December, 2014
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Baptism: It’s Importance and What the Scripture Says
1Peter 3:20-21 – Can baptism alone save me?…No
Can I get to Heaven without being baptised? Yes….. St. Luke 23:39-43
Jesus’ Instruction:
- Matt 28: 18-20 (after resurrection)
- Mark 16: 15-18 (after resurrection)
- Luke 24: 45 – 50 (after resurrection)
- John 3: 3-7 (before resurrection) – speaking of those being born again
- Acts 1: 4-5 (after resurrection) – Jesus stayed with disciples 40 days
- We are saved by grace not works; baptism is works – Eph 2: 5-9
Steps I must take to get to Heaven
- Must believe that God exist
- Must be born again (repentance, forgiveness for ourselves and forgiving others, & baptism) in Jesus Christ’s name.
- Must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that He was crucified, buried, resurrected and is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
- Love God more than anything else, loving our neighbour as ourselves
- Be obedient to God, die daily to the flesh (stop sinning)
- Endure to the end.
Jesus Christ has given us the steps to follow Him, so let us use them. This is not to say that He cannot do it another way, He is God. The man who was on the cross beside Him was not baptised but he is in paradise.
So now we know that contrary to what some Christians might think, baptism alone cannot save us as it is only part of the process. The more important part of being born again is that of us repenting for our sins and being forgiven by God. When we are born again, we start a new account with God, a good account. Good works cannot save us but they do become more valuable with the new account.
-Bruce Campbell & David Williams
God’s Promises are Sure! (Both Good and Bad)
- Isaiah 58: 6-12. God instructs that if we fast correctly, feed the hungry, give shelter and clothes to those without, then when we call out to Him, He will answer quickly. He will guide us and exalt us.
- God promised land to the Jews and He delivered. If they were obedient the journey would have been much less.
- 2 Samuel 12:10. God promised David that the sword would never depart from His house, and it never did. This was because David married to Uriah’s wife.
- Matt 21:22. Whatever we ask of God believing and not doubting… it shall be done.
- The promise of the Holy Spirit. Gal. 3:14
- The promise of eternal life. Heb. 9:15
- The promise of becoming joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Gal. 3:29
- By Jesus’ stripes we are healed. Is.53:5
- I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Heb 13:5
- In 2 Kings 20, God promised to extend the life of Hezekiah by 15 years and He did.
God’s words cannot be voided and these having gone forth can only be changed by Him. This is accomplished in the scriptures where it says that God repenteth of a thing.
-Bruce Campbell