Question: If a person is converted, and he may be, or may not be, at the Lord’s table, is he still on heathen ground, if he has not been baptized? J. E.
Answer: Heathen, Gentiles, and nations, mean the same in Scripture. We are all born Gentiles, or Jews— Israelites. None are born into the Church of God.
When Christianity began in Acts 2, then began a new class; ever since then there is Jew, Gentile and church of God.
When John Baptist preached repentance and confession of sins, he used a custom then in vogue to change persons from one status of society to another, and those that he baptized, waited on the ground of repentance for the coming Messiah. Baptism changed their position on earth, but not their state of soul.
In 1 Corinthians 10:1, 2, we find Israel baptized from being under Pharoah, to being under Moses; the cloud and the sea marking the change of position, but not their state of soul.
So we find in 1 Peter 3:20, 21, eight persons were saved out of the old world into the new. It is called baptism in figure. It is a change of position, but not of the state of their soul.
1 Corinthians 15:29 is not baptism in water at all. It was stepping into the position of those put to death for Christ’s sake. Taking this position is called baptism.
Christian baptism is to the death of Christ, and began when our Lord was risen and glorified. The hundred and twenty who were formed into one body by the Holy Spirit coming to dwell in them (1 Cor. 12:12, 13 calls it the baptism of the Spirit), were also formed into the house of God. They could not be baptized in water, for they formed the nucleus of the church or assembly. All others added to them, came in by baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and that they might receive the Holy Ghost. They were thus saved by faith, and separated from that untoward generation by baptism.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned,” even if he is baptized.
In Acts 8 we find the first preaching of the gospel mentioned outside of Jerusalem. The Samaritans believed and were baptized, both men and women. They were saved (except Simon the sorcerer, whose faith was of himself, see Ephesians 2:8, and he was lost, though baptized, verses 21, 22), but it was when Peter and John came down from Jerusalem, and prayed, and laid their hands on them, that they received the Holy Ghost. The old Jewish prejudices against the Samaritans, and theirs against the Jews, had to be removed.
In Acts 9 we have Saul’s conversion. He owns Jesus, Lord, but does not get deliverance for three days, till Ananias was sent to him with the knowledge of forgiveness; he was then baptized. Hear him in Acts 22:16, Ananias says, “And now why tarriest thou? arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” His baptism took him clean out of the Jewish position, to which all his former sins attached (Gal. 3:27, 28); his position is changed.
In Acts 10, we see the first Gentiles brought in, and Peter is spiritually compelled, against all his feeling as a Jew, to receive them. God made him say, “Whosoever believeth on Him (the Lord Jesus) shall receive remission of sins” (verse 43). Peter had the keys of the kingdom, that is: authority to admit them. When the Gentiles heard that “whosoever,” they were saved; the Holy Ghost fell on them at once. They were made part of the body (1 Cor. 12:12,13), and when Peter heard them magnifying God, he said, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” And he commanded the disciples to baptize them in the name of the Lord. They were thus placed in this new position, as well as being saved and sealed by the Spirit.
In Acts 8, as Philip preached Jesus to the eunuch on the text, “His life is taken from the earth” (He, Christ is now in heaven), the eunuch said, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” So both of them went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. Then Philip was caught away, and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing, to tell the glad story in his native land. The eunuch was a changed man in a new position.
In Acts 16 we have Lydia and her house, and the jailor and his house, all brought into this new position. All put under the name of Christ (see also 1 Cor. 1:16).
In chapter 18 we have the Corinthians; and in chapter 19, Paul takes twelve men who only knew John’s baptism; but that left them outside of Christianity, though converted; then he baptized them to the name of the Lord Jesus; then he laid his hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. They were brought into the new position under the name of the Lord.
Before Paul died, he predicted that after his decease, grievous wolves, holding damnable heresies, would arise (Acts 20:28, 29); and not only that, but Christian men of “your ownselves” would arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. That has brought in the divided, torn state of the house of God on earth today.
Now there are millions who have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and many, many of them are not converted. Those who are saved, are “one body and one spirit,” and called with “one hope of their calling” (Eph. 4:4). Those who are baptized, are in the new position, but as they are not saved, they will be judged for not having on the “wedding garment” (Matt. 22:11, 13).
Thank God, some of these baptized professors get converted, and become members of the one body. They are already “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). It would be therefore worse than useless to go through a form, the reality of which was already accomplished. It would be slighting the Name in which it was already done, and show ignorance of the true condition of the present ruined state of the house of God. We cannot get out of the ruin, but 2 Timothy 2:19-22 tells us of a separate path where we can “follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a sincere heart.”
Referring again to your question: an unbaptized person at the Lord’s Table shows the confusion that has come in, and reflects on the want of care, or it may be of knowledge, of those who received that person. We can comply with the Lord’s instructions, and baptize such as quickly as the case demands. We cannot build the house anew, but as far as we can, help on a right state of things; it becomes us to try to do so.
Question: Please explain, “There is a sin unto death, I do not say that he shall pray for it” (1 John 5:17). Is the sin against the Holy Ghost committed in this time of grace? M. J. S.
Answer: The sin unto death is not some special sin, but a condition of soul that God saw needed as chastening even to being put to sleep in the grave. The sin in 1 Corinthians 11:29, 30, was making the Lord’s supper a kind of feast of their own, and not connecting it with the death of Christ. From then on they were instructed to keep it by itself, and all to take it at the same time (verses 33, 34). The Lord might see fit to remove one who was dishonoring Him and hurting His people. Sometimes we see it right to pray for them; at other times we do not.
Every sin is grieving to the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, yet He never leaves us (Eph. 4:30). Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is what you mean, and in the connection mentioned in the gospels, it is not committed in the present period of grace. It was done by those who hated the Lord, and said, “He hath an unclean Spirit” (Mark 3:29, 30), and this no true child of God would allow for a moment. In the present day of grace we are told to preach the gospel to every creature, that is: where there is a listening ear.
Question: Please explain Romans 12:18. J. G. N.
Answer: As far as it depends on the Christian, he is to live peaceably with all men; and if wronged, he is to look to the Lord, and not avenge himself. His feet are to be “shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” But he must not go on hand in hand with evil, for the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, and the Lord said, “blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matt. 5:9).
Question: Will you kindly explain Matthew 24:13? What period of time does it refer to? H. W.
Answer: The time referred to in Matthew 24:13 is the time just before the Lord comes with His saints to judge and to reign. It is the time of trial from the beginning of sorrows (verse 8), to the great tribulation (verse 21). Verse 29 says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” ... the Son of man shall appear (verse 30).
It is the time of trial that comes after the heavenly saints are caught up (1 Thess. 4:15-18). This is the “blessed hope,” then the glorious appearing follows the tribulation (Titus 2:13). The saints that live at that time are sorely tried. The Antichrist of Revelation 13:12 tries to force everyone to worship a man called “The Beast,” but they are warned in Revelation 14:9-11 not to do it, and encouraged to faithfulness with a promise of greater blessedness if they should suffer martyrdom (Rev. 14:12, 13). This is the primary application of Matthew 24:13.
But it is always true in every period. It is true now, for all who are saved endure to the end. “For God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9. And “He which hath began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6. We find the same truth in Colossians 1:23. If we are born of God, we have a life that can never perish, and no condemnation can ever come to us (John 3:16; 5:24). We do therefore endure to the end.
A man may make a profession, a good resolution, and give it up, because he never possessed eternal salvation. Such goes back like a dog or a sow to its own ways, because it never was one of Christ’s sheep (2 Peter 2:22). God has pledged His Word that His sheep shall never perish (John 10:27-29).
Question: Is the New Covenant (in Hebrews) connected with the present period of grace, or does it have to do with the future of Israel? M. R. B.
Answer: The words “covenant” and “testament” are the same word in the original. The “first” mentioned in Hebrews, was given from Mt. Sinai.
The “new” and “everlasting” covenant is to be made in the. future with the house of Judah (the two tribes); and with the house of Israel (the ten tribes). Read Ezekiel, chapters 36 and 37, when Israel is restored and settled in their own land.
The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to lead the Hebrew believers to know Christ in glory, and thus to know their perfect acceptance in Him in virtue of His finished work (Heb. 10:14), and to know Him there as their great High Priest, and consequently to find that their blessing and worship are heavenly. Such blessings as “your sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (10:17) are common to believers of the present period; and of the future to Israel, and the nations.
Our present period blessings go beyond Israel’s for we know God as our Father. We are also members of the body of Christ, united to Christ our Head by the Holy Spirit now dwelling in us (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; 1 Cor. 12:12, 13; Eph. 4:4).
There is no covenant made with the church, but as the new covenant is a covenant of grace, we find the apostle speaking of new covenant ministers, not of the letter, but of the spirit (2 Cor. 3:6). We as poor Gentiles were outside of all covenants (Eph. 2:12), they belonged to Israel (Rom. 9:4).
In the body of Christ, that is, the church, there is neither Jew nor Gentile; both have died with Christ out of their old place, and are now risen with Christ in the new, so are “fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel” (Eph. 3:6). The Scripture is careful never to call the saints of this present time, New Testament saints, for that would mean New Covenant saints, and there is no covenant ever made with those who compose the Church, or body of Christ.