Blog Posts

Two Baptisms

10/5/2021

The necessity of baptism for salvation is clearly taught in the Scriptures. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Paul told the Romans that baptism gives “newness of life” and allows a person to be “freed from sin” (Rom. 6:4-7). Add to that, how Peter even said that “baptism doth also now save us” (1 Pet. 3:21). So, it is unmistakable just with these few verses how a person must be baptized to receive cleansing from sin (Acts 22:16). Yet, the early church was familiar with two baptisms—baptism of the Holy Spirit and water baptism. This has caused some to wonder is there only one baptism or are there two baptisms to be received?

Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a special immersion that only occurred three times. First, the twelve apostles received this baptism on the Day of Pentecost when the church began in AD 33 (Acts 2:1-4). Jesus had promised that they would receive this baptism and instructed them to wait for it In Jerusalem (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5). This baptism empowered them with miraculous abilities (including inspired preaching and the ability to pass miraculous abilities along) to allow the church to take root and spread. Second, the apostle Paul received this baptism possibly when he went to Arabia (Gal. 1:17). Even though this baptism it is not recorded, it is clear he received it because he had the same advantages and abilities as the other apostles (2 Cor. 11:5; Acts 19:6). Third, the household of Cornelius also received this baptism around AD 41 (Acts 10:44-48). Peter said it was a gift just like what they had received at the beginning of the church (Acts 11:15-17). However, the purpose was a bit different. Instead of empowering them to do the work of the Lord like the apostles, it simply showed the Jews that the Gentiles had a right to salvation just like they did (Acts 11:12; 15-18).

All of these individuals received two baptisms; but, there is only one today. Around AD 62-64 Paul said, “there is one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). He was not referring to Holy Spirit baptism, but water baptism. This is easily seen for two reasons: Holy Spirit baptism was promised and not commanded (Acts 1:4) and Jesus was the only one who could administer it (Mat. 3:11). Therefore, as Jesus commanded the apostles and us to go into all the world preaching and baptizing people for the remission of sins (Mat. 28:19; Acts 2:38), He was speaking of water baptism only. Holy Spirit baptism was never for salvation, but water baptism is. It is where a person makes the decision to “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27), to “wash away sins” (Acts 22:16), being “buried” with Christ to be made spiritually alive (Col. 2:12,13). No one was ever commanded to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and no one will ever be. No one was ever saved by being baptized with the Holy Spirit and none will ever be baptized in this way again. The Lord fulfilled His purpose with the final instance of this baptism in AD 41. Yet, the “one baptism” in water for salvation continues until the end of time (Mat. 28:20).

Derrick Coble

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When is Anger Sinful?

9/28/2021

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So, you were up for a big promotion at work, and it seemed like a done deal, until your co-worker got it instead . . . anger? Maybe, you were late for an appointment and got stopped by every traffic light and then, trying to dodge traffic, you suddenly stop and get rear ended . . . anger? What about the time when you and your spouse had a huge disagreement over responsibilities or finances . . . anger? There are so many situations in our lives that happen every day that can cause us anger. It usually happens in four stages: the buildup, the spark, the explosion, and the aftermath. Our job is to make sure that the explosion does not cause us to sin, having to deal with the messy consequences of the aftermath. That is why Paul said, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Eph. 4:26).

Numerous times in the Old Testament God was angry. He was angry with Moses and Solomon (Deu. 1:37; 4:21; 1 Kings 11:9) and He was “very angry” with Aaron (Deu. 9:20) and Israel (2 Kings 17:18). Yet, He was still “slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Psa. 103:8). Also, Jesus was angry with those who were buying and selling in the temple (Mat. 21:12,13), with the hard-hearted Pharisees (Mark 3:5), and even as Mary was weeping at his feet over the death of Lazarus (John 11:33).

So, if God and Jesus were both angry, it is not a sin (1 Pet. 2:22). However, it can become sinful if we are not careful. For instance, if our anger leads us to use profanity or other “evil speaking” we have sinned (Eph. 4:29-31). If we hold on to wrongs against us and allow anger to become a grudge, cause us not to forgive the penitent, or let it lead to hatred, we have sinned (James 5:9; Eph. 4:32; Gal. 5:20). If we are angry with a brother or sister in Christ and refuse to resolve the situation, we have sinned (Mat. 5:21-26). If we allow anger to turn into wrath or intense fury that doesn’t go away, we have sinned (James 1:20).

The difficulty for every Christian is self-control (Gal. 5:23). Nobody gives us as many problems as we give to ourselves. However, if we can learn to allow ourselves to live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit every day (Gal. 5:25) our lives will be better and we will be happier, especially when it comes to anger. Someone has said, “A person who is angry on the right grounds, against the right persons, in the right manner, at the right moment, and for the right length of time deserves great praise.”

Derrick Coble

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If You Have Missed the Gospel Meeting . . .

6/22/2021

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. . .you have missed an opportunity to grow . . . We are commanded to grow in our knowledge and there is no better way to do that than taking advantage of extra opportunities in hearing God’s Word (2 Pet. 3:18)

. . .you have missed a command to assemble . . . We are commanded to assemble and not neglect it for any reason if we can help it because God wants our hearts (Heb. 10:25; Psa. 119:2)

. . . you have missed worshipping God . . . Worship should be something we all desire to do as our soul longs for God (Psa. 42:1). If you find yourself dreading worship, it might be a sign that the world has distracted you too much (Luke 21:34).

. . . you have missed a shelter from the world . . . There are pressures and temptations we face everyday that we just need to escape sometimes to recharge ourselves. God is the greatest shelter there is (Psa. 61:3).

. . . you have missed the fellowship of the saints . . . Christian fellowship motivates and encourages us to live faithfully every day. It is encouraging to know there are others with same goal (Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:24).

. . . you have missed building your faith . . . Faith comes by hearing God’s Word (Rom. 10:17). So, if you haven’t been here for each service, your faith may be lacking.

. . . you have missed setting a good example . . . Attending every service of a meeting shows others you want to put God and the church first (Mat. 6:33). Friends, family members, children, neighbors, co-workers, and others are all watching. Have they seen your commitment to the Lord?

. . . you have missed a preview of Heaven . . . Heaven is a place of service, worship, and supreme love for God as is the church (Eph. 3:21). If attending a Gospel meeting is too much trouble for you, then Heaven will be too. Don’t miss it (Rev. 20:15).

Derrick Coble

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Sign Me Up! (Matthew 4:18-22)

1/6/2015

Have you ever received an offer that seemed too good to refuse? Perhaps, at a department store the clerk entices with 25% off your purchase if you sign up for a credit card. Or, you watch a demonstration of a fantastic new product but the catch is you must buy it right away if you want the best value. Maybe you have even been lured into one of those “free kitten” or “free puppy” deals in the dollar store parking lot. Sometimes we are quick to say, “Sign me up” and don’t think about living with our decision on a daily basis—whether it is good or bad. Not only does this happen in worldly decisions, but also in spiritual decisions. When Peter, Andrew, James, and John were all called to follow Jesus, they “straightway” and “immediately” followed him (Mat. 4:18-22). Did they realize the kind of commitment they were making? Did they understand the sufferings they would have to endure? Jesus would later speak of the great commitment and sacrifice in following Him. He said that He had no place to lay His head (Mat. 8:20) and a man must forsake all that he has to be His disciple (Luke 14:33). Furthermore, Jesus would speak of the suffering that His followers must endure by being persecuted (Mat. 5:11) and hated because of Him (Mark 13:13). We are not much different today. Following after Christ is a big decision and there are persecutions and sacrifices involved (2 Tim. 3:12). Yet, it is wonderful when people make that decision very quickly and show themselves to be dedicated every step of the way—no matter what. Such was the case with Peter, Andrew, James, and John. In spite of human weaknesses, they proved to be valuable servants of the Lord until the end of their lives. They said, “Sign me up” and they meant it! There were no gimmicks, presents, or accolades; but, there was they promise of something greater to come. We have the same promise of an eternal inheritance (Col. 3:23,24). So, what do you say? “Sign me up!”

The Inferno Bath (Matthew 3:11)

9/8/2014

I recently saw a carwash that advertised, “The Inferno Bath.” It is a red and yellow foam that actually looks like fire as it sprays on the vehicle. It is supposed to promote a deeper clean. Interestingly, it was Jesus who spoke of a real “inferno bath” that will forever rid the righteous of all the filthy influences of the world. John the baptizer called it a baptism of fire (Mat. 3:11). There is a baptism that cleanses from sin and there is a baptism that condemns those in sin. John was baptizing believers in water (for the remission of sins) before the death of Christ. Those who submitted to his inspired words, were forgiven provisionally looking forward to the death of Jesus for the sin of the world (Mark 1:4; Acts 19:4; 1 John 2:2; John 1:29). Today, we are baptized for the remission of sins looking backward in faith to the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). John compared those buried in baptism to wheat gathered safely into the barn (i.e., Heaven; Mat. 3:12). Everyone else (including those who become unfaithful) will be baptized in “unquenchable fire.” Baptism is literally an immersion or being submerged. Thus, all those who are not sincere (Mat. 3:8), those who do not bring forth a change in their lives (Mat. 3:10), and those who are not obedient to the Gospel, will be overwhelmed in everlasting fire. (Rev 20:15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Premeditated Worship (Matthew 2)

8/18/2014

If you have ever made or done something according to a plan, you might say it was, “premeditated.” In other words, you thoroughly contemplated what you would do, and made the decision well beforehand (cf. Mark 13:11). Such was the case with the wise men and with Herod at the birth of Jesus. Upon seeing “his star” (cf. Num. 24:17) the wise men made the decision to go and worship Him (Mat. 2:2). Their premeditated plan was to show deep reverence for the new King. So, when Herod learned of their intent, he sent them to Bethlehem saying, “when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also” (Mat. 2:8b). Unfortunately, Herod’s premeditation was murder (Mat. 2:16).

These attitudes are not so different from those in the world today. There are those (like the wise men) who have premeditated on God’s Word and decided they will bow down to the Almighty bringing their best to Him in faithful worship (Mat. 2:11; cf. John 4:24). On the other hand, there are some with ulterior motives who are just as hypocritical and insincere as Herod (Col. 2:23).

Premeditated Worship that Saves:

Exalts God & His Word Over Man (Acts 10:25,26; Psa. 119:161)
Follows God’s Doctrinal Pattern (Acts 2:42; Rom. 6:17)—this includes singing (Eph. 5:19), giving (1 Cor. 16:1,2), preaching (2 Tim. 4:2), partaking the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7), and praying (1 Tim. 2:1-5).
Flows From a Humble & Loving Heart (Mat. 22:37; James 4:8-10)

Premeditated Worship that Kills:

Exalts the Commandments of Men over God (Mat. 15:8,9)
Follows After Deceitful Doctrines (Eph. 4:14; 1 Tim. 4:1,2)
Flows From a Boastful and Selfish Heart (James 4:2,3; Psa. 94:4)

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).

A Model Husband (Matthew 1:18-25)

8/13/2014

So, you take out the trash, fold some towels, and give your wife advice on how to fix a problem she’s having all while checking out the latest news or sports scores. You might be the king of the “multi-task” but will your marriage last? God has given the husband one of the biggest responsibilities ever—to love and lead his wife as Christ loves and leads His church (Eph. 5:23-25). A man must love his wife as he loves his own body and show his love for her by nourishing and cherishing her (Eph. 5:29). This is the kind of love that Joseph had for Mary. That is why he is a husband worthy of imitating.

Righteous (Mat. 1:19): Joseph had a firm desire to do the will of God. He was virtuous and upright. Think of the difference between Joseph and the many men today who refuse to acknowledge God. Both men and women need God.

Sensitive (Mat. 1:19): Joseph was not willing to make a public example of Mary. He knew that she could be stoned if he did not divorce her secretly (Deu. 22:23,24). Even though he must have felt betrayed, he was willing to show her compassion. Husbands today must learn to never criticize their wives publicly, but lift them up.

A Good Listener (Mat. 1:20-23): Many women complain that husbands never listen. However, Joseph listened well. When the angel of the Lord explained that Mary was still a virgin and had not been unfaithful, Joseph changed his mind about divorcing Mary. Men typically do not like to be told what to do, but Joseph listened and did what the angel told him.

Loyal (Mat. 1:24,25): Joseph had an unswerving devotion to God and his wife. He supported Mary and made sure that no one could doubt her purity by abstaining from a sexual relationship until after Jesus was born. He was a family man who supported his large family by working as a carpenter and leading them to follow God (Mat. 13:55,56; Luke 2:41,42). What if every husband ministered to the needs of his wife and family like Joseph?

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD” (Pro. 18:22).

“Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them” (Col. 3:19).

Forward>>

Two Baptisms

When is Anger Sinful?

If You Have Missed the Gospel Meeting . . .

Sign Me Up! (Matthew 4:18-22)

The Inferno Bath (Matthew 3:11)

Premeditated Worship (Matthew 2)

A Model Husband (Matthew 1:18-25)

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