One of the prevailing thoughts in the world is that one religion or “church” is as good as any other and that God recognizes all of them as valid. Nothing could be farther from the truth of God’s word than that idea. God in Christ didn’t create many different beliefs and groups. He created one body and one way only for obtaining salvation. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:4-6: 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.  Verse three has the word unity which is closely allied with the word one and means that unity is dependent upon the one Lord and his teachings as seen in verses 4-6. 

Without any doubt or at the least, there shouldn’t be any doubt that Paul set forth in three of the verses in his letter to the assembly at Ephesus the essential doctrines that create the identifiable body of Christ, God’s people. Various false doctrines were being taught and Paul told Timothy, I Timothy 1:3: As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, One Lord, one faith, one baptism which creates one body of Christ.

Yet in the world today, we see many different doctrines contrary to doctrines found in scripture. Men have taken it upon themselves to decide what is necessary and what isn’t to be a member of the body. In II Timothy 4:2-4 Paul wrote:  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  The so called religious world is filled with all sorts of doctrines designed to soothe offended consciences, tickle ears and appeal to emotions, none of which are to be found in the Bible.

That divisions exist amongst those who want to be part of the body, or imagine they are part of the body, is a given, and can be traced to the simple Greek word, baptizo -- pronounced: bap-tid'-zo which wasn’t translated immerse, submerge or (burial i.e. cover wholly with a fluid) as it should have been. (Baptize occurs 9 times; baptized 61 times; and baptism 22 times and surely shows the importance of it to Jesus and the apostles. It is an integral part of the gospel and it is the first step of faith after repentance. Repentance leads to immersion into Christ Romans (6:3-5). The word was transliterated by changing the letters to make a generic English word, baptism. By disregarding the clear meaning of baptidzo, the false doctrines of sprinkling and pouring became doctrines of the apostate assemblies. Those words are fables whose definition is an invention or falsehood. Thus through the traditions of men and the false doctrines they invent, the religious world is fragmented beyond any blueprint for God’s people found in the scriptures: a major part of it done by twisting the word baptidzo. Its meaning becomes whatever someone wants it to mean.

Just as Paul told Timothy in verse 2, those words apply just as much in this day and age as they did back in Paul’s day. The truth is plain for those who scoff at the essential doctrines are fooling themselves. In Romans 8:7-9, Paul wrote: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  Those who scoff or ignore sound doctrine have a carnal mind. One of the proofs of being in the Spirit of Christ is following his word and if not, the Bible teaches that you are none of his. Those should be sobering words for anyone who wishes to please God and be saved. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, is the truth.

 © 11-8-2009 DEC

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