Jul 15
25
Regeneration makes no alteration on the flesh, but the spirit. There is nothing in the flesh made holy. And there is nothing in the spirit left unholy. – Robert Hawker
THE WORLD – THE GOSPEL
The world bears the Gospel a grudge because the Gospel condemns the religious wisdom of the world. Jealous for its own religious views, the world in turn charges the Gospel with being a subversive and licentious doctrine, offensive to God and man, a doctrine to be persecuted as the worst plague on earth. As a result we have this paradoxical situation: The Gospel supplies the world with the salvation of Jesus Christ, peace of conscience, and every blessing. Just for that the world abhors the Gospel.
– Martin Luther
Communion with God
By J. C. Philpot
Nothing distinguishes the divine religion of the child of God, not only from the dead profanity of the openly ungodly, but from the formal lip-service of the lifeless professor—so much as communion with God.
How clearly do we see this exemplified in the saints of old. Abel sought after fellowship with God when “he brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof,” for he looked to the atoning blood of the Lamb of God. God accepted the offering, and “testified of his gifts” by manifesting his divine approbation. Here was fellowship between Abel and God. Enoch “walked with God;” but how can two walk together except they be agreed? And if agreed, they are in fellowship and communion. Abraham was “the friend of God;” “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face;” David was “the man after God’s own heart”—all which testimonies of the Holy Spirit concerning them implied that they were reconciled, brought near, and walked in holy communion with the Lord God Almighty.
So all the saints of old, whose sufferings and exploits are recorded in Hebrews 11 lived a life of faith and prayer, a life of fellowship and communion with their Father and their friend; and though “they were stoned, sawn asunder, and slain with the sword;” though “they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented;” though “they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth,” yet they all were sustained in their sufferings and sorrows by the Spirit and grace, the presence and power of the living God, with whom they held sweet communion; and, though tortured, would “accept no deliverance,” by denying their Lord, “that they might obtain a better resurrection,” and see him as he is in glory, by whose grace they were brought into fellowship with him on earth.
This same communion with himself is that which God now calls his saints unto, as we read, “God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,” (1 Cor. 1:9,) for to have fellowship with his Son is to have fellowship with him. As then he called Abraham out of the land of the Chaldees, so he calls elect souls . . .
out of the world,
out of darkness,
out of sin and death,
out of formality and self-righteousness,
out of a deceptive profession,
to have fellowship with Himself, to be blessed
with manifestations of His love and mercy.
To this point all his dealings with their souls tend to bring them near to himself, all their afflictions, trials, and sorrows are sent; and in giving them tastes of holy fellowship here, he grants them foretastes of that eternity of bliss which will be theirs when time shall be no more, in being forever swallowed up with his presence and love.
Even in the first awakenings of the Spirit, in the first quickenings of his grace, there is that in the living soul which eternally distinguishes it from all others, whatever be their profession, however high or however low, however in doctrine sound or unsound, however in practice consistent or inconsistent. There is, amid all its trouble, darkness, guilt, confusion, and self-condemnation, a striving after communion with God; though still ignorant of who or what he is, and still unable to approach him with confidence. There is . . .
a sense of His greatness and glory;
a holy fear and godly awe of His great name;
a trembling at His word;
a brokenness,
a contrition,
a humility,
a simplicity,
a sincerity,
a self-abasement,
a distrust of self,
a dread of hypocrisy and self-deception,
a coming to the light,
a laboring to enter the strait gate,
a tenderness of conscience,
a sense of helplessness and inability,
a groaning under the guilt and burden of sin,
a quickness to see its workings, and an alarm
lest they should break forth–all which we never
see in a dead, carnal professor, whether the
highest Calvinist or the lowest Arminian.
In all these carnal professors, whatever their creed or name, there is a hardness, a boldness, an ignorance, and a self-confidence which chill and repel a child of God. Their religion has in it no repentance and no faith—therefore no hatred of sin or fear of God. It is a mere external, superficial form, springing out of a few natural convictions, and attended with such false hopes and self-righteous confidence as a Balaam might have from great gifts, or an Ahithophel from great knowledge, or the Pharisee in the temple from great consistency, but as different from a work of grace as heaven from earth.
How different from this is he who is made alive unto God. His religion is one carried on between God and his own conscience, in the depths of his soul, and, for the most part, amid much affliction and temptation.
Why Wont He Encourage Fellowship With Us?
Clay Curtis
I have received encouraging emails from members of various churches here in New Jersey and nearby. I have heard many comments on how their hearts were filled with joy at hearing that Christ crucified and risen is now reigning. On more than one occasion the comment has been made that they do not understand why their pastor seems uncomfortable to encourage fellowship with us. The reluctance may have to do with what we really believe concerning Christ Jesus the Lord.
I really believe that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe. I really believe that Christ is All; all the believer’s righteousness, all the believer’s sanctification and that Christ is the One who keeps his people separated from the evil of self-righteousness, self-sanctification, self-justification, and all other lusts of the flesh. Paul asked the Galatians, “Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
I really believe that when God writes his law on the heart that we behold the everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure in our Savior in whom we are made holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in God’s sight. I really believe that God is able to give the believer a true understanding that the letter of the law killeth – convinces me that all I am and all I will ever be in my flesh is a sinner. I am convinced that the law of God written on our hearts declares that in Christ the believer has fully established God’s law and Christ in the believer means newness of spiritual life, of spiritual worship, of spiritual communion. We look no longer at this flesh: at touch not, taste not, handle not but we follow Christ. I really believe that in Christ every obstacle is removed which once blocked our entrance into God’s presence and now we can fellowship with our God.
Some have asked how, then, do you discipline or govern the church? I really believe that the government of God’s church is on his Son’s shoulder. I really believe that my living Redeemer is the Counselor who directs his people in the heart. I really believe that King Jesus is working in the midst of his church, in the hearts of his saints, and is able both to will and to do his good pleasure because all power is his in heaven and in earth.
Therefore, when I preach the law I do so to declare all flesh is grass. I do not use the law to unlawfully bolster the pride of sinners which already need no help looking away from Christ to the strength of their own hand. I do not use the law to keep believers in the church, or to motivate them to serve him as their rule of life. I preach every word of God with one purpose: endeavoring to set sinners squarely at the feet of Christ, who through his gospel causes us to look out of ourselves, away from this world, to him. I really believe that the gospel of Christ’s faithfulness, of his love for God and his people, of his righteousness in declaring God just and the Justifier of the believer is the word I am sent to declare. I really believe that through the gospel God makes Christ Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption unto his people. I really believe that the gospel of Christ is the message through which Christ makes himself altogether lovely in the heart. In doing so, I really believe he is able to constrain us by his love. I once thought otherwise. But thanks to God he saved me out of those things which I now renounce as dung.
If you rejoice in the message of our Redeemer, find a place where Christ is declared. You will find a place where you are no longer taught to look to your obedience, where you no longer feel the need to compare yourself with brethren, where you no longer have to worry about what the preacher thinks of you, but you can delight yourself in Christ our Rest. There is great peace in knowing the love of Christ and the love of his brethren. True love does not uncover the brethren’s sin, but covers you in love–that is what true Love did. May the Lord bless you.
A Preacher Called John
There are many things that one could write concerning this remarkable man of God. He was the last prophet of the Old Testament and the first of the New Testament. He was the forerunner of the Lamb of God and a fearless prophet who would not soften the word of God; even for a king. What stands out to me in Gods testimony of John is his office as a preacher.
It is as a preacher he was sent as the forerunner of Christ. All true preachers, of the gospel, are forerunners of Christ. They all make plain the way, make straight the path, and tell sinners of the Lamb who has come to take away the sin of the world. They all speak clearly of the Christ of the Old Testament and why he must become a man and die in our stead.
There are some in our day, as there were in his, who doubt the necessity of gospel preaching. But know this before God would manifest the glorious person of his Son he would send a preacher to prepare the way. And so it shall be till the end of the gospel age. We will hear Gods ambassador of Christ and our hearts will be prepared to see his glory or we will write them off as something unessential and continue on in the darkness of traditional religion. When God sends his forerunner it is a pretty good indication that he is about to manifest the glory of his Son. May God prepare our hearts to hear them in just that way. — Darvin Pruitt
Don’t believe every Preacher
The word “spirit” signifies to a man who claims to be endowed with the gift of the Spirit to perform the office of prophet, preacher, or teacher. God’s Word is received from the mouth of man, but some who claim to speak for God are false preachers and are sent by Satan to deceive and disturb the church. There were false teachers among Israel, there were false teachers in the days of the apostles and there are false teachers today (2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 11:13-15). Let this fact be fixed in our minds that, from the time the gospel began to be preached, false prophets immediately appeared, and we must not be dazzled by everybody who claims to be holy, to speak for God, to work wonders and to be a minister of righteousness. We must try these spirits (these preachers and religious leaders).
Let all preachers and religious leaders be tried by the Word of God first (Acts 17:11; Isa. 8:19,20). This will expose most of them, for they do not preach the Word of truth at all. Their messages are full of free will, human righteousness, life by law and works, the advocacy of Mary and saints, God’s weakness and inability, sabbath keeping, rituals and holy days, infant salvation and all manner of tradition and open error. But John lays down a special mark by which we can easily distinguish between true and false prophets. Christ Jesus is the object of true faith and the whole foundation of acceptance with God. Therefore, he is also the stone at which all heretics stumble, and his person and work will be the place where error will be most evident.
1. When the apostle says Jesus Christ “is come,” we conclude that he was, before he came, with the Father, co-equal, co-eternal. He is very God of very God (Isa. 9:6).
2. By saying he came “in the flesh,” he means that Christ, by putting on flesh, became a real man, of the same nature with us, that he might become our Brother, except that he was free from every sin and corruption (Heb. 2:14-18; John 1:14).
3. And lastly, by saying that he came, the cause of his coming must be declared, for the Father did not send him here for nothing (Matt. 1:21; Luke 19:10; Isa. 53:10-12; Rom. 3:25,26; Gal. 4:4,5). As some heretics depart from the faith, denying the divine nature of Christ, and others depart from the faith denying the effectual, sufficient and substitutionary work of Christ, leaving the final redemption of men’s souls up to their own free will, works, or co-operative efforts (Heb. 10:11-18).
Henry Mahan