Author: drthomasclothier

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Repent and Be Baptized.

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” (I Peter 3:21).

When Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost and his hearers were convicted of their sin, he said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

The act of repentance would involve not only turning from one’s sin, but also then turning to faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Baptism would immediately follow as a visible and public demonstration of one’s true repentance and faith, but never the basis of one’s repentance and faith. That object and basis of our faith is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, along with His virgin birth, sinless life and substitutionary death, and not water baptism.

If this is so, then why do Presbyterian and Reformed churches baptize infants? Are they not doing the same thing as Catholics and Lutherans? Is this also a water baptism which saves ceremony?

Not at all. In the case of Presbyterian and Reformed churches baptizing infants, it is a symbol of the parent’s dedication to raise their child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It is also a sign of the covenant of salvation that the child in question would be brought to saving faith in Christ. It mirrors what many evangelical churches call baby dedication. The baptism in these cases is not for the purpose of saving the child from their sin. That is only accomplished through faith in Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:21-26 these words, “21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Four times the apostle uses the word faith, or its verb equivalent believe. Faith, or believing, is a trust, dependence, commitment and worship of Jesus Christ alone and is the instrument God uses to apply His gracious salvation by the person and work of Jesus Christ to the elect sinner. Baptism pictures this grace, but is never the means of God’s grace.

We must never trust in anyone, or for that matter anything, other than the person and work of Jesus Christ to deliver us from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin. To do so is to depart from the true message and meaning of the gospel.

May we remain vigilant to God’s truth.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

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Baptism.

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” (I Peter 3:21).

Is water baptism the means by which God saves sinners? This question continues to be debated within churches, and among Christians, even to this day. One church or person says baptism saves, while another church or person says no. Who is right? Can we know for sure the answer to this dilemma?

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that water baptism it is the entrance into a covenant relationship with God, or the first means (among many)  of God’s grace to the sinner. Most Lutheran churches agree, as do the Disciples of Christ denomination.

At the same time, there are many evangelical churches and believers who teach and preach that baptism is only an outward sign of the sinner’s salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. It is a beloved sacrament or ordinance of the church, the Lord’s Supper being the other, and which serves as a public testimony of one’s faith in Christ as Savior and commitment to Christ as Lord. Therefore, while water baptism is important it does not save.

One proof text cited as evidence that water baptism does indeed save is I Peter 3:21. On the surface, it would appear that this verse is undeniable proof that water baptism is the way by which God saves sinners. But is this what the Apostle Peter means? Let’s find out.

The verse begins with the word baptism. Our English word baptism is derived from the Greek word βάπτισμα (baptisma) which means to be immersed in water in a religious ceremony symbolizing purification from sin on the basis of repentance. Peter explains that water baptism is a type or picture paralleling the deliverance God provided Noah and his family during the flood.

One theologian writes, “Baptism represents a complete break with one’s past life. As the Flood wiped away the old sinful world, so baptism pictures one’s break from his old sinful life and his entrance into new life in Christ. Peter now applied to his readers the principle he set forth in verses 13–17 and illustrated in verses 18–20.”

Well, if this is the case that baptism is only a picture or symbol of salvation, then why does Peter say in vs. 21 that “baptism…now saves you?” We must remember the context in which this verse is found.

Peter is exhorting believers to have the courage to commit themselves to Christ as Lord by taking a public stand for Christ through water baptism. The act of public baptism would “save” them from the temptation to sacrifice their good consciences in order to avoid persecution (I Peter 3:13-17). For a first-century Christian, baptism meant the believer was following through on his/her commitment to Christ, regardless of the consequences.

Peter explicitly says this when he writes that baptism, or being immersed in water, is not for the purpose of taking a bath to become physically clean, but rather it is an appeal to God for a good or beneficial conscience.

One Bible teacher comments, “Baptism does not save from sin, but from a bad conscience. Peter clearly taught that baptism was not merely a ceremonial act of physical purification, but (alla, making a strong contrast) the pledge (eperōtēma, or “appeal”; cf. nasb) of a good conscience (syneidēseōs; cf. v. 16) toward God. Baptism is the symbol of what has already occurred in the heart and life of one who has trusted Christ as Savior (cf. Rom. 6:3–5; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12). To make the source of salvation perfectly clear Peter added, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Peter 1:3).

More to come!

Soli deo Gloria!

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Between Death and Resurrection.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water” (I Peter 3:18-20).

Where Jesus Christ was and what did He do between His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave? The Apostle Peter gives us a brief glimpse as to what our Lord was doing during this time.

Peter says that Jesus went (πορεύομαι; poreuomai) or travelled and then proclaimed (κηρύσσω; kerysso) or made an announcement to a group identified only as “the spirits in prison.” The noun spirits (πνεῦμα; pneuma) is in the plural form. Therefore, it refers to more than one spirit thereby eliminating this group being a reference to the Holy Spirit. Whoever these spirits are, they are in a prison (φυλακή; phylake) which is securely locked.

Why are they in prison? I Peter 3:20 says it is because they were disobedient or “they formerly did not obey” the demands from an authority. The authority seems to be God for Peter then writes, “When God’s patience waited in the days of Noah.” Peter then describes the days of Noah as being when Noah was building the ark in which eventually he and his family safely survived the Flood (Genesis 6-8).

So we’re back to our original question and a few additional ones. Where and what was Jesus doing between His death and resurrection? Who were the spirits in prison? What did Jesus preach to these spirits in prison?

There are at least five main interpretations given to explain and answer the question of where and what Jesus Christ did between His death and resurrection. They are as follows.

First, the “spirits in prison” are the people to whom Jesus Christ preached during his earthly ministry, for His work involved proclaiming liberty to the captives (Luke 4:16-21). This would seem to indicate that these people were deceased and perhaps Jesus preached to them while they were in Paradise, as He promised the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43).

Second, Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit preached through Noah (2 Peter 2:5) to the people before the Flood (Genesis 6-8). Noah called them to repentance, but they disobeyed and are now in prison. One commentator explains, “The point of Peter’s argument would then be that as God vindicated Noah by sending the judgment Noah proclaimed, He (God) will vindicate Christians when He judges the world according the Christian proclamation (of the gospel).”

Third, Jesus Christ preached in the short interval between His death and resurrection during a “descent into hell.” It is said that Christ announced His victory to the spirits of Noah’s wicked contemporaries confined in the realm of the dead.

Fourth, Jesus Christ preached and proclaimed His victory to fallen angels, often identified with the “sons of God” of Genesis 6:1-4; Job 1:6; 2:1) in their place of confinement. This fourth view seems to be most widely held interpretation.

Fifth, Jesus Christ proclaimed His victory, over sin, death and hell, to fallen angels after the resurrection, at the time of His ascension into heaven.

One Bible teacher says, “The point of the last three interpretations is that just as Jesus was vindicated, so will Christians be vindicated.”

The primary point that I derive from these five efforts to understand this text is that Jesus Christ achieved victory of sin, death and hell.

Praise the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

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How Do We Know Jesus Rose? Part 5.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (I Peter 3:18).

How do we know that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Aside from what the Bible says in I Peter 3:18, and elsewhere, what evidence do we have for Jesus’ resurrection?

The resurrection is the foundation stone of the biblical theology of the church. It is the primary message the church must communicate to lost sinners. It is also the primary message the church must continue to communicate to the redeemed. Not only was the resurrection preached by the Apostle Peter, but it was also preached by the Apostle Paul.

Beyond what Scripture explicitly says, what other evidence is there which supports the doctrine of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? The following must be considered.

First, there is the Bibliographical Test. Second, the Existence of the Church. Third, the Change in the Day for Worship. Fourth, the Change within the Disciples.

Finally, the Appearances of Christ. There were some 10 appearances Jesus made after His resurrection. They occurred over a period of 40 days. These appearances represented a great variety with respect to time, place, and location, to particular individuals and to large crowds. They include the following;

  • To Mary Magdalene – John 20:11-18.
  • To the other women – Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-11. These include (1) Mary the mother of James and Joseph; (2) Salome; (3) Joanna; (4) Other unidentified women.
  • To Peter – Luke 24:34.
  • To the Ten Disciples (minus Thomas) – Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25.
  • To the Eleven Disciples (including Thomas) – John 20:26-29.
  • To the Emmaus Disciples – Luke 24:13-35.
  • To the disciples in Galilee – Matthew 28:16-20; John 21:1-24.
  • To the 500 brethren – I Corinthians 15:6.
  • To James and the apostles – I Corinthians 15:7.
  • At the Ascension –Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:4-12.

Please note the resurrection appearance which the Apostle Paul encountered on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6; 18:9-10; 22:1-8; 23:11; 26:12-18; I Corinthians 15:8). With the evidence presented it is beyond a reasonable doubt that Jesus Christ indeed rose from the dead. This is the only plausible explanation.

Dr. Don Carson, professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, explains: “As important as the cross is, it is not the end of the story, for all of the New Testament writers focus equally on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The resurrection accounts are rich and diverse. There is no way they can be reduced to mass hallucination. Jesus appeared to too many people many times over a period of forty days or so. He appeared to ones and twos; he appeared to as many as five hundred at a time; he appeared to the apostles more than once; he appeared in locked rooms; he appeared on the seashore and ate some fish that he was cooking for them. The witnesses multiply. He shows up when they are not expecting him, and he shows up when they are. He cannot be categorized or dismissed or domesticated. The resurrection appearances are simply too frequent, too diverse, and supported by too many witnesses. What do you do with them?”

It is not only important for Christians to know what they believe, such as the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it is also important for Christians to know why they believe what they believe.

Have a blessed day.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

 

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How Do We Know Jesus Rose? Part 4.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (I Peter 3:18).

How do we know that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Aside from what the Bible says in I Peter 3:18, and elsewhere, what evidence do we have for Jesus’ resurrection?

The resurrection is the foundation stone of the biblical theology of the church. It is the primary message the church must communicate to lost sinners. It is also the primary message the church must continue to communicate to the redeemed. Not only was the resurrection preached by the Apostle Peter, but it was also preached by the Apostle Paul.

Beyond what Scripture explicitly says, what other evidence is there which supports the doctrine of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? The following must be considered.

First, there is the Bibliographical Test. Second, the Existence of the Church. Third, the Change in the Day for Worship.

Fourth, the Change within the Disciples. Where once they had been a band of frightened cowards they became disciples of courage and conviction in Jesus Christ. These same men who fled for fear when Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26:31, 56; Mark 14:27, 53-54; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-27) and who would deny Him became bold and were willing to die if necessary for their faith. (Acts 4:1-22; 5:21-32; Philippians 1:21).

In fact, one of the most strident persecutors of the early church (Saul of Tarsus) was himself converted (Acts 9:1-9; 22:1-22; 26:9-20) and endured much persecution. See 2 Corinthians 6:1-10; 11:21-33. What could have happened to so change these men? The Bible submits that the only plausible answer is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

More to come!

Soli deo Gloria!

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How Do We Know Jesus Rose? Part 3.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (I Peter 3:18).

How do we know that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Aside from what the Bible says in I Peter 3:18, and elsewhere, what evidence do we have for Jesus’ resurrection?

The resurrection is the foundation stone of the biblical theology of the church. It is the primary message the church must communicate to lost sinners. It is also the primary message the church must continue to communicate to the redeemed. Not only was the resurrection preached by the Apostle Peter, but it was also preached by the Apostle Paul.

Beyond what Scripture explicitly says, what other evidence is there which supports the doctrine of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? The following must be considered.

First, there is the Bibliographical Test. This refers to the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Are these witnesses credible? There is substantial evidence that the gospels, and for that matter the entire New Testament, is indeed credible and truthful regarding what they teach, especially as it pertains to the resurrection.

Second, the Existence of the Church. It is worldwide in scope and significant in its depth of influence. Its history can be traced to A.D. 32. The early church constantly referred to the resurrection as the basis for their teaching, preaching, living and most significantly, dying. (Acts 2, 4, and 7).

Third, the Change in the Day for Worship. Sunday is the day of worship for Christians. This can be traced back to A.D. 32. There must have been something truly remarkable to change the day of worship from the Jewish Sabbath. In fact the Christians celebrated Sunday in recognition of the resurrection.  This is all the more significant when you realize the first Christians were in fact Jews. See Acts 2.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ stands the test of time. More to come!

Soli deo Gloria!

 

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How Do We Know Jesus Rose? Part 2.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (I Peter 3:18).

How do we know that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Aside from what the Bible says in I Peter 3:18, and elsewhere, what evidence do we have for Jesus’ resurrection?

The resurrection is the foundation stone of the biblical theology of the church. It is the primary message the church must communicate to lost sinners. It is also the primary message the church must continue to communicate to the redeemed. Not only was the resurrection preached by the Apostle Peter, but it was also preached by the Apostle Paul.

  • I Corinthians 15:12-19. Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (I Corinthians 15:12-19, ESV)

The Apostle Paul places great importance on the resurrection. He makes eight observations in I Corinthians 15. In a series of eight conditional statements, Paul sets forth the importance of the resurrection for the believer.

  • 13 – if no resurrection … then Christ is not raised.
  • 14 – if no resurrection …then our preaching is empty.
  • 14b – if no resurrection … then our faith is empty.
  • 15 – if no resurrection …then we are false witnesses.
  • 17 – if no resurrection …then our faith is futile.
  • 17b – if no resurrection …then we are still in our sins.
  • 18 – if no resurrection …then those who have died in Christ have perished.
  • 19 – if no resurrection …then we are of all men the most pitiable.

(See also Acts 4:2; 13:35; 17:18; 24:15; Philippians 1:21-23; 3:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Revelation 20:6).

To deny the resurrection is to deny the gospel of Jesus Christ.

More to come! Happy New Year!

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

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How Do We Know Jesus Rose?

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (I Peter 3:18).

How do we know that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Aside from what the Bible says in I Peter 3:18, and elsewhere, what evidence do we have for Jesus’ resurrection?

Dr. R. Albert Mohler writes, “Christianity is founded upon certain nonnegotiable truths, and those truths, once known, are translated into beliefs. The beliefs that anchor our faith are those to which we are most passionately and personally committed, and these are our convictions. We do not believe in belief any more than we have faith in faith. We believe the gospel, and we have faith in Christ. Our beliefs have substance and our faith has an object.”

The resurrection is the foundation stone of the biblical theology of the church. It is the primary message the church must communicate to lost sinners. It is also the primary message the church must continue to communicate to the redeemed.

I refer you to two of three significant texts concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Both are taken from a message preached by the Apostle Peter.

  • Acts 2:22-24 – Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24, ESV)
  • Acts 2:29-36 – Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:29-36, ESV)

The very first presentation of the gospel by the Apostle Peter centered upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To deny the resurrection of Christ is to deny the very gospel of Christ. Both truths are linked together.

More to come!

Soli deo Gloria!

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How Do We Know Jesus Died? (Part 5).

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (I Peter 3:18).

How do we know that Jesus actually died on the cross? Aside from what the Bible says in I Peter 3:18, and elsewhere, what evidence do we have for Jesus’ death? Or to put it another way, what are the alternative arguments for Jesus “not” dying on the cross and are they at all plausible?

First of all, there is the Swoon Theory. Second is the Stolen Body Theory. Third is the Hallucination Theory. Fourth is the Wrong Tomb Theory. Finally, there is the Body was Moved Theory. Perhaps, as some speculate, Jewish or Roman authorities moved the body. This is refuted by…

  • The Lack of Reasoning behind it. Having place guards at the tomb to insure no one would tamper with the body of Jesus, what would be the reason for moving the body? Certainly, it could be argued that the Jewish and/or Roman authorities did so to prevent the disciples from doing the very thing they suspected they would do; steal the body of Jesus. Therefore, by moving the body they would hide Christ’s body and therefore prevent the disciples from achieving their intended goal. But this leads us to a second point, which is…
  • The Apostles Preaching. In the face of such boldness on the part of the disciples, as documented in the Book of Acts, why wouldn’t the authorities simply produce the body of Jesus if it indeed had only been moved? The Jewish leaders were enraged at Peter and John in Acts 4 &5 but did nothing to neither prevent the message of the gospel nor suppress it. They also did nothing to produce the body of Jesus if indeed it had only been moved by the religious leaders.

I submit that it is beyond a reasonable doubt that Jesus Christ did in fact die on the cross. This is especially important for us today in light of Islam’s flagrant rejection of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Joined to the reality of Jesus’s death is also the reality of His resurrection. What evidences to we have concerning the resurrection of Christ? We will begin to examine these next time.

Soli deo Gloria!

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How Do We Know Jesus Died? (Part 4).

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (I Peter 3:18).

How do we know that Jesus actually died on the cross? Aside from what the Bible says in I Peter 3:18, and elsewhere, what evidence do we have for Jesus’ death? Or to put it another way, what are the alternative arguments for Jesus “not” dying on the cross and are they at all plausible?

First of all, there is the Swoon Theory. Second is the Stolen Body Theory. Third is the Hallucination Theory. Fourth is the Wrong Tomb Theory. This perspective states that the reason there wasn’t a body in the tomb is because everyone went to the wrong tomb. This is refuted by …

  • The women who took such special care to note where Jesus’ body had been laid (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55).
  • Peter and John also knew exactly where the tomb was even though they arrived separately (John 20:2-8).
  • The Roman Guards. How could they have been mistaken when such specific plans and procedures had been carefully thought out by the chief priests to guard the tomb so Jesus’ body would not be stolen? (Matthew 27:62-66; Matthew 28:1-4, 11).
  • Why were the guards bribed to lie about the empty tomb if they had been at the wrong tomb? (Matthew 28:12-15).
  • If it was the wrong tomb then why didn’t the chief priests, the Sanhedrin, the Roman Soldiers, Joseph of Arimathea, or even Pilate himself go to the right tomb and produce the body? The conclusion is simple. They were at the right tomb and it was empty because Jesus had risen from the dead.

More to come!

Soli deo Gloria!