Correspondence: Unions; Heb. 9:28; Jude 15

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Ques. 161. What does Scripture say is our path in regard to voluntary associations or unions? M. K.
Ans. Confederations of men always have man as their object. See the first one in Gen. 11:44And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:4). The Lord broke it in pieces. (Isa. 8:99Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. (Isaiah 8:9).) For us, 2 Cor. 6:1414Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14) to 7:1, gives simple and full instruction. It begins by marking out the contrast between children of God and the world. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, light with darkness, Christ with Belial, or a believer with an unbeliever? God dwells and walks in and with His people. He is their God. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be (to Me for) My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." With such a promise from the One who has everything at His disposal, we may well feel encouraged to obey, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Ques. 162. When Christ died upon the cross, did He bear the sins of the whole world? In Heb. 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28) it says: "the sins of many." A. J. R.
Ans. Scripture shows us that God has been glorified in the work of the cross about the whole question of sin, so that in righteousness now He can save and cleanse the deepest-dyed sinner living on the earth. (Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18).) "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15))
We can therefore tell the unsaved of God's love to them (John 3;14-16), and say to them, "Christ died for the ungodly." "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:6-86For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6‑8).) Christ "died for all." (2 Cor. 5:14, 1514For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14‑15).) He bought the whole world (Matt. 13:4444Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (Matthew 13:44);) even the blasphemer is bought (2 Peter 2:11But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1)), and He is the propitiation for the whole world; ("the sins of" are left out in the original-1 John 2:22And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)). It is there God and guilty man can meet. We can tell the guilty ones how to know their sins forgiven. (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43).) "Whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins." (See also Acts 13:38,3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39).) But it is the language of the believer that says, "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities." (Isa. 53:5,65But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5‑6); see 1 Cor. 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3) and 1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24).) Notice the words, our, we, us. Thus the believer applies the truth to himself, Ques. 163. John 10. H. C.
Ans. It is the door into the sheepfold for the Messiah. He came, fulfilling all that the Word of God foretold about Him. He was the woman's seed (Gen. 3:1515And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)); the virgin's Son (Isa. 7:14, 9: 6); born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:22But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2)), etc. The scribes, rulers, and some who pretended to be the Messiah, were the thieves and robbers, who took upon themselves authority that did not belong to them. They cast the healed man out. (Chapter 9:34.) Jesus was Israel's true and good Shepherd.
Verse 3. The Porter is God working in spite of man's wickedness (Acts 2:2323Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)), so that through His death and resurrection He could lead His sheep out of the fold, that is, from under the law and ordinances. He calls His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. No Jew could get out from under the law until Christ died and rose again. He goeth before them.
In verse 7, He says, "I am the door of the sheep." He is their authority for leaving all that belongs to Judaism. He bore the curse of the law. (Gal. 3:1313Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13).) The law put Him to death, and the converted Jew, like' Paul, can say, I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ. The law has nothing to say to a dead man. But now Paul lives: "Nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." (Gal. 2:19, 2019For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:19‑20).) So now believers are outside this fold, which is Judaism.
Verse 9 is Christianity; not the fold at all "I am the door: by Me, if any man (Jew or Gentile) enter in, he shall be saved", (this is salvation, and it was not known in the fold of Judaism) "and shall go in and out", (this is liberty to "go in" to the presence of God to worship and be strengthened, and to "go out" to serve and follow Him), "and find pasture." (No pasture grew in the sheepfold.) Christ is our food. He leads us in green pastures and by the still waters. His fruit is sweet to our taste.
Verse 16. "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold" (they were Gentiles before their conversion, and were not put under the law by God), "them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one flock, and one Shepherd." The word is "flock" in the original in this last instance; a fold is an enclosure, a flock is a company. So now God has a flock, but no fold. (Acts 20:28, 2928Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. (Acts 20:28‑29); 1 Peter 5:2, 32Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2‑3).)
Ans. This is the judgment of those who are the apostate church, or Christendom, which at the present time includes all kinds, both saved and unsaved. If a man is ungodly, he is a sinner also, but these are emphatically "ungodly sinners," rebels of deepest dye.