Tag Archives: Obedience

Bible questions, Salvation

DOES SAYING “THE SINNER’S PRAYER” SAVE? — BOB PRICHARD

Preachers sometimes invite their listeners to pray something such as, “God, I am sorry I have sinned. Please forgive me and let Jesus come into my heart. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.” The preacher then says, “Since you have asked Christ into your life, you are now His child and your sins are forgiven.” The problem with this, however, is that the promise of forgiveness is from man, not God. God has never promised to hear or respond to “the sinner’s prayer.”

Prayer is a privilege for God’s people. James said, “The effectual fervent prayer of u righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16b). Peter quoted Psalm 34:15-16, saying “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). Solomon warned, “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Proverbs 28:9). The psalmist spoke of the dilemma of the sinner: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). 

But what about the prayers of the publican and the Pharisee? While the Pharisee prayed “with himself,” the publican, “standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus concluded, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:11, 13-14). This does not set the pattern for sinners coming to Christ, however, because both the Pharisee and the publican were already in a covenant relationship with God as part of His chosen people, the Jews. They both, despite their sins, had the right to pray to God. 

What about Joel’s prophecy? He said, “It shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call” (Joel 2:32). To “call upon the name of the Lord” means to make an appeal through obedience. Saul of Tarsus spent three days in prayer and fasting, but did not receive salvation from the Lord until he called upon the Lord through obedience. Ananias told him, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). In his baptism, he called on the name of the Lord and his sins were washed away. He would not have been saved if he had merely prayed “the sinner’s prayer,” and had refused to obey the Lord’s command. Jesus said, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it” (John 14.14). This is not a blanket promise to any person, but to those who follow Him and have the right to ask things in His name, by His authority. This promise is to the children of God. In the very next verse? He puts it simply, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The multitudes cried out at Pentecost, “What shall we do?” Peter did not respond, “Pray the sinner’s prayer,” but “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37-38). We will be saved if we do what the believers of Pentecost did.

Christian Living

CAN I BORROW YOUR ROPE? — BOB PRICHARD

A farmer came and asked his neighbor if he could borrow his rope. The neighbor said, “No, I can’t let you borrow it.” 

“Why not,” he replied. 

“Because I’m using it to tie up my milk.”

“But you can’t tie up milk with a rope.”

“I know, but when you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another.”

As a preacher, I often hear excuses from people for why they don’t want to do something, and very often they fall in the category of “tying up milk.” I had a teacher in high school who really stressed to us that there is a big difference between an excuse and a reason. If you came into his class and said, “My excuse for being late is … ,” or “My excuse for not having my homework done is … ,” he would say, “I don’t want an excuse, I want a reason!”

Have you been planning to get back in church, read your Bible more, or be baptized? Have you been planning to start coming on Sunday nights or Wednesday nights? Have you been planning to volunteer to teach a class, work with VBS or Lads to Leaders, or do something else you should do? Do you have a reason? Or is it an excuse for not doing what you should do? 

Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He puts it pretty plainly doesn’t He? There it is in black and white. You may make all the excuses you want to, but if you are not obeying the Lord, you don’t love Him. Is it time to take some action? 

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:46-49).

Bible questions, Salvation

WHY WE MUST BE BURIED WITH CHRIST IN BAPTISM — BOB PRICHARD

The heart of the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Paul began the great resurrection chapter, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

It was their understanding that they had crucified the Son of God that made men at Pentecost cry out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter’s response was “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:36-38).

The baptism that Peter preached that day was the baptism preached in the early church. Paul reminded the Christians of Rome that he and they had both been baptized in the same way, for the same reasons. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).

These verses speak of our baptism or burial into Christ, our clothing of ourselves in Him. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

I.  BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.

Our baptism pictures what we know to be true of Christ. As Jesus introduced the Lord’s Supper, He took bread and the cup and told them that his body and blood were given for us (Luke 22:19-20). We understand that Jesus suffered for us, “that he might sanctify the people with his own blood” (Hebrews 13:12).

We rejoice with the angels that said, “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:6 -7). Every baptism proclaims the truth of the gospel.

II. BECAUSE HE IS OUR SUBSTITUTE.

He became one with us to be our substitute, because we cannot atone for our own sins. He “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8).

God “hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). In baptism we acknowledge that we cannot atone for our own sins. Unless we accept His sacrifice, we must bear our own sins. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

III. BECAUSE WE ARE DEAD IN SIN.

Baptism is a burial, and the man who is buried is dead. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). What is dead needs to be buried (John 11:39).

As the head of the church, He gave Himself for the church, for us. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). Buried with Him, we put the old man of sin to death.

IV. BECAUSE WE RISE TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.

We have not suffered the true punishment of our sins. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). But Jesus Christ has suffered that punishment, and in our baptism we acknowledge and identify with Him in His suffering and death.

His death is our death to the old way of things. We know that God hates sin, because He was willing to see His only begotten son die for sins. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

We are buried so that we may be alive in Him. “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19). That means that our perspective changes. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2-3).

Every Christian should have the attitude of Paul: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Bible questions, Featured Articles, Salvation

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO OBEY THE GOSPEL? — BOB PRICHARD

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that mankind needs. It is a message that must be received and obeyed. Paul warned that the Loving Savior will return “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). The Lord will take vengeance on those who obey not the gospel, and He will reward those who do obey the gospel.

Paul stressed the fundamentals of the gospel, reminding the Corinthians what he had preached: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3- 4). The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ were at the heart of his message. The rest of 1 Corinthians 15 is a discussion of the importance of the resurrection. He began the chapter by reminding the Corinthians that it was the gospel he had preached to them. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). Paul stressed that the gospel is a message to receive, and to stand in, and it is a message that brings salvation when kept in memory.

Paul asserts that we choose the master we serve. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). The master we choose is the one we obey. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Paul commended the Romans for the choice they had made in obeying Christ and His gospel. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). They had obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine he had delivered to them. Doctrine refers to something taught, and Paul taught the same gospel wherever he went. Centered in the facts of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, his message was one of the necessity of obeying the will of God and becoming a servant of righteousness.

Earlier he stressed that they were buried with Christ in baptism to obey the gospel. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). Baptism parallels the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Man is dead in sin, and then buried with Christ in baptism. He rises from the waters of baptism in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection to walk in newness of life. He then has the forgiveness of sin, and the joy that comes from obeying the gospel.

Bible questions, ECCLESIASTES, OLD TESTAMENT

WHAT DOES ECCLESIASTES 3:15 MEAN? — BOB PRICHARD

Men have described the book of Ecclesiastes, authored by the wise man Solomon, in many different ways. Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, said it is the truest of all books. Others have applied Winston Churchill’s description of Russia, a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, to this great book. This sometimes puzzling book shows that the things of the world offer no lasting happiness, and that this life, with all of its labors, is valueless, if there is no future. The book is the story of a man (Solomon), who deliberately tasted every worldly delight, including the forbidden, only to discover that all that the world offers is vanity of vanities (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

Chapter three begins with the familiar words, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted… A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 8). The general theme of this chapter is the unchanging regularity of the world created by God.

The words of verse 15, as with so many others in the book, seem very cryptic at first reading. “That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). Remember that the general theme of the chapter is the unchanging regularity of life. Solomon expressed the same idea earlier in the book. “That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The verse closes with the statement, “there is no new thing under the sun”, meaning there is nothing new in the temporal life. He then asked, “Is there anything of which one might say, ‘See this, it is new’? Already it has existed for ages which were before us.” (Ecclesiastes 1:10). As we look at our world, we see that there are technological advancements, and advancements in other fields, but so far as man’s concern for his fellowman, and the basic things of life, there is no change, no new thing under the sun. As the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Since we live in a regular universe, with God in control, it is up to us to recognize God’s control, and bend our wills to be in conformity to His will. After all, this is what God requires. As Solomon looked at the world under the sun, living as if there were no God, his vision of an unchanging world changed to a conclusion that God truly is in control. The end of Ecclesiastes 3:15 states, “for God seeks what has passed by.” These words parallel the last words of verse 14, which also talks of God’s purpose, and says, “…for God has so worked that men should fear Him.” This points to the fact that God designed our regular universe to draw men to Him.

Solomon ends the saga of his search for happiness with the words, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Literally, the whole of man is to obey God.