the resurrection, and the life." John 11:25.

When the women went early on the first day of the week to the tomb where Jesus had been buried, an angel said to them, "He is not here: for he is risen." Matt. 28:6.

Paul tells us that the gospel is centered in the fact that Christ died, was buried and rose again the third day. 1 Cor. 15:1-4. He was seen of more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom were still alive when Paul wrote this. 1 Cor. 15:5. This is not a myth. Myths rise out of the hazy past. This story was told and widely circulated in the lifetime of those who were witnesses. It was thoroughly authenticated.

Admittedly, the resurrection story is a far out story, but it is a true story. Why would anyone believe such an unlikely story? You and I are almost twenty centuries removed from the event. We are not witnesses. The best we can do is examine the evidence. Those on the scene and who were closest to Christ saw him die and later saw him alive and even spent forty days with him after the resurrection. They could not be deceived. They knew the story was true or they knew it was a lie. If they said he was alive again, then he was and we can believe it. Why?

Being a martyr does not mean one is right but it does mean one thinks he is right. The apostles suffered all kinds of wrongs and eventually death in order to tell the story. They had nothing to gain by telling a lie. We can believe Christ is alive and can give us eternal life.

     "PREACHING CHRIST" (9)    back to topics

Heb 4:14 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."

Under the Law of Moses, God chose the tribe of Levi as the priestly tribe. Those from other tribes were not allowed to serve at the altar. It was a holy service and to violate it was to invite death.

Priests officiated for God and in behalf of men. One of their chief duties was to offer sacrifices. Christ made one offering for sin. He offered himself by dying on the cross.

It is presumptuous for any man to put himself in a position to make offerings in behalf of men. I have books which speak of the "sacrifice of the Mass". The Bible knows no such language. These same books claim that Christ is sacrificed daily on a thousand altars. This, too, is foreign to the scriptures. There was only one offering for sin, Heb 10:14, "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." In response, it has been argued that there was one offering, Christ, but it is made daily.

The Bible anticipates all such error of men. There is not only one offering, but that one offering was made only once! Heb. 7:27, "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself."

In the Christian era there is no special priesthood among men. Every Christian is a priest serving under Christ, his high priest. We constitute a spiritual house and are a holy priesthood. 2 Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Paul wrote, 'Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. 5:17. This does not mean that we make a stump speech to God. Prayer is not a filibuster. Someone asked an elderly preacher friend, "What does it mean to pray without ceasing?" He gave the simplest and best answer I have heard. "It means don't quit praying." I may not be praying at this moment, but I have not quit praying.

Some people have given up on praying. This is another way of saying they have given up on God! People have said to me, "It doesn't do any good to pray. I have tried it and it does not work."

Just when does prayer work? What do we expect when we pray?

Many years ago I heard an evaluation of some prayers that I have come to appreciate more and more. A man said, "Some folk do not pray to God. They give God an ultimatum." These are the sort of people that are telling God, "Unless you do what I want done, you and I are through."

God knows my needs better than I do. He gives me what I need rather than what I want. I really should be grateful for that. I may not be disciplined enough to seek what I need. A man may need to give up drinking but instead he goes and buys a bottle of whiskey. He may need to give up smoking but he buys another carton of cigarettes. The list could go on endlessly.

Paul prayed earnestly three times for God to remove a "thorn in the flesh" (whatever that was). God denied the request. He said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you."

On the night of his betrayal, Christ agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane because of facing a terrible ordeal. He wished to be spared. He prayed "If possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." What he wanted most of all was for God's will to be done. That should be our all-consuming desire.

When we truly want God's will to be done, we will never complain about the answer to our prayers. Keep praying and leave the answer to God. His grace is sufficient for you.

A best-seller has been written about the prayer of Jabez. And a second book has been written for children, based on the same prayer. All that we know of Jabez is found in the Old Testament, and that is confined to two verses, 2 Chron. 4:9-10,"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."

It takes a good imagination to write a whole book based on just a few words. There are many good things in the book but it can be very dangerous in the long run to lead people to believe that they can repeat that prayer every day and God will change their lives in a dramatic way.

When the disciples of Christ asked him to teach them to pray, did he instruct them to pray the prayer which Jabez prayed? No, and he did not even tell them to repeat the prayer he gave. He said "After this manner therefore pray ye." Matthew 6:9.

Jesus warned, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matthew 6:7. Years ago, while driving to school, I heard a radio program which was a daily program. On this program, a priest spent fifteen minutes repeating the "Lord’s Prayer" and Hail Marys. It seemed to me that if anything could be repetitious, that was.

Can the prayer of another be made my prayer? Certainly! Paul taught that in 1 Corinthians 14 when he said a public prayer must be spoken where it can be understood so another could say "Amen", thus making it his prayer. To do this, you must understand what was said.

Paul spoke of his heart’s desire and prayer, Rom. 10:1. Prayers vary according to our desires and our needs. Prayer must be from the heart and must be prayed in faith. We need to expect things to happen when we pray but we must ask that God’s will be done in all things.