When these priests were obedient to the faith, they repented, believed, and confessed Christ in baptism. They did not repent, believe, and fail or refuse to be baptized.-- John Kohler, New Covenant Christian Forum, Wed, 29 Aug 2007
This is how people are obedient to the faith today.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Obedience to the Faith
Acts 6: [7] And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
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6 comments:
This sounds bad; sounds like baptism is a sign that one has received Christ. Receiving Christ--Salvation--is a prerequisite to baptism. We do not (knowingly) baptize lost people. "Obedient to the faith": Now here's one that legalists just LOVE. Here they can say that 'this', 'that', and 'the other thing' is being "obedient to the faith". Obedience to the faith is something that is GIVEN, by Grace. Believing that Jesus is the Christ and acting, by faith, on that belief is GIVEN...by Grace. Obedience to the faith is something we are not capable of. Only Christ in us can do the impossible. If I am wrong here, then man has something to offer God that God does not already have; man is a 'helper' in his salvation. Only God can open the eyes of the unbeliver. No 'work' on our part, whether we are attempting to convince or believe, is of any value--or use--to Grace. God continues to have mercy on those of HIS choosing...not ours.
Baptism is an OUTWARD symbol of what has already happened on the inside.
Bro. Anon
Bro. Anon, I appreciate the comments. I have a few thoughts, but don't have time to type them right now. Until I can get around to it, I'm pasting in another comment by John Kohler:
"Man is not eternally saved by doing meritorious good works. Salvation is by God's grace, not by human merit.
"There is nothing meritorious about repenting, believing, confessing, being baptized, and persevering in faith and good works. This is because God enables us to do these things, and we would and could not do them without His enablement." -- "Divine Enablement," HBS, 27 March 2008
Brother Anon, I'm finally getting around to posting my comments. Sorry to be so long.
First, your beginning -- "This sounds bad; sounds like baptism is a sign that one has received Christ" -- and ending -- "Baptism is an OUTWARD symbol of what has already happened on the inside" -- I find confusing. I'm not sure I understand the difference you make in baptism being a sign that one has received Christ and baptism being a symbol of what has already happened inside (receiving Christ).
Second, I agree when you write: "Obedience to the faith is something that is GIVEN, by Grace. Believing that Jesus is the Christ and acting, by faith, on that belief is GIVEN...by Grace. Obedience to the faith is something we are not capable of. Only Christ in us can do the impossible." But to me it seems we can add "Baptism is acting, by faith, on a belief that is GIVEN...by Grace." That's one reason I posted John Kohler's other comments. I also with you agree that "obedience to the faith is something we are not capable of." And yet, in Acts 6:7, we see some who were obedient to the faith. To me it seems the answer is that God enables us to do that which we are unable to do (John 15:5; Phil. 4:13). I guess the next question is, "What does obedience to the faith include?"
Now John K. and I don't see eye to eye on the baptism issue, and I believe you rightly perceive something different in what (or the way) he writes and what most Baptists would say. When I quote John, it may be a clue that I am pushing the envelope. BUT, I believe Baptists need to be pushed on this issue. We need to think about our common jargon. We need to think about issues surrounding baptism. We need to focus on the meaning and use of baptism. We need to think about why an apostle can exhort his hearers to "repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" and we Baptists couldn't have our arms twisted hard enough to end a sermon with such a statement.
Your last sentence (above) made me laugh out loud. It is so true!
I am very glad you included more of John Kohler's writings. Yes, I would agree with our being "unable"; however, I do not believe that God "enables" us. I believe He does it Himself...in us. We yield to the Spirit to do as He will IN us. But, even the yielding is given to us by Grace.
Baptism is not a sign--or proof--that one has been born again. Baptism means nothing to the lost person who is 'baptised'. I was saying that baptism is not a "sign", or proof, that one is saved. However, to the born again baptism is symbolic of what has taken place inside them. To a lost person who is baptised, the baptism would be symbolic of nothing. I should have said that baptism is not proof of salvation; and that baptism, to the born again, is symbolic of death, burial, and rising from the dead. I intermingled my contexts--the lost and the saved.
Much of what Jesus and the disciples told people to do they were not ABLE to do. The diciples told people to repent, but repentance is from the Lord. To tell someone to do something they cannot do leaves them in need. Following The Law, perfectly, has never been possible. The Law itself (perhaps among other things) is God showing us that we CANNOT do it. I thank God for The Law...for without it I would not understand how deeply I am in need of a saviour; and by His Grace I will likely never know the full depth of that need.
What is included in "obedience to the faith"?--I don't understand the value of the question, let alone the value of it's answer. If the obedience is "given" to us, that is, if God Himself does it, then why is the question of what all is included relevant?
"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."
Bro. Anon
Bro. Anon, sorry to be so long getting back to this. I roughly agree with most of what you've said.
Nevertheless, I think it is of value to attempt to understand the meaning of/what is included in "obedience to the faith". The Acts text says "a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." If so, it seems it would behoove us to understand what that means.
"...behoove us to understand what that means"--Whatever it "means" it's not a list. It's not this, and that, but not the other thing.
Obedience is surrender. They surrendered to faith in Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ...and received him as Lord.
That is obedience to the faith: Surrender...surrender in everything to the Spirit.
We will find the closer walk by giving up things we are already doing than by adding things to do.
Not arguing, just that we so often look for a list...the "Four Ways", or the "Six steps to whatever". We are still looking for the law...something that will allow our pride to be coddled as we FOLLOW it. The Lord asks us to let him love us, and surrender is required for that. He doesn not offer us 'lists' anymore, but His life in exchange for ours.
I pray that all belivers will let the Life of Christ live in them, through them, and for them.
HE will do it...in us, through us, and FOR us.
Bro. Anon
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