The Manuscript Bubble

Many books other than the books of the Bible were written before and after the New Testament.   A number of these writings survive to this day.  Quite a few of them are religious, but none of them is inspired of God.  There has been a renewal of interest in these ancient documents in our time.  Unbelievers try to use these books to discredit the Scriptures.  Skeptics say they raise serious questions about the reliability of the Bible.  Some Bible readers almost treat them as new revelations from God.

One group of these writings comes from the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  During this 400 year period certain Jews recorded their history.  These books are now commonly known as the apocrypha.  Since the Bible does not say much about this period, these books have some value because they help bridge the historical gap between the testaments. 

These books are not inspired.  The writers themselves do not even claim they are inspired.  One of them says there were no prophets in this time (1 Macc. 9:27).  Inspiration had ceased.  Besides, those books bear none of the marks of the divine inspiration and are not cited in the New Testament as inspired writings.

These books appear in Catholic bibles.   In fact, they were in the 1560 Geneva Bible and in the original 1611 King James Version.  Why?  I cannot answer for Catholics, but the preface of the Geneva Bible says they were not inserted because they were inspired and authoritative like the 66 books of the Bible but because they have historical value.  The 1611 King James Version contained them for the same reason.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are hymns, commentaries, manuscripts of Bible books, and other religious writings of a community of Jews who lived near the Dead Sea during and even before the first century.   They had no prophets.  They wrote no books of the bible.  These scrolls are not “lost books of the Bible.”  Some of them are copies of Old Testament books, and this is their contribution to our time.  They do not change the Bible.  They should not be viewed as a discovery that changes the message of the Scriptures.  Yet some Bible scholars and their unwary disciples act as if we cannot understand the Bible as we should without the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The list of these ancient books keeps growing as the public becomes more aware of them.  The “Gospel of Judas” and other heretical books have been publicized in our generation for the sole reason of creating doubt and confusion in the minds of believers.  Bible “experts” with the aid of an all-too-willing media have inflated the value of these ancient documents.  Unlearned religious people hope these books will give them special spiritual insight and skeptics hail them as a victory in their cause.  The sad thing about the hysteria is that some of these people talk about these writings as if they are extremely important but they don’t even know what they are.

God gave us the Bible—all of it.  He preserved the books of the Bible—every one of them.  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16).

When Jesus talked about the Scriptures (John 5:39), the Jews knew He was talking about the books of the Old Testament, not the apocrypha or the Dead Sea Scrolls.  When Peter spoke of Paul’s epistles and the “other scriptures” (2 Pet. 3:16), his readers knew which books he meant.

The curse of God rests upon anyone who adds to or takes away from the Bible (Rev. 22:18-19).  The same condemnation applies to all who try to bring the Bible down to the level of human books.

Kerry Duke

God’s Wrath in Relation to Justice

There are many examples in the Bible where God’s wrath came upon man.  

Romans 1:18 – “…For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness…” 

Un-righteousness is non-righteousness and since righteousness comes from God thru His commandments, un-righteousness is disobedience to God’s commandments.

Un-righteousness is therefore iniquity; lawlessness; it is to commit sin.

Ø  John 3:36 - Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Ø  Eph. 5:6 - But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Ø  Col. 3:5-6 - Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

Moses exhorted them throughout the book of Deuteronomy.

Joshua exhorted them; in chapt. 24:31 - And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.

Judges 2:7, 10-15 – 

⁷And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel...

¹⁰And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

¹¹And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

¹²And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

¹³And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

¹⁴And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

¹⁵Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

The children of Israel persisted in ungodliness until they were destroyed.  

2 Chronicles 36:15-16 – “And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.”

God’s wrath comes because of disobedience; which is the opposite of faithfulness.

Faithfulness doesn’t just happen; it requires effort.  As this relates to the work of a congregation of God’s people, it requires a COLLECTIVE effort. It requires:

Good leadership: Joshua 2:7, 10 - Joshua; all the good kings of Judah (cf. Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, Jotham, Josiah, Hezekiah, etc.)  

Good (qualified) elders will keep sin “out of the camp”; while individually there may be “idols in the heart”, there will be peace within the camp; the work of evangelism, edification, and benevolence will not be hindered; the collective will be deemed “faithful” as was the nation of Israel at Joshua’s death.

In the home; in the gov’t, good leadership must be in place; there must be LEADERS!

Willingness to follow: those under good leadership will feed off the leadership. Respect & honor is to be esteemed upon good leaders.  This too comes naturally.  Leaders who lead after the Lord’s example draw people to honor and respect God, and the Lord.

Philippians 2:3 -Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

1 Thess. 5:12-13 - And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

James 4:6 – “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Obedience – It has been said, ‘the road to hell is paved w/good intentions’; willingness has to do w/attitude; there MUST be a following-through. 

2 Cor. 8:11 - Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

Patience & perseverance – How long did it take to drive out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan?  Was the work ever going to be over?  Would there come a time when no heathen nation would not seek to conquer and re-take control of Canaan?  They would ALWAYS, have to be in a position to defend their land, for their faithfulness MUST continue.  Each generation would need to be taught so as to be ready.  Each generation was to develop future leaders.  

So w/us as a church and as parents = our teaching is NEVER going to be over; but our task of preparing our children to grow up to be leaders is ever before us; it must take top priority, or our children will be the generation who grows up to “forget”.

- - - Young people…purpose to lead, not follow! Learn the Bible message of God’s eternal purpose, or you will suffer the plagues that the majority of the children of Israel suffered.

The point is, this was an on-going effort for the children of Israel; it would NEVER end; so it is in our life; temptations; trials; persecutions will NEVER cease; we need to have patience and perseverance to remain faithful.

Encouragement & prayer: Joshua 24 is an entire chapter of encouragement from Joshua to faithfulness.  Two verses stand out: spiritual encouragement: 15 & 23

15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

23Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.

Spiritual encouragement is the most needed encouragement to ensure faithfulness.

Cooperation & fellowship: Israel demonstrated this at times (2 ½ tribes helped the 9 ½ tribes – Joshua 22); at other times they suffered through civil war (Divided Kingdom era). They were brethren and as such, they were family.  The responsibilities of living in the land required cooperation and sharing (fellowship) in the responsibilities of faithfulness.

So it is today; in a church; cooperation and sharing(in responsibilities), are necessities for faithfulness to continue.

We are brethren; we are God’s family.

We must give up “self” for the body (of Christ).

Phil. 2:1-5 –

¹If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

²Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

³Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

⁴Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

God’s wrath is beyond anything known to man; our children will suffer worse things because of our negligence in preparing them to be leaders among the nations/societies of their adult life.

Let us resolve to be as we read in Psa. 78:4-8 – 

⁴We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

⁵He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

⁶that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,⁷so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;⁸and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

rdb

The Failure of Creeds: A Voice From The Past

The Failure of Creeds: A Voice From The Past
by (preacher) Benjamin Franklin


[Not the Benjamin Franklin from American history, this gospel preacher lived from 1812-1878 and preached primarily throughout Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. It is estimated that he lead approximately 7000 people to be baptized into Christ. Listen to his words...jsl]


"But there are so many creeds, all claiming to be right, that I should not know which to take. They were all made by learned men, and if they can not agree on the kind of a creed, how am I to decide which is right?" says one. It is a matter of great moment and of much relief that, aside from all these conflicting, clashing, and erring creeds, there is one book that all parties concede is right. They all agree that the Bible is right -- that it came from God. They all further agree that it contains the law of God -- that the law of the Lord is perfect. The only wonder is, that man ever attempted to make any other creed or law for the Church. Such an undertaking could not have commenced without two wicked assumptions:


1. That the law of God, as set forth in the Bible, is not sufficient -- is a failure.
2. That the insufficiency or failure can be remedied by weak, erring, and uninspired men.


No man of intelligence will affirm, in plain terms, that the Bible is not sufficient for the government of the saints; or that man -- uninspired man -- can make a creed that will serve a better purpose than the Bible. Still such affirmations are implied in every attempt made by uninspired men to make a creed. If you admit, as all are bound to do, that the law of God is in the Bible; that nothing may be added to it, nothing taken from it, and that no part of it may be changed, there is not an excuse in the world for making another law. The law of God in the Bible is the law, the divine law, the supreme law, in the kingdom of God; and it is a treasonable movement to attempt to get up another constitution, law, name, body, or officers, apart from the constitution, law, name, body, and officers as found in the Bible.


But the matter now in hand is to find a safe course to pursue. Can this be done? All admit the Bible is right. All admit that the law of God in the Bible is right. All admit that those who follow the Bible honestly and faithfully, in faith and practice, will be saved. All admit that wherever any creed differs from the Bible is wrong. Then it is infallibly safe to take the Bible and follow it. When men undertake to prove that a human creed is a good one, they argue that it is like the Bible. If a creed like the Bible is a good one, why will not the Bible itself do? If the Bible will not serve the purpose -- is insufficient and a failure -- a creed like it would be equally insufficient. When men make a creed to do what the Bible would not do, they should certainly make it different from the Bible, or it would serve no better purpose than the Bible itself.


~ excerpt from "The Infallibly Safe Course," New Testament Christianity, ed. by Z.T. Sweeney

Father's Day

'Father's Day' is a day of recognition for fathers. It has been on the calendar longer than I have been in existence.  To my knowledge, it is not celebrated in a religious atmosphere by society however that is not the focus of today’s article.  I would like to briefly notice what GOD has told us in His Word about fathers.  As with Adam, GOD has given instructions and responsibilities to all fathers.  For those who carried out their responsibilities per God’s instructions, God blessed them. How well man has listened to his Creator since then is really the purpose of today’s article.

We know that from Adam to Noah, wickedness increased until God purposed to destroy all humanity. Obviously fathers were among the wicked. Yet we read of Noah in Genesis 6:8, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” It begs the question, ‘why’? What was different about Noah? Our answer can be found in the following passages:

Genesis 6:9 – Noah was “...a righteous man and perfect in his generations...” 

Genesis 6:22 – Noah did “…according to all that GOD commanded him, so did he.”  

Genesis 7:1 – Noah was told “…come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation...” 

As a result, it is recorded that God, “…preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 2:5).

We then read of a father (Abraham) in Genesis 12. Abraham, like Noah, was different from those of his day. GOD told Abraham, “...and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed”. (Genesis 12:2-3). GOD sent Abraham far away from his family to make a covenant with him.  GOD’S instructions to Abraham in regard to this covenant are recorded in Genesis 17:9, “...and as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations”. Again, it begs the question, why Abraham? We are given the answer from God’s own words. GOD said of Abraham in Genesis 18:19, “...for I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him”. 

Two things stand out in these two great patriarchs.  First, they were faithful to their Creator.  Secondly, their effect upon their families.  In particular, was their effect in commanding their children and their household to ‘keep the way of Jehovah’, to ‘do righteousness and justice’.  In order to do this, both men had to be righteous.  This speaks of the example that they set before their children and their household.  Both these men are held in the highest esteem for their faithfulness to GOD.  I wonder if we were careful in our reading of their faithfulness to take note of how that in being faithful to GOD they had to command their family “that they may keep the way of Jehovah”?   As a father, they had this responsibility.  It would never have been recorded of these two men of their great faith in Jehovah had they not taught their children and household to ‘keep the way of Jehovah’.  This command of fathers has not changed since the days of Abraham.  Throughout the remainder of the Old Testament and the history of Abraham’s descendants we have record of godly fathers and ungodly fathers.  The same two characteristics were present in all godly fathers of Abraham’s descendants. 

1) They were faithful to GOD as seen in keeping His commandments. “...and it shall be righteousness unto us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Jehovah our GOD, as He hath commanded us” (Deuteronomy 6:25). [See also Deuteronomy 6:17-18; 11:13] and,

2) They commanded their children and households after them to ‘keep the way of Jehovah’. God had also given this command to them. “...and these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). 

The results and consequences were always the same whenever these instructions were not followed. GOD’S laws were forgotten, idolatry was practiced, and punishment came from GOD. Today, fathers, still have the same two responsibilities.  First become righteous themselves by rendering obedience to GOD’S will today as found in the gospel of Christ, and ‘bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord’. (Ephesians 6:1-4)  The first must precede the second for without it, there will be no godly example to follow.

How many fathers today keep the way of Jehovah themselves?  How many fathers command their children and their households to ‘keep the way of Jehovah’?  How many fathers force the second without giving thought to the first?  It will never cause anything but resentment from those under your care if a father does not exemplify what he demands of others.  How many children and other members of a household attend, study, and offer worship unto GOD without a father present?  How will your children turn out…idolaters or Christians?  Chances are they will follow in your footsteps.

rdb
6/14/2011

Following the Apostles -- Teaching as they Taught

"Go teach all nations" was the command they had received from the Lord (Matt.18:19), and before his ascension he said, “You will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth…” (Acts 1:8).  In Jerusalem they stayed and on the day of Pentecost they received the baptism of the Spirit (Acts 2:1‑4), who was to guide them into “all truth" (John 16:13) and that day they began that seemingly impossible task of preaching the gospel of Christ to all nations.  Let's observe what they told men to believe and do.

In Jerusalem – When they preached that God had made “...this same Jesus whom you have crucified to be both Lord and Christ…” (Acts 2:36), the cry came from that multitude, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?”  For the first time they told men what to do for the remission of their sins. Listen to their words: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...." (Acts 2:38).  My friends, if you have trouble understanding this, read it again and again.   Later, in Jerusalem, Peter reminded them that they had "denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, " and even though they had done it in ignorance, they were guilty.  Then he commanded: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted that your sins be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).

In Samaria – Persecution caused the disciples to be scattered abroad and they "went every where preaching the word."  Philip went to Samaria to preach, "When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12).  A preacher in that city, who had been deceiving the people, making them think that he was some great one, heard Philip and "Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip... " (vs. 13).  Philip preached the gospel, they believed and were baptized.

A Nobleman Converted – The conversion of the Treasurer of Ethiopia is one of the most simple.  He was a religious man, who had been to Jerusalem to worship and was returning to his home when Philip was sent by the Lord to teach him.  When Philip first saw him the man was reading Isaiah the Prophet and invited Philip to explain what he was reading.  The record says, "Philip began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. "  We are not told all the things he said about Jesus, but as they rode along in that chariot they came to a certain water and the eunuch said, “Here is water; what hinders me from being baptized?”  Now, notice what Philip said: "If you believe with all your heart, you may. "  Then the man said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still.  And both those men went down into the water, and he baptized him.”  (Acts 8:36‑38).  Do you have any difficulty understanding that?  What did that Treasurer believe?  What did he do?

An Enemy Converted – In Jerusalem young Saul of Tarsus was a leader of those who persecuted the disciples.  He obtained permission to go to Damascus to bind disciples and return them to Jerusalem to be punished.  Enroute,  the Lord appeared to him in a light brighter than the noon day sun and told him, “I am Jesus whom you persecute.” Saul asked, Lord, “What do you want me to do?”  The Lord said, "Go into the city, and you will be told what you must do?"  Saul had been blinded by that the light, but a friend led him into the city.  For three days he was fasting and praying, then the Lord sent a gospel preacher, Ananias, unto Saul to lay his hands upon him that his sight might be restored, and to tell him what he must do.  When Saul received his sight "he arose and was baptized" (Acts 9:18).  Years later, Saul (now called Paul, the apostle) told of his conversion as he made his defense before the Jews in Jerusalem.  He said, "Ananias came to me and stood and said to me, God has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.  For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.  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).  What did he believe?  What was he told to do?  Read in your Bible. Is it too difficult to understand?

The first Gentiles Converted – Peter, was sent to preach to the house of Cornelius, the first Gentiles to receive the gospel.  He told them of Jesus and the things he did in the land of the Jews, and how the Jews had killed him by hanging him on a tree, but that God had raised him on the third day, and had commanded us to preach to the people that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead; that through His name whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.  And he commanded him to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (Acts 10:34-48).  What were the Gentiles to believe?  What were they commanded to do?

The Pattern – wherever the gospel was preached, men were commanded to believe, to repent of their sins and be baptized into Christ.  So Luke writes that in Corinth, "And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized" (Acts 18:8).  Each of us who hears the gospel must decide whether we believe, and if we believe, whether we will repent of our sins, and whether we will be baptized in the name of Christ "for the remission of sins."

Realizing the brevity of life, the frailty of man and the surety of judgment, we should believe and obey the gospel, the power of God unto salvation.

copyright 2011
rdb

Commandments = the opposite constant in preaching!

The one “constant” thing I continue to find in preaching is the common characteristic in false teaching and the common characteristic in truth.  These are in direct opposition to one another!

That ‘constant’ is commands! 

Simply stated: false teaching does not stress obedience to commands; truth does!

Attitudes toward sin are shaped from what is heard preached.   If God’s commands are set forth in preaching as irrelevant, then obedience will not be seen as important, much less necessary.

Most people do not see obedience to commands as related to salvation.  This is in line with what they hear preached.

“The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree.”

This speaks of the similarities between the apple and the tree that produced it as the fruit naturally has characteristics of the seed from which it sprang.

This principle is also true in the religious realm.  Moral conduct bears resemblance to religious teaching.

Lydia's conversion

We find the conversion of Lydia in Acts 16:13-15. 

“And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.”

As we examine her conversion, we find the same pattern as in all previous cases. Her conversion involved her “calling upon the name of the Lord.” She had to do this in order for her to be saved as the prophecy made by Joel, and quoted by the apostle Peter in Acts 2:21 is in effect. All who come the Lord must call upon His name.

"Calling upon the name of the Lord” has never been by praying the sinners’ prayer or by praying to God, asking Him to pardon sins. Previously, in the book of Acts we have found people who were religious, devout, and praying individuals prior to hearing of salvation through Jesus, but upon hearing this good news, they responded in the following manner:
They believed what was proclaimed about Jesus, i.e., that He had been made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).
They were told to repent of their past sins, because Jesus commanded repentance to be proclaimed "in His name" (Luke 24: 47).
They confessed their faith in Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10).
They were also immersed in water, for Jesus had commanded everyone to be buried in the likeness of His death (Rom. 6:4-5).

This is the “form of doctrine” that was preached and obeyed (Rom. 6:17-18). This was the pattern of "calling upon His name” as recorded in Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; and Luke 24:44-49.

Notice the facts provided in the story of Lydia’s conversion: First, what description of her is given prior to her hearing of Jesus. It is said that she “worshiped God”. This tells us that she was a religious person. Yet even though she was religious, she lived AFTER Christ’s resurrection from the dead and needed to “call upon the name of the Lord” in order to be forgiven of her sins.

[Remember the Hebrew writer in Heb. 9:15-17 explained that the old covenant (i.e., the Law of Moses) was no longer in effect, being replaced by a new covenant. What the Law could not do, Jesus did by the shedding of His blood. We must now look to Jesus for salvation, as “...there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”-Acts 4:12]

Notice also that the news of salvation through Jesus is preached to Lydia. This is seen from these statements, “...they spake unto the women...”; and “...whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” It is said that her heart was “opened” by the Lord. The result of this ‘opening’ was that Lydia “...attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” We are then told that she and her household were baptized. All of these statements help us to understand how she “called upon the name of the Lord”.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS:
In "opening her heart", did the Lord overpower Lydia’s will and force her to submit to what was spoken by Paul? Is this what God does in conversion? Some teach this very thing today, but observe what the facts reveal.
Again, notice the effects of her heart being opened. She “...attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” What did Paul speak to her of? How can we know? We can know from what is recorded of Lydia after hearing Paul speak.

What is recorded of Lydia? Notice it says, “And when she was baptized, and her household...”. We can accurately conclude that Paul commanded her to be baptized when he ‘spake’ to her. We can also accurately conclude that this in part, was how she “attended to” the things spoken of Paul. Why else would she be baptized? Why did she desire to be baptized? If we reject the possibility that the apostle Paul spoke to her of her need to be baptized, how then do we answer why she desired to be baptized?

How did she learn of it? Who else would have told her of baptism? The text demands that we conclude but one thing. The apostle preached baptism to her. They “spake” to her; she “heard”, for faith cometh by hearing (Rom. 10:17), and hearing by the word of God. She repented, and was immersed for we read that she “...attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”

We might ask also in regard to her baptism. For what PURPOSE was she (and her household) baptized? The New Testament is consistent and clear as to the PURPOSE of baptism. However, modern day preaching varies from the New Testament as to WHY one is baptized. Notice some passages that state the PURPOSE of baptism:

Romans 6:3-5 – baptism is for the PURPOSE of an unsaved person undergoing a burial in the likeness of Christ’s death; one cannot be raised up to walk in newness of life without this planting in the likeness of Christ’s death. It is a thus a part of the new birth (John 3:3-5).

Gal. 3:27 – in baptism, one “puts on” Christ. Christ is not “put on” before and without baptism. (No other act of obedience is said to put a sinner “into” Christ.)

Acts 22:16 – sins are said to be “washed away” by baptism in water.

1 Peter 3:21 – water baptism is said to be a “like figure” of salvation as was the water that saved eight souls in the days of Noah. Water, in some way ‘saved’ Noah’s family. In whatever way it ‘saved’ them, it ‘saves’ all today in a ‘like-figure’.

Having shown these passages, let us now notice what the Bible does NOT say about the PURPOSE of baptism.

The Bible does NOT say that baptism is to be performed on an “already saved” person. Baptism is never said to be a church “ordinance” to be performed upon some who was saved at the point of their faith, for no one is saved by faith alone (James 2:17-26).

Justification involves man being obedient to Jesus’ commands. Man does not “call upon the name of the Lord” before and without obedience, for Jesus commanded all to submit to His authority.

Matthew 28:18 records Jesus telling His apostles, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus commanded the apostles, “...Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

In Luke 24:47, Jesus commanded that “...repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations...”

These passages are clear that remission of sins follows baptism, rather than precedes it. Add to that, Peter’s answer in Acts 2:38, when asked about how to be forgiven. He said, “Repent and be baptized...”. In Acts 3:19, Peter again answered, “Repent and be converted...”.

Lydia was immersed in water, BECAUSE PAUL COMMANDED HER TO BE IMMERSED IN WATER. That is the only conclusion any honest inquirer can come to. She was not baptized to “outwardly show” what had already taken place “inwardly”. She was not baptized to be added to a denominational body, for none existed. She was not “in Christ” before her immersion, even though she was a worshiper of God. Paul preached the same message to her that Peter preached to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost. She obeyed from her heart that ‘form of doctrine’ delivered to her, as did the Romans (Rom. 6:17-18).

Let us not be divided or misled by uninspired denominational creed wording that teach contrary to the scriptures on ‘how’ one calls upon Jesus’ name. The Lord ‘opened her heart’ in the same way that everyone’s heart is ‘opened’.

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