By The Book

(From 2002)

Some people ask why is full immersion baptism necessary and you could respond in simple terms by saying "because it’s in the bible". But you’d want to back up that statement with a scripture passage to prove it true and you would turn to Romans 6: 3-5, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" Various other questions can be answered by saying "the bible says so" but we also want to show them where to prove we are right. 1Thessalonians 5:21, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

In reading the early books of the Old Testament, I noticed that when Noah was building the ark, God gave him specific measurements and details in the building of it. Genesis 6:14-16 verifies this: "14. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.newness of life." Naturally I accepted this notion, as any person taking on a task as big at this ark would need specific measurements otherwise they would build it too small. God even specified how many of each type of animal to take aboard.

"And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

Genesis 7:2 "Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth." (Genesis 6:19-20; 7:2-3).

In reading Exodus, the last handful of chapters describes in minute detail how to build the Ark of the Covenant, the tabernacle and the altar. Exodus 25:9, "According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." It continues on through chapters 26-31. And so I asked myself "Why does God give such explicit detail? Why so many instructions?" The answer is: God wants us to do as we are told. Do it "By the Book" as some people say. Otherwise we would cut corners on measurements or substitute materials for one reason or another. This was used as a teaching by Paul in a letter to the Hebrews as found in chapter 8, verses 1-5: "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2. A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." God wants us to do what we are told as written in the bible.

Now what happens if people don’t do what they are told? Well let’s see. As part of lighting the senser on the altar, no strange fire was to be introduced as stated in Exodus 30:9, "Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon." This means each fire must be created from the remains of the previous fire contained within. Now here’s what happened when strange fire was introduced as stated in Leviticus 10:1-2, "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 2. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD." 

Here’s another example on the Ark of the Covenant. In 1 Chronicles 13: 9-14, we learn what happens to those who are not to touch the ark,"9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God. 11. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day. 12. And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? 13. So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had." And here’s what David did with the Ark and why, "1. And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. 2. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. 3. And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it."

"12. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. 13. For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. 14. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. 15. And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD." (1 Chronicles 15:1-3, 12-15)

And in the book of Jonah when God told him to travel to Ninevah and preach to them, (Jonah 1:1-2) Jonah attempted to run away (verse 3) and he ended up in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights (verse17) Jonah wanted to avoid responsibility.

As Christians we have responsibilities we need to carry out as stated in the bible. Here are just a few examples:

1. In Mark 16:16 Jesus said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." An infant cannot speak of its own accord and therefore cannot believe nor be baptized.
   
2. In Mark 16:15 Jesus said: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Attending church every Sunday is not enough. You need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone you come in contact with on a daily basis.
3. In Ecclesiastes 12:13 it is written: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." We need to keep God in our lives for if we do things without God, it is in vain as stated in Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 ": Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?" and also in Psalm 62:9-11 "Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. 10. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. 11. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God."

When we do things "By the Book" we please God. But if we know this to be right and choose not to do it, it is sin. (James 4:17)