When Peter Sat Down with the Wicked. What Does the Bible Say About Favoritism!

Transcription

1 Evil and Bitter By Paul Stepp of Indore, West Virginia Tine own wickedness sall correct tee, and ty backslidings sall reprove tee: know terefore and see tat it is an evil ting and bitter, tat tou ast forsaken te LORD ty God, and tat my fear is not in tee, sait te Lord GOD of osts (Jer 2:19). Doing an evil ting can lead to bitterness. Te evil ting could be any of a number of tings: offending anoter person, deliberately engaging in wickedness, committing a sin against a oly God. Te bitter results could be estrangement from oters, punisment from society, sadness in your life even a catastrope tat eaven may allow to come upon you. Today, I want us to consider te evil and bitter. We ave as our example, te cildren of Israel, and teir evil beavior, and te bitter results of teir wickedness. We (Continued on page 2) Wen Peter Sat Down wit te Wicked By Lucien J. LeSage Jr. of Pride, Louisiana And te Lord said, Simon, Simon, beold, Satan at desired to ave you, tat e may sift you as weat: But I ave prayed for tee, tat ty fait fail not: and wen tou art converted, strengten ty bretren (Luke 22:31-32). Notice te Lord did not say if tou art converted but wen tou art converted. is fait and conversion tat te Lord We wis to deal wit an exceedingly practical and important subject-namely our attitude as a curc towards different people. First of all, let us realize tat God is no respecter of persons (See Acts 10: 34). And te same sentiment is expressed in oter spoke of was of God and not of man. Te Lord also called im by is former name before te Lord ad called im. Te Lord spoke tis to Peter rigt before is agony in te garden and te betrayal by Judas. Jesus ad told is disciples,...all ye sall be offended because of me tis nigt: for it is written, (Continued on page 6) Wat Does te Bible Say About Favoritism! By Roy Mason ( ) passages. God is not impressed by wealt, color or position. To im a man is a man, regardless. Likewise we sould take lessons from is example in tis regard. Wat Sould Our Attitude, As Curc People, Be Toward Oters? 1. To te stranger and visitor wo comes we sould be cordial and friendly. And Proverbs 18: 24 is suggestive just ere. Wat about YOUR attitude? Do you go (Continued on page 9) Gospel Regeneration Will Not Work By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma It is te position of tis preacer tat regeneration or te new birt is a work of te oly Spirit. Jesus plainly taugt tat according to Jon 3:6 & 8 were it is written: Tat wic is born of te fles is fles; and tat wic is born of te Spirit is spirit, and Te wind blowet were it listet, and tou earest te sound tereof, but canst not tell wence it comet, and witer it goet: so is every one tat is born of te Spirit. In speaking of te new birt Jon states te cause beind tose wo received Crist saying tat tey...were born, not of blood, nor of te will of te fles, nor of te will of man, but of God (Jon 1:13). Additionally, in Jon 3:3 and 7 were Crist used te term born again, if you look in a complete King James Version Bible you will see a note in te margin tat says: again: or, from above. An examination of te Greek word sows tat most of te time te word again was (Continued on page 9)

2 Page 2 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 September 5, 2017 Volume XXXVII, Number 9 Wole Number 458 Editor: Cristoper Cockrell Staff: Seron Cockrell, Marsa Kiser, Virginia Cockrell TE BEREA BAPTIST BANNER (UPS ) is publised montly for $6.00 per year by te autority of te Berea Baptist Curc, 3881 igway 363, Mantacie, Mississippi Periodical Publication postage paid at Mantacie, Mississippi. POSTMASTER: Send address canges to TE BEREA BAPTIST BANNER, P. O. Box 39, Mantacie, Mississippi PUBLICATION POLICIES: All matter for publication sould be sent to te editor. All manuscripts are to be typed and double spaced. All suc material becomes te property of BBB and will not be returned unless requested by te writer. We reserve te rigt to edit and condense all materials sent to us for publication. Te publication of an article does not necessarily mean te editor is in complete agreement wit te writer, nor does it mean e endorses all tis person may ave written on oter subjects. COPYING PRIVILEGES: Unless oterwise stated any article publised in tis paper may be copied by oter publications, provided tey give proper credit line stating tat suc was copied from tis publication, and te date of publication; provided tat suc materials are not publised for profit. If we are not on an excange list wit te publication copying, it is requested tat a copy of te issue containing te article be sent to our address. All copyrigted materials may not be copied witout written consent. PUBLISED MONTLY wit paid circulation in most states in te U.S.A. and some foreign countries. SUBSCRIPTION RATES - U.S. One year...$6.00 Two years...$10.00 Five years...$24.00 SUBSCRIPTION RATES - FOREIGN One Year $45 Berea Baptist Banner PO Box 39 Mantacie, Mississippi (662) request@bereabaptistcurc.org bbcurc@nexband.com Planning a move? Please let us know your new address. Te post office carges us $.59 for eac returned wrong address. PLANNING TO MOVE? Notify us tree weeks in advance. Te post office will only forward periodical mail for 90 days. Tey carge us $.70 for eac cange of address tey ave to send us. Please save us tis expense and te post office time. BUNDLES TO ONE ADDRESS: Tese are sent for $4 per paper for a year. An example: 10 papers for one year at $40 or 20 papers for one year at $ LOCATION OF PUBLISING CURC: Our curc is located on state igway 363 about one mile sout of Mantacie, Mississippi. Readers are always welcome to visit our services. CURC PONE: A PAPER WITOUT SUBSCRIPTION: Some times people write to us and say tat tey did not subscribe for te BBB. Tey are receiving our paper because someone else as paid for teir subscription. We trust te BBB will be received as an outstretced and to you. Take wat you find elpful and discard wat you cannot use. If you do not want to receive suc a gift subscription, please write to us. We are appy to cancel suc a subscription. We do not want to go were we are not wanted. DISCLAIMER: Te Editor assumes tat te articles submitted for publication in te BBB are written by te person wose name tey bear, unless oterwise indicated by a quote from anoter writer. owever, te Editor cannot personally guarantee tat tis is te case in all articles wic appear in te BBB. Te purpose of te Berea Baptist Banner is as follows: 1.To onor God and to exalt te Lord Jesus Crist. 2. To preac te gospel to lost sinners. 3. To spread te wole counsel of God s Word. 4. To encourage God s preacers and to strengt-en is curces in te most oly fait. 5. To motivate God s cildren to a closer fellow-sip around is Word. 6. To inform people of world events in ligt of Bible propecy. 7. To condemn and expose error werever it may rear its ugly ead. 8. To stimulate Cristian growt in grace. 9. To make te Devil and is demons as mad as possible. Tune in to te Berea Baptist Broadcast STATION TIME DIAL WATTS WCNA, Myrtle, MS...Sunday 9:30-10:00 a.m ,000 FM WCTT, Corbin, KY...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 AM WFTA, Tupelo, MS...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 FM KARI, Blaine, WA...Saturday 10:30-11:00 a.m ,000 AM KPRV, eavener, OK... Sunday 8:30-9:00 a.m ,000 FM WQRL, Benton, IL...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,500 FM WPWT, Bristol, TN...Sunday 1:00-1:30 p.m ,000 AM WPWT, Colonial eigts, TN...Sunday 1:00-1:30 p.m FM WPWT, Kingsport, TN...Sunday 1:00-1:30 p.m FM GONE TO SLEEP WAITING ON TE MAIL? Look at your mailing label on te front page of tis mont s paper. If you see above your name Expires 9/2017 ten tis will be your last issue. So don t fall asleep waiting for te mailman! Renew now so you won t miss next mont s Banner. Evil and Bitter (Continued from page 1) ave as our example, te sinfulness of many oters wo ave gone before, and te sad condition of te lives tat tey lived as a result of teir sinfulness. We ave as our example te current condition of our country, and of te people of tis land a land currently full of strife, sin, and wicked beavior, and te bitterness tat reigns as a result of te sinfulness of tis place were we live. Is your life bitter? Do you find yourself questioning te value of your existence? If times seem difficult or bitter for you, I would dare to ask, ave you been living in sin? Peraps, if we will examine our lives, it may be tat te evil tings tat attract our attention; and our current focus on te sinful pleasures of tis life may be te cause for te lack of joy in our lives, and even te displeasure we may feel wen it comes to te service of te Lord. Bitterness can be te result of evil eiter on our part, or on te part of oters. Te only true and lasting remedy for bitterness is to erase te evil and te wickedness out of our lives and out of te lives of tose around us. In oter words, if it is a bitter person, tat person needs Jesus Crist as teir Saviour. If it is a bitter people, tat people needs a knowledge of te Lord in teir midst. If it is a bitter world, tat world needs te grace and mercy of God. Our own wickedness and our inclination to evil will rob us of appiness and peace. An Evil Ting Te first ting tat I want us to consider, is te terrible tragedy wic men often commit of forsaking te Lord and not serving im. Remember, our text verse tells us, know terefore and see tat it is an evil ting and bitter, tat tou ast forsaken te LORD ty God... A people wo ad known God, and ad been acquainted wit te law of God, ad, someow, forsaken tat God, and left is law beind. Tis is an evil ting! Te God Wo ad saved tem ad every rigt to expect teir allegiance and obedience! And yet, just like all men, te cildren of Israel were inerently wicked, and teir evil beavior was made evident in te fact tat tey ad forsaken te Lord God of teir salvation. Later on, we read in te Book of Jeremia, Your iniquities ave turned away tese tings, and your sins ave witolden good tings from you. For among my people are found wicked men: tey lay wait, as e tat settet snares; tey set a trap, tey catc men. As a cage is full of birds, so are teir ouses full of deceit: terefore tey are become great, and waxen ric. Tey are waxen fat, tey sine: yea, tey overpass te deeds of te wicked: tey judge not te cause, te cause of te faterless, yet tey prosper; and te rigt of te needy do tey not judge. Sall I not visit for tese tings? sait te LORD: sall not my soul be avenged on suc a nation as tis? A wonderful and orrible ting is committed in te land; Te propets propesy falsely, and te priests bear rule by teir means; and my people love to ave it so: and wat will ye do in te end tereof (Jer 5:25-31)? It seems tat many of te Israelites ad excanged teir God for te fruits and pleasures of tis life. Tey ad excanged a pursuit of te spiritual, for te pursuit of te mortal and pysical. Tey were successful, in many ways, in acieving pysical rices and a measure of peace in te satisfying (Continued on page 3)

3 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 3 Evil and Bitter (Continued from page 2) of teir carnal desires. owever, teir mortal successes ad guaranteed teir spiritual failures and ad brougt damnation upon tem. It is an evil ting for any nation to reject te God tat saves tem in favor of a pursuit of eartly rices and pleasure! And yet, tis is wat te nations and societies of men ave done peraps none more incredible and awful ten te case of te cildren of Israel in te past, and te case of our nation of te United States, today. Mankind owes service to te Creator. Remember now ty Creator in te days of ty yout, wile te evil days come not, nor te years draw nig, wen tou salt say, I ave no pleasure in tem Let us ear te conclusion of te wole matter: Fear God, and keep is commandments: for tis is te wole duty of man. For God sall bring every work into judgment, wit every secret ting, weter it be good, or weter it be evil (Eccl. 12:1, 13-14). Men and nations wo forget and forsake te Creator cannot expect to old favor wit God. It is not just tat te Jew and te people of Jerusalem ad forsaken God, but we read tat tey ad also forgotten teir fear of God: my fear is not in tee, sait te Lord GOD of osts (Jer 2:19). You migt say wen a person or a people as forsaken teir fear of God, tat tey ave lost teir reverence or even teir respect for God. Te world needs to be reminded, by tose of us wo still know, tat God is worty of our reverence, our respect, and our fear. Wen we do not sow im te fear tat e deserves, we make it seem as if we can live our lives witout im, and tat we ave no need of is blessings or is favors. Even more, a lack of fear and reverence for God sows te sinfulness and wickedness of men, in tat we demonstrate te absurd notion tat God is not able or worty to judge us for our actions. Do not be deceived! God is not ignorant of our sins and our wicked devices! Nor will e fail to old men accountable. Actually, a belief in God, and a fear and respect for God, is good for all people to demonstrate. In tis manner, societies can old men and women accountable to a certain godly standard; and, in tis manner, men s actions are tempered wit a fear of being judged by a God Wo is worty and able to judge all men. Wen a society is conducted wit an absence of tis fear of God, ten tat ungodly people is bound to devolve into a more and more wicked society. I believe tis ealty fear of God is someting tat men are naturally born wit. Of course, our consciences are seared, and as we age, we grow furter and furter from God. But, at te beginning, and even (peraps) on some level trougout our lives, deep witin our souls, we know tat tere is a God, and tere will one day be an account given unto im. I believe tat it goes against uman nature to forsake God and to fail to recognize and act upon our inerent need to worsip God. Give ear, O ye eavens, and I will speak; and ear, O eart, te words of my mout. My doctrine sall drop as te rain, my speec sall distil as te dew, as te small rain upon te tender erb, and as te sowers upon te grass: Because I will publis te name of te LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. e is te Rock, is work is perfect: for all is ways are judgment: a God of trut and witout iniquity, just and rigt is e. Tey ave corrupted temselves, teir spot is not te spot of is cildren: tey are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye tus requite te LORD, O foolis people and unwise? is not e ty fater tat at bougt tee? at e not made tee, and establised tee (Deut 32:1-6)? To forsake God and to lose our fear of im, at least a public acknowledgement of im, is not good for te individuals amongst mankind, nor for te societies of men. Te restraint tat a knowledge and fear of God imposes upon te societies of men is of great benefit to mankind. Of course, te very societies tat ougt to turn to te Lord and respect is ways are te very societies tat will forsake im. In te end, te people tat forsake te Lord will be destroyed and overcome by te very sin and evil wic tey pursue. And, istory will sow tat te God tat tey forsook was te very salvation tat tey needed. If tere is no fear of te Lord, no reverence for im, no respect for im, no terror of is judgment te result will be wickedness and utter destruction. Terefore ear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, wat is among tem. ear, O eart: beold, I will bring evil upon tis people, even te fruit of teir tougts, because tey ave not earkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it ( Jer. 6:18-19). Bitterness So, te cildren of Israel ad engaged in wickedness. Tey ad demonstrated an incredible evil in tat tey ad forsaken te God Wo made tem and saved tem. Tey ad demonstrated great evil in tat tey sowed no fear of te God Wo was, and is sovereign over all. Te God to Wom we must all give an account of our deeds. Well, wat was te result of te evil ting tat te cildren of Israel ad done? Quite simply, te result was bitterness. Bitterness and regret in tis life, and an eternity of bitterness, pain and suffering in te lake of fire if tey did not repent of teir wickedness and return to te Lord God as teir Saviour. Tine own wickedness sall correct tee, and ty backslidings sall reprove tee: know terefore and see tat it is an evil ting and bitter, tat tou ast forsaken te LORD ty God, and tat my fear is not in tee, sait te Lord GOD of osts (Jer. 2:19). I want you to know tat no people wo ave forsaken te Lord can expect good at te ands of God. I believe tat it is preposterous to imagine tat any man, woman, or even people or nation, can forsake God, sow no fear or reverence for im, and ten ope to find an answer in im for te troubles tat beset tem merely by invoking te name of te God Wom tey once served! Suc evil and wicked beavior will result only in bitterness. Te Lord will not bless suc a person or suc a people! Tey may call upon im, but e will not ear. Troug te propet Jeremia, te Lord God let te people of Juda know tat teir way was become bitter, and tey could not count on te goodness and te blessings of God because of te wicked and evil ways of te nation of Juda and te city of Jerusalem. Te people would receive no good at God s ands. Instead, tey would find tat tere is bitterness in an ignorance or a denial of God. Ty way and ty doings ave procured tese tings unto tee; (Continued on page 4)

4 Page 4 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Evil and Bitter (Continued from page 3) tis is ty wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacet unto tine eart (Jer. 4:18). Teir way was become bitter. Te joy and pleasures of tis life tat tey ad found in te pursuit of eartly rices and wicked idolatry were only very fleeting, and all tat was left was bitterness. Te joys of carnal pleasure tat tey ad oped would last teir lifetimes were now taken away, and te Lord would grant tem only bitterness as a result of teir evil and wicked beavior. Toug tese tings were true in te case of te city of Jerusalem, in reality, tese tings are true in te life of every person, and in te lives of every people, society, or nation. Tis simple trut will always, eventually, be fulfilled: sin and wickedness will ultimately lead to destruction and ruin. Tere is no lasting peace for te wicked. But te wicked are like te troubled sea, wen it cannot rest, wose waters cast up mire and dirt. Tere is no peace, sait my God, to te wicked (Isa. 57:20-21). Tey may attain to some level of success in teir pursuit of wickedness and te evil ting, but tat joy is only carnal, and tat pleasure is only for a season. Tey may find tat te judgment of God will come upon tem in tis life. e may allow terrible retribution to be poured out upon tem. owever, even if tey live long lives on tis eart; and even if tey ave success and prosperity in tis life, so tat te rigteous may wonder at God s longsuffering upon te wicked; still, in te end, tey will find bitterness in te eternal judgments of God. owever, let me deal wit te condition of our world today. It seems tat te woleearted pursuit of te evil ting as brougt tragedy and ruin upon te nations and te societies tat exist in tis world in our day and age. I would dare to say tat we are, even now, reaping te bitter rewards of evil, wickedness, and te open glorification of sin in our world today. In today s wicked world, tere is a lot of animosity. People cannot get along peaceably wit one anoter. Politeness and civility seem to be vanising rigt before our eyes. Is it any wonder? Sould we find it amazing tat a people tat is devoid of a knowledge and a fear of God; a people wo is loat to endorse good, but always ready to promote evil; tat suc a people would lack even te simplest compassions and kindnesses? We are reaping te bitter results of our evil and wicked ways! It seems tat our world lacks even te most basic elements of uman love and kindness. Te cildren rebel against teir parents. Marriage, as an institution, olds very little value in te eyes of our societies, and te lust tat men and women ave for eac oter as replaced te sincere and genuine love wic ougt to be present in te lives of usbands and wives. Sadly, even te love of moters for teir cildren is vanising before our eyes. Bitterness reigns supreme! Te members of our society go about expecting te government or te public institutions to supply tem wit teir every need or want; and, if tings do not go according to teir selfis desires, teir lives are full of bitterness, anger, and even atred towards tose wom tey suppose ave deprived tem of teir desires. In te United States of America, tere is a lot of rage, but very little kindness. Tere is a lot of anger, but ardly any gentleness. Tere is a lot of atred, but a nearly total lack of love towards one anoter. We are, today, a bitter people witout a God to serve. Tis is te inevitable result of te nearly universal and deliberate intent of removing God, especially te name of Jesus Crist, from our societies, from our families, and from te minds and earts of our cildren. Still, men will seek joy and peace in tis life, but tey will not find an enduring source witout te Lord Jesus Crist. Men will seek to satisfy teir desires and fulfill teir eartly pleasures, but tey will not find any eternal and lasting satisfaction except tey repent, and turn to Jesus Crist as teir Saviour and teir ciefest pleasure. Now te works of te fles are manifest, wic are tese; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witccraft, atred, variance, emulations, wrat, strife, seditions, eresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and suc like: of te wic I tell you before, as I ave also told you in time past, tat tey wic do suc tings sall not inerit te kingdom of God. But te fruit of te Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, fait, Meekness, temperance: against suc tere is no law. And tey tat are Crist s ave crucified te fles wit te affections and lusts. If we live in te Spirit, let us also walk in te Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one anoter, envying one anoter (Gal. 5:19-26). Te love of te pysical tings, can be an impediment to te love of te spiritual. An absolute and focused pursuit of te pysical pleasures and joys, will certainly prevent any spiritual joy, and will bring a person into ell. Of course, wen te Lord Jesus Crist comes to us in te person of te oly Spirit, our desires are canged, and our focus is now on te spiritual realm. Tis is te obstacle wic te world of men cannot overcome, and te aspect of our ope and joy in tis life, wic tey cannot compreend. In te Spirit of God, we can taste and see greater pleasures tan any tat tis world can provide! In te Lord Jesus Crist, we can find te grace and te fait to live in a wicked world, all te wile enjoying te fruits of te Spirit of God. owever, in te case of tose wo will indulge only in te works of te fles, te Scriptures teac us tat tere will be no final appiness for suc a person or suc a people. Tere will be no enduring joy in te lives of a people wo reject te Lord God. Tere will be no peace and tere will be no lasting prosperity. Sure, men may succeed in teir wicked ways for a wile; but just like every nation wo as gone before te Cildren of Israel, te countless oter migty nations and kingdoms destruction will eventually find tose wo forsake te God Wo as made tem. Ultimately, tere is only bitterness for tose wo rus eadlong to do evil. Tey will suffer personally; or, if tey are preserved, and allowed to live out teir lives, teir posterity or teir nation and people will suffer in teir place. I will eap misciefs upon tem; I will spend mine arrows upon tem. Tey sall be burnt wit unger, and devoured wit burning eat, and wit bitter destruction: I will also send te teet of beasts upon tem, wit te poison of serpents of te dust. Te sword witout, and terror witin, sall (Continued on page 5)

5 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 5 Evil and Bitter (Continued from page 4) destroy bot te young man and te virgin, te suckling also wit te man of gray airs (Deut. 32:23-25). In fact, tere will be no need for te Lord God to actively intervene in te case of a wicked nation in order to bring judgment upon tat place. All tat e need do is remove is restraining and, and te minions of te devil and te powers of ell will be more tan appy to bring sorrow, strife, destruction, and misery upon suc a people. Do not make te mistake of imagining tat te Devil is on te side of tose tat do evil because e desires teir prosperity, appiness, and success! No, te devil will be more tan appy to destroy any nation or any people really, any individual as e finds opportunity to do so. Te very sin and Satan tat many follow after and pursue so diligently will, many times, end up being te source and te means of teir sorrow and bitterness in tis life. Tere is a paradox tat exists in te lives of te peoples of tis eart. We are prone to pursue evil, and te result is bitterness. We are prone to pursue evil, and yet, in te end, it is te evil tat will destroy us. We can say tat it is God punising te people, but te simple trut is tat te evil we pursue will rise up and strike us down. Tis is true on a personal level. And tis is true on a national (or even worldwide) level. Yea, tou salt go fort from im, and tine ands upon tine ead: for te LORD at rejected ty confidences, and tou salt not prosper in tem (Jer. 2:37). Many will trust in teir own wicked ways and in te powers of ell wic tey serve. But, in te end, tey are led captive at te will of evil men and spiritual wickedness, and tey will find only bitterness and destruction. Men will do te evil ting and pursue it. Men will engage in wickedness and follow after it. And ten, wen te evil is brougt close, and wen te wickedness as infiltrated our lives and te core of our societies ten, te powers of te devil and of ell will bring us to our knees, and will utterly destroy us! And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackclot upon all loins, and baldness upon every ead; and I will make it as te mourning of an only son, and te end tereof as a bitter day (Amos 8:10). Many nations and people ave forsaken God and gone after evil and wickedness. Tere will be no widespread appiness among suc a people, as te idolatrous nation of Juda in te time of Jeremia. Instead, we, te people of tis world, need te Lord God, te very God tat te societies of men ave constantly sougt to destroy and remove from our lives. We need im as personal and national Saviour and God. appy is tat people, tat is in suc a case: yea, appy is tat people, wose God is te LORD (Ps. 144:15). Men spend teir time and teir efforts and sometimes teir entire lives seeking to deny God, forsake is Law, and erase te fear of God from teir consciences. And yet, in te end tey will find tat te evil tat tey pursue is also teir destruction, and witout te God tat tey ave forsaken tere is no ope for teir salvation, and tere is no rescue from te clutces of ell, and tere is no remedy for teir spiritual sickness and teir eternal deat! Te Scriptures teac us tat te people of tis Little ills By Nataniel ille of Plant City, Florida... and te little ills rejoice on every side (Psalms 65:12). Te Lord & Evangelism #1 Scripture teaces us tat after an individual was saved tey were saring te gospel wit oters. A particular instance in Jon 1:35-46 sows two occasions of tis being so. We are told tat tere were two disciples (followers) of Jesus (v. 37). Andrew, ad been called by te Lord to...come and see... (v. 39); e was a follower of te Lord Jesus. Pilip was found of Crist in Galilee and was commanded to...follow me (v. 43). Pilip went and found Natanael and spoke unto im of te Crist of te Scriptures (v. 45). Te Samaritan woman after aving been instructed by te Lord went and told oters of te Crist (Jon 4:25-30); eac declared tat Jesus was te Crist unto oters after meeting im. Te Scriptures teac by way of principle tat tose wo follow te Lord Jesus Crist will be fisers of men. And e sait unto tem, Follow me and I will make you fisers of men (Matt. 4:19). Scripture does NOT declare tat te Lord migt, or possibly make one fisers of men, but will make eart will be defenseless before te strengt of evil. Witout God tere is no strengt to resist evil, nor is tere any desire to do tat wic is rigt. Wat a bitterness! Wat a bitter conclusion to te lives of wicked men! And yet, tere is still ope. Tere is always ope in Jesus Crist. We need to sare you fisers of men. It seems tat te absenteeism of fising for men, in te Biblical sense of te prase, would declare tat one is not a follower of Crist. Tis is not only true on te individual level, but also on te curc level. Did not Crist tell is curc in eac of te four Gospels to declare te gospel tat men, women, boys, and girls migt ear; and earing migt believe; and believing migt be saved! Go ye terefore and teac all nations [make disciples] (Matt. 28:19);...Go ye into all te world, and preac te gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15); And tat repentance and remission of sins sould be preaced in is name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47); Ten said Jesus to tem again, Peace be unto you: as my Fater at sent me, even so send I you ( Jon 20:22). So ten a curc tat is not fising for men is not following te Lord Jesus Crist. Let us examine our own lives and te curc of our membersip of tis trut. te Gospel wit te wicked, te lost, and te dying. Peraps, te Lord will still save some, and e will rescue tem from te gall of bitterness. Were tere is no vision, te people peris: but e tat keepet te law, appy is e (Prov. 29:18).

6 Page 6 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Wen Peter Sat (Continued from page 1) I will smite te seperd, and te seep of te flock sall be scattered abroad (Matt. 26:31). So it was in tis context tat Peter responded,...lord, I am ready to go wit tee, bot into prison, and to deat (Luke 22:33). It is recorded in Mattew s gospel tat e said,...toug all men sall be offended because of tee, yet will I never be offended (Matt. 26:33). And wat was Jesus response to Peter?...Verily I say unto tee, Tat tis nigt, before te cock crow, tou salt deny me trice (Matt. 26:34). Peter was quick to respond and are we not all at times? I believe Peter said tis in te energy of te fles. e tougt it true in is mind, but te trut is tat we are wat we are by te grace of God (I Cor. 15:10). If we are not offended ten it will be by God s grace. Te trut is tat te true Gospel of Jesus Crist is an offense to many and foolisness to oters. So te Lord is telling Peter tat witout is grace relying on te fles will profit noting. As e ad said before te fles profitet noting (Jon 6:63). It is interesting tat Jesus told Peter tat e would deny im tree times before te cock crew. Wy tree times? I may be wrong, but it seems to deny te Son is to deny te Fater and te oly Spirit, all tree. If you read te passages you will see tat Peter never denied tat Jesus was te Son of God or te Crist but only tat e was is disciple, and it escalated to te point tat e swore and cursed. In te end Peter wept bitterly and was a better Cristian as a result. Te wole event ad converted im and e became a great preacer. But we are no better tan Peter and so I would like to look at a few tings tat appened ere so tat we as God s people can watc and pray tat we not fall into te same sort of temptation. Peter s first mistake was to say te word I. e said, yet will I never be offended. Tat is quite a statement and a wole lot of confidence in imself. It would ave been better if e ad said, O please Lord give me grace tat I would never be offended of you. I am reminded of wat Paul said, For we are te circumcision, wic worsip God in te spirit, and rejoice in Crist Jesus, and ave no confidence in te fles (Pil. 3:3). Even after Jesus ad told Peter tat e would deny im tree times yet e still insisted tat e would not, and said unto Jesus,...Toug I sould die wit tee, yet will I not deny tee... And likewise also said all te disciples. ow could tey doubt te Son of God s words? And yet teir confidence in temselves led tem to question teir Master s propecy. Wen tey came to take Jesus, we see tat Peter was so bold for a bit and cut off te rigt ear of te ig priest s servant. But in is bravery e was actually figting te plan of God. Ten said Jesus unto Peter, Put up ty sword into te seat: te cup wic my Fater at given me, sall I not drink it (Jon 18:11)? And Mattew (26:53-54) records Jesus as saying, Tinkest tou tat I cannot now pray to my Fater, and e sall presently give me more tan twelve legions of angels? But ow ten sall te scriptures be fulfilled, tat tus it must be? Peter as it all out of armony wit God s purpose ere, but Peter was told wen tou art converted, strengten ty bretren. Ten we see tat wile Jesus was being taken to Caiapas te ig priest s palace to be judged of te Sanedrin tat Peter followed from afar off (Matt. 26:58). God elp us by is grace not to follow our Lord Jesus from afar off. Next we see Peter sits down wit te servants to see te end of te matter. e is not sitting wit te servants of God but wit te servants of im wo wanted Jesus dead. Luke says tat e sat down among tem as if e was wit tem and one of tem. Psalm 26:5 says, I ave ated te congregation of evil doers; and will not sit wit te wicked. Tus te title of tis article, Wen Peter sat down wit te wicked. Tis was an assembly in te true sense and one of religious evil doers. Even Pilate knew tat tey ad delivered Jesus out of envy (Matt. 27:18). May te Lord elp us in our daily walk not to sit wit te assembly of evil doers. We see tat Peter even warmed imself by a fire tat tey ad made (Mark 14:54). e was getting comfortable in te midst of te evil doers. God elp us not to get comfortable in te midst of tem tat ate te Gospel of our Lord Jesus Crist. Concerning Jesus, even as...tey spit in is face, and buffeted im; and oters smote im wit te palms of teir ands, Saying, Propesy unto us, tou Crist, Wo is e tat smote tee (Matt. 26:67-68)? Peter sat down in te midst of tem. e must ave been close enoug to observe all of tis for wen e ad denied im te tird time te Lord turned and looked upon im. Peter never denied anyting about te person of Jesus; tat e was te Crist or tat e was te Son of God. But e denied tat e knew wat tey were talking about wen tey accused im of being a disciple of Jesus and e denied tat e even knew te man as e put it. It went from a simple denial to a denial wit an oat (Matt. 26:72) and ten finally wit a curse and an oat (Matt. 26:74). It is truly amazing tat as soon as e denied te Lord for te tird time tat...immediately te cock crew. ow tings appen suddenly. Tere was no delay. Wen Nebucadnezzar bragged on imself and te kingdom tat e ad built for te glory of is own majesty we read Wile te word was in te king s mout, tere fell a voice from eaven, saying, O king Nebucadnezzar, to tee it is spoken; Te kingdom is departed from tee (Dan. 4:31). As soon as Peter denied te tird time wit cursing and swearing te cock crew. And wen tou art converted, strengten ty bretren. We see tat wen te cock did crow, Peter remembered te words of is Lord and e went out, and wept bitterly. Luke adds tat wen te cock did crow te Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. Tat look from is Lord and Master must ave pierced is eart. I can only imagine wat Peter felt. If te tougt brings tears to our eyes, ow muc more to Peter s. And so we read tat e went out and wept bitterly. But, Peter s sorrow was not as te sorrow of Judas or Esau or Cain. Peter s sorrow was a godly sorrow. Paul says, For godly sorrow worket repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but te sorrow of te world worket deat (II Cor. 7:10). Repentance is not just a one time event wen te Lord saves us, but is ongoing till our sanctification is complete wen we are glorified and wit our Lord. Judas sorrow worked deat. e went out and ung imself (Continued on page 8)

7 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 7 Te Noted Pastor Is New Testament Giving Optional? I ave little desire to write a lengty article comparing Old Testament giving wit New Testament giving. A simple Google searc will yield you monts of reading on tat topic. I am not sure my opinion could add anyting to wat many in te past ave said. I will offer tis, toug, many times people are not so muc interested in ow muc tey are required to give to te curc, but rater ow little tey can get away wit giving. It is tat mindset tat I would like to quickly address. Common sense sould tell us tat te local curc is worty of support. If we want an airconditioned building wit ligts and padded pews, somebody is going to ave to pay for it. In no way am I suggesting tose tings are necessary for a group of saved people to be considered a New Testament curc. For centuries, congregations operated just fine witout tose tings. Many (if not most) congregations never ad a curc building until te last few undred years. Even in te New Testament, we find it common for curces to meet in omes (Rom. 16:5, Col. 4:15, Pil. 1:2). owever, in our society, curc buildings are deemed as necessary, but tey come wit a cost a monetary cost. New Testament giving is not By Todd Bryant of Nortport, Alabama spelled out as clearly as giving in te Old Testament. owever, tat does not mean it is not addressed at all, because it is. Jesus said, No man can serve two masters: for eiter e will ate te one, and love te oter; or else e will old to te one, and despise te oter. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matt. 6:24). Wen your money becomes more important to you tan your service to God, tere is a problem. Remember, Paul said our lives sould be tat of... living sacrifice, oly, acceptable to God... (Rom. 12:1). Nobody is suggesting you sould skip a ouse payment to give an exorbitant amount to te curc. Well, tere may be some groups out tere tat would do tat, but te Bible does not suggest it. owever, te Bible does specifically state tat we sould sacrifice some worldly tings so tat we can serve God. And, tis would include te giving of our money (wic e as given us) to our local curc. One of te biggest indrances in our society is not te inability of a poor family to give muc. Does tat appen? Well, certainly. owever, from all I ave seen, tat is not normally te case. Many times tose wo give least spend te most on luxurious vacations and toys. Tey live in te biggest omes and drive te finest cars. And wile tey may declare tese tings to be blessings from God, tey actually use teir money to fund teir extravagant lifestyle rater tan te Lord s work. In doing so, we make covetousness to be an onorable ting wile te Bible calls it idolatry (Col. 3:5). Are tere religious groups on radio and television and te Internet tat are seeking to rob te poor of teir money? Absolutely tere are! Even in te days of te New Testament, te scribes ad suc a sway over te people tat tey devoured widow s ouses wile urging a poor widow to give er last cent to te temple (Luke 20:45-21:4). We ougt not be surprised wen we see te same today. Tere are tose tat peddle te Word of God in an attempt to live lavisly off te backs of te poor (II Cor. 2:17). Someow, suc carlatans continue to find support and often from tose least able to give it. I ave known men and women tat ave given te vast majority of teir income to suc ministries wile teir families struggle to put food on teir table and soes on teir feet. No Biblically minded New Testament curc leader is suggesting robbing from your own kids to support some mega-curc were te pastor lives in a $4 million ome. owever, wat we cannot do is allow tose tat ave robbed people of teir money to drive us to te oter end of te spectrum te end were we keep all we ave and do not give anyting to te Lord s work. Wen Paul was collecting an offering for te curc at Jerusalem, e expected te curc at Corint to give out of teir bounty. e wrote, But tis I say, e wic sowet sparingly sall reap also sparingly; and e wic sowet bountifully sall reap also bountifully. Every man according as e purposet in is eart, so let im give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God lovet a ceerful giver (II Cor. 9:6-7). Toug tis is not necessarily our weekly giving to te local curc, it does set precedence for giving itself. We sould give. We sould give bountifully. We sould give willingly. And, we sould give ceerfully. Curces must operate. Tey ave leadersip tat as been set in place by God. And, God as determined at te very least tat te curc body sould support te curc leadersip monetarily. Paul again told te Corintian saints, Do ye not know tat tey wic minister about oly tings live of te tings of te temple? and tey wic wait at te altar are partakers wit te altar? Even so at te Lord ordained tat tey wic preac te gospel sould live of te gospel (I Cor. 9:13-14). In writing to Timoty, e said muc te same, Let te elders tat rule well be counted worty of double onour, especially tey wo labour in te word and doctrine. For te scripture sait, Tou salt not muzzle te ox tat treadet out te corn. And, Te labourer is worty of is reward (I Tim. 5:17-18). If God as given you men to lead you in is curc troug is Word, te least you can do is tank God by giving to te curc in order to support tem. I realize people are at different places in life. Some are young and finances are tigt. Some are old and finances are tigt! Some ave plenty. Some do not. But tis I know, tere is a New Testament pattern tat we ougt to give to te work of God. And oftentimes, tis is indered by our own covetousness. Let us examine our lives and see if tere is someting we may be allowing to inder our support of God s work. Is our life a living sacrifice? Or, are we like tose wom aggai ministered to tat are more concerned wit our own ouse tan te ouse of God (ag. 1:4)? I am not promising 100-fold blessing in return for giving. Te Bible never gives suc a promise. owever, I am saying, were your treasure is, tere will be your eart also (Matt. 6:21). Are we considering tat as we pass te offering plate along our pew? God s work is worty of our support. And, sometimes we may ave to give up a caramel latte in order to support it.

8 Page 8 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Wen Peter Sat (Continued from page 6) and te Bible says tat e went to is own place (Acts 1:25). Te Bible says of Esau tat...e found no place of repentance, toug e sougt it carefully wit tears (eb. 12:17). Peter s sorrow brougt about a cange in im for te good. Peter s Great Sermon On te day of Pentecost we read tat Peter lifted up is voice, and said tese words, Ye men of Israel, ear tese words; Jesus of Nazaret, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, wic God did by im in te midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: im, being delivered by te determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye ave taken, and by wicked ands ave crucified and slain (Acts 2:22-23). e is not offended of or asamed of is Lord now and preaces te trut to te ones tat ad im crucified, and is preacing was wit boldness, but it was not of te fles, but by God s grace. Notice,...ye ave taken, and by wicked ands ave crucified and slain. e also now recognized wat Jesus ad said concerning is crucifixion, tat tus it must be. Notice again, im delivered by te determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. But e also tells tem tat tey did it by wicked ands. e preaced to tem te resurrection of Jesus and went on to say to tem wit a lifted up voice, Terefore let all te ouse of Israel know assuredly, tat God at made tat same Jesus, wom ye ave crucified, bot Lord and Crist (Acts 2:36). Wat a message to tose Jews tat ad put te Lord Jesus to deat. And te Lord took tat message and pricked teir earts. Now wen tey eard tis, tey were pricked in teir eart, and said unto Peter and to te rest of te apostles, Men and bretren, wat sall we do? Ten Peter said unto tem, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in te name of Jesus Crist for te remission of sins, and ye sall receive te gift of te oly Gost. For te promise is unto you, and to your cildren, and to all tat are afar off, even as many as te Lord our God sall call. And wit many oter words did e testify and exort, saying, Save Tank you, my friend, and wo sall bend our ministers or yours, forsoot? And if our sect wit yours we blend, wat sect will figt for Bible trut? No! till creation s latest groan, God elp us, we will stand alone. Manning, te Papist, boasts te power to tin te ranks of every sect, save and except te little flock, wo old te fait of God s elect. And so, till Rome be overtrown, God elp us, we will stand alone. Come tou wit us, we long to see our weary ministers upeld. Come tou wit us, if so you be by unison of eart impelled. But so you come, or so you stay, we stand by Jesus, come wat may. Wen te Lord pours is quickening love in earts around us, ow we sing! And wo, like men of trut, exalt te glorious grace of Zion s King? We gater all wo prize is blood, and stand aloof, alone wit God. Wat do you say, your pulpits ring wit te same Gospel? Nay, friend, nay, te Saviour wic your preacers sow is one wo cannot ave is way: tis someting wit te same sweet Name, but not te Gospel, not te same. yourselves from tis untoward generation (Acts 2:37-40). In Conclusion If we wo are saved are in te world and act like we are of te world ten we will ave no power to witness to te world of Jesus. If we look like te world and dress like te world ten ow can we witness to te world? If we fasion ourselves to tis world ten ow can we reason wit te world about judgment to come? Paul told te saints at Rome, 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, A Plea for Separation and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Rom. 12:2). Let us not sit wit te wicked but preac to tem of a savior and leave te rest in te ands of a Sovereign God. And ave no fellowsip wit te unfruitful works of darkness, but rater reprove tem (Ep. 5:11). Let us reason wit tem of rigteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, as Paul did wit Felix (Acts 24:25). May God give us grace and may e ave mercy on sinners is our prayer. Te glory of Jeova s grace lies in its overpowering strengt. e made te dying tief is cild, toug David groaned is journey s lengt. Teir names are registered on ig, and God s own offspring cannot die. Our God will never disappoint is well-beloved, suffering Son, wen e in anguis bowed is ead, redemption s glorious work was done; and every ransomed soul may boast te sealing of te oly Gost. Is tis your Gospel? Don t you ate te very tougt of God s decrees? And don t you old tat man as power to baulk te Saviour, if e please? And don t you cry, Come, use te Blood and ceer a disappointed God? O, God forgive you! Crist is crown d and glorified at God s rigt and: and tere, in spite of eart or ell, te wole redeemed sall sortly stand praising te love tat eld tem fast. And so you see, wile yours and ours are different Gospels, one and none: tis labour lost for you to ask tat our societies be one. No! till creation s latest groan, God elp us, we will stand alone. Mrs. M. A. Caplin

9 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 9 Favoritism (Continued from page 1) into a uddle wit a little bunc of your friends after te services, and pay no attention to oters? Do you pay attention to just a few of te old timers and none to newer members, leaving tem to get acquainted as best tey can? Do you make it a practice to go off ome witout ever greeting anybody, leaving tat for te pastor or deacons or somebody else to do? Can you call te names of most of tose wo ave come into te curc since you ave been a member, and if not, wy not? An attitude of friendliness means muc in a curc. Many a stranger is lonely and needs a kindly word. Wy sould we not ave one of te friendliest curces anywere? It does not cost anyting to be friendly wit people wo come, and it certainly pays ric dividends. 2. Te new member sould not ave to wait and wait for seniority rigts before being used. Let us realize tat wen people join, tey ave all rigts and privileges. We are not running a seniority system. Any curc and any group of members ougt to welcome new blood. It is easy to get into a rut. 3. No distinction sould be made as to wealt and position. Read James 2:1-5. Let us seek to ave a curc were ALL CLASSES are welcome. Te ground down around te cross is absolutely level. In te past, we ave served as pastor were kinfolks, clannisness, and distinction between land owners and sare croppers indered te Lord s work greatly. 4. Cristians sould be given to ospitality especially as a curc. Read I Timoty 5: 10 and ebrews 13: 2. Strangers mentioned ere, refers particularly to saved people. It means a great deal for us to create te idea tat te doors of our curc buildings are open wide in cordial ospitality to any and all wo will come for worsip. Will You Strive To Do Te FOllowing For Te Sake Of Te Curc And Te Souls Of People? 1. Will you lay aside any exclusiveness tat you ave consciously or unconsciously assumed, and will you mingle among people tat come, instead of urrying ome? 2. Will you make it a practice to greet a number of people wo are visitors every Sunday? Will you do your individual part in making yours te friendliest curc possible? It will pay ric dividends! Regeneration (Continued from page 1) translated in our KJV Bibles as above or top. We fail to see ow tat suc plain statements as tese can be ignored by attempting to say tat te Gospel regenerates spiritually dead sinners. Te idea tat regeneration comes by te Gospel cannot be true for several reasons. One of tose reasons is te teacing of Jesus regarding te four kinds of soil. is words just will not allow Gospel regeneration as we sall sow. Te reader will remember tat te parable of te sower speaks of four kinds of soil. Tere is te wayside soil, te rocky soil, te torn infested soil and te good soil. Neiter of tese brougt fort evidence of a new life but were only a reformation of te soulis life already tere and were never a new creation tat produced any fruit. Te Word (including te Gospel) did not profit te people typified by tese first tree kinds of soil. Only te good ground received te Word and brougt fort fruit. Te synoptic gospels record tis parable in Mattew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-20 and Luke 8:5-15. Te tree accounts are not contradictory, but rater complementary. Eac one adds detail to te oter. Tis in no way means tat any of tem are untrutful. We may illustrate te way in wic one writer complements anoter in tis way. A man may say, My daugter and I went sopping yesterday. Te daugter may say, Dad and I went to Walmart just twentyfour ours ago. Someone else may say, I was in te Poteau Walmart store and saw Bro. Curtis and is older daugter sopping for a present for teir pastor. Eac one of tose statements is true, but eac one is a little different. We say tey are complementary (not complimentary) because, like our illustration, eac complements or adds to te oter. By putting te differing details of te synoptic writers togeter we gain as complete an understanding of te words of our Lord as as been preserved for us. We know all tat God wants us to know about wat Jesus said in is teacing on te good ground. Te Lord, in explaining tis parable of te sower in Mattew s account said: But e tat received seed into te good ground is e tat earet te word, and understandet it; wic also bearet fruit, and bringet fort, some an undredfold, some sixty, some tirty (Matt. 13:23). Mark says tis of te good ground: And tese are tey wic are sown on good ground; suc as ear te word, and receive it, and bring fort fruit, some tirtyfold, some sixty, and some an undred (Mark 4:20). Luke, on te oter and, adds details saying: But tat on te good ground are tey, wic in an onest and good eart, aving eard te word, keep it, and bring fort fruit wit patience (Luke 8:15). Putting Mattew s, Mark s, and Luke s testimonies togeter we can say tat Jesus said te good ground upon wic te seed (te Gospel) fell were tose people marked wit tree caracteristics. Tey are people (1) wit understanding, (Mattew s word), (2) wo receive te Word, (Mark s word), and (3) wo ave an onest and good eart, (Luke s words). (And please note tat in te parable of te sower te seed did not make te ground good but fell on good ground.) Tat being te case and we cannot doubt tat te Master knew wat e was talking about tree very serious problems arise. Te first two problems can be dealt wit togeter and are tese: Paul wrote te following about te unregenerate person and te Word of God (wic includes te Gospel): But te natural man receivet not te tings of te Spirit of God: for tey are foolisness unto im: neiter can e know tem, because tey are spiritually discerned (I Cor. 2:14). Te prase te tings of te Spirit of God is sown by te context to mean te revealed Word of God wic, of course, includes te Gospel. Putting Mattew s and Mark s account togeter two tings must occur. We may state tese (Continued on page 10)

10 Page 10 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Regeneration (Continued from page 9) two tings togeter in tis way: tere must be a reception of te Word wit understanding. Now if te natural man as Paul said (1) will not receive te Word of God and (2) cannot know or understand it because e does not ave te Spirit of God, ten we must conclude tat te Gospel cannot ave any part in te regeneration of anyone. Wy? Because te Gospel (1) will not be received by te unregenerate and (2) cannot be known or understood by im and Jesus said te good ground were people wo receive te Word wit understanding. Remember, Paul said te unregenerate man cannot do eiter of tese tings. Until someting appens to an unregenerate or natural person to enable im to receive and understand te Gospel in a spiritually profitable way, tat unregenerate person cannot be good ground. So te Gospel cannot regenerate anyone! Somebody te oly Spirit as to regenerate te spiritually dead sinner and tus enable im to receive and understand profitably te Gospel. Somebody te oly Spirit must make te ground good before te seed of te Word will grow and produce. It cannot be oterwise if wat Jesus said is true. Te tird problem as to do wit te eart and te tings recorded by Luke. is Gospel records tat Jesus said te good ground represented people wo ad an onest and good eart. But God says: Te eart is deceitful above all tings, and desperately wicked: wo can know it (Jer. 17:9)? Surely te propet spoke God s Trut! Since no lost man s eart is onest and good ten no unregenerate person can be good ground. Te Lord Jesus said: But tose tings wic proceed out of te mout come fort from te eart; and tey defile te man. For out of te eart proceed evil tougts, murders, adulteries, fornications, tefts, false witness, blaspemies: Tese are te tings wic defile a man... (Matt. 15:18-20). Somebody te oly Spirit must take away te stony eart and give te sinner a eart of fles, (See Ezekiel 11:19 & 36:26-27). Furtermore, Paul wrote: Tis I say terefore, and testify in te Lord, tat ye encefort walk not as oter Gentiles walk, in te vanity of teir mind, aving te understanding darkened, being alienated from te life of God troug te ignorance tat is in tem, because of te blindness of teir eart (Ep. 4:17-18). Paul said tat te oter Gentiles te lost ones te ones in contrast wit te Epesian curc members were alienated from te life of God. And just ow was it tat tey were alienated? e goes on to say tey were alienated troug te ignorance tat is in tem. And wy were tey ignorant? Tey were ignorant because of te blindness of teir eart. Now tis was te case wit te oter Gentiles - te ones not saved. So ten, none of tese oter Gentiles could be good ground because of te blindness of teir eart. onesty forces us to say tat only tose regenerated by te oly Spirit no longer ave a blind eart for teir blindness is taken away in regeneration. Stepen spoke to unregenerate men describing tem tus: Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in eart and ears, ye do always resist te oly Gost: as your faters did, so do ye (Acts 7:51). In te ligt of tese indictments against te natural or unregenerate man, wo will be so bold as to say tey ave te ability to receive and understand te Word of God, i.e. te Gospel in an onest and good eart? Paul wrote regarding tis aspect of regeneration saying: For God, wo commanded te ligt to sine out of darkness, at sined in our earts, to give te ligt of te knowledge of te glory of God in te face of Jesus Crist (II Cor. 4:6). And in Epesians 5:8 e wrote: For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye ligt in te Lord: walk as cildren of ligt. It is God wo at sined in our earts tus enabling us to understand! Understand wat? Wy, understand te Gospel in a spiritually profitable way. We say in a spiritually profitable way because any lost person can memorize and quote te facts of te Gospel, but tose truts do not profit im until e is quickened or regenerated. Only after regeneration or te new birt only after te oly Spirit as moved in only after eaven as birted te dead sinner does an individual ave te ability to understand ten e as an onest and good eart. Te cause, ten, of regeneration is solely in God. It is a matter of is sovereignty. It is a matter of is will. It is a matter of is unmerited favor grace! It is not man s believing tat brings regeneration to te dead sinner. Let us make sure tat we ave te orse before te cart and not te cart before te orse and not te orse walking alongside te cart as if te oly Spirit needed a spiritually dead sinner s assistance in regeneration. Be assured, te orse (te power is te oly Spirit) and te cart (repenting and believing te Gospel) are connected. Never can tere be a regenerated sinner wo is an unbeliever! Never can tere be a believer until tere is spiritual life. Te issue is not one of time, but of cause and effect so wen we say before and after we mean tat regeneration is te cause of godly sorrow, repentance and fait. Te fait of God s elect (Titus 1:1) is te result of te work and presence of te oly Spirit. We are not ardsells. ardsell doctrine is eresy! But te cause of fait te cause of receiving te Word te cause of being good ground is regeneration. Neiter believing nor any oter act or work of a lost sinner can make im good ground! We dare not leave Scripture and old to any position tat makes man s act or effort or anyting e produces te cause of te birt wic is from above. Let me insert one oter ting ere: But witout fait it is impossible to please im: for e tat comet to God must believe tat e is, and tat e is a rewarder of tem tat diligently seek im (eb. 11:6). From tis verse we can say wit certainty tat fait pleases God. Paul makes it perfectly clear tat an unregenerate person cannot please God. e wrote: So ten tey tat are in te fles [a natural or unregenerate man] cannot please God. But ye are not in te fles, but in te Spirit, if so be tat te Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man ave not te Spirit of Crist, e is none of is (Rom. 8:8-9, brackets added). Since fait pleases God and persons not indwelt (and tus made (Continued on page 11)

11 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 11 Regeneration (Continued from page 10) alive spiritually) by te oly Spirit cannot please God we must logically and scripturally conclude tat unregenerate people cannot ave fait. No person can savingly believe until te Spirit makes im alive by moving in. After all, Paul wrote: For it is God wic worket in you bot to will and to do of is good pleasure (Pil. 2:13). No sinner is better tan anoter sinner in and of imself. Jesus said, I came not to call te rigteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Te good ground in te parable previously discussed must temselves be sinners just as are te oter tree kinds aving noting good in temselves. Tere are four kinds of sinners in Jesus parable. Te fourt kind te good ground is te regenerated sinner made ready and able to ear and receive te Gospel wic as been broadcast (sown indiscriminately) upon te natural ears of all four kinds of ground. Te oter tree kinds of ground do not received te seed te Gospel wit profit. ebrews 4:2 says: For unto us [te good ground ] was te gospel preaced, as well as unto tem [te oter tree kinds of ground]: but te word preaced did not profit tem [te oter tree kinds of ground], not being mixed wit fait in tem tat eard it (Brackets added). Considering tat te Bible teaces tat fait is a fruit of te Spirit (Gal. 5:22), ten we are tus once again confronted wit te fact tat it is te Spirit wo regenerates te dead sinner, enabling im to believe te Gospel. It is not te Gospel tat regenerates te dead sinner enabling im to receive te Spirit. If it is understood tat it is te Spirit wo by te new birt enables belief of te Gospel, ten it must logically follow tat te belief of te Gospel as noting to do wit te new birt oter tan being a consequence of it. A few words concerning common objections to oly Spirit regeneration. Someone will doubtless bring up suc passages as I Peter 1:23 wic says: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by te word of God, wic livet and abidet for ever, and peraps James 1:18 wic says: Of is own will begat e us wit te word of trut, tat we sould be a kind of firstfruits of is creatures. Tese verses could be used to contradict wat Jesus said about te new birt being a work of te oly Spirit. Most often Bible commentators will strike a compromise between wat Jesus said and wat tese last two quoted verses say. We do not want to contradict wat Jesus said. Nor do we want to attempt a compromise of te teacing of oly Spirit regeneration as we tink some do wo say tat te oly Spirit uses te Gospel as a means of regeneration. First of all, nowere is tere a statement saying tat te oly Spirit uses te Gospel in regeneration anywere in Scripture. Nowere is tat even inted at in te Bible. Te examples of conversion given of Paul s conversion, te Etiopian s, Lydia s, etc., all testify to a prior work of te oly Spirit in tem wic caused a reception of te Word. Because of space, we quote only wat is revealed about Lydia: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of te city of Tyatira, wic worsipped God, eard us: wose eart te Lord opened, tat se attended unto te tings wic were spoken of Paul (Acts 16:14). God opened Lydia s eart causing er to carefully listen to te Word preaced by Paul. Tere was a prior work of God in er eart prior to er listening and believing. And second, since te spiritually dead sinner cannot receive and understand te Gospel, ow can te oly Spirit use te un-received and un-understood Gospel in te spiritually dead sinner until e first operates upon te sinner enabling im to receive and understand te Gospel? And tat is exactly wat appens. Te Spirit regenerates God s elect wo, up until tat appens, as been a spiritually dead sinner. Tus, te Spirit makes im alive and willing to receive te Word in suc a way tat e understandet it in is new onest and good eart. owever te verses quoted above wic seem to say tat te new birt comes by te Word (I Peter 1:23 and James 1:18), wen subjected to careful exegesis, are seen not to speak of regeneration at all. Peter speaks of an ongoing process as te King James Version sows by use of te word being. Te tense is present, not past. Peter does not say you were born again, but rater, you are being born again. e speaks of an ongoing conversion process accomplised in te lives of te regenerate by te Word of God. In James 1:18 te writer uses a word translated begat wic is used only one oter time in te Bible. Te oter place it is found is in verse 15 just prior to verse 18. Te word tere is te second instance of bringet fort. (Te first prase bringet fort in James 1:15 is a different word!) James 1:15 speaks of te process by wic lust produces sin. And James 1:18 speaks of te process by wic te word of trut produces in us tat wic caracterized te offering of firstfruits. (Te offering of firstfruits was to be of te most excellent quality tus insuring a good arvest). Te firstfruits were consecrated or sanctified to God. So it is tat te ongoing sanctification (progressive sanctification) experienced by God s cildren is accomplised by te Word of God not te Gospel only. Tere is no justification ere for te idea tat te oly Spirit uses te Gospel in regeneration. In conclusion: unless one is willing to say tat apart from te indwelling oly Spirit a spiritually dead sinner can someow be made to receive and understand wit an onest and good eart, Gospel regeneration will not work. Tat te sinner must know te Gospel as a lost sinner is obvious because a part of te purpose of regeneration is to enable im to cause im to experience godly sorrow, repentance, fait and all tat goes wit conversion. Terefore, te Gospel must be broadcast (scattered abroad) as seed was flung out of te ands of te sower in Biblical days. Only by teir conversion can we observe te effects of regeneration, and so we must preac to all and sundry te trut tat Crist, te Good Seperd gave is life for te seep. To one and to all, as Paul did, te members of te Lord s congregations must testify...bot to te Jews, and also to te Greeks, repentance toward God, and fait toward our Lord Jesus Crist (Acts 20:21).

12 Page 12 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. 1. Could te forum writers please comment on or explain II Peter 3:10? - Internet Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio Wen Adam sinned, te eart and eavens (but not te tird eaven, for tere are tree) were cursed, And unto Adam e said, Because tou ast earkened unto te voice of ty wife, and ast eaten of te tree, of wic I commanded tee, saying, Tou salt not eat of it: cursed is te ground for ty sake; in sorrow salt tou eat of it all te days of ty life (Gen. 3:17). Te tird eaven were te trone of God is, was never affected by Adam s sin, but te oter two eavens were. Te first eaven is were te birds fly and were we see te clouds form. Te second eaven is were te stars, planets, our sun and moon are. It is ard to believe tat Adam s sin extended into te eavens but all tat mankind as touced as been polluted by sin and as been corrupted by evil men. Terefore tey must be purged wit fire, and te elements sall melt wit fervent eat, te eart also and te works tat are terein sall be burned up (II Peter 3:10). I believe te late Milburn Cockrell put it best in is book Te Second Coming of Crist and I quote, First, it extends to te eavens: te eavens sall pass away... te eavens being on fire sall be dissolved (II Pet. 3:10,12). Te Propet Isaia discloses: te eavens sall vanis away like smoke... (Isa. 51:6). Te psalmist said: te eavens are te work of ty ands. Tey sall peris (Ps. 102:25-26). Jesus Crist declared: eaven sall pass away (Matt. 24:35). We must eiter confine te word eavens to te visible eavens surrounding te eart, or it must include te wole solar system. Te plural number eavens favors te latter view in my opinion. Sin as reaced into te eavens (Isa. 14:12-14; Ep. 6:12; Rev. 12:7-9). Job 15:15 tells us... te eavens are not clean in is sigt. By means of space sips te sinners of eart ave already defiled te eavens above us. ence even tese must be purged by fire. eavens do not include te tird eaven (II Cor. 12: 1-4), te oly abode of God. Tere is no sin tere, and, terefore, no need of purging by fire. (End quote). As a tief in te nigt does not necessarily mean at nigttime, but a dark period of time, wic it surely will be. Te eart, I believe will be at te eigt of corruption wen te eart is purged wit fire. Tink of it, people will ave a tousand years to believe Jesus Crist is te King of kings and Lord of lords. One last cance to come to te saving knowledge of Jesus Crist, but sadly many will not. I believe tis will take place at te end of is Millennial Reign and rigt before te Great Wite Trone Judgment. And wen te tousand years are expired, Satan sall be loosed out of is prison, And sall go out to deceive te nations wic are in te four quarters of te eart, Gog and Magog, to gater tem togeter to battle: te number of wom is as te sand of te sea. And tey went up on te breadt of te eart, and compassed te camp of te saints about, and te beloved city: and fire came down from God out of eaven, and devoured tem. And te devil tat deceived tem was cast into te lake of fire and brimstone, were te beast and te false propet are, and sall be tormented day and nigt for ever and ever. And I saw a great wite trone, and im tat sat on it, from wose face te eart and te eaven fled away; and tere was found no place for tem. And I saw te dead, small and great, stand before God; and te books were opened: and anoter book was opened, wic is te book of life: and te dead were judged out of tose tings wic were written in te books, according to teir works. And te sea gave up te dead wic were in it; and deat and ell delivered up te dead wic were in tem: and tey were judged every man according to teir works. And deat and ell were cast into te lake of fire. Tis is te second deat. And wosoever was not found written in te book of life was cast into te lake of fire (Rev. 20:7-15). Let me be clear ere, te eart toug it is purged wit fire will not be totally anniilated. Te above Scriptures tells us tat after te tousand year reign of Crist is over, Satan will be loosed for a sort time and e will once again deceive many wic will be te ungodly wicked of mankind, and te Lord will ten drop te ammer and crus all tem tat oppose im, and God will rain fire upon te eart, and at tat time eart and eaven will be purged wit fire and tere will be no place to run anymore, and all evil will be gone and te curse from Adam will be purged wit fire. Ten comes te final judgment of all tose not written in te book of life. Tat will be, in my opinion, te saddest day ever, to see tose tat are relatives and tose we preaced te gospel to and tey rejected will be cast into te lake of fire for ever and ever, for all eternity wit no ope of escape, a sad day indeed. But ten, And God sall wipe away all tears from teir eyes; and tere sall be no more deat, neiter sorrow, nor crying, neiter sall tere be any more pain: for te former tings are passed away (Rev. 21:4). O glorious day, ten we wo ave truly been saved and confessed Jesus Crist as Lord and Saviour will live in peace for all eternity!! God Bless! ROGER REED Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV But te day of te Lord will come as a tief in te nigt; in te wic te eavens sall pass away wit a great noise, and te elements sall melt wit fervent eat, te eart also and te works tat are terein sall be burned up (II Peter 3:10). Te day of te Lord! We live in te day of te Gentiles, and te day of te Jews is 69 weeks past, wit only one more (Daniel s 70 t Week Dan. 9:24-27) seven (Continued on page 14)

13 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page Wo are te four and twenty elders mentioned in Revelation 4:4? - Maine Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O Revelation 4:4, state: And round about te trone were four and twenty seats: and upon te seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, cloted in wite raiment; and tey ad on teir eads crowns of gold Te four and twenty elders fall down before im tat sat on te trone, and worsip im tat livet for ever and ever, and cast teir crowns before te trone, saying, Tou art worty, O Lord, to receive glory and onour and power: for tou ast created all tings, and for ty pleasure tey are and were created. We know from te context tat tese are glorified saints in eaven tat Jon saw in te vision. Tey are cloted in wite raiment signifying te justifying rigteousness of Crist. Tey ad gold crowns on teir eads signifying rewards tat tey ad received at te Judgment Seat of Crist. Tey are gatered around te trone of God to worsip te Lord Jesus Crist wo is resplendent in majesty and glory. Tey recognize te Lord Jesus as bot te Creator of all tings and Redeemer of te elect. As suc tey acknowledge tat e alone is worty of glory, onor, and power. Teir declarations are very similar to te ones recorded in Revelation 5:7-14. Tis is a summation of wat our passage reveals about te twenty four Jon saw in eaven. As I read different commentators it seemed as toug eac one ad is own distinctive take on te identity of te elders. I esitate to go beyond wat te Scripture reveals. I know for sure tese twenty four elders are redeemed saints wo ave been rewarded. Tey are capable of worsipping te Lord as tey are found adoring im in is sovereign majesty. Tese are tings we know for sure. Te elders are not given particular names. Many believe tey are representative of te elect wo ave been redeemed in te Old Testament and te New Testament. Many arrive at tis conclusion by saying te twenty four elders represent te twelve tribes of Israel (Old Testament saints), and twelve apostles of Crist (New Testament saints). owever, te Scriptures do not precisely identify te twenty four elders as suc. I am content to believe tat tese are redeemed saints, cloted in te rigteousness of Crist, rejoicing and worsipping around te trone of God in eaven. Peraps in te day wen I am caugt up to eaven in te Rapture and receive my glorified body I will be able to recognize wo exactly tese twenty-four elders are. TOM ROSS Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Te 24 elders around te Trone of God are not specifically named, but teir consistent activities around God s trone and te peculiar number of teir station provide some clues tat we migt draw some answers from. First from Numerology, tere are tree sets of multiples tat make up te number 24 to consider. (6x4), (12x2) and (3x8). Eac set as precedent in Scripture for some observations. (6x4)- Six is te number of man and four is te number of te wole Eart, so 6x4=24 elders, tat are representative of mankind from te four corners of te wole Eart. (12x2)- Twelve is te number of allotment and two is te number of support, division or contrast. Wic could indicate tat twelve elders are from te Old Testament (or Israel s twelve tribes) and twelve are ten from te New Testament (or te twelve apostles). (3x8)- Tree is te number of full manifestation (typically tru trials) and eigt is te number of new beginnings/ restoration, wic could make martyr s crowns, wat is trown at te feet of Crist in Revelation 4:10-11, Te four and twenty elders fall down before im tat sat on te trone, and worsip im tat livet for ever and ever, and cast teir crowns before te trone, saying, Tou art worty, O Lord, to receive glory and onour and power: for tou ast created all tings, and for ty pleasure tey are and were created. Revelation 5:8-11, 14, And wen e ad taken te book, te four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before te Lamb, aving every one of tem arps, and golden vials full of odours, wic are te prayers of saints. And tey sung a new song, And I beeld, and I eard te voice of many angels round about te trone and te beasts and te elders: and te number of tem was ten tousand times ten tousand, and tousands of tousands And te four beasts said, Amen. And te four and twenty elders fell down and worsipped im tat livet for ever and ever. Tis picture of te elder s actions around te trone is typical of teir tree instances being mentioned in te book. (cf: Rev. 11:16-19; 19:1-7) In all tree events, te elders are leading a great corus of saints and/or creatures in rejoicing and praising our great God! Wit teir golden arps, tey are peraps te lead instrumentalists in our songs, and wit te golden vials of our prayers, tey are representative of ALL te ost of saints from everywere and everywen. Sela! Tink about it! Revelation 11:16-18, And te four and twenty elders, wic sat before God on teir seats, fell upon teir faces, and worsipped God, Saying, We give tee tanks, O Lord God Almigty, wic art, and wast, and art to come; because tou ast taken to tee ty great power, and ast reigned. And te nations were angry, and ty wrat is come, and te time of te dead, tat tey sould be judged, and tat tou souldest give reward unto ty servants te propets, and to te saints, and tem tat fear ty name, small and great; and souldest destroy tem wic (Continued on page 15)

14 Page 14 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Forum #1 (Continued from page 12) year period to go (te Great Tribulation Matt. 24:21). But te day of te Lord is coming, wic will encompass te end-time events (escatology) of tis eart. It will begin, as Peter reinforces all Bible propesies, wit te Lord coming (unexpectedly for most eart inabitants) as a tief in te nigt. But ye, bretren, are not in darkness, tat tat day sould overtake you as a tief (I Tess. 5:4). Te imminent return of Jesus Crist is te very next propesied event tat we, as God s people are commanded to expect. From Acts 1:9-11 to I Jon 2:28, and a undred times between, we are exorted to expect Crist to reenter te eart s atmospere and seize is saints mysteriously and completely. Sela! Tink about it! After te glorious Rapture and te intervening seven year Great Tribulation/Time of Jacob s Trouble, te Lord will come in judgment of te nations (Matt. 25:31-46) at te Battle of Armageddon (Zec. 12:9-11,14:4; Rev.16:12-19:21). Jesus Crist, te King of Kings will ten establis a literal tousand year reign upon tis eart, fulfilling all of Israel s propecies concerning restoration and glorification of God s covenant and is peculiar people (Ezek. 37:21-28). At te conclusion of tis Millennial Reign will come te fulfillment of our text s grapic revelation of pysical destruction on te atomic and elemental level. Looking for and asting unto te coming of te day of God, werein te eavens being on fire sall be dissolved, and te elements sall melt wit fervent eat? Neverteless we, according to is promise, look for new eavens and a new eart, werein dwellet rigteousness (II Peter 3:12-13). Previously in te capter, te Apostle Peter reminds is readers of Noa s flood wic judged te eart in a consuming wave of overwelming water. Wereby te world tat ten was, being overflowed wit water, perised: But te eavens and te eart, wic are now, by te same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against te day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men (II Peter 3:6-7). Reserved unto fire! A fire tat Peter scientifically brings down to an atomic level of purging te very elements of matter tat God created in Genesis 1:1. Te necessity of eradicating te curse of man from te very electrons and atomic fabric of creation is vividly sown ere. God is not going to overlook ANY speck of sin and corruption, but it will ALL be dissolved, purged, tempered and reforged regenerated into a pure and oly, brand-new eavens and eart. Praise God! Sela! Tink about it! Cronologically, tis elemental fire occurs at God s disruption of te Battle of Gog and Magog recorded in Revelation 20:7-9, And wen te tousand years are expired, Satan sall be loosed out of is prison, And sall go out to deceive te nations wic are in te four quarters of te eart, Gog and Magog, to gater tem togeter to battle: te number of wom is as te sand of te sea. And tey went up on te breadt of te eart, and compassed te camp of te saints about, and te beloved city: and fire came down from God out of eaven, and devoured tem. As tis supernatural fire obliterates te pysic and cemical compounds of te known universe, te souls of te damned will be deposited on a precarious table surrounding te Great Wite Trone of te Sovereign Arbiter of mankind. After an in-dept accounting... according to teir works, te summary judgment of a Trice- oly God tips te table and every last unredeemed descendent of Adam will slide off te dais of judgment into te eternal lake of fire, Were te worm diet not, and te fire is not quenced And I saw a new eaven and a new eart: for te first eaven and te first eart were passed away; and tere was no more sea. And I Jon saw te oly city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of eaven, prepared as a bride adorned for er usband (Rev. 21:1-2). Te immortal matter of tose melting drops of te eavens and earts will be captured and tose purified elements are reforged into a glorious new eaven and eart tat will be occupied by tose tat ave met Jesus Crist in tis lifetime. Do you know im as your Saviour? Wen te time of fire comes, e is your ONLY ope!...repent, for te kingdom of eaven is at and! 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 II Peter 3:10-13 states: But te day of te Lord will come as a tief in te nigt; in te wic te eavens sall pass away wit a great noise, and te elements sall melt wit fervent eat, te eart also and te works tat are terein sall be burned up. Seeing ten tat all tese tings sall be dissolved, wat manner of persons ougt ye to be in all oly conversation and godliness. Looking for and asting unto te coming of te day of God, werein te eavens being on fire sall be dissolved, and te elements sall melt wit fervent eat? Neverteless we, according to is promise, look for new eavens and a new eart, werein dwellet rigteousness. Te interpretation of tese verses must be determined by teir context. By te process of elimination we can identify wat Peter calls te day of God. It is not referring to Crist s coming in te Rapture before te Tribulation Period because te current state of te eavens and te eart will remain intact at tat time. In fact it is during te Tribulation Period wen God pours out is wrat upon te eart and its inabitants as revealed by te seals, trumpets, and vials in Revelation capters Nor does te day of God refer to Crist s coming at te end of te Tribulation in te Second Advent at wic time e will return to eart wit is saints to judge and set up is 1000 year reign upon te eart. Te eart as we now know it must of necessity be intact at tat time in order for Crist and te saints to reign. Te only logical time of occurrence is after te Millennial reign, after te rebellion of Gog and Magog (Rev. 20:7-9), and in conjunction wit te Great Wite Trone of Judgment (Rev. 20:11), at wic te te eavens and te eart as we now know tem pass away. Te manner in wic tey pass away from teir current form is revealed in our text, wit great noise and fervent (Continued on page 15)

15 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 15 Forum #1 (Continued from page 14) eat. Tis is often referred to as te Conflagration of te Universe, werein God will purge everyting tat defiles from te eavens and te eart, giving it an entirely new form werein dwellet rigteousness. All te wicked will be forever separated from te rigteous in te Lake of Fire, and all te enemies of Crist will be forever put down at wic time e will deliver up te kingdom unto God (I Cor. 15:24-28). It was not until after tis sequence of events, after Great Wite Trone Judgment tat Jon saw a new eaven and a new eart (Rev. 21:1). All tese tings will come unexpected to te wicked wo trusted in teir eartly works, all teir fruitless works will be burnt up. All te tings tey trusted in will melt and be wort absolutely noting wen tey are judged by te Lord. Tey will stand before Crist to receive teir just sentence of condemnation in te Lake of Fire forever. In ligt of God s judgment and te coming Conflagration tat will follow, Peter exorts believers to live oly lives as we anticipate dwelling wit te Lord trougout te eternal ages. If te eartly tings tat te wicked vainly trusted in and derived satisfaction from did not profit tem, ten wat manner of persons ougt we to be in all our beavior? We need to keep our mind fixed upon te world to come and te promises associated wit it, not trusting in tis present world system. We are going to dwell in a new eaven and a new eart in te eternal ages. Te Lord s bride will dwell in te eavenly New Jerusalem, and tere will be nations of saved people dwelling on te new eart (Rev. 21:21-25). Te mistake tat many premillennial students make is to place so muc empasis proving te 1,000 year reign of Crist tat tey spend little time looking beyond it to te realm of te eternal ages. TOM ROSS Forum #2 (Continued from page 13) destroy te eart. If tey are representative of all saints, tis passage bears more evidence of wom tey migt be. Tree groups are mentioned ere, 1) Old Testament propets, 2) New Testament (curc?) saints and 3) tem tat fear Ty Name from every age. As in eac corus, tey rejoice at God s equitable justice on te wicked and unfailing mercy for is peoples! If tese twenty-four seats are to be filled by onor, as well as Sovereign Grace, te tree requirements tat I see in tese passages are: 1) Every continent of te eart will ave teir local representative. In oter words, tey will not all be from Jerusalem, Europe and America, but te Lord is going to use a wide variety of umanity out of every race and peoples from te four corners of te eart. [6x4] 2) Te division between te Old Testament propets and New Testament saints means tat tere will be tat same representation of folk in time, as well as geograpy. Saints from every age will be represented. A roug estimate, if te Lord were to come back in 2017 to rapture is saints and begin te sevenyear countdown to Armageddon and te Millennial Reign, we could divide te six tousand years by 24 (for eac elder) and tat would approximate one elder from every 250-year time period of te eart s existence. [12x2] 3) Te tird and last requirement would be tat eac elder arrived at te trone of God via trials and martyrdom. [8x3] (I used to tink a fourt requirement migt be a bridal one. Tat would restrict tese elders to Israel and te Crist s Baptist curc bride, but I do not tink tat is in te text.) Tusly, one person tat would fit te requirements, migt be Abel, te martyr of te first generation. Wo will it be from te last 250 years? Good question! Ultimately, te only definitive answer we can give, is te one tat Crist gave James and Jon in Mark 10:40, But to sit on my rigt and and on my left and is not mine to give; but it sall be given to tem for wom it is prepared. Sela! Tink about it! MATTEW STEPP Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. Mansfield, Oio Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio As wit many people tere are many different views on wo tese twenty-four elders are. But I believe following wat te Scriptures say tat te twentyfour elders are te twelve sons of Jacob (te twelve tribes of Israel). And ad a wall great and ig, and ad twelve gates, and at te gates twelve angels, and names written tereon, wic are te names of te twelve tribes of te cildren of Israel (Rev. 21:12), and te twelve apostles of Crist, And te wall of te city ad twelve foundations, and in tem te names of te twelve apostles of te Lamb (Rev. 21:14). Again I would like to quote te late Milburn Cockrell, Tey represent te Old and New Testament saints caugt out at te pre-trib coming of Crist (I Cor. 15:23; I Tess. 4:13-18). Tis is confirmed by te antecedent of te pronoun tey (Rev.20:4) wic must be te armies wic come from eaven wit Crist in Revelation 19:14. Te saints cannot come from eaven until tey are first caugt up to eaven. (End quote). We may not all agree wo tese elders are, but one ting I am sure we can agree on and tat is te elect of God sure ave some exciting times to look forward to. God Bless! ROGER REED Quotes from Broter Ritecus N. Dignation by Josep arris SELF PROMOTERS Noting gets me mad as ornets quicker tan someone wo seeks recognition, especially wen tat someone is a preacer. I wonder if some would do any ministry work at all if tey were told tey would never receive any glory or recognition. Tere may be a lot of pulpits empty next Sunday, if te back pattin quit. JUDGING Wen someone tells you to stop judging tem, tat only God is teir judge, it s a sure ting tey ave been it smack between te eyes wit conviction. One day God will judge tem. Tat s wen tey will wis you were teir judge instead.

16 Page 16 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 From te Pen of a Country Preacer Milburn R. Cockrell ( ) Restoration of te Joy of Salvation Restore unto me te joy of ty salvation; and upold me wit ty free spirit (Ps. 51:12). Psalm 51 was penned by David after te Propet Natan ad come to im and exposed is sins of murder and adultery. King David ad committed adultery wit te wife of Uria, one of is loyal and brave soldiers. Te act of adultery resulted in te conception of a cild in te womb of Batseba. To cover is sin David ad Uria killed in battle and ten married is widow (II Sam. 12). Te king ad become a traitor to is subjects and te betrayer of a friend. Tis wole affair is a dark spot in te life of a good and godly man. Tere are four important truts seen in my text wic I want to study in great detail. SALVATION IS OF TE LORD Please note wen David spoke of salvation tat e said: Ty salvation. e does not say: My salvation. On a number of occasions in te Psalms e wrote of God s salvation (Ps. 9:14; 13:5; 21:5; 40:10; 106:4; 119:174). In Psalm 3:8 e declared: Salvation belonget unto te LORD... Again e said in Psalms 37:39: But te salvation of te rigteous is of te LORD... Te psalmist was not among tose wo believed tat man was is own savior. Te sweet singer of Israel eld firmly to te gospel of free grace. David is not tinking ere of temporal salvation; e is writing of spiritual and eternal salvation. e knew God te Fater ad contrived te sceme of salvation in te covenant of grace before te morning of time. e believed te Godead ad made a compact to save a special people. Tere was no doubt in is mind tat e was among tose te coming Messia would save. Te psalmist ad more tan a ope of salvation at te end of life. e ad even in tis dark our of is life assurance tat is soul ad already been saved by God. Te consciousness of salvation is accompanied by a great degree of joy. Te sweet singer of Israel speaks of...te joy of ty salvation... Salvation is deliverance of a sinner from te curse of te law, te terror of Divine anger, and te fires of ell. Tis deliverance from te greatest danger te soul fears is te cause of te most rapturous joy te soul can feel on eart. Under a deep sense of sorrow for sins against God tere is granted te awakened sinner a revelation of mercy troug Crist. Te soul embraces Crist as te only way of escape, and ten te soul rejoices...wit joy unspeakable and full of glory (I Pet. 1:8). It is always wit joy tat a person draws...water out of te wells of salvation (Isa. 12:3). Te song writer as so well expressed it--- I ave found is grace is all complete, e suppliet every need; Wile I sit and learn at Jesus feet, I am free, yes, free indeed. I ave found te pleasure I once craved, It is joy and peace witin; Wat a wondrous blessing! I am saved From te awful gulf of sin. I ave found tat ope so brigt and clear, Living in te realm of grace; O, te Savior s presence is so near, I can see is smiling face. I ave found te joy no tongue can tell, ow its waves of glory roll! It is like a great o er flowing well, Springing up witin my soul. It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, O, te alf as never yet been told. Tere is joy pertaining to salvation. It is te joy of te saved, and it grows out of te fact tat tey know tat tey are saved. It is said tat Zaccaeus received Crist joyfully (Luke 19:6). After te Etiopian eunuc was saved and baptized...e went on is way rejoicing (Acts 8:39). Te saved rejoice in te great salvation wic is of te Lord. David said: But I ave trusted in ty mercy; my eart sall rejoice in ty salvation. I will sing unto te LORD, because e at dealt bountifully wit me (Ps. 13:5-6). Tere is muc in te salvation of te Lord to inspire joy. First, tere is joy because of te past condition from wic we ave been delivered. We were enemies of God, but now love as taken te place of enmity. We were condemned as guilty before God, but now justification as superseded condemnation. ow ceering wen a soul is brougt to see tat by Crist e as been justified from all tings (Acts 13:39). Tis knowledge is a perpetual spring of everlasting joy, for te justified believer knows te tunders of te Divine law are used into eternal silence. Suc a person can say wit abakkuk: Altoug te fig tree sall not blossom, neiter sall fruit be in te vines; te labour of te olive sall fail, and te fields sall yield no meat; te flock sall be cut off from te fold, and tere sall be no erd in te stalls: Yet I will rejoice in te LORD, I will joy in te God of my salvation (ab. 3:17-18). Second, te person tat is saved can rejoice in a present salvation: Beloved, now are we te sons of God... (I Jon 3:2). We know tat we ave passed from deat unto life, because we love te bretren (I Jon 3:14). 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... (I Jon 5:13). In te present state, amid te trials of life, te temptations of Satan, te frown of te world, and te infirmities of te fles, we can ave a knowso salvation. Tose wo enjoy suc assurance ave obtained... joy and gladness... (Isa. 35:10) of wic te unsaved world knows noting. Tird, we can rejoice in a future salvation. Te body is not yet saved, for it is still a body of sin and deat. Believers are waiting for te adoption, to wit, te redemption of our body (Rom. 8:23). Tose wo already know tat teir immortal souls are saved long for...te manifestation of te sons of God (Rom. 8:19). Tank God, Jesus is coming soon and tat our...salvation is nearer tan wen we believed (Rom. (Continued on page 17)

17 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 17 Restoration of te (Continued from page 16) 13:11). So Crist was once offered to bear te sins of many; and unto tem tat look for im sall e appear te second time witout sin unto salvation (eb. 9:28). Until Crist actually comes we can only...rejoice in ope of te glory of God (Rom. 5:2). TE LOSS OF TE JOY OF SALVATION Te joy of salvation may be lost by a believer by is engaging in sin. I did not say a man could lose is salvation, but te joy of salvation. Tere is a difference in losing te joy of salvation and in losing salvation. As a sovereign gracer, I do not believe tat a person can lose te salvation wic God gives im, but I do believe e can lose te joy wic accompanies tat salvation. David ad lost te joy of is salvation, but e ad not lost salvation itself. A number of tings can cause a person to lose te joy of salvation. First, as we can see in te case of David, tere may be scandalous sins. Wilful sin deprives one of te joy of God s salvation. It is wen a person engages in wilful sin tat is opes are saken. Often after committing black sins a believer may find is own salvation as become debatable and doubtful (II Pet. 1:9-10). Suc a person becomes sad and ceerless; e as no peace of mind and conscience. e is of all men most miserable as e lives from day to day upon tis eart. A second way to lose te joy of salvation is by allowing love for Crist and te bretren to diminis. Love for Crist (Rom. 5:5) and oter believers (I Jon 3:16) is implanted in te eart at te point of regeneration. It is not to be like wind and weater. Love must be constant at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances. In te cluster of Cristian virtues in Galatians 5:22-23 love and joy are joined togeter. Te reason for tis is tat wen love wanes, te joy of salvation is lost. A tird way to lose te joy of God s salvation is to neglect te study of te Bible. Te Bible is a means of progressive sanctification. Jesus Crist prayed: Sanctify tem troug ty trut: ty word is trut (Jon 17:17). Psalm 119:9 says: Werewital sall a young man cleanse is way? by taking eed tereto according to ty word. Read and study te Bible muc, for it will keep you from sin. Tose wo neglect te Bible will soon get involved in wilful sin. Suc unconfessed sins in te life of a Cristian creates a distance and darkness between God and te soul. Tis results in te loss of te joy of salvation. A fourt way to forfeit te joy of God s salvation is by losing te spirit of prayer. Wen a believer is near is Lord e loves to pray. Day and nigt e cries to is eavenly Fater. Tere is no place so sweet and pleasant to im as te trone of grace. As long as tere is deligt in prayer te joy of salvation fills te soul. But wen te spirit of prayer is lost, or te duty performed in a formal manner, te joy of salvation is lost. TIS JOY CAN BE RESTORED Tere is on te part of King David in my text a yearning after te joy of salvation. e looked upon tis loss as a great misfortune and a great fault. Te words: Restore unto me te joy of ty salvation means Cause te joy of God s salvation to return. Tis implies e ad formerly known tis joy. e believed it was igly important to ave tis joy restored. e ad lost wat te world could not give, and all te world could not make up for. Te prayer of David in te text sows e knew God could restore tis lost joy. God ad not taken te joy of salvation from David. It was David wo ad lost tis joy by wilful sin and disobedience. Wile it was David wo ad lost it, no one could restore it but God. And so e prays tat God will give it back for is own glory and grace. King David needed tis joy restored for a number of reasons. First, for is own comfort. ow could e face te people of Israel as teir king wen e was guilty of suc crimes as adultery and murder? ow could e ever sing psalms and play is arp again wit tis desolate sense of loss? ow wretced is te condition of any believer wo as lost te joy of is salvation. Tere is a vaccum in is eart wic all under eaven is incompetent to fill. Second, te psalmist desired to reclaim tis joy so e could be an effective witness to lost sinners. Note te text again and te verse wic follows it: Restore unto me te joy of ty salvation; and upold me wit ty free spirit. Ten will I teac transgressors ty ways; and sinners sall be converted unto tee (Ps. 51:12-13). No man can be a successful witness for Crist if is life is full of sin. Tird, e wanted is joy restored to put onor upon true religion. Natan ad told im tat is sins ad...given great occasion to te enemies of te LORD to blaspeme... (II Sam. 12:14). David s conduct ad misrepresented te religion of Jeova to pagan idolaters. Tey would look at te sinful and sorrowful condition of King David and assume tat true religion was a gloomy, repulsive ting. David must repent of is sins and ave is joy restored so as to clote true religion wit a alo of glory. TE MEANS OF RESTORATION ow can te joy of salvation be restored? First, it can be restored by confession of te sins tat caused te loss of te joy. David in Psalm 51 made a noble confession of is sin: For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against tee, tee only, ave I sinned, and done tis evil in ty sigt: tat tou migtest be justified wen tou speakest, and be clear wen tou judgest (Ps. 51:3-4). I Jon 1:9 declares: If we confess our sins, e is faitful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrigteousness. Second, tere must be repentance of tese sins and a desire for forgiveness. David surely did tis. Listen to is words: ave mercy upon me, O God, according to ty lovingkindness: according unto te multitude of ty tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Was me trougly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin....purge me wit yssop, and I sall be clean: was me, and I sall be witer tan snow....ide ty face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean eart, O God; and renew a rigt spirit witin me....deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, tou God of my salvation: and my tongue sall sing aloud of ty rigteousness (Ps. 51:1-2,7,9-10,14). Tird, tere must be earnest prayer to God for te restoration of te joy of is salvation. David (Continued on page 18)

18 Page 18 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Restoration of te (Continued from page 17) prayed: Restore unto me te joy of ty salvation. e knew tat only wen God grants a renewal can tere be consciousness of God s favor. David prayed wit te expectation of getting tis joy back. Fourt, tere must be a prayer for te renewal of te influence of te oly Spirit. Te last part of te text says:...and upold me wit ty free spirit. In tese words e acknowledges tat only te oly Spirit can keep im from falling into sin and gives im liberty and safety. Left to imself a weak uman being would soon sin again and lose te joy of te Lord s salvation. CONCLUSION Are you an unappy Cristian? ave you engaged in wilful sins wic ave robbed you of te joy of salvation? If tis is your case, ten repent of your wrongs and ask God to restore your joy once again. Please remember tat...te joy of te LORD... is our strengt (Ne. 8:10). Do not forget tat te joy of salvation ere on eart is but a foretaste of eaven were in is...presence is fulness of joy... (Ps. 16:11). ave you ever experienced te joy of salvation? ave you eard te joyful sound? Do you rejoice tat your name is written in eaven? Do you ave in your eart spiritual joy, a joy tat no man can take from you? If you ave not known tis great appiness, you ave never experienced true joy. If you know noting of tis joy, you never will, unless you repent. It is repent or peris for every man wo ears te gospel. 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 Monkeying around wit personood (WNS)--Governments ave granted legal personood to rivers, and a New York court as eard a case arguing for uman rigts for two cimpanzees. Now te craziness continues as a California federal appeals court just eard arguments on weter Naruto, a monkey wo as learned ow to take selfies, sould be allowed to old a copyrigt to te potos. Te court is expected to make a decision soon. Up next, designer babies (WNS)--Wen so-called treeparent babies first became possible, many researcers touted te tecnique as a way to elp women wit mitocondrial disease give birt to ealty cildren. Eticists warned it was te beginning of a slippery slope and soon doctors would use te procedure for applications oter tan preventing disease. A U.S. fertility doctor, Jon Zang, wo owns a biotec company called Darwin Life, is now plummeting down tat slope wit plans to use te tree-parent baby tecnique to elp women over 40 become pregnant by sifting teir DNA into a young woman s egg, MIT Tecnology Review reports. And Zang does not plan to stop tere. Despite warnings from eticists and experts concerns about te safety of te procedure, Zang as profit-making designer babies in is sigts. Everyting we do is a step toward designer babies, e told MIT Tecnology Review. Te procedure is illegal in te United States, so Zang plans to offer it overseas only. A tricky question (WNS)--Te Education Department just can not win wen it comes to pleasing transgender advocates. Te agency announced last week it would cange te tense of a gender-related question on te Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after someone complained te present-tense wording migt confuse transgender students. Instead of asking, Are you male or female? te department plans to ask, Were you born male or female? Gender is important because all FAFSAs filed by male applicants must be cecked against Selective Service registration, a requirement for getting any federal aid. But transgender advocates say asking about an applicant s birt gender could out some transgender students wile also suggesting transgenderism is not a real ting. Tey offered to meet wit Education Department representatives to elp tem get te question rigt. But a simple tense cange probably will not fix te problem. Noting sort of a total rejection of biological reality seems likely to suffice. Moter pusing for restroom access for transgender teen (WNS)--Te moter of a 16-yearold transgender student is suing a Florida ig scool for denying er cild access to te boys restroom. Te teen, identified as Drew Adams in te complaint, was born female but as identified as male since After an anonymous complaint sortly after Adams began identifying as a male, Allen D. Nease ig Scool, in Ponte Vedra, Fla., told Adams to use a single occupancy, gender-neutral restroom instead of te boys restroom. Adams moter is suing te St. Jons County Scool Board for discrimination. It makes me feel isolated from te rest of te student body, Drew told Te St. Augustine Record. It is telling me tat te scool district sees me as a lesser person just because I am transgender. Evolutionists try to nouris Darwin s wilting tree of life (WNS)--In te 158 years since Carles Darwin developed te idea tat all living organisms evolved from one common ancestor, scientists ave attempted to prop up te socalled tree of life teory against te prevailing winds of reason. Since 1859, little empirical evidence as supported te concept, but a team of researcers from Rutgers University tinks resaping te tree could elp prove its existence. Te researcers say te tree does not give te full picture of evolution because it depicts various families of organisms as independent brances. A better picture would sow ow forms of life suc as microbes and teir osts are linked pysically and evolve togeter. Te goal is to transform a two-dimensional tree into one tat is multidimensional and includes biological interactions among species, researcer Debasis Battacarya said in a statement. Even toug te researcers want to resape Darwin s tree, tey were quick to defend teir campion. Wat we wis to clearly stress is tat we are not engaged in Darwinbasing. We consider Darwin a ero (Continued on page 19)

19 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 19 Bible & te Newspaper (Continued from page 18) of science, Battacarya said. Louisiana sued (again) for its pro-life laws (WNS)--Te Center for Reproductive Rigts filed a lawsuit in Baton Rouge in late June targeting Louisiana s abortion facility licensing law and oter ealt and safety regulations. Te group sued on bealf of ope Medical Group for Women in Sreveport and tree anonymous abortionists wo say te Louisiana laws run counter to last year s Supreme Court decision Wole Woman s ealt v. ellerstedt. Last June s ruling determined a Texas law requiring abortionists to ave ospital admitting privileges and mandating abortion facilities meet ambulatory surgical standards created an unconstitutional undue burden on abortion access. Oregon poised to make abortion free (WNS)--Oregon taxpayers will soon be paying for abortion, contraceptives, and sterilization under a new law Gov. Kate Brown vowed to sign. Te Reproductive ealt Equity Act, recently passed by legislators, forbids ealt insurance plans from imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any oter cost-saring requirement for abortion, STD screening, prenatal care, post-natal care, and all forms of contraception. Curces and religious nonprofits will be exempt from te law if tey notify employees tey do not cover contraceptives or abortion. Teir employees may turn to Oregon s general fund, padded wit more tan $10 million, to cover contraceptives and abortion. Te bill also allocates $500,000 to cover abortions and contraceptives for illegal immigrants. Oklaoma AG: Defense of university capel a top priority (WNS)--Oklaoma Attorney General Mike unter as stepped into a dispute over te display of Cristian emblems on a public university campus, declaring te issue a top religious liberty priority. In a July 5 letter to East Central University s Board of Regents, unter said te figt could ave repercussions beyond te ECU campus and asked administrators to refer all future responses to is office. For 60 years, te Katryn P. Boswell Memorial Capel on te ECU campus in Ada, Okla., as osted a variety of religious services, concerts, and university club meetings, all wile a cross stood atop its steeple and Bibles rested in its pews. But according to Americans United for te Separation of Curc and State (AU), someone complained tat tose elements constituted government endorsement of religion. Te cross, Bibles, and religious icons do not belong on te public university campus and must be removed, AU told university administrators in a June letter. Florida fortifies religious freedom in public scools (WNS)--Florida public scool students will ave added protection for expressing teir fait on campus during te upcoming scool year, tanks to a new law tat went into effect July 1. Supporters say te bill just reiterates existing constitutional protections for religious liberty by listing specific practices wit wic educators cannot interfere. Opponents say te bill goes too far and could unleas a ras of lawsuits. Te Religious Expression in Public Scools Act forbids scool districts from discriminating against students, parents, or staff members for teir religious views or expression. It specifies students are free to refer to religion in teir scoolwork, pray witout interference, and wear religious symbols witout fear of punisment. Te Florida ouse passed its version of te bill unanimously, but Republicans in te state Senate insisted on adding a provision tat would require scools to allow student-led prayers during te scool day and at scoolsanctioned events, like sporting events and assemblies. It passed mostly along party lines. awaii pro-life centers sue over abortion promotion law (WNS)--Two pro-life pregnancy resource centers in awaii filed suit against a new law requiring tem to promote abortion. Te law, signed by Gov. David Ige on July 11, requires pregnancy resource centers to post signs telling women about te state s family planning services. Pregnancy centers must post te signs on letter-sized paper in at least 22-point font, or give eac woman a notice in person wen se cecks in. A Place for Women in Waipo, run by Calvary Capel Pearl arbor, and a National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, wic as five affiliates in awaii, filed suit wit elp from Alliance Defending Freedom. Illustrating te need for religious liberty (WNS)--An address by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to a group of Cristian attorneys drew fire and false accusations from media sources. Te incident served to illustrate te teme of Sessions speec te essential role of religious liberty in America and te need to preserve it. In is remarks to a gatering of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorneys in Soutern California on July 11, Sessions recounted te Western eritage of fait and reason tat framers of te Bill of Rigts understood as te foundation of religious liberties. Tey did not seek to establis a teocracy but to recognize te rigts of conscience tat were essential to being a created being, e said. But te cultural climate as become less ospitable to people of fait and to religious belief. And in recent years, many Americans ave felt tat teir freedom to practice teir fait as been under attack, e told te attorneys. Tis feeling is understandable. A baker and a florist walk into te Supreme Court (WNS)--Barronelle Stutzman, te Wasington state florist sued for declining to create custom floral arrangements for a gay wedding, as asked te U.S. Supreme Court to ear er case. In teir July 14 appeal, Stutzman s attorneys asked te court to consolidate er case wit tat of Colorado baker Jack Pillips, wic te court agreed to ear tis fall. Stutzman will ave to wait until te justices return from teir recess in October to find out if tey will take up Arlene s Flowers v. te State of Wasington and Arlene s Flowers v. Ingersoll. Stutzman s attorneys wit ADF also represent Pillips in Masterpiece Cakesop v. Colorado Civil Rigts Commission. Bot petitions question weter te government can compel te baker or te florist to create expression tat violates teir sincerely eld religious beliefs about marriage. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Selective tolerance in educaton (WNS)--An Ortodox Jewis girls scool in East London is facing closure for not agreeing to teac its students ages 3 to 8 about gender reassignment or omosexuality. Te U.K. s Office of Standards in (Continued on page 20)

20 Page 20 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Bible & te Newspaper (Continued from page 19) Education cited Visnitz Girls Scool tree times in June, arguing te scool does not give its pupils a full understanding of fundamental Britis values. Wile acknowledging te students are well-motivated, ave positive attitudes to learning and are confident in tinking for temselves, and tat te teacers good subject knowledge and ig quality classroom resources inspire pupils wit entusiasm for learning, te report asserts te scool s decision not to explicitly teac about issues suc as sexual orientation restricts pupils spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development and does not promote equality of opportunity in ways tat take account of differing lifestyles. It is unclear ow te government plans to follow up on te citation if te scool does not comply, and te scool as not made its response public. Curc of England votes to affirm transgender members (WNS)--Despite claims tis week s Curc of England General Synod resulted in no doctrinal canges on te issue of sexuality, conservative Anglicans are lamenting te tree-day meeting, saying te Curc stepped away from Biblical Cristianity and mocked God s Word. In February, te General Synod rejected a report reaffirming traditional curc cannon on marriage, a decision seen as a victory for LGBT advocates witin te Curc. Arcbisop of Canterbury Justin Welby said afterwards a radical new Cristian inclusion in te Curc was needed to deal wit disagreements and find ways forward. Reporting to te General Synod on Saturday, Welby said two working groups would provide pastoral guidance and produce new teacing on uman sexuality. Parents pus back on smacking ban (WNS)--A group of Wels parents is calling on te local government to ditc plans to criminalize spanking. Te campaign, called Be Reasonable Wales, is pusing back on plans to remove te legal defense for parents wo use corporal punisment to discipline teir cildren. Te group says current law adequately protects cildren from abuse and attack, and te move will instead criminalize parents wo moderately discipline teir cildren. Tey also note it will backlog te already overloaded cild welfare system in trivial cases, diverting time and attention away from serious cases of abuse. Te law already protects cildren from abuse, wic of course is important and vital, but tis additional cange can ave no oter consequence oter tan making parents wo are loving and caring into criminals, said Lowri Turner, campaign spokeswoman. Te Limited Atonement By Cristoper W. Burke, Sr. of Catlettsburg, Kentucky (Please read Isaia 53:4-6, 8, 10-12). We ave asked you to read tese verses simply as a foundation for our subject. I believe tese verses most assuredly teac te limited atonement of Crist for is people. We will now consider our subject in 5 points, wic are as follows: 1. First, we want to consider te meaning of te atonement. Te Englis word atonement is found 70 times in te Scriptures, 69 times in te Old Testament and only once in te New Testament. Tere are some oter words for te atonement used in te New Testament, wic we will also see. Te word atonement essentially means At-onement. Tus, to make atonement means to reconcile, or to make reconciliation. In te Bible reconciliation means to bring a oly God into a loving relationsip wit sinful man so as to make perfect peace between tem. For if, wen we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by te deat of is Son, muc more, being reconciled, we sall be saved by is life. And not only so, but we also joy in God troug our Lord Jesus Crist, by wom we ave now received te atonement (Rom. 5:10-11). Te word atonement also means satisfaction, or te price tat was paid to make reconciliation between a oly God and sinful man. Te deat of Jesus Crist on te cross was te price tat was paid to make satisfaction for sin, wic satisfied God s wrat upon guilty sinners. e sall see of te travail of is soul, and sall be satisfied: by is knowledge sall my rigteous servant justify many; for e sall bear teir iniquities (Isa. 53:11). Te word propitiation is also used in te New Testament to describe te atonement. erein is love, not tat we loved God, but tat e loved us, and sent is Son to be te propitiation for our sins (I Jon 4:10). Te word propitiation means to appease or to expiate te sin and guilt of sinners. So ten te atoning work of Crist appeased God s wrat tat was due to wicked vile sinners because of our sins. And te same Greek word translated propitiation is also translated mercy seat in ebrews 9:5. Te mercy seat was te cover of te ark of te covenant were te ig priest sprinkled te blood of te atoning sacrifice for te sins of te people. It was on te mercy seat tat God s wrat was appeased wen te blood of te atoning sacrifice was applied tereon. Crist, beloved, is our Mercy Seat. e is our ig Priest, and e is also te sacrifice tat appeased God s wrat for our sins. It was is blood tat e sprinkled on te Mercy Seat in eaven tat propitiated, or appeased God s wrat tat was due to wicked sinners. 2. Secondly, we want to consider te necessity of te atonement. Limited atonement is te L in te center of te TULIP doctrines, as tey are often referred. Te atonement is rigt at te center or te eart of te doctrines of grace, as it sould be. Te first two doctrines of grace make necessary te atonement. Te fact tat man is totally depraved makes te atonement necessary and essential for is salvation. Witout te atoning work of Crist no man could be saved from is sin! And te fact tat God elected a people unto salvation from among Adam s sinful fallen race, also requires tat an Atoning Sacrifice be made to pay te price for teir sins. Witout Crist s atonement for sin, te election would be of no effect and would ave no purpose. So ten, witout te Atonement of Crist tere would be, and could be no salvation of sinners. All of te oter doctrines of grace are (Continued on page 21)

21 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 21 Limited Atonement (Continued from page 20) dependant upon te atonement of Crist to be effectual. 3. Tirdly, we want to consider te substitutionary nature of te atonement (Read Galatians 2:20; II Corintians 5:21; I Peter 2:24, 3:18). Te basis for te doctrine of te limited atonement is te fact tat te atoning sacrifice of Crist was vicarious, or substitutionary te just for (or in te stead of) te unjust. Te atoning Sacrifice of Crist was te exact, te actual, and te literal price necessary for our pardon, wic te oly law of God demanded as payment for our sins. Jesus suffered te exact penalty tat te sinner would ave been required to suffer in ell for is own sins. Tis was done, not merely for our potential benefit, but literally in our room and stead, as if we individually were in Crist suffering and dying for our sins. Paul said I am crucified wit Crist as if e was on te cross wit Crist suffering for is sins! Te vicarious or substitutionary nature of te atonement is most crucial to understanding te doctrine of te limited atonement. Since te atonement of Crist was substitutionary, only te sinners for wom e suffered and died in teir room and stead are atoned for; all oters will be made to suffer for teir own sins. 4. Fourtly, we want to see te extent of te atonement. We will consider te extent of te atonement in two aspects. 1) First, we want to consider te unlimited aspects of te atonement of Crist. We speak about te limited atonement a lot as Baptists, and of course we will get to tat in a few minutes, yet we do not very often consider te unlimited aspects of te atonement. But tere are some ways tat te atonement is unlimited; at least unlimited to our finite minds. Te atonement is unlimited in its scope. Notice te following verses: For God so loved te world, tat e gave is only begotten Son, tat wosoever believet in im sould not peris, but ave everlasting life (Jon 3:16). And e is te propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for te sins of te wole world (I Jon 2:2). We understand tat te word world as different meanings depending on te context of its usage. In tese and oter similar passages, te word world is speaking of all kinds of people. People from every nationality, from every etnic group, from every race and color, trougout all of time, from Adam to te end of te world. Te atoning work of Crist was not limited to te Jews only (altoug salvation was to te Jew first), but it extends to all kinds of people everywere in te world. To te Jews in Crist s day tis was big news, and to most of tem, it was bad news, wic caused even greater rejection and atred for Crist. Te Jews tougt tat teir Messia would be teir Savior only! But tey did not know te Scriptures, wic teac te salvation of te Gentiles also! So ten, te atonement is unlimited in its scope and its reac over geograpical, etnic, cultural, and national boundaries, as well as te boundaries of time. Te great commission given by Jesus to is Curc expresses tis fact Jesus said in Mattew 28:18-20, Go ye terefore and teac all nations lo, I am wit you alway, even unto te end of te world. Tat covers all people of all time. Next, te atonement of Crist is unlimited in its ability to atone for any and all sinners wo come unto Jesus. Te vilest offender wo truly believes, tat moment from Jesus a pardon receives. Praise te Lord! Praise te Lord! Let te eart ear is voice! Tere is no sinner wo as sinned too great a sin, or too many sins tat te sacrifice of Crist cannot atone for. Tis is a faitful saying, and worty of all acceptation, tat Crist Jesus came into te world to save sinners; of wom I am cief (I Tim. 1:15). Know ye not tat te unrigteous sall not inerit te kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neiter fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of temselves wit mankind, Nor tieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, sall inerit te kingdom of God. And suc were some of you: but ye are wased, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in te name of te Lord Jesus, and by te Spirit of our God (I Cor. 6:9-11). Jesus atoned for all kinds of sinners wo were guilty of te vilest of sins, terefore te atonement of Crist is unlimited in its ability to save lost, undone, guilty, vile sinners, suc as you and me. Tere is no sinner tat Jesus can not save and tat is blood can not atone for! 2) Secondly, we want to consider te limited nature of te atonement. Essentially, te doctrine of te limited atonement means tat te atonement of Crist was intended for, and sufficient for, and efficient for te elect of God, and only te elect tat te blood of Crist atoned only for te sins of God s elect wom e cose, wom e foreknew, wom e would effectually call by te Gospel, and wom e would in time glorify. All professing Cristians wo ave given tis subject any real tougt, must admit tat te atonement must be limited, at least to some extent. No one tat I ave ever talked to on tis subject believes tat te atonement of Crist was intended for eiter Satan or te ost of fallen angels wo sinned against God. No one seems to care tat God did not atone for tem? But tese same folks get upset at te idea tat God would not provide an atonement for all men witout exception. Tey get angry at te idea tat God would design te atonement exclusively for a people of is own coosing, and tat all te rest would be left to peris in teir sins. But te fact is, beloved, tat God is God, and e does watsoever e pleases wit is own; and e is perfectly just to save some and to damn oters, seeing tat all men are worty of is wrat. But te proud eart of man will not accept or allow God to exercise is divine prerogative over is creation, to do wit it watsoever e will. Does God not ave te rigt to coose, to atone for, to save, and bring to glory a people as it pleases im? Romans 9 teaces us tat e does! Wo is man to question God? Wo is man to reply against God? Wo is man to tell God wat e can or cannot do wit is own? Te fact is, beloved, regardless of wat proud and augty men migt tink, God as limited te atonement to tose e elected and predestinated unto salvation (Continued on page 22)

22 Page 22 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 Limited Atonement (Continued from page 21) and eternal glory. But wy, you migt ask, must te atonement of Crist be limited? Because, as we ave already seen, te atonement of Crist is substitutionary. Since Jesus actually died for te individual sins of individual sinners, in teir room and stead, ten it must be tat all sinners e atoned for must be pardoned of teir sins. Te oly, rigteous justice of God requires tat sin be paid for, but it must only be paid for once. Terefore, if Jesus paid a sinner s sin debt and suffered teir eternal ell in teir room and stead, te sinner will never ave to do so. Te justice of God will not punis te same sins twice. Beloved, since ell is a real place were sinners will suffer for teir sins, ten Crist could not possibly ave atoned for sinners wo end up in tat awful place of torments. Tis truly would be unjust. It would be unjust to Crist wo suffered for sinners wo also will suffer for tese same sins. It would not only be unjust to Crist, but it would also make a mockery of is work on te cross, and render is atonement ineffective and of no value to te multitudes of sinners in ell. Tose wo believe in a universal atonement, tat is, tat Crist died and atoned for all men witout exception, cannot believe tat te atonement was substitutionary. Tey cannot believe tat Crist actually and literally suffered for any particular sinner and teir sins. Tey can only believe tat te atoning sacrifice of Crist merely made it possible for God to save sinners, but tat te blood of Crist did not actually and literally atone for anyone, or reconcile anyone to God. If, beloved, Crist did not actually suffer in te room and stead of sinners, ow ten are teir sins paid for? If Crist didn t actually and literally suffer for our sins, ten will our sins go unpunised? Will te justice of God not be meted out on our sins? Was te deat of Crist merely a formality tat in reality accomplised noting for certain for anyone, but only made possible for God to forgo is justice upon everyone of Adam s sinful fallen race? Tis is wat te universal atonement advocates must ultimately concede to. And te teacing of te sufficiency and efficiency of te atonement (wic many professing sovereign grace Baptists believe today) is also a fallacy. Since te atonement of Crist was substitutionary, is sacrifice can only be sufficient and efficient for tose e atoned for. Beloved, sufficiency must equal efficiency! ow could te atonement of Crist be sufficient for all men, including tose e did not die in te room and stead of? And ow could is atonement be sufficient for sinners suffering in ell? Tis is inconsistent, contradictory, and a futile attempt to compromise wit te universal atonement eresy. Beloved, all suc tinking is foolis! All suc tinking is a mockery to God and is oliness, as well as is justice. 5. Fiftly, we want to consider, Te limited atonement and te free offer of te Gospel. ow does te doctrine of te limited atonement affect our gospel ministry? Does it render our message insincere to te nonelect for wic te atonement was not intended? Tat is wat we are accused of. Te answer lies in our presentation of te Gospel. Wat do we tell lost sinners? Do we tell tem tat God loves you and Jesus died for you, and e wants to save you, if only you will believe. Jesus did everyting necessary for your salvation, now it is up to you to accept is offer. Tat is one message being propagated today, but it is te wrong message. Beloved, wat we need to tell lost sinners is tat Jesus came into te world to save sinners, tat Jesus died on te cross, was buried in te tomb, and rose again te tird day, and wosoever repents and believes tat Jesus suffered, bled, and died for tem sall be saved. It is not our place to say wo God loves redemptively. It is not our place to say wo Crist died for, and wo is blood atoned for. Nor is it our place to guess and speculate wo te elect are. But it is our place to preac te Gospel to every creature. To tell tem wat Crist came into te world to do, and wat e accomplised on te cross for sinners. Beloved, God will call is people troug te Gospel, and give fait to is elect, woever and werever tey are. We preac te Gospel as a statement of fact about wo Crist is and wat e accomplised on te cross, and God makes it effectual as e sees fit in accordance wit is eternal plan and purpose. So, beloved, it is not insincere to tell all men about Jesus Crist and is work on te cross for sinners. Te oly Spirit is te One wo must reveal tis trut to te earts of sinners in te new birt. Tat is is business. Our business is simply to tell sinners about Jesus and is power to save all wo will come unto im by fait. In conclusion, was te atoning sacrifice of Crist intended for you? Are you one for wom Crist died and sed is precious blood? Are you one of te elect? ow can you know? Being justified freely by is grace troug te redemption tat is in Crist Jesus: Wom God at set fort to be a propitiation troug fait in is blood, to declare is rigteousness for te remission of sins tat are past, troug te forbearance of God (Rom. 3:24-25). We notice te words troug fait in is blood. Tis is ow God applies te atoning work of Crist to sinners, by giving tem fait in is blood. By giving tem fait to repent and believe te Gospel, tat Jesus Crist died on te cross for teir sins, tat e was buried in te tomb, and tat e rose again te tird day for tem. Te atoning work of Crist is applied troug fait. If you believe in your eart tat Jesus died for you, tat is atoning blood was sed for your sins, ten you can be sure tat you are one of God s elect, and tat is limited atonement was made for you. It is by fait in te blood, and only by fait tat we can know tat we are te redeemed, te elect, and te beloved of God. Finally, I ope tat tis message will elp strengten te saints of God, and encourage you to continue believing in tis most precious doctrine of te limited atonement. Do not let te errors of false religion discourage your fait in te limited atonement, and all te precious doctrines of God s amazing grace. God elp us all to stand strong for tese precious truts of is Word.

23 September 5, 2017 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 23 Praying in Jesus Name By Rosco Brong ( ) UNANSWERED PRAYER CAN MEAN ONLY TAT WE AVE FAILED TO MEET GOD S CONDITIONS And watsoever ye sall ask in my name, tat will I do... (Jon 14:13).... Watsoever ye sall ask te Fater in my name, e will give it you (Jon 16:23). Prayer is one of te greatest privileges, as well as one of te most neglected duties, of a cild of God. Te Bible is full of invitations and exortations to prayer. Promises of God to answer prayer are ric and plentiful, and peraps none of tem seem more inclusive tan te promises of Jesus tat God will do and give watsoever we ask in is name. Yet millions of prayers fail to obtain watsoever is asked for, toug te persons praying say and tink tat tey are praying in Jesus name. as Jesus left us wit false promises, or ave we failed to understand and meet te conditions attaced? To te true believer in Crist tere can be, of course, no doubt in tis matter: te failure is in us, not in our Lord. Wat, ten, does it mean to pray in te name of Jesus? A MERE INVOCATION Peraps we tink we are praying in te name of Jesus just because we use is name on our lips, including somewere in our prayer a form of words suc as We ask it in te name of Jesus. Certainly tere is noting wrong in using suc words, if we mean tem. But it is possible to take God s name (or Jesus name) in vain. I suppose no one is so foolis as to tink tat a mere pronouncing of a form of words can satisfy Jesus condition tat we ask in is name. Neverteless, And watsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in te name of te Lord Jesus, giving tanks to God and te Fater by im (Col. 3:17). AS OWNED BY IM In te name of Jesus could mean as owned by im. So we speak of a bank account in te name of Jon Smit, meaning tat it is is account. Tis meaning as led some commentators to explain te prase in my name as requiring no more tan a recognition tat Jesus is te rigtful owner of all tings, so tat we ask God to give us wat belongs to Jesus. It is more to te point tat e owns us, and we are invited and commanded to pray in view of te fact tat we belong to im....ye sall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, tat I will pray te Fater for you: for te Fater imself lovet you, because ye ave loved me, and ave believed tat I came out from God (Jon 16:26-27). Wen te policeman souts, Stop, in te name of te law, e means by te autority of te law. Likewise wen Jesus tells us to ask in is name, we are to ask by is autority. Accordingly, we are to ask under is direction, in obedience to is Word. We ave no more rigt to ask for tings contrary to is Word tan an officer as to act contrary to law wile professing to act in te name of te law. Because of tis principle, we do well to searc te Scripture for promises wic we can fairly take to ourselves. Ten we can pray as did David,...do as tou ast said (II Sam. 7:25). And tis is te confidence tat we ave in im, tat, if we ask any ting according to is will, e earet us (I Jon 5:14). IN IS BEALF Wen an attorney acts in te name of is client, e acts in is bealf: tat is, in is interest, in is support or defense, for is benefit. Tus wen we pray really in te name of Jesus, we are not praying merely for ourselves, but for im---in is interests and for is glory. Rigt at tis point, I fear, is were most of our praying fails. It is only wen we abide in im, and is words abide in us, tat we can claim te promise,...ye sall ask wat ye will, and it sall be done unto you (Jon 15:7). James pointed to our common failing wen e wrote: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, tat ye may consume it upon your lusts (James 4:3). IN IS CARACTER Finally, an actor acts or speaks in te name of a real or imaginary person wen e assumes or represents tat caracter. And we are to put on Crist (Rom. 13:14), we are ambassadors for Crist, we represent Crist (II Cor. 5:20). And it is wen we pray as in te caracter of Crist, wit is Spirit praying beyond our ability to utter, tat we most truly meet te condition of praying in te name of Jesus. Ten e will surely do and give watsoever we ask. Likewise te Spirit also elpet our infirmities: for we know not wat we sould pray for as we ougt: but te Spirit itself maket intercession for us wit groanings wic cannot be (Continued on page 24) BEREA BAPTIST BANNER Financial Report to Beginning Balance...$ RECEIPTS: 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 Bruce Allen, Fairmount, GA Carol Willett, Edgewater, FL Citrus M. B. C., Inverness, FL Emmanuel B. C., Oldtown, KY Eve Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Fait B. C., Lynn, AR Gail Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Grace B. C., Rural all, NC Grace M. B. C., Marion, IL Grace M B. C., Corbin, KY 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 Piladelpia B. C., Decatur, AL Portland B. C., Plumerville, AR Rebecca Williamson, untingburg, IN Soutside B. C., Fulton, MS Sovereign Grace B. C., Indianapolis, IN Sovereign Grace B. C., Nortport, AL Sovereign Grace, B. C., Silsbee, TX 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 Total Expenditures... $3, ENDING BALANCE... $1, BEREA BAPTIST BROADCAST Financial Report to Beginning Balance... $3, RECEIPTS: Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Briar Creek B. C., Williamsburg, KY Calvary I. B. C., Everson, WA Grace B. C., Corbin, KY TOTAL...4, EXPENDITURES: Radio Time TOTAL EXPENDITURES , Interest ENDING BALANCE... $3,803.82

24 Page 24 Te Berea Baptist Banner September 5, 2017 ANNOUNCEMENTS Te Sovereign Grace Baptist Curc, 3484 WY 92 N, Silsbee, TX will be osting a Bible Conference October 20t tru 22nd. Sceduled speakers are Elders Larry Wilson, Elden Joslin, David O Neal, Dan Taylor, Joey Newell, and Jimmy Nelson. Service times are Friday 5:00 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m, and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. All are invited to attend. Te Beauty Mt. Baptist Curc of Edmond, WV as unanimously called Elder Ray Sexton as pastor. Please remember tis curc and teir new pastor in your prayers. Te Grace Baptist Curc of Fairmount, GA is in need of a pastor. Due to old age and ealt reasons Bro. Al Lyons is planning to retire in October. Te curc is looking for a man tat believes like tey do. Tey are Sovereign Grace, independent, landmark Baptist. Visit teir website wic states wat tey believe: ttp:// gracebaptistcurcfairmountga. com. Interested parties sould contact Pastor Al Lyons, pone: ; Preacer@royal-lion.com or Mail: P.O. Box 861, Fairmount, GA Te Bryan Station Baptist Curc of Lexington, KY is printing a new booklet by Elder Tom Ross entitled Are You An Exceptional Curc Member? You may order copies from Bryan Station Baptist Curc, 3175 Briar ill Rd. Lexington, KY or visit teir website at Te Windsor Baptist Curc in Windsor, IL is seeking a qualified candidate for pastor. We are a sovereign grace independent Baptist curc, small in number but ric in trut. We are seeking a candidate qualified for te position as described in I Timoty 3. Any interested potential candidate please contact Broter Jon Gregory at windsorbaptist. grace@gmail.com or pone Te Lord s Baptist Curc in Tacoma Wasington is in need of a pastor. For more information please contact Gaylen Russell at (ome) or (cell) or by gaylenr@rainierconnect.com. Te Sovereign Grace Baptist Curc of Caldwell, KS is in need of a pastor. For more information please contact te curc in writing at SGBC, 400 N. Main St., Caldwell, KS 67022, or by pone Broter Darin Wiley Te 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) ARTICLE INDEX A Plea for Separation (poem) by Mrs. M. A. Caplin...p. 8 Te Bible and te Newspaper... p. 18 Evil and Bitter by Paul Stepp... p. 1 Forum... pp Gospel Regeneration Will Not Work by Curts Pug...p. 1 Te Limited Atonement by Cris W. Burke, Sr.... p. 20 Little ills... p. 5 Te Noted Pastor... p. 7 Praying in Jesus Name by Rosco Brong... p. 23 Restoration of te Joy of Salvation by Milburn Cockrell... p. 16 Wat Does te Bible Say About Favoritism! by Roy Mason...p. 1 Wen Peter Sat Down wit te Wicked by Lucien J. Lesage... p. 1 Jesus Name (Continued from page 23) uttered. And e tat searcet te earts knowet wat is te mind of te Spirit, because e maket intercession for te saints according to te will of God (Rom. 8:26-27). In our praying, as in our wole Cristian life, Crist in us is our ope of glory (Col. 1:27). Wen we can trutfully say wit Paul,... Crist livet in me... (Gal. 2:20), and wen our prayers are te expression of te life and Spirit of Crist witin us, ten indeed we are praying in Jesus name. NOTICE! Te Berea Baptist Broadcast can now be eard in te Bristol, Kingsport, and Colonial eigts areas in norteast Tennessee, as well as in te areas close to tere in Kentucky, Virginia, and Nort Carolina. See te radio log on page two for station details.