Know Your Bible


VOL. 14                                                                                                                         August 14, 2016                                                                                                                            NO. 22

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REASON WHY ONE IS BAPTIZED IS IMPORTANT



Imagine these scenarios:

A boy is dating a girl that he is absolutely ‘crazy’ about.  She is a Christian, and he knows that he can ‘make some points’ with her if he is baptized.  So he is . . .

A teenage girl has lots of friends at a summer camp. One night at the camp several of those friends are baptized. She wants to  be ‘accepted’ by her peers, so she decides to be baptized, too . . .

A man works for a company owned and operated by a man who is a strong Christian. He begins attending church services to impress his boss. He knows that being baptized would be a  very ‘big deal’ to the owner of the company, so he decides to do it . . .

A fella who needs money - maybe a place to live - and other material considerations, visits a church. He finds out pretty quickly that these are good people who are generous and helpful. He figures that if he is baptized even more ‘goodies’ will come his way, so he ‘goes forward’ to be baptized . . .


In all of these cases we would strongly argue that the baptism is not right; that the results of such baptism are not effective to the saving of the soul; that such a person – if and when they are truly convicted – should be baptized again. The root of the problem being, of course, the improper motivation of their initial baptism. 


Paul commended the Romans because they had “obeyed from the heart” (6:17). It is interesting that the obedience in view in that context is baptism (6:3-5). From this we correctly argue that true and effective baptism must be for the right reason.


Now, one more scenario: A man attends a denominational church that teaches baptism is not necessary for salvation.  They claim that one is saved by ‘faith only’.  Yes, they practice baptism, but their teaching is that it is done at some point after one is saved as ‘an outward sign of an inward grace’. In other words, a person is baptized ‘because’ he has been saved, not ‘in order to be’ saved. Many passages teach the error of this doctrine (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 22:16; etc.).


This man learns the truth on the subject and realizes that he was taught incorrectly and that he was baptized with the wrong motive of heart.  What should he do? His situation is not essentially different from the ones cited earlier. He has not obeyed from the heart because – in his heart – he did not understand what he was doing or why he was doing it. He should be baptized again “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Think! 

—Greg Gwin


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WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE?


One doesn't have to read statistics from a professionally conducted census to know that many young people who are "raised in the church" are being lost to the cause of Christ.  What's happening to them?


Permissiveness is happening to youth. In many instances, parents have abdicated their God-given role.  They set no firm guidelines, have no definite rules of the house and often allow themselves to be manipulated.  Parents are often literally afraid to have firm rules, afraid of the child rebelling.  They don't know that love is not some kind of' namby-pamby attitude, but that there must be a certain kind of toughness to love, amply shown in the book of Proverbs.  It doesn't mean being roguish, tyrannical, or unmerciful in the demands it makes.  But youth need guidance.  They need someone to tell them "how far," some "cans" and "cant’s," with good sound "why's." And, in some instances, the "why" may be simply "because I said so."


Work is happening to youth.  In many instances young people are pushed and shoved into the "job market" without any consideration as to how the job will interfere with their worship, study, or the influences they will face. None of us want our children to grow up to be lazy good-for-nothings. We want them to "learn the value of a dollar," to know that, at least for most of us, "money doesn't grow on trees." But often that part-time job, which may be taking far too much of their time, is during hours of worship on the Lord's Day or during mid-week Bible study and every night of a gospel meeting.  And then the parents, having allowed, maybe even encouraged it, or in some instances demanded it, wonder why their child no longer is interested in spiritual things.


Materialism is happening to youth.  Not only are they being shoved into the work arena to make their "spending money," or to "buy some wheels," but also they see parents who are often more committed to providing "things" than they are to living for the Lord.  Frequently the parents are recreation crazed, and allow recreational activity to keep them from worship services and periods of Bible study, or they often put optional work ahead of worship, especially if "overtime pay" is involved.


Humanism is happening to youth.   Like an octopus with its many tentacles, humanism is attacking from many directions, approaching from various sources.  From very tender years, humanism's eroding influences bombard our young people incessantly; and often parents are unaware of it, and in many instances cannot be aroused to a sense of concern when told of those influences.  Evolution is only one of humanism's tentacles, but it is a powerful one.  How can one who is constantly told that he is but the higher form of a lower life, fail to ultimately act the part?  It is bound to dilute or erode away spiritual influences unless strong teaching is given to the contrary.  "Value clarification" advocates teach youth that there are no absolutes, no real definitive standard of right or wrong.  This being true, what is to be expected, but that he should eventually cast aside the "old fogey" ideas of parents, preachers, Bible class teachers, and elders?


Hypocrisy is happening to youth.  Children are very incisive, easily able to discern a sham.  When they repeatedly see hypocritical behavior on the part of adults who are in some authority over them, it has its effect.  Elders, preachers, parents, policemen, governmental officials advocating one thing while practicing another send forth uncertain sounds to youth.  Especially in spiritual matters, if they see no real devotion, no depth of spiritual life, it affects them.




—Norman E. Felt

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INFLUENCING OUR CHILDREN


Influence and education start sooner than most parents imagine. It begins long before children are responsible for the things they do.


The most powerful school in all the world is the home and the influence of godly parents. The most permanent impressions are learned from mothers and fathers. Parents, it is very difficult to convince your child:


1)  That the church is the most important thing in all the world if you often miss services.

2)  That the church is the greatest institution in the world if you permit them to neglect services to go elsewhere.

3)  That the church is to be held in higher esteem than anything if you insist that they get their school lessons, but permit them to miss Bible study.

4)  That they ought to respect the church if you continually criticize the leadership, the preacher and other members.

 

—Everett Hardin


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