Truth Magazine

By Cecil Willis

One of the claims which the Bible makes for Itself is that It can never be destroyed. The abundance of copies of the Scriptures now available is abundant proof that It has made good Its claim. In many passages the indestructibility of the Scriptures is pronounced. In 1 Pet. 1:24, 25, we read: “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass, The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: But the word of the Lord abideth forever.” It will never cease to be. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). When the heavens shall have passed away with a great noise, the elements melted with fervent heat, the earth and the works therein burned up, the Bible, the word of the Lord, will yet remain. Isaiah said, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever” (Isa. 40:8). The Scriptures teach that the word of the Lord -must remain until time is no more, and even through the Judgment, for by the word of God we shall be judged. Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:48). As John tells of the Judgment scene, he says, “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Rev. 20:12). The Scriptures teach that from the time that the word of the Lord was put in written form, until the Judgment, they shall never be destroyed.

An Indestructible Kingdom

The Bible again asserts this same truth in a slightly different manner. It asserts that the kingdom of God shall never be destroyed. As the prophet Daniel predicted the building of the Messiah’s kingdom, he said it would endure forever. “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44). After Daniel had said the kingdom to be built could never be destroyed, Paul said that the kingdom which was built will endure forever. “And this word, Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:27-29).

But what are the implications of these statements that the kingdom can never be destroyed? Simply that the Word of God can never be destroyed. As Jesus gave a parable concerning the kingdom of God, He explained it saying, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). So long as the kingdom remains, the seed of the kingdom which is the word of God, must remain. But the Kingdom will last forever, so the Word of God must last forever. If It lasts forever, It is indestructible. So long as the Bible remains, the kingdom has not been destroyed. It may be suppressed for a while, it may not be apparent, but as long as God’s word remains, the kingdom has not been destroyed. When the seed of the kingdom is sown, men and women can become Christians; Christians make up the kingdom. One cannot cause wheat to cease to exist merely by pulling up all the wheat plants he can find. If he leaves just one seed of wheat, in which is the germ of life, he has not destroyed wheat. This single seed can be planted, a plant will come forth, bear its fruit, and wheat remains. So it is with the Word of God. One can fight the church, kill its members, but God has said that his Word cannot be destroyed. And until one can figure out how to destroy the Word of God, which he can never do, the kingdom cannot be destroyed because as the seed of the kingdom, the word of God, is sown into the hearts of men and women, it will bear fruit; they will become Christians and the kingdom will remain. It cannot be destroyed!

The Antiquity of the Bible

The Bible is a very ancient book. Its antiquity is a wonder. It is a marvel that the Bible has remained until the present time. I am quite sure It would not have, had it not been that God had purposed that It should never be destroyed. Relatively few books survive the decade in which they are printed. Very, very few survive for a century. Their make-up is such that the elements tend to destroy them. Age and water rot them, insects eat them, careless handling destroys them, ink fades, covers pull loose. But the Book of God remains.

The last book of the New Testament, Revelation, was written about 1875 years ago. Portions of the Bible, of course, are much older. The first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses about 1500 B.C., making them nearly 3500 years old. The Book of Job was written even earlier, probably at least 2000 B.C. The Bible probably is the oldest antique you have, even if you are a collector of ancient and very rare objects. Go to your library, choose your oldest volume, and compare its age with that of the Bible. God has seen to it that His Word has not perished from the earth, because He has willed that It should abide forever.

Efforts to Destroy the Bible

The antiquity of the Bible would be a marvel had men throughout the ages cherished It, and taken the very best of care to preserve It. But such has not always been the case. The enemies of Christianity have realized that the kingdom of God could not exist without the seed of the kingdom. Therefore, they have concentrated their efforts against Christianity in the direction of destroying the Scriptures.

Even in the New Testament, we read of those who violently sought to overthrow the cause of Christ. We read of disciples dying a martyr’s death because of their faith. Early in the history of Christianity, Clement of Alexandria wrote, “Many martyrs are daily burned, crucified, and beheaded before our eyes.” For many years Christianity was outlawed by the Roman government. From the time of Trajan (reigned 98-117) until Constantine (c. 300), virtually every one of the Roman emperors was opposed to Christianity. It is true that not all of them actively tried to suppress it, but few of them encouraged Christianity in any way. Many of their efforts were directed toward destroying the Bible. Of Diocletian (284-316), the ruler immediately preceding Constantine, Eusebius, the historian said, “royal edicts were published everywhere, commanding that the churches be leveled to the ground and the Scriptures destroyed by fire” (Church History, Book VIII, Ch. 1). Diocletian went on to say that if one had a copy of the Scriptures and did not surrender it to be burned, if it were discovered, he would be killed. Furthermore, if any other should know of one who had a copy of the Scriptures, and did not report it, he also would be killed. During this time many, many copies of the Bible were burned, copies laboriously written in longhand. Of this period. the historian Newman said, “Multitudes . . . hastened to deny the faith and to surrender their copies of the Scriptures; many more bore the most horrible tortures and refused with their latest breath to surrender the Scriptures or in any way to compromise themselves” (Newman, Church History, p. 169). After this edict had been in force for two years, Diocletian boasted, “I have completely exterminated the Christian writings from the face of the earth!” (Rimmer, Seven Wonders of the Wonderful Word, p. 15). But had he completely destroyed it?

History tells us that the next ruler, Constantine, became a Christian. He requested that copies of the Scriptures be made for all the churches. But alas! Diocletian had completely obliterated the Word of God. After Constantine offered a substantial reward for a copy of the Scriptures, within 25 hours 50 copies of the Bible were brought to him!

The Bible has had many enemies. Even those that professed on some occasions to be Its friends under other circumstances turned enemy to It. During the middle ages, for example, the Roman Catholic Church burned thousands of copies of the Bible. But in spite of it, the Bible lives on. Voltaire, the noted French infidel, who died in 1778, made his attempt to destroy the Bible. He boldly made the prediction that within one hundred years the Bible and Christianity would have been swept from existence into oblivion. But Voltaire’s efforts and his bold prophecy failed as miserably as did those of his unbelieving predecessors. In fact, within 100 years, the very printing press upon whicli Voltaire had printed his infidel literature, was being used to print copies of the Bible. And afterward, the very house in which the boasting Voltaire had lived, was literally stacked with Bibles prepared by the Geneva Bible Society. Voltaire and all his cohorts had miserably failed.

A few years ago H. L. Hastings in a book entitled Will the Old Book Stand? said, “The Bible is a book which has been refuted, demolished, overthrown, and exploded more times than any other book you ever heard of . . . . They overthrew the Bible a century ago, in Voltaire’s time,Tentirely demolished the whole thing. In less than a hundred years, said Voltaire, it will have been swept from: existence, and will have passed into history . . . But the Word of God ‘liveth and abideth forever’ ” (p. 5). The failures of these believers, and failures they must inevitably be, for they are but mere men fighting against the cause of almighty God, reminds me of a short poem written by William Blake:

Mock on, mock on, Voltaire, Rosseau!

Mock on, mock on, ’tis all in vain;

You blow the dust against the wind,

And the wind blows it back again.

Man cannot destroy the Bible. “We might as well put our shoulder to the burning wheel of the sun, and try to stop it on its flaming course, as attempt to stop the circulation of the Bible” (Collett, All About the Bible, p. 63).

“Men have died on the gallows for reading it, and have been burned at the stake for owning it. Tortures too fiendish to describe have been visited upon delicate women and tender children for looking on its pages. Yet in spite of the strongest forces that Hell could unleash and in the face of the animosity of tyrants and despots, there are more Bibles in the earth today than there are copies of any other book ever written by the hand of man!” (Rimmer, op. cit. p. 15).

The Bible’s Popularity

Each year literary men throughout the world are expending their most strenuous efforts to produce what men will call a “Best Seller.” But the “best seller” of all times is the Bible. Each year the Bible outsells all other books. Its critics have railed and ranted, and then died to be soon forgotten. But the Word of the Lord has lived on. It will continue to be the world’s best seller. So long as there are men and women who are willing to let the blessed words of the Bible guide their life, the Bible cannot be destroyed. And even if all shall turn aside from It, God will yet preserve It. For He has said it will last till heaven and earth shall be no more and that all of us shall meet It in the Day of Judgment. We must read it with understanding now, obey Its every commandment, live by It, die by It, and we can thereby share the great promises contained in It.

As I summarize this lesson on the indestructibility of the Bible, a poem that I ran across some time ago says what I have been trying to say.

“Last eve I paused beside a blacksmith’s door

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers worn with the beating years of time.

“`How many anvils have you had,’ said I,

`To wear and batter all these hammers so?’

`Just one,’ said he; then said with twinkling eye,

`The anvil wears the hammers out you know.’

“And so, I thought, the anvil of God’s word

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon,

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed-the hammers gone.”

Truth Magazine XIX: 31, pp. 483-485
June 12, 1975

By Larry Ray Hafley

“It is my belief that it is entirely unimportant what god one worships, monotheistic or polytheistic; what is important is that belief should produce the true spirit of devotion in the life of the worshiper” (The Wisdom of China And India, p. 13).

Probably very few of our readers would agree with the above quote. Members of denominational churches believe it is important “what god one worships.” In this they are correct. The Bible teaches that there is but “One God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:6). As ancient Israel was commanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3), so are we instructed (1 Cor. 8:4-6; 10:14; 1 Jn. 5:21). Truly, as God has said of Himself, “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Isa. 44:6).

While it is true that faith or belief should produce “the true spirit of devotion in the life of the worshiper,” it is not true that “it is entirely unimportant what god one worships.”

Parallel Statements

Let us make a few statements Which are parallel to the opening quotation and see if you will agree or disagree with them.

(1) “It is my belief that it is unimportant what Savior saves you. What is important is that you are saved.”

Most who claim to be saved would surely resent anyone who would dare say that you can have the Savior of your choice. “It does not make any difference who saves you, just so you are saved.” Whether you are a Baptist, Pentecostal, Lutheran; or a Methodist, you surely do not believe that the Savior is unimportant. Jesus is the Savior, and “if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (Jn. 8:24). Buddha cannot save. No man can save, therefore, the Savior is important. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).

(2) “It is my belief that it is entirely unimportant what blood one depends upon for cleansing from sin, whether the blood of animals, the blood of Abraham Lincoln, or the blood of Jesus Christ, what is important is that one is cleansed from his sins by blood.”

What a blasphemous statement! Who is it that claims to be a follower of the Lord that can agree with such an utterance? Surely, none can! The blood of Jesus is the “blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). Christ made spiritual “peace through the blood of his cross” (Col. 1:20). We are “justified by his blood” (Rom. 5:9). Apart from the blood of Christ, there is no cleansing from sin. Lincoln was a great man, but all the blood his heart could pump in a thousand years could never atone for one sin of one man. Not a drop of all the blood of all the animals who ever lived can take away sins, for Jesus is the one “that loved us, and washed away our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5).

Agreed So Far?

Thus far I suppose most all who profess to be children of God are agreed. That is as it should be. What we have agreed upon is:

A. Not prejudiced opinion.

B. Not what a church creed book says.

C. Not what any mere man has said.

But we have agreed upon what the word of God says. As long as we are willing to go by the Bible, we will be agreed.

(3) “It is my belief that it is entirely unimportant ;what church you are a member of, whether Catholic or Protestant, what is important is that you are a member of some church and that you are worshiping God in the church of your choice.”

Now, perhaps, we have our first open division and disagreement. However, a return to the same standard, the Bible, as we used to establish our earlier unity will promote and provide harmony on’ this point also. Some of our readers, may concur that the church is “entirely unimportant,” but the issue is not, “How many agree?” The issue is, “What does the Bible teach? Does the bible agree with that sentiment?”

We noted from Ephesians 4:6 that there is one God. We learned from Ephesians 4:5 that there is one Lord, one Savior, Jesus. To these points we agreed because that is what the Bible says. In Ephesians 4:4, the word of God says, “There is one body.” This body, the “one body,” is the church. Christ is the “head over all things to the church, which is his body” (Eph. 1:22, 23; Cola 1:18). There are many members of the body, the church, yet there is “but one body,” or church (1 Cor. 12:20).

In Ephesians 2:16 we find that one is reconciled “unto God in one body.” Remember, that “one body,” is “the church,” and there is “but one body,” or church (Eph. 4:4; 1:22, 23). If we are reconciled unto God, we are in that one body, for Paul says that it is the realm, the sphere of reconciliation. Furthermore, Christ. is “the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23). How, in light of this, can one say the church is “entirely unimportant?” Can that which Christ loved and purchased with his precious blood be “entirely unimportant?” See Acts 20:28 and Ephesians 5:25.

Do you agree or disagree? Again, as in each case before, we have cited-Scripture to sustain the truth and to deny the opening statement. If you now disagree with these Scriptures concerning the “one church,” what right do you have to demand that I agree that the blood of Jesus is superior to the blood of animals? Why insist that Christ, not Buddha, is the Savior? After all, if you can deny what the Bible teaches about the church, why cannot someone else deny what it teaches about Christ being the Savior? Surely, you see that the Bible is right. You see the truth about the church-“There is one body.” Now that you see the truth, accept it, believe it, obey it and be saved (1 Pet. 1:22; Heb. 5:8, 9).

Truth Magazine XIX: 31, p. 482
June 12, 1975

By Steve Wolfgang

“Buy the truth and sell it not; yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Prov. 23:23, ASV). In this proverb, the Wise Preacher has distilled for the ages a principle which is as applicable today as it was when first spoken thousands of years ago. Keil and Delitzsch comment perceptively on the passage as follows:

“To buy the truth, i.e. to shun no expense, no privation, no effort, in order to attain to the possession of wisdom; and to sell it not, i.e. not to place it over against any earthly possession, worldly gain, sensual enjoyment.”

Although spoken before the gospel was first preached in its fulness, these words of wisdom present several fundamental concepts which can be found repeatedly in the New Testament.

Buying: Count the Cost

The idea of “buying the truth” may involve several things. Jesus clearly taught that there would be some expense involved . in becoming citizens of the kingdom of heaven. We may be called upon to sacrifice “social prestige,” or to surrender things which are momentarily pleasurable in order to receive a more enduring kind of happiness and fulfillment. It may be necessary for us to surrender financial “security” or to cease to be involved in questionable practices which might be profitable to those who are not Christians. We may even come to be estranged from family or close friends (cf: Matt. 8:19-22; Lk. 10:57-62). Jesus plainly taught that we need to count the cost which may be involved. One who intends to wait until it will be “easy” for him to change and become a Christian, when he will not have to give up anything, or until there is nothing left to prevent him from so doing, will likely go to his grave still waiting. We need rather to “calculate” the stakes involved and act accordingly (cf. Lk. 14:25-33).

“One Pearl of Great Price”

But it is equally evident that our Lord taught that whatever the cost of discovering the truth, it is not (in the words of the apostle Paul) “worthy to be compared with, the glory which shall be revealed to usward” (Rom. 8:18). Jesus expressed it in these words:

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking costly pearls; and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matt. 13:44-46)

“And Sell It Not”

But the quest for and acquisition of the truth is only one half of the proverb-and the fact that the wise man felt constrained to include the second portion indicates that he understood a sad fact about human nature-the tendency to lose our zeal, or our sense of perspective and value, as time progresses. Centuries of church history, and Biblical history as well, bear mute witness of the multitudes who, having once grasped the truth, held it not fast “unto the end” (cf. Heb. 3:5-6, 12-14; 6:11-12; Rev. 2:10).

Selling It Out: Apostasy

Jesus Himself taught that there would be many vvho, having once heard the truth, would have it “choked out” (cf. Lk. 8:4-15). One need not even peruse the pages of church history to see the innumerable demonstrations of this principle; even in our own generation there are ample examples of those who, through discouragement, for the praise of men, out of a love for “the wisdom of the world,” because of malcontentedness, or for an unnumbered host of other reasons, have “sold out” the gospel, and thus their spiritual inheritance, for a “mess of pottage” (cf. Gen. 25:27-34; Heb. 12:14-17).

Selling It Short

But there is another way of “selling the truth” which occurs, perhaps, more often than common apostasy, and which, because of its subtle nature, is more apt to affect faithful Christians; it is selling short the power of the gospel to save those who will believe it (Rom. 1:16-17). When we believe that the gospel cannot save, and churches cannot grow, without some hot-shot, supercharged, well-educated, “full-time” preacher (whatever that may be), without a “good location” (translation: a new, quarter-million-dollar building, preferably “across the tracks” in a white, upper-middle-class section of town), or without some “super-dooper” special, mass communication program-brethren, we have sold short the saving power of the gospel of God! There is nothing wrong with a “located” preacher who receives his full financial support from a church, or with nice, commodious church buildings, or well-developed personal work “programs,” or congregations that are “friendly” toward the visitors; but these things are not the gospel. If the growth of the first-century church had been dependent upon these and other like things, it would never have survived to the dawn of the second century! It is the gospel which saves, and church buildings, teaching programs, located preachers, friendly Christians, etc., while useful, are merely means to the end of presenting the vibrant, soul-transforming word of God to as many people as possible. When we suppose that the gospel cannot save, or that people cannot and will not be converted, without these “extras,” are we not as guilty of “adding to” God’s word as those who festoon it with the doctrines of men and then follow such a perverted gospel straight into apostasy? May we each one encourage others to “buy the truth,” paying whatever price may be necessary, and strengthen our own resolve to “sell it not,” come what may!

Truth Magazine XIX: 30, p. 477
June 5, 1975

By Larry Ray Hafley

Under the above caption, Bedford Andrews wrote in the Missionary Baptist Searchlight of February 10, 1975. He discussed the baptism of John in general and the reference in Mark 1:4 in particular. “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Mr. Andrews correctly and scripturally concluded that in Mark 1:4 John “baptized in water all who repented and came for water baptism. That is all there is to it.” If that had been “all there is to it,” we would not be writing these lines, but Mr. Andrews could not resist making a few comments on Mark 1:4. “Notice,” said he, “in Mark 1:4 it says, `. . . baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.’ The word `for” as used here many times means “because of” instead of the other way it may be used. For example see verse 44 of the same chapter. Here the leper-already cleansed, mind you–is told to offer `for” thy cleansing. Now, did he offer to get to be clean, or because he was already clean? Well, Jesus had already cleansed him of leprosy and after cleansing told him to offer `for” it. How do we know this is the proper use of the word `for” in the term `. . . baptized for the remission of sins,’ Mark 1:4? Because those who repent of sin have everlasting life, are saved, born again, sons of God, in the family of God, etc. Acts 11:18; Gal. 3:26, and other Scriptures. Mind you, baptism is for the remission of sins, but the ones repenting, and only those, were baptized by John the Baptist; therefore, we must conclude `for” as used here to mean “because of” and not in order to obtain remission.”

Does This “For” Mean “Because of?”

Mr. Andrews tortured both his grammar and his doctrine. His argument on Mark 1:4 is based on the meaning of `for” in verse 44. Unfortunately, the Greek word “for” in verse 44 is peri,,,while in verse 4 it is eis. “For (pert) thy cleansing” appears in Mark 1:44 as quoted by Andrews, but it is “for (eis) the remission of sins” in verse 4.

After being healed of his leprosy, Jesus said, “See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them” (Mk. 1:44). The last expression of ‘for” is the Greek preposition, eis. It is “for (eis) a testimony unto them,” while the first phrase is “for (pert) thy cleansing.” To say the least, Mr. Andrews was careless. To say the worst, he was deceitful. Surely, he was simply unaware of his error.

But the leprous man was not formally cleansed. True, he was “cleansed” in that his “leprosy departed from him” (Mk. 1 1:42), but according to Leviticus 14:2-9, he was ceremonially unclean. The leprosy was healed (Cf. Mk. 1:42; Lev. 14:2). But he was “to be cleansed” after going through the prescribed ritual (Lev. 14:7, 8). Only on the seventh day was he declared “clean.” So, Mr. Andrews argument fails and falls whether or not the term “for” is the same or not

The leprous man was to offer “those things which Moses commanded for a testimony” (Mk. 1:44). The last ‘for” is the same word as appears in Mk. 1:4, “for the remission of sins.” Was the leper to offer “because of” a testimony, or “in order to” declare unto them? Certainly, he was to make the offerings, not because a testimony had been rendered, but in order to effect testimony unto them. So, the argument on “for” backfires. John baptized those penitent ones “for the remission of sins.” Compare Matthew 26:28 and Acts 2:38.

Repentance, Salvation, and Acts 11:18

Mr. Andrews says “those who repent of sin have everlasting life, are saved, born again, sons of God, in the family of God, etc. Acts 11:18; Gal. 3:26.” His statement is true only if he uses the term repentance as it is used in Acts 11:18. In this text, the Jews rejoiced that God had granted the Gentiles “repentance unto life.” This includes their believing in Christ and their obedience to the command to be baptized (Acts 10:34, 35, 43, 48). After their belief and baptism, it is said that God had “granted repentance unto life” unto the Gentiles. After, “mind you,” and not before.

However, if Mr. Andrews means that one has “everlasting life” and is saved the very moment he repents, he has himself in conflict with his doctrine. Missionary Baptist doctrine says repentance precedes, comes before, faith. Thus, if one is “born again” the moment he repents, he is “saved” and has “everlasting life” before he believes. Hence, Mr. Andrews would make faith unessential to salvation or at least subsequent to it.

And that is the way Andrews was using the term. He is considering repentance prior to baptism in Mark 1:4. At the point of repentance, one is “saved” and “born again,” he says. Thus, according to Andrews, one repents, is saved, and then is baptized “because of” the remission of sins. And since faith follows repentance in the Baptist Scheme, he has one not only “saved” before baptism but also before faith.

Mr. Andrew’s Predicament

Let us try that last paragraph on Mark 1:15. The Lord said, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” According to Andrew’s usage of Mark 1:4, one is “saved” and has “everlasting life” after he repents, but before he is baptized. Will he deny this logic on this passage? Let him attempt it. Compare Mark 1:4 and 1:15. On Mark 1:4, Andrews says, “Repent (be ‘saved, born again’) and then be baptized ‘because of the remission of sins.” That is the gist of his argument. Parallel-wise, let him explain the statement eleven verses later: “Repent ye (have ‘everlasting life, are saved, born again’) and believe the gospel.”

Mk. 1:4-(1) Repent (2) Salvation (3) Baptism

Mk. 1:15-(1) Repent (2) Salvation (3) Believe

IF NOT, WHY NOT?

In his haste to explain away any connection between baptism and the remission of sins, Mr. Andrews ‘has crossed himself and Baptist doctrine. Will he tell us why salvation comes before baptism in Mark 1:4 but why it does not come before faith in Mark 1:15? With his reasoning, one may use Acts 11:18 in considering Mark 1:15 as readily as he uses it in Mark 1:4. So, Andrews has salvation appearing before both belief and baptism.

Today, “repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his (Jesus’) name among all nations” in this manner: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:16). “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10;10). “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).

Truth Magazine XIX: 30, pp. 475-476
June 5, 1975