Articles Archives - Page 9 of 12 - Clear Springs Primitive Baptist Church

Confession of Whose Sins? (1 John 1:9)

On March 1, 2018

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

This verse is commonly presented by those of the “free-will” persuasion as an invitation by God to the dead alien sinner to confess his sins and be eternally cleansed from his sins and be saved to heaven. In their mind, this verse is an invitation to the world for anyone to confess their sins, and God is still faithful and just to save even the vilest of sinners once they have met this one condition of confession of sins. While it’s certainly true that God does save the vilest of sinners (even a Mary or Manasseh’s stains or sins more vile than they), that salvation is not based upon our confession of sins, but based solely upon the sovereign grace and blood of Jesus Christ, not by any condition we meet to supposedly ratify our eternal life.

Addicted to the Ministry of the Saints

By Pastor David

On March 1, 2018

In Articles

“I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)” (1 Corinthians 16:15)

As Paul begins his closing salutations to the Corinth church, he commends a very godly man, Stephanas, and his family for their service and ministry to saints. However, this was not a casual or part-time service to the saints of God, but they made such a habitual commitment of serving others that Paul denotes “they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” With such a profound description of their service to the church, we should consider how addicted are we to things of God and to serving others?

Physical & Spiritual Prosperity

By Pastor David

On January 10, 2018

In Articles

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 2)

John, in writing to his dear friend in the truth, Gaius, wishes him well regards and greetings. In particular, he desires and prays that Gaius would prosper and be in good health “even as thy soul prospereth”. He desires for his friend’s physical health to be as strong, robust, and vibrant as his spiritual health and growth. Could the same be said for us? If our physical health were to mirror our spiritual health, would we be strong and active or weak and constantly sickly?

Encouragement in the Lord

By Pastor David

On December 31, 2017

In Articles

“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)

This verse is given to us in the aftermath of an Amalekite raid upon David and his men’s camp, where their wives and children were all taken captive and their city of residence burned. In this midst of that traumatic situation for all of them, including David as his wives were taken too, the men turn on David and actually talked of stoning him to death. In the midst of such turmoil in his life at that time, nevertheless, “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” Regardless, of what trying circumstances we encounter in our lives, our Lord can and should always be our greatest source of encouragement.

Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Will Provide

By Pastor David

On November 30, 2017

In Articles

“And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” (Genesis 22:14)

Abraham had been called by God to offer his son, Isaac, as a burnt offering upon a mount in Moriah. Abraham was faithful to God’s command and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, but the angel of God intervened to prevent him from going through with that particular act. In the place of Isaac, God provided a sacrifice for Abraham to offer instead, in the form of a ram caught in a thicket. In response to such a miraculous intervention of God’s providence, Abraham named this place “Jehovah-Jireh” which means “the Lord will provide or the Lord has seen”. If we examine our lives, I believe that we will also see these Jehovah-Jireh memorials of not just providential blessings but the ultimate Jehovah-Jireh of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

What Manner of Men Among You

By Pastor David

On September 10, 2017

In Articles

“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:23-25)

Here James describes the condition of a man who has heard the word of God but has not put that word into active practice in his life. The “forgetful hearer” is depicted as a man who has beheld his natural face in a glass (a mirror) but has forgotten the reflection that he originally saw – what manner of man he was before the grace of God changed his life. We must never forget the condition that God has brought us from if we are to properly serve him in discipleship during our lives.

Exaltation of Christ in the Ministry

By Pastor David

On September 10, 2017

In Articles

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.” (John 1:6-8)

John the Baptist was a very interesting character in the scriptures, to say the least. His ministry was prophesied of in the Old Testament (Isaiah 40:3-5, Mal. 3:1,4:4-6). He was to be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb and was born again even before his natural birth (Luke 1:15,41-44). He would be God’s messenger to convert God’s children among the Jews back to a proper relationship with their heavenly Father (Luke 1:16-17). John the Baptist was also the forerunner of Christ who was to prepare the way for the ministry of Jesus Christ (Mal. 3:1, Isaiah 40:2-5). He was the “bulldozer” before Jesus Christ that filled in the valleys, tore down the hills, straightened the crooked paths, and smoothed out the rough places (Luke 3:4-5) to where the ministry of Jesus would be on a level and straight pathway. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets and came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 16:16, 1:17). Even with such an impressive resume, that was not the central theme of his life and ministry – that was to “bear witness of the Light”.

God, The Liberal Giver

By Pastor David

On September 10, 2017

In Articles

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:4)

The term “liberal” should not always be rendered as a bad or negative word. On the contrary, the term is often used in a very positive light in scripture as evidenced by the term being associated with the generous giving nature of God. The definition of “liberal” at the time the KJV was translated (when the translators chose “liberally” to describe the nature of God’s giving) was “free in giving, generous, or open-hearted” (Shorter Oxford English Dictionary). To commend the translators, using that definition, I cannot think of a more precise and accurate term to describe to free, generous, and open-hearted giving of blessings that God grants upon His children, especially when we ask of Him in prayer.

An Eternal Personal Love

By Pastor David

On August 10, 2017

In Articles

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore, with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Jehovah God gives a personal admonition to the nation of Israel (that primarily applies to the elect family of spiritual Israel) of God’s everlasting love for His elect. This verse affirms that God looked out over all of eternity and saw all the persons that would be created in the world, and He chose to love a set and distinct group of people. However, not just did God love a vague and nebulous group, but His love was “individual and personal” – I have loved “thee” with an everlasting love!

The Godly Tentmakers: Aquila & Priscilla

By Pastor David

On July 31, 2017

In Articles

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.” (Romans 16:3-4)

We are first introduced to the godly couple of Aquila and Priscilla as Paul arrives in Corinth in Acts 18:2. They were Jewish tentmakers who had fled Italy under the discriminatory decree of Claudius Caesar expelling Jews from Rome. The couple comes in contact with Paul because they were of the same profession (they were tentmakers), and Paul comes to reside with them during his ministry in Corinth (Acts 18:3-4). They are presented initially as simply quiet, unassuming disciples of Christ, but these simple tentmakers had a profound impact on the kingdom of God and on the first-century church.

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