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Q5. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD?

Sermons on the Baptist Catechism

June 24, 2020 • Brett Baggett

ANSWER. The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, its power to convert sinners and to edify saints; but the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God.
(1 Cor. 2:6,7,13; Ps. 119:18, 129; Acts 10:43, 26:22; Acts 18:28; Heb 4:12; Ps. 19:7-9; Rom. 15:4; John 16:13,14; 1 John 2:20-27; 2 Cor. 3:14-17)

NATURAL WAYS WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by...

I. THE HEAVENLINESS OF ITS DOCTRINE

ISAIAH 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

“The mystery of Scripture is so [perplexing] and profound that no man or angel could have known it, had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity—should be born; that he who thunders in the heavens—should cry in the cradle; that he who rules the stars—should suck the breasts; that the Prince of Life—should die; that the Lord of Glory—should be put to shame; that sin should be punished to the full—yet pardoned to the full; who could ever have conceived of such a mystery, had not the Scripture revealed it to us?” - Thomas Watson

II. THE UNITY OF ITS PARTS

40 authors, spanning 1,400 years, all with one message: “God is holy, man is not, Christ Jesus came to save sinners, we must turn from sin to faith in God’s Savior.”

ACTS 26:22-23
22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.

ROMANS 4:2-6
“2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

III. ITS POWER TO CONVERT SINNERS

HEBREWS 4:12
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

1 PETER 1:23-25 “you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

ACTS 2:37
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

MARTIN LUTHER: I beat importunately upon Paul at that place, most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted. At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. There a totally other face of the entire Scripture showed itself to me." - The Legacy of Luther, Sproul and Nichols, Reformation Trust

CHARLES SPURGEON: lifting up his hands, [the man] shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, "Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin' to do but to look and live." I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said,—I did not take much notice of it,—I was so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me. I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, "Look!" what a charming word it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away. There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, "Trust Christ, and you shall be saved." Yet it was, no doubt, all wisely ordered, and now I can say,— "Ever since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die." - Charles Spurgeon, Autobiography: The Early Years, Banner of Truth

IV. ITS POWER TO EDIFY SAINTS

LUKE 24:25-27, 30-32
“25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. . . . 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

EPHESIANS 2:19-21
19 you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

NATHAN COLE: “And my hearing [George Whitefield] preach gave me a heart wound; by Gods blessing my old foundation was broken up, and I saw that my righteousness would not save me, then I was convinced of the doctrine of Election.” - George Leon Walker, Some Aspects of the Religious Life of New England (New York: Silver, Burnett, and Company, 1897), 89–92.

THE SUPERNATURAL WAY WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

I. But the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God.

2 CORINTHIANS 2:13 “And we impart [wisdom] in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

2 CORINTHIANS 3:14-17 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

1 JOHN 2:20 “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.”

Beloved, it is not enough to know the Scriptures and trust that they are the word of God.

JOHN 5:39-40 “39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

You must go to Jesus is faith, whom the whole Bible reveals! Your GPS can tell you exactly how to get to the Grand Canyon, but you have to go there to see it. The Bible tells you perfectly how to have eternal life, but you have to go to Jesus to get it.

WHY USE CATECHISMS? Colossians 1:21-23

May 24, 2020 • Brett Baggett

Why use Catechisms? I. Because "[Jesus] has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard" (Colossians 1:21b-23a). II. The way to be stable and steadfast is to be properly instructed (catechized). Why is it crucial that we are properly instructed? I. If we do not continue in the faith, we reveal that we are not reconciled to God by the blood of Jesus (Colossians 1:21-23). II. We are commanded to grow up into the likeness of Jesus, no longer children tossed around by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:11-14). III. There are many who are catechizing you according to damnable heresies (2 Peter 2:3, 1 John 2:6; 4:1). IV. There are difficult doctrines “which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). V. Leaders must be raised who can “give instruction in sound doctrine and also confute those who contradict it” (Titus. 1:8). VI. “Such that are not settled in the faith can never suffer for it” — Thomas Watson. (see Mark 4:16-17). VII. The more instruction you drink, the more intoxicating joy you will have in Jesus—to know Him more is to love Him more (Psalm 16:11). VIII. The better instructed you are the better you will be able to instruct others. Being properly catechized will make you more useful in helping others be glad in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Q1. WHO IS THE FIRST AND BEST OF BEINGS?

May 27, 2020 • Brett Baggett

A. God is the first and best of beings. Q. WHY DOES THE CATECHISM BEGIN HERE, WITH GOD CLARIFIED AS THE FIRST AND BEST OF BEINGS? I. WE MUST BEGIN WHERE THE BIBLE BEGINS GENESIS 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." II. WE MUST BEGIN WHERE TRUE WISDOM BEGINS PROVERBS 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” PROVERBS 9:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” PSALM 111:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” Stories are best begun in the beginning or confusion will abound. Foundations are best laid on the ground or everything will fall apart. So it is when we are seeking to be grounded in the faith—we must begin with God or confusion and crumbling may surely follow us all the days of our life. Q. What is God? A. God is the Creator and Sustainer of everyone and everything. (New City Catechism Q2) Q. WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD IS FIRST? A. First in Existence and Preeminence. I. FIRST IN EXISTENCE GENESIS 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." JOB 38:1-7 1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? PSALM 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” COLOSSIANS 1:16-17 “16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” REVELATION 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” II. FIRST IN EMINENCE PSALM ‭97:9‬ “For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” COLOSSIANS 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” See the sad state of all who do not honor God, the first and best of beings. ROMANS 1:21-23 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things ISAIAH 44:9-11 9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. Q. WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD IS BEST? I. BEST IN GLORY AND GOODNESS PSALM 8 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! See the happy state of all who are reconciled to God by His Son Jesus Christ! The first and best of beings—Jesus Christ our Lord—was made a little lower than the angels. He debased himself in order to Redeem His bride. On the cross, the first and best of beings was treated like the last and worst of beings. Why? So that you could be cleansed of your filthy sin and clothed in the pure white robes of Christ. HEBREWS 2:9-11 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers. BENJAMIN KEACH (1640-1704) Originally from Buckinghamshire, Keach worked as a tailor during his early years. He was baptized at the age of 15 and began preaching at 18. He was the minister of the congregation at Winslow before moving in 1668 to the church at Horsleydown (Horse-lie-down), Southwark where he remained for 36 years as pastor (1668-1704). This congregation later became the New Park Street Church and then moved to the Metropolitan Tabernacle under the pastorship of Charles Spurgeon. Keach’s catechism was first published in 1693. For a brief biography of Keach, see http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/keach.benjamin.tbe.html For easy access to a digital copy of The Baptist Catechism, see http://www.ekklesiamuskogee.church/the-baptist-catechism/ To purchase a hard copy of The Baptist Catechism, see https://www.amazon.com/1689-baptist-confession-faith-catechism/dp/1599253771/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+baptist+catechism&qid=1590608161&sr=8-2 HERCULES COLLINS (1646/7-1702) For a brief biography of Collins, see https://founders.org/2012/07/12/baptists-and-1662-the-persecution-of-john-norcott-and-hercules-collins/ To purchase a hard copy of An Orthodox Catechism, see https://www.amazon.com/orthodox-catechism-hercules-collins/dp/0980217911/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=utf8&qid=1590608349&sr=8-1 For easy access to as digital copy of An Orthodox Catechism, see https://www.thecalvinist.net/etc/1680%20orthodox%20catechism%20(hercules%20collins).pdf

Q2. WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN?

June 3, 2020 • Brett Baggett

Q2. What is the chief end of man? A. Man's chief end is to glory God and to enjoy Him forever. Distinctions to be made concerning the glory of God: 1) Intrinsic glory. 2) Ascribed glory. The Intrinsic glory of God is like the Grand Canyon; ascribing glory to God is like giving others a helicopter ride through it to simply behold its beauty. The glory is there. You cannot add to it. You are but meant to show it! Or if you prefer, the glory of God is like the moon. It is huge and beautiful but it seems far away to we simple men. To glorify God is like helping others look through a telescope to see its bigness and beauty up close! WHY MUST WE GLORIFY GOD? I. Because it is the plain teaching of Scripture that this is why we exist. II. Because this is why all things exist. III. Because this is why Jesus purchased sinners on the cross. I. We must glorify God because it is the plain teaching of Scripture that this is why we exist. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Peter 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” - Watson: “The glory of God is the silver thread which must run through all our actions.” Philippians 1:20 “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” - Watson: “The glory we give God is nothing else but our lifting up His name in the world, and magnifying Him in the eyes of others.” II. We must glorify God because this is why all things exist. Colossians 1:16-18 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ... that in everything he might be preeminent.” III. We must glorify God because this is why He purchased sinners on the cross. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” - Those who know they were bought on the cross with the precious blood of Christ make it their aim to glorify that precious One whose blood was spilled for their sake! WHAT IS IT TO GLORIFY GOD? Watson: “To glorify God consists in four things: I. Appreciation. II. Adoration. III. Affection. IV. Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven.” I. Appreciation (thought/prayer life). - Watson: “To glorify God is to set Him highest in our thoughts.” Psalm 97:9 “For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” - Watson: “To glorify God is to have God-admiring thoughts; to esteem Him most excellent, and search for diamonds in this rock only.” II. Adoration (worship). Psalm 29:1-2 “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” III. Affection (love). Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” IV. Subjection (joyful obedience). 1 Corinthians 6:20 “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "ENJOY HIM FOREVER"? Psalm 73:25-26 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” Philippians 1:21, 23 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ... I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” HOW MAY WE MOST ENJOY GOD HERE AND NOW? I. Fellowship with Him through the scripture and prayer. II. Trust His promises. III. Fellowship with His saints. IV. Take, by faith, His Supper. V. Help others know Him and enjoy Him. VI. Enjoy Him by glorifying Him and glorify Him by enjoying Him.