Sunday, April 7 9:30 a.m. Class Beliefs Matter Sermons from Ephesians It Really Does Matter What We Believe About: One Faith: A Call To Arms! Philippians 1:27; Jude 3 A note posted on a religious website, discussing sexuality as a spiritual experience says it is OK to be Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Straight, Asexual; OK to be different; OK to follow our own path; OK to make our own choices without being judged, particularly in this community. The truth tells us that while people may indulge their sinful desires in that way, we don t please God like that. How do we know? Where do we go for direction? We believe there is One Lord, and today we see there is one place where we can go to find the written directions. The one faith does not refer to the act of believing, but to the body of doctrines which we believe. The one faith is the Gospel. (Philippians 1:27 NIV) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel (Jude 1:3 NIV) Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. It is not scriptural to speak of many faiths or interfaith activities as many do. There are not two faiths nor several faiths. There is only one faith that leads into God s presence and that is the faith founded by the Lord Jesus Christ. Contrary to what Oprah and others are teaching, there is no other approach to God. If a person wishes to live with God to be approved and accepted by Him that person has to approach God through the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 NIV) But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. {14} He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The point is this: every believer has come to God in the very same way by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Him is the only way, the only true faith. Therefore, standing before God and having come to Him through the same faith, there is no room for any differences. We all stand on the same ground, on the same level: the ground and level of faith. If you want to be a member of this congregation, realize that we believe there is One body, One Spirit, One Hope, One Lord, and One Faith. READ JUDE 1-4 Why did Jude write this letter? To warn his readers that the apostates were already on the scene! Peter had prophesied that they would come (2 Peter 2:1-3; 3:3ff), and his prophecy had been fulfilled. He wrote to exhort them (Jude 3). In the Greek language, this word was used to describe a general giving orders to the army; hence the atmosphere of this letter is military. Jude had started to write a quiet devotional letter about salvation, but the Spirit led him to put down his harp and sound the trumpet! The Epistle of Jude is a call to arms. THE ARMY (JUDE 1-2) The Captain of the army is Jesus Christ, and the soldiers He commands are people who share a common salvation through faith in Him. Jude called them saints and addressed them as sanctified. Not only are God s saints set apart, but they are also preserved. This means carefully watched and guarded. The believer is secure in Jesus Christ. This same word is used in Jude 6 and 13 ( reserved ) and also in Jude 21 ( keep yourselves ). THE ENEMY (JUDE 3-4) I must confess that I sympathize with Jude. I would much rather encourage the saints than declare war on the apostates. But when the enemy is in the field, the watchmen dare not go to sleep. The Christian life is a battleground, not a playground. Jude wasted no time in identifying the enemy. They were ungodly (v. 4b). This is one of Jude s favorite words. While these men claimed to belong to God, they were, in fact, ungodly in their thinking and their living. They were deceitful (v. 4c).
They crept in unawares. The Greek word means to slip in secretly, to steal in undercover. How could false brethren get into true assemblies of the saints? The soldiers had gone to sleep at the post! The spiritual leaders in the churches had grown complacent and careless. This explains why Jude had to blow the trumpet to wake them up. They were enemies of God s grace (v. 4d). Why did they enter the churches? To attempt to change the doctrine and turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness (Jude 4). The word lasciviousness simply means wantonness, absence of moral restraint, indecency. A person who is lascivious thinks only of satisfying his lusts, and whatever he touches is stained by his base appetites. Many scriptures warn us that the apostates would argue, You have been saved by grace, so you are free to live as you please! They seduce young, immature Christians who have not yet been grounded in the Scriptures. Every soldier of the Cross needs to go through basic training in a local church so that he knows how to use the weapons of spiritual warfare. They denied God s truth (v. 4e). Jude was affirming strongly the deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God! But the apostates would deny this. They would agree that Jesus Christ was a good man and a great teacher, but not that He was eternal God come in human flesh. The first test of any religious teacher, as we have seen, is, What do you think of Jesus Christ? Is He God come in the flesh? Anyone who denies this cardinal doctrine is a false teacher no matter how correct he may be in other matters. If he denies the deity of Christ, something will always be missing in whatever he affirms. They were ordained to judgment (v. 4a). Jude did not write that these men were ordained to become apostates, as though God were responsible for their sin. They became apostates because they willfully turned away from the truth. But God did ordain that such people would be judged and condemned. The Old Testament prophets denounced the false prophets of their day, and both Jesus Christ and His Apostles pronounced judgment on them. Why should these men be judged by God? To begin with, they had denied His Son! That is reason enough for their condemnation! But they had also defiled God s people by teaching them that God s grace permitted them to practice sin. How, then, should the church respond to the presence of this insidious enemy? By earnestly contending for the faith. The faith refers to that body of doctrine that was given by God through the Apostles to the church. The word doctrine is found at least sixteen times in the Pastoral Epistles alone. What does it mean to contend for the faith? The Greek word is an athletic term that gives us our English word agonize. It is the picture of a devoted athlete, competing in the Greek games and stretching his nerves and muscles to do his very best to win. You never fight the Lord s battles from a rocking chair or a soft bed! Both the soldier and the athlete must concentrate on doing their best and giving their all. There must also be teamwork, believers working together to attack and defeat the enemy. Sometimes you hear well-meaning people say, Well, it s fine to contend for the faith, but don t be so contentious! While it is true that some of God s soldiers have been the cause of quarrels and divisions, it is also true that some of them have paid a great price to defend the faith. As Christian soldiers, we must not fight each other or go around looking for trouble. But when the banner of Christ is in danger of being taken by the enemy, we cannot sit idly by, nor can we ever hope to win the victory by wearing kid gloves. One writer said that the new views are not the old truth in a better dress, but deadly errors with which we can have no fellowship. I cannot endure false doctrine, however neatly it may be put before me. Would you have me eat poisoned meat because the dish is of the choicest ware? Paul admonished both Timothy and Titus to make sure the believers were being taught sound doctrine, which means healthy doctrine, doctrine that promotes the spiritual health of the local church. While individual teachers and preachers may disagree on some fine points of theology, there is a basic body of truth to which all true Christians are committed. He exhorted Timothy to entrust the Word to other faithful men (2 Tim. 2:2). You and I would not have the Word today were it not for faithful believers down through the ages who guarded this precious deposit and invested it in others. The church is always one generation short of extinction. If our generation fails to guard the truth and entrust it to our children, then that will be the end! When you think of the saints and martyrs who suffered and died so that we might have God s truth, it makes you want to take your place in God s army and be faithful unto death. False doctrine is a deadly poison that must be identified, labeled, and avoided. We must always speak the truth in love, and the weapons we use must be spiritual. At the same time, we must dare to take our stand for the faith even if our stand offends some and upsets others. We are not fighting personal enemies, but the enemies of the Lord.
It is the honor and glory of Jesus Christ that is at stake. Fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12). THE VICTORY (JUDE 5-7) Jude reached back into Old Testament history and gave examples of God s victory over those who had resisted his authority and turned from the truth. The point Jude was making is that God judges apostates. Therefore, the false teachers who had crept into the church would also one day be judged. Their seeming success would not last; God would have the last word. The sin of Israel was rebellious unbelief (Heb. 3:12). The sin of the angels was rebellion against the throne of God. The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was indulging in unnatural lust. Unbelief, rebellion against authority, and sensual indulgence were sins characteristic of the false teachers. The conclusion is obvious: the apostates will be judged. But, meanwhile, God s soldiers must stay on duty and see to it that these false teachers do not creep into the ranks and start to lead people astray. Read Jude 1:17-25 What can we do practically to oppose the enemy and maintain the purity and unity of the church? For one thing, we must know the Word of God and have the courage to defend it. Every local church ought to be a Bible institute, and every Christian ought to be a Bible student. The pulpit needs to declare positive truth as well as denounce error. Second, we must watch and pray. The Christian life must never stand still; if it does, it will go backward. The enemy is already here and we dare not go to sleep! Spiritual leaders in local congregations need to be alert as they interview candidates for baptism and church membership. Congregations must exercise discernment as they select spiritual leaders. Finally, we must have the courage to maintain a position of biblical separation from those who deny Christ and the fundamental doctrines of the Word. This does not mean that we separate from fellow believers over minor doctrinal differences, or that we practice guilt by association. God s true army needs to stand together in the battle for truth. Sunday, April 7 10:30 a.m. Word of Encouragement Beliefs Matter Sermons from Ephesians It Really Does Matter What We Believe About: One Baptism Ephesians 4:4-5; Galatians 1:6-9; 3:26-28 Ever made a bad first impression? Have you ever felt like you ve messed it up enough that you wish you could start all over? That s one way of describing what baptism is all about, a new beginning, a brand new life. Ephesians 4:4-5: There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- {5} one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Belief Matters Eph 4:7 beliefs that really matter, we ve covered today One Baptism When speaking of the one Baptism Paul could not have had in mind the question or debate of where it was of pouring, or sprinkling, or immersion. Only immersion was practiced in the time of the apostles. The earliest case of sprinkling for baptism on record is that of Novation in 251 A. D., who was baptized upon his bed while sick by pouring a large quantity of water over him. According to the historians, immersion was nearly the universal practice until the Middle Ages when the Roman Catholic church declared at the Council of Constance that immersion and sprinkling were of equal validity. Paul was certainly not referring to Holy Spirit baptism as the one baptism that was the common experience of the church. Baptism in the Holy Spirit was an exceptional experience. On the day of Pentecost, the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2:4). About ten years later, at the house of Cornelius, Peter saw the Holy Spirit fall of Cornelius and his household. In telling about this, Peter said that the Holy Spirit fell on them, as at the beginning. Then remembered the word of the Lord how that he had said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:15-16). These are the only cases of Holy Spirit baptism recorded in the Bible. The experiences of those who claim to have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit in modern times are so contradictory that no confidence can be placed in them. If there is only one baptism, surely there ought not be any disagreement as to how it is to be performed, or in what it is done.
(Acts 2:38-39 NIV) Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {39} The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." The difficulty comes in the simple definition -- or redefining of the word eis. Is it saying that baptism is to receive the forgiveness of sins or baptism is because my sins have already been forgiven? To say the same thing in another way: is baptism necessary in order to have your sins forgiven? If the word eis in Acts 2:38 means their sins were already forgiven before baptism, it has to be interpreted the same way in Matthew 26:28: This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Does anyone here believe that forgiveness of sins was possible for the masses BEFORE the death and the shedding of blood by Jesus? The One Baptism is an immersion in water of a person who understands and believes the good news about Jesus and who is willing to follow Jesus as his One Lord. Is an immersion Word means immerse or dip (ship sinking, man drowning), parallel w/ DBR; some vv. refer to much water or going down into the water and indicate that immersion is what was going on (Matt. 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:38-39). Some may wonder if sprinkling is okay. Wrong Q don t need to be trying to figure out whether what we may have done is good enough but figuring out what God wants. Understands & believes the good news (vv. Acts 2:24-38; Col. 2:11-12) not a ritual, must be understanding & faith, not for babies or others who don t understand or believe. Willing to follow Jesus as their one lord (vv. Acts 2:36, 41) not magical & not the end of the journey, rather the beginning. The purpose and meaning of baptism is broad: It is associated with being a part of the church, being clothed with Christ, repentance, death, the Holy Spirit It is associated w/ forgiveness of sins and salvation. I believe a proper understanding of it fits with the clear biblical teaching that we are saved by grace through faith. The best simple way I know to say it is that baptism is one of the responses to God s grace in order to be forgiven and saved. 1. Salvation is by grace (Eph. 2:8-9). Grace is the basis for salvation, no way we can save ourselves. When we get baptized, we are not saving ourselves (but cf. Acts 2:40-41). 2. Baptism is a response to grace. Grace is primary; grace is the basis; baptism is a response to it. Without the grace, baptism would be meaningless. 3. Baptism is not a work (Titus 3:4-5). Rather, it is a response to Christ s work. 4. Baptism is a matter of faith (Gal. 3:26-27; Col. 2:11-12). 5. Baptism is one of several responses to God s grace (faith, repentance, confession). 6. Baptism is a necessary response (vv. Acts 2:38; 22:16; I Pet. 3:21; John 3:3-5). 7. Baptism is the beginning point for new life (Rom. 6:4), I don t know of any other point in time that the NT says we die to our old life. Every religious group teaches some response to God s grace is necessary for salvation, to believe in Jesus or accept Jesus or pray to Jesus etc. The idea of responding to God s grace is biblical ( those who receive God s abundant provision of grace, Rom. 5:17). I believe the NT teaches baptism is a part of receiving it, one of the necessary responses, in view of the clear statements that connect w/ salvation. If you are familiar with the sinner s prayer I encourage you to think carefully about that. I can t find that in the Bible, Rev. 3:20 is talking to Christians. People feel a need for a tangible beginning point, and baptism is that beginning point a particular event at a particular point in time and an actual act which is deliberate and able to be witnessed. I believe the sinner s prayer is a way of filling the void left when people remove baptism. So baptism is an immersion in water of a person who understands and believes the good news about Jesus and who is willing to follow Jesus as his One Lord. This is the One baptism shared by all God s people. It holds us together as God s people. This is what we believe & teach at Parkway & something you need to do if you want to be a member of Parkway. If you re not quite there yet in your thinking, that s okay. Our walk w/ God is a journey. But I encourage you to be thinking, praying, & studying about this.
(Galatians 1:6-9 NIV) I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- {7} which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. {8} But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! {9} As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 3:26-28 NIV) You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, {27} for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. {28} There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Why is this so important? Because the religious world is good at giving false confidence in this area. We ve got to spend some time today in Acts 19:1-5 Paul found some disciples who had been immersed in water: in the right way for the wrong reason. Why was it such a big deal? What was the recourse? How does it affect us today? Throughout this series of messages on Belief Matters we ve been saying it s not enough merely to understand what the Bible teachers or merely to concur with it. It needs to change our lives. If we believe in the One Baptism, we ll do two things: Get baptized, w/ understanding, w/ faith, w/ the intent to follow Jesus. If you haven t done that, I urge you to do so. If it s associated with being saved, it s really, really important. Wouldn t want you to do it just to do it; need to understand. Glad to discuss it with you further.