THE SPIRIT’S SWORD
published by
Mt. Baker church of Christ
1860 Mt. Baker Hwy · Bellingham, WA 98226
Volume V, Number 48 - February 24, 2002
Editor..................Joe R. Price
Visit our Web Sites:
Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.bibleanswer.com/mtbaker
BIBLE ANSWERS: http://www.bibleanswer.com
In this issue:
Larry Ray Hafley
So said David of his
enemies-"My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them
that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are
spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword" (Psa.
57:4). "Swords are in their lips" (Psa. 59:6). He
further said, they sharpen "their tongue like a sword"
(Psa. 64:3). You may see Psalm 35 to learn how they cut and
slashed David with their lashing lips and tart tongues. Job, too,
experienced the same (Job 30).
Part of the ploy and plot of the Pharisees against Jesus was
performed with the slanderous swords of wounding words (Lk.
20:20; 23:2). John said that Diotrephes unjustly and unfairly
accused him "with malicious words" (3 Jn. 9). Nothing
has changed. Enemies of the Son of God continue to torment and
torture with their tongues, just as the Just One said they would
(Matt. 5:11, 12; Jn. 15:18-21; 16:1-3).
When evil men arise in a congregation to defile, divide, and
destroy, their first weapon is a burning tongue dipped in poison.
It is a fiery dart from an inflamed heart. The "poison of a
serpent" is "under their lips" (Psa. 58:4; Rom. 3:
13). Friends of a lifetime, yea, of a generation, are alienated.
Bitterness breeds and brethren bleed. Glaring eyes and cold,
sharp, harsh features take over faces which once glowed with the
warmth of love, the soft sweetness of kindness, and the
gentleness of friendship. Alas, though, that countenance is
fallen and in its place is the mask of Nabal and the cosmetics of
Jezebel, doing their best to do their worst.
No one is immune from this demonizing, bodily takeover.
Preachers, elders, their wives, any and all may fall prey and be
victimized by pride, envy, jealousy, and arrogance. When they
are, their tongues clang and clank as metal, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of the soul and spirit of God's people. It is a
raging metamorphosis characterized by every evil work (Jas.
3:13-18).
Psalm 64 forecasts the doom and downfall of all such tongues and
taunts. Unfortunately, the highway to heaven will be scarred with
the scattered skeletons of those who fell by the wayside, having
been cast aside by a "tongue like a
sword."
www.biblework.com
Joe R. Price
What did Paul mean when he
instructs us to "thank God...for everything" in Eph.
5:20? Does "everything" actually mean
"everything" including tragedies and evil?
It is hard for us to see or comprehend the good that can come
from tragedies or evil around us. Nevertheless, the apostle of
Christ in Ephesians 5:20 does indeed teach us to always give
thanks for all things. Paul is not teaching us to be thankful for
the presence of evil, for evil is not from God. But, even where
evil is present there are occasions of good which can spring from
it. A similar verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says "in
everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you." It is God's will that Christians be
thankful people, regardless of their surroundings. Christ is both
our example and our reason for giving thanks in everything.
For instance, when Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians he was
in a Roman prison for crimes he did not commit (Acts 22-28
discusses this period of his life in detail). Although he was
experiencing trials and trouble, he told the Ephesians "do
not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your
glory" (Eph. 3: 13). As a "prisoner of the
Lord" Paul was able to be thankful for the confidence
through faith he had in Christ (Eph. 4:1; 3:12).
Still in prison when he wrote the epistle to the Philippians, he
said this of his imprisonment in Phil. 1:12-14:
12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which
happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of
the gospel,
13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and
to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;
14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident
by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some
also from good will:
16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my chains;
17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for
the defense of the gospel.
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in
truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will
rejoice.
19 For I know that this will turn out fur my deliverance through
your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ...
Look particularly at verses 12, 18-19: Paul was thankful that,
although he did not enjoy being imprisoned, he was thankful for
the blessings which sprang from it. Consider Paul's attitude
toward his "thorn in the flesh" as another illustration
of this principle of truth, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
Like Paul, we too must learn to see with eyes of faith the
blessings which come from moments of tragedy, sorrow and pain. "My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various tria1s,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let
patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing" (Jas. 1:2-4).
Can Shakespeare Really Become A Mormon?
Joe R. Price
According to the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), not only has Shakespeare been
given a chance to become a Mormon, but so have many of the
world's renown statesmen, religious dignitaries and just
"plain ole" folks who never heard of Joseph Smith and
the Book of Mormon. That's because they have been baptized by
proxy in one of the LDS temples scattered throughout the world.
If the Mormon doctrine of baptism for the dead in true, literally
millions of dead sinners can be saved if a Mormon will be
baptized for them.
Mormons are very committed to temple work for the dead. Joseph
Fielding Smith, former president of the LDS Church, warned that,
"Those Saints who neglect it in behalf of their deceased
relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation." (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 193; see Doctrine &
Covenants 128:15,18). Several thousand are performed daily.
But, not every dead person can have a proxy baptism performed for
them. According to Mormonism, those who did not have an
opportunity to hear the "fullness of the gospel" in
this life will have the gospel preached to them in the next life.
Vicarious baptism provides these fortunate souls with an
opportunity to accept salvation for themselves. [It is certainly
hard to imagine that a sinner who is experiencing torment for his
sins would refuse such an astonishing offer, now doesn't it?!
(Lk. 16:24-25)] Too bad if you had an opportunity to hear
Mormonism's message in this life and rejected it. You already had
your chance.
I wonder why the Mormon Church sends out 25,000+ missionaries
into the world to give people an opportunity to reject the
"fullness of the gospel" and be lost forever? By
rejecting the opportunity given them, these sinners will never
get to progress to the "celestial kingdom"! The LDS
Church should simply abandon its missionary program, lest someone
in this life rejects their opportunity to be saved by the Mormon
gospel. That way, every dead person will want to be saved after
experiencing the punishment of sin for a while, and upon hearing
the Mormon gospel in the next life, will glad accept their proxy
baptism and be saved!
Mormonism attempts to base its proxy baptism practice upon
several Bible passages. The most apparent of these
is 1 Corinthians 15:29: "Otherwise,
what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do
not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?"
Unfortunately for Mormonism, its attempt to use this passage
fails. The word "for" is the Greek word huper,
and can properly carry the meaning "on account of''
(cf. Acts 15:26; Rom. 1:5). Some were being baptized on account
of the dead ones (plural, a class of people - see 1 Cor. 15:20).
Paul's simple point is, if the dead aren't raised, why should
they let the dead ones influence their decision to be baptized?
Paul's whole context of resurrection of the dead supports the
conclusion that 1 Corinthians 15:29 does not teach proxy baptism.
In the broader context of 1 Corinthians 15: 12-34, where Paul
affirms that the dead will be raised, he makes a progressive
argument in verses 29-34. "If the dead do not rise at
all," then:
1) Why be baptized (15:29)? It is pointless.
2) Why stand in jeopardy every hour (15:30-32)? It is mad.
3) What profit is there in a God-fearing
lifestyle (15:32)? It is useless.
However, Paul hastens to warn not to be deceived by evil
companions who, through a lack of knowledge, deny the
resurrection (15:33-34). You see, there will be a resurrection
from the dead! Therefore:
1) Being influenced by the dead ones to be baptized is not
pointless (15:29).
2) Jeopardizing one's life for Christ is not in vain (15:30-32).
3) There is profit in a God-fearing life
(15:32).
There are other problems with Mormonism's baptism for the dead.
Among them are these:
(1) It ignores the individual nature of responsibility before
God. "The soul who sins shall die. ...The
righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the
wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself" (Ezek.
18:20) Neither sin nor righteousness will be imputed from one
person to another, including a family member. Nowhere in the
Bible can you find a Christian's obedient faith offered to a
sinner to thereby save him. It simply is not and will not be
done.
(2) It ignores the fact that opportunity to obey God ends at
death. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and
after this cometh judgment." (Heb. 9:27) Death brings
judgment for how we lived in this life, not a chance to obey the
gospel (2 Cor. 5:10). A "great gulf" is fixed
separating the righteous and the wicked in the place of departed
spirits, and it allows for no crossing over (Lk. 16:26). LDS
baptism for the dead would wash away the "great gulf"
along with sins.
(3) It adds another baptism to God's divine plan. "There
is...one baptism..." (Eph. 4:4-5) The Great Commission
baptism is for the living, it is personal, and it removes the
participant's sins (Mk. 16:15-16). LDS baptism for the dead is
for the dead, it is by proxy, and it only gives a choice of
having one's sins removed. One is Biblical and the other is an
addition of men. Care to guess which is which?
No, Shakespeare cannot become a Mormon. The LDS Church cannot
save millions of souls who have already died. The gospel is the
means of salvation for the living, and it must be preached to the
living in order to save them (Rom. 1:15-17). We plead with you to
use your opportunity in this life to believe the gospel and
confess your faith in Jesus as the Christ, to repent of your sins
and to be baptized into Christ for the remission of your sins.
Today is the day of salvation! (2 Cor. 6:2)
The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com