baptism

Bible Study Guides – “In Remembrance of Me”

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March 5-11, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee; the desire of our soul is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee.” Isaiah 26:8.

STUDY HELP: Desire of Ages, 642–661.

INTRODUCTION: “Looking upon the crucified Redeemer, we more fully comprehend the magnitude and meaning of the sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven. The plan of salvation is glorified before us, and the thought of Calvary awakens living and sacred emotions in our hearts. Praise to God and the Lamb will be in our hearts and on our lips; for pride and self-worship cannot flourish in the soul that keeps fresh in memory the scenes of Calvary.” The Faith I Live By, 300.

“Know Ye What I Have Done unto You?”

1 What thoughts were in the Lord’s mind when He decided to wash the disciples’ feet? John 13:1.

NOTE: “How was Christ to bring these poor souls where Satan would not gain over them a decided victory? How could He show that a mere profession of discipleship did not make them disciples, or ensure them a place in His kingdom?…So Christ expressed His love for His disciples. Their selfish spirit filled Him with sorrow, but He entered into no controversy with them regarding their difficulty. Instead He gave them an example they would never forget.” The Desire of Ages, 643–645.

2 What further thought was in the Lord’s mind? John 13:2.

NOTE: See Desire of Ages, 650.

4 When Peter protested against the Lord’s action, what explanation did the Lord give him? John 13:6–10.

NOTE: “Peter could not bear to see his Lord, whom he believed to be the Son of God, acting the part of a servant. His whole soul rose up against this humiliation. He did not realize that for this Christ came into the world. With great emphasis he exclaimed, ‘Thou shalt never wash my feet.’ Solemnly Christ said to Peter, ‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me.’ The service, which Peter refused, was the type of a higher cleansing. Christ had come to wash the heart from the stain of sin. In refusing to allow Christ to wash his feet, Peter was refusing the higher cleansing included in the lower. He was really rejecting his Lord.” Desire of Ages, 645, 646.

“This is My Body Which is Given for You”

5 What perpetual memorial of His death did the Lord provide for His followers? Luke 22:19, 20.

NOTE: “Here our Saviour instituted the Lord’s Supper, to be often celebrated, to keep fresh in the memory of His followers the solemn scenes of His betrayal and crucifixion for the sins of the world. He would have His followers realize their continual dependence upon His blood for salvation. The broken bread was a symbol of Christ’s broken body, given for the salvation of the world. The wine was a symbol of His blood, shed for the cleansing of the sins of all those who should come unto Him for pardon, and receive Him as their Saviour. The salvation of men depends upon a continual application to their hearts of the cleansing blood of Christ. Therefore, the Lord’s Supper was not to be observed only occasionally or yearly, but more frequently than the annual Passover. This solemn ordinance commemorates a far greater event than the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt. That deliverance was typical of the great atonement which Christ made by the sacrifice of His own life for the final deliverance of His people.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 203.

6 What important truth should we never forget? Isaiah 53:5, 6.

NOTE: “Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death, which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. ‘With His stripes we are healed.’” Desire of Ages, 25.

7 How was our redemption made possible? 1 Peter 1:18, 19.

NOTE: “Christ is still at the table on which the paschal supper has been spread. The unleavened cakes used at the Passover season are before Him. The Passover wine, untouched by fermentation, is on the table. These emblems Christ employs to represent His own unblemished sacrifice. Nothing corrupted by fermentation, the symbol of sin and death, could represent the ‘Lamb without blemish and without spot.’” Desire of Ages, 653. (See also Peter Marshall, The First Easter, 22, 25.)

8 How long are we to partake of the Lord’s Supper? 1 Corinthians 11:26.

NOTE: “At the first feast He attended with His disciples, Jesus gave them the cup that symbolized His work for their salvation. At the Last Supper He gave it again, in the institution of that sacred rite by which His death was to be shown forth ‘till He come.’ 1 Corinthians 11:26. And the sorrow of the disciples at parting from their Lord was comforted with the promise of reunion, as He said, ‘I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’ Matthew 26:29.” Desire of Ages, 149. (See also Desire of Ages, 659, 660.)

“Buried With Him in Baptism”

9 What is the significance of baptism? Romans 6:3–6.

NOTE: “The resurrection of Christ is commemorated by our being buried with Him by baptism, and raised out of the watery grave, in likeness of His resurrection, to live in newness of life.” Early Writings, 217.

“Man was brought again into favor with God by the washing of regeneration. The washing was the burial with Christ in the water in the likeness of His death, representing that all who repent of the transgression of the law of God receive purification and cleansing, through the work of the Holy Spirit. Baptism represents true conversion by the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Those who have been buried with Christ in baptism, and been raised in the like-ness of His resurrection, have pledged themselves to live in newness of life. ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.’ Colos-sians 3:1, 2.” The Faith I Live By, 143.

10 Does baptism give one the right to continue to break God’s Law? Romans 6:1–2, 6.

NOTE: “Baptism is a most solemn renunciation of the world. The waters cover the candidate, and in the presence of the whole heavenly universe the mutual pledge is made. In the name of the Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit, man is laid in his watery grave, buried with Christ in baptism, and raised from the water to live the new life of loyalty to God. The three great powers in heaven are witnesses; they are invisible but present. We have died to the world.…We have been buried in the likeness of Christ’s death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection, and we are to live a new life. Our life is to be bound up with the life of Christ.” The Faith I Live By, 146.

“If Thou Believest With All Thine Heart”

11 What precondition is necessary before baptism? Acts 8:36–38.

NOTE: “You may say that you believe in Jesus, when you have an appreciation of the cost of salvation. You may make this claim, when you feel that Jesus died for you on the cruel cross of Calvary; when you have an intelligent, understanding faith that His death makes it possible for you to cease from sin, and to perfect a righteous character through the grace of God, bestowed upon you as the purchase of Christ’s blood.…The plan of salvation is not appreciated as it should be. It is not discerned or comprehended. It is made altogether a cheap affair.” Review and Herald, July 24, 1888.

12 What provision is made for those who, through falling into sin, feel the need to renew their baptismal vows? John 13:10.

NOTE: “We do not come [to the Lord’s table] with our minds diverted to our past experience in the religious life, whether that experience be elevating or depressing. We do not come to revive in our minds the ill-treatment we have received at the hands of our brethren. The ordinance of humility is to clear our moral horizon of the rubbish that has been permitted to accumulate. We have assembled now to meet with Jesus Christ, to commune with Him.” Review and Herald, June 7, 1898. (See also Desire of Ages, 646, 647.)

Weddings, Baptisms and Tithe

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Weddings are momentous occasions. They are fraught with serious and far-reaching consequences. There is, of course, much happiness and joyful celebration, but along with this there is some serious business going on. Some very solemn vows are being exchanged. A man is solemnly promising to love, honor, cherish, and be faithful to a woman, and the woman, in return, is solemnly promising to love, honor, cherish and be faithful to the man.

Please notice that the wedding vows are mutual, two-way, reciprocal vows. They are not individual, isolated, personal vows. They are fulfilled in a life of mutual, faithful continuance by both parties. As long as both parties remember their mutual vows and honor them and remain faithful to them, all will go well.

The Bride Forgets Her Promise

But what if the bride forgets her promise and violates her wedding vow by entering into illicit relationships with other men? Does she still have the right to require her husband to be true to his wedding vow? Does he have to support her in her adulteries? “That would be ridiculous,” you say. “In that tragic circumstance, the husband would be free to do whatever he thought best, within the law.” You are right. The woman, by her violation of her wedding vow, has ended her husband’s obligations to her. They no longer exist.

Exchanging Vows

Baptisms are also momentous occasions. They are, like weddings, fraught with serious and far-reaching, even eternal, results and consequences. They are occasions of great joy and happiness, but along with these things there is some serious business going on. Solemn vows are being exchanged. A baptismal candidate and a church are exchanging vows. The church is promising to keep on telling the truth about God. The candidate is promising to keep on giving financial support to that truth-telling by his tithes and offerings.

These baptismal vows, like the wedding vows, are mutual, two-way, reciprocal vows. They are not isolated, individual, personal vows. They are fulfilled in a life of mutual, faithful continuance by both parties. As long as both the church and the church member remember their respective vows and honor them, all will be well.

But what if the church forgets her promise and violates her baptismal vow by entering into illicit relationships with other churches, accepting some of their false doctrines, and so inter-mingling those false doctrines with her message that it can no longer be said that she is telling the truth about God? Does she still have a right to require the member to support her with his tithes and offerings? Does he have to pay for her adulteries? This would be ridiculous. By her spiritual adultery she has canceled out all such obligations. They no longer exist. The member is free to do what he thinks best with his tithe, within the limits of Scriptural instructions about the proper use of tithe.

The Heart of the Matter

This is the heart of the tithe question. This is the central issue upon which all other tithe issues depend. It can be expressed in the simple question, “Does God require us to pay for the preaching of false doctrines?” The only right answer would have to be “No. That would be utterly ridiculous.” Apostasy has no rights and no authority, either to tell us what to do or to collect tithes and offerings from us.

False Doctrines That
Have Crept In

We pause to mention some of the false doctrines that are being taught in many Seventh-day Adventist churches and educational institutions today. The list would include, but not be limited to:

  • Rejection of our Sanctuary message
  • Rejection of the Spirit of Prophecy
  • Rejection of the authority of Scripture
  • A false doctrine of Justification. That we are saved by justification (forgiveness) only.
  • A false doctrine of Sanctification. That Christians cannot stop sinning, even by the power of God. Ellen White testified against this false doctrine more than 2,000 times.
  • A false doctrine of the nature of Christ. That Christ came to earth in the human nature of unfallen Adam. Ellen White bore testimony against this false doctrine 400 times.
  • Celebration (Satanic) worship services

And so we ask again, does the church yet have a right to require our financial support for the teaching of these false doctrines? The very idea is preposterous! Some may wish to argue that the church is not teaching all false doctrines but only a few. This is like arguing that the unfaithful bride is not having illicit relationships with all other men but only a few. Does this make sense? Surely not!

The Bottom Line

This is the bottom line, the bedrock principle upon which all other tithe matters must rest, and according to which all tithe questions must be answered. We must keep it in mind as we look at some of the peripheral questions.

Did not Ellen White write that the church is the only treasury of the Lord? No, she did not! In the year 1905, she wrote a letter to an Elder Watson, who was then president of the Colorado conference. In this letter she made three significant statements.

  1. She stated that for years she had been sending her tithe to places of her own choosing.
  2. She spoke of other persons, whom she knew, who were doing the same thing, and recommended that they be left alone. Here are her words: “If there have been cases where our sisters have appropriated their tithe to the support of the ministers working for the colored people in the South, let every man, if he is wise, hold his peace.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, 99.
  3. She stated clearly, “the money is not withheld from the Lord’s treasury.” Ibid. How could she make that statement if the church is the only treasury of the Lord? Obviously she could not.

A Position Apart from God

Another insight into Ellen White’s thinking regarding financial matters is provided by P. T. Magan, who with E. A. Sutherland, was a co-founder of Madison College in Tennessee. From Magan’s copious diaries we excerpt a few lines:

“May 7, 1907: Talked with Sister White regarding attitude of General Conference toward us . . . Told Sister White about the administration view that we had no right to go and get money unless we were owned by the conference. She replied: ‘You are doing double what they are. Take all the donations you can get. The money belongs to the Lord, and not to these men. The position they take is not of God. The Southern Union Conference is not to own or control you. You cannot turn things over to them.’

“May 14, 1907: Talked to (Ellen White) about the General Conference position that concerns non-conference owned should have no money. She answered: ‘Daniells and those with him are taking a position on this matter that is not of God.’”

A Statement of Understanding

Other careful investigators have gone before us in examining Ellen White’s teachings on the subject of tithe. Document WDF 213, in the White Estate Office in Loma Linda, is a record of an investigation made by W. C. White, A. G. Daniells, and W. W. Prescott in answer to an accusation that Ellen White sometimes violated her own counsel by sending her tithe to places of her own choosing. Paragraph six on page two of the document is a clear statement of how these leading brethren understood the totality of Ellen White’s teachings and example regarding the payment of tithe.

“As to the proper use of the tithe: The outline of a statement on this subject which was agreed upon was briefly this:

“To give extracts from Sister White’s writings as to the tithe and its use;

“To show that her testimonies and her own usual practise [sic] was in favor of paying the tithe into the regularly designated treasury, to be used under the counsel of the committees appointed for that purpose,

“To show further from her writings that when those who have charge of the expenditure of the tithe so far fail in the discharge of their duty that the regularly organized channels for the distribution of tithe become hindrances to its proper use,

“Then in order to carry out the divine plan that the tithe should be expended in the wisest manner for the furtherance of the work, individuals have a right to pay their tithe direct to the needy fields;

“But that this involves a considerable degree of personal responsibility, which must be assumed by those who decide to follow this plan.

“It was thought that this matter could be handled in a way to show that the departure from the regular plans was authorized only when the regular plans failed to be carried out by those in positions of responsibility.” [Sentence division and emphasis supplied.]

We must recognize that these men would have been appalled by the false doctrines being taught in so many of our churches today. They would have been horrified by the spectacle of huge amounts of tithe being paid to non-Adventist lawyers to sue, fine, and imprison persons, who thought of themselves as Seventh-day Adventists, for using that name. The principle that they set forth would certainly apply to our time. We need not wonder where they would send their tithe.

Using Your Own Judgment

Another question: Did not Ellen White say that persons should not use their own judgment in regard to tithe? Here are her words:

“The portion that God has reserved for Himself is not to be diverted to any other purpose than that which He has specified. Let none feel at liberty to retain their tithe, to use according to their own judgment. They are not to use it for themselves in an emergency, nor to apply it as they see fit, even in what they may regard as the Lord’s work.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 247. [Emphasis supplied.]

What Ellen White meant by the words “what they may regard as the Lord’s work” is made clear in the following pages by these lines:

“One reasons that the tithe may be applied to school purposes. Still others reason that canvassers and colporteurs should be supported from the tithe. But a great mistake is made when tithe is drawn from the object for which it is to be used,—the support of the ministers.” Ibid., 248, 249. [Emphasis supplied.]

In Counsels on Stewardship, page 103, she also rejects the idea of using tithe for the poor fund or for church expense.

Persistently Preaching the Devil’s Lies

Ellen White did not contradict herself, either in what she wrote or what she did. Her words here are in full harmony with her letter to Watson (quoted previously) and her own practice. Her own power of choice, like every other person’s power of choice, was limited by the Scriptural guidelines. Well may we rejoice in the steadfast integrity of the counsels brought to us by the chosen messenger of the Lord. And though our hearts are grieved by the rising tide of apostasy in our beloved church today, we may take comfort in the knowledge that our Lord is not surprised by it. He knew all about it, and He gave us ample forewarning. Let us carefully and prayerfully consider our duty in the light of these realities.

It cannot be denied that there are pastors in Seventh-day Adventist churches, teachers in Seventh-day Adventist educational institutions, and persons at all levels of church administration who are persistently presenting as truth the devil’s great lie, that Christians cannot stop sinning, even by the power of God. Ellen White has identified this assertion no less than 35 times as a lie that originated in the heart of Satan. The strongest of her statements is this:

“Satan declared that it was impossible for the sons and daughters of Adam to keep the Law of God, and thus charged upon God a lack of wisdom and love. If they could not keep the Law, then there was fault with the Lawgiver. Men who are under the control of Satan repeat these accusations against God, in asserting that men cannot keep the Law of God. Jesus humbled Himself, clothing His divinity with humanity, in order that He might stand as the head and representative of the human family, and by both precept and example condemn sin in the flesh, and give the lie to Satan’s charges. He was subjected to the fiercest temptations that human nature can know, yet He sinned not; for sin is the transgression of the Law. By faith He laid hold upon divinity, even as humanity may lay hold upon infinite power through Him.” Signs of the Times, January 16, 1896. [Emphasis supplied.]

Apostasy Has No Authority

Apostasy has no authority! In these dreadful times we must be faithful to our Lord, and follow our leaders only as far as they follow the Lord. We must not support apostasy with our tithes and offerings. There are some who are trying to be faithful in word and deed. Let us give our support to them, carefully complying with every instruction that we find in the Bible and in the Spirit of Prophecy. Then we may claim the blessing of the Lord. Settle it in your mind forever, dear friend. The storehouse of tithe must be the storehouse of truth. There is absolutely no way that a storehouse of falsehoods could be the treasury of the Lord, the storehouse of tithe. May God bless you.

Bible Study Guides – Baptism

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November 15, 2003 – November 21, 2003

Memory Verse

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38.

Suggested Reading: The Desire of Ages, 109–113

Introduction

“Christ came to John [the Baptist], repenting on the sinner’s account, believing in behalf of the sinner, that through the plan he had devised, of taking humanity, and in suffering and dying for man, the sinner would, through repentance, faith, and baptism, be accepted of God. He was buried by John in the liquid grave, and came up out of the water to represent to man, in his holy life, the true pattern for him to copy.

“The steps in conversion, plainly marked out, are repentance, faith in Christ as the world’s Redeemer, faith in his death, burial, and resurrection, shown by baptism, and his ascension on high to plead in the sinner’s behalf. At the very commencement of his public ministry, he presents himself in the character he sustains to man throughout his mediatorial work. He identifies himself with sinners as their substitute, taking upon himself their sins, numbering himself with transgressors, and doing the work the sinner is required to do in repentance, faith, and willing obedience. What an example is here given in the life of Christ for sinners to imitate! If they will not follow the example given them, they will be without excuse.” The Youth’s Instructor, February 1, 1874.

1 Just before leaving the 11 apostles on Mount Olivet, what instruction did Jesus give them? Matthew 28:19, 20.

note: “Jesus committed to his disciples the scheme of making known their religion to all nations, tongues, and people. It was the most sublime enterprise ever intrusted to man—to preach a crucified and risen Saviour, and a full and free salvation to all men, both rich and poor, learned and ignorant—to teach that Christ came to the world to pardon the repentant, and to offer them a love high as heaven, broad as the world, and enduring as eternity.

“They were to teach the observance of all things whatsoever Jesus had commanded them, and were to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Jesus was about to be removed from his disciples; but he assured them that although he should ascend to his Father, his Spirit and influence would be with them always, and with their successors even unto the end of the world.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 238.

2 How had Christ already set the example? Matthew 3:13–15; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21.

note: “Jesus was our example in all things that pertain to life and godliness. He was baptized in Jordan, just as those who come to Him must be baptized. The heavenly angels were looking with intense interest upon the scene of the Saviour’s baptism, and could the eyes of those who were looking on, have been opened, they would have seen the heavenly host surrounding the Son of God as He bowed on the banks of the Jordan. The Lord had promised to give John [the Baptist] a sign whereby he might know who was the Messiah, and now as Jesus went up out of the water, the promised sign was given; for he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God, like a dove of burnished gold, hovered over the head of Christ, and a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ [Matthew 3:17.]” The Youth’s Instructor, June 23, 1892.

3 What was the burden of John the Baptist’s message? Mark 1:4, 5.

note: “The message given to John the Baptist for the people of his day is one that every believer might study to advantage. ‘And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins . . . .’ [Luke 3:3–14 quoted.]

“The work of reformation here brought to view by John, the purging of heart and mind and soul, is one that is needed by many who today profess to have the faith of Christ. Wrong practises that have been indulged in need to be put away; the crooked paths need to be made straight, and the rough places smooth. The mountains and hills of self-esteem and pride need to be brought low. There is need of bringing forth ‘fruits meet for repentance.’ [Matthew 3:8.]” Review and Herald, April 22, 1909.

4 What should precede baptism? Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38.

Note: “Repent ye and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. [Acts 3:19.] There is no time for you to waste. Heaven and immortal life are valuable treasures that cannot be obtained without an effort on your part. No matter how faultless may have been your lives, as sinners you have steps to take. You are required to repent, believe, and be baptized. Christ was wholly righteous; yet He, the Saviour of the world, gave man an example by Himself taking the steps which He requires the sinner to take to become a child of God, and heir of heaven.

“If Christ, the spotless and pure Redeemer of man, condescended to take the steps necessary for the sinner to take in conversion, why should any, with the light of truth shining upon their pathway, hesitate to submit their hearts to God, and in humility confess that they are sinners, and show their faith in the atonement of Christ by words and actions, identifying themselves with those who profess to be His followers?” Testimonies, vol. 4, 40, 41. [Emphasis supplied.]

5 At what time in the believer’s experience is baptism proper? Acts 22:16. Compare Romans 10:13.

note: “The honest seeker after truth will not plead ignorance of the law as an excuse for transgression. Light was within his reach. God’s Word is plain, and Christ has bidden him search the Scriptures. He reveres God’s law as holy, just, and good, and he repents of his transgression. By faith he pleads the atoning blood of Christ, and grasps the promise of pardon. His former baptism does not satisfy him now. He has seen himself a sinner, condemned by the law of God. He has experienced anew a death to sin, and he desires again to be buried with Christ by baptism, that he may rise to walk in newness of life. . . .” The Faith I Live By, 148.

6 With whom is the believer buried in baptism? What should characterize the after-life? By what act of the believer is Christ’s resurrection commemorated? Romans 6:4, 5.

note: “The repentant believer, who takes the steps required in conversion, commemorates in his baptism the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. He goes down into the water in the likeness of Christ’s death and burial, and he is raised out of the water in the likeness of his resurrection—not to take up the old life of sin, but to live a new life in Christ Jesus.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 204.

“Those who have risen with Christ to walk in newness of life are the elect of God. They are holy unto the Lord, and are acknowledged by Him as His beloved. As such, they are under solemn covenant to distinguish themselves by showing humility of mind. They are to clothe themselves in garments of righteousness. They are separate from the world, from its spirit, its practises, and they are to reveal that they are learning of Him. . . . If they realize that they have died with Christ, if they keep their baptismal vow, the world will have no power to draw them aside to deny Christ. If they live the life of Christ in this world, they are partakers of the divine nature.” Sons and Daughters of God, 133.

7 What was Paul and Silas’ jail experience at Philippi, and how did the jailer respond? Acts 16:24–34.

note: “The apostles did not wait until they were refreshed, and their wounds were dressed, before they began their work. This is not the spirit manifested by the natural heart; but Paul and Silas had the spirit of Christ, not the spirit of revenge. And the jailer ‘took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.’ [Acts 16:33.]

“We have a work to do in presenting Christ. We need to talk of Christ, and the practical lessons he gave, until our hearts are warmed with the love of God. We should not make much of the trials and opposition we meet. It is true they may close the door of influence for a time, but it will open to us the wider after a little. The work for us to do is rightly to represent our faith in our life and character as well as in our words. By living faith we must cling to the promises of God.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 11, 1900.

8 Following Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, how many believed on Jesus and were baptized? Acts 2:41.

note: “On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the praying disciples, and they testified as to its source to all, wherever they went.

“The missionary spirit was poured out in unlimited supplies, and the disciples testified of a crucified and risen Saviour, and convinced the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come. They did just as their risen Lord had directed them to do, and began at Jerusalem to publish the gospel, in the very place where the deepest prejudice existed, and where the most confused ideas prevailed in regard to Him who had been crucified as a malefactor. Three thousand received the message, and were converted.” Review and Herald, November 6, 1894.

9 When Philip had preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch, what did this believer request? Acts 8:26–38.

note: “In this instance we have an illustration of the care of God for his children. He called Philip from his successful ministry in Samaria, to cross the desert and go to Gaza to labor for a single inquiring soul. The promptness with which the eunuch accepted the gospel and acted upon its belief should be a lesson to us. God designs that we should be prompt in accepting and confessing Christ, prompt in obeying him, and in answering the call of duty. The eunuch was a man of good repute, and occupied a high and responsible position. Through his conversion the gospel was carried to Ethiopia, and many there accepted Christ, and came out from the darkness of heathenism into the clear light of Christianity.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 305.

10 What should be the experience of the baptized believer? Colossians 3:1–3.

note: “ ‘If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ 11 Corinthians 5:17. Through the power of Christ, men and women have broken the chains of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness. The profane have become reverent, the drunken sober, the profligate pure. Souls that have borne the likeness of Satan have become transformed into the image of God. This change is in itself the miracle of miracles. A change wrought by the Word, it is one of the deepest mysteries of the Word.” The Acts of the Apostles, 476.

11 What was manifested in Christ’s resurrection? 11 Corinthians 13:4. Compare Romans 6:4.

note: “Put away all doubt. Dismiss your fears. Obtain the experience that Paul had when he exclaimed, ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.’ [Galatians 2:20.] Surrender everything to Christ, and let your life be hid with Christ in God. Then you will be a power for good.

“The Lord did not lock the reservoir of heaven after pouring his Spirit upon the early disciples. We also may receive of the fullness of his blessing. Heaven is full of the treasures of his grace, and those who come to God in faith may claim all that he has promised.” The Home Missionary, November 1, 1890.

12 What power is it the privilege of the baptized believer to know? Philippians 3:10; Ephesians 1:18–20.

note: “Do you ask, ‘How am I to abide in Christ?’ In the same way as you received Him at first. ‘As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.’ ‘The just shall live by faith.’ Colossians 2:6; Hebrews 10:38. You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ’s sake did all this for you. By faith you became Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow up in Him—by giving and taking. You are to give all,—your heart, your will, your service,—give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all,—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper,—to give you power to obey.” Steps to Christ, 69, 70.

These lessons are adapted from the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, April 1912.

Q&A – Baptism in the Holy Spirit; what does that mean?

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To baptize is to initiate or to begin a process of transformation. This process is brought into existence through the Holy Spirit, but each of us must yield our hearts so that transformation can take place in our lives.

The act of baptism means to dedicate your life to the Lord. Baptism in the Holy Spirit means that the Holy Spirit has begun to purify your heart and your life. This process is also known as the new birth. “The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices, they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ. When men who claim to be Christians retain all their natural defects of character and disposition, in what does their position differ from that of the worldling? They do not appreciate the truth as a sanctifier, a refiner. They have not been born again.” The Review and Herald, April 12, 1892. In reality, they have not allowed the Holy Spirit to transform their life.

It is our privilege to receive the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” daily, if we will pray for it. This is how the purification process continues in our lives. God promises to give us a new heart and a new spirit and He will cause us to walk in His statutes (Ezekiel 11:19, 20). When we dedicate our heart and life to Him, He gives us of His Holy Spirit to begin that process and to continue that process if we want it continued.

We are told that even Jesus received that baptism of the Holy Spirit daily so He could impart to others. “Daily He received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the early hours of the new day the Lord awakened Him from His slumbers, and His soul and His lips were anointed with grace, that He might impart to others. His words were given Him fresh from the heavenly courts, words that He might speak in season to the weary and oppressed. ‘The Lord God hath given Me,’ He said, ‘the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned.’ Isaiah. 50:4.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 139.

“O that the baptism of the Holy Spirit might come upon you, that you might be imbued with the Spirit of God! Then day by day you will become more and more conformed to the image of Christ, and in every action of your life, the question would be, ‘Will it glorify my Master?’ By patient continuance in well-doing you would seek for glory and honor, and would receive the gift of immortality.” The Review and Herald, May 10, 1892.

Remember that God wants each of us to be new creatures. He says, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.”
II Corinthians 5:17.

If you have a Bible question you wish to have answered, please write to Steps to Life or e-mail it to: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

A New Commandment

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Imagine living in a house with 20 other people. For those of us in the United States where the average household size is about three members, this may be somewhat foreign; however, such a large family can still be an object lesson for the people of God who may not have a real sense of how valuable and precious each member of the church of God is as a family. America’s most famous supersized family, the Duggars, from Arkansas, is one such example of a family with many members—19 children, all caring for each other, assisting each other in love. They are a well-ordered family engaging in Christian activities. All of the children are homeschooled with each of them involved in personal Bible study and all of them involved in music. God has blessed this home abundantly with each member using the talents given them to help the others, making the home a sanctuary. There are strict house rules and any young man desiring to court one of the young ladies is first required to ask permission from her father. Harmony and personal growth for each member in the family depends on order and boundaries, but most of all on a committed love for each one.

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2, 3. There are many dwelling places, many rooms in God’s house. Is one of those rooms reserved for you? Is Jesus preparing a place for you? The illustration of the Duggar Family is to show that in order for God’s family to grow into the fullness of Christ and to fulfill God’s purpose, there must be a change of attitude toward one another. Each member must become more concerned for his/her brothers and sisters. I make an appeal to every member of God’s family to consider and keep the new commandment about which Jesus spoke.

Before we discuss this new commandment, let us identify just who are the true members of God’s family. We “are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26), but what does this mean? Basically, it is trusting in God’s Word and His promises and willingly obeying or keeping that Word. The Scripture says that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. Has the Word of God ever sounded in your ears? Has God ever spoken to you? I would have to say that He has spoken to me.

The Apostle Paul said that “the gospel, which ye have heard, … was preached to every creature which is under heaven.” Colossians 1:23. This brings to mind what is written in Psalm 19:1–3: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.” These verses declare that the gospel has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. Have you heard the voice of God? He has spoken, and He is still speaking. Are you listening for and have you heard that “still small voice” (I Kings 19:12)?

The story is told of Abraham the patriarch, a man to whom righteousness was accounted because of his faith. The Word of God came to Abraham and the promise was made that he would have a son who would be his heir. Abraham, who was nearly 100 years old, continued to wait without the fulfillment of the promise. His wife Sarah was barren. She was past childbearing years, and her womb was dead. How could Abraham have a son when all circumstances proved that this was impossible? As Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). Abraham knew this truth, and as a result, in spite of his circumstances, how did he respond? “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” Romans 4:20, 21.

Are you staggering today at some promise God has made? Does it seem that you have to wait too long to see the result? There are many promises in the Bible, but there is one in particular that has been given to all of us. “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” I John 2:25. Do you believe this promise? Do you have faith that what He has promised He is also able to perform regardless of how long it takes for it to come true? “Faith claims God’s promises, and brings forth fruit in obedience. … Genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the Scriptures.” The Desire of Ages, 126. Faith is one of the characteristics of those who are true members of God’s family.

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27. To be baptized into Christ and thus be clothed with Him is an emblem of being buried with Him in death. Your old character, your old self, or old man is crucified with Christ, and you have, therefore, died to sin. Jesus told Nicodemus that, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. Friend, you cannot be born again unless you die to sin first.

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? … 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.” Romans 6:3, 6. Have you died to sin? Have you been crucified with Christ, or are you still clinging to some pet sin that still has control over you?

Baptism is more than just partaking of Christ’s death. We do not remain in the grave. After the death and burial of Jesus, He was resurrected, so not only are we baptized into His death, but we are also baptized into His life. This is described as being born again. In other words, not only have we died to sin but we have also come alive to righteousness or alive to God. There is only one baptism, death to sin, followed by a new life in Jesus Christ. This is what it means to put on Christ, to be partakers with His life. We become clothed with His righteousness which is His character. Just as it was with the Apostle Paul, we too must experience dying to sin. This is a daily process.

“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.” Romans 6:4. The Scriptures speak of two different forms of baptism. John the Baptist declared, “Repent ye, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2. His ministry, the baptism of water unto repentance, being submerged into water, is a symbol of what actually takes place within the heart, being buried with Christ. Just as Christ was raised from the dead or the grave to life, the repentant sinner comes out of the water into newness of life. The Scriptures also speak about baptism as being an answer of a good conscience toward God (I Peter 3:21).

Water baptism occurs after the recognition of sin and repentance, but it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that actually makes us part of God’s family. The sacred record declares that, at times, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Gentiles prior to being baptized by water, and often the disciples appealed to the people to repent and be baptized that they may receive the Holy Spirit. “God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying.” Galatians 4:6. In Romans 8:9, last part, we are told, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” If you do not have the Holy Spirit, you are none of His, and you are not a part of God’s family. This does not mean there is no hope, but I state this so you may recognize and question whether or not you are truly part of God’s family. Have you received His Holy Spirit?

We have identified the members of God’s family as those who have faith in Jesus, who take Him at His word and obey, and those who have been baptized into Christ, not only by water but, more importantly, by the Holy Spirit and have put on Christ.

What is the purpose for each person who is a member of God’s family? What is your purpose? First of all, we must recognize any gifts that our Father has given us. We must recognize what gift we have received once we received the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:7 tells us, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” The Apostle Paul referred to how much grace God had given unto him which was displayed in the many talents and abilities he was able to perform in the name of Christ. Grace is given to everyone; no one is left out.

“When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8. Think about the gifts you have received from the Holy Spirit and whether you are using these gifts to benefit others and the church.

Let us look at some of the gifts given by the Spirit. The Apostle Paul said, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” Ephesians 4:11. “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” I Corinthians 12:28.

Do you believe that God still gives gifts to His children? Sadly, we do not see gifts within the church as perhaps we could. Some of the gifts we may avoid or shrink back from when we see them displayed by others, especially within the Christian world, because we understand that the enemy is able to counterfeit these gifts. But we should not allow any people, church, denomination, group, not even angels to discourage us from praying for and desiring the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are important to the church and to recognize or possess any of these gifts is something about which to pray.

Perhaps you have had a talent since your youth. This is still a gift from God, given to you to be used in service for others. If you do not possess any of these gifts, we are told by the apostle to “covet earnestly the best gifts.” I Corinthians 12:31. Have a strong desire for the best gifts, not to hoard up for yourself but to use in service for others. In chapter 14:1 he says, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts.” In Luke 12:32 Jesus said, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” of heaven, and Psalm 84:11 says, “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” We must believe these things and ask the Father for the gift of His Spirit.

What is the purpose of these gifts? In Ephesians 4:11–13 we read, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to equip the church for ministry and to build up the body until every member is filled with Christ and every member reaches Christian maturity. Sadly, we have not yet reached this standard. How much, then, should we be pleading to the Father to pour out His blessing upon us?

Verses 15 and 16 say, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Building up the body in love, building up the church, the family of God, in love; this is the purpose of these gifts. This is our purpose as members of God’s family. This is precisely what God intends for us. We were born into God’s family to love and to be loved, to come to Christian maturity.

Now that we have considered our purpose, how are we to carry it out by loving and building up one another?

The new commandment that God desires to be engraved on the hearts of each of His children was given by Jesus to His disciples. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 13:34. In God’s church today, is this commandment being heeded? Does each church member love one another as Jesus loved us? You may ask the question, and it is a good question and one worthy of reflection, “How did Jesus love us?” We understand that He still loves us today and we need to reflect upon how Jesus did love us. Below is listed just a few of the ways that Jesus has demonstrated His love for us.

  1. He voluntarily left the riches of heaven, becoming a poor man on earth, despised and rejected by the majority. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” II Corinthians 8:9. What are you willing to give up for the family of God?
  2. He suffered hunger and privation, resisting the temptations of the devil while fasting in the wilderness for forty days. In His strength we can now be conquerors over the perverted appetite so common today. “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.” Luke 4:1, 2. Jesus refused to indulge Himself when the enemy came with the suggestion that if He be the Son of God, He should turn the stones into bread. He waited on God and put implicit trust in Him for His sustenance, being an example.
  3. He refused the offer of power and riches in exchange for worshiping the prince of this earth. When Satan showed Him the kingdoms of this world saying that all of these things could be His, He refused to bow to anyone but His Father (Matthew 4:8, 9).
  4. He refused to act presumptuously. When the enemy told Him to cast Himself down and the angels of God would be summoned to His help and that God would give His angels charge over Him, He refused to tempt God, because He loved us (Matthew 4:6).
  5. Jesus spent entire nights in prayer with His Father. His mission was to save the sheep that had gone astray and only by being connected with His Father could He fulfill His assignment. “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12. Inspiration tells us that He did this quite often because He loves us. How much time do you spend on your knees in prayer for the family of God? We are to love one another as He loved us.
  6. He suffered a cruel death, taking upon His shoulders all the sins of the world and being separated from His Father so that all who believe on Him will not have to suffer the second death. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Hebrews 2:9. That is how much He loved us. How much are you prepared to give?

I appeal to those who are family members, to those who claim themselves to be a part of God’s family. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12, 13. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” I John 3:16. Are you a member of God’s family? Are you willing to lay down your life for the brethren? Let us love one another as Jesus loved us and thus fulfill the new commandment.

If you consider the criteria to be part of the family of God and you realize that you are not in possession of the Holy Spirit, do not lose heart. The Good Shepherd is calling you into His fold. He has already paid the price, so just come. There is no real life apart from Christ. If you are breathing, living and moving, there is no life apart from Christ. Without Him you are dead in your trespasses and sins. However, our Lord stands with His arms wide open, ready to receive any and all who come to Him by faith. If you hear the Father calling to you today, inviting you to be a part of His family, to be born again, believe His promise, have faith in Jesus and be baptized in Him.

Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27–29. Just come and you will find a home and be safe at last.

Appealing to the people of Judea, “Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38. Put your faith completely in Jesus, trust in His promises and be clothed with His righteousness.

Remember, this is the new commandment specifically given to God’s people. Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:13–15.

Respond to this invitation now while the offer is still open. Everyone has been given special talents that are needed to complement others in the family of God. Jesus said, “Love one another, as I have loved you.” He is coming soon; be ready!

Demario Carter is a Bible worker for Steps to Life. 

Inspiration – God has Sacred Claims

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God has sacred claims upon us all. He claims the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole affections. The answer which is sometimes made to this statement is: “Oh, I do not profess to be a Christian!” What if you do not? Has not God the same claims upon you that He has upon the one who professes to be His child? Because you are bold in your careless disregard of sacred things, is your sin of neglect and rebellion passed over by the Lord? Every day that you disregard the claims of God, every opportunity of offered mercy that you slight, is charged to your account and will swell the list of sins against you in the day when the accounts of every soul will be investigated. I address you, young men and women, professors or nonprofessors: God calls for your affections, for your cheerful obedience and devotion to Him. You now have a short time of probation, and you may improve this opportunity to make an unconditional surrender to God.

Obedience and submission to God’s requirements are the conditions given by the inspired apostle by which we become children of God, members of the royal family. Every child and youth, every man and woman, has Jesus rescued by His own blood from the abyss of ruin to which Satan was compelling them to go. Because sinners will not accept of the salvation freely offered them, are they released from their obligations? Their choosing to remain in sin and bold transgression does not lessen their guilt. Jesus paid a price for them, and they belong to Him. They are His property; and if they will not yield obedience to Him who has given His life for them, but devote their time and strength and talents to the service of Satan, they are earning their wages, which is death. Immortal glory and eternal life is the reward that our Redeemer offers to those who will be obedient to Him. He has made it possible for them to perfect Christian character through His name and to overcome on their own account as He overcame in their behalf. He has given them an example in His own life, showing them how they may overcome. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” [Romans 6:23].

The claims of God are equally binding upon all. Those who choose to neglect the great salvation offered to them freely, who choose to serve themselves and remain enemies of God, enemies of the self-sacrificing Redeemer, are earning their wages. They are sowing to the flesh and will of the flesh reap corruption.

Those who have put on Christ by baptism, by this act showing their separation from the world and that they have covenanted to walk in newness of life, should not set up idols in their hearts. Those who have once rejoiced in the evidence of sins forgiven, who have tasted a Saviour’s love and who then persist in uniting with the foes of Christ, rejecting the perfect righteousness that Jesus offers them and choosing the ways that He has condemned, will be more severely judged than the heathen who have never had the light and have never known God or His law. Those who refuse to follow the light which God has given them, choosing the amusements, vanities, and follies of the world, and refusing to conform their conduct to the just and holy requirements of God’s law, are guilty of the most aggravating sins in the sight of God. Their guilt and their wages will be proportionate to the light and privileges which they have had.

Testimonies, vol. 3, 364–366.

Repent and Be Baptized

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Many people who are convicted of their sins and long to be restored to harmony with God are burdened because they have absolutely no idea how to do this and have no one to show them. The little book Steps to Christ, explains how to have an experience with Jesus Christ. Beginning with God’s love for man, it teaches to behold Him daily by reading about His life from birth to the cross and then to the resurrection. As we behold Him, we will see our need of a Saviour and will be brought to repentance. Without Christ we are nothing; it is impossible to surrender our sins without Him.

Preaching Christ brings conviction to those who hear. “Now when they heard this [Peter’s preaching], they were pricked (convicted) in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37, 38).

Peter gave the answer to those who had a desire to be right with God, “Repent, and be baptized.”

True repentance is a sorrow for sin and a turning away from it in the heart, which is only possible when sin is seen in its true sinfulness. Repentance is a gift from God and it is He Who places this gift within us as we daily commune with Him.

Repentance is not merely a feeling as some may believe. Some may think that repentance is crying or mourning over sin; however, often times this mourning is because of a fear of punishment. Some may come before God crying and pleading for forgiveness because they have been caught in sin and now fear the punishment, i.e., they have committed adultery and their spouse has found out and they feel bad and ask for forgiveness from their spouse and from God. But had they not been caught, would they be asking for forgiveness? Sin is a matter of the heart.

Esau is an example of this. He gave up his birthright for a morsel of food and when he realized what he had done, he cried and lamented, but it was not a true sorrow for what he had done. He was sorrowful because he had lost the blessing (Genesis 25:29–34).

We also see the example of Judas who, when he had betrayed the Son of God, confessed to Christ that he had sinned and betrayed Him (Matthew 27:3, 4). That was not a true confession and Judas was not converted. He had beheld Christ and he was convicted many times, but he did not surrender that of which he was convicted. He saw the love of God and loved Jesus, but he held on to his sin, his pride, and his love of money. When he got up to leave after eating the last supper with the other disciples, he turned his back on Christ and headed right out into the darkness. At that point it was too late for him; he had completely surrendered himself to Satan. After he had led the soldiers to arrest Jesus and Jesus made no attempt to escape, he became frightened. He then realized what he had done and sensed that he would be severely punished. His experience was not true heart sorrow; his confession was forced from a sense of guilt.

True repentance recognizes and acknowledges that it was our sins that put Christ on that cruel cross. Personally feeling responsible for causing the death of Christ will cause hearts to be changed.

King David had a relationship with Jesus but he fell because he failed to watch and pray. Unknowingly, he had slowly let go of the hand of God and found he had no strength to resist the temptation before him. This happened gradually. We do not come to Christ and are holy all of a sudden, and in the same way we do not fall all of a sudden. It is a gradual process. When David let go of the hand of God, he committed a sin, which led him to take another man’s wife. In an attempt to conceal his sin, he gave orders for her husband to be placed in the thick of battle so that he would be killed. Nathan the prophet was sent to him and on hearing a parable relating to himself, David was truly convicted of his sin and brought to repentance (II Samuel 11).

Psalm 51 gives us the expression of David’s heart, for he truly had an experience with God. Verse 1 says, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” David had experienced and knew the love of God. Verse 3 says, “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.” This was true repentance—an acknowledgment of sin without making excuse.

When God went into the garden looking for Adam and Eve after they sinned, he asked Adam what he had done. God wanted him to confess his sin but instead he blamed his wife. “This woman that you made for me caused me to sin” (Genesis 3:12). When God asked Eve, “What have you done” (verse 13)? She blamed the serpent. Ultimately, the blame went back to God for making the serpent; neither acknowledged their sin but instead blamed others.

Many spend their lives blaming others for their sin but true repentance acknowledges that we have sinned against none other than the spotless Son of God, Jesus Christ.

We have been playing the blame game since the Garden of Eden. We cannot make excuses for sin. We will be held accountable for the opportunities that we had to learn truth but rejected it. God gives us many opportunities to repent.

The Bible goes on to say in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” When the word create is used in Genesis, we see God creating the world through His word. He spoke and it was. He could have created the world in one day but He took six. So when we ask God to create in us a clean heart, we must realize that this creation comes through His word. As we read and behold Him in His word, the change will become manifest in us. This is a daily experience, drawing closer to God by yielding, surrendering, beholding and praying.

Over our lives we have developed habits. There are also hereditary things that need overcoming. In coming to Christ we surrender these heart sins. It is not just the way we eat or speak or who we hang out with but also includes the deep things of the heart, the bitterness, the lingering resentment, the lying and jealousy, these so-called small sins that are not always obvious. Nothing is small in the sight of God—sin is sin. We must desire God to create in us a new heart that we may be born again. We need a new mind because when we come to God, we come as we are with our old habits. The difference is that now we have power through Christ Jesus to overcome. Do not be discouraged if you slip. As we surrender our life to Jesus day by day with the plea to “create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” He will answer that heart cry.

“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (verse 12). When we experience true repentance we will say, “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee” (verse 13). Before we can lead others to Christ, we need this conversion experience. There are people today who are lost because they cannot find someone to lead them in the right direction. We need to be that witness. Instead of going to church to find somebody who we think is holy, or trying to find somebody to call a hypocrite, we can be that witness, beholding Jesus instead of the defects of others.

Looking upon Christ is like looking upon the sun in its meridian glory. When we look away, all that we see is the image of the sun in everything that we look upon. But if we remove our eyes from the sun long enough, the old images will be restored. While looking upon Christ, the Son of God, His image will be in our mind. Thus when we look at others, we will see the image of Jesus Christ in them.

By beholding we become changed (II Corinthians 3:18). By constantly beholding sin in others and constantly speaking error, those things will become manifest in us. Talk faith and cultivate those things that are true, honest, just, pure and lovely and continue to meditate on these things (Philippians 4:8).

Stay constantly in touch with God by offering prayers to Him; when you are alone or when you are working, stay in communication. You may not at all times be able to get on your knees to pray, but speak to God in your mind and in that way you will not focus on the sins of the world or on your own sins. We must have this experience so that we can be a witness for Christ. “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” (Psalm 51:13).

Hearts must yield to the Holy Spirit. To yield means to make a decision. The same power we use to sin is used to surrender hearts to Christ. When we are in a situation where we are tempted, it is decision time. We can yield to that temptation or yield to the voice of the Holy Spirit. When we yield to God, He then has permission to take control and to bring us into harmony with His thoughts.

The plan of salvation is to restore us back to harmony with God, the condition of Adam and Eve before their fall, covered with the glory of God. That glory is His character. When Moses asked God to show him His glory, He revealed His character. He made His goodness pass before him. God wants us to have His image restored in us. It can only be manifested and restored by cooperation with His plan of salvation. Our salvation is not dependent upon our works but secured by our humanity and Divinity working together.

When Jesus was on this earth, He was constantly in communion with the Father, fully depending upon the power He drew from Him. This must be our experience—dependence on that same power. Every day we must ask God for a fresh supply of His grace and as we yield to His Spirit, our conscience will be quickened, made alive, and will discern the depth and sacredness of His holy law. Those things that were once dark will become light—our understanding now being quickened.

As we yield to God, He draws us to Him and we begin to see sin as it is in the Light (James 4:8). We will see sin through the eyes of Christ and begin to loathe it. Beholding the love of God, we will desire to be cleansed from our sins. Our prayer will be, “Lord, what must I do to be saved?” It is a false belief that you must first repent before coming to Christ. Some know they have things in their life that must be put away and think they need to get right with God first before giving God their heart. That is not correct. We need to come to God just as we are, because we have no power in ourselves to overcome sin.

Prior to the fall, Adam and Eve had dominion over the earth but after they sinned, Satan then had dominion and power over them. They had absolutely no power to overcome sin. Christ, in His mercy, had pity upon the fallen race and knew that unless He paid for our sins, our situation would be hopeless. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and God’s law demands the life of the sinner but by Jesus taking our place, all of the power of heaven is available to us if we would simply ask.

In Matthew 11:28–30 we are given an invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Heavy laden refers to the yoke of bondage, the yoke of sin that is upon us. The invitation continues, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” This yoke of Jesus is the yoke of rest. Jesus wants to have this exchange with us. He wants us to behold Him by studying His word, His life, and His character. We simply do not have time to read things that are not going to help us spiritually. We must begin by studying the love of God, sitting like Mary at the feet of Jesus. There is a work to do, as Martha did, but we must first learn of Christ, become converted, and give Him our hearts. We must ask to be purified through the blood of Jesus. This He has promised to do. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). All He asks of us is our sin-polluted hearts.

“… and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29, last part, 30). Here is an invitation from Christ for us to give Him our burdens and He will give us His rest. Many lives are so busy with even the Lord’s work that they neglect time with Christ. Soon Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). Do you know Christ? Jesus said to His disciples, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

John 12:32 says, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” The sad thing is that Jesus was lifted up on that cross and only a few will respond. If we do not resist we will be led to the experience of true repentance and Jesus will be revealed to us as that Lamb of God Who died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). It is only at the cross and only as we see what sin has done to Christ that we have a little understanding of the plan of redemption. We must respond as God draws our hearts to Him. God does the work in the heart. As we respond to that drawing our outward actions will reveal the results. As we spend a thoughtful hour and behold the life of Christ, specifically the closing scenes, a ray of light will shine into our hearts and a transformation will truly begin (see The Desire of Ages, 84). The thief on the cross was converted because he beheld the Saviour and His love. The thief had no choice but to witness how Jesus was treated in the judgment hall, being spat upon and mocked. At the first he joined in with the crowd, but as He saw the response of Jesus he marveled at His love. Christ came to this earth to reveal His Father’s character of love to the world and to give us power to overcome sin as He did (Luke 23:39–43).

Many inquire, why, if He is a God of love, is there so much sin in the world; why didn’t He just get rid of Satan; why did He even create him? Since sin came into existence God allows things to take place so that the true nature of sin is revealed. Had Satan been eliminated, the angels would then have worshiped God out of fear. Satan’s character had to be fully developed for other created beings to see the result of sin. It was only at the cross that the heavenly host of angels saw the true character of Satan and the hatred exhibited toward their loving Master. God wants us to see the difference in character. When the thief heard Christ say, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), he was convicted that this truly was the Son of God. The thief asked the Lord to remember him and prepare a place for him (verse 42). By beholding the scenes on Calvary and witnessing the love of God the thief was converted. He repented and was assured of salvation.

We may have this same experience by beholding and recognizing Jesus as our personal Saviour. He died for a world that did not love Him. Do not be one of those who resist His love.

Revelation 22:17 says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Christ is addressing us personally so that He can fill the void in our hearts. Ask God for the power to stay focused and as you continue to study and behold the word of God, it will become living bread and living water to your soul. Before his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul thought he kept God’s law. With an impeccable outward appearance, he went about killing and persecuting those who were following Christ. Through his blindness, the glory of God shined into his heart and he was convicted of his sin, bringing him to repentance. He was converted. God constantly draws our hearts. His Holy Spirit changes the hearts of those who respond.

Stephen stood before the leaders of the church and preached Christ. Though they were deeply convicted, they did not want to hear the word of God. Aware that he was about to die, Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the Son of man standing beside the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:55, 56). Saul, later Paul, saw the glory in Stephen’s face and could not get this out of his mind. After Stephen was dead, Saul’s conviction kept him from peaceful sleep. Enquiring of the church leaders of the validity of Stephen’s speech, he was told that Stephen was wrong in his interpretation of Scripture. A Pharisee, Saul wanted to believe the teaching of the church, but God would not allow his conviction to go. On the road as he was about to enter Damascus, he was blinded by a brilliant light. Jesus spoke to him and Saul responded, “Lord, what will you have me to do” (Acts 9:6)? For three days he was blind. Because the Scriptures were in his mind, he was able to analyze them to determine that it truly was the Son of God Who had paid him a visit. He knew that it truly was the Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for Whom he had encountered, the Promised One Who came to deliver us from our sins. He was changed from that experience and given a new name. Saul became Paul. He had experienced true repentance. He blamed nobody for his sins but acknowledged that he had sinned against the spotless Son of God. Once converted, he went about preaching and many were converted. When you behold God’s glory, you will see yourself in a different way and understand that you cannot do anything without Christ and will long to have this new experience that God wants to give you.

As Daniel described his vision in Daniel 10:8, he wrote, “Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.” When Daniel saw the Lord’s glory, he had no strength left in him. Daniel’s experience with God continued to deepen. This can also be our experience.

The closer we come to God the more we will see our sinfulness. Like looking in a mirror, the closer you get to it the more clearly you see the flaws in your face. As we behold Him and come closer to Him the light shows us our deformities and that we are nothing without God. There is no good in us and it is only as we behold Christ that we can have this experience.

Many excuse their sins saying, “God knows my heart,” or “We can’t keep God’s law.” Christ did not come from heaven to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could continue in sin. He came because there was no other way for us to be saved. We cannot make ourselves better. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jeremiah 13:23)? No matter how hard we try, we cannot change ourselves.

There is a difference between “being tempted” and “entering into temptation.” Satan is the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10) wanting you to believe you are a hopeless sinner. But raise your eyes to heaven and recognize that Christ came and died for sinners and became righteousness for you.

Make it personal; hold tight the hand of God. Do not procrastinate putting off things you should be doing today. A time is coming when God will no longer strive with man and all will be left to the desires of their hearts. Life is uncertain; today is the day of salvation (11 Corinthians 6:2) and it is very dangerous to put off a commitment to the Lord.

Every wrong character trait or sinful desire cherished will eventually neutralize the power of the gospel. We need to come before God asking Him to search our hearts. Psalm 139:23, 24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” The word of God searches hearts. It is a light and convicts. It is not to be read as a rebuke for others but to provoke you to examine your own life. Ask God to search your heart. The Word says, “lead me in the way” (Psalm 139:24). This is a prayer asking for complete surrender and dependence upon God. Day by day go before God in the morning and commune with Him. Do not let the thoughts and cares of this world distract you from communing with Him.

We do not have much time. We need to behold Christ. Repentance is a gift which God will give to us if we come to Him in prayer and sincerely ask. It is the will of God for us to repent. Claim His will. He loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Let’s take the time to behold that love and to share it with our families.

Today is the day. If you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts (Hebrews 4:7). Today is the appointed day for you to make a decision.

Maria Cofer works with her husband, John, who is currently engaged in establishing training schools under the name, The Schools of the Prophets for the youth. They have established a digital media company to create and promote video media teaching the unique message of Adventism using social media such as Facebook and Youtube. 

Bible Study Guides – Jesus and John the Baptist

by

May 14, 2017 – May 20, 2017

Key Text

“He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 178–182.

Introduction

“John the Baptist was pronounced by our Saviour the greatest of prophets. Yet what a contrast between the language of this man of God and that of many who profess to be ministers of the cross. When asked if he was the Christ, John declares himself unworthy even to unloose his Master’s sandals.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 224.

Sunday

1 A PROBLEM AMONG THE DISCIPLES

  • What question arose between some of John’s disciples and the Jews? John 3:25.

Note: “A question arose between them [John’s disciples] and the Jews as to whether baptism availed to cleanse the soul from sin; they maintained that the baptism of Jesus differed essentially from that of John. Soon they were in dispute with Christ’s disciples in regard to the form of words proper to use at baptism, and finally as to the right of the latter to baptize at all.” The Desire of Ages, 178.

  • How did the disciples of John display their envy at Christ’s work? John 3:26.

  • What noble answer did John give to his disciples? John 3:27.

Note: “John had by nature the faults and weaknesses common to humanity, but the touch of divine love had transformed him. He dwelt in an atmosphere uncontaminated with selfishness and ambition, and far above the miasma of jealousy. He manifested no sympathy with the dissatisfaction of his disciples, but showed how clearly he understood his relation to the Messiah, and how gladly he welcomed the One for whom he had prepared the way.” The Desire of Ages, 179.

Monday

2 JOHN’S MISSION

  • How did John demonstrate that he knew his mission? John 3:28, 29.

Note: “He [John] said, ‘A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice’ (John 3:27–29). John represented himself as the friend who acted as a messenger between the betrothed parties, preparing the way for the marriage. When the bridegroom had received his bride, the mission of the friend was fulfilled. He rejoiced in the happiness of those whose union he had promoted. So John had been called to direct the people to Jesus, and it was his joy to witness the success of the Saviour’s work. He said, ‘This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease’ (Verses 29, 30).” The Desire of Ages, 179.

  • What was John’s work? John 1:23, 29.

  • What is our work?

Note: “Looking in faith to the Redeemer, John had risen to the height of self-abnegation. He sought not to attract men to himself, but to lift their thoughts higher and still higher, until they should rest upon the Lamb of God. He himself had been only a voice, a cry in the wilderness. Now with joy he accepted silence and obscurity, that the eyes of all might be turned to the Light of life.

“Those who are true to their calling as messengers for God will not seek honor for themselves. Love for self will be swallowed up in love for Christ. No rivalry will mar the precious cause of the gospel. They will recognize that it is their work to proclaim, as did John the Baptist, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). They will lift up Jesus, and with Him humanity will be lifted up. ‘Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones’ (Isaiah 57:15).” The Desire of Ages, 179, 180.

Tuesday

3 THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT

  • How did the majority of the people react to Christ’s message? John 3:32.

Note: “The disciples of John had declared that all men were coming to Christ; but with clearer insight, John said, ‘No man receiveth His witness;’ so few were ready to accept Him as the Saviour from sin. But ‘he that hath received His witness hath set his seal to this, that God is true’ (John 3:32, 33, R.V.). ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.’ No need of disputation as to whether Christ’s baptism or John’s purified from sin. It is the grace of Christ that gives life to the soul. Apart from Christ, baptism, like any other service, is a worthless form. ‘He that believeth not the Son shall not see life’ (John 3:36).” The Desire of Ages, 181.

  • To whom is the gift of the Holy Spirit bestowed? John 3:34.

Note: “The soul of the prophet, emptied of self, was filled with the light of the divine. As he witnessed to the Saviour’s glory, his words were almost a counterpart of those that Christ Himself had spoken in His interview with Nicodemus. John said, ‘He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all. … For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.’ Christ could say, ‘I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me’ (John 5:30). To Him it is declared, ‘Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows’ (Hebrews 1:9). The Father ‘giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.’

“So with the followers of Christ. We can receive of heaven’s light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We cannot discern the character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ ‘dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him ye are made full’ (Colossians 2:9, 10, RV).” The Desire of Ages, 180, 181.

“The talents that Christ entrusts to His church represent especially the gifts and blessings imparted by the Holy Spirit. … All men do not receive the same gifts, but to every servant of the Master some gift of the Spirit is promised.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 327.

Wednesday

4 THE VALUE OF BAPTISM

  • What value does baptism have without the grace of Christ? John 3:36, last part.

  • On the other hand, when is baptism of real value? John 3:36, first part.

Note: “Christ has made baptism the sign of entrance to His spiritual kingdom. He has made this a positive condition with which all must comply who wish to be acknowledged as under the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Before man can find a home in the church, before passing the threshold of God’s spiritual kingdom, he is to receive the impress of the divine name, ‘The Lord our Righteousness’ (Jeremiah 23:6).” Testimonies, vol. 6, 91. [Emphasis author’s.]

“The vows which we take upon ourselves in baptism embrace much. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we are buried in the likeness of Christ’s death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection, and we are to live a new life. Our life is to be bound up with the life of Christ. Henceforth the believer is to bear in mind that he is dedicated to God, to Christ, and to the Holy Spirit. He is to make all worldly considerations secondary to this new relation. Publicly he has declared that he will no longer live in pride and self-indulgence. …

“The obligations in the spiritual agreement entered into at baptism are mutual. As human beings act their part with wholehearted obedience, they have a right to pray: ‘Let it be known, Lord, that Thou art God in Israel.’ The fact that you have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is an assurance that, if you will claim Their help, these powers will help you in every emergency. The Lord will hear and answer the prayers of His sincere followers who wear Christ’s yoke and learn in His school His meekness and lowliness.

“ ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God’ (Colossians 3:1–3).

“ ‘Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness’ (verses 12–14).” Ibid., 98, 99.

Thursday

5 A WISE METHOD

  • Upon realizing that the Pharisees were trying to create a crisis between John and Himself, what did Jesus do? John 4:1–3.

Note: “Jesus knew that they would spare no effort to create a division between His own disciples and those of John. He knew that the storm was gathering which would sweep away one of the greatest prophets ever given to the world. Wishing to avoid all occasion for misunderstanding or dissension, He quietly ceased His labors, and withdrew to Galilee. We also, while loyal to truth, should try to avoid all that may lead to discord and misapprehension. For whenever these arise, they result in the loss of souls. Whenever circumstances occur that threaten to cause division, we should follow the example of Jesus and of John the Baptist.” The Desire of Ages, 181.

  • What attitude did John take to defuse the crisis? John 3:30.

Note: “John had been called to lead out as a reformer. Because of this, his disciples were in danger of fixing their attention upon him, feeling that the success of the work depended upon his labors, and losing sight of the fact that he was only an instrument through which God had wrought. But the work of John was not sufficient to lay the foundation of the Christian church. When he had fulfilled his mission, another work was to be done, which his testimony could not accomplish. His disciples did not understand this. When they saw Christ coming in to take the work, they were jealous and dissatisfied.

“The same dangers still exist. God calls a man to do a certain work; and when he has carried it as far as he is qualified to take it, the Lord brings in others, to carry it still farther. But, like John’s disciples, many feel that the success of the work depends on the first laborer. Attention is fixed upon the human instead of the divine, jealousy comes in, and the work of God is marred. The one thus unduly honored is tempted to cherish self-confidence. He does not realize his dependence on God. The people are taught to rely on man for guidance, and thus they fall into error, and are led away from God.

“The work of God is not to bear the image and superscription of man. From time to time the Lord will bring in different agencies, through whom His purpose can best be accomplished. Happy are they who are willing for self to be humbled, saying with John the Baptist, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’ (John 3:30).” The Desire of Ages, 181, 182.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Why did John’s disciples become jealous of Christ’s work?

2 What did John declare to his disciples?

3 For what purpose is the gift of the Holy Spirit granted?

4 How does baptism fulfill its true objective?

5 What did Jesus and John do when they realized the danger of a crisis between their respective disciples?

Copyright © 2004 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Must a Man be Buried to be Saved?

by Cody Francis

Must a Man be Buried to be Saved?Must a man be buried to live? It sounds like the most absurd question ever asked. Never does being buried carry the slightest connotation of life. In fact, nothing could be more terrifying than being buried alive. When an earthquake hits and demolishes buildings, thousands can experience the awful fate of being buried alive; buried under a mound of concrete, iron, and wood, the air filled with so much debris that it is impossible to breathe. One young lady who was buried under the debris of her own home in the Izmit, Turkey earthquake of August 17, 1999 said, “each minute was like a year.” Time, August 30, 1999, “Buried Alive.” Only one who experienced such an awful fate could understand. Each tick of the second hand would seem like days on end as a person was pinned between the remains of their own home. Thousands in Turkey, alone, suffered death at the hands of the merciless earthquake, but must a man be buried to live? The survivors and relatives would answer a resounding NO! A man must be rescued to live; but Jesus had something else to say, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:24, 25. Jesus said that if a kernel of wheat were to bring forth fruit it had to die. Then He brings the illustration even closer and says that if we love our life, we will lose it and if we hate our life, we will gain it. Jesus said that in order to live, we had to die! What did Jesus mean? It sounds like an oxymoron. If it is true that a man must die to live, then must a man be buried to live, as well?

You Must Die

“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, and the gospel’s, will save it.” Mark 8:35. Jesus clearly said that if we are going to attempt to preserve our lives, we will wind up losing our life in the end. It is only those who are willing to lose their life for Jesus and the gospel that will, in the end, save their life. Jesus said that if we are to live, we must die! By looking at the entire context, it helps to understand exactly what He meant. “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?'” Mark 8:34-36. In order to follow Jesus a person must deny himself, lift up his cross, and lose his life. If a person does not do these things he may end up gaining the entire world, owning businesses, corporations, houses and lands, but still be lost. The importance and necessity of dying is a very common illustration that is used repeatedly throughout the Scriptures, but what does it mean?

There is a part of each one of us that must die, and if this does not die, we will be among those who may gain the entire world, but in the end lose their own soul. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. For to be carnally minded is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:6-8. The carnal or fleshly nature is at enmity with God, and if we continue to retain this wicked nature we will not be able to please God. This carnal mind is our natural mind, the infirmities that are common to all humanity. There is, in human nature, a hereditary tendency toward sin. Writing of the struggle of the natural mind, Paul said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” Romans 7:18, 19. There is a struggle that goes on deep inside the heart and mind of every human being. A struggle between the natural, carnal elements of human nature and the Holy Spirit striving upon the heart of man. The natural desires, feelings, etc. are in conflict with God’s Word, for naturally a person is full of selfishness and pride. Each of us has been born into this world of sin and sorrow. We are descendants of Adam, and with our lineage to Adam comes the weaknesses and the hereditary tendencies to sin. Through our birth, we become citizens of the kingdom of this world. I was born in the United States of America. I am a citizen of the United States, and I didn’t have to do anything to become a citizen of this country. I was born here, by default I am a citizen. I have friends, on the other hand, that are now citizens of the United States, but it wasn’t easy. They had to go through a lot of work, effort, and education in order to become a citizen of the United States. If I desired to become a citizen of another country, I likewise would have to go through all the requirements to become a citizen of that country. It is the same way with the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. We are all born into the kingdom of this world, we do not have to do anything to become citizens, we are so by default. Since we are citizens of the kingdom of this world, all have fallen into sin. “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; …’ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:10, 23. Because all have been born into the miserable kingdom of this world, all have fallen short, all have sinned, and there is not one who is righteous. Each one has inherited and developed to one degree or another, a character with tendencies to sin. Everyone is in a hopeless situation. “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” Job 14:4. All have become unclean through the defilement of sin, and it is absolutely impossible for anyone of us to bring something clean out of the unclean vessels that each has become. A change must happen. Something outside of ourselves must take place in order for us to become citizens of the kingdom of God.

The change that is necessary in order to become a part of God’s kingdom, is death. A person seeking a change of citizenship must, in most cases, renounce his allegiance to his former country. So likewise, our allegiance to the kingdom of darkness must be renounced and a change must occur. In order for that change to occur, we must die. We must die to our old sinful natures. “Therefore brethren, we are debtors–not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but, if by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” Romans 8:12-14. Through the Holy Spirit, deeds of the body (the old, sinful nature) must be put to death. Only as we thus die, shall we live. We must not live according to the flesh, for all who live according to the flesh will die (not just the first, earthly death, but the dreadful second death, Revelation 20:14.) What are the deeds of the flesh? “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21. The term “flesh” in the Bible is not just the physical flesh, bones, and blood, but is the fleshly, carnal nature. Simply stated, the works of the flesh are disobedience to God’s Ten-Commandment Law. It is this that must die. Our old nature of disobedience to God must be put to death. Without this death to sin and self, we have not become a part of God’s kingdom; we are still “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.” Ephesians 2:12.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Paul had the experience of dying to his old sinful habits. He likened it to a death by crucifixion. His sins, his old fleshly desires, his sinful habits and tendencies were hung upon the cross, but that did not mean that he was physically dead. For some religions it is the height of spiritual attainment to basically kill yourself, but that is not the crucifixion and death that the Bible is talking about. It is a death to our sins and a new life in God. Not only does a person need to die to their old way of life, but they must also live through Christ. Paul said that since He is dead, it is now Christ living through him. He is following the example of our Lord. In whatever situation he found himself in, he chose to do what Christ would do. “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” Romans 6:11-13. The Christian is forbidden to be an instrument of unrighteousness, and in order to be delivered from that, he must be dead to sin and alive to God. The sin, with all its clamors, is to be crucified, while Christ’s life of obedience is to be implanted in us. “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3.

Not only must a person die to live, but also this is an experience that must occur everyday. “I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'” I Corinthians 15:31; Luke 9:23. Salvation and death to our old sinful natures is not a once in a lifetime decision. Unlike popular belief, these verses, along with many others, teach the opposite of “once saved, always saved.” (For more information on this subject, see Steps to Life’s booklet, Once Saved, Always Saved?) Every day a recommitment and rededication to the Lord must occur. If this does not happen, we are not truly following the Lord, for Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” If we don’t make the decision every day, we are lagging behind in the dust, and it will take an even greater effort to catch up. As Daniel did in the courts of Babylon, so must we. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself,” Daniel 1:8. Daniel made the choice and the decision to follow the Lord, and so must each one whom desires to change loyalties from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. We must say as did Paul, “I die daily.”

You Must be Buried

Knowing that we must die, the question naturally rises, must we be buried as well? Certainly if we die, no one would want an unburied carcass of sins hanging around. Is there some way in which our old, sinful nature is buried? “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we, who died to sin, live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised 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 was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.” Romans 6:1-7. Indeed, there is a way that our old, sinful way of life is buried. Baptism is the ceremony of the new covenant that represents the burial of our sins. Baptism actually represents the entire process of death, burial and resurrection. As a person is baptized, he is baptized into Jesus’ death. Not only is he showing his faith in Jesus death for him, but he is also pledging to experience that death to sin. (vs. 2) As Christ was buried in the tomb, so the sinner’s sins are buried in the watery grave of baptism. (vs. 4) So as Christ was raised from the grave, as a person rises from the waters of baptism, he is to walk in the newness of life. (vs. 4) Baptism is the ceremony by which a person expresses their faith in the amazing gift that God has given to mankind through His Son, and by which he pledges to experience the death to sin, the burial of sin, and the resurrection to new life. “Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12.

Baptism–how?

If a man is going to die and then be buried to live, he needs to know what the correct method of burial is. There are many different methods that men use and claim it to be baptism. There is sprinkling, pouring, immersion, triple immersion, and even water-less baptism. How can we tell which is the Biblical method of baptism?

“Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.” John 3:23. The Scriptures record that John was baptizing in Aenon because there was much water there. Do you need “much water” to sprinkle someone? No. Do you even need “much water” to use the pour method of baptism? No, a pitcher of water will suffice. Do you need “much water” to immerse? Yes, you cannot immerse even one person unless you have an ample supply of water. It definitely takes “much water” to baptize by immersion.

“And all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.” Mark 1:5. Notice where the people were baptized–it was IN the Jordan River. Not on the side of it, not on its banks, but actually in it. Is it necessary to be IN the river in order to sprinkle? No. Is it necessary to be IN the river to pour? Not really. Is it necessary to be IN the river to immerse? Absolutely! You cannot immerse a person if you are not, in reality, IN the river.

“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away,” Acts 8:36-39. They both went down into the water and then they both came back up out of the water. Once again, it was not something that they did along side the road. The only method of baptism that this could possibly be is immersion. In neither sprinkling nor pouring do either the person being baptized or the person baptizing go down into the water. It is only in immersion that this occurs. Clearly, the Biblical method of baptism is immersion.

The English word baptize actually comes from the Greek word, baptidzo. Baptidzo simply means “dip, immerse.” A Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Gingrich & Danker. When the translators came to that word, they realized that they had never before been dipped and so they conveniently transliterated the word, that is, they just gave it English letters and made it an English word. Thus the very meaning of the word “baptism” is immersion. How much clearer our English reading would be if the translators would have translated it directly. It would read, “Now John also was immersing… because there was much water there” “and were all immersed by him in the River Jordan” “And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and he immersed him.” As we put the actual meaning of the word into the verses, it becomes obvious that the Biblical baptism is not sprinkling or pouring, or any other method but immersion.

Neither pouring nor sprinkling could have the significance that immersion does. Baptism shows our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and it also testifies of our death and burial to sin and our resurrection to a new life. Only immersion carries that deep significance. As a person goes down into the waters of baptism they are showing that they are dying to sin. When the person is laid underneath the waters, it represents the burial of sin, and then when a person comes up out of the water it typifies their resurrection to a new life. Sprinkling is little more than a shower. It has no significance of death to sin, burial, or resurrection. Both sprinkling and pouring destroy the beautiful symbolism given us through baptism. According to God’s Word, the only correct method of baptism is immersion.

Baptism–when?

Having seen that a person must be baptized by immersion, the next question that needs to be answered is when can a person be baptized? There are several things that must take place prior to baptism. If these experiences do not take place before baptism, the Biblical example is not being followed.

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'” Acts 2:38. When the people were convicted of the truth that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, the promised Messiah, they asked, “What shall we do?” Acts 2:37. In answer to their question, Peter says, “Repent.” The first step is given–repentance. They were not to be baptized and then repent. Repentance came first. So today, repentance must precede baptism. It was so important that repentance accompany baptism, that John’s baptism was referred to as, “the baptism of repentance.” (See Mark 1:4) All who came to John to be baptized knew that repentance for their sins had to come first. Really, if repentance does not precede baptism, the importance of baptism will not be understood. There must be the conviction that we are guilty sinners. As the listeners upon the day of Pentecost, a person must be “cut to the heart.” (Acts 2:37.) There must be deep, heartbreaking guilt that our sins put to death the only begotten Son of God. “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner,… For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” II Corinthians 7:9, 11. The Corinthian church had a true sorrow that was not to be repented of. Repentance literally means “a change of mind.” (A Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Gingrich & Danker.) The necessary repentance before baptism is a sorrow for our sins, realizing that they crucified our beloved Savior, but also a change in our mind to do the works of God. Some, thinking that baptism of itself has power to save a person, will be baptized with no remorse for their sins whatsoever, and think that in so doing they are securing a title to the kingdom of God. Nothing could be farther from the truth! If repentance does not precede baptism, it is valueless.

“He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16. Jesus himself states that belief also must come before baptism. In John the Baptist’s day, they did not know who they were to believe in, (Acts 19:4) but now, we know exactly whom we must believe in. Now Before baptism, it is necessary to say with the Ethiopian eunuch, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Acts 8:37. A person must believe that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah, that He is the One in whom their sins can be forgiven. We must realize that not only was Jesus a good man and great teacher, but that He is the only way that we can be saved. “Nor is there salvation in any other,” Acts 4:12. We must know as did Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:68, 69. Christ must become everything to us. We must believe that He is the only way through which our sins can be forgiven, the only way through which our great and many sins can be thrown into the depths of the sea. We must believe that He alone is our only hope and ground of eternal life. Before a person is baptized, he must truly believe on Jesus, the only begotten Son of God.

“‘Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 28:19, 20. Jesus, in His Great Commission given to the disciples and to all believers, states that they are to make disciples and then baptize them. A person is not to be baptized until they have become a disciple of Jesus. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Jesus explained himself by saying, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” A person needs to receive instruction on the gospel and the many things that Jesus taught. A person needs to have some time to become acquainted and familiar with the truths that Jesus taught before making the commitment of baptism. Baptism is similar to marriage. I would never encourage anyone to get married on the spur of the moment or on the impulse of emotion alone. Yet there are thousands who are baptized while on an emotional high, and they don’t realize the commitment that they are making. Jesus said that a person should count the cost of the step that he is taking. “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it–lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him. Saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:17-33. Jesus was very clear that a person must realize the decision that he is making before making the step. The conditions are plain and simple; “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33. We must be willing to do whatever the Lord asks of us. We must be willing to forsake everything, because that is exactly what baptism symbolizes. It is a death and burial of our sins and a resurrection to newness of life. Our old sinful way of life must be buried in the watery grave of baptism. Anyone who desires to follow their Lord all of the way into baptism must be willing to count the cost and choose to follow the Lord wherever He asks.

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,” Matthew 3:7, 8. John the Baptist refused to baptize some individuals who came to him for baptism! Some preachers will baptize anyone who desires baptism, but that is not following the example of John the Baptist. Do you think that a preacher should conduct a funeral for someone who is still alive? How would you like it if you were the person who was being buried alive? We would all agree that a live person should NOT be buried, but what about in baptism? Baptism is a funeral service. It is a resurrection service as well, but the funeral comes first. The “body of sin” (Romans 6:6) is dead and buried. What is the body of sin? The body of sin is, of course, the old habits and sinful way of life. That is why Paul, later on in the chapter, says, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body.” Romans 6:12. If a person has been buried and their sins are dead–sin is not to reign! It is not to continue to be practiced. When you conduct a funeral, the dead body is not to be exhumed. (People get arrested for that.) Since a baptism is a funeral when the sins and the old sinful way of life are buried, would it be right to bury a person who is still living in their old sinful way of life? NO! It would be burying someone alive! (If you bury someone alive in our world today, you will be arrested for murder; but many preachers are spiritually guilty of this very crime!) If a person comes desiring baptism and is carrying a flask of liquor, would it be wise to baptize him? No! That is the works of the flesh that is buried at baptism. “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,… drunkenness,… those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21. That is why John the Baptist refused to baptize some of the Pharisees and Sadducees, they were not showing, by their lives, that they were dead to their old sinful way of life. John the Baptist said, “Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance” Matthew 3:8. A person must show by their life that they have indeed accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and that they are willing to follow Him no matter what. When a person has had a true conversion, it becomes obvious to all around that a change has taken place. The new birth must occur before a person is baptized, just like the love between two individuals must precede the wedding, not the other way around. A person must show that he is no longer carnally minded, but now he is spiritually minded. (Romans 8:6.)

While it is true that an individual must show by his life that he has accepted Jesus, that does not mean that a person must be perfect before he can be baptized. If that were the case, no one would end up being baptized, and Jesus’ final commission would never be fulfilled. Three thousand were baptized and added to the church on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:41, 47.) They had given evidence in their life that they accepted Jesus as their Lord and were going to follow Him, but they still were not perfect. We know that they were not perfect because in just a little while, problems arose in the church. There was complaining and bitter feelings over supposed favoritism. (See Acts 6:1.) Obviously, they were not perfect or they would not have had this problem. Although they had chosen to follow Jesus all of the way and had given evidence of conversion in their lives, they still had trials and temptations, and they still fell. They were striving to follow Jesus all of the way and that is what the Lord asks of us.

You may be asking, “When is baptism to take place?” We need to look to see if it is acceptable to baptize babies. We have seen that there are four things which the Bible teaches that must take place before baptism: 1) repentance, 2) belief, 3) instruction, and 4) obedience. Can a baby repent for its sins? Can a baby believe in Jesus as its only hope of eternal salvation? Can a baby be taught to observe all that the Lord has commanded? Can a baby obey the Law and teaching of Jesus? The obvious answer to all of these questions is, no. A person must be of an age to understand the importance and the meaning of baptism before he takes the important step of baptism. “Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil,” Deuteronomy 1:39. A child must come to an age of accountability before he makes the necessary step of baptism. He must have knowledge of good and evil. While still too young to understand the difference, God accepts his childlike devotion and he will not be held accountable until he reaches the age of accountability, which occurs at different ages for different children. A person must repent, believe, be instructed and obey before he is ready to make the commitment and decision of baptism.

Baptism–why?

It is argued by some that all that is necessary is baptism by the Spirit, that water baptism is of no value anymore. Others are afraid of water and cringe at the thought of being submersed in it. Humanity can come up with many different reasons to avoid baptism, but in reality they are all excuses. God has given us a plain command in His Word. The question is whether or not we are going to obey and follow His plain command.

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'” Matthew 3:13-17. Jesus Himself came to the River Jordan and was baptized. Why was Jesus baptized? There was certainly no need for His sins to be washed away, for He had no sins, yet He came to John and insisted upon being baptized. John the Baptist, realizing whom it was who was requesting baptism, balked at the thought. (I am sure that I would too.) John knew that here was his Creator and King, and He was desiring to be baptized by him, a lowly sinner! Jesus insisted that he be baptized saying, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” It was fulfilling all righteousness for Jesus to be baptized. Why was it so essential that Jesus be baptized? So that He could give us an example to follow. “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:” John 13:15; I Peter 2:21. Jesus was baptized, not because He needed to be baptized, but so that He could demonstrate to us just how important this ceremony is. If Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, condescended to the waters of baptism, should we hesitate to take that important step?

“Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?'” Acts 2:37. When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, there was a great deal of heart searching that went on. Peter delivered a powerful sermon in which he showed that the Jewish nation was guilty of the blood of the Son of God. As he was bringing the appeal home to the hearts of the hearers, a most important question escaped from their lips. As they saw themselves sinners in need of Christ, they asked, “what shall we do?” The Holy Spirit was pressing conviction strongly upon their hearts, and their earnest desire was to know what to do to be right with God. The answer from Peter came, plain clear and simple, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38. Those who were convicted and desiring to follow the Lord were given definite directions. They were to repent of their sins and then to follow their Lord into the waters of baptism. Peter did not say that it was an option or a good idea, it was essential. If they were going to repent and follow their Lord, they must take their public stand for Him by baptism. So today, as souls are seeing the goodness of God and what it is that He asks of them, they must make a public commitment, through baptism, to follow the Lord. This should not be something that is considered a hard, grievous requirement. If we truly love the Lord it will not be hard. Just as it is not hard to marry someone whom you truly love, so it is not hard to publicly pledge our fidelity to the Lord through baptism. What must we do? Repent and be baptized.

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16. Jesus, in some of the last words that He spoke before ascending to heaven, makes a plain, straightforward statement of who will be saved. It is those who 1) believe and 2) are baptized. There are two essential elements. One without the other will not save a person. The belief must come first, belief in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the only One through whom we can be saved. Belief that He has taken our sins upon Him and if we repent and confess He will wash away our many and terrible sins. True belief will always lead to something else, though. True belief will lead to publicly stating our belief through baptism. Thus true belief comes first, but then it is followed by baptism. There are, of course, cases in which a person cannot be baptized, but the Lord accepts their devotion; for example, the thief on the cross. He accepted Jesus in the twilight of his life. He only had a few hours left when he made the confession, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Luke 23:42. It was an impossibility for him to come down from the cross on which he was hanging and be baptized, so the Lord accepted his sincerity of heart, knowing that if he had the opportunity to be baptized, then he would have. All must be baptized who have accepted Jesus and are able to be baptized by immersion. There are some cases in which I have been familiar that because of paralysis or deathly physical affliction a person could not be baptized. They desired to, but it had become impossibility through their physical situation. God looks at those cases and weighs the heart and does not hold a person accountable, but if a person is fully able and refuses to be baptized, they are refusing Jesus Himself.

Jesus made perhaps the strongest statement of all about baptism in His night interview with Nicodemus. “Jesus answered, ‘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. There is a new birth that each and every person who is saved must experience. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. If a person is not born again, he will not be saved. As we have already studied, baptism is a representation of this new birth experience; and if a person does not follow through with the outward sign of the new birth, he will not be saved. “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5. An individual must be born of water in order to enter God’s kingdom. What is this new birth of water? It is the waters of baptism, which symbolizes the new birth. If a person has the opportunity to be baptized and refuses (or procrastinates until it is too late), he CANNOT enter the kingdom of God. Is baptism important? Is it necessary? There could be nothing more important and necessary than a true baptism accompanied by the inward experience. Must a man be buried to live? Absolutely, that is the only way that he will see life!

While I was in the Philippines a pastor told me of a unique baptism that he had administered. There was a lady who had started studying the Bible and it had wrought a total change in her life. This woman had been involved in a life of crime before her conversion, but she was now making the decision to surrender to Jesus. She had been involved with the rebels. In the Philippines, there are guerrilla outpost camps that are in rebellion to the government of the Philippines. Generally speaking, they are communist and are striving to see the present government overthrown and a communist government set up. There are frequent clashes between the Philippine Army and the National People’s Army (commonly known as the “rebels”). The National People’s Army (NPA) is known for its violence and taking of hostages. This woman, who had started studying the Bible, was not only involved with the NPA, but she was a commander in the NPA! Her life had indeed been a life of crime in a rebellious military atmosphere, but she was now making the decision to follow Jesus all of the way. She knew that she would have to surrender to the Philippine Army and discontinue her rebellious military career. There was one condition that she had–she wanted to surrender to Jesus before surrendering to the Philippine Army. This was arranged and my pastor friend agreed to baptize her so that she could publicly surrender to Jesus. The Philippine Army was going to take no chances, though. They surrounded the site for the baptism with jeep loads full of soldiers to make sure that this high profile rebel would not escape. As soon as she was baptized and surrendered to Jesus, she peacefully surrendered to the Philippine Army. How important is baptism? This once rebel leader knew how important baptism was. Her one qualification was that she take her public stand for her faith before she was captured. How that faith and submission is needed in the lives of many Christians here today in our peaceful lands.

What Hinders You?

Do you desire to live? There is only one way that you can live eternally with Christ Jesus–you must be buried. The Lord has done everything possible that you might be saved. Then He has just set a few simple prerequisites for us. Will your take your stand on the Lord’s side? Have you made your stand for Jesus as the woman in the Philippines did? Is the Lord speaking to you, convicting you of your need to make a deeper commitment to Him–even the commitment of baptism? There was an incident that happened nearly two thousand years ago, but its lesson is still for us today. Philip, the evangelist, had been working mightily for the Lord in Samaria, but the Lord directed him to a very out of the way place. He did not know why the Lord was leading him there, but he willingly followed. As he was traveling he came to a chariot in which was riding a high ranking official from the kingdom of Ethiopia. This man earnestly desired light and was pouring over the Scriptures for more understanding. (What everyone who desires to have more light and knowledge should do.) “Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” Acts 8:35. The Lord had directed Philip to this honest man who was seeking for light in order that he might show him the more perfect way–that he might teach Jesus and Him crucified. As Philip was teaching, light and understanding dawned on this noble man’s mind. “Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.” Acts 8:36-38. Oh, that there were thousands of souls like the honest Ethiopian. When he learned the truth from the Word of God, he did not make excuses. He said, “What hinders me from being baptized?” What hinders you, Friend, from being baptized? Do you believe with all your heart that Jesus is the Messiah and understand the meaning for your life? Have you counted the cost and decided that it is better to lose the entire world than to lose Jesus?

There was a young lady in the Philippines whom I baptized. I will never forget her testimony. She had been working at a place that required her to break God’s holy Law. As we studied, she decided that even if she had to lose her job, she was willing, in order to follow Jesus. She said that she may have to lose her job for taking her stand, but it was better to lose a job than to lose Christ. Oh, how I wish that there were more like her. She was willing to lose everything rather than to lose Jesus. She believed with all of her heart that Jesus was the Son of God and she was going to follow Him no matter what. Do you believe that? Are you willing to follow Jesus as she was, even if it costs you your job, your friends, your family, your house, your car, your anything? Do you truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Or maybe you have already been baptized by immersion before (anything else is not baptism at all,) but have had a new conversion and would like to make a public recommitment. Frequently couples renew their marriage vows, and there is nothing wrong with renewing your commitment to Jesus to follow Him no matter what. When Paul met those who were learning more and having a new conversion, he re-baptized them. (Acts 19:1-6.) Your eternal destiny is at stake. Don’t you want to be on the safe side of eternity? Will you make that decision right now, to begin preparing for the most wonderful public commitment of baptism? Don’t wait until it is too late. Don’t, like Agrippa, be almost persuaded. (Acts 26:28.) For although he was almost persuaded, he was completely lost. Friend, don’t make that dreadful mistake. “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16

All emphasis the authors unless otherwise stated.
All texts from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Sources:

  • The Desire of Ages, Ellen G. White, 1898.
  • His Mighty Love, Dr. Ralph Larson, Teach Services, 1995.
  • A Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, F. Wilbur Gingrich & Frederick W. Danker, University of Chicago Press, 1983.
  • Time Magazine, August 30, 1999, “Buried Alive”
  • World-Wide Bible Lectures, Fordyce W. Detamore.

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