Chapter Scripture
Chapter 1
The Most
Unique Book in the World 2
Timothy
Chapter 2
The Book of
the Burning Heart Acts
17:11
v
Seven Great Things the Study of the Bible Will Do: Dr. Wilbur Smith
v
The Heart Burning Book: Dr. John R. Rice
v
What the Bible Says about Itself
Chapter 3
There is a
God Hebrews
11:6
Chapter 4
The Plight
of Man and the Power of God Romans
5:12
Chapter 5
The Church:
A Most Glorious Institution Acts
Chapter 6
Creation, A Many Splendor Thing Ephesians
3:8-12
Chapter 7
The
Christian’s Secret of a Victorious Life 1 John 5:5
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 1
The Most
Unique Book in the World
"All
scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good
works."
~*~
2 Timothy 3:16-17
I.
The Observation of Others
·
George Washington
·
Abraham Lincoln
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower
II.
The Most Unique Book in the
World
·
The Bible is unique in its
endurance
·
The Bible is unique in its
circulation
·
The Bible is unique in its
survival
·
The Bible is unique in its
honesty
·
The Bible is unique in where
it can be found
·
The Bible is unique in its
origin
III.
The Bible is Profitable in
·
The Word of God gives right
doctrine
·
The Word of God is profitable
to reproof
·
The Word of God is profitable
for correction
·
The Word of God is profitable
for instruction in righteousness
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 1
The Most
Unique Book in the World
"All
Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is
profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction,
for instruction
in righteousness; That the man
of God may
be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works."
~*~
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Concerning the Bible, George
Washington said, "It is impossible
to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."
Abraham Lincoln once wrote, "I am profitably engaged in reading the
Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can,
and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
observed that, "To read the Bible is
to take a trip to a fair land where the Spirit is strengthened and faith
renewed."
The Bible. Without question it is the
most unique book on planet earth. Josh McDowell reminds us that the Bible is
unique in its endurance. Here is a Book written
over a period of 1500 years, by 60 generations. It was penned by 40 authors
from every walk of life including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen,
poets, statesmen and scholars. There was Moses, a political leader, who was
trained in all the wisdom of
Besides being unique in its
endurance, the Bible is also unique in its circulation. The Bible has been read
by more people and published in more languages than any other Book on the face
of the earth. There have been more copies produced of the Bible in its entirety
and more portions and selections than any other book in history. As the Bible
is unique in its endurance and circulation, so it is unique in its survival.
Though it was originally written on material that perishes, having to be copied
and recopied for hundreds of years before the invention of the printing press,
the style and accuracy has been divinely preserved. Dr. John Montgomery says
that, "to be skeptical of the
resultant text of the New Testament books is to allow all of classical
antiquity to slip into obscurity, for no documents of the ancient period are as
well attested bibliographically as the New Testament."
There is something else. The Bible is unique
in its survival through persecution. Sidney Collett in his book, All About the Bible records a true
incident concerning Voltaire, the noted French infidel who died in 1788.
Voltaire had once boasted that in 100 years from his time Christianity would be
swept from existence and passed into history. But what has happened? Voltaire
has passed into history while the circulation of the Bible continues to
increase in almost all parts of the world, carrying blessing whenever it goes.
It is interesting to observe the Lord's sense of humor. Voltaire had boasted
that in 100 years after his death Christianity would be extinct. Yet only 50
years after his death the Geneva Bible Society used Voltaire's printing press
and house to produce stacks of Bible. There are many thrilling examples of how
God has honored and preserved His Word. In AD 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian
issued an edict to destroy Christians and their sacred Book. The attempt was
made and many suffered for the cause of Christ. Then Diocletian died and the
Emperor Constantine began to rule. Constantine reversed the Edict of Diocletian
and even commissioned Eusebius (c. 260-340), an important Church leader, to
prepare 50 copies of the Scriptures at the expense of the government. Moved by
the faithfulness of God to His Word, Rev. A.Z. Conrad wrote,
Century follows century - there it stands.
Empires rise and fall and are forgotten - there it stands.
Dynasty succeeds dynasty - there it stands.
Kings are crowned and uncrowned - there it stands.
Atheists rail against it - there it stands.
Agnostics smile cynically - there it stands.
Profane, prayerless punsters caricature it - there it stands.
Unbelief abandons its - there it stands.
Higher critics deny its claim to inspiration - there it stands.
The flames are kindled about it - there it stands.
The tooth of time gnaws but makes no dent in it - there it stands.
Infidels predict its abandonment - there it stands.
Modernism tries to explain it away - there it stands.
Dr. Lewis S. Chafer, founder
and former President of Dallas Theological Seminary commented, "The Bible is not such a Book a man would
write if he could, or could write if he would." Dr. Chafer realized
how unique the Bible is when it deals with the sins of its characters. The
Bible does not try to cover-up the lying of Abraham, the deceitfulness of
Jacob, the murder of Moses, the adultery of David, the idolatry of Solomon, the
denial of Peter, or the excessive anger of Paul. While the Bible never condones
the sins of the saints, neither does it hide them. It is instructive to observe
that the Bible is unique in another way. It is the first religious Book to be
taken into outer space. During one of the early moon flights the astronauts
read from Genesis 1:1. "In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth." There is still one
more way the Bible is unique. It claims to be the inspired Word of God or more
literally "God breathed."
To conservative Christians this means something of great significance. First,
and foremost it means that God has always found a way to communicate His
message to men. Hebrews 1:1 says that God has spoken in many and various ways.
·
Sometimes God spoke by angels as He did to Abraham in Genesis 18 and to
Lot in Genesis 19.
·
Sometimes God spoke in dreams as per Daniel 7:1 and Numbers 12:6.
·
Sometimes God used visions as He did with Isaiah and Ezekiel (Isa. 1:1;
Ezek. 1:1).
·
Sometimes God spoke in an audible voice as young Samuel heard when just
a child (1 Sam. 3).
·
Perhaps the most common method God used was the inner voice of the
individual's conscience and communion with God. Over and again the phrase is
used, "And the Word of the Lord came
unto me saying..."
However, since it was
possible for false prophets to arise and claim to speak on behalf of God, the
Hebrew priests became responsible to question the prophet. If the word of the
prophet did not come to pass, he was to be stoned for lying. God cannot lie and
neither can His true prophets. In the Old Testament economy the Lord God would
communicate His message by means of the Urim and Thummim (Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21).
Even the lot was designated as an acceptable means by which God indicated His
will (Prov. 16:33). The challenge is to believe that God really did speak to
men and so moved and inspired them to record accurately what was said or done.
It is important to understand that inspiration claims God Himself to be the
prime mover in this endeavor as per 2 Peter 1:21 which declares that, "No prophecy ever came by the impulse
of man, but men moved by the Holy spirit spoke from God." It should be
a moment of great concern when it is discovered that beliefs are held apart
from any historical content. God moved and the prophet mouthed the eternal
divine truths. God revealed and man recorded His Word. Even though the Bible
was articulated and recorded by men, it is still God's Word since He moved or
caused men to speak and to write. Norman Geisler and
William Nix offer an excellent definition of inspiration. "Inspiration is that mysterious process by which the divine
causality worked through the human
prophets without destroying their individual personalities and styles, to
produce divinely authoritative writings."
Since the Bible has its
total origin in the mind and will of the eternal God it must be extremely
important and it is. Our text says that the Bible is profitable in four ways.
First, the Word of God gives right doctrine. Doctrine is simply what the Bible
teaches about a certain subject. The Bible speaks about Creation. It teaches
man about sin, salvation, heaven, hell, eternal life, the person of Christ and
multitudes of other topics. Throughout the Scriptures there is a constant
threefold theme: Man's ruin, God's redemption and the regenerating work of the
Holy Spirit. What the Bible has to say on all these subjects is accurate and
trustworthy for the information comes from the heart of God and can be used in
time of need.
Second all Scripture is
profitable or useful for reproof, which means to rebuke. Because man has a
fallen nature he does many things that need reproof. While being rebuked is
never pleasant, it is sometimes necessary. Sin must be arrested.
Third, all Scripture is
profitable for correction. Correction is the positive side of being rebuked.
Correction is God's saying in the Scriptures, "This is the way, walk ye in it." A Christian who takes
the Scriptures seriously, receives the doctrines of grace with gladness,
accepts justified correction, and seeks spiritual renewal will enjoy a specific
result. Such a child of God will become perfect or mature in matters of the
faith and will be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. We have a God
breathed Book called the Bible. Its purpose is to prepare us to be powerful
instruments in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this, let us
study the Scriptures with renewed intensity knowing that this is well pleasing
to the Father.
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 2
The Book of the Burning Heart
”These were
more noble than those in Thessalonica,
in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched
the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
~*~
Acts 17:11
II.
Seven Great Things the Study
of the Bible will do for Us
·
The Word of God will discover and convict of sin
·
The Word of God will cleanse the conscience
·
The Word of God will impart strength
·
The Word of God will provide instruction in righteousness
·
The Word of God will give victory over sin
·
The Word of God will make spiritual life fruitful
·
The Word of God will provide an incentive to pray
III.
Three Ways to Study the
Bible
·
Study the Bible with an open mind and heart
·
Study the Bible in its entirety
·
Study the Bible daily
IV.
Three Spiritual Discoveries
·
Joy
·
Justification
·
Jesus
"A New
World will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the
idea that it is . . . a book which is now speaking." A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)
"Come,
Holy Ghost, for moved by thee
The prophets
wrote and spoke;
Unlock the
truth, thyself the key,
Unseal the
sacred book."
~*~
John Calvin (1509-1564)
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 2
The Book of the Burning Heart
”These were
more noble than those in Thessalonica,
in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched
the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
~*~
Acts 17:1
When he was near death,
Patrick Henry said, "Here is a Book,
the Bible, worth more than all others that were ever printed; yet it is my
misfortune never to have found time to read." Perhaps it is a little
surprising to hear such an honest statement from one of America's greatest
patriots but if the truth were known, Mr. Henry is not alone. If the record
were revealed, as it shall be some day, many people in Christendom would have
to confess that day after day goes by and the Word of God is neglected. There is time for work and play. There is
time for television. But there is no time to read God's Word. That is what is
thought and said. The reality is that there are 168 hours in a week for each
person. No more and no less.
·
After working 40 hours on the job, 128 hours remain.
·
Allowing 56 hours for sleep leaves 72.
·
Counting at least 21 hours per week for meals reduces the balance to 51
hours.
All of these activities seem
to be irreducibly necessary and so we concede the time.
·
Taking from that balance a minimum of 1 hour per day for Scripture reading and prayer, a person
still has 44 hours a week for unanticipated and unprepared activities.
The conclusion is that a
disciplined management of time and a proper system of priorities can make
possible at least a minimal devotional life. There is plenty of time for the Bible and a devotional life. The Church
must not fail to seriously read God's Word
any longer. The effect of any neglect to read the Word of God faithfully has a direct relationship on a person's
spiritual life and on the life of the Church. The negative results on one's
personal life includes an increase in individual acts of sin. The Psalmist
realized this would happen and said,
"Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against Thee"
(Psalm 119:11). It is impossible to read the Scriptures and not be moved to want to be different and to want to
be better. To read about Jesus is to want to be like Christ as He invites men
and women and young people to follow Him. Are we following Christ today?
Second, to neglect the Bible
is to risk faith growing cold and lifeless. The story is told that when Mark
Twain married a young Christian girl he laughed at her faith. She grew more
discrete and more silent. Then came a tragedy and Samuel Clements said, "Libby, I want you to pray. I want you
to exercise your faith." And Libby looked at her husband and replied
with bitterness, "What faith?"
Many a pastor has stood by
the bedside of sick and dying people who say they once had faith. Once they
went to Church. One they lifted their voices in praise to God. Once they
prayed. Once they knew many passages of Scripture.
Now they have no faith. Their name is still on a Church roll and they even call
themselves a Christian. But the words "Christ
like" on their lips have no integrity. James said, "Faith without works is dead."
Those who read the Bible consistently
are spoken of in Psalm 1 as being blessed. King David said, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the
seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law
doth he meditate day and night." There is a blessing for those who
meditate upon the Law of the Lord and
there is trouble for those who do not. When professing Christians are not well
grounded in the Bible it affects
their relationship to the Church. For one thing the faithful attendance to
worship services becomes spasmodic. Religious zeal in holy duties decreases and
prayer is neglected. Prayer is neglected in part because the promises of God's Word are no longer known or
believed. Paul E. Billheimer has addressed this
sensitive issue in his excellent book Destined
for the Throne.
"Why,"
he asks, "is the prayer activity of
the Church so sadly neglected? What is the reason for the Church's
prayerlessness? Many reasons could be suggested
but perhaps the most basic one is lack of faith in the integrity of the Word of
God. If the Church were fully convinced of the fulfillment of the promises such
as: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened unto you" (Matt. 7:7), prayer would be the main
business of her life. Unbelief in the integrity of the Word is the first great
cause for prayerlessness."
There is unbelief despite
the powerful promises of such passages as 1 John 5:14-15. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask
anything according to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of
him."
Here is a divine syllogism
to be used in faith. God has promised to hear and answer all prayers that are
according to His will. My prayer can be according to His will. Therefore, He
can answered my prayer. A.W. Tozer is right when he observed that the prayer
meeting is the Cinderella of the Church. The beautiful Lady of Grace is
neglected while the ugly sisters of this world receives the time and affection
due to God. Jesus wants His followers to pray. "Pray
that ye enter not into temptation." Jesus encourages His disciples to
pray. "Ask and it shall be given.
Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door shall be open." The Father
waits for us to ask wonderful things of Him. "How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
them that ask of Him?" F.B. Meyer exhorts the Church to remember to
ask great things of God for,
"Thou art
coming to a King;
Large
petitions with thee bring;
For His grace
and power are such,
None can ever
ask too much."
The greatest tragedy of life
is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. By reading the Bible we find
not only precious promises but much more as Wilbur M. Smith reminds us.
Seven Great
Things the Study of the Bible will do for Christians
~*~
1. The Word of God will
discover and convict of sin and show individuals their need of a Saviour. In
Christ there is a Divine Deliverer from the penalty of sin. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life"
(John 5:24). Have you believed in Christ? Are you born again?
2. The Word of God will cleanse
from the pollution of sin. 2 Thes 2:13. "But we are bound to give thanks always
to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the
beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and
belief of the truth."
3. The Word of God will impart
strength.
·
Psalm 119:101. I have
refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
4. The Word of God will
instruct in what should be done.
·
Psalm 119:18. Open thou mine
eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
·
Psalm 119:33-34. Teach me, O
LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. 34 Give me
understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole
heart.
5. The Word
of God will provide a sword for victory over sin.
·
Hebrews 4:12. For the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
6. The Word
of God will make the spiritual life fruitful.
·
Joshua 1:8. This book of the
law shall not depart but of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and
night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
for then Thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
7. The Word of God will provide an incentive to pray illustrated in the
life of Daniel. When Daniel discovered that his people were going back home
from the Babylonian captivity after seventy years in exile he began to pray.
·
Daniel 9:1-4. In the first
year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made
king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel
understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came
to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the
desolations of Jerusalem. 3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by
prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:…And I prayed
unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and
dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them
that keep his commandments;
Because of these seven great truths Christians must
study the Word of God in three ways.
First, the Scriptures are to be studied with an open mind and a
readiness to hear what God has to say through His Word in a personal way. It is not enough to know Bible history, geography, doctrine and
obscure facts. There comes a time when the soul must ask, "What does the Bible mean to me personally?"
Second, the Bible must be studied in its entirety. Some people are very
selective about what they want to read and study. But every verse is God
breathed and all Scripture is profitable. Every verse in the Bible is to be searched
for it is the search which yields unexpected treasures.
Third, the Scriptures are to be studied daily. For good physical health
people need to eat food daily and have a balanced diet. And for good spiritual
health people need the Word of God
daily. It is on a daily basis that God waits to fellowship with the saints.
Jesus said, "The hour is coming and
now is when the Father seeks such to worship Him in Spirit and truth." As
the Father waits, let us go to Him through the wonderful Book called the Bible. Then we will be like the Bereans
who searched the Scriptures. And we
will be more noble, more honorable, more respected than others as we receive
with readiness those things God wants us to know for we are not to read the
Bible with skepticism. Sir Walter Scott wrote that, "Within this ample volume lies The mysteries of mysteries.
Happiest they of human race To whom their God has given grace To read, to fear,
to hope, to pray, To lift the latch, to force the way; But better had they
ne'er been born That read to doubt, or read to scorn." One of the
greatest decisions a soul can make is to determine to search the Scriptures
daily. In the search many discoveries will be made.
First, joy will be discovered
according to 1 John 1:4. "And these
things write we unto you, that your joy may be full."
"And when
someday He calls me home
and I at last
can look Upon His face,
I'll want to
kneel and thank Him for His Book!
~*~
Alice Hansche Mortenson
Second, it will be discovered how the just shall live. It was as Martin Luther
searched the Scriptures that he discovered the just shall live by faith (Rom.
1:17; Hab. 2:4). That simply truth unlocked the
storehouse of spiritual treasures and the world was changed.
"Study it
carefully,
Think of it
prayerfully,
Till in thy
heart its precepts dwell.
Slight not its
history,
Ponder its
mystery;
None can e'er prize it too fondly or well."
Third, and most important of all, the Lord Jesus Christ will be
discovered in all of His splendor and glory. A great lady once wrote,
"The Word
of God came unto me,
Sitting alone
among the multitudes;
And my blind
eyes were touched with light.
And there was
laid upon my lips a flame of fire.
I laugh and
shout for life is good,
Though my feet
are set in silent ways.
In merry mood
I leave the crowd
To walk in my
garden.
Ever as I walk
I gather fruits and flowers in my hands.
And with
joyful heart I bless the sun
That kindles
all the place with radiant life.
I run with
playful winds that blow
the scent of
rose and jasmine
in eddying whirls.
At last I come
where tall lilies grow,
lifting their
faces like white saints to God.
While the
lilies pray, I kneel upon the ground;
I have strayed
into the holy temple of the Lord."
Helen Keller would have been
found in the company of the committed who were nobler than those in
Thessalonica for the Scriptures were
searched daily. May God grant us grace to become serious readers of our God
breathed Book: the Bible.
~*~
John R. Rice
Would that this Book, the Bible, was better known as the heart-burning Book.
·
Martin Luther permitted it to burn in his heart, and the shout still
rings, "The just shall live by
faith!"
·
It burned in the heart of John Bunyan, and life dripped from his pen to
form the book called Pilgrim's Progress. Could a lesser book than this have
burned the spirit of a John Wesley into a life ministry of trekking weary miles
with the Gospel?
·
George Whitefield felt its fire, and the colonies were touched to the
winning of fifty thousand souls.
·
Would Christ have been as well known in England had not Charles
Spurgeon known its glow?
·
The Bible burned in the heart of David Livingstone, and that heart was
buried in the depths of Africa.
·
"Give me Scotland or
else I die!" was the cry of John Knox when the heavenly heart of the Book touched
his heart.
Someone has said that the
great American evangelist D.L. Moody took one continent with his left hand and
another in his right and moved them both toward God. Such was the power of a
shoe clerk who devoured the pages of our God Breathed Book: the Bible.
What the Bible
Says about Itself
"Jesus
loves me this I know,
for the Bible
tells me so."
1. The Bible claims to be the
very Word of God. Certainly the prophets
believed God spoke through them.
·
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
·
Jeremiah 1:9 Then the LORD
put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I
have put my words in thy mouth.
2. The Bible claims its
authority to be from heaven. The authority of the Bible is
intrinsic and inherent. In no sense is the authority of the Bible derived from
human testimony.
·
Isaiah 1:2 Hear, O heavens,
and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought
up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3. The Bible claims that it contains no errors. It is inerrant. There are
no mistakes in any of its parts.
·
Psalms 19:7 The law of the
LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making
wise the simple.
·
Proverbs 30:5 Every word of
God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
·
Psalms 12:6 The words of the
LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times.
4. The Bible says of itself that
its words cannot be broken. It is infallible. It will not read anyone who reads it astray.
·
John 10:35 If he called them
gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken;
·
Matthew 5:18 For verily I
say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no
wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
5. The Bible claims it can be
comprehended.
While some parts of the Bible are "hard
to understand" (2 Peter 3:16) it is clear and can be understood by the
ordinary Christians regardless of human intelligence or academic achievement.
Even children can understand doctrinal truths for parents are commanded to
teach the Scriptures to their
children.
·
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And these
words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt
teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou
sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
The simple man can
understand the Bible and be made wise.
·
Psalms 19:7 The law of the
LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making
wise the simple.
6.
The Bible declares it is necessary.
The Bible is necessary to make the soul wise unto salvation.
·
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from
a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Bible is necessary for sanctification.
·
John 17:17 Sanctify them
through thy truth: thy word is truth.
The Bible is necessary for knowing the will of God.
·
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
7. The Bible
claims to be the sufficient and final voice through Jesus Christ the Lord.
·
Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
·
John 1:1 In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…14 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.
8. No one can reject the Bible and have a right relationship with
the living Lord Jesus Christ.
·
John 8:30-31 As he [Jesus]
spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 3
There is a God
~*~
“But without
faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Hebrews 11:6
I.
The Basis for Understanding
God
II.
The Attributes of God
·
God is good
Psalm 33:5
·
God is omnipotent (all powerful)
Psalm 33:6
·
God is omnipresent (all present)
Psalm 33:13
·
God is omniscient Psalm 33:14,15
·
God is spirit John 4:24
·
God is love 1 John 4:8
·
God is merciful Psalm 89:1
·
God is wise Proverbs 3:19
·
God is holy Isaiah 6:1-3
·
God is immutable (unchanging) Psalm
102:27
·
God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
·
God is incomprehensible Psalm
33:2,3
III.
The Purpose for Revealing
the Divine Attributes
·
The attributes of God are designed to reveal the nature of God
·
The attributes of God are designed to bring conviction of sin and
conformity to the Divine will
·
The attributes of God are revealed to comfort the heart
·
The attributes of God are revealed to cause the heart to love God
IV.
Conclusion
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 3
There is a God
"But
without faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Hebrews 11:6
~*~
"Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the
upright. 2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an
instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a
loud noise. 4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in
truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the
goodness of the LORD. 6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all
the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters of the
sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 8 Let all the
earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. 10 The LORD
bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the
people of none effect. 11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the
thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is
the LORD: and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 13 The
LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place
of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. 15 He
fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. 16 There is no
king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much
strength. 17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any
by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him,
upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to
keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and
our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in
his holy name. 22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in
thee."
~*~
Psalms 33:1-22
It has been said that if a
person can believe the first four words of the Bible the rest of the Scriptures
will prove no problem. Genesis 1:1 says "In
the beginning God." There are individuals who say they do not believe
in God. They are called "atheists"
because they deny the very existence of the Divine. By denying the existence of
God the heart of man may be puffed up with pride but he is made lower than the
beasts of the field. "The ox knoweth
his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people
doth not consider" (Isa. 1:3). The truth of the matter is that "A man can no more diminish God's glory
by refusing to worship him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the
word darkness on the walls of his cell" (C. S. Lewis, 1898-1963). If a
person really believes there is no God he has to be the saddest of all souls.
Johann Paul Friedrich Richter (1763-1825) commented "No one is so much alone in the universe as a denier of God. With
an orphaned heart, which has lost the greatest of fathers, he stands mourning
by the immeasurable corpse of the universe."
The story is told of an old
man that lay ill in bed. By any objective standard he had lived a wicked life.
He dared to say he did not even believe in God's existence. Over his bed he had
written the words "God is
nowhere." The old man was a foolish man. One day his little
granddaughter came into the bedroom to see him. She was just learning to read
so he asked her with a measure of mockery and evil intent to try to read what
was written over his bed. Slowly the child began and read "God…is...now...here!"
In the providence of the Lord the Holy Spirit illuminated the darkened
heart of the old man so that he realized that indeed "God…is…now…here!" The old man began to tremble in light
of the sober truth that He was about to step into eternity and meet the God who
is there. Conviction came to his soul and he was converted. Francis Bacon
(1561-1626) observed "Atheism is
rather in the lip than in the heart of man." An old adage in the
military says there are no atheists in a foxhole.
As
there are professing atheists so there are agnostics. If the atheists denies
the existence of God the agnostic politely dismisses God. Actually, there are
few atheists or agnostics in the world. Plato (C. 428-348 BC) made the
observation that "Few men are so
obstinate in their atheism [or agnosticism] that a pressing danger will not
compel them to the acknowledgment of a divine power. " And that is
true. What is also true is that many people simply dismiss God from their life
because they are not sure of His existence. Of
course the Bible never seeks to prove the existence of God. The Scriptures begins with the presupposition
of God's existence. The reality of God is so self-evident the Scriptures simply state it is the fool
who says in his heart there is no God (Psalm 14:1). A fool is merely a self
sufficient individual.
Wanting to be free of God various theories have
arisen. The ancient Greek theory of evolution makes a fool of every modern man
who embraces the concept that the complexity of the universe is the product of
Time + Space + Chance. The theory of evolution is not science but religious
faith and yet multitudes accept the theory of evolution. Romans 1:20-23
explains why. "For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they
are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not
as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their
foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became
fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible
God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."
While
there are many matters that are still mysterious and uncertain there is one
sure foundational truth--God exists. The first principle of true religion is to
affirm by faith "I believe in God
the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." With such an
affirmation of faith the soul is free to progress to certain truths about God.
For example, in His Word God has
declared that He is but One God and there are no others. Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is
one LORD." The concept of there being only one God is a truth that is
denied today. Idolatry and polytheism prevails throughout the world. In school
our children are often taught how the ancient Vikings, Greeks and Romans,
Anglo-Saxons and Germans believed in many gods such as Thor, Mars, Jupiter,
Mercury, Venus and Diana. There were male gods and female goddesses. There were
gods of nature, gods, of war and gods of love. The Bible rejects all gods
including the deification of man which the Romans enjoyed doing and what the
New Age movement advocates today. There is but One God of heaven and earth. All
others are but figments of man's perverted and darkened imagination. The One
true God is alive. He sees and hears and speaks. He is the living God. As God
is One and there are no other gods before Him or after Him so He can be known.
God cannot be known fully for He is too great and awesome for the finite mind
of man. But God can be known according to the gracious principle of
self-disclosure. Consider the words of Psalm 33.
·
The Lord God is good. Psalms 33:5 He [God] loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is
full of the goodness of the LORD.
"In the
vast and the minute we see
The
unambiguous footsteps of the God,
Who gives its lustre to an insect's wing
And wheels his
throne upon the whirling worlds."
~*~
1731-1800
The Bible scholar J. B. Phillips (1906-1982) said, "If God is God, He is big and generous and magnificent." Little
children of Christian parents learn to acknowledge the goodness of God in
precious prayers and they say,
"God is great
God is good
And we thank Him for our
food.
By His hand we all are fed,
Thank you Lord for this daily
bread."
The earth is full of the
goodness of the LORD.
·
God is omnipotent. The mighty omnipotent power
of God is manifested in creation. Psalm
33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by
the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an
heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. The theory of evolution
contends that billions of years ago matter exploded and the universe sprang
into existence. The Bible declares
that by the word of the Lord the heavens were made and by His decrees the stars
began to pulsate and the planets appeared in their sphere of orbit. By faith
and by reason Christians must embrace the biblical account of creation for it
alone sets forth the omnipotence of God.
· As God is omnipotent so He is omnipresent. Psalm 33:13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of
men. Psalm 139:7-10 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee
from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my
bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and
dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me,
and thy right hand shall hold me.
· As God is omnipotent and omnipresent so He is omniscient. Psalms 33:14-15 From the place of his habitation he [God] looketh upon
all the inhabitants of the earth. 15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he
considereth all their works. The knowledge of the Lord is comprehensive. He knows
what will happen and He knows all the alternatives as to what could have
happened. Matt 11:21 Woe unto thee,
Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in
you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in
sackcloth and ashes. God knows our thoughts and what we will think say and
do before we act. Isa 66:18 For I know
their works and their thoughts: There are other attributes we could notice
about God.
· God is a spirit. John 4:24 God is a Spirit:
and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. There is a delightful story
told of a little boy who was working hard on a drawing and his daddy asked him
what he was doing. The reply came back, "Drawing
a picture of God." His father said, "You can't do that, honey. Nobody knows what God looks like for
God is spirit." But the little boy was undeterred and continued to
draw. He looked at his picture with satisfaction and said very
matter-of-factly, "They will in a
few minutes."
· God is love. 1 John 4:8 He that loveth
not knoweth not God; for God is love. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430) said, "God loves each of us as if there were
only one of us." The love of God is superabundant for God gives to us,
“More sky than we can see,
More seas than we can sail,
More sun than we can bear to watch,
More stars than we can scale.
More breathe than we can breathe,
More yield than we can sow,
More grace than we can comprehend,
More love than we can know.”
~*~
Ralph W. Seager
Modified
·
God is merciful. Ps 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth
will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
“When all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.”
~*~
Joseph Addison
1672-1719
·
God is wise. Prov 3:19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding
hath he established the heavens. On Christmas Day 1968, the three astronauts of
Apollo 8 circled the dark side of the moon and headed for home. Suddenly, over
the horizon of the moon rose the blue and white Earth garlanded by the
glistening light of the sun against the black void of space. Those
sophisticated men, trained in science and technology, did not utter Einstein's
name. They did not even go to the poets, the novelist or the dramatists. Only
one Book could capture the
awe-inspiring thrill of this magnificent observation. Billions heard the voice
from outer space as the astronaut read it:
"In the beginning God"--the only concept worthy enough to
describe that unspeakable awe, unutterable in any other way. "In the beginning God created"--the
invasive, the inescapable sense of the infinite and the eternal.
·
God is holy. Isa 6:1-3 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it
stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain
he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD
of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
·
God is immutable. He does
not change. Ps 102:27 But thou art the
same, and thy years shall have no end. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and to day, and for ever. God will always be faithful to His character and
thus to His promises one of which is "I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5).
·
God exists as Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit. The trinity is one of the greatest mysteries concerning God but it
cannot be denied. The biblical revelation is that "God does not live in isolation-not in the solitude of a single
person, but three persons in one essence" Louis Evely
(1910-). People have tried to explain the Trinity in a variety of ways. St.
Patrick of Ireland, when asked about the Trinity, plucked a shamrock from the
ground and said, "Three in one, one
in three, that is the Trinity."The Puritans spoke of the sun with its beams and heat
giving forth light. The truth of the matter is that fallen man cannot fully and
logically comprehend the concept of the Trinity and yet it remains a spiritual
reality. Our faith declares,
v
The Father is God -
God is the Father
v
The Son is God -
God is the Son
v
The Holy Spirit is God -
God is the Holy Spirit
“Timeless, spaceless, single, lonely,
Yet sublimely
Three,
Thou art
grandly, always, only
God is Unity!
Lone in
grandeur, lone in glory,
Who shall tell
thy wondrous story?
Awful
Trinity!”
~*~
Frederick William Faber
1814-1863
·
God is incomprehensible. William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)
was a nominee for president three times on the Democratic ticket. He was also a
devout Christian. When asked about God he had this to say. "I have observed the power of the watermelon seed. It has the
power of drawing from the ground and through itself 200,000 times its weight.
When you can tell me how it takes this material and out of it colors produces
an outside surface beyond the imitation of art, and then forms inside of it a
white rind and within that again a red heart, thickly inlaid with black seeds,
each one of which in turn is capable of drawing through itself 200,000 times
its weight-when you can explain to me the mystery of a watermelon, you can ask
me to explain the mystery of God." Therefore, Ps 33:2-3 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery
and an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully
with a loud noise (Psa. 33:2-3). God is to be praised because He too
majestic to be comprehended.
The attributes of God are
communicated for practical consideration.
·
The attributes of God are
designed to reveal the nature of God. God is there and He is not silent.
·
The attributes of God are
designed to bring conviction of sin and conformity to the Divine will. One day the Exodus
Generation gathered beneath Mt. Sinai. There was fire and smoke on the
mountain. God flashed forth His omnipotence and His omnipresence. The people
were brought under conviction of sin and wanted to conform to the Divine will.
Ex 19:7-8 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and
laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 And all
the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will
do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
·
The attributes of God are
revealed to comfort the heart.
Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
J. B. Phillips (1906-1982)
said, "God is the great reality. His
resources are available and endless. His promises are real and glorious, beyond
our wildest dreams."
·
The attributes of God are
revealed to cause the heart to love God. When she considered God Helen Keller
(1880-1968) said, "God is the light
in my darkness, the voice in my silence." She loved the Lord. To love
God is commanded in Scripture. Moses
exhorted the nation of Israel to love God, as did Joshua. Deut 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his
charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. Josh
23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
Men should love God for the beauty of His essence, for the faithfulness of
His care, for the tender mercies He shows each day, and for the gifts of
salvation and eternal life He has provided through Jesus Christ His Son. The
Puritan preacher Richard Baxter (1615-1691) said, "It is but right that our hearts should be on God, when the heart
of God is so much on us." The sum of the doctrine of God is that He
has provided a way that we might know Him and enjoy Him forever through faith
in His Son Jesus Christ. There once was a boy who hardly spoke throughout his
short life. He was considered to be very slow mentally and yet his heart was
sensitive to spiritual matters. Just before he died he uttered the most amazing
words which have been preserved. This is what he said.
"What can I see? What can I see?
I can see One and the One is Three.
Three in one and One in Three
And all the Three are all for me."
I trust that it will be your
personally testimony that you will by faith seek after the Lord and believe in
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is,and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 4
The Plight of
Man and the Power of God
"Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men,
for that all
have sinned."
~*~
Romans 5:12
The English poet Alexander
Pope (1688-1744) once wrote, "The
proper study of mankind is man." Without question the favorite study
of mankind is man. History is the written record of what man has done. Law
reflects what he does. Medicine reveals what man is according to science.
Ethics reflect on what ought to be. Many
of the current best selling books in the nation concern some aspect of man
whether it is an autobiography, a manual on relationships, or a self-improvement
guide. Mankind is absolutely in love with itself. An objective view of man
reveals some startling contradictions.
Man can be extremely cruel and brutal. The English poet Abraham
Cowley (1618-1687) said, "Man is to
man all kinds of beasts; a fawning dog, a roaring lion, a thieving fox, a
robbing wolf, a dissembling crocodile, a treacherous decoy, and a rapacious
vulture."
The willingness to use
massive weapons of destruction upon men, women, and children at any given
moment in the name of national interest reflects how brutal individuals can be.
There is always a justification for the slaughter of others.
● Adolph Hitler said Germany
needed more breathing room for an expanding population.
● The Japanese bombed Pear
Harbor because they were running out of raw supplies.
● For twenty-two years
Americans dropped bombs and napalm on countries in South East Asia in order to
stop the spread of Communism. The result of this horror was over 50,000 names
engraved on a black monument called The Wall in Washington, D.C.
● Sadam Hussein said that
Kuwait was merely a lost providence he had a right to reclaim.
From under the rubble of
mankind's civil war with itself individuals crawl out and stand upright because
though man is of the Earth his thoughts still reach beyond the stars. Mean and
petty his wants and desires; yet they serve a soul exalted with grand, glorious
aims—with immortal longings--with thoughts which sweep the heavens, and wander
through eternity. A pigmy standing on the outward crest of this small planet,
his far-reaching spirit stretches outward to the infinite, and there alone
finds rest. Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)
The Bible explains this dual nature of man who can be at once so good
and so bad. The Bible tells us what has happened to transform man from the
image of God to act worse than the beasts of the field. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned" (Rom. 5:12).
The one man referred to is Adam. The Book of
Genesis tells the simple but tragic story. By a special act of creation God
made man and he was very good. Though not confirmed in righteousness Adam was
made in the image of God with will, emotion and intelligence.
To man was given the headship over all nature. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the
air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:26).
To man was given the Garden of Eden which was a paradise. "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of
Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen.
2:15).
In the garden man was to provide names for every living creature. "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the
field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he
would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the
name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air,
and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet
for him" (Gen. 2:19-20).
Not only was man to work he was to
establish a home with love. "Therefore
shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:
and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). According to the divine will
our children are to grow up, leave home, love their spouse, and become united
in one essence.
Man was to reproduce himself and populate the earth. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that
moveth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:28).
Man was to enjoy the fruits of his labor. "And the LORD God commanded
the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat" (Gen.
2:16).
With all of his goodness,
abilities, position and privileges Adam arose from the red earth to stand as a
Federal Representative of the human race. God looked at Adam and saw the
totality of humanity the same way the world looks at the president of our
country and sees embodied in him the will of the American people. The decision
of the Leader of the Free World affects the future and behavior of every
citizen he represents.
For an indeterminate period
Adam enjoyed fellowship with the Lord. But then the time came for Adam to be
confirmed in righteousness through a test of obedience. But something went wrong.
The Bible says that Adam failed the test. He ate of a forbidden fruit.
Adam consciously decided not
to obey God but to rebel against His Creator who had also been a Friend for in
the cool of the evening the Lord had appeared to walk with Adam in the Garden.
Why Adam ate of the forbidden fruit is beyond comprehension. The Bible calls it
the mystery of sin. The word sin is a new word created after the Fall of man as
is pain and suffering. The word sin means, "to
miss the mark." Adam missed the mark of being confirmed in holiness.
He plunged his soul into the abyss of death for it was decreed that the soul
that sinned would die. In the moment he ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of
Good and Evil Adam died spiritual. A part of his soulish
essence ceased to function. There was a separation between himself and God.
It soon became apparent that
something was wrong for suddenly no longer did Adam want to fellowship with
God. When the Lord came to walk with Adam in the Garden Adam hid himself. And
the voice of God called out, "Adam?
Where are you?" It was a haunting inquiry full of great significance.
Adam was hiding from God because he had fallen from an exalted state of grace
to the lowest sphere of human existence--a life without God. But there was
something else. Not only had Adam sinned but he doomed all of his posterity as
well. Every son of Adam is now born with the nature of Adam after the fall. You
and I were born in the sight of God physically alive but spiritually dead. The
stench of death is ever present. The sin of Adam has become our sin by birth
and then by personal choice. If the truth were told we have all sinned and come
short of the glory of God. We have not keep God's commandments. We have not
honored the teachings of Christ summarized in the Sermon on the Mount. We have
sinned and we are guilty.
Some years ago Dr. Karl Menninger wrote a book entitled Whatever Became of Sin.
Dr. Menninger tells the story of a man who stood on a
street corner in Chicago. As people walked by the man pointed a finger at them
and shouted, "Guilty!" That
was all he said. Another person walked by and the man cried, "Guilty!" The street prophet
told the truth. Every person is guilty before God for "there is none righteous no, not one" (Rom. 3:23).
Like our father Adam we have
not honored the known will of God and our soul wants to run from Him and hide.
And when we are caught and confronted we still want to hide the truth and so we
begin to lie. The plight of man is desperate. And the wages of man's sin is
death (Rom. 6:23). Because man has sinned against God he must die not only
spiritually but also physically until the Lord says enough. There is no
escaping physical death even if its reality is denied as the founder of Christian Science taught her followers.
It is appointed unto men once to die and after that, the judgment (Heb. 9:27).
Relentlessly does God state this fact that sin has entered into the world and
with sin death, both spiritual and physical. Moreover the Moral Law of God
summarized in the Ten Commandments also entered into human consciousness that
the offenses of sin might abound.
Now a question comes. "Have you ever felt the burden of
sin?" In the opening scene of the Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan,
the main character is man called Christian. He is living in the City of
Destruction. Christian has come upon a scroll which warns him to flee from the
wrath to come. He is determined to leave the City of Destruction and seek for
the salvation of his soul. Christian sets forth to find the way of salvation but
on his back he carries a heavy burden called Sin. Today many people carry a
heavy burden called sin. There is the burden of the imputed sin of Adam that
they carry by birth. There is the burden of shame and guilt because of personal
sin produced by willfully wrong choices. There is the added burden of the Law
pressing down upon the soul. These burdens are real and they will sink the soul
down into the fiery flames of eternal damnation. The controversy that God has
with individuals is their effort, like Adam in the Garden of Eden, to minimize
the evil they have done and are doing. God wants people to comprehend how
desperate their situation is. It is only by the magnification of the awfulness
of transgression that a heart can come to appreciate the grace of God that
brings salvation. So we ask again, "Have
you ever felt the burden of sin?"
If the answer is "Yes," then there is yet hope
for God has good news for you. There is Someone who can take the burden of sin
from your life and restore your soul to a state of righteousness in the sight
of God. That Someone is Jesus Christ. It was at a place called Calvary that
Christ bore the sins of the elect in His own body. Christ died a
substitutionary death for others and now that great work of redemption can be
applied to your heart and mine.
● Perhaps there is a young
person who would like to live in harmony with mom and dad and God. The Bible
commands children to honor their mother and father. This has not been done.
Come to Christ. Do not perish.
● Perhaps there is someone who
longs to be free of secret sin. Come to Christ.
● Perhaps there is someone who
is burdened by the memory of a transgression. Come to Christ. Just as you are,
come to Christ.
“I hear the Savior say,
‘Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.’
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.
For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
And when, before the throne,
stand in Him complete,
‘Jesus died my soul to save,’
My lips shall still repeat.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.”
The plight of man becomes the place for the power of God
to be made manifest. Where sin has abounded mercy can much more abound so that
there can the reign of God's sovereign grace in the heart. The reign of grace
is manifested
● by renouncing sin in
principle and in practice
● by loving what Christ loves
● by being a student of the
Bible.
● by engaging in private and
corporate prayer.
● by thinking often of the
Savior. Salvation through Jesus Christ is the firm foundation on which the
Christian faith is built.
“How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?”
A Foundation
for Faith
Chapter 4
The Plight of
Man and the Power of God
"Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by
sin;
and so death
passed upon all men,
for that all
have sinned."
~*~
Romans 5:12
I.
The Proper Study of Mankind
II.
Before the Fall
● To man was given the
headship over nature
● To man was given the
headship of the home
● To man was given the fruits
of his labor
III.
The Plight of Man
● Whatever Became of Sin?
● The burden of the Beast
IV.
The Power of God
"But
where sin abounded,
grace did much
more abound."
~*~
Romans 5:20
"I was never fit to say a word to a sinner,
except when I had a broken heart myself,
when I was subdued and melted into penitency,
and felt as though I had just received pardon to my own soul,
and when my heart was full of tenderness and pity. No anger, no
anger."
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
~*~
Chapter 5
The Church: A
Most Glorious Institution
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same
day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42And they continued
stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread,
and in prayers. 43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs
were done by the apostles. 44And all that believed were together, and had all
things common; 45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all
men, as every man had need. 46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the
temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with
gladness and singleness of heart, 47Praising God, and having favour with all
the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
~*~
Glorious” is probably the last adjective many people would use to describe the
Christian church at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The latest
revelations of pedophiles associated with those who are suppose to be Christian
spiritual leaders, the cover up of the same and the hush money totally over a
billion dollars is grievous to behold. To this sex scandal the Church wrestles
with other issues such as the ordination of women and the acceptance of
homosexuals as congregational leaders. hen there is the problem of doctrinal
error. Multitudes of ministers in leading denominations no longer believe in
the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection, salvation by
grace through faith alone, or the Second Advent. The justice of eternal
punishment is questioned, while the love of God is proclaimed at the expense of
His holiness and righteousness. To think of the “Church” as being a glorious institution would be to make a mockery
of the word in the minds of many. Nevertheless,
despite its glaring faults and failures the Church is precious in the sight of
God. In order to understand how this is possible it is important to realize
that the Church is glorious because Jesus Christ loves it. The love of Christ
for the Church is expressed in such passages as John 10:11. “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd
giveth His life for the Sheep.”
Ephesians 5:25ff teaches that Ephesians 5:25-27 “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might
present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
In speaking of the Church a
distinction must be made between the Church local and the Church universal. The
Church local and visible is that outward expression best recognized by
denominational distinctives, form and ceremony, structures and specific
services, and programs and pageantry.
The Church universal and invisible refers to that mystical but real
assembly of called out believers that transcends all outward forms to find
ultimate expression in the hearts of men and women and young people. God does
have a special people that He calls His own making all due allowance for
denominational distinctives, doctrinal orientation, functional diversity and
natural temperament. One day there will be no emotional, cultural, or doctrinal
barriers. In heaven, as the universal Church is gathered the saints shall sing
a new song to the Lamb of God. The Church shall sing the same song in perfect
harmony.
·
The early disciples were
confirmed in their faith. They believed the apostles had the truth and so the Church did not
turn back to Judaism or to the pagan religions of Rome.
·
The early disciples
recognized an authority other than themselves. There is a subtle form of pride at work in
Christendom today and it begins with a series of questions of doubt. The
question takes this form: “Which minister
is right? Which Church is teaching the truth? How can anyone know what is
truth?” Now the pride that is subtlety present is this. The unspoken
assumption is that no one is right and that truth cannot be known. As a result
the local Church is not held in esteem and the soul becomes an authority until
itself. What ever this may be and however it may be justified it is not
biblical. The early disciples recognized an authority other than themselves
·
The early disciples understood that persecution was certain but Jesus
Christ was worth being identified with. Besides being a learning Church there
was a sweet time of fellowship. There was the quality of togetherness that was
cultivated. The attempts to cultivate togetherness should be participated in.
The special dinners and programs are not meant to be for “others”. They are for all of us. A Church gathered ought to be the
one place where people feel the most comfortable and the most secure. Lord
Nelson, the British Admiral, explained one of his victories by saying, “I had the happiness to command a band of
brothers.” The Church is a real Church only when it is a band of brothers
and sisters (William Barclay). As important as doctrine is, equally important
is Christian fellowship characterized by a heartfelt gentleness, kindness, and
benevolence towards others.
Third, it can be said that
the early Church was a praying Church (Acts 2:42). Acts 2:42 “And they continued stedfastly in …prayers.”
There is a popular phrase which says, “The
family that prays together stays together.” Certainly that would be true of
the Church family. A strong supported prayer meeting is indicative of a strong
and vital fellowship.
The time of prayer was not
forced upon the Church. The believers were not pressured into prayer. Rather,
it was the natural impulse of hearts eager to receive instruction from the
apostles. The saints were in love with one another and so were eager to ask
great things of God so they could do great things for Him.
The Essential Glory of the Church and
the Parenthetical Place of Israel
in the Plan of God
v
A righteous coat provided by God covered Adam and Eve. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD
God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Gen. 3:21).
v
Hebrews 11:4 declares that “By
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he
obtained witness that he was righteous”.
v
In Hebrews 11:5 we read that “By
faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found,
because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this
testimony, that he pleased God.”
v
What was true of Adam and Eve, Abel and Enoch was true of Noah. Hebrews
11:7 reveals that “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved
with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he
condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”
If there are no gaps in the
genealogical tables of the early chapters of Genesis then we know that from the
creation to the flood was 1656 years. Many more years elapsed from the time of
Noah to Abraham. During that period souls were being saved. God was calling out
a people for Himself.
v
The Covenant promises made to Abraham and his descendents were always
conditional. There was to be gospel obedience in all matters.
·
Genesis 22:18 And [Abraham]
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast
obeyed my voice.
·
Deut 28:58-66 If thou wilt
not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that
thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59 Then the
LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great
plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.
60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast
afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61 Also every sickness, and every
plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring
upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 62 And ye shall be left few in number,
whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not
obey the voice of the LORD thy God. 63 And it shall come to pass, that as the
LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will
rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be
plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. 64 And the LORD
shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto
the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy
fathers have known, even wood and stone. 65 And among these nations shalt thou
find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall
give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:
1. A transfer was made from
national Israel to spiritual Israel, which has always included the Gentiles.
This shift and emphasis is reflected in the following passages.
2. A simple time line
illustrates the abiding existence of the Church from the Garden of Eden to the
Second Advent.
C H U R C H
_______________________________________________________________________>
½_Creation *_Fall *_Noah * Abraham * Moses * Cross * AD 70 * Present to Second Advent
3. The Bible teaches plainly
that Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her.
4. God is neither a physical
racist nor a nationalist. The only nation the Lord plans to exalt is the Church
for of her citizens it has been promised, “The
meek shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:11; Matt. 5:5).
5. The only people who reign in
the New Testament are the saints.
6. The only people in the New
Testament who sit in judgment over Israel, the world and even the angels is the
Church.
7. Spiritual glory belongs to
the Church and not to any nation or race that hates Christ and rejects Him as
Lord and Savior.
8. God reveals the glory of the
Church in her election.
9. The glory of the Church is
revealed in the great cost that was paid to purchase her.
10. The glory of the Church is
revealed in the adoption of her members as children of God and the spiritual
blessing that are accrued to include the kingdom of God (Luke 12:32), a new
heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13) and a vision of God (Matt. 5:8).
11. The glory of the Church is
revealed in the position it has been raised to of high royalty. The Church
alone has the pre-eminence in the plan of God.
12. The essential glory of the
Church may be seen in the wonderful purpose and central place she possesses in
the Plan of God
13. The essential glory of the
Church is revealed in the honor of her leadership, the Lord Jesus Christ.
14. The essential glory of the
Church is revealed in the fact that she enjoys the personal and powerful
ministry of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13,14; 3:16,17; Rom. 8:9-16).
15. The glory of the Church is
seen in her quest for true holiness.
16. The essential glory of the
Church may be reflected and revealed in her nearness and access to God.
17. The essential glory of the Church may be
revealed in her spiritual knowledge of all the mysteries of the gospel (Eph.
1:9; 3:2-5).
The Essential Glory of the Church and
the Parenthetical Place of Israel
in the Plan of God
Handout
1. The temporary place of
Israel in the plan of God in human history is reflected in the following
observations.
2.
A transfer was made from national Israel to spiritual Israel, which has
always included the Gentiles (Rom. 9: 6-7; Gal. 3:7; James 1:1).
3. A simple time line
illustrates the abiding existence of the Church from the Garden of Eden to the
Second Advent.
_Creation *_Fall *_Noah *
Abraham * Moses * Cross * AD 70 * Present to Second Advent
4. The Bible teaches plainly
that Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her (Eph. 5:25-27).
5. God is neither a physical
racist nor a nationalist. The only nation the Lord plans to exalt is the Church
for of her citizens it has been promised, “The
meek shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:11; Matt. 5:5).
6. The only people who reign in
the New Testament are the saints (2 Tim 2:12; Rev 20:4-6).
7. The only people in the New
Testament who sit in judgment over Israel, the world and even the angels is the
Church (Matt 19:27-28; 1 Cor 6:2-3).
8. Spiritual glory belongs to
the Church and not to any nation or race that hates Christ and rejects Him as
Lord and Savior.
9. God reveals the glory of the
Church in her election (Eph 1:1-6).
10. The glory of the Church is revealed
in the great cost that was paid to purchase her (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
11. The glory of the Church is
revealed in the adoption of her members as children of God and the spiritual
blessing that are accrued to include the kingdom of God (Luke 12:32), a new heaven
and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13) and a vision of God (Matt. 5:8).
12. The glory of the Church is
revealed in the position it has been raised to of high royalty. The Church
alone has the pre-eminence in the plan of God.
13. The essential glory of the
Church may be seen in the wonderful purpose and central place she possesses in
the Plan of God
14. The essential glory of the
Church is revealed in the honor of her leadership, the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph
1:22; Col. 1:15-19).
15. The essential glory of the
Church is revealed in the fact that she enjoys the personal and powerful
ministry of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13,14; 3:16,17; Rom. 8:9-16).
16. The glory of the Church is
seen in her quest for true holiness.
17. The essential glory of the
Church may be reflected and revealed in her nearness and access to God.
18. The essential glory of the
Church may be revealed in her spiritual knowledge of all the mysteries of the
gospel (Eph. 1:9; 3:2-5).
A Foundation for Faith
Chapter 6
Creation, A Many Splendor Thing
“Unto me, who am less
than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among
the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what
is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that
now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the
church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he
purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with
confidence by the faith of him.”
~*~
It is a foundational
doctrine of the Christian faith that Jesus Christ is not only Lord and Savior
but also the Creator of all things. Jesus is not a created being as the Mormons teach
and the Jehovah Witnesses advocate. Rather, Christ is the Creator-God of the
universe. Colossians 1:15 teaches that Christ is “the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of every creature.” Matthew Henry notes that it was “Not
as man was Jesus made in the image of God (Gen 1:27), in his natural faculties
and dominion over the creatures: no, He is the express image of His person (Heb
1:3). He is so the image of God as the son is the image of his father and has a
natural likeness to him. So it is that he who has seen Christ has seen the
Father. The glory of Jesus was the glory of the only begotten of the Father
(John 1:14; 14:9). “ Christ is the first-born of every creature.
This does not mean that Jesus is Himself a creature for the Greek phrase is prototokos pases ktiseos. This phrase signifies that Christ is the first
begetter in the sense that He is the producer of all things, “For by him
were all things created, which are in heaven and earth, visible and
invisible.”
It was Jesus who made the
highest angel in heaven, as well as man upon earth. “All things were made by
him, and without him was not any thing made which was made” (John
1:3). Christ is the eternal wisdom of
the Father, and the world was made in wisdom. Christ is the eternal Word, and
the world was made by the word of God. Christ is the arm of the Lord, and the
world was made by that arm. All things are created by Jesus Christ and for Him.Being created by Him, they were created for Him.Being made by His power, they were made according to
his pleasure and for his praise. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “Let
there be light” and in obedience to the divine voice of His Omnipotence and
Omniscience there was light (Gen. 1:3). It was the Lord Jesus Christ said “Let
there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters
from the waters” and that which was without form began to move and take
shape. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who spoke again and said, “Let the
waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let dry land
appear: and it was so.” For six days Christ spoke and created the entire
universe. When He was through there was light, and air and clouds. Dry land
appeared and then vegetation. The sun, moon, and stars burst forth. Sea
creatures swarmed in the waters and birds filled the air. Awesome land animals
appeared including the great dinosaurs and then came man, the crowning act of
creation. “When [the Lord God] conceived the world, that was poetry; He
formed it, and that was sculpture; He colored it, and that was painting; He
peopled it with living beings, and that was the grand, divine, eternal drama”
(Emma Stebbins, 1816-1876). How
glorious the early earth must have been for after each day of creation God said
that is was all, “Very good.” Those Christian Scientist who believe in
the Genesis account of creation and who have studied the fossil record tell us
some interesting possibilities about the original creation.
First,
it is argued that the earth is not very old. There are many valid
scientific reasons to believe that the earth is not millions of years old as
the evolutionary theory suggests but may be of recent origin, which the Genesis
account of creation supports.
Second, it is postulated
that the landmass on the earth was not divided as it is today but
constituted one large body of dry land. Individuals could circle the globe
without getting wet and so could the various animals including the “terrible
lizards“ and the large mastodons.
In
addition there was a water vapor canopy that encased the earth making a
wonderful greenhouse affect and allowing longevity of life by protecting the
body from the harmful rays of the sun. Later, when God judged the earth this
water canopy over the globe would break open and help to destroy the world in a
catastrophic flood. The biblical narrative of this event begins in Genesis 6.
Unfortunately,
most people do not appreciate the splendor and glory of the original creation
today for a terrible lie has been substituted for the truth. The lie is called
evolution. Evolution is fallen man’s attempt to dismiss God so that he does not
have to honor God or worship Him. Romans 1:22-23 explains that men, “Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible
man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.”
The stubborn heart of man longs to be independent of God and so
knowledge of Him and His creation is suppressed in favor of a foolish theory
called evolution. Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia, which is available
on many computers as a standard program when purchased, has an article on the
origin of life. The writer notes “The way in which life first formed may always remain
a mystery, but the following explanation is likely. In the 1980s scientists discovered
fossil remains of microorganisms resembling blue-green algae in rocks that were
about 3 billion years old. Since Earth is thought to be about 4.5 billion years
old, the first living things probably evolved within a billion years of Earth's
formation. In the 1920s Alexander Oparin, a Soviet biochemist, pointed out that
the atmosphere of the primitive Earth was probably very different from today's.
A so-called reducing atmosphere--one with much more hydrogen than
oxygen--probably existed then. It also probably contained methane, other
hydrocarbons, water vapor, and ammonia. Oparin suggested that the organic compounds
in the first organisms could have been formed by the action of sunlight and the
heat from volcanoes or lightning on the reducing atmosphere of the primitive
Earth. Oparin's theory can be supported by the fact that all
living things are alike in some respects. For example, they all consist of cells
that must have protein enzymes to catalyze, or speed up, the biochemical
reactions of life. Enzymes consist of about 20 kinds of amino acids,
nitrogen-containing organic molecules found in the proteins of all organisms.
Also, all cells transmit hereditary traits through nucleic acids.
In 1953 Stanley Miller, then
a young graduate student at the University of Chicago, passed an electric spark
through an experimental atmosphere containing the chemicals suggested by
Oparin. A mixture of organic chemicals resulted, including several of the vital
amino acids. Since Miller's pioneering work, other scientists have produced
many naturally occurring amino acids and nucleic acid components in the
laboratory under pre-biological conditions. Radio astronomers have discovered
related molecules in dust clouds far from our solar system. Scientists think
that simple pre-biological organic chemicals concentrated in lakes and
tidal pools, forming a rich pre-biological "soup." Influenced
by ultraviolet light and mild heating, the simple molecules then condensed into
more complex ones resembling proteins and nucleic acids. This might have taken
place on the surface of minerals or in oily droplets floating in the
pre-biological ”soup.” The best response to all of this lies in a
little story about a scientist who went to God one day and said to Him, “God,
you are no longer important. We now know how life began and we can create life.
In fact, I will challenge you a test of creation.” And the Lord said, “I accept your challenge.
You go first.” So the scientist reached down into the dirt and scoped up a
handful of dust to begin work. And God said, “Wait just a minute. That is
my dirt. You must get your own.”
In
dealing with the theory of evolution (and it is only a theory which by
definition means an unproven assumption) the most frustrating part is that the
evil system affirms what it denies and then denies what it affirms.
Evolutionist dismisses a special creation and the spontaneous generation of
life from the hand of God and then insists that life came into existence about
3.5 billion years ago from nothing. There was no living God to create. There
was only dead matter. And yet from nothing came life. Non-life begat life.
Evolutionist mock and deny a spontaneous creation by a living God but then they
teach a spontaneous generation of life forms from dead matter. Moreover, to
move their evolutionary process forward they speak of mirco-mutations.
When it is pointed out there is no evidence in the fossil record of a process of
gradual transition of a species from one entity to another there and that most
mutations are harmful to a species they change their story and talk about
macro-mutations or sudden and dramatic changes in a species. All of this non-sensical verbiage means just one thing. Evolution is a
philosophical concept that cannot be support by the known scientific data. It
is in reality a religion demanding faith. It is not science.
The
story is told of a person who went to see the famous German mathematician Athanasius Kircher. Kircher had placed in his study a beautiful globe of the
world in a corner so that his visitors could not help but seeing it. This one
was no exception. Very soon the visitor asked the expected question, “Where did you get that beautiful globe? Who made it?”
“No one,” replied Kircher. “It just
happened.” The visitor
was surprised at the answer and just stared in anger at such a trivial
response. “Well,” said the famous mathematician, “You are angry if someone suggests this little globe
just happened, and yet how can you think such a thing of this great and
beautiful world?” One
reason why so many people are willing to accept the concept of the death of God
and the theory of evolution is because individuals have been taught to view
themselves as insignificance. It came about this way.
There
was an Italian man named Galileo (1564-1642) who made popular the theories of a
Polish astronomer named Nicolaus Copernicus
(1473-1543). At that time in history the minds of men quivered with a new
thought. For centuries it had been taught that the Earth was the center of the
universe and man was the center of the Earth. Then came Copernicus who advanced
the hypothesis that the Earth and other planets orbited around the sun. The
sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system. In 1609 Galileo secured
a primitive telescope and confirmed what he had long suspected—the theories of
Copernicus were correct. Since the days of Galileo the immensity of the
university has been explored with a surprising result. Its very size has caused
many to wonder how man could ever have been so proud as to think he is anything
significant in the cosmic order. Followed to a logical conclusion the
evolutionist and the atheist contend that they are more humble than the
Christian for they do not exalt man.
The
proper biblical response of the Church is to remember that the Bible teaches us
not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought (Rom. 12:3). There is a
sense of humility that should come upon the Christian who considers the
diversity and immensity of the universe. The Psalmist said, “When I consider the heavens, which Thou has made, the
moon and stars, the work of Thy fingers, what is man…?” In Job 38 the Lord had to remind a
very good man from the land of Uz of his proper place. Job, the Lord asked, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the
earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof,
if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the
foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning
stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Or who shut up
the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9
When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10 And brake up for it my decreed
place, and set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no
further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? 12 Hast thou commanded the
morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; 13 That it
might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out
of it?”
Men
should stand in awe of God but no one should not stand in awe of the animals or
the alleged evolutionary process for the Bible also reveals that man has the
supreme place of honor in the universe. Not fallen man of course. Not man as he
now is. Not man marred by shame and sin. Not man in revolt against God. Not man
in his utter moral and spiritual darkness but redeemed man, clothed with the
righteousness of Christ as the called out people of God. In the Epistle to the Ephesians Paul teaches how God has entrusted to him grace to
preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. The proper humility of Paul is
evident as he refers to himself as “less
than the least of the apostles.” Paul never forgot that he once persecuted the Church. Paul
remembered the terror he instilled in people. His name as Saul of Tarsus once
caused brave men to tremble, women to weep, and children to scream. Saul of
Tarsus cared nothing about putting individuals into prison and tearing up
homes. If his religious zeal caused death and financial sufferings, so much the
better for then the name of Christ would be exterminated all the faster.
As
a sinner Saul of Tarsus had no equal but then the sinner became a saint for one
day, on the road to Damascus, the eyes of this fallen man were enlightened and
he was gloriously transformed. As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, St.
Paul had a work to do. He wanted to proclaim the gospel of redeeming grace but
beyond that Paul wanted to make other see or understand that the gospel message
was dynamic when it operated in the heart.
Once
the gospel was hid in God. Now the Creator proves Himself to be the Sovereign
Disposer of the destiny of man. Now God wants Jews and Gentiles to be saved.
Now God wants even the principalities and power [or angels] in heavenly places
to know by the Church His manifold wisdom. Over the centuries theologians have debated
which angels God had decided to reveal His wisdom too, the Holy Angles
confirmed in righteousness or the Fallen Angels confirmed in evil. The answer
may be both but here is the greater truth: the angles are in the Church and to
them, through the Church, God reveals His wisdom. What a wisdom it is that is
so full of paradoxes. Consider that God in Christ produced spiritual life by
means of physical death, and eternal glory by means of the shame of the Cross.
God in Christ produced saving power by means of the weakness of His sufferings.
And
there is more for Ephesians 3:11 declares that all of this is according to the
eternal purpose. The Apostle Paul sees in the establishment of the Church
nothing less than the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. The Church is not
some sort of theological or practical parenthesis in the plan of God. The
Church is the culmination of the plan of God revealing His manifold wisdom. And
now, because of Christ, man has access with confidence to God the Father.
Several questions arise? “Are you part of
the Church?” “Do the angels care what you do?” “Have you heard the gospel of
redeeming grace and having heard it do you see with understanding the purpose
of creation which is to manifest the wisdom of God?” If the answer is, “No,” then call upon the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. The
creation of the world, the creation
of the angels, the creation of man, and the creation of the Church are many
splendid things demonstrating the infinite diversity and sparkling beauty of
God’s wisdom. Come to Christ. Amen.
A Foundation for Faith
Chapter 7
The Christian’s Secret of a Victorious Life
1 John 5:4
~*~
and this is the victory that
overcometh the world,
even our faith.”
Within the heart of every
concerned Christian is a longing to live a victorious life over abiding sin in
the soul. Prior to salvation the effects of sin were not important except as
they produced personal unhappiness. But the concept of offending God was not an
issue. After salvation the soul becomes more sensitive to spiritual matters for
the Holy Spirit begins the process of sanctification with the objective of
conforming the heart of the believer into the image of Christ. The Christian
begins to want to be different and desires to please the Lord. The victorious
life is longed for. What is the victorious life?
The
victorious life a life that produces spiritual fruit, to use a biblical
imagery. Jesus said, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much
fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8). The defeated life produces
no spiritual fruit.
The
victorious life is a life of power. Jesus promised His disciples, “But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye
shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts 1:8). The defeated life has no power to
pray, no power to witness, no power to weep over sin or the salvation of other
souls.
The
victorious life is a life that exerts a positive influence over others. Of
the early Christians it was said they turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).
The early Church made an impact upon its culture because there was a commitment
to the gospel of Jesus Christ. People looked at Christians and realized they were
deal with a new dynamic force. It is a simple truth that what we do and where
we go advertises what we are and affects others.
The
victorious life is a life that is no longer dominated by the flesh.
The word “flesh” is used in the Scriptures in
a variety. Sometimes the word is used literally to mean the body. Sometimes the
word is used metaphorically to refer to the dark deeds of the soul, which are
manifested through the body or through the “flesh.” Galatians 5:19
explains. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,
and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time
past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” The
victorious life is a life that is no longer dominated by these dark passions of
the soul.
The victorious life is a
life not molded by the world but by the principles of the Word of God. Writing to the Church of
Rome the apostle Paul pleaded with the Christians to be different than those
around them. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The thoughts of Christians are
to be molded or shaped by God. This is not easy because of the effects of sin,
the weakness of the flesh, and the appealing nature of temptation. There is a
beautiful side to evil or Adam would never have eaten of the forbidden fruit,
Abraham would never have listened to Sarah, and David would never have
continued to gaze upon Bathsheba. The beautiful side of evil is disguised in an
aura of sophistication, intimate knowledge and personal experience. In the
midst of the pseudo glamour that covers the yawning mouth of hell the shocking
words of the Bible comes to shatter the shallow laughter and the mindless
chatter. “Ye adulterers and adulterousess, know ye
not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore
will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” The Word of God recognizes a life and death
struggle with eternal repercussions between the Christian and the
non-Christian. In his recent State of the Union message President George Bush
spoke of an Axis of Evil. Spiritually there is an Axis of Evil consisting of
the world, the flesh, and the Devil. This unholy tri-unity has united to make
war on the soul of every person born.
The Christian recognizes its
enemy and wonders how to survive. It is not easy but John tells the saint the
way of hope and salvation. “Whosoever is born of God,” he says, “overcometh
the world; and this is the victory that over cometh the world, even our faith”
(1 John 5:4). Many who read the words
of this text feel a flash of frustration. It sounds so simple and yet the
experiences of life indicate there is nothing simple about a faith victory.
There are countless souls who succumb to an area of weakness time after time.
There are individuals who cannot love though they know they should. There are
Christian men and women who struggle with impure thoughts and unbridled
desires. Others are secretly covetous or willful, petty or mean spirited.
It is a living hell to want
to be different but have no hope of being able to change based upon past
efforts and lost struggles. Nevertheless, God has spoken and so Christians must
listen to what He has to say. Then, in matchless grace God the Holy Spirit
might come and give understanding and strength to apply what is learned.
Notice first there is in this verse a
divine promise. “And this is the victory that over cometh the world,
even our faith” God, who cannot lie, has said that any person who is truly
born again will overcome the world. Therefore, Christian, take hope. Do not
give up. Time will pass and you shall yet prevail. There will be the victory
yet. God’s promises are not empty though at times they are difficult to claim.
Observe
second, from the text, there is a personal “whosoever”. “For
whatsoever [or whosoever] is born of God overcometh the world.” You can put
your own name in that verse if you please and say it out loud.
Abel
did. Abel put his name into the place of divine promise and overcame the world.
We read that “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his
gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Heb. 11:4).
Abel
overcame the world, as did Enoch. In Genesis 5 the Bible tells us that
Enoch walked with God. Enoch walked with God in a day and age when others did
not for the earth was filled with sexual immorality and violence during his
lifetime. The Lord honored the faith of Enoch and translated him so that he did
not see death. Enoch overcame the world.
The
story of Enoch was told to others. One person who heard and believed was a man
named Noah. God came to Noah and told him to prepare for a great judgment.
Noah believed God. Moved by holy fear rooted in a righteousness faith Noah
prepared an ark that would save his life and seven others (Heb. 11:7).
The
Flood that began in November (Gen. 7:11) in the six hundredth year of Noah's
life did not abate until judgment was complete. For forty days and forty nights
the winds howled, the rain fell, and the waters of the deep churned. There was
universal death by downing as souls were crushed, the earth was cleansed, and
the principle was established that it is a terrible thing to fall into the
hands of the living God (2 Pet. 3:3-7). Finally, the rain ended and the waters
began to subside. After three hundred and seventy one days, Noah opened the
door of the Ark and looked upon a new creation. He had overcome the world.Noah and his sons and their wives began to repopulate
the earth. The centuries passed and many souls came into existence including a
man named Abram who lived in Ur (modern Iraq). In matchless grace Abram heard
the voice of God speak to him one day. When the conversation ended Abram had a
new name and a new purpose in life. He would leave his family and friends and
go to a new land. Initially, he did not know where he was going but he believed
that God was there. And so Abraham sojourned until he reached the land of
promise, a land flowing with milk and honey. There are many more stories
recorded in Faith’s Hall of Fame in Hebrew’s 11. Each person is presented to
encourage the Church to be among those who overcome the world or be listed in a
Hall of Shame.
There is a third
truth to be observed in 1 John 5:4 which is that faith is the means of victory.
But what is faith? It is not easy to
define.
·
Faith is the person stepping out into the unknown, obeying God's
commands.
·
Faith is looking beyond the darkness of earth to the brightness of
heaven.
·
Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see.
·
Faith is to believe what we do not see—the reward of faith is to see
what
we
believe.
Faith is the sum of all that
a Christian believes to be true. Faith believes God. Faith is not believing
what God can do. Faith believes what God will do because He has committed
Himself to a specific course of action through His words. God has spoken.
In the area of salvation God
has spoken.
Here is a divine promise. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt
be saved” (Acts 16:31). Another promise is given in John 1:12. As many as
believe in Christ will be given power to become the sons of God.
In the area of
sanctification God has spoken. “For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication” (1 Thess. 4:3).
In the area of the security
of the believer God has spoken. Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”
(Heb. 13:5). By faith the Christian can sing,
“But I know Whom I have
believed in,
and am persuaded that He is
able,
to keep that which I have
committed
unto Him against that day.”
The apostle Paul understood
the doctrine of divine faithfulness and wrote in Philippians 1:6 “Being
confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
In
the area of service God has spoken. The will of God is for Christians to “do
all things without murmurings and disputings”
(Phil. 2:14). When Christians do not argue over who gets to do what in the
service of the Savior it is pleasing to the Lord.
The Lord honors those who love Him
and have faith. Faith will accomplish great things.
First, faith will bring
stability to life when unexpected pressures arrive. When adversity comes faith
will cling to God. Several years ago (1989) I spoke to a man who was in a car
wreck. He hurt his back and could no longer work. Despite the crisis of the
moment the man testified that he had grown closer to God.
A Foundation for Faith
Chapter 7
The Christian’s Secret of a Victorious Life
1 John 5:4
~*~
and this is the victory that
overcometh the world,
even our faith.”
·
A life that produces spiritual
fruit
·
A life of power
·
A life that exerts a positive
influence over others
·
A life that is not dominated by
the flesh
·
A life not molded by the world
but by the principles of the Word of God