Distinctive Faith. By Larry J. Killion of Tacoma, Washington

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1 By Milburn R. Cockrell ( ) Te Curc at Tyatira And unto te angel of te curc in Tyatira write; Tese tings sait te Son of god, wo at is eyes like unto a flame of fire, and is feet are like fine brass; I know ty works, and carity, and service, and fait, and ty patience, and ty works; and te last to be more tan te first. Notwitstanding I ave a few tings against By Timoty J. ille of Asland, Illinois (Continued on page 2) None Saved But Tose Wo Believe Mattew 13:53-58 Text: vs. 58 And e did not many migty works tere because of teir unbelief. Many of you ave, doubtless many times, sougt to witness to some of your nearest and dearest kindred, acquaintance, and friends. Some of you ave Distinctive Fait By Larry J. Killion of Tacoma, Wasington ow do you know wat you are looking at? Well, you usually use your pysical senses and make a judgment as best as you can by wat tey tell you. Wat does it look like? Wat does it sound like? Wat does it smell or taste like? Wat does it feel like? You know if it as featers, webbed feet and walks and quacks like a duck it must be a duck. Rigt? Tere are certain distinctive caracteristics or traits tat people, sougt to bring your parents, siblings, cildren and grandcildren and oter close relations to te Lord. Some of you ave done so, and yet it seems tat tey are no nearer te kingdom of God (Continued on page 11) (Continued on page 5) Making Too Little of Grace By Lucien J. Le Sage Jr. of Pride, Louisiana Recently I came across a statement tat read, One caution of grace! Never make so muc of grace tat you make ligt of sin! Wile I understand wat te person was trying to convey yet tere is someting wrong wit tis statement. Is it possible to make too muc of grace? Is it making too muc of grace tat leads one (Continued on page 7) Salvation of te Saints: Bot Ten and Now By Donnie Burford of Irvine, Kentucky For by grace are ye saved troug fait; and tat not of yourselves: it is te gift of God: Not of works, lest any man sould boast (Ep 2:8-9). Te allusion of te title is to tat of te saints of te Old Testament, ten, and to te saints of te New Testament era, even and especially concerning tose of today, now, and ow tat in bot tose dispensations, weter te Old or te New Covenant time, tese saints were and are saved. (Continued on page 17) e wo falls in te dirt, te longer e lies, te dirtier e is. Quick repentence comes none too soon. Tis is te mark of a cild of God, tat e may fall into te mire, but e will not lie tere. Te seep slips, and is up again; te sow lies down, and wallows.

2 Page 2 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 February 5, 2015 Volume XXXV, Number 2 Wole Number 427 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 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 2/2015 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. Tyatira (Continued from page 1) tee, because tou sufferest tat woman Jezebel, wic callet erself a propetess, to teac and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat tings sacrificed unto idols. And I gave er space to repent of er fornication; and se repented not. Beold, I will cast er into a bed, and tem tat commit adultery wit er into great tribulation, except tey repent of teir deeds. And I will kill er cildren wit deat; and all te curces sall know tat I am e wic searcet te reins and earts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto te rest in Tyatira, as many as ave not tis doctrine, and wic ave not known te depts of Satan, as tey speak; I will put unto you none oter burden. But tat wic ye ave already old fast till I come. And e tat overcomet, and keepet my works unto te end, to im will I give power over te nations: And e sall rule tem wit a rod of iron; as te vessels of a potter sall tey be broken to sivers: even as I received of my Fater. And I will give im te morning star. e tat at an ear, let im ear wat te Spirit sait unto te curces (Rev. 2:18-29). In te circle of te seven curces tus far, we ave been going nort from Epesus to Smyrna to Pergamos. Now we are turning sout and east in te geograpical circle. Tyatira was wat we migt call a lax curc. Tis is te longest letter of te seven, and it is written to te curc in te least important city. Tyatira is also te only curc in te seven in wic a woman s name is mentioned. In te first tree letters te curces were seen in conflict wit te world, but tey, in te main, were victorious over it. Tey ad a few wo taugt false doctrines wic encouraged a worldly life, but tese were a small minority. Beginning wit te Tyatira Curc, te scene as canged. Te immoral and eretical minority as suddenly become te majority. Te some ave become te many, and te faitful ave become te few. TE CURC (v. 18) We can be certain tere existed a congregation of baptized believers in Tyatira in A.D. 96 wen te Book of Revelation was written by Jon. Te notion eld in Epipanius s time (300 years after tis epistle) tat tere was no curc in tis city until after Jon wrote is absurd. All Asia eard te gospel in te first century (Acts 19:10, 26; Col. 1:5-6). Wen Paul and Silas visited Pilippi tey preaced to some women on te river side, wo ad gone tere for te purpose of worsip. Among tese women was Lydia, a seller of purple, of te city of Tyatira (Acts 16:14). Te Lord opened er eart to receive te gospel preaced unto er, and se was baptized. Lydia may ave returned to Tyatira, taking te glad tidings about Crist wit er. Paul could ave possibly later visited tis town and founded te curc tere. Tis may ave been te case, but tere is no real proof tat Lydia returned to Tyatira, nor tat Paul founded a curc tere. TE CITY (v. 18) Tyatira first appeared in istory about 290 B.C. It was situated on te border between Mysia and Lydia, a little sout of te yllus River, and at te nortern (Continued on page 3)

3 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 3 wole town. Te artists, artizans, I know ty works, and carity, Jezebel, te wife of King Aab, Tyatira mercants and industrial workers and service, and fait, and ty exerted great influence in Israel. (Continued from page 2) found membersip in tese trade patience, and ty works; and te Se introduced er native idols, extremity of te valley between broteroods absolutely necessary last to be more tan te first. and Aab became an idolater Mount Tmolus and te soutern to success in teir profession. Tese Wat a wonderful eulogy! Tey imself. Te Jezebel of te New ridge of Temnus. It was 27 miles trade unions were broteroods ad not only worked for Crist, Testament ad demoralized te from Sardis and a day s journey based on pagan religions and but tey were working more for curc just as te Old Testament from Pergamos, and about te idolatrous rites and ceremonies. im tan tey did in times past! one did te nation of Israel. Just as same distance from te sea coast. Gross immoral practices were Tis curc was busy for te King Aab permitted tis in Israel Te Roman road from Pergamos associated wit tese eatenis Lord. Age ad not dampened teir te Tyatira Curc allowed it to to Sardis passed troug it. worsips. Te common meal, zeal nor diminised teir efforts. go on witout rebuke. Tis lady Tyatira was one of te many of wic every member of te Tey ad love to bot man and preacer ad te servants of God Macedonian colonies establised broterood partook, was a God; tey worked out of pure love conducting temselves as if tey in Asia Minor. It was built as a sacrificial and religious meal in for Crist. All tis activity sprang belonged to te Devil. sentinel block to guard te capitol onor of te pagan deities. Anyone from fait. Tey ad patient Tis curc, like so many city of Pergamos. Being situated on not a member of tese clubs was endurance in serving and suffering curces today, permitted low te boundary line between Mysia considered an enemy of mankind, for Crist. Tey were acting more moral standards to go unprotested. and Lydia, it was one of tose and e could expect failure in and more in accordance wit te Tey said, Wy not be broadminded and tolerant in te military outposts fated to fligt a te business world. Tese trade nature and claims of te Cristian delaying action wile Pergamos broteroods were a great deal profession. O, tat suc could be curc? Wy stir up a fuss over a prepared for te attack. like te labor unions and lodges of said of every curc in te world few tousand liberals and infidels Te waters of Tyatira were well our generation. today! in our seminaries, wo deny te suited for dyeing clot. Te costly TE CRIST (v. 18) TE COMPLAINT (vv ) deity of Crist and repudiate te purple or te turkey red dye Crist is called te son of man Notwitstanding I ave a inerrancy of te Scriptures? Let was obtained from two sources: in capter 1, and te Son of God few tings against tee, because us ave peace at any price. Let us one, from te madder root wic in our text. Te term te Son tou sufferest tat woman permit te ladies to be ordained as grew around tis city; second, of God denotes Crist s oneness Jezebel, wic callet erself preacers and deacons. Witout from a little seasell fis called te wit te Fater in nature and a propetess, to teac and to doubt tis liberal attitude made murex. Lydia was a seller of purple essence. God is te Fater of Jesus suduce my servants to commit te curc at Tyatira popular from Tyatira as I ave already Crist in a sense in wic e is not fornication, and to eat tings wit te world, but it cost tem mentioned (Acts 16:14). te Fater of anyone else. Crist is sacrificed unto idols. te blessings and favors of Crist. Te principle deity of te city te only begotten of te Fater by Jezebel was a female of great Jesus Crist plainly said e is was Apollo, worsipped as te sungod under te surname Tyrimnas. was awarded Crist by is Fater, at Tyatira, wo suduced te And I gave er space to an eternal generation. Tis title rank and influence in te curc against suc a curc. Tis god was introduced by te and e ere appropriates it by members of te curc to mix repent of er fornication; and Macedonian colonists as te name Divine rigt in defiance of all is eaten impurities wit te se repented not. Jezebel ad is Macedonian. Coins found some enemies. worsip of te true God. In been warned of te evil of er years ago in Tyatira represented Te Speaker to tis curc is te language of today se was a course and told to repent. But se tis god wit a battle-ax on is said to ave eyes like unto a liberal, loud-mouted, broadminded modernist. Se ad great er course. It may ave been tat sowed no disposition to abandon soulder upeld by a blacksmit s flame of fire. Tis implies is bar. A priestess of Artemis is also searcing and consuming Divine carm and attraction by wic Crist warned er troug te mentioned in te inscriptions. observations in wic te evil se won many followers. Jezebel godly element of te curc, but Tis may ave been te woman in men is seen as it is. Crist as claimed er teacing was given te curc took no disciplinary Jezebel mentioned in tis letter. te power of penetration into te by inspiration of God and deeper action wen se failed to repent. It appears from tis epistle of very reins of te eart of a man tan te teacing of te apostles. Tey went on permitting er Crist, Tyatira was an early or curc. Tere is no iding of Se called er false doctrine te to teac in te curc, a ting center of te women s liberation anyting from im. deep tings of God wereas forbidden for a woman to do (I movement, seeing te only two It is also said of te Speaker Crist called tem te deep Tim. 2:11-12). Suc an attitude on times it is mentioned in te Bible tat is feet are like fine brass. tings of Satan! te part of te curc was sinful; it is connected wit two women. ere are feet wic trample down Jezebel may not ave been er it constituted false carity. Te city was noted for its trade everyting unclean and ostile. real name. It may ave been given TE COMMAND (vv ) guilds. Tese controlled te social, TE COMMENDATION (v. er as expressive of er caracter Beold, I will cast er into political and religious life of te 19) and influence. Te Old Testament (Continued on page 4)

4 Page 4 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Tyatira (Continued from page 3) a bed, and tem tat commit adultery wit er into great tribulation, except tey repent of teir deeds. Most take tis in a figurative sense. owever, I believe it sould be taken in te literal sense. Tis verse proves to me tat Jezebel was a literal woman and not a religious sect. Jezebel ad committed adultery wit some of te male members of te curc. Base-born cildren ad come into te world because of tese adulterous relations, called er cildren. Sexual promiscuity was quite common in tose days in eaten religious rites. If indeed tis Jezebel ad been a eaten priestess as I tink, it is easy to see ow se kept a part of er pagan rites wile professing Cristianity. Crist is soon to turn te arlot s bed into a sick bed. Te place wic ad been te scene of er sin is to be te place of er punisment. Te bed of pleasure is about to become te bed of pain. Pysical adultery results in disease in te body. Suc diseased bodies could only be avoided by sorrow for te past and abandonment of te evil course of life. Jesus Crist was determined to kill er base-born cildren like e did te first cild born to David and Batseba: And I will kill er cildren wit deat; and all te curces sall know tat I am e wic searcest te reins and earts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. Te Lord would visit te iniquity of te faters upon te cildren (Ex. 20:5; Rom. 5:19). Tis judgment was designed to convince all te curces tat Crist knew te inner parts of men and all teir unclean deeds. Our modern curces are in te main like te curc at Tyatira. Open sexual sins are committed by curc members witout any protest from te curc. It is not uncommon to ear of a deacon wo left town wit te preacer s wife, or a preacer wo left town wit te deacon s wife. Marriage and divorce are te order of te day among professed Cristians wo boldly claim it is a mere exercise of God-given rigts. Young girls in te curc leave ome to spend a weekend wit teir boy friends, and vice versa. Sotgun weddings are eld in curces and even curc folks see no wrong in suc tings. TE CONSIDERATION (v. 24) But unto you I say, and unto te rest in Tyatira, as many as ave not tis doctrine, and wic ave not known te depts of Satan, as tey speak; I will put upon you none oter burden. Crist sows is compassion in tese words toward te consecrated few members in tis compromising curc. Some ad not embraced te doctrinal errors wic were so deep tat tey almost exausted te talent of Satan imself. Te godly people suffered greatly because tey ad failed to purify te curc of suc members. Tey would sare some of te punisment sent by Crist upon tese corrupt members since tey ad not excluded tem. But te loving Savior would add no weigtier burden on tis remnant of faitful believers tan wat would arise from is purpose to inflict judgment on te guilty curc members. TE COUNSEL (v. 25) Wise counsel is given to te faitful members in tis lax curc: But tat wic ye ave already old fast till I come. Crist is saying to te faitful few: Your Bible, your Crist, your gospel is sufficient. Let no man or woman deprive you of your simple fait. You know not te time of my second coming. Keep te fait until I return. Te proper attitude of any curc is to old fast te fait in view of Crist s imminent return. Te second coming of Crist is te ultimate objective point of Cristian anticipation. It is a very just observation, tat te Scriptures never exort us to prepare for deat, but always for te coming of te Lord (LECTURES ON TE APOCALYPSE by William Jones, p. 86, 1830 edition). Crist spoke plainly to tis curc about is return. e would ave spoken plainly if e ad said: old fast till te Anticrist comes. Crist s words in Revelation 2:25 are clearly pre-trib, not post-trib. TE COMFORT (vv ) And e tat overcomet, and keepet my works unto te end, to im will I give power over te nations: And e sall rule tem wit a rod of iron; as te vessels of a potter sall tey be broken to sivers: even as I received of my Fater. Crist is destined to receive te rigt to rule te eart from te Fater. Tese words from Crist look back to Psalm 2:7-9: I will declare te decree: te LORD at said unto me, Tou art my Son; tis day ave I begotten tee. Ask of me, and I sall give tee te eaten for tine ineritance, and te uttermost parts of te eart for ty possession. Tou salt break tem wit a rod of iron; tou salt das tem in pieces like a potter s vessel. In Revelation 2:26-27 Crist says te overcomer will sare in tat same rule wic is given to im by te Fater. Speaking to is curc Crist said: And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Fater at appointed unto me (Luke 22:29). ere is seen te saints sare in te reign of Crist on eart. Tose wo old fast to te fait until Crist comes sall sare in te kingdom promised to tem before te foundation of te world. Te Bible teaces tat wen Crist receives te autority to rule te nations wit a rod of iron, and enters into tat rule over te nations, te overcomer will also rule wit im over tose same nations (II Tim. 2:12). In Revelation 19:15 we see Crist coming from eaven wit a sarp sword, tat wit it e sould smite te nations: and e sall rule tem wit a rod of iron. In Revelation 20:4 it is written: And I saw trones, and tey sat upon tem, and judgment was given unto tem...and tey lived and reigned wit Crist a tousand years. Second, Crist promised te overcomer te morning star. Tere can be no doubt as to te meaning of tis, for Crist said in Revelation 22:16: I am...te brigt and morning star. Crist is called a Star out of Jacob (Num. 24:17). Tus te meaning is tat Crist will give te believer a personal interest in imself. Te morning star signals te dawn, it eralds te promise of full day. Wen Crist comes for te overcomer e will turn all is darkness into day. Te morning star comes before sunrise. Even so Crist will first come as te Morning Star to take is curces out at te rapture before te tribulation. Wen e returns to eart some seven years later e will come as te Sun of rigteousness (Mal. 4:2) to Israel at te beginning of te glad Millennial Day. e tat at an ear, let im ear wat te Spirit sait to te curces.

5 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 5 Watering te Tulips By Todd Bryant of Nortport, Alabama Lovingly Drawn No man can come to me, except te Fater wic at sent me draw im (Jon 6:44). In a way, te inability of te natural man seems so strange to tose of us wo ave been drawn to Crist. Toug we can all surely remember wen we ad no interest in te tings of God, we can also remember te eartfelt desire to know Crist wen te Fater drew us. It is difficult for many on tis side of regeneration to compreend te inability of te lost because tey judge te salvation experience by teir feelings rater tan te infallible Scripture. Do not misunderstand; we, as believers, surely ad a desire to come to Crist by fait and it is easy to assume tis is a natural feeling. owever, te Bible says tis desire was a gift from God. God s oly Word tells us tat te natural man receivet not te tings of te Spirit of God: for tey are foolisness unto im: neiter can e know tem, because tey are spiritually discerned (I Cor. 2:14). Cild of God, you can most certainly look back to a time wen you did ave a desire to know Crist in a personal way. owever, you must see tat te Bible affirms tat tis desire was not natural. It was not a part of your wicked eart (Jeremia 17:9). In fact, te Scripture ere tells us tat you could not know te tings of te Spirit of God because you naturally considered tem foolis. Te Spirit of God was not present inside of you in your depraved condition. But, praise te Lord, e lovingly drew you to Crist. Your fait in Crist is a super-natural gift (Ep. 2:8)! Te Scripture surely paints a miserable picture of te natural man. Romans 8:7 says, Because te carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to te law of God, neiter indeed can be. Peraps man is not as bad (morally) as e could be. We know God is restraining sin. owever, man is as bad off (spiritually) as e can possibly be. e is totally separated from God. e is God s enemy by nature and practice (Col. 1:21). e cannot save imself. But, it is worse tan tat. e does not want to save imself. e is an enemy of God and rejoices in it. Wat can bring a person from tis state to a desire to know Jesus? Simply, te grace of God! Cild of God, you were surely at enmity wit God. owever, e drew you to Crist! It can be so easy to base our teology on our experiences. I could easily look back to te time tat I was 21 years old and became convicted of my sins. I could easily recall my desire to know Crist and believe tat tis desire came from somewere inside of me due to my conviction. Considering tis, I could old to te belief tat tis is someting all men naturally possess. owever, te Word of God tells me differently. God s Word tells me tat e saved me in spite of wat I wanted. Cild of God, peraps you ave never considered tat God gently led you to te cross. Peraps you ave never understood tat te cange wrougt witin you was not from you. It may be tat you are just now realizing tat te Scripture teaces tat you trust Crist today because God, in is infinite grace and mercy, lovingly drew you to Crist. Take tis very moment to tank im for is wonderful gift of fait rigt now. Distinctive Fait (Continued from page 1) places, and tings ave wereby we may identify tem for wat tey are. Tis premise is true wit just about everyting we can imagine. As we move into te realm of religion, we understand tat tis same principle also rings true. All of te various different religions in te world ave teir distinctive marks tat set tem apart from all te oters and identify tem as wat tey are. For example, if you see a man bowing down toward Mecca and canting a prayer to Alla, you may reason tat e is a Muslim. If you see a woman cross erself and begin er prayer wit, ail, Mary, Moter of God, you may conclude tat se is a Catolic. If a couple knocks on your door and wants to give you some literature from teir briefcase tat is publised by te Watctower Society, you may conclude tat tey are from a group known as Jeova s Witnesses. If two clean cut nice looking young men come to your door and give testimony tat, tey believe tat Josep Smit was a true propet of God; you may believe tat tey are products of te LDS movement. Examples like tese could go on and on. Of course, we can also be fooled. Con men and crooks often pass temselves off as decent law abiding citizens wen in fact all tey really want to do is rip you off. Criminals print counterfeit money and pass it off as real. Tey steal identities and empty bank accounts of unsuspecting victims at te expense of retailers and credit card companies and so on. Tis appens all too often and unfortunately, it is not tat rare in te area of fait. Tere are a lot of counterfeiters and identity tieves in te world of fait. Tat is wat we want to consider. Tere is a lot of confusion among Cristendom today regarding te body of Crist. Te most popular teacing on te subject is a very creative idea from te imagination of depraved earts. Rater tan taking God s Word at face value and believing te Bible for wat it literally says, man as invented an imaginary new meaning for words like BODY. Now we know and we understand tat a properly put togeter assembly of parts makes a body. Tere are many properly assembled bodies trougout creation. I know you could name several kinds of bodies in te world if you were pressed to do it. Werever you are in creation, if tere is a body of some kind tere, and if you are not blind, you can see it. It is not invisible. Te Bible also tells us about a certain kind of body tat is one of a kind. It is called te body of Crist. As far as te basic definition of te word is concerned, te body of Crist is not tat different from any oter body in te world. It is local, it is visible and it is fitly framed. In oter words, wen te rigt parts are properly put togeter, tere you ave it. Let us consider tree tings about te body of Crist in Epesians capter four. First, let us consider te ONENESS of Crist s Body according to Epesians 4:4, Tere is one body, and one Spirit, even (Continued on page 6)

6 Page 6 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Distinctive Fait (Continued from page 5) as ye are called in one ope of your calling. Te one body is te New Testament kind of body tat met in te upper room and took te Lord s Supper te nigt before our Lord s crucifixion. It is wat Crist called my curc. It is a local, visible assembly of scripturally baptized believers in Crist wo were fitly framed for doing te will of Crist in te great commission. If it meets tese New Testament criteria, it is te body of Crist werever you find it in tis world. Te one Spirit is te kind spoken of in te New Testament tat as all of te same divine attributes as te Fater and te Son. e only does te will of te Fater and te Son according to te full and complete Word of God. If e meets tese New Testament criteria, e is te one true Spirit. Te one ope is te kind in te New Testament tat as its foundation on Crist and is finised work of redemption. If your ope meets tese New Testament criteria, you ave te one and only ope tat really matters for eternity. Second, let us consider te GRACE of Crist s body according to Epesians 4:7, 11-12, But unto every one of us is given grace according to te measure of te gift of Crist. And e gave some, apostles; and some, propets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teacers; For te perfecting of te saints, for te work of te ministry, for te edifying of te body of Crist. Grace is te New Testament giving of a gift or gifts to te undeserving. Te gifts tat Crist gave to is local curc were for te perfecting and edifying of er members in particular. Tis is always te way it is and te way it sould be understood according to te New Testament. According to Epesians 4:13-14, it is our Lord s design tat te members of te local New Testament body of Crist, like te one in Epesus, sould mature into te fullness of Crist in te unity of te fait. Tis can only appen in is kind of local New Testament assembly. It is absolutely impossible for tis to appen in some imaginary mystical so-called body of Crist or universal bride. Remember, Paul is writing to te local curc at Epesus. Te trut tat e is talking about ere can only be scripturally applied to tat kind of curc local, visible. Till we all come in te unity of te fait, and of te knowledge of te Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto te measure of te stature of te fulness of Crist: Tat we encefort be no more cildren, tossed to and fro, and carried about wit every wind of doctrine, by te sleigt of men, and cunning craftiness, wereby tey lie in wait to deceive (Ep. 4:13-14). Te so-called universal invisible curc could never ave tis New Testament kind of unity and love. Te only way for a true believer to possibly strive for te fullness of Crist is to first of all follow te Lord in scriptural baptism and be added to a local New Testament body of Crist. All tose wo are not so joined to one of te Lord s assemblies sall be tossed and carried wit every wind of te doctrines of men and devils. Crist s curc is te ouse of God today and te pillar and ground of te trut. But if I tarry long, tat tou mayest know ow tou ougtest to beave tyself in te ouse of God, wic is te curc of te living God, te pillar and ground of te trut (I Tim. 3:15). Tird, let us consider te LOVE of Crist s body in Epesians 4:15, But speaking te trut in love, may grow up into im in all tings, wic is te ead, even Crist. Te love of Crist constrains us to be trutful. Te New Testament way to trut and maturity is to be fed from te Word of God as a member of one of te local New Testament bodies of Crist as taugt by te oly Spirit. On tis point of LOVE, te writer wises to remind te reader tat tis work is offered as a labor of love. First to te Lord, secondly to is fellow laborers in te trut and tirdly to tose wo in te providence of God ave not yet ad tese truts presented in a clear and understandable way apart from negative caracterizations of te distinctive doctrine and practice of te Lord s true local curces. According to Epesians 4:16, te body of Crist is one tat is fitly joined togeter and compacted wit every member supplying is part according to te effectual work of God in im by te love of Crist unto edification. From wom te wole body fitly joined togeter and compacted by tat wic every joint suppliet, according to te effectual working in te measure of every part, maket increase of te body unto te edifying of itself in love Ep. 4:16). Tis is STRICTLY local New Testament curc doctrine and can in no way be realized by te eresy of te papal ierarcy or te imaginary invention of reformed ecclesiology. Te great wore is wrong on te nature of Crist s body and so are all er arlot daugters. Te same goes for te false cults and te Jonny-comelately crowd wit teir so-called self-autorized pop-up curces. We sould fear for te souls of many in te world today wo name te name of Crist. Most of Cristendom consists of professors of Crist wo do not actually possess Crist. Tis is a bold statement. It as force because so many professed Cristians are not willing to serve im te New Testament way in a true New Testament curc and I would ask you, are you truly a follower of Crist? Do you know wat it means to follow im according to is word? Tis is a faitful saying, and worty of all acceptation, tat Crist Jesus came into te world to save sinners; of wom I am cief (I Tim. 1:15). For God so loved te world, tat e gave is only begotten Son, tat wosoever believet in im sould not peris, but ave everlasting life (Jon 3:16). Moreover, bretren, I declare unto you te gospel wic I preaced unto you, wic also ye ave received, and werein ye stand; By wic also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory wat I preaced unto you, unless ye ave believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all tat wic I also received, ow tat Crist died for our sins according to te scriptures; And tat e was buried, and tat e rose again te tird day according to te scriptures (I Cor. 15:1-4). If you are a true believer, te first act of loving obedience, according to te New Testament pattern, is to submit to Crist s autority in baptism and be added to te membersip of a true curc, tat is, one of is New Testament local (Continued on page 7)

7 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 7 Distinctive Fait (Continued from page 6) assemblies. And to know te love of Crist, wic passet knowledge, tat ye migt be filled wit all te fulness of God. Now unto im tat is able to do exceeding abundantly above all tat we ask or tink, according to te power tat worket in us, Unto im be glory in te curc by Crist Jesus trougout all ages, world witout end. Amen (Ep. 3:19-21). Salvation puts you in te family of God. As a believer, God is your eavenly Fater and all true believers are your broters and sisters in Crist. After salvation comes service and in order to scripturally serve te Lord, you need to do tat as a baptized member of te body of Crist a local body of scripturally baptized believers tat was fitly framed to do te will of Crist in te great commission. It is out of tis institution (te local New Testament curc) tat Crist elected is bride. AMEN. (Te autor as written two books prior and contributed to a tird. In eac book, te topic of curc trut and te Bride of Crist was touced on ligtly. As e begins is next book dealing wit te distinctive fait, doctrine and practice of a true New Testament curc of te Lord Jesus Crist and te Bride of Crist, e does so wit fear and trembling. e knows tat e will ave to say tings in tis book tat will not set well wit a lot of folks in Cristianity. Our motive for publising it is not for financial gain. We ope to be an encouragement to tose few wo are in sympaty wit te autor and agree wit is position on te distinctive fait. We pray tat God in is sovereignty migt be pleased to use it to bring oters to te trut on tis fascinating subject. Most of all, if noting else appens, it is our prayer tat God would be pleased wit it and get glory from it in spite of its uman weaknesses.) Making Too Little (Continued from page 1) to make too little of sin? Tese questions are important to a proper understanding of grace. We live in a day tat grace is no more tan a judicial reconciliation. Preacers ave left off teacing te wole counsel of God concerning grace. I would like to demonstrate from te Scriptures tat te real problem is not making so muc of grace but making too little of grace. If men believe tat grace is simply God making a way possible for salvation and leaving it up to men ten it will lead to making too little of sin. In our day preacers ave preaced making a decision for Jesus and ten after you make tat decision you are eternally saved. Now we certainly believe in te eternal security of te believer but salvation by grace is so muc more tan tis. Of course since you are eternally saved by your decision ten sin cannot doom you, can it? Tis is te false tinking ere. I am not suggesting tat someone wo is truly saved can sin away teir salvation, but a person wo is still in love wit teir sins yet does not want to spend eternity in a lake of fire may view suc a doctrine as simply a fire escape and noting more. Jude spoke of suc false teacers wen e said tat tey were turning te grace of our God into lasciviousness ( Jude 1:4). Wat is grace, we migt ask? I like a quote tat my pastor uses. e says, Grace is God doing for us wat we could never do for ourselves. Wile tat is a very true statement I wonder ow many souls realize to wat degree of elp from God tat involves. If grace was no more tan a legal reconciliation, tat is a canceling of debt, ten wy does Paul tell us, Know ye not tat te unrigteous sall not inerit te kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neiter fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of temselves wit mankind, Nor tieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, sall inerit te kingdom of God (I Cor. 6:9-10)? Is Paul putting fort te idea tat you are saved by grace and ten keep yourself saved by not living te life styles ere mentioned? I tink not, but make no mistake, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, omosexuals ( abusers of temselves wit mankind ), tieves, and tose of te oter lifestyles mentioned ere ave no part in te ineritance tat is in Jesus Crist. So, Paul, if men are saved by grace and yet tose tat practice tese tings are not saved ten ow is it still of grace? Well Paul explains tis in te next verse for e says, And suc were some of you: but ye are wased, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in te name of te Lord Jesus, and by te Spirit of our God. Folks, if grace as not sanctified you (set you apart from te world) and given you a oly atred for te sin tat you may ave cerised in te past, ten be not deceived into tinking you are saved. Paul is te one saying tis. e is not saying tis from a self-rigteous point of view but presenting a stern warning in love. Is it wrong to warn souls of a orrible and impeding danger? In tis modern religious era we ave members of curces tat live togeter outside of marriage and tink noting of it. After all, tey are saved by grace, so tey tink. Te spiritual state of some so-called curces as degraded to te point tat a omosexual lifestyle is seen as legitimate. Tus we ave a pus by deceived people Quotes from Broter Ritecus N. Dignation by Josep arris It seems folks are always searcing and searcing for trut, yet constantly reject it wen found, usually because it is inconvenient or doesn t fit teir agenda. Rater tan trying to find new trut, we just need te people wo already know te trut to stand on it witout compromise. to legitimize same-sex marriages. Dear reader if tis is your position on te matter ten tere is no ope for you sort of a work by te Spirit of God, wic in reality is te only ope for any lost man. As Paul said, And suc were some of you: but ye are wased, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in te name of te Lord Jesus, and by te Spirit of our God. Wy te Need for Grace If grace is indeed God doing for te sinner wat te sinner could never do for imself, ten to wat degree is grace needed? Is it merely to elp us along or is it more? Well, in more tan one place we are told tat te lost sinner is dead in is or er sins and cannot recover temselves and are taken captive at te devil s will. Unless God would first give tem repentance to te acknowledging of te trut tey will never be able to recover temselves. We find tat tis situation existed from birt because of te curse placed upon mankind from te offence of our federal ead, Adam; For if (Continued on page 8)

8 Page 8 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Making Too Little (Continued from page 7) troug te offence of one many be dead (Rom. 5:15). Te Apostle Paul tells us in is epistle to te Epesians beginning in capter two tat before we were saved we were dead in our sins and tat we walked according to te course of tis world, according to te prince of te power of te air, wic is Satan. And tat tis prince is te spirit tat worked ten and works now in te cildren of disobedience. Tis is te spirit tat is working in te false curces tat claim omosexuality is a legitimate lifestyle. And Paul tells us tat we wo are saved also ad our conversation in te lusts of te fles and of te mind and were by nature te cildren of wrat just as oters wo are lost in teir sins. But someting appened to tose wo are truly saved. Paul says tat tey were quickened to life. e says tat tis quickening from te spiritual dead was a ting of grace. e furter writes tat tis saving grace brougt about a fait tat was not of ourselves and tat none of tis was by our own ability or our own works. e furter adds tat we wo are saved ad a cange of lifestyle and now produced good works, but tat tis was actually te workmansip of God wo before ordained it. You see tese works are now te fruit of life and not te dead works of a lost sinner. Te Election of Grace Since men are born dead in teir sins as te Word of God as so plainly taugt, and since God knows te beginning from te end, and witout a work of grace no man can be saved, and man cannot raise imself up to even receive grace ten God must ave cosen wom e would bestow tis grace upon. To suc a logical conclusion te Bible affirms. Even so ten at tis present time also tere is a remnant according to te election of grace. And if by grace, ten is it no more of works: oterwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, ten is it no more grace: oterwise work is no more work (Rom. 11:5-6). In Paul s epistle to te Epesians e told tem tat tey were cosen before te foundation of te world to be a oly people and witout blame before im. Tat it was in love tat e predestinated tem unto te adoption of cildren by Jesus Crist to imself. Tat tis was done not because of foreseen merit but according to te good pleasure of is will and all to te praise of te glory of is grace. Wen Moses wanted to see God s glory, wat did te Lord tell im? I will make all my goodness pass before tee, and I will proclaim te name of te LORD before tee; and will be gracious to wom I will be gracious, and will sew mercy on wom I will sew mercy (Ex. 33:18-19). God told Moses tat e would sow im is sovereign grace. Te Reconciliation by Grace Since men are dead in teir sins and since tere is an election of grace ten does grace just stop tere? As we pointed out before tat grace is more tan simply a judicial reconciliation, yet a judicial reconciliation was absolutely necessary and it is on te grounds of tat legal reconciliation tat te supply of grace in our lives stands. Tis reconciliation was troug te sacrifice of God s own dear Son, Jesus Crist. Muc more te grace of God, and te gift by grace, wic is by one man, Jesus Crist, at abounded unto many (Rom. 5:15). In Romans 5:10 te Apostle Paul tells te Romans, and we wo are saved, tat wile tey were still te enemies of God tat tey were reconciled by te deat of is Son. Te Greek word translated reconciled is an accounting term. It means to excange coins of equal value. Wen you reconcile your cecking account you are making sure it balances. If you owed te bank a debt and someone witout your knowledge went and paid off tat debt and also foresaw any future debt and paid it all off as well, te banker is not going to attempt to extract tat debt from you, for tat would be illegal. In te same sense Jesus Crist as done tis for te election according to grace. Based upon tat judicial reconciliation Paul goes on to say, in tat same verse, tat te ones wo were reconciled wile yet enemies sall be saved. Muc more, being reconciled, we sall be saved by is life. Te Supply of Grace to te Sinner Grace did not stop at judicial reconciliation. Tere is a need for reconciliation in te eart of te sinner as well. If men are dead in teir sins ten in order for any reconciliation in teir earts to take place life must be given. Be ye reconciled to God (II Cor. 5:20). Tere is a need to be reconciled to God and tis is wat we preac to sinners. It is te Gospel of reconciliation troug Jesus Crist. e at made peace troug te blood of is cross (Col. 1:20). We are saved by fait in wat e did. Wen Lazarus was dead in te grave e could do noting. In Jon 12:17 we are told tat Jesus called Lazarus out of is grave, and raised im from te dead. Wen (Continued on page 9)

9 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 9 Making Too Little (Continued from page 8) Jesus said, Lazarus, come fort it was an effectual call. It was a call tat gave life to a dead man. It was a call tat brougt im fort from te grave yet wile still bound in grave clotes. In like manner te dead sinner is called by grace wit te same power tat raised dead Lazarus from te dead. Moreover wom e did predestinate, tem e also called: and wom e called, tem e also justified: and wom e justified, tem e also glorified (Rom. 8:30). Tat is te effectual call of God to te election according to grace; an effectual call to te legally reconciled. Notice Paul says tat all wo are called according to is purpose (vs. 28) are justified and glorified as in te past tense even toug glorification is still future. Wy is it spoken in te past tense? Because it is certain and wy is it certain? Because of grace. And you, tat were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now at e reconciled (Col. 1:21). Grace to Receive More Grace Te Bible admonises te believer to grow in grace, and in te knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Crist (II Peter 3:18). But it is grace tat gave us fait in te first place. So we see we needed grace in te beginning and even grace to receive grace. Grace is needed troug our entire walk in tis fles. We are in constant trials and battles and witout God s grace we are witout strengt. In our time of need we are dependent upon God s grace. Yet we turn to God by grace for more grace. It is grace tat empowers us to even ask for grace. Te writer of ebrews tells us Let us terefore come boldly unto te trone of grace, tat we may obtain mercy, and find grace to elp in time of need (eb. 4:16). James says, But e givet more grace. Werefore e sait, God resistet te proud, but givet grace unto te umble (James 4:6). Yet, grace is wat made us umble in te first place. Grace to te End Perseverance is required of every one wo sall finally be saved. It will distinguis believers from false professors. Ten said Jesus to tose Jews wic believed on im, If ye continue in my word, ten are ye my disciples indeed (Jon 8:31). Te writer of ebrews states, Now te just sall live by fait: but if any man draw back, my soul sall ave no pleasure in im. But we are not of tem wo draw back unto perdition; but of tem tat believe to te saving of te soul (eb. 10: 38-39). ere we see tat drawing back is unto perdition. But te writer of ebrews also states tat te just wo live by fait are not of tem tat draw back unto perdition but of tem tat believe to te saving of te soul. ow is tat? ow can e be so sure? Because te perseverance of te believer is troug grace. Paul was confident tat God would perform te work tat e ad begun in believers until te day of Jesus Crist. Being confident of tis very ting, tat e wic at begun a good work in you will perform it until te day of Jesus Crist (Pil. 1:6). Notice it was a work tat God ad begun IN tem and not simply for tem. Remember Paul told us tat tose wo were called according to is purpose are justified and glorified. e went on to say in tat same capter in is epistle to te Romans tat noting could separate te elect from te love of God tat was in Crist Jesus. Paul s Testimony of Grace in is Life Most of us know of Paul s persecution of te Curc before te Lord saved im. Remember ow e ad been persecuting te believers in Jesus Crist and ad obtained letters from te ig priest in Jerusalem to te Synagogues in Damascus tat if found any believers in Jesus Crist, weter tey be men or women, tat e migt bind tem and bring tem bound to Jerusalem to be punised. e ad journeyed miles to Damascus and was in eye view of tat city wen te Lord stopped im and appreended im. Paul said, I am appreended of Crist Jesus (Pil. 3:12). Paul was so willing to persecute te followers of Jesus but after being appreended of Jesus Crist e was so willing to be is apostle and suffer for is name s sake. Wy? Because of Grace! Paul said tat te Lord ad called im by is grace at te time it ad pleased God (Galatians 1:15). It appened at te time and place God ad decided and not wen or were Paul decided. Tat is grace! It was grace tat arrested tat man and gave im a new eart. Not only was Paul saved by grace but e was made a minister of te gospel by grace. Neverteless, bretren, I ave written te more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of te grace tat is given to me of God, Tat I sould be te minister of Jesus Crist to te Gentiles, ministering te gospel of God, tat te offering up of te Gentiles migt be acceptable, being sanctified by te oly Gost (Rom. 15:15-16). And we migt add, not only was Paul made a minister by grace but e labored more abundantly for te Lord tan tey all, yet it was by God s grace. But by te grace of God I am wat I am: and is grace wic was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly tan tey all: yet not I, but te grace of God wic was wit me (I Cor. 15:10). Grace Causes te Believer to Make More of Sin Te original statement quoted was One caution of grace! Never make so muc of grace tat you make ligt of sin! Wat we need to caution is not making too muc of grace but a perversion of grace. Jude warned not about making too muc of grace but about false teacers turning te grace of God into someting it was not. Te Greek word for turning means to translate or transpose someting into someting else. To cange te grace of God into someting not taugt in te Scriptures at all. In tis case it was lasciviousness or unbridled lust. To unbridle lust is to legitimize it. Tose tat teac it is permissible for sexual relations outside of marriage or tat wat te Bible calls sodomy is a legitimate alternative lifestyle or any oter sinful lifestyle are guilty of wat Jude warned about. Jude was warning tose wo were sanctified by God te Fater and preserved in Jesus Crist and called to contend for te fait, tat is, tat system of doctrine, and te reason was because certain ungodly men ad crept in amongst believers unawares, teacing a transposed version of grace and tat tese men were before of old ordained to tis condemnation. Wat grace really does is to make te born again believer tink more of sin and not to make ligt of sin. Paul tells us in Titus tat te grace of God teaces us wo are (Continued on page 10)

10 Page 10 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Making Too Little (Continued from page 9) saved tat, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we sould live soberly, rigteously, and godly, in tis present world; Looking for tat blessed ope, and te glorious appearing of te great God and our Saviour Jesus Crist; Wo gave imself for us, tat e migt redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto imself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:11-14). Grace teaces us to tink muc of sin in our lives wit orror and atred for it, not make ligt of it. To tink more of sin by tinking less of grace leads to self-rigteousness and a legalistic attitude. To tink muc of grace and by grace to ate sin in our lives is to proclaim like Paul, But by te grace of God I am wat I am. Grace is Not a License to Sin It as been said by some tat reject te doctrine of eternal security, Well, if I believed tat I would go and sin all I want to. To wic words of wisdom ave replied, I sin more tan I want to. I do not want to sin at all against my Lord. Te problem wit I would sin all I want to is tat statement is made by men wo ave a broken want to. Wat it is saying is tey are still in love wit te pleasures of tis world. O, tey do not necessarily want to commit every sin tere is but tere are some tey really ceris and would love to do if tey could get away wit it. Tis unoly desire is wy men turned te grace of God into unbridled lust. Te person tat views grace tis way is still under te bondage of sin and a servant of sin and as not been set free by God s grace. Paul says te same for e says, For sin sall not ave dominion over you: for ye are not under te law, but under grace. Wat ten? sall we sin, because we are not under te law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, tat to wom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, is servants ye are to wom ye obey; weter of sin unto deat, or of obedience unto rigteousness? But God be tanked, tat ye were te servants of sin, but ye ave obeyed from te eart tat form of doctrine wic was delivered you. Being ten made free from sin, ye became te servants of rigteousness (Rom. 6:14-18). But be not confused. Tis is not someting done in te letter but by and in te spirit. It is aving a new nature and a new master. It is aving a new love and a atred for te old man and te sin tat e loved. Are ye so foolis? aving begun in te Spirit, are ye now made perfect by te fles (Gal. 3:3)? Absolutely not! No, wat te believer in Crist experiences is te fruit of regeneration. It s God s grace in is life. It is te grace of God tat is wit im, as Paul declared. Wat is te relationsip of grace and te law? We know we are not justified by te law. To keep it simple and witout going into a long discussion of te Old Testament economy and te ceremonial law, etc., te law is a revelation of te oliness of God, wic is is greatest attribute. All of is oter attributes are adorned in is oliness. Even is grace is adorned in oliness wic is wy e ad to send a sinless substitute. Even te Gentiles wo did not ave te law ad te law of conscience unto temselves (Romans 2:14-15). Wit tat said te law is a mirror tat we can look into and see ourselves as God sees us. You may ave dirt all over your face and not know it, but look into a mirror and you will find out wat you really look like. Tis is wat te law does. It sows us tat we are sinners and in desperate need of elp. Wit some tis brings about conviction because te oly Spirit as already begun a work in tem and tey ave a godly sorrow tat worket repentance to salvation (II Cor. 7:10), wile oters go away and forget wat was revealed. For if any be a earer of te word, and not a doer, e is like unto a man beolding is natural face in a glass (mirror): For e beoldet imself, and goet is way, and straigtway forgettet wat manner of man e was. But woso looket into te perfect law of liberty, and continuet terein, e being not a forgetful earer, but a doer of te work, tis man sall be blessed in is deed (James 1:23-25). So te law cannot save us but it does reveal te oliness of God and te sinfulness of men. As Paul said, Werefore te law was our scoolmaster to bring us unto Crist, tat we migt be justified by fait. But after tat fait is come, we are no longer under a scoolmaster (Gal. 3:24-25). We Need More Grace We need grace everyday of our lives in tis warfare wit our fles. Witout grace we cannot receive more grace. In closing we offer a quote from J. B. Moody: Do you say tis is enoug of grace? Not wile Salvation is my teme. If grace begins te good work in us, ten it is prevenient to any working out by us. Wen and were does grace begin, and wat does it do? To answer tis, may te God of all grace give us all grace to perceive grace; and wen by grace we perceive grace, may we ave grace to feel our need of grace; and wen by grace we feel our need of grace, may we ave grace to desire grace; and wen we ave grace to desire grace, may we ave grace to seek for grace; and wen by grace we seek for grace, may we ave grace to receive grace; and wen by grace we receive grace, may we ave grace to enjoy grace; and wen by grace we enjoy grace, may we ave grace to praise grace; and wen by grace we praise grace, may we ave grace to manifest grace; and wen by grace we manifest grace, may we ave grace to extend grace; and wen by grace we extend grace, may we ave grace to grow in grace; and wen by grace we grow in grace, may we ave grace to serve grace; and wen by grace we serve grace, may we ave grace to suffer grace; and wen by grace we suffer grace, may we ave grace to persevere in grace; and wen by grace we persevere in grace, may we ave grace to die in grace; and wen we ave grace to die in grace, may we ave grace to ope in grace; and wen we ave grace to ope in grace, may we ave grace to rest in grace; and wen we ave grace to rest in grace, may we ave grace to rise in grace ; and wen we ave grace to rise in grace, may we ave grace to be glorified by grace; and wen we ave grace to be glorified by grace, may we ave grace to glory in grace; and we ave grace to glory in grace, may we ave grace to glorify grace; and wen we ave grace to glorify grace, may we ave grace to reign in grace, and wen by grace we reign in grace, may te world ave grace to be ruled by grace; and wen te world as grace to be ruled by grace, may all grace be ascribed to te God of grace; wo by grace, and troug grace, and in grace, abounds wit te all-sufficiency of grace, from everlasting, and will abound forever more.

11 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 11 None Saved But (Continued from page 1) tan before: peraps it even seems to you tat tey are farter from te trut and from fait in Crist tan tey ave ever been. We find tat Jesus imself experienced te rejection of tose wo sould ave been te first and appiest to receive im, tose of is own country and is own ouse. Tese people ad known Jesus and is eartly family, is parents, is broters and sisters, since te time e was born to Mary in er virginity and raised by is moter Mary and is fosterfater Josep. Tey ad known im, but tey did not know im in trut. Tey said, Is not tis te carpenter s son? referring to is foster-fater Josep, wo was a carpenter. Tey did not know tat e was te Son of God and te Savior of te world. Tey did not know tat e ad come down from eaven in te likeness of sinful fles to die for sinners in te fles. Tey did not know tat e was te Word of God and tat e spoke te words of eternal life. Tey did not know tat e was te Lamb of God wo taket away te sin of te world. Wy did tey not know tese tings? Because of teir unbelief. Tese were blinded by teir unbelief. Oters knew wom Jesus was. Tese wo were in Nazaret of Galilee ad eard of te migty miracles wic Jesus performed. Tey eard is teacing of God s Word. Wence at tis man tis wisdom, and tese migty works? Wence at tis man all tese tings? Oters knew te answer to tese questions. Wen Jesus told Natanael tat e ad seen Natanael under te fig tree before Pilip ad called Natanael to come and see Jesus, Natanael confessed, Tou art te Son of God; tou art te King of Israel (Jon 1:49). Wen many turned back from following Crist and walked no more wit im, and Jesus asked te twelve apostles if tey, too, would leave im, Simon Peter answered, Lord, to wom sall we go? tou ast te words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure tat tou art tat Crist, te Son of te living God (Jon 6:68-69). Tere were some wo knew wo Jesus was, and wo were saved by im, and wo walked wit im. Te disciples did not ave a perfect knowledge of Jesus. Tey knew im to be te Son of God, but as yet tey did not know all tat is being te Son of God entailed or meant. Tey did not know everyting, but wat tey did know tey knew by fait. Tey believed wat tey did know. Wen you were saved, you did not know everyting about Jesus and about te eavenly Fater and te oly Spirit and te Scriptures. I trust you know more now tan you did ten. Yet, wat you knew you believed, and believing you were saved; and te more you ave come to know as not canged te trut of wat you did know and believe at te first tat was true. Tese ad te privilege of aving ad Jesus in teir midst from is yout up; but tat privilege afforded tem no spiritual benefit. Tey were more familiar wit Jesus family tan oters. Tey were more familiar wit Jesus upbringing tan oters. Tey were more familiar wit many aspects of Jesus personal life prior to te commencement of is eartly ministry tan most oters. Yet, tis familiarity brougt tem no spiritual advantage. Tere are people wo ave been brougt up in Cristian omes, wo ave attended sound curces and eard te Word of God faitfully preaced and taugt, wo ave witnessed te godly life of a parent, or parents, wo feared te Lord, and yet tese persons ave gained no spiritual benefit because tey ave remained in unbelief and unrepentance of teirs sins toward God. You can be taken to curc by your parents, you can learn te Scriptures, you can tite and give an offering above te tite, you can sing, you can dress according to godly principles, you can avoid outward immorality, and you can know te trut about many tings as far as uman knowledge is concerned; and yet, if you remain in unbelief toward Jesus Crist and are not justified from all your sins by fait in im and wat e did upon te cross of Calvary, ten you will remain lost and witout ope and witout God in te world. And e did not many migty works tere because of teir unbelief. Te inabitants of Nazaret ad eard of te migty works wic Jesus performed in oter places. Wence at tis man... tese migty works? Yet, in teir midst, e performed only a few migty works. Tey were robbed of te blessing of is power to do wonderful tings because of teir unbelief. e was not robbed of any of is power or ability. Te unbelief of any person does not cange God in any way. Your unbelief does not make God unable to do anyting. Some teac tat God is dependent upon you. No, muc te rater, you are dependent upon God. God is not te one wo needs a migty work of grace done in order to be saved from sin, deat, and ell; but rater you are te one wo, if e does not save you wit is migty and, will peris forever in te corruption of your own sins. Tose wo received no migty work from Jesus in is native country remained as tey were, sick, deaf, blind, dumb, lame, or oterwise afflicted by te devil. Tose wo remain in unbelief of te gospel of Jesus Crist remain as tey are spiritually, lost and on te road to ell, servants of sin and of te devil. Now we do not read in te Scriptures tat e did not any migty works tere, but tat e did not many migty works tere because of teir unbelief. For te general part, te people wo lived in te country were Jesus grew up did not believe in im. Yet some did. And e could tere do no migty work, save tat e laid is ands upon a few sick folk, and ealed tem (Mark 6:5). Tis by no means indicates tat it was a small ting tat Jesus ealed tese few sick folk. To tem it was all! Yet, was e not able to eal many more? Was tis Man wom tey tougt tey knew so well, and wose words and works so offended tem, not able to eal any and all tat would come to im, or be brougt to im, or to wom e imself would come and find? Now I ask you, are tere any wom e cannot save? Are tere some wom Jesus is not migty enoug to save, wose sins e cannot remit, wose broken earts e cannot bind up, wose bruises e cannot eal, wose darkened understandings e cannot enligten? Nay, we know of none wo are so! e can save te cief of sinners! e can save to te uttermost all tat come unto God by im! Tere is no deficiency in im watsoever to save a single soul, no matter ow black wit sin, no matter ow long tat person as been sinning, no matter ow many times e or se as sinned. But tere (Continued on page 17)

12 Page 12 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 1. Please explain Mattew 11:11. Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Verily I say unto you, Among tem tat are born of women tere at not risen a greater tan Jon te Baptist: notwitstanding e tat is least in te kingdom of eaven is greater tan e (Matt. 11:11). Tis statement by te Lord Jesus Crist comes at te end of a stirring tribute to is forerunner, Jon te Baptist.. Te Lord Jesus ad suc ig esteem for te caracter and ministry of Jon tat e exalts im above all te propets and saints of God tat went before im in te Old Testament dispensation. Jon s ministry was pivotal, transformative, and unique as te cosen one to prepare te way for te ministry of Crist. Jon carried out is work in simplicity and umility, always being careful to point men to Crist Jesus. e was a fearless preacer wo was imprisoned for is boldness and martyred for is unwavering commitment to te trut. Jon te Baptist was cosen and sent by God wit autority to baptize te Founder and ead of te curc, te Lord Jesus Crist. As great as Jon was, Jesus makes it clear tat tere were some wo were least in te kingdom of eaven wo were even greater tan im. Some conjecture tat Crist is referring to te saints of God in eaven wo were free from sin and te limitations of te fles. It is certainly plausible tat tis could be te interpretation given te fact tat God s elect in te eavenly land enjoy unfettered fellowsip in te presence of te Lord. owever, I am inclined to agree wit Broter Jon Gill wo believed tat Jesus was talking about te apostles wo were te first members of te curc e organized during is eartly ministry (I Cor. 12:28; Ep. 2:20-22). Wat te members of te first Baptist curc organized by Crist did is unprecedented in uman istory. God so empowered tem wit is Spirit tousands were converted among Jews and Gentiles. New Testament curces were planted troug teir missionary efforts tat are still bearing fruit today (Jon 15:16). God inspired some of tem to write powerful accounts of Crist s ministry, doctrine, and practice. Teir message of grace and power is still resonating in te Lord s curces 2,000 years removed from te eartly ministry of Crist. ere are some of Gill s observations:...but of te apostle s of Crist, wo were ten te kingdom of eaven, or te visible Gospel curc state. Tese ad better opportunity of conversing wit Crist, and of seeing and earing te tings tey did, tan Jon ad; tey ad te power of performing miracles, wic Jon ad not; were immediately sent fort by Crist, to preac te Gospel, and ad a clearer insigt into te truts of it tan Jon; especially, after te oly Gost was in suc an extraordinary manner pored fort upon tem on te day of Pentecost; particularly after te deat and resurrection of Crist, tey were able to preac im, not only as come in te fles, but as aving suffered and died, and obtained eternal redemption: tey could speak of is blood being sed, of is rigteousness being wrougt out, and of is sacrifice and satisfaction as being made, wic Jon could not; and besides, were more successful in te conversion of sinners, bot Jews and Gentiles, tan ever e was. Te comparison does not lie so muc between teir persons, as teir several different degrees of ligt and doctrine. (Vol. 7, p. 119). TOM ROSS Mike DeWitt Sr. PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Pastor Parkway Landmark Baptist Curc PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Jon te Baptist belonged to te old covenant. Tose of te old covenant looked forward to te coming of te Messia. Te sacrifices, te temple, and everyting under te Mosaic law were sadows of good tings to come. For te law aving a sadow of good tings to come, and not te very image of te tings, can never wit tose sacrifices wic tey offered year by year continually make te comers tereunto perfect (eb 10:1). Tose of te new covenant are made perfect tru Jesus Crist. For te law made noting perfect, but te bringing in of a better ope did; by te wic we draw nig unto God (eb 7:19). Te saints of God wo enter in te kingdom by way of te blood of te Crist are considered by te King to be greater tan tose of te Old Testament. MIKE DEWITT Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Verily I say unto you, Among tem tat are born of women tere at not risen a greater tan Jon te Baptist: notwitstanding e tat is least in te kingdom of eaven is greater tan e (Matt. 11:11). Two important points are being made by our Saviour in tis verse and tey migt seem to some as a paradox. First, is te greatness of Jon te Baptist. None greater, says our Lord! But ten, e says tat some (one) will be greater before we even finis processing te first tougt! Sela! Tink about it! If we go back to te context of te capter, we migt see wat te Lord is speaking about. Mattew 11:7-10, And as tey departed, Jesus began to say unto te multitudes concerning Jon, Wat went ye out into te wilderness to see? A propet? yea, I say unto you, and more tan a propet. For tis is e, of wom it is written, Beold, I send my messenger before ty face, wic sall prepare ty way before tee. Jesus answers is own question about weter Jon was a propet: yea, I say unto you, and more tan a propet. Yes, Jon te Baptist was a propet, but muc more tan tat, I believe we can see, Jon was (Continued on page 14)

13 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 13 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 2. Wat was te purpose of Crist s baptism? Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio For me tis is one of tose questions tat I know te answer, but to actually put it into words or explain it may be a little difficult, and te oter writers may do a muc better job at answering it tan me but I will do my best to give a solid answer. Te first ting tat I would say, Crist s purpose for everyting e did was to do is Fater s will. I can of mine own self do noting: as I ear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but te will of te Fater wic at sent me (Jon 5:30). Te next ting I would say is God as a perfect plan and e works all tings after is own will and purpose. In wom also we ave obtained an ineritance, being predestinated according to te purpose of im wo worket all tings after te counsel of is own will (Ep. 1:11). So if tat is true, wic I believe it is true, everyting as to be done according to is plan and tere can be no deviation from it. Tis is were I get very aggravated wit tose wo do not study and wo maybe are not even saved. All tey want to do is argue about someting tey ave no understanding of wat so ever. So wit tat said, dear reader, tere is an order to tings. And just to stop ere for a moment, tere are tose wo do not want to keep tis order, tey want to do wat pleases tem no matter wat God as said! God not only wants tings done is way- e demands it! God as said from te beginning, do it My way and I will sower you wit blessings beyond compare. And all tese blessings sall come on tee, and overtake tee, if tou salt earken unto te voice of te LORD ty God (Deut. 28:2). Do it your way and face my wrat and judgment. And I will set my face against you, and ye sall be slain before your enemies: tey tat ate you sall reign over you; and ye sall flee wen none pursuet you (Lev. 26:17). If ye will not ear, and if ye will not lay it to eart, to give glory unto my name, sait te LORD of osts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I ave cursed tem already, because ye do not lay it to eart (Mal. 2:2). I believe te judgment God gave to Malaci as fallen on America as well. Tere are many more Scriptures tat can be quoted ere but I will not take te space. First order of tings, Tere was a man sent from God, wose name was Jon (Jon 1:6). So we all understand tis, TERE WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD, wat part of tis is not understood? You can call Jon anyting you want at tis point but te Bible is clear and says e was a Baptist preacer, In tose days came Jon te Baptist, preacing in te wilderness of Judaea (Matt. 3:1), and e was preacing, And saying, Repent ye: for te kingdom of eaven is at and (Matt. 3:2). I am going to be a little sarcastic ere because I really get tired of some people s interpretation of tis part of te Bible. Do you remember te cildren s TV sow, Mister Rogers Neigborood? Well can you say JON TE BAPTIST, BOYS AND GIRLS? Can you say JON TE BAPTIST PREACED, REPENT YE FOR TE KINGDOM OF EAVEN IS AT AND? CAN YOU SAY JON TE BAPTIST WAS SENT FROM GOD, BOYS AND GIRLS? Do you get my point? Jon came preacing and baptizing and God sent im, so tat tells me tat Jon was te only one wo ad te AUTORITY to do tis at tat time. I am not going to apologize for being sarcastic because as ridiculous as you tink wat I said may sound it is ow ridiculous people sound tat do not believe Jon was a Baptist preacer! Tat is, of course, according to weter or not you believe te Bible. Ten comet Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto Jon, to be baptized of im (Matt. 3:13). Wat! Jesus came to Jon to be baptized of im! Wow, now is tat not someting, do I need to tell you dear reader again wy Jesus did tis? Good, I was oping not. Look at te next four verses. But Jon forbad im, saying, I ave need to be baptized of tee, and comest tou to me? And Jesus answering said unto im, Suffer it to be so now: for tus it becomet us to fulfil all rigteousness. Ten e suffered im. And Jesus, wen e was baptized, went up straigtway out of te water: and, lo, te eavens were opened unto im, and e saw te Spirit of God descending like a dove, and ligting upon im. And lo a voice from eaven, saying, Tis is my beloved Son, in wom I am well pleased (Matt. 3:14-17). Remember wat I said earlier about Crist coming to do te will of is Fater? Well look at verse 17 again, te voice from eaven (God s voice) was well pleased. Do you tink tat God would ave been pleased if Crist would ave said, I ave no need to be baptized? I tink not. Let me again stop ere, I do not want te questioner or reader to tink I am making fun of te question. On te contrary, I tink te question is great, but for tose wo do not agree wit my answer- all I can say to you is God elp you. Not tat I am rigt or wrong- tis is just a plain trutful fact on te order of tings as recorded in Scripture. I want to wrap tis up so let me say tis, Crist needed to be baptized because tat is wat God s order of tings were, and e needed to be Baptist to set te example for all tose tat would be added to is curc. Ten tey tat gladly received is word were baptized: and te same day tere were added unto tem about tree tousand souls (Acts 2:41). Praising God, and aving favour wit all te people. And te Lord added to te curc daily suc as sould be saved (Acts 2:47). Weter you believe tis or not is no anxiety of mine, but tose tat were added to te curc daily were added by being baptized. Finally, since Jon was te only one wo ad te autority to baptize in order for Jesus to continue and start is Curc, te autority ad to be passed onto Jesus by Jon, e must increase, but I must decrease (Jon 3:30). Jon did decrease, e (Continued on page 15)

14 Page 14 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Forum #1 (Continued from page 12) TE propet of TE propecy. Crist ten quotes Isaia 40 and attributes te eralded messenger as tis umble Jon, te voice of te wilderness! Preparing te way for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Crist! Tis Jon te Baptist was going to cange EVERYTING. Te task given Jon was an exalted one, wic required a great man of God! None greater born to women! Notice Crist elevates Jon to tat of equality wit tose propets gone on before. Not greater tan Moses, Abraam or Job. But particularly for tis generation of Baptist rejecters, Crist Jesus wanted tem to know tat not Moses, Abraam nor Job was greater tan Jon, eiter! None greater! Sela! Tink about it! Our Redeemer is not one to mince words about exaltation and glory. e pairs tis information about Jon s greatness wit a mysterious follow-up tat says tat watever greatness migt be conferred upon te first Baptist, e tat is least in te kingdom of eaven is greater tan e. Wo is Jesus referring to? Well, te oter usages of tis word least in te gospel of Mattew are typically translated as little or small. Mattew 18:1, At te same time came te disciples unto Jesus, saying, Wo is te greatest in te kingdom of eaven? Question sound familiar? e is going to answer it for us! Mattew 18:2-4, And Jesus called a little cild unto im, and set im in te midst of tem, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little cildren, ye sall not enter into te kingdom of eaven. Wosoever terefore sall umble imself as tis little cild, te same is greatest in te kingdom of eaven. owever great te task given to Jon te Baptist, so great also is te task given to every cild of God! If we umble and submit ourselves to te task God as given us, we can be as te greatest in te kingdom of eaven! As David, Samuel and Noa! As great as Jon te Baptist! But ultimately, I believe tis verse is referring to Jesus Crist, imself, as te One tat will be greater tan Jon. I tink wat Jesus is teacing ere, is te importance of service - our service to God! Te disciples desired greatness? Ten all one as to do is umiliate temselves to te glory of God! And none did tat better or as selflessly and perfectly as did te Son of God! Wen James and Jon desired tat exalted position of sitting on te left and rigt of te Sovereign of te universe, Jesus told tem it was a bitter cup, but never told tem it was out of reac! Mattew 20:25-28, But Jesus called tem unto im, and said, Ye know tat te princes of te Gentiles exercise dominion over tem, and tey tat are great exercise autority upon tem. But it sall not be so among you: but wosoever will be great among you, let im be your minister; And wosoever will be cief among you, let im be your servant: Even as te Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give is life a ransom for many. But made imself of no reputation, and took upon im te form of a servant, and was made in te likeness of men: And being found in fasion as a man, e umbled imself, and became obedient unto deat, even te deat of te cross. Werefore God also at igly exalted im, and given im a name wic is above every name: Tat at te name of Jesus every knee sould bow, of tings in eaven, and tings in eart, and tings under te eart; And tat every tongue sould confess tat Jesus Crist is Lord, to te glory of God te Fater (Pil. 2:7-11). Jesus Crist is te GREATEST in te Kingdom of eaven! 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 To tis point and time, umanly speaking tere was no one born of women (pysical birt) greater tan Jon te Baptist. Oter tan te angel Gabriel sent from God appearing to Zacarias and considering Elisabet s old age, Jon s was an ordinary birt. Just a note ere, Jesus excludes imself because e was not born of women but made of a woman. But wen te fulness of te time was come, God sent fort is Son, made of a woman, made under te law (Gal. 4:4). Remembering also, tat Jon ad an eartly fater (Zacarias) involved in is birt, our Lord ad no eartly fater (Josep not being involved), but a eavenly Fater. In te Gospel of Luke 7:28, For I say unto you, Among tose tat are born of women tere is not a greater propet tan Jon te Baptist: but e tat is least in te kingdom of God is greater tan e. We see wat Crist said about Jon prased a little different ere in Luke. In Mattew 11:11, Mattew records it Among tem tat are born of women tere at not risen a greater tan Jon te Baptist, but Luke records it Among tose tat are born of women tere is not a greater propet tan Jon te Baptist. Tere seems to be an empasis on propets. So we ave No greater born of women in Mattew and No greater propet born of women in Luke. Even toug oly men of God were led by te spirit to write, For te propecy came not in old time by te will of man: but oly men of God spake as tey were moved by te oly Gost (II Peter 1:21). God let tem retain teir own individuality. So it is not a contradiction, it is ow tey personally saw tings unfold. At tis juncture I believe Jesus openly declares Jon to be more tan a propet. So te propets of old could only propesy of te Crist, but Jon not only propesied of im, but got to see im face to face. So tere sould be no mistake ere tat of all te propets (Enoc, Noa, Abraam, David, Isaia, Jeremia, and te rest) in te Old Testament, and all men born up until te time Jon was born tere was no man greater. I find no reason tan to belabor any longer to prove tis out. So Jon was te greatest in natural birt, and e ad a great calling (sent from God), Tere was a man sent from God, wose name was Jon (Jon 1:6). Jon also ad great privilege and status, and for me tere is no greater privilege for a man tam to preac te Word of God. Now we come to a more complex part of tis verse in Mattew 11:11, at least in my opinion (I would encourage te reader to read Luke 7:28 over (Continued on page 15)

15 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 15 Forum #1 (Continued from page 14) again). Wo is te least and wat is te Kingdom of eaven referring to? I will say tis before I continue; woever te least in te kingdom of eaven are, tey are greater tan e, e meaning Jon te Baptist. Some may say tat Crist is te one referred to ere as te least being te one greater tan Jon te Baptist, but Jon already alluded to tat wen e said in Jon 3:30-31, e must increase, but I must decrease. e tat comet from above is above all: e tat is of te eart is eartly, and speaket of te eart: e tat comet from eaven is above all. If Crist is above all ow can e be te least and if e is te least ow does e sit on te rigt and of God? 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 (eb. 12:2). Also Jesus was not a mere man, neiter was e born in like manner as a man, but by a strange and wondrous kind of birt. But tat is ow I see it and tat does not necessarily make me rigt. I would ave to believe tat te least in te kingdom of God to be te least believer wo lived after te crucifixion and resurrection of Crist. I would believe tat weakest least member of te Lord s curc as a clearer knowledge of te exact manner in wic God would justify te ungodly tan Jon te Baptist or any one tat lived before te crucifixion could ever ave. I ave always said, I would rater ave te least amount of people tat were faitful tan a curc wit a undred tat were not. Tere could be a contrast tat Jesus is sowing ere between te privileges of tose wo lived to see is sedding of blood and tose wo died before tat blood was sed. We do not realize te enormous difference in te position of tese two classes of people. Let me give an example of wat I am trying to say. Wile Jon te Baptist lived e did not ave access into te oly of oly s, it was denied to all to enter except te ig priest but after Jesus gave up is Spirit te veil tat stood in te way was rent from top to bottom (Mark 15:37-39) And Jesus cried wit a loud voice, and gave up te gost. And te veil of te temple was rent in twain from te top to te bottom. And wen te centurion, wic stood over against im, saw tat e so cried out, and gave up te gost, e said, Truly tis man was te Son of God (Mark 15:37-39). But now we ave a privilege Jon te Baptist never ad, Wow! Now we can go boldly before te trone of God. Let us terefore come boldly unto te trone of grace, tat we may obtain mercy, and find grace to elp in time of need (eb. 4:16). So tat is wy I believe Jesus said least wic ave come to understand to be te least curc member (since tis is te New Testament Curc dispensation) was greater tan e, again e being Jon te Baptist. Tat is just one example of te many privileges and/or te tings we ave seen and read about tat Jon did not. To answer te question wat is te kingdom of eaven referring too? I will let te late Boyce Taylor answer tis for me because I believe tis to be te kingdom to wic Crist is referring. Tis to me would be consistent wit wat I ave said tus far. I will quote from Broter Taylor s tract Te Difference Between Te Family of God, Te Kingdom of God, and Te Curc of God. Concerning te Kingdom of God Broter Taylor says, Te Kingdom of God includes all te saved on eart at any given time. In Mattew 13 te kingdom as used in Jon 3:3-5, Matt. 16:19, 11:11, Luke 16:16, Rom. 14:17, Col. 1:13, Jon 18:36, etc., is composed of all te born-again on te eart. Tis is not te kingdom of Dan. 2:44, Luke 9:11-27, Acts 1:6, etc. Tese passages refer to te millennium. Tat kingdom is yet future. Wat is sometimes called te spiritual kingdom is composed only of tose wo ave been born again, wo ave been translated out of darkness into te kingdom of is dear Son. In Jon 3:3-5 te Master said, except a man be born anew e can neiter see nor enter te Kingdom of God. In Matt. 18:1-16 and Mark 10:13-15 te Master sows very clearly, tat te Kingdom is composed of only suc as ave received im, weter cildren or adults. Te family of God includes all te saved of all ages, weter in eaven or on eart; te kingdom of God includes tat part of te family of God wo are on te eart now. (End of Quote). One final note! Te reader may or may not ave picked up on te two passages tat ave been used in Mattew 11:11 and Luke 7:28. But in Mattew 11:11, Mattew records Jesus using te prase, kingdom of eaven were in Luke 7:28, Luke records Jesus using te prase kingdom of God. I will use one oter illustration to sow were I am going wit tis. In Mattew 19:23 and 24 we find once again Jesus speaking ere, Ten said Jesus unto is disciples, Verily I say unto you, Tat a ric man sall ardly enter into te kingdom of eaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go troug te eye of a needle, tan for a ric man to enter into te kingdom of God (Matt. 19:23-24). In verse 23 Jesus says kingdom of eaven but in verse 24 e uses kingdom of God. Tere as been muc debate if tey are one in te same, or meaning someting totally different. Clearly, te two prases are to me one in te same, wit te meaning being determined solely by te immediate context. I will not take any more space but it seems clear tat te lingdom of God and/or eaven can denote to te same folks, or is in fact te same place. Not in every case but probably more frequent tan not. I pray tis will sufficiently answer te question tat as been asked. God Bless! ROGER REED Forum #2 (Continued from page 13) was beeaded. Crist increased, after e was baptized of Jon e was led up into te wilderness and tempted of te devil (Mattew capter 4). You will also see in tat capter tat e started is eartly ministry and called te first curc members. Because in order to ave curc members you must ave a curc, wic e started as well. All because of te autority tat was passed onto im by being baptized, by one Jon te Baptist. (Continued on page 16)

16 Page 16 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Forum #2 (Continued from page 15) Ten before Jesus final departure from te eart e passed te autority on to is Curc (Mattew 28:18-20). All power in verse 18 is All Autority! God Bless! ROGER REED Mike DeWitt Sr. PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Pastor Parkway Landmark Baptist Curc PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Jon s baptism was from eaven, if it were not Jesus would never ad been baptized by im. is baptism sowed to you, and me, and all followers of Crist te need to fulfill all rigteousness. Jesus put is stamp of approval upon te autority Jon baptized wit. We sould take note Jon is te only person, or Curc, tat as received autority vertically in te Scriptures to baptize. I want to point you to Romans capter 6:1-14. We will be in te first resurrection, if we no longer serve sin. MIKE DEWITT Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Please read Mattew 3:13-17 were te account of Crist s baptism is recorded. First, Jesus declared tat is baptism was to fulfil all rigteousness. Baptism is clearly stated as a work of rigteousness on is part and Jon s. Tus, baptism is in no way to be regarded as a saving or sacramental ordinance in ligt of Titus 3:5-7: Not by works of rigteousness wic we ave done, but according to is mercy e saved us, by te wasing of regeneration, and renewing of te oly Gost; Wic e sed on us abundantly troug Jesus Crist our Saviour; Tat being justified by is grace, we sould be made eirs according to te ope of eternal life. Jesus was not baptized in order to be saved or to ave any sins wased away. e was sinless and perfect. Rater is baptism provides an example for all believers tat it is an act of obedience and rigteousness. Second, te baptism of Crist establises te importance of proper autority in te administration of baptism. Jesus walked 60 miles to be baptized by Jon te Baptist, te one wo God autorized and sent to baptize. Crist, te Founder and ead of te curc recognized te autority of te Baptist in is own baptism. In fact, later in is ministry Jesus declared tat tose wo reject te autority of Jon s baptism were in effect rejecting te council of God (Luke 7:27-30). As te ead of te curc Jesus vested is curc wit te autority to baptize (Matt. 28:18-20). Te curc tat Jesus started, perpetuated,, and empowered to carry out te Great Commission was wat we would today identify as a Baptist curc. Tus te autority to administer te ordinance of baptism as always been in te Lord s curc to be observed according to is purpose and will. Tird, te purpose of Crist s baptism was to establis te proper mode of baptism once and for all. Jesus was baptized by immersion in water as a symbolic declaration of is deat, burial, and resurrection (Rom 6:1-6). Sprinkling and pouring are te eretical, anti-cristian inventions of sinful men tat ave never been recognized as valid modes of baptism by true curces of Te Lord. Fourt, Crist s baptism signaled te beginning of is public ministry. Fift, te baptism of Crist by Jon te Baptist was approved and validated by God te Fater and te oly Spirit. Te tree persons of te oly Trinity ratified te importance of scriptural baptism to te Lord s curces. All believers sould desire to follow te example of Crist and seek te baptism tat God approved and validated. TOM ROSS Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Jesus Crist s baptism served te same purpose tere at te Jordan River tat it serves wen one of is cildren is immersed in tis generation. It marks out God s cosen avenue of service! It marks out God s people! Mattew 3:16-17, And Jesus, wen e was baptized, went up straigtway out of te water: and, lo, te eavens were opened unto im, and e saw te Spirit of God descending like a dove, and ligting upon im: And lo a voice from eaven, saying, Tis is my beloved Son, in wom I am well pleased. Tis is my beloved Son! Sela! Tink about it! Te purpose of baptism as always caused a lot of questions and controversies down troug te ages. But te Jordan River is a good starting point to understand it! First of all, te purpose of baptism is NOT to get saved! Jesus Crist did not need to be saved and yet e was baptized. Cornelius in Acts 10 was already saved- but God sent im to Peter to be baptized! Baptism is NOT to was away our sins! Again, Jesus Crist is a good place to start, because altoug e was baptized, it clearly was NOT because e ad any sins to was away. Te wasing away of our sins was predicated upon is deat on Calvary, not is immersion in Jordan! Not wit water, but wit blood! Revelation 1:5, And from Jesus Crist, im tat loved us, and wased us from our sins in is own blood. Let us review at least two reasons wy Jesus went to Jon for baptism. 1) To establis baptism as a Baptist ordinance. Baptism is te doorway into te Lord s curc and e is te ead of te curces. Follow Me! e says by word and by action! Mattew 4:18-20, And Jesus, walking by te sea of Galilee, saw two bretren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew is broter, casting a net into te sea: for tey were fisers. And e sait unto tem, Follow me, and I will make you fisers of men. And tey straigtway left teir nets, and followed im. Only Baptist curces can perform te ordinance of baptism. It is a tigtly guarded ordinance, tat allows no imposters or alien immersions (or sprinklings, for tat matter!). No one else could baptize Crist, but Jon! Wy? Jon 1:6,32-33, Tere was a man sent from God, wose name was Jon. And Jon bare record, saying, I saw te Spirit (Continued on page 17)

17 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 17 Forum #2 (Continued from page 16) descending from eaven like a dove, and it abode upon im. And I knew im not: but e tat sent me to baptize wit water, te same said unto me, Upon wom tou salt see te Spirit descending, and remaining on im, te same is e wic baptizet wit te oly Gost. And I saw, and bare record tat tis is te Son of God. Scripture clearly states tat God sent Jon wit te autority to baptize. None oter, until Crist assumed te mantle of autority (via baptism) and built is curc out of te materials prepared by Jon te Baptist, could baptize! Sela! Tink about it! 2) To establis baptism as an ordinance of submission. I Peter 3:21, Te like figure wereunto even baptism dot also now save us (not te putting away of te filt of te fles, but te answer of a good conscience toward God,) by te resurrection of Jesus Crist. Did you ever wonder wat te purpose could ave been for Crist Jesus, te Son of God to submit imself to te baptismal administrations of a mere mortal like Jon? Jon correctly deduces tis great patronization in Mattew 3:13-15, Ten comet Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto Jon, to be baptized of im. But Jon forbad im, saying, I ave need to be baptized of tee, and comest tou to me? Tere is NO WAY in te world tat Jon could be worty of suc an act of superiority! But Crist makes it clear tat is condescension is to te One wo SENT Jon, not te mortal imself. And Jesus answering said unto im, Suffer it to be so now: for tus it becomet us to fulfil all rigteousness. Ten e suffered im. In oter words, Jesus told Jon tat e ad a job to do. Yes, e was not worty. Yes, it was a matter tat would require suffrage and seeming outrageous indignation unto te One tat e was not worty even to loosen is soe latcet, but since God ad commanded it- tus it becomet us to fulfil all rigteousness! Te same ting is true today. No man is worty to baptize anyone into te precious curces of our Lord, but we submit ourselves one to anoter in tis wondrous ordinance of obedience and autority. Tis autority God gave is curces in te Great Commission of Mattew 28:18-20 and tis picturesque act of dying out to te world and submitting ourselves wolly to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Crist is ours in baptism and curc membersip! Mark tem, God says! Tis is my beloved Son, in wom I am well pleased. Sela! MATTEW STEPP None Saved But (Continued from page 11) is not one person wo will be saved wo does not believe upon Jesus Crist in order to be saved. Teir unbelief was te cause of teir not experiencing is migty power. is migty power remained undiminised in te least. is migty power remains undiminised today. e can save and e can eal and e will save and e will eal wosoever believet in im. Te Scriptures are very plain, tat it is te person wo believes on te Lord Jesus Crist wo sall be saved. Tere is nowere anyting ever stated concerning tose wo do not believe wit regard to salvation. Te unbeliever is said rater to be under condemnation, to peris, to die in is or er sin, and to ave a part in te lake wic burnet wit fire and brimstone, wic is te second deat. Salvation of te (Continued from page 1) Te purpose of tis article is to refute te idea tat Saints of te past Old Testament days were saved in a different manner tan saints today and to clarify tat, as our text states and we believe, tere as always and only been one way of salvation and tat by grace troug fait. From time to time, from various angles, some ave been led to suppose tat Old Testament saints were saved in a different manner tan saints today. Usually, tis comes about by teir teological and scriptural misunderstandings, suc as believing tat Old Testament saints were saved or kept saved by te keeping of te Law, or tat te oly Spirit s work in regeneration was different in te Old Testament tan it is today in tis age of te curc. My friend, just as God never canges, nor does is trut, for to do so would mean bot ave canged and tat is impossible. First, consider te Law. Did te Law save Old Testament sinners? Simply, te answer is no. In fact te reason it never saved anyone is because tat was never te purpose God gave to is oly Law. Te trut is, men were being saved by te grace of God troug fait long before te Law was ever given. Note Galatians 3. Te wole question is addressed ere, but especially notice verse 11, But tat no man is justified by te law in te sigt of God, it is evident: for, te just sall live by fait. Did or does, ten or now, a man receive te new Spiritual life e needs by te keeping of te Law? No! Note again verse 21, If tere ad been a law given wic could ave given life, verily rigteousness sould ave been by te law. So if te Law was not purposed to save a man, to make im rigteous or give im life, ten wat was te purpose of God in giving te Law? Verse 24 gives us God s answer, Werefore te law was our scoolmaster to bring us unto Crist, tat we migt be justified by fait. Altoug muc more sould be said of tis, our space will not allow it, but I will include some oter passages for tose wo like to furter seek discernment on tis fact (Gal. 2:16, 21; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:19-31; 7). Te fact is, bot te books of Romans and Galatians are dealing very clearly wit tis fact, tat te Law never did, could, or will save or keep one saved, because tat was never its God-given purpose. Rater, bot books, rigtly discerned, will sow teir full support for te trut of Epesians 2:8-9. Yes, it was true for bot te Old Testament ten and te New Testament saints now. Second, some ave asserted tis belief of a supposed difference in te means of salvation for te saints of te New Testament from tose of te Old Testament, because tey believe tat te Spirit worked differently in te saints back ten tan from ow e does is work in tem now. Tis is usually derived from a wrong understanding of wat (Continued on page 18)

18 Page 18 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Salvation of te (Continued from page 17) te Baptism of te oly Spirit was. Most will assert tat tis was some work of te Spirit done in New Testament believers tat was not done in Old Testament believers. We will not ave te time to address every aspect of tis issue, but let us say a couple of tings. First, te believers on te day of Pentecost were exactly tat, believers, tose already saved by te Grace of God and tat troug fait. Te work done tat day was not by te Spirit, but by Crist using is Spirit. As Jon te Baptist ad foretold, and Jesus ad promised (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3;16; Jon 1:33; Acts 11:15-16) and as it was described in Acts 2:1-13 and 10:44-48, and it sould be distinctly acknowledged, it was not a work IN, but ON believers, specifically in bot cases it is apparent it was on assemblies of believers, bot Jew and Gentiles, in bot instances. It is believed tat te work done on Pentecost was a fulfilling of is promise ON is kind of curc. Te work of te Spirit in regeneration and conversion is anoter ting. is work as always been to be te agent and imparter of new and God-given life. Tis was true bot for Old Testament saints ten and it as remained even to now for te saints of tis age, and any to come. Regeneration as always been a gift of God s sovereign grace and it as always been accomplised by is Spirit s quickening and tus, is giving and enabling of repentance and fait. Altoug concerning my deductions in tis article, I can not say tat e would old to every one of my conclusions, you would ave to ask im, neverteless, Broter Ron Crisp in is work entitled, A Study Guide On Te Person And Work of Te oly Spirit, (wic I recommend to any and all) says tis in Capter 4, pg 7-8: Te belief of some tat Old Testament believers were witout te Spirit must be rejected. Wile no one will deny tat on te day of Pentecost a new dispensation of te Spirit was received (Jon 7:37-39, 14:16-17, Acts 1:8), yet it must be asserted tat tere as never been a cild of God wo was destitute of te Spirit. Te fles can never produce a saint (Jon 3:3-6; Rom. 8:7-8). In Proverbs 1:23, wisdom promised to pour out er Spirit upon tose wo turned at er reproof. Even wile Crist was empasizing te future decent of te Spirit, e was careful to make it clear tat te oly Spirit was already dwelling wit tem (Jon 14:16-17). Anoter error sometimes eard is te teacing tat Old Testament saints migt lose te Spirit. Some ave used te case of Saul (I Sam. 16:14) to prove tis teacing, but tey are confusing te Spirit s work in salvation wit is work of equipping men for service to God. Te oly Spirit comes upon and departs from men in many respects, but never in regard to salvation. To imply suc would be to deny te security of God s people (Ps. 37:24). Tus we believe, wen properly discerned wit God s elp from te trut of is Word, weter it was te saint of old back ten or te saints of God now today, tere can only be one trut, and tat trut is, men ave always been, are being, and will be saved just as our text proclaims, by grace troug fait. Did Paul Eat te Lord s Supper wit te Curc at Troas? By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma And tere accompanied im into Asia SOPATER of Berea; and of te Tessalonians, ARISTARCUS and SECUNDUS; and GAIUS of Derbe, and TIMOTEUS; and of Asia, TYCICUS and TROPIMUS. Tese going before tarried for US at Troas. And WE sailed away from Pilippi after te days of unleavened bread, and came unto TEM to Troas in five days; were WE abode seven days. And upon te first day of te week, wen te disciples came togeter to break bread, Paul preaced unto tem, ready to depart on te morrow; and continued is speec until midnigt. And tere were many ligts in te upper camber, were tey were gatered togeter. And tere sat in a window a certain young man named Eutycus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preacing, e sunk down wit sleep, and fell down from te tird loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on im, and embracing im said, Trouble not yourselves; for is life is in im. Wen e terefore was come up again, and ad broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long wile, even till break of day, so e departed. And tey brougt te young man alive, and were not a little comforted (Acys 20:4-12) (Emp. CP). As tis text as been used muc against te strict Baptists, it as been on my eart for several monts to point out some tings about tis passage. I believe te trut of it will strengten te position eld by tose Baptists wom I regard as sound in teir practice wit regard to te Lord s Table. I refer to local-curc only, closedcommunion Baptists as being sound in teir practice. Tose wo believe in a universalcurc, open-communion or denominational-communion ave ad a field day wit tis passage. Tey say tis passage proves tat Paul ate te Lord s Supper wit a Curc of wic e was not a member, i.e. te Curc at Troas. Tey say tat Paul preaced to tis Curc at Troas a lengty sermon tat continued until te dawn. Tey often also say tat te early Curces observed te Lord s Supper every Lord s Day, but space forbids us to enter into tat discussion ere. I sall attempt to answer tese questions by asking and answering some questions myself. First question: Wat are te undisputed facts in te case? Let me answer tis question by making nine brief statements: (1) Paul intends on returning to Syria (v. 3), but because of danger from te Jews e makes (Continued on page 19)

19 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 19 Did Paul Eat te (Continued from page 18) is way troug Macedonia. (2) e sends a group of friends and fellow laborers in te Gospel on aead of im to Troas. Tose men were Sopater, Aristarcus, Secundus, Gaius, Timoty, Tycicus, and Tropimus. Tey are listed for us in verse 4. (3) Paul and Luke (and possibly oters) traveled togeter to Troas. We know tis because te writer (Luke) says tat tese above-mentioned men waited for US at Troas, tus including imself (and possibly oters) as being in te company of Paul. (4) Paul and Luke and oters if tere were any wit tem, sailed from Pilippi to Troas in five days, arriving tere eiter on te Lord s Day evening or early on our Monday morning (v. 6). (5) After seven days, on te first day of te week, Paul and te disciples came togeter to break bread (v. 7). (6) Paul spoke wit tem until midnigt wen a young man fell asleep as Paul spoke and fell down from te tird level to te ground (v. 9). (7) e was taken up as dead, but Paul went down and embraced im, saying tat is life was in im. (8) Paul returned to te upper camber and after e ad broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long wile even until te dawn, e departs. (9) Because te young man was alive, tose remaining were greatly comforted. Second question: Wat are te disputed facts? It is ere tat te issues of local-curc only and closed communion come to te fore. Te dispute arises concerning tese tings: (1) Wo were te disciples tat gatered in te upper camber? (2) Wat is meant by te prase to break bread? (3) Did Paul preac a sermon to tis group or engage in a prolonged conversation wit tem? If Paul gatered wit a Curc in Troas and took te Lord s Supper wit tem, we must conclude tat Paul was not a local-curc only, closedcommunion Baptist after all and if our position is not destroyed altogeter, it is most certainly weakened. So let us proceed wit more questions and answers. Tird question: Was tere a Curc in Troas? And if I may, let me also at tis point ask, wo founded it? Te facts are tese: Wile some attempt to maintain tat Paul founded a Curc in Troas on is first missionary journey, tere is absolutely no support for suc a claim! Te Word of God says, And tey passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in te nigt; Tere stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed im, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and elp us. And after e ad seen te vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gatering tat te Lord ad called us for to preac te gospel unto tem (Acts 16:8-10). It does not sound to me as if tere was an opportunity to preac te Gospel and establis a Curc in Troas on tis first missionary tour as many claim. Later Paul would write tese words concerning is visit to Troas: Furtermore, wen I came to Troas to preac Crist s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of te Lord, I ad no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my broter: but taking my leave of tem, I went from tence into Macedonia (II Cor. 2:12, 13). Paul ere says tat e ad an open door to preac te Gospel in Troas, but tat e left tat place and went into Macedonia because God spoke to im in a vision. Writing about tis verse (II Cor. 2:12), A.T. Robertson says, ere was an open door tat e could not enter. Altoug Paul wanted to preac te Gospel in Troas, Titus did not keep is appointment to meet Paul tere and Paul, aving seen a vision, immediately (Acts 16:10) took is leave of tem and went from tence into Macedonia according to II Corintians 2:13. So tere is no time for Paul to establis a Curc in Troas. In fact, we ave no Biblical record at all of any Curc being establised in Troas: period. Tere is no secular record, according to J.R. Graves, of any curc being establised in Troas until te second century. Jon Gill mentions tis fact as well. So we ave neiter a record of te founding or te existence of a curc at Troas in te Bible nor even witin te first Cristian century, if I may call it tat. It looks bad for te open-communionist, but it gets even worse! Let us consider anoter important question: If tere was not a Curc at Troas, just wo were te disciples wo gatered wit Paul on tis occasion? We know te names of some of tem, at least. Tere were Sopater..., Aristarcus... Secundus..., Gaius..., Timoteus..., Tycicus... Tropimus according to te text quoted at te first of tis article. Tese seven, plus Luke and Paul, and peraps oters wo traveled wit tem, made up te group of disciples wo gatered in tat upper camber. So tere were at least nine men present. Eutycus, te sleepy young man, was probably not a disciple, but may ave been a servant of te owner of te upper camber wic doubtless tey rented for teir stay in Troas. Tere may ave been oters, peraps all te members of te family wom we tink rented te room to Paul and is entourage. It is possible and peraps even likely tat Eutycus and oters were present to serve te meal and look after te supply of food and drink. Wile we cannot go furter tan te Bible, we can at least see tat it is possible tat a significant number of people would ave been togeter in tat upper camber and also about te ouse in cooking and preparing food, and in transporting it to te upper camber, etc. In tis text, as in all te Bible, let us not be guilty of eisegesis, i.e. of reading into te Scripture wat is not tere. We believe our loose-communion friends are guilty of tat and we carge tem to be faitful in drawing out te meaning of te text rater tan reading teir preconceived ideas into it. Tere is just no int, statement, or reason given in te Bible to cause us to believe tere was a previously existing Curc in Troas wen Paul made tis visit. Only te suppositions of some commentators would lead us to believe tat tere was. But let us proceed to te next question in our searc for te trut in tis matter. Let us consider exactly wat is meant by te prase to break bread? Opencommunionists (tose wo believe in allowing all professing (Continued on page 20)

20 Page 20 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Did Paul Eat te (Continued from page 19) believers to partake of te Supper) and denominationalcommunionists (tose wo believe in allowing te members of oter Baptist Curces to partake wit tem in te Supper) say tat te prase means to take te Lord s Supper. A.T. Robertson, famous Greek scolar and eiter an open-communionist or a denominational-communionist admits tat te words temselves refer to te agape feast of ordinary food. Bot e and Mattew Poole argue tat tis agape feast was followed by te Lord s Supper and tat te Supper is wat is intended ere. But tey do so from prejudice, I fear, and not from anyting warranted by te words, for tey admit tat te words refer to taking a meal of ordinary food. Te word used for bread in verses 7 and 11, by te way, is an ordinary word for bread and wile it can include unleavened bread, often means raised or leavened bread, so anoter question migt be raised ere: Did Paul eat leavened bread in te Lord s Supper wit te Curc at Troas? But we are in process of sowing tat Paul did NOT eat te Lord s Supper, nor did anyone in tis instance and so we sall not digress into a discussion of wat kind of bread was used tat nigt. Te same language describing eating ordinary food is used bot ere (vs. 7, 11), and definitely also in Acts 27:35 were Paul, as a prisoner on board a sip and in te midst of a storm says, e took bread, and gave tanks to God in presence of tem all: and wen e ad broken it, e began to eat. If our friends wo are loose on te Supper can demonstrate to us and state wit a straigt face tat Paul took te Lord s Supper on te sip, I will readily admit tat e ate te Supper at Troas in te text before us in Acts capter twenty. Te words used in Acts twenty of Paul and also of Paul in Troas are ordinary words used of an ordinary meal and do not indicate tat te Lord s Supper was intended. And so we come to our final question: Did Paul preac a sermon to tis group or engage in a dialog wit tem? Tose wo maintain tat a communion service was observed at Troas wen Paul was tere also maintain tat e preaced to tem. owever, te Greek word for preaced in verse 7 and preacing in verse 9 is used 13 times in te New Testament. Te King James translators translated it as dispute six times; reason wit two times; reason two times; preac unto one time (ere in verse 7); preacing once (ere in verse 9); and speak one time. So ere is a word tat is NOWERE ELSE IN TE BIBLE translated as preac and yet some insist tat it ougt to portray to us an orderly Curc meeting wit Paul standing before a silent congregation and delivering a sermon. It just does not portray tat! It is IN BOT PLACES te Greek word tat transliterates as dialegomai from wic we get our Englis word dialog. Now a sermon is te speaking of one man, but a dialog is a conversation or intercange of words and sentences between at least two persons, peraps more. Webster gives as two possible meanings tese: dialog: a conversation between two or more persons and an excange of ideas and opinions (Webster s Sevent New Collegiate Dictionary). A dialog is NOT preacing! Paul did not preac tis nigt at Troas! e and te men wit im spent te evening in conversation, in excanging ideas, but tere is noting in te Bible to cause us to tink tat Paul preaced a sermon in tat place at tat time. So wat do we ave in tis muc-disputed text? (1) We ave no evidence tat tere was a Curc in Troas at te time Paul visited tere. (2) We ave Biblical evidence tat Paul, in fact, did not spend muc time in Troas on is first visit and did not preac and organize a Curc tere at tat time wen most if not all commentators say e did. (3) We ave language descriptive of an ordinary meal used to describe wat took place wen tese disciples gatered togeter tat First Day evening. (Baptists do eat on Sunday, you know!) (4) We find no evidence tat Paul preaced on tis occasion, but rater tat e and tose wit im lingered in conversation until midnigt wen te bored and uninterested young man, Eutycus, aving noting to do, fell asleep and fell down from te tird level of te building. After restoring im to life, Paul continues is dialog e talked a long wile, even till break of day. Wy te lengty discussion? Peraps Paul and te disciples continued long in dialog because Paul was going to go afoot (Acts 20:13) and meet te disciples wo labored wit im at te seaport of Assos. e was continually in danger and varied is route and metod of transport to confound is enemies (Acts 20:3) and it seems tat tat may ave been is motive in leaving tem on tis occasion. Tese coworkers wit Paul loved im and knew not if tey would see im again after tis nigt in Troas for e would depart on te morrow. Let it be remembered tat Paul was going up to Jerusalem. e will meet wit te elders of te Epesus Curc at teir seaport of Miletus were tere will be muc weeping because tey know tat tey will see is face no more (Acts 20:37, 38). Considering wat lay aead, it is little wonder tat Paul and tese men wo love im and labored wit im would continue teir conversation trougout te nigt. Te meeting described for us is one of tenderness and broterly affection in an informal setting as tese travelers were about to part company once again. And so we conclude tat Paul did NOT eat te Lord s Supper wit te supposed Curc at Troas. We ave sound and Biblical reasons for our conclusion. We can say wit confidence tat e did not even serve te supper nor was tere a communion service eld in tat place at tat time. Tere is no evidence tat tere even existed a Curc in Troas at te time of tis visit. Our open-communion friends and denominational-communion friends ave neiter leg nor foot to stand on to support teir views in Acts capter 20! Let tem attempt to defend teir position from somewere else, for tey ave no ammunition ere! Let us wo would follow te Bible resolve to study it carefully and follow it faitfully and continue wit te Biblical practice of closed, local-curc only communion.

21 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 21 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 Anti-Religion Bullies Switc Targets (WNS)--Two ateists wo recently targeted curces in awaii tat rent space from public scools are continuing teir assault on religious liberty tis time, in Micigan. Mitc Kale and olly uber moved back to te mainland after 15 years advocating for te separation of curc and state in te Island State. Tey immediately elped found te Micigan Association of Civil Rigts Activists (MACRA), wic already is attacking religious liberty tere. MACRA sent letters of complaint to two scool superintendents in Muskegon, alleging Cristian clubs offered to middle scool students during te lunc our were unconstitutional, according to mlive. com, a Micigan news conglomerate. Altoug te groups met for two years wit no complaints, te scools canceled tem on Dec. 4. Department of Education: Title IX Applies to Transgender Students (WNS)--Scools tat offer singlegender classes, from kindergarten troug ig scool, must allow students to attend based on teir declared gender identity, according to a Department of Education (DoE) memo issued Dec. 1. Te directive even applies to sex-ed classes, were students often are separated by gender to elp make tem feel more comfortable. Te 34-page memo applies to federally funded scools and extends Title IX gender discrimination protection to transgender students. It requires transgender students to be treated according to teir proclaimed gender identity in all aspects of te planning, implementation, enrollment, operation, and evaluation of singlesex classes. Te DoE Office for Civil Rigts released te memo to ensure scool compliance wit Title IX regulations. As we receive increasing inquiries about singlesex offerings, we want to be clear wat federal law allows: Protect civil rigts and promote acievement, said Caterine E. Lamon, assistant secretary for civil rigts. Nort Carolina AG Will Ask ig Court to ear Ultrasound Case (WNS)--A federal appeals court gave te pro-abortion movement an early gift in December, striking down a Nort Carolina law requiring abortionists to sow teir patients ultrasound images of te babies tey are about to kill. In December, a tree-judge panel of te 4t U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upeld a lower court s decision to block te law, known as te Nort Carolina Woman s Rigt to Know Act. Te appeals court ruled te law violates free speec rigts because it requires doctors not only to sow abortionminded women teir ultrasounds but also describe te image to tem. Nort Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper plans to appeal te decision to te Supreme Court based on oter, conflicting court decisions. Monday s opinion olding Nort Carolina s law unconstitutional is now in conflict wit a case involving a similar Texas law wic te 5t Circuit Court upeld, Cooper s spokeswoman, Noelle Talley, told te Carlotte Observer. Kentucky Sinks Tourism Tax Incentives for Noa s Ark Teme Park (WNS)--Kentucky officials witdrew a state tax incentive package in December for a Cristian nonprofit building a replica of Noa s ark, claiming te rebate violated te principle of curc-state separation. Answers in Genesis (AIG), an apologetics ministry, plans to build an 800-acre teme park centered around a life-sized Noa s ark in Williamstown, Ky. Te organization also runs te Creation Museum near Petersburg, Ky., located 20 miles west of Cincinnati, Oio. Almost 2.3 million people ave visited te museum since it opened in Due in part to its success, AIG started construction earlier tis year on te Ark Encounter teme park, wic is expected to bring undreds of jobs to te area. Te project also will feature an ancient city, live animals, and a Tower of Babel replica. AIG sougt approval to participate in Kentucky s taxincentive program designed to draw tourism to te Bluegrass State. Te program allows tourist attractions to recover up to 25 percent of teir development costs by refunding te sales tax tey collect for te first 10 years of operation. In 2011, AIG received initial approval from te Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Committee to participate in te program, autorizing up to $43.1 million in rebates, USA Today reported. Atlanta Mayor Denies Religious Motives in Fire Cief s Termination (WNS)--Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed fired Fire Cief Kelvin Cocran on Jan. 6 over a spat tat started wit a fait-based book and ended wit LGBT activists demanding swift punisment. Cocran s selfpublised book, Wo Told You Tat You Are Naked?, tells te story of is fait in Crist, but also includes comments supporting traditional marriage and ortodox Cristian teacings on sexuality. During a news conference to announce te firing, Reed empatically denied Cocran lost is job over is religious beliefs. Reed insisted e relieved te fire cief of is command because of wat amounted to insubordination, saying, Tis as noting to do wit is religious beliefs. It as everyting to do wit te decision to publis a book, wit te contents of tis book, witout talking to your boss. Period. Same-Sex Marriages Start in Florida (WNS)--A judge in Miami-Dade County ruled clerks tere may issue same-sex marriage licenses today just before a statewide ruling allowing gay marriage takes effect. U.S. District Judge Robert inckle declared te state s marriage amendment, wic defines marriage as between one man and one woman, unconstitutional in August, but stayed te ruling until midnigt Tuesday. On New Year s Day, e issued a clarification tat te ruling applied to all Florida counties, not just tose named in te original lawsuit. Liberty Counsel, a conservative legal group based in te Orlando area, planned to file complaints in several counties today to block clerks from issuing licenses to same-sex couples. State Lawmakers Support Medical Pot for Kids Despite Doctors Doubts (WNS)--Cildren in Illinois can now be prescribed medical (Continued on page 22)

22 Page 22 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 Bible & te Newspaper (Continued from page 21) marijuana, according to rules announced by state officials in early January. Te rules amend te state s medical marijuana pilot program, wic initially did not include cildren under 18 years old. After lawmakers approved it in June, a andful of parents speareaded a successful campaign to open te program to cildren, especially tose wo suffer from epileptic seizures. Under te new rules, wic went into effect on New Year s Day, cildren diagnosed wit a qualifying debilitating condition can obtain marijuana-infused products, but not raw marijuana for smoking. In order to obtain te treatment, cildren need a signature from teir own pysician, an additional doctor s review and autorization, and parental permission. Since 1996, 23 states and te District of Columbia ave passed laws creating medical marijuana programs. An additional 11 states, including Florida, Nort Carolina, and Tennessee recently legalized te limited use of low TC, ig CDB treatment for adults and minors wit specific conditions. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Sexual Orientation Added to Olympic Anti- Bias Policy (WNS)--Te International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted in December to add sexual orientation to te Olympic Carter. Te decision comes after pressure from gay advocacy groups following Russia s proibition of gay propaganda during te 2014 Soci Winter Olympics. Te cange, part of a 40-point reform package pused by IOC President Tomas Bac, passed by a unanimous 96-0 vote and reworded one of te Fundamental Principles of Olympism. Te clause now states: Te enjoyment of te rigts and freedoms set fort in tis Olympic Carter sall be secured witout discrimination of any kind, suc as race, color, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political, or oter opinion, national or social origin, property, birt, or oter status. Fait and Repentance or Repentance and Fait By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma Did you believe and ten repent or did you repent and ten believe? Or did someone tell you tat you needed only to believe and did not need to repent? Please do not dismiss our present subject as mere air splitting. It is not! Te question is tis: does fait precede repentance or does repentance come first? Tis question is of utmost importance because te kind of fait tat precedes repentance (if it be called fait) is not saving fait. It is mere intellectual assent: mere agreement wit te facts. It is not tat resting your wole weigt upon Crist and is finised work. Terefore, if te only fait tat a person as is te kind of fait tat precedes repentance, tat person is not saved. Tat person as not been born again. Tat person as never ad an experience of grace toug e may believe te trut about sovereign grace, may teac it, may preac it yea, may defend it vigorously. And tat person may be you! Our subject demands tat eac of us examine imself as to is or er experience. Let us be clear: tere are many wo believe and say tat fait must come first and ten repentance. Tat is te position of te Campbellites - tose folk wo like to call temselves Curc of Crist, Cristian Curces, and Disciples of Crist, in te main. Tere are also splinter groups of tem called by oter sometimes similar names suc as Crist s Curc, etc. Tey teac tat fait precedes repentance. Is teirs only an intellectual fait apart from an experience of grace? Is teirs like so many oters, te fait of devils? James wrote, Tou believest tat tere is one God; tou doest well: te devils also believe, and tremble (Jam. 2:19). Baptists ave istorically stood on te ground tat repentance precedes saving fait: wo is rigt? Does it make a difference? We say it is te biggest of differences: te difference between saving fait and mere dead intellectual belief. Te difference between being saved and being religious, but lost! First of all let us establis tis trut: te Bible teaces tat repentance precedes saving fait. We know tis, first of all, because wen te two are mentioned togeter tey are always I repeat always mentioned in tat order: repentance first, fait second. Wen summing up is ministry, Paul said tat e ad gone about, Testifying bot to te Jews, and also to te Greeks, repentance toward God, and fait toward our Lord Jesus Crist (Acts 20:21). Repentance, ten fait, is te message Paul preaced to bot Jews and Gentiles. Te yper-dispensationalists are in error saying tat repentance was a message only for te Jews for Paul said e preaced it to bot groups. Considering tat Paul spoke tese words near te end of is recorded ministry would indicate tat e ad consistently preaced tese tings. Te Lord Jesus imself preaced, saying,...te time is fulfilled, and te kingdom of God is at and: repent ye, and believe te gospel (Mark 1:15). ere repentance is enjoined first, ten fait. A furter point to consider is tis: Jesus said to te Parisees, For Jon came unto you in te way of rigteousness, and ye believed im not: but te publicans and te arlots believed im: and ye, wen ye ad seen it, repented not afterward, tat ye migt believe im (Matt. 21:32). ere it was necessary for tem to repent first: in order as Crist said...tat ye migt believe... Again, in ebrews 6:1 te Bible speaks of...repentance from dead works, and of fait toward God, sowing te Bible order of repentance preceding fait. Let us point out ere tat wile repentance is turning to God from sin, some sin is respectable and even religious in nature. Suc sin is dead works. Not all sin tat demands repentance is drunkenness, adultery, murder or oter detestable sins. You may need to repent of your good works for salvation. You may need to repent of religious exercises and experiences. You may need to repent of propesying, of casting out demons and working miracles according to Mattew 7: In tose verses Jesus said religious people wo were not known by im were workers of iniquity. Mark it down: religion even Cristianity - apart from Crist is iniquity! Furtermore, in I Tessalonians 1:8-9 Paul told ow te fait of te saints in Tessalonica was well known. e furter stated ow teir fait was te evidence of teir repentance: ence fait followed repentance. is words were tese: For from you sounded out te word of te Lord not only in (Continued on page 23)

23 February 5, 2015 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 23 Fait and (Continued from page 22) Macedonia and Acaia, but also in every place your fait to Godward is spread abroad; so tat we need not to speak any ting. For tey temselves sew of us wat manner of entering in we ad unto you, and ow ye turned to God from idols to serve te living and true God. Teir turning was teir repentance, for tat is te nature and essence of repentance. Teir fait evidenced teir turning. Fait follows repentance. O, ow we fear for tose wose wole experience is one of mere intellectual fait te believing of Bible facts only and a turning not to God in fait, but a turning to baptism and oter works. We fear tey ave ad no experience of grace. Teirs is a religion of works. For it is in teir works tat tey tink to find salvation: in wat tey may call obedience to Crist or obedience to te gospel. Tere are a great many people today wo are like te Israelites of Paul s day. Tey are devout, but devoted to te wrong ting. Tey are zealous, but not for God tey are zealous in going about to establis teir own rigteousness. Paul wrote of tem, Wat sall we say ten? Tat te Gentiles, wic followed not after rigteousness, ave attained to rigteousness, even te rigteousness wic is of fait. But Israel, wic followed after te law of rigteousness, at not attained to te law of rigteousness. Werefore? Because tey sougt it not by fait, but as it were by te works of te law. For tey stumbled at tat stumblingstone (Rom. 9:30-32). Is te rigteousness by wic you tink to be approved of God te rigteousness wic is of fait or is it by te works of te law? We would remind te reader tat tere are only two religions in te world. One is te religion tat by works tinks to satisfy and please God weter by baptism, bating in te Ganges River, a pilgrimage to Mecca, or joining a curc. Te only oter religion is te religion of fait in Crist alone - putting your wole weigt on im and im alone for salvation. Are you stumbling at te stumbling stone? ave you not been enabled to see tat rigteousness before God is by fait? Saving fait te fait tat follows repentance - is called te fait of God s elect for it is te gift of God to tem: see Titus 1:1 and Epesians 2:8-9. ave you not read Romans capter four were Abraam and is experience of fait is laid out as te experience to wic all tose wom God saves must and do come? ave you not read tere of Abraam and ow wen promised te umanly impossible, e staggered not at te promise of God troug unbelief; but was strong in fait, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded tat, wat e ad promised, e was able also to perform. And terefore it was imputed to im for rigteousness. Now it was not written for is sake alone, tat it was imputed to im; But for us also, to wom it sall be imputed, if we believe on im tat raised up Jesus our Lord from te dead; Wo was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification (Rom. 4:20-25). Are you one of te us also, to wom it sall be imputed? Are you one wo believes on im tat raised up Jesus our Lord from te dead? Or do you just believe about im tat raised up Jesus our Lord from te dead? Peraps, never seeing yourself as God sees you a sinner you see no need for imputed rigteousness. Peraps you see no need for repentance. You see no need of turning to God because you tink you are pleasing God by your religion or good deeds or by just being wat you tink is a good person. So you continue in your self-reformation and attempt by your own will to please God and yet you do not, will not, sall not, indeed you cannot please God. Wy will you not believe tat God imputes (credits) absolute rigteousness by means of saving fait? Wy will you not repent of your self-effort your works by wic you tink to please God? Will you repent of stumbling at te stumbling stone? You may ave stumbled at Crist and is finised work. Will you repent of even tis turn to God and trust (believe) wit te fait of Abraam tat you may ave rigteousness imputed to you? ave you not read tat...tey wic are of fait, te same are te cildren of Abraam (Gal. 3:7)? God says,...tey wic be of fait are blessed wit faitful Abraam. For as many as are of te works of te law are under te curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one tat continuet not in all tings wic are written in te book of te law to do tem. But tat no man is justified by te law in te sigt of God, it is evident: for, Te just sall live by fait. And te law is not of fait: but, Te man tat doet tem sall live in tem. Crist at redeemed us from te curse of te law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one tat anget on a tree: Tat te blessing of Abraam migt come on te Gentiles troug Jesus Crist; tat we migt receive te promise of te Spirit troug fait (Gal. 3:9-14). Many today boast tey are not under te Old Testament te law but ave subjected temselves to a man (Continued on page 24) 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 Program Production TOTAL EXPENDITURES ENDING BALANCE... $7, BEREA BAPTIST BANNER Financial Report to Beginning Balance...$ RECEIPTS: Amazing Grace B. C., Stockdale, TX B.C. of Brimfield, Brimfield, IL Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Berea B. C., Stonington, IL Betel B. C., Pasadena, TX Briar Creek B. C., Williamsburg, KY Big Creek B. C., Wayne, WV Citrus M. B. C., Inverness, FL 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. C., Indore, WV James Kitcens, Mantacie, MS Te Lord s Curc, Goose Creek, SC Mt. Pleasant B. 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24 Page 24 Te Berea Baptist Banner February 5, 2015 ANNOUNCEMENTS Te Citrus Missionary Baptist Curc of Inverness, Florida and pastor Troy Seppard would like to announce tat tey will be osting a Bible Conference February 13t tru 15t. Services will be on Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 10:00 a.m., & 1:30 p.m., & Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Meals will be provided by te curc on Friday at 5:00 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 a.m., noon, & 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday at 8:30 a.m., & noon. Sceduled to speak are Elders Mark Clark, Tom orn, Paul Jackson, Doug Newell IV, Leroy Pack, Jon Pruitt, Justin Meyer, Paul Sandlin, Andy Wilson, and Sam Wilson. For more information please contact Pastor Wm. Troy Seppard at or ourbaptistome@ yaoo.com Te Windsor Baptist Curc of Windsor, IL is seeking a qualified candidate for pastor. Tey are small in number but ric in trut. Candidate sould meet te qualification in I Timoty 3. For more information please contact Broter Jon Gregory at (217) or windsorbaptist.grace@gmail.com. Te Sovereign Grace Baptist Curc of Galena, O is in need of a pastor. Any interested candidates possessing te qualifications and traits concerning te office as found in I Timoty 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 are asked to contact eiter of te following: Bro. Randy Coffey at (614) or recoffeypot@aol.com, or Bro. Joe Vass at (614) or jamijoe@wowway.com. Te Glade Creek Baptist Curc, Summersville, WV is in need of a pastor. Tis curc believes and preaces te doctrines of grace and curc trut. Any interested Elder sould call Bro. Rodney Perkins at (304) or Bro. Allen Frame at (304) Te Fait Missionary Baptist Curc of Cobbitty, Sout Wales, Australia is in need of a pastor. For more information please contact David Jackson at 4 Station Street, Tirlmere, NSW 2572, Australia or sellie45@bigpond.com.au. 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 Fait and (Continued from page 23) ARTICLE INDEX 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. made law of works for salvation just as orrendous as any Israelite ever was. Tis, too, requires repentance toward God! Wy will you continue in your dead works? Only te blood of Crist can free you from te slavery of false religion: te notion tat works can save weter baptism or your futile attempt at ceasing from sin. Te Bible says, ow muc more sall te blood of Crist, wo troug te eternal Spirit offered imself witout spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve te living God? (eb. 9:14). Your conscience tells you tat you must reform, you must obey, you must serve God, you must be a slave to te law, you must cease from sin but your experience tells you tat you cannot. Your conscience as been taugt tat works will save you. But tey cannot! Te blood of Crist alone can cleanse your conscience and give you liberty from dead works! Wat you need is te experience Te Bible and te Newspaper... p. 21 Te Curc at Tyatira by Milburn Cockrell... p. 1 Did Paul Eat te Lord s Supper wit te Curc at Troas? by Curtis Pug.. p. 18 Distinctive Fait by Larry J. Killion... p. 1 Fait and Repentance or Repentance and Fait by Curtis Pug...p. 1 Forum... pp Making Too Little of Grace by Lucien J. LeSage Jr.... p. 1 None Saved But Tose Wo Believe by Timoty J. ille... p. 1 Salvation of te Saints: Bot Ten and Now by Donnie Burford... p. 1 Watering te Tulips by Todd Bryant...p. 5 of God s grace werein te Spirit of God moves in te new birt canging everyting so tat you turn to God (repentance) and in total utter dependence on Crist s finised work look to im. Tat is saving fait. Jesus said, Tat wic is born of te fles is fles; and tat wic is born of te Spirit is spirit. Marvel not tat I said unto tee, Ye must be born again (Jon 3:6-7). NEW VOLUME $43.99 Te latest Commentary in te Ritcie Old Testament Series. Tis commentary on 1 & 2 Samuel will prove to be elpful, practical and callenging to te believer wo is interested in learning of God s ways in te Old Testament. Tis volume is ardcover wit 425 pages. Please see postage cart below. Order from te Berea Baptist Curc Bookstore PO Box 39 Mantacie, MS Postage & Sipping Cart Order Value... Add Minimum...$5.00 $ $6.00 $ $7.00 $ $8.00 $ and Up...FREE