Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 February 07, 2010 Elder Randy Johnson, Pastor Bro. Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: sgmbcpastor@baptistsonline.org Web Site: www.baptistsonline.org/sgmbc "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Are Still Taught"

You Were Asked To Pray For: All of Our Military, Their Family’s & All the Civilian Workers in The Middle East, Zee Mink Fuller and Family, Her son’s Bryan Armstrong and Hunter Hackie, Daughter Shannon, and Brother Philip & Sondra Thornsberry, Virgil & Alice Hoskins, Grandchildren, and his daughters Liz Janis and Debbie Gray, Alecia Clements, Bryndon Thomas, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Helen Maggard, Renee Jackson, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Linda Mollette, Kirby Mollette, Kerry Pennington, Kim Butler, Danny & Nita Mollette, Verna Mae Allen, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Ronnie Henderson Jr, Donnie Henderson, Kevin Henderson, Ricky Henderson, Rosalie Graves, Terry Hanson, Jim Stagner, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Don Hammond, Charles Hammond, Archie & Barbara Griffin & son Daniel, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Wanda Fowler, Kathy Rosinbaum, Brenda Galusha and Jewel, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, Luann Reynolds, Bro. & Sis. Curtis Pugh, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jim & Linda Meier, Brother David & Sister Anne Shortt, Brother Manuel Seymour & Family, Doris Hammock, Letha Langford, Leacho Tittle, Brother & Sister Kelley Hinson and Kelley Lee, Billy and Jo Hobbs, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout and her Niece, Pastor G. L. Burr, Alicia Lightsey, Melody Carr, Betty, Janie Capps, Kathy Johnson, Doyle Thomas, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

A Thought From Pastor Johnson: Bathing In God’s Word! Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” This passage of scripture has been debated for more years than we need to talk about. The key topic or debate of this verse is “by the washing of regeneration” The Church of Christ as well as a few others will debate this refers to baptismal regeneration however this definition or thought makes absolutely no sense because the scripture could not be more clear as to the facts of salvation which is by grace through faith. To say this passage of scripture is proof that the baptismal waters has saving power is to water down the blood of Jesus Christ and make it worthless i.e. that tap water has the same saving power as the blood of Jesus has which would be no less than blasphemy in the least. This subject has a history going back all the way to the year 100a.d. when the churches of error started teaching it after the apostle’s death even to the point they were baptizing their infants in order to save them, a teaching that Catholicism adopted and still practice today along with a few more outside of the Catholic church. Let it be noted that the fruits of the mother church of error still fall close to the tree of error, which is protestant churches still adhere to the old teachings of their mother. Let us take a moment to look at their thinking and the contradiction their thinking brings to the scripture. First, if it did mean “by the washing of baptism” then it contradicts its context. The Lord had started verse 5 with “Not by works of righteousness which we have done…” which excludes any type of work on our part for salvation. How could salvation be by works of any type if works renders grace useless i.e. Romans 4:4 “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” And how many times does the scripture conclude that salvation is by grace. Secondly, verse 5 also says “…but according to his mercy he saved us…” mercy means pity that is God had pity on us to save our unworthy souls. If this meant baptism then where does grace and pity fit into it? What is merciful about baptism or anything that is considered as works on our part? Thirdly, why is it that Paul spent the first four chapters of the book of Romans explaining in very detailed facts that works is not needed for salvation i.e. Romans 4:2, 3 “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. (3.) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” And Fourthly, the scriptures never conclude that if one is not baptized that they will be condemned. These believers of baptismal regeneration love to use the scripture in Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” But again where does it conclude that if one is not baptized then they are condemned, not one single time in the entire New Testament is it concluded. Salvation and baptism do go hand and hand because once one is saved then they should be baptized and a member of a local church. In conclusion let it be known that the phrase “by the washing of regeneration” is a reference to the scriptures and not to baptism at all. Let us notice in Ephesians 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” The word of God is the saving message, while it is not salvation in itself it does bring salvation to us by the way of the gospel message. It is neither by our preaching nor by the craftiness of our preaching but rather the message which is the word of God. The word “washing” in verse 5 means - to take a bath – that is to come clean through the word of God, to clean your soul, but to take a bath in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse your sins.

MOURNING ENDED, By John MacDuff, 1864 Isaiah 60:20 “Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.” We have traced, in previous meditations, God's thoughts towards us from a past eternity—loving us with an everlasting love. We have pondered some of His present thoughts of tenderness, kindness, and sympathy, towards His suffering and sorrowing, His tried and tempted people. But as His thoughts have been from everlasting, so are they to everlasting. "He who loved His people," says a now glorified saint, "out of darkness, loves them into everlasting light." It is again the mourner who is the specially benefitted heir to the preciousness of this 'thought of God' regarding a world of glory. Some prized earthly sun has set. Some fond earthly star that has long lighted up the earthly pathway, has been swept from the firmament. "Hush your sorrow!" says He—"dry your tears." These setting suns, and waning moons, and quenched stars, shall reappear as fixed orbs in an unchanging sphere—where the 'loved and lost' shall be loved never to be lost again. Yes, and better still, there will be a nobler light—a peerless Sun—to supersede the need of all earthly luminaries, and lead you to be independent of all—"The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God lights it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." Other luminaries may still, and doubtless shall still be there, with their cherished radiance. The old hallowed memories of earth will be revived, restored, perpetuated. But the city and the citizens will have no need of them; they will not require the tiny candle, or glimmering starlight, when they have the full blaze of noon. They will not need the feeble rill, when they have the boundless, infinite ocean. God's works and ways, His character and perfections, His wisdom and faithfulness, His ever-present fellowship and love, will form perpetual theme and material for contemplation. The ever-new song of the ransomed will be the old strain of earth—"How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!" "And the days of your mourning shall be ended." Mourning one, think of this! Weeping days here on earth; joyful days yonder. The muffled harp here; the golden harp yonder. The ocean swept with storm and tempest here; the crystal sea unruffled with one wave yonder. The dew-drops and tear-drops of earthly sorrow, as they sparkle in the radiance of the risen Sun of Eternity, will be so many little mirrors reflecting the glory of God—lustrous witnesses of His faithfulness and love. Life may now be to you a dreary winter landscape—its once sunny hollows and green nooks—the crevices of spring and summer—embedded with snow. But a glorious resurrection-time is at hand, when the gladsome announcement shall be made—"The winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds has come." Oh! blessed prospect. In God's light, we shall see light. The unexplained thoughts of the present all made luminous in the glory of that unsetting sun—not one floating cloud discernible on the boundless horizon. 1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. “