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Effort is the Lord, the living Lord, who died with all his fullness, can afford. We are supplied number 238.
Horses.
Can we go on with our second of Ephesians? I think we go down about the eighth verse, if I remember rightly.
Second chapter of Ephesians and verse 8.
For my grace are ye saved through faith and that note of yourself, It is the gift of God.
Not a word lest any man should vote for we are his workmanship.
00:10:00
Cleared in Christ Jesus under good work, which God of the four ordained, and who should walk in them?
Wherefore, remember that ye being in time past, Gentiles in the plague were called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hat. But at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers, and the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes are far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
For He is our peace, who have made both one and broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
For to make in himself of Twain one new man.
So making peace.
And that he might reconcile both under God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both had access.
By one Spirit under the Father.
Now, therefore, you're no more strangers and foreigners.
But fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God.
And I built from the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
In whom all the buildings fitly framed together.
Growing unto a holy temple in the Lord.
In whom he also are building together.
For inhabitation of God.
Through the spirit.
One is reminded in reading that eighth verse.
Of another verse in first Peter one.
In order to get the connection, we'll read the whole sentence.
First, Peter 1/3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, but according to his abundant mercy.
Have begun us again to a lively hoped by the resurrection.
Of Jesus Christ from the dead.
To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you.
Who are kept by the power of God, but don't stop there through faith.
That is the IT isn't an artificial keeping.
It isn't something that you go away in the safety box in the bank.
But it's it's a living keeping through faith.
So here in our verse, by grace are you saved. It's by all by grace, but.
It's through faith operative in the soul.
Student at Precious to see Brethren that the first of Ephesians.
All are blessing and its source in the Father's heart.
In the second chapter is the work of the son.
In the third chapter, it's the Holy Spirit making it all good in our soul.
And then the 4th chapter is so to walk in the good of it.
That we may enjoy.
All these blessings by the Spirit before we get there.
For our enjoyment of the truth depends upon our walk.
But all remember.
The first chapter.
The source of all blessing is the purpose and heart of the Father.
May I add another Christ didn't come when Adam and Eve sinned.
4000 years of man's rebellion and wickedness followed.
And after it all, the heart of God is unchanged.
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Aunt Jane, have you failed? I am, but the heart of God is unchanged. Don't try to love the Lord any more than you do.
Sit down and think of how much he loves you.
And every Christian blessing is yours.
And our enjoyment.
Of depends upon our state of soul.
And all the exhortations of scriptures.
Are founded upon what you possess. Never is it getting the thing by your own effort.
Equally blessed.
All thou rich.
God wants us to enjoy heaven before we get there.
And so when nothing that we have time, we do not receive from him, but there is nothing that we have that we do not receive from him. Even his faith is not in yourself. Exactly so broken.
Every group gifts and every perfect gift cometh down from above, and God has no favorites. Every one of us are equally blessed.
Our enjoyment of it depends upon our walk and all the exhortations of Scripture, without any exception whatever.
The founder department what to possess. Never just getting the thing by your own effort.
You were speaking about the fourth hours and years.
Made me think of Galatians 4:00 and 4:00. But when the fullness of the time was coming, God sent forth his sons made of a woman.
Made under the Lord.
While we're dealing, man, that were unbelievable.
That we might go see the adoption on stone. Why does it take me to the woman there? Well, you tell us.
Because, as I told you yesterday, you've got something on your mind here, come out with.
When the Galatians were were not Jews, there were 10 pastors.
And the Gentiles brought into blessing now in a very special way. But God had it in his heart away back in Genesis. It wasn't the seed of Abraham. That was the special promise to Israel.
But when God is Speaking of the blessings of the Gentile.
He says the seed of the woman.
Because it is the grace of God going out beyond Israel. To the Gentile, the the Galicians were Gentiles. That's why it says see to the woman for these things in the council have gone.
Of course they were being before the world was coming.
The gift of God takes in a number of things, doesn't it?
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift is the outstanding 1.
But everything that we have, we receive as a gift, a gift from the Blessed Lord himself, to be used for himself as he directs.
There will not be an unsatisfied desire in heaven.
Every believer equally blessed of God.
And it will be eternal.
The Bride of Christ. When it's a bride, it's her beauty. When it's a wife, it's her relationship.
When it's a Candlestick, it's the responsibility to give life.
When it is the house, it is the thoughtless conduct. When it is a temple, the thought is worship. When it is a city, it is administrative government.
All those circles of blessing belong to us by grace.
I remember Brother Hini Anatwa saying to the mayor of Appa he would happen to be a Christian. Haven't you begun to reign a little too soon? He said.
Little too soon.
Already time is coming now to take the place of suffering.
And it's important, brethren, to see.
That only the grace of God maintains a testimony in these dark and difficult days.
But there's special encouragement.
To those who do maintain and walk in the truth until the coming of the Lord.
Hold fast that which thy thou hast doesn't stop there.
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No man takes thy sound. What is that? There's a special reward for those that walk in the truth in a day of ruin. That, read by the Wilson, certainly is.
But you'll never walk in it in your own strength.
Never.
None of us could do any boasting.
In the eternal day, and it should be.
All praise to him. Never start the day without getting on your knees and asking grace to walk in the light and wisdom of the truth.
Because God alone can keep us in a day of ruin such as we're living in now.
If there's any glory, it must be in the Lord.
That no man may vote not of worth.
Lest any man should hold, I was thinking of this, brother Kohler, in connection with this.
Lot of works.
Faith, the gift of God.
There are plenty of people that profess to believe.
In the work of Christ for them.
But they're unwilling to acknowledge that apart from grace that wrought in their hearts, it would have been enough. No avail.
Why am I different?
While thousands rejected, I can't take the credit for it.
I I talked with a man professing to be a Christian not so long ago.
And he was smart enough to accept it.
And I quoted this verse to him, his eighth verse. I said, Where did you get the faith? Oh, he said, I had it. He didn't have it. And so the work of Christ for us was absolutely necessary for God to bring us to himself.
But if it hadn't been for the work of the Spirit of God producing faith.
Causing us to believe, drawing our hearts after him.
We wouldn't have done it.
The one that spread the feast had to compel the people who come in, didn't they? Christianity is the only religion of faith on the earth.
And everything that you possess as a Christian is the fruit of faith, never of reason. Have you got the forgiveness of your sins? Did reason tell you our faith?
Have you Have you got eternal life?
Did reason tell you our faith?
Do you believe there is a heaven? You ever been there? How do you know? Reason, tell you no faith.
Every blessing is on the principle of faith. Why? God's purpose is that no man should glory in his presence. It'll be all praise up there, dear brethren.
Praise for the grace that saved us. Praise for the grace that has kept us. Praise for the home into which we are brought.
But no one of us can take any credit whatever.
Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. I say that because.
The apostasy is going to be the fruit of the exaltation of the mind of man.
It's reasonable, and reason can never give you the truth. Never.
And nothing that you possess is the fruit of reason. Nothing.
It's always the fruit of faith and as I'll add this if you ever come to die.
The more brilliant your mind, the deeper the thought, if you trust it.
But.
If you just simply believe God.
Without any brilliancy of mind you can rejoice in the truth.
I know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the lawn, but how do you know it? Did reason tell you my father and my mother are up there? How do I know my father and mother are in heaven? Did reason tell me?
No faith.
You young boys and girls going to school.
It's the exaltation of man reason.
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And that's going to end in utter apostasy.
That right, yes. I was wondering, Mr. Hayhoe, if it for the young people, it might not be well to state that while faith tells us it's faith founded on the word of God, yes, that's what faith is based on, yes. And if I have the word of God for something, I can trust it.
Faith, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Speaking of boastfulness here lest any man should boast.
Boastfulness is what characterizes the old man, and the flesh in us is in fine to boast of what the spirit has brought.
Now I've often thought a remark that Mister Wigwam used.
Which very homely, but he says the Carpenter never has to fear that the hammer will take credit for the work that has been done.
That's a good remark I remember making them.
Talking about.
That my grave to faith, Faith to that trust with love through grace from that same lovely gate. How sweetly as two cars take the gift within his face.
Oh, wonderful to see a man way back here in copper state before the recovery of the truth.
That's all that's so clearly.
And I thought it was remarkable that that him should be the end that comes first in our little temple, because we ought all the grace and the faith to accept the great as the gift of God. Without ago we couldn't even be in possession of all its faith has provided for us. It was down in the bottom of the sea.
The whale's belly that Jonah learned that salvation is of the Lord.
That was a very wholesome lesson, even there than anybody else.
Even there, he had been talking about doing something himself, hadn't he?
On the 6th of John.
This same line of things was brought before us.
These are family secrets and all. We don't proclaim this out on the street.
Beyond 637.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.
That's one side of the truth.
And the other is in the comments for me I will in no wise cast out and down part in the chapter.
44th verse.
No man can come to me except the Father which has sent me to draw him.
Not in the glory above, when we're singing the praises of the lamb.
There will not be 1 voice there.
That will have a song like this.
Glory be to God for saving my soul.
And glory be to me for having the good judgment to accept the salvation when it was presented.
No, that's all love.
Not one little tiny bit of credit can we take for being there?
Salvation is of the Lord.
100%.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.
Are you going to say well?
I believe that.
But one thing I can understand is why was I chosen?
Well beloved Saints of God.
We'll never get that question answered. It was because it was God's choice.
He made the choice, and we'll praise him for it, but he's never going to unlock the secret and let us know why he chose us rather than someone else.
The piece of steel which is drawn by the magnet has no wonderful properties in itself. It's the magnet, isn't it? The drawing. It's 44th verse of the 6th chapter. John is just like that. The Father draws him off.
And brings him to Christ, otherwise he was dead. Now this line of things that we're talking about is definitely rejected by the greater part of Christendom today.
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As has been brought out.
Man is more and more accredited.
With the native ability, native goodness.
Spark of manliness there somewhere, Any.
And if you just put the right proposition before him, give him a chance, he'll make good.
But the teaching of the word of God is that they're hopelessly.
There is one bit of good There's nothing for God there.
And only the sovereign choice and the sovereign work of God and soul can bring anybody into heaven. If God had stopped with whosoever will let him come, he'd have had an empty heaven. But he didn't stop there.
We wouldn't discourage the preacher from preaching the gospel and preaching it earnestly, would we? Indeed, we would not, Brother Wilson.
I remember a mark of of deer dubbed close. He was a real gospel preacher. Some of us knew him.
And the hard shell Baptist preacher once challenged him said Toast. Why do you waste your time?
Working with sinners, you know it's all a matter of God's sovereign choice. Why do you waste your time? Why don't you just preach to the elect?
He said, Brother, whenever you can go and check, mark them so I'll know who they are.
Then I'll confined my attention to them. But until you're in a position to do that, I'm going to preach to whosoever will.
You and I don't know who they are.
The gospel is goes out to all. God will have all men to be saved.
God will have all men to be saved. That's his will of desire.
But that's not his efficacious way on if he stopped with his will of desire only.
Nobody would be saying, but he goes beyond that, he says.
Somebody is going to be saying, Mr. Potter, put it this way.
All May.
None will some chatter. I like that.
If you're hearing a Mr. Closest answer to, I think it was an infidelity.
Tried to draw him into an argument and address Ontario even rather close and reaching on the street. So he followed him. He was he was known to get all the preachers into an argument.
So he tackled Brother close. Involved in what does that mean? No man can come on the father except the father Droid.
Turned around, he said. You better listen to that one that draws you.
Turn around left.
That was a tough for the constant, wasn't it? And any quiver that comes and asks, how can I know that I'm one of the electors, There's an answer for the conscience that can't be answered, They can't argue with that is.
You believe on Christ, and I can tell you definitely you are.
Now.
That puts it right back on their own conscience. Man's mind is finance. God is infinite. There's lots of things in the Bible beyond reason. There's nothing in the Bible contrary to reasons. Turn the First Corinthians, chapter 3.
Verse 20.
The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
Empty.
The things of God are beyond.
Human reason.
And the wickedness of it is this.
It's practically saying.
Oh God, I've got as much intelligence as you have. Anything you put out I can understand.
That's wickedness.
That's the very principle of Satanic delusion, and that's coming upon this world.
And you'll never be a happy Christian.
Until you believe the word of God simply because God has spoken.
And you accept it. Thy word is truth.
Or how blessed, I said to a professor in the park in Walla Walla.
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He was talking that way, I said. You'd put salvation on such a high shelf that only educated people to preach it. God is wiser than you are. He's put it on such a low shelf that a child can believe it.
And rejoice in it without understanding it.
I'm so turned to the 15th of Matthew.
The 18th of Matthew I should say.
And the third verse.
I'll read from the 2nd, 18th of Matthew verse 2.
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children.
And become as little children.
He shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
What characterized the most striking man of God?
Is that he becomes a little child.
Listens to the voice of God, and in doing so, he listens to the voice of perfect wisdom.
And the most brilliant.
Child of God that ever lived.
Has to receive the word as a little child, rejoice in it as a little child, and when he comes to die.
He'll have to die as a little child, simply believing God.
Simply believing God, brethren, if the Lord doesn't come and you ever come to a deathbed.
Reason will never tell you of the glory that is to come.
As I've said, sometimes my father is gone, my mother's gone. Where are they?
Can reason tell me?
No, no, they, you say. Oh, they're with the Lord. How do you know? Where did you learn it? At school by a brilliant mind know. How do you know? God says so. Did you believe it?
It's a principle. I'd like to add this. It's a principle all through the Bible, but no flesh of glory in his presence.
Mother Anderson said faith cometh by appearing and hearing by the word of God.
In other words, you've heard the word of God, Believe it even if you don't understand it. When the Apostle Paul.
When Saul of Tarsus.
The bitter persecutor of the Church and of Christ, the man who was the chief of sinners.
That was no hyperbole. He was.
Because his enmity was definitely aimed at Christ.
God is going to have the satisfaction of having the greatest Sinner that ever lived is going to have him in heaven.
But when? When Saul was smitten down?
And blinded had to be led by the hand like a little child.
Went on to Damascus.
Who was it that came?
To enlighten him.
It wasn't the Apostle Peter.
There wasn't some man of high standing in the church.
Some great gift.
Just a simple a simple believer. Ananias.
God wasn't going to flatter Saul of Tarsus by sending the.
Great apostle Peter there.
He might have said well.
I'm not going to listen to you. You don't know who I am. I'm. I'm.
I'm a Pharisee, of the Pharisee, I said. Gamaliel's feet. I've got a background. You send me someone on my level to talk with me and I'll talk.
Well, he sent him just a humble disciple.
And to that man who's LED into peace with God.
I believe that was part of God's deliberate plan for the for solid cards to send that simple, humble man there.
Don't you, brother? That's something like.
When?
They're all accepted for first kings. When Naman came with his horses and his chariot and rolled up to the House of Elizabeth, he thought, I thought, surely the Prophet would come out and strike his hands over me and you're left. But he just had out his servant. He wouldn't even come out and deliver the message himself.
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Told his heart to go out and go and tell him to dip himself in Jordan 7 times.
Well, there was another case A1 That had to come down to learn.
What it was to get the the blessing of God.
I hope we would get on to the 10th break. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus on two good works. If God has before ordained that we should walk in this, I judge you to say that.
Even when it comes to the work of God and the believer after he has accepted the grace of God by faith, that is just as much the work of God of the work precedent or the fact that tells us that we are the working person.
Created in Christ Jesus.
So it's a new creation, and that creation is the work of God.
Everything is of God and all is grace.
And I think that we need to be reminded from time to time.
Of the work of the Spirit of God in US, and His grace working in us, even now as Christians, that all the praise may be to him.
I think that those who dwell chiefly on the work of Christ for us blessed it as it is.
Miss something of enjoying what God has done.
But I would like to add 1 word not to draw out this subject of election.
Let us ever remember, brethren, that there are people who have taken this blessed truth, and have twisted it and perverted it, and there is no such word in scriptures.
Anyone being predestinated to be lost or damned.
That's the imagination of man running away with it on the other side.
Not only no such word, but there's no such.
No such plan that anybody should be lost, no thought of it. God will have all men to be saved. That's his will of desire.
The man isn't saved, or you weren't saved because God didn't want you saved. God will have all men to be saved. Is that right by the court? Indeed it is. I was thinking of what you said before about election.
And Mr. close, He would preach to those that were checked as the elect. Well, really, the gospel preacher is preaching to the elect. He doesn't know where they are.
In Romans Chapter 9, perhaps you have a verse that ought to be cited.
In connection with this, Romans 922.
What if God willing to show his wrath and to make his power known?
Endured with much long-suffering, the vessels around fitted to destruction, I noticed the difference between that verse and the next one.
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he.
Had before prepared unto glory. It says nothing about that God fitted them to destruction. They fitted themselves for destruction. But when it comes to being prepared for glory, he is the one that does it.
There is a pamphlet over on the display counter, Arminianism versus Calvinism that goes into it.
If you're not clear on it, get the pampered.
Don't we have two illustrations about this and truth in Judas and in Peril?
They pardon their hearts first. Would that be the case? I think it's always so in Pharaohs case and before I'd ever says a word about God hardening Pharaoh's heart, it tells us three times over that he hardened his own heart.
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So.
God took him at his word.
Then three times over, he didn't want any part of it, so God takes him in his word and hardens his heart.
Judas.
Before he was ever chosen.
As one of the 12.
Had already enrolled himself under the banner of Christ, professively.
In other words, the Lord didn't go out on the street and tap somebody on the shoulder and say you're elected to be Judas.
No, Judas was already a professed follower of the Lord Jesus.
Before ever he was chosen as one of the 12.
It's true, there had to be a Judas.
But Judas was glad to be a Judas.
And he was chosen, and he filled the part right straight through.
He sat under all that lovely ministry. He saw all those miracles, and what effect did it have on his poor, wicked heart?
He only heartened himself more and more and finally sold his Lord.
For 30 pieces of silver, the price of a common slave.
What verse have you for saying that Judas was one of the Lord's followers?
Six of blue turn to it.
Not questioning.
Luke 6 verse 13.
In the 12Th verse, the Lord is praying about this matter.
12Th verse came to pass in those days that he went on into the mountain to pray.
And continue to all night in prayer to God.
He has a very important mission on the next day.
And when it was day he called unto him his disciples.
And out of them he chose 12.
When he also named apostles.
And 16th verse Judas the brother of James and Judas is carried which also was the traitor.
And you'll notice all through the gospel.
When Judas is named.
When there's any possibility of any confusion about it?
The spirit of God is always careful to distinguish that it's the Judas that betrayed him he's talking about.
So here.
Even in the choice and Judas is carried, which also was the traitor. But he didn't choose him from the outside, he chose him from the inside circle, his disciples. Now look at John.
Give you two or three. Give you the passage. Just a moment.
In the second of John.
And the 23rd verse. Now when he was in Jerusalem, in the Passover and the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw all the miracles that he did.
But Jesus did not commit himself under them.
Because a new old man that needed not that any should testify. A man for he knew what was in man. That kind of a belief didn't count for anything.
Now in the is.
It it's the 6th chapter now.
The 6th chapter, the end of the chapter.
Well, we read from the 63rd verse of chapter 6.
It is the spirit capital S that quickeneth the place profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, They are Spirit and their life.
But there are some of you that believe not.
Some of you that believe not.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believe not, and who should betray him.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father.
From that time.
Many of his disciples disciples.
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Went back and walked no more with him.
Then sent Jesus under the 12 but he also go away.
And Simon Peter had some said, Lord, to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ the Holy One of God.
Jesus answered, Have not I chosen you? 12 And one of you is a devil, not demon here, the devil.
He spake of Judas is carried the son of Simon.
For He it was that should betray being one of the 12. So because they were disciples and because they believed in Him, did not mean that they were saved.
That is, it was the same kind of belief that the devils have. The devils believe and tremble.
There are many people that believe the Bible. Say Why Sure, I believe every word of it and they're not saved. Isn't that right, brethren? Yes, but would you say a word on the difference between a disciple and an apostle?
I think there may be some young people here that don't realize there is a difference.
What do you tell us, brother Kohler?
Thank you.
A disciple is a learner.
In the Old Testament, times of the prophets had a little school of those who accompanied the topic and learned from him.
And from those learners, frequently the next prophet was chosen.
Well, an apostle is a delegate. He's been appointed to something. He's been given a certain authority and power. There are no apostles today.
But there may be is that many disciples?
Considered an apostle, Should have seen the Lord.
Yes.
But that was in connection with choosing the successor of Judas. Of course, the apostle Paul, that was different.
Well, but the Apostle Paul did see the Lord. Yes, yes, he says so. I have not. I've seen the Lord Jesus.
But there were 12 apostles.
That the Lord appointed and after Judas defection.
Deceased.
Another was appointed to take his place. Many have criticized what was done. The first of Acts is so as though they were premature and Paul should have been that one. But that's not so. I believe they were divinely inspired in that act and choosing A successor for Judas.
Successor had to be one who had followed along with the Lord in His ministry, and had seen all and heard all that the Lord did and said.
Those 12 have a special place and will have a special place, will they not?
There were others that were apostles beside the 12. Yes, Barnabas was an apostle.
And James, the Lord's brother, is so poking out, yes.
In fact, when you come to later in the Ephesians Speaking of the Church, it says some apostles. It doesn't say 12.
In connection with the Church.
And apostles and official prophets were connected with the foundation, with the foundation.
After the foundation is laid.
The prophets are of course New Testament prophets. Not Old Testament prophets, but New Testament prophets.
After the foundation is laid, you have no longer any need of prophets or apostles.
We still have prophecy, but that's a different thing from prophets.
My brother prophesying is a brother giving the mind of the Lord. In any scripture we still have that either prophesied, but prophets as such belong to the foundation days and we do not have them now.
So in the 4th of Ephesians.
We have those that remain now, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and they're all here with us. And we have the Ascended Head in heaven to thank for their presence among us now, Brother Brown, at the Lord Real Point.
The 12 apostles, After he offended up on high, according to the boss of Ephesians that he had set it up on high, he gave some apostles some prophetess.
00:55:03
Pastors. Teachers without a reappointment.
I'm going to be prepared to answer that question, Brother Barry. Be glad for someone else to answer it.
It doesn't seem like, but in that way, his voice.
Spoke of how God would use them as such.
God would use them as such.
A thing as apostles now.
They are the foundation of the Church which have us in Ephesians 2.
Brother Barry isn't Ephesians 4.
Really. Marking out the source of all the gifts to the church?
Are not the time in which they were given.
I'm glad to get any help.
Getting into deep water, maybe we should get on something. That all here will follow. More well in Ephesians 2.
In Ephesians 2, if they care to go on down to the end of the chapter for a moment.
And are built upon the 20th verse.
Are built upon. Let's read the 19th verse now. Therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners.
But fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God.
And to build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief turn of stone. Now notice it does not say you're built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles.
If it said that, we might think, well, he's talking about the Old Testament prophets.
But apostles is given first are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Now look at Acts 13, the first verse.
Acts 13 one.
And he offers the Gentile Center.
The church is characteristically.
Now I say characteristically.
A gentile testimony, characteristically I say.
Antioch was the gentile center.
And there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets, prophets.
And teachers Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius.
And so, so they had prophets in those days, but they were connected with the foundation days.
Now when the foundation is laid, we have no longer need of apostles or prophets, but we still have evangelists, pastors and teachers. Don't you think that perhaps why in the odd chapter of Jesus you get the apostles being?
Given by an ascended Christ.
Is completely distinguished between what preceded for all what comes after the cross, after the Holy Spirit is given and the Church of God is formed. Is connected now with a glorified Christ and not a Christ down here giving a special.
Visitation or a blessing to Israel?
For everything now in connection with ministry is connected with an ascended glorified Christ when he ascended up on time. And now all ministry comes through that forces and say Brother Core, and we have the ministry of the apostles and the epistles heavenly. So we while we had an apostles we have their ministry and it comes from an ascended glorified Christ.
And would that be the reason why he told them to remain in Jerusalem until they be endued with power from an eye? He had to go out and up first before they had that power.
Well, that would be the spirit of God, wouldn't it?
Power from on high. Did they go outside apostles before that? Well, they were. They were apostles before the cross.
But they didn't go out, so apparently he told them to remain in Jerusalem and that's what they did.
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And our brother Potter used to say the Lord.
He asked them to go out from Jerusalem and he said they didn't do it. He said that for instance there at the persecution of Steven.
Why all?
Fled from the persecution from Jerusalem, except the apostles.
He says the Lord chose a new servant to go out and fulfill that ministry, and he chose a new center, and that was Antioch. And so we have then in the Acts is taking up up Antioch, and that's the center from which they go out and which they come back.
Well, of course it's well to remember that when these things took place.
It was a transitionary state.
The believing remnant of the Jews was being carried over into the church from.
Judaism.
Had a new thing was being instituted completely.
You'll give us some help from being his workmanship? What is before for the very man I have just pardoned me, Brother. Just a moment, will you pardon me?
Did not God have a purpose in keeping the 12 apostles in Jerusalem? Now look at the 15th chapter back.
This is a very, very crucial time.
In the Church's history.
The question is up for discussion as to whether or not the Gentile is to be brought under the regulations of Judaism, whether he's to be made subject in some measure to the requirements of the law.
Circumcision was one of those requirements.
Now the the matter had come to a crisis at Antioch.
Peter at that moment himself.
Wasn't too clear.
But.
The the the question is brought up to Jerusalem.
They want to settle it once and for all and they want to settle it in a peaceable way.
So in the second verse, when therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem under the apostles and elders about this question.
Now one's thought is that in the 70 of God the apostles were kept there until this matter was clarified.
So they they go into the discussion very thoroughly.
And.
It's thrashed out fourth verse. When they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders.
Then in the 12Th verse, then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had brought among the Gentiles among them.
13th verse And after they had held their peace, James. Now this is James, the son of Alpheus, I believe.
Answered Men and brethren, hearken unto me, Simeon, There's Peter that declared so on.
And 19th verse my sentence is that we trouble not them from among the Gentiles that are turned to God.
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols and fornication, and things strangled and from blood.
Now 20 second verse.
Then it pleased the apostles and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch.
And so on. And they wrote the letters. Now that was a very important decision and it had full Apostolic authority behind it. I believe that was God's over ruling reason for keeping the apostles in Jerusalem when all the others were scattered approach.
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Would it would it not broke the ground, have tended to division in the church and to set up a Gentile church at Antioch and a Jewish flavored church in Jerusalem if it hadn't been settled in Jerusalem? Exactly. That's the point. That's the point. And being settled in Jerusalem, not Brother Barry. Well, I'm just going to say and I don't doubt it was the over ruling hand of God.
And again, our brother Potter used to say the government of God was a wheel within a wheel. That is, you couldn't pin it down to just one thing. He had more than one purpose in view.
They may have failed in not going out of Jerusalem, but God overruled, at any rate had them there for that decision.
There were other things also.
I believe that the apostles.
Were the nucleus of the Church.
The you might call them the heart of the Church. So in the 8th chapter, when the Samaritans were.
Were exercised, they must be connected with those in Jerusalem.
In the 10th chapter, when the Gentiles are brought under exercise in Cornelius, they must also be connected with Jerusalem. In other words, there was a center and God was guarding that center.
They were not just gathered any place where there happened to be.
Or where they chose to be? Would you not say, Brother Kohler, that after the 15th chapter of Acts that you no longer see Jerusalem functioning as the center? Yes, I believe that God gave them up.
And I I think it's nothing short of a miracle.
That they weren't scattered in that persecution that broke out because.
If the enemy is going to persecute.
He starts with the leaders, He starts at the top. It's always the leaders at the end of his after. And here they were all scattered abroad. They had to flee for their lives, except the apostles. How could that be?
The over ruling hand of God that protected them because he had useful.
Another point right there. It knocks on the heads of the thought of Apostolic succession. They went out and preached the gospel without being ordained of the apostles.
Yes, and they when you get it, as soon as the persecution that scattered the rest of them, they went out preaching everywhere, didn't they? But they were ordained by the apostles. Never was intended they should.
I've never met an argument.
That was anti scriptural, that you didn't have scripture to set them right if they were subject to scripture.
For God has thought of every infidel suggestion that comes to man's mind.
And there's the wisdom of God to me. So I've often said to people about.
That the necessity of Apostolic succession to preach.
But these went out to preach without any Apostolic succession.
Didn't have authority from but they preached and God owned their preaching and they were blessed.
Possible Didn't have it.
I said the Apostle Paul didn't have it exactly. Well, I'll ask him another question connecting to what you've been talking about.
Take the end of Luke.
The last chapter in the 50th verse.
And he met them out as far as to Bethany. And he lifted up his hands, and blessed and came to pass. While he blessed them, he was brought it from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Why is that in Luke? You don't find it in John. They can walk immediately. But here in Luke, Bethany has two meanings and the House of dates and the House of affliction. But they returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
Why is that found in Luke and not in John Telephone?
Well, is this the reason?
Luke really wrote the book of the accident.
Will Israel was not set aside.
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In the until the apostles went and they preached the gospel, and wherever they went they sought out the the Jews and gave the Jews the gospel. Everywhere they went the first opposers of the truth were the Jews.
It isn't until you come to the end of the book of the Acts.
That the Jews are set aside nationally as the people of God.
Our grace goes out to the Gentile.
And what our brother Brown said was right that characteristically, this is the day of Gentile blessing.
But Luke, who wrote the book of the Acts, they were continually in the temple.
The temple and that centered Jerusalem wasn't given up.
Until.
The gospel was refused by the nation.
Let me give an illustration here in the United States. Certain thing is put before you in Washington.
It's refused.
But the outline sections believe Hawaii is part of the United States Now isn't, unless I'm wrong.
When the Hawaiians might say, well wouldn't put before us, we didn't have a chance, we would have accepted it. And so in the book of the Acts, Paul goes around to all the different cities and he seeks out the Jews 1St and gives them the gospel.
And in every place he goes, the Jews refuse it. That's the long-suffering patience of God, and that's why it's different at the end of Luke and is the end of John.
Turn to the end of John and you'll see.
The 20th chapter in the 19th verse.
Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week, you don't get that loop.
But John gives you a new beginning.
First day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews.
Always a rejected company, in a rejected place the doors are shut for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
Oh, that's what is particular in John's ministry. My peace, I leave with you.
Peace.
Because it's John gives you the coming apostasy and the awful judgments of the earth.
This isn't the peace that you get by believing the gospel.
Although you must have that too, but it's the peace that you have in the sense that the one that is crucified has gone up on high.
When all things are delivered into his hands, for John wrote the Book of Revelation then.
He said unto them, Then.
When he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Why did it tell you that?
What is it? You know the the blood from his hands didn't put away sin, so the blood from his side. Why does he mention the hands first?
The hands on the side.
Told us.
Why? Because the whole character of things were gathered around or rejected. Christ, those piercing hands tell of his rejection. The blood from his side tells of atonement.
Which are gathered now around the rejected Christ, and the world in which you live is coming under judgment.
The disciples would laugh when they saw the Lord then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you, as my Father has sent me.
Even so, send I you. I mean John's Gospel ascending as you get in John 316.
God so loved the world.
Jew and Gentile, Now we send you forth with the Gospel, and and you're to go through all the world. And as we remarked yesterday, John.
Dozens people.
So much of the forgiveness of sins till you come to the Epistle, and there's the question of communion.
It's new life.
Now I'll ask another question.
Whereas you must be born again. You could imagine John. But John, why isn't it imagine?
Why isn't it in Mark?
When did it look? Why do you have to get over to John's Gospel to find?
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Drugs. It's not till you come to John's Gospel.
But you find the whole world June Gentiles set aside.
No fruit for God. And so if John closes his ministry in Revelation by saying, Behold, I make all things.
New and If you're a believer, you're a new creature in Christ Jesus.
John's ministry closes the testimony of God to the whole Adam race.
The judgment is.
Coming. And if you're a believer, you're belong to a new creation.
You know you never get New birth spoken of in the Old Testament.
Until you get prophetically Christ rejected.
Where's the first time in the New on the Old Testament you get in the New birth? Ezekiel. Yes, Ezekiel.
It's prophetic to the fact that in the millennial day when they're brought into blessing.
Will be born again.
A new creation?
When does Paul say in me? In my flesh Dwelleth no good thing Was it before he was saved?
Was it was after?
Is that important, brother?
Does that link up with our tenth verse here created in Christ Jesus?
Unto good work, I believe we interrupted our brother Barry. He had something to bring before us.
I was trying to get Brother Wilson to comment from part of his meant by his workmanship. On his workmanship, I would like to hear what you have to say. Well, really I.
Had something else in mind. I wanted to get on the chapter. Well, I took that way. How about starting?
Well, it might be helpful to the young people to understand what that word means.
Zip or she went to an affair.
Where all kinds of foods are displayed. Used to have countries fairly normally the women would bring their ties to me.
Quite an event or what cake was selected.
Was it some horror?
Piece of.
Workmanship. I know they always selected the best, the best of everything.
Well, when the Spirit of God takes the balance, believers being his workmanship.
Simply means it's the very best.
That God himself has produced or accomplished.
You see, we're considering the, the the new creation.
And created in Christ Jesus.
Well, that subject is a marvelous subject.
It began when Christ rose again from the dead. It became the head of that new creation.
Name speaks of our being the first fruits of that new creation. Someday that creation will fill the whole universe.
Or it will be the display of God, of the glory of Christ and redemption.
Well, the precious thing for us to enjoy at this time.
Is to think that for sinners like you and me are the first fruits of that new creation.
And that the Spirit of God has told us.
That we're His workmanship, the most glorious work that will be displayed through eternity in connection with our new creation, our sinners saved by great this present time.
That are brought into the blessings of heaven, raised up, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That's our position now. God looks upon us now as His workmanship and again as it has been mentioned before.
That it's all the work of God. It's his workmanship.
And we're created in Christ Jesus.
Nothing of ourselves. If there's any work that we ever accomplished or our Blessed Lord, we can't take any credit for it because it's the work that He has brought out in our lives so that it's His work.
01:20:17
That is.
What has been accomplished?
And it's until good works well, there's good works coming in their proper place. Because before we've been told that we're saved by grace or faith in that it's not a work. That's when it's a question of salvation.
We did nothing to.
To merit or to in any way add to that salvation, but after we're saved by then we get the proper place.
Or good work and the life of a child.
But we need to remember this.
Where our attention is called to it in the passage.
That these works spoken of his good works.
Were which God has before.
Notice that before ordained that we should walk in them. So if we're used of God to accomplish any work for God.
It's something that God had previously planned.
Planned in his counsels to be carried out for his glory.
All the important thing, then, is to walk in such humility and nearness to our blessed Lord, that we will be permitted to carry out some of the Council with God, in His wondrous wisdom have foreordained for His people.
Are they the same good works we're told off in tightness we're zealous on?
Peculiar people. Zealous. Yeah, they're the same ones that we're told that we're both upon. Another unto in Hebrews, yeah, but all it takes in all at every work. Good work.
Well, this portion that you're speaking about.
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
That's man's natural works is what he seeks to do.
But in contrast to that, God has given us a new life and everything goes with it. All things are pertained to godliness.
And.
Everything about the Christian is the product of God's own work. I was thinking of what you have in 2nd Corinthians 5, where he speaks about the new body that we're to have.
The Tabernacle from God.
Not made with hands. And he says, he that hath wrought you for the self, same thing is God.
With God's purpose, would you say these good works mentioned here that are mean these works not of works. That's the same that that are spoken of in Hebrews as dead works.
Cleanse your conscience from dead works, isn't it?
That would be religious works, wouldn't it? Yeah, but it's it's works for getting God's approval, is it not? Oh yes, isn't it? Contrast with faith in the 8th, 1St save through faith. Lot of works.
Aren't they dead works because they're produced by a dead man, dead in trespasses and sin.
A man out of touch entirely with God.
Yes, I believe so.
The Jews were very religious people, but they were going on. They were ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness. And so their works are looked upon in Hebrews as dead works.
But because they're formed and ceremony.
That's all it amounted to.
Cain Cain's offering.
May have been very beautiful.
But it was wicked.
It was wickedness before God to approach God on that basis.
Wherefore slew his brother, because his own works for evil. Evil works.
What? Carefully selecting the best fruit and offering it to God, yes.
Is that the difference that has been mentioned in Hebrews? It is religious works that are now dead works because Christ has accomplished the work of God.
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That has so glorified him.
That we have entrance into the holiest just for one moment. Turn to Hebrews 13 for the whole epistle.
The whole epistle of the Hebrews divided right there at the 10th chapter of Hebrews.
Every part of every previous chapter.
Ends.
Hebrews 10/18.
Now we're an admission of these is there is no more offering for sin.
That's what he's been unfolding now. Look, there's a change right there, having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
Going on with Judaism after that. Was going on with Deadworks.
Whatever they What is the nature of the works in First Corinthians 3?
1St Corinthians 3.
Verse 15.
If any man.
Work shall prefer.
Will in First Corinthians 3. He's delivering for the Lord. I find people get things much better by illusion.
I've been in Philadelphia many times.
And I used to walk.
Posters and my letters to the post office.
Passed a beautiful church building.
Was erected by the faithful parishioners of this parish to the glory of God.
Well, that's the First Corinthians that you speak of. That is, they thought they were doing well to put up that building.
With all its religious ceremony and they came together and they took the sacrament and they had their meetings in that building.
But now turn to 1St Corinthians 3 that we get it, and verse 14 If any man work abide which he has built thereupon he shall receive her award. Well, are they going to be rewarded for putting up that church building in Philadelphia?
The mind of God at all.
The point in First Corinthians 3 is that if you're not building on false foundation, then all your labor will be burned up in the coming days.
You may labor ever so earnestly, but you must build on Paul's foundation, and what is of God will abide and be rewarded.
What is not of God will not be rewarded, but burned up in truth as of no value in God's sake. But credit will be given for the motive that was in back of it, won't that? Yes. But that's not. That's a different thing. Yeah, that's a different thing. What you say is right, but.
The actual building the they put those bricks there and worked. I expect there didn't be any paper.
Credit will be given for the motive if they were God's children.
Well, of course, I'm supposing it's God's children, and that is for the Lord. They're doing it.
And maybe all wrong though in First Corinthians 3.
It's there, is it not? There's been a profession of faith in the name of the Lord.
And there's works there. They've done. Some of it may be real, some may not be.
What we are talking about here in Ephesians is more in connection with working to be saved. That's right, that's right. And Des Moines, I was told first hand the other day.
Man said he was on a committee to get new members to build their new church. They were going to build a new church and they needed a lot of money and they were getting new members.
I said, are you getting any members? He said yes.
I said, are they saved? Oh, I said. We don't bother about that.
Said. We'll get them in the church and then we'll get them saved after that.
Well, now, regardless of how much any of those new members give to erect that new church building.
They'll never get one little bit of credit for it, motive or no motive.
Be nothing for them.
There's also a verse in Second Timothy 2 if a man strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive law.
01:30:06
We will not get a reward for going contrary to the word of God.
Well, there may be a certain measure in which we think we're serving God, and God can credit the motive. If it's a child of God, yes, but still, that verse rings out so strong.
Yet as a man not crowned except he strive long, we can't break the rules and get a reward for winning the race.
No Make a difference between salvation and reward.
Everyone was saved and really by faith trusts in the person and work of the Lord Jesus. Reward is another thing.
And if we're going to be rewarded, we must.
Do what we do in obedience to the work everything else.
Will be unrewarded, somebody says well, but God is using these meat using these means or blessing these means in Christendom.
God is sovereign and can bless any means he chooses, but we're subject and to do what we're told.
We have our sister in our meeting in Des Moines that was converted in a Mormon revival meeting.
What? She was converted in a Mormon revival meeting, but it wasn't anything that the preacher said that saved her. It was the Bible that he read. She had a Catholic background. She wasn't used to hearing the word, and she heard the word read, and the spirit of God used the word that was read. And she got her soul same. She never.
She never joined the Mormon Church.
It was in a tent meeting.
A Mormon, A Mormon tent meeting but hearing the Bible. But she wasn't accustomed to hear she believed the word and was saved. The reason I asked what was of all the coats? I think Mormonism is the worst.
Well.
Maybe some of us might not agree with you on that.
Well, in cats they I don't know that you can find anything worse.
Personally, my own, others, Just my persuasion. You have as good a right here as I have to mine, I believe, the most wicked.
Perversion of the gospel on the face of the earth today is the Jehovah Witnesses, because the first statement they make is Jesus is not God. That's that's their foundation stone.
Well, God is only a man in Mormonism.
Everybody sing hymn #61.
How wondrous the glories that meet in Jesus and from his face shine.
His love is eternal and sweet. Tis human tis also divine #61.