[Biblemat] Walking in the Light (10/21/07)

Mon Oct 22 20:58:15 CDT 2007

Walking in the Light

"For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light."
"The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the
simple." 

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another...."
(Psalm 36:9; 119:130; 1 John 1:7a)

October 21, 2007

www.thetfordcountry.com <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/> 

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INFORMATION: My WEB Site  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/>
www.thetfordcountry.com has just been updated to include the articles and
sermons listed below. All the sermons posted each week to my web site are in
.pdf format.  The PowerPoint charts are also included with ALL the sermons
that are posted to the web site. To access the sermons page, visit the site
and click on "Richard's Page" and then click on "sermons." Please visit the
"Reference Works" links page for updated links to various Bible study
resources. If you are a newcomer to the area or wanting information
concerning the San Juan church of Christ here in Montrose, Colorado, then
click on the San Juan church of Christ Web Site at
<http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org/> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org. Thank
you for visiting my web site and as always, your comments are welcome. 

If you know of someone that would like to receive the "Walking in the Light"
electronic bulletin each week, please send an e-mail message to
<mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com  with their
name and e-mail address and I will add them to the list.

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CONTENTS:

"What Is Scriptural Baptism?" (Richard Thetford)

"Acting By Divine Authority" (Richard Thetford)

"Baptism Administered" (Selected)

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WHAT IS SCRIPTURAL BAPTISM?

Richard Thetford

As I talk with people about baptism I can't believe all the different
opinions that I've heard about what baptism requires, what precedes it, and
why even be baptized. I underlined opinions because that is exactly what all
this variance amounts to - somebody's opinion on the subject and in many
cases they have never looked into the Bible to find out what GOD says about
it. Scriptural baptism was administered by Christ, and therefore we must do
what Christ has instructed us to do. He has all authority! "And Jesus came
up and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matt
28:18-19).

Scriptural baptism requires WATER (Acts 10:47). Not just a little water but
much water as it states in John 3:23 "...because there was much water there;
and they were coming and were being baptized". In Acts 8:36 it says "...they
came to some water..." and in Acts 8:38 it says "they both went down into
the water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him". Can this be
anything but emersion? What about sprinkling - did they come to a pot filled
with water and "Philip sprinkled him"? No. You see, scriptural baptism
requires much water because baptism represents a burial as stated in Romans
6:4 "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in
order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, so we too might walk in newness of life". Col 2:12 says "...buried
with Him in baptism...". To be obedient to Christ one must be baptized in
accordance with God's will.

Before the physical act of baptism can occur one must first hear the word of
God (Acts 18:8), then believe that God's word is true (Mark 16:16), which
results in a change of heart (called repentance) which is denying our
worldly walk and turning ourselves over to Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38), and
then confessing Christ as the Son of God (Acts 8:37-38). Then we are
baptized INTO Christ (Gal 3:27) to have all our sins washed away (Acts
2:38).

One might ask at this point "so why do I really need to be baptized?" I can
think of several reasons why all mankind needs to accept Jesus as their Lord
and be baptized. Jesus is our great example and we should strive to please
Him in all things. He said that if we love Him that we will keep His
commandments (John 14:15). Jesus, being our example, was baptized (Matt
3:13-16) to show God His Father that even though He was without sin He was
not above keeping all the commandments and as a result of His baptism God
was pleased (Matt 3:17). Failure to be baptized is to reject God's counsel
(Luk 7:30). Baptism is an act of obedience to God's word (Acts 10:33,48),
and it washes our sins away (Acts 22:16). Without baptism we cannot be saved
(Mark 16:16; 1 Pet 3:21). Therefore, we can learn from God's Holy Word that
without scriptural baptism WE CANNOT ENTER INTO HEAVEN as Jesus said in John
3:5 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God".

Have you been scripturally baptized? If not, why not? Do you try to justify
and reason within yourself that baptism by emersion is not really necessary?
If you are of the opinion that baptism is not necessary for salvation where
do you get your facts for such a conclusion? All of us need to ensure that
all we do is in accordance with God's will and desire not OUR OWN.

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ACTING BY DIVINE AUTHORITY

Richard Thetford

In Colossians 3:17 Paul writes: "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus." A command to do a thing only authorizes
the doing of what is specified. We must understand that when God chooses a
certain way of doing a thing, this excludes every other way of doing that
thing. God commanded Moses to speak to the rock (Num 20:8), but Moses went
beyond what God commanded and also smote the rock and this displeased God.
Christ commanded His apostles to baptize believers (Mark 16:16). This
forbids baptizing unbelievers whether they are infants or adults. God
commands people to be buried in baptism (immersion) (Rom 6:4). Christ
authorizes the loaf and cup in communion (1 Cor 10:16). This excludes meat,
butter, pie, etc. We are authorized to sing in the praise to God (Eph 5:19;
Col 3:16). This excludes adding instruments in this service. We are
commanded to sing - not play. God does not have to condemn a thing to make
it wrong. The absence of authority makes it wrong. Are you acting by divine
authority in your worship to God?

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BAPTISM ADMINISTERED

Selected

1. WATER: "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized,..."
(Acts 10:47)

2. MUCH WATER: "And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because
there was much water there:..." (John 3:23)

3. GOING INTO WATER: "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they
went down both into the water,..." (Acts 8:38)

4. COMING UP OUT OF WATER: "And when they were come up out of the water..."
(Acts 8:39)

5. IT IS A BURIAL IN WATER: "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 6:4)

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SERMON

Into What Were You Baptized? (with PowerPoint Charts)

Sermons can viewed at my web site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/>
www.thetfordcountry.com

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Meets at:

1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C
Montrose, CO   81401
(970) 249-8116

 <http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org/> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org

ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY
Bible Study....................10:00 A.M.
Worship.........................11:00 A.M.
WEDNESDAY
Bible Study......................6:30 P.M.

Evangelist
Richard Thetford

(970) 626-5558

E-Mail:  <mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com

Web Site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/> www.thetfordcountry.com

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Richard Thetford

E-Mail:  <mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com

1491 Canyon Drive, Ridgway, CO  81432

Home: (970) 626-5558

Please visit my web site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com>
www.thetfordcountry.com

Evangelist, San Juan church of Christ

 <http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org

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