Baptized for the Dead

At the close of His time here on the earth our Savior said to the listening disciples: “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28.  The King of kings and Lord of lords came not to be served by others but to serve. From the moment Jesus was born His life was a mission to save others. It is true that Jesus did not begin His official ministry until around thirty years old, but if we look closely at His life record we will see His servanthood throughout His life. The Bible sums up many of the years of His life saying: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man”. Luke 2:52 Jesus increased in favour with His fellow man. Why do you think that the people He met regarded Him so highly? Ellen White succinctly shares: “From His earliest years He was possessed of one purpose; He lived to bless others. For this He found resources in nature; new ideas of ways and means flashed into His mind as H...

In the sixth chapter of Revelation we read about the experience of God’s people during the time of the fifth seal. The Bible says: And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:9,10 Time again God’s people have given their lives for Jesus. But in this passage we find a reference to a time period when God’s people were especially martyred for their beliefs. During the middle ages God’s people were poured out like water under the power of the papacy. For 42 prophetic months or 1260 literal years God’s people found themselves at the wrong end of the sword. Their homes were plundered and their lives destroyed. The bible foretold this period of papal oppression saying:  “And it was given unto him to make war with the...

The bible often uses symbols to teach very important truths. In the book of Hosea God says: “I have also spoken by the prophets, And have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.” Hosea 2:10 Today we’re going to briefly look at how the number seven symbolizes important truths about salvation. In scripture the number seven is God’s number for completeness. When God created the earth He made everything in six days and then rested on the seventh day completing His work of creation. When we rest on the Sabbath day we remember how God completed everything in creation and we are honoring Him for His work.  There are other examples of the number seven being used to describe completeness. Let’s turn to the story of Naaman the Syrian. Let’s go to 2 Kings 5: In this story Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army but he was plagued with leprosy. During one of his raids of Israel he had brought back an Israelite girl. This Isra...

There are approximately 33,000 Christian denominations in the world. Even if that number is inflated it is certainly obvious that there is a plurality of beliefs within the larger Christian community. If there are so many churches can any one denomination claim to be God's church? Does God even have a visible corporate institution? That's certainly a question that many ask both without and within Christianity. I would like to posit that there is and that this church is not just a system of beliefs but a visible church. Let's go to two passages. The first passage comes can be found in Revelation 12:17 and it says: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17 The dragon in this passage is a symbol for the devil. We know this because a few verses earlier in the same chapter we read: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpe...

Jesus said: 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. John 17:4,5 What glory did Jesus have before the world was? Ellen White said in Desire of Ages p23: Had (Christ) appeared with the glory that was His with the Father before the world was, we could not have endured the light of His presence. That we might behold it and not be destroyed, the manifestation of His glory was shrouded. His divinity was veiled with humanity,—the invisible glory in the visible human form. {DA 23.1} And yet Jesus at the close of His earthly ministry asked His Father to give Him the glory that He had with the Father before the world was. Why did Jesus ask for this revelation of His glory if people could not endure it? Turn with me in your bibles to Matthew 16:27,28. Here Jesus is speaking to His disciples and He says: 27 For t...

The apostle Paul says: 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  1 Corinthians 15:19-22 Where would we be without the resurrection of Christ? If Jesus had not come forth from the tomb what hope would you and I have? The resurrection of Christ is so important. In fact it is more important than people realize. All of the sufferings of the cross, all of the loneliness in the life of Christ, all of the provisions made for humanity would be for nothing unless Jesus rose from the grave.  It is through the resurrection that God unleashed the power of the cross. And it was at the resurrection that Jesus truly became the only begotten Son of God. How do we know that? Well t...

Baptized for the Dead The world is reeling right now. But God is still here. If we have been truly listening to the Spirit of God we are hearing a message that has been woven through the tapestry of God’s word: a message that is the ultimate fulfillment of the gospel. Today I would ask you to come and reason with me as we open the scriptures. The apostle Paul tells us: 25 For he (Jesus) must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 1 Corinthians 15:25-27 This is a difficult passage for many to understand. But basically Jesus must reign until God has put all of His enemies under His feet. And the last enemy that will be destroyed is death. And when death has been destroyed Jesus will be submitted to His father. We can see this in verse 28 that says: 2...