November 2011 Volume 6 #11 Volume 6 #11

Wading River Baptist Church

P.O. Box 438, 1635 Wading River-Manor Road, Wading River, NY 11792 (631) 929-3512; 929-6022 www.wrbc.us office@wrbc.us

Biblical Separation Part 3: Ecclesiastical Separation

Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord? (2 Chronicles 19:2).
To this point in our study of the biblical doctrine of separation, we have discovered that worldliness is a major problem in evangelical Christianity today, often being justified in the name of authenticity. For example, seeker-sensitive churches have shied away from preaching against worldliness and advocating holiness in the interest of attracting and retaining unbelievers. The Bible, however, requires holiness on the part of believers based on the truth that God himself is holy (1 Pet 1:14-16). As the Apostle Paul instructed Titus, the grace of God teaches godliness (Titus 2:11-14), and thus, having nothing in common with those who engage in sinful behavior, believers are obligated to separate from all sin (2 Cor 6:14-7:1). Christians are neither to love the world nor the things in the world, because none of it is from God and all of it will ultimately be destroyed (1 Jn 2:15-17). The separation that should distinguish individual Christians should also mark Christian churches. Corporate holiness is an obligation as well. This, too, is a controversial conviction, and one that has become increasingly rare. In the early twentieth century, Fundamentalism emerged from the controversy between those who held to the infallibility of Scripture and those who denied the basic tenets of historic Christian orthodoxythose who came to be called liberals or modernists. It was a bitter controversy, especially among Presbyterians and Baptists. A number of new associations were formed by those who contended for the faithfulness to Gods Word that marked historic Christian orthodoxy, and along with them, new Bible colleges and seminaries were founded. By mid-century, the Liberal-Fundamentalist divide was well-defined. Simply put, the Liberals denied much of Scripture, and the Fundamentalists accepted its teachings literally. As might be expected, the Liberals also compromised at the point of Christian living while the Fundamentalists advocated personal holiness, and thus separation. Because the church has always had to stand against a sinful and hostile world, the principle of ecclesiastical (church) separation has a long history, much too involved for this brief article. It stretches back to the second century (the Novatians), the fourth century (the Donatists), the Middle Ages (the Paulicians, the Petrobrussians, and the Waldenses), the Reformation (Protestant vs. Roman Catholic), postReformation Protestantism (the Anabaptists and later the Puritans). All of these groups were committed to the separatist position in one way or another. But a development took place in the 1950s that had enormous impact for years to come. A young evangelist named Billy Graham burst on the religious world with his spectacular Los Angeles crusade (1949). He grabbed the attention of the nation and in fact the worldwith his new cooperative evangelism. Early in his career, Graham had identified himself as a Fundamentalist and an enemy of Modernism, but as he gained international stature, he moved away from that commitment. For his 1957 New York City campaign, Graham had included the arch-liberal Henry Van Dusen (president of Union Seminary) on his crusade committee. From then on, his evangelistic work, consisting of city-wide crusades and various congresses on evangelism, was marked by a series of associations with liberal Protestants and Roman Catholics. His policy became that of inclusivism rather than separation, one evidence of which was his practice of referring converts to liberal churches. Because of his popularity and the soundness of his basic message, to challenge Graham has been a source of intense criticism against Fundamentalists. However, these defenders of the faith were convinced that just because he was personally a good man was insufficient reason to exempt him from rebuke when he violated Scripture. Graham was at the forefront of what came to be known as neoevangelicalism, an evangelicalism committed to cooperation with liberals and Roman Catholics and opposed to ecclesiastical separation. His position was propagated in his popular Decision magazine and in the periodical he co-founded, Christianity Today, and was the basis for the work of his associate evangelists in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. At first this shift in thinking did not appear to have major repercussions, but over the following half century, the fallout became clear. A younger generation of neo-evangelicals rejected the separatist position of Fundamentalism while claiming to retain their biblical doctrine. The prevailing thinking became that of engaging the world rather than separating from it. But over time, doctrinal decay began to be apparent, and the commitment of Fundamentalism to personal holiness began to wane. Evangelical churches abandoned the preaching of both personal and ecclesiastical separation, and Bible-believing churches began adopting ideas and practices that, up until that point, could only be described as worldly. Standards of dress and music changed radically; practices which formerly had been condemned by
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faithful churches (such as the use of alcohol, attendance at the theater, and social dancing) began to be accepted as permissible. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, the church had become so worldly that rock music as a vehicle for worship was no longer questioned and even young pastors could use foul language in their sermons and not only not be dismissed, but actually be praised! Biblically speaking, inclusivism has proven to be a disaster for the cause of Christ. Christianity no longer holds a distinctive profile before the unbelieving world. No one really knows what a Christian is any more! No one knows what a Christian is supposed to believe or how a Christian is supposed to live. Thats why biblical Christianity must return to a commitment to biblical separation. We need to remember the following biblical principles governing the separation of churches from the world. 1. We are not to help the cause of those who are deliberately disobedient, even when that cause is pursued for the Lords sake. The premiere example of this is King Jehoshaphat of Judah, who although he was a good and in many ways godly ruler, aligned himself with Israels wicked King Ahab in a joint military campaign. Following his participation in the battle in which Ahab was killed, Jehoshaphat was confronted by the prophet Hanani, who asked: Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord? (2 Chron 19:2). Its a penetrating question, reminding us that today Christian ministries are not to be bound together with unbelievers, since we are not to partner with lawlessness or fellowship with darkness (2 Cor 6:14)not even to achieve the same objective. 2. We are to separate from those who deny the faith. In one of his strongest statements anywhere in his letters, Paul tells the Galatian churches: But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed [i. e., to hell]! As we have said before, so I say

again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Gal 1:8-9). This truth is not only stated in the most emphatic way possible, but it is a truth Paul clearly stated over and over again in his dealing with the churches. 3. We are to avoid those who advocate or tolerate worldliness under the guise of godliness. Paul insists that Timothy (in his capacity as a church leader) avoid those who represent themselves as godly and yet either practice or permit (or both) ungodliness (2 Tim 3:1-5). As evangelical churches, we need to exercise extreme vigilance and discernment at this point. The Lord instructs us: do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 Jn 4:1). Therefore, toleration in such cases is not a virtue; it is a sin! 4. We are to defend the faith against those who would undermine it. Judes instruction to the churches was unwavering: I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 3). As we noticed in a previous article, the reason is that there are those who twist grace into an excuse for immorality. But unity must never be an excuse for impurity! In fact, unity must always be based on truth (Eph 4:1-16). Thus, once truth is compromised, unity is destroyed. In rebuking error or separating from those who embrace it, however, we must always do so in love (Eph 4:15; 1 Cor 13:1-7). 5. We are to protect the body of the church from infectious agents. Leaven (yeast), which is a consistent symbol in Scripture for sin, is to be removed from the lump of dough (the congregation). The reason is that it always penetrates the entire lump. Paul asks the Corinthians: Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? (1 Cor 5:6). Paul also uses the image of gangrene: But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene (2 Tim 2:16-17a).

It is important to conclude, therefore, that evangelical churches must not only separate from the world but also must be prepared to separate from their own denomination or denominational association when those organizations compromise biblical truth. This may include Christian colleges and seminaries, as well as missions or charitable organizations. There is a long-standing controversy over the issue of secondary separation. Should a church refuse to associate with another church, which although sound in itself, associates or cooperates with organizations or individuals who are apostate? The best answer is probably that such situations can be very complex and need to be evaluated carefully (1 Jn 4:1); but because only a little leaven is necessary to leaven the whole lump, extreme caution is in order. To be tolerant of believers who are tolerant of unbelievers is to court disaster. Separation may be painful, but never forget that apostasy is usually terminal! Put simply, therefore, willingness to separate from unbelief, sin, or compromise is one powerful evidence of faithfulness on the part of a biblically grounded church. Ultimately, the integrity of Scripture and those of us who believe it and teach it is at stake. Sometimes we may fail. Our attitudes may not always be right; at times we may be inconsistent. But the bottom line is that when it comes to standing for the New Testament Christian faith, we should strive to be like our Lord Jesus who was full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). Pastor Ron Glass Note: Although it may be hard to find, there is a helpful book on this muchneglected subject which has assisted me in the preparation of this article, and I commend it to you. It is Ernest Pickering, Biblical Separation: the Struggle for a Pure Church (Schaumburg, IL: Regular Baptist Press, 1979).

Missionaries of the Month Noel and Nora Faustinorio

It has been almost five years since Pastor Noel and Nora Faustinorio began attending WRBC with their children. In these five years, Pastor Noel has shared with the WRBC his desire to minister to his people in the Philippines; however, it has been a slow process because of health issues. He had left the Philippines back in 1993 when he first began to look for ways to become a Pastor in order to evangelize; Noel eventually began attending the WRBC to worship while forging ahead. On April 11, 2010, Pastor Noel was commissioned under the Wading River Baptist Church in Wading River, NY, allowing him to establish the Wading River Fundamental Bible Baptist Church, in Lagro, Quezon City, Philippines.

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As a result of Pastor Noel and Nora Faustinorio both becoming close to the congregation of WRBC, the WRBC has continued with a high level of interest in his church, his mission, and, of course, his health. WRBC continues to support Pastor Noel and his church not only financially but prayerfully. With this thought in mind, we lift up Pastor Noel and Nora with our prayers and designate them as Novembers Missionaries of the Month for the first time. At present, Pastor Noel has returned to the states for a medical checkup and hopefully will return to the Philippines in December, this time with his wife, Nora, at his side. She has remained stateside until now, standing by her youngest daughter until she graduated. Pray that they will return to the Philippines together in December and that their daughters will be okay here in the U.S. Pray for all four of their children: Joseph, Jeceliah, Jaazeniah, and Jewels. (Shown in the photo are Jaaz

and Jewels with their mother and father whom we have learned to love so well.)

Please pray for the structure of their church in the Philippines. When it rains, it floods (literally). The terrain around the church building needs to be addressed to divert the direction of the flooding. Please pray for the growth of the church with members that are deep-seated in the Word. The membership stands at about 120 members, but Pastor Noel would like to see more familiesall of whom are maturing spiritually.

Please pray that their financial needs are met not only from the churches that support their mission but through the giving of the tithes from the members. May the members understand Gods Word on tithing to the fullest? Pray that the ministry itself would expand bringing in more teachers and leaders as well as more students for the Christian School. Pray for Pastor Noel that he would be an effective Pastor of the church. Pray that the members of the church would arrive at a full understanding of his medical needs and how it is necessary to have these visits back to the states for medical evaluation. Most of all, as we pray for the Wading River Fundamental Bible Baptist Church of the Philippines, pray that there is a unity among the people of the church that would bring them into the loving, sweet fellowship that is presently enjoyed at the WRBC of Wading River, New York. Joan Tyska

Getting Acquainted with Silvia Hofmann

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
This Bible verse is Silvia Hofmanns favorite verse; in Silvias young life of 20 years, this verse has been her guiding light, bringing her on an incredible journey to the Wading River Baptist Church. Peter Albrecht, on the other hand, has also been on his own journey, praying for the virtuous wife as shown to him through the Scriptures. Both Silvia and Peter have been on similar spiritual courses, both trusting Gods will with a pure and innocent faith, not leaning on their own understanding, and allowing God to direct their paths. Through Gods providence, Peter and Silvia are engaged to be married on December 17, 2011. We have had three years to acquaint ourselves with Peter Albrecht; Silvia has only been at the Wading River Baptist Church for less than half a year, leaving us with little time to know Silvia as we do Peter. Silvia is a beautiful young woman, quite reserved and most noticeably filled with the Holy Spirit. Silvia has secured her spiritual life early on, allowing her a maturity in Gods grace that would define her character. Speaking of Silvias incredible journey, the journey really began with her parents, Alfredo and Rosi Hofmann. Mr. Hofmanns parents moved from Germany to Argentina where Mr. Hofmann was born. When Mr. Hofmann was two years old, the family moved to Uruguay. It was in Uruguay where he would eventually meet Mrs. Hofmann, marry her (1976), and move to Germany three years later. It was in Germany that Silvia was born on September 5, 1991, in the city of Leonberg. Mr. Hofmann, presently Director of Distribution Sales at Festo Corp., a job that had him on the road frequently, encouraged Mrs. Hofmann to resign her position as Business Administrative Officer to take care of their only child, Silvia. This she did, becoming the full-time mother who was attentive to a growing childs needs in a small rural town of Rutesheim, Germany. Showing a bit of parental bias, both Mr. and Mrs. Hofmann have given praise to their heavenly Father for the joy it has been to parent such a sweet and obedient child. Silvias school days began in a Staterun school in Germany where it was a requirement to make known your religious affiliations. This presented a stumbling block at times, especially when attending the religion class where evolution was taught. But by the time Silvia was in 7th grade, the family moved to the United States. The Hofmann family lived first in Smithtown, NY, before moving to their present residence in Manorville, NY, allowing Silvia a broader freedom to learn through attendance at a Christian school from 7th through 12th grade. Once Silvia graduated from high school, she continued her education at Stony Brook University where she is now attending. She began volunteering in 11th grade at the Stony Brook University Hospital and was involved in a laboratory in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior where she was provided with her own research project in the lab in her first year of college. Silvia has not been at the WRBC very long, but she has a beautiful testimony to share that has been included in this article in her own words. It is inspiring, it is humbling, and it is so near to the heart. May it offer an inspiration to others still troubled about their salvation. When I was 13 years old, I had made a profession of faith after a sermon on a Sunday morning. I knew I wanted to be saved, but I did not fully understand the gospel and what it would mean to me percontinued on page 4

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sonally. However, for about two years afterwards, I claimed to be a Christian yet had no evidence of the Holy Spirit living in me, of fruit of salvation, or of being a new creature in Christ. Yes, I was what you would call a very good girl and always very protected from the world and in a very conservative environment, but this had nothing to do with how I stood with the Lord. My old sinful nature of pride and self-righteousness was still very much a part of me. Praying was not something that came natural since I did not have a personal relationship with God. I could not, if I was lost. Although deep inside me I knew that I could not truly be saved, I continued the fight of trying to act like a Christian. But through the Lords longsuffering with me and His Holy Spirit convicting me of my lost condition, I acknowledged after two years of having made that profession that I was not truly born again. It was not until a week before turning seventeen that I could no longer bear my sin, but simply came to the Lord Jesus Christ asking Him to forgive me for my sins and by faith accept His free gift of salvation which He so graciously had been offering me all these years. I did not want to live

one more moment as a lost person that is not pleasing in the eyes of God. Since that day, by Gods grace I can see the Lord work in my life. Many things have changed after the Lord Jesus saved me from my sin and I am so thankful to Him. Before the Lord saved me I was very much consumed with what people think of me, which really is a form of pride. Shortly after my salvation I became concerned with what the Lord thinks of me and if I am walking pleasing in His sight as a Christian. This was something I had never experienced before. Doing His will for my life is now the most important thing for me whereas before this was not my desire since I had my own plans. It has been a little over three years now that I am saved and it truly is so wonderful to have the Lord Jesus Christ rule my life. To know that He not only has forgiven me for my sins and that I can have a right standing before God, but also that the Lord is the one that directs my steps and not myself, brings such peace. I now have assurance of salvation which is something I never had before. It is also very humbling to know that as a child of God one can come before the throne of grace and that the God of heaven answers

our prayer. I am so thankful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the wonderful life that He has given me and my greatest desire is to love, serve, and glorify Him with my life here on earth. We now have joined Silvias incredible journey as we stand alongside of this young and loving woman. We have learned that she speaks three languages fluently (English, Spanish, and German); has played the piano since she was ten years old; loves to play hymns on the piano; and loves to take walks, especially now in the Autumn, her favorite season of the year. Most recently added to her list of things she likes to do is singing as a soprano in the WRBC choir. Now that you have been acquainted with Silvia Hofmann, December 17th, her wedding day, will be so much more meaningful. This for sure, Silvia as a bride will without a doubt take your breath away, knowing that this bride is not only beautiful on the outside as a bride should be, but is beautiful on the inside so filled with the Holy Spirit. Joan Tyska

A Month in Review
The end of September and the beginning of October was an uneventful time in terms of scheduled events, but a time that taught us to appreciate those within the church, as you will see later on in this article. Many from the church were squeezing in lastminute travel plans before the winter snowfalls. Others have had priorities at their place of business or in their home that left the churchs calendar a bit bleak. Many are just catching their breath as the busy holiday season rapidly approaches. But to the delight of Doug and Bonnie Heuzey, their third grandchild was born on September 29, 2011, weighing in at 8 lbs., 10 oz. Doug and Bonnie went to Beaver Falls, PA, to welcome the newest addition to the family, Alexandria Michelle Heuzey, and to congratulate the new Mom & Dad. On October 9, 2011, Pastor Noel Faustinorio was back at the WRBC. He has returned from the Philippines for medical attention and to enjoy some great fellowshipping with the WRBC before returning to the Philippines with his wife, Nora, in December. Missing this year was the annual trip to Taconic State Park to view the fall foliage. A trip was scheduled, the interest was high, but schedules became the stumbling block. Sadly, the trip was canceled this year. The WRBC choral group led by George Ehmann was back together after a summer vacation as they brought their musical gifts to Sundays service in worship on October 16, 2011. With Christmas just around the corner, the choral group is focusing on a Christmas musical presentation. Also on October 16, 2011, another coffee hour was arranged by the deaconesses. How great it was to see that extra tables had to be set up in light of the attendance at a higher level. This great attendance not only was felt in the morning worship service and in the coffee hour which followed, but a record was set for attendance at the Sunday night Bible study that meets weekly at the Hallstroms home. Twenty-nine people attended that particular Lords Day evening, as we continued our study of Ephesians with a format that encourages open discussion. October 19, 2011, was the SemiAnnual Business meeting with a full agenda of church business. A moment of appreciation was given to Carl Chapman in his time spent at the church installing a new boiler. May we not take for granted the hours that he spent away from his family meeting the deadline of dropping temperatures? Carls timing was perfect; he finished this summer-long project the very Sunday that the temperatures dropped. Also discussed at the business meeting was the project of painting the fellowship hall. Since Sarah Chapman and Reeva Bellard love to paint and have previously demonstrated their skills at painting, they have taken on the project as The WRBC Volunteer Painters. Plans are to have it completed in time for Novembers active calendar of events. Others have come along side of Sarah and Reeva to assist them in this undertaking. Beautiful fall weather brought out the faithful work crew on October 22 for a fall sprucing up of the church, parsonage, and grounds. First to arrive and last to leave was Jim Perry as he tackled one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs previcontinued on page 5

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ously handled by Bill Mallman: the power washing of the steeple. Bill Mallman had designed and built a platform specifically for such a job, a platform that would straddle the peak of the church allowing one to safely operate a power washer from the roof of the church. Many thanks to Jim Perry for volunteering and lending his skill and muscle to go right to the top! Chris Hallstrom was glad to be close to the ground as he began to skillfully replace the porch railing of the parsonage. There were others clearing out dead trees, pulling weeds, and in general beautifying the grounds. WRBC is certainly blessed not

only with skilled individuals, but individuals that are willing to use these skills for the benefit of the church. Many thanks to all of you, both those mentioned by name and those who quietly and faithfully serve.

It is always a great day when old friends return to WRBC for a visit and October 23, 2011, was no exception when

Mary Ann Macmillan came to church. Mary Ann came up from South Carolina to attend a wedding and stayed with Mike and Diane Pandolfini. Mary Ann had been the church secretary years back and it was a sad day when she gave notice of their move to South Carolina. What a joyous reunion it was to share some good Christian fellowshipping with her old friends. Looking forward to November and a full calendar of events beginning with the Senior Saints Luncheon on November 5th, Silvia Hofmanns bridal shower on November 12th, and the coffee hour celebrating Marge Kurthys 90th birthday on the Lords Day, November 13th. Hope to see you all there. Joan Tyska

Classics to Contemplate

The Empowering Life of Christ

From Every-Member Evangelism by J. E. Conant, Part 2
Editors Note: From time to time, we hope to bring you excerpts from largely forgotten works on the spiritual life, works from previous generations that need to be read and pondered today. Judson Eber Conant (1867-1955) was a Bible-teaching evangelist and prolific Christian writer who produced numerous volumes on evangelism, including Every-Member Evangelism (1922). He firmly maintained that the believers reckoning upon his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection was vital to fruitful witnessing: It is not we who win the lost by the help of Christ, it is Christ Himself who does the soul-winning through the lives and lips of yielded disciples. Conant also pastored churches in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Massachusetts.

The conclusion is that we are utterly unable to obey the Great Commission. This must be willingly realized and acknowledged before we can see the other side of this great truth, which is, 2. Christ is Perfectly Able to Obey No one would think of denying or even doubting this, so long as we think of Christ in His own person. But when we seek to make a practical application of it, and confess that He is perfectly able to do in us all that He requires of us, it immediately becomes another matter. We are perfectly aware that all His almightiness is available for us, but when we put it in the light that He is to do our obeying through us by His own power, it becomes a puzzle to many. Where do we come in?

Stop and think a minute. Christs ability on our behalf is available only on the basis of grace, and most of us know all too little about the meaning of grace. Grace means that God does it all while we consent. Paul speaks of Christ as the one Who is our life (Col 3:4). Not Who gives us life, but Who is our life. And again we are told that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1 Jn 5:11). This is why it is that only he who hath the Son hath life (1 Jn 5:12). Now if Christ is our life, you cannot fail to see what bearing this has on our obedience. Whatever is done for, in, or through the Christian, His life must do it. If the life does not do it, it cannot possibly be done. Whatever is done for, in, and through my physical body, is done by my physical life. In the same manner, whatever is done for, in, or through the Church, the body of Christ, He who is our life must do. Apart from Him neither the body nor any member of the body can do anything; He Himself says so. His body is as helpless as any body without life, or with life present and completely inactive. This must mean that whatever is done in a Christian in obedience to any of Gods commands, Christ Himself must do. And He does do it, when we consent, for He is perfectly able; Therefore, (1) Christ Himself is our victory. When some harmful thing seeks entrance into my physical being, it is my physical life that warns me against it. When that which is harmful slips past the guards into the system, it is the physical life that rises up at once and concentrates all its forces to fight

it and drive it out. And when victory over harmful forces is won, it is the life that wins the victory. Even so is it with the Christian. And yet how few have ever learned it! When the enemy to spiritual health seeks entrance, instead of instantly turning the temptation over to Him who is our life, we set our jaws, stiffen our muscles, and then fight with desperate stubbornness, meanwhile calling on our Life to help us, and finally go down to defeat. Of course! There never is and never can be victory until we are at an end of all our effort and turn it over completely to Him. When temptation comes, let Him handle it. We are no match for Satan, but He is. Let Him be the victory. And this old self-life that is within uslet Him take care of that. We do not have to nail it to the cross, nor take the stenchful thing into the dissecting room and carve it up piece by piece. He Himself, through the Holy Spirit, is an end to all the activity of self, just as heat puts an end to the condition of cold. If you want the darkness driven out, simply give the light a chance. And if you want to have the selflife put out of business, turn it over to Christ and reckon on Him. Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin (sin in this passage means self), but alive unto God in Christ Jesus (Rom 6:11); not living by any effort of your own, but living in Christ, His life doing the living in you. This will put self completely out of business, for all chance for even the slightest activity will be gone. Remember how Paul puts it when he is speaking of the works of the flesh. He does not say, Put away bitterness, wrath, anger,
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and so on, but Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and railing be put away from you with all malice (Eph 4:31). Let Christ do it. If He cannot handle every form of the enemys activity without our help, it cannot be done! But He can, for He is able. (2) Christ Himself is our character. He does not simply give us character, He is our character. Character is received, not achieved. Christian character is an indwelling Person. Those nine beautiful graces that go to make up normal Christian characterlove, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-controlthey are all the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:2223). Not one of them is the fruit of the Christian. No Christian can produce any one of those graces, much less all of them, for they constitute the character of Christ, and therefore only He is capable of producing them. But He does produce them in us by the Holy Spirit, when we consent. Note how His method of doing it leaves the whole responsibility for our character on Himself. We all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glorythe characterof the Lord, are transformed into the same image from gloryfrom one level of characterto gloryto another level of character, even as from the Lord the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18). There is nothing here of the character building we hear so much of these days. While we behold Him, He transforms us. There is no effort here. It is all done by Him. This is what spiritual growth is. We do not do the growing; He does it in us. Christ said, Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow (Mt 6:28). It is the life of the lily that does the growing. Just so it is Christ in us who does our growing, becoming within us one level of character after another as our capacity for Him increases. While we do the beholding, He does the transforming. (3) Christ Himself performs our service. He does it through us as we yield. He performs through us every bit of spiritual service that is ever done. If He does not do it, it is not spiritual service.

It is imperative that we take in this great truth, for it is failure to apprehend it that keeps thousands of earnest Christians from active work for the lost. They think they themselves must perform whatever service is done, with Christ re-enforcing them by furnishing whatever they happen to lack. They do not at all grasp the fact that they have nothing and can do nothing, and that whatever is done Christ must do. Think of the vine and the branches. While the fruit grows on the branches, yet every bit of life that produces it comes from the vine. From Me is thy fruit found (Hos 14:8), said the Lord in the Old Testament, and Christ illustrates how it is done by this wonderful parable of the vine and the branches, emphasizing the fact that apart from Him we can do nothing. All our soul-winning, then, He does as we let Him use us in personal work. The burden of intense and agonized prayer that we feel for some lost soul is His yearning through us. The impulse to speak the words we say, no matter how simple they are, is His life expressing itself through us. All true spiritual service is according to His working, which worketh in us mightily. Do you recall that river of blessing of which Ezekiel writes in the forty-seventh chapter of his prophecy? As soon as it left the temple it started straight for the Dead Sea, healing and making fruitful on its way there all with which it came into contact, except the marshes. Observe! What was it that did that healing? Was it the temple, or the waters that flowed from the temple? And when you enthrone Christ in your life, which is His temple, and the rivers of living water begin to flow from your inmost being, as He has promised they should, is it you yourselfthe temple, or the waters of life flowing out through your ministry from Christ Himself from which the healing comes? No, child of God, soul-winning is not your work, it is Christs work through you. And so if you will put into His hand just what you have, whether it is the walking stick of Moses or the five buns and two fishes of the lad, He will fill you and your capacities with His power and perform His pleasure through your life. It isnt your equipment He is after, it is you, and when He gets you He can do anything He pleases through your equipment, whether much or little. You may be an impulsive fisherman like Peter, or you may be a splendidly cultured and capable scholar like Paul, but the

important thing to Him is not your equipment, it is you. Not that the equipment is a matter of indifference in our service. Far from it. Every one ought to have the best possible equipment. But whatever of real spiritual service is done Christ does it, using our equipment whatever it is. A splendid illustration of this occurred in an evangelistic campaign the writer conducted in Cleveland, Ohio. The invitation was being given after the sermon, and there were perhaps a score of inquirers standing in front of the pulpit. Down in the center of the main floor, in view of all, was an electric lineman above forty, under such conviction that he was literally mopping the perspiration from his brow, though the temperature was normal. Many were praying for him. Presently a lad of twenty came from a distant part of the room, sat down by the convicted man, a man who was regarded as a difficult case, and said a few simple words, and the man got right up and came to the front. Now see how the Holy Spirit brought that about. For months that man had frequently remarked to his wife that he didnt like the thought of so many linemen about his age being killed in their work. That thought was constantly with him. Now with this in view, the Holy Spirit moved that young manwho knew nothing of what the older man had on his mindto say to him, You know you have no lease on life. You dont know youll be alive tomorrow morning. Now come on! And the man came. How did that young man know what to say? The Holy Spirit, who knew what He had been impressing for months on the mind of that lineman, told him what to say. And He will impress any one who is yielded to Him with what to say to any one to whom He leads him. All He wants is our willingness and He will pour His omnipotence out through our impotence. By this time the meaning of the crucified life must be fairly clear. In a word, it is utterly turning our back on everything within us that makes us feel we are something when we are actually nothing, and turning our whole life over to Christ that He may live His own life in us through the Holy Spirit. It is an absolute abandonment of all our ideas, plans, ambitions, methods, possessionseverything that we are and have, that Christ may from henceforth be within us all He requires us to be, and do through us all He requires us to do. It is literally to die to ourselves that He may live within us. This is the life through which Christ can reach the lost. To be continued next month.

November Bible Quiz Questions

1) Which of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation is referred to by Jesus as the location of Satans throne? 2) Jeshurun, meaning upright one, refers to ______. 3) It was prophesied, one hundred and forty years prior to, that _____ would issue an order allowing the Israelites to return to their homeland and start work on the Temple. 4) Which sin did Jesus say was unforgivable? 5) Which woman from Thyatira was a seller of purple (dye and/or cloth)? Bonus: Where is the phrase as a drop from a bucket found in the Bible? Felix Acerra Submit the answers and Bible references to: office@wrbc.us Congratulations to Dr. Virginia Sylvester, sister of Joan Tyska, for submitting all five correct answers (plus the bonus) to the October Bible Quiz!

October Bible Quiz Answers

1) Judas, the son of James (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). 2) False. The epistle was written by Judas, the brother of James and the half-brother of Jesus (Jude 1). 3) James, Joses, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). 4) Jezebel (1 Kings 21:5, 7, 25). 5) Acacia (also known as shittim) wood (Exodus 25:10). Bonus: Latin Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum. English Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (Jn 19:19).

The Birthday Corner

November 2nd Liz Hyland November 9th Marge Kurthy November 13th Sarah Hart November 15th Marie Caputo November 16th Carl Chapman November 19th Reeva Bellard November 21st Ed Tolf November 23rd Sylvena Ingoglia November 23rd Peter Albrecht November 25th Kathleen Fitzgerald November 29th Cathy Perez November 30th Chris Hallstrom

The Anniversary Corner

November 1st Jim & Janet Perry November 20th Ray & Carol Fitzgerald November 23rd Chris & Jackie Hallstrom November 28th Ed & Denise Tolf

November 2011
Wednesday 2
8:00 AM Ladies Prayer Joan Tyska (727-5998) 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

Sunday

Monday Tuesday

Thursday Friday Saturday 3 4

1:00 PM Senior Saints Luncheon Cornucopia

9:45 AM Sunday School (Evangelism) 11:00 AM Morning Worship Service 6:00 PM Bible Study at Hallstroms (886-1334)

8 7:00 PM Board of Deacons Meeting 15

8:00 AM Ladies Prayer 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

10

11

12 1:00 PM Bridal Shower for Silvia Hofmann in the Fellowship Hall 19

13

9:45 AM S. S.

14

16

11:00 AM Worship (birthday celebration for Marge Kurthy to follow) 6:00 PM Bible Study

8:00 AM Ladies Prayer 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

17

18

20

9:45 AM S. S.

21

22

23

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service 6:00 PM Bible Study

8:00 AM Ladies Prayer

24
Thanksgiving Day

25

26

27

9:45 AM S. S.

28

29

30

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service 6:00 PM Bible Study

8:00 AM Ladies Prayer 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

PO Box 438 Wading River, NY 11792

Wading River Baptist Church

Our Purpose
1. To glorify God through sharing the good news of salvation by Gods sovereign grace through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. To nurture believers through a strong program of Christian education, youth ministries, and expository Biblical preaching. 3. To provide an opportunity for Biblical worship, service, and fellowship. 4. To extend our ministry throughout America and around the world through participation in home and foreign missions. WRBC is affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association of America and the Conservative Baptist Mission to the Northeast.

For the Exaltation of God in All Things For the Proclamation of Faith in Christ For the Transformation of Gods People