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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
By: H. Boyce Taylor
This is a series of lessons in a Question/Answer format explaining foundational Baptist truths.
LESSON ONE
1. What was Christ's first commission? Matthew 4:19, "...Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Mark 1:17, "...Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."
2. What was Christ's last commission? Matthew 28:19-20, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Mark 16:15-16, "... Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Luke 24:47-48, "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." John 20:21, "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Five things included in this commission: go, preach, make disciples, baptize, indoctrinate.
3. What is the first thing in both the first and last commission? Fish, soul-winning.
4. What are the two instrumentalities in the new birth? Word and the Spirit. John 3:5, "...Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Ephesians 5:26, "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." Titus 3:5, "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." I Thessalonians 1:5, "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost..." I Corinthians 2:4, "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstra- tion of the Spirit and of power." I Corinthians 4:15, "...in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." John 6:63, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Acts 16:14, "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." Ephesians 1:13, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salva- tion: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." II Thessalonians 2:13, "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." Ezekiel 37:1-4, "The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O LORD GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD." Ezekiel 36:25-26, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Acts 10:43-44, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." Acts 11:15, "And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning." Ephesians 1:19-20, "And what is the exceed- ing greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." John 16:8-11, "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righ- teousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more: Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
5. Does the Lord expect every member to be a fisher or only those who are paid? Luke 8:39, "Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner." John 4:39, "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did." Acts 8:4, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." Luke 14:21-23, "So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, God out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Revelation 22:17, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Matthew 9:38, "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Luke 1:17, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." II Timothy 3:15, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." II Timothy 1:5, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also." I Corinthians 14:24-25, "But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth."
6. What are the keys of the kingdom? The Gospel and the Spirit. References as in question four.
7. To whom were the keys given? To every man who has had the same revelation that Peter had. Matthew 16:16-19, "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 11:27, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Luke 10:22, "All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." Galatians 1:16, "To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood."
8. What was committed to every believer? And what to the church? The keys of the kingdom to every believer. See Matthew 16:16-18 quoted above. The Great Commission and the ordinances to the church. Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."
9. What is the gospel? I Corinthians 15:1-4, "More- over, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." The substitutionary death of Christ for our sins. The burial of Christ. The resurrection was God's testimony and receipt; Christ's resurrection was God's testimony and receipt to every man who trusts him, that his sin-debt is paid and canceled.
10. What three things produce conviction? A. Conscience: Romans 2:15, "Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another." Result of this conviction; self justification or suicide. Matthew 27:5, "And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself." Luke 16:15, "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." B. Law: Romans 3:20, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Result: reformation unless the gospel is preached. Jesus used this method however as preparatory to the preaching of the gospel–the Good Samaritan, the Rich Young Ruler. Matthew 22:34-40 "But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." C. The Holy Spirit convicts of only one sin. That is the sin of unbelief. John 16:8-9, "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me." The conviction takes place only when Christ is preached. The conviction of the Holy Spirit centers in Christ. It shows men the enormity of the sin of not believing in Christ. It shows them the wickedness of their own self-righteousness. Christ going to the Father proves that out; sin-debt has been paid, otherwise Jesus would still be in the grave. When that truth is revealed to the sinner through the conviction power of the Holy Spirit, using the Gospel, the sinner for the first time in his life sees that his own good works are filthy in Gods sight, and that it takes the perfect righteousness or finished work of Jesus to get into heaven. When Paul saw that, he gave up his self-righteousness and received Christ as his righ- teousness. Christ's resurrection proved that his righteousness was accepted of God. The Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of the need of Christ's righteousness, this convinces him that since Christ has gone to the Father and because our sin debt is paid, that no sinner can go to God who is not depending upon Christ's payment of his sin debt to get him there. The Holy Spirit not only convicts of unbelief, and of the need of Christ's perfect righteous- ness to take us to heaven, but he convicts of the judgment for sin which Christ bore on Calvary. The Holy Spirit does not convict of judgment to come. The Holy Spirit convicts of judgment passed. When Christ as our sinbearer was judged as our sinbear er and bore our sins on the tree at Calvary, Jesus took our place and died in our stead. In that experience he became sin for us. Satan in demanding his death, as the full penalty for sin was defeated and overthrown. Since Jesus satisfied the full demands of Gods law in our behalf he could not be holden of death. Because he could not be holden of death he was raised from the grave. His resurrection was the ground of our deliverance from the penalty, the power of sin and the presence of sin. Satan is not a conquered enemy, and can no more have dominion over believers in Jesus; because of this the fear of death is taken away from all who see the fullness of the work of Christ.
LESSON TWO
1. What produces evangelical conviction? Preaching Christ as men's substitute for sin. I Corinthians 2:1-4, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." I Thessalonians 1:5, "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." Acts 2:37, "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" I Corinthians 14:24-25, "But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth." Revelation 19:10, "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." John 16:8-10, "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the of this world if judged."
2. What follows conviction? Godly sorrow. There are two kinds of sorrow for sin. Godly sorrow and the sorrow of the world. II Corinthians 7:10, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." The marks of godly sorrow are three fold: A. It is toward God. Acts 20:21, "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." B. It leads to confession of sin. The sorrow of the world leads to self-justification. Luke 16:15, "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts..." This confession includes an acknowledgment of the justice of God in punishing sin. Revelation 5:5, "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." Numbers 5:7, "Then they shall confess their sin which they have done..." Leviticus 26:40-41, "If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity." C. Godly sorrow brings fruit. Fruit meet for repentance. Luke 3:8, "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance..." Acts 26:20, "But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."
3. What produces repentance? Godly sorrow. Acts 5:31, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Acts 7:51, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." Hebrews 6:4, "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost." Three things about the Godly sorrow that works repentance. A. Repentance means a radical change of mind. Psalm 119:59, "I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies." B. This change of mind involved in repentance is toward God, toward self and toward sin. C. In repentance there is such a radical change of mind that the sinner dies to every thing that belongs to his old life.
4. Bible order of repentance and faith. Matthew 21:32, "For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him." Hebrews 6:1, "Therefore leaving the prin ciples of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God." Acts 20:21, "...repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 2:38, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
5. What is repentance? See references on number three above. Proverbs 28:13, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Jonah 3:8, "But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands." Repentance includes confessing sin and forsaking sin.
6. What two kinds of faith? Historical and Evangelical. Historical faith is believing the facts of the Bible. James 2:19, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." Acts 26:27-28, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Luke 8:28, "When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not." It is well to remember that the modernist who denies the historical facts of the Bible is worse than a demon.
7. What is saving faith? It is a personal trust in Jesus Christ as your Saviour and redeemer. Illustration in saving faith: committing to Christ. II Timothy 1:12, "...I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Looking to Christ. Isaiah 45:22, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." John 3:14, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." Coming to Christ. Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Eating Christ. John 6:35, "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." Drinking Christ. I Corinthians 10:1-4, "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." Resting on Christ; Leaning on Christ; Receiving Christ. John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." Acts 10:43, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." John 3:14, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." John 6:35-37, "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Revelation 22:17, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." II Timothy 1:12, "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Psalm 2:12, "...Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."
LESSON THREE
1. What should be the soul-winners' theme? Christ, the sinners substitute.
2. Ought a Baptist preacher to preach the mourners' bench? No.
3. Ought we to preach Christ and tell sinners to repent after they are convicted; or preach repentance? Preach Christ.
4. What kind of preaching produces repentance? I Corinthians 1:23-24, "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." Acts 5:31, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."
5. What book in the New Testament is written to sinners? John.
6. Why is not repentance mentioned in that book? John's gospel was written about A.D. 95. Already the Judyizing teachers had so corrupted the gospel that multitudes of folks, just like the mourners-bench crowd today, magnified works, or tears, or doing penance, or reformation, or the efforts of men, either the preacher or the sinner himself, until Jesus was absolutely hidden in many cases from the sinners' eyes. On that account, John in his gospel, which is the one book written to sinners in the New Testament, takes Jesus as his theme and keeps him before the folks. The text is John 1:12. Straight through the gospel he keeps Jesus before his readers; that is why there is nothing said about repentance. It is so easy to get the eyes of the folks off of Jesus and on themselves; and then when men magnify repentance, it is so easy to get men's efforts in their preaching instead of preaching the finished work of Christ. John knew that if he magnified Christ, the Holy Spirit would bless the uplifting of Christ and work repentance in those who heard. The preaching of repentance often times delays rather that hastens salvation. As a brother used to say, "If men get their eyes on what they are doing, they have to work themselves out of works before they will quit working and depend on Christ to save them without any help from themselves." Those are some of the reasons why repentance is not mentioned in John's gospel.
7. What is meant by preaching Christ? I Corinthians 15:1-4, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." Preaching the substitutionary death of Christ as the sinners substitute. Preaching the resurrection of Christ as God's testimony that our sin debt was paid in full. Whereof God has given witness in raising him from the dead. Preaching the Lordship of Christ over the saved in every thing. We wouldn't have any trouble about baptism, church membership, Bible doctrine, stewardship and obedience to Christ in every thing if we magnified the Lordship of Christ. When preachers tell people to join the church of their choice, they are denying the lordship of Christ and magnifying the lord-ship of self. That is the curse of modern evangelism, Unionistic and other kinds.
8. How many viewpoints is Christ presented to sinners in the book written for sinners? The Word; the Light; the Lamb of God; Eternal Life; Anti-type of the Brazen Serpent; Water of Life; Messiah; Saviour of the world; Judge; Fulfiller of Old Testament prophecy; Bread of Life; Good Shepherd; Door; Resurrection and Life; Magnet; Way, Truth, and Life; Vine; and many others.
9. What three points were emphasized throughout the gospel of John as preached by Jesus? He preached Himself as the only Saviour and satisfier of sinners. The believer has eternal life right here and now. When he gets this life, he can't lose it.
10. Who is a Christian? A Christian is a man who has Christ in him as the hope of glory. John 1:12-13, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Colossians 1:27, "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." I John 5:10- 12, "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
LESSON FOUR
1. What scripture would you use to convict a legalist? Matthew 19:16-22, "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but on, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." Jesus here sets out to prove to this man three things. That he isn't righteous as he claimed he was; he does this by showing that there is none good, and then by showing that he is a law- breaker. This man claimed, like all legalists do, that a man gets life by keeping the commandments. When Jesus quotes him the latter half of the law, then Jesus has to go further and prove that he had not kept the law. This he proves by showing that his love of money was a violation of the commandment which says "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Then he showed that not only was he condemned by his love of money but that he didn't follow Christ. Philippians 3:3-9, "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." This passage tells the experience of the greatest leader of his day, the Apostle Paul. He leads a blameless life according to his own testimony which was supported by inspiration. He said himself that there was only one commandment that got hold upon him. That was the commandment against covetousness. So far as the externals of the law was concerned his life was blameless. The tenth commandment however, goes down to the desires of men and that one brought conviction by showing his greed. When once he saw that he was covetous, then he saw his need of Christ and began to kick against the pricks. He never got away from that conviction as to his need of Christ until he found the Saviour. His conviction was legal until the law punctured him and showed him his defects under law; that showed him his hopelessness under law, then the Holy Spirit began to convict him as to his need of Christ. John 3:5, "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Acts 13:39, "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Galatians 3:16, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." All these passages emphasize two things: the hopelessness of a legalist under law; the indispensableness of Jesus if they are to be saved.
2. What scripture would you use to convict a ritualist? Matthew 23:23-25, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess." A ritualist differs from a legalist in that a legalist depends on obedience to law. A ritualist depends on forms and externals. Jesus here shows these Scribes and Pharisees that their forms are hypocrisy, because they just reached the outside. Cleaning up the outside and whitewashing it does not go deep enough to get the root of the matter. That is like the washed sow that Peter talked about. The outside washed, but did not clean the inside. Galatians 6:15, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."
Ritualism fails because it does not go to the heart of the matter. It takes a new heart, a new nature and a new birth to reach the seat of the trouble. In the case of the ten virgins; the foolish had all the externals that the others had but they did not have any oil. They liked the essential thing and did not get in. That is true of all ritualists. Romans 2:28-29, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise in not of men, but of God." That is the trouble with celebrating Easter and all the lodges, etc., putting on the externals.
3. What scriptures would you use to convict a sacramentarian? A Sacramentarian is a man who calls baptism and the Lord's Supper sacraments instead of ordinances. By sacraments is meant that they conferred grace on those who submitted to them whether infants or adults. I John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." All mourners' bench folks are either legalists, ritualists, or sacramentarians. In I John 5:13 John makes our knowledge that we are saved, wholly a matter of believing God's word–not feeling. Acts 10:43, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." Belief of testimony as revealed in the Old Testament scriptures and resting on Christ are here set forth as the sure foundation of the sinners hope. Luke 18:10-14, "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." The Publican is here represented as being justified once for all because he depended wholly upon the death of a substitute to save him. He did not depend upon feelings, prayer, tears, or reformation; but upon God's bare work of promise, that he would justify the sinner who trusted God's promise concerning the death of a substitute. Luke 23:42-43, "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." The penitent robber had just once assurance that he would be in paradise that day; and that the most unlikely prospect imaginable that Jesus who was himself dying a felon's death should be able to save a robber was utterly unthinkable except to a supernatural faith. In all three of these passages: the household of Cornelius, the Publican, and the dying robber, there was no hope from a sacramentarian's viewpoint. The sacramentarian's viewpoint is that they were the worst and most hopeless of the bad.
4. What scripture would you use to convict a moralist? Ecclesiastes 7:20, "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." The Moralist depends wholly upon his doing good to save him. The Bible declares that there is no such man on earth. Therefore there is no hope for anybody by morality. Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags..." Our righteousness is our morality, and good works. Since they are both filthy and ragged, there is no hope for any morals. Romans 3:9-21, "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." Paul here says there is none better, none righteous, none good, all guilty, no distinction. If that is true, then the moral man is no better than the immoral one. All are alike--condemned. John 10:1-7, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." Romans 5:9, "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Revelation 7:14, "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." These scriptures prove the impossibility of salvation to moralist, for they all make salvation dependant on Christ and his blood, while moralists make it dependant on his own efforts.
5. What scriptures would you use to convict a modernist? A modernist is a man who denies the verbal inspiration of the Bible. Anything therefore that proves the verbal inspiration of the scripture takes in all classes of modernists from the mildest to the most blasphemous. II Timothy 3:15, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Matthew 5:17-18, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." John 10:35, "...the scripture cannot be broken." John 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
6. What scripture would you use to convict a unitarian? John 17:5, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." Hebrews 1:1-3, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." John 1:1-3, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 20:28, "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." John 8:24, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." Matthew 19:17, "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God; but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Colossians 1:16- 17, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
7. What scripture would you use to convict a Christian Scientist? Luke 16:19-31, "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Christian Science denies the reality of sickness and also the Atonement. Colossians 4:14, "Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you." The fact that Luke was a physician proves there was sickness. Psalm 103:3, "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." This proves there is sickness and also sin. I Timothy 5:2, "The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity." This proves the reality of sin. Luke 8:43, "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any." This proves the reality of sickness. Philippians 2:27 "For indeed he was sick nigh unto death..." Again proves sickness. II Timothy 4:20, "Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick." This answers both the faith-cure folks, and the Christian Scientists. (This is not a want of faith.) Isaiah chapter 53 proves both the reality of sin, sickness, and the atonement.
8. What scripture would you use to convict an adventist? Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." A saved man is not under law. A man cannot be partly under law and partly under grace. A man is either wholly under law or wholly under grace. Romans 11:5-6, "And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded." If wholly under law he is under condemnation. Galatians 3:10, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." If not under law then he can not ever be condemned again. Romans 5:7-9, "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." A man can't be under law, as a standard of living and out from under law by justification. If he is out from under law at all, he is out from under it for everything. If he is under it at all, he is under it for everything. Romans 8:1-2, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Romans 7:1-4, "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband is dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." This scripture shows conclusively that when we receive Christ as our Saviour that we die to the law; and that henceforth the law has no more to do with us than a dead husband has to do with his wife after she marries another man. Hosea 2:11, "I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts." The sabbath was the sign and seal of the law. When we died in Christ to the law, we died to the sabbath, so that when Christ was raised from the dead and we were raised with Him, we are no longer under the law of the sabbath, but under the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus and should observe the day that commemorated the day of his resurrection. The seventh day is the day of worship of a dead Christ; the first day of the week is the day of worship of a risen Christ. Colossians 2:14-17, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." This simply confirms what we have already said about our having died with Christ and raised anew with him. The sabbath together with the new moon, Passover, Pentecost, and all other observances of days were nailed to the cross. Any man who observes the sabbath is under obligation to obey all the laws concerning it; and if he does not do it, it is against him and will condemn him. All seventh dayists, Jews, Adventists, Seventh Day Baptists, and all the balance depend on doing for salvation and that proves that they are still under law, and not under grace. The very fact that they observe the seventh day is proof positive that their minds have not been freed from the error that they have to keep the law to be saved. They grasp the shadow and miss the substance. The death of Christ for our sins and his resurrection for our justification is the substance for our hope. In clinging to the observances of the sabbath they are clinging to the shadow and that is all they have got.
9. What scripture would you use to convict a Russel lite? See Luke 16:19-31 again. This proves the consciousness of the soul after death and the reality of hellfire. Revelation 14:11-12, "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." This proves that the suffering of the wicked is eternal. That they are not annihilated, neither are they unconscious. Their suffering in hell is without rest for ever and for ever. Revelation 19:1-6, "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." This proves to the Catholic church that suffering in hell is eternal. It also proves that instead of a sentimental gushy feeling of those who deny eternal punishment; first that they themselves have never been saved, that they have never seen the righteousness of God, in punishing sin; neither have they ever acknowledged the justice of God in sending them to hell if they should go there. Second: this passage also shows in the shouting of those in heaven over the damnation of those in hell that the redeemed will magnify the justice of God in punishing sin as truly as the atonement of God in saving them from sin. Righteousness and justice are the habitation of Gods throne according to the Bible. Psalm 89:14, "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." And the man who has not seen that God's justice is the foundation of his dealings with men in salvation as truly as in condemnation, probably know absolutely nothing of Gods great salvation. His sentiment about God being too good to damn anyone probably reveals the fact that his hope of salvation is also gushy and sentimental, and that he doesn't know anything about the saving grace of God. He is ignorant of the righteousness of God both in salvation and in punishment. He doesn't know that Calvary is a greater exhibition of the righteousness of God in dealing with sin than hell is. Mark 9:43-48, "And if thy hand offend thee, cut if off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
10. What scripture would you use to convict a holiness? I John 1:8,10, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us...If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Ecclesiastes 7:20, "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." James 3:2, "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." Hebrews 12:5-8, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." The strongest is in Mark 7:22, "Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness." II Corinthians 7:1, "Having therefore these prom ises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
11. What scripture would you use to convict hardened sinners? Acts 13:41, "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." John 8:44, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." Matthew 23:33, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" Luke 3:7, "Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Proverbs 29:1, "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Proverbs 1:24-31, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices."
12. What scripture would you use to convict Sunday school children? The first thing is to show them what sin is. Sin is the transgression of the law. Proverbs 21:4, "An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin." I John 3:4, " Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." Then show them God's hatred of sin. Then show them the consequence of sin. Then show them God's remedy for.
LESSON FIVE
1. How one may know he is saved? II Peter 1:15-19, "Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." Peter says three things: that he rested on the word of God; God's word is more sure than feelings, or even a voice from heaven; Peter represents assurance as coming gradually, or as a process. In Matthew 25, Jesus presents three evidences of salvation by three parables: (1)The ten virgins; oil on the inside; (2)The talents, the evidence of the one talented man was his like of love and obedience to Christ, as Paul puts it in I Corinthians; and (3) the sheep and the goats; as to nature, by whom they love.
2. Why the saved ought to be baptized? Acts 2:38-41, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." This shows that they had joy before baptism and joy is an evidence of salvation. Acts 10:47, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" Joy before baptism, and also received the Holy Spirit before baptism as a witness. Acts 15:9, "And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." If a man's heart is purified by faith then there is nothing left for baptism to wash away. Acts 22:16, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." I Peter 3:21, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." A. Baptism is an answer to a good conscience before baptism. Hebrews 10:22, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." This shows that the good conscience comes by the blood.
B. Baptism does not put away the filth of the flesh. The 'Flesh' does not mean the body here. The flesh means the moral defilement of the flesh, or the carnal nature. The flesh includes the mind. Romans 8:7, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The flesh includes the will. John 1:13, "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." The flesh includes affections. Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleaness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Peter says that baptism does not put away the filth of the flesh, and the flesh includes the whole natural man–the will, the affections and the mind. So that Peter here says that baptism does not wash away the moral defilement from men's minds, wills and hearts; but, on the contrary, if the heart is sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood, the sins of the old man are taken away by the blood before he even gets to baptism. C. A like figure whereunto even baptism: this likeness is fourfold. (1) Noah was saved by grace. Genesis 6:8, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (2)We are saved through faith. Hebrews 11:7, "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." (3)Noah was saved, safe, and shut up in the ark before the water even began to fall. So is the believer saved, safe, and shut up in Christ before he even gets to the water. Colossians 3:4, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, than shall ye also appear with him in glory." (4) Just as the water, by bearing up the ark, to onlookers declared Noah's safety, so baptism pictures the salvation of a man who has already died to sin and been raised to walk in newness of life.
D. Peter has shown in this passage that the conscience is cleansed by blood and the believer has an answer to a good conscience before he gets to baptism. Peter has also shown that baptism does not clean the moral defilement of the sinner. It takes blood to do that and blood is before baptism. Peter has also shown that baptism is a figure of salvation and that Noah was a type of the way men are saved in that they are saved by grace through faith in the Ark even before they get to the water. The fourth fact that is presented in this passage is that what it is that saves men is Jesus Christ and that all the rest is symbolic.
3. How the saved ought to be baptized? The question of how to be baptized includes four things: the act, the design, the subject, and the authority. A. The action of baptism. The scriptures make this so plain that none need be mistaken about it. It included much water. John 3:23, "And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized." A going to the water. Matthew 3:5-6, "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins." Going into the water; both the preacher and the candidate. Acts 8:38, "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him." A burial and a resurrection. Romans 6:3-5, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." Colossians 2:12, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." And a coming up out of the water. Mark 1:10, "And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him." In the Greek this argument in support of immersion is also unanswerable. In Acts 8:38, it is said, 'He' Philip, baptized the Eunuch. The grammatical construction there makes 'him' the direct object of the word 'Baptized'. That means that Philip immersed the Eunuch into the water. The only baptism that is true of is immersion. In sprinkling and pouring, the direct object of the verb is the water. The preacher handles the water and the candidate is the indirect object. In immersion the candidate is the direct object of the verb, and the water is the indirect object. So that the grammatical construction of the Greek forbids any other baptism than immersion. B. The second essential of a New Testament baptism is a right subject. In John 4:1, we are told "that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John". According to both the examples of John and Jesus they baptized only one class of people, e.g., disciples; no infants; no seekers; no probationers; no sinners to make them disciples. In Matthew 28:18-20 (quoted earlier), the world-wide commission of Jesus; he commanded nobody to be baptized except disciples and saved people. Acts 10:47, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" Peter commanded nobody to be baptized among the Gentiles except those who had received the Spirit. Those who had the witness of the Spirit, that they were already saved. Hebrews 10:22, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Nobody is authorized to be baptized except those who had had their hearts sprinkled from their evil conscience by the blood before they ever got to the water. God's order, and New Testament examples and practices, all put blood before water, Christ before the church, and salvation before baptism. C. The scriptural design of baptism is symbolic. Not appropriative. Not accurative. The language in the New Testament is clear on that point. That is the vital difference between Baptists and Catholics; Baptists and Episcopalians; Baptists and Campbellites; Baptists and Lutherans; Baptists and Adventists; Baptists and Mormons; Baptists and Presbyterians; and between Baptists and other sects. Baptists put baptism as a symbol or a sign or a figure, or a likeness to declare salvation already received. All others make baptism a procurative or an appropriative act. Some say you procure salvation in baptism. Others say you receive the spirit in baptism. Others say you come into covenant relationship with Christ in baptism. Others say that you appropriate the blood in baptism. Others say that baptism is a seal of salvation. While yet others say that grace is conferred in baptism. Baptists alone teach that you don't appropriate anything in Baptism. But that Baptism declares or symbolizes what has already been received by receiving Christ by faith. Baptists teach that salvation is a condition of baptism. All others teach that baptism is a condition of salvation. The authority for baptism is more disputed among Baptists than any other of these New Testament teachings on Baptism. Matthew 3:15-16, "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." Luke 7:29-30, "And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him." The baptism commanded by Jesus has behind it all the authority of heaven. Baptist baptism is the only baptism that a man rejects the council of God when he rejects it or refuses to submit to it. They accept a form of obedience or baptism which is Pharisaic, because the very heart of baptism is that it should symbolize the very work of Jesus. They are like the lawyer in that they wrest the scriptures to their own hurt. Matthew 21:25, "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?" The only baptism that came from Heaven was Baptist baptism. That is why orthodox Baptists will receive no other and will have no other. These four scriptures give the Biblical reason why all baptisms are worthless except Baptist baptism. Note what these scriptures say. If baptism is procurative, as all teach except Baptists, then baptism does not fulfill all righteousness but only one act of righteousness. If baptism is symbolic of the finished work of Christ, and we are saved by Christ's righteousness, then baptism pictures or fulfills all righteousness in a symbolic baptism. The baptism of Jesus could not have been otherwise than symbolic because he was the eternal Son of God. Not only is Baptist baptism the only baptism that fulfills all righteousness but Baptist baptism is the only baptism that has behind it the all authority of Jesus Christ. Baptist baptism is also the only baptism in which the candidate does not reject the council of God against themselves. And last of all, Baptist baptism is the only baptism that any man can truthfully say is from heaven. These four, Baptist baptism the only fulfillment of all righteousness; Baptist baptism the only baptism that does not reject the council of God; Baptist baptism with the all authoritative word of Jesus behind it; and Baptist baptism the only baptism that comes from heaven, are a clinching unanswerable proof that Baptist baptism is the only scriptural baptism.
4. Why should a saved man join the church? A. To let his light shine. Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Revelation 1:20, "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." B. Because if the Lord has His way he adds the saved to the churches. Acts 2:41, 47, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls...Praising God, and having favour with all the people, And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." The three leading Campbellites; Alexander Campbell, J. W. McGlothin and H. T. Anderson, all in their translations make it plain that God's purpose for the saved is to be added to the church. C. God's order is first blood and then water. Hebrews 10:22, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." "Shibboleth" was blood before water, Christ before the church, salvation before Baptism. For that reason, every saved man, as a matter of loyalty to Christ, should unite to his church. D. All spirit-led believers will join the church. I Corinthians 12:13, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." It could not be made plainer than this passage makes it. Two facts about church membership: (1)that the body of Christ, which is a local church, is the place for all saved folks; (2)that all those who listen to the spirit will be baptized. Acts 10:47, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? I Corinthians 12:27, "Now ye are a body of Christ, and members in particular." This proves conclusively that the body talked about in this chapter was a local church. There are other reasons as to why all saved folks should join the church but these are sufficient.
5. What church should the saved man join? A. They should join the church that Jesus did. The only church in existence during the personal ministry of Christ was the one he himself built. This church was built by Jesus out of the material prepared by John the Baptist. It was therefore a Baptist church. No man follows Jesus in church membership who is not a Baptist. B. Saved people ought to join the only church that emphasized salvation as prerequisite to church membership. The only church in the world that makes salvation a condition of baptism and church membership is a Baptist church. All other baptize infants, seekers, probationers, or sinners to save them. Acts 2:47, "...the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." C. Saved people ought to join the same kind of church that has been here ever since Jesus built the first one. Matthew 16:18, "...I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Acts 1:21-22, "Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." Ephesians 3:21, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end." D. Saved people ought to join the church which is built according to the pattern shown on the mount. Hebrews 8:5, "Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." This pattern must fit in Time: during the personal ministry of Jesus; Place: in Palestine; Founder: Jesus himself; Name: He gave John the name BAPTIST; Polity: government of the people; Officers: bishop or pastors and deacons; Mission: Worldwide; Doctrine: teaching them all things.
6. Who ought to come to the Lord's table? The first pre-requisite to the Lord's table is salvation. The second is baptism. Acts 2:41-42, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." The third is church membership. Acts 2:47, "...the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." The fourth is orderly walk. I Corinthians 5:11, "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." The fifth is to be sound in the faith. I Corinthians 11:18-20, "For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper." The sixth is free from faction. See I Corinthians 11:18-20.
7. Why come to the Lord's table? As a memorial commemorating the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus; our oneness with him and our fellowship with his body, a New Testament church. I Corinthians 11:24,26, 29, "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me...For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come...For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."
8. Why self-examination before coming to the Lord's table? To see if we are discerning the Lord's body. I Corinthians 10:16-22, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." I Corinthians 11:28-29, "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." All open communion ists, and all sacramental communionists, fail to discern the bodies of their brethren and sisters. It is done to show their love for each other. That is not discerning the Lord's body at all. All sacramental communion, by which is meant that they do it as a means of grace, is discerning the element of communion as a means of grace to those who partake of, rather than discerning the Lord's body and maintaining communion with him. The best book ever written on the spiritual nature of the Lord's Supper was written by J. M. Frost.
9. Who ought to do personal work? Revelation 22:17, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Acts 8:4, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." Titus 3:8, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." Isaiah 43:10, 'Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." Every saved man is here commanded to witness two things: (1)the God-hood of God; and, (2)Jesus the only Saviour. John, chapters one and two; and Acts, chapter one, are full of concrete examples of personal work.
10. Why do personal work? Ezekiel 3:17-21, "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet it thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul." Because the blood of the lost is on your hands if you don't warn them. Acts 20:20-26, "And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men."
11. When are we to do personal work? Men - publicly. Men and women - house to house. Luke 8:39, "Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him." Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 8:4, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." Luke 14:24-25, "For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. And there went great multitudes with him..."
12. When are we to do personal work? NOW. II Corinthians 6:1-2, "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" Ecclesiastes 11:1-6, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clou ds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." Isaiah 66:10-11, "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory."
Publications Books by C.D. Cole: Definitions of Doctrine; Volumes I, II, III Lectures in Biblical Theology--N.T. Doctrine of Election Heavenly Hope Divine Order of the Sexes Eternal Punishment
Books by H. Boyce Taylor: Studies in Romans Studies in Genesis Bible Briefs Against Hurtful Heresies Acts of the Apostles Studies in the Parables Why Be A Baptist? Womans Work in Baptist Churches
Books b Mark W. Fenison Baptist Women Exalted Once Delivered Sunday-the Forth Commandment
Books by Al Gormley We See Not Our Signs Why Baptist Believe and Practice Closed Communion Was Jesus A Child At Conception
Books by Rosco Brong Following Holiness Christ Church and Baptism Better Than the Angels Love Builds Up
Other Books: Rethinking Baptist Doctrine By: Various Authors God's Astounding Grace By: D. Scott Meadows Resetting An Old Landmark By: Tom Ross Courtship of Jesus By: M.W. Hall Fully After the Lord By: Steve Flinchum Studies in Types By: J. A. Schumid 24 Sermons on Various Subjects By: C.D. Cole and Al Gormley When Loved Ones are Taken By: Lehman Strauss Evangelism 101 By: Matt Waymeyer The Trail of Blood By: J. M. Carroll The Trail of Blood (Spanish) By: J. M. Carroll The Biblical & Historical Sinificance of the Beard By: Jesse Powell BSBC: Our History, Our Heritage By: Various Authors Who Are The Baptist? By: Curtis Whaley Revelation By: Gerald Smith
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