It's Not Enough

1Corinthians 15:36,42-47 - Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a LIVING being.” The last Adam [Jesus] became a LIFE-GIVING spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.

Jesus Himself told us there must be a spiritual birth for eternal life...by faith in Him alone. That spiritual birth gives us true wisdom and a whole new outlook to this life on earth and in God. We seek treasures in heaven, not on earth. The old earthly man dies, the new spiritual man is born. Or so they should!

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water AND the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:5-7)

Did you know that when we die, our spirits live on? Just as some will go to heaven...if they have been born of the Spirit...through faith in Jesus Christ...through our confession of Him as Lord and Savior of our lives...some spirits will live for eternity in hell. It's not a subject many people, sometimes not even the Church, want to talk about. 

It's for this reason Jesus came...to take the burden of our sins upon His own body, nail them on the cross and die. Every sin imaginable...upon His body. I can't imagine and neither can you. And all He requires is our confession of faith in Him, being born in the Spirit, gaining His wisdom and understanding of right from wrong. 

When we receive Christ, this same Spirit of God begins to reside in us also. We are commanded, then, to be baptized. This baptism is our outward expression of our confession of Christ. Jesus was born, died and raised again. Our immersion baptism is symbolic of the same. The old man dies, the new man is raised up. Like Lazarus, like Jesus, like all who have been baptized this way. Baptism is not by sprinkling as a child. What child can confess Jesus when it cannot even speak? Was Jesus sprinkled as a child? Or was He immersed...and then filled with the Holy Spirit? There are no scriptures at all in the Bible that speak of infant baptism. I wonder how all that got started??

So, we can think all we want that we do not need to know the Lord any more than believing He was, but it's not enough. We can think we don't need church, but it's not enough. We can think we are smart enough, successful enough, mature enough, even self-sufficient enough, but it's not enough. We can do nothing of our own to satisfy our spiritual needs and spiritual life. Only Jesus can provide for us. 

Only through Christ can this Spirit of God come to us. We cannot save ourselves. If we could, what was the point of Jesus' death? And what makes any of us think He just died to save all men, no questions asked? Yes, He died for all mankind, but we have to confess Him, confess our sins, repent of our sins...and confess we need Him to cover those sins. We need to live for Him...serve Him. The scriptures talk of being bondservants. A bondservant is one who willingly serves. We willingly serve God. 

I cannot provide this salvation for anyone else. I can only point the way. And the Way is Jesus. Each person must seek Him on his own. It is not transferable. Wisdom must be gained individually through Christ. It's just the way it works. Scripture tells us these things. I have not made this up. Our church teaches this; I know other churches do. I also know that some churches water down the gospel into believing that one simple prayer is all it takes to become born again, with no other decisions made. That prayer is not enough either. It takes an action. 

When a seed is planted it is dry, dead. But given the right conditions it can spring to life. Like baptism, water applied, not sprinkled but soaked, that new life comes forth. From death to life. We are dry and dead without Jesus but through Him and the Holy Spirit we can also spring to new, eternal life.

John 15:5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Jesus Said

John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Out of curiosity I wanted to see what the first words Jesus spoke were in the Bible. I checked each of the four gospels. One problem...they weren't the same! 

Matthew: Jesus approached John the Baptist and asked him to baptize Him to which John suggested that it be more proper for Jesus to baptize him. Jesus' words were: Permit it to be so now, [that He be baptized] for this it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. 

Mark: John was in prison now. Jesus had spent His 40 days in the desert being tempted by the devil. Now He was in Galilee to begin His ministry of the gospel: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. 

Luke: While Jesus is fasting and praying those 40 days in the desert, satan tempts Him. It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." 

John: John the baptist was explaining his encounter with baptizing Jesus and realizing this was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world and that this was the Son of God. Two of John's disciples saw Jesus approaching and John announced Him as the Lamb of God. Jesus asked, What do you seek?  Is it the way, the truth and the life? 

Four different scenarios and times. Three commands and a question. Jesus' statement in Matthew showed humility and obedience. He asked his cousin to baptize Him, the Son of God. Even He needed to be given the power to begin His ministry...of His Father. If He needed it, how much more do we?

The second was during His ministry. A comment about a further fulfilling of time and a command. If we do what He has said, His Spirit will become part of our lives, like it did with Jesus at His baptism. 

The third was a rebuke to the devil...and one we should heed: it is through Him, His words because He is the Word, that we live, not just by the bread we put into our mouths...but what we put into our spirits, by the Spirit of God, by knowing Jesus.

The fourth: What do you seek? Do you seek Him or do you seek what the world has? Do you seek Him in His Word? We can only know Him by repenting and receiving Him, looking for Him in His Word and letting His Spirit teach us further who He is. We will still die eating the sustenance of the physical world but partaking in Him will give us eternal life.

Feed the mind, heart, soul, not the belly. 

Then I had to see what the last words were that Jesus said...

Matthew: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Mark: Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow [through the power of the Holy Spirit] upon those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Luke: Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” 

John: Talking with Peter...Follow Me. If I will that he [John the disciple] remain till I come, what is that to you? 

Jesus calls us all. It is a road we must follow alone. We each make the choice, regardless of anyone else. It is between Jesus and me...and you. It's why it is called a personal relationship. We do not have this relationship because we know someone who has it or because we go to church regularly or belong to a particular denomination. We obtain life through Jesus, no one and no way else. We do as He said: Repent and believe, be baptized, receive His Holy Spirit, do the will of the Father like He did and preach the gospel. It can't get much plainer. 

He has spoken a lot of things to us. The message is always the same, to glorify God through our repentance, belief and doing the will of the Father. Jesus submitted to His Father; so should we, for this outcome:

John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

There is an Order to Things

Mark 16:15 - And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned." 

As I wrote yesterday's blog I thought about one of the ending scriptures. If you notice, there's an order to the scripture above, Jesus' words. He who believes and is baptized... God is a God of order. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (1Corinthians 14:33). 

Belief must come first. Baptism follows. How can a child have such belief when they cannot even speak or reason? Somewhere in the early centuries sprinkling as a form of baptism was begun. The Greek term baptizo means to immerse. It is a symbol of death and resurrection of our old to our new man when we have received Christ. I believe any child unable yet to reason is secure in God's kingdom despite being born with the sins Adam and Eve initiated. When I came to Christ, it was a decision I made. And from that decision came an understanding of things I'd never contemplated before. This understanding grows.

Our church, as many others do, have full immersion baptisms for children and adults. I happened to be baptized in Lake Michigan one summer. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. He was dedicated as a baby at the temple. We have dedications as well in our church. Dedication does not assure salvation. It is done that the parents of the child will commit to raising this child in the ways of God.

Baptism comes at a time when one can say for certain they believe who Christ is, openly speak those words before others as a form of accountability, then become baptized, to seal it in a manner. It's the washing of the water: There is also an antitype [symbol] which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ...(1Peter 3:21). I couldn't, obviously, say it any better! Symbolic washing to remove the filth of the flesh through (our belief and faith in) Jesus Christ.

When the meaning of dedication and baptism were made known to me it just made sense. Was Jesus sprinkled as a Child? He was given power from on high at the moment of His baptism. I believe while we are given the Holy Spirit at the time of our first admission of belief in Christ, that power is truly released at baptism. It becomes our show of faith in Christ, our true testimony of our belief.

This devotion also showed up in my email the same day. It points out the difference between head and heart knowledge. Baptism comes when we know in our hearts, not our heads, who Jesus is and are able to comprehend what sin is in His eyes.

Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Is There More?

John 3:1-12

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old?" Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"

Haven't we all wondered if there is more to life than what we know? Some might question but because the answer is elusive will let it go believing there is no answer or that it takes too much thought. Others are determined to know the answer. The answer. Yes.

Nicodemus, a religious man, wanted answers. He saw Jesus at work. He knew what Jesus said and did, that He seemed to come from somewhere even beyond his own wisdom. He recognized something different and sought Him out for deeper answers. He sought Jesus by night. In the shroud of darkness. He might have been questioned for his talking with this Man. He might have been ousted from his position. It was dangerous to seek a Man whom other Pharisees would just as soon have disappear for His criticism of their religious ways.

Nicodemus recognized Jesus as having greater wisdom. He admitted He was of God. And out of the blue Jesus answered him by saying without being born again this was not possible. Praise God! We can all have this sort of wisdom...if we seek the answers, seek Jesus, like Nicodemus did.

Jesus gives us the exact answer: we must be born again. Today the phrase born again Christian does not go over too well. I remember someone I worked with, after I became born again and all filled with the initial excitement of knowing I'd met God in a very personal way. She said she had been offended by people in an airport asking if she was born again and what the consequences were if she were not. I remember feeling the same myself.

But Jesus' message won't change, and as often as we reject that message, we reject God. Jesus' answer is simple, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." This is where the meaning differs depending on one's understanding.

Becoming born again is a choice we must make. It's not made for us through infant baptism. While those little babies have no concept of Jesus or much of anything yet, they are God's children. But as we grow and begin to make our own decisions in life, even at an early age, then we are able to make the choice for Jesus. We may not know that this type of decision must be made because such an idea is not promoted in our church. It is just assumed that with our infant baptism we are in Christ.

There's something flawed about this concept. That then means that every thief, murderer, liar, anyone like this, will be in heaven beside us some day. It means almost everyone who attends church or is a good person and was baptized will be part of the kingdom...without any commitment, living just as they wish. Some may even believe everyone will go to heaven. If that's the case, there was no need for Jesus to have been born, live, suffer and die for us. We are all separated from God at birth because of sin. The only way to bridge the gap is through Jesus. Is it right that a person who has no need for God is allowed entrance into heaven?

Being born again is a verbal and spiritual acknowledgment with a change in attitude and thinking. You know it has happened when it does. Something takes place within you, in the Spirit. It takes place when you believe. Believe in what? Believe that Jesus is who He says He is and is able to do what He says He can. It's not just knowing about Him but knowing Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. It's that change that takes place inside. That Holy Spirit only comes when we willing receive Christ.

Sometimes it starts with wanting to know if there is more. I asked that question as a young person. Our pastor yesterday says he still looks at the stars or the clouds and is still amazed that our God created them...and that anyone can see this. I did that as a child. Laid on the front lawn at night, summer and winter, and gazed in wonder knowing that beyond what I could see there were more I couldn't. I was in awe.

I always knew there was something greater and it had to do with God. But I couldn't put my finger on it. Then one day, after many years of His attempts or at least promptings, maybe others' prayers, I suddenly got it. I knew I needed a Savior. And I received Him. None of those people who had planted seeds in my life or literature in my hand even came to mind. He alone was right there. Just He and I and  His Spirit, in a split second, filled me. He was between God and me, my Mediator. I was born again..in the Spirit. And later I gave myself to the same type of baptism as Jesus, total immersion...having my sins washed away, being born again in the Spirit, verbally testifying that I had received Him as my Savior. My old man had gone, my new born again man was put on.

If this religious man had to ask, I think we all need to ask. Maybe we've seen others change and they will not back down; it's become part of their lives. We see it, but do not believe it and because it is a heavenly thing it cannot be comprehended. It's where seeking comes in. Ask God to show you in a way you can understand. Ask Him if He is who He says He is or that He can do what He says, or He can do what I say He did. This is part of the believing. Believing Jesus can change a life, allow His Spirit to enter in to ours, cause us to become born again.

It's for everyone who wants to believe, who wants to know the truth that there is more than this life we live and more after, in Christ alone, through his Spirit.

2Corinthians 5:16-17 - Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

One Who is Greater

John 1:24-28

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, "Why do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."

These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Those who were sent to look for this Man John was preaching about were religious men of the day. Men of some importance and intelligence within the religious circles, Pharisees. A Pharisee by definition then was a member of a Jewish sect, one who strictly observed the written laws. These men were well versed. They would have known of and looked for the coming Messiah because they knew of the Prophet Elijah's words. They came here to find out if John was that prophet. John claimed he was neither Elijah, nor the Messiah, nor a prophet.

So why was he preaching as he was? His words of repentance and baptism might not have made sense. A new concept. If he was neither the prophet or this Man, how could he do these things? They were accustomed to their religious rites and John's performance was outside that understanding. Remember, they were Pharisees, men who followed strict laws. They were looking for a messiah to save them from Roman rule, not change their whole religious thinking. A physical rescue, not a spiritual one.

Same is the message for today. No religion can save. It's not about religion or man made rites or works for salvation. Like John, Jesus came to call us into an act of repentance and baptism. Submission to God, not to a religion. We must first realize our sins then make a choice to receive Christ/God in order to have ourselves redeemed through relationship alone with Him, not by any works for our salvation...but through repentance, then regeneration through the act of cleansing, like Jesus was about to do Himself.

These men questioned John about this baptism. They would have some understanding of cleansing because the priests washed their hands and cleansed themselves before they offered sacrifices for the people in the temple. John said he baptized only with water. And he told them of Someone already among them who they did not yet know...and Someone some of them would ultimately reject because His beliefs were out in "left field" according to their beliefs.

John spoke of One who is greater than all of us, One who has the power over any man or any works to bring life or death to each of us depending upon a certain choice we have to make. He was speaking of Jesus. He was speaking about One who should be preferred over all others and while we are not worthy of what He has to offer, He is also willing to give freely, if we choose to receive Him, the gift.

There are many claims today that our good works will get us to heaven, because a person is better compared to others in the world, that they have a better chance. It's not about religion. It all comes down to relationship with Jesus. None of us are ever good enough on our own. We are only good through Christ's sacrifice. His sacrifice did away with all the works or rites performed in His day. Today all He wants is for us to believe, repent, receive and obey. No outward act of sacrifice but an ongoing inward act of repentance, no vain repetitive prayers, just giving of ourselves to Christ alone.

Jesus' appearance would make all these sacrifices null and void...and it was why He was so rejected and killed. But He became one final sacrifice...for all mankind. Our act of baptism comes, not as an infant, but as one who is able to understand the act of repenting and receiving Christ.

Remember, John came as prophesied as one calling in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." Jesus is the Way. John was doing as he had been led by the Spirit to do. To lead us to that One who is preferred over all others, including religions. We are to be born of God, not man. Religion is man made.

1John 5:19-20 - We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

Cleansed by the Water

Genesis 6:12 - "Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish."

I mentioned water and cleansing yesterday, how God cleansed the early world of evil through the great flood. This is a type of baptism into Christ. We are cleansed by the washing of the Word...we are cleansed by the washing of Christ. The Bible is so filled with types and shadows of Christ. It's amazing. 

Recall Noah and his circumstances for a minute. God warned him of the pending disaster of a flood that would destroy the earth but because of his righteousness he was saved. There was a catch, though. He had to do something very extreme. He had to build an ark and while he was building it he was to explain the reason to the curious people confronting Noah. And the people scoffed.

Jesus pretty much expects the same thing of us. He is our Ark...another type of Christ. There is evil in our lives, our sin, as well as evil in the world, and He asks us to enter in, to seek our refuge from this sin, from the world, through Him. That extreme act on our part is the relationship He wants us to enter into with Him. Proverbs 18:10 alludes to this too: The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Do you see? It's believing in Christ and allowing Him to wash away our sin.

But like the people in Noah's day they did not want to hear this hard word. No different today. It's difficult; it's not something some choose to do; it's a narrow thinking: Matthew 7:13 - Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Haven't I mentioned before Jesus is not only the Ark, He is the narrow Gate. He is the only Way, Truth and Life.

When we are feeling unclean we take baths or showers. We feel refreshed, energized or relaxed/comforted. Is there any way you cannot see how the things of the world are so closely related to the things of God? Another day begins and more revelation comes. God is so good. It's not like I might not have thought of this before, but it's even stronger today.

Jesus' ministry began after He was baptized in the Jordan River. John the Baptist thought it odd that He would want him to do this thing. John believed it should be the other way around. Here's what Jesus said: "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15). 

When we all come to this point in our lives where we are fed up with our sin and need this cleansing, we are to do as Jesus did. He was our example. If He needed to be baptized, so do we. So that poses the question, if Jesus was perfect and the Son of God, why did He need to be baptized? I have to admit I had to find this out. I didn't have a clear answer. As Matthew 3:15 says above it was to fufill all righteousness. Jesus was about to begin His ministry. He was about to take on the sins of the world Himself. Like the priests of the Old Testament, He needed to be cleansed as well to be our Great High Priest. It was an act of obedience to His Father to show Him He was serious about what He was going to do. 2Corinthians 5:21 - For He [God the Father] made Him who knew no sin  to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

And this was done by being immersed in water, totally cleansed. Not sprinkled, but like a great flood. All the sins of the world that Jesus was about to take upon Himself were washed clean in His baptism. And if it is our belief that Jesus is the One who saves then  “He who believes and is baptized will be saved “ (Mark 16:16).

That brings me to the next step after receiving Christ, being baptized in Christ and having our sins removed. The Word of God, the Bible, is also likened to water. Ephesians 5:26 - that He might sanctify and cleanse ... with the washing of water by the word. When we are saved and take on a new life, we are to be renewed by the washing of the water of the Word. 

We know how valuable water is. We cannot live without it, just like we cannot live without Jesus, our Living Water. The woman at the well went daily to collect water. She met Jesus there. He told her all about her life, the dryness of it, and told her of water that would never cause her to thirst again. He offered Himself to her. Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, "Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water" (John 4:10). 

Jesus Himself tells us unless we are born of water...and the Spirit...we cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). A relationship with the Lord cleanses us. It washes away our sin and makes us righteous. No water but the Living Water of Christ will ever do anything like this. He is the water that refreshes.

Titus 3:5-6 - ... but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior...