Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

THE BAPTISM OF JOHN, AND THE EVOLUTION OF RELIGION

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man

which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13:24-30.

That there would be many look alike churches in the latter part of the church age of grace is underscored in Holy Writ.The parable of the wheat and tares is one prime example. Matt. 13:25-30. Another is the emphasized work of Satan and his ministers in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15.

The great counterfeiter has done his work as well as it could possibly be done. He laid the groundwork early, drawing away formerly persecuted churches of the Lord to marry the Roman Empire, creating the Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox churches. From their corruption came its daughters, the Protestant churches. Additionally, the freedom of American democracy has given rise to multi-brand Neo-Protestant churches. All of these are a mimicking of the Lord’s New Testament church which has sailed the bloody seas of persecution, and labored hard to maintain its separation and identity in the sweeping forces of ecumenism and its basic universal, invisible church heresy so appealing to the carnal mind of fleshly folks. Yes sir, Christianity as a religion has experienced a lot of evolution to be where it is today.

So, what does all this have to do with the baptism administered by John the Baptist? Much! In the fullness of time, and in the midst of a religious world gone astray, the Bible declares, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” John 1:6. When asked to clarify his identity and work to the Jews, he said, “. . . Make straight the way of the Lord. . . “ And, many other important statements are made about him and his ministry in John 1. John’s baptism is heaven’s authorized baptism. Jesus traveled many miles to be baptized of John, and it was the baptism of John that the Lord Jesus used in His church. Moreover, he conferred heaven’s authority on His church to continue to administer the baptism of John upon such as brought forth fruits meet for repentance. Matthew 28:18-20.

It is by John’s baptism predicated upon repentance from sin that opens the door of membership in the Lord’s New Testament Church. It is the Spirit of God abiding in and teaching the church that illuminates the mind to the blessedness and importance of the core doctrines of salvation by grace alone, eternal security of the believer, deep water baptism, the local concept of the church, etc. Tare churches cannot understand nor receive this by which the perpetuation of true New Testament churches continues, and John’s baptism continues. All else is nothing more than getting wet, and offers no progress to doctrinal understanding of Holy Writ, nor continuation of the blessed Bride of Christ as it prepares to rule and reign with Him in the age that is about to happen.

FOR THOUGHT: Churches that have no link to apostolic succession are devoid of the baptism of John the Baptist which Jesus placed in His church. Do you think this has anything to do with their inability to understand and hold fast to the core doctrines of the faith once delivered to the saints? If they do not do so because they cannot do so, will they be excused on judgment day and allowed to rule and reign with Christ in the millennial reign? If so, on what basis? Do you agree the reasoning of man is invalid in these things, and only the plain teaching of the scriptures will be sufficient for judgment.