THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

In Jesus’ parable of the talents, the one-talent man hid his treasure in a hole in the ground. When called to account he said to his master, “Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours” (Matthew 25:24-25). The master furiously denounced the servant as “wicked and lazy” and said, “You ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest” (vs. 26-27).

It is important to consider that probably the least effective way to grow money is by earning interest with bankers, but it is better than doing nothing at all! Whether the servant’s fear was generated by his sloth, or vice versa, he proved to be worthless to his master.

All growth is pursued with risk. Farmers understand this principle better than anyone. Crops are planted, a yield is anticipated, but the entire process is subject to the vagaries of weather and nature. There is a certain risk in spiritual growth, too.

Scripture charges, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). That is an apostolic directive, not a polite suggestion. It demands action on our part. It means we have to study God’s word without fear or favor. It means we must learn to think for ourselves. It requires us to have a faith of our own, and the courage of personal conviction. Yet to do these things involves risk. Frankly, it is easier to bury our faith in a hole in the ground, just digging it up for occasional examination. But such is antithetical to the spirit of Christianity.

So what are the risks of spiritual growth? First is the likelihood of personal frustration. Who has not wrangled with himself over a thorny question, struggling to understand Bible principles more clearly? Not only is there the understanding of the principle, itself, but then there is the impact of that concept upon other concepts. To a disciplined student of God’s word, the wheels will never stop turning. Sometimes our thoughts can be disconcerting as we rethink old presuppositions. Very often, we will reach the same conclusions we reached before, but from a better-informed perspective. But whatever our conclusions, then comes the “pain” of making personal applications. Faith is much easier when buried in the ground.

Second is the risk of opposition from our brethren. Sometimes brethren object to the notion of “change” in any form, even if it is only an alteration in how a principle is explained. How often have we seen brethren differ, not over a Bible concept, but over the fact that one brother explains it in words different from the other! And there will always be brethren who equate the notion of independent thinking with apostasy. The fear seems to be that in anyone thinks “outside the box,” he will depart the faith. Such fear is irrational. Either it fails to recognize the objective nature of God’s revelation, or it is rooted in a creedal view of “truth” which must be defended against all attempts at close examination. Truth never fears examination. It can only become clearer in people’s minds with deeper examination. That is precisely what God wants.

Third, there is the risk of intellectual arrogance. As one restudies and rethinks old questions, he must fight the temptation of thinking he has discovered something “new.” If he has discovered something truly new, it is not in God’s word. His understanding of the question may be new, but the truth has been there all along. He is not the first to see it or articulate it. And he must remember that if he has changed his thinking in one particular, how many other things does he need to understand more perfectly? It suits none of us to be arrogant when we are, in fact, finite creatures made from dirt.

Bible study is neither dull nor boring, except to the one with no desire to grow. To the risk-taker, no thrill is any greater than that of contemplating and comprehending God’s truth. The desire for a greater understanding of truth should never become a pretext for arrogance or unbiblical innovations; but neither should calls for safety and soundness be a pretext for willful ignorance and laziness. Let us take the risk necessary to grow spiritually, that we might find favor with our Master at last.

Anyone who is saved will be saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). No principle is more fundamental to New Testament teaching, yet few principles are less understood. In the minds of many people, faith stands as an isolated entity completely separate from its effect on people's lives. For this reason, it is not uncommon to see folks who readily claim "faith" in Jesus, yet live like the Devil.

Real faith, as portrayed in scripture, is not just an abstract concept that occupies one small corner of a disciple's life. Rather, one's faith IS his life. His conviction is to shape every action he takes. As Paul states so eloquently, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). To view faith apart from its effect on one's life is to misunderstand the nature of saving faith.

If the Bible's great chapter on faith, Hebrews 11, teaches us anything, it is that genuine faith is an abiding trust and confidence in God that compels one to do His will. Consider Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Although none was perfect, each had a heart for God. Each one had a faith that was inextricably linked to his conduct. Real faith obeys God, and obedience serves as the only valid evidence of faith. Talk is cheap and lip service to God is easy, as too many of us know. But changing one's life to conform to God's will declares a faith that is genuine. It is always a mistake to sever faith and obedience.

Which brings us to our discussion of baptism. Hebrews 5:9 says of Jesus, "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." Now, can anyone rightly contend that obedience has nothing to do with salvation? Remember that faith and obedience are not mutually exclusive principles, but that they go hand in hand. What God wants is the obedience that comes from faith! “Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake” (Romans 1:5). Any attempt at "obedience," simply for the purpose of boasting of one's works, is not Bible obedience. It is a presumptuous counterfeit. Acceptable obedience is that which is born of faith in God. And such is the nature of baptism.

On the surface of it, there is no inherent benefit from being dunked under water. Yet the apostle Peter clearly states, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us..." (1 Peter 3:21). Now if we are saved by faith as Paul says (Ephesians 2:8) and if baptism has something to do with it as Peter says, then there must be some logical connection between faith and baptism.

The answer lies with Jesus. Before ascending to His Father, He instructed the apostles to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16). In this simple statement, Jesus links belief to baptism. At the risk of taking a passage out of context, "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

Christ's commission teaches that His condition for salvation is two-fold. Belief and baptism. To omit either element is to deny the Lord's command. Belief without baptism is an empty claim without proof. And baptism without belief is a ritualistic waste of time. It is belief and baptism the Lord wants. But remember, obedience is not something "tacked on" to faith; obedience is the logical result of a faith that trusts God and takes Him at His word. No act speaks louder of our absolute faith in the grace and mercy of God, than baptism, for baptism is an act of faith. Two passages bear this out.

When some Christians in Rome felt that freedom from Mosaic Law afforded them, the liberty to sin freely, Paul soundly denounced such thinking as nonsense. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Romans 6:1-2). The question is, how have the saved "died to sin?" Paul continues ... "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3). When did Jesus shed his saving blood for our sins? At His death.

When do we come in contact with His death? Paul says it is in baptism. "Therefore, we were buried with Him by baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Baptism is not a mere "sacrament," so designated by men. Neither is it a work that "earns" salvation, as some seem to think. Baptism is a statement of our faith in the saving blood of Jesus Christ, and the hopelessness of being saved without it. Baptism is an act of faith that emulates the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. But Paul teaches the same principle elsewhere in even clearer terms.

The ancient city of Colosse was noted for its influential schools of pagan philosophy and religion. Paul warns gentile Christians of the dangers of seeking some "deeper enlightenment" when, in fact, they were "complete" in Christ (Colossians 2:10). They had also been subjected to the influence of Judaizers who sought to bind the Old Law, especially the rite of circumcision, on gentile converts. Paul tells them they have already been circumcised spiritually - "without hands" - and have put off "the body of the sins of the flesh" (Colossians 2:11).

How had their sins been put off? "Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who has raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12). When had their sins been put off? When they were buried with Christ in baptism. Not because of the physical act itself, but because it was an expression of faith! They were "raised" with Christ through faith in God's power to raise them from spiritual death, just as He had raised His own Son from the grave. That's what baptism is about - not a "meritorious work," but a declaration of faith in God!

Paul explains the result of this spiritual circumcision. "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses" (Colossians 2:13). It is by faith that we are saved, and that faith is declared when we submit ourselves to the emulation of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, relying on God's power to raise us up! Any separation of faith from baptism is foreign to the Bible's teaching of salvation, and is an arbitrary distinction promoted in the theologies of men.

For one to claim faith in Jesus, yet to argue against baptism, as taught by Jesus, is incomprehensible. And to rely on the physical act of baptism alone, as a ritual rather than a statement of faith, is equally foolish. Real faith always seeks to do God's will. “Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law” (Romans 3:31). Men have erected a wall of division where God never built one: between faith and obedience. Let us not aggravate the confusion by mistakenly portraying baptism for the remission of sins as a "work," entire of itself. Instead, let us speak in Bible language, showing that baptism is a logical act of faith, and that baptism without faith is useless.

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.