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"...Shepherd the flock of God which is among
you, serving as overseers..." (1 Peter 5:2)
Elders
Morris Bass, Rick Holt , Joe
Price |
"...let them serve as deacons,
being found blameless..." (1 Tim. 3:10)
Deacons
Aaron Bass, Rich Brooks, Mike Finn
John Hague, Dan Head |
"And take...the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17)
In this issue:
The Fruit of the
Spirit: Kindness (#6)
"Salvation by
grace through faith alone forever"
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
The Shroud of Turin
The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness (#6)
Joe R. Price
We come now in our series on the
fruit of the Spirit to kindness, or as the King James Version translates the
word, “gentleness” (Gal. 5:22). This is a quality of character that needs
little defining. We generally understand kindness because we want others to
be kind to us. The word itself means “serviceable, good, pleasant,
gracious” (Vine). Kindness is a graciousness of heart that is ready
to serve others.
As with the rest of the fruit of
the Spirit, God has set the example of kindness for us to follow. He is
even “kind to the unthankful and evil,” and he expects us to be, too
(Lk. 6:35). It is much easier to be kind toward someone who appreciates our
kindness and responds in kind. To become more like God and to bear the
fruit of the Spirit we will have to devote our attention to being kind even
toward those who treat us with contempt (see Lk. 6:27-36). Kindness may be
easily understood, but it is not always easily practiced.
When one puts on a heart of
kindness he adorns himself with a noble trait (Col. 3:12). Kindness is
universally appreciated. Hospitality, for instance, is one of the natural
outgrowths of kindness (Acts 28:2). The manner of one’s speech will often
show the presence or reveal the absence of kindness in one’s heart (Prov.
31:26). A person’s kindness draws us to him in warm admiration (Prov.
19:22). Having received kindness prompts the righteous to resolve to show
kindness (1 Chron. 19:1-2). Without question, kindness is an expression of
love (1 Cor. 13:4).
If any group of people should be
kind to each other it is Christians (Eph. 4:32). Our readiness to serve the
needs of one another grows out of our knowledge of and gratitude for God’s
kindness shown to us by forgiving our sins in Christ. Brotherly kindness
has a unifying and strength-enhancing quality (2 Pet. 1:7; Acts 2:44-45;
4:32). Furthermore, kindness helps us be better husbands and wives (1 Pet.
3:7); it helps us be better neighbors (Lk. 10:33-34); it is an asset in
every area of life. By kindness we show ourselves to be servants of God (2
Cor. 6:4-6). So, look for your opportunities to be kind. They won’t be
hard to find.
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"Salvation by grace through faith alone forever"
Joe R. Price
Member of the Baptist Church,
along with those of any number of other Protestant denominations, hold the
conviction that “salvation by grace through faith alone forever.” Let’s
examine this familiar statement from the word of God.
Salvation is certainly “by
grace, through faith,” for the Scriptures say:
For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of
works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8-9).
The grace of God is available to
sinners in Christ Jesus – without Jesus we cannot be saved (2 Tim. 1:9; Tit.
2:11; Acts 4:12). We agree with the Baptists on this because the Baptists
agree with the Bible.
We part company with the
Baptist when he says that salvation is “through faith alone,” because with
that statement he adds a word to Ephesians 2:8. It does not say “saved
through faith alone.” We cannot add even one word to God’s word (Rev.
22:18). The doctrine is wrong for this reason, if none other (Gal. 1:6-9).
But there are certainly additional reasons the doctrine of salvation
“through faith alone” is wrong: (1) it denies the nature of saving faith,
which actively trusts God in obedience (Jas. 2:14-26); (2) it denies that
faith is a “work” that Jesus says we must do (Jn. 6:28-29); (3) it denies
the need for other commanded actions by man, for instance, (a) confessing
faith (Jn. 12:42), (b) repenting of sins (Acts 17:30-31) and (c) being
baptized (Mk. 16:16). Each one of these are actions of faith. Without
them, faith does not save.
When Scripture joins
together “works” with “faith” to accomplish salvation it is not approving
works of merit; “faith at work” does not earn salvation (Eph. 2:9; 2 Tim.
1:9; Gal. 5:6). No sinner will ever earn his salvation, for it is “by
grace” (undeserved, unmerited favor from God). But, as “unprofitable
servants” we must obey and do “what was our duty to do” (Lk. 17:10).
Faith that is “working” is
nothing other than “obeying the truth,” and is what the apostle describes as
“running well” and availing in Christ (Gal. 5:6-7). Like the Scriptures,
when we speak here of “works” that influence salvation, we speak of
obedience to Jesus (the action of a faithful servant) – not works of merit
that “earn” salvation (Matt. 7:21).
We are not saved through
“faith alone.” We are saved by the kind of faith described in James
2:14-26: a working (obedient) faith – not meritorious, but submissive, in
nature.
1. Faith alone (without
works) is profitless to save (2:14). God saves “through faith,” but
this verse says faith that does not have works does not save. Therefore,
“faith alone” cannot save. To be saved, our faith must “work” (we must obey
the Lord).
2. Faith alone (without
works) is dead (Jas. 2:17-20, 26). Faith without obedience is just as
dead as a body without the spirit.
3. Faith alone (without
works) cannot be seen (Jas. 2:18). Faith without obedience is saying
you have faith while not living by faith. Faith cannot be seen when it is
alone. Faith that is alone does not save.
4. Faith alone (without
works) is the faith of demons (Jas. 2:19). What do you do more than
demons when you say “I believe” and yet do not obey Jesus? Not one thing.
5. Faith alone (without
works) is incomplete (Jas. 2:21-22). Abraham’s faith was not whole
until “he offered Isaac his son on the altar.” Our faith is not whole until
we do our duty and obey the Lord (Lk. 17:10).
6. Faith alone (without
works) is not counted for righteousness (Jas. 2:22-23). God regarded
Abraham’s obedient faith and counted it for righteousness. Nothing less
will be accepted from us today.
7. Faith alone (without
works) does not justify (Jas. 2:24). “Man is justified by works, and
not by faith only.” The alien Rahab was justified (saved) by works, and the
alien sinner is justified by works, too (Jas. 2:25-26); not by works of
merit, but works of faith – actions of obedience (see Matt. 7:21).
The Baptist says, “Salvation
is by grace through faith alone forever,” meaning once you are saved you are
forever saved and cannot be lost. He thinks a Christian can sin, but the
Christian’s sin will not cause him to be lost. He believes once in grace,
always in grace and chides those who believe otherwise. But, we will believe
and try to persuade our Baptist friends to accept what the Bible says:
Christians have “fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4); they can “fall away” when
tempted (Lk. 8:13); and some will “depart from the faith” (1 Tim. 4:1; cf.
Heb. 3:12-13).
Obeying Jesus is not earning
salvation. Obedience is not salvation by works of merit; it is “faith
working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Faith without works is dead. Having been
saved by faith, one stands in grace by remaining faithful, otherwise, “you
also will be cut off” (Rom. 11:22). “Salvation through faith alone forever”
is not Bible doctrine.
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
The Faith and Personal Faith (1)
Scripture Reading:
Acts 13:4-12
1. NT speaks of personal faith &
a system of faith, Heb. 11:1, 6; 2 Tim. 4:7; Rom. 1:16-17.
2. Two systems of justification contrasted: (1) “the faith” & (2) “the
law” (LOM / “the works of the law”) – Gal. 2:16; 3:2, 23-25.
3. We must respect & be devoted to the faith so that our personal faith is
strong – Gal. 2:20.
I. WHAT
IS “THE FAITH”? – Acts
13:5-12 (Word of God, the faith, all righteousness, straight ways of the
Lord, teaching of the Lord)
A. The
Gospel – Gal. 1:11, 23; Preached, Mk. 16:15; Col. 1:23.
B. The Truth that is According to Godliness – Tit. 1:1; Gal. 3:1-2; 1
Cor. 1:18-21].
II. THE
FAITH WAS ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED
– Jude 3.
A. The
Faith Justifies, Gal. 2:16 (when the faith is believed & obeyed).
B. Righteousness is by (the) Faith (not LOM) – Phil. 3:9; Rom. 10:5-8;
Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5.
III. THE
FAITH WAS DELIVERED TO PRODUCE PERSONAL FAITH
– Rom. 1:16-17.
A. The
Faith Can & Must be Preached – Gal. 1:23; Acts 24:24 (the faith must be
heard – Gal. 3:2).
B. The Faith Can & Must be Believed – Acts 13:12.
C. The Faith Can & Must be Obeyed – Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5.
D. The Faith Can & Must be Continued in – Acts 14:22; Col. 1:22-23.
1. Rom. 3:21-26 – The faith leads us to faith & salvation by grace.
2. Rom. 3:27-31 – The faith is a “law” (system) that justifies.
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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
The Shroud of
Turin
Joe R. Price
The Shroud of Turin was in
the news again this week. The linen shroud is the property of the Catholic
Church and is locked away in the Turin Cathedral in Italy. Raymond N.
Rogers, a scientist with the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico
published a paper this week in which he argues the shroud dates back, not to
the 13-14th centuries (as was concluded by radioactive dating
done in 1988), but much earlier. Based on his analysis, Rogers says the
shroud could be 1,300 to 3,000 years old (“Scientist Says Turin Shroud Not a
Medieval Fake,” 28Jan05,
www.reuters.com).
Some believe the shroud is
the burial cloth of Jesus. The Bible believer does not. The reason? The
Bible disproves the claim that this shroud is the burial cloth of Jesus in
one simple passage: “Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into
the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that
had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded
together in a place by itself” (John 20:6-7).
The Shroud of Turin is one
piece of linen from head to foot; the body of Jesus was wrapped with one
piece of cloth and the head with another piece. This was the common burial
method of that day in Judea (see John 11:44, where the body of Lazarus was
similarly wrapped). Whatever body this shroud wrapped, whenever the burial
occurred and however the image came to be on it, it was not the body of
Jesus. There is simply no direct evidence linking this shroud to the actual
burial of Jesus, only speculation. Period. Even the Catholic Church does
not claim the shroud (which is believed to have been brought to Europe from
the Middle East during the Crusades in the mid-14th century) is authentic.
Religious relics, icons and
images promote superstition, not faith (Acts 17:22-23). Faith is produced
by God’s word (Rom. 10:17).
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