Saved in the Water, not by the Water

By Jim Mettenbrink

Last week, we saw that Saul (later to be the apostle Paul) was commanded to “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). So did the water wash away his sins? Many have that misunderstanding among others.

Some folks believe that the mere ritual of baptism saves them. So what would be the difference in that and diving into a pool? One might argue that it is the words stated by the one baptizing them that makes the difference between being saved and lost. Some, like the Corinthians Christians, might think the difference is who baptizes them (1 Cor 1:12-17). All of those notions are wrong.

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Monday Morning Week-Starter 4-24-2023

Good Monday Morning –

By David Phillips

Well, here we go again.  Are these Mondays coming around quicker than they used to or is it just me?

The morning sermon yesterday focused on the topic, Perilous Times, and we discussed the text of 2 Timothy 3:1-9.  There are many people who read this passage and think it is telling us what to expect near the end of the world.  However, that is not the intent of the passage at all.  The “last days” is a Bible term meaning the division of time which began at the resurrection of Christ, and continues until the end of time, sometimes called the Christian Age. The things listed by Paul are things that have been going on for that whole time, and getting progressively worse.  “Perilous times” are not the days just before the second coming of Christ.

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Monday Morning Week-Starter 4-17-2023

Good Monday Morning –

By David Phillips

I hope your week is off to a good start.  If you are reading this, it means there are many things that are working right, and that is something to be thankful for on a Monday morning.

Brother Mitch Henry was with us yesterday for the Sunday school hour and morning worship service, and he delivered two good lessons.  It was refreshing to have Faulkner’s President request to come speak to us, and the two Bible students he brought with him made good impressions too.

In the evening service, we continued our study in the theme of Connections, and specifically looked at another lesson on Strengthening Our Connection to God the Father. As previously noted, becoming a Christian by obeying the Gospel of Christ is the initial step in coming to God.  As Christians, we all must be seeking out ways to strengthen our connection to God, as per James 4:8 – Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

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How did Sprinkling and Pouring become Baptism? (2)

By Jim Mettenbrink

In the last article, we reviewed statements by protestant reformation leaders Calvin and Luther who acknowledged that baptism in the early church was immersion. However, the churches that follow the teachings and innovations of these men sprinkle or pour water on people rather than immerse them. Has the meaning of the first-century Greek word (original language of the New Testament) bapto (transliterated into English as “baptize”) changed?

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How did Sprinkling and Pouring become Baptism? (1)

By Jim Mettenbrink

In the past several articles we have shown from the Greek language and from the New Testament that baptism is only immersion in water. The question is, why did man opt to sprinkle and pour rather than obey God? Why transliterate the word baptizo rather than translate it? What does church history tell us about the mode of baptism?

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Monday Morning Week-Starter 4-3-2023

Good Monday Morning!

In the morning worship hour yesterday, we studied a lesson entitled The Simple Truth. We noted the tendency toward elaborate terminology and wise-seeming words, somewhat like those of Paul’s day in Corinth.  We began at 1 Cor.2:1-5, where Paul encouraged his readers to rest their faith not on worldly wisdom but on the power of God.  We noted these 4 points in our simple study:

  • Life is Short.  1 Chronicles 29:15, Job 14:1-2 Psalm 102:11, Ecclesiastes 6:12 and James 4:14
  • Death is Sure.  2 Samuel 14:14, Psalm 49:10, Ecclesiastes 8:8, and Hebrews 9:27
  • Sin is the Cause.  Genesis 3:19, Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 5:12, and Romans 6:23
  • Christ, the Cure.  Isaiah 53:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 2:9, and 1 Peter 3:18

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Politics, Culture, Patriotism and Morality

Good Monday Morning (3/27/2023) –

At Redland Road yesterday morning we studied a lesson entitled If the Foundations Be Destroyed based on texts from Psalm 2 and Psalm 11.  We started out by observing how discouraging and frustrating current conditions are in our nation, in the realms of politics, culture, patriotism and morality.  From the first three verses of Psalm 11, we noted 4 terms that set the stage for our further discussion:  Refuge (the Lord), the wicked (those who are against God), shoot in the dark (ambush), and foundations (righteousness and justice, Ps.97:2).  Then we turned our attention to Psalm 2, observing 4 voices that are indicated there.

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Baptism – Up from the Water

By Jim Mettenbrink

We continue from last week, that we can know from the New Testament that baptism is immersion, even though the word to baptize is transliterated from baptizo rather than translating it as immersion. Can a person know that baptism is immersion without being familiar with the ancient Greek language?

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What is the meaning of the word Baptism? (2)

By Jim Mettenbrink

In the past two articles, we have been considering why the English dictionary defines Christian baptism via three different modes – sprinkling, pouring, and dipping. However, of eternal significance is how these words are used in the New Testament (NT)? And what are the corresponding Greek words from which they are translated?

To pour (cheo): In the New Testament usage of “to pour out” or “to pour upon” has the sense of taking a container of something and letting the liquid flow out, like milk flowing out of a carton. For example “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” (Revelation 16:1).

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What is the meaning of the word Baptism?

By Jim Mettenbrink

Last week, we considered the meaning of the Greek word (baptizo) transliterated into baptism. But when it’s translated, baptizo’s only meaning is to immerse, thus in biblical baptism, the symbolism of the burial of a person dead to sins immersed in a grave of water. And rising alive as a new creation in Christ and entrance into Jesus’ kingdom (Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 1:13-14). That is radical!

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