Death and Life in Christ: On the Loss of My Brother Paul

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

On Tuesday of this week, when Marney and I were driving home from Houston after enjoying Memorial Day with our kids and grandkids, I received a phone call from my brother John that our older brother Paul had died. He had just turned 72 years old.

It was a bit of a surprise. I knew he’d battled cancer for over a year. But I had just learned on Sunday that He had become very ill in the last few weeks. And within 48 hours of learning that, He passed on.

All of us here have lost loved ones. And I know you didn’t know my brother Paul, but I just want to say a few things about Him and about death and the believer.

We just celebrated Memorial day, and my brother, both actually, were Navy veterans. They served during the Viet Nam conflict. And I’m glad they both came home safely.

My brother was also a master electrician, and late in life an interstate truckdriver.

He was also a graduate of Southwestern Seminary here in Fort Worth. His undergrad was in History from Old Dominion University in Va. And for close to 20 years he served in several churches in south and central Texas; including First Baptist Canyon Lake, Tx. It was his pastor from those days who preached his funeral. And I was glad also that I got to play a role in that.

My brother was a little over 12 years older than me. So I spent all my childhood years looking up to him. I was 7 when I saw him going off to college. I was about 12 when after coming home from the Navy he lived at home for a little while and left early every morning for work.

Then, he went to Seminary a little later in life, and I was going to Bible College in the late 70s while he was in Seminary so we had something in common in those days despite the difference of years

Paul Dunlap left behind a wife of 45 years, Ruth, who was a preacher’s daughter.  Also two sons and a daughter, each of whom have children of their own, all of whom loved their dad and grandfather.

Paul and Me

When I look at his life, it wasn’t one of great material wealth. He never won the Nobel Prize or earned a PhD. He never was famous or rubbed shoulders with the famous. But who wouldn’t call 45 years of a good marriage a great success? Who wouldn’t call three children, who all are born again believers, a great prize? Who wouldn’t call a man with nine grandkids, all of whom love him and look up to him, wealthy with the things that matter?

And yet we are saddened when they get to go on to their reward and hear Jesus say “Well Done, good and faithful servant!”

Why do we cry when the reality of their death strikes home?

His wife Ruth insisted that we have a memorial service that was a celebration of his life! And it was! I never saw her cry, but I’m sure she did. In fact, it may have been after all her family finally left and she was all alone Friday evening that she had a real good cry! I don’t know.

But I know this. Would any of us want or loved ones who have gone on to heaven, to leave the glory of God’s presence and come back?  I don’t think so!

Sure we hope to see them again! And we can!

Sure we would like to hear their voices again. And we can!

Sure we would like to feel their embrace.

But we serve the God of all Comfort!

Marney was sharing with me Friday as we drove home from New Braunfels, the lesson she learned so many years ago, when we were newlyweds and our best friends lost a little baby. We were devastated. We were grieving and hurting. But we saw in this young couple the comforting grace of the Holy Spirit. Yes they were hurting and sad, but they were comforting us and telling us, the Lord had given them His grace and He was comforting them.

Paul with my Grandson Phillip

     Marney knew at that time, that when the time comes for us to grieve the loss of a loved one, that the God of all comfort can even comfort us.

One of the ways He comforts us is to remind us of two things.

1)      For the Believer, death is not forever! 1Ths 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Death is not nothingness! Death is not being swallowed up like a drop of water in some cosmic ocean of existence. It is real, we will be aware of what is going on, and we will have personal relationships. Not the least of which will be with our Lord and Savior the Man – Jesus Christ!

2)      And secondly God has a plan for the life after we leave this world! He will come get us. He will make a New Heaven and a New Earth. I think we will have work to do. Did you know that Adam and Eve had responsibilities before the Fall? Having a job to do was not part of God’s curse. Having to earn bread by the sweat of the brow, maybe, but not the idea of being engaged in a worthwhile task! That is a good thing?

      I don’t know what the future holds for all of us, but I know who holds the future!

      And here’s the bottom line. You know how we can best honor our loved ones who have gone on to be with Jesus Christ.  I can let others know how my brother came to be with Christ forever.

      Because at some point in his life, when he was just a youth, he realized He needed a Savior. Why? Because he was a sinner and sin separates us from God. Until a person understands that sin has offended a holy God and has brought God’s judgment on them, they will not understand they need a Savior.

But \knowing we are sinners, and who can deny that? We find out we can have peace with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus volunteered to come and take our punishment!

God had people sacrifice bulls and goats in the Old Testament times as a sacrifice for sins. But it really didn’t pay the price. The Blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin!

But in the fullness of time, Jesus came. Jesus said, I will be the perfect Lamb of God. I will fulfill the law and therefor qualify to be the Lamb who CAN take away your sins.

So Jesus gave the first Gospel Invitation. He said: Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, And I will give you rest!

What kind of labor was he talking about? Having a job? Earning a living? No. He was talking about the labor of trying to get into God’s heaven by doing good works!

Jesus just said, “Come to me.”

Have you come to Christ? Do you KNOW that you know that you know that your sins are forgiven? How can you go on another minute without knowing?

Come to Christ Now!

If Jesus said "It Is Finished", Why the Resurrection?

This last Wednesday evening at our Prayer meeting we had a really good discussion. The question came up, that we know how to tell people why Jesus died on the cross, but how can we explain why Jesus had to rise again? And we kicked around several really good answers for that.

As a boy, it seemed that the main reason was just to show that Jesus beat the devil! Jesus wins, satan loses, end of story. And it felt good to know that. Boys are little competitive guys and that whole “we win you lose” story appeals to us.

Well, guess what. That’s really not totally off course. There is a sense of defeating the enemy in the work of Christ. In Colossians Paul ties together the death and resurrection of Christ and the giving of eternal life to this: 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

So I’d say yes, there IS victory in Jesus. But I’d like to show you a few more reasons if you have a few minutes on the Great Easter Sunday!

1.   First, To Show He was truly the Messiah. Why does the resurrection of Jesus from the dead show us that he is the Promised Messiah? Because, He did not die for his own sins. He died for our sins, but once he paid for them, he rose again. This also shows he can give life to all who trust in Him Act_2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be held of it. Death could not keep him. He was the sinless perfect man. He was the only one who lived a Righteous life. Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

And this was important enough for Peter to say, Act 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly. This was for His disciples to see His victory and for the evil powers who thought they had victory.

2.   He rose to give us eternal life.

Paul writes: Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.  We have many verses that state clearly that without the resurrection our salvation is not complete.Listen:

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by 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. And,  1 Co 15: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. AND,

Eph_2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

Jesus needs to be the Living Risen Savior if we are going to be “In Christ” and in the heavenlies. Jesus must be raised in a New Life if he is to give us a new life. Jesus needs to have conquered Death if we are to conquer death. BUT, I want to show you one more thing: 1Pe  1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

It is the duty of the High Priest to take the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies! Now I don’t know exactly what Jesus did when he entered the presence of His Father. Remember, Jesus is still the God/man. This was the reunion of Father God and God the Son, but also human and divine. But I know this, Jesus was obedient to death, He shed His perfect sinless blood, and entered Bodily into the very Throne room of His almighty Father- to declare for us that Redemption has been accomplished and Applied! And by This living Christ we have Eternal life, eternal standing in the heavenlies

3.  3^rd He rose to defeat death so we could be raised, too.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. 1Co 6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

     Way way back, at the beginning of the story. There was Adam and Eve. They weren't created to die in 70 or 80 years. I think they were made perfectly and given access to the Tree of life so they could eat it and live forever. At least potentially. But they ate fruit from the Other tree, right? And the dream of eternal life with the Father was lost forever. Paradise Lost. But God didn't forget about it. God is preparing a place for us. Not so we can float around like disembodied spirits strumming imaginary harps!

No, but to have glorified bodies. Bodies that interact with things. Bodies that have senses. Bodies that glorify God.

They will be different for sure. Jesus has a glorified body and he appeared in a room whose door was shut. We also know that Jesus ate food, but we suspect He doesn't need to. I don’t think we’ll need blood in our veins. The life of human flesh is in the blood but Jesus said after the resurrection; Luke 24:39 See my hands and my feet? It is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see I have.

But however our bodies 1 Cor 15 is very clear, we will have a very real body.  1 Co 15:42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, "The first Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

4.   And Fourthly: He Rose to Come again as King of Kings.

I’m going to take us from Paul and Peter who had a lot to say about the resurrection of Jesus, and go to His brother, James.

Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws nigh.

The First Time: Jesus came as suffering servant. He came to turn the other cheek, heal the brokenhearted, raise a few dead, and preach the Coming of the Kingdom of God!

But Jesus is coming again! Amen?

Jesus is coming again.

Jesus ascended to heaven from a lonely hilltop with a few hundred followers. Jesus is coming again to multitudes of faithful saints!

Jesus, left behind 11 apostles. Jesus coming back to saints from every tribe and every tongue; every color and every race.

He had no form or comeliness that we should desire Him, but when He comes again Every Eye shall behold Him!

We esteemed him stricken of God and Afflicted!

But now God has given Him a name that is above every other name, That at the Name of Jesus…

That AT the Name of Jesus…

That at the NAME of Jesus…

That at the name of JESUS…

That at the name of Jesus… Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

To the Glory of God the Father.

Proclaim Jesus as Lord today. Don’t wait.

Proclaim Him as Lord over your life.

Surrender your sinful life to Jesus.

Beg His mercy and Grace. He is our only hope.

Take Him as your redeemer. He bought your soul with His blood.

Embrace Jesus with your whole heart.

Marriage: Christ and the Church

Marriage is a “type” of the union of Christ and the church. Believers need to see marriage in a new light.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

In 1st Century Palestine, there were three prominent cultures: Hebrew, Greek and Roman. While both Greek and Roman cultures had those who married one person for life, the better off you were the more likely you didn’t fit that scenario. It was quite common for a Greek man to have a wife to perpetuate the family legally and other women for friendship and romance. In fact that tended to be the rule. As far as Romans go, they were big on divorcing. Some folks were divorced and married 10 to 20 times. But the Hebrew norm was still one man and woman for life. There was some divorce in Jewish culture but not very common. So if you had asked Paul if he was teaching anything new in this passage about marriage he would have probably said, “No, I’m teaching what the Bible says.” But he did have one new twist.

First, Let’s look first at His Grounds for Marriage. In v 31, Paul grounds marriage on Gen 2:24: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Real simple, right? One man, One woman, One flesh. Not two men or one man and two women, or a man and his TV. One of each gender, one flesh, no other options. Also percolating up through this passage we see the permanence of marriage in the Old Testament illustrated by how God wanted to have an eternal union with His people. God referred to Israel as his bride as his espoused, he was engaged to her. (Jer 3:14, 2:2; Hosea) That relationship foreshadows the relationship between Christ and the church. It’s not the same, but similar.
2nd. That brings me to the Great Mystery. While marriage is based on one man/one woman of the OT, there is a New mystery: namely, the union of Christ and the church.

In Rev 13 we see Jesus crucified before the foundation of the world. So spiritual truths and the reasons Christ was crucified come before the creation of everything. God's plan to unite Christ and the church came before the creation of people and the creation of marriage. Marriage then, is the symbol, memorial and tribute to the marriage of Christ and the Church. We tend to look at all the good “human” reasons for marriage and there are good reasons. It’s a great way to raise children, great way to practice grace and patience, gives stability to a society etc. But first and foremost, it should be a picture of the Love of God for His people. 

It reminds us of the price Jesus paid to redeem us so that He could be in Union with us and us with Him! There are three great Unions in scripture: A) The union of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God, 3 persons. There are NOT three gods. Hear Oh Israel, the Lord is One. B) There is the Union of two natures in Jesus Christ; he is both God and Man. Those are two distinct things. God is not human, man is not divine, but in Jesus they are met together. C) The union of Christ and the church becoming one. It is similar to the union Christ and His Father. There is an eternal joining of redeemed people and their savior, as individuals and as the church as a body. This is what is pictured in a marriage. 

 

3. Now because of this, there is a Greater Meaning to marriage. First, Note how the title “Christ” is in this passage 6-times (along w/ He, Lord, His etc.). He plays the most prominent role. Especially in V32; he doesn't say he was not talking about marriage, but that marriage and the teaching of marriage applies to, is found in, (Gk-eis), Christ and the church. This is what REALLY makes marriage all the more sacred. Not the joining of two sinners, but the picture of the perfect Christ and His Holy Bride, made Holy by the Blood of Jesus! 

 

4. This brings us to the Godly Mandate for marriage. A) First, marriage should be permanent. How long will the Bride of Christ live and reign with Him in Heaven? A few years? ‘Til somebody better or cuter comes along? Until He gets tired of us? NO! FOR-EV-ER! Jesus will NOT trade us in for a Trophy Wife. B) Second, Christian marriages should imitate Christ and the church. Really! Christian marriages should have a groom who would and does, lay down his life for his bride. Not just his life, but the things in his life. Is he willing to give up his bass boat? His King Kab F-150 pickup? How about his night out with the boys? How about his magazines and x-rated movies? A couple married 15 years began having more than usual spats. To make their marriage work the wife had an idea. For one month they planned to drop a criticism in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They all had the same exact message; on each slip was, "I love you!" Now maybe that husband was just ‘guilting’ his wife, but isn’t that what Christ says when we come to him confessing our faults? I love you. Christian marriages should have a bride who is in submission to her husband. Who loves him even though he’s not near enough like Jesus. One who is willing to follow him anywhere, but is responsible enough to LOVINGLY bring her hopes, wisdom and experience to the table to help make decisions. C) And third, Christian marriages should be a witness to the world. Is your marriage a witness? Do people look at your relationship with your husband or wife and say, now That’s a Christian marriage. Sadly, not very often that you see a couple like that. There are some! There are some right here in this church. An old pastor friend of mine who lived on a lake early in his ministry, and over the weeks, as he met people around the lake, he encountered a man who said, “Oh I know who you are. You’re the new preacher who lives across the lake from me.” My friend Jimmy was impressed and asked him how he knew. He said, “Sound carries over water, and a few days ago I heard you giving your wife 'what for', for not bringing something down to your boat when y’all were going fishing. So I started asking the neighbors who that loudmouth was across the lake.” Jimmy was crushed. That wasn’t a very good picture of Christ and the church was it? You see, just as God said, the two will become One Flesh, so also Jesus prayed that we would be joined in union with Him, like He is with His father. So acting in a way that hurts the witness of your marriage also hurts the witness of Christ. But knowing that every believer in Christ is joined together with Him and we have His spirit living within us; we know that we can show the world what the marriage of Christ and the church should look like. Have you been joined together with Christ? You have if you have repented from sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation! Until that happens you’re marriage can’t possibly reflect Christ to the world. Will you turn from your sinful life today and trust in Christ? i John 17

The Word of God in 2 Tim 3:16-17

A Baptist Distinctive: The Word of God

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ill) Many years ago in a play in Moscow theater, Russian actor, Alexander Rostovzev, was supposed to read 2 verses from the Matthew 5, remove his gown, and cry out, "Give me my tuxedo and top hat!" But as he read the words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted," he began to tremble. Instead of following the script, he kept reading, ignoring the coughs, and foot-stamping of his fellow actors. Finally, recalling a verse he had learned in his childhood he prayed, "Lord, remember me when You come intoYour kingdom!" Before the curtain was lowered, Alexander trusted in Jesus Christ.[1] That is the power of the gospel!

The Word of God has come under a lot of criticism in the last 150 years. It didn’t start then but it’s gotten worse. It’s not just other religions, it’s also the atheists, agnostics, communists and secular humanists. Then those “enlightened” attitudes trickle down to the church and so-called Christians start denying the truth and power of God.

Ill) A book, Reforming Fundamentalism, says 85% of the students in one of USA's largest evangelical seminaries said they do not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. Then, a 1987 poll of 7400. ministers in the U.S.A in reveals that when asked if they believed the Scriptures are the inspired, inerrant Word of God in faith, history, and secular matters:

95% of Episcopalians said "No." 87% of Methodists said "No."
82% of Presbyterians said "No." 77% of American Lutherans said "No."
67% of American Baptists said "No." [2] I don't know the percentage of Southern Baptists, but many of them deny the inerrancy of scripture, too.

1.What does that mean, inerrancy? Without error. Infallible, perfectly trustworthy. This isn’t a new issue. Back in 1963 (ancient church history to some folks) the Baptist Faith & Message said the Bible was the word of God without any mixture of error. That sounds like inerrancy!.The 2000 BF&M agrees. BUT, What does the BIBLE say?

2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,

Do we need to say more? All of Scripture! Not some of it!

Is given how? By the breath of God. That’s what inspired means. Does God make mistakes? I mean has He ever? No. He is a rock his work is perfect! (Deut 32:4) His word is perfect. The word he delivered to the writers of scripture was perfect. God didn’t speak to them in King James English, or in Lutheran German, or in Catholic Latin. The writers spoke three languages primarily: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. This is the language the scriptures were written in. And let me shock you a little bit. NO Following TRANSLATION IS PERFECT. No translation of anything is perfect.

Ill) If you translated the rules of baseball into some Polynesian language some words just wouldn’t translate. So you give it your best shot. Try translating “Lamb of God’ to people who have never heard of sheep. That’s why so many preachers study Hebrew & Greek to get at the purest meaning of the words. But, another problem. The New Testament was written 2000 years ago. Old Testament as much as 6000 years. I can only guess what their life was like and what their words meant then and today.

Now this unsettles some people. “Oh no! How can we trust it if no translation is perfect?” Well, just because English versions aren’t perfect doesn’t mean they don’t get very close, they do. Most words in the Bible translate fairly easily.

Then we have the benefit of many scholarly people who study it and give us their ideas. But most importantly, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us as we study the Bible. (Read 2Pe 1:19-21).

2. If the Bible is perfect then it must have Authority. I mean we believe that God wrote it and that gives it authority but if it is really tested and true then whether someone believes in God or not, the authority of scripture still stands.

Authority doesn’t mean everything in the Bible is true, the words are completely accurate, but not necessarily every statement in the story is true. Did you know there are LIES in the Bible?

Example; Genesis 3:4; Satan told Eve, "You will not surely die." Satan lied and Eve died.

BUT, Authority does mean that everything God spoke, directly or through a prophet, is true:

2 Tim 3:16 also says it ‘is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:’

Doctrine is the truths of God. Reproof tells us what we are doing wrong. Correction tells us how to do things right. And Instruction in Righteousness is God telling us how to do it right the next time.

There is a right and wrong. There is black and white. The scriptures can rebuke us and correct us and teach us.

Psa 25:8, Good and upright is the Lord therefore will He teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment, the meek will He teach His ways.

Somebody once said, the reason many people don’t believe the Bible is not because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them! Or, to paraphrase a Seminary professor, rather than deconstruct the Bible, let the Bible deconstruct you!

The Bible, being the perfect word of God has the authority to tell us how to believe and how to behave. It will instruct us if we let it.

Ill) In the year A.D. 303, the Emperor Diocletian issued a decree to extinguish the spreading flames of Christianity. His primary objective was destroy all the bibles. When officials enforced the decree in North Africa, Felix the Bishop of Tibjuca, was ordered to hand over his Scriptures. Some judges were willing to accept scraps of parchment, but Felix refused to surrender one scrap of the Word of God to Caesar. He resisted compromise. He was finally shipped to Rome where he paid for his stubbornness with his life. On August 30, as the record puts it, "with pious obstinacy," he laid down his life rather than surrender his Bible. WHY? Because the Bible has more authority than the State. More than kings, presidents, or Emperors.[3]

3.Then 2 Tim 3:17 says: That the man of God may be perfect (or mature), thoroughly furnished unto all good works. There’s the Inerrancy, the Authority and then there is the Power of Scripture.

Remember last week when I said that the famous Evangelist Charles Finney, didn’t believe that Salvation was a miracle. Listen, it’s the greatest miracle of all! It takes Divine power to do that. Anybody can say, "Yes, I’d rather go to Heaven than Hell." Or, I’d rather be good than bad. That’s not salvation.

Salvation is the radical change I n a person’s spirit. They pass from spiritual death to life! Their spiritual eyes are opened and they begin –FOR THE FIRST TIME- to understand spiritual things.

Last week we read Rom 1:16; The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the POWER of God for salvation! Why does it take the power of God? Because, the natural man doesn’t understand the things of the Spirit.

Look:

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Then, 1Ti 4:16 Take heed to thyself, and unto doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

And, Psa 119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies…

The Bible is not to be read one time and laid aside. Listen to these verses:

1Ti 4:13 give attendance to reading,exhortation, & to doctrine.

2Ti 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words,

2Ti 2:2 the things thou hast heard … commit to faithful men

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, …

2Ti 3:14 But continue in the things which thou hast learned …

15 that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; … reprove, rebuke, exhort

It’s not our job to save souls. We can’t, none of us have the power to save souls. Only the word of God can defeat the enemy! I’ve heard folks say, “back in 1953 brother Joe saved me.” Well unless he pulled you out of the river when you were drowning, he didn’t save you, Jesus did! And He did it with the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Spurgeon said, I believe God can save anyone anywhere at anytime, it just so happens he does it where the gospel is being preached!

Our job is to deliver the gospel. God’s word will do the rest! It will not return void or empty handed. That doesn’t mean it will always save the one you hope it will. But it will leave them without excuse in the Day of Judgment. They will always know they heard the gospel. They may complain someday they didn’t understand what was at stake. (But the Apostle addresses that in Rom 9:20…(read 20-24))**

I’m glad to say that Southern Baptists are known as those who stopped the growing theological liberalism in their ranks and turned it around back in 1980. But we must be vigilant not to water down the Bible. It IS our only hope of salvation.

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**Rom 9:20 No, but, O man, who are you who replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him who formed it, Why have you made me this way? 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor? 22 What if God, willing to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy which He had before prepared to glory; 24 whom He also called, not only us, of Jews, but also of the nations? 25 As He also says in Hosea, "I will call those not My people, My people; and those not beloved, Beloved." 26 And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them. "You are not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God."

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[1] J.K. Johnston, Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 121.

[2] The Gideon, January, 1994, pp. 12-13. Book by George Marsden; poll by sociologist Jeffery Hadden

[3] Christian Theology in Plain Language, p. 41.