DESIRES OF THE HEART

 DESIRES OF THE HEART

Psalm 37:1-4 [A Psalm of David.] Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 

  I was thinking about what I previously wrote and was reminded of Psalm 37:1-4. Many people seem to think this passage if they are Christians, they will get anything they desire. I believe it means that if we love and submissively serve God, He will give us the desires for our heart; the desire to do His will.

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

PS. Considering the overall tone of Scripture, I absolutely agree. EBB4

IS CETERNAL SECURITY A LICENSE TO SIN?

 

Is eternal security a “license” to sin?

  The most frequent objection to the doctrine of eternal security is that it supposedly allows people to live any way that they want and still be saved. While this may be “technically” true, it is not true in reality. A person who has truly been redeemed by Jesus Christ will not live a life characterized by continuous, willful sin. We must draw a distinction between how a Christian should live and what a person must do in order to receive salvation.

The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6). The moment a person truly believes in Jesus Christ, he or she is saved and secure in that salvation. It is unbiblical to say that salvation is received by faith, but then has to be maintained by works. The apostle Paul addresses this issue in Galatians 3:3 when he asks, “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” If we are saved by faith, our salvation is also maintained and secured by faith. We cannot earn our own salvation. Therefore, neither can we earn the maintenance of our salvation. It is God who maintains our salvation (Jude 24). It is God’s hand that holds us firmly in His grasp (John 10:28-29). It is God’s love that nothing can separate us from (Romans 8:38-39).

Any denial of eternal security is, in its essence, a belief that we must maintain our own salvation by our own good works and efforts. This is completely antithetical to salvation by grace. We are saved because of Christ’s merits, not our own (Romans 4:3-8). To claim that we must obey God’s Word or live a godly life to maintain our salvation is saying that Jesus’ death was not sufficient to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus’ death was absolutely sufficient to pay for all of our sins—past, present, and future, pre-salvation and post-salvation (Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Does this mean that a Christian can live any way he wants to and still be saved? This is essentially a hypothetical question, because the Bible makes it clear that a true Christian will not live “any way he wants to.” Christians are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), not the acts of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). First John 3:6-9 clearly states that a true Christian will not live in continual sin. In response to the accusation that grace promotes sin, the apostle Paul declared, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2).

Eternal security is not a license to sin. Rather, it is the security of knowing that God’s love is guaranteed for those who trust in Christ. Knowing and understanding God’s tremendous gift of salvation accomplishes the opposite of giving a license to sin. How could anyone, knowing the price Jesus Christ paid for us, go on to live a life of sin (Romans 6:15-23)? How could anyone who understands God’s unconditional and guaranteed love for those who believe, take that love and throw it back in God’s face? Such a person is demonstrating not that eternal security has given him a license to sin, but rather that he or she has not truly experienced salvation through Jesus Christ. “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6).

GotQuestions.org

INFANT BAPTISM?

 

What does the Bible say about infant baptism / paedobaptism?

  There is much confusion about baptism in the various Christian denominations. However, this is not a result of the Bible presenting a confusing message on baptism. The Bible is abundantly clear of what baptism is, who it is for, and what it accomplishes. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized - as a public testimony of their faith and identification with Him (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4). Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience after faith in Christ. It is a proclamation of faith in Christ, a statement of submission to Him, and an identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.
  With this in view, infant baptism is not a Biblical practice. An infant cannot place his or her faith in Christ. An infant cannot make a conscious decision to obey Christ. An infant cannot understand what water baptism symbolizes. The Bible does not record any infants being baptized. Infant baptism is the origin of the sprinkling and pouring methods of baptism - as it is unwise and unsafe to immerse an infant under water. Even the method of infant baptism fails to agree with the Bible. How does pouring or sprinkling illustrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
  Many Christians who practice infant baptism do so because they understand infant baptism as the new covenant equivalent of circumcision. In this view, just as circumcision joined a Hebrew to the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, so baptism joined a person to the New Covenant of salvation through Jesus Christ. This view is unbiblical. The New Testament nowhere describes baptism as the New Covenant replacement for Old Covenant circumcision. The New Testament nowhere describes baptism as a sign of the New Covenant. It is faith in Jesus Christ that enables a person to enjoy the blessings of the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 9:15).
  Baptism does not save a person. It does not matter if you were baptized by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling - if you have not first trusted in Christ for salvation, baptism (no matter the method) is meaningless and useless. Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience to be done after salvation as a public profession of faith in Christ and identification with Him. Infant baptism does not fit the Biblical definition of baptism or the Biblical method of baptism. If Christian parents wish to dedicate their child to Christ, then a baby dedication service is entirely appropriate. However, even if infants are dedicated to the Lord, when they grow up they will still have to make a personal decision to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved.    GotQuestions.org

REBAPTISM?

 

I was baptized unbiblically. Do I need to be rebaptized?

  The Bible is very clear about baptism. There are two points we all need to understand. (1) Baptism is to take place after a person has received Jesus Christ as Savior, trusting in Him alone for salvation. (2) Baptism is to be by immersion. The word baptize literally means to "immerse / submerge in water." Baptism by immersion is the only method of baptism that adequately illustrates what baptism symbolizes—believers dying, being buried with Christ, and being raised to newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).
  With those two key points in mind, what about those who were baptized unbiblically? For the sake of clarification, let’s divide this into two categories as well. First, in the instance of someone who was baptized before he/she became a Christian. Common examples of this are those who were baptized as infants, or those who were baptized later in life, but did not truly know Jesus as Savior when they were baptized. In these instances, yes, such a person definitely needs to be rebaptized. Again, the Bible states that baptism is post-salvation. The symbolism of baptism is lost if a person has not truly experienced salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.
  Second, in the instance of those who were baptized after faith in Christ, but in a method other than immersion. This issue is a little more difficult. It would seem to come down to the fact that such a person did not truly receive baptism. If the method was sprinkling or pouring, it does not fit the definition of baptism. Again, the word baptize means "to submerge in water." However, the Bible nowhere specifically addresses those who have been baptized but not immersed. This issue, then, is a matter of a believer’s personal relationship with God. A believer who has been baptized unbiblically should ask the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5). If the believer’s conscience is unsure, it would be best to go ahead and be rebaptized biblically to put the conscience at ease (Romans 14:23).

GotQuestions.org

CREDOBAPTISM?

 

Does the Bible teach believer’s baptism/credobaptism?

  Baptism has been a topic of debate within Christian circles for many years. In fact, it was already an issue in the early church. Paul addressed it in 1 Corinthians 1:13–16. The Corinthians were boasting about which apostle had baptized them, arguing about whose baptism was better. Paul rebuked them for their sectarianism and concluded with, “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” From this statement it is clear that there is a marked difference between receiving the gospel and the act of baptism. They are linked but are not the same in importance.
  According to the bulk of Scripture, water baptism is an important first step in following Jesus as Lord. Jesus was baptized (Matthew 3:16; Luke 3:21) and told those who professed His name to follow His example as evidence that their hearts had changed (Acts 8:16; 19:5). Believer’s baptism is the act by which a believer in Jesus Christ chooses to be baptized in order to give testimony of his faith. Believer’s baptism is also called “credobaptism,” a term that comes from the Latin word for “creed,” indicating that baptism is a symbol of a person’s adopting a certain doctrine or creed.
  Believer’s baptism is clearly taught in Acts 2. In this chapter, Peter is preaching the gospel message on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. In the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter boldly proclaims Jesus’ death and resurrection and commands the crowd to repent and believe in Christ (Acts 2:36, 38). The response to Peter’s gospel presentation is recorded in verse 41: “Those who accepted his message were baptized.” Note the order of events—they accepted the message (the gospel of Christ), and then they were baptized. Only those who believed were baptized. We see the same order in Acts 16, when the Philippian jailer and his family are saved. They believe, and then they are baptized (Acts 16:29–34). The practice of the apostles was to baptize believers, not unbelievers.
  Believer’s baptism is distinguished from infant baptism in that an infant, who has no understanding of the gospel, cannot be a “believer” in Christ. Believer’s baptism involves a person hearing the gospel, accepting Christ as Savior, and choosing to be baptized. It is his or her choice. In infant baptism, the choice is made by someone else, not the child being baptized. Those who baptize infants often teach that water baptism is the means by which the Holy Spirit is imparted to an individual. They base this idea primarily upon Peter’s words in Acts 2:38: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Those who hold this doctrine believe that the act of baptizing an infant sets the child apart and secures salvation. Nowhere in Scripture is the practice of infant baptism even implied. Some point to the few references of the apostles baptizing “households” (Acts 11:14; 16:15, 33), with the assumption that the households included infants, but this is going beyond what the text says.
  In the New Testament, baptism by water was the natural result of saving faith and commitment to Jesus as Savior and Lord (Acts 2:42; 8:35–37). Since infants and small children cannot make an informed decision to profess Jesus as Lord, their baptism has no spiritual significance. If infant baptism made a baby right with God, then only children whose parents desired it would be “saved.” Those who did not have believing parents would be condemned as infants, an idea with no biblical foundation. Scripture is clear that God judges the heart of every person and judges or rewards each based on the decisions made by that individual, not by his or her parents (Romans 2:5–6, Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 16:27; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
  Others teach that water baptism is a requirement for salvation, equal to repentance and confession of Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:8–9). While biblical examples show that baptism usually immediately followed conversion, nowhere did Jesus teach that baptism would save anyone. At the Last Supper, He said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Faith in the power of His shed blood is all that is required to make guilty sinners right with God. Romans 5:8–9 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”
  If baptism were required for entrance into eternal life, then Jesus was wrong to say to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). The thief had no opportunity to be baptized before facing God. He was declared righteous because he placed his faith in what the Son of God was doing on his behalf (John 3:16; Romans 5:1; Galatians 5:4). Galatians 2:16 clarifies the fact that nothing we do can add or take away from the finished work of Christ on our behalf, including baptism: “A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
  Water baptism is an important first step of obedience in following Christ. Believers should be baptized. But, baptism is the result of salvation not a contributor to it.  GotQuestions.org

HITLER'S CROSS

 HITLER’S CROSS

  “Jacques Ellul, in The Subversion of Christianity, wrote, “’Each generation thinks it has finally discovered the truth …. Christianity becomes an empty bottle that successive cultures fill with all kinds of things.’” Regrettably, the Christian bottle has been filled with many different agendas. Early in the history of the church, the Cross was obscured by sacramentalism, the idea that salvation was a grace given through the rituals of the church. Salvation was no longer a personal relationship with God, but reduced to a partnership with the ecclesiastical structure. The bottle was emptied and filled with liturgy that could never bring a soul to God. The cross became an ornament hung around the neck, not an instrument that changed the heart.

  Rationalism and humanism arose in the 18nth century, the fruits of the Enlightenment. Religion, it insisted, must conform to our understanding. Whatever seemed contrary to our sensibilities was eliminated. Miracles, for example, were discounted as being out of synch with the enlightened cultural mindset. The Unitarians argued that God was too good to send man to hell, and the Universalists believed man was too good to be sent there. The Cross became a symbol of sentimental love, not the means by which Christ shed His blood to reconcile men to God.” (Excerpted from HITLER’S CROSS, Erwin W. Lutzer. Chapter 10, page247.)

PS. I have read and recommend this book. EBB4

IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?

 

Is baptism necessary for salvation?

  The belief that baptism is necessary for salvation is also known as "baptismal regeneration." It is our contention that baptism is an important step of obedience for a Christian, but we adamantly reject baptism as being required for salvation. We strongly believe that each and every Christian should be water baptized by immersion. Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 6:3-4 declares, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” The action of being immersed in the water illustrates dying and being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection.

  Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based salvation. To add anything to the gospel is to say that Jesus’ death on the cross was not sufficient to purchase our salvation. To say that baptism is necessary for salvation is to say we must add our own good works and obedience to Christ’s death in order to make it sufficient for salvation. Jesus’ death alone paid for our sins (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ payment for our sins is appropriated to our “account” by faith alone (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, baptism is an important step of obedience after salvation but cannot be a requirement for salvation.
  Yes, there are some verses that seem to indicate baptism as a requirement for salvation. However, since the Bible so clearly tells us that salvation is received by faith alone (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), there must be a different interpretation of those verses. Scripture does not contradict Scripture. In Bible times, a person who converted from one religion to another was often baptized to identify conversion. Baptism was the means of making a decision public. Those who refused to be baptized were saying they did not truly believe. So, in the minds of the apostles and early disciples, the idea of an un-baptized believer was unheard of. When a person claimed to believe in Christ, yet was ashamed to proclaim his faith in public, it indicated that he did not have true faith.
  If baptism is necessary for salvation, why would Paul have said, “I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius” (1 Corinthians 1:14)? Why would he have said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17)? Granted, in this passage Paul is arguing against the divisions that plagued the Corinthian church. However, how could Paul possibly say, “I am thankful that I did not baptize…” or “For Christ did not send me to baptize…” if baptism were necessary for salvation? If baptism is necessary for salvation, Paul would literally be saying, “I am thankful that you were not saved…” and “For Christ did not send me to save…” That would be an unbelievably ridiculous statement for Paul to make. Further, when Paul gives a detailed outline of what he considers the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-8), why does he neglect to mention baptism? If baptism is a requirement for salvation, how could any presentation of the gospel lack a mention of baptism?

  Baptism is not necessary for salvation. Baptism does not save from sin but from a bad conscience. In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter clearly taught that baptism was not a ceremonial act of physical purification, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. Baptism is the symbol of what has already occurred in the heart and life of one who has trusted Christ as Savior (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12). Baptism is an important step of obedience that every Christian should take. Baptism cannot be a requirement for salvation. To make it such is an attack on the sufficiency of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  GotQuestions.org

FIVE AREAS CONSTANTLY REQUIRING BIBLICAL MATURATION

 FIVE AREAS CONSTANTLY REQUIRING BIBLICAL MATURATION:

1.     Gospel knowledge and presentation.

2.     Purposeful living.

3.     Identity in Christ.

4.     Confidence in the Word living and written.

5.     Word-grounded worldview.

EBB4

THE SYMBOLISM OF BAPTISM

 

What is the symbolism of water baptism?

  Water baptism symbolizes the believer’s total trust in and total reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as a commitment to live obediently to Him. It also expresses unity with all the saints (Ephesians 2:19), that is, with every person in every nation on earth who is a member of the Body of Christ (Galatians 3:27–28). Water baptism conveys this and more, but it is not what saves us. Instead, we are saved by grace through faith, apart from works (Ephesians 2:8–9). We are baptized because our Lord commanded it: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
  Water baptism is for believers. Before we are baptized, we must come to believe that we are sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:23). We must also believe that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, that He was buried, and that He was resurrected to assure our place in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). When we turn to Jesus, asking Him to forgive our sins and be our Savior, we are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our eternal salvation is guaranteed, and we begin to die to ourselves and live for Christ (1 Peter 1:3–5). At that time we are scripturally qualified to be baptized.
  Water baptism is a beautiful picture of what our Lord has done for us. As we are completely immersed in the water, we symbolize burial with our Lord; we are baptized into His death on the cross and are no longer slaves to self or sin (Romans 6:3–7). When we are raised out of the water, we are symbolically resurrected—raised to new life in Christ to be with Him forever, born into the family of our loving God (Romans 8:16). Water baptism also illustrates the spiritual cleansing we experience when we are saved; just as water cleanses the flesh, so the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts when we trust Christ.
  The fact that water baptism is not a prerequisite for salvation is best seen in the example of a saved man who was not baptized in water—the criminal on the cross (Luke 23:39–43). This self-confessed sinner acknowledged Jesus as his Lord while dying on a cross next to Him. The thief asked for salvation and was forgiven of his sins. Although he never experienced water baptism, at that moment he was spiritually baptized into Christ’s death, and he then was raised to eternal life by the power of Christ’s word (Hebrews 1:3).
  Christians should be baptized out of obedience to and love for our Lord Jesus (John 14:15). Water baptism by immersion is the biblical method of baptism because of its symbolic representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. GotQuestions.org

THE IMPORTANCE OF BAPTISM

 

What is the importance of Christian baptism?

  Christian baptism is one of two ordinances that Jesus instituted for the church. Just before His ascension, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). These instructions specify that the church is responsible to teach Jesus’ word, make disciples, and baptize those disciples. These things are to be done everywhere (“all nations”) until “the very end of the age.” So, if for no other reason, baptism has importance because Jesus commanded it.

Baptism was practiced before the founding of the church. The Jews of ancient times would baptize proselytes to signify the converts’ “cleansed” nature. John the Baptist used baptism to prepare the way of the Lord, requiring everyone, not just Gentiles, to be baptized because everyone needs repentance. However, John’s baptism, signifying repentance, is not the same as Christian baptism, as seen in Acts 18:24–26 and 19:1–7. Christian baptism has a deeper significance.
  Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit—this is what makes it “Christian” baptism. It is through this ordinance that a person is admitted into the fellowship of the church. When we are saved, we are “baptized” by the Spirit into the Body of Christ, which is the church. First Corinthians 12:13 says, “We were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Baptism by water is a “reenactment” of the baptism by the Spirit.
  Christian baptism is the means by which a person makes a public profession of faith and discipleship. In the waters of baptism, a person says, wordlessly, “I confess faith in Christ; Jesus has cleansed my soul from sin, and I now have a new life of sanctification.”
  Christian baptism illustrates, in dramatic style, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. At the same time, it also illustrates our death to sin and new life in Christ. As the sinner confesses the Lord Jesus, he dies to sin (Romans 6:11) and is raised to a brand-new life (Colossians 2:12). Being submerged in the water represents death to sin, and emerging from the water represents the cleansed, holy life that follows salvation. Romans 6:4 puts it this way: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
  Very simply, baptism is an outward testimony of the inward change in a believer’s life. Christian baptism is an act of obedience to the Lord after salvation; although baptism is closely associated with salvation, it is not a requirement to be saved. The Bible shows in many places that the order of events is 1) a person believes in the Lord Jesus and 2) he is baptized. This sequence is seen in Acts 2:41, “Those who accepted [Peter’s] message were baptized” (see also Acts 16:14–15).
  A new believer in Jesus Christ should desire to be baptized as soon as possible. In Acts 8 Philip speaks “the good news about Jesus” to the Ethiopian eunuch, and, “as they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’” (verses 35–36). Right away, they stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized the man.
  Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Everywhere the gospel is preached and people are drawn to faith in Christ, they are to be baptized. GotQuestions.org

BAPTISM PROTECTS?

 

BAPTISM PROTECTS?

Acts GW 17:11-12 The people of Berea were more open-minded than the people of Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive God's message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was true. Many of them became believers, and quite a number of them were prominent Greek men and women. [2Tim.2:15-16; 3:16-17]

1Peter 5:8 Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;

  As with many beliefs on angels, the matter of baptism is often much the same, unbiblical.

  I read a spiritually errant public statement. Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley’s Dad, bemoaning loss of family, stating that “… the Cyruses and their six children were all baptized before leaving Tennessee for Los Angeles to protect themselves against evil and he believes Satan is attacking his family.”

   It most certainly is dreadful when a family suffers deterioration.

  When observed or encountered personally or reading of family tragedies, it should be a learning experience for us.

  Does Satan attack people, families?

  Indeed he does.

Job, with God’s permission: for latter day edification on maintained integrity with Him and before fellow man.

Most commonly, individuals and groups (including families) that:

Ignorantly live other than according to God’s Word; not studying and relying upon.

Deliberately live other than according to God’s Word; knowing Truth, but rejecting.

Combination of ignorance and deliberation.

  In ignorance as result of un-Berean-ness; casually or intentionally accepting what we assume correct or have been taught as proper, we live weak and vulnerable to our adversary the Devil.

  If we consider baptism as shield against evil, we live at risk.

  Were we to bath 3 times a day in baptismal pool or shower often at church fount, we would gain nothing beyond thrice wetness and toweling.

  Baptism is public testimony of John 3:3 inner event symbolically illustrating identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. (Rom.6:3-4)

  We all absolutely do need protection from self and Satan. It is readily available, but not by binary compound H2o; it is gained and maintained by agreeing with God’s thorough regenerative washing and renewal of the Holy Spirit, poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Tit.3:5-6) . . . and by daily donning the rust-free whole armor God’s provides: “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Eph.6:10-18)

  Knowing this Truth, let’s be subject to Christ in everything; that He might sanctify and cleanse with the washing of water by the Word; without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that we should be holy and without blemish. (Eph.5:26-27)

  What’s in our spiritual WC? A ringed tub, or clean godly togs? 

EBB4

 

 

FREEDOM

 FREEDOM

  John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

  Romans 6:14-18 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 

 I have many passages marked in my Bible with the margin note “Security of the believer”. My father called it “Once in grace, always in grace.” And would add that it could be dangerous doctrine because some would think it gave them license to do anything they wanted to do after they responded to an altar call and made a profession of faith.

  But today’s passages do not mean any such thing. The Word says we are “free from sin”, not that we are free to sin. There is a vast difference! [Look at David as an example.]

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

R.I.P.?

 

Is it biblical to say ‘rest in peace’ (RIP) in regards to someone who has died?

  The acronym RIP (or R.I.P.) is often seen carved on tombstones, and the words rest in peace are often heard at wakes and funerals. It comes from the Latin blessing requiescat in pace (literally, “may he begin to rest in peace”). Is it biblical to say, “Rest in peace”? The expression “rest in peace” is never used in Scripture in connection with a person who had died. So, in that sense, saying “Rest in peace,” is not expressly biblical.
  At the end of the book of Daniel, an angel speaks of Daniel’s death, saying, “You will rest” (Daniel 12:13). And the prophet Isaiah says, “Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death” (Isaiah 57:2). These two passages are the closest the Bible comes to the idea behind RIP. Still, the exact words rest in peace are not used.
  Because the thought of death can be frightening, people through the years have invented some platitudes with which to comfort themselves. When someone dies, we often hear unbiblical statements such as “She’s an angel now” and “God needed another angel in heaven”; sometimes, we hear the bromide “He’s in a better place,” spoken with no thought that he might actually be in a worse place. People who never have time for God suddenly grow religious at a funeral. They try to assure themselves and others that, regardless of the deceased’s relationship with God while on earth, he or she is in heaven now. But we must not ignore what Scripture teaches.
  The Bible is clear that physical death is not the end (Hebrews 9:27; John 3:16–18). Jesus taught that there are only two options for every human being: heaven and hell (Matthew 10:28; 25:46; Mark 9:43;). He gave a vivid picture of those two options in the story of the rich man and Lazarus, found in Luke 16:19–31. In this account, the rich man, who had given no thought of God during his earthly life, went to hell when he died. Lazarus, who possessed nothing on earth but a pure heart, was taken to paradise. Hell is described as a place of torment (verse 23), not a place of rest. According to Scripture, a person who dies without Christ is not “resting in peace” (see John 3:18). “‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked’” (Isaiah 57:21).
  However, death is entirely different for those who are “in Christ” (Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:30). First Thessalonians 4:13 reminds us that, while it is natural to grieve for loved ones who have died, we do not need to grieve for believers in Christ as though we will never see them again. There is hope mixed with the sorrow. The Bible often refers to the dead in Christ as “those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20; Acts 13:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:10). The biblical writers used sleep as a metaphor because death for a Christian is only temporary. Paul said that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior are with Him in paradise when they die (Luke 23:43). So, after death Christians do enter a “rest,” and it is “peaceful.” However, is saying, “Rest in peace,” biblical?
  The problem with saying, “Rest in peace,” is that it is framed as a prayer. In Latin, it is literally “May he begin to rest in peace.” Of course, praying for the dead is unbiblical. At the moment of death, a person’s fate is sealed. The Bible never teaches or even suggests that we should pray on behalf of those who have passed away. Saying, “Rest in peace,” writing “RIP,” and other forms of prayers for the dead are rooted in Catholic tradition, not the Word of God.  GotQuestions.org

 LOOKING ELSEWHERE 

Acts [GW] 4:12 No one else can save us. Indeed, we can be saved only by the power of the one named Jesus and not by any other person." 

  Reading God’s Word (the Bible) we see that trusting Jesus is essential to present and eternal salvation. Jesus emphasized this Himself. (Jn.14:6)

  Though this is plainly explained in Scripture, people do look elsewhere. The list is long compared to “Christ alone”. I share two contrary ones I most often see:

  Worshipping idols. Romans chapter 1 presents examples of looking elsewhere other than Sovereign Jehovah God Almighty, Creator.

  Then there’s religion without a personal trusting relationship with Lord Jesus Christ; Religion based in works. I share 2 passages explaining this false way:

Ephesians [ESV] 2:1-10 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace [undeserved favor and spiritual blessing] you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Emphasis mine. Also, In the following verses, 24-27, Jesus explains the foundational will of the father.)

  Are you looking to Jesus, or elsewhere?

  As for me, I trusted Him and began looking to Jesus in the Autumn of my 28^th year when Bud Bond in God’s Holy Spirit graciously pointed me to the Word (Jn.1:1; 17:17; 1Thes.2:13; 1Pet.1:2-3).

EBB4

 

BEING A JOSEPH

 

BEING A JOSEPH

 

1Peter 5:5a-8 [MKJV] Put on humility. For God resists the proud ones, but He gives grace to the humble. Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety onto Him, for he cares for you. Be sensible and vigilant, adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;

 

  Joseph was dear Ann’s favorite example, and it showed in her life until her final breath.

 

  Oh to be like Joseph during what we see as counter-times!

  Compare his life with the NT Scripture above.

  Compare our life with what is therein seen.

  Joseph was cast aside by family, sold into slavery, falsely accused and cast in prison, suffered tremendous tragedy.

  And yet through it all “The Lord was with Joseph” (Gen.39:45:7-8)

EBB4

WAIT UPON THE LORD

 WAIT ON THE LORD

James 1:3-6 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (Note Isaiah 30:41)

  I was 25 when Hugh and I were married. I had always wanted to be a “mother” so I was bitterly disappointed when months and years went by without my becoming pregnant. I continued to pray for a child and after 5 years God answered my prayers. We were able to adopt a beautiful baby boy. I continued to pray and wait. Two years later God answered my prayers again and I had a sweet baby girl.

  How good God is!

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

EXODUS 21:22-23 RELATING TO THE ISSUE OF ABORTION

 

GotQuestions.org: How does Exodus 21:22–23 relate to the issue of abortion?

ss  Exodus 21 lays some of the groundwork for the laws of retribution, in which punishment is tailored to fit the crime. Exodus 21:22–23 gives this rule: “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life.” The passage goes on to say that, in general, penalties should be “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise” (verses 24–25). The punishment, in other words, should fit the crime.
  This law relates to abortion in that it gives the example of a pregnancy ending prematurely. Basic to the statute is the assumption that the baby delivered prematurely has the same rights and protections under the law as an adult human being. That is, the fetus is a person.
  Medical science says that life begins at conception (see Moore, Keith, Before We Are Born: Essentials of Embryology, Saunders, 2008, p. 2; Sadler, T., Langman’s Medical Embryology, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 10th ed., 2006, p. 11; and Krieger, Morris, The Human Reproductive System, Sterling Pub., 1969, p. 88). Several passages of Scripture also show that truth.
  One such passage is Psalm 139:13 and 16: “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. . . . Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” David’s declaration reveals that God is present in the womb, in the first moments of a person’s life, and He has plans for that life from before birth. Phrases like unformed body, inmost being, and knit me together describe processes occurring at the cellular level of embryonic and fetal life. God makes unique plans for every life He creates, including how many days each person will live—all before that child is born.
  God planned for Jeremiah to be a prophet before he was even conceived: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). The statement I knew you indicates that God regarded Jeremiah as an individual well before he was born.
  Paul says in Galatians 1:15 that God had set him apart for a special work before he was born.
  In God’s eyes, each baby in the womb is already an individual, no matter where in the developmental process the baby happens to be.
  The law of Moses gave equal protection to both the pregnant woman and the child she carried: “Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results [i.e., the baby is born alive and healthy, and the mother suffers no lasting injury], the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. But if there is further injury [to either the woman or the fetus], the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life” (NLT).
  Under the law in Exodus 21, causing the death of an unborn child was a serious crime, and the punishment for it was “a life for a life.” That law was an extension of a more basic law in Genesis 9:6: “If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image” (NLT). Couple these two passages, and we conclude that the fetus given legal protection in Exodus 21 was considered a human life—a human being created in God’s own image.
  Note that, if the only consequence of the men’s fighting was that the woman gave birth prematurely, but she and the baby were ultimately unharmed, then the worst that would happen was that the offender would pay a fine determined by the husband and approved by the judges. The law did not address every loss or consequence, but it did ensure that permanent consequences were justly compensated.
  If the mother or baby or both were injured, the husband of the baby’s mother, along with the judges, would decide a fair punishment. If a life was lost, however, the law specified that the offender would also lose his life.
  Human life is inherently precious to God. We are made in His image. Anything that cheapens human life, denies the image of God in humanity, or devalues God’s handiwork is sin. The shedding of innocent blood, including the blood of an unborn child, was punishable under the Old Testament law. The same standard of protecting the innocent should be reflected in today’s laws as well.

SEXUAL PURITY?

 

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GotQuestions.org: Why is sexual purity so important?

  God gave man and woman the joy and pleasure of sexual relations within the bounds of marriage, and the Bible is clear about the importance of maintaining sexual purity within the boundaries of that union between man and wife (Ephesians 5:31). Humans are well aware of the pleasing effect of this gift from God but have expanded it well beyond marriage and into virtually any circumstance. The secular world’s philosophy of “if it feels good, do it” pervades cultures, especially in the West, to the point where sexual purity is seen as archaic and unnecessary.
  Yet look at what God says about sexual purity. “You should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God. . . . For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5, 7). This passage outlines God’s reasons for calling for sexual purity in the lives of His children.
  First, we are “sanctified,” and for that reason we are to avoid sexual immorality. The Greek word translated “sanctified” means literally “purified, made holy, consecrated [unto God].” As Christians, we are to live a purified life because we have been made holy by the exchange of our sin for the righteousness of Christ on the cross and have been made completely new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17–21). Our old natures, with all their impurities, sexual and otherwise, have died, and now the life we live, we live by faith in the One who died for us (Galatians 2:20). To continue in sexual impurity (fornication) is to deny that, and doing so is, in fact, a legitimate reason to question whether we have ever truly been born again. Sanctification, the process by which we become more and more Christlike, is an essential evidence of the reality of our salvation.
  We also see in 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 the necessity of controlling our bodies. When we give in to sexual immorality, we give evidence that the Holy Spirit is not filling us because we do not possess one of the fruits of the Spirit—self-control. All believers display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) to a greater or lesser degree depending on whether or not we are allowing the Spirit to have control. Uncontrolled “passionate lust” is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19), not of the Spirit. So controlling our lusts and living sexually pure lives is essential to anyone who professes to know Christ. In doing so, we honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18–20).
  We know God’s rules and discipline reflect His love for us. Following what He says can only help us during our time on earth. By maintaining sexual purity before marriage, we avoid emotional entanglements that may negatively affect future relationships and marriages. Further, by keeping the marriage bed pure (Hebrews 13:4), we can experience unreserved love for our mates, which is surpassed only by God’s enormous love for us.

SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE?

 

GotQuestions.org: What does the Bible say about sex before marriage?

  In the Bible sexual sins are clearly condemned: adultery (consensual sex between a married person and someone other than his or her spouse) and fornication (sexual immorality in general) are specified. Sex before marriage, or premarital sex, is not addressed in that exact term, but it does fall within the scope of sexual immorality.

  The Bible teaches that sex before marriage is immoral in a couple of different passages. One is 1 Corinthians 7:2, which says, “But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.” In this verse, marriage is presented as the “cure” for sexual immorality. Sexual union within marriage, which is commended, is set against immorality, which is to be avoided. Thus, any sex outside of marriage is considered immoral. This would have to include premarital sex.
  Another verse that presents sex before marriage as immoral is Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Here, we have both adultery and fornication contrasted with what happens in the marriage bed. Marriage (and sexual intercourse within marriage) is honorable; all other types of sexual activity are condemned as immoral and bring God’s judgment.
  Based on these passages, a biblical definition of sexual immorality would have to include sex before marriage. That means that all the Bible verses that condemn sexual immorality in general also condemn sex before marriage. These include Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 1:7; and Revelation 21:8.
  God designed sex, and the Bible honors marriage. Part of honoring marriage is the Bible’s promotion of complete abstinence before marriage. When two unmarried people engage in sexual intercourse, they are defiling God’s good gift of sex. Before marriage, a couple has no binding union, and they’ve entered no sacred covenant; without the marriage vows, they have no right to exploit the culmination of such vows.
  Too often, we focus on the “recreation” aspect of sex without recognizing that there is another aspect—procreation. Sex within marriage is pleasurable, and God designed it that way. God wants men and women to enjoy sexual activity within the confines of marriage. Song of Solomon 4 and several other Bible passages (such as Proverbs 5:19) describe the pleasure of sex. However, God’s intent for sex includes producing children. Thus, for a couple to engage in sex before marriage is doubly wrong—they are enjoying pleasures not intended for them, and they are taking a chance of creating a human life outside of the family structure God intended for every child.
  While practicality does not determine right from wrong, following the Bible’s instructions concerning sex before marriage would greatly benefit society. If the Bible’s message on sex before marriage were obeyed, there would be far fewer sexually transmitted diseases, far fewer abortions, far fewer unwed mothers and unwanted pregnancies, and far fewer children growing up without both parents in their lives. Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, gives sexual relations their proper value, and, most importantly, honors God. Sex between a husband and wife is the only form of sexual relations of which God approves.