Category: Evangelism

Is water baptism necessary to go to heaven?

Some students of the Bible do believe that water baptism is necessary for eternal salvation. They refer to six debatable verses to argue that one must be baptized with water in order to go to heaven. But this assertion clearly contradicts the New Testament teaching that salvation is by grace through faith alone in Christ alone. For example, if water baptism is necessary to obtain eternal life, why didn’t Jesus say, “He who believes in Me [and is baptized] has eternal life” in John 6:47? Why didn’t Luke write, “[Be baptized and] believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” in Acts 16:31? Why didn’t the apostle Paul say, “For by grace you have been saved through [baptism and] faith” in Ephesians 2:8? If water baptism is necessary for salvation, why did the apostle Paul say that preaching the gospel was more important than water baptism when he wrote, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (I Corinthians 1:17)? Paul makes it clear that water baptism is not part of the gospel message. Paul did not baptize many people because water baptism is not necessary for salvation from hell (cf. I Corinthians 1:14-16).

Obviously God did not intend for us to let six unclear verses interpret the over 200 clear verses that teach that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone (cf. Matthew 18:6; 21:32; Mark 1:15; 9:42; 15:32; Luke 8:12-13; John 1:7, 12; 3:15-16, 18, 36; 4:10-14; 5:24; 6:29, 30, 35, 40, 47; 11:25-26; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Romans 4:5; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; I John 5:1, 13; et. al). So if these six verses are not referring to salvation from hell, then to what are they referring?

– “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Mark 1:4

John the Baptist’s call to repentance was a call for the nation of Israel to change their mind about their sin and the Person of Jesus Christ. The word “repentance” is from the Greek word metanoia, a compound word from meta, “after,” and nóēma, “thought.” Together it means to an after thought or a change of mind. John was calling the nation of Israel to change its mind because the Messiah God was coming from heaven to set up His Kingdom. John says they need to repent and change their mind about their own condition and/or the coming Messiah so they can trust in Him as their Savior and He will set up His kingdom. This was a self-righteous nation that needed to recognize its own sinfulness and need for a Savior.

John the Baptist’s baptism had no saving value. It was designed to prepare the Jewish people to place their faith in the coming Messiah according to Acts 19:4: “Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’” Those Jews who were baptized by John realized their own sinfulness and inability to save themselves. John’s baptism initiated them into the community of people who anticipated the coming Messiah, Who alone could save them from their sins.

– “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16

Water baptism in Mark 16:16 cannot refer to salvation from hell because this would contradict over 200 clear verses in the New Testament which teach that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone (cf. Matthew 18:6; 21:32; Mark 1:15; 9:42; 15:32; Luke 8:12-13; John 1:7, 12; 3:15-16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:29, 30, 35, 40, 47; 11:25-26; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Romans 4:5; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; I John 5:1, 13; et. al). God’s Word will not contradict Itself.

Jesus used the word “believe” three times in Mark 16:15-17. Notice that failure to believe results in condemnation, not failure to be baptized which is consistent with John 3:18. If water baptism is necessary for salvation, we would expect the Lord to have said, “He who does not believe [and is not baptized] will be condemned.” But He does not say this because water baptism is not a condition for salvation from hell. What this means is even if a person is baptized with water but does not believe the gospel, he or she will still be condemned to hell. Clearly, the only condition for condemnation is failure to believe, not failure to be baptized with water.

It is better to understand the word “baptized” as a reference to Spirit baptism which takes place the moment a person believes in Christ for the gift of salvation (Acts 10:43-48; 15:7-8; 19:5; Galatians 3:2, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14). In Mark 1:8, John the Baptist said, “I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

This is supported further in the context of Mark 16:16. Christ said “these signs will follow those who believe” and then He lists the miraculous signs that will accompany the preaching of the gospel to “confirm” the message (Mark 16:17-20) and the apostolic messenger (2 Cor. 12:12). These miraculous signs accompanied the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the early church (Acts 2:1ff). The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a spiritual baptism. It places believers into the body of Christ forever and joins them spiritually to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ the moment they believe the gospel (Mark 1:8; Acts 10:43-48; 15:7-8; 19:5; Romans 6:3-4; I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:2, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Tim. 2:11, 13). Water baptism is necessary for discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20), but not for salvation.

– “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ ” John 3:5

When Jesus refers to being “born of water” He is speaking of physical birth. Christ explains this in the next verse. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). Christ is saying that a person must first be born physically before he can be born spiritually. So to be “born of water” refers to the amniotic fluid which breaks when a baby is delivered. To be “born of the Spirit” refers to our spiritual birth into God’s family the moment we believe in Christ (John 3:15-16; cf. John 1:12). The Bible does not contradict itself. John makes it clear that the only condition for eternal life is belief in Christ (John 3:15-16, 36; 4:10-14; 5:24; 6:35-40, 47; 7:37-39; 11:25-27; 20:31). The clear must always interpret the unclear.

– “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

After preaching Jesus’ death and resurrection to his Jewish audience in Jerusalem (Acts 2:22-35), the apostle Peter informed them “that God has made this Jesus, whom” they “crucified, both Lord and Christ” (2:36). When these Jews felt sorrow or regret about what they did to their “Lord and Christ,” they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do?” (2:37). Peter told them to “Repent” (metanoeō) or change their mind about their wrong view of Jesus and then believe in Him for salvation from Hell (2:38a). By calling the people to repent, Peter was commanding them to trust the One whom they had crucified (cf. John 11:25-26; 20:31; I John 5:1). Acts 2:41, 44 confirm this understanding when they say the people “received his word” (2:41) and “all who believed were together” (2:44). 

Acts 3:19-4:4 also supports this usage of the verb “repent.” After Peter and John healed the lame man (3:1-10), Peter preached the death and resurrection of Christ to his Jewish audience (3:11-18) and invites his audience to “repent” or change their view of Christ and see that He is the Messiah. His Jewish audience was thinking, “If Jesus is the Messiah, then where is His Messianic Kingdom?” Peter explains that if they would “repent” and believe in Jesus as the Messiah, His Messianic Kingdom would commence (3:19-26; cf. Mark 1:15). How did these Jews respond? “Many of those who heard the word believed” (Acts 4:4). 

Several factors must be taken into consideration to properly understand Acts 2:38: 

1. Throughout the book of Acts we see that salvation is byfaith alone in Christ alone as taught by Philip (8:12, 37), Peter (10:43; 15:7-11), and Paul (13:39, 48; 14:27; 15:1-2; 16:30-31). God’s Word does not contradict itself, so Acts 2:38 must be talking about something more than salvation from hell. 

2. The distinction between regeneration and forgiveness. Regeneration is imparting the very life of God at the moment of faith in Christ to the believer (John 1:12-13; I John 5:1). Therefore, it is judicial and cannot be changed. Forgiveness, on the other hand, involves the restoration of harmony between God and believers (Luke 6:37; 11:4; I John 1:9). 

The Bible speaks of two types of forgiveness: Positional forgiveness involves the pardon of past, present and future sins at the moment of faith in Christ (Acts 10:43; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:13-14). This is a one-time event and cannot be changed. Fellowship forgiveness involves closeness to God, and it can be lost and restored repeatedly throughout a Christian’s life (Luke 6:37; 11:4; I John 1:9). For example, when you are born into your earthly family you will always be your parents’ child no matter what (regeneration), but closeness with your parents can be broken by your disobedience and restored by confession and forgiveness (fellowship). The same is true in our relationship with God. 

3. The meaning of repent. The word “repent” (metanoeō) means “to change one’s mind.” Whenever this word is used in a salvation context, it means “to change your mind about whatever is keeping you from trusting Christ and then trust Him to save you” (cf. Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47; Acts 17:30; Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). 

4. The book of Acts is dealing with a transitional time in God’s program. The birth of the Church takes place in Acts 2. For a brief period of time after the birth of the Church, people were not baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13) at the moment of faith in Christ. For example, Samaritan believers (Acts 8:12-17), disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:2-6), and Saul (22:1-16) received the Holy Spirit after they were baptized with water. But Cornelius and his family all received the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith in Christ (Acts 10:43-48) which is the normative experience for believers today (cf. Mark 1:8; Acts 10:43-48; 19:5; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:2, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14). Why the difference?

Palestinian Jews who had helped crucify Christ had to be baptized to be placed in the Church and have fellowship with God. That is, in order to enter into closeness with Christ, they had to publicly identify with Him through water baptism because they had earlier rejected Christ publicly when they participated in His crucifixion. This is why Gentiles in Acts 10:43-48, who had no part in Christ’s crucifixion, received the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith in Christ and were baptized later. 

So when we come to Acts 2:36-38, Peter says to his Jewish audience, “’36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ 37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (2:36-37). Peter has just preached that Jesus, whom His Jewish audience had personally helped to crucify, was both Lord and Christ (2:22-26). Peter replies, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). By calling the people to repent, Peter was commanding them to trust the One whom they had crucified (cf. John 11:25-26; 20:31; I John 5:1). Acts 2:41, 44 confirm this understanding when they say the people “received his word” (2:41) and “all who believed were together” (2:44). 

The forgiveness spoken of in Acts 2:38 is fellowship forgiveness, just as we see in I John 1:9. For these Jews guilty of crucifying the Messiah, they had to be baptized and receive forgiveness for this sin of rejecting Christ in order to have fellowship with God and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Without water baptism they would still have eternal life because they believed in Jesus (Acts 2:41, 44; 4:4; cf. John 3:16;  I John 5:1), but they would not escape the temporal judgment coming upon their sinful generation for crucifying the Messiah (Acts 2:40). 

– “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16

This verse is parallel in thought to Acts 2:38. Saul of Tarsus was saved on the road to Damascus, as seen in Galatians 1:11-12 where Paul said he received his Gospel directly from the Lord Jesus and not from any man. Paul must have been saved on the Road to Damascus because this is where Jesus spoke directly to Paul (Acts 9:3-6). In the above verse, Ananias commanded Saul to be baptized so that he might receive the forgiveness of his sins or the same fellowship forgiveness seen in Acts 2:38 and I John 1:9. Paul was regenerated on the road to Damascus, but received fellowship forgiveness for persecuting Christ (Acts 9:4) when he was baptized three days later by Ananias (Acts 22:16; 9:17).

This explains why Ananias called Saul, “Brother Saul,” (Acts 9:17; 22:13) and why he didn’t command him to believe in Christ. Saul already believed in Christ for eternal life on the road to Damascus. The demand to be baptized for forgiveness of sins was imposed upon Palestinians who had openly rejected Christ and is never directed toward Gentiles (Acts 8:36-38; 10:43-48; 16:31-33; 18:8). Therefore, these accounts in Acts 2 and 22 are the exception, not the norm.

– There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 3:21

Before we can properly understand this verse, we must look at the preceding verses: “18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water” (1 Peter 3:18-20). Christ took our place and punishment when He died on the cross and was made alive by the Spirit (3:18). Through the Holy Spirit, Christ preached through Noah to the unbelievers (“spirits”) of Noah’s day (3:19-20).

Why refer to Noah in this context? Because Noah’s deliverance is a picture (“antitype”) of the kind of baptism mentioned in verse 21 – Spirit baptism. The water did not save Noah and his family. The ark saved them. Just as the waters of God’s judgment fell upon the ark and not Noah, so God’s eternal judgment fell upon Christ and not us (3:18). Furthermore, just as Noah and his family escaped God’s watery judgment by being placed in the ark, likewise Christians escape God’s eternal judgment by being placed in Christ through Spirit baptism the moment they believe in Jesus (Galatians 3:26-27). When Noah came out of the ark, he entered into a new life – a world that had been cleansed of sin. Likewise, Spirit baptism places us in a new relationship to Christ so we can experience a new kind of resurrection life (Romans 6:3-5).

Spirit baptism not only saves us from Hell, but it also saves us from the power of sin. Peter says that this baptism is not a physical cleansing (“the removal of the filth of the flesh”), but a spiritual cleansing (“the answer of a good conscience toward God”). Spirit baptism gives us a good conscience regarding our past sin and guilt and enables us to live victoriously now in the power of the resurrection.

Some people will ask “What about infant baptism?” To make a disciple you need first a person who has believed. Infants are not able to understand their need to believe in Christ. Therefore, parents should wait until their child is old enough to believe and understand the true meaning of baptism before he or she is baptized.

Some churches practice infant baptism as a means of committing the child to be reared in the church under the influence of spiritual teachers (Pastors, Sunday School teachers, etc.). This can be called a “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a covenant between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed. It is not in the Bible. This is different from the baptism talked about in the Bible which was only for those old enough to believe. Some churches do provide Baby Dedications whereby the child is committed to the Lord and the parents publicly confess their commitment to raise the child according to the principles in the Bible.

Conclusion: Water baptism is not a necessary for salvation or going to heaven. Only believing in Jesus Christ who died for our sins and rose from the dead is necessary to go heaven (cf. John 3:15-16, 36; 4:10-14; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 11:25-26; 20:31; Acts 8:12, 37; 10:43; 15:7-11; 13:39, 48; 14:27; 15:1-2; 16:30-31; Romans 4:5; I Corinthians 15:1-6; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; I Timothy 1:16; I John 5:1, 13). However, water baptism is a condition for discipleship (Matthew 28:19) and is to be done as soon as possible after a person believes in Christ for His gift of salvation (cf. Acts 2:41; 8:6-13, 36-38; 10:43-48; 16:31-33; 18:8). When a believer is baptized with water, he is telling God and those who witness his baptism, that he desires to follow Jesus as His disciple no matter what the cost (cf. Matthew 10:16-39; 28:19-20; Luke 9:57-62; 14:25-33; John 8:31-32; 13:34-35; 15:1-8).

I need to go through Samaria

“But He needed to go through Samaria.” John 4:4

One of my favorite evangelistic encounters in the Bible is when Jesus went to Samaria to visit a hurting woman at a well of water (John 4:1-26). Jesus left Judea to avoid trouble with the religious leaders (4:1-3). Instead of going the normal route that Jews take around Samaria by crossing the Jordan River, traveling north, and then crossing the Jordan into Galilee, He went straight north into Samaria (4:4). Such a course was direct and shorter, but Jews did not go that way because they hated Samaritans.

The reason “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” is because they were racially mixed (4:9). When Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom 700 years before Christ, many of the Jews were exported, and many foreigners were imported. The Jews who stayed and the Gentiles who came intermarried. The offspring were half-breeds called Samaritans. The Jews hated them and would have nothing to do with them.

But Jesus “needed to go to Samaria” (4:4). He was compelled to go to Samaria. Why did Jesus have to go through Samaria when the alternate route was available? Because He had a divine appointment with a hurting woman whom God would eventually use to transform an entire community (4:28-30). Christ was willing to cross over the barriers of prejudice to love on her and give her living water the moment she believed in Him (4:10-26). 

When I was a college freshman at a religious college in Ohio, God crossed over man-made barriers to present His life-giving gospel message to me. I was very discouraged at the time because of a knee injury playing college football a few months earlier. My dream of playing professional football was crushed, and I had no idea what my purpose in life would be without football. But on a Monday in February of 1979, God sent two-time Heisman Trophy winner and professional football player Archie Griffin to our college to share the good news of Jesus with us. His coming was God’s gift to our school. After hearing Archie’s testimony that night, I transferred all my trust onto Jesus’ and His sufficient sacrifice for my sins to receive His gift of everlasting life and forgiveness. My life has never been the same.

The Lord Jesus was willing to cross over social and religious barriers at our school to present His message of eternal life as a free gift to me through His servant. Oh, how I praise Him for needing to go to my school that night! I exalt Him for crossing over man-made barriers to save undeserving sinners like me.

Who represents your Samaria? One way to find out is to ask yourself, “Who do I dislike the most? Who do I try to avoid the most?” Are we willing to do whatever it takes to reach people that no one else wants to reach? That person at work or in our neighborhood that is the subject of jokes and gossip? That person whose values and lifestyle are the opposite of our own? The person who has so many problems and needs that the only thing they can give you is a list of complaints? Ask the Lord to show you who represents your Samaria. Then surrender to His will.

With the coronavirus causing people to be separated or even isolated from others, there are many people like the woman at the well who are hurting and in need of the gracious and loving touch of the Lord Jesus Christ. Are we willing to cross over man-made barriers to share Jesus’ life-giving message with them? You do not have to go to them physically, but you can go to them online through an email, a facebook post, a tweet, a video call, or through a phone call or written letter. Ask the Lord to show you whom He wants you to contact with a message of hope and love through the Lord Jesus Christ. He loves to answer that prayer.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me so much that You were willing to cross over man-made barriers to share Your life-giving gospel message with me through Your servant, Archie Griffin. At that moment of faith in You alone, my sins were all forgiven and I received life everlasting! As I grow closer to You, I am seeing people more as You do – as those You love and want to save regardless of their culture, color of skin, or country, or health. I surrender all to You my Lord and Savior. Please lead me to my Samaria – to those people no one else wants to reach with Your gospel message. I pray for Your boldness, clarity, and compassion as I communicate Your life-giving message with those You have prepared to hear and believe. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God finishes what He starts

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

The apostle Paul is writing to Christians in Philippi to thank them for their generosity in sending him financial gifts at the beginning of his gospel ministry when no other church did and even more recently (1:3-5; 4:10-18). Paul expressed his confidence that this “good work” of financial assistance that God began in the Philippians would be brought to completion on “the day” Jesus returns for His church (1:6; cf. 1:10; 2:16; 3:11, 20-21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). What God began in the Philippians enabled Paul to preach the gospel to hundreds of people in his lifetime and impact millions of people with his New Testament epistles. Think of how many people have been influenced by Paul’s writings the last two thousand years!?! Imagine how many more people will be impacted by his epistles until Christ returns for His church!?! This is staggering. God did not waste Paul’s sufferings and imprisonments when Paul wrote most of his letters. He used that time to advance the gospel for generations to come.

I learned a year and a half ago from my Dad that when I was five years old, I disappeared on our dairy farm in Illinois. So my parents and older siblings looked all over for me and eventually they found me standing on a pile of rocks preaching to the dairy cows. I have no recollection of doing this. But my family confirmed that this did indeed happen.

As I read Philippians 1:6 this morning, God reminded me that He began a “good work” in me back when I was five years old preaching to the cows. Even though I had not yet believed in Jesus for everlasting life at that time, there was a sense of calling on my life to preach God’s Word (cf. Jeremiah 1:5). The Bible says this was a “good” or excellent and distinguished work, not a “bad” or “mediocre” work. God never starts something bad in our lives. He starts something good. So no matter how inadequate or ashamed you may feel inside, be confident that what God has begun doing in your life is good and beneficial for you and others. This work is also beneficial to God. It puts a smile on His face to see His children participate in the spread of His gospel around the world.

The most encouraging part of this verse for me is that God finishes (“complete”) what He starts in us. Even though we may falter or get off track in our Christian lives, God does not give up on us or stop working. He often uses hardships in our lives to take us deeper in our relationship with Him so He can use us even more. He wants us to be confident that He finishes what He begins in us. This will give us hope amidst the storms in our lives so that we do not quit or give up.

Whatever God is doing in your life, He wants to use it to reach other people with the gospel far beyond your lifetime. Just as the Lord used the Philippians’ giving to the apostle Paul’s preaching and writing to impact peoples’ lives with the gospel long after they died, so the Lord wants to use your talents to advance the gospel long after you die. He may use your giving, writings, singing, crafts, film productions, acts of kindness, preaching of the gospel, etc., long after you are gone to lead other people to faith in Christ. Make no mistake about it, God will bring to completion the good work He began in you until the day when Jesus returns for His church.

Prayer: Lord of the Harvest, thank You for starting a good and excellent work in me that is neither bad nor mediocre. Knowing that You will finish what You started in my life until the day when Jesus returns for His church, gives me great confidence and hope. Thank You for not giving up on me even when I may give up on myself. I now give you my voice, my talents, my mind and body to finish what You began in me years ago. I look forward to what You will accomplish all for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Faithful to the end

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 5:58

It is important to understand the argument of the entire book of I Corinthians before we look at the end of I Corinthians 15. All of the failings of the Corinthians – their divisiveness, pride, insensitivity to immorality, idolatry, taking each other to court, etc. (1:11; 3:1-3; 5:9-6:20; 11:21-32) – each expressed a tendency to pollute God’s truth with human wisdom. This tendency is again evidenced in I Corinthians 15 by some in the Corinthian fellowship who were doubting the future resurrection of believers from the dead (15:12).

It is no mistake that Paul both begins and ends this epistle with arguments concerning the content of the gospel. In 1:18-25, he showed that their divisions were caused by a misunderstanding of the gospel. Human wisdom said that the message of Christ crucified was foolishness; Paul countered that while the gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing, it was God’s power for those being saved (1:18). At that point in his letter, he only focused on Christ’s crucifixion (1:17, 18, 23; 2:2).

Now, he addresses the questions of some concerning the bodily resurrection of believers, again pointing to the gospel message, focusing here on the resurrection of Christ – to show the error of their thinking (15:1-19). Again, Paul points out that mixing human wisdom with the gospel message, does not result in clarity, but in confusion. In this case, it is the blessed future hope of resurrection that is sacrificed on the altar of human wisdom. The historical bodily resurrection of Christ was central to the gospel message the Corinthians believed. The Corinthians knew the gospel; in fact, they received it, and were standing firm in it (15:1). What Paul really wants to make known to them is that by denying the doctrine of the bodily resurrection of all believers, they are actually denying the resurrection of Christ, and thus the gospel! This had escaped their notice.

Paul wants his readers to know that the good news (euangellion) of Jesus’ death and resurrection is foundational to healthy Christian living. Christians cannot live a victorious life for Christ if they stop believing in any aspect of the good news, especially Jesus’ substitutionary death, His bodily resurrection, His soon return, and their own bodily resurrection and acquisition of glorified bodies (15:1-57). This is why Paul concludes I Corinthians 15 by saying, “Therefore…” (15:58a). The word “therefore” refers to all that Paul wrote about the centrality of the bodily resurrection of Christ to the gospel message, Jesus’ soon return, and our own bodily resurrection and acquisition of glorified bodies (15:1-57).

Paul refers to his readers as “my beloved brethren” (15:58b). They were dearly loved by the apostle and by Christ Himself. Knowing we are very much loved by someone gets our attention and opens our hearts to hear more from him.

Paul challenges them (and us) to “be steadfast, immovable” (15:58c). The primary meaning of these two words is to be faithful to the gospel message Paul has handed down to us. Paul is telling us not to stop (“be steadfast”) or move away (“immovable”) from preaching the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even though many theologians, seminaries and churches are mixing good works with the gospel message, we must not move away from the pure gospel of grace message which proclaims faith alone in Christ alone who died for our sins and rose from the dead. No matter how difficult it is to proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection, we must remain firm and unwavering in our commitment to preach the clear and simple gospel message given to us by the Lord Jesus and His apostles.

But there is more. Paul writes, “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (15:58d). The word “abounding” means to serve Christ above and beyond the expected measure. When it comes to preaching the death and resurrection of Christ to a lost world, we are to give Jesus our very best effort, not our leftovers. Notice that this all out effort for Christ is to be given “always,” not just occasionally.

Why are we to always give Christ our very best when we preach His gospel message? Paul tells us in the last part of the verse. “Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (15:58e). Since Christ’s resurrection guarantees our own (15:1-57), our service(“labor”) for Christ is not “in vain” or of no value because at the Judgment Seat, Christ will richly reward those who remain faithful to preach the gospel of His death and resurrection (cf. I Cor. 3:8-4:5; 9:24-27; 2 Cor. 5:9-11).

Prayer: Precious Lord Jesus, thank You that I am dearly loved by You. Thank You for entrusting me with the privilege of proclaiming Your death and resurrection to a lost world. Let me not stop or move away from preaching Your clear and simple gospel message. Knowing that Your resurrection guarantees my own future resurrection and appearance at the Judgment Seat, motivates me to do my very best for You each and every day. Lord, I long to hear You say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Gaining Your approval means more to me than anything else. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Show me a sign for good

“Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:17

King David is surrounded by “a mob of violent men” who have rebelled against God and His anointed king (86:14). David appeals to God’s goodness to deliver him from those who “hate” him and want to kill him (86:15-16). He pleads with the Lord, “Show me a sign for good” (86:17a). This sign would be an indication of God’s support of David as His servant. Most likely this is a reference to God’s deliverance of David from his enemies. David wants this rescue by God to be done in front of his enemies so “they may see it and be ashamed” (86:17b). He wants them to see him getting away so they will understand that God has “helped… and comforted” him (86:17c).

Do you ever feel surrounded by those who hate both God and those who serve Him? It may be a family member, an employer, a neighbor, or a waitress at a restaurant. God is inviting you to ask Him for a sign for good so that those who oppose you may see His deliverance of you and be ashamed of what they did to you. God wants to help you and comfort you in the midst of opposition from others.

During one of our mission trips to the Philippines to preach the gospel in public schools, one particular principal of a school told our Filipino pastors that our team could not share the gospel in her school the next day. So we prayed the Lord would some how show us a sign for good. That night, this principal became sick with a very high blood pressure reading and was unable to go to school the next day. When our mission team arrived at the school that day, the teacher in charge gave our team permission to share the gospel with all the people there. God provided a sign for good not only for our team, but also for all the unsaved people at that school who were able to hear and believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer: Precious Lord, please show me a sign of Your goodness so that those who hate me (and You) will be ashamed because of the way You are going to help me and comfort me for Your glory. I pray this sign will also benefit those who do not know Christ as their Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How can we have boldness on the battlefield of evangelism?

When the apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he was under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier. He asked for prayer to open his “mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” while he was “in chains” (Ephes. 6:18-20). What does this say about the apostle Paul when it comes to evangelism? He was afraid to share the gospel while guarded by Roman soldiers. He needed boldness from God to overcome his fear. This is the context in which Paul instructed Christians to pray (6:18) the whole armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-17. The greatest spiritual warfare takes place on the battlefield of evangelism. If we are going to have boldness to share the gospel in a world that is hostile toward Christianity, we must pray “the whole armor of God.”   

“10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-17

Since our battle in evangelism is not against “flesh and blood,” but against the “spiritual hosts of wickedness,” we need the Lord’s power and strength “to stand against the wiles [schemings] of the devil” (6:10-12). Satan and his demonic armies are far too strong and wise for us to overcome on our own. We need the Lord’s power, strength, and weapons to defeat them. Our primary responsibility is “to stand” (6:11, 13-14) and to “put on” or “take up… the whole armor of God” (6:11, 13, 17). Failure to put on all of God’s armor leaves us vulnerable to spiritual attack and defeat. Paul then describes the armor that Roman infantrymen wore in the order they would put it on.

The first thing a soldier would put on his long tunic shirt was a “belt” (6:14b) to hold his breastplate and sheathe for his sword in place. The “truth” refers to God’s revealed truth and the truthfulness of the believer. This is foundational to spiritual victory. We cannot overcome the father of lies (John 8:44) apart from the truth of God’s Word (John 8:31-32). The lies of the enemy will quickly erode our defenses and discourage us from sharing the gospel.

The second piece of armor that a soldier put on was “the breastplate” (6:14c) which covered him from his neck to his thighs, and was normally made of bronze or chain mail. The breastplate protected his vital organs, particularly his heart. The “righteousness” refers to both being declared righteous before God at the moment of faith in Christ (Romans 4:5) and to righteous living after we are saved (Romans 6:11-14). Knowing we are covered with Christ’s righteousness at the moment of our salvation can protect us from Satan’s accusations and motivate us to live out that righteousness as we yield to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1, 4-5). Living a consistent Christian life will give us more boldness as we witness to the unsaved. For example, when we witness to a non-Christian, we won’t be plagued with guilt or shame about living a double life if we are consistently walking in the Spirit.

Next the soldier put sandals on his “feet” (6:15) that were studded with sharp nails to give him better footing especially on a slippery battlefield. “The preparation of the gospel of peace” refers to a Christian being prepared to share the good news of Jesus that brings peace with God (Romans 5:1) and with one another (Ephesians 2:14-18). One of the obstacles that keeps Christians from sharing the gospel with unbelievers is not knowing what to say. We must become so familiar with the gospel of grace (John 3:16; Acts 20:24; I Corinthians 15:1-8), that we can share it at any time when God gives us the opportunity. This kind of grip on the gospel will give us sure footing when the Devil attacks us.

The fourth piece of armor was “the shield” (6:16) made of wood and rectangular (about 2.5 feet wide and 4 feet long), covered with a leather flame retardant. A Roman soldier used this to protect his entire body. Before a battle involving flaming arrows from their enemies, soldiers poured water on the leather shields to extinguish flaming arrows. Top priority (“above all”) is to be given to this piece of armor. The “faith” that provides this extensive protection from “the fiery darts of the wicked one” refers to trusting God’s promises in the heat of battle. Satan wants us to doubt the trustworthiness of God’s Word (cf. Genesis 3:1-5). For example, God promises to go before us and to be with us, never leaving us nor forsaking us (Deuteronomy 31:8). Satan wants to cast doubt on this promise to cause us to be afraid and discouraged.

Following the shield, the soldier took up “the helmet” (6:17a) to protect his head. This “salvation” probably refers to three types of salvation: our past salvation from hell (Ephesians 2:8-9), our present salvation from the power of sin (James 1:14-22), and our future salvation from the presence of sin (I John 3:2-3). Satan wants to cast doubt on a believer’s past, present, and future salvation so he is more vulnerable to temptation and defeat. But God wants to protect our minds from doubting His promises to save us from the penalty of sin in hell, from the power of sin now, and from the presence of sin in the future. The more secure we are in the salvation God guarantees, the more confidence we will have on the battlefield. The point of this piece of armor is that we are fighting from victory, not for victory.

The final piece of armor put on by the soldier was “the sword” (6:17b) which was short and two-edged, used to cut and stab in hand-to-hand combat. This was the only offensive weapon in Paul’s list of armor. “The word of God” refers to the spoken “word” (rhema) of God rather than to the written word. For example, Jesus spoke God’s Word to the devil when he tempted Jesus to sin, and the devil was defeated (cf. Matthew 4:1-11). This is “the sword of the Spirit” in that the Holy Spirit gives us the Scripture to speak to the devil when he attacks us on the battlefield of evangelism, so that he will flee from us and no longer disrupt the sharing of the gospel (cf. Matthew 10:19-20; James 4:7). Every Christian is to arm himself with the spoken Word of God through Scripture memorization. 

The way to put on the whole armor of God is “praying always…in the Spirit, being watchful” (6:18a). You can have more boldness on the battlefield of evangelism by praying the whole armor of God:

Belt of Truth – Protect me O God with the Belt of Truth. You are truth, Jesus, and in You and in Your Word I find truth. You are the foundation for all of life. Replace Satan’s lies with the truth of Your Word. Please empower me to be truthful and honest with You, myself, and others.

Breastplate of Righteousness – I pray the protection of the Breastplate of Righteousness. Keep my will, emotions and personality subject to Christ. Protect my inmost being from selfishness and self-pity. I will not believe the lies from Satan that I am no good or that I can be good enough to earn Your acceptance. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I have been declared totally righteous before You the moment I trusted Jesus. I am completely covered by the righteousness of Your Son so there are no grounds for my condemnation. Please manifest Your righteousness in my motives, words, thoughts and actions.

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace – Protect me from anything that would rob me of Your peace. Please enable me to be prepared to always share the gospel of grace with those who need Your peace. Give me Your compassion and alertness for those who do not know You. Help me to see the lost through Your eyes of compassion.

Shield of Faith – Protect me from the flaming arrows of the evil one. Extinguish anything Satan has to give out as I place my faith in the promises of Your Word. Help me to realize who I am in Christ and to appropriate faith in all situations. I can trust You, Father, because You are faithful to keep Your Word and You are in control of all things. Thank You, Father.

Helmet of Salvation – I pray the protection of the Helmet of Salvation on my head. Satan is out to trick me into doubting my salvation, but I am God’s child by grace through faith in Christ alone and Jesus is more powerful than Satan. He will never abandon me. He lives in me to give me the power to say “no” to sin and “yes” to God. He will take me safely to heaven. I ask for the protection of my mind from Satan’s lies and that I would take every thought captive unto Jesus Christ. The helmet of salvation is a sign of victory in Christ over sin, death, and Satan. Thank You, Father that I am fighting from victory, not for victory!

Sword of the Spirit – I am protected and have all power through Jesus Christ and through the sword of the Spirit, the Bible. Holy Spirit, please open my eyes to see wonderful things in Your Word! I will be in Your Word and memorize Your Word so that I may stand firm against the evil one. Holy Spirit please give me the words to speak to the devil when he attacks me on the battlefield of evangelism so that his lies and deceptions are exposed and defeated. I pray the power of the Holy Spirit is ignited in my life, so that Christ may live His life through me today and every day. Thank You Father for the freedom I have in You!

Must I confess Christ to go to heaven?

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

Romans 10:9-10 is used by many sincere Christian workers to justify the use of this invitation in evangelism. By using these verses, believers are telling non-Christians they must believe in Christ plus confess He is Lord to go to heaven. Is this what these verses teach?

It is important to understand the argument of Romans before interpreting these verses. The key to understanding Romans is to look at the first use of the word “salvation” in 1:16-17: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” The words “saved” (sōzō) or “salvation” (sōtēria) refer to some type of “deliverance.” The context determines what one is delivered from. Romans 1:18 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed [present tense] from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in righteousness.” The book of Romans is the good news (Gospel) of Jesus Christ which provides the power for deliverance (salvation) from the present-day wrath (displeasure) of God which is expressed in sinners being given over to the downward spiral of their own sinfulness (1:18b-32). This salvation from God’s present-day wrath is two-fold (“faith to faith,” 1:17):

1. Justification-salvation before God through faith alone in Christ alone who died for our sins and rose from the dead (Romans 1:20 – 5:9a). This is what delivers us from the penalty of sin and gets us to Heaven. God wants to bring those back who have been given over to their own sinfulness. God sees all people as unrighteous and in bondage to sin (1:20-3:20). God comes to people and gives them His righteousness on the basis of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (3:21-5:9a). Twenty-six times Paul uses the words “believe” and “faith” as the only condition for justification (being declared righteous) before God in this section of Romans. Nowhere in this section does he mention the word “confession.”

 2. Sanctification-salvation from God’s present-day wrath (degradation of sin) through Christ living in us by faith (Romans 5:9b-8:39). The next time the word “saved” is used in Romans is in 5:9-10: “Much more then, having now been justified [past tense] by His blood, we shall be saved [future tense] from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled [past tense] to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled [past tense], we shall be saved [future tense] by His life.” The salvation being spoken of here is in the future tense and takes place after we are justified and reconciled to God. We were reconciled to God through faith in Christ’s death (3:21-5:9a). We can be saved from God’s present-wrath or the power of sin through faith in Christ’s life (5:9b – 8:39).  

In Romans 9-11, Paul is addressing the need of Jews to be delivered from God’s present-day wrath through justification and sanctification. Paul talks about God’s sovereign use of Israel in the past and His temporary setting aside of Israel in the present due to her rejection of His righteousness through faith in the Messiah (Romans 9:1-10:4). After being redeemed from Egypt by faith, the nation of Israel sought to obtain a sanctifying-righteousness by keeping the Law (Romans 10: 5). In verses 6-7, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:12-13 when Moses was challenging the redeemed nation of Israel to believe and obey God’s revelation (the Law) as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. There was no excuse for disbelieving and disobeying God’s Law.  The people of Israel did not need to ascend to Heaven nor descend to the abyss to obtain the Law because God had already revealed it to them through Moses. Paul applies this truth to God’s final revelation found in the Person of Christ who had descended to earth (Romans 10:6) and rose from the dead (10:7). There was no excuse for disbelieving and disobeying the Person of Jesus Christ. In Romans 10:8, Paul prepares the way for Romans 10:9-10 by quoting Deuteronomy 30:14. Just as God’s Old Testament revelation was “near” to the Israelites in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 30:14), so God’s message of faith through Jesus Christ was “near” to deliver Paul’s readers from God’s present wrath when they believed in Christ (which takes place in the “heart”) and obey (which takes place in the “mouth”) His commands.

Paul explains the content of this “word of faith” (10:8) in Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Verse 9 refers to being “saved” from God’s present-day wrath (Romans 1:16-32; 5:9-10). This type of salvation requires confessing “with your mouth” and believing “with your heart.” God’s people could not ask for assistance (with the “mouth”) from Christ to obey God’s commands without first believing (with the “heart”) in Christ resulting in God’s righteousness. Verse 10 explains (“For”) this sequence: “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” We come to know Christ by believing in Him from the heart resulting in God’s righteousness (v.10a; cf. Romans 3:21 – 5:9a). We make Christ known to others by confessing Him with our mouths resulting both in salvation from God’s wrath on present-day sin (v. 10b; cf. Romans 1:16-32; 5:9-10) and victory in our Christian lives (Romans 5:98:39; cf. Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8). To believe in the heart resulting in God’s righteousness is justification. To confess with the mouth resulting in salvation is sanctification. One does not have the power to acquire sanctifying-righteousness through public confession of Christ without first obtaining justification-righteousness through faith alone in Christ alone. 

Paul quotes Isaiah 28:16, which took place during the Assyrian invasion, to assure his readers that they can openly confess Christ without being ashamed (Romans 10:11). One commentator suggests Paul may have quoted this verse to express “God’s desire to deliver the Jews from the wrath to come at the hand of Rome in A.D. 70.” Deliverance from this expression of God’s wrath begins with believing in Christ (10:11) and culminates in calling upon Him for divine assistance (10:12). The phrase “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (10:13) is a quotation from Joel 2:32. In that verse, the prophet Joel asks God to deliver Israel from His coming temporal wrath (cf. Joel 2:30-31). To be delivered from God’s present-day wrath requires both faith in Christ resulting in justification, followed by calling upon the name of the Lord for divine assistance. 

This sequence is confirmed by Romans 10:14-15a when the verbs in these verses are reversed – “sent …preach…hear…believe… call on Him.” We see that calling on the name of the Lord is done after believing in Christ and is therefore something Christians do after their conversion to obtain divine assistance in living the victorious Christian life (Romans 5:9-8:39; cf. Acts 9:21; I Cor. 1:2). 

In Romans 11, Paul praises God’s wise plans in extending mercy to the Gentiles now and to Israel in the future. In view of God’s great mercy which Paul has declared in Romans 1-11, Paul urges his readers to live a life of surrender to the Lord (12:1-2), which includes serving God by serving others (12:3-16:27).

Conclusion: Going to heaven is based on believing in Christ alone for His gift of righteousness and eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 3:22 -5:10a), not believing in Christ plus confession. It is believing in Christ plus nothing. However, if we want to experience a victorious Christian life and deliverance from God’s wrath on present-day sin, we must openly confess Christ and call upon His name for divine assistance to overcome the power of sin in our lives. 

What does it take to spread the gospel around the world?

“Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” Acts 28:30-31

Luke concludes the book of Acts with the apostle Paul “in his own rented house” in Rome welcoming “all who came to him”and “preaching…and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence” (Acts 28:30-31). The word “all” is used twice in these last two verses of Acts to show that Paul did nothing half-hearted for the Lord Jesus. He showed no partiality to people, receiving “all who came to him” (28:30b). It did not matter what country, culture, or color was associated with these people, Paul welcomed them. 

He showed this impartial hospitality, so he could tell “all”whom God brought to him “with all confidence” about God’s coming “kingdom” on earth through the reign of “the Lord Jesus Christ” (28:31; cf. 1:3, 6; 19:8; 20:25). Paul could preach kingdom entrance through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (cf. Matthew 18:3; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17) with “all confidence” because he sought to please God and not people when he preached (cf. I Thessalonians 2:3-4). The last phrase, “no one forbidding him,” shows the unhindered advancement of the gospel under Roman authorities. God used Paul to take the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. 

Are we willing to let God use us to advance the gospel of Christ around the world? For that to happen, we must have the same wholehearted commitment to Christ, to His gospel message, and to all the people for whom Jesus died that the apostle Paul had. When we do, nothing can stop the gospel from spreading around the world. 

How do we share the gospel with intellectual unbelievers?

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” Acts 17:30

When the apostle Paul preached to “Epicurean and Stoic philosophers” (atheists and pantheists) in the idolatrous city of Athens on Mars Hill (17:16-22), he began by acknowledging that they were “very religious” (17:22b) which expressed their longing to connect with their “UNKNOWN GOD…whom” they “worship without knowing” (17:23). Paul masterfully begins with God as everyone’s Creator (17:24-29) and then brings His audience to God as everyone’s Judge (17:30-31). 

As their Creator, “God…made the world and everything in it, since He is the Lord of heaven and earth” (17:24). He sustains “all things” and is not dependent on anyone for His needs (17:25). The true God is the source of all people whom He “has made from one blood” [Adam] to dwell on all the …earth,” having “determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings” (17:26). God’s sovereign control over the times and locations of people was so they “should seek the Lord…and find Him” (17:27). 

Paul then cited two of their Greek writerswho said, “For we are also His offspring” (17:28). Since God created people, then it is illogical to conclude that God can be made from materials like “gold or silver or stone” (17:29).

As their Judge, “God overlooked” these “times of ignorance” when He had not revealed as much about Himself before Christ (17:30a). “But” now that God has revealed more of Himself to people through Jesus Christ, He “now commands all men everywhere to repent” (17:30b). Paul invites them to “repent” (metanoeō) or change their mind about Christ and see that He is the One who “will judge the world in righteousness” (17:31a). The proof that Jesus is qualified to judge humanity is that God raised “Him from the dead” (17:31b).  

This is what makes Christianity distinct from all other religions. The founders of all other religions are still in their graves, including Mohammed of Islam, Buddha of Buddhism, Confucius of Confucianism, Joseph Smith of Mormonism, Charles Taze Russell of the Jehovah Witnesses,  Rubin Ecleo of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Assoc., and Felix Manalo of the Iglesia ni Cristo. But Christians worship a Jesus Christ who rose from the dead and remains alive today!

Christianity is reasonable because it is based upon historical facts. There are a number of very strong evidences for the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 

1. The historical record. The Bible explains Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:3-4). The proof that Jesus rose from the dead was that He was seen alive after His death by over five hundred eyewitnesses (I Corinthians 15:3-8). Just as history proclaims that Ferdinand Marcos was the President of the Philippines (1965-1986), so history proclaims that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.  The resurrection of Christ is the most attested fact of history.

Thomas Arnold authored a three-volume history of Rome and was appointed to Oxford’s Chair of Modern History. Concerning the evidence behind the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he said, “I have been used for years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than that Christ died and rose from the dead.”

Frank Morison, a British trial lawyer, vowed to write a book disproving Christianity and committed to base his book on a collection of facts. Using a critical method of evaluation and despite his initial beliefs, he concluded that Christianity is true. The resurrection convinced him, and he wrote a book entitled Who Moved the Stone? which begins with the chapter, “The Book that Refused to Be Written.”  

Intellectual atheists such as Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel set out to disprove Christianity only to be persuaded that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is true! They have written books containing the strong evidences that persuaded them to become Christians (see The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict (1999) and Evidence for the Resurrection (2004) by Josh McDowell and The Case for Easter (2004) and The Case for Christianity (2014) by Lee Strobel.  Another proof of Jesus’ resurrection is… 

2. The change in the lives of the disciples. These disciples were not shrewd men who figured out some weird way to start a new religion. They did not say, “Let’s get our Leader killed off. Then we’ll go hide out in an upper room and then all of a sudden we will have a new hope.” These were depressed people. They were hiding for fear of the Jews (cf. Mark 16:14; Luke 24:11;  John 20:19). All of a sudden their lives were changed overnight! And they went out preaching the gospel without fear (Acts 2:14ff). What happened to them? The resurrection of Jesus Christ. The third proof of Jesus’ resurrection is…

3. The silence of Jesus’ enemies. If you are one of Jesus’ enemies (the Romans or Jewish Pharisees), and you have the disciples going around saying Jesus is alive and it’s bringing people away from your faith to a new faith, what would you do to stop them? Go find the dead body of their leader. “If I could find the dead body of Jesus Christ, it would bring this entire movement to a stop.” But they couldn’t find the body. Why? Because there was no dead body to be found because Jesus rose from the dead! We will never hear a news report saying that they found the dead body of Jesus Christ because He is risen, and He remains alive today (I Corinthians 15:1-8)! The fourth proof of Jesus’ resurrection is…

4. The changed lives of people today. Because Jesus Christ is alive today, He changes sinners into saints, promiscuous people into pure people, hateful people into loving people, greedy people into generous people, impatient people into patient people. But sometimes, an unbeliever will say, “I believe in this Eastern mysticism philosophy.  It has changed my life just like your belief in Jesus Christ. What is the difference?” The difference is an empty tomb. The difference is we have a reality behind our faith. It’s not just a philosophy. We have evidence for our minds. 

When Paul’s audience “heard of the resurrection of the dead… some mocked” ( Acts 17:32) but “some men joined him and believed” in the risen Lord Jesus Christ (17:34).  

When sharing the gospel with intellectuals, begin with what is familiar to them and then share the truth of the gospel with them, citing sources that will encourage them to agree with the truth. Give them evidence for their minds. Christianity is reasonable because it is based upon historical facts. Let the Holy Spirit persuade them to change their mind about Christ (repent) so they can believe in Him for His gift of everlasting life (cf. 17:30, 34).  

When Paul said God “overlooked these times of ignorance” (17:30) when people had limited revelation before Christ came to earth, they were still guilty as sinners before a holy God and would be separated from Him forever if they did not believe in Jesus (cf. John 3:36; Romans 5:12-14). This reminds us of an important truth: when greater revelation of God is given to us through Jesus Christ, there is now greater responsibility for both believers and unbelievers (cf. Matthews 12:38-42; 23:14; Mark 12:40). 

For Christians, this means we must take the gospel to everyone because God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30a). But people everywhere cannot repent or change their mind about the greater revelation of Jesus if believers do not go to them and share Christ with them (cf. Romans 10:14-15). Likewise, now that Jesus has come, God will hold non-Christians more accountable for responding to Jesus in faith. The key for non-Christians is to respond positively to the light or revelation that God has given to them so that He will give them more light, including the gospel of Christ (cf. Romans 1:18-24). Then they can believe in Him. 

If you only have 60 seconds to live, what does the Bible say you must do to go to heaven?

The answer to this question can be found in Acts 16:25-31 where a prison guard thinks he has a short amount of time to live. Missionaries Paul and Silas had been thrown into prison and as they were praying and singing to God, there was a great earthquake which caused all the doors of the prison to be opened and everyone’s chains to be loosed (16:25-26). The jailer awoke from his sleep seeing the prison doors opened, and assuming that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself (Acts 16:27). Under Roman law, a prison guard who allowed his prisoners to escape was liable to the same penalty the prisoners would have suffered – death by execution. So to avoid the shame of a public execution, he was about to commit suicide.

Paul and Silas showed great love and concern for the jailer both by remaining in prison when they could have escaped and by preventing the jailer from committing suicide (Acts 16:28-29). This love for the jailer seems to have won him over. Thinking he only has a short amount of time to live, he asks them, “Sirs what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).

Do Paul and Silas tell him to confess his sins? Be baptized with water? Turn from his sins? Obey God’s commands? Give his life to Christ? Surrender to the control of Christ? Ask Jesus into his heart or pray the sinner’s prayer? No. They said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). 

The reason a person must believe or trust in the Lord Jesus alone is because we all have a problem called sin (Romans 3:23) that separates us from God (Romans 6:23). Because all of us have sinned against God, we all deserve to die forever  in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). But God does not want us to die forever in the Lake of Fire, so He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, Who lived a perfect life and died on the cross for all of our sins and rose from the dead, proving that He is God (John 3:16; Romans 1:3-4; I Corinthians 15:3-6). Jesus is alive today and He has the power to save us from hell forever and give us eternal life which can never be lost (John 10:28-29). He now invites everyone to believe in Him for His gift of everlasting life (John 3:16). No amount of our good works can save us from the Lake of Fire because they are all stained with sin (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). Only Jesus can take away our sins (John 1:29). Believe in Him and the Bible guarantees “you will be saved”(Acts 16:31). 

If you only have 60 seconds to live or 60 years to live, the Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31) and you will go to heaven when you die. Nothing more and nothing less. This is good news! Please believe it and share it with others.