Locusts and Wild Honey

VII. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Thursday, November 22nd, 2007 | BF&M 2000, General, Theological Thursdays | 1 Comment

from the Baptist Faith & Message 2000:

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.

Matthew 3:13-17 | Matthew 26:26-30 | Matthew 28:19-20 | Mark 1:9-11 | Mark 14:22-26 | Luke 3:21-22 | Luke 22:19-20 | John 3:23 | Acts 2:41-42 | Acts 8:35-39 | Acts 16:30-33 | Acts 20:7 | Romans 6:3-5 | 1 Corinthians 10:16,21 | 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 | Colossians 2:12

• Evangelism and Baptism - J. M. Frost
• Baptism: A Matter of Obedience - John MacArthur
• Troubling Waters of Baptism - Tom Ascol
• A String of Pearls Unstrung: A Theological Journey into Believers’ Baptism - Fred Malone
• Baptism: A Burial - Charles Spurgeon
• Believer’s Baptism in the Bible - Rick DeMichele
• FAQ on the Reformed Baptist View of Baptism - Stan Reeves
• I Baptize You with Water - John Piper
• Buried and Raised in Baptism through Faith - John Piper
• What is Baptism and Does it Save? - John Piper
• What Baptism Portrays - John Piper

I do not personally know Andrew Doss, but I wanted to show a baptism in action. I praise God for Andrew and his public profession of faith.

VI. The Church

Thursday, November 15th, 2007 | BF&M 2000, Theological Thursdays | 1 Comment

from the Baptist Faith & Message 2000:

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

The New Testament speaks also of the church as the body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Matthew 16:15-19 | Matthew 18:15-20 | Acts 2:41-42,47 | Acts 5:11-14 | Acts 6:3-6 | Acts 13:1-3 | Acts 14:23,27 | Acts 15:1-30 | Acts 16:5 | Acts 20:28 | Romans 1:7 | 1 Corinthians 1:2 | 1 Corinthians 3:16 | 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 | 1 Corinthians 7:17 | 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 | 1 Corinthians 12 | Ephesians 1:22-23 | Ephesians 2:19-22 | Ephesians 3:8-11,21 | Ephesians 5:22-32 | Philippians 1:1 | Colossians 1:18 | 1 Timothy 2:9-14 | 1 Timothy 3:1-15 | 1 Timothy 4:14 | Hebrews 11:39-40 | 1 Peter 5:1-4 | Revelation 2-3 | Revelation 21:2-3

See: 9 Marks

V. God’s Purpose of Grace

Thursday, November 8th, 2007 | BF&M 2000, General, Theological Thursdays | 1 Comment

from the Baptist Faith & Message 2000:

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.

All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Genesis 12:1-3 | Exodus 19:5-8 | 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22 | Isaiah 5:1-7 | Jeremiah 31:31ff. | Matthew 16:18-19 | Matthew 21:28-45 | Matthew 24:22,31 | Matthew 25:34 | Luke 1:68-79 | Luke 2:29-32 | Luke 19:41-44 | Luke 24:44-48 | John 1:12-14 | John 3:16 | John 5:24 | John 6:44-45,65 | John 10:27-29 | John 15:16 | John 17:6,12,17-18 | Acts 20:32 | Romans 5:9-10 | Romans 8:28-39 | Romans 10:12-15 | Romans 11:5-7,26-36 | 1 Corinthians 1:1-2 | 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 | Ephesians 1:4-23 | Ephesians 2:1-10 | Ephesians 3:1-11 | Colossians 1:12-14 | 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 | 2 Timothy 1:12 | 2 Timothy 2:10,19 | Hebrews 11:39-12:2 | James 1:12 | 1 Peter 1:2-5,13 | 1 Peter 2:4-10 | 1 John 1:7-9 | 1 John 2:19 | 1 John 3:2

Related Links

• A Southern Baptist Looks at the Biblical Doctrine of Election - Ernest C. Reisinger
• Election - James Petigru Boyce
• The Christian Chosen Before the Foundation of the World - Geoff Thomas
• A Three-legged Stool: All Sides of God’s Salvation Process - Jim Elliff
• The “U” in TULIP - Tim Challies
• Election: Its Defenses and Evidences - Charles Spurgeon
• Misunderstandings of the Doctrine of Election - Wayne Grudem
• The Sovereignty of God in Salvation - John MacArthur
• Predestination and the Saints’ Perseverance - P. H. Mell
• The Purpose of Salvation - John MacArthur
• Perseverance of the Saints - R. B. C. Howell
• 17. Of The Perseverance of the Saints - 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

IV. Salvation

Thursday, November 1st, 2007 | BF&M 2000, Theological Thursdays | No Comments

from the Baptist Faith & Message 2000:

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.

Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.

B. Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.

C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person’s life.

D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

Genesis 3:15 | Exodus 3:14-17 | Exodus 6:2-8 | Matthew 1:21 | Matthew 4:17 | Matthew 16:21-26 | Matthew 27:22-28:6 | Luke 1:68-69 | Luke 2:28-32 | John 1:11-14,29 | John 3:3-21,36 | John 5:24 | John 10:9,28-29 | John 15:1-16 | John 17:17 | Acts 2:21 | Acts 4:12 | Acts 15:11 | Acts 16:30-31 | Acts 17:30-31 | Acts 20:32 | Romans 1:16-18 | Romans 2:4 | Romans 3:23-25 | Romans 4:3ff. | Romans 5:8-10 | Romans 6:1-23 | Romans 8:1-18,29-39 | Romans 10:9-10,13 | Romans 13:11-14 | 1 Corinthians 1:18,30 | 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 | 1 Corinthians 15:10 | 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 | Galatians 2:20 | Galatians 3:13 | Galatians 5:22-25 | Galatians 6:15 | Ephesians 1:7 | Ephesians 2:8-22 | Ephesians 4:11-16 | Philippians 2:12-13 | Colossians 1:9-22 | Colossians 3:1ff. | 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 | 2 Timothy 1:12 | Titus 2:11-14 | Hebrews 2:1-3 | Hebrews 5:8-9 | Hebrews 9:24-28 | Hebrews 11:1-12:8,14 | James 2:14-26 | 1 Peter 1:2-23 | 1 John 1:6-2:11 | Revelation 3:20 | Revelation 21:1-22:5

My random thoughts:

I talked with someone recently who expressed displeasure in the wording of the Baptist Faith and Message. He argued that the weak wording allowed for too much ambiguity and fostered a dumbing down of our rich theological heritage. I see some validity to that point.

For example he pointed to the wording in this article which reads, “Salvation… is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ.” He saw a problem in placing man in the active role of “accepting” Jesus and making that action the contingent deed enacting the offer of salvation. I have to agree, the framers of the document could have used more biblically accurate and stronger language.

On the other hand, elsewhere this same article asserts, properly so, that God’s initiative effects salvation prior to human response. In other words, regeneration precedes faith. “Regeneration… is a work of God’s grace… to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

I’ve also heard criticism coming from the other side of the fence, arguing that we should abandon loaded doctrinal language because folks in this day and age do not have the theological aptitude to understand the specialized terminology. I strongly differ. If our seventh graders can learn scientific terminology like metamorphosis, photosynthesis and fission; then maturing believers ought to learn terms like regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification along with their definitions so that they can more deeply appreciate the glory of our salvation in Christ.

III. Man

Thursday, October 25th, 2007 | BF&M 2000, Theological Thursdays | 1 Comment

from the Baptist Faith & Message 2000:

Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

Genesis 1:26-30 | Genesis 2:5,7,18-22 | Genesis 3 | Genesis 9:6 | Psalms 1 | Psalms 8:3-6 | Psalms 32:1-5 | Psalms 51:5 | Isaiah 6:5 | Jeremiah 17:5 | Matthew 16:26 | Acts 17:26-31 | Romans 1:19-32 | Romans 3:10-18,23 | Romans 5:6,12,19 | Romans 6:6 | Romans 7:14-25 | Romans 8:14-18,29 | 1 Corinthians 1:21-31 | 1 Corinthians 15:19,21-22 | Ephesians 2:1-22 | Colossians 1:21-22 | Colossians 3:9-11

Further reading: The Ascent of Lost Man in Southern Baptist Preaching by Mark Coppenger

II. God - C. God the Holy Spirit

Thursday, October 18th, 2007 | BF&M 2000, General, Theological Thursdays | 1 Comment

from the Baptist Faith & Message 2000:

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

Genesis 1:2 | Judges 14:6 | Job 26:13 | Psalms 51:11 | Psalms 139:7ff. | Isaiah 61:1-3 | Joel 2:28-32 | Matthew 1:18 | Matthew 3:16 | Matthew 4:1 | Matthew 12:28-32 | Matthew 28:19 | Mark 1:10,12 | Luke 1:35 | Luke 4:1,18-19 | Luke 11:13 | Luke 12:12 | Luke 24:49 | John 4:24 | John 14:16-17,26 | John 15:26 | John 16:7-14 | Acts 1:8 | Acts 2:1-4,38 | Acts 4:31 | Acts 5:3 | Acts 6:3 | Acts 7:55 | Acts 8:17,39 | Acts 10:44 | Acts 13:2 | Acts 15:28 | Acts 16:6 | Acts 19:1-6 | Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27 | 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 | 1 Corinthians 3:16 | 1 Corinthians 12:3-11,13 | Galatians 4:6 | Ephesians 1:13-14 | Ephesians 4:30 | Ephesians 5:18 | 1 Thessalonians 5:19 | 1 Timothy 3:16 | 1 Timothy 4:1 | 2 Timothy 1:14 | 2 Timothy 3:16 | Hebrews 9:8,14 | 2 Peter 1:21 | 1 John 4:13 | 1 John 5:6-7 | Revelation 1:10 | Revelation 22:17