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THE
END-TIME EVANGEL PRESS
©
Name has changed to
CHRIST FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL
PO BOX 1791
Jasper, Alabama 35501 USA
THE
ANSWER IS THIS: God does NOT have, anywhere in all of His inspired Word,
two or more teachings, - that vary – or CONFLICT, which can be accepted
as His teaching, or as His DOCTRINE. God only has ONE teaching or ONE
doctrine in anything that He has given in His Word – which is to be
taught as HIS eternal TRUTH. This is why we find the word “doctrine”
in 1 Timothy 4:16, recorded in the SINGULAR form. It is time, high time,
(I speak this as a witness and a warning to every soul who reads these
lines), that ALL who profess and confess the name of JESUS, realize and
know that God does not CONDONE, SANCTION, or give His APPROVAL to
doctrines or different teachings - that CONFLICT – when it comes to
preaching or teaching His Word.
WHILE
IT IS TRUE that within the TEACHINGS or DOCTRINE of God, or Christ, there
are “teachings” or as the Word of God calls them – “PRINCIPLES”
– (Hebrews 6:1 & 2): yet, within EACH ONE of these “principles”
there can be found, in God’s Word, only ONE true, provable,
non-contradictable Teaching. For instance: in the “doctrine”
(singular) of Jesus Christ, that is described and also written in a
categorized order in Hebrews, chapter six, verse 2; we find the word
“doctrine” recorded once in each verses 1, and 2; we find the word
“doctrine” recorded once in each verse and both times it is written in
the singular form. In verse 1, it refers directly to the overall DOCTRINE
OF JESUS CHRIST: (there are SEVEN principles altogether). But in verse 2,
the word refers only to the final five principles, which are to be
preached and taught to PERFECTION: once, the two FOUNDATIONAL principles
of verse 1 have been laid.
THOUGH
there are SEVEN principles, (plural), that makes up or constitutes what
the Word of God calls “the DOCTRINE OF Christ”: it is needful to
understand that the BIBLE has ONLY, in each of these SEVEN PRINCIPLES,
just ONE true provable teaching: and it is this ONE teaching that
is called “the doctrine of Christ”.
THE
REASON why we have in 1 Timothy 4:16: the word “doctrine” in the
singular, and then the words “continue in THEM” following and being in
the PLURAL, is that the word “them” refers to the “principles”,
(plural), which makes up or constitutes the DOCTRINE. Therefore; the
Apostle Paul is writing that there is only one doctrine or teaching that
is taught in the Word of God: but this – ONE DOCTRINE has a plural
number of PRINCIPLES - that we are to know, understand, and continue
in.
THE
WORD “principles” in Hebrews 6:1, is derived or translated from the
Greek word, “ARCHE” pronounced “ar-khay”; and is number #746 in
STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE N.T. DICTIONARY. It means, ”a
commencement” or “chief in various applications or ORDER, time, PLACE,
or RANK”. Among other various definitions listed for this word, it is
notable that it also means “magistrate” – “power” – or
“rule”.
AS
THE BELIEVER “takes heed” unto the “doctrine” and continues in
“them”, i.e., the “principles”; the DOCTRINE will then “RULE”
and have “POWER” over the believer’s life. This is why DOCTRINE is
all important and cannot be overlooked in the body of Christ: which is His
“church”. (Ephesians 1:22 & 23); & (Colossians 1:18, & 24)
God wants His son’s to know His DOCTRINE. This means EVERY member
of the body of Christ – NOT – just those who are called as preachers
and teachers of the gospel. Yet! How sad; that so very few even understand
WHAT “the doctrine” is; and this includes those who are themselves,
the “leaders”; i.e. the preachers – the teacher4s of the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
IN
HIS first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul addressed this very issue
directly in chapter THREE, and verses EIGHT through FIFTEEN. In verse
eight, he writes “ and EVERY man shall receive his own reward according
to his own labor”. In verse ten, he says; “as a wise MASTERBUILDER, I
have laid the FOUNDATION, and another buildeth thereon. But let EVERY MAN
take heed HOW he buildeth thereupon”. To fully know and
understand - WHAT – the DOCTRINE of Christ – fully teaches – in all
it’s SEVEN PRINCIPLES – that are given in their RANK and ORDER – in
Hebrews 6:1 & 2.
THIS
IS WHY the writer of Hebrews said in chapter five, verse twelve, “When
for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach
you again which be the FIRST PRINCIPLES – (something orderly in
arrangement – STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE, N.T. DICT. Word #4747 for
the word “principles” in Hebrews 5:12) – “of the ORACLES of God;
and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meet”. The
plain, simple, and easily provable fact is; most of those who call
themselves “preachers of the gospel” just do not know and
CANNOT TEACH to perfection the “principles of the DOCTRINE OF
JESUS CHRIST – because they have not been taught these principles in the
Bible colleges or schools of our day or in the most recent generations.
IT IS NO WONDER that the CULTS and the occults have been making
such great inroads among and within the “Christian” families and
churches. They come forth with a twisted and perverted so-called
“gospel” or “faith” and hardly anyone within the church of God is
READY to DEFEND the TRUTH of the gospel. WHY? The perfected teaching of
the Word of God; concerning the DOCTRINE of Jesus Christ, has not been
brought forth as it is categorized – in its proper ORDER and RANK – in
Hebrews 6:1 & 2.
THE
TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST teaches the FIRST TWO principles of the
doctrine just as they are set forth in the Word of Truth.
These are the FOUNDATIONAL “principles”: and are absolutely
necessary for Scriptural obedience and that puts a soul INTO Jesus body or
church. These first two principles are “REPENTANCE toward God, and FAITH
toward our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Acts 20:21). It is these two principles
that LAY the FOUNDATION INTO the Lord Jesus. Without REPENTANCE every soul
will “PERISH”. (Luke 13:3 & 5).
When Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom
of God,” (Mark 1:14) note what is recorded in Mark 1:15; that He said
“The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye and
BELIEVE the gospel”.
ANYONE
who studies the Word of God will NEVER find ONE, single, solitary,
EXCEPTION TO THIS “order and rank” of the two first “principles of
the doctrine of Christ” as they are given in Hebrews 6:1.
It is always REPENTANCE, then the saving FAITH given by God
Himself, will follow. (Ephesians 2:8)
YE MUST BELIEVE “with ALL thy HEART “, (Acts 8:47).
A half-hearted faith will not do.
It cannot be a “feigned” faith.
It MUST be WHOLEHEARTED, FAITH – trusting and relying solely in
the BLOOD of Jesus, that He “shed” upon the cross, (Romans 3:25) is
the ultimate requirement made by God upon EVERY soul that desires to be
saved. (Acts 16:31 & 32)
It is IMPOSSIBLE for MAN, the creation of God, to BELIEVE with ALL
of his HEART, until, or unless he FIRST REPENTS of all of his sins with
“godly sorrow’ that “worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of”. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
There can be NO “witness of the Spirit” that we are the
“children of God” (Romans 8:16) unless we have met these first two
Scriptural requirements – and in this PRECISE ORDER.
IT
IS TRUE – that there is an INTELLECTUAL or HEAD “faith” which
precedes REPENTANCE and is necessary, in order for a soul – LOST – to
come to REPENTANCE. However,
this HEAD FAITH will not necessarily cause a soul to REPENT, and CONFESS
Jesus Christ as the ONLY Lord, or Savior.
The PROOF of this is shown many numerous times in the Holy
Scriptures. In
the GOSPEL of John, chapter TWELVE, verse FORTY-TWO; it is recorded;
“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many BELIEVED on him;
but because of the Pharisees they did not CONFESS him, lest they
should be put out of the synagogue:” (verse 43) “For they loved the
praises of men MORE than the praise of God”.
NOW
IT IS CERTAIN that these “chief rulers” did not have the saving
faith that is required of God the Father, according to the Written
Word of Truth, and spoken by Jesus of Nazareth, Himself, when he said in
Mark 8:38: “Whosoever therefore shall be ASHAMED of me and my words
in this adulterous and sinful generation: of him also shall the Son
of man be ASHAMED, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with
the holy angels. “So
it is clear that anyone who TRULY BELIEVES – with ALL the HEART in Jesus
Christ, TRUSTING ONLY in Him for salvation – cannot be ashamed of
Him and thus be saved.
TRUE -- saving - FAITH – always will result in “CONFESSING”
Him to be Lord and Savior. (See also Luke 9:26)
THE
POINT that I am making is this; in NO place of all the Holy Scriptures
does the Word of God teach us to first believe; and then repent.
Always – without EXCEPTION – the Word commands, as Jesus did in
Mark 1:15; to “REPENT” and then BELIEVE”.
This is the very fundamental, initial, basic, FOUNDATION of THE
DOCTRINE of Christ”, as it is set forth clearly, with NO REASON for
misunderstanding in Hebrews 6:1.
And it is right here at the very foundational principles – where
– all the present day cults “DEPART FROM THE FAITH ONCE
DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS”. (1 Timothy 5:1); where Paul warns by the Holy
Spirit – exactly – what would happen in the LATTER TIMES of the church
age).
WHEN
ANYONE – regardless of whether he be preacher, teacher, church official,
or leader of a religious organization, DEPARTS from the WRITTEN Word of
God; to espouse or endorse a teaching or SAYING that is NOT “faithful”
but is in DIRECT CONFLICT with other PRECEPTS; it is unmistakably clear
– according to the Word of God – THAT “saying is NOT to be found
“WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION”: (1Timothy 1:15; & 4:5) thus; such a
teaching or saying is NOT SOUND DOCTRINE. By God’s very own Word:
“It is WRITTEN” – that if a teaching or saying – is
to be held as THE DOCTRINE OF GOD, it MUST be “a FAITHFUL SAYING,
WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION”. (1 Timothy 1:15:4:5 & Titus 3:8).
A teaching or saying, regardless of how many scriptures are used to
try and prove it TRUE; and
THE DOCTRINE OF GOD: IF the teaching – has but ONE clear,
PROVABLE CONFLICT with other Scriptures – then it cannot be taught to be
THE DOCTRINE OF GOD. It
is a FALSE or FEIGNED lie of the devil.
In FIRST JOHN 2:21 IT IS WRITTEN – “NO LIE IS OF THE TRUTH”.
(Read Hebrews 7:7)
Plainly we are taught; God’s DOCTRINE is NEVER in CONTRADICTION
with itself.
SUCH
IS THE CASE with the Scriptural example that has already been shown,
regarding, the widely taught HERESY – a soul MUST believe FIRST – then
REPENT. As
already set forth; in the Scriptures that speak of these TWO
“principles”; there is NOT ONE
“precept” which
has FAITH placed before REPENTANCE.
However; ONE
INSPIRED PRECEPT that speaks of both of these principles in their PROPER
RANK and ORDER has Jesus Christ teaches us – in – His own words’
(Matthew 21:32), that a soul MUST REPENT
before he or she can BELIEVE. Note – what Jesus said; “For John
came unto you in the WAY of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but
the publicans and harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it,
REPENTED NOT AFTERWARD, THAT ye MIGHT BELIEVE him”. This
Scripture, as all others, CANNOT be BROKEN.
In John 10:35; Jesus said, “THE SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN”.
THE
FOLLOWERS of Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, and Walter Scott, make
much of calling themselves, “Church’s of Christ” “Disciples of
Christ”. But,
the TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST, or CHURCH OF GOD, is NOT KNOW – by its name
– but by its DOCTRINE.
This is God’s METHOD of showing who His TRUE “disciples” in
this world are. The
followers of Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, and Walter Scott,
definitely ARE NOT the TRUE “disciples of Christ”, because their
doctrinal teaching on the NECESSARY PREREQUISITES, or things one must do
in order to be SAVED – is OPPOSITE and REVERSED to the SCRIPTURAL ORDER
that are clearly set forth in the Holy Scriptures. The Word of God is
established forever. The PLAN OF SALVATION is WRITTEN so plain that
ANYONE, who really cares to follow, may do so without CONFUSION or
contradiction.
Argue,
argue, if one chooses: but, arguments of man, men, or religious
organizations CANNOT BREAK, ALTER, or CHANGE ONE PRECEPT. In Psalms 89:34;
the Word of God declares; “My COVENANT will I not break, nor ALTER the
thing that is gone out of my mouth”.
Man or men, preachers so-called may ARGUE with the Word of God: but
again, IT IS WRITTEN in Romans 3:4; “let God be true, but every man a
liar”.
THE
SAME IS TRUE with those who REFUSE to baptize with water, the
penitent believer who CONFESSES Jesus Christ as Lord, as Jesus Himself
COMMANDED in Matthew 28:19.
One HERESY that is prevalent among some that call themselves of
“grace” is; that WATER BAPTISM is no longer necessary or required
under the NEW COVENANT of GRACE. This teaching is complete in ERROR and in
CORRUPTING the Word of God. A soul who will take Jesus Christ’s COMMAND
for just exactly AS IT IS WRITTEN, will fine, NOT ONE SHRED of Scriptural
evidence; Not a single verse of Scripture that supports this anti view of
abandoning, abolishing, or doing away with the practice, or ORDINANCE, of
water baptism. Not
only do we have the Lord’s clear COMMAND in Matthew 28:19; but likewise
in the book of Acts, find numerous times where it is commanded and
practiced by the Apostles, with Philip, the Deacon-Evangelist, practicing
it as well. It
was NEVER done away with at any time afterwards by Paul, or the other
Apostles. The
same application for WATER BAPTISM can also be made for the LORD’S
SUPPER. Which
is also called COMMUNION.
Jesus commanded His disciples to partake of it; and ORDAINED the
continuation of its practice in as Paul wrote the church at Corinth, in 1
Corinthians 10:18-34. Note
verses 24, and 25: where Paul, with no reason for misunderstanding or
misapplying what he writes, quotes Jesus in His communion command.
1
Corinthians 11:24-25
24
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my
body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25.
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying,
This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink
it, in remembrance of me. KJV
The
church at Corinth was, in verse THREE of chapter ELEVEN, PRAISED by the
Apostle to THE GENTILES for their having KEPT the ORDINANCES.
There is NOT one Scripture gives anyone the right to sanction, to
neglect, or REFUSE to OBEY the Savior’s COMMAND to be BAPTIZED WITH
WATER, or, partake of the Lord’s SUPPER.
MATTHEW
28:19 has likewise proved to be a stumbling block and strong point of
schism to those who teach that WATER BAPTISM is ONLY to be done in the
name of Jesus Christ alone – NOT EVER as IT IS WRITTEN plainly in
Matthew; “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost”. This,
they contend, MUST be done ONLY in the name of Jesus, because, in the book
of Acts – “every baptism recorded is always done in His name alone”.
Their HERESY is based on a False assumption, a clear cut DENIAL of
what Jesus, Himself, COMMANDED, and their NOT KNOWING HOW to STUDY to
RIGHTLY DIVIDE the WORD of TRUTH.
FIRST:
Their claim about JESUS being the ONLY NAME mentioned in the performance
or carrying out of this ordinance is FALSE.
There is ONE provable EXCEPTION to their JESUS NAME ONLY formula.
It is Acts 19:2, & 3. The very point is: that when Paul asked a
question relating DIRECTLY – TO WATER BAPTISM – in verse TWO, relating
directly back to his question in the preceding verse ONE, (regarding the
RECEIVING of the Holy Ghost), his question PROVES that the a NAME other
than that of Jesus Christ is also used in the Scriptural formula of
obeying the COMMAND to be BAPTIZED with WATER.
When Paul asked: “unto what then were ye baptized?”
NOTE: that the answer was given by these twelve disciples of John
the Baptist, made the Apostle, to KNOW, that they had not yet heard the
Savior, the MESSIAH, Jesus, had ALREADY COME – FULFILLED His mission –
included: the sending of the Holy Ghost upon.
BAPTIZING EVERY TRUE penitent BELIEVER. These
disciples of John had already been baptized with WATER BEFORE they
knew anything about the NEW COVENANT being brought into force.
When they told Paul, in verse TWO; “We have not so much as heard
whether there be any Holy Ghost”; This answer was the Apostle’s key to
KNOWING they had not been BAPTIZED with WATER; “in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” as is the specific
COMMAND in
the GREAT COMMISSION, given by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Also, to be baptized by His Authority. Again;
to be BAPTIZED “in His NAME,” does NOT MEAN that the “NAME of the
Father, and the Holy Ghost” is not included.
This is clearly proven when the accounts of the Apostle Paul –
himself, is examined in Acts; chapters 9, 22, and 26.
In Acts 9:5; Acts 22:8; and Acts 26:15; there are THREE DIFFERENT
precepts with Jesus telling Saul/Paul, WHO HE WAS.
Only one account, Acts 22:8 is the EVERY WORD of who Jesus said He
is, to be found.
ONE
FINAL EXAMPLE in this lesson that is a perfect illustration of HOW TO
STUDY is the FOUR DIFFERENT accounts, in the gospels, of the INSCRIPTION
that was written on the CROSS – above – the head of Jesus.
NOT in ANYONE of the FOUR GOSPELS will you find – the EVERY WORD
that was commanded to be written.
A thorough SEARCH of each account; Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke
23:38; and John 19:19; is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, if, every Word and every
detail of the INSCRIPTION with His name on the CROSS is to be KNOWN.
In Matthew and in John’s gospels – EVERY WORD WRITTEN – is
given. Then in
Luke and John’s account, we can KNOW the INSCRIPTION was written in
THREE LANGUAGES. A
perfect illustration of “here a little, and there a little”.
(Isaiah 28:10)
1 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
KJV
This
lesson “How to Study to Rightly Divide”
Is also available on
Cassette Tape
Lesson
101-1 & 101-2
By
writing
to
Apostle
Lindon
Daniel Frost
Christ
Fellowship International
P.O.
Box 1791
Jasper,
Alabama 35501
USA
You can also E-Mail Brother Lindon
Left Click here to e-mail
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