K. C. Moser: Can The Gospel Be Obeyed?
Firm Foundation, vol. 51, February 6, 1934, p. 2. The Way of Salvation owned since 1979
K.C.Moser and his new disciples insist that one obeys the gospel simply by believing in Jesus: James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. Both James and Paul understood what God told Isaac about Abraham. Abraham was not saved by faith-only because he was not lost. Abraham was justified by faith which was just to tell the Jews that they were not justified by the Law of Moses which had been added because of sin--musical idolatry at Mount Sinai. This fall from grace was to prove to the Jews that being "chosen" did not make them predestinated.
Gen. 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed,
I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
Gen. 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven,
and will give unto thy seed all these countries;
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
Gen. 26:5 Because that Abraham
obeyed my voice, and
kept my charge,
my commandments,
my statutes, and
my laws.
Gen. 26:6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
Isaac was justified because God commanded him to"sojourn in this land" and Isaac obeyed that command.The very meaning of a SON is that he not only believes that his FATHER exists but he trusts and obeys the father. Because Jesus embodied Father, Son and Spirit, the way that we walk in His steps is to obey his commands. Believe and (kai) Obey are coordinate and are never the same thing unless one is simply asked to believe. Jesus asked us to obey in order that we be a Son of the Father.
Paul leap-frogged the Law of Moses and said that we are the sons of God and Abraham BY FAITH when we put Christ on in baptism (Gal 3)
This is a quick review.
Moser says that OBEYING THE GOSPEL is just BELIEVING it. He has no Bible, secular literature, historic scholars or common sense for foundation. Those who believe that they are saved by "faith only" still insist that they must obey the command to be baptized. Baptists, for instance, do not admit the "believers" into fellowship in the church in the sense of communion or leadership until their faith has been validated and they are baptized. John Calvin stating that baptism (for adults) was necessary to be added to the church did not mean a congregation but what Acts 2 says.K.C. Moser: It is not wise to say a thing cannot be done when the Lord says it must be done to be saved. Can one believe? Faith that saves means trust.
One cannot trust in facts.
The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are facts.
Hence one cannot believe!
Jesus said "believe and be baptized and you will be saved," you put your trust in obeying that command because you trust that Jesus has the power to deliver.K.C.Moser's and other "faith-only" teachers do not have any historical scholar to defend them. Therefore, it is a view from a Baptist textbook whose writer did not understand his theological "fathers." None of then ever said "baptism does not save" who did not add "without faith."Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law,Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons.Why is it that Moser thinks people are superior to Jesus?
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son,
yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect,
he became the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey him;
Faith does not do the job: you must obey that which you trust. Believing in THE GOSPEL is obeying THE FAITH. Personal faith has no power to save you! THE FAITH is contrasted to THE LAW of Moses.
Hupakouo (g5219) hoop-ak-oo'-o; from 5259 and 191; to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen attentively; by impl. to heed or conform to a command or authority: - hearken, be obedient to, obey.
Ac.6:7 And the word of God increased;
and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly;
and a great company of the priests were obedient to THE FAITH
Moser believed that preaching baptism meant that everyone denies grace. I doubt that anyone ever preached the plan without preaching the man? The question is always: do you believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God? The believe that Paul had decided to PREACH only Jesus and Him crucified: he said that he had decided to KNOW only a crucified Christ. That meant that Paul WENT into places of danger and sacrificed all of life's comforts in order to preach the "whole counsel of God."
Martin Luther's Sola Fide demanded Sola Scriptura which demands Sola Baptisma because you cannot have fith and not believe in baptism:
"For as truly as I can say, No man has spun the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer out of his head, but they are revealed and given by God Himself, so also I can boast that Baptism is no human trifle, but instituted by God Himself,moreover, that it is most solemnly and strictly commanded that
we must be baptized or we cannot be saved,
lest any one regard it as a trifling matter, like putting on a new red coat.For it is of the greatest importance that we esteem Baptism excellent, glorious, and exalted, for which we contend and fight chiefly,
because the world is now so full of sects clamoring that Baptism is an external thing, and that external things are of no benefit.
For to be baptized in the name of God is to be baptized not by men, but by God Himself.
Therefore although it is performed by human hands,
it is nevertheless truly God's own work.From this fact every one may himself readily infer that it is a far higher work than any work performed by a man or a saint. For what work greater than the work of God can we do?
But here the devil is busy to delude us with false appearances, and lead us away from the work of God to our own works.
With that as the qualifier Philip baptized the eunuch. The PLAN is not something that is preached every Sunday and Moser is being a bit superior to think that preaching what Jesus preached and the church continued was denying the MAN: the MAN gets to define the PLAN
Ezra 9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.As Jesus became the Christ or the Word of God, he is also grace personified: grace never means unlimited forgiveness for unlimited sins but the POWER to conform to the will of Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;To obey the gospel would not be to believe, but hang yourself on the cross, be buried and be resurrected. The good news of grace is that we don't have to do that. A type or pattern means INSTEAD OF. We can obey the INSTEAD of literally dying on the cross by imitating that impossible act during which Jesus promises to REgenerate or give us A holy spirit by being free from sin. The death, burial and resurrection does not make Jesus free from sin: it was a PATTERN so that we by Grace can walk in His steps.K.C.Moser: It is frequently asserted that the gospel, strictly speaking cannot be obeyed. Such an assertion was made long ago and it has been repeated times without number down to our day. It has become almost a religious axiom. Let us see whether it is possible to obey the gospel.
But first, I shall let another speak: "Then, in some way the gospel must be obeyed. No man can obey the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. That is impossible. Paul tells us just how this is done: 'But thanks be to God, that whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered: and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:17). What was impossible man, God made possible. While we cannot obey the death, burial and resurrection of Christ we can obey the form of it. We do this being "buried therefore with him by baptism into death."
If it is impossible to obey the gospel,
and man has to obey a "form of it,"
then the gospel is not God's power to save.
In this case Paul should have said:"For I am not ashamed of a form of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation." Paul said the Lord would take vengeance on those "that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus." He said not a word about the impossibility of obeying the gospel, or of substituting a form for the real gospel. Such an idea is as foreign to the Bible as the related doctrine of transferring the efficacy of the blood to water. What else will be done to mutilate the gospel?
Paul did not say that the gospel saves or that even believing the gospel saves: he said that the GOSPEL is the POWER. But, Paul continued to incluse the 5 STEP PLAN OF SALVATION:
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
By hearing the gospel one is enabled to believe. Once believing one is able to affirm it:
Rom. 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.Then we can call upon the name but we need prechers: we call upon the name only in baptism:
Rom. 10:21 But to Israel he saith,
All day long I have stretched forth my hands
unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.The gospel is GOOD NEWS: for instance "come to Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" is a fundamental meaning of GOSPEL Jesus is not Gospel: what He promised to the obedience IS the Good news. In this case it is freedom FROM the laded burden and the burden laders. Because there is NO remission of sins without baptism, the GOSPEL demands the obedience of what that PREACHED GOSPEL demands.
THE PROTOTYPE GOSPEL1 Cor. 15:1 MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted,
and having received [lambano g2983] of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,
he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.Certainly, Jesus didn't believe something: he RECEIVED the promise. It was not "good news" that Jesus died: it is good news that He promises to give us A holy spirit or A good conscience when we obey what has been commanded.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.The people in Corinth were baptized: receiving the gospel is not just believing it;
3880. paralambano, par-al-am-ban´-o; from 3844 and 2983; to receive near, i.e. associate with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation); by analogy, to assume an office; figuratively, to learn: receive, take (unto, with).
1 Cor. 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1 Cor. 15:3 For I
...........delivered unto you first of all
........... that which I also received,
........... how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;This is the prototype Gospel:
Protos (h4413) pro'-tos; contr. superl. of 4253; foremost (in time, place, order or importance): - before, beginning, best, chief (- est), first (of all), former.
Because of Grace we can OBEY the gospel by obeying the INSTEAD OF jesus used to REPLACE the literal dying on the cross. Moser cannot get by with just believing.
Antitupon (g499) an-teet'-oo-pon; neut. of a comp. of 473 and 5179; corresponding ["antitype"], i.e. a representative, counterpart: - (like) figure (whereunto).
Liddell-Scott Tupos
VII. archetype, pattern, model, capable of exact repetition in numerous instances,
IX. prescribed form, model to be imitatedActs 7:44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness,
as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses,
that he should make it according to the pattern [tupos] that he had seen.
1Th. 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
1Th. 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you,
and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
1Th. 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead,
even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.Until you are turned or CONVERTED you will not be able to read WHOLE THOUGHT PATTERNS written in BLACK INK on WHITE paper.
Epi-strephô , Philos., cause to return to the source of Being, tinas eis ta enantia kai ta prôta"Calling on the Name of the Lord" means to DO THY WILL. Being CONVERTED means that you RETURN and obey all that God has commanded you..
Proteros and prôtos II. of Time, former, earlier, children by the first or a former marriage,
Prosthhen in front, before, formerly, of place and of time;
to gennêthen phusei pros to gennêsan
Genn-aô beget, bring forth, engender, call into existence
Phuo 1 Act.:--bring forth, produce, put forth, 2. beget, engender, get understanding,
Pros in the direction of
Genn-aô beget, bring forth, engender, call into existence
Deut XXX WEB. It shall happen, when all these things are come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, where Yahweh your God has driven you,
[2] and shall RETURN to Yahweh your God, and shall OBEY his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul;
[3] that then Yahweh your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, where Yahweh your God has scattered you.The word the Bible uses is not a SYMBOL but a PATTERN which must be IMITATED. You can die FOR YOUR OWN SINS like the thief on the cross OR you can INSTEAD OF be baptized. You don't PAY for your own sins UNTIL after you have hung on the cross. You do not have LIFE until you have been buried and resurrected from WATER INSTEAD OF from a tomb.
THE ARCHE OR ANTI-TYPE GOSPELAnti (g473) an-tee'; a prim. particle; opposite, i.e. INSTEAD or because of (rarely in addition to): - for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote contrast, requital, SUBSTITUTION, correspondence, etc.
Illiad 24. To these nine the old man called aloud, and gave command: Haste ye, base children that are my shame; would that ye all together in Hector's stead had been slain at the swift ships!
1. mostly c. gen., make a beginning of, 4. c. acc., arche in hodon tini, show him the way, lead the way, a guest is as much as a brother
Archo I. in Time, begin, make a beginning, Act., where personal action is emphasized), archesthai to begin one's operations,
3. to denote exchange, at the price of, in return for Il.23.650
Iliad 23. For this gift, I receive it wlth gladness, and my heart rejoiceth that thou rememberest me, thy friend, neither am I forgotten of thee, and the honour wherewith it beseemeth that I be honoured among the Achaeans.
[650] And to thee may the gods in requital thereof grant grace to satisfy thy heart.Tupos (g5179) too'-pos; from 5180; a die (as struck), i.e. (by impl.) a stamp or scar; by anal. a shape, i.e. a statue, (fig.) style or resemblance; spec. a sampler ("type"), i.e. a model (for imitation) or instance (for warning): - en- (ex-) ample, fashion, figure, form, manner, PATTERN, print.
The Gospel Paul defined in 1 Corinthians 15 is called the PROTOS Gospel: this demands that he die, be buried, resurrected and ascend into heaven. There is no virtue in believing that.
In Mark 1 he calls it the beginning or ARCH of the gospel.
The ARCHE or foundation of the gospel is also THE WAY God predestined to save mankind FROM the race of wicked men:THE beginning (Arche, most important) of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; Mark 1:1
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way [hodos] before thee. Mark 1:2Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
Archê , hê, (v. archô) beginning, origin
beginning, from the first, from of old, lay a foundation,
from the beginning, from the first, from of old,
logos the original argument,
the principal sum, first principle, element
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye THE WAY of the Lord, make his paths straight. Mark 1:3The foundation was the COUNSEL of God to prepare a tiny remnant as an offering on the day of Pentecost:
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:4Moser says that baptism MEANT repentance.
And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. Mark 1:5
We are not Jesus Christ so the gospel for us is defined by Mark who used the Greek word "ARCHE" to reveal the mystery which Malachi prophesied about refining and washing:BEHOLD, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the WAY before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:1
But who may abide (comprehend or receive) the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a REFINER'S FIRE, and like FULLER'S SOAP: Malachi 3:2 (To Wash)
The refiner's fire made silver and gold to become a water vessel pure enough to enter into the temple. Our spirit is the temple of God. Fuller's Soap makes Crimson garments as white as snow.
THE WASHING PROCESS BY JESUS CHRIST WAS PROPHESIED TO BE:
Kabac (h3526) kaw-bas, to trample; hence to wash (prop. by stamping with the feet)... WASHING. The Greek Louo (g3068) means to bathe the whole person.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Re.1:5
Paul defined this WASHING:
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water (H20). Heb.10:22
ZACHARIAS prophesying of JESUS CHRIST explains the MOST IMPORTANT meaning of the gospel for mortals.
That we should be (1) saved from our enemies, and (2) from the hand of all that hate us (Satan); Luke 1: 71
(3) To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and (4) to remember his holy covenant; The oath which HE sware to our father ABRAHAM, Luke 1: 72-73
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; Lu 1:76
(4) To give KNOWLEDGE of salvation (A new spirit) unto his people
.......... (5) BY the REMISSION of their SINS, Lu.1:77Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, Lu 1:78
To give light to them that sit in darkness (ignorance) and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:79
K.C.Moser: But we are told that Paul tell us just how to obey the gospel. We are then referred to Rom. 6:17,18. It is assumed that Paul here has special reference to baptism; for the writer concluded:
"We do this (obey the gospel) in being 'buried therefore with him by baptism into death.'"
Then baptism only is gospel obedience! If this is true several scriptures need revising.It cannot be proved that Rom. 6:17 has any more reference to baptism than to faith. I agree with Lard who said: "The expression tupon didaches is sometimes rendered type of doctrine, and held to denote baptism. But this is too special. The expression includes baptism, but does not stand for it exclusively.
The scriptures should never be forced to teach what is not clearly in them." One can believe the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus,
but we are told one cannot obey the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Hence faith in Christ is not included in the obedience of the gospel.
(Suppose I should remotely hint that baptism is not part of obedience to the gospel, what would be the response? I have long noticed that most any position is tolerated just so it appears to exalt baptism, even at the expense of faith or the blood of Christ.)
The gospel has no substitute. It is God's power to save those who obey it. Neither does obedience to the gospel have a substitute. It is not only possible to obey the gospel, in the strictest sense, but one has to do it or be lost.
But what is the gospel? The gospel does not consist in the detached facts of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The gospel is not simply facts about Jesus.
The Spirit of God was a dove as a symbol or substitute for the "Mind of Christ." Jesus said "My words are Spirit and Life" (John 6:63). Even the Christ of God came in "a body prepared for Me."The good news of salvation is Jesus crucified for our sins, buried, and raised for our justification.
The gospel consists in a person in whom to trust, not simply in one command to be obeyed.
Commands are not the gospel.
The gospel is appropriated by means of obedience to commands, but commands are no more the gospel than eating is food. Food is appropriated by means of eating. But eating is not food. And mind you, it takes food to perpetuate life. A mere form will not do it. Jesus is the Saviour.
He has no substitute. Neither does the God ordained way of appropriating him have a substitute.
Jn 12:45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
Jn 12:46 I am come a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Jn 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not,
I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.Jn 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him:Apisteô to be apistos, and so, II. = apeitheô, to disobey, tini Hdt., attic: --absol. to be disobedient, refuse to comply
the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.G114 atheteo ath-et-eh'-o From a compound of G1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G5087 ; to set aside, that is, (by implication) to disesteem, neutralize or violate: cast off, despise, disannul, frustrate, bring to nought, reject.
The Pharisees and doctors of the LAW REJECTED Jesus by rejecting His WORDS.
Luke 7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God,
being baptized with the baptism of John. [obeyed]Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected [G114] the counsel of God against themselves,
being not baptized of him.Deut. 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren,
Rom. 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law,
like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Deut. 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee,
and will put my words in his mouth;
and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Deut. 18:20 But the prophet,
which shall presume to speak a word in my name,
which I have not commanded him to speak,
or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom. 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts
the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)K.C.Moser: The gospel consists not of forms, but of realities. It is too much to say the gospel consists of facts to be believed, commands to be obeyed, and promises to be enjoyed, and then assert only the commands can be obeyed.
Only a third of the gospel can be obeyed! Strictly speaking, the gospel is not facts, commands, or promises.
The gospel concerns a person, not mere facts. The gospel is appropriated by obedience to commands and as a result of obedience to the gospel we enjoy the promises of God. Peter preached the gospel (Acts 2): then gave the commands based upon the gospel; the people obeyed and enjoyed the promise of forgiveness of sins. Peter's gospel consisted in Christ crucified, buried and raised for man's salvation. His commands were repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (implying of course faith). His promises were the remission of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit.
K.C.Moser: BUT WHAT IS IT TO OBEY THE GOSPEL? This is a Bible question and has a Bible answer. The expression "obey the gospel" is found three times in the Bible.
The places are Rom. 10:16 (King James Version), 2 Thess. 1:8, and 1 Peter 4:17. There is nothing in the context of the last two passages to indicate just what is meant by the expression "obey the gospel." But it can be certainly known what Paul meant by the expression "obeyed the gospel" in Rom. 10:16.
Hear him: "For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?"'
Their failure to believe was their failure to obey the gospel.
Therefore, to believe the gospel is to obey the gospel.Moser did not look at Isaiah 53 which has lots of other things to say: to believe the repoort had nothing to do with "faith only" but actively building up or "turning to the right. See more on Isaiah 53 below:
Is. 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
539. aman, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; go to the right hand:,
541. aman, aw-man´; denominative from 3225; to take the right hand road:—turn to the right. See 539.ROMANS 10
1 Thess. 1:8The PLAY at Mount Sinai was the musical idolatry of the Egyptian trinity.
Rom 10:7 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise,
........... Say not in thine heart, Who shall ASCEND into HEAVEN?
........... (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)Do not commit the unpardonable sin by CLAIMING to have the musical power to LEAD people into the presence of God!
Rom 10:6 Or, Who shall descend into the deep?
........... (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)Rather, here is how EVERYONE is included.
Rom 10:8 But what saith it?
........... The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, [not your spirit]
........... and in thy heart: that is,
........... the word of FAITH, which we PREACH;Paul MINISTERED the Spirit by preaching: Jesus said MY words are SPIRIT and LIFE.
Rom 10:9 That if thou
........... shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
........... and shalt BELIEVE in thine heart
........... that God hath RAISED him from the DEAD,
........... thou shalt be saved.Jesus said, by the definition of words:
He that COMPLIETH by being baptized SHALL BE saved
He that COMPLIETH NOT shall be damned.
Why is that?
Rom 10:10 For with the heart
........... man believeth unto righteousness; and
........... with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.Eisodos (g1529) ice'-od-os; from 1519 and 3598; an ENTRANCE (lit. or fig.): - COMING, entering) in (to).
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever BELIEVETH on him shall NOT be ASHAMED.
Is that going to TRUMP everything Paul has ACCUMULATED as a logical process? Just CALLING on the name of the Lord OMITS your GRACE and FAITH. BUT, Paul is revealing God's PREDESTINATED PURPOSE that there is NO DIFFERENCE.
Max Lucado lifts that out of context and says "Just call God Father." Well, God's Name is not FATHER.
Rom 10:12 For there is NO DIFFERENCE between the Jew and the Greek:
Rom 10:13 for the SAME Lord over all is rich unto all THAT CALL UPON HIM.
........... For whosoever shall CALL upon the NAME of the Lord shall be saved.CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD IS ONLY BY BAPTISM
- Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
- Acts 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.- Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.- Zeph. 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
- And now why tarriest thou? arise, and BE BAPTIZED, and WASH away thy SINS, CALLING on the NAME of the LORD. Acts 22:16
- Peter in Acts 2:38 says that God will give us A holy spirit. In 1 Peter 3 he says that we APPEAL TO, REQUEST or CALL UPON God for A clear conscience.
- And corresponding to that, BAPTISM now SAVES you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an APPEAL to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:21
THAT IS THE PLAN OF SALVATION IN ONE CHAPTER which agrees with everything else in the Bible
1 Peter 42Th. 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
2Th. 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:Only those who became disciples by baptism and further teaching were added to the church and were called Christians. Peter preached the gospel and people believed it: they were NOT saved until they were baptized. They were only then added to the church.
2Th. 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th. 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1 Pet. 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian,
let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1 Pet. 4:17 For the time is come that
judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us,
what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
- The Great Commission was to make disciples of believers by baptizing and teaching what Jesus taught.
- The disciples were called Christians at Antioch.
- Therefore a Christian is a believer who has been baptized.
- A Christian is part of the house of God
- One who has not obeyed the Gospel is not part of the body of Christ.
- No honest person can miss the connection to baptism:
- Paul preached the Gospel
- People believed the gospel and wanted to know what to DO..
- Peter commanded that believers DO something:
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them,ONLY those who believed, confessed, repented and were baptized received the remission of sins and therefore A holy personal spirit. Only those were added to the Church of Christ. They were "righteous" in the sense of not being ceremonially impure. They were baptized FOR the remission of sins. Their spirit became A holy spirit. This simply gave them the right and power to be added to the SCHOOL OF THE BIBLE and become Christians.
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Acts 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying,
Save yourselves from this untoward [croked] generation.
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:
and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people.
And the Lord added to the church daily such as should [were being] be saved.
Those who "obeyed not the gospel" were still sinners.Paul assuredly never speaks of faith as a "one step plan of salvation." He is speaking to the Jews who trusted THE LAW and demanded that the Gentiles be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. Paul insists that God's power lies in faith of Christ and not the Law. Paul said that Abraham was justified by FAITH: God defined that in Genesis 26:5 to mean "Abraham obeyed My laws, My commands, My decrees and My Covenants." Faith gives one POWER to become sons of God but faith does not make one a child of God.
Sins are never remitted by faith-only. Only those who have OBEYED the form or "pattern capable of being imitated" had their sins "washed away."
Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized,
and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
1 Pet. 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved,
where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1 Pet. 4:19 Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God
commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
K.C.Moser: To believe the gospel is to believe in, trust in, Christ crucified, buried, and raised for our justification. This is the way to appropriate Christ. The gospel saves the believer (Rom. 1:16). God saves those who obey the gospel. Obeying the gospel is appropriating Christ crucified. The death of Christ for our sins naturally implies the obligation of man to accept him. Hence the expression, "obey the gospel."
Obviously, Moser did not read the passage but grasped the proof text. Beginning the chapter
Rom. 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which wasClement in Stromata 1 wrote.
made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Rom. 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead:
Rom. 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship,
for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
Here is what Paul received when he was told to "arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Paul did not preach any other gospel but that which Jesus commanded.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world,Rom. 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth [complieth not] not shall be damned.
Rom. 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not as a one-step plan of salvation but Paul is showing that both Jew and Gentile are under the same plan.
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom. 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written,
The just shall live by faith.
Rom. 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Whence their preconceived idea inclines them to disbelieve. For the advent of the Saviour did not make people foolish, and hard of heart, and unbelieving, but made them understanding, amenable to persuasion, and believing.
But those that would not believe, by separating themselves from the voluntary adherence of those who obeyed, were proved to be without understanding, unbelievers and fools.
"But to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God."
Should we not understand (as is better) the words rendered, "Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? "negatively: "God hath not made foolish the wisdom of the world?
"-so that the cause of their hardness of heart may not appear to have proceeded from God, "making foolish the wisdom of the world."
For on all accounts, being wise, they incur greater blame in not believing the proclamation. For the preference and choice of truth is voluntary.
But that declaration, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise," declares Him to have sent forth light, by bringing forth in opposition the despised and contemned barbarian philosophy; as the lamp, when shone upon by the sun, is said to be extinguished, on account of its not then exerting the same power. All having been therefore called, those who are willing to obey have been named "called." For there is no unrighteousness with God. Those of either race who have believed, are "a peculiar people."
And in the Acts of the Apostles you will find this, word for word,
"Those then who received his word were baptized; "
but those who would not obey kept themselves aloof.Tertullian: b. c. 155, /160, Carthage [now in Tunisia] d. after 220, Carthage
The consequence is, that a viper of the Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter,
has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine,
making it her first aim to destroy baptism.
.......... Which is quite in accordance with nature; for vipers and asps and basilisks
.......... themselves generally do affect arid and waterless places.K.C. Moser: Paul's reference is to Isaiah 53:1. Isaiah's words are: "Who hath believed our report?"
To Paul, believing the report was obeying the gospel.
John has also referred to Isaiah 53:1. "But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they believed not on him: that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report?"' (John 12:37-38). To believe on Christ with Paul is to obey the gospel.
Dare I say that K.C.Moser nor those who follow like blind sheep have ever read or honored Isaiah 53.
Now, that is pretty "theological" or silly! Paul equated being a believer to one who has obeyed the gospel.
Rom. 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
By looking at Isaiah 53 we can understand that the Spirit of Christ in Isaiah warned about people who would pervert obedience to meaning just faith. The Arm of God is the Intercessor because there was NO MAN you could trust. Believed is the Hebrew aman:
Peter said that one receives A holy spirit or A good conscience only at baptism. In 2 Cor 3 Paul said that the Jews would not be able to read black text on brown paper until the CONVERTED to Christ. Conversion and baptism have the same meaning:Is. 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
539. aman, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; go to the right hand:,
541. aman, aw-man´; denominative from 3225; to take the right hand road:—turn to the right. See 539.To turn in Greek is to be converted and this is the same as being baptized.
Is. 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:Defining the disciples of K.C.Moser
Is. 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Is. 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets,
Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Is. 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path,
cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
Is. 30:12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel,
Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness,
[extortion] and stay thereon:
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way,
walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isa 30:21
Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Isa 30:22
And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him,
it shall be with tabrets and harps:
and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. Isa 30:32
For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. Isa 30:33
he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,
there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Is. 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:
and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Is. 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
Is. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.2490. chalal, khaw-lal´; , i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one’s word), to begin (as if by an “opening wedge”); denom. (from 2485) to play (the flute): take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.Is. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Matthew 18
John 3
Acts 2
Acts 3
And said, Verily
Jesus answered,
Verily, verily
Then Peter But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Acts 3:18 I say unto you, I say unto thee,
said unto them, repent Repent YE therefore Except YE Except a man be
be converted, born of WATER and and be baptized and be converted, and become AS little children, of the Spirit, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
HE CANNOT
for the remission of sins, that YOUR sins may be blotted out
Ecaleipho (g1813) ex-al-i'-fo; from 1537 and 218; to smear out, i.e. obliterate (erase tears, fig. pardon sin): - blot out, wipe away.
Ekkolaptô, erase, obliterate, peck the chick out of the egg, scoop out, oblitter, blot out, erase, blot out of remembrance.
enter into
the kingdom of heaven. Mt.18:3
- enter into
- the kingdom of God. John 3:5
and YE shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:38when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Ac.3:19
Refreshing: Andronikos (g408) an- dron'- ee-kos; from 435 and 3534; man of victory [Nike] g404 "revive again."
K.C. Moser: Once the jailer inquired: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas answered:Obviously not: those who believed were told to repent AND be baptized for the remission of sins. Jesus said "He that believeth AND is baptized shall be saved." The first task is always to produce faith: faith comes by hearing. Therefore, Paul preached the gospel in order to preach baptism. The jailer KNEW somehow that the only response for a believer is
"Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved."
Paul elsewhere said the gospel saves the believer.
When the jailer believed "on the Lord Jesus," was he obeying the gospel?
The gospel is Christ crucified, buried and raised for our sins.
The jailer believed on this Christ. He was commanded to believe. He obeyed.
Did he not obey the gospel? Is not believing the gospel obeying the gospel?
Paul thought so. As an accompaniment that EMBODIES faith, baptism may be considered a part of obedience to the gospel. Yet it is nowhere called obeying the gospel. Much less is it the only means of obeying the gospel.
BAPTISM. If words have meaning then believing does not mean obeying.
Pistos B. Act., believing, relying on, 2.obedient, loyal,Hupakouo (g5219) hoop-ak-oo'-o; from 5259 and 191; to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen attentively; by impl. to heed or conform to a command or authority: - hearken, be obedient to, obey.
Now, the ones step Moser plan of salvation.
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on [Pisteuson] the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Well, Moser stops there because preachers believe that LIFTING factoids means that they retain their truthfulness when they no longer have roots. The Jailer wants to be saved FROM the "crooked generation" liable to put him to death. Paul makes the Body of Christ the "safe house" FROM the crooked generation (skolion singers). That gives him grace and time to become a disciple for the rest of his life.
So, Paul knew that he had to preach the word of the Lord to the man because he still did not believe:
Acts 16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Something funny happened: when Paul preached the word of the Lord, the jailer showed repentance and wanted to be baptized. Where, oh, where did he get any hint of baptism if Paul was not sent to baptize?
Acts 16:33 And he (jailer) took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
After the Jailer and his inmates heard the GOSPEL they were baptized INSTANTLY without joining a church: only Jesus can ADD you to the church AFTER He has cleansed you.
Now, after baptism he is a BELIEVER and he HAS been saved:
God has His own plan for God but we are not God. He is free to treat people any way He wishes. However, our purpose is to teach the Word 'as it has been taught' and make disciples in the full sense by baptizing them and through further teaching.Acts 16:34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing [pepisteukôs] in the Lord.
K.C. Moser: It is not wise to say a thing cannot be done when the Lord says it must be done to be saved. Can one believe? Faith that saves means trust.
One cannot trust in facts.
The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are facts.
Hence one cannot believe!In fact, the Greek applies just as well as to trusting (complying, obeying) facts as it does to trusting people.
The Greek Pistis Liddell and Scott Pist-euô
Pistos II. of things, trustworthy, sure
Pindar, Olympian.11 [1] There is a time when men's need for winds is the greatest, and a time for waters from the sky, the rainy offspring of clouds. But when anyone is victorious through his toil, then honey-voiced odes[5] become the foundation for future fame, and a faithful pledge for great deeds of excellenceA. pepisteukein Act.Ap.14.23 : ( [pistis] ) :--trust, put faith in, rely on a person, thing, or statement, tini Hdt.1.24 ; tôi logôi Id.2.118, although it is hard to believe every single bit of evidence about them, Th.1.20, they were believed in what they said, D.32.4 They were believed to possess foreknowledge, J.AJ17.24
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Thucydides 1.20. XX. Having now given the result of my inquiries into early times, I grant that there will be a difficulty in believing every particular detail. The way that most men deal with traditions, even traditions of their own country, is to receive them all alike as they are delivered, without applying any critical test whatever.Examples: Herodotus 1.XXIV. They say that this Arion, who spent most of his time with Periander, wished to sail to Italy and Sicily, and that after he had made a lot of money there he wanted to come back to Corinth.
A . Trusting none more than the Corinthians, pisteuonta
B. h e hired a Corinthian vessel to carry him from Tarentum.
Pist-euô A. pepisteukein Act.Ap.14.23 : ( [pistis] ) :--trust, put faith in, rely on a person, thing, or statement,
And he [1] reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath,
and [2] persuaded [Peitho (g3982)] the Jews and the Greeks. Acts 18:4
One who is persuaded is not just persuaded to believe but to comply.
Peitho 3892 to persuade unto i.e. move or induce one to persuasion to do something
1.b persuade to make friends of, to win one's favour, gain one's good will, or to seek to win one, strive to please one
2.b to listen to, obey, yield to, comply with
and many of the Corinthians
[3] hearing
[4] believed, [Pisteuo (g4100)]
[5] and were baptized. Ac.18:82. COMPLY, OPPOSITE to APISTEO
Sophocles, Trachiniae You know her. Just this is the command that I impose upon you, my son: when I am dead, if you wish to show your piety by remembrance of your oath to your father, make this woman your wife and do not disobey your father.
[1225] Let no other but you take her who has lain close at my side. You, my son, make that marriage-bond your own. Obey; for although you were obedient [pisteusant] in great affairs, your disobedience in small ones cancels the gratitude already won.Those who COMPLY NOT
not to be trusted, and so: 1. of persons and their acts, not trusty, faithless, untrustworthy, groundless confidence, shifty, unreliable in Prose, a. apo tinos revolt from, or instigation to revolt, could not convince to obey b. treacherously, Ph.1.516. also kleptô
Example which defines the words
Lady Athena, whoever hears the words of the gods and does not obey, is not thinking rightly.The ancient simplicity into which honor so largely entered was laughed down and disappeared; and society became divided into camps in which no man trusted his fellow.
II. Act., mistrustful, incredulous, suspicious, a. Od.14.150
b. in NT, unbelieving, 1 Ep.Cor.6.6, al.
1 Cor 6:6 But goeth to law with brother, and that before the
II. = apeitheô, disobey, to be DISOBEDIENT, they refuse to comply, They are not to be trusted, and so of persons and their acts, not trusty, faithless, Act., mistrustful, incredulous, suspicious, Treacherously, cause to REVOLT from. also kleptô meaning: seize or occupy secretly, effect or bring about clandestinely, gamon, to be 'smuggled in' get rid of imperceptibly
The enemy: This is a sample of the logic that is used in concluding that the gospel cannot be obeyed.The GOSPEL includes the command to obey a FORM of the PROTOTYPE Gospel which only Jesus could do. The ARCHE or most important part of the gospel is the ANTI-form of the prototype gospel.
Can one repent? If not, how can one be saved since repentance is made a condition of salvation?
Can one obey the gospel? If not, how can one be saved since obeying the gospel is made a condition of salvation?
Do faith and repentance have substitutes?
Why contend that obedience to the gospel must have a substitute?
We cannot die in the PROTOTYPE but we can obey in the TUPOS or "pattern intended to be obeyed." Moser's whole thesis rests on his own foundation that the GOSPEL is the KERUGMA.
Kêrug-ma , atos, to, ( [kêrussô] )A. that which is cried by a herald, proclamation,
Plato, Laws [941a] Athenian shows why such VOCATIONS are outlawed and DANGEROUS in a HERALD who must not tamper with the Word. Nor, must he charge for the dispatch by the RECEIVER. The message must be postage paid by the ones doing the HERALDING.
If anyone, while acting as ambassador [presb-eutês] or herald [kerus-preacher], conveys false messages from his State to another State,or fails to deliver the ACTA; message he was sent to deliver, or is proved to have brought back, as ambassador or herald,
either from a friendly or hostile nation, their reply in a false form,--against all such there shall be laid an indictment for breaking the law by sinning against the sacred messages [apang-ellô] and injunctions of Hermes 1 and Zeus, and an assessment shall be made of the penalty they shall suffer or pay,
Note 1 Son, and herald, of Zeus, and a master of speech (and of lies).
Plato, Laws [941b] Athenian
[941b] if convicted. Theft of property is uncivilized, open robbery is shameless: neither of these has any of the sons of Zeus practiced, through delight in fraud or force.
Let no man, therefore, be deluded concerning this
or persuaded either by poets
or by any perverse myth-mongersinto the belief that, when he thieves or forcibly robs,
he is doing nothing shameful,
but just what the gods themselves do.1 1 Cp.Plat. Rep 378 ff., Plat. Rep. 388 ff. Hermes is specially in mind, as notorious for his thefts and frauds; cp. Homer Iliad 5. 390; 24. 395, etc
Here is what Jesus commanded and anyone who teaches otherwise is worthy of eternal punishment:
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.K.C. Moser: I see in the position herein examined a fundamental error which a better understanding of the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith would correct. Brethren, for the sake of our souls, let us never get too big to restudy our position.
Common sense understands that the word BELIEVE could never be replaced with the word OBEDIENCE.
9.23.08