Consider random thoughts about preaching.
First, and the only one for today, it seems obvious in many churches of our brotherhood—the Independent Christian Church—that preaching is conditioned more by a conservative ecumenical than a Restoration Movement perspective. We need a return to our spiritual heritage, particularly in regard to the purpose of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. While much—we can almost say MOST—of the evangelical world’s music, literature and church-growth assemblies are dominated by faith-only brethren, this writer will discuss with anyone, at any time, why baptism is by immersion for the forgiveness of sin. This is powerfully the case when we see it from a vantage point of New Testament chronology. My wife’s husband wrote a book on Miracles of Jesus. He gave me permission to lift page 23 of that book. It offers a clinching proof of baptism’s purpose. Read it and see. In the Fall of AD 57 Paul appeared before a Jewish audience in Jerusalem, an event revealed in Acts 22:6-16. In relating the purpose of baptism, however, he referred to an event in Damascus about AD 35, some 22 years earlier. A Jewish Christian named Ananias came to the blind Saul of Tarsus and told him, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” Seeing the events chronologically clarifies baptism’s purpose. * in AD 35 Ananias administered it to forgive the sins of a repentant Saul. * in AD 57 Paul understood it had been administered 22 years before to forgive his sins, even though he believed in Jesus and had repented of his sins. Which clarifies the meaning of Romans 10:5-11, a passage often used to prove baptism’s irrelevance. Paul wrote Romans in the Spring of AD 57. In the Fall of AD 57 he referred to AD 35, 22 years previous, to explain why he needed to be baptized after having faith in Jesus, after repenting of his sins, after confessing Jesus as God’s Son. While faith, repentance and confession led him to forgiveness, only baptism finalized forgiveness. If Paul remembered baptism’s purpose from 22 years before, it wouldn’t have changed between Spring and Fall AD 57! Since Ananias and Paul both considered him a sinner before being baptized, how can people now claim they’re forgiven before being immersed? If Paul joined faith, repentance and confession with baptism, how dare we separate them? End Part I
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