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General Meetings, Montreal, October 1971.
Reading.
#12
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Second Timothy 2 brother Barry.
Very happy to go on my end of the brother. What verse? Verse 5, but I thought.
Second Timothy Chapter 2, verse 5.
And if a man also strive for mastery, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully?
The husband man that laborers must be first partakers of the fruit. Consider what I say. And the Lord gave the understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer even unto bonds. But the word of God is not found. Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake. They may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying. For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.
If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we believe not yet he abide, is faithful, he cannot deny himself.
Of these things put them in mock remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no prophets, but to the subverting of the here.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, but shunned profane and vain babbling, For they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat. Has got a canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Phalidus? Through concerning the truth have heard saying that the resurrection is passed already and overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands assure having this seal.
The Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also wooden of earth, and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man left or purged himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the masters youth.
And prepared until flee also youthful lust.
Follow righteousness, faith, character, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart but foolish and unlearned questions. Avoid knowing that they do gender strikes, and the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men apartment to keep patients in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance.
To the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him, and it will.
And the fourth verse that I think is very nice in connection with what was said this morning.
Mention was made of abstaining from entangling ourselves with the affairs of this life, but it's so lovely, the way it goes on in the verse, to say that he may please him.
Who have chosen him to be a soldier. I've never had any Army experience, but I've heard from those who have that.
In the face of hardships and difficulty, there are sometimes 2 problems that arise. 1 is.
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I'm in this because I have to be and I don't really want to be here. The other is they're never very sure whether they're really on the winning side.
But how lovely it is to know that those of us who are included in this fourth verse and have this exhortation put before us are actually there because of the choice of Him who put it in such a position that we may please Him who has chosen us to be soldiers, and by the grace of God, who we know that the position in which we're found is going to end in.
Not in defeat.
There are some verses that I'm sure that all of us.
Feel that have stood out in our lives as turning points.
We feel that for instance in salvation, some may feel that John 5/24 was the first that really gave him to see their need and the provision.
Well, this fifth verse.
Certainly was a turning point in my own experience. I remember I was coming to the meetings.
But I wasn't clear.
About the truth until this verse was read to me at a young people's meeting.
If a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully. I believe in the new translation. It has to do with the games. That is, the thought is there.
Now most young people here have had to do with different parts of athletics.
In my own case, I used to run a little bit for the school and we were very deftly told what the rules were and if we violated them, no matter how fast we ran, how well we ran, we would not get the prize for the school.
And so we had to be very careful that we have made all the rules that we started right, that we stayed within the bounds and that we ended up properly. Well, I believe this is something that.
We need to take home to us in connection with the word of God.
We must drive according to the rules. It's a wonderful thing to give out the gospel.
But, you know, there are certain things that are pleasing to the Lord in connection with the giving out of the gospel, and other things that we may invent from our own minds. And I think it's good for us to have the instruction from the word of God and to act on it. This is true all the way through, from salvation on that we must go according to the rules. Now it's true we're not under.
The law.
But the point is here pleasing the one who has chosen us.
He's chosen us and all to think of the cost in choosing us, how he has provided for us. Well, the least we can do now is to abide by the instructions, because all this will come out of the judgment seat of Christ, whether or not we have continued according to the instructions.
11/6 Go along with this verse.
About the state, it is impossible to use him.
Yeah.
Speaking of that.
We noticed in that passage in the end of our chapter.
Where we have righteousness, faith, love and peace. That's the order.
Well, when we think of faith, we must remember that there is no such thing as faith unless it's based on the word of God. I suppose that's your thought, brother. If the word of God, that we must.
Abide by That's faith. It wouldn't be faith to use our own reasoning powers, whether it be in the giving, the methods of the gospel, or anything else.
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Brother was quoting that scripture. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
And it's not.
Our faith is not based upon reasoning, as her brother says, nor on what we might read in in good books. It's the word of God that's the basis for the faith.
Oh yes, they're both good, aren't they? But I'll read Hebrews 11/6. But without faith, it is impossible to please him, impossible to please him.
For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Suppose we could say that there is what is done, and also the motive for doing it in First Corinthians 3 that we were considering. It brings before us what was done. But when we come to 1St Corinthians 4, we have the motive for which it's done when a God makes manifest the councils of the heart. So we might do a thing that perfectly right in the way it's done, and yet not have the love of praise constraining us and doing it.
It is blessed that when the 2GO together, and yet one is enjoyed the thought that in First Corinthians 4 it says, And then shall every man have praise of God. A man might have a motive in doing something, and perhaps the thing might not be just according to the mind of God, but it's blessed to see that God takes notice of the motive, even though he can't reward the act.
We have a little example of this with David. David wanted to build a house for the Lord, but this wasn't the mind of God for him. That was the mind of God for Solomon. Yet the prophet could say it is good that it was in mine heart. And so we know that there have been those who have done things that were not all together according to the Word, yet they had a heart for Christ, for God can't reward what was done that was not according to his word.
But it's lovely to see that he does take.
Desire of the heart. And so that this is the only passage in referring to the judgment seat of Christ, where it assures us that everyone will have a reward, then shall every man have praise of God. So when we think of this, it's an encouragement, I suppose. Many of us have attempted to do something for the Lord, and we've blundered. We found that we made mistakes in doing it.
Well, the Lord can't reward the mistakes that we made, certainly, But it's lovely to know that he sees the motive of the heart. I remember reading a little illustration of this about a a child and she saw her father step down his watch at night and when he set it down, he noticed that it has stopped. And he said to his wife, oh, my watch is stopped. I think it needs cleaning. So the next morning he didn't take it to work.
Because it wasn't going. But his little girl thought she would be very helpful, and she took it and moisted under the under the faucet in the kitchen where she meant well. But it wasn't what he wanted her to do, certainly, and if she'd only asked, he would have told her how she could have been helpful. But he did take notice of the loving little heart that wanted to do something for him.
Solace. Be thankful that the Lord does see the motives.
But it's nice when both the motors and the action are, According to him, a.
Member When the Lord began to exercise in the Congo about the way God wanted us to do His work, this was one of the scriptures that He brought before us. It's true that God has a work to be done, but He also has a way to do it.
And so I looked to the Lord about that, Well, what was his mind? What was his way?
And I found a great deal of help in the book of Acts, because there's where we see God's servants doing his work, and it was a good pattern for us. So God has not only worked to be done, but he has a way to do it as well.
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Mr. Lord Jesus, of course, always a motive, and the way was perfect. I think it's lovely for us in reading the gospel, but I think particularly of Mark's Gospel, where he's presented as the perfect servant.
The way in which he served there. I'm just going to read, if I may, 1 little passage.
An instance in the service of the Lord. See the the 8th chapter, the 10th person straight away he that entered into a ship with his disciples and came to the parts of Dalmatia.
And the Pharisees came forth and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, Why does this generation seek after a sign? Verily I said to you, there shall no sign be given under this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed through the other side.
A little instance in the service of him who was perfect both as a motive and as to the manner of his service. And yet I believe there's a less minute. The Lord Jesus went to this place and he met with this pitiful spirit that would ask for a sign that was unbelief in their heart. And he sighed deeply in his spirit. I think that's interesting because you find that expression more often.
In Mark's Gospel and in any other, he groans, and he sighs more often than Mark than in any other gospel. He felt very, very deeply the unbelief that he met and he kept into the ship, and comes back again. Well, in reading this we naturally think now if I had undertaken such a venture, I surely would have felt that I have missed the mind of the Lord to go over there and meet with that unbelief.
To have to get in the ship and come all the way back again without ever having accomplished anything, I would say Why surely missed the mind of the Lord and wasted that effort, but not so the Lord Jesus. I wonder if it's put in their dust to encourage us that, even with a right motive and a right manner.
There's no promise that there will be that which can be pointed to as a result. So I believe by the grace of God we can be encouraged to serve the Lord. And if we meet with such an attitude, we're never entitled to shrug our shoulders and say, well, I did my part anyway.
The Lord sighed deeply, not from discouragement, but because he felt their unbelief and longed to bless them.
I have been struck in reading what the incident we have in verse 22 of the way in which the Lord Jesus.
Bring sight to this blind man in keeping, as you say, with the thought of Mark. Where we have the Lord Jesus as the model servant, there's an expression in verse 23 that we might take note of. Said he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.
Well, I thought once in reading this, why did the Spirit of God give us this little notice that before he affected any delivery for this man, he led him out of the town?
Well, we know that town speaks of where people dwell, cities and towns is what man builds. And I believe we have here the principle that in the service the Lord service is seeking to help souls in the gospel, or any way they should be taken, as it were, out from under man's influence we do not want to use.
A man's methods in ways that human influence.
And seeking to bring blessing to souls, the Lord LED this man out of the town, and then he affected the deliverance. Now the Apostle Paul followed up this same principle when he came to karma in the second chapter of the first epistle. He said he came not with Excellency of words he did not come and in any way to influence them humanly.
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He did not want them to be affected by any human influence. He wanted their faith to stand in the power of God and I believe this is a principle in the service of the Lord that where human influence and human methods are employed.
It it really takes away from the power of the spirit of God and affecting a work that God would desire to affect.
We had the soldier, we had the athlete, and now we come in the sixth verse to the Heavenland that always someone that has a new translation would read that verse in the new translation. It's much better than what we have before us six verse of the second chapter.
Labor.
Thinking of the truth, yeah, that is the lever received the fruits, and that is instructional for anyone who seeks to serve the Lord in maybe especially in gospel work.
That there may be much labor, may be years of oil efforts before they'll see any blessing.
May be soul saved, but we need to remember the seed must be sold.
Before there's anything to reap. Yet there was number seed ever sold in the in the ways of God, there'd never be any harvest at all.
And the the Lord says, And the 4th of John is speaking about the connection with a woman at the well that others had labored, and they were entering into their laborers.
And so he says that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. No jealousy, no rivalry whatever, If one labored for years and years, and then another brother came along and was blessed, and seeing many souls saved.
The one who had sowed the seed has just as much to rejoice in as the brother who is used.
Bring blessing or salvation to souls. And I think we need to remember this too, that sometimes we see a soul brought to Christ. Oh, such a happy conversion, everyone is rejoicing in it. But we may forget that perhaps in a lonely place in the closet, as it were. Some mother, some grandmother, some loved ones.
Has been interceding before God for that one for many years, and they're reaping a little of the fruit.
A loved one who on her knees or on his knees, has been at the throne of grace. Now the reaping time comes.
This expression, husband man, really means a farmer. And of course the contact would bear that out because.
It's Speaking of of fruits, fruit that would come from from planting and care of of a farm.
And we noticed that it speaks of laboring.
Well, if we're acquainted with farming at all, we know that farming is hard work.
You don't raise any crops unless you really go to work, and it means perspiring and really earning your bread by the sweat of your brows. It's hard work, but there's a reward. There's a looking forward to the fruit, and in serving the Lord, surely we ought to be reminded of this.
But it's not easy.
To be a soldier is not easy.
And to run in the games is not easy, and to be a farmer is not easy. These things are not for people who are looking for an easygoing life.
In serving the Lord, it takes real labor. Well, the farmer works the soil to get it into condition to put in the seeds.
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He doesn't go and spread the seed on top of the ground.
Well, it takes much labor first.
Before it's ready for the scene, well, how is the servant to work to get the ground into shape? Well, the ground is the heart of soul and how can we get them into shape?
Well, I believe we have to be in the presence of the Lord in prayer and trying to Him, that He by His Spirit will work in their hearts, That they might be ready to receive the word when it's preached. That it might not be the wayside ground or or the Stony ground, but it might be good soil.
Been worked up. I understand that expression good ground means.
A ground that has laid over the winter. The frost has worked upon it and broke it up into small particles, so it's mulchy and it's ready to receive the seed well. This is what we need to be concerned about as being in the service of the Lord and giving out the word and being a testimony for Him. It takes prayer waiting on the Lord to work by His spirit and heart.
That they might be ready to receive the word so often, I'm afraid that we're giving the word of God the souls who've not yet been prepared to receive it, and then we try to make them.
Give a confession and we force a confession out of them and.
Well, they become damaged souls, and there's no real fruit for God in it.
Some may feel that this refers particularly to.
Someone who is in constant active service for the Lord. But I I believe that we should apply this to each to ourselves, whether it be the housewife at all, or whether it be the child at school, or whoever it is. These principals are good for all of us, on the other hand.
I suppose most of you have read. I don't recall the name of the.
Missionary who who worked for 15 years in one of the, I think it was the South Seas and there were no results whatsoever.
But there were times when he had to run for his life, but at the end, practically the whole island that he was working on it came to the Lord the chief, and many of the people confessed Christ.
But this was the result of years of patience and labor, and now there's something else I'd like to mention, supposing we don't see results.
It turned to the 49th of Isaiah.
It would seem to me that this is a prophetic.
The Lord Jesus at the cross.
It says in the fourth verse.
Then I said.
I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for not and in vain.
Yet surely my judgments with the Lord and my work with my God, I was at a meeting one night where there was a man who had been working in Africa for a good many years.
And this verse was quoted he was just visiting for the evening.
Oh, he said this. This was worth coming for.
He said All those years I did not see much proof, but I know I'll see him in resurrection, what this verse says and the Lord Jesus.
When he was at the cross, there was no real evidence outwardly that man could see of the fruit of his laborers, but all what fruit will be seen in resurrection life? And I believe we should have faith that if the Lord has appointed us has to do that, there will be.
The fruit as a result, whether we see it or not.
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Never count your converse. You won't count enough. Leave that to the Lord. Let him manifest in his time just how much he used.
Your efforts and your service, I believe in what follows. Here we have just exactly what our brother has been saying.
He's speaking about the Lord Jesus in this very way. It says the seventh verse. Consider what I say and the Lord The other translation is and the Lord shall give the understanding in all things. Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David raised from the dead. According to my gospel, that is what is going to give us understanding in this whether we might labor on and not see any results.
But when we consider Jesus Christ, we consider the one whose service was perfect. Our service is far from perfect. We make blunders. We speak when we shouldn't. And often there are so many things in connection with our service that we might be cast down. But here was one whose service was perfect. And where were the results of his service? Well, as our brother remarked when the time came for him to be crucified.
Where were all the people that had been blessed through His ministry? What did His disciples do? They forsook Him in flat, and it seemed that there were no results from that perfect pathway of service. Where are the results? Or they'll all be manifested another day and were to remember Him raised from the dead and all He is the first fruits. And what a glorious ingathering there's going to be when not only the 1St fruits but all the harvest is gathered.
And there, together, we'll see that it was all a fruit of the trivial, of his soul. But the point is that the results were not apparent in his life. It seemed to end in disappointment. Well, this gives us understanding. It gives us encouragement to go on.
And when we see this, and I believe also that there's a further thought to it, not only the gospel in connection with the saving of souls, but I believe he enlarges the thought here when he goes on to speak of his own service. Here in the ninth verse, in the end of the eighth verse, according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even a divine, But the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
We talked a little this morning about declaring the whole council of God. It wasn't only that testimony that was used to the salvation of souls, but it takes in all of Pauls gospel the declaring of the whole council of God. And there's a tendency with us because we see that the truth of Paul's gospel, of Paul's ministry, the heavenly calling, the truth of the church, is unpopular.
For us to feel that nothing is being accomplished. But here he enlarges on this, and rejoices that even alone he was in prison, because he had stood for that truth, that the word of God was not bound and trying God through his grace, we sit here this afternoon enjoying those precious things that Paul was willing to suffer, that we might have. And let us not be discouraged, brethren, not only in connection with giving out the gospel.
But in giving out the truth, that may make us unpopular and Christendom, but is that truth which leads the Saints of God into the full enjoyment of all that God has for them? I believe that's the force of it, the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Lovely brother. Hey, all the salvation which is in Christ Jesus is fought. The gospel brings to the Sinner that we don't want to stop there. That isn't all that the gospel brings. It brings the assurance that there's a home and glory. There's a reign with Christ.
With eternal glory just like this, here's salvation, and I'll just put in eternal glory in addition.
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To that salvation. So we could meditate at length on that eternal glory. Just think of not just a few years of.
Games or something attained to but an eternity of glory with Christ. It's immense, isn't it? It's marvelous. It's wonderful to think of being associated with the Lord of Lord of the in company with him in that scene where sin and sorrow.
And never come. Well, that's all is included. And Paul wasn't just satisfied to give the gospel and not go on any farther with souls. He was concerned that they might enter into and understand something of this eternal glory that God has has promised.
Speaking of the word of God not being bound.
Paul was bound. He couldn't get out of prison.
But the authorities couldn't keep the word of God in there. It got out. Some of the most blessed epistles came out of that prison. The word of God was not bound, and there were souls that came to see him, and they went away with the word of God. And that word of God just exerted its power and influence in a great area.
Not only just in the immediate vicinity of the prison, but even into other countries. It's wonderful to see that. And I think we should remember that when we give out the word, perhaps it's only one person that's heard the word. But that person may get saved or may get good out of the the teachings that we have tried to give them, and they take it to somebody else and it just spreads all over well. This is the principle.
And that God has given us in connection with the Word.
That's the way it caused it to spread. It's not found or wonderful to have the word of God and it's not found. And here we have it in a on a lap this afternoon. There have been those that have tried to burn up the scriptures, do away with them. They couldn't. We still have the word of God.
Mr. Kelly, I believe it was passed away. One of the religious journals of the day made the comment that it seemed too bad for a man was such a gift to have restricted his usefulness to self. You, when I speak of it, as an example of a man who sought to walk in the path of the truth and were often accused of the same thing today, where you restrict your usefulness.
Well, if we if we only restricted within the bounds of God's word, we can be quite sure that the word of God is not bound. Far better to seek to go on in obedience to the word of God and leave the results with the Lord of the harvest, then step into the path of obedience to accomplish results. If Paul had chosen A wider path. You know, James said to him, thou seest brother, how many thousands of Jews there are that believe, and they're all zealous of the law.
I know that's what we're told today.
Why? Look at the results that we're having. And you're trying to walk in such a narrow path. But the truth that was committed to the apostle Paul is the truth that has remained Jerusalem was destroyed.
All that which makes Judaism and Christianity was came under the hand of God there with the destruction of Jerusalem. But that truth of God that He has given to us in His word remains, and it's unbelievable word of encouragement to us always seek to labor and obedience to the Word of God and leave the results. The Word of God is not bound and thank God the precious truth ministered according to the Word.
Then flows out and reaches to many many in other places.
Even though they may not come to The Walking the truth themselves, it still goes out to them, and they're blessed by it. I was struck by a remark by a historian reading a certain history who I do not believe was a Christian. At least there was no evidence of it. He made this remark that the Roman Empire came in at just the right time to clear the seas of pirates so that the Christianity could spread over Europe.
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Well, I thought that was a remarkable statement for a man who was not particularly interested in Christianity. I also read at one time that when Tibet was opened up, they found evidences of the epistles of John in that remote country of Tibet. Well, these things are rather interesting. When we think of the word of God not being bound, God saw to us that the word spread regardless of man and his opposition.
History of the Gospel in Russia, one time going back to the days of the apostles, and the writer told of the time when there was such a storm of persecution that all the Christians were killed.
Just wiped out. But they left their bibles behind and people began to read those bibles after the Christians were killed and got saved and apparently new work of God sprang up as a result of that. The word of God was not bound, they killed all the Christians.
But they didn't destroy his words.
For a moment, I suppose the farmer has every right to particular fruits himself. First, as they I was thinking what we have in Leviticus 23.
Three verse 14.
And ye shall eat neither bread, nor past corn, nor green ears, until the self stained day that she had brought an offering unto our God.
God must have his portion first. He has every right to it, Athlete.
He says there is a faithful thing for if we are, we be dead with him.
We shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. We deny him. He also will deny us if we believe not yet here by the faithful. He cannot deny himself.
Now every believer in the Lord Jesus is looked at as having died with Christ.
The Apostle says that in Colossians, knowing out that so many of you as no, I just didn't get it just right. So I'll turn to it.
Read it just as it is there.
At the third chapter.
If he then be risen with Christ.
Let your affections on things above and not on things on the earth, or ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ and God.
So there isn't a child of God that isn't looked at as having died.
Christ. But what do you think that in this passage that is seeking to bring it before?
Before us, in a practical way. The more there is that recognition of our having died with Christ, the more the more we'll enter into the the joy and the reward the gain hereafter.
When we're living with him, so it falls on the same way. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him now. You couldn't be a child of God in this dispensation without being one who will someday sit on the throne of His glory when the Kingdom is set up.
All will reign with him, but isn't there special rewards and connection with Rainy?
And if we try to avoid this suffering, that something like the history of Jonathan isn't it? He loved David and thought about a good place and Davidde Kingdom, but he has shirts of suffering with David and of course in that case he completely missed the reigning. We couldn't carry that too far because everyone will reign with him. But you find among David's worth is they were mighty men.
And they were faithful and loyal to David, and they got special rewards owners because of their faithfulness to David during the time of his rejection. And that's our position now, isn't it? We're following a rejected Christ, and if we cater to the world and think it's.
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Think it's smiles?
And compromise with the world. We're certainly, definitely losing something in connection with raining hereafter.
Then with the 15 first were strive diligently to show Thyself approved unto God. That's the thought, the approval in his sight.
This is all all goes together, doesn't it?
And then, if we believe not yet he abided faithful, he cannot deny himself.
Denial there, I think, is really being rejected. You couldn't say that Peter denied the Lord in the sense in which Paul speaks Timothy Here he says if we deny him, he will also deny us. That's really is a fatal thing, to be absolutely set aside and rejected.
Now Peter never denied the Lord's divinity, his being the Son of God. He confessed that boldly thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Peers. Denial was cowardliness. Not to confess the Lord, because he was so frightened that the consequences of testimony for Christ. He denied that he knew him. He really didn't deny.
Who the Lord was at all?
But that's a very strong thing for anyone.
Denies that the Lord is the eternal Son of God. Denies His deity or who he was. That's something that's faithful. It's a solemn word for these modernists in these days that they're boldly denying the eternal sonship of Christ.
Lord our God will never bring any dishonor upon his beloved Son, because.
Multitudes of so-called Christians are out denying the virgin birth of Christ, and it's a very solemn thing that some of these popular preachers are having modernist men on the platform to to offer prayer. God cannot honor that. He may in his sovereignty reach souls with the gospel, but it's a very serious and solemn thing.
This denial would seem to be a course of things which would indicate.
That the person is not the Lord at all.
Denying Peter, denying that he knew the Lord was not a court, that was a fall that he had, but it was not a course with Peter. This was not the tenor of his life at all.
For in the 13th verse, rather, if we believe not in the new translation that renders it, If we are unfaithful, he abides faithful. He cannot deny himself. He would say Peter was unfaithful, but he did not deny the Lord in the sense that's referred to here. But he was unfaithful, and we've been unfaithful too. And the Lord never turns His back on one of his own, because we're unfaithful, because he cannot deny himself. He's pledged himself that we should never perish.
But is your remark, and I think it's important. The one that's referred to in the end of the 12 verse are ones that were never saved.
Here's the pronoun we. Explain that to me, please.
If we deny including himself as an outfit person.
Through the epistle, because there were always, there was always a danger of no identifying strong. But the Christian testimony who were not real, you know, identified himself with the Christian testimony, was baptized.
But that the action was true, that it's hard to not write the kind of thought and it is enough to be out of the identified testimony to take the place of a soldier or or a husband and yet not be played. I believe we are going to see that word that we that addressed. If it says if you continue in the very ground and unsettle that we have moved away.
01:00:27
All of the gospel.
We shall not be.
And the context of the chapter is the house, isn't it? The sphere of profession? We got that little word three times mentioned in the first epistle of John.
Says verse six. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. And the verse 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in US. And the 10th verse, if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar. So there's an illustration of that there.
In the second chapter of of Hebrews.
You get the How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Paul realized they might be here, professors among the Hebrew believers to whom the epistle was addressed.
And the prophecy too, with the not in the first epistle of John. Yeah, that's just right, really.
Hiding Like our mentioned later, their word relief is done. A canker of whom is Simonius and Philetus. There are examples here of those, although we wouldn't judge them, yet there are those who are on the way in a wrong path. And so there's a warning to servants in this chapter as they're not particularly.
Brother Hale, those seven different positions looked at. I suppose you come to one of the seven and the 15th verse.
Studied to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Rightly dividing the word of truth. There's the student, isn't it?
Approved not the man, but approved to God.
A Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Well, there's something to exercise the soul and then rightly dividing the word of truth. I believe the new translation puts that cutting in a straight line.
Word of truth and that is a very important subject. Not to mix up all different subjects and confusion so we fail to get our bearings. And reading the word some might think are the all important.
Service for us is to get the gospel to sinners and to get them saved. It is important. It's very important.
But still the going on in the things of the Lord has an equal importance too, and so we don't want to neglect their disregard. Stop them that we find in the scriptures and we want to get these truths in their definite scriptural.
Location, that is. We do not want to mix up Israel's blessing with church blessings.
And so are mixed up our blessings with the blessings of the coming Kingdom after the Church is gone.
Illustration would be if they were building a three story building and they have the blueprints for the first floor and the blueprints for the 2nd and for the third. Well if the Workman attempted to mix these up and say well here's the blueprint, it'll do for any floor, he's going to be in confusion. The blueprint gives the instructions for the first floor, but that's not to be missed with mixed with the second floor.
The instructions for the 2nd floor are equally clear, but they're for that part and not to be mixed. There was a certain area where they were going to build a bridge, and they followed the instructions perfectly. They had the instructions about how this bridge was to be built, and they went about and they got about half or 3/4 of the way through it. Before they realized that alone, they followed the instructions perfectly. They hadn't put it in the right place.
01:05:11
And it had to be torn out. The instructions had been followed, but the location of it was incorrect. Well, it just shows us how when we read the word of God.
There are blessings that are associated with Israel. There are blessings that are associated with the church. And if we mix these things, we're going to be in confusion. And this is a very important part of the service of the workmen. We know how much confusion has been done in Christendom by mixing Judaism and Christianity into one system.
And there is distinct as can be. A new line of Christianity was not to be put in the old bottles of Judaism. The new things of Christianity were not to be put as a patch on the old garment. It was a new thing. And it's so blessed that God has given us this and given us His Holy Spirit, so that we can rightly divide or cut in a straight line the word of truth.
You might even consider the matter of the.
Praise for the Lord. In the Old Testament times we had loud founding symbols and harps and all kinds of musical instruments to praise the Lord. Well, when reading that and you tried to introduce that into.
Into the Christian testimony. Why you would be just mourning the very way at the Spirit of God would have our praises go up to the following the sun.
If if you looked at, say, the last song.
150th song.
Praise ye the Lord, praise God in his sanctuary, and so on.
Then the third verse, praising with the sound of the trumpet. Praise him with a sultry and heart, praise him with the timbrel, and dance.
Praise him with a stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud symbol, So on. How if we turn to the New Testament for instruction, if you looked at the 5th chapter of of Ephesians for one place.
And the eighteen first been off drunk with wine, wearing a success, but be filled with the spirit speaking to yourselves and sounds, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. How different that is, you'll find nowhere in connection with.
Church truth. Anything about musical instruments in connection with the worship of the Lord.
It's worship in spirit and in truth.
Some of the young people you know may wonder why it is that there's that you come into our little meeting rooms, there's no organ, there's no piano, there's nothing of that.
That's permitted there. Well, we're following New Testament instructions and not Old Testament instructions.
Our principles, however, in the Old Testament that we need to take heed to are there not, and that we have to distinguish between what's definite instruction for the Old Testament and the general principles that always hold good.
That's where the remark comes in, and you probably heard my father make it. Sometimes the moral ways of God do not change with dispensation. So what was morally suited to God was wrong to tell a lie in the Old Testament. It's wrong to tell a lie in the New.
The holiness of God is the same, and the old and the new. He might have born with things in the comparative darkness of Judaism, but His holy character was the same.
And so we have moral instruction in the Old Testament, just like, if I could use my illustration again, it's just as important that there is safety on the 1St floor as there, that there's safety on the third floor. But the way it's built might be different. And there is that which is.
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The same at all times. I am the Lord, I change not.
Did you have any special thought for the jail on vain babblings if you warned against here?
While I believe we have to be careful about the activity of the mind and the things of God.
There should be a simple submission to the Word of God, and when we introduce our own thoughts, we can get into all kinds of reasoning about the things of God.
Things about which scripture is often found and it's well for us to be silent, makes me think of I heard about a group of Christian not in fellowship with those gathered to the Lords name, but they came together to read about the temptation when the Lord was tempted of Satan, and they spent the whole hour trying to figure out how they got the Lord under the pinnacle of the temple.
Says that Satan took the Lord on to the pinnacle of the temple and told him to cast himself down. Well, Scripture doesn't answer that kind of a question at all, just simply says that he he took him up there.
It's not for us, then, to try and find out how they did it.
And there are many things like this in connection with the truth of God. The silence of Scripture is often as important as what God has said. And I believe that the two things, simplicity and romance, in connection with the word of God are very important.
And will save us from these vain babblings. And as soon as our minds go to work, the result as we have here, they will increase on the more ungodliness. Because if we can introduce human reason into one thing, we introduce it into another. And first thing you know, we've got far away from the truth of God and are following our own thoughts. There's a connection between this, perhaps, and the first epistle, as we often see in the two epistles.
If you'll notice, in the 6th chapter of the first epistle, the subject comes up.
I just mentioned the one expression in the fourth verse, doting or sick about questions. Well, it's the beginnings of a bad state with someone, but it ends in our epistle, where the church is in ruins. Where?
Thing is going to pieces where they're actually teaching.
The wrong truths about the Resurrection.
But it starts out with being sick about questions, and so we want to be careful.
That even if their questions come to mind, that there are questions that are in keeping with what would be good for us, not just questions to satisfy the curiosity even about spiritual things, questions that will be beneficial. And you know, Speaking of this, I think it's very helpful sometimes and those who are younger.
To introduce a question.
A good question into the breeding meeting because it helps to bring out subjects sometimes that would be missed. They may not feel free, and perhaps it wouldn't be proper for some who are younger to try to instruct, but to bring out a question sometimes is very helpful.
But not questions that gender strives, not questions that would throw the meeting into difficulty.
But it's it's questions that would be for edification. But now when you come to the second epistle, you get men who are raising up questions about the resurrection. And that's all. I suppose we could say in connection with what is being said about this 16th verse, that the 17th and 18th verse are a continuation of the subject that is.
How? How did they get this idea that the resurrection was passed already?
Thought that they took the case that's recorded in the gospels, that when the Lord Jesus rose there were bodies of the Saints which slept, that arose and went into the holy city and appeared unto many. And so they speculated on this that this was the first resurrection and that's all there was to it. And rob the Saints of God as the truth that is set forward so clearly in First Corinthians 15.
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I mentioned this because it shows how we can use one scripture against another. We can take one verse of Scripture and almost make it set aside another. To have a true interpretation of the Word of God, it must be in harmony with the whole revealed mind of God.
Now Scripture is of any private or isolated interpretation. The understanding of God's word will always be in harmony with all His truth. And we get this by the Spirit. And it's a sad thing when a person uses some verse of Scripture to raise the question about another instead of seeing how it harmonizes perfectly with it.
That one of the question here that they denied the fact of resurrection.
But it was going astray. As to the manner of something about it, some detail about it that they went astray on. But what was the result? Well, it was upsetting the state. It was overthrowing their faith. It had this asterisk effects nevertheless.
All of that he says. However, the left, the foundation of God stand, is short. Having this seal, the Lord N them that are his, and that everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Yeah, that's in the 16th of numbers, do we not?
According to our verse, nevertheless the foundation of God stands ashore. Having this seal the Lord knows them over his and that everyone that named the name of Christ will name the Lord. Depart from iniquity. In #16 we find there are 250 Princess. They are famous in the congregation, many renowned.
But it says in verse 5 And he spake unto Korah, and unto all his company, saying, Even tomorrow the Lord will show who are his, the Lord knows them to his and who is holy, and will cause him to come near unto him. Even him who we have chosen will he cause gum near unto him.
There's one side of the seal, we might say, as we have in our verse. And then.
Verse 26.
He spake under the congregation, saying, Department, I pray you from the tents of these wicked men is the other side of the seal, and touch nothing of theirs, that she be consumed in all their fins. And we find later on that these 250 men, famous in the congregation, men, have renowned they were slain.
So we have a very similar picture to what we have in this 19 verse.
Yes, touchdown The Greenhouse yesterday, didn't you, Brother Lundy?
This point.
Is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen because the the number of ceremonial law sacrifices. And of course they can see all that and.
He got back into the glory and now they must fought by friends.
The 7:30.
I was thinking of this expression withdrawing from iniquity. You know, some things are so thoroughly embedded in people's minds that they don't realize that they're connected with what's wrong.
I remember a sister once I heard of who was trying to get her husband to come to the meeting, and he belonged to a secret organization of some kind and he couldn't see anything wrong in it.
And.
Her brother Martin happened to be going through and he knew nothing of this at all, but he was to have a meeting that evening.
In a certain home. And so this sister asked her husband once more if.
01:20:08
If he would come to the meeting, well, he said. All right, I'll come.
Brother Martin knew nothing about this brother at all, but during his talk he spoke about some people who are so cold as the marble slab and the Masons temple that did it.
This brother came out from it immediately, but you see how the Spirit of God works. He uses various ways.
To to shake so loose from these things that entangle us and all. How many things entangle souls if they don't realize?
What? What they're connected with?
We're not called upon here to leave the Great House, who would have to forsake Christianity or the profession of Christianity to do it? But in the Great House there are vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor, and it's that which takes place within the professing House, separating from the vessels to dishonor, just as in our own homes we have certain vessels for one purpose, certain for another.
We wouldn't mix them because if we mix them, why they would become defiled by being mixed. So they're kept separate. And in the Great House there are vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor. We're not even called upon to say whether all these are saved or not. The Lord know them that are His. But it's an individual call to purge from the vessels to dishonor. And having done so, then we find others who have done the same.
And together follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them to call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But I think it's important to notice that it's an individual call. It's not calling for a group of people to leave a certain other group, but it's calling upon each one as an individual, to separate from the confusion and vessels to dishonor. And when he does so, he finds that God has also worked in the hearts of others, just like the ones who came out to David in The Cave.
They came as individuals, but when they came to David, there was a band. But they were there because they came as individuals to one who they recognized as God's rightful king. But I believe it's very simple for us too. So often you meet Christians, well, they'd like a certain group of Christians to separate from something and have a little more truth. Well, the cause individual. And when we do act upon this and obedience, the Lord will direct us.
And Charlotte, that there are others who have had similar exercises and who are seeking to walk in the truth and speaking with those who may be are still in places like that in Christendom.
They may be very exercised about what they're connected with.
And invariably, any soul like that that's exercised about the condition of things, he's trying to set things right where he is, and this seems to be a principle that many faithful souls.
Follow in Christendom. And we can thank God for them. They're sincere in their way, but they're not following this principle. They're trying to set everything right that they're connected with. But this verse tells us to set ourselves right. And I have had a case to speak to some in this way, that God doesn't require you to set everything right where you are, but he does expect you to set yourself right. And when you set yourself right, as you see further down, you'll find other that have set themselves right and you can have fellowship with them.
312.
Lead on, Almighty Lord, lead on to victory.
Encouraged by thy blessed word with joy, we follow thee 312.