How pluralism distorts biblical salvation
Posted on September 27, 2008
Filed Under Apologetics, Matt Clifton, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
by Matt Clifton
Introduction
There are strange things afoot in the realm of Christianity. Many today who claim to follow Christ seem more reminiscent of the main character in Walt Disney’s film adaptation of the Lewis Carroll novel, Alice in Wonderland:
If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrarywise; what it is it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?[1]
Like Alice, has Christianity “fallen down the rabbit hole?” Have those claiming to be Christians created worlds of their own? Among professed Christians, it was once taken for granted that John 14:6, in which Jesus says no man comes to the Father but by Him, was a foundational truth upon which the Christian faith rests. But in this present time, the atmosphere of popular opinion is shifting: From the “man on the street,” to televangelists, to talk show hosts, the necessity of understanding the person and work of Jesus Christ and exercising faith and obedience in response to that understanding is no longer necessary for salvation.
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The Need for Balance
Posted on March 13, 2008
Filed Under Brandon Renfroe, Christian Growth | 1 Comment
by Brandon Renfroe
All rational individuals strive for balance. In writing to the Philippians, Paul exhorted, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone” (Phil. 4:5, ESV). The same apostle would admonish those in Ephesus to no longer be “tossed to and fro by the waves” (Eph. 4:14, ESV).
Nowhere is balance more needed than in the church. As Joshua prepared to fill the leadership void left by the death of Moses, he was charged to honor the law that bore his predecessor’s name. “Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left,” he was instructed, “that you may have good success wherever you go” (Josh. 1:7).
There are those today who are apparently unmindful of this foundational premise. Some are in need of greater respect for sacred authority, choosing to incorporate practices for which there is no divine sanction. Others would involve the body of Christ in a perpetual civil war of infighting and name-calling. Given their constantly combative disposition, it is doubtful that some would be enthused with a Christianity wholly devoid of the controversial.
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‘Am I a member of the true church of Christ?’
Posted on March 11, 2008
Filed Under Bible 'Quick Notes', Matt Clifton | 1 Comment
by Matt Clifton
After reading Mark Lindley’s article, What is the Church of Christ? , a sincere reader asks:
I am not a member of a labeled Church of Christ, but a non-denominational church (although I understand that COC is not to be considered denominational) so according to the write up, I am considered part of the true Church of Christ, even though my church does not use that technical affiliation, correct? Our church has a solely biblical foundation and we believe also in the repentance and remission of sins and public confession of Christ through baptism. So to better word my question: Do you consider me part of the true Church of Christ, someone who will inherit the Kingdom of God?
It always warms the heart to receive sincere, soul-searching questions from our readers. The one above is an especially good question, and deserves more space than can be afforded in the “comments” section, so we will include a full discussion of this question below.
First, we must consider one extremely important point: Only God has the right to say who is a Christian, and who is not. He has made plain in His word how one becomes a Christian, and that is what the church of Christ teaches.
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White as snow
Posted on March 10, 2008
Filed Under Devotionals, Matt Clifton | Comments Off
by Matt Clifton
It has never been a big secret that I am not the best yard-keeper in the world. Landscaping 101 was never in my course work, although I do come from a long line of greats in the lawn care industry (a story I will spare you for another day). My grass is always a little too high, the hedges always resemble the heads of 4-year-olds boys too long without a trim, and I can never quite seem to keep the “shin busters” (known to most people as “toys”) out of the front yard.
Because of this weakness on my part, it is with great anticipation that I look forward to a really good snow in the winter. Our recent snow here in McCrory was near perfect, except for the fact, as kids would argue, that it did not stick around long enough to keep them out of school longer.
As the snow descended, all the imperfections of my yard began to evaporate. The scruffy clover that had sprung up early began to fade away. The wiry-haired tangle of hedges began to resemble enormous cotton balls, and the shin busters transformed into elegant snow sculptures. Everything looked clean and pure, and all my shortcomings as a lawn keeper disappeared.
Unfortunately, the next morning’s sun took a heavy toll on our blanket of snow, and before I knew it my rough and tumble lawn was revealed once again.
Watching all this, it occurred to me how thankful we should be that God’s covering of sin is not so temporary. When He cleanses, He cleanses completely! He likens the purity from sin He offers to the cleanness of snow.
In Isaiah 1:18, God says, “Come now, let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” God wants us to come to Him for salvation through his Son (John 14:6), and when He forgives on behalf of His Son, He forgives completely. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psa. 103:12).
When we believe in Jesus as the Son of the Living God (Matt. 16:16; John 3:16); repent of our lives of sin (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3,5) confess Him as Savior publicly (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10) and are buried and raised with Him in baptism (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-8), we are cleansed from all those imperfections and shortcomings of sin in our lives.
Unlike snow, though, this cleansing is forever. And as long as we walk in the light and admit our sins to Him (1 John 1:7-10), His cleansing continues. Thank God for the cleansing He offers through the blood of Christ!
‘Baptism doth also now save us’
Posted on March 6, 2008
Filed Under Matt Clifton, Salvation | 8 Comments
by Matt Clifton
From time to time it is asserted by some individuals that baptism in water plays no part whatsoever in the salvation of a man’s soul. However, to those who hold and teach such a view, 1 Peter 3:21 presents quite a stumbling block. Rather than teaching that baptism has no place in obtaining a right relationship with God, the apostle Peter instead teaches that baptism is the “answer of a good conscience toward God.”
Peter also answers one objection before it can be made in the mind of the reader: He is not talking about the power of water to wash away dirt and filth of the flesh, as with the Jewish purification rituals. Instead, Peter is talking about answering God’s offer of salvation with a step of active faith! As Paul would teach, baptism in water is about having faith in the power of the working of God (Col. 2:12). It is not about the water itself washing away sin, but about the regeneration of the Holy Spirit that takes place when one obeys the commands of the Lord (Mark 16:16).
There are other considerations in this matter, as well. If baptism is not necessary to be eternally saved, the following conclusions would be true.
If baptism is not necessary for salvation, then one can be saved without being a disciple of Christ. In the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) Jesus tells the disciples to go into the whole world and teach all nations. They were to make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them all things Jesus commanded.
If baptism is not necessary for salvation, then one can be saved without having their sins remitted. Acts 2:38 teaches that the purpose of baptism is for the remission of sins. Acts 22:16 shows Paul being taught to “arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Romans 6:11 shows that the baptized believer has “died to sin,” leading to the conclusion that the un-baptized believer is still alive to sin!
If baptism is not necessary for salvation, then one can be saved without being part of the Lord’s body. Acts 2:47 says those who had believed and been baptized were added by Jesus Himself to the church. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 that He would build His church. Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:22-23 that the body of Christ is the church. Ephesians 5:23 tells us that Jesus is the Savior of the body, which is the church. Now, can someone really be saved outside the church that Jesus Christ built?
My friends, the Lord Jesus Christ shed His precious blood to purchase the church (Acts 20:28). Let no one tell you the church is not important! Christ also ordained that one can only be part of His church, the kingdom of God, by being born of water and Spirit (John 3:3,5). If you would like to discuss this matter further, publicly or privately, please do not hesitate to contact me. God bless!
BNc marks official launch
Posted on February 27, 2008
Filed Under Announcements | Leave a Comment
A good news source for faithful churches of Christ has been a long time coming, but finally the time is here. Brotherhoodnews.com officially launched today with a new design and format.
Although there are some sites that claim to serve churches of Christ, many are simply thinly-veiled attempted to push a progressive agenda of change upon the church by using mass media. These media outlets mainly focus on congregations that are changing the Lord’s worship to be more “seeker friendly.”
Since there exists an absence of media coverage of congregations successfully carrying out the Lord’s work but remaining true to the New Testament pattern, BrotherhoodNews.com was created.
Please let the members of you congregation know about this new work, and pray for its success.
Acts 10:9-16 — Peter’s Rooftop Vision
Posted on February 23, 2008
Filed Under Matt Clifton, New Testament Commentary | 1 Comment
by Matt Clifton
It is surprising that when surveying standard commentaries on Acts 10:9-16 so little is found in the way of discussion on the meaning of Peter’s rooftop vision. With only the very rare exception,aa nearly universal agreement is found that the rooftop vision ultimately meant that Gentiles were acceptable to God under the New Covenant. After all, Peter himself understood and applied the vision in this manner.aa
However, the further question of whether the vision also displays God’s new attitude toward the previously delivered dietary laws of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 has not received much thorough discussion in popular commentaries.
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a- Martin Dibelius, Studies in the Acts of the Apostles, London: Clowes, 1956, pp. 111-12. He proposes that since Peter’s rooftop vision deals with food, and the narrative in which it is “placed” in Acts is about the Gentiles, the vision material might have been taken out of context by Luke and applied to the Gentile situation. Dibelius believed the vision referred to food only, and that Luke later applied it to men. While this argument weakens the coherency of the Bible, it strengthens the idea that the vision refers to literal food.aaa
- In Acts 10:28, Peter says God has shown him that he should call no man unclean. In Acts 11 Peter recounts his vision in response to the charge that he “went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”aaa
Misplaced Trust
Posted on February 20, 2008
Filed Under Christian Growth, Weylan Deaver | Leave a Comment
by Weylan Deaver
In what do you trust? Many people and things vie for our confidence, and the Bible is replete with warnings about putting trust in the wrong place. There are specific things on which we are not to rely.
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Massachusetts court upholds covert use of pro-gay materials in classroom
Posted on February 18, 2008
Filed Under Cross Currents | Leave a Comment
by Matt Clifton
Just when you thought the pro-homosexual movement had gotten as bad as it could, along comes this decision by the United States Court of Appeals, as reported by Apologetics Press.
According to the news story, the decision upholds the rights of public school teachers to not only read pro-homosexual material (story books, etc.) to students during class, but also affirms the teacher’s “right” to withhold such information from parents.
Christians with children in public schools in Massachusetts are faced with quite a problem. School teachers can force-feed the students the pro-homosexual worldview, and not even notify the parents of the indoctrination going on.
Chalk up another win for the pro-gay movement, at the expense of the Christian to raise his children as God directs.
Taming the tongue: What’s in the well will be in the bucket
Posted on February 18, 2008
Filed Under Brandon Renfroe, Christian Growth, Devotionals | Leave a Comment
by Brandon Renfroe
As anyone familiar with the Bible could tell you, wells serve as a backdrop to many narratives. It was Isaac who “digged again” the wells of his father Abraham, after the Philistines had stopped them in their jealousy (cf. Gen. 26:14, 18). Isaac’s son, Jacob, was the proprietor of a well that would later be the centerpiece of a famous New Testament discussion between the Savior and a Samaritan woman (cf. Jn. 4). It is a decidedly less-famous well in rural Alabama, though, that I wish to briefly make reference.
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keep looking »Polls
What do you think of Quail Springs' decision to add intrumental music to the worship?
- I'm a member of the church of Christ, and the decision is wrong. (65%)
- I'm a member of the church of Christ, and the decision is no big deal. (16%)
- I'm not a member of the church of Christ, and the decision is no big deal. (10%)
- I'm not a member of the church of Christ, and the decision is wrong. (4%)
- I'm a member of the church of Christ, and I'm not sure. (3%)
- I'm not a member of the church of Christ, and I'm not sure. (0%)
Total Votes: 211
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