For any child of God who has been active in the Lord’s service for any length of time, we could site cases of people who “used to be.” They “used to be” a preacher, they “used to be” a teacher, they “used to be” in the choir, they “used to be” at church every time the doors were open. The examples of “used to be” people could continue almost endlessly.
In recent years, we have seen an increase of people who come and go before some of us have even come to know them. The Bible speaks of a falling away from many aspects and informs us that as we near the Second Coming of Christ there will be an increase of people “falling away”.
While we should not be surprised, we should still be concerned. Additionally, we should guard our own hearts so we don’t become part of the group spoken of by Christ in Matthew 24:12. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
Our utmost focus on Christ and His Word are two very crucial things which will enable us to remain active in His service, and although the Word of God should be motivation enough to remain faithful, the history of our Baptist forefathers also serves as an example.
The following is an excerpt from Baptist Succession, by D.B. Ray:
“One important object in pointing out our denominational history is to stimulate the zeal of modern Baptists by the heroic examples of our ancient brethren and sisters, who sealed their testimony with their blood, by showing that they suffered the loss of all things earthly for the same principles which distinguish us as a denomination. In other words, our principles have been handed down to us at the cost of the lives of millions of our brethren and sisters who loved the Church of Christ more than life itself. Like Abel, being dead, they yet speak to us of the glorious things concerning the kingdom of Christ, and still continue to bear witness against every form of Antichrist.”
Post Auhor: Sherri Schaefer Bagby
Tags: Accountibility, Baptists, Beliefs, Bible, Christianity, Church Growth, Church Planters, Doctrine, Eternal Life, Expository Preaching, Faith, Family, Family Values, God, Godly Faithfulness, Landmark Baptists, Godly Responsibility, God’s Word, Pastors, Pastor’s Wives, Preachers, Religion, Scripture, Separation, The Cross, The Cross of Christ, Theology, Worship
Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Timothy 2:7-8
It is necessary to understand what the Holy Spirit was saying when the apostle Paul penned the words in verse 8. There has become confusion even among those who wear the Baptist name concerning the practice of lifting holy hands. I believe without any reservation that our line of faith and system of doctrine can be traced back 2000 years, beyond the book of Acts, into the gospels that reveal the work of Jesus our founder. When Jesus said in Matthew 4:19,…Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men, He was calling out from among the disciples of John the Baptist the materiel He would call His church in Matthew 16:18. Jesus himself took the same group and commissioned them twice, in Matthew 10 to go to Israel, and Matthew 28:18-20 for them to be continuously going throughout the world to make disciples of Him.
The apostle Paul’s purpose in writing this letter to Timothy is found in 3:15,…how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. The subject of 2:8 is prayer, the inner posture of prayer. In America, the source of this confusion is comparatively recent. Lifting up holy hands originates from charismatics. A charismatic is not a denomination but more of a philosophical position. They can be found among the Catholics, Episcopalians, Pentecostals, and Baptists by name. In the charismatic circle the lifting of hands is often accompanied by clapping, speaking in tongues, shouting, dancing, and the laying on of hands. Also, charismatic circles children are taught in classes how to speak in “angel talk” and “prayer language”. As I have observed, no obedient child needs to be taught how to talk to their loving Father.
In the mind of Timothy, he understood when the men of the church prayed, lifting up holy hands, it meant they were to be pure, honest, and without any concealed agenda as they approached God. Paul further stated that men were to not have any wrath or doubting in their heart but to pray boldly and confidently. The one and only time in the New Testament that refers to lifting up holy hands, the context was the posture of the heart and not the position of the hands.
Post Author: John J. Bagby, Sr.
Tags: Accountibility, Baptists, Beliefs, Bible, Christianity, Church Growth, Church Planters, Doctrine, Eternal Life, Expository Preaching, Faith, Family, Family Values, God, Godly Faithfulness, Landmark Baptists, Godly Responsibility, God’s Word, Pastors, Pastor’s Wives, Preachers, Religion, Scripture, Separation, The Cross, The Cross of Christ, Theology, Worship