Apr 16
23
“The son of the bondwoman SHALL NOT be heir with the son of the freewoman”
Don’t do it my friend, oil and water don’t mix, neither do works and grace! So much of what is called worship, good doctrine and church growth is just that old bondwoman trying to force her way into the kingdom of God. I hear much talk about modern Christianity and to me it is simply that stinking flesh and rotten carcass called the heir of the bondwoman. I don’t want any such teachings or actions found here, may we just simply and honestly realize that ALL is of grace from first to last, from side to side and from top to bottom. Away with any mention of human merit, or man centered formulas; give us Christ or else we perish! Drew Dietz.
“Free pardon is a comfort to a malefactor, but it implies guilt, and therefore they who have no apprehension that they have broken the laws, would be rather offended, than comforted, by an offer of pardon.” John Newton
Spiritual Warfare
Joe Terrell
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
The world struggles against worldly enemies. Each man fights against the other inhabitants of the world in order to gain an advantage in power, wealth or fame. Worldly religionists fight worldly evil, protesting the whatever sins may be fashionable at the time and trying to gain whatever power they can in order to slow the descent of the culture or maybe even push the world in a positive direction.
But, just as the believer’s hope is not in this world, so his warfare is not in this world. When a man believes the gospel, his warfare with God is ended, but a new warfare begins. He who would make a friend of Christ and His Kingdom will make an enemy of Satan and his kingdom. Do not ever think that the life of faith is an easy one. It involves warfare – fierce fighting; and to make things worse, it is a sort of warfare we are not accustomed to. The weapons are different, the results are different, and much of the victory will not be seen by us until all fighting is over.
But, blessed be God, the outcome of our present warfare is also different! In times past, we battled in vain. No matter how successful we seemed, in the end all would be lost. But now, our eternal victory is guaranteed, as it is written, “in all these things we are more than conquerors”. The battle will be fierce, and it may often look as though we are on the losing side. But the reality is, everything is going exactly according to plan, and our Lord has and shall be completely victorious, and all our labors in Him shall prove fruitful to the praise of God’s glorious grace. So, encourage your hearts with grace, and fight on, for the battle is the Lord’s!
Not ashamed of the Gospel.
Paul the apostle declares (by divine revelation) that he is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. This Gospel, the message concerning the person of Christ, is the power of God unto salvation. It is the message alone by which the Holy Ghost calls men effectually out of spiritual darkness unto Christ Who is light. By this message the righteousness of God (Christ) is revealed. The message of the Gospel of Christ declares that He alone redeemed a people who though totally depraved (dead in trespasses and sin) were unconditionally chosen unto salvation by God the Father’s own will and purpose. He, as their substitute by imputation (the charging of their guilt to Himself), was made to be sin for them and suffered the wrath of divine justice for those sins. Those whose sin debt was imputed to Christ needed now a fit righteousness. That righteousness, the righteousness of their Surety, was imputed to them freely. They now, before God Almighty, stand (in Christ) justified. These who have been justified (the just) live, or have their life (spiritual life) revealed by faith. This faith, the grace granted by God’s Spirit to believe the report concerning Christ, is the evidence of their justification. I am not ashamed of that Gospel. Marvin Stalnaker.
The offense of the Cross.
“And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased.” Galatians 5:11
The preaching of the cross of Jesus Christ is offensive to the natural man. We that believe look at the cross and we see grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, and hope; but this world sees a “stumbling stone and a rock of offence.” I want to look at this by asking one question:
What is the offence of the cross of Christ?
First, it offends the wisdom of men. This world and its religion believe that man can by wisdom know God. That by sincere and heart felt study, man can know His creator in such a way as to bring him to heaven. They think the preaching of the cross is foolishness and that they by wisdom understand that there are better ways to save sinners. But the preaching of the cross tells us that this message, and means, was ordained of God for the salvation of His People apart from the wisdom of this world. (1Cor 1: 17-31)
Second, it is offensive to man’s ability. This world believes that all men have a “free will” in this matter of salvation. That man is the sovereign of his destiny, and he will come to Christ if all the right circumstances exist. But the preaching of the cross of Christ, tells us that no man can come to Christ unless the Father draw him. (John 6:44) This is because all men are born dead in trespasses and sins, which make men both unable and unwilling to come to God by Jesus Christ. The only hope for sinners is that God the Holy Spirit quickens their dead souls to life and faith in Christ. This too is offensive to the natural man.
Third, it offends the merit of men. All men by nature believe that they can by their will, works, and self righteousness merit the favor of God. But the Psalmist asks, “Who shall ascend to the hill of the LORD . . .? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24: 2-3). But the gospel of the cross teaches us that “there is none righteous, no not one.” (Rom.3:11-20) The gospel teaches that the only way for man to approach unto God, is to have the “righteousness of God which is by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to all them that believe.” (Rom 3:21-22) This is offensive to the natural man.
Therefore, how foolish is it for men to oppose the only hope for their salvation. It is like a drowning man despising the rope that is his only life line. Though Satan, devils, and all men oppose this gospel, it shall prevail to save all of God’s elect. It will save all those who believe on Jesus Christ, and see His cross as their only glory. (Gal 6:14) Believers let us not ever be ashamed of this gospel, but rather proclaim it to all and mind not their offense of it.
Don Fortner.
Why Are We Persecuted?
Matthew 5: 10-12
Persecution means to push away. It includes everything from words of rejection to being tortured unto death.
Matthew 5: 3
By grace, the believer confesses the utter sin he is in the flesh. Those who think they possess some good or some strength or are deserving of God’s favor consider themselves rich and in need of nothing, especially from God. These two spirits are totally opposite and contrary to the other. They shall never have any union. The unbelieving shall always persecute the righteous for Christ’s sake.
Matthew 5: 4
The believer mourns his sin and finds all his comfort only in Christ Jesus the Lord. The unbeliever considers sin to be merely in his members and not what he is. The believer’s testimony is an aggravation and therefore the unbeliever lashes out.
Matthew 5: 5
The believer has been made meek toward God. In the inner man, his desire is to no more speak so exceedingly proud, to force his hand, to attempt to have his own way by his own strength, to make excuses for his rebellion. He knows that all things are his in Christ Jesus. The tenor of his disposition is gentleness toward those who oppose themselves. The persecutor is consumed with nothing else but to have his way. To the persecutor meekness is merely an outward show he produces himself: when the preacher is around, when he is in the church house, when he is having a fit of guilt. But his overall tenor in the home, in the work place and in private is one of upbraiding, of persecuting, of speaking evil even though what he says of the believer is false. In his heart he would really like to prove the believer to be a liar.
Matthew 5: 6
The believer has been given a hunger and a thirst after the LORD our Righteousness and that which rightly honors Christ. Those who persecute have the insatiable appetite for sin, self, and all that is contrary to Christ and his righteousness—the bottom line is “number one”. His hunger for this world’s applause is the cause of the revilers upbraiding.
Matthew 5: 7
The believer has tasted the Lord’s grace and rejoices to show mercy because he knows he depends upon God to keep him in mercy. Those who persecute want mercy shown to them when it is convenient but when the truth crosses their way, they become harsh judges in order to have the way they crave.
Matthew 5: 8
The believer is pure in heart by the work of the Spirit. He sees God in Christ, in his word, in providence and expects to see Christ face to face. Therefore that which most honors Christ is his chief desire. Even in his most mundane decisions in life the pure heart desires to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. The persecutor has a heart which is confused and divisive, a heart full of guile and hypocrisy. He wants to appear righteous before men but his heart is set only on personal gain. Therefore, if self is benefited, the defiled will overturn the pure in heart to have his own way.
Matthew 5: 9
The believer has been made a peacemaker because God has given him faith to trust Christ to make peace. The persecutor may speak of peace but it is the generic peace made by men. It goes no further than the flesh. He seeks to obtain it by the sword and war and/or when there is no war he thinks there is peace. Yet, in the unregenerate heart there is no peace, not with God, not with men, and especially not with those who proclaim Christ the Peacemaker. Clay Curtis.