"[L]ooking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:12)." - What an amazing thought! The fact that the Lord of Glory will descend from heaven (Acts 1:11) in order to receive His children back to Him (John 14:3) to take them to their eternal rest (2 Thessalonians 1:7) is awe-inspiring to say the least. 

     However, there is a word in that passage of inspired Scripture that seems to be overlooked on a daily basis. It's the word "hastening". Now, to some that word gives the idea of causing to speed up, but we understand there is no Biblical precedent on how a Christian can do anything to speed up or slow down the coming of Christ. No, the word means an earnest desire, a hope. 

     Do we honestly, sincerely and reverently hope that Christ will return sooner rather than later? There is a song which some sing called, "Jesus is Coming Soon" in which the singers say that Jesus is, in fact, coming soon. The problem with the song does not arise from that idea, per say, but that the second verse is very premillennial and cannot be sung in accordance with God's will (check out this article for more insight). 

     That being said, do we earnestly desire and expect Jesus to return to gather us for the Judgement? 

     I'm afraid that if we don't, we are in danger of being caught off guard and ill-prepared for that Day!

     So, what does this mean to us in 2014 as Christians living in a much different world than that of Peter and John yet still having the same Christianity and standard of such as they? It means we have to have that same hope! 

     I once heard a brother end his prayer with something to the effect of, "Please, Lord, bring the Judgment soon so that we can be with you!" When he said that, I have to admit that I was somewhat uneasy praying that but upon further meditation I'm convinced that is exactly how we ought to be thinking today. 

     Let's face it, our world is a sinful place filled with ungodliness and Satan is well-loved. It is a place in which Christ and His church is the source of derision and even hate. It's a place where the individual can find salvation and encouragement through the Word of God and yet many would have that Word thrown into the nearest dumpster at a moment's notice. I don't know about you, but I hope Jesus comes soon! If not just to get out of this world and live in a place where righteousness reigns. 

     So, if you have the understanding that Christ will return to bring Judgment on the world and take the faithful to heaven eternal, tell someone about it because at the same time you are to be hoping that it happens very quickly and you just might not have time to tell other people. 

     "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

     Today, I'd like to give you something. Now, this thing I'm giving you isn't so much a physical gift wrapped in nice shiny paper as much as it is an insight into yourself and your faith. I'd like to challenge you to read the evaluation, answer the questions and look deep inside you in order to learn 1) more about your faith and 2) learn where you need to grow. 

     In culmination of our study of ways in which the Scriptures tell us that we can show God our love, we come to the last 4 acts. However, remember, that just because 8 things are mentioned here doesn't mean that there aren't other ways in which we show our Father our love nor does that fact mean that whatever we decide will adequately and righteously show our love. Our praise and adoration to Him must first be found in the Bible which He gave to us to instruct us in our worship and lives toward Him. (Click here to read the first 4 points in this 2-part article)

5. Reject the World - 1 John 2:15
     No study of our expression of our love to God would be complete without a mention of this very important point. There are so many things in the world vying for our attention and love, and yet we ought to have the wherewithal to reject those things if they lead us away from loving our God. Notice, this passage cannot be speaking of the Father's ceasing to love someone if they are entangled in the ways of the world, after all, He loved us while we were sinners (Romans 5:8) and the world as a whole long before the saving grace and blood of Jesus Christ was available to us (John 3:16). No, the direction of the love mentioned by the apostle John is upward. 

     It is absolutely impossible for us to love God if we allow ourselves to be taken into a lustful relationship with the world. That's what it is isn't it? We often teach our young people about the difference between love and lust. Well, loving the world is nothing more than a relationship bent on fulfilling lusts, void of the true love which is only found in a relationship with God Almighty. The only way to have that relationship? Just as the only way to have true love in a physical relationship, specifically speaking of a marriage, is to reject all other means by which lusts can be fulfilled outside of that bond. 

     How fitting it is to say that we are married to God!

6. Be Bold - 1 John 4:17
     As is the case with any study of the topic of love, many great and insightful points can be gleaned from the pen of John. This is no exception. 
 
     While the context at hand is specifically speaking of the love that the child of God has from the Father through the salvation offered in Jesus Christ (1 John 4:12-16), I believe that the opposite direction may also be applied. If God has provided a way in which we can "have boldness in the day of judgment" because of His love for us, wouldn't it be the case that our exercising that boldness in the day of judgment would show our love back to Him. 

     How can one be bold in the Day? It's very simple. - Know that he will receive eternal life on that Day. 

     That isn't a statement that is often taken without any sort of weariness on the part of the individual, but it is true. Many people do not want to emphatically say the words, "I know that I am saved" but without that boldness, based upon the actions in one's life and whether or not they are in accordance with the Gospel of Christ (1 John 5:13, 1 John 1:7-9), then we have failed to see what God has given us. We have failed to get everything out of Christianity that God has placed in it. And, we have failed to show our love to God. 

7. Love the Brethren - 1 John 4:21
     This point is obviously well understood by the majority, but it still needs to be discussed. Anything that is done to the brethren is, by extension, done to Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:40). Because of that, any hatred which is expressed to the body of Christ (the church of Christ) or the members thereof is to be understood as being directed straight at the face of God Himself. 

     What better way to show God we love Him than to love those that are in Him (Ephesians 1:7, Galatians 3:27, Acts 2:47). 

8. Have Faith - 1 Pet. 1:6-9
     I fail to be able to look at the Bible and see any greater point than this when speaking of the love we show to God. The Hebrews writer once said that "faith.... [is] the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 1:1)." While I have yet to have the amazing blessing of being able to see my Savior, I know that He exists. While that knowledge is based upon a correct application of the physical evidence proving the existence of the God of the Bible and the Bible's accuracy and trustworthiness, that knowledge is also based upon what the Scriptures tell me. 

     Yet, having not seen Him, sometimes I feel as though my faith is missing something. How much more faith would I have if I had been able to be at the dinner when the two sisters got in an argument over which was more important, or if I had been there when He fed the 5,000? While it may have been stronger if I had lived back then (although I hope that my knowledge that these things and many more happened leads me to have as strong a faith as possible), Peter wanted those brethren that were in the same position of not seeing Him as me to know that the genuineness of our faith can be perfect, by loving Him. 

     Our faith, the trust in God lead by the evidence and bringing us to obey His commands, is the best way that we can show our Father that we truly, whole-heartedly, undeniably, reverently love Him!

     It's the greatest command found in all of the Bible, as per Jesus' words in Mark 12:29-31 - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." But, how do we do this? Is this love of which Jesus spoke to be rendered down into nothing more than an emotional feeling like that of any sane person to his freshly baked pizza sitting in front of him? I'm not the first to tell you, the answer is a resounding "NO!" The love of man for his Lord is much, much, much more than this sort of feeling.
     
     The love that is commanded and deserved by God is something which, while very difficult at times, is an action word. It is something which transcends the mere mental appreciation or even adoration that some would ascribe to it and is actually shown forth in a person's life by the actions which he does.

     Here are 5 ways in which the Scriptures tell us that our love for God is shown to Him. 

2. Give...Abundantly - 2 Corinthians 8:8
     It might be somewhat of a shock to you (as it was to myself), but it is scientifically proven that giving more (specifically regarding financial giving) increases one's own outlook on his life and his happiness. (1) However, God's commands to give have less to do with our own feelings, as our feelings do not dictate how or what we should do to obey Him, and more to do with the help of His children and those who are in need. 
     
     That isn't to say that we can gather no personal benefit from our giving of our means to the work of the Lord (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:2), but rather to say that our giving directly effects our faithfulness to Him and, according to Paul's explanation of his "testing the sincerity of...love by the diligence of others (2 Corinthians 8:8). Our giving shows whether or not we are being sincere in our love to God! I mean, what other part of worship is as secret as the giving? The only people that might know what you gave is the person cashing the checks and the elders (depending on the congregation). 

     Therefore, if we are going to love God, we are going give Him what He deserves... all of it! That means giving Him ourselves first (2 Corinthians 8:5) and then following that up with giving out of our wallets to help His cause. He doesn't need the money to save, but His church needs the money to preach that salvation!

3. Respect His Workers - 1 Thessalonians 5:13
     In a section of Scripture often read quickly and studied briefly, Paul makes mention of something which might or might not be done within our lives very often. While I am a preacher of the Gospel and therefore get somewhat uneasy when writing or speaking on such things, Paul emphatically commands that the workers in the Kingdom of Christ (i.e. the "ministers" or preachers) ought to be "esteemed" very highly for their work's sake. Not that preachers are somehow better or more important that the "average member" (I hate saying that, but for lack of a better term...) but the work of the preacher is something which should be respected. 

     Notice, that esteem given to the preacher because of the work which he has taken upon himself (i.e. the education and edification of the body of Christ) is to be done in love, showing this command to be, by extension, a love to God. Since God has set the way by which He instructs mankind to be through the Word which is preached by men today (Romans 10:14-17), the words spoken by those men are to be understood as the very words of the Almighty (provided the man is preaching the Bible and not his opinions or man's doctrines). 
 
     That goes the same for those who Paul describes as "over" the brethren - the elders. While I believe that sometimes, preachers are shown the esteem that they deserve for their position in the church, I'm also convinced that many times elders are not given the same. If you don't believe the need for good, qualified, strong elders, attend a congregation who is not afforded the ability to have such because of a lack of men or some other circumstance and you will quickly see that the only way that a congregation can truly thrive is under the oversight of faithful men of God - elders. 

4. Endure Temptations - James 1:12
     Yet another way that we can readily show our Father that we love Him, aside from respecting His workers, giving back to Him and obeying all of His commands, is to endure the temptations of this world. James connects those who endure to those who love the Almighty in James 1:12. Why, you might ask? Because James 1 is all about trusting in Him for everything that we need. Whether the need is help through some outward trial which leads us to be tempted to sin or whether it is in our every day lives understanding that we much follow His word in order to have the full and abundant life of which the Christ spoke (James 1:21-27, John 10:10). 

     What better way to show God that we love Him then to, by our works and less by our prayers even those are vitally important as well, trust Him through our difficult times? How many Christians have in essence told God that He wasn't what they needed by deserting Him in their low points in life, turning to their own ways to "make it through"? God created us to worship Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13) but at the same time, He created us to need Him and if we give up and into our temptations, we've rejected all the help that He has promised and is poised to give at the moments notice (1 Corinthians 10:11-13). 

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     "I help people, care about the little guy, I even try to live a life that is morally acceptable and teach others to do the same... I'm a good person, even without believing in some god!" That's the statement, or some derivative of it, that comes out of the mouths of the atheistic community on a regular basis. But, is that actually true? Can one be a good person without the influence of God?

     When Paul wrote that the Fruit of the Spirit was embodied in, among the other eight, "goodness" he made the tremendous, yet very unpopular, statement that the idea of goodness deficient of godliness is false. But, how can this be when there are so many "good" people which live outside of Christ?

     If we are to imitate that which is good (3 John 11) and God is the only one that can ultimately be deemed as good (Matthew 19:16-17) then the modern idea of goodness is to fall by the wayside and be surpassed by godliness as the definition of what is good. Throughout the Scriptures, the Christian is instructed to carry out works in "meekness of wisdom" (James 3:18-18) which can only be done through "good conduct" which, as defined by James, is a life separated from envy, boasting, lying, confusion, partiality and hypocrisy but having within it peace, gentleness, a willingness to yield, and full of mercy and good fruits. That is true goodness and since all of these things which are part of the works done by meekness of wisdom are directly commanded and defined by God throughout His word, the only source of true goodness would have to be the Bible.

     Is it possible to be a good person outside of Christianity? A study of the divine Book would say no. Since that is the case, and the person obeying the Gospel is said to be doing so based upon a good/godly conscience (1 Peter 3:21) then it is safe to say that the only good people are New Testament Christians. I know that is a very controversial statement, but that seems to be the only answer to the question of "Can a person be good without God?" And, if the Christian is going to maintain that good conscience which led him to become a child of God (1 Peter 3:16, 21) and answer the questions posed by the unbelieving (1 Peter 3:15), then he will have to answer in the negative in spite of any reviling and defaming which might come his way because of the answer because it is better to suffer for good than evil(1 Peter 3:17). 

     Pastor David Martin, preacher for the Solid Rock Baptist Church in Bartlett, TN, wrote and posted an article in which he attempts to speak against the churches of Christ and the doctrine thereof. In the article, Mr. Martin uses inflammatory statements in a number of his statements about the church which will be addressed when the comments are addressed in the text of the article. Below is the entirety of the article (red text) with the answers to the questions and comments about the questions and statements made (black text). An introduction to Mr. Martin was given at the beginning of the article which is not needed in theological discussion but is available at the Solid Rock Baptist Church’s website.

     The religious sect known as the "Church of Christ" has many peculiar and aberrant doctrines that are contrary to the word of God. It is a most deceptive and dangerous cult (Since no evidence is given to prove the reasoning of this statement of the church being a “cult” then it may be an attempt to discredit the church of Christ using buzz words which incite adverse emotions. This may not be, but it is an interesting word to use without proof.). Their teaching of baptismal regeneration is an age-old heresy that has damned millions to hell, and is still doing so today. The idea that they are the one, true and restored church of Jesus Christ puts them in the same league with the Mormon and Roman Catholic churches (The Roman Catholic Church claims to be the apostolic church which can be traced directly to the apostle Peter, not the restored church. In this statement, the writer therefore claims the Baptist Church of which he is a part to not be the true church. Otherwise it is to be put in the same “league” as the aforementioned churches.).

     If you are a member of this "church (The writer has already stated it to be a church, therefore the question must be made, “Why the need for quotations, thereby possibly inciting emotions again?”)" or have been influenced by its teachings, we challenge you to ask your preacher the questions that follow, then get your King James Bible out, open it up, and ask the Holy Spirit to show you the TRUTH (John 16:13) (Since this was asked, all answers will be given from the KJV unless going to the original languages and the words’ meanings.). If you have never been saved in the Bible sense, for heaven's sake, do not mistake being "washed in the baptistery of the church" for being washed in the blood of Christ (Baptism may be done in a body of water which is large enough to fully submerge the individual submitting to baptism – Acts 8:38).

     If you ask one of these "preachers (With the speakers of the churches of Christ already being addressed as preachers in the previous paragraph, the question made previously with reference to the quotations used with regard to the church must be made yet again.)" any of the questions in this tract, you won't get a straight answer due to their "screwball (Again possibly inciting emotions against the church of Christ and its teachings)" theology. You'll have them in "hot water," "swimming in circles," trying to explain their heretical positions. They'll be "hopping all over the pond" because they can't stay too long in one spot without sinking in the mire of their false doctrines.


     Don't YOU wind up being baptized in the "Lake of Fire" by accepting a "waterworks" based plan of salvation and rejecting salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ. (Matt. 3:11; Rev. 20:15; Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 5:9; Rom. 11:6) (The citation of Eph. 2:8-9 is very interesting in this context. If one can go to the entirety of the Word of God for the answer to a question (John 17:17), and the context of the passage given speaks of one being “created in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10),” and being “in Christ (Eph. 2:13)” which is the source of reconciliation between the Jew and Gentile by bringing them into one body (Eph. 2:16) which also is called the “household of God (Eph. 2:19)” and the church (Eph. 1:22-23), then one must go to the Bible to see how to become “in Christ.” This is clearly explained by Paul, the same writer as the book of Ephesians (Eph. 1:1), in the book of Galatians as being “baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27, cf. Gal. 1:1).” In order to see what is the “baptism” spoken of in Gal. 3:27, one can look to what Paul did in the account of his being saved. Paul is said to have been “baptized (Acts 9:18),” and even practiced baptizing people only in water (Acts 16:15 – Paul is not stated to do the baptizing but he was present, 18:8 – cf. 1 Cor. 1:14, 19:4-5 – Paul was present, if not the officiator, at the baptism of the Ephesians) as the disciples were commanded to baptize in the Great Commission (Mat. 28:19-20))

     Here are Questions for Campbellites (Mr. Martin’s use of this term, “Cambellites,” will be discussed later in this apology of the church.)

1. According to the history of the "Church of Christ," God used certain men to "restore" the New Testament Church in the early 1800's. Where was the true New Testament church before then? Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church (Matthew
16:18). What happened to the church and where was the truth it was responsible for preaching before God restored it?

     Again, quotations are used very suspiciously.

     The Baptist Church has not been established since the day of Pentecost, yet Mr. Martin obviously believes it to be the true church. Therefore, the question can be asked about the Baptist Church, but it is not needed. Since the Word of God is likened to a seed (Mat. 13, Luke 8:5ff), one can use what has been called the “Seed Principle.” This is in reference to the parable spoken by the Christ while on earth which is often called the “Parable of the Soils,” in which the Christ says a man went to sow his seed in his field and the seed sprouts in one of the soils and continues to grow (Luke 8:5-11). Jesus explains the seed to be the Word and since the Word of God is what gives us the plans of the church (Mat. 16:19, cf. 2 Tim. 3:16-17), then the seed could be dormant for an extended amount of time, but when planted would still produce the fruit, one of which being the church.

     The Word of God is the authority in all spiritual aspects (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Pet. 1:3), so the question must be made, “Where does the Bible say the church must be present at all times in history in order for the gates of Hell to not “prevail,” overpower, against it?” We understand that only members of the church which was built by Christ would be accepted into Heaven (Rev. 21:8). Also, it may be understood the passage cited (Mat. 16:18) to be speaking of the fact that the time Jesus spent in the “Hadean world” described in the passage (Hell – “It is the place to which all who depart this life descend, without reference to their moral character (Vincent’s Word Studies).”) would not stop, overpower, His establishing the church.

2. If a "Church of Christ" elder refuses to baptize me, will I be lost until I can find one who will? Do I need Jesus AND a Campebllite "preacher" in order to be saved? If I do, then Jesus Christ is not the only Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) and the Holy Spirit is not the only Administrator (1 Cor. 12:13) of salvation - the "Church of Christ" preacher is necessary to salvation for he is performing a saving act on me when he baptizes me! Is this not blasphemy against Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost?

     Nowhere in the Bible does it refer to the spiritual state of the individual doing the baptizing. Therefore, this question is a “straw-man” argument, an argument based on misrepresentation of opponent's position by twisting his words or by means of [false] assumptions and therefore needs not to be answered. If Mr. Martin rephrases the question to one which is not in accordance with this logical fallacy, then it can be answered and will be posted at a later date.

3. If the water pipes broke and the baptistery was bone dry, would my salvation have to wait until the plumber showed up? If I were to die before then, would I go to hell? If obedience to water baptism is the means of forgiveness of sins, then I would.

     This is again a “straw-man” in assuming that baptism must take place in a baptistery located in a church building.

4. If my past sins are forgiven when I am baptized in water, and it is possible for me to "lose my salvation" and go to hell after being baptized, then wouldn't my best chance of going to heaven be to drown in the baptistery?!! - before I had a chance to sin so as to be lost again? If I wanted to be absolutely sure of heaven, isn't that my best opportunity?

     No, it is the case that baptism in water does result in the salvation of an individual by the act of God in answer to the submitting to the act with a clear conscience and repentance of sins (1 Pet. 3:21, Eph. 2:8, Col. 2:12, Acts 2:38), and one may “fall,” go from one place to another, from their salvation (Gal. 5:4), but the question cannot be answered affirmative because in baptism one is taking part in the representation of Christ and therefore one must be raised from the grave, of water, like Christ because Hell did not prevail against Him (Rom. 6:1-3, Mat. 16:18).

5. If as a Christian I can sin so as to "lose my salvation," just what sin or sins will place me in such danger? Is it possible to know at what point one has committed such a sin, and become lost again? Please be specific and give clear Bible references.

     It is the case that a person can fall, which has already been discussed. One cannot fall from a place in which he has not been at one point, and the Galatians were Christians but had “fallen” from the grace of God in their holding the Law of Moses as in effect after the institution of the new law (Gal. 5:4, 3:15-29). The point at which a person “loses” their salvation, in as much as they have become sinners again by erring from the Truth (Gal. 5:4, Jas. 5:19-20), at the point of their no longer walking in the Light (1 John 1:7), which is the extended practice of sin (1 John 1:6). The responder believes this to be specific and clear Bible references; if this isn’t the case more can be provided.

6. If as a Christian I can fall and "lose my salvation," is it possible to regain it? If so, how? If God "takes away" my salvation, doesn't that make Him an "Indian giver"? How could I ever know for sure that I was saved or lost?

     Absolutely! Any Christian who has left the way of the Lord can come back (Acts 8:21-24). One can clearly see how a person who has become a Christian could come back to the Lord, that way being repentance from his sins. This can also be seen in light of the passage written by John which states that a man who is walking in the light of the Lord has forgiveness from his sins as long as he is willing to repent of those sins (1 John 1:7-10). If the Lord has promised that those who follow His ways will be saved and those who do not will not receive salvation, then it is not the Lord’s fault that a man leaves His fold but the guilt is placed upon the man.

7. After becoming a Christian, are there any sins that will put me beyond the "point of no return" so that I cannot regain salvation? What sin or sins will put me in such jeopardy, so that, after becoming a Christian, I would be doomed to hell without any recourse? Please be specific and give me clear Bible references.

     There are numerous passages that say that a man can reach the point in which he cannot return to the Lord (1 John 5:16 being only one). In light of that fact, there must be a specific understanding as to how a man cannot be returned to the Lord’s way if he commits this sin even though the Lord is a loving God and wishes all to be saved and will forgive those who have sinned (1 John 1:7-10, Acts 17:30, 2 Pet. 3:9). The fact is, there is a “point of no return” at which a man will not be saved from his sins. 1 John 5:16 speaks of a sin which is “unto” death. The original word for the word translated “unto” literally means forward to, or toward. This gives much meaning and understanding to the passage which shows there to be a sin which will not be forgiven or and for which is not to be prayed by the brethren. The person who is sinning without repentance or the will to ever change from his ways is committing sin which is lasting unto death. It is only the case that a man will not be forgiven of his sins if he is not willing to change and come back to the Lord. 2 Pet. 2:10-15 speaks of a man that cannot cease his sinful ways because he has allowed the sin to take control and has no mind to attempt to regain control of his life.

8. If I committed some sin -whether in thought, word, or deed, one minute before a fatal car crash - would I go to hell if I did not have time to repent of it? And, please, don't just say that it's up to God without giving me a specific Bible reference.

     It is very illogical to say that the answer, “That is up to the Lord” is not a valid answer to this question, but Biblical evidence can give a more precise answer nonetheless. 1 John 1:6-10 speaks to this question as well. The Lord continuously cleanses a man who is attempting to live in His ways (this can be seen in the verb which is in the perfect tense and is translated, “cleanseth”). The Lord knows the hearts of every man who has or will ever live. In order to answer this question beyond the answer which is forbidden requires some opinion based on faith, an understanding based on evidence. Since it is the case that the Lord knows man’s heart, He wishes all to be saved and if a man commits a sin just before his death but the Lord knows that, if given the opportunity, the man would repent, then it is reasonable to understand the man was walking in the light and therefore would be forgiven of the sin. Nonetheless, the forbidden answer is sufficient.

9. Why does the "Church of Christ" insist that their name is scriptural when it cannot be found anywhere in the Bible? The church is referred to as the "church of God" eight (8) times in the Bible, but never is it called the "church of Christ." The verse they use is Romans 16:16, but it doesn't say "church of Christ." Where does the Bible call the church the "church of Christ"?

     This answer can be clearly understood when one uses the transitive property. The church which was bought by the blood of Christ (Acts 2:38) is also called the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). Paul says that the Christians at Corinth, and therefore all Christians, are members of the “body” of Christ and therefore it can be seen that Christians are members of the church of Christ. The name, “church of God” would be another name for the church; however it is not used by many Christians due to the false teaching and connotation of the denomination holding the same name.

10. If the "Church of Christ" claims to worship God only as "authorized" by scripture because they sing only (and do not use instrumental music), then where do they get the "authority" to use hymnals, pitchpipes, pews, and indoor baptistries in their worship services? If the answer is that they are "aids to worship," where does the Bible allow for that? Where is your required authorization? If a pitchpipe can be an "aid to worship" for the song service in the "Church of Christ," then why can't a piano be an "aid to worship" for Baptists who may need more help in singing?

     This question can be addressed with exception of the last bit of the first question (indoor baptisteries, because baptism is not part of a worship service). Hymnals are authorized in the fact that Paul stated Christians are to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Where are the psalms? (In the Bible) If we are to sing psalms, and there is a great number of psalms located in the Bible, then it would be acceptable to have a Bible out of which to sing them. If it is acceptable to hold a Bible in order to sing the psalms, then the same must be acceptable with regard to hymns. Therefore, having a hymnal is just a way of having a written way in which we can have the words of the hymns so we can carry out the command of Paul. Pitch pipes are used to set the first pitch of the hymn/psalm/spiritual song. It must be admitted that a pitch pipe is an instrument which is not authorized in worship. The distinction must then be made of whether or not that pitch pipe is being used in the worship. The time designated for the congregation to worship is not entirely made of worship (there can be breaks in the worship for expedient purposes). For example; a congregation may stop the acts of worship at some point in order to address the announcements which need to be made that day, but that does not mean the announcements are part of the worship they are simply done during the appointed worship time when the congregation is together (expedient). Likewise, pitch pipes are not used during the worship of the church (during the actual singing) but are used before the worship begins in order to expedite the singing which is about to take place. In regards to pews, this may be something thrown in arbitrarily to distract the reader and attempt to make the stance of the church of Christ of none effect by mentioning something absurd. Nonetheless, pews are authorized during the worship services of the church because numerous times in the NT it is mentioned that the Christians sat during worship (especially Jesus sitting to teach before the Sermon on the Mount. Mat. 5:1). These things are all expedient to the worship of the church, but the only valid point like instrumental music is the pitch pipe, which is easily understood to not taking place during the worship activity. Therefore, a piano can be an aid to worship as long as it is not taking place during the commanded worship (that being the singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs).

11. The "Church of Christ" teaches that a sinner is forgiven of sin when he is baptized in water by a Campbellite elder. (That has already been addressed and is clearly seen to be an assumption which has no logical reasoning in this article other than to pose a straw man argument) Where does the Bible teach that water baptism is required in order to have one's sins forgiven? Every time the phrase "for the remission of sins" occurs it is speaking of the fact that sins have been forgiven previously! The Bible plainly teaches that the forgiveness of sins is conditioned upon repentance of sin and faith in Christ- never upon water baptism! (Matthew 3:11; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; Acts 5:31; Acts 10:43; Acts 20:21; Romans 1:16; Romans 4:5; et. al.) Where does the Bible teach that forgiveness of sin is linked with water baptism? When Christ made the statement in Matthew 26:28, "for the remission of sins," it had to be because they had been forgiven all through the Old Testament! Christ shed His blood because God forgave repentant and believing sinners for thousands of years before the Son of God came to "take away" sins and to redeem us and pay the sin-debt with His own precious blood. How can one say that "for the remission of sins" means 'in order to obtain' in light of the fact that God never uses the phrase in that sense?

     It is needed, in the case that the writer has said, “every time the phrase ‘for the remission of sins’ occurs it is speaking of the fact that sins have been forgiven previously,” that the phrase “for the remission of sins” is studied. The major point of this statement is to bring out the word “for” in the phrase. Ray Summers, a Greek grammarian, wrote that the word which is found in every one of the passages in which the phrase is used (eis) is to be translated “into, to, in (Summers, Essentials of New Testament Greek Revised, p. 176).” If that is the case, and many other Greek grammarians substantiate it, then the question is, “Where does it say that those sins have been previously forgiven if baptism is eis (into, to, in) the forgiveness of sins.” Mr. Martin states that Matthew 26:28 shows that mankind, or at least the men present at the last supper, were forgiven under, through, the Old Testament. No man was ever forgiven under the Old Testament Law of Moses. In order to prove that statement one may only look to Galatians 3:21, where Paul wrote that mankind was not forgiven under the Old Law. The question then arises, “Did all the people under the Old Law go to torment then?” No, because they were forgiven in prospect of the coming of Christ, but not without the blood of Christ. Therefore, the blood of Christ was shed eis (into, to, in) the remission of all mankind’s sins if only they will obey. Mr. Martin follows this fallacious statement with a statement that gives up his previous statement, in that he stated, “Christ shed His blood... to ‘take away’ sins and redeem us and pay the sin-debt with His own precious blood.” If Christ’s blood is what paid the debt for man’s sins, then how were people forgiven under the Old Testament without the blood of Christ? The fact is, the Greek word eis means into, to or in (which can easily be seen as “unto”) and therefore Peter’s statement on the day of Pentecost that the people were to repent and be baptized unto the remission of sins answers this entire question very easily (Acts 2:38).

     In the Old Testament God forgave sin on the basis of a blood sacrifice (Heb. 9:22) - the Old Testament saints had their sins remitted (i.e., forgiven) but they were not redeemed until Christ came and shed His blood at Calvary (Heb. 10:3-10 says this statement is absolutely false in that the blood of the sacrifices did not take away the sins but rolled them back). Their sins were covered (Romans 4:7; Psalm 32:1), but the sinner was not cleared of his guilt (Exodus 34:7) until the Cross (Heb.10:4) (How can a person’s sins be covered by the blood of bulls and goats, which did not have the ability to do so, and forgiven of those sins if their guilt of those sins were not cleared. If this is true, a person can be forgiven of their sins and not be allowed into Heaven because they still held the guilt of those sins.). Before Calvary, the sins of believers
were pardoned, but they were not paid for (i.e., redeemed) until the crucifixion (see Romans 3:25 and Heb. 9:12-15) (This is absolutely true, and has already been addressed). When Jesus said, "It is finished," (John 19:30), all sin - past, present and future - was paid for, and the plan of salvation was completed, so that 'whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins' (Acts 10:43) (If the first part of this sentence is true, what was the purpose of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ? I believe that both Mr. Martin and I can agree that without the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, man could not be saved from their sins, even though Mr. Martin would say that they were forgiven but not really forgiven without the blood of Christ). In Acts 2:38, the people were baptized because their sins were forgiven (at Calvary when Jesus said, "Father, forgive them,") and they received the blessing of forgiveness when they repented of their sin of rejecting Christ and accepted Him as their Saviour and Lord. Friend, heaven or hell depends on what you believe about this (See the statements regarding of the word eis, above).

12. If salvation is not by works of righteousness which we have done, and baptism is a work of "righteousness," then how can water baptism be a part of salvation? (Titus 3:5; Matt. 3:16) In the Bible, we are SAVED BY GRACE, and grace does not involve human effort or merit - grace is grace andwork is work! (Just read Ephesians 2:8,9 and Romans 11:6.)

     The writer of these questions, Mr. Martin, does not even believe that absolutely no work is to be done in the obedience to the will of God which leads to Him forgiving the person from their sins. He openly admits that one becomes a Christian by, “inviting the Lord into your heart after believing the Truth (Taken from an email message between myself and Mr. Martin).” The fact is, a person is not saved by works of righteousness which we have done, that is correct, but what is not being said in the statement above are the words “lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9).” No person seeking to gain salvation through works of merit, so as to say, “You owe me this Lord,” will ever be saved! But, when the Lord says to do something, and a person does it, then it is not a work of self-righteousness from which one can receive merit. Human beings are saved by grace, the unmerited favor of the Lord, through obedient faith in Him (Eph. 2:8-9). How ridiculous would it be for a person to say to the Creator of all that is, “Since I have done this (either baptism, which is what Mr. Martin is trying to degrade, or belief and “invitation” of the Lord into his heart), you better give me this salvation, God, because I have EARNED it?” Obedience to the Lord’s commandments is a work of righteousness, but no one doing so has the right and ability to boast of what he has done. Peter says something to this in his statement about baptism being, “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God (1 Pet. 3:21).” If it were a work of righteousness which done in order to merit salvation, it would be the putting away of the filth of the flesh, because what man on this earth can wash the sins of a person, or himself, by submerging him/himself in water? The work of merit is done by God, the obedience is done by the man wishing to receive salvation!

13. The "Church of Christ" teaches that "obeying the Gospel" includes being baptized in water in order to be saved. If this is true, then how is it that the converts of Acts 10 were saved by faith before and without water baptism? The Bible says in Acts 5:32 that only those who obey God may receive the Holy Ghost - so what did those in Acts 10 do to obey and receive the Holy Ghost and be saved? In the light of Acts 10:34-48, Acts 11:14-18, and Acts 15:7-11, how can anyone honestly believe that water baptism is necessary to salvation? Simon Peter said their hearts were "purified by faith" (Acts 15:9) and that we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ like they were (Acts 15:11); that is, before and without water baptism!

     This question, and the mention of Acts 5:32, contradicts the implication of the belief of Mr. Martin given in the previous question, just as his statement about inviting the Lord into one’s heart. However, this question is a viable nonetheless. The speaking of tongues, and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, were given in order to be signs to those who did not believe the word of God (1 Cor. 14:22). Because of this, we can see Acts 10 in its actually context. Peter obviously had a problem with going and preaching to the Gentiles, and so God gave him a vision in order to show him that all men were to be preached to (Acts 10:9-16). Peter did not understand the visions at the time they were given, but it is obvious that the meaning would soon come to his understanding. Cornelius’ men came to him, to bring him to Cornelius (Acts 10:17-21). Peter most likely understood the meaning of the visions at this point (Acts 10:34), but there were those who went with him to Cornelius that did not see the visions, and therefore did not know what was going on (Acts 10:47), so Peter asked whether or not any man could forbid them to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38, 10:47).

     Now, “How is it that the converts of Acts 10 were saved by faith before and without water baptism?” There was a need for the Gentiles of Acts 10 to have the gifts to show those who were with Peter that they were to be accepted. Mr. Martin even cites the verses which say this same thing (Acts 15:7-11). They were purified by faith, which is not simply a mental ascension by an individual but a mental ascension accompanied by obedience. The Gentiles in Acts 10 were indeed baptized out of obedience after having faith. It is not logical to say a person will be saved from their sins if they believe in God but do not follow any of His commandments, the difference is Mr. Martin would say he must obey all but one of the commandments (baptism, Mark 16:16), and the churches of Christ believe he must obey all of the commandments (John 14:15).

     As for “obeying the Gospel,” the Bible teaches the Gospel to be the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4), and one must be baptized to symbolically reenact that Gospel (Rom. 6:3-4), and that we are to obey God by being baptized (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, John 14:15).

     We know that unsaved people do not receive or have the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; Romans 8:9).

     John 14:17 is an account of the Christ speaking to His disciples and speaking of the time in which they would be given the entirety of the truth of God’s word, not spiritual gifts. There is a difference in being completely inspired by the Lord and having the ability from the Lord to speak in tongues, which is the context of Acts 10 and the above question. Romans 8:9 is speaking of the indwelling of the Spirit in the believer, not miraculous gifts. Therefore, this statement is using the Scriptures out of context in order to push the false point.

     We know that the Holy Spirit is given only to those who have believed on Christ (John 7:39).

     Did Cornelius not have an obedient faith in Christ? Absolutely not! He believed and Peter was there to show him how to obey in order to receive salvation.

     We know that the Holy Spirit seals the believing sinner the moment he puts his faith and trust in Christ as Savior, before he is ever baptized in water (Ephesians 1:12,13). That has already been addressed and shown to be a false statement. How does the warped theology of Campbellism explain away these clear passages of Scripture without "muddying the waters" of truth and drowning its members in eternal damnation? Campbellism is not the belief of the churches of Christ. Campbell was not the starter of the church of Christ because he did not believe what they believe nor did he teach what they teach, he simply started the movement in America to attempt to get people to go back to the Bible. This statement is nothing more than hateful and an attempt to muddy the waters for those honestly seeking the Truth. 

     With just a cursory Google search you can find hundreds of images that read, "There are two types of people in this world..." with some funny, catchy or even degrading thing to follow. And while some of those are true, like "There are two types of people in this world: those who have a plan for the zombie apocalypse and dinner" those memes are nothing more than things meant to make people laugh and fill the Facebook feeds of the world. However, Psalm 1 actually defines the two types of people that are in this world; the godly and the godless. As we start our weekly study of the book of Psalms I thought it appropriate to start with the first chapter and understand the two categories into which every person fits. First, read Psalm 1!

   The Godly - Psalm 1:1-3
     If you were to take a study of the entire population of the world and ask them the definition of the word "blessed" chances are you would get an overwhelming majority answer "happy." While it's true that to be blessed is to be content with your place in life and joyful of your surroundings, that isn't the best definition of the word. There are two verses that give us a better insight into the true meaning of this word Psalm 2:12 and Psalm 32:1-2. In Psalm 2:12 the psalmist is attempting to encourage the leaders of government to take heed to the instructions from God (Psalm 2:10-12) and that they must "trust" Him for guidance. Doesn't that show a tremendous relationship between the person and the Creator? So "blessed" has with it the idea of a relationship that results from obedience! But, Psalm 31:1-2 is speaking of salvation, "Blessed is he whose transgression [sin, LMS] is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute [count, LMS] iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit." Taking both verses into consideration, along with the definition of the original word (happiness, Strong's) one can easily see that to be blessed is to be joyful based upon obedience to God's commands and salvation from one's sins. That is going to come into play when we study the rest of this section!

     Let's think of verse 1 as a conditional statement, because it is. If a person considers his counsel (friendships, relationships, those in whom credence is placed) and does not follow that which would lead him away from godliness he will be blessed. But, as many people have realized, notice the progression! The psalmist speaks about the person that walks, stands and then sits in order to hear unrighteous advice. Isn't that the case in our lives sometimes? We begin a friendship with someone who is not a child of God and therefore not "godly," thereby "walking" with them, and we start to consider their statements, and even teachings, and before we know it we have begun to "sit" and stagnate in their falsehoods! The words of Paul could never be clearer, "Evil company corrupts good habits (1 Corinthians 15:33)"! 

     If one can read verse two of Psalm 1 and get from it that a person is godly who does not hold the Word of God in high esteem and importance to life, there is something lacking in his reading comprehension skills. How does one combat the false advice of the world? How am I supposed to make sure that my friends who are not members of God's body (cf. Ephesians 1:22-23) do not cause me to lose my way? By the Word of God! There is a big push today for God to speak to mankind and guide them through what could be called nothing other than individual inspiration and revelation and I am convinced it is because we don't realize how important, helpful and divine the Bible and God's commands are! The person wishing to be "blessed" is going to spend time in the word of God (meditate) and be happy (delightful) knowing that God has given him everything that he will ever need, in written form, in order to please the one who created him (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3)! And when a person does that he will be able to stand firm even though the world tells him to do ungodly things, because he will have God's law in his heart and will be profitable to Him (Psalm 1:3). 

   The Godless - Psalm 1:4-6
     When you study what it is to be "godly" (Psalm 1:1-3) and that it is a conditional statement it is almost common sense to understand what it means to be "godless". It is whatever is in exact contradiction to faithfulness, righteousness, godliness and blessedness. It is frailty of being thrown about like dead hulls in the wind (Psalm 1:4) by different doctrines and examples because of the obvious lack of knowledge when it comes to God's word (cf. Ephesians 4:11-16). It's the weakness of a person not prepared to meet their God (Psalm 1:5a, Psalm 1:6, 2 Corinthians 5:9-11). It is the visible contrast seen in a person that is characterized by this compared to a person that is "blessed" (Psalm 1:5b, 1 Peter 2:9).
     
     Godlessness is the plague of the world and yet it can be stopped by simply doing one thing. - Going to God for guidance through His divine words of instruction and dismissing the guidance given by those that have no more religious authority than a bag of grapes. Why would anyone want to go to their neighbor for advice in religious matters when the one that created religion, action based upon one's beliefs (cf. James 1:27), is standing right there just waiting to give it (1 Timothy 2:4)?