Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus

Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus

Acts 19:1-7

I was approached by an 82 year old man at an assisted living home one time regarding his baptism. He said he was baptized when he was younger, but he was questioning his motives and didn’t really remember everything leading up to that. I took the time to explain from the Scriptures about baptism, and after he demonstrated his understanding of the subject he wanted to be baptized into Christ.

We are introduced to a group of people in Acts 19:1-7 who had been previously baptized with John’s baptism. In last week’s lesson we established that John’s baptism was of repentance for remission of sins (Lk. 3:3) but it was not valid to be applied after the establishment of the church. When Paul comes to Ephesus he finds out some information from them which leads him to see that they needed to be reimmersed. I want us to look at this account and draw some inferences at the end of this lesson which can be applied for us today regarding baptism.

These disciples had received an invalid baptism

Paul questions these disciples about their baptism by asking them if they had received the Holy Spirit (2). This leads us to ask whether this is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit or the miraculous measure of the Holy Spirit. Burt Coffman believes this is the indwelling of the Spirit, while J.W. McGarvey and Jimmy Allen believe it is the miraculous measure of the Spirit. Wayne Jackson says he believes it cannot be decided from the evidence in the text. It seems as though it might be a similar issue which may be disagreed upon among brethren such as whether the Spirit indwells only through the Word or a personal indwelling. I am not for certain which it is in this case, but since Paul imparts the miraculous measure of the Spirit on them at the end of this passage, that may be the one in context.

With that being said, was Paul asking that question because he knew about their baptism being invalid by way of Priscilla and Aquila, or did he ask this because he was ready to impart the miraculous measure of the Spirit? Paul definitely imparted spiritual gifts to Christians (Rom. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:6), and it could be the motive for asking that question about the reception of the Spirit. These disciples had not heard of the Holy Spirit, which led Paul to ask what baptism they received (2-3). John’s baptism is what they had submitted to, and we have just studied about Apollos who was teaching that baptism in Ephesus. It seems logical to me that Apollos had either baptized these disciples or had taught them; either way we know it wouldn’t have been Priscilla and Aquila, as they knew the truth of matter since they explained to Apollos “...the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26).

Paul made sure their baptism was valid

Based on the information that Paul gathered from this encounter, he took the time to explain how the baptism of John was not the same as the baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus (4). With this being revealed to the twelve, they submitted to the scriptural act of obedience which was preached by Paul by being “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (5).

That forces us to ask what the differences were in the accounts of Apollos in Acts 18 and the twelve in Acts 19: why was Apollos not shown as being reimmersed but the twelve were? It seems as though Apollos would have been the equivalent to the disciples of Christ and all the other people, including the 120 on the day of Pentecost, who had formerly been recipients of John’s baptism. J.W. McGarvey points out the 120 were not baptized the day the church was established because Acts 2:41 says these 3,000 souls were added unto them, as translated in the KJV (152). The baptism of John, which was also what the disciples of Christ were administering prior to the kingdom, was valid to be applied until the day of Pentecost. Once that day came, someone could not receive that baptism and have it be valid. That seems to account for the differences between Apollos and the twelve. Paul made sure their baptism was valid by baptizing them in the name of the Lord Jesus. Once he had done this, Paul bestowed upon them the miraculous measure of the Holy Spirit by giving them the gifts of tongues and of prophecy (6).

Practical inferences for us today

Even though we don’t have the exact scenario as played out in Acts 18 & 19, I believe there some practical inferences for us today regarding baptism.

There is only one valid baptism.

Paul points this out in Eph. 4:5. This baptism is immersion in water, as evidenced by the definition “to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)” (http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/baptizo.html). Though there are disagreements among even members of the church about what must be understood about baptism, the baptism of the new covenant is one that comes from a belief and confession that Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:37), experiencing godly sorrow (2 Cor. 7:9-10; Acts 2:37), repenting from sins (Acts 2:38) and gives us the results of being added to the number of the saved (Acts 2:47), receiving remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

There are times when people are baptized wrong.

Technically this is not a true statement because if you were baptized incorrectly, you weren’t really baptized; you got wet. What are some ways that people are “baptized” incorrectly? Some are baptized for entrance into a denomination; some are baptized who believe they are already saved, and they are simply doing this as a response to “salvation”; some are baptized for the dead; some are baptized as a result of people in a denomination voting to allow them to do so; some receive methods of baptism which the Bible would not authorize, such as sprinkling, pouring, infant baptism, etc.

If someone is scripturally baptized, then they are scripturally a Christian.

I saw where a denominational preacher was challenging people to answer why we would not accept somebody’s baptism if it was not by a church of Christ preacher in a church of Christ baptistery. First of all, I don’t label myself as a church of Christ preacher. We can get too hung up on labeling ourselves in such a manner, thereby denominating ourselves like everybody else in the denominational world. That being said, I am a member of the church of Christ, in the sense that is the body that He is the Savior of, which He purchased with His own blood. That’s the reason our church sign bears the name North View Church of Christ; it belongs to Him.

Second of all, there may be times when someone comes out of a denomination to the church of Christ who has received a scriptural baptism. These accounts may be few and far between, because most of the time in denominations there is unscriptural teaching on baptism such as was mentioned a few moments ago. I knew of a group of elders one time who met with a man about his baptism having come out of a denominational background. He and the elders studied together on the matter, and based on that he told them that he obeyed the gospel as laid out in Scripture. If he was going to be “rebaptized” it would only be to suit them and not God. Therefore, he was not reimmersed. I believe this case is rare, and that is one of the things that our elders will study with people about who come out of denominational backgrounds. Though the case with Apollos is in the context of the baptism of John, the principle does apply in the sense of considering whether or not people need to be reimmersed.

If there is any doubt as to the validity of your baptism, please make it right. 

The disciples at Ephesus didn’t argue with Paul; they submitted to his teaching on the matter. Whether someone was too young, didn’t have a complete understanding, or whether they thought it was for the wrong reasons, you too can make sure you are validly baptized into Christ.

1st Principles of the 2nd Coming

I don't know who to credit with this phrase, but it is true to a certain degree: promises were made to be broken. We who live in this "human condition" as my friend, Bob Sweeney refers to living in the flesh, often fail to fulfill promises that we make to each other. Fortunately for us, Jesus does not break His promises. One such promise is the one He gave to His apostles about His second coming when He said "...I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (Jn. 14:3). The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a promise that we are still waiting on today, and we are confident that it will be fulfilled.

In the first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul takes some time to address some important matters pertaining to the second coming. The text comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:9-5:11. As we take a look at the message he wanted to get across to them, let us try to understand these 1^st Principles of the 2^nd Coming.

Principles of Propriety (9-12)

Evidently some of the Thessalonians had quit working because they wanted to make sure they weren’t going to miss the second coming of Christ (11). He tells them to “...behave properly toward outsiders...” (12), which would imply they were behaving improperly. Propriety is proper behavior (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/propriety). Paul goes on to provide more information in the second letter in chapter three about these people who were living in an undisciplined manner, living an unruly life and were therefore unacceptable. This was causing all kinds of problems among the brethren. An inference I might make here is that their love for the brethren in Macedonia was complimentary (10) but it seems the disturbances were caused in Thessalonica due to their impropriety. Maybe I’m reading too much into that, but it does seem likely given the context.

Paul gives them three specific commands to get them back on the right track. The first thing he says is “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life” (11). This word quiet is “said of those who are not running hither and thither, but stay at home and mind their business” (http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/hesuchazo.html). It is interesting that phrase can be defined that way because Paul says as the second thing “attend to your own business” (11). We can apply this even to our lives today. We need to be bodies who are busy, but not busybodies. In the old cartoon, Scooby-Doo, one of the villains is known for saying “I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for those meddling kids.” He was trying to say they needed to stay out of his business.

What we need to do as Christians is find a way to avoid the extremes pertaining to ourselves and others. Paul says “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4). However, Peter says one of the thing we shouldn’t suffer for is being a “troublesome meddler” (1 Pet. 4:15). There are three neighbors nobody likes: Nosy Rosie, Busybody Bobby and Snoopy Sally. We’ve got to find a way to be involved in the lives of others without sticking our noses in their business. Hank Williams’ song had the line in there “mind your own business and you won’t be minding mine.” That’s what Paul was trying to tell the Thessalonians.

The third thing he commands them is to “work with your hands” (11). Paul demonstrated this among them, as he says “...with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we might not be a burden to any of you” (2 Thess. 3:8). He goes on to say “...if anyone will not work, neither let him eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). They wouldn’t have time to be busybodies if they would stay busy with their bodies at work. People who are able to support themselves should do that. There are others in the world whom we should help support because of various reasons, but not those who are able to work.

Principles of Precedence (13-18)

Sometimes children have a battle over who gets to go first, such as lining up at school or for a ride, etc. There’s something about who gets to go first. Paul takes the time to explain to the Thessalonians that their dead loved ones were not only going to be there for the second coming, but they were actually going first. As he’s telling them this good news, he lays out the order of events on that day. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air...” (16-17).

Notice that Christians are the only ones being addressed in this resurrection that Paul describes. Precedence determines residence. Children of God, both those who are asleep and those who are alive will be resurrected prior to the resurrection of the children of the Devil. Judgment begins with the household of God (1 Pet. 4:17), and this resurrection described in Thessalonians takes place before the judgment. Though there is one general judgment, Jesus describes the fate of those who are saved and those who are lost (Jn. 5:29).

Jesus is coming back prior to the judgment, according to Mt. 25:31ff. However, notice that it doesn’t say anywhere that He will set foot on the earth. There is no rapture that will take place as some have advocated, nor a reign by Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4 is figurative). I won’t take the time to elaborate on the falsity of this theory, but I did want to bring it up since we’re dealing with the second coming of Christ. Regarding the outcome of that day, notice that the Christians are the ones who will always be with the Lord (17).

Principles of Preparation (5:1-11)

There’s a song by the Temptations where they sing “get ready cause here I come.” We know about the idea of preparation. We prepare for many things in life: school, work, vacation, etc. We get prepared so that when the time comes we are ready to act. Paul told the Thessalonians they knew the Lord was coming as a thief in the night (2). This means we don’t know when He coming, so we have to be prepared. Jesus said “...if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect” (Lk. 12:39-40). Jesus elsewhere said that He didn’t even know when He would be coming back, but only His Father knew (Mt. 24:36). Look back to this great chapter for more descriptions of the return of Christ which I will not place in this sermon.

Preparation station requires reservation. Are you one who sleeps, or are you one who is sober? Paul uses these terms to describe the preparation or lack thereof by people. Sleeping is something that people do at night when bad things happen (7). Sober people are alert and are able to be on the watch, especially pertaining to the coming of Christ (8). Paul uses the word sleep in two different contexts here. He used it in chapter four pertaining to those who had died. He starts out using it in chapter five pertaining to those who are not ready spiritually for the coming of Christ, but then he transitions back to the sleep of death in verse ten.

He finishes up this section by telling the brethren to “...encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (11). We’re all in this together, and we need to encourage one another to be ready for the day when Christ returns. In his exhortation to the church at Thessalonica, he taught them about propriety: proper behavior was expected of them; he taught them about precedence: their dead loved ones would actually precede those who were still alive at the resurrection; he taught them about preparation: they needed to be ready because the Lord was coming as a thief in the night. 1^st principles of the 2^nd coming are just as applicable for those of us today who are waiting on the Lord to return.

A More Accurate Explanation

A More Accurate Explanation

Acts 18:24-28

In the history of the church, we are told of some of the preachers in the brotherhood who were considered princes in the pulpit; very eloquent speakers who would preach the message of God: Batsell Barrett Baxter & N.B. Hardeman are some among that number to name a few. As I think back to the Scriptures one particular name comes to mind from the church of the first century: Apollos. Before Paul writes to the Corinthians about the watering that he would do or the group who supposedly was trying to follow him, we see our first glimpse of Apollos when he was in Ephesus when Priscilla and Aquila heard him speaking in the synagogue. Let’s take a look back at this encounter to see what we can learn.

Our text from Acts 18:24-28 reads as follows:

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he helped greatly those who had believed through grace; for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

As we look at this account in Acts, let’s try to get a better understanding of what Priscilla and Aquila gave to Apollos, that being a more accurate explanation.

Concerning Jesus, he was teaching accurately

Notice the description of Apollos. He was an eloquent man. This is a term that can be defined as eloquent in speech or in the sense of learning or education. As Jimmy Allen puts it, the term could refer to “a man of words or ideas”.[1] From a consultation of different scholars, it appears that most believe that both of these probably apply to Apollos. It also says he was mighty in the Scriptures. This is more than just a knowledge of the Scriptures, but it’s also implied that he would be one who “knew how to handle them in argument and exposition with great effect”.[2] He used these traits to even greater strength as Luke records for us that he was “fervent in spirit”[3] and “he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue”.[4] This is a man who had the makings of a powerful preacher of the gospel. When we look at someone who is eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures, that individual has the potential to do great things for God. Sometimes there are preachers who might be very eloquent, but they don’t have the knowledge of the Scriptures they need. Sometimes there are preachers who are mighty in the Scriptures, but they are not very good communicators. When you have the combination of both traits in a preacher, think about the possibilities of what he can do in the kingdom of God.

Notice the teaching of Apollos. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he was teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus. It would appear that Apollos was right on target with what he was preaching. However, he was only acquainted with the baptism of John. This seems to tell us that Apollos was limited in what he was preaching to people. The baptism of John was not valid to be applied after the establishment of the church. Apollos was from Alexandria, which is on the northern coast of Egypt. We don’t know all the information behind his knowledge, but it seems that he didn’t know about the events behind the gospel, because if he did he would have known there was a different baptism. The baptism of John and Jesus had some similarities, but there was a difference. Without going into the long version of this, the baptism of John was a baptism of repentance for remission of sins.[5] The baptism of Jesus which went into effect on the day of Pentecost when the church was established was a baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.[6] It was a baptism into the death of Christ.[7] It was a baptism of burial unto death where the recipients are raised to walk in the newness of life.[8]

With all of this in mind, it seems as though he was probably teaching the things concerning Jesus in the fulfillment of prophecies with Him as the Messiah, possibly even including His teachings and miracles, signs and wonders. But why did Apollos stop with the baptism of John? No one can really answer this question sufficiently. It is highly probable that someone came to Alexandria and taught Apollos about John and Jesus while both were in ministry, but for some reason Apollos was not aware of what happened later concerning the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and also the establishment of the church, where the baptism of Christ took effect. The church was established roughly in A.D. 30, and this encounter of Apollos in Ephesus would have occurred around A.D. 52.[9] There was a reason that Apollos didn’t have the updated information, but whatever that reason was Apollos was preaching what he knew as accurate as he could.

Concerning baptism, Priscilla and Aquila explained more accurately

With us having established the fact that John’s baptism was no longer in effect, Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos preaching about it in the synagogue in Ephesus. Keep in mind they were close companions with the Apostle Paul, so they knew that what Apollos was preaching was something they needed to help him with. Notice how they handled it: “they took him aside”.[10] Evidently there is more involved with their explanation instead of just pulling him aside as this phrase possibly means they took him to their home.[11] Whatever is implied with the wording, it is clear that Priscilla and Aquila did not embarrass Apollos by correcting him publicly in front of those he was preaching to in the synagogue.

In addition to taking him aside, they “explained to him the way of God more accurately”.[12] Evidently this would be the information he had been missing, which would include the death of Jesus on the cross, his burial and resurrection, his ascension, the establishment of the church and the baptism of the new covenant. Not only was Apollos preaching this incomplete message, but people were hearing it. We wouldn’t label Apollos as a false teacher, but rather as one who didn’t have the complete message. We will see in our next lesson concerning the disciples at Ephesus in chapter nineteen how people had been affected by this teaching. Thanks be to God that Priscilla and Aquila explained more accurately the way of God to the mighty preacher, Apollos.

Concerning the brethren in Achaia, he helped them greatly

Once Apollos received the correction by Priscilla and Aquila, he wanted to go to Achaia, where he came to Corinth.[13] The brethren from Ephesus not only encouraged him to go, but they also wrote to the brethren in Achaia to welcome Apollos.[14] What confidence this must have placed in Apollos to have the brethren believe in him. It seems as though they knew what he was capable of since he was such a powerful and effective preacher, now of the gospel instead of his former message which was accurate up to a certain point.

The text says “...he helped greatly those who had believed through grace; for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ”.[15] He could send the arguments of the Jews crashing to the ground[16] by proving that Jesus was the promised Messiah, but this time he could go further with a more accurate message. In refuting these Jews, the brethren in Achaia were helped greatly.

While I will hold off until next time to discuss the inferences drawn between this text and the one of the disciples in Ephesus as recorded in chapter nineteen, let us consider what a more accurate explanation will provide. In our introduction of the preacher, Apollos, we see a man who was a powerful preacher with a limited explanation of Jesus turn into a more powerful preacher who could reach more people with a complete understanding of the Christ. Priscilla and Aquila helped further God’s kingdom in their encounter with this eloquent preacher because they took the time to explain to him the way of God more accurately.

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[1] Jimmy Allen, Survey of Acts, Vol. 2 (Searcy, AR:1986), 70.

[2] J.W. McGarvey, Commentary on Acts, Vol. 1 (Cincinnati, OH: Standard, 1892), 147.

[3] Acts 18:25

[4] Acts 18:26

[5] Luke 3:3

[6] Acts 2:38

[7] Romans 6:3

[8] Romans 6:4

[9] Jimmy Allen, Survey of Acts, Vol. 2 (Searcy, AR:1986), 70.

[10] Acts 18:26

[11] J.W. McGarvey, Commentary on Acts, Vol. 1 (Cincinnati, OH: Standard, 1893), 148.

[12] Acts 18:26

[13] Acts 19:1

[14] Acts 18:27

[15] Acts 18:27-28

[16] Wayne Jackson, The Acts of the Apostles: from Jerusalem to Rome (Stockton, CA:Courier, 2000), 244.

Wrestle with Your Vessel

Wrestle with Your Vessel

1 Thess. 4:1-8

When I was a young boy growing up one of the television programs I enjoyed watching was wrestling on Saturday mornings. After the wrestlers would make their grand entrance into the ring, they would lock arms with each other as they matched brute force. Some of them seemed to be superior to others, and they had their own signature moves. It appeared as though some of the popular wrestlers could find a way to come out victorious, but it was still a struggle as they were wrestling with another strong man.

Have you ever stopped to think about something that we wrestle with on a daily basis? Paul writes in his first letter to the Thessalonians about a wrestling match that occurs with our bodies. Here is what he tells them:

Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God as not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you (1 Thess. 4:1-8).

Let us examine this passage where Paul talks about the importance of sexual sanctification. Every day you’ve got to wrestle with your vessel, which is your body. Don’t give in to the temptations that Satan puts in front of you so that you are using your body for your own purposes and not for God’s.

The Commandments of Sanctification

The Thessalonians were given these commandments to be sanctified by the authority of the Lord Jesus (2). These were not opinions from Paul; they were not suggestions from Silas and Timothy; they were commandments from the Lord. Paul defines this aspect of sanctification as abstaining from sexual immorality (3). We know that the Bible is full of teaching about sanctification, especially pertaining to self-control and sexual purity.

God designed sex in the confines of the marriage relationship (Gen. 1:24). When we see the first union of the man and woman in the Garden of Eden, the relationship was to include leaving (father and mother), cleaving (to the woman) and becoming one flesh (sexual). Let’s just go ahead and say it; that is a great part of marriage. However, man eventually took this sexual act outside of the marriage bond which was a corruption. We see sexual immorality as a result of something that occurs when anyone other than a husband and wife participate together.

Paul says to abstain from sexual immorality. The word that is translated as fornication in the KJV or here in the NASB as sexual immorality is the word that is an umbrella term for all illicit sexual activity[1]. In order to be sexually sanctified, we’ve got to show some self-control. Paul preached about self-control when he was speaking to Felix in Acts 24:25. He showed that abstaining from sexual immorality is a must, as we see documented in the passage we are studying. He goes on to write that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23). Going back before anything Paul would document, Jesus said that to be a disciple of His we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him (Lk. 9:23). Denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily have to do with a daily death to self, where we are going to put the Lord as our first priority. Someone who doesn’t practice sexual sanctification is doing what is pleasing to his/her own body. Paul makes it clear that it is the will of God that we be sanctified.

The Complications of Sanctification

You’ve heard the phrase “it’s easier said than done!” Knowing that we are to remain sexually sanctified and remaining sexually sanctified are two different things. It’s a complicated scenario because we know what we’re supposed to do, but we don’t always do it. The Thessalonians were supposed to know how to possess their own vessel. Their vessels are their bodies. We are the ones who make the decisions of what we are going to do with our bodies. Allen Tilley, a former elder at West 7^th, told me on several occasions that he referred to someone doing something wrong as operator error. The last time I checked we are responsible for our own actions. We are put in situations where we have to make our own choices. The flesh is a strong desire and we have to decide if we are going to give in or resist the temptations which are in front of us.

Why are sexual temptations such a complicated matter? John writes about the things that are not from the Father but from the world: “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 Jn. 2:16). Willard Collins used to refer to these as the three bullets of Satan. At least two of these can be applied to sexual temptations, and maybe even all three. Satan tempted Eve (Gen. 3:1ff) and Jesus (Mt. 4 &LK. 4) with all three of these areas, so think about how powerful it can be on us when sexual temptations come at us from possibly all of these angles. It truly gets complicated to try to wrestle with our vessel while we attempt to remain sanctified in this area of our lives.

The good news is we know there is a way out of any temptation. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” Wrestlers are sometimes put in a particular hold to force them to give up, but there are ways out. You can either find a way to break the hold your opponent has on you, or you grab the rope that surrounds the ring. Therein lays the complication of sanctification: do we give in to these temptations or do we practice self-control by abstaining from sexual immorality and thereby submitting to God and resisting the Devil (Jas. 4:7)?

The Consequences of Sanctification

I was watching The Lion King with Caroline the other day, and you might remember the scene where Mufasa has to teach Simba a lesson for deliberately disobeying his direct orders not to go beyond the boundaries of the kingdom. Though he was in trouble for his disobedience, Mufasa tells Simba that it could have been much worse by resulting in death from the hyenas that attacked them. There are always consequences to our actions.

In this case with what Paul tells the Thessalonians, there are consequences for those who reject the teachings on sexual sanctification. If they rejected what Paul taught, it was ultimately God who gives His Holy Spirit to them (8). Think about what can possibly happen when we don’t practice sexual sanctification: babies can be born out of wedlock, sexually transmitted diseases can be spread, homes can be broken apart, etc. These things don’t always happen, but God is still being rejected, especially when children of God who have the indwelling Holy Spirit deliberately disobey the Lord’s instructions.

Sometimes we will hear people say “it’s my body, I’ll do what I want with it.” Those of us who are Christians need to understand the falsity of that statement. We are told by Paul:

Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:18-20).

Knowing what Christ did on our behalf by going to the cross should be a reminder for us that Christ purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28).

I used to teach a Bible Class at a local assisted living home. I would ask one of the ladies, “How do, Sue?” To which she would reply “I do as I please!” We need to understand that we have to wrestle with our vessel to make sure we can stay sexually sanctified. Sanctification is commanded; this comes by the authority of the Lord Jesus. Sanctification is complicated; it is a daily struggle to fight against the temptations of Satan. Sanctification has consequences; don’t be found guilty of rejecting God who gives us His Holy Spirit. Paul said “...I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27). He also said “...so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification” (Rom. 6:19). Let’s make sure those of us who are members of the church belonging to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are practicing sexual sanctification; wrestle with your vessel so that you’ll maintain self-control and run in a way to win the prize.

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[1] Earl D. Edwards, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Truth for Today Commentary (Searcy, AR: Resource, 2008), 123. 

Blog Update

I'm currently working on adding updated sermons to my blog. I will also try to link my blog to our website at http://www.northviewchurchofchrist.com.
If anyone has suggestions, I'd welcome any feedback. Our website is updated with new sermons and information, but it will be a work in progress as we are looking to change up the format a tad. Thanks for visiting my blog. It is my intention to post the scripts of my sermons in blog format so that those who wish to view them that way have that capability. The newest sermons on the right hand side of the page are linked to the church website.
I hope everyone has a great night, or day, depending on when you read this.

Good News of Faith

If someone was to tell you they've got good news, what first comes to mind? For some it will be the line from the Geico commercials where they follow that phrase with "I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico." For others it might follow with a wedding announcement, baby news, etc. How often do we stop and consider that good news may have something to do with spiritual news. In 1 Thessalonians chapter two, Paul begins writing about some good news that Timothy brought back concerning the brethren at Thessalonica. Using the text of 1 Thess. 2:13-3:13 for our lesson, I want us to see some good news of faith.

The Foundation of Your Faith

Any type of building has to have a foundation. You have to start somewhere, and you better make sure the foundation is going to be stable. Jesus talks about the differences between a stable foundation and an unstable foundation in Mt. 7:24-27. Anybody who wants to have a secure foundation is going to make sure they are starting off on the right foot. Before Paul gets into commending the Thessalonians for their faith, he first talks about the foundation of their faith. He talks about how they accepted the word of God's message. It seems their acceptance of God's message was evident in two ways: in their attitudes and in their actions. Pertaining to attitudes, they accepted it "for what it really is, the word of God" (13). People who don't accept the authority of God's word don't have the proper attitude, but the Thessalonians had the right attitude in accepting the truth. Pertaining to actions, they became imitators of the churches which were undergoing persecution at that time. Paul had already mentioned this in the first chapter, so this must have been a big deal to him. We can see how these attitudes and actions came forth from the foundation of their faith.

It is evident even today that the foundation of our faith will be visible to others. What is your view of God's Word, the Bible? People will be able to catch a glimpse of your faith by your attitude toward the Bible and by your actions as a result of the Bible. Think about some other ways people can see the foundation of your faith: your personal Bible study, your church attendance, your daily activity, etc. Just as a house is built from the foundation your life will be built on the foundation of faith in Christ. That is a cause for good news.

The Fear of Your Faith

We have times in our lives where we are afraid of what might happen in a particular situation. Maybe it's because of our absence, whether at work, home, etc. Paul was afraid of what could possibly happen in Thessalonica if he didn't return to see them. He tells them he wanted to come more than once, but he had been thwarted or hindered. Have you ever had someone cut you off while you are driving, maybe even when they pull in front of you and it slows you down? This is one of the ideas behind this word thwarted or hindered, the idea of being cut off. It may be that the disobedient Jews are the ones Satan had used to cut off Paul from returning to Thessalonica. Whatever it was that Paul had in mind, he was sure to tell them what his concern was. Keep in mind that this was still a relatively young church, and he was afraid that Satan might get to them. If the tempter had tempted them, there was a real possibility they might spiritually come unglued. If this was to happen, Paul would feel that his labor was in vain.

What would this mean for his labor to be in vain? One of the meanings of the word translated as vain is places or vessels which contain nothing. It seems to me that Paul is saying all that work they had put into not only teaching them the gospel but also exhorting and encouraging them as new Christians would be for nothing. Think about what Paul had done: he had patiently taught them the gospel; he had labored among them; he had imparted his own life to them. To see someone you spent so much time and effort with fall away from the faith would be crushing.

It is with this fear in mind that Paul eventually sent Timothy, who came back with the good news to alleviate Paul’s fears. They were longing for Paul just as he was longing for them. They had not written off Paul because he did not return, and Timothy found them in a spiritual condition where he could bring back the good news of their faith and love to Paul, who was comforted by this news in the midst of his distress and affliction. With Paul’s fears being alleviated, he shares just how special they are to him and his companions: “for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord” (3:8).

Even in a congregational setting in today’s time, elders and preachers should be concerned that people will fall away. The spiritual health of a congregation should be very important to those who are laboring among it. When Paul shows the Thessalonians that their spiritual standing was a determining factor to his life, it should serve to show us how important the lives of our fellow Christians should be to us. What makes you feel like you really live? Is it hobbies, family, sports or does it ever revolve around the spiritual well-being of others at North View? The fear of your faith will hopefully result in good news.

The Future of Your Faith

With where they came from in the foundation of their faith to the fear that Paul had concerning their faith, he now prays for the future of their faith. Notice what he says in 3:11-13. It seems to be a prayer of direction in two ways: he wants the Lord to direct his path to them and he wants them to increase and abound in love. Concerning the Lord directing his path, it would appear that Paul is speaking of the providence of God. This is something we don’t understand all that well; we just know it happens. The Lord has His own way of working things out in our lives. Looking through the Bible we can see that He does this through people (Ezra 1:1), through the Spirit (Rom. 8:14) and through circumstances (Rom. 8:28). If Paul was going to make it back to the Thessalonians, God was going to be the One to do it. Concerning their increase and abounding in love, they have room for improvement. This is an area they were doing really well in, but he would go on in the next chapter to tell them they could “excel still more” (4:1) in their attempt to walk and please God.

All of us who are members of the church should pray for the maturity of the congregation. Whether it’s those of you who ought to be teaching, those of you who need to attend more services of the church, those of you who need to get involved in the work of the church, there are going to continually be ways we can increase and abound in love for one another. I find it ironic that at church fellowship meals many times we drink out of red solo cups. There’s a reason it’s called fellowship and not soloship. To increase and abound in love for one another we’ve got to be involved with each other.

Why does Paul pray in this manner for the Thessalonians? It’s “so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints” (3:13). He knew about the foundation of their faith since they first heard the message. He had a fear of their faith because of what the tempter might do. He prayed for the future of their faith as he was seeking to come to them. Timothy indeed brought good news back to Paul about their faith and love, and it’s my desire that we could be the congregation that good news is spread about in this community.

Missing the Mark

On New Year’s Eve I was invited to go quail hunting by my uncle, Stan Butt. With some of my cousins there and some other friends, I was invited to be one of the shooters for the first leg of this hunt. The birds were located fairly quickly, and it was determined that they didn’t want to fly. It got to be very comical as several of the guys were trying to get the birds out of the edge of the woods and up into the air. Wouldn’t you know that when they did finally get up to fly that the first bird flew right out in front of me. It should have been an easy shot, but I unloaded both of my 12 gauge shells harmlessly in the vicinity of that nearby bird. Can we say that was a “fowl?” Everybody hounded me for missing the bird at those close of a range, and I could do nothing but take it. Needless to say I felt better after my cousin, Kyle fired two shots with the same results I had. It was good to know I was not alone. I did go on to hit a few birds after that to redeem myself before I had to leave, but that humbling experience reminds me of a mark that we all miss. The Apostle Paul says “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). According to Jimmy Allen in his commentary on Romans, the word that is translated as sinned here has as one of its meanings “failing to hit the mark” (32). Ever since sin reared its ugly head in the Garden of Eden, people have been missing the mark when we do what is contrary to God’s law. Whether it’s in our talk, our actions or our thoughts, we are going to continually fall short of the expectations God has for us by sinning. Thankfully, Jesus Christ provided a remedy for this sin. Paul says “for the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Those who are in Christ are continually cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus if we confess our sins (1 Jn. 1:7, 9). When we do sin, we have an Advocate in Christ with the Father (1 Jn. 2:1). The next time you miss the mark on something whether it be in hunting, sports, etc., remember that we all miss the mark when it comes to sin. Even when you miss something at point blank range (such as the quail!), remember that is minor compared to missing God’s mark. However, there’s good news: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:1-2).