The Heaton File

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

What Jesus Knew Before He Came

The measure of a plan is often gauged by the expected results. In business, profits and loss will be determined by the analysis of the data gathered to forecast the success or failure of the project. If the numbers do not meet certain criteria the plan is rejected and another more profitable option is pursued. This makes for good business and many companies are successful through its continued evaluation of the profit-loss models it will use. It would seem remarkable a plan that has a huge deficit in its offering would be considered a successful adventure and yet the plan of salvation was determined with the knowledge that for most of the intended recipients of its grace; there would be total rejection. When Jesus delivered His world-changing sermon on the mountain He proclaimed that most men would reject Him and refuse to follow His word. He admonishes His disciples to enter into a path that is narrow, difficult and seldom traveled. The way to eternal life would not be accepted by most men. A broad and expansive way that leads to destruction is the most traveled path and most desired by the majority of people that will populate the earth. The concept of percentages is overwhelmingly in favor of most people being lost, without God and without hope. These are the words of Jesus and His declaration was true two thousand years ago and it continues to be true in the modern age. Consider the implications: Jesus came to die for a world that world overwhelmingly rejects Him – and yet He came anyway.

It was not a surprise or disappointment that men wanted to kill Jesus. He talked often how He was going to Jerusalem to be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes where they would condemn Him to death. His own people would mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. In the face of all of this horrible and terrible evil that would befall the holy Son of God, Jesus came to earth and lived among men to offer Himself as the redeeming Lamb. The Lord knew when the gospel would be taken to the world that most men would reject His love, His grace, and His teaching. True to the teaching of Jesus, through the millennia that have passed since His sermon on the mount, the majority of men walk the broad path of leisure and human wisdom marching daily toward the end of the road and destruction. Most men who die will die in a state of hopeless eternal death. In the face of this knowledge, Jesus still came to earth, suffered as no man before, and died for the sins of all men. How do you measure the love of the Son of God who knew full well that the large majority of those beautiful creatures He had formed by His own hand would deny Him, reject Him and curse Him?

It is not the desire of God that any man should perish. His deepest love for all men is found in the love to send His only begotten Son to die for the sins of undeserving creatures. The love of God is so great to consider the sacrifice He made. Measuring the love of Christ to accept the will of the Father and drink of the fleshly tabernacle to share in the suffering of human weaknesses and struggle with sin is beyond the wisdom of man. Jesus was tempted in all points as all men and through the grace of God died without sin. He knew what He came to do. His will was to do the will of His Father. The character of the man was flawed with the darkness of sin filling the world with hatred, murder, envy and despising the love of God; and yet Jesus came into the world of darkness to bring the only light man would find to see the Father. God sent His Son into the world knowing what they were going to do to Him. The Father’s love was to send His Son for the redemption of wicked man. Both the Father and the Son knew that most men would follow the wide path of rebellion and few would embrace the love of the sacrificed Lamb. But Jesus came anyway. Thank God for His love to send His Son in the face of man’s reality. And there are no words to thank Jesus Christ for His sacrifice – knowing what He knew and understanding the price to be paid – Jesus came and died so that we can live. Praise God for His incredible gift in the love of Jesus Christ, Savior, and King.

These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua. Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes. (Numbers 13:16-20)

Where The Leaders Of Israel Failed

Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh are two of the influential men of the Old Testament. Joshua was called the assistant of Moses and would lead the people into the land of promise following the death of Moses. Caleb is remembered as a man who had a devoted spirit to the Lord and followed the will of God fully. These two men were the only ones from the generation of those coming out of Egypt that would see the promised land. A few months after the victory of God over the Egyptians, the people of Israel stood at the threshold of a land flowing with milk and honey promised to them by the Lord. All of the hardships of Egyptian bondage were behind them and God had given them a law that would make them into the great nation of Israel. Generations before Abraham had been promised the land that stood before the people of God and they had arrived to possess the land fulfilling the promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In preparation of the conquering of a land already given to them, the Lord tells Moses to send men to spy out the land of Canaan. These spies would be men from each tribe and a leader from among them would be chosen to tell the wonderful story of the promised land. The men chosen were not ordinary men but leaders of the people. They were men who served their tribes as counsel, guides and examples of courage in the face of danger. It would be the faith of these men the whole of Israel would rely. Names like Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi and Geuel were well known among the people and regarded as the heroes of the day. They had shown themselves capable of leadership and the people looked to them for their direction. Twelve men selected to spy out the land and for forty days the twelve spies searched throughout the land of Canaan for weaknesses and strengths. Twelve faithful leaders went to spy the land but only two returned.

The twelve leaders returned from spying showing the people the incredible bounty of the land. They described a land that flowed with milk and honey. In the Valley of Eshcol they cut down a branch of one cluster of grapes which two men carried between them on a pole. Pomegranates and figs were brought back to show the people. Everyone was amazed at the bounty of the promised land and anxious to hear the news from the twelve leaders. Ten of the spies disheartened the people with a report of the impossibility to conquer the land. They saw the people strong and the cities fortified and very large. Giants lived in the land. The hearts of the ten spies were filled with fear. This was passed on to the people and dissension arose in the ranks of the Israelites. What the ten leaders of Israel did not see was the power of God overcoming the people of Canaan. They had witnessed the plagues the Lord brought upon Egypt and walked across the Red Sea on dry land. The army of Egypt and Amalek had been defeated by the power of God but the ten leaders did not believe God could destroy the people of Canaan. Through their disbelief the nation of Israel rebelled against the Lord and refused to enter the land. Forty years later Joshua and Caleb delivered the remnant of those who came out of Egypt into the land of promise.

Few remember or know the names of the ten spies. Only the faithful two are redeemed on the pages of God’s historical record. Joshua and Caleb would be forever remembered as the leaders who had faith in the Lord to accomplish the impossible. The ten men who did not believe in the Lord are not remembered. There is a lesson about faith in the story of the spies who searched out the land of promise. Among the people twelve men were looked upon as leaders. Of the twelve only two of the leaders looked to God for their faith and hope. Joshua and Caleb trusted in the power of God; the other ten did not. Leadership is not something possessed by men because of their wealth, prestige or honor given to them by others. True leadership comes when a man becomes a servant of the Lord. Failing to trust in the power of God caused the nation of Israel to wander forty years in the wilderness and for generations to die because of rebellion. The leaders of God’s people failed that day because they trusted in their own power instead of divine power. In the church of the Lord there can be men in leadership serving as shepherds of the flock who trust in themselves more than the Lord. The mission of the church will fail as the leadership of the ten spies failed the people of Israel. Jesus wants His church to be guided by men of faith and courage and trusting in the will of the Lord. It is not a matter of wealth that makes a man great or prestige among the people. Elders who serve the Lord with a willing mind to trust in the word of the Lord for their hope will find many victories against the giants of an immoral land. It takes courage to stand for truth in a world filled with lies. Only the faithful will be remembered. Twelve men went to spy the land but only two returned with faith.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you. (Romans 16:16)

The Churches Of Christ

When Jesus promised to build His church He did not indicate a special name that would characterize the identity of His body. It would be called by many names in the early years. The Lord referred to it as His church as He had come into the world to fulfill the plan of redemption that would find its completion in the kingdom of God. Luke described the body of saved as the church on the Day of Pentecost when three thousand souls were added by the grace of God. When the needs of the early Christians arose there was the multitude of those who believed with one heart and one soul who had all things in common to care for those in need. Great fear came upon the church when the Lord struck down Ananias and Sapphira. Saul of Tarsus breathed threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord persecuting the church which was at Jerusalem. Luke refers to the disciples of the Lord as the Way. Paul would later try to join the disciples but not believing he was a Christian was received with suspicion. Barnabas would testify on behalf of Paul and he would be part of the brethren of the Lord. Luke records the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. The disciples were first called Christians at the church in Antioch where Paul and Barnabas labored. Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church killing James and imprisoning Peter. The church kept constant prayer on behalf of Peter. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church during their journeys to spread the gospel. Warning the elders from Ephesus, Paul called the body of saints the church of God. He would later call the saints in Corinth the church of God on four different occasions. In the letter to Ephesus, the apostle Paul called the church the body of Christ. To Timothy he calls the body of saints the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. The Hebrew writer speaks of the church of the firstborn. In his great revelation, the apostle John writes to seven churches located in seven cities.

The church is described by different phrases in the New Testament giving different emphasis upon the nature of the church. Using the idea of the church is simply the meaning of a called out body of people. It is called a body that is made up of many members individually suggesting the singularity of the church. There are many members but one body. This body is called the church concluding there is only one body and one church. The church is a bride as described in the letter to Ephesus where Christ is the divine groom. Three books of the New Testament call the church the house of God or family of God. The church is the kingdom of God with Christ as king and its members citizens in God’s kingdom. Paul will hearken back to the Old Testament to describe the church as the spiritual building in which the Spirit of God dwells – the temple of God. Christ and the apostles are the foundation and the members stones built together into the temple. Jesus will refer to the church as His vineyard with Himself the vine and its members the branches.

In the closing remarks of Paul’s letter to Rome, he implores the brethren to greet one another in kind benevolence extending them a greeting from the churches of Christ. The name “church of Christ” is not found in scripture but the elements of the church of Christ are clearly defined. It is fitting to call the church of God Christ’s church because He said He would build it and it would be His church. Jesus died for the church shedding His blood to redeem all men as Paul told the Ephesian elders. As the head of the church Jesus Christ has all authority and rule given to Him by the Father. In the figure of the church being the body of Christ He is the only head. The church is the bride of Christ bearing the name of her husband giving Him the glory. Everything about the church points to the glorification and exaltation of Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Calling the church by the name of Christ is befitting the nature of His sacrifice and His love. It is not imperative the church be called by the churches of Christ as many names describe the nature of the kingdom. The name is fitting but is not exclusive. Lost in the minds of the religious world is the glory of the church should bear the name of the one who died for it and gave His life for the salvation of men. Whether it is called the church of God, church of the firstborn, the Way or whatever descriptive name that is given, it bears the nature of the one who gave His life for it.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)

Submission In Marriage

The death of Jesus is the greatest gift man will receive. Nothing man can do or say will detract from the magnitude of a sacrifice where God becomes man and dies on a cross for the sins of all men. Jesus willingly gave His life so that men could find salvation in the grace of His Father. Given all authority the Lord is King of Kings and the head of the church which is His body. As the King and head of the church His people are subject to Him because of His great love for them. Submitting to the will of the Father comes from those who love the Lord with all their hearts, souls and minds willingly offering their lives in service to the Savior Jesus Christ. There can never be a feeling of inferiority or degradation by submitting to the Father and His Son in the kingdom of God. As Paul illustrates the nature of the church and how important subjection to the Christ glorifies the Father, the apostle shows in the marriage bond the headship of the man is likened to that of Christ as head of the church. The wife submits to her husband as men must submit to the Lord. In the context of submission within the church there is no disagreement of the need of compliance or the purpose of that obedience. Speaking of the marriage relationship the wife is to be subject to her husband as she is submissive to the Lord. The role of submission is from the idea of coming under the influence of another or allowing the will of self to be governed by others. This is necessary for one to be faithful to the Lord as submission begins with God. Paul defines the role of the man as the head of woman and the woman is subject to the man. The people of God are subject to one another and in the case of congregational shepherds subject to the elders. Wives are to be in submission to the husband as their duty to the Lord.

Paul clearly shows the role of the husband to be one of sacrifice and love. Like Christ, he is willing to give his life for the bride. The submission of the wife to the husband comes because of her first love for God and the willingness to submit to His will. This is fitting in the Lord and the woman is to learn in quietness with all subjection according to the Holy Spirit. Peter would also affirm the role of the husband and wife admonishing the women to be subject to their husbands using Sarah as an example of a godly wife to Abraham. From the Garden of Eden the Lord had declared the desire of the woman would be to her husband and like the evidence of pain in childbirth (part of the penalty for woman being deceived) this same principle continues today. In a world given over to women’s rights and the dismantling of the home, many wives refuse to obey the word of God and will not submit to their husbands. They rebel against the divine arrangement and bring judgment upon their souls through human reason and carnal desire. This does not make her a person of inferiority or of lesser value. The husband is to cherish and nourish his wife as Christ the church so that her submission will be one of glory to God. Colly Caldwell writes, “Paul would say that the woman who willingly takes the role of a wife must understand both her duties and her relative position with regard to her husband (cf. Rom. 7:1-7) Now that should not be grievous or humiliating. It will not be so if she loves her husband and recognizes the Lord as her own Lord in matters spiritual. The known wish of the husband becomes the direction of the woman who truly loves her husband, just as the needs and desires of the wife become a driving force within the loving husband.”

Submission of the wife to the husband is the divine pattern of God for the happiness of the home. She was created to be a helper to the man as his needs were not met until God brought her to the man. Everything created by the will of the Father is beautiful when the purpose and design of God is followed. The home is best suited for the purpose of man and woman when the divine arrangement is created in the home. Woman was not taken from the foot of man so that he could abuse her. She was created from his side and from the rib the Lord formed the most beautiful creature man would ever see. Adam recognized the power of Eve in his life and every man must see the joy of God’s design in bringing the woman to the man. Every woman who abides by the will of the Lord submitting to the Biblical pattern of the home will find greater joy, happiness and fulfillment. In the final analysis the submission of the woman to the man is not an option but a command. Like all submission it is voluntary. No one is forced to submit to God but the consequences are severe. Refusing to submit to the man will bring about the same consequences. Everything God created was perfect and the marriage is perfected when the man and woman follow the pattern given by the Lord. Wives submitting to their husbands as is fitting in the Lord will find the greatest joy.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

Consequence Of Ignorance

When God placed man in the Garden of Eden, He revealed Himself as a God of law. Adam was tasked with caring for the garden with the caveat that he and Eve were not to take of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They could eat of every other tree in the garden but not of the forbidden fruit. Sin came into the world when they ignored the word of the Lord and took of the fruit. The purpose of God revealing Himself to all men is to let them learn His nature, His law, His character and the reason for the creation of man. Throughout the millennia of man’s existence he has been given the word of God in oral and written form to guide him in his life learning how to deepen his relationship with the Lord. Without fail, every time man has found himself in rebellion to God it is because he has refused to acknowledge the word of the Lord. There has never been a time when man could excuse himself in suggesting he did not know what he must do to be saved. Man was created with a brilliant mind to worship and glorify his creator understanding the nature of the godhead as divine and the reality of eternity. In the final day of man’s existence no one will be able to stand before the almighty God and plead ignorance. The word of the Lord has been given to all men throughout all time. Ignorance will not be an excuse for those who stand before their God. What is more tragic is the nature of God’s people where many find themselves devoid of the knowledge of who He is and why He saved them.

Israel was the apple of God’s eye. Their history is filled with rebellion, disobedience and failure. The prophet Hosea clarifies the turmoil among the people of God when he shows the reason of their demise came from their ignorance of the word of God. There was no reason they could not understand the will of God. The Law of Moses had been written many centuries before and had clearly been revealed to the nation as the binding law of God. Israel was failing because the people were destroying themselves by refusing to know the word of the Lord. They rejected the will of the Lord and found themselves feeling the wrath of God. The lack of knowledge brought them to destruction. Everything they needed to know was contained in the Law but they refused to abide by its laws and chose to govern themselves by their carnal and fleshly nature. As a result of their rebellion, God rejected them; not because He did not love them but their love for Him had died. They rejected knowledge and forgot the law of God. Because they had rejected Him and forgotten Him the Lord would reject them and forget them. This was not the will of the Father for His children. He had provided them everything they needed to find the grace and truth of His love. His enduring patience and longsuffering was established by the many times He had forgiven them, blessed them, consoled them and protected the nation. His people were destroyed for lack of knowledge because they rejected the word of God.

The world is unchanged from the days of Hosea as most men reject the Bible as the word of God and many within the body of Christ have little or no knowledge of God’s will. One of Satan’s greatest tools is to keep people ignorant. As long as he succeeds in allowing men to worship God as a peripheral image of religion without any knowledge of what the Bible says, the devil has gained a foothold. The Bible is filled with everything man needs to know to gain eternal life. Sixty-six books fill the pages of the final revealed word of God to man and contained within its pages is the mystery of godliness revealed to all men. The power of love, example of sacrifice and provisions of life beyond the grave are declared in splendid tones of grace, mercy and redemption and yet most have little or no knowledge of His word. Churches are filled with empty minds that spend their days filling themselves with the pleasures of the world and wondering why their lives are wrecked and desperate and hopeless. The people of God are being destroyed by a lack of knowledge. Hosea was not writing to unbelievers but believers who refused to learn the will of God. The nation of Israel was destroyed because of ignorance through rebellion and the church today is being hampered in reaching the lost for the lack of knowledge within its ranks. History will not repeat itself. The nation of Israel was destroyed for lack of knowledge. The church cannot be destroyed and will remain until the coming of the Lord but sadly how many lives will be lost because of ignorance. Christianity is a taught religion; not a caught religion. Study to show thyself approved requires study. Knowledge is the power to know the mind of God. Are you learning?

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” (Mark 5:35-36)

Belief Takes Away Doubt

Fear is one of the great tools of Satan to turn the hearts of people away from God. The fear of the unknown, uncertainty and doubt will fill a heart with the despondency of sin and left unchecked destroy hope. There are many things that man cannot understand or explain and death is one of those things that without God there can be no answer. It was a prevailing thought for many years that beyond the shores of Portugal and Spain there was nothing but the end of the earth. “Nothing beyond” was the view of those who stood on the shores and looked out across the vast ocean. Christopher Columbus and others ventured into the unknown and returned with news there was something over the horizon and the world rejoiced in the knowledge of a new world. Man could achieve the adventure of exploring the uncharted courses of the world to share will other men. Death is not an experience that anyone has returned to tell the tale. For thousands of years it was a dark expanse of the grave that all men ventured without returning. Death was the great harbinger of terror, fear and hopelessness. Loved ones clutched their children, families and friends as they died without understanding the meaning of death. The philosophies of men failed to define the reality of death offering answers without meaning to its purpose. It remained a mystery shrouded in the darkness of a final breath. And then Jesus came into the world.

There are few emotions as powerful as parents who experience facing death in the eyes of their children. A man called Jairus had urgently come to Jesus imploring Him to come see about his daughter who was at the point of death. The ruler of the synagogue had incredible faith in the Son of Man that He would be able to heal his daughter so that she may live. His faith in Jesus showed his love for his daughter and his deep faith in the power of God to do the impossible. As the Lord made His way to the house of Jairus, He was interrupted by a woman having an issue of blood that secretly crept up to Jesus seeking healing power by touching the hem of His garment. While the Lord spoke to the woman some men came from the house of Jairus and told him his daughter had died and not to trouble the Lord. Immediately an arrow pierced the heart of Jairus as he received the news of his daughter’s death. There was nothing more to do now and he had waited too late to bring the Lord to his daughter’s bedside. Grief filled his soul as he thought of his precious daughter. Turning to the ruler of the synagogue, Jesus tells Jairus, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” How can there be any hope when life has gone from the body? Could Jairus have such faith beyond the power of healing a disease to raising the dead? The Lord implored the mournful father to do two things: first do not be afraid because death will not have victory that day. Second if he believed with all his heart in the power of God, resurrection of the dead would be possible. Jesus went to the house of Jairus and raised his daughter from the dead. What could not be seen in the eyes of man was made visible through the power of God.

Jesus answers the question about death. It should not be feared if one believes in the power of God to raise the dead to eternal life. Before the Son of God came to earth death held sway over the hearts of men. The Jews rejected Jesus as Christ and killed him on a Roman cross in humiliation. On the first day of the week everything changed when Jesus came forth from the grave. It was not the first time someone had risen from the dead but this was not like any other resurrection. Jesus came from the tomb as a man who lived without sin and died but rose from the dead by the power of God never to die again. All those who had been raised from the dead were guilty of sin and would die again one day. Not Jesus. His power over death was complete. He died without sin and He rose to never die. His resurrection is the power and victory over death to all those who have the faith of Jairus to not fear and believe in the power of God. Death is not darkness but light for the children of the Lord who walk in the light. Those who carry the light of God into the valley of the shadow of death will never be in the darkness. There will be no fear in death because the heart believes Jesus has raised from the dead and He still lives and reigns over death. The grave is no longer the end of man but the beginning of the eternal man. In the tomb there is hope because eternal life is realized in death. When the heart looks at death without the fear and dread of the tomb, faith is experienced to see the joy of what is beyond the vale of death to a world of eternal light and life. Jesus still cries to His people to believe in Him and great joy will come. There is hope in death because that is when resurrection is realized.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Mark 16:15-20)

Jesus And The New Testament Church

Following His resurrection from the dead, Jesus spent forty days with the eleven and His disciples teaching them the things pertaining the kingdom of God. The church would be established on the Day of Pentecost and from there the message of salvation would spread to every corner of the globe. Twelve men would take the lead in establishing the church. Many disciples would be involved in the formation, planning and execution of the early church in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and uttermost parts of the world. Peter would be instrumental in teaching many of the first Christians. Paul the former persecutor of the Way would give his life in service to the Lord spreading the gospel throughout the Roman Empire establishing churches wherever he went. People like Priscilla and Aquila, Timothy, Titus, Epaphras, Barnabas, Luke, Andronicus and Junia and thousands of unnamed souls would take up the banner of truth and share the good news of Jesus Christ in a world of darkness. The mission of every Christian was based on the commission of the Lord before He ascended to the Father when He told the eleven the simple plan of the church. From its beginning the church was on the move. Jesus told the eleven to go into all the world and that is what they did. Beginning in Jerusalem, they began fanning out into the nearby lands of Judea and Samaria. After some time the gospel spread further until a day came when there were saints of God in Caesar’s household. Paul had a desire to go to Spain and preach the gospel and it is unlikely he was ever permitted by the Holy Spirit to go but that is how far reaching the early disciples spread the grace of God. As the early disciples went from place to place they preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Jews were the first recipients but then men like Cornelius were converted and the gospel spread to all men as far away as Ethiopia. There was no respecting of persons to receive the saving grace of God because Jesus died for all men from all walks of life, in every nation and from every tongue. Color of skin was not a factor, education, wealth, age or gender was not considered. Preaching the kingdom of God was taken to everyone.

What makes the New Testament church unique is the message of its followers. Jesus told the eleven to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every living creature. They did this with great vigor. What made their message different than what most people hear today is the instructions of Jesus concerning the means of salvation. Speaking for the Father and with all authority, the Son of God told the eleven preaching the gospel of Christ is contained within the command of God’s will. When a person believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ and when they are baptized into water they will receive the remission of sins. This is a very plain formula, teaching, instruction and pattern to show when a person becomes a Christian. Salvation comes after baptism; not before. Baptism is a result of believing the gospel preached to every creature in all the world. No one in the New Testament church became a Christian by accepting Christ as their personal Savior. There is not one single example of any man or woman obeying the gospel by faith alone. The reason is because this was not the will of the Father. Jesus tells the eleven salvation occurs when a man believes the gospel and is baptized. If a man hears the teaching of the apostles and does not believe in the hope of salvation in Christ, they will have no desire to be baptized for the remission of their sins and will be eternally lost. Why? Because they do not believe. Baptism comes from a heart that believes in the will of the Father. Without exception, every example of conversion in the early church was consummated in the waters of baptism when the sins of the individuals were washed away by the blood of Jesus. This is what Jesus taught the eleven to share with the world.

The final exhortation of Jesus to the eleven is the proof what they were teaching for the first time to humanity was blessed by the authority of Jesus Christ. Signs would follow these men as they took the gospel to all the world. There would be many things the early disciples would witness at the hands of the apostles and others as miracles confirmed the word. Casting out demons, speaking in languages without having to learn the speech, taking up serpents like what happened to Paul in Malta and showing the power of God through signs, wonders and miracles would confirm the word of truth as from the Father. Jesus would prove He was the Son of God by signs and miracles. Now the world would see that same power confirm the word of these men as the early church began. After Jesus was taken to His Father, the eleven went out and did exactly what the Lord had commanded them to do: they went everywhere preaching the word. They taught the resurrection of Jesus Christ and through the means of immersion in water the blood of God’s Son would take away their sins. The Lord worked through them confirming what they taught as the only truth through the accompanying signs. And the church spread throughout all the world. Jesus instructed the eleven of the nature of the early church and upon that promise men today find the truth of salvation. The miracles are gone because the word of God is completed and there is no use for miracles. Sins are washed away in the waters of baptism when men believe in the message of Jesus Christ. What Jesus declared two thousand years ago remains true today and all men must follow the pattern of the New Testament church and commission of the Lord to be saved.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

God Gives Time To Repent

One of the most incredible attributes of God is the nature of His longsuffering, patience and love allowing men to find themselves and salvation. The Lord is the creator of the universe and He brought forth the world by speaking. When He said, “Let there be light,” light was formed. Through His immense power Jehovah fashioned every star that fills the night sky and placed the sun just the precise distance from the earth so not to burn it to a crisp or envelop it in a frozen wasteland. From the dust of the ground man was formed and woman was fashioned from the rib of man. The power of God is revealed day unto day in the created world. What is forgotten is His most imminent force of judgment that will come upon all men yet held in reserve to allow men to find salvation in Him. It is easy to look at the condition of the world and wonder why the Lord does not return and destroy the evil nature of man. Wars continue to rage across the face of the earth, injustice and cruelty fill the lives of millions and the moral compass of humanity is turned to its own pleasures and wants. There will come a day when the Lord Christ will return with His mighty angels taking vengeance on those who do not believe in the Father and refuse to obey the gospel of Christ. Until that time the incredible power of God’s longsuffering heart continues to grant all men another day to find redemption.

The patience and longsuffering of God is not measured by the wisdom of man. His delay in bringing about judgment does not suggest He has forgotten what He promised. Every time a rainbow appears in the sky the Lord is reminded of a promise He made thousands of years ago to Noah that He would never destroy the world by a flood. However, the promise of final destruction has always been in the mind of God and His Son boldly proclaimed a coming judgment where the world would come to an end. In the early church the disciples believed that judgment would come in their lifetime. It has been two thousand years since those promises have been made but man should never think God has forgotten. The delay is not forgetfulness but grace. In His infinite mercy the Lord is allowing man to exercise his free will to find the truth of salvation in the word of God and come to the Lord in obedience. Every day that begins and every year that starts anew is the testimony of the Lord God that His longsuffering continues.

It is not the purpose or design of God to destroy man. His intent and desire for all men is to be saved. Man was created for the glory of God. All that man is declares the nature of the divine as he was made in the image of his creator. Man is an eternal creature designed to live in a world without end. Housing man in the fleshly tabernacle was only a temporary means until the eternal was realized. The love of God is expressed in the knowledge that He does not want or desire any of His creation to perish in eternal flame. The expectation of the Lord is that all men would repent; suggesting all men have a nature that requires repentance. Sin is the problem and all men fight the battle of sin. Repentance is when man turns away from sin and turns to God. Most men will refuse to give up their lusts and die outside the covenant of the Lord. That is not what God wants but if man is intent on rebelling against his only hope of redemption then he will be lost. In the last and final day no man can say to his creator that he did not have opportunity to learn of God, obey the gospel and inherit eternal life. The longsuffering of God will testify to the veracity of God’s claim for justice. Man is the one who refused grace. Jesus became the sacrifice that all men could come to the Father and enjoy eternal life. The longsuffering of the Lord gave every man the opportunity to find salvation. God is not willing that any should perish. Repentance is a decision you have to make!

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (Ephesians 5:23)

A Husband’s Love

When love is defined it says more about the person than it does the meaning of the word. Expressing words of love are important but words alone cannot measure the true meaning of love one for another. In the family relationship of husband and wife love is more than saying vows before a group of people. It becomes a lifetime of expressing through words and actions the deep feelings of the bond shared between a man and a woman. Everyone needs this kind of relationship. When God created man He knew he was incomplete. Man was not whole without a mate and without that force of love in his life there would be no joy. Taking a rib from the side of Adam, the Lord fashioned a part of Adam’s identity creating a creature that would fill his needs and share his life. Reciprocally the woman would bless the life of man as he met her needs and fulfilled her purpose. She needed the love and attention of her husband to know she was loved and cared for. As the first creation and because of the transgression of the woman, man took a role of headship over the woman. Paul would define this headship as one of subjection but not as the world would view domination. The husband is the head of the wife because God said he was. Societal views and moral norms have not changed that. Men can refuse this headship and women can reject their subjection and in so doing defy the word of God. Subjection to man must be viewed in the framework of God’s word. The husband is not the head of the wife but he is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. There is a vast difference between those two concepts.

A man can be a tyrant and force his wife to obey his will. Jesus did not exercise His headship over man in a tyrannical manner. He could have which is a frightful idea to consider. Jesus came to serve man and to die for man. The Lord left His eternal abode with the heavenly Father and became a man – a servant. He would tell His disciples this purpose was to come and to serve. His life was exemplified by the obedience of the word of the Father. Examining the life of Jesus it is easy to see His life was focused not on himself but the love He had for those who follow after Him. Following His return to Heaven these disciples would become the church of Christ. Jesus would be the head of the church as a husband must be the head of the wife. If a man wants to learn how to be a loving and godly husband he has only but to listen to the life of Jesus and follow His example. The church is the body of Christ. No man ever hated his own body but would cherish and take care of it. This is what the Christ did for man is to cherish the eternal lives of His disciples. Through the word of the Father, Jesus nourishes and cherishes the body of saints that are subject to Him. Who among the people of God feel oppressed by the one who is the head – Jesus Christ? Men are to be subject to Christ as head or disobey the law of God. Those who refuse to subject to the husband are also refusing to obey the will of the Father. The husband shows this subjection in the same manner Jesus exercises His Lordship over the church. Jesus did everything possible to bless the church and to care for the church. The husband must be a servant to his wife to serve her needs honoring her as the bride. No woman could resist being in a relationship where the husband nourishes and cherishes her daily as his bride.

Everything about the life of Jesus was leading up to the death on the cross. The attention of the world is focused on the sacrifice on the cross for eternal salvation but it must not be lost in the family relationship this is an example of Jesus and the husband. Not only must a man be the head of the wife and show love to his wife he must be willing to forfeit his life for her. The main problem in troubled marriages is the husband and wives are only looking out for themselves instead of the needs of others. Paul told the church at Corinth the body of the husband belongs to the wife and the body of wife belongs to the husband. The husband must be willing to sacrifice himself for his wife. This can mean literally but that is not the lesson Paul is trying to teach. As Jesus is the Savior of the body so must the man be the savior of the wife. He must expend his life for her glory, beauty and grace. Leadership in the home begins when a man takes the role of the husband as Christ took the plan of God to save the church. A husband’s love is a sacrificial love willing to show his wife and give his wife everything she needs to make her feel the love of God. Like Christ is the head of the church so the man is the head of the woman. When a man leads in the sacrificial love of Christ the home will be blessed with the divine pattern of the Creator.

And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. (Luke 24:19-20)

The Greatest Prophet

A study of the prophets immediately takes the focus to the Old Testament books following the wisdom literature series of Job through Song of Solomon. Major prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel are noted for the volume of the books; while the minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi) are smaller in the text size of the message. This does not diminish the power of the message but only signifies a reference to the breadth of the book. While sixteen men are represented as the prophets of the old canon this does not suggest there were not many more prophets from early time that did not carry out the bidding of the Father. One of the earliest of those called prophets was seventh from Adam named Enoch. He was the man whom God took as they walked together and was not. Abraham is called a prophet when the Lord came to Abimelech warning him to return Sarah to her husband. Moses and Aaron are called prophets during the wilderness wanderings. Seers were called prophets and men like Samuel, Gad, Nathan, Ahijah, Jehu, Elijah, Elisha, Jonah the son of Amittai took the word of the Lord to the nation of Israel and its rulers to proclaim the word of the Lord. Their work was to proclaim the eternal word of the Lord. There were many prophets that little is known. Shemaiah was a prophet and wrote a book called the Book of Shemaiah telling the exploits of the acts of Rehoboam. The annals of the prophet Iddo tell of the life of Abijah king of Judah. Oded the prophet helped king Asa of Judah have the courage to remove idols from the land. There are many more prophets named and unnamed in scripture that carried the word of the Lord to the people.

The veracity of the prophet would determine if he was a prophet from the Lord or a false teacher. Under the Law of Moses the litmus test was whether the word of the prophet came to pass and if the word spoken by the prophet was from the Lord. It was not solely determined if the word of prophecy came to pass or not but whether the word of the prophet was true to the will of the Lord. A prophet could give the people a sign or wonder and when it came to pass encourage them to go after other gods. They were not to listen to this false prophet. That prophet or that dreamer would be put to death because he sought to lead the people away from Jehovah. The prophet that followed the word of the Lord to keep His commandments and obey His voice was the true prophet and one sent by God. To him the people were to hold fast and adhere to his word. It was easy for people to be influenced by the actions of the prophets instead of listening to the word of the prophet. The word of the prophet must be in keeping with the work he is doing and that all things come from God. True prophets show the power of God in their life and in their teaching.

Jesus was called a prophet because of what He said and what He did. He was a man attested by God through the miracles, signs and wonders He performed proving His power over all things. This did not make Him the Son of God alone but the word He taught was with authority and the clarity of the divine will. The completeness of Jesus is found in His power and His teaching. He is the greatest of all prophets because He could prove Himself to be the divine Son of God through the mighty deeds and the message of the word. The men on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus of Nazareth as being the greatest of all the prophets. Jesus began with Moses and the Prophets concerning Himself explaining to the men who He was as fulfillment of the promises made of the coming Prophet. Later He would appear to the eleven opening their understanding to see Jesus as the message of the Old Testament through the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms. He was the embodiment of everything God purposed, planned and prophesied concerning the redemption of man. No other man could be the prophet who gave His own life as sacrifice for the sins of the world. What separated Jesus from other prophets was His sinless life. Tempted in all points He remained without sin making Him the perfect prophet. Jesus is the Son of God and the Prophet through whom all men must approach the Father. There is one prophet! The empty tomb proves Jesus to be that prophet.