The Unity of Believers III

As promised we will delve into the things that hinder us from being one in Christ as Jesus plead and commanded for us.  We closed last week with an acknowledgement that there have been some serious departures from the Word of God.  Any study of the Word of God, the Bible consisting of 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books should examine every book, chapter and verse in its context.  When we do this we should all come to the same conclusion on the teachings of God.  But we do not.  Why?  What is the reason we arrive at different conclusions.  May I submit it is because we look through the lens of human philosophy, or denominational doctrine, which is the doctrines of men.

How many times have you read a passage of scripture in its context, gone to a commentary and then to your amazement the commentator has a conclusion that does not match what he said the verse meant in the first century?  Please do not misunderstand what I am trying to convey.  I am not perfect.  I have learned over the years that when I was younger I held to views that could not be sustained by God’s Word.  I have admitted it in the pulpit and I have gone on.  With that said let me also say that I have searched the scriptures over and over again regarding salvation.  When I take all of the New Testament teaching on salvation I have come to the same conclusion every time.  I have looked at the Presbyterian Confession of faith, the Methodist Discipline.  Hiscox and Pendletons’ Baptist Manuals.  I have thoughtfully looked at Calvinism and rejected it because these teachings (doctrines) do not match with every case of salvation in the New Testament examples found in the book of Acts.  To be certain the teachings of the Catholic church have digressed greatly over the centuries from the Word of God.

Someone may be thinking about the thief on the cross.  He is normally the one who is named as an exception.  However, any Bible student will tell you the thief lived and died under the Mosaic dispensation.  Remember we have established last time that we must properly divide the Word of God.  This means understanding when the thief died.  In fact we want to point out that Jesus lived,fulfilled and died under the Mosaic dispensation.  The thief died under the Old Testament because the New Testament law of Grace was not in effect until Jesus died.  Or do my friends want to mock the Hebrew writer that points that Biblical truth out?  Please study Hebrews 9:16-22 NIV

In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. ¹⁹ When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. ²⁰ He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”²¹ In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

In other words, let us my dear friends throw off the shackles of man made doctrines.  Let us take off our denominational blinders, open our eyes and examine each case of salvation in the book of Acts, then and only then draw conclusions based upon what God’s Word says and how the people of the first century responded.  Because my dear friends, if they were saved…and the book of Acts declares they were, then let us hold to that pattern of teaching.  Does that make sense to you?  I hope it does, let me know what you think on this subject.

Steven Webb, evangelist

(c) 2016