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Many Christian people do not realize what the Black Lives Matter organization affirms.  The organization began in 2013 as a response to what the founders refer to as “state-sanctioned violence and anti-Black racism” (blacklivesmatter.com).  The organization has now developed into an international global network with a presence not only in the United States, but also in Canada and the United Kingdom.  Co-Founders of the Black Lives Matter organization are:  Patrisse Cullors (Interim Director and Board President); Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi who created the online platforms and initiated the social media strategy during the early days of the Black Lives Matter project. In a 2015 interview with The Real News Network, Patrisse Cullors made the following statement: “…we actually do have an ideology frame.  Myself and Alicia (Garza), in particular, are trained organizers.  We are trained Marxists.  We are super versed on ideological theories, and I think what we really try to do is build a movement that can be utilized by many, many black folk” (Seek The Old Paths, “Lies Matter” by John Chowning, vol. 31, no. 8, August, 2020). Carol Swain, Ph. D. Vanderbilt University, retired, who taught at Princeton University has also affirmed that the Black Lives Matter organization is Marxist (see PragerU Youtube video).  Karl Marx is known as the father of communism. Among other things, Marxism is atheistic, materialistic, and rejects the Bible as God’s Word.   Some of the Marxists tactics used by the Black Lives Matter organization include:  battle between oppressed and oppressor where Blacks are identified as oppressed; creating conflict between the working class and the ruling class, pushing the notion of revolution; creating a “victim” mentality among Blacks producing resentment, envy, and even hatred toward Whites.
Promoting Racism Against Whites
In addition to Marxist/Communist tactics and goals, the Black Lives Matter organization promotes racism toward Whites.  The charge of “white privilege” targets an entire ethnic group with a crime against humanity aimed at producing collective guilt.  Jordan Peterson said, “There is nothing more racist than targeting an entire ethnic group with a collective crime regardless of the innocence or guilt of its individuals.”  Blacks develop a victim mentality that produces anger and hatred toward the individuals perceived as the offenders.  As an example, Shaun King, the controversial Black Lives Matter activist known for pushing false claims, called for the destruction of Jesus Christ statues and Christian Churches for their depiction of the “white” holy family, which King argued are forms of “white supremacy” and “racist propaganda: that promoted “oppression” (Flag and Cross.com. Article by John Salvatore, June 22, 2020, “Vocal Black Lives Matter Activist Calls for People to Tear Down Statues of Jesus, Churches Too”).
Works To Dismantle Cisgender Privilege
The following statement is from the Blacklivesmatter.com website, under the What We Believe page.  “We are self reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.”  The word cisgender refers to the sex (male or female) of a person that corresponds with their sex assigned at birth.  The Lord Jesus Christ affirmed that “from the beginning of creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6).  The Black Lives Matter organization denies this truth and seeks to dismantle it.  Alicia Garza, one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter, met Malachi Garza in 2003, age 24, a transgender man and a community activist.  In 2004, Alicia came out as queer to her family.  In 2008, she married Malachi and took the name Garza (“Lies Matter”, John Chowning, Seek the Old Paths, vol. 31, no. 8, August, 2020 and Wikipedia).   The Black Lives Matter organization rejects God’s created order (Genesis 1 and 2).
Affirms Homosexuality
The Black Lives Matter organization states, “We foster a queer-affirming network.  When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless she/he disclose otherwise).”  Two of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter are homosexual: Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza.  Paul lists the sin of homosexuality as a consequence of giving up one’s knowledge of God.  “And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves.  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lusts one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet” (Rom. 1:23-27).  For other passages of Scripture condemning homosexuality, please see I Cor. 6:9-10; Jude 7 and Genesis 19).
Opposes the Western Nuclear Family
The Black Lives Matter organization declares, “We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.”  The nuclear family is a family consisting of a father, mother and the children born to them.  A home with a biological male father and a biological female mother united in marriage and the children born to them is exactly what God has ordained as the pattern for the family.  Marriage is a holy union between one man and one woman that involves a covenant relationship formed in the sight of God and others (Matt. 19:1-9).  Sexual relationships outside of marriage are sinful and condemned in God’s word by the concept of fornication (Gal. 5:19-20).  In 2013, 72 percent of Blacks were born out of wedlock (Aaron Bandler, July 13, 2016, DailyWire.com, “7 Statistics You Need To Know About Black-On-Black Crime”).  The sin of fornication is a major problem among the Black community.  This has led to the problem of “fatherlessness” in many homes among Blacks and Blacks have looked to the government to solve the financial and health care problems that result. Black Lives Matter organization stands for the destruction of the pattern for the home as God designed it.
Affirms Reproductive Rights Including Abortion
Described as “reproductive justice”, the Black Lives Matter organization affirms the right to abortion.  “We deserve and thus we demand reproductive justice that gives us autonomy over our bodies and our identities while ensuring that our children and families are supported, safe, and able to thrive” (https://blacklivesmatter.come/responsestate-of-the-union/).  Since 1973, it is estimated Black women have had about 16 million abortions (www.blackgenocide.org/black/html).  In New York, where Planned Parenthood is located, more black babies are aborted than are born alive (1,180 abortions for every 1,000 live births) (www.the publicdiscourse.com 2019/02/48594).  These facts help to show that the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is being used disingenuously.  If Black lives truly matter, why are innocent, unborn babies being killed?  God hates hands that shed innocent blood. “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Demands Defunding of the Police
While ninety-three percent of black homicide victims are killed by other blacks (dailywire.com), Black Lives Matter organization calls for the defunding of the police and replacement of the police.  Another organization called Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) states, “We believe that prisons, police and all other institutions that inflict violence on Black people must be abolished and replaced by institutions that value and affirm the flourishing of Black lives” (https://m4bl.org/about-us/). Police brutality is wrong. Criminal behavior is equally as wrong.  Blacks committed fifty-two percent of homicides between 1980 and 2008 despite composing just thirteen percent of the population in America.  According to the FBI, over the last three years of data 2011 to 2013, 38.5 percent of people arrested for murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault were black.  In 2015, almost 6,000 blacks were killed by other blacks (Aaron Bandler, July 13, 2016, DailyWire.com “7 Statistics You Need to know About Black-0n-Black Crime”).  Civil government has been ordained by God to put down the evil doer and protect the innocent (Romans 13:1-4).  “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid: for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
The Black Lives Matter organization is opposed to many Christian values and beliefs.  For this reason, this organization should not be supported by New Testament Christians.  The Black Lives Matter Organization offers a secular solution to the problem of racism and injustice.  Is there a better solution?  Yes, the real solution is spiritual in nature and involves significant change of the human heart through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16-17).  Truth and righteousness will bring about justice.  Truth and righteousness will overcome the darkness of any sin in the human heart.  The next blog will be devoted to the topic Defeating Racism.  Keep reading.

Wayne Jackson wrote an article for the Christian Courier titled, “The Assault Upon Mark 16:16” (online: www.christiancourier.com). In this article, bro. Jackson defends the authenticity of Mark 16:16.  Sometimes individuals remark that if we lost Mark 16:16 (it was not deemed authentic) then, it wouldn’t matter because everything taught in Mark 16:16 is found in other places in the New Testament.  Upon closer examination of this concept, it proves false.  Consider the following aspects of this important, authentic, passage of Scripture.
Its Simplicity.
The passages expresses in the simplest terms the requirements for salvation.  This simple truth needs to be understood by every single person who desires to be saved and go to heaven.  Jesus makes it clear that both belief and baptism are essential for salvation.  Read Mark 16:16 and see for yourself how easy it is to understand.
Its Authority.
The words in the passage are from the lips of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings.  His authority is preeminent and unassailable.  Jesus said that His words would not pass away (Matt. 24:35) and that His words would judge us in the last day (John 12:48).  Who could affirm that the words of Jesus are unimportant and if lost would not be significant?
Its Lexical Import
This passage of Scripture is the only verse in the Bible where Jesus connects the words baptism and salvation in such a way as to affirm the essential nature of baptism.  If faith is essential for salvation, then, baptism is also essential.  Many deny that baptism is essential for salvation.  They contradict the plain words of Jesus. Faith is “taking God at His word.”  It is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).  Faith is trust in God.  We must believe that God is (Heb. 11:6) and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (John 8:24).  Baptism is an immersion in water for the remission of sins (John 3:3-5; Acts 2:38).  The purpose of baptism secures its role in our salvation.  We cannot be saved without the forgiveness of our sins.
Its Grammatical Construction
Mark 16:16 is the only passage in the New Testament where the words believe, baptism and salvation are syntactically connected in such a way as to show conclusively that baptism precedes salvation and does not follow salvation.  The words believeth and is baptized are aorist participles.  The words shall be saved constitute the main verb in the sentence.  The aorist participle indicates action that is completed before the action of the main verb (Dana and Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 230).  This shows that baptism precedes salvation.  Both faith and baptism preceded salvation.  This is why Peter commanded the multitudes on the day of Pentecost to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (by His authority) for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38).
Its Textual Authenticity
Mark 16:16 can successfully be defended in regards to its authenticity.  Bro. Jackson mentions several individuals who have shown the evidence for the authenticity of the passage:  Scrivener, Burgon, McGarvey, and Lenski. I might add Maurice Robinson and Dave Miller in Reason and Revelation (http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=704).  The works of these men are readily available to the reader.  Since the gospel of Mark is part of the history of the life of Christ and we are forbidden to preach any other gospel (Gal. 1:8-9), let us uphold this passage as part of the holy Scriptures that are able to make us wise unto salvation (II Tim. 3:15-16).
Its Historical Significance In Apologetics
Alexander Campbell used Mark 16:16 in his debate with W. L. McCalla in 1823.  In this debate, held Oct. 15, 1823, Alexander Campbell affirmed “immersion for the remission of sins.”  Douglas Foster remarks that this is “the most explicit statement he had ever made in public” on this topic.  Campbell declared, “The Lord saith, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” He does not say, he that believeth and keeps my commands, shall be saved: but he saith he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.  He places baptism on the right hand of faith.  Again, he tells Nicodemus, that “except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” — Peter on the day of Pentecost, places baptism in the same “exalted place”–“Repent,” says he, “and be baptized every one of you, FOR the remission of sins.” –Ananias saith to Paul “arise and be baptized and WASH AWAY your sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.” –Paul saith of the Corinthians, “Ye were once fornicators, idolators, adulterers, effeminate, thieves, covetous, drunkards, rioters, extortioners, but ye were WASHED in the name of the Lord Jesus,” doubtless referring to their baptism. He tells Titus, God our Savior saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. See again its dignified importance! Peter finishes the grand climax, in praise of baptism–“Baptism doth also now save us, by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.” I have thus, in the naked import of those testimonies, shown, that it is of vast import, of glorious design” (quoted by Douglas Foster in A Life of Alexander Campbell, 71-72).   Alexander Campbell included Mark 16:16 in the Living Oracles (a translation he was instrumental in producing in 1826) even though it was based primarily on the Greek text of Greisbach who, in the second edition of his Greek text (1806), omitted it.
Thomas Warren defended and used Mark 16:16 in his public debate with L. S. Ballard.  In this debate (held July 23-26, 1952), Warren defended Mark 16:16 with the Washingtonian Manuscript housed at the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C.  The Washingtonian manuscript is a fourth century manuscript and so matches, in age, the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus manuscripts that are used to assault the authenticity of Mark 16:16. It contains the verses in dispute and is part of the overall evidence for the defense of these passages.
Garland Elkins used Mark 16:16 in a public debate with Bob Ross that was held in Parkersburg, WV (April, 1979).  Elkins made the grammatical argument on Mark 16:16 noted above about the aorist participles.  This proved an effective means of conveying the truth that baptism is essential for salvation.  These are just a few examples of how Mark 16:16 has been used in public debate to defend the truth about baptism.  It is an apologetic passage of Scripture that refutes the doctrine of faith only.
These observations on Mark 16:16 show that it is a unique passage of Scripture, spoken by the Lord, an authentic passage that has merit as an apologetic against false doctrine.  The loss of this passage would be significant.  Yet, many of the modern translations in use today either omit the passage or cast doubt upon its authenticity.  Perhaps we should reconsider which translation is truly upholding God’s Word in the English language.

Would you be willing to give your soul (be lost eternally) if it meant that your friends would be saved?  Only twice in the Scriptures do we have examples of men that said that they would be willing to be accursed from God in behalf of their brethren.
The First Example Is Moses
In Exodus 32:32, Moses is speaking to God and says, “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; And if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”  Moses expresses a desire for God to be merciful to His people.  Moses had compassion for the people of Israel even though they had committed a great sin–idolatry–against God.  Why intercede for them?  Why agonize over their sinful condition?  Why seek God’s mercy in their behalf instead of God’s judgment?  Moses was merciful.  Moses was in fact reflecting the heart of God.  God reveals Himself to Moses as a merciful God.  In Exodus 34:6-7, the Bible says, “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the four generation.”  With this revelation, God imparts a new understanding of His heart to His people.  The lovingkindness of God is a golden thread that runs throughout the Old Testament and culminates in the sacrifice of Jesus for the sin of the world (John 1:29; John 3:16).  While God will punish the evildoer, He first extends mercy that leads to transformation of life.  If the people will repent of their sins, God will forgive them.  God plagued the people (Ex. 32:35) and three thousand died (Ex. 32:28).  God would not blot Moses out of His book of life in order to preserve the people.  He declares, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book” (Ex. 32:33). Moses’ intercession for the people was successful.  However, even Moses’ soul was not sufficient to redeem Israel.
The Second Example Is Paul
In Romans 9:3, Paul declares, “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”  Paul expresses his love for his people.  His love for them produces an anguish in his heart for their salvation.  If Paul was accursed from Christ, would that save his people?  No.  Every person is individually accountable to God for his/her sin.  Paul’s love was not more potent than Christ’s.  Paul invokes a wish or desire.  He speaks a hyperbole to make a point.  His love for his people is real.  If one could sacrifice himself for the saving of his people Paul seems willing to do so, but even Paul knows that his sacrifice would not secure their salvation.  The exaggeration Paul made points to an even greater love already demonstrated.
The Greatest Example Is Jesus
In John 15:13, Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  The greatest love known to man is the sacrifice of self in behalf of others.  Jesus gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).  Jesus died for those who were His enemies as well as His friends.  “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom. 5:8-9).  Divine love transcends human love and so attains to the greatest love that the world has ever known!  Christ’s love is superlative love! It is unsurpassable love!  It is incomprehensible love!  “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph. 3:19).  Moses’ offer and Paul’s desire pale in significance to the act of selflessness and sacrifice that Jesus demonstrated on the cross.  Moses’ offer to God was refused by God because it was not sufficient.  Paul’s offer expresses his ardent desire for the salvation of his people, but it, too, would not secure salvation.  Jesus’ sacrificial act is the only means sufficient to save men and women from the wrath of God.  The reason for this is that He is the Son of God and His blood is the only means of redemption.  Whenever we proclaim “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” we declare the love of God to all people. If you are waiting for a greater love than what Jesus has already shown, I’m afraid you will be disappointed and lost eternally.  Awake, thou that sleepest and open your eyes to the greatest love of all.

In John chapter five, Jesus lists five witnesses to His true identity as the Son of God and Messiah.  They are:  John the baptist, the works He did (sum total of miracles and ministry); the Father, the Scriptures, and Moses.  This article will focus on the testimony of Moses to the identity of Jesus.  John 5:45-47 states, “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.  For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.  But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words.”  Three facts receive emphasis by Jesus.  First, Moses, the Moses whom they had trusted and set their hope upon, is their accuser.  Obviously, they claimed to trust Moses, but in fact, they did not believe him.  Second, the ground of the accusation is stated, “If ye believe Moses, ye would believe me, for he wrote of me.”  Moses wrote of Jesus.  We will examine where later.  Third, Jesus indicts their faith.  Their failure to believe Moses results in their rejection of Jesus’ words.  Unbelief begets unbelief.  “If ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words.”  The writings of Moses are introduced as evidence for the true identity of Jesus.  J. W. McGarvey states, “A more explicit statement that Moses wrote of Jesus could not be framed in human speech” (The Book of Deuteronomy, 280).
Moses Was The Author of the Pentateuch
McGarvey gives a cogent argument showing that Moses wrote the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy).  In John 7:19, Jesus says, “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?” McGarvey states, “What did he mean by the demand, “Did not Moses give you the law?”  In this question he employs the rhetorical figure erotesis, which is the most emphatic form of making an assertion.  It assumes that neither with the speaker nor with his hearers is any other answer possible but the one implied.  Another example is the demand, “Did I not choose you, the twelve?” (John 6:70).  Another, the well-known words of Paul, “Was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (I Cor. 1:13).  His demand, then, is the most emphatic assertion possible that, neither with himself nor with his hearers could there be any doubt that Moses gave them the law” (The Book of Deuteronomy, 278).  McGarvey uses Jesus’ statement to refute the biblical critics who denied that Moses authored the Pentateuch.
The Apostles Affirm Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch
The words of Jesus affirming that Moses wrote the law (the Pentateuch) are confirmed in the writings of the apostles.  In Peter’s second sermon recorded in Acts 3:22-24, he quotes Deuteronomy 18:15-19 and applies the prophecy in Deuteronomy to Jesus.  “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me: him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”  This is a prophetic declaration by Moses that is applied by an apostle of Jesus to Jesus.  The apostle John writes, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).  John affirms that Moses wrote the law (the Pentateuch).  Finally, the apostle Paul also affirms the Mosaic authorship of the law.  In Romans 10:5, Paul writes, “For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.”  In I Cor. 9:9, Paul declares, “For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn.  Doth God take care for oxen?  The quotation Paul gives is from Deuteronomy 25:4.
Moses’ Testimony of Jesus
Obviously, Deuteronomy 18:15-19 is a key prophecy given in the writings of Moses about Jesus Christ.  Significant spiritual loss will be suffered by the individual who rejects the authority of the prophet like unto Moses which God would raise up from among the people of Israel.  Since Jesus is that prophet, those who reject Him and receive not His words will be condemned by the justice of God (John 12:48).  There are other statements by Moses in the Pentateuch that apply to Jesus.  In Genesis 3:15, we have the first Messianic prophecy in the Bible. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  This passage introduces the “seed of the woman” as a vague reference to Jesus.  In the genealogy of Jesus given in Matthew 1, v. 16 states, “And Jacob begat, Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”  The phrase “of whom” is in the feminine gender referring to Mary and not Joseph.  The reason?  Jesus was born of a virgin.  “Behold, a (the, –the definite article appears in the Hebrew, the LXX and the Greek) virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  Luke describes this miraculous conception in Luke 1:30-35.  Moses records the background to the “seed promise.” Moses states the promises that God made to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3 and Gen. 15:1-6.  Through Abraham’s seed all nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 22:18-written by Moses).  Paul remarks concerning this fact in Gal. 3:16, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”  The promise of a Messiah was fulfilled through the birth of Isaac (Gen. 21:1-8; Gal. 4:22-31).  The seed promise was repeated to Isaac (Gen. 26:3-4). The Messianic promise was continued through the seed of Isaac by Jacob.  God repeated the seed promise to Jacob, “And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 28:14).  This “seed promise” was fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16).  Moses gives the history of the genealogy of Jesus and that history shows that only one person could be the Messiah–Jesus Christ.  The veracity of Moses was never questioned by Jesus or any of His apostles.  Not only through prophecy, but also through typology, Moses wrote of Jesus.  Consider the mighty deliverance (redemption) of Israel from Egyptian bondage that was commemorated in the Passover (Exodus 12).  The Passover prefigures the deliverance from the bondage of sin (redemption) that Jesus accomplished through the sacrifice of Himself (the lamb of God, John 1:29) for the sin of the world.  Moses wrote of the “bread from heaven” or manna in Exodus 16.  Jesus is the true bread from heaven (John 6:31-35).   Moses wrote about the bronze serpent that was erected (lifted up) in order to provide a means for forgiveness and healing from deadly snake bites (Numbers 21:4-9).  John writes, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).  Later, John records the words of Jesus, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  This he said, signifying what death he should die” (John 12:32-33).  Through typology, Moses wrote of Jesus’ death.
Truly, God made known His ways to Moses (Psa. 103:7).  Moses as a lawgiver prefigured Christ, the lawgiver (Deuteronomy 18:18; Heb. 3:1-6).  Yet, Jesus Christ outranks Moses as a Son outranks a servant.  Even God acknowledges the authority of His Son in comparison to Moses and Elijah at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-5).  Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17).  Just before His death, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30) and so it was that all things in the law written by Moses and the prophets were fulfilled (Luke 24:44).

Between Sundays is a workbook written by Steve Miller.  The book examines thirteen topics:  observance of the Lord’s Day (Sunday); living by faith, personal Bible study; developing love, being light and salt, serving the Lord and others, practicing the Golden Rule, developing moral purity, working honestly, balancing responsibilities to God, self and others, praying without ceasing, fulfilling one’s personal role and responsibilities in the home, and being a faithful member of the church of Christ.  A review of this book is posted on my Book Reviews page.  The emphasis of the book is maintaining integrity between one’s profession of faith on Sunday and performance of that faith in daily life.  All Christians should live lives of integrity.

In 1944, during World War II, Ruth Caye Jones wrote the song, In Times Like These.  The words are appropriate for the times we are experiencing now.
In times like these, we need a Savior
In times like these, we need an anchor
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the one
This Rock is Jesus, The only One
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.
We are now living in one of the most significant events of our lifetime.  A pandemic has gripped the globe causing fear, sickness, and death.  An economic crisis has gripped the United States.  Many have lost their jobs and economic stability.  Everyone has lost something!  In the worst of times or in the best of times, what manner of persons ought ye to be?
Our anchor is Jesus Christ the Lord.  We must have the mind of Christ.  “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”  Jesus shows us what manner of person we ought to be:  humble, obedient unto God, and a faithful servant of the Lord.  We must manifest the Spirit of Jesus Christ.  “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that they Spirit of God swellings you.  Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:9-10).  This spiritual transformation takes place within an individual whenever he/she surrenders to the Will of God and obeys the gospel.  At that time, new life is imparted by the Holy Spirit and one becomes a new creature created in Christ Jesus unto good works (John 3:3-5; Eph. 2:1-10).  The new man in Christ is dedicated to righteousness and holiness.  We must follow the teachings of Christ.  The wise man is contrasted to the foolish man by Jesus in Matt. 7:24-27.  The wise man builds his life upon the rock.  The wise man hears the sayings of Jesus and does them.  The foolish man hears the sayings of Jesus, but does not obey them.  This lack of obedience reveals unbelief in the heart of the unrepentant.  The wise man is able to weather the storms of life and to stand.  The foolish man’s life collapses during the storms of life.  Be very sure.  Be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
What type of persons ought ye to be?  
One of the principles that Jesus taught should guide us as we navigate the present crisis.  “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12).  This principle is often referred to as the Golden Rule.  We paraphrase the Golden Rule:  “Do unto others as ye would have them do unto you.”  This principle is acknowledged as being right by almost all people.  The Golden Rule is a positive statement requiring us to act in behalf of others as we would want them to treat us.  It requires us to take the initiative.  The rule expresses itself in words and works that are conducive to the law of love.  Love for others is always powerful and positive.  The rule is closely tied to the first and second commandments referenced by Jesus in Matt. 22:36-39 and Mark 12:29-31.  The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all of our being.  The second is to love our neighbor as ourself.  Love for our neighbor is commanded by the Lord and exhibits His mind and His Spirit. Love seeks the highest good of another.  Love is undefeatable, benevolent, goodwill. Love is a principle that manifests itself in positive acts that enhance the wellbeing of others.  Love always gives of itself.  It is selfless.  Selfishness violates the law of love for others.  Jesus was selfless.  He sacrificed His own life for the salvation of all of mankind.  Whenever we are under duress, it is difficult to think of others.  We focus on our discomforts, losses, and needs. Love focuses on others (seeketh not her own-I Cor. 13:5).  Love makes sacrifices that show the value of investing ourselves in the lives of others.
In times like these, we need to unleash the power of love in our marriages, our families, our communities and our nation.
The Principle Fulfills the Law and the Prophets.
Jesus’s teaching was understood and reiterated by the apostle Paul.  Paul states, “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there by any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:8-10).  Love is a barrier to all manner of sinful conduct that may be directed toward one’s neighbor.  Love does not act in injustice in order to create justice.  Love is not retaliatory.  The ability to control one’s passions under duress is a sign of discipline and self-control.  These virtues stem from the new life created in Christ Jesus and identify us as belonging to God.  They are the fruit of the Spirit who works in us (Gal. 5:22-23).
In Times Like These
We need a savior.
We need an anchor.
We need to follow the teachings of Jesus.
We need to love God with all of our being and our neighbor as ourself!
Be very sure.  Be very sure. Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

J. S. Howson wrote, Horae Petrinae (Studies in the Life of St. Peter) with the same goal as William Paley’s Horae Paulinae which emphasized undesigned coincidences in the life of Paul.  Howson’s work was written in 1883.  In chapter two, Howson develops the significance of the use of the phrase, “Simon, whose surname is Peter.”  This involves comparison of the two accounts given in Acts of the conversion of the first Gentile converts (Cornelius and his household).  In Acts 10, Luke gives the historical account and in Acts 11, Peter recounts these events in an apologetic before Jews in Jerusalem.  Howson states, “This existence of two narratives of the same great event gives occasion for critical inquiry as to whether the variations which we find in the two ways of telling the story are natural and in harmony with the circumstances of the case, so as to confirm our impression of consistency and truth” (p. 14). In Acts 10, we have Luke’s account of the vision of Cornelius and the trance of Peter and in Acts 11, we have Peter’s account of these things.  Intermediate to them is the relation of the vision of Cornelius by the messengers whom he sent to Peter, and likewise the relation given by the centurion himself to Peter when he arrived at Caesarea. This gives great opportunity to check the “artless reality and perfect truthfulness” (p. 15) of the accounts.
The Name of the Apostle
The utmost significance is given to the name of the apostle Peter.  In this sacred account of the first Gentile convert, the name by which Peter is called is made remarkably conspicuous.  Four times the phrase, “Simon, whose surname is Peter” occurs in this short history.  First, Cornelius, a devout man and a God-fearer, engaged in prayer about the ninth hour of the day (about 3:00 o’clock our time), saw a vision during which an angel of God directed him to send men to Joppa and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter” (Acts 10:5).  The designation is exact and the location is carefully described.  The person with whom Peter was lodged was also named Simon (Simon the tanner).  Second, the messengers proceed to Joppa and inquire as to the location of Simon the tanner’s house.  They stood before the gate and called and asked whether “Simon, which was surnamed Peter,” were lodged there (Acts 10:18).  Third, when Peter arrives at Caesarea and seeks to hear from Cornelius about the reason that he was summoned, the Centurion relates the story of the vision he had seen and is quite explicit in stating that he was directed to summon from Joppa one “Simon, whose surname is Peter” (Acts 10:32).  Fourth, once again, when Peter makes his apologetic before the Jews at Jerusalem, he tells his hearers that Cornelius instructed him that he was directed to call for “Simon, whose surname is Peter” (Acts 11:13).
The Significance of This Phrase
First, the exactness of the description given to Cornelius was meant to avert all possibility of mistake as to the identity of the person to whom was entrusted the duty of communicating the gospel to Cornelius (Howson, p. 16).  Simon Peter, and, no one else was to bring the first Gentile converts to Christ.
Second, Peter must be able to discern the divine intent involved in the request.  The request came immediately upon Peter’s own vision whereby God communicated to him that the distinctions regarding what is common or unclean that had been in force under the Law of Moses would no longer be applicable under the gospel of Christ.  While this applied to the eating of meats, it also applied to the distinctions between Jew and Gentile.  In addition, Peter was directed by an angel of the Lord to go with the messengers Cornelius sent “nothing doubting” (Acts 10:20) “for I have sent them.”  The name, Simon, surnamed Peter, was a specific designation received by the apostle from Jesus Christ upon the very first meeting between them.  The account of which is given by the apostle John in John 1:42, “And he brought him to Jesus.  And when Jesus beheld him, he said, “Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”  Cephas is the Aramaic word for Peter (a stone) the Greek term.  Howson remarks, “The natural explanation surely is that the Lord saw in the young fisherman an expression of energy and force which marked him out as fit, under Divine grace, for a great destiny” (p. 19).  The second time that Peter’s name figures prominently in the gospels is found in Matthew 16:18.  In response to Jesus’ question, “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter declared, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To which Jesus responded, “Blessed art thou, Simon, Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:16-19).  The rock upon which the Lord would build His church was not Peter, either personally or officially, but the truth that Peter acknowledged–or rather Christ, who is the Truth.  This fact can be further ascertained by the Lord’s statement given in severity to the Jews, “Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?” (Matt. 21:42).  In saying this, Jesus spoke of Himself.  The event must have impressed Peter.  In an early part of the history which succeeded Pentecost, Peter, summoned before the High Priest and Council, to answer for his allegiance to Jesus Christ, employed the very words: “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner” (Acs 4:11).  And once more, Peter references this statement in I Peter 2:4-7, “To Christ coming, as unto a living stone, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house…Unto you which believe He is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.”  The words of the 118th Psalm (118:22), become a link, which, through Peter’s use of them, bind together the Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles.  In the apprehension of the apostle Peter, Jesus Christ, and no other, is the “chief corner-stone”.
The Keys of the Kingdom
Peter possessed the keys of the kingdom.  The keys of the kingdom is a phrase that denotes the central role of Peter in the proclamation of the gospel to the Jews first and then, to the Gentiles.  Peter uses these keys on two historical occasions.  The first is on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Acts 2).  Here, Peter preaches the gospel, along with the other apostles, and significantly, Peter’s sermon is recorded in Acts 2.  There was a great response to the preaching of Peter and the apostles in that city and three thousand obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:41).  The second significant historical occasion in which Peter used these keys was when he preached to Cornelius and his household and they obeyed the gospel (Acts 10:48).  Thus, when Peter was in Jerusalem at the Jerusalem Council, Luke could write, “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe” (Acts 15:7).
Summary
The specific designation of Peter in the account by Luke in Acts 10 and in the apologetic given by Peter in Acts 11, fulfills the Lord’s words given in Matthew 16:16-19.  The Lord named Simon, Cephas, which by interpretation is, a stone (Peter). He promised Peter the keys of the kingdom.  On two historical occasions, Peter used those keys to open up the wonderful blessings of the gospel of Christ to Jews and Gentiles.  Thus, the gospel of Christ is the message of salvation for all of mankind.  All nations must hear it, believe it and obey it (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).