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  WRITINGS OF J C BAILEY
  by J.C. Bailey
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A collection of theological writings, sermons, and essays by J.C. Bailey,
compiled for study and devotional reading.

  Chapters: 43

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS
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    1. S. A Challenge To The Church
    2. S. A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
    3. S. After Baptism, What Then?
    4. S. Can We Preach To The Whole World?
    5. S. Faith Is The Answer
    6. S. Give Attention To Reading
    7. S. I Hate
    8. S. I Sat Where They Sat
    9. S. I Will Build My Church
   10. S. Infant Baptism
   11. S. Is It Scriptural To Use Instrumental Music In Worship?
   12. S. Is My Natural Strength Abated?
   13. S. Is The Church Important?
   14. S. Is This Message For Your?
   15. S. Lest We Forget
   16. S. Let Us Suppose
   17. S. Love
   18. S. Make Your Calling and Election Sure
   19. S. Not Forsaking Our Own Assembling
   20. S. Others Have Labored, and Ye Have Entered Into Their Labors
   21. S. Pentecost : The Day The Church Began
   22. S. Restoration: A Treasure In Earthen Vessels
   23. S. Restoring New Testament Evangelism
   24. S. Saved By Grace
   25. S. Saved By Many Things
   26. S. Should We Prselyte?
   27. S. Suffering
   28. S. The Basic Error of the Protestant Reformation
   29. S. The Church Is One
   30. S. The Good Old Days
   31. S. The History of the Church
   32. S. The Holy Spirit
   33. S. The Importance of the Written Word
   34. S. The Universal Priesthood of Believers
   35. S. The Use of Money In The Work of the Church
   36. S. The War Is On
   37. S. Think On These Things
   38. S. To Whom Was The Great Commision Given?
   39. S. Trying Times
   40. S. Were Former Days Better?
   41. S. What About Interpretation?
   42. S. What Must I Do To Be Saved?
   43. S. Why Not Be Just A Member of the Church?

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  CHAPTER 1: S. A CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH
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A Challenge To The Church

Christians have been commanded by God to preach the gospel to every person on
earth (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18; Luke 24:46-47).

Some countries have laws which prohibit or restrict the preaching of the gospel
or the making of converts. Sometimes these laws are directly opposed to
Christianity. In other cases, they are only intended to prevent religious fraud
and enslavement as practiced by certain sects and radical groups. In the early
days of the church, Christians were forbidden to preach about Christ and His
resurrection. "But Peter and John answered and said to them, ’Whether it is
right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we
cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard’" (Acts 4:19-20). The
command to stop preaching was repeated and it was answered the second time: "We
ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). As in this example, opposition
to Christianity is usually for religious reasons, rather than for political
reasons. Rulers have nothing to fear from true Christianity because we are
dealing with two different kinds of government. Jesus said: "My kingdom is not
of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so
that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here"
(John 18:36). Pilate was the Roman governor who tried Jesus, but after he heard
this statement he said: "I find no fault in Him at all" (John 18:38).

It is in the hearts of men that Jesus rules. "Now when He was asked by the
Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ’The
kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, "See here!" or
"See there!" For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you’" (Luke 17:20-21).
When Christ rules in the hearts of men they are better citizens of any country.
Paul writes: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there
is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by
God" (Romans 13:1); "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for
the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those
who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those
who do good" (1 Peter 2:13-14).

Governments have nothing to fear from true Christians. They are a blessing to
any nation. They do good to all men (Galatians 6:10).

J. C. Bailey


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  CHAPTER 2: S. A KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN
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A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken The Holy Spirit said in Hebrews 12:28 that we
are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Daniel foretold this kingdom in
Daniel 2:44. He said this kingdom would stand forever. In this second chapter,
Daniel said there would be four world-wide kingdoms.

History reveals that there were four world-wide kingdoms before John the Baptist
came preaching that the kingdom was at hand (Matthew 3:2). John was beheaded and
Jesus took up his ministry and he preached that the kingdom of heaven was at
hand (Matthew 4:17). He told us, Mark 9:1, how close the kingdom was, for there
were those that would not taste death until they saw the Kingdom come in POWER.

Then the Holy Spirit told us the power would come in Jerusalem, upon the
apostles, before they left the city to preach of the resurrected Christ: "And
behold, I send forth the promise of the Father upon you, but tarry ye in the
city, until ye be clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:48). Before Jesus
left this earth He explained to the apostles when the power would come: "But ye
shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my
witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost
part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). So we have learned that the Lord would set up a
kingdom that would last forever. John said that kingdom was at hand. Jesus said
that kingdom would come in the lifetime of those people who were there with him
at that time. He said that the kingdom would come with POWER. That the Power
would come in Jerusalem and then we learned that the apostles would receive
POWER when the Holy Spirit came.

Before Jesus left this earth he said that he had all authority in heaven and on
earth (Matthew 28:18). The Holy Spirit said that Jesus had POWER when he arose
from the dead: "who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to
the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our
Lord" (Romans 1:4). Then on the day of Pentecost, Peter ended up the first part
of his sermon with this statement: "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly,
that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified." So
if we can prove anything by the Bible, we know that the kingdom of Christ was
ushered in on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

People often ask why we do not pray the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus never prayed what
we call the Lord’s Prayer. He gave it as a model for the apostles to pray. He
said: AFTER THIS MANNER THEREFORE PRAY YE (Matthew 6:9). They were told to seek
FIRST the KINGDOM and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Did they seek in vain?
No, we have shown you that the kingdom began on the day of Pentecost. We do not
pray for something that the Lord has already given us. SO NOW WE THANK GOD THAT
WE CAN RECEIVE THE KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN. To pray "THY KINGDOM COME" IS
A MOCKERY. The kingdom came and after the day of Pentecost it is always spoken
of as something that was already in existence. Paul told the new converts that
through many tribulations they must enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:23).
In the next verse it says that they appointed elders in EVERY CHURCH (Acts
14:23). Despite the teaching of men to the contrary, the church and the kingdom
are one and the same thing. Of necessity this has to be. THERE IS ONE BODY
(Ephesians 1:4). The body is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). Jesus Christ,
himself, made the church and the kingdom ONE. I quote: "And I also say unto thee
that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give unto thee the keys of the
Kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Let us read next from Colossians 1:13 : "who delivered us out of the power of
darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love." Then in
Colossians 1:18 he says: "and he is the head of the body the church: who is the
beginning the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
pre-eminence." If Jesus has the pre-eminence in ALL THINGS, he must be reigning
NOW or he does not have the PRE-EMINENCE.

There are many who teach that Jesus did intend to set up his kingdom but when
the Jews rejected him he set up the church instead. There is not a semblance of
proof for this theory. As we have shown, the Scriptures time after time speak of
the kingdom as an established fact. Someone says that Jesus will set up his
kingdom on this earth. How can Jesus set up an earthly kingdom when he said in
John 18:36: "My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world,
then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered unto the Jews; but
my kingdom is not from hence?" So this theory that Jesus some time in the
future, would set up an earthly kingdom flies right into the face of the
statement made by the Lord Jesus Christ.

We shall go farther. People knew that Jesus had taught that the kingdom was at
hand when he first began his ministry. They knew that John the Baptist had
taught that the kingdom was at hand. So they approached Jesus and asked when the
kingdom was going to come (Luke 17:20). JESUS SAID THAT THE KINGDOM WOULD NOT
COME BY OBSERVATION. I want to dwell on this. Those who teach that Jesus will
yet set up a kingdom on this earth are going to have it come by observation but
THE KINGDOM OF GOD is within you (Luke 17:21).

People say we are now living in the church age. When Christ comes we shall then
be in the kingdom age. The Bible never talks about a church age or a kingdom
age. It does say that the church was the eternal purpose of God (Ephesians
3:10-11). So then the church was not an afterthought as some vainly teach. There
is to be NO AGE after the church. We read: "unto him be the glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever." So the church is
going to last eternally according to Ephesians 3:21. I would like here to inject
the statement that Paul made in Acts 27:25: "I believe God that it shall be even
as he hath spoken unto me." Peruse carefully all we have studied and I can say
very confidently that I BELIEVE GOD THAT IT SHALL BE EVEN AS HE HATH SPOKEN UNTO
ME.

We hear a great deal of talk about a born-again Christian. If you are a
Christian you are born- again. Let us look at the fact of being born again.
Where are those who are born-again? Jesus said that: "Except ye be born anew ye
cannot see the kingdom of God." What is the conclusion of that statement? Those
who are born anew see the kingdom of God. If the kingdom does not exist how can
one be born anew? Jesus further said, when Nicodemus questioned him about the
new birth that: "Except one be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the
kingdom of God" (John 3:5). So if there it not a kingdom, of necessity there is
no new birth. False teaching gets people into queer predicaments. By our study
of the word of God we have learned that there is one body. That body may be
referred to as a church or a kingdom. More proof is not needed but we shall
speak now from the Book of Hebrews: "But of the Son he saith, thy throne is
forever and ever; and the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
The Holy Spirit says THY THRONE IS. He did not say it had been nor did he say it
would be. He says it is FOREVER AND EVER. We turn now to Hebrews 12:23. "To the
general assembly and church of the first born who are enrolled in heaven." The
church is enrolled in heaven. However in Hebrews 12:28 calls this church of the
first born A KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN.

THERE IS NO SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS JESUS WILL EVER SET FOOT ON THE EARTH AGAIN. I
read this about the return of our Lord: "For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are
left, shall together with them be caught up to meet the Lord in the air; and so
shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Ponder the statement.
We shall be caught up in the air to meet the Lord and so we shall be forever
with the Lord. No room for a reign with Christ on earth.

Those that teach that the kingdom is still future say that the righteous will be
raised and a thousand years later the wicked will be raised. This is contrary to
the teaching of our Lord for He said that THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED WOULD BE
RAISED IN ONE HOUR (John 5:28-29). There cannot be a thousand years inside of
one hour. Then to add to that, Jesus said four times in the 6th chapter of John
that the righteous would be raised at the last day, John 6:39-40, John 4:44,
John 4:54. You cannot have time after the LAST DAY. After the last day we shall
have eternity and there will not be a thousand year reign of Christ after the
last day. The ascension of Jesus is told in this language: "And when he had said
these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him
out of their sight" (Acts 1:9). Daniel tells us what happened on the other side
of that cloud: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the
clouds of heaven one like unto the son of man, and he came even to the ancient
of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion,
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel
7:13-14).

John received a message for the seven churches in Asia and the Lord assured him:
"and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father, to him
be the glory and the dominion forever and ever" (Revelation 1:6).

TRUTH NEVER CONTRADICTS TRUTH. Revelation 20:1-15 does not teach anything
contrary to the truth we have learned. That would be impossible.

J.C. Bailey (1987, Bengough, Saskatchewan)


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  CHAPTER 3: S. AFTER BAPTISM, WHAT THEN?
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After Baptism, What Then?

While I was in India the last time a man reported that in his area there had
been more than 1000 baptized. After I came home I had a letter from another man
telling of more than 1000 baptisms. If these people were properly taught, and if
they believed what they were taught, they were saved from their sins.

There is no better way to understand what ought to happen than to read Acts
2:36-41.

"’Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this
Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ Now 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?’ Then Peter said to them, ’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. For the promise is to you and to
your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will
call.’ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ’Be
saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word
were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." When
these people heard, they believed in the resurrected Lord. Peter told them to
repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. Those who received his
word were baptized and the Lord added them to His church (Acts 2:47). In one
hour men and women of normal intelligence can learn enough to be saved, unless
they have been deceived by false doctrine. If, however, they have been taught
some false doctrine, for example, that men can be saved by faithalone, it
usually takes longer because they first mustunlearnerror.

Assuming that these two-thousand in India were properly taught, that their sins
were forgiven, that they were added to the Lord’s church, we ask the question:
What then?

Let the Holy Spirit describe what they have become: "You also, as living stones,
are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:25). "You are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people,
that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who
had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Read those verses again, so you can remember what you have become. To be God’s
special people we must follow the instructions of the Holy Spirit. "Therefore,
having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of
the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians
7:1).

We have been baptized: What then? "And they continued steadfastly in the
apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers"
(Acts 2:42). To be saved eternally we must follow this example.

Just before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for those who would believe
through the apostles: "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who
will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father,
are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may
believe that You sent Me" (John 17:20-21).

You followed the teaching of the apostles and were baptized (Acts 2:38)?
Continue in their teaching (Acts 2:42)! As I write this, it is 73 years since I
was baptized (I am now 83), but it is still needful for me to follow the
teaching of the apostles. We have been warned: "Now the just shall live by
faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him" (Hebrews
10:30). When we truly believe, weobey. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God
(Romans 10:17).The wordsays: "And having been perfected, He became the author of
eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9). The believers baptized on
the Day of Pentecost continued in the apostles’ teaching. They also continued in
fellowship. With other members of the body of Christ, the church, we share our
faith and our obedience. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk
in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light
as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:6-7).

We are to have fellowship with the brethren, and we are to have fellowship with
God and with Christ. The apostle John wrote: "That which we have seen and heard
we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our
fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3).

We are to have fellowship in giving as well as in receiving. "Now you
Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from
Macedonia, no church shared [had fellowship - ASV] with me concerning giving and
receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for
my necessities" (Php 4:15-16).

God so loved that He gave (John 3:16); He gave His Son to die for us. We also
must have fellowship in giving. Paul complimented the churches of Macedonia
because, even though they were poor, they were willing to give. "Moreover,
brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of
Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear
witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they
were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the
gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints" (2 Corinthians 3:1-4).

Giving is a part of fellowship. Each Christian should be an asset, not a
liability. We must realize that every baptized believer is to have fellowship in
giving as well as in getting.

Each member must contribute to the building up of the body of Christ. Speaking
the truth in love we are to "grow up in all things into Him who is the head -
Christ - from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint
supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share,
causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians
4:15-16).

They who are outside of Christ are "alienated from the life of God, because of
the ignorance that is in them" (Ephesians 4:18). We, however, are built up in
Christ "till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son
of God" (Ephesians 4:13). We help each other grow in the knowledge of Christ as
we continue steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching. So when we think of
fellowship we should not think, "What can I get?" for God has already given to
each of us, but we should ask, "What can Igive?"

"And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ’It is more blessed to
give than to receive’" (Acts 20:35).

We cannot excuse ourselves by saying that we are poor. God gave His work to poor
people. "Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love
Him?" (James 2:5).

Let every preacher do his duty in teaching. Let each believer realize his duty
in learning. With Paul, this is my prayer to God, "that He would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His
Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all
the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love
of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness
of God" (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Let every preacher learn these wonderful lessons. Let him teach them. And let
every Christian realize that these lessons are for him. If we really imbibe the
teaching then we will have much to give to one another. There will be true
fellowship and we can reach out to the world around us and let them see what
Christ has done for us.

After baptism, what then? We are to grow to maturity, till we come "to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

Every member of the body should be an asset. Christ dwells in our hearts by
faith. We are to be rooted and grounded in love. We are to love God. We are to
love the brethren. We are to love the truth. As each of us realizes our
inheritance in Christ, each one will become an asset. No longer will we ask,
"What can I get?" but we shall want togive. The church will grow to the extent
that we realize that we are all living members of the body of Christ, and that
Christ lives in us by faith. We will grow by the love of Christ that passes
knowledge.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21).

J. C. Bailey


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  CHAPTER 4: S. CAN WE PREACH TO THE WHOLE WORLD?
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Can We Preach to the Whole World? With our lips I suppose most of us would say
it is possible, but by our actions we deny it. This need not surprise us for
when Jesus told His followers to make disciples of all nations ’some doubted’
(Matthew 28:17-20). The very people who saw Him after He arose from the dead
doubted their very eyes.

"Afterward He appeared to the eleven as they sat at table; and He rebuked their
unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen
Him after He had risen" (Mark 16:14).

Yet to these very people Jesus said: "Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).

Thank God they changed. Faith came and the task was accomplished. When writing
to the Colossians Paul could say that the gospel "was preached to every creature
under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister" (Colossians 1:23).

False teaching was what stopped world evangelism. Despite handicaps the gospel
was preached to the Jews, to the Samaritans, and then to the Gentiles. Then
false doctrine came. Some said the Gentiles had to be circumcised and to keep
the law of Moses in order to be saved (Acts 15:5). The elders of the Jerusalem
church gathered with the apostles to consider this matter for it had been
carried far and wide.

"And certain men came down from Judea [to Antioch] and taught the brethren,
’Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be
saved’" (Acts 15:1).

We would have thought that these false teachers would have recognized the
authority of the apostles chosen by Jesus, that they would have recognized the
authority of the Holy Spirit sent by Christ. Sadly, this was not true. They
carried their false doctrine wherever the gospel was preached. Such men led
churches into apostacy. In rebellion to Christ they exhalted themselves. One
main cause of apostacy was the failure to preserve the universality of the
priesthood of believers (1 Peter 1:5). "But you are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the
praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter
2:9).

God never intended for there to be a clergy class in the church. "But Jesus
called them to Himself and said to them, ’You know that those who are considered
rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise
authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to
become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be
first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:42-45).

Secular history reveals how quickly this concept was lost. But it was not lost
without at least some protest as the years went by. In time the light of New
Testament Christianity grew dim indeed. The Bible was taken away from the common
people. People were punished who even dared to read it. Sword and flame silenced
many brave souls who saw a glimmer of light in the midst of a sinful and
perverse generation.

Because of fierce opposition little evidence is found during many centuries of
those who remained faithful to the Lord.

We cross the pages of history to a more recent time when again voices can be
heard saying: We will follow Christ and Him alone, speaking where the Bible
speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent. We will "contend earnestly
for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3).

It is sad, but many of our religious neighbours, though far astray in many ways,
have recognized better than we that the gospel is universal, and have put us to
shame in preaching their message to the whole world. While they have done much
good, what they preach is a perverted gospel. The fact that in the plan of God
there is only one church can not be taught by these people for they do not
believe it (Isaiah 2:2-3). Do we believe it?

I remember the first radio sermon I ever heard and I remember one thing the
speaker said. He said there is always a crisis. It may not bethe crisisbut there
is always a crisis. More than 60 years have rolled by since then and there has
not been a day that the church and the world have not been in crisis. Today is
no exception. On the other handmore people will obey the gospel now than ever in
the history of the world. And there is no one to take them that gospel but us.
In all countries where the gospel is being preached precious souls are believing
and being saved. In some countries, such as India, Nigeria and South America,
thousands are looking for a better way. Did the hope of world evangelism ever
look so bright as it does now? Look at the transportation and communication
means at our disposal! When Moses sent twelve men to spy out Canaan, two said
they could go up and possess the land, and ten said it could not be done.Which
side are you on?

J. C. Bailey


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  CHAPTER 5: S. FAITH IS THE ANSWER
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Faith is the Answer A Letter to Indian Preachers

What is the answer? I had a letter not long ago signed by 50 preachers from
Khammam District, saying they got no support from overseas funds. I suppose
there are two preachers who get no overseas support for every one who does. As
time passes, there will be more. New congregations are started almost every
week. There are new preachers who think they should be supported. With or
without support, we must evangelize India.

What a bright picture! In 1963 there were three small congregations. There are
now more than 3,000 congregations; some estimate the number baptized at about 5
lakhs (500,000). We are told to preach the gospel to every ethnic group. There
are more than 240 different ethnic groups in India and we do not know how many
of them have been reached by the gospel. While this is wonderful, it represents
such a small part of the 800,000 villages and a population of more than
775,000,000. By faith we have come this far; by faith we can continue the job.

Let us all pray as the disciples prayed in Luke 17:5 : "Lord, increase our
faith." Let us so believe and act that the Lord can say to us as He said to the
centurion in Matthew 8:10, "Great is thy faith." James laid down this challenge
to us: "Yea, a man will say, thou hast faith and I have works, show me thy faith
apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith" (James 2:18).
We talk glibly about New Testament Christianity but listen to this: "...your
faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:8), "Remembering
without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love..." (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
Then he says further in the same chapter, "For from you hath sounded forth the
word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia but in every place your faith
to God-ward is gone forth..." (1 Thessalonians 1:8).

Despite this wonderful commendation Paul wrote in his second letter to this
church "...for that your faith groweth exceedingly..." (2 Thessalonians 1:3). So
faith is the answer to our problem. Have we enough faith to believe: "And my God
shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ
Jesus" (Php 4:19)?

Let us see this beautiful picture of faith: "Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again into a
living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold
trials. That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that
perisheth, though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and
honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: Whom not having seen ye love; on whom,
though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy
unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your soul" (1 Peter 1:3-9). The proof of our faith is more precious
than gold that perisheth. Few of us in India have had our faith really tried.
The church in U.S.A. went through a civil war. The church in Nigeria went
through a civil war. There was one village when the armies went through the
village five times. Members of the church were shot by both armies. Preachers
continued to preach in the Philippines though they could be shot as American
spies if they were caught. We would say this is terrible but the Holy Spirit
tells us that such trials are more precious than gold. Let us face then, the
fact that more and more we must work without support from overseas. Before we
can get to heaven our faith must be proved. Listen again to the Holy Spirit:
"But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrink back, my soul hath
no pleasure in him" (Hebrews 10:38). The teaching is plain:Our faith must be
tried. It should be more precious to us than gold that perisheth. If from the
proving we turn back, the Lord has no pleasure in us. I want to hear the Lord
say: "Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundations of the world." We will not hear it if our faith is not proved
and we are not overcomers. The parable of the sower is one of the most familiar
passages of the New Testament. Jesus said: "And those on the rock are they who
for awhile believe, and in time of temptation they fall away" (Luke 8:13).

Hundreds have approached me in the last 23 years, with the statement: "I am a
poor man." Then you are one of the Lord’s special people. Listen to this:
"Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor in the
world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them
that love him?" (James 2:5). So the Lord assures the poor people that they have
extra help. Jesus read this in the synagogue at Nazareth: "The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor"
(Luke 4:18). I am very happy that quite a few preachers are now preaching to the
Tribals. Keep it up. God will bless you. You sacrifice everything to see that
your children get a secular education. That is good. Should you not show the
same zeal in preaching the gospel?

What are we to believe? We are to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Jesus asked for a confession from His disciples and Peter made this confession:
"...Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Jesus said
that upon this rock (truth) He would build His church and he said that the gates
of hell would never prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). The Holy Spirit said
that the church and Christ would remain forever: "unto Him be the glory in the
church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever" (Ephesians
3:21). We believe in the person of Jesus Christ. We believe that He arose from
the dead. We believe that He sits at God’s right hand. We must also believe what
He says: "So then belief cometh of hearing and hearing by the word of Christ"
(Romans 10:17). So we not only believe in the person of Christ but we believe
what He said. Here is how Paul expressed his faith: "Wherefore, sirs, be of good
cheer, for I believe God, that it shall be even as it hath been spoken unto me"
(Acts 27:25). Our faith comes by the written word: "Many other signs therefore
did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing, ye may have life in His name" (John 20:30-31).

We have learned two things. We must believe in the divinity of Christ and we
must believe His word. There is a third thing that we are to believe. We must
also believe in the name of the Lord Jesus. Listen as we read from the Word of
God: "But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become the
children of God, even to them that believe on the name" (John 1:12). Then Peter
as he stood before the Jewish council declared: "And in none other is there
salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven given among men,
wherein we must be saved" (Acts 4:23). Men say there is nothing in a name but
the Bible teaching is that salvation is in the Name of Christ. One more verse
along this line: "But if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
but let him glorify God in this name" (1 Peter 4:16).

Further we learn there is one faith (Ephesians 4:5), and that faith was once for
all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). So what we cannot learn in our New
Testament is not of faith for the faith was once given and at the time Jude
wrote, it was delivered once for all. Let me give you one illustration. Some
years ago no denomination, or at least few denominations, used instrumental
music in their worship. Now the church of Christ is practically the only one
that does not use it. Why? Did the Bible change? No. Did men find some new truth
in the Bible? No! It is exactly like Jesus said of the people of His time: "This
people honoreth me with their lips but their heart is far from me. But in vain
do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men."
Instrumental music was introduced in the worship of the denominations, not
because it would please God, but because it pleased men. Jesus adds this: "Ye
leave the commandment of God and hold fast the tradition of men" (Mark 7:6-9).
Instrumental music does not belong to the faith that was once delivered to the
saints.

People often say that they do not see any harm in it. I am sure that when Nadab
and Abihu offered strange fire, they did not see that there was any harm in it
until it was too late, and they were dead (Leviticus 10:1). Instrumental music
is not in the New Testament so we have this solemn warning: "Whosoever goeth
onward and abideth not in the teachings of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth
in the teaching hath both the Father and the Son."Instrumental music is not in
the teachings of Christ. We are to learn not to go beyond what is written (1
Corinthians 4:6). The Bible says there is one thing greater than faith and that
is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). These two must work together. "For in Christ
Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision; but faith
working through love" (Galatians 5:6). Faith was working at Rome. Faith was
working at Thessalonica. How does faith work through love? Jesus said: "If ye
love me you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). The Holy Spirit was just as
emphatic as Jesus was: "For this is the love of God that we keep his
commandments; and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3). So we have
learned that faith works and love works.

We do not have love if we do not keep the commandments of the Lord. Faith is
represented as a battle. It is said it is a good fight: "Fight the good fight of
faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called and didst
confess the good confession before many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12). So our
Christian life is a battle. We are to take up the shield of faith, wherewith we
shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

How can we have victory over the world with its lusts and pleasures? "For
whosoever is begotten of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that
hath overcome the world even our faith" (1 John 5:4). Our faith must be in
Christ and His Word. If our faith is in money, we can lose our soul. Thank God
it has only been a few that the love of money has lured away from the truth.
This is the awful condemnation in store for such: "...and with all deceit of
unrighteousness in them that perish: because they receive not the love of the
truth that they may be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:10). We purify our souls by our
obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22). The word of God is truth (John 17:17).

There is victory ahead: "These shall make war with the Lamb, and he Lamb shall
overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall
overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful" (Revelation 17:1).
Are you full of faith?

J. C. Bailey, 1987, Bengough, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 6: S. GIVE ATTENTION TO READING
========================================================================

Give Attention To Reading

It is dangerous not to study the Bible! We must study, we must study diligently.
Our salvation depends on it. "Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is
able to save your souls" (James 1:21). There is only one way that the word
becomesimplanted, and that is by prayerful study.

Paul admonished Timothy: "Till I come, give attention to reading, to
exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was
given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may
be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them,
for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Timothy
4:13-1).

Timothy was to give himself entirely to various activities, including reading.
His own salvation and that of his hearers depended on it. The last charge given
by Peter was: "Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led
away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:17-18). But someone says: Are we not
justified by faith? Yes, we are justified by faith. But how do we get faith? "So
then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Our
faith can be no greater than our knowledge. We only know what we have learned.

Paul was one of the greatest preachers of all time. He spoke by inspiration. Yet
he was anxious to learn. He was a student until the end. Even after saying that
the time of his departure had come (2 Timothy 4:6), he wrote: "Bring the cloak
that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come- and the books, especially the
parchments" (2 Timothy 4:13). Paul was an ardent student. This can be an example
to us. Do Christians need to study the Old Testament?

"The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by
faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor" (Galatians
3:24-25). Some claim this passage teaches that we do not need to study the Old
Testament. What it teaches, however, is that we are no longer under the Old
Covenant as law.

We must study the Old Testament. "For whatever things were written before were
written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the
Scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). Again we read: "Now all these things
happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom
the ends of the ages have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). A Christian must study
both the Old and the New Testament: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:1-17).

"Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with
meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).

We cannot teach others what we do not know ourselves. What was true in the Old
Testament is just as true today: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest
for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your
children" (Hosea 4:6).

"His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3).
"For this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue
knowledge" (2 Peter 1:5). God has provided all we need, but we must apply
ourselves to grow in knowledge. When God wanted to send the gospel to Africa, He
picked out a studious man. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to read in
a chariot? "Behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace
the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to
Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading
Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ’Go near and overtake this
chariot.’ So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and
said, ’Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ’How can I, unless
someone guides me?’ And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him" (Acts
8:27-31). God sent help to this man who was reading the Scriptures as he jostled
along in his chariot.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will
be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to
him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).

Let us follow the example of the Jews at Berea: "These were more fair-minded
than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness,
and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Therefore many of them believed" (Acts 17:11-12).

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 7: S. I HATE
========================================================================

I Hate This may seem like a peculiar statement from a gospel preacher. It is
true. Not only is it true, but if I am faithful to Christ I must hate.

I know love is the greatest thing in the world (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). I know
that love is great, that it passes knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). I know that Jesus
said the love of God surpasses everything else: "You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the
first and great commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38). Yet to serve God faithfully I
must hate with a passion.

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me" (John 14:16). Any other ’way’ is a false way. Now listen to
this: "Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false
way" (Psalms 119:104). "You who love the LORD, hate evil!" (Psalms 97:10). "Hate
evil, love good" (Amos 5:15).

David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, goes even farther and says: "Do I not hate
them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I
hate them with a perfect hatred; I count them my enemies" (Psalms 139:21-22).

God hates corrupt religion. He warned Israel not to adopt heathen forms of
worship: "You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every
abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they
burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command
you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it"
(Deuteronomy 12:31-32).

God hates evil men: "The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all
workers of iniquity" (Psalms 5:5).

David, the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), wrote: "I have hated the
congregation of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked" (Psalms 26:5); "I
have hated those who regard vain idols; but I trust in the LORD" (Psalms 31:6).
In the world around us there are many things which God hates.

"These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud
look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises
wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks
lies, and one who sows discord among brethren" (Proverbs 6:16-19). "The LORD God
of Israel says that He hates divorce" (Malachi 2:16).

They who love God must hate the things which God hates. When wisdom speaks in
Proverbs she says: "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance
and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate" (Proverbs 8:13).

"A righteous man hates lying" (Proverbs 13:5). "A ruler who lacks understanding
is a great oppressor, but he who hates covetousness will prolong his days"
(Proverbs 28:16).

Through the prophet Isaiah, God said to Israel: "Your New Moons and your
appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing
them" (Isaiah 1:14). These were the very things that God commanded, but He says
He hates them. Why? "Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make
yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to
do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the oppressor; defend the
fatherless, plead for the widow" (Isaiah 1:15-17).

If our heart is not pure then our worship is not acceptable before God. Jesus
said: "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honour Me with their
lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as
doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8-9).

Before the end of the first century there had arisen a sect called the
Nicolaitans. Christ commended the church at Ephesus because they hated this
perversion of the faith: "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the
Nicolaitans, which I also hate" (Revelation 2:6). The church at Pergamos was
reprimanded because of Nicolaitans in their midst: "Thus you also have those who
hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will
come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth"
(Revelation 2:15).

Jesus hated false doctrine; so did Paul. "If anyone preaches any other gospel to
you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:9). "If
anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed" (1 Corinthians
16:22). The writer to the Hebrews says of Christ: "You have loved righteousness
and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of
gladness more than Your companions" (Hebrews 1:9).

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good"
(Romans 12:9).

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 8: S. I SAT WHERE THEY SAT
========================================================================

I Sat Where They Sat

I have followed with a great deal of interest the articles that have appeared in
the Gospel Herald, written by Eugene Perry, concerning gospel papers in Canada.
I was at the meeting in Meaford in 1925 when the Christian Monthly Review was
transferred from Brother MacDougal to Brother E. Gaston Collins. Most of the men
who agreed to support the paper, so it would continue to live, were known to me
personally. The first article I ever wrote for a religious publication was
written for the Christian Monthly Review either in 1920 or 1921. One brother
wrote to the paper and complained about the members of the congregation not
being faithful in attending the worship, so I wrote an article on "Not forsaking
the assembly." I contributed reports of meetings quite regularly for the
Christian Monthly Review. I mourned it’s passing in the Depression years.

Then I was part of the birth of the Gospel Herald, also in the Depression. It
could hardly have been born under more adverse circumstances. When it was but
three or four years old, it almost died, but it lived, and has lived to this
day. I take a great interest in the fact that it has lived longer than any other
gospel paper among churches of Christ in Canada.

Going back to the Christian Monthly Review: When it went to Meaford it was put
under "Eighteen well-known and loyal men." How could it die? There never was a
time that it was not a struggle to keep the paper afloat. What do we mean by
loyal men? I know what it meant then. It meant that these men were opposed to
the use of instrumental music in the worship and to the use of missionary
societies to carry on the work of the church. No one is more opposed to the use
of instrumental music than I am. There is a grave principle at stake in the use
of it in worship that opposes one of the cardinal principles which characterizes
our plea to restore New Testament Christianity. If Christ is the head of the
church and if Christ did not authorize it, nor His apostles, then we cannot use
it. If God is to be glorified in the church (Ephesians 3:21), we cannot set up a
human organization to do the work of the church.

However, is there not a positive side to loyalty as well as a negative? I am
sure that if these eighteen men and all other members of the church then had
been determined to see the Christian Monthly Review live, it would have lived.
The Gospel Herald carries messages that are vital to many nations each month.
This must continue and can be expanded. It will, if we are positively loyal as
well as negatively loyal.

We do not need more organization to evangelize, we need dedication. We do not
need a new paper to preach the gospel in Canada. We need dedication to the paper
we have. Have you not seen all the papers that have died in the past? The chance
of a new paper living as long as the Gospel Herald would be slim indeed. Why not
make the Gospel Herald flourish as it never flourished before?

Let us change the perspective a little. My grandfather was a gospel preacher. He
died in 1931. How successful was he as a preacher? How many congregations did he
start? How many did he baptize? I am sure the figures would be very small, but
he was a successful preacher. When he died he had 98 living descendants and
every one that was old enough was a member of the church. I have at least two
grandsons that are preaching. Will they do as well as grandpa? The gospel must
be preached to the whole world and passed on to the next generation. If you are
familiar with church history, you are familiar with the names of J.W. McGarvey
and David Lipscomb. They were both contemporary with Alexander Campbell. I was 7
years old when J.W. McGarvey died and 14 years old when David Lipscomb died. As
I write, an old year is dying. Will it be the last? When you read this I shall
likely be in India on my 19th trip. Shall Jesus come in 1987? I can say with the
Apostle John, "Amen, come Lord Jesus." I am tired and I need a rest.

J. C. Bailey, June 1987, Bengough, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 9: S. I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH
========================================================================

I Will Build My Church

This, my friends, is the statement of the Saviour in Matthew 16:18. In this
article we intend to ask, and with the Scriptures answer, certain questions.

God is a God of order, plan and design. In the working of nature, we see this
amply demonstrated. "Let everything produce after its kind" was and is a
fundamental law. By miracle He created the first oak tree but from that time
forward the acorn produces the oak and the oak produces the acorn. The maple
produces after its kind, and so with all nature. Man was given dominion (Genesis
1:26). He may produce different varieties within a class, but he cannot set
aside God’s law of reproduction.

David said, "The heavens declare the glory of God." So perfect is His system
that man as he studies can foretell to the very minute when there will be an
eclipse. The God who thus controls the universe also has a fixed purpose in
regard to the church. We ask the question and propose to answer it from the New
Testament: What is God’s purpose in regard to the church?

We shall begin our study in Ephesians 2:11-21. We find under the old law that
there was a partition between the Jew and the Gentile. The Israelites were God’s
chosen people. The Gentiles were strangers, separate from Christ, without God
and having no hope. In Christ Jesus we have been made near by His blood. Christ
broke down the partition (law of commandments) on the cross, and in one body He
proposed to reconcile both (Jew and Gentile) to God. In Ephesians 1:22-23 we
learn that the body of Christ is the church. So God’s law is that all men are to
be reconciled to Him in the body (church) of Christ. Denominations do not exist
in the divine plan of God.

"Mark them that are causing divisions" (Romans 16:17). Christ died for the
purpose of reconciling the world in one body (church). Man has set up human
institutions. Are you a member of the body of Christ or of a man-made body?
Christ purchased the church with His blood. He did not purchase a denomination.
Jesus gave himself for the church (Ephesians 5:25). Christ is the head of the
church as the husband is the head of the wife (Ephesians 5:23). The church is
one body (not many bodies as some teach). There is no scripture that intimates
that these various denominations are part of the body of Christ. Quite the
reverse is true. These denominational churches are independent bodies (not a
part of the body). They are additions to God’ plan. Read God’s condemnation in 2
John 1:9. The apostles tell us further, the two shall become one flesh, and he
said he speaks of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32). Are you trusting in
God’s law or do you think that God is going to sanction and endorse spiritual
adultery by adding or joining many bodies to Christ? God forbid.

It is God’s purpose that through the church the manifold wisdom of God is to be
made known. Man regards this command (Ephesians 3:10-11) with indifference. Are
you trusting in God or man? Is it not time that all human dross were removed
from our religion and we proclaimed only the wisdom of God? Peter says (1 Peter
4:11), "If any man speaketh, speaking as the oracles of God...." When men speak
only as the oracles of God, then all human institutions will cease to be and
human societies will no longer encumber the work of Christ. The church will
shine in all its beauty as the bride of Christ. The next Scripture we wish to
consider bears out much of what we have already adduced. "Unto him be the glory
in the church and in Jesus Christ unto all generations forever and ever. Amen"
(Ephesians 3:21). Are we obeying God’s law or are we following man? Are you
hoping God will set aside His law and accept your disobedience? Read Hebrews
10:28-29; Hebrews 2:1-4.

One more passage as to God’s purpose in the church. It is the pillar and ground
of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Pilate asked the question, "What is truth?" but
didn’t wait for an answer. Jesus said in His prayer to His Father, "Thy word is
truth." The church, therefore, is the pillar and ground of the Word of God.

How did Christ build his church? What is the foundation? It was to be a rock.
The foundation is Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). The rock is Christ (1 Corinthians
3:10). On Pentecost this fact is proclaimed (Acts 2:36). We are added as living
stones (1 Peter 2:5). Those who believe, repent, and are baptized are added to
the body of Christ (see Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41; Acts 2:47). Acts 18:8 tells us
that the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized. They thus are named the
church of God (1 Corinthians 1:2). We are baptized into one body (1 Corinthians
1:13). He cleansed and sanctified (set apart) the church by the washing of water
with the word (Ephesians 5:26). Where are the records? The church of the
firstborn who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:23). Are your name and mine
written there? Is my name written there On the page white and fair? In the book
of thy kingdom Is my name written there?

J. C. Bailey, 1936, Ogema, Saskatchewan This article was published in the first
issue of The Gospel Herald, March 1936.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 10: S. INFANT BAPTISM
========================================================================

Infant Baptism Many churches practice infant baptism. Millions have been
’christened’ as infants.

Infant baptism is performed in the name of the Lord, but does the Lord authorize
it? Is it of human origin or divine? The child has no choice in the matter. Do
parents have the right to have their infants baptized? Let us examine infant
baptism in the light of the Word of God.

Terms defined By ’infant’ we mean a baby or small child who is too young to make
a decision. Infant baptism is usually performed by sprinkling or pouring.
Sometimes it is done by immersion, but most who read this will be familiar with
the practice of sprinkling or pouring.

Infant baptism is not of divine origin

I say this without fear of successful contradiction. Jesus said: "He who
believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Peter, led by the Holy
Spirit, said: "Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Truth is always in harmony with
truth. Scriptural baptism is preceded by faith and repentance. Infant baptism is
preceded by neither. To practice baptism before there is faith and repentance is
to pervert the gospel. Anyone who preaches a different gospel is accursed
(Galatians 1:6-9). When one practices infant baptism he is going beyond the
doctrine of Christ (2 John 1:9). The first recorded case of affusion was in the
year 251. The first law for sprinkling was in 752. It was made by a pope who had
to flee Rome (Edinburgh Encyclopedia, Article on Baptism).

Infant baptism nullifies the law of God

Jesus accused the religious people of His day of "making the Word of God of no
effect" through their tradition (Mark 7:13). That is exactly what this man-made
practice does. It makes the law of Christ of no effect. Jesus taught that every
creature is to believe and be baptized, but they who advocate infant baptism
nullify this command of Christ. They supplant it by a human law.

Jesus is to be obeyed. This the Scriptures teach: "And having been perfected, He
became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9). Every
one who practices and endorses infant baptism is guilty, either wilfully or
ignorantly, of supplanting the divine law of believers’ baptism. Are you, my
dear reader, guilty?

What about household baptisms?

Some try to justify infant baptism on the basis of New Testament examples of
household baptisms. It is argued that infants must have been included when whole
households were baptized. In most passages, however, where household baptisms
are reported, hearing and believing are also mentioned, which infants are unable
to do. Cornelius "feared God with all his household" (Acts 10:2). His household
was saved as a result of hearing the gospel (Acts 11:14; Acts 10:44; Acts
10:46). Paul told the Philippian jailer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31). Did this include
infants? Can infants believe? We read further: "Then they spoke the word of the
Lord to him and to all who were in his house" (Acts 16:32). What was the
response? "And immediately he and all his [family] were baptized" (Acts 16:33).
That infants were not included is further indicated by what follows: "He
rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household" (Acts 16:34).

Crispus "believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the
Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized" (Acts 18:8). To teach that
infants were included in household baptisms is going beyond what is written.
Furthermore, this human addition to the word of God is clearly contrary to
whatiswritten. It is to accuse the apostles of sinning by violating the terms of
the Great Commission! God forbid. The ’household baptism’ argument is simply a
case of a drowning man grasping at a straw. If you, my friend, insist on going
the way of rebellion do not try to take Peter and Paul with you!

Paul says we were buried with Christ in baptism, in which we also were raised
with Him "through faith in the working of God" (Colossians 2:12). This shows
that the baptism he practiced was not infant baptism.

Let the children come

"But Jesus said, ’Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them;
for of such is the kingdom of heaven’" (Matthew 19:14). Perhaps this verse is
used more than any other to support infant baptism. But does it say one word
about it? Is there in all the chapter even one reference to baptism? Does not
this verse teach that children are alright as they are? Jesus says "ofsuch" is
the kingdom of heaven. They are alright as they are! What good will a human
ordinance do them?

Some say: "Well, it will not hurt them." It certainly may! They might think they
have been baptized when in reality they have only obeyed the command of men and
not the command of God. Is it harmless to take the name of God, Christ, and the
Holy Spirit in vain? For that is what is done every time a child is christened.
If I do something in a man’s name when he has not authorized it, I am taking his
name in vain.Every case of infant baptism in the name of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit is a forgery.

You who practice infant baptism, how are you going to answer to God for having
changed His law, for having put a human law in its place? I know you love your
children, then how dare you deceive them, how dare you make them think this
human ordinance can take the place of the divine command of believers’ baptism?

Baptism and circumcision

Figuratively, baptism is compared with circumcision (Colossians 2:11-12).
Because infants were circumcised in Old Testament times, some try to justify
infant baptism by this comparison. In many points, however, baptism is different
than circumcision. Who was circumcised? Israelites. Do those who practice infant
baptism only baptize Israelites? Only boys were circumcised. Do those who
practice infant baptism sprinkle only boys? Were not the Jews required to
believe and be baptized?

Finally

If you have trusted in this human practice, renounce it at once. If you have
taught it to your children, take your Bible and show them that you have been
mistaken. Baptism is connected with salvation (1 Peter 3:21). Salvation is too
important for one to be satisfied with a human substitute that will not save.
Let me quote again the language of Jesus: "He who believes and is baptized will
be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16).

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 11: S. IS IT SCRIPTURAL TO USE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN WORSHIP?
========================================================================

Is It Scriptural To Use Instrumental Music In Worship?

Much has been written on this subject. However, there are many who only became
Christians in recent years. Children are growing up who are not acquainted with
the discussions of yesteryear. Our minds dim with the passing of time. It is
right to stir up your sincere minds by way of reminder (2 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter
3:1).

Some would dismiss the subject as relatively unimportant. I suppose Cain thought
it was relatively unimportant how he sacrificed, but God thought otherwise
(Genesis 4:5; Hebrews 11:4). Nadab and Abihu no doubt thought it was relatively
unimportant when they offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not
commanded them (Leviticus 10:1). God thought otherwise. We could multiply such
examples. It is important to worship as God has commanded.

Many times sincere people have asked me why I think instrumental music is wrong.
I do not think instrumental music is wrong. Let me illustrate: I do not think
there is anything wrong with beefsteak. In fact, I would enjoy beefsteak if I
could afford to buy it. If, however, beefsteak were placed on the Lord’s table
together with the bread and the fruit of the vine, that would be sinful.
Instrumental music is not wrong, but its use in worship is wrong because God has
not authorized it.

True worshippers "worship the Father in spirit and truth" (John 4:23). Only by
the word of God can we know how to worship in spirit and truth.

Paul said: "I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the
understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the
understanding" (1 Corinthians 14:15). By faith -- based on the word of God
(Romans 10:17) - I can pray in the spirit. By faith I can sing in the spirit.
But where in the New Testament does it say that one can PLAY AN INSTRUMENT IN
THE SPIRIT?

We must worship in truth. What is truth? Jesus said: "Your word is truth" (John
17:17). To worship in truth we must worship sincerely and we must worship
according to the word of God. Where does God’s word say that any church of
Christ used a mechanical instrument in worship?

God seeks worshippers who worship in spirit and in truth. The use of
instrumental music in worship is not based on God’s word. Such worship is
therefore not in spirit and it is not in truth. When is worship Scriptural?

Anything is Scriptural for which there is a direct command. The Lord’s Supper is
Scriptural because Jesus said: "Do this in remembrance of Me" (1 Corinthians
11:24). We have a direct command. A thing may be Scriptural because it is
authorized by an inspired example. We meet on the first day of the week to break
bread (Acts 20:7). A comparison of this passage with other Scriptures indicates
that this example was based on apostolic teaching.

We may conclude that a thing is Scriptural if there is a necessary inference, if
it is authorized indirectly as an essential part of a command or inspired
example.

Nowhere in the New Testament is the use of instrumental music in worship
commanded. We have no approved example of its use. There is no necessary
inference that it was used. Most of those who use it today freely admit that it
was NOT USED in the New Testament church.

What about PSALLO?

There are some who contend that the use of PSALLO in the Greek New Testament
makes instrumental music Scriptural.

If PSALLO means to play an instrument why do Greek scholars translate it as
’sing’ in our New Testaments? If PSALLO means to play an instrument why did not
the churches in New Testament times use an instrument? As I write, I have the
Greek-English lexicon of Henry Thayer before me. He gives definitions from
various periods in the history of the Greek language. First he defines PSALLO as
used by Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.): "to pluck off, pull out...the hair." This is
obviously not the meaning in the N.T. He then defines the word as used by
Euripides (480-406 B.C.): "to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang," then as
it is used in the later Classical period: "to touch or strike the chord, to
twang the strings of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate, to play
on a stringed instrument, to play the harp." He says it is used in the
Septuagint (a Greek translation of the O.T. made between 325 and 150 B.C.) to
translate words meaning ’to sing to the music of the harp’ and also with the
same meaning as in the N.T. (to sing). Regarding N.T. usage he says it means:
"TO SING A HYMN, TO CELEBRATE THE PRAISES OF GOD IN SONG." Shall we take the
Classical meaning, the meaning in the Septuagint, or the New Testament meaning?
The only definition of PSALLO which fits the context where this word occurs in
the New Testament is ’to sing’: "and sing to Your name" (Romans 15:9); "I will
sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding" (1
Corinthians 14:15); "singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord"
(Ephesians 5:19); "Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms" (James 5:13).

I want to include here a statement made by John W. McGarvey, one of the best
Greek scholars of the past generation. Listen to brother McGarvey: "It is
manifest that we cannot adopt the practice (referring to instrumental music in
worship) without abandoning the obvious and only ground on which a restoration
of Primitive Christianity can be accomplished, or on which plea it can be
maintained." Let me say I believe this with all my heart. So universal is the
scholarship of the world on this point that this illustrious scholar says
further: "It is universally admitted by those competent to judge that there is
not the slightest indication in the New Testament of divine authority for the
use of instrumental music in Christian worship."

What about the Psalms?

Some contend that instrumental music is Scriptural because it is mentioned in
the Psalms. Those who so contend admit that we are no longer under the law of
Moses (Galatians 3:24-25), but, so they claim, the Psalms were not part of the
law, and therefore we are authorized to use the instruments they mention.

If this be true then we, as Christians, are free to do ALL things mentioned in
the Psalms. David said: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean" (Psalms
51:7). Is the use of hyssop Scriptural under the New Covenant? And what about
the following? "Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their
beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in
their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples;
to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to
execute on them the written judgment- this honour have all His saints" (Psalms
149:5-9). Does this Psalm authorize Christians to execute vengeance with the
sword? Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world. If it had been, His
servants would fight (John 18:36). He also warned Peter: "Put your sword in its
place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword" (Matthew 26:52). In
Revelation this warning is repeated: "He who kills with the sword must be killed
with the sword" (Revelation 13:10).

No, the Psalms were written under the Old Covenant and contain many things which
are not applicable to Christians.

Jesus quotes from the Psalms as part of the law. "Jesus answered them, ’Is it
not written in your law, "I said, ’You are gods’"’?" (John 10:34). This
quotation is from Psalms 82:6. "But this happened that the word might be
fulfilled which is written in their law, ’They hated Me without a cause’" (John
15:25). This quotation is from Psalms 35:19. The Psalms are part of the law. May
Christians worship according to the law of Moses? "But now we have been
delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should
serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter" (Romans
7:6). Is singing required? A friend with whom I contended over the issue of
instrumental music, as well as other things, claimed that the whole thing is a
matter of option, even whether we sing or not. According to him, instruments may
accompany the singing since singing is not necessary anyway.

Let us look carefully at this. Jesus said true worship must be ’in spirit’ (John
4:23-24). Paul said: "I will sing with the spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:15).

How can singing be optional? We are commanded to sing both to one another and to
the Lord: "Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord"
(Ephesians 5:18-19); "Let the word of Christ dwell in your 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" (Colossians 3:16). Nor can one
maintain that the use of an instrument is a matter of indifference. Jesus said:
"In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men"
(Matthew 15:9). How did the use of instrumental music get into the worship? It
is not found in the New Testament. It was BROUGHT IN and it was TAUGHT IN by
MEN. Jesus said- and I believe it- that such worship is VAIN. An innovation A
stream can rise no higher than its source. Both in earlier centuries and in more
recent times, instrumental music has been introduced hand-in-hand with a general
disregard for the authority of the Scriptures. The following was written in
1860. "So far as known to me, or I presume, to you, I am the only preacher in
Kentucky of our brotherhood who has publicly advocated the propriety of
employing instrumental music in some churches, and that the church of God in
Midway is the only church that has yet made a decided effort to introduce it"
(Franklin and Headington, The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, p. 409-411).
This statement was made by Dr. L.L. Pinkerton about the introduction of a
melodeon a year earlier at Midway, Kentucky. This man also believed that the
unimmersed could be fellowshipped in the church (H.Hailey, Attitudes and
Consequences, p. 232). The effort of some brethren to use the instrument and
stop there is doomed to failure. When one does not require Biblical authority
for one practice, he no longer has a valid defense against other unscriptural
innovations. Is it an expedient? This is the argument of most: There is no
Scriptural basis for it, but we use it as an expedient. IS IT EXPEDIENT? In the
decades since the instrument was introduced in America those who DO NOT use it
have GROWN FASTER than those who do, and large numbers of those who use the
instrument have gone into abject apostasy. This indicates that it is NOT
expedient to use the instrument, so these brethren can not justify their
practice by saying it is expedient.

Furthermore, this is an improper use of the word ’expedient’. Before something
can be classified as an expedient, it must be authorized but not specified. We
are commanded to ’go’ into all the world, but ’how’ we are to go is not
specified. It may be expedient to fly. More often it is expedient to travel by
car. Sometimes it is expedient to go by train. If the manner of going had been
specified - if we had been told, for example, to ’go on foot’ - we would not be
free to choose an ’expedient’.

We have been commanded to worship. We have also been told HOW to worship.
Therefore we may not worship just any way we please. HOW we worship is not a
matter of expediency.

We have been authorized to ’sing’ in our worship. In order to sing we must in
some way know what words to sing. This has not been specified. Therefore, the
use of songbooks is an expedient. It is a way of knowing what to sing.

Instrumental music, however, is not a way of singing. It is not an expedient of
anything because it is a distinct act within itself which has not been
authorized. If the use of instruments had been authorized, then it might be
expedient to use an organ, rather than a piano. Since instrumental music is not
authorized, since it has no Scriptural basis, it cannot be an expedient.

Playing an instrument is not an expedient way to sing. It is an independent act.
An expedient can only exist as an acceptable way of doing something which has
been authorized. One cannot ’fly’ without ’going’. A songbook has no function
unless one sings. But an instrument can be played without anyone singing. I have
noticed when attending churches which have corrupted the worship by the use of
the instrument, that they often spend as much time playing the instrument
without any singing as they do playing it along with the singing. How can it be
an expedient?

Conclusion

Many years ago we had a discussion with some of these brethren. Various ones had
spoken in connection with the subject but finally one person said: "I like it,
and to me it is worship." I am afraid that is the real reason for its use. I
love these brethren and I would like to be in fellowship with them, but they
would rather have an instrument of music in their worship than to have the
fellowship of their brethren. They LIKE it, so they do it, even though God has
not authorized it, and even though it causes division. The instrument is a sign
of a disease. To remove the instrument without removing the condition of heart
which makes its use in worship possible, would not avail a thing. The disease
would only break out in some other way.

Brethren, let us worship God according to the New Testament. Let us have
Scriptural authority for all that we do and teach. Let us be joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Corinthians 1:1).

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 12: S. IS MY NATURAL STRENGTH ABATED?
========================================================================

Is My Natural Force Abated?

I was 88 on my last birthday. It was said of Moses at 120 that his natural force
was not abated. On the other hand, Paul was probably not 70 years of age when he
referred to himself as Paul the aged (Philemon 1:9). No one knows what it was,
but Paul said there was given him a thorn in the flesh to buffet him. Although
we do not know what it was, we do know that he asked the Lord three times to
take it away. The Lord said, "No!" The Lord laid down here a very important
thing for us to remember: "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my power is made
perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Paul had very important work to do. He was confident that he would have help to
do that work. The Lord had called Paul to His work. Paul says, "For whichcause I
suffer these things; yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed
and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him
against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). For years I have had a thorn in the flesh.
One of the arteries that feeds blood to the brain is partially closed. I do not
know why, but it gets more closed. It causes me deep trouble. It has put me in
the hospital many times. I have besought the Lord, many others have besought the
Lord, but apparently, with Paul, I can say His strength is made perfect in my
weakness.

One of the worst spells I have had was the last week in August. They took me to
the hospital in an ambulance. I was still in the hospital on my birthday,
September 13.

About this time, my brother developed pains in his head. The x-ray showed a
brain tumour. It was cancerous. On November 22, he passed to his eternal reward.
I was able to attend his funeral.

I eat well, I sleep well, but my head bothers me all the time. There is no pain,
but I get up with difficulty and I have a sensation of falling at all times. For
quite a number of years, people have said that I should not try to make the
trips to India. Some years ago I asked the local church for money for my travel,
but they refused and said they did not think I was able to make the trip. Some
years ago, brother Trotter was so sure that I should not make the trip that he
said to me, "That ticket can still be cancelled."

Last August, when I was lying on the floor waiting for them to come and load me
in the ambulance, I concluded that the Lord has said "no" enough times to the
request to take this trouble away from my head.

So, my dear brethren, you must look to the Lord for help. Others will come and
are coming, but the important thing is that they can say, "I can do all things
in Him that strengtheneth me!" We are told of that great cloud of witnesses that
by faith triumphed (Hebrews 12:1). Will you be one of that triumphant band?

J. C. Bailey, 1992, Bengough, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 13: S. IS THE CHURCH IMPORTANT?
========================================================================

Is the Church Important?

It is a very common teaching today that Christ should be magnified but that the
church is relatively unimportant. You can belong to the church of your choice,
or you do not need to belong to any church. We shall answer this argument from
the Bible.

We shall assume the truth of the following two propositions. The Bible, as it
is, is sufficient for man as he is. The best commentary to the Bible is the
Bible itself (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

I held a meeting one time, and after the meeting a man came up to me and said,
"Do you know what Moody said on baptism?" I said, "No, but I know what Paul
said." Let me show you how the Bible is the best commentary on the Bible.

Jesus said that the church would be built on a rock. Certain commentaries would
say that the rock was Peter.What saith the scriptures?1 Corinthians 3:22 says
that there is only one foundationand that foundation was Christ.1 Corinthians
10:4 says that the rock was Christ. All the man-made commentaries in the world
cannot change these basic truths (Hebrews 13:8). The church is the body of
Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). Can we mutilate the body of Christ? Can we exchange
that body for another body (Ephesians 4:4)? No, the church is to be presented to
Christ without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). Christ is the savior of the
body (Ephesians 5:23). Christ purchased the church with his blood (Acts 20:28).
Jesus said that the gospel was to be preached to every creature (Mark 16:15).
Jesus said that He had all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He
became to those who obey him the author of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9).

We are justified by faith (Romans 5:1). Faith comes by hearing the word (Romans
10:17). Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus
prayed that we might believe through the word, given to us by the apostles (John
17:20-21). In order that we might listen to the apostles, we have the written
word (John 20:30-31). The faith was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude
1:3). The Old Testament was our tutor to bring us to Christ, but now that Christ
has come, we are no longer under the tutor (Galatians 3:24-25). When Jesus was
on the Mount with the three apostles and Moses and Elijah appeared, Peter
suggested that they have three places of worship: one for Moses, one for Elijah
and one for Christ. God himself spoke from heaven. Listen to my Son. When John
laid down the pen of inspiration he said that nothing more was to be added
(Revelation 22:18-19). For all time the church is to be honored with Christ
(Ephesians 3:20-21). Men have made many denominations. But Jesus said that they
were to be rooted up (Matthew 15:13). The church, that divine institution, began
at the right time, at the right place. The Lord had declared that the law of the
Lord would come from Jerusalem. God’s house would come from there (Isaiah
2:2-3). The apostles were gathered. The Holy Spirit, who was to guide them into
all truth, came. The gospel had become an established fact. Christ had been
raised from the dead. He had gone back to heaven (Acts 1:8-11). Jesus had said
that repentance and the remission of sins should be preached in His name
beginning from Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-47).

Peter explained the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Then he declared
the fact of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. This brought
conviction. The divine record says that they were pricked in their hearts (Acts
2:37). They asked what they should do. The answer came, not only from the
apostles, but from the Holy Spirit. "And Peter said unto them, ’Repent ye and be
baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of
your sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’" To whom does this
apply? Verse 39 answers that question: "For to you is the promise, and to your
children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall
call unto him" (Emphasis mine - JCB). What happened? "They then who received his
word were baptized, and there were added unto them in that day about 3,000
souls" (Acts 2:41).

What did this church do? "They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers."

Yes, the church is important. Christ did not die for something unimportant.

J.C. Bailey, 1993, Weyburn, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 14: S. IS THIS MESSAGE FOR YOUR?
========================================================================

Is This Message for You? This message is not for the unbeliever. There is plenty
of evidence to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I firmly believe that
any man who will examine the evidence that is available will be convinced that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but we are not attempting to produce that
evidence now. This message is not for the man who does not believe in the verbal
inspiration of the Bible. I believe the evidence is such that any man of honest
heart would be a believer in the inspiration of the Bible if he would carefully
examine the evidence that is available, but I do not propose to do that now.

You do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. You do believe that the
Bible is the Word of God. Then let us proceed.

Jesus prayed that His followers might be one: “Neither for these only do I pray,
but for them also that believe in me through their word; that they may all be
one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in
us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me” (John 17:20-21). Did
Jesus pray for an impossibility? The greater part of the world does not believe
in Jesus Christ as the resurrected Son of God. Their souls are in danger. For
Jesus alone saves: “And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there
any other name under heaven, given among men, wherein we must be saved” (Acts
4:12). We learn then from the Word of God that salvation is in the Name of
Christ and in none other.

God through the prophet Isaiah said: “And the nations shall see thy
righteousness, and kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name,
which the mouth of Jehovah shall name” (Isaiah 62:2). What is that new name?
“And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Here is the new
name -- Christian. No one had ever been called a Christian before that time. The
Holy Spirit confirms this name: “But if any man suffer as a Christian let him
not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name” (1 Peter 4:16). We can be
one in Christ with this name but we cannot be one and wear any other name, at
least not in Christ. The house of God is the church of the living God (1 Timothy
3:15). God told us by Isaiah that in the latter days God’s house would be
established and all nations would flow unto it (Isaiah 2:2). So God prophesied
that there would be one church for all nations.

Paul tells us that this one church would be for all time: “... unto him be the
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever.
Amen” (Ephesians 3:21). Nothing could be plainer than the fact that God gave us
Jesus who said He would build His church and the gates of Hades would not
prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Notice again the teaching of Holy Writ: As a
husband is the head of the wife so is Christ the head of the church. It is one.
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it. He cleansed it. It should be
holy and without spot (Ephesians 5:25-27). In marriage the husband and wife
become one flesh. So Christ and His church are to be one (Ephesians 5:31-32).
God has left us without excuse if we do not believe there is only one Church
that is ordained by God. There is one body (Ephesians 4:4). The body is the
church (Ephesians 1:22-23).

We have learned that we have one name and one church. Now we learn that there is
one Lord (Ruler), one faith, and one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). Christ is the One
who has all authority (Matthew 28:18). We may not submit to any other rulership
but His.

There is one faith. That faith was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude
1:3). There is one baptism. That baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts
2:38). We are baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13). We have already
learned that the one body is the church.

We have division when we have an unscriptural name (1 Peter 4:16). We have
division when we have more than one church (Ephesians 4:4; Ephesians 1:2;
Ephesians 1:23). When we have two churches we must of necessity have more than
one Lord, we must have more than one faith and we have more than one baptism.
People who have another faith also have another baptism.

Let us examine now the day the church was born, that church that Jesus said He
would build. The gospel is God’s power to save (Romans 1:16). The Holy Spirit by
Paul declared that the gospel was the facts of the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). These facts were first proclaimed
to the world on the day of Pentecost and this is recorded in Acts 2:1-47. After
Peter had preached of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, he said:
“Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord
and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified” (Acts 2:36). Recognizing the authority
of Jesus: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said
unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts
2:37). As we began this lesson we learned that people in order to be one must
believe the word as given by the apostles (John 20:30-31). Listen now as Peter
speaks: “Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

Note God’s plan: “They then that received his word were baptized and there were
added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.” Who added them? The
Lord added them (Acts 2:47).

Let us note what these people did, whom the Lord added to the church, after they
had heard and obeyed the words of the apostles: “And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the
prayers” (Acts 2:42). Our citizenship is in heaven (Php 3:20). We invite you to
join with us in serving the Lord Jesus Christ according to the plain pattern
that we have discovered in this study. Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth,
and the life, no one cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6).

Division is sinful (Romans 16:17). If we follow the way left us in the Bible, we
shall walk in the light as He is in the light and we shall fellowship with one
another (1 John 1:7).

I am willing to serve God according to the plan as revealed in his word. Are
you? We must have fellowship if the blood of Christ is going to cleanse us from
all iniquity (1 John 1:7). Will the world believe that Jesus is the Son of God?

J. C. Bailey, 1982, Dauphin, Manitoba


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 15: S. LEST WE FORGET
========================================================================

Lest We Forget

Churches of Christ started out with a noble aspiration. God gave to man a
perfect Saviour. This perfect Saviour built a perfect church. Jesus said in
Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church; and the gates of hell will not prevail
against it." He intended that God was to be served in that divine institution
for all time and eternity. We read, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be the glory in the church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages, world
without end" (Ephesians 3:20-21). Some say we should serve Christ and that the
church is not important. But the above verse states clearly that Christ is to be
served in the church for all time and eternity.

If one asks what church? It was the only church that existed then, it was the
church of Christ. Paul told the Ephesian elders that he (Paul) had declared unto
them the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:17). In the next verse Paul says that the
church was purchased with the blood of Christ. But it should also be noted that
the falling away from the truth was foretold in the days of the early church.

Here is the warning, "I know that after my departure grievous wolves would enter
among you, not sparing the flock, also of your own selves shall men arise,
speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:28-30).
Peter also warned of the apostasy. "But false prophets also arose among the
people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly
introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them,
bringing swift destruction upon themselves" (2 Peter 2:1). The Old Testament
foretold apostasy as well. The Old Testament was unlike the New Testament
because the New Testament would never be replaced. We read in Jeremiah 31:31-32,
"...I will make a new covenant..., not like the covenant I made in the day I
took them out of the land of Egypt." Again the difference between the old
covenant and the new was explained in Hebrews 7:16, "...not after the law of a
carnal commandment, but after the power of endless life." John came as a
messenger to announce Christ Jesus declaring that the kingdom of heaven is at
hand (Matthew 4:17). Colossians 1:13 says, "Who has delivered us from the power
of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." It is a
kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).

Jesus said that heaven and earth would pass away but His word would not pass
away. There will be no more revelation (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We were warned not
to take from or add to the word of Christ (Revelation 22:18-19). Those who would
add to or take from, should heed this warning. When we look at the teaching of
many religious groups today that have added to and taken from the word of God,
it should give us more desire to restore New Testament Christianity. What a
noble thing to do. Jesus said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments."
He also said, "Come unto me and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Only by following the teachings of Christ can one become a New Testament
Christian. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Romans
10:17). We must repent of our sins. We must confess that we believe that Jesus
is the son of God. Then we must be baptized for the remission of sins. Then and
only then does one become a New Testament Christian and a member of the only
church the Bible talks about -- the church that Jesus built -- the church of
Christ.

J. C. Bailey, 1996, Weyburn, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 16: S. LET US SUPPOSE
========================================================================

Let Us Suppose

Let us do a little supposing. But this supposing is not fanciful, it is true to
life. We are going to suppose that we are reading our Bible for the first time
to find out what God’s will for us is.

We would learn that Christ’s church does not appear in the Old Testament. We
would not find the church mentioned explicitly until we came to Matthew 16:18,
where Jesus says: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I
will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Reading the rest of the New Testament we would learn that the church is a divine
institution, purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). It is "the house of
God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth"
(1 Timothy 3:15). The manifold wisdom of God is to be made known by the church,
and in the church God is to be glorified for evermore (Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians
3:21).

Someone might ask: What church? Well, that is an easy question, for in the New
Testament we read of one church only.

If I sent one of my boys to bring the cow from a field where there was one cow,
and he said, what cow, I would know that he just didn’t want to obey me!

Let us suppose that we are reading the Bible for the first time. We are reading
it with an unprejudiced mind to find out what God has taught us. In addition to
the things already mentioned, we would also learn that the church is the body of
Christ (Ephesians 1:20-23), that He is the Saviour of the body (Ephesians 5:23).

If we continued our study we would learn how people became members of the church
in New Testament times. We would learn that the seed of the kingdom is the word
of God and that we must be born into God’s family. This church we read about in
the Bible is different than any other institution on earth. Jesus said we must
be born again to enter it! "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born
again" (John 3:3), "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter
the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). (In Matthew 16:18-19 Jesus used the words church
and kingdom synonymously.)

What we are supposing is true to life because some people have done this very
thing. They have studied the Bible. They have found the New Testament pattern
for the church. They have learned how to become a member of that church, and how
to worship and serve God in the church. Would this not be a wise thing for all
of us to do? Let us suppose that a group of people who believe in Jesus would
lay aside every humanism that has fastened itself to religion, and that they
would be Christians, and Christians only. This could be done, and it SHOULD be
done. Everything in the religious world either comes from the Bible or it comes
from man. Worship according to the teachings of men is not acceptable to God.
Jesus said to certain religious people: "Why do you also transgress the
commandment of God because of your tradition?" (Matthew 15:3). "Hypocrites! Well
did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ’These people draw near to Me with their
mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in
vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’" (Matthew
15:7-9). The Apostle John warned: "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in
the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of
Christ has both the Father and the Son" (2 John 1:9). At various times and in
various places people have determined to follow the Word of God as their sole
authority in matters of religion.

About a hundred and fifty years ago there were people in Scotland, England,
Canada and the United States who did this very thing. Although at first they
were unknown to one another, they all came up with the same answers to the
question: "What should we do to restore the New Testament pattern?" Does it
surprise you that they reached the same conclusions? Actually, it would be
surprising if they did NOT come up with the same answer, and I will tell you
why. Truth is always in harmony with truth. Two things that contradict may both
be error, but they cannot both be truth.

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me" (John 14:6). And He promised: "If you abide in My word, you
are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free" (John 8:31-32). So this effort to restore New Testament Christianity
came not through an ecclesiastical organization, but because men, tired of
denominationalism, determined to go back to the pure fountain of pure
Christianity, back to the Bible and back to Jesus Christ Himself, and the result
has been that thousands of people have thus become members of the church of
Christ.

If you sow wheat, you always reap wheat. You never in your life saw farmers sow
wheat and get a barley crop. Gardeners, you never sowed carrots and reaped beets
or turnips. No, every seed produces after its kind and Jesus said in Luke 8:11
that the seed of the kingdom is the word of God. When the word of God, the
doctrine of Christ, was taught to people in New Testament times, it made them
Christians only and only Christians. It made them members of the church of
Christ. It is also true today that people will be members of the church of
Christ when they go back to the Bible and follow the Bible alone.

Now this supposition that we have made, that we are studying the Bible in order
to find out what God wants us to do, is not just for those who are highly
educated. The word of God was written for simple people. When Jesus was here,
the common people heard Him gladly (Mark 12:37). So don’t let anyone tell you
that you must have someone interpret the Bible for you. God has given the Bible
to mankind. If someone says that he can interpret the Bible for you, listen to
the Bible, rather than to him.

Peter said: "We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well
to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the
morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of
Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will
of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2
Peter 1:19-21).

Never lose sight of the fact that while men may teach you the word of God -- and
men must teach one another -- they do not have the right to interpret the Bible
for you.

If people tell you, "Oh, the Bible says this, but it means something else,"
remember that God warns you in the Bible not to believe them. I am just naive
enough to accept God at His word and to believe that no prophecy of Scripture is
of any private interpretation, but that men spoke from God.

God has spoken by Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2) and the common people heard Him
gladly. If you will go to the word of God with an open mind to learn His will,
you too can hear Him gladly and understand what He has to say. So often people
go to the Scriptures to prove their own doctrine or to prove some philosophy.
That is not the purpose of the Word of God. The purpose of the Bible is to teach
you what God wants you to do, how God wants you to serve Him. We just can not
know that without a revelation, so God gave us the Bible.

I want to tell about an individual who had an experience which illustrates the
point we are making. This man was an undertaker who lived in Michigan in the
United States. As he went to the cemetery day after day, time after time, the
question came to his mind: "What of the future?" The realization that some day
he would be carried out, just as he had carried so many others to the silent
city of the dead, caused him to wonder: "What then?" So he began to ask of the
various preachers who conducted the funerals what he should do in order to be
pleasing to God. Because they belonged to various churches, he got various
answers and the man was much perplexed.

One day when a friend was visiting him in his office he told him about his
perplexity. His friend replied: "Why don’t you read the Bible for yourself?"
This opened up a new avenue of thought. So he said to his friend, "I will tell
you what I will do. If you will come here and read the Bible with me, I will do
just that." The friend couldn’t very well refuse to take his own advice, so he
said he would do that. They met in the man’s home and day after day they read
the Bible. At first they did not know the difference between the Old and the New
Testament. They did not know that Jesus was the author of a new covenant, which
simply means a new contract, that began with the cross. But they read right
through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, until they came to Malachi. Then they
started the New Testament and read Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and on
through until they finished Revelation. By then they had come to this
conclusion: That they should belong to the church for which Jesus died and that
in order to belong to that church, it was necessary for them to confess their
faith and be baptized for the remission of sins.

They did not know that anyone in the world taught that, but having found that in
the Book, and having a desire to be right with God, they went down to the river
and upon a confession of their faith they baptized one another.

Now, I ask you, to what church did they belong? That, my friends, would not make
them members of any denomination. They had received no denominational
indoctrination, but they had obeyed the Lord Jesus Christ. That made them
members of the Lord’s church. The history of one of those men I do not know, but
the other man was an elder for many years in one of the churches in Detroit,
Michigan.

Let us suppose that you obeyed the same message, what would you become? A
similar thing happened in India. Religious people who believed in Jesus
determined through study of the Bible that their denominational practices were
not in harmony with the Scriptures. So they rejected all doctrines and
commandments of men. They were determined to be Christians only and only
Christians.

Brethren in America who heard about this went to visit them and found them
worshipping and serving God in exactly the same way they had worshipped and
served Him for more than 100 years.

I could give more illustrations, but let us ponder this: If people in India
could be Christians only by following the Bible, why could it not be done
elsewhere? Would it not be wise for men to forget all humanisms and go to God
who saves the soul through Christ, and serve Him in the church for which Jesus
died?

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 17: S. LOVE
========================================================================

Love

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). When
we talk about love, we are talking about the greatest force in the world, forGod
is love(1 John 4:8). So great is the love of God that it surpasses knowledge.
Paul prayed that the saints at Ephesus might "know the love of Christ which
passes knowledge" that they might "be filled with all the fullness of God"
(Ephesians 3:19).

God is love. Although no man can fully comprehend God, we can learn more and
more about the love of God, and we can become more loving.

Despite all the sin of man, God still loves him. God made man with the power of
choice. In order for the love of God to benefit man, he must in turn love God.

How much are we to love God? "’You shall love the LORD your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like it: ’You shall love your neighbor as
yourself’" (Matthew 22:37-39). Would we have the benefit of God’s love then we
must believe in the Son of God and obey Him: "And having been perfected, He
became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9).

We are not saved by faith alone, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love" (Galatians 5:6).
When we love God we shall be anxious to do the will of God, "For this is the
love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not
burdensome" (1 John 5:3). To do things for those we love is not burdensome. My
wife and I have 27 grandchildren. My wife decided that she would make a quilt
for each one of the grandchildren. Several of the members of the family tried to
persuade her not to undertake such a task. Why is she doing it?She loves her
grandchildren.It is a joy to her to thus work.

Even so, it is a joy for Christians to do the will of God: "For the love of
Christ constrains us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all
died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2 Corinthians
5:14-15). So great is this matter of serving God through love that, though we
have everything else, if we do not have love, we have nothing (1 Corinthians
13:1-3).

God always operates according to well defined laws. Men learn natural laws by
the study of nature. God made the laws; man uses them. God made moral and
spiritual laws. These are revealed in the Bible.

We have in the world of today a terrible disease called AIDS. Why? Because man
has broken certain moral laws of God. Men are spending millions of dollars to
find a cure for AIDS. There is a cure, and only one proper cure. Let man obey
the laws of God and this disease would soon perish from the earth.

God has made a spiritual law concerning the church. Christ loves the church and
gave Himself forit(singular). He sanctifiedit (Ephesians 5:25-26). Just as God
intended that one man would have one wife, He intended that Christ would haveone
church. There is but one body(Ephesians 4:4). What is that one body? "And He put
all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the
church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians
1:22-23). See the law and the purpose of God? "Now to Him who is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power
that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all
ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21). In marriage there is a
divine law: "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be
joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh" (Ephesians 5:31). Does
not the whole Christian world recognize this fact that one man is to have one
wife?Then we must recognize the fact that Christ has only one church.

Paul says it is a great mystery how a man leaves his father and mother, marries
a wife and they become one flesh. I know how true this is for my wife and I have
now been married for 63 years and we are truly one flesh. Listen to Holy Writ:
"This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church"
(Ephesians 5:32). We also read: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also
loved the church and gave Himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25). Language could not
be plainer. As man is to love one wife, so Christ loves the one church. Your New
Testament knows no other church but this one body of Christ.

Christ loves the church. Christ gave Himself for the church. Love must be
reciprocal. We love because He first loved us. Husbands are to love their wives
and wives are to love their husbands. It is claimed that one wife out of every
ten in Canada is beaten by her husband. Why? For some reason he does not love
her. She may love him, but that doesn’t do him any good if he does not love her.
So Christ loved us and died for us. That does not avail anything for us if we do
not love Christ, and if we love Him we keep His commandments. "But whoever keeps
His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are
in Him" (1 John 2:5).

God has one church. Christ loved that church. He died for that church. We are to
love Him in return. This is true of the church in Canada. It is true of the
church in the U.S.A. It is true of the church in India. It is true of the church
in every country of the world. This was true of churches we read about in the
New Testament.

Paul was thankful for the love of the Thessalonians: "We give thanks to God
always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without
ceasing your work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your
election by God" (1 Thessalonians 1:2-4). "We are bound to thank God always for
you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the
love of every one of you all abounds toward each other" (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

Let us try to get a picture of what great love truly is: "Therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of
mind, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one
another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you,
so you also must do" (Colossians 3:12-13). After we have done this we have not
yet reached the goal. "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond
of perfection" (Colossians 3:14). So to build the New Testament Church we must
love God, we must do the will of God. This is not the duty of a few
preachers.This is the duty of every believer in Christ.

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we
may present every man perfect [mature] in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:28).

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 18: S. MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE
========================================================================

Make Your Calling and Election Sure

There are two things that reminded me of this Scripture. First, I have just
attended the lectureship at Carman, Manitoba, and this statement was used as
their theme. Yesterday I attended a political rally for a short time.

There are three men running in this constituency. I am told it is going to be a
close race. All three candidates are working hard to make their election sure,
but two of them will not succeed. However, in the election that Peter talks
about in 2 Peter 1:10, all can be elected and all can retain their seat for time
and for eternity. God, by Jesus Christ, is running the election and if we follow
instructions we cannot fail. No one deserves to be elected. This election makes
us a child of God for time and for eternity. All have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Salvation is by grace (Titus 2:11). Grace brings
us to the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2). His divine power
has granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. So it is of
grace, for we have not earned it. We have not found it by our human wisdom but
God has granted it unto us. How does he grant these things? Through the
knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:3). When a
man seeks election to a human government, he tells people what he will do for
them if he is elected. God tells us what He will do for us when we are elected
and if we do not disqualify our position of trust: “Whereby he hath granted unto
us his precious and exceeding great promises that through these ye may become
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in
the world by lust” (2 Peter 1:4). So if the great promises of God are to be
ours, we must escape from the corruption that is in the world that comes by
lust.

God tells us how we are to escape the corruption of the world. We are to add to
our faith virtue. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
However, the devils believe and tremble (James 2:19). Faith, to be effective,
must add virtue. It must enable us to escape from the corruption that is in the
world by lust. Faith, in order to be effective, must cleanse the heart (Acts
15:9). Faith, to be effective, must cause us to overcome the world (1 John 5:4).
If we are living an ungodly life, then our faith is not functioning properly.
Our election is not sure. To our virtue we are to add knowledge. In connection
with this lesson, the word “knowledge” is used five times. So knowledge must be
first. We are elected, and then we must make our calling and election sure (2
Peter 1:10). Jeremiah told us: “O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in
himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).
What is faith? We learn what it is by divine knowledge. What is virtue? We learn
what it is by divine knowledge. Too many people decide what is virtuous by the
whims of modern society rather than by the Word of God.

Knowledge leads us to self control. By the grace of God we can escape the
corruptions that are in the world by lust. We no longer are hot and cold. For we
add to self control, patience. The marginal rendering says “steadfastness.” The
promise of God is to Him who overcomes (Revelation 2:10).

We are no longer tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. We are no longer
lured by the lusts of the flesh for now we are able to add to our steadfastness,
godliness. Knowledge has led us to think like God, and then we act as God would
have us act. The world will not understand our actions but God does.

We are drawing closer to the point at which we are making our calling and
election sure. Now we add “love of the brethren.” Surely this is one of the
great blessings that comes to us. It can only be ours when we give it. There is
an axiom that says, “What I give I keep and what I keep I lose.” This is so true
of brotherly love. Who is loved the most? The one who loves the most. Then we
add to brotherly love, the highest form of love. This is the love that is
exemplified in ’God is love” (1 John 4:16). This is the love that so loved the
world that God gave (John 3:16). This love may be hard to divine but we can only
acquire it by the knowledge of God.

We are not only to have these eight things but in these we must abound. When we
have them then we are not idle or unfruitful. Again the word knowledge is used.
By these virtues we abound in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
(2 Peter 1:8).

“For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having
forgotten the cleansing from his old sin” (2 Peter 1:9). He has failed all the
way down the line. His faith is not right for we have already learned that by
faith we overcome the world (1 John 5:4). Unless our faith is right then none of
the other virtues can follow.

Men will work long hours; they will do everything they can in order to be
elected. That election is for a few years but our election is for eternity. But
we can be disqualified. “Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make
your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never
stumble” (2 Peter 1:10). The King James Version says that we will not fall.

“For thus (by zealously adding these eight virtues), shall be richly supplied
unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ” (2 Peter 1:11). My wife and I were invited to the political rally. I was
busy. We went late. We could not get a seat. We did not stay very long for we
had to stand up. I could not but think that if we had the same zeal to be
elected and to make sure we were not disqualified, how we would act.

Some months ago, I was invited to attend another political meeting. There were
plenty of seats. There was little enthusiasm. You see they were not seeking
election in that meeting. When I attended the meeting at the church last night,
we acted more like the second group than the first one. Why?

J. C. Bailey, 1979, Weyburn, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 19: S. NOT FORSAKING OUR OWN ASSEMBLING
========================================================================

Not Forsaking Our Own Assembling (Hebrews 10:25)

God gave to man two kinds of commands. There are moral commands. We are not to
kill. We are not to lie. We are not to commit adultery. We could continue this
list almost indefinitely. There is another kind of command. These that we have
mentioned are commanded because they are right. The other kinds of commands are
right because they are commanded. They are right because God commands them. Let
us give you some examples: God commanded man not to eat of the tree of knowledge
of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). Certainly there was nothing moral about this
command. It was a command that was right simply because God commanded it. Man
violated that command and the result of that sin still curses mankind. God told
the priests what fire they were to use on his altars (Leviticus 10:1). There was
nothing moral involved in this act but God killed the two sons of Aaron because
they offered fire "WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED NOT" (Leviticus 10:2-3). We shall
give you another example of what happened when man violated a positive command
of God. God had said that the ark of the covenant was to be carried on the
shoulders of the Levites (1 Chronicles 15:2). Instead of that, David made a cart
to carry the ark and the cart was pulled by oxen (1 Chronicles 13:7-10). One of
the oxen stumbled and one of the men that was driving the oxen, put forth his
hand to stay the ark and God killed him. There was no moral law violated, but a
POSITIVE COMMAND of God was broken. GOD KILLED THIS MAN.

What does all this mean to us? The Holy Spirit says it was written for our
learning. It was written for our example (1 Corinthians 10:6; 1 Corinthians
10:11). God gave to us in Hebrews 10:25 a positive command. That command is that
we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25). We
may assemble at other times but we are to assemble on the first day of the week
(Acts 20:7). The purpose of the assembly is to break bread. We are also to lay
by in store upon that day (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). There is no moral virtue in
assembling but it is a positive command of God. We have learned what it means to
violate God’s positive commands. God warns us about the consequence of forsaking
the assembly. In Hebrews 10:26 of Hebrews 10:1-39, He says that "IF WE SIN
WILLFULLY AFTER WE HAVE RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, THERE REMAINETH NO
MORE A SACRIFICE FOR SINS, BUT A CERTAIN FEARFUL EXPECTATION OF JUDGMENT AND A
FIERCENESS OF FIRE THAT SHALL DEVOUR THE ADVERSARIES" (Hebrews 10:26-27). Could
God be plainer in talking to us about the terrible fate of those who forsake the
assembly?

God is anxious for us to obey this command to assemble. We read verse 24 of the
same chapter: "and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good
works." If we love one another we will want the fellowship of our fellow
Christians. To assemble, the Lord says, is a good work. However, the greatest
thing of all is that we have fellowship with Jesus Christ. LISTEN CAREFULLY AS I
READ: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in
the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). What a glorious thought! Some from India
have written to tell me that their little church buildings have been destroyed
by the recent floods. It is of little moment, for when we meet under the trees,
JESUS IS THERE, that is if we meet in His name. He assures us that he is there.
Better to meet under a tree in the NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST than to meet in
the finest cathedral on earth in the name of man.

Many years ago I was going down the road and a brother pointed out a house that
we passed and said that the man that lived there was a member of the church. I
went to see him again. I asked him why he forsook the assembly. He said that if
he came to the service he could not have his noon meal at twelve o’clock. I
agreed that that was right. He said that if his wife did not have a cup of tea
by 12 o’clock she had a headache. THE LORD SAYS THAT THOSE WHO MAKE EXCUSES
SHALL NOT TASTE OF HIS SUPPER (Luke 14:16-24). The Holy Spirit declares that
Jesus saves those that obey Him: "and having been made perfect, he became unto
all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation" (Hebrews 5:9). One of
the ways in which we obey him is to assemble on the first day of the week. Those
who keep his commandments have the right to the tree of life (Revelation 22:14).
Those who disobey have a fearful expectation of judgment. To which can you look
forward?

J.C. Bailey (1987, Bengough, Saskatchewan)


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  CHAPTER 20: S. OTHERS HAVE LABORED, AND YE HAVE ENTERED INTO THEIR LABORS
========================================================================

"Others have Labored and Ye are Entered into Their Labors" This is the language
of Jesus to His disciples following His conversation with the woman of Samaria.
The work the apostles did would not have been possible if it had not been for
the prophets of the Old Testament. Their work would not have been possible
without the work of John the Baptist. Then their work would not have been
possible without the labors of Jesus Christ Himself.

Many people wonder how we could have gone to India about 11 years ago and have
had such a harvest of souls. Let me say as Jesus said: Others have labored and
we have entered into their labors. We shall probably not pay tribute to all the
men who have made possible our present ingathering of souls, but I think that
those whom we mention will help you to see why we have this harvest.

Those who study Restoration history have read of an Englishman by the name of
Sandeman who led a movement in England that was very similar to the movement led
by the Campbells in America. This man was a rich man. He spent considerable
money sending workers to India. Unfortunately we have never been able to find
any trace of his work. However, that does not say that his work did not play a
part in making ready for the work that we did.

After World War I had started, but before the United States entered the war,
there were three men who went to India from the United States. I do not recall
the one name but the other two men were Jelly and McHenry. Jelly spent some time
in India. He lost his first wife. He married an Indian and returned to America.
He raised a large family and one of his children supports the work we are trying
to do in India. McHenry and his companion turned to the Seventh Day Adventists.
These three men labored in the Poona area of India. There is now a thriving work
again in this area. After more than 50 years some churches have been found that
did not apostatize and others that followed McHenry into Adventism have now
returned to the New Testament way. McHenry is now an old man living in one of
the Southern States. Brother Carl Johnson visited him not long ago. He still
holds to the Seventh day Adventist doctrine.

There was a brother who went to India some years later. I do not now recall his
name but I found a place where he had labored. This man was sickly when he came
to India. He grew worse and return to the U.S.A. and soon died. In a very
providential way we learned about an indigenous work in the State of Assam.
There was a brother in Shillong who was told that there were churches of Christ
in America. These brethren had broken with the Welsh Presbyterians. Brother
Presnshon Khariukhi sent a letter to the church of Christ in Abilene, Texas.
This letter was delivered to Glen Wallace. Correspondence took place. These
brethren were visited by two brethren. I think each brother stayed for three
months. They did much to teach these men the way of the Lord more perfectly.
However, the church in the U.S.A. missed a wonderful opportunity to get into
India, for at that time the door into India was not closed to American
missionaries. Not only was a wonderful opportunity missed at that time, but just
at that time American missionaries were being chased out of China. Some
Christian Church men left China and came into the Shillong area. The work was
badly crippled because of these men.

There was a well-educated Indian from the State of Kerala who came to the U.S.A.
to attend a denominational school in America. He learned of the church of Christ
and attended the Harding Graduate School at Memphis as well as either Vanderbilt
or Peabody in Nashville. He came back to India about three months after I
arrived there. He has done a good work in the state of Kerala. While this work
by brethren may have had some influence in the work that has been done since I
went there, their influence has been limited. True, if it had not been for the
work in Assam, I would not likely have gone to India. For about ten years these
brethren had begged for someone to come over and help them. Several had tried
but they were not able to enter, only as visitors. Members of the Commonwealth
had special privileges (that is how I came to go). There are two men who made
our work possible much more than what was done by our own brethren. First I want
to mention William Carey. He was an English Baptist. In his time India was not
ruled by England but by the English East India Company. They did not want any
missionaries in India. So William Carey had to land in a small enclave that was
under the authority of the King of Denmark. After some time, Carey got
permission to enter India. India was not then a field white unto harvest. It
took Carey seven years to make a single convert. India at that time still burned
widows with their dead husbands. The first-born child was still thrown into the
River Ganges if the first-born was a girl. INDIA WAS NOT ASKING FOR THE GOSPEL.
This man Carey was not a professional preacher when he went to India. He had
been a shoe cobbler. He was a remarkable man. In his lifetime he translated the
New Testament into at least 14 of the India languages. This was the main thing
in making our work possible. One of the languages that Carey translated the
Bible into was Telugu. So before we went to India, the Telugus had been blessed
with the Bible for more than 150 years. So these people were ready for the plea:
The Bible as it is, is sufficient for man as he is. They had the Bible in their
mother tongue and could, and did, check each Scripture that we presented.
Unfortunately William Carey did not preach all the truth but that did not keep
him from faithfully translating the Bible into the various languages of India.
Our work would not have been possible without Wm. Carey. This man, though a
young man when he went to India, never returned to England. He had an idea that
when a man goes to another country to preach he should live off the country
where he lives. I am sure that there is just as much Scripture for this as for
the idea that you cannot support native preachers with American money. If men
who go to a foreign field had to thus live I am sure we would never hear one
word again about not supporting native preachers with American money. If God is
no respecter of persons then why should we be supported in another country when
the native cannot be supported to preach? Truly, the legs of the lame are not
equal. Carey also started a College in India that survives to this day. It has
fallen under control of Liberals. Carey was persecuted by the Clergy of his day.
They despised the poor shoe cobbler. He lives in the hearts and lives of
millions of people. His tormentors have so faded that their names are largely
forgotten.

There is another man to whom I would like to pay tribute. His name was Clough.
He was an American Baptist. There were not many converts made in India up to his
time. The MISSION idea reigned supreme. When a group came to India they obtained
a piece of land from the government and started with a school. Then a hostel. If
possible a hospital. Any converts were brought to the Mission Compound and often
those living on the compound would number into the hundreds. This man Clough
came up with the idea of village evangelism. The result was that a few years
after this plan was started the Baptists baptized 2,222 at one time. If this
work had been pushed, the Baptists might have won several millions of people to
the Baptist Church. However, liberal elements prevailed and the social gospel
became the order of the day. For many years there has been little growth either
in the American Baptist Mission or the Canadian Baptist Mission. The Lutherans
kept up their evangelistic thrust better than the Baptists and they are now much
larger than the Baptists in India. These men, Carey and Clough did not preach
the true gospel. They could not bring the knowledge of the New Testament Church,
but God did use them to prepare the way for the work that we have done.

God wants men to be saved. God has given His church the work of preaching the
gospel.

Now I would like to tell you about a Canadian Prime Minister who helped pave the
way for our going to India. This man was named William Lyon Mackenzie King. He
was Prime Minister of Canada longer than any other man. Shortly after India got
her independence in 1947 there was war between India and Pakistan. Nehru, Prime
Minister of India, thought that England and the United States favored Pakistan
in that war. I do not know if that was true or not. I am merely reporting. Nehru
came to the Commonwealth’s Prime Ministers’ Conference not knowing whether he
would take India out of the Commonwealth or not. The Prime Minister of Canada
persuaded Nehru to stay in the Commonwealth and out of this meeting grew the
special concession for missionaries from the Commonwealth. So God uses men of
the world that He may save the souls of men. Little did Nehru dream that he was
being used for this great harvest of souls. Nehru may have nominally been a
Hindu, and seemed to turn more toward religion in his latter days. His funeral
was conducted according to the rituals of the Hindu faith but he was more an
agnostic than anything else during his lifetime. William Lyon Mackenzie King was
a Presbyterian but according to numerous reports was a Spiritualist. So God has
His way still in the kingdoms of men.

If the Lord tarries in years to come, can it be said of you that you labored and
others have entered into your labor?

We need your fellowship in the work in India.

J. C. Bailey, 1975, North Weyburn, Sask.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 21: S. PENTECOST : THE DAY THE CHURCH BEGAN
========================================================================

Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47) The Day the Church Began The church was conceived in the
mind of God. We read, “To the intent that now unto principalities and powers in
the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom
of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11).

God said that the seed of Abraham was to bless all nations (Genesis 22:18). Paul
said that the promise was not to seeds but to SEED. That seed was Christ
(Galatians 3:16). Isaiah said, “And it shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be exalted above the hills and all
nations shall flow unto it” (Isaiah 2:2). This would be a change from the Old
Testament, for God, in giving the law to Moses, said, “Write thou these words
for after the tenor of these words have I made a covenant with Israel” (Exodus
34:27-28). Isaiah said that all nations would flow into God’s house (Isaiah
2:2). John the Baptist had one message. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand
(Matthew 3:2).

John was cast into prison and beheaded, and Jesus began His earthly ministry.
His message was: “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
Jesus used the terms kingdom and church together (Matthew 16:18-19). In Mark 9:1
Jesus said that the kingdom would come in the lifetime of those to whom He
spoke, and He said that it would come with power.

After Jesus arose from the dead, the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost with power.
Jesus said that His chosen men would carry the message of the gospel into the
uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). Paul says that Christ, “was declared to
be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). Paul further declares that the gospel
is the power of God unto salvation to the believer (Romans 1:16). He further
tells us that the gospel is the facts of the death, burial and resurrection (1
Corinthians 15:3-5).

Jesus summarized all this by saying, “Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but
he that disbelieveth shall be condemned”: (Mark 16:15-16). The apostles were to
wait in Jerusalem (Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit was to come to them there.
Peter, guided by the Holy Spirit, declared that God had made Him Lord and
Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified (Acts 2:36). This Jesus was at the right
hand of God (Acts 2:32-33). The effect of this sermon was immediate. “Now when
they heard this they were pricked to the hearts and said to Peter and the rest
of the apostles, ’Brethren, what shall we do?’” There can be no mistake in the
answer. Those who gave the answer were guided by the Holy Spirit.

“And Peter said unto them, ’Repent ye and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38). This was not a limited command, for the
next verse says, “For to you is the promise and to your children and to all that
are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).

One of the most popular doctrines in the world today is the doctrine of
justification by faith alone. If that doctrine is true, then Acts 2:38 is not
true. To say it is not true is to charge God with folly. Jesus saves those who
obey (Hebrews 5:9). Yes, we are saved by faith but we are saved by an obedient
faith (James 2:14; James 2:24). Peter, by the Holy Spirit, said they were to
save themselves (Acts 2:40). Now note that they that received his word were
baptized (Acts 2:41). Now, what did they do? “And they continued steadfastly in
the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers”
(Acts 2:41). Our duty is revealed in that verse. If we would restore New
Testament Christianity, we must return to the pattern as revealed in this
chapter. Jude tells us that the faith was once for all delivered to the saints
(Jude 1:3).

We pass under judgment when we reject the words of Jesus (John 12:48). Here are
the words of Jesus, “Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine and
doeth them shall be likened unto a wise man who built his house upon the rock
and the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon the
house; it fell not for it was founded on the rock. And every one that heareth
these words of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man who
built his house on the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the
winds blew, and smote upon that house and it fell and great was the fall
thereof” (Matthew 7:24-27).

All life comes from a seed. Each seed produces after its kind. Wheat produces
wheat; it does not produce oats. Jesus said that the seed of the kingdom is the
word of God. He was talking about the church. That seed never produced anything
but a church of Christ in the New Testament.

Let us see what happened the day the church was born. “And Peter said to them,
’Repent ye, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the
remission of your sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to
you is the promise and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call unto Him.’ And with many other words he
testified and exhorted them saying, ’Save yourselves from this crooked
generation.’ They then that received his word were baptized; and there were
added unto them in that day, about three thousand souls. And they continued
steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread
and the prayers” (Acts 2:38-42).

“Wherefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive
with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).
Then he adds this warning, “But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only
deluding your own selves” (James 1:22).

J. C. Bailey, 1992, Weyburn, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 22: S. RESTORATION: A TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS
========================================================================

Restoration: A Treasure in Earthen Vessels

God intended that man should obey Him. Man’s history has been one of
disobedience, with only a few exceptions. The work of Noah was an effort to
bring man back to God’s way but it was largely a failure and man was destroyed.

God gave Israel a law at Sinai. Moses had not come down from the mountain with
the two tables of stone until there was rebellion against the law of God. Time
after time God sent prophets to warn Israel of the fruit of their disobedience,
but finally the children of Israel went into captivity because they did not
hearken to the law or the voice of the prophets. They returned from that
captivity a chastened people, but they were not fully converted to the will of
God. We have but to read the books of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi to see that
the rebellion against God’s law was still there.

John the Baptist came to turn the heart of the children to the fathers and the
heart of the fathers to the children, lest the Lord should come and smite the
earth with a curse. It is said that John only had one sermon. It was that men
should repent. His preaching was not academic. He told the king that he had no
right to be living with his brother Philip’s wife. He was killed for his
trouble.

Jesus began to preach where John left off: “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand.” With few exceptions the teaching of Christ to the people of His day
was that though they obeyed outward forms, their heart was not right before God.
Jesus died according to the purpose of God that He might provide salvation for
all mankind. God had required the obedience of man always. While the law of the
New Testament has greater grace than anything that went before, it does not
alter the fact that man must obey. Let us notice a few Scriptures that show
this: “He that believeth in the son hath eternal life, but he that obeyeth not
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36),
“And having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author
of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in
the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching hath both
the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9).

God knew the heart of man and He knew that, despite the warnings, man would
still rebel against God’s law. We quote two Scriptures of a number that might be
quoted to show how true this is. “I know that after my departing grievous wolves
shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves
shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them”
(Acts 20:29-30). God did not intend that man should go this way for Paul adds:
“Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not
to admonish every one of you night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31). Then we
read: “But there arose false prophets among the people, as among you also there
shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies,
denying even the Master that bought them and bringing upon themselves swift
destruction” (2 Peter 2:1). This apostasy would not be a minor thing, for Peter
adds: “And many shall follow their lascivious doing, by reason of whom the way
of the truth shall be evil spoken of” (2 Peter 2:2). This rebellion is still so
prevalent in our day that there are those who say there is no such thing as
truth. The events of 6000 years serve to tell us that disobedience to the law of
God is folly. Listen as God warns us: “And in covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you, whose sentence now from of old lingereth
not and their destruction slumbereth not” (2 Peter 2:3).

Paul warned that “... the mystery of lawlessness doth already work” (2
Thessalonians 2:7). A perusal of history shows how true these predictions were.
However, we can be glad that despite sword and flame the voice of restoration
was never entirely dead. The story of these attempts has been told many times
and we can thank God that in the last part of the 18th Century and the beginning
of the 19th Century many different people urged a return to the way of God as
revealed in the New Testament. Such a movement could only please God and
confound the forces of Satan. Such slogans as “We speak where the Bible speaks
and we are silent where the Bible is silent,” were echoed across the land. We
would call “Bible things by Bible names.” We would be “Christians only and only
Christians.” Tens of thousands responded with enthusiasm to this effort.

However, it would seem that many were not and are not willing to have a complete
return to New Testament Christianity and because of infirmities of the flesh the
effort must always go on. Paul says “I have not yet attained.” Let us realize
that we must go on toward the goal unto the measure of the stature of Christ.
How could our goal be better stated than in the language of the Holy Spirit?
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye being
rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints,
what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of
Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of
God” (Ephesians 3:17-18). Surely we must all say that we have not attained but
let us press on.

J. C. Bailey, 1982, Dauphin, Manitoba


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 23: S. RESTORING NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM
========================================================================

Restoring New Testament Evangelism The evangelism of the world is the primary
thought set forth in the Great Commission. The apostles of Christ and those who
were associated with them took this matter very seriously. The Lord overruled to
see that the gospel went out most urgently. A great harvest took place in
Jerusalem and many thousands were added to the church. When Stephen was killed
there arose a great persecution against the church and they that were scattered
abroad went about preaching the word (Acts 8:4). Today, too often, those who
move to new places die spiritually rather than scatter the word. We need to
learn to practice the universal priesthood of the believer and do as they did.

God would not permit limitations to be put on this work of evangelism. The
gospel was carried to the Samaritans. They were a circumcised people. However,
God overruled in a very remarkable way so that the gospel would be carried to
the Gentiles. Peter went obediently to the house of Cornelius but when he got
there he asked why they sent for him. Not until Cornelius told of the visit of
the angel and the message sent by him did Peter realize: “Of a truth I perceive
that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him and
worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35). I know we say that
one soul is as important to God as another, but our actions can belie our words.

Jesus said that we are to lift up our eyes to fields that are white unto harvest
(John 4:35). When William Carey went to India early in the last century, it took
him seven years to make his first convert. How vastly different it is today!
There are other countries that are as ripe as India. We need to be alive to
these fields as was Paul in his day. Foreign evangelism or home evangelism is
not a duty to be performed but to every true Christian it must be a heart
passion.

Sixty years ago probably 90% of our converts were made from the pulpit. Probably
90% of our converts are made today by what we call personal evangelism. Paul was
alive to this situation so he said; “I taught you publicly and from house to
house” (Acts 20:20). Our method may change but the urgency of the message may
not. In every place where we have a New Testament church it is because someone
was interested in Evangelism.This pioneering spirit must not die.History shows
that we either carry the gospel into new places or PERISH. Read the Book of Acts
with this in mind and then go and do likewise.

J. C. Bailey, 1982, Dauphin, Manitoba


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  CHAPTER 24: S. SAVED BY GRACE
========================================================================

Saved by Grace

Before we study this subject we shall define it. Thayer’s Greek English lexicon
says that “grace is that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm;
grace as used of the kindness of a master toward his inferiors or servants, and
so especially of God toward man.” Winston’s Dictionary: Grace: Biblical meaning:
“God’s unmerited mercy toward mankind.” As we study the Word of God I think we
shall learn that these two meanings are borne out.

Why do we need the mercy (grace) of God? Scriptures teach that all have sinned
(Romans 3:23). Is there an intelligent man who will question that statement? In
the 1900 years since the New Testament was written man has made great progress
in many ways but it is still as sadly true now as then, that all have sinned.
How serious is this, that all have sinned? The Word of God assures us that the
wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Salvation is in Christ and in none other: “And in none other is there salvation;
for neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, wherein we
must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “For the grace of God hath appeared bringing
salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11). Some have contended that Christianity is the
Western man’s religion. This verse shows that this is not true. Sin is not a
prerogative of the West -- all have sinned. So God’s grace does not belong in
any exclusive way to the West. Grace brings salvation to all men.

I would like to point out here some teaching from the Scriptures: “The flesh
profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). Again: “Peter opened his mouth, and said, ’Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he
that feareth him and worketh righteousness is acceptable to him’” (Acts
10:34-35). The scripture further teaches: “Wherefore we henceforth know no man
after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we
know him so no more” (2 Corinthians 5:16). So all have sinned. Grace is extended
to all. Grace is for all. Christ is the ruler of all. After He arose from the
dead He declared: “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always
even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20). All need grace and all can
have grace to be saved.

Some people have the idea that they are good enough to go to heaven, or that
they can go to heaven by their own righteousness. We cannot be saved by our
righteousness for the Word of God expressly says: “For by grace have ye been
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God”
(Ephesians 2:8). Thus, no one can save himself without Christ. On the other
hand, no one is so bad that Christ cannot save him. “He is able to save to the
uttermost those that draw nigh unto God through him” (Hebrews 7:25).

It is true that grace has been extended to all men. It is not true that all men
have access to grace. For we have access to grace by faith (Romans 5:1-2). There
is no respect of persons with God. God’s grace is extended to all believers.
Listen to the apostle Paul: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him. For,
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they
call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of
whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans
10:12-14).

It is by faith that we have access to God’s grace. The word “justify” means “to
pronounce free from guilt or blame.” Now we read Romans 3:24: “...being
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
So we see that grace works by faith and the redemption is in Christ Jesus. So we
must be in Christ to have this redemption. Our sins have been forgiven in Christ
Jesus. All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), we are baptized
into Christ (Galatians 3:27).

Grace is the gift of God; this we have learned in the Scriptures we have
studied. Here is God’s unmerited favor. “For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have eternal life” (John 3:16). So God’s grace is extended to the believer.
Paul wrote to the Romans and said: “Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
Jesus as Lord, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). Grace is extended to those who believe in the
shed blood of Jesus as the means of justification: “...whom God set forth to be
a propitiation through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of
the passing over of sins done aforetime in the forbearance of God” (Romans
3:25). Grace is for all. That is, it is for all believers.

We must believe in the blood of Christ as an atonement for sin. We must believe
in the resurrection of Christ for our justification (Romans 4:25). We must
believe that justification is in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures plainly teach that
all spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:1).

Finally, we learn that we are baptized into Christ. Let us read together: “Or
are we ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized
into his death: We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death:
that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so
we also might walk in the newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). Again, the Scriptures
declare: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ”
(Galatians 3:27).

God’s grace has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. That salvation is in
Christ and in none other. We must believe in Christ. We must believe that his
blood atones. We must believe that He was raised for our justification; that He
saves those whoobey him: “...and having been made perfect, he became unto all
those that obey him the author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). In the light
of the above we can understand the significance of what Jesus said: “He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be
condemned” (Mark 16:16). We should have no difficulty accepting the command of
the Holy Spirit: “And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

After that we read: “Then they that received his word were baptized: and there
were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). They
had believed through grace. They had obeyed through grace. Then God added them
to the body of Christ. God’s grace is always there if you believe and obey.

J. C. Bailey, 1981, Dauphin, Manitoba


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 25: S. SAVED BY MANY THINGS
========================================================================

Saved by Many Things

It is widely taught in the religious world that we are saved by faith alone. I
once heard a man preaching on the radio who declared that we are saved bygrace
alone.The Bible certainly teaches that we are saved by faith. When the
Philippian jailer asked Paul what he should do to be saved, Paul told him to
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). Paul wrote to Titus and said that
the grace of God has appeared and brought salvation to all men (Titus 2:11).
There is no contradiction here and neither verse says that we are saved by
faithaloneor by gracealone.The Holy Spirit declares through the apostle Paul
that by faith we have access to God’s grace (Romans 5:1-2). So we see there is
no contradiction in the Scriptures when it says we are saved by grace and we are
saved by faith. The Scriptures teach that we are saved byobedience.We read:
“...though he was a son, yet learned he obedience by the things that he
suffered; and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him
the author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:8-9). Is there any contradiction
here? No, there is never any contradiction in the word of God. Jesus, in His
prayer to the Father, said: “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth”
(John 17:17). Truth never contradicts itself. That is an impossibility.

Obedient Faith

Let us show then that there is no contradiction between being saved by obedience
and being saved by faith through grace. Let us read from the Word of God again:
“And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in
Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the
faith” (Acts 6:7). So we see that the faith that saves is an obedient faith.
James, by the power of the Holy Spirit, put it this way: “For as the body apart
from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26).

One brother in India said to me: “It is hard to reconcile James and Romans.” I
said, “It is not difficult to reconcile James and Romans. The problem is that
you cannot reconcile James with what you think Romans teaches.”

It is a very common fallacy of the religious world to claim that Paul taught
justification by faith alone in the book of Romans. He did not. Let us see what
Paul said in the book of Romans. We read: “Who was declared to be the Son of God
with power, according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the
dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we received grace and
apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all nations, for his name’s sake”
(Romans 1:4-5). So instead of Paul teaching justification by faith alone, he
plainly stated by the power of the Holy Spirit that he was talking about an
obedient faith. Lest the world should fail to grasp this great truth, he said in
the very last chapter, referring to mystery of the gospel: “...but is now
disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations,
according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of
faith” (Romans 16:26).

Love of the Truth The Scriptures clearly point out that we are saved by these
things. So as we study and learn more things by which we are saved we shall have
no problem as long as we do not teach that we are saved by any one of them
alone. If we are going to be saved, we must love the truth (2 Thessalonians
2:10).

Jesus said that the word is truth (John 17:17). He said that the Holy Spirit
would guide the apostles intoall the truth.“But the Comforter, even the Holy
Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you” (John 14:26). Jesus further
declared: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he shall guide you into
all the truth; for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he
shall hear, these shall be speak; and he shall declare unto you the things that
are to come” (John 16:13). So the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the truth. He
gave them all the truth. He guided them into all the truth. We are to love the
truth. We would not take from it nor would we add to it. John now talks to us by
the power of the Holy Spirit: “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the
teaching of Christ, hath not God; he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath
both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9).

We have studied enough now that we can see the truth in God’s Word when it says:
“Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive
with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James
1:21). How does the Word save? When we believe it. “So belief cometh of hearing,
and hearing by the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). The Place of Baptism

If we have faithfully followed the teaching of the Scriptures we shall not have
trouble in accepting the fact that we are saved by baptism (1 Peter 3:21). Why
do people reject this plain statement of Scripture? Because they have been
taught that we are saved by faith alone. We are saved by receiving with meekness
the implanted word. We are to abide in the teaching. Here is what Jesus said:
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be
condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). No child of twelve years old could misunderstand
what it says here. Why do men who profess to be Bible scholars reject this plain
statement? Jesus gave us the reason: “And he said unto them, Full well do ye
reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your traditions” (Mark 7:9). The
tradition of man today is that we are justified by faithalone.In order to hold
to that tradition they must reject the commandment of Jesus in Mark 16:15-16. If
you, in times past, have held to that tradition of justification by faith alone,
will you continue to hold to it and reject the commandment of God? The day the
gospel was first preached, after the sermon by Peter, the people asked the
question: “Brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Now listen carefully to
Peter’s answer for it was the answer of the Holy Spirit: “Repent ye and be
baptized every one in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Is there anything
difficult to understand about this? No. Why does nearly the whole religious
world reject this command? They want to maintain their doctrine of justification
byfaith alone. The line is drawn. The issue is clear. If we teach justification
by faith alone, we must reject the commandments of God, but if we accept the
fact that we are saved by an obedient faith we can accept every Scripture we
have used. We can accept all Scriptures. If we keep the human doctrine of
justification by faith alone then we must reject the commandment of God as
revealed in the New Testament. The battle line is drawn up. Some day we are
going to be judged by the Word of God (John 12:48). Why not live by it now!

J. C. Bailey, 1982, Dauphin, Manitoba


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 26: S. SHOULD WE PRSELYTE?
========================================================================

Should We Proselyte?

Some weeks ago I heard a criticism of the work being done by the brethren in a
certain country. This man said the work was not very successful for they made
most of their converts by proselyting. I shall not mention the country more than
to say it was not India. As long as I have lived I have heard this criticism
made against the church. I have heard it made by our religious neighbours in
India. Is it wrong to proselyte? I wish to show from Scripture that it is wrong
to proselyte. I shall also show from the Scriptures that it is right to
proselyte. My dictionary gives this definition of “proselyte”: “a convert, or
one won over, as to some religion or party -- to try to obtain followers.”

New Testament Conversions The Christian religion stands on the foundation of
making followers for Christ. In the Great Commission, Jesus said that we are to
make disciples of all nations. On the Day of Pentecost there were thousands of
Jews gathered in Jerusalem. They were there as members of the Jewish religion.
They were there to worship God according to the rites and ceremonies of the
Jewish religion. They were won to the Christian religion. This was under the
direct operation of the Holy Spirit. The number of proselytes continued to grow
in Jerusalem until the church was made up of thousands of peoples, all
proselytes from the Jewish faith. Then there were proselytes from the heathen
religions. Paul says, by the Holy Spirit: “How be it at that time, not knowing
God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: but now that ye have
come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the
weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?”
(Galatians 4:8-9). Paul further says: “Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye
were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever he might be led” (1 Corinthians
12:2). We could multiply proof to show that those who became converts to Christ
were either converted from the Jewish religion or from heathenism.

“Proselytes” My concordance shows that the word proselyte is used twice in the
New Testament and in the plural form once. Let us look at those words. On the
day of Pentecost, the plural form is used. There were sojourners from Rome both
Jews andproselytes(Acts 2:20). These were Gentiles who had been proselyted from
the heathen religions to the Jewish religion. Now these proselytes are among
those who were proselyted again to the Christian faith. The argument is often
made when you approach people with the gospel that what you say is right, but
they would be doing wrong to change their religion. It was not wrong for these
people who had left heathenism to embrace the Jewish religion to change again
and embrace the Christian religion. We shall show later in this article that it
is right to leave denominationalism to embrace the religion of the New
Testament.

One of these proselytes, that is a man that had left heathenism to accept the
Jewish faith and then became a Christian, was very active in the Christian
faith: Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch (Acts 6:5). He was one of the men
chosen to serve in the church at Jerusalem.

Many people would argue that we should not make converts from the denominational
world. When I was a young preacher, some 60 years ago, a friend said to me after
I had moved into a certain community that if I were to get along well I should
not steal sheep. Is that not just another way of saying that I should not
proselyte?

There is a way in which it is wrong to proselyte, for Jesus, under certain
circumstances, was most vehement in his condemnation of making proselytes. He
said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye compass land and
sea to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a
child of hell than yourselves” (Matthew 23:15). So a convert (proselyte) that is
made to the traditions of men is in worse condition than he was before. This is
the teaching of Jesus. Paul spoke of the elders of the church apostatizing and
then making converts: “I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall
enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall
men arise speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.
Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to
admonish every one of you night and day with tears” (Acts 20:30-31).

One Way

Jesus did not claim to have the best way but the only way. Listen to His word:
“Enter ye in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow
is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life and few are they
that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). So Jesus says there is just one way. It is a
strict way and not too many find it. Jesus put it in this language, “I am the
way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me”
(John 14:6). So people who have been following the traditions of men need to be
proselyted to the way of Christ. Those who have been proselyted to the
traditions of men from the truth need to return to the way of the Lord.

Language could hardly be plainer than this: “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth
not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching,
the same hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9).

Some people who profess to follow Christ claim that as long as you follow Christ
it does not make any difference what church you belong to. Did Jesus die in
vain? He died and purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28). He gave
himself for the church (Ephesians 5:25). The church does not consist of the
various denominations for there is one body (Ephesians 4:4). That body is the
church: “...and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to
be head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him
that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). Let us look at one more passage:
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be the glory in the
church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen”
(Ephesians 3:20-21).

Most of my religious neighbours would not take the position that was taken by
one bishop in India, or so he was reputed to have said to his preachers: “Do not
try to make any more converts from Hinduism. They worship God in their way and
we worship God in our way.” Jesus said that He was the way to the Father. Paul
said that we must believe the gospel in order to be saved (Romans 1:16).
Denominationalists, whether liberal or conservative, need to be converted to the
church for which Jesus died, as well as the heathen.

J. C. Bailey, 1982, Dauphin, Manitoba


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 27: S. SUFFERING
========================================================================

Suffering In a recent issue of the Latin American Crier my name was mentioned as
one that suffered for Christ. I WONDER. There is a passage that when I read it I
always have an uneasy feeling. Here is the passage: "After these things I saw,
and behold a great multitude which no man could number, out of every nation and
of all tribes and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb with
palms in their hands...and one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These
that are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and whence came they? And I say
unto him, My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come out
of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9-14). Can I say that I have come out of
the great tribulation? Yes, I may have suffered a LITTLE, but this says that
those who stand before God have come out of the GREAT TRIBULATION.

True, as a young preacher in Montana more than 60 years ago some men told me
that if I baptized a certain woman that I would never get out of the water
alive. Yes, I was scared but I told them that if she desired to be baptized that
I would baptize her and told them the place where she would be baptized. The
poor woman, they frightened her to the place that she said to me that she would
be baptized later. Long since she has gone to her reward. She never obeyed the
gospel. So SAD. Then there was one time that on a bitter day in the winter I
took five young men with me and went to Lambton for the Sunday service. It was
so stormy most of the brethren did not get there. The Collection was 40 cents.
On the way home the gas line froze up. We shoved the car the last mile. Holding
my hands against the back of that car in that cold cut off the circulation and
when I got into the heat the pain in my hands was almost unbearable.

We might tell a few more things in America but we shall turn to India. I went to
Mondapeta from Kakinada. It was 33 hours from the time I left Kakinada until I
was back in Kakinada. In that time I had preached 9 sermons. There had been 101
baptized. I came home at 2 a.m. I was so tired that I could hardly crawl into
bed. A few hours of sleep did not seem to rest me. I told the sister in the
morning when I came downstairs, I think I am going to die. Then there was the
time that I said that if we could get the Indians to meet on time that we could
have five meetings in a day. A brother assured me that we could have SIX
meetings. We came in at ten in the evening. I don’t know how he did it but this
brother got the people to assemble in six villages for services that day. We
rode in the jeep. It was hot and it was dusty. I WAS SO TIRED that I never
suggested to this brother that he arrange that many meetings in one day again.

Let me tell you about the time when I probably suffered more than any one time.
A brother told me that a certain Hindu village wanted to become Christians and
wanted me to accompany him to this village. I told him that I would be very glad
to do this. It was a hot day. We drove as far as the hard-top lasted. We drove
as far as the gravel lasted. Then we came to a dirt road. I do not need to tell
you that I had driven tens of thousands of miles on dirt roads in the early days
in Saskatchewan. There was a problem though. It had rained for hours just before
we got to this road. It was impossible even for an ox cart. WE WALKED for eight
miles. These villagers had painted a crude cross on a piece of cloth and put it
on the longest pole they could find and erected it in the village to advertise
that they were going to become Christians. I preached a sermon. There were some
22 or 23 people that expressed a desire to be baptized. They were baptized.

Then, as it was Sunday, we had the Lord’s Supper. Then they suggested that we
have some food. We ate and then just as we started out the sun went down. It is
one thing to walk in the mud in daylight. It was another thing to walk in the
dark. I had gone about one mile when I had trouble with one leg. In the dark we
met a shepherd with his goats. We bought his shepherd’s staff. I used that for a
cane and while I was in pain we continued our journey. About one mile from our
destination, my other leg became very painful. DID YOU EVER TRY LIMPING ON BOTH
LEGS AT ONE TIME? I remembered that Paul said that we were to REJOICE in our
sufferings (Colossians 1:24). I remembered that Job said one time that he would
like to argue with God, I can bear this, but was it not too much for you to say
I should REJOICE in it?

I can rejoice in it now. When that tidal wave struck in India in 1977, that
village was in the path of that terrible destructive force. It is a wonder that
a few lived and not that many perished that were members of the body. I visited
there after the disaster and thanked God I had taken the gospel to that village.

I know that Paul said that we as evangelists were to suffer hardships (2 Timothy
4:5). Will what I have suffered compare with the three preachers in the
Phillipines who went on preaching all during World War II? They knew that any
morning they could have been shot as American spies. Not only think of these men
but think of their wives. When they went out to preach, the wives never knew if
they would come back. When they came back, the wives never knew at what hour of
the night the military police might come and take them away. I have never
suffered as they suffered.

Let us turn to India: a young couple were married in India. Shortly after they
were married and she became a Christian, her husband was furious. First he tried
to coax her to come back to Hinduism. This did not work. Then he threatened her.
When she still would not renounce her faith in Christ Jesus, he poured kerosene
over her and burned her to death. Then there is the story that reads like a
story. It is a story but a TRUE one. When this woman obeyed the gospel her
husband tried to burn her to death. He did not succeed but she has terrible
scars. He was converted to Christ the next year and then shortly after that he
died in Christ.

We have heard a great deal about the Sikhs in India these days, but there was
one Sikh that obeyed the gospel. His own brother beat him cruelly but he refused
to renounce his faith in Christ. He is faithfully preaching the gospel in North
India today.

I shall tell of the young preacher in Africa who was captured by so-called
Freedom Fighters. They told him that he had to take a drink of liquor. He told
them he was a Christian, and that he did not drink. They told him that if he did
not take a drink, they would shoot him. He refused to take the drink and THEY
SHOT HIM.

I could turn back to what is personal again. I left for a meeting after I had
filled up my gas tank with gas that was charged. I had two dollars. I left my
wife home with seven children and half of the money. During this trip some young
people were baptized who are faithful members of the church today.

I preached all during the Thirties. The children never went to bed hungry nor
did they ever miss school for lack of clothes. They had a good bed to sleep on.
My wife made mattresses. She made shoes. Part of the time we milked our own cow.
We grew our own potatoes, etc. I have tried to remember and believe 1 Timothy
6:7-8. "For we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything
out; but having food and covering we shall be therewith content." I have four
tailor made suits. Indian brethren had three of them made for me. I have a good
car but one of my sons gave it to me.

We have lived below what the government says is the Poverty Line most of our
lives. We have had no money for tobacco, liquor, movies or extended holidays but
what the Lord has promised He has provided. I might add my wife has never used
any money for MAKE-UP either. I still feel short of the requirements of the
GREAT TRIBULATION. I have the assurance that His grace will be sufficient. May I
with Paul say: "for which cause I suffer these things, yet I am not ashamed, for
I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard
that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12).

J.C. Bailey (1985, Bengough, Saskatchewan)


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 28: S. THE BASIC ERROR OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION
========================================================================

The Basic Error of the Protestant Reformation

We judge a tree by its fruit. In most ways great good has come from the
Protestant Reformation. If we look at the countries where it flourished and
compare them with the countries that clung to the old way, we can see what a
good thing it was.

If the Reformers had lived up to their two great slogans, then the history of
the religious world would have been different. Here are the two great slogans
that were adopted by the Reformers: THE UNIVERSAL PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER THE
BIBLE THE FAITH OF THE PROTESTANT But these noble slogans have been left far
behind because today various Protestant denominations are as priest-bound and
creed-bound as the Catholic church which they were trying to reform. The very
word REFORMATION is a mistake. It assumes that the Catholic Church was the
church and it needed to be cleaned up. A candid perusal of the Bible will show
that the Catholic Church is not the church of the Bible and no part of the
church of the Bible. It is built on the traditions of men. Jesus described them
exactly in Matthew 15:8-9. We have but to look at their doctrine and practices
to see how true this is. The errors of the Protestant world are borrowed largely
from the Catholics: infant baptism, sprinkling for immersion, calling men
"Reverend," a name that belongs only to God (Psalms 11:9).

However, the most serious error of Protestantism was not borrowed from the
Catholics but came in opposition to the Catholic teaching that a man could be
saved by the works of the church as prescribed by the church, regardless of what
the Bible taught. The Protestants rightly taught that a man is saved by faith in
Christ Jesus (John 3:16). We are not saved by the work of the law (Romans 3:28).
We are not saved by our own righteousness (Titus 3:5). But men erroneously came
to the conclusion that we are saved by faith ALONE.

One of the popular creeds of the Protestant world says: "Faith alone is a very
wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort." The Bible does not so teach. The
Bible teaches that a man must believe in the person of Christ (John 8:24). He
must believe in the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). When we reject the Word of
Christ, we reject Christ: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my saying
hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in
the last day (John 12:48). To this we add: "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth
not in the teaching of Christ hath not God, but he that abideth in the teaching
hath both the Father and the Son" (2 John 1:9).

We are saved by faith in Christ, but we are saved by an obedient faith (Romans
1:5; Romans 16:26; John 3:36). The Holy Spirit says PLAINLY that Jesus saves
those who obey: "And having been made perfect he became unto all THEM THAT OBEY
HIM the author of eternal salvation" (Hebrews 5:9). The whole Bible shows that
God accepted man only through an obedient faith. To this there is no exception,
from Abel to Paul. The Bible says that they that are of the faith are blessed
with the faithful Abraham (Galatians 3:9). Abraham was blessed when he obeyed
the voice of God AND NOT BEFORE: "And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a
second time out of heaven, and said, by myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah,
because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son, that in blessings I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply
thee as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the sea shore; and thy
seed shall possess the gate of his enemies andin thy seed[that seed was Christ:
Galatians 3:16] shall all nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast
obeyed my voice" (Genesis 22:16-18). Abraham was blessed when he obeyed. The
blessing came AFTER the obedience. We are blessed with the faithful Abraham. How
can anyone say we are saved by FAITH ALONE, when the Bible from beginning to end
testified that man is saved by an OBEDIENT faith? In holding to this erroneous
doctrine of justification by faith alone, men have rejected the plain teaching
of the Word of God: that we are saved by an obedient faith. When one accepts the
plain teaching of God’s Word then he does not need to reject Mark 16:16, "He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." He does not need to reject the
plain teaching of the Holy Spirit: "And Peter said unto them, repent ye and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Judge a
tree by its fruit. The doctrine of justification by FAITH ALONE causes man to
reject these two Scriptures and many others. To accept the Bible teaching of
justification by an obedient faith, one can accept these verses without question
AND ALL OTHER SCRIPTURES THAT CALL UPON MAN TO BELIEVE AND OBEY. The faith that
was once for all delivered to the saints was an obedient faith, as is
demonstrated hundreds of times in the Word of God. The devils believe but they
are not saved FOR THEY DO NOT HAVE AN OBEDIENT FAITH (James 2:19).

We are all saved by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26). This faith causes us
to be baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27). Salvation is IN CHRIST (Acts 4:12).
We are in Christ by an obedient faith. Salvation is there and only there.

Let us give up the human doctrine of justification by FAITH ALONE. It is one of
the traditions of men (Matthew 15:8-9). It is an old tradition that has been
believed by millions of good people since the very beginning of the Protestant
Reformation. BUT JUSTIFICATION BY AN OBEDIENT FAITH IS AS OLD AS THE BIBLE
ITSELF.

"Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house," we shall
accept the Bible doctrine of justification by an obedient faith (Hebrews 5:9).

J.C. Bailey (1986, Bengough, Saskatchewan)


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 29: S. THE CHURCH IS ONE
========================================================================

The Church Is One That men should serve God in the one church was the eternal
purpose of God: "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace
was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ, and to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things
through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be
made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly
places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus
our Lord" (Ephesians 3:8-11). The church was made for all nations: "Now it shall
come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be
established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills;
and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ’Come, and let
us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will
teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:2-3).

How often we have quoted this passage to prove that the church began in
Jerusalem. It proves this beyond a doubt, but it also shows that ALL NATIONS
would flow into the Lord’s house. The Telugo language has no definite article
but it has the word ’it’. "All nations shall flow to it." There is only ONE
CHURCH for all nations and, as we shall see, for ALL TIME.

One body

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your
calling" (Ephesians 4:4). The one body is the church. Christ who reigns at the
right hand of the Father is head of the church. God’s power worked "in Christ
when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the
heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to
come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all
things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in
all" (Ephesians 1:20-23).

Members of this one body, the church, are in the kingdom of Christ. If the
church and the kingdom were separate, as some claim, then you would have two
bodies. Entrance into the church places one in the kingdom, as indicated by
Christ’s statement to Peter: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on
this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever
you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:18-19). The one body is called the church in
Colossians 1:18. "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence." According to Colossians 1:13-14 saints are in the kingdom: "He has
delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of
the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins."

False teaching by men has caused some to think of the church and the kingdom as
two different organizations. The traditions of men make void the law of God.

We shall now look at two other passages from the Old Testament showing the
nature of this divine body.

After telling about four world powers, of which Rome was the last, Daniel said:
"And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which
shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
forever" (Daniel 2:44). Notice the singular: IT shall stand forever. So the idea
that the kingdom lasts for a thousand years is false.

Jesus received the kingdom when He went back to the Father (Acts 2:30-36). We
read of His coronation in Daniel: "I was watching in the night visions, and
behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!" (Daniel 7:13
a). Note that he was coming WITH the clouds. In the description of Christ’s
ascension in Acts 1:9 we read: "Now when He had spoken these things, while they
watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight." In
Daniel we see what happened on the other side of that cloud: "He came to the
Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Hem. Then to Him was given
dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass
away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).

After the resurrection just before He ascended to the Father, Jesus said: "All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18). He was
"declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4). The church was purchased by the
blood of Christ: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among
which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God
which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). The church had its
beginning on the day of Pentecost as described in Acts, chapter two. People were
told to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). These
people the Lord added to the church (Acts 2:47). The church began to function as
a single congregation in Jerusalem, but the Lord did not intend for it to stay
there. Members of the church had to flee from Jerusalem to save their lives
(Acts 8:3-4). Some of these refugees went to the city of Antioch (Acts
11:19-20). They did not set up a mission there. THEY SET UP THE CHURCH, for we
read: "So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught
a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch"
(Acts 11:26).

After Paul and Barnabas taught there for more than a year, the Holy Spirit had a
new work for them (Acts 13:1-5). They were to carry the gospel into regions
where it had not yet gone. They did not start missions, but full-fledged
congregations. They left CHURCHES with elders (Acts 14:23). The Lord sent them
from Asia to Europe. There they set up churches. Philippi had its elders and
deacons (Php 1:1-2). They went to Thessalonica and set up the church (1
Thessalonians 1:1). For men to work through the church was God’s purpose, for we
read: "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask
or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church
by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians
3:20-21).

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 30: S. THE GOOD OLD DAYS
========================================================================

The Good Old Days

Apparently men have talked about the good old days for a long time, for Solomon
had this to say: "Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were
better than these? For thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this"
(Ecclesiastes 7:10). So in Solomon’s time it was not wise to say that the old
days were the good days. What about now?

I am going to suggest that what was true in Solomon’s time is true in our time.
That some things were better in the old days we shall have to admit but the
general picture is not better. I remember the day that war was declared in 1914
with the terrible war that continued for more than four years. We could hardly
call that the good old days. I remember the grinding years of the depression
when my wife made our own mattresses. She made shoes for her boys. With seven
children we lived in a house that was so cold that my wife stayed up nearly all
night to keep the fires burning. Even then it froze in the house. I was in
Ontario in a meeting and all five boys had small pox. The depression began to
lift when World War II began. We could hardly call those the good old days.

You say that people were more moral then than now. Ever since I was born there
has been murder, suicide, rape and self-abuse among people. These things may
have increased and the attitude of the general public towards them has grown
worse, but I worked among the men of the world for several years, and any one
that would talk about the good old days does not know or has a poor memory. Men
beat their wives when they were drunk. Children were starved by drinking fathers
in what was called the good old days. I remember my father served on a jury when
a man and his two sons were tried for abusing 12 and 14 year-old girls that had
been adopted. Our attitude toward foreigners was certainly not as good as it is
today.

You say spiritually things were better.Were they?That some things were better we
would have to admit but what about the general picture? There were some who
argued that aniggerdid not have a soul. There were some who argued that we did
not need to preach to the heathen. Some white churches would not even let their
baptistry be used to baptize black people. That was in the good old days. Black
people could not attend school with white people and we could go on and on. Many
believed in the superiority of the white race. In the light of our actions in
those days of yesteryear we can hardly say those were the good old days. A
brother recently died in India. He was a little younger than I am. Yet, he was
the first person to go to school in his village. He went on to be a school
teacher, and was the first person to embrace Christianity in that village. There
are now some 80 churches of Christ in the area.What a change from the good old
days.

There have been efforts before the present one, to evangelize India but in
thegood old daystwo of the preachers left the truth and joined a denomination.
In the good old days we were told that we did not need to send missionaries to
India. We could leave it to the native preachers when there was work only among
one tribe and that represented less than one tenth of one per cent of the
population of India. In the good old days, we did not have any work in Nigeria
and now there are tens of thousands of members of the church. I am told there
are churches that have as many as 1000 members. In the good old days there was
work only in a few of the countries of Central and South America. Back in the
good old days there were works in Brazil but they joined a denomination. In the
various countries of the world there are thousands of native preachers who were
not there in the good old days. The Spanish Literature Ministry puts out more
material to Latin America than was put out in all the world except the U.S.A. in
the good old days.

It is true that it may be harder to win souls for Christ in Canada or the United
States than it was 50 years ago, but in a great part of the world it is much
easier.

More people will obey the gospel now than ever in the history of the world.
These are the good days. Jesus could have said of now, "Lift up your eyes unto
fields that are white unto harvest." It was not yesterday, it is not tomorrow,
it is now. These are the good days. How good? Our faith will answer that
question.

J. C. Bailey, 1986, Bengough, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 31: S. THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
========================================================================

The History Of The Church

Isaiah foretold the establishment of the church. From Jerusalem the law of the
Lord would go forth into all the world: "Now it shall come to pass in the latter
days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of
the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow
to it. Many people shall come and say, ’Come, and let us go up to the mountain
of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we
shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word
of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:2-3).

Jesus said He would build His church (Matthew 16:18). On the Day of Pentecost
the church was established (Acts 2:1-47) and within a short time there were more
than 5000 disciples (Acts 4:4).

"A great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they
were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria" (Acts 8:1).
"Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). A
group of refugees went to Antioch. They went to work and there was the church in
Antioch (Acts 11:26). It was from there that the gospel was carried forth to the
heathen world (Acts 13:2). As a result there were churches with elders in Asia
Minor (Acts 14:23). Paul left Asia and went to Europe. He preached at Philippi.
There was a functioning church there at once (Php 4:15). Paul carried the gospel
to poverty stricken Thessalonica. There was a functioning church there. We read:
"remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labour of love, and patience of
hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

Men and women learned the truth, and then in the churches they laboured so that
the gospel was preached in all creation (Colossians 1:23).

God’s way is the right way.

Men left that way and the church was practically lost to the world for hundreds
of years.

History reveals that men corrupted the church. It was so prophesied. Paul warned
the elders at Ephesus: "I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will
come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will
rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves"
(Acts 20:29-30). Peter also said this would happen: "But there were also false
prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who
will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought
them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their
destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed" (2 Peter
2:1-2).

It was not intended that God’s law in the New Testament ever be changed. Jude
warns: "I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly
for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). Again
God’s word says: "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of
Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the
Father and the Son" (John 9:1-41). The pen of inspiration is about to be laid
down and God has this to say: "I testify to everyone who hears the words of the
prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the
plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of
Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book"
(Revelation 22:18-19). The four Gospels tell of Christ’s life on earth. The rest
of the New Testament explains the work of His church. From before the foundation
of the world it was the will of God that all the redeemed might be gathered
together in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-10). He is the head of the church which is His
body (Ephesians 1:22-23). There is only one body (Ephesians 4:4). No religious
work is now acceptable to God unless it is done ’in the Lord’ (Romans 16:12;
Matthew 7:21-23). That the work of God should be carried on in the church was
the eternal purpose of God (Ephesians 3:10-11). This is God’s plan to be
followed until the end of time. Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth
(Matthew 28:18). In our New Testament we have the divine pattern. In the New
Testament we are told, as we have quoted above, that men would corrupt this
divine plan. In fact the Holy Spirit says in one of the first letters written
that the mystery of lawlessness was already at work (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

Men began to rule in the church where Christ alone was supposed to rule. The
teachings of the New Testament were changed. The baptism of penitent believers
(Acts 2:38) was changed to infant baptism. This command was further changed when
sprinkling was substituted for immersion (Romans 6:3-4). There were literally
hundreds of ways in which the divine pattern was changed.

Through the centuries efforts to correct these human practices were opposed by
sword and flame. Time would fail us to tell this long and sad story. Through the
centuries the Bible was practically taken away from the people.

However, a few brave souls dared to read it and dared to speak out against the
corruption that had grown up. Through the study of the Word of God, the
Protestant Reformation was born. The reformers had two great mottoes: "The
Bible, the faith of the Christian," and "The Universal Priesthood of All
Believers." These mottoes were right. However, they failed to live up to their
own mottoes. An open Bible was a good thing, but most of them established
denominations which were as creed-bound as the church they had left. Most of
them had an exclusive clergy, just as the Catholics had.

Records remain, however, of men in both Europe and America, who realized that
God was not being properly served by any human institution. They sought not to
reform existing institutions, but to restore the New Testament church. This is
not an easy task. God’s ways are not man’s ways (Isaiah 55:8). It is not in man
who walks to direct his steps (Jeremiah 10:23). If the task is to be
accomplished, men must be prompted by a living faith (James 2:14-26). They must
submit to the authority of Christ as expressed in the New Testament. They must
realize that every plant God has not planted will be rooted up (Matthew 15:13).

Anyone who has read the New Testament knows that the church as established by
Christ suffered terrible persecution. This is part of God’s plan. Listen to the
language of inspiration: "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in
my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body,
which is the church" (Colossians 1:24). When people in the church are no longer
willing to suffer for Christ, they soon go into digression. This work of
restoring the church made great progress in the U.S.A. during the last century.
Hundreds of thousands were baptized into the body of Christ. They worshipped and
served God according to the New Testament. But as the church grew, the number
also grew who were ’at ease in Zion’ (Amos 6:1). They did not want to "go forth
to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach" (Hebrews 13:13). They wanted to
be accepted by the religious world around them.

People arose who said that whatever was not forbidden in Scripture, was allowed.
This argument led to the introduction of instrumental music in worship, the
establishment of central organizations, and all kinds of departures from the
word of God.

Most congregations were eventually dominated by such thinking. Only in the
Southern United States was there a significant number who refused to go along
with this human philosophy. They were poor, very poor, but they stood by the way
of the Lord. From their deep poverty has come work that now encircles the globe.
Their faith was in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Within a few short decades, apostacy became widespread among the churches
started by the apostles of our Lord. So in every age there are those who would
depart from the way of the Lord.

Now the gospel is being preached throughout the world. A great host have
surrendered their lives to Christ. Will they continue in the way of the Lord or
will they go back to the ways of men?

Each one must decide for himself. I cannot decide for you. It depends on your
faith. The grace of God is sufficient. Through Christ "we have access by faith
into this grace in which we stand" (Romans 5:1-2).

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 32: S. THE HOLY SPIRIT
========================================================================

The Holy Spirit This is a subject of much controversy both in the church and out
of the church. I hope we can add something to the educational process, that we
might better understand the work of the Holy Spirit. We are instructed to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). God does something
we cannot do. The next verse tells us that there is one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4).
The Bible reveals that the Spirit is a person, not an influence. It is true that
he may influence people but he is a person: "Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth
is come...." (John 16:13); "But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things" (John 14:26). So
this person is to teach the apostles all things and then through their words we
will have unity. He is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). We are sanctified in
the truth and God’s word is truth (John 17:17). Truth is always in harmony with
truth. Therefore the Holy Spirit will not guide, or instruct us, into something
contrary to the word. That the teachings of the apostles were the words of the
Holy Spirit is made evident in this passage: "Neither for these only do I pray,
but for them also that believe in me through their word: that all may be one,
even as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us;
that the world may believe that thou didst send me" (John 17:20-21). The
apostles did not interpret the Spirit to us. They did not tell us what the
Spirit meant. They told us what the Holy Spirit said, "But we received, not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the
things which were freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in
words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth, combining
spiritual things with spiritual words (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). We read again:
"For no prophecy ever came by will of man; but men spake from God, being moved
by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). We are told that we need the Holy Spirit to
interpret the Bible to us. If the Holy Spirit did not tell us what He meant the
first time then how would we know that he was telling us the truth the second
time? In the Bible there is oneness but when men begin to interpret the Bible we
have confusion.

It would be impossible for the Spirit to teach us something different from the
word of God, or it is not the word of God that we have. For Truth cannot
contradict Truth. Two and two are four. We never learn anything that contradicts
that no matter how far we may go in mathematics. So He is the Spirit of Truth.
The Bible is the Word of Truth. So they must be in harmony. To make this
abundantly clear Jesus said, "It is the spirit that giveth life, the flesh
profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are
life" (John 6:63).

We are to keep the unity of the Spirit. The Bible says, there is one God. That
we accept. There is one Lord Jesus Christ, that we accept. There is one Spirit.
In theory we accept that, but in practice many reject it. The very same verse
that says there is One Spirit says that there is One Body (Ephesians 4:4). That
body is the church but people who claim to be directly guided by the Holy Spirit
say that the church consists of many bodies, that the church consists of the
various religious bodies or at least certain people within the various religious
bodies, that the church is not one body as the Bible teaches and hence the Holy
Spirit teaches. The unity of the Holy Spirit has been destroyed and not enhanced
as these people would like us to believe. This is one of the remarkable things
about those who claim to be directly guided by the Spirit today: immediately
they reject what the Holy Spirit said about one body, the church. The Holy
Spirit reveals the church as a glorious thing but those who claim today to be
led by the Spirit reject the Bible concept of the church for a fragmented
denominationalism. The Bible teaches that as a husband and wife are to live
together in true fidelity, so Christ and the church are to live (Ephesians
5:25-26). Not only is there only one Spirit and one body (church) but there is
only One Lord. The word Lord means ruler. When you have more than one church you
have more than one ruler. Each church has its own system of government and its
laws. Then every church with its own government also has its own faith. So the
faith is fragmented. The Holy Spirit tells us that the faith was once for all
delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). So anything newer than the New Testament is
not the faith.

Then there is one baptism. As we have more Lords we have more bodies, we have
more faiths and we have more baptisms. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit,
by Peter, told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. The
command is plain. We have no trouble understanding what it says but men have
used barrels of ink and tons of paper trying to show that this did not mean
exactly what it says. Why? The Lordship has been altered, the faith that has
been added teaches something else besides the One Baptism that the Holy Spirit
reveals (Acts 2:38). Note this significant statement. "They then that received
his word were baptized and there were added unto them in that day about three
thousand souls" (Acts 2:41). So this is the one baptism. We hear the word of the
Spirit as given on Pentecost and we obey it. God is over this plan and in this
plan (Ephesians 4:6). But someone asks the question, "What about Holy Spirit
baptism?" Let us see what the Bible tells us about this. In other words, we
shall see what the Holy Spirit said about baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave
us the fulfillment of this promise. Here is the prophecy as made by John the
Baptist: "I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall
baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire." Then John goes right on to tell us
what the baptism of fire will be. It is unquenchable fire that shall burn up the
chaff (Matthew 3:11-12).

After his resurrection Jesus tells us about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and I
want you to study with me very carefully: "The former treatise I made O
Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the
day in which he was received up after he had given commandment through the Holy
Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen: to whom he also showed himself
alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of
forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God, and being
assembled together with them [notice that the antecedent to ’them’ must be the
apostles and only the apostles] he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me: For
John indeed baptized with water but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not
many days hence" (Acts 1:1-5). So Jesus said that the baptism of the Holy Spirit
was for the apostles and there was no promise that it would ever be given to any
other person.

Now let us note carefully what happened: We quote from Acts 2:1-47 : "And when
the day of Pentecost was now come they [the apostles] were all together in one
place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as the rushing of a might
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared
unto them tongues, parting asunder like as of fire, and it sat upon each one of
them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with
other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4). When the Holy
Spirit came the result was that these people spoke by the power of the Holy
Spirit.

After explaining the purpose of the Spirit coming they then preached the gospel
to these people. They told them of the miracles of Christ. Jesus did these
things that we might be believers and be saved, not by any direct operation of
the Holy Spirit, but by believing the miracles that Jesus worked. Let us read
carefully: "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his
disciples which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing might have life
in his name" (John 20:30-31). So Peter by the Holy Spirit preached about the
miracles of Jesus.

We are to be saved by our faith in the gospel: "And he said unto them, Go ye
unto all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that disbelieveth shall be
condemned" (Mark 16:15-16). Paul told us that the gospel was the facts of the
death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). Peter ended the
first part of his sermon with these words: "Let all the house of Israel know
assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye have
crucified (Acts 2:36). This did not cause people to fall down on the floor. This
caused people to ask a question. They believed the message that the Holy Spirit
gave and this caused them to ask a question: "now when they heard this, they
were pricked in the heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles,
Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter was baptized in the Holy Spirit along with
the rest of the apostles and here was the answer. He did not tell them to pray
through. He did not tell them that since they had become believers, there was
nothing for them to do. Listen to the answer of the Holy Spirit: "Repent ye and
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of
your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

He said that the gift of the Holy Spirit would be given to the people who were
baptized for the remission of sins. Then we have it made more plain in Acts
5:32. Peter is talking: "and we are witnesses of these things: and so is the
Holy Spirit whom God hath given to those who obey him." Here is a promise from
the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey. We may not fully
understand this but we can believe it and we can learn from the Scriptures
something of this at least, if not everything.

As I write I have an electric light beside me. I do not know much about
electricity but I can make much use of it. So the Christian has the indwelling
of the Spirit and we can make use of it even if our knowledge is not perfect.
The New Testament provides us with all that we need to know. Paul wrote to
Timothy or rather the Holy Spirit wrote to Timothy and used Paul as his
secretary. Here is what he had to say, "and that from a babe thou hast known the
sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith
which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired of God is profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the
man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2
Timothy 3:15-17). So I can learn the word of God, I can believe the word of God
and the Holy Spirit says I am completely furnished unto every good work.

However, we must realize that the mere learning of the Scripture is not enough.
Christ by the Spirit, by faith, must dwell in the inner man. We read, "That he
would grant you, according to the richness of his glory, that ye may be
strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man, that Christ may
dwell in your hearts through faith to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love..." (Ephesians 3:16-17). So we are grounded by faith in Christ, the
Spirit, dwells in the inner man. This indwelling Spirit is something peculiar to
the gospel. We have inspiration in the Old Testament. We have healing in the Old
Testament. We had the miracles of creation and we have the miracles that Moses
worked. We have miracles that were worked by the apostles during the personal
ministry of Christ. But there was something beyond all this, for we learn in
John 7:37-39: "Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers
of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on
him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not
glorified." So the gift of the Spirit was for Christians in a way that others
did not receive it. We shall return to this in a moment but we must notice that
the Spirit was not given to the world but to the believer: "even the Spirit of
truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth
him: ye know him, for he abideth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:17).
The gospel is the power of God to save the believer (Romans 1:16). Yet, the
people of the world pray that the Holy Spirit will come in converting power to
the sinner. Jesus said that the sinner cannot receive the Holy Spirit.

If we do not have the Spirit we cannot lose the Spirit. The Thessalonians were
told not to quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Jude told us that some so
sinned that they did not have the Spirit (Jude 1:19).

How do I know that I have the Spirit? Because I have the fruit of the Spirit?
Paul tells us of the fight that goes on. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit
and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary to one another
(Galatians 5:16-21). Then he says the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self control: against
such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23). In order for the Spirit to abide, we
must crucify the flesh with its passions (Galatians 5:24).

God operates according to law. Miracles were always an exception. He made Adam
from dust. He made Eve from a rib and then natural law went into operation and
all people come into the world through natural law. Moses turned water into
blood. That was a miracle but by natural law in our bodies every day, water is
turned into blood. If this were not so, man would soon perish from the earth.
Jesus fed five thousand by a miracle. God feeds billions every day by natural
law. God must put the life into every grain of wheat, or rice, or any other
food. No man can do that. The light and heat of the sun is brought 93 million
miles and is not expended. Man cannot do that. God sends the rain. No man can do
that. So God’s natural laws are far greater than any miracle but these miracles
were done to show his power (Mk. 16:29-30; Hebrews 2:3-4). When the New
Testament was complete the purpose of these signs was fulfilled. Paul was a
great worker of miracles but they had fulfilled their purpose: He said tongues
would cease and that prophecy would fail (1 Corinthians 13:8-9). John tells us
that with Revelation, prophecy was complete (Revelation 22:18-19). Paul told
Timothy to take some medicine for his sickness (1 Timothy 5:23). The old
soldier, the man who had kept the faith, says that he left Trophimus at Miletus
sick (2 Timothy 4:20). Even in the midst of His miracles Jesus said the sick
need a doctor (Mark 2:17). The miraculous does not change man. Balaam, the son
of Beor, was a prophet but he loved the hire of wrong doing. Caiaphas was a
prophet and told of the death of Christ but he was a wicked man. The Corinthian
church had many miraculous gifts but the church had many sins. The indwelling
Spirit which is the right of every baptized believer will lift up to the better
plain. "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in
you, he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal
bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11). When the Spirit
would come, Jesus said that from the believer would flow living water. The last
invitation is to take freely of the water of life (Revelation 22:17).

J.C. Bailey (January 1986, Bengough, Saskatchewan)


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  CHAPTER 33: S. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WRITTEN WORD
========================================================================

The Importance of the Written Word The written word is a very important part of
God’s plan. When God gave the ten commandments to Israel He wrote them on
stones. The ministry of Christ was based on the written word: "And he said unto
them. These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that
all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and the
prophets, and the Psalms concerning me" (Luke 24:44). To this we add: "And he
said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise
again from the dead, the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem"
(Luke 24:46-47).

Again, we appeal to scripture for the place of the written word in the plan of
God. We are believers because of the written word. "Many other signs therefore
did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of
God; and believing ye may have life in his name" (John 20:30-31). So we have the
message of Jesus and we are to teach it to every creature (Matthew 28:18-20;
Mark 16:15-16). God taught by oral teaching and by writing. If we follow the
divine example we shall do likewise.

Paul wrote to Timothy, and hence to us: "Till I come give heed to reading, to
exhortation, to teaching" (1 Timothy 4:16). Then Paul advises: "Take heed to
thyself, and to thy teaching, continue in these things; for in doing this thou
shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:16). In connection
with our printed teaching program we could well heed the admonition: "And the
things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou
to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also" (1 Timothy 2:2). Let me
give you an example of what we do in India with the printed word. I have
recently written two tracts, one is written on theHoly Spiritand one is
calledThe Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken.These will go out to thousands of people
in four languages. They are in exact conformity with the reading and hearing of
God’s word that I have done for more than 70 years. I am doing by means of the
printed page what I was told to do in 2 Timothy 2:2.

How true it is, what Jesus says in Luke 16:8 : "...for the sons of this world
are wiser in their own generation than the sons of light." Look at what the
Jehovah Witnesses have done, to say nothing of the Communists, the Adventists,
the Liberals, etc. We cannot name a sect or a political philosophy that has not
thrived on the printed page. I know the devil is happy when we do not readgood
literature.When we do not put out millions of tracts and Bible Correspondence
courses. When we do not print good books to answer the errors of this
world.Truth is stronger than error, but if we do not use it, it is not strong.
The greatest preacher of all time, except the divine Son of God, was a great
reader. Paul was awaiting death. He was in a cold dark cell, but listen to his
instructions to Timothy: "...bring when thou comest the books, especially the
parchments" (2 Timothy 4:13). Did not Paul say that we were to be imitators of
him?

J.C. Bailey, 1985, Bengough, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 34: S. THE UNIVERSAL PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS
========================================================================

The Universal Priesthood of Believers To worship God is part of the very nature
of man. Cain and Abel worshipped God. There is no tribe on earth so primitive
that it does not worship a supreme Being. However, worship to God must be in
accordance with God’s will. While Cain and Abel both worshipped, Cain’s worship
was not acceptable for it was not offered by faith (Hebrews 11:4). At Sinai God
gave his law to Israel, "And Jehovah said unto Moses, Write thou these words for
after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights, he did neither eat
bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant,
the ten commandments" (Exodus 34:27-28). The law was given to Israel. The
priesthood was given to Aaron and his sons (Numbers 3:10). As Gentiles, we were
left out: "Wherefore remember that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision, in the flesh, made
by hands; that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having
no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:11-12).

Salvationis only in Christ. We read in Acts 4:12 : "And in none other is there
salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among
men, wherein we must be saved." The priesthood, which was given to Aaron has
been changed. Of necessity, the law was changed (Hebrews 7:11-12). We are to
worship God. Jesus said so (Matthew 4:10). All we do is to be done in the name
of Christ (Acts 4:12). When we serve Christ, we do it in the church that He
established (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 3:20-21).

Now note this. All Christians are priests unto God. "But ye are an elect race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may
show forth the excellences of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

Christ is our high priest (Hebrews 7:16-17). We are priests under Christ
(Revelation 1:6). So, we see that all members of the church are priests unto
God. Therefore, whenever a church is established, it should carry on the
worship. As we can see in the New Testament church there is no clergy class, for
all are priests unto God.

Baptisms can be performed by any baptized believer. The Lord’s Supper,
preaching, singing, all acts of worship belong to the church and not to a
special class. The law that gave the priesthood to Aaron has been changed. Under
Christ we are all priests unto God.

Wherever a church is started, members should be taught that they are God’s
priests and that worship can and must be carried on. Under the law there was a
special priesthood. In the Protestant denominations there is a special
priesthood borrowed from the Catholics. Under the New Testament all are priests
unto God. There is no clergy class.

If this principle is recognized, the work will grow as it never grew before. The
church must be taught the word, so when the church is scattered, they will go
everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4). The church will be known by its works
of faith and labor of love (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

Let every member of the church realize that he or she is a priest unto God. Let
every congregation realize that they can and should carry on the worship of God.

"Unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations
for ever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:2l).

J. C. Bailey, 1992, Weyburn, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 35: S. THE USE OF MONEY IN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH
========================================================================

The Use of Money in the Work of the Church

Money is a dead thing; so, in itself it is neither good nor bad. However, we are
going to heaven or hell by the use or misuse of money (Luke 19:12-26). So, we
must be good stewards of all our possessions, even of all our abilities (Acts
17:22-31).

Jesus died for all men. He paid a terrible price. "We are not our own, we are
bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Then, we are to present our bodies
as a living sacrifice. That is the will of God, that is theperfect will of
God(Romans 12:1-2). The love of money leads to the worst kinds of sin (1 Timothy
6:10). It causes people to be led away from the faith. Judas betrayed Jesus for
thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 27:3-5). Because of his love for money, his
name will go down into eternity in ignominy and shame. The dollar you have may
have been in the hands of a gambler yesterday. So, Jesus says, "Make to
yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness that when it shall
fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles" (Luke 16:9). Jesus goes
on to say in the 10th verse, "He that is faithful in very little, is faithful
also in much and he that is unrighteous in very little is unrighteous also in
much." Further, Jesus says, "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches." Also, "If ye
have not been faithful in that which is another’s who will give to you that
which is your own?" Note the conclusion:"Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Jesus said that every one who sins is the slave of sin (John 8:34). Now the Holy
Spirit tells us, "But thanks be to God that whereas ye were servants of sin, ye
became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto you were
delivered, and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. I
speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh, for as ye
presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity
even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto
sanctification. For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of
righteousness. What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are
now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from
sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the
end eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:17-23).

We are the servants of Jesus Christ by obedience to Him (Romans 6:16). We put on
Christ in baptism (Galatians 3:17). We are to be obedient children (1 Peter
1:14). We are not to owe any man anything except to love one another (Romans
13:8). We are in debt to the world because He paid the price of sin for us
(Romans 1:14). We are to take this obligation very seriously (Php 2:12; Hebrews
5:9). To covet was one of the sins of the Decalogue (Exodus 20:17). Under the
New Testament, covetousness is called idolatry (Colossians 3:5). We are to put
it to death. One definition my dictionary gives for idolatry is ’immoderate
attachment or devotion to something’. Because of covetousness, false teachers
made merchandise of their teaching (2 Peter 2:2-3). Paul says that he coveted no
man’s silver or gold when he preached at Ephesus. He went to work. He said he
gave us an example (Acts 20:34-35). Many men have followed his example.

After Alexander Campbell had heard the idea of restoring the church to the N.T.
pattern, he said that he would study his N.T. to find out what it actually said.
Then, he was to preach it the rest of his life, and he would never take one cent
for preaching. That no doubt had a profound effect on his religious neighbours.
A man by the name of T.B. Larimore, one of the most successful preachers, said,
"I do not need much money and I will not need it very long."

James A. Harding was probably the most successful preacher of his time. As he
got invitations for meetings, he marked them down, and he held them in order. If
they did not pay him, that did not matter. One of his sons told about a time
when they were getting short of money. He said to his wife, "I guess we are not
giving enough." What does Luke 6:38 say?

We have a living hope because of the resurrection. We have an inheritance that
is incorruptible and that is undefiled, but it is guarded by faith (1 Peter
1:5-6). We may have to endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2
Timothy 2:3). Here is His promise (2 Corinthians 4:17). This is what the church
is. "We also, as living stones are built a spiritual house to be a holy
priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
for God’s own possession; that he may show forth the excellencies of Him who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who in time past were no
people but now are the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have
obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:10). By faith and obedience we shall
make our calling and electionsure(2 Peter 1:10).All by the grace of God.

J. C. Bailey, 1992, Weyburn, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 36: S. THE WAR IS ON
========================================================================

THE WAR IS ON As the year 1990 comes to a close, dark war clouds hover over the
world. As Christians, we are also engaged in a war, but we do not war according
to the flesh. The forces of the Muslim world would destroy Christianity, if they
could; and this battle is joined throughout the world.

We call your attention to the statement made in the Scriptures, "For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Some years ago, brother J.A. Johnson (now deceased) converted a Muslim to
Christianity. This man has made an exhaustive study of the Muslim religion and
has been very successful in turning Muslims to Christ. This has brought upon him
persecution, but he is pressing the battle more and more zealously. The battle
has not been without fruit, for more than 240 former Muslims are now devout
Christians in India. This brother has started a school to train these former
Muslims to go out into the villages of India and convert Muslims to Christ. I
had the privilege while in India this time of visiting this work. I heard the
beautiful singing of these men who joyfully proclaimed to the world their faith
in Christ.

Warning! The original article by brother Bailey included the name of the
above-mentioned man. If you were referred to this article as a reference for
this man, please be informed that he no longer has the confidence of faithful
brethren who are well-informed about his personal character and work. Roy
Davison, 2008.

There is probably no place in the world where the Muslim can be won for Christ
with less difficulty than in India. It is true that Muslims sometimes persecute
severely those who dare to become Christians. I saw the scars on the head of a
beautiful girl of about 18 whose only offense was that she had accepted Christ.
The laws of India are supposed to guarantee freedom of religion, so the Muslims
are not as vicious as they are in some countries. This conflict between
Christianity and the Muslim religion has continued from the very days of
Mohammed himself. From an historical standpoint, ’Christianity’ (as commonly
practiced) has not been very successful because it is vastly corrupted. Now,
however, this spiritual battle is being joined by men who proclaim Christianity
in its pure form as revealed in the New Testament.

I am calling upon my brethren to join in this struggle on behalf of the truth of
the gospel. Paul said (by the Holy Spirit), "Fight the good fight of faith, lay
hold on eternal life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good
profession before many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12).

Brethren, a spiritual war is raging. There is no force that is so determined to
destroy Christianity as the Muslim religion. When the simple and pure gospel of
Christ is preached, we can win decisively. Are we prepared to join the battle
for the hearts and minds of men? "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4).

We have seen the truth triumph in India. More than one half million people have
become obedient to the faith. Some 1,000 preachers proclaim Christ and Him
crucified. Some of these men are of outstanding ability. This conflict with the
Muslim religion is just a new phase of our effort to bring the Indian people to
the foot of the cross. Brethren, we cannot fail and face the judgment
uncondemned. My twenty-second trip to India has ended. The outward man is
decaying, but the inward man is being renewed day by day. I have passed my 87th
birthday, and there is serious question that I will ever be able to go to India
again, but I promised the Indian brethren that I would fall with my face to the
foe and the sword of the Spirit in my hand. To join in this fight "casting down
imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2
Corinthians 10:5) gives me extreme joy. (All quotations are from the K.J.V.)
J.C. Bailey, 1990, Bengough, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 37: S. THINK ON THESE THINGS
========================================================================

Think on These Things The apostle Paul, by the power of the Holy Spirit, said
“if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Php
4:8). Two people within the same congregation may tell about the same event, and
leave very different impressions of what happened.

One is a pessimist. One is an optimist. The one man paints a gloomy picture. The
optimist paints a rosy picture. This text that we have used, suggests that a
Christian should be an optimist. We need to be careful that we do not carry our
optimism too far, but we do need to be optimists.

If we obey the command given here, we shall be optimists. We must have faith
that truth shall eventually triumph. Christ reigns until He has put all his
enemies under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). If we are to succeed we must do as
Paul did. He forgot the things that were behind and he pressed forward to the
things that are ahead. We press on to the mark of the high calling which is in
Christ Jesus (Php 3:13-14). Let us be assured that He who rides the white horse
is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:11-16).

True, we may fall by the wayside. We may fail, but He will not fail. His cause
will prevail. We may refuse to endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus
(2 Timothy 2:3). There are many preachers today who make me wonder if this
command has any part in their thinking. However, my concern along this line will
not make me a pessimist. I shall rather think about those who are enduring
hardship as good soldiers of Christ Jesus.

God is no respecter of persons. To some people it is no marvel when a preacher
in this country refuses to endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus,
but they are the first to criticize the citizen of another country who does not
endure the same hardship. We need to learn the validity of what Peter said by
the power of the Holy Spirit, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons” (Acts 10:34). If it is wrong for a man overseas to make Christianity a
way of gain, then it is wrong here. Why do we expect a different standard from a
preacher in a foreign land than we do from preachers here? We sometimes demand
more of them, at least in some respects.

Let me give you a concrete example. I was talking to a young man who had been
overseas and he mentioned a certain native preacher whom we both knew.

He told me how this native preacher had interpreted for him and another young
preacher. Any one would know that it is a harder job to interpret than it is to
preach. (Many times I have used two interpreters during a series of meetings.)
Yet, this very young man took part in the dismissing of this native preacher for
failure to work. Another native preacher was let go who was one of the most
diligent men I have ever met. It seems that he had paid too much for one bundle
of paper that he bought. We would be enraged in this country if a man of the
world dismissed someone for a thing like that. Why do we not protest when a
brother in Christ is used that way: Why? Think on these things. A man who had
never been overseas at that time said at a workshop where I was one of the
speakers, that things looked different overseas than they do here. I think I
have been overseas long enough to assess the value of that statement. I do not
believe that is the difference. I think there are restraints here that we do not
have overseas. When McHenry was asked why he turned to the Seventh Day
Adventists after he went to India, it is reported that his was, “I never did
believe in eternal punishment.” In all probability, if he had stayed in the
U.S.A. he would have died in the church; that is, to all outside appearances he
would have continued as a member of the church. The Lord knoweth them that are
His.

Let me assure you that there is no doctrine that looks different to me in India
than it looks here. I oppose instrumental music the same there as I do here. I
oppose pre-millennialism the same there as I do here. Let me state further that
I oppose denominationalism the same there as I do here. A preacher may go
overseas and fraternize with the sects in a way that the church would not permit
here. Why is this permitted? Is it true that God is no respecter of persons? I
do not believe that God has one law in a foreign country, but another law here.
Think on these things. At one time there were many people in this country who
believed that a preacher should not receive any regular support. In fact, when I
was editor of the Gospel Herald, I had more than one article submitted along
this line. This idea has pretty well died down as far as supporting preachers in
this country is concerned. It is now considered right to support a preacher if
he is a Canadian or an American any place in the world. Let us suppose that a
man goes from Canada or the United States to some foreign country to labor. He
has a native helper who can do more work in that country than he can. (This is
not to disparage the work that is done by the Canadian or the United States
citizen.) This helper makes his work possible. The man from America can be paid.
He can be paid every month. According to some, that native cannot be paid with
funds from overseas. I ask: Where is the golden rule? If this teaching be true
then God is a respecter of persons. Think on these things. A young Indian got
acquainted with a church in this country. The church sent him to a Christian
school. Then they sent him back to India. He told the congregation that you
could not convert the Indian just by preaching. You had to have a project of
some kind. The favorite project of the Indian is an orphan home. What has been
the result? This Indian obtained seven acres of good agricultural land. There is
no orphan home and no one was ever converted to Christ. The young Indian has
gone back to his denomination. Tens of thousands of dollars of the Lord’s money
have been squandered. Should we not expect such a result when neither the
preacher nor the congregation believed that the gospel was God’s power to save?
Think on these things. Would you accuse me of a pessimistic attitude? I admit
that some of what I have said would seem to point that way, but I have not
finished. Despite our failures, think of what has happened in the world in this
generation. Think of the hundreds of thousands who have obeyed the gospel in the
various countries of the world. Think of the host of native preachers who now
carry the gospel to their own people. At the end of World War II we probably had
no more than 5,000 members of the church who were not in the United States.
Today that number would be nearly half a million souls. It is growing daily. So
while we look at our mistakes, we shall not let them overshadow the great work
that is being done. We shall accentuate the positive. Yes, I believe with all my
heart that He who rides the white horse is the Lord of lords and the King of
kings. I believe that He who is with us is greater than he who is against us.
The church is growing. It has foes within and without, but it is growing. The
gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all true believers (Romans 1:16).

J. C. Bailey, 1979


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 38: S. TO WHOM WAS THE GREAT COMMISION GIVEN?
========================================================================

To Whom Was The Great Commission Given? When I was a boy it was argued by some
that Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15 applied only to the apostles and that we
therefore are no longer under obligation to take the gospel to the whole world.
I would like to make a rather detailed study of this matter. As we study the
Great Commission in Matthew and Mark, the context shows that these commands were
indeed directed to the apostles.

"Afterward He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked
their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had
seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, ’Go into all the world ...’"
(Mark 16:14-15).

"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus
had appointed for them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some
doubted. Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ’All authority has been
given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore ...’" (Matthew 28:16-19).

He also told them: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

It was the purpose of the Lord to have twelve witnesses whom He called apostles.
So we read: "Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that
the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to
that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with
us of His resurrection. ... And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on
Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles" (Acts 1:21-22; Acts
1:26). A witness can testify to what he has seen, heard or touched. This was the
basis of John’s teaching: "That which was from the beginning, which we have
heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, concerning the Word of life- the life was manifested, and we
have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with
the Father and was manifested to us- that which we have seen and heard we
declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our
fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we
write to you that your joy may be full" (1John 1:1-4). The twelve apostles were
the witnesses of the resurrection. Although Paul saw Jesus on the way to
Damascus, he acknowledges that the twelve were the witnesses. In his sermon at
Antioch of Pisidia he says: "But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for
many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His
witnesses to the people" (Acts 13:30-31). Peter explains further: "Him God
raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to
witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He
arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify
that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead"
(Acts 10:40-42). At first some of the apostles doubted (Matthew 28:17; Mark
16:14). Thomas was among them. He was not present one Sunday evening for the
meeting when Jesus came to them (John 20:19-20; John 20:24). The other disciples
told him of Jesus’ appearance. "But he said to them, ’Unless I see in His hands
the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John
20:25). He was asking for the evidence ofsightandtouch. The apostles were
assembled again a week later. This time Thomas was there. Jesus, knowing in His
divine wisdom what Thomas had said, told him: "’Reach your finger here, and look
at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be
unbelieving, but believing.’ And Thomas answered and said to Him, ’My Lord and
my God!’" (John 20:27-28).

Jesus said men must believe the gospel in order to be saved (Mark 16:16). Paul
said that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to the believer (Romans
1:16). Paul said that the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ
attested by faithful witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Jesus said that we are to
become believers by the words of these chosen men: "I do not pray for these
alone [the apostles], but also for those who will believe in Me through their
word: that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that
they also may be one is Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" (John
17:20-21). We are saved by faith in that gospel which was made known by the
apostles.

We can have a blessing the apostles could never have. Thomas, after seeing the
risen Lord, said: "My Lord and My God!" (John 20:28). How precious to each of us
are the following words of Jesus: "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have
believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John
20:29). When we accept the evidence of the chosen witnesses we are blessed
according to the promise of Christ. We are to be believers in thewrittenword.
"And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which
are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His
name" (John 20:30-31).

We have learned what the gospel is. Men are to be saved by that gospel. The
gospel was to be preached by the apostles. Their witness of the resurrection is
to be believed. A great blessing is ours when we accept the written word. This
gospel was never to be changed. We read: "I marvel that you are turning away so
soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the
gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have
said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than
what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:6-9).

I want to emphasize one thing in the gospel. Jesus said after He arose from the
dead: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew
28:18). By the power of the Holy Spirit Paul said that Christ was "declared to
be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4). Jesus saves those who obey (Hebrews
5:9). We are not to go beyond the things that are written (1 Corinthians 4:6; 2
John 1:9).

Finally we want to go back to the Great Commission. We have learned that the
gospel was given to the apostles. The message they proclaimed is never to be
altered. It is only by their word that men become disciples of Christ being
baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
(Matthew 28:19). These baptized believers are to receive further instruction:
"teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20).
What had Jesus commanded the apostles? Among other things He commanded them to
preach the gospel to the whole creation! So this command of Jesus to the
apostles also applies to every baptized believer.

Paul by the power of the Holy Spirit said to Timothy: "And the things that you
have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will
be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2).

After the command, Jesus also gave a promise: "and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). The Great Commission, originally
given to the apostles, is to echo through the ages until the end of time. Amen.

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 39: S. TRYING TIMES
========================================================================

Trying Times The USA has had both floods and cyclones with some loss of life.
Canada has had some floods with some loss of life. Canada is passing through a
very serious political crisis. Only time will show how serious it is. Ethiopia
has a civil war. In the midst of this civil war they had a prolonged drought.
The press reported that more than a million people starved to death. Iran has
just had one of the worst earthquakes of this century. Today they reported that
more than 500 had died and the number could go much higher. India is subject to
tropical storms, and they have just had the worst storm in more than a century.
While the loss of life was not as great as in Ethiopia or in Iran, tens of
thousands are left with only the clothes they have on their bodies! Do you know
what they have asked for more than any other one thing? "Our Bible is gone,
please give us a new Bible."

Thousands of our brethren are without shelter and without clothes. There has
been some clothing shipped, but for light clothes for children and grownups, the
demand is almost limitless. Brother Ron Clayton is making an appeal to meet this
need. Be sure to respond. In Canada our postage rate is so high that it is
better to just send the money and let them buy clothes in India. They produce
their own wool, cotton and silk. From these natural catastrophes, I want to draw
some lessons.

"Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means clear the
guilty. Jehovah hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds
are the dust of his feet" (Nahum 1:3).

Then we turn to the New Testament. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed
to us-ward" (Romans 8:18); "And we know that to them that love God all things
work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose"
(Romans 8:28).

Paul is on a ship in the sea; they are lost; they are cold; they are hungry;
they have not had anything to eat for fourteen days. Yet Paul said, be of good
cheer. How could they be of good cheer? Paul told them that the God he served
had told him that all would be saved. I quote, "...for I believe God, that it
shall be even as he hath spoken unto me" (Acts 27:25).

I want to look at the Scriptures we have used and at some additional Scriptures
that encourage us to say, I believe God, that it shall be as He told me. Do you
profess to be a Christian? "But if God so clothes the grass of the field which
today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall not he much more clothe you,
o ye of little faith? Be not therefore anxious saying what shall we eat, what
shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed. For after all these things
do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all
these things. But seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:30-33).

We shall add some verses that we do not hear quoted very often, but that does
not make their messages any less true. "Now on the last day, the great day of
the feast, Jesus stood up and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto
me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, from within
him shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which
they that believed on him were to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given,
because Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:37-39). We shall see when this
measure of the Spirit was given.

Jesus was preached asLordandChrist(Acts 2:36). Those who heard Peter, recognized
the fact that he was Lord (Ruler) and Christ (the Anointed One). They then asked
what they should do (Acts 2:27). And Peter said to them, "Repent ye, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your
sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." When they repented and
were baptized, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:29 reads, "For
to you is the promise and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call unto him." The Lord said that we are to seek
first his kingdom and his righteousness and the material things would be added.
Yet there is a greater promise. After a believer repents and is baptized into
Christ, he receives spiritual power.

J.C. Bailey, 1990, Bengough, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 40: S. WERE FORMER DAYS BETTER?
========================================================================

Were former days better?

"Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these?
for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this" (Ecclesiastes 7:10).

It rained last Sunday. I went to Radville to worship. A stretch of the road was
under construction. I got stuck. I was late for the service. We lived in
Radville many years. For many years there was not any gravel, let alone hardtop,
on any road leading into Radville. To get stuck in the gumbo was not an uncommon
experience. I know that what is called the “Good Old Days” is largely a myth.

I have just reread a book written by James Orval Filbeck entitled The Christian
Evidence Movement. This book shows that at the time of the founding of the
American nation Deism and Agnosticism were rampant. The opposition to truth was
strong and more successful than it is today, as we are prepared to show. Men
arose who challenged and defeated the foes of Christianity. Are we too
complacent to do the same thing today?

Opposition to truth was rampant as the American nation was born. Let us look at
the truth of this assertion. This is found on page 71 of Brother Filbeck’s book.
John Adams said on April 21, 1823: “It would be more pardonable to believe in no
God at all than to blaspheme Him by the atrocious attributes of Calvin. Indeed,
I think every Christian sect gives a great handle to atheism by their general
dogma, that without a revelation, there would not be sufficient proof of the
being of a God.” In other words, the Bible was not needed.

We quote further from Adams: “And the day will come when the mystical generation
of Jesus by the Supreme Being as his Father, in the womb of the virgin, will be
classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.”
Brother Filbeck shows by exact quotations that there were many others of the
Founding Fathers who were not believers in the Bible as the Word of God, nor in
Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of the Father.

I want to show next that this had a profound effect on the thinking of the
students in the schools of that day. Yale is one of the oldest and best-known
Colleges in the U.S.A. On page 86 of the Filbeck book we have the following to
show that the good old days were not different from what we have now. If
anything, it was worse. The establishment of American Independence had not been
affected without the moral contaminationalways the result of protracted wars.
Licentiousness, both in conduct and sentiment, had followed the footsteps of
liberty, and of the exultation of political emancipation, infidel philosophers
found ready listeners, when they represented the restraints of religion as
fetters of the conscience and moral obligation as shackles imposed by bigotry
and priest craft.” To show how successful the forces of evil were we quote from
page 86: “At this critical period in the history of Yale, most undergraduates
avowed themselves skeptics....The terrible condition for Christendom is made
more evident by the fact that in the fall of 1796 only one freshman was a
’professing Christian’: the sophomore class contained none; the junior, one; and
the senior only had eight or nine. By the year 1800, it was reported that there
were only five students who were members of the college church.” Nor was Yale
the only college so affected. We read the following about Princeton: “in the
year 1782 there were only two students in the entire body who professed to be
Christians.”

We learn this about Williams College: (The following was written by a member of
the first class to graduate from the college): “Respecting the religious state
of things in the College during my residence in it, I have no favorable account
to give. It was the time of the French Revolution, which was, at that time, very
popular with almost all the people in that part of the country. French liberty
and French philosophy poured in upon us like a flood; and seemed to sweep
everything serious before it.” So great was the flood of infidelity that we read
further of still another college: “So great had been the common danger at
Dartmouth College that in the class of 1799 only one member would openly make
acknowledgment of his belief in Christianity.” Nor was Adams the only man of the
Founding Fathers who embraced the infidelity of the French Revolution. Thomas
Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence, yet Jefferson
permitted Dr. Thomas Cooper, a rank infidel, to teach in the University of
Virginia until opposition made it necessary that he resign.

We could use many pages to show the terrible religious condition of the country
at the time of the War of Independence. Thank God there arose men who met the
infidelic challenge and defeated it. Are we brave enough to meet the present
challenge? We have more evidence today to show that the claims of the infidel
are false than they had then. The following gives us some idea of what happened
as the battle was joined in the “good old days”: “The turbulent wave of French
infidelity and aggressive English deism almost simultaneously encroached upon
the American continent. As these forces moved in upon the various phases of
life, there began a counter move which grew stronger and stronger in zeal and
intensity” (page 95).

One of the leaders in this fight was Timothy Dwight, many years President of
Yale. I quote from him: “Dwight recognized the significance for mankind of words
like Reason and Liberty; but to worship abstract terms seemed to him idolatry as
meaningless as that of the heathen who bowed down before a sacred cow or stone.
It was beyond his understanding how intelligent man could idolize a bare word,
sacrificing at its shrine the very thing which it denoted” (page 97). As we look
at history, the French groaned under oppression, they talked of liberty, but
what did they do? They turned their so-called liberty into an orgy of pillage
and murder. The Communists talk of liberty for the masses but no force has ever
so subjected the masses to abject suffering as the Communists have. Jesus said:
“I came that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). True
liberty is only found in Christ. Sin always brings bondage and slavery.

I think we can do no better than to quote Mark Hopkins who was president of
Williams College from 1836 to 1872. (President Garfield was one of his students
and is reputed to have said: “A log with a student at one end and Mark Hopkins
at the other is my ideal college.”) Hopkins believed that the evidence was
conclusive in favor of Christianity. He contended that Christianity is supported
by moral evidence.

If any one would care to look around they can see how true this is. In many
things we all stumble but the deeper the faith in the Bible the higher the moral
standard. He that would question this must close his eyes to all the evidence
around him.

Hopkins further said: “Hume does not take into account the moral government of
God at all. This is a great mistake.” Our quotation from Filbeck continues: “He
(Hopkins) significantly stated that ’moral government of God is a movement in a
line onwards toward some grand consummation, in which the principles, indeed,
are ever the same, but the developments are ever new, in which, therefore, no
experience of the past can indicate with certainty what new openings of truth,
what new manifestations of goodness, what new phases of morals may appear’.”

We follow the reasoning of Hopkins further: “Hopkins took special notice of the
question of divine revelation -- a revelation attested by miraculous
demonstration; for whatever probability there was that there would be a
revelation, the same was there that there would be miracles; because miracles so
far as we can see, are the only means by which it would be possible for God to
authenticate a communication to man” (page 106). The assailants change but the
battle does not change. We must put on the whole armor of God that we may be
able to stand in that evil day. The forces of right are much stronger than the
forces of evil but we shall not succeed if we think that we can reach heaven on
flowery beds of ease. Others fought and were victorious. There is no question
about the outcome if we are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

J. C. Bailey, 1979, Weyburn, Saskatchewan


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 41: S. WHAT ABOUT INTERPRETATION?
========================================================================

What About Interpretation?

I have not forgotten the old adage, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
I have just read brother Norton’s editorial in the February issue of the
Christian Chronicle. I have just read brother Woodroof’s book, The Church in
Transition and brother Lynn Anderson’s book, Freshness for the Far Journey.
Recently, I heard Lynn preach. Many years ago, I baptized Lynn, but that is not
as important as the fact that it was a country schoolhouse where Lynn’s father
attended a meeting that I held. Lawrence, Lynn’s father, was then courting the
woman who became Lynn’s mother. The letters Lawrence wrote are still in Lynn’s
possession.

After each sermon, Lawrence said that it was just the way he had read it in the
Bible. There was another man who attended the meeting. He obeyed the gospel in
that meeting. He said that for 18 years he had been looking for people who were
just God’s people.

Shortly after that, I preached a series of sermons on the radio from Regina. As
a result of this, I held two meetings in two new places. There were 14 baptized
in each place.

After more than 50 years, some of the faithful members of the church are those
who obeyed in those meetings. I would like to mention one sister, who has since
gone to her reward. The morning after my first sermon, she said she had a job
for me. I asked her what it was. She said she wanted to be baptized. I must have
looked surprised because she said, "I know what I am doing. When you preached on
the radio, I took down every scripture." There never was a more devout member of
the church than she.

I suppose I have read my New Testament through fifty times. I have read the Old
Testament more than 30 times. I firmly believe that every scripture came by the
inspiration of God. I taught the Word, people heard the Word, believed the Word
and obeyed the Word. In all my study and in all my preaching, I never found
where it says we are tointerpretthe Word. Jesus said, "heaven and earth will
pass away but my Word will not pass away." There is an axiom we need to
remember: The Bible, as it is, is sufficient for man, as he is. "And the common
people heard Him gladly" (Mark 12:37). For more than 40 years, I preached in
Canada and the U.S.A. Then I went to India. I preached the Word there. Here is
an extract from a letter I just received:

"We conducted six area meetings where thousands of people were gathered by
tractors and trucks. In one such area meetings, we baptized 2,153 people. Thus,
by the end of our work, 10,424 people and 263 denominational preachers were
baptized and 185 new congregations were started." This brother was born to
illiterate parents. He is now Dr. Ratnam.

Whether in Canada, U.S.A. or India, I shall only preach the Word; I owe that to
the Lord. If the church is on the way back to Pentecost, that is the right
transition. If the Lord tarries until the 21st century, the same gospel will be
preached from the inspired Word of God. When we were married 68 years ago, my
wife would come to me with her Bible in her hand and she would read a certain
verse and say, "What does this mean?" I would say, "My dear, if it doesn’t mean
what it says, I have not the slightest idea what it means."

Peter tells about some people who interpreted the Word, he says they wrested the
Scripture to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). "No prophecy of scripture is
of private interpretation" (2 Peter 1:20).

J.C. Bailey (June 1992, Weyburn, Saskatchewan)


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 42: S. WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
========================================================================

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

"And he brought them out and said, ’Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’" (Acts
16:30). The mind of man never conceived a more important question. The tongue of
man never uttered a more needful quesion.

We are lost. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). "All have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Sin is not something we inherit, it is something we do. Jesus said: "Most
assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin" (John 8:34). We
commit sin, we do not inherit sin from our fathers: "The soul who sins shall
die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the
guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and
the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself" (Ezekiel 18:20). The
question is not: What must God do? That was done long ago. "For the grace of God
that brings salvation has appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11). "For I am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for
everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

First Step

We have learned the first step in man’s salvation. We must believe. Jesus told
some unbelievers: "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for
if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24).
Because of the teaching of this verse, and others, some have concluded that we
are saved by faith alone. This is not true for - "faith comes by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). The word of God says: "And having
been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him"
(Hebrews 5:9). We must obey Christ to be saved. We must have an obedient faith:
"And the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly
in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts
6:7).

Second Step

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men
everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). Repentance is a universal command. Jesus
said: "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). We must
repent in order to have the remission of sins. "Then Peter said to them,
’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).

So, just as we shall die in our sins if we do not believe, we shall die in our
sins if we do not repent.

Repentance is a two-fold action. We must turn from our sins as did the people of
Nineveh (Matthew 12:41). We must resolve to do the Father’s will as did the
young man we read about in Matthew 21:28-29. The Lord has said that those who
sin must be punished. Why is the punishment so long delayed? "The Lord is not
slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

Third Step

"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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation"
(Romans 10:9-10).

We must confess our faith in Christ in order to be saved (Matthew 10:32).

Fourth Step Our Lord said: "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). Many people will not accept what the
Lord says here. Many people put salvation before baptism. But Jesus put
salvationafterbaptism. Do you accept the teaching of Jesus or of men? The
doctrines of men will not save the soul.

Peter commanded baptism for forgiveness of sins: "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).

Although Paul had been praying and fasting for three days, his sins were not
forgiven until he was baptized. Ananias told him: "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).

Baptism saves us through the resurrection of Christ: "There is also an antitype
which now saves us, namely 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).

Baptism is a burial (Romans 6:4). Sprinkling or pouring are only human
substitutions.

Finally The Lord says: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown
of life" (Revelation 2:10 b). Are you saved?

J. C. Bailey


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 43: S. WHY NOT BE JUST A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH?
========================================================================

Why Not Just Be a Member of the Church? The history of the Old Testament reveals
that idolatry was a very prevalent sin, not only among the heathen but also
among the people of God. God made it very plain that He did not intend for it to
be that way. In giving the Ten Commandments God said: "Thou shalt have no other
gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, nor any likeness
of anything that is in heaven above, nor that is in the earth beneath, or that
is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor
serve them, for I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children, upon the third and fourth generation of them that
hate me, and showing loving kindness unto thousands of them that love me and
keep my commandments" (Exodus 20:3-6).

Despite this plain command of God, the history of the Old Testament reveals how
the people of God wandered off into idolatry time after time. They were severely
punished and would return to God, only to wander into idolatry again.

Finally, God, as punishment for their idolatry, sent them into slavery. The two
tribes returned and small remnants of the other tribes. They learned their
lesson. They were cured of their idol worship, and though they still have
errors, the Jewish people do not worship idols.

They had learned that the best defense is an offense. After their return from
captivity the Old Testament Scriptures were translated from the Hebrew into
Greek. What English is today in the literary world, Greek was in that day.
Through reading of the Bible there were many people in the world who were no
longer idolaters when Jesus came. They had not embraced the Jewish faith but
they did believe in the God whom the Old Testament reveals. Cornelius, in Acts
10:1-48, is an example. In the world of today wherever faith in the Bible goes,
idolatry ceases. The Old Testament reveals there is one God. The New Testament
makes that truth even plainer.

Just as the Bible reveals one God, it reveals that there is one church. In fact
it is explicit in teaching that sobering fact. There is no place in the plan of
God for more than one God and there is no place for more than one church. The
church was in the mind of God from eternity: "to the intent that now unto the
principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the
church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he
purposed through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Ephesians 3:10-11).

Two truths are evident from this passage: that the manifold wisdom of God was to
be made known through the church and that the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth, is to be made known through the church. The work of the church was not an
afterthought in the mind of God but it was His eternal purpose. In the plan of
God, the church was not to belong to one nation but to all the nations. This is
how the Holy Spirit through Isaiah described the coming church: "And it shall
come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be
established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills,
and all nations shall flow unto it" (Isaiah 2:2). The Holy Spirit informs us
that the house of God is thechurchof the living God (1 Timothy 3:15). In plain
language God said He would establish one church for all nations and Paul told us
in Ephesians 3:10-11 that it was established for all time. He says further: "Now
unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be the glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever" (Ephesians 3:20-21).
So as God is from everlasting to everlasting (Psalms 90:2) so the church is to
exist for all time and for all eternity. We shall establish it more clearly but
just as idolatry has no place in the plan of God, so denominations have no place
in the plan of God. Jesus built His church (Matthew 16:18). He said the gates of
Hades would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). Denominations are
made by men and Jesus said they would all be rooted up: "Every plant which my
heavenly Father planted not shall be rooted up" (Matthew 15:13). God by Christ
planted one church and He says that it will last for all time and for all
eternity but those plants which He did not plant shall be rooted up. The
teaching is plain, isn’t it?

Denominations try to justify their existence by saying they are different
branches of the church. Any student of church history knows that the various
denominations were formed by men. Some are very ancient; some are new, but they
were formed by men. But Christ built His church (Matthew 16:18). There is one
body (Ephesians 4:4). That body is the church: "And he put all things in
subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church
which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians
1:22-23).

Just as surely as there is only one God, there is only one church. The work of
Jesus Christ is to be done in that church.

We find a very sad thing in the church of the New Testament. They belonged to the church. They had obeyed the Lord Jesus Christ, but then they began to follow men. In the church at Corinth there were those who said --- "I am of Paul --- I of Apollos --- I of Cephas; I of Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:12). This was wrong. Paul asks the question, "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized into the name of Paul?" Though they were members of the church yet they became divided into contending factions. How bad is that? "For ye are yet carnal, for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal and do ye not walk after the manner of men? For when one says, I am of Paul, and another I of Apollos, are ye not men? What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed" (1 Corinthians 3:3-5). So when we follow men instead of Christ (or think we follow both), the Holy Spirit says we are carnal.

What does it mean to be carnally minded? The Holy Spirit says that to be
carnally minded is death: "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be
spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against
God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be" (Romans
8:6-7).

It took hundreds of years for men to learn that there was only one God. That did
not alter the fact that it was true, even though they did not believe. Men are
better now. Wherever the Bible goes, men believe in one God. And if men believe
there is only one God because the Bible says so, then they can only believe in
one church and should serve God in that church. Let us quote again: "Now unto
him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be the glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians
3:20-21). The power that works in us is our faith in the gospel (Romans 1:16). I
tell my Indian brethren that I am afraid that they sometimes have more faith in
me than they do in Christ. If they do, then the time will come when that faith
will be of no use. Some brethren put their trust in the philosophies or methods
of certain men. Thus the church is divided. "My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but
wholly lean on Jesus’ Name."

J.C. Bailey (1987, Bengough, Saskatchewan)


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Source: https://sermonindex.net/books/writings-of-j-c-bailey/
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