Daily Bible Nugget #680, Proverbs 29:4

Posted on April 4, 2022 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Pro 29:4  The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it. (KJV)

Pro 29:4 A king, by justice, shall establish a land, – but, a man open to bribes, bringeth it to ruin. (EB, Emphasized Bible, Rotherham)

Pro 29:4 A king brings stability to a land by justice,
but one who exacts tribute tears it down. (NET Bible)

Pro 29:4 A king, by right rule, makes the land safe; but one full of desires makes it a waste. (Basic English Bible)

Pro 29:4  A righteous king establishes a country: but a transgressor destroys it. (LXX, Brenton translation)

Pro 29:4 By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down. (ESV)

Pro 29:4  By means of justice, a king builds up a country, but a person who confiscates religious contributions tears it down. (GW, God’s Word translation)

Pro 29:4 An honest ruler makes the nation strong; a ruler who takes bribes will bring it to ruin. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)

My Comment:

Proverbs 29:4 contains more truth and insight than any one English translation can convey. That is why I have shared eight different English translations. Each distinctive translation lets us know more of what the text says in its original language. Some of these ideas may well be illustrated by current events in our own day.

Reading the Bible in more than one English translation can help you get a deeper or more accurate understanding of a verse or passage. This is a good first or early step to take in Bible study.

A second helpful step in Bible study is to look up and carefully consider the cross references given for a verse you want to study more in depth. Cross references are links to other verses in the Bible that shed additional light on the verse you are studying. Many subjects, topics, or themes are not found at length in just one place in the Bible. More often, a theme is mentioned briefly in many different places and contexts throughout the Bible. A theme can best be understood when you have read and taken into account all that the Bible says about that subject. Cross references are collections of  links to themes as they are given elsewhere in the Bible. If you have not been making use of cross references in your Bible reading and study, you cannot imagine the great blessing and encouragement you have been missing!

Here are the cross references for Proverbs 29:4. I give them in a more complete form than what you will find in ordinary Bibles, study Bibles, or reference Bibles. I share these references from The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and my most recent expansion and so usually more complete source, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.

From The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: 

Proverbs 29:4

king: Pro 29:14, Pro 16:12, Pro 20:8; 1Sa 13:13; 2Sa 8:15; 1Ki 2:12; Psa 89:14, Psa 99:4; Isa 9:7, Isa 49:8

he that receiveth gifts: Heb. a man of oblations, 2Ki 15:18-20; Jer 22:13-17; Dan 11:20; Mic 7:3

From The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

Proverbs 29:4

king. ver. *Pro 29:14; Pro 16:12; Pro 20:8; *1Sa 13:13; 2Sa 8:15; 1 Ki 2:12; 2Ch 1:1; Psa 89:12; Psa 89:14; Psa 97:2; Psa 99:4; Isa 9:7; Isa 32:1; Isa 32:2; Isa 49:8

he that receiveth gifts. Heb. a man of oblations. 2Ki 15:18-20; *Jer 22:13-17; Dan 11:20; *Mic 7:3

From The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Proverbs 29:4

king by judgment. *Pro 29:14, Pro 16:12; Pro 20:8, *1Sa 13:13, 2Sa 8:15, 1Ki 2:12, 2Ch 1:1, Psa 89:12; Psa 89:14; Psa 97:2; Psa 99:4, *Isa 9:7; Isa 32:1, 2; Isa 49:8, *Jer 22:15.

establisheth the land. 1Ki 2:46, Isa 33:6.

he that receiveth gifts. Heb. a man of oblations. or, is open to bribes (CB). Pro 15:27; Pro 17:23, Exo 23:8, 2Sa 16:1, 2Ki 15:18, 19, 20, *Jer 22:13, 14, 15, 16, 17, Dan 11:20, *Mic 7:3, Act 24:26.

Posted in Bible Study Tools, Daily Bible Nuggets, How to Study the Bible, Politics and the Bible | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #679, Psalm 125:3

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psa 125:3  For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. (KJV)

Psa 125:3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. (ESV)

Psa 125:3  A wicked ruler will not be allowed to govern the land set aside for righteous people. That is why righteous people do not use their power to do wrong. (GW)

Psa 125:3 Indeed, the scepter of a wicked king will not settle
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly might
do what is wrong. (NET Bible)

Psa 125:3 For the sceptre of lawlessness shall not remain over the allotment of the righteous, – lest the righteous put forth – unto perversity – their hands. (EB)

My Comment

Reading more than one English translation should help us to understand a Bible verse or passage better than just reading one.

It also helps to read what other verses or passages careful Bible scholars and commentators have found that help explain the verse you are studying. The Bible is not written in the form of a systematic theology. We must gather what the Bible says about any topic it mentions by reading these related verses. The links to the related verses are called cross references.

If you think you know your Bible well but have never made use of cross reference Bible study, read the cross references below to see what you have been missing!

References from The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

Psalms 125:3

the rod: Psa 103:9, Psa 103:14; Pro 22:8; Isa 10:5, Isa 14:5-6, Isa 27:8; 1Co 10:13; Rev 2:10

the wicked: Heb. wickedness

References from The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

Psalms 125:3

the rod. Psa 103:9; Psa 103:14; Pro 22:8; Isa 9:4; Isa 10:5; Isa 14:5; Isa 14:6; Isa 27:8; ✓1Co 10:13; Rev 2:10

the wicked. Heb. wickedness. *Psa 5:4; Psa 10:15; Psa 45:7; *Psa 73:12-18; Psa 89:22

rest. Gen 8:4; Exo 10:14; Exo 20:11

lot. +Psa 16:5; Psa 22:18; Psa 78:55; Lev 16:8; +Jos 14:2n.

lest. Psa 103:14; *Mat 24:22; ✓1Co 10:13; *Jud 1:24

righteous. *Psa 1:5; Psa 5:12; Psa 7:9; Psa 11:3

put forth. Psa 18:14; Psa 18:16; Psa 20:2; Psa 55:20; Psa 57:3; 1Sa 24:10; Act 12:1

iniquity. Psa 37:1; Psa 43:1 mg. Psa 89:22; Psa 92:15; Ecc 7:7

References from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Psalms 125:3

the rod. %Psa 45:6; Psa 103:9; Psa 103:14, Num 17:2, Pro 22:8, Isa 9:4; Isa 10:5; Isa 14:5, 6; Isa 27:8, **1Co 10:13, Rev 2:10.

the wicked. Heb. wickedness. Heb. rasha, the wicked (or lawless) one. Here the reference is to Sennacharib (Isa 30:31), but it looks forward to 2Th 2:3, 4 (CB). *Psa 5:4; Psa 10:15; Psa 45:7; *Psa 73:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18; Psa 89:22, 2Ki 13:24, Isa 30:31, **2Th 2:3; **2Th 2:4; **2Th 2:8.

shall not rest. Psa 66:9; Psa 97:10, Gen 8:4, Exo 10:14; Exo 20:11, Isa 22:1, Jer 21:13.

lot. +Psa 16:5; Psa 22:18; Psa 78:55, Lev 16:8, +Jos 14:2 note.

of the righteous. Psa 66:9; Psa 94:15.

lest. Psa 103:14, Mat 9:16; *Mat 24:22, **1Co 10:13, *Jud 1:24.

righteous. *Psa 1:5; Psa 5:12; Psa 7:9; Psa 11:3; Psa 66:9; Psa 94:15; Psa 97:10, Pro 30:9, Mat 9:16.

put forth. Psa 18:14; Psa 18:16; Psa 20:2; Psa 55:20; Psa 57:3, 1Sa 24:10, Pro 30:9, Act 12:1.

iniquity. Psa 37:1; Psa 43:1 mg. Psa 89:22; Psa 92:15, Ecc 7:7.

Posted in Bible Study Tools, Daily Bible Nuggets, How to Study the Bible | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Daily Bible Nugget #678, Psalm 56:3

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psa 56:3  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. (KJV)

Psa 56:3 What day I am afraid, I, unto thee will direct my confidence. (EB, Emphasized Bible)

Psa 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. (ESV)

Psa 56:3  Even when I am afraid, I still trust you. (GW, God’s Word translation)

Psa 56:3 In the time of my fear, I will have faith in you. (Basic English Bible)

Psa 56:3 but even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting you. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)

My Comment:

There is much taking place in the world today that should concern us. But in the midst of it all, the best advice I know is to keep trusting God.

We can find encouragement and comfort (Romans 15:4) by turning to the Bible.

One of the best ways to understand the Bible’s message is to compare Scripture with Scripture.

That is why studying the Bible using cross reference Bible study is essential to our spiritual growth.

I share the cross references available for Psalm 56:3 from The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury below:

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

Psalms 56:3

Psa 34:4, Psa 55:4-5; 1Sa 21:10, 1Sa 21:12, 1Sa 30:6; 2Ch 20:3; 2Co 1:8-10, 2Co 7:5-6

The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

Psalms 56:3

What time. *Psa 34:4; *Psa 55:4; Psa 55:5; Psa 112:7; Psa 112:8; 1Sa 21:10; 1Sa 21:12; *1Sa 30:6; *2Ch 20:3; Isa 12:2; *2Co 1:8-10; *2Co 7:5; 2Co 7:6; 1Jn 4:18

The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Psalms 56:3

What time I am afraid. Psa 27:13; Psa 31:13; +**Psa 34:4; *Psa 55:4; *Psa 55:5; Psa 112:7, 8, 1Sa 21:10; 1Sa 21:12; *1Sa 30:6, *2Ch 20:3, Neh 6:9, Isa 12:2, Luk 8:33, 34, 35, *Joh 14:27, *2Co 1:8, 9, 10; *2Co 7:5; *2Co 7:6, 1Jn 4:18.

I will trust in thee. Psa 25:2; Psa 28:7; Psa 31:14; Psa 42:5; Psa 112:7, Pro 18:10, 2Co 4:8, Eph 6:16, 1Pe 5:7.

Posted in Bible Study Tools, Christian Living, Daily Bible Nuggets, How to Study the Bible, Principles of Christian Living | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #677, Job 23:10

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

My Comment:

Job serves as an outstanding person of faith. He trusted God through all his troubles. Others accused him of great sin, saying God would not punish an innocent person. Of course, they did not know the “back story.”

When great tragedy or misfortune strikes us we usually wonder why did God allow that to happen?

I first experienced this when I had my first new car for only a month. I had an accident on I-75. I was on my way to the winter outing with my church group from the Highland Park Baptist Church. It was a winter day and it was snowing lightly. Several of us stopped for gas (I did not need gas yet, my VW Beatle got better gas mileage than American cars did in those days!). When we started back on the trip up north I failed to put my seatbelt back on. I was driving in the left lane and had just gone under a freeway bridge when I must have encountered black ice. I went into the median and lost consciousness. When my car stopped (on its roof), others on the way to the winter retreat stopped to help, telling me my car had flipped over three times end for end. There were cars full of nurses and others. Just then, an ambulance going south on the freeway stopped to assist. I was taken to Hurley Hospital in Flint. My right hand was put in a cast with two broken fingers, and I had to be off from school for a month since I was not allowed to teach while wearing a cast.

I wondered at the time why God allowed that to happen. During that month I was busy enough doing research at the Wayne State University library on my Master’s thesis. It was awkward writing notes with my left hand, but I learned quickly how to do that. I was taking a course in linguistics taught by Dr. Donald J. Lloyd. I had showed him the programmed learning reading units I had been writing to help my students (these units became my Language Enrichment Program now available on Amazon if you search for that title with my name, Jerome H. Smith). Dr. Lloyd encouraged me to take the Greyhound bus to East Lansing where he could meet with me and look at what I had written.

Dr. Lloyd introduced me to Dr. John Ball, the president of the Resources Development Corporation which produced programmed instruction training materials for industry. Dr. Ball looked a few moments at my work and said, “You’re hired!” So I had a regular job during summer vacations the next several summers writing for industry. When I needed to have copies made of my completed Master’s thesis Dr. Lloyd assisted with the task with the copy machines they had at RDC.

But today, March 13, 2022, is the 36th anniversary of the day I was shot in the back of my head at point-blank range by an unknown assailant wielding a nine millimeter handgun in the back teachers’ parking lot at Southeastern High School at 7:15 am. My assailant shouted for me to stop as I walked across the back of the school. I wanted to get in sight of the ROTC windows which looked out on the parking lot. The assailant showed me his gun, but I kept walking, and he stepped behind me and fired the gun. My ears rang. I fell flat on the snow and mud of the parking lot in front of the ROTC windows with enough force to break my glasses. My assailant demanded my wallet when I came to. I gave him my money–thirty-three dollars. My assailant was mad and said, “Is that all the money you teachers carry on you?” Just then the electronics teacher walking to school from the bus stop saw what had happened and called out to me. My assailant ran to his awaiting vehicle. The drafting teacher (who had been car-jacked at gunpoint in this very same parking lot not long before, which when my good friend Pastor Emery Moss heard about it in the news, came to Southeastern to my classroom to be sure I was safe, thinking it was me) took down the license number of the assailant’s vehicle and with the electronics teacher, followed it for a ways. The assailant was driving a stolen vehicle, so he was never identified or caught.

I was  taken by ambulance to a medical facility not far from school. The gym department head brought my broken glasses to me in the hospital and warned me my assailant intended to murder me or he would not have shot me in the head. My teacher friend Mrs. Malik, who had heard on the news that a teacher at Southeastern had been shot that morning, just knew it was me though no names were given and came to the hospital. When my wife and her mother arrived, Mrs. Malik was there to meet her and her “grandchildren,” as she lovingly called my two very young sons. I was released from the hospital, wearing what seemed a very large compression bandage.

I soon learned that my science teacher friend, Mr. Hackett, had announced his resignation from teaching. He gave as his reason how I was mocked and jeered as he and the gym department head (who was on duty and had called the ambulance and also called my wife) escorted–almost carried me–to the ambulance. He said if that is the attitude of students toward his good friend and fellow teacher (me), he no longer wanted to teach in Detroit. Mr. Hackett did me a wonderful favor by retrieving my many selection boxes of my teaching materials from my classroom and taking them to his law office where I was later able to get them.

Unknown to me when all this happened was that I was providentially provided the kind of time needed to produce my Bible study reference tool, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. I am currently working with the publisher to prepare to bring my book back into print.

So, when it seems bad things happen in your life, it may be that God has a plan not seen by you at the time but that works out for His glory over time.

Here are the cross references I have given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury for Job 23:10,

Job 23:10

he knoweth. Job 10:7, *Gen 18:19, *Deut 2:7, Jos 22:22, +*2Ki 20:3, *Psa 1:6; Psa 31:7; +**Psa 40:17; Psa 103:14; Psa 139:1, 2, 3; Psa 142:3, Jer 12:3, +**Joh 21:17, *2Ti 2:19.

the way that I take. Heb. the way that is with me. Job 22:3, %+**Rth 1:13, +*Psa 37:34; *Psa 142:3, +*Pro 4:18, Isa 26:8.

he hath tried me. Job 1:11, 12; Job 2:5, 6; Job 13:15, Deut 8:2, Jdg 2:22; Jdg 3:1; Jdg 7:4, 2Sa 22:22, Psa 17:3; Psa 66:10, *Pro 17:3, *Isa 48:10, Zec 13:9, Mal 3:2, 3, Heb 11:17, *Jas 1:2, 3, 4; *Jas 1:12, +1Pe 1:7.

I shall. Job 42:5, 6, 7, 8, Mic 7:9, Mat 15:28, 2Co 1:12, Jas 5:11.

 

Posted in Bible Promises, Bible Study Tools, Daily Bible Nuggets, Education Issues, The Language Enrichment Program | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #676, John 6:44

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

One of my friends on Facebook posted this interesting comment:

There is something about being created as self directed individuals (angels and humanity) that craves autonomy.

Biblical “Calvinism” affirms the sovereignty of God and the true Gospel of divine sovereign grace.

“…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” Romans 10

“…so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2

Criticism of “Calvinism” comes from the spiritual pride of the flesh, as recorded in Genesis 3. It judges God, and telling Him He has to be fair, and that we get to choose by our own “free will” whether to believe in Jesus or not.

 

I posted, in response, this comment:

Criticism of Calvinism may also come from a more careful and accurate study of what the Bible itself actually teaches!

In answer to a question posed to me on Facebook, “What is one thing that you think calvinism teaches that isn’t biblical?” I wrote:

From my long, careful, and thorough study of the Bible I must conclude that the doctrine of limited atonement is unscriptural. There are other doctrines that are unbiblical because those who formulated those doctrines failed to heed the grammatical distinctions maintained in the Greek New Testament, with particular reference to the subjunctive mood.

John 6:44 is a prime example:

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (KJV)

Joh 6:44 no one is able to come unto me, if the Father who sent me may not draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day; (YLT, Young’s Literal Translation)

Notice that the KJV “draw” is more correctly translated “may draw,” as reflected in Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible. “May” represents the subjunctive mood that is present in the underlying Greek text of the New Testament.

draw. or, may draw. Aorist tense, active voice, subjunctive mood, third person singular verb. Logically, Calvinism cannot base absolute sovereignty and absolute predestination or the doctrine of irresistible grace upon (or in the face of) the “may” of the subjunctive mood in the probable future third class condition here and in verse 65 (Joh 6:65), That would be an absolute contradiction in terms. “May” expresses contingency; the “third class condition” expresses probability, but not certainty, because of the contingency. The “third class condition” asserts that if a specified condition is met, a certain result will follow. Thus, the Calvinistic position is proven absolutely untenable according to the grammar of Scripture. The terms of the contingency are expressed in Joh 6:37 and Joh 6:40, and include continuing belief.

Joh 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (KJV)

Joh 6:37 all that the Father doth give to me will come unto me; and him who is coming unto me, I may in no wise cast without, (YLT)

Notice that Young correctly preserves the subjunctive mood by translating the last clause “I may in no wise cast without .”

I will. or, I may (Young). The subjunctive mood marks the contingency: is coming.

Joh 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (KJV)

In this instance at John 6:40 the KJV got it right by properly representing the subjunctive mood by the use of “may” in the clause “may have everlasting life.” The “may” of the subjunctive mood reflects the preceding contingency marked by “and believeth on him,” where “believeth” represents the present continuous tense of the verb “believe,” calling attention to the necessity of continued believing.

Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. (KJV)

Joh 6:65 and he said, `Because of this I have said to you–No one is able to come unto me, if it may not have been given him from my Father.’ (YLT)

were given. or, may not have been given (Young). As in Joh 6:44, the subjunctive mood (“may”) marks a stipulated contingency involving continued hearing of His word (Joh 6:63) and believing (Joh 6:40; Joh 6:47; Joh 6:64).

This may not be what you have been taught in Sunday school. It may not be what your church or pastor teaches. It is what the Bible teaches! It is never safe to go by man-made doctrinal systems for they do not accurately represent what the Bible teaches. Study the Bible yourself. Learn all you can. Careful study will make a difference for  all eternity!

That is what Real Bible Study is all about. If you have not been using The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge or Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible or The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, you are not studying the Bible to the degree that will most help your spiritual life and Bible understanding! These resources, like their venerable predecessor, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, let Scripture interpret Scripture.

Posted in Bible Study Tools, Daily Bible Nuggets, Doctrinal Discussions, How to Interpret the Bible Correctly, How to Study the Bible | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #675, Matthew 19:17

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

My Comment:

This passage (Matthew 19:17) was brought up in a discussion about baptism regarding the assertion that good works are required for salvation. Jesus spoke in a manner to indicate that “if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”

To make this important answer more accessible for all readers here, I am making use of my answer in that discussion in this separate main post:

Dear Dave,

You brought up a most interesting passage, Matthew 19:17, in a comment above.

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

I placed the following note on this passage in my newest Bible study tool, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

but if. FS184A, +1Co 15:2, Note,—The Lord answers this inquirer according to the terms of the Legal Dispensation, which had not yet expired, and under which, as a Jew, he was: with a view to vindicating the requirements of the law, preparatory to the announcement of the grace of the gospel; to the faith and privileges of which, however, he afterwards invites him in the words Come and follow me, Mat 19:21 :—whence also the difference between this answer and that given by the apostles to the same question, in the case of the Philippian Jailer, Act 16:31,—he being a Gentile, and the New Testament dispensation having been opened. So in the other instance recorded, Luk 10:25, the Lord answers according to the Law, but yet (as in this instance) in such a way as to convince of sin by it, and so lead from it. See the references (De Burgh, p. 91). +Lev 18:5, Neh 9:29, Eze 20:11, 12, 13; Eze 20:21, Luk 10:25, 26, 27, 28, Rom 2:13; Rom 10:5, Gal 3:10, 11, 12, 13; Gal 3:19, 20, 21, 22, 23 24, 25.

 

Notice the reference to Leviticus 18:5,

Lev 18:5  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

This must be contrasted with Genesis 15:6,

Gen 15:6  And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Both of these passages (Leviticus 18:5 and Genesis 15:6) are cited in the New Testament a number of times.

[Genesis 15:6 is cited at Romans 4:3, 6, 9, 22, 23, 24. Galatians 3:6. James 2:23.

Leviticus 18:5 is cited at Romans 10:5. Galatians 3:12.]

Paul tells us that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ:

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

It is plain that if “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith,” then, as Paul teaches, “But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Thus, we conclude with Paul, being justified by faith, we are no longer under the law.

Therefore, any  properly informed Jew or properly taught Gentile would know from Scripture itself that salvation is by faith alone, apart from the works of the law. Remember how often Jesus asked his hearers (Matthew 12:3. 21:16. Mark 2:25), “have ye not read?”

That does not mean that because we placed our faith in Jesus Christ for our salvation that we are free to become lawless. Rather, as Paul clearly and carefully teaches,

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Notice that  Paul explicitly declares that if we are led of the Spirit, we are not under the law.

Paul further teaches that those who are genuinely saved by faith also produce the fruit of the Spirit, “against such there is no law,”

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

So if we are not under the law, we surely are not saved by obedience to the law. This would be “another Gospel,” contrary to what Paul (and the Bible as a whole) taught, and is anathema!

Lev 18:5  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 18:5 teaches one of the two ways we can be saved: if we keep the law perfectly, we can be saved. But no one except our Lord Jesus Christ has  perfectly kept the law. So, according to the central emphatic point of the book of James (as seen in its literary structure—the whole book of James is one great chiasmus, and the central member of the chiasm is James 2:10), anyone who claims to have kept the law, and yet offends in one point, is guilty of all:

 Jas 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

[The chiastic literary structure of the book of James is displayed on page 1847 of the Companion Bible.]

No one, therefore, will ever be saved on the basis of obedience to the law.

The second means of salvation declared in Scripture is justification by faith:

Gen 15:6  And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

This promise given to Abraham in the Abrahamic Covenant has been extended to us all as the only means of our salvation as explained in detail by the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 4. Notice the obvious: this promise was given before the institution of the Mosaic law and therefore has precedence over it.

Now when James declares that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26), he is not contradicting himself and neither is he contradicting the Apostle Paul. If you see a contradiction, you are obviously misreading the text of Scripture.

James had just told us earlier in his letter (James 1:18) that we have been begotten by the word of truth:

Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

He also speaks of the “engrafted word, which is able to save your souls,”

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Therefore, James is speaking of the fact that genuine faith in our Lord Jesus Christ  transforms our nature and produces the fruit of the Spirit–the good works that are seen by men as the outcome of our genuine faith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Daily Bible Nuggets, Dave Armstrong Discussions, Doctrinal Discussions | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Is water baptism required for salvation Part 5

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Jerry

I have been discussing a number of Bible passages which are used by some individuals, churches, and denominations to support the mistaken doctrine of baptismal regeneration or baptismal remission of sin.

Acts 22:16 is another such passage:

Act 22:16  And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

I dealt with this passage in my Bible study resource, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, with special reference to the mode of Christian water baptism. Many Christians, churches, and denominations assume that whenever the word “baptize” appears in the New Testament, it always has  reference to immersion. A careful study of how the word is actually used in the Greek text of the New Testament actually would show that the word “baptizo” which underlies our English word “baptism” and “baptize” is a non-modal word. That is, it tells what was done but does not tell how it was done. Context determines how it was done. That is a linguistic fact.

So, when I placed the following note in my book, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, I wrote the note with the subject of the mode of Christian baptism in mind:

arise. or, standing, he was baptized (2 aorist active participle, nominative singular masculine). Paul was water baptized in a standing position in a Jewish home. Nothing in this record or the parallel accounts suggests Paul went to a place where there was sufficient water for immersion. Jewish households had no provision for immersions, and even the six waterpots at the wedding of Cana would be insufficient for such a purpose (Joh 2:6 note). +*Act 2:38; +Act 8:12; +Act 8:26; +Act 9:6; +#Act 9:18, 1Ch 22:19, **Rom 6:3; **Rom 6:4, *1Co 6:11; **1Co 12:13, **Gal 3:27, *Tit 3:5, **Heb 10:22, 1Pe 3:21.

It ought to be clear that even if Acts 22:16 is a reference to ritual water baptism (which it absolutely is not) that the mode of baptism referred to could not be immersion.

When I created my latest and much expanded Bible study resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, I included the following new note to stress that carefully considered, Acts 22:16 is actually a reference to “real baptism,” not “ritual water baptism”:

and be baptized. or, you baptize yourself. The verb is in the middle voice, implying that he had his part to do in connexion with baptism, ’get baptized’ (Walker). You baptize yourself is a middle voice imperative, not passive; you wash away is a middle voice imperative; having called on the name of the Lord shows how the imperatives were carried out—by prayer! Thus the middle voice shows Paul as acting on himself by means of prayer, having nothing to do with water (see LNT, fn u). This baptism cannot possibly be with water, by man. There is not a drop of water here. Here is a baptism that had the power to wash away sins, was effected by prayer and by the subject acting upon himself, and not being passively acted upon by a baptizer with water (see Malcolm Lavender, The Fallacy of the ’Sinning Christian,’ p. 112). On the middle voice, see Act 2:41 note; Rom 9:22 note; Rom 10:13 note. +Act 2:38 note, Act 2:41 note. Act 6:3-4 note. +Act 8:12, *1Co 1:17, Col 2:12 note, Col 2:13 note. 1Pe 3:20, 21, 22.

Does water baptism wash away our sins? Not according to a proper understanding of Scripture. I placed the following note at Acts 22:16 in the New Treasury and retained it in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

away thy sins. It was not the ritual water of literal baptism that washed away Paul’s sins, but the blood of Christ. This is certain from Scripture, for **Rev 1:5 asserts that the blood of Christ has washed us from our sins. Now if we ask the question, “Which washing is the real, and which the symbolic, washing of our sins?” the only answer possible is that the blood cleansing is real, the water symbolic. Ritual baptism symbolizes the washing away of sins by the blood of Christ. This is the basis for asserting that ritual baptism symbolizes what is accomplished by the Holy Spirit in real baptism (Act 1:5 note). See related notes (Act 1:5 note. **Act 2:38 note, Act 2:41 note. Act 8:36 note, Act 8:38 note, Act 8:39 note. Act 10:47 note, **Act 10:48 note. Act 11:17 note. Act 16:14 note, Act 16:15 note, *Act 16:33 note. **Mar 16:16 note. %**Rom 6:4 note. Col 2:11 note, Col 2:12 note). +Act 2:38, Psa 51:2, Mat 3:6, Mar 1:4, Luk 3:3, Joh 19:34, *Rom 4:11, 1Co 6:11, +**Heb 10:22, 1Pe 3:21, **1Jn 1:7, *Rev 1:5.

A scholarly discussion of Acts 22:16 may be found in James W. Dale, Christic and Patristic Baptism, on the following indicated pages (these references are not given in the index on page 646):

Alexander Campbell, President of Bethany College Page 105
Ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου, ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου.—ACTS 22:16.

Alexander Campbell, President of Bethany College Page 105
Acts 22:12–16 differs from that passage now examined as being more full in statement, and with material variety in phraseology.

Speaking with Tongues and Prophesying Page 114
It is not stated that he prayed, but doubtless he did as is stated in Acts 8:15, and Acts 22:16, in the case of his own baptism.

Λουτρόν Page 379
Acts 22:16: “Wash away (ἀπόλουσαι) thy sins calling upon the name of the Lord.” Prayer will wash away sin; water will not.

Brief Examination of These Views Pages 427–428
And Acts 22:16, “Baptize thyself, and wash away thy sins (ἐπικαλεσάμενος) calling upon the name of the Lord,” is a crushing, ad hominem, argument against the doctrine.

Dale, J. W. (1874). An Inquiry Into the Usage of ΒΑΠΤΙΖΩ and the Nature of Christic and Patristic Baptism (pp. 105–428). Wm. Rutter & Co.

Posted in Dave Armstrong Discussions, Doctrinal Discussions | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Is water baptism required for salvation Part 4

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Jerry

Sometimes individuals, churches, and denominations hold to a mistaken view of what the Bible teaches based on a string of favorite proof-texts. Those who believe in baptismal regeneration or baptismal remission of sins frequently point to Titus 3:5,

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (KJV)

Tit 3:5  he saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain his approval. Instead, because of his mercy he saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal. (GW, God’s Word translation)

Tit 3:5 He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)

Tit 3:5 he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, (NET Bible)

This passage is hardly a reference to ritual water baptism. If it were a reference to water baptism, this would be a contradiction to what Paul stated at the beginning of the sentence, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.”

There is no reference in context to a human administrator of water baptism.

This, then, is another reference to “real baptism,” which is accomplished by the Holy Spirit when we believe on and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

Notice, once again (see John 3:5 for another instance), that two things are here joined by “and”: “washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” This is another example of the Figure of Speech Hendiadys, where two words or things are mentioned but only one thing is meant. Thus, the “washing of regeneration, even renewing of the Holy Ghost” are one thing, the same thing, not two things.

The reference is to the spiritual cleansing by the Holy Spirit in real baptism as opposed to ritual water baptism which has no such efficacy, the regeneration and renewing which the Holy Spirit accomplishes in creating in us the new nature in Christ.

Posted in Dave Armstrong Discussions, Doctrinal Discussions | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Is water baptism required for salvation Part 3

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Jerry

Those who believe that water baptism is required for salvation appeal to several New Testament verses to support their belief. In Part 2 I discussed John 3:5 which is one of the main verses used to support the doctrine of baptismal regeneration.

Another passage commonly used to support the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is Acts 2:38,

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 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?
Act 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.

This passage is often considered by those who teach the doctrine of baptismal regeneration as being an unanswerable prooftext in support of this doctrine.

When Acts 2:38 is examined carefully it is very evident that it does not teach the doctrine of baptismal regeneration at all.

I attended an interesting debate between Albert Garner and a local Church of Christ pastor in Gainesville, Florida. The Church of Christ pastor had posted a large sign about Acts 2:38 which listed fifty scholars which he claimed agreed with his interpretation of the word “for” in the phrase “for the remission of sins.”

I do not recall whether Dr. Garner addressed this issue. But if I were in a debate, I would address this claim by asserting (1) fifty scholars may appear to agree with you but that is likely because they were not addressing the doctrine you promote when they discussed this verse in their commentaries or other writings. (2) Truth is not determined by a majority vote! (3) Your mistaken assertion that “for” in Acts 2:38 means “in order to” is not supported by a careful comparison of related Bible passages. (4) That rendition of Acts 2:38 so as to make it read “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ ‘in order to’ the remission of sins” does not even make good English sense and certainly in this context is not a good translation of the underlying Greek preposition “eis” which most often is translated by the word “into.” Now translating Acts 2:38 by reading “into” instead of “for” may not at first seem to provide any added clarity until we trace the usage of “eis” in four other  passages about baptism or repentance which use this same Greek preposition:

(1) Matthew 3:11,

Mat 3:11  I indeed baptize you with 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 with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

We are certainly not baptized with water “in order to” repent, but as a sign or symbol of repentance which has already taken place.

(2) Matthew 28:19

Mat 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:

The expression “in the name” or “into the name” does not mean “in order to the name” but “as a sign or profession of faith in and obedience to” the triune God.

(3) 1 Corinthians 10:2

1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

The expression, “were all baptized unto Moses” can be translated “were all baptized into Moses.” How can a person or a whole crowd of people be “baptized into (eis) Moses”? The meaning is that when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry land and escaped the Egyptian army who were in hot pursuit, they finally realized they had a firm basis for faith in Moses as their leader. They came under the controlling influence of Moses. You will recall that the Egyptians, attempting to follow the Israelites across that sea on dry land were overwhelmed and drowned in the returning waters:

Exo 14:31  And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

It ought to be very clear that “eis” in 1 Corinthians 10:2, “baptized unto Moses,” cannot mean “baptized ‘in order to’ Moses,” but “baptized as a sign or profession of faith in” Moses as their leader.

(4) 1 Corinthians 1:13

1Co 1:13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

The questions Paul poses to the Corinthians here all have an expected answer “No.” The Corinthians were not baptized in (eis) the name of Paul. Most certainly the rendering “baptized ‘in order to’ the name of Paul” would be incorrect here also. In the very next verse Paul says:

1Co 1:14  I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

Now consider: if ritual water baptism is essential for salvation, how could Paul possibly have said “I thank God that I baptized none of you”?

Posted in Dave Armstrong Discussions, Doctrinal Discussions | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Is water baptism required for salvation Part 2

Posted on February 13, 2022 by Jerry

There are two major Christian groups, churches, or denominations I know of  that believe it is necessary to be water baptized in order to receive remission of sins or in order to be born again or be saved.

One of the main texts of Scripture they point to in support of this view is John 3:5,

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

In context, Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, did not understand what Jesus meant by “born again.”

A little farther in the narrative Jesus indicates his surprise that Nicodemus did not know these things:

Joh 3:9  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Joh 3:10  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

If Jesus expected Nicodemus to know and understand these things, it stands to reason that these things were already taught in the Bible and Nicodemus should have known them.

Since Jesus expected Nicodemus as a “master in Israel” to know these things, clearly they must be taught in the Old Testament, and in fact they are. Being “born of water” is taught in Eze 36:25, “sprinkle clean water,” and being “born of the spirit” is taught in Eze 36:26, 27, “a new spirit will I put within you,” both expressions in Ezekiel pertaining to the spiritual awakening required for Israel to be restored to God’s favor in order to receive the promised theocratic kingdom in the land of Israel (Eze 36:28). Since the three elements “water,” “spirit,” and promised “kingdom of God” appear together in both passages in precisely the same connection, it is unnecessary to look elsewhere for the proper explanation of Jesus’ words.

Therefore, the reference to being “born of water and the Spirit” can have no reference to the Christian rite of ritual water baptism for there is no way that Jesus could properly expect Nicodemus to have knowledge of that. Water baptism is not at all in view in Ezekiel 36:26, 27, 28.

In the first part of this series about “Is water baptism required for salvation” which I began with yesterday’s post, I established from Scripture itself that there are at least two baptisms spoken of in the New Testament (Hebrews 6:1, 2, note baptisms is plural). I gave several New Testament passages which spoke of two baptisms (Matthew 3:11)–water baptism as practiced by John the Baptist and baptism of the Holy Ghost as practiced by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Baptism with water is ritual water baptism and requires someone to administer the water to the subject.

Real baptism is accomplished by the Holy Spirit without a human administrator and without the use of physical water.

Notice very carefully that John 3:5 is a reference to real baptism by the Holy Spirit which results in the new birth for in context no water is mentioned in connection with any human administrator of the rite:

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

But reading the verse you might say, but Jesus explicitly mentions being “born of water.” What is involved here is a Figure of Speech called Hendiadys, where two words are used (water, Spirit) but only one thing is meant (Spirit). Thus what is meant is “born of water, even the Spirit.” Water is here used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Taken this way, what Jesus said to Nicodemus should have been understood by Nicodemus in the light of Ezekiel 36:25, 26, 27, a passage he surely should have known.

This conclusively demonstrates that two Christian churches or denominations I know of have misinterpreted John 3:5 when they have used this text to assert their mistaken doctrine of baptismal regeneration when they teach that ritual water baptism is a requirement for salvation.

Posted in Dave Armstrong Discussions, Doctrinal Discussions | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments