Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 1 February 2001 — Page 45

The Muncie Times, February 1, 2001, page 45

RELIGION “Few there be that find it”

By Joe Derese I’ve heard the expression many times, “That’s your interpretation of the Bible,” when actually the best interpreter of scripture is the scriptures themselves. In establishing the Bible so important that man’s salvation or damnation would hinge on its meaning, God provided for every basic doctrine to be repeated so that misinterpretation would be avoided. Paul relates this in MCor. 13:1, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” Even this same scripture is found again in Matt. 18:16 and several other places to fulfill its own demand. All of this to warn man not to build a doctrine, especially a major one, on a single scripture. Therefore if a meaning is drawn from a scripture as God intended it to be understood, that same idea, although possibly worded differently, will be found elsewhere in the scriptures. Many religions have major beliefs that are founded on one misunderstood scripture in spite of the fact that every fundamental doctrine should be backed up by at least two scriptures. Faith in God, believing in him is obviously mandatory to being saved by him. Heb, 11:6 states it is impossible to please him or come to God without faith and believing that he exist. Heb. 4:2 speaks of people not profiting from hearing the word preached because of no faith in them

that heard it. Now, is faith enough? James 1:22 reads “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (also Romans 2:13). Notice James chapter 2; verse 17... faith, if it hath then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” and verse 26... so faith without works is dead also.” Please allow me to repeat; Faith without works, is dead! Obedience to the word of God is absolutely necessary for salvation from an eternity in hell. Heb. 5:9 “salvation unto all them that obey him;” Also I Peter 1:22...ye have purified souls in obeying the truth...:. In Romans 6:16-18 “...ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Paul says in Romans 1:5 that he received grace for his obedience to the faith. The first step or action towards salvation is repentance. Repentance is humbly coming before God and asking for forgiveness of sin with sincere intentions of turning away from sin. Although many religions claim that you can be saved and still live a sinful life, the scriptures tells us that Jesus came to save people from their sins, not in their sins (Matt. 1:21, Romans 6:18). In Luke 13:3&5, Jesus says except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Our

repentance, paralleled to Jesus’ death, is dying out to a world of sin (Romans 6:1 &2). Baptism is the second step towards salvation; Mark 16:6 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;...(Acts 22:16) his apostles to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (most everyone knows the Son’s name is Jesus). In John 5:43 Jesus says he came in his Father’s name. Heb. 1:4 says he received his name by inheritance (so did I, my name is Derese because my father’s name was Derese). Any legitimate son comes in his father’s name. The Father’s name must be Jesus. Name of the Holy Ghost (John 14:26), Jesus!!! Father, Son and Holy Ghost are only titles or offices of one God, they are not his name. The apostles knew what the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost was; that’s why baptism in the new testament was administered in the name of Jesus! Proof? Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 19:5. To get around this truth I have heard men say baptism is not necessary anyway. With the various forms of the word baptize’ being mentioned over 50 times in the Bible, if a man can discard baptism as nonessential, he may as well discard his whole Bible.

The third step to salvation is promised from God after one repents and is baptized in Jesus’s name (Act 2:38 &39). The Holy Ghost is promised in John 7:38 &39 to those who believe according to the scriptures. The trouble today is that most people are not believing “ as the scripture hath said.” Jesus says in John 3:5 that birth of the water and of the spirit is mandatory to enter the kingdom of God. In the 8th verse he also hints of a characteristics that everyone would experience in spiritual birth: something would be heard! Verse 8”...thou hearest the sound thereof... so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.” What was heard when the Jews first received the Holy Ghost? Acts 2:4 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Later in Acts 10:44-47 the Jews were convinced that the Gentiles also had received the Holy Ghost “For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” (God is no respecter of person! remember “...thou hearest the sound thereof... so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.” (Some say tongues have ceased according to I Cor. 13:8, but notice the same scripture states that knowledge shall vanish away’: neither have we reached the day when tongues shall cease.’ The apostle Paul preached the same thing that Peter preached (read

Acts chapter 19 versus 16). He baptized in the name of Jesus and his converts spoke with tongues when the} received the Holy Ghost. Paul was thoroughly convinced that there was no other plan of salvation, for in Gal. 1:8&9 he says though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so say I now again. If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed” This doesn’t sound much like the widespread idea of “You go to your church and I’ll go to mine (of unscriptural beliefs) and we’ll walk hand in hand to heaven.” Matt. &:13 &14 tells us that many shall go the way that leads to destruction but few there be that even find the way to salvation. Listen to Luke 13:24 “... many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Let me urge you to be extremely cautious not to miss God’s plan of salvation, for in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 we find that there are beliefs that seem right to man but end in destruction. The stakes are too high; the cargo is too precious; eternity is too long... to be lost. Matt. 16;26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul???”