Keeping Your Children From Evil
How do we keep our children from evil in this wicked land? We are told in God’s Word to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The devil wants nothing more than to devour your children, women. You must raise them up in the nurture and in the admonition of the Lord, as God commands, since there is NO greater joy than to have children walking in truth. Susannah Spurgeon is a great woman to learn from. She was a godly wife and mother. Her husband adored her!
This was written about Susie: “She delights in her husband and finds sweetest content and solace in his company, his fellowship, his fondness. The domestic circle is her kingdom; that she may there create happiness and comfort, is her life work; and his smiling gratitude is all the regard she seeks.”
It’s almost impossible to raise God-fearing children if a mother isn’t home full time with them. God gave mothers to children for their protection and commands that they be keepers at home. He wants mothers passing on their faith to their children and speaking to them throughout the day teaching them godliness. And remember, one of the greatest gifts you can give to your children is to love their daddy deeply and be committed to him until death do you part. Children NEED a mother and a father, regardless of what our wicked culture is trying to tell you.
I am once again going to take a few excerpts out of the book Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon by Ray Rhodes. (Please read it, if you have a chance!) Susannah Spurgeon had twin sons and here is a prayer that she most likely prayed daily for her sons.
“Lord, keep my boys from the evil that is in the world.” Then she would tell them this: “You will hear, see, and learn things from older boys that perhaps you never dreamed of before. Turn resolutely away from everything that looks like vice or wickedness, and keep yourself pure unto the Lord. Temptation will be very strong sometimes, but cry unto God; cry mightily and He will deliver you. Something in my heart compels me to say this to you today; if you do no feel the force of it now, you will soon; so treasure up my words and above all, trust Jesus and distrust self.”
Bible reading and prayer were a priority for Susie and Charles Spurgeon from the beginning of their marriage, and this was at the heart of their parenting. Whether they “lodged in some rough inn on the mountains or in the luxurious rooms of a palatial hotel in a city, they did not neglect reading the Bible and praying together.”
The elements of family worship modeled by Charles included Bible reading/explanation, prayer, and hymn singing. As the Puritan Matthew Henry declared, “They who pray in the family, do well. They who read and pray, do better, But they who sing and read and pray, do best of all.”
“During their childhood, the sons lived beneath the blessings of God in a home where the Scriptures were honored and read; God was sought in prayer; hymns were sung; godly counsel was given; and Christ was exalted. And though their father was often away from his family, he left the boys in good hands under the care and tutelage of his beloved Susie.
“Along with teaching them the way of godliness from the Scripture, praying with and for them, Susie modeled patience and perseverance in trial by pointing them to Christ and the gospel. The lessons that the Spurgeon sons learned from childhood would help to steel them as they witnessed the effects of their parents’ faith in the midst of great tragedy.”
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11
52 thoughts on “Keeping Your Children From Evil”
Great post, on Friday, my youngest brother, the last of 18 of us, yes, raised with the same father and mother graduated high school. It was the end of 22 years of graduations, and it was an emotional experience. From being raised on welfare, as raising 18 children in a Democrat City, in a Democrat state is nearly impossible, by design, all 18 of us are employed, and are law abiding citizens.
My parents and church weren’t perfect, and the major flaw was the church had women teachers, severely disabling the development of strong men and women among their children.
However, my parents avoided the sin of over 90% of the church, which was birth control, deliberately introduced to the church by Satan, to destroy it and America. They sacrificed their lives for their family.
They did give us beautiful childhoods, and six things I appreciate most about how they raised us follow.
1) No television, movies, or worldly music.
2) They didn’t drink alcohol or use drugs, and neither did members of my church.
3) Frequent trips to the library, multiple times a month, to let us explore other worlds and times. (Sadly, the libraries are shrinking, vanishing, and being filled with Satanic propaganda today).
4) They never let us go to anyone’s home, unless they were trusted members of our church. Even with this, it turned out one of my closest childhood friends turned out to be a child molester in his late thirties. He, however, was not raised in our church, and had been molested by his own father. Thankfully, he never did anything to my siblings. Also, there were still isolated instances of incest and children being molested by other children in the church, but these were very sternly and immediately dealt with.
5) We attended church all day Sunday, and multiple times a week. Just as in the New Testament church, purposeful meeting and studying of the Bible was a constant.
6) They were members of a church where they correctly believed that, as the Bible clearly states, you can lose your salvation for disobedience. Also, the church taught you cannot be saved without water baptism, which is mentioned dozens of times in the New Testament, though Communists have successfully eroded much of what the Bible teaches. And, the greatest threat to any of us, our sin, was publicly taught against, and disciplined in the church. 90% of today’s churches don’t think you can lose your salvation, they reject baptism as a sacrament, which Jesus both gave an example of and commanded, and they refuse to publicly teach on sins like contraception, homosexuality, pornography, and masturbation, and there is no church discipline for it. Part of the weakness of the church is because over half the preachers are dealing with Pornography, contraception, some other sexual sin, or masturbation. If your preacher doesn’t publicly speak out against these sexual sins, especially porn and masturbation, as they are the biggest threats to the church today, along with women teachers teaching on modesty, a very necessary topic for young women, then, it’s very likely your preacher is a slave of these sins.
I especially love the paragraphs describing Susie’s love of being a wife and the priority the Spurgeons gave to Bible reading and prayer as a married couple. Thanks for today’s blog post!
You had wonderful parents and a bless childhood!
A true believer in Jesus Christ believes until the end. The only unforgivable sin is that of unbelief. Unbelievers will not enter the Kingdom of God. If we can lose our salvation for disobedience, then we would all lose our salvation since none of us are perfect. The moment we believe, we are completely forgiven for all sin: past, present, and future. We are new creatures in Christ and filled with His Spirit. We can’t possibly lose the Holy Spirit and become old creatures.
Baptism is a sign of belief. It’s not part of salvation. None of our works can save us. Only Christ’s work on the cross saved us and all we must do is believe. Baptism is a symbol of rebirth and what happened once we believed. There are many who believe on their death beds and were not baptized but are in heaven with Jesus.
So I very much disagree with these beliefs of yours.
Thank you very much, Lori, certainly fearfulness and unbelief will result in damnation, however, those are not the only sins that separate from God in this life and the next.
Revelations 21:8
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
1 Corinthians 6:
[9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
[10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
[11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
As for losing salvation, Saul, Judas, and Ananias and Sapphira are only a few examples of those who were chosen by God but who were backsliders (a word seldom used today), and who lost their salvation. We are even told in scripture to prove our salvation constantly.
The Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) heresy, has ripped the church apart, as it has introduced unprecedented lukewarmness, which is the worst sin, which God hates. It’s impossible to be zealous when one is convinced Jesus did it all, and we need do nothing for salvation. We know that James says that faith without works is dead. He also says that the devils believe, and it does nothing for them. He says that if one says he has faith but has no works, he will show him his faith by his works, and, indeed, we see, the Book of Faith, in Hebrews 11, is full of men and women of works. Certainly, we cannot merit heaven with our works, as nothing we can do can repay Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. However, God will never leave us, but, we can leave him with our disobedience.
2 Peter 3:
[20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
[21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
[22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
We are also warned, in Ephesians, not to grieve the Holy Spirit.
1 John 1:9 shows that when we sin, which we will, we must confess it, and God will cleanse us. However, why did both David and Saul sin, and Saul was rejected and David was accepted? It was their attitude. David took responsibility, Saul blamed others.
To say that we cannot lose salvation is to question God, for it is to say he made a mistake in appointing Saul, as why would a perfect God appoint a damned man as King, by righteous Samuel no less? But scripture is clear, Saul’s disobedience cost him his Kingdom and his salvation.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 6:
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: 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.
[5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
[6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
1 Peter 3:
[20] Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Acts 22:16
[16] And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Acts 8:
[36] And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
[37] And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
[38] And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Colossians 2:12
[12] 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.
The common response to the Biblical command to be baptized is “What about the thief on the Cross, he wasn’t baptized”?
We don’t know if he was baptized before the Cross, but we do know Christ had power on earth to forgive sins.
Matt 9:6?
“But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins”
Cornelius was the only other person in the New Testament to receive the Holy Spirit without baptism, to symbolize the entry of the Gentiles into the Christian church, however, even he was baptized afterwards.
Works alone cannot save us, however, salvation requires belief, Faith, confession, repentance, and water baptism, which is a complete immersion into water, at the age of accountability, which varies individually from 16-19. Baptism alone does not save one, but salvation is impossible without it. As one has a formal ceremony to announce a commitment to a spouse in marriage, so they have a formal baptism to announce a commitment to God and an entrance into Christ’s church, that he died for. This is why church discipline is so sporadic and nearly nonexistent, because without baptism, there is no real commitment. Without commitment, just as soldiers commit to the military and go to boot camp, there can be no church oversight and discipline. Without discipline, which 1 Corinthians 5 mandates, there can be no successful church. It’s embarrassing that sports, business, the military, and politics all have discipline, but the church, the only place where Christ instituted loving discipline, as chastisement makes chaste (Hebrews 12), DOES NOT HAVE DISCIPLINE. God only corrects those whom he loves, so it can be inferred, that churches without biblical discipline, which is 98% of them, do not love their flock.
And, every single societal problem is the fault of the preachers and their flawed , lukewarm doctrines.
In his sermon Decay of Conscience, Charles Grandison Finney said:
“Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits. If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it. Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation.”
Lori, thank you so much for addressing the number 6 misguided beliefs of Montesquieu. Thanks again
Keeping your children from evil is a 24/7/365 DUTY of parents.
No personal phones for them.
No unrestricted TV watching, or no TV at all.
No unrestricted internet usage.
No unsupervised get togethers with other children.
No sleep overs, no matter who the “trusted” person is.
Dads and moms have a God given responsibility to watch over and raise their children.
And husbands also have the DUTY to protect their wife from evil.
But that is a VERY unpopular subject for another post topic.
Montesquieu . How wonderful to hear of other churches that teach these things! Our church does too (except we do not have women teachers or preachers). We are not perfect as there are other areas to work on but I’d say overall the church is one of the most knowledgeable I’ve encountered.
The kids seem to know more than many adults from other churches and many men have large portions of scripture memorized. My family got in the habit of reading through the scripture every year. I’ve gone through it about 30 times from Genesis to the maps. My father goes through it several times each year (he was also an elder against shutting down the church due to COVID-19). My husband has a wholistic understanding of scripture I have rarely seen by anyone.
I don’t typically discuss these truths with people any longer because it seems so many people rely on interpretations of others that exclude the whole council of God. It was recently told to me from someone else who mentioned the “pray Jesus into your heart” fallacy that it came about because of a lack of direct knowledge of scripture and a reliance on things taught which becomes a lens through which scripture is read.
Anyway, it is just so refreshing to hear these things as most of today’s churches don’t.
The “pray Jesus into your heart” isn’t biblical. We are to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s all about faith, believing in Him.
I fiercely believe that we are known by our fruit and if we do believe in Jesus Christ, we will not walk in sin since we are commanded to walk in the flesh. As we are told, if we love Him, we will keep His commands. But if a person truly is a believer, they will believe until the end. A true believer will NEVER lose their salvation. If they walk away from the faith, they never were a believer to begin with. BUT believers will sin since we are far from perfect but we should be growing in the wisdom and the knowledge of the Lord. If some who call themselves believers aren’t producing good fruit, they most likely aren’t believers.
Lori, if you’d like to address your comments to Montesquieu to me that may be better. We believe much of the same things doctrine wise but since I am a woman it would be better than it appearing you are teaching a man.
I am not teaching him, M. I want the women who read my blog to understand where I stand on these issues. I am not trying to change his mind at all. He’s free to believe what he wants just as everyone else is but anyone who comments on my blog, I have the obligation to give my view (since this is my blog with my teachings) so then those who read can make their own decision on what they believe.
It’s Lori’s blog, which is for Christian women. She would be remiss if she did not respond to a reader’s comment whose beliefs she did not align with, man or woman. I, for one, had a lot of questions answered today regarding my ongoing concern over Montesquieu’s comments, now knowing his stance on how one “earns” their salvation. I have witnessed very little of the Holy Spirit’s presence in his offerings, and have expressed concern numerous times.
For the record, I am a “zealous” believer who IS CONVINCED Jesus did it all. BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE, IN CHRIST ALONE. If anyone authentically responds to the Holy Spirit, there will be evidence in their lives with a submissive, grateful response, not an attempt to repay a debt.
To a certain extent, I agree. Jude is clear, some save with fear, some with love. Many women are more easily persuaded to do good out of love, not fear, but, there are others, and certainly winced men, who desperately need the fear of God.
That said, God judges us by our fruits. It is impossible for anyone who is drunk, high, or in fornication, among other sins, if they do not repent, and die in the act, to be saved. God doesn’t care who we are, if we err in one point of the law, we are guilty of it all.
With that mindset, the fear of God will return to the church and nation, as it once was here.
Belief is PART of salvation, it is not the ENTIRETY of salvation. If it alone we’re necessary for salvation, the devils would be saved.
The demons believe and hate God. We believe and love God. There’s a huge difference. We are saved by faith alone and because we truly believe, our actions follow as clearly shown in Hebrews 11.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8, 9)
Anonymous, if you ever have the opportunity or necessity to speak about doctrine definitely use scripture more than mantras.ie “ BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE, IN CHRIST ALONE. “I know they mean something important to you but not having the same religious “language” as you, it appears unscriptural to me. I find sometimes misunderstandings are made worse by a difference of word meanings. In order to “speak the same language” using scripture is a way to bring everyone on the same page.
I don’t mean to act as if mantras don’t have their place, we definitely have a plethora of them in our church ie. “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent”. But within our fellowship we have a basis of understanding that where we won’t get tripped up on the language. Someone outside our fellowship may hear that and think that we have nothing to say about modern issues like drug use because the Bible doesn’t “speak directly to heroin”. But we know that the scripture is sufficient for teaching every good thing.
Paul wrote Ephesians to the Judaizers who were trying to get the Gentiles to follow their Ceremonial Law. It does not negate any commands of examples of Christ.
There are scriptures commanding faith, baptism, belief, confession, and repentance for salvation, so, cherry-picking the ones one likes while neglecting the others must be avoided.
Paul is rebuking the Jews who were trying to get the Gentiles to follow their extensive Levitical law, with all its regulations on eating, washing, and the rest.
Christ fulfilled the law, in that his sacrifice took care of the animal sacrifices the Jews once did. However, as he entered into the grave, and resurrected, so we enter into baptism dead in sin, and arise, alive, free from our sins, and a member in THE Bible believing church Christ died for. John 3, speaking of Nicodemus, details the same command and example.
If I’m way off on my understanding regarding my question to Montesquieu, feel free not to post.
Montesquieu, what about someone who is physically disabled and is physically unable to be baptized after accepting Jesus as their Savior? Do you truly believe that person is not saved because they physically can’t be baptized?
Also, baptism comes after salvation, so in all likelihood the thief on the cross had never been baptized.
The grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, comes from Luther, who also taught, Sola Scriptura, or scripture alone, to anonymous. Salvation is not determined by senses and feelings.
To anonymous, who stated, “ I have witnessed very little of the Holy Spirit’s presence in his offerings, and have expressed concern numerous times.”, that is subjective, and as Tertullian said, “The first reaction to truth is hatred”.
The Pharisee also thought himself a “zealous believer”, but, I don’t see one righteous man or woman in the Bible calling themselves a “zealous believer”.
One can never repay Christ’s gift, but, we certainly can trample on it, and become worthy of a worse punishment than those of the Old Law were worthy of.
Luther believed in baptism for salvation as well, so, that should clinch it. Also, since every single Christian who is not Catholic is a Protestant, and that comes from Luther’s Brave Stand, October 31st, 1517, when he nailed his 95 Theses on the doors of Wittenberg, protesting the massive errors and faults of the Catholic Church, it is advisable to read his “The Jews and their Lies”. For 2,000 years, up until today, these lies have been harming the church. This Plandemic and these race riots come from the same snakes who murdered Christ.
So does Communism, for that matter. I’ll be counter protesting with other conservatives and Christians on Saturday, against the vicious lies of Black Lives Matter, founded by three lesbian Communists. There definitely is a possibility of injury and/or death, however, one must never neglect the truth because of fear or cowardice.
Paul wrote Galatians to the Judaizers who were trying to get the Gentiles to follow the Law, not Ephesians. We are taught in Romans 6 that once we believe, we are dead and freed from sin. It’s not baptism that does this. Baptism is simply an outward symbolic act of what Christ has done for us. It’s all Him. He’s the One who gives us the power to live holy lives through His Spirit living within us. Yes, we have free will but once we believe, we want to live our lives set apart and holy unto Him and it’s His Spirit that gives us the strength to do so. For we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Thank you very much, M.
Your understandings are quite right, and “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent” is directly from Alexander Campbell, the Founder of the Church of Christ, who wanted to avoid denominationalism, and to return to scripture only. He was a big admirer of Luther too.
Your drug use example is spot on. Along with pedophilia, and other grave sins, the Bible never explicitly condemns them, but, using necessary inference, it is possible to be instructed, that these are deadly evils, to be abhorred and hated at all cost.
There is mercy regarding those who are physically incapable of being baptized, Tamara. In my 40 years, I’ve never come across anyone incapable of it. I have seen a few examples of those on their deathbeds who were baptized. However, Christ and God are clear. The invitation is to all, however, to those who dilly dally, and take their time in repenting, they can have their salvational opportunity removed. Many instances of those in scripture who waited too long, and were destroyed in sin. Lot’s wife, and everyone on the earth but Noah and his family of 8, in Noah’s day, are a few examples.
Belief is the first step of salvation, but it is not the completion of salvation. There are many who believe they are saved, but, never having obeyed Christ’s example and command of baptism, they have never had their sins washed from their souls.
Our good works mean nothing. There are atheists who live virtuous lives, though they are rare.
Ryan, I truly think you should consider what others are saying.
Here is a good article for anyone wondering about this discussion with a lot of verses to back up that baptism isn’t required for salvation.
“In conclusion, Acts 2:38 does not teach that baptism is required for salvation. While baptism is important as the sign that one has been justified by faith and as the public declaration of one’s faith in Christ and membership in a local body of believers, it is not the means of remission or forgiveness of sins. The Bible is very clear that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (John 1:12; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:21-30; Romans 4:5; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 2:16).”
https://www.gotquestions.org/baptism-Acts-2-38.html
Here is a good article for those who want to research the Church of Christ.
https://www.gotquestions.org/Church-of-Christ.html
I must respectfully disagree with you, Lori, and I don’t like doing that, as we agree on 99%, and you are one of the few women who have so much wisdom on the women’s role in marriage and society. I often have no problem disagreeing with others, but, in your case, it is with a great deal of reluctance, as if I’m dealing with a dear friend, my mother, or a beloved sister.
Let me state, that your website is one of 1% of blogs by women who understand Gods will. I’ve directed thousands of women here. (Many, having been brainwashed by society since birth, are allergic to God’s truth). It’s one of the few women led websites I trust.
Romans 6 specifically mentions baptism leading to salvation. It says we are buried with Christ in baptism.
Romans 6:
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: 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.
[5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
The New Testament is very clear, that while we cleave to God and seek to obey him, constantly confessing the sins he shows us, we are approved, and our salvation is assured. But, if any of us were to die in willful sin, without repenting and confessing (It is Gods grace that we get this opportunity), we would be surely condemned to hell.
No human in history ever died in sexual sin and went to heaven. None died drunk and went to heaven. None died gambling, or after having murdered, or lying, or gossiping, or in any other act of disobedience which they did not repent of, and were saved.
Which is why the Bible is very clear that we need to redeem the time, for the time comes, when repentance is no longer possible.
It’s fine if we don’t agree with each other 100 percent. You won’t change my mind on this issue (Ken believes exactly as I do) and I probably won’t change yours, but that is okay. We can agree to disagree! All believers in Christ Jesus don’t have to believe exactly the same. I will end with this:
In Romans 6, Paul is referring to being baptized into Christ’s death the moment we believe. “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him” (Rom. 6:8).
“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 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.” (Col. 2:11, 12)
I am grateful for this exchange, as it caused me to question in my own beliefs, and as a result, I stumbled across one of the most comprehensive studies of Baptism I’ve ever come across, by Alexander Campbell. It’s 360 pages, and I will be reading it in the next few weeks, and encourage others to do so as well.
I would also encourage Christians to avoid Google searches. Google is designed with algorithms leading to untruths in nearly every subject. To search any topic that one has not read about with books for at least two hours of their life, is very dangerous with Google. It’s easy to end up in worse shape after a Google search than one was before. Indeed, America and the world werein far better shape before the introduction of the internet in 1993, with its censoriousness (using devilish standards), censorship, corruption, and disinformation. Wikipedia may as well be written by Satan, since it’s full of deceit and lies. Got Questions and CARM are very problematic, and the beliefs they espouse are the foundational beliefs that have shipwrecked the Christian Church.
These two sites are lukewarm, an attribute that God hates.
http://icotb.org/resources/Campbell,Alexander-ChristianBaptism.pdf
http://forthright.net/2011/08/04/alexander-campbell-and-baptism/
To accept baptism is salvational requires a thorough overview of the past 2,000 years, but it yields a treasure trove in results.
As to the “Got Questions” article on the Church of Christ, Christ inspired intense hatred from the Jews for questioning their identity. They believed they were Gods chosen people, and a young nobody, 30 years old, with no house, no money, no wife, no political experience, no college, and a carpenter, questioned them, and rebuked their corruption. You can imagine how this made the Jews feel. They did not have attitudes like children, the humility that Christ prescribed.
Christ was very clear, he died for his church. That is singular, not plural. There are no instances of musical instruments being used in the New Testament. Also, if believing obeying the Bible makes one part of an exclusive “cult”, then Jesus was a member of a cult, since he said no one was coming to God but by him.
For largely the complete beliefs of the Church of Christ,
https://www.christiancourier.com/
If every American studied their Bible, and we all allowed our lives to be governed by the Bible, the Church of Christ, the one he died for, would be massively popular.
However, it is a lack of Bible study, obedience, and prayer, that has led America to this melancholy place.
“My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge”
Hosea 4:6
Also, the church should be wary of Communism entering its homes.
https://christiansfortruth.com/how-communists-infiltrated-and-subverted-christian-churches-in-america/
If the church neglects to teach Biblical Truth, it is open to destruction.
Lori, the article is misleading when it states, “To say that good works must be present BEFORE a person is saved is to make salvation dependent on our obedience, which is works-salvation, not salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. As Titus 3:5 declares, “He saved us – not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
This part is incomplete but true, “Baptism is intended to be an initial act of obedience to Christ, an illustration of Christ’s death and resurrection, a public declaration of faith in Christ, a step of identification with Him, and a proclamation of desire to follow Him. In the minds of the apostles and early Christians, baptism was so inextricably linked with salvation that the two were viewed as inseparable. The idea that a person could receive Christ as Savior and not be baptized was completely foreign to the early church.” I find it odd that the article then spends the next 3 paragraphs speaking contrary to what it admits is the interpretation of the early church.
Also, I take issue with a watchdog website that puts itself up to determine which church is okay and which is not. Who are they to do so? No church or person is perfect but thankfully Jesus whom we trust in is. I’d rather throw myself on God’s righteous judgement than their judgement which is flawed by default of being human.
“Baptism is intended to be an initial act of obedience to Christ, an illustration of Christ’s death and resurrection, a public declaration of faith in Christ, a step of identification with Him, and a proclamation of desire to follow Him. In the minds of the apostles and early Christians, baptism was so inextricably linked with salvation that the two were viewed as inseparable. The idea that a person could receive Christ as Savior and not be baptized was completely foreign to the early church.”
I wholeheartedly agree that one should be baptized shortly after one believes BUT baptism isn’t what saves us. Believing in Jesus Christ saves us. The moment we believe, we are saved from eternal damnation.
Romans 9 is clear that the Jews are God’s chosen people but all believers in Jesus Christ have been grafted in. “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”
Musical instruments: “Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.” (Ps. 150:5)
I loved that too, Lady Virtue!
I agree with you, Blair! There’s a spiritual battle being waged for the souls of our children.
Lori – We absolutely CAN lose the Holy Spirit in our lives. I’ve seen it in my own family.
I was raised in a very Godly home, where we had Sunday morning fellowship meetings in our home. Both my parents were believers. However, in my teens, my mother fell away, had an affair with a married man from the church, and eventually left the church and my father and ran off with her lover. Today, she is entirely different from the woman who raised my sister and I. She has definitely lost that Holy Spirit that she once had.
Then we have someone like my husband who battles addiction. The Lord keeps bringing him back to church, and when my husband does let the Lord help him beat his addiction, it is so clear that the Holy Spirit is in him. But when he lets go (and he does, sadly) it’s so visible when the Holy Spirit leaves, and he returns to drinking, smoking and drugs. His behaviour changes. He no longer has the Holy Spirit.
Of course we can repent; there will always be opportunity for us to turn from our sin and turn to God, and I pray daily that both my husband and my mother will repent and be forgiven.
No, we cannot lose the Holy Spirit. Once we are a new creation in Christ, we are a new creation in Christ. True believers believe until the end.
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1 John 2:19)
“The like figure to this, even baptism, doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” There are a lot of Biblical gymnastics done to nullify this verse. Nonetheless if anyone is truly interested in seeing why historically Christians through the centuries believed this to be true (it is more of a modern issue that separates baptism and salvation) then you should look to articles from churches that take the affirmative so you’ll see a more complete picture.
From Gill’s Exposition of the Bible (a commentary from long ago) about this verse from 1 Peter 3:21:
“For it is water baptism which is here designed, which John practised, Christ gave a commission for, and his disciples administered: it saves not as a cause, for it has no causal influence on, nor is it essential to salvation. Christ only is the cause and author of eternal salvation; and as those only that were in the ark were saved by water, so those only that are in Christ, and that are baptized into Christ, and into his death, are saved by baptism…”
“It is not essential to salvation. Christ only is the cause and author of eternal salvation.” I wanted to repeat this phrase since it is of utmost importance.
From Barnes’ Notes on the Bible:
“The meaning of this part of the verse, therefore, may be thus expressed: ‘Noah and his family were saved by water, the antitype to which (to wit, that which in important respects corresponds to that) baptism (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, or the mere application of material water, but that purifying of the heart of which it is the appropriate emblem) now saves us.’
“Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh – Not a mere external washing, however solemnly done. No outward ablution or purifying saves us, but that which pertains to the conscience. This important clause is thrown in to guard the statement from the abuse to which it would otherwise be liable, the supposition that baptism has of itself a purifying and saving power. To guard against this, the apostle expressly declares that he means much more than a mere outward application of water.”
I am not sure you can find any commentary of old that agrees with you, M.
Lori, the musical instrument issue is one that has been debated for so many years. Believe you me, members of the churches of Christ are expert debaters, it’s part of the heritage (for good or ill). The church even trains children to debate scripture at youth conferences where they have to take both the affirmative and the negative. Using one Old Trestament scripture from a Psalm would be a good supporting verse but not enough to understand the “whole council”. I’m not sure you’d even want to go into depth on that issue. There is one verse in the New Testament that I’ve never heard refuted for why instruments may be allowed (and I’ve read books on the subject).
One thing I’ve learned through my years is that none of these doctrinal issues (on either side) are without their scriptural “prooftexts”. People on all sides of every issue have thought deeply and lined up their “scripture chain” to support their stance. There is only one Truth and God alone is that truth. He reveals Himself through scripture and it takes us being continually shaped by our time in the Word with a humble heart to rightly divide His Word.
Can you share some Scripture that musical instruments aren’t allowed to worship the Lord?
“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!” (Psalm 150:3-5)
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!” (Ps. 96:4-6)
As much as we agree on many things, especially when you say, “Certainly, we cannot merit heaven with our works, as nothing we can do can repay Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross,” your understanding of vital parts of the scriptures are way off base and as they are part of Church of Christ doctrine and not Biblical doctrine.
If we cannot merit salvation, one is either in Christ or is not. Once “in Christ” we seek to please and obey him, but we cannot go in and out of Him. Whoever God has chosen goes into Christ Jesus once and forever, and any practice of sin thereafter will incur God’s discipline, perhaps even death, but nowhere does it say one can lose something they never had if they are not saved in the end.
There are many threats to the Church throughout history, and nothing so damaging as a gospel of Easy Believism without the proper teaching on the demands of the Lordship of Jesus Christ on the Believer’s life, but this is no excuse to go to the opposite extreme of legalism and the idea that one can lose their salvation. Such fear must be awful to live with for those who are unlearned in proper theology on the matter. You can hear it in their voices and what they say, always wondering if they are one of God’s chosen and hoping not to fall from grace. It’s ugly and not the gospel based on God’s promises of eternal life for all who believe in Christ and His work on the cross.
The true child of God basks in God’s promises, all of them, including this important one of the sealing work of the Spirit:
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:13-14).
and again,
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
For “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6).
I understand that you have verses that seem to imply that one can “lose” their salvation, yet the apostle John makes clear that the one who keeps sinning has “seen him or known him.” Hence, never saved.
I understand that there are verses that seem to imply one can lose their salvation, but each can be reconciled if studied as almost all the old commentators have done and concluded that, yes, “Once saved always saved,” BUT some may believe themselves to be saved yet are not bearing the fruit of the Spirit of salvation in their lives. To these, the scriptures are quite clear in its warning to make certain that they truly are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).
Oh I can definitely find old commentaries that agree with me. I can also find whole books worth, (I’ve read a few). I would though agree with the second commentary you quoted, “Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh – Not a mere external washing, however solemnly done. No outward ablution or purifying saves us, but that which pertains to the conscience. This important clause is thrown in to guard the statement from the abuse to which it would otherwise be liable, the supposition that baptism has of itself a purifying and saving power. To guard against this, the apostle expressly declares that he means much more than a mere outward application of water.” Our church has been saying for ages that baptism is not just taking a bath. It is THE answer of a contrite heart. My sister and I used to pretend to baptize each other in the pool. We were not doing anything holy. It wasn’t until we had a heart response where we were saved.
Lori, if you are truly interested, I can find commentaries of old, articles by learned men and books on the issue of baptism. (I have a few on my shelves as we speak). But I’ve debated this issue many times with many people and I’d only want to go down that road if you truly want to hear the other side
No, that’s okay. You won’t change my mind. Thank you.
Sure. Keep in mind that in the churches of Christ they “speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent”. Here is the scripture that most arguments against musical instruments in worship are founded upon. (There are also a plethora of historical context arguments as well). “6 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16. With a cursory knowledge of Koine Greek, what much of the New Testatment is written in (and they WILL go back to the Greek faster than you can say Koine Greek) the words used specifically refer to acapella singing. Here is an article that you may want to skim through if you are interested in the summation of the arguments along with other scriptures for only acapella singing in worship. https://www.highschoolroadchurch.com/about/why-we-worship-acapella
I never argue acapella music because while I love it and it’s fruit I haven’t understood it to be an issue of salvation (I could be wrong as many people name Nadab and Abihu as examples of how God doesn’t enjoy unauthorized worship). I guess what I’m saying is that I’m sharing these verses and article with you but despite my years of study on this and other issues, I won’t put myself in the place of determining what God will/will not tolerate on this issue.
I was unable to respond directly to M on her June 16, 2020 at 12:07 pm.
“Given the opportunity or necessity to speak about doctrine”? All the time as I’m raising my 4 children, M.
To speak to your concern regarding the Bible backing up my “mantra”:
“The Bible is very clear that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (John 1:2, John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Romans 3:21-30, Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 3:9, Galatians 2:16)”
Lori Alexander, June 16, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Sorry if my all-caps threw you, but Lori and I said exactly the same thing. Given 8 references to back up her quote suggests sufficiency of scripture, wouldn’t you agree?
M may be referring to the regulative principle of worship. It is a doctrine that states that the New Testament gave principles for how worship was to be conducted. Anything else other than that stated in the New Testament cannot be used in worship. It is common in some Reformed and Anabaptist congregations, as well as very conservative denominations. Calvin instituted the regulative principle because he was worried that the sacred tradition (a secondary source of doctrine for Roman Catholics) would infiltrate his churches. He associated musical instruments with icons and considered it thus to be idolatry to use them. I do not hold with this view of musical instruments and see nothing wrong with using them in church because of the verses you named previously, but it is still a fascinating theological study. Most churches today adhere to the normative principle of worship, which says as long as Scripture doesn’t forbid it, neither should we. Hope this helps!
What an interesting notion. I’ve heard arguments as to why certain instruments shouldn’t be allowed, such as drums, but I had never heard the idea that no instruments should be used to praise God. Clearly some verses you just mentioned, Lori, support the use of instruments in praising the Lord.
Amen Lori! Praise God salvation is a gift of God not of works least any man should boast ?.
Baptism is like your wedding ring, it doesn’t make you married it shows the world that you are married & who you’re married to, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Even if you never wear your wedding ring you’re still married if you said ‘I do’ or in salvations case ‘Lord be merciful to me a sinner’.
“but, I don’t see one righteous man or woman in the Bible describing themselves as a “zealous” believer.
The reason I used that adjective was to disputed your claim that
“It’s impossible to be zealous when one is convinced Jesus did it all, and we need do nothing for salvation.”
Zealous-Having or showing zeal
Zeal-great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.
When a Christian responds to the Holy Spirit and accepts Christ as their Savior, they begin a transformative process of sanctification. Our reliance is fully on Christ’s atoning work on our behalf at the cross. We deserve nothing but God’s wrath and judgment, but when we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, realize our need for a Savior, our whole life changes as we now view it through the lens of a Christian world view.
We should enthusiastically pursue Christ daily.
Thank you, Lori, for your zeal in teaching us, including your consistent example of following and living out scriptural mandates of Biblical womanhood.
Lori, with respect, the change in my mother was visible. When she was serving the Lord, she was an entirely different person. She was sincere in her service, she was the absolute epitome of a Godly woman. But then…. something happened. I don’t know exactly what, but she lost that spirit. It fled far from her, and today she is so, so different to the woman she used to be.
The people in my church, who knew my mother 30+ years ago, have often said she is the last person they ever thought who would lose their way, and lose the spirit. It was obvious to everyone that she was true believer; her fruit were good.
If we get too busy with life and don’t make time to read our Bible and pray, it’s very easy to just slowly slip away. It’s something we have to be very careful to guard against.
This is true, yet so hard to do in today’s world. Internet-capable devices are needed for school. Modern life dictates the needs for my teenagers to have cell phones.
I think it would have been easier in the days before computers and phones. Now it’s one more battle. We guard our children’s hearts as best we can, but it’s certainly much more difficult when they have such easy access to the world.
It was easier in the days before computers and iPhones, KAK. Porn wasn’t at the push of a mouse. Parents must be more vigilant than ever before but the world has always been wicked so parents have always needed to be vigilant. It’s just more obviously wicked now.
We are admonished multiple times in Hebrews to believe until the end. She stopped believing. True believers believe until the end. You can’t be filled with the Spirit and a new creation in Christ and lose these things. She was never one of us, sadly, unless she truly believed in the end.