Published Throughout the City. Anxiety and the Christian s Cure. The Pragmatic Adam. Doing the Impossible - Leading A Soul to Christ

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1 Anxiety and te Cristian s Cure By Doug Newell IV of ortense, Georiga Te Lord is at and. Be careful for noting; but in everyting by prayer and supplication wit tanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And te peace of God, wic passet all understanding, sall keep your earts and minds troug Crist Jesus (Pil. 4:5-7). According to a arvard Medical Scool article written in 2008, tere are 57 million adults wo are diagnosed wit anxiety disorders; Te Pragmatic Adam By Mattew Stepp of Wayne, West Virginia I blessed te most ig, and I praised and onoured im tat livet for ever, wose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and is kingdom is from generation to generation: And all te inabitants of te eart are reputed as noting: and e doet according to is will in te army of eaven, and among te inabitants of te eart: and none can stay is nearly two-tirds of tat number are women. Anxiety as now been implicated in several cronic pysical illnesses, including eart disease, cronic respiratory disorders [astma], and gastrointestinal conditions. Anxiety as a tremendous impact on te body. God as given people emotions tat are for our good wen tey are functioning (Continued on page 118) and, or say unto im, Wat doest tou (Dan. 4:34-35)? Pragmatism is one of te worst evils of umanity. Simply defined, pragmatism is te idea tat te end justifies te means. One migt do someting orribly wicked, but if some good comes (Continued on page 131) Publised Trougout te City By Paul Stepp of Indore, West Virginia Ten te wole multitude of te country of te Gadarenes round about besougt im to depart from tem; for tey were taken wit great fear: and e went up into te sip, and returned back again. Now te man out of wom te devils were departed besougt im tat e migt be wit im: but Jesus sent im away, saying, Return to tine own ouse, and sew ow great tings God at done unto Doing te Impossible - Leading A Soul to Crist By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma Wenever tis preacer ears someone say tat e or se led someone to Crist or tat tey were led to Crist by someone e is immediately overwelmed wit suspicion and fear. My suspicion is aroused because tere is no suc ting in te Bible as a person leading a sinner to Crist. Tis idea of leading sinners to tee. And e went is way, and publised trougout te wole city ow great tings Jesus ad done unto im (Luke 8:37-39). Tis passage, tat we ave just read brings to a close te first dealings tat Jesus Crist ad wit te man wo is known as te Maniac of Gadara. Tis was (Continued on page 125) Crist is a false one wit modern easy-believe-ism roots. My fears rise up because anyone wose only experience is tat of aving been led to Crist by anoter uman being as not come to Crist. ow dare tis preacer write tat? Because te Bible is quite clear on te matter. (Continued on page 123) Faults are tick were love is tin. Love, wen fervent, admires te very ting wic is greatly denounced wen love as grown cold. Of course I ave many faults wen you ave little love. But if ye do not forgive, neiter will your Fater wic is in eaven forgive your trespasses (Mark 11:26). Tese tings I command you, tat ye love one anoter (Jon 15:17).

2 Page 118 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 June 5, 2014 Volume XXXIV, Number 6 Wole Number 419 Editor: Cristoper Cockrell Staff: Seron Cockrell, Marsa Kiser, Virginia Cockrell TE BEREA BAPTIST BANNER (UPS ) is publised montly for $6.00 per year by te autority of te Berea Baptist Curc, 3881 igway 363, Mantacie, Mississippi Periodical Publication postage paid at Mantacie, Mississippi. POSTMASTER: Send address canges to TE BEREA BAPTIST BANNER, P. O. Box 39, Mantacie, Mississippi PUBLICATION POLICIES: All matter for publication sould be sent to te editor. All manuscripts are to be typed and double spaced. All suc material becomes te property of BBB and will not be returned unless requested by te writer. We reserve te rigt to edit and condense all materials sent to us for publication. Te publication of an article does not necessarily mean te editor is in complete agreement wit te writer, nor does it mean e endorses all tis person may ave written on oter subjects. COPYING PRIVILEGES: Unless oterwise stated any article publised in tis paper may be copied by oter publications, provided tey give proper credit line stating tat suc was copied from tis publication, and te date of publication; provided tat suc materials are not publised for profit. If we are not on an excange list wit te publication copying, it is requested tat a copy of te issue containing te article be sent to our address. All copyrigted materials may not be copied witout written consent. PUBLISED MONTLY wit paid circulation in most states in te U.S.A. and some foreign countries. SUBSCRIPTION RATES - U.S. One year...$6.00 Two years...$10.00 Five years...$24.00 SUBSCRIPTION RATES - FOREIGN One Year $45 Tune in to te Berea Baptist Broadcast STATION TIME DIAL WATTS WCNA, Myrtle, MS...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 FM WCTT, Corbin, KY...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 AM WFTA, Tupelo, MS...Sunday 9:00-9:30 a.m ,000 FM KARI, Blaine, WA...Saturday 10:30-11:00 a.m ,000 AM KPRV, eavener, OK... Sunday 8:30-9:00 a.m ,000 FM Berea Baptist Banner PO Box 39 Mantacie, Mississippi (662) request@bereabaptistcurc.org bbcurc@nexband.com Planning a move? Please let us know your new address. Te post office carges us $.57 for eac returned wrong address. PLANNING TO MOVE? Notify us tree weeks in advance. Te post office will only forward periodical mail for 90 days. Tey carge us $.70 for eac cange of address tey ave to send us. Please save us tis expense and te post office time. BUNDLES TO ONE ADDRESS: Tese are sent for $4 per paper for a year. An example: 10 papers for one year at $40 or 20 papers for one year at $ LOCATION OF PUBLISING CURC: Our curc is located on state igway 363 about one mile sout of Mantacie, Mississippi. Readers are always welcome to visit our services. CURC PONE: A PAPER WITOUT SUBSCRIPTION: Some times people write to us and say tat tey did not subscribe for te BBB. Tey are receiving our paper because someone else as paid for teir subscription. We trust te BBB will be received as an outstretced and to you. Take wat you find elpful and discard wat you cannot use.if you do not want to receive suc a gift subscription, please write to us. We are appy to cancel suc a subscription. We do not want to go were we are not wanted. DISCLAIMER: Te Editor assumes tat te articles submitted for publication in te BBB are written by te person wose name tey bear, unless oterwise indicated by a quote from anoter writer. owever, te Editor cannot personally guarantee tat tis is te case in all articles wic appear in te BBB. Te purpose of te Berea Baptist Banner is as follows: 1.To onor God and to exalt te Lord Jesus Crist. 2. To preac te gospel to lost sinners. 3. To spread te wole counsel of God s Word. 4. To encourage God s preacers and to strengt-en is curces in te most oly fait. 5. To motivate God s cildren to a closer fellow-sip around is Word. 6. To inform people of world events in ligt of Bible propecy. 7. To condemn and expose error werever it may rear its ugly ead. 8. To stimulate Cristian growt in grace. 9. To make te Devil and is demons as mad as possible. DON T COMPLAIN IF YOUR READING BASKET IS EMPTY! Look at your mailing label on te front page of tis mont s paper. If you see above your name Expires 06/2014 ten tis will be your last issue. So don t complain if your reading basket is empty! Renew now so you won t miss next mont s Banner. Anxiety and te (Continued from page 117) rigtly. Tese emotions were created to automatically prepare our bodies in dangerous or trying situations. We do not want to yawn and get sleepy wen our car starts skidding out of control in a bad storm. Tat is wy our eart beats faster and we get butterflies in our stomac. Wen we are in danger our body responds by diverting blood from our abdominal organs to te brain putting our body on alert, ready for figt or fligt. Te brain is ready to perform te quick and necessary decision to run, figt, or protect. But, if te body stays in tis state, te blood is continually being directed to te brain, and less is going to te abdominal organs, wic causes pysical problems. Wen a person lives in a perpetual state of anxiety, pysical problems occur because our body is not functioning as it ougt. We are in a constant state of figt or fligt tus creating many pysical ailments. It is not natural to live in anxiety. God created our bodies to react to a bad situation but not to carry te stress and worry wit us for te rest of our lives. Medical science recognizes tat it is not natural and not ealty to live in suc a condition. No one as ever said Wat I really need is a nice anxiety filled evening, full of stress and worry! Everyone knows you sould not live in constant anxiety but knowing te problem and finding te cure are worlds apart. Te fix, more often tan not, is for te doctor to prescribe some sort of medicinal treatment, wic is often treating te symptom and not te disease. Tere are occasions were cemical imbalances can cause our body to be out of wack. Sometimes our unealty lifestyles can cause depression and anxiety. Te cure could be simply a little bit of exercise, or going for a walk outside. I am not denying tat tere are pysical issues, but I will say tat before a Cristian ever goes to te doctor for treatment for anxiety tey sould first go to te Pysician of teir souls. Medical science is trying to eal te soul wit te bottle and tey ave not te qualifications or te power to eal. Every person as anxiety. Cristians get overwelmed and are full of care and worry. Te eavenly Doctor as prescribed te cure for te anxious cild. Wen everyting in life seems to be going wrong and wen you try and you try and you can not make anyting better and everyting gets worse, your body pysically reacts to your emotional state. Wen you are in a terrible situation and not only cannot escape, but ave no options to relieve it or postpone te inevitable. Or wen tere is more mont tan money, and wen tere are sicknesses tan cannot be cured, pain tat cannot be quenced, fears tat are powerful, and treats tat are consuming, we are tossed about by wave after wave of anxiety. Our minds become confused. Te sense of opelessness sadows te soul like a dark cloud tat seems to never end. Discouragement sets in and ope is lost. Te world seems to cave in on you and you would take off and run away if tere were any place to run. One burden is trust on top of te oter and te weigt of it is crusing. You need to do someting. You MUST do someting, it is your God given job to do someting but wat? Tere is no answer and because of weakness, or because of providence, you cannot do anyting. You put on a strong face. Peraps you come to curc and smile and laug. Maybe you put on a strong face for (Continued on page 119)

3 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 119 Toward te Past Toward te Future By Raul Enyedi of Bocsa, Romania As anoter year is going by, and at a time like tis, we are looking bot toward te past and toward te future. Most people, wen looking back at teir life, perceive it as a series of appy and sad coincidences witout any connection one to anoter. But wat people consider being mere accidental appenings are actually events so complex tat tey surpass by far our power of compreension. In order to find ourselves in a certain place at a given moment (scool, work, curc, etc.), billions of factors beyond our control need to work in perfect timing. If a single suc factor does not work, we would not make it to te desired destination. Let us consider tis: Wat would appen if one of te tousands of components of our means of transportation would break down? Probably we would not make it, or at least we would be late. Wat would appen if one of te tousands of components of oter accessories on wic we depend, suc as our cell pone or computer, goes wrong? Wat would appen if one of te billions of components of our body does not work normally and we would get sick? In order for one single event to take place, billions of factors directly connected to our person, but upon wic we ave no control, need to work togeter in a precise armony. But our pat intersects wit te pats of many oter persons. Every suc intersection means billions of oter factors tat timed temselves in suc a way to make te meeting possible. Taking a superficial look, people call tese tings appenings or coincidences. owever, Cristians know from te Bible tat noting is left to mere cance, tat wit te God wo created and sustains everyting tere is no coincidence or accident. God as a plan for is creation: an immense and complex one, a plan wic includes te smallest part of te atom and te largest galaxy, a plan tat includes te entire uman race, yes, every single one of us. Te Scripture teaces us tat we know tat all tings work togeter for good to tem tat love God, to tem wo are te called according to is purpose (Rom. 8:28). Wen a cild of God looks back at all te tings tat appened to im, e or se can understand tat all te events in is or er life intertwined in suc a way tat even te greatest sufferings worked togeter for is or er good. Let us look upon every event we are going troug as a development of is great plan, made for our good. And ten we, too, may say wit te apostle: For I am persuaded, tat neiter... tings present, nor tings to come... sall be able to separate us from te love of God, wic is in Crist Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39). We do not know wat te future as in store for us, but we know tat no matter wat will come upon us, noting will ever separate us from our God. We know tat all tings, be tey joyful or sad, will work togeter for our good because te One wo designed te plan is on our side. And if e is for us, ten wo can stand against us? Wo may say wat joy, sadness or pain we will experience in te year tat lies aead? We cannot tell. But if we look at our past experiences and see ow God as worked in our lives, we will be encouraged to know tat te One wo began a work in us will most certainly complete it. Let us, terefore, look toward te past wit tankfulness and toward te future wit confidence and ten we sall joyfully live te present, being in all tings pleasing to God! Anxiety and te (Continued from page 118) your family and friends, and laug off your eartace. But wen you leave, and walk out into te sunligt, sit in te car alone, tere is a sadow over your soul. A real sadow of pain, fear, trembling, and uncertainty tat you can ide from oters but cannot escape. Te situation may indeed be dire. Te concern is warranted but you know tat you can not keep going in te darkness. Tere is no joy, no comfort, no ope. All seems lost and all seems opeless. You go on because you must go on. You keep pusing on tinking tat all is vain and soon your tired trip will end. Te darkness cruses. It cruses all ope, all life, all joy. Everyting looks and feels barren and life looks long void of any ope or comfort. ave I, in some measure, described your situation? Do you recognize te person I was talking about? Tat is not uncommon, to be overwelmed by life and trials. Te Word of God does not deny tis appens to people. Te Word of God does not deny tat tis appens to Cristians, so wy sould we deny tat it appens to us? ow foolis to ignore te problem wen God mercifully gives us te cure? Far too long ave Cristians idden teir burdens from teir broters and sisters in te curc, tat tey may keep up and polis te idol of Testimony. Te Word of God tells us tat anxiety can be dealt wit and ow to escape te darkness of melancoly. Our passage of Scripture deals wit tis very issue. I will be straigt wit you from te start. Te Lord may not deliver you out of your present situation. In fact, it migt get a wole lot worse. I cannot promise tat you will be relieved of your problems. But I can tell you tat you can (and will) be relieved of te fear, te anxiety, te worry, and te life crusing sadow tat comes wen te eart does not look to God, if you will ear is promises. Te Lord is at and. Be careful for noting; but in every ting by prayer and supplication wit tanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And te peace of God, wic passet all understanding, sall keep your earts and minds troug Crist Jesus (Pil. 4:5-7). TE LORD IS AT AND Te Lord is at and in te sense tat e is ready to te return of te Lord. Tere are many promises and exortations to Cristian living tat are connected to te return of te Lord and tat is a comfort (if you know and love Crist) tat e is coming again. owever, tere is anoter way te Lord is at and Jesus is at and in place and time, te Lord is present, e is near---te LORD is near you, believer. Rejoice, te Lord wo parted te sea is near. Stand fast, te Lord wo walked wit te ebrew men in te midst of te fiery furnace is present. Do (Continued on page 120)

4 Page 120 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Anxiety and te (Continued from page 119) not be anxious, te Jeova Jire, te Lord wo provides is at and. Te loving Seperd is close by te seep, even wen te seep feel alone. Yea, toug I walk troug te valley of te sadow of deat, I will fear no evil: for tou art wit me; ty rod and ty staff tey comfort me (Ps. 23:4). Te valley can be dark and dreadfully frigtening, but te Seperd is near to protect and comfort. Crist is real and e is present wit is own. Our first cure of anxiety is to realize tat te Lord Jesus Crist, your Saviour, is near you during tis trial. Tat te God-man wo died for you is not uncaring, but wit you and promised not to forsake you. Ye of little fait, do not be like te faitless disciples wo doubted weter or not te Lord cared tat tey were in te storm. Crist was wit tem in te storm e sent tem into. TE EART FULL OF CARE Wen te Scripture tells us to be careful for noting (Pil. 4:6) it simply means do not be full of care; or in oter words, do not be anxious. We are not robots and it is a crime to be apatetic towards life, not caring for anyting. God gave us tis emotion for a reason and tere are ways in wic it is okay to be anxious. A pastor must be concerned and full of care for te good of te curc (Pil. 2:20). Curc members sould care about not starting trouble in te curc (I Cor. 12:21-26). A man must care for and care about is family (I Tim. 5:8). A wife and moter must care for and be concerned for te temporal needs of te family and te unmarried saint is anxious about serving te Lord (I Cor. 7:32-34). A godly and responsible adult sould be concerned about and analyze te facts and take into consideration te possible outcomes and prepare for tem as best as you can. If you are sick, it would be foolis not to ave some concern and seek a doctors care. If your mind does not produce a concern for yourself or for oters wen situations arise tat are life treatening, or life canging, ten you ave a wole oter set of problems. We ignore reality and ave an apatetic view of life were we do not care about anyone or anyting except ourselves. So wat is God telling us, rater, wat is God commanding us in tis verse about care and anxiety? Be careful for noting; BUT (conjunction- rater, instead of tat, tis) in everyting by prayer and supplication wit tanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And te peace of God, wic passet all understanding, sall keep your earts and minds troug Crist Jesus (Pil. 4:6-7) (emp. DN). Tis text is dealing wit te eart and mind (verse 7 keep your eart and mind ). Te person wit te anxiety as a eart and mind problem on top of te actual problem tey are facing. All people experience anxiety and as we ave seen, not all anxiety is sinful, and a lack of anxiety in some situations is sinful. Wat we are dealing wit is te state of anxiety, te continual anxiousness about tings tat are out of our control, and more times tan not are over worldly possessions and worldly tings. If you ave a disease or a real pysical issue, concern over your ealt tat motivates you to seek medical attention is rigt and proper. owever, to worry and fret over wat you ave no control over is te sin we are laboring to mortify, and mortify wit a vengeance. Once a person as, wit all strengt and lawful labor, done everyting e can to provide, to earn, to keep, and to protect, e is now to do someting wit tat anxiety. Te care tat motivated you to do your duty cannot stay and find a comfortable ome in your eart and must quickly be sown te door. Anxiousness as done is task and now as to go. Tat emotion serves its purpose by motivating us to action, but e is not allowed to stay. Care is going to be tere, you are going to ave it, but it as to be dealt wit and God as provided te remedy. Te text tells us tat te care is in te eart and in te mind, oterwise a God given peace would not be necessary. If you were free from care, wy would God need to give you peace? You need peace wen you do not ave it, and if you are anxious, you do not ave peace. God is telling you, Cristian reader, ow to deal wit te anxiety you ave and ow to empty te eart of care. So, we take comfort tat Crist is near and realize tat since Crist is near, anxiety is not allowed to stay, so ow do we empty our earts of tis care? TE EART FULL OF PRAYER Wat do you do wit te anxiety? Take it to te Lord in prayer Take your eart, full of care Empty it to God in prayer Te Cristian sould not live in a state of anxiety but rater take everyting to God and pour your eart out to im in prayer. Empty every burden, tell im every pain and struggle. Everyting. Do not ide from God and do not try and ide from im. Do not ide your failures, faults, and sorrow from God. Tere is a temptation to deeply bury our sin and our pain and to straigten up before we go to God. You are not able to ide anyting from God anyway, and besides, you will probably look ridiculous in fig leaves (Gen. 3:7-10 ). A Cristian does not need to ide from God. We do not need to fix ourselves before coming to Crist. Tis is my temptation. Tat I am too sad or too broken to pray---but tat is exactly wen I need prayer most of all. I am forgiven, loved, and cared for by my Priest-King-Saviour. I sould not try to atone for my own sins wit my tears and break te reed tat Crist would not break. Yes, confess. Mortify. Repent. But keep going till you reac te ealing cross. Wen te eart is full of care, PRAY! If your anxiety is over spiritual issues, pray, pray and be onest wit God and confess your faults. Often our anxiety is over our lack of onesty in prayer. We know wy we are troubled and know tat is sinful, so we bury it instead of confessing. We tink tis is wrong to be like tis and I ca not be acting or tinking like tis so we put it out of our mind and pray for te country and pray for sick people. God knows wat is going on, so be onest wit im in prayer. Confess to im tat your attitude is sinful. Confess to im tat you are struggling wit someting and confess tat you know it is wrong and you do it anyway. ow do we pray? You pray to te Fater, troug te Son, in te power of te Spirit. Pray, speak to God in te sense of worsip and adoration to God. In every ting by prayer and supplication wit tanksgiving let your requests be made known unto GoD (emp. DN). Wen praying, remember tat you are talking to te Almigty, worsiping God for wo e is and remember wo it is you are talking to. Weter in te early morning, during te day, at lunc, on te job, wasing dises, you are speaking to (Continued on page 121)

5 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 121 Watering te Tulips By Todd Bryant of Nortport, Alabama It Is Simplier Tan We Often Preac e tat believet on im is not condemned: but e tat believet not is condemned already, because e at not believed in te name of te only begotten Son of God (Jon 3:18). We, as Cristians, ave confused te Gospel today. We ave gotten away from te simplicity tat is in Crist (II Cor. 11:3). Toug we ave been sent into te world to sare te Gospel wit every creature, most believers do not know ow. Many feel tey don t completely understand te formula because tey ave witnessed it being presented in so many ways. Does a person ave to bow is ead and raise is and? Does a person ave to repeat a certain prayer? Does a person ave to do tis at te front of a curc? To te vast majority of Cristendom, it seems simpler just to let te preacer do tis and anybody can see wy. Tere is confusion. Te vast majority of wat can be witnessed in curces today is a confusion of te Gospel and a confusion of te requirement of salvation. Te New Testament curces presented a muc simpler message tan wat we commonly see. It sould interest our reader tat we never once see a crowd instructed to bow teir eads wile tose tat desire salvation raise teir ands (sadly, tis immediately encourages people tat it is okay to be asamed of Jesus but tat is not our lesson today). It sould interest te reader tat not one person is ever instructed to repeat a magical prayer in order to get into eaven. Tese tings add complexity to someting tat is simple. Paul and Silas were once asked, Sirs, wat must I do to be saved? So tey said, Believe on te Lord Jesus Crist, and tou salt be saved, and ty ouse. (Acts 16:30-31). Now, Paul was inspired by God to pen more of te New Testament tan any oter man. If tere was some complex formula, we would ave seen it ere. But, Paul kept it simple. And more importantly, tese instructions to te Pilippian jailor are in perfect accord wit te declaration of Jesus in our text verse. Folks, an unbeliever can repeat words. Tis often appens. And sadly, we ave convinced a generation tat eaven is teir future ome based on teir aving repeated some words. Many are trusting in tat prayer, and not in Crist. And, by bot te declaration of Jesus and Paul, tey are still yet in a state of condemnation. But, wat is belief? Is it just a mere belief tat Jesus existed? Is it some idea tat Jesus was a good man? No, it is a trust tat e is te only Way of salvation (Epesians 1:13). Paul said it best in I Corintians 15:1-4, Moreover, bretren, I declare unto you te gospel wic I preaced unto you, wic also ye ave received, and werein ye stand; By wic also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory wat I preaced unto you, unless ye ave believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all tat wic I also received, ow tat Crist died for our sins according to te scriptures; And tat e was buried, and tat e rose again te tird day according to te scriptures. Is tis your ope today? Anxiety and te (Continued from page 120) te Almigty Creator. You are praying to One wo ears, troug Crist. You are praying to One wo cares. You are praying by One wo prays for you. You are praying troug One wo prays for you. You are praying to One wo wants you to pray to im. You are praying to One wo wants you to tell im all your problems, all your cares, all your worries, all your pain. Casting all your care upon im; for e caret for you (I Pet. 5:7). God wants you to pray to im. Tat is amazing! God deligts in earing te weak and feeble prayers of is cildren. Take all your worry and anxiety and tell your Fater. Tell im wy, admit tat you know you sould not act like tis and you know tat you sould not feel like tis, but confess tat you do. Confess you do not want to be anxious, and wy tat it is wrong. Confess to your Fater tat you are not trusting im by worrying about weter or not e will take care of you. Confess to im tat you know tat e is good and you know tat e will care for you. Confess, tat you feel alone, even toug you know te Lord is at and. SUPPLICATION WIT TANKSGIVING After you ave prayed in worsip, pray in supplication. Tere are different kinds of prayer. If all you ever do is pray for sick people, you ave an unbalanced prayer life. But, if you do not pray in supplication, you are also unbalanced. You are commanded to pray in supplication wic is a petition or a request. Ask God for tings! Wat are you concerned about? Ask God, plead wit God to intervene in your life. Let your requests be made known. Do not say God will never Ask im. Do you witold your requests because you know tey are wrong? Ten wy be anxious about tat? If you do not pray and ask God for tings you are worried about, ten you probably sould not desire to ave wat you are wanting. If you are anxious about providing a good life for bot your wife and your girlfriend, anxiety is not really te issue. But if it is a lawful need or desire, ask God for it, ask your Fater because your Fater is good. And, if your wise Fater knows tat it will not be good for you, ten e will not give it to you because e is too good to give you someting tat will arm you. e will not give us a rock wen we ask for bread, but most of te time we are asking God for te rock and e is telling us, No. We are wanting a live rattlesnake for supper instead of flounder (Luke 11:11). We come to God as cildren, not able to understand wy tings we want, wic are good, will not be good for us to ave. Oreo ice cream is really good. Oreo ice cream for breakfast, lunc, and supper is not good. Cildren know ice cream is good, but do not know wy it is not good to ave constantly. If it is good, ten more of it all te time must be good, rigt? A good and wise parent will say no, because (Continued on page 122)

6 Page 122 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Anxiety and te (Continued from page 121) tey know wy it is not good for te cild to ave ice cream all te time. Sometimes, because of a weakness in te body, you are not able to ave good tings because tey are armful. A cild wit diabetes cannot ave te same food as a cild witout diabetes. Te parents know tat tis particular cild, due to teir frame, cannot ave te same ting as te oter cildren can ave. You migt not be able to ave wat oter of God s cildren ave because it will be armful to you, but not to tem. Wat else do you pray for to cure tis disease of anxiety? PRAYER WIT TANKSGIVING Tis is not te gimmie, gimmie, gimmie kind of asking because you deserve someting. Supplication along wit tanksgiving is praying, aving a tankful eart. Lord, I would desire tat tis appen, but tank you for wat you already ave given me. Lord, I would like tis to go tis way, but I am tankful tat you love me and you ear me. Fater, tank you for giving me life and earing me. I do not deserve te least of your graces. If you are pleased Fater Ask, being tankful, not demanding like a spoiled cild. Te text says let your requests be made known unto God. Tell im. Make tem known. But does God not already know? Jesus said, your Fater knowet wat tings ye ave need of, before ye ask im. Wy do we ave to make known our requests, if God already knows? Tis takes us back to our earts and minds. We started wit our earts and minds full of care. Te instruction was to pray unto God and let im know wy and wat over wic we ave worry and anxiety. Wy do we do tat? Wy do we pour our earts out unto God? Be careful for noting; but (rater tan aving a eart full of care) in every ting by prayer and supplication wit tanksgiving let your requests (te tings you are anxious about) be made known unto God. And (conjunction connects te previous wit wat comes next ) te peace of God, wic passet all understanding, sall keep your earts and minds troug Crist Jesus (Pil. 4:6-7) (emp. DN). Do not be anxious, and wen your eart and mind is full of care, take all your cares to God in prayer, make tem known, because wen you do, te peace of God, will keep your earts and minds troug Crist Jesus. Wen we pray, we are communing wit God, giving im our burdens, unloading our cares and remembering Wo it is tat is taking care of us. God in turn, takes our anxiety away and replaces it wit is peace. Tis is a supernatural blessing of te oly Spirit. It is a miraculous act of God s grace and it will not be found in te arvard Medical Journal because it is beyond te understanding of men. TE PEACE OF GOD IN CRIST Tis is te work of God in te believer God grants im peace. Wen te mind is troubled and full of care, and by fait pours out is eart unto te Lord, God grants im peace. Wat did te person NOT ave at te beginning? Peace. e was full of care, and we are not supposed to be full of care. So, take te eart full of care to God. Be onest. Pray in te Spirit, knowing tat God ears you. Knowing it is God tat you are actually praying to and know tat bot te Son and te Spirit intercede for you and you are eard. Know tat it is troug te blood of te Only Begotten Son tat you ave access to your Fater, and pray not as slaves but as sons. Make your requests, as sons, not slaves. Make your requests knowing tat your Fater, Wo cares and provides for te birds and clotes te fields wit flowers will not do less for is own cildren. Wat does God do? Does e give you te requests? Sometimes e does. Does te cild get wat e asks for? Sometimes, yes! But wat does te cild wo is anxious get EVERY TIME? Te peace of God. If confession is made, and umble petitions are made, and prayerful worsip is given, ten God will grant is peace. ow? Wy? ow is tat possible? It is beyond te understanding of te natural man, tat God would give peace peace to te sinful, weak, wretced soul. Tat te Fater will bless is cildren wit a quietness of soul to endure struggles, pains, and sorrow. Tis peace keeps our earts and minds. Tayers defined te word translated peace as to guard, protect by a military guard, eiter to prevent ostile invasion, or to keep te inabitants of a besieged city from fligt. Te peace tat can only come from God, protects your eart and mind like a military guard. God s peace destroys te advance of te enemy. It sields te darts of doubt and it prevents te ostile invasion of despair. It protects te eart and te mind from te crusing sadow of anxiety and allows te mind and eart to rejoice, and again I say, rejoice. No man is wipped till e is wipped on te inside, ten e is altogeter beaten, no matter ow strong e is on te outside. God s peace will protect your eart and mind, troug Crist Jesus. Tis peace is not found in meditation. Tis peace is not found in yoga or quiet time. It isn t found in vain repetitions. Tose tings can quiet te mind for a season and can be explained. Tis peace, te keeping of te eart and mind is found only in Crist Jesus. God does not owe you tis peace. In fact, we are enemies of God. It is troug Crist, and Crist alone tat a person can ave peace wit God. You cannot make your peace wit God, but Crist made peace between God and man on te cross. Peraps you ave no peace because you do not know Crist. You do not know im to be a perfect Savior. But, o ow it is true! e completely saves us from our sins and wases us clean. By is blood, we are forgiven of all our transgressions, free from te guilt and burden of our sins our crimes against God. Repent, repent and turn unto Crist. Flee to te Saviour and trust im, tere you will find rest for your souls. Are you full of care and worry, Cristian? Are you anxious about a great many tings? as anxiety overcome you till you are crused under it? Pray dear believer. Crist Jesus as made peace wit God for you, dear cild. Pray. e ears you. Pray. e cares for you. Pray. Pour out your eart, make your cares known. Empty every care, concern, burden, worry, and pray to im about everyting. ide noting from your Fater. Confess your sins, do not ide tem. Confess your worries, do not bury tem. Let tem be onestly known unto God. And troug Crist Jesus, e will give you peace. e will protect and keep your eart and mind. e will take te eart and te mind tat is full of care and worry and trouble, and e will give you peace, and e will guard and keep it, because e cares for you.

7 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 123 Doing te Impossible (Continued from page 117) In fact, te Lord Jesus imself said, No man can come to me, except te Fater wic at sent me draw im: and I will raise im up at te last day (Jon 6:44). Tere is no room in te Bible for te idea tat one person can lead anoter one to Crist! Neiter is tere any room ere for te idea tat te oly Spirit uses saved folk to lead oters to Crist. In fact, as far as te Bible is concerned, te oly Spirit does not lead lost people to Crist, te Fater does. O! But broter-so-and-so says... - Yes, but te Bible says tat te Fater does te drawing! Let us be safe and correct and say wat te Bible says! Somebody says, wat about Jon 1:41-42 were Andrew led is broter Simon Peter to Crist? Let us examine wat te Bible says: e first findet is own broter Simon, and sait unto im, We ave found te Messias, wic is, being interpreted, te Crist. And e brougt im to Jesus. And wen Jesus beeld im, e said, Tou art Simon te son of Jona: tou salt be called Cepas, wic is by interpretation, A stone. Tis was a pysical bringing of Peter (called Simon and Cepas ere) by Andrew. Tose disciples wom Crist called to be wit im ad already been saved (and baptized by Jon te Baptist). Andrew did not win is broter s soul by bringing im pysically to Jesus! Tis passage as noting at all to do wit te modern eresy of soul winning. Te Lord Jesus was pysically in a place and Simon Peter was in a different place. Andrew went and got Peter and told im of finding te propesied Messia and pysically escorted im to were Jesus was at tat time. ere is a quotation from te website of te Tousand Oaks Baptist Curc, Tousand Oaks, California: If you ll allow me, I d like to introduce you to te wonderful ministry of leading souls to Jesus Crist. For most of you wo ave been saved for quite a wile, tis probably will be mostly review. For oters - especially for tose of you wo are relatively new Cristians - tis may be te first time you ve ever eard about tis. First of all, let me say tis: God as called and cosen and ordained every Cristian to learn ow to lead people to Jesus Crist. Tis presentation is typical of te easybelieve-ism camp. No Scripture is cited for tese assertions. It is assumed tey are true. After tis sales pitc, te autor goes on to misapply te Scriptures regarding bearing fruit. Our answer in part is tis: te fruit about wic te Bible speaks is not a Cristian reproducing imself or erself as if tey could birt someone into God s family or even lead someone to Crist. Te Bible tells us wat te fruit of te Spirit in our lives is in Galatians 5:22, 23: But te fruit of te Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, fait, Meekness, temperance: against suc tere is no law. In Epesians 5:8-11 Paul writes to te congregation of Crist at Epesus and furter identifies te fruit of te Spirit as being oly living living tat is separated from tat of te world. Tere e wrote: For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye ligt in te Lord: walk as cildren of ligt: (For te fruit of te Spirit is in all goodness and rigteousness and trut;) Proving wat is acceptable unto te Lord. And ave no fellowsip wit te unfruitful works of darkness, but rater reprove tem. Tis preacer was in is yout enrolled in two or tree soul winning classes. In Bible college te name was more intellectual sounding: te class was entitled personal evangelism. In eac of tese courses instructions were presented in te least offensive ways to get lost people to admit tat tey were sinners. We were taugt to ask te candidate for salvation if tey ad ever stolen a cookie from teir moter s cookie jar or peraps taken a pencil or crayola from anoter cild in elementary scool. If tey admitted to aving done suc a ting, we were taugt we were well on te way. If we andled te matter rigt, we could user a soul into salvation! Te candidate ad admitted tat e or se was a sinner. Now all we needed to do was tell tem tat suc a ting was a sin and tat sin would keep tem out of eaven, but tat if tey would pray and ask God e would forgive tem and tey could go to eaven. In tis way we were taugt to lead people to Crist. Reader: if you really tink tat seeing yourself as a sinner is admitting to stealing a cookie or a crayon, you are in peril. If you tink praying a prayer based on tat kind of sin is coming in a saving way to Crist you ougt to examine your own experience. If you see no deeper tan tat, tere is someting seriously wrong wit your experience of grace. Tis kind of soul-winning idea is pumped from te same bilge as tat of te preacer wo used to boast tat e could stop at a red traffic ligt, put is car in to park, set te parking brake, unfasten is seat belt, get out of is car and speak to a pedestrian a stranger - at te crosswalk and lead im to Crist, get back in is car and be ready to drive off by te time te ligt canged to green. Bilge water! In fact tat kind of talk is more armful tan bilge water. At te worst bilge water will only kill a person pysically. Tis kind of soul winning nonsense is in te same category as te evangelistic efforts of te Parisees. To tem te Lord Jesus said, Woe unto you, scribes and Parisees, ypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and wen e is made, ye make im twofold more te cild of ell tan yourselves (Matt. 23:15). Wrong metods produce wrong results! Only te Giver of Life can give life! Only te Fater can lead/ draw a lost person to Crist! Regeneration is a work of te oly Spirit! Te Lord imself said, Tat wic is born of te fles is fles; and tat wic is born of te Spirit is spirit (Jon 3:6). Watever appened to te preacing of repentance toward God and fait toward te Lord Jesus Crist? Watever appened to witnessing to oters about wat Crist did for you and leaving te results in God s ands? Tese are te tings Paul testified to everywere e went according to is words in Acts 20:21. Tere is words are: Testifying bot to te Jews, and also to te Greeks, repentance toward God, and fait toward our Lord Jesus Crist. Watever appened to godly sorrow tat absolutely necessary ting tat produces repentance? For godly sorrow worket repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but te sorrow of te world worket deat (II Cor. 7:10). Does God ave a new way by wic e produces repentance? Does e ave a new way in (Continued on page 124)

8 Page 124 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Doing te Impossible (Continued from page 123) wic lost people are brougt to Crist? Is looking back upon past sins and feeling bad about tem godly sorrow? Or is tere a brokenearted-ness worked by God werein te sinner is enabled to see imself as a elpless and opeless continual offence to a oly God? Wat about...i abor myself, and repent in dust and ases (Job 42:6)? Wat appened to repentance? ave tings canged since te days of te apostles? as te Word of God canged? Or is it tat many Baptists ave canged? Preacers wo promote tis soul-winning nonsense lay eavy burdens upon teir members. Te reason teir curc is not a growing curc is because te people are not out soul winning. God called teir curc to ave a bus ministry, and a gun club ministry, and a basketball ministry, and a Corvette club ministry (ad infinitum, ad nauseum): all to win souls! But tese tings are not working! It s all te fault of te members! Tey need to be out door-knocking and leading souls to Crist! A favorite text of te lead-a-soulto Jesus crowd is Proverbs 11:30 wic says, Te fruit of te rigteous is a tree of life; and e tat winnet souls is wise. ow are your mental gymnastics? It is quite a mental jump to tink tat Solomon, in tat verse, is talking about te modern idea of leading souls to Jesus, is it not? Are you up to suc a jump? No less a Bible commentator tan Albert Barnes says tis about te words winnet souls, Te prase is elsewere translated by taket te life. Barnes refers te reader to I Kings 19:4 were te prase winnet souls is translated in our King James Bibles by te words take away my life. And again in Psalm 31:13 were te prase is rendered by te King James translators as to take away my life. It is quite clear tat te ebrew does not mean winnet, but better taket or captures or gains. Te prase means someting like to gater or to take souls unto oneself. Is not tis same idea found in Genesis 12:5 were te Bible speaks of te servants Abraam brougt from Syria down to Canaan? In tat verse we read: And Abram took Sarai is wife, and Lot is broter s son, and all teir substance tat tey ad gatered, and te souls tat tey ad gotten in aran; and tey went fort to go into te land of Canaan; and into te land of Canaan tey came. Did you notice te prase, te souls tat tey ad gotten? Te ownersip of servants was a measure of wealt. Abraam was a wise man and got many souls i.e. servants. is wealt in part was measured by te number of servants e ad gotten. e was a wealty man! Is not Solomon in Proverbs 11:30 stating tat a wise man in tat day will increase is wealt by by taking lives in te sense of gatering souls to imself as servants? Is tat not more according to te context of te Book of Proverbs? Does not Proverbs deal muc wit wisdom and practical matters of living? Furter to te point, Young s Literal Translation renders te last prase of Proverbs 11:30 as: And woso is taking souls is wise. One ting for sure: if te easy-believe-ism idea of soul winning is to be found in te Scriptures, it is not found in Proverbs 11:30. We would say one ting more about tis idea of leading souls to Crist: it is a sortcut tat leads nowere. Talk is ceap and anyone wo can in a few moments talk a person into making a profession of fait in Crist as accomplised noting oter tan te deception of imself and is convert. In doing so, e may ave made is convert twofold more te cild of ell tan e imself is. Paul tells us in no uncertain terms ow Cristians are used of God in bringing oters to Crist. In I Corintians 9:19-22 Paul wrote tese words: For toug I be free from all men, yet ave I made myself servant unto all, tat I migt gain te more. And unto te Jews I became as a Jew, tat I migt gain te Jews; to tem tat are under te law, as under te law, tat I migt gain tem tat are under te law; To tem tat are witout law, as witout law, (being not witout law to God, but under te law to Crist,) tat I migt gain tem tat are witout law. To te weak became I as weak, tat I migt gain te weak: I am made all tings to all men, tat I migt by all means save some. Do you want to gain men: i.e. to save some? (Tose are Paul s words!) To te saints in Corint Paul wrote:...in Crist Jesus I ave begotten you troug te gospel (I Cor. 4:15). Anyone wo tinks Paul s ministry in Corint was taken up wit te modern easy-believe-ism metod of leading souls to Crist needs to read about is stay in tat city. Te Bible tells ow,...e reasoned in te synagogue every sabbat, and persuaded te Jews and te Greeks., and ow...e continued tere a year and six monts, teacing te word of God among tem (Acts 18:4, 11). It is by rigt living, service, and a willingness to meet people were tey are as well as teacing te gospel tat God uses is saints to point oters to Crist. It is not by psycological maneuvering and erding te unsuspecting into praying a little ditty tat sinners come to Crist. A broter in Crist was imprisoned by te Communists in Romania several years ago because of is service to Crist. Te Communists confined im along wit all sorts of criminals and oter men. Tese men ad never ear te gospel. Tey ad never before met a Cristian. No Bibles were allowed tese prisoners. After repeatedly telling tese men about Crist, a younger one of tem asked im, Wat is tis Jesus like? aving no Bible from wic to tell te man about Jesus Crist, te faitful believer said, Jesus is like me. Upon earing tis, te young man declared is desire to ave Jesus as is Lord and Savior: If Jesus is like you, I want to know Jesus, was te substance of is words. Upon first earing of tis I was socked. Was tis broter not blaspeming? But upon more consideration, I tink te broter was rigt. If we are born again will we not be like te Lord Jesus Crist and will we not display to te world te Lord Jesus Crist? Does not God use us wen we reflect is glory by beaving like Crist? Our lives and our words togeter are our testimony to Crist! Speak earnestly about Crist and is finised work to te lost around us, yes! But back up your words wit your life! Is tis very ting not wat Paul wrote about in te last quoted passage above: For toug I be free from all men, yet ave I made myself servant unto all, tat I migt gain te more...? May God use is people to gain te more!

9 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 125 Publised (Continued from page 117) a man wo was taken wit devils. Tis was a man wo was lost and undone and in te tralls of spiritual bondage. And yet, at te conclusion of tis passage we find tat tis man is a lover and a follower of God. It remains true today tat te world fears te unknown. Te events tat took place in tis capter, prove to us tat te world is not a willing participant in te progression and te fulfillment of te will and purpose of God. Tose tings wic are unknown tose tings wic take place on a spiritual level tese tings are feared by te world. In fact, just as in te case of te Gadarenes, te people of te world today ave no love for Jesus Crist nor any love for te tings of God. Te world of men today, by and large, wants noting to do wit God and te eavenly matters tat are described for us in our text capter. Te world demonstrates great fear wen te spiritual and eavenly deeds of God are performed. Te world will desire Jesus Crist to depart from tem, and ave no desire for is presence or is Word or is ways, unless te oly Spirit would quicken and make alive te spirits of tose wo are born dead in trespasses and sins. owever, tis Maniac of Gadara wanted to be wit te Lord. Once e was saved, once e was converted, e ad no greater desire tan to be wit and to know Jesus Crist. Wat a cange took place in te life of tis man! And ten our text passage reveals to us, tat based on is desire to be wit te Lord, te Lord sends im out as an ambassador of te tings of God. Tis man would now go fort and talk about te great tings tat God ad done for im. Now, I want to talk about te one wo will go out and publis trougout te city. I want to consider some caracteristics tat tis man ad, tat made im eligible for tis task; and, I want to consider te example tat tis man sets for us, and te caracteristics tat we, too sould exibit, if we are to publis trougout te city, te name and te deeds of Jesus Crist. TE PUBLISER MUST AVE EXPERIENCE In order for a man to publis te deeds or te praise of anoter, e must first ave some familiarity wit te subject of is praise and service. Indeed, te evidence is plain, tat tis man ad muc to speak about! In fact, it is certain tat tis man ad a wondrous experience wit Jesus Crist, and e ad plenty to talk about. And wen e went fort to land, tere met im out of te city a certain man, wic ad devils long time, and ware no clotes, neiter abode in any ouse, but in te tombs. Wen e saw Jesus, e cried out, and fell down before im, and wit a loud voice said, Wat ave I to do wit tee, Jesus, tou Son of God most ig? I beseec tee, torment me not. (For e ad commanded te unclean spirit to come out of te man. For oftentimes it ad caugt im: and e was kept bound wit cains and in fetters; and e brake te bands, and was driven of te devil into te wilderness.) And Jesus asked im, saying, Wat is ty name? And e said, Legion: because many devils were entered into im. And tey besougt im tat e would not command tem to go out into te deep. And tere was tere an erd of many swine feeding on te mountain: and tey besougt im tat e would suffer tem to enter into tem. And e suffered tem. Ten went te devils out of te man, and entered into te swine: and te erd ran violently down a steep place into te lake, and were coked (Luke 8:27-33). Consider for yourself wat a wonderful experience tis man ad at te ands of Jesus Crist! Wo could wonder tat tis man wo ad been cursed wit demons, would be willing and eager, now, to go fort and publis te praise and te name of Jesus Crist? And e departed, and began to publis in Decapolis ow great tings Jesus ad done for im: and all men did marvel (Mark 5:20). If we want to use tis man as our example today, wy do not you and I pause, just for a moment, and consider te blessings and te favors tat God as bestowed upon us? Are you saved by te grace and power of God? Are you blessed by te mercy and te love tat e as sown unto you? Examine your life and your situation today. If you are saved, ten ask yourself, Wat as God done for me? Wat good ting as e done for me in tis life? Wat good ting(s) as e done for me in te life to come? Wat blessings and favors are already mine and wat blessings and glories await me in te life to come? If you are saved, and if you are amazed at te goodness and grace of God, ten wy not sare your amazement and your awe concerning God and is love? I believe tat wat te man of our text passage as done, is no less and no more tan wat God would re- (Continued on page 126)

10 Page 126 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Publised (Continued from page 125) quire of eac of us tat are saved. e as ordained tat te gospel of salvation, and te good news of te Word of God would be carried trougout te world by te words, te deeds and te lives of tose wo ave been redeemed and usered into te family of God. It is up to us to publis te Word of God trougout te city, trougout te countryside, and trougout te world! And te gospel must first be publised among all nations (Mark 13:10). Witout doubt, tose wo ave been saved ougt to be about te business of saring te salvation found in te gospel of Jesus Crist! Witout any esitation and witout any reluctance and witout any complaint (instead, wit joy and praise in our earts), tose tat ave ad experience wit Jesus Crist ougt to be ready to tell oters about tat experience. Jon Trapp said, Tis was all te fee Crist looked for for is cures. TE PUBLISER MUST AVE A LOVE AND A LONGING FOR GOD So, just as te (formerly) madman of our text, we, too, must ave experienced te grace of God in order to be properly qualified to tell oters about te Lord Jesus. But, in addition to experience, it also is incumbent upon us tat we would ave a love and a longing for God and te tings of God. We would make poor witnesses indeed if we ad no love for te Saviour of Wom we testify! It is clear from our text passage, tat tis man ad a love for Jesus Crist. Ten tey went out to see wat was done; and came to Jesus, and found te man, out of wom te devils were departed, sitting at te feet of Jesus, cloted, and in is rigt mind: and tey were afraid (Luke 8:35). Tis man wo ad been considered a raving lunatic; tis man wo ad been a dread and a fear in tis place; tis man wo ad been out of is mind, was now in is rigt mind, and e sat meekly and appily at te feet of Jesus te feet of te very Man wo ad brougt unto im salvation! Te simple love and devotion tat is described ere, is someting tat we ougt to imitate as we publis te praise and worsip of Jesus Crist. Wy do we sometimes long to be somewere else instead of in te presence of Jesus Crist? Wy do we sometimes love someone or someting else, more tan we love Jesus Crist? Were is our devotion? Were is our longing for our Master and our Saviour? Let me give you anoter example from te Gospels: Now it came to pass, as tey went, tat e entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Marta received im into er ouse. And se ad a sister called Mary, wic also sat at Jesus feet, and eard is word. But Marta was cumbered about muc serving, and came to im, and said, Lord, dost tou not care tat my sister at left me to serve alone? bid er terefore tat se elp me. And Jesus answered and said unto er, Marta, Marta, tou art careful and troubled about many tings: But one ting is needful: and Mary at cosen tat good part, wic sall not be taken away from er (Luke 10:38-42). Mary of Betany was a woman wo ad cosen tat good part. I am not saying tat se cose Jesus Crist as er Saviour before te Lord knew er; instead, we know tat Jesus Crist came to er, loved er and cose er, because e ad first loved and cosen er. But, I am saying tat Mary of Betany cose to be wit Crist, and se cose to place im in a position of iger and better importance tan anyting else in er life. Wat a good example se is to us! We, today, are encumbered about wit muc serving. And, we, today, are wrapped up in te busy ways and te distractions of our lives. But, te better indeed, te best part of our lives is found in te quiet company of Jesus Crist troug te leadersip of te oly Spirit. Let us be about te business of loving our Lord and our Saviour. Let our very lives demonstrate te longing tat we ave for is presence and is blessings in our lives. Certainly, te man in our text passage ad nowere else tat e wanted to be, and e ad no One else tat e longed to be near. Now te man out of wom te devils were departed besougt im tat e migt be wit im: but Jesus sent im away, saying (Luke 8:38). e cried out to Jesus Crist to take im wit im wen te Lord was ready to depart. Instead, te Lord sent im away to be a witness and a testimony of te tings tat God ad done for im. I ave often said, tat te ones wo most desire to be in te presence of te Lord, are te ones wo are most qualified to be sent from im as a witness and a testimony. Tere was an occasion wen te Lord openly questioned te love and te longing of te disciples wo followed im: From tat time many of is disciples went back, and walked no more wit im. Ten said Jesus unto te twelve, Will ye also go away? Ten Simon Peter answered im, Lord, to wom sall we go? tou ast te words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure tat tou art tat Crist, te Son of te living God (Jon 6:66-69). Te eloquent answer of Simon Peter sould trill our earts, and sould inspire our minds to be more loving, and to demonstrate more longing for our Lord and Saviour. Tere is not anyone else for us except Jesus Crist! Tere is not anyting else more wonderful tan te blessed Son of God Wo as te words of eternal life, and Wo is te Salvation of our souls! TE PUBLISER MUST AVE DEDICATION Tirdly, I want you to know tat te one wo will publis te Word of God must be diligent and dedicated in te fulfillment of is duties. Witout a doubt, it must be true, tat tis man described in our text passage, must ave worked diligently, in pursuing te course tat Jesus ad set im on. Now te man out of wom te devils were departed besougt im tat e migt be wit im: but Jesus sent im away, saying, Return to tine own ouse, and sew ow great tings God at done unto tee. And e went is way, and publised trougout te wole city ow great tings Jesus ad done unto im (Luke 8:38-39). Tis man did not just publis from time to time and from place to place. Instead, we are told tat e publised trougout te wole city, te tings tat Jesus ad wrougt in is life. ow could tis man publis tese wonderful tings trougout te wole city wen you and I find it difficult to publis te wonderful gospel of Jesus Crist just in our own neigboroods? Consider tese words of David: Wen te LORD turned again te captivity of Zion, we were like tem tat dream. Ten was our mout filled wit (Continued on page 127)

11 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 127 Publised (Continued from page 126) laugter, and our tongue wit singing: ten said tey among te eaten, Te LORD at done great tings for tem. Te LORD at done great tings for us; wereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as te streams in te sout. Tey tat sow in tears sall reap in joy. e tat goet fort and weepet, bearing precious seed, sall doubtless come again wit rejoicing, bringing is seaves wit im (Ps. 126:1-6). Te Lord at done great tings for us. We sould be glad. We sould demonstrate a dedication and a faitfulness unto God, based upon te faitfulness and te goodness tat God as demonstrated towards us. I believe tat tis man, spoken of in our text passage, probably spoke of and publised te deeds of Jesus Crist on a daily basis. Werever e went; woever e was wit; watever te time of day; I believe tat tis man was diligent and dedicated in describing te grace and te mercy of God. e probably spent a lot of time and words telling oters of teir need for a Saviour. e probably spent a lot of time and words describing te wonderful tings tat Jesus Crist ad done for im. Te folks tat e spoke to knew tat e ad been possessed wit devils. Tese people of is omeland would ave known is tainted and miserable past. So, te cange tat tey saw in is life must ave been remarkable. And, witout doubt, e never esitated to give God te glory for te miracle tat ad taken place in is life. It was said of te disciples, and te early Curc, And daily in te temple, and in every ouse, tey ceased not to teac and preac Jesus Crist (Acts 5:42). Preacing and proclaiming te gospel of Jesus Crist is not just a task for Sunday or Wednesday! Rater, te folks wo need te gospel te most are te ones wo rarely (if ever) set foot in te public worsip services of te curces of Jesus Crist! We must, on a daily basis, proclaim to te world te works, words, and te praise of Jesus Crist. It is not always easy, but it is never too difficult. It is not a time for ease and for relaxation, but it is a time for labor and work and diligence in te tings of God. Te labour of te rigteous tendet to life: te fruit of te wicked to sin (Prov. 10:16). TE PUBLISER WILL AVE SUCCESS Finally, today, I want to use our text passage to prove tat tis man must ave ad success. In fact, wen te Lord Jesus Crist returned to tis same area, we find tat te very same people wo ad ated and feared Crist were ready and waiting to receive Jesus Crist. And it came to pass, tat, wen Jesus was returned, te people gladly received im: for tey were all waiting for im (Luke 8:40). I like te picture tat is presented to us ere. I like to imagine being in te presence of te ateful mob tat ad sougt to case Jesus from te midst; but, later, tis same ateful mob was transformed into a joyous congregation of folks wo gladly received im, and wo ad been eagerly waiting for is return. Wat a miracle took place in te life of te Maniac of Gadara! Also, wat a miracle took place in te lives of te ard-earted and wicked men and women wo ad previously despised te person of Jesus Crist! And yet, we know tat tis man ad success wen e publised te tings of God, because of te grace of God tat was granted unto im, and because of te power of te oly Spirit Wo accompanied im and is teacings. Te Apostle Paul once said, But by te grace of God I am wat I am: and is grace wic was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly tan tey all: yet not I, but te grace of God wic was wit me. Terefore weter it were I or tey, so we preac, and so ye believed (I Cor. 15:10-11). Tis (formerly) madman of Gadara would ave been quick to point out tat te salvation of souls was te work and domain of God. e would ave been quick to point out tat any successes e ad in te ministry of Crist were based solely upon te Grace of God and te power of te oly Spirit. And yet, I am sure tat e was not surprised tat Jesus Crist could do wat e did after all, Jesus Crist ad saved im, so wy not tese oters? I ope and pray tat you will join me in diligently proclaiming te Gospel of Jesus Crist. I ope and pray tat you will join me in a fervent expectation of success in te preacing of te Word. Tere is salvation in te Word of God! Tere is peace and joy in te knowledge of Jesus Crist! Tere are blessings untold tat await tose wo will publis te gospel of Jesus Crist. For I am now ready to be offered, and te time of my departure is at and. I ave fougt a good figt, I ave finised my course, I ave kept te fait: encefort tere is laid up for me a crown of rigteousness, wic te Lord, te rigteous judge, sall give me at tat day: and not to me only, but unto all tem also tat love is appearing (II Tim. 4:6-8). CONCLUSION Let us close by tinking about wat effect te words and deeds of te Lord ad upon te man wo ad been afflicted wit te devils. First, tis man after tat e was saved longed for and desired to be in te presence of Jesus Crist. e desired Crist s company as muc as oters dreaded it. e besougt Crist tat e migt be wit im, wile oters desired tat e would depart. Wat a contrast is sown! Wat a love for God is sown, cast upon te backdrop of fear and loating! Second, I believe tat it is safe to say tat tis man now desired tat Crist would be to im a protector and teacer, and tat e migt be to Crist for a name and a praise. e wanted and longed for furter fellowsip wit Jesus Crist. And, e wanted and longed for furter experience and furter growt in is relationsip wit Jesus Crist. e was esitant to stay among tose rude and brutis Gadarenes! Tird, as we ave seen from our sermon, Crist did not allow im to come wit im, but sent im out to publis te tidings of te good words and good deeds of Jesus Crist. Tose wo are closest to im are qualified to be sent te furtest away! And, as a result of tis close relationsip wit Jesus Crist, tis man wo ad been a burden to is country, will now be a blessing! Finally, it must be true, tat sometimes we must deny ourselves certain pleasures even te pleasure of te company of te Lord, suc as tis man must forgo so tat we can gain te opportunity of being serviceable to te souls of oters. In te end, tis man was a standing and living monument of te goodness and te grace of God. May God grant us suc favor as was bestowed upon tis madman of Gadara!

12 Page 128 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Forum Submit your questions on any Bible topic. Wat two questions are you asked te most as a pastor, and wat is your answer to tese questions? - Editor Tom Ross 6339 County Rd. 15 Sout Point, O Pastor Mt. Pleasant Baptist Curc 6939 County Rd. 15 Cesapeake, O If God is sovereign and as cosen to save a specific number of people, ten wy are we responsible to preac te Gospel to every creature? In ligt of Epesians 1:3-7; II Tessalonians 2:13-16; II Timoty 1:9; I Peter 1:2-5 it is obvious tat God as cosen te elect before te world began according to te good pleasure of is own will. Tere is no doubt tat all of tose wom God te Fater cose, tose wo Jesus Crist agreed to die for, and tose wo te oly Spirit agreed to regenerate in te covenant of grace will be saved in time according to te immutable will of God. Te Lord Jesus Crist promised as muc in Jon 6: Wile all of te above is true, it is also true tat God as commanded us to preac te Gospel to every creature (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48). We are responsible to obey God s commands (I Jon 2:3-7; 5:1-3). Our ceerful and consistent obedience to God s commands glorifies God and proves tat we truly love im (Jon 14:15; 15:14). Glorifying God troug obedience sould be our cief motive in declaring and saring te Gospel wit every man, woman, boy, and girl (I Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17, 23). God s bare command to preac te Gospel sould be enoug. We are not commissioned to pilosopize about te Gospel, we are called to sare it wit everyone. We do not ave to worry about all of te ramifications of God s sovereignty and ow it all coalesces wit our responsibility. All we need to do is simply obey. Let God sort everyting else out. We just need to preac te Gospel to every creature because God commanded us to do it. If God is all glorious and is sovereign grace is so wonderful, sould we not be consistently engaged in saring tese blessed truts wit everyone we know and meet? Te perfections and infinite wort of our dear Saviour sould be sared wit everyone (Psalm 96:2-7)! We sould count it a oly privilege to tell te world of te glory of our Lord and wat e means to us even if no one else is ever saved! It is also obvious tat God is sovereign in te use of means to bring about te fruition of is will in te calling and salvation of te elect (Isa. 46:9-11; Rom. 10:17; I Cor. 1:21; 9:16; II Tess. 2:13-15). 2. ow do you start a New Testment Baptist Curc? Te Lord Jesus Crist started te very first New Testament Baptist Curc during is eartly ministry and promised perpetuity to is kind of curc (Matt. 16:18; 28:18-20; Jon 15:16). Crist organized te first curc wit te baptized disciples of Jon te Baptist. Jesus ten autorized te first curc to preac te Gospel, baptize te converts, and teac tem te trut until is return (Mark 13:34-37). Te first Baptist curc at Jerusalem started by Crist, later sent fort Barnabus wit autority to organize te curc at Antioc (Acts 11:22-26). Later te curc at Antioc sent Barnabus and Saul (Paul) wit autority to establis and organize oter New Testament Baptist Curces (Acts 13:1-3). Terefore we must conclude tat te scriptural pattern set fort for establising new curces is tat an already existing curc autorizes and organizes oter curces. Tis simple process naturally involves an organic succession since eac local curc is likened to a body of Crist. In te pysical realm every natural body tat is born must derive its existence from an already existing body. Likewise, in te spiritual and ecclesiastical realm every new body of Crist tat is organized must derive its existence from an already existing body or curc of te Lord Jesus Crist. If te Scriptures are te final autority for all fait and practice, we must conclude tat te simple pattern of an already existing curc organizing new curces is ow Baptist curces are started. Te autority and glory of Crist resides in is curc as a Divine institution (Ep. 3:21). No man as te rigt to baptize and start curces on is own apart from te autority of Crist s curc. To do so is a blatant attempt to rob Crist of is glory and disonor te autority of te kind of curc wic e establised. TOM ROSS Mike DeWitt Sr. PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Pastor Parkway Landmark Baptist Curc PO Box 950 Springfield, OR Recently I ave been asked, Wy ave past articles in te BBB seem to be a political platform rater tan sound Biblical teacing? Before I continue wit te answer, I ave tried to rack my brain for questions and really ave none tat come to my mind. I will answer te question above and call it good for now. Te members of PLBC ave seen me go tru a great deal of cange concerning politics and my views about wat a Cristain is, in tis world. And tat wic fell among torns are tey, wic, wen tey ave eard, go fort, and are coked wit cares and rices and pleasures of tis life, and bring no fruit to perfection (Luke 8:14). My answer was tat te cares of tis world ave begun to overcome God s people. I know tis verse is concerning tose tat ave eard te Word and never were regenerated. Preacers and teacers tat ave begun to speak te same way and act as te world to te point tat tere is no difference between te two. I wonder if it really does apply? Only God knows te difference. Moses did not cross over to te promised land because e failed to sanctify God before te people. And te LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in te eyes of te cildren of Israel, terefore ye sall not bring tis congregation into te land wic I ave given tem (Continued on page 129)

13 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 129 Forum (Continued from page 128) (Num. 20:12). Many preacers and teacers tat ave te best of intentions will stand before Crist and say, Lord, Lord, ave we not propesied in ty name? and in ty name ave cast out devils? and in ty name done many wonderful works (Matt. 7:22)? But seek ye first te kingdom of God, and is rigteousness; and all tese tings sall be added unto you (Matt. 6:33). ave te cares of tis world overcome you? Do you worry about wat is to come of tis world we live in? Are you anxious as to wat te outcome of elections will be and te possible affects it may ave? Many are, wy? MIKE DEWITT Mattew Stepp 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV Pastor Big Creek Baptist Curc 286 Big Creek Road Wayne, WV No one question really stood out to me, so I tougt I migt list te top seven questions typically asked of tis pastor. I will separate tem into questions asked by members in te first four, and questions asked by nonmembers in te last tree. 1. Will you pray for me my family my friend? Tis is by far te most common question asked of tis pastor by is curc members. As te spiritual seperds of te curces, pastors are in a position to give solace and strengt to te members. We can convey teir prayer request to te curc body, tat we migt all joy and sorrow, as te event circumstances may require. And weter one member suffer, all te members suffer wit it; or one member be onoured, all te members rejoice wit it (I Cor. 12:26). I rejoice to be able to answer tis question wit a Yes, certainly, we will keep you in our prayers! I just wis tat more folk migt realize te power of prayer by godly men and women and seek to bring te entire congregation into intercessory prayer for teir loved ones. ow migtily God will work wen te curc is in one accord! Fulfil ye my joy, tat ye be likeminded, aving te same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let tis mind be in you, wic was also in Crist Jesus (Pil. 2:2, 5). 2. Is tis sort enoug? or long enoug? Tis question is generally asked about eiter airstyles or dress codes. Some folks ave real problems determining wat te modesty demanded by God s Word involves in our culture tat as gone aywire over fads, customs, styles and plunging depravity. If promiscuity is on one and, te fear of legalism is on te oter. Te pastor as a responsibility to preac messages tat will give moral guidance to te assembly and to give oneon-one counseling to concerned members. Typically, my answer will be tat a clear distinction must be made between te genders. Too long air on a man is wen e begins to look feminine from any angle. Off te collars and ears is not too muc to ask. Not long enoug cloting on a woman or man, is wen little is left to te imagination. Te purpose of cloting is to cover, not to reveal! 3. Would it be okay if I went to? if I did? Wit te staggering pressure put on our young folk today, tis question comes up frequently. Can I go to see tis movie? Can I go to tis event on Wednesday nigt or Sunday afternoon? Te questions of morality in tese desperate days does not always ave an easy answer. Like Balaam, we want te Lord (and our pastor) to give us assent to bend te rules a little for te exigencies of our lives. As God told Balaam no, te first time, so too, will te pastor strive to follow is explicit commandments and answer no, many times. As a dear pastor friend of mine once said, Too often we ignore te black and wite s of Scripture and try to live in te sades of gray, using our liberty in Crist as an excuse Beloved reader, if anyting inders your service to God, ditc it, flee from it, despise it! Sela! Tink about it! Servants, obey in all tings your masters according to te fles; not wit eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of eart, fearing God: And watsoever ye do, do it eartily, as to te Lord, and not unto men; Knowing tat of te Lord ye sall receive te reward of te ineritance: for ye serve te Lord Crist. But e tat doet wrong sall receive for te wrong wic e at done: and tere is no respect of persons (Col. 3:22-25). 4. Do you need anyting? Is tere anyting we can do for you? It is wit awe and wonder tat I receive tis question from my dear members at te Big Creek Baptist Curc. It is te only curc tat I ave ever pastored, so I can not tell you wat is typical, but I tink te Lord s curces are typical of teir ead, our Saviour, te tender-earted Lord of grace and mercy. ow it moves me and impresses upon me te love of te precious curc members tat ask me from time to time wat tey can do for me! Some perform random and regular acts of kindness toward me and my family witout even asking te question! ow remiss I would be if I did not take tis opportunity to let tem know ow tey ave touced my eart wit teir love and ceaseless care of teir pastor! God bless you all! Sela! Tink about it! 5. Wat does your curc believe? Wat kind of Baptists are you? Weter as potential visitors or casual conversation wen tey find out tat Iam a pastor, it will inevitably come to tis question, if casual becomes extended. Sela! Tink about it! Wat would you tell someone in te few moments of tis window of opportunity to exalt our Lord? Typically, one can tell fairly quickly weter te supplicant is actually interested in te doctrine of our curc. Many times, if it was just a perfunctory question, te gospel of Crist is te answer. To respond wit questions of my own is usually te reaction. Do you know Jesus? To present Crist as te Saviour and te Autor and Finiser of our fait is our commission and obligation. Te ligt must sine into te darkness of te lost folk we come into contact wit. Weter it ligts unto glory or condemnation is not our responsibility, but only tat te Ligt migt sine. To tose tat ave real interest in our doctrine, I usually concentrate my answers on grace and curc trut. Sovereign grace as a rare beauty about it tat can attract te attention of many solicitors. It still amazes (and appalls) me ow many folk ave never contemplated te sovereignty of God! Te doctrines of election and predestination (Continued on page 130)

14 Page 130 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Forum Roger Reed 20 Ledgewood Dr. (Continued from page 129) Mansfield, Oio migt be ated by establised religion, but te sweeping epic of God s almigty decrees and omnipotent omniscience still appeals to te starved souls of men and women touced by te influence of te oly Spirit. Wat a story we ave to tell! Sela! Tink about it! Many ave an ecumenical attitude tat it matters little te denomination, so I may mention a few Biblical truts tat validate te Baptist name; adjectives suc as landmark, independent and missionary. To follow up on tese stronger doctrines is rare in tese days, but God as given me te opportunity to discuss tem in some detail at times. 6. Does your curc elp out wit groceries? wit electric or utility bills? Many as been te pone call at our curc wit tis question. It usually turns into an opportunity for me to witness unto tem of te necessity for tem to be in curc. I will ask tem were tey go to curc before we talk about anyting else. If tey ave a curc, my question will be Wy do you not go to tem, first? Obviously, if tey go tis route, tey eiter ave quit going, or on rare occasions, te curc is too small. As te Lord leads, we ave invited folk to come to our services, tat we migt be able to validate teir undue circumstances. To date, several ave attended and we ave made payments and/or purcased groceries as te curc is led. I ave followed troug on various occasions and found te suppliant to be disonest and/ or professional beggars. But tere ave been times, were sincere appreciation as been seen as our carity goes fort in te Biblical mandate of ospitality. Let broterly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for tereby some ave entertained angels unawares. Remember tem tat are in bonds, as bound wit tem; and tem wic suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in te body (eb. 13:1-3). 7. You are a pastor! Wat do you tink about tattoos? te lottery? social drinking? Te pastor is a figure of some standing still yet in te community, altoug is prestige is not anyting at all like it used to be in America of yore! Like te morality questions for curc members, tese questions by te community ave answers tat will rarely be appreciated. Many times, tese folk will ave teir Biblical sound bites at te ready. Jesus drank wine, you know! You can not judge me, because te Bible says- judge not, tat ye be not judged! You ave to love everybody, do you not! Time and space would fail to answer tese questions, but rest assured tat pastors do answer tese questions faitfully every day. We are not allowed te privilege of tickling ears or being te sinner s buddy We are required to live sanctified lives and rejoice in te opportunities tat God gives us to stand for is Word and is Name. Only let your conversation (answers- TMS) be as it becomet te gospel of Crist: tat weter I come and see you, or else be absent, I may ear of your affairs, tat ye stand fast in one spirit, wit one mind striving togeter for te fait of te gospel (Pil. 1:27). Sela! Tink about it! MATTEW STEPP Missionary of West Jefferson Missionary Baptist Mission 90 E. Main St. West Jefferson, Oio Te first question I get asked as a pastor te most is; Do you believe te current President of Te United States is te Anticrist? My answer is No. I do not believe our current President of Te United States is TE Anticrist. But I do believe e is AN anticrist. Little cildren, it is te last time: and as ye ave eard tat anticrist sall come, even now are tere many anticrists; wereby we know tat it is te last time (I Jon 2:18). Wo is a liar but e tat deniet tat Jesus is te Crist? e is anticrist, tat deniet te Fater and te Son (I Jon 2:22). And every spirit tat confesset not tat Jesus Crist is come in te fles is not of God: and tis is tat spirit of anticrist, wereof ye ave eard tat it sould come; and even now already is it in te world (I Jon 4:3). For many deceivers are entered into te world, wo confess not tat Jesus Crist is come in te fles. Tis is a deceiver and an anticrist (II Jon 1:7). My answer furter for not believing tis is because even toug we do not know of a surety were tis President was born, I tink te Bible is plain tat TE Anticrist comes out of Babylon, for it is te city of te devil. And tat te Anticrist is a Jew and will become te king of Syria. Tis ardly fits our current President. owever, I believe te Anticrist as been born, but before te Anticrist can appear te oly Spirit must be taken out of te way (II Tess. 2:7-8). In oter words, we tat ave been born again will be raptured out. Te Anticrist will be (at first) loved by te Jews and te world; e will ave te respect of all nations. Our current President is te lauging stock of oter nations, and I do not tink as gained te respect of Israel. Te Anticrist must ave te respect of Israel to succeed; Israel will be deceived by im. We could go on and take up muc space, but let us end wit tis one last tougt. I believe our current President is a type of te Anticrist in te fact tat we can see ow many of te American people ave been blinded and deceived by tis patetic and weak individual and ave rallied around im as a god. It gives us a glimpse (at least for me) tat we can surely see ow te people of tis world will be deceived by te true anticrist. Te second question I get asked as a pastor te most is; Wat do you tink of te now reigning pope? My answer is not very long! I tink e is te most evil and wicked of all popes tat ave ever lived, and if you want to know ow evil e is, look up and read about te Jesuits, tey are about as evil as it gets. Try tis web site: ttp://one-evil.org/content/ entities_organizations_jesuits. tml. I do not want to assume ere, but I believe tat tis pope is Te False Propet. And if e is not, tan I believe e is going to play a major role in te Catolic Curc wen TE Anticrist comes on te scene. God Bless! ROGER REED

15 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 131 Te Pragmatic (Continued from page 117) out of it, ten it can be justified. Arminians are good at tis awful practice of canging te gospel of sovereign grace to a more palatable flesly gospel of works, so tey can fill teir pews and teir offering plates. Baptize te infants, so tey will not go to ell! Pragmatism never takes into account te oliness of God, does it? Sela! Tink about it! But te attribute of God tat I would like to examine is te sovereignty of God. Pragmatism at any level, defies te sovereignty of God. Sortcuts of immorality or eresy inerently distrust God s purposes and decrees of sovereignty. I ave often used te example of Adam returning to Eve in te garden and finding er wit te fruit of te Tree of te Knowledge of Good and Evil in er and and te juice dripping off er lips. Adam was not deceived! e KNEW se was dead! In te day tat tou eatest tereof tou salt surely die. Adam was no fool, but e was mutable and faced wit an extraordinary circumstance. Wat sould e do? Sela! Tink about it! Well, as Abraam later learned te lesson of fait and unqualified obedience on Mt. Moria (God will work tings out!), Adam sould ave trusted God implicitly and dropped to is knees and prayed for is beloved bride! Adam KNEW tat God loved im AND Eve! Beloved reader, we need to understand te depts of te immutable God of our salvation! God NEVER stops loving ANYONE tat e as EVER loved! Else we would ave no confidence in our eternal state in glory! Te only reason Esau is in ell today, is because Jacob ave I loved, but Esau ave I ated (Rom. 9:13). ow muc difference is tere between tat love and atred? Was not Esau Jacob s broter? sait te LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I ated Esau, and laid is mountains and is eritage waste for te dragons of te wilderness. Wereas Edom sait, We are impoverised, but we will return and build te desolate places; tus sait te LORD of osts, Tey sall build, but I will trow down; and tey sall call tem, Te border of wickedness, and, Te people against wom te LORD at indignation for ever (Mal 1:2-4). God will NEVER stop despising Esau te rebellious sinner! Te most terrible words to be met wit on te precipice of eternity are from te lips of Jesus Crist, imself. Many will say to me in tat day, Lord, Lord, ave we not propesied in ty name? and in ty name ave cast out devils? and in ty name done many wonderful works? And ten will I profess unto tem, I never knew you: depart from me, ye tat work iniquity. (Matt. 7:22-23). I never knew you. I never loved you. ow awful! But te opposite is just as true! Te LORD at appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I ave loved tee wit an everlasting love: terefore wit lovingkindness ave I drawn tee. Beold, I will bring tem from te nort country, and gater tem from te coasts of te eart a great company sall return titer. Tey sall come wit weeping, and wit supplications will I lead tem: I will cause tem to walk by te rivers of waters in a straigt way, werein tey sall not stumble: for I am a fater to Israel, and Epraim is my firstborn (Jer. 31:3, 8-9). We can not ave it bot ways! If God loves eternally (and e does in bot eternity past and eternity future!), ten e also as eternal revulsion toward te unrepentant sinner. Again, eternity past and eternity future. So, returning to tat pitiful couple in te garden, wat was Adam s greatest sin? Rebellion, obviously, but I tink we need to see te pragmatism in tat rebellion. Wat was te purpose of Adam knowingly eating te forbidden fruit? Not for te flavor. Not for wisdom or to become a god. Being undeceived by te serpent s vile lies, Adam truly despised te tougt of partaking of its deatly taste. But e did eat. Wy? I believe it was pragmatism. I believe tat e understood someting of te grace of God. Certainly e knew muc of te love of God aving experienced it firstand. Wit tis terrifying prospect of Eve being separated from God and ten imself, e ended up balancing is love for is God, wit is love for is wife. Sela! Tink about it! You know wat? I tink Adam knew instinctively tat God would never stop loving im. e knew tat God could do anyting. Weter salvation, or resurrection, as Abraam told is servants, God can raise te dead to life again! As we run te scenarios troug our minds, God could ave given im anoter Eve. Taken anoter rib out and performed anoter wedding ceremony. But Adam did not want anoter Eve. e wanted IS Eve! And so e nobly sacrificed imself for er. e essentially told God (in stark rebellion) God, I love my wife too muc to lose er! I m gonna eat te fruit, too! Now you re gonna ave to save te BOT of us! But before te beloved reader gets too sentimental about Adam s sacrifice, I want to state tat te noble sacrifice was made on te altar of pragmatism. Adam knew it was wrong to eat te fruit, but e tougt te end justified te means. Beloved, it does not! It is NEVER justified to disobey God! To do wrong is wrong! We can not murder a baby (worldly terminology- abortion) to try and save a moter s life! Wy? Because it is wrong to murder babies! God must be obeyed in every single episode of our lives! For us to decide moral equivalents is immoral! God sets te standards, and all we can do is remain obedient unto te law of God. Adam s pragmatism defied te sovereignty of God! Sure, to Adam s eyes it LOOKED like all ope was lost! Eve is dead- separated from God! But beloved reader, please trust in te Almigty! I want to look at two verses in consecutive context. First, Job 1:20-22, Ten Job arose, and rent is mantle, and saved is ead, and fell down upon te ground, and worsipped, And said, Naked came I out of my moter s womb, and naked sall I return titer: te LORD gave, and te LORD at taken away; blessed be te name of te LORD. In all tis Job sinned not, nor carged God foolisly. After all e ad gone troug, Job still retained is integrity---is trust in God s purposes and sovereignty! e worsipped God! Even toug te next verse ad not yet been penned by te Apostle Paul, it must ave strengtened te (Continued on page 132)

16 Page 132 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Te Pragmatic (Continued from page 131) inner soul of tis beleaguered saint, But as it is written, Eye at not seen, nor ear eard, neiter ave entered into te eart of man, te tings wic God at prepared for tem tat love im (I Cor. 2:9). Adam s pragmatism bypassed te glorious grace of God yet unseen! It could never enter into te eart of man, te kind of wondrous events God as prepared for is loved ones! Even at te point of Eve s spiritual deat, Adam sould ave oped against ope tat God could (and would) take care of tis desperate situation! Adam s actions defied te sovereignty of God and conceded unto is sallow vision of God s grace! God s got to save us bot now? ow presumptuous! Were will tis pragmatic solution lead to? Te total depravity of an entire uman race! Not just Eve now, but EVERYONE! ow it must ave crused Adam to find is beloved son Abel dead in te field! Especially knowing tat it was is misguided approbation of God s grace tat caused it and all of te tousands of eartaces witnessed during te remainder of is 930 years as te world urtled toward te judgment of te great deluge. And GOD saw tat te wickedness of man was great in te eart, and tat every imagination of te tougts of is eart was only evil continually (Gen 6:5). A direct result of Adam s pragmatism. Adam sould ave trusted in te true power of God s love! Te power to cleanse and make us oly and sanctified! Yes, even dead EVE! If Adam ad (like Job) believed and trusted in tat power of immutable love, ten e could ave turned bot er and te situation over to is loving God! Wen Job s precious Eve, known to us as Mrs. Job. eld out te fruit of deat to im, is response was te OPPOSITE of pragmatism! Obedience and submission! Ten said is wife unto im, Dost tou still retain tine integrity? curse God, and die. But e said unto er, Tou speakest as one of te foolis women speaket. Wat? sall we receive good at te and of God, and sall we not receive evil? In all tis did not Job sin wit is lips ( Job 2:9-10). Surely evil calamity was staring Adam in te face. But e (and we) MUST accept tat God will allow us to be tested by tat rascal Satan from time to time. May te LORD elp us to save our eads and worsip im in suc occasions. But Adam sougt out is own inventions via pragmatism and ow we sould sudder! We can not trust in our own strengt or plans! We need to examine our level of comfort to find and eradicate tat pragmatism from our own lives! Are we olding on to sins in our families and curces tat are keeping us from serving our Master? Sins tat we in our deepest inner self are saying: God will forgive me, because e loves me? I will just do tis one more time, because I just can not elp myself!, or so tat my neigbor will not be offended wen God is still offended? A oly God is outraged? Beloved, we CANNOT presume upon te grace of God! Of ow muc sorer punisment, suppose ye, sall e be tougt worty, wo at trodden under foot te Son of God, and at counted te blood of te covenant, werewit e was sanctified, an unoly ting, and at done despite unto te Spirit of grace? For we know im tat at said, Vengeance belonget unto me, I will recompense, sait te Lord. And again, Te Lord sall judge is people. It is a fearful ting to fall into te ands of te living God (eb. 10:29-31). Our curces ave become occupied in many cases by tis evil of pragmatism! Sin is not preaced against, because it will drive off members. Immoral cloting is put up wit because offending members is deemed a worse offense tan offending God! Unfaitful curc members are not disciplined, because more value is put on te large curc roll and no consideration is given of te spiritual benefits of loving discipline, just te provisions of te fles! Sela! Tink about it! Do not tink tat pragmatism is not alive and well in Sovereign Grace Landmark Baptist curces. Beloved reader, te ONLY way tat canging te element of te Lord s Supper from te wine tat Jesus Crist imself used to te modern juices of so many curces can be justified is pragmatism! ow can it be justified to cange an ordinance of God? And yet so many say tat God will be okay wit wat as been done. Are we so afraid tat te power of drunkenness will trump te power of te Almigty? Do we tink tat te cleverness of man to omogenize and pasteurize will remove te leaven of pragmatism? Te end does NOT justify te means. Can te Catolic filt and te stenc of te Mass be eradicated from X-mas witout pragmatism? Not ardly! ow misguided Baptists justify and temporize wen it comes to te clear teacing of God s Word to come out of te world and tat arlot and BE YE SEPARATE! Te end justifies te means? I will celebrate tis day unto te Lord! we claim pragmatically. And, like our fater Adam before us, we will take wole generations down wit us. Our God is a consuming fire (eb. 12:29). If te world can not tell te difference between a true Cristian and a pretend Cristian, its likely source of difficulty is te pragmatism we cling foolisly unto. We can preac to tousands if we drop our standards. O, I mis-typed tat! We can preac to tousands if we drop GOD S standards! We can sare pulpits, we can rub elbows wit te influential folk of te world, if te ends justify te means. But tey do not, so God as given us colder and colder earts to preac to, and America is reacing te point of no return. Terefore pray not tou for tis people, neiter lift up cry nor prayer for tem, neiter make intercession to me: for I will not ear tee. Terefore tus sait te Lord GOD; Beold, mine anger and my fury sall be poured out upon tis place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon te trees of te field, and upon te fruit of te ground; and it sall burn, and sall not be quenced ( Jer. 7:16, 20). Easy divorce is a result of pragmatism. And tey said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put er away. And Jesus answered and said unto tem, For te ardness of your eart e wrote you tis precept. But from te beginning of te creation God made tem male and female. For tis cause sall a man leave (Continued on page 133)

17 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 133 Te Pragmatic (Continued from page 132) is fater and moter, and cleave to is wife; And tey twain sall be one fles: so ten tey are no more twain, but one fles. Wat terefore God at joined togeter, let not man put asunder (Mark 10:4-9). Instead of following Scripture and praying for our mates and eac oter, we errantly terminate our blessing of marriage. Polls ave sown te divorce rate in Cristian omes are little different from carnal omes! Wy? Because we assume tat God will understand our weaknesses and forgive our failures, ten plunge rigt back into anoter relationsip built on te sifting sands of temporal beauty and lusts! Beloved Cristian, we need to seek God s will and pray tat E will send us a wife or usband and not seek out one on our own, ten ask God to bless our illfounded relationsip! Te end DOES NOT justify te means! Te means need to be relegated back to a purposeful journey in God s will and commandments! Ten te end will be a glorious joy and adoration of our providential God! And unto te married I command, yet not I, but te Lord, Let not te wife depart from er usband: But and if se depart, let er remain unmarried, or be reconciled to er usband: and let not te usband put away is wife (I Cor. 7:10-11). Te Bible clearly proibits second marriages. Not just to pastors, but to all umanity! Already quoted is Crist s axiom tat Wat terefore God at joined togeter, let not man put asunder. But folks do divorce and remarry, just like folks murder and steal. God regulates tose evil actions, and tat is wat te bill of divorcement is for: to clearly mark te offending party. And I saw, wen for all te causes wereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I ad put er away, and given er a bill of divorce (Jer. 3:8). Wen a man at taken a wife, and married er, and it come to pass tat se find no favour in is eyes, because e at found some uncleanness in er: ten let im write er a bill of divorcement, and give it in er and, and send er out of is ouse (Deut. 24:1). Te bill of divorcement as used in Scripture is NOT a get out of jail free card tat one can use to go back into te marriage mart as a single individual! You are STILL married! God, imself considers it so just six verses later in Jeremia 3:14, Turn, O backsliding cildren, sait te LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. Te one olding te bill of divorce in teir and is still considered married by Scripture! Remaining in a single state until te time of reconciliation! Any conceived rigt to remarry is beyond te pale of Scripture. Se MIGT go out and pragmatically/rebelliously get married a second time, as Deuteronomy 24 continues, And wen se is departed out of is ouse, se may go and be anoter man s wife, (Not te may of permission in verse 4, but te may of percance in te ebrew) but tat is NOT God s revealed will to us, via is precious statutes! Yes, I know tat God will recognize te second marriage! In Deuteronomy 24:4 it forever precludes any reconciliation: er former usband, wic sent er away, may not take er again to be is wife and in ebrews 13:4, Marriage is onourable in all, and te bed undefiled: but woremongers and adulterers God will judge. Only a second marriage can do wat divorce could never doend te first marriage. But do not let tat become a pragmatic end, witout a lawful means of bringing glory to God. Te Apostle Paul enumerates te wonderful potential of a single person serving God wit 100% of our time and resources. But all we want is Eve. Or worse tan our fater Adam, anoter Eve, forgetting te marvelous love of God! Beloved reader, te power of God s love can fix ANY situation, if we will submit to is will and ways! Sela! Tink about it! Sometimes folk will even see tat it is a sin to remarry, but pragmatically go troug te divorce and new wedding ceremony, defying te sovereignty of God problematically. And God may be gracious to tem and give tem a spouse tat loves tem. And some will even live appily ever after, by God s grace, but we cannot presume upon tat grace! Wat kind of example are we giving our cildren? No wonder we ave a generation of young folk tat enter marriage on a trial-n-error premise! Tat is wat our pragmatism as taugt tem! Sela! Tink about it! Wat will it take for us to see te folly of pragmatism? Peraps a grapic illustration before we close. Beloved, I fully believe tat God as elected every aborted cild and every cildood victim of a seemingly untimely deat before tey are able to be aware of sin and its penalty. Scriptures abound wit evidence for God s mercy and grace in te matter of an age of accountability. I believe it varies from cild to cild and tat imbecilic adults are witin tis realm of blindness taugt in Jon 9:41 and Romans 7:9. So, tat being te case, pragmatism will rear its ugly ead and justify te killing of cildren and sending tem on to eaven, rater tan face tis evil world! ow many cults ave done exactly tat? Kill em! You are doing tem a favor! Is God pleased? NO! A tousand times, NO! Defying te sovereignty of God, tey ave usurped te providence of a God tat works ALL tings out after te counsel of IS OWN WILL. Submit ourselves to God and we can reap te promises of blessings beyond proportion! Will a man rob God? Yet ye ave robbed me. But ye say, Werein ave we robbed tee? In tites and offerings. Ye are cursed wit a curse: for ye ave robbed me, even tis wole nation. Bring ye all te tites into te storeouse, tat tere may be meat in mine ouse, and prove me now erewit, sait te LORD of osts, if I will not open you te windows of eaven, and pour you out a blessing, tat tere sall not be room enoug to receive it (Mal. 3:8-10). Read te entire book of Malaci and see tat not just in tites and offerings, but in every aspect of conduct we ave te responsibility to submit ourselves to God s sovereign rule over our lives! Beloved reader, let us sow pragmatism te door! May God elp us to see te pragmatism of Adam and ourselves more clearly and let us turn back to trusting in te sovereignty of God and is Bible! Sela! Tink about it!

18 Page 134 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Let te King James Translators Speak By Curtis Pug of Poteau, Oklaoma I confess to loving te King James Version Bible. Like you probably do, I most often use a KJV edition based on te 1769 revision of Benjamin Blayney. owever, I do ave two copies of te original 1611 edition. I ave not been able to learn weter tey are Cambridge or Oxford editions. As you are aware, most books ave a preface, or a foreword, or an introduction. Tese introductions often give valuable information to elp te reader understand te book. Bot copies of te original King James Bible tat I own ave te introductory material placed in tem by te King James translators. It is a sad and urtful ting tat most of today s Bible publisers no longer include te translators introductory material in te King James Bibles tey print. Since tis introductory material is not in te Bibles most of us own and use, te purpose of tis article is to acquaint te reader wit some of tat introductory material provided by te King James translators. Te introduction addressed to King James by te translators is brief. But te words addressed to te reader run to eleven pages of small print in my original King James copies. Let us look at some tings tat te King James Bible translators tougt te readers of teir Bibles sould know. Our quotations are mostly from wat tey titled, Te Tranflators To Te Reader. We ave called attention to quotations by using italic type and ave kept te old style spelling, inserting [brackets] trougout for clarification of obsolete terms, etc. First of all te King James translators believed in te Divine inspiration of te Bible. Tey wrote, Te originall tereof [original Scriptures] being from eaven, not from eart; te autour being God, not man; te enditer [dictator or composer], te oly spirit, not te wit of te Apostles or Propets; te Pen-men suc as were sanctified from te wombe, and endewed [provided] wit a principall [large] portion of Gods spirit... Tus tey believed wat is stated in II Peter 1:21: For te propecy came not in old time by te will of man: but oly men of God spake as tey were moved by te oly Gost. We believe tat too! Second, te translators recognized te importance of Bible translation to ordinary people. Tey wrote, Translation it is tat openet te window, to let in te ligt; tat breaket te sell, tat we may eat te kernel; tat puttet aside te curtaine, tat we may looke into te most oly place; tat remoovet te cover of te well, tat wee may come by [get possession of] te water, even as Jacob rolled away te stone from te mout of te well, by wic meanes te flockes of Laban were watered. Indeede witout translation into te vulgar [familiar] tongue [language], te unlearned [tose not scooled in ebrew and Greek] are but like cildren at Jacobs well (wic was deepe) witout a bucket or some ting to draw wit. Tey understood te principle expressed by Broter Paul in I Corintians 14:11: Terefore if I know not te meaning of te voice, I sall be unto im tat speaket a barbarian, and e tat speaket sall be a barbarian unto me. Tird, te King James translators ad real and valuable insigts into exactly wat translators can do and wat tey cannot do. In speaking of te errors tat creep into translations for various reasons, tey explained wy te Old Testament quotations cited by te apostles differed at times from te Septuagint wen tey quoted it. (Te Septuagint is a Greek translation of te ebrew Old Testament said to be made by seventy Jewis elders in seventytwo days). Te translators wrote:...te Seventie [translators of te Septuagint] were Interpreters, tey were not Propets; tey did many tings well, as learned men; but yet as men tey stumbled and fell, one wile troug oversigt, anoter wile troug ignorance, yea, sometimes tey may be noted [seen] to adde to te Originall [Scriptures], and sometimes to take from it; wic made te Apostles to leave tem many times, wen tey [te Seventy] left te ebrew, and to deliver te sence [sense] tereof according to te truet of te word, as te spirit [oly Spirit] gave tem utterance. Te King James translators understood tat translators are mere Interpreters and not Propets wit a new revelation from God. As Baptists today we must regard te King James translators as interpreters or translators and not propets. We cannot regard te King James translators as propets because no propet of God would ave been a member of a idolatrous man made religious organization tat taugt baptismal regeneration (a false gospel) wose leaders persecuted and killed Baptists, but te King James translators were all members and ministers of te Anglican Curc. Old Jon was te last revelator. In anoter place in teir introduction to te reader tey wrote about te Septuagint again, saying, Te translation of te Seventie dissentet [disagrees] from te Originall [Scriptures] in many places, neiter doet it come neere it, for perspicuitie [clarity], gratvitie [seriousness], majestie [dignity or grandeur]; yet wic of te Apostles did condemne it? Condemne it? Nay, tey used it, (as it is apparent, and as Saint Jerome and most learned men doe confesse) wic tey would not ave done, nor [because] by teir example of using it, so grace [approve] and commend it to te Curc, if it ad bene [been] unworty te appellation [designation] and name of te word of God. Tis is a most interesting point. Tey say tat even toug te Septuagint translation was not perfect and fell far sort of te original from wic it was translated, te apostles did not condemn it, but rater tey used it toug tey corrected it in teir quotations of it. Te King James translators said tat use of te Septuagint by te apostles was a recommendation of it to Cristians. Little can be said against te Septuagint since te apostles did quote from it remembering tey were able to correct it in certain places because tey ad te revelatory gift as apostles. Fourt, te King James introduction mentions te existence of a multitude of very early translations trougout te Roman Empire. Tose first generation Cristians:...provided Translations into te vulgar [familiar] for teir Countreymen [fellow citizens], insomuc tat most nations under eaven did sortly after teir conversion, eare CRIST speaking unto tem in teir moter tongue, not by te voyce of teir Minister onely, but also by (Continued on page 135)

19 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 135 Translators Speak (Continued from page 134) te written word translated. Tus it was troug te written Word as well as te preaced Word tat te Lord s congregations were establised in te trut down troug te centuries. Tis is elpful information to te Baptist istorian. If te King James translators were correct many of te anabaptist groups ad te Word of God in teir tongues. Fift, it is very interesting tat te King James translators viewed even te poorest translations of te Bible as being te Word of God not as merely containing it. Tey wrote: wee doe not deny, nay wee affirme and avow, tat te very meanest [inferior in quality] translation of te Bible in Englis, set foort by men of our profession (for wee ave seene none of teirs of te wole Bible as yet) containet te word of God, nay, is te word of God. As te Kings Speec wic ee uttered in Parliament, being translated into Frenc, Dutc, Italian and Latine, is still te Kings Speec, toug it be not interpreted by every Translator wit te like grace, nor peradventure so fitly for prase, nor so expresly [explicit or clear] for sence, every were. It is a fact tat many sinners eard te gospel from earlier translations probably some of tem inferior ones and aving eard only tese poorer translations were neverteless converted. People were converted before tese men produced te King James translation and we dare to ope tat some ave been genuinely converted since even by te use of some of te modern inferior translations of te Word of God. Sixt, te King James translators did not claim to be making a new translation at all. Rater tey tougt to be making a better one by revising older translations. Tey said tat tey were revising te earlier Englis translations suc as te Bisop s Bible in particular (as ordered by King James) and Tyndale s wose words make up a great portion of te King James New Testament. Te King James translators wrote as follows: Truly (good Cristian Reader) wee never tougt from te beginning, tat we sould neede to make a new Translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one... but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principall [great] good one, not justly [only] to be excepted [objected] against; tat at bene our indeavour, tat our marke [goal]. Teir claim to be revisionists is more clearly stated in te long title to te original 1611 King James Bible wic says in part, TE OLY BIBLE, Conteyning te Old Teftament and te New: Newly tranflated out of te Originall tongues & wit te former Tranflations dilligently compared and revifed [revised] by is Maiestes fpeciall [Majesty s special] commandment... In tis tey stated tey compared and revised te former Tranflations. Sevent, te translators spoke of te difficulty of translating and of te need for placing alternative readings in te margins. Today we ave an abundance of lexicons for bot ebrew and Greek as well as oter elps. In tose early days of translation elps were scarce if extant at all. Te exact meaning of words ad to be determined by te context as well as te usage of te word in oter places even in secular ebrew and Greek writings. It was and is often difficult to know te correct meaning of some words. Te King James translators ad tis to say: Some peradventure [peraps] would ave no varietie of sences [senses or meanings] to be set in te margine, [margin] lest te autoritie of te Scriptures for deciding of controversies by tat sew of uncertaintie, sould somewat be saken. But we old teir judgmet not to be so be so sound in tis point... Tere be many words in te Scriptures [original texts], wic be never found tere but once, (aving neiter broter nor neigbour, as te ebrewes speake) so tat we cannot be olpen [elped] by conference of places [i.e. comparing usages of words in different places]. Againe, tere be many rare names of certaine birds, beastes and precious stones, &c. concerning wic te ebrewes temselves are so divided among temselves for judgement, tat tey may seeme to ave defined tis or tat, rater because tey would say someting, te [tan] because tey were sure of tat wic tey said, as S. [Saint] Jerome somewere sait of te Septuagint. Now in suc a case, dot not a margine [note in te margin] do well to admonis te Reader to seeke furter, and not to conclude or dogmatize [be dogmatic] upon tis or tat peremptorily [admitting of no contradiction]? For as it is a fault of incredulitie [unbelief], to doubt of tose tings tat are evident: so to determine of suc tings as te Spirit of God at left (even in te judgment of te judicious) questionable, can beno [be no] lesse ten [tan] presumption. Terfore as S. Augustine sait, tat varietie of Translations is profitable for te finding out of te sense of te Scriptures [original texts]: so diversitie of signification [meaning] and sense in te margine [notes in te margins], were te text [original Scripture texts] is not so cleare, must needes doe good, yea is necessary, as we are perswaded [persuaded]. Te King James translators strongly stated teir case for te inclusion of marginal notes in teir translation saying suc marginal renderings were necessary. Te translators temselves admitted tat some words and names were difficult to translate wit certainty and so gave us alternate marginal readings in te original King James Version. We tink it a same tat te American public as most often been deprived of te complete work of te King James translators. Americans generally do not ave te introductory material or te marginal notes tougt to be necessary by te King James translators. Eigt, te King James translators understood tat translation is not mere mecanical word swapping. Tey wrote as follows on tis subject: An oter ting we tinke good to admonis tee of (gentle Reader) tat wee ave not tyed our selves to an uniformitie of prasing, or to an identitie of words, as some peradventure [peraps] would wis tat we ad done, because tey observe, tat some learned men some were, ave beene as exact as tey could tat way. Truly, tat we migt not varie [vary] from te sense of tat wic we ad translated before, if te word signified te same ting in bot places (for tere bee some wordes tat bee not of te same sense every were) we were especially carefull, and made a conscience [were careful or scrupulous], according to our duetie [duty]. But, tat we sould expresse te same notion in te same particular word; as for example, if we translate te ebrew or Greeke word once by Purpose, never to call it Intent; if one were Journeying, never Traveiling; if one were Tinke, never Suppose; if one were Paine, never Ace; if one were Joy, never Gladnesse, &c. Tus to minse [be brief or cut sort our comments on] te matter, wee tougt to savour [taste (Continued on page 136)

20 Page 136 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Translators Speak (Continued from page 135) or smell] more of curiositie ten [tan] wisedome, and tat rater it [to always use te same word] would breed scorne in te Ateist, ten [tan] bring profite to te godly Reader. For is te kingdome of God become words or syllables? wy sould wee be in bondage to tem if we may be free, use one precisely wen wee may use anoter no lesse fit, as commodiously [andy or serviceable]? Tey stated tat tey were not mecanically bound to one Englis word for one Greek or ebrew word. Nint, let us consider wat te King James translators mentioned last in teir introduction. Tey wrote about teir use of old curc words. Our researc indicates tat King James, troug te Bisop of London, gave fourteen rules to te translators about ow tey were to do teir work. Rules numbered one, tree and four required te translators to substitute certain old curc words instead of translating te original words literally. Tose tree rules are tese: 1. Te ordinary Bible read in te Curc, commonly called te Bisops Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as te trut of te original [Scriptures] will permit. 3. Te old ecclesiastical words [religious words used by te Catolic and Anglican priests] to be kept; as te word curc, not to be translated congregation, &c. and next, 4. Wen any word at divers [different] significations [meanings], tat to be kept wic as been most commonly used by te most eminent faters [old Catolic curc faters], being agreeable to te propriety of te place, and te analogy of te fait [Anglican doctrine]. In stating tat tey followed te king s rules, te translators wrote to te reader: Lastly, wee ave on te one side avoided te scrupulositie [careful correctness] of te Puritanes [Puritans], wo leave te olde Ecclesticall words [old Roman Catolic curc words], and betake tem [go] to oter, as wen tey put wasing for Baptisme, and Congregation in stead of Curc... Because of tis practice sound Baptist preacers down troug te four undred plus years since te King James was translated ave ad difficulties. Tey ave ad to explain te true meaning of tose old Roman Catolic words: not only baptism and curc, but also oter Catolic words suc as bisop, deacon, Easter, presbytery, cross, etc. - words tat appear in our King James Bibles. Summing it all up, wat we ave in te introductory material is a great amount of information wic elps us understand te King James Bible. It is a grave loss to us all tat tis material is no longer included in our Bibles. Tat loss as resulted in misunderstandings as to wat te King James Bible actually says. And it sould be noted, tat, as far as tis preacer is able to learn, none of te popular newer translations remedy tis loss. Tey keep mostly if not completely to te old Catolic words. Wat a ting it would be if te publisers of modern versions actually translated correctly te Greek words baptizo, ekklesia, pasca and stauros as well as oters. Modern evangelicals - including many Protestant Baptists would probably refuse to buy teir Bibles and teir revenues would go down. For te sad fact is tat most Baptists do not ave an inkling as to te meaning of tese Greek words and blitely go about believing Roman Catolic doctrines taugt by tese olde Ecclesticall Englis words: baptism, curc, Easter, and cross, as well as oters. We live in a time were libraries and te Internet make available to us sources so tat we can know te trut regarding tese and oter words. We ave no excuse for believing error. Let us rejoice in te freedom tat knowing te trut brings as our Lord Jesus said, And ye sall know te trut, and te trut Broken Cisterns te Fountain of Living Waters, or Broken Cisterns Wic Do You Worsip? By Rosco Brong ( ) My people ave committed two evils; tey ave forsaken me te fountain of living waters, and ewed tem out cisterns, broken cisterns, tat can old no water (Jer. 2:13). Weter e wills it or not, weter e admits it or not, man is by nature religious and must worsip some god or gods, even if tat god is only imself. Wen we call a man irreligious, we really mean tat e is not religious in a conventional sense; e worsips a god or gods tat we do not recognize as suc. No wonder te Bible tells us it is only te fool tat as said in is eart, Tere is no God (Ps. 14:1). In is very denial of te existence of God, te ateist seeks to set imself upon te trone of deity. POOR SUBSTITUTES In our text, te God of te Bible calls imself te fountain of living waters, and refers to te false gods of is professed people as broken cisterns, tat can old no water. sall make you free, (Jon 8:32). And let us be properly appreciative of te work of te King James Bible translators wo told us wat tey believed and ow tey made teir translation of te Word of God. By means of teir own introductory words we can better understand God s Word! Even a good cistern, its natural staleness and accumulation of filt, is a poor substitute for a neverfailing fountain of fres, pure water: ow muc worse are broken cisterns, tat can old no water! And so Jeova calls upon te very eavens to be astonised, afraid, and desolate at te spectacle of a people wo ave known someting of te true God, but ave canged teir glory for tat wic dot not profit (Jer. 2:11). IDOLATRY In te second of te Ten Commandments God forbade te making of images to be worsiped and te worsiping of suc images or likenesses. No doubt suc images were among te false gods of Jeremia s day. Literal idolatry is less common in te world today, tanks to te wide influence of te Bible, even among unbelievers. But people of (Continued on page 137)

21 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 137 Broken Cisterns (Continued from page 136) inferior intelligence, ignorant of suc Scriptures as Jon 4:24, can still be found worsiping pictures, crucifixes, statues, or oter images even wile tey profess a form a of so-called Cristianity. All suc images are but broken cisterns. MAMMON owever, it is not necessary to ave a material image in order to be guilty of idolatry. Colossians 3:5 tells us plainly tat coveteousness is idolatry, and in Epesians 5:5 a covetous man is called an idolater. Jesus imself tells us, Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matt. 6:24). Mammon simply means wealt, or money and all tat money can buy. Sooner or later it will turn out to be a broken cistern. PLEASURE If tere is no resurrection of te body, if te dead rise not, Paul tells us (I Cor. 15:32), we migt as well adopt te pilosopy of some of te Epicureans: Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die. So a faitless generation gives itself over to entertainment, amusement, so-called recreation, avoiding useful work so far as possible in order to rus madly from one pastime to anoter. Moses cose rater to suffer affliction wit te people of God, tan to enjoy te pleasures of sin for a season (eb. 11:25), but lesser men ave made a different coice, devoting temselves to te great god pleasure, as to a broken cistern. FASION Ignoring te teacing of Scripture, te customs of te people are vain (Jer. 10:3), and te strict command of God, Tou salt not follow a multitude to do evil (Ex. 23:2), untold millions of souls are enslaved to te god of fasion partaking of all kinds of indecencies to keep style. Not only in a dress (or undress) and pysical adornment (or camouflage), but in teir wole pattern of life (if suc mecanized puppetry can be called life), tey anxiously fawn at te feet of fasion a broken cistern. PRAISE Some people seem to worsip and live for uman praise for popularity, for te plaudits of te populace, for te flutter of flattery. Even some preacers appear ready to corrupt te trut to attract supporters (Acts 20:30). Surely te praise of men is a broken cistern! ow can ye believe, asked Jesus, wic receive onor one of anoter, and seek not te onor tat comet from God only (Jon 5:44)? And in Jon 12:43 we read of some sort of (secret) believers tat tey loved te praise of men more tan te praise of God. EDUCATION An idol most caracteristic of te modern world is education wit a capital E. Sad to say, multitudes of supposed-tobe Cristian parents are more concerned tat teir cildren ave a worldly education tan tat tey come to know te true God, is word, and is salvation. Our superstitious generation vainly imagines tat education can take place of God tat all te ills of te world can be cured by education, culture, and te spread of material prosperity blitely blind to te fact tat it is Education tat as produced and distributed te weapons tat may destroy us. America s most dangerous outside enemy is so dangerous precisely because of education but muc more dangerous to America is te fact tat most of te American people ave turned away from God to te broken cistern of education. SINCERITY Surely it is better to be sincere tan ypocritical. But if Satan cannot induce a sin-blinded soul to be consciously ypocritical, e as a more effective trick: let tat soul worsip te god Sincerity, forgetting tat it is possible to be sincerely wrong. In fact, most erring souls are more or less sincere. Scripture reminds us tat te way of a fool is rigt in is own eyes, and even makes te soulsearcing statement tat every way of man is rigt in is own eyes (Prov. 12:15, 21:2). Jesus warned is disciples: Te time comet, tat wosoever killet you will tink tat e doet God service (Jon 16:2). Tere is ardly a crime on record tat as not been justified of te Word of God. Doing te best you can, letting your conscience be your guide, is a rotten substitute for te worsip of te true God a broken cistern in place of te fountain of living waters. LEGALISM Even in our common translation, te book of Galatians quite clearly suts out te law as a means of justification wit God. But te original language rules out not only te law (of Moses) but law in general law witout te definite article. If tere ad been a law given wic could ave given life, verily rigteousness would ave been from law. (Gal. 3:21: note absence of te article in te Greek.) So, in Galatians 2:16, 21, we read in accurate translation: Knowing tat a man is not justified. For if rigteous (is) troug law, ten Crist died in vain. Te point is tat not even New Testament law can be used as a means of justification before God. We cannot get rigt wit God by a mere outward obedience to is law, moral or ceremonial, Old Testament, but only troug saving fait, wic is counted to us for rigteousness (Rom. 4:5). Te greatest tragedy of professed Cristianity troug te centuries is te falling away (Gal. 5:4) from te saving grace of God (Titus 2:11) and te ewing out of broken cisterns of new forms of legalism. FORMALISM Not only ave false curces invented various forms and rituals to ensnare and deceive te people, but Satan and is apostles ave perverted even te sacred scriptural symbols of baptism and te Lord s Supper into false gods for deluded souls wo trust in te outward forms instead of trusting te Crist of Wom tese forms are meant to remind us. Truly te turning from God to idols in Jeremia s day was no greater occasion for astonisment, fear, and desolation (Jer. 2:12) tan te modern turning of selfstyled Cristians from te blood of Crist to te water of baptism or to te fruit of te vine as aving saving power. From te living God to dead forms and rituals from te fountain of living waters to broken cisterns! SELF As suggested at te beginning of tis sermon, all tese and oter false gods or broken cisterns are but varied forms of self-worsip a rejection of te true God in order tat a man may worsip an object of is own coice involving ultimately te worsip of imself. Tis will worsip (Col. 2:23), (Continued on page 138)

22 Page 138 Te Berea Baptist Banner June 5, 2014 Broken Cisterns (Continued from page 137) tis rebellion of uman pride, is sometimes found even among God s people and tis is te astonising, fearful, desolating trut! But wat ast tou tat tou didst not receive? Now if tou didst receive it, wy dost tou glory, as if tou adst not received it (I Cor. 4:7)? Sall we turn even te blessings from te fountain of life into broken cisterns? Are ye so foolis? aving begun in te Spirit, are ye now made perfect by te fles (Gal. 3:3)? Jesus invites wosoever will to take te water of life freely (Rev. 22:17), from our uman pride and self-will, if we would truly be is disciples. Wosoever e be of you tat forsaket not all tat e at, e cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:33). A Biblical Definition of Preacing By Ricard. eaterly of Wingo, Kentucky As an example of sounding good and Biblical, but not quite getting tere, listen to ow one preacer of a large popular curc defines preacing. e correctly defended te need of preacing as opposed to te curces wo do not want teir services to sound preacy. After saying tat we sould never apologize for preacing in our curces e gave te following definition of preacing. Preacing is simply a passionate and dynamic communication of an important and vital trut from te Bible. Tis is a fairly good secular definition and would probably be te one given by most; but it seems to come sort of a Bible definition. Dynamic and passionate communication can be done totally troug uman ability witout te power of te oly Spirit. But God onored Bible preacing is defined in te Bible as oly Gost empowered preacing. And my speec and my preacing was not wit enticing words of man s wisdom, but in demonstration of te Spirit and of power: Tat your fait sould not stand in te wisdom of men, but in te power of God (I Cor 2:4-5). For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in te oly Gost, and in muc assurance (I Tess 1:5). Our Lord said in Luke 4:18, Te Spirit of te Lord is upon me, because e at anointed me to preac te gospel. Now I fully realize tat our Lord was and is God incarnate, and tat e preaced wit a power tat no man will ever ave as is equal, but tat in no way diminises te Bible definition of preacing being by and troug te power of te oly Spirit. It seems tat a definition of preacers and preacing, if it is Biblical, ougt to ave in it te need of a call from God and empowered by te oly Spirit lest it give te impression tat no special call or anointing from God is needed. Preacing does not ave to be dynamic in order to be effective; but it must be in te power of te oly Spirit. No doubt being dynamic in delivery may make te words more palatable to uman ears; but if te oly Spirit is in control of te preacer te message will be life canging weter it is dynamic or not. Te Scripture recorded tat te people said of Paul s preacing, For is letters, say tey, are weigty and powerful; but is bodily presence is weak, and is speec contemptible (II Cor. 10:10). Men may disagree as to te exact and complete meaning of tis verse; but it is certain tat men did not consider Paul a dynamic preacer. Wat te curc needs today is not dynamic preacers but God called and oly Spirit filled preacers. Many of te most powerful preacers in curc istory were uneducated and very plain and ordinary and in no way dynamic; but tey were powerful troug te power of te oly Spirit. Some were igly educated and not te least bit dynamic but powerful in te Spirit. Still oters were igly educated and very dynamic and teir preacing was powerful troug te oly Spirit. A classic example of tis is te well known and still muc read sermon Sinners in te and of an Angry God by Jonatan Edwards If wat I ave read concerning tis preacer is correct e was certainly not a dynamic preacer. e is said to ave read is sermon in a muc labored and unattractive manner. owever, all wo recognize te need of God s anointing in preacing, acknowledge tat e was one of te most effective oly Spirit empowered preacers in istory. Many times te most dynamic preacers are more concerned about being politically correct and positive and tactful in teir delivery tan tey are of te need of oly Gost power. Tere is anoter ting te Bible makes clear wen defining preacing; if it does not include reproof, and rebuke of sin troug doctrine, it is not te kind of preacing Paul told Timoty to do in II Timoty 4:2. Tis is not said as a put down of dynamic preacing; it is not even a dismissal of te potential benefit of dynamic preacing ability. owever, it matters not ow dynamic preacing may be, if it is not done in te power of te oly Spirit it will be completely wortless spiritually no matter ow successful in attracting religious crowds. I say again, wat te curc needs today is oly Spirit filled preacers, not dynamic preacers. To use tis preacer s definition of preacing, wic leaves out any mention of te oly Spirit, leaves out te most vital part. Bible preacing, is a spiritual endeavor to reac te spirit of men, and terefore it can only be done in te power of te oly Spirit. If a man is dynamic and oly Spirit anointed in is preacing e will be extremely successful. On te oter and, if a man is oly Spirit anointed and witout dynamic ability e also will be extremely successful. It matters not ow polised or unpolised is talent, or ow visible and applauded or obscure and ignored by man is ministry may be. Dynamic preacers witout oly Spirit anointing will be complete failures no matter ow big te crowds tat follow tem and ow numerous te accolades eaped upon tem. I once knew a godly preacer wo was te best personal witness for Crist I ave ever known. e always pastored small insignificant curces by men s estimation. e said to me on one occasion: No man will be a success for God until e is willing to be a complete failure in te eyes of (Continued on page 139)

23 June 5, 2014 Te Berea Baptist Banner Page 139 A Biblical (Continued from page 138) men. I am confident tat onest study of te Scripture will prove tat statement Biblically correct. Professional dynamic preacers wo are preacing witout te power of te oly Spirit; are many times fearful of being unpopular. For tis reason tey say te rigt Pro-Gay Groups Set Teir Sigts on te Sout (WNS)--Te nation s largest gay rigts advocacy group is putting down roots in te Sout. Last week, te uman Rigts Campaign (RC) announced it will spend $8.5 million over te next tree years to set up permanent offices and staff in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. RC s goal is to expand social and legal protections in tose states for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) residents. RC says te program, called Project One America, is targeting Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi because tey lack sexual orientation nondiscrimination laws in employment, ousing, and public accommodations, and because all tree states constitutionally define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Tey blame some of tis on lack of funding, citing a study tat found tat grant funding for every LGBT adult in te Norteast in was $10.10, compared to $1.71 in te Sout. Google Goaded Into Purging Pro-Life Ads (WNS)--NARAL Pro-Coice tings in a way wic does away wit any real and meaningful application of te Word tey preac. Paul took satisfaction in te fact tat is preacing was fully known, clearly stated and e expected spiritual application from is earers (II Tim. 3:10, 4:17, II Cor. 4:2). 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 America as been pecking at Google to remove deceptive advertisements placed by crisis pregnancy centers (CPC) for monts. In late April, te abortion-rigts group trumpeted victory: Google as apparently plucked from its searc results more tan two-tirds of ads placed by CPCs for allegedly violating its policy against misleading, inaccurate, and deceitful ads tat urt everyone. NARAL President Ilyse ogue called te ads a deliberate misinformation campaign and manipulation targeting women wo are searcing online for abortion services and resources. Te Wasington Post reported tat an analysis by NARAL discovered 79 percent of CPC ads indicated tat tey provided medical services suc as abortions, wen, in fact, tey are focused on counseling services and on providing information about alternatives to abortion. NARAL representatives did not respond to my request for an interview. Cristians Kicked Off GTV For Teir Fait (WNS)--Twins Jason and David Benam found out Wednesday teir pro-life and pro-family values aren t welcome at GTV. Te broters were five weeks into filming a new sow wit six families learning ow to work togeter to flip a ouse. Flip It Forward, was set to air in October, and an GTV promo touted tat in eac episode, te guys elp a deserving family find a fixer-upper and transform it into teir forever ome. But GTV as a large LGBT audience, and Ellen DeGeneres recently announced er own design sow on te network. Activist group Rigt Wing Watc dug into te Benams lives and brougt down te politically correct ammer. Most of te dirt tat Rigt Wing Watc found on te broters actually came from teir fater, Flip Benam, a preacer and colorful pro-life activist. Did Planned Parentood elp Arizona Rapist Go Free? (WNS)--Planned Parentood Arizona is under fire again for alleged misconduct but tis time, te carges aren t coming from undercover pro-life activists. Te Pinal County Seriff s Office alleges tat te abortion center intentionally id a rape involving wat turned out to be a serial rapist. Te Casa Grande Dispatc discovered documents implicating Planned Parentood wile investigating te April 28 arrest of 18-year-old Tyler Kost, wo is accused of raping or molesting at least 18 girls in San Tan Valley. Te seriff s office report based on detectives interviews included a girl wo said se became pregnant after Kost raped er last year. Te girl s moter told a Planned Parentood staff member about te assault at te girl s New Year s Eve appointment. Pro-life Priests Take Obamacare Figt to Court (WNS)--Pro-life priests sould (Continued on page 140) BEREA BAPTIST BROADCAST Financial Report to Beginning Balance... $7, RECEIPTS: Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Grace B. C., Corbin, KY TOTAL...7, EXPENDITURES: Radio Time Postage TOTAL EXPENDITURES , Interest ENDING BALANCE... $7, BEREA BAPTIST BANNER Financial Report to Beginning Balance... $2, RECEIPTS: B. C. of Brimfield, Brimfield, IL Berea B. C., Mantacie, MS Berea B. C., Stonington, IL Betel B. C., Pasadena, TX Big Creek B. C., Wayne, WV Carol Willitt, Edgewater, Fl Citrus M. B. C., Inverness, FL Fait B. C., Lynn, AR Gail Knowles, Scarboroug, ME Grace B. C., Corbin, KY Grace B. C., Winston-Salem, NC Grace M. B. C., Marion, IL Grace M. B. C., Tulsa, OK Indore B. C., Indore, WV Janet Stevens, Marion, KY Te Lord s Curc, Goose Creek, SC Micael Serman, Asland, KY Mt. Pleasant B. C., Cesapeake, O New Testament B. C., Gosen, IN Parkway L. B. C., Springfield, OR Piladelpia B. 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