Jan 17
11
The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
Gaius was not only loved by John but “wellbeloved.” John said, “Whom I love in the truth.” The love that God’s children have for each other is true love because it is in the truth. Have you ever noticed how abundantly the scriptures connect love with the truth? God’s love for his children is in the truth. It is because God’s love and truth is in Christ Jesus, his Son. (Rom 8: 39; Eph 4: 21; Jn 14: 6) God our Father and his Son, Christ Jesus is Love and Truth. (1 Jn 4: 16; Jn 14: 16) Therefore, all grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and his Son, Christ Jesus is in Truth and in Love. (2 Jn 1: 3)
From eternity, God chose us and blessed us in Christ, making each elect child holy and without blame before him in Love, accepted in the Beloved. (Eph 1: 4, 6) When he chose us to salvation, God foreordained that the Holy Spirit would set us apart and make us holy through the preaching of the Truth. (2 Thess 2: 13; Jn 17: 19) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into this world—as Mediator while he walked in this world and now as he reigns over this world—to bear witness unto the Truth. So he sent us a preacher and declared the love of the Truth unto us. The love of the Truth is that God manifested his love toward us by sending his only begotten Son into the world to make us live through him. (1 Jn 4: 9) Christ is God who gave us repentance to acknowledge the Truth of what he accomplished for us on Calvary’s tree. (2 Tim 2: 25) When Christ made us hear his voice, he made us to be born of Truth (Jn 18: 37); when Christ made us know him, he made us acknowledge the Truth, and the Truth set us free: free from the guilt of sin, free from the curse of the law, free from being the servants of sin, free from being the servants of men, free to receive the love of the truth, free to walk in the love of the truth, free to be the servants of Christ our Righteousness. (Jn 8: 32) Right now, we have freedom to enter the holiest because God our Father hears and accepts us in the Truth of his Salvation; in Christ Jesus his Truth and Salvation. (Ps 69: 13; Heb 10: 19-23)
Therefore, when our Redeemer gave us hearts to receive the gospel it was the Love of the Truth that we received. (2 Thess 2: 10) Moreover, Christ used the ground and pillar of the Truth—those we would soon learn were our brethren—to bring the Truth to us. (1 Tim 3: 15) No lie is of the Truth so they did something to us no one else had ever done; they did not rejoice in iniquity, they rejoiced in the Truth; they did not handle the word of God deceitfully, they spoke the Truth in love. (1 Jn 2: 21; 1 Cor 13: 6) They knew by their own experience of grace that it is through speaking the Truth in love that Christ our Head makes each member of his body grow up into him in all things. (2 Cor 4: 2; Eph 4: 15) So when the Spirit brought us to obey the Truth, our souls were purified so that the mutual love between us and our brethren is not phony but true love in the truth. (1 Pet 1: 22) God knit our hearts together in love using the truth of God our Father and his Son Christ Jesus, (Col 2: 2) Believers have a bond that shall never be broken because the Truth and Love of God is in us and shall be with us forever. (2 Jo 1:2; 1 Cor 13: 8-13) Therefore, like the apostle John, our brethren are “well-beloved, whom we love in the truth.” Clay Curtis.
Great plainness
Great Plainness — “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. “ II Corinthians 3:12
I see a lot of men who claim to preach the Gospel of God’s grace in Christ Jesus, involved in a lot of hairsplitting confusion and debating of complicated irrelevancies. Thank God for those who, by His grace and power, preach the clear, plain simplicity that is in Christ Jesus. If little children cannot understand (intellectually) your gospel, then your gospel is worthless.
I know that the truth must be revealed by God and that it is unfathomable, but the Gospel our Lord preached, was and is not confusing or hard to understand. Even those who hated it (Him), and were ever learning yet never able to come to a knowledge of the truth, clearly understood what He was saying, though they were spiritually blind. You did not need a lexicon to refer to when our Lord preached. He did not carry a chalk board with Him and scribble diagrams, and chronological charts, or make endless, complex word studies.
People are dying and going to Hell while Doctors of Theology are rambling for hours without ever once simply telling anyone how a sinner can be saved by the free grace of God in Christ Jesus. How sad. — Chris Cunningham
Dead Religion
Are you trying to seek the Lord among this worlds ‘dead’ religion? I don’t care if you are very sincere, very knowledgeable or even fanatical; if you think that you can find Christ by dead works, ceremony or law you are seeking Him, the glorious living one, amidst life-less and vain religion. And the word from God directly to you is: He is not here. – Drew Dietz
The abundance of the heart
Out Of The Abundance Of The Heart The Mouth Speaketh – Matthew 12:34
Many times I have asked different folks what their hope of salvation is . . . if they hope to get to Heaven, Why?
Whatever a person truly believes in their heart is what will first come out of their mouth. I asked someone else the same question again the other day, and their reply was, “I’m a good person and have lived a good Christian life.” When I proceeded to tell them what scripture says, “Not by works of righteousnees” . . . “not of works lest any man should boast”, that salvation is by the sovereign mercy of God, the righteous life of Christ and His blood shed for remission of our sins; they quickly add: “O, I believe in God, I believe in Jesus.” But that is not what came out of their mouth and so it must not be written on their heart.
If you ask a true child of God of their hope of eternal life, every single one will immediately say: “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” True saving faith is looking to, trusting, and depending on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you. True saving faith is believing that Christ alone is your hope of eternal life. If God has truly put that faith in a person’s heart, it will not only be the first thing out of their mouth but the only thing.
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ’s blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Lord Jesus’ Name.
Paul Mahan
To Stir up your pure minds . . .” – II Peter 3:1
The dictionary defines ‘pure’ as: ‘free from mixture, clear’. What a good description of the mind which God hath given to His people (let this mind be in you).
By the grace and regenerating power of God every child of God has been given a new mind that is free from mixture and clear. There is no mixing of law and grace in a believer’s mind. There is no mixing of God’s work and man’s works. There is no mixing of God’s will and man’s will. The unbelieving religious world is all mixed up when it comes to what they think about God and salvation. Not God’s people. Their minds are made up (by God Himself). Their minds are clear. Their minds are made up (and nothing and no one can change them). For they have all been taught of God.
They ALL know that salvation is pure grace . . . not of works lest any man should boast.
They ALL know that God worketh ALL THINGS after the counsel of HIS WILL.
They ALL know that God alone has free will and man’s will is only sinful.
They ALL know that salvation is of the Lord; that He thought it, bought it, and brought it; that He purposed it, purchased it, and applies it.
They all know that their salvation is completely in and of the Lord Jesus Christ; that He is their righteousness before a Holy God, that He is their sin-sacrifice, that He is their High Priest, Mediator, Covenant Head, Redeemer, Law-Keeper, Lord and King.
The faith, the heart, the mind of every believer is purely of Christ. His mind is made up, settled and clear, Christ is all! – Paul Mahan
Not an Offer
Anytime a preacher presents the grace of God as an offer on God’s part to anybody who is willing to receive it, he has not preached grace as the Bible does. The Bible does not say, “But God, who is rich in mercy for His great love where with He loved us, even when we were dead in sins has offered us His grace”…..it says God hath “quickened us together with Christ, by grace are ye saved.” Grace is not offered; grace is given! And when grace is given, it always saves and is always received! We do not have a choice as to whether or not we will accept God’s offer of grace. Grace saves! Grace is not something we use to aid in our salvation – Grace saves us! Todd Nibert.
Circumcision; Necessary or Sufficient?
One of the biggest issues in the New Testament was the issue of circumcision. There was a large group of people who professed to believe the Gospel of Christ. But they also believed it was needful to be circumcised (Acts. 15:1-11, Galatians 5:1-6). They did not deny the necessity of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Indeed, they professed that salvation could not be possible without it. However, they did deny the sufficiency of Christ. They believed there was something that needed to be done along with the person and work of Christ. They did not deny the necessity of Christ’s atonement. But they did deny its sufficiency! They did not deny salvation by grace. But they did deny salvation by grace alone! They did not deny that salvation comes through faith in Christ. But they did deny faith alone! That was the issue then. And it is the issue in our day. The message preached by “the circumcision” in our day is, “Christ died for all, but there is something you need to do to make this blood work for you.” Faith is looked upon as a work the sinner performs in order to make the blood of Christ effectual. But the answer to this is still the same. “If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing” (Galatians 5:2). Pastor Todd Nibert
Two Songs and A Sermon
A comment was recently made to a member of our church that “all they ever do over there is sing a couple of songs and listen to a man preach.” What is inferred is that we do not attempt to minister to our generation, participate in public rallies, boycott alcohol and drugs, teach godliness, morality, and clean living. We do not participate with the rallies of religion because all their religious zeal is born in ignorance. Like Israel of old, “They being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”
I do not encourage association or participate with blind leaders of the blind because both they who lead and those who follow will both fall into the ditch. I have no power to give life – I have no power to create – I have no power to convict or convert. We preach Christ who alone can reform, renew, restore, and reconcile to God. Being established in Christ we are not tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive: But SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE that we may grow up into Him, in all things, which is the head of the body. (Ephesians 4: 14-15)
I know that outward shows and rallies of religion please men, But it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (1Corinthians 1:21). Darvin Pruitt