September 1999

Know Your Bible September 1999

The Blood Of Christ

The majority of religious denominations, which I am familiar with, believe that salvation from sin comes through the blood of Christ. In this respect, they are correct. If salvation could be had without His blood, there would have been no need for Christ coming to this world and dying on the cross. Thus, the blood of Christ is absolutely essential when it comes to our being cleansed from sin. Jesus Himself said, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." So, while there is agreement in the religious world concerning the need of Christ's blood for the remission of sins, there is much discord over the question: How do we contact the blood of Christ?

Ask yourself: Are you willing to accept the Bible's answer to this question? If so, read on. If not, read on anyway! "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:"(Romans 6:3-5). Christ shed His blood in His death. When we are baptized into His death, we contact the blood which He shed in His death. Is that not simple to understand? It is so simple we would have to have help to misunderstand! We are baptized INTO His death and we are buried WITH Him by baptism. Baptism relates to BOTH the death and burial of Jesus Christ. Yes, His blood was shed on the cross sometime before His burial but the plain words of Romans 6:3 are: "baptized into his death"

From what Romans 6:3-5 teaches, what possible conclusion could anyone reach than we are to contact the blood of Christ in baptism? Have you contacted the blood of Christ?

---E.R. Hall, Jr.

Page 1

Life Is Christ

For years the world has pondered upon the question of how life came into existence. The world's most common explanation to this question is the theory of evolution. Science claims that life originated from some sort of chemical process. To make a long story short, through the course of time, we became what we are now and everything else became what it is now.

The theory of evolution is just that - it is a theory. Nothing has ever been found or ever will be to prove it to be true. If people would only take time to stop and look around them, they could truly see the 'Grand Designer' at work.

There are millions of people on the earth today all going about their daily routines of work and recreation. These people enjoy the wonders of the world that God created whether they realize it or not. They have hearts that beat and blood coursing through their veins, but , my friends, they are dead spiritually. We must realize that we need to work to help others know that All life both physical and spiritual is in Christ.

Paul said to the church at Colossae about Christ "all things were made by him and for him" (Col. 1:16), John said about the Christ "...without him was not any thing that was made " (John 1:3). Friends, the very earth that we live on is because of the Christ that was slain.

The apostle Paul was a man that realized what life was all about. In the epistle to the church at Phillippi, Paul said "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21) Paul was determined that whether he lived or died, Christ "shall be magnified" ( Phil. 1:20 ). Paul realized that death to him was only gain because his life is Christ and he "...desired to depart and be with Christ which is far better " (Phil. 1:23).

Friends, your life can be in Christ if you will only obey the gospel of Christ. Paul, speaking to those that obeyed the gospel at Colossae, said "When Christ , who is our life, shall appear, then shall we appear with Him in glory" (Col.3:4). The question that you and I must ask ourselves is "What is it for us to live?"

---Tim Shepherd

Page 2

Why Take A Chance?

Suppose someone came to you and said, "Here are three $20 bills. Many intelligent and sincere people say that these two are counterfeit, while others think that they are all right. But the genuineness of this third bill has never been questioned. All agree that it is legal tender. Now, which of the three bills do you want?

Which one would you take? I think that I know. You would take no chances and accept the third bill, wouldn't you?

Now, suppose a preacher comes along and says, "Here are three acts called baptism: sprinkling, pouring, and immersion. Many intelligent and sincere people say that the first two are not scriptural baptism at all, while others think that they will do. But no one has ever questioned immersion. All agree that it is scriptural baptism. Now, which one do you want?

Which one will you take? Will you take a chance with your soul that you would not take with your money? Your soul is worth more than all the world. (Matthew 16:26). Don't take the chance! Be scripturally baptized; buried (Colossians 2:12). Be baptized for the scriptural reason; the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

---Selected

Page 3

Back To Know Your Bible Home Page