Bible Questions Answered:
Why is it some churches are so liberal in their customs of dress, music, and social liberties?
Karen/ Brooklyn, New York
Bible Answer:
How easy it is for us to forget the spiritual meaning of our baptism.
Romans 6:3 KJV
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?
Galatians 2:20 KJV
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 3:27 KJV
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Not to live the “Christ-Life,” is nothing short of rebellion.
I Samuel 15:23 KJV
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry...
Isaiah 45:9 KJV
“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!..."
Matthew 6:9,10 KJV
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
James 4:7 KJV
"Submit yourselves therefore to God..."
The Christian life is filled with decisions, decisions, should we do things God's way, or the way that we think is right?
Here is a couple of Levitical Priests that made that decision, the decision to do things their own way in the church.
Leviticus 10:1-3 NLT
1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners (not fire from the altar of burnt offerings/nor utensils of the golden altar.) and sprinkled incense over them (incense was to be offered only at the golden altar, twice daily by the selected priest). In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before Him the wrong kind of fire, different than He had commanded.
2 So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.
3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when He said,‘I will display My holiness through those who come near Me. I will display My glory before all the people.’”And Aaron was silent.
The error of Moses.
Numbers 20:2-13 NLT
2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.
3 The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers!
4 Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them,
7 and the Lord said to Moses,
8 “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”
9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord.
10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we (No glory to God.)bring you water from this rock?”
11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice (Work of Moses.) with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to demonstrate My holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”
13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there He demonstrated His holiness among them.
In Numbers 16 we read of three Levites named Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with some 250 of their followers, who made a big mistake.
I Samuel 3:11-14/ 4:12-18, we read about the judgment of Eli and his sons.
Oh, how careful we must be to follow the words of our living God.
Our obedience to God, may never be based upon our feelings, popularity and or acceptance.
Job all his life reverenced the Lord.
Job 1:19-21 KJV
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Matthew 26:39 KJV (Our Saviour.)
And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Psalm 119:10-12 KJV
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Deuteronomy 4:2 KJV (Again, 13:32)
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Proverbs 30:6 KJV
Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Revelation 22:18,19 KJV
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
We must not be just hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word.
James 1:19-27 NLT
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.
24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.
25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
Leviticus 11:45 KJV (I Peter 1:16)
"... be holy, for I am holy."
II Corinthians 7:1 KJV
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Hebrews 12:14 KJV
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
I Peter 2:9 KJV
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
We will not one day answer for the errors of others, but we will answer to God, for our own decisions.
May our decision be, to live as near to our blessed Saviour and His Word, as we can. At the end of day, we will not regret that we have.
Colossians 3:12-17 KJV
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.
