The End Is Near!

Berean Baptist on January 20, 2020

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. (1 Peter 4:7) 

            I am sure each of you is familiar with the cartoon of a man with long hair and beard standing on a street corner with a sign reading “THE END IS NEAR!” Usually, the sign flanks both the front and rear and some sort of funny caption is placed beneath. The idea is that anyone that thinks the end of the world is approaching is a fool. Every day we wake up to the same sunrise, we head off to work, put in our shift, and then make the drive back home. At night we watch a little TV, crawl into bed and go to sleep. The next morning it starts all over again, and we do this 365 times per year and have done it for every year since we were born. Further, everyone we know has done the same routine with only slight variation and everyone we have ever heard of or read about in the history of the world has done the same. It is no wonder that when someone begins to sound an alarm for the approaching apocalypse, he is considered a fool.

            It has now been 2000 years since Peter wrote “the end of all things is at hand” and no doubt there were many that read his words and said he was a fool. Peter’s reference is to the Second Coming of Christ when God will destroy this universe and all that is contained therein. In his second letter, Peter spoke of scoffers that said “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). Are we to consider Peter a fool because Christ has yet to return? Is the Bible’s warning nonsense?

            It is helpful to understand that although New Testament Christians believed in the imminent return of Christ, they were not date-setters. Peter did not imply he was certain tomorrow, or next week, or next month, the world would end. He followed the consistent pattern of New Testament teaching, especially that of Jesus, which said the Second Coming would be a sudden event that would occur without warning. The “end” refers to the consummation of the ages. “At hand” means the day is approaching. Every day we live we are one day closer to the time Christ will return. We are encouraged therefore to live in anticipation of the event. This does not mean to stand on street corners with signs, although we should witness of it in a rational manner. It does not mean to neglect our daily routines and stare at the sky. It means to guard our personal lives so that we are a living testimony of faith. The closer we are to the Lord in obeying His commands the more it speaks to the degree of our confidence in the truthfulness of the scriptures.

            The prophet Amos said, “Prepare to meet thy God.” Years ago, I remember seeing signs along the roadway that said the same. The time of our life is uncertain and at every turn in life’s roadway there is a possible hazard that could end our lives. It is not as crazy as we might think to say, “the end is near.” One way or another we will meet God. It could be at the suddenness of the Second Coming or at our failure to breathe the next breath. No one knows the time of either. Are you prepared? In either event, you can be by placing your faith in Jesus Christ.

                                                                                    Pastor V. Mark Smith

Christ’s Love for His Church

Berean Baptist on December 2, 2019

Next month is our quarterly observance of the Lord’s Supper. Thinking of the Supper, I was prompted to write this article about the great salvation we have in Christ and the wonderful blessing of being a part of the Lord’s church. The observance of ordinances plays a critical role in the expression of our belief in Christ and the appreciation we have for what He has done for us.

Our study in the second and third chapters of Revelation concerning the seven churches of Asia should be a reminder of how important the church is to the Lord. His work in this world is done only through New Testament churches, as no other organization is ordained to preach His gospel. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), which helps us understand why the Lord took care to dictate seven letters to the apostle John about the faithfulness of these churches and the problems that needed to be addressed.

It is impossible to ignore the significance of membership in the church. The essence of Christianity is the church because it is Christ’s body on earth. To explain how intimate Christ is with His church, I would begin with Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:25: “…Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.” This informs that the church is extraordinarily important to the Saviour. While the scriptures never say our salvation is dependent upon our membership in the church, we cannot miss the significance of this statement. The church is special to Christ and whatever is special to Him should be very special to His people. Many of the New Testament epistles were written specifically to churches. In fact, over 95% of the time the word church is used in the New Testament, it references the local assembly.

One of the best arguments in favor of membership is the administration of church ordinances. These are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached a stirring message in the power of the Holy Spirit which resulted in the conversion of three thousand people. These converts were immediately baptized and added to the church. From this scripture, Baptists have taught that water baptism is an act that signifies our faith in the gospel and our union with Christ in His church. Baptism was given to the church as this sign and is administered only under her authority. The commitment to the gospel demonstrated by baptism is expected of every believer. It is not an optional command because it is our public identification with Christ. Since the church is the only authority for baptism and it is the entrance into the church, membership is automatic upon reception of the ordinance.

Likewise, the Lord’s Supper is committed only to the church. It is a special privilege reserved for those who are members of each individual body of Christ. We certainly could not condone the reception of the Supper by those who have refused the command for baptism and thereby disobeyed the apostolic precedent for church membership. This would be in direct conflict with Paul’s command that each participant examine himself so as not to partake of the Supper unworthily. Refusing obedience to Christ’s command renders a Christian unworthy to partake of the symbol of His suffering. In New Testament times, an unbaptized, unchurched believer was unheard of. Paul also stated the church is to observe the Supper until Christ returns (1 Cor. 11:26). A Christian that ignores church membership is missing the great privilege of honoring Christ’s death as a sacrifice for our sins.      

If you are a Christian and you are faithfully attending church, please carefully consider your obedience to Christ in commitment to a good Bible believing church. Next week, we will observe His ordinance which shows His body and blood given in sacrifice for our forgiveness. Christ loves the church and so should you!

                                                                        Pastor V. Mark Smith

Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy…

Berean Baptist on September 25, 2017

In Acts chapter one after the ascension of Jesus, the disciples entered a ten-day waiting period for the coming of the Holy Spirit. During those days (Acts 1:15), Peter stood before the disciples to explain the need to appoint another apostle to fill the place of Judas who had betrayed the Lord. Peter spoke of the traitor’s awful death and then quoted Psalm 109:8 as justification for the selection of a replacement (Acts 1:20). This is a truly amazing exposition of the psalm as no one before could have interpreted this verse in this way.

If we care to investigate this Old Testament reference, we find ourselves immersed in one of the most perplexing of the psalms. Psalm 109 is perhaps the chief imprecatory psalm in which vengeance is asked against the enemies of David in particular and the enemies of God in general. David’s attitude does not seem to support Jesus’ teaching that we are to forgive our enemies.

I have read several explanations for the harshness of David’s words and how we might excuse him for what seems to be the opposite of a Christ-like spirit—but is it really unlike the Lord our God? I am convinced that God wants us to see the side of Him most people ignore or just completely dismiss. This side is God’s wrath. This is His commitment to justice in His condemnation of sin. I do not believe we need to make excuses for David because he asked God for vengeance. When he made the statement in verse 8 which was quoted by Peter in Acts 1:20, the link was established that what was spoken is the mind of God. This is not a repudiation of His love and mercy in the forgiveness of sin. It is confirmation of the awful consequences of the rejection of Christ.

My thoughts are drawn to Jesus’ words on the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” They did not know He was the Christ for if they had they would never have crucified Him (1 Cor. 2:8); but perhaps of equal importance, they would not have crucified Him if they knew the wrath of their coming judgment. Without repentance and faith, the blackness and darkness of an eternal hell were their destiny.

The modern pulpit rarely broaches the subject of God’s wrath. Sin and its consequences are negative and depressing, while the prevailing opinion is that church services should be positive and uplifting. Trevin Wax made this enlightening statement: “Hell is full of people who think they deserve Heaven. Heaven is filled with people who know they deserve Hell.” Churches are unwittingly confusing people and making far more of the first category than of the second. The first part of the quote is the problem of the “God loves you” pulpit. God’s love for people is never juxtaposed to His disgust for their sin. All of us deserve hell because we are guilty of sin. We do not have a few faults that need to be corrected. We have not made minor mistakes, but at heart, we are basically good people. No, we are nasty, vile, wicked, and disgusting. Such descriptions do not play well in the pulpit.

Psalm 109 is a reminder of what we deserve. David’s inventive mind in suggesting different punishments for his enemies cannot touch what God has planned. David’s imprecations only go as far as humans understand. No one knows how deeply God is offended nor how capable He is of satiating His vengeance. “God is love”—yes. John wrote this in his first epistle. Jesus came to save deeply offensive hell-deserving sinners which prove it. However, John also wrote the wrath of God abides on those who do not believe. Turn past 1 John to Revelation to see page after page of examples of God’s execution of wrath. Read chapter 19 and see Jesus in the thick of it as He wields the bloody sword of vengeance.

Heaven is never sweeter than when we understand what would have been if not for Jesus Christ. God’s wrath accentuates His deep love. We must preach it or else confuse people about what they deserve. “Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy.”

 

                                                                                    Pastor V. Mark Smith

A Psalm of David or a Psalm of Peter?

Berean Baptist on May 8, 2017

Psalm 86

As the title of Psalm 86 reveals, this is a psalm of David. As I read the psalm this week, I noticed how David’s thoughts parallel what must have been in Peter’s mind after he denied Jesus for the third time. This was a dark period in Peter’s life. This is the lowest point, the farthest he ever sunk in the trials of Christian living. Although he made the great confession of faith in Matthew 16, and although he steadfastly protested when Jesus told him what he would do, he still had a moment of weakness that was as bad as the traitor Judas.

The purpose of the story of his failure at the end of Matthew 26 is to show how easily we can fall into denial. In persecution, we may stand strong; in times of heightened sensitivity, we may gather ourselves and with strong resolve, we will not give up our faith. However, Satan rarely attacks at those times. He prefers to wait until we are unprepared; until we are smug and self-assured before he slings his fiery darts. When you lay aside the armor or are too casual to pay attention, Satan has the advantage. Peter was not felled by a burly Roman soldier, but by a little harmless maiden who made no threats.

Peter’s failure was not as sudden as we might think. It was a step by step process. The same is true of our failures. We rarely go from a stellar workhorse for Christ to a scared little weasel who pretends not to know Him.

How does this fit with the psalm? The psalmist wrote in a moment of despair, “Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.” We catch up to the psalm after Peter’s denials. This is when Peter realized his awful mistake. It was when Jesus looked at Him with disappointment that he knew how miserably he failed. Peter’s reaction was the reaction of a true Christian, not of a Judas. It was a gut-wrenching moment and he could not live with himself for what he had done. His tears were not merely tears of regret, but much more deeply felt. They were tears of godly repentance. Can we not image when Peter went out and wept bitterly that verses 5 and 6 of this psalm were the cry of his heart? “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.”

Peter’s denial was as serious as it gets. Jesus said those who deny Him before men He will deny before His Father in heaven. Peter denied before men, not once but three times. What kept Christ from denying Him? It was his repentance. He proved he was a child that God promised never to forsake. David and Peter prayed with the same confidence knowing that when they fell they would not be finally cast down.

When we sin, their plea must be our plea. Paul wrote, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” No sin is too big for God to forgive. Peter’s story teaches us this lesson. Bitter tears of repentance are always followed by blessed forgiveness and renewal. It is God’s word and you can always count on it.

Pastor V. Mark Smith