As John came preaching in the wilderness, he was “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). When some of the Pharisees and Sadducees came out to be baptized, he told them to “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt 3:8). He told the people, “I baptize you with water for …
Trust and submission are two related issues that we sometimes have a difficult time putting into practice. They are also two of the most significant aspects of what it means to be followers of Jesus Christ, so understanding and practicing them are vital. Christians are to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). …
The announcement of salvation coincides with the message, “Your God reigns” (Isa 52:7). Christians recognize that salvation comes by the grace of God through faith (Eph 2:8-10). With this comes the recognition of God’s authority to offer grace. Grace is meaningful because the One who offers that grace reigns. Only one with the power to …
We often use passages about baptism to show unbelievers the need to be baptized into Christ. Certainly, baptism was taught to those who had not yet done it. The various occasions in the book of Acts demonstrate this. Peter taught the need to be baptized in Acts 2. Those in Samaria heard it and were …
Receiving the kingdom of God is not always an easy task. Even those who always get what they want may actually find themselves missing out on the benefits of God’s ultimate blessings because of how they approached it. A couple of episodes in Mark’s gospel illustrate the point. Children were being brought to Jesus that …
This is a simple reminder of what we all know is our privilege and responsibility as Christians. We need to teach others about Christ so that they may hear the good news of salvation and have the opportunity to submit to the Lord and have their sins forgiven. It is just recognizing that we need …
Sin is described in Scripture, not only as a transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4), but also as a falling short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23). This fact is critical to understanding why the problem of sin is so serious. When Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, their sin was not just about …
Two passages are often conflated when thinking about the subjects of circumcision and baptism. Read these (and the greater contexts) first: Colossians 2:11-13: “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, …
Baptism and Circumcision: An Important Distinction Read More »
I realize that causation and correlation are terms typically used in mathematics and statistics. There might be a correlation between two variables, but a change in those variables does not imply that the change in one variable is what caused the change in other. Here I am simply adapting the language to talk about something …
“I have to die to get better.” Have you felt that way? You feel so sick that you about wish you would go ahead and die so that you can feel better? We say that as a bit of a joke (or maybe not). Of course, at the time that we feel so badly, we …
