Author: Berean Baptist

               During this past week, I followed my familiar format in the structure of my workweek. I mention it here not for you to see the timecard I punch each day but only to mention I am busy enough that I do not care for casual interruptions. My studies from home largely prevent this because my house is quiet. The only troubles caused are the ones that are self-created. I had a good interruption this past week and others not so good.

On Tuesday it was a blessed privilege to spend the entire morning talking with Donna Miller as she prepares to switch software for producing our weekly bulletins. We learned we would need to do this late last year and now the mandatory date to change is quickly coming up. Tuesday was our opportunity to speak in earnest about how we make the change. It may seem insignificant to you, but it is time consuming. I have spoken before about Donna’s commitment, which I am happy to applaud although at the same time saddened that we require commitments from former members outside the church while often begging cooperation from others inside. I should not call Tuesday an interruption. A blessed encounter describes it better.

Writing about Tuesday was not my intent for this article. Rather, while I searched for this article’s subject, I thought of another interruption. The motivation for choosing this subject was my remembrance of the first sermon series I preached here at Berean. It began in February of 2003 on a Wednesday night. My introduction claimed I would preach a three-part series in the epistle of Jude which would take three Wednesdays. The three-part series ended seven months later. I reviewed the schedule for that series to discover how misleading the original statement was. I subdivided each part into multiple sections. More important was the subject matter. It was apostasy which came to my attention last week by a knock at my door.

I expected the salesman who always says, “We want you to know we will be in your area next week to spray for ants. All your neighbors are having their houses treated and as soon as we treat them all the ants are coming to your house. We are offering a special to help you with this problem.” Instead, these two salespeople offered a different poison that was more dangerous because they kill souls not ants. They offered a Bible study and asked if I like to study the Bible. I answered affirmatively and informed them they had just interrupted my Bible study. I learned they love people who want to study the Bible which prompted me to ask who they represented. They confirmed my suspicions. They were JWs. I abruptly stopped and said I am a Baptist pastor and I am a Christian. They were a little surprised I answered this way because they knew the conclusion of this conversation. The fellow smiled, squinted, and said, “We are too!” To which I smiled and replied, “No, you are not!” This ended my interruption.

I was ready to go all 2 John on them, but my point here combines two major objections. I do not like interruptions in general and I especially do not like apostatical interruptions. You, however, are welcome to knock on my door during the week if you bring cookies and pesticides.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing we shall receive the greater condemnation (James 3:1)

               In only a few weeks, another of our lengthy studies in the scriptures will end and I will begin preparations for the next. This is the closest I come to fear, and if not fear, extreme anxiety. After many weeks studying in one book, I reach a comfort level in which thoughts flow easily. Starting over means reestablishing the comfort level. This is one of the reasons I chose to study the London Confession of Faith on Sunday afternoons. I have always been at ease when laying foundational truths for the support of any part of the Bible we choose to study. A good example is our examination of decrees which are clearly and frequently expressed in scripture and then unequivocally affirmed in the Confession of Faith. Ignorance of how, and when, and the chief motivational factors and the necessity of God choosing those who are wholly incapable of walking with Him is defeated through expositions of truths God uses to enlighten spiritually dead minds to the glorious majesty of Christ.

               How does this work when the promises of faith in Christ are the sureties of hatred, ridicule, rejection, and possibly death as the immediately expected rewards? Who, with weak human effort succeeds in breaking through such a fortified barrier? A supernaturally energized gospel is the only hope which puts all this work within our capability. Do you understand the reason anxiety weighs on a pastor’s mind when pushed beyond his natural comfort level? I calm myself by understanding that teaching and preaching the word to achieve the desired effect is as much an act of God as regeneration is in the ability of the mind to appropriate what is heard.   

            Compounding anxiety (by which, I do not mean hopeless worry) is decision making that affects the future of the church. Consider this heart-pounding statement in (WLC 151). Briefly limiting the comments to the point at hand: “Sins receive their aggravations, ‘From circumstances of time and place: if on the Lord’s Day, or other times of divine worship; or immediately before or after these, or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages; if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled.’”

“What doth every sin deserves at the hands of God? ‘Every sin, even the least, being against the sovereignty, goodness, and holiness of God, and against his righteous law, deserveth his wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come; and cannot be expiated but by the blood of Christ.’”

I sincerely hope there are lessons learned from these comments. It is not often the perfect storm arises to give opportunity to speak difficult subjects. Nearly twenty-five years ago when I became pastor, I read a letter with an accusation that I usurped authority to gain this position. Why this bothers me now is mysterious. The consequences are too frightening.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               A few weeks ago on July 5^th, we passed a milestone for the year 2026. I am sure the first sentence of this article has you thinking about the July 4^th celebration of our 250^th anniversary of American independence. With perpetual remembrance, I still hear occasional explosions in my neighborhood as adults acting like elementary schoolers cannot force themselves to give up the excitement of loud noises. Accompanying is a sudden blast of a trumpet and the squeezing of life out of an accordion with a choking “¡Ay-ay-ay!” There are a few peacocks living ¼ mile from my house who protest a sudden awakening with enough pushback to emphasize the rudeness of disturbing the peace. Alas, peacocks and mariachi are strangely harmonious annoyances. This weekend blend punctuated by an occasional “GOAL!” confuses my rational American sensibilities.

               What you have just read is what happens when my mind wanders without anyone in the house to keep me focused. Regardless, Independence Day 2026 is not the milestone I had in mind. Rather, it was the beginning of the second half of the year. The Lord also blessed us with an outstanding worship offering giving relief to budget pressures that usually intensify in this part of the year. My heart nearly burst with the news! Although, I must be perfectly honest with what I do not know concerning the source. It is always God, of course. However, He works through human instrumentation. I purposely separate myself from this personal information. Whenever I preach or comment on giving, my mind is a blank slate of names. All I ask is that you praise God with me.

               Two paragraphs are finished with the most notable information being about providence and peacocks. I am sure after writing over one thousand articles peacocks never made the cut. More importantly, I mentioned the midyear milestone because I wondered about the consistency of Bible reading. Is a New Year’s resolution to keep up consistent reading still part of your daily routine? It came to my mind when my daily reading plan coincided with the Egyptian Hallel during Independence week. “Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.” Step outside to experience undeniable proof.

               Strange things happen as people routinely dismiss the possibility of God’s providence. I was not paying much attention when I heard someone on television say, “I have no religion. I am an atheist.” The next line was an unwitting misquotation of 1 Corinthians 10:13. In a joking manner, the person said, “God will not put more on us than we can bear.” Followed with, “He seriously overestimated me.” These contradictions stand out if your mind is saturated with scripture. Is anyone truly without religion? No. While it may be consciously denied, it is forever engrained in our subconscious. Natural born atheists do not exist.

               You and I are acquainted with God and have much more satisfying knowledge of Him. “Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!” Who knew that fireworks could open the mind to the glory of God? If only as much could be said about peacocks singing mariachi. Instead, God’s glory contrasts with a stark reminder of just how fallen this world is.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Perhaps perplexity best describes our reaction to today’s exposition of the Gospel of Mark chapter 14. The scene follows immediately upon the conclusion of the first Lord’s Supper. It also immediately precedes Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. The bookends for Christ’s agony in the few hours between the two leave hardly a moment for Jesus to catch His breath to consider the rapidly advancing appointment to the death of the cross. Jesus chose to use this time in deep emotional and sorrowful prayer asking the Father to sustain Him in these last dark hours. He knew the cross would be a lonely, solitary journey as the disciples who only minutes before promised never to desert Him were not strong enough to pray with Him, to stay awake with Him, and to comfort Him when His burden intensified until His flesh nearly failed while He sweat great drops of blood (Luke 22:44).

               The agony of His emotions was lost on the sympathies of the disciples. The mob came to take Him, and while they put up a show of resistance, it quickly faded as they only concerned themselves to preserve their own lives. The theme of the message reflects the groanings of Jesus during these final hours. There is no part of the scriptures we study today that show uncommon courage or any hope the cross would be avoided because of the steadfast resistance of the disciples.

               This was the design for the last few hours. Loneliness and desertion, but not disappointment. The lengthy series of Jesus’ prayers had no intention to persuade a change in the method of redemption. There was no tearful plea for the Father to alter the prophecies of these events. They would continue as determined until the completion of all essential parts. The torturous beatings, the mocking, the pain, the blood, the humiliation—all would complete as planned and end in death—all followed by miraculous resurrection after three days lying in an inglorious dark tomb.

               There are few sermon subjects that I am hesitant to approach. Most of the ones I am apprehensive about are more about timing than subject. The Holy Spirit works thoughts in me that do not seem appropriate at the time but perhaps timing is the most critical aspect in making them effective. The Spirit knows this far better than I since He is not constrained by the linear viewpoint of time. Today’s subject of mental suffering was difficult for me. The scriptures say Jesus was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death (Matthew 26:38). I am not anxious to speak of death, grief, and sorrow. I recently came through an extended period of this and did not necessarily want to be reminded of it. Ultimately, it is helpful because I remember the scriptures that supported me through it. A reminder that Jesus’ own burdens make Him experientially sympathetic strengthens our ability to understand we are not alone in ours.

               Today’s worship service combines the regular study of Mark with the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Neither conflict with the other on this occasion. Interrupting with a specially prepared sermon for the Supper was not needed or desirable. Today’s theme fits perfectly, giving us another piece of the arc of well-rounded understanding. Praise God for the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ promise that He would direct our thoughts and teach us what to say.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Deuteronomy 32:7a

               After each vacation, I can heartily say that I am pleased to return to the pulpit of the Berean Baptist Church. The time away induced more reflection than usual. While we always trust the Lord as our strength and sustenance, discouragement happens when longing for seemingly better days in the past. Obviously, visits to Kentucky provoke misty-eyed remembrances of marriage and the birth of our children. A self-imposed honorific visiting the gravesites of my wife and of my father and mother are important parts of the Kentucky rituals. This trip also included solemnizing a wedding and seeing dear old friends which broadened my reflections of the past.

               Although I have now lived in California for thirty years, the greater part and most active parts of my life were in Kentucky. Those were the formative years which you may blame for my peculiarities. Experience, though, is a different matter. Being a pastor means intimately experiencing the difficulties of varied lives. You manage yours and your family’s while applause or blaming for the joy/grief of otherwise strangers is either my fault or my talent. Too often, godly counsel and direct preaching receive the blame for messy situations God’s people are unwilling to clean up. Shooting the messenger is their easiest solution.

Unless you choose psychiatry or psychology as a profession, no one cares to own these types of responsibilities. There are observers who tell me they would like to have my job perhaps because they want authority and recognition while others truly desire more advanced opportunities to serve the Lord. In his explanation of the duties of pastors and deacons, Paul encouraged this desirable determination by saying, “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree…” Likewise, pastors achieve approbation: “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” The Bible never discourages us from desiring rewards for our labor. Our Lord offers them for incentive not for a greedy heart but for the sincerity of those who will endure heartache for faithful service.

The deceptive allure of authority and recognition are not eternal but temporary rewards. They lead to dishonesty, situational ethics, and ultimately heresies. It would be counterproductive for me to encourage distrust of pastors. Understanding this, I caution you about pastors who want all authority, who intrude unnecessarily into private lives and decisions that normally lie beyond the purview of the pastorate, and who instead of warranted godly respect prefer adulation and hero worship.

The scriptures make us aware of the dangers of pride. No one in the church has more potential for it than the pastor. Peter issued a solemn warning countermanding the too frequent narcissism of haughty leaders: “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage…” Pulling in the young, inexperienced, and impressionable, he encourages the proper response to the godly pastor who first molds himself to his own teaching. “…be subject one to another…be clothed with humility…God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

The remembrances of former years are part of what I used to guide my learning experiences in the pastorate. Father, mother, wife, family, and godly friends have been my solid companions. The Lord uses them now to ward off disappointment, depression, and discouragement. This sounds too much like an alliterated three-part sermon I do not care to write.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Today’s sermon is one of those times when the nemeses of ability and understanding are the bane of a preacher’s diligent desire to exposit scripture. Take just a moment to digest that sentence before I continue. The scriptures tell us to be careful about what we say and to use wisdom when we say it. The warning is that the words we manage are words of life, the souls we affect are eternally destined, and the way we present the word will either commend or condemn us.

               Before beginning our study of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, I was aware of its subject matter and that the first few chapters quickly expose the depth of understanding of God and His Holy Word. Our natural minds are unequipped to handle concepts that oppose our predispositions about God. Our natural opposition to truth never shines as brightly as when we begin discussion of God’s eternal decrees and we face the absolute sovereignty of God. The Confession does not obfuscate by mincing words. The third chapter, Of God’s Decrees, begins boldly with “God hath decreed in Himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever comes to pass…” This phrase sets the tone for acquiescence to God’s decision processes for every action He takes. It in fact states what the Bible so often affirms, namely nothing is done lately. God is eternal and thus every action in the present is an action determined in eternity. It also establishes the rhetorical answer to Paul’s question in Romans 9:20, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?”

               If we say the salvation of any person rests only in a decision of man’s will, we reverse the doctrine of sovereignty. The will is then sovereign and leaves God’s means of bringing glory to himself to a decision of man. Imagine a world that turns on human decisions rather than “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Will God leave the purpose of the creation in the hands of the created? Paul’s potter and clay example in Romans 9 exposes the absurdity of this conclusion. Paul’s “Nay but, O man,” serves as that doubly emphasized rhetorical question bolstered by an assertive rhetorical answer.

               Our witnessing is weak and helpless and fails miserably if we believe we coldly and flatly present the gospel and there it lays before the open uninfluenced mind to accept or reject by free will. Be sure not to pray for that person, lest God violate him by influencing his corrupt mind, his blinded eyes, his dullness of hearing, his desperately wicked heart, and his death in trespasses and sin. Free will? In what corner does it hide waiting with a shocking, “Yes!” to God? There is not one scripture that remotely suggests the possibility.

               Is this what the natural human heart routinely surrenders to God? No, the sin and corruption of our being do not like God’s sovereignty over all affairs. It resists that the counsel halls of eternity should be determinative. Thus, the person who cries “free will!” amid this breaks the first commandment as soon as he hears the good news. “No other gods before me,” says God. “Yes, except me.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               In this week’s study of the Gospel of Mark, we finish the exposition of the Last Supper. Our subject for this sermon is the benediction as our Lord and His apostles ended their fellowship meal with the singing of a hymn. Mark wrote, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” Today’s exposition is a brief journey into the type of hymn they used and the possible subjects of the verses they sang.

               Hymnology has been a significant and special part of the worship of Jehovah God since Israel began formal worship in the construction of the tabernacle, a place where He would meet with His people. Moses instructed formal songs in Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 31:19, 30 with the words of the former in chapter 32. In Numbers 10 during the wilderness wanderings, musical instruments received approval to enhance worship. God specifically chose Levites for them and all worship duties in the tabernacle and temple. Thus, when David formalized worship duties in preparation for building the temple, the order was specific and proceeded with strict protocols (1 Chronicles 25). At the dedication of the temple by Solomon, he used David’s arrangement with the Levitical singers dressed in fine linen accompanied by 120 priests blowing trumpets (2 Chronicles 5:12-14). The scene and sounds were overwhelmingly magnificent. A cloud of the glory of the Lord followed their refrain of praise, “For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.” The cloud filled the house of God preventing the priests from their ministrations. Hundreds of years later, Hezekiah restored David’s original musical arrangements in his reforms. The notation follows that the commandment was from the Lord (2 Chronicles 29:25-28).

               This is a remarkable history which shows that singing songs and playing instruments in the worship setting is well-pleasing to God. The New Testament church did not abandon this practice. Ephesians 5:18-21 says the filling of the Holy Spirit will result in worshipping God in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Colossians 3:16-17 parallels this thought that singing is by the grace of God. I would ask you to remember Moses received the worship order of the tabernacle and temple as a pattern of the heavenly (Hebrews 9:23). We should not be surprised that music would be a part of heavenly worship (Revelation 5:9, 14:3, 15:1-3).

               What impression do we receive from these inspiring examples from scripture? If you conclude the singing and instrumentation of the church should sound like back-alley trash cans banging with musicians and artists (?) who are without an ounce of understanding or godly consecration when entering God’s presence, we get what today’s churches mostly have. None of it needs to be professional, much less does it need those who think they are professionals. What musical performances in churches do you think would rank with God’s commands in Exodus or 2 Chronicles, or would pass the barest muster of angelic review?

               If music were our greatest concern, we might well fix it with thoughtful adjustments. Sadly, the music permitted in churches stems from the preaching permitted in pulpits. The scriptures speak of people with “itching ears” who want weak, unsound doctrine to satisfy their lusts rather than hearing godly reprimands for their sin. Will they do something more substantial and praiseworthy with music? No, the tin sounding beer-swilling of a honkey-tonk will do. This would be amusing and unimaginable in our minds if it did not ring so true.

               I have heard magnificent choirs and trained soloists and other musicians in churches. I thank God for the beautiful, sweet sounds of both them and enthralling congregational singing. My article is not purposely critical of them. As desirable as they may be, God gifts churches differently. Our worship is not less sweet than theirs when we say, “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Deuteronomy 32:7a

               After each vacation, I can heartily say that I am pleased to return to the pulpit of the Berean Baptist Church. The time away induced more reflection than usual. While we always trust the Lord as our strength and sustenance, discouragement happens when longing for seemingly better days in the past. Obviously, visits to Kentucky provoke misty-eyed remembrances of marriage and the birth of our children. A self-imposed honorific visiting the gravesites of my wife and of my father and mother are important parts of the Kentucky rituals. This trip also included solemnizing a wedding and seeing dear old friends which broadened my reflections of the past.

               Although I have now lived in California for thirty years, the greater part and most active parts of my life were in Kentucky. Those were the formative years which you may blame for my peculiarities. Experience, though, is a different matter. Being a pastor means intimately experiencing the difficulties of varied lives. You manage yours and your family’s while applause or blaming for the joy/grief of otherwise strangers is either my fault or my talent. Too often, godly counsel and direct preaching receive the blame for messy situations God’s people are unwilling to clean up. Shooting the messenger is their easiest solution.

Unless you choose psychiatry or psychology as a profession, no one cares to own these types of responsibilities. There are observers who tell me they would like to have my job perhaps because they want authority and recognition while others truly desire more advanced opportunities to serve the Lord. In his explanation of the duties of pastors and deacons, Paul encouraged this desirable determination by saying, “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree…” Likewise, pastors achieve approbation: “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” The Bible never discourages us from desiring rewards for our labor. Our Lord offers them for incentive not for a greedy heart but for the sincerity of those who will endure heartache for faithful service.

The deceptive allure of authority and recognition are not eternal but temporary rewards. They lead to dishonesty, situational ethics, and ultimately heresies. It would be counterproductive for me to encourage distrust of pastors. Understanding this, I caution you about pastors who want all authority, who intrude unnecessarily into private lives and decisions that normally lie beyond the purview of the pastorate, and who instead of warranted godly respect prefer adulation and hero worship.

The scriptures make us aware of the dangers of pride. No one in the church has more potential for it than the pastor. Peter issued a solemn warning countermanding the too frequent narcissism of haughty leaders: “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage…” Pulling in the young, inexperienced, and impressionable, he encourages the proper response to the godly pastor who first molds himself to his own teaching. “…be subject one to another…be clothed with humility…God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

The remembrances of former years are part of what I used to guide my learning experiences in the pastorate. Father, mother, wife, family, and godly friends have been my solid companions. The Lord uses them now to ward off disappointment, depression, and discouragement. This sounds too much like an alliterated three-part sermon I do not care to write.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Before panicking about my title, consider it may take two weeks to understand it fully. In the past month, I have finished another readthrough of Exodus, the second book of Moses, as he recounts his personal experience of guiding Israel out of Egypt and into their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. During this time, God gave Israel their centuries-long form of tabernacle/temple worship. In the past twenty-four years, I have used more sermon time on tabernacle worship than any other single subject. Of course, the tabernacle was not a single subject as it affects nearly every Bible doctrine, especially soteriology which is the Bible’s most important.

               The lessons gleaned about how God works in this world are abundant. I remember our first foray through the tabernacle in 2005. In those days, it was new to the congregation and perhaps a bit puzzling. To some it was overly redundant, and yet the redundancy is one of the Bible’s primary emphases. God never changes. He will not act differently from one situation to another. At times, it may appear so, but these are accommodations for human understanding. Remember, we sit beneath an incomprehensible God. His ways are past finding out, and neither does He require us to inquire beyond what the Bible is pleased to tell us.

               As I read the middle chapters of Exodus, Israel had escaped Egypt by God’s powerful miracle of parting the Red Sea. Who in modern times has not read this with the vision of Charlton Heston (Moses) holding his staff with arms outstretched over the sea and the wall of water standing on each side as Israel passed through on dry ground? A column of cloud/fire held Pharaoh and his army back until Israel was safely across. Pursuing after them, Moses closed the sea upon the Egyptian army. The path vanished, and men, horses, and chariots struggled beneath the surface as they drowned in the catastrophe. Exodus 15 is Moses’ song of deliverance that praises God for the miracle of Egypt’s death and Israel’s survival.

               Beginning here after seeing the mighty hand of God working in their lives, comes years of doubt and disobedience finally culminating in the death of the entire generation that left Egypt before Joshua completed the desert sojourn. This failure of faithfulness came amidst the most demanding and symbolic representations of the holy God that any civilization has seen. There is as much outstanding doctrinal teaching here as any place in scripture. The extreme radical depravity of the human heart is set against the incomparable righteousness of the holy God. It underlines a critical truth of scripture: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

               In the wake of this inescapable conclusion, stands a claim that salvation in the Old Testament was different than in the New. The claim says Israel labored in a dispensation in which faith and works were both requirements for salvation. Only in the new dispensation of the New Testament is faith the only requirement. I plan to refute this woeful misinterpretation and prove it destroys the gospel. Sadly, I have worked my way to the limit of bulletin space. I need to return in the second part to finish what I began. Since the immutability of God and the consistency of His salvation has headlined so much of my ministry of nearly a quarter of a century, I feel like a failure if this teaching were to gain any standing in this church. Israel’s glaring fifteen-hundred-year failure accentuates the accomplishments of Christ at the cross.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Good morning to the Berean Church of Rohnert Park! I am sorry I am personally unable to say these usual words of salutation from the Berean pulpit. I explained my absence in last week’s article, and if all went as expected, the wedding is over and a new family begun. Otherwise, I am probably in a deep counselling session wiping away someone’s tears or beating the life out of them. No need to burden you with this since my premonitions are not really that good.

               I always feel a sense of deep gratitude for you who continue without me. Perhaps I overestimate my value to the church, nevertheless I am happy that duty coincides with desire. You can do this without me, but I have no desire you should. As I get older, I realize sooner than later this will be our reality. Pastoring the church is an everyday learning experience. It is a test to see if I believe relinquishing personal control will not matter because it meshes with the Lord’s control. If I step outside that box, it is best I am not here.

               Perhaps you wonder how I start well and then become melancholic. It is both physical and spiritual, which for me may be in the wrong order. Physically, the longer I sit looking at the computer screen, the sicker I become. I wrote this on the first day at the computer after receiving a prescription change in my glasses. It was dizzying like an amusement park ride. There was nothing at all amusing and you may feel dizzy reading this. Neither is it an excuse for a change in mental focus that you should need to bear. Rather, I will place the blame on the spiritual. As I wrote, a wandering thought came into my head. I recently read Joseph’s oath imposed on his brothers at his death: “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.” I have read these verses countless times. This time they had their impact as I sat staring at them. There are multiple reasons for Joseph’s request, but why are they so important to me? And why is it important now and not so much at the other multiple visitations to the same text?

               The scriptures tell us to read and meditate. Our meditations do not need to come in high doses immediately upon laying our Bibles down. At what seems to be the oddest times, we recall scripture. This is when they have their highest value because it means scripture is then ruling our lives. What does a promise to carry up ancient bones mean to us? It means we have not forgotten God’s promises and that we laid a solid foundation that still supports. Thus, if I am gone, carry-up my bones. It is another way of quoting the apostle Paul: “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

               Whew! Nearly four hundred years is a long time to remember me. Look at the pictures of pastors on the wall in Buerer Hall. Who was number 3? Less than sixty years and not a single bone remains. Even the picture refreshes no one’s memory. I believe you can guess the reason being melancholic is not so unusual after all.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Today’s sermon is one of those times when the nemeses of ability and understanding are the bane of a preacher’s diligent desire to exposit scripture. Take just a moment to digest that sentence before I continue. The scriptures tell us to be careful about what we say and to use wisdom when we say it. The warning is that the words we manage are words of life, the souls we affect are eternally destined, and the way we present the word will either commend or condemn us.

               Before beginning our study of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, I was aware of its subject matter and that the first few chapters quickly expose the depth of understanding of God and His Holy Word. Our natural minds are unequipped to handle concepts that oppose our predispositions about God. Our natural opposition to truth never shines as brightly as when we begin discussion of God’s eternal decrees and we face the absolute sovereignty of God. The Confession does not obfuscate by mincing words. The third chapter, Of God’s Decrees, begins boldly with “God hath decreed in Himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever comes to pass…” This phrase sets the tone for acquiescence to God’s decision processes for every action He takes. It in fact states what the Bible so often affirms, namely nothing is done lately. God is eternal and thus every action in the present is an action determined in eternity. It also establishes the rhetorical answer to Paul’s question in Romans 9:20, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?”

               If we say the salvation of any person rests only in a decision of man’s will, we reverse the doctrine of sovereignty. The will is then sovereign and leaves God’s means of bringing glory to himself to a decision of man. Imagine a world that turns on human decisions rather than “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Will God leave the purpose of the creation in the hands of the created? Paul’s potter and clay example in Romans 9 exposes the absurdity of this conclusion. Paul’s “Nay but, O man,” serves as that doubly emphasized rhetorical question bolstered by an assertive rhetorical answer.

               Our witnessing is weak and helpless and fails miserably if we believe we coldly and flatly present the gospel and there it lays before the open uninfluenced mind to accept or reject by free will. Be sure not to pray for that person, lest God violate him by influencing his corrupt mind, his blinded eyes, his dullness of hearing, his desperately wicked heart, and his death in trespasses and sin. Free will? In what corner does it hide waiting with a shocking, “Yes!” to God? There is not one scripture that remotely suggests the possibility.

               Is this what the natural human heart routinely surrenders to God? No, the sin and corruption of our being do not like God’s sovereignty over all affairs. It resists that the counsel halls of eternity should be determinative. Thus, the person who cries “free will!” amid this breaks the first commandment as soon as he hears the good news. “No other gods before me,” says God. “Yes, except me.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               This week I was struggling with my thoughts for a bulletin article while rapidly approaching my own enforced deadline. I was weary after returning from Kentucky and still wrestling with time changes and getting my body back on schedule. Unexpectedly, I had two ideas and now a struggle deciding between the two. When I am up against deadlines like this, I keep going just a little further hoping something will happen during the day that will cause me to pause and think. The thought stopper this week came from an article that appeared from TGC (The Gospel Coalition). I found this article interesting because Bible students have asked about the situation and people wonder about the appropriate answer. The title of the article was, “What Happened on the Threshing floor?” My comments are not their comments, although a brief common introduction is necessary.

               This reference loses otherwise diligent students. It refers to the night Ruth secretly visited Boaz after his hard day’s work, threshing wheat. After his supper and refreshments, he lay down to sleep. At the advice of her mother-in-law, Naomi, Ruth sneaked in, uncovered Boaz’ feet, and lay down with him. The looming question is, “What happened next? What happened on the threshing floor?” Unfortunately, a mind filled with prurient interests wants to believe this was a sexual encounter. This question intrigued me because of an incident about five years ago. I heard a preacher who very mistakenly thinks he is an expository preacher, abuse the Song of Solomon by turning it into an X-rated comedy that defamed the text and turned it into a shameful opportunity to fill the congregation’s mind with the very lascivious thoughts we guard ourselves from thinking as the redeemed people of God.

               What happened on the threshing floor? First, Boaz was not drunk. We get this out of the way as an excuse for a lewd encounter. The actions of these two were symbolic and showed profound respect for God’s law and promises. Lust bombards our society from every angle while our minds will at first thought grasp at the worst to satisfy sinful desires. It is hard for us to imagine men and women privately together without gossip flying everywhere. This is what makes a pastor keep his door open or the blinds fully open when meeting with the opposite sex. It is questionable enough that it is wise to do the same with children as the basis of too many accusations is truth.

               What happened on the threshing floor? Secondly, it was a test of integrity. An Israelite man and a Moabite woman together in nearly every scenario would be an abomination. This one was different because Ruth professed faith in God and followed Naomi in her love of God. By this, God accepted her into the community of Israelites. Boaz’ integrity shows in that he already had feelings for Ruth and yet stopped himself to consider God’s law prohibited him from taking her until a nearer relative rejected the opportunity to redeem her deceased husband’s inheritance. This is the “Levirate law” which unfortunately space does not permit me to explain.

               What happened on the threshing floor? Thirdly, it considered the first steps of courtship only after it ensured the highest degree of morals. I am more than happy to destroy the prurient mind who hopes otherwise.

               I hope I have piqued your interest enough today to read the little book of Ruth. Now that we have cleared up this important detail, you will understand why we needed to address it. The story ends happily with, “So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.” A genealogy follows and ends with, “and Jesse begat David.” Scandal on the threshing floor would have changed everything.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               As I draft this article today, my heart beats a little faster because of a recent conversation with a local pastor. It is not unusual for me to struggle for hours deciding on a topic but then there are other times when my mind and fingers will not relax until I have banged my thoughts out on the keyboard. My conversation reminds me of the reason we are a strongly confessional church. It is necessary to define our doctrinal standards clearly for the purpose of ensuring there is no ambiguity in what we believe. Leaving doctrine to fuzzy statements and classifying them as grey areas is not biblical and neither does it reflect the Berean Baptist Church.

               I have written recently about requests to share space in our building with other groups/churches (?) who are unable to find, afford rent in industrial parks, or without resources to buy property and build. Pragmatically, we should consider this. However, pragmatism can interfere with faith when we do not focus on the number one option in problem solving. This option is to seek the Lord’s face in prayer. It is not truly an option since scripture says, “ye have not because ye ask not.” This forces our hand to consider only what lies within God’s will. I do not find it difficult to discern the Lord’s will on what is the biblical response to the question of what we would allow as proper use of our space.

               I have already detailed in another article the criteria for judgment which I had to use in the latest request. I do simple research on the groups who apply which usually rules them out without any need to return their phone calls. What do you do when you do not recognize the name and cannot be sure of a group’s doctrinal positions? The only practical course was to call back and ask. To give you a quick synopsis of the conversation, here is how it went. First, “Who are you?” Answer: “The pastor of…” (names withheld to protect the guilty). “Can you briefly outline what you believe?” It is unnecessary to detail this because details were like pulling teeth. Next question, “Can you briefly tell me about your soteriology?” Answer: Long pause… “Do you mean my background?” “No, your soteriology.” Longer pause… (huge red flag). I interrupted here with, “Your soteriology, what do you believe about the doctrine of salvation?” His answer was typical gospel tract info…with a splash of baptism added in.

               At this point, deeper dives were impossible. The air at the surface was sufficient. However, now I have become interested in pastoral qualifications (it’s a 1 Timothy sort of thing). I said, “Okay, do you believe baptism is a qualifying step in justification and conversion?” Answer: “Uh…, justification, umm…conversion…yes, I believe so.” Next question, “So, you believe in baptismal regeneration?” This question is one the aware never leave open. The person will always say, “No, no, no!” His answer was truly a surprise. The logic is as follows: repentance + faith + baptism = regeneration. Deduction: repentance and faith do nothing until you stir the drink with baptism. Thus, the operative act of regeneration is baptism.

               I said his answer surprised me. It was not “No;” it was “Yes!” I can only conclude he had no idea what baptismal regeneration meant, and he had just denied the cardinal doctrine of salvation! The scripture says justification is by faith. How many times is this repeated/demonstrated in scripture? Here, we concluded the conversation but not until I said, “We will not consider renting our building to anyone who does not agree with our doctrine. We are not compatible.” He said, “Goodbye.”

               Thus, you have read the anthology of suggested questions for false/ignorant prophets. It sounds harsh and no doubt my reviewer(s) will find it so.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               At the beginning of this month, our afternoon class on the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith started the third chapter of the Confession. “God’s Decree” is the fascinating subject. Before my other comments in this article, you may wonder why I chose to study this confession instead of one of the other similarly highly regarded ones. One reason is because in the founding of this country this was the overwhelmingly prominent representation of Baptist beliefs in America. Here we call it the Philadelphia Confession of Faith (1742). The Philadelphia Association of Baptist Churches adopted it in 1742 making it the doctrinal standard among American Baptists. The name “Philadelphia Confession” is largely a past reference with most around the world using the Second London Confession name.

               When we began chapter 3 on March 1, it was difficult to stifle my excitement and enthusiasm for the opportunity to discuss this subject. I explained to the class that the Decrees of God are the heart and soul of the confession. If we fail here, we upset the worldview of the framers and upend the logical consistency of the confession and more importantly the Word of God. From the time I was eighteen years old, this subject has been the one I most strived for in my ministry. If you hear five of my sermons on any subject and you have a trained ear, you will not miss the foundational doctrine of Decrees. I remember a family who visited our church for the first time over ten years ago. Immediately after the sermon, the congregant asked if the sermon identified my position on the Doctrines of Grace. This was not the exact phraseology, but the essence was the same. Where I stand can sometimes be determined in only one sermon.

               This is true in the sermon you will hear today. I do not have enough time to touch on and explain the Decrees in the morning sermon. It will take additional weeks in the afternoon class to do this. This morning it is only a small part but surely an important part. Since all the Doctrines of Grace within the Decrees logically stand or fall together, it is difficult to say this one or that one anchors the whole. If you wonder if I stand for all without equivocation, the answer is a resounding and heavily stamped YES!

               I learned an important piece of information in the first class. This entire article may puzzle you even though for nearly twenty-four years in this church I have never wavered from the worldview I describe. You have certainly heard it in more than five sermons. Terminology is your hang-up as it was in the first class. I like to teach using theological terms because it is best for you to know them. Although unfamiliar with the terms for this theological position, when questioned, there were zero deviations of opinion among class members whether the Confession accurately reflects the doctrinal position of our church.

               My final comment is about a former member of the church who fell away and then moved away. Personal problems consumed him, which I believe was a sort of personality disorder as the root cause. It disappointed him that I could not solve his problems. His opinion was that I should spend less time on doctrine and more time on innerworkings of personal relationships. Perhaps this is my failing as a pastor. Surely, those things are important, but it is clarity of doctrine that moves me more. I hope not to leave you mistaken that my worldview has God at the center—the God who immutably decreed everything that happens by the perfectly wise and holy counsel of His own free will.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Every day as I sit at my desk writing sermons and doing various tasks for the church, there is a plaque above my desk that says, “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.” This was a gift years ago after I made comments about my love for the song that inspired the plaque. Almost 20 years ago, I was in Jerusalem at the place where the author of the song lived for a time. Horatio Spafford experienced great tragedy in his life which led to the authorship of this song. Many of you know the story which I do not have space to explain here. The part of his life I am interested in for this article is known as cultish behavior. Spafford and a group of followers moved to Jerusalem to enter a life of communal living trying to emulate the first church at Jerusalem before its dispersion in the first century.

               Though Spafford’s methods were wrong and he misinterpreted scripture, he was the father of special charitable endeavors still operated by his descendants in Jerusalem. These charitable works began at the place we visited now known as the American Colony Hotel. It is well known as a neutral site for meetings between worldwide diplomats. If I could add my touch to the story, this result contributes to the living legacy of the hymn. For it to be well with our soul, we must have the peace of Christ living in us by faith in His gospel.

               Looking at the plaque and considering my studies for Sunday Afternoon Confession class, spurred my thoughts today. At the time of writing, we are discussing chapter 3, “God’s Decree.” This section underscores the deepest of my thoughts on how and why I am a Christian. It emphasizes understanding of God and the reason I often say that understanding God’s Decree establishes a different worldview from the majority of Independent Baptists. Denial of this section affects proper understanding of nearly every part of Bible doctrines. To show how it overshadows our confidence in God’s salvation to ensure it is well with our soul, I take you further into the confession to section 17.2, “The Perseverance of the Saints.” Quoting the venerable authors: “This perseverance of the saints does not depend on their own free will but on the unchangeableness of the decree of election, which flows from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father. It is based on the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him, the oath of God, the abiding of His Spirit, the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace. The certainty and infallibility of their perseverance is based on all these things.”

               You can see what I mean that by striking God’s eternal immutable decree, the foundation of this section and the logic of it crumbles. Now we must look for another foundation which if not God puts the onus on the only other party. This is human will which clearly by scripture is impossible. Though most among Baptists who reject the Decrees do not understand what they do to the Bible’s assurances of salvation, they do in fact create a different worldview in which man is the ultimate purpose of the creation rather than the glory of God.

               I remember years ago upon becoming pastor of the church, I began to preach our Statement of Faith. I leaned in hard on the premise that everything that happens in the world is for the glory of God. The prevailing opinion at the time was that everything that happens in the world is foremost for the salvation of man. A church member came to me amidst these discussions to say, “I have never heard preaching like this. I never knew the glory of God is ultimate.” Thus, there is a clash of worldviews. My eyes light up when I think of this.

The first four chapters of the Confession lay the groundwork. First, “The Holy Scriptures.” What is our source of information about God? Second, “God and the Holy Trinity.” What is the essence of God and who is His person? Third, “God’s Decree.” Is everything determined by God? And then fourth, “The Creation.” This is the implementation of God’s Decree. We dare not make mistakes here. Semantics are not at stake. Clear biblical thinking undergirds the understanding of the entire purpose of life.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               I am authoring this article in the middle of February which follows my normal convention of staying ahead to make sure the bulletin is ready to print each week. I do not count on sudden miraculous inspiration with either these articles or my sermons. “Prepare” is my motto which often avoids embarrassment. This early composition of articles sometimes means you have already heard me comment on the subject of the article. This article concerns doctrinal integrity and the unwillingness to compromise or confuse the public perception of the Berean Baptist Church.

               God has exceedingly blessed us with a beautiful building in a “to die for” location on this busy corner. I usually do not need to give detailed instructions on how to find us because Rohnert Park residents know where we are. Last year, we replaced our sign because of vandalism and during that time there was exciting speculation that our building was for sale. Quite honestly, most churches looking for a place to meet would never be able to afford the worth of what God has so graciously given. Let us suppose that we find ourselves in need of moving. Our building is oversized for the congregation, expensive to heat and cool, and is on the edge of expensive repairs. I may not depend on miracles to produce sermons, but for maintaining our place here, God must do amazing works. He has, and this is the reason this article will not turn into a slow introduction to shocking news.

               I pose the question of moving to dovetail into two same requests made within one week of each other. Both requests were for appointments to meet with me to discuss sharing our building with other congregations for Sunday services. These are not the first and I am sure not the last requests. I have at times considered the possibility of increasing our income and making our financial condition more comfortable. However, whether selling the building or sharing the building, there is a far more overarching concern than finances.

               I had not completely ruled out the possibility of sharing. There would not be a need to sell if there were suitable arrangements. This is the key to my article—what is suitable? To me, it is not figuring out time slots for who gets to have the building when. My concern is doctrinal compatibility. Oddly enough in the times I received inquiries about sharing, no one ever raised the question with me who we are and what we stand for. Before meeting with anyone, I want to know if it is a waste of time. I start investigating who they are and what they teach. I have no interest in helping to establish a preaching station in this gold standard location to promote what I preach against nearly every week.

               I will spare the details, but what do you think I would say about sharing with a charismatic church? What would I say about sharing with an affirming church? What would I say to the crew pulling their smoke machine behind them? The last interview I had with a pastor who wanted to use our building, I handed him our doctrinal statement and said, “Take this, read this, and come back with your answer.” We have nothing but solid, biblical, orthodox truth attested by scripture and Baptist history in our statement—and that sharing conversation was dead before the door closed behind him.

               Doctrinal confusion is Satan’s hallmark. Whatever I can do to help stop it, count me in. If your church must sit in the rain with your underwear soaked, I will not help Satan promote his lies. Is this a Christian attitude? This is what Jesus said to religious liars, “…ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves…” There are some things you just do not share.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Near the end of January, I received a text message from Lino asking if I had seen the new February issue of TableTalk. I often hear from Lino with encouraging messages or scanned images of pages from articles or books he reads. I had received my issue of the magazine, but I only glanced at it and put it in the drawer as I had not finished the January issue. I cannot say I looked forward to reading it because the subject for February was one word: Sadness.

               I knew what Lino had in mind. It was me. Lino receives the bulletin each week and too often I have heard the remarks from others that my comments reflect grief. I tend to write what I feel on the day, which may need an apology. Perhaps there was something in the February issue that would be helpful to get me through this long sadness that hangs over my head every day. It is not like me to be excited to read about my problems and neither is a book, pamphlet, magazine, article, or anything else about sadness something I want to read.

               Since February 1 was a Sunday, the daily readings in TableTalk began on Monday the 2^nd. The daily readings were a study in James and did not focus on sadness. It is the forward material that has seven articles on the subject. I determined to skip them and read only the dailies. I found it hard to do, and so with a gulp I wandered into the first article. From then on, I read one article each day. The article “We Grieve with Hope” is the one that helped the most. I have been teaching the Bible for over fifty years, and it is not as if what I read in the magazine was unknown to me. Sometimes the hardest heart to reach with preaching isyour own. When I say I want to apologize for casting a pall of sorrow over the congregation, I mean it as an apology for my weakness. My thoughts are I am of little help to you if I cannot stay strong within myself.

               The article on hope comforted me and has spun an about face in my thinking. There were sentences such as these: “Jesus is not honored by a pretense to be rid of sorrows. What is more, He appoints for us sorrows and griefs in this world—and with them, His sustaining grace to keep us afloat. This means that Jesus is honored in our lives not just even in our sadness but especially in our sadness.” My take from this and other comments is that sadness is godly intentional. We are not intentionally spared; God intentionally sends sorrow. It is the deepest sorrow that causes us to turn to Christ because there is no one who understands it more. Dependence on Him is a form of glorifying Him. The puzzle is why I can interpret Isaiah 53:4-5, or Matthew 5:4, or Romans 8:26 for others, but not for me?

               As usual I ran out of space before thoughts. I want to squeeze in one more. How many times have I taught about prayer? Trying to make all prayers fit into an ACTS acrostic straightjackets expression and intimacy. I have learned more about prayer in the past weeks than in my whole life. The February issue of the magazine touched me deeply on this. I just need to talk to the Father. I do not need to check boxes or keep an outline in front of me to make sure I touch it all. It is at these times that I need to focus on one thing. How can I explain to God how I feel and what I need? It is not a King James conversation. Neither is it a prayer in a text message. When you feel your prayers are obligations to meet and you want to get them over, that is not a conversation on a personal relieving level.

               Bottom line—there is no sin, no guilt, no failure, no lack of faith in grief and sorrow. As Paul said, you are simply fine if you are sure not to sorrow as others who have no hope. Sure, and steadfast hope anchors all sorrows to final resolution.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               At the end of January, our church went through its yearly ritual of the Annual Church Membership Meeting. The design is something like the State of the Union address with reports on the past year’s financials, membership, and new challenges we face in the new current year. A major component is the election of officers to serve for the current year and the attrition of the membership. We hope our reports do not include attrition but sadly, with contributing factors, we report more attrition than addition. The word attrition has an interesting etymology. Without breaking down each nuance of meaning, the word comes from the Latin attritio which means “hardship, tribulation.” Today’s broadened interpretation means the “gradual wearing down” of an organization’s ranks through death, retirement, or resignation. I also found it interesting that the word refers to wearing down with a result of becoming weaker and less effective.

               These sentences are so depressing that using the word in a Christian context seems highly inappropriate. Yet the word arose in a spiritual context related to repentance. What makes this last church meeting so much different is that it did not have an air of depression. Attrition can occupy our minds so much that we feel we are beating our heads against a brick wall. I reaffirmed my own teachings that leaving everything in God’s hands puts us spiritually where we should be. There are other satisfying parts of ministry such as the closeness of our group which makes Berean feel like home.

               I cannot begin to tell you the numbers of thoughts that run through my head on this subject. I have learned that friends I was not sure of were friends all along. There are times I thought certain people were trying to undermine the ministry because of disagreements. I have learned that disagreement is not always in the same category as disrespect. If I were a typical independent Baptist pastor, I would necessarily interpret it that way. Disagreement is potential disaster and thus there is only one tolerable opinion in the church. I have always wanted to heed Peter’s advice and not make myself the Lord of the church. I have responsibility to be doctrinally sound, so I am not talking about compromising scripture. The hard part is discovering the times when members lack enough respect or confidence in the pastor, though seasoned as he may be, that he has ability to interpret scripture. The disappointment is watching people you love go astray and refuse godly counsel.

               Bulletin articles may start out with one intent and end differently than expected. I rarely have an article thought out from beginning to end. I may wander a bit, but things I am most thankful for are that our sovereign God knows our heart and will complete the excellent work He began in us (Philippians 1:6). Scattered on my desk are an open Bible, materials for our afternoon class, and a list of tasks completed for the week. This is the last one, so it ends up catching all those loose thoughts that run through my brain. I do not always promise to be coherent. Read for what parts you understand and bless you. Leave the rest and someday you will figure out what attrition does to the pastor’s heart.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               At the end of January, we began a series of sermons from Mark 13 about Jesus’ conversation with His disciples concerning eschatology. The etymological basis for this word is the Greek eschatos with the simple meaning of “last.” Jesus spoke with them about the last times or commonly called the end times. Since this conversation two thousand years ago, the meaning of Mark 13 and its parallels of Matthew 24 and Luke 21 have sparked debate, more I suppose in our time than in centuries before. In church history, the doctrines of theology proper (essentia Dei), anthropology, Christology, soteriology, and ecclesiology were more the topics of debate than eschatology. And yet, the end times did have its advocates even leading to the establishment of new religious movements that made it their primary reason for existence. Without exception, each of these movements resulted in new heresies, in dangerous cults, and deceitful false prophets.

               This week in our study, a major part of the sermon is Jesus’ claim that many will come in His name with their plans to help people through the calamities of the tribulation. Satan knows the wickedness of the human heart and knows we are all naturally religious. This statement is not difficult to defend since we are dichotomous beings consisting of both physical and spiritual life. There is pretend political salvation in the tribulation coupled with false spiritual hope which satisfies this dichotomy. These are willing bedfellows until the religious aspect is no longer useful.

               This description now leads me away from future events to contemplate the insidious use of religion and God’s name to deceive and entrap the confused—those whom true believers could help with truth to leave their sinful lifestyles. Instead, false prophets lead them to believe that God is the instigator and supporter of their lifestyles. Though what they do receives plain and stern rebuke throughout God’s word, these false prophets twist and make excuses and promise they are faithful to God when they choose a life that is against His created order. As I call these deceitful purveyors of wickedness false prophets, they are in churches provoking the helpless, contented with leaving them without truth to the condemnation of following a lie from which God says they will never receive deliverance. Why? Because also provoking God’s penetrating eyes, they ate of the tree that promised to give them satisfaction in their sinful desires. What is better than living in their sins while at the same time claiming God gives them an approving gaze as they claim affinity with His sinless Son? This is the ultimate deception. They will not recover if they convince themselves they are worthy of sympathy for mistreatment from those they falsely claim want to hurt them. Thus, Satan blocks the possibility of recovery because their minds are reprobate with no ability to seek or desire forgiveness of their sins. When Satan convinces that sin is just harmless natural propensity and therefore inoffensive to God, what is their motive to ask forgiveness?

               This is the worst false prophet. Not content to suffer the consequences of sin alone, they forge alliances with others dying with the same false hopes. Meanwhile, false Christianity and a relentless devil cheer them on. They have worked through a strategy that says, “give this part up and God will let you have this other part that feeds your desires.” They think they have their bargain with God and have reached settlement. All along it was nothing more than a pact with Satan. A false prophet is a false prophet even though the packaging may differ.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               As I write my bulletin article today, I reflect on my road trip to Canada in January. Upon my return, friends and family asked what I did while I was gone. The answer is nothing more than drive. I had a destination in mind, I drove there, spent the night, and returned. I traveled about 2400 miles with my stated purpose to spend time with my thoughts. I chose a Canadian town where a significant event happened to Pam and me. I made it the terminus before turning around to head home.

               Entering and leaving Canada, I chose backroad border crossings hoping to avoid lines waiting to cross. Add this to the successes of the trip because to my surprise I was the only person in line. This made the border agents a little more talkative since no one was waiting to get through. I learned a long time ago not to joke with these agents just as with the TSA at the airport. There is nothing I can say they have not heard a hundred times before.

               Accordingly, when asked about my reasons for being in Canada, I answered with one word, “memories.” This was the conversation starter. Naturally, follow-ups were in order resulting in sympathies expressed for my purposes. I stayed away from saying I wanted memories of Canada as a foreign country to remain intact before the U.S. made Canada the 51^st state. At that point, I figured they would search my luggage and find my cache of drugs I always travel with. While these are all legal in our country, I recently read an article claiming that even carrying Benadryl to foreign countries can make life extremely uncomfortable.

               On Wednesday evening after returning home, we had a deacons’ meeting in which I got the border crossing treatment. “Why did you go to Canada?” Followed by objections that all Canadians are liberal nuts. All the deacons agreed we do not want Canada because their presence would dilute Congress and make conservatism go away. Instead, one suggested we should give them Minnesota. This became a teaching moment for me as I explained we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us. I did not know my few days of vacation would spark a political debate over my bad choices.

               I have given you about four hundred words that help fill my quota of between 500-650, which is the usual length of an article. It is time to expand with the few words left to give my spiritual observations. I very much like Canadians. I have been across the entire country from Nova Scotia to Victoria with never an unfriendly experience. In fact, I found exceptionally friendly people like a fast-food clerk who referred to me as her fine gentleman customer. I was stunningly embarrassed without a reply.

               In our deacons’ meeting, we talked momentarily about pastors arrested in Canada during COVID. Indeed, my observations are that Canada is a wide-open mission’s field. I know there are Baptists and other Christians but in all the times I have been to Canada, I have not noticed much Christian activity. Either there are hardly any in the general population or they do not give any public indications. This bothers me unless kindness is their badge. But then I thought the difference is insignificant when traveling north through California, Oregon, and Washington. We have no persecution and no reason to hide who we are. For goodness’ sake, LBGTQ has taken our country without firing a shot (however, not without violence). They came out and apparently are not going back in any time soon. While I do not advocate their intolerant aggressiveness, we could sure use far better awareness. We shine a small light in a very dark world.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

• (Originally published on Feb. 1, 2026)

               One of the points in the message last week was that we study eschatology to keep ourselves from being deceived. I used examples of Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, and Jehovah Witnesses. These are groups that corrupt the gospel after capturing the hearts of those who have keen interest in the Second Coming. Some are looking for that one religious group that is different and has hit on the “secrets” of deciphering the Bible on this subject. I want to warn, however, that a difference in the details of the tribulation, the exact placement of the millennium on a timeline and the positioning of Christ’s return relative to these do not always add up to deception nor has any bearing on the doctrine of soteriology (salvation). Good solid Christians vary on these. While I like to discuss my own eschatological position, I am in no mood to make enemies over the differences with good Bible believing Christians.

               Several months ago, I discussed this with another pastor who acted as if I was from the moon because I could fellowship with others who differ on this subject’s interpretation. I hope I am known for being steadfast and uncompromising. If you have not yet discovered this, there is much you do not know about me. This subject is not salvific. Come at me with differences on justification, sanctification, ecclesiology, and other vital doctrines and we may spend time rolling in the dirt. My lack of spitting on opponents in no way implies that I am indifferent towards eschatology. I also spoke last week about how our understanding affects our godliness. If we stray away from using Christ’s return as incentive to live every day to become more like Christ, increasing in our sanctification, or as John says, “not to be ashamed before him at his coming,” our interpretations are defective. They must change to reflect God’s purposes in including the doctrine in His Holy Word.

               Details in this area are difficult. In 2008-2012, we studied Revelation ending with 142 sermons. In 2014, more than 20 sermons covered Matthew 24-25. In 2016, most of our study of Heaven with 16 sermons was in Revelation. In 2018, there were 33 sermons on Revelation 2-3. The latest series on the subject in 2021 entitled “Living in the Light of Christ’s Return, ended with 75 sermons in 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Obviously, we have significant convictions and confidence in our position. I am not sure what the count will be for Mark 13, but I am sure no one will leave Berean thinking I just have no interest in the subject!

               This leaves my final admonition for you. I have always encouraged questions. I cannot guarantee I have all the answers. If our nuances on this doctrine diverge, friendship and fellowship remain. This is true unless you want me to sit on your rooftop and wait.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Just before leaving on a brief vacation last week, I finished reading Isaiah, my favorite Old Testament book. I read the entire Bible systematically each year in addition to my other readings for sermons, and of course, the Sunday scriptures read with the congregation. Perhaps you have noticed I often choose passages from Isaiah which means I lost track of the number of my trips through this great Old Testament prophet long ago.

               Each time I read, it is refreshing as I understand the current readings better than I did before. This is not peculiar to Isaiah as the Bible is not a novel you can read, put back on the shelf, and mark as done as you move on to the next. Familiarity is fast fading. I attended a conference twenty years ago that had a featured guest who had memorized the entire New Testament and good portions of the Old. We listened to him quote 1 John which is a short epistle, and this served as proof of his uncommon ability and dedication to the task. Obviously, the conference did not ask him to quote Matthew or Acts because after about five chapters we would ask him to stop and tell him we got the point. Only the rarest few memorize the entire New Testament and are a walking-Bible. We will read countless times and still need to go back to refresh even small portions.

               I am not sure I want such ability. In my daily reading, there is satisfaction in sitting on my cozy couch after dinner and then opening my soft leatherbound copy of God’s word and letting the cover and pages fold out gently on my lap. Sometimes the fireplace is burning, and the soft glow of the lamp sets an atmosphere for blessing. I have been sad for quite some time, and this is the reason I did not think of my absence last week as truly a vacation. It was to assuage the grief with hopes I could do a better job of moving on. I read in Isaiah about Christ’s coming kingdom and the majesty of the sovereign King who rules by the power of His word. He promised to gift us with a kingdom in which we will rule and reign with Him. Beyond the millennial kingdom is the New Heaven and New earth, a place our present minds cannot comprehend.

               While I read Isaiah, I also remembered my daily devotional from December which spoke of having all tears wiped from our eyes and seeing God face-to-face. It noted that without explanation of how this happens, we will see the incarnate Christ and the Godhead Himself. How we will comprehend Him is not as important for us now as knowing it shall be. I will leave you with this quote that profoundly impacted whether I should live in the past or rest in the hope that nothing is better than what God prepared for me in the future: “…we must understand that in some marvelous way, we will see not only the glorified incarnate Christ but also the Godhead Himself. The text does not go into detail regarding how this will be. Theologians such as Jonathan Edwards have suggested that this vision will not be seen with our physical eyes but that God will somehow grant our minds and souls an immediate apprehension of His deity. That may well be true, but the important thing to note is that our seeing God, otherwise known as the beatific vision, will bring us complete satisfaction. We grow weary of gazing on even the most lovely things on this earth, becoming bored and moving on to other concerns. But we will never tire of looking upon God. He is so beautiful, so fascinating, so marvelous, so deep, so fulfilling, that seeing Him will never grow old. Indeed, we will find ourselves moving from glory to glory as we look on His face, knowing Him more and more while always discovering something new as He enthralls us for all eternity.” (Tabletalk, December 29, 2025).

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Today as I sat at my desk, the task before me was all too familiar. A few years ago, a group of church members commissioned the printing of a volume containing approximately seven hundred bulletin articles written over a period of ten years. Kyle Wells was the editor who occasionally asked questions but successfully managed to keep me in the dark about the project. Recently, a second volume clandestinely produced showed up with another two hundred articles. The production quality is admirable but may be a deceptive representation of the quality within.

               Nevertheless, after these many years and hundreds of articles, I feel the necessity to continue with what I have said before is the hardest part of my work week. This week I wrote my third sermon in our return to the Gospel of Mark series next month which brought me across Mark 13:12. The end of the verse says, “…but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”  My thoughts then turned to endurance. I think of the term in the sense of general endurance not specifically the kind Jesus speaks of in the passage. He deals with end times and the difficulty of holding out faithfully against the hatred and oppression of satanic evils. I am thinking more about making it through the day and another week and the expectations of those I serve.

               The bulletin articles are an item on my weekly task list. It is number 9 coming after sermon composition and a subsequent outline needed for presentation of the sermon. Rarely, truthfully never, do I keep the task list order. The last number on the list is that everything I have worked on during the week I must upload to the cloud for Donna Miller in Idaho so that you can see what I have been up to all week. The last number is always in order since I cannot send what I do not have. In a sense, Donna is the one who keeps pressure on me. She may not like to read this, but you have her to thank that I get my work done.

               Since this month is December, there is much more on the ministry calendar than in other months. Next Sunday, I will preach a Christmas sermon and then the following Wednesday is our yearly Christmas Eve Candlelight service. Although we have had a music coordinator in the past, for the last twenty-seven years I have determined or given permission for each song we sing. The only part of music outside my purview is Alexander’s masterful job of choosing music for offertories and for pre and post service times.

               This brings me to the impetus for all this information. It is endurance. What is the reason to do these many tasks week after week? Often, I think I should retire. Much has happened this year to make me think I cannot endure more. There are a host of subplots that drive me to continue my position, some of which would surprise you. I believe the main reason should not surprise you at all. I come back for the word of God. Berean does not offer the aesthetical showmanship of worship found in other churches. We do not pretend to or hope to. I am privileged to preach the word of God. I keep the task list going forward for without the sum of the tasks the opportunity for preaching in this setting in the Lord’s church disappears.

               My sincerest hope is that your motivating factor for coming back is the same as mine. We glorify God primarily through the word of God because we know nothing personal about Him except through the word He gave us. My honor is the influence God allows me to have over many who never heard the doctrines we preach, and now after twenty-three years many parts of our country have access to it. Not surprisingly, even bulletin articles are often a source.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Most of you are familiar with surfing the internet and following random links not knowing the place where you will stop and finally say, “It is enough.” The links I follow almost always touch theology and are too irresistible to ignore. Occasionally, I discover a golden nugget that plants an idea in my head, but it might be far away from the intent of the article. Last week I clicked and landed on the title Mirror, Mirror on the Wall.

               This time, I want to stick closely to the article’s theme and regard its usefulness to describe a similar problem. This is the mistake of looking in a spiritual mirror and seeing something much different than God sees. This original paragraph sets the tone: “Most people consider themselves basically good… When they look in the mirror, they see a good person. Not a perfect person by any stretch, but a person with a generally good heart. This natural idealistic self-perception is problematic and prevents people from coming to grips with who they really are, who Christ is, and how much they need Christ.”

               The title of the article comes from a fairy tale but there is nothing fanciful or unreal about the comparison it makes. The mirror that reflects who we truly are is the word of God. It reveals all the blemishes and no matter how much we try to convince ourselves otherwise, we need not think the reflection is better than what God sees. He sees nothing other than a fully accurate image. There is a mold called the image of God which He expects our spiritual features to match. These features are the spiritual characteristics of Jesus Christ. If we desire what Christ Himself does not desire, we are fooling ourselves if we think we look good enough, God is happy with us and does not want to fix us. “Is there any way Christ could personally be what I am?” This will tell you how God sees you. You argue to your peril to pretend deviation from the character of Christ is not sin.

               Too often we throw a cover over the biblical mirror with contentment found in personal feelings and assessments that are not the Holy Spirit’s interpretation of the image He wants us to see. We obscure the image and go on believing there are no serious flaws. Worse than this is to use a different mirror, one that has always proved distorted. This is to take the likewise deeply flawed and let them be the image and interpreters of how we should appear. The feedback is always, “Nothing is wrong. You are the fairest in the land. You are courageous. You do you.” Thus, we come full circle…this naturalistic self-perception is problematic and prevents people from coming to grips with who they really are…

               Paul’s encouragement with his personal witness before the Corinthian believers is also helpful. He held up a mirror for them, a place to look to gauge their spiritual progress: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Paul asked for imitation because he was copying Christ. What if your desires were the desires of all Christians? If there is one desire that is not good for all, it is a desire that is good for none. The Christian life has one over-arching image for each of us to be. Whatever falls short of it is the flaw we must eliminate. Play act all you want. This natural idealistic self-perception is problematic and prevents people from coming to grips with who they really are, who Christ is, and how much they need Christ.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

(This article was written for Thanksgiving 2025)

               Today we arrive for our services with the smells of tasty food wafting in the air around us. The tables are prepared for another Thanksgiving service and meal which is usually one of our favorite times of the year. This year, I am conflicted with the holidays. It is the first time to be without my wife, and she always loved this service and helping with it when she felt well enough to take part. I have trouble with her absence and memory, but I do not let it dampen my enthusiasm for the blessed privilege we have of enjoying the company of God’s people.

               I find this Thanksgiving more interesting because of our study of the 1689 London Confession of Faith. Although writing the Confession 56 years after the first Thanksgiving in America and adopting it 68 years after, the men who drafted and approved it were largely in solidarity of faith with the Pilgrims in America who came decades before them. When we were in school and play acting the meeting between the Wampanoag native Americans and their freshly arrived strange colonists, our history books and teachers said it was a time of religious refreshment and thanksgiving to God. Revisionist history books now assure us no prayer was involved but rather the food and fellowship marked a calculated political alliance between the two parties.

               Among the group of Pilgrims on the Mayflower were Baptists scattered among the larger group of Reformed Christians. In drafting the 1689 Confession, the strategy was to emphasize every doctrine of orthodoxy in which they could align themselves with the Protestant Reformers but to also show that the places of disagreement were not outside the pale of orthodoxy. Disagreements stayed within the allowance for Christian liberty when they did not oppose sound biblical principles. Thus, the framers of the document carefully supported each dissent with scripture. With this measure, they also affirmed the only authority for faith and practice is the Word of God.

               The Pilgrims who arrived in America in 1620 were largely under the duress of persecution. They were living in the Netherlands having escaped persecution in England more than a decade earlier. The men who signed the 1689 Confession experienced the same persecution for years under the Clarendon Code and only released the document after the English Parliament passed the Act of Toleration allowing for their freedom of worship.

               I combine these two stories today to show the lifeblood of the Pilgrims and the Confessors of 1689, was their belief in the one true living God who is the author and finisher of our faith and the sustainer of our existence. To think they would meet without prayer and acknowledgement of their God who led them here is a deliberate attempt to eliminate God from the founding of this country.

               Admittedly, among the Pilgrims were secular travelers but when they wrote the Mayflower Compact, they drew the language directly from the church covenants of the Puritan inspired Pilgrims. The Mayflower Compact declares the purpose of the voyage was “…for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith…” Be thankful today these are the true roots of the settlement of the North American continent.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            Our new afternoon class discussion of the 1689 London Confession of Faith is now blossoming into a soul thrilling examination of the wonderful, miraculous doctrines of God’s word. Most of you were taught that salvation and Christianity are uncomplicated and simple enough for small children to understand. The Confession confirms this in only one aspect of our salvation. The scriptures were not meant to confound us so that we need an extensive theological background to understand how we may come to Christ.

            In the seventh section of the first article on the “Holy Scriptures,” we read: All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them. While this statement assures that a person with ordinary faculties may understand, the confession also asserts the use of means is necessary. The means includes taking time to read and apply our faculties. God does not pour in knowledge without human effort. Further, the Confession emphasizes the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit: “Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word…”

            The distinction between understanding and saving understanding is critical. The knowledge of the works of Christ including His virgin birth, His sinless life, His bodily resurrection, and His sure promise to return are confirmed by billions around the world, making Christianity the most recognized and accepted religion on earth. Despite this global acknowledgment, proof of saving faith in most Christian adherents is absent. The Bible warns of the reality of this and the necessity of knowing for sure saving faith has changed your heart. The men who wrote the Confession were known as Puritans because holiness and purity characterized their lives as those who were made alive from spiritual death. Their lives and writings give assurance of their genuine faith.

            The parts of the Confession I quoted are just one small step into the deep well of theological truth expounded by these great men of God. To go where they went is not to stop at the simple child-like faith of belief in Christ. To stop at truths commonly understood is to live the life of a babbling baby. This is as abundantly clear in the other articles as is their affirmation of the simplicity of saving faith.

            Our sessions are well attended and enthusiastic. The scriptures tell us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. These desires are not satisfied by ignoring opportunities for instruction and pledging the personal effort put in by our class members. There are no shows or song and dance routines to sustain interest. It comes by asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate your mind and give you the desire to know more about our great salvation. If you cannot attend, please pray for those who do. The Bereans in scripture searched the Word daily. I hope we can at least use the Lord’s Day to do this together as faithful members of the Lord’s church.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               I am happy to return to the Berean pulpit this morning to continue our mixed study of the Church of Jesus Christ. I call it mixed because I have separated out only a few areas of the many we discussed in past sermon series. Our topic today is Church Purity which I hope provokes each of us to examine the righteous and holy character of our lives. I am mostly concerned that the person we are at church is not a mere façade of purity that fades in the sunlight past the front doors or melts in the raindrops as you hustle to your ride. It is not an exaggeration to say Christianity has a poor track record matching perception with reality. More than any other religion, there is a perception of what Christians should be which leaves the beholder baffled why it performs so poorly in action. With the wide variety of flavors which mostly taste bad, there is not much incentive for others to try it.

               I find this to be an interesting dilemma. The person without Christ whom we term “the natural man” has a litany of negative characteristics keeping him away from God, even before we begin talking about the poor example we set that further dampens any interest. I will not go through these, though a good lesson on total depravity and total inability would help the misinformed who believe faith in Christ begins with an intellectual choice. Natural hostility combined with our purposeful hypocrisy is the wrong recipe for salvation.

               This reminds me of the story I tell about an auto accident (not my fault) with a fellow I thought would surely tell the truth. This was my naiveté as an uninitiated culturally unaware new Californian. My false perception of the likelihood of truth was based on a picture of the Virgin Mary pointedly displayed in the open wallet of the offender. I do not have one of those in case you were wondering, so approaching the police officer, which of us was the most dependable to tell the truth? Long story short, the police officer whom I came to know personally much later was familiar with the ruse. He knew the truth needed much more investigation.

               This is what I hope you will understand. Not that you would be so poor at backing up your picture of the Virgin Mary but be aware that people have seen so much falsity their experience tells them to reject Christian claims. In this case, it would not even be helpful for me to say, “I am a pastor,” and think this lent any credibility. Do you read the papers? No offense to used car salesmen and lawyers, but our profession holds as little respect as them when lumped together with sex offenders (take your pick on TBN) and crooks (take your pick on TBN).

               This is so sad to face, yet I genuinely believe Berean is a high step above all this. I know some trip trying to climb the steps of holiness, but if we can keep pursuing purity, we shall come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Listen carefully. You will hear these words in the scriptures today. We have a perfect combination here. The Lord has called me to tell you this and you pay me to tell you this. It is in your best interest to listen and put it into practice.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               This week I am away from the pulpit visiting family in Kentucky. If all went well today, I should be in Bardstown, KY at the Parkway Baptist Church with attendance last week at the Andover Baptist Church in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. In the past, I have drafted articles referencing these churches while I visit back home with family. Since I am not at our church today, the subject of my article may seem a little strange. I want to talk to you about church attendance.

               An article I read two months ago stuck with me and reflects one difficulty churches should not need to endure. We are currently in a study of the reasons Christ has a church which assumes the church will gather to hear and learn what Christ expects from us. Three responsibilities we discussed three weeks ago are the exaltation of Christ, the church’s mission of reconciliation, which in turn results in the salvation of lost sinners. The commission of evangelism Christ gave the church homes in on the last of these. Evangelism is an appeal to the sinner to receive Christ as Saviour which is a work best accomplished through the means Christ intended. Again, centering on the church, it is the church God gives the collective responsibility to do the His work.

               Our years of experience have taught us that not all Christians function well in the capacity of evangelists. In fact, very few do which leaves the hard-core work to the quite elite few who live for the opportunities to share the gospel. Though there is disagreement with my opinion, I believe God gifts some in this area more than others. However, God does not leave any believer with this excuse and thus no effort of any kind to reach people for the Lord. Since this is true, we look for ways that will help us to do our part in obeying the Lord’s command. One uncomplicated way is to invite friends, relatives, co-workers, and others to come to church. Let us do the heavy lifting. This quells the nervousness of personal appeal and the fear of someone asking something you do not feel comfortable answering. I will not address the ability nor readiness to answer questions as Peter encouraged when he said be ready to give an answer. Rather, I will stay off the big toe and concentrate on the four that help give you balance.

               The following is the paragraph I remembered from the article I previously mentioned: “Even as we put effort into calling sinners to come into Christ’s kingdom, we have to put equal effort into calling the saved to come out to church. As one wag has said, ‘It takes ninety gallons of water to baptize a Christian and only nine drops of rain to keep him at home!’ Or in the words of another, ‘It is often said that it is difficult to get the sinners in—but it is often just as difficult to get the saints out.’” (Tim Challies, 8/31/2025). This quip is far too true to be in any wise comfortable. I do not know what attendance is in our church today, but I certainly know the track record of the past few weeks. We are competing with the world for attention and for all the wrong reasons we are losing. You cannot imagine how difficult it is for a pastor who seeks to strengthen the church in the responsibilities of the church if I cannot find you.

               There are members of the church who are always careful to let me know when they will be absent and the reasons for it. This is not a requirement of membership, and I do not keep score. I have found it to be an encouraging courtesy which lets me know Sunday is not just another day of the week for them. If this is not your practice, the chances are mostly excellent that you did not read this article anyway. Thus, the cycle continues, and hopefully we will see you next week.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               As I am writing the bulletin article for this week, I am four weeks ahead of the time you are reading. This is necessary, as you see I am not attending the service today because of my trip to Kentucky. This week I should be in a brief loop to Washington D.C. and then back to Kentucky tomorrow. This gives me opportunity to visit my son and his church. Each trip I tell you what a delight it is to hear his pastor speak. He is a young man who gives hope for the next generation of preachers who must lift the name of Christ.

               This thought is the basis of my article this week. Due to the offset nature of the timing of bulletin articles to accommodate schedules, I drafted this one the day after the death of Dr. Voddie Baucham. Dr. Baucham, 56, died of heart failure on September 25. You may not know of him but those of us who attended the Shepherd’s Conference for years were always anxious to know if he would be on the guest list of speakers.

It seems I never know the proper ways to address a person’s race because of razor thin skins who take offense at the slightest provocation. Bear with me if you do not approve of what I am about to say. Dr. Baucham was a large black man who grew up in the slums of Los Angeles. Most would not have given him a chance to break free of those social restraints but through an intelligent mind and diligent work he became a voice of hope for those who struggle as he did. Dr. Baucham was clear that receiving Christ as his Saviour was the bedrock on which he built his life. This man was important because as a black man he stood against this society’s wholesale surrender to the false tenets of social justice. Today, this is known as Critical Race Theory (CRT) that bogs down any progress in this country towards racial equality by saddling every white person with the moniker of racist. You hear the claim nonstop from certain political parties which are glaring examples of their divisive racial politics.

               Dr. Baucham authored a best-selling book that I highly recommend. The title is Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe. It is a warning against the infiltration of CRT and Intersectionality into the church which is reshaping Christian doctrines of race, justice, and morality. These redefine and undermine the doctrines of salvation, objective truth, and sufficiency of scripture to supply us with the true gospel and unite us in the fulness of Christ. Dr. Baucham contends the “Cult of Antiracism” is a works-based salvation that offers no true forgiveness and replaces categories of sin and salvation with secular notions such as white privilege and reparations.

               Now I must tie the first paragraph and the last together. Dr. Baucham was a defender of the faith. There are few preachers who have not fallen to the nonsense of the social justice movement. The disagreement over this created a rift in the dais of the Shepherd’s Conference with preachers we had confidence in falling victim to the social justice movement. They are no longer dependable to safeguard the gospel at all costs. Sadly, MacArthur passed and is also gone who at least kept his venue cleared of these compromising speakers. Now Voddie is gone, and my prayer is that young men who stand unashamedly on the gospel of Christ will continue the good fight until Christ comes to receive His people to their home and purge this wicked world of its hellish schemes.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               In last week’s bulletin article, I announced a new Sunday afternoon class in which we will discuss the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. I also made a plea for attendance because it is important for our people to expand their understanding of the reasons we are members of a Baptist church and not one of the dozens of denominational, nondenominational, or interdenominational churches we could choose. Even more specific are the reasons this Baptist church is different from others also using the name. The 1689 Confession helps us better understand our purpose in describing ourselves as a historic Baptist church. The Baptist church dates to the first church in Jerusalem founded by Christ during His earthly ministry. Although the Confession appeared 1700 years later, the doctrines expressed in it confidently say the church is the pillar and ground of the truth which rests on the foundation of Christ, the prophets, and the apostles. The doctrinal positions are the same as the original New Testament church.

               It is impossible for all churches to make this claim as the doctrines of these churches are clearly different from ours and they have their own confessions to elucidate their opinions of scripture. With interpretations that have critical and fundamental differences, the claim of agreement is logically unsustainable. This makes it unacceptable for us to be in close fellowship with all. This is not to say that Baptists of our variety are the only Christians. If this were so, salvation would be in the practices of the church not in the person of Christ. In the New Testament, churches were already departing from doctrines taught by Christ and the apostles, thus the plentiful warnings to guard fellowship and have no part with them.

               Part of our study of the 1689 Confession will concern the need for it in 17^th century England. In just a simplified statement, it was necessary for Baptists in a persecuted position to prove their orthodoxy. Both Protestants and Roman Catholics upheld the right of magistrates to enforce the tenants of the state church. The state church seesawed depending on the faith of Kings and Queens. Catholicism was most restrictive during their reigns with Protestants not far behind in their own. In the late 17^th century, Protestantism was back in control along with more tolerance for those who had not been a part of the state church. However, there was no toleration for those who differed on major doctrines illuminated during the Protestant Reformation. The 1689 Confession expressed solidarity with the Reformation mainly in the areas of Soteriology with emphasis on the sovereignty of God. This separated the authors not only from the heretical splinter groups but also from Baptists that still today reject these doctrines. It is not possible to term these others as historical Baptists. While they may be as old as the Confession, they are not as old as the roots of it.

               I have already alluded to the antiquity of apostasy beginning in apostolic times (fine alliteration). The struggle to maintain truth through the centuries has been difficult especially since the wedding of the Roman government to the apostate Catholic church under Constantine. Believers often used Confessions of Faith to pass down proper interpretations from generation to generation. Among the churches persecuted and often hiding to escape it, documents of their faith reflect consistency with the later 1689’s intentions. We want to show our solidarity with our Baptist brethren who faithfully endured all efforts to eradicate the truth of God’s word. Like those Baptists of the 17^th century who could not agree with every tenet of the Reformation, neither can we support all they believed outside the boundaries of soteriology. Our disagreements are not major and neither do they represent any doctrine that affects the salvation of God’s people. We will note these appropriately as we study.

               I have left much to explain which should leave you with curiosity. I live for these opportunities. Why are we historical Baptists? You should know!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

• He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

               Each day around 5:00 p.m., I sit in my family room and read the Bible. The hub of each day’s activities is church work whether administrative or sermon preparation which means this time of Bible reading is meant for relaxation rather than concentrated thought-provoking study for sermons. Since I read sequentially and chronologically, when possible, I find myself pleased and smiling whenever I happen across one of the familiar stories I have read hundreds of times. These quiet minutes also allow sufficient time to settle my stomach as assuredly I have just eaten a horrible meal. I am not so much concerned about this as for months the doctor has supplied me with a prescription to kill the effects of my cooking.

               I wrote this bulletin article earlier in the day before the demons showed up after contemplating the need to produce an article that is better than my culinary skills. I remembered weeks earlier I was reading in Deuteronomy, one of my favorite Old Testament books. I landed on chapter 32 which is the song of Moses after Joshua assumed command to take Israel into the Promised Land. I do not mean what I say now to be an exposition of the song—I only want to comment on this one verse. It is a verse of praise for the God who always does all things well. I have always wondered what Moses felt deep inside when after forty years of wilderness wanderings, God reminded him of his accountability for striking the rock a second time at Meribah. This act of disobedience was significant enough that it overshadowed Moses’ impressive career and kept him from the final triumph of accomplishment he dedicated his life to.

               Notice the first phrase of verse 4: “He is the Rock…” Moses had not forgotten his sin and this recollection tells us when he struck the rock his disobedience was as striking God. God’s judgment for the act was perfect judgment. There was no room for argument and no just cause for pleading. Moses took the punishment knowing he would never enter the place for which he endured every personal injustice at the hands of ungrateful Israel. None of them were as faithful as he, yet they entered as if they were fully deserving. There are pitifully few of us who do not think we rightfully merit every reward of our meager service. To stop and think about Moses standing on Mt. Nebo longing to go where he could not go, should strike our hearts with the deepest humility.

               My thoughts in the late afternoon while reading for relaxation always bring me to a prayer of quiet solitude telling God He is more gracious than I can express. How can I thank Him enough for saving me at an early age, young enough that I do not remember what life was like not knowing Christ? Surely, my Mt. Nebo is nearer than I know. If so, I do not have any wilderness experiences to lament although I am certain my record does not show faithfulness equal to Moses. He is, after all, Hebrews 11 material. I am thankful none of those experiences God remembers against me. The Christ I have always known sits with me every afternoon comforting me through bitter food and blessing me with a thousand precious memories.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               This week I have been thinking about the number of sermons I have preached from the Berean pulpit. A conservative figure lands around six hundred considering the smaller numbers preached through the COVID years and the times of illness and mourning. While a number of sermons have similar themes, I am happy to say the spectrum of subjects is broad enough that I have heard comments through the years that there is something new to learn in every sermon. This is not because of the vast extent of my knowledge but because of the extreme depth of the Bible. The few Bible stories that most Christians know are just a miniscule part of scripture and their knowledge often touches only the tip of the doctrinal implications in each.

               I remember the first few years of sermon preparation. We were on a steady diet of three sermon series per week with each far more complicated than the usual “be good people” sermons. We were on a quest to discover the reason for every doctrine and why each complimented our understanding of the faith. I have not diminished the intensity of the sermons, only the numbers of them. I must be as true and transparent with you as I can. Health, both mentally and physically, is more of a barrier than 25 years ago. There is no place on earth I love more than the Berean Baptist Church. God called me here in an amazing way and He has always been the source of my strength. I feel responsibility for my church, but also during the past two decades I felt the weight of my promise to fulfill my marital vows. I tried to do both faithfully at the expense of my own health as much as the Lord would allow. There is not a more pressurized crushing responsibility than being the undershepherd in the Lord’s church. While the fellowship of God’s people can be the most joyful, pleasantly appealing part of ministry, it can also be the most painful, destabilizing, and discouraging part. This alone can shave off unrecoverable years. It is a good reason for the Lord’s warning against “trusting in man” and “making flesh his arm.”

               I know not everyone understands the reasons I may be abundantly cautious when making certain moves and managing different people. Others, I move swiftly without equivocation because the stakes are high and the ramifications of not acting only result in a slow agonizing death. As I get older, it is tempting to make every move slowly, but then my Spirit-led conscience leaves me like David, “I am weary with my groaning; all the night I make my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.” These few words are to help you understand how each of us must consider the pains others experience and not think satisfying self is bigger than the needs of the church community.

               While recognizing areas worthy of complaint, these past few weeks have brought much delight. Excitement in baptism, willingness to learn new disciplines, and time given up to the church because helping our church far exceeds the importance of anything else we do. Duty glues me to church until I can no longer go. Who will help pick up the pieces we just cannot seem to bend over to reach for?

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Yesterday, I started my Saturday morning finishing details on the Sunday sermon and making sure the scripture readings for each part of the service were in order. I checked my weekly list to be sure I marked off all items and since I put in extra time earlier in the week, I finished ahead of schedule. With extra time, I decided to focus on tasks that top the Monday morning list. Besides writing a new sermon each week, the hardest task is the bulletin article. I avoid it as long as possible and then finally surrender when there is no more time. It is rare for me to start writing before I squeeze the last minute out of my task schedule, but I decided to at least start an article and get a little ahead for next week.

               I always fear the subjects I choose are not as interesting to others as they are to me. Controversial articles float the boat for the high-strung and they hope I will rag on the government or someone else who will help start their blood pumping on Sunday morning. Others like devotional topics which sadly for them, are not often in my wheelhouse. I imagine there are complaints I am far more likely to chastise than coddle. On a purely personal level, this is quite strange because I am far from the meanest person you will meet. I hope you will consider that my personal level is where I live and none of what I write I intend to be spiteful or anything other than helpful. I concern myself with leaving good impressions although never compromising truth to make anyone feel better about themselves. The apostle said we must examine ourselves. How foolish would it be for you or me to ignore, leave buried, or continue to cover up what we find? Please consider my most unpleasant activity is exposing what lies beneath the dirt. I am as uncomfortable with it as you. Do not mistake my excitability at the prospects as either anger or glee at what we find.

               I spend hours contemplating church issues. I am at times overly perplexed when I do not see proper results. This is especially true when someone’s adverse reaction to solid teaching is beyond my ability to comprehend. I am by no means a perfect person, but I have learned not to fight what God puts in my heart to know is right. My Christian experience makes these instances almost immediately recognizable. It is difficult to cling to those things the Holy Spirit rakes out of your hands. The other side of this is something I experienced a few days ago. A member was resistant and then called to tell me exactly what I just said: “I knew I was wrong the minute I did it.”

               Much of the time we must cycle through distasteful experiences to achieve the joy and peace of obedience to the Lord. The hardest and most painful experiences will never be worse than being sideways with Christ. It is always best to consider the motivations your pastor has for insisting that we promptly and righteously deal with sin in the church. Compromise is not an option. You would never mistake this when the scriptures warn that pastors face greater scrutiny in judgment than anyone. I just noted that I spend hours contemplating church issues. The hours would turn into interminable days if I were wrestling with compromises or bad faith decisions.

               These are Saturday afternoon’s thoughts. Sunday morning is the respite—unless you start me off with crushing news!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Today I am closing in on the last sermon dealing with Scribal Scammers. As we have noted, I expanded the teachings of Mark 12:38-40 to give us an overview of one of Satan’s most dastardly tricks. He perverts the scriptures and dresses them in Christian clothing to fool the unsuspecting with lies that condemn their souls to hell. I suffer the accusation at times of being too harsh or unloving, even relentless, in my attempts to squash these sources at their roots. This includes the breakdown of morality now more commonly accepted by those who call themselves Christian.

               I have often taught on the misnomer of Christian carnality. We excuse others with claims of carnality with the salvation of homosexuals as a lesser carnal variety. Those who lock into this falsehood contradict the scriptures clear claim of abject disobedience to God’s commands and the plain statements that such gross immorality causes God to surrender them up to a reprobate mind. They stand against the created order which is harmful and detrimental to the core issues of life and family. Certainly, salvation is not by our works, but there are also areas that God does not allow Christians to step beyond. To do so is to ruin the testimony of the church and entrench vile wickedness that sadly may be unrecoverable.

               I have seen churches accept this with the ostensible promise of help and correction. They attempt no such things but only serve to entrench the offenders with defenses claiming there is no help, or God made them this way, or whether not articulated, is a problem too big for God to solve. These reactions are all capitulations to Satan under the structure of the fallen, depraved mind. However, the wickedness of the heart is Christ’s expertise. If there is a failure to cleanse from any sin, the result can be nothing less than eternal hell. It is neither Christian nor logical to assume sin can remained unchecked. If so, the fallback position can only be that God tolerates sin, of which tolerance, is the buzzword excuse. God does not tolerate sin, has never tolerated it, and the most serious, unmatched denunciation of it and correction of it was the death of Christ on the cross. To deny Christ’s ability to remediate sin, is blasphemy of the most blatant heinous characterization of the perfect righteousness of Christ.

               This is a trade on the blood of Christ. It tramples and degrades Christ while soothing the rotten core of the human heart. Throughout scripture, two obvious superior sins were consistently untouchable by God—human sacrifice and homosexualism. God tolerated neither most notably speaking through the apostle Paul in the New Testament about the heinous nature of the sin. Paul had compassion for souls and worked to deliver them from their sins through the preaching of the gospel. Success is evident in 1 Corinthians 6, noting neither the sexually immoral nor those who practice homosexuality (among other sins) will inherit the kingdom of God. The practice is not of merely intentional active sex; it is the desire which is the antithesis of the holiness of Christ. Through belief of the gospel, Christ washed, sanctified, and justified them in the name of Christ and by the Holy Spirit. Paul’s compassion was not to leave these as they were and gloss over their sin to save feelings. These were not welcome into the congregation of believers without wholesale rejection of their sin and obedience to the Lordship of Christ. The worst we can do is turn our sympathetic eye towards them and gently pat their heads with a false promise we will help when the church has no intention of attempting an intervention with their sin. If you do not believe God will change these types and the choice is to live with it, there is nothing left but to die with it. Our greatest compassion is to tell the truth just as Jesus did.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Only a few short years ago, we were in the throes of the COVID panic with an empty church and the pastor standing in the pulpit delivering Sunday morning sermons to a room inhabited by ghosts. This was no doubt the unhappiest time of my preaching career with all the emotion sucked out of the messages. Without immediate feedback from the congregation, I had to generate feelings I was not necessarily feeling. Looking at our church today the physical sickness from COVID no longer lingers, but the spiritual effects are still with us. Many are complacent about church service, many left for other parts of the country, and many simply no longer attend. I wonder about those who stay at home. What is a Christian’s substitute for hearing from God through the Bible’s approved method, the fellowship of the church and a pastor instructing God’s people through sermons from God’s word?

I do not sit at home with them, but I assume many are not completely divorced from their attempts to hear. Rather, they may have stuck with the easier medium for them—listening to TV preachers. We are a small church without ability to duplicate the musical intensity and the slick polish of a tightly scripted program. Much of what people hear on TV is meant to emotionally charge and never deliver the excitedly spoken promises.

We are currently in a series from Mark reflecting on Jesus’ scathing denunciation of false teachers and the hypocrisy inherent in their self-serving schemes. Every Sunday morning, living rooms hear a modern equivalent of the types of charlatans Jesus’ warns against. Christians are watching television programs intended to satisfy at least a modicum of their spiritual yearnings. The majority are not Christians at all but seek to satisfy a baser instinct which is the inherent knowledge of God without a relationship with God.

These people are ripe for the exploitation of TV preachers. They have no filter for deception, which is the bread and butter of these ministries. Preachers easily manipulate especially when their listeners are sick and poor and hear that God never intended for them to live this way. God’s intentions are always for healthy feel-good people with hordes of cash on hand and a good place to spend it. Their assurance lies in transferring their small funds into the TV preacher’s coffers who will make sure God hears their requests and responds.

My limited space allows only enough to tell you attendance at your church is meant to focus on God not you. Our focus is to worship God and not lavish ourselves with wealth, power, and position we think we deserve. Rather than false promises connected to sending your money away to fund the preacher’s airplanes, mansions, and fleet of luxury cars, you get to see where every dollar goes and personally enjoy participating in the operation of the ministry you support. You are part of it and the amount of enjoyment you receive from it is directly proportional to the energy you put into it. The difference between us and them is the presence of the Holy Spirit and as Paul wrote, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

The audience for this article does not rate on the same scale as the TV preacher reaches. Eventually, it will make it to our website where it has greater potential. Hopefully, some of the duped will see it and return to true New Testament Christianity which requires the personal fellowship of God’s people. I only ask those who see it now to consider, who does your religious life center on, you or God?

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               I state the obvious when I say most, if not all of us, remember the campaign for the presidential election in 2024. As usual, the rhetoric that permeated every speech, every pundit’s comments, and the newscasters’ predictions was how this election stood far beyond any election in the past as to its impact on the American future. Republicans claimed President Biden was too old and too mentally unstable to lead our country anywhere but into disaster. This, of course, assuming he was truly in charge of his own administration. His vice-president only compounded problems. Democrats claimed democracy hung in the balance and that former president Trump would complete his first term attempt to destroy democracy as we know it and instill himself a tyrannical despot.

               Amid this political debacle, the political fight drew in Christians whom pastors told from their pulpits they must vote Republican because an opposite vote threatened the survival of Christianity. Wrong voting would continue and accelerate the headlong plunge of our morality into the abyss of hell. After what I have just written, please rest assured I do not intend this article as a political post to affirm or deny the claims of either party. It is not my debate. My interest is to steer us away from the panic that often drives Christian churches to think that what happens in our government threatens to destroy the church or in the right twist to enable our success. Viewed this way, too many Christians believe political issues are the most pressing upon Christians today. We should focus on these because the outcome will make or break us.

               An article I read last month prompted a small part of these comments. I paraphrase the question asked: “Are there principles in the issues we face today that are similar to the problems dealt with by the church throughout history?” I believe none can deny that political opposition has long been a subject of preacher’s sermons. The apostles dealt with it by mostly telling us to leave the government alone and let it leave us alone as much as possible. Let governmental leaders stay in their sphere and we will stay in ours. Neither Jesus, Paul, nor any apostle told us to panic because of anything the government does. Nor did they tell the church to pursue the government to insist upon our rights.

               How much Christians should involve themselves in government is a matter of debate. I know there are ambitious zealots on one side and the weak-kneed intimidated on the other. Somewhere in the middle of this is where I think we should be. In no case should we fear because either a Democrat or Republican holds the presidential office. If God is not frightened by how this will affect His people, neither should we be afraid. Persecution fills history books, but we are faithfully here still persevering and waiting for Christ to come.

               An excellent idea for Christians in this country is to examine the past hundreds of years and whether those dark times stamped out the church or caused it to thrive. We should also look to Christians around the world to see if the problems of America are in any way the cause of anxieties and/or insecurities as if Christianity is in danger by what happens here. Christianity around the world and throughout the centuries has fought on the same battlefields we do today. The scriptures tell us nothing less than complete victory is what we can expect. Still, there is a level of healthy debate since we are also American citizens with the right to criticize and correct our government. We applaud Christians who are on the right side of moral debates. The church must speak to morality, but general political warfare is not our business.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Today’s topic is vital and one that concerns us all. This is no doubt the principal issue of religion which makes it detrimental to the wellbeing and destiny of every soul. The question is authority—who has authority to order and govern us? There are many sublevels to this question but always there will be an ultimate authority who gathers all lesser authorities under one headship of governance. As Christians, we have no arguments about who holds this position. The ultimate authority is God our Creator who by virtue of His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence, claims this authority for Himself. No entity grants this right; He claims it because of His self-existence.

               While we will not argue who is the supreme authority, we often argue about nearly every other authority above us. I am unable to discuss these many others, but I would like to take a moment to discuss one. This is the authority of the church, an authority granted by the founder of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ. The operation of the church and the internal authorities of the church derive their motions from the head. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus said: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” This is the authorization for new churches and our protocol for operation—doing all things Christ commanded.

               After the gospel accounts, the rest of the New Testament is a manual of church information, whether of history, procedures of operation, doctrinal clarifications, or instructions for personal interactions. The church passes these through to new converts by the authority given to pastors and deacons who are the leadership of the church. The membership of the church must recognize this authority and submit to it for good order and thus proper growth in sanctification. At the same time, the Bible, our rule book, prevents church leadership from self-exaltation. Any proper act of leadership does not originate with the pastor but with the ultimate authority who is Christ.

               In the past year, I have dealt with three different families who objected to pastoral and church authority by refusing to abide by sanctification directives as taught in God’s word. Since I am the one who has church authority to teach against these activities, I bear the blame as if I claim inherent authority for these positions. Rejection of these teachings is not rejection of me but rejection of the order of authority that is higher than mine. Circling back to the beginning of this article, this authority is Jesus Christ who is God. If rejection is because I overstepped my authority or misinterpreted the doctrinal basis of my teachings, there is a route of proper determination. This does not rest in the individual, but in the body of Christ. If we do not function this way, chaos rules not Christ.

               The Lord blessed me with the calling to the pastorate of Berean Baptist Church. I am thankful for more than two decades of confidence placed in me by the membership. As well as I can decide, I have not changed in these many years. I uphold the same doctrines and the same Statement of Faith I started with. There is no excuse for anyone not to have the lengthy history of where we have been, thus a reasonable expectation of where we are going. The path we gladly choose is one of surrender to the Higher Authority, not to ourselves.

 Pastor V. Mark Smith

               In these past few weeks, our study in the Gospel of Mark has brought us to the last week of Jesus’ life. As mentioned in the sermons, the four gospel accounts have more to say about this eight-day period than any other time during His ministry. There is so much to learn from it that we also spend more time here in preaching than on any other of the stories or doctrines of God’s word. This is the centrality of the gospel—the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord.

               During these last days, Jesus symbolically revealed what would happen to Israel after they crucified Him. There were the cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple. The entire system of Jewish worship would crumble and cease as it must because of the fulfillment of the law by Christ’s death on the cross. This also resulted in the eventual scattering of the nation that we still see today. It will not change until Christ returns to restore Israel and fulfill the Old Testament promises of the Kingdom. At this time, Jews from around the world will stream back into Israel and once again unite to the tribes of their ancestry. While Israel will have prominence in the Kingdom, this does not dimmish the role of the Gentile nations. Our Lord promised that you and I who are united to Him by faith will have our part as well. Some criticize our belief in the Jewish aspect of the Kingdom as if God ignores the rest of the world. Clearly the word tells us that all will come and worship before the throne and we will rule and reign with Christ.

               Jesus also used this time to perfect the disciples’ understanding of their role after He ascended back to the Father. He told these eleven men about the coming of the Holy Spirit who would be His presence in them and would give them power and courage they were presently lacking to carry the gospel to the world. Fifty days after the crucifixion, God sent His Spirit which resulted in the salvation of 3000 souls who were formerly those guilty of crucifying the Christ. In only weeks, a band of 120 believers had grown to a church of more than 20,000. This was the seed of the gospel church that soon scattered across the entirety of the Roman Empire.

               I think it interesting that three years of Jesus’ ministry did not accomplish what the next week would. First, the Jews must despise Him and reject Him, humiliate and murder Him. It seems an impossible result when He harmed no one and did so much good for thousands. For three years, He took care of physical needs with only a miniscule number turning to Him in faith. This was the plan for there must be an overwhelming consensus against Him to get Him to the cross. From Sunday and a mob trying to crown Him king to Wednesday and a mob determined to kill Him is more than remarkable. The resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit would be the factors that reversed the mindset of those 3000 on Pentecost who asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

               The answer to this question has not changed in the 2000 years since the last week of Jesus’ life. In a sense, none of us would have voted to spare Jesus His passion. Still today, it takes the arrival of the Holy Spirit to change our minds and open our understanding to the purpose of these events in the far distant past. Each week we lay the groundwork the Holy Spirit uses to change hearts and minds about Christ. Our work is as essential as done by the eleven men Jesus taught during His last week. Do you feel the responsibility? Stay in the word and let the Spirit speak to you until you do.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

• ^[1] But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ^[2] And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (2 Peter 2:1-2)

               Several times in the past six weeks I wanted to draft an article about the death of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentine who was the pope of the Roman Catholic Church. I withheld my comments expecting it would be a while before the college of cardinals named a successor. This happened far sooner than most thought and now the world wonders whether Bob will chart a new awkward course or walk the same crooked path as Jorge. It matters little to me whether they agree with each other, but rather will Bob agree with Jesus? After all, he claims the title of the vicar of Christ, meaning the representative of Christ who leads the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. You would expect the vicar of Christ to be close enough to the teachings of Christ that there would hardly be a noticeable difference between pontiffs. How wrong we would be on the accounts of Bob, Jorge, Joseph, Karol, Albino, Giovanni, Angelo, and all the others before who changed their names. The deceptive mask did little good for God still knows who usurps His authority.

               How illogical does it seem that two vicars of Christ would be different at all? If any of these folks thought to read the Bible and use it as their course (sola Scriptura), perhaps they would come across a pertinent question the apostle Paul asked. When the Corinthian church divided over leaders, some wanted to follow Apollos, some Peter, and some Paul. Paul asked, “Is Christ divided?” When the Roman pope (or more precisely American and before Argentinian, and before German, and before Polish, etc.) speaks infallibly ex cathedra, how does any of them model Christ while holding differences of opinion and leading their followers in different directions?

               On May 5, I read the Challies newsletter which pointed out some key facts about Jorge Mario Bergoglio. By default, some and maybe all will be true of Bob. While there are many false prophets in the world (1 John 4:1), none has the ability of worldwide deception or garners the attention and respect of Jorge and his rascals. Never once did Jorge preach the gospel of Christ that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus). He upheld the errors of the Catholic Catechism among which human works must join with divine grace, the demonic error of the veneration of Mary the Mediatrix, and the payment of indulgences for believers to escape punishment in an underworld called purgatory. I gave you five errors in two sentences while the catechism brims with them.

               Another interesting fact about Jorge who has now left to the place prepared for the devil and his angels was his membership in the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). If you like gruesome history, these would be the same ones as those who by every torturous, murderous scheme imaginable tried to eradicate Baptists and Protestants from the face of the earth. While I preach salvation through faith alone in Jesus Christ, (soli Deo Gloria) Jorge never embraced it—ultimately concluding that belief in Christ is unnecessary. Yes, I wonder too if Bob will go there.

               Jorge had 12 years as the world’s most influential deceiver. Bob is a little younger and may beat Jorge’s stint to claim a furnace heated seven times hotter. I would say their parades and charades and costumes are cute but as the prophets cried to Elisha, “There is death in the pot!”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

• (This article was originally published for Memorial Day 2025)

               Time constraints, meeting deadlines for printing, and the hope my brain is functioning correctly when needed, all make it necessary for me to write bulletin articles weeks in advance. Tomorrow is Memorial Day which helped me choose my topic, and by coincidence or better by divine providence, I received my inspiration for this article on May 6. I was thinking about a military topic when a news article arrived in my inbox about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Trump’s executive order banning transgender persons from the military. As you can imagine, there was quite a bit of disturbance from the liberal New York Times that posted the article with their usual biases.

               I am one who chooses to read what the opposition says just to keep up with the bleeding hearts. Unfortunately, I am sorry I cannot read the news from either side and halfway believe that anyone in journalism tells the truth. Because of this, I am interested in the comments below the articles to see what people really think. I know this is an unscientific measurement of consensus across our country, not nearly as exact as the polling data we receive from, again, biased news agencies. In my unqualified assessment, most readers of the New York Times agree with their opinions. Thus, it was surprising to see nearly all the comments supporting the Supreme Court’s decision with the most common argument that mentally unstable people are neither dependable nor combat ready.

               In 2014, I had the opportunity to sail on a United States Navy destroyer from Hawaii to San Diego. The trip was thrilling, the pride in our military exhilarating, and the confidence in national protection assured. However, there were some disturbing elements. I do not know how to describe it better than saying there was far too much lack of discipline which seemed to me to be the result of too many snowflake sailors. My suspicion is officers are too concerned with disciplinary action against them if they hurt feelings which shatters much of the confidence that soldiers will perform properly by order rather than begging. I remember my son-in-law who retired as a Navy chief cited proper discipline as the biggest change over his more than twenty-year career. Much of this relates to the presence of homosexual troops. The unnatural will never bode well for our confidence.

               None of what I say here diminishes my respect for upright, upstanding, courageous members of our military. In fact, many serve and risk themselves despite onerous personnel decisions. Our country needs defense, and their sacrifice deserves our grateful applause. They serve in the spirit of the thousands who gave their lives, and our country honors them each Memorial Day. I suspect many of them smile at the Supreme Court decision. This is one step back into sanity that also needs attention in removal from our school system that grooms our youngest most helpless and vulnerable. Stop it there and our armed forces will not need to deal with it later.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               When I was 18 years old, our church in Kentucky called on me to teach the youth department. The teaching ministry has not found a truer neophyte and neither given a tougher assignment to the newly initiated. Most would think it radical to have the youth director dating and planning to marry a student in the youth department. It sounds creepy and right so had it not been we were the same age and already engaged. Some of you at first think of the overused cliché of inbred southerners as if this had anything to do with it. I must accept these thoughts for opening this can of worms. My point is not to reveal my dark past but to show there is a logical reason for the choice. Rarely would a young and inexperienced person receive such a call without justifying mitigating factors. These same factors resulted in the church choosing me to become a deacon at only 25 years old. What were these factors?

               The first I did not own except for the marvelous grace of God. I had no control that God would choose my life to begin in the home of a pastor who would never allow me from the day I was born to be anywhere but in church on the Lord’s Day or on any day there was a church meeting or activity. The purpose for the restriction was the need to be close to God’s word to receive instruction not found in any other place I could be. If I was to receive salvation, I must hear the word of God and the more I heard the more opportunities for the Holy Spirit to open my heart to the gospel. This constant exposure to scripture had more benefits. When I trusted Christ at only 7 years old, I had an extensive background in scripture that most Christians far older than me had.

               The next benefit was the development of love for God’s word. I wanted my dad to take me with him when he went to conferences, and I had no trouble at that age sitting for hours listening to sermons and taking notes to help preserve the knowledge. Coupling this with my father’s teaching, a man grounded in the depths of the word, there was a foundation painstakingly laid on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. From 7 years old to 18 years is more than a decade in which I invested private time to learn the doctrines of the church. At 18, I was ready for the assignment. I admit those I taught were not nearly as anxious as I was to learn. Many hours of study went unnoticed, and the learning often sailed over the heads of my contemporaries. The most cherished reward I have from those days is to see one of those friends again and have them remind me of the experience with a word of appreciation.

               I graduated from youth to teach adults and preach the word. These are outlets to share more knowledge gained and to hopefully help others in better understanding the cherished word that will draw them closer to Christ. These days I have a little more time to think about where I have been and how I got here. It is also time to remember faithful parents who were steadfast in their duties to ensure my understanding of the glory of God. I also thank the young girl in the youth department I married who never begrudged the hours taken away from her to pursue a more perfect knowledge of Christ. I sit here at my desk continuing the daily work of study because she also trained me in faithfulness. Thus, I daily repeat, “Soli Deo Gloria.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Every day I sit in a quiet house mostly alone with my thoughts not concerned too much about disturbances. I regret that health problems keep me from being more active, but this lifestyle is a boon to the ability to study and think things through and make better decisions. You may not see the results of this but at least I am increasingly more content. I never had to worry too much about wasting time because I did not have any. Now, I can be more selective about where to devote my time. Regardless of your time constraints, every Christian should be careful to use the time God gives wisely.

               During my wife’s long illness, it was necessary to ration my time judiciously since I had to care for the needs of two people. Of course, many of those needs overlapped such as cooking, cleaning, hunting and gathering…Others, were very much peculiar to her which were constant attendance at the behest of Kaiser’s many invitations. Those have gone away, leaving longer days without interruptions. As you can well imagine, thoughts of Pam are daily excursions especially times such as today as I write this article. I wrote this only a few days from our 51^st anniversary. I limit the timeframes of these thoughts because they quickly lead to sadness and despair that are not profitable. I am so used to praying for her that I catch myself unconsciously starting to include her. Who can imagine what I would say would be helpful? Still, there must be time left to contemplate the past because there is a measure of happiness in it too. The relics of a long happy marriage still fill my home. I am certain I cannot dispose of them without deep regret and cannot replace them when I feel it.

               I come to these thoughts today while preparing the sermon you heard early in April. If you remember, it was Peter’s question to our Lord when inquiring about the rewards of leaving everything to follow Jesus. “What will we get?” he asked. I went on to explain Jesus’ answer and it led me to think what Pam enjoys at this very moment. Many times, through this process I have thought how I would willingly go back to the long days and nights of taking care of her just to feel her presence with me again. Although as a means of comfort, I have said, and others have said to me how much better off she is where she is now. Indeed, the sermon verses I used in Revelation 20 confirm this, but they did not stop my desires of wanting her back. Preaching this sermon started to turn the tide of my thinking. My desire for her is more about me than her. My desire is common to humans. It is a selfish desire when the best we can hope for in our human existence is what God designed us for. He made us for intimate fellowship with Him, to enjoy and worship Him forever. Due to the fall of man, the journey to reach this is circuitous at best, and yet by following God’s plan for us there will be ultimate success. Pam enjoys the fruits of her labor. “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9).

               Am I approaching this wrongly to limit my thoughts of her so as not to inadvertently wish for what is not best for her? How I feel about it has no bearing on what God does, but it most certainly bears on my contentment if I do not think as God thinks. It is difficult at times to understand how we should think so that we might be most pleasing to God. In these situations, I am thankful for His longsuffering and that He promised He knows the feelings of our infirmities. Believers always have the Holy Spirit to interpret the thoughts and intents of the heart. The blessed Almighty God layers our divine communication connections with processes we are incapable of understanding. I can sit here with all my newfound time to study and know that Pam is far ahead of me.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               For the past few weeks, we have announced today’s service will conclude with the members of Berean Baptist Church taking part in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. While I was away in Kentucky for several weeks, our regular time of this observance came and went without the church taking part. It is our custom, as it is in most Baptist churches, for the pastor to officiate at the Lord’s Table although in past years many churches have become more informal. I have always felt that one of the dangers of frequent observance and of casual observance is the diminishing of the Supper’s symbolism. I think of the words of Christ who said, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you,” and “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” The solemnity of the occasion and the importance of it is rightly difficult to overestimate.

               We postponed our observance due to my absence because breaking tradition causes distraction which in turn causes us to lose focus. I wonder how many churches care about this since I have watched others allow children to distribute the elements and pastors who barely comment on the purpose other than to recognize there is a break in the service. I hope by our formality that we adequately emphasize there is something important happening when we place the bread and cups on the table. We recognize a most worthy memorial according to Christ’s command, “Do this is in remembrance of me,” and Paul’s explanation, “You show the Lord’s death until He comes.” In my absence, our members asked when we would have our next observance because they missed its effect on their devotion and spirituality.

               Our observance is also somewhat peculiar for today’s churches, perhaps not so much in form and function, but rather our insistence that Christ intended it for the close fellowship of local churches whose members have committed to each other for accountability and discipline. We can hardly obey this principle when we have no authority over the lives of other Christians who have not formally joined the membership which includes voluntary submission to the pastor and leadership of the church. It is clear in 1 Corinthians that Paul used the Supper as a call for stellar behavior and a means of separating those who were either unknown in discipline or without proper submission.

               We have also made it clear that for our visitors we make neither judgment, claims nor disciplinary attempts on their lives. It is not our right to assume authority other than authority of intimate fellowship within the lives of those committed to accept it. However, we welcome our visitors to watch and see what this ordinance means to us. Every Christian should have a church commitment where they surrender accountability for how they live for Christ. The Supper is theirs to enjoy in that location under that authority. Meanwhile, we rejoice for Christ to be present and seen in every work of our church.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               A few weeks ago in the Sunday Afternoon Forum class, a class member asked a question about 2 Thessalonians 2:7. This verse says, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” When I first heard the reference mentioned, I knew we were on our way to a controversial scripture. The Forum Class often works this way, and it is one of the reasons it can be difficult. People ask questions about verses where they can get no certain answers from the commentaries they read, or if they do not read commentaries, it is just a strange sounding configuration of words and phrases that are difficult to decipher.

               Reading this verse in the context of the subject matter in both the end of 1 Thessalonians 5 and the entire letter of 2 Thessalonians, it is obvious it is not talking about ordinary daily experiences of Christians. This looks forward to a future time and the way that God chooses to end the present economy and take us into the consummation of the ages and then to the eternity of heaven with Christ. For centuries, what this consummation will be and how it unfolds has been the subject of controversy. My purpose today is not to give an opinion of 2 Thessalonians 2:7, but to tell you the controversies live on and there are good, devoted Bible believing Christians on one or more sides of the explanations of the text.

               Going back to a few hundred years after Christ, confusion reigned. Admittedly, there was not as much discussion of eschatology as we have today as this part of Systematic Theology has exploded with Bible conferences on prophecy that produce much more heat than light. There was a time when theologians thought these passages and especially Revelation were impossible to explain, and that the Revelation may not even be a part of the biblical canon. In the ensuing centuries, God opened understanding of the scriptures. He did not give us new revelation since God completed the canon before the end of the first century. The original authors of scripture knew what they were writing but as is typical with many Christians, the following generations of Christians did not dedicate as much to the study of them as heresies were bouncing around like many balls in a children’s playhouse.

               What to do when these questions come, and the questioner already has a decided opinion borne out of many controversies? Often the solution is to stick to a favored system whether there are problems in other areas with that system. Quite frankly, I find this to be where we are. I do not find any of our systematic schemes to be perfect and without problems. This includes our precious premillennial pretribulational rapture. However, I am convinced of some aspects of this that I will not negotiate. The first is that Christ will return. This is the fuel for continued dedication to His work. Secondly, God is faithful to fulfill His promises to Old Testament Israel. These promises are not to the church. They are to the nation of ethnic Jews who will enter a kingdom headquartered in Jerusalem and governed by Jesus Christ the righteous king of all ages. Gentile believers in Christ will aid in the rule of this kingdom but it will be primarily Jewish in nature. Remember, Jehovah God of Israel is the same God of the Gentiles. He does not change.

               Thirdly, and I must stop here for space, this kingdom will exist for one thousand years before God purges the creation by fire. At this time, God creates a new heaven and new earth that are perfect and will remain forever. There are many details within these major points to argue. While I am convinced of some and not of others, rabid dogmatism for or against centuries old differences do not alter the salvation of those whose faith is in Christ and Him alone. I will continue to answer questions, but it is doubtful on this subject I will die on anything other than these three hills.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            Three weeks ago, I was sitting in a hotel room in Flagstaff, AZ quite alone because I no longer have my life’s companion. Snow was falling and quickly ruining my chances of getting on the road early in the morning to make my way home. My Bible reading for the week had brought me to Ezekiel chapter 8 in which God speaks to the prophet to reveal the secret sins of Israel’s leadership. In these ominous words, the Lord says: “Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.” (Ezekiel 8:12). This scripture has been on my mind since my early childhood. I attended a Bible conference in Detroit, Michigan with my father where I heard a preacher use this verse to describe the secret sins of our hearts that no one sees or knows but us. The point God makes is that nothing is hidden from His eyes and we will not escape the punishment for these  secret sins.

            This is on my mind today as I write this article because I have been thinking about accountability. With my wife by my side, I always felt I had eyes watching me to see if I was the man I claimed to be. Of course, I know God sees me but too often we fool ourselves into thinking that what others think is more important than what God thinks. We know we must stand before God to give an account, but it is not immediate nor do others see or understand the consequences of any secret actions we take. I now feel more keenly aware that I must be especially vigilant not to be secretly someone else. To pretend we are righteous and holy and to put up a front of obedience is serious sin and betrayal against God and His saints.

            Ezekiel goes on in this chapter and in the next to speak of the idolatry of these wicked servants. They pretend to worship God in His temple as if they are obedient when God implores Ezekiel to inspect where he will find still greater abominations. There is lip service to God while secretly in the heart they are turned towards their idols and they substitute a pretended obedience to Jehovah God while worshipping in His place the sins that are truly their gods. No amount of obedience to an abomination adds up to righteousness.

            While I do not have unqualified faith in human character, I have learned enough about our behavior to know that we are not ignorantly deceptive. These are crimes that fall into the category of commission with malice and intent. If you must hide something, you know enough to know it is wrong. At this point you are past all hope that ignorance is the cause. You know it, we know it, and most certainly God knows it.

            We must read Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel with fear and trembling. The peculiar purposeful sins of idolatry that Israel refused to acknowledge and to turn away from caused the burning of the temple and the destruction of the walls of the Holy City. And beware, it caused Jeremiah, the man of God, to be blamed for the message he delivered and to be cast into the deep mire of a dungeon.

            One more scripture comes to mind. Hebrews 10:31: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

               Two weeks ago, I mentioned watching a movie about the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer was born in Poland in 1906 and died in one of Nazi Germany’s concentration camps in 1945. Prior to World War II, he resisted the rise of Naziism both in their genocidal atrocities against the Jews and others and their efforts to control churches even to the point of proclaiming Hitler a Messiah and rewriting the word of God. In 1937, he wrote his most well-known book, The Cost of Discipleship. If I could reduce his book to one overarching theme, the cost of discipleship is obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.

               Bonhoeffer argued that in Christ call of discipleship, He synonymously activates both faith and obedience so that one cannot obey Christ without faith, and one cannot have faith in Christ without obedience. He used Peter’s walking on water and Levi’s call from the receipt of custom to follow Him. In neither instance did Christ call for an act of faith and yet they could not obey Christ’s command without it. Peter walked and Levi followed—both acts of obedience but neither activated without faith. Bonhoeffer wrote: “…when once Christ has called him, Peter has no alternative—he must leave the ship and come to him. In the end, the first step of obedience proves to be an act of faith in the word of Christ.” The one who calls enables the faith to do.

               These were convincing examples, but the one that captivated my attention is the rich young ruler who came to Jesus asking what he must do to have eternal life. In my sojourn of grief these past weeks, I have not concentrated on writing sermons or preparing for the pulpit through sermons I have already written. Imagine my surprise when I returned to start preparing again that I had written a sermon from Mark 10 on the rich young ruler. This escaped me until it was necessary to get back into the gospel of Mark. Bonhoeffer titled the first part of his book, Grace and Discipleship. The second and third chapters in this section are The Call to Discipleship and Single-Minded Obedience. Both chapters lean heavily on Jesus’ answering the young ruler’s question.

               I found Bonhoeffer’s exposition of this passage exceptional. Today and next week, we will study this event. While I will not specifically deal with Bonhoeffer’s angle, I found it helpful and thought provoking. In my thoughts, I discovered the rich young ruler’s problem is not peculiar to rich people. It fits anyone who tries self-justification of sin especially when they say, “I have tried but I cannot obey.” The young man’s refusal to give up riches to obey is the same as anyone’s refusal to give up their vice, their supposed orientation, or whatever they hold onto that is against the word (the command) of Christ. Here is the crux of the matter. Faith and obedience are present together. Christ grants both. Bonhoeffer’s now famous line is, “Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.” The consequences of this doctrine are enormous. The rich young ruler did not obey because he did not believe. The scriptures are clear as crystal on this point. How do you call Christ “Lord” if you do not obey Him? In short, how do you claim salvation in protracted deliberate disobedience? Christianity has gone completely off the rails with oxymoronic terms like “homosexual Christian.” Explain how this is possible and what Jesus would say. By faith in the word of God, I know how He would react. Take heed, this is as impossible as a camel going through the eye of a needle.

               Stay tuned. The world hates obedience to Christ. Sadly, the world is full of pie-in-the sky pious Christians who neither care too much for it. Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, “To thine own self be true.” I found this definition of Shakespeare’s line: “It suggests that one should remain honest and loyal to their own values, beliefs, and identity above all else.” Here is a much better saying that fits Christianity: “Yet not I but Christ in me.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

(written at Pastor’s return to the pulpit in March 2025)

            This morning, I am thankful to return to the pulpit of the Berean Baptist Church. Although I enjoy visiting with Christians in other parts of the country and I especially rejoice when I meet others closely aligned with us on the doctrines of the faith, there are still many other aspects of these churches that feel nothing like home. You have heard me say the most important part of worship in the church is the preaching from the pulpit. This will always be the most scrutinized part of worship in the churches I attend. If the preaching is not solid in the fundamentals of the faith and in those doctrines that correctly express the sovereignty of God, I would not recommend the church.

            Additionally, there are preferential issues that wound the spirit and make it hard to enjoy the preaching of the word. We all know that music has the potential of lifting us and helping us to adore our Lord while at other times the poor presentation and the worldly style of it can never make us feel as if we are anywhere near where angels tread. I experienced some of this in the services I attended but I always came away with something helpful because the preaching each week was solid. Do I need to ask the Lord to forgive me because I thought Satan composed the music program?

            Attending church is not always the panacea for our spiritual ills we hope it will be. I appreciate the good I received in these churches, but nothing could revive my spirit like being in my home church. The people in our regular worship circle are much more likely to be one with us in the Holy Spirit. I am excited to meet these other Christians, and we will be in heaven together, but they do not attract my attention as deeply and sincerely as those I have had the privilege of helping to grow in the faith. Part of what I am trying to say is sitting in the church is different from working in the church. Those who only sit in the church can sit disconnected in a variety of assemblies without feeling troubled or empty. Those who work and must work are not content to do anything other than just this. I walk into this church, and it is my church whereas my attendance elsewhere is only as an outsider looking in. I do not have as much ability to impact the lives of people I briefly meet.

            Christ designed His church as an active fellowship. It is people who work together, stay together, worship together; they build a community together. This is who we are at Berean. I love to serve here because our people show appreciation for the Word. You will not tolerate anything less than the whole counsel of truth. You have shown uncommon appreciation for the shepherd. Your Christ-like spirit is abundantly evident as revealed in the concern you have for my emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. My strength still needs evaluation. I have no fears that if I should not be as fit as I hoped, you will help me as much as I need. We have flipped the pastoral/congregational dynamic these past few months. This should make us all more aware that in the final assessment of our lives at Christ’s judgment seat, we are none higher than the other. As the apostle wrote: “Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.” (Philippians 3:16b)

            My sincere thanks for all the love and support I have received. There are too many experiences to enumerate here. Suffice to say, I am thrilled to be back in your tender embrace.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            The past weeks spent in Kentucky have given me opportunity to think about our place in the world and the purposes for which God put us here. Our lives are but a vapor that passes away which leaves us pondering what good we really do. Since recently dealt the blow of my wife’s death, much of my thinking has been about the brevity of life and the finality of death. There are hundreds of tombstones in cemeteries standing watch over graves with names etched in the granite but with truly little knowledge of who these people were. Of the billions of people who have lived on this earth, only an infinitesimal few have their names remembered by the next generation and beyond and often only momentarily by their own peers. Very few did anything that made an impression on the world.

            It is interesting that among those who did, theologians represent a significant part. Each week, I study the writings of dead guys to better understand God’s word. Not every book is an informative book, but we have thousands of centuries’ old books back in print for the modern Bible student to read. We cannot read every book, but we should still take some from the shelves and learn from their wisdom.

            The modern pulpit does not afford depth of wisdom because pastors do not study and what books they take time to read add nothing to true understanding of scripture. Imagine the pastor who spends his time reading Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, Rick Warren and the like when giants of theology such as Thomas Watson, Thomas Manton, Stephen Charnock, and many others of the puritans are left untouched. We wonder the reason people have so much trouble interpreting the word and have abandoned sound exegesis.

            Last week I mentioned Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor and theologian who lived in the early to middle 20^th century. Nazi Germany executed him in 1945 only days before the end of the war. His crime was speaking out against the massacre of Jews and the infiltration of Naziism into the churches of his time. We cannot support all of Bonhoeffer’s theology, but he left a legacy of standing for truth without compromise. He wrote many important theological works, one of which is his book The Cost of Discipleship. A quote from his book caught my eye which is a foundational truth of scripture and for properly judging what 2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us to do: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves…” Bonhoeffer wrote: “Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.” This seems like a simple truth which is one of the easiest to find in scriptures whether in Old or New Testament. Yet, those who ignore the instructions of scripture and want to continue in their sin still make the claim they know Christ and are serving Him regardless of whether they obey clearly written commands. The examination proves otherwise. Salvation in Christ enables us to do what we could not do—to serve, honor, and obey Him. It produces the desire to obey. If we do less, or decide for ourselves what constitutes obedience, we are not children of God no matter how much we try to convince ourselves otherwise.

            Paul’s admonishment in 2 Corinthians 13:5 is to warn those who may indeed be reprobates rather than true children of God. The Corinthians falsely produced much they thought was for Christ, but this church turned out to be one of the worst for sexual immorality and compromise. Paul laid their boasting bare by examining their record. Like Bonhoeffer, we will show our fidelity to Christ by our obedience. We will bear the cost of discipleship and not give up truth no matter who opposes us. I pray to God we leave a legacy of truth not soon forgotten.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

I thought how different the preaching styles are of those coming out of independent Baptist colleges today. In the past seventy-five years of fundamentalism, preachers adopted the style of the tent revival circus atmosphere of men like Billy Sunday. Many consider him a hero even though much more is thought of his style and his backflips off the platform than the depth of his theology. Thus, fundamental preaching today is often bereft of exposition in favor of shock value. Tying a fundamental preacher to the pulpit so he cannot wander away, would also deflate every point of his sermon.

Several weeks ago, I sat with Clarissa to watch a movie on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I will have something to say about him next time but there is one point I would like to make about the film. Bonhoeffer preached in Europe in World War II. The film shows him entering the pulpit to preach his first sermon. He walked up a flight of stairs to a pulpit platform mounted high above the congregation. There is no mistaking the purpose of these pulpits that were common during the Reformation. One of the serious contentions between the Reformers and the Roman Catholic Church was the supremacy of scripture. The Catholic Church placed the authority of the church and their magisterium above the word of God (and still do). In Reformed churches, the word of God placed high above the people exemplified the rallying cry Sola Scriptura (scripture only). It had nothing to do with exalting the authority or the persons of men. The pastor was managing the word of God and lifting it for the hearing of truth. First, if he did a backflip off the pulpit, he would break his neck. Secondly, he was not there to draw attention to anything he did. I commented to Clarissa that I wish we had these types of pulpits in our churches today. Would not this put the word of God above the music concerts and drama performed in many churches?

I have often expressed that the size of the pulpit matters to me. I had the one in our church constructed to cover me up, to stand behind completely, and to be a substantial piece of furniture that reflects the importance of the Word. You may wonder why you cannot see Jorge. Now you know. I must point out, however, that making the pulpit bigger does not make the sermon better. Fundamentalists can make the pulpit as big as they want but unless they limit their constant topical messages and go back to the solid exposition of the word, they will not support the longevity of the truth and the spiritual growth of the people.

I am thankful for those who preach truth without compromise. I appreciate systematic theological preaching that declares the whole counsel of God’s word. It is the Holy Spirit that moves the heart with the word not the badgering of preachers who demand performance. God help us no matter what size or shape our pulpits to preach Solus Christus and not ourselves or our agendas.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            Since moving to California more than twenty-five years ago, one of the most missed aspects of life in Kentucky is the pronounced and distinct change in seasons. There are times when these changes are only slight because of unusual weather years but this is not what I experienced when I was home in the first part of this year. The weather was unbelievably volatile. On one evening, it rained four inches creating floods throughout the state and then as the rain was ending, there were violent thunderstorms and tornados. I went to bed watching the flashes of lightning only to wake up to an extremely wintry morning with the fields and trees around my daughter’s house blanketed in a glistening white snowfall. This sequence of weather events was unusual to say the least as these events are distinct characteristics of spring, summer, and winter. If there were still colorful leaves on the trees, fall would have been present which means I could have experienced all the seasons in one day.

            It is not the unusual weather patterns that most intrigued me. It was a gorgeous snowfall blanketing the ground. White has long been a symbol of purity and without taxing our brains too much we can compare how a thick blanket of snow covers the impurities of the earth. At the end of last summer, my daughter constructed a new barn on her small farm. Construction materials lie scattered about along with the messes made by her sheep, goats, and chickens. All of this is visible and is a reminder of the chaos that ensues when not constantly cleaning. The snowfall covered these imperfections leaving exquisite beauty as far as the eye could see.

            This type of beauty with the complete covering of blemishes by a snowfall is emblematic of the righteousness of Christ spoken of in scripture as the white garments of the saints. As the snowfall is a divine act sent down from heaven above, so is the righteousness of Christ a divine act of grace that covers, purifies, and hides our imperfections from the God of heaven. Christ does this for us through faith as He clothes us in His perfection. None of us could place the first snowflake on the earth and neither can we attain to one meritorious act that would welcome us into the presence of God.

            Per usual, the types in scripture will break down when we press them too far. In three days, the snow melted exposing all the blemishes beneath. The beauty now forgotten, reminds that we still need to clean up messes. This is not true for the one covered in the righteousness of Christ. It is true we still sin, but all the Father sees is this white robe of Christ. Unlike snow that cannot remove the impurities, Christ’s blood and righteousness can. God is satisfied throughout eternity based on the merits of Christ righteousness earned by His perfect life imputed to us by faith alone in Him.

            I wrote this sitting by a warm fireplace, and it was another day of snow. It was cold outside, and I had no desire to go out and leave my tracks in the white pristine blanket. Soon I would be back in California. No offense to trash and potholes—I kept pictures of this Kentucky beauty. Likewise, the scriptures are a photo album of lovely imagery constantly refreshing us in a very often ugly world.

Pastor V. Mark Smith