"Therefore of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God" (Hebrews 6:1).
It is doubtful that we can count the number of
sermons, studies, and comments made over the past several years
concerning this verse. And almost every time it was heard, we
heard it about the same way as before; primarily, that if we are
ever to be "perfected", we have been told, it is of the
utmost necessity for us to grow up by GETTING AWAY FROM THE
ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS OF CHRIST and start chewing on "real
meat", i.e. "the DEEP things of God." It is often
said that the simpler teachings are O.K., for the little babes,
that is, but WE are no longer babes and are in need of
"STRONG MEAT." The above verse is usually the one used
to convey this thought. It is strange, however, that the babes
are rarely fed any of the vitally basic truths so they can go on
to maturity, and needless to say, many of them end up with either
spiritual belly aches or spiritual death as a result of being fed
this so called "strong meat." It is not a pleasant
sight, but this is what happens when one tries to live on the
knowledge of "revelations" alone rather than the
Revelator -- The Christ, The Living Word that proceeds out of the
mouth of God. We cannot eat bread alone without the Wine of Life,
for in doing so, it is like building a structure without a
foundation, and when the heavens and the earth quake and the
sands begin to shift, down comes baby, cradle, and all.
There is one thing, brethren, that we can all
count on. Regardless of our theological beliefs, EVERY
WORD that we embrace WILL BE TESTED
WITH SHAKINGS AND WITH FIRE. For is it not recorded in Psalms
12:6 that "The WORDS OF THE LORD are pure words: as silver
tried in a furnace of earth, PURIFIED SEVEN TIMES"? And
again in 18:30 David wrote, "...the word of the Lord is
tried..." Yes, every word that proceeds out of the mouth of
God shall be tested for its worth; but it does not stop with only
the words that we hear, for THE ANOINTED FIRSTFRUITS ARE ALSO
WORDS THAT ARE SPOKEN OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD, AND ACCORDING TO
WHAT IS WRITTEN WE SHALL NOT RETURN UNTO HIM VOID. Whatsoever it
is that He has spoken us into existence to do...THOSE THINGS WE
SHALL ACCOMPLISH AND WILL CERTAINLY PROSPER IN THE THING WHERETO
GOD SENDS US.
If we take the time to read Isaiah 55:10-13,
we would see that we are the words that are
spoken out of His mouth, and it is we who shall come down as rain
to refresh and give life to the earth). Therefore, not only will
the Words that we hear be tried and then become fire in our
mouths (Psalm 12:6 & Jeremiah 5:14 & 23:29), but we are also
Gods Word who will be refined with the consuming Spirit of
Himself and then come forth as His ministers of FLAMING FIRE as
well (Psalm 104:4). Have we ever considered that after being
refined, we will be flaming words of fire in the mouth of God?
And when He says, "Let there be light", don't we know
that we shall go forth from Him as a shining light to the
darkened world?
Therefore, let us be mindful of HOW WE HEAR (Luke
8:18). For if we hear the truths of God that are fit for a sure
foundation with only the intellect of our minds (rather than by
the anointing) the shakings and the testing fires will surly
cause our houses to crumble and fall and be burned to ashes. So
if we should find ourselves sitting in the middle of an ash-heap,
then PRAISE GOD; for we don't want the things that are not of Him
anyway, even though they may have had a luster to our natural
eye. After the pain and shock of the loss (everything Paul called
dung) we can start afresh, and with care we will be able to build
a mansion fit for the King. Rather than getting angry when we
hear something that challenges our doctrines, let us give thanks
unto the Lord for revealing to us whether our foundations are of
precious stones or of sand. More doctrines than we might imagine
will no doubt eventually have to be adjusted, balanced, or
totally destroyed in order for us to continue growing up into the
fullness of the stature of Christ. If this be the case, let us
start today with opened hearts to the realities of Christ and
begin to examine by the Spirit every doctrine that is contained
in our foundations...lest we find ourselves lacking in this great
and notable day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
LEAVING THE PRINCIPLES
"Therefore LEAVING THE PRINCIPLES
of the doctrine of Christ..." The word LEAVING carries the
thought of simply REMOVING ourselves from that thing or person
and temporarily becoming "PHYSICALLY SEPARATED" from
it. Such as, when we leave our home and family and drive to work.
On the other hand, it can also have a very negative meaning. When
a man "LEAVES" his wife for another woman, not only has
he left her physically, but it is a permanent situation and a
painful division in their relationship -- for HE HAS FORSAKEN
HER. With one type of leaving, we have a strengthening and
building of the home, even though there is a continual
"leaving" taking place; yet with the other we see total
ruin in the home and life of the one who leaves as well as those
who have been left. The one who has forsaken the principles of
the marriage has in effect committed murder. They may not have
physically killed their spouse, but he is certainly guilty of
spiritual murder by slowly tormenting her to death in submitting
himself to the weakness of the lusts of his own selfish flesh.
How do we suppose, now, are we to "LEAVE
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST?"
The context of this verse suggests that we are
to leave the principles of Christ's doctrines by BUILDING
UPWARD FROM THE FOUNDATION, rather than
"FORSAKING" it. When a natural foundation is laid, we
begin to LEAVE IT by placing one stone at a time UPON THE
FOUNDATION and building UPWARD from there. We do not leave it by
moving across town and building the walls some place other than
where the foundation has been laid. Likewise, when, and IF, we
have a FIRM foundation laid, we should never leave it by
separating ourselves from it but leave it by BUILDING continually
UPWARD from it with knowledge while still being joined to it by
the mortar of God's love. In I Corinthians 3:10 Paul said it like
this: "According to the grace of God which is given unto me,
as a master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another
buildeth THEREON. But let every man take heed
how he buildeth thereon." Not only are we to build UPon
the foundation, but we are to be careful of HOW we build.
THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST
"...Leaving the principles of the DOCTRINE
OF CHRIST..." For many Christians today the word
"doctrine" has come to be a negative word, but we
shouldn't take offense when we hear it. Doctrine merely means a
"teaching", of which we all can use a little more.
However, in this verse DOCTRINE is translated from the word LOGOS
(the only place where logos is translated doctrine). In our
previous studies (The Word, Parts II & III),we saw that the
LOGOS conveys the THOUGHT and INTENT of the speaker and is an
outward EXPRESSION of himself as well.
The word RHEMA is also a SPOKEN WORD, but it
does not have the EXPRESSION that LOGOS has. Rhema, as we are
concerned with it here, is a word spoken from God and quickened
to us by His Spirit. This word does not carry with it the
understanding of HOW a thing is to be accomplished -- it just
makes a statement, and the one who hears the word believes what
was said and knows that it will come to pass. This is FAITH that
comes by hearing. Listening to many tapes does not produce this
faith, unless of course, the Anointing that abides within brings
it to life. It is then that we have heard the rhema and we need
not have any man teach us.
We must be careful, though, of how this thought
of not having man to teach us is expressed, for there are some
who have taken this truth and run with it before it has been
written upon the tables of their hearts. In doing so they have
become just as unprofitable as those who imagine that listening
with their natural minds to volumes of tapes and sermons will
give them the faith they desire to have what they want. They have
gone out of balance in the opposite direction...believing that by
deliberately withdrawing themselves from any fellowship with the
rest of the body, they will not be polluted with man's doctrines,
for they will be hearing nothing but the "pure word of God
that comes straight from the throne." This would be fine if
such a thought was the way God had chosen to deliver His truths
to His church and the world, but according to Paul, PREACHING WAS
THE VITAL ELEMENT IN HEARING. He said, "...how shall they
believe in Him of whom they have not heard? AND HOW SHALL THEY
HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? and how shall they preach, except they
be sent?..." and "...it pleased God BY THE FOOLISHNESS
OF PREACHING TO SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE." (Romans 10:14-15
& 1 Corinthians 1:21).
The above verses would almost lend credence to
the idea of withdrawing oneself from the rest of the body until
"they" are sent to save the world. Indeed, in order for
one to be sent they must first HEAR A WORD OF THE LORD, and no
doubt, this word would be THE RHEMA. However, I believe that we
are safe in saying that the word that men are sent with did not
come totally from God while being shut in with the Lord. No
doubt, the word they are sent with was given to them by the
anointing, for it is the anointing that teaches us all things (1
John 2:27); but probably, only ten percent of the pure sermons
that have been preached came directly from God to the one being
sent. The other ninety percent was quickened to them through
fellowshipping with others. The word is no less pure and alive
just because one hears it through another vessel; and if there is
a mixture in their words, then let us submit to the Christ within
so we can know what is the truth.
When we receive our ten percent directly from
God (if that is an accurate figure) and refuse to become one with
the body of Christ, the ten percent is all we are likely to have.
The rest of what we receive will be such a hodge-podge mixture of
"revelations" from our own minds and lying spirits that
we won't know the truth if we stumble over it. Paul did not write
to the Ephesians in vain when he said, "But speaking the
truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by THAT WHICH EVERY JOINT SUPPLIETH,
according to the EFFECTUAL WORKING in the MEASURE OF EVERY
PART, MAKETH INCREASE OF THE BODY unto the EDIFYING OF
ITSELF IN LOVE." (Ephesians 4:15-16).
Brethren, we do not hesitate to say, that if
any member of the body of Christ withdraws him or herself from
the fellowship of the saints, that individual will cease to
mature and will not know the joys of being edified with the body
in love. Therefore, if we want to continue to hear the RHEMA OF
CHRIST and be able to go forth conquering the powers of hell,
then let us join the ranks of His mighty army and submit
ourselves to the authority of the One who can and will lead us to
victory.
The first principles of the DOCTRINE of Christ,
or rather, THE LOGOS OF CHRIST, as mentioned before, is God's
very thought and intention coming forth. It is God being
expressed to our innermost being which brings us to a conscious
understanding and knowledge of Himself and His thoughts to our
spirits, our souls, and eventually to and through our bodies.
When the Logos is SPOKEN to us by His Spirit, we begin to KNOW
how a thing works, rather than just BELIEVING that it will. When
we know how to put something into effect that God had first given
to us by faith, we no longer have to wait for it, for
"THROUGH WISDOM IS AN HOUSE BUILDED; and BY UNDERSTANDING IT
IS ESTABLISHED; AND BY KNOWLEDGE SHALL THE CHAMBERS BE FILLED
with all precious and pleasant riches." (Proverbs 24:3-4). If
the Logos had been spoken to Abraham, he would not have died in
faith (not laying a hold of the promises of God), but he would
have KNOWN WHERE HE WAS GOING and HOW to establish that
"city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is
God" (Hebrews 11:8-10). However, since God did not speak the
Logos to him, all that was required of him was to simply believe;
but we, at the end of this age, are hearing the Logos that will
enable us to build that city in and by the Spirit of Christ.
Are we then going to forget about THE
PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST? Hopefully not. Think about
it! In the first grade when we learned that 2 + 2 = 4, we learned
a principle in mathematics. In college calculus, did we leave and
forget this principle to never use it again? We should say not!
For even in calculus that principle is still used, regardless of
how advanced and difficult the equation might be. Although we
don't stay in the first grade forever, there will be times in
calculus when we will once again add 2 + 2 and the answer will
always be 4. Although we have "left" the first grade we
find ourselves continually using that foundation in our daily
lives. This is what we see as being done with the principles of
the doctrine of Christ: they are always being used as we press
toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ.
Therefore, we should be a little more cautious when we are ready
to "leave" some of these anointed doctrines, for we may
find ourselves throwing out the baby with the bath water.
NOT LAYING AGAIN
"...Let us go on unto perfection;
NOT LAYING AGAIN THE FOUNDATION of repentance from dead
works..." There is a truth in "not laying again the
foundation," as it is written in the King James Version
here; that is, IF we have it laid according to the proper
specifications -- it should not have to be laid again. However,
if it is not properly laid or it has been disrupted; then in
order to continue on with the building, it must be laid again. In
Hebrews 5:11-14 the writer rebuked the people because they had
destroyed the foundation that was previously laid. Therefore,
they were in need of having it LAID AGAIN: "For when for the
time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one TEACH
YOU AGAIN" (Vrs. 12). In other words, "ye have need
that one LAY THE FOUNDATION IN YOU AGAIN."
The Hebrews had forsaken the grace of God's rest (one of the very
first principle doctrines of Christ) and had gone back to works
as we see so many doing today. Therefore, since their foundation
had been cast down, it was necessary for them to be taught again.
The words LAYING AGAIN certainly do make this
verse sound as if they were not to bother with such things once
they had participated in it. However, in looking into the Greek
we will notice that it conveys another thought. The word is
KATABALLO, which means TO CAST DOWN. The same
word is used two other times in the New Testament, in Rev. 12:10
and in II Cor. 4:9: "...Now is come salvation...for the
accuser of our brethren is CAST DOWN..."
and again, "Persecuted, but not forsaken; CAST DOWN
but not destroyed." This word has no thought of LAYING DOWN
as in ESTABLISHING something, but to the contrary. It speaks
loudly of TEARING THINGS APART. It wouldn't make sense to say,
"now is come salvation, for the accuser of our brethren is
LAID DOWN, i.e. AS A FOUNDATION," and neither does it make
sense to say that we are never to LAY AGAIN THE FOUNDATION IF WE
HAVE FOR SOME REASON DESTROYED IT. However, we can conceive of
being admonished NOT TO DESTROY IT AGAIN, if in
fact, we have destroyed it once before. According to the original
text and the context of this verse this is exactly what is being
said; rather than to walk off from it and build according to our
own specifications.
THE FOUNDATION OF
REPENTANCE
One of the precious stones in the foundation is
REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS, and once it has been
laid it is not to be CAST DOWN -- we are to let it remain and use
it the rest of our lives as we journey into the far reaches of
the inner space of God. But what is REPENTANCE anyway? It simply
means to TURN FROM SOMETHING, and there are two kinds that we are
concerned with here. One comes from a worldly sorrow that works
death, but the one we are interested in comes from a GODLY SORROW
that works REPENTANCE UNTO SALVATION, i.e. DELIVERANCE.
(2 Corinthians 7:10). When we repent of something only because of
having been caught in the act, this is a sorrow of the world.
Although we may or may not do the same thing again, our hearts
remain in the same condition and inwardly we are never DELIVERED
of the sin which works death to us. In this state of mind,
although we are not outwardly manifesting works and lusts of the
flesh, we will have the tendency to harbor and entertain in our
hearts those deadly things that exist in the realm of the dust.
However, when the Christ within is so grieved by such things that
there is a GENUINE SORROW, we will submit ourselves unto God.
Then in the Spirit of Christ we can resist the devil and watch
him flee from us (James 4:7). The terrible things that once held
us in bondage to beggarly elements of the world are broken by the
power of Christ; and we walk as free men and women in Christ,
actually DELIVERED from the chains that held us captive for so
long.
Let us now ask, "Have we come to the place
to where we have overcome all things? Have we overcome all the
LUST OF THE FLESH, all the LUST OF THE EYE, and all the PRIDE OF
LIFE (1 John 2:16); and have we overcome all the DEAD WORKS of the
flesh? Is everything that we do a result of FAITH from HEARING
the RHEMA OF GOD?" If not, then there is still THE
FOUNDATION OF REPENTANCE that must be applied to our lives. If we
don't get this basic foundation established and working
in our lives, then our victory in Christ is only a delusion in
our minds and never a present reality.
If we are still drawn to the piano player or
preacher in our church who is so "spiritually" in tune
to our "revelations", thinking "this is the one
who was created with me from the beginning, and God has now
brought him/her forth to be my soul mate (lust of the
flesh)"; or if we are desiring to possess things of the
world more than that of God (lust of the eyes); or perhaps we
want to be "someone" in the world or church today
(pride of life) -- then let it be far from us to cast
aside the very foundation of our deliverance. For If we
do cast it aside and sin willfully, there remains no more a
sacrifice for our sins. We can no longer be restored through
repentance, buy by fire, for there awaits us the FIERY
INDIGNATION OF GOD that will devour that fleshly adversary of
rebellion in our lives (See Hebrews 6:4-8, and 10:26-27). Yes, we
will be freed from those hellish shackles of death, and we
"shall be saved; yet so as by fire." But oh my!
We shall suffer great loss (1 Corinthians 3:15).
OF FAITH TOWARD GOD
If we were really required to leave the
foundations of God, this WOULD MEAN WE ARE TO CAST ASIDE THE
VERY FAITH THAT TAKES US CLOSER TO HIM. If we already
have all the faith that is necessary for our spiritual walk, and
all knowledge of spiritual things is now a present reality to us,
then amen, we should have no need of faith, for we would have
reached our destination where faith is a thing of the past.
However, since we are still in the process of learning and
growing, and there are still areas in our lives that are in
unbelief because we have never heard; we are in dire need of
faith which comes only by hearing the anointed Word of God.
We could speak more on FAITH and how it comes
by hearing the RHEMA of God, but rather than being too
repetitious, we will look into some of the other parts of the
foundation. If it is desired, however, for memories to be
refreshed concerning this topic, read again "THE DOCTRINES
OF CHRIST" (page 3 of this article) and "THE
WORD", Part II (free upon request).
BAPTISMS
Baptisms...this is another thing we may or may
not feel is necessary. This of course, depends on what type of
baptism is considered -- water, Holy Spirit, fire, or Christ's
body. Some say that once we have been baptized (dipped or
immersed, Grk.) in water, we no longer need to be too concerned
about baptisms, for that part of the foundation is complete.
IN WATER
It is agreed that when any particular baptism
has been accomplished, such as water baptism, it is no longer
necessary to "repeat" it over and over again. However,
in looking into what water baptism REPRESENTS, we might be able
to see where we have never left it at all. The immersion of our
bodies into the watery grave symbolizes the
dying to ourselves (Adam), and when we were raised up out of the
water is symbolic of a continual living into Jesus Christ -- our
resurrection. These two realities, the death to self and
progressive living into Christ, make up the first baptism that
every Christian should know about from the very beginning of
their conception. They should be taught that their walk with and
into Christ is going to cost them something, and that cost is
their very life. But they should also understand, this is not
much to pay in comparison to what is received -- his very life.
This ordinance of water baptism, indeed, should
be left and never performed again; because the act of being
baptized in water IS NOT the thing that
constitutes a part of the foundation of the building and city of
God -- but the experiencing of the dying and living certainly do.
Anything in the foundation or building of God must be a reality
of Christ. Otherwise, it will be rejected. We can be baptized in
water a thousand different ways; but if we have not lived the
reality to which that symbol points, then brethren, we have
missed it and our baptism has availed us NOTHING. However, if we
have tasted the bitterness of death while ascending into the
riches of Christ and His kingdom, then the foundation is becoming
a reality. This is when water baptism is not necessary; for once
the reality of something is experienced, the symbols tend to lose
their importance.
Water baptism is like the blueprints and
specifications for the foundation of a house, not the foundation
itself, and once the foundation has been laid the blueprints are
no longer needed; and there are times when a blueprint or specs
are not even necessary. When my wife, Margit, and I added some
rooms onto our mobile home, We had the knowledge of how deep and
strong the foundation must be to support the weight of the walls
and roof. Therefore, we didn't have to go through the process of
getting the blueprints and specifications drawn up. If we had not
APPLIED the proper principles of foundation building, we would
have soon found out that we had done something wrong, making it
necessary to draw up the proper specs, find the weakness, and
correct it. Likewise, if we find in our own lives, that we have
not EXPERIENCED the DEATH TO SELF and are not RISING DAILY INTO
CHRIST; let us read the specifications again and see what this
baptism is pointing to and submit ourselves to God that He may
perform it. This is not to say that we are to be dipped again
into water but to examine the symbols and see HOW to apply the
principle to our lives.
It seems that the church is so busy wrangling
over how one is to be baptized that they have missed the point of
baptism all together. Some denominations believe that if a person
is not water baptized, they are "eternally doomed to
hell." Such thoughts would make us wonder what was the
eternal fate of that poor fellow in New York we read and heard
about in the news a couple of years ago. The pastor was baptizing
him in one of the rivers there; and when he was immersed, the
swift current swept him out of the pastors hands and he drowned.
Since he was only half-way baptized; Was he saved because of
being in the act of baptism, not saved and eternally damned for
not being able to complete the baptism, or was he a little saved
and a little damned (half-way in heaven and half-way in hell)
because he had only been able to get the job half done?
Don't
laugh, for the churches have engaged themselves in much more
ridiculous things than this. The Roman Catholic Church, for
instance, in one of their councils, tried to determine what to do
if a dog ate the "host," "the very flesh of
Christ," and then vomited it up. And when the Czars of
Russia were overthrown and communism was established as a result,
the church of Russia was in another council with their most
important concern in that day. They were in "great"
deliberation on how much was a fair price to pay for the
skullcaps that they wore on the shaved spot of the crown of their
heads. These are just a couple of the follies that the learned
masters of the "church" have idled away eons of time
with. We could go on and on, but we will leave it for now.
Some
contend that one must be completely immersed in water in order to
be saved, while others say that sprinkling will suffice. The
majority of the churches believe that salvation hinges on water
baptism regardless of the method. But some believe if the person
has made a "profession of faith" and is intending on
being baptized but suddenly dies before the ordinance is
performed, then this one will surely be saved from the endless
woe. And then, if they get to the baptismal tank, it is very
strongly argued on what name or title to baptize them in -- in
the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus Christ, in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, or in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost, etc. When one is baptized, we would
wonder then, whether they are sprinkled with water or completely
immersed, what is the significance of it? Is God so concerned
with the exact mode, name, or title we use when being baptized
that it could effect our eternal destiny? Is He really sitting on
His throne somewhere beyond the Milkyway observing and having His
angels take notes of such ordinances? And when someone is not
properly baptized, is there a sorrowful "Oh no, not
again" heard echoing throughout the heavens as God shakes
His head in disappointment while inquiring of His angels,
"Did you get that one recorded?" Well brethren, if
water baptism is all that important to God, then such thoughts
would be in order.
There are so many different and varied beliefs
on this subject alone that it would be futile and a waste of time
to try to cover each doctrine that is taught on baptism, much
less everything else that one must do to be saved. We will,
however, look a little further into what being baptized is all
about.
We are not saying that water baptism has no
value, for it does, but the importance of it lies within the
individual rather than with God. We will notice what Peter said
about it: "By which also He went and preached unto the
Spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the
longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark
was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls WERE SAVED BY
WATER. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also save us
(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, BUT THE ANSWER
OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD,) by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ" (1 Peter 3:19-21). "WERE SAVED BY WATER" is
more accurately translated "WERE CARRIED SAFELY THROUGH
WATER" (Empathic Diaglott), which would indicate that they were saved
FROM THE WATER, i.e. THE SENTENCE OF DEATH. This
verse is not saying that the water, or baptism, is what saved
them from sin or death -- IT WAS THE ARK (JESUS) THAT DELIVERED
THEM SAFELY THROUGH THE JUDGMENT OF DEATH. The only thing that a
literal water baptism can save us from is our CONSCIENCE TOWARD
GOD. If we are to be saved any farther than this, we will then
have to obtain it THROUGH THE LIVING RESURRECTION OF JESUS
CHRIST, not intellectually but EXPERIENTIALLY! In the original
manuscripts it does not say BY the resurrection but THROUGH
(dia) THE RESURRECTION. This is not being saved or delivered just
because of Christ's resurrection, but because we are GOING THROUGH
HIS RESURRECTION DAILY -- which is LIFE! We can
also read of this in Romans 5:9-10: "Much more then, being
now justified by His blood, WE SHALL BE SAVED FROM WRATH THROUGH
HIM. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to
God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, WE
SHALL BE SAVED IN HIS LIFE," (as it is
rendered in the Greek).
Let us now read I Peter 3:21 without his
parenthetical thought (that which is enclosed in parenthesis):
"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save
us...THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST."
It is THE RESURRECTION, THE LIFE, THAT SAVES US.
As we have it here, BAPTISM MOST CERTAINLY DOES SAVE US, but
PRAISE GOD, IT IS NOT BEING IMMERSED INTO WATER THAT DOES IT, BUT
BEING IMMERSED INTO THE RESURRECTED LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST OUR
LORD! Regardless of how deep we go into the darkened
grave of death, when we are engulfed by the glory of His vibrant
life, we come up out of it and into the rapturous beauty of the
brilliance of God -- something that water can never do.
So now, does water baptism save, that is, DELIVER,
us from our present carnal condition? Or is DELIVERANCE the
reality of the life of Christ coming forth and DEATH
BEING SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY? (1 Corinthians 15:54). I don't
think we need to ask. Therefore, from this perspective, water
baptism itself is not a part of the foundation but is only that
which symbolizes LIFE OVERCOMING DEATH. And if we are not
established in this living foundation, we will find our self-life
"Well and Alive on Late Great Planet Earth" when we
should be dead to the world but alive to God through Christ.
What then, can we say of these things? ARE WE
TO "LEAVE" SUCH A FOUNDATION AS THIS?
Are we to forsake the BAPTISM OF LIFE and go
soaring off into the sky-blue yonder of "DEEP
REVELATION" that puffeth up? Or are we to EMBRACE OUR LORD
OF LIFE AS WE ARE IMMERSED DAILY INTO HIM AND
BUILD UPON THAT LIFE CONTINUALLY, that we may live, being free
from all the bondages of death and every form of sin that so
easily besets us? We, dear ones, opt for the latter.
IN THE NAME
There is some debate, as mentioned above, on
what is the proper NAME or TITLE to be baptized in; and we have a
variety to choose from: IN THE NAME OF THE LORD
(Acts 10:48 & 22:16), IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST
(Acts 2:38), IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS (Acts
8:16), or IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE
SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST (Matthew 28:19).
Some play it "safe" and cover all the bases by
baptizing IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY
GHOST...WHO IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. The sad thing about it is,
that in all their voicing of the "proper" rhetoric, the
majority of those who have been baptized have still not been
BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF ANYONE.
The word NAME in the Hebrew
and Greek, or any language for that matter, simply means NATURE,
i.e. Christ Jesus means ANOINTED SAVIOUR. No other name would
have been suitable to Him. Therefore, when we are BAPTIZED
(immersed) INTO THE NAME of our
Lord, we are in fact being IMMERSED INTO THE VERY NATURE
AND LIFE OF GOD HIMSELF. Every one of the names
and titles mentioned above speak of the SAME THING -- GOD'S
NATURE. If we are baptized INTO the NATURE
of JESUS CHRIST, Are we not being IMMERSED INTO THE
NATURE OF GOD? And when we go forth teaching and
baptizing the nations in the NAME (singular) of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Are we not
IMMERSING them INTO THE NATURE, CHARACTER, and LIFE OF
GOD? And don't we know that there is no NAME (NATURE)
under heaven wherein a man can be saved except that of JESUS
CHRIST (Acts 4:12)? Likewise, without Jesus there is no
Life of God to be known, for if we will recall He said, "I
am the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE" (John 14:6). Or we could
safely say, "He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life of THE
NAME...THE NATURE...THE CHARACTER...THE VERY ESSENCE of the
LIVING GOD, and whosoever believeth and is IMMERSED INTO THAT
LIVING NAME SHALL LIVE."
If our trust in being purified does not hinge
on water baptism, then we see no harm in it, for according to the
record, it was practiced by some in the early Church, but as
history has it, it went back further than that. Smith's Bible
Dictionary tells us, "It is well known that ablution or
bathing was common in most ancient nations as a preparation for
prayers and sacrifice or as EXPIATORY OF SIN. There is a NATURAL
CONNECTION in the mind between the thought of physical and that
of spiritual pollution. In warm countries this connection is
probably even closer than in colder climates; and hence the
frequency of ablution in the religious rites throughout the east.
The history of Israel and the Law of Moses abound with such
illustrations. It was natural, that of all people, the priests
most especially should be required to purify themselves in this
manner. It was first by baptism, then by unction, and lastly by
sacrifice. From the Gospel history we learn that at that time
ceremonial washings had been greatly multiplied by TRADITIONS of
the doctors and elders (see Mark 7:3-4). The most important, and
probably one of the earliest of these traditional customs, was
the baptizing of proselytes."
For all practical purposes, water baptism was a
glorified washing at the laver of the Tabernacle and the Temple,
and as Doctor Smith stated, "There is a NATURAL CONNECTION IN
THE MIND between the thought of physical and that of the
SPIRITUAL POLLUTION." However, let us, brethren, not be
minding that which is PHYSICAL (the cleansing of our
BODIES), but rather, that which is SPIRITUAL to the cleansing
of our SOULS by THE BAPTISM INTO THE LIVING
WATER -- CHRIST JESUS! If, however, it is necessary for
your conscience to be cleared, and you haven't experienced the
baptism into the Spirit of Christ, then as a statement to the
world of your faith and allegiance to your new Lord -- go ahead
and be baptized. Afterwards, if you ever slide back into the
world, the witnesses of your baptism can say, "You have
broken the covenant with the Lord, for I saw you sign the
contract -- I witnessed your baptism...."
To be continued...
Elwin R.
Roach
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