MY TODAY:
YESTERDAY is the TODAY that is over and I am no longer living in. It should not capture my mind. I am told by the Word of God to press forward and not look behind. TOMORROW is the TODAY that has not been promised or given yet. I can plan for it, but I cannot be confident that I will have it. The Bible says to take not thought or worry about it. TODAY is the TODAY that God has placed in my hands to live in His fullness. TODAY is my TODAY to express His love, kindness and forgiveness. TODAY is my TODAY to share the kingdom of heaven with someone. TODAY is my TODAY to live the GOD-life without excuses or blame. If not TODAY, when? Matthew 6:25 ESV “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:30 ESV But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Hebrews 3:7 ESV Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, James 4:13-15 ESV Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— (14) yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. (15) Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” Hebrews 4:7 ESV again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
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DECEPTION:
First I want to address "the blame game." We as humans LOVE to blame others for were we are emotionally, mentality, financially, relationally, and yes spiritually. Oh, don't get me wrong, I know this is not new, it started with Adam and has been rolling hard for nearly 7,000 years. We seem to feel justified in our actions or lack of them if we can place the responsibility and blame on the shoulders of someone else, like parents, spouse, children, church, Pastor, job, death, Washington DC politics, or God. But, there is one truth we need to hold and hold solid. We will all stand before God one day naked, alone and without excuses. Christians: We can't blame others if we are deceived by bad teaching. We as believers all have the same BIBLE and the same indwelling of the person of the HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore, we have all we need to get instruction, correction and truth. If we are deceived there are 2 truths involved. I know, that is an oxymoron. (1) If I am deceived I had a heart prone to it through laziness, neglect or other traits that allowed others to replace the WORD and HOLY SPIRIT in me. (2). If I am deceived there is close to a 100% chance I don't know it, otherwise I would come out of it. The "see to it" in Col.2:8 places the responsibility of not being captured on me. (Colossians 2:8 ESV) See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Matthew 16:15-16 ESV He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” (16) Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Colossians 1:13-19 ESV He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (14) in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (16) For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (19) For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, Jesus was raised from the dead with a glorified body. This signified His supreme Lordship over death, the grave and sin. Our physical and spiritual death was the natural result of our separation from God through sin. Our Lord settled this once and for all for all who will believe. We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven, His exaltation as Lord to the right hand of the Father, and His literal, physical return the second time for a glorious Church. Jesus now reigns as the immortal, invisible King who will one day establish His rule on earth at the appointed time. Matthew 16:15 ESV He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
The Word teaches us that our Lord Jesus Christ was begotten, not created, very God, truly God, and truly man. He was born of Mary, who was a virgin. He lived a sinless life, died a vicarious and atoning death for the sins of the world, resurrected bodily for our justification, and now reigns in glory until all things be put under His feet. The Son is the Word flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the Father from the beginning. Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. Jesus lived a life without sin and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Dying on a cross, He shed His blood for the forgiveness of every person's sin. He died physically on the cross but He did not die spiritually. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not need to be "born again", but died and paid for our sin nature so that we could be born again. He was not chained or tortured in hell, but went there victorious over sin, death and the grave and revealed eternal judgment to the kingdom of darkness. He arose from the dead after three days and three nights to show His power over death, sin and the grave. He ascended into heaven where He lives to make intercession for all believers. He will return one day as He went, to establish His eternal Kingdom upon the earth. REWARD #1 Riches, Honor, and Life
Okay, God's Word says this. The rewards of developing the fear of the Lord are emphasized throughout Scripture. Having the fear of God is a requirement for riches, honor, and life. A person may have worldly riches, honor and life, but they are a fleeting pleasure that will wane away. This may not mean that we will be millionaires, but it does mean that we will not suffer lack or need of any good thing. Proverbs 22:4 ESV The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Psalms 34:8-10 ESV Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (9) Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! (10) The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Psalms 112:1-3 ESV Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! (2) His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. (3) Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. We should not be struggling to walk as moral individuals, looking and sounding like what we think Christians should be like. The fruit of righteousness should be naturally hanging from our lives.
John 15:4-6 ESV Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (6) If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. Much of the current preaching today admonishes us to obtain and hold on to our "ticket to heaven" simply by "praying this prayer." However, is this the message of the cross and salvation? Belief in the Biblical teachings of the blood atonement and the resurrection from the dead must go beyond "pray this prayer" to be what God defines as "saving faith." But what is the fruit? There has been way too much preaching and teaching that hell is only for the demons and that none of mankind will go there, because God's love is greater than His judgment. There has been too much preaching and teaching concerning the possibility of a "second chance" for salvation if we miss the first one. This means that if we miss it here it's okay because we will have another chance to be saved either right after the "rapture," if Jesus returns in our lifetime, or during the judgment time. There are no Scriptural evidences that God's "saving grace" operates during the judgment period. There is also NO saving grace taking place after we die. The reason I felt a need to share this is because of some of our media inputs about how God operates. In most westerns or older movies when someone dies the preacher or someone speaking over the gravesite always prays that the Lord would kindly receive them into heaven. A lot of funerals today are like this. It is like a concerned uncle (the preacher) is sending his niece or nephew (the deceased) to Grandfather's (God), house (heaven) to enjoy a long extended vacation. But what is the fruit? Remember, the gospel message is good news/bad news. The good news is the message of salvation to all who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. The bad news is the judgment of God for all who reject and/or walk away from the good news. The penalty for not abiding in Christ is that we will be removed, cut off from the Vine about the Jn.15:4-6 passage we read earlier. Many go through life with the hope of being allowed admission someway into Paradise when they die, but they are not abiding carefully and consistently in Christ with a heart of continual faith. We do not have to strain to bear fruit. The fruit of godliness is the natural result of abiding consistently and continually in Christ. God is not looking for us to strain to be moral people. He is looking for the fruit of righteousness that should be naturally hanging from our lives. In the following Scriptures we see the O.T. Gospel. Jesus was preached in the O.T. and the Apostles used those Scriptures to preach in the N.T.
When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. (Acts 28:23 ESV) Think about this Scripture in 28:23. There were no written New Testaments for the Preachers to carry around. Paul was explaining our Lord Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God from Old Testament Scriptures. Yet today, we have Pastors who would say it is not necessary to study the OT because it has been done away with. Really? Paul was using the Law of Moses, the first 5 Books of the OT and the Prophets, the rest of the OT to explain the birth, life, death, resurrection, and current role of our Lord Jesus Christ. Incredible. The OT is the shadow and the NT is the substance. Both are needed. In fact John and our Lord Jesus Christ said something about OT Scriptures. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:22 ESV) What Scripture did they believe? The NT had not been written yet. They were preaching Jesus from the OT. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38 ESV) Look at that Jn.7:38 passage. They were believing on Jesus as the OT spoke about Him. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. (Acts 28:24 ESV) We have the same problem today as spoken about in 28:24. Some will believe and others will not. These are religious leaders that verse 24 is addressing. Yes, it is sad but true, put every Sunday there are pulpits all across America that are being filled with lost preachers. They have a social gospel, a cultural gospel, or a feel-good self-help gospel, all of which are not gospels. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: (Acts 28:25 ESV) In verse 25 we see then what we see today, the Word gets preached and people make up their own mind with their own opinions about the Word of God. It is so easy to say in ignorance, "I disagree." “‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” (Acts 28:26 ESV) For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ (Acts 28:27 ESV) The problem: Seeing they do not see, hearing they do not hear. The discipling of our Heavenly Father.
THE FEAR OF GOD: Defined The next study I actually get into the rewards of walking in the fear of God. I wanted to continue one more study on defining the fear of God, along with sharing about the discipling hand of God. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin. We as believers say at sometime that we love God. But it takes God to love God. He loves Himself through us. I loved Him because He first loved me. (1 Jn.4:19). None of us can possibility love God with our four fleshly loves like God can love Himself through us. The same is true with hating sin. We may all have said at some time in our Christian walk that we hate sin. Most of the time we may have been talking about the sin in the world, or in someone else. We may have actually said or thought that we hate the sin we see in our own lives. However, Just like we can't love like God loves, we also can't hate the way God hates. God hates sin. He hates it so much that He sent His Son to die for us to redeem us from the sin nature and the power of sin over us. When we learn the fear of God we will find that our hatred of sin increases. The Father disciplines us for the same reason our earthly fathers should have disciplined us, to modify behavior. With our earthly father it was to modify moral behavior. It was so that we would talk and act the way our earthly father believed we should. But there were no standards because each earthly father had their own view of what to discipline and what was acceptable behavior. With God the discipline was to modify righteous behavior. It was so that we would think, say, and act the way our Heavenly father does and in alignment with both His Word and His character. The joy of this is that the standard is absolute. The same standard the Father set for you, He set for me. That which is acceptable behavior is that which looks like Him. In this He is forming His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ in us. Hebrews 12:5-11 ESV And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. (6) For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (7) It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (8) If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (9) Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (10) For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (11) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God’s discipline or chastening of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. As children, the fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him. It is not being afraid of God but in awe and reverence, fear His holy presence in the midst of a disobedient heart. I AM saved...I AM BEING saved...I WILL BE saved.
John 15:1-2 ESV “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. (2) Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. The teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles focused on three things: (1) Justification: How do we gain eternal life, which requires receiving Christ. I AM SAVED in my spirit-man; (2) Sanctification: Continually walking in righteous behavior with a life of faith and growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I AM BEING SAVED in my soulish man, (how I think, how I feel, and how I choose). (3) Glorification: The final act of salvation and rewards in the Day of the Lord, in the day when our Lord Jesus returns to earth. I WILL BE SAVED in my physical man as I put off the mortal and put on the new immortal body. I put off that which is corrupted and put on that which is incorruptible. Although there are some Scriptures giving limited revelation on the subject about what happens to us when we die, most Scriptures are about how we should live here now. There are ample Scriptures with the emphasis on what happens to us when the Lord Jesus returns and the world as we know it ends and the new heaven and earth is established. However, the majority of both the Old and New Testaments cover the subject of us living a life of righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God in this present world. This is learning to abide in God's Word and to abide in Christ. When the Apostles of the Lamb preached salvation they were speaking of not being destroyed in the Day of the Lord. The message of salvation was not meant to be a "feel-good" message. The reason that the gospel is "good-news" is because if we receive it we miss the "bad news" which is the judgment of God. Acts 24:24-25 ESV After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. (25) And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” The reason for Felix trembling was due to the conviction of the Holy Spirit about judgment. Felix would not have trembled at the salvation message preached in many places today which is only about the love of God. The salvation message must also include the judgment of God for those who reject God's grace. Romans 2:4-5 ESV Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (5) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. We would not stress this point except that it has a direct, practical bearing on how we live in the world. If we think of the Christian redemption as just being a plan for escaping Hell and having admission into Heaven when we die we do not understand the absolute necessity for abiding in Christ in our present life. We live in a society that is reward motivated. This is not new, just different motivations. I just finished 11 studies on my webpage blog and on facebook on the fear of God. Now I want to address the rewards of seeking, embracing, and walking in, the fear of God. First I will give a short definition of the fear of God. It was also associated with the first time the word "worship" was used in the Bible.
Genesis 22:5-6 ESV Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and WORSHIP and come again to you.” (6) And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. Genesis 22:12 ESV He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you FEAR God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” THE FEAR OF GOD: defined The believer's fear of God is a holy awe and reverence of God. It is realizing that God is love and that along is greater than our minds can absorb. However His justice and judgment are as great as His love and that is also terribly beyond our comprehension and understanding. The consuming fire of His judgment is equal to the fire of His Holy presence. Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, (29) for our God is a consuming fire. This reverence and awe is exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe. ABIDING IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: Being formed into Christ and having Christ formed in us. (Part 2)3/22/2019 We can set under a preacher's teachings for so long, through church attendance, tapes, DVD's, TV, Internet, and other forms of media that the preacher/teacher becomes formed in us. This is certainly not to downgrade the ministry of the Pastor Teacher's role in our lives and the importance of the Word of God that is brought forth. it is about who is our point of focus and who is being formed into us and who are we being formed into. It was not the Apostle Paul's goal to have everyone to become like him. Although he wanted them to embrace the doctrine God had imparted to him, it was Paul's desire to see believers walk like, talk like, think like and live like the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are called to be formed into Christ and to have His life formed in us. This is part of the process of learning to abide in Christ. This will not happen overnight, or in a month, or year. It is a lifelong process that starts with us hearing the Words of our Lord. This means that sometimes we must filter the words that are spoken that are not Biblical, not spiritual, and does not align with the character of our Father. Until then we need to hear. If we wait until the one who is speaking, teaching, or preaching is fully formed in us before we listen, we will never hear anything. In other words we keep the words of our Lord until He is completely formed in us. Galatians 4:18-19 ESV It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, (19) my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! Romans 8:29 ESV For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. In the process of having Christ formed in us we will gain a truth of the Word of God. In our minds we may think it is the total truth concerning a passage of Scripture or a Bible figure or a topic or doctrine within the Scriptures. It may take years for us to realize that what we heard and read we were only able to understand and embrace a portion. The truth should continue to grow in us as we continue the process of abiding. The danger comes when we plant a fence around our small particle of truth and declare that we shall not be moved. The hearing of truth stops and the growing stops. Every time I keep thinking I’m about “there” in my life I find that I go through a set of new doctrine changes, and a maturing process. I look back to who I was 15, 20, 30, or 40 years ago in Christ and today I have a hard time listening to some of the preaching and teaching I listened to back then. I have a hard time listening to myself in the teachings I gave 30 years ago, because I’ve changed so much. Yet, if asked 20 or 30 years ago I would have stated that I believed that I had it all together. The issue in remaining in a state of abiding in Christ is to test the Spirit. Is Christ residing there on the inside and is Christ speaking or are the words I'm hearing are a small truth wrapped with the doctrines of man and religion? Is Christ moving in the my spirit or is my flesh being tickled and appeased? If you have been with me any length of time or have heard me teach or have read anything I have written, you will occasionally hear my “old man” come through. Don’t judge the Word of God or the Holy Spirit in me on the basis of my “old man.” If we tune into the Person of the Holy Spirit, He will guide us and continually teach us and move us from faith to faith, grace to grace and glory to glory. We have no need of any man to teach us because we are sons and daughters. But God uses teachers and evangelists and prophets and apostles and pastors in the body as an avenue where by the Holy Spirit might teach us. That’s why we need to listen to the Spirit first. QUESTION: "Do you know how you can tell when something is an idol in your life?"
ANSWER: "By how big a fight you put up when it's challenged or been taken from you." Many of the things we fight over are likely idols in our lives. We get angry when something we adore is challenged, taken from us or when we fear that it might be taken from us. Matthew 4:10 ESV Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Ephesians 5:5 ESV For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 1 John 5:21 ESV Little children, keep yourselves from idols. ENCAMP AROUND ME OH GOD: Psalms 34:7 ESV The angel of the LORD encamps around those who FEAR HIM, and delivers them. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD: This could refer to any of God's messengers however in most cases it refers to the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ known in the Old Testament as WORD. ENCAMPS: This literally means that He pitches His tent. In doing so it also means that He defends and protects. When the Angel of the Lord encamps around us it is like having a heavenly army surrounding us. He camps as our guard. WHO FEAR HIM: Those who fear God are those who are His true friends. To fear means to stay in a position of awe and reverence of the One Most High ready to be obedient to WHATEVER the Lord demands even if it means giving up your most cherished and prized possession or loved one. Genesis 22:10-12 ESV Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. (11) But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." (12) He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." Father, we love Your visitations, however we desire more. We desire Your habitation among us. Come and dwell among us as we lay our lives down together. Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV (19) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (20) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, (21) in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (22) In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place (A HABITATION) for God by the Spirit. God the Father has planted a Vine. He is watching over it and taking care of it. John 15:1-2 ESV “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. (2) Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. The Vine is spiritual in nature however its fruit is visible in the earth. The fruit of the True Vine is righteousness and praise, and the fruit will appear in the sight of the nations of the earth. Isaiah 61:11 ESV For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the True Vine. We Christians are the branches which have been grafted in. Romans 11:16-19 ESV If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. (17) But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, (18) do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (19) Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” God is looking for the fruit of righteousness in our lives, the fruit that is the image of His Son. The image of Christ is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This is called the fruit of the Spirit but these are also the characteristics of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Kingdom of God. The fruit of the Holy Spirit are not emotions "fixed" in us by God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and His indwelling Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is God's nature. It is who He is. And He did not send His Son to die so that we (Old Adam) can be "fixed. He sent His Son so that we (the nature and ways of Old Adam) can be replaced. As we learn to abide IN Christ His Godly image begins to appear in and through our personality, changing us, and also in the personalities of those to whom we are ministering. In this abiding and bringing forth fruit, we are bringing forth the righteousness and praise, and the godliness of the Kingdom, in our own lives and in the lives of others. As the Father has joined us to Christ we bring forth the fruit of righteousness of Christ in our lives. When the nations of the earth witness our righteousness in word, deed, and thought they will glorify God. God has called us to be the moral light of the world. He has called us to be the seasoning, the preserving, and the thirst causing result of being the salt of the world. If we do not exhibit the Father's righteousness and praise in our life, God will remove us from Christ. John 15:2 ESV Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Matthew 3:10 ESV Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 15:13 ESV He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Matthew 21:18-19 ESV In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. (19) And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. Luke 8:13 ESV And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. Romans 11:18-22 ESV do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (19) Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” (20) That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. (22) Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. We believe that all of God’s people are to be buried with our Lord Jesus Christ in the waters of baptism, following their conversion experience. We declare that any water baptism prior to a salvation experience of receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is an unbiblical religious activity and carries no spiritual significance. If someone was baptized before salvation, the only thing achieved was getting wet and embracing a false religious activity with false assurance.
Baptism in water is by immersion only, and is a direct commandment of our Lord for true believers only. Water baptism is an ordinance, meaning a command to be followed and is not a sacrament meaning that it does not carry any saving qualities. Water baptism buries old Adam and the Adamic nature and is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. We believe that water baptism is the obedient response to the command of the Lord. 1. Baptism is a command. Everyone who confesses Christ should be baptized. 2. The English word "baptism" comes from the Greek words “bap'to” which means to overwhelm with water and "bap'tiz'o" which means to fully overwhelm or make fully wet. This is done through complete immersion, and not sprinkling. 3. Baptism represents a burial of the old way of life and mindset. 4. Coming up out of the water after baptism represents when Christ rose from the dead. For us it means that we are making a choice to live out the "new man" and the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. Baptism is not a prerequisite to salvation. 6. It is an unbiblical religious activity to baptize infants and to baptize those who have not been saved. 7. Baptism is to be participated in when the concept it represents can be fully understood by the participant. 8. We baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in accordance with the Scriptural record. Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; 8:36-39; 19:1-6; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12 |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
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