Buried With Him

“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12

John the Baptist required fruits meet for repentance and personal faith in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, before he would consider one as a candidate for baptism.

Peter preached to the house of Israel (Acts 2:38) that repentance unto faith in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, were essential requirements for baptism.

Baptism is a pictorial ordinance, demonstrating that in Christ’s substitutionary death, the believer has died to sin, “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2) Likewise, in order to live for God, the dead-to-sin believer is convicted, “that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) It takes the power of God enabling the believer to do God’s will, who is subjected to God’s purpose and will, by self-denial and mortification of their own will.

Thus, the saved person finds success in both excluding sin and including God’s service, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One’s personal faith in Christ secures their soul’s salvation (Romans 1:16, John 1:12) and the believer’s obedience to God’s command to be buried with Christ in baptism, includes their life in the operation of God as a member of the Body of Christ here on earth and a part of the Bride of Christ in heaven.

For the believer to live for Christ, who has baptism sanction by heaven, it is a matter of yielding to do the will of God by the aid of the power of God – Romans 6:12-13. The strength and means to commit sin is in the flesh, if you yield to the flesh. Likewise, the strength to serve God exists with those who have been resurrected to walk with Christ in newness of life, as they yield unto the Holy Spirit.

Christianity not only functions on different principles than the flesh, but also on different strengths. The difference is in the strength of the flesh being buried in death with Christ, unto receiving the strength of God to walk with Him, that comes by His power in raising us up to do so. The religions of men emphasize the strength of the flesh through reformation, self-improvement, and self-assertion. But Christianity functions on having no confidence in the flesh unto seeking the power of Christ’s resurrection – Philippians 3:3-10. Before Paul was saved he was a religious zealot. But after he was saved, that strength was useless to serve God. After Paul was baptized, with the working of God’s power, he chose to engulf his whole life into the work of the Lord. Being buried and rising to walk with Christ through scriptural baptism is important!

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“…male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27

“And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman…And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:22-24

There is hardly anything that true Bible believers are upbraided for any more than holding to God’s Word on the matter of the distinctions of male and female. We believe God to be the sole authority on this all important matter.

God made male and female distinct components so that when joined together in marriage, “they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), not two of the same sort, competing against one another; this is what is happening today.

God’s authority made the man the head over the woman: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3 Since God’s authority established this order, the rejection of this order is the rejection of God’s authority. Thus, the order in sound New Testament Churches, 1 Corinthians 14:34-38, 1 Timothy 2:11-14, that men conduct the worship services, with women not speaking, not teaching, nor usurping authority over the man, but remaining in silence, in all subjection to the authority of God.

In creating human nature, God’s given distinctions for male and female are such that, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering” 1 Corinthians 11:14-15. (By the way, verse 16 is clarifying that this rule did not originate with any given church, but with nature itself as God created.)

God ordained grass roots preservation for the distinction of male and female in the way that a person thinks of themselves, the way they present themselves to others, and in the way that society perceives and views one another when He ordained the distinctions of dress for all: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” Deuteronomy 22:5. See 1 Timothy 2:9-10 – “…which becometh women professing godliness” = this distinction maintained.

God’s doctrine for Christians further emphasizes the role and place of male and female to be distinct: “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2:4-5 God has charged the man to provide for his family: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” 1 Timothy 5:8

God created male and female to be joined together in marriage as one flesh. This same God has judged homosexuality (lesbianism, etc.) as being vile affections, against nature, unseemly, error, uncleanness, the dishonoring of the body and is a condition of reprobate minds, in rejection of God’s authority, the way of the unrighteous who shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Romans 1:24-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Now consider the agendas being pushed world wide, as being politically correct, thus to be imposed upon all, as is the case at the U.N. Conference on Women at Beijing, and taught in many universities “women’s studies programs”:
–Marriage is seen as the root of all evil for women; the family is blamed for most of the violence suffered by women and girls.
–“Gender feminism” is being projected. This projects that the differences between men and women are only relatively insignificant biological differences. It is advocated that the traditional roles of mother and father be dissolved; that all references to sexuality be replaced with gender neutral terms. This political objective called “the deconstruction of gender” is designed to eliminate males having male privileges through denying the existence of males and females for all practical and social purposes. Thus, there is to be absolutely no differences tolerated between the sexes.
–The driving force behind this “deconstruction of gender” is the homosexual and lesbian rights initiative, to call upon all governments to recognize one’s right to determine their own sexual identity, whether it be to be male, female, homosexual, lesbian, or transgendered. For women, the preferred love relationship is lesbian in nature, in that way negating male oppressiveness. The ideal way of bearing children is considered to be artificial insemination, and lesbian partners having the same parenting rights accorded historically to biological fathers.

BRETHREN, IT IS TIME FOR CHRISTIANS TO WAKE UP and examine on which side of the “deconstruction of gender” their position really lies. I am thankful I was raised under parental position and Bible teaching that stressed to me the importance of the distinction between male and female on every level including dress and hair styles. Many have lost sight of this importance. Many minds have been “liberalized” through religious compromise. Many church congregations are living evidence of the Devil’s success with his “deconstruction of gender” program. Fellow Christian, before you cry out about the world’s degeneracy, consider how you stand on God’s authority as that which is to determine what one’s life and identity is to be.

–Pastor Robert Miller

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Burden Bearers

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Burdens are not just limited to the other guy. “For every man shall bear his own burden.” Galatians 6:5 We all will have our own burdens to bear. Job 7:20 records Job as saying that he was a burden to himself. The biggest burden we may have to bear, may very well be ourselves. When this is the case, there is no escape from being a burden bearer.

Another thing to consider: it is a far better thing to bear one another’s burdens, than it is to bear our own. It is better have strength to minister to another’s weakness, than it is to be weak ourselves. In this sense, it is definitely more blessed to give, then to receive.

God requires it of us to bear one another’s burdens: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” This is Christ’s commandment that we are to observe. To ignore or neglect to do this, is not fulfilling the law of Christ. Lest we hide behind how unpleasant a task we think it may be to bear the burdens of others, first consider how unpleasant it would be if we had their burdens upon ourselves. The law of Christ requires us to live and do beyond self-centeredness. Children need to be brought up to see the necessity to develop an attitude of being a servant of Christ’s law rather than just entertaining themselves. No Christian’s life and service to God on this earth will be made complete if we do not take up our cross and bear the burdens of others and so fulfill the law of Christ.

So we need to get real! Who among us has a burden to bear? Who among us will answer the call to bear one another’s burdens? Who among us is comprehending the fact that as we sow, so shall we reap, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again?

Are you into fulfilling the law of Christ by helping others bear their burdens?

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20

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The Christian As A Citizen

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21b

In John 6:15, the people wanted to make Christ their king, eyeing His miraculous power as a means to relieve their nation of its political and social problems. Christ withdrew from this. In John 18:36, Christ declared that the Kingdom of God was separate from civil government’s civil matters.

In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus did not take up the initiative to secure social justice for the atrocities committed by the Roman governor.

On other occasions, such as Matthew 22:21, Christ taught that people were to fulfill their obligations to both God and civil government, without neglect to either.

Romans 13:1-7, declares that all mankind, Christians included, are to be respectful of and obedient to civil government, which God ordained for the human race as a whole, not just for Christians.

So when it comes time to choose leaders for civil government, that is what we are to do. When it comes time to ordain leaders in the church, that is what we are to do. The qualifications for these separate positions differ. The best Christian on earth may know little about civil government, while the best civil leader may not be qualified for a leadership position in church. Being a Christian does not make you the best bus driver, the best pilot, the best soldier, the best policeman, the best banker, the best governor, etc.

Granted, if the playing field is level when it comes to qualifications for a secular position, a Christian can, and should be, the better choice based on godliness being superior to worldliness.

We should not expect that we can change the spiritual condition of our nation through civil government. That can only happen through repentance and faith in response to people turning to God and His Word.

But as a citizen, we must choose the most qualified leaders, without directly supporting those who are defying the moral laws of the God who ordained government.

“Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” 2 Chronicles19:2

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A Holy Establishment

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” 2 Timothy 4:3

The church is not a theater to entertain with sensationalism, to the satisfaction of men. Rather, it is a holy establishment, sanctified for God’s specific use. If you are shopping for clothes, you don’t go to a toy store. If you are looking for car parts, you don’t go to a grocery store, etc. Every establishment has its own designated purpose.

The church is not like a theater, it is like a restaurant, where those who hunger and thirst after righteousness go to be fed.

The church is not like a theater, it is like a bank, where people go to get involved with laying up treasure in heaven.

The church is not like a theater, it is like a work place, where people go to engage themselves with the Lord’s work, and receive their due rewards for their deeds.

The church is not like a theater, it is like a school where people go to be taught the Word of God, for faith and godly wisdom. It is here that self-discipline, respect, and personal application are required with willful absenteeism considered a demerit.

The church is not like a theater, but is like a lighthouse that must be maintained without neglect for the sake of others, regardless of one’s own personal agenda or feelings.

The church is not like a theater, but like an insurance agency where covenant promises are made, based on the faithful participation of all parties involved.

Rather than the church be like a theater where human desires are gratified, it is like a memorial where the glory of God is kept in perpetual remembrance.

Rather than being ‘common ground’ to accommodate and satisfy human preferences, the church is ‘holy ground’, where man humbles himself before God, seeking God’s mercy and grace, with a broken and contrite spirit.

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

“…let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” Hebrews 12:28b

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