Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
First chapter is he says, until the Colossians verse 18.
And he is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it plays the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.
And having made peace through the blood of his crown, by him to reconcile all things unto himself.
By him I say, whether they be things on earth or things in heaven.
And you there were some time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked words.
Yet now, as they reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable.
An unreprobable in his sight, if you continue in the faith, grounded and settled.
And be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which he has heard, and which was praised to every creature which is under heaven.
For by Paul and made a minister who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and Philip, that we did behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is a church.
Forever I made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God. Even the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his Saints. The old God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man and all with them.
That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, for unto I also labor.
Driving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
So in these two verses below the people of God.
16 and 18.
On the first one we see the headship of Christ in creation.
And in verse 18 it has been already mentioned. This morning we see the health price in connection with the resurrection from among the dead and head of the Church.
In this 19th verse we noticed that the word the Father is in italics. Because I believe the thought in the verse is it was pleasing to the whole Godhead. Certainly it was pleasing to the Father, but really it's the that's why I believe in the new translation. It was the fullness of the God that was pleased to dwell in Him that is the whole Godhead.
Are in perfect accord of this Blessed One who became a man.
Takes his place now above there as head of the body, the church as the one who is given that place, as it says, the first horn of every creature, a title which is given to him. And then it speaks of what he has done in order that almighty made suited to the mind and character of God. Because the thought in this 20th verse to reconcile all things unto himself, it's really.
The Godhead is not really himself, it's itself that is the whole Godhead. So that isn't it a wonderful thing?
Think that the whole Godhead now is pleased that this one who took his place as man, should be the head, the one to whom all this was accomplished. It's a very blessed picture that is brought before us here. How the fulfillment of the minds and purpose of God and that purpose that was made, we think of how when man was made, it doesn't say, let me, but let us make man. The whole Godhead were concerned in connection with the placing of man.
Head of the creation that had been made. Now the whole Godhead is an accord that this blessed One who became a man who is now the second man and last Adam takes this glorious place. I think it's very beautiful the way it's brought in here. We're seeing two of the expressions foolish.
In the original the it's just the word is just the fool. And of course, as you say it, it refers to the to the the godhead.
But it's the fullness. And we find in Colossians that that word.
Foolish.
It's the same word that is translated sometimes, the complete and filled full and so forth. It's a common word.
00:05:07
Because the the danger that the those in Colossi face was that the there were things that were being put forward that were in an advance of Christianity.
The philosophy and this such not in case not handle not legalism, asceticism and so forth. And the showing that actually the there is a you might say Christianity is finalism.
We've we've reached the the climax. There's nothing higher, There's nothing beyond.
Because we have the full revelation of God, and we have the one who has come in all of the full into the Godhead.
There is nothing more. There's nothing beyond it. And if you so looking for something outside of what has come out now in in the Christ and His work and going on high and all that is brought out here is.
Is really taking?
It's coming down from a lower standard because Christianity takes us up to very high, and so I believe that's why he says here, to to fulfill or to complete the word of God.
This is, you might say, God's final statement, Christianity. And it's all connected with the with the coming of Christ that the Son of God and all of the fullness of the Godhead. And you can't. You couldn't. You can't get beyond that. You can't get any higher, any greater.
Than what has been brought out now in in the coming of Christ, in the establishment of Christianity.
Jesus after one.
Verse 22.
Even 122 and have put all things.
Oscar is and get him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him, and fill us All in all.
If we connect this 19th verse also with what we have in the ninth verse of the second chapter, or in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, that also was very important. The Lord Jesus, while he laid his glory by, He never left his place in the Godhead. While he was man here upon earth. He was just as truly God as he ever was in the past, or will be for all eternity. And I believe that's the thing that we need to be careful and guard about.
In this blessed man who is God as well as man, in who, although he is a perfect man, all the fullness of the Godhead is pleased to dwell in him.
As our brother said, that is now the full, the ultimate of the revelation that God has made of himself. And what a blessed thing, when you connect what is brought out in the second chapter in the ninth verse. And him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him.
We never become part of Godhead, but we are associated with him as man and so.
What more could we have than that? What a glorious place we have been brought into.
And if we can see the whole subject, is that we don't need to add anything of man's wisdom when we think of who this glorious person is, who is head of the body, the church. And that as man all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him, and that we are complete in him are then not.
That's the completion, so to speak. God has fully made himself known, and that's why he brings in, in this same chapter, the 25th verse, at the end of the verse, to fulfill or to complete the word of God. Now the count of Revelation of all that was in the heart of God has been completed. They'll never be, so to speak, a new secret. The extent of us will enter into in a fuller way, in glory, when we know even as also we are known.
But there will be no new secret in the heart of God to come out. It's been revealed and God would have us to be in the enjoyment by the spirit of all this full revelation and not take away from it or not add to it. That's really his thought for his people, isn't it? I was thinking of a verse in Ephesians 3 that I believe brings that out in Ephesians 3 and verse 19.
And to know the love of Christ, expansive knowledge that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Well, now there is there is no fault here that we can contain this fullness, but it means that that's what we're to be filled with, this fullness that has now come out. This is what we're to be filled with, rather than being filled with. The thoughts of man and the and everything that pertains to man in his world were to be filled with this fullness of God. And I feel that sometimes today there are those who take up Christianity as being.
00:10:27
I sort of a psychological help that is, it's just a it's a crutch.
God has given us to solve all of our little problems that we have in life, but really it's given to us that we might be filled with its fullness. Fullness of God now has come out in the coming of Christ. The fullness of the God is willing in him, and and it was in him it was pleasing that all foolish should dwell. And so as we enter into this.
As we.
Enter into these things and have them minister to us by the Spirit of God. We're filled with that fooling up that we can contain it. Why? We know that the only one that could contain the fullness of God was the person of Christ. But we can be filled with that fullness that has come out is what we have in our chapter.
I think we have a very precious word, Hebrew chapter one and verse 3.
In connection with the fullness of God is running in him that verse 3 connects 2 Things together, that they are very blessed indeed. First of all it also that he is the practice of his glory of God and the express image of a person. And then he says upholding all things by the word of his Father, and then it being sent across and lonely will they die in something on the cross.
Make an expiation for sin in nevertheless lost one item of received it was within within, even while he was tough and underground, and that on the cross and everything was sustained by the word of his father while he was down on the cross.
There is a thought that very expected to me and that I think the simplest among us can enjoy and that is the when we think of all that this world has to offer.
Could never fill and satisfy the heart.
My dead heart of ours is too small.
Take in all that.
But we can be filled with it.
Really can be filled with it. I just think of that. The whole universe, the whole world, all that it has to offer could never fill and satisfy the heart. But it purchased. It's so great you could never contain it. But we can be billed.
That's the blessed expression what our brother read there and Ephesians chapter one there it's talking about the Church, which is the fullness of him that fill us all. In all we have been speaking about a glorious person of Christ, and now of how he can fill our hearts. But how wonderful that thought in Ephesians chapter one, that the Lord's heart himself will not be satisfied until he has his pride with himself.
That he can enjoy in company with his bride all that which is his and all that he has won by that Tory of work. And so we speak of that which comes to us. But isn't that an overwhelming thought, that the Church is the fullness of him that is his heart, lungs For that time when he'll have that one on whom he speaks to the he's going to display all the full blessed love that's in his heart for all eternity. And that's why it says in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of His grace.
It'll be a never ending display. This is if a young man is going to be married. He says I'll never be satisfied until I have my bride to share all this. But he has so much that it takes him months and months to show all that he has provided for. Her presence can take all eternity for the Lord to show us what He has for us. So it's beautiful to see that word fullness. And then as we go on here, we find that the very opposite was true with us.
We were enemies. Instead of appreciating all this year we were at enmity with a very one who wanted to bless us and I put a great cost. This is all been broken down So that reconciliation here brings in, so that now there's no barrier between just as in the offerings there was a peace offering or the communion offering, so that this barrier of our wicked heart that we were enmity with God.
00:15:17
Not only have our sins been removed, but we have been reconciled. We have learned this. That's in the heart of God. We have been given the capacity to enjoy it. And that's why reconciliation, I believe, is brought in here.
I would think, and below the people of God, this verse that we have in the 17 of the gospel of a John that is very precious indeed, and this is of course, is in connection with which he has received in humanity. And so he says on verse 22 and the glory which thou giveth me, I have given them.
Thus they might be 1 even as they are one. And you know, the number of people of God, they said, oh Jesus, to be on the earth.
And it was both eyes. And that he was baptized. He came straight up from the water, and he still came in the form of dove and laid upon him. And God saying, this is my wimbledo son into my own world, please. And no, God was saying, you know, because of what my son has become a man and what he's going to do to my glory and to the blessing of others, of those, I'm going to have countless thousands of the people in heaven, that they're going to be like him.
We're going to be like in for eternity. Oh, the wonders of the grace of God, reconciliation. What helped me to understand that somewhat is that it's really bringing into proper relationships.
And we have to remember that.
It was never God was estranged from us. We were estranged from God. God never was our enemy. We were the enemies of God. We needed to be reconciled. And it has been accomplished. We have been brought into a proper relationship to God.
But that is by the death of the Lord Jesus. You know, there's a heating system that says that reconciliation was accomplished in incarnation in God and man being in one person, but that's a false doctrine that didn't fit to be very plainly state that it was by his death that we reconciled. So really what has brought about a change in me and in you that faith out of enemy?
And those who are strange God reconciled sinners as well. You can look at the cross and see what God has done for such as us.
If that does not think about a change, if that does not make out of enemies loving children of God, nothing will see what God, in spite of what we were, had done, did in the person of the Son. That alone will bring us bring us back to God. And that literally started that alienation in the Garden of Eden when we listened to the serpent when the enemy.
For the first time.
Presented doubt to the heart of man as to the perfect goodness and love of God.
And that's where the alienation began. But all of that can be solved and detained.
And a change is only to be thought about in us. But there's no change necessary in God. God can be brought about by looking at the thought, even God his Son, the person of the Son. But there's another wonderful.
Aspects to that, and that is that we do see that the problems in the world all springs from man not being in the proper relationship with God and his family.
And in the world at large, why is there all that animosity even between men? That is because man is not in a proper relationship to God. So when we are brought into a proper relationship to God.
Also establishes a proper relationship between. I believe this is a practical.
Application of that truth is now on. I'm really in a proper relationship with God.
And then that should have its reflection in my relationship.
00:20:04
At home, in the assembly, and forever, I am safe. That is really the basis for a proper relationship. Anywhere that we are in a proper relationship with God. That's correct.
Are thinking too. We need to and looking at reconciliation and broadest aspects. There is the God side in reconciliation very true. You know of course that that God was not was never alienated in his in his desires for man, But the in the thought of reconciliation I believe it's everything being brought into order before God for his pleasure, for his delight.
And we I was thinking of the particle sun.
His being brought in, and given the best robe, and the shoes, and the ring and so forth, for the the pleasure of the Father, the Son might have been content to be there in his wrath, just to be back.
That would not have satisfied the heart of the Father. He wouldn't have been at all satisfied with his Son there in the rag. But he he put him in a in a in an order and way and fashion that was for the delight of the Father. And here we see that it was pleasing to the fullness to dwell in Christ, and to reconcile, as our brother AO said, reconcile unto itself.
All things and then and not only all things, which is just future.
But then we were believers are reconciled. Now that is, he's going to bring everything.
Perfect order before himself and in relationship with himself, in which he can take delight. We know that God cannot be content, you might say, cannot be at rest in a state of disorder and rebellion or confusion or chaos. He's a God of order, and we see that in the very first chapter, I believe, of Genesis.
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and then the earth became without form and void. Well then, immediately God begins to work.
Such a chaotic condition he could not abide, you might say, and leave it in such a condition. And he works until he comes to the end there, and we read that everything was good.
And when man was finally placed in that scene, it says he thought it was very good. It was for God's pleasure. And really reconciliation is for God's pleasure. And he has turned us from our alienation and our enmity and to bring us into his presence.
Bring him before before himself, without blaming, in such a way that he can take delight in it. He could not take delight in us, in our rebellion, and in our opposition, and in our willfulness, and in our sins. And he cannot take delight in this world, this creation, as it is now soiled and and painted by sin, and the effects of it, that it's all going to be brought into reconciliation before him. Do we have a thought? In First Corinthians 15.
Starting at verse 24 then cometh the end.
When he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall put down all rule, and all authority and power, for he must bring, till he has put all enemies under his feet, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Where he had put all things under his feet, but when he saith, all things are put under him.
It is manifest that he is accepted, which did put all things under him, And what all things shall be subdued unto him, Then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be All in all.
Do we have there that would we pay final reconciliation, when Christ, having all things put into his hand, brings everything again into subjection into that state in which God can take pleasure in, and he hands all basketball?
But then, the sun?
Then shall the sun all themselves be subject unto him, that for all things under him.
I have sometimes connected it with that passage in Exodus 21, the Hebrew serpent. He shall serve him forever, remaining a man, and the glory forever that we might be with him.
00:25:16
Then the eternal purposes of God, that there should be a man at the head of the creation, and there was a man placed there that was Adam, and Adam failed in that, and he went and hid behind the trees of the garden. And as our brother said that all broke down, and so sin came in and was all spoiled. And now through the Old Testament, God was seeking to get the ear and heart of man, but he refused.
At last the Lord Jesus came into this world. John the Baptist looked at him and said that behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And he looked at him and said, I see the answer to all this confusion and ruin. For that verse brethren looks right on to the eternal state that here was the One. John looked at him. He was the invisible. He was the image of the invisible come down into this world. And John recognized him as the one who was going to do this.
Now that teaching that it's through the life of Christ is perhaps from the verse in 2nd Corinthians 5 and 19. It says to wish that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. That is, God was in Christ in this world, and would man be one as they looked at that pathway of the Lord Jesus as he went about doing good?
A woman was brought to him in spin, and he said, neither do I condemn me. And he went about, and he healed and raised the dead cleanse the leopards. Would man realize this goodness that was in the heart of God, and that he desired his blessing? He refused to be reconciled by his life.
He watched that perfect life and as it tells us in John 15, they have seen and hated both me and my father. To me it's as though the world said, well, if that's what God is like, we don't want him. And so they took him and that's why. And to me it's very beautiful. It's brought in here. He made peace not by his life because man refused that life of perfect goodness and grace, not coming to condemn, but to blast so.
They did their worst acts. They said we don't want him. If that was God is like we don't want him. And they put him on a cross. But God says I'm going to turn their very worst back into that, which brings about the blessing that's in my heart. And that's why it says brethren, and that he's made peace by the blood of his cross. The world did the worst thing they could do in putting this one upon a cross. God says your very worst act is only going to bring out what's in my heart.
And so that blessed one who was nailed to the cross, He laid there the groundwork by which he could bring about this blessing, because God must settle a question of sin which has spoiled everything. And so we find in the 9th chapter of Hebrews, which again speaks of the same thing. Now once in the end of the world, has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Not sin, But then that is that cross was the groundwork and just as you see a picture of it in the Day of Atonement, where everything not only by the altar but also it tells us that the Tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry were sprinkled with blood. The only way that this could be brought about was through the death and blood shedding of the Lord Jesus. And because of that now God is going, has laid the groundwork.
Just waiting His time. And what is he doing in the meantime? Well, you have that brought out in the ninth chapter of Hebrews. It says He has appointed under man wants to die, and after this the judgment. That is, if God acted as his righteous claims, demand that he would have to bring judgment upon the whole of mankind. But not only has he or made a basis by which he can bring about this reconciliation of all things and remove sin from heaven and earth.
But he wants to have the people who are going to be brought in the blessing. And so the last verse says so. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that looked for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. God has been so perfectly glorified that now in this day of grace, he's not asking man to come and improve himself or anything, just take his place as a Sinner, just acknowledge what he is.
00:30:19
It says in Second Corinthians chapter 5 that's now committed to us the word of reconciliation. It says we pray you in Christ that he reconciled to God. We don't go to the center and say try and do something to make yourself right with God. Not only say it's all done, the works done, if you only will believe it. He has made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
And so in that coming day, God is going to remove every trace of sentiments results. But if he did that according to his righteous claims, without his love, I would be the banishment of man from his presence forever. But he wanted to have a people. His own heart wouldn't be satisfied with anything less. And so there were those for whom he bore our sins. When we see him again, it's for our salvation. It's to be brought into this place of association with Him.
Now in Philippians chapter two we see three realms brought in.
It says every knee would bow. Things in heaven, things on earth and things under the earth are infernal beings, as it probably is. That is every lost soul based in all its hosts. All will have to bow the knee to Jesus, everything in heaven and earth, but all will not be reconciled.
In heaven and earth, yes, but those who were in the lost eternity are not brought in in Colossians chapter one. I say this because some people teach from this all that everything is going to be reconciled someday. Yes, in heaven and earth. But all those who have to bow to me and are cast into a lost eternity will never be reconciled. It's only things in heaven and things in earth. Well, it ought to, indeed.
Fill our hearts, and I think that expression is so precious there.
He hath reconciled, it says. And having made peace through the blood of his cross, may our worst act, man's worst act, and putting the son of his daughter on the cross, God has turned it into the way of. And now through the blood of the cross everything is going to be set right and we are going to share that place. And in that passage our brother read in First Corinthians chapter 15.
Where it says there that God may be All in all again, it says we have in this chapter, it's God Infinity. God had a purpose. He put man under trial and everything was spoiled. Saw his own son becomes a man, occupies the place that man ought to occupy, that is the place of submission. And in order to bring about this scene, he remains for all eternity, subject to the Father, always God, and always man.
Just like that Hebrew servant in order to have the company of his bride. He takes that position. But it's all because it's in the councils and purposes of God and fulfilled through what Christ has done. And I believe rather than that, that's what is brought out here, and we are now in the good of it. We look up and say, I have a father. We come into his presence with holy boldness and with peace. We enjoy all this now in our souls, but we wait the reconciliation of all things.
I would ask about the song that I say The very fears that fear decides brought forth the blood of the same that's in connection with us, isn't it?
The very fear that fills the side brought the blood to the face.
Reconciliation of all things.
Isaiah 11 at the fulfillment of that.
Or even tips in here where we find that the animosity is removed even in creation.
Now we have there the wall also shall dwell with the land, and the leopard shall lie down with the kit, and the cat, and the young lion, the family together, and a little child shall lead them.
To everything that often is a blessed effect of the work of the Lord Jesus, that even in the Millennium animosity is removed between the patriots, so the animals abound.
00:35:09
Not in the same way as with us, either. Is not is devouring one another. Perhaps. Like perhaps I could say this, and I think it's very nice to think of it in this way, that God did create all the Lord creation as well, and now the whole creation groans and travels and pain together until now. How? There's no indication that there will be that lower creation in the eternal state.
Notice there is such a thing, as far as Scripture reveals as family life because everything is in a fixed state in eternity.
So that is a very blessed thought that you brought in, that God is going to give a display on earth of what he intended for man when he placed him in the Garden of Eden. And he spoiled it all and saw there's going to be a display of animal life in such a way that the lion can lie down with the lamb. And more than that, if you turn over to Isaiah chapter 65, there's a nice thought there, Isaiah chapter 65.
Verse 21.
And they shall build houses and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build in another inhabit, They shall not plant in another eat where the days of the tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
Notice this verse two And they shall not bring forth in vain, nor bring forth for trouble. For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their offspring with them. So God is going to give a beautiful display of family life. But you won't have worries about children and what the children might do. There won't be even that they they won't bring forth the trouble. It'll be a marvelous scene. For if I could use the expression, the Millennium is the introduction of the eternal state. But the eternal state will not display that part of it. It will not have, I don't believe, from scripture.
Creation in our family life. So God wants to show man what he intended, that man spoiled, that he brought ruin because Cain killed his brother and all the sorrow that came in. But how wonderful it will be when God gives that display of what he had planned for man, and then introduces the eternal state where every trace of sin and its results are gone and all is in a fixed state where we can enjoy not only the peace of it all but.
The heart of God, and it's beautiful to see in the 21St of Revelation and the beginning.
The bride is still there, presented in all her beauty, marriage day, the brides and her beauty. But as years passed by, that beauty doesn't remain, but that fresh beauty that was seen at the marriage of the lamb will remain in all its freshness for all eternity. Well, brethren, what a glorious futures ahead, what it affects the result of the work of Christ. And God wants to enjoy us, to enjoy this now by faith entering an intuit in our soul.
This is why the Colossians is leading us, yes, he says that he brings that in, doesn't it, that that we are reconciled. Now I was thinking, if your remarks, that's really wonderful to see that the in the Millennium there will be a display of what God really had in his heart.
For man as life in this world, according to to his own institutions and everything, because all of the institutions of God will be fully maintained in that day. But I was thinking of this and I've heard it. I've even heard this remark made by.
Some that are saved when you speak of how lovely will be in the Millennium, and how these wonderful, this family life and everything will be according to the mind of God, in a display of what God's thoughts are for man is living in this world.
They say, well, we won't be living on the earth at that time, so we're going to miss something. I like to put it this way. I believe God's thought is that this is what we should be enjoying now. In other words, we're the first group of the coming harvest and in and then the lives of the Saints and in their homes and everything. All that is going to be in universal display in the Kingdom should be found presently among the Saints and in their homes and in their lives.
So that we enjoy it now we can enjoy. You might see these these wonderful features of the Kingdom. I don't say we enjoy it as far as the our circumstances in the world, but the moral features and so forth of the Kingdom are for the Saints to enter into and enjoy now.
00:40:14
Where the first fruits of the coming harvest, that's what God would desire. So that we can we can have everything according to the mind of God and and enjoy those of the the benefits of it. Because you know when everything is carried out according to God's mind and will and all of the institutions of God are preserved, it's really for man's blessing and for his good and his joy and his peace. And this is what we can enjoy now. We enjoy the Kingdom.
You might say morally and spiritually, before it's carried out universally in public.
In James chapter one we have what our brother Johnson was just praying before us here. I think it's good for us in a practical way. Here, James Chapter One and verse 15.
Then when lust that can be you did bring us forth sin and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not earn, my beloved brethren, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of of light.
With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning of his own will be God be us with the word of truth.
That we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. That's what our brother was speaking about. And so he's telling us here that every time we allow our lust to act, we are. There is no good thing comes to us through our lust. All the good things come from the heart of God and he's going to display this ultimately. But he said we're a kind of first fruits. We've learned this lesson ahead of time. And brethren, have we learned that? That the good things don't come because I want this.
But does God want it? Is that his will? Because it says here every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from above. That is every plan for a happy home and a happy life. Everything that's good for man even now, originates not through his lust at all, but from the heart of God. And when we learn this lesson, then we have learned how to be a kind of first fruit of that time when all will be displayed.
In the millennial day and then its finality in the eternal state.
We have the fact that the state reconciliation of things is future, but for for us it's a present reality that we already reconciled. And we are before God in such a way that he can find delight and pleasure in US. And those who are holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight they were thinking of what about verse 23? When you read these wonderful things, you come to this person and you have an if if you continue.
What you say in regard to that brother?
Well, and we don't have any ifs and Ephesians where we're seeing as seated in the heavenlies. But there was always the possibility of some having made a profession and not being real. A Christian is capable of anything but giving up Christ. And if a person gives up Christ, it proves that he isn't a Christian at all. That verse in Hebrews makes that very clear. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.
It doesn't say we cease to be partakers if we don't hold, but it says we're made for takers if we hold. That is. A true Christian would never, never deny Christ. He may get doubts about his salvation, may get far away from the Lord. But one thing that's true, we have been reconciled. Benny man love not our Lord Jesus Christ. Let him be an assume. A Maranatha sometimes repeated the story of a dear brother in Montreal. He went to see a sister and she had lost the joy of her salvation.
And many of the brethren who had gone to see her try their best to help her, but she all kept telling them, well, I'm just the joy of her salvation. And this old brother went in, and he had heard about all the others visiting her and how they were unable to help her. And she started to tell him she had actually broken bread and gone on in the large measure. And now the enemy had succeeded in robbing her of this joy.
00:45:07
So he said to her, oh, why don't you just give up Christ and die without him? Oh, she said I'd never do that. He said. I knew you wouldn't. Was your father. Yeah, there was another one. I I was thinking that along those same lines, because it says here if you continue in DC.
We know that faith will never be long. We're kept by the power of God through faith. So faith is is preserved in the true believer, the one who has faith, he will never lose it and but if one doesn't continue in the faith, it's evidence that he didn't have true faith.
The new day and the what March 1 is having true faith, is that he continues in the faith. I was thinking of an illustration that Mister Darby gives in regard to this, and I thought I think might be helpful, he says. A father might have his son up on up on a hill.
And they look over the precipice, he says to the boy. If you fall over this precipice, you'll be killed.
Well, and that's true, but there's there is no thought of the Father allowing him to fall over there, but it's still true. As he had fallen, he would be killed. But the Father is going to hold on to the lad so that he doesn't fall over. Well, a believer, a true believer, is preserved through the through God, keeping faith in his soul. We're kept in the power of God, not in some external way.
But because it's true faith that faith has given a God-given faith, and so the there is no possibility. The thought here is not that one might be reconciled and then.
Become, as it were, unreconciled, or get into an unreconciled state.
But if one takes the place of being a believer, and believers are those who are seen in scripture as being reconciled, and one takes the place of being a believer, but he's not a true one. And it's evident when he doesn't continue in the faith that one was never really reconciled at anytime. But he was.
In the place you might say a profession of those who are reconciled because reconciliation.
Is predicated of believers on the Lord Jesus. So you might say every professing believer at least professes to be reconciled. But the proof is if you continue.
Nice there. And the passage you referred to in first Peter, chapter one. It says to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and the fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
Ready to be revealed in the last time there. We could call it. So it's a double reservation. The place is kept for us and we're kept for it. You might have a seat reserved on a plane to go home. Perhaps you can't get there to fill it. And the reservation is not much used if you can't get there. But God says I reserved a place for you, but I'm also going to keep you for that place. And so it says we're kept by the power of God. It's all on the basis of faith.
Faith is a gift of God that was imparted to us when we were saved. The enemy may try to shake our faith. Like the little boy who said I I trembled on the rock, but the rock didn't tremble. And that's true, we do. And sometimes even real Christians get doubts. They tremble on the rock. But I've often said.
The difference between the doubts of an unbeliever and a Christian is that when an unbeliever give has doubts, you give anything in the world to get rid of them. He doesn't want them, he hates them. But the man of the world comes along and he'd like to catch you and try and prove to you that your Bible is not true. He's all full of uncertainty and he'd like to catch you so that he could justify himself, that he couldn't rest on the Bible. Christians are very upset when he has these doubts. He's longing to meet somebody that can answer his problems.
Set them right. He wants to get rid of them. So a real Christian really in his heart he has that faith may be shaking on the rock though away from scripture. Do we? I think I heard someone say once that God has put the gifts in the word of God to bring exercise of soul and conscience. And I also heard it put this way, that there is no comfort in the scriptures or someone who is willingly going on in sin.
And we're not wise.
To try to comfort people in their sins and consequently, the Ifs are here.
00:50:06
They are exercising our hope. Let's not try to erase them, but let's get the good of them. One time I heard a brother preach the gospel and he referred to somebody.
Who, according to his own testimony, what's going on in sin and witnesses. And this person he was referring to was known to quite a few in the audience, but he said at least.
Still cling to his salvation.
You know, I believe we have no right.
Somebody carries on like that, speak of that person as a safe person.
He might have to be, but he has no right to do that. Do we? If there's not any question that he could be lost, but whether he was saved in the 1St place? I met a preacher one time when I was traveling and he said to me he didn't believe in the security of the believer and he found out that I did and he said, well, basically there's really no difference.
He said. You say when a question like this arises, Oh well, a person was never really saved at all.
He said I say he was saved but now he's lost again. But he says it's all the same in the end because.
You believe they go to hell and so do I. So what's the difference? And I said all There's an immense difference. You're saying that the Lord saved somebody and wasn't able to keep them and that now they're finally going to end in hell. I've presaved them. But I said the scripture says now a person could make a profession and a pretty loud one.
But if he turns his back upon Christ, it's a proof that he never was saved at all. There is no respect on price than that the truth of God always glorifies Christ. But any doctrine they may say, well, I don't make any difference, but they do make a big difference because their teaching is really reflecting on Christ and his ability to keep someone whom he has saved. We need to see the basic thing behind this for all false doctrine either attacks the 1St or the work of Christ, or both.
The 1St 24 being.
Feeling that the affections of trade and spilling up for the Lord Jesus in his lifetime here it did not reveal a truth of the Church as the body of Christ. And he suffered and said turn back to Romans chapter 15. I believe it is chapter 15 verse 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers.
But now in the 16th verse, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, so that the Lord Jesus suffered from Israel, who rejected him and wouldn't have him. He came unto his own, and his own received him not, but it was in his heart that the Gentiles should be blessed too. But it wasn't until he died as.
Those Greeks wanted to see him, and he said, except the corn, if we fall into the crowd, brown them die, and abide us alone.
Then he went on to say, I, if I be lifted up from the earth, shall draw oh man unto me.
Now the work is complete. The Commission was to go out and preach the gospel to every creature.
And now follow something as he announced this glorious, pleasant truth that was in the heart of God, the truth of the Church, and so the filling up that was the kind of the afflictions of Christ. The Lord Jesus, of course, by his work on the cross has brought about this blessing.
All the suffering and proclaiming it, and so the Lord Jesus suffered from the hands of Israel, rejects him and would not have him. Of course the Gentiles were brought in, but it was primarily Israel. But now Paul was suffering and bringing out this lesser than wondrous proof. And it was so precious to his heart that he's identifying himself with the Lord suffering, and bringing out the truth that was in the heart of Christ, that secret that could be revealed.
Until the end of the comments like going out to the Gentile, I was thinking we might order enrollment turn to Chapter 11 because we've been Speaking of reconciliation and one might be reading across this and wonder what is involved. But it fits in, I believe, with the thought we've just had in regards to the God thought of the gospel going out Gentile in verse 15.
00:55:09
Romans 11 For insta casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, but the receiving of them be the life of the dead. This expression reconciling of earth, it is not what we think about had earlier reconciliation thing, heaven and earth and the reconciliation person, but it's it's in connection with the the.
Going out now to Gentiles, there was a time when the when God might say God's favor was found only in the nation Israel. It was restricted to that nation. Israel was the the vineyard God was occupied with and he is a blessing profound, somewhat restrictive to that nation, but now they have rejected.
The the Lord Jesus. And they rejected the gospel. So they have fallen and they've been castaway for a little while. They're having to. They're not entirely, that is completely given up, but for the time being they're set aside. And so the world now is the Gentiles. Those who were outside of Israel are now brought into a place of divine favor. That doesn't mean that souls are saved.
But it means that they have the wonderful truth of God brought them. It's the gospel that is preached to every creature which is under heaven. You remember when Matthew Gospel and the paraphilation woman.
Spoke to the Lord. Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And he said he was not me to take the children's bread and cast the dog. But that was before the world, you might say, was brought into reconciliation, but now the world is brought into reconciliation in that.
There is deep for them, there's food for them, and that's the glad tidings that is going out, being tweaked for every creature. And not only that, but the truth of the mystery. Christ among the Gentiles, Christ hindused hope of glory. And so it's now the the world. The Gentiles are before God as the objects of his favor, Let's say. Again, that doesn't mean that the whole world is reconciled in the sense that their enmity has been moved and they're brought to God.
But it means that they stand in a favorable light before God. God is now favorable toward the world, whereas at one time is is the favor was or less fixed that nation Israel? I'd like to ask a question and ask for me brother, and I think it's a good question. In relation to our verse 1223, the hope of the dog's religion, which was free to ever give him under heaven where our life fallen, made sense. Well, this question is this Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus said to his apostles.
This resurrection go you went through all the world and preach the vastness. He said that more than once. And this brother said, why did not the apostles do it? They didn't do it, they stayed in Jerusalem. So I'd like to ask that question this afternoon. Maybe my brother can help. Why?
Is not the apostle of Lord Jesus do what he told to do, he said. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. But they didn't do it Jason so and waited to know God called the Apostle Paul to get going and take the gospel to the world.
So I'd like to ask my president for an answer to that. If he's trying to give it, why did not men like Matthew Phillips, John and Martha and Peter, why did they not do for Jesus? Well, as far as I'm concerned, I would say that to me the the thought of the Lord is that worldwide testimony, it's not necessarily that the gospel is going to be pleased or is be preached or was ever meant to be preached every individual teacher.
That's a thought.
But it means that it is a worldwide testimony and we have been speaking here in regard to Israel, God to God's testimonies were found.
I don't say that God did not work sovereignly even in the Old Testament days among 10,000. No, it did. But there was not a worldwide testimony going out to all the nations. It was the testimony was established in Baker and they had the statute judgment.
01:00:10
Testimony. And even when the Lord was here on earth, that he was not sent, except the House of Israel, thrown out into the way of the Gentiles. Now in contrast to that, to all the world, and preach the gospel to every preacher, not, as I say, that every teacher would receive it, But I have no doubt in the in those early days in Acts there were those that we know that even after the Lord's resurrection they said without this time.
Restore and electric Kingdom. And no doubt it awaited the calling of Paul to have the full light and knowledge of this present age. And this present program of God is sending out the the Word to all the world and the the especially the mission to the Gentiles. These that were in Jerusalem still I believe had somewhat of the restricted notions.
Of Israel. And it really awaited the Apostle Paul.
All it was to him that this full truth was given of the nation set aside, Israel set aside. He's not going out to the Gentiles. In fact, you see that that was an issue in the 15th or that wasn't. May I suggest this that.
The command was given to the disciples, that's true. But that command was not only men.
For the disciples that was meant for all, whoever at any.
Century would be in the position of proclaiming the good news the Lord himself had told his disciples beginning at the Dia, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. So the Lord himself implied that he was aware that it would start there and then spread. And you see that's fulfilled in the book of Acts. And so we can say that.
The Lord listen knew that that would not be fully carried out, and even when the Church is gone.
The messenger of the gospel of the Kingdom still go by that command, go into all the world. They will face the gospel of the Kingdom. They're still carrying out that word and they will probably read where the gospel of the grace of God did not be, It says correctly. Is that correct to say?
Well, I think that they're starting to profane history. They many of them did go out. I I don't remember where those different ones went. But I have read in Fox's book of Martyrs, perhaps come notice that and think about where the apostles went. And John was in the aisle, which is called. I think they did carry it out to some extent, but at first they funded Jerusalem and you learned in the early part of the act it says.
At the dispersion that arose over the Sonic and Stevens.
That they were all scattered abroad, except the Apostles. And then they they were the first ones that publicly carried the message to the Gentiles People immediately used is as it were open the door of Grace and the Gentile at the beginning of the young Dollar family, and Antioch like the resolve of those.
Scattered abroad from the persecution that arose overseas them. And so I believe it was somewhat gradual thing, but I believe it was. I think it's important that that was just thought of it perhaps God is over really Providence allowed them to remain there. So that might be established between they do it. So you learn about the 10,000 leaders. There was a very great danger and I'm sure you have gone for Alaska.
Very danger of wanting to make that this reality a kind of a national thing so that they like to feel that.
National Workout and Real Trade. Peru and Bolivia, they like to see all that. They want to defend them upon any other place. But God has allowed it so that the gospel goes out and it is worthy. Association is made, and it must recognize that God is already brought in Jerusalem.
Scenario that we work in the household of Cornelius and the massively carried down the Antigone called his face and goes on farther So another day it carried out and God has written blessed England and from the United States and Canada and these countries. And now there's the exercise in Maryland my God of the morning. I knew a nationalism the messenger for all. And it also said as setting up something in the place.
01:05:24
In the United States or Canada?
And so I believe the most truth by you. So as we know, along with the wisdom, must go down in some areas before they see the Holy Spirit in the morning after those amongst themselves did not.
But.
Broken down. And then he carries the message, the house and all that. God had a way of that.
The United States of Canada.
There's one body for sure.
Is part of the Church of God, and God allows them to be carried out in that way so that the length of this is people and.
But we have something I'll try to use for the glory and the difference between that and the season.
We're seeing already. I see it in the Adelaide. So it's not a hope that's before them and that's why the Lord is coming together, because believers are already treated there. But here there was a hope before them and that is we have that hope. We already have prices in our life, but we're not yet in that glory and.
Because we haven't yet missed a pistol or not seen as being treated in heavenly and so that's what he's bringing before them. I believe in that expression that Christ in you the hope of glory. Because apparently Judy, Isaac teachers had come down and they were really robbing them of this blessed hope and the enjoyment of the fact that their home was not really here at all but in the glory. And that's really the burden of the apostle part.
Have you know how much the disciples were occupied with whether the Lord was going to set up a Kingdom at that time? Will sell at this time, Restore the Kingdom to Israel. Now all this glorious truth has come out, and the great burden on the heart of the Apostle is that what was happening was.
That they were actually Judaizing Christianity and making Christianity A moral force to improve the world. You see an awful lot of that taking place today. That is, that Christianity should be a moral majority to make a better land and to improve conditions. But he is seeking to bring before them that the hope is laid out for us in heaven and the Christ in you is the hope of glory. And what grieves his heart was that the Saints didn't lay hold of this wonderful truth.
It was a real bird on his soul, and it might well be a burden on ours to see Christians active to try and improve the world instead of seeing that what we're doing is preaching the gospel of souls would be saved and know their portion above be witnesses in this world for Christ.
As heavenly people possessing the life of Christ, but realizing that all their hopes were in heaven, that nothing is going to be set right under the first man. It's under the second man. It's the one that in whom all the fullness of the Godhead is pleased as well. And this was a great burden on the heart of the Apostle, as he saw the reasoning and wisdom of man coming in to replace his soul, the understanding of their true position.
Many dear Christians we need who think that their part is to improve this world and to bring in something better, instead of seeing the position that is ours and that we're really waiting for God's Son from heaven. But let us not lose in our energy in the gospel it's preached to every preacher which is under heaven.
The message is for all, but not as we're building a community to make a better world, but to tell them the world is under judgment. Heaven is our home. We're associated with Christ as members of His body.
Even if so present that the first man has been set aside completely when they took the Lord Jesus, and through the fighting we don't see the result yet. So that's what happened now is the judgments of this world. No, the Prince of this world will be cast out. When they took the Lord Jesus and crucified him, that was the end of the first man. No good of the first man. He tried in different dispensations, the dispensation of the conscience, and they failed and everything.
01:10:29
Wind up in this city, ruined violence and corruption, died under the law and he failed because when the Lord Jesus came to belong under the law, they reject him. They reject him. And so it made the first man as being set aside. And we're going to see the results of the millennials.
There's two sides of this mystery in Ephesians that it's our side of our being in Christ, isn't it?
In Christ before God, and taken up his seat in the heavenly in Christ.
And I suppose that we would.
Attach to that side of the history more the thought of the riches of glory. But here he speaks of it as the riches of the glory of this mystery among you, which is not you in Christ before God, with Christ in you down here. That's perhaps the side of the mystery that we do not dwell upon as much as the other side of the mystery of our association with Christ before God is not being in him, but it's.
The fact that he is in us down here, it's not only heaven is our life, but he's in our affections in our heart and that's the the open glory and it's mixed of the riches and the glory of this mysterious Christ in you. Even while we're down here, we want to enter into this side as well as our being in Christ before God if we have Christ in us while we're down here.
One of us seems to be showed up on us, brother.
What an honor. What a blessing.
It's the first matter of statement.
Yeah, there are. The 1St is rather a matter of our standing in the last of our state, Christ enough to be noticeable in the Christian.
Yes, what Christ is enough.
You know, there's one thing about one of the marks of a true believer is that Christ is, you might say, enshrined in his affection. If there is no love of Christ in the in the soul, it's false profession. That's one of the marks every true believer as Christ in his affection, in his heart.
It's not a question how much I love to use it. I'm not trying to say that, but I believe that it's an actual fight. The price is enough, Not only their life, but in our hearts.
Brother Johan out in India. He says there's plenty of gospel preaching out in India. But he said what is lacking is the understanding of what the truth of the church is and our association with him. And he said let's put a little extra energy into bringing out some of this truth so that those know the Lord might know what Christianity really is. And that's what Paul's talking about here. There is the 2 ministries, I believe there's the ministry of the gospel that goes out to every creature under heaven that he might be saved.
Also that ministry which was a burden on the heart of the apostle. Notice the 28th verse, who we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus is thought. There is not so much warning sinners of the judgment, but warning them how the emeralds of things would rob them of the enjoyment of this Christ in you, the hope of glory. It would rob them of understanding what their truth position was.
And saw that they could walk as heavenly man. The little hymn says call from above and heavenly men by birth. But Paul says, I want to put a lot of energy into bringing out this truth. I'm willing to special for it instead. Not just 10 sinners out of behaved, blessed as that is, but that they might lay hold of the truth and walk in the liberty and joy of it. Do not believe it's very blessed to understand these two ministries that were committed to the apostle Paul and I believe is gathered to the Lord's name and is knowing many of these precious things by matchless grace.
We ought to, we ought to desire to spread them, that others might enjoy them.