Are we? If not, why not?

If not, why not?" challenges us to reflect on why we don't do some things in our lives. This post asks us to consider if we are living our lives for Christ Jesus like three New Testament characters, Stephen, Philip and Barnabas, did. Each served the Lord Jesus in a different way -- but to the best of their ability.
Are we? If not, why not?

Contents

• Stephen
• Philip
• Barnabas
• If not, why not?
• Summary

Stephen

It was an exciting time.
The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7 NASB)

One man, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

But it was also a very unsettling time. Persecution was increasing. Men of the synagogue in Jerusalem would dispute with this man, and because they could not defeat his wisdom, logic or his grace through discussion and debate, they hired men to lie to the officials about him. They concluded that if they couldn’t refute him with their words, they would quiet him with their actions.

Stephen was called before the high priest to defend himself from the charges. His defense was masterful, and once again, he could not be refuted. But the more he spoke the angrier the officials became. He could have just answered the charge brought against him that he blasphemed the temple and the Law. He could have replied to the false charge that he said Jesus of Nazareth would destroy this temple and change the customs of Moses. He could have said a lot of things to pacify his accusers.

But he did not! Instead he addressed the heart of the issue for which he was being judged – the attitude of the leaders and teachers of Israel. He told the truth. Using the very underpinnings of his accuser’s argument (we have Moses, Abraham and the prophets as our fathers) he told them how their attitude of arrogance was a common trait of Israel’s religious leaders and prevented their fathers and them from recognizing the prophets and sent ones of God. This very arrogance also led them to betray and murder the Just One, Christ Jesus.

Stephen Martyred - image courtesy of http://www.freebibleimages.org/

At the end of his defense, he glanced up into the sky and, in wonder and awe, testified to all who were listening about what he saw, the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.

Telling the truth cost him his defense; he lost the case… and his life!

Stephen was physically and forcefully thrown outside of the city walls and stoned to death. Yes, stoned to death! In great agony and pain, nigh unto death Stephen stopped protecting himself. He knelt down exposing himself openly to the stones, lifted up his voice and petitioned that God would be merciful and not hold his executioners accountable for his death; then he died. The stones had accomplished their task, but so had Stephen! (Acts 6 – 7)

What was it that enabled Stephen to not defend himself but to defend the Lord Jesus?

Have you ever bumped your head hard and had to put pressure on it to relieve the pain? Have you stubbed your toe and hopped around on one foot in agony? Ever hit your funny bone in your elbow so your whole arm goes numb? These are things we do to ourselves.

Consider what it would be like to be surrounded by people who are very angry with you, so angry that they are throwing stones as hard as they can at you with the intention of killing you. Even as they were stoning Stephen, he thought of their welfare and desired mercy on their behalf.

What was it that enabled Stephen to love his enemies and to do good to those who despitefully used him even as the Lord Jesus requested in

Mat 5:44-45 YLT:
(44) but I--I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you,
(45) that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.

Obviously, Stephen loved the Lord God and his son, Christ Jesus, very much!

Can you imagine the depth of the love Stephen had? A love, deep and broad enough to encompass his enemies? A love that thought of others, even his enemies, more than of himself.

A love that deep, a love that broad, a love that strong, a love like that can only grow out of a very intimate and personal relationship with the Lord and Master.

Do we have that kind of relationship with the Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus which fosters such a love?

Do we love our Father in Heaven and His Son more than our own lives?

If not, why not?

Philip

The persecution of this man’s beliefs drove him, and many others, from Jerusalem, so he “went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.” (Acts 8:5-6)

Hearing of his success in Samaria, the Apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to Samaria to help also. The disciples were probably not surprised by the success of Philip in Samaria. After all, Jesus taught the woman at the well in the city of Sychar, which was also in Samaria. He spent two days teaching them and many believed. (Jn. 4)

Through Peter and John many were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Then Peter and John, after testifying and preaching the word of the Lord and the Gospel in many villages of Samaria, returned to Jerusalem.

Peter and John’s work was done in Samaria. And so, apparently was Philip’s for the scriptures say in Acts 8:26-27 NASB, (26) But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) (27) So he got up and went…; “

Philip conversed with the eunuch of Ethiopia, taught him of who Isa. 53 was written about, baptized him, and then the spirit took Philip to the northern part of Israel where he made his way to Caesarea. Though Philip stayed in Israel, the Gospel spread to Africa.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch - picture courtesy of http://www.freebibleimages.org/

Philip, obedient to the voice of the Lord, spoke out and spoke up for His Lord and Master. Because of his obedience, he was instrumental in spreading the Gospel in Samaria, and he started it on its way to Ethiopia of Africa through the eunuch.

What was it that enabled Philip to share the Gospel as he did even as Paul encouraged Timothy in 2Ti 4:2 NASB to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction?”

Philip desired to do the Lord’s will; hence, he was sensitive to how the Lord led him. This sensitivity to the Lord’s direction enabled him to discern service opportunities. Because he desired to serve when the opportunities were there he took advantage of them. He made himself available to serve the Lord.

But being sensitive to the Lord’s leading and making yourself available to serve are only prerequisites. One thing more is needed, and Phillip had it: initiative. He had the ability to take the initiative and actually serve.” He preached, he taught, he healed, he baptized.

Philip is an interesting individual. Acts 6:3-5 introduces us to him along with Stephen and five others when the Apostles chose these seven men, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, to handle the temporal affairs of the Church.

We are told very little of his life. But what we are told is how he very effectively proclaimed the Gospel in Samaria, (Acts 8) and how he witnessed to the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8) and then how he was sent by the Holy Spirit to the city Azotus and then made his way to Caesarea.

That is the last we hear of Philip except for one more statement about him. We find it in Acts 21:8 where Philip and his family (including four prophetess daughters) host the Apostle Paul and his company on his third and final missionary journey. This scripture records that Philip was recognized as an evangelist.

Are we trying to be sensitive to the Lord’s guidance in our lives?

Are we trying to make ourselves available to serve the Lord however that service presents itself?

Are we taking the initiative to act upon the opportunities we discern?

If not, why not?

Barnabas

Joseph was born in Cyprus as a Jew. Originally a Levite, he is thought to have been a Hellenized Jew (one who has accepted the Greek culture and language as their own) and to have been one of the 70 disciples sent out by the Lord Jesus. (Lk 10:1, 17) He was active in the early Church and when the need arose he sold his property and gave the proceeds to the Apostles to be used for the care of the brethren. He witnessed first hand the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira for their deception.

Like others, the name he was born with was not the name he was known by. Because of his character qualities, the Apostles affectionately renamed him Barnabas and he was greatly loved and respected by the Christian community. (Acts 15:25)

When Paul came to the Church in Jerusalem, Barnabas stood up for Paul and persuaded the community there to accept Paul as a disciple. Because of Paul’s boldness in preaching the Gospel, the Grecians in Jerusalem tried to kill Paul. So Paul was sent away to Tarsus, but, he, Barnabas, stayed behind and then was sent to Antioch to teach and support the believers there. Barnabas, remembering the power of Paul’s preaching, sought out Paul in Tarsus, brought him back to Antioch and together, they taught the Church there for a year.

Barnabas and Paul brought Antioch's donation to the Jerusalem Church during a famine. It seems that Barnabas and Paul (Acts 11, 12) were in Jerusalem when James was beheaded and Peter was imprisoned and delivered from it by an angel of the Lord. John Mark was Barnabas’ cousin. (Col. 4:10) It was to John Mark’s mother’s house (where many were gathered together praying), that Peter returned after being released from prison. (Acts 12:12)

Paul, Barnabas and Jorhn Mark travel together - image courtesy of freebibleimages.org

The three, Barnabas, Paul and John Mark, went on a missionary journey to Cyprus, Perge (where John Mark left them and went to Jerusalem), and Antioch in Pisidia, where they were so violently opposed by the Jews that they decided to preach to the Gentiles. Then they went on to Iconium (Konya) and Lystra in Lycaonia, where they were first acclaimed gods and then, in a turn of events, stoned out of the city. Then they returned to Antioch. (Acts 14)

What was it about Barnabas that made him such an encourager of the brethren?

It was no coincidence that in Acts 13:2 the Holy Spirit paired up Barnabas and Paul and sent them out as missionaries. The name Barnabas means ”Son of Encouragement,” and that was what he was to all. Here was a man full of the Holy Spirit, and full of grace who cared mightily for others and had their best interests at heart. Paul had the gift of speech, but Barnabas had the gift of encouragement. Together, the two were far greater than the sum of their parts, and they accomplished great and wonderful things for the Lord.

What was it about him that he was so greatly loved by the brethren?

Barnabas was greatly loved by the brethren because he cared for them very much. We are told this in Acts 15:25 NASB: “it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul…”

Even the non-believers esteemed Barnabas highly. Earlier, when teaching at the city of Lystra, he was regarded as the god Zeus and Paul as Hermes, or Mercury.

The crowds thought Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. Zeus was the god of the sky and the supreme ruler of the Olympian gods. He is represented as the god of justice and mercy, the protector of the weak, and the punisher of the wicked. Hermes was the cleverest of the gods, and Zeus’ messenger to all the other gods. (Acts 14:11-12 NASB): “When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have become like men and have come down to us." (12) And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.”

When a dispute arose regarding the observance of the Jewish rites, Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem, where, at the Jerusalem council, it was decided that non-Jews did not have to be circumcised to be baptized. On their return to Antioch, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on another visit to the cities where they had preached, but Paul objected because of John Mark's desertion of them in Perge. Paul and Barnabas separated, and Barnabas returned to Cyprus with John Mark; nothing further is heard of him, though it is believed his rift with Paul was ultimately healed.

We don’t often think about Barnabas beyond that he was a companion of Paul for the first of Paul’s missionary journeys, or that he and Paul separated over whether or not to bring John Mark along on another missionary journey. Even in the separation, we see the type of character Barnabas was. He was willing to give John Mark another opportunity for service, to encourage him to be more, to do better, and he was willing to let the past be in the past. How Christ-like is that?

Are we supporting and encouraging the brethren as best we can?

Is our conduct such that those who witness our interactions respect our character and integrity?

If not, why not?

We have considered just three of many New Testament Biblical characters, both men and woman, who desired to serve the Lord and served Him with the skills they had. Each lived their lives willing to do whatever was before them, committed that God knows what is best.

One might think that while these men are wonderful examples, I don’t quite see how they relate to me.

The point is they wanted to serve, were willing to do what was necessary to serve, and acted upon the service opportunities.

Are we doing these things also?

If not, why not?

Perhaps we have concluded that we aren’t doing all that we can for the Lord. Don’t despair, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and we won’t be transformed from imperfection to perfection in a day either. But, lest we think that we will always have more time tomorrow, tomorrow never really comes -- when it does it becomes today! We can only live in today.

John 17:17 says, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” Our Lord always links the progress and development of our spiritual life with our receiving and obeying the Truth. In other words, our growth in Christ depends upon our obedience to the word of the Lord. In 2 Pet. 1:2-11 NASB we are told what we need to do (note the text in bold) to be a partaker of the divine nature. It reads:

(2) Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
(3) seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
(4) For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
(5) Now for this very reason also, (that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature) applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
(6) and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
(7) and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
(8) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(9) For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
(10) Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
(11) for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

We are told to diligently add to our faith: moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. By doing so we grow from where we are to where God would have us to be so that we can be fit for a place in His kingdom as a member of the Bride of Christ. Spiritual growth is a process, and it takes time and effort to do so. Many times we fail and we may conclude that we have nothing to serve Him with. We want to remember that our weakness and inability to do the things we want to do in service to the Lord is actually our greatest asset. When we call upon the Lord for grace to help and rely upon His strength, then whatever success we have is really His and not ours.

To be successful as a follower of Christ we must first and foremost be just that -- a follower. While we may be other things as well, i.e., Elder, deacon, evangelist, leader, teacher, father, mother, son, or daughter, employee, etc., we must always be a follower of Christ. When we step off of the path laid out for us, we step into trouble, and we all know we should never go looking for trouble as it has a way of finding us all on its own.

Summary

Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the Apostles to serve the needs of the Church community. Because he was a man of faith and filled with the Holy Spirit, he performed great wonders and signs among the people. He was martyred for his great love for Christ and even as they killed him, he prayed that they would not be held accountable for his death.

Stephen loved the Lord God and his son, Christ Jesus very much; a love deep and broad enough to even encompass his enemies.

Philip was sensitive to the Lord’s leadings and because he wanted to serve, he made himself available for service. He took advantage of the opportunities that came to him. Like Stephen, he was a man of faith also. He performed great signs and wonders and had a gift for evangelism. Because he used what he had, he was instrumental in proclaiming the Gospel in Samaria and started the spread of the Gospel in Ethiopia.

Whether it was a financial contribution or encouragement in the Lord, Barnabas loved and cared for the brethren. Recognizing the value of Paul’s ability to speak for the Gospel of Christ, he supported Paul before the Apostles. Because of Barnabas, the door of evangelism was opened wide for Paul, and together by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Paul stepped through and testified of the Lord Jesus. Barnabas was an encourager and he encouraged all whom he came into contact with, including Paul.

Barnabas was greatly loved by the brethren because he cared for them very much.

Are we doing these things also?

If not, why not?

Spiritual growth just doesn’t happen. It requires the blood of Christ, the sweat of effort, and yes, even tears of repentance. Our growth depends upon our obedience to the word of the Lord. We should seek first the things of God and eliminate as much as possible the rest of the things cluttering our lives.

Most of us live our lives in a way that could be best expressed by the phrase, “If in doubt – don’t!” As a follower of Christ we really should put a positive spin on this phrase, and unless it violates God’s principles of righteousness, we should live by the maxim, “If in doubt – do!”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It is time to take the next step in our journey of growth. As we do so, may faith enable us to hold His hand and not let go. May humility enable us to acknowledge, repent and turn away from sin. And may His grace enable us to rise again when we stumble.

Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen! (2 Pet. 3:18)

GOD'S KINGDOM

Although this kingdom was the central theme of Jesus' life he did not originate the idea. The concept of this kingdom permeated Old Testament prophecy.

The prophets foresaw a kingdom of health, with harmony between man and his fellow. They foresaw a kingdom of peace, with total economic security. Isaiah spoke of all these promises: They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain (11:6-9); they shall beat their swords into plowshares (2:4); mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands (65:21, 22).

The prophets foresaw a kingdom with harmony between man and animal; natural enemies of the earth will dwell together in complete peace and harmony; and formerly harmful creatures will no longer be hurtful or dangerous.

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isa 11:6-9).

They foresaw a kingdom of peace with harmony amongst men and no more war: And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isa 2:4).

They foresaw a kingdom of total economic security; mankind will reap the rewards of their labor and live in security without fear of loss: they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.... mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands (Isa 65:21-22).

The New Testament apostles foresaw a kingdom in which even death would be done away; there shall be no more death (Rev 21:4). And the best part is that these were not idle dreams. They were not wishful thinking. They spoke of living verities for one simple reason—they knew what they were talking about for they had been witnesses. The Apostle Peter said: 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 honor 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 you do well that you take heed (2Pet 1:16-19).

And the Apostle Paul, when speaking of himself, wrote: I knew a man in Christ...caught up to the third heaven (2Cor 12:2). In the next verse he calls this third heaven paradise. These Biblical writers could speak with such authority, with such sureness, for one simple reason; and to most of their kingdom prophecies the reason for their positiveness is appended: For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken it!

Who Will That Kingdom Be For?

It will be for the righteous (Mat 13:43)! That kingdom will be for the Christian (Acts 16:31)! The kingdom will be for the Jew (Ezek 16:55)! The kingdom will be for the pagan of Sodom and Gomorrah (Mat 10:15)! The kingdom will be for the heathen of Tyre and Sidon (Mat 11:22)! In fact the kingdom will be for ALL people! "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29 RSV).

ALL who are in their tombs will be raised to life—the Jew and the Arab; the Christian and the Atheist; the Catholic and the Protestant; the saint and the sinner; the priest and the master of voodoo—ALL! But that seems impossible! The Bible clearly says: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Yes! One must be a Christian to be saved. One must believe in Christ to live forever in that kingdom. Yet the Bible just as clearly states that the men of Sodom and of Gomorrah, of Tyre and of Sidon, will be there. Can both be true? Yes! Both are true because both are in the Bible. And the Bible is true!

The harmony between these seemingly conflicting concepts is in a simple statement of the will of God concerning man by the Apostle Paul: "God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1Tim 2:3-6). God will have all men to be saved! Jesus Christ gave himself a ransom for all! How much plainer can it be stated! ALL—Jew and Gentile; saint and sinner; Christian and Jew and pagan—ALL! Yet..."there is no other name whereby men must be saved than that of Jesus Christ." Both are scriptural statements! Both must be true! But, How?

Two phrases in Paul's words to Timothy must be examined to answer this question. FIRST, let us look at the phrase: "to be saved." Saved from what? What does it mean to be saved? The answers come readily. Saved from death! Saved from sin! These answers are correct, but they reveal only half of the truth behind the words: "all men to be saved."

The Bible is a complex book. But its central theme is simple. It is the story of redemption. It begins with man created perfect and placed in a perfect garden home—Eden. It soon sees the original pair—Adam and Eve—sin and plunge the entire race into the consequences of sin—death.

The Bible closes with man restored to perfection in a perfect earth, an earth cleansed from the defilements of sin—including death itself. In between it weaves a story of promise and fulfillment, of despair and hope, of prediction and reality, of man being redeemed by one man—Jesus.

A Ransom for All!

The word "ransom" itself shows the principle on which the Bible's offer of salvation is based. It is taken from the Greek word "anti-lutron", meaning "a price to correspond."

A simple balance scale illustrates it well. Adam sinned and brought upon himself and his posterity the merited penalty of death. The scales of justice demanded it. Christ died as a corresponding price—a perfect man for a perfect man—to offset the sin of Adam and bring the scales of justice back into balance. Simple? Yes, it is simple! It is scriptural! And it is true!

Since all of Adam's children (and thus their descendants as well) were born after the first sin, they were born into a dying condition. The Psalmist David expressed it well: "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Pss 51:5).

Since Adam's descendants include both good people and bad people, both saints and sinners, both believers and unbelievers, they are all guaranteed salvation through the shed blood of Christ, which was freely given for Adam and all his descendants.

The Apostle Paul summarized the whole of the Bible message into two short sentences: "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1Cor 15:21-22).

It was from this death sentence on the human race, then, that all men are to be saved. This salvation is guaranteed by the death of Christ to all men—the good and the bad.

But it is one thing to obtain salvation; it is quite another thing to maintain that salvation. While the death of Jesus promises life from the grave for all, it does not promise that that life will be maintained forever.

Adam and Eve were given life in the Garden of Eden. They did not deserve it. It was simply a gift. It was God's grace. They could have maintained that life forever. They did not because they sinned. In this same manner all men will receive life in God's kingdom. They do nothing to deserve it. It is simply a gift. It is of God's grace. They can maintain that life forever. But will they? Just as with Adam and Eve, the option will be with men.

A Knowledge of the Truth

This is where the second phrase of Paul's statement to Timothy needs to be examined. "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1Tim 2:4).

Notice the order! God will first have all men to be saved, and, second, come to a knowledge of the truth. Wouldn't you expect that order to be reversed? That men must first know the truth—know Jesus—before they are saved? That would seem logical. But that is not what the Bible says.

God's plan is for all men to "hear the voice of the Son of Man and come forth" from the graves; and then to be instructed in "the knowledge of the truth." That's what God's kingdom is all about. It has two parts. First, raise all men from the grave. Second, instruct them in the rules of God so that they might keep them and maintain the life they have been given. That is God's plan. That is the beauty of the kingdom! That assures the permanence of salvation! That is the promise of the Bible!

But is that not giving man a second chance? Indeed it would be if sin and evil had caught God by surprise. But they did not—more about that later. Because God permitted sin and evil for a purpose, life from the dead for all is not a second chance but merely the completion of what God had originally planned for man.

Why The Long Delay?

But, if God's kingdom is so wonderful why is it so long delayed? Jesus died nearly 2000 years ago and there is still no kingdom. Instead of improving, many feel that world conditions have gotten worse. Why the long delay?

The Bible outlines three reasons for the delay. FIRST, to fully populate the earth; SECOND, to let man have a thorough experience with sin and its consequences; and THIRD, to develop a class of individuals to help Christ uplift the human race to life, perfection, and happiness. When God first made man and placed him in the Garden of Eden he gave him a commission. "And God blessed them, and God said to them, `Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth'" (Gen 1:28 RSV).

Demographic experts today say that this is just the problem. The earth has a population explosion which threatens our existence. But is this truly so? The Bible indicates that man has been on this planet for a little over 6000 years. The total population from creation to the present has been estimated at between thirty and fifty billions. That's a lot of people!

Yet the earth is a big place. Fifty billion people could each have 60 square feet of space on the island of New Zealand alone. But that's not much space, you say! True! But New Zealand is not a great part of the earth, either!

Not only does man need more space to live on, land is required to grow the necessary food for man's sustenance. This, too, has been provided in God's plan. Notice, once again, the words of the prophet Isaiah: "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God" (Isa 35:1-2).

The Desert Shall Blossom as a Rose

Thousands and thousands of square miles today are filled with desert—the Sahara, the Gobi, America's great Southwest Desert, the outback of Australia. Countless more miles are unproductive wilderness area and scrub land. Think of all of these blossoming as a rose. Think of the productivity of the world's breadbaskets: the Ukraine, the vast prairie provinces of Canada, the great plains of the United States. Think of these joined by the vast areas of today's deserts! Yes, there is room, and even enough room for more. And God's commission was to "fill the earth." This "filling" is one of the reasons for the great delay in ushering in that kingdom for which we are taught to pray.

The Permission of Evil

Man's experiences on the earth have been hard ones. Not only has he had to earn his living by "the sweat of his brow," but the inhumanity of man to man has filled all decent men with revulsion. Natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, famines, volcanic eruptions, have added to the misery of the human scene. Does man really want to live forever in such conditions? If there is a God, why has he permitted such suffering?

There is a purpose—and a good one—for all of this evil. Listen to the words of King Solomon: "And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith" (Eccl. 1:13). Sin was introduced on this earth through the intervention of an evil personality—Satan. His influence has made such evil epidemic. Every being who has ever lived can well identify with the words of David of old: "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Pss 51:5). One of the reasons for the success of the kingdom of God is based on a simple premise—that evil influences will be restrained—Satan will be bound.

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season" (Rev 20:1-3).

With Satan bound while man is educated in the laws of God and righteousness, human beings will have the wonderful opportunity to compare two life styles—sin, with its consequences of misery, sickness and death; and righteousness, with its consequences of happiness, health and life. Is there any question which they will choose! Certainly they will choose life.

Why God Permits Evil

Yes, as the wise man said, "this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith." Comparing the brief span of man's present life under sin and evil with an eternity of life under kingdom conditions, all will echo the sentiments of the Apostle Paul: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom 8:18)

Kingdom Helpers

But there is still one more reason for the long delay. The work of the kingdom is a big work. God's plan is that there be helpers to assist Jesus in this great human uplift project. When Jesus reigns, there are those who will reign with him. "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us" (2Tim 2:12). "Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Rev 20:6).

It is the selection of this class and their training which has occupied the centuries since the death of Christ to the present. These will be with their Lord in heaven, assisting him in the work of restoring men to perfect life on the earth. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1John 3:2).

For these three reasons—the filling of the earth, the full permission of man to experience evil and its consequences and the selection of a class of co-workers with Christ in the kingdom—there has been a delay of some twenty centuries in establishing that rule of righteousness. But come it will in God's own due time.

When Will That Kingdom Come?

How will we know when that kingdom comes? Is it near? Yes! It is near! The Bible contains abundant signs of changes that would take place in world conditions introducing that kingdom. Many of these are found in a sermon by Jesus located in Matthew, chapter 24, based on a prophecy in the book of Daniel, chapter 12. We will look briefly at just four of these:

(1) A Time Of Trouble Threatening To Destroy All Flesh:

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Mat 24:21-22).

Not until the second World War let loose the age of nuclear warfare has man had this ability to destroy all flesh. Today the dreaded word "overkill" heightens man's fear with the ability to destroy all flesh many times over.

(2) A Knowledge And Transportation Revolution:

"But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased" (Dan 12:4).

With the introduction of compulsory education, the widespread availability of printed material, and the introduction of the computer age, knowledge has been exploding exponentially—doubling every five to eight years. Means of rapid transportation are so common that we may forget that our ancestors of only 150 years ago were restricted to the speed of a horse, and most died without traveling more than a few miles from their homes.

(3) Israel:

"My people of Israel...shall build the waste cities and inhabit them...and I will plant them upon their land and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, says the Lord your God" (Amos 9:14-15).

In a modern miracle, a people wandering homeless for 2000 years, have returned to their ancient homeland. Despite numerous onslaughts by overpowering numbers of enemies, they have endured and stand strong today among the family of nations.

(4) Preaching The Gospel:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Mat 24:14).

In the early 1800's Bible societies were established in Europe and the United States for the sole purpose of distributing the scriptures all over the world. Today the Bible is still a best seller and is available in more than one thousand languages. Now, once again, hear the word of the Lord: "So likewise you, when you see these things come to pass, know you that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand" (Luke 21:31). We are living in a day when man has the potential to destroy all flesh. We are living in a day when knowledge has been increased and many run to and fro. We are living in a day when the rebirth of Israel in her ancient homeland is a fact. We are living in a day when the Gospel—the Bible—is being published throughout the world. Therefore we are living in a day when the kingdom of God is nigh at hand!

Yes, man has prayed for many things. He has prayed for nothing harder or more often than the kingdom. And that is a prayer that will soon be answered. "Our Father which is in heaven; hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Mat 6:9-10).

What Does It Mean To Be Baptized Into Christ?

There is more than one type of baptism practiced in the Christian world.  There is:

• Sprinkling or Pouring on the Head
• Infant Baptism
• Submersion under water.

Sprinkling or pouring water on the head

There are no scriptures in the Bible that describe Baptism as the sprinkling or pouring of water on the head.  The first instances in the Bible where individuals were baptized was accomplished by John the Baptist.  Did John the Baptist sprinkle water or submerse the person under water?

“Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.”  (John 3:23, NKJ)

“And He [Jesus] went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first…” (John 10:40, NKJ)

If all John was doing was sprinkling water to baptize, he did not need to worry about being near the “much water” of the “Jordan River.”   Clearly, John was doing more than just sprinkling those he baptized.

Infant Baptism:

Is infant baptism scriptural?

Nowhere in the Bible do we find infant Baptism mentioned.  Although at times the scriptures do mention the baptism of households, they never specifically mention children or infants.

For example, in Acts 8, Phillip preached to the people of Samaria.

“But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of GOD and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” (Acts 8:12, NKJ)

Notice, there is no mention of Phillip baptizing infants in Samaria; just men and women.

In Mark 16:16, Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…”

It would not be possible for a newborn infant to understand who Christ is, let alone believe in him.

Remember the question Jesus asked James and John in Mark 10:38,

“Are you able to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

A newborn infant would not be capable of answering Jesus’ question, let alone responsibly making such a commitment.

Submersion (Dunking) into Water:

Now we do find examples in the New Testament of adult baptism and in every case we believe the Baptism was a submersion into water.  For example:

Matthew 3:16 – “When He [John] had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.”

Acts 8:38 – “So he [Philip] commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.  39) Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the LORD caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.”

The only way Jesus and the Ethiopian eunuch could have “come up” out of the water is if they have been submersed under it.

GREEK DEFINITION OF BAPTISM:

In support of this conclusion that baptism is submersion, let’s looks at some definitions.

STRONGS: 907  baptizo (bap-tid’-zo);

… to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet)…

VINES: BAPTISM, BAPTIST, BAPTIZE

A. Nouns.

1. baptisma (908), “baptism,” consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence (from bapto, “to dip”)…

B. Verb.

baptizo (907), “to baptize,” primarily a frequentative form of bapto, “to dip,” was used among the Greeks to signify the dyeing of a garment, or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another,

So this word has the meaning of complete submersion under water.  Certainly when dying, the garment must be totally submerged in the dye.

There is a variation of this word.

2. baptismos (909), as distinct from baptisma (the ordinance), is used of the “ceremonial washing of articles,” , in some texts; ; once in a general sense, .# See WASHING.

This word is only found four times in the New Testament and refers to ceremonial washings.

JOHN’S BAPTISM & ITS PURPOSE:

Let’s talk about John’s Baptism.  John’s work was not for the Gentiles.  His work of baptism was intended to reveal Jesus to the Israelites only, but John did not baptize believers into Christ.  That would come later, after Pentecost.   His work was not for the Gentiles.

In John 1:29-31 we read,

“29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  30 “This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’  31 “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

So John was baptizing in order to reveal Jesus to Israel only, not yet to the Gentiles.

Bearing fruit was an evidence of those who had sincerely baptized.  As John the Baptist said…

“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.”  (Matthew 3:8, NKJ)

John’s Baptism required a personal confession of sins.

“And all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.”  (Mark 1:5, NKJ)

Repentance and typical cleansing restored repentant Jews back to the condition of harmony with God as enjoyed under the Law Covenant and through the tabernacle arrangement.  As we are told in …

“John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”  (Mark 1:4, NKJ)

The Jews had not previously practiced individual baptism.  Br. Charles T. Russell teaches…

“The whole nation was recognized as baptized into Moses in the sea and in the cloud.”  (Harvest Gleanings, G254:3)

“For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-2, ESV)

“For the remission of avoidable sins, gross sins. The godly Jews were not intended, nor expected, to come to John to be baptized.” (Q34:3)

“Not the “Israelites indeed,” but those who conceded that they had been living in open sin.”(HG254:5)

This typical cleansing available to the Jews is discussed in Leviticus & Hebrews.

Leviticus 16:30 – “For on that day [of Atonement] the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.” 

Hebrews 10:11 – “And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.”

So John baptized the Jews for repentance and remission of sins similar to the typical cleansing as was accomplished in the tabernacle by the sacrifice of bulls and goats on the Day of Atonement.

Every Jew under the Law Covenant was a member of the house of Moses (Hebrews 3:5).  As mentioned above, the Jews were baptized unto Moses in the sea and in the cloud (1 Corinthians 10:12)

As natural branches of the olive tree the Jews did not need en-grafting into Christ (Romans 11:16-21).  John could not baptize Gentiles since they could not by repentance be restored back to a position they had never occupied.

After Pentecost, John’s baptism was replaced by Christian baptism into Christ.

In Acts we have an incident where some of John’s disciples, after hearing the gospel, were baptized again, this time into Christ; after which they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:1-6 –

“1… Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples  2 he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a holy Spirit.’  3 And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’   4 Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’  5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”

These disciples were baptized twice (John’s & Christ’s). Br. Charles Russell teaches…“The Apostle instructed them more fully, assuring them that John’s baptism was all right in its time and place, but that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus–baptized into Christ.” HG732:6

CHRISTIAN BAPTISM & ITS MEANING

Christian baptism has many elements that are similar to John’s baptism and some elements that are different.  As with the Jews baptized by John’s baptism, Christians are to confess and repent from their sins.

“And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.” (Acts 19:18)

“46 Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'” (Luke 24:46-47)

Remission of sins was another element similar between John’s baptism and Jesus baptism.

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'” (Acts 2:38)

Br. Russell teaches…  “This baptism was for Jews only, who had already been baptized into Moses in the sea and the cloud. Sins thus figuratively washed away did not include original sin, but merely minor transgressions against the Mosaic law.” (Reprints of the Original Watchtower 4308:5,  6th Volume of Studies in the Scriptures p.428, Harvest Gleanings p.600:1,2)

John could only provide typical remission.  The Christian receives a real remission of sins through actual justification by Jesus blood.

John’s baptism pointing the Jews to Christ, but the Christian is to actually believe in Christ and accept Him as their Savior.  Let’s see how this is shown in scripture.

“36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’  37 Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of GOD.’” (Acts 8:36-37)

“Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” (Acts 18:8)

So faith in Jesus Christ is a requirement for the Christian baptism.

BAPTISM INTO CHRIST – NOT INTO AN ORGANIZATION

Although those baptized into John’s baptism were to bear fruit, the Christian’s death to sin, walking in newness of life and drinking of the cup is a far deeper action.  Christian Baptism is more than the pursuit of righteousness, it is the total death of self will and a total commitment to sacrifice ALL of ones time, talent and possessions to the Lord, often at the cost of suffering and persecution.  In this connection, we read in 2 Timothy 3:12,

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

In Romans 6:3-13 we read,

“3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.   11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to GOD in Christ Jesus our Lord.  12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.  13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to GOD as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to GOD.”

So we see from Romans 6 and lowering the candidate into the water represents the death of the Old Man with his sinful ways and the raising up of the candidate shows our walk in newness of life as New Creatures in Christ Jesus.  Notice how Roman 6:3 teaches that we are baptized into Christ’s death.  No scripture talks about being baptized into Jehovah’s organization. Also see how the following text show we are actually baptized into Christ.

“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27, NASV)

“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'” (Acts 2:38, NASV)

ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM

What is the ultimate purpose of Christian baptism?  Certainly to lay down our lives in the Lord’s service is purpose enough, but the Bible shows a purpose even beyond that.

Just as going to medical school is of no benefit to humanity unless the student becomes a practicing doctor, so it is with the Christian.

CONTEXT

Galatians 3:8 (NKJ) – “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’” 

Genesis 22:18 – “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Galatians 3:27,29 – “27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have PUT ON Christ…  29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Those who are baptized are Abraham’s seed whose purpose is to bless all the families of the earth.  This is the ultimate purpose of baptism.

The same point is expressed in…

1 Corinthians 15:29 – “Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?”

This passage says that we are baptized “for the dead,” not “into death.”

Again the ultimate purpose of baptism is to bless all the families of the earth.

Many translations agree with this wording, “baptized for the dead.”  The translators do not believe this.  They would rather not translate this text.  Peter puts it this way…

1 Peter 1:9 (NKJ)– “receiving the end of your faith– the salvation of your souls.”

The word “your” is in Italics.  The thought is that the outcome of our faith, THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE, will be the salvation of mankind.

DOES WATER BAPTISM CANCELS SINS?

The traditional view among Catholic and many Protestant denominations is that baptism is necessary for salvation, forgiveness and the cancellation of sins.  Not only do they believe it necessary, but some feel it must be performed in a prescribed fashion in order to secure salvation.  Some of their supposed proof texts are…

Acts 2:38 – “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”

Mark 16:16 – “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

Acts 22:16– “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

1 Peter 3:21 –“There is also an antitype which now saves us– baptism.”

These texts are telling us that those who are baptized will be saved and receive a remission or washing away, of sins.  So are the Catholics and many Protestants correct in believing that the act of Baptism is necessary for salvation?

No.  Where these Christians are wrong is that it’s NOT “water baptism” that saves us, it’s the true baptism that saves us, that is, consecration and the resultant justification by Christ’s blood.  Water baptism can’t save.  It is merely a symbol of the true baptism and the resultant justification that can save us.

Baptism is the outward sign of an invisible grace from our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:9 – “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

We are saved by Jesus act of justification, not by our symbolic act of water baptism.

WATER BAPTISM IS SYMBOLIC

Many scriptures establish that water baptism itself is merely a symbol and that it does not have intrinsic atoning qualities.

Luke 12:50 – “But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!”

Jesus had already received water baptism by John, so in this case the word “baptism” must be symbolic of more than the literal water baptism.  This is also borne out in…

Mark 10:38-39 –“38 Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you ask. Can you drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’  39 They said to Him, ‘We are able.’ So Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized.'”  (See also Matthew 20:22-23.)

Jesus had previously baptized the disciples in water. (John 4:1,2)  Clearly Jesus was not referring merely to the symbolic act of water baptism, but to the actual practice of what the symbol means, the laying down of their lives in consecrated sacrifice and the resultant justification to life by faith in Jesus.

More evidence of the symbolic nature of water Baptism is found in…

Colossians 2:11-12 – “11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of GOD, who raised Him from the dead.”

Notice here that both circumcision & water baptism are symbolic of putting away sin.  Obviously “circumcision” here is not literal.  The Christian is not literally required to be circumcised as were the Jews under the Law.  This is the symbolic circumcision of the heart.So, just circumcision is symbolic, likewise, water baptism here is also symbolic.

Next is another symbolic usage of baptism, although a much different one.

Matthew 3:11-12 – “11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The baptism by fire is symbolic of the judgment and destruction upon the nation of Israel as stated in verse 12, “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Just as the baptism by fire is symbolic, so is water baptism.

We are not saved by the symbol “water baptism,” but by the reality of it, the meaning of which we will get to shortly.

BORN OF WATER – SPIRIT BEGETTAL

Many believe John 3:5 teaches that unless you are baptized in water you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.  It says…

John 3:5 – “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'” 

The word “baptism” is no where to be found in this context.  Water here is symbolic of the word of Truth. Without the Bible we would not have the necessary knowledge to grow in Christ and enter God’s Kingdom.

Our growth in Christ through his word is illustrated by the Greek word genno, that is Strongs #1080. Vines defines it as…

BEGET, BEAR (OF BEGETTING), BORN

1. gennao ^1080^, “to beget,” in the passive voice, “to be born,” is chiefly used of men “begetting” children, ; more rarely of women “begetting” children… (from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words) (Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

So in John 3:5 we are “begotten of water.”  This means that we were spiritually begotten by Truth.

Br. Russell say…  “We see that symbolical water represents truth, and that our begetting of the holy Spirit is said to be also a begetting ‘through the Word of truth.’” (James 1:18) (R4124:6   R3600:6  R2422:1)

In support of this we will quote four scriptures which relate begettal to the Word of God.

James 1:18 (KJV) – “Of his own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

1 Corinthians 4:15 (NKJ) – “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”

1 Peter 1:23 – “…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of GOD which lives and abides forever.”

Ephesians 5:26 – “…that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word…”

So we see that John 3:5 does not teach that unless you are baptized in water you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.  It actually teaches that we are begotten as New Creatures in Christ by the Truth of God’s word.  It is the guidance from God’s Word that develops the embryo New Creature in Christian growth, preparing us for our ultimate Spiritual birth, after the first resurrection.

SAVED BY BELIEF, GRACE & JUSTIFICATON, NOT BAPTISM

There are many more scriptures that talk about us as being saved, but it’s not by water baptism, it is by belief in Jesus Christ and the resultant grace of God and justification to life.

Acts 2:21– “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

Romans 10:13 – “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Acts 16:30-31 – “30And he [the jailer] brought them [Paul & Silas] out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’  31 So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’”

Romans 10:9 – “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heartthat GOD has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 5:9 – “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

1 Corinthians 3:15 – “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 – “1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you– unless you believed in vain.”

Ephesians 2:5 – “Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved.)”

Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of GOD.”

The Jerusalem Counsel never addressed the issue of Baptism when presenting minimum requirements expected of the Gentile brothers.

Acts 15:28-29 – “28For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:  29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Where is water baptism on this list?  If it were necessary for salvation, certainly the Apostles would have required it of the Gentile brethren.

Acts 15:1 – “And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'”

Some Christians today take the same approach with baptism as these Jews took of circumcision, that it is a requirement for salvation.

SAVED BY BAPTISM?

In 1 Peter we find scriptures used by many Christians to again attempt to prove that water Baptism is necessary for salvation.

1 Peter 3:19-22 – “19by whom also He [Jesus] went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long suffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us– baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward GOD), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Does this passage prove we are saved by literal water baptism?  The simple answer here is that Peter is not talking about literal water baptism.  In verse 21, He describes “baptism” as “a good conscience toward God.”  That word “conscience” is also used in the prior chapter.

“For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.” (1 Peter 2:19, KJV)

So the word “conscience” connected with the word “baptism” refers to suffering for righteousness sake.  Hence, the word Baptism is talking about living our consecration.  Our consecration results in justification by the ransom to life.  That is what saves us.

It is interesting to note from verse 21 that we are not saved by the “removal of the filth of the flesh,” that is, we are not saved simply by John’s baptism, the repentance from sin.  But we must go beyond that to consecration INTO Christ’s death and this involves cheerful in the spirit, willing patient endurance and SACRIFICE of self will and self interest.

Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

BAPTIZED IN WHO’S NAME?

In whose name is the Christian baptized?  Many quote the great commission of Matt 28:19 to prove we are baptized into the Trinity, not into Jesus Christ alone.

Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” 

If we accept the translation as is, it does not prove that we are baptized into the Trinity, but merely the desperation of those who strive in vain to find support for this doctrine in scripture.  This passage does not state that these three are one person, nor anything of the kind.

In conflict with this, six other scriptures refer baptism in the name of Jesus, not baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit of Matthew 28:19.

Let us look at these scriptures that contradict Matthew 28:29.  Notice that in none of these texts was anyone baptized in the name of the Father, Son and holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 – “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”

Acts 8:12 – “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of GOD and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.”

Acts 8:16– “For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Acts 10:48 – “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.”

Acts 19:5 – “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into HIS DEATH ? “ (Romans 6:3)

SO WHAT NOW?

Are you interested to GIVE UP YOUR LIFE RIGHTS ON EARTH to inherit what eye has not seen nor ear heard… to inherit a life with Jesus and those who have now given up the pride of life and disclaim all rights to themselves, to their soul, to their body, to their time, to their health, to their reputation, to their talents or to anything that they own?

If you confess to be the property of Jesus CHRIST your Redeemer, then dedicate yourself to belong entirely to Jesus now, to serve, love and trust him as your life and salvation until your life’s end and show this through baptism.

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

God is now selecting men and women of faith for special honors during the Millennium. Namely, to reign with Christ in heaven as spiritual rulers of the world — to lead the world to righteousness, godliness, and truth — and raise all the dead of past ages. Satan’s demons now lead the world into sin and ignorance. Then, Christ and his saints will lead the world into obedience and understanding (Revelation 20:1-6).

High Standards

When we understand the high honor to which the saints are called, we better appreciate the high standards that are expected of them.

(1) Godly conduct

(2) Character Development

(3) Study of the Truth

(4) Service and Sacrifice.

Consecration

We enter the race for the “prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14) by consecrating our life to GOD.

This we do in personal prayer to God, committing our life and service and interests to God hereafter.

If this step is taken, then it is proper to symbolize that decision with water baptism, as a testimony to others.

“11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.” (2 Timothy 2:11-12, ESV)

If you have not considered the matter of consecration, take time to do so.

Read our Lord’s words about this decision, thoughtfully, in Luke 14:27‑35.
Remember the blessings promised, and the conditions for them:

“by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, honor, and immortality.” (Romans 2:7)

Remember the privilege of being with Christ, in heaven, to bless “all the families of the earth”during the Millennium. God wishes us to respond favorably. “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

So brethren, let us pursue our consecration with determination and GREAT ZEAL, so that we may please our Father and be prepared for our future mission.