MORE ENCOURAGEMENTS FOR CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Berean Baptist on December 9, 2019

In last week’s article, I spoke about the need for Christians to be part of a Bible believing church. In the New Testament, the apostles were busy about the business of winning souls to Christ and then teaching the new disciples to band together in local assemblies. These assemblies are the same as what we call churches. Thomas Paul Simmons wrote in his systematic theology, “When one is saved, the next consideration that should claim his attention is the church. Gratitude to God for salvation should make him as conscientious about church affiliation as about matters pertaining to salvation.”

I believe this is an accurate assessment of the value placed upon church membership by the apostles in two ways. As Simmons states, we should be conscientious about affiliation. His primary meaning is that each Christian should carefully choose a church that is faithful to New Testament doctrine. To this we would add, a Christian should be conscientious about becoming a church member at all! Neither the apostles nor Simmons would imagine a Christian not being a part of a church.

In the Great Commission, the apostles were told to preach the gospel, to make disciples, to baptize them, and teach them to observe the commandments of Christ. Thus we find another great reason to become a part of the Lord’s church. The church is the place for the teaching of God’s word. Paul explained in Ephesians that God put pastors and teachers in the church for the purpose of building the faith and knowledge of His people. Contrary to the thinking of many, the church is not primarily a place for evangelism. Teaching those that have already received Christ is our primary mandate. Since God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of Christ, He gave His church as a place for us to receive instruction that we might come “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

Additionally, the church is a place for Christians to gather to encourage one another. Hebrews says, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…” (10:25). Church membership identifies you with other Christians and is acceptance of the responsibilities of your faith. Church membership is commitment to the cause of Christ and accepting the personal responsibility of carrying out the commission that Christ gave to His disciples. The Great Commission was given to the apostles as they comprised the first church. They were commissioned as a church for the perpetual work of evangelism. It is your responsibility as a child of God to assist in carrying out the commission through the work of the church.

The New Testament is filled with instructions for the church. Nine of Paul’s epistles were written specifically to local congregations. Three were written for instructions to pastors and deacons and for church order. The Revelation written by John begins with a message for seven local churches. Acts is the history of the growth of the church in the first century. These books along with the gospels and the general epistles are centered on the church. We cannot deny the local church is God’s plan His people today. I encourage you to join a true Bible believing church and serve God faithfully by committing yourself to its ministry. Be very conscientious about your choice of affiliation. Be sure your choice is a church that is committed to sound doctrine. I can think of none better than Berean Baptist Church! Join with us as we minister to this community and send the gospel around the world.

                                                                        Pastor V. Mark Smith

Join the Church with New Testament Doctrines

Berean Baptist on September 23, 2019

            In the previous article, I wrote a short doctrinal statement of our church based on 2 Timothy 1:9-13.  We are committed to these doctrinal truths as all churches should be. If these doctrines are true, they must be true for all churches, not just ours. Thomas Paul Simmons wrote in his systematic theology, “When one is saved, the next consideration that should claim his attention is the church. Gratitude to God for salvation should make him as conscientious about church affiliation as about matters pertaining to salvation.” I believe this is an accurate assessment of the value placed upon church membership by the apostles in two ways. As Simmons states, we should be conscientious about affiliation. His primary meaning is that each Christian should carefully choose a church that is faithful to New Testament doctrine. To this we would add, a Christian should be conscientious about becoming a church member in the first place! Neither the apostles nor Simmons would imagine a Christian not being a part of a church.

In the Great Commission, the apostles were told to preach the gospel, to make disciples, to baptize them, and teach them to observe the commandments of Christ. Thus, we find another great reason to become a part of the Lord’s church. The church is the place for the teaching of God’s word. Paul explained in Ephesians that God put pastors and teachers in the church for building the faith and knowledge of His people. Contrary to what many think, the church is not primarily a place for evangelism. The church is for believers and teaching them is our primary mandate. Since God predestined us to be conformed to the image of Christ, He gave His church as a place to receive instruction that we might come “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

Additionally, I would mention the fellowship of the church. The church is a place for Christians to meet to encourage one another. Hebrews says, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…” (10:25). Church membership identifies you with other Christians and is acceptance of the responsibilities of your faith. Membership is commitment to the cause of Christ and the responsibility of the commission Christ gave to His disciples. The Great Commission was given to the apostles as they were the first church. They were commissioned as a church, not as individuals, for the perpetual work of evangelism. It is your responsibility as God’s child to assist in carrying out the commission under the authority of the church.

The New Testament is filled with instructions for the church. Nine of Paul’s epistles were written specifically to local congregations. Three were written for instructions to pastors and deacons and for church order. The Revelation written by John begins with a message to seven local churches. Acts is the history of the organization and growth of the local church in the first century. These books along with the gospels and general epistles are centered on the church. We cannot escape the reality that the local church is the plan and purpose for God’s people today. I encourage you to join a true Bible believing church and serve God faithfully by committing yourself to its ministry. Be conscientious about your choice of affiliation. Be sure your choice is a church that is committed to sound doctrine. I can think of none better than Berean Baptist Church! Join with us as we minister to this community and send the gospel around the world.

                                                                        Pastor V. Mark Smith

Seeking the Saviour in the Sacrifices

Berean Baptist on August 19, 2019

The Old Testament is often ignored in many churches without people realizing it holds the key to many New Testament references. At first, the only Bible New Testament preachers could use was the Old Testament. This meant they were continually seeking Jesus in Old Testament texts. Even Jesus referenced the Old Testament testimony of Him. He taught two disciples on the road to Emmaus immediately after He arose from the tomb. He explained the Old Testament text beginning at Moses and the prophets to show them He was the true promised Messiah.

In the New Testament era, God speaks through the living word, Jesus Christ, as revealed in the written word, the Bible. We have no other way of knowing Him in the fullness of His splendor except as we understand Him through scripture. We need not expect any other revelation because scripture testifies to its sufficiency. It tells us everything God wants us to know in this present day. Yet, God spoke in various ways in times past. Sometimes He gave dreams and visions. Sometimes He appeared in theophanies. These were manifestations of His presence through other forms. For example, He spoke to Moses in a burning bush or appeared as a stranger conversing with Abraham. Joshua saw Him as an angel and Jacob wrestled with Him at Peniel. Those were unusual occurrences even for Old Testament times. The more common way of God teaching about Himself was through the pictures of worship.

God gave Moses the plan for the tabernacle, a tent-like structure, made from a pattern of the divine in heaven. Each part of the building, the materials, the articles of furniture, the superstructure, the surroundings, and the priests who served were types of the Lord Jesus Christ. There were also many sacrifices classified as either sweet savour or non-sweet savor.

I am convinced there is no better way to learn the person and work of Christ than to study Old Testament worship. If Jesus used the Old Testament to teach His work to confused people, and if the apostles had nothing but what they learned from the Old Testament to guide them at first, surely an examination of Old Testament worship is time well spent. As the authors wrote the New Testament, it gave life to the types the Old Testament portrayed. The Israelites could not see it as well as we do today. The recognition of a type requires the unveiling of the antitype. We more recognize the types/antitypes because we have a completed Bible. But what good does it do to have the antitype if we do not recognize the type? You see, the dilemma is the same. If you do not know the Old Testament, the antitype is largely unrecognized.

There are many of these in the scriptures. We miss much meaning if we do not take time to study and learn them. As the Old Testament and New Testaments complement each other, so does Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon at Berean. Sunday afternoons are usually the deeper of the two services and affords the opportunity to increase your understanding of scripture. How much you grow in the Lord depends on how much you know about scripture. If you don’t know about the sacrifices of the Old Testament, you are missing important information you really need to know.

Christ taught Himself and the apostles taught Him by using the Old Testament. If the New Testament is all you know about Christ, you haven’t learned enough. Be sure to study the Old to find Him in more ways than you can imagine.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Jesus, the Judge

Berean Baptist on February 18, 2019

Psalm 50

 Before we take our final sanctified position in heaven, Christ’s judgement seat is the place where He will reward His people for their good works. In most churches, this is the only view of Jesus that is explored. Jesus is a loving Saviour, is a kind benefactor, and is the most politically correct person you could ever meet. He never questions a motive nor does He ever rebuke an evil lifestyle. He will advise you to be kind and benevolent, to be peaceful and loving, and to be tolerant of everybody. The strong passages that speak of condemnation in hell and the utter destruction of the wicked are largely ignored.

            I suppose the greatest tragedy in the understanding of Jesus is the separation of Him from the Old Testament scriptures. It is as if the God of the Old Testament is nothing but wrath and hatred while the Jesus of the New came to change the harshness of Israel’s God. This view fails to consider this all-important attribute of God—His immutability. God does not change, and if we understand who Jesus is in the real scriptural view, we will understand the Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New. If God does not change, then whatever God says in the Old Testament is the same as He says in the New Testament. The same actions of the Old Testament are the actions of the New.

            Thus, we come to Psalm 50 which is a representation of God as our judge. In this psalm, we are taught that God judges all. Not only is He the judge, He is also the prosecutor and His prosecution rests its case in the infallibility and absolute righteousness of His law. In this psalm, God accused Israel of false worship in which they disobeyed His statutes, but they brought their offerings as if they could make up for their wickedness by giving God a pacifier. The point the psalmist makes is that God needs nothing from us. Sacrifices are not acceptable payment for a heart that is cold in its obedience. There is also warning against those who pretend to know God and use Him as if He approves while having no relationship with Him.

            The ultimate result of this is divine judgment. Judgment will fall because of the transgression of His holy law. Very simply, God is the judge. This is important to us as we piece together the responsibilities of Jesus revealed in the New Testament. He is nothing different from the God of the Old who will judge according to His righteous standard. We must carefully observe Jesus’ statements in John 5:22 and 5:27: “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son…And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” All judgment is committed to the Son who is one with the Father.

When the Old Testament was written, the final judgment was yet future just as it still is today. In other words, final judgment has not yet occurred, so whatever judgment was promised by God in the Old Testament will be fulfilled by Jesus who is appointed by the Father to be the judge. The inescapable conclusion is that Jesus in the New Testament will judge with all the wrathful enforcement promised in the Old. This is the real picture of this aspect of Jesus’ divine work.

This is a very foreboding prospect and should be rightfully considered such. However, there is a more hopeful prospect revealed in both the Old and New Testaments about prosecutorial conduct. The prosecutor who placed the charges against us is the same who is willing to set us free. He does not pardon us because we are not guilty but because He will take our punishment for us.

Do you need to fear Him as your judge? Not unless you are in unbelief. Otherwise you can welcome God’s judgment because you know the perfect righteousness of Christ has covered all your transgressions. What better way to meet the judge than with the perfect righteousness He provided? Consider who Jesus really is. Either fear His judgment or rejoice in it. Which way is He your judge?

                                                            Pastor V. Mark Smith

Remove Not the Ancient Landmark

Berean Baptist on November 26, 2018

Proverbs 22:28

There is scarcely a Christian in a fundamental church that has not heard a sermon on Proverbs 22:28. There is no debate over the original meaning of the verse. Landmarks were used to set the boundaries of a person’s property. These were set to designate the ownership of land in recognition of a person’s legal right to a specific part of the land. Often, large stones placed at corners of the property made it obvious to others where the property lines extended. We still use the same basic principles today in less obvious ways. Surveyors set property pins. It is impossible to move the property lines by theft since modern surveying techniques do not depend on physical markers. GPS coordinates take their place. But, in Bible times, to move a marker to increase one’s part of the land and to decrease another’s, was very dishonest and destructive to property owners.

The question about this text is whether it is right to make a spiritual application. I have never heard of a fundamental preacher who said we should not. It is a favorite text for teaching the danger of moving away from the great doctrines of the Bible. These doctrines are the markers of our faith and practice. We cannot go beyond or fall short of them. To do so is to destroy the faith as it was once delivered by the Holy Spirit through New Testament authorship (Jude 1:3). In Jude’s terms, contending for the faith is the defense of these landmarks.

As Bereans, we examine every doctrine to be sure it corresponds to the written word. If it does not, we reject it as an attempt to move the landmark. In two thousand years of church history, many splinter groups have been busy moving landmarks all over the map. They put new ones down while adjusting others or completely removing them. These bogus landmarks should be soundly rejected. If they are not scriptural, they do not come from God. This shows the main positioning pin is vital. This pin is the belief the Bible is the infallible, unchanging word of God.

When others describe our church as a traditional church, some may think this refers to our worship style, such as the types of songs we sing and the way we present them. This is a tradition in one sense, but not the tradition we care to be most descriptive. Rather, we want to be known as a traditional Bible church. We want to be known as those who have no other standards than those found in God’s word. We want no other doctrines than those we can defend with an open Bible. We want no other text of scripture than translations that are faithful to the author’s original intent. We want no flirtation with non-biblical methods of increasing attendance. The church belongs to Christ and He will build it as He sees fit.

Don’t move the landmarks! Every doctrine must fit as God delivered it in His word. We preach nothing more as if to add is to help the word, and we preach nothing less as if to subtract is to correct the word. The word as given is sufficient to furnish us to all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

The Name Matters

Berean Baptist on June 18, 2018

Although the name BAPTIST was not intended for this, each of the letters in Baptist stands for a doctrine that has been a scriptural tenet of our churches since the time Jesus began the church. The consistency of church doctrine through these many centuries is a remarkable testimony to Christ’s promise in Matthew 16:18 that the church would never lose the truth or surrender to the attacks of Satan.

The doctrines represented by the acrostic are not necessarily the core essential beliefs that make a person a Christian, but rather the criteria that makes the Christian a Baptist. They are distinguishing doctrines that separate us from Roman Catholics, most of the Protestants, and all of the cults. We believe each doctrine in the acrostic should be taught and believed by all churches and to whatever degree some or all of them are not taught will determine the seriousness of their error. If these doctrines were held by all churches, there would be no denominationalism. All Christians would be Baptists because they would be in compliance with the doctrines Christ and the apostles gave the first church.

Some might think this is an arrogant statement, but it is only a logical conclusion that any church would want to claim for itself. Shouldn’t any church want to make the claim they are apostolic? What is the point of belonging to a church that makes no claim to hold to all the same doctrines given at the beginning to the church? Clearly there are differences in denominations. We are divided but Christ is not, which means we must determine which church most closely adheres to the New Testament.

There are some doctrines that when changed do not affect the salvation of the soul but do affect the constitution of the church. Enough error in a series of these doctrines would prevent the church from being a true church. This is the point of the acrostic. Can we take each of these doctrines and find a scriptural basis for it?

Some of the doctrines will affect not only church constitution but will indeed affect the soul’s salvation. In some cases, an error on baptism may not be serious enough to affect salvation. For example, a church that practices infant baptism or sprinkling in which they are in error on the mode and the recipient of baptism, has not necessarily committed an error that condemns the soul. It does affect their recognition as a true church because proper baptism is essential for church constitution. If this error is compounded by teaching that baptism is a sacrament whereby saving grace is obtained, it has become a salvation issue. Salvation is affected because the critical method by which we are justified with God is breached. Justification is by grace alone through faith alone. In this is changed, the church fails because salvation cannot be obtained when justification is compromised.

Many times in my sermons I refer to the name Baptist on our sign. Our doctrine is different from Methodists, Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, and others. We believe the doctrinal differences matter. If we didn’t think so, we would identify as a “community” church or simply a “Christian” church. With those names people are left to guess if they have a good starting place to find a true New Testament church. Baptist identifies us historically. Historians agree people who believe like Baptists have been present in every age since the time of Christ. As a seeker, I believe I would have more confidence in the doctrine of a church if I know it has an apostolic claim.

Admittedly, the name on the sign does not guarantee the truth of the doctrine within. However, it is a good place to start. Investigations must be made to prove the doctrines are true. At Berean, we gladly invite this and encourage it—we expect no less. In our case, historicity of doctrine is extremely important. It matters because we want to be known as a true New Testament church.

Start with the name. Is it historical or does the church you are interested in fall into the generic category of startups and may only be a few months or years old? The name could be the first key piece of your investigation. Note this last comment. Baptists were not always known as Baptists. We were identified by our doctrine first and then we were named by our enemies. The name became significant because it identified us with apostolic doctrine. Therefore, the name is important.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith