Is God Dead, Or Hiding, Or--?
Somebody (I'd guess a boy) wrote on the board in our big classroom at Sayre; "God is living, and is hiding in Argentina. " I drew a line through the second clause and wrote instead: "is being hidden by the people of the U.S.A."
The people of whom Paul wrote (Romans 1:18-25) in the "darkened heart" must have thought they had hidden God behind and beneath the false gods with which they tried to replace the living God!
The Israelites at least partially hid God by burning incense to "the brazen serpent that Moses had made" (2 Kings 18:1-8). We don't burn incense; but, like Israel, we do try to replace God with His own commandments and institutions — sometimes. It's fine and absolutely necessary to be baptized; to be a part of His church, etc. But let us not trust in these things that came from heaven. Let's trust in God, through these things! Read 1 Samuel 4:1-18 (please read it!). Of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, their elders said, "It may save us...," (1 Sam. 4:3)! This is idolatry!
"If we had a 'full-time preacher,' we would grow. Do you really think so?
Don't "our brethren" often quote 1 Peter 3:21--first clause only, to show that baptism saves us? Please don't try quoting me as many quote the Lord in this passage! Does the clause need the part in parentheses (A. V. ), or in commas (ASV), and even the phrase, "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," to be clear, and then verse 22 to drive the teaching home? What effective way to put God and His Son under cover! Let's get behind the Cross and Him who hanged thereon, brethren!