Better, So Much Better!

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: [11] They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; [12] And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:10-12)

Our congregational reading today is from the book of Hebrews chapter 1. The entire book of Hebrews is an outstanding, Christ exalting study. In simplest of terms, it is the writer’s intent to show that Christ is superior over everything in the vastness of His creation. God is revealed personally to us in the person of Jesus Christ who is the ”brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (1:3).

The tone for the book is set in verse 4 with the words “Being made so much better…” We learn that He is better than angels, better than Moses, and better than the Levitical priesthood. His personal sacrifice for sins is better than the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament, and the mercy seat where He sprinkled His blood is in a better place because it is in a “perfect tabernacle, not made with hands” (9:11). His covenant is a better covenant because through it He “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (10:14). One day He will receive believers into a better place, ”the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…” where we will worship God in the presence of “an innumerable company of angels” (12:22).

Remarkably, chapter one verses 10-12 teach that Jesus Christ is the one who created the heavens and the earth. The 2nd verse says, He ”made the worlds.” Verse 3 tells us He upholds all things ”by the word of his power.” He is addressed as “Lord” which is the Lord God Jehovah and unmistakably identifies Christ as the one and only Supreme God. He laid the foundations of the earth and He made the heavens, which declare His eternal pre-existence. It is also apparent that He transcends the creation for He will cause it to pass out of existence, yet the One who created ex nihilo remains the same forever and His years will not fail.

As we read through Hebrews in these next few weeks, please stop to consider the majesty of the words. Superlative upon superlative is heaped on Christ. Spend some time contemplating the reasoning of the writer in proclaiming Jesus Christ better than all others. We preach Christ, and the reception of Him as Saviour and Lord is the only hope for eternal life. All religions are not equal because there is no equal to Jesus! He is infinitely better! Heed the words of chapter 12:28-29: “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

A Confusing Predicament

Our congregational scripture reading today comes from the little book of Philemon which in our New Testament is placed between the books of Titus and Hebrews. We call all three of these “books” when in fact they are “epistles” or formal letters that were written either to individuals or churches. This letter is the shortest of those written by Paul and was written to a prominent wealthy Christian named Philemon. Paul was in prison when writing this letter and interestingly it is an appeal for the forgiveness of a runaway slave.

Philemon lived in the city of Colossae located in modern day Turkey which is a considerable distance to traverse either by land or sea to reach Rome where Paul was in prison. This is where Paul came in contact with the runaway slave named Onesimus. Philemon was the slave’s owner who was converted under Paul’s ministry, and by the providence of God, after traversing hundreds of miles, this runaway slave came in contact with the one that led his master to the Lord!

After Onesimus’ conversion, he became a very useful servant of Paul, not as a slave, but as a fellow laborer for the cause of Christ. This did not change the circumstances that Onesimus had wronged his master by running away, and now that he had become a Christian, it was his duty to make amends for his criminal act.

As you can see from this description, the desire of Onesimus in seeking freedom from slavery, and the ownership of another human being by Philemon who was a Christian is terribly problematic for our understanding. Paul did not appeal to Philemon to release Onesimus on moral grounds, but asked for Philemon to receive him back without punishment. He asked for forgiveness based on the new bond that existed between them, that of brothers in the Lord.

There is not enough space here to give details about the social order of the first century which made this solution the right one and the best one for a Christian slave that had run away. Although Paul did not attack the institution of slavery directly and did not demand that Philemon give up his slave, he certainly did establish the principle of a new relationship between Christians in this predicament. Receiving Onesimus back as a brother (v. 16) ensured Philemon’s best treatment of Onesimus and Onesimus’ best service to Philemon. As unlikely as it may seem, both were satisfied and both displayed characteristics of the Saviour!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

According to His Mercy He Saved Us

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3:5)

One of the most blessed scriptures written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit were these words written to Titus by the apostle Paul. This statement follows Paul’s instructions about how we should treat our fellow man. We are to be gentle and meek towards them (3:2) because this is how God acted towards us in Christ. Paul reminds Titus that God showed us mercy when we were in a deplorable state, estranged from God and living in the pleasures of the flesh (3:3). In this cursed condition, God sent Christ to die for us. He was not drawn to us for any goodness that He saw in us. He did not choose us because we were diligent towards Him or our fellows.

In this unhappy state, God could have given us justice. He could have left us to suffer the consequences of our crimes and He would have been just in doing so. Instead, God gave us mercy. God showed kindness and love (3:4) and graciously regenerated our hearts in order that we might repent of our sins and place our faith in Him. This has always been God’s way of working with condemned sinners, and yet most are convinced that favor with God is obtained by doing good works that will somehow satisfy God for the sins we have committed.

There are many Bible passages that refute the idea that we are able to perform any type of work that meets the standard God requires. God has only one standard—absolute perfection. He requires us to be sinless not only in the deed but also in the motive for the deed. Every thought and every action must be in perfect harmony with the divine mind. There is neither time nor space to prove the inability of any person to meet this standard, but neither is it required. Our own experience is all the proof we need. If God wants perfection, then God will not get what He wants—at least not from us. However, the impossibility of our perfection does not change the fact that God has the right to demand it. Even though God is merciful as this passage states, there is no obligation upon God to give mercy, and much less to give it at the expense of His justice.

Titus 3:5 contains a key word in scripture. “Righteous” or “righteousness” appears hundreds of times in the Bible. It is a forensic word, which means it relates to the court of law. Man’s covenant relationship with God is maintained on the basis of His law. Since we are incapable of keeping God’s law perfectly, God satisfies the requirement Himself. He gets what He wants, perfect obedience, but not from us. The perfect obedience is Christ’s, and in grace God justifies us from our sins based on the merits of Christ’s perfect obedience (3:6-7).

The next time you read Titus 3:5, thank God from the depths of your heart that ”not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” If not for this, our salvation is impossible!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The Declaration of Dependence on God

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  [14]  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:13-14)

On the July 4th weekend, we were blessed to celebrate two hundred thirty-five years of American independence. One of the greatest freedoms we enjoy is the right to worship God according to the faith of our choosing. One of the vital principles our founding fathers insisted upon was freedom from the state church that so often persecuted dissenters. Even though they were against the establishment of any particular church, they were very much in favor of giving allegiance to the God who is the Creator of heaven and earth. The first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence each contain a reference to God. In the first paragraph, He is “Nature’s God,” and in the second He is the “Creator” who has “endowed” us with “certain unalienable rights.” In the last paragraph, the signatories declared their “reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.”

There is no doubt the founders were in unanimity as to the identity of “Nature’s God,” the “Creator,” and “Divine Providence.” John Quincy Adams said, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” This means the founders were duly bound to the God who promised to one day rule the world with a perfect government. The founders were intent on producing the best government humanly possible. In their minds, combining the principles of Christianity with this government was the only way this could be achieved. Although they were against a state church, they by no means thought their government would survive without obeying the “Creator” any more than they thought they could survive the Revolution without “the protection of Divine Providence.”

It is very clear the men that so desperately wanted to declare independence from the tyranny of the British Crown were eager to declare their dependence upon God. The beginning of the last paragraph also includes an appeal to the “Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions.” Compare this to Paul’s statement in Titus 2:13-14. They expected the “glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ,” who would come to judge the righteousness of their cause. They truly believed they were “zealous of good works,” which included rightly governing with a godly government. Some may think it wrong to apply these scriptures this way. However, we must remember the mindset of these men. They believed they existed to glorify God. There is no doubt they had various opinions about how to do this, but they were unified in their opinion that God would not excuse them if they did not build their government upon Christian principles.

Two hundred thirty-five years have passed since this courageous decision. So much time has passed, but the years have not dimmed the same basic need of all people no matter what type of government rules them. We will all stand before the “Supreme Judge of the world” to give account of our lives. I hope when you meet Him that you will be judged righteous in your actions. You will be if you have declared your dependence upon the Great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

“Rebuke them Sharply”

Unto the pure, all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” (Titus 1:15)

When reading the first chapter of Titus, we are struck by the caustic language Paul uses when describing false teachers. The first thought is how forceful the apostle is when speaking of those who would teach doctrines that subvert the truths of the gospel. In this passage, he commands Titus to “rebuke them sharply” (v. 13), which is very much uncharacteristic of the way these situations are handled in churches today. Niceties are usually the norm because calling someone out for false doctrine is considered uncharitable or even rude. Much error is tolerated because pastors are afraid of being offensive to those that may not be in agreement.

If Paul and the other apostles were too afraid of being offensive, imagine how the gospel would have been affected. If he had not been very clear about justification by faith alone, how would we understand this indispensable doctrine? If he had allowed subversion of the gospel of grace, how would we come to salvation in Christ? The past two thousand years of church history have seen these doctrines attacked incessantly giving rise to the largest pseudo-Christian church in the world, Roman Catholicism. If heresies concerning these doctrines were not confronted at the inception of the church and then recorded in scripture, there would be no checks on their perversions.

Similarly, the apostle John was blistering in his refutation of teachers that denied the incarnation of Christ. His favorite terms were “liars,” “antichrists,” and “children of the devil.” He taught there are only two spirits operable in the world. Either a teacher is led by the Holy Spirit or he is led by Satan. He leaves no room for other possibilities. Therefore, a preacher or church that says Jesus Christ is not Jehovah God manifested in the flesh, is teaching the doctrine of devils. It is certainly unpopular to say Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, and other cults are satanic, but this is exactly what scripture says. In fact, both Paul and John would agree that any group that subverts any part of the gospel is satanic.

Is it too harsh to make such declarations? Consider the alternative. Jesus’ words to the Jews that refused to believe He was Jehovah God are these: “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). “I am he,” are words that refer to the oneness of Jesus with the Father and His full equality in all of the attributes of Almighty God. “Die in your sins” means eternal death in the fires of hell. The alternative to calling out false teachers and exposing their heresies is to allow them to lead people into the pit of hell. Paul said, “Their mouths must be stopped” (Titus 1:11).

The gospel includes the truth of the deity of Christ and the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Paul told the Corinthians it is the gospel by which we are saved. Faith in the true gospel is the only hope for a world of lost and dying sinners. No, Paul was not afraid of being offensive with the truth. He knew the awful consequences if he was not!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The Pastor and Sound Doctrine

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (Titus 1:9)

In the first few verses of Titus chapter 1, the apostle Paul lists some of the qualifications for the office of pastor. As an independent Baptist church, we believe there are only two scriptural offices for the church. These are the offices of pastor and deacon. Men that are chosen for these positions must meet the strict biblical requirements outlined in the epistles of 1st Timothy and Titus.

In the first part of Paul’s letter to Titus, the emphasis is on the pastor. There are requirements concerning his family, his personal character, and also his heart for God’s people. These qualifications are condensed into three verses, and then the rest of letter is an admonition for the teaching of strong doctrine. The disparity between the short amount of space given to this part of his qualifications compared to the bulk of the letter being dedicated to the teaching of doctrine does not diminish this aspect of the office. The personal character of the man chosen to lead God’s people is crucial to his effectiveness as a minister. He must be above reproach or else his message falls on deaf ears. Many men that could have been used greatly by God have failed because their families and/or their morality have disqualified them.

It remains, however, that there is much material in this letter devoted to the teaching of doctrine. The pastor’s main duty is to feed the flock of God. He may be a wonderful man personally and very well liked, but if his knowledge of the word is deficient, he will not be able to feed God’s people spiritually. Neither will he be able to protect them from the constant attacks of heresy that threaten them on a daily basis. There are many wolves that would devour the flock and the pastor must be able to defend his people against these heretics. Several times in the letter, Paul makes this point. The pastor must be able to identify heretics and defend against them.

Another point that should be evident from the letter is that any doctrine of any kind is not automatically acceptable. There is a difference between truth and error. Truth always strengthens the people; error always destroys. Doctrine cannot be dismissed as unimportant. False doctrine and its teachers must be exposed (1:10-16). The pulpit ministry of Berean is never timid about naming names when necessary. The popular saying among many evangelicals is “unity at all costs.” We are opposed to this. We believe “defend the truth at all costs.” We seek accord with other Christians only on the basis of doctrinal unity. Unity on any other basis is dangerous to the gospel and to the health of God’s people.

We believe and whole heartedly practice Paul’s command to Titus. The bishop (pastor) must hold fast to the word, maintaining sound doctrine that will encourage the saints and will convince those that resist the truth. Anything less is blight on the pastoral office.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

In Life or Death, Glorify God

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)

2nd Timothy 4:18 is a fitting conclusion to the life of the apostle Paul. This letter is the last that Paul wrote before being martyred for his faith. Earlier in the epistle, he wrote that he knew he was going to die: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand” (4:6). And yet with this knowledge, Paul wrote that he knew the Lord would deliver him from every evil work. This may seem a little puzzling at first especially if we believe he is referring to his death. Paul did not expect to be delivered from death. Instead, we can view this more towards his statement in the first chapter, “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (1:12c). This verse accords perfectly with “…and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom.”

This is Paul’s great confidence in the assurance of his salvation. He would be protected from falling; he would be protected from renouncing his faith even in the most trying circumstances. In verse 17, he said that he was “delivered out of the mouth of the lion.” Various interpretations have been put on this phrase. Some think it means Nero who was the Roman emperor at that time. His hatred of Christians is legendary. Others believe it refers to the lions in Roman arenas which Paul may have faced (1 Cor. 15:32). Still others believe it refers to Satan who is known as our great adversary that seeks to devour us as a lion stalks his prey (1 Pet. 5:8). It may be that Paul simply means danger in general. Whichever interpretation is correct, the result is the same. Nothing could move him off the foundation of his faith. He was preserved until he would meet Christ face to face in the heavenly kingdom.

The same is true for every believer. The problem is that many believers lose assurance because they have not been faithful. If you survey 2nd Timothy, you will find Paul referring to the evidence of faith. The evidence for Paul is not different than found in other places in scripture. These are adherence to strong doctrine (1:13, 2:15), obedience to God’s command in removing sin from our lives (2:19-21), and then, of course, love for other believers (1:2). These issues are the bedrock of assurance. These enable the Christian to face uncertain days.

If you have doubts, are you able to trace the source? Do you love the word or ignore it (3:15-17, 4:3)? Is sin weighing you down (3:2-5)? Are you concerned for the welfare of other Christians (4:19-22)? If you guard your heart in these areas, the Lord will also deliver you from every evil work.

Finally, knowing he will soon depart, Paul offers his doxology: “to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” His life and death were for the glory of God. How he died did not matter; when he died did not matter. That God should receive all glory is all that counted. Do you have this commitment? If Christ should come today or wait another thousand years, will you live and die for the glory of God?

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The Aftermath of 5/21

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)

Each of us is now aware of the religious turmoil generated by the recent failed prognostication of Judgment Day. Most of these predictions rarely enter the public consciousness because those who perpetrate them do not have the means to make them widely known. About a year ago, I spoke with a preacher that said he could tell me for sure when Christ would return. I listened for about three seconds before my attention was turned to something else, and so I failed to get the exact date. As you can imagine, I am suffering deep remorse for not listening long enough! I still do not know what date he had in mind and I seriously doubt there are a handful of people who do.

This is not the case with the May 21st date proposed by Harold Camping. He had the means to make his views widely known, and so the prediction reached around the world and stirred quite a bit of interest. It is hard to miss thousands of 288 square feet billboards and over $100 million in advertising. The focus now is on the fallout for countless numbers of people that believed his predictions. Many churches have offered counseling for misguided “Christians” who are left bitterly disappointed.

I believe the counseling is mostly misguided. Anyone that was serious enough to buy into Harold Camping’s predictions must also have bought into his many other heretical teachings. A man who believed the church is dead; that people should abandon all churches (and many do need to be abandoned!); a man that taught salvation is for the elect of God irrespective of their belief in Christ; a man that believes the gospel is now annulled; a man that failed the test of a true prophet (Deut. 18:22), is a rank heretic of the worst sort. To call his program “Christian” or his radio station, “Family Christian Radio,” is the devil’s worst type of deception. People that believe such things do not need to be counseled concerning their disappointment over the rapture—they need to be given the gospel of Christ. If Christ did appear, they weren’t going!

In the opening verses of 2 Timothy 4, Paul encouraged Timothy to preach the truth of the word, which is measured by sound doctrine. He warned that people are prone to turn from truth to wildly imaginative fables. This is the case of those that followed Harold Camping. The crown of righteousness that is won at the coming of Christ is one that is given based upon gospel fidelity. Thus Paul says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). Neither Harold Camping nor his followers have kept the faith. If you want to help these people, do not assist in the grief counseling. Pray for their salvation!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The Diligent Student

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  (2 Timothy 2:15)

The letter of 2nd Timothy is one of three Pastoral Epistles written by Paul to instruct both Timothy and Titus in their duties of leading the church. The term “pastor” means “shepherd.” The chief duty of a pastor is to shepherd the flock of God. When Jesus was speaking to Peter after the resurrection, He asked, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” Peter responded, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee,” to which Jesus rejoined, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15). This statement is equivalent to, “If you love me, shepherd my sheep.”

Our King James Version has rendered the first part of 2 Timothy 2:15 as “Study to show thyself approved.” This translation is good if we understand what “study” meant to the translators. Commonly, we take this to mean, study as in hitting the books to prepare for a final. The word actually means “Be diligent.” Paul is instructing Timothy to be diligent about teaching the people of God. He is to use all physical and spiritual means to search the scriptures and impart truth to God’s people. This diligence will cause him to receive God’s approbation.

Superimposing Jesus’ words to Peter upon this text, Paul instructs Timothy to shepherd the sheep with the utmost care and concern for their spiritual welfare. A pastor wears many hats and is charged with many responsibilities, but the most important of these is teaching the Bible. Our spiritual strength comes from God’s word. Even regeneration itself is a product of the Holy Spirit’s work using the scriptures to bring us to repentance and faith. Peter wrote: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:23). After salvation, the Bible continues to be the Christian’s strength for daily living. Later in 2 Timothy, Paul writes that scripture is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). The result of knowing scripture is that we become mature in the faith and equipped to perform every good work imposed upon us by virtue of our salvation in Christ (2 Timothy 3:17).

With these facts in mind, the meaning of 2 Timothy 2:15 for the pastor, is unmistakably clarified. The pulpit ministry is the most important part of the church. We can do without programs if we must; we can do without socials if we must; we can do without any of the peripherals of ministry, but we cannot do without the Word. The pastor will stand before God and give an account of how faithfully and diligently he fed the people with the Word.

I am concerned that we are very clear about the doctrines of the Bible. We will not abandon the teaching of justification by faith alone; we will not abandon God’s demand for righteous, holy living. We will not abandon the call to complete repentance from sin, nor the wrath of God because of sin, or the punishment of eternal hell for unbelievers. Accompanying these doctrines, this church will do its best to teach the people to know Christ better. Faith is increased by knowledge and knowledge comes from being a diligent student of God’s word.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Historical Baptists

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,  (10)  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:  (11)  Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.  (12)  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.  (13)  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 1:9-13)

Often when speaking to visitors in our services and to prospective members, I like to tell them that we are historical Baptists. In this day, it is common to find churches that march under no specific banner but are what we sometimes term “generic Christians.” This means they fit in well with just about any group, especially those that have abandoned the teaching of specific Bible doctrines that would define their theological bent.

As historical Baptists, we observe the time honored confessions of faith that our Baptist forefathers have stood for. However, we do not believe creeds and confessions are superior to the Bible, and we observe them only as they agree with true Biblical teachings. Three very important confessions of faith reflect the interpretation of scripture as held by Berean Baptist Church. These are the First London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1644, the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, and the New Hampshire Confession of Faith of 1833. While we are not in agreement with every minute detail, these confessions largely represent the teachings of our church.

If I were to pick one portion of scripture that contains many of our specific teachings, I would choose 2 Timothy 1:9-13. Here are found these important truths: (1) Salvation is not by human effort but only through the grace of God bestowed upon depraved, unworthy sinners (v 9). (2) The means of salvation and those who receive it were determined by God before the world began. This determination was not based upon the condition of any foreseen goodness in man including faith in the gospel, but was based solely upon the grace of God and the good pleasure of His will (v. 9). (3) Salvation is in Christ and Him alone (v. 10). (4) Those that God has chosen are effectually called by the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the preaching of the gospel (vv. 9-11). (4) All those chosen, effectually called, and justified, are forever preserved in the faith so they can never fall away (v. 12). (5) Believers are not only preserved in the faith, they must also persevere in the faith (v. 13). Their continuance in the faith is evidence of their true conversion.

All of these beliefs are expressed in the aforementioned historical confessions of faith. We affirm these as important truths of scripture, and to deny these is not only denial of these historical statements of faith, but more importantly is denial of the Holy Scriptures. Because of 2 Timothy 1:9-13 and many other confirmations of the same truths spoken elsewhere in the Bible, we cannot be “generic Christians.” Paul, the apostle, encouraged Timothy to hold on to the sound truths he was taught (v. 13). These words are recorded and preserved for us that we might also receive the same encouragement as Timothy.

We make no apologies for believing, preaching, and being identified with the same truths our Baptist forefathers taught. If Christ and the apostles taught these doctrines, we want them to be our doctrines too!

Pastor V. Mark Smith