All Things That Pertain To Life And Godliness

Jarrod Jacobs

            “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (II Pet. 2:3). We are in the habit of saying that God has given us in the gospel everything that is essential to life and godliness; but Peter goes a little farther than that and affirms that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. There is a difference. To illustrate: There are certain things that are essential to an automobile; and there are other things that pertain to an automobile; but are not essential to it. When you have all things that are essential to an automobile, you can go to a supply house and purchase a lot of extras that pertain to an automobile. But suppose you have all the essentials of an automobile, and then you add all the things that pertain to an automobile, nothing else could be added that would make it any more complete. God has not only given us all things that are essential to life and godliness, but he has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness.

            Do religious people believe it? If so, why all these questions about things that God has said nothing about? If you will read the verse again, you will notice that he has given us all these things through the knowledge of Christ. The knowledge of Christ means the knowledge that has been revealed about him — the gospel of Christ. Hence, through the gospel God has not only given us all things that are essential to life and godliness, but all things that pertain to life and godliness. If there is, therefore, anything in your religion that did not come to you through the gospel, it does not so much as pertain to life and godliness. Is it not time to check up on our religion and see if we have anything that we cannot find in the New Testament? Any person of intelligence can do that for himself.

Excuses Are Not Erasers!

Jarrod Jacobs

            How many times have we had to listen to folks make excuses for why they did or did not do something? In fact, it is almost a national obsession to excuse ourselves by blaming others for our mistakes! This attitude, unfortunately, is nothing new.

            Consider Adam and Eve. They are the world’s first excuse-makers. After they had sinned, Adam blamed Eve (and God, Gen. 3:12), and Eve blamed the serpent (Gen. 3:13) for their sin. Yes, Satan presented the temptation, but yielding to that temptation was a decision they made on their own. They were responsible for their sin and no one else! They were guilty, and their excuses did not make the act any less sinful.

            When King Saul sinned by offering the sacrifice that Samuel was supposed to do, he offered many excuses for his sin. He said the people were scattering, that Samuel was late in arriving to offer the sacrifice, and that the Philistines were gathering for war and he feared they would attack before the sacrifice to God had been offered (I Sam. 13:11-12). Yet, for all of his excuses, that did not stop God from punishing him for his sin (I Sam. 13:14).

            When people offer excuses for their sins today, that does not erase the guilt of sin from their souls. The only thing that can do this is the blood of Christ (Rev. 1:5). We come in contact with the cleansing effects of that blood when we are baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16). Friend, stop making excuses and come to Christ and have your sins cleansed (blotted out, Acts 3:19). Have Christ erase them today!

Is One Born Guilty Of Sin?

Jarrod Jacobs

   The teaching that man is born a sinner is fairly common in the religious world. Is this true? What does the Bible say?

   In the 18th chapter of Ezekiel, God devotes the entire chapter to disproving the teaching that man is born a sinner. He tells His people, “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die” (Ezek. 18:4, 20). I think that it is interesting to note that if these people had listened to God in Deuteronomy 24:16, perhaps God would not have had to devote an entire chapter to inherited sin. Deuteronomy 24:16 says, “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.” Please read Exodus 32:30-33 also.  

   In the New Testament, we also see that man does not inherit the sins of his father. In Colossians 3:25, we read, “But he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done: and there is no respect of persons.” To say that infants possess inherited sin is to say something the Bible does not say.

   In Romans 9:10-11, Paul discusses Jacob and Esau. Paul says, “though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad -- in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls.” This verse is very clear in showing us that man does not inherit sin or righteousness from his father. We are responsible for our own sins and no one else’s!

A few weeks ago, I published a work by brother Bill Crews. Here is another article he wrote some years ago. Let us read it and benefit from it.

“What Man Says Vs. What God Says”

Bill Crews

• Man says: “The important thing is whether or not one loves God, not the keeping of commandments.”
• God says: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I Jn. 5:3).
• Man says: “Thank God for the many churches so that man may find the one that is best suited for Him.”
• God says: “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4). “He is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18).
• Man says: “Join the church of your choice, but join a church.”
• God says: “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). “Every plant, (religious) which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:13). “...and that there be no divisions among you” (I Cor. 1:10).
• Man says: “Each person should follow the way that seems right to them and that honesty and conscience direct.”
• God says: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23).
• Man says: “Faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort.” “Ye see that by faith only a man is justified.”
• God says: “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (Jas. 2:24). “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6).
• Man says: “Baptism is not necessary to one’s salvation.”
• God says: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mk. 16:16). “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).
• Man says: “Baptism is an ordinance that can be administered by sprinkling or pouring on of water as well as by immersion in water.”
• God says: “We are buried with him by baptism into death” (Rom. 6:4). “They came unto a certain water: .... and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water …” (Acts 8:36-39).

Learning Lessons From Naaman The Leper (#7)

Jarrod Jacobs

            For the past few days, we have studied II Kings 5:1-14 in connection with the healing of the leper, Naaman. What applications can we make from this account?

            From the young maid (II Kings 5:2-3), let us learn that God’s word is understandable, and can be obeyed by the young as well as the old. God’s word is just as understandable today as it was in the days of Naaman (Eph. 3:4, 5:17).

            Let us learn that only God can save us, and His salvation is not for sale (II Kings 5:5, 15-16; I Pet. 1:18-19). Just as Naaman was cleansed on God’s terms (II Kings 5:10, 14), we will be saved on God’s terms, or not at all (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38).

            We need to realize that we are known by what we do (II Kings 5:8). Our words only go so far. If we are a Christian, or are wicked, our actions will show it (Matt. 7:12, 21; I Jn. 3:18).

            Instead of fighting against the Lord (II Kings 5:11-12), let us willingly obey God. Naaman was the first on record to suggest that cleansing power was in the water. It was not true then, nor is it true today when someone cries “water salvation” when we teach baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 22:16; I Pet. 3:21).

            Finally, let us learn that we will be blessed by God only when we submit completely to the will of the Lord, just as Naaman did (II Kings 5:14; Rev. 22:14)! Are we obedient to the Lord? (Jas. 2:24, 26)