Some Things No Man Knows

IN this article we want to call attention to a few of the many things that no

man knows. Some men may claim to know some of them, but we know no

man can know them.

Length of Life

No man knows how long he will be permitted to live on this earth. Neither

does any man know when Jesus will come again. ''But of that day and that

hour knoweth no man. no. not the angels which are in heaven, neither the

Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the

time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his

house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and

commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when

the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing.

or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say

unto you I say unto all, Watch." (Mark 13:32-37.) "Whereas ye know not

what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that

appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (James 4:14.)God is too merciful to let us know what will be on the morrow. In view

of the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, we ought to get ready and

stay ready for death and the judgment. God has not promised to save us

tomorrow, or next week, or next year; but he has promised to save us now."

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2

Cor. 6:2.)

Second Chance

No man knows that he will ever have another chance at being saved. We

can read in Luke 16:19-31 about a man who died and went to a place of

torment. In this place of torment he begged for mercy, but there was no mercy

extended. He had wasted his life and his opportunities. Jesus said: "Marvel not

at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear

his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the

resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of

damnation." (John 5:28. 29.) When we are raised from the dead, it will not be

to give us a "second chance," but either to the resurrection of life or to the

resurrection of damnation.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.''

(Heb. 9:27.) When Jesus comes again, he is not coming to set up a kingdom,

but he is coming "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,

and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished

with everlasting destruction from the presence of the glory of his power.'" (2

These. 1:7-9.) And do not forget this is at his second coming!

"Sprinkling" and "Pouring"

No man knows that God will accept "sprinkling" and "pouring" in lieu of

baptism. Jesus said we must be born of water and of the Spirit. (John 3:5.) The

inspired Paul wrote that we "are buried with him by baptism into death."

(Rom. 6:3-5.) He taught the same thing in Col. 2:12. Having a few dropsof water sprinkled or poured on us does not sound like buried by baptism,

does it? When we are baptized, we have our bodies washed with pure water.

(Heb. 10:22) A few drops of water sprinkled or poured on the head would

scarcely be called washing the body, would it?

Instrumental Music

No man knows that the use of instrumental music in the worship of

Christians pleases God. We know that Jesus Christ built a church. (Matt.

16:18.) We know that this church did not use instrumental music in the

worship, but they did sing. (1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Rom. 15:9.)

We further know that this church went along for hundreds of years before

instrumental music was introduced into the worship. We know that the use of

instrumental music in Christian worship is without one iota of divine

authority. We know that it came from men instead of from God.

Suppers, Fairs, Etc.

No man living knows that God will accept money raised by such dubious

means as suppers, fairs, etc.. to carry on the work of the church. We know that

such unscriptural methods were not used in the early days of the church. God

has not left such an important thing as raising money to propagate New

Testament Christianity to the whims and caprices of men. No. he commands

his people to give as they are prospered. This is the divine way of carrying on

this part of the work. Do not risk the salvation of your soul by departing from

the faith.

Saved Out of the Church

No man knows that God will save any responsible creature outside of the

church. The church is the body of Christ. "And hath put all things under his

feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his

body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. 1:22, 23.) "And he is the

head of the body, the church." (Col. 1:18.) There is one body. This is plainly

stated in Eph. 4:4. And then in Rom. 12:4. 5we have this language: "For as we have many members in one body, and all

members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ,

and every one members one of another." We get into this one body by

baptism. ''For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." (1 Cor. 12:13.)

Christ is the Savior of this one body. "For the husband is the head of the wife,

even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."

(Eph. 5:23.) Now let us get this: The church is the body of Christ; there is one

body and Christ is the Savior of the body.

In the very chapter (Acts 2) that tells about the beginning of the New

Testament church we have this very significant statement in verse 47: "And the

Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." That leaves no saved

out of the church. Just as fast as they are saved, God adds them to the church.

The same thing that saves us adds us to the church. The saved ones are the

ones who are obeying the gospel by faith, repentance, confession, and

baptism: and these saved ones are the ones the Lord is adding to his church.

The ones who will not obey these stipulated conditions of pardon, of course,

are not being saved, hence are not being added to the church.