Dorothy Conference: 1994
Table of Contents
2 Corinthians 12:1-6
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Our life is here, our.
Stand, I pray. I understand. My heart stays for our walls. I come on the table.
All the rest of the day.
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In Corinthians chapter 12.
It is not obedient for me, doubtless to glory, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
I knew a man in Christ above 14 years ago. Whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell. God knows such in one caught up to the 3rd heaven. And I knew such a man, whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell. God knoweth how that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Of such a one will I glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool, for I will say the truth, but now I for bear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that I might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly, therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, and reproaches, and necessities, and persecutions and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
I am become a fool in glory. Ye have compelled me, for I ought to have been commended of you for nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
Truly, the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
For what is it wherein you were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you?
Forgive me this wrong. Behold the third time I am ready to come to you.
And I will not be burdensome to you.
For I seek not yours but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. But be it so I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you. I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother.
Did Titus make a gain of you? Walk we not in the same spirit, walk we not in the same steps?
Again, thank you that we excuse ourselves unto you.
We speak before God in Christ, but we do all things dearly beloved, for your edifying.
For I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not, lest there be debates, and beings, wrath, strife, backbiting, whispering, swelling, tumult. And last, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication.
And lasciviousness which they have committed.
It's a little hard to enter into a chapter like this number roughly at the end of a An Epistle without perhaps a little introduction. I wonder if, Chuck, you could introduce introduce it with somewhat of that's on your heart in regard to it.
Well, in this chapter we have a.
A man in Christ caught up to the 3rd heaven.
That's our position.
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That's our place, our position, and it ends very solemnly, lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
So we have on the one side a man in Christ caught up to the 3rd heaven, hearing and seeing things that we could not grasp or understand, not allowed for him to utter. And then we have the other side how that one that might be in that place of blessing can fall so deeply into sin.
Good to see two of that. In between we have a man going through a severe trial.
Don't we? So there's those three points in that chapter which are very good.
Who is the man?
Going through severe trial.
He lists in the previous chapter.
His credentials for his ministry.
He was being opposed by.
One in particular, but more than one at Corinth seeking to discredit him.
And he says in verse 22 of Chapter 11, Are they Hebrews? So am I.
Are they Israelites? So am I.
Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. In other words, they have no advantage.
Over me in these regards in these matters. And then he asks, are they ministers of Christ? Well, they were anything but that. So he adds. Parenthetically, I speak as a fool, or I speak foolishly. They were not truly ministers of Christ. Or he says in verse 13, such are false apostles, deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel for Satan has transformed himself into an Angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
That was the true character of these men that were opposing Paul, and it it seems as though they were not the direct fruit of his laborers. It seems as though they came in later.
There are some verses that would indicate that.
But they were opposing him. And Paul brings before these Saints at Corinth, that you are my work in the Lord.
They questioned his apostleship and he says, Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?
If I'm not an apostle to others, I certainly am to you for the seal of mine. Apostleship, are ye in the Lord.
They existed as Saints of God through the ministry of Paul. I don't know whether that would be true of these that were opposing him, but it was certainly true of the bulk of the Saints at Corinth. And they were being misled and misguided by these others that were promoting themselves, that were seeking to exalt themselves. And these were Jews, Hebrews, he says. So Israelites of the seed of Abraham.
And they were there to withstand him.
And he had withheld telling these Corinthians of the fact that over 14 years ago he had been caught up to the 3rd heaven and had seen visions and revelations of the Lord, and he hadn't told anyone. But now came the time their state was such. They were so under the influence of these false apostles and teachers and false prophets that he now tells them of this.
And they were operating on the level of the first man, the flesh. They were carnal. He tells them that in the first epistle.
Your carnal you walk as men.
Your following leaders.
I am a power. I am of a palace, I am a Cephas, I am of Christ. All these parties that existed.
Now they weren't actually saying I am of Paul and I am of Apollos, but he says in the 4th chapter of the first Epistle I have transferred in a figure these things to myself and to Apollos to illustrate the principle. If he had named the man in particular that was opposing him, they would have said, well, you're just jealous of him, Paul. So he puts his name in there and he says Apollos, I have planted Apollos water God gave the increase. Neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that water it, but God that giveth the increase, we are nothing.
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But these men felt they were something and they were promoting themselves. And they were.
Operating on the level of the flesh. One more verse, verse 12 of chapter 10 to bring this out.
Paul says we dare not. Well in verse 11 he says let such in one. That's the particular one there that was opposing him. Think this.
That such as we are in Word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also indeed when we're present. This man that was opposing him was saying, well, he speaks very boldly in his letters, but then when he comes and he's present with us, then he has his he's not very bold. And he says, I will be bold when I come. And then he says in verse 12 of that 10th chapter, we dare not make ourselves of the number or commend or.
Compare ourselves with some that commend themselves. That's what they were doing, but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves.
Are not wise or are not intelligent or do not understand. Literally, that's the margin. They don't understand the true character of Christianity. Christianity is not a competition among laborers as to who's going to be first. You remember when the disciples asked the Lord he was on the way to the cross and they asked the Lord who's first among us?
Who's the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven that betrays the state of soul of the one that asks the question?
I want to be great. I want to be something. I want to be recognized. And that's what these men were like. That wasn't. That wasn't Paul. It wasn't that way at all. But he didn't come short of any of them in any of their qualities. He had far more. And then he lists in that 11Th chapter.
All that he had gone through, all his credentials as to be an apostle in Labour's more abundant in stripes, above measure, in prisons more frequent in deaths off and so on.
What a list of sufferings could they claim that? Could they claim that they had suffered for the name of Christ and for the testimony of Christ? These men that were opposing Paul? Not a bit of it.
That was history. Those were his credentials. Well, those. That's a little bit of a of a summary of what's come before and what what he's dealing with and why he now finally discloses to them about his being caught up to the 3rd heaven. Would you say that this is bringing up another subject? Because in the 7th chapter of the same second epistle and he said to the assembly, you have cleared yourself.
Yourselves Now is this another matter that is?
He's dealing with because apparently from those last verses, there still seem to be an unjudged spirit in in Corinth.
You get that? I'm glad you asked that question in Revelation chapter 2.
You get that same thing with emphasis. And I'll let me read the verses, chapter 2, verse one, on to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus. Right these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience.
And how thou canst not bear them which are evil? And thou hast tried them, which say they are apostles.
And are not, and has found them liars, and has borne, and has patience. And for my namesake has labored and has not fainted. You say that's the perfect assembly. That's a perfect assembly. But then he says nevertheless, I have against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Now only his eye could see that we couldn't have seen it. We would have judged Model assembly. And yet there was the seed of departure there.
And so at Corinth, yes, they had cleared themselves, and with respect to that.
Wicked man. That doesn't mean that they were completely cleared in everything. They were still under the influence of false leaders, and these at Ephesus, they had tried those that said they were apostles and were not, and found them liars. And the Corinthians hadn't come to that point. They they hadn't gotten delivered yet from these men that were really promoting themselves, seeking to discredit and undermine Paul and what we've gone through, you'll notice that the enemy works by slandering.
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The Saints and discrediting those that are seeking to stand for the truth.
That's his tactic. That's the way he's been working for 20 centuries.
But there's an important point to realize. Some have interpreted these last verses of chapter 12 That there were still cases of immorality amongst the Saints in Corinth. I do not believe that that is the correct understanding of these verses. Why would Paul pick on one particular case?
And not mention the other cases. Brother Clawson, years ago Irvine Claussen helped me personally to understand that verse and I believe this is the correct interpretation. This refers to something that has happened in their life before they were saved and they had not really judged it. That might also help us understand why they tolerated this evil that was dealt with in the first epistle.
You know, if we have lift that way before we are safe and we have really not condemned and judged this and viewed it with God's side, When evil occurs in the church, in the assembly, we tend to be easy on the evil. And I believe that is the prop of you and how serious that is. You know it's a good thing that when we come to be saved that we view all our past.
And to judge it and view it with God's eyes from God's point of view.
Because it renders us.
Weak and unable to judge evil that occurs among those who are saved and and also makes U.S. Open to fall into the very sin again that might have been our way of life before we are saved. Would you agree with that? Yeah, I think the key the word in that verse in verse 21 is they they have not repented, yes.
Of the evil of their course, they have not really judged it. And if until we've judged it, we're still in it as far as God is concerned, we're still responsible for it. God looks upon us in that state as as having committed the sin until we've repented of it and judged it. And once we've done that, our state changes entirely, and we have to recognize that. So when we receive a soul back.
Who has sinned? They must have repented of the sin before they receive back. At least that should be the normal thing and we can make a mistake and we see someone back that hasn't truly repented of the sin.
That will cause trouble, but the the repentance of it changes the state, Mr. Darby says in two of his letters. He says we're still in the sin until we've repented of it.
And then then with our state changes. That's what he's dealing with here, isn't it?
I've seen it in the life of a relative that I was able to lead to the Lord and he had lived immorally before he was saved, but I don't think he really had judged it and he fell into that very evil after he was saved. But I believe then he did judge it and was truly delivered from it. We must never be easy on sin. And the translation in Mr. Darby's.
Translation in Psalm 51 is Take not the Spirit of Thy holiness from me. The danger is that when we fall into sin and are not truly repentant, that we do not have the discernment. We do not take sides with God against the sin when it occurs amongst the Saints of God. And that's disastrous, disastrous. Just think of the testimony.
The Lords name being dishonored and needs to be cleared. You know people think always of.
The need for the soul that has sinned to be restored. That's one of the reasons why discipline is administered. But the first reason is that the name of the Lord be clear, you know, And that's such a vital point to be considered and made. The Lord keep us.
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From looking at sin and belittling it in any way because it makes the door open, or opens the door for ourselves to fall into the evil at the name of the Lord is not clear.
The Lord said he that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
That goes far beyond just the act of doing it, but it's doing it in your mind.
And one of the things that is being promoted today and young people are being told it's a very legitimate thing to do, is to fantasize. Let your imagination run wild and you can enjoy things in your imagination that is absolutely condemned in the word of God. That's what the Lord says is sin. Just to look at a woman and lust after her is a sin. And so to fantasize these things is.
Sinful and it's it's being encouraged as a legitimate thing in the psychological world. Is that what the word lasciviousness means or would imply what you just said?
I think it's implied there, yes. In the 139th Psalm, the psalmist starts out and there's. Oh Lord, thou hast searched me.
But how does that end up?
He has searched me, O God, and see if there any wicked way in me.
And then what does he say? Leave me in the way everlasting. And it was Job that said, I made a covenant with mine eyes, that I should not look upon a woman.
Are upon a maid, and these things are vital to getting along in communion with the Lord to find on judge the evil. And the Lord he sees always there. If we confess our sins, he is faithful. And what? Just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness? Isn't that the way everlasting brethren? And where does it lead to? I think in the end of the 14th chapter of John is so beautiful the Lord says to the disciples, arise, let us go hence.
Well, may we arise and go hence because it ends in the glory, doesn't it?
Could we have brother? Chuck was saying just now. I thought of James one and 15.
Lest there be any thought in our minds that it's not.
That what he said doesn't.
Have more than just that one scripture in the gospel to support it.
We might read 14 and 15. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own.
Lust and entice.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin.
And sin when it is finished bringeth forth death so.
I believe that repenting of the.
Course of one is essential, whether it says of our courses unbelievers, and I think that's what it brings before us at the end of 2nd Corinthians 12, or God requires that in connection with all of our failure that we repent and and rethink it and take his point of view in it. And I just mentioned this for those who are fathers.
One of the saddest things is to have to.
Judge in your children that which you did not judge in your own life.
That the Lord brings to your attention because you won't listen to Him when he deals with your own personal life.
They then have to see it displayed, as David had to see displayed publicly his own sin, even though I believe he really did repent. Yet God laid it out in front of everybody for it to be seen, and it's one of the saddest experiences. So if you don't want to have to judge it in your children, judge it in yourself first. How many times I've seen in, in things that happened in the lives of our children, I've seen exactly that which the Lord was dealing with me, that nobody knew about.
That was private and personal that I never dealt with in my own soul. To see it laid out before me, to my shame.
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In my own children, and I just say that as a word to those who are fathers and mothers.
That God might give us to judge in our own lives, to repent.
Thoroughly of the course of the things that perhaps no one had to know about that God knew. And he lays them out graphically sometimes for us in the lives of our children, so that we might judge them ourselves. Don't just come down heavy on the kid and say, oh, what a terrible thing, How could a child of mine do that, Say God has found out the iniquity of his servant.
That may be true, and I want to give the other scripture in John 9 The disciples asked the Lord.
Who sinned, this man or his parents? That he was born blind? And the answer came back. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest. So we have to be careful that we do not violate the Scripture, Judge nothing before the time, and the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the councils of hearts. But we are not God, and we don't know the motives of the heart and what goes on. But God has his dealings with every one of us.
His individual government Peter says it in First Peter 117. If you call on the father who without respective persons judgeth according to the work of each past, the time of your sojourning here in fear, that's the government of the father over his family, and that's his government over each one of us.
And we have to live our lives before him, not before our brethren or before society, though we should listen to our brethren, and we should listen to these voices that come. But we have to answer to him. Every one of us should give a count of himself to God.
And he's the one that we lived before either regardless today, regardless it to the Lord either regardeth not the day it is to the Lord. He's it's not regarded. We live before him happy as he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
Well, we do.
Certainly recognize that even if the Lord has kept us from falling into things that are kids fall into.
That the grace has kept us from it.
And nature.
That makes them do what they do. They inherited from us.
And that's a very humbling thing.
To see that, it's a very humbling thing to see our offsprings go off. But I know that young people have purposed, when they grew into teenagers and had seen in the lives of some of their relatives immorality that they have said by God's grace, I will not live that way. And they didn't live that way. They did not have to potentiality to live that way.
The evil nature within them would have let them that way, but by God's grace they were able to live differently. And this is, I believe, what one can tell the young men and women in this audience Purpose in your heart to cleave to the Lord. Recognize that without His help and grace you cannot live that way, but with His help you can live honoring to Him and to bring glory to His name.
Instead of honor dishonoring him, I believe Mr. Darby, I believe, Mr. Darby said.
And a man asked him about studying the scripture. He said, study well 4 words. The flesh provided nothing. And I believe that's the great lesson that's in this chapter. He begins by saying it is not expedient for me, doubtless to glory. The cause of Peters fall was that he thought he was better than the rest of the disciples. He never thought that he would deny the Lord, and I believe he was thoroughly sincere in saying that. But he didn't realize what the flesh was.
And I believe with all of us, in divine things especially, we need to start with humility, realizing that we are nothing. It's only grace that met us in our sin and guilt and saved us, and it's only the grace of God that keeps any of us. And so I I think it's very lovely the way the chapter begins. It's not expedient for me, doubtless to glory and naturally speaking, he had much that he might have gloried about because of his revelations that were given them how God had used him.
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But nevertheless he recognized there was all sovereign grace. And that's the great starting point, whether it's young or old. I believe when we hear these warnings, we have within us every one of us sitting here, the capabilities of the vilest sins. If the Lord doesn't keep us, and if we daily start out with that sense, preserve be O God. For indeed do I put my trust, I believe that the Lord is able certainly, and will preserve us.
In the path that's pleasing to him, but we need to constantly, not only when we're first saved, but all through life. Repentance is a continual thing in the life, isn't it? That is, we're in all constantly having to watch that old man, and we need to be ever conscious that no matter how long we're saved, it has never changed. It's still the same, and if it loud it will bring forth those evil fruits that are mentioned in the end of this chapter.
You know where you're going. Yes. We're starting on turning and what heights and depths of love. And we certainly get the heights and depths in this chapter more than perhaps any chapter in the word of God. Because Paul takes his up into the 3rd heaven. And then we come down to the lowest level of humanity with these fightings and disputing. And we sang at the beginning of this meeting. Now let us run and never sire. And that's what we need, is really is to have these things brought before us because.
He's called Doc and it really brings us into the place of a Christian is to to know where our life is hidden with Christ and God, and to practically see it in our relationship one with another.
Maybe we should just pay a little bit more about that, because that's Paul's particular line of things, and we often speak of practical ministry. But Paul was not called by the Lord when he was on earth, but he was called by the Lord from heaven, unlike the disciples on earth. And so that's characteristic of his ministries. That's where it takes us. John's ministry brings heaven down to earth, and Paul's ministry is it where it takes our spirits up to heaven. And this chapter seems to.
Get coastal heights and depths of the Christian experience, and the land of Canaan was not like the land of Egypt, the flat land, but it was a land of hills and valleys.
I was thinking of three times that the Apostle Paul and said perhaps there's more, but sometimes he speaks up. I know now in Romans 7 you're Speaking of the flesh and the weakness of the flesh. It's nice here in Romans 7 and 18, for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.
For the will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.
And the apostle had learned that in his flesh dwelled no good thing.
Well, in Philippians 3 he says that I may know him and the power of his resurrection.
And then again in second Timothy chapter 2 or chapter one rather.
Two Timothy chapter one.
How can you read the full verse, Second Timothy 1:00 and 12:00 for the witch, 'cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Blessing of this in contrast to what he said in Romans 7. For I know that in me dwelleth no good thing here in Timothy says, for I know whom I have believed.
Well, how each one of us have found that out, so we cannot trust in the flesh for one moment.
Trust in that blessed One who has loved us and given himself.
In the first Epistle to the Corinthians, the first sin that Paul mentioned is not fornication.
It's not.
Any of the other things that come in the later chapters.
Going to law with one another.
Eating and drinking to excess so that one is even drunken at the Lord's Supper, not able to discern his body going to the Lord, going to tables of demons.
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Even error as to the resurrection. But the first sin mentioned is there exists divisions among you.
The sin of division.
The sin of leading Saints astray from the path of truth, I am convinced, is the worst sin we can commit.
Because these other sins are individual and no one's going to be misled into that kind of a life if one falls into a moral sin. But if one has such power over others and gift gifted man, and he uses that to mislead the Saints, that is a most serious thing and.
This is what Paul is combating in large measure in this epistle.
Is that why the Spirit of God zeroes in in the Old Testament on the sin of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that caused Israel to sin?
It seems striking that the Spirit of God, you might say, zeroes in on that over and over and over again. And you might say, well, weren't there worse things done? Ahab did some pretty terrible things, but I believe that that was a sin which rent asunder the people of God set up a competitive place of worship to that which God had established.
And God puts his finger on that over and over again in their history. I just would like to ask this. Our brother Chuck twice said that Paul was the one that was caught up in verse two, and I thoroughly agree with that. Some have questioned that based on verse 5, because he says I'm such a one. Will I glory or boast? But of myself will I not? And does he not then say that that's not he that well, I think the clue to it, if I might just.
Offer a first comment on that subject is a man in Christ, a man in Christ. And Paul was looking at that then in that light, as a man in Christ. And of course he's not. This is something that he's very careful about not glorying in.
As a as a man in the flesh. And so he's very careful to say, I know.
And that word no is interesting because there are two words for no in Greek as we have in English 2 two thoughts I should say in English, one is objective knowledge and the others conscious knowledge, and this time it's conscious knowledge, that is that which he was.
Thoroughly acquainted with, not just new as an objective thing. In his mind he knew a man in Christ. And I believe that it's put in that way so that the focus is not on Paul, but on the man in Christ. And so Paul says of such a one will I glory, but not of myself.
I believe knowing, and I think that's what the chapter is about, because you may be taken up to the 3rd heaven. I know in an objective way certain truth, but Paul said he was glory in his infirmity, that the that the power of sight may rest upon me, so that he might enjoy that truth practically. And how is the Lord going to make him to know that through the difficulty spoke of Peter and his failure, but the Lord?
In those deaths and in his failures, the Lord may have had to.
Allow Satan to skip them, that he might practically know the things that he knew objectively.
And so that's, I believe, why these two things are brought together in this chapter. And we say, well we're caught up into the 3rd heaven and we enjoy these wonderful truths of the believers position in Christ. And then we go to the assembly and we're and in our Christian lives and we're met with this kind of disputing and arguing. And we say, well why does the Lord allow us So that we might be in the conscious knowledge and the power of Christ might rest on us practically here in this earth amidst the difficulty and not just to know these things objectively.
No matter. Barry earlier suggested that the last verses indicate that there were still those in Korean who were opposing. I think that was your thought, right? Burberry, They were still those that.
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Although the assembly had judged the evil, I don't think they all agreed with the judgement. Isn't this what's going on among the gathered thing?
There are still voices that undermine the authority of the Lord in the assembly. In the pen, there are still debate undermining, you know, and even using what is a commendable thing to undermine the bread and give you an example. A young man stands there and preaches the gospel, refers to television programs and insulting the Saints as if they all were familiar with these programs or some cartoon strip and a brother finally says.
When are we going to hear the word of God? Now that was godly discipline, but it is used to undermine the brethren there. How terrible they were, How hard? Well, there are still these buildings, you know. And really the enemy is still trying to disrupt the fellowship and the harmony among the Saints of God. You know, it's not surprising if in the early days in the Church, although there was such an obvious case of evil.
That there were those who didn't agree with the judgment and they were still in the assembly and they were still causing problems.
You know, it's certainly more difficult in disciplinary problems where there is not a clear immorality case. You know, like one brother said, it's almost the only evil that's going to be judged amongst the Saints. What about heretical behavior? You know, dividing the Saints of God? Is that not one of the things that ought to be dealt with the Apostle Paul, that when he would get there because he had Apostolic authority?
That he would deal with these things.
You know, he teeth. Things should not go unjust, you know, and tolerate them. Let the enemy continue to do his work of undermining fellowship between the Gaddis Saints and then two, for peace sake of keeping everybody together. We tolerate this kind of a thing. Well, it's the work of the flesh, beloved brethren. It's not of God. It's it's more than a work of the flesh. It's the work of the enemy. Yes, the work of Satan.
The the the passage that proves what you just said is in the 10th chapter of this epistle and I'll read the two verses.
Verse five and six casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The reason Paul hadn't gone there, he had said he was going to go, and then he didn't go, was to spare them, and he wanted to leave them with his first epistle, still to work in their consciences, but there would come a point in time.
When all of those who were going to obey the word through Paul would have done so, and then there would be those that were left that would, that were disobedient. And he talks about that in the next verse, having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience or to avenge all disobedience. When your obedience is fulfilled, that is when all of those that may have taken a time in arriving at the right judgment, but when they finally arrived at it, there would be still some remaining who are called.
The disobedient ones. And he says when I come I will deal with them.
Like John says in the third epistle about diatrophies, he says when I come.
I will remember his works, which he do it praying against us with malicious words and so on. He would deal with it and that's what he was being charged with. He's powerful with his words and when he's writing, but when he comes, he Wilts and he says when I come, I will not spare. He would deal with it, so there would come a time. Sometimes we go too quickly and we try to force consciences to see it before they're ready.
They have to go through a certain amount of exercise before they come to the.
The right understanding of things and we must leave them until that point is reached. But once it's reached, then those that still won't see it. I was talking to a brother once and he just shook his head and he closed his eyes and he put his eyes, his head down. He says, I don't see it, I don't see it. And I said, brother, if you don't open your eyes you'll never see it. You've got to open your eyes to see it. And literally had his eyes shut. Well, it it's just what he had, he had. He just wouldn't see the truth.
00:50:07
And in that case they fall into the class of being the disobedient ones. Very serious matter, isn't it, to trouble the Saints of God.
Very so. I was just thinking of that in the book of Galatians where he spoke there.
He says.
In the 5th chapter of Galatians.
Where Paul was there in verse 11 And I, brethren, if I preached circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?
Then is the offense of the cross ceased? Well, he wasn't so he wasn't preaching this. He had ceased from that. He had learned this Now he wasn't preaching if if if I would suffer persecution or suffer persecution, why am I if I preaching the cross? So he says I would. They were even cut off, which trouble you or I understand. Another rendering is they would cut themselves off which trouble you.
And the troubler of the people of God is one who is standing in a very precarious and dangerous position. And God doesn't deal. He doesn't settle all his accounts in one day or one month or even one year. We don't know. So it's a very serious matter with Aiken as the one who was the troubler of Israel, and God never forgot that.
One of the saddest things that we've seen happen.
Is the publication of fancied or real God knows sins? What would you think of a father who went to you and said, do you know what my son just did? He was caught stealing. He was caught as a thief. What would you think of a father that would broadcast the shame of his son in doing something like that?
Our to broadcast the.
The shame. Whether it's real or imagined, it doesn't matter. Even if it's a fact, to broadcast it, to hang all your dirty wash out for everyone to see, is not of God. It's not of God. There's a way of dealing with evil, but it's not by publicly broadcasting it and slandering and smearing. And that's what's been going on. And that's wicked. That's positively wicked.
Opposite is to cover it up. Yeah, that's bad. You know, there are not many Levites among the people of God. You know what I mean by that? They took the sword against their own flesh. And then the sons of Korah, you know, they separated from their own father. And how often natural affections influence us in our judgment. The Lord is looking for Levi. The Lord is looking.
For those who, like the sons of Korah, take a stand on the Lord's side, remember they were the ones that were made keepers in the House of God.
You know, and you can see why. But I wholeheartedly agree with what Chuck has said. You know, many times these things have been used to steal the hearts of the people, undermining those in authority in the assembly and drawing the young to follow the ones who broadcast this thing. As if there is no judgement of evil in the assembly and the leaders cannot be trusted.
Work of Satan, you know, let's be careful, beloved brethren. But how wonderful Paul speaks of that which he had seen. And it has been suggested that when he had that experience, it was when he was stoned and left for dead. I like that. I think that well, and I believe the time fits in with that experience And yet.
The Lord gives him a thorn in the flesh.
You know, the Lord realizes that Paul needs something to keep him humble.
And we love that. Isn't that what oftentimes we have to be reminded of? You know what? That which the Lord has given us to see in His word.
We need to remember that humility is what becomes us. It's not a natural trade, is it? It wasn't a natural trade for the apartment at all. But the Lord found a way of humbling him. You know my grace is sufficient is the answer.
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Some believed that it was a problem that he had with his eyes.
You know there was a disease well known in those regions, and the appearance of that person is affected by that and his eyesight. Remember, he had always somebody else write the letters and he signed it except for the letter tribulation. And in the letter to regulations he said they would have been willing to pluck out their eyes for him. And that all seems to indicate that it was such an affliction. But the Lord allowed it in Paul's life to keep him humble. The Lord has his Ways and Means to keep us.
In that position. But we can rejoice in whatever he has given us to see of our position in Christ. And pride does not become us, because what we are, we are by the grace of God. Nice. I was thinking of a couple of verses in in the Epistle of Peter, first Peter chapter 4, just two verses there, verses 7:00 and 8:00. But the end of all things is at hand.
Is that not true? We're near the end of the day of grace. The end of all things is hand. Be therefore sober and watch unto prayer, and the results of that will be as we have in verse 8 above. All things have fervent love, or charity, or love among yourselves, for charity or love shall cover a multitude of sins. I was reading this comment of Mr. Darby's on that and he says.
He adds yay sins, he says, covers, love covers.
Doesn't do away with it, but it covers you. See a beautiful illustration of that when Noah.
Got drunk, planted a vineyard and got drunk and.
His two sons Ham looked upon the nakedness of his father.
And your young people? You probably know better than anyone else the inconsistencies and the failures of your father or your mother.
But to look upon that to expose it.
To tell others of it is wicked.
Sham and Japheth went backwards.
And they did not look upon the nakedness of their father. It was a shame that they covered it.
And love covereth a multitude of sins. That's the verse you just read. There's an illustration of it. And the word came. Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be. That was the son of Ham. Noah's son Ham had looked upon his nakedness. Now his son Ham Son Canaan gets the curse. But you can see the government of God. What we reap, we sow them upon him.
I was thinking of this.
Expression at the end of verse two and at the end.
Verse at the beginning of verse four as to where Paul was caught up to as being very important to identify the place into which the Lord welcomed the dying thief.
And I just cautioned those who have Scofield Bibles in connection with this that there is a teaching in that Bible, one of several perhaps, that are not helpful. That's one where he indicates that Paradise somehow changed its location. And I believe that's not so. I believe here Paradise is identified for us.
I'm talking about not the Garden of Eden now, but I'm talking about the paradise of God.
That paradise is identified for us as the 3rd heaven.
Why 3rd heaven? 1St heaven, of course, is the atmosphere in which the birds fly and and where the clouds are. The 2nd heaven, if we may so put it, is outer space.
But the 3rd heaven is the uncreated dwelling place of God.
And that is where paradise is.
01:00:00
Paradise is in that place, uncreated, which was the eternal dwelling place of God prepared for us by the entry of the Lord Jesus into it. I used to think when I was a boy I used to picture the Lord when he says I go and prepare a place and I don't mean to be disrespectful in any way, but as a child will think I could picture the Lord somehow supervising angels and.
To with hammers and nails to prepare dwelling places for us. But I believe the thought is the entrance of that blessed man into the presence of God prepares the place for us. And so the Lord could say to the thief on the cross, today shalt thou be with me in paradise. Where is that? Paul tells us here that it's the 3rd heaven, and I think it's important to get simply take hold of that.
And reject the complicated and I believe unscriptural thought that somehow the Lord went into a place where kind of a waiting place, and took a whole lot of Saints and took them up into heaven when he ascended up on high. That is not the thought and I believe that heaven has always been the place of of the departed Saints.
Although it was not brought to light until the Lord Jesus came, and brought to light life and immortality, and so the veil is drawn back, and no longer is it she all or Hades for us, the unseen.
The unseen.
But it's now the place of revealed blessing and the place where God dwells. I just mentioned that because sometimes these things that we've taken for granted for so many years, maybe some of the young people have not had any instruction on it. And This is why we believe that when the Lord said to the thief on the cross today shalt thou be with me in paradise, he was Speaking of the 3rd heaven, the uncreated.
Dwelling place of God. They are identified here by the Apostle Paul as being the same.
What up into the third habit? He was caught up into paradise.
Albert Addict, you would agree?
That this is not yet the glory, is it?
No, because.
The father's house. This is not where the thief on the cross went.
Oh, he was with the Lord Jesus.
And it's a place, a place of bliss and happiness as we know it from Lazarus, who was in Abraham's bosom, but the glory we will enter when we are brought into conformity to the Lord Jesus.
When we will be like him and but already Paul says he had heard words there which he could not utter. And it's a wonderful place a condition that redeemed occupy when they are taken to be with Christ absent from the body present with the Lord or here it is called paradise, you know the paradise.
The Garden of Eden.
Was on earth, and God came and visited. But this paradise here is to dwell with the Lord Jesus already and be with him forever. But we will not yet be in that glorified state until our bodies are changed, when we are brought into full conformity to the Lord Jesus, perhaps even the statement that we make sometimes that He's home.
We know what people want to convey, but really the fullness.
Of blessings will be ours when the Lord Jesus comes, raises the dead, and changes us the living, and we will be brought into full conformity to Him and then forever be with Him in the Father's house. Isn't that more a question of state in place? In other words, I believe that we ought not diminish the fact that.
The believer when he's present with the Lord. Where is the Lord now?
He's in glory, so I believe that when we talk about.
The entering into glory or into the presence of the Lord. And it's we're talking about a state of body, soul and spirit being there in full consciousness and that we're looking forward to. That's not ours yet, nor any that have gone on to be with the Lord, but as to where they are.
01:05:15
I believe they're at the present, at the in the 3rd heaven, and in the presence of God, although not in conscious bliss, as we will be in the coming day, and there will be things that we will only enter into when we are glorified.
The departed Saints are with the Lord, but they're not quote in glory as far as their own bodies are concerned and well, they don't have a body.
There in the disembodied state, until they get a glorified body, they're not in glory in the full sense of the word. That's what you're saying.
I just wanted to make a comment on the expression he led captivity captive. You were talking about **** ****. And in some of our Bibles the margin says he led a multitude of captives and that gives rise to the error that's in the Schofield reference Bible. It really means he led captivity captive. Means he led the power that had held up us captive to sin captive, he let all the power of Satan captive to get it. In Hebrews too it's put in another word ways that says.
Through death he annulled him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and delivered them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to *******.
So we've been delivered from the power of Satan. We're no longer under his power. That power has been taken captive by the victor, our Lord Jesus, and set us free.
Romans: The Gospel of God
2 Corinthians 12:7-21
Reading
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We belong together.
Lord and light the light of it.
While you're telling me.
How God's hearing?
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly, therefore, will I rather.
That the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, and reproaches, and necessities, and persecutions and distresses, for Christ sake or when I am weak, then am I strong I am become a fool in glory. Ye have compelled me, for I ought to have been commended of you for nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
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Truly, the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patients in signs and wonders.
And mighty deeds? Or what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong. Behold the third time, I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not yours but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you.
Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I beloved.
But be it so. I did not burden you. Never the lust being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you. Walk we not in the same spirit, walk we not in the same steps again. Thank you, that we excuse ourselves unto you. We speak before God in Christ.
But we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you, such as ye would not, Lest there be debates, envies, wrath, strife, backbiting, whisperings, swellings, tumults. And last, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already.
And have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
We can glory in what we are in Christ. Of such an one will I glory a man in Christ.
We can glory in that, but He has made us to be by His grace. But when it comes to.
The flesh is so deceitful and treacherous that.
We can easily take credit to ourselves for things that we shouldn't. And so he says of myself, will I not glory, but in my infirmities, that which keeps me humble and brings me low, I can glory in that because he realizes how treacherous the human heart is.
And we can begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh.
I was just thinking how that the apostle has been speaking about being caught up to the 3rd heaven and what marvelous.
Revelation he had at that time, but.
That was preceded, wasn't it, in verse 33 of the last chapter by being left?
Now you know that.
Was that not a humiliating experience for the process? I don't know if you've ever sat in a basket, but you know, as you sit there, one is given to feel how helpless they are. They're really at the mercy, you know? It shows outside the badges and everything.
Sort of doing something with the best and but I think this is how God works, doesn't he?
The desire is that we might humble ourselves under this mighty stand in order that he might resolve it.
And so the way up is really the way down.
First of all.
00:10:03
So that's that's what the spring operating important surface that.
Humility of my industry.
National service of the Lord.
And Peter was in prison. There was a Angel that came and opened the door and everything. So God was manifesting his power toward him. But here the great apostle, the one who was caught up to the 3rd heaven, God didn't deliver him by any miraculous way. He let him just.
Shall shall I say, be carried over the wall with human beings. They let him down by the wall. Sometimes we might think we're great and God should come in and do great things for us.
But the Lord lets us to feel that we're really nothing, and so I think it's in contrast with some of the miraculous deliverances that were on other occasions. When he's talking of all that he went through, he is showing that God didn't come in miraculously to deliver him, let him endure these things in order that he might learn to be nothing. And yet he was given these wondrous revelations, being caught up to the 3rd heaven.
What a beautiful contrast we are. Not a contrast but similarity. We see in the Blessed Lord Himself, who was who is God, and yet he would come down in human form, taking his place with with man. And so the Apostle in that basket would be just a little picture of the Blessed Lord in his deep humility of coming here.
To be a man.
He's referred to this chapter.
I didn't get what you said.
I believe that's our position, the body every believer is seen in Christ.
Says that in Ephesians one has raised us up and made us sit together in heavenly places in in Christ, in Christ Jesus. And so that's the position into which the believer is brought in contrast with a man in the flesh. Either in the flesh cannot please God.
But he is contrasting that, I would think, with a man in Christ, because he's bringing before us those marvelous revelations that were given to us.
Showing us our new position no longer in the flesh as we were before God.
But in Christ, in a possession of wondrous acceptance and favor. So we're holy and without blame before him and love.
In connection with what you are saying, Gordon before, I just want to read a verse. Acts 839. You don't have to turn to it and says when they were come up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip that the eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing. Philip was found at his Otis. That was quite a trip he got by the Spirit of the Lord. There was an miraculous he could have done that to Paul, couldn't he? But he didn't. He allowed him to go through this humiliating experience.
For being let down by from the wall in the basket and that he can glory in. That's why he mentions it. It made nothing of him.
Neil, where you're thinking of verse 9, The Power of Christ.
Wasn't the second verse she referred to was it?
Whole chapter.
My thought my question was particularly this and in this chapter.
We particularly see in the name of Christ the life divine display below.
And as the anointed man and we see this both and being caught up into heaven and.
And the whole character.
Conducting this chapter.
The spirit in which he displayed.
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Isn't it to see one who?
As he says here in our fifth verse, of such an one will I glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in my infirmities.
He went through and very many things for the name of Christ and as a man.
He was. He was a man like we are, but he was a man in Christ.
And as he looked, as he felt his need, as he felt his position in Christ he could go through that was just referring back to the 4th chapter.
Where it says.
Verse 7.
We have this treasure in earthen vessels.
And Paul had a treasure in that earthen vessel. And we do too, brethren. He says that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
If I'm looking at self, if I'm feeling my needs there in myself, I cannot go through this. But if I see that I'm a man in Christ, or belong to Christ, or that Christ is working in me and with me and for me, then we can see, as he says here, we are troubled on every side in verse 8, yet not distressed.
The demand outside of Christ can be distressed and we too can be distressed. But he says we are perplexed.
But not in despair. How beautiful that is to see that if we know the Lord Jesus not only his Savior, but as the one who is.
The guide in our lives. And he's not only so, but we're going on, in some measure at least, enjoying the person of Christ in our hearts.
Not just knowing him as savior. You know some they trust the Lord as their savior and they look at him afar off.
But he wants us to come near, He wants us to know him in a personal way, and Paul didn't know him in that way. And then he says we're we're persecuted but not forsaken. That's in in 2nd Corinthians 4 and verse 9, always bearing about in the body the dying. I understand this to be of Jesus, that lowly one down here. And in Paul's body he felt this keenly, and so he says that.
The life also of Jesus.
Might be manifest in our body. It was manifested in the apostle, wasn't it, Because he was going through these difficulties and trials. And I I thought of it here in connection with verse 5, where he says, but in my infirmities he could rejoice a man in Christ. Anything that exalted Paul, he he avoided.
He tried to avoid and when he finally does tell of that which would exalt Paul.
Is being caught up to the 3rd heaven, he says in the 11Th verse. Having told it, he says I am become a fool in glory.
This is not what he wanted to do. It was painful to him to promote himself in any way. I'm reminded of the story. I think it's a true story. When David Livingstone, who had spent years in the service of the Lord in Africa, was in England, they said someone asked him and said, what was the greatest experience that you ever had.
In Africa. And they were waiting for him to declare some mighty deliverance, or whatever it was.
And his answer was my greatest experience was he restoreth my soul.
And that made nothing of David Livingstone and everything of the grace of God. And that's the mark.
Of a true servant. He doesn't promote himself, He doesn't exalt himself. He doesn't tell the great things that he has done and the many souls that have been saved under his ministry and all that. He leaves that with the Lord. And if he does talk about himself, he talks to the things that concern his infirmities.
Going to 7th verse.
We have to correct.
Our translation?
It should not read lest I should be exalted above measure twice. You have that it simply says and should read lest I should be exalted.
No, exaltation is the point. And for that reason an Angel of Satan buffeted him. You know that he would be kept humble. And this is a hard lesson to learn, you know, It is really a hard lesson to learn and how foolish.
00:20:14
That we might even glory in debt, which the Lord has given us to serve Him and his people.
And you know, many times the Saints ruined the servants by making too much of the servant. And we better keep in mind all glory should go to the giver. You know, we should make everything of the giver and nothing of the gift. We're thankful for what the Lord has done in the life of any of his people.
But infirmities are necessary in order that the Lord Jesus gets all the glory. You know, Chuck was talking about the the apostle. Paul avoided anything that would draw attention to him. And when he came to the Corinthians, he did not come with persuade his powerful language. He could have done that. I remember brother Chuck said years ago. He said that he could have given them.
An address on the immortality of the soul that made the head swim. But he didn't do that, you know. He knew nothing among them save Jesus Christ. And him glorified Him. Crucified and crucified. I'm sorry. Crucified, yes. And he could have brought other things before them. But the Spirit of God guided him to bring just that message because of their state, you know, and.
So, beloved brethren, let's keep that in mind. Not just for those whom the Lord raises up to minister to his own, for all of us to remember, Don't ruin the Saints of God, the brethren that the Lord raises up if all glory to the Lord Jesus. Well, the point, the point you just made, is very important. To stress it, he says, lest I should be exalted, not above measure, but in any measure at all.
A thorn was given me, he wouldn't tolerate or even consider any measure of exultation for the flesh.
That no flesh should be exalted before him. In other words, the affliction that the Apostle Paul had.
Was not given as a rod.
Nor even for the betterment of the land. But it was in Mercy Job 37 and verse 13. And that's an aspect of God's dealings with us. That's important to see that it isn't always because he we're lifted up.
But this was preventative, wasn't it? I think it was Gordon's father that used to use the three words punitive, purgative and preventative. Was it in connection with those 3 aspects? And this in this case it's an aspect of God's dealings that are prevented and that is God does some things not because we did something, but so that it might not happen. What a mercy that is. And it's nice to look at things in our lives sometimes in that way.
Not to grumble about them, but to see that God did it with a purpose. To prevent that which would dishonor him, to prevent that which would take away glory from the Lord Jesus Christ in this case. And so Paul could look at whatever that sword in the flesh was, and I do pretty much feel, as our brother Heinz does, about what it is.
But it's particularly, I think clouded and left for us to think about a little bit because.
Your thorn may not be my thorn, and God sends it. And if we look at everything that comes into our lives, that he has one of three purposes in it.
Either punitive, perspective or preventative, which we have been Job 37 and verse 13. Whether he caused it to come as a rot or for his land or for mercy, and that's those 3 aspects involved. I believe here takes it directly from the Lord in the sense of being something that God had sent.
Just to avoid in him what could have happened to the dishonor of the Lord.
And I'm sure to impose this honor. I think it's partly the answer to what our brother was asking about a man in Christ. There was a partial revelation of God in the Old Testament. He wasn't fully made known and revealed, and so there were great prophets whom God used. But when God is fully revealed, as he is in the person of his beloved Son, and as he's revealed in Christianity, which puts the believer in the very highest possible place.
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Far better than anything that was known, the Old Testament you had said to Abraham about being seated in the heavenlies in Christ.
He wouldn't have known anything of that. But the higher the truth that God has given to us, which brings us into this wonderful place of favor and blessing in Christ, the more it puts us down, the more it makes us realize that we are nothing, Man. If there's something great, why they make a great thing out of the person who brings the message and who discovers it. But Paul, to whom those things were revealed, God as it were, puts him down because he's not exalting Paul. Paul's ministry is exalting Christ.
And showing the wonderful exaltation of Christ, and that we are brought into association with him. And so the more truth we know. If I could mention again that passage in First Corinthians Chapter 7, I believe it is He says, if a man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it in divine things. If learning the truth exalts us, we haven't learned the truth as we should. The Christendom makes a great deal out of men in high positions in the Christian world.
I think our brother Brown used to say prison to me has become a vast arena where men strive for honors for themselves.
But we see in this chapter that the one who was given the very highest truth is brought down. And you think of him coming to Corinth, and he says that my affliction which was in my flesh, he despised not, and I guess that's in Galatians, but receive me as an Angel of God and family. He's writing to the Corinthians, He said how that they had commented that his bodily presence was weak and his speech contemptible. Who is this person?
The person who is in the 3rd heaven, the person who received the most marvelous revelations of the whole period of time, those blessed things. And God makes nothing of the instrument fly, because the truth of God exalts the Lord Jesus Christ and not the first man at all. And so perhaps that's why it says in Christ, because it's in contrast with anything that was known and enjoyed until all this blessed truth is brought out.
In the truth of Christianity and of the church, it's very lovely to notice that the glory just filled the heart of the apostle. I was just noticing here five times. It's used in our chapter. It's in the first verse.
Have doubtless to glory, and then in the fifth verse of such an one will I glory, yet for myself I will not glory, And in the ninth verse.
I well, I rather glory, and in the 11Th verse I am become a fool in glorying. But it just seems that no matter what Satan would do to humiliate this man, no matter what the Corinthian brethren would do to him, the more he loved, the less he be loved. He never lost sight of the glory.
And may it be true of us, in spite of all the difficulties and the failures, let's never lose sight of the glory and the glories of Christ.
This thorn that Paul had really it correctly rendered, it's a thorn for the flesh. Not in the flesh. It was for the flesh. It's the flesh in us that gets puffed up and proud and needs to be kept down.
So the thorn was to keep the flesh down. He no doubt when he prayed three times. Lord, this affliction I have is hindering my effectiveness in thy service. Take it away. No. And then he pleaded again take it away. I can deem so much more effective without this. Give me relief. No, you need it. And the third time No. I I heard a brother say once he should have prayed the 4th time.
And I said no. When the Lord says no three times you don't pray, a fourth time you accept it in the mouth of two or three witnesses. And he said three times no. And then Paul says most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities. He had learned to accept it and to go on with his affliction.
00:30:15
And in the presence of God, it wasn't needed, was it?
It was when he came back down. When he came back into this world is when he needed the thorn in the flesh.
We get into the if we get into the truly into the presence of God, there's no room for pride there, no need. But there there is as we go on in the in the course of through this world, and we are children of God or those who belong to Christ. There's a need of being humble, being brought down, and to realize that we could be puffed up as a dear brother Gordon's father used to say or no brother Gill was used to say. There's pride of race.
And there's pride of place, but there's also pride of grace.
So we need to be careful. And so the Apostle here it wasn't while he was up in heaven, up in glory, but it was when he came back down that he needed that thorn to in the flesh. Moses didn't need the veil on his face up in the mountain, did he was after he came down.
And I was just noticing that in the Darby translation for the Bury that word glory is always boast.
In case anybody wonders what glory means there, because sometimes we refer to being in heaven as glory, don't we? That's the glory. But this, in this case, is boasting. You wouldn't boast. And we all know what boasting is. We've done plenty of it in our lives. But boasting is what the apostle was had the thorn for, to keep from bragging about what he had done where he had been. The world thinks of glory as going up, but for the Christian the glory is to go down.
Think that.
Experience of being awkward and in 14 years before he.
Would we would we be like that if we had such a reason?
It's a nonstop push. And 50 He didn't do that. He gave him that sword in the flesh, and it keeps him humble. It's the natural reaction of Jesus.
Everybody right away in 1914 years was by you never worked up in his mouth and said anything about it.
May I repeat that for the benefit of those in the back that might not have heard it, our brother was saying it took 14 years before the Apostle Paul made known that experience. It's a remarkable thing in itself.
I believe there's a real lesson in that.
You know, as Brother Herb has been saying that if it were, if it if it were some of us, we would just be exalting in this, we'd be telling why just last night or yesterday I was up in glory and look at now, but the apostle didn't do that was 14 years. I have marveled at that truth, that we see a marvelous lesson there. There's a time to speak and a time to be quiet and a time to be silent, isn't there? And when the time came.
For the Apostle to speak, he spoke because it was necessary to bring this out, as our brother Chuck has already said earlier, in connection with these false apostles and deceitful workers that were turning the apostles ministry aside and denying it. And here they were not. They were not going on in any persecution at all. They were just exalting in themselves and seeking to turn aside the apostles ministry. And so the time came.
When it was necessary for him to make this declaration.
Is there any indication?
That the apostle received the revelation from Christ, as we see in Ephesians 3 and three at this time.
I believe he did. That was what I was thinking, that the truth that he gave out, he could say I have received of the Lord. That which I also declared unto you saw there were the revelations that he spoke of. But how he received them he didn't tell, because that might exalt him telling of what he had received of the Lord, shall I say, reveal the heart of God is revealed in Christ. So I believe that you're right. I believe it was when he was caught up, but he didn't tell the occasion that might have exalted him.
00:35:06
But he was very definite on where on whom he had received it from, It was from the Lord. And there are those things that he speaks of as my gospel, those things that were specially given to Him.
Just remark 2IN connection with the thorn for the flesh, that there are those who teach, and strongly teach, that healing is in the atonement, and that we have a right to it, and we ought to demand it, and we ought to.
Just not accept poor health or problems in our.
Bodies but.
What a loss that Paul had never learned and never heard from the Lord. My grace is sufficient for thee. And how many Christians over the past centuries have enjoyed that thought when their body is perhaps wracked with pain or whatever they're asked to pass through and?
Sometimes they're well meaning. People say, well, you ought to have more faith and you want to get rid of this.
You ought to count on God for it. First of all, it takes away the whole thought of Philippians 3 that we look for the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, who shall change our bodies of humiliation, give them a fashion like his own body of glory. But in the meanwhile we lose the benefit of that wonderful statement by grace is sufficient for thee. And that's one of the most comforting scriptures and most.
Encouraging scriptures.
So we need to understand that when God sends something, we can there's nothing wrong with beseeching the Lord that it might be part. But when the Lord says no, and clearly indicates that that is what He has said, then that wonderful word comes in by grace is sufficient for thee, and it enables us to go through the circumstance or accept whatever it is that the Lord sends.
Understanding that the full value of the.
Work that the Lord did at the cross of Calvary with respect to my body will not be realized until He comes as Savior. Not to save me from my sins now, but to save my body and bring it into conformity with His own body of glory. So I just believe that so much of that has has infected the Church that it's caused a lot of discouragement. I read an accounting.
Johnny Erickson tells about how people well meaning people, came to her. In case some don't know about her, she's a young lady who dived into the water in Baltimore, MD, and became a quadriplegic as a result of a broken neck in the water. And some came to her and told her that she should claim healing and it was quite a struggle for discouraged her. But there came a time when thy grace is My grace is sufficient for thee.
Became a moment of triumph in her life and changed your whole, the whole course of her thoughts.
With regard to God in his ways, well, I'm sure that one experience has been replicated in many, many lives around and through the ages. But I just mentioned that because this idea of redemption, including.
The the present correction of bodily problems and that all we have to do is have faith, for it is a denial of the whole purpose of God in allowing these things to come into our lives.
Has a blessed purpose and once we understand that, he may be pleased to change that circumstance.
But how much Paul would have lost if the Lord had done it Paul's way instead of his own way? Could we look at a verse in Psalm 41 or just two verses there That have been a great comfort to me and perhaps may tell us a little bit about this. You say Paul's God allowed this trial and just notice those verses?
Verse Psalm 41 verse 2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive.
And he shall be blessed upon the earth. Of course we know this in the Psalms, the blessing, the the godly people, the remnant. We are looking for blessing on the earth. And thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. But notice verse 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing.
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Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.
That's a beautiful verse. Who does it? God does it. He allowed this trial with Paul that he might be seek to have Paul turn to the Lord. And I I think it's so beautiful to think that he he he makes our bed no matter what our difficulties are. He makes our bed and it says that will make all his bed in his sickness. Interesting verse. First Corinthians 10/13.
Has a couple of words in it that indicate that we.
May have to put up with some stuff, some suffering or trial, it says in First Corinthians 10/13.
There hath no temptation taken you, but such is common to man.
But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able.
But will with the temptation.
With the temptation, make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it with the temptation and bear it indicates that he doesn't take it away, but He gives us the grace to endure it and for His glory. And how many times someone going through trial has been a testimony to those around them as to how they bear that trial.
It's it's a testimony because.
Unbelievers often become very bitter. They're cursing God and blaming something or someone.
And but to bear it, to have the grace of God with it, and to be able to bear it, and to bear it to God's glory, is the wonderful testimony.
The end of that ninth verse speaks of that the power of Christ.
May rest upon me.
I don't recall any other part of scripture where that expression is used.
The power of Christ. It's so beautiful in my own.
Hard to enjoy this thought that all these verses are showing us.
The deep humility and humiliation that the apostle was growing through. And he wasn't experiencing the power of Christ. It was it was in weakness that he was going on in this way of being humiliated. But what a beautiful contrast by the fact that he does publicly say that the power, the power of Christ may rest upon me. He was conscious.
Of not the weakness of Christ, but the power of Christ.
Felt nice to look on to the time when it says in Romans chapter 8 that we shall be glorified together and in Second Corinthians he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe. Now the danger is, since we have the old nature within, that is the flesh that will be exalted. But God has a purpose that he is going to have a people that he is going to bring into blessing It isn't that a marvelous expression?
Glorified together. And it says there in Thessalonians he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe. Isn't it lovely, brethren, to look forward to the time when the old nature will be gone, these bodies of humiliation will be gone, and we'll be glorified together? And that we're going to be like Christ and he's going to come and present us to this world. I believe that's the thought. You just turned to it in Second Thessalonians chapter One.
At verse 10, when he shall come to be glorified in His Saints and admired in all them that believe because our testimony among you was believed in that day, Just think of when the Lord comes out of heaven with all his Saints. For He's going to come with all His Saints. There won't be one in that vast company that will be anything. But what is for His glory. He'll present us to the world a little Him puts it.
To wandering worlds display that we with thee are one, and so it's going to present us to this world and say these are the people you despised and laughed at. I want you to see my purpose accomplished in them, every believer fully, like Christ, the old man forever gone, and everyone in such a way that looking upon his own will be glorified together. It's a tremendous thought. But here every one of us have to acknowledge that we have the old man within us.
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And that we can't stand that exaltation that we might get today because of the flesh in us that would be lifted up and proud. So he allows those things in order that we would be occupied with Christ and seek to glorify him in our bodies and in our spirit, which are gods.
There's AI want to ask a question on verse 7 before we leave it.
He says there was given to me a thorn in or for the flesh, lest I should be exalted above measure.
But there's a phrase in there that says the messenger of Satan to buffet me. What are we to learn from that?
He's using Satan's messenger to Buffett, Paul. God is to keep him low. I would understand from that that.
Satan is instrumental here to to afflict Paul, but it's it's it's overruled and ordered of God himself, using even the enemy of our souls to to keep us lowly. Is that the right thought?
Well, it's very easy to get discouraged. If there's something that made a person, as with Paul, despicable, perhaps in the eyes of people or in the ears of people who listen to him and the enemy would take advantage of that, I think, and say, well, Paul, it's no use. People are just despising you and for him to go on and to go on and just.
Well, it's pretty easy to get discouraged if there's something that made a person, as with Paul, despicable, perhaps in the eyes of people or in the ears of people who listen to him. And the enemy would take advantage of that, I think, and say, well, Paul, it's no use. People are just despising you. And for him to go on and to go on and just counting upon God in loneliness, recognizing that we're nothing, we certainly need that special supply of the spirit of Christ.
And I think that Paul utterly presence was weak and his speech contemptible. It would have been very easy for Paul to say, well, I give up there, no, he's trying to help those Corinthians. They're just laughing at me. And the enemy would have got an advantage and then he kept on. And I think it's beautiful what he says in the end of the epistle. I am willing to love you, though The more abundantly I love you, the less I. Beloved, he says what you can say, what you like about me, but if Christ is made more precious to you by my ministry.
Then that doesn't matter about me. I think that was Satan might, and I think all of us might have experienced how.
Something happens and we're very likely to get discouraged and then say we give up. That's what the enemy wants. That's what the enemy would like, is for us to give up because of the difficulties of the way. Isn't Job an example? Isn't joke in his experience, an example he was thinking was given permission to deal with Job, and there are some wonderful statements made by that man while he is.
Afflicted, the Lord has given the Lord, has taken the name of the Lord, be blessed, and so on. And in the long run that was all for Job, blessing and benefit. So we do see in Job's life that Satan at times is permitted to be used by God, but God allows it in order that spiritual blessings will resolve. It was so also in Peter's case, wasn't it? Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as weak.
And also David, when he numbered the people, you compare Chronicles and Samuel, you find a one place at Satan that that tempted him, another place that God caused him to do it.
And wouldn't it appear to that the word Buffett?
Didn't say to destroy, but Buffett.
As the wind buffets, it's not it doesn't sink a ship, but it makes it.
It's a gentle to me. It's. It's not gentle. Pardon. It's not gentle. It means to strike with the fist. They buffet. You look it up in the Darby. He's got references. They buffeted the Lord. They mowed him with their fists. That's what the word means, is not gentle. I'm off on that. Doesn't LA? You call attention to that in the case of Job and.
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33 Job 33 in verse 30.
29 called. The mine have just been typing a paper that someone wrote on that subject of Eliquis and putting it into the computer, and it's fresh in my mind. But over and over again in the author of that paper calls attention to the fact that God worketh all things according to the council of his own Will. And so Eliquis says that in verse 29 of Job 23, he says.
Blow all these things.
God, God worketh to bring back his soul from the pit, so that.
While Satan was very active as a player in all of that.
He had no idea, I believe, that he was accomplishing a grand purpose of God in dealing with the soul of of.
Of job until.
It became very evident through the ministry of Elihu and I believe he's a beautiful type of the Lord Jesus in that.
There's the one who stands in the midst and speaks there. And I just point that out that he says, lo, all these things work as God. It's God that was working, All those things that he had spoken about about his his his soul drawing near to the pit and his life of pouring bread. He had just been through a litany of that. And then he says.
Blow all these things work at God.
With what purpose he had a purpose.
And so if we see that in the hand of God dealing with us what a blessing it is to our soul, he never causes anything. And even the attack of Satan, and I might point out that it says it was sent, the Messenger was sent, it was given to me, it was given to him with what purpose the purpose was in order for the glory of God. And so if we see everything in that light, what a blessing it is to our souls.
So what if we say that God gave us a view behind the scenes and let us see Satan speaking to the Lord and the Lord allowing so much to come upon Job? But it's nice to see that Job never said the Lord gave and Satan took away, he said the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. And I think that's very beautiful to see that even though God lets us see behind the scenes that God was allowing Satan to.
That were above at the beloved job.
He was using it for his blessing, but Job saw beyond Satan, didn't he?
And he saw that it was the hand of God, and in spite of many things that he said and did.
He at least could say that the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.
But in the end he was able to see it in a much fuller way when the Lord had brought him down.
And he said, I repent and abhor myself in dust and ashes.
Then there's no more mention about Satan. He had learned what God was seeking to teach him, and the end was doubly blessed, wasn't it?
Like to ask a question in connection with the end of this chapter in that last verse, the Apostle Paul says. Unless when I come again.
My God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already and have not repented. I just mentioned that our time is swiftly passing. But in the 11Th chapter you referred to the Revelation, brother of Hayhoe, that the Lord gave to him, and in that revelation he brings out in the 25th verse, let a man examine himself. But then we get down to verse 30.
For this cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Or if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. Is that the point of what the apostle is summing up here from the first epistle in connection with what he's bringing up in verse 21?
It would seem that he says less when I come, and I like to think of when the when the Lord comes. That would finish the ministry of the Apostle Paul to the assembly, would it not? And aren't we in that place right now? And how important is it that we would consider these, these closing remarks for this cause, for this cause? Is there a cause?
00:55:19
Where the Apostle, when he comes, when the Lord comes, that there would be regret, and if he considering that in this this expression and that I should be, well, many a brother who let these souls to cry, was poor.
Have we not sometimes felt humbled by the way those have gone that we have been a help to spiritually our own children that have not gone on? You see, Paul looks at that when he comes there and has to deal with these things, that it is a cause for humiliation and humbling for himself, but rather that these matters be taken care of, that he wouldn't have to deal with them and.
And humbling experience, those whom he has led to the Lord. And they're going on in a way that they require discipline, you know, do we often see the need of discipline in the assembly in that way? Especially when we think of souls that we have led on in a measure the Lord used us and then they're going off. Is that a humbling thing?
Some have perhaps read the little track epic stub. They often wish it were still in print. I don't think it is. But he picked up tells of a man who labored in India very much used of God, and believe he was a German brother. But he was used among the English officers in India for the Lord's glory. And many were saved there. And he went back there and found that many things had come in among the believers. And it was a great grief to him and I just.
Remember our beloved brother Bag, often referring to that little tract and and.
Telling us what a pain and grief it was, the Hebich could go back and find the very ones among whom he had labored with all of these things. And I noticed at the end of verse 20 it says, lest there be things that he would not wish to find there. Now what is it that the apostle did not wish to find among them?
And this sort of search our hearts, Beloved brethren, What is the list?
Stripes. Jealousy. Anger.
Contention, Evil speaking, whisperings, puffings, up, disturbances, All those things he would did not want to find among them.
Is there that among us?
Is that what we've come to? May we be exercised? I'm not saying it is just saying it ought to search our heart, and we ought not to. These are things we ought to guard against. And it starts out with strike. Strike is the destruction.
Of the people of God. We're not made for strife. That isn't what God saved us for. Was for strike. He hasn't called us for that. Do you looking at the new translation? Yes, because it's different here. What does it say? Well, it says debates first and yeah, strikes comes later. Yeah, this debate strikes. Let me open it up. I'll get the authorized here and we'll get going.
Sorry.
A little hard to keep two open sometimes.
Verse 27 debates envyings, wrath, strikes, backbiting, whispering, swelling, and tumult.
You know, as I read that list, beloved brethren, I don't care whether you read it out of what translation you read it out of it.
They says about the same thing to us, doesn't it? And it bowels our hearts to think that such things could come in among those who love the Lord, those who have a heavenly calling, those who have enjoyed the revelations that the apostle Paul brought out.
And was used of God to give us those things that he received in the very presence of the Lord. And we profess that we enjoy that truth. We many of us, are able to minister it and to talk about it.
Considered a meeting like this and yet when it comes down to it.
Isn't it true that sometimes there are debates?
01:00:03
Or Stripes envying their jealousy.
Somebody has something?
They don't want anybody else to have it. That's what jealousy is Envying is the other side of it. My father used to say that we confused those two words more than any two that he knew of in the English language because one of them, which God is said to be, is jealous. That is, he does not share that which is his with anyone.
I'm jealous, God, he says. He never said he was an envious God bidding. He had everything.
And yet we find both things in the same and backbiting, strike wrath, whispering, whispering.
Does that search your heart? Does mine?
You ever get up on the side and say, do you know what I heard about South and so whisper about it, I I believe that's a very, very dangerous thing that we engage in, swelling, being lifted up.
Two months.
Raucous situation.
One of the things that I've meant that I ran across in the 5th of Galatians emulations, that relates to what you just told us. And I was considering it because it was a situation that I I tried to figure it out and I couldn't figure it out. And I I ran across that it's to incite rivalry, to incite rivalry, to promote rivalry among the people of God. And what a solemn thing it is because the world wants to go along with the game.
Whether it's football, baseball or basketball, it's always the inciting of rivalry and it's all around us and we're lively. Get caught up with the spirit of it, but that's the works of the flesh, isn't it, to incite rivalry. And I think you'll make the point well in bringing these things in.
Recently a brother called me because he had hurt. He had an exercise to visit there and he made some comments and I told him that.
If that's the kind of a thing that he wanted to bring up when I visited in his house, I had no interest to come to his house.
Then another comment. He said, well, we have a difference on this that gives us a reason to discuss it. Well, he knew before I would ever make any comment what I thought about it. So what's the use of going with this kind of a purpose to visit amongst the things of God? That's not what the servant of the Lord should do. He should not strive, and there's no blessing in this.
And we ought to be careful about that kind of a spirit.
The first and second Timothy 1-2 and verse 24 that it's been a help to me, it says in The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all.
Apartment to teach patients and meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. If God's peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. Well, it's we got instructions that are so gracious from the heart of our God.
That we don't need to get into the contest for these things that men.
Bring up, may the Lord help us to be in that spirit of a channel. And where? Where am I going to get the example, brother? There's only one example. I think of the 37th Psalm. The psalmist could say, Mark the privilege, man. Behold the upright. Consider his hand the end of that man of peace. And where did he go to bring in a body once a bit fraud? And that's where he made our peace for us, didn't he?
As Paul gave the perfect sighted the perfect example in the Second Corinthians, the 2nd Corinthians chapter 10, the very first verse of that chapter, he says. Now I, Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence and based among you, but being absent and built toward you, then drop down in the In the fifth verse he speaks about casting down reasonings. I think we've all referred to that and.
Every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought.
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To the obedience of Christ, The meekness of Christ, the gentleness of Christ, the obedience. What an example Is there? Anything? There's no example higher than that.
331.
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Oh my God.
Understanding of the Times
Address—Heinz Brinkman
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.
I have a desire to look.
At the Epistle of Two Timothy.
Not so much.
To go verse by verse to a certain chapter.
But to especially concentrate on that which is of such encouragement in the epistle.
We know that this epistle is one of the epistles in God's Word that shows a very dark picture.
Jude is another one.
And we acknowledge, do we not, that we live in such days as we have portrayed in this epistle?
And it is very important that we come to realize where we are in the church's history.
And that we realize that although there's a path.
Of separation in the midst of the ruin in Christendom.
That we are identified with the ruin of prison dump.
I would even go further that we are identified with the ruin of that which the Lord raised up 150 years ago.
We cannot divorce ourselves.
Entirely.
From that ruin that the enemy has brought in, and it behooves us to manifest the Spirit, such as we see in some of the Saints in the Old Testament.
I and my father have sinned to really identify ourselves with the ruin.
But then when we do, recognize the ruin and then see what God gives to his people in the midst of such ruin.
That there is still debt which we can enjoy, and there is even a collective path in the midst of that ruin.
It's marvelous. We come to see that it is not because of anything.
That man, King Glory, and if there's anything left at all.
It's the faithfulness of God.
But it's important to recognize the ruin.
You know there are a lot of people when you speak of the ruining Christendom, they say what are you talking about?
Look how many churches there are.
You know, they're almost as many churches in towns as their Taverns, you know? But then in itself shows the ruin. Why?
Are they in fellowship with each other?
What kind of order do they have in their churches for worship?
And ministry.
They introduced orders totally different from what we find in the Word of God.
And the rallying point?
Is not Christ.
And many times it isn't even the truth of God.
It is for the glory of God.
The Lord Jesus said that they may be one. That's his thought. That's God's thought.
And it's wonderful to recognize that there is a way in which this unity of all believers is maintained.
And that is that which the Lord Jesus is forming the gates of hell.
Or Hades shall not prevail against it, but as far as man is concerned, in man's building.
A lot of confusion. What a dishonor to the person of the Lord Jesus. Just think of this.
That the Lord Jesus, the Lord of glory, the eternal Son of God, who has become a man, He is to be the head of the church, to have such a glorious head. And then they appoint a puny mortal as the head of a church, and that man has the audacity to refer to the people as my people, my church. Isn't that a great dishonor to the person?
Of the Lord Jesus, who is our glorious head? Who would want to have a mortal, failing human being?
00:05:06
To be ahead when we can have such a glorious head.
But we are identified with the ruin. We have even contributed to that ruin.
In our own way, that's why.
We find these words. I and my Father's house have sinned.
You know, is there not sometimes in our hearts?
A spirit of satisfaction or we are perfectly content.
To go on with just such a few of God's people, and we don't even miss our brethren in Christ that are out there in the systems of men.
We only really don't feel by this.
The grief that the Lord Jesus must fail. We don't see things with God.
Eyes.
But what we find in this epistle is that we do not need the fellowship, the practical fellowship, of all who belong to the Lord Jesus, in order to go on for him and for his glory.
Let me read.
Some of the things that I believe are of encouragement to us in such conditions.
And that they remain and remain for us to be enjoyed.
Chapter One.
Verse one.
According to the promise of life, which is in Christ Jesus, it remains, isn't it? Isn't it still something that we can enjoy?
You know, and this is especially what we see in Second Timothy, the things that are to be enjoyed are the things that are especially for the individual believer.
There is a collective path, but that collective path also begins with the individual believer.
The individual separates himself from vessels to dishonor and pursues righteousness, faith, peace.
Love, peace with them that call upon the name of the Lord out of the pure heart. It begins with the individual, but how wonderful the promise of life.
We have it and it remains with us.
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father.
And Christ Jesus.
Our Lord, that remains to be enjoyed by everyone of us.
But then also in verse 5.
We read.
Unfeigned faith.
That is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois.
And I, Mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also you and I can like Timothy.
Have unfeigned faith.
Nothing put on. It's a real thing that can be demonstrated.
By us in our lives today, and the Lord is sufficient to help us to do that.
Verse seven. God has not given us the spirit of fear.
But of power, and of love, and of a sound.
Mind.
Don't be intimidated.
So in any way feel that because we are so few in number.
And that people ridicule.
Our simplicity of meeting only in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And our gift might be so little compared to what we see demonstrated in others who are not willing to walk according to.
God's Word.
Timothy was obviously a person that was timid and the apostle Paul says to him, God has not given us the spirit of fear.
00:10:03
But of power, don't be afraid to speak forth the truth, no matter what opposition you will face.
When you do.
Don't be timid. Don't be afraid. The spirit of power.
Has been given to us.
We can't perform miracles like the early church or those in the early church.
But that which the Lord has given us is sufficient to go on faithfully. Remember, in law in Philadelphia, it says that thou has the little strength. Now that's a wonderful thing. There is sufficient strength to go on for God and for the glory of the Lord Jesus in the midst of all the ruin.
But then he also says, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony.
Of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, beloved, there's still a testimony. Isn't it a wonderful thing? There is still a testimony in the day of ruin. There isn't anything like what we find in the beginning of the book of Acts.
There is a testimony in spite of our failure, God has preserved the testimony to the name of the Lord Jesus. It isn't anything to boast about.
You know, remember when that remnant returned and when they built that temple?
Those who had seen the temple, Solomon's temple, they wept.
But those who had not, they rejoiced, you know, and.
It's a wonderful thing. There is a testimony. Don't be ashamed of it.
Many times we have to be ashamed of our poor way of carrying on a testimony.
But we should not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord.
Nor of Paul his prisoner.
You know, the Apostle Paul was imprisoned and some might well have said, well.
That's God's government upon the apostle Paul and but the apostle Paul.
Was a minister of God. He was faithful.
And Timothy?
Who had grown up spiritually under the apostle Paul. He was a child.
In the faith of the Apostle Paul, Paul says don't be ashamed of Maine.
Because the testimony that God has, and especially the testimony that remains in our day, is very closely connected with the truth that the apostle Paul was used to give to the church.
You know, we find later on in this chapter that many had turned away from Paul.
He was imprisoned.
Those in Asia, and that's what you really find in Christendom, they have turned away from the teaching of the Apostle Paul, who is the minister of the church, and they don't regard his teaching as to the order for the church.
You know, where do you learn how to exercise gifts in the assembly? How do you learn to distinguish between gifts and offices? You'll learn that from the writings of the apostle Paul.
You know Bruce Anstey has put out this book about God's order.
And I mentioned that once before. I believe in Walla Walla that somebody.
Who read that book?
He agreed.
That that was the teaching of the Scriptures that he had spelled out in that book.
But he said there is no basis for the clergy system.
In the word of God.
And all that he has spelled out in that book, but he said I'm going to continue with the systems because God is using them. You know, God in his sovereign grace is using some who are gifted by him to give ministry to his people and in a wrong position. But there are servants of God beyond those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
You know, and God uses them.
But don't be guided by blessing.
Neither be guided by the lack of blessing. What do I mean by that?
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Look at Esther and Mordechai in the book of Esther.
They belong to the people of God. They were faithful Israelites, but they had not returned to the place where the Lord had said His name. But you. God uses them in a powerful way for the deliverance of God's people, and it had even a effect upon the remnant that had returned. They would have been destroyed as well as those who remained in Babylon.
What about the lack of blessing? What about the book of Ruth?
Were they not in the place?
Where their inheritance was their God-given inheritance, now comes a famine.
They go to the land of Moab.
They were the losers, were they not?
God in grace brings Naomi and Ruth back.
But you know, there might be a time when those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Might experience a famine in local assemblies, and it's always because of the unfaithfulness of man.
When that comes in.
But it's not God's way to go to Moab.
Remain quiet to God.
Look to him, maybe he will use you. If you walk in humility and meekness before God, that you become a source of blessing. You know, there was a situation in Germany, I'm told.
Where somebody was trying to get a Christian to come with him to the meeting.
And he never could get him to come. One Sunday, he said, I'll go with you to the meeting. So on the way to the meeting, this man was thinking.
Let's see, I hope brother soon so is there, or if he isn't there, that brother so and so is there and who is going to minister the word? And you know what? They came to the meeting and nobody was there.
Nobody was there. There was number brother capable to get up and minister the Word. And you know what? Nobody attempted to do it either. They sang to him, they prayed, they read a portion of the word of God and they waited. They sang to him and they prayed. And his daughter was so embarrassed, so embarrassed.
And he didn't hardly dare to look at this visitor and.
Finally this man opened up and he said.
For the first time I have seen that brethren who are not able to, do not attempt to.
You know that man was gathered, I think it was long before 1910 and became a source of blessing.
For the Saints of God in Atlanta.
He saw that these men were subject to the leading of the Spirit, and if there was nobody there that could, for the benefit of the Saints, open the Scriptures, they would not attempt it.
They didn't think higher of themselves than they ought to think.
But there was blessing in reading the scriptures and singing a hymn or couple of hymns and prayers.
Well.
Be not ashamed of the testimony.
And then listen to verse nine. Who has saved us and called us with an holy calling? Isn't that tremendous and a day of ruin to be reminded that the calling is holy? You know, when there is general ruin and decay, the tendency is that we're lowering the standards.
You know, we're lowering the standards, but we are reminded in the day of ruin that Our Calling is a holy calling.
Calling on high and Philippians.
You know a heavenly calling in Hebrews, but here a holy calling.
The Spirit of God uses these terms to remind us and to encourage us that holiness is to characterize those that follow the Lord Jesus. You know, that's what it used to be said, used to be said that those gathered to the name of the Lord, holiness is their practice.
We don't hear that often enough.
I'm afraid we have.
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Slept.
In that regard, beginning right here.
We allow ourselves things that our early brethren are brethren 50 years ago.
Didn't think of allowing themselves.
We have gone down spiritually. We need to be reminded that Our Calling is a holy calling.
And that is not by works.
But according to his own purpose of grace.
No, we are not called because of anything in US.
But once we are called and are brought to him, holiness is to characterize us. Works follow salvation.
And but works had nothing to do with our being brought.
Into blessing.
According to his own purpose of grace. Now listen which was given us.
In Christ Jesus before the world began. Isn't that a tremendous scripture?
You know that was given to us then what God has for us in the Lord Jesus.
Before the world began, we were the object of God's love and grace.
And He made sure in the eternity past that you and I would be brought into the blessings, and His purposes concerning us, connected with His Son the Lord Jesus Christ would be realized before the world began.
But is now manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death.
Aren't the Saints dying all the time?
You know.
Wally Arlington went home to be with the Lord, and there are others that are, you might say, at the.
Doorstep of death. But what does he mean here? Abolish death?
You know Death is a servant.
For us, and although we die, the Lord Jesus said yet.
Shall we live?
You know we have eternal life.
And.
He has brought life.
And incorruptibility, it should read to light through the gospel. The Old Testament Saints didn't know what they had. They had no doubt life, but they didn't know what they had. And eternal life is the conscious enjoyment of the life that we have in the Lord Jesus. And the gospel has brought this to light.
And incorruptibility. You know we shall not all die.
We shall all be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.
That which is mortal will have to put on immortality and that which is corruptible head to put on incorruption. It's brought to light to the gospel. You still can enjoy that today. I can still that enjoy enjoy that today, no matter what the condition in the church is.
Verse 13.
Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of Maine in faith.
And love which is in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in US.
See, Timothy is told here then that.
He should hold, maintain or keep.
This form of sound words or have an outline of truth.
You know, dear brethren, that's what we can still have and it's a challenge for everyone in this room, but I like to especially throw it out to the young brothers.
You know you have to make the truth of God your own.
You have to have an outline of truth.
You have to buy the truth, and that might cost you something. Salvation doesn't cost you a penny.
00:25:06
But to buy the truth it does. That might even cost you your reputation.
But by the truth, you know this is something that I can't do for you and you cannot do for me.
But like Timothy, the Lord has given us helps.
You know, and we can learn from others.
Paul could tell Timothy that he knew of whom he had learned these things.
And we still have the writings of the person from whom Timothy learned.
And you have to make the truth of God your own. Let me ask you, why are you where you are?
Are you there because it's convenient?
It's the happens to be the nearest place. Or are you there because there's such nice people? But it won't take you long and you will find out they all have their falls, you know.
If you are where you are because of people, you deserve to be disappointed and you will be disappointed.
But if you are where you are because you believe that the Lord Jesus.
According to his word of promise is in the midst.
It'll give you stability, but how wonderful.
You know, none of us really has come to know it all.
But you know, start while you're young to show interest.
In the scriptures.
And make these things your own brother said to me when I wasn't here very long from Europe.
He said search the scriptures and see if it isn't true that those whom God used for blessing amongst God's people generally started when they were young.
Think of a Daniel. You know they were teenagers when they started to take a stand for the Lord Jesus.
They were teenagers.
And he was an example to others that started with him.
And others picked up on it.
Don't get haughty and think that.
You are just.
Now starting out and you have to teach your older brethren and so on and so forth, no.
We exercise that the truth of God is going to be enjoyed by you personally.
And don't start studying things so that you can impress people with your knowledge, you know?
Study it for your own benefit.
Studied for your own benefit. You know the sandwiches and the fishes that were used in the hands of the Lord to feed the multitude.
Were prepared for the need of this lab with no thought that the Master would use it and feed the multitude. And to me, that's the most wonderful way for us to understand that we have to read and meditate on the word of God to feed our own souls to come into the enjoyment of these things and then at a given time.
The Lord might use that for the blessing of His people.
Keep by the Holy Ghost.
You can't in our own strength.
Gain it or come into the enjoyment of it or keeping it. It's only possible through the Holy Spirit.
You know He's given us so that we understand and enjoy the truth. That's what is clearly taught in First Corinthians 2 and also in.
John 1415 and 16. The spirit of truth is given so that we can enjoy the Scriptures and and to enter them intelligently, and then to keep it not in our own strength, but in chapter 2.
We again have to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. You know that's available for you and me today.
It's not.
Submitting to certain rules and regulations that makes us to be successful in our Christian lives. It's the grace of God.
00:30:03
It's the grace of God, according to Titus, that teaches us how to live godly.
And we should be strong in the grace that is in Christ.
Jesus, and the things that thou hast heard of Maine among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.
What the Lord is looking for is not brilliant minds gifted men, but he's looking for is faithful men.
Faithfulness.
What is a faithful man?
And I've referred to that before. We listened to some tapes that Henry Short gave some addresses someplace. And I don't know, on one of those tapes he quoted Chapter Brown. You know what he said?
That he had an exercise, and that was certainly not his only exercise, but he had an exercise to pass on the truth of God in the purity in which he had received it.
That's the exercise of a faithful man, or we see demonstrated in the Old Testament when the remnant returned and these golden things were weighed out to them, and when they got there it was again weighed out.
Had they lost any of it? Had they been faithful in preserving it all and bringing it all there to the place where God in His grace had raised up an altar again and a Center for his earthly people to come and worship?
I hope we all.
Ask the Lord for grace and help to be faithful men, because we know the Lord Himself warns that.
There is the possibility that light becomes darkness.
And how great is that darkness?
You know, it is well possible that we might maintain and enjoy truth today and then circumstances come in and we throw it overboard, we give it up.
Well, let's have the desire to be faithful men, and Timothy was to pass on what he had learned from Paul to faithful men.
And that is still something that is going on. We don't have Timothy's today. Nobody here pretends to be a Timothy because Timothy was a guardian of the truth, champion for the truth. You might say we don't have anyone like that. But have we not learned by God's grace many things that God's servants whom God has raised up?
And given back to the church.
Things that were lost for centuries.
Well, do we not feel responsible to make these things our own and to maintain them and pass them on?
To faithful men, we cannot expect that men who are not characterized by faithfulness will benefit from the truth of God.
There ought to be spiritual exercises connected with.
A condition that makes you receptive for the truth.
Of God.
Now Paul was in prison.
He's in bonds.
But verse nine of chapter 2 Says the word of God is not found.
Isn't that a wonderful statement? The Word of God is not bound. It isn't bound today.
Preach the Word.
In season out of season, Paul says.
The Word of God is not found. The Word of God is still God's means to bring men into blessing, and we ought to preach the Word.
You know, I understand.
In some meeting of Christians.
Out in the east here they have something on the pulpit that says preach the word.
So that everyone that steps up to that pulpit should be reminded, we don't want to hear all kinds of stories. We want to hear the Word. You know, you can illustrate some truth sometimes with a story, but what we want and what we need is the Word. And the word of God is not bound.
00:35:11
You know, we have skipped over those three things that we do well to remember.
And principles that should.
Characterize us even in the day of general ruin, and that is first of all.
That we are soldiers.
And that we should and do a hardship.
And that means you could be willing to not entangle us in things which will interfere in our service as a soldier of the Lord Jesus.
We're all soldiers and like a brother said, once you know if you're in the army and you're facing the enemy, you're in the front line, don't be surprised if they shoot at you. You know, we have to be willing to ensure endure hardship, but.
We also have to remember that.
There are principles spelled out in the word of God how we should serve Him. You know there's a race going on.
And if we want to be crowned, we have to run according to the rules.
What are some of the most violated rules in the Word of God?
That you find in Krishnam today the ecumenical movement and joining hands with those who attack the fundamentals of the faith.
Is one of the things that are totally disregarded. In order that they do this, they do not regard the principle of separation.
And as much of this kind of a thing going on, people say.
In the gospel, we can join hands with other believers.
You know, that's not assembly truth. We can join hands in the gospel. We can financially support.
This and that and all of that. Well.
How can you join hands with somebody who denies the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus?
Who denies that He is the eternal Son of God? How can you join hands with somebody who denies the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus?
Or one who denies that there are even 2 resurrections. You know, that denies that there is a rapture, that he's coming first for his own and then comes with his own.
That's the kind of a thing that's going on.
You know, a young believer was asked once to join in an ecumenical.
Meeting and for prayer and this kind of a thing, and then join hands in gospel work.
His answer was.
So somebody gets saved. Where are you going to send them? To the Church of his choice?
Well, the fishermen that were good fishermen, they gathered the good fish into vessels. They didn't leave them on the shore.
A good fisherman.
Takes care and does as much as he can to make sure that these souls come to know the Lord Jesus not only as Savior, but as the gathering center, the one around whom we meet and then.
Continue faithfully. You know some start like a house on fire.
And then it doesn't last very long. Maria Prisoner told me that they had to change their distribution of tracks because many of the tracks go to some people who are saved in some emotional type of evangelistic activity. And then they want to do something for the law, They want to distribute tracks. But it doesn't last very long, you know?
And if they would continue sending tracks, they end up in the garbage, you know, So they now send tracks.
To somebody that requests tracks and send a form along that they can request more tracks if they wanted and has had cut the use or the need for tracks in half, isn't that something the need of tracks was cut in half?
So there was a lot of waste before that, but isn't it wonderful that we are encouraged?
You know, it's important that we begin well and that we continue well, but that we go on and finish well.
You know.
Perseverance in the service of the Lord. And when there is so much to discourage us, we have to be reminded of that. We need to persevere. That's what is true of a farmer. You know, a farmer if he would only plow the ground and throw the seat and he wouldn't have much if he wouldn't keep on taking care of things.
00:40:22
But that's what is expected of us.
We can still do that in our day.
But then we find 2 When we realize that we are unfaithful, we have this tremendous statement that he abideth faithful, wonderful.
To cling to and a day of general ruin he abided faithful.
We might not always live up to what he can expect of us.
But you can be sure that He lives up to all the promises that He has made to us. He abides faithful.
But then there also is in verse 15 study.
To show thyself approved unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Cutting in a straight light, rightly dividing the word of truth.
And it is not so much a question to go to some Bible college and become a student of theology, or even of the Scripture systematic be taught, and to prepare yourself in that way for the service of the Lord.
That means is to use all diligence, to be diligent, to be approved to God.
There is far too much of this thing going on to get the approval of men.
The servant, his exercise is that he's approved of God.
And like the prophets of old, he might sometimes have to.
Put up with a lot of opposition.
Because the voice of the prophet is not wanted. It wasn't wanted in the Old Testament. It isn't wanted today. People always want to hear that, which warms their heart.
And well, the Word of God is full of.
Truth directed to the conscience.
And to expose the condition amongst God's people.
The servant should use all diligence to be approved of God, cutting in a straight line.
You know he is not going to misrepresent or soften things up so that people don't.
Dislike him? You know the servant wants to be approved.
Of God, and I'm sure he will find the fellowship and approval.
Of his brethren, those who desire to go on pleasing to the Lord. It's a wonderful thing that the servant doesn't have to labor alone, but it's important that this is brought before us. We're serving the Lord, we're not servant of the Church.
If we in humility.
Carry on for the Lord. We become a servant to the Church.
We serve them.
The Lord will bless it, but we're not the servant of the Church.
May the servant of the Lord.
We should have the exercise to have his approval.
But then we find that there were those who.
Denied the resurrection and evil teachers.
So on.
They had stated that the resurrection already has taken place. What does that mean?
If the resurrection has taken place, then the path of suffering and afflictions is over.
And it has much of this kind of thing going on in Christendom that if you go on.
For the Lord, you'll be successful in your profession, in your business, you will be wealthy.
So on and so forth.
What it really ignores the fact that.
Our portion now is to suffer.
And to.
00:45:00
Fair reproach.
And all, what does Paul say to Timothy in the third chapter?
Verse 12 Ye and all.
That will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
That's our portion, brethren.
Don't be surprised if this is the kind of a thing you're going to experience.
But the Lord is with us. The Lord is at our side, His presence.
Cheers and blesses us. But then we have the great House presented in these verses in chapter 2. You know, in the first epistle the house is shown in order.
Then in the second epistle the house is a great house. It's in ruin. I have given it some thought. What made that house, which God has formed a great house?
What contributed to that more than anything?
I like to suggest to you that the emphasis.
Is unmanned. What is God's purpose? The glorification of his Son?
But.
There are those in Christendom that says God's purpose is the blessing of man, the purpose of God is the glorification of His Son, and the House of God speaks of holiness.
His order to be maintained, but when we have men before us.
Then we're going to make compromises.
You know we cannot deal in discipline faithfully and will drive people out of the meeting.
So we compromise.
We are not even allowed anymore to publicly rebuke.
Because it drives people out of the meeting.
A rebuke is given that others might fear. It's a preserving principle.
In the Church of God.
And man will be blessed.
If sound principles are maintained and.
Yet we cannot expect in the day of ruin, in the conditions in which we find ourselves, that all will be recovered.
And so we find in this path that is open for us.
That begins with individual separation.
Mr. Darby said separation is the first principle of unity. When the Lord brought brethren out of the confusion of Christendom, they realized that in none of the existing systems could they practice the truth of the Church of God as to worship.
As to ministry, and even church governments that were set up did not conform to the teaching of this book. Had there been any existing group of Christians who met according to the Word of God gathering around the person of the Lord Jesus, they would have no business to start anything new.
People say that the Baptists are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
The open brethren are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, and where I came from, they are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. Remember this, the Baptist existed before the Lord raised our brethren. If they were gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, their movement is condemned as sectarian because they didn't go where he was in the midst.
But I believe.
A remnant testimony was established.
But it began with individual separation.
The danger is that people slip in and come in among us without individual exercise.
You know, my grandfather was ready to be made a preacher, to be ordained, and he came to know the truth of the church.
And that was long before 1910. He came to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. His wife didn't see it and he understood. And it was at a time when women didn't have as much of A right as we have it in our day. His wife continued to go where he used to go until the Lord opened her eyes and she was happily gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
00:50:17
I cannot take that step for my wife. My wife cannot take it for me. There has to be.
Individual exercise. Now I'm not saying that nobody can ever be gathered to the name of the Lord who doesn't clearly see the position of separation.
You know, then we make intelligence a condition for fellowship, but what that person has to understand is that we take an outside place.
That we take the place of separation from the systems of men and there cannot be a running.
Back and forth, you know, we had a couple come to the meeting.
They were exercised and he clearly saw his place at the Lord's table and the place of separation. His wife had not come that far in her exercise, but she too wanted to remember the Lord. We told her, Twilight, you do not have to understand this. You love the Lord Jesus, and as long as you understand that you cannot run back and forth, we have no right to keep you out. But you know what?
Get it now, she is there with personal conviction. If you would ask her she would leave you in no doubt. Well I believe love that there needs to be individual exercise and to look for grace to walk with them.
That call upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart, and notice when it is a question of separating from unrighteousness, the first thing that is mentioned in the collective path is.
Pursue righteousness. That's how it is translated into German translation.
You know it's not love that is stressed first, but righteousness.
Elavis mentioned.
And I believe we fail often in these things, but it's important to notice.
That the first path, or the first thing in the collective path is righteousness.
Well.
We have.
The spirit in which the servant should labor at the end of this chapter in meekness setting, right? Those who oppose, you know, it's one thing to take somebody in because they love the Lord and they do not see the path. But woe if these people try to take over. And when these people start speaking up against the truth.
You know, then we're in trouble.
And we're in trouble.
And I believe we many times let things slip.
Because we don't want to have confrontation, you know. But here it says the responsibility is setting right those that oppose in the spirit of meekness.
And then things build up.
And then we have a blow up.
But we have a condition described in Chapter 3 that really shows us what things are like, and you can see that it doesn't take you to have great spiritual discernment to realize what we have in Chapter 3 we see all around us.
That the servant will be preserved. In which way will he be preserved?
The Scriptures from a child. He knew the scriptures, and these scriptures make the wise unto salvation.
Salvation here doesn't mean the salvation of the soul. It speaks of that which preserves us.
In an evil day.
Scriptures are given by inspiration of God. We had it already in the meetings and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Notice that word again.
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all.
Good works.
Well, in chapter four we have still again.
Preach the Word.
Be instant in season.
Out of season.
00:55:02
Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Timothy was a young man, and he was supposed to do all of these things as a young man, Yes.
And Paul charges him with this.
The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.
But after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, you see, they determine who is going to preach and who is going to even be the minister. So they are looking for a new minister. And then they have different ones come, you know, and they give a sample of their servants the sermons. And then according to what they like, they hired a man, you know, and he'll be the minister.
But beloved, be careful that this spirit does not come in amongst those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, that we have itching ears, and that we try to quench and undermine faithful words that are given to us by those whom the Lord has raised up among us. Timothy.
Is encouraged that he should faithfully carry on.
They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables. What's a fable?
The imagination of the mind.
You know, brethren, we need to be reminded that when we opened this book up, we have absolutely no right to let our imagination go wild and make all kinds of fanciful interpretations. Scripture, interpret Scripture.
Let's discipline ourselves in not allowing a mile to a mind to go wild and that we bring what we bring because it's the truth of God and it will commend itself to the consciences of the Saints. If you have to accept an interpretation of Scripture because.
I say so and I have no scripture to back it up. Don't accept it.
The Word of God interprets the Word of God.
And we have to be faithful servants and to speak the word of God faithfully, that is to give.
The accurate meaning and interpretation. You know, we all blunder, we all make mistakes.
That's why we have each other, you know, we have each other to correct us.
If the fool despises, correction.
But there's none in this audience that doesn't need at one time or another correction, and his vision has to be enlarged by what somebody else contributes.
And his thoughts have to be corrected. Well, beloved brethren, I hope we're encouraged. You know, when we look around, we tend to be discouraged. But remember, there are those things that in the midst of the confusion and in the midst of the unfaithfulness of man, there's a path that we can walk in pleasing to the Lord. But let us never take the position of pride.
You know if there's a path left and if there's a place left.
Where we can meet in the name of the Lord Jesus around the person of the Lord Jesus. It is because.
His faithfulness has provided that place, and the Word of God directs itself to our conscience that we are faithful in that path.
But remember, it's his faithfulness, it's his goodness, it's his grace. Let pray.
Philippians 3:8-14
The Sons of Korah
Open—Neil Whatmough
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Let everybody follow.
There is love and all, I believe.
I'd like to reread two of the.
Parts of the hymn that we sang in the desert. God will teach thee what the God that thou hast found. Patient, gracious, powerful, holy. All his grace shall there abound. When to Canaan's long loved dwelling Love divine. Thy foot shall bring therewith shouts of triumph, swelling Zion's songs, and rest to sing.
I'd like to look at two passages of Scripture, one of which was read to us at the beginning of the prayer meeting yesterday, the 84th Psalm.
A really most lovely Psalm. And then to read in the book of Numbers the story behind this Psalm.
As you're turning to it, I'd just like to mention something which I think is known to all of us, perhaps not to some of the younger ones, that the order of the Psalms and the numbering of the Psalms, I believe is inspired because the they're quoted in the New Testament, and also the headings of the Psalms, because reference is made to those as well. And so this 84th Psalm says to the chief musician upon Gitteth, a Psalm for the sons of Korah.
How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts?
My soul longest ye even faintest for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Yeah, the Sparrow has found in house and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young, even thine altars. Oh, Lord of hosts, my King and my God, blessed are they that dwell in thy house, and they will still be praising these. Selah. Blessed is the man whose strength is indeed whose hearts are in the ways of them who, passing through the valley of Baka, make it a well. The rain also filleth the pools.
They go from strength to strength, everyone of them, and Zion is the purest before God.
Oh Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer. Give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
Behold, O God, our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed, for a day in Thy courts is better than 1000. I'd rather been a doorkeeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is the Son and a shield, and the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing, while he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts blessed, it is the man that trusteth in Thee.
Well, this is the most lovely Psalm and the confidence expressed in the Lord, but there are two tenths mentioned in this Psalm.
And, umm, it's quite remarkable, I believe, because this was for them to sing.
I believe these sons of Korah in the temple, which was not a tent at all, but was the permanent resting place of the ark.
But it casts back the mind to the.
Circumstance that happened in the desert.
And to 2/10 that were there and we'll come to that, but I'd just like to look at this.
What they sang. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts?
These sons of Kory, they valued the dwelling place of God.
And they valued the place where the Lord was attempts to just something to us is that do we go camping? And I say this to the younger ones. And we don't live in a tent permanently. And we're reminded that we're just pilgrims here on this earth and that this world is a wilderness wide to us. But there was a place where they could meet with the Lord and to enjoy the Lord's presence. And this is what his heart was after. And we had in the last meeting about having an object before our hearts. And I really believe that if when it comes around time to go to meeting and our heart is set on an object, the Lord and that's what will draw us there to meeting, not out of a sense of religious obligation or duty.
00:10:35
Or even routine, but a real desire to be where the Lord is. And I don't say that we don't sometimes feel and some aren't hindered by.
Real hindrances such as things like headaches and things that our brother mentioned, but where the heart is, their desires to be where the Lord is.
And that's what stirred these ones to be in the courts of the Lord. It cried out his flesh cried out to be cried out for the living God. There was an object there. And if we have an object for our hearts, our lives are morally formed by the object that our hearts are set on. We often wonder why people follow such vain and frivolous things. Well, that's the object that their heart has been set on. But if the heart is set on Christ.
That cries out for the living God. That's a pure heart. You wonder what a pure heart is. It's not a question of intelligence, but it's a desire with purity to be where the Lord is.
And this is what this one went wanted. You know, men may set the object on winning the gold medal and something they'll sacrifice absolutely everything for that.
And we know you don't have to tell them, well, you've got to stay away from practice because you've got.
Other things to do or?
They're eagerly thrust themselves into it because there's an object for the heart. And here these sons of Korah.
Their hearts cried out for the living God, for an object, and they got put their hearts desired.
And so they speak on and I just want to Passover this that.
He said that course first they they sing. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they shall still be praising thee.
And blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, whose hearts heart.
Are the ways of them is that God knows the heart and they had a heart that was fixed on the dwelling place of God and then in the sixth verse it mentions I'm just passing over this briefly because I want to turn to the book of Numbers.
Who passing through the valley of back or tears make it a well And you know, often when we get into discouraged state or we're going through a time of tears that we may get turned away from the pathway of the truth, perhaps its affection for somebody else.
And it may cause us to turn our footsteps aside and to.
Some difficulty and we give up and we say, what's the use? But these sons of Korah, they could sing that in passing through the valley of Tears they make it a well. And not only that, but that the rain, the rain from heaven was going to fill it with pools. And so there was going to be refreshment for the soul from heaven and so.
This trial that they were passing through was a source of blessing.
To them.
And they go from strength to strength in Zion appeareth before God. Zion speaks to us of grace.
It's not as we were saying, a man and man's strength, but it was of grace. It was the sovereign goodness of God as we're going to see that preserve these sons of Korah. God acting for man and it was just a produced this worship that I believe that we were Speaking of this morning. Oh Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer. Give ear, O God of Jacob. I love that expression. The God of Jacob. Jacob was a usurper.
He was a tricker. He desired the blessing of God. Esau despised the blessing of God.
And he despised the blesser.
Esau sold his birthright, the birthright rather, for a bowl of lentils.
But Jacob desired the blessing, but he thought he was going to get it by his own energy and his own means. And the time of Jacob's trouble isn't over yet. But he is the God of Jacob.
And so the Scripture tells us in sovereign grace, Jacob hath I loved.
But he is the God of Jacob, and so as you trace Jacob's life, you see all the struggling.
And Jacob's life. But at the end of his life, he's a man, though physically blind.
That his spiritual vision is clear and he's leaning on his staff and he's worshiping.
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We have that most blessed scene. Here was a man who struggled and wrestled for everything that he got and tricked to get what he got. And at the end of his life, unlike his father, though blind, he could cross his arms and in spiritual intelligence give the blessing of the first born to the second one. I know it, my son. He knew what he was doing and what a way to end the pathway. And so you may feel and I may feel, we've been through severe difficulties and testings and trials. But his scripture says here who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well, and the rain also filleth it with pools.
And I was struck me in this chapter that we had before us yesterday, that here was Paul caught up to the 3rd heaven.
And things were revealed to him.
There, and we may enjoy the highest truth given to man.
But when it's going to be made real to our souls is in the difficulties that we face in life. It was the thorn in the flesh.
And it was Paul confronting in grace the situation at Corinth where they were arguing and despite it disputing and debates, that Paul met that in grace and that this, what he saw in glory, so to speak, became real in his life here on earth. And so God is going to, through the difficulties, make real by experience what we know objectively, what we've learned in the word. And we can say, yes, I see the truth of the assembly and the Scripture and so on, but it's in the difficulties that the Lord, if we really look to the Lord and it's in the valley of tears, that the Lord is going to make these things real to our soul.
And we're going to really appreciate them deeply in an abiding way. And so he says, the Lord, behold our God, our shield, look upon the face of thine, anointed for a day in thy courts is better than 1000. I'd rather been a doorkeeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Now this takes us back to the book of Numbers. You know, it's a wonderful thing to be a doorkeeper in the House of the Lord. I always used to remember that when I would go to Toledo and I would see brother rule there.
Always the first one there sweeping off the step and waiting at the door and to do those small things and to him that was we talked about what takes us to meeting. But I believe that was important to him. Perhaps more important to him than what he I know more important to him than what he did during the day. And I this was the desire of these and God will give us the desire of our heart. Delight yourself also in the Lord. He's going to give us the desires of our heart if our hearts delighted in the Lord.
And so here was.
This.
Situation that he mentions here, the tents of wickedness.
He said, for the Lord is a son and a shield. The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly, if there's uprightness of heart to walk before the Lord with integrity, to leave matters with the Lord, it's a hard thing to do.
It's impossible for the flesh, and Jacob had to learn that was just to leave matters with the Lord, but just to walk in faithfulness.
And uprightness before the Lord. And not to be like Jacob trying to arrange, and to finagle, and to twist and to.
Make the crooked straight, but just to walk in integrity and uprightly before the Lord, in obedience to the Lord.
And God's not going to withhold any good thing from such a one. You know, it's as if God would ask us to do something and then not give us the power to do it. Let's just turn back here to the book of Numbers and look at the origin of these sons of Korah, because the story is the most sad one in many respects is to both what happened there.
Numbers chapter 16 and verse one.
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan, and Abiram the son of Eliab, and owned the sons of Pelas, and the sons of Reuben, took man, and they rose up before Moses with certain of the children of Israel. 250 Princess of the assembly, famous in the congregation, man of renowned. And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you.
Seeing all the congregation are holy.
Everyone of them, and the Lord is among them. Wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord.
And when Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he spake unto Korah.
And unto all his companies, saying, Even tomorrow the Lord will show who are his.
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And who is holy, and will cause him to come near unto him, even him who he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. This do take you sensors, Cora, and all his company, and put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow. And it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy. Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
And Moses said unto Korah, Here I pray you, ye sons of Levi, seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the Lord God of Israel, that hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, bring you near to himself, to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation, to minister unto them. And he hath brought thee near unto him, and all thy brethren, the sons of Levi with thee, and ye seek the priesthood also.
For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord.
What is Aaron that ye murmur against him?
Just maybe we should.
Slip down and.
Verse 26.
Verse 25.
Sorry, verse 23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from the Tabernacle, from about the Tabernacle of Korah, Nathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan, and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation, saying, I depart you from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs less.
Ye be consumed in their sins. So they got up from the Tabernacle of Korah, Dathan and Abiram on every side.
And Nathan and Abraham came out, and stood in the door of their tents, with and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own mind. And if these men die.
The common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men.
And the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open up her mouth, and swallow them up with all that appertaineth unto them, and they go down quick into the pit, he shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.
This is really quite a story to think that the sons of Korah witnessed this, the ground opening up and swallowing up their father.
And their brethren. And then to go on in that place, and singing this Psalm that we just sung.
Often think of what it would be like to have actually watched the ground open up. I enjoyed something Mr. Lundeen said, and I'd like to be corrected. I don't like to misquote people, but he said that stories in the Old Testament are not written so that we might know the eternal destiny of souls, but they're really here to see the ways of God with man on earth.
And so if we consider this story in this way, that as far as Cora's life on Earth was concerned, it ended him by him being swallowed up by the Earth.
And as believers, I'm not Speaking of our eternal destiny, but that may be the end of our pathway, that we may be swallowed up by the earth.
And that is just to be consumed in the things of this earth and to lose all usefulness to God is to practical service here and the possibility of, as the sons of Cora did, of standing in the Tabernacle of the Lord and singing the praise of God. And so we ought to solemnly consider God's ways with us governmentally while we're here on earth in connection with our attitudes and the way that we conduct ourselves towards the Word of the Lord.
Now, you know, there's a very common saying among people and a common way of expressing themselves is that I just follow the Lord. I don't follow man. And that is right, is that our heart is to be fixed on the word of the Lord.
And.
That, and every man shall be taught of God.
But God uses instruments, and I'm not going to speak about that now, but God uses instruments. And so a person may say.
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I had a student once, he was a professing believer and he said I only obey God and he didn't obey anybody in the school. Oregon, anywhere around.
Well, I can't believe that he was obeying God because God puts us into subjection to those that have the rule over us.
And so there was a government of God and I don't wish to speak about that particularly now, but Korat in rejecting Moses. Moses was a meek man and he didn't take this personally when he himself was spoken I'll of he fell on the fell on the earth was face to the earth and he himself was humbled by it. But he wasn't consumed by a sense of personal offense at himself, but the offense that had been done to the Lord. Perhaps you'll permit to me to tell you a little personal story that happened to me this last.
Couple of weeks. Is that at work? And we all know the way the world is becoming a very ungodly place.
And everything that's established of God could be for man's good and blessing is being corrupted but.
My director has given me very clear instructions as to what to do with certain papers.
And I went to ask the secretary for these papers and they had come three weeks ago, but his clear instructions were that I deal with these matters the day they come in.
And he said, I want to know if you don't deal, if you have any trouble dealing with this matter as soon as it comes up. So I went to the woman and I said, why didn't you give me these papers? She said, oh, well, you don't need to do that. You don't need to worry about that. And I said, well, the director has asked me to do that. She said, oh, well, you don't need to be doing that. What do you concern yourself with that for? And I said, well, that's my job. And she said, oh, you get worried about nothing. So I did as the director asked. I went to him and I told him.
What had happened? And he said, well, it's very important to me that that matter be dealt with right away. So he said you take the administrator back and demand that those papers are given to you and that it's made very clear to this woman. She's to give them to you when the day they come in, I came back with the administrator and she said, oh, you great big baby. You just if you don't get your own way, you go running to the bar. And that's the spirit of the world. And it's infected the assembly as well, if there's any subjection to God.
Is that man? Is there's just shameless evil as to rejecting what God has established for the good and order and blessing of man?
And here was Cory. He wasn't railing against Moses, and Moses may have taken it personally and said, well, who am I to say this? But he had been sent with the word of the Lord, and he had been set in a position by the Lord to do something, and he had a responsibility to the Lord to carry that out. And here was one seeking to interfere with what the Lord had given him to do by plain direction of His word. And I believe that that's a very solemn thing, that we should participate in the undermining of what God has established for man's good and man's blessing.
And this is what occurred here in this story. And so they gathered themselves together against Moses in verse three and against Aaron and said, you take too much upon yourselves.
I just want to Passover that now, but let's just look down and I don't want to take too much time with this.
But.
We see the response of Moses heart if we.
Meditate on this is how he fell on his face before the Lord and when he heard these things, but he nevertheless acted in faithfulness to the Lord and you know there's a verse that says the righteous are as bold as a lion and there is a boldness to faith that counts on God and doesn't does not terrified by man and nothing terrified by your adversaries. And Moses acted in faithfulness to man despite the terrors that were inflicted upon him by these ones and there was quite no mean company, so to speak, that had come against Moses some.
250 Princess of the assembly, famous in the congregation, and men of renown, had risen up there against Moses.
Well, I just do want to Passover this story. Perhaps I should have read it first before the Psalm and I want to leave others time to time to speak. But it just struck me in reading this very, very lovely Psalm that these sons of Korah were descendants of this very man. And our brother spoke of repentance last night. Taking sides with God against yourself. And sometimes that involves even.
Family connections and so on is just being faithful to the Lord first of all.
Just going on faithfully for the Lord in spite of what there may be family connections and difficulties and it may be a valley, a real valley of tears to do that. It's just to.
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Go on faithfully to the Lord and to acknowledge to walk uprightly before the Lord. And I just thought that in reading this Psalm is that the Lord did preserve the feet of the righteousness that there is a pathway for faith that God will preserve for those that walk uprightly before him. And what a blessed thing. What a beautiful Psalm to consider to see that God had marked the pathway. But if we do as we said here, I should perhaps just read it a little bit farther down in the chapter. You know, these ones were swallowed up.
But there's an even more solemn thing.
In verse 41 of Numbers chapter 16.
Let's just read these verses that but on the Morrow all the congregation of Israel, the children of Israel, murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of the Lord. And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, they looked toward the Tabernacle of the congregation and beheld the cloud that overshadowed it. That cloud that covered it in the glory of the Lord appeared, and Moses and Aaron came before the Tabernacle of the congregation.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
And they fell on their faces.
Let's just slip down to the 49th 1St.
And they died in that plague 14,700 beside them that died in the matter of Korah, that far more died in the matter afterwards than that died in the matter, have killed the people of the Lord.
Was it Moses that killed him? Or was it the Lord that dealt with the situation and we need to stop to see?
Seeing the hands of man, and we need to see the hand of the Lord, and what the Lord allows in our life. It struck me in reading the word of God that some of the most wonderful prophecies were uttered by men we will not see in heaven. Consider the words of Balaam, the words of Caiaphas.
Consider the words of Shimmy eye to David that Shimei revealed to David something that nobody else revealed to him.
That these men were all perhaps used as instruments in the Lord's hand, but we're not going to see them in glory. We need to see the hand of God in things, not to just see the hands of man. And when we get taken up with wrestling with men and trying to arrange things with men and so on, we get into difficulty. But if our object is really pure object is really to see the Lord in the circumstances of what the Lord allows, then we won't be screaming to Moses, you know, you've killed the people of the Lord, but we'll really see the hand of God in a situation.
And it'll really give us to walk uprightly in the situations. There are many very difficult situations. I just told you that little personal story. But I suppose if we wanted to start to tell stories like that, we could be here a long time to see the absolute open, uncovered evil, that raw evil that there is in the world and just unsettling all that God's established for man is good in man's blessing. But it's the most lovely thing to consider. These sons of Koran that they just submitted to. What God had done no doubt was very difficult, but there was preserved for them.
Most blessed position and a most blessed song to sing and to be recorded forever in the Word of God.
Please turn with me to.
Two Peter, one.
Two Peter, one.
And verse 3.
According as his divine power.
Hath given unto us.
All things that pertain unto life and godliness.
Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
That's an immense statement of truth.
His divine power hath given unto us.
All things.
That pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him.
That have called us the glory and virtue, the knowledge of Christ.
All things.
His divine powers given us all things.
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We don't lack for our pathway anything that is needed.
For life and godliness, God has seen to it.
And one other scripture in Second Timothy chapter 3.
The Second Timothy, chapter 3.
Verse 14.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of.
Knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
And that from a child thou has known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
And is profitable for doctrine for reproof.
For correction. For instruction in righteousness.
That the man of God may be perfect.
Thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Fully equipped.
We have in this book and by his divine power.
All that we need for our pathway.
His word is profitable for doctrine, for teaching, and we've had a good deal of it in these days.
For reproof, and we've had some of that too, which is needed.
And for correction. And we've had a bit of that too. And we've had instruction in righteousness.
And having this book and we don't need any other, we don't need the wisdom of man.
Because this book will enable us to be perfect thoroughly furnished for.
Every good work.
What does God say about the wisdom of this world?
Let's just read that in First Corinthians chapter one.
Christ is our wisdom.
He is our righteousness. He is our sanctification and our redemption.
Is all we need First Corinthians 1.
He says in verse 18 the preaching of the cross is to them that perish.
Foolishness.
But unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world?
Hath not God made foolish the wisdom?
Of this world.
For after that, in the wisdom of God, in God's wisdom.
He determined that the world by wisdom by its own wisdom.
Hath not known God. Man will never find out the knowledge of the true God by his own learning.
By his own wisdom all the accumulated knowledge of the sages of the ages.
The wise men of this world has never come to a true knowledge of God.
And God is determined in his wisdom that it will be self that man will never.
Find him out by his own intellect and mental powers.
Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
Why then, do so many Christians go to?
Human sources of wisdom.
To get help for their problems.
When we are told that He's given us by divine power all things that pertain to life and godliness.
We're told that all Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, fully furnished for every good work that we have all the answers in this book. The problem with us, with me, with each of us is that we don't follow the the road map that has been given to us.
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We will say sometimes when the word of God is brought to bear upon a situation in our lives.
Yes, but don't you think? And we bring in the thoughts of men, we consult with others when we don't get the answer that we want and when it's been shown to us from the scriptures.
Of all the things that Brother Chapter Brown taught, there's one that I remember very vividly and he said.
We're never wiser than Scripture.
Never wiser than Scripture.
The problem is we don't put it into practice. The problem is we.
We don't know enough of this book.
To pull out the answers that we need.
I've noticed that that very passage in Corinthians that we were looking at in the previous chapter and all the problems that were underlying the difficulties at Corinth, same thing. It's same thing that we've been going through, same thing. All the answers, if we would but read it right, are found in the Word of God.
But the diligent soul shall be made fat. It's the one that is earnest in the scriptures.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.
One brother after speaking, someone came to him and said I would give the world to know the scriptures as you do, and he said that's what it cost me.
The world. You can't have both.
You cannot serve God in Mammon.
The third chapter of One Corinthians.
Verse 19 Let this verse sink down into our hearts.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness.
With God.
For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and again the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise.
That they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours. And so on.
These Corinthians, they were prosperous in this world. They were gifted. They came short and no gift, it says in the first chapter.
And yet they were a carnal bunch, and he couldn't speak to them as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
They were saying I am of Paul and I have of Paulus and I have Cephas and I have Christ. The last is the worst of all because it makes Christ the head of a party and he's not the head of a party, he's the head of the church.
All being subject to him.
But they were carnal. Then he asked the question which to ask implies an immediate answer. Is Christ divided?
The answer is no. Now, just before I sit down, I want to read a few more verses in Colossians chapter 2 please.
Verse one for I would that she knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. And in the 4th chapter he says to them that they should see that this epistle addressed to the Colossians would be read to those in Laodicea. In Hierapolis there are three assemblies, all in a cluster if you look at the map.
And he says in verse 16 of chapter 4, when this epistle is read among you, 'cause it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans.
And that she likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
And another place he mentions Hierapolis too.
It's instructive that of the seven churches in Asia that John writes through, the first was Ephesus.
The last was Laodicea, and of those two we have two epistles, 1 addressed to Ephesus, one addressed to Colisei.
That was to be read at Laodicea and the very thing that developed into Laodicea.
Which was self love and self promotion.
He deals with here in this very chapter.
And he tells them the remedy, the solution. Scripture has the solution to all our problems.
He tells them the remedy for what? Because they didn't take heed to it.
Developed into Laodicea full blown.
Thou art miserable and wretched and poor and blind and naked, lukewarm.
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I'll spew thee out of my mouth. He wasn't even in that assembly. He was outside knocking.
Inviting any who was in that might be real in that Laodicean state of things.
To open the door, and he would come in and fellowship and Sup with him, he with me.
Individual. The collective thing was over with there. The collective is in Philadelphia.
Verse two, that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.
To the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ and in the mystery.
Are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge?
God has revealed His full mind to us.
Until the mystery was revealed, there was a part of revelation that hadn't been given yet, but it was given to Paul to complete, to feel full the word of God. And now it's striking, isn't it, that in this 20th century, after the the full truth of God has been recovered some 180 years ago, Saints gathered to the Lord's name with the word of God and with all that we have and all the accumulated knowledge throughout these years.
We can go to human sources for our problems.
And I've never been, never been. So many problems amongst us.
I mean individually and family problems, difficulties.
And then we go to human sources. If you go to the Christian bookstores, you'll see shelves lined up on psychology.
And philosophy.
And if you go to the Christian bookstores, you'll see shelves lined up on psychology.
And philosophy.
And the wisdom of men, and the worst form of it is when Christians think that they can integrate.
The Word of God, which contains all that we need with the witness.
Of both worlds and put that together.
They don't mix.
Philosophy and psychology and psychiatry begin with a false supposition that man is not ruined.
That down deep there is good in him I'm talking about.
Psychology means the study of the soul is what the word means, the study of the soul. Well, who knows about the soul of man? The medical profession studies the body and it knows how the different members of our body function and they can deal with it. It's something concrete. They can see it and feel it and and operate upon it, but the soul is something they've never seen.
And they only come up with their theories based upon the founding Fathers.
Of that religion, it's not a science, it's a religion.
Deny the fundamentals of the Bible. How can you integrate that system of wisdom with God's system of wisdom? They don't go together.
The one says that man is not ruined, that there's some good in man.
And the other says that he's totally bankrupt and ruined and needing a new nature.
A new life.
God has made us new creatures in Christ, so he speaks of this mystery and he says in him.
In whom or in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? What folly then to go to other sources of wisdom?
For guidance in our path.
And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, lead you astray.
To buy that lie, and it's a lie that's been promoted and has been bought.
The Christian leadership throughout Christendom.
They then beguile, they've been deceived, they've been LED astray, so he says.
This I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joining and beholding your order.
And the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, how did we receive him?
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We came bankrupt, we came lost, we came with nothing that we could rely upon in ourselves. We received him by faith.
We trusted Him to take us out of our ruined condition and save us. So he says. As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walkie in him. Continue in that same attitude of mine.
That we cannot rely upon our own intelligence, our own wisdom, our own understanding.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him. He shall direct thy past. O Lord, we know.
That the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jeremiah 10.
It's not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
What directs our steps? The word of God, the Spirit of God-given to us.
We have all that is needed, given us all things that pertain to life and to godliness through the knowledge of Him.
And we're told to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He's the truth. He's our wisdom. He's our counselor. To go to these human sources is to deny that this book is all sufficient for us.
Oh, I don't intend that you say no, I'm sure that you don't, but it's tantamount to that.
Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with Thanksgiving.
Established in the faith, going on the way we began as we received him.
With nothing in our hands to bring simply to thy cross, I cling, O Lamb of God.
I come, I come.
Then another warning. Beware. We need these warnings. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy. That's the world's wisdom.
And vain deceit. That's the world's religion.
After the tradition of men.
After the rudiments of the world.
And not after Christ, for in him, in him dwelleth all the fullness.
Of the Godhead bodily.
All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him, in that blessed man.
And then he goes on to say, And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, complete in him.
With all the wisdom at our disposal that we need for our pathway to guide and direct us through this life.
He says beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy. That's the love of wisdom.
But it's man's wisdom, which God has said is foolishness.
Foolishness. And yet.
We don't avoid it sometimes. If we would heed this book, we would avoid it.
And go to this book for our wisdom, for our instruction.
For our guidance.
You go to the.
Psychologists of the day, they lay you on the couch and say, now go back, go back to your boyhood, go back to your girlhood, go back to your childhood and resurrect and repeat to me all the evils that came upon you. There's that, There's that hidden child within, that injured child within which you have to deal with in order for to get deliverance. The word of God says it's the opposite. Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press towards the mark.
Some of the most godly Saints going on well with the Lord had the worst childhood you could think of.
But that's all in the past, that's all behind them, and they've got Christ before them. That's what we've got in Philippians 3. Christ is our object. He transforms us.
Two Corinthians 318 We all with open face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are transformed according to the same image, from glory to glory.
Even as by the Lord the Spirit quoting Mr. Darby's translation.
We have a power working with that object to transform us.
What folly? Do not heed these warnings. Beware lest any man spoil you. Whether it's the world's wisdom or the world's religion, both are terrible snares.
00:55:02
To the Christian that wants to go on with the Lord.
Again, verse 18, another warning. Let no man beguile you.
Of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Are we to be occupied with angels? Are do we to be occupied with those things that we really know nothing about, that God has told us in his word very little about? Or are we to be occupied with the head? Well, he says, and not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered and knit together, increase it with the increase of God.
Holding the head, having Christ before us.
That's the solution to all of man's enticements, man's wisdom.
Man's misleading thoughts.
Wherefore if he be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world here it's not dead to sin, but the very principles that this world operates upon were dead with Christ to those principles. And when we go back to those sources, we are not acting as though we were dead. If you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world are you subject to ordinances? That's man's religion. Or an ordinance is something that I can do. I want to be able to do something.
Isn't there something we can do to enhance our acceptance with God? Do we have to depend entirely upon His grace? Yes, we do.
There's nothing we can do or ever have done or will do that will contribute one iota to our acceptance before God. It's all by grace.
And then he sums up the whole Jewish system. Touch not, taste not, handle not. That's the principle of Judaism. That's the principle of legality.
These are things that they had to observe in Judaism, which are all the perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men.
And these things, he says, haven't indeed a show of wisdom and will worship and humility.
You see, we want to be able to do something. We want to be able to contribute some way to our salvation, to our acceptance. It could be a humble thing. It could be the punishing of our body. It could be something that brings credit to ourselves. He says not in will worship and humility and neglecting of the body. Not in any, not in any honor. That is treating the body as though it is a sinful thing. Our body is not a sinful thing. We have a sinful nature within the body.
But the body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and we ought to treat it as such.
That means that has a lot of meanings, a lot of ramifications. You might say that is.
I shouldn't eat to excess.
I shouldn't drink to excess, I should do all things in moderation.
I should keep my body under as Paul says in One Corinthians 9, not with the thought that it's going to enhance my acceptance before God, but because the Spirit of God resides in this body and I should keep it in as fit a condition as I can.
So he says, not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh. Those that monk light punish the flesh, and deny themselves.
Earthly comforts. They do it because they think it enhances their acceptance with God.
And he says in doing that, they're not giving the proper honor to the body that it deserves. Well, I don't want to.
Take much more time. May God help us to understand these things and these warnings, these warnings that are given over and over again.
We have everything in Christ. His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and to godliness through the knowledge of Him.
Who have called us to glory and virtue and we have all in scripture for our pathway till we get home.
The return, please, to Ephesians, chapter one.
The first chapter of Ephesians.
And I want to read.
01:00:02
Several verses here.
Beginning at verse one, Paul an apostle Jesus Christ.
By the will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated on us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
To the praise of the glory of His grace, where any ethics made us accepted. In the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, According to the good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself, That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven.
And which are on earth even in Him in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who work with all things after the council of His own will, that we should be to the praise of His glory, Who first trusted in Christ, or pre trusted in Christ, in whom He also trusted. After that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
In whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
Unto the praise of his glory. I was thinking of these verses as their brother was speaking how that we have all things God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. And I just want to point out here in these verses that we have read as as you've read them, and I have too. I'll ask you one question.
What we've read here. When did it take place?
When did it take place? Before you were ever born?
Has God missed anything? Has God-given us a partial blessing?
No, Everyone of our blessings are in glory, and they're eternal.
And who gave them to us? God did. Did we deserve it?
No, we didn't, but I want to point out here in these verses that we've read.
That we have the fullness in this way. That we have God the Father.
We have the Lord Jesus Christ and we have the Holy Spirit.
Confined in these verses, God is a God who gives liberally our dear brother. I quote our brother Norman here. He spoke about the superlatives of Scripture. How beautiful it is to see that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness.
And when you, I just want to point out, I want you to see here in these verses, I'm sure most of us have already.
But just notice from verse three down through verse 6.
Now if you read this carefully, you will see that it refers to God the Father.
God the Father? What about God the Father? What did he do? He sent his Son into this world.
The Lord Jesus Christ but notice what it says. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with some know all spiritual blessings in in the heavenly places in Christ. You know your blessings and mind are up in glory and they're reserved. Peter tells us so they're reserved in heaven for you no one can take.
One of your blessings and truly, if we were truly speaking, you haven't seen 1 yet.
We have many mercies, we have many things that God allows us to have while we're here.
And they are the mercies of God, but you haven't seen any of your blessings yet. But how blessed it is to think.
That God acts in you know, we know the word Trinity is not used in the scripture, but how else could we explain?
01:05:03
The Godhead, Father, Son, Holy Spirit and God has acted for you and for me in this lovely and beautiful and eternal way before we were ever born.
Beautiful, glorious truth. And again, as our brother has been pointing out.
Do we enter into this?
Am I enjoying it in my soul? I have the Spirit of God. You have the Spirit of God that seeks to make this good to you and enjoy it. You know, we're in a world that's opposed to God and everything that has has been pointed out to us, everything is against the truth of God, but the Spirit of God is here. I love that. In John's first epistle, it says greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. What is that? The Spirit of God is here indwelling and John's epistle is the family of God.
How beautiful to know that in that family of God, they're the babes, they're the fathers, they're the young men, and they're the babes.
And in that, in that lovely epistle, we find that God has made provision for us to enjoy no matter what at what age we are by the Spirit of God. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the spirit in the in the in the world. And so here if you notice these verses, verse 3.
And verse four, according as he has chosen us, who chose us God did.
He has chosen us in Him, in Christ.
When was this? Before the foundation of the world? Can you enter into that? I can enter into it, but all I can enjoy it because God is my Father and He did this before I was ever born or before you ever were ever born, and it's all yours.
He wants us to reach out and take it, doesn't He? Not just salvation, but the joy of knowing that we have before us. As our brother has already been said, instead of looking back, we're looking on to the day of glory, when we're going to enter into that scene of glory where the Lord Jesus Christ.
And enjoy forever those eternal blessings. And so here it's just in following this out a lot. I don't want to take all this time up, a lot of time, but just to notice that.
He chose us, God chose us in him having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, through the praise of the glory of His grace in verse 6, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved. Who did this? God did it, the Father did it. He sent the Lord Jesus.
And we've been he says he's to the praise of the glorious he hath made us accepted in the beloved God the Father did this. And I think it's beautiful to see here in these first few verses that we've read that we see God the the work of the God the Father. And now if you just go on verse to verse seven, in whom now who is he speaking about? He's speaking about the person of Christ, his beloved son. Now we see the work of the Lord Jesus.
Or the position that we've been called in through the Lord Jesus, He says in whom we have redemption. All that occurred on Calvary Cross that blessed One bore the judgment for your sins and mine. The Father sent him. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. We know this is not a gospel meeting, but all the truth of God comes out, doesn't it? And to for the enjoyment of art, not only for our conscience, but of our hearts. And so he says here in whom we have redemption.
Through his blood the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
You know, we were speaking up this morning, some of us, the motel. I don't believe any of us know truly what Grace really, really is.
The grace of God.
That bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Have we received it just we don't need to understand it all, but to accept it and we will never really fathom the grace of God and so just going on here wherein he has made it. Verse 8 wherein.
Wherein? How the grace of God, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to the good pleasure which He hath purposed in himself. And we see in this the work of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ.
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Both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him, even in that Blessed One.
In that coming day, all things are going to be brought together. And how isn't it lovely that those of us who know the Lord Jesus now have the privilege of entering into all these things? All things are yours, year Christs, and Christ is Gods. Has God left anything out? Nothing, not a thing. If there's something you're not enjoying, it's only because you haven't entered into it, because you haven't accepted it. How beautiful it is to reach out and accept not just the Lord Jesus as Savior, but as the One who has.
Delivered us from this present evil world, and his desire is that we might be found.
Walking in paths pleasing to him and in the enjoyment of that Blessed One. And so just going on here a little bit, we we see here in whom it says in whom again?
Also, we have obtained an inheritance in the person of Christ.
Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Council.
Of His own will that we should be there, the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.
And then he goes on and it says in verse 11.
In whom he also trusted. After that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
In whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. So we see the Spirit of God here. We see the work of God in sending his Son. We see the the the Lord Jesus accomplishing redemptions work for us. We see the Holy Spirit now making it good to us as he says.
Which is the verse 13? In whom also that you trusted after that you heard the word of the gospel of your salvation? And whom also after that you believed you were sealed?
God has sealed you. He sealed me for that eternal blessing.
No one can take it. It's yours. It's yours forever, for eternity. And it's marvelous and precious truth to see that again, going back to our brother Chuck's remark, all things he has made, He has given all things for our good and for our blessing, and all things are ours. And then just notice what he says, which is the earnest in verse fourteen of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession under the praise of His glory. What are we waiting for now?
You know, we have the salvation of our soul already according to these precious truths that we're reading here, these verses. We're waiting for the redemption of these bodies of ours. And I thought of it today as we were speaking about presenting our bodies, a living sacrifice, why God is interested in the fact of testimony for you and for me. And how do we, how do we face up to the world? People look at look at us. They can't see our soul. They can't see what's in our hearts, but they can see these bodies of ours.
How do we present them? Are we presenting them as a living sacrifice to God? Is it are we going on in that way of holiness or desire to please God? Holiness is the abhorrence of evil. Are we going on to please God? Well, I believe it searches our hearts, doesn't it, to see all that God has brought us into and what he's already done for us. But right now, again, we go back to this thought that he's seeking to bring this our state, our our state up to our standing. You know, we we can be declined. The, the, all the elements of this world are downward. It it's always down. There's a gravitation that pulls us down to this world. He wants to lift us up.
And so when we read these precious verses, how beautiful it is to see that God is interested in you and me. He's interested us in us. The Father is interested in us, the Lord Jesus is interested in US, and the Holy Spirit is in US and very much interested to bring us into the enjoyment of that which God has already wrought in our hearts. All may the Lord use these few little comments just to quicken us, give us the thought of searching His Word and finding out.
What he has to say to us and the different portions of the word that would give us the joy of knowing these things.
God wants you to know it. As our brother has already said earlier in these meetings, the Old Testament Saints didn't know.
Why they did certain things. You and I should know Why? We should know for one reason. We should know where we are when we're gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know. We should know why we're there.
God wants us to know that. And so I think I just enjoyed these few little thoughts in connection with this. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit that are all in accord and union for your blessing and for mine.
01:15:45
Our Father in the first time.
I'm not sure.
Whatever it is.
Oh.
Philippians 3:15-21
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.
It'll be the 15th perhaps.
Looking at the three in verse 15.
Let us therefore as many as be perfect, Be thus minded, and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless work that we have already attained, Let us walk by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example for many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping.
That they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven. For once also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself?
I wonder if I could just mention the 13 first rather than I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do.
Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. Jesus, brother was just speaking about this, forgetting those things which are behind.
I believe it has more to do with attainment than failure.
You find that if they were to remember the rock from whence they were hewn, God said to the ones in Ephesians.
Wherefore, remember that he being in time, past Gentiles in the flesh, we're not to dwell upon these things, but God has forgotten our sins or sins and iniquities will I remember no more. But often remembering those things keeps us humble. We're liable, more liable to dwell on our past attainments. And there was always a danger of that when we think, well, I've been faithful. I've done this or that.
Those are the things that we might tend the glory in, and Paul might have glowed in his devotedness. He left all that with the Lord He was pressing on. So I don't mean that we remember past sins as though we dwell upon them, but constantly. The Apostle Paul remembered what he was before he was saved, tells about how he was a blasphemer, a persecutor.
And so I believe that.
The remembrance of this magnifies the grace of God, but there is a tendency perhaps.
If we think we have been faithful to get occupied with our own faithfulness, and, as we press toward the mark, get occupied with Christ, why we can afford to just leave all that looking back? Why we just thank Him for His grace that has preserved us?
And keep pressing on, because we'll never be fully like Christ until he comes and calls us, and then we'll be like him, spirit, soul, and body like Christ.
Obadiah in the Old Testament, that is the the one who was in the court of Ahab.
He was compromised in his life, wasn't he with serving Ahab, but he was one that loved the Lord and when he met Elijah was trying to find it here.
He's telling what he had done.
Uh.
It's the first Kings 18.
And he met Elijah met him.
One place where he tells Didn't you hear what I did?
13 first.
Thank you. Yes. He's telling Elijah what he had done. Was it not told, my Lord what I did when Jezebel threw the prophets of the Lord? How I hid 100 men of the Lord's prophets by 50 in a cave and fed them with threatened water. So he's telling what he had done when his former faithfulness. But at the present time he's serving Ahab. Isn't that a a sign of a backslider talking about what he used to do?
00:05:36
I've enjoyed the thought that the Lord tells us. Wherefore remember that he being in time passed. But as far as those sins are concerned, he says, your sins and iniquities will I remember no more said you remember them. They'll keep you humble. I won't remember them. They're forever blotted out. But then when we do something for the Lord, he says, you can forget that. Because I won't remember. I won't forget it. I'll remember that.
God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have shelled toward His name, and that you have ministered to the Saints and due minister. So we tend to reverse it. Remember things like Obadiah did that give credit to ourselves? But the Lord says just leave that. I'll never forget that, Not even a cup of cold water given in my name.
I think it was mentioned in previous consideration on that 15th verse.
Let us therefore as many as the perfect.
Well, that sounds pretty lofty.
But we have to remember that.
It would mean, like the Apostle John writing to the fathers they had grown from children to young men and to fathers. And it is.
The stability of.
Resulting from walking in the truth that we know gives stability.
Yeah, it doesn't make us proud, person proud, but it gives a.
Balanced view of things, so that that word is like mature.
In First Corinthians 14.
After some of those verses that are questioned about what Paul has said, he says if anyone thinks themselves to be spiritual, let them acknowledge that the things I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. And it wasn't just Paul, it was the commandments of the Lord if any man thinks himself to be spiritual. And wouldn't it be something like that here that.
If a person feels himself to have some maturity, then he must be pressing toward the mark.
That must be his goal, not to get a bigger piece of this present world, but pressing toward that goal would be a sign of that maturity, wouldn't it?
And there might be a tendency for a person who has matured to feel well. I've attained, and I don't need to press so much as you. Younger ones. You better press on. But I I've really arrived. So he says. Therefore let us therefore so it would include us too.
Everyone.
I asked dear old brother Sanford one time. I said, Brother Joe, have you arrived?
And boy he gave me that that quick southern eye and he says, Bob, I haven't arrived and neither have you. I'll never forget. But we are talking about some of these things about me, about you know here we are getting up in years and all year old Joe, of course he looks down at me. You're just one of the kids yet. But it's it's wonderful to be able to reflect on the fact that we are growing and I think in the next verse, in the 16th verse.
It says, nevertheless more until we have already attained. Let us walk by the same rule as mind, the same thing. I was thinking of little Samuels coat, it says. Every year his mother came up and brought him a new coat. Why did she do that?
Well, he was growing bigger, wasn't he? I can remember when the suit got too tight for me. And mom says, well, looks like you're growing. You have to get your new set of pants and that sort of thing. You know, we do grow, don't we? And we should grow. We should grow in grace too, shouldn't we?
00:10:11
But there are many who are not mature, spiritually speaking, and as long as it is not.
Connected with willfully resisting the truth of God.
Have to bear with ignorance and with lack of understanding, and count that the Lord will reveal things to them.
As time goes on, I think we are still learning.
But there are those who are in the position of learners, and it's good that they recognize that for themselves. It's a very painful thing when young people think that they have to take a prominent part in teaching in the assembly when there are older brethren present. Of course there are situations where there are.
Very few or no older men, you know, where responsibilities are brought before veterans who are comparatively young. But.
We have to anticipate, anticipate that there are many that have to be carried along, so to speak.
And as time goes on, they will learn and will make progress. And what a joy it is when we do see that progress.
And the younger ones who have other thoughts, as it says here in that 15th verse. And if in anything ye be otherwise minded, somebody might say well after. I don't really think it's that way. I think it's this way. Well, we have to be patient and let as the next part of the verse we let the Lord reveal.
God shall reveal even this to you.
He never teaches one one way and another another way, yeah.
1St Corinthians 110 says, I beseech you therefore.
Beseech you, therefore, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that there be no divisions amongst you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same judgment, the same opinion it is that.
Submission that we all require, younger and older, and then we will all learn the same thing. He brings us into Oneness of Mind.
I believe we could say spiritual maturity is having Christ as our object. That's what he's Speaking of here I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling or calling on high of God in Christ. And then His word is our guide. That is spiritual maturity. We don't gain that all at once. But as we go on having Christ as the object, and then he opens up the truth to us. Paul was a very proud man before, proud of his attainments as a good.
You, you might say, until he met the Lord and all that he boasted in He saw it was all lost. It was just done.
And now he was saved. He still needed to have this blessed One whom he met on the road to Damascus as the object before him. And his word is the guide. And so we have an exalted Savior, one at the right hand of God. He is our righteousness. And I believe it's important too that being perfect is really understanding where the grace of God has put us, not only sins forgiven, but new creatures in Christ. Jesus made the righteousness of God in him.
Brought into this wonderful place, perhaps I could say another thing too. There's perhaps a tendency to say, well, if godly brethren differ in their judgment, how am I to know? Well, then we have our eyes upon man, but on God's part he is always willing to let us to teach us the truth. We need to remember that it says in John, if any man will do his will, not know if any man will do his will.
He shall know of the doctrine. So never think that God isn't willing to teach us. If Mr. Darby and Mr. Kelly differed on something, it's no reason why God can't teach us. It's because we have allowed something to come in and hinder because on God's part. And I think this is very sweet the way it's worded here, if in anything you'd be otherwise minded. A brother will reveal it to you. No God shall reveal even this unto you. And if God teaches us through His word.
00:15:13
And in true humility of mine before him, then we'll be able to say, well, I've got that from the Lord. So if we've got it from a brother, it may be the truth, but we're going to be tested about it, brethren. But if we got it from the Lord, we've received it from him, then it has become ours. So that's what the Lord said. And they shall be all taught of God. I think it's very beautiful to see that born out of the garden in little young Samuel.
I just read the verse third chapter of First Samuel and the last verse 21, and the Lord appeared again in shadow. For the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord, by the word of the Lord. This is how the Lord reveals himself to us through his word.
I found it helpful when there's something I don't understand.
To kind of tuck that away.
In your mind and then as you read.
And as you read the word, suddenly, oh, there's the answer, It comes out and explained itself as it's been said already yesterday. I think that the word of God explained itself.
But very encouraging when that happens, when you get the answer that way.
You can go around and ask people and they may show you verses, but when you find it in your own reading, it's really encouraging. One time we we read in the morning Leviticus 21, and in the evening we read Luke 10. And I had never really understood why that priest and the story of the Samaritan walked by on the other side. I thought it was just his haughtiness. But when you read Leviticus 21, you find a priest.
Was not permitted to defile himself. There's the answer, And that's the teaching, isn't it? That the law and ritual, it can't help. So he couldn't go to the man. He wasn't allowed. He would have defiled himself. Well, it's the word of God teaching.
In this great gesture we talked about later on we said many walk in verse 18, for whom I have told you often about they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
At the end of verse 19, Mind Earthly Things. I think the perfect mind here in this chapter is the heavenly mind. Our Calling is a calling high. We're called to heavenly peace and to be occupied with Christ who is there in heaven.
Is the heavenly man and Our Calling is a calling on height. It says the high calling that's not really divulged, The calling on high we've been called to be in the enjoyment of a heavenly portion. This is the very area where the the, the church has failed. So in this time the end of the dispensation of grace is that the those that are the leaders in Christendom.
Are promoting, have promoted, continue to promote.
A worldly kind of Christianity, and it's not heavenly any longer. Our Calling and the perfect mind is the mind that understands that our coming is not high, it is a heavenly one. No, earthly Christianity is not an improved Judaism. It's an altogether new order of things, Christ having been rejected down here.
And sent back with a message, We will not have this man to reign over us is to that heavenly man that we're united. And he there has become our object. Now that's really what separates us from things here. If he was on earth and we had an earthly object, he wouldn't be separated from things here. It wouldn't be proper. But he's not here. He's been rejected here. He's on high. So this perfect mind is the heavenly mind that we have as we're occupied by the Spirit.
With the heavenly object, and that's Christ. And that's what separates us from this scene. Chapter 2 gives us what feeds the soul, a humble Christ come down. Chapter 4, Chapter 3 brings me Paris, a glorified Christ, and that's the perfect mind occupied with him where he is, knowing that that's where we are and that's where our 40 falls. And to go one step farther in First Thessalonians Chapter 2.
00:20:18
It speaks there in verse 13.
In the middle of the verse, as first Thessalonians 213, when he received the word of God, which he heard of us, he received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God. Now this particular phrase, which effectually works also.
In you that believe.
Now that's not referring to salvation, That's referring to taking the word and believing it. And then it works. It works. But this is very personal, isn't it? And it is submission bowing to the authority of the word of God. And if I believe it, then it works.
You need to 1St know what our position is, don't we? So Paul could say thou has fully known my doctrine manner of life. Many things are settled once we know what our position is. If a Sinner does not see that Christ is not only been the one who forgives his sins, but that were brought into an entirely new position in Christ. There's a lot of things he won't understand. But when he sees that.
In the death of Christ, not only are our sins put away, but we are brought into an entirely new position. And as our brother Hendrix was saying, once we are brought into the knowledge too of our heavenly calling, a lot of things come into place at once. For instance that.
If the Canadian ambassador here in the United States, I were to say to him, are you, how are you going to vote at the election? He said. What? You don't know who I am? I'm the ambassador. Why? I have no voting in this country. I don't belong to this country. That would answer the question at once. Once he acknowledged and recognized his position. And many Christians don't see that in the death of Christ, we're separated from this world.
We're no longer citizens of it, as we have in the end of this chapter. Our conversation, our citizenship is in heaven from when salsa we look for the Savior. And so in this chapter he opens up a glorified Christ once seated at the right hand of God himself. Our righteousness and we having him before us and we and he is our object. A lot of things drop into place, and I believe that's important. Brethren, many doctrines of the scripture.
Drop into place when we really understand what our position is. I don't just break bread as a Christian, I break bread as a member of the body of Christ. Well then that brings in the truth of the one body. And so there are many things like this. We need to be established first in the present truth. Once we are, then the Spirit of God can show us our responsibilities.
The ambassador has to know what his position is once he knows that.
It all becomes very simple what he is instructed to do.
They can't take part in the politics of that country. He's only an ambassador there. He has to be very careful how he acts. So he properly represents the country that he comes from. And so I believe it's so important that we first see and that's why he develops in this chapter, Christ as our righteousness shows our position and then says, well, if you're full grown, if you're mature in these things.
And there's some little thing you don't understand. God shall reveal even this unto you.
Are there such a thing as worldliness?
But there is also such a thing as earthliness.
That we have here the statement who mined earthly things in Colossians we read in Chapter 3.
Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.
And.
There are legitimate things which are not classified as part of this world system.
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And we have to be on our guard that we don't set our affections on these things.
Young fellows, there's nothing wrong to have a car.
But if that's your idol, you know, if that's all you can't think of, that's something that fits in here with things on earth.
It's a wonderful thing to find a girlfriend and get married and have a family. You know, we're very thankful. These are all things connected with life on this earth. But do we idolize our wife? Do we idolize our children? You know, it's a wonderful thing to have these things, but Christ has to remain the object for the heart. What about your job? What about my job?
I've enjoyed my work very much.
And I'm also glad now I'm no longer involved in it, but.
This is not what we're living for.
You know, we have the responsibility to provide for our own.
And that's all connected with life on earth. He that provides not for his own has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Yet are these things my life?
Is this is all that I'm living for?
But I can live in these relationships that are earthly relationships for the Lord and bringing him into these things. But a difference it makes. So you've got a difficult faucet work, but if you do, what you do is unto the law, but a difference it makes. But we do see, do we not, Beloved, there are things that in themselves are legitimate, but if they become.
The purpose for our life, you know, then Christ is losing out. We ourselves lose out, you know, and I think these are some of the things that.
Paul is warning again and these dangers exist for us.
Is demons an example of earthly minded? He loved his present world but it doesn't say present evil world is just the present thing, wasn't it?
It's nice to see in this epistle.
It's been mentioned before, but I'll mention it again in the first chapter, the 27th verse. You have the gospel mind only let your conversation be a Congress, the gospel of Christ. But whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit.
With one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.
So there you've got the gospel mind, and this is normal Christianity. It's not normal if we don't have the desire to reach out for the salvation of the lost. That's normal Christianity, to have a gospel mind to to witness to others of the wonderful truth that we've been brought into. And then in the second chapter in verse five, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
And we have that beautiful example of him who was in the highest place in the form of God, and he took the lowest place, the form of a servant, and he went down even into death, the death of the cross. That's the lowly mind. And then in our chapter we have in verse.
In verse 14 we have the calling is the calling on high, as it should read of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore as many as be perfect.
Be thus minded to have that heavenly mind, the mind of one who is called to a portion on high, not here in this world. And the contrast is of those that mind, earthly things, who are the enemies of the cross of Christ found in a later verse. And then in the 4th chapter you have.
In verse 6 be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God.
Which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, a mind kept by his peace going on, persevering in the path, and kept by his peace. And that we have the the the mind that continues, that continues on in the sense of his peace, through all the difficulties and circumstances of the pathway it's nice to trace.
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The thought of the mind in the Epistle to the Philippians and.
Its normal Christianity that we have a gospel outreach, that we take the low place, that we realize our place in Christ in the glory, and then to have his peace filling our hearts and minds going on until that moment when he calls his home. That's normal Christianity, isn't it?
Sometimes young people say well.
My thoughts come into my mind and they're not nice thoughts.
How can I get rid of those thoughts? Or why do those? Why does the Lord allow those thoughts to come in? Well, I believe that last verse that has just been spoken of.
Be careful, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep or guard first your heart, your hearts.
And then minds or thoughts, he will guard our thoughts if we are doing those earlier things, letting be careful for nothing, not be full of care about things. And then the mind is kept. It's guarded. He guards it. We can't.
Someone asked that question one time and brother Judd gave a nice answer.
On that one, he compared it with the apostles. When they had been detained in the prison and being let go, they went to their own company.
And sometimes we're busy. It was things that we have to have our mind on. But his thought was when we're no longer required to think about school, work or whatever, where does our mind go? Does it go to its own company? Does it go on the things of the Lord? And that's certainly quite difficult because you can never turn your mind off. It's on something all the time. And we're told in 2nd Corinthians 10, four. I think it is maybe the 5th, 1St to bring our thoughts into captivity.
So those two things, keeping our thoughts in captivity and letting them.
Go to their own company, the things that have to do with the Lord and that takes their mind off the other thing.
But mind, the mind does come up with some thoughts that trouble us, and sometimes even when we're in the presence of the Lord and a troubled souls. But I've quoted Mr. I mean the reformer, Martin Luther. You know, he made the statement once you cannot prevent birds from flying over your head, but you can't prevent from them building a nest in your hair.
So Wendy, thoughts come up.
You know, we can judge these thoughts. Don't dwell on them, don't pursue them. That is something that you and I have to do, you know. And it's amazing sometimes. And it doesn't change with age either, you know, That's the problem that all men, all women, all boys and girls have. And so don't let the devil trouble your conscience by some thoughts springing up in your mind.
As if this is proof that you are going on in a carnal way.
But to judge it, don't pursue it, don't dwell on it. But if your mind is occupied with the things of God, and even not just when we go to meetings, you know it makes a big difference, You know, sometimes a very humbling thing, what we dream, you know. But I do believe that, even when we are.
Occupied with the things of the Lord we dream sometimes of. To think of the Lord you know and I know of a brother. There was so much occupied with the things of the Lord.
He was deaf on one of his ears, so he's laid on the other ear, you know. And he when he was sleeping, he was giving sermons in his sleep, so I believe that I'm using that only as an example to show.
Fill your mind with good things.
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And it will make a big difference. It will not prevent you from having some evil thoughts at times, but it is a tremendous help.
In thinking good things and these things come to your mind.
The 18th first of our chapter.
To me that Paul refers to a category of people that he told them about often for many walks of whom I have told you often, he was repeating himself, Perhaps not constantly, but quite often. And you see that he had a concern for the Thessalonians, that the outright persecution that they got from the world would not turn them aside. But this seems to be more devastating where there was a company of people or a class of people.
So I would think somehow or other we would call them today a professing believers.
Who would have a devastating effect upon the Saints if they weren't warned to not take the same course? For many walk, of whom I have told you often, now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ, so that those that have already left this afternoon and those of us that will travel later on today will be on busy highways. And if there's a traffic jam going the opposite direction, it means little to us as long as the traffic going our direction.
Is clear. We go right along and really the people on going the same direction we are in a certain sense that impact us the most. And if there's a lot of traffic or a slowdown or an accident heading north or heading South where we're going, we are greatly affected by that. And I think we can see in our own lives and with our brethren, with the believers, we may know where we work or go to school those that our children company with. These have the greatest effects upon us and it's sobering for our own responsibility.
How are we affecting our brethren? And also the devastating thing here is that those who correct me if I'm wrong, but seem to be those who were calling on the name of the Lord, but they had made themselves enemies of the cross of Christ. That is that which speaks of the reproach and separation.
From of the believer from the world like we have in Galatians 6 became something unpalatable to them. They didn't want it to be that way. Like brother Tom quoted the themas he loved the present age.
I really almost would like to see it go on a little while. This is not too bad, and this is a terrible weed if it gets into our hearts, terrible upon our lives as believers, if we pick up with earthly things, that they become our objects. So that, as I think one brother put it, that those who are enemies of the cross of Christ are those who try to attach the name of Christ to a life that has the earth for its object, and so certainly an insipid unhappy.
Form of Christianity that we can see, I think, when we think about it, why Paul would be especially burdened to tell them, often even weeping, to not walk in that pathway.
Could I go back just for a minute to the 16th verse? It's AI think it's a an encouragement to each one. Some younger ones here this afternoon and in the the newer translation says if I have it correctly. But where to we have attained?
Let us walk in the same steps.
Let us walk in the same steps.
Well, let's not try to be setting a set of steps for ourselves that we think is right, but the same steps. What steps of those who are walking and who have gone on and have proved the word to be true, and to have that confidence. Walk in those same steps and you won't go off the track.
Isn't it true, brother buried at many times?
We who are older, the fancy homes that we buy, the fancy cars that we drive, stirs up a desire in the hearts of the young to have the same we are not a good example.
You know, I remember meeting a man who served the Lord British Guyana.
Came from England, I think I can mention his name, Mr. Sewell.
He had a high government position in England. He gave that up and served the Lord and finished Guyana. You know what he had for living quarters? One roof.
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One room. Most of the things there were living in very poor conditions. Can you imagine what it would have done to them if he come? He probably could have afforded it to have a fancy home and so on.
It would have been a stumbling block to these dear souls, but he was willing to be content with the one room where he lived. I have admired that man, and I believe.
His example did not lead anybody to reach out for things, to get things beyond earth. I think that's a example that could speak to our hearts when we living in a meeting where there are sayings that are predominantly factory workers, you know, and then we get such fancy homes and that might lead to jealousy and the desire to reach for these same things.
And they have to put all their efforts and energies in to get that kind of thing. They lose out spiritually. Those are some things that should exercise us and the Apostle Paul.
Was an example. You know, he had lost everything and he spent and he was spent. He knew what it was to abound. He knew what it was to suffer, want.
All went in the service of the Lord. He did not seek things for himself at the wonderful example.
The aspect of the cross always has to do with separation from the world as a system, doesn't it? It's been said the blood of Christ puts my sins away. The death of Christ puts me away. That is the end of my atom position and entirely new position where dad and risen with Christ.
But the cross is always used in the sense of separation. If the world gave the person whom I love most across than how can I go along and enjoy its favor and its pleasures and so on. So the cross is always looked upon as the shame side after it separates me from the world as a system, and all that it has to offer may not be wrong in itself, but nevertheless it identifies me and associates me with a world.
That doesn't want my Savior. So the enemies of the cross of Christ, I believe they thought, is not whether they're Christians or not, but it's the possession that they were taking and the path that they were traveling. What is the end of this world's course? Judgment. Destruction. The earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up. That's the end of it. God will never allow one of his own to go to the end. He'll step in, even if it's at his coming to take us.
As it says, say so is by fire, but nevertheless.
It's the point, I believe in this portion of where the path leads and what kind of company are we going to walk in? It says in John's epistle, Who is he that overcometh the world that but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? When I see that this world crucified the one who's so dear to me and then it's not hard to overcome them opposing the people in this.
In the vicinity where I live, murdered my child and then said we're going to have a party. We're not going to do anything that's wrong. It's just going to be a very innocent party. We'd like you to come. I wouldn't find it hard to make a decision about that, not because of what they're doing, but because of the company that I would be in. And I believe that's the whole point being let go. They went to their own company. As our brother was saying, we we have to work with people like this, but when our time is free.
Where do we want to be with those who love the Savior? Those who have a heavenly home, Those who are not of this world, allowing us?
In Revelation chapter 3.
In the Address to Philadelphia, verse 10 Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world. It comes upon the whole world, but it comes to try them that dwell upon the earth, try them that dwell upon the earth.
You hear of this group, this class, this moral class, those that dwell upon the earth, verse 8 of chapter 13. It says all that dwell upon the earth.
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Shall worship the beast.
And in verse 14 the Antichrist.
Deceiveth them that dwell on the earth.
It's really apostate Christians that are these earth dwellers. They've had heaven offered to them and they say I prefer earth. And that's what he's talking about here in Philippians 3, those that are earthly minded.
The 17th verse brings again the thought of the same of one mind as it says.
Brethren, Every believer on the face of the earth is one of the Brethren.
It's not a class of people, brethren, every believer.
Be followers.
Together.
That's the work of the Spirit of God, isn't it? Together.
Of Maine sounds as if the apostle was very conceited, but he is living so close to the Lord that he could say that with divine inspiration.
Me, he could say, for me to live as Christ.
Often say I can't say that truthfully.
I could aspire to it, but I really can't. But I'm very glad that there's a man that walked on this earth for me to live is Christ. So he could say with perfect confidence, brethren, be followers together of me.
Corinthians 11/1 He says Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Beautiful.
What was that verse 1 Corinthians 11/1?
In everyone of those, that's why I wanted to know the verse. It's in Mr. Darby's translation. It says be my imitators, even as I also am of Christ.
The thought I have is that there's only one word to follow, and that's Christ.
But we are to imitate Paul who followed Christ. But we're not to follow a man, we're to follow Christ. Is that the right thought?
Yes, I believe so that God did in his goodness make the Apostle Paul an example, as he says in First Timothy 1A pattern to those who would hereafter believe unto eternal life. So we're often encouraged by an example. We see a brother and his whole heart and soul is wrapped up in following the Lord. He's an example to us, but he points us to Christ. He doesn't point us to Himself.
In fact, his very example is that he points us to Christ, not to himself. And so I I believe that's true that the Lord Jesus is the example. But the Apostle Paul was a pattern picked up from being an enemy of the cross of Christ, being an enemy of the people of God. And of the whole Christian testimony says he thought with himself he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And then God saved him. He became a pattern of what the grace of God could do.
Picking a man up who was such a person as that, and making him a pattern of what his grace could do in changing him into a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus.
Imitate their faith. It says in Hebrews 13 those who have taught us the word of God. Sometimes, it has been said, we do not imitate their mistakes, but we imitate their faith. And in spite of whatever weaknesses and failures those who have taught us the Word of God had, there was that in their life that we can imitate.
You know, even those men whom God raised up were not perfect. You know, when you think of Mr. Darby, Mr. Kelly, those men. But there is in their life there that we can imitate, not to imitate them, but to imitate the faith that they had. That's the important thing. So it goes even beyond the Apostle Paul. You know, we can apply that to ourselves, those who have taught us the word of God.
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And we can imitate their faith.
It does take them in there, doesn't he? And the rest of that, Yeah, that verse.
And mark them he doesn't say mark me which walk so as ye have us.
Not me, us for an example.
I wonder if I could just suggest what it says in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith followed, considering the end of their conversation.
I I believe we, we see those who went along well for a while and then were turned aside.
But I believe that when a person has gone on right to the end in the path, that God is marked out, as you said, not perfectly, but continued in the path by what they have said in their ministry means a great deal more to me. But I see that a person wrote some very wonderful things at a time in his life, but afterwards got turned aside. I don't feel the same confidence as I read it as one who was preserved of God. It's all his grace.
In the path until the very end. But I think that's important for us, considering the end of their conversation. So when somebody hands me some ministry and I see that man really for a time went on brightly for the Lord, but something happened and he was turned aside. I'm a little careful when I read His Ministry because there must have been something. Things don't happen by chance, brethren. If we're walking with the Lord, we can't keep ourselves.
But he's able to keep us, and he will keep us if we walk in dependence and humility before him, won't he?
We think too, that there's this aspect to the 17th verse where Paul does not have the expression that he adds in first Drinkions 11 as I also am of Christ.
In the First Corinthians 11, well, actually the end of the previous chapter.
He writes, even as I please all men and all things not seeking my own profit, but the prophet of many, that they may be saved in this pattern of of selflessness.
For the profit of others, he was imitating Christ because Christ did the same perfectly. In Philippians 3 in the chapter we have Paul as an example of one who runs to attain and runs to finally become something fully that he wasn't yet. And in that sense I suggest that it wouldn't really. It's not just.
That he was forgetting to be modest here, But really, in this sense, Christ, it would not be proper.
For Paul to say in verse 17 as I also in Christ, because we think of who the Lord Jesus was as the Son of God, he ever dwelt in the bosom of the Father. He was always an altogether that which he said he was. He was the Son of Father of the Father, and was everything he always loved as as someone put it, in spite of what he became. And so the thought of the Lord Jesus even though he had.
Father's will before him as an object to do the Father's will. He always was in his person completely and perfect and fully arrived in ever since. I hope. I'm trying to speak about this carefully, but I hope you understand what I mean. But in that sense it seems that the Lord puts Paul before us as a man of light passions, who who ran the race, strove, stretched himself to attain something, and as such he's put before us as a model that we should follow him in that so.
It's not just that he forgot to be to sound modest or humble here, but really I think it's the work of inspiration that he says be imitators of me here, period.
For our conversation is in heaven, or our associations of life are in heaven. Brethren, we need to be reminded of this.
The Scripture speaks of us as heavenly ones.
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You know First Corinthians 15.
And that is what should come out.
In our lives.
And we have to remember that Chuck already has pointed out the heavenly calling.
You know we, our conversations of life are in heaven while we're here on earth, you know?
You have heard the story, no doubt, of his black brother in Michigan.
You know, he worked in a factory and he had a wonderful testimony.
And some of his fellow workers were going to make fun of him.
And they came to him and told him a dirty joke.
To see what his reaction would be. And his comment was men, I live in the presence of God and they walked away.
He was conscious of His heavenly calling and that His associations of life.
Where in heaven?
Good to remember, and in spirit we can dwell there already is that wonderful in spirit we can dwell.
Where we will be bodily all eternity.
Have often thought of that man. I've heard of that story years ago, and I've always thought of this, that that man had to be consistent in his life as never before, so that no one would despise him.
And if it were so, they might laugh at him. They might try to trip him up.
But down deep in their heart they wouldn't despise him first. Timothy 412 Paul said to Timothy. He thou and let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example.
All of the believers not to the believers as a younger man of the believers.
He was.
Teaching.
High heavenly, lofty truth that he had learned from the Apostle, and Timothy was called on therefore to be consistent in everything that he was doing his life, and I often thought of that man.
That put him right into a spot where he had to be doubly careful. And that's what we need to be, don't we? To be consistent in our life with what we are saying and that word conversation.
It's an old English word, and sometimes it's translated manner of life. But how beautiful it is to connect that word with our manner of life and our conversation. That's our conversation about is it commensurate? Is it similar to our life? Are we talking about those things of heaven, and are we living it?
Our conversation and our manner of life.
In the two cents of the meaning of those words should be consistent.
Is talking about our moral order of things. Then he comes to the body. Isn't it lovely to think that when we get home to glory, we're not only going to be morally like the Lord Jesus, but we're going to be physically like him too? We're like an ambassador in a country, called upon to represent his own country in another position, but looking forward to the time when he returns to his own country, his true home?
Now where is our true home, brethren? It's in the Father's house. And when I see every believer that you see me in the glory, we're not only going to be morally like Christ, but physically like Christ. His servant shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their forehead. There'll be a perfect likeness to Christ then. What God is seeking to produce in us now is a moral likeness. But soon our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who shall change our vile bodies or bodies of humiliation?
That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. What a wonderful thing before this meeting is over. This may be true that we'll be in that glory and see every believer fully like Christ. Well, may the Lord grant that our lives will be like him now, but soon we're going to be all together like him, and surely we'll just cast our crowns at his feet and say he's worthy. If there was anything produced in our lives that was for his glory.
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All the credits due to him. He has done that. But he wants our willing hearts, doesn't He? Wants us just to be willing. If we're willing on his part, he is willing. And he's able to produce that likeness to Christ now, as he is able to produce the physical likeness when he comes.
Maybe we can sing him 212 verses 1-2 and seven.
Perhaps, brethren, we could sing another hymn in Our Little Flock, Book #20.
Hymn #20.
In the appendix.
To the Lord together for his help.
Our God and loving Father, we thank Thee above all things this afternoon.
For that unspeakable gift of thy love.
Own Beloved Son, our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ.
I know our God, we think at the close of these three days of meetings.
We've had thy precious word before our souls.
And we were reminded the other day in the meetings of how that it was a tremendous cost to those in that day.
To make that possible that we could have the word of God with us here these past three days.
I know our God. We're about to turn for a few moments to some portions of Thy word. Now, this afternoon, I know our God. We pray that by Thy Spirit it may speak to our hearts.
To turn us to that blessed One, Thine own beloved Son, who loved us and gave himself for us there at Calvary our God, we ask thee for Thy special help, the guidance and direction of Thy Holy Spirit, for thine honor and Thy glory, and for the blessing our God and Father of precious souls here in this room this afternoon.
Who may still be without Christ our God. We just thank thee in the worthy name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
Could return to a verse in the end of John's Gospel.
Chapter 18.
John's Gospel chapter 18 and verse 40.
Here we find a scene.
A court, shall we say.
Can we find those who are crying out? Let's read the verse, then cry, they all again saying.
Not this man.
But Barabbas?
Now Barabbas was a robber.
What was that cry near 2000 years ago?
This world cried out. Not this man, Doctor Abbott this afternoon.
And the past three days we've had before us that blessed man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.
Here's a verse I'd like to turn to.
In the book of Job, chapter 22.
And the 21St verse.
Job 22 and verse 21.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.
There by good shall come unto thee.
If we were to turn to the book of Romans.
The third chapter we read these words where there's no difference.
All have sinned and come short of the glory God.
That is your position, and mine by nature. We came short.
Each one here this afternoon. It doesn't matter what an upbringing you may have had.
You've sinned. There's no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
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And all dear ones this afternoon this world is guilty.
Of the crucifixion and the death of our precious Savior, and God has not forgotten that.
A verse was mentioned the other night at the Gospel, I believe in the 36th chapter of Job.
And the 18 verse. And there we read because there is wrath.
Beware, because there is Wrath. Beware.
You know, if we turn to the New Testament we find in Acts 17.
That He has appointed a day in which He will judge this world in righteousness.
By that man whom he hath ordained, O friends, through his wrath. Purest wrath. Let's turn to John's Gospel chapter 3.
John's Gospel chapter 3.
And verse 18.
That believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not has condemned already.
Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Over to look at the 51St time. We read there how David could say how that he was shaping an iniquity born in sin. And it's true of everyone of Adam's race, each one of us here this afternoon we entered into this world with a fallen nature, born in sin and shaped in iniquity. And in the 17th chapter of Jeremiah, we're told so plainly that the heart is deceitful.
Above all things and desperately wicked.
What a black picture. Oh friend, this afternoon there is wrath. Let's look at the last verse of John, Chapter 3, verse 36. He that believeth on a son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life.
But what But the wrath of God abideth on him turn to a verse in Revelation Chapter 7.
Revelation chapter 6 rather the latter part of the chapter.
Verse 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and the rocks fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
Oh dear young person, here this afternoon, dear boy or girl, are you sheltered this afternoon by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Our precious Savior could return to 1St Thessalonians, Chapter One.
Here we read of.
The Church, Professor Maliki, Catalonians, and just the latter part of that chapter is.
Verse 9 and 10 For they themselves show us, show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how he turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Oh, I hope I've made it clear this afternoon. Because there is wrath. Beware the wrath of God is going to fall on this Christ rejecting world. And dear Sinner friend, this afternoon there's only one place of safety. And asked to have your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be sheltered by that precious blood that was shed at Calvary's Cross near 2000 years ago. Oh he read in the beginning of those.
That cried out with one voice. Not this man, Oh dear soul, this afternoon.
Are you going to be with that number that cried out there at Calgary, not this man? Or are you going to turn to that man of Calvary as he hung on that center cross with his hands outstretched, That one who could say, come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. I'd like to turn briefly to John's Gospel, Chapter 20.
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John, Chapter 20.
There are two.
Ladies mentioned in Scripture, I'd like to speak out just briefly in chapter 20 of John, verse one. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark under the subtle currency of a stone taken away from the sepulchre. And she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them. They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
Verse 11 But Mary stood without it, a sepulchre weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. Before that I'd like to just turn to the 10th verse there and read it. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But Mary stood without it, the temperature weeping. And as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, and see if 2 angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, woman, why weep bestow And she saith unto them, because they have taken away.
My Lord and I know not where they've laid him.
Oh dear, you know when this afternoon I beseech you, I quaint now thyself with him, and be at peace, Mary Magdalene, not one who had been a Sinner, and had been brought to the Lord Jesus.
Oh, what does he say here? They've taken away, my Lord. Her affections had been won by that blessed one and all. We would to go all this afternoon at your affections, dear one.
Might be one for him.
Let's turn to Luke's Gospel Chapter 7.
Luke's Gospel, Chapter 7.
Verse 37 And behold, a woman in the city, which was a Sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at me to the Pharisees housewife in alabaxter box appointment, and stood at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and had wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
We turn on down to verse 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, See us thou this woman. I entered into thine house. Thou gave us me no water for my feet, but she hath washed my feet with the tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gave us me no kiss. But this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet, My head with oil, I just not anoint, But this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven.
For she loved much.
But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at me with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman.
Thy faith has saved thee. Go in peace.
Oh friends, what Grace, this woman of this city? If he was a Sinner, there was no question about it. But she came to that only source that could save her from her sins. And where did she get? She got down at his feet. She got down at his feet.
Had her tears flowed forth, and she wiped his feet with her hair. She kissed his feet.
Oh yes, and she heard those wondrous words from the Savior of sinners.
Who could say in that 50th verse thy faith has saved thee?
Go in peace.
Acquaint now thyself with him.
And the apiece? There's no peace in this world.
Father said there's no peace to the wicked.
Lord friend, there is peace to be found this afternoon and simply putting your faith and trust.
In the Savior of sinners who died for you on Calvary, and more that judgment of God against sin, who bore that wrath that I so richly deserve.
There is therefore no wrath.
For the child of God, we just pray our God and Father.
Always thank thee for thy sovereign grace, the gift of thy dear son.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, that one, and who mows almighty Light, of whom the heavens could open and declare, This is my beloved Son.
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In whom I am well pleased. Oh our God, we thank thee.
Once again for the riches of thy grace.
We thank thee for this time of happy fellowship these past three days, the precious ministry Thy word and how that closing verse we read of how He shall change these vile bodies and fashion them like unto His glorious body, when we shall be morally like Christ. Oh, what a day awaits those who have put their faith and trust in thee, Lord Jesus, who have become acquainted with that blessed Savior.
The man of Calvary, our God, we ask you to bless Thy Word for thine own honor and for thy glory.
In the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Philippians 3:1-3
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Oh my God. Alright, I see you. Good morning.
Philippians chapter 3.
Finally, my brother rejoiced in the Lord. To write the same things to you for me indeed, is not grievous.
But for you this says, beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I mourn.
Circumcise the 8th day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisees concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless. But what things were gained to me, those I kind of lost for Christ? Yay, Dallas, And I count all things but laws for the Excellency.
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Of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things.
And do count them, but done, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law.
But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
That I may know him in the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not, as though I had already attained, either, were already perfect, But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count out myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. Season. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded, and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing, brothers.
Followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example for many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven. For once also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body?
According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things.
Unto himself.
I was just thinking, brethren, how we had a great deal of practical ministry yesterday in connection with the path in which God would have us to walk. But I was thinking how this chapter brings before us the state of soul. Because in divine things, things may be set out very clearly, but it needs to have the heart, right? We need to have Christ as our object. And if Christ is our object, then it says in this 50th verse, let us therefore as many as be perfect or full grown.
Be thus minded, And if in anything he be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
That is, on God's party is willing to make his truth known. The hindrance, if there is a hindrance, is always on our part. It's our state of soul that isn't right. And that's where spiritual things differ from natural things. In natural things we lay hold of them according to our natural ability, but in divine things we lay hold of them according to our state of soul. And so if the Spirit of God, through His word, may attract our hearts to Christ.
Things that may not seem clear to us will be opened up to us by the Spirit.
Because Christ is the truth, as we had last night, the way, the truth and the life. Everything is in Him, and we need to have Him before us. And His Word is our guide. But the person, especially before our hearts, saw that we might have Him as the object, and His Word is our guide.
Nice word to start with. Isn't it the first word?
Finally.
That's a summary, isn't it?
Interesting that in the book of Philippians we get in every chapter either joy or rejoicing.
And it seems as we read through it that there was some little difficulty there. Sin is not really mentioned.
But there was this little difference there between take it to be sisters. And so we get this thought of of the of the oneness of the agreeance and of the rejoicing in every chapter. It to some degree either joy or rejoicing in each chapter of this book, I think two that isn't a key verse here. This brings before us the He's the object or should be. The object shouldn't be. And I think the key verse there is verse 14.
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I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He pressed on to that. That was his whole goal, wasn't it not? He knew the Lord Jesus as his Savior, but he wanted to know him in a in a nearer, closer way. And I believe it's like it's been put this way. We know Him as our Savior, but do we all know him as our Lord, the one who has authority in our lives, the one with whom we're going to be for all the ages of eternity?
It's often been mentioned, but I think it bears repeating that Christ is the one who is the theme in every chapter.
First chapter is our life. It says to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. In the second chapter he speaks of Christ as the example that this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Then in this chapter, as you mentioned the object Paul compares himself to a runner with an object before him. And then in the last chapter I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
And that is, we might say, well, it's a difficult path.
But we don't. We're not called upon to run the race. We're not called upon it to walk in in our own strength.
Paul was in prison, but he could do all things through Christ, which strengthened him.
Instead to that in this chapter it takes energy, doesn't it? To, as you mentioned Gordon, a spiritual energy to follow on. I think in chapter 3 or chapter 2 it brings before us more the graciousness of the Lord Jesus, doesn't it? The graciousness of Christ. Whereas in our chapter it brings the thought to me at least, as it takes energy, doesn't it? Spiritual energy.
To go on because the enemy would seek to turn us aside. You know, it's interesting to know that when we got saved, we were we were attracted to the person of Christ because of his wondrous work on the cross, and we have salvation. But now we need to be attached to him in love. And it takes energy, the Spirit of God working not only for us but in us, to energize us to go on.
In the joy of the Lord. And know something of that joy or rejoicing that we have in every chapter. Because this was a prison epistle, wasn't it?
Being said that Romans is the is the coming out like the coming out of Egypt, and the Philippians is the journey through the wilderness, the IFS.
And then Colossians is being across the Jordan, but just on the.
On the Bank of the other side, not totally in the land. And then Ephesians is the full enjoyment of the land.
Perhaps in connection with that you could say that Philippians is the time where the Lord appears as the captain of the Lord's host to bring them into the possession, and more, and Joshua was told to take his shoes off his feet and listen to the commands that were given to him.
In chapter one, we have Christ as our life.
In chapter two we have Christ as our example.
Chapter 3. Christ is the Object in Chapter 4. Christ is Our Strength.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Chapter one is to go out with the gospel. Chapter 2 is to go down to a lowly Christ. Chapter 3 is to go up to an exalted Christ. In Chapter 4 is to go on in the strength of Christ. It's nice to see.
Philippians gives us normal Christian experience and as you said, Charles, it's joy all the way through, isn't it?
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The enemy doesn't want to see us going on with Christ as our object. And so he begins with warnings, because if the enemy can get our eye off the Lord Jesus and get us occupied with other things by then, he's going to rob us of not only the enjoyment but even the intelligence of the truth that we should walk in. So he brings before us these warnings, because we all know how treacherous our hearts are and how easy it is for us to get.
Waylaid, so to speak. Allow these things, These warnings here. Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the concession.
These different things bring before us the dangers that would hinder us from having Christ as our object, and from walking in that revealed truth that He's given to us in His precious word.
Dogs are shameless, aren't they? I was thinking in the 6th and 7th of Proverbs you get shameless evil and how any of us could fall into the trap of it. Because we have a nature that would relate to it if we allow it, but we have the power of the new nature to walk separate from that line of things. Those things that the Solomon warned us about that.
Are so such shameless things and yet the world around us.
It prompts them up every time they go by a newsstand. It's it's shameless evil. I go in the market, it's shameless evil. I hear voices in the in the checkout stand at the counter of some woman living in sin and and talking about the shameless evil that she's going on with. But oh, and the Lord says beware of that sort of thing in that second verse, doesn't he?
Thank you.
I think the evil workers bring before us evil doctrine because it's a lot of that round two that is going to hinder our apprehension of the truth and our enjoyment of Christ. We find that false doctrine attacks either the person or the work of Christ or both. So we're warned to be aware of this. There are lots of people that take up the Bible, but they bring false teaching and we need to be aware because they could get our minds reasoning instead of in simplicity.
Taking God's word as it reveals truth to us, and I believe that concession brethren. I believe that refers to spiritual pride.
And that is, it's something that we can take pride in. I've given up this. I've given up that I'm this or that because then it's followed. We are the circumcision. The circumcision is not putting aside certain things, concise, A concise dictionary is things cut down. But the concision is the end of the first man. And the circumcision, I meant to say, is the end of the first man. That's what circumcision figures. Death to the flesh. It isn't. Well, yes, I gave up this and I gave up that.
Says the flesh profiteth nothing, flesh profiteth nothing. And so I believe we have those 3 dangers, our brother said shameless evil.
Evil teaching that's around that would rob us of the person and work of Christ and the enjoyment of the truth and then spiritual pride that we feel we have attained something. We've given up this we've been very faithful self occupation, but if we really are in the presence of God, self has no place. It comes to its end and circumcision is the knife on the flesh. Your brother Vedic are used to give us a drastic picture of that and the young people might enjoy that and it will stick in your mind.
That is like somebody that cuts off the tail of a dog inch by inch instead of cutting it off all at once. You know we cannot. And that's not God's way for us to deal with one problem in our life, in our own strength, and then we think we're on top of that, another problem pops up. We have to recognize that.
In the sight of God, sin was dealt with, the flesh was dealt with, you know, and this is how we have to see ourselves. There is nothing good in US naturally speaking, and not only as we heard yesterday.
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Did the Lord Jesus die for our sin? We ourselves found our end in the death of Christ. He never has troubled so many.
Young believers, when they realized that after they accept the Lord Jesus as savior, they come still evil thoughts, evil desires, and the enemy can even use that to trouble them, as if they're not saved and they take that scripture that we are a new creature. Old things have passed away, not realizing that there is a position of truth. You know the flesh is still within us, but we have to recognize that it was dealt with in the cross of Christ.
You know, and not only did he die for my sins, but I died with him. I'm dealt with judicially as a Sinner. I was executed. I don't any longer exist in the sight of God, and I have to recognize that unto sin as an accomplished fact. That's what Romans 6 teaches, that I've died to sin, not that I am now that I am a believer.
Dealing with some particular sin in my life, I have died to earth, the whole of it by faith.
That's what that book teaches, you know, I was very happy a brother took up Romans, and I think we would benefit from it. To go into the other chapters, each one of us, and get a hold of the teaching of Romans. I think it's not understood by many gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus and here.
We have that statement.
We are not worshiping in the flesh.
But in the Spirit, you know there is a new light and a new creature in Christ. And this is how we have to see ourselves as God sees us. And we might vainly try to deal with a particular evil and everything we have solved it. We try to deal with another problem. Then the old problem pops up again. It's still there. We have to reckon ourselves dead unto sin. We have died to sin.
And it takes as much faith to accept that side of the death of Christ as the one that he died for my sins.
That's a difficult truth to get hold of, isn't it? Colossians 3 says.
Ye are dead. That's a statement of fact. That's a truth.
God has given us a statement of fact. Then, in the book of Romans, we're told to reckon ourselves to be so.
Reckon that truth, acknowledge that truth to be solved. And then I think in Two Corinthians 4 we find Paul always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that is, he put it into practice, didn't he? And so it's very important for us. That question came up in our chapter A day about what's the difference between the Red Sea and Jordan. It was very, very simple, but it's profound, because we see in the Red Sea Christ died for me.
But then when we come to Jordan, we find we find the truth that I died with Christ. And that's the whole point, isn't it? So we as he says here we are the circumcision, which worship God in or by the Spirit.
You might allow the Charles to say in the Red Sea we see that the power that held us captive has been overthrown and destroyed, and it is a picture of sin and Satan.
You know, and the death of the Lord Jesus has delivered us, set us free.
We are no longer slaves to sin and Satan and.
But then, in Jordan, the 12 Stones represent those 12 tribes of Israel.
And the 12 Stones on the other side represent the believer in resurrection, you know, under resurrection side. And we died with him. We came to an end, you know, there was nothing good in us and we had to ourselves be put to death. And that took place in the death of Christ. God has dealt with us as sinners and put us out of his side, but we're now new creatures.
Wonderful truth to get ahold of and to get hold of that in our own souls means that we know what deliverance is.
12 Stones that were put in the bottom of Jordan. It says they are there until this day.
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But the 12 Stones that are carried up, they were first in their homes, then they were in Kilgall, a place of the camp. But it doesn't say that they still continue to this day. So as to our standing, every believer is looked upon as dead and risen with Christ.
But as to the practical side of it, we may not be in the enjoyment of it, so that it doesn't say they are there. And many dear Christians, you say they are dead with Christ. They not only the Lord Jesus, not only bore their sins, but he put an end to their old standing in Adam and brought them into a new position. They may not know it, but it's true whether they know it or not. And then it's as you were saying also. It's a practical daily thing, always bearing about in the body.
Some think, well, I can get ahold of this, and I can put myself on the altar, and I can give myself entirely to Christ. That's a daily thing, brethren. You can't just make that 1 Commitment and say now it's all over every day. We have to reckon ourselves dead, indeed under sin, but alive unto God in a practical way, because the old man is still there, and it never changes. It's still the same. That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
And I think we need to realize that so that it's a daily thing. And for a young believer to get hold of this, first the position we're brought into and then the need of this practical thing in daily life saw that Christ would be our object as we have in this chapter.
What about all my talent? What about all the abilities I have? They no good and also.
There's nothing given me or intelligent life skills. Liabilities. Are they no good?
Well, the flesh in the Bible is looked upon as that act of energy within us, that.
So a man has talents, but he would use them for himself. And even as Christians we find in Christendom many have talents, but they use those talents to the exaltation of self. But if I have learned the end of the first man, and then everything that I have, I'm as it says in the 12Th of Romans, he presents your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. Perhaps we could turn to that, because I think it's.
Helpful for us to see Romans, chapter 12.
He's dealt with all this blessed truth we're talking about in Romans. He brings before us Christ dying for our sins. He says our old man was crucified with him. The 7th of Romans shows us the conflict that goes on in a practical way before we lay hold of this truth in a practical sense. And then I believe, as her brother brought before us last night in the Gospel, we come to the 12Th chapter and we have the exhortations that are founded on the truth. And so.
Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service or intelligence service, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that he may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly.
According as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith and so.
And I lay hold of I trust I should lay hold of the truth that's developed in Romans, in the first chapters and now in the 12Th chapter, as it were. Say, well, here I am. If the Lord's given you a talent, are you going to use it to exalt yourself? You're going to bury your talent in the earth and use all your ability to get along in this world. Or you're going to say, well, Lord, here I am now that won't make us proud. That'll make us humble, make us responsible. This has been given to us. You're not your own.
The talent that we have one is given to us by the Lord. It belongs to the one who's given it to us. We're going to be called upon to give an account like the we read in the Gospel of Matthew. And so the world principle is exalt self. If you've got ability, let the world see it. You remember how the disciples said to the Lord. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world. For there's no man that doeth anything in secret, but he himself desires to be known openly.
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The man's got ability, he. The natural thing is, well, let everybody see what you've got, But it's entirely different. The Lord Jesus was governed by an entirely different motives, and he came up to that feast to tell out, as it were, the heart of God. If any man thirst doesn't come unto me and drink, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. So there may be talent. We recognize that God has given to each one of us a place in the body of Christ.
And we're responsible to use those not to exalt self or to have the knife on self. We could be wanting to show people how much we know and what abilities we have, but true ministry always turns away from the person and exalts Christ. And also not all abilities that we have naturally can be used in the spiritual life. I think Mr. Darby once said I might have the ability to knock somebody down with one punch.
Can I use that as a Christian? But in Matthew the talents are given according to their several abilities.
There are natural abilities that if put into control of the Spirit of God, can be used.
You know you do not find that a man who receives a gift as a teacher.
Is one that cannot reason soundly. You know, and the evangelists you. Usually when you see an evangelist, he's a very positive person, you know, very optimistic and so on. Well, you know there are these natural abilities and then the gift is given accordingly. But without their talent, the natural ability is of no use in the things of God and so.
How good that is and to recognize that there are things that we cannot use.
In the spiritual life, you know, we, for instance, you might be able to play the organ very beautifully, and you might be able to do that in your home and in your family circle, but it has no place in the assembly, you know. So there are gifts and talents, natural abilities we cannot use, but we can use whatever can be applied.
Along with the spiritual gift.
I thought I could see the same thing in Romans 6 verse 13. Maybe just looking at it in this way it's helpful to fix it a little more in our minds.
Speaks of our members.
And this, again, is Speaking of.
The Old Man Dead in Christ and verse 13.
Says neither yield ye or members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.
But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as.
Instruments of righteousness unto God, Well our members like Hans and feet and.
Mental abilities and so forth.
When we're not stayed, we use it for self. It's already been said, but I think I see it here too. It might be helpful.
Our members were once used as members of unrighteousness, but now that we're saved, we use them.
As members of righteousness unto God, so just taking those things we do with our hands, with our feet, with our minds, and so on, and using them, putting them to other uses for the Lord. Interesting there in Romans 12 That it speaks about. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. What does this mean?
The sacrifice was something that was given, slain or given. But I believe here he's speaking about a living sacrifice. Means we have to give up something. We've got to get rid of something there, and it's living because he brings in before us the holy acceptable unto God, which is your intelligence service. So it's interesting to see that it would be a living sacrifice for me to give up that which is.
Natural to me in order to be go on in holiness before God.
And be in a reasonable state of soul in order to please God in that manner.
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Someone once said to Hudson Taylor, I'm willing to go with you to China, I'm willing to die for Christ in China. And he said that's not what we're looking for. We're looking for those who will live for Christ in China.
In connection with that question that was raised, it's always been a help to me in second Timothy 2.
Two, it speaks there in verse.
21.
Saying, If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the masters use, and this important part.
Past tense, prepared unto every good work.
It seems to me that it's on the resurrection side. And if there is that willingness to separate from all that we know that is contrary to the word of God, then we are going to be a vessel fitted and prepared to the work that the Lord gives us to do. And if we do that work that He gives us to do, we'll do it easily. It won't be an effort.
And prepared until every good work he dispenses.
That work to do, and he equips us to do it if we fulfill that first part of the verse.
When Israel was delivered from Egypt, that was the House of *******.
Over which Pharaoh reigned a type of Satan.
Egypt, the type of the world, and I would say the Egyptians, that kept the Israelites in ******* the type of the flesh.
And when they pass through the Red Sea, they were delivered from Egypt, they were delivered from that power. And the power Pharaoh was broken. And we see that in the death and resurrection of Christ.
But at the Jordan, there was no enemy pursuing them.
It was an entirely different aspect of the death and resurrection of Christ the Red Sea.
The what we have in Romans delivers us from sins and from sin.
As a power, as a master, we used to serve sin. Now we're dead to sin.
Judicially delivered.
One may enter into that and understand it.
And still not realize that he's heavenly. He still may live very earthly. He may live an upright, moral, decent, law abiding life as a saved person. Many Christians, that's as far as they've gotten. But to cross the Jordan is to get out of the wilderness and into the land. Speaking of the heavenly places into which we've been brought in Christ and the death and resurrection of Christ. There it says ye are dead. It doesn't say dead to sin.
But dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God.
We're ended, and it's not only a judicial thing delivering us from the power that was over us. That's Romans and that's the Red Sea, but it's in order to enter into the blessings that are properly ours as Christians. How many Christians vote today, How many Christians take part in politics? How many Christians take part in social reform simply because they don't understand the Jordan, They may understand the Red Sea, that they're not to go on in sin, blatant sin.
They're dead to sin. But are they dead to all that this world has to offer?
To all of its attractions, to everything down here, many are living like their.
Like Christianity is another worldly religion. That's a great sin of Christendom. It has reduced Christianity to a worldly religion. We're here to improve the world, but we're not here to improve the world. We can't do that, and we're not called to do that. We're here to live Christ, and in order for us to really enter into our heavenly portion, we have to realize that we have died. Not just died to sin, not just to do evil, but we're dead to all that's down here.
That Satan would set before us to cause us to be earth dwellers.
00:40:00
And that's the Jordan that delivers us from.
Ourselves. How many selfish Christians there are, and I don't have to go past myself. How many times, maybe you ask yourself you haven't gone to a meeting just because you had a headache or you just didn't feel up to it? You were too tired and you yielded to that you didn't.
Set the Lord before you sufficiently so that you overcame that, and you went.
I've even heard of Christian parents saying to their children, well, shall we go to meeting tonight?
That should never be asked to your children. That should be understood. This is meeting night we go.
And unless there's some very serious illness, I'm not talking about that. But how many times self rules and well, we just don't feel like it or. But if someone would come over on a meeting night and say, well, we'd like to go out to young people and play some basketball, all of a sudden that headache's gone and you're energetic and you can go out and do that, but no energy to go out to the meeting. Well, if you realize that we were dead.
And we live in the life of the risen Christ that would overcome all that, wouldn't it?
So there's a difference between being dead to sin and justice. Being dead, dead to all that the world has to offer, its religion, its entertainments, all these things should be kept in proper check by the by the direction of the Holy Spirit. I don't know, as I presented that very well, but.
I hope you got the thought of the difference at the spirit of competition, at the spirit of competition.
You know, why is it such a dangerous thing for young people to join the team in school?
And get involved into in these activities because the spirit of competition.
Is taught, it becomes part of you and it might well be a problem in your spiritual life. You know when that spirit enters into the assembly life, what a destructive principle that is, you know. And the 1St 2 verses of chapter 12, I believe, give us that which the Lord is looking for in us in order that we might function.
In the place that the Lord has given us and the renewing of our mind is mentioned there, we have to learn to look at things altogether different. The principle of the world is that you climb the ladder by pushing people down and stepping on people's toes, You know, using your elbows. That's not the way. It is in God's way with His people.
To get up is to go down, you know, and the spirit of competition.
Has absolutely no place among God's people, So be careful, dear young people. There's nothing wrong in young people playing ball, but be careful that their spirit of competition trying to overpower the opposition. You know, this whole thing is not a Christian principle, so be careful. And isn't it oftentimes the spirit that manifests itself in the assembly?
You know, we have brought that from our former lives, you know, and haven't really judged it and have grace to overcome it.
Can I ask a few questions?
It's in a little song that I used to sing when I was a boy and that has to do with the motives.
That would direct my my activities. Why should I not love him?
He died for me. Why should I not serve him? He set me free.
Why should I not trust him? He's by my side.
Why should I not please him? He's coming back for me, I think, if the hot spring is wound up with a fresh sense of the love of Christ.
These things they are going to come. The feet follow the heart, brethren.
And if our hearts are taken up with the love of God and the love of Christ, for me, it's going to affect everything.
00:45:02
And then all of these things, these precious truths that we've been reading about as we get. I think it's called sacrifices of praise in Philippians, isn't it?
And how we should have in our hearts a song that we can go about singing.
And like you say, brother, we are liable to get into the competition idea. Oh well, I wonder who's winning the game.
I'd rather be singing about Christ as I go about my activities during the day, and I got in trouble for it a few times on the job.
But that's all right. The Lord heard the song. Some of the fellow workers, they didn't like it and they thought they let me know about it. But we have a song in our hearts that should give us to rise above all of these difficulties. But sorry to say that we are still in the world and the world doesn't want to sing about Christ. They want to get into some kind of a game. The games are all around us. It's a way of life. And I'm glad that we could address these things. But what is going to give me the rise above it? You know, it says there.
Well, of course we could go into the Psalm.
What I was thinking of the mounting up in Isaiah says they the wait and the Lord shall mount up on wings like Eagles.
That's where the Lord wants our hearts up, where He is up above this scene of sin and death and the smog, whatever you want to call it. He wants us in spirit to be there, in His enjoying His love. Very beautiful too. I was thinking here in verse 3 for now it doesn't say that we should be or you know, there's a statement of facts here. For we are. Who are the we? The children of God. He's writing to these Philippian believers.
We are the circumcision God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. And I read that. And then as I read that verse, I think of the standing that God is bringing before us here, isn't he? That's where we stand. But why do we need all these exhortations? Our state gets lower and so the Spirit of God using the word of God.
Brings, seeks to bring our state up to our standing. And I believe I see in this verse of the the the place that God has put us in. And it's very important to see that, isn't it, that we need to be reminded over and over and over again the need of being listening to the exhortations of scripture. How do we read it? Brother Charles, who is the we?
We Who is the we? We are the circumstances Who is the we?
I take it the the child of God. The child of God. It's not just us. Well, Oh yes, it's not just us in this room. No, it's the whole other other gathered Saints. Does it include others?
Is that the whole Church of God?
That every believer on the face of the earth, Yes. It's not just the gathered Saints. You mean the scattered Saints, brother. It includes them all.
Let's make that clear.
Well, Brother Charles, do you ever feel it says rejoice. But don't you ever feel like singing once in a while? All right, I just checking up on you a little bit.
You can make a joyful noise.
We can't always sing with it.
With a high pitched voice and a great tone. But we can rejoice some kind of monotone out in Philippines. Philippians isn't it? Sometimes people sing in the monotones. It says break forth and sing the song of glory to the lamb. Well waters. I go through my daily work. I'm not allowed to do that.
I should have a heart that's ready though, shouldn't I? I was thinking of that in connection with what we have in Psalm 27, Brother Bobby already mentioned about.
David offering these sacrifices of joy, he was rejoicing in the Lord and all that he was for him about converse aids. Psalm 27 He says, When thou said, Seek ye my face, my heart stirred unto thee, Thy face Lord will I see Well here is the heart that is in tune with the Lord.
The heart is right so that.
What the Lord desires.
The immediate response in the heart is I want to do that.
2nd I believe whether it's in Romans 12 or whether it's in Philippians 3, the start of all service is to learn what our standing is. If you hire a person, you want him to understand what his position is before you give him the jobs that he's to do. And I believe it's important. If we see all our sins put away in the work of Christ, we see the end of the old man, the first man, the new physician that we have been brought into.
00:50:26
Then it becomes, and that's why we mentioned in Romans 12, it's an intelligent service. Many Christians when they're first saved, well, it's right. They have a desire to do something for the Lord. But it's best that they should first of all sit as learners at the feet of the Lord Jesus and know what he has done for them in the position into which he has brought them. And there will not be an intelligence service until they first learn that. So many when they're first saved and they think, well, I want to do something for the Lord and they get involved in things that.
Really are setting cells forward. I'm doing a great work. This is what I have chosen. I'm going to be a great person in the Church of God.
Just as I wanted to be a great person in the world, but I believe both in Romans.
We see all that about our the work of Christ and where we are brought before He exhorts us to present our bodies a living sacrifice. And so here in Philippians, before he brings before us this about running the race and making Christ our object. He shows us our standing, and He shows us where the circumcision that is we have come, if I might put it that way, not only to the Red Sea, but to the Jordan. We've seen the end of the first man.
And I believe in Romans 12, where it says and be not conformed to this world.
If you notice the chapter in the whole chapter, there is nothing about what we sometimes call conformity to the world.
Nothing about clothing, nothing about a lot of things that we might say as world conformity. But first of all, he shows us that the whole principle is to recognize that self has come to an end in the death of Christ and there never will be acceptable services, our brother was saying. In natural things they have nothing else but the spirit of competition. They cannot inspire young people to do things unless they say.
Play to win.
But divine things, why do we do what we do? Not to set self forward, but to exalt Christ. And I believe, brethren, that's very important, because there can be that spirit of competition which can spoil the things of God, as our brother was saying, not only in natural things but our whole service ought to be. Seeing that whether it's in our service or whether in our worship, even in our worship, are we there to be entertained or how well a person can sting or something too many people. That's that's the service.
There's a choir, there's everything that would entertain and they're talented people that are chosen for this particular work.
But as we come together, if we really understand what Christian worship is, self is not to be set forward. It's Christ, and he is to be the one. We are the circumcision. We worship God in or by the Spirit and rejoice in talent. No, we rejoice in Christ Jesus. Is there talent? Yes, I believe God has given talent. We're responsible to use it. But that's not what we're occupied with. We're just saying, well, whatever I have myself, everything belongs to him. And I I believe it's.
Well, for us to see this, it's brought before us here. It's brought before us in Romans, and there will not be brethren acceptable service to the Lord, nor acceptable worship until we see the end of self. And then Christ is the object in what we do. We present Christ in two souls. We lay out the truth of God, but we present it in a way that exalts Christ. Whether it's in worship, it's the same thing. Well, I believe it's blessed for us to get hold of this. And the Apostle Paul.
Is seeking to bring this before these Philippians Saints and he is showing that.
He had all natural advantages, but when he met the Lord, he said.
But things were gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ. You would say, well, people have a lot of natural advantages, a good background, and they're well trained in this or that. Paul had everything and that's what he is telling us. He circumcised the 8th day of the stock of Israel. All those natural benefits were his. But when he met the Lord, all that came to an end. And isn't it lovely that we carry on an intelligent service? Perhaps I could just add this to that In Israel it was not an intelligence service.
00:55:11
Certain ones were appointed to carry the boards. Certain ones were appointed to carry the ark and the holy vessels. If you asked any Israelite why do you cut that animal in such and such a way, well, I don't know. God has said that's the way it's to be done, and we're just to be obedient. Why is the? Why are the?
The lampstands ordered in such a way it was not an intelligence service. But isn't it? I think it was so wonderful, brethren, when we are saved, the Lord Jesus says. Now sit at my feet and I'll.
I'll tell you, I don't want you to do things just in a form that you go through. I want you to understand what baptism is. I want you to understand what the breaking of bread is. I want you to, when you stand up, to tell it the gospel, not just to present it as a form, but something that has become real to you, that you understand what the Lord has done for you, and you're telling it forth to others out of a full heart. Christianity is so different from the whole order of things in Judaism. What a wonderful privilege we've been brought into all that. We entered into it, enjoyed it more.
It would affect our worship, it would affect our service and also.
Before we ever get there.
It should be in our hearts. You know, beloved brethren, we might many times express things in him that we are not in the enjoyment of in our hearts. Isn't it true in Judaism? They had these musical instruments and they had these singers and you bet they had wonderful voices to stir up worship feelings in them. That's what Christendom has deteriorated too.
But what is expected of us and Christian worship flows from a heart that is in the enjoyment of what is expressed, you know, That's why sometimes our meetings on Lords Day morning are so dull, you know, because we haven't been occupied during the week with that blessed one. And we're empty. We don't have a full basket. Remember, the Jew had to come with a full basket.
And that is an exercise not only for those who express themselves or audibly participate. That should be a state of soul for everyone in the assembly, the sisters as well, who never are permitted to express anything out of play. They can sing along, of course, but if everybody state of soul is that they're in the enjoyment of the Lord Jesus and their hearts are full of worship, what a difference it makes.
When we are together on Lord's Day morning so we can contribute to the spirit of the meeting, if I may put it that way, by our state of soul.
And it's a challenging thing, isn't it? And the Lord Jesus does not only want to receive worship when we come together in a collective way. Worship is not limited to Lord's Day morning. That is something that should be in the hearts of God's people all week long. Making melody in your heart to the Lord, melody in the heart.
And then say, it may not be I may not be a very good singer, but I can have melody in my heart and rejoice.
In my heart and it shows. It comes out, doesn't it. We don't have an instrument but we have a we have a body here that's that's a 10 stringed instrument. We have that in Psalm 92 I believe. So we can our as our thinking of that verse in Romans the your present your bodies of living sacrifice. What we have with this within this body we have a 10 stringed instrument and the whole man should be involved in it and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
In order the melody is being in tune with what the Spirit of God has put in our hearts of Christ.
Really. That's really what the melody is or should be, so you should never discourage somebody to sing.
Who might not have a very good singing voice? No, because that person might in their hearts be in a greater enjoyment of Christ than one who has a good singing voice. And it is not that at all in Christianity. It matters not them, right as that how sweet the song. Now we should try to sing as good as we can. But and sometimes, you know, we drag those melodies. I think we should make an effort to sing a lively melody in a lively way.
01:00:00
You know, it does not at all become when we speak of the stuffings of Christ to sing in a tune as if we are marching, you know, or we have to have a sense of what is appropriate. But we must never discourage a soul to express in song what they have in their hearts, although they might not be doing it in the best possible way. Is worship collective as well as individual or?
Is it?
Exclusively collective.
What did Gideon do when he heard the story from the enemy's tent? He worship. Didn't he remember when Gideon worship?
I don't know whether that word worship is or did obey essence. Well, there was a response in the connection with the Lord encouraging him.
But I would agree with your brother. It could be individual or collective.
I believe it's more collective than individual. Is that why it speaks of two or three being gathered together for the Lord's name And I I pondered it and I wonder if a person as an individual could do something in self will.
But if there's at least one other, there has to be an agreement.
And in the first, in Matthew 1820, the agreement is that the name of the Lord is the Gathering Center. We hear a lot. Yeah. Excuse me. Go ahead. I was just going to say it's a sufficient witness to that. We talk about it as a minimum number. But it was a witness number, wasn't it? Two or three. Witnessing the fact that the name of the Lord is the gathering center, not going off by yourself in the woods to worship. Well, we get that in in in Christendom today. We see you go down the street and.
And there are certain buildings down there and they have a little sign out there says come and worship with us.
The preacher is going to speak on such and such a subject at 11:00.
Well, that's not worship. I think that's what you're thinking about, Brother Barry. Yes, we're hearing a lot these days that I can worship by myself. And I think it's it's not proper. Well, in Jacob's case, he worshipped on top of his death. There you have an individual worshipping. So let us not deny the fact that the individual can worship. And I believe the gathering of things in the basket is what takes place individually.
And then we have something to bring when we come to the media collectively and remember worship sometimes where we used to be, we always call it a worship meeting. It's really a remembrance meeting. Their worship will be there. But even like Jacob he worshipped on top of his death. That is an individual privilege. Let's not deny that and that's why often times because they.
So little individual enjoyment.
Of Christ. That is what is really worship to present to God what we have come to appreciate of the Lord Jesus.
That's why our meetings on Sunday morning are often so dry.
Who was it said that? My brother, Armstead Barry, I believe, made this statement one time, he said. We can't live in the world all week and then come take an express train to remember the Lord. And I believe that's true, as our brother's been saying. What are we gathering up through the week?
Are we feeding upon Christ? And really worship is really in in a in a very simple way is an overflow of a heart filled with Christ is really what worship is. Apart from that it's just word. So I believe I see that in it that if we if we're gathering up through the week being filled with the person of Christ, when we come on Lord's Day morning, we're just overflow. This this will overflow.
And this little basket will be filled. The only thing that goes up to God is that which comes from God. Let's be frank about it.
Overflow affect others too. I was thinking of one who said draw me and we will run after thee, but I think you know as we are together collectively.
One brother presents to the Lord that which he has enjoyed of himself, and you know it strikes a chord in the heart of another.
And there's.
That which comes forth and from another in connection with the enjoyment of Christ. And I think that it's beautiful to see that that worship is a collective matter as well as individual when we come together.
01:05:15
Collectively to worship. We don't do it as individuals.
We are the mouthpiece of the assembly, those brethren who participate, and I have stated that elsewhere. Before beloved brethren, prayer and worship is not the exercise of gift. And it troubles me that at conferences the same brethren that expound the word are the ones that pray. Are we not willing to exercise our priestly privileges?
You know, and the same during the breaking of bread. Those who expound the scriptures are the ones that audibly participate. Brethren, everyone is a priest and everyone has priestly privileges. If we do not avail ourselves of these privileges, we lose them, you know. Do you want a clergy system? Then the rest of you all keep quiet and leave it up to others.
You'll certainly help towards that kind of assistance bread, and it doesn't matter how well phrased our prayers are.
What matters is, does it come from a heart in communion and fellowship with the Lord Jesus and?
So our individual state contributes to the collective worship. But remember, the one who opens his mouth is only the mouthpiece of all.
Well.
They're all gone, falling right.
Away.
And death may be my way of a thrivers. In the beginning of the past landfall came.
Philippians 3:8-15
Reading
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Most probably. But what things were gained to many, those like current law for Christ in Dallas? I count all things, but lost for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them. By doing that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.
The righteousness which is of God by faith.
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death.
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already attained either, were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, But there's one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded, And if in anything you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, where to we have already attained, Let us walk by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing.
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example for many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven. For once also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:05:12
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body?
According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Well, no, That's the thing that Paul gave up.
Were things that were gained for him. As far as this world is concerned, It was not that he gave up things that were harmful anyway. We might think of somebody getting saved and giving up smoking and drinking, which are only harmful to the body anyway, and that's good. They should do that because the body is a temple of the Holy Ghost. But what Paul was giving up were things that were gained to him, not what was all that were lost. It was a gain to him.
And then it has been pointed out that the word dung really is filth.
It's of absolutely no value.
Not even as fertilizer. So he really.
Gave up something valuable, set it aside for Christ.
He goes further and he says, I count all things but laws. That goes further than what he had counted to be against as a Jew. And that includes those things that we might glory in. You know, he counts all things but laws. But I believe, beloved, we have to see that unless we learn to count like the apostle Paul.
It is a hindrance in our spiritual gain.
You know it will hinder us to lay hold of that which we have in the Lord Jesus.
If we do not count these things, worthless that once we're so desirable for us and still go after them.
We lose out spiritually.
It seems there's a progression here, too, in that in verse seven, he says. But what things were gained to me? Those I counted lost. As he looked back, he counted them lost.
But then when you come to the next verse, ye doubtless, and I count them. I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. And so it goes on, doesn't it? He goes on. Now he does. You know, we sometimes we'll we'll say, well, we we counted this thing lost we gave it up. But we don't continue to go along in the same strain. We don't follow through. And I think that Paul. I think I see that here in Paul's what he says, what he said, I counted.
He looked back.
But when he and he goes on, the present thing was that he was. He continued to count them, but done so. It was a continual thing, wasn't it? Not just something to start. You've known, and I have too many who make a good start, but later on when you visit them, you find that they pick it up. A lot of the things that they once gave up.
In Ecclesiastes is a verse that says the time to get since 3:00 and verse 6.
Ecclesiastes a time again, a time to get in, a time to lose.
How? How we should be in the frame of mind that we're ready to leave this world.
Very shortly isn't the time to get. It's a time to lose, isn't it? But there's some things that we keep a time to keep and a time to castaway.
Well, there's some things that we keep that we'll never lose, and I think we're gaining some of them at these meetings.
These were all things that Paul could have boasted in as a religious Jew, they weren't wrong in themselves. Many of them, That is, it was according to the Jewish law. He should have been circumcised the 8th day Benjamin was. The faithful tribe wasn't carried away. In the time when the 10 tribes separated, all these things could have been considered a real advantage. But he writes them all off, as it were. Just like the Lord said that new wine has to be put into new bottles.
So there was number mixing of Judaism and Christianity, if we can put it in that way. He saw himself outside of the whole order of things because Judaism was something, a religion for man in the flesh. God, so to speak, was testing man as to whether all those religious things that were given to him would draw him near to God. So he gave him the grandest religious building that has ever been built, the Temple.
00:10:18
Gave them robes, he gave them music he gave them and many singers.
There was everything as though God were saying, well, if anything good then can be produced from the first man, I'll use the very vast means for it. That's the point. I believe in Isaiah where it says what more could have been done in my vineyard that I have not done in it. Wherefore when I looked at it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes. And so he sees he takes a position, so to speak, outside the camp, the many Christians that carry over a lot of Judaism into Christianity.
But Paul saw that it was the end of all that sort of thing, and he had righteousness alone. In Christ. There was an entirely new order of things brought into his life, and not only, as you were saying at the moment of his conversion that he counted them, but as time went went on, Christ became more precious to him, and so he could say, I count all things, the present tense. And so with us sometimes you might give something up to get cold in our souls and go back to it.
But as Paul saw more and more of the infinite beauty in the Lord Jesus, he didn't want all those things. He even spoke of them first. They were but lost. And then, as our brother was saying, he counted them. But dung he saw that what he had in Christ was so much, infinitely better.
And I believe, brethren, as I say, that this also applies to what we might find attractive in what goes on in Christendom, a great deal of mixture of Judaism and Christianity, but we have an altar where they have no right to eat, which serve the Tabernacle were called outside. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. There's a tendency often to go back, introduce those things that we have given up, and try and think that they're going to.
Help and improve in the things of God. There's an entirely new object, an entirely new order of things in Christianity.
I build again the things I destroyed. I make myself a transgressor. And that's a sad thing, isn't it? To think that you're going to you, you have a testimony as to the truth of God, and you go backwards. You give it up. Well, there's a sad note there.
You become a transgressor.
Isn't it possible further?
Charles, that we might give up things in order to please our brethren.
And certainly.
It would not be a commendable character trait if somebody would do things despite fully, you know, or to really irk the brethren. And that's possible that we might do that, you know, But and we might, in order to comply and be acceptable to our brethren, we might do things.
But is it really based on personal conviction gained from the word of God and that we do this for Christ sake and in order that we personally are in line with the truth of God and then go on in communion with the Lord in these exercises? I think that is what we would desire and I think we can pray that that.
Children are young. People will not only be saved, but.
Gain personal convictions in these things based on the word of God, and then in personal obedience to Christ. They do what they do, and I think many might have done that in the past, might even have agreed to the truth of gathering doctrine relief. But when the test comes, they throw it all overboard.
You know, did they really possess it? I know that the scripture says that if the light that is within, they become darkness.
How great is that darkness? That suggests that we actually have something and then give it up. But I believe many times we want to please our brethren. But it's nice to have an exercise that we don't want to offend our brethren. But it's much better to want to do things because we want to please the Lord and receive personally from the word of God. This is His will and mind for me, and therefore I want to do it. Christ is the object there, isn't it? I just, if you notice, verse 7.
00:15:16
But what things were gained to me? Those I counted Loss for Christ. Then in verse 8, ye doubtless. And I count all things but lost, for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and to count them. But done that I may win Christ. That's the point. That's the focal if we can speak respectfully, the focal point is the person of Christ. And that's what Paul was occupied with, wasn't he, as you say, he as he went on. His whole desire was that he might.
Continue to count all these things lost for the person of the Christ. That's why I feel it's so important that we have Christ as the object, because.
Any of us here have been brought up in the truth. We've been brought up in homes where these things were brought before us. We attended the meetings.
And we saw a order of things carried on upon the word of God. But then we're tested, aren't we, as to whether we have truly bought the truth ourselves?
Whether Christ is the object, and if I'm only doing things to please my parents or to please my brethren.
Sooner or later I'm going to be tested. Am I there? Am I gathered to the Lord's name? And am I doing what I do to please the Lord? I believe the Lord has allowed this kind of a test among us, and He wants us to buy the truth We He wants us to have Christ himself as the object and see what the true Christian position is, to be gathered to Christ alone outside the camp.
Is that the test in First Corinthians? It must needs be be divisions among you, but they that are approved may be made one.
Manifest.
So that's one of the tests, isn't it, Would you say? Yes, I think there is, particularly in the context of judging ourselves.
Because if we haven't judged ourselves, then sooner or later it comes out they that are approved might be made manifest. That's why he goes on to speak so much about when we partake of the Lord's Supper, have we judged ourselves that a man examined himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. It isn't looking for any worthiness in ourselves, but the allowance of anything in our lives that is a hindrance to communion, and has robbed us of the real appreciation of what the Lord's Supper brings before us.
We need to judge, and if we don't judge it, why? Either the Lord will have to deal with us, or it may come to the point, as we have, where the assembly might have to deal.
Is it in the proverbs where it says because?
Sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed. The heart of man is fully set to do evil if I don't judge the evil quickly and give sentence against it in my own soul. This is where the danger is, isn't it? And so I need to keep short accounts.
Being able to see the difference between and the progress that has already been mentioned in verse seven, he speaks there.
Those things I counted loss for Christ, but notice the burst of.
An enlargement of his heart and his thoughts, yes, and then doubtless without a shadow of a doubt. And I count not those things, but all things.
That lost for Christ, no for the Excellency.
Of the knowledge.
Of Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus. That implies the person of the law of Christ, but now become a man.
Came from the heights of glory, and he took that lowly name of Jesus. God become flesh. And then he says, not our Lord, my Lord was pointed out this morning. One thing to know the Lord or Savior, but our but my Lord, the authority of my life.
And there he says, my Lord, and he mentions, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. You count them but dumb. But I may win Christ what an object was before that man.
00:20:07
No, Brother Gordon, you mentioned Christendom today is a mixture of Judaism and Christianity.
Add another thing idolatry.
All we have to think of the days that are ahead of us in December.
Of Easter and these things have we become so insensitive, beloved, that we do not recognize that that which is most hateful to God we associate with the most blessed event that ever occurred, and that is the incarnation of the Son of God. That's what it is. Beloved, happy, become so insensitive that we do not realize that we don't want any part.
In this idolatry.
Which has its origin long before Christ was born. And then the fathers considered it was better they would get drunk in honor to the birth of Christ than in honor to some hidden gods. And they brought the birth of Christ, and you can read it in any good encyclopedia. Have we become so insensitive to love it that we don't realize that there is dishonouring our blessed Lord? Do we love him?
Connection with what you said about examining yourself and self judgment and and also in connection with that thought we sometimes hear the division is not of God, but if we turn to the very first chapter of the Bible.
We see the very first principles of God's character. And God said, let there be light, and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, that it was good, and God divided the light from darkness.
But notice there that it says you saw the light was good, but then he divided the light in the darkness. And God is love and God is light, but we make him judged by our sin and it's a necessary thing because of it. Whether it's self judgment or whatever character that separation takes, it's a necessary thing and it is of God we should never see. Division is not of God because it's to imply that light and darkness are to go on together. And if there wasn't a division between the light and the darkness, we would never see the stars and the majesty of God in the dark and night.
There'd just be dust. And as I believe that's important because at the time too, when the 10 tribes separated, three of them was going to fight to bring them back. And the Lord said to him, don't fight. This thing is from me. God again divided the light from the darkness. And it isn't that God didn't love the 10 tribes, and he loves to recall to us an account to us in the book of Ezekiel how they're going to be brought back under one king.
And one Lord and one nation in the land. And we love to look on to the time when all God's people will be together. But I believe it's important to see that because it sometimes God himself does that if.
Light and darkness attempt to go on together. Then God sometimes has to come in in His way.
And make that manifest.
Next with what we have here that.
Do we not have in Jonathan of?
First Samuel speaks of how that you know his soul was knit.
With the soul of David, and David was the one who captivated.
Jonathan I believe because of his victory over the enemy and there was that faith in David that Jonathan appreciated and it says as a result that he stripped himself and I believe he gave to David his role and and sword.
His girdle, his bow, and so on. I believe those were things that.
Would have.
Me, Jonathan. Important, you might say. The eyes of the world, you know, the sword and the bull. These were things that he could use to attract attention to himself.
00:25:03
But he was willing to sacrifice those things for the exaltation of David. So that's beautiful to see and speak to of how he delighted much in David.
And he was willing to confess David in Saul's court at the expense of his own life.
And he also spoke to David how he would be willing to do whatever he said. So there was that subjection to David. But the sad thing is.
As we read further in the account, we find that.
There wasn't a willingness on the part of Jonathan to share in David's rejection and so they would meet in the woods, but.
Then it tells us that Jonathan he would go to his own house.
Where he went to the city, while David abode in the wood, so was there not that which was lacking.
In Jonathan's.
Light. And he wasn't willing to share that outside place of rejection with David. He wasn't found in The Cave of a dollar.
And I believe the end of Jonathan's life is very sad, because if I'm not mistaken, he was killed at the Battle Mount Capoe and his bodies on the hanging on a wall. But.
David, in contrast, of course, was exalted to the throne and.
Just seemed as though Jonathan. He lost his his reward.
And I just was thinking in connection with what was brought out here that, you know, Paul.
Was willing to strip himself of those things that were gained to him.
And he made a good start, and I believe a good finish, but that was complete lacking in the life of Jonathan. So I believe it's a word for each one of us that the Lord's desire is that we might go all the way with him and seek his company.
Even if it be in a place that would be despised by the world.
An outside place.
Because David's love was in a baby's first Jonathan. And so in the lamented Jonathan Jonathan Jonathan's death, he said that his love for Jonathan was above the love of women.
And the world is spoken of that in a very perverted way, but it's a spiritual love. And that's what Peter tells us, for the love to add to love divine law. And there was real divine love on David March for Jonathan, and it caused him to have hurt him and wounded him deeply to Go and Jonathan.
It was above the national law.
Because it's right and proper in its place.
And David went much further than Jonathan ever expected in connection with the covenant that he made concerning his sea. You know, to take Mephibosheth as one of his sons to be at David's table. He went much more. He abided faithful. It's a wonderful illustration of that that here by the faithful.
Now this is lovely about the righteousness which is of God by faith. Christ himself is the believer's righteousness before God. We stand before God in Christ and God looks at his Son and he sees us accepted in him. What a wonderful place we're brought into. And I believe that was so wonderful to Paul because in all his attempts before he was trying to obtain a righteousness of his own.
Because the law said they still and thou shalt live so he was striving to obtain that, and he all kinds of things even sealed to persecuting the church, trying to establish his own righteousness. But then when he met the Lord was an all absorbing object for his soul. But I believe it's blessed for us, brethren, Christ himself is our righteousness. We're not only forgiven, wonderful though that is, but we stand before God in Christ.
00:30:02
Paul probably went further than anyone else in keeping the law, don't you think? He says in First Corinthians 4. I know nothing by myself, but, he adds, I'm not justified by that and in our chapter in verse 6.
He says, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless.
I don't believe anybody could have pointed a finger at Paul and said, but there is where you slipped up you you broke down. But he admits in Romans 7 that it was covetousness that slew him, and that that'd be a hidden thing, wouldn't it? You can't see that necessarily. It may come out, but Paul, if anybody before the world could have been justified by the law, it would have looked like he had achieved it. But he set it aside. It was his own righteousness.
He wanted that righteousness which is of God by faith.
Wonderful to know that we have our righteousness sits at God's right hand right now.
You find that enjoy I was thinking about in John 16. Doesn't it say of righteousness? Because I go to the Father and you see me no more. So the Lord Jesus is my righteousness and he's there at God's right hand. Can I lose that? Well, I may lose the enjoyment of it, but Christ is my righteousness.
Given up God, of course.
I think we could apply this tenth verse in two different ways that I may know him, the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, perhaps in the path of devotedness, and it was solved, he would be put to death, But that wouldn't make him the loser. That would make him the gainer, because he would experience the power of his resurrection in a practical way.
But even if we don't go through death, there can be that in our souls. There can be the power of his resurrection. I think a little hymn expresses it nicely, or teach us so the power to know of risen life with thee not we may live while here below, but Christ our life may be. And I wondered sometimes if those who appeared after the Lord's resurrection are a little picture of our position here in this world.
As those people appeared in Jerusalem and someone said, who are you? Well, their only answer would be we're alive because Christ rose.
The Bible hasn't been pleased to record their names or anything about them, but they appeared in Jerusalem as those were the proof, as those who were the proof that Christ was risen and they were displaying resurrection life. And that's the way we should go in this world. If it means that in loyalty to Christ, death comes as it did for the Apostle Paul, well that doesn't rob us of anything. He still is our life, our righteousness before God.
And we'll have part in the physical resurrection that is coming. And so Paul thought of that when he was speaks in Philippians chapter one. Here he says to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. So it didn't matter to him when the perhaps being put to death in his testimony for Christ when that came. Well it'll just make me that much more like Christ if I go through physical death. But he was already living in the power of resurrection life.
And so I believe this is a practical thing for us. People ought to see us as those who are dead and risen with Christ, appearing before this world as those who display the life of a risen Christ.
In Deuteronomy 6, I'll just read the last two verses.
And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God.
For our good always, that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day.
And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us now. That's what all those tried to achieve who were under the law, they tried to keep it, and Paul did that. Saul of Tarsus did that. He probably came as close to any he says, touching the righteousness which is in the law. He was blameless.
00:35:01
But now he says rather than have that even if I could achieve it, which he couldn't, but even if I could, I'd give that up to have what I have now in Christ to be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law. Even if he could have achieved it, he said, I found a far better righteousness than that which would have just been my righteousness. He says now I have the righteousness which is of God in Christ to be found in him.
Before God in that righteousness, Christ has now completely replaced himself in all his thoughts, and he finds his full satisfaction in him.
That's a good verse. I was looking for that verse. Brother Charles, if we go on in that, we have our own righteousness, but what good is that before God?
Isn't it, Paul? It says that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, and that's a good word to keep in mind. In other words, God does not accept any more this kind of an approach, you know, by my doing.
I'm going to gain God's favor. The Lord Jesus is the end of this and.
How wonderful the righteousness of God was manifested when He dealt righteously with the Lord Jesus on Calvary's cross. Now the righteousness of God is manifest that He is just and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus.
And how wonderful that is. God does not take up his own righteousness or of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus and puts it upon us. But when he sees one having faith in the Lord Jesus, and he says there's a righteous person, he declares that person righteous. Just like with Abraham, he believed God and it was accounted unto him. For righteousness we should believe, is different than what was.
Told to Abraham.
But the principle is the same. He was declared righteous because he had faith in what God told him, and he declares you and me righteous. If we accept what he has said about anyone that accepts his son by faith, God cannot but in righteousness declare that person righteous. He would deny himself if he would not do so. We should make a distinction between what Romans speaks of as the righteousness of God, what Paul speaks of in Romans, the righteousness of God, which is what you've just described.
But what it says here at the end of verse nine, it says the righteousness which is of God.
By faith. And that's the righteousness which he himself.
Provides us and that's Christ. Christ is our righteousness. The righteousness which is of God is Christ replacing anything that we could get by our own efforts. It's it's the righteousness of God is his perfect consistency with himself in justifying us through the gospel. But the righteousness which is of God is Christ himself who is our righteousness. As Charles said, the the little key there to the at the end of that verse.
Verse. You're looking at verse nine. Yeah, Notice what it says. The righteousness just at the end of the verse.
The righteousness which is of God. By what? By faith I accept that. I believe it. I accept it. So I know my righteousness is is it God? Is it God's right hand? I haven't seen it yet, but I believe it. That's faith, isn't it? Taking God at His word there.
Will not have a better righteousness even when we get home to glory. So John says in his epistle. As he is, so are we in this world.
There's not marvelous we will not have a better standing when we stand before him around that throne in the 5th chapter of Revelation, singing thou art worthy than we have right now. Because Christ himself is my righteousness, the righteousness of every believer. And how can we have anything better than that? We already have it. Now in this world, many people think that something is put to our account, just like somebody put $1000 in your account.
You got something to go on. It's not that we ourselves are seen in Christ before God.
And as our brother has brought out, God is perfectly righteous in doing this, because the whole claim of his righteousness in regard to sin.
Was settled when the Lord Jesus for our sins in his own body on the tree, so his whole claim as to.
00:40:02
The Guild of our sins and how a payment was to be made, that's all been settled at the cross. That's lovely to know that, but it's more blessed to know that a person, the very person who did it, is our righteousness. And that's why the proper translation in Romans is reckoned righteous. And it isn't something put to our account. It's a position that God has put us in. We are quote the last verse of 2nd Corinthians 5. He has made him to be sin for us who knew no sin.
That we might be made the righteousness of God in him. That's our position before God.
And here in that verse when it says through the faith of Christ had nothing to do with the faith that he as a man manifested on earth.
It has to do with the one we have faith in.
That is the important thing. We have faith in Christ, not that his faith is put to our account. That expression, the faith of Christ, means the faith which has Christ as its object.
I want to read a verse in Romans 517. It says for if by one man's offense death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace.
And of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. I think that's the only time it's spoken of as a gift. It's a gift of righteousness.
Christ is the gift of God and we have righteousness in him. He is our righteousness, but it's spoken of there as a gift. So the word of God speaks of this in various ways. You mentioned that one in Romans 10. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.
That is the end of that principle of striving to get righteousness by keeping the law. He is the end of that because now.
We have it in Him. He is our righteousness.
So Paul, if I understand him right, actually desired to go through the experience of death so that he liked the Lord Jesus would be raised from among the dead. The correct rendering says from among the dead. And I don't think that you and I should necessarily have that desire, but if we do go through death, we know.
We will, like the Lord Jesus, be raised from among the dead. That's Christian truth.
The resurrection of the dead was already in the Old Testament, but the resurrection from among the dead is Christian truth.
I remember there was a conference years back when Junior Gill was present and the question was put if you knew Christ was coming tomorrow and he said I'd want to die today, I couldn't figure that out. And I think it's for this very reason he wanted to go through death and then experience the resurrection even as the Lord Jesus did. I don't know whether that's the right sentiment, but anyway, that's evidently what he meant when he said that.
I think it's probably explained in the first chapter. He was on trial, as we know.
And he was asking the prayers of his brethren and in the first chapter of Philippians, he said.
The 20th verse, according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall shall be ashamed.
Bought that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ should be, shall be magnified in my body.
Whether it be by life or by death, for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose, I want not.
For I am in a straight betwixt, 2 having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful. For you having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your further and joy of faith. Perhaps some of us, if death stared us in the face, we might think, well, I just can't think of going to.
Like Paul did, and have his head cut off. And we'd say, oh, it'd be wonderful if the Lord came before that event took place.
But he said he didn't know what he would choose. His great desire was to be with Christ.
00:45:05
Whether it was through the article of death or whether it was by his coming. And so if the means was going through death, then he would attain to the resurrection of the dead. But it seems from the first chapter he he said it doesn't matter which way it is, whether it's through death or whether I live. Christ is my object. I'm going to be like him. If I go through death, I'll be like him and experience the resurrection. But if I live, I can be a blessing to God's people.
So he said he just left it all with the Lord and told the brethren to pray. But there was, shall I say, No Fear in his heart, only joy in his heart, that he would be like Christ either way, living for Christ if he was here going through the experience of death and resurrection, if that took place, well, that's a lovely attitude in the presence of death. And I think that's really what he's bringing out here, that there was nothing lost. And I like to think of it too. Some of our loved ones have gone to be with the Lord.
And we think I know my father always hoped for the Lord's coming in his lifetime because he lost something by going through death. No, the dead in Christ shall rise first, so that he he loses nothing if he does go through death, although it was his present hope that the Lord would come. But in a sense he's a gainer by going through it, since that was the will of God for him. Isn't it nice to know either one is blessed for us and also secure.
All was so confident in this that someone has said in those verses that you're munching Brother Gordon in verses 25 and 26 of the first chapter that Paul decides his own case. He was so confident in this, that's assurance that he had. But whether he lived or whether he died, he was with Christ was the object. Well, he puts it in First Corinthians 1551 like this. Behold, I show you a mystery.
Grown, being burdened, while yet we do not wish to be unclothed.
But clothes, that what is mortal, may be swallowed up by life. So unclothed means to go through the article of death. That's not the desire, you know generally for the believer, but to be closed upon. You know, that change from which Brother Tom was reading from First Corinthians 15, that is what we will all experience, because flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. We have to go through that change.
To be brought into full conformity with our Blessed Lord.
Have that resurrection body. Although we might not go through death, perhaps it wouldn't be out of place to tell little instances. My father had a man said to him, You Christians are very inconsistent. You all talk of how wonderful it'll be to be with the Lord, but when you get sick, you all go to the doctor and you hope you'll be able to give you a remedy so you can still live on. And this my father said to him, well, but you haven't read the Bible very carefully.
The Bible never teaches me to look for death. The Bible always teaches me to look for the Lord's coming. Not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon. And he said, if it's God's will, I'd like to be alive when the Lord comes. But if death comes, I'm perfectly confident I know what it is. We're always confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. So we're not inconsistent when we go to the doctor because.
It's perfectly right and proper that we as Christians should always have this blessed hope before us. And indeed, whether it was in the days of the apostles or in this day, we should have that hope that we would be alive when the Lord comes. But we're confident in the presence of death and willing.
One doctor once said, you know, the Christians are the most difficult patients. When they get cured, they say, praise the Lord.
And if they don't get well, they blame the doctor.
But it's true, isn't it? Threaten. That's how we oftentimes are.
Very little is said of death really. I don't. I wouldn't be able to refer to the verses but I think perhaps the list is 1. But most of all the references are to the coming of the Lord in in the in the New Testament and and be a death before them was it was just a few times. I don't remember how many. Perhaps some brother knows but it wasn't very many times. It was the Lord's coming that was before them. You don't find it in Ephesians.
00:50:04
Because we're already in glory and we don't find it in Galatians because they were they were turning away.
So we find it in every other book in the New Testament, either the coming for His Saints or with His Saints.
Is there?
What a contrast with the Old Testament, isn't it? You don't go very far in Genesis before you have the death of a man in the 4th chapter.
And the 5th chapter, how many times does it say And he died and this was remarkable. How many books of the Old Testament end?
For the funeral, I can't remember which book now, but it has three funerals. 3 people died at the end.
Maybe it was the book of Joshua, I can't remember. But And then the the Old Testament itself ends with Genesis, ends with the words they coffin in Egypt.
And the Old Testament ends with a curse. But the New Testament begins with Jesus Christ and ends with the grace.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a difference Christ has made.
That 11 verse it's already been commented on, but it's a very strong expression in the original. It says, if by any means I might attain unto the out resurrection from among the dead, it's the strongest expression of the rapture that there is in the New Testament, the out resurrection from among the dead.
Very strong. This just says the resurrection of the dead. It's not it's not that that's a general resurrection that they thought of, but this is the.
The resurrection from among the dead. It's the out resurrection from among the dead. The rest of the dead will remain in the ground.
And some will be raised, and those are the Saints.
Now in the 12Th verse, when he speaks of not as though I had already attained, but that is, he hadn't gone through the experience of death and resurrection. So while still living here, he desired to lay hold in his soul of the purpose that God had in laying hold of him. The word apprehend, I believe is the thought of lay hold of. I might read it like this if I follow after this that I might lay hold of.
That for which?
I am apprehended or laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Why did the Lord pick me up and save me? To give me a long life in this world, prosperous life. Now he's laid hold of me that I might be in that coming day fully like Christ. I already have him as my righteousness, but he's going on now that pressing on through life with the thought of full conformity. Now what he's seeking to produce in US is moral conformity at the coming of the Lord, it'll be full conformity. And that's brought out in the end of the chapter.
But you and I desire to be like Christ while we're still here, so that people might see the life of Jesus manifested in our body. Paul hadn't yet attained that glorious time when he would have a body of glory, but while he was still here, he wanted to lay hold of the purpose that God had. And He's one of us can ask ourselves, did the Lord lay hold of us to make us big people in this world, to give us successful on things here?
He lay hold of us. He laid hold of us that he might have a people around himself.
Just like his God's beloved Son, as we sang. And is it so? I shall be like thy Son.
What a lovely thing. And that was Pauls desire in the meantime, until he had a body of glory, that he would be morally like Christ in his life here.
And inconsistency with what you just said, First Timothy 610 says. For the love of money.
Is the root of every evil. Is a root of every evil which while some coveted after they have heard from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things and follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. So it's the love of money, the pursuit of it, that has been a big snare to so many, hasn't it?
But that love does not begin with $1000.
You know it begins with a penny.
The love of money is not only a problem with people who have it.
00:55:03
It's those who desire to be rich so better, and that's a danger for all of us.
And where's our heart, you know? And if which is increases this promise says, do not set your heart upon it. Keep it in mind. In our society we have an overabundance of things, and the danger definitely exists that we set our hearts on these things. But your heart can be honored when you don't have nothing. But one could be poor and be guilty of the love of money. That's right. And one could be grich and not be guilty of it.
So we mustn't make money equivalent to the love of it.
What you set your heart on.
That's what the Lord is talking about in the 16th of Luke. I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it should be it fail. He may be received into the everlasting habitations that as many have used, what God has given them for his glory and for blessing. And the result of that will remain. We have Bibles in our hands. There were people that had means that were spent hours and hours.
Translating the scripture, arranging for it to be bombed so that we could sit here with Bibles in our hands.
And so they made a proper use of money. They used their money in view of eternity, and I think that's well to remember. So as it was said, it isn't the money that's the harm, it's the use that we put to it that often is the harm. And so we can use what God has given to us, not for present things, which we tend to do, but for eternal things. The money is going to fail, but.
The privilege that we have had of sitting here, each with an open Bible because somebody had the means and the time.
To spend bringing it, translating the Bible, preparing it so we could have it in our hands. We can be thankful, and God will reward them for the sacrifices they made.
The scripture keeps everything in its balance, doesn't it?
There's four goals of the natural man power.
Riches, pleasure and fame. And it's said in this world.
Money is power, and if that's the motive.
Of the heart, then that's evil to pursue it for that reason.
Bunny is a status symbol, if that's the motive of the heart to be up to your neighbor or maybe a cut above.
That's that's just vanity.
So those are the four natural things for men. Power, riches, pleasure and fame. Solomon had them all, and he said it was all vanity and vexation of spirit. Isn't it true, though, that when we get older?
That thought of securing our future.
Is more in the mind of middle-aged and older people. It's not that much in the mind of young people. They might have other ambitions. And so we see that several decades back there was a tendency away from that materialism and back to nature. But you know, now there are a lot of young people, what do they call them, the yuppie generation, You know, they have switched the other way again.
But I think it's true that we who are getting older, these kind of things help and financial security are the things that are on our mind more than on the minds of the young. If you've ever gone through a nursing home and seen the condition of the patients there or the residents there, you you always go away saying, I hope I never end up in such a place.
Pretty miserable, Pretty miserable. Naturally, that's going to be.
Something that one thinks about as he gets towards the end that's natural, but does not set our heart upon these things. Trust in the Lord.
Mr. Kelly gave a definition of wealth, which I copied out.
It's much more than we need for ourselves, for the poor.
01:00:01
It's an interesting thing. Yes, it is for show indulgence.
Or hoarding. What's hoarding? Having so much I don't feel my dependence.
Quite an interesting definition, but it includes the poor.
Having enough for yourself and the poor More than that as well.
Purpose of it is for shell, for indulgence or for hoarding.
This chapter lays the, shall I say, the very stress on what is our motive. And so he said that I may apprehend, I may lay hold of what was the purpose the Lord had in laying hold of me, He said. I haven't fully laid hold of it, but I'm pressing toward this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth under those things which are before I press toward the mark of the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus.
Now that is, the Bible doesn't give us a lot of rules and instructions that we might like to have. Or how much should a person think of for his old age and that sort of thing. If we have Christ as the object and we're seeking to live for Him, I believe he'll guide us in all these things and give us the wisdom that we need.
But it's the motive that's brought before us here, and I believe that's important for myself and for all of us. What is our motivation in life? Are we thinking of what you say, security, or are we just thinking of living for Christ? He may give us a great deal. If he does, then we're responsible.
But in any case, our motivation, our purpose in life is to live for him.
And how lovely that is. The Word of God delivers us from having material things as our object.
God does provide that often. Look at these nice comfortable chairs, these nice meals, this building that we've been able to use for the meeting.
That's the goodness of God. He has the key of David. He can open up things for us and provide for us. But what is our object, brethren? That is the thing that speaks to my heart. Is Christ my object, or is the possession of these things my object? That is the great thing in Christianity.
There the beautiful thing there is that Gordon in that verse is.
Verse 13, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do.
I think of the We think of many things and we can be confused. There's confusion there. But Paul says one thing. I do the the blind man said one thing. I know you know, he he could see only one. He says Now I know I didn't. I couldn't see before. Now I can see and we we can be troubled and careful and troubled about many things and that's confusing. But I think of the dear apostle here he says one thing.
This one thing I do. So it's good to know that while thinking of the in Ephesians 4 where you get the oneness, you get, I think you get sevenfold oneness there. One God, one Lord, one faith and so on and does. Is that confusing? No, not confusing. But we don't want to. We don't follow it because we're not close enough to the Lord in order to that that may be our object. And this was Paul's object, wasn't it? One thing I do.
Forgetting those things which are behind and he was some.
It wasn't all the evils, it was some of his good things that he had to leave all behind and he said then, he says.
But we're getting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before the person of Christ reaching forth to follow that which is the of the person. It isn't. Well, let's put it this way, it's not God hasn't set before us.
Well, I guess it's it's an impossible object. But it's not all that difficult. If we have a desire to please God, there's the point. The spirit of God would direct our thoughts that way, wouldn't it, Guy? Isn't it lovely? The Bible isn't written just for one civilization. It isn't just for one period of the history of man on earth. But just think, we have a Bible, a book in our hands, brethren, the last page of it written.
Will say about 1800 years ago, and it's perfectly suited to the civilization in which we live.
You take it out to Africa, It's suited to them there. If you take it to China, it's suited. There's no other man could write anything like this. But God has written a book Suited to the whole Christian dispensation given that long period of time ago. Suited to those who live in America, suited to those who live in China, Suited to those in every civilization that they can glean a way that they can live for Christ, honor Christ, Use what they have for Christ.
01:05:13
Oh, how wonderful. We should be so thankful that we have in our hands.
A book given of God suited for us in our time. The present truth, Esther was told by King Haziris talking about the different nations, and in Ezra 725 as King A Hazira said to to Ezra the wisdom of God, which thou hast in thy hand.
Thank you.
The word perfect in the 15th verse is a little different from the thought in the 12Th verse. I believe the thought in the 12Th verse is.
Perfect that is in glory, we'll have bodies of glory fashioned like Christ.
But here in the 15th verse, let us therefore as many as be perfect. He says he isn't already perfect, but as many as be perfect. Here it's used in the sense of maturity. What is maturity in the things of God. It's having Christ before us as the object and pressing toward the goal. And so a young Christian can be mature in the things of God. An old Christian can be mature in the things of God. If that young person has Christ for his object, he's mature.
If an old person doesn't have Christ, it's not. He's not mature, so it's not really here a question of age. It's not a question of our glorified bodies either.
What is the perfection in Christianity? It's to have Christ as our object and be pressing on in life with Him as our object and living to please Him.
Thing #35.
#35
I.
Oh yes, baby, my heart is in my heart.
All right, very tremendous. Forever when I am following your behavior.
I'll be crazy, God.
Wait a minute.
And it is great. It is really good.
They have they finished around the country and I have the president that I'm not saying.
The Gospel, Perfect Servant
Open—D. Gorgas, G. Hayhoe
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.
00:05:18
He turned to the Book of Romans, Chapter One.
Romans, chapter one.
Verse one.
Paul.
A servant of Jesus Christ.
Called to be an apostle separated unto the gospel.
Of God.
Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures.
Going to go back and read the end of verse one again because verse two is parenthetical and so we keep it in our minds as to how it reads.
Called to be an apostle separated under the gospel of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.
And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness.
By the resurrection from the dead.
Verse 15.
So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel.
To you that aren't Rome. Also for I am not ashamed of the gospel.
I believe the words of Christ are added words in this particular passage.
Go back to verse one. You'll see It's the gospel of God. Is it the gospel of Christ? Of course it is.
But the theme of Paul here is that it's the gospel of God concerning his Son, Jesus Christ. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first.
And also to the Greek for therein is the righteousness of God revealed.
From faith to faith, as it is written, the just.
Shall live by faith.
Beloved brethren, very often in an open ministry meeting, we.
Have what?
I believe is rightly.
That which the Saints often need, which is exhortation.
And consolation.
But there is the aspect of.
Building up and encouraging.
To take hold of the doctrine.
And I have been very concerned in my.
Moving a bit among the Lord's people to find that even the fundamentals of the gospel are being let go. And I'm not talking particularly about those gathered to the Lord's name, but I believe we're certainly included in the danger.
And many strange notions are entering in concerning the gospel.
Some are teaching an easy believism.
And some are.
Teaching corruptions of the doctrine of election.
And I believe this book that we have opened before us, the book of Romans.
Was given by God as a fundamental treatise as to the gospel.
Particularly the 1St 8 chapters.
This book is concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of God.
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ.
And if you want to get your doctrine straight as to the gospel as to.
Its impact on the ways of God as we have in the 9th, 10th and 11Th chapters.
As to its impact on our lives as believers, as we have in the 12Th through the 15th chapters.
00:10:05
This is a wonderful book, and one we ought to understand.
And my purpose here this afternoon is not to occupy the Saints with a lecture on that would be inappropriate, a lecture on the book of Romans, but rather to encourage you to dig into that book and to understand it concerning the gospel of God.
God's good news.
The.
It's interesting that God has given us this book in the place that it is in the scriptures.
After the facts of the Lord's life.
After the four books which touch on his life in ministry.
After the Book of the Acts, which has to do with the circumstances concerning the leading out of the Remnant into a Christian position.
And the establishment of the Christian assembly or the Church, then God is careful that we understand thoroughly.
What the gospel is.
I don't think that.
The Apostle Paul, great mind that he was could have possibly put together a book like this, I know.
That he could not have put together a book like this with all the studying that he could have done, all the background he had in the Jewish scriptures. He could not have put a book like this together on his own.
It has the marks of divine inspiration on it on every page.
And it's a wonderful treatise.
Well laid out.
And I just encouraged the young.
Brothers and sisters that are here and us older ones do to know what Romans teaches.
And if you don't know what Romans teaches, you don't know what the gospel is about.
Paul, as we know, lays out our lost condition in a masterful way in the.
First, second and third chapters and concludes, and we'll turn to that presently. But he concludes that we're all going out of the way. Absolutely every one of us lost and ruined before God. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Whether it's the.
Heathen.
And sometimes it amuses me.
In a solemn way, but it amuses me to hear people get excited about the heathen when you begin to tell them the gospel. Well, what about those that are out in such and such a place that have never heard? But it's interesting that God takes up their case first in the book of Romans, and then he deals with the Gentile moralist, the civilized Gentile world, and finally with the Jew in that wonderful place of privilege, and concludes all under sin.
The.
Now what does the gospel take up?
What is it that Paul is not ashamed of?
You know, sometimes you'll bring.
A view to people, and you're not entirely convinced of its effectiveness, but you talk fast and you convince people anyway, and then later on something breaks down in what you've said and you're ashamed.
But this passage that we have before us here sets out that the Apostle Paul was not ashamed of the gospel.
For it's the power of God unto salvation. In other words, it works.
The gospel works, and we don't need to be ashamed of it from that standpoint.
If you've never seen anybody saved, and it's a sad thing if you haven't, it sometimes says something to me about.
Where I am in my own soul, how few I have seen saved.
But when someone comes to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
And is turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. And you see a change in the life your heart is.
Overjoyed, but Paul says here, I'm not ashamed because it's the gospel of the gospel, for it's the power of God. The root word I understand is the same word from which we get our word dynamite.
00:15:12
And there's an apartment connection there that helps us to understand what it does. It's a great power affected in the human life that changes, turns the life completely around and brings them out of darkness into light. It's the power of God unto salvation.
To everyone I wish it were, but it's not. It's to everyone that believe it.
I say I wish it were. God's wisdom is that it isn't. It's to them that believe.
Only from my heart standpoint, there are some people that I just.
I could weep that they you bring them the gospel and they have the need, but they don't. It doesn't do anything in their lives. Why? Because they don't believe. It's the power of God unto salvation into everyone that believeth.
Now the next verse is important. The 17th verse it says for therein in what?
In the gospel is revealed.
The righteousness of God is revealed.
It's revealed, opened up.
What is the righteousness of God? And that disturbs me too. And I urge you to get ahold of what the righteousness of God is because it's it's misunderstood on every side.
As I talk to people who are Christians who love the Lord, and there's very evident that they've received the Lord Jesus Christ and they're saved, but you ask them what is the righteousness of God? Very often the answer will be how the Lord Jesus lived down here in his life. That's not so.
That's the righteousness of Christ, and without that there's no savior.
But the righteousness of God is God's consistency.
With what he is in himself, with what he does for the Sinner, May I repeat that?
The righteousness of God is God's total, absolute consistency with what He is in his own nature, in what He does for the Sinner, and that is revealed only in the gospel.
We would not have it opened up to us, except for the gospel. It's revealed in the gospel God's total and absolute consistency with what He is in his own nature, in what he does for us, for the lost and ruined Sinner.
And it's revealed in the Gospel. Now I'll just mention that this is one of the most orderly books. Every book, of course, is orderly in scripture. But for the human mind to understand a little bit of it, it can be outlined. And I believe when God deals with the gospel he made particular.
Particularly plain the divisions of the book. The 1St 17 verses are an introduction the authors.
Introduction God's introduction to the book through the Apostle Paul.
And then he begins to take up, in a doctrinal way, the book the the Gospel in the next chapters, finishing with the 8th chapter. And I'll tell you a little clue if you're reading through. If you want to see where there is a break in the book, look for a doxology. What's a doxology? That's a word of praise. That's simply a fancy theological word for a word of praise.
If you go to the end of the 8th chapter, you'll see very plainly A doxology as the apostle bursts forth into praise to God.
Then the question comes up if this is true and God is justifying on the basis of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And faith in him alone.
What about the Jews place? How does it fit into the ways of God? Where does it? Where is it? How can we fit everything? God's dealings with his ancient people? Has he cast them away forever? And what? What is the place of the Gentile and the Jew in regard to that? And so he takes 3 chapters and 9th, 10th and 11Th chapters.
I once asked a brother who was in the process of giving up dispensational truth. I said dear brother. I named him by name, brother very dear to me. We spent two hours by a lake one afternoon just talking and talking. And finally I said to him, what do you do with the 9th, 10th and 11Th chapters of the book of Romans? He says. I haven't thought that through yet.
00:20:19
I said you'll never think it through, dear brother, because that is clearly if anything sets forth God's dispensational ways. And when I mean when I say by dispensation his his administrative ways, it's those 3 chapters so clear.
God's blessing upon them in the past as ancient people, Israel.
They're setting aside where does the Gentile come in? How did he come in?
It's an unnatural grafting in what will happen if gentile profession is unfaithful. It will be broken off and the Jew will be brought back in. But it's all in relation to the gospel. Now I want to make another remark before we move beyond that point.
Verse three clearly says that of our chapters clearly says that the gospel of God is concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Don't ever go at the gospel in a theological way.
I often remark to people who are steeped in theology. Theology is a science invented by man to make the plain truth of God.
Confused. I don't believe theology ever added anything to the truth of God.
I believe theology has only made it a craft, a profession.
And it puts it in the hands of a certain few who go to some seminary or some college, and they have superior knowledge.
I'd rather hear, and I'm sure you would do. I'd rather hear the truth of God expounded by a man who walks in communion with the Lord than to hear the best schooled theologian on the face of the earth.
One that speaks with unction from the Spirit of God, the other speaks out of his head.
And he may say right things, and he may be a good speaker, but it isn't. What?
It isn't the same as what God would give us through His servants that are schooled at the feet of Jesus.
And in the assembly, too. What a wonderful place to get the truth. And that's one of the things that lays heavily upon my heart. Whatever time the Lord leaves me here, I want to say to my younger brother, and I've said it before, I want to repeat it whatever breath the Lord gives me.
I want to layout God's truth that I receive so wonderfully from men who have gone before.
I want to lay it out in such a way that you can get a hold of it.
Whatever little bit the Lord has given me, I want to share with you while I'm here.
Concerning his Son, That's it. Don't ever detach the gospel from the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no gospel apart from that. It's concerning His Son. That's God's purpose and all the schooling in the world. If you're not in communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and you've lost sight of Him as the central figure in it all, you've lost everything. You've lost everything The gospel is.
Concerning his son.
Jesus Christ, our Lord, how beautifully it's put for us in this chapter.
I want to go over to the third chapter.
We have a marvelous summary of the condition of man.
Beginning in verse nine of the third chapter, Paul has indicted and arraigned before the bar of justice by the Spirit of God, not only the heathen, but the gentile civilized moralist.
And finally, the Jew.
Begins with the Jew, by the way, in chapter 2 and verse 17.
Runs through.
00:25:01
Through chapter 3 and verse 8.
Then he begins to summarize, and he says What then? Are we better than they?
No in no wise, for we have before proved.
Proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin. I don't have time to read the intervening verses that indict.
The.
The human race with its guilt.
And we come down to verse.
19.
Now we know that what things, whoever the law says, it says to them who are under the law.
Legalists pay attention. Who did it say it to us? The Church? No.
Says to those who are under the law.
With what purpose that every mouth may be stopped and all the world?
May become guilty before God.
Ah, that's the heart.
Of man's condition, that's where man is guilty before God. Some some particular group, some particularly blessed group were more guilty. But all the world is guilty before God.
Go down to verse.
23 We often quote 23 without 24, but I just love the connection between those two verses.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Solemn truth.
All all have sinned. I'm not preaching the gospel here right now.
But I just say a word that if there's anyone here that has not come to realize that God wants your attention with what's being said here, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Now verse 24 being justified freely by his grace.
Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. When we come to God, the first thing that concerns a man that concerns you or me is not our sinful nature. I don't think that comes to mind in the beginning of our awareness of things. The beginning of our awareness of things is that we have a multitude of sins to our charge. If we're honest people, we have to admit there's a multitude of sins to our charge.
And the first thing that Paul takes up through the end of chapter 5 and verse 11 is how God deals.
With that multitude of sins.
How he removes righteously.
Those sins from our record in justifies us.
Justifies us.
Freely by His grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, you know.
The grace of God is one of the most wonderful things.
And a sense of it in our souls is important to have a sense of the grace.
Of God that has been shown to us. We've been justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation.
Through faith in his blood.
Now there's two things that the cross declares and concerning the righteousness of God.
And let me illustrate it this way. In the Old Testament we have a man.
Who wrote many of the Psalms?
A dear man, but who sinned grievously.
And yet he wasn't stricken dead.
And we're going to see him in glory.
What a wonderful thought.
And yet what a terrible thing. He not only committed the sin of adultery, but took the man whose wife he had stolen and sent him to his death. He killed.
He killed.
That those two heinous sins were on his record.
How could a holy and righteous God pass by that sin?
You might say that that is a mystery until the cross.
00:30:02
And then it says here to declare.
His righteousness.
For the remission of the sins that are past all those sins from Adam on down.
To the cross, How could a righteous God pass them by?
The cross shows how he could.
He forbore and all those sacrifices that were offered that set forth Christ.
Would have never removed those sins for the Apostle Paul. I believe in Hebrews says it is impossible.
That the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin. It was impossible.
What was the purpose of them? To set forth Christ in the figure. And when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, the Lord Jesus went to the cross of Calvary. And God's righteousness in having passed, David's sin by is declared and made plain that God made no compromise. God made no.
Passing over something that he could not have passed over as a righteous God.
It was all dealt with, but it was dealt with at the cross of Calvary, and that was revealed and declared through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ there on the cross.
Sometimes I've said to people, if you want to understand 25 and 26, put a little cross.
In between the two verses because that's where the cross comes, is right there the remission of the sins that are passed. And then verse 26 says to declare. I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.
I illustrate it this way.
Here's a man who goes through his life.
An alcoholic or whatever other kind of Sinner you might want to say.
That's only one type of sin.
But this man staggers into a gospel mission. He's 63 years old and his body is wasted and he's ruined.
His family's gone. Everything's gone. He sits there bleary eyed, under the sound of the word of God, and somehow the spirit of God gets through to his conscience and soul.
And he puts his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
He falls down before the Lord and he.
Comes to the Lord and he's saved.
And that man is instantly assured that he'll have a place with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In glory.
He doesn't have to go back and make amends for all the mess that he's made as far as his soul's salvation is concerned, There may be a lot of amends to make in his life in a governmental way, but as far as his soul is concerned, he's saved gloriously, completely, truly.
And here is a man who lives all his life on the right side of things as far as man is concerned.
Never with a thought of God, and gozu, and new eternity without God.
Without Christ.
And God sends the one into eternal judgment and the other one is received into glory. How can God be a righteous God and do that? And that's a puzzle to many, isn't it?
Many people stumble at that to declare. I say at this time his righteousness.
That he might be just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus. That's what it is. Do you believe in Jesus and you're justified?
There's more. The end of Chapter 4 says we were It was delivered for our offenses.
That's all those sins that had piled up against us. He was delivered for them and raised for our justification.
And then chapter 5 and verse one says, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ, peace with God. What a wonderful thing, every sin removed and righteously removed from before the presence of God but now?
The story of the apple tree that my grandmother had in Albany, NY.
00:35:07
Knobby Horrible apples, only good for the boys to fight with, and we used to throw them back and forth at one another and hit each other with them and that's all they were good for. Finally, my grandmother said cut that tree down and we did.
Previously we gathered up all those bad apples every year and thrown them into a cider press or something, but they were not good for anything really.
Put out the garbage. Now the tree was cut down, but something happened. After a few years, I went back to Albany as a tree grown up. Flowers on it. Apples coming out. Oh, maybe we're going to get good ones this time. Same old gnarled rotten worm, eaten hard apples.
Why? Because the nature was the same that produced them. And so in chapter 5 and verse 12 The apostles attention changes from the offenses, the individual sins to something else that's called sin, that which produces the rotten apples, so to speak. What's God do with that? Does he forgive it? No. God never forgives that He condemns it. Chapter 8. And I'm going to sit down with that verse.
Verse chapter 8 and verse 3 for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh.
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. What did he do?
With that nature, he condemned it.
Condemned it, and in the death of Christ, not only were my sins put away.
That all that I was is forever removed before the presence of God. What a wonderful thing.
So God deals not only with the fruit, but He deals with the root.
And that brings you then to the end of the doctrinal part of the book. May the Lord encourage us.
The reason I spoke on this, Beloved, is not to reach souls in the gospel so much as to stir our hearts that we might get the doctrine of the Gospel clear in our minds. It's under attack everywhere and we need to know what it teaches. And may I just say this is a wonderful little book by Mr. Stanley. I don't know if Bruce has it in there. Called Life Through Death on the book of Romans. I very much recommend it to our younger brothers and sisters.
Her brother has been bringing before us the precious truth of the possession the believer has been brought into. And I was just thinking, brethren, of the 16th song that's bringing before us the pathway of the Lord Jesus through this world as the perfect dependent man, I wonder if we could just look at that. Psalm, Psalm 16.
Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, my goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after another God. Their drink offerings of blood, will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup.
Now maintaineth my life.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places. Yeah, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord who have given me counsel my reigns. Also instruct me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand. I shall not be moved, Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, or hades, neither wilt thou suffer Thine holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right hand there are pleasures.
Forevermore.
My brother is brought before us the wonderful truth of the work of Christ and what it has done for us, so that we not only know the forgiveness of sins, but we're justified from all things, or as it says in the 5th of Romans, justification of life. And I think that's a very blessed thing for us to understand, brethren, that some have said, well, justification is just as if I had never seen, but that would only put me in the position of Adam before he fell.
00:40:16
He hadn't yet then, but thank God it's far better than that. God doesn't just put us in the position of unfallen atom, He puts us in Christ. And so justification of life means that every believer in this room is before God not only forgiven all his sins, but before God in a life that never sinned at all. And that is how God sees us. And he tells us to reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin.
But alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord, Perhaps the 7th of Romans brings before us in a practical way.
The conflict that goes on because we're slow to learn, that we're slow to give up the thought that there is anything good in the first man.
We don't believe that it's totally condemned. We think there's something there. But, brethren, they are in the flesh. Cannot please God. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. That fallen nature within us cannot be improved.
And so we are before God in Christ, and God sees us in that position. So what I was thinking of in connection with this chapter.
Is that blessed man, the Lord Jesus, the one who walked through this world?
Who only he was that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.
There was one who walked through this world, who never had any tendency to do what's wrong.
And he has given us his life. And now by wrecking the old man dead, we have a perfect pattern in the life of the Lord Jesus of godliness. That's what it means in that verse in First Timothy 3 without controversy. Great is the mystery. It doesn't say of God, but great is the mystery of godliness. That is the secret of godliness is the pathway of the Lord Jesus as he walked through this world. In all the circumstances that we have to meet in our pathway, He walked through this world.
And only manifested that blessed life that He is Himself.
The very life of Christ. And there He manifested and He left us an example that we should follow His steps. What a pattern for us. And this 16 Psalm, I believe, brings him before us, walking through this world as the dependent man. Why do we fall? Because we're independent. Why did Adam fall? He was independent. He thought he could just act on his own.
And he reached out for what was forbidden. But here we find the Lord Jesus.
In this world, we're just noticing together when we were talking about.
How the Lord Jesus began the pathway of Israel over again, so to speak. It says out of Egypt have I called my son? We know how the Lord Jesus was brought down into Egypt after he was born and then he comes back into the land. We see him tempted of the devil answering every temptation by saying it is written, it is written.
Adam the first Adam. Why he didn't?
He reasoned for himself and he was overcome, But the Lord Jesus?
Answered every temptation by it is written. And then he went about displaying the heart of God to man, so much so that he could say He that hath seen me has seen the Father and brethren. What I wish to say is that you and I possess his life. We often excuse ourselves for failure, but you have within you the very life of Christ, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear not who will be.
But who is our life shall appear. Every believer in this room has a life.
But never ascend and cannot sin. What a wonderful thing. The reason we sin, I say again, is because we allow the old man. We don't reckon the old man dead, and so we allow it. If we walked as the Lord Jesus down in this world, we wouldn't meet any circumstance in our own wisdom or in our own strength. We would walk as he walked. Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust.
He's going to have all the kingdoms of this world, but he wouldn't take them from Satan. He's waiting the Father's time. How long has he waited? He hasn't received them yet. The day is coming when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. But he's waiting. He's the man of patience. You and I get impatient. We don't want to wait God's time. In our private circumstances, sometimes even in the assembly, we're not willing to wait God's time.
00:45:26
But all how blessed the pathway of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, may this be our daily constant prayer. Preserve me, O God, because I have a strong character. Now in B, do I put my trust? Our confidence is not in ourselves, or should not be, but in ourselves. But in the Lord, I should say our confidence should be in Him. And so it says.
O my soul, thou has said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord.
My goodness extendeth not to thee. That's simply the thought that the Lord Jesus.
Didn't walk through this world, if I might say it in this way. With a Halo around his head. He walked through this world as a man so that as people looked at him, unless it was revealed to them by the Father, they didn't recognize him. They didn't recognize him. He walked through this world and blessed and perfect humility, But every thought, every word, every action was a telling out of the heart of God, his father.
And so he says in the next verse, but to the things that are in the earth.
And to the Excellent in whom is all my delight, it's not a beautiful verse.
God looks down upon this company here this afternoon, everyone who belongs to him.
Is a St. everyone who belongs to him is one of the excellent of the earth. We're holy and without blame before him in love, brethren. Sometimes we need to look at one another this way too, and think of one another. Just like when Balaam gave his prophecy. What were the people doing in the tents below? Well, they were quarreling and doing things they shouldn't. But he said from the top of the rocks do I behold him.
He hath not a nick beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel. We often wonder how this could be, but that's where God has brought us. He sees us in Christ. We're made the righteousness of God in him. And so we see the Lord Jesus. Where was his delight with the rich and influential of this world? Now we see him with that little household in Bethany. We see him acquainting himself with Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast 7 devils.
How beautiful. The excellent of the earth. We need to look on one another in that way.
It isn't that we're not conscious of the fact that we're four week things and we all fail. But in grace we always ought to think of God's people as God sees them. How lovely the excellent of the earth. And then he gives a little word of warning. Here their sorrow shall be multiplied that hasten after another God, sorrow shall be multiplied. Oh, isn't it true, brethren, we often multiply sorrow in our lives.
Because we hasten after something else, something that's not Christ, something that's not him, something that's not for him. We think, oh, that'll make me happy if I just get that when we get it, it's only multiplied sorrow. But isn't it lovely that we have one who we can set before us and that was ever before the Lord Jesus? And he said the good pleasure of thy will, O God, is my delight.
Even when he was rejected by the nation, and very interestingly, it was the only occasion on which we find the Lord rejoicing in spirit. When was it when rejected by the one whom he had come to bless, He took it from his Father. And he said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father.
For SO it seemed good.
In thy sight a brother was talking to a group of children, but one of them was blind, quite handicapped, and he seemed to be giving all the good answers when preacher the brother was talking and he said, he said to him, well, how is it that you who seem to know your Bible so well and love the Lord our blind love. These other children have good eyes and everything seems to be going well for them.
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He said, Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Perfect submission to the ways of God. That's the secret of happiness for us, submission to the ways of God beginning. Preserve me, O God, for in me do I put my trust. Is there someone here? And you're finding your circumstances very difficult. Some young person that has come to the meeting here feeling pretty discouraged by to somebody else, seem to have something, and I don't.
It's easy to feel these things, I might say It's natural. But the Lord is able to fill your heart, able to make you thoroughly happy. Jesus rejoiced in spirit and actually said, I thank the old Father, Lord of heaven and Earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
It says their drink offerings of blood. Will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips?
There was number such drink offerings of blood in the Old Testament order of things for Israel. There were no drink offerings of blood. But we see that they were carrying on a form of worship all of their own. Great deal of that people carry on a form of worship not founded on the word of God, just their own, their own idea. Isn't it good for us even in our worship, brethren? Not to say, well, I like to be with that group, their group, nice group.
Maybe they are. Are you and I where we are because we believe it's according to the word of God?
And because we believe the Lord is there, have often said, if we can meet the Lord in two different places.
In the midst, in two different places, I'm going to form my decision on the basis of people. If there's two places where I can go, I like the people in this place. I don't just like the people in this other place quite so well, but I can meet the Lord in either place. My decision is going to be founded upon people, but if the word of God is my guide and I want to be where the Lord is, that'll settle the question. Just to be where He is. What a privilege.
And it goes on to say, the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup thou maintainest my lot. Notice there are two things here, my inheritance and my cup. Perhaps they bring before us this thought. The inheritance is all that we possess in Christ. We're heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. All that He possesses. We're joint heirs when He takes things.
Kingdoms of this world become his. He's going to share that place. He's going to introduce us to the world as His bride. He'll come to be glorified in His Saints and to be admired in all them that believe. We know these things. We enjoy them as truth. But here that's our inheritance. But my cup.
You might have a large vessel full of some drink that you enjoy. You dip in your cup, you get One Cup full. It's a present enjoyment of what's there, and that's what the Lord wants, for us to have a present enjoyment. Maybe it's only a little bit.
Thou has begun to show me, Lord, but what shall be the ending? I touch the fringe of what thou art.
And this is joy transcending I've only on the rippling shore, Loves, oceans, depths are all before you, and I ought to know what our inheritance is, but we also ought to be in the present enjoyment and of my cup. And then this thou maintainest my lot.
Is there anyone of us that likes to be misunderstood? Is there anyone that likes it when someone forms a wrong judgment? I don't suppose any of us enjoy that feeling, but they'll maintainest my life. It's a good thing to be able to just leave things with the Lord, isn't it? He forms a right appraisal about everything.
Mary poured out that alabaster box appointment on the Lord, and those who ought to have known better found fault with her said To what purpose was this waste?
Did she say nothing? Nothing. What did the Lord say? She hath wrought a good work on me. I'm sure she was glad she kept quiet. The Lord spoke to her. And he said, Wheresoever the gospel is preached in the whole world, this also that this woman hath done, shall be told for a memorial of her. Nobody would know it. Yes, the world was going to know it. Oh, how lovely.
00:55:08
Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places.
Yeah, I have a goodly heritage.
I've sometimes said we're going to meet Paul and we're going to meet Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in heaven another day. I often like to think about talking to those whom we'll be with for all eternity and the glory. And I'd like to say to them, would you tell me what was the best time that you ever had in your whole life down in this world, on planet Earth? And I wouldn't be surprised, the whole three of them would say.
It was when we were in the fiery furnace. It was so wonderful. The Lord walked with us, The Lord walked with us. The lines are falling unto me in pleasant places. And when the word of God comes home to your soul in power and comforts you in a difficult position and situation, I don't think there's a more pleasant place. I've heard ever so many Christians say I was in such a deep trouble and sorrow. And there was a verse came to me and oh, it just meant so much to me.
I'll never forget what that verse meant to me. On that occasion, the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places. Would you call the fiery furnace a pleasant place? I believe in heaven they will, I believe, they'll say. It was such a wonderful experience.
And then he says, yeah, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who have given me counsel. Well, I think that's something we all feel very much that we need of in a world like this.
Life is becoming more and more complex. Either young people, you're finding a more complex world and we who are older did. Because as knowledge increases in the world, life becomes very much more complex. Does the Lord understand every one of those difficult situations in school, on the job, even in the assembly? Does he understand them thoroughly? Yes. Can we turn to him? His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor.
The Mighty God.
The Father of eternity, Prince of peace.
Girl one time was sitting down writing a little note that she was going to send into column in the newspaper that tends to give answers for some of the problems of young people. And she was writing out her problem and her sister who was a believer saw it sitting on the desk. The girl had gone to bed and left it half written and she sat down and just rolled across the bottom of the half written letter. His name shall be called Wonderful.
Counselor, the letter was never mailed. She was introduced to the one who is a counselor. I say to those of us who were older, two or younger, ask the Lord for counsel. Never, never take a step in disobedience to His Word. There's no wisdom or understanding their counsel against the Lord. You'll never, I'll never be wiser than God. Never is worthwhile.
To take a step in disobedience to God's word, so have given me counsel. It's an interesting part to the close of this verse. My reigns also instruct me in the night seasons. I understand the word rains is really kidneys in the original. And that's a very interesting thing because I think most of us know what the kidneys do. They purify the blood and they especially work when we lay down at night and our kidneys go to work.
Now, I think there's a little thought here sometimes. We're pretty brazen and bold and things we say during the day when we put our head on our pillow at night and we begin to think about some of the things we did and said, we There's a little sorting out of these things, aren't there? We say I was foolish to say a thing like that. I acted very foolishly on that occasion. I shouldn't have said that. My reigns instruct me. It's good. It's good. When we lay down at night just to sometimes just look at those things in the light of the Lord's presence, we think of the Lord Jesus.
The perfect one. Before he chose those 12 disciples, he spent the whole night in prayer to God.
In prayer to God, He knew all about them even before he chose them.
He knew all about them, but he was the perfect dependent man. What an example for us, brethren. My reigns also instruct me in the night season. I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. Oh, how important. Tell the Lord always before us. We think of the Lord Jesus. Who could say I do always those things that please him? Christianity isn't just a system of teaching.
01:00:30
Our brother has brought before us in a very lovely way what the gospel is, but you could get hold of the theory of it all and not be a happy Christian. But the Lord Jesus is the truth. I am the way, the truth and the life. And if learning the truth, we are not drawn closer to him, we haven't learned it in the right way. I've been thinking a little bit of that verse in First Corinthians 7. I believe it is.
If a man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it. Now that's not so a natural things, that is, you can learn facts of science, mathematics, all kinds of things. You can get them in your head. You don't need to be a spiritual person to get them into your head. Those are natural things. But in divine things if learning the truth of God.
Doesn't humble me. I haven't learned it in the right way. How could I learn?
What God's wonderful grace has been to me and where he has brought me and my responsibilities without being humbled, as I think of the grace that picked me up and the grace that may have been kept me to this day, it humbles me. And if we start boosting, oh, I know this, I'm sure I can handle that truth. I can explain that very well. We better watch out. Learning the truth of God and communion makes us think less of ourselves.
And more of him, so it says.
I have set the Lord always before me because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. You may know a verse of Scripture wonderful to be acquainted with God's Word, may it be hid in our hearts, but we need to have a person before us. When decisions are made that we're making them in His presence, we're making them to please Him, and that He only can sustain us, brethren.
So I shall not be moved. And there then it goes on and speaks of the Lord Jesus. He looked beyond death, He looked on to resurrection and so. How lovely this is.
Says in the Gospel of Luke, I believe it is the time came that he should be received up, He set his face that he might go to Jerusalem.
When it says the time came that he should be received up, they believe it's something like what we have in the 21St of Exodus.
He was the only person that could go to heaven in his own right. He had perfectly.
Walk to please God his Father in every step of his pathway, and he could go to heaven in his own right. But he was like the Hebrew servant who had served his master well, could have gone out free alone. But he said, I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free. And he went to the judges He went, and our precious Savior, the only one that could enter heaven in his own right, because he had perfectly lived as the dependent perfect man to glorify his Father.
But he said, I want to have, I want to have these brethren here, sitting in this room. I want to have them with me. I don't want to have the joys of heaven alone. I want to have them with me. And he went to Calvary, and this is brought before us his pathway. Here He went through death. He came forth in resurrection because He wanted you, and he wanted me with him for all eternity. Oh, how precious then.
Look beyond this scene. He looked on to the future, he looked on to the glorious day, and he is now raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. He perfectly glorified God. He's sitting there not only in his blessed pathway as man, but he glorified God about the question of sin. And as our brother brought before us, because he has so perfectly glorified God, he's going to have a company in glory around him.
And you'll see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied. Well, thoughts like this.
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I trust, encourage us, and I just thought of this little Psalm as it brings before us the pathway of our blessed Savior is a dependent man. What a lovely thing it is to know the position that we've been brought into. But, brethren, it's not just knowing truth. Wonderful it is as it is. But we need to have a person before us, a person who walked in this world, who met all circumstances that we meet day by day, walk through it perfectly.
And He's given us his life. You and I possess the life of Christ, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear.
Then shall we also appear with him in glory, you say? Oh, that's a very difficult path.
We can't do it in our own strength, but oh, it's a blessing and happy path. When we lean upon him, count upon him day by day, moment by moment. Well, brethren, we're getting near the end of our journey here. The Lord is coming soon. May He grant that we not only will get a grasp of the truth, but He'll that we'll set the Lord always before us.
Ah, character creation of love God.
You are your heart.
Lord.
The Gospel of God
Gospel—D. Gorgas
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Book of Romans, chapter one. Romans chapter one, verse one.
Paul.
A servant of Jesus Christ.
Called to be an apostle.
Separated unto the gospel of God.
Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
Going to go back and read the end of verse one again because verse two is parenthetical and so we keep it.
In our minds as to how it reads.
Called to be an apostle. Separated under the Gospel of God concerning his Son.
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.
And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness.
By the resurrection from the dead.
Verse 15.
So as much as in me is I am ready to preach the gospel.
To you that aren't Rome also, for I am not ashamed of the Gospel.
I believe the words of Christ are added words in this particular passage. Go back to verse one, you'll see it's the gospel of God. Is it the gospel of Christ? Of course it is. But the theme of Paul here is that it's the gospel of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.
To everyone that believeth.
To the Jew first.
And also to the Greek, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed.
From face to face, as it is written, the just shall live.
By faith.
Beloved brethren, very often in an open ministry meeting, we.
Have what?
I believe is rightly.
That which the Saints often need, which is exhortation.
And consolation.
But there is the aspect of.
Building up and encouraging.
To take hold of the doctrine.
And I have been very concerned in my.
Moving a bit among the Lord's people to find that even the fundamentals of the gospel are being let go. And I'm not talking particularly about those gathered to the Lord's name, but I believe.
We're certainly included in the danger.
And many strange notions are entering in concerning the gospel.
Some are teaching an easy believism.
And some are.
Teaching corruptions of the doctrine of election.
And I believe this book that we have opened before us the book of Romans.
Was given by God as a fundamental treatise.
As to the gospel.
Particularly the 1St 8 chapters.
This book is concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ, The gospel of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ.
And if you want to get your doctrine straight as to the gospel as to.
Its impact on the ways of God, as we have in the 9th, 10th and 11Th chapters. As to its impact on our lives as believers, as we have in the 12Th through the 15th chapters. This is a wonderful book and one we ought to understand.
And my purpose here this afternoon is not to.
Occupy the Saints with a.
Lecture on that would be inappropriate a lecture on the book of Romans, but rather to encourage you to dig into that book and to understand it concerning the Gospel of God.
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God's good news. It's interesting that God has given us this book in the place that it is in the Scriptures.
After the facts of the Lord's life.
After the.
Four books which.
Touch on his life in ministry after the book of the Acts, which has to do with the circumstances concerning the leading out of the remnant into a Christian position.
And the establishment of the Christian assembly or the church, then God is careful that we understand thoroughly.
What the gospel is, I don't think.
That.
The Apostle Paul, great mind that he was, could have possibly put together a book like this. I know that he could not have put together a book like this with all the studying that he could have done, all the background he had in the Jewish scriptures. He could not have put a book like this together on his own.
It has the marks of divine inspiration on it on every page. The.
And it's a wonderful treatise.
Well laid out.
And I just encourage the young brothers and sisters that are here and us older ones too.
To know what Romans teaches.
And if you don't know what Romans teachers, you don't know what the Gospels about.
Paul, as we know.
Lays out our lost condition in a masterful way in the.
First, second and third chapters and concludes, and we'll turn to that presently, but he concludes that we're all going out of the way, absolutely every one of us lost and ruined before God. Guilty, guilty, guilty, whether it's the heathen.
And sometimes it amuses me.
In a solemn way, but it amuses me to hear people get excited about the heathen when you begin to tell them the gospel. Well, what about those that are out in such and such a place that have never heard? But it's interesting that God takes up their case, first in the book of Romans, and then he deals with the Gentile moralist, the civilized Gentile world, and finally with the Jew in that wonderful place of privilege.
And concludes all under sin.
Now what does the gospel take up?
What is it that Paul is not ashamed of?
You know, sometimes you'll bring a.
A view to people, and you're not entirely convinced of its effectiveness, but you talk fast and you convince people anyway. And then later on something breaks down in what you've said and you're ashamed.
But this passage that we have before us here sets out that the apostle Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, for it's the power of God unto salvation. In other words, it works. The gospel works, and we don't need to be ashamed of it from that standpoint.
If you've never seen anybody saved, and it's a sad thing if you haven't, it sometimes says something to me about.
Where I am in my own soul, how few I've seen saved.
But when someone comes to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
And his turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, and you see a change in the life. Your heart is overjoyed.
But Paul says here, I'm not ashamed because it's the gospel of the gospel, for it's the power.
Of God. The root word I understand is the same word from which we get our word dynamite.
And there's.
There's an apartment connection there that helps us to understand what it does. It's a great.
Power affected in the human life that changes, turns the life completely around and brings them.
Out of darkness into light. It's the power of God unto salvation.
00:10:01
To everyone I wish it were, but it's not. It's to everyone that believe it.
I say I wish it were. God's wisdom is that it isn't. It's to them that believe.
Only from my heart standpoint, there are some people that I just.
I could weep that they you bring them the gospel and they have the need, but they don't.
It doesn't do anything in their lives. Why? Because they don't believe it's the power of God unto salvation.
Into everyone that believeth.
Now the next verse is important, the 17th verse. It says for therein in what in the Gospel is revealed.
The righteousness of God is revealed.
It's revealed opened up.
What is the righteousness of God? And that disturbs me too. And I urge you to get ahold of what the righteousness of God is because it's it's misunderstood on every side.
As I talk to people who are Christians who love the Lord, and there's very evident that they've received the Lord Jesus Christ and they're saved, but you ask them what is the righteousness of God? Very often the answer will be how the Lord Jesus lived down here in his life. That's not so.
That's the righteousness of Christ, and without that, there's no Savior.
But the righteousness of God is God's consistency with what He is in Himself, with what he does for the Sinner. May I repeat that.
The righteousness of God is God's total, absolute consistency with what He is in His own nature, in what He does for the Sinner, and that is revealed only in the gospel.
We would not have it opened up to us except for the gospel. It's revealed in the gospel God's total and absolute consistency with what He is in his own nature, in what he does for us, for the lost and ruined Sinner.
And it's revealed in the gospel. Now I'll just mention that this is one of the most orderly books. Every book, of course, is orderly in Scripture, but for the human mind to understand a little bit of it, it can be outlined. And I believe when God deals with the gospel, he made particular.
Particularly plain the divisions of the book. The 1St 17 verses are an introduction the authors.
Introduction God's introduction to the book through the apostle Paul.
And then he begins to take up in a doctrinal way, the book the the gospel in the next chapters, finishing with the 8th chapter. And I'll tell you a little clue. If you're reading through, if you want to see where there is a break in the book, look for a doxology. What's a doxology? That's a word of praise.
That's simply a fancy theological word for a word of prays.
If you go to the end of the 8th chapter, you'll see very plainly a doxology as the apostle bursts forth into praise to God.
Then the question comes up if this is true and God is justifying on the basis of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and faith in Him alone.
What about the Jews place? How does it fit into the ways of God? Where does it, Where is it? How can we fit everything God's dealings with his ancient people as he cast them away forever? And what what is the place of the Gentile and the Jew in regard to that? And so he takes 3 chapters, the 9th, 10th and 11Th chapters.
I once asked a brother who was in the process of giving up dispensational truth. I said dear brother. I named him by name.
Brother very dear to me, we spent two hours by a lake one afternoon.
Just talking and talking. And finally I said to him, what do you do with the 9th, 10th and 11Th chapters of the book of Romans? He says. I haven't thought that through yet.
I said you'll never think it through, dear brother, because that is clearly, if anything sets forth God's dispensational ways. And when I mean when I say by dispensation his his administrative ways. It's those 3 chapters so clear.
00:15:18
God's blessing upon them in the past as ancient people, Israel.
They are setting aside Where does the Gentile come in? How did he come in?
It's an unnatural grafting in what will happen if gentile profession is unfaithful. It'll be broken off.
And the Jew will be brought back in. But it's all in relation to the gospel.
Now I want to make another remark before we move beyond that point.
Verse three clearly says that of our chapters clearly says.
That the Gospel of God is concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Don't ever go at the gospel in a theological way.
I often remark to people who are steeped in theology. Theology is a science invented by man to make the plain truth of God.
Confused.
I don't believe theology ever added anything to the truth of God.
I believe theology has only made it a craft, a profession.
And it puts it in the hands of a certain few who go to some seminary or some college and they have superior knowledge. I'd rather hear, and I'm sure you would do. I'd rather hear the truth of God expounded by a man who walks in communion with the Lord than to hear the best school theologian on the face of the earth.
One speaks with unction from the Spirit of God, the other speaks out of his head.
And He may say right things and He may be a good speaker, but it isn't what It isn't the same as what God would give us through His servants that are schooled at the feet of Jesus and in the assembly too. What a wonderful place to get the truth. And that's one of the things that lays heavily upon my heart. Whatever time the Lord leaves me here, I want to say to my younger brother, and I've said it before, I want to repeat it.
Whatever breath the Lord gives me.
I want to layout God's truth that I receive so wonderfully from men who have gone before. I want to lay it out in such a way that you can get a hold of it.
Whatever little bit the Lord has given me, I want to share with you while I'm here.
Concerning his Son. That's it. Don't ever detach the gospel from the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no gospel apart from that. It's concerning his Son. That's God's purpose and all the schooling in the world. If you're not in communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and you've lost sight of him as the central figure in it all, you've lost everything.
You've lost everything. The gospel is concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. How beautifully it's put for us in this chapter. I want to go over to the third chapter. We have a marvelous summary of the condition of man.
Beginning in verse nine of the third chapter, Paul has indicted and arraigned before the bar of justice by the Spirit of God.
Not only the heathen, but the gentile civilized moralists.
And finally, the Jew.
Begins with a Jew, by the way, in chapter 2.
And verse 17.
Runs through.
Through chapter 3 and verse 8.
And then he begins to summarize, and he says, what then? Are we better than they?
No in no wise, for we have before proved.
Proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all.
Under sin, I don't have time to read the intervening verses that indict.
Uh. The uh.
The human race with its guilt.
And we come down to verse.
00:20:01
19.
Now we know that what things, whoever the law, Seth, it set to them who are under the law.
Legalist. Pay attention. Who did it? Say it to? Us, the church?
No.
Says to those who are under the law.
With what purpose? That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world.
May become guilty before God.
That's the heart.
Of man's condition that's where man is guilty before God some.
Some particular group, some particularly blessed group, were more guilty.
But all the world is guilty before God go down to verse.
23 We often quote 23 without 24, but I just love the connection between those two verses.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Solemn truth.
All all have sinned. I'm not preaching the gospel here right now.
But I just say a word that if there's anyone here that has not come to realize that God wants your attention.
With thoughts being said here, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Now verse 24 being justified freely by his grace.
Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, when we come to God, the first thing that concerns a man that concerns you or me is not our sinful nature. I don't think that comes to mind in the beginning of our awareness of things. The beginning of our awareness of things is that we have a multitude of sins to our charge.
If we're honest people, we have to admit there's a multitude of sins to our charge.
And the first thing that Paul takes up through the end of chapter 5 and verse 11 is how God deals with that multitude of sins.
How he removes righteously?
Those sins from our record in justifies us.
Justifies us.
Freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. You know the grace of God is one of the most wonderful things.
And a sense of it in our souls is important to have a sense of the grace.
Of God that has been shown to us, we've been justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation.
Through faith in his blood.
Now there's two things that the cross declares and concerning the righteousness of God, and let me illustrate it this way. In the Old Testament we have a man.
Who wrote many of the Psalms?
A dear man, but who sinned grievously.
And yet he wasn't stricken dead.
And we're going to see him in glory.
What a wonderful thought.
And yet what a terrible thing. He not only committed the sin of adultery, but took.
The man whose wife he had stolen and sent him to his death.
He killed.
He killed.
That those two heinous sins were on his record.
How could a holy and righteous God pass by that sin? You might say that that is a mystery until the cross.
And then it says here to declare.
His righteousness.
For the remission of the sins that are past all those sins from Adam on down.
To the cross. How could a righteous God pass them by? The cross shows how he could.
He forbid and all those sacrifices that were offered that set forth Christ.
Would have never removed those sins. For the apostle Paul, I believe in Hebrews, says it is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin. It was impossible. What was the purpose of them to set forth Christ in the figure. And when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son. The Lord Jesus went to the cross of Calvary.
00:25:26
And God's righteousness in having passed David's sin by is declared.
And made plain that God made no compromise. God made no.
Passing over something that he could not have passed over as a righteous God. It was all dealt with.
But it was dealt with at the cross of Calvary, and that was revealed and declared through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ there on the cross.
Sometimes I've said to people, if you want to.
Understand 25 and 26. Put a little cross.
In between the two verses, because that's where the cross comes, is right there the remission of the sins that are passed. And then verse 26 says to declare, I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.
I illustrate it this way.
Here's a man.
Who goes through his life?
An alcoholic or whatever other kind of Sinner you might want to say. That's only one type of sin.
But this man staggers into a gospel mission.
He's 63 years old and his body's wasted and he's ruined. His family's gone. Everything's gone. He sits there bleary eyed under the sound of the Word of God, and somehow the Spirit of God gets through to his conscience and soul, and he puts his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
He falls down before the Lord and.
Comes to the Lord and he's saved.
And that man is instantly assured that he'll have a place with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Glory.
He doesn't have to go back and make amends for all the mess that he's made. As far as his soul salvation is concerned, there may be a lot of amends to make in his life in a governmental way.
But as far as his soul is concerned, he's saved gloriously, completely, truly.
And here there is a man who lives all his life on the right side of things as far as man is concerned.
Never with a thought of God and goes into eternity without God.
Without Christ.
And God sends the one into eternal judgment, and the other one is received into glory. How can God be a righteous God and do that? And that's a puzzle to many, isn't it?
Many people stumble at that.
To declare, I say at this time, his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus. That's what it is. Do you believe in Jesus and you're justified?
There's more. The end of Chapter 4 says we were. It was delivered for our offenses.
That's all those sins that had piled up against us. He was delivered for them and raised for our justification.
And then chapter 5 and verse one says, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ, peace with God. What a wonderful thing, every sin removed and righteously removed from before the presence of God, but now.
The story of the apple tree that my grandmother had in Albany, NY.
Knobby, horrible apples only good for the boys to fight with, and we used to throw them back and forth at one another and hit each other with them and that's all they were good for. Finally, my grandmother said cut that tree down.
Than we did.
Previously we gathered up all those bad apples every year and thrown them into a cider press or something, but they were not good for anything really.
Put out the garbage.
Now the tree was cut down, but something happened after a few years. I went back to Albany as a tree. Grown up. Flowers on it. Apples coming out. Oh, maybe we're going to get good ones this time. Same old gnarled rotten worm eaten hard apples.
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Why? Because the nature was the same that produced them. And so in chapter 5 and verse 12, the apostles attention changes from the offenses, the individual sins to something else that's called sin, that which produces the rotten apples, so to speak.
What's God do with that? Does he forgive it? No, God never forgives that.
He condemns it chapter 8, and I'm going to sit down with that verse, verse chapter 8 and verse 3 for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. What did He do with that nature? He condemned it.
Condemned it.
And in the death of Christ, not only were my sins put away, but all that I was is forever removed before the presence of God. What a wonderful thing.
So God deals not only with the fruit, but He deals with the root, and that brings you then to the end of the doctrinal part of the book. May the Lord encourage us. The reason I spoke on this, Beloved, is not to reach souls in the gospel so much as to stir our hearts that we might get the doctrine of the gospel clear in our minds. It's under attack everywhere.
And we need to know what it teaches. And may I just say this is a wonderful little book by Mr. Stanley. I don't know if Bruce has it in there called Life Through Death.
On the book of Romans. I very much recommend it to our younger brothers and sisters.
Philippians 3:1-7
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Philippians, Chapter 3.
Defining my brother's life in the Lord. To write the same things for you, to mean indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of gods, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision, For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.
If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I mourn circumcise the 8th day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the Church, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless.
But what things were gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ.
Yay, Dallas and I count all things but laws for the Excellency.
Of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things.
And do count them but done, that I may win Christ, and be found in him not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law.
But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
That I may know Him in the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already attained either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
But there's one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
I crashed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded, and if and anything you'd be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example.
For many walk of whom I've told you often and now tell you even weeping.
That they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mine earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven for once also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be faster and like unto His glorious body.
According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things.
So I was just thinking, brethren, how we had a great deal of practical ministry yesterday in connection with the path in which God would have us to walk. But I was thinking how this chapter brings before us the state of soul. Because in divine things, things may be set out very clearly, but it needs to have the heart right. We need to have Christ as our object. And if Christ is our object, then it says in this 50th verse, let us.
As be perfect or full grown, be thus minded, and if in anything he be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. That is on God's party is willing to make His truth known. The hindrance that there is a hindrance is always on our part. It's our state of soul that isn't right, and that's where spiritual things differ from natural things.
In natural things we lay hold of them according to our natural ability.
But in divine things we lay hold of them according to our state of soul. And so, if the Spirit of God through His Word may attract our hearts to Christ, things that may not seem clear to us will be opened up to us by the Spirit, because Christ is the truth, as we had last night, the way, the truth, and the life. Everything is in Him, and we need to have Him before us, and His Word is our guide. But the.
Especially before our hearts, so that we might have Him as the object and His word is our guide. Nice word to start with, isn't it? The first word, finally.
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That's the summary. Isn't it interesting that in the book of Philippians we get in every chapter either joy or rejoicing? And it seems as we read through it that there was some little difficulty there. Sin is not really mentioned, but there was this little difference there between take it to be sisters.
And so we get this thought of of the of the oneness of the agreeance and of the rejoicing in every chapter it to some degree either joy or rejoicing in each chapter of this book. I think two that isn't the key verse here. This brings before us the he's the object or should be the object shouldn't be. And I think the key verse there is verse 14. I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.
Christ Jesus, he pressed on to that. That was his whole goal, wasn't it? Not he knew the Lord Jesus as his Savior, but he wanted to know him in a, in a nearer, closer way. And I believe it's like it's been put this way, We know him as our Savior, but do we all know him as our Lord, the one who has authority in our lives, the one with whom we're going to be for all the ages of eternity?
It's often been mentioned, but I think it bears repeating that.
Christ is the one who is the theme in every chapter. First chapter He is our life. It says to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. In the second chapter he speaks of Christ as the example. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Then in this chapter, as you mentioned the object, Paul compares himself to a runner with an object before him and then in the last.
I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. And that is, we might say, well, it's a difficult path, but we don't. We're not called upon to run the race. We're not called upon it to walk in in our own strength.
Paul was in prison, but he could do all things through Christ, which strengthened him and said too that in this chapter it takes energy, doesn't it do as you mentioned, Gordon, a spiritual energy to follow on.
I think in chapter 3 or chapter 2, it brings before us more the graciousness of the Lord Jesus, doesn't it? The graciousness of Christ. Whereas in our chapter it brings the thought, to me at least, as it takes energy, doesn't it? Spiritual energy to go on because the enemy would seek to turn us aside. You know, it's interesting to know that when we got saved.
We were we were attracted to the person of Christ.
Because of His wondrous work on the cross, and we have salvation, but now we need to be attached to Him in love. And it takes energy, the Spirit of God working not only for us, but in us to energize us. To go on in the joy of the Lord and know something of that joy or rejoicing that we have in every chapter. Because this was a prison epistle, wasn't it?
Being said that.
Romans is the coming out like the coming out of Egypt?
And Philippians is the journey through the wilderness the ifs.
And then Colossians is being across the Jordan, but just on the on the Bank of the other side, not totally in the land. And then Ephesians is the full enjoyment of the land. Perhaps in connection with that, you could say that Philippians is the time where the Lord appears as the captain of the Lord's host to bring them into the possession.
And Joshua was told to take his shoes off his feet and listen to the commands that were given to us.
In chapter one, we have Christ as our life. In chapter 2, we have Christ as our example.
Chapter 3 Christ is the object. In chapter 4, Christ is our strength. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Chapter one is to go out with the gospel. Chapter 2 is to go down to a lowly Christ. Chapter 3 is to go up to an exalted Christ. In chapter 4 is to go on.
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In the strength of Christ.
To see.
Philippians gives us normal Christian experience, and as you said, Charles, it's joy all the way through, isn't it? The enemy doesn't want to see us going on with Christ as our object, and so he begins with warnings. Because if the enemy can get our eye off the Lord Jesus and get us occupied with other things, by then he's going to rob us of not only the enjoyment, but even the intelligence of the truth that we should walk in.
Brings before us these warnings because we all know how treacherous our hearts are and how easy it is for us to get.
Waylaid, so to speak. Allow these things, these warnings here. Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the concision.
These different things bring before us the dangers that would hinder us from having Christ as our object and from walking in that revealed truth that He's given to us in His precious word. Dogs are shameless, aren't they? I was thinking in the 6th and 7th of Proverbs you get shameless evil and how?
Any of us could fall into the trap of it because.
We have a nature that would relate to it.
If we allow it, but we have the power of the new nature to walk separate from that line of things.
Those things that the Solomon warned us about that are so such shameless things, and yet the world around us.
Prompts come up every time you go by a newsstand. It's it's shameless evil. I go on the market, it's shameless evil. I hear voices in the in the checkout stand at the counter of some woman living in sin and and talking about the shameless evil that she's going on with.
But oh, and the Lord says beware of that sort of thing in that second verse doesn't mean.
Evil workers bring before us evil doctrine because it's a lot of that they're round to that is going to hinder our apprehension of the truth and our enjoyment of Christ. We find that false doctrine attacks either the person or the work of Christ or both. So we're born to be aware of this. There are lots of people that take up the Bible, but they bring false teaching and we need to be aware because they could get our minds reasoning instead of.
Simplicity, taking God's word as it reveals truth to us. And I believe the confession, brethren, I believe that refers to spiritual pride.
That is, it's something that we can take pride in. I've given up this, I've given up that I'm this or that because then it's followed. We are the circumcision. The circumcision is not putting aside certain things, concise, a concise dictionary as things cut down. But the concision is the end of the first man and the circumcision, I meant to say, is the end of the first man.
That's what circumcision figures death to the flesh.
It isn't. Well, yes, I gave up this and I gave up that.
As the flesh profiteth nothing, flesh profiteth nothing. And so I believe we have those 3 dangers. Our brother said shameless evil, evil teaching that's around that would rob us of the person and work of Christ and the enjoyment of the truth and then spiritual pride that we feel we have attained something. We've given up this. We've been very faithful self occupation.
But if we really are in the presence of God, self has no place. It comes to at the end and circumcision.
Is the knife on the flesh your brother Vitaker used to give us a drastic?
Picture of that and the young people might enjoy that and it will stick in your mind. That is like somebody that cuts off the tail of a dog inch by inch instead of cutting it off all at once. You know, we cannot, and that's not God's way for us, deal with one problem in our life in our own strength, and then we think we're on top of that.
Another problem pops up. We have to recognize that.
In the sight of God, sin was dealt with, the flesh was dealt with.
You know, and this is how we have to see ourselves. There is nothing good in US, naturally speaking, and not only as we heard yesterday.
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Did the Lord Jesus die for our sin? We ourselves found our end in the death of Christ. He never has troubled so many young believers when they realize that after they accept the Lord Jesus as Savior, they come still evil thoughts.
Evil desires and the enemy can even use that to trouble them as if they're not saved and they take that scripture that we are new creature, old things have passed away, not realizing that there is a positional truth. You know, the flesh is still within us, but we have to recognize that it was dealt with in the cross of Christ.
You know, and not only did he die for my sins.
But I died with him. I'm dealt with judicially as a Sinner.
I was executed. I don't any longer exist in the side of God, and I have to reckon myself that unto sin as an accomplished fact. That's what Romans 6 teaches, that I've died to sin, not that I am now that I am a believer dealing with some particular sin in my life. I have died to earth. Lay hold of it by faith.
That's what that book teaches, you know, I was very happy.
A brother took up Romans and I think we would benefit from it to go into the other chapters.
Each one of us and get a hold of the teaching of Romans. I think it's not understood by many gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
And here we have that statement.
We are not worshiping in the flesh, but in the Spirit. You know there is a new light and a new creature in Christ.
And this is how we have to see ourselves as God sees us. And we might vainly try to deal with a particular evil and everything we have solved it. We try to deal with another problem, then the old problem pops up again. It's still there. We have to reckon ourselves that unto sin we have died to sin. And it takes as much faith to accept that side of the death of Christ as the one that he died for my sin.
That's a difficult truth to get hold of, isn't it? Colossians 3 says ye are dead. That's a statement of fact. That's a truth. God has given us a statement of fact. Then in the book of Romans, we're told to reckon ourselves to be so, reckon that truth, acknowledge that truth to be solved. And then I think in 2nd Corinthians 4 we find Paul always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus.
He put it into practice, didn't he? And so it's very important for us. That question came up in our chapter a day.
About What's the difference between the Red Sea and Jordan?
It was very, very simple, but it's profound because we see in the Red Sea Christ died for me. But then when we come to Jordan, we find, we find the truth that I died with Christ. And that's the whole point, isn't it? So we, as he says here we are the circumcision which worship God in or by the Spirit.
You might allow Brother Charles to say, in the Red Sea we see that the power that held us captive has been overthrown and destroyed. And it is a picture of sin and Satan, you know, and the death of the Lord Jesus has delivered us, set us free. We are no longer slaves to sin and Satan.
And but then in Jordan, the 12 Stones represent those 12 tribes of Israel.
And the 12 Stones on the other side represent the believer.
In resurrection, you know, under resurrection side and we died with him.
We came to an end.
You know, there was nothing good in us and we had to ourselves be put to death, and that took place in the death of Christ. God has dealt with us as sinners and put us out of His side, but we're now new creatures, wonderful truth to get ahold of and to get hold of that in our own souls means that we know what deliverance is.
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12 Stones that were put in the bottom of Jordan. It says they are there until this day.
But the 12 Stones that are carried up, they were first in their homes, then they were in Gilgal, the place of the camp. But it doesn't say that they still continue to this day. So as to our standing, every believer is looked upon as dead and risen with Christ. But as to the practical side of it, we may not be in the enjoyment of it, so that it doesn't say they are there. And many dear Christians, you say they.
Dead with Christ, they not only the Lord Jesus, not only bore their sins, but he put an end to their old standing in Adam and brought them into a new position. They may not know it, but it's true whether they know it or not. And then it's as you were saying also. It's a practical daily thing always bearing about in the body. Some think, well, I can get a hold of this and I can put myself on the altar and I can give myself entirely to Christ. That's.
Brethren, you can't just make that 1 Commitment and say now it's all over every day. We have to recognize ourselves dead indeed under sin, but alive unto God in a practical way, because the old man is still there and it never changes. It's still the same. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and I think we need to realize that.
So that it's a daily thing and for a young believer to get hold of this.
First the position were brought into, and then the need of this practical thing in daily life saw that Christ would be our object as we have in this chapter. Well, the flesh in the Bible is looked upon as that act of energy within us, that so a man has talents, but he would use them for himself. And even as Christians we find in Christendom many have talents, but they use those talents to the exaltation of self. But if I have.
The end of the first man, then everything that I have, as it says in the 12Th of Romans, He presents your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. Perhaps he could turn to that because I think it's helpful for us to see Romans chapter 12. He's dealt with all this blessed truth we're talking about in Romans. He brings before us Christ, dying for our sins.
He says our old man was crucified with him.
That the 7th of Romans shows us the conflict that goes on in a practical way before we lay hold of this truth in a practical sense.
And then I believe, as her brother brought before us last night in the gospel, we come to the 12Th chapter, and we have the exhortations that are founded on the truth. And so I beseech you, therefore, by brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service or intelligence service, and be not conformed to this world to be transformed by.
Renewing of your mind, that he may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. And so I lay hold of, I trust I should lay hold of the truth that's developed in Romans in the first chapters, and now in the 12Th chapter.
As it were, say, well, here I am if the Lord's given you a talent.
Are you going to use it to exalt yourself? You're going to bury your talent in the earth and use all your ability to get along in this world.
Or you're going to say, well, Lord, here I am now that won't make us proud. That'll make us humble, make us responsible. This has been given to us. You're not your own. The talent, if we have one, is given to us by the Lord. It belongs to the one who's given it to us. We're going to be called upon to give an account like the we read in the Gospel of Matthew. And so the world principle is.
Exalt self If you've got ability, let the world see it. Do you remember how the.
Disciples said to the Lord, if thou do these things, show thyself to the world.
For there is no man that doeth anything in secret, but he himself desires to be known openly.
The man's got ability. The natural thing is, well, let everybody see what you've got, but it's entirely different. The Lord Jesus was governed by entirely different motives, and He came up to that feast to tell out, as it were, the heart of God. If any man thirst, I didn't come into me and drink. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. So there may be talent. We recognize that God has given to each one of us a place.
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Of Christ and we're responsible to use those, not to exalt self or to have the knife on self. We could be wanting to show people how much we know on what abilities we have, but true ministry always turns away from the person that exalts Christ. And also not all abilities that we have naturally can be used.
In the spiritual life, I think Mr. Darby once said I might have the ability to knock somebody down with one punch.
Can I use that as a Christian? But in Matthew the talents are given according to their several abilities.
There are natural abilities.
That if put into control of the Spirit of God.
Can be used.
You know, you do not find that a man who receives a gift as a teacher.
Is one that cannot reason soundly, you know, and the evangelist.
You usually when you see an evangelist, he's a very positive person, you know, very optimistic and so on. Well, you know, there are these natural abilities and then the gift is given accordingly. But without their talent, the natural ability is of no use in the things of God. And so how good that is and to recognize that there are things.
That we cannot use.
In the spiritual life, you know, we for instance, you might be able to play the organ very beautifully and you might be able to do that in your home and in your family circle, but it has no place in the assembly, you know, So there are gifts and talents, natural abilities we cannot use.
But we can use.
Whatever can be applied along with the spiritual gift.
I thought I could see the same thing in Romans 6 verse 13.
Maybe just looking at it in this way, it's helpful to fix it a little more in our minds speaks of our members.
And this again is Speaking of.
The old man dead in Christ and verse 13 says, Neither yield ye or members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Well, our members like hands and feet and mental abilities and so forth.
When we're not saved, we use it for self. It's already been said that I think I see it here too. It might be helpful.
Our members were once used as members of unrighteousness, but now that we're saved, we use them as members of righteousness unto God. So just taking those things we do with our hands, with our feet, with our minds, and so on, and using them, putting them to other uses for the Lord. Interesting there in Romans 12.
That it speaks about.
I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice.
What does this mean?
The sacrifice was something that was was given, slain or given. But I believe here he's speaking about a living sacrifice means we have to give up something. We've got to get rid of something there. And it's living because he brings in before us the holy, acceptable unto God, which is your intelligence service. So it's interesting to see that it would be a living sacrifice for me to give up that which is.
Natural to me in order to be go on in holiness before God, and be in a reasonable state of soul in order to please God in that manner.
Someone once said to Hudson Taylor, I'm willing to go with you to China. I'm willing to die for Christ in China. And he said that's not what we're looking for. We're looking for those who will live for Christ in China.
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In connection with that question that was raised, it's always been a help to me.
In Second Timothy 2.
It speaks there in verse.
21.
Saying, If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the masters use and this important part.
Past tense prepared unto every good.
Work. It seems to me that it's on the resurrection side.
And if there is that willingness to separate from all that we know that is contrary to the Word of God, then we are going to be a vessel fitted and prepared to the work that the Lord gives us to do. And if we do that work that He gives us to do, we'll do it easily.
It won't be an effort and prepared until every good work he dispenses.
That work to do, and he equips us to do it if we fulfill that first part of the verse.
When Israel was delivered.
From Egypt, that was the House of *******.
Over which Sarah A Farrell reigned.
The type of Satan, Egypt, the type of the world, and I would say the Egyptians that kept the Israelites in ******* a type of the flesh. And when they passed through the Red Sea, they were delivered from Egypt. They were delivered from that power and the power Pharaoh was broken. And we see that in the death and resurrection of Christ.
But at the Jordan there was number enemy pursuing them.
It was an entirely different aspect of the death and resurrection of Christ. The Red Sea, the what we have in in Romans delivers us from sins and from sin as a power, as a master. We used to serve sin. Now we're dead to sin, judicially delivered.
One may enter into that and understand it and still not realize that he's heavenly.
He still may live very earthly. He may live an upright, moral, decent, law abiding life as a saved person. Many Christians, that's as far as they've gotten. But to cross the Jordan is to get out of the wilderness and into the land, Speaking of the heavenly places into which we've been brought in Christ and the death and resurrection of Christ.
There it says ye are dead. It doesn't say dead to sin.
But dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God.
We're ended, and it's not only a judicial thing delivering us from the power that was over us, that's Romans and that's the Red Sea, but it's in order to enter into the blessings that are properly ours as Christians. How many Christians vote today? How many Christians take part in politics? How many Christians take part in social reform?
Simply because they don't understand the Jordan.
Understand the Red Sea that they're not to go on in sin, blatant sin. They've dead. They're dead to sin. But are they dead to all that this world has to offer to all of its attractions, to everything down here? Many are living like they're like Christianity is another worldly religion. That's a great sin of Christendom. It has reduced Christianity to a worldly religion.
We're here to improve the world, but we're not here to improve the world. We can't do that, and we're not called to do that.
We're here to live Christ and in order for us to really enter into our heavenly portion.
We have to realize that we have died, not just died to sin, not just to do evil.
But we're dead to all that's down here that Satan would.
Set before us to cause us to be earth dwellers. That's the Jordan that delivers us from ourselves. How many selfish Christians there are. And I don't have to go past myself. How many times maybe you ask yourself, you haven't gone to a meeting just because you had a headache.
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Or you just didn't feel up to it, You were too tired.
And you yielded to that. You didn't set the Lord before you sufficiently so that you overcame that. And you went, I've even heard of Christian parents saying to their children, well, shall we go to meeting tonight? That should never be asked to your children. That should be understood. This is meeting night. We go.
And unless there's some very serious illness, I'm not talking about that.
But how many times self rules and well, we just don't feel like it or but if someone would come over on a meeting night and say, well, we'd like to go out to young people and play some basketball, all of a sudden that headaches gone and you're energetic and you can go out and do that, but no energy to go out to the meeting. Well, if you realize that we were dead.
And we live in the life of the risen Christ. That would overcome all that, wouldn't it?
So there's a difference between being dead to sin and justice being dead.
Said to all that the world has to offer, its religion, its entertainments, all these things should be kept in proper check by the, by the direction of the Holy Spirit. I don't know as I presented that very well, but.
I hope you got the thought of the difference at the spirit of competition.
At the spirit of competition. You know why it is it such a dangerous thing for young people?
To join the team in school.
And get involved into in these activities because the spirit of competition.
Is taught, it becomes part of you and it might well be a problem in your spiritual life, you know, when that spirit enters into the assembly life. What a destructive principle that is, you know, and the 1St 2 verses of chapter 12, I believe, give us that which the Lord is looking for in us in order that we might function.
In the place that the Lord has given us, and the renewing of our mind is mentioned there.
We have to learn to look at things altogether different. The principle of the world is that you climb the ladder by pushing people down and stepping on people's toes, you know, using your elbows. That's not the way it is in God's way with his people. To get up is to go down.
You know, and the spirit of competition has absolutely no place.
Among God's people. So be careful the young people. There's nothing wrong in young people playing ball.
But be careful that that spirit of competition trying to overpower the opposition, you know, this whole thing is not a Christian principle, so be careful. And isn't it oftentimes the spirit that manifests itself in the assembly? You know, we have brought that from our former lives, you know, and have really judged it.
And have grace to overcome it.
But I ask a few questions.
It's in a little song that I used to sing when I was a boy.
And that has to do with the motives that would direct my my activities.
Why should I not love him? He died for me.
Why should I not serve him? He set me free. Why should I not trust him?
He's by my side, why should I not please him?
He's coming back for me, I think, if the hot spring is wound up with a fresh sense of the love of Christ.
These things, they are going to come. The feet follow the heart, brethren. And if our hearts are taken up with the love of God and the love of Christ, for me, it's going to affect everything. And then all of these things, these precious truths that we've been reading about as we get. I think it's called sacrifices of praise in Philippians, isn't it?
00:40:04
And how we should have in our hearts a song that we can go about singing. And like you say, brother, we're able to get into competition idea. Oh, well, I wonder who's winning the game. I'd rather be singing about Christ as I go about my activities during the day. And I got in trouble for it a few times on the job. But that's all right. The Lord heard the song.
Some of the fellow workers, they didn't like it and they thought they let me know about it.
We have a song in our hearts that should give us to rise above all of these difficulties. But sorry to say that we are still in the world and the world doesn't want to sing about Christ. They want to get into some kind of a game. The games are all around us. It's a way of life and I'm glad that we can address these things. But what is going to give me the rise above it? You know it says.
There, Well, of course we could go into the Psalms, but I was thinking of the of the mounting up in the in Isaiah says.
They either wait on the Lord shall mount up on wings like eagles.
That's where the Lord wants our hearts up, where He is up above the scene.
Of sin and death and smog, whatever you want to call it, He wants us in spirit to be there.
In his enjoying his love. Very beautiful too. I was thinking here in verse 3.
For now, it doesn't say that we should be or you know, there's a statement of facts here.
For we are.
Who are the we the children of God? He's writing to these Philippians believers. We are.
The circumcision.
God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus.
And have no confidence in the flesh. And I read that. And then as I read that verse, I think of the standing that God is bringing before us here, isn't he? That's where we stand. But why do we need all these exhortations? Our state gets lower. And so the Spirit of God using the Word of God brings the seeks, seeks to bring our state up to our standing. And I believe I see in this verse.
The.
The place that God has put us in, and it's very important to see that, isn't it? That we need to be reminded over and over and over again the need of being listening to the exhortations of Scripture. How do we read it? Brother Charles, who is the we?
We who is the we? We are the circumcision. Who is the weak?
I take it to the child of God, big child of God. It's not just us. Well, Oh yes, it's not just us in this room.
No, it's the whole or other other gathered Saints. Does it include others?
Is it the whole Church of God? Is it every believer on the face of the earth? Yes. It's not just the gathered Saints. You mean the scattered Saints, brother?
Let's make that clear.
Well, Brother Charles, do you ever feel It says rejoice, but don't you ever feel like singing once in a while? All right.
I just checking up on you a little bit. You can make a joyful noise.
We can't always sing with it with a high pitched voice and a great tone, but we can rejoice some kind of thought out in Philippines. Philippians isn't. Sometimes people sing in the monotones. It says break forth and sing the song of glory to the lamb. Well, what As I go through my daily work, I'm not allowed to do that.
I should have a heart that's ready though, shouldn't I? And I believe whether it's in Romans 12 or whether it's in Philippians 3.
The start of all service is to learn what our standing is. If you hire a person, you want him to understand what his position is before you give him the jobs that he's to do. And I believe it's important. If we see all our sins put away in the work of Christ, we see the end of the old man, the 1St man, the new position that we have been brought into. Then it becomes, and This is why we mentioned in Romans 12 it's.
Intelligence service. Many Christians, when they're first saved, well, it's right. They have a desire to do something for the Lord.
But it's best that they should first of all sit as learners at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
And know what he has done for them and the position into which he has brought them and there will not be an intelligent service until they first learned that so many when they're first saved and they think well I want to do something for the Lord and they get involved in things that really are setting self forward. I'm doing a great work. This is what I have chosen. I'm going to be a great person in the Church of God just as I wanted to be a great person in the world. But I believe both in.
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We see all that about our the work of Christ and where we are brought.
Before He exhorts us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, and so here in Philippians, before He brings before us this about running the race and making Christ our object, He shows us our standing and he shows us where the circumcision that is. We have come, if I might put it that way, not only to the Red Sea, but to the Jordan. We've seen the end of the first man, and I believe in.
12 where it says and be not conformed to this world. If you notice the chapter in the whole chapter, there is nothing about what we sometimes call conformity to the world, nothing about clothing, nothing about a lot of things that we might say as world conformity. But first of all, he shows us that the whole principle is to recognize that.
Self has come to an end in the death of Christ and there never will be acceptable services, our brother was saying.
And natural things. They have nothing else but the spirit of competition. They cannot inspire young people to do things unless they say.
Play to win, but in divine things, why do we do what we do? Not just that sell forward, but to exalt Christ. And I believe, brethren, that's very important, because there can be that spirit of competition which can spoil the things of God, as our brother was saying, not only in natural things, but our whole service ought to be seeing that, whether it's in our service or whether in our worship.
Even in our worship, are we there to be entertained or how well a person can sing or something? To many people, that's the that's the service.
There's a plier, there's everything that would entertain and they're talented people that are chosen for this particular work. But as we come together, if we really understand what Christian worship is, self is not to be set forward. It's Christ and he is to be the one. We are the circumcision. We worship God in or by the Spirit and rejoice in talent. No, we rejoice in Christ Jesus. Is there talent? Yes, I believe God has given.
We're responsible to use it, but that's not what we're occupied with. We're just saying, well, whatever I have myself, everything belongs to him and I, I believe it's well for us to see this. It's brought before us here. It's brought before us in Romans. And there will not be, brethren, acceptable service to the Lord, nor acceptable worship. And we until we see the end of self and then Christ is the object in what we do.
We present Christ two souls, we layout the truth of God, but we present it in a way that exalts Christ. Whether it's in worship, it's the same thing. Well, I believe it's blessed for us to get hold of this. And the Apostle Paul is seeking to bring this before these Philippians Saints, and he is showing that he had all natural advantages.
But when he met the Lord, he said, what things were gain to me, those I counted lost for Christ.
You would say, well, people have a lot of natural advantages, a good background and they're well trained in this or that. Paul had everything and that's what he is telling us.
He circumcised the 8th day of the stock of Israel. All those natural benefits were his. But when he met the Lord, all that came to an end. And isn't it lovely that we carry on an intelligence service? Perhaps I could just add this to that. In Israel it was not an intelligence service.
Certain ones were appointed to carry the boards, certain ones were appointed to carry the ark and the holy vessels. If you asked any Israelite why do you cut that animal in such and such a way? Well, I don't know. God has said that's the way it's to be done and we're just to be obedient. Why is the why are the late the the lampstands ordered in such a way? It was not an intelligence service, but isn't it I.
So wonderful brethren, when we are saved, the Lord Jesus says, now sit at my feet and I'll, I'll tell you, I don't want you to do things just in the form that you go through. I want you to understand what baptism is. I want you to understand what the breaking of bread is. I want you to, when you stand up to tell it the gospel, not just to present it as a form, but something that has become real to you that you understand what the Lord has done for you and you're telling it forth to others out of a full heart.
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Christianity is so different from the whole order of things in Judaism.
What a wonderful privilege we've been brought into all that we entered into it, enjoyed it more. It would affect our worship, it would affect our service, and also before we ever get there.
That should be in our hearts.
You know, beloved brethren, we might many times express things in Him that we are not in the enjoyment of in our hearts. Isn't that true? In Judaism? They had these musical instruments and they had these singers and you bet they had wonderful voices to stir up worship feelings in them. That's what Christendom has deteriorated to.
But what is expected of us and Christian worship flows from a heart that is in the enjoyment.
Of what is expressed, you know, that's why sometimes our meetings are Lord's Day mourning are so dull, you know, because we haven't been occupied during the week with that blessed one and we're empty. We don't have a full basket. Remember the Jew had to come with a full basket and.
That is an exercise not only for those who express themselves or audibly participate.
That should be a state of soul for everyone in the assembly. The sisters as well, who never are permitted to express anything autoplay. They can sing along of course, but if everybody state of soul is that they're in the enjoyment of the Lord Jesus and their hearts are full of worship. What a difference it makes when we're together on Lord's Day morning so we can contribute to the spirit of the meeting, if I may put it that way by our state of.
And it's a challenging thing, isn't it? And the Lord Jesus does not only want to receive worship when we come together in a collective way. Worship is not limited to Lord's Day mourning. That is something that should be in the hearts of God's people all week long, making melody in your heart to the Lord.
Melody in the heart and then say, it may not be I may not be a very good singer, but I can have melody in my heart and rejoice.
In my heart and it shows it comes out, doesn't it? We don't have an instrument, but we have a we have a body here that's that's a 10 stringed instrument. We have that in Psalm 92, I believe. So we can, as I think you know that verse in Romans.
Your present, your bodies, a living sacrifice. What we have with this, within this body we have a 10 stringed instrument and the whole man should be involved in it and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
In order the melody is being in tune with what the Spirit of God is put in our hearts of Christ, really, that's really what the melody is or should be. So you should never discourage somebody to sing who might not have a very good singing voice, because that person might in their hearts be in a greater enjoyment of Christ than one who has a good singing voice. And it is not that at all in Christianity.
It matters not, theme writer said. How sweet the song. Now we should try to sing as good as we can.
But, and sometimes, you know, we drag those melody, I think we should make an effort to sing a lively melody in a lively way. You know, it does not at all become when we speak of the sappings of Christ, to sing in a tune as if we are marching in or we have to have a sense of what is appropriate.
But we must never discourage a soul to express.
In song, what they have in their hearts, although they might not be doing it.
In the best possible way.
His worship, collective as well as individual.
Or is it?
Exclusively collectively.
What did Gideon do when he heard the story from the enemy's tent?
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He worship, didn't he?
Remember when Gideon worship?
I don't know whether that Word worship is or did obey essence.
Well, there was a response in the connection with the Lord, encouraging him. But I would agree with your brother, it could be individual or collective.
I believe it's more collective than individual.
Is that why it speaks of two or three being gathered together for the Lord's name? And I pondered it and I wonder if a person as an individual could do something in self will.
But if there's at least one other, there has to be an agreement.
And in the first, in Matthew 1820, the agreement is that the name of the Lord is the gathering center.
So here a lot. Yeah. Excuse me, go ahead. I was just gonna say it's a sufficient witness to that. We talked about it as a minimum number.
But it was a witness number, wasn't it? Two or three witnessing the fact that the name of the Lord is the gathering center, not going off by yourself in the woods to worship. Well, we get that in, in, in Christendom today. We see you go down the street and and there are certain buildings down there and they have a a little sign out there says come and worship with us.
The preacher is going to speak on such and such a subject at 11:00.
Well, that's not worship. I did. That's what you're thinking about, Brother Barry. Yes, we're hearing a lot these days.
That I can worship by myself and I think it's it's not proper.
Well, in Jacob's case, he worshipped on top of his death. There you have an individual worshipping. So let us not deny the fact that the individual can worship. And I believe the gathering of things in the basket is what takes place individually. And then we have something to bring when we come to the media collectively and remember worship.
Sometimes where we used to be, we always call it a worship meeting.
It's really a remembrance meeting. Their worship will be there. But even like Jacob, he worshiped on top of his staff. That is an individual privilege. Let's not deny that. And that's why often times, because there is so little individual enjoyment of Christ, that is what is really worship, to present to God what we have come to appreciate of the Lord Jesus.
That's why our meetings on Sunday morning are often so dry.
Who was it? Said my brother Armstead. Barry, I believe, made this statement one time, he said.
We can't live in the world all week and then come take a an express train to remember the Lord and I believe that sewers our brother's been saying what are we gathering up through the week?
Are we feeding upon Christ?
And really, worship is really in in a in a very simple way.
Is an overflow of a heart filled with Christ is really what worship is apart from that?
It's just words. So I believe I see that in it, that if we, if we're gathering up through the week, being filled with the person of Christ, when we come on Lord's Day morning, we're just overflow. This, this will overflow and this little basket will be filled. The only thing that goes up to God is that which comes from God when we come together.
Collectively to worship. We don't do it as individuals.
We are the mouthpiece of the assembly, those brethren who participate.
And I have stated that elsewhere before. Beloved brethren, prayer and worship is not the exercise of gift. And it troubles me that at conferences the same brethren that expound the Word are the ones that pray. Are we not willing to exercise our priestly privileges?
You know, and the same during the breaking of bread. Those who expound the Scriptures are the ones that audibly participate. Brethren, everyone is a priest and everyone has priestly privileges. If we do not avail ourselves of these privileges, we lose them.
You know, do you want a clergy system? Then the rest of you all keep quiet and leave it up to others. You'll certainly help towards that kind of a system rather than it doesn't matter how well praised our prayers are.
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What matters is does it come from a hardened communion and fellowship with the Lord Jesus?
And so our individual state contributes to the collective worship. But remember, the one who opens his mouth is only the mouthpiece of all.
The Mystery of His Will Made Known
Address—C. Little
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.
Return, please to Ephesians chapter one.
The first chapter of Ephesians and I want to read several verses here beginning at verse one. Paul, an apostle Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated on us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according.
Good pleasure of his will.
To the praise of the glory of His grace, where any ethics made us accepted. In the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to the good pleasure which He had purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one.
In Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him.
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him.
Who work with all things after the council of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory. Who first trusted in Christ, or pre trusted in Christ, in whom He also trusted. After that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
Unto the praise of his glory. I was thinking of these verses that their brother was speaking how that we have all things God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. And I just want to point out here in these verses that we have read as as you've read them, and I have too. I'll ask you one question.
What we've read here When did it take place? When did it take place? Before you were ever born.
Has God missed anything? Has God-given us a partial blessing?
No, Everyone of our blessings are in glory, and they're eternal.
And who gave them to us? God did. Did we deserve it? No, we didn't. But I want to point out here in these verses that we've read that we have the fullness in this way, that we have God the Father, we have the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have the Holy Spirit.
Confined in these verses God is a God who gives liberally our dear brother I quote our brother Norman here he spoke about the superlatives of Scripture how beautiful it is to see that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness and when you. I just want to point out I want you to see here in these verses I'm sure most of us have already but just notice from.
From verse three down through verse six. Now if you read this carefully, you will see.
That it refers to God the Father.
God the Father? What about God the Father? What did he do? He sent his Son into this world.
The Lord Jesus Christ. But notice what it says. Blessed be the God and Father.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with some.
Know all spiritual blessings in.
The heavenly places in Christ, you know, your blessings and mine are up in glory, and they're reserved, Peter tells us so they're reserved in heaven for you. No one can take one of your blessings. And truly, if we were truly speaking, you haven't seen one yet. We have many mercies. We have many things that God allows us to have while we're here.
And they're the mercies of God, but you haven't seen any of your blessings yet. But how blessed it is to think that God acts in, you know, we know the word Trinity is not used in the Scripture, but how else could we explain the God, the Godhead, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. And God has acted for you and for me in this lovely and beautiful and eternal way before we were ever born.
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Beautiful.
Truth. And again, as our brother has been pointing out, do we enter into this.
Am I enjoying it? In my soul I have the Spirit of God. You have the Spirit of God.
That seeks to make this good to you and enjoy it. You know, we're in a world that's opposed to God in everything.
And has been pointed out to us everything is against the truth of God, but the Spirit of God is here. I love that in John's first epistle it says greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. What is it the Spirit of God is here indwelling and John's epistle is the family of God. How beautiful to know that in that family of God. They're the they're the babes, they're the fathers, they're the young men and they're the babes and in that.
In that lovely epistle.
We find that God has made provision for us to enjoy no matter what, at what age we are.
By the Spirit of God, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the Spirit in the in the world. And so here if you notice these verses verse 3.
And verse four, according as he has chosen us, who chose us God did.
He has chosen us in Him, in Christ.
When was this?
Before the foundation of the world. Can you enter into that? I can enter into it.
But all I can enjoy it because God is my Father and he did this before I was ever born and before you ever were ever born.
And it's all yours.
He wants us to reach out and take it, doesn't He? Not just salvation, but the joy of knowing that we have before us. As our brother has already been said, instead of looking back, we're looking on to the day of glory when we're going to enter into that scene of glory with the Lord Jesus Christ.
And enjoy forever those eternal blessings.
And so here it's just in following this out a lot. I don't want to take all this time up a lot of time, but just to notice that he's he chose us. God chose us in him having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will through the praise of the glory of his grace in verse 6, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved who did this, God did it, the Father did it.
He sent the Lord Jesus and we've been he says he's to the praise of the glorious he hath made us accepted in the beloved God the Father did this and I think it's beautiful to see here in these first few verses that we've read that we see God, the work of the God the Father. And now I should just go on verse verse seven in whom now who is he speaking about? He's speaking about the person of Christ, his beloved son.
Now we see the work of the Lord Jesus or the position that we have been called in through the Lord Jesus, he says.
In whom we have redemption. All that occurred on Calvary's cross that Blessed One bore the judgment.
For your sins and mine, the Father sent him, The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. We know this is not a gospel meeting, but.
All the truth of God comes out, doesn't it? And for the enjoyment of art, not only for our conscience, but for our hearts.
And so he says here, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.
You know, we were speaking up this morning, some of us, the motel. I don't believe any of us know truly what Grace really, really is.
The grace of God.
That bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Have we received it just we don't need to understand it all but to accept it and we will never really fathom the grace of God and so just going on here wherein he has made verse 8 wherein.
Wherein, how the grace of God, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to the good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself. And we see in this the work of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ.
Both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him, even in that Blessed One.
In that coming day, all things are going to be brought together. And how isn't it lovely that those of us who know the Lord Jesus now have the privilege of entering into all these things? All things are yours, your Christs, and Christ is God. Has God left anything out? Nothing. Not a thing. If there's something you're not enjoying, it's only because you have nettered into it, because you haven't accepted it.
How beautiful it is to reach out and accept not just the Lord Jesus as Savior, but as the One who has.
Delivered us from this present evil world, and his desire is that we might be found.
Walking in paths pleasing to him and in the enjoyment of that blessed One.
And so just going on here a little bit, we see here in whom it says in whom again.
Also, we have obtained an inheritance in the person of Christ.
Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Council.
Of His own will that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.
And then he goes on and it says in verse 11.
In whom he also trusted. After that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
In whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. So we see the Spirit of God here. We see the work of God in sending his Son. We see the the the Lord Jesus accomplishing redemptions work for us. We see the Holy Spirit now making it good to us as he says.
Which is the verse 13? In whom also that you trusted, after that you heard the word of the gospel of your salvation? In whom also after that you believed you were sealed?
God has sealed you. He sealed me for that eternal blessing. No one can take it. It's yours. It's yours forever, for eternity. And it's a marvelous and precious truth to see that again. Going back to our brother Chuck's remark, all things he has made, He has given all things for our good and for our blessing, and all things are ours. And then just notice what he says.
Which is the earnest in verse 14?
Of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
Unto the praise of His glory. What are we waiting for now? You know we have the salvation of our soul already.
According to these precious truths that we've reading here these verses or waiting for the redemption of these bodies of ours.
And I thought of it today as we were speaking about presenting our bodies a living sacrifice. Why God is interested in the fact of testimony for you and for me. And how do we, how do we face up to the world? People look at, look at, at us. They can't see our soul. They can't see what's in our hearts, but they can see these bodies of ours. How do we present them? Are we presenting them as a living sacrifice to God?
Is it are are we going on in that way of holiness or desire to please God? Holiness is the abhorrence of evil. Are we going on to please God?
Well, I believe it searches our hearts, doesn't it, to see all that God has brought us into and what he's already done for us. But right now, again, we go back to this thought that he's seeking to bring this our state, our our state up to our standing. You know, we we can be declined. They they all the elements of this world are downward. It it's always known. There's a gravitation that pulls us down to this world. He wants to lift us up.
And so when we read these precious verses, we how beautiful it is to see that God is interested in.
You and me, He's interested us in us, the Father's interested in us, the Lord Jesus is interested in us, and the Holy Spirit is in US and very much interested to bring us into the enjoyment of that which God has already wrought in our hearts. All. May the Lord use these few little comments just to quicken us, give us a thought of searching His Word and finding out what He has to say to us.
And the different portions of the of the word that would give us the joy of knowing these things.
God wants you to know it. As our brother has already said earlier in these meetings, the Old Testament Saints didn't know.
Why they did certain things. You and I should know Why? We should know for one reason. We should know where we are when we're gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know. We should know why we're there.
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God wants us to know that, and so I think I just enjoyed these few little thoughts in connection with this.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, that are all.
In accord and union for your blessing and for mine.
Called to Glory and Virtue
Address—C. Hendricks
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.
Please turn with me to.
Second Peter one. Second Peter one.
And verse 3.
According as his divine power.
Hath given unto us.
All things that pertain unto life and godliness.
Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
That's an immense statement of truth.
His divine power.
Hath given unto us all things.
That pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him.
That hath called us to glory and virtue, the knowledge of Christ.
All things.
His divine power has given us all things.
We don't lack for our pathway anything that is needed.
For life and godliness, God has seen to it.
And one other scripture in Second Timothy chapter 3.
The Second Timothy, chapter 3.
Verse 14.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned.
And has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
And is profitable for doctrine.
For reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
That the man of God may be perfect.
Thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Fully equipped.
We have in this book and by his divine power.
All that we need for our pathway.
His word is profitable for doctrine, for teaching, and we've had a good deal of it in these days.
For reproof, and we've had some of that too, which is needed.
And for correction. And we've had a bit of that too. And we've had instruction in righteousness.
And having this book and we don't need any other, we don't need the wisdom of man.
Because this book will enable us to be perfect, thoroughly furnished for every good work.
What does God say about the wisdom of this world?
Let's just read that in First Corinthians chapter one.
Christ is our wisdom.
He is our righteousness. He is our sanctification and our redemption.
Is all we need First Corinthians 1.
He says in verse 18, The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.
But unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world?
Hath not God made foolish the wisdom?
Of this world.
For after that, in the wisdom of God, in God's wisdom.
He determined that the world by wisdom by its own wisdom.
Hath not known God. Man will never find out the knowledge of the true God by his own learning.
By his own wisdom all the accumulated knowledge of the sages of the ages.
The wise men of this world has never come to a true knowledge of God.
And God is determined in his wisdom that it will be so that man will never.
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Find him out by his own intellect and mental powers.
Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
Why then, do so many Christians go to?
Human sources of wisdom.
To get help for their problems when we are told.
That he's given us by divine power all things that pertain to life and godliness.
We're told that all Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, fully furnished for every good work that we have all the answers in this book. The problem with us, with me, with each of us, is that we don't follow.
The the road map that has been given to us.
We will say sometimes when the Word of God is brought to bear upon a situation in our lives, yes, but don't you think? And we bring in the thoughts of men, we consult with others when we don't get the answer that we want and when it's been shown to us from the Scriptures.
Of all the things that Brother Chapter Brown taught, there's one that I remember very vividly and he said.
We're never wiser than Scripture.
Never wiser than Scripture.
The problem is we don't put it into practice. The problem is we.
We don't know enough of this book.
To pull out the answers that we need.
I've noticed that that very passage in Corinthians that we were looking at in the previous chapter and all the problems that were underlying the difficulties at Corinth, same thing. It's same thing that we've been going through, same thing. All the answers, if we would but read it right, are found in the Word of God.
But the diligent soul shall be made fat. It's the one that is, that is earnest in the scriptures.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.
One brother after speaking, someone came to him and said I would give the world to know the scriptures as you do, and he said that's what it cost me.
The world. You can't have both.
You cannot serve God in Mammon.
The third chapter of One Corinthians.
Verse 19 Let this verse sink down into our hearts.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and again the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise.
That they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours. And so on.
These Corinthians, they were prosperous in this world. They were gifted. They came short in no gift, it says in the first chapter.
And yet they were a carnal bunch, and he couldn't speak to them as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
They were saying I am of Paul and I have a policy and I have Cephas and I have Christ.
The last is the worst of all.
Because it makes Christ the head of a party.
And he's not the head of a party, he's the head of the church.
All being subject to him.
But they were carnal. Then he asked the question which to ask implies an immediate answer. Is Christ divided?
The answer is no.
Now, just before I sit down, I want to read a few more verses in Colossians chapter 2 please.
Verse one for I would that she knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. And in the 4th chapter he says to them that they should see that this epistle addressed to the Colossians would be read to those in Laodicea. In Hierapolis there are three assemblies, all in a cluster if you look at the map.
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And he says in verse 16 of chapter 4, when this epistle is read among you, 'cause it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that she likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
And another place he mentions Hierapolis too.
It's instructive that of the seven churches in Asia that John writes to, the first was Ephesus.
The last was Laodicea, and of those two we have two epistles, 1 addressed to Ephesus, one addressed to Coliseum that was to be read at Laodicea, and the very thing that developed into Laodicea, which was self love and self promotion.
He deals with here in this very chapter.
And he tells them the remedy, the solution. Scripture has the solution to all our problems.
He tells them the remedy for what, because they didn't take heed to it, developed into Laodicea full blown.
Thou art miserable and wretched and poor and blind and naked. Luke warm. I'll spew thee out of my mouth. He wasn't even in that assembly. He was outside knocking.
Inviting any who was in that might be real in that Laodicean state of things.
To open the door and he would come in and fellowship and Sup with him. He with me individual. The the collective thing was over with there. The collective is in Philadelphia.
Verse two, that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.
To the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ and in the mystery.
Are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge the.
God has revealed His full mind to us.
Until the mystery was revealed, there was a part of revelation that hadn't been given yet, but.
It was given to Paul to complete, to fill full the Word of God. And now it's striking, isn't it, that in this 20th century, after the the full truth of God has been recovered some 180 years ago, Saints gathered to the Lords name with the word of God and with all that we have and all the accumulated knowledge throughout these years.
We can go to human sources.
For our problems, and I've never been, never been so many problems amongst them think that.
They can integrate the Word of God, which contains all that we need, with the wisdom of men and get the best of both worlds and put that together.
They don't mix.
Philosophy and psychology and psychiatry begin with a false supposition that man is not ruined.
That down deep there is good in him I'm talking about.
Psychology means the study of the soul. What the word means the study of the soul. Well, who knows about the soul of man? The medical profession studies the body and it knows how the different members of our body function and they can deal with it. It's something concrete. They can see it and feel it and and operate upon it, but the soul is something they've never seen.
And they only come up with their theories based upon the founding fathers of that religion.
It's not a science, it's a religion.
Deny the fundamentals of the Bible. How can you integrate that system of wisdom with God's system of wisdom? They don't go together.
The one says that man is not ruined, that there's some good in man, and the other says that he's totally bankrupt and ruined and needing, needing a new nature, a new life.
And God has made us new creatures in Christ. So he speaks of this mystery, and he says in him.
In whom or in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? What folly then to go to other sources of wisdom?
For guidance in our path.
And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, lead you astray.
To buy that lie, and it's a lie that's been promoted and has been bought.
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By the Christian.
Leadership throughout Christendom.
They then beguiled, they've been deceived, they've been LED astray, so he says.
This I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order.
And the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, how did we receive him?
We came bankrupt, we came lost, we came with nothing that we could rely upon in ourselves. We received him by faith.
We trusted him to take us out of our ruined condition and save us.
So he says, as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Continue in that same.
Attitude of mind.
That we cannot rely upon our own intelligence, our own wisdom, our own understanding.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him. He shall direct thy paths. O Lord, we know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10.
It's not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
What directs our steps? The Word of God, the Spirit of God-given to us. We have all that is needed, given us, all things that pertain to life and to godliness through the knowledge of Him. And we're told to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He's the truth, He's our wisdom. He's our counselor to go to these human sources.
Is to deny that this book is all sufficient for us?
Oh, I don't intend that you say no, I'm sure that you don't, but it's tantamount to that.
Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with Thanksgiving established in the faith, going on the way we began as we received Him, with nothing in our hands to bring simply to thy cross eye cling, O Lamb of God.
I come, I come.
Then another warning. Beware. We need these warnings. Beware lest any man spoil you.
Through philosophy, that's the world's wisdom.
And vain deceit. That's the world's religion.
After the tradition of men.
After the rudiments of the world.
And not after Christ, for in him, in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him, in that blessed man.
And then he goes on to say, And ye are complete in him.
Which is the head of all principality and power, complete in him, with all the wisdom at our disposal that we need for our pathway.
To guide and direct us through this life.
He says beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy. That's the love of wisdom, but it's man's wisdom, which God has said is foolishness.
Foolishness. And yet.
We don't avoid it sometimes. If we would heed this book, we would avoid it.
And go to this book for our wisdom, for our instruction, for our guidance.
You go to the psychologists of the day, they lay you on the couch and say, now go back. Go back to your boyhood, go back to your girlhood, go back to your childhood and resurrect and repeat to me all the evils that came upon you. There's that. There's that hidden child within, that injured child within which you have to deal with in order for to get deliverance.
The word of God says it's the opposite for getting those things which are behind.
And reaching forth unto those things which are before I press towards the mark.
Some of the most godly Saints going on well with the Lord had the worst childhood you could think of.
But that's all in the past, that's all behind them, and they've got Christ before them. That's what we've got in Philippians 3. Christ is our object. He transforms us.
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Two Corinthians 318 We all with open face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are transformed according to the same image, from glory to glory.
Even as by the Lord the Spirit quoting Mr. Darby's translation.
We have a power working with that object to transform us.
What folly? Do not heed these warnings. Beware lest any man spoil you. Whether it's the world's wisdom or the world's religion, both are terrible snares.
To the Christian that wants to go on with the Lord.
Again, verse 18, another warning. Let no man beguile you.
Of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels.
Intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Are we to be occupied with angels? Are do we to be occupied with those things that we really know nothing about, that God has told us in his Word very little about? Or are we to be occupied with the head while He says, and not holding the head, from which all the body, by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered and knit together, increases with the increase of God?
Holding the head, having Christ before us.
That's the solution to all of man's enticements, man's wisdom.
Man's misleading thoughts.
Wherefore if he be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world here it's not dead to sin, but the very principles that this world operates upon were dead with Christ to those principles. And when we go back to those sources, we are not acting as though we were dead. If you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world are you subject to ordinances? That's man's religion. An ordinance is something that I can do.
I want to be able to do something. Isn't there something we can do to enhance our acceptance with God?
Do we have to depend entirely upon His grace? Yes, we do. There's nothing we can do or ever have done or will do that will contribute one iota to our acceptance before God. It's all by grace. And then he sums up the whole Jewish system. Touch not, taste not. And these things he says, and doctrines of men and these things he says, haven't indeed a show of wisdom and will, worship and humility.
You see, we want to be able to do something. We want to be able to contribute some way.
To our salvation, to our acceptance. It could be a humble thing.
Could be the punishing of our body, it could be something that brings credit to ourselves, he says. Not in will worship and humility and neglecting of the body.
Not in any, not in any honor. That is treating the body as though it is a sinful thing. Our body is not a sinful thing. We have a sinful nature within the body. But the body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and we ought to treat it as such.
That means that has a lot of meanings, a lot of ramifications. You might say that is.
I shouldn't eat to excess.
I shouldn't drink to excess, I should do all things in moderation.
I should keep my body under, as Paul says in first Corinthians 9, not with the thought that it's going to enhance my acceptance before God, but because the Spirit of God resides in this body and I should keep it in as fit a condition as I can. So he says, not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh. Those that monk light punish the flesh and deny themselves earthly comforts. They do it because they think it enhances their acceptance with God.
And he says in doing that, they're not giving the proper honor to the body that it deserves.
Well, I don't want to take much more time. May God help us to understand these things and these warnings, these warnings that are given over and over again. We have everything in Christ. His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and to godliness through the knowledge of Him who have called us to glory and virtue.
And we have all in scripture for our pathway until we get home.
The Lord's Path thru this world
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Her brother has been bringing before us the precious truth of the position the believer has been brought into. And I was just thinking, brethren of the 16th song that's bringing before us the pathway of the Lord Jesus through this world as the perfect dependent man. Wonder if we could just look at that Psalm, Psalm 16. Preserve me, O God, for indeed do I put my trust.
O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, My goodness extendeth not to thee.
But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight, their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another God. They are drink offerings of blood. Will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup. Now maintainest my lot. The lines are falling unto me in pleasant places.
Yeah, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who have given me counsel.
My reigns also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved, therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell or hades, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One, to see corruption.
Thou wilt show me the path of life. In Thy presence is fullness of joy.
At thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
Brother has brought before us the wonderful truth of the work of Christ and what it has done for us so that we not only know the forgiveness of sins, but we're justified from all things or as it says in the 5th of Romans, justification of life. And I think that's a very blessed thing for us to understand, brethren, that some have said, well, justification is just as if I had never sinned, but that would only put.
Me in the position of Adam before he fell, he hadn't yet sinned. But thank God it's far better than that. God doesn't just put us in the position of unfallen Adam, he puts us in Christ. And so justification of life means that every believer in this room is before God, not only forgiven all his sins.
But before God in a life that never sinned at all. And that is how God sees us.
And he tells us to reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Perhaps the 7th of Romans brings before us in a practical way the the conflict that goes on because we're slow to learn that we're slow to give up the thought that there is anything good in the first man. We don't believe that it's totally condemned. We think there's something there. But brethren.
They are in the flesh cannot please God. I know that in me, that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. That fallen nature within us cannot be improved. And so we are before God in Christ, and God sees us in that position. To what I was thinking of in connection with this chapter is that blessed man, the Lord Jesus, the one who walked through this world.
Who only he was, That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
There was one who walked through this world who never had any tendency to do what's wrong.
And he has given us his life, and now, by erecting the old man dead, we have a perfect pattern.
In the life of the Lord Jesus of godliness. That's what it means in that verse in First Timothy 3 without controversy. Great is the mystery. It doesn't say of God, but great is the mystery of godliness. That is the secret of godliness is the pathway of the Lord Jesus as He walked through this world. In all the circumstances that we have to meet in our pathway, He walked through this world.
And only manifested that blessed life that He is Himself.
The very life of Christ and there he manifested and he left us an example that we should follow his steps. What a pattern for us and this 16 Psalm, I believe, brings him before us walking through this world as the dependent man. Why do we fall? Because we're independent. Why did Adam fall he was independent he thought he could just act on his own and he.
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For what was forbidden, but here we find the Lord Jesus in this world. We're just noticing together. When we were talking about how the Lord Jesus began the pathway of Israel over again, so to speak, it says out of Egypt, have I called my son? We know how the Lord Jesus was brought down into Egypt after he was born and then he comes back into the land. We see him tempted of the devil.
Every temptation by saying it is written, it is written.
Adam are the first Adam why he didn't he reasoned for himself and he was overcome, but the Lord Jesus answered every temptation by it is written and then he went about displaying the heart of God to man, so much so that he could say he that has seen me has seen the Father.
And brethren, what I wish to say is that you and I possess his life. We often excuse ourselves for failure, but you have within you the very life of Christ, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, not who will be, but who is our life shall appear.
Every believer in this room has a life that never sinned and cannot sin. What a wonderful thing. The reason we sin, I say again, is because we allow the old man. We don't reckon the old man dead, and so we allow it. If we walked as the Lord Jesus down in this world, we wouldn't meet any circumstance in our own wisdom or in our own strength.
We would walk as he walked. Preserve me, O God.
Do I put my trust? He's going to have all the kingdoms of this world, but he wouldn't take them from Satan. He's waiting the Father's time. How long has he waited? He hasn't received them yet. The day is coming when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. But He's waiting. He's the man of patience. You and I get impatient. We don't want to wait God's time in our private circumstances, sometimes even in the assembly.
They're not willing to wait God's time at all. How blessed the pathway of the Lord Jesus.
Brethren, may this be our daily constant prayer. Preserve me, O God, because I have a strong character. Now in Thee do I put my trust? Our confidence is not in ourselves, or should not be, but in ourselves, but in the Lord, I should say.
Our confidence should be in Him. And so it says, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord. My goodness extendeth not to Thee. That's simply the thought that the Lord Jesus didn't walk through this world, if I might say it in this way, with a Halo around His head. He walked through this world as a man, so that as people looked at him, unless appealed to them by the Father, they didn't recognize Him.
They didn't recognize him. He walked through this world and blessed and imperfect humility, but every thought, every word, every action was a telling out of the heart of God his Father. And so he says the next verse. But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight, It's not a beautiful verse. God looks down upon this company here this afternoon.
Everyone who belongs to him.
Is a St. Everyone who belongs to him is one of the excellent of the earth.
What a marvelous thing. We don't always act that way, but that's the way God sees us. He's put His comeliness upon us. We're holy and without blame before Him in love.
Rather than sometimes we need to look at one another this way too, and think of one another. Just like when Balaam gave his prophecy. What were the people doing in the tents below? Well, they were quarreling and doing things they shouldn't. But he said from the top of the rocks, Do I behold him?
He hath not a neck beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel. We often wonder how this could be. But that's where God has brought us. He sees us in Christ. We're made the righteousness of God in him. And so we see the Lord Jesus. Where was His delight with the rich and influential of this world? Now we see Him with that little household in Bethany. We see Him acquainting himself with.
Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast 7 devils. How beautiful the excellent of the earth we need to look on one another.
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In that way it isn't that we're not conscious of the fact that we're four week things and we all fail, but in grace we always ought to think of God's people as God sees them. How lovely the excellent of the earth. And then he gives a little word of warning here. Their sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after another God.
Sorrow shall be multiplied. Oh, isn't it true, brethren, we often multiply sorrow in our lives.
Because we hasten after something else, something that's not Christ, something that's not Him, something that's not for him. We thank all that'll make me happy if I just get that. When we get it, it's only multiplied sorrow. But isn't it lovely that we have one who we can set before us? And that was ever before the Lord Jesus, he said.
The good pleasure of thy will, O God, is my delight.
Even when He was rejected by the nation. And very interestingly, it was the only occasion on which we find the Lord rejoicing in spirit. When was it? When rejected by the ones whom He had come to bless, He took it from His Father. And he said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes even.
Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. A brother was talking to a group of children, but one of them was blind, quite handicapped, and he seemed to be giving all the good answers. When preacher, the brother was talking, and he said to him, Well, how is it that you who seem to know your Bible so well, and love the Lord?
Are blind love. These other children have good eyes and everything seems to be going well for them.
He said Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Perfect submission to the ways of God. That's the secret of happiness for us. Submission to the ways of God. Beginning. Preserve me, O God, for in me do I put my trust. Is there someone here and you're finding your circumstances very difficult. Some young person that has come to the meeting here feeling pretty discouraged.
Or does somebody else seem to have something and I don't that's easy to feel these things?
I might say it's natural, but the Lord is able to fill your heart, is able to make you thoroughly happy. Jesus rejoiced in spirit and actually said, I thank the old Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. It says their drink offerings of blood. Will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips.
There was number such drink offerings of blood in the whole Testament order of things for Israel. There were no drink offerings of blood, but we see that they were carrying on a form of worship all of their own. Great deal of that people carry on a form of worship not founded on the word of God, just their own, their own idea. Isn't it good for us even in our worship, brethren?
Not to say, well, I like to be with that group, their group. Nice group. Maybe they are.
Are you and I where we are because we believe it's according to the Word of God and because we believe the Lord is there? Have often said if we can meet the Lord in two different places, if He's in the midst in two different places, I'm going to form my decision on the basis of people. If there's two places where I can go, I like the people in this place. I don't just like the people in this other place quite so well, but I can meet the Lord.
Place my decision is going to be founded upon people, but if the Word of God is my guide and I want to be where the Lord is, that'll settle the question. Just to be where He is. What a privilege.
And it goes on to say the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot. Notice there are two things here.
Mine inheritance and my cup. Perhaps they bring before us this thought. The inheritance is all that we possess in Christ.
Where heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ all that he possesses? Where joint heirs?
When he takes things, kingdoms of this world become his. He's going to share that place. He's going to introduce us to the world as his bride. He'll come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe. We know these things, we enjoy them as truth, but here that's our inheritance. But my cup, you might have a large vessel full of some drink that you enjoy. You dip in your cup, you get 1 cup full it's.
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Enjoyment of what's there, and that's what the Lord wants, for us to have a present.
Enjoyment, maybe it's only a little bit now, has begun to show me, Lord, but what shall be the ending? I touch the fringe of what thou art, and this is joy transcending. I'm only on the rippling shore, loves, oceans, depths are all before you. And I ought to know what our inheritance is, but we also ought to be in the present enjoyment and of my cup.
And then this thou maintainest my lot.
Is there anyone of us that likes to be misunderstood? Is there anyone that likes it when someone forms a wrong judgment? I don't suppose any of us enjoy that feeling, but they'll maintain us, my lot. It's a good thing to be able to just leave things with the Lord, isn't it? He forms a right appraisal about everything.
Mary poured out that alabaster box appointment on the Lord.
And those who ought to have known better found fault with her, said, To what purpose was this waste, and what did she say? Nothing, nothing. What did the Lord say? She hath wrought a good work on me. I'm sure she was glad she kept quiet. The Lord spoke to her, and he said, Wheresoever the gospel is preached in the whole world, this also that this woman hath done shall be told.
For a memorial of her.
Nobody would know it. Yes, the world was going to know it. Oh, how lovely thou maintainest my lot aligns are fallen unto me in pleasant places. Yeah, I have a goodly heritage. I've sometimes said we're going to meet Paul and we're going to meet Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And having another day. I often like to think about talking to those whom we'll be with for all eternity and the glory.
And I like to say to them, would you tell me what was the best time that you ever had in your whole life down in this world on planet earth? And I wouldn't be surprised the whole three of them would say it was when we were in the fiery furnace. It was so wonderful. The Lord walked with us. The Lord walked with us. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places. And when the word of God comes home to your.
In power and comfort you in a difficult position and situation. I don't think there's a more pleasant place. I've heard ever so many Christians say I was in such a deep trouble and sorrow and there was a verse came to me and oh, it just meant so much to me. I'll never forget what that verse went meant to me on that occasion. The lines are falling to me in pleasant places.
Would you call the fiery furnace a pleasant place?
I believe in heaven they will. I believe they'll say it was such a wonderful experience.
And then he says, yeah, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel. Well, I think that's something we all feel very much that we need of in a world like this. Life is becoming more and more complex, you to young people, you're finding a more complex world and we who are older did.
Because as knowledge increases in the world, life becomes very much more complex. Does the Lord understand every one of those difficult situations in school, on the job, even in the assembly? Does He understand them thoroughly? Yes. Can we turn to Him?
His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.
Girl one time was sitting down writing a little note that she was going to send into column in the newspaper that tends to give answers for some of the problems of young people, and she was writing out her problem and her sister, who was a believer.
Saw it sitting on the desk, the girl had gone to bed and left it half written and she sat down and just rolled across the bottom of the half written letter. His name shall be called Wonderful.
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Counselor, the letter was never mailed. She was introduced to the one who is a counselor. I say to those of us who are older, you are younger. Ask the Lord for counsel. Never, never take a step in disobedience to His Word. There's no wisdom or understanding their counsel against the Lord.
You'll never, I'll never be wiser than God, never is worthwhile.
To take a step in disobedience to God's word. So hath given me counsel. It's an interesting part to the close of this verse. My reigns also instruct me in the night seasons. I understand the word reigns is really kidneys in the original, and that's a very interesting thing because I think most of us know what the kidneys do. They purify the blood.
And they especially work when we lay down at night and our kidneys and our kidneys go to work.
Now, I think there's a little thought here. Sometimes we're pretty brazen and bold and things we say during the day, when we put our head on our pillow at night and we begin to think about some of the things we did and said. We there's a little sorting out of these things, aren't there? We say I was foolish to say a thing like that. I acted very foolishly on that occasion. I shouldn't have said that.
My reigns instruct me. It's good. It's good when we lay down at night just to sometimes just.
Look at those things in the light of the Lord's presence. We think of the Lord Jesus, the perfect one, before he chose those.
12 disciples. He spent the whole night in prayer to God. In prayer to God, He knew all about them even before He chose them. He knew all about them, but He was the perfect dependent man. What an example for us, brethren. My reigns also instruct me in the night season. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is my right hand. I shall not be moved.
Well, how important, tell the Lord always before us we think of the Lord Jesus. Who could say, I do always those things that please him?
Christianity isn't just a system of teaching. Her brother has brought before us in a very lovely way what the gospel is. But you could get hold of the theory of it all and not be a happy Christian. But the Lord Jesus is the truth. I am the way, the truth and the life. And if learning the truth, we are not drawn closer to him, we haven't learned it in the right way.
I've been thinking a little bit of that verse in First Corinthians 7. I believe it is.
If a man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing, yet as he ought to know it. Now that's not so a natural things. That is, you can learn facts of science, mathematics, all kinds of things. You can get them in your head. You don't need to be a spiritual person to get them into your head. Those are natural things, but in divine things.
If learning the truth of God.
Doesn't humble me. I haven't learned it in the right way. How could I learn what God's wonderful grace has been to me and where He has brought me and my responsibilities without being humbled? As I think of the grace that picked me up and the grace that may have been kept me to this day, it humbles me. And if we start boosting, oh, I know this.
Sure, I can handle that truth. I can explain that very well.
We got to watch out. Learning the truth of God and communion makes us think less of ourselves and more of Him, so it says.
I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. You may know a verse of Scripture wonderful to be acquainted with God's word. May it be hid in our hearts, but we need to have a person before us.
When decisions are made that were making them in His presence, were making them to please him.
And that he only can sustain us, brethren, so I shall not be moved. And there then it goes on and speaks of the Lord Jesus. He looked beyond death, He looked down to resurrection. And so how lovely this is, says in the Gospel of Luke. I believe it is the time came that he should be received up. He set his face that he might.
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Go to Jerusalem.
When it says the time came that he should be received up, they believe it's something like what we have in the 21St of Exodus. He was the only person that could go to heaven in his own right. He had perfectly walked to please God his Father in every step of his pathway, and he could go to heaven in his own right. But he was like the Hebrew servant who had served his master well, could have gone out free alone.
But he said, I love my master.
My wife and my children, I will not go out free. And he went to the judges. He went and our precious Savior, the only one that could enter heaven in his own right, because he had perfectly lived as the dependent perfect man to glorify his father. But he said, I want to have, I want to have these brethren here sitting in this room. I want to have them with me. I don't want to have the joys of heaven alone. I want to have them with me.
And he went to Calvary and this is brought before us his pathway here.
He went through death, He came forth in resurrection because He wanted you, and He wanted me with Him for all eternity. Oh, how precious. Then look beyond this scene. He looked on to the future. He looked on to the glorious day. He is now raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. He'd perfectly glorified God. He's sitting there not only in His blessed pathway as man, but He glorified.
About the question of sin, and as our brother brought before us, because he has so perfectly glorified God.
Is going to have a company in glory around him and you'll see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied. Well, thoughts like this, I trust encourage us and I just thought of this little Psalm as it brings before us the pathway of our blessed Savior is the dependent man. What a lovely thing it is to know the position that we've been brought into.
But brethren, it's not just knowing truth. Wonderful it is as it is. We need to have a person before us.
A person who walked in this world, who met all circumstances that we meet day by day, walk through it perfectly, and he's given us his life. You and I possess the life of Christ. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. You say, oh, that's a very difficult path. We can't do it in our own strength.
But oh, it's a blessing and happy path.
When we lean upon him, count upon him day by day, moment by moment.
Well, brethren, we're getting near the end of our journey here. The Lord is coming soon. May He grant that we not only will get a grasp of the truth, but he'll that we'll set the Lord always before us.
The Perfect Dependent Man
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Her brother has been bringing before us the precious truth of the position the believer has been brought into. And I was just thinking, brethren of the 16th song, as bringing before us the pathway of the Lord Jesus through this world as the perfect dependent man. Wonder if we could just look at that Psalm, Psalm 16. Preserve me, O God, for indeed do I put my trust.
O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord.
Thou art my Lord. My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after another God. Their drink. Offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup.
Now maintainest my lot. The lines are falling unto me in pleasant places.
Yeah, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel.
My reigns also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved, therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell or hades, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One, to see corruption.
Thou wilt show me the path of life.
In Thy presence is fullness of joy. At Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
My brother is brought before us the wonderful truth of the work of Christ and what it has done for us, so that we not only know the forgiveness of sins, but we're justified from all things, or as it says in the 5th of Romans, justification of life. And I think that's a very blessed thing for us to understand, brethren, that some have said, well, justification is just as if I had never seen.
But that would only put me in the position of Adam before he fell. He hadn't yet sinned. But thank God it's far better than that. God doesn't just put us in the position of unfallen atom. He puts us in Christ. And so justification of life means that every believer in this room is before God, not only forgiven all his sins.
But before God in a life that never sinned at all.
And that is how God sees us, and he tells us to reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Perhaps the 7th of Romans brings before us in a practical way the the conflict that goes on because we're slow to learn that we're slow to give up the thought that there is anything good in the first man.
We don't believe that it's totally condemned. We think there's something there.
But, brethren, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.
That fallen nature within us cannot be improved, and so we are before God in Christ, and God sees us in that position. To what I was thinking of in connection with this chapter is that blessed man, the Lord Jesus, the one who walked through this world, who only he was, That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of the Son of God.
There was one who walked through this world who never had any tendency to do what's wrong, and he has given us his life. And now by wrecking the old man dead, we have a perfect pattern in the life of the Lord Jesus of godliness. That's what it means in that verse in First Timothy 3 without controversy. Great is the mystery. It doesn't say of God, but great is the mystery of godliness.
That is the secret of godliness.
Is the pathway of the Lord Jesus as He walked through this world in all the circumstances that we have to meet in our pathway.
He walked through this world and only manifested that blessed life that He is Himself.
The very life of Christ. And there he manifested, and he left us an example that we should follow his steps. What a pattern for us. And this 16 Psalm, I believe, brings him before us, walking through this world as the dependent man. Why do we fall?
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Because we're independent. Why did Adam fall? He was independent. He thought he could just act on his own and he reached out for what was forbidden. But here we find the Lord Jesus in this world. We're just noticing together. When we were talking about how the Lord Jesus began the pathway of Israel over again, so to speak, it says out of Egypt, have I called my son? We know how the Lord Jesus was brought down.
Egypt after he was born and then he comes back into the land.
We see him tempted of the devil, answering every temptation by saying it is written, it is written.
Adam are the first Adam why he didn't he reasoned for himself and he was overcome, but the Lord Jesus answered every temptation by it is written and then he went about.
Displaying the heart of God to man, so much so that he could say, he that has seen me, has seen the Father. And brethren, what I wish to say is that you and I possess his life. We often excuse ourselves for failure.
But you have within you the very life of Christ, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, not who will be.
But who is our life shall appear? Every believer in this room has a life that never sinned and cannot sin. What a wonderful thing. The reason we sin, I say again, is because we allow the old man. We don't reckon the old man dead, and so we allow it. If we walked as the Lord Jesus down in this world, we wouldn't meet any circumstance in our own wisdom or in our own strength.
We would walk as he walked. Preserve me, O God, for in thee.
Do I put my trust? He's going to have all the kingdoms of this world, but he wouldn't take them from Satan.
He's waiting the Father's time. How long has he waited? He hasn't received them yet. The day is coming when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. But he's waiting. He's the man of patience. You and I get impatient. We don't want to wait God's time. In our private circumstances, sometimes even in the assembly, we're unwilling to wait God's time.
At all how blessed the pathway of the Lord Jesus.
Brethren, may this be our daily constant prayer. Preserve me, O God, because I have a strong character now in thee. Do I put my trust? Our confidence is not in ourselves, or should not be, but in ourselves, but in the Lord, I should say, our confidence should be in Him. And so it says.
Oh my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, My goodness extendeth not to thee.
That's simply the thought that the Lord Jesus didn't walk through this world, if I might say it in this way, with a Halo around his head. He walked through this world as a man so that as people looked at him, unless he walked through this world and blessed and in perfect humility. But every thought, every word, every action was a telling out of the heart of God his Father.
And so he says in the next verse, But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
It's not a beautiful verse as God looks down upon this company here this afternoon.
Everyone who belongs to Him is a St. Everyone who belongs to Him is one of the excellent of the earth. What a marvelous thing. We don't always act that way, but that's the way God sees us. He's put his comeliness upon us. We're holy and without blame before Him in love.
Rather than Sometimes we need to look at one another this way too and think of one another just like when.
Balaam gave his prophecy. What were the people doing in the tents below? Well, they were quarreling and doing things they shouldn't. But he said from the top of the rocks do I behold him? He hath not a beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel. We often wonder how this could be. But that's where God has brought us. He sees us in Christ. We're made the righteousness of God in him, and so we see the Lord Jesus.
Where was his delight with the rich and influential of this world? No.
We see him with that little household in Bethany. We see him acquainting himself with Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast 7 devils. How beautiful the excellent of the earth we need to look on one another in that way. It isn't that we're not conscious of the fact that we're four week things and we all fail, but in grace we always ought to think of God's people as God sees them. How lovely.
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The excellent of the Earth, and that he gives a little word of warning here.
Their sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after another God.
Sorrows shall be multiplied. Oh, isn't it true, brethren, we often multiply sorrow in our lives because we hasten after something else, something that's not Christ, something that's not Him, something that's not for Him. We think all that'll make me happy if I just get that. When we get it, it's only multiplied sorrow. But isn't it lovely that we have One who we can set before us?
And that was ever before the Lord Jesus.
He said, The good pleasure of Thy will, O God, is my delight. Even when He was rejected by the nation. And very interestingly, it was the only occasion on which we find the Lord rejoicing in spirit. When was it when rejected by the one whom He had come to bless, He took it from His Father.
And he said, I thank the Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes.
Even so, father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. A brother was talking to a group of children, but one of them was blind, quite handicapped, and he seemed to be giving all the good answers. When Preacher, the brother was talking, and he he said to him, Well, how is it that you?
Who seem to know your Bible so well and love the Lord.
Are blind, a lot of these other children have good eyes and everything seems to be going well for them, he said. Even so, Father for so it seemed good in nice sight. Perfect submission to the ways of God. That's the secret of happiness for us. Submission to the ways of God. Beginning preserve me, O God, for in me do I put my trust.
Is there someone here and you're finding your circumstances very difficult?
Some young person that has come to the meeting here feeling pretty discouraged by. Does somebody else seem to have something and I don't? It's easy to feel these things. I might say it's natural, but the Lord is able to fill your heart, is able to make you thoroughly happy. Jesus rejoiced in spirit and actually said, I thank the old Father, Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise.
Prudent, and has revealed them unto babes.
It says their drink offerings of blood. Will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips?
There was number such drink offerings of blood in the Old Testament order of things for Israel. There were no drink offerings of blood, but we see that they were carrying on a form of worship all of their own. Great deal of that people carry on a form of worship not founded on the word of God, just their own, their own idea. Isn't it good for us?
Even in our worship brethren, not to say, well, I like to be with that group, their group, their group. Nice group.
Maybe they are. Are you and I where we are because we believe it's according to the word of God and because we believe the Lord is there. Have often said if we can meet the Lord in two different places, if he's in the midst in two different places, I'm going to form my decision on the basis of people. If there's two places where I can go, I like the people in this place.
I don't just like the people in this other place quite so well.
But I can meet the Lord in either place. My decision is going to be founded upon people. But if the Word of God is my guide, and I want to be where the Lord is, that'll settle the question. Just to be where He is. What a privilege. And it goes on to say the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my lot.
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Notice there are two things here, my inheritance and my cup. Perhaps they bring before us this thought. The inheritance is all that we possess in Christ, where heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. All that he possesses, we're joint heirs. When he takes things, kingdoms of this world become his. He's going to share that place. He's going to introduce us to the world as His bride.
He'll come to be glorified in His Saints and to be admired in all. I'm not believe.
We know these things, we enjoy them as truth, but here that's our inheritance. But my cup, you might have a large vessel full of some drink that you enjoy. You dip in your cup, you get 1 cup full. It's a present enjoyment of what's there. And that's what the Lord wants, for us, to have a present enjoyment.
Maybe it's only a little bit now has begun to show me Lord, but what shall be the ending?
I touched the fringe of what thou art, and this is joy transcending. I've only on the rippling shore, loves oceans, depths are all before you, and I ought to know what our inheritance is, but we also ought to be in the present enjoyment and of my cup. And then this thou maintainest my lot. Is there any one of us that likes to be misunderstood?
Is there anyone that likes it when someone forms a wrong judgment? I don't suppose any of us enjoy that feeling.
But thou maintainest my life, it's a good thing to be able to just leave things with the Lord, isn't it? He forms a right appraisal about everything.
Mary poured out that alabaster box appointment on the Lord, and those who ought to have known better found fault with her said, To what purpose was this waste, and what did she say? Nothing, nothing. What did the Lord say?
She hath wrought a good work on me. I'm sure she was glad she kept quiet.
The Lord spoke to her, and he said, Wheresoever the gospel is preached in the whole world, this also that this woman hath done shall be told for a memorial of her. Nobody would know it. Yes, the world was going to know it. Oh, how lovely thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places.
Yeah, I have a goodly heritage, I've sometimes said.
We're going to meet Paul and we're going to meet Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and having another day.
I often like to think about talking to those whom we'll be with for all eternity and the glory. And I'd like to say to them, would you tell me what was the best time that you ever had in your whole life down in this world, on planet Earth? And I wouldn't be surprised the whole three of them would say it was when we were in the fiery furnace.
It was so wonderful. The Lord walked with us. The Lord walked with us.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, and when the Word of God comes home to your soul in power and comforts you in a difficult position and situation, I don't think there's a more pleasant place. I've heard ever so many Christians say I was in such a deep trouble and sorrow and there was a verse came to me and oh, it just meant so much to me. I'll never forget what that verse went meant to me on that occasion.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places. Would you call the fiery furnace a pleasant place? I believe in heaven they will. I believe they'll say it was such a wonderful experience.
And then he says, yeah, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who have given me counsel.
Well, I think that's something we all feel very much that we need of in a world like this. Life is becoming more and more complex. Either young people, you're finding a more complex world and we who are older did, because as knowledge increases in the world, life becomes very much more complex. Does the Lord understand every one of those difficult situations in school, on the job, even in the assembly? Does he?
Them thoroughly, yes. Can we turn to him? His name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.
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Girl one time was sitting down writing a little note that she was going to send into column in the newspaper that tends to give answers for some of problems of young people, and she was writing out her problem and her sister who was a believer.
Saw it sitting on the desk. The girl had gone to bed and left it half written and she sat down and just rolled across the bottom of the half written letter. His name shall be called. Wonderful counselor. The letter was never mailed. She was introduced to the one who is a counselor. I say to those of us who are older, you are younger.
Ask the Lord for counsel. Never, never take a step in disobedience to his word. There's no wisdom or understanding their counsel against the Lord. You'll never, I'll never be wiser than God never is worthwhile to take a step in disobedience to God's Word. So.
Have given me counsel. It's an interesting part to the close of this verse.
My reigns also instruct me in the night seasons.
I understand the word reigns is really kidneys in the original, and that's a very interesting thing because I think most of us know what the kidneys do. They purify the blood and they especially work when we lay down at night and our kidneys go to work. And I think there's a little thought here. Sometimes we're pretty brazen and bold and things we say during the day when we put our head on our pillow at night and we begin to think about some of the things we did and.
We there's a little sorting out of these things, aren't there? We say I was foolish to say a thing like that. I acted very foolishly on that occasion. I shouldn't have said that. My reigns instruct me. It's good. It's good when we lay down at night just to sometimes just look at those things in the light of the Lord's presence, We think of the Lord Jesus.
The perfect one. Before he chose those 12 disciples, he spent the whole night in prayer to God.
In prayer to God He do all about them even before He chose them. He knew all about them, but He was the perfect dependent man. Put an example for us. Brethren. My reigns also instruct me in the night season. I have set the Lord always before me because He is my right hand. I shall not be moved. Oh how important.
Tell the Lord always before us we think of the Lord Jesus. Who could say?
I do always those things that please him. Christianity isn't just a system of teaching. Her brother has brought before us in a very lovely way what the gospel is. But you could get hold of the theory of it all and not be a happy Christian. But the Lord Jesus is the truth. I am the way, the truth and the life. And if learning the truth, we are not drawn.
To him we haven't learned it in the right way. I've been thinking a little bit of that verse in First Corinthians 10/7. I believe it is. If a man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it.
That's not so a natural things. That is, You can learn facts of science, mathematics, all kinds of things. You can get them in your head. You don't need to be a spiritual person to get them into your head. Those are natural things. But in divine things, if learning the truth of God doesn't humble me, I haven't learned it in the right way.
How could I learn what God's wonderful grace has been to me?
And where He has brought me and my responsibilities without being humbled as I think of the grace that picked me up and the grace that may have been kept me to this day, it humbles me. And if we start boosting, oh I know this, I sure I can handle that truth. I can explain that very well. We better watch out. Learning the truth of God and communion makes us think less of ourselves and more.
So it says.
I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved.
You may know a verse of Scripture, wonderful to be acquainted with God's word, may it be hid in our hearts, but we need to have a person before us when decisions are made that we're making them in his presence. We're making them to please Him and that He only can sustain us. Brethren, so I shall not be moved.
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And there then it goes on and speaks of the Lord Jesus.
He looked beyond death, he looked on to resurrection. And so how lovely this is, says in the Gospel of Luke. I believe it is the time came that he should be received up. He set his face that he might go to Jerusalem.
When it says the time came that he should be received up, they believe it's something like what we have in the 21St of Exodus.
He was the only person that could go to heaven in his own right.
He had perfectly walked to please God his Father, in every step of his pathway.
And he could go to heaven in his own right. But he was like the Hebrew servant who had served his master well, could have gone out free alone. But he said, I love my master, my wife and my children. I will not go out free. And he went to the judges. He went and our precious Savior, the only one that could enter heaven in his own right, because he had perfectly lived as the dependent, perfect man to glorify his father.
But he said, I want to have, I want to have these brethren here sitting in this room. I want to have them with me. I don't want to have the joys of heaven alone. I want to have them with me. And he went to Calvary, and this is brought before us, His pathway here. He went through death. He came forth in resurrection because he wanted you and he wanted me with him for all eternity.
Oh, how precious then.
Look beyond the scene. He looked on to the future. He looked on to the glorious day. He is now raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. He'd perfectly glorified God. He's sitting there not only in his blessed pathway as man, but he glorified God about the question of sin and as our Brother brought before us, because he has so perfectly glorified God.
He's going to have a company in glory around him.
And you'll see of the travel of his soul, and be satisfied. Dwell thoughts like this.
I trust encourage us and I just thought of this little Psalm as it brings before us the pathway of our blessed Savior as the dependent man. What a lovely thing it is to know the position that we've been brought into. But brethren, it's not just knowing truth. Wonderful it is as it is, but we need to have a person before us, a person who walked in this world, who met all circumstances that we meet day by day.
Walk through it perfectly. And He's given us his life. You and I possess the life of Christ. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory? You say, oh, that's a very difficult path. We can't do it in our own strength. But oh, it's a blessing and happy path when we lean upon Him, count upon Him day by day.
Moment by moment. Well, brethren, we're getting near the end.
Journey here. The Lord is coming soon. May He grant that we not only will get a grasp of the truth, but He'll that we'll set the Lord always before us.