Dear
Brother
Faull,
I heard a brother
quote Psalms 58:3 to
prove we are totally
depraved and born in
sin and babies are lost. “The wicked are estranged from
the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born,
speaking lies.”


ANSWER:
As sheep we were not born away from the fold of
God. We went astray and need to return to the
Shepherd.
Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD
hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
I Peter 2:25, “For ye were as sheep going astray; but
are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of
your souls.”
We were not born prodigal sons. We left our Father
and became prodigal sons. Luke 15
If we were born totally depraved, we were born like
the devil. (But remember, we must become
converted and be as little children for “of such” is the
Kingdom of Heaven.) What? Little depraved sinners
make up the Kingdom of Heaven?
Matthew 18:3, “And said, Verily I say unto you,
Except ye be converted, and become as little
children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven.”
Luke 18:16, “But Jesus called them unto him, and
said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid
them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”
When we are born we go astray. Which way?
Do we go astray “toward Satan?” (Then we are born
Holy, like God.)
Do we go astray “toward God?” (Surely one cannot
go astray toward God. Obviously, then we were not
born depraved like Satan.)
CONCLUSION: James 1:13-15, “13 Let no man say
when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot
be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But
every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own
lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth
forth death.”
As the innocent child begins to be tempted of his own
lusts he is “drawn away” and enticed and then he sins and
finally becomes dead in sin. If it is wrong to say that God
tempts us, how much more to say God created us as little,
totally depraved sinners? Indeed, Calvinists say of
children that they “are corrupt by nature in all faculties of
their being and there is not one good thing in them but are
bent on sin from conception and incapable of one good
thought or action in the sight of God.”
To go astray from total depravity could only be “toward
God”. Imagine, going toward God being called “going
astray”.
Psalms 58:3 is a hyperbole to show that men are indeed
sinners. What is a hyperbole? An overstatement, a figure
of speech in which something is said for emphasis, an
extreme exaggeration for emphasis to impress the hearer
or reader of a truth. Examples: I’m so hungry I could eat
a horse. He ate everything in the house. I’d give my right
arm for a pizza.
So, likewise, to impress upon us that men are sinners, we
are told we go astray as soon as we are born, speaking
lies. (Obviously, a newborn cannot speak.) “In sin, did
my mother conceive me” is a hyperbole that David used
to confess that he was indeed a sinner. Psalm 51.
Some say, “I’ve been a Christian since I was born” or “I
was born a Christian.” These statements are used to
emphasize they were raised in the Church since
childhood. Do not let these hyperbole’s of Scripture lead
you into the false conclusion of Calvinism that we were
born sinners when it is really just a confession that we are
in fact sinners. We have gone astray from God because

we have yielded to our own desire.

WHO IS A FALSE TEACHER? by steve finnell

Who are the false teachers? Is it those who say water baptism is essential for salvation? Is it those who proclaim that baptism [that is immersion in water] is not necessary in order to be saved?

Was the apostle Peter a false teacher? Peter told the 3000 thousand who were saved on the Day of Pentecost that baptism was in order to have their sins forgiven. (Acts 2:36-41)

Was Luke being  a false teacher when he wrote that those who had been baptized were added to the Lord's church. Acts 2:36-47 ........41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to the them......47.....And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.(NKJV).

The Lord did not add unbaptized believers to His church, why not? Because the Lord does not add unsaved people to His church.

Jesus said, Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved...(NKJV)

Was Jesus being a false teacher by telling His disciples that those who have been baptized "will" be saved? Will be saved is future tense, not past tense.

Were Jesus, Peter, and Luke being false teachers for saying immersion in water is essential for salvation, or are those who deny that water baptism is essential for salvation the false teachers?       

THE AUTHORITY OF GOD?    BY STEVE FINNELL

Where is God's authority recorded? Most denominations who use creed books AKA denominational church catechisms, use those creed books as the final authority for faith and practice.

The question is, if church creed books are used as the authoritative book, why read the Bible? The ironic thing about churches who use creed books is, they try to use the Bible to support their denominational creeds.

If creed books are used as the rules for faith and practice, then referencing the Bible rings hollow.

There is not one denomination that has written one verse of the Bible. Denominations write creed books. God does not write creed books.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word: and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Jesus did not say if anyone loves Me, he will keep the words of the church catechism.

1 John 1:4-6 .....as we received command from the Father......6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment , that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

We are told to walk according to the commandments of God. There is no commandment that says to walk according to church creed books nor new books of revelation written by men.

If your church catechism AKA creed book, or your so-call book of new revelation contradicts doctrine that is found in the Bible, then one of two things is true. 1. The Bible is in error and therefore cannot be trusted for faith and practice. 2. Your creed book or book of new revelation is in error and cannot be trusted as God's message to mankind.

YOU CAN USE THE BIBLE AS GOD'S AUTHORITY OR YOU CAN USE MAN-MADE EXTRA-BIBLICAL SOURCES.

YOU CANNOT USE BOTH!

(Scripture from; NKJV)   

WHY HYPOCRITES IN THE
CHURCH?   by George L. Faull



Why should men be
surprised when they
find a hypocrite in the
Church? I expect
hypocrites in the
Church and, in fact,
would be surprised if
there were none.
Why do I expect
hypocrites in the
Church?
FIRST – Because
Jesus had them in
His small group of
followers. Jesus
chose the twelve, but
He said one of them was a devil. John 6:70
One of His own betrayed Him. Nor did he do so with just
a kiss on the cheek. The word for “kiss” is a special
Greek word, which denotes a “fervent kiss”. If he was an
enemy, why the kiss? If he was a friend, why did he wear
a sword? Oh yes, Jesus had a hypocrite in His small
band of handpicked men. Why then not expect it among
His volunteers?
SECONDLY – Because Jesus instructed in His parables
that there would be hypocrites among believers.
Did He not say that there was wayside soil, stony soil, and
thorny soil as well as good soil?
Did He not say that the devil would pluck away some
believers before they took root?
Did He not say that some would receive the Word with joy
and then die for lack of depth?
Did He not tell us that the cares and riches of this world
would choke out some?
Why then should we be surprised to find some believers
less than they should be?
He also said that tares and wheat should grow together
until the day the angels come and separate the tares from
the wheat. Tares look like wheat until harvest. The tares
should not be separated from the wheat lest you uproot
the wheat.
The trouble with removing hypocrites is that you knock
down ten sinners hiding behind him. Did He not say that
the net would be full of both bad and good fish until the
end of the world? Then the carp will be separated from
the bass.
Yes, the teachings of Christ abound with proof that
hypocrites would be in the Church.
THIRDLY – Jesus warned us against hypocrites in the
Church. Didn’t He tell us to beware of wolves in sheep’s
clothing? Does He not warn of those who devour widow’s
houses? Does He not warn of those who compass land
and sea only to make their converts twofold the children
of hell than themselves? Does He not warn of those who
tithe of mint and anise but forget the weightier matters of
the Law? Did He not put a woe upon those white
sepulchers that are full of dead men’s bones? Or what of
those who shine the tombstones of the prophets but do
not obey the prophets’ words? Yes, Jesus knows the
hypocrisy of religious men.
FOURTHLY – Jesus cautions believers against the
practice of hypocrisy. He tells us to beware that we do
not let the leaven of hypocrisy in us. He tells us not to
give our tithes for the praise of men. He tells us when we
fast to do it privately. He tells us when we share not to let
our left hand know what the right hand is doing. Jesus
warned us of the subtlety of this sin and does not want it
to be in His followers.
FIFTHLY – The early Church had hypocrites. Didn’t
Corinth have an incestuous man? Were not some of the
brethren going to court with one another? The Church at
Thessalonica had those who refused to work. Ananias
and Sapphira were hypocrites in their giving. They
wanted to eat their cake and have it, too.
"From the cowardice that shrinks from
new truth, from the laziness that is content
with half truths, from the arrogance that
thinks it knows all truth, O, God of Truth,
deliver us."
B-5962 THE GOSPEL UNASHAMED October 2011
Simon, the sorcerer had been a great wizard before he
was converted. When he saw a chance to be someone
special in the Church he tried to purchase power to give
the Holy Spirit. Diotrephes loved the preeminence and
would not let others teach. Why then should we expect a
Church today to be free from hypocrites?
SIXTHLY – Commonsense would have us expect
hypocrites in the Church. Sinners need a cloak to hide
behind. It is obvious that the Church is an excellent cloak
for those who desire to deceive. Men only counterfeit
things of value. Men counterfeit dollars, not pennies.
One never sees hypocrite Masons, Odd Fellows, or
Moose.
I never knew there to be a counterfeit Masonic Lodge but
there are many counterfeit churches. Whoever heard of a
counterfeit member of the Moose? But oh, how many
false Christians there are.
Hypocrisy is the compliment that vice pays to virtue. We
should expect hypocrites to be among us. There are
always henpecked husbands who go to church to please
the wife. There are many kids who are hypocrites and
hide their sin from parents by Church attendance. Yes,
commonsense should cause us to expect hypocrites.
But are hypocrites all bad? No! I could wish there were a
few more.
I Wish:
Those who are openly practicing their immorality were
hypocrites and doing it secretly.
The porno pushers were hypocrites and would do it
where kids couldn’t see it.
The abortionists would steal away to the big city and
have it done privately instead of trying to get everyone
else to pay for their sin.
It were still thought that someone sinned when
divorce occurred.
The homosexuals would shut off their stream of dirty
propaganda on the airwaves.
They would go back in their closets.
Those who have sex changes would stop their
boasting and be ashamed.
Sin was hidden a little more and the blasphemers
would go back into hiding their damnable lies.
We could go back to women blushing and men
apologizing for a slipped phrase.
I mourn for the good old days of hypocrisy when sin was
hid. There are too many hypocrites in the Church we are
told. Oh! I wish that there were more of them hiding their
sin instead of openly being in rebellion to God.
What this country needs is a good five-cent hypocrite!
Well did Isaiah say, “Woe unto you for you declare your
sin like Sodom.” When sin can run around naked without
the cloak of religion, a nation is ready for the judgement of
God.
But a word to the hypocrite: it was good for you had you
not been born. There is coming a day when purifying is
coming. There is a day when nothing covered shall not
be revealed or hid and not be made known. That which is
spoken in darkness will be shouted from the rooftops.
God has a place for hypocrites. The unfaithful servant is
going to have his portion with the hypocrites. It’s a place
of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:46-51,
Luke 12:1-3 Your deceit will not hold up in the
judgement.
I read of some privates in the army who were
impersonating the officers. The officers then agreed not
to wear their uniforms one evening. It was simple to
arrest all in officer’s’ uniforms to catch the impersonators.
Someday friend, if you’re playing the part of the Christian,
you’re going to be exposed as an impersonator. It won’t
be a pleasant thing to be cast out of God’s presence into
outer darkness.
But a word to those who won’t come to Christ because of
the hypocrites. Which is better, to go to Church with
some of them or to hell with all of them? You say you
don’t want to go where they are, yet make no preparation
to avoid the place where they all are eventually going to
be.
If a man stands between you and God, he is closer to
God than you are. Not only so, but if you are going to
hide behind the hypocrite you must be smaller than he is.
You go to a lodge with them. You go to ballgames with
them. But you can’t go to church with them! I wonder
who really is a hypocrite?
Maybe you ought to come to church and show us what a
Christian really is. Maybe we need an example. I know
of no better place for hypocrites than the Church. It is
there that he will hear his sin of hypocrisy condemned.
The Church never made him a hypocrite anymore than a
school makes men illiterate. Counterfeits imply realities.
The fact that there are counterfeits proves there is
something to Christianity. Maybe you better not cast out
the wheat with the chaff.
Did you ever notice people who use the excuse about
hypocrites always comparing themselves to the worse
Church member? Not many compare themselves to the
Apostle Paul! Not many compare themselves to Stephen!
No, they choose some potsherd or broken pottery overlaid
with gold and then says that they would prefer to be a
common cup.
I am reminded of the story of the old bum that came to
town with patches all over his suit. There were colored
patches over the front of his outfit and one little patch in
the middle of his back. When asked what they were he
said that the large patches are the sins of his neighbors.
He let each patch stand for some sin of each of hisOctober 2011 THE GOSPEL UNASHAMED 3
neighbors. When asked what the little patch in the back
was for he said, “That’s my sin and I can’t see it.”
I am afraid that this is the problem with those who use the
excuse about hypocrites. If you have been using that
excuse of “too many hypocrites” you might as well come
too. There is always room for one more. If you ever find
the perfect Church, don’t join it cause you will spoil it.
Hypocrisy is a sin. We should expect hypocrites in the
Church and the hypocrites who hide behind them. It is
not by driving away others that we can be alone with God.
To go astray from total depravity could only be “toward
God”. Imagine, going toward God being called “going
astray”.
Psalms 58:3 is a hyperbole to show that men are indeed
sinners. What is a hyperbole? An overstatement, a figure
of speech in which something is said for emphasis, an
extreme exaggeration for emphasis to impress the hearer
or reader of a truth. Examples: I’m so hungry I could eat
a horse. He ate everything in the house. I’d give my right
arm for a pizza.
So, likewise, to impress upon us that men are sinners, we
are told we go astray as soon as we are born, speaking
lies. (Obviously, a newborn cannot speak.) “In sin, did
my mother conceive me” is a hyperbole that David used
to confess that he was indeed a sinner. Psalm 51.
Some say, “I’ve been a Christian since I was born” or “I
was born a Christian.” These statements are used to
emphasize they were raised in the Church since
childhood. Do not let these hyperbole’s of Scripture lead
you into the false conclusion of Calvinism that we were
born sinners when it is really just a confession that we are
in fact sinners. We have gone astray from God because
we have yielded to our own desires.

ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS    BY STEVE FINNELL

Contrary to what men believe, only God can forgive the sins that have been committed against Him. Joseph Smith nor Brigham Young can forgive sins. Catholic priests cannot forgive sins. Lutheran ministers cannot forgive sins. There are no men dead or alive who can forgive the sins that men commit against God.

ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS!

Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.

ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS!

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity...

Only God pardons iniquity. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Catholic priests, nor Lutheran ministers have the authority to pardon iniquity.

Daniel 9:98 To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him;

Mankind has rebelled against God and He alone can grant forgiveness.

THE SCRIBES UNDERSTOOD ONLY GOD COULD FORGIVE SINS!

Mark 2:6-11..the scribes...7...He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone? ....10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins"---He said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home."

The problem with scribes was they did not realize that Jesus was God in the flesh. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Catholic priests, Lutheran ministers, nor any other men, are or were, God in the flesh.

DID JESUS GRANT THE APOSTLES THE AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS? NO HE DID NOT.

Acts 8:18-22 ....20 But Peter said to him....22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

The apostle Peter did not grant forgiveness to Simon, he told Simon to pray to God for forgiveness. Note, Simon was already a Christian.

THE PROOF TEXT.

John 20:19-23 ....23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain  the sins of any, they have been retained."

Jesus was not giving Peter and the rest of the apostles the power to grant forgiveness of sins to men on an individual bases, Jesus was not ordaining them as priests with that power. Jesus was giving Peter and the apostles the authority to proclaim the terms for forgiveness of sins. Peter and the apostles did just that on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:22-41...36 Therefore let the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ---this Jesus whom you crucified. 37...Peter and the rest of the apostles....38 Peter said to them , "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.)

Peter and the apostles did not forgive sins on the Day of Pentecost nor on any subsequent day. They declare God's terms for pardon.
FAITH: John 3:16
REPENTANCE: Acts 2:38
CONFESSION: Romans 10:9-10
WATER BAPTISM: Acts 2:38

Christians are not asked to confess to Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Catholic priests, Lutheran ministers, nor any other men, in order to have their sins against God forgiven!

Christians are to confess their sins to God in order to receive forgiveness. (1 John1:5-9 ....God is light... 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness.)

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between men, the man Christ Jesus,

The only priest standing between men and God is the high priest, Jesus Christ.  

NOTE: Confessing sins and asking God for forgiveness is only available to Christians. Non-Christians must have FAITH, REPENT, CONFESS JESUS AS LORD, BELIEVE IN HIS RESURRECTION AND BE BAPTIZED IN WATER IN ORDER TO THEIR SINS FORGIVEN.

ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS!

ARE 16 MILLION SOUTHERN BAPTISTS WRONG?   by steve finnell

The teaching of most in the Southern Baptist denomination is that water baptism is not essential to salvation because it is a work and works cannot save. They quote Ephesians 2:8-9 as their proof-text.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.(NKJV)

The gift men receive because of God's grace is salvation. We do not receive salvation because of any meritorious works, we are not saved because of our good deeds. We are not saved because we have lived a good and perfect life. The short answer is we are not saved because of "our works".

The question remains, is allowing someone to baptize you in water, a work, is it a good deed, is it a meritorious work? Of course not, it is simply obeying the command of Jesus to be baptized in order to be saved. (Mark 16:16...and is baptized shall be saved...NKJV)

If being baptized in water is a work, (the person being baptized does nothing but submit to baptism) then why is having faith not a work. Why is confessing Jesus as Lord and the Son of God not a work? Why is believing that God raised Jesus from the dead not a work.


OBEYING THE GOSPEL PLAN OF SALVATION IS NOT A WORK. Faith John 3:16, Repentance Acts 3:19, Confession Romans 10:9, Immersion in water Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 22:16, Mark 16:16.


What do you want to trust for your salvation, Southern Baptist doctrine or the Bible?      

  

Is Original Sin
a Myth Upon
a Myth?  by George L. Faull

Isn’t it ironic that those who
believe today in the
doctrine of “original sin” are
the ones now who deny the
account of Adam and Eve
as an authentic, historical
record?
They believe the story of
Adam and Eve was only a
myth. So what do they admit by such a statement but that
the doctrine is fabricated out of a myth!!!
They like to quote Irenaeus and Tertullian, Basil, Gregory
of Nanzianjns, Gregory of Nyssa, and Ambrosiaster. The
latter said “Adam’s sin corrupted the flesh and the
corruption is passed by physical descent. Man cannot
plead that he is not responsible for the results of sins –
even if he commits them unwillingly in a sense, it was he
who originally, presumably in Adam, enslaved himself to
the devil.”
Says who? Where does the Bible say I am guilty of
Adam’s sin? I was born in the fold but went astray. I was
born a son but left my father and became a prodigal. I’m
to blame for my own sin, not Adams. I bear the
consequences of his sin but not his guilt.
But the Bible says by one mans sin many were made
sinners – Romans 5:19. Look at the context. It is a
contrast between Adam and Christ. Paul points out that
by Adam’s fall, sin entered into the world and this brought
death to all men.
Through that offence, we all die. So by Christ’s
righteousness many are made righteous and by Christ’s
death, by grace, many are made righteous.
Adam’s offence brought death to all who are his. Christ’s
righteousness can bring life to all who are His. Adam’s
disobedience made all to be counted sinners in God’s
sight. Christ’s obedience will make those in Christ be
counted righteous.
Where sin did reign to death for all men, those who
accept God’s grace reign through the righteousness of
Jesus Christ.
In Adam, we are reckoned to be sinners. In Christ, we
are reckoned, or counted righteous. It all depends if we
are IN Adam or IN Christ.
When Adam sinned, he and Eve were expelled from the
garden, which contained the Tree of Life. Even after they
sinned, God said, “….Lest he put forth his hand and take
also of the tree of life and eat and live forever.” He
removed them from the Tree of Life. All mankind are
counted sinners and thus in Adam all die because we are
not eating of the Tree of Life.
I asked a farmer to let me fish in his pond. He said, “No, I
let a man fish in it and he left his trash and I forbid anyone
to fish here now.” He counted all future fishermen as the
first fisherman so forbade all to fish there. All are counted
“trashers” but they were not trashers upon becoming
fishermen. I was not guilty of trashing the man’s pond but
I bore the consequences of the “original trasher”. I do not
bear Adam’s guilt, nor his inherited nature.
Adam’s DNA did not change! His privileges changed and
mine did as well and I share the consequence, but not his
guilt. The child born blind bears the consequence of his
father’s fornicating and getting syphilis, but not his father’s
guilt.
So to return to my first paragraph’s thought, it is strange
that many of those pushing the doctrine of original sin
DENY the sin ever happened in the first place because it
is a myth.
In reality, the sin of Adam did occur but the idea that I
have inherited his quilt and sinful nature is an on-going
myth created by man. It has spawned many other

unscriptural doctrines and practices.

Who Stole My Patron Saint?  George L. Faull


June 13: The undated photo (above) provided
by Father Brian Doran of the St. Anthony
Catholic Church in Long Beach, Calif. via the
Long Beach Police Department shows a 780-
year-old religious relic of St. Anthony, the
patron saint of lost causes and missing
objects, center in cabinet, that was stolen from
the church.
LOS ANGELES -- A 780-year-old religious relic
of St. Anthony of Padua has been stolen, and
parishioners at a Southern California Catholic
church are praying to the patron saint of lost
causes and missing objects for its speedy
return.
The relic was stolen from inside a cabinet
beside the altar at St. Anthony Catholic Church
in Long Beach on Monday, the feast day of the
church's namesake.
While church members are upset that someone
would steal a holy object, their faith is still
strong. "They said, `Father, he's the patron
saint of lost causes, so he'll come home,"'
Magana said.
"I'm hoping we've got some higher sources
who've got our backs here and we can get it
back," Magana said. "People here are pretty
upset but they're praying. They're praying to
St. Anthony for the return of his own object."
I always thought if I ever again saw a car with a
St. Christopher medal (Patron Saint of
Travelers) swinging on a chain from a mirror on
a wrecked car in which someone died, I would
take a picture of it to show the vanity of praying

to saints.

JOHN'S BAPTISM AND NEW COVENANT BAPTISM   BY STEVE FINNELL

Why do men accept the Scriptures about John's Baptism but reject the Scriptures concerning New Covenant baptism?

JOHN'S BAPTISM

Matthew 3:13-15....14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me? 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. (NKJV)

Matthew 3:13-15.......15 Jesus answered him, "This is the way it has to be now. This is the proper way to do everything that God requires of us." Then John gave in to him. (God's  Word-Translation)

Jesus was required to be baptized in water by John the Baptist in order to fulfill all righteousness. Had Jesus rejected John's baptism He would have been disqualified as a perfect sacrifice for mankind. Jesus was without sin, however, He still had to do all that God required Him to do.

You will notice Jesus did not say I was baptized by John as a simple act of obedience, but it really was not essential in order for me to fulfill all righteousness.

Luke 7:29-30 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God for themselves not having been baptized by him. (NKJV)

Luke 7:29-30 And all who heard John preach---even the most wicked of them---agreed that God's requirements were right, and they were baptized by him. 30 All, that is, except the Pharisees and teachers of Moses' Law. They rejected God's plan for them and refused John's baptism. (The Living Bible--Paraphrased)

When men today claim that Christian water baptism is either not essential to salvation or they outright refused to be immersed in water, are they rejecting God's counsel? Are they rejecting God's required for forgiveness of their sins?

Mark 1:4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.(NKJV)

Why do men believe that John the Baptist baptized in water   for the remission of sins and then disbelieve the apostle Peter when he told the three thousands, (Who were baptized under the New Covenant) to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins? (Acts 2:38)

Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee the wrath to come.(NKJV)

John the baptist said men have to be baptized to escape the wrath of God. Men today say Christian baptism is simply a way to demonstrate their faith.

Why do men believe what God said about the baptism of John and rejected what God said about New Covenant baptism.

CHRISTIAN BAPTISM IN WATER

1. Mark 16:16 ....and is baptized will be saved...(NKJV)

2. Acts 2:38...be baptized...for the remission of sin...(NKJV)

3. Acts 22:16...Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins...(NKJV)

4. 1 Peter 3:21 ..which now saves us, namely baptism..(NKJV)

5. Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ  have put on Christ. (NKJV)

GOD'S TRUTH AND SATAN'S LIES  by steve finnell

From the Garden of Eden to the present there has been God's truth and Satan's lies.

GOD'S TRUTH: Genesis 2:17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."(NKJV)

SATAN'S LIE: Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.(NKJV)

GOD'S TRUTH: Matthew 28:1-7....6 "He is not here He is risen....7.....He is risen from the dead....(NKJV)

SATAN'S LIE: Matthew 28:11-15.....12 When they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying , "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'....(NKJV)

Today there are men telling God's truth, however, there are others who spreading Satan's lies.

GOD'S TRUTH: Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.(NKJV)

SATAN'S LIE: He who does not believe will not be condemned; because there are many ways to be saved other than believing in Jesus.

SATAN'S LIE: He who believes is saved by faith only and should be immersed in water as a testimony of faith.

SATAN'S LIE: Water baptism is not essential to the forgiveness of sins; because baptism is a work of man.

SATAN'S LIE: Good works save us,  believing and being baptized do not save us.

SATAN'S LIE: Men are saved by grace alone, God forces men to have faith so they can be saved by faith only.

SATAN' LIE: Men need to be immersed in water to join the denomination of their choice, however, they do not need to be baptized in order to go to heaven