There's a Song in the Air!

There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky!
There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry!
And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a king!*

One of greatest scenes in all of history is the one of the most silent scenes in all of history. A babe lay in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Perhaps ignorance caused the world to be silent. The angels knew who the child was, and they rejoiced. The world, however, knew not the child, and remained silent.

Though He were a stranger to the world at His birth, it has since been revealed to the world the reason Jesus Christ, the babe in the manger, came to this world. I rejoice when I think of how He came from glory into this wicked world. But, why the fuss? Why do the angels rejoice at His coming into this world? Why do we sing with jubilant voices to celebrate the time when God came to us in the flesh? The rejoicing is done and the fuss is made about the babe in the manger because of who the babe is, and what He has come to do. I wish to focus, in this post, on what the babe in the manger has come to do.

He Came to Seek and to Save that which is Lost
Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

Amazing to me is how so many churches emphasize everything under the sun, except the salvation of the lost. This is supreme purpose for which Christ came. Christ did not come to baptize; He came to seek and to save. According to John 4:2, Jesus Himself did not baptize. Yet, so many churches believe and teach that baptism is what saves the soul from sin. If Jesus did not baptize, why do so many emphasize baptism as they do? Even Paul, according to I Corinthians 1, baptized very few. He declares, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel!” There are churches today that emphasize not merely baptism, but they emphasize what the preacher says before he puts you under the water! How sad. Christ did not come to initiate communion, to baptize, or to wash feet. Christ came to perform an extensive search for the wayward soul, and bring that soul into the fold!

Christ did not come to start a soup-kitchen, though feeding the hungry is something that Christians should do. Christ did not come to make men comfortable in this life. Christ did not come to establish an organization, association, or denomination. If anyone tells you that you must be a part of their denomination to be saved, RUN! Christ did come, however, to save men and women from sin and its penalty, and place them into His church. So many churches today focus on everything except the salvation of the lost. Some churches emphasize building programs, gymnasiums, youth activities, but very little actual outreach to the lost. They attempt to defeat the very purpose of the babe in the manger.

Luke 5:32 – “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

John 3:17 – “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 12:47 – “If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”

I Timothy 1:15 – “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

He Came to Take Away Sins
It is often emphasized that Christ came to save men from hell. That is a correct statement, but it is not a complete statement. Christ did not come merely to save men from hell; Christ came to save men from sin. An angel told Joseph what to name the child, and why. Matthew 1:21 states, “…thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” It is not the will of God that His children be in bondage. His blood has power to deliver; the Holy Ghost has power to set free; the anointing has the ability to destroy every yoke of bondage. Be it the filth of cigarettes, the bondage of homosexuality, the scarlet sin of adultery, the forces of pornography, the curse of abortion, the muck and the mire of drugs and alcohol, Jesus did not come to save men and women, only to leave them in such ungodly conditions! The Son of God came to deliver and set men free!

John 1:29 – “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

I John 3:5 – “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

He Was Born to Die
We say often of great singers, “They were born to sing;” or of great preachers, “He was born to preach.” While some, because of their great talent, were born to do this, or born to do that, Jesus Christ was literally born to die. His mission in life was simply – to die. Of course, to fulfil the plan of God, Christ had to be buried and rise again, but His death had to occur first. In dying, He paid off the account of our offences; in rising again, He justified us, declaring us to be innocent! He was wrapped in swaddling clothes by Joseph at His birth that He might be wrapped in grave clothes by another Joseph at His death! Jesus came to die!

Matthew 20:28 – “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

He Came to Give Life
It is the devil that destroys life; it is Christ that restores life. Jesus said, “The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; but I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it more abundantly.” It is the devil that drags homosexual men down the death-awaiting path to HIV and AIDS; it is Christ who has all power to set them free from that lifestyle of death. It is the devil who drags young women down a path of guilt and immense depression, telling them that abortion is best; it is Christ, however, who can forgive such murderers and give them peace in their hearts. It is the devil who lures young men to pornography, leading them to a life of separation from their families; it is Christ, on the other hand, who can deliver from pornography, and restore families. It is the devil who convinces a man to spend his last five dollars on something to drink, letting his children go to bed hungry; Christ came to set the drunkard free! Christ came to give us life!

I John 3:8 – “…for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

I John 4:9 – “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

He Came to Be a Propitiation for Our Sins
Stated plainly, our sins make God angry. Many in our churches today have such a lax view of sin. But with God, sin is no laughing matter. Because of our sin, the Father required that the only way to pay for sin is death. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” “The wages of sin is death.” But in His love toward us, God sent His Son into the world to bear the wrath of God upon Himself. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, never sinned in word, in thought, or in deed. He never apologized for anything, for it was never necessary.

Because of His sinlessness, and His substitutionary death (that is; He died for our sins, because He did not have to die for His own), the wrath of God is appeased in the work of Jesus Christ. At this point, if you go to hell now, you will go, not merely because of your sins, for they are paid in full. The individual who goes to hell now goes because He has rejected the work of Christ, the work with which the Father is satisfied. For this cause, Jesus said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” God was angry with mankind because of his sins. But the babe in the manger was sent from heaven to take those sins upon Himself, and die for them! This pleased the Father. His wrath was finally quieted. Because of this, those who trust Christ’s work completely are reconciled with the Father. There is no tension between the Father and me, because the cross of Christ silenced the wrath of God. Should you try to appease God’s wrath any other way than the cross of Christ; whether by good living, or by keeping commandments, or by going to church, or by giving in the offering, or anything else; God is still angry with you. The only work that cools his seething anger is the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross. The baby asleep on the hay is there with a mission – to calm the Father’s wrath and reconcile us back to God.

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”**

*Josiah G. Holland
**Charles Wesley

Something to Consider This Christmas

Jesus Christ forsook all the splendors of heaven to be born in this wicked world. Had Christ been born in a palace to reign as a king, He would have taken a tremendous step down to do so! But He went further down than that!

II Corinthians 8:9 - “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Merry Christmas to each and every reader!

Sankey Sang the Shepherd Song on Christmas Eve*

It happened that on Christmas Eve of the year 1875, Ira D. Sankey, to whom God had given wonderful power to sing the Gospel as he worked with Dwight L. Moody, was traveling by steamboat up the Delaware River.  It was a calm, starlit evening, and there were many passengers gathered on the deck.  Mr. Sankey was asked to sing; and, as always, he was perfectly willing to do so.  He stood there leaning against one of the great funnels of the boat, his eyes raised to the starry heavens in quiet prayer.  It was his intention to sing a Christmas song, but somehow he was driven to sing “The Shepherd Song”:

Saviour, like a shepherd lead us:

Much we need Thy tend’rest care;

In Thy pleasant pastures feed us;

For our use Thy folds prepare.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

Thou hast bought us; Thine we are.

We are Thine, do Thou befriend us;

Be the Guardian of our way:

Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us;

Seek us when we go astray.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

Hear, oh, hear us when we pray.

Thou hast promised to receive us,

Poor and sinful though we be;

Thou hast mercy to relieve us,

Grace to cleanse and power to free.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

We will early turn to Thee.

Early let us seek Thy favor;

Early let us do Thy will,

Blessed Lord and only Saviour,

With Thy love our bosoms fill.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

Thou hast loved us, love us still.

There was a deep stillness.  Words and melody, welling from the singer’s soul, floated out over the deck and the quiet river.  Every heart was touched.  After the song was ended, a man with a rough, weather-beaten face came up to Mr. Sankey and asked, “Did you ever serve in the Union Army?”

“Yes,” answered Mr. Sankey, “in the spring of 1860.”

“Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright moonlight night in 1862?”

“Yes,” answered Mr. Sankey, very much surprised.

“So do I,” said the stranger; “but I was serving in the Confederate Army.  When I saw you standing at your post, I thought to myself, ‘That fellow will never get away from here alive.’  I raised my musket and took aim.  I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling on you.  At that instant, just as a moment ago, you raised your eyes to Heaven and began to sing.  Music, especially song, has always had a wonderful power over me, and I took my finger off the trigger.  ‘Let him sing his song to the end,’ I said to myself.  ‘I can shoot him afterwards.  He’s my victim at all events, and my bullet cannot miss him.’  But the song you sang then was the song you sang just now.  I heard the words perfectly,

We are Thine, do Thou befriend us;

Be the Guardian of our way.

“Those words stirred up memories in my heart.  I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother.  She had many, many times sung that song to me.  But she died all too soon; otherwise, much in my life would no doubt have been different.  When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim at you again.  I thought, ‘The Lord who is able to save that man from certain death must surely be great and mighty.’ – and my arm of its own accord dropped limply at my side.  Since that time I have wandered far; but when I saw you just now, standing there praying, as on that other occasion, I recognized you.  Then my heart was wounded by your song.  Now I wish you would help me find a cure for my sin-sick soul.”

Deeply moved, Mr. Sankey threw his arms about the man who in the days of the war had been his enemy.  And this Christmas Eve, the two went together to the manger in Bethlehem and to the Christ of the cross.  There the stranger found Him who is the only Saviour, the One of whom the angel and the prophet sang many centuries ago:

“And the angel of the Lord…said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:9-11

*Taken from Great Preaching on Christmas.  Sword of the Lord Publishers.  Murfreesboro, TN.  ©1988.  pp. 192-193.

O Give Thanks unto the Lord!

Psalm 107:1 – “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Only an arrogant individual will purposely neglect to give the Lord thanks.  Every breath you breathe comes from God Almighty.  Yet there are those who will use the Lord’s air that fills their lungs to curse His holy name.  How low!  How proud!  How coldhearted!  How arrogant!  How disgusting!  I do not know of a sin more gross than neglecting to give the Lord thanks for His many blessings.  Every person reading this has something to thank God for; and most of us have very much to thank Him for.

In Romans 1, Paul speaks of the heathen who commit sins that even beasts of the field know better than to commit.  When reading this chapter, one may wonder, “How does anyone sink so low?”  Paul tells us clearly how a civilized people sink lower than the beasts of the field:

Romans 1:21 – “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, NEITHER WERE THANKFUL; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Paul clearly makes a connection between the grossest sins committable and neglecting to be thankful.  If you are truly thankful toward God, you acknowledge that God Almighty is high above you and your philosophies and ideas.  Being thankful toward God requires submission to the mercies of God.  You realize that God is good in spite of you, not because of you.

I want to use Psalm 107 as my text, and give the reader four things for which I am thankful.

I am Thankful for What God HAS DONE

Psalm 107:2 – “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!”  What a privilege it is to be redeemed from the hand of the enemy!  I am thankful, first, for what God has done.  He redeemed me!  He paid for me with His own blood! 

I have often said that my salvation is as real to me as any possession I have.  I have given my testimony on this blog, so I’ll not expound much here.  But I will mention that nothing is more real to me than my salvation.

At six years of age, I went to a Vacation Bible School at a church located behind my house.  One of the men went from classroom to classroom trying to get children to say the “sinner’s prayer.”  I said that prayer.  However, I did not realize what I was doing.  I was told I was saved, but at that time, I had no genuine salvation experience.  The pastor of that church, who meant well, baptized me a few months later (January 22, 1989).  When a person was baptized in that church, they became a member of the church.  So, at six years of age, I repeated a prayer, got baptized in water, and joined a Baptist church.  But I was lost as I could be!  I was without Christ. 

A few years later, I went to a different Baptist church.  I sat on the front row every service.  I distinctly remember going home after the services, sitting in my room, and something deep inside me telling me I needed to be saved!  That “something” was the Holy Ghost.  The Spirit of God was dealing with me, showing me that I needed to trust Jesus Christ to save me completely.  I would sit in my bedroom, and think about how I needed to be saved.  Then, I would turn it off, saying to myself, “You’ve already said the prayer.  You’re all right.”  Then, I’d forget about it…until the next service.  This went on for a few weeks.  Finally, on March 13, 1994, on a Sunday morning, after the pastor preached a message on the subject of salvation, I went to the front.  I told the pastor I needed to be saved.  We knelt down, and there I placed all my faith in Jesus Christ and was saved by the grace of God!  I am thankful for what God HAS DONE! 

God has done more for me than just bestowing upon me spiritual blessings.  I am thankful for what God has done for me materially.  I am thankful for my health.  I know people younger than I am who have diabetes.  I know people younger than I am who have had heart surgeries.  I am thankful for my health!  I am thankful to God that when I open my eyes, I can see.  Not everyone can say that.  I thank God that I can hear, for that is not the case with everyone!  I thank God every time a bill is due, I have the money to pay it!  Let us not take anything for granted, but “in everything give thanks!” 

I am Thankful for What God Could’ve Done, but DIDN’T DO

Psalm 107:10-13 – “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.”

The psalmist, in the above verses, tell us about a people who sat in darkness, being bound in affliction and iron.  Why are they bound?  BECAUSE THEY REBELLED AGAINST THE WORDS OF GOD!  They were in bondage because of what THEY did!  They “made their bed rough;” now they have to “lie in it,” as the old-timers say.  But notice this – even though they were afflicted because of their own doings, notice what happened.  When they cried unto the Lord, what did the Lord do?  Did He say, “I’m sorry, you’re in bondage because of your own sins”?  No!  When they cried unto the Lord, He saved them out of their distresses!  The Lord could have left these people in their bondage and affliction, and He would have been just in doing so!  But He didn’t!

Likewise, the Lord could have left me in my sins.  BUT HE DIDN’T!  He could have let me go my own way and end up in hell!  Surely, that’s what I deserve!  But He did not do what He rightfully could have done!

I am Thankful for What God CANNOT DO

Psalm 107:20 – “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

“He sent His word!”  When I read this phrase, I am reminded that there is something that God Almighty cannot do! 

Titus 1:1, 2 – “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that CANNOT LIE, promised before the world began.”

Friend, God CANNOT lie.  And I thank Him for this truth!  I do not have to worry about what God said not coming to pass.  If God said it, it absolutely will happen just like God said it would.  God says that He formed man with His own hands out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7).  The atheistic professor says that humans evolved from some non-existent ape-like “missing link.”  Who is the liar in this case?  The atheistic professor is the liar, for God Almighty CANNOT LIE!  God said that marriage is between a MAN and HIS WIFE (Genesis 2:24).  When a liberal says that marriage can also be between a man and his husband; or between a woman and her wife; tell me who the liar is.  It is not God, for God CANNOT LIE!  God said that He knows the baby in the womb personally (Jeremiah 1:5).  When an abortion doctor says that removing a baby from the womb is no different than removing a gallbladder, who do you suppose the liar is?  It is not God, for He CANNOT LIE! 

I am thankful for what God cannot do!  I am thankful that, in a world of change, there is something that is consistent!  What God says will never change!

I am Thankful for What God WILL DO

Psalm 107:29 – “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

“He maketh the storm a calm.”  As sure as you are reading this post, you will face storms in this life.  You have already faced storms, and there will be more.  You will have physical ailments.  You will be betrayed by friends.  You will have financial troubles.  Your marriage will be tried and tested.  Relationships with others will be strained.  I’m not trying to be dismal; I’m trying to be honest.  Storms will come.  They always have, and they always will.  Hard times will come your way.  Get ready for it. 

But know this: “He maketh the storm a calm.”  Even though there are storms that have not yet come my way, I know that God will bring me through them, as He always has.  He will calm the storm!  He may let the storm rage for a while before He calms it, but HE WILL calm the storm.  “He maketh the storm a calm.”  I am thankful for what God WILL DO!

The New Birth - Part 9

What Does it Mean to Believe?

John 3:14, 15 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Arriving now at the most popular passage in the Bible, John 3:16, let us examine the words closely and carefully.  We are clearly told by Christ Himself, “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Here, it is plain that believing in Jesus Christ brings salvation.  But what does it mean to believe?  Allow me to look at, first, what believing IS NOT; and second, what believing IS.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing in God’s Existence

When dealing with the lost, I have had people repeatedly tell me, “Oh, I believe in God.”  Believing in God’s existence is not what the scripture means by believing IN Jesus Christ, or believing ON Jesus Christ.  Notice:

James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

As far as the existence of God is concerned, the devils believe, but they are lost both now and forever:

Jude 6 – “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

The devils believe in God’s existence; yet they are reserved for the judgment of God.  Simply believing that God exists does not produce salvation.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing that Jesus Died on the Cross

Still yet, there are those who adamantly declare that they are ready for heaven because they accept the historical fact of Christ’s death upon the cross.  Again, the Bible is clear that the devil believes that Jesus died!  Every devil in hell saw the crucifixion of Christ take place, and was spoiled by it; yet every devil is lost!

Colossians 2:13-15 – “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers [devils], he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

When Christ died upon the cross, He made a show of principalities and powers, triumphing over them.  The devil himself was there when Jesus died upon the cross.  He witnessed the fulfillment of every scripture prophesying Christ’s humiliation.  The devil was spoiled at the cross!  “Spoiled” is a war term.  When the scriptures declare that the devil was spoiled, this means that the devil lost a war at the cross of Jesus Christ, and Christ openly showed that Satan was a defeated foe!  Of course Satan believes that Jesus died upon the cross, for that is the very place where Satan lost the war.  Yet, Satan is as unconverted as he can be.  You can believe in the historical fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and still be lost.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Obeying God’s Law

Now we come to the other extreme in people’s interpretation of “believing in Christ.”  While some think that believing in Jesus Christ is equivalent to believing in His existence, or believing in the historical fact of His death upon the cross, there are others, however, who go to the other extreme.  They say things like, “Believing is obeying;” and “Faith is action.”  They attest that one must obey God’s laws to be saved.  That, they say, is the true meaning of the Biblical word, “believe.”  They will read you a verse that speaks of believing on Christ to be saved; then they turn to James 2, where James says, “Faith without works is dead.”  Therefore, they conclude that believing on Christ is synonymous with obeying the law of God. The Bible, however, plainly shows that we are justified by believing (or, by faith), and that this faith is completely apart from the law.

Romans 3:20-22 – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”

Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Galatians 2:19 – “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:21 – “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Clearly, the Bible teaches that when we believe, or place our faith, in Jesus Christ, this act is completely apart from the law.  Therefore, “believing in Jesus Christ” is not the same as “obeying the law of God.”  You can obey God’s moral laws, and burn in a devil’s hell. 

So, What is “Believing in Jesus Christ”?

Having seen a few things that believing in Christ IS NOT, I will now discuss what such belief IS.  In this post, I have used the terms, “believing” and “faith” interchangeably.  When the Bible speaks of “believing in Christ,” it is speaking of us placing our faith in Christ.  There are verses that show this plainly.

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by THE FAITH of Jesus Christ, even WE HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Romans 3:22 – “Even the righteousness of God which is by FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST unto all and upon ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: for there is no difference.”

Without a doubt, the scriptures use the terms, “believing in, or on, Jesus Christ” interchangeably with “faith.”

And that is what the scriptures mean by believing IN, or ON, Jesus Christ.  When you believe in Christ, you are not merely believing about Christ; you are not merely affirming historical facts regarding Christ; but you are placing your faith in Christ.  Placing your faith in someone means that you are TRUSTING them. 

Picture this.  I am standing in front of a chair.  You ask me to have a seat.  I continue to stare at the chair.  You ask me again to have a seat.  I respond by saying, “Oh, I believe that if I were to sit down, the chair would hold me up.”  But I keep standing.  When I finally make the decision to sit down, then and only then am I trusting the chair to hold me up.  Many today look at Christ’s work upon the cross, and they say, “Oh, I believe Jesus died on the cross.”  But they are as lost as they can be.  On March 13, 1994, I believed on Jesus Christ completely and exclusively for salvation.  I completely trusted Him and Him alone to save me.  I am trusting Jesus Christ in such a way that the only way I could possibly be lost is if the blood that He shed upon the cross to save me was not enough.  I was baptized in water on April 24, 1994.  But I am not trusting my baptism in water to save me.  If you are trusting the fact that you have been baptized to save you, then you are not believing in Jesus Christ for salvation, and you are therefore lost and on your way to hell.  If you are trusting in church membership, sacraments, law-keeping, commandment-keeping, how much you pray, how much you fast, or anything other than Christ’s work upon the cross to save you, then you are lost at this very moment.  Believe in Jesus Christ today; trust Him completely to save you.  The moment that you let go and cease to trust anything else, and completely place yourself at the mercy of Jesus Christ, He will save you that very moment.  Trust Him now!

The New Birth - Part 8

What Masters Miss

John 3:10 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

Matthew 11:25 – “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”

Continuing our brief study of the third chapter of John, we find that Nicodemus is struggling to believe Christ’s words admonishing him to be born again.  Though he is hungry for truth, Nicodemus is struggling to grasp what Christ is declaring to him.  Here is a master of Israel; a teacher of the law; a well-studied Pharisee; and yet he struggles at the simple command, “Ye must be born again!” 

Allow me to begin by saying that there is no reason for the well educated to be left out of God’s plan.  If you are an intelligent person, then the gospel of Jesus Christ is for you.  No intellectual would be disappointed by giving his life to Christ.  There are depths in God’s word that are so deep that the wisest of Bible commentators cannot seize them all.  And at the same time, a second grader can understand enough about the word of God to be saved from his sin.  I am sure that I study far less than many of my peers.  But I do study.  I find few things as thrilling as digging in the word of God to see what it says regarding Biblical truth.  Yet, the more I study, the more I am amazed at the depth of the word of God.  I have read passages over and over, and find jewels every time I read them.  That is the way the word of God is!  I’ve thumbed through the Koran and the Book of Mormon a few times, and I have yet to find anything deep in either one.  The Bible is far superior to any other so-called “holy book!” 

Nicodemus was not only a religious man, but he was also an intelligent man.  Our Lord referred to him as “a master of Israel.”  Masters, in most cases, like to reveal what they know; Nicodemus, a master of Israel, is revealing what he does not know.  He is a master, yet he struggles at the thought of being born again.  I am amazed how those who you think would grasp the truths of God’s word are the ones who often miss it.  On the other hand, those who you think would incapable of grasping the truth are the ones who take it readily.  The book of John records a few of these instances.  Let us look at a few of them.

The Woman at the Well

In this familiar story found in the fourth chapter of John, Jesus finds himself resting upon a well of Samaria.  Behold, here comes a woman to the well in the middle of the day.  Jesus begins talking to this woman.  To make a lengthy story shorter, Christ offers this woman LIVING WATER.  Immediately, she takes the water from the well of God’s grace.  She was not a Jew.  Her knowledge of the writings of Moses was minimal.  Her knowledge of Christ and His teachings was insignificant, to say the least.  Yet, when Christ offered her the living waters of salvation, she immediately received it with joy.

John 4:28-30 – “The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.”

This woman did not need a commentary on what Christ said; she simply received the words of our Lord. 

Immediately after the woman at the well received the living waters of salvation, the disciples came to the well because they had gone into the city to buy food.  The disciples offer Jesus some of the food they had bought.  Refusing their offer, the Lord informs them, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”  Jesus had just spoken to a heathen woman about the wells of salvation, and she grasped it immediately.  Now, Jesus is speaking to his religious disciples; he is talking to men who have heard him teach; he is speaking to men who saw the water turn into wine.  Surely, they know what Jesus is talking about when He says, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”  Surely, they know that He is not talking about steak and baked potatoes.  However, when Christ declares that He has meat to eat that they don’t know about, they miss it! 

John 4:31-33 – “In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?”

What the heathen woman grasped so easily, the religious disciples missed just as easily!  Jesus had to explain to them what He meant.

John 4:34 – “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”

The Multitude on the Shore

In the sixth chapter of John, we find our Lord speaking to a multitude of people on the seashore.  Immediately, without explanation, they receive the words of our Lord, declaring to Him, “Evermore give us this bread!”

John 6:33, 34 – “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.”

Wasn’t that simple?  Christ said, “I have bread;” and the multitude, who had never heard anything like that before, said, “Evermore give us this bread!”  Wouldn’t it be good if everyone received it this easily? 

In the same chapter, however, Christ speaks to His disciples about bread from heaven.  If a heathen multitude on the shore can understand, one would be convinced that Christ’s own disciples would get it.  But do they understand?

John 6:58-60 – “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

The response of the religious disciples was, “This is an hard saying!”  A hard saying?  It wasn’t hard for the heathen multitude who had never heard it!  I have the hardest time getting the message of salvation across to religious lost people.  Then, I turn around and give the same message to a hardened sinner who has seldom, if ever, darkened the door of any church whatsoever.  It is often them that receive the message of salvation the easiest.

Nicodemus was a master of Israel, but could not grasp, at this point, the message of being born again.  Just because they are religious is no indication that they are receiving the truths of God’s word.

The New Birth - Part 7

Disbelief vs. Unbelief

John 3:9 – “Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?”

Never in the workings of man or the miracles of God has there been a phenomenon as miraculous as the new birth!  Upon hearing, first, of its necessity; and second, of its inability to be explained, Nicodemus answers with this logical question: “How can these things be?”  At this point, Nicodemus is struggling with doubt.  He is having trouble believing.  It appears that Nicodemus desires to believe, but is having some difficulty.  The problem with Nicodemus is disbelief, not unbelief.  Disbelief, or doubt, is a struggling attempt to believe while falling short of believing; unbelief, on the other hand, is an outright refusal to believe.  It is unbelief that damns the soul.  Often, the Holy Ghost will deal with the doubting, disbelieving soul.  It is the soul tainted with unbelief that insults a holy God.  I love what Henry Drummond states concerning doubt and unbelief in his sermon Dealing with Doubt –

“Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief.  Doubt is ‘CAN’T BELIEVE;’ unbelief is ‘WON’T BELIEVE.’  Doubt is honesty; unbelief is obstinacy.  Doubt is looking for light; unbelief is content with darkness.”*

Nicodemus is questioning Christ by asking, “How can these things be?”  Is Nicodemus in a state of disbelief; or is Nicodemus in a repulsive condition of unbelief? 

In our Bible, we have a story where two Bible characters questioned an angel by asking the same question Nicodemus asked – “How can these things be?”  One Bible character was answered respectfully; the other was punished for questioning the angel, who proclaimed the word of God.  The story to which I allude is found in the first chapter of Luke.  The angel Gabriel appears first to Zacharias in the temple.  Gabriel tells Zacharias that he and his wife Elisabeth would bear a son in their old age.  Let us look at the response of Zacharias:

Luke 1:18 – “And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.”

Plainly, Zacharias responded to Gabriel by questioning him.  Now, let us look at the next verse to see what happens next.

Luke 1:19, 20 – “And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.”

Zacharias was punished for questioning Gabriel with the words, “Whereby shall I know this?”  He was to be dumb until the child was born.

In the same chapter, we are told that Gabriel, the same angel that visited Zacharias, visited Mary.  Gabriel tells Mary that she would conceive and bring forth a son.  There was only one problem – Mary was a virgin.  Let us look at Mary’s response:

Luke 1:34 – “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

Mary questions Gabriel, just as Zacharias questioned Gabriel.  Mary, however, was not punished for questioning the angel, as Zacharias was.  In the next verse, we find that Gabriel simply answers Mary’s question respectfully.  There is no sign of rebuke in Gabriel’s response to Mary’s questioning.

Luke 1:35 – “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

The question now looming is this: “Why was Zacharias punished for questioning Gabriel, while Mary was not punished for questioning the same angel?”  The answer is this: The all-seeing eye of Almighty God can see further than just the question; He can see the spirit behind the question.  He knows if your question to Him is one of disbelief or one of unbelief.  He knows whether you CAN’T BELIEVE, or WON’T BELIEVE.  Mary was asking a sincere question, while Zacharias thought the angel’s proclamation laughable.  Mary was trying to believe; Zacharias wouldn’t believe. 

When Nicodemus asked Christ how these things could be, it was a sincere question, as Nicodemus was earnestly seeking Christ.  We have already seen that Nicodemus was so hungry for God that he approached Christ at night.  He could not wait until dawn; he had to be satisfied NOW!  Anyone questioning the Lord from the depths of a hungry heart will find that Christ will continue to deal with them.  And that is exactly what Christ did – He continued to deal with Nicodemus. 

SO WE CONTINUE…

*Drummond, Henry.  Dealing with Doubt.  Taken from Classic Sermons on Faith and Doubt by Warren W. Wiersbe.  Kregal Publications.  ©1985.

The New Birth - Part 6

The New Birth is the Lord’s Doing!

John 3:8 – “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Psalm 118:23 – “This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”

The New Birth is Unexplainable

Having looked at the first seven verses of the third chapter of John, it now behooves us to examine the eighth.  Here, the Lord uses an illustration of nature to describe how that the new birth is unexplainable.  One may as well describe the wind as to explain the experience of a man being born again.  The subject of the wind is meteorological, and most people in our society are well aware that the weather is not predicted accurately on a consistent basis, to say the least.  So it is with the new birth!  Man cannot predict WHEN it will occur; for it often occurs in the least expected of times.  Man cannot foretell WHO will be born again; for many times it is the least likely of individuals who are saved by the grace of God.  Man is incapable of determining WHERE a person may experience the blessed born-again experience; for lost souls have found saving grace at altars in churches, in automobiles, on jobsites, in living rooms, on street corners, in cornfields, and in many other unsuspected places.  No one is competent enough to predetermine the SORTS of individuals who become born again – for this born-again bunch is composed of pauper as well as the wealthy; the bankrupt as well as the banker; the janitor as well as the judge; the defamed as well as the distinguished.  The various backgrounds of born-again believers are derived from all walks of life – atheists have come to the common sense of salvation; third-generation drunkards have staggered their way to God, finding new life in Christ; coldhearted, abortionist murderers have repented of their murders and have found the grace of God to be sufficient for them; sportsmen, businessmen, convicts, drug dealers, and prostitutes have found their way to God.  Muslims have had their eyes opened to the Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews; Buddhists have confessed Christ as the Saviour; there have even been professing Christians who saw that they had not been born again, who have trusted Christ to completely save them from their sins.  Americans, Africans, Asians, Europeans, and individuals from every tribe, nation, and ethnic group under the heaven will join together in unison, declaring that they have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  The new birth, in many aspects, is unexplainable. 

The New Birth is Undeniable

While the miracle of the birth is unexplainable, it is yet undeniable.  Like the wind, which no man can consistently and accurately predict, the new birth contains many aspects that cannot be explained.  These aspects, however, in spite of our inability to explain them, cannot be denied.  While there are many things about the wind we cannot describe, who will walk through New Orleans and defy the fact that the winds of Hurricane Katrina have passed through that city?  Who among the readers of this post will go to Joplin and tell those residents that there have been no stormy winds within those city limits?  While we cannot see the wind; while we cannot consistently and accurately predict the wind; we cannot deny that stormy winds have passed through our acreage. 

So it is with the new birth!  While we cannot explain many of its aspects, neither can we deny its powerful ability to change lives!  I know people personally, who were drinking alcohol when they were born again, and never took another drink!  I know people personally, whose marriages were on the brink of divorce, when they found the Prince of Peace, resulting in the reconstruction of their broken marriage.  I know people personally, who were drug dealers, but when Christ found them, He instantly gave them a new life!  While a person of reason cannot explain the new birth, he can neither deny it!

The New Birth is the Work of God

“The wind bloweth where it listeth!”  There is one remarkable attribute of the wind – man has absolutely nothing to do with it!  “So is every one that is born of the Spirit!”  In all our technological advances, man is still helpless in controlling winds, waves, and weather.  All we can do with regard to coming storms is prepare for them; we cannot stop them! 

I am amazed at how much is INCLUDED in God’s great plan of salvation.  He included justification, redemption, imputation of righteousness, peace with God, adoption, regeneration, forgiveness of sins, joy unspeakable, a friend in Jesus, a place in the body of Christ, and a promise of never being forsaken by Him!  However, there are times when we get so preoccupied with declaring what is INCLUDED in salvation that we forget to mention what is EXCLUDED from the plan of salvation!  Look at what the scripture declares:

Romans 3:24-27 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. WHERE IS BOASTING THEN?  IT IS EXCLUDED. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

Ephesians 2:8, 9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.”

“Where is boasting then?  It is excluded!”  When you are born again, it is completely His work, and it is the result of nothing you have done.  I have heard people brag about their sinlessness, declaring that it is their sinlessness that has saved them.  This is not the salvation of the Bible!  I read a man’s post on Facebook, where he bragged about going twenty-seven years without committing a single sin.  A woman commented on his post, stating that it has been seven years since she committed a sin!  Others boast that they have been baptized in Jesus’ name, and they are trusting in their baptismal experience to save them!  This is not the salvation of the Bible!  Others boast in their good works and sacraments!  This is not the salvation of the Bible!  In the salvation of the Bible, Jesus Christ is solely the Saviour.  Our works do not help Him save us!  Our method of baptism does not help Him save us!  I am saved by God’s grace, and there is not one square of inch of room for me to boast of anything, other than what Jesus did on the cross to save me!  The Lord made sure that when He saved us, He left boasting out of it completely!  We have nothing to boast of; we simply trust what Christ did, believing solely upon Him.  This is not our work, or our doing; it is the Lord’s doing!

John 6:29 – “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is THE WORK OF GOD, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 2:13 – “For IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

If you believe that you are saved because anything of which you can boast, then dear reader, you need to be born again!

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