salvation – Page 2

Until The Relationship Is Right, Nothing Else Will Be

June 6, 2016 by Matthew Gaither 4 Comments

As I was pondering and praying about several different things recently, God gave me a thought. It was the sentence that is the title of this post. “Until the relationship is right, nothing else will be”.

This thought, I believe, is a very powerful truth that is worth investigating. Relationships are essential to our well-being and we were created to be in a right relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is the first and most important relationship that we should pursue but we must also, as much as it is in our power to do so, seek to have right relationships with those around us.

There is a temptation, when we think of the suffering and the various trials that the people we care about go through, to pray for their problems to be solved and their suffering to end. And it is the same with the trials that we face, to pray that God would solve them for us and to get us to a place where we aren’t suffering anymore.

But is that the right prayer? Is that really the best prayer we could be praying? Is that what God would have us ask? I believe, based on our key thought, that what we should be praying for is that our loved ones always be found in a right relationship with God first and other folks second. This is the order that we have to get right before God can make anything else in our lives truly right.

And then we can pray, either on their behalf or our own, that we all be drawn closer to God and more fully in to His provision and wisdom for our lives. Seek Him first, make Him the center and place Him as Lord over all. Then and only then can He set right what we so often get wrong. Our God wants to fight our battles for us and stands ready to do so. But only after we have acknowledged His Lordship and His Godhood and His desire to be our closest friend and savior can we overcome that which holds us back.

Once we have that right relationship with our Heavenly Father He can grant us His perspective and He will use those trials and circumstances to bear fruit for His kingdom. Through us, His Word can be made real in our world and in the lives of those we know and love.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: relationship, salvation, seek Him first

Do I Have To Be Perfect In Order To Serve The Lord?

May 9, 2016 by Matthew Gaither 2 Comments

As Christians, we have a very real and very active enemy. This enemy is opposed to God and all He stands for and spends all of his time seeking ways to disrupt and destroy that which is good (1 Peter 5:8). Because we are the blood-bought, born again children of God, more often than not, we are the target of this enemy’s attack.

The enemy’s preferred way to operate is to try to make sure that we never hear the good news, the gospel message that Jesus saves, or if we do hear it, to try and get us to ignore or forget it without ever giving our hearts to God. Hopefully, if you are reading this, you are already past that point. You did not fall for the enemy’s lies and you asked Jesus to come in to your heart and to forgive you of your sins and to save your soul. If you’ve done that, then I praise God for your decision. If you haven’t, then there’s still time, and I encourage you to make the choice now, while you still can.

But what comes next? Once we are saved, why doesn’t God go ahead and take us home to be with Him? Why does He allow us to continue on in this dark world of sin and heartache? And why does Satan continue to come after us and try to tempt us with old sins and old habits and do everything that he possibly can to get us away from God and all that is good?

The answer to all of those questions that we just asked can be found in the Bible, in many places. But for our purposes, we will choose what is perhaps the clearest and best answer.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

We call this the great commission. Jesus Himself gave it to His disciples and to all of those who would follow Him down through the ages. His words are clear. We have a job to do. We must teach and preach His Word, the Bible, and we must make disciples of all nations until the end of the age when He comes back again. This is the task that we have been given by the One who saved us and the primary way that our neighbors, family members, co-workers and countrymen can hear the gospel message so that they too can be saved.

I would have you notice that Jesus does not give any qualifications for those who are to undertake this task. Nowhere in the great commission does it say “once you reach a certain level of spiritual maturity, then you can go teach and preach” or “get everything in your life in order and then go do my work”.

All that is required is our faith and belief in the saving power of the gospel and our continued reliance on the Holy Spirit for our strength and daily provision. There is the expectation that we will want to grow in our faith and knowledge of God and that we will not want to sin or make mistakes. And we should continually strive to learn more of God’s Word and to be transformed by the daily renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

And of course our enemy does not want that to happen. Our enemy would have us to be fearful and silent and more focused on our shortcomings and flaws than on God’s saving grace. Our enemy can and will put every obstacle and every hurdle at his disposal in front of us to keep us from carrying out the great commission and one of the primary ways that he does this is by trying to convince us that we aren’t worthy to work for Jesus.

The reality is we aren’t worthy. No one is. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and if our worthiness was our qualification to serve and to be a child of God then we would never make it. We would be lost and without hope if any aspect of our salvation was based on our being worthy.

Only God is worthy and we only become worthy when we identify with and accept the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary. He who knew no sin became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) so that we might be worthy to worship, worthy to receive eternal life and worthy to serve. And it is based on what Jesus did for us that we can start each day with joy in our hearts and a song on our lips and be the witnesses to God’s redeeming work that He has called us to be.

The truth of the matter is that we who are saved and redeemed are still flawed, imperfect humans. But God chooses to work through and work with flawed, imperfect human beings who are willing to be used and willing to serve the Lord. And it is only through our close walk with God and our willingness to serve and to work that God can bring about miracles in us and through us.

God’s perfect plan will be accomplished regardless of whether or not we decide to be involved or to let Him use us. But when we make the decision to allow the Lord to use us then we will be blessed by His presence and His peace and He can use us to bless and reach those around us. Perfection is not required, willingness and surrender most certainly are.

Are you willing to be used and are you surrendered to God’s work being carried out in your life? I pray that you are.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: salvation, sanctification, the great commission

Who Is Invited?

May 2, 2016 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

One of my favorite books in the Bible for morning devotional time is the book of Psalms. In Psalms we find songs of praise to God, heartfelt cries for God’s mercy and presence and encouraging words about God’s character and goodness. Although Psalms is considered one complete book, each chapter or “psalm” is more often than not self-contained and forms a complete idea and that makes it ideal for a chapter by chapter study as a daily devotional.

Here is my Psalm for this morning and how it spoke to me:

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
²The Lord has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
³He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (Psalm 98: 1-3)

Why does the psalmist say to sing a new song to the Lord? What is this marvelous thing that he has done? He has made his salvation and righteousness known to the nations! And not only to Israel, his chosen people, but to all the ends of the earth, us included.

We now have the privilege of knowing what the psalmist did not, God’s salvation and righteousness were shown through Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Though our eyes have not seen Him yet, by faith we have believed in Him and His redeeming work on the cross. We truly have a reason to sing to the Lord a new song of praise!

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
⁵Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,
⁶With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell in it;

8 Let the rivers clap their hands;

Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, (Psalm 98: 4-8)
When I read verse 4 and head into verse 5 I can sense a crescendo.  The psalmist has made his case as to why we have the best reason of all to praise God and to sing to Him and now he is inviting the whole earth to join him with instruments and skilled playing and singing.  But that’s not all.  Not only is humanity invited to shout and praise and sing, all of creation has the privilege to worship together because of what God has done!  The sea and everything in it will let loose a roar, the rivers that flow to the sea will clap as with hands and the hills that first gathered the rainwater that flows to the rivers and sea will be joyful.
The picture I get here is God’s lifegiving sustenance and salvation (symbolized here as water) starting in the high places and hills (the ascension of our Lord and the commissioning of the disciples) and then flowing down in channels (rivers – the Church and those who minister) to the sea (everywhere and everyone else).  And before long, the whole earth has reason to join the largest choir that has ever been assembled in mighty praise and worship to the Father.
But as wonderful as that is, we aren’t finished yet.
For He is coming to judge the earth.

With righteousness He shall judge the world,

And the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98:9)
One day, He is coming back, both to judge the world and to receive those who are His unto eternal salvation.  Let us make sure that we are ready and that we are using our time on earth wisely.  There are many who still need to hear the good news that Jesus saves and the only way that they can join with us in total praise to God is for us to be the lights that point the way to Him.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: praise, Psalm 98, salvation

What Should We Do With All Of These Gifts?

March 28, 2016 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

One of the most amazing things about our God is the way that He continually shows His love to us. It’s written in the sky at morning time, it can be seen in the smiling faces of His children and it speaks to us out of His Word, the Bible. It was displayed on a cross over 2,000 years ago as Jesus who was the Christ suffered, bled and died so that we might be saved from our sins and it is still freely given to every man, woman and child who calls on the name of the Lord.

Our God is a generous giver because He loves us so very much. The gift of His son Jesus, the gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit and the innumerable other gifts that He has bestowed on us are all displays of His love and affection towards His creation. Whether you know and realize it or not, if you are reading this then you are very, very blessed.

As one of the blessed, we have a responsibility to respond to God’s love in the right way. The first and most important way we can respond is simply to acknowledge that we are loved by God and that we accept His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. If you’ve not done that, and you have questions about it, please read this.

For those of us who have already decided to follow Jesus, we still have decisions to make about how we respond to God’s love. We still have a responsibility to share that love and to be good representatives of the God who is so very good to us. In fact, if we are saved, God has equipped each of us in specific ways that are unique yet all fit together for the building up and encouraging of His family and His church. (God’s church is the people who are saved by grace, not any building built by human hands! We worship in many places and many buildings but God’s church is His people and it is they are who important to Him, not the places they worship in.)

The unique ways that God equips us for the building of His church manifest in the form of talents and abilities. Some of us are artistic and can paint or create beautiful sculpture. Others have the ability to lead and administer effectively. Still others can teach or preach. The depth and breadth of the gifts that God gives us is truly amazing and no simple list could ever hope to name them all. The point is that no matter what our talents or abilities might be, the best choice we can make after salvation is to use what we have been given for God’s glory and to show how much we love Him.

Close your eyes, you little dreamers
Numbered as the grains of sand
Do you believe there is a treasure you can’t hold in your hand?
Stewards of My great Creation
I will give this gift to you
A language that can speak your heart when words could never do

The melodies will give you wings to fly above Creation
Whenever you can’t find the words to say
So My child, I give this gift to you and all the nations
So you can give it back to Me one day

Shown above is the first verse of a song entitled “The Gift of Music” by Theocracy. It’s a powerful song but my favorite part is the last line of the chorus. Personalized, it says “So my child, I give this gift to you and yours so you can give it back to Me one day.” Quite simply, one of the most beautiful and wonderful ways that we can show our love to God is by using what He has freely given us back to Him in humility and service.

Are we committed to doing that? Are we serious about showing our love for God through our talents and abilities? If not, then this Easter season would be an ideal starting place. And if we are already using what God has given us for the benefit of His church, then let’s not slow down or get distracted. Let’s renew our commitment on our knees, at the foot of the cross, in praise and thanksgiving to the One who’s love for us is deeper than the oceans and more vast than the sky.

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10) NKJV

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: gifts of the Spirit, God's love, salvation

The Transformation Of The Old Man And The Car

February 29, 2016 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

I read a story recently that put a smile on my face. The story centered around an old car but it was really a story about memories, shared experiences, love and most importantly, rebirth.

The paraphrased version goes something like this: In the early 70’s a young urban couple who did not own a car and did not need one for transportation purposes began looking for a vehicle for weekend getaways and longer road trip vacations. They were getting to the place financially where they could afford something that would be fun but not too extravagant. After reading a few reviews in various automotive publications they settled on a 1973 Porsche 911 from a local dealership.

For 7 years they enjoyed their little Porsche. It was their ticket to freedom after long work-weeks and it went up and down the highways and interstates of the US while bringing countless smiles and untold joy into its’ owners lives. Then, in 1980, a job offer came from a much bigger company in a much bigger city and it was time to move. The only downside to the new arrangement, no easy or safe place to park their beloved 911 in the big city. After much thought and several late night discussions the couple decided that they did not want to sell the car so a local storage facility was located. There the little Porsche would remain, tarp covered and silent for the next 33 years.

Once every few years someone would mention the car and the good times and a discussion would be had as to the car’s future and what should eventually be done with it. This went on until 2013 when the couple was having dinner with some friends and the discussion turned to reminiscing about the past and the little car was mentioned. The dinner guests’ eyes lit up, they were Porsche enthusiasts and knew a master mechanic who specialized in restoring early 911’s and encouraged the couple to have the car appraised and to meet with the master mechanic.

Not too long after, the couple stood in the storage facility together with someone new. The master mechanic had come and lifted the tarp off of the 911 for the first time in many years. His eyes lit up as he looked over the car. Even with flat tires and covered in dust he could see the excellent condition of the interior and the fact that the odometer read a little over 35,000 miles. The spare tire and tool-kit were intact and there was no rust anywhere.

So the question came. “How much to bring her back to life, the way she was in 1973?” The master thought for a few moments and then said “$20,000”. Slightly shocked, the husband replied, “why would I spend $20,000 to restore a car that’s only worth maybe $20,000”? The master smiled and said “put a 1 in front of your number. The car’s restored worth is over $100,000.”

For the restoration the couple gave the master full authority to do whatever he needed to do to bring the old 911 back to life. Every inch of the car was inspected and under the master’s watchful eye and practiced hand, that which needed to replaced was replaced with only the finest and best. The master even went so far as to call in others who shared his enthusiasm for the project and used their expertise and their hands to make the little car even better than it was when it was brand new.

Finally the day came when the master gave his stamp of approval and said “the car is ready and the work is done!” So the couple once again hopped into their little 1973 Porsche 911 that looked and operated even better than it did when it sat on the showroom floor all those years ago. Their first drive was to the local Porsche dealership to have the car inspected and tested and it is not a stretch to say that every mechanic and technician in the place was stunned and delighted to see the absolute perfection of that early 911 sitting in their service area.

Everywhere the couple went people stopped and smiled at the little car. Even folks not familiar with cars knew it was something special and beautiful and could see the joy that it brought to its owners. It was clear that the little car had been well loved and was now fulfilling its intended purpose in a special and beautiful way.

As I finished reading the story I realized that I was smiling. Something about it had warmed my heart and resonated very deeply with me. I contemplated for a few moments and then I thought about what the Father did for me. I thought about Him seeing me in the state that I was in and deciding that I was loved and that I had value. I thought about the process of sanctification and how it sometimes feels like I am being disassembled and certain parts of me are being replaced with better thoughts and better ideas and Godly motivations. And it didn’t take very long until I understood exactly why it was that I like this story very, very much.

And as I continued with my contemplation I realized that I was smiling and that my heart was warm because I was thankful. I am thankful that God is still working on me and is still fixing me up for my intended purpose. I am thankful that rebirth is not only possible but is in process simply because God loves me that much. My “old man”, my old self, will not be my last self. The Master is seeing to it and great joy will be the result.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

(2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: God, salvation, sanctification

A Friend To Whom?

March 2, 2015 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

I’m concerned about the notion that Christians shouldn’t be friends with non-Christians. I don’t believe that all Christians feel this way but I think there are certainly some who do, and with good reason. Just look at James 4:4, for example: You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

At first glance it seems like James is offering us a stern warning about associating with the world. After all, friendship with the world is hostility towards God, right? Clearly there has to be a line drawn somewhere in our life that defines that which is Godly from that which is worldly. But if you look at James chapter 4 closely you will see that James is talking about the Christian who is living like the unsaved; that is a Christian who is ruled by his or her desires and lusts of the flesh instead of in submission to the Spirit of God. In other words friendship with the world in James’s mind is a heart problem that stems from putting “me” on the throne in my life instead of God Almighty.

But what about 2 Corinthians 6:14-18? Doesn’t that state the case a little bit stronger that we shouldn’t be associating with non-believers? Do not be bound together (unequally yoked) with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.“ And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

The key idea here is the phrase “bound together”. It speaks to something closer and stronger than just an acquaintance or even friendship. The Theology of Work website explains it like this: “When two animals are yoked together, they must move in lockstep. If one turns left, the other turns left also, whether or not it consents. This is different from, say, animals grazing in a herd, which cooperate but still have the freedom to move separately, and even to depart from the herd if they choose. If two animals—or, metaphorically, two people—are yoked, each is bound by whatever the other chooses to do. Two people are yoked if one person’s choices compel the other person to follow the same choices, even without their consent. A yoking is when either person is bound by the unilateral decisions and actions of the other… To be unequally yoked with unbelievers, then, is to be in a situation or relationship that binds you to the decisions and actions of people who have values and purposes incompatible with Jesus’ values and purposes.”

So now we know not to act like the world (James 4:4) and not to enter into unequally yoked relationships with non-believers (2 Corinthians 6) but where does that leave us in our relationships to those who are lost?

And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23) First of all, we need to be going where they are. And practicing avoidance of non-believers is not going to get us there. The master has commanded us to go out and compel them (compel actually means to “drive forcibly”, believe it or not) to come in to His house. The master’s house is where his family resides. It is an invitation to become a son or daughter of the living God and it’s a message He is sending with us to anyone who will receive it.

The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. (Proverbs 12:26) I really like this verse. How are we supposed to be a guide to our neighbor if we are in hiding and they can’t see what we are doing? The Bible calls us to be visible and visibly righteous! That means living an upright life and walking with God on a daily basis in a way that everyone around us can see. Then, when we encounter those non-believers and get to know them where they are they will see God in us and want to know why it is that we are different. Can we be a righteous guide to those we exclude and dismiss? Absolutely not and that is why we must include and invite at every possible occasion.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) One of the best ways to be a witness to someone is to be there for them when they need a helping hand. Jesus went about meeting the needs of the people and sharing God’s love and that should be our model as well. If we see someone around us who is “falling” then we need to be there to lift them up and meet their need. It is our privilege and responsibility as those who have been redeemed.

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) Perhaps the greatest evidence that we have that says we should be friends with the lost is Jesus’s death on the cross. He literally laid down his own life for the lost, they (we!) are that important to Him. Jesus spent his time with the doubting and the unbelieving, the sick and the needy. And he did it all with the knowledge that He would one day be given up for arrest and crucifixion by the very people that He was trying to save. Now is that friendship, or what?

What’s needed from us is a Christlike concern for all people. If our primary goal is to love everyone like Jesus did then we won’t have to fall back on legalistic interpretations of the Bible that try to enforce excluding others or turning our noses up at their behavior. No, we shouldn’t be acting like the unsaved and yes we should be careful about the types of relationships we enter in. Those are a given. But beyond that we should be willing to go wherever it takes, living visibly righteous lives, ready to meet the needs of those around us and showing the world what it really means to be a friend.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: friendship, ministry, salvation

The Words That Make Me Most Thankful

November 24, 2014 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

I have a living hope, a hope that does not die and does not fade. My hope is in Jesus and the work that He has already done for me. My hope relies on the power of God and and I am so thankful because I know the He never fails and never falters.

⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, ⁸whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,⁹receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1: 6 – 9)

I am thankful for the faith that God has given me because it is a gift from Him. To my Heavenly Father, my faith is more precious than gold or jewels and it is His desire to refine it to perfection. In order to do this He allows various trials to come in to my life that test me and strengthen me as I rely on Him. Trials and tribulation are not comfortable but the end result is a life that gives praise, honor and glory to God. In this I rejoice because I know that the ultimate expression of my faith is found in the salvation of my soul through Jesus Christ my Lord.

¹⁷And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; ¹⁸knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ²⁰He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you ²¹who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1: 17-21)

I will continue to call on my Father who loves me and sent His only Son to die for me. I know that I have been redeemed at the highest possible price and that I must conduct myself in a way that pleases Him as I walk through this life. God’s ultimate expression of love was shown through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who God chose before the foundation of the world. Before I knew Him he loved me and provided a way for me to be with Him forever, both in this life and beyond. I have been reconciled to God and made right with Him through that one precious, glorious act and I can do nothing but be eternally thankful to Him who saved me soul and redeemed my life.

Thank you, Father, for your words that always bring life!

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: 1 Peter, salvation, thankfulness

Is Baptism Part of God’s Salvation Plan?

September 8, 2014 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

Despite salvation and baptism being core beliefs for most Christians there are still many who do not understand them and why they are so important. God’s plan for salvation should not be confusing or difficult to understand and with a careful study of His book (The Bible) we can know and understand the truth. And once we know and understand the truth, we can walk in it.

Salvation is many things. Primarily it is the way in which God redeems or “saves” sinful man from death and hell and unto life eternal. But salvation is also the way in which we who were once spiritually dead are made alive in Christ. When we are saved we receive the Holy Spirit who in turn regenerates our spirits so that we can commune with God Almighty. (1 Peter 4:6) We have instant and forever access to the very throne room of God in prayer because of the sacrifice on the cross by Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 4:14-16) And we are changed day by day in a process called sanctification to be more like Christ. (Romans 6:22). This is just a small overview of what salvation does in the life of a human being. Words alone are not sufficient; salvation must be experienced and lived. Only when you have been changed from the inside out through God’s continued presence in your life can you really begin to understand salvation.

Baptism is the act of immersion in water which is often found in scripture at or near the time of salvation. The first recorded baptism in scripture is when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the river Jordan. At Jesus’ ascension after his resurrection he commanded his disciples to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Baptism is a picture of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. The act of going under the water for a few moments and then being raised out of the water is a way we show that our old life has been put to death and our new life in Christ is beginning.

It is important to note that in the New Testament whenever someone was baptized it was always after they had expressed belief and thus had experienced salvation. In other words, salvation is God’s gift to us when we believe and baptism is how we show others that we have started a new life in faith. Baptism does not save and being immersed in water by a ritual will do no more than get you wet if you have not believed in your heart and confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Here are some example scriptures showing the order of salvation and baptism: Acts 2:41, Acts 8:35-38, Acts 10:47-48 and Acts 16:31-33. Notice that in all cases, belief and confession occurred before baptism was was carried out.

Finally, it is also important to point out that baptism is not required for salvation to occur. Romans 10:9-10 gives the complete process for salvation:

“if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; ¹⁰for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Baptism is important to God. He instituted the practice through his Son Jesus Christ. We are baptized to show our faith in Him and to identify ourselves with His death, burial and resurrection. I would never downplay or minimize the importance of baptism in the life of a believer. But according to God’s own Word baptism is not salvation and is not required for a person to be saved. Furthermore, baptism always follows belief and confession in the New Testament and that is the order that God would have us to follow as well.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: baptism, salvation

Defense Against Bad Ideas

August 12, 2014 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

Now that we have established where bad ideas come from we need to carefully consider how we can defend against them. Despite the best efforts of the powers of darkness and despite our own fallen nature we can have victory over evil in this life. We live in a corrupted world and we inhabit corrupted bodies of flesh with an inborn sinful nature but God has not left us without the power to overcome.

What is this power to overcome and what are the tools that God has given us to do good and not evil? Here is how I see it:

Our first line of defense is and will always be our salvation and regeneration made possible by Christ’s sacrifice. Because he died in my place my spirit has been born anew and in my body of death I now hold the spirit of life (2 Corinthians 4:7-12). This is a powerful truth and it is the foundation for our eternal hope and our assured victory.

Even so, just because we are born again does not mean that God will not allow us to make bad choices or fall to temptation if we are bound and determined to do so. Even as a saved child of God our ability to choose is sacrosanct. And without proper training and maturity in God’s word we will continue to make bad choices even while we are on the path to life eternal.

After salvation, we must commit ourselves to growth and maturity. Just like a baby animal is no match for a predator, we are no match for the schemes of the evil one while we are still babes in Christ. We need knowledge of God’s word (The Bible), we need to develop an active and vital prayer life and we need to surround ourselves with mature believers who can hold us up and keep us accountable while we grow.

Study of God’s word accompanied by prayer will allow the Holy Spirit to speak directly to our hearts and grow us in grace and truth. God’s word is alive and is able to speak to us right where we are as it teaches us and improves our weak areas. (Hebrews 4:12) In this way we develop a strong foundation that is able to withstand times of trouble and temptation.

We must also surround ourselves with those who can teach us and guide us in this life of faith. Believers who have been through what we are going through and can provide Godly wisdom will keep us in good stead as we grow. We are commanded by God’s word to help each other and support each other (Galatians 6:2) in love and an active, vibrant life of faith is made possible by the support of other believers.

These are the foundation on which we build our defense against bad ideas and temptation to sin. Still, as we grow in faith and maturity we must also learn where we are weak and what we need to avoid. There are more distractions than ever for Christians in the world today and nothing will choke our desire for God faster than the cares of this life. We must guard our hearts and keep our desire for God and His law above all else. If our main goal is always to love the Lord with all we have then we will not find ourselves often going wrong. (Mark 12:30)

We can have victory because Christ has already won the war. Our part is simply to continue in faith and make good choices based on God’s word and the Holy Spirit’s instruction to us. Our defense is sure when we stand on the rock of truth.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: bible study, church attendance, prayer, salvation

The Power of the Message

March 11, 2014 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

I have had the great privilege of hearing some wonderful preaching and singing recently. Both the preaching and the singing were inspired messages from God about His great love, redeeming power and coming judgment.

Even though one was spoken and one was sung, they were both forms of the gospel message presented in such a way that all who heard it were blessed and challenged. The message was consistent even though the delivery and the messengers were very different. And that brings us to an important point about the gospel: no matter who we are, where we come from or what our talents might be, we are all called to share the gospel.

The gospel message is the good news, the very best news that there has ever been. It simply says that God loved us so much that he sent His only Son to die for us, taking the penalty for sin in our place and providing a way in which we might have eternal life.

This world is a fallen one and we are fallen creatures. We inherited a sinful nature from the very first humans and have been making wrong choices ever since. But God was not content to allow His most beloved creation to die in their sins and has provided a way for us to be redeemed. By admitting that we are sinners and confessing our faith in Jesus Christ and asking Him to be our Lord forevermore we can be freed from the power of sin and the certainty of eternal damnation.

And make no mistake, without Jesus, we are eternally lost. The penalty for our sin and rebellion against God is eternal separation in a place that God designed for the devil and his followers. Hell was not created for man, but man may choose hell by the way in which he lives his life. This is the truth that we must never forget. Although we are now living in a period of grace in which all who call on the name of the Lord may be saved, judgment day is coming. And on that day we will all be called to give an account of how we lived our lives and what we did with God’s son; whether we accepted Him or rejected Him.

The power of the message has not diminished although it is thousands of years old. The power of the message is as fresh and real today as it was on that morning that God rolled the stone away from the tomb and Jesus walked out, alive and reborn. The power of the message continues because it is God’s message to His creation and because He still desires all people to come to repentance.

Commit to being a messenger for the One who still has the power to save men’s souls. Share the gospel with those you know, both in what you say and in what you do.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: Jesus Christ, salvation, the gospel