Lessons from Noah

The first person to do something that makes history is always of great interest. Noah is the first man who is specifically referred to as a “preacher” in the Bible. He is not called a preacher until the book of 2 Peter 2:5. There are several lessons we can learn from the first preacher.

The Truth Must Be Preached

Noah preached to a world in which the wickedness of man was great (Genesis 6:5). Peter said Noah was a preacher of righteousness “and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly” (2 Peter 2:5). Noah encouraged those around him to live righteously. He tried to get them to turn back to God before it was too late; “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrew 11:7). Although it was not popular, Noah preached what the men and women of his day needed to hear. Like Noah, we must understand that our wicked world needs a good dose of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:2).

Success Is Not Determined By Numbers

     In terms of numbers, Noah was not very successful. He preached for 120 years without a response (other than his family) (Genesis 6:3). Yet, success was not determined by numbers. Success was determined by doing that which was right in God’s eyes; “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22). In this way, Noah was a great success!!!

Today, men must realize that success is not determined by numbers. Just imagine what would have happened if some brethren today had lived with Noah. Some of them would have dismissed him because they were not seeing results. Others would have encouraged him to change his message and preach something less controversial. Yet Noah was doing exactly what God wanted him to do and God listed him in Faith’s Hall of Fame (Hebrews 11:7).

We Cannot Make Men Do Right

     No doubt, Noah desperately wanted the men and women of his day to turn from their sins. He tried 120 years to get them to repent of their wickedness. However, he could not make them do that which was right. In the end, he knew they were responsible for their own destruction. If he had not learned this lesson, he would not have lasted 120 years as a preacher. He would have given up as a disappointed and broken man. Today, we must realize that we cannot make men and women live righteously. We cannot make them obey the gospel, attend every service, or dress properly. All that we can do is to preach the Word and encourage them to make the right choices. “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand” (Ezekiel 33:6).

In the end, individuals are responsible for their own lives. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

There are many lessons we can learn from Noah, the first preacher. It is my prayer that faithful Christians will realize these lessons and put them into practice in our work together.

SM

The Old and The New

The Bible is made up of 66 Books.  39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.  The statement “The Old is the New concealed and the New is the Old revealed” pinpoints the difference between the testaments.   The Old was preparatory, temporary, and limited.  The New is complete, eternal, and universal! 

The Law (Pentateuch) – 5 books (Genesis-Deuteronomy).  History – 12 books (Joshua-Esther).  Poetry – 5 books (Job-Song of Solomon),  Major Prophets – 5 books (Isaiah-Daniel).  Minor Prophets – 12 books (Hosea-Malachi).  Gospels – 4 books (Matthew-John).  History – 1 book (Acts of Apostles).  Letters – 21 books (Romans-Jude).  Prophecy – 1 book (Revelation).

It may appear to some as inconceivable that Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant and nailed it to his cross and that the New Covenant is now the universal law of God for man.  “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:24-25).  We are to learn from the Old Testament “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Old Testament                New Testament

(To The Cross)                (To The End)

 

The Old and New Testaments work together to tell the story of the Bible. God’s plan cannot be presented without the whole Bible.

SM

The Gospel Plan of Salvation

In 1874, Dr. T.W. Brents published the “Gospel Plan of Salvation.”  It is a volume of twenty-five chapters and over six hundred pages of material examining and answering the false precepts of Calvinism and presenting fundamental teachings on the church, the plan of salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit.  In a book review in 1875, it was stated “The sale of this book has been unprecedentedly large and has called forth the highest commendations of the press and the people. If our young men desire to understand the Gospel, and know how to present it to others so that they can understand it, believe it, and be saved by it, they can do no better than to obtain this book, and not only read it but study it.”  This book is still in print and is just as relevant as it was in 1874.

The gospel plan of salvation brings to our attention the fall of man (Genesis 3), and Isaiah reveals the  separation from a saving God that fell upon man because of sin.

However, the plan of God revealed there would be someone to fill the void between God and man; a perfect sacrifice, the only begotten Son of God (Hebrews 5:8-9).  The Bible reveals to us 1. Man fell away from God through sin, 2.  Man was in need of a perfect sacrifice to take away sins forever, 3.  God planned a scheme of redemption, 4. This plan included Jesus Christ who would live a perfect life and die on a cross in order to take away the sins of the world, 5. Christ “obtained eternal redemption for us,” 6. We are under a “better covenant,” which is the New Testament, where we find the way to get into the blood of Christ where we can have the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:7).  When Peter declared that man needed to “repent,” and “turn,” or be “converted,” God was fulfilling His promise (Genesis 3:15) to supply a way for man to be saved from his sins.

An individual must change in order to inherit eternal salvation.  This conversion involves a 1. Change of mind, 2. Change of life, and, 3. A Change of relationship. The change of mind is brought about by hearing the word of God and developing an obedient faith. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Man’s mind is changed by faith.  The change of life occurs when one decides to serve and follow Jesus Christ, and cease to serve and follow Satan (Romans 6:15-18).  Repentance; a turning away from sin unto obedience to righteousness in Christ.  Paul was sent to the Gentiles “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18). The change of life does not put one into the kingdom.  The change of relationship involves faith, repentance, confession, and immersion into Christ for the remission of sins. This is illustrated in such passages as Romans 6:1-5; 1 Peter 3:21 and Mark 16:16. Faith, repentance and confession lead us to Christ. Baptism puts us into Christ (Galatians 3:27).  God, Christ, and man have a part in conversion. John 3:16 illustrates this clearly. God – “For God so loved the world.” Christ – “that he gave his only begotten Son.” Man – “that whosoever believeth in him.” The gospel is God’s power to save mankind.

SM

What Is In Your Survival Kit?

When college students face the time for finals each semester, they spend their days and nights studying, cramming, and preparing for the mega tests that come at the end.  We recently received a notice from the Student Alumni Association that they were preparing “survival kits” for students during finals week.  Everything from chocolate to gum, Raman noodles to popcorn and crackers to Granola bars was listed in the contents.  Salty, sweet, sugar high with a touch of healthy snacks were given to assist the student with their stressful week.

As a Christian, we should realize that we have a survival kit for our everyday living.

Prayer.  As Christians, we should begin with talking to our Father in heaven about our situation, whether it is a problem, need, trial, affliction, or temptation.  After wrapping up the list of armor that Children of God have at their disposal, Paul said “ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).

God’s Word.  The “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” must be in our heart and soul and is another essential tool in our survival kit.  Jesus taught us to rely on the Word when we face temptation (Matthew 4) and we also learn that it is a “lamp” to our feet and a “light” to our path (Psalm 119:1-5).

Family in Christ.  Another piece in our survival kit is the relationship we enjoy with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  As family, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Surviving through our everyday walk in this world is made possible by the encouragement, help, support, and prayers from our family in Christ.

Assistance from Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  We should be comforted to know that in our survival kit as Christians, Jesus is totally on our side.  “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).  The Holy Spirit assists us as Christians:  ”Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

There are other helps in our survival kit but the ones listed above are readily available and essential.   We are blessed to have a powerful survival kit provided for us by our loving Father in heaven.  Let us not neglect to use the great privileges that only belong to the saints of God!

SM

Pattern of Sound Words, 2 Timothy 1:13

“Hold fast the form of sound words”… No man was left to invent a religion for his own use, and after his own mind. God alone knows that with which God can be pleased. If God did not give a revelation of himself, the inventions of man, in religious things, would be endless error, involving itself in contortions of unlimited confusion. God gives, in his mercy to man, a form of sound words or doctrines; a perfect plan and sketch of the original building; fair and well defined outlines of every thing which concerns the present and eternal welfare of man, and his own glory” (Clarke’s Commentary Volume 6, p. 627).

Evolutionary Philosophy

Click here for audio of the sermon on Evolutionary Philosophy (5-3-2009) by Brett Pharr.

Introduction
1. Psalm 19:1-3
2. Two ideologies that shape our societies thinking
3. Results in Social and Political debates
4. Nothing new – Romans 1:18-23
5. The current champion of Humanism is Evolution

I. The Foundations of Evolution
A. Whether admitted or not, the foundation of Evolution is the ideological philosophy of Epicurus in the 4th Century BC
B. The Roman poet Lucretius, around 100 BC, expanded on Epicurus’ teachings and took it further by giving more detailed explanation
C. Sir Isaac Newton – the eternal atom – became the first cause
D. Textual Criticism – In a time when Christianity was politically strong, the ability to directly attack belief was difficulty, thus was born the science of textual criticism to begin to whittle away at Christian thought.
E. Charles Darwin – rooted his biological explanation in the physical world that Newton described
F. Later Science – the complexity of life AND – atoms are not eternal, rendered Newton’s foundation as wrong…no viable origin of life explanation – aliens, crystals, Big Bang—where is the first cause?
G. Notice that evolution is a hypothesis that has no beginning and end. It cannot explain the origin of life and it cannot demonstrate through observation and repeatability the sustainment of cross-species migration. Its primary root is a philosophy to destroy ongoing and afterlife accountability to God.

II. Three fundamental fallacies of Evolution as a system and its incompatibility with direct Bible principles.
A. Cross Species Migration Genesis 1:21,24,25 – after its kind;
B. Uniformity of Natural Law vs., episodic interruption 2 Pet. 3: 3-7
C. Evolution, through natural selection infers that the world, nature including mankind, is improving

III. The Social, Moral and Theological Implications of Evolution
A. Survival of the fittest is the theme of natural selection – therefore might makes right, the law of the jungle. Contrast that with the Golden Rule
B. Sanctity of Life
1. The full title of Darwin’s book “Origin of the Species by means of Natural selection and the preservation of favored races in the struggle of life”.
2. No species really, and therefore nothing that is inherently human. The superior humans are the real humans – Hitler and the Holocaust – Abortion, Euthanasia, Genocide
C. Sexuality morality – Romans 1:26-27
D. And religion itself Evolved Jude 3

IV. Theistic Evolution – Some have tried to reconcile evolution with the Bible
A. The problems with that should be obvious – reconciling two polar estimates
B. All attempts involve reconciling the Bible to science, not the other way around

Conclusion
1. John 8:32
2. 6 literal days – foundation has been proven wrong, and a thesis can not be demonstrated
3. It is no hope but “wishful” thinking by those that think the opposite of “direct his steps”
4. Swagger, Anger at foolishness, and Accountability

Biblical Illiteracy…

“Biblical illiteracy is rampant even though so many people seem to be getting into the Word. The Bible is the best-selling, least-read, and least-understood book…It’s the real dumbing down of America, in that sense” (Washington Post, Dec. 9, 2000).

The Providence of God

From the wise pen of David R. Pharr, in Rock Hill, SC, we have a biblical presentation of God’s providence in the lives of men.

In Defense of Providence
Reprinted from The Carolina Messenger, September 2003
David R. Pharr

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Over the years we have encountered many strange religious positions, some of which have come from among our brethren. We never expected, however, that some brother might embrace notions akin to Deism. Classical Deism holds that after God set everything into motion he is no longer involved in the affairs of men. Amazingly, one of our brethren is on a crusade to deny the active providence of God.

In our August issue we had an excellent article by Les Bonnett regarding providence. He wrote in response to charges being circulated which accused him of teaching Baptist doctrine in regard to providence. It seems that someone concluded that since “providence” was taught in Baptist publications, it must follow that if Les teaches on providence he must have gotten it from the Baptists. Of course the same indictment would to apply to the thousands of other faithful men who believe and teach that divine providence is at work in our lives. The fact is, until now, I had never heard of a brother who denied providence.

After brother Bonnett’s good article was published I received a letter demanding that I write an article “denying the unscriptural doctrines [sic] of God’s Providential Care, and denying that God, Christ or the Holy Spirit operates separate and apart from the word.” Further, the letter warned that if I did not promptly promise to do this, information would be mailed to all the churches in the Carolinas.

First, let us be clear that the issue is not whether God, Christ, or the Spirit instructs us by means other than the word. We all should know that the word furnishes us completely as a guide for our faith and practice. The issue here is not the exclusive authority of the Bible, nor its power to save and instruct.

Neither is it a question of miracles. The miraculous signs and wonders, which confirmed the word, had ceased with the close of the apostolic age. As Wayne Jackson expressed it, “Biblical evidence indicates that the Lord is not operating miraculously today . . . However, God does act in an indirect way in this age. We call it providence. Providence is divine activity through means (Christian Courier, Aug. ‘92).

Since, as mentioned above, a letter is to be widely circulated for the purpose of showing my “error” in believing in the providence of God, I think it might be helpful for me to confess my “sins” in this regard!

I confess, I am guilty of believing that the Creator continues to control the universe–that he not only made it by his command, but that it is sustained by “the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3). When the world was created it was by God’s word (II Pet. 3:5) and it is his word that sustains it (II Pet. 3:7). References to God’s “word” in these texts are not to be understood as referring to the written word of the Bible, rather to God’s ordering of events.

I confess, I am guilty of believing that God provides (providence) every good thing that comes to us (Jas. 1:17).

I confess, I am guilty of believing that God especially provides for those who do his will. This was the faith of Abraham when he found the ram in the thicket and called the place “Jehovah-jireh” which means “The Lord will provide” (Gen. 22:14NASB). Faithful Abraham believed in the providence of God.

I confess, I am guilty of believing that God works all things for good for Christians (Rom. 8:28). Though the text may primarily apply to God’s work in the scheme of redemption, the principle is universal. Hugo McCord describes this as “custom-made providence” and reminds that Paul was “a devout believer in special providence, Galatians 1:15-16.” Brother McCord continues, “Thus, God has His eyes on each Christian, and He arranges circumstances for the long-range good of each one” (The Gospel Advocate, Sept. ’95).

I confess, I am guilty of believing that God actually answers prayers (I Jn. 5:14; Jas. 5:16f). Sad indeed would be a faith which thinks God listens but does nothing.

I confess, I am guilty of believing that God’s special providence will keep me from being tempted above what I am able to bear (I Cor. 10:13). No where is this promise given to people outside of Christ. It must, therefore, mean special care for the faithful.

I confess, I am guilty of believing the Lord’s presence and care has special meaning for his people. All of mankind benefits from general providence (Acts 14:17), but the promise of Hebrews 13:4f is especially for Christians. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

I confess, I am guilty of believing that the miraculous age is past, but that God is still working in our lives. I do not understand how he accomplishes specific things, but I believe that he “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).

I confess, I am guilty of believing that the Holy Spirit is involved in my life in that he helps me with my prayers when I don’t know what I ought to ask. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26-27). This does not mean that the Spirit does something to me, but it certainly means he does something on my behalf.

I confess, I am guilty of denying the proposition that “God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit only operate through the word of God.” This is the actual wording of a proposition sent to me for a debate. It is not saying that the Lord operates only through the word in convicting, converting and edifying. It says that the Godhead does nothing. The proposition is too preposterous to be worthy of debate.

I confess, I am guilty of believing that Christ is even now serving in the heavenly tabernacle making intercession for us (Heb.7:25). To say that he does nothing except that he has provided the Scriptures is to deny his priesthood.

I confess, I am guilty of believing that though it is possible for a child of God to fall away, that God will do all that is in keeping with his will to keep us from falling. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen” (Jude 24f). It is a miserable kind of religion that thinks God gave us a Book and said, “See if you can make it on your own.” The point is not that we have no responsibility, but that we are not left to do it alone.

The challenger seems to have a special hang-up over the fact that providence is taught in Baptist publications. He seems to think that anything mentioned in a Baptist Manual must have its origins in Baptist theology. (A few months ago he objected to what I had written about congregational autonomy. He said the doctrine of congregational autonomy is Baptist doctrine because he had found it in the Baptist manual. Such is the logic (?) of our present accuser.) We do not believe in providence on the basis of Baptist doctrine (whether they get it right or wrong). We believe in providence because it is Bible truth. Indeed, we find it hard to imagine how to believe in God without being convinced of his providence.

He’s here and there, and everywhere
In all the ways I’ve trod.
I’ve never passed beyond the sphere
Of the providence of God.
—W. E. Brightwell

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The Indwelling Spirit

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