It is truly possible for a person to know that he/she is saved and is ready to meet God. In fact, God intends and desires us to have this assurance.

First, Paul shows very clearly that the man outside of Christ cannot live the Christian life. He said, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good {is} not. For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish” (Rom 7:18-19). It is essential for one to understand that it is not the condition of the Christian that is here described. A failure to understand this may lead to the repulsive error of Calvinism which contends that one may serve God with the spirit while at the same time practicing sin with his body. The condition Paul describes in these verses could never be true of the Christian. The Christian is not “carnal and sold under sin?” » Continue reading “Can A Person Really Know That He Is Saved?”

At the very heart of the gospel message is the Cross of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, “But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:23-24). One of the reasons Jesus died and shed His blood was to establish redemption for mankind. Paul in writing to the church in Ephesus said, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph 1:7).

One of the great unchanging, immutable, principles of the Divine Government is the truth that, “without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” The Hebrew writer pointed this out when he wrote, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb 9:22). » Continue reading “At What Point Does The Blood Of Christ Save Us?”

The charge is often made that baptism is excluded from the plan of redemption because it is a “work.” And since no one is saved by “works” (Eph. 2:9), baptism cannot be essential to salvation.

Is baptism a meritorious human work? Absolutely not. It cannot be a meritorious human work because our Lord commanded it when He said, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

The Bible clearly teaches that we are not saved by works (Titus 3:4-7; Eph. 2:9). Yet the Bible also clearly teaches we are saved by works (James 2:14-24). Since the Bible does not contradict itself, it is obvious that two different kinds of works are under consideration in the above passages. » Continue reading “Is Baptism A Human Work?”

Most people are not aware that infants are sprinkled, calling it baptism, because of the doctrine of Total Hereditary Depravity. Walter Conner, in his book Christian Doctrine, a presentation of Baptist theology for ministers and laymen alike, states:

“…makes it not only possible that he may sin on account of his power of choice, but certain that he will sin on account of his moral weakness and inherent tendency toward evil. This depravity of man’s nature is inherent and universal…but in saying that depravity is inherent in human nature is meant that man as fallen is born depraved.”

» Continue reading “Do Infants Need To Be Baptized?”

In the article “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”, it was pointed out that the gospel of Christ was preached in every case of conversion in order to produce faith. As that faith builds in our hearts it leads us to repent of our sins and that is made known by the confession of our faith in Jesus Christ. That faith finally culminates in what the Bible calls the new birth, baptism. It is from this watery grave that one rises to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3-4).

Those who attempt to refute the teaching of the Word of God regarding conversion often respond to this evidence by stating, “But what about the thief on the cross? He was saved without being baptized!” » Continue reading “What About The Thief On The Cross?”

Baptism is commanded by Jesus Christ. In the Great Commission Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20 NAS). Mark gives this same commission as, “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16 NAS).

The word “baptism” is an anglicized word that was coined in 1611 in the translation of the King James’ Version. Sprinkling was introduced as a substitute for and on a par with baptism at the Council of Ravenna in 1311 and subsequently has been adopted by protestant denominationalism. In the 1600’s when the Anglican translators were confronted with translating the Greek baptizo (and other forms) into English, they found themselves in a dilemma. » Continue reading “Is Baptism By Sprinkling, Pouring Or Immersion?”

One of the least recognized and yet one of the most serious problems of our day is an incorrect understanding of what is involved in a man’s salvation. This is critically important. Misinformation or partial information concerning a business investment may cost a person his money, but it will not cost him his soul. On the other hand, misinformation or partial information concerning salvation will cost a man his eternal destiny in heaven. Therefore, the question, “what must I do to be saved” is undoubtedly the most important of all the questions that a person could ask in relation to his own personal life.

To be “saved,” in biblical terminology, means to be saved from sin, spiritual death and hell, and to be saved unto righteousness, spiritual life and heaven. The word “salvation” in New Testament times was a word with three tenses: » Continue reading “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”

Most of the religious world believes that the Ten Commandments are binding upon people today and that we must obey them. This false idea comes from the fact that people fail to rightly divide the Scriptures as Paul urged Timothy to do (2 Tim. 2:15).

The Ten Commandments are a part of the covenant God made with Israel and gave to them at Mount Sinai (Deut. 4:13; Gal. 4:24). Notice the statement by Moses when he said, “Then Moses summoned all Israel, and said to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn them and observe them carefully. The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, {with} all those of us alive here today’” (Deut 5:1-3 NAS). » Continue reading “Should We Obey The Ten Commandments Today?”

Is there truly a God? How can anyone be sure such a being exists? We believe that the existence of God, and questions such as these relating to it, can be intelligently answered. However, the existence of God cannot be demonstrated to the five senses of man. God’s existence must be accepted by faith just as the writer said, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible” (Heb 11:3). This faith is not blind. The same writer said, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). Therefore, faith is a conviction founded upon evidence, and we believe the evidence for God’s existence is overwhelming. » Continue reading “Does God Really Exist?”

“God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.”

“I may not understand the Bible, but I believe it.”

“You don’t have to interpret the Bible. Just read it and do what it says.”

People make these statements and others like them without realizing that the Bible needs to be interpreted. For example what does a parent do when the Bible says, “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death” (Exod. 21:17)? What is one to do when reading, Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.” » Continue reading “Why Do We Need To Interpret The Bible?”