Do You Really Believe the Gospel Is Powerful?

December 18, 2012 by 1 Comment

When was the last time that you shared the gospel with someone? The answer to this question can at times can lead us to feel ashamed because we just do not share the gospel as much as we should; if at all. Do we believe that the gospel is the power of God that leads to salvation? (Rom 1:16). Do we believe that everyone needs to hear the gospel and obey it? We may say wholeheartily that we believe these things, but do our actions show this?

“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:14-17, NASB).

At times we are like those in this verse who say, “be warmed and filled” but do nothing to help them. These people claim to be Christians, but their actions do not show this to be true. If we really believe something to be true, will we not act? The Lord has given us a mission. If we really believe that the Lord wants us to evangelize, We will evangelize. If we really believe the gospel must be heard and obeyed for someone to be saved, we will tell it to the lost.

Do you have faith that the gospel is the power of God that leads to salvation? Do a lost person a favor. Prove it!

 

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Sermon: Barriers to Prayer

September 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Below is a sermon that I preached this past Sunday at a local congregation that deals with many of the barriers that we have as Christians to having effective prayer.

Barriers to Effective Prayer MP3 PowerPoint

 

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Sermon: Serving God by Serving Others

July 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Sometimes we tend to separate our service to God and our service to others. We tend to forget that the majority of our service to God is done in our interactions with other people. If we love God, we will show it in how we love others. If we have faith, it will show in our works towards others. Here is a sermon I preached awhile back on this subject.

Serving God by Serving Others

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We Are Sheep…

June 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The word of God shows us not only who our God truly is, but also who we truly are. We must see ourselves as we are. But at times it is difficult to honestly examine ourselves and our need for someone other than ourselves. We like to feel independent sometimes, but nothing could be further from the truth! We need the Lord, and the scriptures make that clear. We could look at many verses in the bible to show this, but I think that they are all summed up in the fact that we are sheep in need of a shepherd.

Shepherd-of-Psalm-23

from http://www.soulshepherding.org/articles/bible-verses/psalm-23-pictures-to-pray/

The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

This text is just so loved by all. It just fills us with comfort and joy. God is the shepherd, we are the sheep. I’ve been thinking about this relationship. Have you ever thought of what this says about us as the sheep? Truthfully, that is not too complimentary! Sheep are weak and helpless. They are natural prey. They have no natural defenses. They constantly are going astray. Sometimes a sheep might fall onto its side, and start kicking and screaming because it cannot get back on its feet. It will dig its way into a bush to get one cusp of grass and then get caught there. It will start twisting and turning to get out, usually making the situation worse. It will get to the point where it is just so exhausted and collapse. Sheep are dirty, cannot clean or take care of themselves. They left to themselves would graze the same patch of land until there is nothing left. They will graze the same streams until they are contaminated and full of parasites. Left to themselves, sheep will kill themselves.

wolf vs sheep web

from http://www.jita4life.org/wolves.htm

Psalm 23 is a beautiful psalm about our God and our relationship to him, but it also says something about us, we are sheep. It says something about us that few are willing to grasp and embrace and bring to ourselves. We are in need of care and guidance, and without our shepherd, there is no hope! We would left to ourselves die spiritually! We can fall into the danger of thinking we are doing good on our own, and sometimes we need God to give us that little extra nudge to make us better. But that is not what sheep are like. They are utterly dependent, and we need to be also!

But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer;
O LORD, do not delay.Psalms 70:5

We are helpless without our Shepherd!

The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.   18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, 19 To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. Psalms 33:16-19

We just cannot be powerful enough to take care of ourselves against the enemy. Satan will devour us if we think that. We are defenseless and natural prey without the Lord.

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Being Led by the Spirit

June 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

HolySpirit_BibleA brother posted this on his Facebook page. It has been a subject that I have been considering and studying. I found it helpful.

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63

There’s a lot of talk about God’s “leading” these days. But how, exactly, are we led by God?

We must be careful we are not confusing our own feelings with God’s voice. Sometimes when I’m talking with people I get that impression. I’ve witnessed people make life decisions that even directly contradict Scripture or principles from the Bible. They do this because of what they feel God has led them to do (usually because of perceived providence).

Understand that abiding in Jesus and God’s will for your life depends on an understanding of Jesus’ words. It is only through diligent study and careful application of Jesus’ words that you can be sure of what God wants you to do. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7)

Also, remember that God’s will for your life is not about you. The devil tells us that we belong in the center of the universe and that everything that happens is ultimately about our happiness. Jesus said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8) Your life is not about having fun, but about bearing fruit. Study and pray so that you might correctly discern how to do just that.         –David Maxson

The leading of the Holy Spirit is a often misunderstood concept. The Bible makes it clear that we should not be led by our own desires and emotions because they can lead us astray. Only God’s revelation in His word can give us the knowledge and wisdom to make decisions and be led by the Spirit in this life. Consider the following two verses that Paul penned at about the same time:

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-20)

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, doall in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:16-17)

These parallel verses show us that to be led/filled by the Spirit is to be led by His revelation in the word of God, not by emotional experiences and false signs.

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Greatness in the Kingdom (Mark 10:32-45)

June 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Jesus warned the disciples about what was going to happen when they got to Jerusalem. He gave a description of the suffering He would experience there. Meanwhile, James and John were imagining a different scenario. They asked Jesus to agree to do whatever they would request. Jesus asked them what they wanted; He was not going to sign a blank check by agreeing before they made the request. They replied that they wanted to sJesus washes feetit on Jesus’ right and left hand; that is, they wanted the chief positions in His administration. Jesus responded by asking if they could drink the cup He was going to drink or be baptized with His baptism, and they said they could. Jesus was referring to His sufferings which were often spoken of as a cup of agony that He would have to drink (see Mark 14:36) and as a baptism (immersion) in pain (see Luke 12:50). They had no clue as to His real meaning, but they enthusiastically accepted the challenge. Jesus then replied that He did not have the authority to grant their request, because He was not the one who assigned the positions of honor in the kingdom.

The other disciples were incensed. James and John had gotten the jump on them. They themselves wished to have the highest positions and resented the fact that the sons of Zebedee had requested them first. Jesus took some time to define what greatness in the kingdom really meant. He said that in human affairs, whether government or business, the greatest have the most authority. But He explained that it isn’t that way in the kingdom of God. Rather, the greatest is the one who humbles himself most and serves most. He pointed to Himself as the model. He had not come to be served, but to serve and to offer Himself as a sacrifice for others.

We still desperately need these lessons of Jesus. We should be ashamed when we desire to be great by putting ourselves over others. Jesus was born in a stable outside a small town. He lived His life as a village carpenter and itinerant preacher. He accumulated neither riches nor worldly power. Yet, today, many of His self-proclaimed followers seek and promise the very things He rejected, as they pursue glory for themselves. These things should not be so. We need to have hearts that want to serve if we want to be like Jesus, but we prefer to do things to be seen by men. We want people to look at us as “great” disciples. We want them to see that we are “on fire” for seeking and saving the lost. But when we are doing these things with those motives, God is not getting glorified in us. People may thank God for our outward appearance, but our hearts are at the altar to worship self and not the Lord. May the Lord help us in fighting our pride.

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Don’t Be Afraid of Failing

June 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25 ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27 ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28 ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ 29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30 “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt 25:24-30).image

In Matthew 25:14-30, the master gave talents to his three servants. One of them received only one talent and he was filled with fear. He wasn’t sure he could accomplish anything with the one talent, so he didn’t try anything. When the master returned, the slave tried to explain that he was doing the master a favor. He could have messed up and lost the talent, but instead he had saved it for him. The master judged the slave. 

Too often we have the same problem today. We are so afraid we are going to fail in serving God, and cause more harm than good that we don’t ever do anything. We make many excuses about why so many things won’t work that we never work.

Guess what. That doesn’t work.

Don’t be afraid to fail. At least do something. Maybe you will fail, but if you do nothing, God will not be glorified in you.

Remember, God is with us! He can use us as vessels that will honor Him. So let’s get to work, and show courage. True courage is stepping up in spite of the fear!

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So You May Know…True and False Coversion from 1st John

May 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered if you were truly saved?  What is the difference between someone who just claims to be a Christian and someone who actually is a Christian?  Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).  Jesus makes it clear that it is not enough just to call Jesus your Lord, but you must obey him as the Master of your life. Many who claim to be Christians live in the world and don’t look any different from those who have not been converted.  The reason is because they have not been converted either.  If nothing has changed in your life then you’re not converted.  Conversion means “change”.  You are supposed to become a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So how do we know if we have truly been converted to Christ or if we are just saying “Lord, Lord”?  Please pay attention to this, because it is very important: God wants us to examine ourselves.  “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6).  How can we examine ourselves?  Ultimately we must look at the Bible because it is a mirror (James 1:22-25).  You see your true reflection in a mirror.  God will show us who we truly are when we look into His Word.

“So That You May Know”

An excellent place to start is the book of 1st John.  The purpose of 1st John was to give true Christians assurance of their salvation (it is also very helpful in examining ourselves to see whether or not we are in the faith).  “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

Examine yourself in light of these verses from 1st John:

True Christians walk in the light.

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7).

If we walk in the light, then Jesus blood cleanses us from our sins.  If we walk in the darkness (even though we may claim to be Christians), we don’t have fellowship with God.  ”Walk” is an important word here.  What is the primary path/direction of you life?  Light or darkness?  Let’s say you made the plan to walk all the way home from school one day on the curb. Your home is about 500 yards from the school building. If you walked on the curb for about 150 yards, fell off the curb, then got back on it, and finished the whole walk home on the curb, you can honestly say that you walked on the curb the whole way home. But if you went that same 150 yards on the curb, fell off, walked another 300 yards on the road, and then got back on the edge of the sidewalk for the final 50 yards, you cannot honestly say that you walked on the edge of the sidewalk the whole way home.

With the previous illustration in mind, you cannot say you are walking in the light if you are there only part of the time. If you are really a Christian, it is going to show in a DAILY practicing of the truth, and if you fall off of the curb (into the darkness), then you get right back on the curb instead of enjoying a life living in sin.

True Christians know God, which is proven by keeping God’s commandments

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4).

If we keep God’s commandments, we can be confident that we know Him.  But, if we say we know Him and don’t keep His commandments, we are deceiving ourselves. Remember, we cannot say that Jesus is our Lord if we are not doing what He commands.

True Christians admit their sins, confess them to God, and find forgiveness

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10).

True Christians don’t hide their sins, ignore them or downplay them.  All of us have sinned.  It is so important to confess our sins to God.  God is faithful and He will forgive His children when they confess.  You need to call sin what it is when you see it in your life. It is not a minor infraction. Whether you want to call it a “little white lie” or not, it is still a lie! Don’t rename your sins to make them sound better to ease your conscience. Your sin is rebellion against the Creator! If you are doing this, your fruits are showing that you may not have been converted. You must see sin as a terrible thing against God!

True Christians love their brothers and sisters in Christ

“Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling” (1 John 2:9-10).

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:14-16).

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8).

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:20-21).

The Bible is pretty clear that we must love one another to have fellowship with God. This love is more than a nice feeling that we have towards the children of God. This love is an active love. IT is dedicated to helping your brethren get to heaven and doing whatever you can to help them grow. This love is to imitate Jesus’ love which was willing to even give His own life so others could be saved. These verses seem pretty clear, if you are not actively showing love to your brethren, you cannot begin to say you love God or know Him. The final passage says that if you do not love your brother, you actually hate them! You either do one or the other.

True Christians serve the saints

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him” (1 John 3:16-19).

We must follow the example that Jesus gave us of how to serve one another.  It is one thing to speak well, it is totally another thing to be among God’s people serving them (Please read Matthew 21:28-32; 25:31-46). Remember that you will not be judged based on your words alone, but also your actions.

True Christians don’t love the world

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

We cannot love the world and God. If we lay up for ourselves treasures on earth, it will all pass away. God will not permit idols/other gods in the lives of His people. If we love worldly things, we do not love God! Do we love to watch wickedness on TV? Do we laugh at the very things God hates?  Ask yourself this question: “If someone was to line up10 people that are your closest friends and/or family members, what would they say you love the most in life?” What would they say is the most important thing to you? If that answer does not have God at the top of the list, you need to examine yourself more in depth to see whether you are truly in the faith. Can you say along with the psalmist, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26).

True Christians believe and practice true doctrine

“Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life” (1 John 2:24-25).

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15).

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God” (1 John 5:1).

We must stick to what the Bible says and persevere in the true doctrine (teaching) of God.  If we go away from truth, we cannot abide in the Son or the Father.  This is another reason that diligent study of the Bible is imminently important. Are you testing “the spirits to see whether they are from God”? If you are not testing everything that you are taught to the word of God, it can be very easy to believe things that are false. No matter how much you may respect your teachers, remember that they are only men. Don’t even just take your parents or your grandparent’s word for it. Check it out! They are fallible. They can be wrong. Make sure the doctrine you believe is God’s teachings and not man’s. If you do not believe true doctrine, you are not practicing true doctrine.

Concluding Remarks
If you have studied this material and believe that you have not been truly converted to Christ, make sure you take care of this as soon as possible! You are not promised another day of life. Jesus could return tomorrow or you could die. If you have any questions regarding this material, or would like assistance in obeying the gospel of Christ, please contact us at evangelismhelp@gmail.com or call us @ 724-505-1615.

Filed Under: Christian Living, Conversion Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Do You Have A Heart That’s “ON FIRE”?

April 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

“But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.  I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” -Jer 20:9 (NIV)

Jeremiah dealt with A LOT of persecution in his sharing God’s word to a wicked people. In one example in Jeremiah 20, Pashur the priest, who was the chief officer in the temple, hears Jeremiah prophesying a short message, and does not respond too kindly. Pashur, who was also a false prophet, persecutes Jeremiah for speaking the truth about the destruction coming upon Jerusalem and it’s surrounding villages. Jeremiah is beaten, then put into stocks overnight.These kind of persecutions were not uncommon to Jeremiah.

How did Jeremiah respond in the face of threats against his comfort and his life? Surely thoughts were going through his mind that life would be SO much easier if he was silent and did not preach God’s word. But for Jeremiah, this was not an option. There was too much at stake! He was the one that knew the truth about the destruction that was coming. Also, he wanted to be obedient to the Lord.He could not keep God’s word to himself! If he tried, there would be a fire within his heart and bones that would eat at him until he spoke up.

Are we like Jeremiah? Or is it not that big a deal to us whether we get God’s word out? We as Christians have the truth. We know about the destruction that is going to come to those who are lost. Why is it at times that when we are silent, it doesn’t bother us much? Why don’t we feel guilty, not just because of our lack of concern for the lost, but our lack of desire to obey the Lord who says “GO into ALL the world and preach the gospel to ALL creation.” It may be the case that we are not on fire for God, and His word is not in our hearts enough to create a spark, let alone a fire. What do you think?

 

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The Early Church’s Teaching on Baptism

April 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

With the popular teaching today that baptism is nothing more than an outward sign of the grace that has already happened within us, and the popular teaching of it not being essential for salvation, we should expect that the early church fathers would have taught the same thing, right? (I asked the same question about the reformers John Calvin and Martin Luther here). Let’s look at some quotes from the early church fathers while we ask this question, “Are the mainstream teachings that we hear about baptism correct, or those who sat at the feet of the Apostles, prophets, and those who learned from them?”

What should really be considered “Orthodox” teaching about baptism?

Barnabas wrote in 70 AD, “Blessed are they who, placing their trust in the cross, have gone down into the water; for, says He, they shall receive their reward in due time…we indeed descend into the water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [of God] and trust in Jesus in our spirit.” (The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1, The Epistle of Barnabas 11:114-16)

Irenaeus wrote in 120-205 AD, “As we are lepers in sin, we are made clean from our old transgressions by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord. We are thus spiritually regenerated as newborn infants, even as the Lord has declared: ‘Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’” (Irenaeus, “Fragments From Lost Writings”, no. 34, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, pg. 574)

The proof text that early Christians used for baptism was John 3:5!

 In 110-165 AD, Justin Martyr wrote “they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, ‘Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.‘ Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enter into their mothers’ wombs, is manifest to all… And for this we have learned from the apostles this reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed” (Justin Martyr, “First Apology,” Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, pg. 183)

In 140-230 AD, Tertullian wrote, “Baptism itself is a corporal act by which we are plunged into the water, while its effect is spiritual, in that we are freed from our sins” (Baptism 7:2).

In 140-230 AD, Tertullian wrote, “Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life! A treatise on this matter will not be superfluous; instructing not only such as are just becoming formed in the faith… The consequence is, that a viper of the Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism. Which is quite in accordance with nature; for vipers and asps and serpents themselves generally do affect arid and waterless places. (On Baptism, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3, pg. 669.)

Interesting in the prior quote is that there was a false teaching coming about that was denying baptism!

Tertullian also wrote, “The prescript is laid down that ‘without baptism, salvation is attainable by none’ chiefly on the ground of that declaration of the Lord, who says, ‘Unless one be born of water, he hath not life.’” (On Baptism, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3, pg. 674-675)

In 150-200 AD, CLEMENT wrote, “when you are regenerated and born again of water and of God, the frailty of your former birth, which you have through men, is cut off, and so at length you shall be able to attain salvation; but otherwise it is impossible. For thus hath the true prophet testified to us with an oath: ‘Verily I say to you, That unless a man is born again of water, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ Therefore make haste; for there is in these waters a certain power of mercy which was borne upon them at the beginning…Betake yourselves therefore to these waters, for they alone can quench the violence of the future fire; and he who delays to approach to them, it is evident that the idol of unbelief remains in him, and by it he is prevented from hastening to the waters which confer salvation.” (Clement, “Recognitions of Clement,” Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8, pg. 155)

The Christian leaders nearest to the time of the Apostles taught these things about baptism! Why is it that this teaching has changed so much in the last 1900 years? (mainly AFTER the time of Calvin and Luther)

Filed Under: Baptismal Regeneration, Christian Living, Early Church Fathers/ Early Church Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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