The Real Great Commission

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is the real great commission.

Jesus made a very bold statement that many Christians today do not believe. But there’s truly no other way around it… and it has to do with an essential piece of salvation. It has everything to do with salvation. It has to do with faith, baptism, and obedience. 

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Look carefully at the structure of this verse… this is the Great Commission as recorded by the disciple Mark. This is what Jesus said…

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16

I hope you see the imperative in Jesus’ words… he tied salvation inseparably to both belief and baptism. He implies that if a person does not believe, nothing else will save him. But if he does believe, he will be baptized to be saved. 

Some believe that “belief” in Jesus causes a person to be saved (John 3:16). Some even go so far as to say that belief combined with confessing with your mouth saves you (Romans 10:10). Both of those statements are important parts of salvation, but they are not all of salvation. And an honest examination of scripture proves this out. 

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Mark 16:16 is just as much part of the salvation package as the other verses referenced. 

So, either these verses are in contradiction to one another, or they are in perfect harmony. 

Notice that in Acts 2 when the first gospel message was preached by Peter, the gathered crowd asked with directness in response to that preaching, “men and brothers, what shall we do?” in verse 37.

Peter’s response was emphatic. He didn’t even reference belief or confession, because it was obvious that they believed what he just preached and it was implied. If that were all that were necessary, surely he would have just congratulated them for their salvation. But he didn’t, did he?

What did he do? He gave them further instruction in the next verse and said, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

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There’s just no biblical way around this. We either take all of scripture together, or we take none of it. We cannot choose the scriptures that agree with our philosophies and neglect the ones that don’t. True belief is accomplished by obedience, or that faith is dead (James 2:26).

An honest view of this encounter would never arrive at telling someone that belief alone would save them. Or that raising one’s hand in a church service, or reciting “the sinner’s prayer”, or merely inviting Jesus into one’s heart would save them. 

Peter was very clear in his response to their question…

Repent. 

Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. 

Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

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Peter would only say this if it were true, and it was true. Not only did Jesus say it in Mark 16:16, but he also said it to Nicodemus in John 3:5. Being born of water (this is undeniably speaking of water baptism) and born of Spirit (also undeniably speaking of Spirit baptism) were inseparably connected to salvation or, as Jesus put it “seeing/entering the kingdom of God”. Jesus emphatically stated that without being born again of water and Spirit, a person “cannot” enter heaven, let alone see it. 

Why? Why didn’t Jesus just say “believe and confess”? Because belief alone is not enough. James put it like this, “You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear. But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?” (James 2:19-20)

One might ask, “I thought we are saved by grace, through faith?”

Excellent, and true! Notice those words, “by” and “through”. “By” implies that salvation is predicated on, and offered only by and because of, the existence of the grace of God. In other words, there is no salvation outside of God’s extended grace. 

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And then “through” declares that salvation is obtained within an active, obedient expression of our belief in Him, not merely a passive belief. The actual Greek definition is, “a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act”. Paul said it is “through faith”, not “by faith”. “Through” denotes a channel, or process, or activity. What is that process or activity? It’s what Jesus previously demanded. It’s what Peter preached. It’s what Paul experienced. It’s what new disciples in the book of Acts obeyed. 

In Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19 they believed. They were baptized in the name of the Lord. They were filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Every time. 

Must we believe? Yes, it’s essential. 

Must we repent? Yes, it’s essential. 

Must we confess Jesus with our mouth? Yes, it’s essential.

Must we be baptized under water in the name of Jesus? Yes, it’s essential. 

Must we receive the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in other tongues? Yes, it’s essential. 

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It’s also essential that we regularly repent and confess our sins (1 John 1:9), live holy unto the Lord as He transforms us (Hebrews 12:14, Roman’s 12:1-2), and continue in the faith (John 9:62).

Salvation is a free gift offered by grace, through faith. 

It’s easily obtained, but comes with an exchange of our life for His. 

There’s no other way… and that’s okay, because this way is available to all without reserve. 

It begins by believing, but doesn’t end there. 

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One might ask, “but isn’t salvation ‘not of works’?” Yes! Notice this… forgiveness is not a work of ours, it’s a work of God. Spirit infilling is not a work of ours, it’s a work of His. We’re not working to obtain salvation when we believe.. or when we confess… or when we repent… or when we’re baptized… or when we’re filled with the Holy Spirit. All the work is His! We are merely surrendering through obedience, and the work of salvation is enacted by Him alone, by His grace!

When you honestly ask the question, “what must I do?” and then honestly obey the scriptural answer through faith-filled action, you will indeed be saved. 

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

The Sower of Gossip

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is something that I found and wanted to share.

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The parable of the sower depicts both the unlimited potential of the seed and the ever importance of the soil! My attention was drawn early this morning in prayer to the sower himself. Every gospel that records this parable states the sower went out to sow and seeds "fell" into every soil type. One translation says the sower scattered the seeds and the results were the variable soils the seeds landed in and later it describes the outcomes of his sowing. I've never thought of this until today but the carelessness the sower showed in handling of the seed was evident in the Harvest!

 After this parable Jesus immediately goes into another parable about seeds and those planted by the sower but He says during the night an enemy came while the workers were away and sowed tares among the wheat. The enemy was purposeful in his planting, where the sower in the previous parable just scattered the seeds!! God help us to be purposeful in what we sow and not careless! Wasted seed, wasted potential and wasted Harvest are the results of careless sowing! If the enemy is purposeful in his planting, shouldn't we, the Church, be even more purposeful?

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 The enemy is purposeful to sow discord! Sowing discord always involves an enemy planting something foreign in someone else's field! That's what gossip is, that's what backbiting is, it's sowing discord in the "field" of someone else's mind about another sower! Mark those the scripture says that cause division! Refuse to allow the enemy to "sow in your field" and counter that attempt by purposefully planting the good seed into good ground! 

The seed has never been the issue, how we handle it is! Jesus said the sower refused to cut out the tares in fear of damaging the wheat, instead he insisted they grow together, because at Harvest time the difference is evident! When things are allowed to grow, things are revealed, good or bad! What you plant is identified at Harvest time! So be purposeful in your planting, don't carelessly toss your seed! That seed is precious, powerful and life changing!! Sow with purpose!

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William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

The Godhead

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is the truth about the Godhead.

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We must beware of false doctrines, such as the trinity. The Bible tells us that all the fullness of the Godhead is in Christ. (Colossians 2:8-10).

We are complete in Jesus. It is Jesus, our Heavenly Father that robed Himself in a holy human body, born of a woman, so that He could pay the price of death for OUR sins. (John 14:6-19, 1Peter 1:18-19, John 1:29, Hebrews 2:14-15).

Jesus died, He was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead. We were dead in our sins, but Jesus gives us Life. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This is the Gospel.

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Jesus gives us Life when we put off the sins of our flesh by repentance, we bury our sins by water baptism in the name of JESUS, (washing them away by the blood that Jesus shed), and we are filled with His Life giving Spirit, the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38, John 6:63).

Colossians 2:8-15  "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

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"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened [made alive] together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

"And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Slave or a Son

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is a little something to think about.

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I love the story of the prodigal son…. But he didn’t hit bottom. He said my father has “hired” servants at home, while dismissing the other servants his father also had. His father turned to the doûlos, (slaves), and said bring the robe, the ring, the shoes, and the calf. 

The hired servants received a wage, while the servants, or the slaves, did not. The prodigal was willing to come home, but he wanted to be paid for it. There is a greater calling than a son, and it’s a servant.

We are called to be servants!

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Believing Produces Repentance

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Repent - Be baptized - Be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Here is something that I found from an unknown author that I wanted to share.

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Believing produces obedience:

Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. We must conclude that believing produces obedience which leads to repentance in response to the Word of God. You must believe that you need to repent. 

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? Rom‬ ‭10:16‬ ‭From this verse we see that believing produces obedience. If you believe, you’ll obey. 

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Obedience leads to repentance and baptism:

Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Believing produces obedience which leads to repentance in response to the Word of God. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Apostles Peter and Paul all preached first to repent - believing comes first of course because the hearer had to believe before they could obey the need to repent. 

Believing is powerful, setting in motion a chain of events that leads to salvation. Believing activates faith. Believing opens up revelation. When you believe, you’ll obey. 

The only prerequisite it seems to be baptized is to believe with all of your heart. But that’s not just a believing heart, but a repentant heart. The eunuch asked If he could be baptized, Phillip responded, “if you believe with all of your heart you may.” Believe what? What Phillip just explained to him. He preached unto him Jesus. When you preach Jesus, you preach repentance, you preach baptism, and you preach being filled with the Holy Ghost. Faith without works is dead. 

We are begotten by the Word and repentance is the first response after believing. Repentance is powerful, but not complete without being baptized, yet powerful enough to prepare one to receive the Holy Ghost. 

Part of the response to the gospel is this: Jesus now commands all men everywhere to repent. I believe when men believe and obey that command, which is inextricably linked with baptism, revelation and real change takes place. 

Repentance is a commandment to be obeyed as well as a response to the Gospel. Conversion is repentance and baptism. While one can receive the Holy Ghost before baptism, but not the Holy Ghost before repentance, baptism is the NT circumcision which completes the conversion that began with repentance.

Repentance begins the process that isn’t completed until one is baptized - putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by being buried with Jesus Christ in baptism - yet one can receive the Holy Ghost before this takes place - which to me is a beautiful picture of grace - it doesn’t mean someone is sinning while being filled with the Holy Ghost - but while those past sins are still present and not yet washed away - you can be filled with the Holy Ghost. 

If you haven’t repented, you’re not ready for baptism. To repent is to want to be baptized. It’s why Paul asked the believers how were you baptized. Catch this: Paul knew that believers would be baptized. He just didn’t know how they were baptized. Believing and baptism goes together like peanut butter and jelly. 

To repent is to make a conscience choice to turn around from the direction one is headed. To repent is to change one’s mind for the better, to heartily amend with abhorrence of one's past sins. 

When you repent, you are biblically ready to receive the Holy Ghost, but you must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

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The Gospel is good news: 

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15 -  This is the gospel. 

Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:

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God gives the Holy Ghost to them that obey Him:

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. Acts‬ ‭5:32‬ ‭

This prophecy by Joel as told by Peter would be fulfilled starting in Acts 2:4 - before Peter started preaching

Jesus was crucified, buried and rose again. That’s the good news. That’s the gospel. Not only did He rise again, but he was seen of many witnesses, 1, 12, and over 500 at one time. 

Acts 2:23-24 - Jesus was crucified and rose again just as it says in 1 Corinthians 15. And that’s good news. That’s the Gospel. You obey it by believing, and you believe it by obeying. 

Then Peter said unto them, 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 Ghost. Acts‬ ‭2:38‬. ‭

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Money Changers

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is a little food for thought.

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Jesus, in Mark 11, went into the temple, "He overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them that sold doves. 

Why would He word it in that format. Why not say, He overthrew the tables and chairs.  NO , He

deliberately separates the two. Why did the money changers have no seats? Why did the people who sold doves not have tables?

 WELL... the money changers are pastors, we need to be in ministry for the right reasons. The dove is symbolic of the Holy Spirit! The congregation has no table, only a seat, selling the Holy Spirit SHORT, in their lives. Unless we intervene. "When does the football game start, I wish the preacher would stop talking" Ever hear those words?

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William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Correction Of Your Children

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is a message about disciplining your children that I wanted to share.

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King David was good at many things, correcting his children? Not so much. At least not when it came to Adonijah. The Bible says he NEVER corrected him. 

No wonder he assumed a kingship that wasn't his. When he did that, Solomon his half brother, had mercy on him, and told him to go home. He didn't recognize mercy when it was given. Adonijah then asked his mother, to ask Solomon, to give Abishag to him. 

This was the most beautiful woman they could find who was sought throughout all the coasts of Israel to bring King David comfort when he was dying. David knew her not. Now she belonged to Solomon. Don't try and take what belongs to the King. 

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Adonijah had never been corrected in his life, and now he would pay with his life. 

His mother said to Solomon, "I have just one request son, and don't tell me no." He said, "mom I won't tell you no. Give Abishag to your brother." King Solomon said NO! 

King Solomon said Adonijah will die today for this request. Solomon sent Benaiah to kill him. 

Parents, you endanger your children and their future when you don't correct them. Correcting them is loving them. Adonijah was presumptuous, a spoiled brat and a manipulator. It didn't work with the King!

That's why God disciplines His children, so that we grow up to be like Christ, instead of Adonijah.

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango