What Does The Cross Really Mean?

It's Thanksgiving time again in America. The country and its people have a lot to be thankful for. But are we and the rest of mankind truly thankful about what one certain man did for all of us 2000 years ago?

In reminding the Corinthian Christians of the gospel, Paul gives us a list of things of first importance. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,"

The cross is not about a person at work who derides me of my faith and wants to be agnostic.

It's not about shoring up the foundations of my faith so I can challenge those about my Christianity.

The cross is not a challenge to them out there, the cross is a challenge to me.

I am the one confronted by the one who died there. I must make a decision about the one who died there, I must look at the cross because it effects me.

The cross is not about mastering a set of facts, or knowing information about how many manuscripts of where the bible comes from or when it was translated from the Hebrew, or knowing all kinds of proofs that evolution is wrong.

The cross is about my relationship with the one who died on it. The cross is about what that one taught and what he said and what he did and how he calls on me to respond to his cross.

The cross stands at the absolute center of Christianity to be a follower of the one who died upon it. That is what the cross is about.

Are you thankful and Do you want to become a Saint? Then what will you do with the Cross?

Objections To Baptism Pt.4

OBJECTION #4: “A PERSON IS SAVED THE MOMENT HE ACCEPTS CHRIST AS HIS PERSONAL SAVIOR—WHICH PRECEDES AND THEREFORE EXCLUDES WATER BAPTISM.”

To suggest that all one has to do to receive the forgiveness of God and become a Christian is to mentally accept Jesus into his heart and make a verbal statement to that effect, is to dispute the declaration of Jesus in Matthew 7:21—

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

To be sure, oral confession of Christ is one of the prerequisites to salvation (Romans 10:10). But Jesus said there is more to becoming a blood-bought follower of His than verbally “calling on his name” or “inwardly accepting Him as Savior.” He stated that before we can even consider ourselves as God’s children (Christians/Saints), we must show our acceptance of His gift through outward obedience—

“He that does the will of My Father.”

Notice the significant contrast Jesus made: the difference between mental/verbal determination to accept and follow the Lord, versus verbal confession coupled with action or obedience (cf. James 2:14,17). This is why we must do everything the Lord has indicated must be done prior to salvation. Jesus is telling us that it is possible to make the mistake of claiming we have found the Lord, when we have not done what He plainly told us to do.

Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Jesus also stated: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

Honestly, have you accepted Christ as your personal savior—in the way He said it must be done? He asks:

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Objections To Baptism Pt.3

OBJECTION #3: "THE BIBLE SAYS, 'CHRIST STANDS AT THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART,' AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO TO BE FORGIVEN OF SIN AND BECOME A CHRISTIAN IS TO INVITE HIM INTO OUR HEARTS."

It is no doubt startling to discover that the Bible simply does not say such a thing. The phraseology is reminiscent of Revelation 3:20—the passage usually invoked to support the idea. But examine what Revelation 3:20 actually teaches. Revelation chapters 2 and 3 consist of seven specific messages directed to seven churches of Christ in Asia Minor in the first century. Thus, at the outset, we must recognize that Revelation 3:20 is addressed to Christians—not non-Christians seeking conversion to Christ.

Second, Revelation 3:20 is found among Christ’s remarks to the church in Laodicea. Jesus made clear that the church had moved into a lost condition. The members were unacceptable to God since they were “lukewarm” (3:16). They had become unsaved since their spiritual condition was “wretched and miserable and poor” (3:17). Thus, in a very real sense, Jesus had abandoned them by removing His presence from their midst. Now He was on the outside looking in. He still wanted to be among them, but the decision was up to them. They had to recognize His absence, hear Him knocking for admission, and open the door—all of which is figurative language indicating their need to repent (3:19). They needed to return to the obedient lifestyle essential to sustaining God’s favor (John 14:21,23).

Observe that Revelation 3:20 in no way supports the idea that non-Christians merely have to “open the door of their heart” and “invite Jesus in” with the assurance that the moment they mentally/verbally do so, Jesus comes into their heart and they are simultaneously saved from all past sin and have become Christians. The context of Revelation 3:20 shows that Jesus was seeking readmission into an apostate church.

Does the Bible teach that Christ comes into a person’s heart? Yes, but not in the way the religious world suggests. For instance, Ephesians 3:17 states that Christ dwells in the heart through faith. Faith can be acquired only by hearing biblical truth (Romans 10:17). When Bible truth is obeyed, the individual is “saved by faith” (Hebrews 5:9; James 2:22; 1 Peter 1:22). Thus Christ enters our lives when we “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience [i.e, repentance] and our bodies washed with pure water [i.e., baptism]” (Hebrews 10:22).

Objections To Baptism Pt.2

OBJECTION #2: “THE THIEF ON THE CROSS WAS NOT BAPTIZED, AND HE WAS SAVED.”

When we “handle right the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we see that the thief was not subject to the New Testament command of immersion because this command was not given until after the thief’s death. It was not until Christ was resurrected that He said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). It was not until Christ’s death that the Old Testament ceased, signified by the tearing of the Temple curtain (Matthew 27:51). When Jesus died, He took away the Old Testament, “nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

The word “testament” means “covenant” or “will.” The last will and testament of Christ is the New Testament, which consists of those teachings that apply to people after the death of Christ. If we expect to receive the benefits of the New Testament (salvation, forgiveness of sin, eternal life), we must submit to the terms of the will for which Christ is mediator (Hebrews 9:15), for “where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator; for a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives” (Hebrews 9:16-17).

So prior to the Lord’s death and the sealing of the New Testament, the baptism for the forgiveness of sins that would be in effect after the crucifixion was not a requirement for those who sought to be acceptable to God. Indeed, while Jesus was on Earth in person, He exercised His authority to forgive sin (Matthew 9:6). People now, however, live during the Christian era of religious history. Prior to Christ’s death, there were no Christians (Acts 11:26). For a person to reject water baptism as a prerequisite to salvation on the basis of what the thief did or did not do, is comparable to Abraham seeking salvation by building an ark—because that’s what Noah did to please God. It would be like the rich young ruler (Matthew 19) refusing Christ’s directive to sell all his possessions—because wealthy King David did not have to sell his possessions in order to please God.

The thief on the cross could not have been baptized the way the new covenant stipulates you and I must be baptized. Why? Romans 6:3-4 teaches that if we wish to acquire “newness of life,” we must be baptized into Christ’s death, be buried with Christ in baptism, and then be raised from the dead. There was no way for the thief to comply with this New Testament baptism—Christ had not died! Christ had not been buried! Christ had not been raised! In fact, none of God’s ordained teachings pertaining to salvation in Christ (2 Timothy 2:10), and in His body the Church (Acts 2:47; Ephesians 1:22-23), had been given. The church, which Christ’s shed blood purchased (Acts 20:28), had not been established, and was not set up until weeks later (Acts 2).

We must not look to the thief as an example of salvation. Instead, we must obey “from the heart that form of doctrine” (Romans 6:17)—the form of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection through baptism by faith (Romans 6:3-4). Only then can we be “made free from sin to become the servants of righteousness as citizens of His kingdom.” (Romans 6:18).

Objections To Baptism Pt.1

OBJECTION #1: “JESUS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS BECAUSE HE WAS SINLESS; THEREFORE, PEOPLE TODAY ARE NOT BAPTIZED IN ORDER TO BE FORGIVEN. THEY MERELY IMITATE JESUS’ EXAMPLE.”

The baptism to which Jesus submitted Himself was John’s baptism (Matthew 3:13; Mark 1:9). John’s baptism was for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). This truth is particularly evident from the fact that when Jesus presented Himself to John for baptism, John sought to deter Him, noting that, if anything, Jesus needed to baptize John (Matthew 3:14). Jesus did not correct John, as many seek to do today, by falsely arguing that baptism is not for remission of sins. Rather, Jesus, in effect, agreed with John, but made clear that His baptism was an exception to the rule.

Jesus’ baptism was unique and not to be compared to anyone else’s baptism. Jesus’ baptism had the unique purpose of “fulfilling all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). In other words, it was necessary for Jesus to submit to John’s baptism (1) to show His contemporaries that no one is exempt from submitting to God’s will and (2) more specifically, Christ’s baptism was God’s appointed means of pinpointing for the world the precise identity of His Son. It was not until John saw the Spirit of God descending on Jesus and heard the voice (“This is My Son...”) that he knew that “this is the Son of God” (John 1:31-34; Matthew 3:16-17).

Of course, John’s baptism is no longer valid (Acts 18:24-19:5). John’s baptism paralleled New Testament baptism in the sense that both were for the forgiveness of sins. But John’s baptism was transitional in nature, preparing Jews for their Messiah. Baptism after the cross is for all people (Matthew 28:19), in Jesus’ name (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 19:5), into His death (Romans 6:3), in order to be clothed with Him (Galatians 3:27), and added to His church (Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 12:13). We must not use Jesus’ baptism to suggest that salvation occurs prior to baptism.

By Dave Miller, Ph.D

Apologetics Press

What Is The Gospel?

In the world today under the banner of Christendom we see many so-called Gospels being taught, believed and practiced. Well which one is the true and only Gospel spoken of in Gods Word, the Bible? And is it important to know the difference? 

Just so we have a foundation of truth to begin this short study, here is The Gospel as penned by the Holy Spirit inspired Apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

"Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time."

So, the Gospel is defined as being the "death," "burial," and "resurrection," of Christ and that is all that is in the Gospel.

Let us first consider a number of the terms that are used to depict the “no-longer-lost” state. Here are several: saved, forgiven, delivered, cleansed, blotted out, washed, redeemed, life, set free, etc.

Lets reflect upon a number of New Testament texts in which these various expressions are connected with conditions preliminary to the reception of the associated goal. Along the way, we must remind ourselves that we are seeking biblical harmony among these passages — not contradiction. The Bible, being the inspired word of God, is harmonious. No “interpretation” may be placed on one text that forces it to conflict with another on the same theme. Note the following.

Belief + baptism = salvation (Mk. 16:16)

Belief = eternal life (Jn. 3:16)

Repentance + baptism = forgiveness (Acts 2:38)

Receiving the word + baptism = saved (Acts 2:41, 47)

Repentance + turning = sins blotted out (Acts 3:19)

Belief + baptism = rejoicing (Acts 8:37-39; 16:31-34)

Repentance = life (Acts 11:18)

Baptized = washing away of sins (Acts 22:16)

Faith = justification (Rom. 5:1)

Raised from baptism = newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4)

Obedience = righteousness (Rom. 6:16)

Obedience = delivered from sin (Rom 6:17)

Belief + confession = salvation (Rom. 10:9-10)

Washed + sanctified = justified (1 Cor. 6:11)

Baptism = in one body (1 Cor. 12:13)

Baptism = in Christ (Gal. 3:27)

Faith = salvation (Eph. 2:8)

Washing of water + word = cleansing (Eph. 5:26)

Washing + renewing = salvation (Tit. 3:5)

Baptism = salvation and good conscience (1 Pet. 3:21)

If one synthesizes the data in these texts he can come only to one conclusion. The following conditions are inherent to the divine plan of human salvation — belief, repentance, confession of faith, and baptism in water for remission of sins. The result of submitting to these inspired conditions is — salvation, forgiveness, justification, newness of life, and being in Christ, or in the one body a new citizen of His church.

The following is a gospel proclamation of a popular church movement in Southern California.

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

WE ARE A CHURCH OF COMMUNITIES LIVING OUT THE GOSPEL TOGETHER.

The Gospel is a story of “good news.” Thousands of years ago, God created this world and everything in it. He created people, men and women like you and me, so that they would know Him and be with Him. But God’s people quickly turned their backs on Him and chose their own way. When they did, a new reality of darkness and distance from God ushered in. However, God set a plan in motion to reclaim this creation that He loved and longed to be with. He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world as a way back to Himself. Through His life, Jesus taught us what God is like. Through His death, He took the judgment for our wrongdoing. Through His resurrection, He opened the door for us to have life with God for all of eternity. And now, through His Holy Spirit, He continues to draw people into His story and make their lives new.

WHY DOES IT NEED TO BE LIVED OUT?

The Gospel is a story that changes lives. For centuries, this story has rescued all kinds of people from lives of brokenness and has brought hope, meaning, and newness. In view of that, this is not just a story to be told. As we continue to encounter the Gospel and find our place in it, we want to live in light of its hope and promises. This means that we see our place in the world through a new lens – as men and women who show the people around us what the Author of the Gospel story is like.

WHY TOGETHER?

The Gospel is a story of togetherness. God did not create us to be alone. He created us for community with Himself and with the rest of His creation. So as we find our place in this story, we don’t have to live it out by ourselves. God has given us one another with the intent that we would do this together. Not only does that benefit us, but as we step into the kind of Church that God wants us to be, we want our love for each other to represent Him to the world in compelling ways.

So here is the question. Do you see the obvious differences between the gospel from Heaven in 1 Corinthians 15 and the gospel of man above? The content and intentions are dramatically opposed to each other for which the latter really is no gospel of Jesus Christ whatsoever.

Conclusion:

What it comes down to is, obedience to Christ is the only way to recognize, hear and obey the gospel correctly. This video presentation represents the true gospel and response to it to salvation.

Blessings:

Sin And The Cross

Many people think of God only as a God of love, always on hand to help when things go wrong and bound in the end to forgive everybody's sins and receive them into heaven forever. This idea is fatally misleading. The Bible certainly tells us that ‘God is love' (1 John 1:8), but also that he is ‘majestic in holiness' (Exodus 15:11) and that ‘the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men' (Romans 1:18).

Some thoughts on Sin and what the Cross of Christ tells us.

The cross of Christ tells us that sin is a Curse,

When used as an ornament around the neck, a cross says little about the ugliness of sin. But when we look at sin through the cross of Christ, we see sin as God does: ugly, deforming, condemning, separating man from his Creator. Sin is so terrible that it made God send His only begotten Son to the cross to pay for its cost. Las Vegas does not present a true picture of sin. In the nightclubs and on TV, sin is glamorous, gaudy, fun, enticing, exhilarating. But sin causes death and separation from God (Rom. 6:23, Isa. 59:1-2). Jesus became a curse for us, hanging on the cross (Gal. 3:13), and I should see this when I see the cross.

The cross of Christ tells us that Reconciliation was made,

So long as man was in sin, he could not be right with God, but, was in fact an enemy. With our best intentions and greatest works, we could not bring about this healing of enmity to reconciliation. Since atonement was made by Jesus sacrifice on the cross, it was possible for God to invite man back into a saved relationship. Paul said that this was the great work of the apostles, "appointed by God to be ambassadors, entreating on behalf of God, be ye reconciled unto God" (2 Cor. 5:18-20). Note that atonement precedes reconciliation and that God had to initiate them both due to our sinful condition. I should see this when I see the cross.

The cross of Christ tells us that Substitution was made,

"The soul that sins shall die" (Ezek. 18:4). I sinned, therefore I ought to die. But thanks be to God that His grace permitted it to be different. As the story of Abraham and Isaac and the substitute ram for sacrifice foreshadowed it, the cross declares it plainly. Jesus Christ was sent by God to be a substitute for me. He took my punishment and death. "By his stripes we are healed" (Isa. 53:5). I should see this when I see the cross.

The cross of Christ shows us the painful payment of Justice served,

Propitiation is a two-part act that involves appeasing the wrath of an offended person and being reconciled to him. It is not an everyday word, but it is vitally important that we understand it. ‘Propitiation' means appeasing an offended person (God) by paying the penalty (Jesus sacrifice) he demands for the offence (our sin). Here is a simple example.

A young lady appears in court for a traffic ticket. The judge must ask her – “Guilty or Not Guilty?” She responds, “Guilty your honor.”

After court the judge walks over to the cashier’s window, pulls out his billfold and pays the young lady’s fine with no questions asked. He then turns to the young lady and says, “Your debt is paid free and clear my estranged and beloved daughter.”

The lesson is, the judge (God) by His law and justice had to pronounce his daughters (Gods children) guilt plea, and it was painful. But he paid the debt (on the cross) of her infraction for breaking the legal code without question. The judge has removed (cleansed) her debt (sin) from the ensuing charge (judgment) of guilt.

‘In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins' (1 John 4:10).

The cross of Christ tells us that fellowship with God is possible,

Now that atonement has been made and reconciliation is possible, I can be forgiven. While atonement was made for the sins of the world, not all men will be saved. Not all will obey the call of the gospel through the apostles, to be reconciled to God by the cross. To some, the word of the cross is "foolishness;" to others, it is a "stumbling block" (1 Cor. 1). But if we reject the cross and the word of the cross, we reject reconciliation. If we reject reconciliation, we reject the peace with God that forgiveness brings. If we accept the cross, we may enter into a relationship with God reminiscent of that between Adam and Eve and God in the garden before sin intruded. Fellowship in a mutual sharing in heavenly matters is found only in Christ. I should see this when I see the cross.

The cross of Christ tells us that I must become dead to the world and alive to God,

"If then ye have been risen with Christ. . . " (Col. 3: 1) presupposes that we have died with Christ. "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). But how does one become dead to sin? "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death: that just 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 united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Rom. 6:2-6). Yes, we must crucify the old man of sin. We must walk in newness of life after having been buried in Christ (Rom. 6:4). How is all this done? The bible says it is done when we are baptized “into Christ” (not prayed into) for remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16, Col. 2:11-12, Gal 3:27). I should see this when I see the cross.

There is a cross for us to bear,

It is not a silver or gold ornament with no real meaning but that of vanity and false humiliation. The cross that Jesus bore was that of "obedience unto death, yea, the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8). All the ornamental jewelry and superstitious architecture in the world will not bring us any closer to the service of God unless we in fact understand the cost of bearing one’s own cross.

Sacrificial Service,

Christ stated on more than one occasion, "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:38-39, 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35, Luke 9:23-24, 14:27).

Are you wearing your cross, or are you bearing it?