Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Not Ashamed of the Gospel”
(Issue Number 1 as of January, 2012)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Rom. 1:16

Newsletter Published monthly by: Mountain Top Libas church of Christ
Maasim, Sarangani Province

Times of Meetings
Sunday Bible Study (in all ages) – 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Message – 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Wednesday - 7:30 p.m

Preacher: Allan Kimnon
Preacher and Editor: Men Mark Tumandan

“Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The verse above is composed of two sentences..

First, "For the wages of sin is death.."The wages, payment or consequences of one's sin is always death, separation of one from God. Sin is sometimes funny, yet it cost is so deadly. As Paul said to the Corithians brethren in his first letter verse nine to ten, the sixth chapter "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

Our dearly beloved Brother Apostle Paul as well enumerated those evil things that being done that can't inheret one in the Kingdom of God in Rom. 1: 26-31
26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:


27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.


28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;


29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,


30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,


31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:


32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

the last verse, even the one is not the one douing, if he/she approved to do such thing, he/she is also worthy of death. "Be not therefore partakers with them." (Eph. 5:7), "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." (Ephesians 5:11).

The second statement of Rom. 6:23 is "..but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
In the verse one is "death", but this second one is "eternal life". This is the gift of God...but look where is this located? Is the gift of eternal life can be found through Mohammad, through Felix Manalo (founder of church of Christ 1914, deny the deity of Christ) and through Buddha? Certainly not! Eternal life could be found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. So, would you accept Christ?

To accept Christ, one must accept the teaching of Christ, he/ must not go beyond what is written ( see 1 Cor. 4:6). If one is in Christ, he is saved. Now, how does one get into Christ? Let the Bible answer that in Gal. 3:27 " For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." When one is being baptized into Christ, then he/she put on Christ. When the Philippian Jailer asked a question to Paul and Silas saying "What I must do to be saved"? in Acts 16:30, Paul and Silas then replied in verse 31 "“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” now, denominational preachers stop only in that verse. They will say "Look, the verse only said "BELIEVE" on the Lord..." But, look so clearly that in verse 32 and 33 when they spoke to him the word of the Lord and to all the others in his house, at the same hour they were baptized. What led them to be baptized? They only heard the word of the Lord...When one hear the word of the Lord, because "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17). So, that what led him and his households to be baptized. And also, take a look at this situation, in Acts 8:5 when "..Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them..". while in verse 12 "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." What led them again to be baptized? When they believed, they were baptized, they were lead by believing the things concerning what Philip preached. Philip knew that in Mark 16:16 Christ said that those who believe and baptized will be saved. And also Peter agree with that because he wrote in 1 Pet. 3:21 that baptism also now saved us. Would you like to be saved like the first century Christians?

Like what Apostle Paul told to the Romans brethren in verse 17th of Chapter sixth "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you." This is also what I am thankful for, we were once slaves of sin..we were once in the darkness but we are now walking in light (1 John 1:7). (Men Mark Tumandan)