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My editorial for the May issue of Truth Magazine asks, “What lessons have we learned since the threat posed by the COVID-19 virus began directly affecting our physical and spiritual families?”
In his meditations column, Kyle Pope concluded his three-part examination of the afterlife. In his final article, Kyle shifts to the New Testament to look at the use of the word hadēs and three synonyms. The study ends with four practical questions about this mysterious place.
In the Women’s Insights column, Aleta Samford focuses on “Teaching Our Children: The Law of the Learning Process.” She introduces the sixth law of teaching with a personal and practical example of the type of students we may find in our Bible classes.
The Doctrine column is entitled “Reflections on Romans: A New Exodus.” David Flatt places Romans 6-8 in the framework of Israel’s exodus from Egypt and considers the dynamic of God’s grace.
In the Church column, Kyle Pope explores, “The Church and Evangelism.” The body of Christ—those brought to liberty from sin and condemnation, through the “good message” of salvation in Jesus, should treasure this deliverance and long to share it with those around them.
In the Q-n-A column, Bobby Graham responds to the inquiry of one who asks, “Does Acts 2:42 give us an order for our worship on the first day of the week?”
The Archaeology column considers the familiar biblical description of Canaan as “A Land of Milk and Honey.” Luke Chandler asks, “Why does the Bible refer to Canaan as a land of ‘milk and honey’ instead of ‘vines and olives’?”
The theme section of the May issue of Truth Magazine is entitled, “Baptism.” Journalism, as often practiced by the mainstream media, has fallen into disrepute. Yet, in seeking to understand this biblical subject, there is value in asking the traditional questions of an investigative reporter, “Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?”
The “Who” of Baptism, by Michael Wallace, affirms, “The proper candidate for Christian baptism is one who has complied with the preconditions and freely submits to the gospel plan of salvation.”
Steven Harper asks, “What Is Baptism?” Paul affirms that there is “one baptism” (Eph. 4:4), but how could this be, since we read of many baptisms in the Bible? Also, what about the various “modes” ascribed to the term today?
Article 3, by Danny Linden, asks, “When Should I Be Baptized?” Reminding us that baptism is more than a ceremony or rite, Danny affirms that it is a crucial part of salvation that should be completed urgently instead of delayed or scheduled.
Phillip E. Stuckey explores the question,” Where should baptism take place?” In the New Testament, baptism occurred where there was enough water in which a person could be immersed.
The fifth article in this series is entitled, “Why Should One Be Baptized?” by Kevin Maxey. Commands, examples, sequence, motives, and understanding provide answers to those who ask, “Why Baptism?”
Finally, in concluding our brief examination of this essential biblical topic, I probe the question, “How Is Baptism Part of the Salvation Process?”
A great deal of planning and preparation has gone into this collective effort. We trust that you will be admonished, instructed, and uplifted through reading this excellent material. If you have not yet subscribed to Truth Magazine, we encourage you to do so. The magazine is available as a printed monthly journal and also accessible through a variety of digital platforms (Amazon Kindle, ePub, and PDF versions, and also accessible through your web-browser).
