The Golden Age. The Eternal Sonship of Jesus Christ. What the Bible Says about Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage

Transcription

1 Te Eternal Sonsip of Jesus Crist By Milburn R. Cockrell ( ) Expositors differ as to wat is meant by Divine Wisdom in Proverbs 8: Some understand Wisdom in tese verses to refer to a Divine attribute represented as te companion of te Eternal. To tem Solomon designed only te praise of Wisdom as an attribute of God by wic e made te world and governs it. Te great tings said in tese verses about Wisdom are intended to recommend to men te study of Wisdom. I, for one, am unable to agree wit tis interpretation. In my umble opinion I believe Wisdom personifies te Second Person in te Godead in wom is id all te treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). Wisdom is an intelligent and Divine person in tis passage, for it as personal properties and actions. I believe tat Proverbs 8:22-31 is te most profound description of te glories of te pre-incarnate Crist found in all te Bible. So stupendous is te beauty of te Person of Crist in tese inspired words tat uman language becomes a poor veicle for te expression of tese wondrous truts. Let us take off our soes as we examine tese verses because we stand upon oly ground. VERSE 22 Te LORD possessed me in te beginning of is way, before is works of old. ere we are privileged to see te unnoted and measureless duration wen te ig and lofty One inabited eternity (Isa. 57:15). In tis un-beginning beginning te Fater and te Son were co-existent. Te Son ad a personal existence distinct from God, but unseparable from im and associated wit im. Te Fater possessed is Son in eternity past. Te possessor of eaven and eart (Gen. 14:19, 22) possessed is Son before ever (Continued on page 9) Wat te Bible Says about Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage By Nataniel ille of Plant City, Florida Te Parisees also came unto im, tempting im, and saying unto im, Is it lawful for a man to put away is wife for every cause? And e answered and said unto tem, ave ye not read, tat e wic made tem at te beginning made tem male and female, And said, For tis cause sall a man leave fater and moter, and sall cleave to is wife: and tey twain sall be one fles? Werefore tey are no more twain, but one fles. Wat terefore God at joined togeter, let not man put asunder. Tey say unto im, Wy did Moses ten command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put er away? e sait unto tem, Moses because of te ardness of your earts suffered you to put away your wives: but from te beginning it was not so. (Continued on page 11) Te Golden Age By Artur W. Pink ( ) & Luter C. Peak ( ) (Continued from last issue) PREMILLENNIAL TRUT IN ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATION In te preceding pages, we ave set fort from te Scriptures, te glorious trut of te Golden Age, Tis is indeed te ope of mankind, altoug tere be few wo ave entered into it. Te great mass of mankind as never entered into fellowsip wit te Creator by fait. All men are not te cildren of God. God is te Creator of all men, e is te Fater only of tose tat believe. As we ave terefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto tem wo are of te ouseold of fait (Gal. 6:10). It is a current and popular doctrine tat God is te Fater of all men, and tat all men, regardless of race, color or creed are spiritual broters. Tis doctrine is of te enemy. It is Satan s propaganda to prepare te way for te coming World (Continued on page 2)

2 Page 2 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 June 5, 2018 Volume XXXVIII, Number 6 Wole Number 467 Editor: Cristoper Cockrell Staff: Seron Cockrell, Marsa Kiser, Virginia Cockrell TE BEREA BAPTIST BANNER (UPS ) is publised montly for $6.00 per year by te autority of te Berea Baptist Curc, 3881 igway 363, Mantacie, Mississippi Periodical Publication postage paid at Mantacie, Mississippi. POSTMASTER: Send address canges to TE BEREA BAPTIST BANNER, P. O. Box 39, Mantacie, Mississippi PUBLICATION POLICIES: All matter for publication sould be sent to te editor. All manuscripts are to be typed and double spaced. All suc material becomes te property of BBB and will not be returned unless requested by te writer. We reserve te rigt to edit and condense all materials sent to us for publication. Te publication of an article does not necessarily mean te editor is in complete agreement wit te writer, nor does it mean e endorses all tis person may ave written on oter subjects. COPYING PRIVILEGES: Unless oterwise stated any article publised in tis paper may be copied by oter publications, provided tey give proper credit line stating tat suc was copied from tis publication, and te date of publication; provided tat suc materials are not publised for profit. If we are not on an excange list wit te publication copying, it is requested tat a copy of te issue containing te article be sent to our address. All copyrigted materials may not be copied witout written consent. PUBLISED MONTLY wit paid circulation in most states in te U.S.A. and some foreign countries. SUBSCRIPTION RATES - U.S. One year...$6.00 Two years...$10.00 Five years...$24.00 SUBSCRIPTION RATES - FOREIGN One Year $45 PLANNING TO MOVE? Notify us tree weeks in Berea Baptist Banner PO Box 39 Mantacie, Mississippi (662) request@bereabaptistcurc.org bbcurc@nexband.com Planning a move? Please let us know your new address. Te post office carges us $.59 for eac returned wrong address. advance. Te post office will only forward periodical mail for 90 days. Tey carge us $.70 for eac cange of address tey ave to send us. Please save us tis expense and te post office time. BUNDLES TO ONE ADDRESS: Tese are sent for $4 per paper for a year. An example: 10 papers for one year at $40 or 20 papers for one year at $ LOCATION OF PUBLISING CURC: Our curc is located on state igway 363 about one mile sout of Mantacie, Mississippi. Readers are always welcome to visit our services. CURC PONE: A PAPER WITOUT SUBSCRIPTION: Some times people write to us and say tat tey did not subscribe for te BBB. Tey are receiving our paper because someone else as paid for teir subscription. We trust te BBB will be received as an outstretced and to you. Take wat you find elpful and discard wat you cannot use.if you do not want to receive suc a gift subscription, please write to us. We are appy to cancel suc a subscription. We do not want to go were we are not wanted. DISCLAIMER: Te Editor assumes tat te articles submitted for publication in te BBB are written by te person wose name tey bear, unless oterwise indicated by a quote from anoter writer. owever, te Editor cannot personally guarantee tat tis is te case in all articles wic appear in te BBB. Te purpose of te Berea Baptist Banner is as follows: 1.To onor God and to exalt te Lord Jesus Crist. 2. To preac te gospel to lost sinners. 3. To spread te wole counsel of God s Word. 4. To encourage God s preacers and to strengt-en is curces in te most oly fait. 5. To motivate God s cildren to a closer fellow-sip around is Word. 6. To inform people of world events in ligt of Bible propecy. 7. To condemn and expose error werever it may rear its ugly ead. 8. To stimulate Cristian growt in grace. 9. To make te Devil and is demons as mad as possible. Tune in to te Berea Baptist Broadcast STATION TIME DIAL WATTS WCNA, Myrtle, MS...Sunday 9:30-10:00 a.m ,000 FM WCTT, Corbin, KY...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 AM WFTA, Tupelo, MS...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 FM KARI, Blaine, WA...Saturday 10:30-11:00 a.m ,000 AM WQRL, Benton, IL...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,500 FM FALLEN TO SLEEP WAITING ON TE MAIL? Look at your mailing label on te front page of tis mont s paper. If you see above your name Expires 6/2018 ten tis will be your last issue. So do not doze off wile waiting for te mailman! Renew now so you will not miss next mont s Banner. Te Golden Age (Continued from page 1) Curc, wic will become te bride of Anticrist. It violates bot te letter and te spirit of te Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation. From old, even from te beginning, only tose souls wo entered into fellowsip wit God by fait in te promised Messia ave been is cildren. Abel, Enoc, and oters before te flood. Noa and is sons at te time of te deluge. Sem and is descendants following te flood. Ten te patriarcs: Abraam, Isaac and Jacob. Te cildren of Jacob (spiritual Israel); Moses and te people of Israel, and tat spiritual remnant troug te centuries. For tey are not all Israel, wic are of Israel: Neiter, because tey are te seed of Abraam, are tey all cildren: but in Isaac (Crist - Messianic fait) sall ty seed be called (Rom. 9:6-7). Read te 11t capter of ebrews and follow te fait line from rigteous Abel into te New Testament period and te Apostolic Age, and it is seen at once, tat only tose wo walk te igway of fait are te cildren of God. Terefore, we bot labour and suffer reproac, because we trust in te living God, wo is te Saviour of all men (if tey will believe) especially of tose tat believe (I Tim. 4:10). Speaking to te religionists Nicodemus, Jesus said, Ye must be born again. See Jon 3. Tis alone would enable im to enter into te ouseold of fait. Speaking to te unbelieving Parisees, Jesus said: Ye are of your fater te devil (Jon 8:44). Tus wile we move forward toward te Golden Age, te mass of mankind sees noting but caos, destruction, atomic wars aead. Of course, we ave a few optimists scattered about, wo like te ostric, ide teir eads in te sands and refuse to see anyting to be alarmed about, but realists know better. Outside of a Divine, Supernatural intervention in te affairs of tis world, civilization is doomed and te planet itself may become uninabited and uninabitable. Wat of te Fait of Tose wo Are te Cildren of God? Alas, we would tat we could answer tat every one of God s cildren ad is eart firmly fixed upon te coming Golden Age, as te Spirit would ave it. Among God s people, Satan as done is work also. e as attacked te trut of our Lord s return, in every conceivable way. e as misrepresented it. e as built fanatical doctrines upon it and about it. e as abused tose wo preac it and teac it among te people. Broadly speaking, among God s people tere are tree groups today wit respect to te Second Coming of Crist and te Golden Age. Tese are (1) te Postmillennial, (2) te Premillennial, and (3) te Amillennial. Te Amillennial (nonmillennial) view is a denial tat te Scriptures teac any Millennium at all. Te reader, after te preceding capters, is well qualified to judge as to te baseless claims of tose wo maintain tis view. It is to be classed, along wit te denials of modernists wo reject te verbal inspiration of te Scriptures, te Atonement of Crist and te Resurrection, for it actually amounts to infidelity, altoug claiming to be Cristian. Tis leaves only two views: te Premillennial and te (Continued on page 3)

3 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 3 Te Golden Age (Continued from page 2) Postmillennial, wic we sall now compare. Premillennialism and Postmillennialism Contrasted Tese two views of te Second Coming of Crist are poles apart, and in order to torougly understand te issues involved, we must clearly define eac of tem. Postmillennialism teaces tat te world is getting better and better, morally, materially, and spiritually in every pase of its development. Postmillennialists believe tat Cristianity will prevail, in tis age, in overcoming and conquering te world, before Crist comes back again, ence te term, postmillennial wic means after te millennium, Crist will come. Postmillennialists believe tat te Gospel will permeate te world in tis age, until we ave a converted world, and tat tis converted state will continue for a tousand years, before Crist comes back again. Postmillennialists believe tat in addition to preacing te Gospel, it is our business to clean up te world, making it a better place in wic to live. Tus tey are working troug pacifist organizations to eliminate war. Tey ope by medical science and ospitalization to eliminate disease. Tey ope to banis ignorance and illiteracy by education. Tus tey couple up wit te Gospel all social and governmental projects for te social and economic welfare of social and so-called social gospel is te result. Premillennialism on te oter and, is just wat its name implies. Premillennialists believe tat te world is under te curse of God. We believe tat tis world will continue to get worse and worse, until at last, tis age is concluded in dreadful sin and apostasy. We believe tat terrible wars will sweep across te world until it is wrecked and ruined. We believe tat as te age draws to a close, eartquakes, famines, sea disasters and plagues tat defy description will mark its ends. Premillennialists believe tat te only ope is te blessed ope (Titus 2:13) of our Lord s return. We believe tat te only business of te curc of te Lord Jesus Crist, is not to regulate politics, abolis war, educate te world, clean up and reform society, but to preac te gospel of God s redeeming grace to lost sinners, to win souls, to baptize tem and to indoctrinate tem in te Word of God. Premillennialists believe tat it is te business of te Cristian to be ready to meet Jesus wen e comes. Tere as been muc said in te last several years about postmillennial and premillennial trut contrasted. Tis is an absurdity. You cannot contrast postmillennial ERROR wit premillennial TRUT. Premillennial trut empasizes Bible teacing; postmillennial error empasizes education. Premillennial trut empasizes regeneration, cleaning up te individual; postmillennial error empasizes reformation, cleaning up society. Premillennial trut empasizes divine leadersip; postmillennial error empasizes uman leadersip. Premillennial trut empasizes te coming of te Lord Jesus Crist, te coming King. Postmillennial error empasizes bringing in te kingdom. Premillennial trut empasizes te freedom of te local curc; postmillennial error empasizes denominationalism. Premillennial trut puts te empasis on te independence of te local curc; postmillennial error empasizes eadquarters control of te local curc. Premillennial trut puts te empasis on a oly Spirit led ministry; postmillennial error puts te empasis on a macine controlled ministry. Premillennial trut puts te empasis on sending out evangelistic missionaries; postmillennial error empasizes sending out enlisted men, to go out and get everybody to sign a pledge and get te money. Premillennial trut empasizes spiritual motivation; postmillennial error empasizes a worldly program. Premillennial trut empasizes uplifting te sinner; postmillennial error puts te empasis on law. Premillennial trut puts te empasis on witnessing unto Crist; (rigtly dividing te Word of Trut) postmillennial error empasizes systematizing teology. Premillennial trut puts te empasis on building Bible Institutes to train preacers and missionaries in rigtly dividing te Word of Trut and in winning souls; postmillennial error puts te empasis on building teological seminaries, to train a ministry to put on, support and maintain a denominational program. Premillennial trut puts te empasis on crowning Crist King; postmillennial error puts te empasis on crowning uman leadersip. Premillennial trut as produced te fundamentalists of today; postmillennial error as produced te modernists. Te premillennial program is destined to a glorious success; all postmillennial programs are destined to complete and utter failure. Premillennial Trut as Revealed in te Bible Fundamentalists believe te Bible. To tem, te Bible is te only final autority on all matters of fait and practice. Terefore, wen it comes to a discussion of te Second Coming of Crist, as on all oter doctrinal discussions, te all important question is, Wat does te Bible say? if te Bible teaces tat te world is going to get better and ultimately reac a converted state, before Crist comes, ten let us believe and preac tat; but if, on te oter and, te Bible teaces tat Jesus may come at any moment, tat we are to witness to every soul upon te eart in our generation of te power of Crist to save, ten let us be troug wit man made plans, programs, drives, institutions, etc., and be up and about our Master s business. W. E. Blackstone of immortal and blessed memory as pointedly summarized te teacing of te Word of God on tis very important and timely subject We are quoting all Scripture references in order tat all wo so desire may go to te Word of God temselves and settle, to teir own satisfaction, te question as to wat te Bible teaces about te Second Coming of Crist. 1. e sall come imself. I Tess. 4: e sall sout. I Tess. 4:16 3. Te dead will ear is voice. Jon 5: Believers will be caugt up to meet im in te air. I Tess. 4: e will receive tem unto imself. Jon 14:3. 6. e will minister unto is watcing servants. Luke 12:37. (Continued on page 4)

4 Page 4 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Te Golden Age (Continued from page 3) 7. e will come to eart again. Acts e will come to te same Mount Olivet from wic e ascended. Zec. 14:4. 9. e will come in flaming fire. II Tess. 1: e will come in te clouds of eaven, wit power and great glory. Matt 24:30; I Peter 1:7; 4: e will come and stand upon te eart. Job 19: is curc, te saints, will come wit im. I Tess. 3:13; Jude Every eye sall see im. Rev. 1: e sall destroy te Anticrist. II Tess. 2: e sall ten sit in is trone. Matt. 25:31; Rev. 5: All nations will be gatered before im and e sall judge tem. Matt. 25: e sall occupy te trone of David. Luke 1:32; Isa. 9:6,7 18. e sall ave a kingdom. Daniel 7:13, It will be upon te eart. Jer. 23:5, e sall rule over it wit is saints. Dan. 7:18-22; Rev. 5: All kings and nations sall serve im. Psa. 72:11; 49:6,7; Rev. 15: Te kingdoms of tis world sall become is kingdom. Zec. 9:10; Rev. 11: Te people sall be gatered to im. Gen. 49: Every knee sall bow before im. Isa. 45: Tey sall come and worsip te King. Zec. 14:16; Psa. 86: e sall build up Zion. Psa. 102: is trone sall be in Jerusalem. Jer. 3:17; Isa. 33:20, Te Apostles sall sit upon twelve trones, judging te twelve tribes of Israel. Matt. 19:28; Luke 22: e sall rule all nations. Psa. 2:8,9; Rev. 2: e sall rule wit judgment and justice. Isa. 9: Te Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt Ezek Te glory of te Lord sall be revealed. Isa. 40: Te wilderness sall be a fruitful field. Isa. 32: Te desert will blossom as a rose. Isa. 35:1, is rest will be glorious. Isa. 11:10. ere is a very simple outline of te teacing of te Word of God on te Second Coming of Crist wic Fundamentalists believe, exactly as revealed in te Bible. Postmillennialism, A Modrn Religious Fad Premillennialism, An Age Old Trut Postmillennialism is comparatively of modern origin and is rigtly classified as modernism, for indeed, it is a system, wic if followed out to its logical conclusion, leads to te fullest endorsement of modernism in its rankest form. It was brougt forward by Daniel Witby about two undred years ago in order to give te Roman Catolic curc a doctrinal basis for its curckingdom teory. Te similarity between postmillennialism and evolution is quickly noted. Indeed, tey are inseparably connected in tat tey bot agree tat te world is progressing steadily forward. It is also a matter of note tat modern evolutionists are witout exception postmillennialists, wile you never find a premillennialist wo is an evolutionist. Some postmillennialists wit an air of intellectual superiority convey te idea, to all wo listen to tem, tat premillennialists are to be classified wit te great group of religious cultists and faddists of our day, suc as Russelites, Sevent Day Adventists, etc. Tey exibit amazing and colossal ignorance, to be men of education, to say te least. Not only does te Bible, as as been sown, clearly and unequivocally teac te personal, imminent and premillennial return of Jesus Crist to tis world, but great and good men, in every age since te days of te apostles ave so understood and taugt. Te Curc Faters Were Premillennialists Polycarp wo was a convert of te Apostle Jon, was born 69 A.D. e was burned at te stake in 167 A.D. after a most tremendous and blessed ministry and wen e was urged to renounce is Cristian fait by is persecutors e replied, Four score and six years ave I served Crist and e never did me any arm; ow ten can I blaspeme my King and Saviour? If we obey Crist and please im in tis present age, we sall receive te age to come. e will raise us up from te dead and we sall live and reign wit im. Te saints sall judge te world. Justin Martyr was born in 89 A.D. and converted in 132 A.D. e was put to deat for is testimony in 163 A.D. but before e died in triumpant fait, e wrote, I, and watsoever Cristians are ortodox in all tings, do know tat tere will be a resurrection of te fles and a tousand years in te city of Jerusalem, built, adorned and enlarged according to te propets. Clement was put to deat in 100 A.D. e was a man of great influence, a devout Cristian, a scolar wo carefully spent most of is life in researc, investigation and study. About 116 A.D. e wrote A Narrative of te Sayings of Our Lord. In tis book, e says, If I met wit any tat ad been conversant wit te elders, from im I diligently inquired wat were te sayings of te elders - Te elders wo ad seen St. Jon, te disciple of our Lord, taugt concerning tese tings, (te tousand years), and said Te days come wen te vine sall bring fort abundantly - and all te fruits - and all te animals sall become peaceful and armonious, one to te oter, being perfectly obedient to man. But tese are credible only to tose wo ave fait. Ten Judas, te betrayer, not believing and asking ow muc fertility sould be brougt about, our Lord said, Tey sall see wo comes to tese times. On anoter occasion, Papias said, Tere will be a millennium after te resurrection from te dead, wen te personal reign of Crist sall be establised on te eart. Irenaeus wrote about 178 A.D. e eard Polycarp preac many, many times and it will be remembered tat Polycarp was a disciple of te Apostle Jon, wo leaned upon te very breast of te Lord Jesus, imself. Irenaeus says: But wen tis Anticrist sall ave devastated all tings in te world, e will reign tree years and six monts and sit in te temple at Jerusalem, and ten sall te Lord come from eaven in clouds, in te glory of te Fater, sending tis man and tose tat follow im into te Lake of Fire, but bringing for te rigteous te times of te Kingdom, tat is, te rest, te allowed sevent day and restoring to Abraam te promised ineritance in wic Kingdom te Lord declared tat many sall come from te east and te west and sall sit down wit Abraam and Isaac and (Continued on page 6)

5 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 5 Te Noted Pastor By Todd Bryant of Nortport, Alabama Are You Just A Curc Consumer? I ope you are sitting down. Tis migt sting a little bit. Curc is not about you. It is about Jesus. Unto im be glory in te curc by Crist Jesus trougout all ages, world witout end. Amen (Ep. 3:21). Weter we want to admit it or not, te American Dream as made its way into western curces. Te American Dream as been defined as, te ideal tat every US citizen sould ave an equal opportunity to acieve success and prosperity troug ard work, determination, and initiative. As far as politics go, tis is reasonable and even preferable. owever, near 250 years of suc freedom and opportunity as brougt similar ideas into curces and into te pews. Today, curc as become a wole lot more about Wat is in it for me? and a wole lot less about ow can I serve? It is difficult to ave many conversations today tat do not turn into complaints about someone or someting. Weter it is te ig-paid boss or te minimum wage drive-tru employee, somebody is constantly doing me wrong. Wen tere are family squabbles, it is tem because it certainly is not me. Wen my kid is sitting on te benc in little league, e sould be playing pitcer. Wen e strikes out, it is te umpire. Wen my kid did not make marcing band, te band instructor just does not know talent. Wen my kid gets a D on is report card, te teacer does not know wat se is doing. On and on and on and on tis is te society we live in. All of tis makes it difficult to grasp te Scriptural view of wat it means to be a curc member. I ave entertained a number of questions over te years relative to wat our curc as to offer. Te same set of questions normally rises to te top all of wic sounds like te searc for a doctor or a manicurist or a cloting store. Te number one question by a long sot is, Wat do you ave for my cildren? Now, my response is generally tat our curc as a solid Sunday Scool setup for yout. In te youngest class, tey are taugt te basics of te Bible. Wen tey graduate from tat class, tey move up to anoter class tat teaces tem te Bible wit a little more meat on te bones. Oddly enoug, tat is not an adequate answer most of te time. Wit a puzzled look, te question tat normally follows tat answer is, Well tat is OK I guess but wat else do you ave? It is at tis point tat I know tings are not going to end well. It is not always about cildren toug; adults suffer wit tis as well. Curces are always trying to satisfy various cliques troug separate services tat are modeled te way te individual wants it. Some want suits and dresses some want kakis and capris some want 150 year old ymns (you know, te old ones) some want contemporary ymns some want te preacer in a coat and tie some wat te preacer in a awaiian sirt and flip-flops. It is constant. Everybody is trying to reac some nice. We will do it one way at 8:30 and anoter way at 10:00. And all te wile, suc metods are trying to reac tose wo do not want to provide anyting. Is it any wonder tat we are just a society of Cristian consumers? Wat is in it for me? as made it into te minds of western believers. We want te equivalent of a drive-tru Cristianity. We want to cruise in at 11:01, sit down during te first song, ear a motivational sermon tat does not really callenge us and certainly does not unfold a Biblical text, sneak out before noon and make te restaurant before te lines get too long. Tat is wat Cristianity looks like in America. It is just an event it is wat we do on Sunday. It is like going to te grocery store except we are more interested in our grocery list tan we are our Bible. We are merely a society of Cristian consumers. Let me be clear, tis consumerist approac to curc is not te New Testament pattern of Cristianity. As I said, curc is not about you, it is about te Lord. And, if God as graciously saved your soul, e did not do so in order tat you are served in curc. e placed you in a curc in order for you to serve im and so tat you can serve your fellow curc members. Paul told te curc at Epesus tat God And e gave some, apostles; and some, propets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teacers; For te perfecting of te saints, for te work of te ministry, for te edifying of te body of Crist: Till we all come in te unity of te fait, and of te knowledge of te Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto te measure of te stature of te fulness of Crist: Tat we encefort be no more cildren, tossed to and fro, and carried about wit every wind of doctrine, by te sleigt of men, and cunning craftiness, wereby tey lie in wait to deceive; But speaking te trut in love, may grow up into im in all tings, wic is te ead, even Crist: From wom te wole body fitly joined togeter and compacted by tat wic every joint suppliet, according to te effectual working in te measure of every part, maket increase of te body unto te edifying of itself in love (Ep. 4:11-16). God did not put curc leadersip in place to do te work of ministry for you no, God put tem in place so tat you could learn ow to do ministry yourself every day and everywere. According to tis passage, te goals of suc a curc ministry are unity, knowledge, maturity, consistency, trutful, loving, equipped, working and growt. Suc ideals are simply foreign to te common approac to curc in America in And look, you are not merely part of your curc on Sunday. You are still very muc a part on Tuesday or Tursday or Saturday. You are to be working at all times for te glory of God, for te benefit of te curc and for te benefit of tose around you. You were not saved to be a Cristian consumer no a tousand times no. You were graciously saved by God to provide a service to im and to tose around you. Now, wen you are gatered wit te assembly, you are to serve in te curc. You were gifted specifically for your place (I Corintians 12). Wen you are not present, your gift is (Continued on page 6)

6 Page 6 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Te Noted Pastor (Continued from page 5) lacking. And wen you approac curc wit little more tan a consumerist attitude (i.e. Wat is in it for me? ), you are failing at God s calling in your life. You are missing out on being a good curc member. Take a good look at your approac to your curc. Are you constantly complaining about tings not done your way? Are you constantly gossiping about ow tings could be done better? Are you consistently dissatisfied wit te leadersip and teir goals for te curc? If tis sounds like you, you are probably approacing curc as little more tan a consumer. It is unlikely you are approacing eac service in prayer tat you will be able to be a blessing to tose around you. It is quite improbable tat you are looking for opportunities to serve and it is more likely tat you want to be served. If tis is you, rest assured your attitude is common in our society. owever, it is in conflict wit te consistent, clear message of te Bible. Now, I am not speaking about opposing unbiblical tings tat is anoter discussion for anoter time. Do not let suc a tougt enter your mind. We must stand for trut and tere comes a time tat we must part ways over trut. But tat is not te subject of tis article. Take a moment and be onest wit yourself. Do you approac curc as a servant of God and your fellow man specifically, your fellow curc members? Wit great clarity, Paul told te curc at Pilippi, Let noting be done troug strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let eac esteem oter better tan temselves. Look not every man on is own tings, but every man also on te tings of oters (Pil. 2:3-4). Is tis you? Are you more concerned about ow you can elp oters or about wat oters can do for you? If you are like many today, you may be little more tan a consumer in te curc and a wole lot less of a provider. Take tis moment to pray for God s elp to overcome tis sinful attitude and seek zealously an opportunity to serve. It is te purpose for wic you were saved. Te Golden Age (Continued from page 4) Jacob. Tertullian is anoter one of te curc faters wo lived from about 160 A.D. to 240 A.D. e was a very prolific writer and is described as one of te most eminent Cristians of tat age. Concerning te coming of Crist and is Kingdom e said, We profess tat a Kingdom is promised us on eart, before tat in eaven, but in anoter state, namely - after te resurrection, for it will be one tousand years in a city of divine workmansip, even Jerusalem, brougt down from eaven; and tis city, Ezekiel knew and Jon saw. Tis is te city provided to receive te saints in te resurrection werein to refres tem wit an abundance of all spiritual good tings, in recompense of tose, wic in te world we ave eiter tougt ligtly of or lost Cyprian wrote from 220 A.D. to 250 A.D. and was put to deat in 258 A.D. As e was led to te block to be beeaded, te people lamented and wept, crying Let us also be beeaded wit im. Tis faitful servant of God, wo paid for is fait wit is life, wrote, it were a self contradictory and incompatible ting for us, wo pray tat te Kingdom of God may quickly come, to be looking for a long life ere below. Let us, in anxiety and cautiousness be waiting te second advent of te Lord, for tose tings wic were foretold are come to pass, as also tose tings will follow, wic are promised; te Lord imself giving assurance and saying, Wen you see tese tings come to pass, know tat te Kingdom of God is near at and. Lactantius was one of te most learned of te curc faters. In about te year 300 A.D. e wrote: It is so arranged by God, tat te same Crist sould come to eart twice, once to announce to te nations te one God, ten again to reign. Ten te eaven will be opened in a tempest and Crist sall descend wit great power and tere sall go before im a fiery brigtness and a countless ost of angels, and all tat multitude of te wicked sall be destroyed and torrents of blood sall flow. But te nations sall not be entirely extinguised, but some sall be left as victory for God. About te same time also, te Prince of te Devils sall be bound wit cains and sall be imprisoned during te tousand years of eavenly rule of rigteousness wic sall reign in te world. Tey wo sall be raised from te dead, sall preside over te living as judges. Trougout tis time, te beasts sall not be nourised by blood, nor birds by prey. Te King and Conqueror sall imself reign wit te saints on te eart and will build te oly City and tis Kingdom of te Rigteous sall be for a tousand years. Leaders of te Reformation Were All Premillennialists Wen te Roman Catolic Curc arose and witeld premillennial trut from te masses of people, te Dark Ages were te result. Premillennial trut was preserved in tis period by suc sects as te Waldenses, Paulicians, Novations, Albigenses, etc. At last, wen Martin Luter, Jon uss, Jon Wycliff, William Tyndale, Jon Calvin, and Zwingli broke away from Catolicism in an effort to restore New Testament Cristianity, it is not all surprising to note tat many of tem were strong premillennialists. Jon Wycliff wo is called te morning star of te Reformation wrote a book in wic e discussed te reign of Crist on eart. Among oter tings, e said, Te Redeemer s return is te object of ope and constant expectation of te curc of God. Martin Luter wo was te most famous of all te reformers says: Some say tat before te latter days, te wole world sall become Cristian. Tis is a falseood forged by Satan. Jon Knox wo prayed in great agony of soul, O God, give me Scotland, or I ll die, and wo led te great Scottis reformation, answered, It never was, nor yet sall be, till te Rigteous King and Judge appears for te restoration of all tings. But we know tat e sall return and tat wit expedition. William Tyndale, wo because of is translation of te Bible, was first strangled, ten burned at te stake, said: We are commanded to look every our for tat day. Crist and is Apostles taugt no oter, but tat we sould look for is coming again every our. Most Outstanding Men, Pastors, Evangelists, Missionaries and Bible Teacers of Cristian istory Were Premillennialists Te most illustrious men in all ages of Cristianity ave been (Continued on page 7)

7 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 7 Te Golden Age (Continued from page 6) premillennialists. Likewise, te men wo are doing most today to win souls, build New Testament curces and teac te Word of God are premillennialists. ere is a list of more tan one undred men, all prominent Cristians, wo were or are premillennialists. Martin Luter Peter Lange Jon Wycliff Paul De Godet Pilip Melancton Jon F. Paton Savonarola Lorenza Dow Nicolas Ridley Cotton Mater ug Latimer Increase Mater William Tyndale Carles odge Jon A Broadus Arcbisop User E.Y. Mullins Mattew enry.c. Mabie Carles. Spurgeon J.M. Stifler T. Dewitt Talmadge.G. Weston D.L. Moody Jon MacNeil Billy Sunday.B. inson Gypsy Smit S.D. Gordon E.C. Dargan L.W. Munall W. Marsall Craig Alexander Maclaren Jon Wesley Carles Wesley Jon Bunyan Jon Milton George Witfield Sir Isaac Newton Jon Knox Augustus Toplady Robert all Jon Calvin AC. Dixon R.A. Torrey W.B. Riley Robert E. Speer Len. G. Brougton J. Wilbur Capman J.C. Masse J. Frank Norris J.B. Moody J.N. all J.R. Graves Mordecai am George McCall J.B. Leavell Lincoln McConnell I.M. aldeman Bob Jones A.C. Gabelein D.B. Clapp George W. Scaeffer William S. Dixon D.W. Wittle Carles T. Alexander Arcbisop Frenc C.L Scofield Adoniram Judson William Carey AT. Pierson F.B. Meyer AJ. Gordon G. Campbell Morgan J. udson Taylor Ricard Baxter George Mueller P.S. enson George C. Lorimer Maj. W.E. Penn J.B. Gambrell Jeff D. Ray James M. Gray Canon Fausett James. Brooks A. N. all Dallas Billington W.E. Blackstone Albert Barnes Dean Alford Robert Murray McCeyne Beaucamp Vick Will. ougton.. Savage Bisop Ryle.A Ironside Lewis Sperry Cafer William Pettingill Norman B. arrison William C. Moreead C.. Macintoc George enderson J. A. Seiss W. Lamb Clark Riley James. McConkey Mark A. Mattews W.. Griffit erman Olaussen Bisop.C.G. Moule oratius Bonar Andrew Bonar Baptists and Premillennial Trut It is one ting to be a Cristian. It is quite anoter ting to be a New Testament Cristian. Acceptance of Crist as a personal Saviour makes a Cristian, but to walk in te full ligt of te Trut of te New Testament makes a New Testament Cristian; or a Fundamental and Premillennial Baptist. All tree of tese words are descriptive adjectives: Fundamental means pertaining to te fundamentals or foundational principles. By tis, is meant te Fundamentals of te Cristian Fait, or te great teological doctrines of te Bible. Premillennial as been defined in tis capter. Baptist means Baptizer and is definitely not a name, but a descriptive term for tose so described today, as it was for Jon te Baptizer of te Baptists, in te New Testament. Te order of New Testament believers, as continued from te day of Jon until now. In fact, te ministry of te Gospel for tis Dispensation began wit Jon, as is seen from a number of Scriptures, suc as te following: Te beginning of te gospel of Jesus Crist, te Son of God, As it is written in te propets, Beold, I send my messenger before my face, wic sall prepare te way before tee. Te voice of one crying in te wilderness, Prepare ye te way of te Lord: make is pats straigt. Jon did baptize in te wilderness, and preac te baptism of repentance for te remission of sins (Mark 1:1-4). Readers will note from te above Scripture, tat tis preacing and baptizing ministry of Jon te Baptist (Baptizer) was te beginning of te Gospel of Jesus Crist. It will be furter noted tat te baptism tat Jon administered was a baptism of repentance for te remission of sins wic is identically te same baptism as was administered by te first curc at Jerusalem, for Peter, in baptizing te multitude on Pentecost said: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in te name of Jesus Crist for te remission of sins, and ye sall receive te gift of te oly Gost (Acts 2:38). Tere are not many water baptisms in te Word of God. Tere is only one. Te baptism tat Jon administered was identical wit te baptism administered by Jesus and is disciples. Jesus imself received it from Jon, and ten called twelve of Jon s disciples as is own disciples. Troug tem, Jesus baptized te converts tat e made (Jon 3:23) and after is ascension to glory, te early curc elected one to take te place of Judas, wo by transgression fell tat e migt go to is own place, and te stipulation was tat woever was elected must be one Beginning from te baptism of Jon (Acts 1:22). Tese followers of te Way, of New Testament times met in (Continued on page 8)

8 Page 8 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Te Golden Age (Continued from page 7) visible congregations, at regular times and for specific purposes. Tese assemblies were called curces or assemblies. Since tere was only one kind of assembly in existence, it was not necessary for tese bodies to wear any distinguising labels, for tere was noting to be distinguised from. Tus in te New Testament, we read simply of te curc wic was at Jerusalem; te curc wic was at Antioc; te curc wic was at Colosse and so on. Tese were premillennial in fait, as we ave sown from te quotations from te early curc faters, wo were converted under te ministry of te Apostles temselves. Gradually, owever, error began to creep in, and ritualism began to develop in te body of professing Cristianity, as as been true in every age. By te fourt century, Catolicism as a system reared its ugly ead. Persecution of tose wo remained true to te Word and work of our Lord soon began. Ten it was, tat in order to survive tey went underground. Te Dark Ages followed, and during tis period of several undred years, tey were known by various names: Paulicans, Novations, Albigenses, Waldenses, Bogomils, etc. Wen te Dark Ages passed and te Reformation took place, Martin Luter, Jon Calvin, uss and Zwingli broke te power of Roman Catolicism, by swinging large segments away from Rome, and Protestantism was born. It was so called, because it was a movement of Protest against te corruption of te Roman system. Wen tis took place, tese sects wic ad survived from te Apostolic period came out of teir iding, still olding to teir fait. Because tey were uncompromising on te point of baptism, tey were dubbed Anabaptists by bot Catolics and Protestants. Ana means re, tus tey were called rebabtizers because of teir practice of rebaptizing all wo came to tem, insisting tat tey must receive te ordinance as it ad been committed to tem, from te Apostles, wo ad received it from Jon and wic ad been commanded by Crist. In time, te prefix was dropped and tey came to be known simply as Baptists. In comparatively modern times, denominationalism as arisen among us, wic is opposed to te Premillennial Coming of Crist, and wic fosters a postmillennial program, but it is a matter of record tat outstanding preacers and teologians and preacers among us, ave been premillennial in teir fait. Carles addon Spurgeon, illustrious Baptist preacer of London, universally acknowledged as te greatest preacer of te Gospel since te days of te Apostle Paul, said: I do look for is premillennial advent and expect e will come ere again. Jesus, our Lord, is to be King of all te eart and rule all nations in a glorious personal reign. Jon A Broadus, one of te founders of te Soutern Baptist Teological Seminary of Louisville, Kentucky and one of te world s greatest New Testament scolars and preacers, says in is commentary on Mattew, capter 24, It follows tat our Lord s Coming certainly cannot be at te end of a tousand years of universal and perfect piety, for in tat case, all would know te exact time and all would be devoutly and eagerly expecting te event. Dr. E. Y. Mullins, world famous as a teologian and pilosoper, peraps te greatest in is field in te past century, in is book, Cristianity; Its Doctrinal Expression says on page 471, Cristians sould cultivate te New Testament attitude of expectancy. We sould ever be as men wo look for teir Lord, because e commanded it. Te postmillennialist certainly as an impossible task in trying to find a place in is conception of te future, for te New Testament attitude is of expectancy for te Coming of Crist Dr. E. C. Dargan says concerning Revelation 20:1-10, Te passage itself seems to mean tat te millennium will follow te arrival of our Lord and at te close of tat period, will be te judgment day. Dr. J. B. Gambrell said, I don t mind telling a secret, I mildly lean to te Pre teory. Tat looks like it migt be so, more tan te oter. (Baptist Standard, October 3rd, 1918). Premillennial Trut and Present Day Baptist Programs Wit te rise of German rationalism and te development of modern, present day interdenominational endeavor, postmillennialism, tat most subtle and dangerous type of modernism, as increasingly wielded muc influence in te official life of Baptists. Baptist people as a wole, are today, strongly premillennial, but tere is a little clique wo ave succeeded in putting a postmillennial yoke upon te curces in te form of te program. Not only is te program postmillennial, but tey are injecting tis modernistic poison into te very veins of Baptist life. Preacers are being trained in postmillennial colleges and seminaries and taugt ow to explain away and spiritualize te Word of God. Postmillennialism is being written into te Sunday Scool literature. Tus te wole stream of Baptist tougt and life is being polluted, poisoned, and contaminated by tis unscriptural teacing. And wat is te result of tis appalling departure from te trut? Te empasis as been taken off of personal work and put on programs. So called social service is slowly but surely supplanting te old time Gospel, revival meetings and soul winning effort. No preacer, evangelist, pastor, missionary, Bible teacer or individual Baptist can be a consistent premillennialist, and at te same time support postmillennial programs. Tere are undreds of premillennialist wo face tis question. Tey see tat it is a departure from te fait. Tey see tat it is a departure from te Word of God. Wat to do? Tat is te question. Te Revival of te Age-End Preparing For Te Golden Age Just as God preserved is true curces troug te long, dark nigt of te Middle Ages wen tey wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and in caves of te eart (eb. 11:38) so e as preserved tem in tis day of modernism. All over te world, tere is a coming out of believers; tere is a coming out of tose wo desire to gater temselves into New Testament assemblies. Tousands are coming out from (Continued on page 9)

9 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 9 Te Golden Age (Continued from page 8) all denominations; Catolic, Presbyterian, Metodist, Episcopalian, Denominational Baptist, Curc of Crist, Cristian, and many, many oters. Tese newly organized curces ave come to be known, as Fundamental Baptist Curces. Tey would be quite content to simply be called curces, as in te New Testament, if necessity did not demand oterwise, to distinguis temselves from te existing confusion on every and, in te religious world. Tere are now, individuals wo ave become Fundamental Baptists in fait, wo are yet in various denominational systems. Tey cannot come out as yet, for tere is no New Testament assembly for tem to affiliate wit. But tey are awaiting te our, wen te Spirit of God sall raise up a testimony to wic tey migt attac temselves. Tis coming-out of tousands of God s cildren, and te formation of New Testament curces as produced a revival, at ome and abroad. Multiplied tousands of souls ave been and are being saved in tese Scriptural assemblies. In te midst of te modernism, socialism, evolution, worldliness, communism and infidelity tat caracterizes present day Cristendom, tese independent congregations of New Testament believers bear teir testimony to all of te Fundamentals of te istoric Cristian Fait. Premillennial in fait, tey preac and teac te word of Propecy (II Peter 1:19) knowing te Golden Age is nig, even at te doors. Eternal Sonsip (Continued from page 1) te eaven and eart ad a being. Tese words remind us of te beginning of te Gospel of Jon wic reads: In te beginning was te Word, and te Word was wit God, and te Word was God. Te same was in te beginning wit God (Jon 1:1-2). Tis is wen e was in te bosom of te Fater ( Jon 1:18). Tis is te glory Crist ad wit te Fater before te world was (Jon 17:5). Te Son of God ad a real and actual existence from eternity. e was in te form of God and equal wit God (Pil 2:6). Since te time of te Arian controversy in te 4t century, tis verse as been one of te most discussed passages in te Old Testament. Te main point of issue is te word translated possessed in our Autorized Version. Te Arians made te words possessed me to mean created me. Tis tey cite from te Septuagint Version and te Targum. By tis translating tey reduce Crist to a created being wo existed before te world. But tere is no ground for te tougt of creation eiter in te meaning of te root, or in te general usage of te ebrew word itself. In te original it seemed to imply parentood rater tan creation (Gen. 4:1; Deut. 14:19, 22; Zec. 13:5). Arianism taugt tat te Fater alone was God; e alone was unbegotten, eternal, wise, good, and uncangeable. Tey reduced Crist to a subordinate, secondary, created divinity. But te very conception of a created creator, wo existed before te world, and yet imself began to exist, is self-contradictory and untenable. Tere was never a time wen God was witout Wisdom, for e would not ave been te all-wise God. Tere is no middle being between Creator and creature. Tere is no time before te world as time itself is a part of te world and te first offspring of creation. Neiter can one onestly maintain te eternity of te Faterood witout seeing tat tis implies te eternity of te Sonsip. If tere is an eternal Fater tere must also be an eternal Son. Arianism is not dead. Tere are some denominations wic teac tis Crist-disonoring doctrine in teir curces today. Most of te modern cults old to tis teory wic robs Crist of is proper Deity. Wit deep regret I confess tat Elder J. R. Graves denied te eternal Sonsip of Jesus Crist (See TE WORK OF CRIST IN TE COVENANT OF REDEMPTION; DEVELOPED IN SEVEN DISPENSATIONS, pp ). Elder Graves was one of te greatest scolars wo ever lived in more modern times, but e was in great error on tis one point. Let us learn from tis tat no man is an infallible guide. VERSE 23 I was set up from everlasting, from te beginning, or ever te eart was. Te I in tis verse is surely a person and not a quality or a nature. Tis is te person of Crist as te eternal Son of God, not merely is uman nature wic did not exist from eternity. Some render te words I was set up as I was ordained or I was anointed. TE AMPLIFIED OLD TESTAMENT as it inaugurated and ordained from everlasting. I understand by tese words tat tis is wen te Son was in te eternal counsel placed in is covenant offices. In eternity past te eternal Son was installed into te offices of propet, priest, and king. Tere are a number of verses in te New Testament wic point back to tis dateless past. Speaking of Crist, Paul wrote: Wom GOD AT FOREORDAINED to be a propitiation troug fait in is blood, to declare is rigteousness for te remission of sins tat are past, troug te forbearance of God (Rom. 3:25 margin). But we speak te wisdom of God in a mystery, even te idden wisdom, WIC GOD ORDAINED BEFORE TE WORLD unto our glory (I Cor. 2:7). According to te ETERNAL PURPOSE wic e purposed in Crist Jesus our Lord (Ep. 3:11). Wo at saved us, and called us wit an oly calling, not according to our works, but according to is own purpose and grace, wic was given us IN CRIST JESUS BEFORE TE WORLD BEGAN (II Tim. 1:9). Peter tells us we are redeemed wit te precious blood of Crist Wo verily was FOREORDAINED BEFORE TE FOUNDATION OF TE WORLD, but was manifest in tese last times for you (I Pet. 1:18-20). Te Lamb slain from te foundation of te world (Rev. 13:8). Te Son of God was in te eternal counsels of God before creation or redemption. All of tis presupposes te eternity of te person of Crist, for ad e not existed from everlasting, e could not ave been set up as te Mediator of te Covenant (Continued on page 10)

10 Page 10 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Eternal Sonsip (Continued from page 9) of Grace. Proverbs 8:23 teaces te eternal existence of Crist s person, te great antiquity of is offices, and te early provision of grace in im for is elect. Tis accounts for Isaia calling Crist...te Migty God, te Fater of eternity (Isa. 9:7) (improved translation). Mica not only speaks of Crist existing from eternity, but e also makes it plain e was eternally active: But tou, Betleem Eprata, toug tou be little among te tousands of Juda, yet out of tee sall e come fort unto me tat is to be ruler in Israel; wose goings fort ave been from of old, from te days of eternity (Mica 5:2 margin). Truly, it may be said of te Mediator of te Covenant of Grace: Before te mountains were brougt fort, or ever tou adst formed te eart and te world, even from everlasting to everlasting, tou art God (Ps. 90:2). VERSE 24 Wen tere were no depts, I was brougt fort; wen tere were no fountains abounding wit water. Te Septuagint renders I was brougt fort as e begot me. Te ebrew word is used in Job 15:7 and Psalm 51:5 to convey te tougt of generation. ence we are to see in tis verse te eternal generation and Sonsip of Crist. Tere is in tis generation noting temporal, carnal, or uman. Te doctrine of te eternal Sonsip of Crist is muc safer to adore tan to expound. In te sense of Proverbs 8:24, Wo sall declare is generation? (Acts 8:33). Before te fountains of te great deep seas were laid te Son of God was begotten, born, and brougt fort. In Psalm 2:7 we ear te Son of God say: I will declare te decree: te LORD at said unto me, Tou art my Son; tis day ave I begotten tee. ere is an eternal decree of God te Fater related by te Son. Tis decree was made before te purpose was to be carried into execution, before te Messia actually came, and even before tis Psalm was written. Note te words: Te LORD at said unto me. Te word day is not to be taken in its normal sense in Psalm 2:7. Te day in tis verse is expressive of eternity (Isa. 43:13) and includes Crist s incarnation, baptism, transfiguration, and resurrection (Acts 13:33; Rom. 1:4). Jesus Crist is te only, true, proper, natural, and eternal Son of God. Te Apostle Jon called im te only begotten of te Fater (Jon 1:14) and te only begotten Son (Jon 1:18; 3:16). e was begotten, not made, terefore, a partaker in full of is Fater s Godead. e is te only begotten in relation to te many adopted sons of God wo became suc in time by being begotten of te oly Spirit. In tis sense in wic Crist was brougt fort; or begotten in eternity past. e is te only one of is kind. In Colossians 1:15 Crist is given te title of te firstborn of every creature. Tis means e is te elder in relationsip: not te first created ting, but te antecedent of all creation, being te eternal, self-existent Creator (Col. 1:16). Crist was born, te universe was created. Being te firstborn and te only begotten, e occupies a position of supremacy and priority like tat of te firstborn son of an eartly fater did in te Old Testament times. VERSE 25 Before te mountains were settled, before te ills was I brougt fort. Once more eternal Sonsip is set fort as an article of fait most surely to be believed among us. Before Mount Sinai, Mount Lebanon, Mount Carmel and Mount Zion, Crist was te only begotten Son of God. Before Mount Ararat, Mount Everest, Mount McKinley, or Mount ood ad been placed upon teir bases by te great strengt of God (Ps. 65:6), te Son of God existed. In te language of te Bible to be before te mountains and ills is to exist from eternity (Ps. 90:2; Deut. 33:15). Te eternity of Crist is te same as te Fater s since e existed before te everlasting mountains (ab. 3:6). VERSE 26 Wile as yet e ad not made te eart, nor te fields, nor te igest part of te dust of te world. Te Son of God existed aead of te land, or te fields, or te first dust of te eart ad a being. e was wit te Fater before te green valleys, te grassy plains, te dark forest, or te towering mountains of sand. Earlier tan te creation of te atom or te appearance of a blossom in Paradise, te Son of God lived and moved. Long before God made Adam out of te dust of te ground (Gen. 2:7), te Second Adam was in te eternal counsels of God. Te first Adam was made of red eart, but te Second Adam ad a being before te eart and was not of te eart (Jon 3:31). VERSE 27 Wen e prepared te eavens, I was tere: wen e set a compass upon te face of te dept. Wen Jeova gave te eavens a form and figure uncreated, eternal Wisdom was tere as a witness and a worker (eb. 1:2, 10; Col. 1:16). Wen te magnitude and motion of te sun, moon and stars took place, te Son was not a mere spectator; e was tere as te great Arcitect. Prior to te existence of te Tird eaven, te seat of God and te ome of te saints, te Son of God lived, moved, and ad a being. Te expression, wen e set a compass upon te face of te dept is most difficult to understand. Roteram translates it: Wen e decreed a vault upon te face of te resounding deep. TE AMPLIFIED OLD TESTAMENT renders it: Wen e drew a circle upon te face of te deep and stretced out te firmament over it. Te ebrew word translated compass means to go around, to make a circle; to surround (See OLD TESTAMENT WORD STUDIES by Wilson, pp ). Te meaning seems to be te law of gravitation began to function to old te sea in its decreed place (Job 22:14). Te basic trut being taugt is tat Crist was active on te Second Day of creation wen te firmament was made (Gen. 1:6-8). VERSE 28 Wen e establised te clouds above: wen e strengtened te fountains of te deep. Tis verse is still sowing events of te second day of creation. Tese words reveal te eternal Son of God was present wen te clouds and te seas were made. VERSE 29 Wen e gave to te sea is decree, tat te waters sould not pass is commandment: wen e appointed te (Continued on page 11)

11 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 11 Eternal Sonsip (Continued from page 10) foundations of te eart. Te Fater gave a perpetual decree to te sea saying: iterto salt tou come, but no furter: and ere sall ty proud waves be stayed ( Job 38:11) (cf. Jer. 5:22). Prior to te giving of a decree to te sea, God ad decreed te eternal Sonsip of Crist (Ps. 2:7). Earlier tan te time te eart was founded upon te seas and establised upon te floods (Ps. 24:1-2), te Fater and te Son were togeter in person and power. Te elect were cosen in Crist before te foundation of te world (Ep. 1:4). VERSE 30 Ten I was by im, as one brougt up wit im: and I was daily is deligt, rejoicing always before im. Te word translated brougt up can be rendered as an artificer or a workman. Roteram translates it: Ten became I beside im a firm and sure worker. Te Berkeley version gives it: Ten I was beside im, a master builder. Te Son was wit te Fater in eternity past as a master and director of te work of creation. Tere was a mutual consciousness and a good understanding between tem (Zec. 6:13). Te Word was wit God (Jon 1:1). Oters make brougt up to refer to Crist s tender nursing of te creation by preserving all creatures after tey were created. Even some make it mean nursed up at is side. Tis would make it express te tender regard of is Fater to im from eternity. Te Fater deligted in im, just as an eartly fater deligts in is firstborn son. Tis fits well wit te next statement in te verse. I was daily is deligt. ere we see ow te Fater loved te Son from eternity wit a deligtful love. Jesus said: For tou lovedst me before te foundation of te world ( Jon 17:24). Te Fater declared of te Son: Beold my servant, wom I upold; mind elect, in wom my soul deligtet... (Isa. 42:1). Crist did wat e saw te Fater do (Jon 5:19), did is will (Jon 4:34; 6:38), kept is commandments (Jon 10:18; 15:10), and glorified is name (Jon 17:5). Because Jesus did always tose tings wic pleased te Fater (Jon 8:29), te Fater is always pleased wit im (Matt. 3:17). Rejoicing always before im must mean te Son from eternity rejoiced before te Fater being of te same nature and perfection. Tere was a mutual pleasure and deligt between te First and Second Persons of te Godead. VERSE 31 Rejoicing in te abitable part of is eart; and my deligts were wit te sons of men. Te Son not only rejoiced in te Fater, but e also rejoiced in te abitable part of is eart. e rejoiced in preserving and sustaining te inabitants of eart by providence. e ordained all tings for te best according to is will and pleasure. e even took deligt in te particular geograpy were tey would live out teir days (Acts 17:26). Te deligt of te eternal Son was not wit te angels, but wit men: And my deligts were wit te sons of men. ere is a wonder of wonders. Tink of it! Jesus Crist, wo was is Fater s infinite deligt and infinitely deligting in im, sould find is deligt from eternity in te sons of men! Tis does not mean all men witout exception. ebrews 2:16 tells us: For verily e taket not old of angels, but of te seed of Abraam e taket old (margin). Te eternal Son of God foresaw e would be despised and rejected of men, yet e made some of tem te objects of is everlasting love (Jer. 31:3) and made satisfaction for teir sins (Isa. 53:10-12). Tis love for is elect from everlasting caused im to excange te trone of glory for te cross of same---to trade te bosom of te Fater for te bosom of a woman---to give up te worsip of te angels for te scorn of men. Te redemption of is elect was a joy set before im (eb. 12:2). (All Scripture empasis by MRC). Ere God built te mountains, Or raised te fruitful ills; Before e filled te fountains, Tat feed te running rills; In Tee from everlasting, Te wonderful I AM Found pleasures never wasting, And Wisdom in Ty name. Wen, like a tent to dwell in, e spread te skies abroad, And swated about te swelling Of Ocean s migty flood, e wrougt by sigt and measure; And Tou wast wit im ten: Tyself te Fater s pleasure, And Tine, te sons of men. And couldst Tou be deligted Wit creatures suc as we, Wo, wen we saw Tee, sligted And nailed Tee to a tree? Unfatomable wonder! And mystery Divine! Te voice tat speaks in tunder Says, Sinner, I am tine, ---Cowper Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 1) And I say unto you, Wosoever sall put away is wife, except it be for fornication, and sall marry anoter, committet adultery: and woso marriet er wic is put away dot commit adultery (Matt. 19:3-9). Tis subject as been perverted by men. It is ig time tat we return to te ancient landmark of marriage. In order to do so, we must consult te Scriptures. Feelings, personal opinions, tougts, and ideas ave no place in tis subject (nor any oter). Well did te Lord Jesus say unto te Sadducees:...Ye do err, not knowing te scriptures, nor te power of God (Matt. 22:29). Tis is true among many people, including Sovereign Grace, Landmark, Missionary Baptist people today. Let us examine our text of Mattew 19:3-9. TE QUESTION OF TE PARISEES: Te Parisees came to tempt Jesus. Tey were not really interested in wat e ad to say. Tey inquired of te Lord Is it lawful for a man to put away is wife for every cause? (Matt. 19:3). Our Lord replied wit Scripture: ave ye not read...? (Matt. 19:4). So, too, must we read te Scriptures. Te Lord did not give tem te prevailing opinions of society or religion of is day, but rater referred tem unto te Word of te Lord. Let our answer upon tis subject, and all subjects be in accordance wit Romans 4:3, For wat sait te scripture? TE REPLY OF TE LORD Te Lord goes all te way back to te beginning wen te LORD (Continued on page 17)

12 Page 12 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 1. Wat does te Bible say about divorce and remarriage? -Illinois Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Deuteronomy 24:1-4 states: Wen a man at taken a wife, and married er, and it come to pass tat se find no favour in is eyes, because e at found some uncleanness in er: ten let im write er a bill of divorcement, and give it in er and, and send er out of is ouse. And wen se is departed out of is ouse, se may go and be anoter man s wife. And if te latter usband ate er, and write er a bill of divorcement, and givet it in er and and sendet er out of is ouse; or if te latter usband die, wic took er to be is wife; er former usband, wic sent er away, may not take er again to be is wife, after tat se is defiled; for tat is abomination before te LORD: and tou salt not cause te land to sin, wic te LORD ty God givet tee for an ineritance. Malaci 2:14-16 states: Yet ye say, Werefore? Because te LORD at been witness between tee and te wife of ty yout, against wom tou ast dealt treacerously: yet is se ty companion, and te wife of ty covenant. And did not e make one? Yet ad e te residue of te spirit. And werefore one? Tat e migt seek a godly seed. Terefore take eed to your spirit, and let none deal treacerously against te wife of is yout. For te LORD, te God of Israel, sait tat e attet putting away: for one coveret violence wit is garment, sait te LORD of osts: terefore take eed to your spirit, tat ye deal not treacerously. Mattew 5:31-32 states: It at been said, Wosoever sall put away is wife, let im give er a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, Tat wosoever sall put away is wife, saving for te cause of fornication, causet er commit adultery: and wosoever sall marry er tat is divorced committet adultery. Mattew 19:3-12 states: Te Parisees also came unto im, tempting im, and saying unto im, Is it lawful for a man to put away is wife for every cause? And e answered and said unto tem, ave ye not read, tat e wic made tem at te beginning made tem male and female, And said, For tis cause sall a man leave fater and moter, and sall cleave to is wife: and tey twain sall be one fles? Werefore tey are no more twain, but one fles. Wat terefore God at joined togeter let not man put asunder. Tey say unto im, Wy did Moses ten command to give a writing of divorcment, and to put er away? e sait unto tem, Moses because of te ardness of your earts suffered you to put away your wives: but from te beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Wosoever sall put away is wife, except it be for fornication, and sall marry anoter, committet adultery: and woso marriet er wic is put away dot commit adultery. is disciples say unto im, If te case of te man be so wit is wife, it is not good to marry. But e said unto tem, All men cannot receive tis saying, save tey to wom it is given. For tere are some eunucs, wic were so born from teir moter s womb: and tere are some eunucs, wic were made eunucs of men: and tere be eunucs, wic ave made temselves eunucs for te kingdom of eaven s sake. e tat is able to receive it, let im receive it. Te exception clause for fornication is only found in te Gospel of Mattew. Some interpret tis as including all sexual uncleanness or infidelity. Oters see fornication as it is primarily defined, as premarital sex during te betrotal period as in te case of Josep and Mary (Matt. 1:18-20). In Josep s mind e tougt tat Mary ad committed fornication wile tey were betroted wic permitted im to put er away. Te angel explained to im ow Mary was wit cild witout sexual intercourse troug te miraculous conception performed by te oly Spirit. Mark 10:11-12 states: And e sait unto tem, Wosoever sall put away is wife, and marry anoter, committet adultery against er. And if a woman sall put away er usband, and be married to anoter, se committet adultery. Luke 16:18 states: Wosoeverr puttet away is wife, and marriet anoter, committet adultery: and wosoever marriet er tat is put away from er usband committet adultery. Romans 7:1-4 states: Know ye not, bretren, (for I speak to tem tat know te law,) ow tat te law at dominion over a man as long as e livet? For te woman wic at an usband is bound by te law to er usband so long as e livet; but if te usband be dead, se is loosed from te law of er usband. So ten if, wile er usband livet, se be married to anoter man, se sall be called an adulteress: but if er usband be dead, se is free from tat law: so tat se is no adulteress, toug se be married to anoter man. Werefore, my bretren, ye also are become dead to te law by te body of Crist; tat ye sould be married to anoter, even to im wo is raised from te dead, tat we sould bring fort fruit unto God. I Corintians 7:39-40 states: Te wife is bound by te law as long as er usband livet; but if er usband be dead, se is at liberty to be married to wom se will; only in te Lord. But se is appier if se so abide, after my judgment: and I tink also tat I ave te Spirit of God. Tese are te bulk of te verses in Scripture dealing wit divorce and remarriage. Wen I entered into te marriage covenant wit my wife Tammy in July of 1984 I did so wit te understanding we were entering into a lifelong bond of oly matrimony, and se did as well. Tis is te counsel I give to all wo are contemplating marriage. You must enter into te marriage covenant wit te idea tat tis commitment involves a life long bond, for better or worse, (Continued on page 14)

13 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 13 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 2. Please explain te difference between te soul and spirit? - Illinois Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV And te very God of peace sanctify you wolly; and I pray God your wole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto te coming of our Lord Jesus Crist (I Tess. 5:23). Te doctrine of te trinity of God and te tricotomy of man are linked by God s primal statement on te creation of man. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: So God created man in is own image, in te image of God created e im; male and female created e tem (Gen. 1:26-27). Te spirit, soul and body of man in our text, displays a dept of creation tat parallels te dept of our God s nature (3-in-1). Sela! Tink about it! Wen Adam fell in te garden, te creature was marred and deformed from its perfect state from Creation. And te LORD God commanded te man, saying, Of every tree of te garden tou mayest freely eat: But of te tree of te knowledge of good and evil, tou salt not eat of it: for in te day tat tou eatest tereof tou salt surely die (Gen. 2:1-17). Te spirit of man perised at tat moment, devolving im into a dicotomous creature wit only two natures (body and soul). A very REAL deat occurred wen Adam ate of te fruit. As real as te deat we witness at a funeral ome, were te soul is separated from te body. Adam and Eve continued to function on pysical and soulis planes, but became totally depraved in teir nature, because teir spirit DIED. Te nature tat perised and left tem in te abominable dicotomous state cannot be altered or remedied, except by te work of te oly Spirit in te regenerating new birt! Again, from te outside, it is not clearly seen, wat occurs wen te elect cild of God is born again. Marvel not tat I said unto tee, Ye must be born again. Te wind blowet were it listet, and tou earest te sound tereof, but canst not tell wence it comet, and witer it goet: so is every one tat is born of te Spirit (Jon 3:7-8). A walking dead man, tat we surely are, sows as little pysical evidence of te birt as te dying man sows in is eventual coffin. But as surely as Adam was struck wit deat in te garden, so, too, are we struck wit life at te moment of salvation. Te transformation tat makes te difference is eiter te subtraction or te addition of an essential element of our creation, eiter spirit or soul. Tey are CRUCIAL fundamentals of our elemental make-up. Sela! Tink about it! On teir respective creative days, God made te water and air creatures from te molecules of water and te land creatures from molecules of eart and clay. And God said, Let te waters bring fort abundantly te moving creature tat at life, and fowl And God said, Let te eart bring fort te living creature after is kind, cattle, and creeping ting, and beast of te eart after is kind: and it was so (Gen. 1:20, 24). Wat we ave are sentient beings wit a body and soul. Tis soul is not eternal (as far as I know), but fulfills te temporal purposes of God in tis marvelous creation as evidences of intelligent design. Wo knowet te spirit of man tat goet upward, and te spirit of te beast tat goet downward to te eart (Eccl. 3:21)? But God goes a step furter, wit te extraordinary pinnacle of is creation. TIS ONE, e says, will be in MY IMAGE! Tis one began wit te same clay as te cattle, but God took it one step furter in making it a tricotomous creature! And te LORD God formed man of te dust of te ground, and breated into is nostrils te breat of life; and man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7). Tis first birt of man is as unique as te second birt of man. And it does te same ting. It turns a dicotomous creature into a tricotomous marvel, in te image of God. Glory to our Creator! Sela! Tink about it! To differentiate between te soul and spirit according to Scripture, we state tat our spirit of life enables us to communicate wit God. Te soul as no spiritual life inerent, and eventually all of te mutated dicotomous (soul/ body creatures) will be cast into te garbage eap of an eternal ell. Te soul is just as eternal as te spirit, but is referred to as te carnal mind, witout te Spirit s genuinely uplifting nature. Te eternality of ell s everlasting deat is evidence of a soul tat will be tormented, but never die, or cease to be. And in tose days sall men seek deat, and sall not find it; and sall desire to die, and deat sall flee from tem (Rev. 9:6). Te symbiology of te tricotomous man to te trinity (in te image of God) is: 1) God te Fater = soul or seat of te will and being. 2) God te Son = body of fles, blood and bones. 3) God te oly Spirit = spirit of man tat can communicate wit God and oter spiritual beings/creations. Te departments of our lives are in relation to tese intrinsic attributes of our persona. Te soul is te mind; te spirit our eart. Not te beating muscle of our circulatory system, any more tan te soul is limited to te brain function of te nervous system. I used to ask my cildren were tey were, and as tey pointed to temselves, I would incorrigibly answer, No, tat is your arm, or belly, etc were are YOU? Eventually, it would dawn upon tem, tat tey were MORE tan just a pysical being, and tat witin te sell of teir tabernacle (II Peter 1:13-14) was an eternal wort (Matt. 16:25-26) tat I was able to teac tem called a soul. From tere, I could furter teac tem tat God ad made tem a spirit of even more tangible wort, if tey would repent and believe te gospel of te Creator and Saviour, in te Person of Jesus Crist! Sela! Now tat is wort tinking about! MATTEW STEPP Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O I believe man was originally created as a tricotomous being consisting of body (material), soul (immaterial), and spirit (spiritual). Wen Adam sinned (Continued on page 16)

14 Page 14 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Forum #1 (Continued from page 12) until deat do you part. No matter ow you look at divorce and remarriage, I tink all will agree tat it is te cause of muc eartace, trouble, and disruption between parents and cildren. I do not see divorce and remarriage as te unpardonable sin, as some do. I do believe te weakening of te original intent and ideal of te marriage covenant as done muc damage to society and contributed in large part to te casting off of te traditional view of marriage and te ome. TOM ROSS Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio Before I answer te question allow me to make a statement. According to my convictions tere are tree Scriptural reasons for divorce: First, deat of eiter of te spouses is an automatic termination of te marriage. Secondly, adultery is a scriptural basis for divorce. And tirdly, malicious desertion by one spouse of te oter is ground for divorce. owever, be it understood, because a spouse as scriptural grounds for divorce, a divorce does not ave to be sued for. If reconciliation can be realized, and te marriage salvaged tereby, tis is te far better coice. Instances of malicious desertion would be were one spouse forsook te oter wo was critically ill, or for a spouse to leave te oter destitute of te means of liveliood. Of course, adultery is a orrible violation of te marriage vows, and is agreed by all to be scriptural grounds for divorce. In any of te two cases stated in tis paragrap, te innocent party is free to sue out a divorce, and as te rigt to remarry only in te Lord (only anoter Cristian) (I Cor. 7:15, 39). God ates Divorce: For te LORD, te God of Israel, sait tat e atet putting away: for one coveret violence wit is garment, sait te LORD of osts: terefore take eed to your spirit, tat ye deal not treacerously (Mal. 2:16). God takes our oats/vows very seriously, If a man vow a vow unto te LORD, or swear an oat to bind is soul wit a bond; e sall not break is word, e sall do according to all tat proceedet out of is mout (Num. 30:2). Wen you marry and say vows to eac oter it is a serious matter. But te Bible does not condemn divorce for everyone: And I saw, wen for all te causes wereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I ad put er away, and given er a bill of divorce; yet er treacerous sister Juda feared not, but went and played te arlot also ( Jer. 3:8). God will not be joined to an adulterous people! e does, owever, ave a remnant tat will be saved in te end. And tey sung as it were a new song before te trone, and before te four beasts, and te elders: and no man could learn tat song but te undred and forty and four tousand, wic were redeemed from te eart (Rev. 14:3). Believers not to be Divorced, Unless, tere can be no reconciliation: And unto te married I command, yet not I, but te Lord, Let not te wife depart from er usband: But and if se depart, let er remain unmarried, or be reconciled to er usband: and let not te usband put away is wife (I Cor. 7:10-11). All effort sould be made by te Cristian to do everyting possible to stay wit teir spouse, unless tey ave done everyting possible to salvage teir marriage. Because of Defilement: Wen a man at taken a wife, and married er, and it come to pass tat se find no favour in is eyes, because e at found some uncleanness in er: ten let im write er a bill of divorcement, and give it in er and, and send er out of is ouse. And wen se is departed out of is ouse, se may go and be anoter man s wife. And if te latter usband ate er, and write er a bill of divorcement, and givet it in er and, and sendet er out of is ouse; or if te latter usband die, wic took er to be is wife; er former usband, wic sent er away, may not take er again to be is wife, after tat se is defiled; for tat is abomination before te LORD: and tou salt not cause te land to sin, wic te LORD ty God givet tee for an ineritance (Deut. 24:1-14). Once tere is a remarriage to anoter person after a divorce tere can never be reconciliation between tat couple because of defilement. A Believer and Non- Believer: But to te rest speak I, not te Lord: If any broter at a wife tat believet not, and se be pleased to dwell wit im, let im not put er away. And te woman wic at an usband tat believet not, and if e be pleased to dwell wit er, let er not leave im. For te unbelieving usband is sanctified by te wife, and te unbelieving wife is sanctified by te usband: else were your cildren unclean; but now are tey oly. But if te unbelieving depart, let im depart. A broter or a sister is not under bondage in suc cases: but God at called us to peace. For wat knowest tou, O wife, weter tou salt save ty usband? or ow knowest tou, O man, weter tou salt save ty wife? (I Cor. 7:12-16). Te fact is, if you can stay in te marriage, tere is always tat opportunity tat because te one is a Cristian and stays faitful to God, te oter spouse may be saved. It is very difficult in our society today but I believe it can be done. I believe te question is Wat does te Bible say about divorce and remarriage. I believe it would be too lengty to break down eac of te Scriptures I ave given and be able to give a reasonable answer to eac. In my opinion te Forum may not appreciate a long and lengty answer on suc a igly disagreed upon subject. So I leave it as I ave stated it! But I would encourage you, dear reader, to dig into te Bible if you desire a more full answer tan I ave given. Years ago, all would ave been in agreement about divorce and remarriage (as earlier stated), but not anymore, I am sad to say. One reason is tat people do not care wat God as to say about it anymore, just look around, it is a common ting. And I ope and pray tat te questioner is very sincere to know te answer and not just looking for a debate. God Bless! ROGER REED (Continued on page 15)

15 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 15 Forum #1 (Continued from page 14) Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV And I saw, wen for all te causes wereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I ad put er away, and given er a bill of divorce ( Jer. 3:8).Wen was te first divorce? We ave te first marriage documented clearly for us in Genesis 2, but do you know wen te word divorce is first mentioned in Scripture? In te Englis, it comes in Leviticus 21:14, A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an arlot, tese sall e not take: but e sall take a virgin of is own people to wife. Te context is speaking about restrictions on te ig priest s coice of a wife. But tat is not te first divorce, or even te first mention of divorce in te ebrew. You can go back seven verses and read: Tey sall not take a wife tat is a wore, or profane; neiter sall tey take a woman put away from er usband: for e is oly unto is God. Tis time in te restrictions on any priest (of te sons of Aaron), te Englis uses a different prase to translate te same ebrew word garas into: put away. Tat, too, is a familiar term to Bible readers. More often tan not, it is te terminology used wen speaking of a man divorcing is wife, or vice versa. Remember Malaci 2:15-16, Terefore take eed to your spirit, and let none deal treacerously against te wife of is yout. For te LORD, te God of Israel, sait tat e atet putting away... atet divorcing. Tis is yet anoter ebrew word, salac, usually translated send or put away. It is easily understood tat God ates divorce. Just to bring te word up in a marriage relationsip will cause sivers to run up my back. Jesus, imself, makes it clear tat divorce is against God s order and only appens because of te ardness of man s eart. e sait unto tem, Moses because of te ardness of your earts suffered you to put away your wives: but from te beginning it was not so (Matt. 19:8).) And so we all know tat divorce is caused by sin. Sometimes by bot spouses being unfaitful to eac oter, but many times just te one. And tat leaves an innocent party tat is affected greatly for te rest of teir life. Sela! Tink about it! Tat leads me to te point of tis Sela! Wen was te first divorce? It was already common in Moses time, so we ave to go back earlier. It is actually found in Genesis 3:23-24, Terefore te LORD God sent im fort from te garden of Eden, to till te ground from wence e was taken. So e drove out te man; and e placed at te east of te garden of Eden Cerubims, and a flaming sword wic turned every way Te two ebrew words for divorce are found ere. Tis is te first divorce! God sent fort (salac) or put away/divorced Adam and Eve. e drove out (garas) or separated/gave a Bill of Divorcement to te unfaitful couple. Reading tese passages as tey come across in te ebrew as really opened my eyes! I never could relate to our text and also Isaia 50:1, were it portrays God, imself, as a Divorcee. But tis study as allowed me to see tat te modern divorce is NOTING at all like Scriptural, Biblical divorce. Scriptural divorce is just te sending away or driving out of an unfaitful spouse, until te sin tat caused te divorce can be rectified. God still considers imself married, even toug Israel is toting around a Bill of Divorce. Read te fourteent verse of our text: Turn, O backsliding cildren, sait te LORD; for I am (divorced, but still-tms) married unto you. Separated! Sela! Tink about it! If your marriage ends up in divorce, God s Word defines your coices in I Corintians 7:11, But and if se depart, let er remain unmarried, or be reconciled to er usband. Clearly, te TWO options for one tat is divorced are to 1) remain unmarried (single) or 2) be reconciled to er usband. Tere is no 3 rd option of liberty to remarry someone else. Te Apostle never even considers tat tis divorce migt destroy te marriage and e (or se) would be free to go off and marry someone else. Tat is not te Biblical purpose of divorce. God s perception of divorce is more like our modern understanding of being separated, wic is actually an EXCELLENT understanding of Biblical divorce. Sure, tere is a problem ere and an interruption of te marriage vows, but it can be repaired wit reconciliation, and tat is wat te Apostle spends te next few verses on. But if te unbelieving depart, let im depart. A broter or a sister is not under bondage in suc cases: but God at called us to peace (reconciliation-tms). For wat knowest tou, O wife, weter tou salt save ty usband? or ow knowest tou, O man, weter tou salt save ty wife? (I Cor. 7:15-16). Divorce, like deat, in Scripture is never anniilation- bot are merely separations waiting for reconciliation. Can you keep praying for your lost loved ones, tat God migt give tem Spiritual life and call tem out of darkness into is marvelous ligt? Ten pray for tose broken families tat God migt work a miracle for tem, as well. I understand tat sometimes tey go off and remarry. Tere is no reconciliation from tat (see Deut. 24:4 below), but tere is still service to our God. Te Apostle Paul closes capter 7 of I Corintians wit praise of tis single ness of opportunity. Sela! Tink about it! Closing tougts on te subject of remarriage. It is not sanctioned by Scripture. It is sin. But it is regulated, as sin often is in te practical Bible for depraved mankind. If you ave a divorce in your past; and you ave remarried, ten tat second marriage vow did someting tat no divorce could ever do. It destroyed te first marriage vow, as clearly sown in Deuteronomy 24:3-, And if te latter usband write er a bill of divorcement, or if te latter usband die, wic took er to be is wife; er former usband may not take er again to be is wife God recognizes te second marriage to be te reason tat tey can no longer reconcile, unlike divorce or adultery. Te miracles of marriage and grace are still unstoppable! Your second marriage vows, are still just tat, marriage vows. Reverence your new usband. Ceris your new wife. Serve God from tis day fort in oneness and treeness of body and spirit! Werefore, my bretren, ye also are become (Continued on page 16)

16 Page 16 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Forum #1 (Continued from page 15) dead to te law by te body of Crist; tat ye sould be married to anoter, even to im wo is raised from te dead, tat we sould bring fort fruit unto God (Rom. 7:4). ey, we can not get puffed up. We are ALL in our second marriage out of our former sins. No longer married to te fles, but married to Crist. Sela! Tink about it! MATTEW STEPP Forum #2 (Continued from page 13) against God, is spirit and spiritual connection wit God died just as God ad warned. Adam s body and soul did not die wen e sinned, only is spirit died wic, in effect, separated im from God and is fellowsip. Adam was immediately separated from God spiritually. Te deat of is body would come many years later. Due to inerent uman depravity all men are now spiritually dead to God (Rom. 5:12; Ep. 2:1-3). Tey are said to be in te fles as opposed to te spirit. As suc tey can produce no spiritual affections or exercise any spiritual discernment (I Cor. 2:14). In tis spiritually dead and flesly condition tey are entirely incapable of pleasing God in any way. Romans 8:8 states: So ten tey tat are in te fles cannot please God. Unless God intervenes in te new birt, te spiritually dead man will experience pysical deat followed by te second deat wic is eternal separation from God in te Lake of Fire. Te unsaved man s body and soul will be punised in te Lake of Fire trougout te infinity of eternity. Te unsaved, natural, unbelieving lost man as never and will never ave a spiritual connection wit God. Te soul is te immaterial part of man oused in is body, wic in effect is is personal identity consisting of is intellect, will, affections and emotions. Te soul of man is tat part of im, tat once conceived in te womb of is moter, lives on trougout eternity eiter wit te Lord Jesus Crist or in te Lake of Fire. Jesus made it clear tat te soul of man is wort more tan all te world in Mattew 16:26: For wat is a man profited, if e sall gain te wole world, and lose is own soul? or wat sall a man give in excange for is soul? Only tose wo are born of te Spirit in te work of regeneration ave a spiritual nature tat corresponds wit God s oly nature (II Pet. 1:3-4). Te spiritual nature or te new man is a direct creation of te oly Spirit in God s elect tat enables tem to love and worsip God. Epesians 2:10 declares: For we are is workmansip, created in Crist Jesus unto good works, wic God at before ordained tat we sould walk in tem. Epesians 4:22-24 states: Tat ye put off concerning te former conversation te old man, wic is corrupt according to te deceitful lusts; And be renewed in te spirit of your mind; And tat ye put on te new man, wic after God is created in rigteousness and true oliness. It is in tis spiritual nature tat God te oly Spirit dwells and produces fruit tat onors God: But te fruit of te Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, fait, Meekness, temperance: against suc tere is no law. And tey tat are Crist s ave crucified te fles wit te affections and lusts. If we live in te Spirit, let us also walk in te Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25). All men ave a body and soul. Only God s elect ave a newly created spiritual nature tat enables tem to fellowsip and communicate wit God. One day all tree parts of man will be glorified to dwell wit God trougout eternity: And te very God of peace sanctify you wolly; and I pray God your wole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto te coming of our Lord Jesus Crist. Faitful is e tat callet you, wo also will do it (I Tess. 5:23-24). TOM ROSS Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio Tere are some tat believe te soul and te spirit are te same ting; I do not old suc a belief. Tose tat believe te soul and te spirit are te same is called Te Dicotomous View. I believe in Te Tricotomous View tat man aving tree parts to is uman nature is body, soul, and spirit. As te Fater, Son, and oly Spirit are tree in one, I believe tis of man as well. But te question is Please explain te difference between te soul and spirit? So tat is wat we will attempt to answer. And so it is written, Te first man Adam was made a living soul; te last Adam was made a quickening spirit (I Cor. 15:45). I believe te soul is were our affections, desires, and all emotions come from. Wen Adam sinned is soul did not die but te spiritual man died. We know after e sinned e still ad is emotional state, because e was afraid and knew e was naked and went and id imself from God. So te spiritual man died tat day, and e lost all fellowsip wit God. Every uman being is now born into te world spiritually dead, but yet tey ave all teir uman faculties. Tey urt, tey ave desires, and tey ave all sorts of emotional responses, but yet tey are dead spiritually. Tat is wy Jesus said we must be born again. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto tee, Except a man be born of water and of te Spirit, e cannot enter into te kingdom of God. Tat wic is born of te fles is fles; and tat wic is born of te Spirit is spirit (Jon 3:5-6). Te spirit is tat wic gives God-consciousness, and gives im capacity of communion wit God. A man can love, but e will never know true love, or wat love really is until e is quickened (made alive) spiritually. And you at e quickened, wo were dead in trespasses and sins; Werein in time past ye walked according to te course of tis world, according to te prince of te power of te air, te spirit tat now worket in te cildren of disobedience: Among wom also we all ad our conversation in times past in te lusts of our fles, fulfilling te desires of te fles and of te mind; and were by nature te cildren of wrat, even as oters (Ep. 2:1-3). Wen te spirit is quickened (made alive) e can again enjoy sweet fellowsip wit God as Adam did wen God would walk wit im in te cool of te day. And tey eard te voice (Continued on page 17)

17 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 17 Forum #2 (Continued from page 16) of te LORD God walking in te garden in te cool of te day: and Adam and is wife id temselves from te presence of te LORD God amongst te trees of te garden (Gen. 3:8). A lost man lusts, steals, and does all manner of sins witout remorse, because is spirit is dead. Tat is wat Paul told te Epesians wen e said, wo were dead in trespasses and sins, but God quickened us and now we see we are sinners and we ave remorse and sorrow over our sins. Te lost man will never understand te tings of God, but te saved man can because is spirit is made alive to receive te tings of God. And now our spirit can ave oneness wit God. Wen we die te soul dies, but te spirit lives on. As a Cristian wit God, We are confident, I say, and willing rater to be absent from te body, and to be present wit te Lord (II Cor. 5:8). But for a lost man and in ell e lift up is eyes, being in torments (Luke 16:23). I believe te soul is te breat of God, and witout tat breat man and every living ting dies, because teir soul dies. In wose and is te soul of every living ting, and te breat of all mankind (Job 12:10). Many believe teir pets will be in eaven! Tat is not possible, because tey do not ave a spirit, but tey do ave a soul, and wen teir body dies, tey (teir soul) dies as well. So if te soul dies, but te spirit lives on into eternity, ow can te soul and te spirit be one and te same? God Bless! ROGER REED Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 11) God (Jeova-Eloim) made man and woman and instituted marriage. Tis is te key to marriage! We must recognize tat it is not our own institution. It is God s! e originated marriage! e made man and woman! e set te rules for marriage! We are not allowed to cange te rules of marriage. Wat did te Lord say in reply to te question? e stated: ave ye not read, tat e wic made tem at te beginning made tem male and female, And said, For tis cause sall a man leave fater and moter, and sall cleave to is wife: and tey twain sall be one fles? Werefore tey are no more twain, but one fles. Wat terefore God at joined togeter, let not man put asunder (Matt. 19:4-6). It is wort noting tat tis is is reply. Wen asked Is it lawful for a man to put away is wife for every cause? Te Lord made no mention of divorce, putting away, etc. Rater, e stated tat man is to cleave to is wife; two individuals (man and woman) ave become one in marriage. Tey are no more two, but now one fles. AND, wat God at joined togeter, man is not to separate! Tat is is reply! Let us examine te reply of te Lord! MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN We must old to te Biblical position of marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Marriage cannot be comprised of a man and a man; a woman and a woman. Regardless of wat any government may say, marriage is between a man and a woman. Furtermore, because of te ungodly time in wic we are living, let us also state tat Jesus dealt wit te transgender (gender dysporia) issue as well! For te Lord stated, ave ye not read, tat e wic made tem at te beginning made tem male and female... (Matt. 19:4). e made tem eiter male or female. And wat te Lord made tem is exactly wat tey are and ever sall be wit respect to teir gender. It is a depraved society tat would allow men to marry men or even for a man to lie wit a man; or women wit women. Scripture tells us tat...god gave tem up unto vile affections: for even teir women did cange te natural use into tat wic is against nature: And likewise also te men, leaving te natural use of te woman, burned in teir lust one toward anoter; men wit men working tat wic is unseemly, and receiving in temselves tat recompense of teir error wic was meet (Rom. 1:26-27). TE WORDS OF TE CREATOR Te Lord Jesus Crist refers to te book of beginnings, Genesis. Te reference is to Genesis 2:24. Let us note tat verse in its context. And te LORD God said, It is not good tat te man sould be alone; I will make im an elp meet for im. And out of te ground te LORD God formed every beast of te field, and every fowl of te air; and brougt tem unto Adam to see wat e would call tem: and watsoever Adam called every living creature, tat was te name tereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to te fowl of te air, and to every beast of te field; but for Adam tere was not found an elp meet for im. And te LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and e slept: and e took one of is ribs, and closed up te fles instead tereof; And te rib, wic te LORD God ad taken from man, made e a woman, and brougt er unto te man. And Adam said, Tis is now bone of my bones, and fles of my fles: se sall be called Woman, because se was taken out of Man. Terefore sall a man leave is fater and is moter, and sall cleave unto is wife: and tey sall be one fles. And tey were bot naked, te man and is wife, and were not asamed (Gen. 2:18-25). Te wole scene begins wit te LORD God and ends wit te LORD God. In Genesis 2:18, it is te LORD God wo said,...it is not good tat te man sould be alone: I will make im an elp meet for im and it is te LORD wo stated Terefore sall a man leave is fater and is moter, and sall cleave unto is wife; and tey sall be one fles in Genesis 2:24. Te LORD God brougt before Adam every ting created. Adam was given carge over tem and e named tem; but among all of creation was not found a elp meet for im (Gen. 2:20). Te prase elp-meet comes from tis verse. According to Strong s Concordance, an elp meet is one word in te ebrew language. It literally means, aid, succor, elp, In te Englis te word elp means to aid, to assist, to lend strengt or means towards effecting a purpose (Webster s 1828 Dictionary). Te word elp means fitted for, or suitable. Wen we look at tese togeter, te LORD God said e would make one wo was fitted for or suitable to elp, aid, assist, lend strengt to Adam. Yet among all of creation, tere was (Continued on page 18)

18 Page 18 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 17) not found one wo was suitable to assist Adam. Te LORD God ten caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, took one of Adam s ribs, and e (te LORD God) made a woman. Adam named er woman, stating, And Adam said, Tis is now bone of my bones, and fles of my fles: se sall be called Woman, because se was taken out of man (Gen. 2:23). Tese are te first recorded words of man! In te next verse we find te law of marriage. Now, many ave tougt tat Adam is continuing to speak in Genesis 2:24. Yet, wen we compare Scripture wit Scripture, we find tat it is te LORD God, for Jesus states in our text of Mattew 19:4-5,... ave ye not read tat E wic made tem at te beginning made tem male and female, AND SAID, For tis cause sall a man leave fater and moter, and sall cleave to is wife: and tey twain sall be one fles? It was not Adam wo stated Genesis 2:24, but e wic made tem at te beginning... It is te LORD God wo stated tose words. It is te LORD God wo establised marriage and te laws of it. In anoter passage of Scripture we read tat God is immutable: For I am te LORD, I cange not; terefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed (Mal. 3:6). Te LORD does not cange! Yet many (saved and lost; Baptists and non-baptists; preacers and curc members) would ave you and me believe tat te law of marriage as been canged by God. If it as been canged, wen did God cange it? Were in is word did e revise te law of marriage? And if e did revise tose laws of marriage, ow ten can we preac an uncanging God? ow can some men preac an uncanging God wo as canging ways? O tat we migt be Biblically consistent in our beliefs and preacings. TE UNCANGING LAW OF MARRIAGE aving establised tat it is te LORD God wo stated Terefore sall a man leave is fater and is moter, and sall cleave unto is wife: and tey sall be one fles (Gen. 2:24), let us now expound tat Scripture wit Scripture. Leave is fater and moter: Vv. 24 A man is to leave is fater and moter. A man is born unto a fater and moter. Yet e is to leave tem. Te word leave may be rendered: forsake, relinquis, permit. Before e is married is allegiance is to is fater and moter. Te son as been divinely given to is fater and moter for instruction (Prov. 1:8), training (Prov. 22:6), bringing up in te nurture and admonition of te Lord (Ep. 6:4). Yet, te Lord willing, te day will come wen tat man sall be married. e is to relinquis or leave is fater and is moter. Tis does NOT mean tat e sould drop is affections to is parents, or be remiss in is obedience to tem, onor of tem, and esteem for tem, or to neglect te care of tem, if tey stand in need of is assistance; but tat e sould depart from is fater s ouse, and no more dwell wit im, or bed and board in is ouse (Gill, Jon; Exposition of Old and New Testaments; Genesis 2:24). Sall Cleave Unto is Wife: Vv. 24 ere we find te duties of a man to is wife. e is to cling to er; to adere to er; to be joined togeter. And tey sall be one fles: Vv. 24 Tis is te extent of is cleaving to er: And tey SALL be one fles. Wen a man and a woman are married, tey become one. Te union between te two is so close tat tey are one person, one soul, one body. Tey are inseparable. No longer e and er, but one fles. Te Lord Jesus expounds tis imself saying, Werefore tey are no more twain (two), but one fles. Wat terefore God at joined togeter, let not man put asunder (Matt. 19:6). God, aving establised te laws of marriage, is said to ave joined folks togeter in marriage. Regardless of wat a society, government, te individual presiding over te marriage ceremony, a false curc, ministers, people in general may say, marriage is God s institution. Wen folks enter into marriage tey ave been joined togeter by God. Jesus stated, tat man is not permitted to put asunder tat wic e as joined togeter. Man cannot separate te marriage. Tis notion, tat going to a court ouse, filing some papers, and ten a judge or family advocate is able to declare tat te marriage is dissolved, or tat a world s religious system can some ow absolve te marriage and say tat it never took place is beyond absurd. Read tose words again,...let not man put asunder. Man in any form, weter it be government, religious organizations, preacers, etc is not to put asunder a marriage. For God at joined tem togeter! OW TEN DOES A MARRIAGE END Te Scriptures are plain and clear on tis matter as well. Once again, we reiterate, just as God establised te law of marriage, wat marriage is, ow it is to be conducted by bot te usband and te wife; we find te Lord as also establised wat dissolves te union. Tere is but one ting tat dissolves te union of marriage: DEAT! Let us once again turn to te autority of te Scriptures: Know ye not, bretren, (for I speak to tem tat know te law,) ow tat te law at dominion over a man as long as e livet? For te woman wic at an usband is bound by te law to er usband so long as e livet; but if te usband be dead, se is loosed from te law of er usband. So ten if, wile er usband livet, se be married to anoter man, se sall be called an adulteress: but if er usband be dead se is free from tat law; so tat se is no adulteress, toug se be married to anoter man. Werefore, my bretren, ye also are become dead to te law by te body of Crist; tat ye sould be married to anoter, even to im wo is raised from te dead, tat we sould bring fort fruit unto God. For wen we were in te fles, te motions of sins, wic were by te law, did work in our members to bring fort fruit unto deat. But now we are delivered from te law, tat being dead werein we were eld; tat we sould serve in newness of spirit, and not in te oldness of te letter (Rom. 7:1-6). Te Apostle Paul is writing unto te saints at Rome (Rom. 1:7) concerning te subject of salvation. e comes now to te sevent capter. In tis sevent capter Paul is sowing tat we as believers are dead to te letter of te old Mosaic law, for e previously stated tat we are under grace (Rom. 6:14-15). To (Continued on page 19)

19 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 19 Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 18) illustrate tis point, Paul, being led of te oly Spirit refers unto te law of marriage. We were once married to te law (te law of Moses) wen we were te bondage of sin. But now, we are free from tat law because we died in Crist Jesus and are now free to marry anoter. Tis is te teacing tat Paul is bringing out. Yet, e uses te law of marriage to make known te trut of salvation. In doing so, te oly Spirit, troug Paul, plainly sows tat marriage ends solely and wolly in deat. We find tat te Lord Jesus Crist taugt te very same ting during is eartly ministry. Observe: Wosoever puttet away is wife, and marriet anoter, committet adultery: and wosoever marriet er tat is put away from er usband committet adultery (Luke 16:18). It at been said, wosoever sall put away is wife, let im give er a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, Tat wosoever sall put away is wife, saving for te cause of fornication, causet er to commit adultery: and wosoever sall marry er tat is divorced committet adultery (Matt. 5:31-32). And in te ouse is disciples asked im again of te same matter. And e sait unto tem, Wosoever sall put away is wife, and marry anoter, committet adultery against er. And if a woman sall put away er usband, and be married to anoter, se committet adultery (Mark 10:10-12). If divorce dissolves a marriage, tis was te opportunity for Crist to make it plain and clear to us all. Yet, te Lord clearly affirms te law of marriage as laid down by God in te beginning:...e tat made tem at te beginning made tem male and female, And said, For tis cause sall a man leave fater and moter, and sall cleave to is wife: and tey twain sall be one fles? (Matt. 19:4-5). Te Lord Jesus affirms tat divorce does not dissolve a union; it does not end te marriage. Only deat dissolves te union of marriage. Te Scriptures are clear! It is man wo as sougt for loopoles, and ways around te Word of God. It was not always tis way. Man is only concerned about wat e/se wants. Yet te Word of God is quite clear: So ten if, wile er usband livet, se be married to anoter man, se sall be called an adulteress... (Rom. 7:3). Wy? Because se is still bound to im because e is not dead! For te woman wic at an usband is bound by te law to er usband so long as e livet... Te word bound means to bind, to knit, to tie. It is from tis we get our prase te bonds of matrimony or tie te knot wit reference to marriage. I Corintians 7:39 states te very same ting: Te wife is bound by te law as long as er usband livet; but if er usband be dead, se is at liberty to be married to wom se will; only in te Lord (I Cor. 7:39). And so it is deat alone tat can and does dissolve te union, te cleaving, te marriage. Divorce does NOT dissolve te marriage union. ABANDONMENT Tere is a notion from one verse in all of Scripture tat if a usband abandons te wife, se is ten free to marry; or if te wife abandons te usband, e is free to marry. I suppose one would say tat if one abandons te oter, ten tey are bot free to re-marry. For us to take tis position, we would ave to go against all of wic te Scripture says. We would ave to deny tose words of te Lord in Genesis 2:24; Mattew 19:3-12; Mattew 5:32; Romans 7:1-6; I Corintians 7:39. Let us examine te Scripture tat allegedly states tat abandonment ends a marriage: And unto te married I command, yet not I, but te Lord, Let not te wife depart from er usband: But and if se depart, let er remain unmarried, or be reconciled to er usband: and let not te usband put away is wife. But to te rest speak I, not te Lord: if any broter at a wife tat believet not, and se be pleased to dwell wit im, let im not put er away. And te woman wic at an usband tat believet not, and if e be pleased to dwell wit er, let er not leave im. For te unbelieving usband is sanctified by te wife, and te unbelieving wife is sanctified by te usband: else were your cildren unclean; but now are tey oly. But if te unbelieving depart, let im depart. A broter or a sister is not under bondage in suc cases: but God at called us to peace (I Cor. 7:10-15). Some take I Corintians 7:15, But if te unbelieving depart, let im depart. A broter or a sister is not under bondage in suc cases: but God at called us to peace to mean tat if your partner abandons you, ten you are free to re-marry. Yet, tis is not at all wat te Scripture states. We must remember, tat Scripture must be interpreted wit Scripture. Te same oly Spirit wo breated out I Corintians 7:15 ALSO breated out I Corintians 7:39, Te wife is bound by te law as long as er usband livet; but if er usband be dead, se is at liberty to be married to wom se will; only in te Lord. Does te oly Spirit contradict imself? Does e say in one verse tat abandonment ends a marriage and ten in anoter tat it is deat? Does God say in Genesis 2:24 tat two ave become one fles; reiterates it in te person of is Son in Mattew 19:4-6; but ten te oly Spirit contradicts te Fater and te Son in I Corintians 7:15? Is God divided? Logic and reason alone tell us tat tis cannot be! Let God be true, but every man a liar (Rom. 3:4). So wat ten does I Corintians 7:15, But if te unbelieving depart, let im depart. A broter or a sister is not under bondage in suc cases: but God at called us to peace pertain to? First of all, observe te context. Tis passage of Scripture is only applicable to a married couple were one of tem is saved and te oter is lost: But if te unbelieving depart (I Cor. 7:15). Tis wole section of verses (I Corintians 7:12-24) pertains to a man or woman wo is married and is ten saved, but teir usband or wife is an unbeliever. Tis is NOT applicable to two saved individuals. Remember, we must leave te Scriptures in teir context or setting. Paul writes tat te believer is to let te unbeliever depart. Te word depart means to go away to separate and comes from te idea of an empty room or a large open space as te country, or a region, or a coast. Next, Paul writes, A broter or sister is not under bondage in suc cases: but God at (Continued on page 20)

20 Page 20 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 19) called us to peace (I Cor. 7:15). Many wrest (II Peter 3:16) te Scriptures into saying tat te saved person wo is deserted is now free from te bonds of marriage because e or se was deserted. It is ard to believe tat some will claim tat te powers tat be wic are ordained of God (Rom. 13:1) are not to put asunder wat God at joined togeter, but someow an unbelieving usband or wife can do it! ow strange, to say te least! Again, we must reiterate te law of marriage:...ave ye not read, tat e wic made tem at te beginning made tem male and female, And said, For tis cause sall a man leave fater and moter, and sall cleave to is wife: and tey twain sall be one fles? Werefore tey are no more twain, but one fles. Wat terefore God at joined togeter, let not man put asunder (Matt. 19:4-6); For te woman wic at an usband is bound by te law to er usband so long as e livet; but if te usband be dead, se is loosed from te law of er usband. So ten if, wile er usband livet, se be married to anoter man, se sall be called an adulteress: but if er usband be dead, se is free from tat law; so tat se is no adulteress, toug se be married to anoter man (Rom. 7:2-3). For anyone to conclude tat a person simply leaving a marriage constitutes a deat is absurd. To say tat because tey ave abandoned te marriage tat it is like a deat is equally outlandis. Deat means deat! If te unbeliever departs, but is not dead and te believer wo as been deserted remarries, ten e or se is an adulterer/ adulteress. Wy? Because...if, wile er usband livet, se be married to anoter man, se sall be called an adulteress... (Rom. 7:3). I Corintians 7:15,...A broter or sister is not under bondage in suc cases: but God at called us to peace rater speaks to us tat te saved person is not eld ostage by te unbeliever. Tey are not to case after tem, but let tem depart. Te word bondage (I Cor. 7:15) means enslavement and is not te same as bound (Rom. 7:2-3), wic means to bind, to knit, to tie. A broter or sister is not under enslavement to make a person stay wit tem. You cannot control anoter person. You cannot make anoter person do anyting. If te oter party to te marriage is going to leave, you cannot old tem ostage, nor are you required to be a ostage. Furtermore, never does it say in tis passage of Scripture tat if te unbeliever departs you may marry as you will! Previously, Paul wrote, And unto te married I command, yet not I, but te Lord, Let not te wife depart from er usband: But and if se depart, let er remain unmarried, or be reconciled to er usband: and let not te usband put away is wife (I Cor. 7:10-11). If one departs, abandons teir spouse, tey are NOT free to marry anoter. Rater, te one wo departs as two options: 1) tey are to remain unmarried, tat is not to marry anoter or 2) tey are to be reconciled back to teir spouse. Furtermore, te Bible states, tat te spouse wo is deserted is not to put away te oter, or give a bill of divorcement. Lastly, we note tat Paul records te words of te oly Spirit: but God at called us to peace (I Cor. 7:15). Te word peace ere may be rendered quietness, rest. Crist as called us to live peaceably wit all men (Rom. 12:18). God at not called us to figt, argue, dispute. Tus, te believing party wo is being deserted is to strive for peace, quietness, rest in te marriage. Tus, if te unbeliever depart, let im depart (I Cor. 7:15). But neiter are free to marry again, tey are to remain unmarried (tat is, not marrying anoter) or tey are to be reconciled to one anoter. owever, since neiter as died, tey are bound to one anoter, for marriage ends in deat. TE FORNICATION CLAUSE Let us return to our original text: Mattew 19. Remember, te Parisees came asking im a question to tempt (Matt. 19:3) te Lord. After e answered teir first question, tey ad a follow up question. Again, tey were not interested in trut, only in tempting te Lord. Let us note: Tey say unto im, Wy did Moses ten command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put er away? e sait unto tem, Moses because of te ardness of your earts suffered you to put away your wives: but from te beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, wosoever sall put away is wife, except it be for fornication, and sall marry anoter, committet adultery: and woso marriet er wic is put away dot commit adultery (Matt. 19:7-9). It at been said, wosoever sall put away is wife, let im give er a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, Tat wosoever sall put away is wife, saving for te cause of fornication, causet er to commit adultery: and wosoever sall marry er tat is divorced committet adultery (Matt. 5:31-32). Tere as been muc needless consternation by many over tis fornication clause. Folks would do well to simply believe wat is written instead of trying to wrest (II Peter 3:16) te Scriptures; stop trying to cram teir own teology into te Word of God; wile tey ougt to ave God s Word dictate teir teology. It sould be noted, tat te fornication clause governs divorce, but says noting towards remarrying. Observe tat te Lord states after except it be for fornication e ten states, and woso marriet er wic is put away dot commit adultery (Matt. 19:9) and again...and wosoever sall marry er tat is divorced committet adultery (Matt. 5:32). Bot of tose statements came after te fornication clause. We reiterate, tat in tis passage of Scripture, Crist makes it clear tat fornication pertains to divorce and not remarriage. Let us note te text of Mattew 19:7-9. Te Parisees ask te Lord a follow up question of temptation: Wy did Moses ten command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put er away? Tis is a reference to Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Tese verses contain te Mosaic Law of Divorce. Te Lord Jesus gave a reply: e sait unto tem, Moses because of te ardness of your earts suffered you to put away your wives: but from te beginning it was not so. Observe te answer tat Crist Jesus gives to te Parisees: MOSES BECAUSE OF TE ARDNESS OF YOUR (Continued on page 21)

21 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 21 Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 20) EARTS SUFFERED YOU TO PUT AWAY YOUR WIVES: You will take note tat te Lord Jesus stated tat Moses suffered te Jews of old to put away (divorce) teir wives because of te ardness of your earts. Te word ardness is also defined by Strong s as ard-eartedness, especially destitution of spiritual perception. It was not at te leadersip of te oly Spirit tat Moses...suffered Israel to put away teir wives, but rater te ardness of teir earts. Tere as never been, nor will tere ever be a time wen ard-eartedness brougt about anyting good. A ardness of eart is one tat as no forgiveness in it. A ardness of eart is not a broken and contrite eart. Divorce was not commanded by Moses, but suffered or permitted. One preacer recorded concerning Deuteronomy 24:1-4: Te question of divorce and remarriage is an age-old question upon wic men are never satisfied because tey will not believe and submit to te Word of God. Te law of Moses concerning divorce was instituted because divorce existed. Yet, divorce was te creation of man, and not of God. Marriage is te creation and appointment of God for te benefit of man, Mark 10:2-12; Matt. 5:31-32; Gen. 2: Te original institution of marriage by God was for a man and a woman to be joined as one fles until deat. Tere was never a divorce until sin was in te world, I Cor. 7:1-3, 10-17, 27, 39. Many excuses are made as to wy people want to divorce. Divorce is never necessary. Remarriage after divorce is never sanctioned. If separation occurs, ten te separated spouses are to remain unmarried or be reconciled one to anoter. If a person is saved after aving been married, and is or er spouse is unsaved, ten te saved person is a witness in is or er own ouse to te unsaved spouse and to te cildren (ille, Timoty Jon. Te Book of Deuteronomy, Deut. 24:1-4 (page 124)). God did not invent divorce! But e did regulate it! Yes, God can and does regulate inventions of sinful man! BUT FROM TE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO:...but from te beginning it was not so (Matt. 19:8). Te Lord reiterates wat e ad first answered te Parisees wit: Genesis 2:24. Te Lord goes back yet again to God s law of marriage. Man as perverted many tings. Man as perverted worsip, curc, ordinances of te curc, offices of te curc, etc. And we wo old God s Word to be te sole rule of fait and practice point to te Scriptures. We must do te same ting wit our present subject: Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. Crist Jesus goes back to God s Word, not te traditions of man. So ougt we. Did not God say to Israel of old troug te propet Jeremia Tus sait te LORD, Stand in te ways, and see, and ask for te old pats, were is te good way and walk terein, and ye sall find rest for your souls. But tey said, We will not walk terein (Jer. 6:16). Unlike Israel, let us walk in tose old pats, were is te good way. From te beginning, tere was not divorce; tere was no putting away. Divorce was introduced troug te ard-eartedness of men and women. It did not exist until sin entered te world troug te disobedience of one man (Rom. 5:12, 19). Wen te Lord instituted marriage, gave te law of marriage, not one ting was said concerning divorce. Rater, te exact opposite. For te Lord stated:...and tey sall be one fles (Gen. 2:24). You cannot dissolve one. WOSOEVER SALL PUT AWAY IS WIFE, EXCEPT IT BE FOR FORNICATION: We now come to te fornication clause. Again, let us reiterate, tis does not apply to remarriage, but governs divorce. Fornication is te only reason given in all of Scripture for divorce. It is not given as an exception for remarriage, but divorce. First, let us state tat fornication and adultery are not te same ting. Tey are not te same in Englis. Tey are not te same in Greek. Te word fornication is porneia in Greek. From it comes our Englis word pornograpy and pornograpic. Te word adultery is moicao. Te Lord Jesus Crist used two completely different words in Mattew 19:9. We also find tat te Lord used porneia and moicao in Mattew 5:32, But I say unto you tat wosoever sall put away is wife, saving for te cause of fornication, causet er to commit adultery; and wosoever sall marry er tat is divorced committet adultery and in Mattew 15:19, For out of te eart proceed evil tougts, murders, adulteries, fornications, tefts, false witness, blaspemies. Te Lord used porneia (fornication) and moicao (adultery) separately from one anoter. Wy? Because tey are not te same ting; tey mean two different tings. Te Lord Jesus understood tat tey mean two different tings. If fornication and adultery are te same ting, ten wy did te Lord use two different words? It seems to tis preacer tat Crist used tem because e meant two different tings by tem. Paul follows te Lord s usage in Galatians 5:19, Now te works of te fles are manifest, wic are tese: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. If tese are te same ting, ten wy did Paul list tem separately in is epistle to te Galatians, one rigt after te oter? Te Biblical usage of fornication sows tat it pertains to sexual intercourse before one is married. Tis is evident from Mattew 19:9; Galatians 5:19; I Corintians 7:2: Neverteless, to avoid fornication, let every man ave is own wife, and let every woman ave er own usband ; Jon 8:41: Ye do te deeds of your fater. Ten said tey to im, We be not born of fornication; we ave one Fater, even God. In Jon 8:41 te Lord Jesus is olding a discourse wit te Parisees. Jesus was accused of being te product of fornication between Josep and Mary as tey denied te miraculous, Divine, virgin-birt of te Lord Jesus Crist. Tey believed tat Josep and Mary ad committed fornication. Josep believed tat Mary ad committed fornication. Observe: Now te birt of Jesus Crist was on tis wise; Wen, as is moter, Mary was espoused to Josep, before tey came togeter, se was found wit cild of te oly Gost, Ten Josep er usband, being a just man, and not willing to make er a publick example, was minded to put er away privily [privately]. But wile e tougt on tese tings, beold, te angel of te Lord appeared (Continued on page 22)

22 Page 22 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 21) unto im in a dream, saying, Josep, tou son of David, fear not to take unto tee Mary ty wife: for tat wic is conceived in er is of te oly Gost. And se sall bring fort a son, and tou salt call is name JESUS: for e sall save is people from teir sins. Now all tis was done, tat it migt be fulfilled wic was spoken by te Lord by te propet, saying, Beold, a virgin sall be wit cild, and sall bring fort a son, and tey sall call is name Emmanuel, wic being interpreted is, God wit us. Ten Josep being raised from sleep did as te angel of te Lord ad bidden im, and took unto im is wife: And knew er not till se ad brougt fort er firstborn son: and e called is name JESUS (Matt. 1:18-25). Observe ere tat Mary was espoused to Josep, before tey came togeter (Matt. 1:18). Te word espouse literally means to betrot (Strong s Concordance), or to woo er in marriage, to ask in marriage, to be promised in marriage. So, tey ad not yet married, yet Josep was minded to put er away privily (Matt. 1:19). ow was Josep minded to put er away? ad se committed adultery? NO! Te Scriptures clearly teac us tat Josep tougt Mary ad committed an act of fornication not adultery. Jon 8:41 confirms tat it was widely eld tat Mary ad committed fornication wit someone. Furtermore, we see ere tat wat Crist Jesus taugt was practiced. Tat putting away was done for fornication not adultery. Tis is not wat is practiced in our society today! In fact, folks do NOT even divorce for adultery but for te fact tat tey no longer wis to be married to anoter person. Yet, and we reiterate tis yet again; marriage ends in deat. AND SALL MARRY ANOTER, COMMITTET ADULTERY, AND WOSOEVER MARRIET ER WO IS PUT AWAY DOT COMMIT ADULTERY: Te Lord continues is teacing on marriage, divorce and remarriage. e states tat if one marries anoter, tey are in fact committing adultery. And if one marries one wo as been put away, ten tey are committing adultery. Te Lord remains consistent in is teacing. is exposition of marriage, divorce, and remarriage maintains te original teacing of tat wic was laid down in te beginning (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6, 8). MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, AND REMARRIAGE AND TE OFFICE OF BISOP We want to look at wat te Bible says pertaining to te office of a Bisop and marriage. We ave two passages of Scripture tat give us te qualifications of a Bisop: Tis is a true saying, If a man desire te office of a bisop, e desiret a good work. A bisop ten must be blameless, te usband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good beavior, given to ospitality, apt to teac; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filty lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not coveteous; One tat rulet well is own ouse, aving is cildren in subjection wit all gravity; (For if a man know not ow to rule is own ouse, ow sall e take care of te curc of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up wit pride e fall into te condemnation of te devil. Moreover e must ave a good report of tem wo are witout; lest e fall into reproac and te snare of te devil (I Tim. 3:1-7). For tis cause left I tee in Crete, tat tou souldest set in order te tings tat are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I ad appointed tee, If any be blameless, te usband of one wife, aving faitful cildren not accused of riot or unruly, For a bisop must be blameless, as te steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filty lucre; But a lover of ospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, oly, temperate; olding fast te faitful word as e at been taugt, tat e may be able by sound doctrine bot to exort and to convince te gainsayers (Titus 1:5-9). In tese two passages of Scripture are te qualifications of a Bisop, Pastor, Elder for te Lord s Curc. If a man does not meet tese qualifications, ten e is not fit, suited, for te office of Bisop, Pastor, Elder of te curc. In bot passages, we are told tat te individual wo olds te office of te bisop must be... te usband of one wife (I Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6). Now, many people want to read tis Scripture as if it said, te wife of one usband. But, tat is not wat is written. Nor does it say, te usband of one wife at a time (meaning a man can divorce, and remarry; and divorce and remarry all e wants and still old te office of a bisop because e is only married to one at a time). It clearly states tat te bisop must be...te usband of one wife (I Tim. 3:2). We must interpret Scripture wit Scripture. Since marriage ends in deat, can a man old te office of a bisop if e is divorced? Can a man old te office of a bisop if e is divorced and remarried? Can a man old te office of a bisop wen e is married to a woman wo is divorced? Based on te autority of God s Word, e cannot! e as been disqualified from olding tat office. If e is called to preac, is calling is now limited. e may preac te gospel to every creature, but e cannot old te office of a bisop. If a man is married to a woman, ten divorces er, is is ouse in order? Is e ruling is ouse well? Wat if e is divorced and ten marries anoter woman? Since marriage does not end in divorce, but in deat, ow ten does e meet tis qualification of te usband of one wife, now tat e is married to anoter woman wile is 1 st wife is still alive. owever, if is 1 st wife as died, e is free to marry only in te Lord (I Cor. 7:39). CLOSING REMARKS I do NOT know wen tis ancient landmark was departed from. It was before I was born. But as we said, te ancient landmark of marriage must be re-set, restored, and returned to. Tis is true for everyone, including tat of te office of te bisop. We must begin to preac wat Jesus preaced concerning marriage:...ave ye not read, tat e wic made tem at te beginning made tem male and female, And said, For tis cause sall a man leave fater and moter, and sall cleave to is wife: and tey twain sall be one fles? Werefore tey are no more twain, but one fles. Wat terefore God at joined togeter, let not man put asunder (Matt. 19:4-6). We must not only re-set te ancient landmark of marriage, (Continued on page 23)

23 June 5, 2018 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 23 Wat te Bible Says (Continued from page 22) we must also equip troug te preacing and teacing of God s word, te present and future generations for Biblical marriage. We must train our boys and men to love your wives, even as Crist also loved te curc, and gave imself for it (Ep. 5:25), and we must train our girls and women to submit yourselves unto your own usbands, as unto te Lord (Ep. 5:22). Wen we get back to tose godly principles and precepts as outlined in te Scriptures, wen we return to walking in te old pats (Jer. 6:16), we will find rest for our souls. As Moses said at Sinai, so say I now unto te bretren and saints,...wo is on te LORD S side? let im come unto me... (Ex. 32:26). Maranata. Amen. (All empasis in Scripture by N). Te Sort Pews Brief Articles by Curtis Pug ( ) TE KIND OF PREACERS WE NEED TODAY Worldly people tink temselves qualified to judge God s men. But God, in is infinite wisdom, continues to call and equip is preacers: not tat all wo claim te office are actually God-called and Godequipped. But every faitful Godcalled preacer accomplises exactly wat God wants weter e is successful in te worldly wise individual s eyes or not. My proof for tat last statement is wat God said to is man Ezekiel: And tey, weter tey will ear, or weter tey will forbear, (for tey are a rebellious ouse,) yet sall know tat tere at been a propet among tem (Ezek. 2:5). Te worldly wise individual judges God s preacers on te basis of numbers: ow big is curc is or ow muc money comes in or ow popular te preacer is. God looks at tings differently: numbers are not is concern. Since, as Jesus said,... God is able of tese stones to raise up cildren unto Abraam e is able to raise up as many spiritual sons of Abraam as e pleases (see Mattew 3:9). God was not concerned wit giving all tose Jews a cance to be saved. In fact, God told Ezekiel, But te ouse of Israel will not earken unto tee; for tey will not earken unto me: for all te ouse of Israel are impudent and ardearted (Ezek. 3:7). umanly speaking Ezekiel could not expect to be a success in te eyes of te worldly. Te Jews would refuse to ear im even toug Te word of te LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel... and te and of te LORD was tere upon im (Ezek. 1:3). Tey were not rejecting Ezekiel: in reality tey were rejecting Jeova! Ezekiel was called of God to propesy judgment upon Israel. God said, Say tou tus unto tem, Tus sait te Lord GOD; As I live, surely tey tat are in te wastes sall fall by te sword, and im tat is in te open field will I give to te beasts to be devoured, and tey tat be in te forts and in te caves sall die of te pestilence. For I will lay te land most desolate, and te pomp of er strengt sall cease; and te mountains of Israel sall be desolate, tat none sall pass troug. Ten sall tey know tat I am te LORD, wen I ave laid te land most desolate because of all teir abominations wic tey ave committed (Ezek. 33:27-29). And God said to Ezekiel: And wen tis comet to pass, (lo, it will come,) ten sall tey know tat a propet at been among tem (Ezek. 33:33). Tose Jews were witout excuse! Tey ad been warned. And so it is today: God as is faitful preacers. It may be tis side of deat or it may be te oter side, but to paraprase God s statement, weter you ear, or weter you refuse to ear yet you sall know tat tere at been a propet among you. ear and believe God s Word before judgment comes! DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS We make a great many decisions every day: good ones and bad ones. We cange our minds about our decisions. Tat is te nature of decisions: tey are often reversed. Te word decision appears only twice in your Bible: twice in te same verse. Tis is amazing since so many religious people talk about making a decision for Crist and te importance of suc a decision. You would tink tat if making a decision was so very important te word would appear frequently in te Bible, but it does not. Te one place decision appears in te Bible is in te Old Testament. It as noting to do wit becoming a Cristian. Te King James translators temselves wanted us to know tat te word decision did not mean individuals deciding someting because tey added two oter words in teir marginal note (Continued on page 23) BEREA BAPTIST BANNER Financial Report to Beginning Balance...$ RECEIPTS: Ann McSwain, Grapevine, TX Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Berea B. C., Stonington, IL Betel B. C., Pasadena, TX Big Creek B. C., Wayne, WV Carol Willett, Edgewater, FL Citrus M. B. C., Inverness, FL Emmanuel B. C., Oldtown, KY Eve Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Fait B. C., Lynn, AR Gail Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Grace B. C., Rural all, NC Grace B. C., Tulsa, OK Grace M. B. C., Marion, IL Indore B. C., Indore, WV Te Lord s Curc, Goose Creek, SC Micael Serman, Asland, KY Mt. Pleasant B. C., Cesapeake, O Parkway Landmark B. C., Springfield, OR Piladelpia B. C., Decatur, AL Portland B. C., Plumerville, AR Soutside B. C., Fulton, MS Sovereign Grace B. C., Silsbee, TX Victory B. C., Courtland, VA Subscriptions Anonymous... 2, Dividing cecks Sub Total... $4, TOTAL... $4, EXPENDITURES: Printing Postage Wages... 2, FICA Supplies Dividing cecks Bank Carge Total Expenditures... $3, ENDING BALANCE... $1, BEREA BAPTIST BROADCAST Financial Report to Beginning Balance...$ RECEIPTS: Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Calvary Ind. B. C., Sumas, WA TOTAL...1, EXPENDITURES: Radio Time Bank carge TOTAL EXPENDITURES Interest ENDING BALANCE... $938.10

24 Page 24 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2018 ANNOUNCEMENTS Te Sovereign Grace Baptist Curc of Nortport, AL and Pastor Todd Bryant will be aving teir 2018 Summer Bible Conference, July 27t tru 29t. Tis year s teme is Applying is Attributes. Te sceduled speakers are Elders Tom orn, Cad Beck, Brian Farley and Jacob West. Service times are Friday 7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m., and Sunday 10:00 a.m. All are invited to attend. ****** Te Piladelpia Baptist Curc of Decatur, AL and Pastor Doyal Tomas will be aving teir Annual Fellowsip Meeting September 14t tru 16t. Sceduled speakers are Elders Jon Pruitt and Eldon Joslin. Service times are Friday 7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. wit lunc provided, and Sunday 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. All are invited to attend. ****** Te armony Baptist Curc of Godfrey, IL is seeking God s man to lead us forward. We are not a large congregation, but we ave unity and a love for God and is trut. We are seeking a full time Pastor to lead us. You can learn more about us on our website: bcgodfrey.com. Interested candidates can contact Broter Dave Gaworski: davemaryb1@yaoo.com. ****** Te Sovereign Grace Baptist Curc of Wake Forest, NC is in need of a pastor. For more information, please contact Titus Dickerson at (919) or info@sgbc-wakeforest.org. ****** Te Grace Bible Baptist Curc of Denam Springs, LA is in searc of a pastor. For a statement of fait you can visit te curc website at ttp:// GraceBibleBaptist.webop.org or ttp://gracebbc.dyndns.org:81/. You may contact any of te following for more information: Keit Laurence (225) , Lucien LeSage (225) , Carlie Andrews (225) , or Joey Newell (225) ****** Te Grace Missionary Baptist Curc of Marion, IL is seeking a pastor. Please contact Gary Ratley at (618) for more information. ****** Te Lord s Baptist Curc in Tacoma Wasington is in need of a pastor. For more information please contact Gaylen Russell at (ome) or (cell) or by gaylenr@rainierconnect.com. ****** Te Sovereign Grace Baptist Curc of Caldwell, KS is in need of a pastor. For more information please contact te curc in writing at SGBC, 400 N. Main St., Caldwell, KS 67022, or by pone Broter Darin Wiley ****** Te Victory Baptist Curc of Cealis, Wasington is in need of a pastor. Any interested broter may call Gerry Greisen at (360) , or Mark Fenison at (360) ARTICLE INDEX Te Sort Pews (Continued from page 23) giving alternate meanings. Te word appears is Joel 3:14. It says, Multitudes, multitudes in te valley of decision: for te day of te LORD is near in te valley of decision {decision: or, concision, or, tresing }, (Complete wit KJV marginal note). So te idea is not tat people sould make a decision, but tat God was going to bring is determined judgment upon certain people. Tey were to be cut off ( concision ) or beaten as in tresing. So were did all tis talk about making a decision for Crist come from? It did not come from te Bible. Since it did not come from God s revelation, it must be an invention of man or te devil. Jesus said,...i am not come to call te rigteous, but sinners to repentance, (Matt. 9:13). Repentance is caused by godly sorrow: For godly sorrow worket repentance to salvation not to be repented of... (II Cor. 7:10). Repentance (turning from sin to God) pleases God because Jesus came to call men to repent. It is logical tat godly sorrow pleases God for it is te cause of God-pleasing repentance. But te only people tat can do anyting to please God are tose wo ave been born again by te oly Spirit and in wom te Spirit dwells. Te Eternal Sonsip of Jesus Crist by Milburn Cockrell... p. 1 Forum... pp Te Golden Age by Artur W. Pink & Luter C. Peak... p. 1 Te Noted Pastor by Todd Bryant... p. 5 Te Sort Pews by Curtis Pug... p. 23 Wat te Bible Says about Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage by Nataniel ille... p. 1 Romans 8:8-9 proves tis last statement: So ten tey tat are in te fles cannot please God. But ye are not in te fles, but in te Spirit, if so be tat te Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man ave not te Spirit of Crist, e is none of is. Remember Jesus said, Ye must be born again (Jon 3:7) and God told us tat tis new birt is not of blood, nor of te will of te fles, nor of te will of man, but of God (Jon 1:13). Te Spirit in bringing about te new birt is as uncontrollable as te wind tat blowet were it listet (wants), and tou earest te sound tereof, but canst not tell wence it comet, and witer it goet: so is every one tat is born of te Spirit (Jon 3:8). Being born of God is not te result of any action of man. Now Available! Te Curc Tat Jesus Built by Roy Mason - Retail $9.00 We are pleased to announce tat Te Curc Tat Jesus Built by Roy Mason is once again available. We ave reprinted a limited number of copies. Te type as been reset for tis edition as all previous editions were copies of copies of copies. Paperback, 147 pages. 50% discount given on orders of five or more. Postage & Sipping Cart Order Value...Add Minimum... $5.00 $ $6.00 $ $7.00 $ $8.00 $ and Up... FREE