by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Baptism
Baptism Opens the Spiritual Heart to More of God’s Will
Obedience to Jesus’ mandate to be baptized opens the spiritual heart to more of God’s will and empowerment in your service to Him. Matthew 3:16 says, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him.”
In Matthew 4:1 we read, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” The primary reason for the temptations of Jesus after His baptism was so we could have a Lord who has been tempted as we are, yet He did not sin. Because He was victorious over Satan’s temptations, (Hebrews 4:15) we can, “…approach the throne of God with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
To be tempted (πειράζω peirázō) means to experience trials, to prove either a good or bad sense, soliciting to sin. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament) The purpose of this temptation is to learn the true nature or character of a person, to cause someone not to succeed at the endeavor to which God has called them too. (Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic Domains; Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament)
Many think that just because they obeyed the command to be baptized that they will no longer face trials and temptations. The promise is that when trials and temptations come, we have Jesus, in whose Name we are baptized, He will send His Holy Spirit to empower us to overcome (Romans 8:34) and comfort us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)
Jesus showed us how to conquer the temptations of Satan and the trials of life. Jesus’ victory over temptation enables us to trust in the promises in God’s Word and seek the whole counsel of Scripture as we face the lies of the devil, the world’s lures and the seduction of the flesh. When we trust in Christ to overcome Satan temptations, we find ourselves prepared to be used by God.
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Baptism
Modes of this Christian Celebration
Jesus and His disciples spoke of the importance of baptism. However, the New Testament is not altogether clear as to the methodology of this Christian celebration. Baptism ceremonies are performed in baptisteries, lakes, streams and even oceans. Christians throughout history have been water baptized through different methods, including but not limited to sprinkling, the pouring of water over the head three times, immersion going straight down, forward and backwards, et cetera. The key significance is that the person has accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord by faith. (Acts 18:8; Ephesians 2:8-10) The person to be baptized has in repentance (Act 2:38; 3:19; 17:30) turned from his or her old life and put on the new one in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). The new believer craves to be taught the things of God and has asked to be baptized. (Acts 8: 26-39)
What is spiritually significant to enjoying a baptismal service is the motive of the person’s heart in the baptism ceremony, not the method. How do we know this?
There is much debate within Christianity on the proper mode of baptism. Personally, I agree with many denominations where immersion is the best method of Christian baptism. I am in agreement with Rev. Matt Slick, “we should be careful to assert that baptism can only mean immersion…” in regard to the Christian baptism ceremony. This is especially important when we look at the whole of Scripture in regards to being adopted in the family of God, becoming children of God, and accepted by God through the shed blood of Christ. A true student of God’s Word will consider the whole of Scripture in regard to being saved through the blood of Christ, meaning we are purchased through Jesus, who gave His life on the Cross for the redemption of our sins.
There is one Scriptural indication that baptize (baptizo), meaning “to immerse or dip,” was translated as (baptismos) in Hebrews 9:10, meaning “various washing” and it is connected to the sprinkling of blood, for it is through the shedding of Jesus’ blood, Christians are redeemed. Biblically, the prototype of sprinkling of blood on certain items was the symbol of being sanctified to God, or rather covered by the blood of Christ. In his teaching on modes of baptism, Rev. Robert Harch pointed out several Scriptural references regarding purification and dedication unto the Lord being performed through the sprinkling or pouring of blood or water. (Exodus 12:22, Hebrews 11:28; Exodus 24:6-8; Hebrews 9:10, 13,14 19, 21,22; Leviticus 4:6; 9:9; 14:6-7; Numbers 19:18-21) The sacrament of water baptism is a beautiful illustration of the cleansing of God’s elect from all their sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. I believe Satan works hard to distract Christians by provoking debates over the method of baptism, thus preventing them from grasping the heart of water baptism.
The symbolic act of water baptism is symbolizing outwardly, the inward dying to the sinful nature to take up a new life, one full of the Lord’s leading and blessings. Water has been used symbolically many times in the Old and New Testament to represent God’s cleansing power. I love that truth proclaimed by Ezekiel, who is writing on behalf of God, explaining the new birth, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and laws. (Ezekiel 36:25-26) Jesus said you must be born of “water and Spirit…” (John 3:5)
Rev. Robert Harbach writes, “The reformed and Presbyterian churches do not [re-baptize] members who have been baptized by immersion. Their baptism is [regarded] as valid.” If churches that sprinkle or pour at their water baptism celebration services can regard immersion baptisms as valid, then churches that perform immersion baptisms should respect baptisms that are done differently. The Lord is not looking at methods; He wants His children to publicly identify with Him as an expression from their heart, for when approached through a heart of repentance and performed in the names of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, all methods of water baptism should be regarded as valid. The doctrine of man should submit to the grace of God.
Any church seeking to enjoy a baptismal service to its fullest, will cast of the cancers of traditionalism, denominationalism, and legalism, so the person being baptized may be Holy Spirit illuminated of the joy of the Lord.
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Baptism
You are Expected to Live the Life
Once you have through repentance received Jesus Christ and identified with Him through water baptism, you are expected to live the life. Romans 6:3-23 says, “…don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey–whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let the Holy Spirit prick your spiritual heart with this question: what are you dying for? Each of us is spending our lives on something: the flesh, the world, Satan or Christ.
Galatians 5:19-25 says, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Baptism
Publicly Identifying With Christ – Important Step for the Christian
After accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, the sacrament of water baptism is a very important step in the Christian’s life. In Matthew 3:13-17 we read of Jesus being baptized. The Bible says, “…Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you.’ Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now, it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” “Righteousness” (δικαιοσύνη dikaiosúnē) here is conformity to all of God’s standards for the believer. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament)
Christ is the standard for Christians. Jesus was not being baptized for the repentance of sin, for He never sinned. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26) This baptism for Jesus was an ordination, publicly fulfilling God’s standard for Him, and thus opened the gates of heaven for the Holy Spirit’s empowerment to accomplish God’s will for Him. (Matthew 3: 16; 4: 1-11) Jesus’ baptism forever changed the way His followers would look upon the celebration of water baptism.
When we receive Jesus Christ as personal Savoir and Lord, through faith we become children of God; and we are baptized we are identifying ourselves with Christ publicly. (Galatians 3:26-29; Act 10:1-47; Acts 8:26-39) The baptism celebration ceremony is a public proclamation of whom we are uniting ourselves with. A similar form of ceremony is performed at a wedding; specifically the exchange of a wedding rings, where witnesses observe whom you are pledging yourself. Before a soldier can wear the uniform, a ceremony is performed when a soldier makes a public proclamation of loyalty.
From the earliest time in church history to now, the body of Christ has used symbols to communicate her faith and life. One of the symbols of repentance and receiving the new life promised in Christ is water baptism. (Acts 8:36; 10:37) A wedding ring is a outward symbol that a person is married to someone, the person God has given them, to be their partner throughout life on earth, and is given in front of witnesses at the ceremony. A military uniform is an outward symbol that a person is involved with the armed forces—the type of uniform dictates which branch and division. There are regulations on the wearing and caring for those uniforms. Military personal are expected – and required – to wear respective uniforms during appropriate occasions, just as Christians are expected to participate in baptism. The celebration of the Christian’s baptism is a symbolic act saying, “I am dying to self-centeredness and sin-centeredness for the righteousness of God and Christ-centeredness.”
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 20, 2016 | Veteran's Day
Becoming a Soldier’s Shield
Pray for Our Veterans Works
1 Samuel 12:23, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord for failing to pray for you. Samuel was married and had a family. (1 Samuel 12:2) He had served as priest (1 Samuel 7) and Judge (1 Samuel 7:16; Acts 13:20) and he was a prophet. (Acts 3:24) He also got involved in directly praying for military situations, in calling a nation to repentance and in giving them directions on how to live.
In 1 Samuel 7 we read of Samuel a great man of prayer fulfilling his position as judge, prophet and priest. He tells the Israelite’s to meet in Mizpah. He gives them the great news that he is going to intercede for them. (1 Samuel 7:5) The Bible says Samuel cried out to God on Israel’s behalf. (1 Samuel 7:9) When the Philistines heard that the Hebrews gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine leaders decided to attack the Israelite’s. The Israelite’s became frightened and they went to the man of God and requested prayer saying, “Samuel, Do not stop crying out to God for us, [pray] that [God] may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:8) Listen to what the Bible says about God’s deliverance, in answer to Israel’s seeking after the Lord and Samuel’s prayer. “[When] the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. …that day the Lord thundered with a loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelite’s. The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them…” (1 Samuel 7:10-11) 1 Samuel chapter 7 says, “Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:13) The Israelite’s had their land restored back to them, and they delivered their neighboring territory from the power of the Philistines and there was peace between the Israelite’s and the Amorites. (1 Samuel 7:14) In the lifetime of Samuel, the great prophet, priest, judge and prayer intercessor, the Philistines never invaded Israel territory again. (1 Samuel 7:13)
History records powerful truths of God’s intervention for armed forces as people take time to prayer for those in harm’s way. In May of 1940, Germany was on the move and it was unbelievable how much control Hitler got over Europe. Hitler had backed up nearly all the remaining Allied troops to the beach at Dunkirk, France. Our Allied troops were surrounded. Ten miles to their rear was the German army. In front of them the English channel. An evacuation by water was their only hope however, it would not be easy. The English Channel was known for her terrible tides and treacherous winds. She was full of German mines and down the beach was Nazi artillery. The only other direction to go held German U-boats. 400,000 Allied troops were at Dunkirk and one English General said, “Nothing but a miracle could save them.”
It was at this time the Holy Spirit of God moved upon Reece Howell and a group of 100 students in a Welsh Bible College to become intercessors for those who were in harm’s way of Hitler’s armed forces. For some time they prayed from 7:00 P.M. to 12:00 Midnight. While those Welsh Bible students prayed, the British Royal Navy rounded up practically everything that floated in England to go a rescue the troops. During the rescue attempt there were several miracles. First, Hitler, for some mysterious reason stopped the Panzer tanks just 10 miles away. If he had kept moving he could have done great damage to our Allied Forces or destroyed them completely. Second, for an unheard of 9 days, the English Channel was perfectly calm, smooth as glass. Old-timers said, “We have never seen it like this before.” Heavy fog sometimes moved in and at other times smoke from burning oil fields drifted calmly towards the beach, thus, keeping the German air-force from seeing anything from the air during the evacuation. When the evacuation off the beach was finished, 338,000 Allied troops were rescued. The other 62,000 soldiers gave their lives so their fellow soldiers could get off the beach. They fought the oncoming Nazi Armed Forces when they finally made their move to attack again.
It is because of that kind of sacrifice we take time to observe Veterans’ Day. It is because of God responding to the prayers of great intercessors that we enjoy the freedom that we have in America today.
Christians are to be faithful in praying for those who are in harm’s way.
Recent Comments