David the Great King. Look and Live. Take Off the Blinders. First Righteousness, Then Peace

Transcription

1 By Alfred M. Gormley ( ) And as Moses lifted up te serpent in te wilderness, even so must te Son of man be lifted up: Tat wosoever believet in im sould not peris, but ave eternal life. For God so loved te world, tat e gave is only begotten Son, tat wosoever believet in im sould not peris, but ave everlasting life. For God sent not is Son into te world to condemn te world; but tat te world troug im By Roger Reed of Mansfield, Oio Look and Live migt be saved. e tat believt on im is not condemned: but e tat believet not is condemned a l r e a d y, because e at not believed in te name of te only begotten Son of God (Jon 3:14-18). Tese verses come from te conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus ad told Nicodemus tat a man must be (Continued on page 2) Take Off te Blinders For I am not asamed of te gospel of Crist: for it is te power of God unto salvation to every one tat believet; to te Jew first, and also to te Greek (Rom. 1:16). Te number one ting Cristians sould not close teir eyes to (putting blinders on) is teir responsibility to sare te gospel message to te lost we ave failed in tis. Are we asamed of it? As Paul clearly points out, e was not! e goes on to say wy e is not asamed in te next verse, For terein is te rigteousness of God revealed from fait to fait: as it is written, Te just sall live by fait (Rom. 1:17). (Continued on page 18) David te Great King By Roy Mason ( ) I want to try to speak from a passage found in te Old Testament, in Second Samuel, twenty-tird capter, and I will begin reading at verse 13 and continue troug verse 17. And tree of te tirty cief went down, and came to David in te arvest time unto te cave of Adullam: and te troop of te Pilistines pitced in te valley of Repaim. And David was ten in an old, and te By Paul Stepp of Indore, West Virginia garrison of te Pilistines was ten in Betleem. And David longed, and said, O tat one would give me drink of te water of te well of Betleem, wic is by te gate! And te tree migty men brake troug te ost of te Pilistines, and drew water out of te well of Betleem, tat was by te gate, and took (Continued on page 4) First Rigteousness, Ten Peace For tis Melcisedec, king of Salem, priest of te most ig God, wo met Abraam returning from te slaugter of te kings, and blessed im; To wom also Abraam gave a tent part of all; first being by interpretation King of rigteousness, and after tat also King of Salem, wic is, King of peace; Witout fater, witout moter, witout d e s c e n t, aving neiter beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto te Son of God; abidet a priest continually (eb 7:1-3). I tink it is very interesting tat Melcisedec wo exists in (Continued on page 10) Better to serve God in solitude tan sin wit te multitude. And if it seem evil unto you to serve te LORD, coose you tis day wom ye will serve;... but as for me and my ouse, we will serve te LORD (Josua 24:15).

2 Page 2 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 January 5, 2016 Volume XXXVI, Number 1 Wole Number 438 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. 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Te post office will only forward periodical mail for 90 days. Tey carge us $.70 for eac cange of address tey ave to send us. Please save us tis expense and te post office time. BUNDLES TO ONE ADDRESS: Tese are sent for $4 per paper for a year. An example: 10 papers for one year at $40 or 20 papers for one year at $ LOCATION OF PUBLISING CURC: Our curc is located on state igway 363 about one mile sout of Mantacie, Mississippi. Readers are always welcome to visit our services. CURC PONE: A PAPER WITOUT SUBSCRIPTION: Some times people write to us and say tat tey did not subscribe for te BBB. Tey are receiving our paper because someone else as paid for teir subscription. We trust te BBB will be received as an outstretced and to you. Take wat you find elpful and discard wat you cannot use.if you do not want to receive suc a gift subscription, please write to us. We are appy to cancel suc a subscription. We do not want to go were we are not wanted. DISCLAIMER: Te Editor assumes tat te articles submitted for publication in te BBB are written by te person wose name tey bear, unless oterwise indicated by a quote from anoter writer. owever, te Editor cannot personally guarantee tat tis is te case in all articles wic appear in te BBB. Te purpose of te Berea Baptist Banner is as follows: 1.To onor God and to exalt te Lord Jesus Crist. 2. To preac te gospel to lost sinners. 3. To spread te wole counsel of God s Word. 4. To encourage God s preacers and to strengt-en is curces in te most oly fait. 5. To motivate God s cildren to a closer fellow-sip around is Word. 6. To inform people of world events in ligt of Bible propecy. 7. To condemn and expose error werever it may rear its ugly ead. 8. To stimulate Cristian growt in grace. 9. To make te Devil and is demons as mad as possible. Tune in to te Berea Baptist Broadcast STATION TIME DIAL WATTS WCNA, Myrtle, MS...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 FM WCTT, Corbin, KY...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 AM WFTA, Tupelo, MS...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 FM KARI, Blaine, WA...Saturday 10:30-11:00 a.m ,000 AM KPRV, eavener, OK... Sunday 8:30-9:00 a.m ,000 FM WQRL, Benton, IL...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,500 FM PAPER GONE OUT TO SEA WIT TE TIDE? Look at your mailing label on te front page of tis mont s paper. If you see above your name Expires 1/2016 ten tis will be your last issue. So don t tink your paper as gone out wit te tide! Renew now so you won t miss next mont s Banner. Look and Live (Continued from page 1) born again before e can see te kingdom of God (Jon 3:3). In te verses above, Jesus told im ow tis new birt takes place. OLD TESTAMENT ILLUSTRATION Nicodemus was familiar wit te Old Testament and its teacings since e was a ruler of te Jews and, terefore, Jesus brougt tis before im to illustrate te way te new birt takes place. In Numbers 21:5-9 we ave te lifting up of te serpent in te wilderness. Jesus said in like manner te Son of man must be lifted up. As we study tis passage to wic Jesus refers, we see some great spiritual truts come to ligt wic are also present wen a person is born again. ALL ARE SINNERS In Numbers 21:5, te cildren of Israel spake against God and Moses. Tey were complaining about te lack of bread and water. Te ligt bread spoken of ere refers to te manna (a type of Crist) wic was God s daily provision for tem to live by. Te people ad sinned against God and God will punis sin. Romans 6:23 says tat te wages of sin is deat, wic is more tan a pysical deat, but an eternal deat. All men, before tey are saved, are in te same condition. Romans 8:7, Because te carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to te law of God, neiter indeed can be (Romans 3:23), For all men are sinners... and (ave) come sort of te glory of God. Te complaining, te cursing, and te denial of God s Word to live by is sin. So we today are in te same condition as tey were. GOD S JUDGEMENT Te Lord sent fiery serpents among te people. Te serpent is a figure of Satan, as e used te serpent to deceive Eve in te Garden of Eden. Te serpent s bite is a figure of Satan tempting men to sin and break God s laws and rebel against im. Te people s dying because of te serpent bite is a picture of te end result of lusting and sinning against God. James 1:15, Ten wen lust at conceived, it bringet fort sin: and sin, wen it is finised, bringet fort deat. Satan is te tempter wo causes us to lust.. So we see tat te serpent tat bit te people and was causing teir deat was a figure of Satan, wo causes us to sin troug temptation and te result of our sin is deat. Tis deat is not just te deat of a pysical body, but is te eternal separation in te lake of fire (Revelation 20:14). PEOPLE WERE DYING As we look at te people wo ad sinned in te wilderness, we see tat many died from te serpent s bite. Te Bible says in Numbers 21:6,...and muc people of Israel died. In Jon 3:16, Jesus said tat te people wo would believe on im would not peris. People today are perising; tey are dying in teir sins (Jon 8:24). Every pysical deat is visible proof tat Satan as caused tem to sin. Every person wo dies pysically, unless e as been born again, will die eternally under God s judgment. I Jon 5:19,... te wole world liet in wickedness. Galatians 3:22 says tat te Scripture at concluded all under sin. Te serpent s bite was a fiery one, creating a burning in te fles. But te final judgment of God for sins will be an eternal burning in te fires of ell. Mattew 10:28,... fear im (God) wic is able (Continued on page 3)

3 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 3 Look and Live (Continued from page 2) to destroy bot soul and body in ell (geenna or lake of fire). PEOPLE CONVICTED OF SIN Te first ting tat appened in te earts of te people tat led tem to te salvation offered by God in te wilderness was te conviction in teir earts tat tey ad sinned against God (Numbers 21:7). I Timoty 1:15,... Crist Jesus came into te world to save sinners. Mattew 9:12,... Tey tat be wole need not a pysician, but tey tat are sick. Mattew 9:13,... I am not come to call te rigteous, but sinners to repentance. Tere is absolutely no salvation to tose tat are self-rigteous, Tere must come a time in your life wen you know you are a sinner, tat you are dying under God s judgment. You must realize tat if left in tat condition, you will peris eternally. Tis conviction comes by te oly Spirit, and unless you are born again from above, you will continue to live and die in sin. FALSE IDEAS OF OW GOD SAVES FROM SIN Te people asked Moses to, Numbers 21:7,... pray unto te LORD, tat e take away te serpents from us. Now tis would elp tose tat ad not been bitten, but wat about tose tat ad already been bitten? Tey would die even if te serpents were taken away. Te problem must be dealt wit in a greater way tan man s way. Romans 5:20,... were sin abounded, grace did muc more abound. We will find out later tat te serpents were not taken away, but tat te bite was ealed and te snakes ad no power to urt tem. GOD S WAY OF SALVATION PROVIDED Numbers 21:8, And te LORD said unto Moses, Make tee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it sall come to pass, tat every one tat is bitten, wen e looket upon it, sall live. Now tis verse corresponds to Jon 3:16, For God so loved te world, tat e gave is only begotten Son, tat wosoever believet in im sould not peris, but ave everlasting life. Bot of tese verses give us God s way of deliverance from sin. Bot tell us ow God delivers people from perising. Bot of tem teac us tat it is God tat eals from te snake bite and from sin. In Numbers 21:8, a serpent like unto te one tat ad bitten tem was made out of brass. Now in wat way does tis represent Jesus Crist? Te answer comes wen we see tat Jesus Crist bore our sins in is own body (I Peter 2:24). e suffered for sin (I Peter 3:18). e destroyed te works of te devil (I Jon 3:8). e took part of fles and blood, tat troug deat e migt destroy im tat ad te power of deat, tat is te devil (ebrews 2:14). In Revelation 12:9 te devil is called tat old serpent. II Corintians 5:21, For e at made im to be sin for us, wo knew no sin; tat we migt be made te rigteousness of God in im. Jesus ten, as our substitute, was willing to go to te cross, to be lifted up and bore our sins (our snake bites) and satisfied te wrat of God and delivered us from deat, wic was caused by sin. Jesus is God s way of deliverance from te snake bite of sin. TE WAY SALVATION COMES TE SAME In Numbers 21:8, God tells Moses to say to te people Look and Live. Te people must believe tat tis was God s way of ealing tem; tat God would cause tem to live if tey would look to tat serpent as it ung on tat pole. Tis salvation God promised was not by any works on teir part, but was to be accomplised by te power of God troug fait in God. Now te same ting is taugt in Jon 3:15-16 and 18. (Jon 3:14), Tere must be a lifting up of Jesus. Tis lifting up is plainly explained in Jon 12:31-33, Now is te judgment of tis world: now sall te prince of tis world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from te eart, will draw all men unto me. Tis e said, signifying wat deat e sould die. Jesus said in Jon 3:15 tat wosoever believet in im, look and live. In Jon 3:16,... wosoever believet in im sould not peris. Jon 3:18 says tat, e tat believet on im is not condemned. So te message is te same, Look and Live. Tis does away wit any works on man s part in order to be saved. It was all of God troug fait. SALVATION BY POWER OF GOD Te looking to te brazen serpent did not save. It was te power of God tat ealed tem from te snake bite. As soon as an Israelite looked, e lived. God s power saved tem troug fait. Te Gospel tells us tat Crist died for sin, was buried, and was raised again. Te Gospel is te good news tat is Son was lifted up on te cross of Calvary, tat te Lord laid on im te iniquity of us all (Isaia 53:6). e made is Son an offering for sins. As it was in te wilderness, so it is in our day. Wen te Gospel is preaced, wen Jesus Crist is presented on te cross, dying for sinners, te message is te same. Look and Live. You are responsible to look. God s power will save you troug te redemption tat is in Crist Jesus. Romans 3:24, Being justified freely by is grace troug te redemption tat is in Crist Jesus. Te Apostle Paul says, For I am not asamed of te gospel of Crist: for it is te power of God unto salvation to everyone tat believet; to te Jew first, and also te Greek (Romans 1:16). SALVATION COMES IMMEDIATELY Look and Live, as many as looked lived (Numbers 21:9). e lived immediately. e was cured immediately. So it is wen believing in Jesus. Te very minute you believe on Jesus Crist as your personal Saviour, you live. Jon 1:12 says, But as many as received im, to tem gave e power to become te sons of God, even to tem tat believe on is name. Jon 3:15, Tat wosoever believet in im sould not peris, but ave eternal life. Jon 3:36, e tat believet on te Son at everlasting life: and e tat believet not te Son sall not see life; but te wrat of God abidet on im. Jon 5:24, Verily, verily, I say unto you, e tat earet my word, and believet on im tat sent me, at everlasting life, and sall not come into condemnation; but is passed from deat unto life. Romans 3:28, Terefore we conclude tat a man is justified by fait witout te deeds of te law. Romans 4:5, But to im tat worket not, but believet on im tat justifiet te ungodly, is fait is counted for rigteousness. Salvation comes immediately, Galatians 3:26, For ye are all te cildren of God by fait in Crist Jesus. Acts 16:30, And brougt tem out, and (Continued on page 4)

4 Page 4 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 Look and Live (Continued from page 3) said, Sirs, wat must I do to be saved? Verse 31 says, And tey said, Believe on te Lord Jesus Crist, and tou salt be saved, and ty ouse. SNAKES LOSE TEIR POWER Te Lord did not take te serpents away. No, tis would ave left te bitten dying. But e cured te ones bitten wen tey looked; e gave tem te power to walk in te midst of te poisonous snakes wic, in turn, ad te power to kill any wo did not look. Yet te snakes would bite tem and not urt tem. Even so it is today. Troug fait in te Lord Jesus Crist and is sed blood we are cleansed from all our sins (Romans 5:9). God does not take away te sinful fles and Satan causes us to sin day by day. I Jon 1:8 says, If we say tat we ave no sin, we deceive ourselves, and te trut is not in us. In Romans 7:17 and 20, Paul says tat... sin dwellet in me. Also in Romans 7:24, e declares wat e feels about imself. O wretced man tat I am! wo sall deliver me from te body of tis deat. Romans 4:5 gives us te trut about te snakes losing teir power, But to im tat worket not, but believet on im tat justifiet te ungodly, is fait is counted for rigteousness. Te strengt of sin is te law. Break te law and you die. Wen we are born again, God takes us out from under law and puts us under grace (Romans 6:14). Terefore, sin sall not ave dominion over you. CONCLUSION Wat about you? You must be born again. ave you ever realized tat you are a sinner? You are guilty of breaking God s law and God s judgment for sin will come after pysical deat and you will be cast into an eternal burning. Ten I will tell you to look to Jesus Crist te Son of God, wo came from eaven to eart and became a man so tat e migt live a perfect life and provide for you as a gift a perfect rigteousness. Look to Jesus wo went to te cross and died for our sins. Yes, it must be a personal look; As many as looked, lived. You will never live unless you, by fait, accept Jesus Crist as your personal Saviour. I Timoty 1:15, Tis is a faitful saying. and worty of all acceptation, tat Crist Jesus came into te world to save sinners. Look and Live sinner. Wat must I do to be saved?... Believe (look) on te Lord Jesus Crist, and tou salt be saved (live) (Acts 16:31). David te Great (Continued from page 1) it, and brougt it to David: neverteless e would not drink tereof, but poured it out unto te LORD. And e said, Be it far from me, O LORD, tat I sould do tis: is not tis te blood of te men tat went in jeopardy of teir lives? terefore e would not drink it. Tese tings did tese tree migty men. Now in tese words tat I ave just read, we ave a trilling story. Te Bible is a book of trilling stories, and suc stories as te one given ere are not even known to most people. A great many of te most interesting tings in te Bible are tings tat many people do not even know are in te Bible at all, and many people neglect to read te Bible, te book of life, and fill teir minds on tese old yellow-backed magazines tat are to be found on te newsstands, and I am told tat some of tose tings are written almost in entirety by one man, tat is, one man will write te trasy stories of te wole magazine. Tis is te day of popular education wen scooling is open to te public, and yet it is a time of depraved taste. Read te books tat are coming off te press, and most of tem are ligt and trasy, and some of tem are filty. Listen to te music tat is being produced today, and it is tras---simplypure tras. You can compare te so-called music of tis time wit anyting tat as caracterized tis nation from its beginning, and te stuff tey call music at te present time, is te ligtest and trasiest of te wole outfit. Well, I could preac a sermon on tat, but I am not going to do it rigt now. I started to talk about tis interesting and eroic story given ere in our Scripture lesson. It relates to David, te great King of Israel. David was a great man. e made some great mistakes, but in spite of tis, e is called a man after God s own eart. Now tat was not because of is mistakes, but in spite of is mistakes. Te way to judge a man s life is not by every little ting e does, but by te general trend of is life. Wat direction is e going? Is is way Godward and eavenward? Some people ave pointed a finger of scorn at David, and tey ave said, Look tere, just look wat David did. Yes, David did some wrong tings, and te Lord wipped te life almost out of im for it, too. And David got rigt. Tat is te difference between a cild of God and te one wo is not. Te cild of God may fall into sin, but e is not going to lie tere in te mud. e will get up and get out and sake te mud off, and start eavenward. But te unsaved man wo gets into te mud of sin just roots down deeper like a og, and stays in it and wallows in it, and likes it. Now David was born and raised in te little town of Betleem, just a few miles from Jerusalem. e lived te life of a seperd during is early days, and it was out of is seperd experience tat e wrote tat marvelous 23rd Psalm, wic starts out Te Lord is my Seperd, I sall not want. Later, wen Saul, because of disobedience, was set aside, David was cosen to be King over Israel. But altoug te Lord ad im anointed for tis place, David ad a lot of trouble and conflict before e actually reigned over united Israel. And I want to make te observation just ere tat te ting tat te Lord calls us to do is not always given us witout a uman struggle being necessary by any manner of means. And wy is tis? Because te Lord knows tat in struggle and effort we gain strengt. It does us good to run-up against some difficulties sometimes. Jesus said to is disciples, In te world ye sall ave tribulation: but be of good ceer. And tribulation is te part of te lot of every Cristian wo follows Crist closely. We often sing, Must I be carried to te skies on flowery beds of ease, wile oters fougt to win te prize and sailed troug bloody seas? No, I must figt if I would reign, increase my courage, Lord, I ll bear te toil, endure te pain, supported by Ty Word. Well, David ad a stormy career, and e comes down to te close of is life, and in tis 23rd capter, we ave some of is closing words, and ten we ave recounted (Continued on page 5)

5 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 5 Watering te Tulips By Todd Bryant of Nortport, Alabama Assurance In Salvation Tese tings ave I written unto you tat believe on te name of te Son of God; tat ye may know tat ye ave eternal life, and tat ye may believe on te name of te Son of God (I Jon 5:13). In suc an insecure world, ow can we find assurance of salvation? Witout doubt, many believers are often plagued by doubts surrounding teir salvation. Te Bible as muc to say concerning tis subject. But specifically, tere is muc rigt ere in tis book. Jon (inspired by te oly Spirit) tells us tat tese tings are written to give assurance, tat ye may know tat ye ave eternal life. First of all, tis is written to believers in Jesus. Te believer alone is proclaimed to be saved by te grace of God (I Jon 5:1). Te promise of eternal life is to te believer (Jon 3:16). Te unbeliever is said to be condemned because e at not believed in te name of te only begotten Son of God (Jon 3:18). Even wen we were in an unbelieving state, we are said to ave been by nature te cildren of wrat, even as oters (Ep. 2:3). Te unbeliever is witout ope and witout God in te world. Assurance of salvation can only be found in te one tat is truly saved tat is, te one tat is trusting Crist alone for salvation (I Jon 5:4-5). Anoter way to be sure of your salvation is your attitude toward te people of God. We know tat we ave passed from deat unto life, because we love te bretren. e tat lovet not is broter abidet in deat (I Jon 3:14). If you do not ave love for God s people, tat is a good indication tat you are not part of God s family. If you are saved by te grace of God, you will certainly love te people of God and you will love gatering togeter wit tem to worsip. Te constant leadersip of te oly Spirit in our lives is an indication tat we are saved. ereby know we tat we dwell in im, and e in us, because e at given us of is Spirit (I Jon 4:13). Believers are constantly feeling te struggle between te fles and te Spirit. For as many as are led by te Spirit of God, tey are te sons of God (Rom. 8:14). Even te Apostle Paul felt tis battle witin imself (Rom. 7:21-23). Te lost ave no suc struggle. Te unbeliever is at enmity wit God (Rom. 8:7) and does not understand te tings of God (I Cor. 2:14). Te lost live life wit a worldview tat is umanistic and sinful. Only tose wo are indwelled by te Spirit of God ave te battle witin temselves as proof tat tey know te Lord. Cild of God, te best remedy for your doubts is to develop a closer relationsip wit God. Draw nig to God and e will draw nig to you (James 4:8). Te closer you are to te Lord, te fewer times of doubts and fear you will ave. Certainly, if you doubt, a closer walk wit Jesus will solve tat. Meditate on te tings ere. But most of all, answer tis question, Wat tink ye of Crist (Matt. 22:42)? David te Great (Continued from page 4) some of te outstanding tings tat occurred during is life, and among tese outstanding tings is te incident related in te lesson passage tat I read to you a few minutes ago. Tis ting occurred at a time wen te eaten Pilistines were overrunning muc of te land, and wen tey were in possession of te very town in wic David was born and raised. David was out in te fields campaigning against tese invaders, and e got omesick for Betleem. e tougt of te well of fres, cold water tere by te gate of Betleem, and ten in a wave of omesickness, e said, O, I wis I ad a drink of water from te old well of Betleem. Now David ad wit im tree migty warriors, men wo were not afraid of anyting. Tese tree men loved teir leader wit a migty devotion. Tey said to one anoter, David wants a drink of water from te old well at Betleem. Let us get it for im. And no group of commandoes ever did a more daring ting tan tose tree men did. Tey simply went out, broke rigt troug te lines of te Pilistines, drew a bucket of water from te well of Betleem wic te Pilistines ad overrun, put some of te water in a receptacle and fougt teir way out again. ere tey came to David wit te water and said, We eard wat you said wen you said you would like to ave a drink from te old well of Betleem. ere it is, elp yourself. I can imagine tat David looked in astonisment at tose men. Tey ad fougt like tigers, and ad risked teir very lives, just in order tat a omesick wis of is migt be gratified. As e took te water, e was stirred to te very depts of is soul, and wat do you suppose e did? e did not drink a drop of te water, instead e poured te water out as an offering unto te Lord, and e said, I can not drink tis. Wy, tis water is as precious as te very life blood of tese men, and tis water is too precious to drink. I will offer it before te Lord. So let me read again verses 16 and 17, And te tree migty men brake troug te ost of te Pilistines, and drew water out of te well of Betleem, tat was by te gate, and took it, and brougt it to David: neverteless, e would not drink tereof, but poured it out unto te LORD. And e said, Be it far from me, O LORD, tat I sould do tis: is not tis te blood of te men tat went in jeopardy of teir lives? terefore e would not drink it. Tese tings did tese tree migty men. Now tere are several tings tat I want to call your attention to, tings tat stand out in tis story. In te first place, I call your attention to te love and devotion of tose tree men to teir leader. Tose men ad to love David a great deal to jeopardize teir lives just to gratify a mere wis of is. And if tey ad suc devotion for a uman leader, I ask you, ougt we not to ave a far greater devotion to im wo is not a mere uman leader, but Divine? Note tat tese men did tis ting witout being ordered or commanded to do it. If David ad told tem tat tey ad to do it, ten teir deed would ave lost most of its value. But tey went beyond anyting tat tey were required to do. O, ow our Lord must be grieved sometimes wit us, wen we do not even do wat we are told to do, let alone (Continued on page 6)

6 Page 6 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 David te Great (Continued from page 5) someting tat is beyond tat. We are told to tite, and we ougt to do tat out of obedience, but wen we love te Lord enoug to go beyond tat, and to make im an offering, tat is te ting tat reveals te real love of our earts. Do you know te tings tat I get most pleasure out of? Tey are tings tat I do not ave to do, tings tat are not laid on me as duties. For over tirty years, I publised a paper, a religious paper. It cost me a financial loss mont after mont, but troug tis medium, I was able to reac a great many people tat I could not oterwise ave reaced. I was able to greatly extend my influence and my ministry. I used to be on fifteen different radio stations at one time, and tat was a work for wic I never received any pay, but it was someting over and above my regular ministry. It is in doing tings tat none asks or requires you to do---tings tat you want to do because you love te Lord, tat sows im ow you feel. And I like to see people wo deligt in little tings for te Lord. I am frank to say, I do not muc believe in a curc aving a florist to come and arrange flowers and decorations. I believe tere ougt to be enoug people in a curc wo love te Lord to deligt, absolutely deligt, to render a service as tat. Did you ever take any flowers to te cemetery to place on te grave of someone you love? Wy did you not just stay ome and ave a florist to deliver a bunc of flowers out tere to a grave? Because you love te very memory of te departed one, and you wanted to place te flowers tere your own self. I ask you, do you see wat I am driving at? It is so easy for curc people to get so tey do little or noting in te way of personal service for te Lord. It is so easy to say, O, we ave money in te treasury, let us ire somebody to do tat. Suppose your wife and cildren want to go for a drive, and suppose you ave plenty of money, so instead of getting te car and taking tem out driving, you just call a cab and tell tem to get in and go were tey want to. Do you see any difference in tose two tings? My friends, money and ired elp will not express te devotion of our own earts in doing for te Lord ourselves. A friend of mine wo was raised in Georgia on a farm, told me of ow e and is broter were told by teir fater wat to do before e went off to town on Saturday afternoon. e said, Boys, I am going to set you a little task, you oe so many rows of cotton, and wen tat is done, you will be free for te day, ten wen I come in ome, I will feed te stock and milk te cows and do up te evening work. Well, tose two boys did all tat teir fater ad set for tem to do, and ten tey said to eac oter, Wen daddy gets back, e will be tired, so let us go aead and do up all te evening work for im, so tey went and fed and milked and did up all te cores. Along about dark, te fater came in wit te groceries and te tings tat e ad gone to town to purcase, and e found te stock comping on teir food in te barn, found te cows all milked, and everyting done up as nicely as e could ave done it imself. e came in and said, I sure ave a couple of sweet boys. Tey did all I asked tem to do, and ten tey went and did up all my work, too. Come ere, boys, you take tis money and go up yonder to te little store and get a cunk of ice. So tose boys trotted off, and by te time tey got back, te fater ad te ice cream freezer all ready to fill wit ice, and e made a big freezer full of ice cream for tose boys. Now, ice cream may not be any great treat to some of you, but to tose Georgia farm boys, tat ice cream was almost like manna from eaven. It was te love of tose boys tat prompted tem to go beyond, and do beyond, anyting tey were asked or expected tat appealed to tat fater, and e rewarded tem for it. And I believe, my friends, tat we sall ave te coicest rewards for te tings we do for te Lord tat we were not required to do at all. In te second place, I want to call your attention to te fact tat wat tose tree men did required courage, and nowere is courage more needed tan among Cristian people. Many people will just wilt down as Cristians if tey ave any opposition. Rigt is rigt, and it does not matter wat anybody else says or does, it is up to us to stick up for te rigt. I will tell you, we ougt to srink from seeing te disappointed look on te face of our Lord above all tings. Somewere I eard te story of two comrades during te First World War, and tey ad gone over te top, and wen tey came back, one of te men found tat is buddy ad not come. e asked for te privilege of creeping back out in No Man s Land to look for im. Te officer told im e could do it, but e said, You are a fool to take suc a risk as tat. Te young man was gone a long time, but finally e came back wit te body of is comrade, and just before e got back down into te trenc, a bullet from a sniper it im and wounded im mortally. Te officer said to im as e elped pull im over into te trenc, I told you it was a foolis ting to go. I knew you would get it---i knew you would get it! Te dying soldier said, I found my buddy out tere just before e died, and e looked up into my face, and said, I knew you would come. And, officer, tat look on is face was wort dying for. I did not fail im. My friends, let people criticize and laug and make fun all tey please, if only we do not fail te One we serve, it will be all rigt. In te tird place, I want to call your attention to te fact tat wat tese men did was sacrificial. Tat deed was done in self-forgetfulness. If tose men ad put self first, we sould not ave tis story at all. If tere is anyting on tis eart tat partakes of te nature of te sacrificial, it is Cristianity. Cristianity was born in sacrifice, te sacrifice of te life of te Son of God for our sake. Listen to wat it says ere in Romans, te fift capter, For scarcely for a rigteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendet is love toward us, in tat, wile we were yet sinners, Crist died for us. ave you ever stopped to consider te wonder of Crist s deat for us? During te first World War, I remember reading of ow a and grenade was trown into a dugout were several men were. In a second, it would explode and would kill or injure every man tere. One of te soldiers witout esitation trew imself on top of tat and grenade, and it exploded, killing im rigt tere on te spot, but te force of te explosive was spent and none else was injured. Now tat was a brave act, but it was done for friends. Crist urled imself in te way of deat for us wen we were (Continued on page 7)

7 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 7 David te Great (Continued from page 6) enemies of is. And tat soldier was a mere man, but Crist was te Son of God. Tat was God te Son leaving te wonders and glories of eaven itself in order to come and die for ungrateful enemies. I ask you again, ave you ever tougt of te wonder of tat? ave you? In te fourt place, I want to call your attention to te fact tat wen David poured out tis water, e did it as a sacrifice before te Lord. To David, tat water represented te very life blood of tose men wo risked teir lives in order to procure it. e considered tat tose men virtually died for im, Is not tis te blood of tese men? Now listen, te Apostle Peter says of David s great Son, te Lord Jesus, Is not tis te blood of Jesus Crist is Son, wic cleanset us from all sin? David ad enoug gratitude to appreciate tat sacrifice tat ad been made for im. Do you appreciate te sacrifice tat as been made for you, even te sacrifice of te life of te Son of God imself? Suppose tat David ad not expressed is appreciation. You would say tat e was not worty to receive suc love. But wat about you? ave you ever indicated any appreciation for wat te Lord as done in providing you wit a Savior? Te best way to express appreciation is for you to gratefully receive as te Savior of your own soul, and ten to confess im before te world. I read once of a poor, clubfooted boy wo was taken to a ospital, were a great surgeon operated on im, and successfully. Wen te plaster cast was taken off is foot, it was straigt like te oter foot. Tey called te boy s attention at te ospital, and e looked and admired, but e kept saying, I like my doctor te best. Somebody spoke of te kind nurses, but e replied, I like my doctor te best. e was taken ome way out in te country, and is old moter was tere at te train to meet im, and se did not look at is face, or is ands, but se dropped down on er knees and looked at is foot, and sobbing, se said, It is just like any oter boy s foot now. But te boy said, Moter, you just ougt to know te doctor tat made me walk. I ave tougt of tat boy s gratitude toward is doctor a good number of times, but tere is not one of us but tat te Lord Jesus Crist as done a tousand times more tan tat doctor did for tat little boy. Tat surgeon ad te power and te skill to eal, and tat little boy trusted im implicitly to do it, and ten sung is praises for wat e ad done. Te Great Pysician, te Lord Jesus Crist, as te power and te skill to eal any sinner on tis eart, if tat sinner will just commit imself to im in implicit trust. If you ave been listening and are not a Cristian, will you put im to te test? In all my life, I ave never eard of any person turning to Crist wit teir wole eart, and failing to be saved. And if I live to be a undred, I never expect to ear of suc. I tink just lots and lots of people go on for years unsaved because tey never quite get up te courage to really trust in Crist. I am reminded of someting tat appened one summer. I lived for several years on te Oio River, and never tried to learn to swim. I lived later on Green River in Kentucky, and never tried to learn to swim. I came to Florida and lived on te Indian River, and never tried to learn to swim. But one summer wen I was on vacation, a friend of mine spent several days wit me over near te Gulf of Mexico. e was a good swimmer, and I took a notion tat I would like to be able to float on my back in te water as I saw im do, and to swim if I wanted to. e said, Now you must lie back in te water completely relaxed, put your ead back until te water flows around your ears and almost runs into your mout. I tried, but kept my ead bowed up out of te water, and it did not do any good, but finally, I laid back over into te water as if it ad been a soft bed---laid my ead back in te Gulf like it ad been a pillow, and straigtened my arms out, and instead of sinking, I floated tere on te surface of te water. Never until I ad completely trusted myself to te water did it bear me up. And I tougt as I floated around tere on te water, Tis is a good illustration of te way of salvation. So long as you old back and depend upon yourself, or are afraid to completely let go, you are never going to be saved. But te moment you let go everyting else and simply trust yourself to Crist to save you, tat moment you will be saved. Will you do tat just now? ow simple it is---only trust im! Only trust im! Our Fater, elp people to see tis, we pray. We can talk about it, but we can not make people see it, but Tou canst, by Ty migty oly Spirit, and we pray tat Tou wilt. In Jesus name. Amen.

8 Page 8 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 From te Pen of a Country Preacer Milburn R. Cockrell ( ) God Was Manifested in te Fles And witout controversy great is te mystery of godliness: God was manifest in te fles, justified in te Spirit, seen of angels, preaced unto te Gentiles, believed on in te world, received up into glory (I Tim. 3:16). Te word incarnation comes from te Latin, wic means literally enflesment of te assumption of uman fles. Te Scriptures expressly teac tat God became incarnate in te Person of Jesus Crist. Tis is te basis of te Cristian religion. Tis trut is universally confessed by te Cristian curc. Tat te eternal Son of God sould become man is an amazing and wonderful affair. It is a great mystery to mankind wo cannot account for it by natural reason. But it is most surely believed by all wo receive te revelation of God s Word. Witout belief in tis fundamental article of fait, you cannot be a Cristian. Jon wrote: ereby know ye te Spirit of God Every spirit tat confesset tat Jesus Crist is come in te fles is of God. And every spirit tat confesset not tat Jesus Crist is come in te fles is not of God (I Jon 4:2-3). TE PRE-INCARNATE CRIST God revealed imself in umanity. Te Apostle Paul in te text said: God was manifest in te fles. Tis expression presupposes te pre-existence and divinity of Crist. Te One Wo became fles was still te same God e ad always been. Te iger nature of te eternal Son did not cease wen e assumed uman fles. Te New Testament abounds wit many prases wic imply Crist s pre-existence. Te Gospel of Jon contains most of tese statements. Jon bare witness of im, and cried, saying, Tis was e of wom I spake, e tat comet after me is preferred before me: for e was before me (Jon 1:15). Jesus Crist claimed to ave descended out of eaven. e told Nicodemus: And no man at ascended up to eaven, but e tat came down from eaven, even te Son of man wic is in eaven (Jon 3:13). In Jon 6:51 our Lord said: I am te living bread wic came down from eaven. Concerning te Fater te Savior declared: But I know im: for I am from im, and e at sent me (Jon 7:29). At anoter time e informed te Jews: Ye are from beneat; I am from above (Jon 8:23). Some time later, e said: I proceeded fort and came from God; neiter came I of myself, but e sent me (Jon 8:42). It was none oter tan te eternal Son Wo came down from eaven and became God wit me. Te iger nature of Crist existed from eternity. e took on a uman nature some two tousand years ago in Betleem of Juda. Jesus Crist was te Lord from eaven and te last Adam (I Cor. 15:45-47). TE WORD WAS MADE FLES Te Gospel of Jon begins wit tese words: In te beginning was te Word, and te Word was wit God, and te Word was God (Jon 1:1). Ten Jon tells us: And te Word was made fles, and dwelt among us, (and we beeld is glory, te glory as of te only begotten of te Fater,) full of grace and trut (Jon 1:14). Te eternal Logos Wo made all tings was made fles. Tis statement is unsurpassed by any in te sacred record. Te language does not assert te divine Word was converted into fles. Rater, it declares tat e became One of Wom true umanity could be affirmed. Te word fles is empatic. It means te divine Logos took on a true uman nature consisting of soul and body. Te word fles as tis meaning often in te Scripture (Rom. 3:20; I Cor. 1:29; I Pet. 1:24). Te Word became personally conscious of all tat is strictly uman. Te eternal Son, toug God, subjected imself to te miseries and calamities of a uman nature. e put imself in te place and condition of oter men. e Wo dwelt among te angels came to dwell among corrupt and depraved uman beings. Te word dwelt means tabernacled or pitced is tent. Tis is a clear allusion to te tabernacle were te Secina dwells over te mercy seat. Te body of Crist was God s final and true Temple (Jon 2:21). Jesus Crist in is uman nature is te true Secina. We see te glory of God in te face of Jesus Crist (II Cor. 4:6). Tis is wy Jon says: We beeld is glory. In Genesis 9:27 God promised to dwell in te tents of Sem. Oter Old Testament Scriptures mentioned God s coming to dwell among Israel (Lev. 26:11; Ps. 68:18; 132:13-14; Ezek. 37:27; Zec. 2:10). Tese propecies ad a limited fulfillment at Crist s first advent, but tey await an ultimate fulfillment at is return to reign as te Son of man over Israel. TE SEED OF DAVID In Romans 1:3 it is written: Concerning is Son Jesus Crist our Lord, wic was made of te seed of David according to te fles. Te Second Person of te Godead was born of te virgin Mary wo was of te royal family of King David. Genesis 3:15 disclosed tat te Messia would be te seed of te woman. Later it was revealed te Redeemer would spring from Abraam, Juda, and finally King David. Mattew 1:1 informs us: Te book of te generation of Jesus Crist, te son of David, te son of Abraam. TE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLES Romans 8:3 speaks of te incarnation in tis fasion: For wat te law could not do, in tat it was weak troug te fles, God sending is own Son in te likeness of sinful fles, and for sin, condemned sin in te fles. Te Fater sent Jesus Crist, not in sinful fles, but in te likeness of sinful fles. e assumed our nature witout any taint of sin or corruption (eb. 4:15; 7:26). e ad a nature like tat of sinful man, but e did not ave a sinful nature. In putting on our fles e made it is own; in making it is own, e made it sinless. It is marvelous indeed tat God (Continued on page 9)

9 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 9 God Manifested in (Continued from page 8) sould condescend to become fles. But it is te wonder of te ages tat e Wo was oly sould appear in te likeness of sinful fles. Crist was not made in te likeness of man before sin entered te world. Instead, e was in te likeness of fallen fles and subject to all sinless infirmities of te fles. MADE OF A WOMAN Paul wrote to te Galatians: But wen te fulness of te time was come, God sent fort is Son, made of a woman, made under te law (Gal. 4:4). Te incarnation took place at te time appointed of te Fater (Gal. 4:2). In te our of supermost need, Crist became a man at te best possible moment. God does noting prematurely. Seeing te end from te beginning, e waited until all was ripe for te execution of is purpose. Man s inability to save imself by obedience to te law was completely manifested. Te social, political, and moral worlds were fully prepared for is enflesment. Notice especially te expression, sent fort is Son. Te One born of a woman was pre-existent wit te Fater. Te Son came fort from te glory e ad wit te Fater. Te Divine Son was derived from common stock. TE FORM OF A SERVANT Let tis mind be in you, wic was also in Crist Jesus: Wo, being in te form of God, tougt it not robbery to be equal wit God: But made imself of no reputation, and took upon im te form of a servant, and was made in te likeness of men: And being found in fasion as a man, e umbled imself, and became obedient unto deat, even te deat of te cross (Pil. 2:5-8). e, Wo from all eternity was in te form of God, put on te form of a servant. Toug on an equality wit God, e emptied imself of te insignia of majesty. It was not possible for im to empty imself of is Divine nature and attributes. I understand tat e laid aside te form of is Divine glory. Jesus Crist was made in te likeness of men. e was not only uman but also Divine, Jesus Crist was found in fasion as a man in manners, gestures, and dress. e was subject to te law (Gal. 4:4) and is parents (Luke 2:51). e probably toiled wit Josep as a carpenter (Ex. 21:5-6); Matt. 13:55). e led a life of umiliation and poverty wic culminated wit is deat at Calvary. MADE LIKE IS BRETREN Forasmuc ten as te cildren are partakers of fles and blood, e also imself likewise took part of te same...e took on im te seed of Abraam. Werefore in all tings it beoved im to be made like unto is bretren... (eb. 2:14-17). In order to complete is covenant engagements to redeem tose te Fater cose to be is bretren, Crist became mortal. Because tose to be is bretren were in te fles, e became fles and blood. Jesus Crist became our nearest of kin by te assumption of umanity in order to be our Redeemer. A TRUE BODY Te Messia was no pantom. te incarnation was not merely anoter Cristopany like in Old Testament days. Te Son literally took upon im a true uman body.. Colossians 1:22 speaks of te body of is fles. ebrews 10:10 mentions te offering of te body of Jesus Crist. Peter wrote of Crist: Wo is own self bare our sins in is own body on te tree (I Pet. 2:24). Jesus Crist was born wit tis uman body. Tis body grew in statute. Te body of Crist was seen and andled by is disciples. is body was buffeted, scourged, bruised, wounded, and crucified. is body was buried and resurrected. A TRUE SOUL Te Lord of glory assumed a true uman soul as well as a body. Crist asserted suc of imself: My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto deat (Matt. 26:38). Witout a uman soul e could not ave been tempted in all points as we are (eb. 4:15). A uman soul was essential to is sufferings. Te Redeemer must suffer in soul as well as in body to make atonement for te souls and bodies of is people. Te Fater made is soul an offering for sin and te travail of is soul (Isa. 53:10-11). Te Son is said to ave poured out is soul unto deat (Isa. 53:12). Tis uman soul ad a will wic was in complete armony wit te Divine will. For I came down from eaven, not to do mine own will, but te will of im tat sent me (Jon 6:38). In Getsemane Crist prayed: Fater, if tou be willing, remove tis cup from me: neverteless not my will, but tine, be done (Luke 22:42). Te uman soul of Crist ad affections. e is said to ave loved te ric young ruler (Mark 10:21), Jon te apostle (Jon 13:23), and Lazarus (Jon 11:36). e is even said to ave become angry (Mark 3:5) and to ave experienced joy (Luke 10:21). A TRUE SPIRIT Te Second Person of te Godead assumed a uman spirit. If e did not do tis, e was not made like unto is bretren in all tings. Jon 11:33 tells us: e groaned in te spirit. On te cross e cried: Fater, into ty ands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46). It was te uman spirit of Crist wic grew in knowledge (Luke 2:52) and lacked knowledge in some areas (Mark 13:32). TE WY OF TE INCARNATION Wat was te moving cause wic brougt te Divine Son from regions celestial to regions terrestrial? It was te mercy and love of God for is people. Troug te tender mercy of our God; wereby te dayspring from on ig at visited us (Luke 1:78). In tis was manifested te love of God toward us, because tat God sent is only begotten Son into te world, tat we migt live troug im (I Jon 4:9). Te kindness and love of God toward man appeared in te incarnate Word (Ep. 2:4-5; Titus 3:4-5). Jesus Crist came into te world tat we migt beold te glory of God. At is birt te angel sang: Glory to God in te igest (Luke 2:14). Jon 1:14 indicates te incarnation was done tat men migt beold te glory of God. Crist s uman birt declared God s glory in fulfilling is promises. It magnified te glory of God s power in te production of Crist s uman nature. Te entire ministry of Crist was to manifest fort is glory (Jon 2:11). A tird reason for Crist coming into te world was to condemn sin in te fles. Romans 8:3 migt be paraprased in tis manner: God sending is own Son in te likeness of sinful fles, and by a (Continued on page 10)

10 Page 10 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 God Manifested in (Continued from page 9) sacrifice for sin, condemned sin in te fles, wic te law could not do, in tat it was weak troug te fles. Te Lord from glory was made in te likeness of sinful fles and was put to deat in te fles (I Peter 3:18) to condemn sin in is fles. Since te deat of Crist, te damning and domineering power of sin as been broken. Toug sin lives to some degree in te bodies of te saints, by te atonement sin is a condemned criminal. Crist was made sin for us (II Cor. 5:21). Being so made, wen e was condemned sin was condemned in is uman nature. Fourt, te fasioning of Crist as a man was necessary to is being made under te law (Gal. 4:4). As God, e was te Lawgiver and above te law. By te Fater s appointment and is own free will, e obligated imself to keep all te ceremonial and moral laws perfectly as te representative of te cosen people. e exausted te full penalty of te law, and tus redeemed is people from te bondage of te law. Fift, Crist must come in uman form to die for te sins of is people. God could not die, but Jesus Crist could die. II Corintians 13:4 reveals tat e was crucified troug weakness. I Peter 3:18 teaces e was Put to deat in te fles. To make peace between God and man Jesus Crist must sed is blood. But now in Crist Jesus ye wo sometimes were afar off are made nig by te blood of Crist. For e is our peace, wo at made bot one, and at broken down te middle wall of partition between us; aving abolised in is fles te enmity, even te law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in imself of twain one new man, so making peace; And tat e migt reconcile bot unto God in one body by te cross, aving slain te enmity tereby (Ep. 2:13-16). Peace as been made between God and man by te blood of Crist. Troug fait in tat blood te sinner is justified from all is sins, for God justifies te believer (Rom. 3:24-26). First Rigteouness (Continued from page 1) istory and Scripture as a type of Crist is described as te King of rigteousness, and te King of peace. Tis man, as a type of Crist, bears te caracteristics of rigteousness and peace. Just as Jesus Crist would (and does) symbolize and even fulfill te caracteristics of rigteousness and peace. I tink it is also interesting tat te writer to te ebrews states tat Melcisedec was first being by interpretation King of rigteousness, and after tat also King of Salem, wic is, King of peace. It seems tat Melcisedec was first understood to be rigteous, and te ruler of te rigteous; and ten understood to be te man of peace, and te ruler of peace. Tis is wat I want us to consider: in te relationsip tat exists between men and God, tere must be first rigteousness, before tere can ever be any peace. Ten judgment sall dwell in te wilderness, and rigteousness remain in te fruitful field. And te work of rigteousness sall be peace; and te effect of rigteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people sall dwell in a peaceable abitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places (Isa. 32:16-18). Especially as we consider te matter of salvation, and te saved relationsip tat exists between God and eac of is elect, tere must be rigteousness found in us, before tere can ever be peace between us. And, as we carry tis tougt forward, we will see tat rigteousness and a pursuit of rigteousness and an affinity for rigteousness must exist in eac aspect of our existence and our relationsips, in order for tere to be any measure of continued peace. PEACE WIT GOD Our God is a oly and just God. We, as members of te fallen race of man, are depraved and broken. Tere can be no peace tat can exist between a oly God and a sinful man, unless God would intervene and cange te status quo. As we read te Scriptures, we find tat God as ordained to save some souls from Adam s race. And yet, as we ave already noticed, tere can be no peace tere can be no positive and enduring relationsip between men and God, except tere would be a cange to te enmity tat currently exists between men and God. Te Lord Jesus Crist came into te world, to bring God unto man, and to bring man unto God. is intention was to bring peace to te eart. And tere were in te same country seperds abiding in te field, keeping watc over teir flock by nigt. And, lo, te angel of te Lord came upon tem, and te glory of te Lord sone round about tem: and tey were sore afraid. And te angel said unto tem, Fear not: for, beold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, wic sall be to all people. For unto you is born tis day in te city of David a Saviour, wic is Crist te Lord. And tis sall be a sign unto you; Ye sall find te babe wrapped in swaddling clotes, lying in a manger. And suddenly tere was wit te angel a multitude of te eavenly ost praising God, and saying, Glory to God in te igest, and on eart peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:8-14). Tis peace could not ave been acieved apart from te person and te work and te rigteousness of Jesus Crist, te Son of God. is life, suffering, deat, burial, resurrection, and ascension into eaven were necessary in order tat we would be saved. A part of is necessary work, was to live a oly life on tis eart, so tat we could be seen as rigteous in te sigt of God. I want you to know, tat te only peace tat can exist between men and God must be based upon te person and te work of Jesus Crist. In oter words, men will remain at enmity wit God, and in opposition to is oly will and purpose, except tat God would intervene, Crist would save us, and is rigteousness would be granted unto us. Terefore being justified by fait, we ave peace wit God troug our Lord Jesus Crist: By wom also we ave access by fait into tis grace werein we stand, and rejoice in ope of te glory of God (Rom. 5:1-2). Men may tink tat tey ave some peace in tis life but, witout Crist, tere is no peace in teir standing before God. Tere may be a mirage of peace; tere may be some measure of mortal contentment tat men (Continued on page 11)

11 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 11 First Rigteouness (Continued from page 10) may acieve; but none of tis is comparable to or a substitute for te peace wit God tat is found troug Jesus Crist. Concerning te peace tat we find in Jesus Crist, Mattew Poole said, Te Prince and price of our peace, setting peace witin souls, giving it to tem witout, peace spiritual, temporal, and eternal: is kingdom aboundet in it. e gives us peace in our souls, peace externally, and peace eternally. As we tink about te peace we ave wit God, I want to remind you tat te sed blood of Crist is necessary for te salvation of souls. For it pleased te Fater tat in im sould all fulness dwell; And, aving made peace troug te blood of is cross, by im to reconcile all tings unto imself; by im, I say, weter tey be tings in eart, or tings in eaven (Col. 1:19-20). Tere is no peace witout is blood. Te power to was away our sins, and to cleanse us from sin, is found only in is blood. Witout te blood of Crist we are stained and flawed vessels, of no use to God, and olding no attraction to im. Furter, te deat, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Crist was necessary for te salvation of souls. For I delivered unto you first of all tat wic I also received, ow tat Crist died for our sins according to te scriptures; And tat e was buried, and tat e rose again te tird day according to te scriptures (I Cor. 15:3-4). Tere is no peace wit God, outside te acievements te suffering and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Crist. And, it is also true tat te imputed rigteousness of Jesus Crist is necessary so tat we can be in possession of a good and proper standing before our God and Saviour. e staggered not at te promise of God troug unbelief; but was strong in fait, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded tat, wat e ad promised, e was able also to perform. And terefore it was imputed to im for rigteousness. Now it was not written for is sake alone, tat it was imputed to im; But for us also, to wom it sall be imputed, if we believe on im tat raised up Jesus our Lord from te dead; Wo was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification (Rom. 4:20-25). Tis Man, Jesus Crist, and is rigteousness, is essential in te salvation of our souls. Witout te imputation of our sins to im, and is suffering and deat on our bealf because of tose sins; and, witout te imputation of is rigteousness to us, and te rigteous standing tat we ave before God as a result; witout tese, we could not be saved. PEACE WIT SELF Te world of men is full of people wo are in pursuit of appiness and peace, and yet must acknowledge tat tey ave fallen sort of attaining tose traits. Tere are entire scools, pilosopies, and psycologies of men wic are devoted to developing a degree of internal peace, witin te earts and minds of te people of te world. I do not ave te education or te wisdom or te knowledge of most of tese leaders in te educational world; and yet, I can give you a key to te process, wic is ardly ever referred to in te religious world, and for te most part, ignored entirely in te secular, educational world. Te key is simply tis: rigteousness. Tose wo seek after and desire rigteousness, will find peace witin temselves. Tose wo pursue God and is Word and te qualities described terein, will find peace in teir souls. Te Scriptures plainly teac us tat te rigteous man will ave (find) peace. But seek ye first te kingdom of God, and is rigteousness; and all tese tings sall be added unto you (Matt 6:33). Maybe it is because we will no longer ave suc a desire for te rices and te pleasures of tis world. Maybe it is because we will no longer pursue te tings of te fles wit suc fervor. But, it is certain, watever te case may be, if we will seek God and is kingdom and is rigteousness, we will ave all tat we need in tis life, and will be at peace and content. Te Scriptures teac us tat te Cristian te follower and disciple of God will find peace in a pursuit of te rigteousness wic is taugt in te Word of God, evident in te caracter of God, upeld by te pattern of Crist, and inspired by te presence of te oly Spirit. Neverteless te foundation of God standet sure, aving tis seal, Te Lord knowet tem tat are is. And, Let every one tat namet te name of Crist depart from iniquity. But in a great ouse tere are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of eart; and some to onour, and some to disonour. If a man terefore purge imself from tese, e sall be a vessel unto onour, sanctified, and meet for te master s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youtful lusts: but follow rigteousness, fait, carity, peace, wit tem tat call on te Lord out of a pure eart (II Tim. 2:19-22). If all we need is God; and if God as come unto us; wat more do we need in order to ave peace? If we will witdraw from te pleasures of sin, and live in te caracter and rigteousness of God, we will find a peace tat te world cannot even imagine. It is our duty and privilege to follow after God to follow after goodness and rigteousness and God will keep us and preserve us as we do so. And wo is e tat will arm you, if ye be followers of tat wic is good? But and if ye suffer for rigteousness sake, appy are ye: and be not afraid of teir terror, neiter be troubled; But sanctify te Lord God in your earts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man tat asket you a reason of te ope tat is in you wit meekness and fear (I Pet. 3:13-15). Our earts ougt not be troubled, if only we will follow after rigteousness. Our minds sould be at peace as we pursue God s purposes and will. Te world may afflict us, but God will give us grace. We will ave no reason to question im or is purposes, if our minds and earts are in tune wit is. And, as a matter of fact, tis is te best witness and te best testimony tat we can give te world a people wo love God, pursue rigteousness, and are at peace wit watever God may bring or allow into our pat. But be ye doers of te word, and not earers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a earer of te word, and not a doer, e is like unto a man beolding is natural face in a glass: For e beoldet imself, and (Continued on page 15)

12 Page 12 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 1. Wat are some tings we can learn from te life of te propet Daniel on ow to deal wit our current ostile climate against Cristians? Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio And wiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and te sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before te LORD my God for te oly mountain of my God (Dan. 9:20). Before I comment on te above Scripture, or go any furter, let me just say tat te only difference in Daniel s day and Israel at tat time and America today was tat teir country was burnt to te ground and tey were now in a strange country and in captivity. God is still te same God, sin is still sin, God is being rejected, and America is not listening to te Baptist Preacer. Tere is more, but tis sould be a start to see te dilemma we are facing today. Some people in America seem to not understand (because God as blinded tem), In wom te god of tis world at blinded te minds of tem wic believe not, lest te ligt of te glorious gospel of Crist, wo is te image of God, sould sine unto tem (II Cor. 4:4), tat we ave a set of laws tat must be obeyed and it is called te Constitution of te United States! Dear reader, IT IS A LAW. It does not matter if our current President (wo is a LIAR and an IDIOT) believes in it or not, nor if people do not believe in it or believe wat te Bible says, te fact still remains tey are bot to govern our life. And let me add, I will defend America wit my life and until te Second Amendment (law) is struck down I will obey and live by it and no paper president will take te rigt from me. Let me also point out tat if a liberal becomes our next president tis year, it is over and te American people are doomed and will cease to exist as a Sovereign Nation. It took many years, and a lot of dedication and prayer, but Israel got er country back (by te grace of God), but will once again be deceived and fall on ard times, 7 years to be exact. Te above Scripture is te greatest lesson tat can be learned by te propet Daniel. First and foremost, Daniel PRAYED are you dear Cristian praying? NO ONE can take tat privilege from you! And notice, Daniel did not pray for te sins (plural) tat e committed and is people but for teir SIN (singular) It is all sin (I Jon 1:8) If we say tat we ave no sin, we deceive ourselves, and te trut is not in us. A lesson we sould take from te pages of Daniel. For me, one of te greatest lessons to take from te Book of Daniel is, STAND YOUR GROUND AND STAY FAITFUL TO GOD NO MATTER WAT! Let us take a look at just a few and see if you, dear reader, can apply tem to your life. 1. Eat te rigt food. Te first ting Daniel and te oters did was refuse te king s meat. Millions of dollars are spent yearly for cancer researc (as well as oter diseases) and te answer is rigt in front of us: PULSE AND WATER. O, I know all too well te arguments, but I ave proven tis to be a fact and true in my own life, but it is not an easy pat to take. And in our fast-pace burger-on-every-corner life style it is sometimes difficult to do, but I believe it to be te fact, take it or leave it, it is not forced upon you. Prove ty servants, I beseec tee, ten days; and let tem give us pulse to eat, and water to drink (Dan. 1:12). And te king communed wit tem; and among tem all was found none like Daniel, anania, Misael, and Azaria: terefore stood tey before te king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, tat te king enquired of tem, e found tem ten times better tan all te magicians and astrologers tat were in all is realm (Dan. 1:19-20). Scoff if you like, but God as given us te answer, it is free for te taking. Just remember tat all diseases ARE BECAUSE OF SIN! And we sin because we disobey God. It did not start out tat way, but sin is now upon us because of Adam. But tanks be to God, wic givet us te victory troug our Lord Jesus Crist (I Cor. 15:57). 2. Stay true to God and do not bow down to anyone or anyting. Well, you migt say, I do not do tat. Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, Tat tou migtest be justified in ty sayings, and migtest overcome wen tou art judged (Rom. 3:4). Every time God is ignored, every time you do someting tat as not God in it, every time you miss curc for any reason oter tan being sick and in bed, you ave bowed down to someting oter tan God. 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. 3:18). Please read carefully Sadrac, Mesac, and Abednego s answer to Nebucadnezzar in capter Tere are more lessons for us wic we could glean from te propet Daniel but I will make tis te last one. We ave but one Saviour te Lord Jesus Crist. If you are a Democrat (liberal) and you expect your political party to save you and make more money for you, ten you ave been deceived. Te answer does not lie in te politics of your party, but in God. Daniel ad noting to do wit te political agenda of tose wo ated im and is country, but e only trusted in is God for deliverance. Do you go to a true curc, do you tite wat God as prospered you wit? Do you trust in im for deliverance? Do you pray every day (witout ceasing)? Are you willing to die for God and Country? If you answered no to any of tese questions ten you ave a major, major problem. Daniel loved is God and is country, and trusted God for is deliverance. Tis world as noting to offer me, it is wicked, evil, and full of sin and we need to pray tat God would forgive its sin. I am tired and I want to go ome but wile I live I will continue to preac te Gospel of Jesus Crist and defend tis country and my family wit my Bible in one and and my gun in te oter (my God given rigt), and if any take issue wit tat ten you ave te problem, not me! One last tougt. Daniel (Continued on page 14)

13 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page Wat are some tings we can learn from te life of Ester te queen on ow to deal wit our current ostile climate against Cristians? Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Te book of Ester is really an astonising revelation of God s providential provision and sovereign intervention for is people. Everyting from te natural beauty of Ester and a courageous cousin Mordecai, to giving er favor (Grace!) in te eyes of camberlain egai and King Aauserus can be directly attributed to God. And te point of relevance to us, is tat we serve te SAME God. Even wen we do not understand wy we end up forced to enter tis beauty contest, or become privy to a plot to assassinate te king, we must be like Ester s parallel Bible caracter, Josep. Just keep doing wat is rigt, and be faitful wit wat te Lord as given us to do today our Sovereign God will take care of tomorrow. Sela! Tink about it! Te fait of Mordecai is striking in several instances. And all te king s servants, tat were in te king s gate, bowed, and reverenced aman: for te king ad so commanded concerning im. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did im reverence. Ten te king s servants, wic were in te king s gate, said unto Mordecai, Wy transgressest tou te king s commandment? Now it came to pass, wen tey spake daily unto im, and e earkened not unto tem, tat tey told aman, to see weter Mordecai s matters would stand: for e ad told tem tat e was a Jew (Ester 3:2-4). Mordecai, like te tree ebrew cildren of Daniel 3, would bow to none, but is God. Tere is a lesson for us, ere. Even toug te KING commanded all to reverence tis aman, Mordecai would NOT. In America, we are to submit ourselves to te powers tat be (Romans 13), but never sould our worsip and adoration go to a mere man. We sould join Mordecai in transgressing te commandments of kings and governments wen it comes to religious matters of te conscience. Tirdly, audacious Mordecai told tem e was a Jew not asamed to be a cild of God and neiter sould we. alleluja! Sela! Tink about it! On te oter and, Mordecai took care of is cousin Ester and conversely told er NOT to reveal er Jewis identity even to er arranged usband, Ester ad not sewed er people nor er kindred: for Mordecai ad carged er tat se sould not sew it (Ester 2:10). Sometimes in our lives, it will become necessary to go underground wit our fait. We will still evangelize like te Nort Korean Cristians, but it will be (of necessity) in obscurity, in iding and in secret defiance of te persecuting governments and religious institutions. Te time will come wen Queen Ester must put er life on te line for God and er people. Mordecai informs er tat it is time to leave te safety of anonymity and join te ranks of open rebels against national uniformity, Ten Mordecai commanded to answer Ester, Tink not wit tyself tat tou salt escape in te king s ouse, more tan all te Jews. For if tou altogeter oldest ty peace at tis time, ten sall tere enlargement and deliverance arise to te Jews from anoter place; but tou and ty fater s ouse sall be destroyed: and wo knowet weter tou art come to te kingdom for suc a time as tis? Ten Ester bade tem return Mordecai tis answer, Go, gater togeter all te Jews tat are present in Susan, and fast ye for me, and neiter eat nor drink tree days, nigt or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto te king, wic is not according to te law: and if I peris, I peris (Ester 4:13-16). Mordecai KNEW tat God would save is people, but wanted Ester to use te talents and position tat God ad given er, to te glory of er Saviour. And so must we, wen suc a time as tis comes our way in America, If we peris, we peris! Sela! Tink about it! Still yet in our day, God ardens some earts, and puts te fear of God in oters. And many of te people of te land became Jews; for te fear of te Jews fell upon tem (Ester 8:17). May God save tose tat we witness unto wit our oly lives and gospel testimonies. But one last instruction we can take from te last capters of Ester. Werein te king granted te Jews wic were in every city to gater temselves togeter, and to stand for teir life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to peris, all te power of te people and province tat would assault tem, bot little ones and women, and to take te spoil of tem for a prey, tat te Jews sould be ready against tat day to avenge temselves on teir enemies (Ester 8:11, 13). God instrumentally gave te Jews te liberty and unction to take up te sword against teir enemies on tat revolutionary day. In fact, tere is an aspect of te story in wic bloodtirsty Ester asks te king for an EXTRA day of slaugtering te Jewis enemies, Ten said Ester, If it please te king, let it be granted to te Jews wic are in Susan to do to morrow also according unto tis day s decree, and let aman s ten sons be anged upon te gallows (Ester 9:13). Certainly tere are times coming wen we will ave to weig te consequences of te actions of our enemies and te responsibilities we ave bot to our God and our families. May we take eed to te fait and courage found in tis little book and in te life of Queen Ester. Sela! Tink about it! MATTEW STEPP Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Many of te principles enumerated in te first question regarding Daniel may be equally applied to tis query. Wit tat said, I offer te following regarding te testimony of Ester: 1) Ester was a woman of great caracter and courage, especially in ligt of te way women were (Continued on page 17)

14 Page 14 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 Forum #1 (Continued from page 12) prayed for teir sin. I ear muc about wat America needs today is revival. Tere can be no true revival witout repentance! And you can not repent if you do not see tat you are a sinner before a oly Sovereign God. God Bless! ROGER REED Mike DeWitt Sr. PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Pastor Parkway Landmark Baptist Curc PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Daniel is a great example of a Cristian s walk in tis world. Tose tat took Daniel and te rest of Israel captive were very intelligent in trying to reprogram teir slaves. Tey first gave te intellectuals prominent places of service, and gave tem books of instruction about te new culture tey now were immersed in. Te captors used tese metods to win te earts and minds of Israel. Daniel read books and studied all te wile serving is captor king. We must notice all te wile Daniel was enslaved, e never complained about te way e was treated, nor did e try to start a revolt. Reading te book of Daniel, we see tat is ard work of obedience to te eartly king in all tings was e was rewarded, and is obedience to God in conjunction wit te eartly king led to te salvation of at least tree kings! We all ave a ard time remembering te words of Crist But seek ye first te kingdom of God, and is rigteousness; and all tese tings sall be added unto you (Matt. 6:33). MIKE DEWITT Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Te world as canged a lot since Daniel found imself under te totalitarian dictates of Babylonian rule. Generally speaking te kings of ancient times often ruled as iron fisted despots wo could ave teir subjects imprisoned or executed upon a wim. In many socialist and communist countries totalitarian dictators and political operatives wield an enormous amount of power. In many Muslim countries Cristians are being rooted out and often executed. Te United States of America as been a consistent and sining beacon of freedom and liberty for over tree centuries because we are a constitutional republic. We ave enjoyed freedom of speec, freedom of religion, and many oter liberties for a long time. We ave been able to maintain a sense of moral dignity and integrity because our laws were based on a Judaeo-Cristian etic revealed in te Scriptures. Our beloved America, raised up and establised by te providence of God, as done more mission work, Gospel preacing, and nation building tan any oter civilization in uman istory. owever, te times tey are a cangin as Bob Dylan sang back in te 1960 s. Te Progressive/ Liberal/Socialist movement as incrementally gained power in our government, scools, universities, and even among religious organizations. Little by little te Progressive agenda as sougt to diminis our constitution and denigrate our Judaeo-Cristian etic. As a result, Cristians are now facing ostility and atred from tose wo ave been indoctrinated by ateists and leftists. Wat do Cristians do in response to ostility and atred, using Daniel as an example? I offer te following suggestions: 1) Never lose sigt of Wo is in sovereign control of all tings. Daniel believed in te sovereignty of God and te flawless execution of is Divine purpose (2:19-23). In times of great difficulty we can rest in te fact tat God does all tings well even wen we do not fully understand our circumstances (Rom. 8:28). 2) Daniel feared God and desired to serve im regardless of te consequences. e would rater be trown into a lion s den tan obey te wimsical dictates of politicians wo ated im. Daniel was committed to prayer. e ad great fait in a great God to deliver im. e was fearless and obedient in te face of tyranny and persecution. e loved not is life unto deat and was willing to risk everyting to express is loyalty to God. We need men, women, boys, and girls wit te same kind of fearless resolve. 3) Daniel understood te importance of separation from te world and its evils as demonstrated in Daniel capter one. e purposed not to defile imself wit te king s dainties (1:8) and led oters to do te same. We must not capitulate to te dictates and temptations of te world (II Cor. 6:14-7:1; I Jon 2:15-17). Wen God s people adopt te pilosopy and beavior of a world system tat is opposed to God tey lose teir spiritual power and influence. Daniel maintained is devotion to God and never lost is testimony or influence regardless of wo was in power (Nebucadnezzar, Belsazzar, Darius). 4) Daniel always spoke te trut, even in te face of wat appeared to be despotic uman power and autority. e did not cater to te wims of wicked Nebucadnezzar, but rater told im te trut as God ad revealed it. We need more Cristians wo fear God more tan tey do te faces and feelings of men (Acts 5:20, 28-33). We ave far too many professing Cristians wo are afraid to take a stand for God and is trut. 5) Daniel must ave ad a gracious spirit and a good attitude. e ad a way of influencing oters by is testimony (4:18; 5:11-14; 6:3). Every eaten king e served under valued is counsel. Tis tells me tat we can earnestly contend for te fait witout being contentious, mean-spirited, and ateful like our opponents. 6) Daniel was a man of prayer wo believed in seeking God. In is prayers e adored God in worsip, confessed is sins, tanked God for is mercies, offered supplication for oters, and asked for spiritual strengt and guidance (Dan. 9:1-19). I wonder if our prayer lives resemble Daniel s? 7) Daniel believed in te propetic word and understood tat God ad a plan for te future. I take great comfort in te propetic Word of God! It inspires ope and comfort during troublesome times (I Tess. 4:13-18). I am looking for tat Blessed ope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Crist (Titus 2:13)! I am sure tere are many oter (Continued on page 15)

15 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 15 Forum #1 (Continued from page 14) tings we can learn from te life of Daniel, but tis is a good start to elp us in our quest and mission to be salt and ligt in a corrupt world. TOM ROSS Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Tere are at least tree tings we can learn about te atred and ostility of te world toward Jesus Crist and is followers in te life and times of Daniel. Tey will first be ostile toward te purity of te believer, ten progressively, it will get worse, in tat te world will become ostile toward our worsip and tirdly, tey will develop furter into being ostile toward our tougts and prayers. Sela! Tink about it! In capter one of Daniel, it seems like suc a little ting tat Daniel is trying to do. Wy make suc a big deal out of eating te king s meat and drinking is wine? Various speculations ave determined te food/drink to be portions tat ad been sacrificial offerings to te pagan gods of Babylon. Tey may ave been from unclean animals, etc. But watever te details tat were provisional to tat day and time, we can take te picture of purity ome wit us, today, beloved reader. But Daniel purposed in is eart tat e would not defile imself wit te portion of te king s meat, nor wit te wine wic e drank: terefore e requested of te prince of te eunucs tat e migt not defile imself (Dan. 1:8). ow many times, te true ostility of te world will be evidenced wen we try to keep from defiling ourselves from te depravity tey love so intimately! ow quick will be te scorn, te burst of atred and te antagonism toward our purity, If te world ate you, ye know tat it ated me before it ated you. If ye were of te world, te world would love is own: but because ye are not of te world, but I ave cosen you out of te world, terefore te world atet you (Jon 15:18-19). Te second stage of ostility toward Cristians tat we can see evidenced in te book of Daniel is te opposition toward our worsip. In Capter tree, te tree ebrew cildren were condemned and convicted of believing in only one true God. Knowing tat God ALONE was deserving of teir adoration and submission, tey refused to worsip any oter. Sela! Tink about it! Nebucadnezzar spake and said unto tem, Is it true, O Sadrac, Mesac, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worsip te golden image wic I ave set up? but if ye worsip not, ye sall be cast te same our into te midst of a burning fiery furnace; and wo is tat God tat sall deliver you out of my ands? Sadrac, Mesac, and Abednego, answered and said to te king, O Nebucadnezzar, we are not careful to answer tee in tis matter. be it known unto tee, O king, tat we will not serve ty gods, nor worsip te golden image wic tou ast set up. Ten was Nebucadnezzar full of fury (Dan. 3:14-19). Te world is furious wit Cristians (Baptists) tat will admit of no existence of ANY God, but our own. Wen civil powers start to turn toward liberal organizations and politically correct government, Cristian beware of te ostility and enmity of te world. Particularly, te religious world. Tey sall put you out of te synagogues: yea, te time comet, tat wosoever killet you will tink tat e doet God service. And tese tings will tey do unto you, because tey ave not known te Fater, nor me (Jon 16:2-3). Lastly, will come to pass te tird level of ostility in bot Daniel s day, and our own. Tey will be ostile toward our prayer life. It will become UNACCEPTABLE to object in tougt and mind-set to te new mainstream lifestyles. Just look, ow not only te liberal left, but from every corner of America came criticism of Kentuckian Kim Davis coice to live by er Bible and conscience. Daniel, too, felt te envy, malice and trickery of te establisment, Ten said tese men, We sall not find any occasion against tis Daniel, except we find it against im concerning te law of is God (Dan. 6:5). Tis trampling of religious freedom continued to were no one was allowed to pray to any god, but king Barack Obama (oops! excuse me, I meant king Darius!). Presidential candidate illary Clinton is on te record saying tat Cristians are gonna ave to CANGE te WAY WE TINK regarding te morality of te New Order. Persecution to te point of trowing Cristians into a den of lions? Ask Daniel and Nero s Cristian targets about tose accommodations. Tey are coming to an America near you, beloved reader! May God give us te strengt and courage to stand like Daniel in te face of a ostile populace, religious world and secular government. Sela! Tink about it! MATTEW STEPP First Rigteouness (Continued from page 11) goet is way, and straigtway forgettet wat manner of man e was. But woso looket into te perfect law of liberty, and continuet terein, e being not a forgetful earer, but a doer of te work, tis man sall be blessed in is deed ( Jas. 1:22-25). Do te work, and be content. Believe te Word, and be at peace in your eart. PEACE WIT MEN As Cristians wo must sojourn in te world of men, it is true tat we will often find strife and opposition in te world. In fact, te Lord Jesus Crist as promised us tat te love of God tat as been bestowed upon us, will be te cause of contention, discord, and even conflict in our relationsips wit te men and women of te world. Suppose ye tat I am come to give peace on eart? I tell you, Nay; but rater division: For from encefort tere sall be five in one ouse divided, tree against two, and two against tree. Te fater sall be divided against te son, and te son against te fater; te moter against te daugter, and te daugter against te moter; te moter in law against er daugter in law, and te daugter in law against er moter in law (Luke 12:51-53). As Crist as said, many times even our own families will turn against us. Tis Cristianity wic is based upon te rigteousness and te person (Continued on page 16)

16 Page 16 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 First Rigteouness (Continued from page 15) and te work of Jesus Crist, as resulted in muc strife and persecution in te world. And yet, tere is peace to be found, if only we will continue in te way and te Word of God. In te beginning of te Age of Cristianity, tere was often strife between te Jews and te Gentiles. I suppose tat strife and enmity as continued in some form, from tat day unto te current day. It is even true tere was often strife between tose tat were saved by God s grace from amongst te Jews, and tose wo were saved by God s grace amongst te Gentile people. But, te grace of God, tat brougt salvation to men, did also bring peace between te peoples of te covenants. We read wat Paul ad to say to te Epesian Cristians, For e is our peace, wo at made bot one, and at broken down te middle wall of partition between us; aving abolised in is fles te enmity, even te law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in imself of twain one new man, so making peace; And tat e migt reconcile bot unto God in one body by te cross, aving slain te enmity tereby: And came and preaced peace to you wic were afar off, and to tem tat were nig (Ep. 2:14-17). Te love and grace of God, and te rigteousness and te faitfulness of Jesus Crist, as accomplised a miracle, in tat te enmity tat once existed between Jew and Gentile is now abolised in te gospel of Jesus Crist. Tere is not any more an enmity tat exists because of te law and te Word and te promises of God. Now, bot saved Jew and saved Gentile will acknowledge tat our salvation is a result of te grace of God, and is based upon te rigteousness of Jesus Crist, and is in no way a result of any rigteousnesses of our own. Tis admission, tis knowledge of God s salvation and te rigteousness of Jesus Crist, as brougt a peace between us and God, a peace in our own earts, and even a peace between former enemies after te fles, as we acknowledge te workings and te purposes of God and Jesus Crist in te accomplisment of our salvation. Furter, we must admit, tat te salvation from God and te way of te Cristian as fostered muc grief and muc sorrow and muc animosity, even in our day and time. Especially, in tese last days, I believe tat tere will be a renewal, and a surge in te attacks of Satan against te people of God. And wen ye sall ear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for suc tings must needs be; but te end sall not be yet. For nation sall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and tere sall be eartquakes in divers places, and tere sall be famines and troubles: tese are te beginnings of sorrows. But take eed to yourselves: for tey sall deliver you up to councils; and in te synagogues ye sall be beaten: and ye sall be brougt before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against tem. And te gospel must first be publised among all nations. But wen tey sall lead you, and deliver you up, take no tougt beforeand wat ye sall speak, neiter do ye premeditate: but watsoever sall be given you in tat our, tat speak ye: for it is not ye tat speak, but te oly Gost. Now te broter sall betray te broter to deat, and te fater te son; and cildren sall rise up against teir parents, and sall cause tem to be put to deat. And ye sall be ated of all men for my name s sake: but e tat sall endure unto te end, te same sall be saved (Mark 13:7-13). And yet, I know tat te Lord will at least grant us a peace and a contentment witin our own selves as we labor amongst te people werever te Lord will lead us. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Tat ye sall weep and lament, but te world sall rejoice: and ye sall be sorrowful, but your sorrow sall be turned into joy. A woman wen se is in travail at sorrow, because er our is come: but as soon as se is delivered of te cild, se rememberet no more te anguis, for joy tat a man is born into te world. And ye now terefore ave sorrow: but I will see you again, and your eart sall rejoice, and your joy no man taket from you ( Jon 16:20-22). Te Lord as proven tat e can and will give us a measure of peace, even ere toug te peace may only be on our own part, and not sared in te earts of our enemies in te world. In oter words, toug te world may ate us, deride us, and even persecute us; we will, ourselves, not feel overmuc distress, anguis, anger, or atred against te world at least not as long as we pursue rigteousness, and acknowledge tat our oly God is in control. Blessed are ye, wen men sall revile you, and persecute you, and sall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in eaven: for so persecuted tey te propets wic were before you (Matt. 5:11-12). Te world may not ave any peace wit us; but we can ave a general sense of peace in our relationsip wit te world, from te perspective tat we know tat men are sinners, but God still as a people tat e will save; and, from te perspective tat te world is wicked, but we know tat te world will only grow more wicked, as te powers of Satan and is followers will grow in tese end times. We find our peace in ourselves, and wit te state of affairs in te world, troug te understanding tat te will and purpose of God cannot be overcome. Nor can is desires and intentions for te redemption of mankind be ever twarted. We can take confidence in tis belief; we can find peace and contentment in tis understanding. Sure, te world may persecute and even kill us; but, we, as te people and te curces of God, old no animosity for te world. We don t know wo it is tat God migt save! Some of tese wo are currently at war wit God and te gospel of Jesus Crist will ave teir earts broken, teir souls saved, and will be brougt into a peaceful relationsip wit God and is Son, Jesus Crist. We do not know wo it is tat migt be te next effective tool and worty proclaimer of te gospel of Jesus Crist! Let us, terefore, leave off te bitterness and atred, and let us, instead, commit ourselves to te pursuit of rigteousness, and te ope of peace between God and men. And te fruit of rigteousness is sown in peace of tem tat make peace (Jas. 3:18).

17 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 17 Forum #2 (Continued from page 13) viewed in ancient times among eaten nations. er umble and gracious testimony made er attractive (Ester 2:15-17 cf. I Pet. 3:1-6). 2) Ester understood te importance of listening to wise counsel and acting upon it (4:12-14). 3) Ester understood te power of prayer and fasting among God s people in times of great distress (4:16). 4) Ester never lost er composure or testimony no matter ow dangerous and difficult tings became. God gave er grace to maintain er dignity and moral integrity. 5) Ester was respectful to tose wo were in autority. 6) Ester was willing to sacrifice er life, if need be, for er Jewis broters and sisters (Jon 15:13). 7) Ester presented er body as a living sacrifice to be used for te glory of God (Rom. 12:1-2). 8) Ester understood tat er life was in God s ands to be used for is eternal purpose. umanly speaking, God used te testimony and courage of Ester to preserve te Jewis race, and by extension, te Messianic line. O, tat God would open our eyes to see te purpose e as for us and ow we can make a real difference by serving im in tese last days! TOM ROSS Mike DeWitt Sr. PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Pastor Parkway Landmark Baptist Curc PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Read I Corintians 9:19-23 and Mark 8:35. You all migt tink tis to be pretty lame of me to answer tis question tis way, but I fear many ave looked to te world rater tan te Word and ave already made a decision to not ear te Word and obey. MIKE DEWITT Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio I ave to smile a little after reading tis question because tis is te Bible Scool lesson I am teacing on rigt now. Ester is a great book of lessons and muc like te Book of Daniel. In bot cases tey are willing to accept te will of God for teir lives. I ave eard all my life tat one person can make a difference and ten I tink of all te Cristians tat ave te attitude tat teir vote does not count wic makes me a little ill. I once did not vote for an issue, or person in a Union election and te results were, tat te one vote (mine) would ave made te difference, encouraged me to never miss an election again. I realize tere may ave been oters tat did not vote but I knowing tat ad I voted, tings would ave been different. We see tat God used Ester s beauty, er upbringing by Mordecai, a devout Jew, and er devotion to God to save er people from extinction. Dear Cristian reader, God is going to give you a one-time opportunity (in my opinion) to cange te course of America. It will be for a sort time for tose wo believe in te rapture, but it will be our golden opportunity to stand fast, not bow down to dictatorsip and tyranny to save America from certain doom. Beloved, we are responsible for wat appens in tis next election. God put Ester in a position to save er country. Wat would ave appened if Ester would ave said, I like tis palace living, I am pampered in royalty, no one knows I am a Jew, I am well liked and I ave it made. Wy sould I stick my neck out for a bunc of sinful Jews? But tat was not te case, everyting I just mentioned se did not do, but stayed faitful to God and er people. God as a reason for everyting tank God for Ester. Please understand te severity of tis situation, te wole Jewis Nation was going to be anniilated off te face of te eart and no matter ow sinful tey ad become, tey were God s people and e loved tem and loves tem still, and will protect tem. And God loves all tose for wom Jesus died and sed is blood for and will do te same, but we ave, as already stated, a responsibility to tis great nation. If we do our part I am confident God will do is part as well. Te main lesson I believe ere is, be obedient to God in te face of adversity, knowing e is in control. In wom also we ave obtained an ineritance, being predestinated according to te purpose of im wo worket all tings after te counsel of is own will: Tat we sould be to te praise of is glory, wo first trusted in Crist (Ep. 1:11). Do wat we are responsible to do as did Ester and Mordecai. American teologian Reinold Niebur wrote tis prayer and revised it te year I was born in 1951; God, give me grace to accept wit serenity te tings tat cannot be canged, Courage to cange te tings wic sould be canged, and te Wisdom to distinguis te one from te oter. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting ardsip as a patway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, Tis sinful world as it is, Not as I would ave it, Trusting tat You will make all tings rigt, If I surrender to Your will, So tat I may be reasonably appy in tis life, And supremely appy wit You forever in te next. Amen. Even toug Ester became queen, se knew er place before te king but did not compromise er fait in God. And be not conformed to tis world: but be ye transformed by te renewing of your mind, tat ye may prove wat is tat good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Rom. 12:2). Te result ad a wonderful ending, even toug it looked opeless and te decree tat was to appen on a certain day tat all Jews would be killed could not be canged. Te Jews were given te ability to defend temselves to keep from being anniilated, and won te victory! It never is opeless wit God. Tey ad te courage to cange tings and tey did, praise God! Te same will be for us if we old fast te Word of God and do is will. old fast te form of sound words, wic tou ast eard of me, in fait and love wic is in Crist Jesus (II Tim. 1:13). But Crist as a son over is own ouse; wose ouse are we, if we old fast te confidence and te rejoicing of te ope firm unto te end (eb. 3:6). Seeing ten tat we ave a great ig priest, tat is passed into te eavens, Jesus te Son of God, let us old fast our profession (eb. 4:14). Let us old fast te profession of our fait witout wavering; (Continued on page 18)

18 Page 18 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 Forum #2 (Continued from page 17) (for e is faitful tat promised) (eb. 10:23). One last tougt; I believe tat our current president is a type of Ester and Mordecai s aman. And unless te Lord sees fit to save im, e will meet is doom, like aman and is family did. God Bless! ROGER REED Take Off te (Continued from page 1) In tese closing verses of capter one, Paul explains ow te Gentiles got into te awful darkness tat engulfed tem and ow God s wrat was revealed against tem. Note te steps downward in Gentile istory as we turn our attention to te rest of te capter, For te wrat of God is revealed from eaven against all ungodliness and unrigteousness of men, wo old te trut in unrigteousness; Because tat wic may be known of God is manifest in tem; for God at sewed it unto tem. For te invisible tings of im from te creation of te world are clearly seen, being understood by te tings tat are made, even is eternal power and Godead; so tat tey are witout excuse: Because tat, wen tey knew God, tey glorified im not as God, neiter were tankful; but became vain in teir imaginations, and teir foolis eart was darkened. Professing temselves to be wise, tey became fools, And canged te glory of te uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping tings. Werefore God also gave tem up to uncleanness troug te lusts of teir own earts, to disonour teir own bodies between temselves: Wo canged te trut of God into a lie, and worsipped and served te creature more tan te Creator, wo is blessed for ever. Amen. For tis cause God gave tem up unto vile affections: for even teir women did cange te natural use into tat wic is against nature: And likewise also te men, leaving te natural use of te woman, burned in teir lust one toward anoter; men wit men working tat wic is unseemly, and receiving in temselves tat recompence of teir error wic was meet. And even as tey did not like to retain God in teir knowledge, God gave tem over to a reprobate mind, to do tose tings wic are not convenient; Being filled wit all unrigteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; wisperers, Backbiters, aters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil tings, disobedient to parents, Witout understanding, covenantbreakers, witout natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Wo knowing te judgment of God, tat tey wic commit suc tings are worty of deat, not only do te same, but ave pleasure in tem tat do tem (Rom. 1:18-32). We see tat Tey knew God (vv ). God ad given tem a twofold revelation of imself in tem (conscience) and unto tem (creation), (v. 19). Man did not begin wit ignorance and gradually work is way up to intelligence; e began wit a blazing revelation of te power and wisdom of God and turned is back on it. God ad revealed imself from te very time of creation, so tat people wo ave never eard te Gospel are still witout excuse. It is my belief tat America is failing in not calling sin wat it is and as pused tat doctrine aside for political correctness. Many of God s elect (many wo say tey are saved are not) do not want to ear about ell, te Lake of Fire, or sin. I tank God for te folks e as given me and tat I am at liberty to preac te wole counsel of God. About 140 years ago Carles addon Spurgeon wo preaced during te last quarter of te 1800 s ad tis to say, Everywere tere is apaty (indifference, unconcern). Nobody cares weter tat wic is preaced is true or false. A sermon is a sermon watever te subject; only, te sorter it is, te better. e also so stated, If we would ave te presence of God, it is necessary tat we sould be agreed wit im. We must be agreed wit God as to te end of our Cristian existence. God at formed us for imself tat we may sow fort is praise. A man I worked wit asked me one time, ow long do you preac (I cannot count te number of times I ave been asked tat question along wit ow big is your congregation). Wen I answer minutes for a sermon you would tink tey were going to ave a eart attack. Te man ten replied; te best sermon e ad ever eard was 10 minutes long. Tat, beloved, is te attention span of most curc-goers today. I would guess tat anyting longer would put im to sleep. I marvel at te lack of fear te saved and unsaved ave toward a oly, Sovereign God. Let us ear te conclusion of te wole matter: Fear God, and keep is commandments: for tis is te wole duty of man (Eccl. 12:13). But men everywere scoff at tis verse. Wy, I ave even seen men snicker at tis verse, supposedly saved men. Tis brings me to my next point. Tey glorified im not as God (vv ). Vain tinking and foolis reasoning turned men from te trut to lies. We see indifference leading to ingratitude, resulting in ignorance. People today bow before te Greek and Roman pilosopers and onor teir words above te Word of God; but Paul calls all of tese pilosopies empty imaginations and times of ignorance. And te times of tis ignorance God winked at; but now commandet all men every were to repent: Because e at appointed a day, in te wic e will judge te world in rigteousness by tat man wom e at ordained; wereof e at given assurance unto all men, in tat e at raised im from te dead (Acts 17:30-31). Te next step was idolatry, onoring te creature (including man) rater tan te Creator. Tey put blinders on and did not want to adere to te trut. Tey canged te trut of God (vv ). Tis word canged te tougt also of excanged. People replaced God s trut wit Satan s lie! Wat is Satan s lie? 1) Worsiping te creature and not te Creator. 2) Worsiping man instead of God. 3) Worsiping tings instead of Crist. Satan tempted Crist to do tis (Matt. 4:8-11). Note tat in Romans 1:18, te Gentiles eld down te trut, and now (Continued on page 19)

19 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 19 Take Off te (Continued from page 18) tey excange te trut for a lie! Te trut believed and obeyed sets us free, Ten said Jesus to tose Jews wic believed on im, If ye continue in my word, ten are ye my disciples indeed; And ye sall know te trut, and te trut sall make you free (Jon 8:31-32). Te trut rejected and disobeyed makes us slaves. Tey rejected te knowledge of God (vv ). Tese people ad begun wit a clear knowledge of God (vv. 19, 21) and is judgment against sin (v. 32); but now tey reaced te lowest level of teir downward fall: tey did not even want to ave knowledge of God! Te fool at said in is eart, Tere is no God. Tey are corrupt, tey ave done abominable works, tere is none tat doet good (Ps. 14:1). It is sad to see te tragic results of tis decline. Evolutionists want us to believe tat umans ave evolved from primitive, ignorant, beastlike forms into te marvelous creature tey are today. Tis is wat te Evolutionists want you to believe: I was a tadpole wen I began to begin, ten I was a frog wit my tail tucked in, ten I was a monkey in a coconut tree, and now I m a man wit a P.D. And many ave put blinders on and said: Wy can tere not be bot? Paul says just te opposite: man began te igest of God s creatures, but e made imself into a beast! Note te tree judgments of God: God gave tem up to uncleanness and idolatry (vv ). 1) God gave tem over to vile passions (vv ). 2) God gave tem over to a reprobate mind (v. 28ff). 3) God gave tem up! Tis is te revelation of te wrat of God (v. 18). Te sins listed ere are too vile to define or discuss, yet tey are practiced today around te world wit te approval of society. People know tat sin will be judged, yet tey take pleasure in it anyway. Tis is te point I would like to make. Cristians ave put on blinders and say if tey are not urting me, or if I do not ave to see it, tat I do not care wat tey do. We are being pressured to be political correct and need to cange wat we believe NEVER. I will die preacing te trut and NO paper president or Clinton will force me to do differently. Were is your allegiance fellow Cristian? Wat are you afraid of? We ad better fear wat God can do, and not man. Tese tings tat Paul mentions ere are sin, just plain flat out sin, and God is not pleased, yet we ave allowed tem to infiltrate our world, our life, our scools, our omes, and te work place and even curces. If you embrace any of tese tat Paul condemns wit te mentality tat if Jesus were ere e would take tem in and forgive tem, ten you are living in a dream world. Yes, Jesus will save tem if tey are te elect of God. 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). But tere must be a cange in tat person s life if tey are truly saved. We do not embrace sin and tink it is all rigt to coexist wit te unrigteous. Tey ave to stop teir filty life style and repent from teir evil ways or tey are not truly saved, tey can not ave it bot ways. Were it not for te Gospel of Crist, we would be in tis slavery to sin ourselves. Tanks be unto God for is unspeakable gift (II Cor. 9:15). Beloved, remember te wretc you were before you were saved? Are you still living tat life today as a cild of God? Someone migt answer, Yes, noting as canged. Ten you ave a very serious problem, and according to te Bible you are not saved. And you at e quickened, wo were dead in trespasses and sins; Werein in time past ye walked according to te course of tis world, according to te prince of te power of te air, te spirit tat now worket in te cildren of disobedience: Among wom also we all ad our conversation in times past in te lusts of our fles, fulfilling te desires of te fles and of te mind; and were by nature te cildren of wrat, even as oters (Ep. 2:1-3). To embrace te lifestyle of tese wicked and unrigteous people would be like me saying I liked my old life before I was saved and I miss tose days as a teenager and early 20 s wen I would get so drunk I puked my guts up. O yes, I really miss tose days. See ow silly tat all sounds? But tat is exactly wat tey want us to do. Not tis preacer, beloved! As C.. Spurgeon wrote turn, or burn! Back in te mid 70 s my first pastor stated tat te world was so messed up tat our young people will grow up and spell relief R-O-L-A-I-D-S! e was not being funny, toug at te time I tougt it to be quite umorous, but not anymore. At tat time tere was a commercial tat asked ow do you spell relief? (talking about eartburn) and tey would spell relief R-O-L- A-I-D-S! I always wonder wat e would tink if e could see te world today. So trow off te blinders tat are covering your eyes and call teir vile and awful sin wat it is, do not back down! Preacers, preac it like it is your last sermon and tell te world of te oly One of God wo can save sinners from total destruction. Te world ates tis, but love te sinner and ate teir sin And te peace of God, wic passet all understanding, sall keep your earts and minds troug Crist Jesus (Pil. 4:7). God Bless! 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 Evangelicals sow more openness in deat penalty debate (WNS)--Evangelicals and political conservatives are increasingly sifting to more neutral positions on te deat penalty. In early Oct., te National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) revised its 1973 statement tat favored te deat penalty as a punisment for einous murders. Te NAE noted many evangelical leaders ave made a Biblical and teological case eiter against te deat penalty or against its continued use in a society were Biblical standards of justice are difficult to reac. Rater tan turning aboutface and opposing te deat penalty, te NAE statement said te group affirms bot streams of Cristian (Continued on page 20)

20 Page 20 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 Bible & te Newspaper (Continued from page 19) etical tougt. In oter words, tere s room for debate. Te NAE serves as a resource and advocacy group for more tan 45,000 curces in te United States. Its policy sift on te deat penalty comes at a time wen all aspects of capital punisment in te United States are under scrutiny. And e tat killet any man sall surely be put to deat (Lev. 24:17). Sould parents of disabled cildren be allowed to stunt teir growt? (WNS)--Many parents ave lamented teir cildren growing up, wit a joking wis tey would stay little forever. But wen Mark and Jenn ooper asked pediatric endocrinologist Paul ofman to stunt teir disabled 6-year-old daugter s growt, tey were quite serious. Te oopers case is getting attention now as parents in te United States and elsewere are looking to growt attenuation terapy as a way to make it easier to care for teir disabled cildren. Carley ooper, now 10, will remain just 4-foot-3-inces tall for te rest of er life. Wile disability advocates say stunting Carley s growt is a violation of er uman rigts, er parents insist te treatment improved er quality of life. Abortionists admit emotional toll of grisly work (WNS)--In a recently released Center for Medical Progress (CMP) video, a Micigan Planned Parentood executive encourages er colleagues to stop denying te reality of pro-life images of aborted babies and start acknowledging abortion does involve violence and te killing of persons. In te video, leading abortion providers and educators confide to eac oter tat teir ability to remain on te job depends on finding ways to deal wit teir workplace orrors. Te surprising confessions came during an April 7, 2013, Planned Parentood of Mid and Sout Micigan (PPMSM) worksop and an April 7, 2014, National Abortion Federation (NAF) conference in San Francisco. CMP undercover investigators documented te two events in more tan two ours of clandestine recordings. Cicago scool district agrees to allow boy in girls locker room (WNS)--A suburban Cicago scool district will allow a transgender student access to te girl s locker room, under a contentious agreement reaced Dec. 7 during an emergency scool board meeting. Te decision to comply wit government demands for inclusivity comes after monts of back and fort between scool officials and te U.S. Department of Education s Office of Civil Rigts (OCR). Te OCR found te district violated federal sexual anti-discrimination laws wit its policy restricting a biologically male transgender student s access to female locker rooms. Last mont, te OCR told te district it ad 30 days to cange its policies or face potential litigation and te loss of up to $6 million in federal funds. ig court to consider state abortion law case (WNS)--Te U.S. Supreme Court agreed Nov. 13 to ear a callenge to Texas abortion center regulations, te first major abortion case since te court upeld a ban on partial-birt abortion in Te court s decision in tis case could affect not just Texas, but a number of oter states wit similar regulations. Lawyers ad expected te court to finally ear an abortion case tis term, but tat doesn t diminis te significance of te decision. Over te last five years, states wit new Republican majorities ave tigtened regulations on te abortion industry, and te number of abortions nationwide as declined. Some states wit tese kinds of laws ave seen te number of abortions drop at least 15 percent since 2010, according to data te Associated Press compiled. Pro-lifers debunk Texas study claiming increase in at-ome abortions (WNS)--Te University of Texas publised a study in November linking te state s abortion facility regulations to te number of women self-inducing abortions. But according to pro-lifers, te study was motivated by a pro-abortion agenda and is based on egregious errors. Released by te Texas Policy Evaluation Project, te study came out just four days after te U.S. Supreme Court agreed to ear a callenge to Texas abortion facility regulations enacted in Te law requires abortionists to obtain admitting privileges at ospitals witin 30 miles of teir facilities. It also olds abortion facilities to te same building standards as outpatient surgical centers. Since 2012, abortion facilities in Texas ave decreased from 41 to 17. According to te study, between 1.7 percent and 4.1 percent of Texas women, mostly Latinas, ave self-induced abortions. Te statistics are based on survey responses from 779 women ages 18 to 49. Te researcers used tose numbers to claim tat if te Supreme Court doesn t overturn te new regulations, self-induced abortions will increase because more facilities will close. Defense secretary orders all combat positions open to women (WNS)--Secretary of Defense Aston Carter on Dec. 3 ordered te military to open all direct combat positions to women, giving te services 30 days to submit teir plans for te istoric cange. Tere will be no exemptions, Carter said during a press briefing. To succeed in our mission of national defense, we cannot afford to cut ourselves off from alf te country s talents and skills. We ave to take full advantage of every individual wo can meet our standards. Carter s decision effectively opens up te final 10 percent of military positions (about 220,000) to women, allowing tem to serve in any and all direct combat jobs, from infantry rifleman to special operations forces suc as te Army Delta Force and te Navy SEALs. Kroger set to become largest retailer to offer transgender ealt benefits (WNS)--In 2002, no major U.S. corporation covered transgender procedures, suc as genderreassignment surgery and drug terapy, under its employee medical benefit plan. Today more tan 400 do, including Ford, Apple, and Coke. Te Kroger Co., te largest grocery cain in te nation wit 2,500 stores, is set to join te list next mont. Beginning Jan. 1, Kroger s 400,000 workers will be eligible for up to $100,000 for gender-reassignment surgery, drug terapy, and oter procedures. Kroger will become te largest American retailer to offer suc coverage. Boy Scouts asked to reconsider no-girlsallowed policy (WNS)--Less tan a year after Te Boy Scouts of America (BSA) (Continued on page 21)

21 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 21 Bible & te Newspaper (Continued from page 20) gave te green ligt for gay troop leaders as well as gay boys to join its ranks, five pre-teen girls are callenging te organization s nogirls-allowed policy. Te California girls participated in a series of competitions wit scout groups over te past year. Tey started te BSA s Learning for Life program and are following many of te Boy Scouts procedures in teir small female troop. But BSA leaders denied te band of girls membersip, allegedly after discovering tey couldn t join campouts due to insurance liability. Te girls are now callenging te BSA to retink its no-girls-allowed policy, especially after te organization redefined its stance on gender two years ago. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Cile issues first civil marriage licenses to same-sex couples (WNS)--Cile s Civil Registry made an exception in Oct. to its ongoing strike to perform te country s first civil union ceremonies for same-sex couples. After 12 years of debate in te Cilean Parliament, President Micelle Bacelet signed te Civil Union Agreement into law in April, granting coabitation rigts to omosexual and eterosexual couples. Te agreement also gives partners parental rigts and ealt care and pension benefits but does not permit adoption. In a country wit a istorically Catolic majority and socially conservative culture, many Cileans ave protested te government s increasingly liberal social agenda. Evangelical leaders warn te civil unions eventually will lead to recognition for same-sex marriage, altoug not all te country s religious leaders oppose te move. Swedis court rules midwives must perform abortions (WNS)--A district court in Sweden recently ruled against midwife Ellinor Grimmark, wo was denied employment at four ospitals because se refuses to participate in abortions. In November 2013, öglandssjukuset Women s Clinic in Jönköping County rescinded its job offer to Grimmark after se said se could not perform abortions because of er conscientious objection and er Cristian fait. Te ead of te maternity ward left a voic saying se was no longer welcome to work wit tem and questioned weter a person wit suc views actually can become a midwife, according to Scandinavian uman Rigts Lawyers (SRL), an NGO representing Grimmark. Swedis midwives are similar to nurses in oter countries. Grimmark filed a religious discrimination complaint wit Sweden s Equality Ombudsman. Wile waiting for a ruling, two oter employers also refused to ire er because of er pro-life stance. A fourt potential employer, Värnamo ospital, offered to ire Grimmark as a temporary employee, but witdrew te offer after er complaint went public. Te ead of te ospital told Grimmark no employee was allowed to publicly take a stand against abortion, according to SRL. Te Sort Pews Brief Articles by Curtis Pug TE GOD OF TE BIBLE Te autentic Cristian says wit Paul, For toug tere be tat are called gods, weter in eaven or in eart, (as tere be gods many, and lords many,) But to us tere is but one God, te Fater, of wom are all tings, and we in im; and one Lord Jesus Crist, by wom are all tings, and we by im (I Cor. 8:5-6). God is in absolute control as Creator and Sustainer of all tings. Te Psalmist wrote of im, Surely te wrat of man sall praise tee: te remainder of wrat salt tou restrain (Ps. 76:10). God is able even to use te wrat (and oter sins) of men to glorify imself! Tere is one problem wit te God of te Bible. Men do not like im. Tey eiter deny is existence or cange im into someone more to teir taste. God said,...tou tougtest tat I was altogeter suc an one as tyself... (Ps. 50:21). Men still do tis. Teir god as limitations like men. In teir tinking e as to be allowed to do wat e wants to do. Sinners are told tat tey must let God save tem. Tey tink tat if tey do not let God do wat e wants to do, e is powerless to accomplis is will. But te Bible presents a God wo is able to do and wo does do all e wants to do. Tat includes saving wom e wants to save wen e wants to save tem. God says: 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 (Isa. 46:9-10). Tere is only one God and noting else approaces to being like im! e as planned all tings tat sall occur from te beginning! e can and does say tat is plan sall stand. e will do wat e as determined to be done! You and I must eiter believe tis verse or trow out te Bible! And so mankind stands in rebellion against suc a God. Sinners do not like tis God. Te Bible says tat...te carnal mind [te minds of tose yet unregenerate] is enmity against God: for it is not subject to te law of God, neiter indeed can be (Rom. 8:7). Tat is te true condition of tose wo ave not been born from above. It is contrary to uman nature to love God. If natural men loved God tey would not be rebels against God, but tey are rebels. All are rebels until and unless God canges tem inwardly. Jesus said, Tat wic is born of te fles is fles; and tat wic is born of te Spirit is spirit. Marvel not tat I said unto tee, Ye must be born again (Jon 3:6-7). TE DAY OF SMALL TINGS Te world is impressed wit bigness. Te biggest teme park, te largest sopping mall tese kinds of tings attract te attention of te world. Sometimes tis attitude creeps over into religion. Te biggest curc building wit te biggest crowds and te largest so-called ministry tese tings impress many people Te Bible contains te prase...wo at despised te day of small tings... (Zec. 4:10)? Is God not to be found in small tings? After earing te Lord Jesus teac, one of is disciples asked,...lord, are tere few tat be saved (Luke 13:23)? In answer to is question te Lord Jesus taugt tem about te strait (tigt fitting) gate and te narrow way tat leads to life everlasting. Tat way is narrow because few go tat way. It is not a busy igway. (Continued on page 22)

22 Page 22 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 Te Sort Pews (Continued from page 21) A small number travel tat way. Many are religious. But few enter te strait gate and travel te narrow way. In Mattew 22:14 te Lord imself said, For many are called, but few are cosen. Peter reminds is readers tat Noa built an ark... werein few, tat is, eigt souls were saved... (I Peter 3:20). Te Lord Jesus, in is message to te curc at Sardis said, Tou ast a few names even in Sardis wic ave not defiled teir garments; and tey sall walk wit me in wite: for tey are worty (Rev. 3:4). In speaking of tose Jews wo were saved in Paul s day, e wrote, Even so ten at tis present time also tere is a remnant according to te election of grace (Rom. 11:5). A remnant is just a small piece as in a remnant of clot. In Romans 9:27 te apostle quotes Isaia saying, Esaias also criet concerning Israel, Toug te number of te cildren of Israel be as te sand of te sea, a remnant sall be saved (Rom. 9:27). In tat same passage Paul again quotes te propet saying, And as Esaias said before, Except te Lord of Sabaot ad left us a seed, we ad been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorra (Rom. 9:29). Tese words: few, remnant and seed all refer to a small number or small amount. In te middle of a religious world filled wit senanigans and stunts, gimmicks and religious sowmansip and all sorts of enticing religious entertainment aimed at filling curc ouses wit people, God is still found to be doing small tings. Te crowd of religionists tat aims at success at any cost tink God is in te noise and in te gang. But te Bible indicates oterwise as we ave sown by te above quotations. In Luke 8:10 te Lord Jesus stated one of te reasons e spoke in parables:...tat seeing tey migt not see, and earing tey migt not understand. Proverbs 20:12 says: Te earing ear, and te seeing eye, te LORD at made even bot of tem. Can you see tat God is in te small tings? CURSING, MINCED OATS AND PROFANITY Eac cild of God wrestles wit sin. James makes it clear tat te tongue is a source of great evil one tat no man can tame. e wrote: Even so te tongue is a little member, and boastet great tings. Beold, ow great a matter a little fire kindlet! And te tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is te tongue among our members, tat it defilet te wole body, and settet on fire te course of nature; and it is set on fire of ell (James 3:5-6). So it is tat by use of tis little member of our bodies we sin, stir up trouble, urt tose wom we love, etc. By our tongues we arm our testimony and even more importantly, we disonor and even blaspeme God. But te words of James are not to be taken as an excuse for unoly language as oter Scriptures demonstrate. No man as te ability to tame is tongue, true, but God s enabling by grace can make te tongue an instrument for im! Among professing Cristians tere are tose wo tink noting of speaking God s name in vain. O my God seems to be a currently acceptable prase in te speec of many even among some wo claim to know te Lord. Popular Media often portrays it as OMG. Among some professing Cristians few seem to be concerned about teir language. Oters wo would not take te Lord s name in vain do, owever, resort to minced oats. A minced oat is defined tus: A minced oat is a eupemistic expression formed by misspelling, mispronouncing, or replacing a part of a profane, blaspemous, or taboo term to reduce te original term s objectionable caracteristics. Some examples include gos, darn, dang, and eck. Many languages ave suc expressions. In te Englis language, nearly all profanities ave minced variants. Te problem wit minced oats is tis: tey are not any less serious offences because tey come from te same source and betray te same motives as do full-fleged oats. Not only tat, tey mean te same ting. A eupemism is just anoter way of saying te same ting, often in a supposedly less offensive way. And teir meaing is te same as full-blown cursing weter one realizes it or not. Te Lord imself said, But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for watsoever is more tan tese comet of evil (Matt. 5:37). Te Englis language contains a myriad of suc minced oats wic te cildren of God sould avoid using. Ten tere is te matter of profanity or vulgar speec. Someone said profanity is a weak mind seeking to express itself forcefully. It may be, but to resort to blaspemy or even profanity disonors God. Surely no one will argue tat suc language is not sinful. Profanity, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is... offensive language. Te word profane comes from two Latin words - pro and fanum - literally before te temple, tat is outside te temple. Profanity, ten, can be understood as words a person would not use in a temple or curc. Vulgar terms include gross words words not suitable for polite or mixed company. Often tese may be common terms used for bodily functions, sexual acts and te like. Sadly, wile in years past tose wo resorted to suc vulgarisms would refrain from using tem in te presence of women and cildren and sometimes preacers today even women resort to suc terms and tink noting of earing tem. We question weter or not tis is advancement in our society! We wo understand tat we are always before our God ougt not to tink tat words are less sinful if spoken outside te gatering of God s people. Tere are words tat are inappropriate regardless of wat society tinks! God says is cildren are to... ave no fellowsip wit te unfruitful works of darkness, but rater reprove tem. For it is a same even to speak of tose tings wic are done of tem in secret (Ep. 5:11-12). Some tings are base, disonorable and disgraceful even to be spoken about as te word same means. Te oly Spirit troug Paul instructed te congregation at Colossee in tese words: Walk in wisdom toward tem tat are witout, redeeming te time. Let your speec be alway wit grace, seasoned wit salt, tat ye may know ow ye ougt to answer every man (Col. 4:5-6). Speec alway wit grace: ere it seems tat our speec is tied directly to our witness to tem tat are witout - i.e. te lost. ow can we issue fort te sweet water of te message of salvation by grace if our tongues are a fountain of bitter water? Dot a (Continued on page 23)

23 January 5, 2016 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 23 Te Sort Pews (Continued from page 22) fountain send fort at te same place sweet water and bitter (James 3:11)? Let us refrain from cussing, from profanity, and from common or vulgar language. God says, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mout, but tat wic is good to te use of edifying, tat it may minister grace unto te earers (Ep. 4:29). Tose words are not directed to preacers only, but to te wole congregation in Epesus. And tey are certainly applicable to us today! O tat our words would always minister grace unto te earers. O tat our speec was always good to te use of edifying - tat we migt strengten our Bretren and tey us by our words before one anoter. Rater tan our tongues being... a fire, a world of iniquity, so...tat it defilet te wole body, and settet on fire te course of nature; and it is set on fire of ell (James 3:6), may God give us grace and by it a consistent personal determination tat every word we speak may minister grace unto te earers. Sela! Injustice In A (Continued from page 24) us aim, and te result will be a toroug devotedness to God, te enjoyment of our election and calling, and growing usefulness in te world and te curc. And if tis sould be te case in any one instance, as te result of reading tese few lines, I sall not regret my ramble in te village curcyard, or te labour of penning te tougts suggested by te inscriptions on te tombs and ead-stones. Come oly Spirit, our souls inspire, And ligten wit celestial fire; Tou te Anointing Spirit art Wo dost ty sev n-fold gifts impart: Ty oly unction from above Is comfort, life, and fire of love. Remove wit ty perpetual ligt Te dullness of our blinded sigt; Anoint our eart, and ceer our face Wit te abundance of ty grace; Ty oly unction from above Is comfort, life, and fire of love. (Sunny Subjects For All Seasons, 1858) ANNOUNCEMENTS Te Grace Missionary Baptist Curc of Science ill, KY as called Broter Monte Wells as pastor. Te Windsor Baptist Curc of Windsor, IL is seeking a qualified candidate for pastor. Tey are small in number but ric in trut. Candidate sould meet te qualification in I Timoty 3. For more information please contact Broter Jon Gregory at (217) or windsorbaptist.grace@gmail. com. Te Fait Missionary Baptist Curc of Cobbitty, Sout Wales, Australia is in need of a pastor. For more information please contact David Jackson at 4 Station Street, Tirlmere, NSW 2572, Australia or sellie45@bigpond.com.au. Te Victory Baptist Curc of Cealis, Wasington is in need of a pastor. Any interested broter may call Gerry Greisen at (360) , or Mark Fenison at (360) Te Berea Baptist Curc of Mantacie, MS is seeking a pastor. Any interested broter may call at (662) or bbcurc@nexband.com for a pastoral questionnaire. BEREA BAPTIST BANNER Financial Report to Beginning Balance...$ RECEIPTS: Amazing Grace B. C., Stockdale, TX Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Berea B. C., Stonington, IL Betel B. C., Pasadena, TX Big Creek B. C., Wayne, WV Briar Creek B. C., Williamsburg, KY Carol Willett, Edgewater, FL Citrus M. B. C., Inverness, FL Emmanuel B. C., Oldtown, KY Fait B. C. Lynn, AR Gail Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Grace Bible B. C., Denam Springs, LA Grace B. C., Corbin, KY Grace B. C., Winston-Salem, NC Grace M. B. C., Marion, IL Indore B. C., Indore, WV Jon Massie, Wayne, WV Te Lord s Curc, Goose Creek, SC Micael Serman, Asland, KY Mt. Pleasant B. C., Cesapeake, O New Testament B. C., Gosen, IN Parkway Landmark B. C., Springfield, OR Piladelpia B. C., Decatur, AL Portland B. C., Plumersville, AR Soutside B. C., Fulton, MS Sovereign Grace B. C., Nortport, AL Victory B. C., Courtland, VA Subscriptions Anonymous... 1, Dividing cecks Sub Total... $3, TOTAL... $4, EXPENDITURES: Printing Postage Wages... 2, FICA Dividing cecks Bank Carge Supplies Total Expenditures... $3, ENDING BALANCE... $ BEREA BAPTIST BANNER Financial Report to Beginning Balance...$ RECEIPTS: Amazing Grace B. C., Stockdale, TX B C. of Brimfield, Brimfield, IL Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Berea B. C., Stonington, IL Betel B. C., Pasadena, TX Big Creek B. C., Wayne, WV Carol Willett, Edgewater, FL Citrus M. B. C., Inverness, FL Emmanuel B. C., Oldtown, KY Fait B. C. Lynn, AR Gail Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Grace B. C., Winston-Salem, NC Grace M. B. C., Marion, IL Grace M. B. C., Tulsa, OK Indore B. C., Indore, WV Landmark B. C., Moncks Corner, SC Te Lord s Curc, Goose Creek, SC Micael Serman, Asland, KY Mt. Pleasant B. C., Cesapeake, O New Testament B. C., Gosen, IN Parkway Landmark B. C., Springfield, OR Piladelpia B. C., Decatur, AL Portland B. C., Plumersville, AR Soutside B. C., Fulton, MS Sovereign Grace B. C., Nortport, AL Sovereign Grace B. C., Silsbee, TX Victory B. C., Courtland, VA Wayne uffman, McNeil, AR Subscriptions Anonymous... 1, Sub Total... $3, TOTAL... $4, EXPENDITURES: Printing Postage Wages... 2, FICA Bank Carge Supplies Total Expenditures... $3, Mistake on ceck# ENDING BALANCE... $ BEREA BAPTIST BROADCAST Financial Report to Beginning Balance... $7, RECEIPTS: Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Briar Creek B. C., Williamsburg, KY Calvary B. C., Everson, WA Grace B. C., Corbin, KY TOTAL...8, EXPENDITURES: Radio Time TOTAL EXPENDITURES , Interest ENDING BALANCE... $7, BEREA BAPTIST BROADCAST Financial Report to Beginning Balance... $7, RECEIPTS: Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Calvary B. C., Everson, WA TOTAL...8, EXPENDITURES: Radio Time Program Production TOTAL EXPENDITURES , Interest ENDING BALANCE... $7,635.88

24 Page 24 Te Berea Baptist Banner January 5, 2016 Te oter day, as I was wandering over a village curcyard, and reading te inscriptions on te tombs and ead-stones, I could not but tink tat tere was someting like injustice. In every direction deat was spoken against, and called cruel, insatiate, and many oter names, but not one word was said against sin. And yet deat is but te offspring of sin. But for sin, tere ad been no grave-yards, no deat. Was tere not a little selfisness ere, a little of te old attempt to sift off te blame from ourselves? Deat is a divine infliction, originally a punisment for man s sin; it is from God s and, and terefore man is more ready to speak arsly of it, tan e is of sin, wic is is own act and deed. We blame deat for robbing us of our parents, cildren, and friends; but we ougt to blame sin, wic gave deat te power; and tus we sould blame ourselves by wom deat came into te world, and as been perpetuated tere. Sin is te parent of disease, pain, grief, sorrow, disappointment, vexation, anxiety, woe, deat; yea, of every evil: and man is te parent of sin. Sin sprung from us, and all misery from sin. God, in nature and providence, only gives to man is due. God in grace, gives to man wat never was is due, wat never could ave been. ow prone are we to fix te eye on effects, and never tink of te cause; or if te cause is sin, to look upon it, and talk of it, as if it was a Injustice In A Graveyard By James Smit ( ) calamity instead of a crime. Wen I tread te soil of te grave-yard, and see te proofs tat multitudes ave been buried tere, let me ask wit Jeu, Wo slew all tese? (II Kings 10:9) and te only answer tat can be justly returned, will be, sin. Some may be ready to say, O, it was small-pox, and fever, and consumption, and colera, etc.! True, true, but wat introduced all tese diseases into our world, for tey were not ere originally? A, tat was sin, our sin. We can terefore only trace suffering and deat to disease, disease to sin, and sin to man. Man terefore is te cause of all is own misery. Man as no one but imself to blame. Nor is it any use trying to trow te blame on anoter. But as sin as introduced disease, misery, and deat into our world, is tere any possibility of getting rid of sin? Because, if we can get rid of sin, we may ten get rid of all te ARTICLE INDEX consequences of sin. Well, blessed by God, sin may be gotten rid of. ow tis is to be done, te Bible, and te Bible alone, can inform us. No one could devise a plan to get rid of sin, but te infinitely wise God. No one could furnis te means, but te Possessor of eaven and eart. It requires a most costly sacrifice, and te Son of God furnises tat. It requires a wondrous cange in us, noting less tan a new creation, and te Spirit of God produces tat. If we want to get rid of sin, we, being fully convinced tat we are guilty, and deserve to be punised for it, must fix te eye of te mind on te Son of God as our sacrifice, we must ten confess our sins, and plead wit God to pardon tem, on te ground of te sacrifice of Jesus, and so we sall obtain a pardon. Te oly Spirit must renew and sanctify our nature, and so we sall be delivered from te power and pollution of sin. We must live, believing in te efficacy of te blood of Jesus to remove our guilt, and in te power and grace of te Spirit to make us new creatures, and ten take te precepts of te gospel as our guide, and te example of Jesus as our model. In tis way, we sall be delivered from condemnation for sin, from te power and love Te Bible and te Newspaper... p. 19 David te Great King by Roy Mason... p. 1 First Rigteousness, Ten Peace by Paul Stepp... p. 1 Forum... pp Free-Will by Roy Mason... p. 7 God Was Manifested in te Fles by Milburn Cockrell... p. 8 Injustice In A Graveyard by James Smit... p. 24 Look and Live by Alfred M. Gormley... p. 1 Take Off te Blinders by Roger Reed... p. 1 Te Sort Pews... p. 21 Watering te Tulips by Todd Bryant... p. 5 of sin, and also from te practice of sin, and tus living, and tus dying, we sall ultimately be delivered from te in-being, and all te consequences of sin. Ten, being delivered from sin, we are really delivered from deat, te very nature of wic is canged so tat we only fall asleep in Jesus, depart to be wit Jesus, and wake up in te exact likeness of Jesus, bot in body and soul. Let us ten, wen we tink of deat or look on suffering, trace it up to sin, and ten make it our first great business to get rid of sin. No remedy will do for us, tat does not go to te root of te disease and eradicate it. We must get rid of sin, bot in its guilt and power, or we sall never be safe, we can never be appy. And tere is no getting rid of sin, but by fait in Crist, and te possession of te oly Spirit. No sacrifice will ever atone for our sins, but te deat of Crist; and no power will ever deliver us from te autority and enslaving influence of sin, but te power of te oly Spirit. As, terefore, it is of te greatest moment to be delivered from sin, as oterwise we cannot be delivered from deat, or saved from ell, let us apply to Crist at once, if we ave not, and apply to im afres daily if we ave; let us ask of our eavenly Fater, te gift of te oly Spirit, nor rest satisfied until we prove is presence wit us, by an abiding atred to sin, and a constant tirst for perfect oliness; nor let us be satisfied, even if we ave te Spirit, witout a deep and toroug work of sanctification. And, as tere are degrees of oliness, and te more oliness te more appiness for us, and te more glory for God, let us set our earts upon te possession of perfect oliness. For tis let us pray, at tis let (Continued on page 23)