Volume XXIII April 30, 2000 Number 18
Sick List: Thelma Greenwood; Cathy Gott; Mike Hicks; Linda Felix; Ruth Granberry; Bertha Johnson; Floyd Turk; Clarice Turk;; Doris Yeoman; Crosher Whitehead; Mary Elmore; Alberta Roney; Lola King; Neva Johnson; Adam Knox, Debbie Martin; Phil Williams, and others. Refer to assembly for more.
MEN’S MEETING: The men’s meeting is scheduled for this Sunday Evening at 5:00 P.M.
VISITATION TEAMS: The visitation teams, as we have been announcing, are being reorganized. Team assignments are being made and new material is being developed to better suit the program. We look to be ready by the first Sunday in May.
BIBLE CLASSES: Please remember the Bible Classes when you make your daily/weekly plans. We miss you when you are away!
What Must I Do To Be Saved? Hear the Gospel (Romans 10:17), Believe the Gospel (Hebrews 11:6), Repent of Sins (Acts 2:38), Confess Faith In Christ (Acts 8:37), Be Baptized (Acts 22:16), and remain faithful, even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10). May we help you?
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OBEYING THE GOSPEL
V. IN ORDER TO BE SAVED, ONE MUST FIRST BE BAPTIZED IN WATER FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.
Baptism was part of the “Great Commission” of Jesus to the apostles:
Go, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned
(Mark 16:15-16). Again we read, Go ye therefore and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost…” (Matthew 28:19). We know that in preparation for the coming
kingdom John the baptizer preached and practiced it (Matthew 3:1-6).
We know that Jesus submitted to baptism {though His differed from the baptism
preached and practiced today} (Matthew 3:13-17). We know that baptism
was a part of the work of God in general even before the birth of the Church:
And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being
baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers
rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him
(Luke 7:29-30). Baptism was so prevalent a part of the work of John
the Baptist that, due to the water required to perform it, he located in
an appropriate place to accommodate the people who came to him: And
John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much
water there: and they came and were baptized (John 3:23). These
and many other references which could be given indicate that baptism was
a part of the religious system of the first century. This being true,
it was no strange thing when it also became part of the system of Christ.
The work of John was preparatory for the work of Jesus, and as repentance
was preached under both, so is baptism.
As to the mode or form of baptism, the word itself tells us what baptism
is: an immersion. VINES EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT
WORDS, pages 88-89, defines the Greek word {baptizo} whence comes our English
baptize: To baptize, primarily a frequentative form of BAPTO, to
dip, was used among Greeks to signify the dyeing of a garment, or the drawing
of water by dipping a vessel into another, submersion and emergence…
If baptism were but a sprinkling of a few drops of water on the head of
a person, why did John make them walk into the river? He was where
he was because there was much water there, and much water was required.
Baptism is called (cf., Colossians 2:12) a burial, and it is described
as a “form” of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (cf., Romans
6:1-6). How would you be buried? Would you be satisfied if
they threw a handful of dirt on your coffin and left it out in the open?
How about a few dust sprinkles? Most of us would like to be fully
interred (or at least removed from view), that is what you are supposed
to do with the dead body. We see that plainly, why cannot we see
that a burial in the likeness of the death, burial and resurrection of
Jesus calls for the same immersion (only in water, not dirt)?
That baptism is part of the gospel plan of salvation for the Christian
Age is seen in many places throughout the New Testament, but perhaps no
more plainly than in Acts 8. Consider verse 35: Then Philip
opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him
Jesus. What do you think he said to the eunuch? His text was
from Isaiah 53, we know that from the context. What did he talk about?
The very next verse seems to give an indication of the topic, or at least
of one topic: And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain
water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder
me to be baptized? Where did he learn of baptism? He was unsure
even of whom Isaiah was speaking before Philip came along, surely none
would argue that he understood the necessity of baptism before learning
of the Lord. Where did he learn of it? There is but one answer:
he learned of baptism from the preaching Philip did. But, what did
Philip preach? He preached unto him Jesus! Therefore the preaching
of baptism is part of the preaching of Jesus.
Some grant that baptism was practiced (immersion) in the First Century,
and even say that it ought to be practiced today; but they miss the reason
for baptism. It is contended by many that a man is first saved and
then baptized.
(We’ll take it up here again next week, Lord Willing).
Tim Smith 1272
Enon Road Webb, AL 36376 (334) 899-8131
[email protected] http://gradowith.listbot.com
www.geocities.com/fp5699/
http://community-2.webtv.net/gradowith/
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VERMONT, VERMONT, VERMONT…
As I was returning from delivering my daughters to school this morning,
I heard the news about the decision in Vermont to take the next step in
bringing about a legalized sodomy. Governor Dean (D) has indicated
his intention to sign the bill into law if it reaches him, and it looks
as if it will reach him. I have heard much of late about the “need”
to be more “inclusive” in society, and I have thought about it. It
is argued that whether we “approve” of a man who would rather engage in
intercourse with a man than with a woman we ought at least to allow them
to do so. After all, it is argued, this is about health insurance
and family benefits – mere technicalities – and not about morals.
It is argued that we are not being asked to condone it, just allow them
the same privileges offered to those who marry one of the opposite gender.
All of this is in my thought process as I turn, again, to the writings
of Paul, who was moved by the Spirit of God: Wherefore God also gave
them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor
their own bodies between themselves…For this cause God gave them up unto
vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use
into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving
the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another;
men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves
that recompence of their error which was meet (Romans 1:24, 26-27).
So, what do we have? On the one hand a group of men seeking to justify
perversion, on the other hand a man inspired by God. Having given
it sufficient thought, guess which decision I came to…
Tim Smith 1272
Enon Road Webb, AL 36376 (334) 899-8131
[email protected] http://gradowith.listbot.com
www.geocities.com/fp5699/
http://community-2.webtv.net/gradowith/
“Father, the hour is come…”
I. To love one another with a pure heart fervently. I Peter 1:22 Romans 13:8-10 Galatians 5:13 Ephesians 5:2 Colossians 2:2 3:12-14 Romans 12:9 John 13:34-35
II. To love the Lord with your all. Matthew 22:37; II Thessalonians 3:5 I John 2:5 James 2:5 Romans 8:28 Luke 11:42 Jude 21
III. To love the lost ad God does. John 3:16 Luke 19:10 John 15:13 John 14:1-3 Mark 16:15 Matthew 5:13-16 Matthew 28:20
IV. To practice biblical unity. John 17:20-21 Psalm 133:1 Acts 4:32 Romans 12:16 14:19 15:5-6 II Corinthians 13:11 Ephesians 4:3 Philippians 2:2 I Peter 3:8
V. To obey the gospel if you haven’t already. Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6 Acts 2:38 Acts 8:37 I Peter 3:21 Matthew 6:33
Tim Smith 1272
Enon Road Webb, AL 36376 (334) 899-8131
[email protected] http://gradowith.listbot.com
www.geocities.com/fp5699/
http://community-2.webtv.net/gradowith/
WHERE DID CAIN FIND HIS WIFE? DILLARD THURMAN (Deceased)
“Dear Brother Dillard: How could Cain find a wife when he left home and married, since Adam and Eve were the first people God created? I’ve always thought each and all of us were descendants of Adam and Eve. –Mrs. O. A., Mo.”
Your last statement discloses truth. “And Adam called his wife’s
name Eve; because she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20).
This plain statement settles the issue as to where Cain’s wife came from!
The Bible is just as forceful in teaching that we are all the descendants
of Adam. This being true, we must conclude that Cain’s wife was his
sister, or descendant of a sister. There was no law of incest then,
and such unions were permissible. Abraham married his half-sister,
Sarai. Many try to teach that Cain found his wife in the land of
Nod. The Bible does not teach this. It says that Cain, being
banished, went into the land of Nod, and there he knew his wife (in marital
union), and that a son was born of this union. This same terminology
is found in Mt. 1:25 regarding Joseph and Mary: “”And knew her not
till she had brought forth her firstborn Son, and called his name Jesus.”
In this same reference, “Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare
Enoch.” (Gen. 4:17). It was not in Nod that Cain met his wife, or
became acquainted with her: it was there that “Cain knew his wife,
and she conceived.” I don’t doubt that Cain had his wife before he
was banished, and that she went out with him.
Feb. 16, 1979 Gospel Minutes
GOSPEL MEETING
Remember to plan your schedule around our GOSPEL MEETING. It has been changed this year to the second Sunday in July. It runs from Sunday through Friday, with Sunday service times as usual, and Monday through Friday services beginning at 7:00 P.M. each evening. Charles Box of Greenville, AL is scheduled to do the preaching. There will be several things to do to prepare for the meeting, and as the time approaches we will announce these things and ask for you assistance.
SPEAKING WHERE THE BIBLE SPEAKS
We are preparing to begin a study of I and II Peter on Speaking Where The Bible Speaks, and the notes on which our study is based are currently being placed on our web page. To locate them click the ARTICLE OF THE WEEK and the PAST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK boxes. You may use these freely, and if you are in our area and can watch the show we encourage you to print them out and follow along with us as we study. There are questions on the material at the end of each chapter. (ENON MEMBERS: You already have these notes, they are the ones we studied in our Sunday Morning Bible Class some time back.) We invite everyone to watch each Monday 7:00 P.M.; Friday 9:00 A.M.; and Sunday 1:00 P.M. on Graceba Total Communications Cable 6. Tell your friends.
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LADIES BIBLE CLASS
Second Monday Each
Month – 7:00 P.M. in the Annex.