Friday, July 31, 2020

SAVED BY GRACE -- REPENTANCE - FAITH - BAPTISM

MY  SERVER  FOR  MY  THEOLOGICAL  WEBSITE  IS  DOWN,  AND  HAS  BEEN  FOR  2  MONTHS;  THE  REASON  I  DO  NOT  KNOW,  AND  THEY  HAVE  NOT  MADE  IT  POSSIBLE  FOR  ME  TO  CONTACT  THEM.

I  WILL  THEREFORE  POST  ON  MY  BLOG  THE  MOST  IMPORTANT  STUDIES  CONCERNING  THE  SUBJECT  OF  BEING  SAVED  INTO  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.



SAVED BY GRACE 

      AS SHOCKING AS IT MAY SOUND, NOT ONE IN ONE HUNDRED
        CHRISTIANS UNDERSTAND WHAT BEING SAVED BY GRACE 
         REALLY MEANS. IN THIS ARTICLE THE TRUTH WILL
                        BE MADE PLAIN
                                     
                              by 
                           Keith Hunt


     "For by GRACE are you saved through faith, and not of
yourselves, it is the GIFT of God.." Many will quote this verse
of Eph.2:8 and tell you the law of God has been abolished. 
     But Jesus answered the young man who asked Him how he might
have eternal life, by saying, "IF YOU WILL ENTER INTO LIFE, KEEP
THE COMMANDMENTS" (Mat.19:17). 
     Many say LAW and GRACE do not mix! Is that true? How can we
reconcile what Christ said to the rich young man, and what Paul
wrote to the Ephesians? Was Jesus and Paul of different opinions
as to HOW a person is SAVED?
     The way of Salvation can be understood - your Bible makes it
PLAIN - here then is the truth of HOW YOU can have eternal life.

                      ALL OF GOD'S WORD

     The verse in Eph.2:8 is an inspired part of God's revelation
to man - but so also is Mat.19:17 ! Do you believe what Paul
wrote to the Ephesian church? Do you believe what Jesus said to
the young man? If you believe that the Bible is INSPIRED, your
answer must be a resounding YES!
     Jesus said elsewhere that the scripture cannot be BROKEN -
in other words, there cannot be any CONTRADICTIONS in the word of
God. The verse, "For by grace are you saved" is true - very true.
No one can save themselves by their WORKS. You can work, perform,
DO THINGS for a thousand life times, and still you will never
WORK your way into eternal life. Your WORKS, of themselves, will
NOT save you.

     God's salvation is a gift - it comes by the way of GRACE
through faith. But can God's grace be turned into something He
never intended? Yes indeed! Jude wrote towards the end of the
first century A.D. that, "....when I gave all diligence to write
unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write
unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for
the faith that was ONCE DELIVERED unto the saints(even BEFORE the
end of the first century the way of salvation was being
corrupted)  for there are CERTAIN MEN crept in UNAWARES( they
looked like Christians but were deceivers)....UNGODLY men(not
speaking the truth of God's word ) TURNING (changing, doing
something other than what God intended) the GRACE of God into
LASCIVIOUSNESS(a license to sin)...." verse 3,4.
     God's grace was being ABUSED, twisted, turned into something
other than what God  said it was.

                    SOMETHING YOU CAN EARN!

     Salvation comes as a GIFT - by grace - given to us by the
Father. Our works, our deeds cannot EARN us the right to eternal
life. But there is something we can most definitely EARN - by
what we have performed. 
     Turn to Rom.6:23 and read there what it is we can EARN, "For
the wages(the payment we are rightly due because we've  worked
for it) of SIN is DEATH....."  What we have earned by sinning is
DEATH - that is the eternal death, the SECOND death
(Rev.20:4-~6,14-15), from which there is no resurrection.
     Again the last part of verse 23 says that eternal life is
God's FREE gift - His to give to us - not something we can demand
because we've earned it.

                        WHAT IS SIN ?

     We can earn by sin - DEATH! The next question we should ask
and answer is "what IS sin?" What does God say sin is? Does He
define it for us, or is it left to us to decide what sin is?
     The word of God does define sin for us. The Bible definition
is - never forget this verse - 1 Jn.3:4,  "Whosoever commits SIN
transgresses also the LAW: for sin IS the transgression of the
LAW."
     Now what law is John speaking about? Paul answers, "....I
had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known LUST,
except the law had said, YOU SHALL NOT COVET " (Rom.7:7).
     What law contains the command "you shall not covet"? Why,
the TEN commandment law of EX.20. The marginal reference of many
Bibles will, for verse 7, take you to the Ten Commandments in
Exodus 20.
     James further testifies that if we break only ONE of these
commands of God, we are guilty - we become a transgressor - we
SIN!  "For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in
one point, he is guilty of all. For He that said, do not commit
adultery, also said, do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery,
yet if you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law"
(James 2:10,11).

                       WHO HAS SINNED ?

     Sin then is breaking any one of God's TEN commandments, as
amplified by  Jesus Christ and the entire word of God (see Jesus'
amplification of the law in Mat.5 - 7). Has anyone kept the law of
God completely perfectly - so no sin was incurred? Yes! Speaking
about Jesus Christ, Paul wrote, that He was tempted like we all
are, but He never sinned - not once (Heb.4:15).
     What about the rest of mankind? Are only some sinners while
the rest are not? The Psalmist wrote, "The Lord looked down from
heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that
did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they
are ALL together filthy: there is NONE that does good, no, NOT
0NE" (Ps.14:2,3).
     Paul translates this passage as, "There is NONE righteous,
no not one (righteousness is defined as all God's commandments -
Ps.1l9:172). - there is none that understands, there is none that
seeks after God ..... there is none that does good, no not one"
(Rom.3:10-l2).
     God inspired Paul in verse 23 of this third chapter of
Romans to write, "For AII HAVE SINNED, and come short of the
glory of God." Earlier in this chapter Paul had stated, "...for
we have before proved both Jew and Gentile, that they are ALL
under sin" (verse 9).
     
     All mankind has sinned - the only exception was Jesus
Christ. He only of all humans was without sin. He alone has kept
the law of God completely perfectly - all the rest have broken
that law - have SINNED - have earned the wages of sin - DEATH.

                      CUT OFF FROM GOD

     God is HOLY (1 Pet.1:15,16). He is PERFECT (Mt.5:48).  His
very nature and character  is  that  of  perfection.   GOD the
Father and Christ Jesus are RIGHTEOUS  (1 Jn.3:7) - there is NO
sin in them at all (v.5).
     God's law is PERFECT (Ps. 19:7). His commandments are
RIGHTEOUSNESS (Ps.119:172). God's righteousness is FOREVER
(Ps.111:3). To sin, as we have seen is to BREAK, go against the
very character of God - His perfect HOLY, SPIRITUAL law
(Rom.7:12,l4).
     The Father and Son have never sinned, but the rest of
mankind, all mankind - YOU and I, have sinned - have broken that
perfect and holy law. What has this sinning of ours done to our
relationship with the Father ?

     God answers us through the prophet Isaiah, "Behold, the
Lord's hand is not shortened, that it can not save, neither His
ear heavy, that it can not hear, BUT your INIQUITIES (our sins)
have SEPARATED between you and your God, and your SINS have hid
His face from you, that He will not hear" (Isa.59:1-2).
     Our sins have cut us off from God - we stand condemned to
DEATH, our wicked deeds, our WORK of sin has earned for us the
wages of death. But God the Father is a God OF LOVE (1 Jn.4:8).
Although we deserve to die, He loves us - He wants to SAVE
us from death. The Father, even before the foundation of the
World,  knew mankind would sin, and so He planned HOW man could
be rescued from the penalty of sin - death. God had determined to
save us, not according to OUR WORKS, but according to His own
purpose (plan) and GRACE, which was given us in Christ Jesus
BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN (2 Tim.l:9). God had determined
to buy us back from death through His very own Son - and this plan of
redemption was formulated before the world was founded
(1 Pet.1:19,20). God is so wonderful and merciful that He gave
His only begotten SON, that whosoever believes in Him should NOT
PERISH, but have EVERLASTING LIFE (John .3: 16).
     
     Sin - our sins, have separated us from God - have cut us
off, but there is a way we can be reconciled - the Father has
made a way possible by which our sins can be forgiven, and the
death sentence taken away from us.

                      GOD'S CALL TO MANKIND

     The first step to salvation that we must do is to respond to
the CALL of God, "For the promise (of forgiveness of sins) is unto
you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall CALL" (Acts 2:39).  What does God
CALL OUT? Paul tells us, "And the times of this ignorance God
winked at, BUT NOW commands all men everywhere to REPENT" (Acts
17:30). Jesus said, "I tell you....except you REPENT, you shall
all likewise PERISH" ( Luke 1 3:5).
     
     God inspired Isaiah to write, "Seek you the Lord while He
may be found, call upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked
FORSAKE HIS way, and the un- righteous man his thoughts: and let
him RETURN unto the Lord, and He will have MERCY (grace) upon him,
and to our God, for He will abundantly PARDON" (Isa.55:2,7). On
the day of PENTECOST, Peter cried out to the people, "REPENT (be
broken up over being sinners, change your way of life) and be
BAPTIZED  every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, FOR the
REMISSION (the forgiveness) of SINS..."  (Acts 2:38).
     A little later Peter again shouted, "REPENT you therefore,
and be CONVERTED (be charged, be turned into something different)
that (in order that) your SINS may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).
We are sinners - sin has cut us off from God - we are under the
sentence of death. But God says if we REPENT of being sinners -
if we are willing to CHANGE, to be converted to His thoughts and
ways, our sins can be FORGIVEN - blotted out of the book of
death, so to speak.
     
     Listen again to what God calls out to us through the apostle
John, "If we CONFESS our sins, He is faithful and just to FORGIVE
us our sins, and to cleans us from all unrighteousness"  
(1 Jn.l:9).
     Another time, "He that covers his sins shall not prosper:
but whosoever CONFESSES and FORSAKES  them shall have MERCY"
(Prov.28:13) .
     Just as a MURDERER on death row must show by a humble,
contrite, repentant attitude, he is broken up over what he has
done, and never wants to commit that crime again, if he is to
stand any chance of obtaining MERCY or GRACE, so it is with us
before God. We must show God that we have repented of our
transgression of His holy law - that we want to CHANGE our way of
life to conform to His way. Upon manifesting that attitude, God
says He will show us MERCY - our sins will be blotted out -
FORGIVEN.
     And just as the murderer on death row cannot possibly EARN
his forgiveness by his repentant attitude, or anything he can do
after he has murdered, so with us. Our repentance does not,
cannot EARN our forgiveness with God. It is merely a CONDITION
that the Father lays down in order for us to receive His free
pardon of our sins.
     
     When rightly understood, even the ability to come to
repentance is a gift from God. As no one can come to Christ,
accept Him as Savior, UNLESS the Father DRAWS him with His
Spirit. You will see this truth by reading these scriptures: John
6:44,65; 16:13; 2 Tim..2: 24-26.
     We do have our part to do - we must HUMBLE ourselves - have
the proper kind of respectful fear of God (Isa. 66:2) and then
God will look to us - give to us as one of His gifts the ability
to REPENT which in turn leads to the forgiveness of our sins
through faith in Christ Jesus.

                      WHAT IS GOD'S GRACE ?

     It is written, "....the Lord is GRACIOUS...." (Ps. 111:4).
The word  "grace'' can have manifold meanings. The WORLD BOOK
DICTIONARY gives a long passage as to the various meanings of the
word "grace."  But in connection with THEOLOGY they say,
"God's free and UNDESERVED favor to and love for mankind....."
They also state grace is, "MERCY, CLEMENCY, PARDON, FORGIVENESS."
     If someone has done you WRONG and justice would demand they
pay the prescribed penalty for his their wrong actions, but you
have compassion on them and put aside the right to exercise the
justice of the law, you have shown CLEMENCY, you have had MERCY,
you have granted PARDON, you have been GRACIOUS, shown GRACE
to the wrong doer. Grace or mercy is a quality of character that
comes from a person, where he could just as easily demand the
penalty of the law be enforced.
      Being shown grace - being under grace, does not mean you
are in a condition of being free to henceforth live as you
please, and break with  impunity the laws of the land. The
murderer, Being shown grace or forgiveness is not free to just go
out and murder again - of course not!  Why, the law enforcement
agencies have no problem understanding what GRACE is - but some
theologians and professing Christians have a terrible time in
understanding the grace of God.   

     The grace of God is an ATTRIBUTE, quality of CHARACTER  - 
one of the many qualities of God. It is the ability of God to
forgive sin - to blot out the sins of any person - to show mercy
- undeserved favor in not claiming the justice of the law, to be
carried out on that person - which for us would mean eternal
death.
     But as God's law is ETERNAL and stands fast FOREVER
(Ps.111:7,8) and as the penalty or wages for breaking that law is
death, the law must be satisfied. If God could have taken His
magic wand and said, "law be gone, be no more"  then there would
be NO TRANSGRESSION, "for where no law is, there is no
transgression" (Rom.4:15). You cannot get a speeding ticket if
there is no law to tell you that you must not go over a certain
speed. If God's law has at any point in time been "done away" or
"nailed to the cross" then nobody from that time on has sinned -
for sin is the transgression of the law. And so a  savior would
not have been needed.
     The TRUTH is - God's law, has never been abolished, so the
penalty of breaking it must be satisfied - it must be paid.
     
     We  have all sinned - we are under the law’s penalty, which
is death. God says there is a way to get out from under that
death sentence. The first step is to REPENT of sinning - to
repent of breaking the law of God. But the death penalty must he
satisfied. The next step of God's plan now comes into play.

                    HOW WE ARE JUSTIFIED

     A word that is used many times in the Bible, especially in
the New Testament with reference to, and in connection with
salvation, is the word JUSTIFICATION or JUSTIFY. Again to many
this word is nebulous - they don't really understand what it
means. A few minutes spent with a DICTIONARY will clarify its meaning.

     The word means and denotes the act of pronouncing RIGHTEOUS,
acquitting persons of guilt, to clear of blame or guilt. A person
who has been JUSTIFIED has been acquitted or released from the
penalty of his error. It is as if he had never been guilty of
any wrong doing - he stands innocent - FORGIVEN - no penalty
hangs over him.  We have seen that we stand as SINNERS - the law
claims our lives - death is the sentence. That penalty must be
paid - the law is UNMOVEABLE. But God has provided a way by
which we can escape that death penalty.  He planned that His very
own Son would come and die for us, in our place. It is as if the
son of the judge of the land, who is about to enforce the death
sentence on all murderers, came forward and said he would die in
their stead - he would bear the penalty of death, so the law that
was broken could be satisfied and the murderers could be declared
innocent - righteous, forgiven of any crime - JUSTIFIED.

     That is the way it is with God, the judge of the universe,
His Son Jesus Christ, His perfect law, the penalty for breaking
that law, and us the sinners who have transgressed that law and
have incurred the sentence of death. We may have repented, but
the law must be satisfied.
     So Paul wrote, "Being JUSTIFIED (declared righteous -
forgiven) FREELY (not something we can earn, or claim we have a
right to because of some good work we've done) by His
GRACE (undeserved pardon) through the REDEMPTION 
(the buying back or redeeming power) that is in Christ Jesus. 
Whom God hath set forth (it was planned as we've seen before 
the world began) to be a PROPITIATION (an atoning sacrifice) 
through FAITH (believing and trusting the way God said it would be) 
in His blood (His death on the cross) to declare His righteousness 
for the REMISSION (passing over or blotting out) of SINS 
that are PAST (the grace of God does not give us a blanket 
forgiveness of sins we may commit in the future) through the 
forbearance of God" (Rom.3:24-25).
     Again Paul wrote, "For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, DISOBEDIENT, deceived, serving different lusts and
pleasures..... But after the kindness and love of God our Savior
towards man appeared. Not by WORKS of righteousness which 
we have done (there's no deed we could possibly do to release us 
from the death penalty) but according to His MERCY He saved 
us (from sure death) which He shed on us abundantly through 
Jesus Christ our Savior. That being JUSTIFIED by His GRACE, 
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" 
(Titus 3:3-7).
     
     The man about to die for the crime of murder can live
perfectly - he can obey the laws of the land completely - he can
do all manner of GOOD DEEDS - but none of them can erase the
sentence of death hanging over him. He can only escape death by
being shown MERCY or GRACE by the powers that be.
     God has made our justification - our acquittal from guilt
possible through the death of His Son. We must believe - have
faith - trust in God that truly Jesus' death in our stead,
satisfies the law's demand and we are declared sinless -
RIGHTEOUS.
     And as Paul says, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded 
(we cannot boast we did some deed to have to make God forgive us).
By what law? of WORKS? No! but by the law of faith. Therefore we
conclude that a man is JUSTIFIED by faith without the deeds 
of the law" (Rom.3:27,28).

     Paul in writing to the Christians at Rome about Salvation
and Justification, had to combat the Gentle and Jewish doctrine
of justification by WORKS or DEEDS. The Jewish sects believed
that being physically circumcised in the flesh, observing certain
ritualistic ordinances, performing animal sacrifices, and the
like, would get you in right standing with God - that certain
WORKS would justify you. The Gentile religions had similar
beliefs. They held that by punishing the physical body, going
through certain ceremonies, sacrificing animals, they could
please their gods and acquire forgiveness of sins. Paul explains
this was not the way God planned to JUSTIFY mankind from sin.
     
It was not the way of EARNING your forgiveness but a matter
of God Himself through His Son, coming in the form of man, being
made flesh and dying for the sins of the whole world - taking the
death penalty upon Himself, so all mankind could be made free
from the penalty of the law.

     It was a simple matter of how God had planned it and faith
in that promise of His. Faith in the fact Jesus died for us. Upon
our REPENTANCE and acceptance of the death of Christ in our stead
- the acceptance of Him as our PERSONAL Savior, God would forgive
us our sins - would declare us righteous, sinless in His eyes. We
would be JUSTIFIED - and that by GRACE through FAITH.

To be continued (written in 1984)


SAVED BY GRACE #2

                  ONE MAN DIES FOR ALL ?

     It may be asked at this juncture, "How can the death of just
ONE man forgive the sins of millions upon millions of human
beings?"

     What many do not realize is the fact that, the Jesus of the
New Testament was the God of the Old Testament. Jesus was the one
who made the physical universe - who made all the things that are
recorded in the first chapter of Genesis - the one who formed
man and breathed into him the breath of life. The Jesus of the
Gospels was the one who talked to Abraham, who wrestled with
Jacob, who called and delivered Israel out of Egypt.
This same Jesus who died on the cross is the one who wrote with
His finger the 10 commandments to Israel.
     Paul tells us that  God the Father, "Has in these last days
spoken unto us by His Son..... BY WHOM HE MADE THE WORLDS"
(Heb.1:2).  ALSO in Col.1:16 we read, "For by Him(the Son -
Christ - v.13-15) were ALL THINGS created, that are in heaven and
that are in earth, ALL THINGS here created by HIM....." 
Jesus told the Jews that He had seen Abraham - they laughed at
Him( Jn.8: 56-57 ). He said to them, "Truly, I say unto you,
before Abraham was born I was the I AM spoken of in Scripture"
(v.58 paraphrased). See EX.3:13-14.
     Christ existed before all things - He WAS and IS and is to
COME (Rev.1:8). He WAS WITH God and WAS God from the
beginning (Jn.1:1-2,14). He was the second person of the Godhead -
the LOGOS or WORD - the spokesman. Jesus Christ was that
spiritual ROCK that followed the Israelites (1 Cor.10:4).

     Because Jesus was the very God (in the main) we read about
in the Old Testament - the CREATOR of all life - His life is
worth more than all the human lives that have ever existed or
will exist.  That's why His ONE DEATH can forgive all the sins
ever committed by all mankind.


                DOES GRACE AND FAITH MAKE VOID
                           THE LAW ?

     Because no amount of good deeds or WORKS - no amount of
perfect law keeping can earn you God's grace or make up for past
sins - because our sins can only be blotted out by the blood of
Christ - as our justification from a guilty past is through the
death of Jesus - as it is our faith in His sacrifice that
cleanses us from sin - does this FAITH mean we do not have to
OBEY God or serve His holy law?
     Paul was the man God inspired to preach and write so much on
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, let's let him answer our question.
"Do we then make VOID the law through faith?  God FORBID!  
No we ESTABLISH the law" (Rom 3:31).

     Our man on death row for murder, who finds that the son of
the judge has died for him so he need not die, is thankful for
the GRACE and LOVE shown to him. He has FAITH in the sacrifice of
the son - he knows he is now justified. BUT he also knows he
cannot just go out and murder again - he knows the law is still
in force against such a crime. The law that says "you shall not
murder" has not been made void because he was justified freely by
GRACE through the redeeming power of the son.
     As Paul builds up his case for the teaching of justification
by faith, through the death of God's Son Jesus (Rom.4 and 5) and
not by any works that we can perform - a natural question would
arise: "What shall we say then, shall we CONTINUE IN SIN, that
GRACE may ABOUND?" Or as the PHILLIPS translation puts it, 
"Now what is our response to be, shall we SIN to our HEART'S 
CONTENT and see how far we can EXPLOIT the grace of God?" 
(Rom.6:1).
     "If God's grace is so free and wonderful," the question may
be put, "and sin can only be blotted out by undeserved
forgiveness, should we not go out and sin even more, so God can
bestow more and more grace upon us, and so His love and mercy can
be manifested even still more abundantly?"
     What is Paul's answer to such an idea as this? "GOD FORBID!"
or "WHAT A TERRIBLE THOUGHT" (Phillips Trans.). The FAITH 
we have in being forgiven of sin - the GRACE shown to us through the
death of Jesus, does NOT give us the LICENSE or freedom to sin to
our hearts content.


                     THE SAVIOR'S PURPOSE

     At this point we should ask another question: "Did Jesus
come to save us IN our sins, while we continue to live IN sin, or
did He come to save us FROM sin and its penalty?"
     When the angel announced to Joseph that Mary would be the
one to bear the very Son of God, he said, "And she shall bring
forth a son, and you shall call His name Jesus (which means
Savior) for He shall SAVE His people FROM their sins "
(Mat.1:21).
     Why was Christ manifested to the world - so the world could
be saved while continuing IN sin? NO! The Greek word "from" in
Mat.1:21 is APO and means "forth from, away from."
      NOTICE 1 JN. 3:5-10, "You know moreover, that Christ became
man to TAKE AWAY sin, and He Himself was free from sin. The man
who lives in Christ does not HABITUALLY sin. The REGULAR sinner
has never seen or known Him. You my children should not let
anyone deceive you. The man who lives a good life is a good man,
as surely as Christ is good. But a man whose life is HABITUALLY
sinful is spiritually a son of the devil, for the devil has been
a sinner from the beginning. Now the Son of God came to the earth
with the express purpose of undoing the devil's work. The man who
is really God's son does not PRACTICE sin, for God's nature is in
him, for good, and such a heredity is incapable of sin. Here we
have a clear indication as to who are the children of God and who
are the children of the devil" (Phillips translation).
      A true child of God - one who has been saved from sin - who
has been JUSTIFIED by GRACE through FAITH - does not CONTINUE 
IN sin. He does not PRACTICE as an HABITUAL way of life, the works
of the devil  -  sin.
     
     The death of Jesus for the remission of sins, was also our
death - He died in our stead - it was as if we had died. The
Christian doctrine of BAPTISM pictures our death and resurrection
in Christ Jesus.
     Paul, writing about NOT LIVING IN SIN a moment longer, now
that GRACE has been shown to us, said, "that all of us who were
baptized into Jesus Christ were, by that very action, sharing in
His death.  If we have, as it were, shared in His death, we shall
also share in His resurrection......And if we were dead men with
Christ we can believe that we shall also be men alive with Him.
He died  because of sin (the breaking of the law) once, He lives
for God forever. IN THE SAME WAY look upon yourselves (converted
justified Christians) as dead to the APPEAL  and  POWER of sin
but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Do not then (today
as baptized forgiven children of God) allow SIN to establish any
power over your mortal bodies in making you give way to its
lusts, but like men rescued from certain death, put yourselves in
God's hands as weapons of good for His own purpose. For  SIN CAN
NEVER (now, today, or tomorrow) be your master - you are no longer
living under the law, but under grace" (Rom.6:3-14 Phillips -
amplification mine).
     Jesus came to save us FROM sin - from its penalty - death,
and from its POWER over us. As we have been given a new lease on
life by His sacrifice in our stead, and as He lives for God -
doing His will, forever - so we too must be instruments in God's
hands for His purpose and will, not the devil's. We are not to
let SIN - the breaking of God's law - be our normal practice. Sin
is not to have power and control over us.


                     NOT UNDER THE LAW ?

     Some have taken verse 14 of Romans chapter 6 to say you are
no longer under OBLIGATION TO OBEY the law of God. But if that
was true then we could break the law at our hearts content, for
sin as we have seen, is the breaking of God's law. If we can sin
as a way of life because we are no longer under obligation to
keep the law, then why did Paul spend so much time before verse
14 in telling the Romans not to let sin (disobedience to the law)
rule their lives. Is Paul CONTRADICTING himself in verse 14? Of
course not!! Ye are now through JUSTIFICATION by GRACE no longer
under the CONDEMNATION of the law - no longer does the law
CONDEMN us to death for violating it. We have been made free from
its penalty by GRACE - undeserved pardon and we are not under the
law as a means of EARNING our justification - trying to perform
good works in order to claim God must justify us from sin.
     All the well know Bible Commentaries have so understood
verse 14. See such Commentators as: MATTHEW HENRY, ADAM CLARK,
ALBERT BARNES, and more modern works like the WYCLIFFE and
ABINGDON Bible Commentaries. 


             GRACE DOES NOT GIVE US LICENSE T0 SIN

     Again I quote from the Phillips translation of Romans 6:15,
"Now what shall we do? Shall we go on sinning because we have no
law to CONDEMN us any more but are living under grace? NEVER!" 
Paul, clearly and plainly did NOT believe that the grace of God
gave us permission to willfully go on PRACTICING sin. Notice what
he said in verses 16-22., from the Phillips with my inserts,
"Just think what it would mean. You (saved Christians)
belong (now, today) to the power which you choose to obey, whether
you choose SIN, whose reward is (still is) DEATH, or God,
obedience to whom means the reward of righteousness( eternal
life)."  Do you see ?  If we saved Christians return again to the
life of habitual sin, we would AGAIN come under the condemnation
of the law - DEATH.
     Let's continue, "Thank God that you, who were at one time
the servants of sin, honestly responded to the impact of Christ's
teaching when you came under its influence. Then released from
the service of sin (being forgiven by Christ's death) you entered
the service of RIGHTEOUSNESS (you repented and said you would walk
in God's commandments - Ps.119:172).  For when you were employed
by sin you owed no duty to righteousness. But now that you are
freed from sin and employed by God, you owe no duty to sin, and
you reap (now, today) the fruit of being made righteous, while at
the END OF THE ROAD is life for evermore."
     
     Being justified by GRACE puts us on the road - the beginning
of the road, of salvation. We are in a SAVED condition yes, but
we have not INHERITED eternal life - we are HEIRS of God, not yet
INheritors (Rom.8:17). At the end of the road is eternal life.
We must walk that road all our lives until our death or Christ's
return, whichever comes first. If we deliberately, willfully -
with clear INTENT, turn from serving God, we come again under
condemnation and the death sentence of sin.
     
     Salvation is a PROCESS! There is no such doctrine taught in
the word of God as "once saved always saved". That doctrine is
FALSE - it is a lie - it has deceived tens of thousands into a
false salvation!
     LISTEN! Will you believe what the word of God plainly says?
"For if we SIN WILLFULLY after we have received the knowledge of
the truth, there remains NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SINS. But a
certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,
which shall devour the adversaries" ( Heb. 10: 26, 27 ) .
     Jesus our Savior said, "But he that shall ENDURE TO THE END,
the same shall be saved" (Mat.24:13). Again He said, "....He that
OVERCOMES shall not be hurt of the second death. He that
OVERCOMES, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and
I will NOT BLOT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE:...." 
(Rev.2:11; 3:5). So it is possible for a Christian to have his name blotted
out of the book of life. If he does not endure and to the end he will 
not be saved.
     The apostle James wrote, "BRETHREN, if any of YOU do ERR
from the TRUTH and one CONVERT him; Let him know, that he which
converts the SINNER from the error of his way shall save a soul
from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:19,20).
     
     It is possible for a Christian to FALL AWAY from the TRUTH
for a time, and be helped back again to conversion by another
Christian? Obviously we have just read that James thought it could 
happen.
     Did the apostle Paul, a man who had experienced the great
MERCY of God, who had been justified - who was in a saved
condition, believe that it was now IMPOSSIBLE for him to "fall
away"? He wrote these words, "Not that I have become perfect yet:
I have NOT YET WON, but I am STILL RUNNING, trying to capture the
prize for which Christ Jesus captured me. I can assure you my
brothers, I am FAR FROM THINKING I have already WON. All I can
say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is
still to come; I am racing for the FINISH, for the prize to which
God calls us upward to receive in Christ Jesus" (Phil.3:12-14,
Jerusalem Bible). 
      Paul knew that he had eternal life in him, because Christ
was in him through the Spirit (1 Jn.5:11-13), but he also knew he
was not yet an INHERITOR of eternal life - that prize was still
ahead of him. So what must he do until he inherited it? Be
careful - and as he said to the Philippians, "....work out your
own salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING" (chap.2:12). Do not get
into a laxidazical attitude in your Christian life. We  must
constantly be putting on the whole armor of God to withstand the
darts of the devil, for he's always going about to see who he can
devour (Eph.6:10-18; 1 Pet.5:8).

     Did Paul believe it was possible for him to FALL WAY from
the grace of God?
"....But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection (he
was enduring and overcoming): lest that by any means, WHEN I HAVE
PREACHED TO OTHERS I MYSELF SHOULD BE A CAST AWAY" 
(1 Cor.9: 24-27, KJV).
     Paul did not believe in or teach any such idea as "once
saved always saved." The GRACE of God gives no one a license to
practice sin. If once we have REPENTED and been JUSTIFIED we
again turn back to be the servants of sin, we shall reap 
what we CAN EARN - death!  "Sin PAYS its servants - the wage is
death. But God GIVES to those who serve Him: His FREE gift is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.6:23 Phillips
trans.).  God will never let us go, but being in God, does not mean 
our free agency has disappeared; we of our selves, our own freedom
of mind, can walk away from God; we are not robots in Christ.
The Father and Christ will not leave us, but we have the freedom to 
leave them; hence we have the verses in the New Testament of the
dire end result if we should leave God and Christ, and live again
practicing sin as a way of life.


           A CHRISTIANS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE LAW OF GOD

     What should be the attitude of a person who has come under
the GRACE of God, towards the law of the Lord? We may well ask:
what was Paul's attitude? What was John's attitude? What was
Peter's? What was James'? What was Jesus' attitude towards the
law of God? Did they think it something terrible - a bondage -
something to SHUN? After Paul had been justified he wrote, 
"Wherefore the Law is HOLY, and the commandment HOLY, and 
JUST, and GOOD..... I DELIGHT in the law of God after the inward man" 
(Rom.7:12,14).
      After James had come under the grace of God, he wrote
concerning the law, "But whoever looks into the PERFECT LAW OF
LIBERTY, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer,
but a DOER of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deeds''
(James 1:25). 
     John clearly tells us how we can KNOW that we KNOW the Lord,
"And HEREBY do we KNOW that we KNOW Him, IF we keep His
COMMANDMENTS. He that says, I know him, and keeps not His
commandments is a LIAR, and the TRUTH is not in him "
(1 Jn.2:3,4).
      Peter, after his conversion, speaking about Christ and sin,
wrote, "For even hereunto were you called; because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an EXAMPLE, that you should follow
His steps. WHO DID NO SIN" (1 Pet.2:21). Peter said Jesus never
sinned - never broke the law of God - and that was an example for
us to follow. WE are to have the attitude after being forgiven -
shown grace - of not wanting to sin again.
     
     The longest of all the Psalms - PS.119 - over and over again
extols the wonder and greatness of God's LAW - COMMANDMENTS -
STATUTES - PRECEPTS - and JUDGMENTS. Here is some of what is
written:  "Open you my eyes that I may behold wonderous things
out of your law.... I will delight myself in your commandments,
which I have loved.... O how love I your law, it is my
meditation  all the day.... Rivers of water run down my eyes,
because they keep not your law..... I have longed for your
salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight"
(Ps.119:18,47,97,136,174).

     Jesus said,  "If any man love me, he will keep my words....
he that loves me not, keeps not my sayings: and the word which
you hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me"
(Jn.14:23,24). What was one of the sayings - words - of Jesus 
that came from the Father?  "but if you will ENTER (inherit - 
as the other Gospels translate the Greek) into life,  
KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS" (Mat.19:17).  A Christian - a person 
under the grace of God - will LOVE the law of God and will, 
with his mind and inward attitude DELIGHT in it and want to serve it. 
For in this way we love God, for,  "this is the love of God, that we
KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: and His commandments are not 
grievous" ( 1 Jn.5:3). 


             WILL GRACE BE GIVEN TO JUST ANYONE ?

     Some say GRACE and LAW do not mix - cannot go together. Oh,
really! Now it is only possible to show MERCY or GRACE to someone
when a law has been broken and a penalty incurred. Will God
shower down His mercy upon just anyone, no matter what kind of
rotten, filthy, rebellious attitude they are in? Does God have
the right to lay down certain CONDITIONS to receiving His grace?
If so, what are those conditions?
     The very answer to those questions above, is given in the
very commandments of God that so many seem to hate and preach
against today. Speaking about not making  images to worship, God
says,  "for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
forth generation of them that hate me. And  showing MERCY (grace -
forgiveness of sins) unto," NOTICE IT, "unto thousands of them
that LOVE me,"  we have seen already what loving God entails, 
"and KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS" (EX. 20:5,6).
     God does have the right to lay down CONDITIONS for receiving
His GRACE or MERCY. The condition is to love Him and be willing
to KEEP His law.

     Peter in Acts 3:19 put it this way, "REPENT you therefore
and be CONVERTED that your sins may be blotted out."  God will
grant you GRACE - forgiveness - justification - only upon
REPENTANCE - upon your willingness to change your way of serving
sin to the way of serving righteousness - His COMMANDMENTS (see
Isa. 55:6-9 and Ps.119:172).
     NOTICE Ps.103:17-18,  "But the MERCY (grace) of God is from
everlasting to everlasting upon,"  who, upon just anyone?   "upon
them that FEAR Him...." (read Isa.66:2 for an amplification of
Godly fear),  "to such as KEEP HIS COVENANT," (read about the new
covenant WE must enter into with God in Heb.10:1-17)  "and to
those that REMEMBER His COMMANDMENTS to DO them."

     As we have already shown and proved, the keeping of the
commandments - the law - cannot EARN you forgiveness - the grace
of God. That is God's free GIFT, something He gives to you, that
you do not deserve. You deserve only to die. But God will have
mercy upon you IF you meet certain CONDITIONS.  In Ps. 103 those
conditions are listed as:
1) A Godly fear.  2) A willingness to enter His covenant.  3) To
remember His law to keep it.
     Now, understanding that God does lay down conditions for His
grace and what those conditions are, shows us WHY Paul wrote,
"For not the HEARERS of the law (those only that hear but will
not perform) are JUST (forgiven) before God, but the DOERS of the
law (those who have repented of sin and are willing to serve the
law of God) SHALL BE JUSTIFIED" (Rom.2;13).
     Performing the law does not justify you, but only those who
are willing to keep it, will be justified or forgiven by God.
     Coming to have the attitude - purpose of mind - that you are
willing to obey the law is a CONDITION to receiving GRACE through
FAITH. That is why James wrote:

"What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to
have faith if he has not (good) works (to show for it)?
Can (such)faith save (his soul)? If a brother or sister is poorly
clad and lacks food for each day, and one of you says to him,
Goodbye! Keep (yourself) warm and well fed, without giving him the
necessities for the body, what good does that do? So also faith
if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back
it up), by its self is destitute of power - inoperative, dead.
But someone will say (to you then), You (say you) have faith and I
have (good) works. Now you show me your (alleged) faith apart
from any (good) works (if you can), and I by (good) works (of
obedience) will show you my faith. You believe that God is one,
you do well. So do the demons believe, and shudder (in terror and
horror such as makes a man's hair stand on end and contract the
surface of his skin)! Are you willing to be shown (proof), you
foolish, unproductive,  spiritually-deficient fellow, that faith,
apart from (good) works is inactive and ineffective and
worthless? Was not our forefather Abraham (shown to be)
justified - made acceptable to God - by (his) works when he
brought to the altar as an offering his (own) son Isaac?
(Gen.22:1-14). You see that (his) faith was co-operating with his
works, and this faith was complete, and reached its supreme
expression (when he implemented it) by (good) works. And so the
Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed - adhered
to, trusted in and relied on - God, and this was accounted to him
as righteousness (as conformity to God's will in thought and
deed), and he was called God's friend. (Gen.15:6; Isa.41:8; 2
Chron.20:7). You see that a man is justified (pronounced righteous 
before God) through what he does and not alone through faith - 
through works of obedience as well as by what he believes. 
For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith
apart from (its) works of obedience is also dead" (James 2:14-26,
The Amplified Bible). 

     The MURDERER who is shown MERCY - grace - on condition that
he does not murder again, can be pardoned from his crime if he
accepts that condition and is willing to live in compliance with
the law.
     
     So likewise - God will be gracious to us on CONDITION that
we no longer practice as a way of life - sin (the breaking of
God's law).

     Now do you see why Jesus said to the rich young man, 
"....IF you will enter (inherit) into life KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS."
     God will only show GRACE (by which you are saved) to those
who REMEMBER His COMMANDMENTS to DO them (Ps.103:17-18).



To be continued(written 1984)         



SAVED BY GRACE #3

  AS SHOCKING AS IT MAY SOUND, NOT ONE IN ONE HUNDRED
    CHRISTIANS UNDERSTAND WHAT BEING SAVED BY GRACE 
      REALLY MEANS. IN THIS ARTICLE THE TRUTH WILL
                    BE MADE PLAIN

                      Part Three
                          by 
                       Keith Hunt


          
     
      IS IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR A CHRISTIAN TO SIN ? 

     God's grace towards a repentant sinner does not END with
that persons initial justification, as we shall now proceed to
prove.
     
     A person has REPENTED - he has confessed to God he is a
sinner - he's cried out to God for mercy. He sees that God has
made a way possible for him/her to be forgiven and have the
penalty of death removed. They see that Jesus Christ came and
paid that penalty for them - they accept Jesus as their PERSONAL
savior and are baptized. Their sins are now completely washed
away - they stand RECONCILED to God - sinless - absolutely
RIGHTEOUS in God's sight. Now from that day on, is it IMPOSSIBLE
for him/her to ever commit a sin ? They do not WANT to sin -
their whole attitude is to NOT sin - they want to serve and obey
God's commandments, but is it POSSIBLE under temptation and human
weakness of the flesh, to slip up and sin?
     
     Turn to 1 Jn.1:8. This verse plainly says, "If WE (converted
Christians) say that we HAVE NO SIN, we DECEIVE ourselves,  and
the truth is not in us."
     Spirit led, humble children of God, ones who desire to live
the way of God's love, which is His commandments - DO AT TIMES
SIN! If any say they do not, God's  word says they are deceived.
     
     Read the 7th chapter of Romans, and see how Paul explained
the battle that went on between his old sin lusting nature and
his now Spirit filled mind. He did not want to sin - he loved and
wanted to keep God law, but he found himself at times falling
short of that perfectness of God. He had to CRY OUT to God for
HELP and MERCY!

               HOW A CHRISTIAN IS FORGIVEN

     So a baptized - converted - Spirit filled Christian, can and
DOES SIN at times. The law has not been abolish as we have
previously proved - the wages of sin is still death. How then can
a Christian be FORGIVEN (be shown grace) of his sins this time?
Can he be forgiven by DOING some good work or deed? Can he go
about to EARN forgiveness? Does God add up all his good works and
law keeping and use them to cancel out his evil deeds? If that is the
case, then he would indeed be EARNING his way to eternal life and
salvation, and Eph. 2:8 would not be true.
     God does not leave us in any doubt as to HOW we as
Christians walking along the salvation road, can obtain
FORGIVENESS of sins that we may through weakness commit.
     Turn again to 1 Jn.1. We have read verse 8 which says we do
sin, now read verse 9, "If we CONFESS our sins, He is faithful
and just to FORGIVE us our sins, and to CLEANSE US from all
unrighteousness." We again turn to God in a REPENTANT attitude
- we confess to Him we have sinned. He sees our heart. He knows
we do not want to sin, that we desire to obey Him, to serve and
keep His law - He WILL FORGIVE US!  God will again show us grace,
because are still wanting to live within His law and the
conditions He set down for us to qualify for His constant grace
over us.
     Look at chapter 2 of 1 John and verses 1-2,  "My little
children, these things I write unto you, that YOU SIN NOT."  Yes,
our aim - our direction of mind is not to sin,  "And (but) if any
man (does) sin, we have an ADVOCATE (an intercessor) with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Jesus is in heaven pleading
on our behalf before the Father.
     Continue, "And He is the PROPITIATION (the atoning sacrifice)
for OUR SINS" Yes - Jesus was RAISED AGAIN from the dead - raised
for our CONTINUAL justification (Rom.4:25). We are not only
justified (forgiven of our past sins by the blood of Jesus, by
His death - Rom.4:23-26) to RECONCILIATION with the Father by
Christ, but He was raised again for our present day to day
justification or forgiveness. He was raised to life so He could
intercede for us.
      Upon our present repentance and confession of sin, God the
Father will accept the work Jesus is doing for us while in heaven
above seated at the right hand of the Almighty. The Father will
again and again (constantly) apply the BLOOD and SACRIFICE of His
Son to us and cleanse us from our iniquities. 
     Turn to Hebrews the 4th chapter, verses 14-16. Read those
wonderful words of truth. Jesus Christ is our HIGH PRIEST in
heaven above. He is speaking on our behalf to the Father. He
knows what it is like to be human. As a human He was tempted to
sin, but He did not sin, not once. Jesus really knows and
understands the battle we face in overcoming sin. We can come to
the throne of GRACE when we do sin and ask for mercy.  We shall
obtain it.

     Now do you see the WONDER of all the great LOVE of the
Father? We do not have to try to amass more good works than bad,
more good thoughts than evil ones, so the good can cancel out the
bad. No amount of good works can blot out our sins. Our sins
during our Christian walk are washed away by the present work of
Jesus in heaven, by His atoning sacrifice, by His shed blood
being applied to them. Grace being again shown to us by the
Father. WE CANNOT EARN THAT MERCY BY ANY OF 
OUR GOOD WORKS!  It is God's to GIVE as His GIFT. 
But there are conditions  laid down for us to receive His free grace. 
Those conditions we  have previously shown you.
     As long as we maintain that attitude of REPENTANCE and
willingness to OBEY God, then He will through Christ Jesus,
FORGIVE us our sins.


               SAVED BY THE LIFE OF JESUS

     You have probably thought or been taught that Jesus' DEATH
on the cross COMPLETED salvation, that it WAS FINISHED at
Calvary. After all, didn't Jesus say, "it is finished" (Jn.19:30). 
But WHAT was finished on the cross? Let Paul answer, "For
all have sinned (broken God's law - 1 Jn.3:4) and come short of
the glory of God. Being JUSTIFIED (declared  righteous) freely by
His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom
God had set forth to be a propitiation (an atoning- sacrifice)
through faith in His blood (death on the cross) to declare His
righteousness for the remission (forgiveness) of sins that are
PAST....." (Rom.3:23-25 KJV, amplification mine).

     The sinner upon REPENTANCE, accepting Jesus as his personal
savior, can have ALL PAST SINS - sins up to that very moment -
FORGlVEN, washed away by the blood of Jesus on the cross.
     Christ's DEATH secured our justification from the sins we
HAVE ALREADY committed. His DEATH took away the penalty we  had
incurred by our sins (Rom.6:23). What Jesus finished on the cross
was the sacrifice for our PAST sins to justification and
reconciliation with the Father.
     
     Listen friends, this may shocks some of  you, but the truth
of the matter is that it takes BOTH the  DEATH and LIFE of Christ
to SAVE you. If Jesus had only died and had never been raised to
life, you could never be saved, you would never inherit eternal
life - you would be dead in your sins!
     
     Read these verses in your own Bible - mark them, and never
forget them:  "And if Christ be not RISEN, then is our preaching
vain, and your FAITH IS VAIN ALSO.....if Christ be not RAISED,
your FAITH IS VAIN - you are yet IN YOUR SINS!!  Then they
also which are fallen asleep in Christ ARE PERISHED" 
(1 Cor.15:14,17,18. KJV). If Jesus is not alive - if He was not
RESURRECTED, we are yet in our sins!  We are yet sinners
- doomed to perish. The death of Jesus is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
for salvation, but so is His LIFE! 
     
      It takes not only His death but His LIFE also to save you.
     
     Now how much of that part of the gospel have you heard? You
hear a lot about the death of Jesus - His blood shed to cleanse
your guilty past - but how much do you hear about His LIFE to
cleanse your present and future sins? Christ is NOW upon the
Father's right hand in heaven INTERCEDING for us, so the Father
will daily forgive us our sins. That is why Paul wrote, "For if,
when we were enemies,  we were RECONCILED to God by the DEATH 
of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we SHALL BE SAVED by His
LIFE" (Rom 5:10). 
     Then we also read in chapter 8:9-11,  "Now if any man has
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His....But if the Spirit
of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also QUICKEN (make alive)
your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you."

     When Jesus shall RETURN - when God the Father sends Him back
to this earth, WE the children of God shall be LIKE HIM (1 Jn.3:1-2). 
You can read what Jesus looks like TODAY in Revelation 1:13-16.  
WHAT GLORY AND SPLENDOR THAT WILL BE!!

     If you meet the CONDITIONS given by God, you can be in the
Kingdom of God. And all who are there, will be there not because
of their WORKS that they've done, but because of God's mercy -
GRACE. Because they have been forgiven their sins through the
blood of His Son - Christ Jesus.

     You are truly saved by GRACE !

                       .............................



Written in 1984

Permission is granted to photo/print copy any article by Keith
Hunt and distribute. 




The Experience Of Real Repentance - Part One

Man is material - mortal (Job 4:17).  He was FORMED from the
ground, the DUST of the earth (Gen.2:7).  God is SPIRIT (John
4:24), that is God is composed of Spirit. He is HOLY, so God is
then Holy Spirit. His body and being is Spirit not physical,
though He can if He desires manifest Himself to man in a physical
manner as He did to Abraham (Gen.18).  

     The physical being alone is not COMPLETE until UNITED with
the spiritual.  Man was made to receive the very Holy Spirit, the
very NATURE of God (2 Pet.1:3-4).  To receive that nature we
actually then receive the LOVE, the POWER, the CHARACTER of God
WITHIN us as a GIFT  (Rom.6:23; 5:5; 8:9-17; Gal.5:22,23; 2 Peter
1:3-4).

     God knew by making mankind free agents and not robots, that
man could not have this perfection of character, which it is His
purpose to create within us, by an instantaneous flick of the
fingers. It requires time.  It requires submissiveness, decision
making, co-operate will, self direction on mankind's part,
teaming up with the nature of God.  This perfection of character
can only come through EXPERIENCE - with man/woman willing to
YIELD to the NATURE and the WILL of the Eternal.

     Mankind was created with HUMAN NATURE which is a mixture of
GOOD and EVIL (Luke 6:45).  Too much of the time the evil tends
to overpower the good (Rom.7:13-23).  Man must come to the
KNOWLEDGE of his natural ways that are NOT God's ways. 
He must come to EXPERIENCE REAL REPENTANCE of the evil side of
his nature - where he has THOUGHT, SPOKEN, and LIVED contrary to
the WILL and the WAYS and the THOUGHTS of the Lord.
     A very large part of the Gospel concerns REPENTANCE!  A very
LARGE part of the Bible contains the EXAMPLES of REAL repentance. 
In this lesson we shall discover:
1) The importance of preaching REPENTANCE.  2) What we are to
REPENT of. 3) The experience of REPENTANCE. 


                    PREACHING REPENTANCE
                      IN THE BEGINNING


Gen.2:17;  3:6;  4:8;  6:5

     Has this world been EVIL from the BEGINNING?

Gen.6:12-13

     Did the early people of this world CORRUPT God's way of
life?
     What did God propose to do about all this corruption?

Ge. 6:14-18

     Who only was found worthy to be saved from the utter    
     destruction that God would bring upon evil mankind?

Gen.7:1;  2 Peter 2:5

     Was Noah a righteous person?
     Did Noah PREACH righteousness to his wicked generation?

Note. Righteousness is defined in the Bible as God's COMMANDMENTS
(Ps.119:172).
As Noah was building the Ark he was also preaching to a wicked,
corrupt mankind God's true ways, the way of keeping and observing
God's commandments. He no doubt preached that people should
CHANGE their ways to conform to the Eternal's ways, to REPENT of
their evil deeds and thoughts and follow the RIGHT ways as
revealed by God.

Ezek. 14:1-11

     1) Does God condemn Idolatry?
     2) Who is God speaking to here?
     3) What does He tell them to do?
     4) What will the Lord do to those who persist in idolatry?
     5) Will both the punishment of the False prophet and Those   
        that seek them be the same?
     6) Why does God correct and punish?

Note. Even with ancient Israel when they went astray from God's
commandments He cried out to them to REPENT!  They were to
repent of their TRANSGRESSIONS - their INIQUITY - the evil of
their hearts and to develop a NEW HEART.  See Ezek.18:30-32.


                      JOHN AND JESUS


Matthew 3:1-11

     1) What did John the Baptist PREACH?
     2) What did the people confess?
     3) Is repentance to produce FRUITS?  What kind of Fruits?
     4) Did John indicate that many of the religious leaders of   
        his day had never really REPENTED?

Mark 1:14-15

     1) After the ministry of John, what was the Gospel Jesus     
        preached?
     2) Is REPENTANCE a very important part of the Gospel?

Note.  The purpose of John was to PREPARE the hearts of the
people for the coming of the Messiah.  This he did by preaching
that men should REPENT - that they should confess their SINS and
walk in the STRAIGHT WAY of the Lord.

     When the Savior of mankind began His public ministry He
continued to PREACH the theme that humanity should REPENT!  Jesus
taught that REPENTANCE was absolutely necessary to be "saved" -
without it mankind would only PERISH (Luke 13:3).  One of the very purposes 
hat Jesus came was to call SINNERS to REPENTANCE (Matt.9:13).  He said 
there is MORE JOY in heaven over ONE sinner that REPENTS than dozens 
of just persons (in their mind) who think they need no repentance (Luke 15:7).

     When Jesus sent out the twelve to proclaim the Kingdom of
God, they first preached that men should REPENT (Mark 6:7-12).
     Just before Christ ascended into Heaven, He told the
disciples what their great commission was to be. REPENTANCE and
REMISSION of SINS  was to be preached to all nations (Luke
24:47).

             THE APOSTLES - ONE OF THEIR THEMES


Acts 2:14-40

     1) When did this sermon by Peter take place (see verses      
        1-13) ?
     2) WHO did he preach to them about?
     3) What question did the people put to the apostles?
     4) What did Peter reply?

Acts 3:11-26

     1) WHO again did Peter speak about to the people?
     2) What did he tell the people to do?

Note.   Peter boldly PREACHED Christ as Savior and that all men
should REPENT - be converted and turn away from their iniquities. 
Then their SINS could be BLOTTED OUT through the sacrifice of
Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:1-12

     1) Who were the only Christians in Jerusalem at this time?
     2) What did the others do?
     3) What did Philip preach?
     4) Were many BAPTIZED?

Note.   We have seen both from the ministry of John the Baptist
and the apostle Peter that REPENTANCE must come before baptism. 
Philip in preaching Christ and the Kingdom of God must have
taught the people to REPENT in order for them to request
baptism. We shall study all about the subject of baptism in a
later lesson.

Acts 9:10-31

     1) After Paul's conversion and baptism what did he preach?
     2) By what we have studied so far, would preaching Christ    
        include the theme of REPENTANCE?

Acts 10:23-48

     1) Did God show to Peter that Christ and Salvation should go
        to the Gentiles?
     2) What was the FOCAL point of Peter's message to Cornelius?
     3) Did Peter preach the FORGIVENESS of SINS?
     4) Were many Baptised?

Note.   Peter was here again preaching his Pentecostal sermon -
Jesus Christ as Savior. Upon REPENTANCE and accepting Christ's
death and resurrection men could have forgiveness of sins and
eternal life through the Holy Spirit.
     The THEME of the early Church was first, Jesus Christ as
Savior - repentance and Forgiveness of Sins.  Second, the Return
of Christ and the coming of the Kingdom of God to earth. 
     Saving people was foremost on the minds of the apostles and
church members alike. Read the rest of the book of Acts and take
note of the speeches and sermons.  As you do, note such passages
as Acts 16:30-31;  17:3, 30;  18:24-28;  26:17-18, 20;  28:23,
31.


                      WHAT IS REPENTANCE?


Note. Webster's Dictionary defines REPENTANCE  as: " To feel
sorry or self-reproachful for what one has done or failed to do; be
conscience-stricken......To feel such regret or dissatisfaction
over some past action, intention, etc. as to changed one's mind
about.......To feel so contrite over one's sins as to change, or
decide to change, one's ways......."

     This is what VINE'S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY ON NT WORDS 
has to say on REPENT and REPENTANCE: ".......to perceive afterwards
(Meta, after, implying change, Noeo, to perceive; Nous, the mind,
the seat of moral reflections).......hence signifies to change
one's mind or purpose, always in the NT involving a change for
the better......."


Matt. 9:13

     Who did Jesus come to call to Repentance?

Acts 3:19

     What can be blotted out upon Repentance?

Acts 5:31

     What is some of the work Jesus is NOW doing?

Note.  The Scriptures clearly show that REPENTANCE has to do with
SIN!  We are to REPENT of SIN.  Repent of being a sinner - of
living, acting, doing, thinking, IN sin.


                   SIN  -  RIGHTEOUSNESS  ?


1 John 3:4

     Does God tell us in this verse what constitutes SIN?

Romans 7:7

     What did Paul say showed him what sin WAS?

     Is it not the TEN Commandment law that says: "Thou shalt not 
     covet."? (Ex.20"1-17).

Romans 3:20

     Is Paul here telling us by what standard we can derive the   
     KNOWLEDGE of what sin is or is not?

James 2:10-12

     1) Does this law have points?
     2) What are some of its points?
     3) Are these the same points as recorded in Ex.20:1-17?

James 2:10-12 (continued)

     4) If we WILLFULLY break ANY ONE of these points of the      
        whole law, are we a TRANSGRESSOR - do we SIN (see again 1
        John 3:4) ?
     5) What is this law called (verse 12) ?

Note.  We are to REPENT of breaking (transgressing) God's Holy
Spiritual law (Rom.7:12,14).  Repent of BEING sinners and want to
DO and LIVE righteousness (Matt.5:17-20; 6:33). A Bible
definition of "righteousness" is ALL of God's COMMANDMENTS -
Psalm 119:172.


                     REPENT TOWARDS WHOM ?



Romans 3:23

     How many have sinned?

Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30

     How many are to REPENT?

Acts 20:21

     Towards WHOM are we to REPENT? 



                       HOW TO REPENT!



Deut.4:29;  Isa.55:6

     Are we to SEEK God?  How much are we to seek for Him?

Isa. 57:15;  66:2

     What KIND of a person will God LOOK AT?


2 Chron. 7:14

     What else does the Eternal add to the ingredients of         
     REPENTANCE?

1 John 1:9;  Proverbs 28:13

     What TWO requirements are given in these verses in order to
     obtain MERCY and FORGIVENESS?

Job 33:27, 28

     God is looking for mankind to ACKNOWLEDGE what?

Isa.55:7;  Jer.4:1, 2, 14

     What is man to FORSAKE in order to return unto God?

Ezekiel 18:21, 30-31;  Acts 17:30

     Is God CALLING OUT for mankind to REPENT



End of part one. To be continued with part two

                       ...........



First written in 1987.  Re-written and revised in April 1997.
By Keith Hunt


The Experience Of Real Repentance Part Two


                   EXAMPLES OF REPENTANCE


Genesis 50:15-21

     1) Had the brothers of Joseph done evil?
     2) Did they ask to be forgiven?
     3) What was Joseph's reaction?
     4) How did his brothers respond?
     5) Was Joseph willing to forgive and help them?

Note.   We could liked Joseph to God the Father and Joseph's
brothers to repentant  individuals. As the brothers CONFESSED
their sins and asked forgiveness so should every repentant person
do the same before God. As they humbled themselves before the
feet of Joseph, we should also HUMBLE ourselves before God the
Father.
     The brothers told Joseph they would be his servants. So
likewise are we to be SERVANTS of God.
     Joseph WEPT when he saw their humble repentant attitude.
Tears of joy must fill the eyes of our heavenly Father when one
sinner repents. As Joseph went on to NOURISH and COMFORT his
brothers, so God the Father will nourish and comfort His
begotten children.

2 Chron.12:1-12

     1) Did King Rehoboam and Israel FORSAKE God's way?
     2) What then happened (verses 2-5)?
     3) Did the King and leaders of Israel then HUMBLE            
        themselves?
     4) What did God say He would do?
     5) Was God MERCIFUL to the King and Judah?

Note.   Some TURN AWAY from the Eternal and His Holy law, but the
Lord is always there ready to FORGIVE and show MERCY whenever
those individuals HUMBLE themselves and REPENT!

2 Kings 22, 23

     1) Was Josiah very YOUNG when he began to reign in           
        Jerusalem?
     2) What is said of him (verse 2)?
     3) Was Josiah still YOUNG when they found the book of the    
        law in the Temple?
     4) What did Josiah DO when he heard the words of the LAW?
     5) What did the King SAY about the words of God?
     6) What did the prophetess say would happen for NOT    
        doing God's will?
     7) Was this punishment to take place in the lifetime of     
        Josiah?  WHY not?
     8) Did Josiah exhibit signs of real REPENTANCE?

Note.   Josiah's repentance was GENUINE as can be seen by what he
DID. The FRUITS he bore, as shown in chapter 23.  He gathered the
people together, both small and great, priest and prophet, and
read to them God's way.  He RE-NEWED the COVENANT of God - to
walk after and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS (verse 1-3).
     Josiah was instrumental in bringing the people back to the
worship of the true God.  He destroyed every sign of False
idolatry worship (verses 4-20).  He RE-instituted the PASSOVER
(verses 21-23).
     
     Josiah was a TYPE of what all people whom God calls should
do upon having their minds and hearts opened to His word and
truth.  His heart was TENDER - receptive to the Eternal's truth
and ways.  He did not argue with God's word, didn't justify his
own ideas and ways and thoughts.  He was CHILDLIKE.  Josiah
HUMBLED himself before God and FEARED His word (Isa.66:2).  
He even WEPT when he realized how he and Judah had sinned against
the Lord God.

     Josiah experienced true deep-felt REPENTANCE!

Nehemiah 8; and 9:1-5

     1) What did Ezra read to the people?
     2) When was this done (see also Lev.23:23-25)?
     3) What was the people's attitude?
     4) Were the people in a humble worshipful state of mind?
     5) As they understood the ways of God, did they willingly    
        obey?
     6) What else did the people do (chap.9:1-5)?

Note.   The people of Judah had been many a year without a King. 
They had been in Babylonian captivity and had LOST MUCH, if not
all the teachings of God.  Here they were again in Jerusalem and
were being taught the words and ways of the Lord from the
LAW (first 5 books of the Old Testament).  They were in a
submissive HUMBLE REPENTANT attitude towards God.  
They CONFESSED their SINS, fasted and were willing to DO 
what the Eternal said were HIS ways and commands.  

     An example for ALL those that God calls to salvation.

2 Samuel 11; and 12:1-15

     1) Did David commit adultery with another man's wife?
     2) What was the result of this affair (verse 5)?
     3) Did David try to COVER UP his sin (verses 6-13)?  Was he  
        successful?
     4) Did David devise a plan whereby Uriah would be killed?    
        Did it succeed?
     5) What did Nathan the prophet tell David these activities   
        were (chap. 12:9)?
     6) Was David personally held responsible for killing Uriah?
     7) When David finally came to his senses and realized the    
        gravity of what he had done, what did he confess (verse   
        13)?

Note.   Ancient King David is a chief example of one who
EXPERIENCED REAL REPENTANCE for his sins.  David's sincere
heartfelt repentant attitude endeared him to God. He is called in
Acts 13:22 a man after God's own heart.

     Psalm 51 shows David's utterly broken-up attitude of mind
concerning his sins. Be sure to read the entire Psalm, and as you
do, ask and answer these questions: Did David attempt to justify
these sins or to explain them away?  Did he freely confess them? 
Did he admit that he was guilty of many sins?  Did he thoroughly
abhor his sins?  What did he ask God to do for him?  Did he cry
out to the Lord to have mercy upon him?

     David was one of the few under the Old Covenant to whom God
gave the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit was not yet made
available (John 7:38-39) except in special circumstances to
certain people. David obeyed God and overcame by the power of the
Spirit, even though at times he did stumble and fall.  "For a
just (righteous) man falleth seven times, and riseth up
again......" (Prov.24:16).

     So David, a man after God's own heart, is soon, at Christ's
coming, to be resurrected and born into the very Family of God,
the Kingdom of God, as a son of the Eternal and as the King over
Israel (Jer.30:9;  Ezek.34).

     God looks to those who are of a MEEK and CONTRITE spirit -
those who TREMBLE before the word of the Lord.  God recognizes a
REPENTANT attitude of mind - a broken spirit, a HUMBLE person who
is seeking for FORGIVENESS and MERCY.  He will honor the attitude
of all who are willing to turn from works and deeds which His
word brands as SIN.

     True REPENTANCE requires a PERMANENT change of DIRECTION - 
from the ways that seem right in man's eyes to the WAYS OF GOD as revealed 
in His word.

     REAL REPENTANCE is something MUCH DEEPER and vastly more
profound that what is generally being taught today by the churches and 
religious preachers.

     Godly REPENTANCE leads to ETERNAL LIFE!!


To be continued

                   ......................


First written in 1987. Re-written and revised in 1997.
By Keith Hunt 


The Experience Of Real Repentance - Part Three
     

Some may say: " Yes I know what the word repent means, I see
to whom I am to repent, I see some of the examples in the Bible
about repentance, but I am not sure HOW to repent.  What words do
I use, what should I SAY to the Father in heaven?
     Well friends, our Father in heaven even helps us to know
what kind of words to use in coming to Him in humble repentance. 
He gives us examples in His word even to guide us in this end -
to know what to say.

                    PRAYERS OF REPENTANCE

EZRA

     " Then were assembled unto me everyone that TREMBLED at the
words of the God of Israel, because of the transgressions of
those, that had been carried away........O my God, I am ASHAMED
and BLUSH to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our INIQUITIES
ARE INCREASED OVER OUR HEAD, and our TRESPASS IS GROWN 
up into the heavens.......We have FORSAKEN THY COMMANDMENTS........
Should we again break they commandments, and join in affinity with the 
people of these abominations?  Would you not be angry with us till you 
have consumed us........"(Ezra 9:4-14).

NEHEMIAH

     " Let thine ear now be attentive......Both I and my father's
house have sinned.  We have DEALT VERY CORRUPTLY against thee,
and have NOT KEPT THE COMMANDMENTS, NOR THE STATUTES, 
NOR THE JUDGMENTS, which you commandest your servant Moses........
You are JUST........You have done RIGHT.  But we have DONE WICKEDLY. 
Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our
fathers, KEPT THY LAW, NOR HEARKENED UNTO YOUR 
COMMANDMENTS AND YOUR TESTIMONIES......."(Nehemiah 1:6-7;  9:33-34).

JOB

     " I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: BUT NOW MY
EYE SEETH THEE.  Wherefore, I ABHOR MYSELF AND REPENT 
in dust and ashes "(Job 42:5).


DAVID

     " Have MERCY UPON ME, O God.......Bot out my TRANSGRESSIONS. 
WASH ME THOROUGHLY FROM MINE INIQUITY AND CLEANS ME 
FROM MY SIN.
For I ACKNOWLEDGE my TRANSGRESSIONS: and my sin is ever before me.  
Against thee......have I sinned......PURGE ME with hyssop,
and I shall be clean......Hide your face from my SINS, and BLOT
OUT ALL MY INIQUITIES.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and
renew a right spirit within me.......Take not thy Holy Spirit
from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation......Then will
I teach transgressors they ways; and sinners shall be converted
unto thee......For thou desirest not sacrifice.......You delight
not in burnt offering.  The sacrifice of God are a BROKEN SPIRIT:
a broken and a CONTRITE HEART, O God, you will not despise"(Psalm
51:1-17).

ISAIAH

     " .......Woe is me!  For I am undone; because I am a man of
UNCLEAN LIPS......For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
hosts.......Our TRANSGRESSIONS ARE MULTIPLIED before thee, and
our SINS testify against us:  for our transgressions are with us. 
And as for our INIQUITIES, we KNOW THEM......But we are all as AN
UNCLEAN THING, AND ALL OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS ARE AS 
FILTHY RAGS; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities like the wind 
have taken us away"(Isaiah 6:5;  59:12;  64:6).

JEREMIAH

     " O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do you it for your name's sake: 
or our BACKSLIDINGS ARE MANY.  We have SINNED against you.  
We ACKNOWLEDGE, O Lord, our WICKEDNESS.... Let us SEARCH AND 
TRY our ways, and TURN AGAIN to the Lord.  Let us lift up  our HEARTS WITH 
OUR HANDS UNTO GOD in the heavens"(Jeremiah 14:7, 20;  Lamentations 3:40-41).

DANIEL

     " We have sinned, and HAVE COMMITTED INIQUITY, and have DONE 
WICKEDLY, and have REBELLED, even by DEPARTING from thy PRECEPTS, 
and from thy JUDGMENTS: neither have we HEARKENED unto thy SERVANTS 
the prophets, which spake in thy name......"(Daniel 9:5,6).



                CHRIST EXEMPLIFIES REAL REPENTANCE


PRODIGAL SON

     " And when he CAME TO HIMSELF, he said.........I will arise
and go to my father, and will say unto him, father, I HAVE SINNED
AGAINST HEAVEN, AND BEFORE YOU, AND AM NO MORE WORTHY 
TO BE CALLED YOUR SON.  make me as one of your hired servants. 
And he arose, and CAME TO HIS FATHER"(Luke 15:17-20).

PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN

     "And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in
themselves, that they were righteous, and despised others.  Two
men went up into the Temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the
other a publican.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with
himself: God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I
fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I posses.  And
the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying: God, BE
MERCIFUL TO ME, A SINNER.  I tell you, this man (the publican)
went down to his house JUSTIFIED rather than the other. For
everyone that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that HUMBLES
himself shall be exalted"(Luke 18:9-14).


                       A FINAL WORD


     Some of you think you may be too young or too old to REPENT
and serve the living Eternal God. The prophet Jeremiah thought he
was too young to be called by God, but he was not. If you are a
middle teenager you may not be too young for God to call you to
real repentance. Even if you are still younger than a teenager
God may call you to begin to know Him and His way of life. We
have examples of Samuel and Jeremiah who were called to serve God
while still very young. David walked with God as a young boy
caring for his father's sheep.
     What if you are old, maybe very old?  Well as the saying
goes: You are never too old to learn.  Whether you are 60 or 80
or 90 or 100, if God is calling you to REPENT then it is not too
late to do so!

     Some of you have or are serving a prison term for various
crimes. You may think you are not worthy for God to have mercy
upon you. Well, no sinner(and that includes the ones who have
never been in prison or even received a parking ticket) is of
themselves worthy to be a child of the most High. But Jesus came
to die for you no matter what your sins and crimes against
society. You can friend, REPENT and be FORGIVEN, have your sins
WASHED AWAY by the blood of Jesus and start a new life
as a son or daughter of the heavenly Father.

     Some of you may have been or still are, prostitutes,
homosexuals, lesbians, drug users, drug dealers, child molesters,
alcoholics, wandering street livers with no hope only despair.
Whatever your situation in life is at the present, YOU CAN REPENT
AND CRY OUT TO THE LORD FOR MERCY AND HELP! You can 
be forgiven your sins and begin a new life in the service of the Eternal. It
is never too late. 

     Determine NOW to come out of the darkness and deception you
have been living in and ENTER God's world of LIGHT and
RIGHTEOUSNESS!
     The rewards here and now are fantastic and the eternity to
come is beyond human imagination.

     Some of you have been let down by religious organizations
and their leaders. You have seen the corruptions, play acting,
hypocrisy, abuse of power, abuse of monies, you have  heard the
lies, experienced the cover-ups, and have come to realize you
were in many ways manipulated and brain washed with a cultic mind
set ruling you.  Many of you have been turned off so much from
"religion" that you have left serving the true God and
gone back into the world of Satan, gone back into your former old
man and false un- righteous ways of living that God calls sin and
iniquity.  You knew the basic truths of God at one time but now
you have possibly thrown them to one side, cast them away like
some old dirty garment. If this is you, then YOU can REPENT, it
is not too late. God calls you back to SERVE HIM!  He calls you
back again to find that personal relationship with Him and not
some organization or some human man.

     Maybe you are just the nice guy or gal on the block. Never
done anyone any harm. Would not hurt a fly as they say. No big
sins in your life you might claim. You are a good wife, husband,
father or mother. You work at your job faithfully and honestly.
You help in local charities, and just live a decent moral
lifestyle. 
     All that is good and commendable, but friend, you HAVE
SINNED ALSO.  You have said, thought, or acted at some point/s in
your life CONTRARY to the Holy Law of the Lord God. You have
somewhere at some time BROKEN ONE or MORE of the Ten
Commandments of God. You stand as a sinner in the eyes of the
Lord. You are CONDEMNED TO DIE UNLESS YOU WILL REPENT !
     
     There is no way around it, from the hardened criminal to the
Mr.Nice guy, all of us must REPENT of our sins to obtain mercy
and find the pathway to eternal life in the Kingdom of God. 
     Repentance is the FIRST STEP on the road to living for all
eternity.   REAL REPENTANCE is what all of us must EXPERIENCE if
we are to be saved.

     ".........Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of
the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled and the
Kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT YOU, and believe the gospel"
(Mark 1:14,15).

                       ...............

First written in 1987. Re-written and revised in 1997.
By Keith Hunt 



SAVING FAITH WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS IT IS - Part 1


     Jesus, when looking at the time when He would return to this
earth said, ".....when the Son of man comes, shall He find THE
FAITH on the earth" (original Greek, Luke 18:8).  Obviously
Christ did not expect the last generation before His return to be
exhibiting THE faith, in any large amount.
     But is there not a religious REVIVAL sweeping our nations?
More are attending church today than 10 or 20 years ago [well not 
today 2020 - it is less people attending church services]. Surely
then, is not FAITH strong? According to Jesus He said THE faith -
the REAL faith of God would not be very evident at the end of
this age.

     On another occasion Jesus said: ".....O you of LITTLE
faith....." (Mat.6:30). Then still at another time He said:
".....I have not found so GREAT faith, no not in Israel"
(Mat.8:10). It is possible then to have LITTLE or
GREAT.....FAITH!

     To a woman Christ once said, ".....Your FAITH has saved
you....." (Luke 7:50). 

     A Christian is actually SAVED through FAITH.  Paul was
inspired to write, ".....for by grace are you saved through
FAITH....." (Eph.2:8).  And again, "But WITHOUT faith IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM: for he that comes to God MUST 
BELIEVE that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that 
DILIGENTLY seek Him" (Heb.11:6).  And so it is: "The just shall 
LIVE BY FAITH" (Heb.10:38).

     It takes FAITH to BELIEVE God, to OBEY God and receive His
gift of grace and eternal life.

     Today the Lord is calling the "firstfruits" of His great
plan of salvation (James 1:18) in order to prepare them for
positions in His Kingdom. Only a FEW are being granted a
conscious CONVICTING KNOWLEDGE of His TRUTHS and WAYS 
(1 Cor.1:26). They are the "salt" of the earth sprinkled here and
there that Christ talked about.

     In these Bible lessons of the foundation of redemption and
salvation, the way to be saved, God is granting you the knowledge
of His TRUTHS. He is calling YOU to REPENT of SIN, to accept His
Son as your personal Savior and to LIVE by FAITH!

     But WHAT IS faith?  What KIND of faith do we need to please
God?

     Before we learn the answer, let's first be sure we know what
faith is NOT.

     FAITH is not a "pull yourself up by your own boot straps"
philosophy. This is man's method of self-salvation, and although
such ideas and practices may have some reward in this physical
life on a human level, it is as far as eternity goes, useless in
saving anyone. Such ideas that man can FORGIVE himself of sins
apart from God's grace, and live by his own standards of his
society, to be justified, and live forever, is SELF DECEPTION!
This way of man builds confidence in the SELF not God or Christ.
Wise King Solomon called persons who trust in their OWN heart, a
FOOL (Prov.28:26).

     Many confuse faith with EMOTIONS - trying to work up faith,
which is to them an emotional feeling. But true emotional
feelings are not the evidence of SAVING FAITH.  Faith is a
SPIRITUAL matter, not physical.  To LIVE by FAITH does not mean
that you put on some sentimental feeling that tingles the spine,
act or speak in a certain "religious" manner or follow after some
mental or physical signs. This is not to say God's way is
emotionless. It is written, in the shortest verse in the Bible,
"Jesus wept."  He also got righteously ANGRY at times, as when He
cleared the Temple of the money hustlers. 
     True living faith though is not FOUNDED on human emotions.
It's foundation is from the solid rock of God the Father and
Christ.

                     FAITH DEFINED BY GOD

Hebrews 11:1-6

     1) Is "faith towards God" one of the foundational doctrines
        of the Bible? 
     2) Is it possible to PLEASE God WITHOUT faith?
     3) Did the people of God in the past ages LIVE by faith?     
        Did the Eternal give them a good report for so doing?
     4) Do those that have faith seek and look forward to         
        promises and rewards which are not seen?
     5) Does  having  faith  towards  God  mean  we BELIEVE God   
        EXISTS and He rewards us both in this life and that which
        is to come?
     6) Is faith coupled with our desire to diligently SEEK God?

Note.  Faith is the "substance" - more accurately rendered
ASSURANCE or CONFIDENCE - "of things hoped for."  You do not 
hope for that which you already have.  Faith then comes BEFORE
possession!  Before you receive what you hope for, you already
have it in substance - in assurance that you shall possess it. 
That assurance is FAITH!

     Faith is  expressed in absolute recognition that God exists,
but it is not a BLIND faith though. It has proved there is a God
by the physical creation around us (Romans 1:19-20). And that His
word contained in the pages of the Bible is INSPIRED and to be
believed and trusted (2 Tim.3:15-17).
     God has given to Christians very real promises, some are for
this earthly life here and now, and some for the life to come.
Unseen as yet, some are. Faith is the assurance we shall possess
them.
     Faith is ACQUIRED.  You cannot "dream it up" or hypnotize
yourself into receiving true LIVING SAVING faith.
     
     Faith comes by HEARING. Hearing about the promises and ways
of God. And hearing comes from a willingness to read, to study,
to listen, to understand the WILL of God through His WORD
(Rom.10:17;  Eph.5:17).

     What the Lord has promised He will also perform. It is
IMPOSSIBLE for Him to LIE because He is PERFECT HOLINESS
(Heb.6:18;  Mat.5:48).  We can have absolute confidence -
POSITIVE FAITH - that God will always do whatever He has
promised.
     Faith is assurance that God's word is TRUE!  That His
promises are sure and that it is impossible for God to lie!  This
assurance, this reliance on God's word - this confidence - is
FAITH!

                        YOUR FAITH

     You have studied in a previous lesson what the word of the
Lord has to say about REPENTANCE, SIN, JUSTIFICATION, 
and the WAY of God to the beginning of the road of salvation. You 
have seen that ALL have sinned (Rom.3:23). All have incurred the 
wages of sin - death (Rom.6:23). That God calls you to REPENTANCE 
(Acts 17:30). Whatever you NOW DO (keeping God's law completely
perfectly) will NOT erase, blot out, justify you of your past
sins.  
     You have seen that God the Father sent Jesus Christ to DIE
for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2;  John 3:16).  That
through Him there is justification - reconciliation to God the
Father and ultimate eternal life (Rom.3:23-28).

     You then have HEARD these truths. You have studied  God's
word to understand these truths. You have found the promises of
God pertaining to FORGIVENESS and being reconciled to the Father.
YOU NOW MUST EXERCISE FAITH!  You must have TRUST, 
ASSURANCE, CONFIDENCE that what God has PROMISED He will do.  
Remember He cannot lie.
     God has said that upon your REPENTANCE and willingness to
CHANGE your life to conform to His WAY, He will apply the very
blood of His Son, the blood He shed on the cross in death, to
YOU!  Your sins can be washed away by the blood of Christ.

     YOUR PART is to BELIEVE this promise of God.  To have FAITH
that the Father will DO as He has said.  You must let go of your
doubts or worries.  Throw yourself completely on God's love and
mercy.  Cry out to Him in HUMBLE repentance.  BELIEVE what God
has said, He is there wanting to forgive you, to justify you through the 
death of His Son Jesus Christ.

     When you have done this, exercised your trust and faith in
this PROMISE of God, then the Father has also PROMISED that you
can have the VERY FAITH that was IN Christ (while He lived on this
earth as flesh and blood). That very same faith the Father has
promised to PUT WITHIN YOU!

                     JESUS' LIVING FAITH

     When Jesus walked the earth in human flesh, He possessed
TREMENDOUS FAITH!  Few realize that what He did, His obedience to
God's laws and the miracles He performed, was not done by any
power of His OWN!  Everything He did was done through FAITH in
the Father's POWER - the power of the Father IN Him.

John 8:38,42

     Did Jesus' family say He came from God the Father?

Matthew 19:16

     How did Jesus answer the question, "How can I have eternal   
     life" ?
     Was Jesus talking about the Ten Commandments(verses 18-19) ?

John 15:10

     Did Jesus say He could of Himself do nothing?

John 14:10

     How did Christ LIVE and DO the works He did?


               LIVING BY THE FAITH OF CHRIST

Romans 3:31

     Does FAITH render the law of God VOID, unnecessary to        
     observe?

James 2:20-22

     Is faith WITHOUT works, obedience, a DEAD useless faith?

Romans 1:17

     Must those who are declared RIGHTEOUS - justified , forgiven 
     of sins LIVE by  faith?

Phil.3:9

     By WHOSE faith is a Christian's righteousness, obedience to  
     God's commands,  made possible?

Rev.14:12

     WHOSE faith does God's people have today?

Gal.2:20

     Did Christ live WITHIN Paul?
     By Whose faith did Paul live?

Romans 8:9-10

     Does Jesus live within the individual Christian by the Holy  
     Spirit (see also John  14:16-18)?

Romans 5:5

     What does the Holy Spirit impart to us?

1 John 5:3

     What is the love of God?

Note.  The false teaching being promulgated today is that Jesus
kept God's holy spiritual law in our stead, and that we don't
have to keep it!
     But if you ask those people who teach this NO LAW doctrine
if they mean you can go out and MURDER someone, STEAL from the
supermarket, commit ADULTERY with your friend's wife or husband
etc. they will usually stammer around and say, “Well, I, I, ....I
didn't say you could do those things."

     The fact is that the no law teaching has come about because
of the 4th commandment, what it clearly states, and because most
of professing Christianity does not observe it.

     No, Jesus did not live a good life FOR you - in your stead. 
You are not excused from keeping God's commandments.  You are
expected to obey them, to grow in spiritual grace and knowledge
(2 Pet.3:18), to ENDURE and OVERCOME to the END in order to
inherit eternal life (Mat.19:17; 24:13).
     We must be willing to do these things to be saved.  Yet we
cannot do them of ourselves - even Jesus could not do them by
Himself alone (John 5:30).
     The answer is FAITH!  The very faith of Christ IN us.  The
same LIVING FAITH - the same POWER of God IN US that Jesus had in
Him.
     That same faith of Jesus in us will ESTABLISH the law - will
lead and help us to OBEY God, to do His WILL!

     We are "justified" - forgiven our past sins - reconciled to
God the Father - through OUR faith in the sacrifice of Christ
(Rom.3:24-26, 28). But only those who will be willing to go on to
OBEY God's law will He justify (Rom.2:13).  There are CONDITIONS
in order to be forgiven of sins.  Jesus came to save us FROM our
sins, not IN our sins (Mat.1:21).  We must REPENT, BELIEVE and be
WILLING TO OBEY!

     The members of God's family have the very "FAITH OF Jesus." 
It's not just OUR faith in Him, but HIS faith - the same
spiritual power He had - placed WITHIN us.  So He lives His life
over again INSIDE our moral body and mind.
     Jesus is said to be the "author" and "finisher" of our faith
(Heb.12:2).  A better translation for the words "author" and
"finisher" is PIONEER and PERFECTER.  Jesus led the way, 
setting us the perfect example of LIVING FAITH (1 Pet.2:21).  
But Jesus also PERFECTS His faith IN us!

     We have seen Paul said he no longer lived by his OWN faith
(Gal.2:20) but by the very faith of Jesus Christ IN him, through
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of God implanted
in Paul's mind the SAME KIND of faith, trust, and obedience, that
can be in YOUR mind.  This faith - the very faith of Christ in
you - will enable you to be willing to obey God's commandments,
to serve the law and ways that are pleasing to Him, as it did for
the apostle Paul (Rom.7:12; 22-25).
     Christ IN us - His faith in us - will give us the victory
over SIN and death.  We will be able to overcome the world, sin,
and Satan.  We will be able to endure to the end, and serve God
in humble obedience.

             HOW TO RECEIVE THE FAITH OF CHRIST

Eph. 2:8-9

     Is this living faith of Christ a GIFT from God?

Gal.5:22

     Is this faith an attribute of the Holy Spirit?

Acts 2:38

     How can we receive the Holy Spirit?

Acts 5:32

     To whom will the Holy Spirit be given?

Note.  The very faith of Christ comes to us by means of the Holy
Spirit.  Through the Holy Spirit BOTH the Father and Jesus can
come to live their lives in us.  As Paul said, it is Christ IN US
that is the HOPE of GLORY (Col. 1:27).  Read about the WORK of
the Comforter in John chapters 14 and 15.  It is by means of the
life of Christ - the Spirit of Christ - HIS faith in us that we
are eventually SAVED (Rom.8:9-11; 5:10) to INHERIT the
Kingdom.

     This saving LIFE - faith - is given to us as a gift from
God.  You cannot EARN it, work for it, and so demand it as a
right from God.  You cannot "work it up" emotionally, or receive
it by any thought of "I can do it on my own steam" philosophy.
     God will give it to us as a gift, BUT just as any gift given
to us may carry certain CONDITIONS that we must meet in order to
qualify for the gift, so God has laid down TWO conditions for us
to receive His gift of saving life.

     1) REPENTANCE.  We  studied  about  the  experience of  real
repentance in the previous lessons.

     2) BAPTISM.  We shall study all about water baptism in the
next lesson following part two of this study.

     When these two conditions have been met by us, God has
PROMISED to GIVE us His Holy Spirit, the very saving power and
faith of Christ, that will enable us to obey and say with Jesus,
“Not my will be done but thine."

                   FAITH MUST BE ACTIVE

James 2:14-20, 26

     1) What must faith have in order to SAVE you?
     2) How did James say he would declare his faith to others?
     3) Do  the  demons  BELIEVE  in certain FACTS?  Will mere    
        factual belief save them?
     4) What kind of faith is a DEAD faith?

Note.   We have seen that we shall be saved by the life of Christ
in us. The Holy Spirit which emanates from the Father through
Christ Jesus into us, gives us eternal life here and now (1 John
5:11-12).  And if His Spirit remains in us to the end (our
physical death or Jesus' return) we shall be made immortal
(Rom.8:11).  God's Spirit is a LIVING power. Faith is one of its
attributes.  So the faith it will manifest in an individuals life
will be a LIVING FAITH!

     James tells us that in order for faith to be living it must
have WORKS.

     But what does the Bible mean by WORKS?  Some of the EXAMPLES
recorded for us answer that question.  James uses the example of
Abraham (verses 21-24 of chapter two).  Abraham's life is a good
place to start, for he is known as the "father of the faithful."

To be continued

Written 1989

Saving Faith - Part 2


                    EXAMPLES OF LIVING FAITH

Abraham

     Gen.12:1-7

     1) When God called Abraham out of the land he was residing   
        in, did he ARGUE with God about leaving? Did he, in       
        FAITH, simply obey God?
     2) Did  God  promise  to  make of  Abraham  a GREAT NATION   
        and bless him abundantly?
     3) Did he BELIEVE God (see Gen.15:5-6)?
     4) Was the land of Canaan promised to Abraham(see also       
        Gen.15:7, Acts 7:1-5)?
     5) Did he have FAITH in God and His promises (Heb.11:9-10)?
     6) Was there certain CONDITIONS Abraham had to meet in order
        to inherit these promises (Gen.17:1-8)?
     7) Was this promise of eternal inheritance of the land of    
        Canaan to expand and  ultimately include the whole earth
        (Rom.4:13; Mat.5:5; Rev.5:8-10)?

Note.   In making His original promise to Abraham, God
conditioned it upon OBEDIENCE. The marginal reading for the word
"perfect" in Gen.17:1 is "upright" or sincere.
     Jesus told his followers that they should strive to be
perfect(or mature) just as God in heaven was perfect or mature
(Mat.5:48).
     Abraham met those conditions - he OBEYED God - Gen.26:5.
Abraham had faith in what God promised and he demonstrated that
faith - he performed that faith as James tells us (James 2:22) by
his WORKS - his OBEDIENCE to the Eternal's commands.
     Abraham BELIEVED God, so God could JUSTIFY him, forgive him
of his past sins - declare him to be righteous, because the KIND
of belief or FAITH Abraham had led him to OBEY God (James
2:23-24; Rom.2:31).
     The works that Abraham had were the works of OBEDIENCE to
the laws and commands of God.


     Ge.17:15-19

     1) Did God promise Abraham a SON through whom his family     
        would grow great?
     2) How old were Abraham and Sarah at the time?
     3) Did Abraham and Sarah TRUST God in FAITH, that what He    
        said He was able to perform (See Rom.4:18-21;             
        Heb.11:11-12)?
     4) Did God fulfil His promise to Abraham (Gen.21:5-7)?

Note.   The promise of God to make Abraham into a great nation,
was given when God called him out of Haran into Canaan
(Gen.12:1-4).  Abraham was 75 years old at the time. He had to
wait patiently for 25 years for the son through whom his family
would grow as numerous as the sand on the sea shore. During those
25 years Abraham demonstrated faith in his obedience to His will,
though at times he did sin, for he was not perfect as God is
perfect.


     Gen.22:1-19

     1) Did God tell Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac?
     2) Did he argue or rebel against the Lord, or did he obey    
        willingly?
     3) Was Abraham ready to slay his son?
     4) Did he have complete faith in God, that if necessary the
        Lord would resurrect Isaac (see Heb.11:17-19)?
     5) Did God stop Abraham from slaying his son?
     6) Why did the Eternal test Abraham this way?
     7) Because of Abraham's unquestioning obedience, did God     
        make His promises to him UNconditional (verses 15-18)?


Note.   Abraham did not hesitate to obey God - he did not argue
with God, or try to reason around the command of the Lord. 
Abraham simply OBEYED. He knew - he trusted God, had FAITH in God
that if Isaac was to be sacrificed, the Lord could raise him up
or give him another son to fulfil His promises.
     Abraham was FULLY PERSUADED that whatsoever God had
promised, He was able to PERFORM.
     Abraham's FAITH, trust in God, was COUPLED with WORKS - the
works of OBEDIENCE!
     God had tested Abraham's willingness to obey in and through
FAITH. After he had been put to the test and found faithful,
God's promise then became UNCONDITIONAL (verses 15-18).
     Abraham did faithfully obey God's commandments (Gen.26:5).
He is one of the great examples of LIVING FAITH.

     I found this in religious magazine: "A noted Bible teacher
once explained the reason so many Christians get a let-down after
a great spiritual experience. 'They get their eyes on the gift,
and take them off the giver ' he said. 'This is the meaning of
the dramatic story of God asking Abraham to offer up his only
son, Isaac. God wanted to see whether Abraham loved the Giver,
God, more that the gift, Isaac. When He saw that Abraham's love
for the Giver was greater than his love for the gift, God allowed
Abraham to keep the gift as well.' "



NOAH'S FAITH

     Gen.6:1-22

     1) Was the world in Noah's day full of wickedness, evil and  
        corruption?
     2) What did God say He would do?
     3) How would God destroy mankind?
     4) Who found grace - favor- with God?
     5) Why did Noah find mercy with God?
     6) What did the Lord instruct - command - Noah to do?
     7) Did Noah OBEY God?


Note.   In the days of Noah the whole earth had become corrupt
before God. Only Noah and his immediate family were worthy of
God's grace or mercy. Noah walked with God.  He was told by the
Lord to build a ship that would serve him and his family from the
watery destruction that would come to destroy all life from off
the earth.
     Noah BELIEVED God - he had FAITH in what the Lord said. He
willingly OBEYED the command. His trust and faith in God was
demonstrated by his works - his OBEDIENCE!
     There was no physical evidence that a flood would come upon
the earth. It would be 120 years before it would come (Gen,6:3),
but, "Prompted by faith Noah.....took heed and diligently and
reverently constructed and prepared an ark for the deliverance of
his own family....." (Amplified Bible, Heb.11:7).
     Noah's LIVING, active faith, was rewarded. He and his family
were saved from destruction and death.


SHADRACH, MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO

     Daniel 3:1-28

     1) Did Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, build a great image  
        of gold?
     2) Did he command all the people to bow down and worship     
        this idol  at  certain times?
     3) What was to happen to those who would not obey the king's
        order?
     4) Is one of the commands of God against the bowing down to
        idols (See Ex.20:4)?
     5) Did the three Hebrew men obey the king's order or the     
        command of God?
     6) What did the king of Babylon then do?
     7) How did the three men answer the king?
     8) What happened to them for staying faithful to God's       
        commandments?
     9) What did the king see as he looked into the fiery         
        furnace?
     10)Did God help, protect, and deliver, those three men?
     11)What did the king say about Shadrach, Meshach, and        
        Abednego?


Note.   This example of LIVING faith is one of the most thrilling
in the entire Bible.
     King Nebuchadnezzar was probably the most powerful king on
the earth at the time. His very word or nod of the head meant
life or death! He built this image for all to worship.  This was
in direct conflict to God's command that no idol was to be bowed
down to and worshipped.
     What would YOU have done had you been there at this time?
Would you have said: "Well, I have to bow down to this image or
I'll be killed."  Maybe you could have reasoned around it this
way: "God tells us to be subject to the powers of the state
government doesn't He? Then if I am killed for not obeying the
king, what will my wife and children do without me, or my close
relatives. Better to be a live coward than a dead hero."
     It can be easy to excuse ourselves from having to OBEY God
if we are looking for an excuse.

     Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, knew that where there was a
conflict between the laws of man and the commands of God, the
Lord should be obeyed (Acts 5:29). They knew that through FAITH
God makes it possible to obey Him!

     These courageous men were adamant in their display of faith. 
They firmly BELIEVED God was able to save them. They knew God
COULD  save them if He so chose, yet IF God did not choose to
save them from literal death, they still would obey the Eternal
first, before breaking His commandment.
     They had their eyes on the KINGDOM, on Eternal life, not
just this present physical life.  They were not afraid of what
man could do to their physical bodies, but had that right kind of
reverend fear, of what God could do to their eternal life
(Mat.10:28).
     These men refused to break God's commandment against
idolatry, even if it meant their death. They trusted - had faith
- in God for their ultimate salvation. Their faith was
manifested in works - OBEDIENCE to the laws of God.
     God made these men face this trial and test. They were
brought to the door - still willing to die than disobey God -
they were cast in. God allowed them to be tested to the
very end - all the way. They were faithful to the end.  
     Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had real LIVING FAITH - 
the kind of faith that SAVES.


OTHER EXAMPLES OF FAITH
     
     Paul in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews - commonly called
the FAITH chapter - enumerates MANY examples of faith. Such as
JACOB who in faith blessed the sons of Joseph and said they would
become a NATION and a MULTITUDE/COMPANY(or fullness) of 
NATIONS.  And that Joseph's descendants would be in the latter days
like a fruitful vine by a well, whose branches would spread abroad -
they would possess the riches of the earth (see Gen.35; 48:22-26). 
This was a LAST DAYS prophecy (Gen.49:1).
There can be no doubt today that Jacob's faith - his trust in
God's promises - has been rewarded. These prophecies are
fulfilled in the peoples of the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic race, who have 
inherited the wealth of the earth and have spread abroad
around the world. Joseph has truly become a company of nations
and a great nation. Jacob knew that what God had promised, HE was
able to PERFORM.

     There is recorded the faith it took to bring down the WALLS
of the great city of Jericho (Joshua 6).  In this account notice
that God told them to DO SOMETHING - walk around the city for
seven days, on the seventh day they were to walk only when told.
There was to be OBEDIENCE to God's commands - the people did obey
- the walls of Jericho fell!  Faith and obedience produced the
right results.

     David had faith that God would deliver him from the huge
mountain of a man called Goliath.  David had FAITH in God 
(1 Sam.17:37) for deliverance, but he also had WORKS - he had
practiced for months, years, with his SLING SHOT - he was an
expert marksman.  David did not have BLIND faith - he took FIVE
stones from the brook (verse 40) just incase he missed with the
first. He was humble enough to realize he could miss. 
Interestingly, the number five is used by God in the Bible as the
number for GRACE.  David had trust - faith in God, humility and
WORKS. He loved the law of God and throughout his life had the
attitude of wanting to OBEY and do the will of the Lord. He
was always ready to confess his sins and repent of them. He
wanted God to even reveal to him his secret faults and sins.  All
this can be found in the many Psalms David wrote which are part
of the Bible for us to read, study and meditate upon.

     Daniel was another man full of the LIVING faith of God. A
plot was undertaken to destroy Daniel.  He was to be accused of
breaking the law of the land, because he would not stop praying
to the true God (Dan.6:1-13).  The penalty for such violation of
this law of man was carried out - he was cast into the lion's den
(verses 14-17).  Daniel was, if it was the will of God, prepared
to DIE for his faith - his way of life with the Eternal.  He had
faith that no matter what the outcome, life or death in the
physical, he was God's.  He looked beyond this life to the next
life and the resurrection, to eternity. His faith lead to works
of obedience.  He believed God could deliver him from the lions.
God did choose to send His angel to deliver him from death.
     It does take faith to obey the laws and commandments of God,
even in the face of death. 
     
     On and on we could go, with example after example, of the
people of God who are recorded in the Bible, that exhibited by
their life and deeds they had LIVING FAITH.  There's the examples
of GIDEON, BARAK, SAMSON, RAHAB, MOSES, SAMUEL, 
RUTH, ESTHER and many more.  Read their life stories, and as you 
do note their faith, their LIVING faith.


     We are indeed saved by GRACE through FAITH and not of our
works (Eph.2:8).  All our good works from the beginning of our
life to the end, cannot pay for one single sin. All the good
works a murderer can do in his life cannot take away the penalty
of death for the one murder he committed. He is still on death
row for that sin. Only grace from the judge of the land, only
pardon from the authorities can release him from the death
sentence that hangs over his head for his sin.  Yet when that
grace is shown to him, he cannot go out and murder again. The law
against murder has not be made void because grace and mercy has
been shown to the guilty murderer. The law is still in effect. 
Grace, pardon, mercy, may be shown to the murderer upon the
CONDITION he deeply repents of his sin, and promises to abide by
the law from that time forward.  He is not saved from death by
works, by any good deeds, but the grace shown to him, and he
having faith in that grace, will and must lead him to LIVING
OBEDIENCE within the law.

     We are not saved by our works, but being saved by grace will
lead us to LIVING obedience to the law and will of God.  That
living obedience takes faith. It is the faith of Jesus IN us that
we live by as Paul said in Gal.2:20.  The life he lived was by
the faith OF Jesus who lived in him.  Actually Jesus promised
that BOTH the Father and He would come and live WITHIN the true
child of God (John 14:23).  They are ALIVE, they live!  So the
faith that is in us, is THEIR faith in us, because they live in
us, and so it is a LIVING FAITH.
     They live within us by and through the means of the Holy
Spirit, which is their NATURE (2 Peter 1:3,4).  One of the fruits
of the Holy Spirit is FAITH (Gal.5:22).  Another basic attribute
of the Holy Spirit is that it is the LOVE of God (Rom.5:5).  And
the love of God is that we will KEEP, OBEY His commandments - 
1 John 5:3.
     So it all fits together like a perfect picture in a jig-saw
puzzle, when all the parts are collected and put together we have
a perfect whole.

     Many are not able to put all the parts together, they are
confused over many scriptures that seem to contradict each other,
as to the truth of the matter about being SAVED BY GRACE.  I have
an in-depth article on the subject of being saved by grace
through faith, and it will make the truth plain, so you will
understand about grace and living obedient faith as never before.


     The land of Canaan - the promised land - the land of REST -
was a TYPE of the ETERNAL LAND OF REST that God offers to all
people who will REPENT.  Who will look to God in FAITH for
FORGIVENESS of SIN, through the shed blood of JESUS.  Who will
be BAPTIZED as an outward expression of that repentance and
faith, and who will then live by the faith OF Christ - the same
faith He had - given to them by the indwelling of the very Spirit
and Nature of God. 

     Such persons will have a LIVING - SAVING FAITH - a faith
that BELIEVES all the promises of God, that He is able and will
perform all He has promised, a faith that leads to a humble life
of OBEDIENCE to God's will and commandments.

     That is the faith OF Christ in us. A faith that will ensure
all those who have it, ETERNAL LIFE in the very family and
Kingdom of God.


     Our next study will be ALL ABOUT BAPTISM.  We shall find
truth, inspiration, and also a few surprises along the way.

            .......................


First written in 1989. Re-written and revised in 1997.




ALL ABOUT WATER BAPTISM—
AND  LAYING  ON  OF  HANDS



HOW SHOULD IT BE DONE, BY SPRINKLING, POURING, SPLASHING? 
WHEN SHOULD IT BE DONE AND BY WHOM? WHERE SHOULD IT BE DONE? 
IS WATER BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? 

THESE AND OTHER QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED AS WE LOOK AT 
THIS IMPORTANT DOCTRINE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

                             by

                         Keith Hunt


     Did you know that baptism is not just a New Testament (NT)
doctrine?  On one very specific and special occasion, thousands,
if not a few million, were baptized, so says your NT 
(see 1 Cor.10:1-2).  Israel was the "church in the wilderness" - the Old
Testament(OT) church of God (Acts 7:38).  It is written:
"Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how
that our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the
sea.  And were all BAPTIZED unto Moses in the cloud and in the
sea."

             IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?

     We are saved by Christ's LIFE - His Spirit in us (Rom.5:10;
8:9,11). How do we RECEIVE that Spirit of life?  God inspired
Peter to tell us: ".....REPENT and be BAPTIZED.....and you shall
RECEIVE the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
     God is a God of principle and order. He lays down the rules.
He is the one in charge of things and not ourselves. He says His
thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways (Isa.55:8,9).  He
does require us to perform TWO basic things to be saved -
1) REPENT  2) BE BAPTIZED.  Then He says He will give us the
Spirit of LIFE that saves.
     John the Baptist knew Christ had no need to be baptized. But
what did Jesus say?  He said this: ".....Suffer it to be so now;
for thus it becomes us to fulfil ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Mat.3:15).
     You may ask: What is righteousness?  The Bible answers:
".....ALL thy COMMANDMENTS are RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Psalm 119:172).
Being BAPTIZED is RIGHTEOUSNESS!  It is a COMMANDMENT of God. 
Peter was inspired by God on that day of Pentecost to TELL
people WHAT TO DO when they asked him what they should do. 
Christ also set us an EXAMPLE that we should do as He did 
(1 Peter 2:21).

     Further, to the importance of this ordinance, we have more
words from Peter.  "Christ also has once suffered for sins, the
just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God; being put to
death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit......
the LIKE FIGURE whereunto even BAPTISM does also NOW
SAVE US.......by the RESURRECTION of Christ" (1 Peter 3:18-21).
     
     Baptism is a command of God. It is part of His righteousness.  
Christ will not save anyone that He cannot rule over!  "But those 
mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, 
and slay them before me" (Luke 19:27).
     Christ only gives His SAVING Spirit to those who will OBEY
Him (Acts 5:32). 
     Baptism then IS NECESSARY for salvation or to be saved.  Not
that the act itself saves you, for no literal physical work can
save you, (as you are saved by grace through faith and not by
works - Eph.2:8-10), but REBELLING at the will and wish and
command of God earns for you DEATH (Rom.6:23).  A heart and
attitude of WILLFUL "no I will not do it God" puts you out of His
grace and into willful sin, which if not repented of will eventually lead
to the second death in the lake of fire.

     The question is then asked: What about the person who DIES
or is KILLED in an accident etc. BEFORE he/she can be baptized.
Are they then NOT saved?

     God looks upon the HEART, the attitude of mind. If an
individual has be called of God, chosen by God, and is truly
REPENTANT - understands what God basically requires of him, and
WANTS to conform to the will and commands of God, wants to be
BAPTIZED and REQUESTS (possibly they may even die before doing the
literal requesting, but they do so intend to do) to be baptized,
but before they are ACTUALLY baptized they die, God (who is the
one in charge of all things, and has permitted the person to die)
WILL NOT HOLD HIM GUILTY!
     The HEART and MIND of the individual concerned was RIGHT! 
They will be saved!  BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, if an individual
KNOWS what is the will of his Master - the Eternal God - and
STUBBORNLY REFUSES to do His will, then that is REBELLION; 
that is SIN.  For to him who knows to do good and does it not, to him
it is sin (James 4:17).  God will never save such a willful rebellious 
"snub your nose at God" sinner (Heb.10:26-31).

          BAPTISM - SPRINKLING, POURING, SPLASHING?

     What does the word "baptism" mean?  Here is what Strong's
Concordance of the Bible has to say: " 'Baptizo' from 'bapto' - a
prim verb; to whelm - i.e., cover wholly with a fluid."
     Please take the time to look up this Greek word in other
Greek Lexicons and Dictionaries.
     
     Now, does a few "sprinklings" or "dabbings" with water COVER
WHOLLY?  

     Let us look at the examples of the NT and see if we can find
HOW people were baptized.

     "And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway OUT OF
the water......" (Mat.3:16).
     "John did baptize......and there went out unto him all the
land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of
him IN the river Jordan......." (Mark 1:4,5).
     "And John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because
there was MUCH WATER there......" (John 3:23).
     "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went
DOWN both INTO THE WATER, both Philip and the eunuch, and he
baptized him" (Acts 8:38).

     There is not one verse in the Bible that uses the words
"sprinkling, pouring, splashing, dabbing" in connection with
being baptized.  But we do find phrases like "went up.....out of
the water"  "baptized....in the river"  "much water there"  "went
down into the water."
     For a full in-depth technical study on this Greek word for
baptism, I refer you to the SECOND section of this study.

     If baptism could be done merely by "splashing" a few drops
of water over someone, you would not need "much water" and you
would not need a river.  The person doing the baptism in the
river would not have to go "down into the river" nor would the
one BEING baptized.  A cup or less of water from someone's house,
or well, or even the river, would do.  But we CANNOT find any
example, or indication, in God's word that baptism was done with
only a few drops of water.

     The word "baptism" means to COVER WHOLLY.  The examples in
Scripture show us that people were fully IMMERSED in water when
baptized.
     The THIRD section of this study will show you that for a
number of CENTURIES after the start of the NT church of God, even
the popular "Christianity" that became known as the Roman
Catholic Church BAPTIZED by COMPLETE IMMERSION in water, 
AND ONLY MUCH LATER adopted their present practice of baptizing 
with a few drops of water.

                   WHAT BAPTISM SYMBOLIZES

     Paul wrote in Col.2:12, "BURIED with Him in baptism, wherein
also you are RISEN with Him through the faith of the operation of
God, who has raised Him from the dead."
     Again Paul states: "Know you not, that so many of us that
were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His
death......" (going down under the water is symbolic of our dying
as Christ died). He died for our sins - the transgression of the
law of God, see 1 John 3:4; Rom.7:7.  We are saying that by going
under the waters that we will die to sin, that sin will no longer
rule us, and that we accept the death of Christ as our
reconciliatory sacrifice with God, see Rom.5:10; 6:12,14)
"Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death....."
(Rom.6:4).
     Yes, if we DID NOT come up out of the water we would drown -
DIE!  Baptism is AS IF we died - because in actual death we would
be free from sin.  We would not be able to sin.  So our sins -
past sins - sins committed up to the point of going under the
water - are cleansed away, FORGIVEN.  The slate is clean! 
Nothing now stops us from entering God's presence (Isa.59:8-9). 
And it is Christ's DEATH, His shed blood, that gives us
JUSTIFICATION (Rom.5:9).
     
     But Paul does not STOP with Christ's death, and our going
under the water to show we accept His sacrifice.  He goes on to
say, "That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life....."  Coming up out of the watery grave symbolizes our acceptance 
that we will live a new life, where sin no longer reigns but where
righteousness is our desire. Just as Christ was raised from the
dead and is now completely free from even the temptation to sin,
remember He did no sin, but was tempted as we are, see Heb.4:15. 
So our goal and desire is to live a sinless life ".....for if
we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we
shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: knowing this,
that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin......"  (We are not to serve, obey the dictates of sin, the
breaking of the law of God)  ".....Likewise reckon you also
yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto
God......Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body......but
yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the
dead......" (Rom.6:1-13).

     Romans chapter six is one of the main sections of the
Scriptures that give us the MEANING of WATER BAPTISM.  I
recommend you read this chapter in some of the  modern
translations such as the Amplified Bible, Phillips, Living Bible,
and others. 


                 WHEN SHOULD WE BE BAPTIZED?


As baptism is the recognizing of sin - that we have broken
God's law - that we are guilty before God - that we have incurred
the death penalty (Rom.3:23; 6:23) and only Christ's death - His
shed blood - can reconcile, justify us to God (Rom.3:19-25).  As
baptism is also declaring to God that you intend to put away sin
- to change your life from a life of going the opposite to God's
law - to a life of serving the Eternal in righteousness, which is
the keeping of the law (Rom.6:11-13; Ps.119:172).  As baptism
means ALL OF THIS, it should be plain to see that baptism is NOT
FOR SMALL CHILDREN OR INFANTS.

     Baptism is for people who KNOW exactly what it MEANS.  Who
can accept Christ as their PERSONAL Savior; who have COUNTED THE
COST (Mat.10:37-38; 19:16-27; 7:21-27; 13-14; 6:24; 5:17-20;
18:3-4; Mark 4:14-20; 10:28-30; Luke 6:46-49; 14:25-35).

     God gives us no SPECIFIC AGE as to when baptism should be
performed.  There is NO scripture that says: You must not baptize
anyone until age.....such and such.  The examples we have in the
NT are of ADULTS being baptized.  It must be remembered that
in Jewish culture you were an adult at the age of 12 years. 
Jesus at 12 was in the Temple doing "His Father's business" (as
He told His mother Mary) when His mother came looking for Him, as
He had not followed them to their home after observing the feast
of the Passover (Luke 2).
     Jesus never sinned, so it is written.  What He did on this
occasion was not dis- honoring His physical parents.  He was
regarded in their culture to be an adult, as He was now 12 years
old.  To us this may seem very strange and may seem to be still
very young, yet in a religious home as Jesus would have been
raised, the amount of maturity for a twelve year old would have
been considerably more than most average twelve year old
youngsters in our Western cultures.  Most marriages took place in
Jewish societies during the middle teenage years. It was counted
a family shame if a daughter was not married by the age of
eighteen.
     So under certain situations it is quite possible that a
teenager could be CALLED and CHOSEN by the Lord to His Spiritual
family and Kingdom.  Jeremiah was but a child (Jer.1:6-7) when
called by God.  The phrase is understood by some chronologists as
Jeremiah being in his teens when called.  
     In our Western Nations the average person does not reach
maturity of mind until in their late teens or early 20's as a
general rule of thumb, BUT like many other things there are
exceptions to the rule.  Each must be taken on an individual
basis.  Between Spirit filled parents (or parent if only one is
baptized) and the Elders of the church, knowing the youth,
studying the counting of the cost with the youth, praying and
even fasting about the situation, the Spirit of the Lord will
lead to ascertaining if this person is ready for baptism or not.

     After a person is brought by God to REPENTANCE (see 2
Tim.2:25; Acts 11:18), how long should they wait BEFORE they are
baptized?  The Ethiopian eunuch was brought to repentance and
belief in Christ as personal Savior with one sermon (of course
he was already a reader and observer of the word of God as best
he understood, as the context makes clear) by Philip.  And Philip
baptized him IMMEDIATELY (Acts 8:26-39).

     Peter said: "....Repent, and be (then after be)
baptized...." (Acts 2:38).  Baptism should take place in the life
of a mature adult, as soon as REAL REPENTANCE is clearly
discernible by those who are going to perform the ceremony or are
responsible for having others perform it (Paul stated did not
baptize very many but others baptized those God called through
his teaching and preaching - see 1 Cor.1:14-17).

    
                 WHY SHOULD WE BE BAPTIZED?

     Peter was inspired to say on the Day of Pentecost (the day
that God poured out His Holy Spirit on the NT church - Acts
2:1-4),  "......Repent and be baptized every one of you......and
YOU shall receive the GIFT of the HOLY SPIRIT" (Acts 2:38).
     God is a God of ORDER.  He is not a God of CONFUSION (1
Cor.14:33).  He told the church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38) DO
THIS, and I will DO THIS for YOU!  Obey Him and He told them He
would  BLESS them!  If they DISOBEYED then they would NOT be
blessed, but would have CURSES! (Deut.28:1-68).
     God tells us through Peter - REPENT and be BAPTIZED, and
THEN I will give you the Holy Spirit.  THAT'S THE ORDER friends.
I did not write it. It's been in your Bible for nearly 2,000
years.  Those are the TWO basic and general CONDITIONS that God
lays down to receive His GIFT.  It is a one, two, three, general
process.  God does not leave it up to us to decide how we shall
receive His Spirit.  He PLAINLY TELLS us HOW!  All we can do is
either obey or not obey.  But He even tells us that He gives His
Spirit ONLY to those who have the heart and mind attitude of
OBEYING Him (Acts 5:32).

     Why do we need God's Spirit?  Paul answers: ".....Now if any
man HAS NOT the Spirit of Christ, he is NONE OF HIS.......If the
Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead DWELL IN YOU, He
that raised up Christ from the dead shall also QUICKEN (make
alive) your mortal bodies by His Spirit that DWELLS IN YOU"
(Rom.8:9-11).
     Unless we have God's Spirit IN us we CANNOT be saved, for we
are saved by His LIFE (Rom.5:10).
     God's Spirit is Christ IN US (living His life again within
us - His mind in us - Phil.2:5; Gal.2:20).  It is the POWER of
God to enable us to do His will (Acts 1:8).  It is God's LOVE
flowing from Himself and Christ into us.  It enables us to keep
His commandments (Rom.5:5; 1 John 5:3).  God's Spirit LEADS to
TRUTH (John 16:13).

WE NEED TO BE BAPTIZED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE GOD'S SPIRIT, 
AND SO BE SAVED (see also Acts 19:1-6).

                       A GOOD QUESTION

     Someone is bound to say: But what about Cornelius and the
Gentiles; did they not receive God's Spirit BEFORE being
baptized?

     Yes, they did!  But let's read the whole context and
understand the circumstances.  It will become plain to see that
God was telling Peter and the Jews that the Holy Spirit
was now available to EVERYONE - Jew and Gentile!  Remember, the
way of God, His covenants, promises, were ONLY given to Israel
under the OT (Rom.9:4).  A Gentile could become (under the old
covenant law) an Israelite by being circumcised, adopting
the religion of Israel and living among the nation of Israel. 
The Gentile nations as a whole, were NOT GIVEN God's truth or
ways or His Spirit (Eph.2:11-12), even in Israel, it was only the
few that were given God's Spirit (see Num.11).
     God was here, showing the Jews and the NT church that His
Spirit and Gospel was NOW to go to all the world (Acts 11:1-18;
Luke 24:46-47).  He told them this by sending down His Spirit on
those Gentiles in a somewhat similar manner as when He poured it
out upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.
     This was a SPECIAL TIME in history.  It was a FIRST!  It had
to be SHOWN in a SPECIAL WAY.  Or shall I say, God chose to show
it in a special way.  God wanted Peter and the other Jews to
CLEARLY UNDERSTAND God's PLAN and purpose!
     Notice!  After the Lord poured His Holy Spirit on those
Gentiles, Peter STILL said they should be BAPTIZED! (verses
47-48).

     If God did, for a SPECIAL reason, (or for no special reason
but that He is God and can make exceptions to the norm if He
chooses), give His Spirit to an individual PRIOR to baptism -
that individual would STILL be commanded to be BAPTIZED.  That is
the CLEAR teaching in this example.  If he refused, it would be
proof that he really never did have God's Spirit in the first
place, but some other spirit from another spiritual power, that
is in REBELLION to the will and ways of the true Almighty God. 
For as we have before proved, those with the Spirit of God will
OBEY that God, just as Jesus did, who was baptized when He had no
need to be baptized, but He would as He said, fulfil all
righteousness.

     God's OVERALL teaching is - 99.9% of the time - a ONE, TWO,
THREE step!   REPENT,  BE BAPTIZED, THEN receive the Holy Spirit!
     Now, there is also a difference between God's Spirit LEADING
a person and God's Spirit being IN a person.  Everyone whom the
Lord calls to repentance and His truth is being LED by the Spirit
(1 Cor.2:11,14; 2 Tim.2:25).  But AFTER baptism God's Spirit is
IN (UNITED WITH, AS AN EGG AND SPERM BECOME UNITED IN 
HUMAN REPRODUCTION) THAT PERSON (Rom.8:11). The person is 
BEGOTTEN again (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3) by the resurrection and LIFE of Christ. 

     This is, as I have stated, the OVERALL way of the Lord, BUT
as He is God, He can make EXCEPTIONS to the rule of things, or
the norm.  But in this we must be careful that we do not make the
exception  the rule, or the rule will become the exception, and
we will have turned black into white, and put the cart before the
horse. 

     We need to be baptized in order to receive the Spirit of God
that is the LIFE of God, that IN us will give us the gift of
Eternal life in the Kingdom and family of our heavenly Father.

               BY WHOM SHOULD WE BE BAPTIZED?

     Jesus Christ did not baptize one single soul!!  "The Lord
knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized
more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself baptized NOT, but
His disciples)" (John 4:1-2).  
     Paul only baptized a relatively few!!  ".....for Christ sent
me NOT TO BAPTIZE, but to preach the Gospel" (1 Cor.1:17).

     When Christ's disciples were baptizing they were doing it by
His authority. They were His agents, acting on His behalf.  They
were students of Christ - His followers - His servants.  It was
yes, a different situation then, than now, for at that time the
Holy Spirit had not come to fill them. They were technically
unconverted in one sense of the word (Luke 22:31-32; John
16:7-13; Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-4). Yet they were in heart and attitude
committed to the Lord (all except Judas who betrayed Him). 
     The IMPORTANT thing for us to see from all this is that the
person DOING the baptizing represents God to the very best of
their knowledge and understanding at the time. That they DO IT in
the name of or by the authority of, Jesus Christ. That they, and
the one being baptized,  realize it is really Jesus doing the
baptizing but through a human person.  And of course that the one
baptizing does it in the basic CORRECT way, as we have seen, by
complete IMMERSION in water.

     The BAPTISM itself is the MAIN issue and not so much as to
which sincere Spirit filled (coming now to the present, after the
day of Pentecost of Acts 2) person actually performs the rite on
the one desiring to be baptized.
     This then should answer a lot of questions such as: If the
person who baptized me should loose their faith, is my baptism
valid?  
     Quite frankly no human can know what another human may do 5,
10, 20 etc. years from now. God only knows such things.  Your
repentance, conversion, and baptism is NOT dependant on any human
individual.  It only is dependant on the Eternal, and we need to
be ever thankful that that is the truth of the matter.  The
person doing the baptism is not to be looked at in some special
way as being tied to your person relationship with God in heaven.

It is God and Christ that you need ALWAYS to look at from the
beginning to the end, and that will then include your baptism.
     The age of the person doing the baptizing, their height,
their physical looks, their color of hair,  the color of their
skin,  and whatever else about them is physical, is NOT
important.  What IS important is REPENTANCE in the heart of the
one being baptized, and that they are being baptized as an
outward sign to God that they are willing to die to sin and live
to righteousness, as they accept the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

               IN WHOSE NAME IS BAPTISM DONE?

     Should you be baptized in God the Father's name only?  Or
should it only be in Christ's name?  Maybe some would argue it
should be in only the Holy Spirit's name (although I've never met
any such persons).   Or should baptism be performed with a
combination of the above three names?

     Some of the scriptures on this are:

     ".....Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ......" (Acts 2:38).
     "......And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of
the Lord" (Acts 10:48).
     "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5).

     There are to be sure a number of such scriptures as the
above in the NT.

     Then there is:  "Go you therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit" (Mat.28:19).
     Those words were spoken by Jesus, personally.  The debate
and arguing in the churches of God over the years concerning this
question of "in whose name"  has been long and vociferous at
times.  Some want to pit one set of scriptures against others. 
Some want to say Matthew 28:19 was not in the original Greek. 
Still others want to take the majority of verses, so Matthew
28:19 is relegated to the trash pile.
     I have found the harmonizing of all the verses not really
that difficult.  It is quite simple to retain them all and come
up with a basic baptism formula that covers all the bases.  Here
is what I will say (after I have possibly said other things) to
the person being baptized, if I'm officiating the ceremony.

     "As you have confessed that you repent of your sins.  As you
have confessed that you have accepted Christ as your personal
Savior, confessed that His shed blood cleanses you of sin.  As
you have confessed that you desire to die to sin and live to
righteousness, to follow in the steps of Jesus, I now baptize you
in the name of, which is by the authority of, Jesus Christ, into
the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

                   THE LAYING ON OF HANDS

     After the disciples were scattered abroad, Philip went down
to Samaria and preached Christ unto them. Many indeed BELIEVED
and were baptized (Acts 8:4-12).  Yet when Peter and John came
from Jerusalem to them, they discovered that the Holy Spirit had
not come upon any of them.  Notice what is written in verses
15-17.

     "Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they
might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet he was fallen upon none
of them: only they were baptized in name of the Lord Jesus). 
Then LAID THEY THEIR HANDS UPON THEM; and they received 
the Holy Spirit."
     Here we have people being baptized, correctly I might add,
for not one word is said about it not being performed incorrectly
up to a certain point.  Then we are told that when Peter and John
prayed and laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came into them.  

     Another example is found in Acts 19:1-6.

     ".....Paul.....finding certain disciples, said unto them:
Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?  And they
said unto him: We have not so much as heard whether there be any
Holy Spirit.  And he said to them: Unto what then were you
baptized?  And they said: Unto John's baptism.  Then said Paul:
John truly baptized with the baptism unto repentance, saying unto
the people that they should believe on Him which should come
after him; that is, on Christ Jesus.  When they heard this, they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul HAD
LAID HIS HANDS UPON THEM, the Holy Spirit came on them......."
     
     I see no other reason than that these examples as given to
us so that we might know that a very important part of the
baptism ceremony and rite, is that after those being put under
the water have come up from the grave (in type), prayers and the
laying on of the hands of those who have gone before and in whom
dwells the Spirit, is also to be performed, for the receiving of
the Holy Spirit.

             WHERE SHOULD A PERSON BE BAPTIZED?

     Baptism is the complete cover of the person being baptized
by water.  This is the important thing; not WHERE it takes place!
     The COLOR of the water is not important.  The TEMPERATURE of
the water is not important (unless it must be a certain
temperature for health reasons).  It does not matter to God if a
person is baptized in the sea, in a lake, in a swimming pool, in
a deep bathtub, or in a 50 gallon drum, as long as they are
completely immersed in the water for a few seconds.
     The PLACE and the CONTAINER of water is unimportant to God.

            ARE SOME BAPTISMS VALID BEFORE COMING
          INTO THE SABBATH KEEPING CHURCHES OF GOD?

     This can be a large topic, covering many points, and it is
not the purpose of this article to go into detail answering all
the ramifications that could be argued.  I think we
can condense the answer to a few sentences.
     God is the one who calls a person to Himself and to His
truths.  He is looking for a heart attitude in the main.  A heart
attitude of humility and repentance, one that says I want to do
all your will Lord. I want to be led by your Spirit, I want to
obey your commandments, I desire to put away sin, and to live and
follow after righteousness. I desire to grow in grace and
knowledge, to be taught and to be corrected.  
     This is what God is looking for. Then He will lead and teach
and correct error AS HE SEES FIT AND WHEN HE SEES FIT.  There is
no one who can claim 100% knowledge and truth of God's WAY and
PERFECTNESS upon their baptism (outside of course Jesus Christ
when He was human).  No one!  We must all GROW in spiritual
knowledge as we are led by the Spirit into all truth.
     Can God call someone say in the Sunday observing churches,
who sincerely believes Sunday is the 7th day, or is the NT
Sabbath, and observes it accordingly, thinking they are obeying
the 4th commandment.  Can God call them, see their attitude
of mind is correct,  given them His Holy Spirit upon correctly
being baptized, and leave them for A TIME in their blindness to
the Sabbath truth, only to reveal it at a later date to them? 
Yes, I believe God can!  Well, God of course can do anything, for
nothing is impossible for Him, as it is written.  So we should
say, has God done such a thing at times?  I think He has!
     There are, as I've stated before, EXCEPTIONS to the rule. 
Could the question I pose and the answer I've given be an
exception to the general rule?  I believe so.  Please do not
misunderstand.  The Lord will never leave someone He has called
and chosen and given His Spirit to, in sin as concerning His TEN
Commandment law.  He will at some point REVEAL to them their
error, so they can do as the Scriptures admonish, and that
is "become you therefore perfect as your Father in heaven is
perfect" and "grow in grace and knowledge of your Lord and Savior
Christ Jesus."
     Each of these previous baptisms of  persons must be taken
and judged on an individual basis. Time, prayer, meditation,
seeking God's direction and answer to such questions, will net
the desired result for each person coming from that background.
Some, may only need the laying on of hands (it may never have been
done at their baptism).

               SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND BAPTISM

     The young person or adult who was raised in an environment
of righteousness (in a God-fearing family or church) sometimes
has more trouble coming to deep repentance than those who came up
in the "dirt and mire" as we say.  They have been "good people"
have they not?  So what does real repentance mean to them, or how
do they understand what it is?  

     The life of Job will I think help us here.  Immediately, in
the very first verse it is said that Job was BLAMELESS and
UPRIGHT, someone who FEARED God and SHUNNED EVIL!  
Wow, now that  is righteousness for you!  In verse eight God 
even said to Satan that Job was blameless.  No other man alive 
was like him.  Satan answered that it PAID Job to be so - he had 
nothing but good things.  If those "things" were taken away Satan said, 
then Job would curse God.  So the Lord allowed the Devil to strip Job of
most of his physical goods.
     Ah, Job did not do what Satan expected him to do.  And God
still called Job blameless in chapter 2:3.
     Then the Devil was allowed to inflict physical pain on Job;
but he still did not sin with his lips (verses 4-10).
     Job's three friends finally came along and tried to accuse
Job of being a sinner, of clandestinely keeping a great sin
hidden somewhere in his closet. They wanted him to pull it out
and confess it to the whole world, but Job answered them one by
one and showed he was not practicing some secret sin (chapters
4-31). Just look at the righteousness of Job. He would put most
Christians of today to utter shame if they tried to compare
themselves against his standards and righteousness.

     Job never took a bribe (chap.6:22).
     He never committed violence (16:17).
     His prayers were pure (16:17). 
     Job obeyed all of God's commandments (23:11-12).
     He never lied or was deceitful (27:4).
     His heart was clean - it never condemned him (27:6).
     Job helped the poor and fatherless (29:12).
     He helped the widows, the blind, the lame, etc. (29:13-15).
     Job never lusted after a woman (31:1)

     More of Job's righteousness is listed in chapter 31.  He was
in human terms indeed blameless!  God never once said Job lied or
was wrong in claiming to be righteous.  Job was probably the most
perfectly righteous person, next to Christ, who ever lived.
     
     Now, you who have been raised in a God fearing manner, can
anyone say they have NEVER lied, or spoken untruth, never been
angry without cause, never been disobedient or rebellious against
their parents, never been deceitful, never lusted in their mind,
never broken the Sabbath day?  Can you say your heart has never
condemned you?  Have you always been kind, polite, thoughtful,
self-controlled, thankful, giving and serving?  Can you say you
have NEVER had jealousies, resentment, and revenge in your
mind and heart against someone?
     Can you really say with Job, you are BLAMELESS?  I think
maybe not!

     If you are honest with yourself you will have to admit you
are not even close to being what Job was, let alone the perfect
Christ.  And good old Job, well he was not perfect either. For
within and among all his wonderful righteousness he had never
really seen the TRUE PERFECT ALMIGHTY GOD of this universe.
     A fourth friend of Job's finally spoke up and hit the nail
on the head, took the two by four plank and struck him between
the eyes with it.  He showed Job how GREAT GOD WAS and how
little, weak, puny, and insignificant was Job and all mankind
when compared with the Eternal God (chapters 32-37).
     Afterwards, God Himself stepped in and really laid it on Job
(chap.38-41).  The Lord with His Spirit HUMBLED Job;  brought him
to DEEP REPENTANCE!  God helped him come to really SEE with
spiritual insight the AWESOMENESS and PERFECT HOLINESS of  the
one who created all things.  Job came to see very clearly that
all HIS personal righteousness was nothing but FILTHY RAGS when
placed next to the PERFECT POWER, MIGHT, GRACE, WISDOM, and
JUSTNESS of the God of heaven. 

     Job came to the point, as we all must do(if we want to be
saved), where he could say:  "I have heard of you (only) by the
hearing of the ear; BUT NOW my (spiritual) eye SEES YOU. 
Therefore, I LOATHE (my words) and ABHOR myself, and REPENT in
dust and ashes" (Job 42:5,6  Amplified Bible).

     When you get to that point.  When God has given you REAL
REPENTANCE, then you are ready to be BAPTIZED!

               .............................



                   Part  B  follows  next 



                      THE LAYING ON OF
                            HANDS

     One of the principle foundation doctrines of Christ is the
doctrine of "the laying on of hands" (Heb.6:2).  In this study we
shall only concern ourselves with the laying on of hands as it
relates to the receiving of the Holy Spirit in the ordinance of
Baptism.
     There are only THREE clear passages in the NT that connects
the laying on of hands with the receiving of the Holy Spirit, 
They are:  ACTS 8:14-19;  9:10-18;  19:1-7. 
     It is debatable whether the passage in 2 Tim.1:6-7 is
referring to receiving the Holy Spirit or the special gift given
to Timothy through the Eldership (see the Bible Commentaries).

     Let us look at the THREE passages in the book of Acts.

ACTS 8:14-19

     Philip had recently been set apart by the multitude of the
disciples and 12 apostles as one of the "diakonos" (Acts 6:1-7). 
After the persecution in Jerusalem and the scattering of the
church there, he went down to Samaria and preached Christ to
them.  Many believed and were baptized.  The apostles sent Peter
and John to serve and help.  Coming, they found that the Holy
Spirit had not yet come upon these newly baptized persons.  How
they knew this is not related to us.  Why had they not yet
received the Holy Spirit?  They had been baptized in the name of
Jesus!
     From the context of what happened, it would seem that Philip
did not understand that he should have laid his hands on them. 
Notice verse 17, "Then LAID THEY THEIR HANDS UPON THEM, and they
RECEIVED the Holy Spirit."
     It would seem Philip's understanding was limited at this
time. He knew HOW to baptize and WHY to baptize, but he did not
know about the laying on of hands.

     Surely, this specific incident is recorded for OUR
INSTRUCTION today, so we might see that the "laying on of hands"
is a PART of the baptism ceremony to receive the Holy Spirit.



ACTS 9:10-18

     Ananias is sent by God to restore the sight to Paul or Saul
and to BAPTIZE him.  He is shown by God in a vision to "put his
hands on him" so Saul might receive his sight again (verse 12). 
But notice verse 17 and what else is added to this "putting his
hands on him" - the receiving or being filled with the Holy
Spirit! A second example recorded for us of the "laying on of
hands" in connection with  being filled with God's Spirit.

ACTS 19:1-7

     Paul came to Ephesus and found disciples who had not even
heard about the Holy Spirit.  They had been baptized under John
the baptist's ministry.  Paul revealed to them the baptism of
Jesus Christ as the true Christian baptism; and they were
baptized accordingly.  Verse six says, "And when Paul had laid
his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them."

     The above three recorded examples should be enough for God's
children to realize and understand that the doctrine of the
"laying on of hands" is an important part of baptism and the
receiving of the Spirit of God.

                WHEN SHOULD HANDS BE LAID ON?

     Should the laying on of hands be done BEFORE or AFTER
baptism?

     In Acts, chapter 8 and 19, the example given is that of the
laying on of hands AFTER baptism.
     In Acts 9 Ananias laid hands on Paul BEFORE baptism.  But it
is plain to see that in this case the laying on of hands had a
dual purpose.  It was also to restore Saul's sight.  It would be
much easier to baptize a person with his vision than as a blind
man. 
     Of course he may have laid hands on Paul again after
baptizing him, but the record does not inform us of this.

     Two out of three of these examples are AFTER
baptism........yet, these three examples do show us that God is
FLEXIBLE.  He is not bound by strict RITUALISTIC service in
certain special circumstances.
                                     
               WILL THE HOLY SPIRIT BE GIVEN 
              WITHOUT THE LAYING ON OF HANDS?

     In Acts 8 the people of Samaria did BELIEVE.  They had
REPENTED and they had accepted Jesus Christ.  God's Spirit had
worked WITH them - opened up their minds, given them repentance
(2 Peter 3:9; Rom.2:4).  It had led them to the truth about
salvation and Christ (John 16:13; 6:44,65; 16:7-8).  They were
baptized CORRECTLY! But until they had HANDS LAID ON THEM 
the Holy Spirit did not unite with their minds (verse 17).  It was
still WITH them but not IN them.  That is the only way this
passage in Acts can be understood, for it plainly says that they
received NOT (as a begettal) the Holy Spirit until they had had
the laying on of hands.
     But Cornelius and others received the Holy Spirit BEFORE
baptism and the laying on of hands (Acts 10:44-48), some will
say.......and yes, indeed that is so!  What this shows is that
God is NOT BOUND BY STRICT RITUAL.  He is FLEXIBLE!  
When He decides, for whatever reason He decides!  
     This was SPECIAL - Cornelius was the FIRST Gentile to
receive the Holy Spirit.  There CAN BE EXCEPTIONS to the general
rule.  God is in charge of His plan of Salvation, not mankind. 
So, exceptions yes, but the overall rule and instruction stays as
is: 1) Repent  2) be Baptized (which includes the laying on of
hands)  3) YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT (Acts 2:38).

     Question:  If the person doing the baptism does not lay
hands on the one being baptized, and if the one being baptized
does not know about the doctrine of the laying on of hands, but
has repented and accepted Jesus as their personal savior, will
God withhold begetting them with His Spirit, uniting the Spirit
with their minds?

     Answer:  That question cannot with any firmness (by the
examples recorded) be answered in the positive or the negative.
GOD MAKES THAT DECISION!

     Yet, anyone coming LATER to the truth about the "laying on
of hands" should take Peter's admonition to Cornelius and the
others in Acts 10:4 and re-phrase it something like this:  "Can
any man forbid that these should not have the laying on of hands
as we did?"

                  WHO CAN PERFORM BAPTISM 
                 AND THE LAYING ON OF HANDS?

     Is it only SPECIAL people, or only those "ordained" to the
Eldership or Deaconship, who can baptize and lay hands upon
someone to receive the Holy Spirit? 
     I may SHOCK some of you reading this, but I will challenge
anyone to find the NT scripture that gives plain instructions
that it is only an "ordained" person who can baptize and lay
hands on another to receive the Holy Spirit.  Get looking for it,
search the scriptures daily, see if you can find any such
teaching or instruction.  Paul sure had lots of space to write
such dogma in his 14 epistles, but he never wrote one word about
it being ONLY ordained persons that could baptize and lay hands
on people to receive the Holy Spirit.  And none of the other
writers of the NT did either ! 

     Philip, in Acts 8, did not lay hands upon those people he
baptized not because he was not qualified, but because he DID NOT
KNOW he should do so!  That knowledge had not been made known to
him until Peter and John came down from Jerusalem to explain it
to him and to those he had baptized.
     Philip went on after this experience and explanation to
BAPTIZE the Ethiopian eunuch and, now knowing what he knew, he
would have also laid his hands on him (Acts 8:26-39).  Philip was
a servant of God.  He had the gift of God's Spirit.  Was he
qualified to pass on that gift to someone else?  The eunuch went
on his way back to Ethiopia as a baptized Spirit filled child of
God.  Philip was qualified as a true child of God to pass on that
gift of God's Holy Spirit!

     But some may say: Philip was ordained to the "diakonos"
(Acts 6:1-7) and so could perform the laying on of hands and
baptism to receive the Holy Spirit.
     What about the eunuch then?  Are we to suppose he never
shared his faith with anyone in Ethiopia?  Are we to suppose that
God never used him in that part of the world to bring others to
Christ?  Hardly now, it certainly would not seem logical to so
reason.  It is I submit more logical to believe that God had
Philip taken to this eunuch to baptize him (and so receive the
Holy Spirit) so that God could use him to bring others to
repentance and salvation in Ethiopia and other parts of the
African continent.  It is again unrealistic to think that those
brought to baptism in Ethiopia would have to wait for the
laying on of hands by the ordained ministry in Jerusalem.  It is
far more realistic to view this eunuch as a chosen vessel in the
hands of the Lord to spread the Gospel in Ethiopia, to baptize
and lay hands on those whom God would call to receive His Spirit.

     This is all SPECULATION, someone will shout.  Well, let me
show you an example that is part of God's word - no speculation!

     We have referred to this passage already - Acts 8:10-18, but
many MISS an important teaching and lesson from this example,
concerning WHO can baptize and pass on the gift of the Holy
Spirit.

     Notice.........Paul was indeed baptized and received the
gift of the Spirit of God (verses 17,18).  WHO baptized and laid
hands upon him?  Why, it was ANANIAS.  Now, WHO was Ananias? 
Look in your Bible Dictionaries or Bible Hand books.  VERY little
is known about him!  Was he called an "apostle"?  No!  Was he
called an "evangelist"?   No!   Was he called a "prophet"? No! 
Was he called a "deacon"? No! What was he called then?  
     Verse 10,  "And there was a certain DISCIPLE at Damascus."

     Ananias is mentioned ONLY as a "disciple."  He was a
FOLLOWER of Christ; a child of God.  The Greek word here used for
"disciple" is the SAME one used EVERYWHERE in the NT for
"disciple" and means, literally:  "a learner (from "manthano"
to learn, from a root "math" - indicating thought accompanied by
endeavor).  Hence, it denotes one who follows one's teaching, as
the disciples of John, Mat.9:14;  of the Pharisees, Mat.22:16; 
of Moses, John 9:28.  It is used of the disciples of Jesus"
(Vine's Dictionary of NT Words, page 308).

     Now, an apostle is a disciple of Jesus, as is any of the
ordained Ministry or Eldership.  But as NO OTHER DISTINGUISHING
remark is made of Ananias other than that he was a "disciple" in
Damascus, the FIRST and most important logical understanding is
that he was a FOLLOWER - a baptized Spirit filled child of God,
who held no other function or ordained position in the church of
God.
     It was he whom the Lord chose to baptize and lay hands upon
Paul, a man whom the Eternal would greatly use to do His work.

     Summary:  A person that has himself been baptized, had the
laying on of hands, and is filled with the Spirit of God is
qualified, and can be used by that same God to pass on His gift
of the Holy Spirit to other repentant believers.

               .........................

First written in 1983.  Re-written and revised in June 1997.

No comments:

Post a Comment