God Is All You Need. Let God. Be good within; do good without. By Curtis Pugh of Poteau, Oklahoma. United States sponsored two important ceremonies

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1 Te Curc at Epesus By Milburn R. Cockrell ( ) Unto te angel of te curc of Epesus write; Tese tings sait e tat oldet te seven stars in is rigt and, wo walket in te midst of te seven golden candlesticks; I know ty works, and ty labour, and ty patience, and ow tou canst not bear tem wic are evil: and tou ast tried tem wic say tey are apostles, and are not, and ast found tem By Nataniel ille of Caldwell, Kansas ave you ever eard suc a statement? Let God! It is te standard cry from many pulpits today tat sinners must Let God into teir earts, or tat sinners must Let God save tem. It is astounding to tis preacer tat suc a statement is uttered out of any mout, but especially from tose tat claim to be is ministers. One would tink tat suc wo ave degrees and spend Let God liars: And ast borne, and ast patience, and for my name s sake ast laboured, and ast not fainted. Neverteless I ave somewat against tee, because tou ast left ty first love. Remember terefore from wence tou art fallen, and repent, and do te first works; (Continued on page 238) ours in te Word of God would see tat for finite man to LET an infinite God do someting, anyting, everyting would be quite absurd! Let us tink about tis statement for a moment: Let God. If God is all-powerful, and e is, ten ow can man let God (Continued on page 243) You Cannot Wip im By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma Let us consider te greatest of subjects God in all is sovereignty. In tis article we sall explore a simple, direct and yet eloquent message tat, I am told, was preaced many years ago. But first a few comments must be made about someting wit wic some may be unfamiliar and oters may ave almost forgotten. Tere was a time wen te public scools of tese By Paul Stepp of Indore, West Virginia United States sponsored two important ceremonies for teir graduating senior classes. Commencement exercises, to my knowledge, are still eld in most scools belonging to te taxpayers. But in te days before liberal and godless psyciatrists, psycologists, sociologists and te ACLU told (Continued on page 241) God Is All You Need But my God sall supply all your need according to is rices in glory by Crist Jesus (Pil. 4:19). It seems tat we ave a lot of needs in tis life. I know tat some of our needs are basic and essential to all living men. owever, some of our so-called needs are really noting more tan our wants and desires, wic encroac upon us in tis life. Te trut is, since te day God gave you Jesus Crist as your Saviour (or rater, made you to know te fact tat you were given unto te Lord Jesus), you ave ad all tat you need. If you are a cild of God, and if you were lying somewere sick, naked, witout a possession in tis world, and ready to (Continued on page 244) Be good witin; do good witout. Wen a candle is aligt witin a lantern it seds a ligt all around; but if te lantern be dark witin it is of no use to tose outside. It is te same wit men. ave ligt in yourselves. Let your ligt so sine before men, tat tey may see your good works, and glorify your Fater wic is in eaven (Mattew 5:16).

2 Page 238 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 November 5, 2014 Volume XXXIV, Number 11 Wole Number 424 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. DON T COMPLAIN IF YOUR READING BASKET IS EMPTY! Look at your mailing label on te front page of tis mont s paper. If you see above your name Expires 11/2014 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. Epesus (Continued from page 237) or else I will come unto tee quickly, and will remove ty candlestick out of is place, except tou repent. But tis tou ast, tat tou atest te deeds of te Nicolaitanes, wic I also ate. e tat at an ear, let im ear wat te Spirit sait unto te curces; To im tat overcomet will I give to eat of te tree of life, wic is in te midst of te paradise of God (Rev. 2:1-7). Wen te Apostle Jon was exiled to te small island of Patmos, e saw a vision of te glorified Son of man on te Lord s Day. Te ascended Crist revealed to Jon tings to come. On tis occasion Crist commissioned im to write wat e saw in a book, and send it unto te seven curces wic are in Asia; unto Epesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Tyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Piladelpia, and unto Laodicea (Rev. 1:11). All too many times we are prone to pass quickly over tese seven letters of Crist to is seven curces in our study of te book of Revelation. Terefore, I plan to discuss tese seven letters at lengt, praying tat te oly Spirit sall be our teacer. Let us direct our attention to Crist s epistle to te curc in te city of Epesus. In tis brief epistle Crist did not address te curc universal, or te curces in Epesus, or te diocese of Epesus. Rater, e sent tis letter to te one local curc wic met in te city of Epesus. TE CURC (v. 1) Te curc at Epesus was founded by te Apostle Paul. e arrived in te city of Epesus about A. D. 58. e re-immersed twelve disciples wo ad been baptized by Apollos (Acts 19:1-7). For tree monts after tis e addressed te Jews in teir synagogue concerning te kingdom of God (Acts 19:8). Due to severe opposition, e separated is converts and organized tem into a curc (Acts 19:9). Paul went on preacing for two yeas after tis (Acts 19:10). Many were converted and added to te curc (Acts 19:10-20). Finally, violent opposition forced Paul to leave for Macedonia (Acts 19:21-20:1). Te apostle left Timoty at Epesus to labor wit te curc (I Tim. 1:2-3). So far as we know Paul never returned to visit wit tis curc, altoug e did meet wit te elders of te curc at Miletus, a town a few miles from Epesus. At te meeting in Miletus e warned te elders of te Epesian curc of te coming of false teacers (Acts 20:28-32). It would seem from te letter dictated by te Son of God and transmitted by is servant Jon some 38 years later (A. D. 96) tat te curc gave earnest eed to Paul s warning. Crist praised tem for teir doctrinal purity. TE CITY (V. 1) Epesus was situated upon te river Cayster on te side of a ill and was muc celebrated for its local scenery. It was between Smyrna and Miletus, not far from te Icarian Sea. Tis very old city was believed to ave been founded by te Amazons. It was te capital of Ionia. Under te Romans it was te capital of te entire province of Asia and bore te title te first and greatest metropolis of Asia. It was ere te Apostle Jon lived (Continued on page 239)

3 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 239 Epesus (Continued from page 238) in is latter years before e was exiled to Patmos, and wo after te deat of Domitian returned to tis city. Te cief ornament of te place was te famous temple of Diana, one of te seven wonders of te world. It is said to ave taken 220 years in building at te expense of all Asia. It was made of sining marble. Its dimensions were 342 feet long and 164 feet wide. It was supported by 127 columns of Parisian marble, eac single saft being 60 feet long. In te center of te temple, concealed by curtains, stood te image of te goddess Diana. In tis place could be eard te souts of tousands of devotees, Great is Diana of te Epesians (Acts 19:28). Epesus was also noted for its magnificent teater (Acts 19:29) wic seated about 50,000 people, te largest seating capacity in te Greek world. Close to tis teater was te magnificent stadium in wic te races were run, te gladiatorial combats were fougt and were large crowds satisfied teir lust for blood watcing te deat struggles between man and beast in te arena. ere was were great gaterings settled public questions (Acts 19:29). TE CRIST (v. 1) Te message to te Epesian curc is a message directly from Crist, te great ead of te curc. Note te language in verse 1: Tese tings sait e tat oldet te seven stars in is rigt and, wo walket in te midst of te seven golden candlesticks. ere Crist is seen possessing full knowledge of bot pastor and people. e is revealed as te only one competent to criticize and condemn is curc. Tere is a twofold description of Crist given ere wic corresponds to is message to te curc. First, it is written tat e oldet te seven stars in is rigt and. Te meaning of te seven stars is given in Revelation 1:20: Te seven stars are te angels of te seven curces. By te word angel (Greek AGGELOS- --messenger) I understand te pastor or messenger of te curc. Tis must be te correct view for te following reasons: (1) Real angels are not overcomers; (2) Tere was no way Jon could ave written to spirit beings; (3) A spirit being could not ave been subject to rebuke and eresies and called upon to repent; (4) Angels do not preac in our curces as messengers of eaven. Wat an encouragement it is to know tat Crist olds is pastors in is rigt and! It means pastors are very near te eart of Jesus Crist. Crist is in absolute control of teir ministry. e olds tem fast so no one can pluck tem out of is name (Jon 10:28; Isa. 49:16). Preacer bretren, Crist will always keep us near is eart and never forsake us. Terefore, it beooves us not to forsake im and leave te ministry because of its discouragements and lack of appreciation. Let us ever be nearer to Crist tan ever our people---even in te rigt and of Jesus Crist. Te second description of Crist is tat e walket in te midst of te seven golden candlesticks. Revelation 1:20 says: Te seven candlesticks wic tou sawest are te seven curces. Walking expresses Crist s unwearied activity among is curces on eart. In our dispensation Crist is not working troug Israel or some evangelistic association. Rater, e is working in and troug is curces. e is in teir midst to engage in constant and vigilant supervision of all teir activities. e is tere to guard tem from internal and external evils. e remains among tem in spite of teir faults, failures and follies. TE COMMENDATION (vv. 2-3, 6) Te Master always commends before e complains. e began teir commendation by saying: I know ty works, and ty labor... e empatically knows teir works and labors. Te Epesian Curc was a working curc. Se was constantly seeing people saved and added to te curc. Se was engaged in Cristianizing pagans and Jews and te overtrow of te black arts. Se did not merely ave profession, desire, and good intention; se spent erself for Crist. Tis curc was a veritable beeive. All too many curces are satisfied wit olding teir own. Te members are content to meet on Sunday and sing ymns and do noting else. Te saints come dragging in to occupy te same seats in te curc tey ave for many years. Te pastor does not know wat e would do witout tem; but wen e considers teir spiritually dead condition, e often wonders wat to do wit tem. Wat do modern-day curcgoers really know about laboring for Crist? Is it not true tat a few drops of rain can keep tem from curc? Wat real experience ave we ad in laboring for souls, agonizing in prayer, or earnestly contending for te fait? Do we not need to strive more about works and less about words? Are not all too many curc members laboring to ave a good time rater tan laboring for Jesus Crist? God elp us to be like te Epesian Curc. Let us not be weary in well doing (Gal. 6:9)....and ty patience... Tis was a curc wic ran te Cristian race wit patience (eb. 12:1). Jesus Crist valued teir waiting as well as teir working. Tey did not grow weary in well doing even toug tey saw little results. Tey believed tey would reap a great arvest if tey fainted not. Tey were willing to remain beind wile oters ran aead. Tey knew ow to bear up under te burdens of service and suffering. Crist commended tem for requiring a regenerated curc membersip:...tou canst not bear tem wic are evil... Tey could not endure or tolerate eretics. Tey ad no sympaty wit eiter teir doctrine or teir unscriptural practices; tey utterly opposed tem and denied tem curc membersip. Tis curc was careful about wo preaced in its pulpit:...and tou ast tried tem wic say tey are apostles, and are not, and ast found tem liars. No one preaced in tis pulpit wo was disloyal to Crist and is gospel of grace (I Jon 4:1; Tit. 3:10; II Cor. 11:13-15). Tey put suc caracters to te test, and after teir examination tey found tem to be religious liars. It made no difference to tis curc ow wise, scolarly, or influential suc preacers were. Unless tey were true to te teacings of Jesus Crist, tey could not preac in teir pulpit nor old membersip in teir curc. Please note te description (Continued on page 240)

4 Page 240 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 Epesus (Continued from page 239) of false teacers given ere by Crist. e said tey are liars. Te religious world may call tem great scolars and deep tinkers. ow our curces today need to realize tis trut! Muc of wat we call liberal is lying, for any deviation from Crist and is doctrines is lying. No lie is of te trut (I Jon 2:21), and we are commanded to ate every false way (Ps. 119:104, 128). Let us be careful not to entertain doctors of damnation instead of doctors of divinity. To do so is to entertain devils unawares. Tis ortodox curc ated te deeds of eretics: But tis tou ast, tat tou atest te deeds of te Nicolaitanes, wic I also ate. Tey were in complete sympaty wit Jesus Crist in tis matter. Curces sould ate te deeds of all eretics wo are engaged in te work of ruining lives and damning souls to ell. Watever Crist disapproves of we sould also disapprove. Wo were te Nicolaitanes? Tis question does not ave an easy answer. Ireneus and oter curc faters tougt te term was derived from Nicolas, one of te deacons ordained by te curc at Jerusalem (Acts 6:5). Oter writers of great antiquity say tis religious group claimed im as teir leader to gain proselytes troug te influence of is name. Oters claim tat tis is te same as te teacing of Balaam. Tese people associate te resemblance of etymology in te names. Balaam means lord of te people or destroyer of te people. Nicolas means conqueror of te people. Te symbolical meaning of te names does compare, but I doubt tis view is correct as it seems fanciful and forced. It is best to take te Nicolaitanes as a sect existing in Epesus and oter places (Rev. 2:15) olding te demoralizing doctrines attributed to tem. Tey combined te profession of Cristianity wit te impurities of paganism. istorians tell us tey believed in promiscuous intercourse wit women and eating tings offered to idols. Tey abused grace to te disregard of Bible morality. Tis same idea exists today and remains an awful eresy. It is te terrible delusion tat worldliness cannot arm a cild of God. TE COMPLAINT (v. 4) Te Epesian Curc was a sound curc doctrinally, but se ad one besetting sin. Jesus Crist, te omniscient Examiner of is curc, said: Neverteless I ave somewat against tee, because tou ast left ty first love. Tis curc was backslidden, for tey ad lost muc of teir early love for Crist. Te word love ere expresses deligt, desire, longing, and devotion. Te early and cief love of a curc or a Cristian is Jesus Crist. Our Savior requires our entire love and is disappointed if e loses any part of it. Tis curc ated te deeds of te Nicolaitanes, but tey did not love Crist enoug! Teir love ad not turned to ate. Tey ad not lost it completely. Yet tey ad not tat warm, earnest, active love to te Savior as wen tey were newly converted. Witout first love labor is in vain, fait impotent, ope dead. Tere is a great danger tat a curc may become involved in figting eresy to te point tat tey may forget to love Crist enoug. A loud cry against eresy is no proof of real love for Jesus Crist. You can be so sound in te fait until you are sound asleep so far as sowing any love for Crist. Does tis description fit your curc? TE COUNSEL (v. 5) Te wonderful Counsellor warns te Epesians: Remember terefore from wence tou art fallen, and repent, and do te first works; or else I will come unto tee quickly, and will remove ty candlestick out of is place, except tou repent. If te treatened judgment is to be averted tere must be a return to te first love and te first works. Tey must remember and repent. Te command to repent is addressed to te wole curc! Sometimes a wole curc needs to repent. Memory and repentance are te essential factors in te recovery of a backslidden curc. Tey needed to reconstruct, reform and remake teir lives on te basis of teir conversion experience. Crist commanded tem to return to teir state of first love. Crist treatened immediate punisment unless repentance took place. It was repent or else judgment would fall upon tem. A loveless and unloving curc cannot represent Crist to te world. It matters not ow stately teir building may be, ow many tey ave in Sunday scool, ow muc teir offerings run eac year, ow educated teir pastor is; Crist can do witout tose wo ave lost teir love for im. It is not our cleverness, our scolarsip, our doings or our doctrines tat onor Crist te most; it is our loving im wit a pure eart fervently. A curc witout love for Crist is a wortless candlestick; Icabod sould be written over te door. Te curc in te Book of Revelation is represented by a candlestick. ence te removal of te candlestick out of is place (te curc out of its community) is te extinction of te curc itself. Tis treat ad its fulfillment. Te Epesian Curc long since ceased to exist and Epesus itself is in ruin. Tis letter of Crist to te Epesian curc is still read by Cristians around te world, yet tere is no Epesian curc member to read it! TE COMFORT (v. 7) Te letter concludes wit an individual promise to any member wo would be faitful: e tat at an ear, let im ear wat te Spirit sait unto te curces; To im tat overcomet will I give to eat of te tree of life, wic is in te midst of te paradise of God (Rev. 2:7). Te overcomer in te Epesian Curc is none oter tan a bornagain believer (I Jon 5:4-5). Te baptized believer is to subdue, figt, vanquis and conquer te world troug Crist. Te curc as a collective body must figt te good figt of fait. Tey are to struggle to overcome sin and Satan. Verse 7 proves conclusively tat te backslider could ave become te Epesian overcomer. Te undefeated curc member is promised te privilege of partaking of te tree of life. Tis verse looks back to te garden of Eden wic ad te tree of life in te midst. Altoug not forbidden to do so, Adam and Eve never ate of tis tree wic gave immortality. Neverteless, te overcomer sall ave tat privilege. e can put fort is and and eat and live forever (Gen. 3:22).

5 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 241 Watering te Tulips By Todd Bryant of Nortport, Alabama As te Days of Noa Were But as te days of Noe were, so sall also te coming of te Son of man be. For as in te days tat were before te flood tey were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until te day tat Noe entered into te ark, And knew not until te flood came, and took tem all away; so sall also te coming of te Son of man be (Matt. 24:37-39). Jesus is coming soon. Tat is a fact. Wit events in te Middle East, te dependence between world governments, te universal acceptance of sin and many oter factors, we can see tat te coming of our Lord is drawing near. For te cild of God, tis is a time to rejoice. Te verse before us illustrates a time very similar to our generation. Folks are not looking for te coming of Crist. Just as te people before te flood were doing, so our generation is carrying on wit normal life witout any tougt tat Jesus could return today. Sadly, many of our friends and loved ones will be caugt unaware wen te Lord returns. Wat are a few signs of te coming of Crist? First, scoffers will come in te last days, walking in teir own lusts, and saying, Were is te promise of is coming (II Pet. 3:4)? Tis is a description of tis day and age. Everywere you look, people are walking in teir own lusts. Few people today ave any concern for God. Most today never consider tat tey will stand before a Trice oly God and be judged. So many ave dismissed any tougt tat Jesus will return. Tis is our generation. We are in te last days. Secondly, Timoty speaks of te last days and describes tem as a time tat will be consumed wit sins including covetousness, pride, boastfulness, and blaspemy (II Tim. 3:1-4). e says men will lack self control as it relates to sin. e says many will ave a form of godliness, but, it would not be real Cristianity. We are in te last days. Timoty also describes tis time by saying, tey will not endure sound doctrine; but after teir own lusts sall tey eap to temselves teacers, aving itcing ears; And tey sall turn away teir ears from te trut, and sall be turned unto fables (II Tim. 4:3-4). Te most common brand of Cristianity today does not know a God Wo saves and a depraved man tat needs saving. Most of wat we see today is merely a form of godliness witout any real root of fait. We are in te last days. Cild of God be encouraged. Your Lord and Savior is soon to return to tis Eart. e as promised tat e went away to prepare a place for us and tat e would return again for us (Jon 14:2-3). Be watcing and waiting for is coming. Be working as well telling tose tat are lost tat te Day of Judgment is approacing. Tell tem tat te only way to escape God s wrat is to flee by fait to Jesus Crist. Tere is no oter ope for mankind. You Cannot Wip (Continued from page 237) us tat reading from te Bible and mentioning God was bad for our cildren and young people back before Big Broter in Wasington started telling local scool boards tat tey could not acknowledge God on taxpayer s scool property tere was a ting called a Baccalaureate Service. It was eld usually in te scool auditorium and was an our or so wen te graduating class was prayed for and preaced to, generally by one of te local pastors. A! Wat unseen evil was wrougt in te earts and minds of graduating seniors and te general public by earing a sermon on scool property! Te story goes tat back in te days of tose baccalaureate services, tere was a small town in America tat did someting unusual. For years tey ad te same pastor preac te baccalaureate sermon. e was pastor to a small congregation made up of tat segment of our society now popularly known as an etnic minority. e did not ave te advantage of a ig degree of education, but e ad been to God s scool. is eart as well as is mind was filled wit an understanding awe of God and is sovereign majesty. In is simplicity of language e was eloquent beyond te more educated pastors in te town. Peraps tat is wy God fixed it so tat e was consistently asked to preac to not only te graduating class, but also to most of te town, as it was usual for many people to attend tese annual services. As a Black man e seldom ad te opportunity to preac to tose of oter races, but e was awestruck wit love and admiration for God and not fearful of tose to wom e would preac eac spring at te local scool. Te title of is sermon was always te same. Year after year e dared broac te same migty subject. For te sake of proper grammar and good editorial style, te title of is sermon is te title of tis article, You Cannot Wip im, but te old preacer did not give out is sermon title tat way. In is simplicity of speec e gave out te title to is annual sermon as You Cain t Wup im. I wis tat I could ave eard tat sermon. God as blessed tat simple tougt to my eart since I first eard about te old man s sermon. (Of course we know tat it was no accident tat someone told me about te sermon!) Since te day tat I eard about it, I ave made it my business to preac You Cain t Wup im in one way or anoter. Passionate and fervent, simple and yet eloquent, te grizzled old man preaced as only a man of is etnicity wo is in love wit is Subject can preac. If only across te breadt of America tat message would resound today! You Cain t Wup im! Wat a subject! Te text of is message was not told to me and I suppose is lost to uman istory. I ave often wondered wat text or texts e used. Peraps e preaced from different texts eac year. e could ave taken is text from te words of King Nebucadnezzar. After God removed Nebucadnezzar from being king and put im in te mental ward for seven years, God ten gave im is reason back. God did tis all witout any uman reason or virtue in te king. e did it sovereignly because e took pleasure in doing wat e did. Nebucadnezzar learned at least a little in God s scool and gave a report in class. (Continued on page 242)

6 Page 242 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 You Cannot Wip (Continued from page 241) e said tat God s dominion is an everlasting dominion, and is kingdom is from generation to generation: And all te inabitants of te eart are reputed as noting: and e doet according to is will in te army of eaven, and among te inabitants of te eart: and none can stay is and, or say unto im, Wat doest tou (Dan. 4:34, 35)? Nebucadnezzar testified, You Cain t Wup im! Nebucadnezzar s words were te fulfillment of propecy for is dream sent from God was for a purpose. Daniel told im of tat purpose beforeand wit tese words, tey sall drive tee from men, and ty dwelling sall be wit te beasts of te field, and tey sall make tee to eat grass as oxen, and tey sall wet tee wit te dew of eaven, and seven times sall pass over tee, till tou know tat te most ig rulet in te kingdom of men, and givet it to womsoever e will (Dan. 4:25). Daniel testified tat You Cain t Wup im. God does as e pleases and according to is intelligent and all-wise plan! Peraps e preaced anoter year from a different text and based is message on Daniel s words in capter 2:20-21: Blessed be te name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and migt are is: And e canget te times and te seasons: e removet kings, and settet up kings: e givet wisdom unto te wise, and knowledge to tem tat know understanding. Te old preacer could ave preaced from Psalm 59:13 were we read, let tem know tat God rulet in Jacob unto te ends of te eart. Sela or from Psalm 103:19 wic says, Te LORD at prepared is trone in te eavens; and is kingdom rulet over all. Te old man could ave preaced from Psalm 148:5-6: Let tem praise te name of te LORD: for e commanded, and tey were created. e at also stablised tem for ever and ever: e at made a decree wic sall not pass. Anoter text wic may ave sounded out from tat scool ouse may ave been Isaia 14:27: For te LORD of osts at purposed, and wo sall disannul it? and is and is stretced out, and wo sall turn it back? Peraps one year te old pastor took is text from Isaia 46:9, 10 were we read: Remember te former tings of old: for I am God, and tere is none else; I am God, and tere is none like me, Declaring te end from te beginning, and from ancient times te tings tat are not yet done, saying, My counsel sall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Te old Broter may ave preaced one year from te text: aving predestinated us unto te adoption of cildren by Jesus Crist to imself, according to te good pleasure of is will (Ep. 1:5). Or peraps one year is text was Revelation 4:11: Tou art worty, O Lord, to receive glory and onour and power: for tou ast created all tings, and for ty pleasure tey are and were created. Tere is a myriad of oter texts from God s Word tat te old preacer may ave used. But tere is a common teme tat runs trougout te passages quoted above: God is sovereign. God does as e pleases. God as a purpose and a plan tat e alone formulated before e created te world. God as te ability to carry out tat plan and is doing so. In te words of te old preacer, You Cain t Wup im! Te lesson trougout is expressed in ebrews 12:9, Furtermore we ave ad faters of our fles wic corrected us, and we gave tem reverence: sall we not muc rater be in subjection unto te Fater of spirits, and live? Be in subjection unto te Fater of spirits, and live? Wat an awful tougt to unregenerate men and women weter irreligious or professed Cristians. Te reason tat te idea of being in subjection to God is repugnant to te natural man is Because te carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to te law of God, neiter indeed can be (Rom. 8:7). We are tankful tat God as is remnant, but our eart-cry is tis: O tat God migt be pleased to give repentance and true revival to America! Is it possible tat Americans migt come to see tat te old man spoke te trut wen e proclaimed You Cain t Wup im? Certainly it is possible. Neiter Satan, te ACLU, godless men and women in ig places of government, nor te religious apaty tat surrounds us are a matc for God! ear me! You Cain t Wup im! God can arrest a blaspemer and a persecutor of Crist s congregation and make a disciple and an apostle out of im. Paul learned tat and trougout is letters runs te recurring teme of God s absolute sovereignty and predestination of all tings. You Cain t Wup im is underneat all of Paul s writings, all of te New Testament and indeed all te Bible. An onest reader cannot read even te first eleven capters of Genesis witout acknowledging tat te God of te Bible is omnipotent and sovereign over all tings. Besides Nebucadnezzar, Jona learned tat You Cain t Wup im. Balaam learned it. Parao learned it. Te people of Jerico learned it as did tose wo built te tower in Babel and te scoffers in te days of Noa. Somebody said Noa s ammer rang out judgment is coming. If it did, peraps te water splasing against te ark sang You Cain t Wup im. Te ric man in ades learned it as did te scoffing tief nailed up wit Jesus. Tose responsible for te nailing of Jesus Crist to te tree learned it wen e resurrected. Te arlot and er Daugters sall learn it and if Lucifer imself does not yet know it, e sall because You Cain t Wup im. Men and women may graduate from ig scool, from college or university and attend various commencement exercises, but most ave never understood in teir earts te substance of te old man s sermon, You Cain t Wup im. Only te regenerated can learn te lesson of God s absolute sovereignty as taugt in is scool. Even in te selection of tose wo are allowed to matriculate in God s scool, God is sovereign. Most men and women go troug life, read teir Bibles and attend wat passes for preacing tese days and yet never ear wit teir inner ears never perceive in teir earts tis great trut tat God is sovereign. Some are willing to use te term and claim to believe in God s sovereign majesty, but not in te matter of salvation. Teir god is not able to overcome te all-powerful and sovereign free will of man. Tey come up wit all kinds of excuses to circumvent te fact tat God is in control of all tings even in control of wom e saves. Not many are willing to preac tat unregenerate umans (Continued on page 243)

7 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 243 You Cannot Wip (Continued from page 242) are in active rebellion against God. Today, in most places, as one man said, Preacer-ettes preac sermon-ettes and produce Cristian-ettes. Easy-believe-ism and decisional-regeneration-ism (free-will-ism) are based on a false understanding of God and a false diagnosis of man s condition. Terefore most preacers prescribe a panacea a ome remedy tat will not and does not and cannot raise spiritually dead sinners. But let tose wo are assured tat tey are numbered among God s remnant according to te election of grace follow te instructions to lift up te ands wic ang down, and te feeble knees; And make straigt pats for your feet (See Rom. 11:5, eb. 12:12-13). Remember te title of te old preacer s sermon, You Cain t Wup im. Our Lord Jesus Crist is going to return and straigten out te mess tat we sinful men ave made of is world. Let us not cafe at or be bitter because of wat God is doing in is world. Kings (and presidents) rule not simply because of electoral majorities and not even because of corrupt Cicago political macines. Beind te scenes Lord God Jeova of te Bible, ruler over all tings, is bringing to pass is sovereign plan. It was revealed to Nebucadnezzar tat is experience was to te intent tat te living may know tat te most ig rulet in te kingdom of men, and givet it to womsoever e will, and settet up over it te basest of men (Dan. 4:17). Surely te cildren of God ave eyes to see tat te basest of men wo rule over us are better tan sinful Americans deserve. Tank God tat we Americans are not experiencing te full fury of is rigteous justice not yet. But we know tis: not a sparrow falls to te ground witout your Fater (Matt. 10:29). (Tat does not just mean witout your Fater knowing about it, it means wat it says: witout your Fater. ) God is in control of all te tiny details of is creation wic go to make up wat we consider to be major events. Tose of is cildren wo understand tese tings can be encouraged and confident. We are in te battle on God s side and can glory in te knowledge tat tere is noting tat can wup im. A Lord GOD! beold, tou ast made te eaven and te eart by ty great power and stretced out arm, and tere is noting too ard for tee (Jer. 32:17). Let God (Continued from page 237) do anyting? Tink of all te tings tat God as done! Did e do any of tese tings because man permitted im to do tem? Did God not speak and te world and all tat tere is came into existence, including man? For BY IM were all tings created, tat are in eaven, and tat are in eart, visible and invisible, weter tey be trones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers all tings were created BY IM, and for im; And e is before all tings, and BY IM all tings consist (Col.1:16-17) [Emp. N]. Are we to believe tat God spoke te world into existence because man permitted God to do so? Am I to believe tat te almigty, all-powerful, sovereign God was allowed by man to create te uman race? Suc is illogical and irrational. ow could man (wo was not yet in existence) permit imself to be created? Yet, someting just as illogical and irrational is being advocated by tose wo claim to be God s messengers: Let God come into your earts, or Let God save you. Suc a statement as tis, even te concept, cannot be found anywere in in Scriptures. Furtermore, tis statement implies tat God te almigty One, te only Potentate (I Tim. 6:15), ad at some point been detroned, overtrown, or resigned from te trone upon wic e sits. owever, we ave no record of tis in Scripture; no indication of it rater te opposite! God as again and again trougout te Scriptures assured is people tat e is in control! But our God is in te eavens; e at done watsoever e at pleased (Ps. 115:3). Can God do as e pleases? Or is e beolden to man? Can God do watsoever e wills, or must e act according to te desire of man? Does not common sense and personal experience teac us tat God is not restricted? Te God wo breated life into man is now in need of tat man s permission to operate! Tis is te God of wom it is said tat deat could not possibly old im, Wom God at raised up, aving loosed te pains of deat, because it was not possible tat e sould be olden of it (Acts 2:24). Deat could not old te Crist (God in te fles); Deat ad no power over im! Yet, we are told tat deat reigned over man (Rom. 5:14,17). Does it seem logical and reasonable tat man, wo is reigned over by deat must LET GOD wo as power over deat? Yet, many preacers insist tat God wants to save you, Quotes from Broter Ritecus N. Dignation by Josep arris A lot of folks today ave te King Agrippa complex. Remember im? e was te one wo was almost persuaded to become a Cristian. Te fact is, you are eiter saved or lost. If you are almost saved, ten you are really completely lost. but e cannot until man lets im. ow absurd! Mad is te man wo preaces tat finite man must LET, PERMIT, or ALLOW, te Infinite One do anyting. I contend tat God is all-powerful. I contend tat God is in control! I contend tat e doet according to is will in te army of eaven, and among te inabitants of te eart, and none can stay is and, or say unto im, Wat doest tou (Dan. 4:35)? I contend even as Paul did tat God is able to save as e sees fit For e sait to Moses, I will ave mercy on wom I will ave mercy, and I will ave compassion on wom I will ave compassion (Rom. 9:15). onestly, do you really tink tat a God wo needs your permission to save you, can truly and actually save you from your sins? NO! If God needs man to let, permit, allow im to do someting, anyting, everyting e would no longer be God; man would now be God. Man would be in carge of salvation, yea everyting. Is tis a God tat can save? A God tat must be allowed by man? NO! (Continued on page 244)

8 Page 244 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 Let God (Continued from page 243) You are in need of an all-migty God. You need Jesus: Werefore, E IS ABLE also to save tem to te uttermost tat come unto God by im, seeing e ever livet to make intercession for tem (eb. 7:25) [Emp. N]. You must come to God troug Jesus Crist come to im tat you migt be saved. Come to im wo said, All power is given unto me in eaven and in eart (Matt. 28:18). Do NOT LET GOD save you or LET GOD come into your eart. Rater, come to im and e will save you, All tat te Fater givet me sall come to me; and im tat comet to me I will in no wise cast out (Jon 6:37). Come unto me, all ye tat labor and are eavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28). AMEN! Maran-ata! God Is All You (Continued from page 237) take your last breat on tis eart as long as you ave God, you ave all you need. A cild of God in suc a desperate situation is in a far better situation tan te ricest, most well-adorned, and prosperous unsaved man wo as ever lived. Certainly, it seems tat te world at large is obsessed wit te accumulation of tings. Witout a doubt, tis passion for te accumulation and possession of eartly and temporal tings, as afflicted many of te cildren of God. An interesting (and terrible) dilemma tat faces te cildren of God is tat te more we ave of te wants and desires of tis life, te less we ave of God. One would tink tat it is not possible to ave or accumulate too muc; but, in reality, toug our God is always wit us, too muc of te world in our possession can come between us and our God. I am not saying tat it is necessary for us to sell all of our possessions and live our lives as ermits in te mountains. But, I am saying tat te world will do its best (and our fles will contribute to tis armful situation) to sever our earts and minds from tat close relationsip wit Jesus Crist, wic is te sincere desire of te inner man. I recently came across te following saying: Wen all you ave is God, ten you ave all you need. We do not purposely seek out desperate situations; but, wen tese situations arise, we are made to realize te importance of aving God in our lives. More tan all rices of te eart, our God sould be te center of our lives. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon eart, were mot and rust dot corrupt, and were tieves break troug and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in eaven, were neiter mot nor rust dot corrupt, and were tieves do not break troug nor steal: For were your treasure is, tere will your eart be also (Matt. 6:19-21). More tan all te joys and appiness of tis life, our God sould be te joy of our lives. Tou wilt sew me te pat of life: in ty presence is fulness of joy; at ty rigt and tere are pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11). More tan all plans, intents, and desires of te fles, our God sould be te focus of our purposes. Go to now, ye tat say, To day or to morrow we will go into suc a city, and continue tere a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Wereas ye know not wat sall be on te morrow. For wat is your life? It is even a vapour, tat appearet for a little time, and ten vaniset away. For tat ye ougt to say, If te Lord will, we sall live, and do tis, or tat (James 4:13-15). God is all you and I need. Te existence of God in our lives ougt to dominate our very existence in tis life. Let me briefly give you tree ways in wic God sould dominate our lives, and be All tat we need. GODLY AMBITION God sould be our ambition. It used to be tat all men ad ambitions in tis life. Toug it seems tat many men and women are willing to just idle teir way troug tis life now; it ougt to be tat men and women would demonstrate some measure of ambition in tis life some desire or intent to better temselves, and do someting wortwile wit teir lives. Ambition can be a good ting for individuals, and for society as a wole. owever, it is te nature of man, tat e will give imself woleeartedly to te tings of te fles, and will allow te desires of te world to consume is ambitions. In te end left uncecked by te rules and laws of a moral society te ambitions of men will normally devolve to te pursuit of te wretced sins and degradations of tis life. Te Word of God, toug, reminds us tat our ambitions ougt to be godly we sould aspire to greatness in te Word and Service of God! Rater tan seeking out and aspiring to greatness in tis life, te cild of God sould aspire to greatness in te tings of God. By fait Moses, wen e was come to years, refused to be called te son of Parao s daugter; Coosing rater to suffer affliction wit te people of God, tan to enjoy te pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming te reproac of Crist greater rices tan te treasures in Egypt: for e ad respect unto te recompence of te reward (eb. 11:24-26). Moses is an example of a godly man wo ad te opportunity to pursue worldly ambitions to acieve a great place in tis world. owever, Moses preferred te ambitions tat come from God, and te desire to be a faitful servant to God. is ambition was to lead te people of God, not to lead te worldly Egyptians. Let me refer you to a Parable of te Lord Jesus Crist. We read in Luke 16:8, And te lord commended te unjust steward, because e ad done wisely: for te cildren of tis world are in teir generation wiser tan te cildren of ligt. In tis parable of te unjust steward, te Lord Jesus is not so muc commending te unjust steward (or te cildren of tis world ), as e is condemning te typical ambitions of te cildren of ligt. Mattew enry said about tis passage, Worldly men in te coice of teir object are foolis; but in teir activity, and perseverance, tey are often wiser tan believers. Would to God tat te Cristian s ambition to love and serve God was as great as te worldly man s ambition to satisfy is carnal desires! Witout doubt, te desires for rices and possessions in tis life sould be curbed by an appetite and ambition in te tings and te Words of God. Better is little wit te fear of te LORD tan great treasure and trouble terewit (Prov. 15:16). Our ambitions are evident in te goals and te plans tat we make. God (Continued on page 245)

9 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 245 God Is All You (Continued from page 244) is all you need. Some will say tat God sould be a part of your plans. Not unlike te infamous prase, Let God be your Co-pilot, tis prase just does not go far enoug. Rater tan being a part of te plans of te cild of God, te Lord Jesus Crist sould be te centerpiece of te plans of te cild of God. In fact, it is in our best interest to allow tat God is in control, and to trust in im to bot devise and implement our life s course. GODLY ATTITUDE God sould be seen in our attitude. Since te vast majority of te men in tis world are te servants of te devil, it is no wonder tat te attitudes and beaviors of te worldly man is contrary to te Word of God. But, as te cildren of God wo are merely passing troug tis world below, we sould demonstrate an attitude tat represents te Saviour tat we follow and serve. Our attitude is very important: we do wat we do, and we say wat we say; but, wit wat attitude? Are we a people wo will go about grudgingly serving te Lord? Or, are we a people wo will appily and joyfully participate in te fulfilling of God s will ere on tis eart? I believe tat te caracter of a man is visible troug is words and deeds. And, I tink very often tat te caracter of a man will make or break is service unto God. Te ligt of te body is te eye: if terefore tine eye be single, ty wole body sall be full of ligt. But if tine eye be evil, ty wole body sall be full of darkness. If terefore te ligt tat is in tee be darkness, ow great is tat darkness! No man can serve two masters: for eiter e will ate te one, and love te oter; or else e will old to te one, and despise te oter. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matt. 6:22-24). O, tat te Lord would elp is people to ave our eyes to be single, and focused upon Jesus Crist! e is all we need! ow brigt our lives are wen we gaze upon Jesus Crist and is Word! ow dark, muddled, and dangerous our lives are wen we allow mammon to intervene! Te Bible often speaks of te conversation of men. And, tis conversation is a picture of te lives tat we live before te world. Only let your conversation be as it becomet te gospel of Crist: tat weter I come and see you, or else be absent, I may ear of your affairs, tat ye stand fast in one spirit, wit one mind striving togeter for te fait of te gospel (Pil. 1:27). In tis regard, te meaning is really not just te words (or conversation) wic you excange wit oters. Rater, te word conversation typically refers to te manner of life tat we live. Our very lives sould be an adornment to te Gospel of Jesus Crist, wic as saved us. Toug difficult times will come upon us, our attitude must not be downearted, sorrowful, or weary. Toug tere will be times wen we will struggle, sorrow, and cry out; still, te overall tenor of te demeanor and attitude of te cild of God, sould be one of peace, joy, and appiness in te Lord. Sorrow will come upon us, but sorrow must not consume us. We ave muc to do in te cause of Crist; let us not be weary in well-doing! Let us not be grudging or unfaitful or esitant or letargic in our service unto te Lord. I pray God tat my attitude (and yours) would be suc tat oter folks would comment on our fair and even temperament, and te joy and peace in our demeanor. In te end, as long as we ave God, we ave all tat we need. GODLY ACCOMPLIS- MENTS God sould be te teme of our accomplisments. Te world rates our accomplisments based upon te amount of money we ave in te banks, or te amount of possessions tat we ave in our ands, or te amount of power and prestige we ave amongst oter men. owever, te accomplisments wic sould matter most to te cild of God are tose accomplisments wic are te results of godly and eavenly ambitions and attitudes. One time, te Lord spoke to Josua about te successes tat e desired in tis life: Now after te deat of Moses te servant of te LORD it came to pass, tat te LORD spake unto Josua te son of Nun, Moses minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now terefore arise, go over tis Jordan, tou, and all tis people, unto te land wic I do give to tem, even to te cildren of Israel. Every place tat te sole of your foot sall tread upon, tat ave I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From te wilderness and tis Lebanon even unto te great river, te river Euprates, all te land of te ittites, and unto te great sea toward te going down of te sun, sall be your coast. Tere sall not any man be able to stand before tee all te days of ty life: as I was wit Moses, so I will be wit tee: I will not fail tee, nor forsake tee. Be strong (Continued on page 246)

10 Page 246 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 God Is All You (Continued from page 245) and of a good courage: for unto tis people salt tou divide for an ineritance te land, wic I sware unto teir faters to give tem. Only be tou strong and very courageous, tat tou mayest observe to do according to all te law, wic Moses my servant commanded tee: turn not from it to te rigt and or to te left, tat tou mayest prosper witersoever tou goest. Tis book of te law sall not depart out of ty mout; but tou salt meditate terein day and nigt, tat tou mayest observe to do according to all tat is written terein: for ten tou salt make ty way prosperous, and ten tou salt ave good success. ave not I commanded tee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neiter be tou dismayed: for te LORD ty God is wit tee witersoever tou goest (Jos. 1:1-9). In tis passage, te Lord reminds Josua of te noble ambitions tat e as as te leader of te Cildren of Israel. And, in tis passage, te Lord reminds Josua tat good success and prosperous times and ways, are contingent upon Josua (and te oters) being faitful unto God and is Word. Are not tese accomplisments of Josua far greater tan te accomplisments of mortal and carnal men? Are not tese accomplisments of Josua based upon te will and purpose and strengt of God, rater tan te will, purpose, and strengt of mere mortal and carnal men? istory gives acclaim to te accomplisments of oter famous generals and leaders, and famously records te campaigns and victories of te generals and warriors of te world. But, wat Josua accomplised in te Land of Canaan was noting sort of brilliant, because e worked under te leadersip of God, and sougt to accomplis te will and purpose of te God of Israel. God is all you need. God is all I need. And, God sould be evident in our accomplisments on tis eart. Watever eartly possessions we ave in tis life, we sould be ready to use tem in te service and cause of Crist. Paul told Timoty, Carge tem tat are ric in tis world, tat tey be not igminded, nor trust in uncertain rices, but in te living God, wo givet us ricly all tings to enjoy; Tat tey do good, tat tey be ric in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for temselves a good foundation against te time to come, tat tey may lay old on eternal life (I Tim. 6:17-19). Indeed, wat better use could we ever devise for our possessions in tis life tan to use tem as we serve te Lord and our fellow saints in tis life? Wat greater accomplisment is tere, tan to be a blessing unto God s people, and to exalt Jesus Crist in tis life? In te end, godly accomplisments in tis life, will result in eavenly rewards in te life to come. James said, Blessed is te man tat enduret temptation: for wen e is tried, e sall receive te crown of life, wic te Lord at promised to tem tat love im (James 1:12). After enduring te temptations and trials of tis life, te cild of God will receive te crown of life, wic is far better tan te greatest of eartly crowns or eartly rewards! Blessed be te God and Fater of our Lord Jesus Crist, wic according to is abundant mercy at begotten us again unto a lively ope by te resurrection of Jesus Crist from te dead, To an ineritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and tat fadet not away, reserved in eaven for you, Wo are kept by te power of God troug fait unto salvation ready to be revealed in te last time. Werein ye greatly rejoice, toug now for a season, if need be, ye are in eaviness troug manifold temptations: Tat te trial of your fait, being muc more precious tan of gold tat periset, toug it be tried wit fire, migt be found unto praise and onour and glory at te appearing of Jesus Crist: Wom aving not seen, ye love; in wom, toug now ye see im not, yet believing, ye rejoice wit joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving te end of your fait, even te salvation of your souls (I Pet. 1:3-9). Wat more do we need, tan te salvation of our souls? Wat more can we desire, tan to love, serve, and wait for our Lord and Saviour in tis life; and to worsip, praise, and rejoice in is presence in te life to come? Werever God is, tere you will find your appiness and peace. God is all you need. From te Pen of a Country Preacer Milburn R. Cockrell ( ) Saul and te Witc of Endor Te account of King Saul s visit to te witc of Endor as puzzled and perplexed students of te Scriptures for centuries. All must agree tat te passage in I Samuel 28:1-25 is unique and unparalleled. A mere reading of it raises a number of questions. Was te king a saved man, or a lost man? Wy did Saul go to a witc? Did te witc actually ave te power to raise up te disembodied spirit of Samuel? Was it really Samuel wo appeared to Saul, or was it a demon impersonating Samuel? Can te departed spirits come back and communicate wit te living? In tis study I will seek to answer tese questions. Before going into te story of Saul and te witc, I believe it would be well to first of all answer te question: Was Saul saved or unsaved? It appears from te Biblical revelation tat King Saul was a saved person, altoug a very disobedient one in is latter years. Tat e was saved can be seen from te following facts: (1) God cose Saul to be king over te united kingdom of Israel (I Sam. 9:17, 10:1, 24). I find it ard to believe tat God would ave cosen an unregenerate man to rule over is people. (2) Saul was empowered by te oly Spirit to utter propecy (I Sam. 10:6, 10-13). In almost all cases, tose empowered by te Spirit to utter propecy were saved. (3) I Samuel 10:9 says tat God gave Saul anoter eart. To me, tis suggests regeneration. (4) I Samuel 28:19 declares tat te spirit of Saul would join te spirit of Samuel in te spiritland te next day. Unless (Continued on page 247)

11 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 247 Saul and te Witc (Continued from page 246) we take te position tat Samuel and Jonatan were lost, we must conclude tat Saul was saved. SAUL S DESPAIRING CONDITION (vv. 1-6) Te events leading up to is visit wit te witc are important. Violent warfare was raging between te Pilistines and te Israelites (I Sam. 28:1). Preparations were being made for a decisive battle on te plains of Jezreel te next day. Tis battle would decide te fate of Israel and er king. Te Pilistines ad encamped to te nort of te plains of Jezreel at Sunem (Jos. 19:18; II Kings 4:8; I Sam. 28:4), a village on te slope of a range called Little ermon. On te opposite side to te sout, on te rise of Mount Gilboa near te spring of Jezreel, was Saul s army. Tese armies were facing eac oter wit te plains between tem. Te King of Israel was in no condition to go out to battle te next day. e was overcome by frigt at te sigt of te army of te Pilistines. David ad refused to elp im and was still a fugitive. From te spiritual standpoint, te king ad gone from bad to worse and was a God-forsaken man. is friend and companion, te Propet Samuel, was dead and buried (I Sam. 28:3). All te ordinary cannels of revelation were closed to im because of is willful disobedience. And wen Saul inquired of te LORD, te LORD answered im not, neiter by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by propets (I Sam. 28:6). uman istory as failed to record a despair deeper or more tragic tan Saul s. is spirit failed and is eart sank. is guilty conscience made im siver and sake like a leaf in te wind. is iniquities ad separated im from is God, and is sins ad id God s face so tat e would not ear. ow awful te scene! A fearful eart and a silent eaven! Wat a sorrowful pligt for a man to be in wo was once empowered by te oly Spirit to be a companion of te propets! ow e needed to repent in tis dark our! It would ave saved tousands of Israelites from a bloody slaugter. It would ave saved te nation of Israel from defeat and umiliation. SAUL CONSULTS A WITC (vv. 7-11) e remembered te timely messages of te propet Samuel during te earlier days of is reign, and now, even toug te man of God was dead and buried, Saul felt tat e must find some way to communicate wit im. Since e cannot move eaven e will try to move ell. Since is knocks at te doors of eaven go unanswered, e is determined to knock at te gate of ell. is craze for elp is like te passions of a madman. e clutced like a drowning man at a straw. aving forsaken te living God by a sinful life, e will now turn to te dead for relief. Te king during most of is reign ad banised witces, necromancers, and wizards from is kingdom. In doing tis e was obeying te law of Jeova (Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:9-12). Te Mosaic Law demanded te deat penalty for suc evil persons (Ex. 22:18; Lev. 20:27). Te Lord ad said: And te soul tat turnet after suc as ave familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a woring after tem, I will even set my face against tat soul, and will cut im off from among is people (Lev. 20:6). Neverteless, Saul is soon to violate te law of is kingdom and to suffer te fearful consequences. Wile te law against witces ad been strictly enforced by Saul, it would seem tat at least one woman wo lived in te secluded spot in te Little ermon mountain ad escaped te executioners of te king. is servants told im of er wereabouts (I Sam. 28:7). Saul disguised imself in te cloting worn by te common people, took two servants, and sougt a secret meeting wit tis witc at Endor (I Sam. 28:8). To reac er iding place it was necessary for Saul to pass around te camp of te Pilistines by keeping to te east of te plains of Jezreel. It was a dark and perilous nigt for Saul as e crossed te valley to te adjoining Little ermon and climbed te rugged pat to Endor. Te witc did not recognize Saul at first, but se knew from is voice tat e was an Israelite. Se reminded er unknown visitor tat Saul ad driven from is land all witces and wizards (I Sam. 28:8-9). Saul took an oat tat no arm would come to er because of er actions (I Sam. 28:10). So te woman said, Wom sall I bring up unto tee? And e said, Bring me up Samuel (I Sam. 28:11). TE WITC FRIGTENED OUT OF ER WITS (vv ) And wen te woman saw Samuel, se cried wit a loud voice: And te woman spake to Saul, saying, Wy ast tou deceived me? for tou art Saul. Se may ave inferred tat Samuel would ave answered te call of none inferior to te king. Or it may ave been te divining demon told er it was really Samuel. And te king said unto er, Be not afraid; for wat sawest tou? And te woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of te eart. Te word gods in tis verse is Eloim in te ebrew. Tis is te word for te Supreme Being trougout te Bible. ere it is used in a general sense of a supernatural appearance of te spirit of Samuel. Roteram probably gives te best translation wen e renders it: A god saw I coming up out of te eart. Was not te witc expecting to see at least a divining demon wo would impersonate te propet Samuel? Ten wy did se scream wen se saw it was Samuel? Someting ad appened wic greatly socked and surprised te witc. Wat was it? It was te actual appearance of te spirit of te deceased propet! Se screamed out in orror! If se ad done wat se pretended se could do, te appearance would ave been routine. But te unexpected appened---te only time in te Bible---a departed spirit actually appeared to communicate wit te living! Many able commentators and expositors do not believe tat Samuel actually appeared. Men like Jon Gill, Mattew enry, J. R. Graves, W. B. Riley take tis position. But it seems to me tat te Divine cronicle leaves no doubt tat Samuel was really raised. Verse 12 says tat te woman saw Samuel. Verse 14 says tat Saul perceived it was Samuel. Verse 15 says tat Samuel spoke to Saul. In verses 16 to 19 Samuel is seen rebuking Saul. Verse 20 says tat Saul was afraid because of te words of Samuel. To deny tat it was Samuel in my opinion is to impeac te integrity of te Word of God. Tere is no int tat eiter te woman or a demon impersonated Samuel. After te appearance of Samuel te woman ad no role (Continued on page 252)

12 Page 248 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 1. Recently tere as been an increase in Cristian movies. Is it wrong to promote and go see tese movies? - Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Tere is a broad range tat would fall under te Cristian movie genre. From modern ollywood putting teir spin on Bible caracters, to Carlton eston portraying Moses or Ben ur, to te inspirational movies on allmark television, etc. Like any oter grab bag, tere is some good and a lot of bad out tere. A parallel could be drawn between Cristian books and Cristian movies. Eac one is going to ave to be judged, and ultimately stand or fall on teir own merits or demerits. Start wit te Bible as our inerrant guide and te books tat do not teac wat It teaces; tat do not tell te stories tat It tells, makes tose books useless, and even deceitful and dangerous. Te moving pictures must be judged on tose same criteria. Sela! Tink about it! Some are obvious, tat sould be avoided and denounced, suc as te recent ollywood offerings concerning te flood and Noa. But tat does not mean tese great stories sould not be told in epic proportions in bot print and video media. Te Creation Museum (among oters) as put out many documentary films tat are bot informative and entertaining. I wrote a book recently on te flood and te parallels tat must be drawn to our current generation tat I would love to see put on te big screen and sown to as many folk in tis world as possible! Beloved, tere is noting wrong wit te moving pictures; tere is someting wrong wit te moving picture industry in America, as a wole! If a Sovereign Grace, Landmark, Independent, Missionary Baptist cild of God could be put in carge of producing a ream of movies on te Bible caracters- wat stories tey could tell! To bring Jeremia, Neemia, Jon te Baptist and te Apostle Paul to life on te big screen would trill and inspire our generation and God would certainly be glorified. Sela! Tink about it! But, as God as not raised up tat person (our fault, our lack of zeal, peraps?), te Cristian movie industry as been dominated by Arminians in teir natural state of salvation by works. So virtually all movies ave tat distasteful slant in teir story. Te recently released movie God s Not Dead was a very good production sowing a real-life scenario of ow evolution can still be battled by bot college students and curc members. But, again, it was flawed by te easy believism pilosopy tat must be pointed out and defined to our younger generation. Te writing and printing of books as always been available to our Baptist autors and teacers, by reason of economics. But now, wit te visual media expanding in so many areas, peraps it is coming witin te reac of some of our tecnologytalented younger generation. Let te word of Crist dwell in you ricly in all wisdom; teacing and admonising one anoter in psalms and ymns and spiritual songs, singing wit grace in your earts to te Lord. And watsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in te name of te Lord Jesus, giving tanks to God and te Fater by im (Col. 3:16-17). It amazes me wat one can do wit just an ipone, muc less te available resources of putting moving images to te glory of God. Focus on te Family as done a fairly good job of bringing te biograpies of famous Cristians from years gone by to life, bot on radio dramatics and also via te less expensive animated video (cartoon) genre. Te allmark movie cannel as te ability and aspires to touc our earts wit moral, relevant stories. ow well it accomplises tat goal, again, cannot be an across te board endorsement or condemnation. Some are good; some are not. Some stick to conservative, fundamental Cristian values; some are liberal and ave an agenda tat sould be discerned and avoided. As always, parents sould take a leadersip role in wat teir cildren watc and see. As ye know ow we exorted and comforted and carged every one of you, as a fater dot is cildren, Tat ye would walk worty of God, wo at called you unto is kingdom and glory. For tis cause also tank we God witout ceasing, because, wen ye received te word of God wic ye eard of us, ye received it not as te word of men, but as it is in trut, te word of God... (I Tess. 2:11-13). 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 Te first ting we would suggest before we answer tis question (wic I ave pondered muc since we received it) is sit down and talk about it wit your pastor. Wit tat said, te Scripture tat comes to mind is Colossians capter 2, especially (Colossians 2:16), Let no man terefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an olyday, or of te new moon, or of te sabbat days. But one needs to study te wole capter to understand wat Paul is talking about. But to answer te question, my answer is no, it is not wrong, in my opinion to watc tese movies, but I would caution on ow you promote tem. I like movies, but I ate te sin and corruption tat ollywood as promoted in film making, so I do not watc tose. But I find it refresing to know tat tere are Cristians out tere tat are trying to make wolesome family movies. Te problem I ave run into in te past is a lot of ypocrisy wen it comes to going to te movies or buying a DVD to take ome and watc. Is tere a difference in going to te movie or buying a DVD? I personally do not tink so. Tere are many Bretren out tere wo would not watc a single movie and never go to te picture sow, or even buy a DVD regardless of wat it was about. I commend tem for it; most of tem wo would not watc movies do not even ave a TV or tey ave a TV to watc (Continued on page 250)

13 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page In te gospels Crist spoke render terefore unto to Caesar? If te government (Caesar) requires us to and over our guns (swords, i.e. Luke 22:36) would we be wrong to refuse? - Mississippi Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Strictly speaking, te tings we are to render unto Caesar in te context of Mattew 22:19-22 as to do wit taxes, not guns. Jesus did instruct te disciples to buy a sword in Luke 22:36. I believe tat every man as a rigt to defend imself, is family, and is property. owever, te cause of Cristianity as never counted on guns and ammo, but on te power of Almigty God. Ultimately, I am going to depend upon te Lord to direct my steps and protect my family. Since te second amendment of te Constitution of te United States gives me te personal rigt to own and bear arms, te government would be in te wrong to attempt to take away my liberty. If it ever comes to te place tat socialism and communism overrun our government, you better old on to your guns because tere will be a revolt. I will figt for my inalienable rigts and my liberties muc like our American forefaters did wen ty resisted Britis tyranny and oppression. I ope tat day never comes, but I fear it may be approacing faster tan many tink. opefully te Lord will return soon (Titus 2:14). TOM ROSS Mike DeWitt Sr. PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Pastor Parkway Landmark Baptist Curc PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Would it be wrong for us to refuse to pay taxes, or pay tribute? I now look to te Scriptures for guidance in questions like tis. God never gives us opposing commands to follow. Let every soul be subject unto te iger powers. For tere is no power but of God: te powers tat be are ordained of God (Rom. 13:1). Wy do men despise government? Maybe because of te lack of Cristian intelligence, God set tem tere, it is God s doing. Wosoever terefore resistet te power, resistet te ordinance of God: and tey tat resist sall receive to temselves damnation (Rom. 13:2). Wen te government decides to take guns, God s Word says to obey te ordinance of God, if we disobey we will receive judgment from tose we ave disobeyed. For e is te minister of God to tee for good. But if tou do tat wic is evil, be afraid; for e bearet not te sword in vain: for e is te minister of God, a revenger to execute wrat upon im tat doet evil (Rom. 13:4). Wen laws are made to take away guns it would beoove te cild of God to obey. I ave done some researc and ave found only a and full of countries tat ave laws stating no civilians can ave firearms in teir possession. Most countries allow firearms for ome protection and unting purposes. I want everybody to understand someting, Jesus said to love ty neigbor, tat love works no ill to ty neigbor, and to over come evil wit good. Cristian means to be Crist like, wen did Crist refuse to obey te law? Wen is aving fait tat God is in control of all tings, all tings (Epesians capter 1), not good enoug, is God not able? Wen will we fully put our trust in im to protect us from all arm and to be submissive to is will in our lives in tis world. And we know tat all tings work togeter for good to tem tat love God, to tem wo are te called according to [is] purpose (Rom. 8:28). Let it be known tat my understanding of tis as not always been seated in te Scriptures. I ave in te past used emotions and been led by my fles to argue te opposite, and you will find oters wo will also. I now firmly believe tat we are to arm ourselves wit te mind of Crist, and you can ave my sword of te Spirit wen you pry my cold dead fingers from it, wic is our only offensive weapon. MIKE DEWITT Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Actually, tere are two basic liberties tat I would like to consider: 1) Religious liberty and 2) Civil liberty. Te Bible is very clear on religious liberty tat we ougt to obey God rater tan men (Acts 5:29). As Jon Leland put it in te 18 t century: Every man must give account of imself to God, and terefore every man ougt to be at liberty to serve God in a way tat e can best reconcile to is conscience. If government can answer for individuals at te day of judgment, let men be controlled by it in religious matters; oterwise, let men be free. It would be sinful for a man to surrender tat to man wic is to be kept sacred for God. Wen personal religious liberty is taken from us, te Bible clearly gives us only two options: 1) Stand for te trut, trusting God to deliver us: Sadrac, Mesac, and Abednego, answered and said to te king, O Nebucadnezzar, we are not careful to answer tee in tis matter. If it be so, our God wom we serve is able to deliver us from te burning fiery furnace, and e will deliver us out of tine and, O king. But if not, be it known unto tee, O king, tat we will not serve ty gods, nor worsip te golden image wic tou ast set up (Dan. 3:16-18). 2) Flee: But wen tey persecute you in tis city, flee ye into anoter: for verily I say unto you, Ye sall not ave gone over te cities of Israel, till te Son of man be come (Matt. 10:23). But personal civil liberty as different connotations and tereby separate resources. Government is not te ciefest nor primary institution establised by God. Te family is by far te elder! Our duties and responsibilities to tis original base of society, will trump and exceed our duties to our government wen tey clas discordantly. Note te response (Continued on page 250)

14 Page 250 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 istory cannel came out wit lead tem to seek out te trut Forum #1 Forum #2 (Continued from page 248) preacing videos and tat is it, and tey do not ave any kind of cable or satellite service. Ten tere are oters wo would not dare go to te movies but would buy te DVD, ypocrisy. You migt ide tat from oters, but not God! We are not going to defend ourselves ere or get into a debate weter it is okay or not, because all would agree tat you cannot, in tis day and age, turn on te TV witout seeing some kind of embarrassing sow or commercial. Te one ting, toug, I would caution on wit even Cristian movies is te Arminian overtones. Te story line may be great but tey are going to stick in te Free Will doctrine somewere, but tere is no religion outside of true Baptists tat believe any different. If you want to promote tat kind of movie make sure you tell wo ever wat to expect. I would love to see some true Baptist come along and tell a Bible story tat was correct and Scriptural. I ave even watced te istory cannel wen tey ad some religious sow on and tey definitely do not ave it rigt. Wat tey do ave is a bunc of unsaved professors trying to tell us wat te Bible says. Tey are always wrong, but tey do ave a degree, I do not! Te oter ting is, weter te movie was made by a true Cristian or ollywood. But even at tat tere are Cristian movies I will not watc. For example, Te Passion of te Crist, te new movie Noa in fact any movie trying to portray Crist sould not be seen, no one can take te place of Crist, and I do not want to see tem try. Te a movie a few years ago about Noa and te Ark, I did not see it but someone told me wile te ark was floating about Noa was on te deck of te ark and ere came a sip tat ad Lot in it. Really, are you serious, were is tat in te Bible? Te last movie tat just came out Noa some friends went to see and tey said te only ting accurate was tey built an ark and tere was a flood, oter tan tat it was all fantasy. I ave a 15 page article tat tells wy a Cristian sould NOT see Te Passion of te Crist! It is too disgusting to talk about and I would question any Cristian tat as seen it! I did a lot of researc on tis movie and read many articles about it wen it came out at te teaters. But I believe tere are good Cristian movies out tere, again tat are refresing and are good clean entertainment. God Bless! ROGER REED Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O It would be wrong for me personally because I rarely go to movies. I can not in good conscience recommend someting I ave never seen. As a general rule even te best teatrical productions of men are flawed wen it comes to Cristian temes. Most of te time tere are glaring inconsistencies tat do not line up wit te Scriptures. Wit tat said, if tere is even a sred of Gospel trut tat God may be pleased to use to arrest te attention of te lost my prayer is tat te Lord will of te Scriptures. I tink all of us would be better served if we would unplug more and simply get alone wit God to read and memorize te Scriptures, pray, and meditate. Blessed is te man tat walket not in te counsel of te ungodly, nor standet in te way of sinners, nor sittet in te seat of te scornful. But is deligt is in te law of te LORD; and in is law dot e meditate day and nigt. And e sall be like a tree planted by te rivers of water, tat bringet fort is fruit in is season; is leaf also sall not witer; and watsoever e doet sall prosper (Psa. 1:1-3). TOM ROSS Mike DeWitt Sr. PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Pastor Parkway Landmark Baptist Curc PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Good question, and ere is Cristian liberty exercised. I personally find some of tese movies entertaining and also very instructive. I suppose tere are oters wo are very muc against tem. I find no fault in tem tat will not watc tese movies. Some of tese movies ave a good message, and te creators of some of tese movies ave a desire to please God. ave my cildren seen some of tese movies? Te answer is yes. I use a lot of te situations in tese movies as learning moments. I ave stopped te movies and discussed wat and wy I believe tis to be true or false. MIKE DEWITT (Continued from page 249) of te ebrew midwives wen ordered by te Egyptian regime to murder te sons of tese ebrew families. But te midwives feared God, and did not as te king of Egypt commanded tem, but saved te men cildren alive. Terefore God dealt well wit te midwives: and te people multiplied, and waxed very migty. And it came to pass, because te midwives feared God, tat e made tem ouses (Ex. 1:17, 20-21). Witness God s blessing of tese rebellious women! God considered teir rejection of Caesar s commands to be te rigteous action! Sela! Tink about it! And te king of Jerico sent unto Raab, saying, Bring fort te men tat are come to tee, wic are entered into tine ouse: for tey be come to searc out all te country. And te woman took te two men, and id tem, and said tus, Tere came men unto me, but I wist not wence tey were: But se id tem wit te stalks of flax, wic se ad laid in order upon te roof ( Jos. 2:3-6). Again, God blesses tis iger regard of te sanctity of life instead of a blind obedience to an oppressive tyrant s demands! In I Samuel 16:2 te LORD gives is propet an out by instructing im to purposely deceive te manipulations of anoter unreasonable autocrat: And Samuel said, ow can I go? if Saul ear it, e will kill me. And te LORD said, Take an eifer wit tee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to te LORD. Sacrifice, Samuel, as an outward act of rigteousness, but ALSO perform te rebellious (Continued on page 251)

15 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 251 Forum #2 (Continued from page 250) action of anointing a king to replace te current despot! Take to te underground resistance and surreptitiously work to see a rigteous king upon te trone, tat will protect your freedoms and promote te common welfare! In defending te name of Crist, Cristians are to turn te oter ceek and suffer persecution for is name s sake, but in defending our families (and ultimately good government), we are to stand wit Jon Dickinson and te American revolutionaries: Kings or parliaments could not give te rigts essential to appiness Tey are not annexed to us by parcments and seals. Tey are created in us by te decrees of Providence, wic establis te laws of our nature. Tey are born wit us; exist wit us; and cannot be taken from us by any uman power, witout taking our lives. In sort, tey are founded on te immutable maxims of reason and justice. Sela! Tink about it! ow will we know? For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to te evil. Wilt tou ten not be afraid of te power? do tat wic is good, and tou salt ave praise of te same: Render terefore to all teir dues: tribute to wom tribute is due; custom to wom custom; fear to wom fear; onour to wom onour (Rom. 13:3, 7). God as ordained government, but e as not ordained tat all government be GOOD government. Parao and Egypt were suc a case. And in very deed for tis cause ave I raised tee up, for to sew in tee my power; and tat my name may be declared trougout all te eart. As yet exaltest tou tyself against my people, tat tou wilt not let tem go (Ex. 9:16-17)? Wen government gets to te point were it intrudes upon our worsip of God, or it denies its citizens te ability to live orderly and godly lives, it loses its rigt to demand our total respect, onour to wom onour. Sela! Tink about it! A well regulated Militia, being necessary to te security of a free State, te rigt of te people to keep and bear Arms, sall not be infringed. So states te Second Amendment of our constitution. Tis is considered a fundamental rigt by most Americans, and rigtly so. Sometimes we overlook te militia part of te amendment, as we assert te individual rigt to bear arms. But, down troug te millennia of te ages, free societies ave protected temselves wit collectively armed citizens tat individually knew ow to use te weapons of teir times. Te nation of slaves, tat was te cildren of Israel exiting Egypt were taugt by Jeova ow to manufacture and wield weapons during teir 40-year Exodus, to battle te inabitants of te promised land (Exodus 17:9). But if any provide not for is own, and specially for tose of is own ouse, e at denied te fait, and is worse tan an infidel (I Tim. 5:8). More tan just bringing ome te bacon is meant by tis passage. If te western frontiersman ad neglected is training and marksmansip, ten is family would be killed by enemies tat considered im a tenderfoot. Protection of our families is a NECESSARY and VITAL part of being a usband and fater (in particular). Weter tat protection comes from a rifle anging over te front door, or te prudent purcase of a ouse on te RIGT side of te tracks in a well-policed neigborood. Sela! Tink about it! But wat if te neigborood (America) becomes TOO well policed? Wat if te policies of te government put our families at risk by elevating criminal rigts and restricting te rigts of lawabiding citizens to reasonably defend temselves from increasingly dangerous times and towns? Does our responsibility to our families default to te ungodly government? NO! We would be worse tan an infidel! If it be possible, as muc as liet in you, live peaceably wit all men (Rom. 12:18). Wen te loss of our liberty becomes untenable, God s people will rise in rebellion of tat tyranny! wenever any form of government becomes destructive of tese ends, it is te rigt of te people to alter or to abolis it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on suc principles, and organizing its powers in suc form, as to tem sall seem most likely to effect teir safety and appiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate tat governments long establised sould not be canged for ligt and transient causes; and accordingly all experience at sown tat mankind are more disposed to suffer, wile evils are sufferable tan to rigt temselves by abolising te forms to wic tey are accustomed. But wen a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably te same object, evinces a design to reduce tem under absolute despotism, it is teir rigt, it is teir duty, to trow off suc government. But is fater and is moter knew not tat it was of te LORD, tat e sougt an occasion against te Pilistines: for at tat time te Pilistines ad dominion over Israel (Judges 14:4). Just as God gave our forefaters an occasion for te American Revolution via te oppression of King George III, And David said, Wat ave I now done? Is tere not a cause (I Sam. 17:29)? Losing our rigt (and God-given mandate) to defend our families is suc a cause! 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 Tis is a good question and one easy for me to answer since I ave a few guns; I also ave a concealed carry license. In fact, I just asked a good preacer friend of mine te same question and I do not believe e would mind if I gave te answer e gave me. Of course my memory is not as good as it used to be and it migt not be verbatim, but it will be close. As long as we ave Te Constitution of te United States we ave a law tat states: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to te security of a free State, te rigt of te people to keep and bear Arms, sall not be infringed. Beloved, tat is a law, and under tat law, and as long as we ave tat law it would not be wrong for us to REFUSE to give up or andover our guns. And toug it sounds roug and toug, wat Carlton eston said, I ll give you my gun wen you pry (or take) it from my cold, dead ands. Is tis someting a Cristian sould be going around saying? I do not believe so! We ave enoug problems being Baptists; I do not believe we need (Continued on page 252)

16 Page 252 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 Forum #2 (Continued from page 251) to add to it. But I will use te law to defend my rigt to keep and bear Arms!! If I go to jail, I do not believe it will be because I was unwilling to give up my guns, but rater because I cease not to preac te gospel of Jesus Crist and im crucified! God Bless! ROGER REED Saul and te Witc (Continued from page 247) in wat appened. Te witc nor er spirit accomplice ad noting watsoever to do wit Samuel s sudden appearance. Tis incident is te only example in all Scripture were God permitted a deceased person to come back, as a spirit, to old communication wit te living. Oters ave come back from te dead, not as spirits, but raised persons. Wat appened in I Samuel 28 was a miracle of God wic was never repeated! Evil spirits may impersonate te dead, but tey cannot produce tem! And e said unto er, Wat form is e of? And se said, An old man comet up; and e is covered wit a mantle. And Saul perceived tat it was Samuel, and e stooped wit is face to te ground, and bowed imself (v. 14). SAMUEL S MESSAGE OF DOOM (vv ) And Samuel said to Saul, Wy ast tou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for te Pilistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answeret me no more, neiter by propets, nor by dreams: terefore I ave called tee, tat tou mayest make known unto me wat I sall do. Ten said Samuel, Werefore ten dost tou ask of me, seeing te LORD is departed from tee, and is become tine enemy? And te LORD at done to im, as e spake by me: for te LORD at rent te kingdom out of tine and, and given it to ty neigbor, even to David: Because tou obeyedst not te voice of te LORD, nor executedst is fierce wrat upon Amalek, terefore at te LORD done tis ting unto tee tis day. Moreover te LORD will also deliver Israel wit tee into te and of te Pilistines: and tomorrow salt tou and ty sons be wit me: te LORD also sall deliver te ost of Israel into te and of te Pilistines (I Sam. 28:15-20). Saul ad oped for some encouraging words concerning te battle. Instead e as eard a message of gloom and doom. is army would be defeated. e and is sons would die in battle. is dynasty would come to an end and David would take te kingdom. Ten Saul fell straigtway all along on te eart, and was sore afraid, because of te words of Samuel: and tere was no strengt in im; for e ad eaten no bread all te day, nor all te nigt (I Sam. 28:20). Te witc was terrified by te tougt tat te king of Israel migt be found dead or injured in er ome, wic would mean certain deat for er. Se begged im to take some food in order to revive is weakened body. Saul refused at first, but was eventually persuaded by te woman and is two servants to eat a full meal (I Sam. 28:21-25). Sortly e rose up and returned to te camps of is soldiers under te cover of nigt. Te next day witnessed te fulfillment of Samuel s propecy. Saul s sons, Jonatan, Abinadad, and Malcisua, were killed in te battle. Saul was sore wounded of te arcers and fell upon is own sword to end is miserable life (I Sam. 31:1-6). I Cronicles 10:13-14 tells us wy Saul died in battle: So Saul died for is transgression wic e committed against te LORD, even against te word of te LORD, wic e kept not, and also for asking counsel of one tat ad a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; And inquired not of te LORD: terefore e slew im, and turned te kingdom unto David te son of Jesse. According to I Jon 5:18, tere is a sin unto pysical deat in te case of a true believer. I believe tat Saul committed tat awful sin and God killed im for it. LESSONS ABOUT TE SPIRITLAND 1. Te souls of te rigteous exist in anoter land after teir body is buried. Te spirit of Samuel existed and was called back by God even toug separated from its body. is spirit was brougt up from a state of quietness and rest from te Paradise section of Seol. 2. Te spirit of Samuel was knowledgeable. It recognized Saul and spoke wit im. We learn from I Samuel 28:15-19 tat Samuel not only knew wat was appening on eart, but e knew wat would appen in te future. e knew of te deat of Saul and is sons. e could not ave foretold tese events unless e ad learned tem in te spiritland after is deat. ence we learn tat te disembodied spirit of a rigteous man is after deat in a state of increased knowledge. 3. In I Samuel 28:19 te spirit of Samuel told Saul tat te next day e and is sons would die and join im in te spiritland. Tomorrow salt tou and ty sons be wit me. Tis does not mean tey will be buried in te same cemetery as some foolisly tink. It means tat at deat te souls of te rigteous go to join in oly communion and companionsip wit oter departed spirits. 4. ere we learn te location of Seol in te Old Testament. It was in te center of te eart. And Samuel said to Saul, Wy ast tou disquieted me, to BRING ME UP (emp. MRC)? It consisted of two compartments separated by te great gulf. On one side was Abraam s bosom or Paradise, and on te oter was wat we generally call ell (Luke 16:19-31). 5. Te disembodied spirit may wear clotes. Samuel s spirit was covered wit a mantle (I Sam. 28:14). Te souls under te altar in Revelation 6:10-11 were given wite robes. 6. Te spirit of Samuel wen it came back seemed to ave a very definite form. Saul said, Wat form is e of? And se said, An old man comet up; and e is covered wit a mantle. Tus it must be tat te disembodied spirit greatly resembles our present form. LESSONS ABOUT SPIRITISM 1. Spiritism is not a modern pilosopy. It did not begin wit te Fox family of Rocester, New York, in Spiritism was a common practice in te land of Israel in te days of King Saul. It goes all te way back to te fall of man in Eden. Te first materialization of a spirit tat ever occurred came wen Satan manifested imself as a serpent (Gen. 3). Well did Kipling write: (Continued on page 253)

17 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 253 Saul and te Witc (Continued from page 252) O, te road to Endor is te oldest road, And te craziest road of all. Straigt it runs to te witc s abode As it did in te days of Saul. And noting as canged of te sorrow in store For suc as go down on te road to Endor. 2. Spiritism requires a medium for its manifestation. Wen Saul wanted to speak to Samuel e sougt a female witc wo ad a divining demon and inquired of er. Today it is still te same. People are still seeking For te living to te dead (Isa. 8:19). It is strange, if wat Spiritualists say is true, tat te returning spirit does not speak imself witout a medium as in te case of Samuel, wom God raised up for a special purpose. Wy must te alleged returning spirits in a seance be sut up to raps on te table, or a rattle of te door? Were is te Scripture for suc a ting? 3. Spiritism succeeds better in darkness tan in te dayligt. Saul went to visit te witc under te cover of darkness (I Sam. 28:8, 25). It is no compliment to any people tat te religion wic tey profess prefers darkness. Te more umbuggery one as, te less of te ligt e can afford to ave (Jon 3:20-21). It would seem some prefer te darkness because in teir religion tey worsip te Prince of Darkness. 4. Spiritism usually as a female as its medium,. Saul sougt a woman tat at a familiar spirit. Margaret and Kate Fox were women. God s propets are men, and almost witout exception te mediums of spiritism are women! It is well to remember tat te Devil attacked Eve instead of Adam. It appears from te Bible tat a woman is more responsive to Satanic influence tan a man. 5. Spiritism is te resort of te saddened and God-forsaken as can be seen in te case of Saul. Most of te people wo go to spiritualists go because tey are overwelmed wit sorrow or saddened by some awful violation of God s law. 6. Spiritism does not ave te power to bring back te spirits of te dead. ere is a glaring exposure of te fraudulency of tis system. Only by a special miracle of God did Samuel appear. e appeared to te surprise and sock of te female witc. Te Bible plainly teaces tat te spirits of good persons cannot return to eart to minister in any way to te living. Wen David s baby died e declared: Can I bring im back again? I sall go to im, but e sall not return to me (II Sam. 12:23). Te same is true of te spirits of te wicked. Abraam told te ric man in ell:...neiter can tey pass to us, tat would come from tence (Luke 16:26). Spirits cannot return to seance wit surviving friends, or make raps, sounds, or signs. Te spirits of te dead can no more return to eart tan te living can go to te world of te spirits and return to eart. 7. Spiritism leads to despair and deat for its disciples as it did in te case of Saul. Witces and wizards never tell troubled souls of te way of salvation by Crist. ence teir followers ave no peace of mind and conscience. Tere is no ligt of eaven in a seance. Te rappings are unitelligible and te rattlings are empty sounds. No good can come from suc tings. For a true Cristian to dabble in te occult is to engage in a sin for wic God will kill im as e did Saul. Are You A Joy to Your Pastor? By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma Wen te Lord calls upon your pastor as one wo must give an account not of imself, but of you, wat kind of a report will e give? Somebody says, I never eard tat my pastor must give an account of anyone oter tan imself. Somebody else says, I do not believe tat! Every man will give an account of imself. Nobody is going to give a report to God about me not even my pastor. Let us see wat te Bible says, sall we? ebrews 13:17 tells of tis very ting. It will not be profitable for you if your pastor is not able to report joyfully about is relationsip wit you. ere are te words of God in tis place: Obey tem tat ave te rule over you, and submit yourselves: for tey watc for your souls, as tey tat must give account, tat tey may do it wit joy, and not wit grief: for tat is unprofitable for you. A pastor or bisop must give account. If your pastor s report about you and your relationsip wit im is wit grief tat will be unprofitable for you. Peraps tis is a new concept for you. Peraps tat is because te popular notion is tat a pastor is supposed to be just a friend, or an errand boy, or a golf partner, or a fising buddy. Many professing Cristians are muc like erod. Te Bible says about im:...erod feared Jon, knowing tat e was a just man and an oly, and observed im; and wen e eard im, e did many tings, and eard im gladly (Mark 6:20). But in te end erod ad Jon te Baptist beeaded! is loyalties were not first to God and to God s man. It is easy to make muc noise about loving God and being on is side, but wen it comes down to actual service, not many professors are a joy to teir godly pastor. Eac God-called pastor as a fearsome responsibility. Tey ave te oversigt of te congregation tey serve. And eac congregation is made up of individuals. A servant tey are, but a pastor is not to be a door mat. Wit responsibility comes accountability and autority. If a man is going to be accountable for someting or someone e must ave an appropriate degree of autority over te situation. God s pastors ave autority to preac te Word and lead te congregation according to te Scriptures. Tey are overseers or managers under Crist. Tus tey eac ave a congregation to manage, or oversee. So we ask te question tis way: wat will your pastor say about you wen e is called upon to report to te Lord about you? Will your pastor drop is ead before te Lord and say someting like tis? Well, Lord, I wis you ad not asked me about im. I feel tat I failed in ministering to im. Someow I just could not reac im. e was cantankerous and disagreeable wen I first met im and I left im in te same condition. e was worldly minded and never really serious about being faitful to te curc. Lord, I guess I failed in tat I just could not seem to elp im grow and mature in spiritual tings. Tat kind of report given by your pastor is unprofitable for you. It is not unprofitable for your pastor! Do you understand tat? It is you tat will suffer (Continued on page 254)

18 Page 254 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 Are You A Joy to (Continued from page 253) te loss. Are you building gold, silver, or precious stones upon te foundation te curc of wic you are a member? Tat is wat portions of 1 Corintians capters 13 and 14 are all about. Tere Paul wrote: Every man s work sall be made manifest: for te day sall declare it, because it sall be revealed by fire; and te fire sall try every man s work of wat sort it is. If any man s work abide wic e at built tereupon, e sall receive a reward. If any man s work sall be burned, e sall suffer loss: but e imself sall be saved; yet so as by fire (I Cor. 3:13-15). You may say, I do not like tat. But tose verses are a part of God s Word! I am sorry to tell you tat some Baptists are going to be saved like a man running out of a burning ouse wit noting but te clotes on is back and tem ruined and singed and smelling like smoke. Let us imagine tat wen te Lord calls upon your pastor to give an account and mentions your name your pastor s face ligts up wit joy. Wat if your pastor says, Lord, I am appy you asked me about tis broter (or sister). Tey were always sweetly reasonable, ready to pitc in and do teir part. Tey never gossiped or bickered wit oter members. I could always count on tem being faitful bot in attendance and giving. Tey prayed earnestly and eld up my ands in every battle. Tey witnessed and invited folk to come and ear te Word preaced. In every way, Lord, tey were an encouragement and a elp. Tat will be profitable - not for your pastor, but for you! Tat is te picture portrayed to us in God s Word. Will your pastor be joyful wen e reports about you? Will you profit from is report? Tis puts tings in a different ligt, does it not? Sound Baptists ave always opposed free-lance preacers wo operate apart from accountability to a a curc. Te Bible opposes free-lance curc members wo will not serve Crist togeter and armoniously in curc capacity. We curc members ave a iger calling tan to be renegades. We are to learn to labor togeter and to obey tose wom God as given te oversigt over us. Tey ave our best interests at eart and are placed in teir position by a sovereign God. Some Baptists are like Moses cousin Kora. Kora rebelled at te idea tat is cousin was to rule over im! Tis man Kora and certain oters in Israel rose up against teir pastor (Moses) and said, Ye take too muc upon you, seeing all te congregation are oly, every one of tem, and te LORD is among tem: werefore ten lift ye up yourselves above te congregation of te LORD (Num. 16:3)? Now te Bible does not support te idea of dictator-pastors. But it does not support rebellion eiter. In fact,...rebellion is as te sin of witccraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry... (I Sam. 15:23). Te accusation of Kora and is followers was false. Moses was not a dictator. e was God s man. e did not aggrandize power and prestige unto imself. In fact, Numbers 12:3 says of im: (Now te man Moses was very meek, above all te men wic were upon te face of te eart). Kora and is crowd were lying rebels! Let us follow God s leaders: God s pastors! Let us live so tat in te day wen our pastor gives an account to God about us, tey may do it wit joy, and not wit grief. 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 Missouri Lawmakers Override Veto to Enact Abortion Wait Period (WNS)--Te Missouri state legislature enacted a 72-our wait period for abortions in early September, overriding Gov. Jay Nixon s veto from earlier tis year. Te Democratic governor ad previously vetoed te legislation because it did not include exceptions for rape and incest. Missouri passed a 24-our wait period in 2003 tat also did not include rape and incest exceptions. Te governor labeled te new bill extreme and disrespectful toward women. Te law places Missouri in second place for most stringent wait-period laws. Nort Dakota s 72- our wait period, te strictest in te country, does not include weekends or olidays. Uta follows Missouri; its 72-our wait period allows exceptions for rape, incest, and oter extreme circumstances. Missouri s bill passed wit bipartisan support, despite an attempted filibuster by Democratic senators. Te vote was in te ouse and 23-7 in te Senate. Air Force WILL not Let Ateist Airman Skip God in Enlistment Oat (WNS)--Te Air Force as given an ateist airman until November to take is enlistment oat, wic includes te prase so elp me God. If e refuses, e will not be allowed to rejoin is unit. Ateist groups ave taken up te unnamed airman s cause, but e may find imself caugt in a battle over te separation of powers between te executive and legislative brances. Te American umanist Association (AA) as written to inspectors general for te Air Force and Creec Air Force Base in Nevada, arguing te airman s constitutional rigts ave been violated. Te airman s terms of service expire in November, and AA claims is commanding officers rejected is written re-enlistment oat on Aug. 25 because e crossed out te words so elp me God. Colorado Students Skip Scool to Support Revisionist istory Course (WNS)--In an act of protest, students and teacers in Jefferson County, Colo., are skipping scool. Students claim tey are walking out due to teir scool board s planned review of te proposed new AP istory curriculum. For te past week, large groups of students at a majority of te district s 17 ig scools ave left scool, waving flags, banners, and protest signs. My mom is very proud of me, tat I am standing up for wat I believe, 16-year-old Vanessa Ridge said. Te new version of AP istory deviates radically from its predecessor, omitting key istorical figures and events suc as Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luter King and D-Day. Instead, it empasizes oppression, conflict, and America s more divisive events, effectively sanitizing te record of many of America s most foundational moments, trends, and notable citizens. Sandy ook Commission (Continued on page 255)

19 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 255 Bible & te Newspaper (Continued from page 254) Calls for omescool Oversigt (WNS)--A Connecticut government task force wants to give special educators wit public scools te power to veto omescooling parents education plans. Te Connecticut Post reports te state as placed increased scrutiny on its rougly 5,000 omescoolers since te December 2012 mass sooting at Sandy ook Elementary Scool, were 20 students and six educators died. Te sooter, Adam Lanza, 20, was diagnosed in 2005 wit Asperger s syndrome. ig scool exacerbated is struggles, wic included extreme anxiety and discomfort wit canges, noise, and pysical contact wit oters, a state attorney s report said. Lanza s moter, wom e also killed, began omescooling im in about 10t grade wit te aid of Newtown ig Scool so e could graduate in 2009 wit a public scool diploma. Court Allows Texas to Enforce Closing of Abortion Centers (WNS)--Texas can immediately start enforcing new protections for women and unborn cildren, a federal appeals court said Oct. 2, overturning anoter judge s ruling tat blocked te regulations days before tey were set to take effect. Te rules are part of te sweeping abortion reform law called B2 tat Gov. Rick Perry signed in Tey require abortion centers in Texas to ave ospital-like facilities wit operating rooms, air filtration systems, and oter standards tat are typically mandated in surgical settings. Supporters of te measure said it would protect women s ealt, but U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ruled Aug. 29 tree days te regulations were supposed to be implemented tat it created an impermissible obstacle as applied to all women seeking a previability abortion. Texas AG: Sermon Subpoena is Unconstitutional (WNS)--Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Oct. 15 called on ouston Mayor Annise Parker and City Attorney David Feldman to relent on subpoenas demanding pastors sermons and private communications. Weter you intend it to be so or not, your action is a direct assault on te religious liberty guaranteed by te First Amendment, Abbott wrote in a letter to te city leader. e called on te mayor to avoid even te appearance of intimidation. Te five subpoenaed pastors are part of a group opposing te city in a lawsuit over a petition drive to get an LGBT rigts ordinance on te ballot. Te detailed subpoena ordered te pastors to and over all sermons and electronic communications wit congregants containing opinions on omosexuality and gender identity. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, te five pastors, and teir Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys joined dozens of oter supporters Tursday at ouston s First Baptist Curc to demand te city witdraw te subpoenas. Caesar does not ave jurisdiction over te pulpit, Cruz said. And wen you subpoena one pastor, you subpoena every pastor. Oters insisted te case is a crucial test of American protections for religious liberty. A curc sould not be required to ave te government sign off on teir pastor s sermons, te Family Researc Council declared, urging supporters to sign a petition of solidarity. By Tursday afternoon, 22,000 people ad. Liberty Institute President Kelly Sackelford said te subpoenas resemble te ways Nazis looked for incriminating evidence against preacers under its infamous Muzzling Order. Feldman and Parker did backtrack on te subpoenas Wednesday afternoon, claiming tey did not know about tem. But Feldman, calling te idea tat e wants to suppress dissent ridiculous, maintained te pastors are relevant to te case and said some type of narrowed subpoena will remain. Te city claims te lawsuit is about weter petitioners ad enoug valid signatures, so any communication about te process is fair game as te city seeks to make its case as to weter petitioners broke te rules. Opponents, toug, say te lawsuit is about Feldman misusing is powers to disqualify te petition days after te city secretary found more tan enoug signatures to get te referendum on te ballot. Parker and Feldman ave yet to defend te subpoena s demand for documented proof of te petition drive s finances, any communications surrounding te arguments tat men can use women s batrooms under te ordinance an interpretation Parker says is a lie and four pages of oter itemized inquiries. Suc items are irrelevant to te case and amount to arassment, said Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Erik Stanley. ADF argues te U.S. Supreme Court as ruled government can violate a First Amendment freedom troug intended or unintended arassment, even if it does not formally treat speec as illegal. But despite Parker and Feldman s attempt to distance temselves from te documents, te subpoena remains in place. Officials inted Wednesday tat te city would narrow te subpoenas at an upcoming court earing but none is sceduled, Stanley told me. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Cinese Crackdown on Curces Continues wit Arrests, Detentions (WNS)--During a ouse curc service in Cina s Guangdong province in September, 200 police barged in and arrested more tan 100 curc members, including cildren, according to International Cristian Concern (ICC). Te raid was a surprise for te 170-member Mount Olivet Curc of Fosan City, wic as been around for nearly 20 years. Most of te congregants were released after about 10 to 20 ours, but 30 people were kept for more tan 24 ours. We do not know exactly wy tey raided our curc, a curc member told ICC. Te government does not want us to get togeter and worsip as a curc. A detainment notice left by police claimed te curc was conducting an illegal gatering and spreading an evil cult. Quotes from Broter Ritecus N. Dignation by Josep arris We ave always eard tat to get aead in life depends not on wat you know, but wo you know. Wen it comes to salvation, tat s rigt on te bullseye. We are not saved because of wat we know about Jesus and te Bible: we are saved because we know te Jesus of te Bible. And we know tat te Son of God is come, and at given us an understanding, tat we may know im tat is true, and we are in im tat is true, even in is Son Jesus Crist. Tis is te true God, and eternal life (I Jon 5:20).

20 Page 256 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 ow Bad Off Are We? By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma We ask te question in our title, ow Bad Off Are We? We mean by tat question, ow bad off are we as uman beings? Muc as been preaced and printed about man s goodness and is ability. Tere as been so muc of tis kind of preacing tat te general public believes tat tere is some kind of a spark of te divine in man tat makes im good or at least able to do good. Along wit tis is te idea tat man s will is free to coose to do good. In spite of all te evil of every sort tat is in te world around us, some people still tink man is basically good. Te idea of man s being a free moral agent as been perverted into te popular doctrine of man s free will. Tat man is a free moral agent is not denied, but tat is will is free is quite a different matter. Carried to te extreme as it is today, uman beings are viewed as being well able to freely coose weter or not to serve God or teir base desires. To most Baptists today, weter or not a person is born again is a matter of is or er coice. Furter along in tis piece we sall sow tat man s will as absolutely noting to do wit te new birt. But first, consider tis: man, being a pleasure seeking creature seeks tose tings and activities tat please im. Fast cars, boats, motorcycles and te like tickle te fancy of some and so tey devote temselves to tose tings. Oters are more in love wit sexual pleasure and pursue te gratification of tose desires in a myriad of ways. Still oters may love comforts, possessions, wealt, or taste sensations and so devote temselves to tese pursuits. Oters are devoted to eiter watcing organized sports or to unting, fising, etc. as te cief ting in teir lives. Many are te idols of lost men and women! In spite of te wicked desires of te natural man, tose wo try to maintain te free will doctrine claim tat man s will is someow independent of all tat is fallen in man. To tem, it is as if te desire for pleasure as no bearing upon te coices tat te individual makes. We tink tis is a delusion. We tink tey ave not been sown temselves for if tey ad, tey would say wit Job of old, I ave eard of tee by te earing of te ear: but now mine eye seet tee. Werefore I abor myself, and repent in dust and ases (Job 42:5-6). Suc atred of one s self as been te experience of tis preacer and we tink of all tose wom God as made alive spiritually. Te modern idea is to love yourself, but wen God comes in te new birt, men ate teir sinfulness. We say tis because spiritual sigt accompanies spiritual life. Tis spiritual kind of seeing resulted in Job s atred of imself as a sinner and in is repentance or turning to God from sin seeking deliverance. Tis kind of repentance is an integral part of New Testament gospel preacing. Jon te Baptist preaced repentance (see Mattew 3:2) and after learning of Jon s imprisonment, te Lord Jesus took up te same message as is clearly stated in Mattew 4:17. Furtermore, Paul preaced...repentance toward God, and fait toward our Lord Jesus Crist (Acts 20:21). Many modern religionists ave abandoned te preacing of repentance and substituted mere intellectual belief. But back to te will. uman reasoning will never settle te matter as to weter or not man s will is absolutely free or not. We suppose tat men ave debated tis issue from time immemorial. Let us asten to God s Word. Let us agree tat regardless of our opinions, our past teacing and our sense of wat ougt to be, we will allow God s Word to settle te matter. In seeking an answer to just ow bad off man is, let us pose te question tis way: do lost sinners ave te ability to come to Crist in a saving way apart from te new birt? Can lost sinners come to Crist by teir own ability? Or, are lost sinners totally unable to do anyting toward teir new birt? Tis is te issue. Te issue is not weter man as a will or not. Te issue is ow did te fall of our fater Adam affect is posterity. Wat damage did it do to mankind? Did te fall of Adam affect men s intellects? Te answer is obvious if we ask tis question: do lost men ever tink evil tougts? Again we ask, did te fall of Adam affect men s affections or emotions? Ask yourself, did you ever love te wrong ting? And so we come to te matter of man s will. Do te fallen sons of Adam ever coose to do te wrong tings? And wy is tat? It must be because te fallen nature of eac person affects te intellect, emotions and yes even te will of all men. Te propet wrote, Can te Etiopian cange is skin, or te leopard is spots? ten may ye also do good, tat are accustomed to do evil ( Jer. 13:23). New Testament teacing agrees, for Paul wrote, I find ten a law, tat, wen I would do good, evil is present wit me. For I deligt in te law of God after te inward man: But I see anoter law in my members, warring against te law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to te law of sin wic is in my members (Rom. 7:21-23). Even te born again ones te true cildren of God find tey are not free from teir fallen nature and tat teir fallen nature affects teir wills. As muc as tey desire to do so, tey cannot do only good! Evil is present wit or in eac uman being. Is man s will free, ten? If it is, it is not te determining factor for wat men do. Evil is present. And evil is present not only in te regenerated cild of God, but in te lost sinner as well. So ten we must conclude tat watever else you may say, men are bound by tat sin nature tat tere is someting Paul called evil tat is present witin eac of tem. And Paul stated clearly tat tis evil keeps even Cristians from doing only good. Tis evil causes men to exercise teir wills toward doing evil. Is tis freedom of te will? If te will is affected or influenced or controlled by tis evil ten te will is not truly free. Te oly Spirit troug Paul revealed more to us about tis evil tat is always present wit us. ere are some facts about lost sinners tat bear directly on te subject of tat evil. e wrote in anoter place:...te carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to te law of God, neiter indeed can be. So ten tey tat are in te fles cannot please God. But ye are not in te fles, but in te Spirit, if so be tat te Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man ave not te Spirit of Crist, e is none of is (Rom. 8:7-9). Tis carnal mind - te natural or lost man s mind first of all is (Continued on page 257)

21 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 257 ow Bad Off Are (Continued from page 256) not subject to te law of God. Men are rebels against God! Secondly, it cannot be subject or submissive for te apostle wrote, neiter indeed can be. Because of tis Paul reasons, tose wo are yet lost in sin cannot please God. Tat is a plain and clear statement. Lost sinners can do noting tat pleases God! Argue wit tat if you will, but if you do, you are arguing wit God! We ask tese questions: does repentance toward God and fait toward te Lord Jesus Crist please God? Obviously te answer is yes. Ten, according to te Word of God, te lost man cannot repent and believe for e cannot please God. A man must ave te Spirit of God dwelling in im in order to repent and believe. Only tose wo ave been born again by te oly Spirit of God can please God! Wit tis trut perises all tose umanistic ideas of modern religion tat say tat God will birt a sinner into is family if tey will do tis or tat or te oter ting. Consider two tings: first of all te metaporical language tat describes regeneration as a new birt. Today s religion, in te main, says tat tere is someting a lost sinner can do to bring about is new birt. Suc an idea violates te very concept of a birt. Te baby is a participant in its birt, but it is not causative. It is te moter wo labors to deliver te infant. Te baby does not labor or do anyting to birt imself nor is is birt te result of is doing someting. Te second ting to consider is te parable te Lord told about te lost seep. Lost seep do not seek te seperd nor do lost spiritual seep seek te Good Seperd. It is te Good Seperd wo knows exactly were is lost seep is and goes to it and brings it successfully back ome. And furter to tis point, God says about lost sinners, Tere is none tat understandet, tere is none tat seeket after God (Rom. 3:11). Men may seek after eaven or seek to escape ell. Tey may seek a better life. Tey may seek to be religious and to ave a good reputation, but no lost sinner seeks after God. If tey do, God is a liar! But wat about coming to Crist for salvation? Did not Crist imself invite men to come to im? Certainly e did. But neiter commands to do a ting or invitations imply te ability of a person to obey te command or to avail temselves of an invitation. We may invite someone to a social event knowing full well tat tey cannot come for one reason or anoter. Tey are welcome to come. We ave done noting to keep tem from coming. We wis tem no evil and would do tem good, but teir interests for watever reason will not motivate tem to come. Or peraps tey are ill or andicapped in some way so as not to be able to accept te invitation. Except for Jews wo are judicially blinded (see II Corintians 3:14-16) God as done noting to keep lost sinners from coming to Crist. (Even among te Jews tere was in Paul s day a remnant elected by grace according to Romans 11:5 and we ope tat tere is suc a remnant today). So te issue is not tat God keeps sinners from coming to Crist, but rater tat sinners lack te ability to come in a saving way to im. Tis te Lord Jesus stated in no uncertain terms in Jon 6:44 were we read, No man can come to me, except te Fater wic at sent me draw im: and I will raise im up at te last day. A somewat similar statement by te Lord is found in verse 65 of tat same capter: And e said, Terefore said I unto you, tat no man can come unto me, except it were given unto im of my Fater. Te word can means to ave te ability. (Te word may means to ave permission to do someting). Te Lord Jesus did not say tat men did not ave permission to come to im. e said tey did not ave te ability! Now ten tis idea may be new to you because so many preacers and religious organizations are built upon te false idea tat man as te ability to come to Crist. It is generally believed tat lost sinners ave te ability to do someting in order to bring about teir new birt. But it just Ain t so! In anoter place Paul tells us wy lost men cannot profitably receive te Word of God. We insert tis ere because so many people ave te idea tat if te Word is preaced or read, a lost person can reasonably be expected to receive it and profit spiritually from it apart from any special work of God in tat individual. Because of tis, modern Baptists often depend on especially persuasive preacers wom tey call evangelists to come and get folk saved. But te Bible says tat lost sinners will not and cannot receive Bible trut in a spiritually profitable way. Consider tis: Now we ave received, not te spirit of te world, but te spirit wic is of God; tat we migt know te tings tat are freely given to us of God. Wic tings also we speak, not in te words wic man s wisdom teacet, but wic te oly Gost teacet; (Continued on page 258)

22 Page 258 Te Berea Baptist Banner November 5, 2014 ow Bad Off Are (Continued from page 257) comparing spiritual tings wit spiritual. But 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. 2:12-14). Notice tat Paul says tat we (true cildren of God) ave received te Spirit of God. Ten e says te result of tis is tat we can (ave te ability to) know te tings freely give to us of God. May we insert ere tat tings earned or bartered for wit God are not freely given. If a sinner can trade is obedience or some deed for te new birt, ten te new birt is not freely given! Paul goes on to say tat tese are te tings we (Paul and is coworkers) preac in words tat te oly Gost teaces. Ten and ere is were most professing Cristians want to argue and disagree wit God s Word for next Paul says tat te natural man (uncanged, tose not born again) do not receive or will not receive suc trut. Wy? Because te tings of te Spirit, i.e., te message of grace wic e calls te tings freely given to us, is foolisness to tose not born of te Spirit. Ten Paul drops te bomb, as we may say. Next e writes, neiter can e know tem. (Remember, can means to ave te ability. So God is saying tat lost men lack te ability to know te tings Paul preaced. Wy? Because suc tings are only known by te man tat as been born of te Spirit of God, i.e., tey are spiritually discerned. A man wose spirit is dead cannot discern te trut of God and so it does im no good spiritually. Let us close wit a brief recapitulation. We ave said tese tings and furnised Scripture to back up our statements. Lost men do ave a will, but tat will is not absolutely free. It is subject to te fallen nature of te man. Evil is present and tus te freedom to do good is foreign to te sinner. Next we noticed tat te mind of a lost man is enmity against God. It is not and indeed cannot be subject to God and is law. In ligt of tis a lost man can do noting to please God. Regardless of is so-called freewill e cannot e doest not ave te ability to please God in any way watsoever. Next we looked at te fact tat no man as te ability to come to Crist except God te Fater draws im and tose drawn by te Fater are promised a blessed resurrection. Tis last statement proves tat tis verse does not mean tat God tries to draw all men, for all men will not participate in a blessed resurrection. And finally we pointed out tat no lost man can profitably receive te Word of God. Paul said tat lost people regard te Bible as foolisness! In fact Paul wrote it is impossible for te lost person to understand God s Word: e wrote, neiter can e know tem speaking of te tings Paul and is coworkers spoke te tings of te Spirit of God. So, a man cannot do good, e cannot please God for e is enmity against God. A lost sinner cannot does not ave te ability to come in a saving way to Crist. And e cannot understand God s Word in a spiritually profitable way. Could te picture be any blacker? Lost men may not be as bad as tey could be, but tey are as bad off as tey could be! So te answer to our title wic is a question is tis: lost sinners could not possibly be worse off. In fact, teir spirits are dead. We know tis because Paul wrote to te born again cildren of God in Epesus saying, Even wen we were dead in sins, at quickened us togeter wit Crist, (by grace ye are saved;) And at raised us up togeter, and made us sit togeter in eavenly places in Crist Jesus: Tat in te ages to come e migt sew te exceeding rices of is grace in is kindness toward us troug Crist Jesus. 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. 2:5-9). Te new birt is giving life to tose wo were spiritually dead. A dead man cannot raise imself from tat dead state. A spiritually dead man cannot make is spirit alive for it is dead witin im wile e lives. Salvation is by grace. It is a gift bestowed upon certain sinners cosen sinners in te same fasion as intellectual gifts or musical gifts or artistic gifts are bestowed upon babes wile yet in te womb. A great musician may ave improved is gift, but e did noting to get it. Someone else decided tat e would be so gifted! Jon describes for us te new birt wic is tat gift of spiritual life necessary to salvation and te initial part of it in our experience. e wrote of tose wo received Crist and told us wy tey received im. e wrote, Wic were born, not of blood, nor of te will of te fles, nor of te will of man, but of God (Jon 1:13). Watever you may say about te will of man, te new birt into God s family as noting to do wit it. Te new birt is not brougt about by te will of man, but of God. Wo can argue wit suc a clear statement? ave you been born again? ave you received spiritual life? Give te glory all to God. Te Bible counsels us ow to look upon watever we ave and are. It says, For wo maket tee to differ from anoter? and wat ast tou tat tou didst not receive? now if tou didst receive it, wy dost tou glory, as if tou adst not received it (I Cor. 4:7)? ave you received eternal life by coming to Crist? If so, you did not come apart from te Fater s drawing and all tose wom e draws sall participate in a blessed resurrection. And since you received all spiritual blessings as a bestowal, a gift, wy do you act as if you did someting to earn or qualify for tese blessings? Give te glory to God! If you are someow different from tis lost world s population it is because God made you different! Like as God found Israel, so e found you. Consider wat God said about Israel: And as for ty nativity, in te day tou wast born ty navel was not cut, neiter wast tou wased in water to supple tee; tou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied tee, to do any of tese unto tee, to ave compassion upon tee; but tou wast cast out in te open field, to te loting of ty person, in te day tat tou wast born. And wen I passed by tee, and saw tee polluted in tine own blood, I said unto tee wen tou wast in ty blood, Live; yea, I said unto tee wen tou wast in ty blood, Live (Ezek. 16:4-6). Tat is a picture of individual sinners to wom God gives spiritual life. It is God wo passes by and sees wom e would save and says, Live and tey live! Give all te glory for your salvation to God! None of it belongs to you!

23 November 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 259 Let Us By Donnie Burford of Irvine, Kentucky A nd l e t us consider one anoter to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking te assembling of ourselves togeter, as te manner of some is; but exorting one anoter: and so muc te more, as ye see te day approacing (eb. 10:24-25). We as Baptists are very familiar wit our text. Most often it is used to remind curc members of teir Godgiven responsibility to faitfully attend curc services. Indeed tis trut is supported by our text, but I believe it would do us all well to consider te broader context of verses 1-23 as to wy we sould be faitful to attend curc. Te passage seems a very practical lesson to tose early Cristians wo were primarily Jews and were struggling wit te transition between te Old Covenant practices tey ad so long followed and te New Covenant tey now professed by fait to believe and walk in. Te writer, by contrast, compares te Old, insufficient Covenant wit te superior and full aspects of te New. e does tis first by comparing te continual nature of te sacrifices of te Old wit te superior and final sacrifice of Crist under te New. (read vs ) e continues is comparing by contrast by next looking at te Old Covenant s office of te priestood and laying it alongside of te superior trut of Crist being now our great ig priest. ( read vs ) is final defense of tis trut is an appeal to te fact tat, altoug is teacing was inspired, te oly Spirit witnessed to te trut of wat e was saying, for in fact te oly Spirit ad already confirmed all e was writing. It was no new trut but a trut long ago revealed (read vs , also read Jeremia 31:33-34). In regards to all tis being te trut, e concludes is presentation by giving tem te practical and expected result (read vs ). So as te cildren of God, and knowing and believing tese truts tat ave been revealed, we ave been assured of te superiority of te New and eternal covenant over te Old, temporal and insufficient. Yes, we wo troug fait ave received te blood atonement tat Crist made once for all for us, and we wo know we now ave a perfect and oly great ig Priest wo continually intercedes for us. Yes, we now know we ave te privilege te Jew never ad under te old way, tat being, we can now in full assurance at any and all times, enter into te very presence of God our Fater troug Jesus Crist. Today we, as Cristians, being so far removed from te mandates of te Old Covenant do not ave muc trouble separating ourselves from it. aving seen by fait te superior realities of te new and living way tat in Crist as been revealed and given to us. Tus we, by fait and in full assurance follow im. Do We Not? Do we really know tese truts? Do we really, by fait believe tese trut s. You see te writer goes on to sow te validity of teir and our fait is assured by te manner in wic our lives respond to tese facts. A professed fait, wit out te natural resulting life acts tat are to follow, is no assurance of true salvation (James 2:26) Te writer gives tree expectations tat are to be seen and experienced wen true fait as been obtained. Tese tree expected realities in te life of a believer are eac introduced in our text by te prase, let us. In essence, e is saying we wo ave truly believed sould respond in suc manners tat reveal te reality of our true and God-given fait. Let us (vs ). We wo ave truly believed draw near or nig unto God wit a true eart tat as been establised in te fait. Tis is exactly wat tose in James 4:8-10 were exorted to do. Under te Old Covenant, a Jew was always restricted from te oly of olies, from te very presence of God but we, wo by fait ave been cleansed and been given a new eart will, by te reality of our new nature and standing, draw nig unto God. Tis is te first of responses tat tose wo ave received true fait will fulfill. Let us, (vs. 23) speaks to tose wo ave a sure ope, tey knowing te promises of God given tem under te New Covenant ave a persevering assurance tat wat tey by fait ave received, God will perform. Tey do not waver or do anyting tat would let tem draw back to te old ways, (Continued on page 260) 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. 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