How Do You Know You Have Been Chosen to Salvation?

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. (5) For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

The Believers Bible Commentary says, "The apostle was assured that these saints had been chosen by God before the foundation of the world. But how did he know? Did he have some supernatural insight? No, he knew they were among the elect by the way they had received the gospel.

Note v. 5: By our gospel Paul does not imply a different message from that of the other apostles. The contents were the same; the difference was in the messengers. The Thessalonians had not treated the message as a mere religious lecture; they had, of course, received it in word, but not in word only.

It was in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance that it came to them: (1) In power. The message worked in their lives with supernatural energy, producing conviction of sin, repentance, and conversion. (2) In the Holy Spirit. This power was produced by the Holy Spirit. (3) In much assurance. Paul preached with great confidence in the message. The Thessalonians accepted it with much assurance as the word of God. The result in their lives was full assurance of faith.

Things Hard to Understand

2 Peter 3:16, As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things hard to be understand, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

What are the things hard to understand?

Barnes writes: “Peter refers not to the difficulties of understanding what Paul meant, but to the difficulty of comprehending the great truths which he taught.

 

In dealing with this verse, Peter lets us know there are some things in the Bible that are hard to understand such as the trinity, election, and the mystery of suffering. The context [vs.1-15] lends itself in dealing with prophetic times and the coming of the Lord.

Pastors who don’t preach prophecy passages or the book of Revelation, are not true to their calling or the Word.

The false teachers who did not understand the truth of the Word would take the doctrine and twist it to mean something totally not biblical.

They would distort the teaching about prophecy, but also would distort the rest of Scripture. So it is today…false teachers will distort, and twist Scripture to teach it means something that is so foreign to real biblical truth.

Therefore it is essential we know our Bible.

 

This verse also teaches the doctrine of inspiration of Scripture. Peter puts Paul's writings on par with the other [rest] Scriptures. Peter calls Paul's writings Scripture. Also, note the last words in v. 16, "Unto their own destruction." The writings of mere men can't damn a soul, but God's inspired Word can!

Revival Services

On September 23-25, 2013 we will have the following guest preachers coming to preach at Trinity Baptist Church:

Monday night at 7:00 pm- Pastor Mike Allan of North Side Baptist in Thomasville, Ga.
Tuesday night at 7:00 pm- Pastor Randy Blow of New Elm Baptist in Quitman, GA.
Wednesday night at 7:00 pm- Pastor Tim Robson of Eastside Baptist in Thomasville GA.

Each Pastor will bring special music from their church.

You are invited to attend Trinity Baptist located at 1003 Cassidy Rd., in Thomasville for Biblical music and Biblical preaching.

Reconciled Enemies

Colossians 1:20-23, And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (21) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (22) In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

The word “reconcile” is one of five key words in the NT to describe salvation in Jesus Christ- Justification, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, and reconciliation. 

John MacArthur says,

In Justification- the sinner stands before God Guilty and condemned, but is declared righteous.

In Redemption- the sinner stands before God enslaved, but is granted freedom.

In Forgiveness- the sinner stands before God as a debtor, but the debt is paid and forgiven.

In Adoption- the sinner stands before God as a stranger, but is made a Son.

In Reconciliation- the sinner stands before God as an enemy, but becomes His friend.

It is this word “reconcile” that the passage talks about. The word means “change” or “exchange.”

Romans 5:10, For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!

2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  (19) That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. (20) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God."

When the Bible speaks of reconciliation, it speaks of people being changed from enemies of God to at peace with God. The sinner is completely and totally reconciled to God. We are reconciled enemies!

Did Jonah Die in the Great Fish?

1. Reasons some believe Jonah died-

1. Jonah was a type of picture of Christ’s death and resurrection (Matt. 12:40). The type or picture would be incomplete if Jonah did not die.
2. Jonah cries out of the belly of hell “Sheol” which is the primary meaning of being a grave and Jonah concerned the fish to be his grave.
3. The phrase in v. 3, “Floods compassed me about” describes a man who is drowning.
4. They say the phrase in v. 4, “I am cast out of Thy sight” indicates physical death.
5. “Weeds were wrapped about my head” in v. 5 speaks of death.
6. The word “corruption” in v. 6 describes death.

2. Reasons most believe Jonah did not die-

The Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah in 1:17. This speaks of preservation and not death.

 

1. The term “belly of hell or Sheol [v. 2] is used by David in speaking of death even though David did not die (Ps. 18:5; 30:31).
2. Matt. 12:40 does not require Jonah to die. The fulfillment is greater than the picture. The emphasis is on being in and not dying. The emphasis is on the time and not death.
3. Jonah had to be alive to pray. If he died he would not have remembered praying. Nowhere do we see in chapter 2 that Jonah died. The closest is v. 7, “When my soul fainted within me.” Then he remembered the Lord.
4. The word “corruption” means “pit.” Jonah was in the belly of the fish and the bottom of the sea [v. 6a].
5. Note the word “then” in v. 1. It seems Jonah prayed at the end of his time in the great fish.
6. Jonah knows how long he was in the fish! Jonah did not die but was at the point of death.

Entertaining Angels

Hebrews 13:2, Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Entertain means hospitality and strangers means believers possibly undergoing persecution [v. 3] or helping traveling preachers or Christian workers.

It is not an admonition to help everybody- those who will not work or those in sin. Nor is it a call to help everybody hoping they will be an angel. The context of Heb. 13:1-6 is brotherly love.

Bible Believers Commentary says, “The readers are urged to show hospitality to strangers. This might refer primarily to believers who were fleeing from persecution and were hard-pressed to find food and lodging; to entertain them was to expose the host and hostess to danger. The verse may also be understood as a general encouragement to show hospitality to any believers who need it.

There is always the thrilling possibility that in doing this we may unwittingly entertain angels! This of course looks back to Abraham's experience with three men who were actually angelic beings (Gen. 18:1-15). Even if we never have real angels in our homes, we may have men and women whose very presence is a benediction and whose godly influence on our family may have results that reach on into eternity.

A Building of God

2 Corinthians 5:1-8 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. (2) Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, (3) since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. (4) Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. (5) And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. (6) So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. (7) For we walk by faith, not by sight, (8) and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.

We must address this “building of God.” This is not the believer’s heavenly home, promised in John 14:1-6.

Nor is it a temporary body between death and resurrection (no support in Scripture).  It is his glorified body at the resurrection.

Tabernacle speaks of a tent. Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1-3) and here he used a tent as a picture of our present earthly bodies.

A tent is a weak, temporary structure, without much beauty; but the glorified body we shall receive will be eternal, beautiful, and never show signs of weakness or decay.

Paul saw the human body as an earthen vessel (4:7) and a temporary tent; but he knew that believers would one day receive a wonderful glorified body, suited to the glorious environment of heaven.

If our tent is “dissolved or taken down,” speaks of death which we need not fear. Earthly speaks of a terrestrial body. When a believer dies, the body goes to the grave, but the spirit goes to be with Christ (Phil. 1:20-25).

When Jesus Christ returns for His own, He will raise the dead bodies in glory, and body and spirit shall be joined together for a glorious eternity in heaven (1 Cor.15:35-58; 1Thess. 4:13-18).

Jesus is the Firstborn

Col. 1:15-17, “The firstborn over all creation.  (16)  For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him.  (17) He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”

The word “firstborn” can refer to first in time, but in the context it refers to the highest priority of position. It does not speak of time or chronological order, but it is a title. Christ was not the first created being [v. 17]. Jesus is Lord- supreme, sovereign, foremost, preeminent, and above all.

Psalms 89:27, “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.”

Christ is called the firstborn over all creation in that He is given the preeminence over all created beings. He was before creation, not a creature but the Creator.

 

Christ existed before all things. How can he be the first created being and be the before creation? He is the great “I am” of John 8:58, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

John MacArthur says, “Here, Jesus declared Himself to be Yahweh, the Lord of the OT. God declared Himself to be the eternally preexistent God who revealed Himself in the OT to the Jews [Ex. 3:14; Deut. 32:39; Isa. 41:4; Isa. 43:10].

 

Testing the Spirits

1 John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

I want to share with you four questions to ask any man, ministry or movement to test if they bring the Doctrine of Christ.

1. Who is Jesus? It doesn't matter what they are right about if they are wrong about Jesus.

2. How is a person saved? Any adding of works or human merit is a false gospel. The lost sinner is saved by grace alone through Christ alone.

3. What is their source of authority? If they lay any book, human teaching, or human creed alongside the Bible, then beware.

4. Do they teach repentance and holiness?