Perhaps the definition that we have heard of “religion” and “Christianity” are too general. The student of the Word of God desires something more specific, more comprehensive, more satisfactory. For a clearer definition of the terms we should appeal to the Bible rather than to the dictionary. In searching the Scriptures for these definitions, it will perhaps be less difficult to find “religion” clearly defined; than “Christianity”. In fact, unless we diligently and prayerfully search the Scriptures, from the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus to Paul’s farewell to earth in II Timothy 4:5 to 8, we may say that pure Christianity and pure religion are identical. “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” James 1:26 and 27.

The Greek word translated “religious” is “THRESKOS”; “religion” is “THRESKEIA”, (this Greek word suggests the use of speech and the senses in worship). James was a religious man and wrote to a religious nation. James 1:1 and 2. Acts 21:18 to 25.

In Acts 26:5 Paul speaks of the particular sect of religion to which, as the devout Saul, he had belonged. He used the same Greek word, but qualified the religion, as “our religion”, meaning Israel’s religion.

Israel’s religion was “IOUDAISMOS”; that is, “Judaism”. This Greek word is used in Galatians 1:13 and 14. For have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ RELIGION, how beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ RELIGION above many my equals in mine own Nation, being more zealous of the traditions of my fathers.”

In the verses quoted we have all the scriptures using the word “religion”. The “religious” proselytes of Acts 13:43 were devout worshippers.

Paul found some very religious Gentiles at Athens. He said to them, “Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.” Acts 17:22. This word “superstitious” in the Greek is “DEISDAIMONESTEROS”, and means literally “fearful of demons.” The heathen rulers used the same Greek word in referring to the religion of Israel and Paul. Acts 25:19. That particular “superstition”. was that “one Jesus, which was dead, Paul affirmed to be alive”. The heathen in Paul’s day were very religious. There are many religious sects in this country who use the Bible in propagating their religious doctrines and practices, but yet they are anti-Christian.

The only people to whom the true and living God ever gave religion was Israel. “Meats and drinks, carnal ordinances and divers baptisms were imposed upon them until the time of reformation”. Hebrews 9:10. For more than fifteen centuries Israel was under Divine orders to carry on that God-given religion, It was given to Moses at Mount Sinai about 1492 B.C. Israel was God’s religious nation. “The Jews’ religion.”

Jesus Christ was born under that reign of religion. He was made under the law; circumcised when eight days old; attended the synagogue on the Jewish Sabbath and worshipped as a religious Jew. He observed the feasts of Jehovah and taught Israel to obey the Levitical law of rites and ceremonies, He respected the seat of Moses. Galatians 4:4. Luke 4:16. Matthew 8:4. While on earth the Son of God Was Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God by signs; to Israel. Acts 2:22. He was Jehovah’s servant to Israel to confirm promises made centuries before. Romans 15:8. Matthew 15:24.

Pure Christianity was not promised by Israel’s prophets and confirmed by Jesus of Nazareth. Pure Christianity was given by Christ to the Apostle Paul some years after Christ’s earthly ministry had come to an end. While on earth Christ did not preach the unmixed message of grace to Gentiles, although He taught Divine truth that was carried over into the dispensation of grace, which he afterwards committed to the Apostle Paul. Ephesians 3:1 to 11. There was grace the Old Testament message and the kingdom message, but religion was mixed with grace.

Neither did Christ instruct the Twelve Apostles to indoctrinate Gentiles in the pure grace gospel, nor propagate pure Christianity, as He gave it to Paul to proclaim. Some of the teachings of Christ on earth could apply only before His death or to His Kingdom reign over the house of Jacob on the throne of David.

Even during the “Acts” period there was a carrying-over of a mixed program and message of grace, law and religion. Acts 10:28. Acts 21:18 to 20. Acts 16:3. During that period Paul became a Jew to the Jews, as one under the law to those under the law.” I Corinthians 9:20.

But with the close of that “Acts” period Paul declared himself through with religion and clearly stated that Israel’s religion had been nailed to the cross of Christ and completely taken out of the way: “took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” Colossians 2:14. Believers were no longer to be judged by religion. Colossians 2:15 to 18. Believers were complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10. A new law, the death and resurrection of Christ, the putting away of sin, the abolition of death, had supplanted the old law that worked wrath. Romans 8:1. II Timothy 1:9 and 10. Romans 4:15. Paul was the minister of this new message of Divine grace and special Divine favor upon the Gentiles, justified without the law; without religion or without a cause. In his last epistles there is nothing of religion, no signs, no ceremonies. “Now abideth faith, hope and love.” I Corinthians 13:13.

Paul was crucified with Christ to the law; Christ lived in him. Galatians 2:20. “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. Paul rehearses his religious past in Philippians 3:4 to 6. Then adds: “what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ.” He counted his past religion as “dung”. He had Christ. Christ is the believer’s life, the believer’s hope, the believer’s peace, the believer’s righteousness, the believer’s redemption and the believer’s all. Christianity is Christ and eternal life. The believer is accepted in Christ, complete in Christ, blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ, identified with Christ in death, burial and, resurrection, seated with Him in the heavenlies and waiting to appear with Him in glory. He is not under the law. He is saved by faith in the redemption work of the Lord Jesus Christ, by grace, and grace alone.

Pure, unmixed Christianity is founded in Paul’s epistles, perhaps more clearly set forth in Romans, Galatians and those epistles written after Israel was judged with the close of Acts. Christianity is Christ, Christianity is life, love and glory. Christ is the believer’s all sufficient One. It is all Christ.

In regard to the death of Christ, it is too often forgotten that He did not merely die the death of a private person, but that of a public person and federal Head of the race. The first Adam brought sin into the world, the last One “taketh away the sin of the world.”

Lord keep us from all unholy wars, for man really loves a scrap, but may we never forget that the Word is, besides milk and meat and honey, also a sword to be wielded, a hammer to pound, a staff to strike, a fire to burn, a lamp to show the yawning abyss and a light to detect the deep and dark things.

Behold how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Pleasant it is in the sight of God and man and angels of Christ and His good Spirit, and yet this pleasant sight is not much seen in this world. If Satan can view anything as pleasant it must be a pleasant sight for him and his imps to see brethren dwell apart in disharmony and dissension.

Sin is the greatest wrecker in the world. It darkens the mind; it warps man’s judgment; it vitiates his taste; it perverts his will; it stuplifies his conscience; it desecrates his affections; it pays in due time always the wages.

The demon cried: “Jesus I know and Paul, I know.” Amazing knowledge! All Christians cannot say the last by any means.

Formerly infidelity made its base and blatant denials outside the church, in later years the attack was made inside the church and that is the power of the apostacy in our day. Modernism is nothing but churchified infidelity.

Let us compare

ECCLESIASTES 1:9 AND 10: “THE THING THAT HATH BEEN, IT IS THAT WHICH SHALL BE; AND THAT WHICH IS DONE IS THAT WHICH SHALL BE DONE; AND THERE IS NO NEW THING UNDER THE SUN. IS THERE ANYTHING WHEREOF IT MAY BE SAID, SEE, THIS IS NEW? IT HATH BEEN ALREADY OF OLD TIME, WHICH WAS BEFORE US.”

with

REVELATION 21:5 “AND HE THAT SAT UPON THE THRONE SAID, BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW. AND HE SAID UNTO ME, WRITE: FOR THESE WORDS ARE TRUE AND FAITHFUL.”

We have all been taught that the Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament; and we know that the Bible speaks of “the old man” and “the new man”. The Bible also speaks of “a new thing”, “a new song”, “a new heavens and a new earth”, “a new garment”, “a new and living way”, “a new birth”, “a new-born-babe”, “a new lump”, “a new creation”, “a new commandment”, “new tongues”, “a new Jerusalem”, “a new fruit”.

It will prove interesting and instructive to study these “New Things” and compare them with the “Old Things”.

NEW THINGS

Isaiah 42:9 and 10: “Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles and the inhabitants thereof.” … Isaiah 43:19: “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert…… Isaiah 48:6: “Thou halt heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? ..I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them…… Jeremiah 31:22: “How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth. A woman shall compass a man.”

A NEW COVENANT

Jeremiah 31:31 to 34: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt: which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” . . . Hebrews 8:13: “In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

A NEW SONG.

Psalms 33:3: “Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.”… Psalms 40:3: “And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” . . . Psalms 96:1: “O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.” . . . Psalms 98:1: “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things! His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory.” . . . Psalms 144:9: “I will sing a new song unto Thee.” . . . Psalms 149:1 “Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints.” . . . Revelation 5:9: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue and people and nation.” . . . Revelation 14:3: “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”

NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH

Isaiah 65:17: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” . . . Isaiah 66.22: “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I shall make, will remain before Me, saith the Lord, so shall your need and your name remain. “

ISRAEL’S NEW NAME

Isaiah 62:2: “And the Gentiles shall see Thy righteousness, and all kings Thy glory: and Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.”

ISRAEL’S NEW SPIRIT AND NEW HEART

Ezekiel 11:19: “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh. . . . Ezekiel 18:31: “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”. . . Ezekiel 36:25: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

ISRAEL’S NEW FRUIT

Ezekiel 47:12: “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”

NEW GARMENTS AND NEW WINE

Matthew 9:16 and 17: “No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse:” “Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”

TREASURED THINGS NEW AND OLD

Matthew 13:52: “Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.”

THE BLOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT.

Matthew 26:28: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

THE NEW AND LIVING WAY.

Hebrews 10:20: “By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.”

THE NEW LUMP

I Corinthians 5:7: “Purge-out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.”

THE NEW TONGUES

Mark 16:17: “And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”

NEW BORN BABES

I Peter 2:2: “As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

NEW CREATION

Galatians 6:15: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” … II Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

THE NEW MAN

Ephesians 2:15: “Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain, one new man, so making peace.”

ANOTHER NEW MAN

Ephesians 4:24: “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” . . . Colossians 3:10: “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in KNOWLEDGE AFTER THE IMAGE OF HIM who created him.”

THE NEW LIFE

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.” . . . Romans 7:6: “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”

THE NEW COMMANDMENT

I John 2:8: “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past; and the true light now shineth.” II John 5: “And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.” . . . John 13:34: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

ANOTHER NEW NAME

Revelation 2:17: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the Churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” . . . Revelation 3:12: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.”

A NEW DRINK

Matthew 26:29: “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH

II Peter 3:13: “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” . . . Revelation 21:1: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

NEW JERUSALEM

Revelation 21:2: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Revelation 21:5

“And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”

Every true Christian believes that spiritual healing, salvation of the soul from sin, is to be found only in the death of Christ, but there is disagreement as to whether His death is supposed to provide physical health also for the believer. Some teach that Christ bore our sicknesses upon the Cross as well as our sins, and that it is therefore as much the will of God that we be healed of sickness as to be saved from sin. Since salvation is received through faith, healing must come in the same manner, and if one is not healed it proves he doesn’t have faith. If the premise of this argument is true, i. e. that Christ died for our sickness and that God is not willing that any should be sick, then the above conclusion logically follows; but we ask: Is the premise true?

This teaching is based upon Matthew 8:17: “Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses,” a quotation from Isaiah 53:4. But the all important thing to see is that Jesus fulfilled this scripture three years before His death. He was bearing their sicknesses all during His earthly ministry, but He never bore any one’s sins until He died upon the tree. Since the Bible declares that He fulfilled the work of bearing sicknesses before Has death, any teaching is proved false which claims He fulfilled that work in His death.

The second important fact is found in the word “bare”. Peter tells us that Christ “bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” This word is “anaphero” in the Greek, and means to bring to the altar or to offer a sacrifice. It is used in Hebrews 9:28: “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many”; and most significantly the translators of the Septuagint chose this word in Isaiah 53:12: “and he bare the sins of many.” But there is an entirely different word used regarding the bearing of sickness in Matthew 8:17. It is “bastazo” and means to lift or to carry or to endure. It is never used of bearing sins. This is the same word John the Baptist used in Matthew 3:11: “whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.” Paul used it in Galatians 6:2: “bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Paul asked Christians to do in Romans 15:1 exactly what Christ did: “bear the infirmities (or sicknesses) of the weak,” but he never told any Christian to bear the sins of another. And again, most significantly the Septuagint uses this same word in Isaiah 53:4: “surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” Thus Christ bore sicknesses in an altogether different sense from which He bore sins.

The third fact is based upon logic. If healing is in the atonement to the same extent as salvation, then one possesses salvation to the extent he enjoys physical health. But since all Christians in the past have died, and mostly from disease, this would prove that all had lost salvation; for all surely lost health.

Fourthly, Paul, the model Christian, gloried in his infirmities (II Corinthians 11:30; II Corinthians 12:9 and 10—this word means sickness, the same word as used in Matthew 8:17). If sickness is contrary to the will of God, then Paul gloried in being out of the will of God, and it was the grace of God which taught him to do it.

Fifthly, this teaching denies such scriptures as Romans 8:23: “but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Yes, praise God, our salvation includes a body as perfect as Christ’s own glorious body, but none will receive it until the resurrection for which we wait.

Lastly, let it be noticed that God promised health to Israel along with other temporal blessings. He revealed Himself as Jehovah-Ropheca, the Lord that healeth thee (Exodus 15:26). See also Deuteronomy 28:1 to 14. But not one of these promises can be found directed to the Body of Christ, but often just the opposite. God not only promised to heal but to make rich (Deuteronomy 28:11 and 12). Therefore if you are not rich it is just as much a sign of unfaithfulness as if you are sick.

Surely we believe that God hears and answers prayer for the sick, but plain scripture forbids us to believe that healing is in the atonement or that sickness brands one as unfaithful or disobedient.

It is quite interesting to note that the word “house” is found in the Bible more than 1700 times. Although the same Hebrew and Greek words are used, there are a number of different meanings to these words. Sometimes the word is used to indicate a company of people; for example, the House of Israel. The “House of Israel” is found in the Bible 148 times. In the Old Testament Scriptures we find the “House of God” 80 times. This same expression is used 6 times in the New Testament Scriptures. Generally in the Old Testament Scriptures, the term “House of God” had reference to the temple which Solomon built in Jerusalem, according to the pattern the Lord gave unto him. In the New Testament Scriptures the “House of God” referred more particularly to the company of redeemed people, the “ekklesia”, the “Church of God”.

In I Peter 2:5, we read of redeemed ones who are “built up a spiritual house”. The Greek word here translated house is “oikos” which has the meaning of a house or a temple. The Greek word “naos” is also translated temple. In Ephesians 2:21 we read of members of the Body of Christ who “groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” In I Timothy 3:15, there are instructions as to how to behave in the House of God. In Hebrews 3:6 we find these words: “But Christ as a son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Thus we see that the whole number of redeemed sinners is called, “The House of God.” In I Corinthians 3:16 and 17; I Corinthians 6:19 and II Corinthians 3:16 we find that members of the Body of Christ are temples of God. We quote II Corinthians 6:16. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Before the sinner is redeemed he is spoken of, in Matthew 12:29, as “the strong man’s house.” Here Satan is referred to as the strong man, and the sinner as his house. The Apostle Paul declared that he was to turn sinners from Satan to God. Acts 26:18. Thus we are taught in God’s Word that the unbeliever is Satan’s house or temple, and the believer is God’s house or temple.

Unto the redeemed sinner the Lord Jesus gave this very precious promise and hope: “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2 and 3. The little company to whom He first made this promise were His disciples who belonged to the House of Israel. At that time, the Lord Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Matthew 15:24. But His own received Him not, and He said to them: “Your house is left unto you desolate.” Matthew 23:38. But, according to Ezekiel 37, that same Son of man, as Israel’s Messiah and King, will return and Israel will be saved. We quote Ezekiel 37:11: “Son of man, these bones are the whole House of Israel; behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts.” This is confirmed in Romans 11:26; “All Israel shall be saved.” And then there will he the realization of Luke 1:33: “Jesus shall reign over the House of Jacob.” According to Luke 1:69, He came from the house of His servant David, and will yet fulfill Isaiah 9:6 and 7 as the Prince of peace on David’s throne.

There is one other house to which we would call your attention. We quote II Corinthians 5:1 and 2: “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.” Some day the Lord is to transfer His House from earth to heaven. Here the members of His household have earthly bodies, dwellings of clay; but each member is to have a house eternal, not made with hands. According to Galatians 6:10, which we quote, we are of the household of faith. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” According to Ephesians 2:19, which we quote, we are of the household of God. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.

Whatever may be the meaning of this statement, let us remember, according to I Peter 4:17, that judgment must begin at the House of God. We have mentioned a few of the houses of the Bible. To the sinner, we say, “Come in the house”, and also, let Christ come into your house. To Zachaeus He said “this day is salvation come to this house.” Luke 19:8 to 10.

Let us compare these three verses:

“AND I KNEW HIM NOT; BUT THAT HE SHOULD BE MADE MANIFEST TO ISRAEL, THEREFORE AM I COME BAPTIZING WITH WATER.” John 1:31.

“YE MEN OF ISRAEL, HEAR THESE WORDS; JESUS OF NAZARETH, A MAN APPROVED OF GOD AMONG YOU BY MIRACLES AND WONDERS AND SIGNS, WHICH GOD DID BY HIM IN THE MIDST OF YOU, AS YE YOURSELVES ALSO KNOW.” Acts 2:22

“BUT I HAVE GREATER WITNESS THAN THAT OF JOHN; FOR THE WORKS WHICH THE FATHER HATH GIVEN ME TO FINISH, THE SAME WORKS THAT I DO, BEAR WITNESS OF ME, THAT THE FATHER HATH SENT ME.” John 5:36

Certainly there is no reason why any student of the Word of God should misunderstand the plain language recorded in John 1:31. Here the significance of John’s water baptism is clearly and specifically stated; that “Christ might be made manifest to Israel.” The Greek word here translated “manifest” is translated , in John 7:4, “shew”: “shew thyself to the world.”

Now by way of comparison. “Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God.” This word “approved” in the Greek is “apodeiknumi”, and literally means “to show off or to put on exhibition”. Without the prefix “apo”, the Greek word is translated “shew” 23 times in the New Testament Scriptures.. For example Matthew 16:21, John 14:8, I Corinthians 12:31 and: James 2:18.

In Acts 2:22, we learn that God was placing His Son, Jesus of Nazareth, on exhibition in the midst of Israel; that is, He was showing Him off; by miracles and wonders and signs. According to John 5:36 quoted above, these supernatural works of Christ were to bear witness that the Father had sent Him. According to the plain statement of Jesus of Nazareth, He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 15:24.

Therefore, whatever new meaning may have been given to miracles and signs, as well as to water baptism, after the death and resurrection of Christ, it is plainly taught in the Four Gospels that both miracles and water baptism were to shew Christ to Israel.

In this connection we read in John 10:41, that John the Baptist did no miracle. We also read in John 4:2 that Jesus of Nazareth did no baptizing. We read in Luke 1:16 and 1:80 that John’s commission and message was to Israel. In Acts 13:24 Paul confirmed this.

We may be sure, therefore, that the earthly ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, like the testimony of John the Baptist, was specifically, if not exclusively, for the children of Israel. And the diligent student of the Word of God has observed that signs, wonders, miracles, supernatural demonstrations, and manifestations are inseparably connected with water baptism.

We quote Luke 3:3:

“And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” In this verse, as well as in Matthew 3:11 and Mark 1:4, we are taught something of the significance of John’s baptism with respect to Israel, sin and repentance. It was baptism of repentance for (unto) the remission of sin.

There is little or nothing said about water baptism, or signs, and miracles in the closing year of the Lord’s earthly ministry. In fact, there is no record of any Israelite having received water baptism after the statement of Christ, recorded in Luke 12:50, which we quote. “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished” Perhaps the explanation of the absence of both miracles and water baptism is Matthew 16:20, which we quote “Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ.” If twelve apostles were to no longer tell to Israel that Jesus was the Messiah, there was no further need for signs or water baptism until this order was rescinded and the Twelve again testified that Jesus was the Messiah; for signs and water were to shew Christ to Israel. After Christ’s prayer on the cross for Israel, God instructed the Twelve to again shew Jesus, as Messiah, to Israel. Acts 2:36.

In Mark 16:16 to 18 we find the commission which the resurrected Christ gave to the Eleven. Most assuredly we again have signs and water baptism connected. We quote these verses: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” There are many baptisms in our day, but no signs except “counterfeit signs”. On the day of Pentecost we learn by reading Acts 2:36 that the twelve apostles were doing what they were forbidden to do in Matthew 16:20. They were testifying that Jesus was the Messiah. As they were filled with the Holy Spirit and fulfilling the will of God, the Lord must have rescinded the order of Matthew 16:20. And therefore, immediately follows the same message of baptism unto repentance for the remission of sins. We quote 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.” Now let us bear in mind that it was the supernatural demonstration on the day of Pentecost, as well as the message, that caused the Israelites to say, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” The Jews require a sign I Corinthians 1:23. The Jews always had signs and baptisms. Hebrews 9:10.

We turn now from the second chapter of Acts to Acts 19:1 to 7. Here we have the last Scriptural record of baptism of any of the Lord’s disciples. After these disciples received water baptism they received the Holy Spirit, by the imposition of hand’s, and immediately spake with tongues. In 19:12 we have the record of mighty signs. Between Acts 19 and Acts 28 we have no record of water baptism and the record of very few signs. However, by reading Acts 28:5 to 10, we learn that there is a record of miraculous healing after the last record of water baptism. By reading Romans 6:3 and 4 we learn of the abiding baptism, “not made with hands’’.

We also learn by comparing I Corinthians 12:8 to 11, wherein we find listed sign-gifts to members of the Body of Christ, that more emphasis is placed upon these gifts than upon water baptism, in the special ministry of Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles. It is interesting to compare I Corinthians 1:14, “I thank God I baptized none of you, but” and I Corinthians 14:18, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all”. We would particularly emphasize the words of Paul “I thank God”. Any honest student of the Word must acknowledge that Paul was more thankful to God for speaking with tongues than for baptizing with water. Most Christians make much of water today and wholly ignore signs, (many ridicule tongues).

In every Scriptural record of water baptism there is in the same chapter, if not in the immediate context, a record of either a supernatural manifestation or some other Jewish sign or program.

How strange, therefore, it seems that men of God, who claim to be expositors of God’s truth, contend so earnestly for some kind of water baptism and are wholly indifferent as to whether members of the Body of Christ exercise any of the sign-gifts that are mentioned in the Bible after the last mention of water baptism. I Corinthians was written after the last recorded baptism in Acts 19:1 to 7. Signs were in the church as late as 58 A.D. What has become of them? We have held on to the water and let go of the signs. But we can’t explain why. Hold on to both or give up both.

Surely we should have more respect for the consistency and sincerity of the Pentecostalists who are contending for the signs with the water, than for the ability of our socalled leading Fundamentalist Bible teachers who have to resort to church history rather than to the Word of God for the explanation of the absence of signs and miracles in the spiritual program of the Body of Christ in this age. Many of them tenaciously, and sometimes belligerently, contend for water baptism, although there are more than a dozen different interpretations among them as to the mode, formula, and signification of the water ceremony. They think they are proving their practice by the Bible; but in reality it is by tradition.

We give here every reference to water baptism in the New Testament Scriptures. Search these Scriptures and find one where water baptism is a witness to the world and then mark every one proving that water baptism is both efficacious and meritorious: Matthew 3:7 to 16; Mark 1:4 to 9 ; Luke 3:3 to 21; John 10:40; Mark 10:38 and 39; Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:5 – Acts 2:38 to 41 – Acts 8:12, 13, 16, 36, 38 – Acts 9:18 – Acts 10:47 and 48 – Acts 11:16 – Acts 16:15,33 – Acts 18:8 – Acts 19:3,4, and 5 – Acts 22:11; I Corinthians 1:17; Romans 6:3; I Corinthians 1:3, 14, 16 – I Corinthians 10:2 – I Corinthians 12:13 – I Corinthians 15:29; Galatians 3:27; Hebrews 6:2 – Hebrews 9:10 (washings); I Peter 3:21; Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 4:5; Acts 18:25. Refer to I Corinthians 10:2; “baptized unto Moses”, and I Peter 3:21, “Noah in the ark”. We are sure that the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, and Noah with his family, did not get wet. They were all saved from the water.

We are all sure that the baptism of Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12 and Ephesians 4:5, is the same baptism and if water, then we are saved by water. If so, then Romans 3:26 and 3:28, Ephesians 2:8 and 9 and Titus 3:5 to 8 are not true.