Feb 19
20
Let There be Light
In Genesis 1: 3-5, God declares the giving of light. Light is essential
to the purpose of God in creation because creation is the stage upon
which His redemptive glory will be unveiled. It is because God is
willing to make known this glory, that He commands first a light by
which it can be seen.
This being so in the natural creation; how much more is it of necessity
in the spiritual? Paul gives thanks unto the Father which hath made us
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in Light: “who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of His dear Son.” (Colossians 1: 12-13) How is this
accomplished? “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”(II Corinthians 4:6)
This is that good light and is that light that divides and sets apart
the darkness. May God be pleased to give us the light to see the
difference.
Darvin Pruitt
OUR BRETHREN THE PHARISEES?
Acts 5:40: And to him they agreed: and when they had called the
apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in
the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Would you think it absurd for someone to say that the Pharisees and
Sadducees were really Peter and John’s brethren? Do you think it more
loving to say that their only problem was that they had not arrived at
the intellectual understanding of doctrine which Peter and John had?
After all, they verbally called out the name Jehovah, even as Peter and
John. The high priest and the scribes were sincere in their teachings as
were Peter and John. They each had the same scriptures even as most who
call themselves Christians in our day. It would be too dogmatic NOT to
embrace the Pharisees and the Sadducees as brethren, wouldn’t it? Most
would admit that it would be an absurdity to say that the Pharisees and
Sadducees were our brethren. By their own admission they denied Christ
when the Lord told them he came to lay down his life for those chosen of
God and given him from eternity.
Yet, in our day many think the absurdity is in NOT embracing everyone
who calls themselves a Christian. If a person proudly claims that it was
their act of believing which made Christ’s accomplishment of redemption
a finished work then it is as opposite of truth as Annas’ hope was to
that of the apostle Peter? For a person to say that the Lord’s hand is
too short to bring his elect out from under the preaching of a powerless
jesus to the truth of his glorious Son is as much a mockery of the Holy
Spirit as those mockers on the day of Pentecost who excused their
rebellion by accusing our brethren of being drunk. Have you not heard?
Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none
to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I
no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the
rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and
dieth for thirst. I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make
sackcloth their covering (Isaiah 50:2-3.)
“But what is the least a believer can know about Christ and yet be
saved!” The next time you are in need of major surgery be sure you seek
out a doctor who asks, “What is the least I can know about surgery and
still be your surgeon?” Those truly born of the Holy Spirit give
themselves delightfully to know everything God will teach them about his
Son because the power of God will not suffer them to neglect the King of
glory.
We either have to deny the power of God or confess that those who remain
with the Pharisees and Sadducees are yet in need of Christ. We either
have to pamper our own sinful flesh or suffer the opposition we will
face from preaching the offense of the cross. We either love ourselves
more than those we pretend to love or we show the greatest of all love
by denying ourselves and being as clear about the power of God to save
sinners as we can. We either side with the vain traditions and old wives
fables of false religion thinking the truth of God can be brought down
to the level of the worthless vain profession in which we trust or we
denounce our former lusts and submit to Christ the Lord. We either
compromise as did the Pharisees and Sadducees or as the apostles we
cease not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ!
When dealing with the sovereign God, MIGHTY TO SAVE, there is no middle
ground!
Clay Curtis.
The Perfect Man
“When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be
done away.” I Cor. 13:10
When the “Perfect Man” comes, only then shall we see Him as He is and be
made like Him. In the meantime, our faith is mixed with unbelief. Our
love is mixed with selfishness. Our understanding is mixed with
ignorance. Our sorrow for sin is shallow. Our worship falls so far short
of its mark. Our experience of peace is fraught with fear. Our joy is
mixed with sorrow. Truly; “Now we see through a glass darkly…”
Here is our hope brethren. Faith does not look to our experience in
these graces for the hope of our salvation. Oh no! Faith looks to that
Perfect Man in whom all these spiritual graces are full and complete.
May we rest the hope of our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ who
stands in our stead before Almighty God. “Wherefore, He is able to save
them to the uttermost (perfectly) that come unto God by Him, seeing He
ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Heb. 7:25. ~Greg
The glory of the Lord God is that which distinguishes Him from all
others and all else. It is said of Him in Holy Writ “Who is like unto
Thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like Thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?” As there was no room for Moses in
the tabernacle because it was filled with God’s glory, there is no place
for man or the works of the law in the gospel of God’s grace or in the
salvation of the elect. The glory and wonder of God’s grace fills the
Lord Jesus Christ – “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,)full of grace and truth” John 1:14. This simple guide to
distinguish truth from error is perpetual and can never be wrong – ‘That
which gives God and His Son all the glory is the truth and that which
does not is a lie’. The message that is filled with Christ is full of
the glory of God and there is no room for anything else. The message
that enthrones man, his works and freewill leaves no room for Christ.
Man is unable to enter into the glorious work of God in Christ. There is
just no room! All the glorious virtues and attributes of God in Christ
permeate every aspect of the purpose of God in the redemption of
sinners. The Lord Jesus Christ is glorious, His righteousness is
glorious, His sacrificial death is glorious, His accomplishment is
glorious, and His position now as our Sovereign Great High Priest is
glorious in Holiness. My friend, if you have a problem with the message
that renders all the glory to God, your problem is with God and is far
greater than you can imagine. Tommy Robbins
“YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM”
Colossians 2:10
The believers standing in Christ does not fluctuate with his feelings,
not even the increase or decrease of his faith or understanding or
anything else. He stands complete in Christ. God would never trust any
of His children to stand before him at anytime in their own selves –
that is, in their merits or certain good frames of mind. He knows our
frame. He remembers that we are yet dust. Therefore, He has on purpose
provided for them this perfect standing in Christ Jesus. “Ye are
complete in Him,” the Holy Ghost said. He says in another place, “Ye are
perfect in Christ Jesus,” (Col. 1:28.) The very nature of our God
requires us to be perfect and complete before Him at all times. He, out
of necessity, therefore provided all this for His children: a
perfection, a completeness, which can never be diminished. It is as
unchanging as God himself, (Hebrews 6:17; 13:8). Every true believer may
walk through this world in perfect liberty, free from anything and
everything – yes, even his sin, fear of condemnation, and all else that
would cause him to doubt of his completeness. He may freely come to God,
worship Him, call Him “Father,” and this he may do at all times with the
utmost confidence and thankfulness, because in Christ he stands, first
and foremost and always, complete before God. “O thanks be to God for
Jesus Christ.
By Bruce Crabtree
WHAT PLEASES GOD PLEASES HIS PEOPLE
Acts 15:28
Tom Harding
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no
greater burden than these necessary things;–Acts 15:28.
When the brethren in Jerusalem wrote this inspired letter to the church
in Antioch they declared this strong Biblical principle that the
testimony of God plainly sets forth, “For it seemed good (pleasing) to
the Holy Ghost, and to us.”
What is pleasing to God in creation, providence and salvation is also
most pleasing to His covenant people. We say with David, “But our God is
in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased” (Psalm 115:3).
Or with Eli, “It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good (1Sam.
3:18).
It was most pleasing to God to sovereignly and unconditionally choose
His people in Christ before the foundation of the world (1Sam. 12:22;
Eph. 1:3-6). We thank our Lord that He purposed to choose us in electing
love or we never would have chosen Him or believed Him. (John 16:15;
Eph. 1:19; 2Thes.2:13).
It was well pleasing to our Lord to bruise the Lord Jesus Christ for our
sins (Isa. 53:10; Acts 2:23). It is well pleasing to every believer to
see our sins fully atoned for and eternally put away in Christ crucified
( Isa. 44: 22-23;1Cor. 1:18; 2:2; Heb. 9:26; 1John 4:10).
It is most pleasing to our gracious Lord that in the Lord Jesus Christ
should all the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily and to place all
spiritual blessings in Him (John 1:14: Eph. 1:3; Col. 1:19; 2:9; 1John
5:11-12). It is also well pleasing to every believer to rejoice, receive
by faith and rest in complete salvation in Jesus Christ (1Cor. 1:30;
Phil. 3:7-9; Col. 2:10).
It is most pleasing to our sovereign Lord that through the preaching of
the gospel of Christ to quicken, enlighten and call His people to
Himself, from darkness to light and from bondage to liberty (1Cor. 1:21;
1Peter. 1:23; James 1:18; Col. 1:13). It certainly is well pleasing to
every believer to hear about His Lord through the declaration of the
gospel and to be given faith to embrace Him (Rom. 10:13-17; Eph. 2:8-9),
light to reveal Him (2Cor. 4:6) and liberty to worship Him in Spirit and
truth (John 4:24).
Mistaken or Satanic?
Is doctrine contrary to the Gospel of grace mistaken or Satanic? Is it
misinformed or the Devil’s deception? Is it not full light, or is it
darkness? Paul spoke of Satan’s ministers as angels of light and
ministers of righteousness (II Cor. 11:13-15). The Lord spoke of the
teaching of Jezebel as the depths of Satan (Rev. 2:24). He spoke of
those in the church at Philadelphia who are “them of the synagogue of
Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not” (Rev. 3:9). Clearly, that
which is contrary to the Gospel is Satanic. As I think of men and women
all over the world, using the name of Christ in their “worship
services”, I feel both sad and angry – sad that they are so deceived;
angry at the wickedness of the deception. But not only do I feel sad and
angry, I feel determined by the grace of God to preach the Gospel in
such a way that the Gospel is seen for what it is, and that which is
contrary is seen for what it is, and men will call upon the name of the
Lord. — Todd Nibert.