The Danger of Delay. Are You Ready? Mankind Is Sick. The Church at Sardis

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1 Te Danger of Delay By J. W. Porter ( ) And as e reasoned of rigteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go ty way for tis time; wen I ave a convenient season, I will call for tee (Acts 24:25). Judge Felix ad probably eard muc of Paul s wonderful sermons, and teir effect upon te people. Out of seer curiosity, and peraps for te purpose of being entertained, e sent for Paul. Many people ave peculiar ideas of te province of te preacer. Some seem to believe tat e is foreordained to adorn an afternoon tea-party, and tat is cief work is tat of te professional entertainer. e is generally esteemed a man wose mission is tat of peace, and tat under no circumstances is e to Te Curc at Sardis (Continued on page 2) Are You Ready? By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma Religious groups and teir scools of all sorts - from te Latter Day Saints (Mormons) to te Soutern Baptist Convention to te Associate Reformed Presbyterian Erskine College (and oters) are promoting taking a stand some more and some less. Teir stand is tat lesbian and omosexual beavior is a sin according to te Bible. Teir stand is tat marriage is between one man and one woman. A brief perusal of individual curc websites sows tat a considerable number of congregations are including statements in teir confessions of fait about wat Biblical marriage is. At least one U. S. Cristian law association is providing suggested wording and model resolutions as guidelines for curces wo want (Continued on page 6) Mankind Is Sick By Milburn R. Cockrell ( ) And unto te angel of te curc in Sardis write; Tese tings sait e tat at te seven Spirits of God, and te seven stars; I know ty works, tat tou ast a name tat tou livest, and art dead. Be watcful, and strengten te tings wic remain, tat are ready to die: for I ave not found ty works perfect before God. Remember terefore ow tou ast received and eard, and old fast, and repent. If terefore tou salt not watc, I will come on tee as a tief, and tou salt not know wat our I will come upon tee. Tou ast a few names even in Sardis (Continued on page 3) By Paul Stepp of Indore, West Virginia And it came to pass, tat, as Jesus sat at meat in is ouse, many publicans and sinners sat also togeter wit Jesus and is disciples: for tere were many, and tey followed im. And wen te scribes and Parisees saw im eat wit publicans and sinners, tey said unto is disciples, ow is it tat e eatet and drinket wit publicans and sinners? Wen Jesus eard it, e sait unto tem, Tey tat are wole ave no need of te pysician, but tey tat are sick: I came not to call te rigteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:15-17). My sermon is centered on te (Continued on page 10) Do a ting at once, and you won t forget it. Very sage counsel. Some of us ave very poor memories; let us not trust to tem, but get tings off our mind by getting tem done.

2 Page 2 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 May 5, 2015 Volume XXXV, Number 5 Wole Number 430 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 Tune in to te Berea Baptist Broadcast STATION TIME DIAL WATTS WCNA, Myrtle, MS...Sunday 9:00-9:30 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 KPRV, eavener, OK... Sunday 8:30-9:00 a.m ,000 FM WQRL, Benton, IL...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,500 FM 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 $.57 for eac returned wrong address. PLANNING TO MOVE? Notify us tree weeks in 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. DID TE BIRDS EAT YOUR PAPER? Look at your mailing label on te front page of tis mont s paper. If you see above your name Expires 5/2015 ten tis will be your last issue. So don t complain if your reading basket is empty! Renew now so you won t miss next mont s Banner. Danger of Delay (Continued from page 1) denounce anyting, or offend anyone. We sometimes forget tat te most peaceful place is te cemetery. It is sometimes te preacer s place to raise te Devil, and ten wip im. Felix got far more tan e expected, in sending for tis Gospel preacer. Instead of trying to entertain tis eaten judge, Paul tundered te Gospel message to te very citadel of is soul. Paul ad not spoken long until te prisoner and te judge excanged places. Felix becomes te condemned criminal, and Paul te judge. Tere can be little doubt tat e was fully convinced of Paul s innocence and te entire trut of is contention. As Paul reasoned of rigteousness and judgment to come, Felix was brougt face to face wit is record, and is conscience, and is God. Te picture presents te tree usual steps in te istory of every lost and ruined soul. Conviction, delay, and deat. As Paul reasoned of rigteousness and judgment to come, Felix trembled. Certainly e was not moved by any fear of Paul. To every Roman officer was pledged te imperial power of te world s greatest nation. A word from im, and Paul would ave been placed in prison or executed. It was not fear of man tat agitated tis wicked man, but fear of te God of all te eart, before Wom e must stand in judgment. In a measure, at least, e was convinced of is sins tat were passing in solemn and awful review before im. O, tat e would ave played te man for a moment, and confessed te trut of te Gospel as preaced by Paul, and asked te man of God to pray for is lost soul. Wat better cance for receiving Crist could e ave ever oped for? Te door of mercy was wide open, but e refused to enter. Surely, procrastination is te tief of time. Procrastination is te tief of time, Year after year it steals; And to te mercy of a moment leaves Te vast concerns of an eternal scene. Paul was never to pass is way again, and te Gospel would probably never be eard by im again. It is worty of note tat it is not of record tat is wife trembled, or was in any way moved by te Gospel. A false sense of civalry as, peraps, prevented us from denouncing sin in woman wit equal severity tat we denounce it in man. Te eart of woman may become as cruel and callous as tat of te most sinful man. Many preacers were prevented from attacking te vicious vagaries and sinful life of te autor of Cristian Science because se was a woman. Te alluring lust now displayed in woman s dress escapes severer censure because of er sex. e knew is duty, but deliberately refused to do it. Like countless tousands, e delayed. In saying, Go ty way for tis time (Acts 24:25)(emp. JWP), e bid goodbye to te only time e could claim as is own. Te past, wit all its mistakes and sins, is gone, and cannot be recalled. From its caverns of silent clay only te voice of memory may be eard. In te warp and woof of te unknown future we cannot tell wat may be woven. God only knows, and it is better so. In God s grammar tere is only one tense, te ever-living, swiftly passing present. Today is te day of destiny, and te present moment te only moment of promised mercy. God makes no promise to te sinner for tomorrow. Now is (Continued on page 3)

3 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 3 Danger of Delay (Continued from page 2) te accepted time, and now is te day of salvation. Remorseless time: Fierce spirit of te glass and scyte, Wat power can stay im in is silent course, Or melt is iron eart to pity. Today is te day of destiny--- Today if ye will ear is voice, arden not your eart (Ps. 95:8). You ave all before you tat you can ever ope for, to cause you to come to Crist. Wat more can you expect? You ave an open Bible to point you te way; a crucified Crist, wo as paid te price of your redemption; and te long-resisted oly Spirit tat pleads wit you to flee te wrat to come. Unless tese sall move you to repentance you must die in your sins, and be cast into outer darkness---tere sall be wailing and gnasing of teet! Te reason for Felix deferring is plainly stated in te record: e oped also tat money would be given im (Matt. 13:42). e rejected God for te ope of gold, and was willing to excange Crist for a cas consideration. As a nation, and as individuals, we are money-mad. Alas, we ave seen te onour of man, and te virtue of woman, go down before te eartless god of gold. Te migty wave of crime and debaucery now sweeping our nation is largely due to te greed for gold. But wile te dollar is migty, we may tank God it is not Almigty. ad tis poor, deluded man received te money e was expecting it would ave been as te poisoned sirt of Nessus. It would ave burned is pocket and is soul, and one day, like Judas, e would wis to return is ill-gotten gains. Wat would ave been te value of te bribe in a dying our. Wat is it wort in te presence of im, wit wom justice never miscarries, and wen Eternal Justice lifts aloft er scale? Tere are yet te tousands wo ave not, and will never, bow te knee to Baal. It is cause for rejoicing tat in te cruel conflict for getting, tere is more unselfis giving tan ever before. Tere is an ever-increasing number of brigt and sining examples of men and women consecrating teir lives and teir all to te cause of Jesus Crist. In te wild scramble for material wealt, te elect are rapidly learning tat te silver and te gold, and te cattle on a tousand ills, are is, wo created and committed tem, for a little wile, to our keeping. Wen a prominent business man was dying te minister was urging upon im te duty of preparing to meet is God. Instead of giving eed to te words of te preacer, te dying man was talking of is business. In te period of unconsciousness, just preceding deat, e was talking of is stocks and bonds, toug e was to soon leave tem forever. So far as te record goes, Felix never trembled again, toug we may well surmise tat e trembled wen e stood face to face wit deat. Wit te realization tat e must soon stand face to face wit te man e ad cruelly mistreated, and, above all, wit te Saviour e ad rejected and despised, we may feel assured tat e trembled again. Te convenient season never came, and e never called for Paul or te Crist, tat Paul so faitfully preaced. It is never convenient for te man wo loves sin more tan Crist to surrender is sins and come to Crist. It is te broken eart tat, in spite of all difficulties, seeks and finds te Saviour. Some years since, in a small town in Indiana, a man made a balloon excursion. is balloon was made fast wit tree ropes. Wen te captive balloon ad reaced te limit of its fligt e deliberately cut one of te ropes. Te anxious crowd below souted to im not to cut te ropes. In a moment e cut te second rope. orror stricken, te crowd souted, Don t cut te last rope. A moment later and e ad cut te last rope, and e soon dased down to is deat. It may be tat at tis fateful moment you are cutting te last rope tat makes safety possible, and dasing to deat te last ope of eternal life; God Almigty forbid! Even ad e called, God migt not ave answered. Te day may come wen God will laug at our calamity, and e wo sits in te eavens may old us in derision. Te time may come wen te gost of departed days may wisper, Quot te raven, Nevermore. Te dying man, wen urged to give imself to Crist, replied: I would, but e will not ave me. Now is te accepted time, now is te day of salvation! Curc at Sardis (Continued from page 1) wic ave not defiled teir garments; and tey sall walk wit me in wite: for tey are worty. e tat overcomet, te same sall be cloted in wite raiment; and I will not blot out is name out of te book of life, but I will confess is name before my Fater, and before is angels. e tat at an ear, let im ear wat te Spirit sait unto te curces (Rev. 3:1-6). Te Epesian Curc ad left er first love. Te Smyrna Curc was opposed by Satan from outside. Te Pergamos Curc consisted of a mixed membersip- --te curc and te world were sadly mixed togeter. Te Tyatira Curc ad womanitis. Te Sardis Curc in today s lesson was a dead curc. TE CURC (v. 1) As to te founder of tis curc tere is no istorical record. It was possibly te fruit of te labor of Paul or some of is missionary team. We can be certain from tis epistle sent by Crist to tem tat tere existed a curc in A.D. 96 and some considerable time before, seeing worldliness destroys a curc by degrees and not all at once. Tis curc may ave ad a glorious beginning, but it soon left its fait and lost its spiritual power and influence. Te Sardis Curc was greatly influenced by te community wic surrounded it. Se was a worldly, wealty curc like te city in wic se resided. As a general rule, most wealty curces are worldly curces. Wenever you find wealt you will almost always find worldliness. TE CITY (v. 1) Sardis was about 30 miles from Tyatira, about 60 miles from Pergamos and east of Smyrna about 50 miles. It was founded as early as te beginning of te Iron Age. It was te capital of te ancient kingdom of Lydia, and was situated at te foot of Mount Tmolus. in a fine plain watered by te Pactolus River. Tis river rolled its golden sands troug Sardis, and gold mines in te neigborood furnised te city wit suc a quantity of treasures as made teir rices proverbial. Te city of Sardis was te capital of King Croesus, wose name is a synonyn of extravagant (Continued on page 4)

4 Page 4 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Curc at Sardis (Continued from page 3) wealt. It is said wen Cyrus captured te city from im in 548 B.C. tat e found treasures to te enormous value of $600,000,000. Tis event fulfilled te propecy of Isaia concerning Cyrus: And I will give tee te treasures of darkness, and idden rices of secret places... (Isa. 45:3). Te city of Sardis eventually passed into te ands of te Romans, and under tem sank in wealt and importance. Sardis was destroyed by an eartquake in te time of Tiberius, but te emperor ordered it rebuilt and imself offered a personal gift of some $400,000 to aid in rebuilding te city. Te city rose from ruin, but it did not ever equal its former glory. TE CRIST (v. 1) Te Speaker introduces imself by saying: Tese tings sait e tat at te seven Spirits of God, and te seven stars. It is to be observed tere is an omission of te seven golden candlesticks mentioned by Crist in Revelation 1:20. Wy is tis? Did Crist find it difficult to point to te curc at Sardis as a fit representative of imself as te Ligt of te world? Wat are we to understand by te seven Spirits of God? Revelation 4:5 refers to seven lamps of fire burning before te trone, wic are te seven Spirits of God. In Revelation 5:6 Crist is said to ave seven eyes, wic are te seven Spirits of God sent fort into all te eart. I believe tis is propetical language wic describes te one oly Spirit in is sevenfold office work (Isa. 11:1-5). It means te oly Spirit in all of is perfection and fullness. ere it is said tat Crist as te seven Spirits of God. Tis means tat Crist as te fulness of te Spirit. Jon 3:34 declares of Crist: God givet not te Spirit by measure unto im. Jesus Crist only as te oly Spirit in all te plentitude of is gifts, manifestations and operations. In tis verse Crist affirms tat e also as te seven stars, wic in Revelation 1:20 is said to be te pastors of te seven curces. Te seven stars are mentioned after te seven Spirits of God, sowing it is Crist alone Wo gives spiritual power to is ministers. At te outset Crist presented imself to tis dark and dead curc as te true Source of ligt and life. Witout Crist no curc as eiter ligt or life; wit im no curc lacks eiter. Tere is no need for a curc to be dead and dark for Crist stands ready to pour out te power of te sevenfold oly Spirit upon tem. Te difference between a dead and dark curc and a live and ligt curc is te power of te Spirit of God. TE CENSURE (v. 1) Crist censures tis curc by saying: I know ty works, tat tou ast a name tat livest, and art dead. Observe tere is no commendation for good works- --a dead curc as no good works. Rater, Crist complained because teir works were so bad. e as noting but unmixed criticism for tis worldly curc. Teir works were all dead works. Tey were active in religious matters but void of spiritual vitality. Tis curc was like savorless salt (Matt. 5:13). Se ad a dead man in te pulpit, dead people in te coir, dead deacons, dead Bible teacers and pews filled wit corpses. Tis curc ad no discipline or real Bible teacing. Se saw no souls saved, for er members did not witness for Crist. er singing was of a worldly type, wic appealed to te ead and not te eart. Te curc at Sardis was in a low, flat and languising state, even toug se ad a name among te oter curces as being a lively curc. Se was so impotent until false teacers did not even boter wit er. Crist pronounced no condemnation on te Sardis Curc, for tere is no need to condemn a ting after it is dead! Te Sardis Curc was a living corpse; se professed to ave true, spiritual life, but it was in name only. er membersip in te main consisted of nominal believers. Many of tem ad teir names upon te curc roll, yet teir names were not in te Book of Life. Tese so-called live wires were simply dead fis. Tis curc lived on its past reputation witout its former life and experience. Sardis was a sam and a mockery. My friend, is te curc you attend like tis curc? Dear curc member, are you wat you claim to be? Or do you live on reputation alone? Peraps you are not altogeter dead, but are you wat you profess to be? You claim to read te Bible, to pray, to tite, and to deny yourself. Do you really do tese tings? Would te world accept you as a Cristian if tey really knew you for wat you are? Would tey recognize you as a preacer, or deacon, or Sunday scool teacer, or even as a curc member? You ave te externals and you go troug te motions, but are you real? TE COMMAND (vv. 2-3) In verse 2 te ead of te curc gives tem a direct command: Be watcful, and strengten te tings wic remain, tat are ready to die: for I ave not found ty works perfect before God. Te city of Sardis ad a reputation for impregnability, but it was captured twice at nigt because of a lack of watcfulness. Te curc in tis city needed to learn a lesson from tis neglect. ence te Lord Jesus said: Be watcful. Tis curc is commanded to rouse out of its slumberous state and to give eed to tat wic alone can save it from complete extinction. Tey were dead so far as concerned te manifestation of life and to a perilous extend even te possession of life. Te curc as a wole was not wolly dead, but it was about ready to die. Terefore, Crist sounds te alarm in opes tat e may save te curc from utter ruin. Te Savior is patient wit is erring curces and is slow to cast off one of is curces. Teir numerous religious activities were sadly defective: I ave not found ty works perfect before God. Tey were not fulfilling te purpose for wic Crist instituted is curc. Tey were not properly representing Crist before te world. Tey ad not complied wit te Divine requirements justly expected even of fallible uman beings in a New Testament curc. Te members of te Sardis Curc were a indrance to Crist s cause and an argument for infidelity. Would our modern curces stand up to te examination of Crist any better tan te Sardis Curc did? Are our works perfect before God? Our curces today ave a lot of outward activity and sow but precious little spiritual life. Tey make progress in numbers and material matters of wic men greatly approve, wile in te eyes of Crist tey are spiritually (Continued on page 5)

5 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 5 Watering te Tulips By Todd Bryant of Nortport, Alabama Daily Benefits Blessed be te Lord, wo daily loadet us wit benefits, even te God of our salvation. Sela (Ps. 68:19). Wat a marvelous verse of Scripture! So great is tis tougt tat te psalmist directs us to stop and tink about it Sela. Our God is our Savior. Surely, salvation is te work of te only true and living God. But, e as given us even more. We are more tan conquerors troug im tat loved us (Rom. 8:37). Our eavenly Fater watces over us daily and loads us wit benefits. e does not give tem to us sparingly. e daily loads us wit benefits. Te psalmist later says, Bless te LORD, O my soul, and forget not all is benefits (Ps. 103:2). ave you failed to take notice of te benefits tat God daily bestows on you as is cild? ave you noticed te nice nigt of rest, today s breat of life, your substance, your clotes, your job, your family, etc.? Tis list could go on and on. Te Lord as greatly blessed you wit tings tat you ave not even noticed for sure. ow many tings as e saved you from tat you ave never known? ow many tings ave you nearly missed, but te God of providence made sure tat you did not? Te blessings of God are many on is cildren. ow often do we get so busy tat we fail to notice wat God is doing for us all of te time every day? Once again, te psalmist proclaims, Wat sall I render unto te LORD for all is benefits toward me (Ps. 116:12)? ow can we pay God for is benefits? Obviously, noting we could ever render to im could repay wat e as done for us. But, we owe im our reasonable service (Rom. 12:1). Let us ever be clear tis is not for te purpose of earning our salvation. We could never do tat. Good works are not performed in order to be saved. Tey are performed because we are saved. Because God as been so good to us because e daily loads us wit benefits because e as saved us by is marvelous grace, we ceerfully serve im wit a willing eart. Cild of God, ave you forgotten ow good te Lord as been to you? ave you day by day stopped taking notice of God s wonderful benefits in your life? Stop today and acknowledge all of te wonderful benefits you ave as a cild of God. Do not forget is benefits. Tank im for te many benefits tat e as even loaded on you tis very day. Curc at Sardis (Continued from page 4) dead. A curc may ave a splendid building, a robed coir, a standardized Sunday scool, a magnetic pastor, and yet be filled wit worldliness, indifference, and a lack of love and umility. Many are serving teir own pride and flesly desires under te cloak of service to Jesus Crist. Only some of tose few and scattered curces te religious world speaks of as being beind te times are alive and spiritual in our day. Since te curc was so near te grave, sould not te members give it up and allow te Devil to ave a ting nearly dead? No! Crist told tem to strengten te tings wic remain. Se was to cultivate all existing graces and to nouris all te love of te trut wic lingered. A dead curc can be revived. People would consider it criminal to desert a man ready to die. Ten surely it must be igly unscriptural to desert a curc ready to die. Te members of Sardis needed to preserve te little life left and to cause it to gain its old strengt again. Jesus said: Remember terefore ow tou ast received and eard, and old fast, and repent. Tis points back to teir conversion experience. Crist calls upon tem to remember teir own former lost, undone, elpless, opeless state, wen tey saw noting between temselves and ell, save te all-sufficient blood of Jesus Crist. Tey needed to remember ow Crist ad saved tem by is glorious grace. Tey must remember teir early days of fait and pardon. It was so necessary tat Sardis return to te fait tey ad departed from in belief and practice. Tey must return to te old pats and te old landmarks; tey needed to put life in teir religious exercises. TE CAUTION (V. 3) In te latter part of verse 3 Crist gives a severe warning: If terefore tou salt not watc, I will come on tee as a tief, and tou salt not know wat our I will come upon tee. Te language implies it was possible tat te Sardis Curc would not regard is warning. Tey migt assume tey would be safe if tey refused to give attention to tis caution. We know from istory tat tey did, for te Sardis Curc is no more, nor does te city exist. From tis we learn tat te removal of a true curc from a city brings about its ruin. Some apply tis to te second coming of Crist, and oters to is coming in swift judgment upon tis curc. I believe te expression is broad enoug to include bot ideas. ow awful to contemplate Crist coming in judgment upon te curc wic is is body! ow tragic for a curc to be found in te condition tis curc was in at te Rapture in spite of te warnings given in te Bible of is speedy coming. In Epesus, were love was cooling, Crist s Coming is set fort in te sense of fear (2:5). In Symrna, te suffering curc, it is te time wen crowns will be given (2:10). In Pergamos, in wic tere was muc worldliness, it is used in te sense of dread (2:16). In Tyatira, were is terrific struggle wit temptation, it is connected wit coming blessing (2:25). In Sardis, te posing, dead curc, it is dread again (3:3). In Piladelpia, were tey are olding fast amid trial, is speedy coming brings ope (3:11). In Laodicea, te lukewarm, nauseating curc, e is at te door already to judge (3:20). Tus we ave different attitudes toward tis doctrine determined by te spiritual condition in eac one (CRIST S LAST MESSAGE TO IS CURC by William Evans, p. 171). TE CRISTIANS (v. 4) Te vast majority of te members of te curc at Sardis ad become entangled wit te evil world systems; tey ad (Continued on page 6)

6 Page 6 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Curc at Sardis (Continued from page 5) defiled teir garments. Tey ad become lovers of pleasures more tan lovers of God. Tis curc was popular wit te evil world because te world was in te curc. Te Sardis Curc ad permitted te world to drag it down to a low, ungodly level. Wat a tragedy! But is not te same true of all too many curces in our day? Pure curc members of an impure curc are kept separate in te eyes of Jesus Crist from te ypocrites. It seemed as toug Jesus Crist looked over te membersip roll of te Sardis Curc and said: Tou ast a few names even in Sardis wic ave not defiled teir garments; and tey sall walk wit me in wite: for tey are worty. Te few names are not given. Tey were probably not people of great influence in eiter te curc or te world. Tey were te few among te many. Tis faitful few ad not defiled temselves by coming into contact wit te profaned and te polluted. Tey ated even te garment spotted by te fles (Jude 23). Tey were like persons walking in wite in te midst of te defiled. Tose wo kept teir garments uncontaminated on te eart would receive te appropriate reward of walking in wite raiment wit Crist in eaven. Tis tougt foresadows te perfect union into wic te Lord will bring is elect. ow glorious to contemplate wearing a wite robe and walking togeter in perfect mutual communion wit our Redeemer. O, God, asten te day wen your faitful followers sall be privileged to walk wit te Saviour in glory, onor, and purity. Te faitful curc members sall enjoy tis, for tey are worty. Tey ave sown temselves worty to be regarded as followers of Crist and possessors of a new nature wic overcomes te world. Wortiness is required to ave tis wite raiment. Tis attire is teir reward for faitfulness. Suc loyal disciples sall be a part of te virgin bride of Crist, Wo is arrayed in fine linen, clean and wite: for te fine linen is te rigteousness of saints (Rev. 19:8). May te Lord elp us to keep wite down ere so tat we may wear wite up yonder. TE COMFORT (v. 5) Tere is a treefold comforting promise in verse 5 to te overcomer: e tat overcomet, te same sall be cloted in wite raiment; and I will not blot out is name out of te book of life, but I will confess is name before my Fater, and before is angels. Tis promise is not limited to te curc at Sardis, but it is to all in every age and every land wo overcomes sin and te temptations of te world. owever, tis promise is to te overcomer and no oter. First, Crist promised tey sall be cloted in wite raiment. Tis looks back to verse 4. Wat tey sougt to keep wite on eart will be made perfectly pure in te glory world. Tese ave wased teir robes wite in te blood of te Lamb and kept temselves unspotted from te world. ence tey sall stand in eaven cloted in a wite robe, dazzling wit brigtness and splendor, permanently and forever. Second, Crist promised: I will not blot out is name out of te book of life. Te city of Sardis kept a list of great soldiers and famous men. Tese names remained tere during teir lifetime, providing teir beavior was good, in case of bad deportment teir names were blotted out. Te curc at Sardis was anxious about aving a name to live. By over-coming teir worldliness tey could be assured tat teir names were in te Book of Life and would remain tere forever. Let Sardis overcome and se sall be given strong assurance of an imperisable and immortalized name. Can a name once written in te Book of Life be blotted out? Can an elect become a non-elect? Te possibility of being saved or lost or aving our name written in te Book of Life and ten blotted out is not in question in tis verse. We are plainly told tat Crist sall in no wise do tis. Jesus Crist in tis verse makes it plain tat it can not be blotted out. Tird, Crist promises I will confess is name before my fater, and before is angels. It was a custom in te city of Sardis to read publicly before te citizens wo lived a noble life. Te men of te city strove to obtain tis onor, but suc eartly onor is not worty to be compared wit aving your name read out by Crist before te Fater and te numberless angels. ow onorable it will be to be led down te golden streets to te Fater s incomparable trone by te Saviour imself. ow proud we will be to ear im say, Fater, ere is one of Tine elect tat I died to redeem. e as been loyal to us wile e lived on eart. e kept is garment wite in a dirty world wen oters turned aside after Satan. e stood up for te fait. Ten te Fater will smile and say, Well done tou good and faitful servant. Enter into te joy of ty Lord. May God grant tat you and I sall be a part of tis wonderful scene. e tat at an ear, let im ear wat te Spirit sait unto te curces. Are You Ready? (Continued from page 1) to legally safeguard temselves. Safeguard temselves from wat? Wy from bot lawsuits and te forced incorporation of omosexual men and women as members and or employees. Te Soutern Baptist Convention as ad information online for some time information to elp teir congregations protect temselves from legal actions against tem for refusing to receive omosexuals and lesbians as members. At tis moment in our istory, it seems tat U. S. curces and religious institutions ave te rigt to include suc articles in teir organizational papers. But for ow long? We ask te question in our title, Are You Ready? Te reason we do so is tis: at tis moment in time te igly organized and well funded lesbian and omosexual groups are lambasting tose wo do not approve of teir sinful beavior as being ateful and bigoted. Tree undred and seventy nine American businesses ave come out in favor of samesex marriage as tey call it. Tey ave joined togeter asking te Supreme Court to support same-sex marriage. Te name calling of tose wo oppose suc sin will probably get worse. Polls sow tat most Americans well over fifty percent approve of wat tey call gay marriage. As an example of religious groups favoring te omosexual/lesbian agenda, te Nasville, Tennessee (Continued on page 7)

7 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 7 Are You Ready? (Continued from page 6) American Baptist College leadersip as recently invited tree active proponents of samesex marriage to speak and lead worsip at upcoming annual lectures as well as to preac at worsip services tere. One of tose invited is United Curc of Crist Bisop Yvette Flunder, wo is legally married to anoter woman. A group of pastors in te largely Black National Baptist Convention are opposing te scool s plans, but at tis writing te group as not succeeded in stopping te move by teir college. Oter so-called Cristian religious scools and groups favor and even ordain practicing omosexuals and lesbians. One Reformed Jewis organization as installed a lesbian as president of teir group. Can tings get worse? We tink tey can, and will. God s elect people are going to be ated. Jesus imself said so: If te world ate you, ye know tat it ated me before it ated you. If ye were of te world, te world would love is own: but because ye are not of te world, but I ave cosen you out of te world, terefore te world atet you ( Jon 15:18-19). ere we are told tat God s election to salvation of some is enoug to make te enemies of Crist ate tose so elected. Wy? Because following election comes salvation all tat God does in conforming is cildren to te image of Crist and tus making tem different from te world. Salvation includes working in is cildren so tat tey love and stand for te trut of te Bible. And te Bible condemns sexual activity outside of marriage and also teaces tat same-sex intimacy and unions (falsely called marriages) are wicked sins. As Paul wrote in Galatians 4:29: But as ten e [Esau] tat was born after te fles persecuted im [Isaac] tat was born after te Spirit, even so it is now. Tese United States and a few oter places ave been unique in tat old-time laws still on te books ave kept down overt persecution of te saints, but tat is canging and canging fast. Te various levels of government in tis country are taking te stand tat you can believe watever you want to believe, but you cannot practice your religion, if for instance, you migt urt te feelings of tose wo disagree. Tis as already been seen in te case of at least one bakery and one florist on te west coast. In tese two instances if you own a small business you must bake for samesex marriages and you must prepare flowers for teir ungodly weddings. If you do not approve of same-sex-sin you must keep quiet about it and cannot operate your business according to your fait. Te Lord Jesus in praying to is Fater said of is disciples: I ave given tem ty word; and te world at ated tem, because tey are not of te world, even as I am not of te world. I pray not tat tou souldest take tem out of te world, but tat tou souldest keep tem from te evil. Tey are not of te world, even as I am not of te world. Sanctify tem troug ty trut: ty word is trut. As tou ast sent me into te world, even so ave I also sent tem into te world. And for teir sakes I sanctify myself, tat tey also migt be sanctified troug te trut. Neiter pray I for tese alone, but for tem also wic sall believe on me troug teir word; Tat tey all may be one; as tou, Fater, art in me, and I in tee, tat tey also may be one in us: tat te world may believe tat tou ast sent me (Jon 17:14-21). Jesus prayed not only for tose of is disciples wo were alive back ten, but for us also. Te true latter day saints sall be ated as were Crist s early day saints because tey are one in fait and practice wit tem. oliness is always ated by te unoly. Yea, and all tat will live godly in Crist Jesus sall suffer persecution (II Tim. 3:12). In Jon 15:20 te words of te Lord are tese: Remember te word tat I said unto you, Te servant is not greater tan is lord. If tey ave persecuted me, tey will also persecute you; if tey ave kept my saying, tey will keep yours also. And Paul, in Romans 12:14 wrote, Bless tem wic persecute you: bless, and curse not. We are in wat began in te days of our Lord s sojourn on eart. e called tese days te beginning of sorrows, in Mattew 24:8. Te word translated sorrows tere is te word also translated travail and means birt pains. Tis world, like a woman in labor, is going down into te valley of deat as it were, not knowing wat it sall bring fort. But we know! Tis world is facing a birt te establisment of Crist s eartly millennial kingdom in wic e sall rule te Gentiles wit a rod of iron (Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15). But before tat time will come, first will come te time of Jacob s (Continued on page 8)

8 Page 8 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Are You Ready? (Continued from page 7) trouble wen Israel sall suffer great tribulation, (Jeremia 30:7). We pre-tribulation rapturists do not believe tat te Lord s people of tis curc-age sall even enter tat time of Jewis suffering. But leading up to tat terrible time is tis present day in wic we find ourselves. Days of sorrows for te Lord s followers. Days of labor pains! And wile we oppose muc of wat goes on in tis world, we are to bless tose wo persecute us for Crist s sake. And so we ask Are You Ready? Ready to be called a ate-monger? Ready to be accused of ate crimes? Ready for a time wen great courage will be required to say wat te Bible says about marriage and te sins of practicing lesbians and omosexuals? Ready to ave your curc and pastor investigated? Are you ready to ave your curc s name smeared in te press as an identifiable ate group? If not, maybe you ougt to move your membersip immediately! Ready to ave your relatives peraps your own cildren and grandcildren - turn against you if tey coose to practice omosexual and lesbian sins and you speak against suc tings? Do not tink it cannot appen to your family! Satan and tis world are engaging in te biggest evangelistic effort ever seen: an evangelistic effort to convert men and women to omosexual practices or at least to te approval of suc sins. And, left uncecked, rotten uman nature te fles - falls rigt in line wit te devil and is crowd. Te omosexual/lesbian agenda is making use of te public scool system to set forward teir sinful acts, calling tem an alternate lifestyle. Wit media, business, academic, political and government support, te omosexual/lesbian agenda is galloping aead. Remember our Lord forewarned us, saying, Suppose ye tat I am come to give peace on eart? I tell you, Nay; but rater division: For from encefort tere sall be five in one ouse divided, tree against two, and two against tree. Te fater sall be divided against te son, and te son against te fater; te moter against te daugter, and te daugter against te moter; te moter in law against er daugter in law, and te daugter in law against er moter in law (Luke 12:51-53). Tis is not an endorsement of atred or wrong treatment of tose wo ave made temselves enemies of Cristians and of te Bible. Tey are our enemies, but we are not teirs. We do not wis tem arm. We wis for a real work of God in tem and in teir lives. We do not endorse mistreatment of tem. We are becoming more and more aware tat we live in difficult times unless... unless you compromise by saying noting against sins suc as are now approved by te majority of Americans. If you will just keep quiet and go wit te flow even a dead fis can float downstream if you will do tis, you may, peraps, escape persecution. If you coose your friends, curc affiliation and words and actions carefully enoug just maybe... maybe you will not suffer. But do you really want to escape by being on te world s side? Are you tat far gone? Tings ave canged. Tis preacer cannot find evidence tat tese United States were ever a Cristian nation. But our country was founded as being based upon, at least in part, tose Jewis-Cristian teacings and morals found in te Bible. Now we face te lawlessness of unbridled sexual immorality on te one and, and te prospect of Islamic Saria law on te oter. Bot tese extremes are against Biblical Cristianity and tose Cristians wo believe in and stand for Bible trut. No doubt you are familiar wit te saying forewarned is forearmed. Paul wrote reminding te saints in Tessalonica tat e ad forewarned tem saying, For verily, wen we were wit you, we told you before tat we sould suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know (I Tess. 3:4). In tis text Paul wrote we told you before tat we sould suffer tribulation. And we, too, like tem sould be forewarned and tus forearm ourselves. We ere in te U. S. ave lived in unusual circumstances for many years because of te Biblical eritage of tis government. In te past, professing Cristians wit some modicum of morality ave been in te majority. Tat is fast canging before our eyes. No, it as already canged! Te world, and tese United States, are not te same as tose into wic tis preacer was born. Te Bible, Biblical Cristianity, and te true Cildren of God are regarded as irrelevant, out of step, narrow, ignorant, aters of tat wic te world accepts and consists. And te current view is tat watever te majority tinks is rigt must be rigt. Te true cildren of God are on te opposite side of te fence from tose wose wole realm of existence is tis present evil world. Tat prase, present evil world is a Biblical one. Paul wrote of it in Galatians 1:4. e penned tese Words speaking of Crist: Wo gave imself for our sins, tat e migt deliver us from tis present evil world, according to te will of God and our Fater. Are you feeling at ome in tis world? Feeling at ome wit evil? Look again at tat last quotation. ow can you feel comfortable wit tis world and know Crist as Savior? Te One wo as delivered is people and is delivering tem from tis present evil world. ow can a true cild of God take sides wit te world and be living according to te will of God and our Fater? ow can a cild of God look, dress, talk and act like te world witout being a traitor to te Lord s cause? Are you ready to be different? Are you ready to be persecuted? Are you ready to be slandered? Are you ready to be mocked? Are you ready to speak out against sin? Are you ready to ave friends and family members turn against you? Are you ready to be arassed by your own government? Are you ready for so-called Cristian leaders and te media to speak of you as a religious fanatic and worse? Only te grace of God can and will sustain te Lord s people and te Lord s curces in tese days and in future ones as tings progressively worsen. Will tey worsen? someone asks. Yes, te Bible specifically says tat very ting: Yea, and all tat will live godly in Crist Jesus sall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers sall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (II Tim. 3:12-13). Tink of tose wo ave walked tis way before us: tink of tose mentioned in ebrews 11:36-12:6 Tere we read: And oters ad trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: Tey were stoned, tey were (Continued on page 9)

9 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 9 Are You Ready? (Continued from page 8) sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain wit te sword: tey wandered about in seepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of wom te world was not worty:) tey wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of te eart. And tese all, aving obtained a good report troug fait, received not te promise: God aving provided some better ting for us, tat tey witout us sould not be made perfect. Werefore seeing we also are compassed about wit so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weigt, and te sin wic dot so easily beset us, and let us run wit patience te race tat is set before us, Looking unto Jesus te autor and finiser of our fait; wo for te joy tat was set before im endured te cross, despising te same, and is set down at te rigt and of te trone of God. For consider im tat endured suc contradiction of sinners against imself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye ave not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye ave forgotten te exortation wic speaket unto you as unto cildren, My son, despise not tou te castening of te Lord, nor faint wen tou art rebuked of im: For wom te Lord lovet e castenet, and scourget every son wom e receivet. Bretren, we need castening and scourging! Standing in te ranks wit tose mentioned in tis last text are tose anabaptist forefaters te successors of te first century curces and our ancestors if we stand connected by tat cain link succession of curces to tem. (Tere cannot be a succession or a perpetuity of curces if tere are no links!) Tey, too, suffered for teir fait te fait our fait. Wy sould we not likewise partake in suc sufferings? Are we better tan tey? Tose faitful men and women in te last Biblical text quoted sall not be made perfect witout us! Tat last text says tat God as provided some better ting for us, tat tey witout us sould not be made perfect or complete. Te suffering tat is coming is a purifying or castening kind of suffering. Suffering saints are pure-living saints. Suffering congregations are pure congregations. Wit ease and plenty comes complacency, compromise and sin. Te gross sins of Sodom were brougt about at least in part by ease and plenty. Te Bible says so and condemns tose tings tat produced teir omosexual sins. Ezekiel 16:49 says: Beold, tis was te iniquity of ty sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in er and in er daugters, neiter did se strengten te and of te poor and needy. You would tink tat God would ave listed te gross sins of te citizens of Sodom, but e spoke of pride, fulness of bread and abundance of idleness. Te citizens of Sodom and er daugter cities ran to excessive and gross sins because tey were soft, ad plenty, and a great deal of idle time. In teir pride tey tougt tat watever teir town majority allowed as acceptable beavior was indeed rigt. And tey cared noting for te needy among tem. Our government trows millions of financial bones at te poor, but does not strengten teir ands enabling tem to make teir own way. Can you not see tat tese same tings ave appened rigt ere in tese United States? Americans, including er professing Cristians, ave grown soft and accustomed to ease. Tat is wy most professing Cristians in tese United States look, live, talk and tink like te world, for te most part O peraps tey are a tad beind te world, but follow te same broad way tat leads to destruction. Consider our Redeemer, our Seperd, our Savior. Te text above says, consider im tat endured suc contradiction of sinners against imself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Keep Crist foremost in your minds! It is our minds tat must be fortified. Being forewarned in our minds forearms te cild of God. Are you ready? Are you forewarned? Are you forearmed? Peter wrote: Werefore gird up te loins of your mind, be sober, and ope to te end for te grace tat is to be brougt unto you at te revelation of Jesus Crist; As obedient cildren, not fasioning yourselves according to te former lusts in your ignorance: But as e wic at called you is oly, so be ye oly in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye oly; for I am oly (I Peter 1:13-16). In Biblical times a man would gater up te skirts of is robe and bind tem in is belt or sas. In tis way is garment did not get in is way as e labored or battled. Peter ere speaks of gatering up te loose ends of our minds: of preparing our minds for labor and battle aead of time. Are you ready? ave you got a single mind? Is your purpose pleasing God by living for im or are you partying wit te world? O, tis preacer as eard it all before. We must be like te world in order to win te world. We must join in clubs and associations wit tem in order to witness to tem. Most American Cristians ave succumbed to Country-Clubitis. We must allow our cildren to socialize wit worldlings in sports, music, scool, etc. so as not to be too different. Too different? ogwas! Were did you ever read in te Bible a warning about being too different from te world? Tat is not were te battle is! God never called is people to be like te world! We are in te world, but not of te world! A ligt in a dark place is not of te darkness. It is not like te darkness. It is at odds wit te darkness. It reveals wat is idden in te darkness witout being a part of te darkness. And God as called us to be ligt in tis world, regardless of te consequences. To efficiently cop wood you must let te cips fall were tey may. Be busy copping wood, so to speak, and not be busy worrying about te cips. So it is wit following te Lord and standing as a ligt in tis dark world. Let te rays of ligt sine were tey may. Let tem reveal wat God wills witout regard to consequences. Let te oil God as put into our lamps of clay sine fort even as te oil is consumed. Are you ready? Do you ear and do you understand? Te propet Jeremia penned one of te most appropriate of verses for our times altoug it was doubtless aimed at is own people in is own time. Jeremia 12:5 says: If tou ast run wit te footmen, and tey ave wearied tee, ten ow canst tou contend wit orses? and if in te land of peace, werein tou trustedst, tey wearied tee, ten ow wilt tou do in te swelling of (Continued on page 10)

10 Page 10 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Are You Ready? (Continued from page 9) Jordan? Cristian friend, ave you compromised and remained silently complacent rater tan bring down criticism and opposition upon your ead? We, ere in tese United States, ave ad it easy as Cristians in bygone years. Baptists ave been buttered up by te world. Colonial Baptists were considered te off-scouring of te world just like Baptists in Biblical days. But now Baptists are respectable. But no more sall it be tat way if we take a stand. And if we ave not been able to keep up wit foot soldiers (as our last quote says) wat sall we do wen we must contend wit enemy figters on orseback? We ave lived in te land of peace and been overcome. Wat sall we do wen Jordan overflows er tree sets of banks? Some tink tat te swelling of Jordan refers to te seasonal flooding of te tree different sets of banks of tat river. Wen te waters reac te level of te trees and brus along te iger banks it drives out te lions and oter predators. Wat sall we do wen te flood fully comes upon us? Wat sall we do wen te waters rise and te predators walk our streets and sit in ig places of government? Are some of tem not already prowling about our towns and cities? Are not te enemies of Biblical Cristianity already in te alls of government? But Jordan as not yet reaced er igest and tird set of banks! Wen tis world s lions are free to prowl among te followers of te Lamb because tey ate our strict lives and our teacing and preacing of God s Word, ow sall we stand? Are you ready? Prepare your minds! Settle it: you will serve God regardless. Remember our Lord s words to te congregation in Smyrna: Fear none of tose tings wic tou salt suffer: beold, te devil sall cast some of you into prison, tat ye may be tried; and ye sall ave tribulation ten days: be tou faitful unto deat, and I will give tee a crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Tose words were addressed to a curc in tis present curc-age. Can we expect less? Let us be faitful even unto times of government arassment, prosecution, slander, gossip, imprisonment and deat if necessary. Amen. Mankind Is Sick (Continued from page 1) gospel message wic we ougt to be delivering to all of te world. Te simple message is tis: Mankind is sick. Tis is a message tat te world does not muc ear even from te voices tat represent Cristianity. In order for tere to be ealing, tere must first be a knowledge of te sickness, and a desire for life and ealt! We must inform te world of te needs of mankind, and remind te lost of te danger and te damnation tat confronts tem! In our text passage we find tat Jesus Crist as called out and saved a man by te name of Levi. Tis man named Levi, is also known as Mattew (See Matt. 9:9). Of course, Mattew would become one of te famous men known as te twelve apostles of our Lord. After te Lord calls Mattew to follow im, Mattew takes te Lord Jesus Crist into is ouse, and e serves im a supper. As events play out, we find tat many of Mattew s friends and acquaintances are also called to te supper. Of course, many of Mattew s friends would be publicans since tat was is occupation. owever, in te eyes of most of te Jews, we find tat publicans were looked down upon, and tey were condemned as sinners since tey were essentially te tax collectors for te Roman Empire. But, tis is not all: we find tat te scribes and Parisees wo must ave been following te Lord Jesus Crist in order to find occasion against im also attended tis supper. So, we ave quite an array of persons wo are participating in tis supper; and, of tem all, we must say tat tey were sick and dying. umanly speaking, tey were te best and te worst tat te Nation of Juda ad to offer, and yet tere was not one worty soul tat could, on is own, justly stand before te Rigteous God of eaven and eart. Mankind is sick! We all need a Saviour. But, wat we will find out from tis sermon is tat most folks will live all of teir lives not acknowledging tat tey are sick and in need of a ealer; but, a few will be led to acknowledge teir needs, and tese few will be ealed and saved by a Gracious Saviour. MOST DO NOT KNOW IT Te scribes and Parisees mentioned in our text passage, did not ave a proper understanding of sin, nor did tey possess a proper understanding of teir own guilt, sin, and wickedness. If tey did ave a proper understanding of te position tat tey were in and te sickness and deat tat plagued tem, ten tey would ave fallen down at te feet of tis Great Pysician, and tey would ave cried out for mercy and ealing! But, instead of turning to Jesus Crist, tey would rater condemn te few publicans and sinners ere. And tey would rater look down on tese sick and repentant ones, instead of joining tem in teir supplications. Isaia delivered a description of sinful Israel, wic was applicable in te land of Palestine in te time of Jesus eartly ministry, and, wic is also applicable today: ear, O eavens, and give ear, O eart: for te LORD at spoken, I ave nourised and brougt up cildren, and tey ave rebelled against me. Te ox knowet is owner, and te ass is master s crib: but Israel dot not know, my people dot not consider. A sinful nation, a people laden wit iniquity, a seed of evildoers, cildren tat are corrupters: tey ave forsaken te LORD, tey ave provoked te oly One of Israel unto anger, tey are gone away backward. Wy sould ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: te wole ead is sick, and te wole eart faint. From te sole of te foot even unto te ead tere is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: tey ave not been closed, neiter bound up, neiter mollified wit ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned wit fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overtrown by strangers. And te daugter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except te LORD of osts ad left unto us a very small remnant, we sould ave been as Sodom, and we sould ave been like unto Gomorra (Isa. 1:2-9). Te awful and sickly description of Israel is applicable on a universal level. Tere are no good, wole, and ealty members of umanity! Te sickly de- (Continued on page 11)

11 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 11 Mankind Is Sick (Continued from page 10) scription is also applicable on a personal level even in te life of every single person. Eac of us is altogeter sick, wicked, and putrifying according to te measure of our sinfulness in te fles. Tere is not any goodness or wolesomeness in any one of us! For tere is no faitfulness in teir mout; teir inward part is very wickedness; teir troat is an open sepulcre; tey flatter wit teir tongue (Psalm 5:9). Te malady tat afflicts us all, is te destruction and deat tat sin as brougt to te race of Adam. We are sick, and we will not on our own admit it. Paul said, Wat ten? are we better tan tey? No, in no wise: for we ave before proved bot Jews and Gentiles, tat tey are all under sin; As it is written, Tere is none rigteous, no, not one: Tere is none tat understandet, tere is none tat seeket after God. Tey are all gone out of te way, tey are togeter become unprofitable; tere is none tat doet good, no, not one. Teir troat is an open sepulcre; wit teir tongues tey ave used deceit; te poison of asps is under teir lips: Wose mout is full of cursing and bitterness: Teir feet are swift to sed blood: Destruction and misery are in teir ways: And te way of peace ave tey not known: Tere is no fear of God before teir eyes (Rom. 3:9-18). Te terrible condition of mankind is well-cronicled in te Scriptures, but ardly recognized in te world. Te same is true trougout te istory of mankind. Te vast majority of mankind is perfectly willing to live in te sin and degradation tat tis world as to offer. Sure, men may complain about te sin. Sure, men and women may sometimes try to make tings better after te fles, and may even seek to establis a sense of morality. But tese are all selfsatisfying notions, and in no wise do tese feeble attempts signify an acknowledgment of our own wretced sinfulness, and te utter depravity of mankind bot in a general and a singular sense. Te scribes and Parisees were always te foes of Jesus Crist. Tey did not want to submit to te Gospel and te Word of God wic e and is disciples proclaimed. Tey did not want to admit teir own sinfulness, but desired, instead, to dress temselves up in robes of self-rigteousness, and pretend to be pretty, clean, and ealty. But te Lord knew tem for wo tey were! Tey were miserable sinners, eaded for ell, and dragging multitudes into te abyss wit tem! (See Mattew 23:13-33). If you travel to any place or any time in te istory of mankind, te result is always te same: te majority of folks do not care about te poor condition of teir own souls, nor are people inclined to listen wen te trut of teir condition is declared to tem. Instead, te world of men will ignore te sin tat afflicts tem or else tey will look for teir own remedy and count on teir own abilities to save tem. A FEW DO KNOW IT In our text passage, te scribes and Parisees condemn te Lord Jesus Crist for eating wit te publicans and sinners. Ten, Jesus, as e refers to tese publicans and sinners, says tis: Tey tat are wole ave no need of te pysician, but tey tat are sick: I came not to call te rigteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17). It is obvious, ten, tat tis Great Pysician does not see tese folks as mere publicans and sinners. Rater, Jesus Crist sees tese folks as sick wo need ealing; and as sinners wo need repentance. Tis same (or a similar) scenario as been repeated countless times trougout te istory of mankind. Sick and repentant souls will come to Jesus Crist, as teir only ope and teir only relief. Toug te vast majority of mankind may reject any sense of a need for a saviour; and toug te vast majority of men and women may seek some alternate means of salvation; still, tere are publicans and sinners of every age wo ave come to dine wit Jesus Crist. Wen oters will look down on tem; wen oters will deride and deny te One True Saviour; wen oters will be seeking oter metods of ealing, and oter sources of salvation, te truly sick and te truly repentant will be found kneeling in te presence of Jesus Crist. And e went troug te cities and villages, teacing, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Ten said one unto im, Lord, are tere few tat be saved? And e said unto tem, Strive to enter in at te strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and sall not be able. Wen once te master of te ouse is risen up, and at sut to te door, and ye begin to stand witout, and to knock at te door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and e sall answer and say unto you, I know you not wence ye are: Ten sall ye begin to say, We ave eaten and drunk in ty presence, and tou ast taugt in our streets. But e sall say, I tell you, I know you not wence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. Tere sall be weeping and gnasing of teet, wen ye sall see Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all te propets, in te kingdom of God, and you yourselves trust out. And tey sall come from te east, and from te west, and from te nort, and from te sout, and sall sit down in te kingdom of God. And, beold, tere are last wic sall be first, and tere are first wic sall be last (Luke 13:22-30). Te Jews were te first to ear te Gospel; yet, for te most part, tey rejected Jesus Crist and te Gospel. Te Gentiles were te last to ear te Gospel; and yet, te Gospel itself, and te Curc of Jesus Crist as been perpetuated troug te years, mostly via te Gentiles. Te world is full of workers of iniquity, many of wom are dressed up in te robes of religion and self-rigteousness. Tese will all be plunged into ell, unless te oly Spirit and te Word of God will lead tem to repentance. One time te Lord Jesus Crist said, Come unto me, all ye tat labour and are eavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in eart: and ye sall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is ligt (Matt. 11:28-30). Te few souls wo are made to know teir sickness and te spiritual deat to wic tey ave previously been subjected, will joyfully and appily come to Jesus Crist. Tere will be tears sed over our sins; but tere will be peace and reconciliation found in Jesus Crist! Wo is own self bare our sins in is own body on te tree, tat we, being dead to sins, sould live unto rigteousness: by wose stripes ye were ealed (I Pet. 2:24). (Continued on page 15)

12 Page 12 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 1. Wy do some ave a problem wit wat is called cildren s curc? Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio Good question! And I will be te first to raise my and as one tat not only as a problem wit it, but also disagrees wit it totally. And before I answer, let me first say tat I believe tat te curc building sould be used as often as it can be. I believe te curc is a teacing institution. If it (te curc) as te facilities to ave a Baptist scool ten by all means get a scool started (not all parents can ome scool, so wo better to teac, reading, writing, and aritmetic tan te curc)! We really need better tan te public scool system we ave today. I do not ave a problem wit Bible scool (I prefer Bible Scool, not Sunday scool) on Sunday morning as long as it is done te proper way (te Biblical way). I am not crazy about VBS eiter, but if cildren are idle during te summer wen scool is out of session and te proper instructions are given to te cildren, tan I am not totally against it. But as already stated, I do ave a problem wit cildren s curc. Te reason I am against cildren s curc is first of all it is not Scriptural. Many at tat saying will jump up and down and pitc a fit and say Jesus said in Mattew 19:14, Suffer little cildren, and forbid tem not, to come unto me: for of suc is te kingdom of eaven. Yes tat is wat e said. But e never said to go out and gater up te little cildren to reac teir parents. Nor did e say on te Lord s Day to separate te cildren from teir parents and ave someone else instruct tem wile te preacer is preacing te message God gave im to preac to all. Tree tings tat tis practice of cildren s curc inders: One, (and I will give Scripture for tis in a moment) it takes away from te parents responsibility to train up a cild. Second, te cild (most likely lost) will never get to ear te message from te messenger tat God as called and ordained. Preac te word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exort wit all longsuffering and doctrine (II Tim. 4:2). And tird, wo is leading cildren s curc? Most likely an adult, and in some cases a usband and wife. Wat about teir spiritual needs, ow do tey ear te pastor s message? And do not give me te argument, well, tey can listen to a recording of te message!! Tat is so lame I will not even comment on tat statement. People can argue tis all day long, but I will tell tem tat if tey believe tat tere is noting wrong wit cildren s curc tey do not ave a leg to stand on Scripturally and tere is no validity in teir argument. Te bottom line is te parent is te one responsible to train up a cild, NO ONE ELSE. Cildren sould be taugt by teir parents to sit quietly in te pew wit teir parents and listen to te preacer break fort te bread of life eac and every Sunday and not leave it up to someone else to do. Many times cildren s curc is an excuse for te parent not to ave to deal wit a fussy and unruly cild. And tese words, wic I command tee tis day, sall be in tine eart: And tou salt teac tem diligently unto ty cildren, and salt talk of tem wen tou sittest in tine ouse, and wen tou walkest by te way, and wen tou liest down, and wen tou risest up (Deut. 6:6). Train up a cild in te way e sould go: and wen e is old, e will not depart from it (Prov. 22:6). If Baptist folks want to take on wat te Arminians and Protestant groups ave adopted, wit te pilosopy tat if we get te kids to come to curc tan we can draw in te parents, ten tat will be on teir soulders as going against God s order of tings. People are always inventing new ways to improve on God s ways instead of just doing wat e says, and tey cause temselves more grief by teir disobedience. Tere is NO better way tan God s way; you can not improve on wat e says, so wy try? Tere is a tract, Wat s Wrong wit te Kids Today? by te late Milburn Cockrell and it can be obtained troug te Berea Baptist Curc Bookstore. I suggest every Baptist obtain a copy and read it. Toug Broter Cockrell does not specifically touc on cildren s curc, but e as tis to say, Wat can be done about crimes committed by teenagers? Te policeman s club and te jailor s cell will not solve te problem. Neiter will nine o clock curfew laws, nor reformatories, nor orpan asylums. Curc-sponsored ball games or parties are not te solution. Wat we need is some parents wo love teir cildren, wo will take time to train tem in rigt and wrong, wo will teac tem te Bible, and wo will discipline tem for misconduct. We need parents wo set a good example before teir cildren and wo regularly go wit tem to Sunday scool and curc. Oters may ave different reasons wy tey ave a problem wit cildren s curc but tese are mine. And ye sall know te trut, and te trut sall make you free (Jon 8:32). God Bless! ROGER REED Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Te Scriptures never refer to te idea of a cildren s curc. A Baptist curc is a local, visible, called out assembly of baptized believers wo agree togeter to carry out te Great Commission as set fort in Mattew 28: Te modern day invention of te cildren s curc concept was born out of wat many large curces wit bus ministries consider as an absolute necessity. Cildren are often bussed in witout te presence or supervision of teir parents. After teir graded Sunday Scool classes are over, rater tan aving tem attend te regular worsip service of te curc, tey go to anoter service. Te cildren s curc service is (Continued on page 14)

13 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 13 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 2. ow long sould a curc wait before disciplining a member? Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV All of te members of te curc sould be disciplined- ALL TE TIME! Te first level of discipline/discipling is TEACING! Teacing tem to observe all tings watsoever I ave commanded you: and, lo, I am wit you alway, even unto te end of te world (Matt. 28:20). Sela! Tink about it! Te second level of discipline/ discipling is correction and it needs to be done ASAP (as soon as possible!). Moreover if ty broter sall trespass against tee, go and tell im is fault between tee and im alone: if e sall ear tee, tou ast gained ty broter. But if e will not ear tee, ten take wit tee one or two more, tat in te mout of two or tree witnesses every word may be establised (Matt. 18:15-16). Bretren, if any of you do err from te trut, and one convert im; Let im know, tat e wic convertet te sinner from te error of is way sall save a soul from deat, and sall ide a multitude of sins (James 5:19-20). Te tird level of discipline/ discipling is excisive or purgative. Its purpose is to purge out of te body a recalcitrant, unrepentant rebel, And if e sall neglect to ear tem, tell it unto te curc: but if e neglect to ear te curc, let im be unto tee as an eaten man and a publican (Matt. 18:17). Your glorying is not good. Know ye not tat a little leaven leavenet te wole lump? Purge out terefore te old leaven, tat ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Crist our passover is sacrificed for us: Terefore let us keep te feast, not wit old leaven, neiter wit te leaven of malice and wickedness; but wit te unleavened bread of sincerity and trut (I Cor. 5:6-8). Sela! Tink about it! Te timing of tis last and most drastic form of discipline will depend upon te infraction. Excisive discipline can be for two broad categories: eresy, or immorality. Immorality and ungodly living sould be dealt wit IMMEDIATELY. At te very next assembling of te curc after te 2-3 witness mandate as establised proof, a motion, second, and vote sould be taken to purge te body of te unoly member. It is reported commonly tat tere is fornication among you And ye are puffed up, and ave not rater mourned, tat e tat at done tis deed migt be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, ave judged already In te name of our Lord Jesus Crist, wen ye are gatered togeter To deliver suc an one unto Satan for te destruction of te fles, tat te spirit may be saved (I Cor. 5:1-5). Te pure reputation of te curc and Jesus Crist is at stake! Act immediately! eresy is a different matter, as it may vary from immaturity or ignorance to apostasy and ardened eretics. Mattew 18 discipline is seen in action in Titus 3:10, A man tat is an eretic after te first and second admonition reject. Te results of James 5 (above) is oped for, but if eresy is still adamantly propagated, ten execution must follow te second admonition. Te next weekly meeting of te curc is appropriate for a purgative disciplinary action. A tird division, wic spans bot categories above is departing from te fait. Beloved, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exort you tat ye sould earnestly contend for te fait wic was once delivered unto te saints ( Jude 1:3). Te most common form tis error takes is nonattendance. Circumstances may vary, but te Big Creek Baptist Curc (for example) as voted to mark suc negligent individuals tat ave missed services for 60 days, and to scedule a visit from concerned curc members to encourage attendance and proper worsip of our God. If after 30 more days of nonattendance, a second visit is sceduled (per Titus 3:10) and ten if suc visits are unsuccessful in restoring te member, excessive discipline is in order at te next regularly sceduled business meeting of te curc. ALWAYS, curc discipline sould be for te purpose of maintaining te purity of te body of Crist and te edification/ toug love/long-term good of te rebellious member. For wat ave I to do to judge tem also tat are witout? do not ye judge tem tat are witin? But tem tat are witout God judget. Terefore put away from among yourselves tat wicked person (I Cor. 5:12-13). Of wom is ymenaeus and Alexander; wom I ave delivered unto Satan, tat tey may learn not to blaspeme (I Tim. 1:20). Wile tey beold your caste conversation coupled wit fear (I Peter 3:2). And great fear came upon all te curc, and upon as many as eard tese tings (Acts 5:11). Sela! Tink about it! MATTEW STEPP Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio Tat is left up to eac individual curc to make tat determination. Regardless of te lengt of time, great care sould be taken and all efforts sould be exercised to restore one before any discipline takes place. Moreover if ty broter sall trespass against tee, go and tell im is fault between tee and im alone: if e sall ear tee, tou ast gained ty broter. But if e will not ear tee, ten take wit tee one or two more, tat in te mout of two or tree witnesses every word may be establised. And if e sall neglect to ear tem, tell it unto te curc: but if e neglect to ear te curc, let im be unto tee as an eaten man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Watsoever ye sall bind on eart sall be bound in eaven: and watsoever ye sall loose on eart sall be loosed in eaven (Matt. 18:15-18). Following all rules and examples of te Bible sould always be first and foremost wen considering (Continued on page 15)

14 Page 14 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Forum #1 (Continued from page 12) usually supervised by a yout pastor tat generally speaking is simply a larger extension of te Sunday Scool witout graded classes. Tis set up keeps unruly and unsupervised cildren from disrupting te regular worsip service of te curc. A majority of te cildren tat attend our curc come wit teir parents or grandparents, or wit friends. We ave regular graded Sunday Scool classes for everyone at 10 am. At 11 am we ave a regular worsip service were everyone gaters togeter to sing, pray, worsip, and receive preacing instruction from te Word of God. I personally believe it is important for cildren to gater wit teir parents and grandparents in te worsip service. All cildren need to learn ow to beave temselves in te ouse of God. It takes time and discipline, but cildren learn ow to sit quietly, listen attentively, and participate in te worsip service. I ave never been in favor of te cildren s curc concept. I do not like te idea of separating cildren from teir parents and grandparents during worsip services. I tink it is important for te entire family to worsip togeter and ear te preacing ministry of te pastor. Wit tat said, I ave never been a member of a curc tat employed te cildren s curc concept. If a curc votes to ave cildren s curc it is teir prerogative as an independent, autonomous body of Crist. I personally ave no rigt or desire to dictate to anoter curc wat tey sould or sould not do. If you are a member of a curc tat as a cildren s curc I do not believe you sould cause division. You eiter learn to live wit it, or quietly begin to searc for a curc of like fait tat does not ave a cildren s curc. TOM ROSS Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Te curc is an organized assembly of er members. It is also called a body, in Scripture. It is never fully assembled, or complete, unless all of er members are present and/or accounted for. Sela! Tink about it! If te curc splits into classes for teacing purposes, it is not appropriate to say te curc is assembled or met to worsip. Peraps it is mere semantics, but it would be muc more suitable to call suc divisions of te curc- classes. Te adult class, te teen class, te elementary class, or watever te curc desires to call tem. None of tese can be correctly called adult curc, teen curc, or cildren s curc! Essentially, tey are divided PARTITIONS of te curc! Sela! Tink about it! We sould never allow members of te body to tink tat tey ave completed teir worsip duty to our Lord and Master if tey ave only attended a class of te curc, rater tan a public worsip assembly of te curc. Regardless of wat else te different curces coose to do in accomplising te Great Commission, tey cannot bypass te direct commandments of te Lord in is oly Writ! And let us consider one anoter to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking te assembling of ourselves togeter, as te manner of some is; but exorting one anoter: and so muc te more, as ye see te day approacing (eb. 10:24-25). Te commanded provoking can take place in many different manners, venues and works, but te assembling can ONLY be wen te curc is fully met togeter as te Body of Crist! It must be remembered and maintained tat eac and every curc is fully autonomous, and as tereby every leeway to carry out te Great Commission witin te guidelines of te oly Bible. No oter curc, pastor, or outsider as te rigt to judge te Baptist curces. Only God as te autority to do so, and e certainly will! If a curc decides tat te pysical needs of te curc is taking te pastor away from is studying, praying, and preacing, ten by all means ordain as many deacons as are needed! Ten te twelve called te multitude of te disciples unto tem, and said, It is not reason tat we sould leave te word of God, and serve tables. Werefore, bretren, look ye out among you seven men of onest report, full of te oly Gost and wisdom, wom we may appoint over tis business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to te ministry of te word. And te saying pleased te wole multitude: and tey cose Stepen, a man full of fait and of te oly Gost, and Pilip, and Procorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioc: Wom tey set before te apostles: and wen tey ad prayed, tey laid teir ands on tem. And te word of God increased; and te number of te disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly (Acts 6:2-7). Te autority, and also te responsibility is inerent in EVERY curc to take care of te Biblical needs of er membersip! If tose needs are teacing and tey need additional ours of teacing time- No problem! Te autority is tere to vote to autorize Bible classes for men, women, boys and/or girls and appoint te appropriate teacers for tose classes! Tese can be on Sunday mornings, afternoons, or weekday evenings. Te priority ere, is to fulfill te commandment of our LORD to teac tem to observe all tings. Te Apostle Paul was our example, tusly in Acts 20:20, And ow I kept back noting tat was profitable unto you, but ave sewed you, and ave taugt you publicly, and from ouse to ouse. Public worsip and classes, but also private classes migt be necessary in different curces. Women are commanded to teac te younger women. But speak tou te tings wic become sound doctrine: Te aged women likewise, tat tey be in beaviour as becomet oliness, teacers of good tings; Tat tey may teac te young women to be sober, to love teir usbands, to love teir cildren (Titus 2:1-4). Tis is impossible to fulfill, by just te example of a couple ours on Sunday and one on Wednesday, any more tan it is possible for a pastor to complete a full teacing in tose ours. One-on-one teacing and/or class teacing is imperative for te growt of te curc members. Watever te curc needs to do to teac, preac and go into all te world, please vote to do so! Te autority cannot be denied! Sela! Tink about it! MATTEW STEPP

15 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 15 Forum #2 (Continued from page 13) curc discipline. Some curces ave a six mont period for absenteeism. Wen it comes to offenses tey will make an effort to see te one being considered for discipline, or te offender, at least two to tree times before bringing tem to te curc for consideration or exclusion. Tis gives te person ample time to see te error of teir ways and repent. I believe te exception would be for open sin were tere is no doubt of guilt, and ten te offender sould be dealt wit immediately as is te case of te man wo committed fornication wit is fater s wife in I Corintians 5:1-13. It seems everyone was aware of tis man s sin and tey were doing noting. But by no means sould a curc wait for long periods of time to get te process started. I ave seen curcs put matters for discipline on te back burner for years and tat just causes more problems. Tey sould be dealt wit promptly and as lovingly as possible. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not tat a little leaven leavenet te wole lump (I Cor. 5:6)? People do not realize also, tat curc discipline is an act of love. For wom te Lord lovet e castenet, and scourget every son wom e receivet. If ye endure castening, God dealet wit you as wit sons; for wat son is e wom te fater castenet not? But if ye be witout castisement, wereof all are partakers, ten are ye bastards, and not sons. Furtermore we ave ad faters of our fles wic corrected us, and we gave tem reverence: sall we not muc rater be in subjection unto te Fater of spirits, and live? For tey verily for a few days castened us after teir own pleasure; but e for our profit, tat we migt be partakers of is oliness. Now no castening for te present seemet to be joyous, but grievous: neverteless afterward it yieldet te peaceable fruit of rigteousness unto tem wic are exercised tereby (eb. 12:6-11). God Bless! ROGER REED Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O It really depends on wat tey are being disciplined for. Every case of discipline sould be considered individually. Nine times out of ten discipline is usually for nonattendance. It is up to te curc to decide ow long tey let people go before starting te discipline process for non-attendance. Oter cases, usually involving public immorality of some kind, like drugs, drunkenness, sexual uncleanness, extortion, etc. sould be dealt wit more swiftly. As soon as te evidence is in discipline sould be faitfully and immediately carried out. We are commanded to practice faitful curc discipline in I Corintians 5:4-13. In cases of personal offense between bretren a simple process is set fort in Mattew 18: Te process will eiter yield repentance and reconciliation, or it will result in purging out te erring broter or sister. Te bottom line is tat eac case of curc discipline sould be considered separately. Curces and pastors need to pray for guidance and courage to carry it out scripturally wit compassion and conviction. TOM ROSS Mankind Is Sick (Continued from page 11) Tose of us wo were once sick and even dead in te spirit, are now made alive and wole and ealty troug te Person and te Work of Jesus Crist. 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, But is now made manifest by te appearing of our Saviour Jesus Crist, wo at abolised deat, and at brougt life and immortality to ligt troug te gospel (II Tim. 1:9-10). MINISTERING TO TE SICK We can see in our text passage tat Jesus Crist was a minister and a pysician. We can see in our text passage te tender eart of Jesus Crist, as e beeld and ministered to te publicans and sinners. I suppose tat if tere is to be any salvation in tis world if te world of men is as completely sick and undone as te Scriptures claim ten tere must also be a person or persons wo will give of temselves to minister to tis sick world, and wo will present te necessary cure and remedy to te sick and dying masses of umanity. Of course, in our text passage we find tat Jesus Crist is bot te minister and te remedy for te sick and dying persons tat e tended to. Is it not a marvelous ting tat te Lord and Creator of all te eart would umble imself to dine wit wicked publicans and sinners? Is it not an incredible and awesome ting tat te God of all men te Rigteous and oly One from eaven would deign to tend to suc a people and suc a motley collection of miserable persons? And yet, te Lord Jesus Crist, in is own Words, said, Tey tat are wole need not a pysician; but tey tat are sick. I came not to call te rigteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:31-32). On a later occasion, wen Jesus Crist ate in te ouse of Zaccaeus, e said, For te Son of man is come to seek and to save tat wic was lost (Luke 19:10). I tink tat te life of te Lord Jesus Crist is an example to tose of us wo are saved today. In te life of Jesus Crist we see te example of God, manifest in te fles, stooping to minister and preac to te sick and te dying. Tis sould be our desire as well. Tis ministering and preacing sould be te pattern of our lives as well. If Jesus Crist was not too good to preac and teac te publicans and sinners, ow muc more sould you and I (wo come from te same teeming masses of wicked umanity as did te publicans and sinners) be willing to preac and teac and minister to te sin-sick souls wic surround us today? Te ministry tat we ave today is to tell te world about Jesus Crist. We tell te world about te need tat eac man as, and te guilt tat is ours by virtue of Adam s sin and our own sinful beavior. Te world of men is sick! Tere is no ealing to be found amongst us; te only ope tat we ave must come from outside of natural man! Jesus Crist is our only ope, and te only eal- (Continued on page 16)

16 Page 16 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Mankind Is Sick (Continued from page 15) ing for our sickness. Terefore if any man be in Crist, e is a new creature: old tings are passed away; beold, all tings are become new. And all tings are of God, wo at reconciled us to imself by Jesus Crist, and at given to us te ministry of reconciliation; To wit, tat God was in Crist, reconciling te world unto imself, not imputing teir trespasses unto tem; and at committed unto us te word of reconciliation. Now ten we are ambassadors for Crist, as toug God did beseec you by us: we pray you in Crist s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For e at made im to be sin for us, wo knew no sin; tat we migt be made te rigteousness of God in im (II Cor. 5:17-21). Te Errors of Eliu By Mattew Stepp of Wayne, West Virginia Capter 32 of Job V. 1: Tis first verse of te capter is a stand-alone type verse. Almost like capter 32, all by itself, and verse 2 would start a 33rd capter for Eliu s entrance. After Zopar declined is 3rd accusation, Job made is closing remarks in capter 31. And te inspired writer of te book, fills in te silence of te tree accusers. Te fact of Job s conclusion, in tat e was rigteous in is own eyes indicates a peace of mind tat passes understanding of any but a cild of God. If anyone as any idea of calling Job self-rigteous because of tis verse, please read Psalm 112:1-10, I Corintians 15:10, I Samuel 12:3-5, or Numbers 16:15. Tis rigteousness of Job (even in is own eyes), is but a reflection of is knowledge of is standing before God, in te grace of Jesus Crist. As Job s sermons ave sown repeatedly, is trust is in is Saviour, Redeemer, and ig Priest, not in any of is own works. Romans 5:1-2: Terefore being justified by fait, we ave peace wit God troug our Lord Jesus Crist: By wom also we ave access by fait into tis grace werein we stand, and rejoice in ope of te glory of God. Romans 8:1-2: Tere is terefore now no condemnation to tem wic are in Crist Jesus, wo walk not after te fles, but after te Spirit. For te law of te Spirit of life in Crist Jesus at made me free from te law of sin and deat. If Job is condemned by tis first verse, ten condemn all Cristians, including te Apostle Jon along wit im--- Beloved, if our eart condemn us not, ten ave we confidence toward God (I Jon 3:21). Vs. 2-3: Verse 2 begins te tougts, if not te words, of Eliu. Te focus of is attack is noted from te beginning: e tinks tat Job as justified imself, rater tan justifying God. Do not take tis verse out of context and cite it as an indictment against Job, because tat just simply is not true! Tis is indeed te first and primary error of Eliu. For never once in tis book as Job not justified God. From te first capter to te 31st capter, is teme as been te sovereignty of God to do wat e will wit is own. Tat is wat Job told is wife in 2:10 and trougout, it as been te focus of is words and it is wat e mentions nine times even in te most recent, previous capter of is defense. It as not canged. See 31:2, 4, 6,11,14,15, 23, 28, and 35 for proof tat Job considered God s justification in determining is own justified standing before tat Dread Sovereign. Cite vs. 28 for proof: Tis also were an iniquity to be punised by te judge: for I sould ave denied te God tat is above. Job does not deny te autority and rigteousness of God! It is of utmost importance to understand tese first two verses of tis capter. It is were most commentators come to base teir opinions of Job and Eliu. Simply put, tese verses must be lifted out of context for any commentator or reader to condemn Job, because God certainly does not. Job 42:7...te LORD said to Elipaz te Temanite, My wrat is kindled against tee, and against ty two friends: for ye ave not spoken of me te ting tat is rigt, as my servant Job at. Absolutely, Job justified God! Eliu is dead wrong! V. 5: Temper/Anger/Wrat. Tese are words tat accompany Eliu s dissertation trougout. Tese are not Cristian traits. Wen you compare Job s response to ugly attacks and patronizing advice, you see Job as ranging from kind pity (16:4-5), to frustration (13:4-5), to extreme sarcasm (12:1) at te most! But Eliu is dead wrong! Vs. 4, 6-22: False modesty. I ave seen folks write tat tey were impressed by Eliu s umility in waiting, as a young man, for is elders to finis. I am not so impressed! is waiting was more dictated by custom and protocol, tan umility. Tat becomes fairly evident, fairly quickly, as e trases te reputation of any tat cross is egotistical pat. V. 14: Eliu claims tat e will be different from te 3 friends (Elipaz, Bildad, Zopor), but in reality, is six capters are mostly a reasing of teir fruitless accusations and postulations. Several of tese will ave teir own listing later, but note 33:8-12,31-33;34:8,26,30,33,35-37;35:5-8,16;36:5-16. In eac of tese verses (and more), te attack tat Eliu uses is found previously by one of te oter tree. It was ineffective ten (and ultimately condemned by God), and it is equally so now from te mout of Eliu. If you are looking for te condemnation of Eliu (outside of capters 38-39), read te kindred postulations e as wit te tree friends, wo clearly are condemned, and Eliu s doctrinal tesis will ultimately receive te same stinging rebuke. Vs. 10, 17: Eliu is trusting in an opinion of is own, instead of facts and beliefs based on Job s rigteous standing before God. Knowing noting of God and Satan s dialogue in te first two capters, Eliu is basing is words on is own opinion. Dangerous and ultimately it is to is own destruction. Sovereign grace is te fundamental teacing of tis Book of Job and Eliu never once mentions grace. Vs : Full of baloney, rater! Eliu s stated purpose is to relieve is own bursting of arrogance and self-importance! Tose attributes are noted troug-out tis first capter of is arangue in particular. Everyone else needs to know is vaunted opinion. Capter 33 of Job V. 3: Wy do so many jump all over Job for speaking of is personal uprigtness (validated by God at first, last, and in between), but Eliu gets a free (Continued on page 17)

17 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 17 Errors of Eliu (Continued from page 16) pass? Not from tis writer! Eliu s eart is deceitful above all tings, and desperately wicked according to Jeremia 17:9. Never in tis book does God validate any rigteousness of Eliu. Te eart is te wrong source for knowledgeable words, as Eliu opes to purport. Go to te Word, Eliu! Vs. 6-7: Tis is about as blaspemous as a feller can get! To pose imself in te stead of God! Arrogance in te igest form! It is a dangerous assumption to say tat our words are God s WORDS! Even te Apostle Paul was careful to make a distinction terein: I Corintians 7:6,12,40. If tese words of Eliu, (like te Apostle Paul s) were validated by God at any point in te book, is one ting, but te utter contempt God sows Eliu in ignoring everyting e says (except words witout knowledge 38:2), sows tat Eliu s ascension to divine positions of judgment is blaspemous arrogance. In tis matter, as all oters, Job sees no difference between Eliu and te tree friends. See 13:7-8 were Job answers Zopar and company. Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for im? Will ye accept is person? will ye contend for God? Vs. 8-9: If Eliu is to be taken seriously as a rebuker unto wisdom (Prov. 9:8-9), it is imperative tat e stick to te trut and quote Job s words at least close to verbatim. Not to add/detract and put is own slant on te matter. But instead, Eliu misquotes and ridicules Job ere (and constantly) and takes Job s words out of context! In tis particular instance, te accusation of Eliu is ridiculous! Job never claims to be sinless! In capters 7:20;9:2-3,12-15,20,30-31;10:12-15 etc. Job eiter acknowledges is sinful nature in te eyes of a oly God, or brings out clearly te total depravity of ALL men, including imself! 9:20: If I justify myself, mine own mout sall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it sall also prove me perverse. Every instance of Job claiming to be innocent, is of te perceived great sin tat caused te calamity, and is twisted and turned against im by tis accuser, Eliu (I almost typed te devil, Eliu). Vs : In tis key passage, we see te central teme of Eliu s argument. Tat Job as been so bold, so bold, as to come before te trone of God demanding answers and te fulfillment of te Promises of Grace really grates on Eliu! Eliu (and oter more modern detractors) would deny Job te rigt of approacing te Mercy Seat of Crist! One of te prevailing temes of te Book of Job is te courtroom analogy tat is used by Job, particularly in capters 7;9;10;12;13;21;23;24;31. Capter 31, in particular is a summation of Job s defense akin to early Eastern Courtroom customs. (Te Defense Rests!) Wile Job recognized God as te source of is affliction, e never considers im to be is enemy, as Eliu puts it. God can be adversarial to te fles of Job, in ordaining tis calamity, but certainly Job clings to God as is Unseen Ally and Only ope! 23:10: But e knowet te way tat I take: wen e at tried me, I sall come fort as gold. 19:26-27: And toug after my skin worms destroy tis body, yet in my fles sall I see God: Wom I sall see for myself, and mine eyes sall beold, and not anoter; toug my reins be consumed witin me. V. 14: Eliu claims tat man cannot perceive wen God is speaking or revealing someting to man. Obviously, Job disagreed, and so do I! Job as ad a personal salvation experience and trusts in te Word of God. Eliu, aving never experienced te Person of God, in te next few verses will look for supernatural revelations rater tan plain experiential knowledge of God in our daily lives. (Sometimes, yes, calamities!) Vs : Eliu says tat God s normal delivery of knowledge is troug supernatural revelations of visions. Tis will go well wit many Carismatic beliefs tat will pop up in is later speeces, regarding a gospel of ealt and prosperity. Elipaz already tried tis tactic back in 4: V. 23: Tis verse is prefaced by a description of te affliction of Job in verses Ten, in line wit Eliu s Carismatic predilection already seen, e claims tat Job will need an angel (messenger) of God to interpret to Job te purposes of God. Vs : Now, Eliu goes a blaspemous step furter and offers to be tat angelic messenger or intermediary intercessor for Job! Te intercessor tat would claim a ransom? Wat? By is own ability or autority will e command God to deliver Job s soul? To take te place of Jesus Crist, our ig Priest? Eliu s understanding of salvation is totally based upon works and is advice and sermons are lacking te Sovereign Grace tat saturates Job s wonderful sermons of te previous capters. Vs : Te summation of tese tree verses is: Sut up, Job! Unless you are going to say wat I tell you to say! My wisdom is all you need and ten you will be justified in te eyes of God and man. For same, Eliu! For same. Capter 34 of Job Vs. 2-4: Te mocking of Eliu ere is evident. Sarcasm drips as e calls Job and is tree friends wise and knowledgeable. e even mockingly repeats te proverb of Job from 12:11 in verse 3. Job in tat capter was telling Zopar tat te knowledge of a God, even TE God was someting tat sould be obvious to all of us. Eliu, using te same proverb ere is saying tat it was obvious to all tat Job is not a rigteousness man at all, but a great sinner. And tat is wat e will attempt to bring out in te next portion of Scripture. But, te rigteous God knows is rigteous saints (Ps. 1:6; II Tim. 2:19)! Vs. 5-6: Tis is an especially telling passage tat contrasts te tougt processes of Job and Eliu! Eliu ere quotes Job s words of 27:1-6. If one goes back to read tat capter (really great passage to preac on), Job is glorifying te sovereignty of God in is autority and privilege to afflict and mold is cildren (1:21;2:10) and reiterates tose early, electrifying passages wit a present and enduring acknowledgment of God, as bot te source of is affliction, but also te rescuer in is affliction. My lips sall not speak wickedness and Job will not go back on is integrity and trust in God. e will not give on inc to is miserable comforters and e closes tis particular passage as e normally does: wit an avowal to cling to is rigteousness in Crist Jesus and not let it go. Romans 3:22-28: Even te rigteousness of God wic is by fait of Jesus Crist unto all (Continued on page 18)

18 Page 18 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Errors of Eliu (Continued from page 17) and upon all tem tat believe: for tere is no difference: For all ave sinned, and come sort of te glory of God; Being justified freely by is grace troug te redemption tat is in Crist Jesus: Wom God at set fort 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; To declare, I say, at tis time is rigteousness: tat e migt be just, and te justifier of im wic believet in Jesus. Were is boasting ten? It is excluded. By wat law? of works? Nay: but by te law of fait. Terefore we conclude tat a man is justified by fait witout te deeds of te law. Now we can argue all we want about weter Job was self-rigteous, but te evidence stacks up trougout tis Book, tat Job is not trusting in self-rigteousness, but te rigteousness of God, by fait (Ps. 112:1,3,6,9,10)! Eliu understands none of tis! Te only rigteousness e can conceive is rigteousness by works. Just like te tree friends before. Even is quote, For Job at said, I find eerily reminiscent of te deceiver in te Garden of Eden, Yea, at God said (Gen. 3:1). And ten cast te trut away and spin your own twist on God s trut. V. 7: More vile mockery! Te worst part is, tat te man wo denounced Elipaz and friends so fierily, is using te same tactics tat e ad promised not to! In 15:16, Elipaz accused Job of drinking iniquity like water and ere comes Eliu wit te same accusation! Personal attacks against te integrity of tis man of God! Wat man is like Job? I will tell you not Eliu, tat is for sure! David, Paul, and Moses (more like) are men to be likened unto Job. V. 8: A mudslinging verse! Totally unmerited and beneat any, except te lowest scoundrel, wic Eliu ere proves imself to be. Do not be caugt offguard ere! Yes, Eliu is referring to Job! Te one tat fears God and escews evil, according to God Almigty!!! No evidence anywere to support tis attack of Eliu, except wen te same mudslinging tactics were used by Zopar in 11:1-3; 20:5-29 and particularly te stunning turnaround of Elipaz from 4:3-4, were e acknowledges Job s purity and 22:5-9 were out-ofte-blue e fabricates lies tat would make a Democrat blus! If we ad no oter verse, ow could Eliu ever regain any validity as a Cristian rebuker after suc a statement as tis? Te evil associations of Job? Te wicked buddies of Job? Vs. 9-10: Eliu again misrepresents and denies Job s sublime relationsip wit God. Tis is just stupid! Job would be te last to deny tat tere are great deligts in te service of is God, Eliu! Job would be te last to carge God wit wickedness and iniquity. Tat indeed is wat te intent of Satan was. To get Job to falsely accuse God of injustice and repudiate is love for is Lord! Job 2:3: And te LORD said unto Satan, ast tou considered my servant Job, tat tere is none like im in te eart, a perfect man and an uprigt man, and one tat fearet God, and escewet evil? and still e oldet fast is integrity, altoug tou movedst me against im, to destroy im witout cause. And even to te end of te book, te LORD God Almigty, imself is on te opposite side of te ledger from your vain attacks, Eliu! My servant Job as spoken te ting wic is rigt. Even at is lowest points in capters 3, 6, and 9, Job may curse te day of is birt, but never is God! Capter 23 is an eloquent example of Job s ope and fait in te unseen and of God. In 23:10 e again states is dependence upon God s grace to see im troug: But e knowet te way tat I take: wen e at tried me, I sall come fort as gold. Even furter, tis tougt of God s persevering grace is in 23:11-12, wile is preserving grace is in 23: Wat an awesome text on grace! But again, one tat Eliu is blank concerning---as we see in te next passage. Vs : For te work of a man sall e render unto im. Eliu s god is no different from te projected god of 3 Amigos! God predicates is actions upon te works of men? Not ardly! Eliu spends te next verses claiming God will not do wickedly, nor pervert judgment? By wat? By allowing te calamity of Job to come upon an innocent man? Wy does tat argument sound familiar? Because of Bildad s exact same argument in 8:2-6! Come on, Eliu! I tougt you ad someting original to add to te conversation? E? V. 16: Again, I ave searced te previous capters for Job s assertion of suc tings. Not tere, Eliu! Even more terrible tan te tougt of Job saying to God: You are ungodly, wicked and I sould rule instead of You is te fact tat Eliu is accusing Job of saying it. No were! If Eliu would desire to be a rigteous judge, please stick to te facts. Vs : Like te tree friends, Eliu cannot restrain imself, but as e waxes eloquent about te glory of God (many tings true) e lumps Job in wit te wicked (v. 26) tat God openly smites (calamity, anyone?) and (v. 30) te ypocrites (Job, your good days are over, now tat God is revealing te real you). Eliu demonstrates yet again is belief in te teory of Divine Retribution, wic e will bring out furter in te next few verses. Vs : Eliu as advice for Job in tis segment. Advice tat would be good for Parao or even David, after e ad sinned wit Batseba. After an affliction of God, based upon sin in our lives. And because Eliu mistakenly believes tat to be te case wit Job, e puts is foot in is mout, yet again. Say tis, Job, Eliu demands: I will not offend anymore. I ave done iniquity, I will do no more. Wat are you iding, Job? Speak wat tou knowest. Eliu, just like Bildad and crew, assumes te original sin tat is te root cause of te calamity in 18:21;8:3-7,13,20;15:6-13. It is not tere, buddy! God, imself is witness to tat in te first two capters, witout cause and ast tou considered my servant Job. One marvelous point to make on verse 33 is Eliu as eard Job boldly cry out for God and it as stuck in is craw tat Job actually expects God to answer im. Time after time te four antagonists ave assured Job tat God is too ig and migty to be concerned wit suc a puny ypocrite as tey considered Job to be. But just like blind Bartimaeus, Job keeps crying out for Jesus Crist, te Son of David to come alleviate te pain and sufferings of tis life. Eliu says tellingly: Sould it be (Continued on page 19)

19 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 19 Errors of Eliu (Continued from page 18) according to ty mind? ten continues wit virtually, Job, God will do as e wants, weter you coose or refuse. But tat is not te God of Job, is it? Job s God as made promises tat Job is clinging tigtly unto. I will never leave tee nor forsake tee! (eb. 12:5; Deut. 4:31 etc.) Job 13:14-18: Werefore do I take my fles in my teet, and put my life in mine and? Toug e slay me, yet will I trust in im: but I will maintain mine own ways before im. e also sall be my salvation: for an ypocrite sall not come before im. ear diligently my speec, and my declaration wit your ears. Beold now, I ave ordered my cause; I know tat I sall be justified. It sall be according to Job s mind, because it is set on te promises of God Almigty! Praise im! V. 35: Anoter direct, personal attack by Eliu, Job at spoken witout knowledge, and is words were witout wisdom. I am saking my ead, because as I ave preaced troug te Book of Job, te wise words of Job ave resonated in te lives of myself and my congregation ere at Big Creek Baptist Curc. As my family and my members ave gone troug trials of our own, we ave found comfort from Job s trust in is God. is knowledge of a wonderful God of Grace as taugt us so muc. God will eventually vindicate Job as te orator of words tat ave spoken of me te ting tat is rigt. Eliu reprases wat Zopar as already accused Job of in 11:2-3. But te sobering tougt tat comes across is tat God is listening to Eliu, and wen e begins is rebuttal of Eliu s arangue in 38:2, God brings tese words back into memory and makes application of tem to Eliu. (Be sure your sins will find you out, Eliu!) V. 36: In tis verse we see te true, vindictive nature of Eliu. My desire is tat Job suffer every bit tat e as coming to im. Peraps, like te Parisees, e tinks tat Job will break under te pressure and finally admit ypocrisy. Or like te Roman Catolic Inquisition, e percance tinks tat Job will renounce is God of Grace and submit to te teology of Eliu, Catolicism, and every oter works-based salvation. Even if we stretc te imagination and give Eliu te benefit of te doubt and claim tat all e wants is to purify Job, wic Job acknowledges of God in 23:10; I just do not tink Eliu s motives are as pure as God s certainly are. My desire...? I can almost see te gloating in Eliu s eyes. I remember a dear saint in Crist detailing a year of affliction in is own life. is words are well-known, but tey ave stuck wit me. Unlike Eliu, tis man said of is affliction, I would not wis it on my worst enemy, but I would not trade it for te world. Eliu certainly as no problem wising it upon Job. Again, Eliu inserts Job into te company of wicked men. Were would any commentator find room to excuse Eliu of tis gross and unjust carge? Were as Job answered for wicked men? Maybe in Eliu s past, some judgment was passed by Job tat offended Eliu, and te grudge is still tere in te eart of Eliu. Anyone tat opposes te Migty Eliu is necessarily wicked, I suppose? Were are tese wicked men, Eliu? V. 37: Again, tat elusive original sin is referenced. Job...addet rebellion unto is (original) sin... I can almost see Eliu saking is ead in wonder. Wat will te man claim next? Innocence, in te face of suc a clear indictment of God s judgment? Presumption, to claim tat God will validate im? Blaspemy, in claiming tat God as afflicted im witout cause?...e clappet is ands among us... US! Te self-rigteous Parisee friends tat we are! God as not afflicted US! Come on, Job! Fess up! (Continued in te next issue) Te Sort Pews Brief Articles by Curtis Pug WAT IS GOD DOING? God is doing many tings rigt now as e brings tis age to a close. e is allowing wicked men to take tis world farter and farter down te pat toward uman ruin. In Daniel 4:35 te king said,...all te inabitants of te eart are reputed as noting: and e doet according to is will in te army of eaven, and among te inabitants of te eart: and none can stay is and, or say unto im, Wat doest tou? Isaia 46:9-10 records God s own words as follows: Remember te former tings of old: for I am God, and tere is none else; I am God, and tere is none like me, Declaring te end from te beginning, and from ancient times te tings tat are not yet done, saying, My counsel sall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. God is in control! One ting God is doing is revealed in Acts 15:14: Simeon at declared ow God at te first did visit te Gentiles, to take out of tem a people for is name. God began tis work during te time of te apostles as stated by Simeon. Prior to tat time, God ad been dealing almost exclusively wit te Jews. But during our time, as Paul said:...blindness in part is appened to Israel, until te fulness of te Gentiles be come in (Rom. 11:25). Not many Jews are being born from above during tis age. Instead, te Jews ave been blinded in part, or partially. Tis blindness is until or temporary and will continue until all of God s elect Gentiles are saved. So ten, God is at tis present time visiting te Gentiles, to take out of tem a people for is name. It is not God s purpose to save everyone. e is not trying to do tat. If e were trying to save everybody, e would be a failure. During our age...te Spirit and te bride say, Come. And let im tat earet say, Come. And let im tat is atirst come. And wosoever will, let im take te water of life freely (Rev. 22:17). Wosoever will may come. Te problem is tat because man s unregenerate mind is enmity against God (Rom. 8:7), men will not come. So tey cannot: teir minds will not let tem. Tey do not want to come to Crist. Tey may come to religion. Tey often want a fire escape to avoid teir just punisment in eternal fire and so will do all sorts of religious tings if somebody convinces tem of an escape route by means of teir own works. But tey will not come to Crist in repentance and fait until and unless God draws tem. Tat is wy Jesus said, No man can come to me, except te (Continued on page 21)

20 Page 20 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Readers of te BBB are urged to submit religious news items wic tey may read in teir local paper or some oter publication. In sending tese please give te name of te publication as well as te date it was printed. We will not be able to print all wic are submitted, but we welcome any item you may feel we sould read. Send tem to Te Berea Baptist Banner, PO Box 39, Mantacie, MS West Virginia Lawmakers Override Governor s Abortion Bill Veto (WNS)--West Virginia s state legislature successfully voted in Marc to override Gov. Earl Tomblin s veto of a fetal pain bill passed in February. Starting May 26, abortion will be illegal in te state after 20 weeks gestation. Te bill passed in te Republican-controlled legislature by an overwelming majority, and te override vote passed by similar margins: in te ouse and 27-5 in te Senate. Te bill also received bipartisan support from two-tirds of Democratic legislators, according to West Virginians for Life (WVFL). Te successful override makes West Virginia te 11t state to pass fetal pain legislation. Lawmakers in Sout Carolina and Wisconsin also are working to pass similar bills. Majority of PCUSA Presbyteries Vote to Endorse Gay Marriage (WNS)--A majority of congregations in te Presbyterian Curc (U.S.A.) ave voted to approve gay marriage, a position endorsed by te General Assembly last year. Te denomination s constitutional definition of marriage will be expanded to include a commitment between two people. No clergy will be required to officiate a same-sex marriage or ost a ceremony on curc property under te new constitutional amendment. Te cange will take effect June 21. Since last year, 86 of te curc s 171 presbyteries voted to approve te redefinition of marriage, wit te vote tat made te majority coming in last nigt. But 41 rejected te cange, leaving te future of teir congregations uncertain. Since 2011, as te Kentucky-based PCUSA drifted away from biblical ortodoxy, 428 curces ave left to join more conservative denominations, or disbanded. Kansas Bans Dismemberment Abortions (WNS)--Abortionists in Kansas will soon be banned from performing dismemberment abortions, tanks to legislation passed by te state legislature Marc 25. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback promised in January e would sign te bill, making te state te first to ban abortions tat tear cildren limb-from-limb in te womb. Te federal government already criminalizes partial birt abortions, but dismemberment abortions also known as dilation and evacuation abortions are still legal. Te legislation is part of a new strategy pioneered by National Rigt to Life Committee (NRLC). Kansans for Life (KFL) promoted te bill based on NRLC s model legislation. New Mexico Dems Kill State s First Abortion Restrictions (WNS)--A New Mexico Senate committee killed two pro-life bills tat would ave aligned te state wit 42 oters tat currently limit abortion in some way. Te bills, an induction abortion ban and parental notification requirement, died in a Public Affairs Committee earing on a 5-3, partisan vote. Just two weeks ago, te bills sailed troug te Republican-controlled ouse. But because Democrats control te Senate, some pro-lifers expected Sunday s outcome. Oters ad oped te bills broad appeal would encourage a positive vote. Rep. Yvette errell, wo sponsored te lateterm abortion ban in te ouse, was disappointed te measure failed. At te end of te day we re talking about a viable uman being tat can live outside te woman s [womb] wit or witout life support, se said. Legislating Tolerance for Fait-Based Adoption Agencies (WNS)--Legislation introduced in Congress earlier tis mont would proibit government discrimination against fait-based adoption and foster care organizations tat are not willing to place cildren wit samesex couples. Te Cild Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., was re-introduced on Marc 4. Enzi and Kelly submitted te same bill last year, but it never made it out of committee. Te act would ensure state-licensed cild welfare providers are allowed to operate wile also olding to religious and moral convictions on omosexuality and family structure. In four states California, Illinois, Massacusetts, and te District of Columbia fait-based adoption and foster care providers ave been forced to stop providing services because tey refused to place cildren wit same-sex couples. Wasington Florist Fined, Ordered to Create Gay Wedding Arrangements (WNS)--A Wasington state great-grandmoter was ordered to pay $1,001 to te state last week for violating its Consumer Protection Act (CPA) wen se refused to create a flower arrangement for a long-time customer s same-sex wedding. Te court as yet to impose an award for te gay couple. Barronelle Stutzman, 70, sold flowers to Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed for more tan nine years, and considered Ingersoll a friend. But wen e asked er to create te flower arrangements for te couple s wedding in 2013, Stutzman said se couldn t because of er relationsip wit Jesus Crist. Se referred tem to anoter business for assistance. Te Wasington state attorney sued Stutzman for sexual orientation discrimination under CPA. Ingersoll and Freed ten filed teir own lawsuit against er. Coalition of Black Curces Rebukes PCUSA Over Marriage Redefinition (WNS)--In a stern public rebuke, te National Black Curc Initiative (NBCI) as condemned te recent decision by te Presbyterian Curc (USA) to define marriage as a commitment between two people. NBCI s president, Antony Evans, castised te denomination, saying tat by voting to redefine marriage [te] PCUSA automatically forfeits Crist s saving grace. Evans statement calls for a complete separation of NBCI curces wic, according to te press release, include tens of tousands of congregations across 15 denominations from te PCUSA. Because te PCUSA deliberately voted to cange te Word of God and te interpretation of oly marriage between one man and one woman, te NBCI must break fellowsip wit tem and urge Cristendom to do so as well. Tis separation need not be permanent, but te pat to (Continued on page 21)

21 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 21 Bible & te Newspaper (Continued from page 20) reconciliation can be paved only wit te PCUSA s repentance, according to Evans: We urge our broter[s] and sisters of te PCUSA to repent and be restored to fellowsip. Oklaoma Bans Dismemberment Abortions (WNS)--Oklaoma is set to become te second state to proibit late-term, dismemberment abortions. In a 37-4 vote, te Oklaoma Senate passed a bill based on model legislation from te National Rigt to Life Committee (NRLC). Te ouse already passed te bill in February by an 84-2 vote. Toug Republican Gov. Mary Fallin asn t indicated weter se will sign it, se as approved pro-life bills in te past. If te bill becomes law, Oklaoma will join Kansas in banning te late-term abortions. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a similar measure in April. Denver Bakers Cleared of Bias for Refusing to Make Bible Cakes (WNS)--Colorado officials rejected discrimination claims filed by a man wo was refused service at tree bakeries because e requested cakes tat included Bible verses calling omosexuality a sin, according to a decision released in early April. Critics of te ruling argue it runs in sarp contrast to a decision in 2014 by te same agency, wic declared a Cristian baker cannot refuse to make a cake for a gay wedding ceremony. Bill Jack approaced tree Denver-area bakeries last spring and asked for two cakes, bot in te sape of an open Bible. e presented a drawing sowing wat e wanted on eac: God ates sin Psalm 45:7 and omosexuality is a detestable sin Leviticus 18:22 on one cake; God loves sinners and Wile we were yet sinners Crist died for us Romans 5:8 on te oter. All tree businesses Azucar Bakery, Le Sensual Bakery, and Gateaux Pastries refused to make te cakes. Jack filed tree claims of discrimination wit te Colorado Civil Rigts Division (CCRD). INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Muslims Toss Cristians into Sea During Migration Attempt (WNS)--Muslim migrants trew overboard 12 Cristians during a recent crossing from Libya to Italy. Te survivors, mostly migrant workers from Africa, kept teir lives by forming a uman cain to resist furter assault. Anoter 400 are presumed dead in te sinking of anoter migrant boat near te Libyan coast. Te Italian coast as a sadly growing istory of taking on escapees from conflicts in Africa and te Middle East often ending in tragedy. Public Prayer in Canada Restricted by Supreme Court (WNS)--Te Supreme Court of Canada ruled against a city in Quebec wose council members began teir meetings wit a prayer. Te court said te prayer was discriminatory and violated te state s duty of neutrality. But te court s ruling doesn t end te practice of public prayer entirely. Canada s Parliament may still begin its sessions wit prayer, as it as always done. But in Saguenay, te presence of religious symbols, including a cross, violated one ateist resident s freedom of conscience and religion, or lack tereof, te court found. Cristian leaders warn te ruling raises more questions tan it answers. For example, te court said tat it is discriminatory for state officials in te performance of teir functions to profess, adopt, or favor one belief to te exclusion of all oters, said Bruce Clemenger, President of Te Evangelical Fellowsip of Canada. And yet tey did not say ow tis migt extend to matters of religious observance suc as wearing religious symbols. Sort Pews (Continued from page 19) Fater wic at sent me draw im: and I will raise im up at te last day (Jon 6:44). If you ave truly come to Crist, give te glory to God for it is e tat as drawn you to im! If you ave not come, Come! and welcome! WAT WILL JESUS FIND WEN E COMES AGAIN? Tere was a time wen many professing Cristians believed tat te world was getting better and better. Tey tougt tat tey could convert te world to Cristianity. After tey did so, tey believed, Crist would return and receive is waiting kingdom wic tey ad prepared for im. Almost nobody believes tat today. Tere is just too muc plain Bible testimony tat tings are getting worse and worse especially in te religion department. Paul penned tese words in II Timoty 3:13: But evil men and seducers sall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. We are seeing tis propecy (among oters) fulfilled before our eyes. Te Lord Jesus imself asked an interesting question in Luke 18:7-8. Tis question as an implied answer wic tells us just wat Jesus will find wen e comes again. And sall not God avenge is own elect, wic cry day and nigt unto im, toug e bear long wit tem? I tell you tat e will avenge tem speedily. Neverteless wen te Son of man comet, sall e find fait on te eart? Wile tere will be some of God s elect people alive on eart wen te Lord Jesus comes, te question makes te point. Tere will not be muc fait on te eart. Religion is flourising. Eastern religions, Middle-eastern religions and a wole variety of groups professing to be Cristians gain popularity daily. Many people claim te Cristian fait, but reject curc membersip wit its obligations. Neverteless tey consider temselves spiritual and Cristians. We notice tat te Lord did not ask if tere would be religion wen e returns. e was not talking about religion. e was talking about fait. In fact, te Greek word of te original means not just fait in general, but te fait. Tere can be fait and it not be te fait. A man may ave fait tat is car will start, but find out some frosty morning tat it will not. e ad fait, but it was misplaced fait. Misplaced fait is not te fait. Tere is te fait wic is peculiar to a certain people. In Paul s letter to Titus e wrote of tis kind of fait - te fait. ere is wat e wrote: Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Crist, according to te fait of God s elect, and te acknowledging of te trut wic is after godliness, (Titus 1:1). e specifically mentions te fait of God s elect. It is a caracteristic of God s elect people tat tey ave te fait. Tis kind of fait is not a will-o-te-wisp kind of oping tat everyting will turn out all rigt. It is not confidence in wat te sinner as done. It is not confidence in baptism or a profession of fait. (Continued on page 22)

22 Page 22 Te Berea Baptist Banner May 5, 2015 Sort Pews (Continued from page 21) It is not confidence in prayer or religion at all. It is totally relying upon Crist wo gave is life for is seep as e said in Jon 10:15:...I lay down my life for te seep. DANGEROUS DOGS Tose dogs tat are mentioned in Scripture are not ouseold pets. Tey were mongrels tat lived in te streets. Tey ate watever tey could find tere including corpses. Tey were as Barnes says, contentious, troublesome, dissatisfied, and would produce disturbance. Paul wrote: Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of te concision, (Pil. 3:2). In is treefold warning to te congregation in Pilippi, Paul repeats te word beware tree times for empasis and urgency. A.T. Robertson points out tat e wrote te dogs, te evil workers, and te concision using te definite article eac time. Tese are not tree different groups, but tree names for te same men wo plagued te various congregations wit teir troublesome eresy. Tey were te Judaizers: tose wo taugt tat tose wo professed fait in Crist must add someting to tat fait. Tey must keep te Old Testament law in order to be completely saved. So Paul pictures tem as ravenous, owling dogs of te streets, scavenging not among te offal of tose times and places, but seeking to destroy te fait of te saints. Tey were trying to get professing believers to frustrate te grace of God - a term Paul used in Galatians 2:21 were is full statement is tis: I do not frustrate te grace of God: for if rigteousness come by te law, ten Crist is dead in vain. Tere is absolutely no place for law-keeping as a means of being rigteous in God s eyes! No place watsoever! If a believer in Crist could perfectly keep te Old Testament law, e would not add one wit to te rigteous standing wic believers ave before God! e would not make is salvation one tittle more secure. e would not enjoy one iota more of God s favor even for complete obedience to Moses law! If te term te dogs were not clear enoug, Paul furter identifies tis crowd as te evil workers. O! somebody says, Tere are a great many sincere and true Cristians wo believe tat te law must be kept in order to make eaven te believer s ome. Suc a belief is just one of many differences among te various denominations of true Cristians. Paul did not tink so! e said tose wo add lawkeeping to fait in Crist as necessary to salvation are te evil workers! Tey are not to be viewed as sincere but erring Bretren, nor are tey full of good works, altoug tey may appear so. Some old Baptist writers named tese folk, works-mongers. Paul goes on to furter identify tis crowd as being te concision. Tis prase literally means tose cut-up or tose mutilated. Tis is a play on words a literary device used by Paul. Tis is clear from te next verse were Paul writes saying, For we are te circumcision, wic worsip God in te spirit, and rejoice in Crist Jesus, and ave no confidence in te fles, (Pil. 3:3). Paul contrasts te concision wit te circumcision. ere is wat Paul is saying: tose Jews wo taugt law-keeping for rigteousness were just mutilated ones. Te true circumcision tose circumcised witout ands (Colossians 2:11), are tose wo ave been operated upon by God imself. Te true believers are caracterized ere by Paul as doing tree tings: (1) tey worsip God in te Spirit not in rituals, mumbo-jumbo, ocus-pocus, or flesly activities suc as and-clapping, falling on te floor or oter pysical movements suc as making te sign of te cross, etc.; (2) tey glory or rejoice or exult in Crist Jesus and is finised work on teir bealf, not in teir supposed goodness; and (3) tey ave no confidence in anyting produced by te abilities of unregenerate uman beings. Tey ad not confidence in wat tey or any oter mere uman ad done. We may summarize all tat we ave said tus far in tis way: Tose wo would insist upon law-keeping as adding in any way watsoever to te imputed rigteousness of Crist are dangerous dogs! Tey are evil workers. Tey are te mutilated ones. Te Psalmist wrote about priests, propets, and oters aving te spiritual care over Israel. For several reasons wic e mentions i.e. blindness, ignorance, muteness, loving sleep, greed, witout understanding and drunkenness for tese reasons tey do not bark. Tey do not warn of dangers. Tey are wortless as watcers. Psalm 56:10-12 paints tis picture: is watcmen are blind: tey are all ignorant, tey are all dumb dogs, tey cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, tey are greedy dogs wic can never ave enoug, and tey are seperds tat cannot understand: tey all look to teir own way, every one for is gain, from is quarter. Come ye, say tey, I will fetc wine, and we will fill ourselves wit strong drink; and to morrow sall be as tis day, and muc more abundant. ere we see tat false religious leaders are called dumb dogs. A lack of intelligence is not meant by te word dumb. Rater, tey are mute: unable to bark. In tis instance tey are unable to bark because of tose reasons cited. In sort tey were too full of self, greed and pleasure seeking to bark. We ave similar suc dumb dogs in America and around te world today to wom tese Scriptures can be applied. Sould tey bark i.e. give real biblical warnings to teir earers, tey would lose teir popularity, teir followers, teir large incomes, etc. Tese also are dangerous dogs! Again te Psalmist, being moved along by te oly Gost, propesied concerning te deat of Crist on te tree. Probably e wrote unknowingly at least witout full knowledge for te New Testament tells us it was often te case tat te writers of te Old Testament did not understand wat tey wrote. Peter tells us about tis wen e wrote: Of wic salvation te propets ave enquired and searced diligently, wo propesied of te grace tat sould come unto you: Searcing wat, or wat manner of time te Spirit of Crist wic was in tem did signify, wen it testified beforeand te sufferings of Crist, and te glory tat (Continued on page 23)

23 May 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 23 Sort Pews (Continued from page 22) sould follow. Unto wom it was revealed, tat not unto temselves, but unto us tey did minister te tings, wic are now reported unto you by tem tat ave preaced te gospel unto you wit te oly Gost sent down from eaven; wic tings te angels desire to look into, (1 Peter 1:10-12). And so we say tat te Psalmist, guided by te oly Spirit, wrote: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my eart is like wax; it is melted in te midst of my bowels. My strengt is dried up like a potserd; and my tongue cleavet to my jaws; and tou ast brougt me into te dust of deat. For dogs ave compassed me: te assembly of te wicked ave inclosed me: tey pierced my ands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: tey look and stare upon me. Tey part my garments among tem, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not tou far from me, O LORD: O my strengt, aste tee to elp me. Deliver my soul from te sword; my darling from te power of te dog, (Ps. 22:14-18). Tose wose wicked ands (Acts 2:23) caused te blessed, sinless Savior to be nailed to te tree compassed round about im like dogs. Tey are furter identified as te assembly [congregation] of te wicked. Note te last quoted verse: Deliver my soul... from te power of te dog. Tose wo opposed and finally murdered te Lord Jesus were dogs as were tose religious leaders wo would not warn te people of Israel of teir sins. And tese bot are classed as dogs rigt along wit tose wo insist on lawkeeping in order to please God and complete rigteousness. Wat sall be te end of tose wo are classed by God as dogs? Te Lord Jesus imself revealed to Jon wat te end of tese dogs sall be. e said, Blessed are tey tat do is commandments, tat tey may ave rigt to te tree of life, and may enter in troug te gates into te city. For witout are dogs, and sorcerers, and woremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and wosoever lovet and maket a lie. I Jesus ave sent mine angel to testify unto you tese tings in te curces. I am te root and te offspring of David, and te brigt and morning star, (Rev. 22:14-16). Suc dogs sall be kept witout or on te outside. ere dumb dogs wo cannot bark, Judaizers wo insist on law-keeping, te congregation of wicked dogs wo compassed round about te Lord Jesus tese sall be kept out of tat oly city, te New Jerusalem rigt along wit te sorcerers, and woremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and wosoever lovet and maket a lie. And so we conclude wit te same urgent warning wit wic we began: Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of te concision, (Pil. 3:2). As Barnes commented, tey are contentious, troublesome, dissatisfied, and would produce disturbance. Tese oppose te preacing of free grace and frustrate te grace of God. Are you wary of suc religionists? Tey are still wit us today. And tey are still dangerous dogs. Look out! ANNOUNCEMENTS 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) Te Grace Missionary Baptist Curc of Marion, IL is in need of a replacement pastor. Elder Raymond T. Ellis is te current pastor, but due to is age, is needing to resign. Te curc believes and preaces te doctrines of grace and te local curc. Any interested Elder may contact Elder Ellis at (618) or Bro. Gary Ratley at (618) Te Twinbrook ills Baptist Curc of amilton, O is prayerfully seeking a pastor. Organized in 1938, te curc olds to istoric Baptist truts, including te Doctrines of Grace. Please visit te curc s website at ttp://twinbrook. net to view te Curc Constitution and oter items tat describe our beliefs and sow wat te curc is doing today. Please contact Bro. Cris Willis at Eloimfirst@gmail. com for more information. Any curc tat is witout a pastor, please feel free to send your information in regards to te pastoral position for publication in tese announcements. BEREA BAPTIST BROADCAST Financial Report to Beginning Balance... $7, RECEIPTS: Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Briar Creek B. C., Williamsburg, KY Calvary Ind. B. C., Everson, WA Grace B. C., Corbin, KY TOTAL...8, EXPENDITURES: Radio Time TOTAL EXPENDITURES ENDING BALANCE... $7, BEREA BAPTIST BANNER Financial Report to Beginning Balance... $2, RECEIPTS: Amazing Grace B. C., Stockdale, TX B. C. of Brimfield, Brimfield, IL Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Berea B. C., Stonington, IL Briar Creek B. C., Williamsburg, KY Big Creek B. C., Wayne, WV Citrus M. B. C., Inverness, FL Emmanuel M. B. C., Oldtown, KY Fait B. C. Lynn, AR Gail Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Grace B. C., Corbin, KY Grace B. C., Winston-Salem, NC Grace M. B. C., Marion, IL Grace M. B. C., Tulsa, OK Indore B. 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