Episode 11: What is the place of water baptism in salvation?

Water baptism as we know it today was first introduced by John the Baptist when he was calling Israel to repentance. Jesus was introduced in this baptism in a very remarkable way. From that point on water baptism became an integral part of Christian initiation and the proclamation of the gospel. Yet controversy surrounds this subject to this day. Today we take a brief look at this subject with the desire that each believer may move in faith before God.

• The Baptism of Jesus
o Recorded in all four Gospels
o Jesus introduced in John’s baptism (Matt. 3:13-16)
o John connected water baptism and Spirit baptism on this occasion
• What can we learn from this account?
o Jesus verified that the baptism of John was of God by submitting to it
o Jesus identified with sin in John’s baptism as He would in reality at Calvary
o God’s plan of salvation was foretold in this event
o Water baptism is a symbol of Spirit baptism and leads to that
o The work of the triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is seen together
• Water baptism is seen as an act of obedience following repentance and faith in Christ
o Peter (Act 2:38)
o Samaria (Acts 8:12)
o Ethiopian eunuch  (Acts 8:36-38)
o Paul (Acts 9:18, 22:16)
• What happens in water baptism?
o My faith in Jesus as Savior is demonstrated in an act of obedience to Him.
o It is a burial ceremony (following Jesus into death of my old life)
o It is a “washing away of my past sins”
• Some important points
o Water baptism is always seen in scripture as “believer’s baptism”
o The very word “baptism” indicates submersion (typifying our union with Christ)
o Water baptism without spirit baptism is not complete
o Water baptism normally precedes Spirit baptism but not always (Acts 10)
o There is “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5)
o We must not give too much or too little importance to water baptism
o The value of water baptism to us is the faith that we bring to the event

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Episode 10: What does it mean to Believe in Jesus?

We have been considering some elements of “salvation.” Integral to this subject is the issue of what it means to “believe” or to have faith. What is saving faith? How do we know that we believe? “So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”” (Acts 16:31, NKJV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NKJV)

• What Biblical faith (or believing) is not:
o An intellectual belief in certain facts
o Something that requires no commitment or action
o A kind of positive confession (mind over matter)
o Receiving is not believing (John 1:12)

• What Biblical faith is:
o Believing in a person (The person of Jesus Christ)
o A commitment of will to the Lordship of Christ
o Based on the Word of God (communication from God)
o A continual belief (not just a one-time act)
o Believing brings us into an experience of the grace of God
o Begins in heart, confession with mouth, completed in actions (Rom. 10:8-10)

To believe God is to commit (trust) your whole person into His hands, knowing that He is God and He is faithful in all things. “. . . . I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJV)

Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]
 

Episode 9: What is Repentance?

Today we want to look at the area of repentance. In the proclamation of the gospel today, this is often misunderstood or completely overlooked. In doing so, it leaves a great weakness in our initial foundation in our walk with God.

• Repentance is our beginning place. It was the beginning message of:
o John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1,2)
o Jesus (Matt 4:17)
o Peter (Acts 2:38) Repentance was commanded
o Paul (Acts 20:21) Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus
• Repentance (to change one’s mind, to turn)
o Includes thought, word, and deed (2 Cor. 7:11)
o Not just feelings, tears, or regret
o John said to “Bring forth fruits of repentance” (Matt. 3:8)
o Repentance is towards God (we have sinned against Him) (Acts 20:21)
• Confession of sin is specific, not just general
o I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive”
o Turning from the sin by the grace of God
o Restitution if possible (Luke 3:10)
• Christ came to bring a real salvation from sin (I John 3:4-9)
o That our sins may be “taken away) (vs 5)
o To destroy the works of the devil (vs 8)
• The command to all men everywhere is to repent (Acts 17:30)

God has provided a real salvation from death, sin, and the expression of sin (sins) that the righteousness of God might be revealed in these vessels of clay

Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Episode 9: What is Repentance?

Today we want to look at the area of repentance. In the proclamation of the gospel today, this is often misunderstood or completely overlooked. In doing so, it leaves a great weakness in our initial foundation in our walk with God.

• Repentance is our beginning place. It was the beginning message of:
o John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1,2)
o Jesus (Matt 4:17)
o Peter (Acts 2:38) Repentance was commanded
o Paul (Acts 20:21) Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus
• Repentance (to change one’s mind, to turn)
o Includes thought, word, and deed (2 Cor. 7:11)
o Not just feelings, tears, or regret
o John said to “Bring forth fruits of repentance” (Matt. 3:8)
o Repentance is towards God (we have sinned against Him) (Acts 20:21)
• Confession of sin is specific, not just general
o I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive”
o Turning from the sin by the grace of God
o Restitution if possible (Luke 3:10)
• Christ came to bring a real salvation from sin (I John 3:4-9)
o That our sins may be “taken away) (vs 5)
o To destroy the works of the devil (vs 8)
• The command to all men everywhere is to repent (Acts 17:30)

God has provided a real salvation from death, sin, and the expression of sin (sins) that the righteousness of God might be revealed in these vessels of clay

Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Episode 8: What is Salvation?

One of the most common questions that is brought to us is this: “Are you saved?” Another closely related question is “Are you born again?” What do we mean by these terms? Are we using them the way the Bible does? A danger is that we attach our own meaning to the terms and use them in way that God does not use in the Bible. When we do this, we run the risk of not only deceiving ourselves but misleading others.

• The most common concept of salvation is only “saved from hell.” This is a very narrow definition that does not include much of what God has in mind.
• Salvation is not just a “decision for Christ” but a process. In the scripture we find that we have been saved, we are being saved, and we shall be saved.
• Jesus is the Author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Heb. 5:9)
o Have been saved from death (see Romans 5:12), and past sins
o Are being saved from sin, the effects of sin, and from ourselves
o Will be given a new body and saved from the wrath of God and eternal judgment

We see this outlined for us in 2 Peter 1:1-10
• Partakers of the divine nature through the promises of God
• A process of “adding to our faith”
• An eternal hope “if” we do these things

Dangers:
• The prevalence of an “easy believism” gospel (just accept Jesus as your Savior)
• The danger of a simple intellectual acceptance of Biblical truth
• The danger of an emotional experience that does not leave us in union with Christ
• The danger of depending on membership in a “church organization”

On future programs:
• The importance of repentance
• What it means to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ”
• Why water baptism.
• Receiving the Holy Spirit

Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]
 

Episode 7: Knowing God

What does it mean to know God? How do we know God? How do we know that we are knowing Him? Many today know about God but they do not know God in a personal way. God has opened the door that all may know Him. My prayer today is that all of us may enter more deeply into this personal relationship with God. 

From the tract on the web site entitled  “Knowing God”

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3

• Knowing someone (including God) means experiencing God
• Salvation is not experienced separate from knowing God
• The New Covenant opened the door for “all to know Him” (Heb. 8:11)
• The Old Covenant was based on what man could do, the New on what God can do
• The basis of the New Covenant is the Cross of Jesus Christ
• Jesus died so that we could enter into union with God by the Spirit
• The Christian life is living His life by faith, not our life
• Being born again brings us into a relationship, not just an experience
• That which is born of God overcomes all things
• Knowing God is a love relationship that bears fruit (an expression of God)
• Love is expressed in relationship, communion, union, and oneness

Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]
 

Many today think of the church as simply a meeting, a place to worship, or an organization. But the essence of the church is something else called the “Body of Christ.” What does that mean? How are we “the body of Christ”? Today’s program explores that subject.

From  “Secret of His Purpose” by John Kennedy (chapter 4):
• A gospel that is only individual in nature is “half a gospel”
• The condition for entering into the “fullness of Christ” is subjection to Christ in His body
• The purpose of the Body of Christ is to give expression to His life
• The Body of Christ is a gathering of believers in a locality that function together
• Pattern and life are equally import to reach God’s end purpose
• The church as the Body of Christ expresses the authority of Christ here on earth

In Summary:
• We must be connected to the Head (who is Christ), under His authority
• We are related to each other by the Spirit (baptized into one body—I Cor. 12:13)
• Our functioning is according to the direction of the Head and His grace
• Submission to Christ in His Body deals with individualism (self-sufficiency)
• God’s purpose is that we give forth an expression of Christ together
• Love is the bond of perfection that enables us to move as “one man”

Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

A key theme in scripture relating to the purpose and plan of God is the family and household of God. God has a family, Christ Jesus being the “First Born” with us as his brothers and sisters. He has a household of whom He is the Father. He is bringing His sons and daughters to maturity in his household. How can that happen when our Father is in heaven? Today we explore this subject that we may see more clearly how God is bringing his family to maturity.

From Secret of His Purpose on God’s Household and House (chapter 7)
• Family defines relationship, but does not always result in a household
• A household implies being together, a common rule, and sense of responsibility
• The church is a local assembly, a spiritual family living as one household
• We are our brother’s keeper
• We get to know God as we dwell in his household.

Additional thoughts concerning the church as the household of God
• God has a family
o Born into His family through new birth (related now as sons and daughters)
o The relationship is because of our common relationship with God
o The family structure is designed to bring the children to maturity
• The church of God is primarily a family atmosphere
o Not an organization, program, or institution)
o Requires close relationships
o Requires commitment, responsibility of members
o Has structure, order
• Differences between the natural and spiritual family
o Our Father is in heaven
o Jesus is among us as our Elder Brother by the Spirit (Heb. 2:10-13)
o God governs His household by His Spirit working through men
o We must choose to be a part of a local expression of God’s family

Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

The issue of authority lies at the very center of the conflict that we face today. The conflict begins in each believer as they first come to God, and extends to the gathering of believers. To resolve the conflict according God’s way is the key to experiencing fellowship with God and fellowship with each other. Here is a summary statement to focus our thinking. “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Christ Jesus, and He administers that authority by the Holy Spirit in and through each believer.”

• Spiritual authority has its origin in the Cross
o Jesus submitted to the will of His Father and defeated the enemy at Calvary
o Calvary defined many things including spiritual authority
• All authority has been given to Christ  (Matt: 28:18, also Acts 2:36, Heb. 1:13)
o The authority is spiritual
o The authority is administered by the Holy Spirit
o The authority is revealed in and through man
o The authority is for the building up of the household of God
• The opposite to spiritual authority is natural authority
o That which originates from man
o That which originates from Satan but finds it’s expression through natural man
• Submission to the authority of God is
o Essential to salvation
o Essential to unity
o Essential to experience the riches of God’s grace
o Essential to building in God
• How do we know we are under the authority of Christ as our Lord?
o There must be evidence (fruit) of Christ as our Lord
o Evidence of Lordship begins now and reaches into eternity
o Expresses itself in a spirit of submission to other member of Christ
o Is not defensive, but always looking for God to shed light to walk in
o Recognizes the grace of God coming through other members

Additional resources at: http://www.ntchurchsource.com/ 

Theme song "Will your Anchor Hold" sung by J. Ashley Milne

To see who Christ is by revelation is critical to the foundation of what God is doing today. Jesus told Peter that “upon this foundation He would build His church.” Many believers only know about a historical Christ, but do not have a personal knowledge of Him as God. While an intellectual knowledge of Christ may be a good beginning, without a personal revealing of the person of Christ there will be no power to walk in this world as God has designed.

• Jesus Christ must be revealed to us by the Father. He is building on this foundation (Matt: 16:13-19)
o The Father revealed to Peter who Christ was
o Christ builds on the revelation of who He is
o Authority comes from that revelation (union)
• Christ dwells in the midst of a people who are gathered in His Name (Matt: 18:18-20)
o Gathered in His nature
o Gathered under His authority
• Paul’s basis was the revelation of who Christ is. (Gal 1:5-16)
o The basis for his turning was a revelation of Christ
o The basis for his ministry (authority) was “Christ in you”
o Each one of us must have that same miracle from God

Additional resources at www:NTchurchsource.com

Theme song Will your Anchor Hold sung by J. Ashley Milne