Churches of Christ -- Sermons; Sermons, American -- 20th century
Religious people seem to realize more keenly than before the importance
and even necessity of Christian unity. But before we can have the unity
which the Bible teaches and demands, some practical means of attaining
it must be employed. It seems to me that it would be well to begin by
emphasizing some points of agreement—in other words, let us see how
close together we are, at present, and then we will be in better
position to discuss the points of difference. I believe in religious
debates, have engaged in such myself and shall be glad to do so again
whenever the opportunity presents itself, but in this sermon I want to
emphasize the truth upon which most religious people are already agreed.
I
Points of Agreement
I believe we can say that most of those who claim to be followers of
Christ are agreed upon the following points:
A. _General Statements_
1. God is.
2. The Bible is His word written by men as they were guided by the
Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
4. The world needs a Savior and has no power by which to redeem
itself from sin.
5. Redemption or salvation is to be had through Christ and only
through Him.
B. _The Plan of Salvation_
If we agree upon these five points, then, we also agree that there is a
plan of salvation, for these points imply such a plan. It may be that we
can get closer together upon the items of this plan than you have
thought we could. We will all agree that faith is the very foundation of
the plan (John 3:16). All accept the fact that repentance is essential
(Acts 17:30). Everyone agrees that the plan of salvation includes the
confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matt.
10:32, Acts 8:37, Rom. 10:10). Some make additions to this simple
Biblical confession, but I have never heard of anyone’s subtracting from
it. When the comprehensiveness of the term “Christ” is understood, it is
obvious that no additions are needed. Everyone who agrees on the
foregoing will also agree that Jesus commanded baptism and promised
salvation to those who believed and were baptized. “He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned” (Mark 16:16). We will all agree that Peter said, as the Holy
Spirit prompted him, “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 Spirit” (Acts 2:38). We will agree that Ananias said to
Paul, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away
thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16), and also that
the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle Peter, “The like figure
whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of
the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God),
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). It is also
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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