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Recently someone asked, "Some preachers place a lot of emphasis on repentance these days, this causes me to wonder if one does not have a real deep feeling of repentance at the time of his baptism then how sound is that baptism? I have always felt that faith in Christ as the Son of God was the most important thing."

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? let's look

PHILLIP'S WISE ADVICE

In John 1:43-51 there is a discussion between two brothers: Philip and Nathaniel. Nathaniel’s question has become famous, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth .” Let’s focus on Philip's answer, which shows great insight.

Nathaniel would no doubt greet the news of the Messiah with great enthusiasm. However, he would prefer the Messiah come from a more important place, such as Jerusalem , not from such a small, poverty-stricken area as despised Nazareth . Philip did not rebuke or challenge Nathaniel’s question; he simply said, “Come and see.” In other words come and find out for yourself. The fact is someone always wants to criticize what God has put in place; whether the church, the worship of the church, or even Christ himself. Rarely do critics take time to “come and see” for themselves. As Phillip invited Nathaniel to scrutinize the credentials of the one claiming to be the Messiah, we, also, invite you to come and investigate the matter for yourselves.

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THE DECLARATION OF THE RESURRECTION

The truth about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is at the very heart of New Testament Christianity. Paul’s statement in the Scripture reveals just how foundational these matters are (I Cor. 15:1-4). On the first day of each week, as Christians gather around the Table of the Lord, we commemorate Christ’s death and burial. The fact that Christians assemble every Sunday is a testimony to the resurrected Christ. What does this great event declare, and why is it so important? continue

A CLOSED GARDEN AND AN OPEN CITY

Perhaps you have not thought of the matter previously, but as you begin to read the Bible, you soon learn of a garden God prepared for man. However, man quickly loses the benefit bestowed upon him due to sin and is cast out of the Garden of Eden. “Therefore, the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Gen. 3: 23,24). Man was created a moral being with the power of choice, which he soon exercised to disobey God. As it happened, the steps in this spiritual spiral downward included: 1) unbelief, 2) disobedience, 3) guilt, 4) banishment from God, and 5) death. In this way sin came into the world and in the same way is perpetuated today. Man simply listened to an alien influence and set up his own will against the will of God. The fact of the closed garden is the common experience of mankind. Every responsible person knows... continue

WHAT THOMAS MISSED

The parallel passage to our text is Luke 24:36-49. In these verses we find the faithful apostles gathered on the evening of the first day of the week, and as He had promised, Jesus was there among them. One of the apostles, who should have been there, was missing. Where was Thomas? continue

KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN LIVING

In John 10:10 we learn the devil is a thief…he tries to rob men of their lives. He robs some by influencing them to waste their lives in selfish indulgence, i.e., food, sleep, sex, alcohol, and other pleasures of the flesh. Others he robs by influencing them to dwell on memories of past failures, fears of the future, feelings of unimportance, etc. But we also learn that an abundant life is available! Jesus came that men might experience it. Right now, YOU are either wasting your life, spending your life, ... continue