The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
May 6, 2007
In
This Issue:
The
Power of Repentance
by
Steve Klein
Understanding
Baptism
by
David Cox
The Power of Repentance
Few of us welcome change. We are like the old man who, when he was asked if he had seen many changes in his long life responded, "Yes I have, and I've been against every one of them."
But change is bound to happen, whether we like it or not. And while change in the world around us is often a little hard to accept, changing our own minds and lives is something that many people find really difficult.
Reluctance to change our minds from wrong to right or from evil to good can obviously hinder us spiritually. Growth demands change. As someone once said, "When you get through changing, you're through." On the other hand, a willingness to change minds - to repent - can produce astounding positive results.
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Repentance results in our sins being forgiven. The apostle Peter told unsaved Jews to "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Later, the same apostle told a man who had once been saved but who had committed sin to "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you" (Acts 8:22).
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Repentance allows us to experience times of refreshing. When our sins are forgiven, we feel fresh, clean and new. The experience is compared in Scripture to being "born again" or becoming a "new creature." In Acts 3:19, Peter said, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."
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Repentance enhances the mood of heaven itself. Imagine being able to do something that affects the angels and enhances their joy. Jesus said that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10).
The devil would like it very much if we allowed our general dislike for change to carry over into our spiritual lives. He would like it if we never received forgiveness of sins and never experienced a fresh new life in Christ. He would especially like it if, through our stubbornness, he could rob joy from heaven. Will you allow Satan to have his way, or will you avail yourself of the power of repentance?
-- Steve
Klein
There are many people that have a misunderstanding of baptism and its connection with salvation. Many people will accept that there are some conditions of salvation, such as faith, confession, or repentance. However, they do not understand that the Bible teaches that baptism is essential for man to be forgiven of his sins and be saved. Let us examine what the Bible teaches about baptism and salvation so that we can understand baptism in God's plan.
Baptism Is An Act Of Faith: -- In Col. 2:12, we read, "Buried with Him in baptism, where in ye are risen with Him through faith of the operation of God, Who hath raised Him from the dead." Paul is telling the Christians at Colosse that they were buried in baptism, at which time their sins were removed by faith in the working of God through Christ's death. To the Romans Paul wrote, "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 as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3,4). Again, Paul describes baptism as being that which is done in faith because of the resurrection of Christ. In being baptized, those at Rome and Colosse had been buried with Christ and were to "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4; Col. 3:1). Baptism is seen as being an action of faith in God and His power. By submitting to baptism by faith we become sharers in the new life and have the hope of eternal life.
Faith Makes Baptism Complete: -- The Hebrew writer wrote, "Without faith it is impossible to please God..." (Heb.11:6). As faith is essential, it is just as important to be obedient to God by faith in doing what He has commanded (Jas. 1:22; 2:14-26). In Jno. 3:5 Jesus told Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the Jews that Peter was preaching to were convicted of their sins and this prompted them to ask, based on their faith that God had raised the crucified Christ from the dead, "What shall we do?" Peter responded, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:37,38). Peter did not leave the impression at all that they were saved by their apparent faith. He did not describe baptism as an "outward sign of an inward grace" that their sins had been forgiven. Rather, Peter told them that in order to have their sins forgiven that they must "repent and be baptized". Again, in the conversion of Saul, we have a man living "in all good conscience", a religious man (Acts 22:3-5), and a praying, penitent man (Acts 9:11). Ananias comes into where Paul is and says, "Why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). The New Testament makes it clear that faith was present and that it was faith that caused Saul and those at Jerusalem on Pentecost to be buried in baptism to remove their sins.
Baptism's Connection With Salvation: -- It seems clear that the Bible teaches that baptism and salvation are connected. Let us notice the connections made:
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We know that in an unsaved state we do not have salvation because of our sins (Isa. 59:1,2) and that our sins are forgiven or washed away at baptism (Acts 2;38; 22:16).
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Our sins are forgiven because of the sacrifice of Christ and the shedding of His blood for our sins (1 Pet. 2:22-24; 1 Jno. 1:7; 2:2; Rom. 6:3,4).
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The connection Peter makes when speaking of Noah and his obedience to God's commands when he said, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:21).
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The connection Jesus made when He gave the command "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mk. 16:16).
The Bible is very clear and understandable in the connection between baptism and salvation. There is never any statement or evidence in the Bible that suggests baptism being "an outward sign of an inward grace". Therefore, let us rest assured of what the Bible teaches. Let us follow its teachings faithfully and be assured that we are saved in the same manner as those in the first century.
-- David Cox
In Gospel Power, Vol. 13, No. 42, Oct. 15, 2006