In this episode, the International Gospel Hour team unpacks the necessity of moving away from old sins and embracing a life led by faith in Jesus Christ. With references from both the Old and New Testament, listeners are guided through the steps of repentance, confession, and baptism to help them actively pursue a positive transformation. Tune in to understand how deeply these practices are embedded in the teachings of scripture and to find spiritual encouragement for your journey.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Wow, what an awesome text, which results in an awesome study. Just ahead from the International Gospel Hour, please join us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, thank you to our Jay Webb for his kind words always. You’ll hear from Jay throughout our broadcast. He’s got a couple of very special things coming up that are always free here from International Gospel Hour. And greetings to each and every one of you. It is a joy to hear from our listeners. We appreciate you dropping us an email and letting us know where you are listening to our broadcast. We’re thankful for the request of materials that we receive, and we do our very best to fulfill all those. Very difficult to return all of our phone calls, but we appreciate you calling, and thank you for helping us as we study together, and we hope it will be profitable to you. Now, if you are a new listener from time to time, I’d like to pause and let you know of a number of options for your listening pleasure in Bible study. Now, you are currently listening to our daily 15-minute broadcast, and it’s available five days a week in many markets, and, of course, always available at our website, internationalgospelhour.com. We’re thankful for you tuning in and for the station to which you are listening. And as I say at the end of the broadcast, friends, keep listening right here on this station or platform of your choice. We also have our weekly 30-minute program available, and occasionally you may hear shorter segments like, Are You Listening? 60 Seconds for the Savior, and A Couple of Minutes for Christ. We also have a weekly TV broadcast via our YouTube channel, which is International Gospel Hour, and we’re available on a number of over-the-air television markets. You can find our programming options at our website, internationalgospelhour.com, as I mentioned moments ago. Scroll down just a bit, you’ll see all of those programs, even our Hispanic podcast, Cristianos Fieles, with our friend and brother, Marlon and Ratana, of SpanishBibleSchool.org. How thankful we are for every opportunity to speak the oracles of God. 1 Peter 4 and verse 11. And according to Acts 20 and verse 27 that we declare the whole counsel of God. And thank you for joining us and stay right here where you listen to International Gospel Hour. And in between listening, well, here is another option from our J-Web. I mentioned it moments ago. Here is our J-Web with more details about our YouTube channel.
SPEAKER 02 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
Friends, let’s talk about old things that must go. Now, I know sometimes when I say that, couples that have been married a long time, he’ll look at her or she’ll look at him, couples with great senses of humor. That is not what I’m referring to, friends. Let’s talk about old things that have to go. Did you know 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Let’s pick up with verse 18. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Again, 2 Corinthians 5, 17-21. O friends, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. All things, friends, not a few. All things, and all means all. From verse 18 of 2 Corinthians 5, we see why all things are of God. But how does God move out the old things? Well, the word reconcile in this text is the key. The word reconcile simply means to change or exchange from enemy to friendship. Five times we noted that word used in that context. I appreciate the following from my brother in Christ and friend, Neal Pollard, for the following observations about the word reconcile. We change our lives and exchange the world for the man of reconciliation, that’s Christ. Next, we change our lives and exchange the world for the message of reconciliation, the Word of God. Third, we change our lives and exchange the world for the ministry of reconciliation, We become servants. We live differently and such a great change. And fourth, we change our lives and exchange the world because of the mandate of reconciliation. A plea to ourselves and others. Be ye reconciled to God. Verse 20 of 2 Corinthians 5. Wow. The man of reconciliation, Christ, and the message of reconciliation, the word of God, the ministry of reconciliation, we become servants, and the mandate of reconciliation, a plea to ourselves and others to be reconciled to God. Thanks again to Neal Pollard for that awesome overview. Through God, friends, we move out the old things in our lives to be new in Jesus Christ. Here’s another. Let’s, another, or shall we get rid of something else? Old things that must go. How about the old serpent, Satan? That’s what he’s called in Revelation 12 and verse 9 and Revelation 20 and verse 2. He is a deceiver, the devil himself. He was a murderer from the beginning, John 8, 43 and 44. As a roaring lion, though, he walks about seeking those whom he may devour, 1 Peter 5, 8 and 9. You know, friends, whether one wants to admit it or not, it’s one or the other. It’s either Christ or the devil. And how we live decides which one remains and which one has got to go. Can we not see the obvious answer? The old serpent, Satan. He’s got to go. Here’s one more. The old man of sin. How is that old man of sin put away? Let’s allow Paul to answer in Romans 6. Beginning with verse 1, he said, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 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 newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him. that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. You see, the Christian has put away the old man of sin through his baptism into Christ. And the Christian will keep the old man of sin away. Friends, that’s why when we see texts such as Romans 6, 3-6, Acts 22, 16, Mark 16, verse 16, Acts 2, verse 38, and Galatians 3, verse 27, we see the importance of baptism. That destroys the old man of sin. Now, friends, people can flock off and get immersed all the time. But if one does not believe in Christ before their baptism, they’re just put down a wet sinner or dry sinner and they’re brought up a wet sinner. We want to base our faith in Christ and in God, for without faith it is impossible to please God, Hebrews 11, 6. We must repent of our sins. That’s a command of Christ in Luke 13, 3. Part of the Great Commission in Luke 24, 44-47. As well as commanded and preached on the day of Pentecost when they were pricked in their hearts. The first thing they needed to do was repent. We know they believed they were there as Jews at the Feast of Pentecost. They had a faith in God. To confess our faith as Jesus commanded in Matthew 10, 32-33. as well as the eunuch as he confessed his faith in Christ in Acts 8 and verse 37. We must confess our faith in Christ and change our decision through repentance. Then we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins, and we put the old man of sin away. Friends, would you like to study these things further on your own? Here is our J-Web with our long-time free Bible study course by mail. Here is our J-Web.
SPEAKER 02 :
Our long-time free Bible study course by mail is always available. Have you tried it yet? Just call us toll free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say Home Study. That’s it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box. Study the Bible at your own pace. Again, it’s free from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, friends, I’m sure you would agree there are some old things that need to go. The old things, the sin of man, and the old serpent Satan that wants to keep those old things in our lives. So, yes, friends, there are old things that must go. Let’s think about those things, friends, more so spiritually. I’m sure we have a lot of old things around our houses that we could probably move onward from. See, those are treasures upon earth that won’t make a bit of difference in our salvation. But when we put away the old man of sin through obedience of the gospel, through faith, repentance, confession, and baptism, then we’re able to press onward. So friends, we hope this study today has been of help to you. And we will continue our studies together at another time. Thank you for joining me today here from the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and as always, friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 03 :
God be with you till we meet again.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you for listening to our broadcast today, and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s Word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.org.
