Except Ye Repent

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How to Build a Learning Unit

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Eric Walberer

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Printable Activity: 8 page mini coloring book and full-sized pictures to tell the story of Peter preaching the gospel for the first time to Gentiles - Cornelius and his family.

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Ann Wielenga

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Printable Scale Model of Noah's Ark

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Q: I have come out of the charismatic church. I am praying for wisdom and understanding. I am unsure of speaking in tongues now. I do have the 'gift' but now i am unsure. Well, I do understand the 'speaking in tongues' is actually a language that needs an interpreter that it was origionally designed to spread the gospel for other countries. Now I want to know why in the bible there is a verse saying, " continue to pray in the spirit at all times' what is then praying in the spirit? My brain is experiencing some conflict but I am at peace with leaving the cahrismatic church and its beliefs and I am now searching the bible and discovering truth for myself however there are some parts which i cannot fully explain as I was taught that tongues were a sign from God. Please can you let me know your interpretation of praying in the spirit. Thank you and God bless

A: I'm glad you are examining your experience in the light of scripture.  Often, we are more comfortable to interpret experiences based on feelings or advice of others.

Praying in the Spirit is mentioned three times in Scripture.

1) 1 Corinthians 14:15" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:15 says, “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”

2) Ephesians 6:18" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 6:18 says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

3) Jude 20" TARGET="_blank">Jude 20 says, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.”

Some Christians understand these Scriptures to be referring to praying in tongues.  However, God usually communicates to us in our native language and we speak to him with understanding by using our own language.  As you mentioned in your email, when a person has the gift of speaking in tongues, it is sign to the audience that God is revealing new information through direct revelation.  The miracle of tongues authenticates the messengers.

So what does it mean?  “Pray in” the Spirit can have several different meanings. It can mean “by means of,” “with the help of,” “in the sphere of,” and “in connection to.” Praying in the Spirit does not refer to the words we are saying. Rather, it refers to how we are praying. Praying in the Spirit is praying according to the Spirit’s leading. It is praying for things that the Spirit leads us to pray for. 

1 Corinthians 14:15" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:15 uses the words "my spirit" which means Paul's spirit - the inner, spiritual part of man that responds to God's truth.  Paul is using both his powers of reason and capacity to worship when he prays.

Ephesians 6" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 6 tells us that we should be sensitive to spiritual necessities of every moment and every person.  A spiritual person recognizes these needs by being awakened to such needs - for example, how we see a financial crisis in a home can be interpreted as nothing more than poverty, or we can see a spiritual problem in a relationship as the root cause.  A spiritual insight means we see problems that have a spiritual solution which may be salvation, obedience to a commandment of the scripture or a clearer understanding of who we are in Christ.

Jude refers to spiritual growth in our faith.  Increasing understanding and appreciation to "the faith" or the doctrines of scripture will affect the way we pray - enlightened by the spirit of God in the understanding of His word.

Romans 8:26" TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:26 tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

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IS MAN A TRIPARTITE BEING?
Is man dual or tripartite in nature? If the latter, how are spirit and soul distinguished?

Certainly tripartite, as 1 Thessalonians 5:23" TARGET="_blank">1 Thessalonians 5:23 proves—”I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved’ blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” An attempt was made by the late Dr. Bullinger to shew that man is dual:—the combination of Spirit and Body forming the Soul—but it was clearly untenable, for if that were the case, the order of the words would be Spirit and Body, even the Soul; and at death the personality would be dissolved, a doctrine even worse than the so-called “sleep of the soul.” The Spirit and the Soul represent the spiritual side of man, which is sometimes called by one name, sometimes by the other.

They are distinct, but only divisible in a metaphorical sense by the Word of God “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit” (Hebrews 4:12)," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 4:12), that is, they are never viewed as separated one from the other. The Spirit is the higher part; with it, man understands (1 Corinthians  2:11), and is in touch with the unseen :—“God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24)." TARGET="_blank">John 4:24). The Soul is the other side of man’s spiritual being, and links it with the body—it desires, loves, sorrows, etc. “My soul is cast down within me” (Psalm 42:6;" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 42:6; see also 1 Samuel 18:1;" TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 18:1; Numbers 21: 4;" TARGET="_blank">Numbers 21: 4; 2 Samuel 5:8)." TARGET="_blank">2 Samuel 5:8).

The personality is sometimes connected with the soul (e.g., “few, that is, eight souls* were saved by water”), or with the body. When Stephen fell asleep, we read that “devout men carried him (i.e., his body) to the burial” (Acts 8:2)," TARGET="_blank">Acts 8:2), but Stephen in a higher sense was not in the graveyard, but with Him to Whom he had just committed his spirit.”

W.H.

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Highfield Road Gospel Hall Toronto has been in the news for a video that was posted online from a conflict between a group of neighbors and a group of people from the church.

Incorrect Assumptions

The street preaching was interpreted by some neighbors as "an attack", "a protest" or a "method to drive out gays from their neighborhood".  "Messages of hate" and "homophobic" as other descriptions appeared on blogs across the internet. Predictably comments from Christians and gays alike condemned the group for its perceived attacks.

Corrections

To the credit of journalists Daniel Dale and Jesse McLean, from The Star, interviews were conducted with people from both sides of the street to try to shed some light on what the two groups were saying. In the article Viral video in Leslieville is not what it seems , the reports show that the church was not, and never has used its sermons, singing or prayers as weapons in the culture war.  

 ----- quote from article -------------

“I don’t like how the whole issue is being distorted,” said Blair Chiasson, a civil servant who lives with his partner, Paul Collins. “Nothing happened. Nothing happened.”

Christine Oddy was on her porch when she heard a sermon which featured, she said, “something about blood running down the street, souls going to purgatory.” She approached the parishioners. “You are hateful people, that’s what you are,” she can be heard saying on the video.

Online, hundreds of others joined her in condemnation. Prominent U.S. sex writer Dan Savage, who is gay, called the parishioners “Christofascists.” Another gay blogger called them “Christian terrorists.”

To Chiasson, however, they are the unthreatening “church people” — and they did not do anything wrong.

Chiasson, 45, said he believes Highfield parishioners only choose to read the Bible from a spot near their house because a fire hydrant prevents cars from parking there.

He said the parishioners preached on the street long before he and Collins, 47, arrived 13 years ago. Moreover, he said, he and Collins have never felt personally targeted by the parishioners, have never heard them say anything homophobic, and have not even been present for three years on the summer Sundays when the infrequent sermons occur.

He said the parishioners are “a part of the neighbourhood” with the right to speak freely. The neighbours who confronted them, he said, “overreacted.”

“We don’t even know the people that started this,” he said. “So the people who are apparently our defenders, we don’t even know who they are.”

--------------- end quote --------------

Some churches try to target gays with provocative statements that are meant to enrange and belittle their opponents.  Churches like Westboro Baptist are well known for proudly display signs saying hurtful and provocative things.  However, the churches that meet in Gospel Hall buildings are careful to refrain from political involvement or name calling.

The debate now has turned to whether or not preaching on the street is a right or an annoyance.  In a follow-up article, reporter Jessica McLean asks the question - A righteous disturbance or a democratic right?

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What are the sacraments? Do I need to complete them to be a complete Christian?

The 7 sacraments are 7 ceremonial steps in the Catholic faith.  It is erroneously believed that sacraments can help a person to be saved or are the means by which someone “receives grace”, that is, the sacraments are the means by which someone receives salvation from sin.  In the Catholic system, salvation begins at baptism by which God makes the sinner righteous. Throughout his life, God helps the believer to maintain and increase this righteousness by his good works.  

The fundamental flaw in the thinking behind the sacraments is that they “help” in salvation.  The problem isn’t that Catholic traditions are harmful – water, bread, vows, classes, prayer – the problem is that Catholic preaching says that faith, plus some quantity of works, usually including the sacraments, will save a person. The discussion on the validity of the sacraments can stop right here.  No ritual or work will bring salvation.  Nor are sacraments the channel of salvation.

Faith and Works

The great debate between Catholics and Protestants since the days of the reformation centers on the role of good works. Is faith sufficient for salvation? or should it also be accompanied by personal good works - such as prayer, charity, baptism and obedience to the commandments?

Both Catholics and Protestants agree that true faith is always accompanied by good works. Protestants would generally teach that “the faith that hasn’t changed you has not saved you.” Catholics would say that “good works preserve and increase your personal righteousness for your final justification.”  Catholic teaching is quick to say “you really don't need to have all the Sacraments to gain salvation, but they will help lead you on the right path to salvation.”
Consider the following three phrases:

1. Good works are not necessary at all.
2. Good works are necessary to increase merit.
3. Good works always accompany true faith.

The Biblical teaching on works is #3.  Good works always accompany saving faith.  However, Catholic teaching agrees with statement #2.  Good works are necessary to increase one’s merit or righteousness.  Following the sacraments is the Catholic’s good works that he believes will help his case before God.

Good Works in the Bible

Here are some relevant verses from the Bible relating to good works and salvation.

1)    Faith alone in the Savior can save you.  Faith in him is not only necessary, it is sufficient.

John 3:36" TARGET="_blank">John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Romans 4:5" TARGET="_blank">Romans 4:5  And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

John 1:11-13" TARGET="_blank">John 1:11-13  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  (12)  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  (13)  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 14:6" TARGET="_blank">John 14:6  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

2)    Works do not save.  There is one Work which saves, that is the work of Christ on the cross which “is finished” (John 19:30)." TARGET="_blank">John 19:30).

Ephesians 2:8-9" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  (9)  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Galatians 2:16" TARGET="_blank">Galatians 2:16  yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
 
Galatians 3:11" TARGET="_blank">Galatians 3:11  Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."

Romans 3:28" TARGET="_blank">Romans 3:28  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Titus 3:5" TARGET="_blank">Titus 3:5  he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

3)    All work done by the believer is a result of salvation.  Works are the fruit of salvation, not the root of salvation.

Ephesians 2:10" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Titus 3:5-8" TARGET="_blank">Titus 3:5-8  he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  (6)  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  (7)  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  (8)  The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

The apostle Paul affirms that we are saved is "not by works of righteousness." Yet, he does not conclude that since we're not saved by works, we can ignore them. Just the opposite is true.  Paul tells the believers "to be careful to devote themselves to good works."

The Sacraments in detail

1.    Baptism is the initiation of a person into the Catholic Community.  Infants in Catholic families are often baptized, but one may be baptized later in life as an imitation to the Catholic faith

No instance of infant baptism is found in the Bible making this practice particularly misleading.  Secondly, baptism doesn’t save from sins at any age.   It creates false hope for salvation for the parents and the children alike believing that the act of baptism saves the person from their sins.  

Baptism as taught in the Bible is a practice for people who are already believers – that is, they are already saved.  It is a step of public confession that all believers should take to say “through Christ, I am dead to this world now.  I became Christ’s the moment I received him.” For a full explanation on baptism read the online book Baptism – What says the scripture?

2. Confirmation is the step of being fully initiated into the Catholic Church.  Usually sometime in adolescence the young person confirms his faith by studying church doctrine and making a confession of affirmation of the truth being taught.

If confirming one’s faith means to examine the foundation on which the faith rests, then one should look to the scriptures to see what they say about salvation.  Confirming something such as one’s faith can only be done if there already exists a saving faith in Christ.  If you can recall a time when you received what Christ died for sinful people and you remember that you trusted in Him for your salvation, then the following scriptures will indeed confirm your faith in him.  A believer will find rest and comfort in these verses, knowing that they speak of a secure salvation.

Romans 5:6-8" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:6-8  For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  (7)  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--  (8)  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:1-4  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,  (2)  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.  (3)  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  (4)  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

2.    Communion is the taking of the Eucharist – the cup and the wafer.  The Catholic Church assigns saving power to participating in this ceremony saying that the Eucharist is the way that one receives Christ based on verses in John 6." TARGET="_blank">John 6.  

“So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  (54)  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:53-54)." TARGET="_blank">John 6:53-54).

The Lord gave the commandment to break bread and drink the cup as a symbol of his death near the end of each of the gospels just before his death on the cross.  The words in John 6" TARGET="_blank">John 6 do not refer to the practice of remembering Christ through the symbols of the Lord’s Supper for the following reasons:

1)    The word “drinking his blood and eating his flesh” refer to receiving Christ whole heartedly, without hesitation or reserve as to his person and work.  
2)    There is no saving merit in eating bread or drinking wine. If Jesus was referring to communion, then the passage would teach that anyone partaking of communion would receive eternal life.
3)    The teaching of the communion had not been instituted yet when Christ was speaking.

4. Reconciliation is the act of confessing one’s sins fully, in kind and in number.  Following confession the participant may do penance and make amends for his sin.  Forgiveness is then granted.  

There are a number of Biblical difficulties in obtaining salvation through this practice.  First, there is no such thing as a priestly mediator on earth between God and men except for the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)." TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 2:5).  Secondly, confessing sins is a practice for those who are already saved (1 John 1:7-9)," TARGET="_blank">1 John 1:7-9), not to obtain salvation.  Third, acts of penance do not atone for one’s sins.  Only the work of Christ brings atonement.

5. Marriage, of course, is the act of saying vows to one another before God.  According to the Bible, marriage is honorable, but nowhere does the Bible indicate that marriage brings us special grace or salvation.  Marriage “in the church” is no more valid that a ceremony performed in a hotel, a park or a courthouse.

6. Holy Orders is the process of taking the vow of becoming a priest or teacher.  The idea of creating a special class of priests is a doctrinal error since the scriptures teach that all believers are priests and have access to God.  Although studying or dedicating one’s life to teaching the scriptures is a noble aspiration, it is not the way to obtain grace from God.

7. Anointing of the Sick, Extreme Unction, is part of the “last rights” for a sick or dying person.  The sacrament is administered by a priest, who uses olive oil or another pure plant oil to bless (anoint) the patient on forehead and hands while reciting certain prayers. The anointing is believed to forgive the patient's sins and strengthen his or her soul to face the spiritual and physical challenges of the condition.  

This last act of forgiveness granted by the priest supposedly ensures that the dying person will enter heaven.  As mentioned before, salvation comes to an individual when he/she places his faith in Christ’s work on the cross. The Bible recommends that a person trust Christ without any delay (2 Corinthians 6:2)." TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 6:2).  Additionally, no priest or any person, apart from Christ, can grant forgiveness (Mark 2:9-11)." TARGET="_blank">Mark 2:9-11).

Conclusion

The seven sacraments are a series of good works that are believed to help in one’s salvation.  The Bible clearly states that good works do not save, nor do they add to one’s salvation.  Salvation is granted to the sinner the moment he recognizes his sinful, helpless state and rests his hopes on what Christ did for him at the cross.  Sacraments may be good activities, but they provide false security to those who do them.

Shad Sluiter

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Sunday school printables

Listed here are a few of the features Sunday school printable on the site.  For a complete listing of over 120 ready-to-print Sunday school printables, click here . For three specific recommendations, read on...

Printable Nativity Scene

Your Sunday school class can finish this printables in about one hour.  Using a scissors and tape, your students will re-create the night in which our Savior was born.  Also included is a small house where the wise men came to visit.

Click here or the picture to download the printable PDF file.

Printable 3D Tabernacle

In about one hour you and your students can create a 3D printable model Moses' tabernacle.  Click here for the Tabernacle Model.  Requires Acrobat reader.

Printable Noah's Ark

3D model of Noah's Ark - A scale model to reconstruct the Ark that survived the flood at 130 to 1 scale.

Worksheet and Lesson Plan - Talking points to accompany the lesson of Noah's Ark and the flood.

Other Printable Resources

If you are a Bible class teacher, you may also be interested in the items in the Sunday School section of this site.

- Word puzzle creators to create your own crossword puzzles and word games.

- Subscribe to The Encourager, a weekly newsletter for Sunday school teachers that usually includes Sunday school printables.  This is best for teachers who find themselves scrambling every Saturday night to find something to teach.  Let us help with a weekly idea.

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Why do so many preachers speak of “the destroying angel,” in Exodus 12" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 12?

It seems due to a mistaken idea of what took place on the Passover night, based on a careless reading of the whole passage. Exodus 11:1" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 11:1 speaks of “one plague more.” Exodus 12:13" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 12:13 refers to “the plague” and ver. 23 to “the destroyer,” but there is no such agent mentioned, either in Exodus, Heb. Ix, or elsewhere in Scripture, as “the destroying angel,” in connection with the deliverance from Egypt. Moses says in chap. II.4—”Thus saith the Lord, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt”; see, too, ch. 12. ia: “I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land . . . I will excute judgment”; and v. 23: “For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians, and when He seeth the blood. . . the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you.” God is Light and God is Love—God is at once “Avenger” and “Redeemer,” and neither work does He entrust to an angel, however exalted. It was God vindicating His holy claims against sin, who passed through the land in judgment; it was God who intervened in mercy wherever He saw the blood of His own providing, sprinkled. The two words for “passing through” (‘abar), and “passing over” (paali), are quite distinct. This latter is found again in Isaiah 3" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 3’. : “As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also He will deliver it and passing over (paal) He will preserve it.” That is, He will interpose between the enemy, who, it may be suggested, will then be attacking Jerusalem from the air, and His people.

W.H.

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