Philippians 3:17

I Corinthians 11:1

Humility

• Philippians 2:1-4

• Acts 18:26 – Apollos learned with humility from Priscilla and Aquilla.

Service

• Acts 9:36-42 – Tabitha was a great example of service.

• Galatians 6:1, 9-10

• Acts 28:30-31

• “Any time!” – Jesse Jenkins

Love

• II Corinthians 11:28 – Paul was concerned for the brethren.

• Philippians 1:8

• I Corinthians 13:5

• “You just have to throw the mantle of love over it and go on.” – Jesse Jenkins

• Ephesians 5:28

Introduction

• Romans 5:1

• Acts 16:31

• John 3:16

• We studied about baptism being required for salvation, but these verses all talk about belief only!

Something’s going on

• What about repentance? (Acts 3:19; II Peter 3:9; Galatians 5:19-21)

• … and the demons? (James 2:19)

• … and these Jews? (John 12:42-43; Matthew 10:32-33)

• … and Saul? (Acts 9; 22:16)

  • Saul believed, but still had sins until he was baptized!

• … and these other Jews? (Acts 2:36-38)

Figurative language?

• John 2:19-21; 6:51-52; Matthew 16:6, 12

• Synecdoche – a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole, or vice versa.

  • Example: “give me a hand”

• A synecdoche would explain how ALL the passages about salvation are true and not contradictory.

• If taking a statement literally forces it to contradict a known truth, then the statement is either wrong or figurative.

  • John 3:3; 10:9; Luke 13:32

• “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”

  • But … repentance (Acts 3:19), confession (Romans 10:9), baptism (I Peter 3:21)

Synecdoches are commonly used in the Bible.

• Genesis 3:19; Romans 10:15; Acts 11:21

• Acts 16:31-34

Every obligation a man has grows out of a relationship.

Adam – humanitarian

• God: I Corinthians 15:45-49

• Man

  • Train children à schools

  • Good citizen à civil government (Romans 13:3-4)

  • Compassionate à Benevolent society

  • No authority for:

    • Worship society

    • Missionary society

    • Edifying society

Christ – spiritual

• God: Galatians 3:26-27

• Man

  • Worship God

  • Edify the saved

  • Save the lost

  • Benevolence for needy saints (I Corinthians 16:1-2; etc.)

  • Discipline unruly/disorderly

  • All these are achieved with the local church. God provided the structure in which we are to do all these things.

  • No authority for:

    • Worship society

    • Edifying society

    • Missionary society

    • Benevolent society

    • Disciplinary society

Colossians 1:9-12

Colossians 1:9

• Paul believed in prayer and in prayer for specific people in specific places.

• “filled with the knowledge of His will”

  • Too many times there is a famine of knowledge of God’s will in the church.

  • Hosea 4:6 – Lack of knowledge will cause us to perish!

• Knowledge of the Bible means nothing without the wisdom to apply it.

Colossians 1:10

• We must walk worthy of God. We can walk worthy of God.

• Titus 2:11-14

• Proverbs 12:26

• A walk worthy of God is a better walk.

• Titus 3:5

• Christians are better than other people because they are obeying God. If we weren’t why would we try to teach others to be Christians?

• “bearing fruit in every good work”

  • Ephesians 2:10

Colossians 1:11 – “strengthened with all power according to His glorious might”

• Romans 1:16

Colossians 1:12 – “giving thanks to the Father”

• Too many are not thankful for the blessings we enjoy as Christians.

• Too many times we think we are limited by what we can’t do as Christians, but that is judging by the wrong standard.

• I John 1:7

Colossians 1:13 – What a translation this is!

Ephesians 2:8-9

Naaman – II Kings 5:9-14

Greek baptizo – dip, immerse

Many baptized in Acts: Acts 8:12, 38; 16:15, 33, and more!

Scriptures relating to baptism:

• Mark 16:16

• Acts 2:38 – Some argue that “for forgiveness of sins” means “because of the forgiveness of your sins” but this does not match the Greek meaning of the phrase. Compare Matthew 26:28.

• Acts 22:16 – Paul definitely believed in Jesus at this point, but he still needed forgiveness of his sins via baptism.

• Romans 6:3-4

  • Jesus (physical) – death, burial, resurrection

  • Me (spiritual) – dead to sin, buried in baptism, newness of life

• I Corinthians 12:13

• Galatians 3:27

• I Peter 3:21

Outward sign of an inward grace?

• This phrase is not in the Bible. Is the concept? No!

• Baptism is the moment when God washes away one’s sins with the power of Jesus’ blood!

  • Sense of urgency:

    • Acts 2

    • Acts 8 – Ethiopian eunuch

    • Saul

    • Philippian jailer

  • Rejoiced after baptism

    • Philippian jailer

    • Ethiopian

If baptism is required for salvation, what more would God have to say to communicate that?

Acts 19:1-5 – One may still need to be baptized into Christ if a previous baptism was a different kind of baptism.