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Philippians 3 verse 11.
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 it that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do for getting 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 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.
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.
For many walk, 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 mind earthly things.
For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like under His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Perhaps we could say in that 11Th verse he comes to the point of the resurrection really from among the dead, and then he goes back, as it were, to our present pathway, until that glorious event takes place, which he speaks of in the last verse, 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. But he goes back in the 12 verse, and as it were, has the pathway before us.
Pathway through this world.
Having Christ as our object and going on with Him as our object and seeking to.
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Be in our lives in all that, really. The practical part of it begins with the 12Th verse. Not as though I had already attained either. We're already perfect. That is, we're still here in this scene, and it won't be until the Lord comes that we'll be perfect in every way. Body we'll have. The old man will be gone, will be just like Christ. But we should have that desire to be like Him even now.
And this is the Christian pathway.
Will be perfect then, because we'll know as we're know now. We only know partly now, and dimly. But there is a thought of perfect as used in the 15th verse, but as therefore as many as be perfect. There is a thought there of a Christian today who's matured in the things of God.
Who's able to take in strong meat? And it's nice that we can all attain to that. It doesn't mean we don't sin, doesn't mean we don't make mistakes. It's not that kind of perfect. It's full grown or mature of by a believer. It's a beautiful thought. The first perfect, as Gordon said we'll have when we get to glory. But there is a perfect in a sense for a believer. And I believe in Matthew 5.
The last birds be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect. Now in that sense is to seek to follow Paul, he says. As I have followed the Lord. In that sense our walk would speak well and we could take in more of the truth. And that's really the thought of perfecting today.
God always sets a perfect object before us. While he makes provision for our failure, He doesn't say when any man said if any man sin. So God always sets a perfect object before our souls. Said to Abraham left before me. And be thou perfect, he said there is our brother just mentioned in Matthew. Be therefore perfect even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect. He doesn't say, Well, it's all right for you to fail occasionally, but be as nearly perfect as you can. God sets a perfect object before us.
He makes full provision, but alas, we fail. So provision is made for our failure, but God never lowers the standard. He that saith He abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked. Christ is ever the perfect standard set before our souls. Provision for our failure, I say, but not excuse for our failure. It's because we didn't draw upon the resources that are provided for us.
It's interesting to notice that.
The Apostle Paul takes a very low place because he says in the middle of that 12Th verse, not as though I had already attained, neither were already perfect. He takes that little place. But when you go down to the 15th verse, he admits that there were some that were perfect, were mature. Let us therefore as many as the perfect.
So it shows that that is a condition.
That is attainable.
My brother Walter Carter talked a little bit differently than that 15th verse others that I heard, he said that that's perfect. In the 15th verse is those who have Christ as their property. They have got a perfect topic and it seems to me it fits better than full blown course, Paul would say.
As you say in the 12Th or not, as though I had already attained over full grown, he calls after that, and then going on in the trail first. But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended. So it hits the 14th verse of his eye press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He had that mark at the end of the journey, and God always has a perfect object before us.
So Potter's teaching seems to fit the 15th verse real well, I think. Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded, have that goal before the soul, the person at the end of a perfect object. Let us walk by the same move, let us mind the same thing. And Paul says, rather be followers together of me.
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Well, he had Christ as a goal before his soul. I pressed on the mark. So follow him and mark them which walked, so that you have us for an example. Don't change the object of God, Christ and glory.
If Christ is the sole object that would be perfect for a Christian, that's true. Also, if if you're able, if you're mature as a Christian, Christ would be the sole object. I believe it's probably interchangeable there. That thought I was thinking of Second Corinthians.
Chapter 3, Second Timothy, Chapter 3. I'm sorry, Second Timothy, chapter 310 and verse 16 and 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
Profitable for doctrine, recruits for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, early furnished unto all good works. I believe that would be one who had Christ as his sole object.
I don't know what I grasp.
Excuse me, what you are saying? Well, was it that the the two perfects were slightly different in their meaning?
Brother Potter didn't teach it was full growth.
He thought that it was those who have Christ as their object, and it seems to fit because Paul says I count not myself to have apprehended, he says I'm not full grown.
But the followers of me, because I have Christ as my object.
But what do they mean when he said I am not perfect?
Which verses that 1212?
Not as though I had already attained either. We're already perfect, that is he. He hadn't come to the end of the journey yet, but he desired in the as he says here.
And I follow after it, that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. The thought in apprehended is, Why did the Lord lay hold of me, to make me something short of just like Christ now? And Paul hadn't fully laid hold of that, but he desired that it would be so I follow after it that I may, till I put it this way, lay hold of that for which I've been laid hold of by Christ. And so every believer in this room, why did the Lord lay hold of me?
To make me partly like his beloved Son, or to make me fully like his beloved Son. And now he's seeking to do this in our pathway here. It won't be until the end of the pathway that will be perfect. That is, we won't have any fallen nature. We'll have glorified bodies. Every believer in heaven will be just like Christ, morally and physically. All desire that he would lay hold of in his own soul the purpose that the Lord had in laying hold of him.
So he carries on the thought that he's seeking to produce that morally now, but in the end, in the last verse, it'll be completed when the Lord comes and we'll be physically like him. And I quote the verse again. It's in John's epistle. It says he that saith the abideth him in him ought himself also soda walk even as he walked. That is, God has given us a light that enables us to do that. He's given us the power.
But we all fail because we still have the old man within. So if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, but he never lowers the standard. I think it's very beautiful the way it's brought before us here.
Runner running a race and the prize that he's going for is not in this world, it's out of this world, it's in glory. And I think that's so important for us to keep in mind. So often we strive for things down here, things that are right.
Perhaps in their place, but they are not the ultimate goal of the believer in the Lord Jesus. The ultimate goal is Christ and glory.
00:15:02
The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. It's not to be anything down here. It's to something up there in glory that He's pressing towards. And there's singleness of heart and his desire to do this is one thing I do.
It is only in the measure that their singleness of heart, that everything takes its proper light in this world. And I sometimes say to young people, it's really important that you stop sometime and think what is my object here in this light. Sometimes I see young people with the desire to get a good job, a good career, and those are proper things in their place. But that cannot be the right.
Overall objective of a believer.
It cannot if your sights are set on anything down here.
They're set too low. You may have other sub objectives, but they must all relate to that one overall objective and then to pursue it with all our energy. I still remember what Mr. Ch. Brown used to say the literal translation of verse 14.
Down to the goal I press. In other words, it's a picture.
Of an athlete on the last stretch toward the goal and he's putting everything he has into.
Brethren, if we would see the goal more clearly, nothing. Nobody could hinder us from running like Paul Rand for that prize because we get distracted by things down here.
All was raptured into the 3rd heaven. He saw the gold and nothing could stop it. Nothing could hinder him from running and it says.
That goal becomes clear in our souls, apprehension of it by faith that we too will run as we ought to run as Christians.
And our portion here, especially the 15th verse, it is individual. Paul is encouraging his brethren, and so he could say let us therefore as many as be perfect. It is something of individual attainment and desire. That's the thought.
There is a perfect applied to the Church and that will not be until we're in glory. The body of Christ is in glory and that's in Ephesians and Ephesians chapter 4. And I won't go into all of it, but the Lord when he ascended, gave gifts to the church and and for reason. And I'll read 12 for perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry.
For edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of faith, of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, under the measure of the status of the fullness of stature of the I think the stature really means age of something of the fullness of Christ. In other words, the body of Christ. The church will not reach that till we're home, but.
That he's provided what would make it possible today.
We have all we need and the Spirit too, but it can't be until we're presented to the Father as blameless, perfect, according to that perfect man. So it's nice to see that one as to the church, but individually it's a little different. And I do believe that Christ is the one object, but it can only be to those that are mature as a Christmas.
I believe that passage there in First Corinthian Ephesians 4 is that that is the object of ministry. That is, the object of ministry is that those who are listening and those who receive what is ministered would become more and more like Christ, and so not just partially like him. God would have us to give out the whole truth of God with that desire. So a brother stands up what is before him that the ones who are listening might be more like Christ.
And so that's the object of all ministry that there would be, that they might come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. It will not be so down here. But that's the object of menstrual. And any brother that ministers seeks to present the full likeness, moral likeness, to Christ as that which is the object before our souls, even though we all fail. And so He even makes provision here, if in anything he otherwise minded God is able.
00:20:28
Again, and all see things alike. But if we're willing, God will make these things clear to us. And that's very good for us to remember. Someone said, well, if such great man as Mr. Darby and Mr. Kelly Gifford, who are we? But the point to remember is that God is willing on his part, and He is willing. If there's anything that we don't see clearly, let's ask the Lord to help us to see it clearly. Because if there's any hindrance, it's not on God's part, it's our part.
And so we find the same in John where it says.
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether.
I speak of myself. If we're willing to do it, God is willing to teach us. We've already been carried.
Over to the last verse here where we get the new body and that's a further attainment, at least apprehension of perfection. If we go to the Hebrews 11 we see that in the last verse of Hebrews 11.
There's going to be a perfection as to the body too, and it says about those heroes of faith.
And ourselves in the last verse of Hebrews 11 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. That is, God doesn't bring their heroes of faith into the state of the new creation as to the body until he brings us in. We all arrive there at the same time. That will really be perfection as the body, soul and spirit in that glory face.
Nice to look on for that whole thing.
Will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. That is, we'll receive our new bodies. And it's true that those who have died in faith at this moment are in the conscious enjoyment of the presence of the Lord, absent from the body and present with the Lord. But they're not going to get their new bodies till we do. That's going to take place at the resurrection, at the shout. And we're going to get new bodies. They're going to get new bodies, and then we'll be caught up together with them. But I'd like to just go back for a moment and make a comment.
In connection with the object, because I think it's important, particularly for the young people to realize that faith always needs an object. We find that with the people of God in any dispensation, they always had an object. You mentioned the 11Th chapter of Hebrews, and as you trace those that live by faith and for God's glory, even against all kinds of odds and difficulties and problems and so on, it's true that Abraham went out not knowing whether he went.
But he had an object. He looked for a city which hath foundation to build her. And Maker is God. I heard someone speak one time, a blind faith. But I don't believe there's any such thing as blind faith. I even heard someone say one time that faith is a leap in the dark. I don't believe faith is a leap in the dark. Faith always has an object. We read two of those in Hebrews 11. It says they didn't receive the promises, but they saw them afar off and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims. Moses who gave up the glory of Egypt, Why did he do it? He endured us seeing him who is invisible.
And we need to have that object before us. And I think it's good to realize too that our brethren are never given to us as the object for faith. Now it's true that in the 11Th chapter of Hebrews he mentions those men and women who live by faith and they're given to us as an encouragement. And it's true too. It says of those that we have known who have gone on in the past, it says whose faith follow And Paul as the model example here. I believe Paul was a patterned St. given to us his life, a pattern in the scriptures. And he could say the followers of me even as I am also of Christ. But I don't believe, brethren, that our brethren are given to us as the object for faith. They're given to us as an encouragement.
And no man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself. Our lives are either in this encouragement or a discouragement to the people of God. We heard about those 12 spies that went in to spy out the land, Caleb thought to steal the people. But there's a solemn comment made about those other 10 spies in Deuteronomy. One it says they discourage the hearts of their brothers. It was one or the other. And so as soon as he completes that list in Hebrews 11, what does he do? Why he lifts our eyes and our thoughts above those men and women.
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As tremendous as their life was. And he lifts them into the open heaven. And he says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, we have the perfect example. It's not so much that he's the author and finisher of our faith, but he's the author and finisher of faith. Because, brethren, he's the only man that ever hasted through this world in the path of faith and service and never digressed from it. It was a perfect life of faith and service, and it says even Christ please, not himself.
Even at the darkest hour, when Calvary approached, and all that it meant to his holy soul, did he digress for a moment from the past that the Father had put before him? Oh no, He could say. Nevertheless, not my will, but the be done. And as the perfect example, an object God has set him at his own right hand, and He lifts our eyes by faith into the open heavens to be to see Him, and rather in the measure in which we have this perfect object before us.
In that measure, we're going to run with endurance, the race that is set before us. Why does he speak of the athlete or the runner? Because apart from a goal and a reward at the end, the athletes not going to strive. He's not going to go out and run the marathon 21 miles if there's not some prize or goal at the end. If he loses sight of the prize, then he's not going to run the race with endurance. The Christian pathway is a race of endurance. What is going to preserve us, brethren? It's to have Christ before us.
We sung that little prayer at the beginning of the meeting. I trust we sung it from our hearts. Oh, fix our earnest gaze so holy Lord on thee that with thy beauty occupied we elsewhere none may see. Brother, may we go home from these meetings with a fresh glimpse of the man in the glory. May he so captivate our schools and our hearts that we would have a desire to follow him. Because where our hearts are, surely our feet will follow in the past that he set before us going on.
With Christ there in Hebrews 12, you stop too soon looking under Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, super, the joy that was set before him, endured the cross. He had an object before him. And what was it? To get back to the Father who had sent him out of heaven to be our Savior, and he'd accomplish the work, and he looked for the much joy. Acts 228.
Explains that beautiful portion and sets before us. Praised as a man that even he had enough as an example for us, he had an option. He had a work to do and he had to endure it. But in Acts 228 we have the.
16th Psalm before us, I believe in resurrection.
Beginning with verse 25.
David Speaker concerning him.
I foresaw the Lord always before my faith, for he's on my right hand that I should not be moved.
Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad. Moreover, also my flesh shall reject rest in hope, because.
That will not leave my soul in hell. Ladies, that's great. That's either his word. Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.
Then he speaks in the.
Past tense. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. There's resurrection. And he says, Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. That was a joy that was set before him to return to the Father with the greatest work that a father had ever given a son to do.
All done. And I think in his thought, the Lord thought He had the bringing of us into the Father's presence as well. In His joy that was set before. Not only did he return, but he's bringing many sons to glory to get that in the 2nd of April. So it makes it very, very full and wonderful to see that we need an object, and Christ even had an object.
That's the thought of the 14th verse. I press toward the mark.
For the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. That's the P That's the third P in this wonderful pistol. The first, of course, is purpose. Verse 21 of one for to me, to live is Christ. That's what our brother Bob would bring out. What's what's your priority?
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What's your purpose now that you're here as a Christian, not left but sent? Heavens are home and so it's wonderful. We have purpose. And then the second chapter brings out pattern. And of course that's verse five. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
And if you look at that mind, it takes you all the way down. I mean, it makes nothing of self. That's what we need. The pattern is Christ. And now we've got the right. You have to put an object before us, and that's Christ. And of course the 4th is power. We're never left without power to do what he asked us to do. I believe that would be the 1St 13. Or I can do all things. That would be chapter 4. I can do all things through Christ.
Which strengtheneth me with a chapter three was price, price, price.
It's nice. I think it's illustrated too very beautifully with the children of Israel in the wilderness. Because you find in the 16th of Exodus they weren't very long as a redeemed people on the other side of the Red Sea, till they began to murmur and complain and become discouraged. And they cried to Moses, and Moses cried unto the Lord. And what was the remedy for their fault? Finding and murmuring and discouragement? Well, they were. First of all, they were to turn around. In other words, they were looking back. They were looking in the wrong direction.
They were looking back to Egypt from whence they had just been delivered, But when they turned around to lookout over the wilderness, what did they see? It says they saw the glory of the Lord revealed in the clouds. In other words, in some way Jehovah was pleased to reveal himself to them, and with that glimpse of glory they could press on. Even though the wilderness was before them, they were going on to something far better. They were going on to a land flowing with milk and honey, and as long as they had the goal in view, they were encouraged to press on from day-to-day.
When they began to look back or around, then they became discouraged. And so again, it just shows that we always think always needs an object. And I say again, the prize in the Christian life is always Christ. David said I had fainted, except I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. He had something before his soul. Brethren, are we going to go home with this before our souls? Maybe there's young people here and you're not looking forward to going home tomorrow or that later this afternoon.
You're not looking forward to going back to the difficulties at school and at college and at work and maybe sometimes in the local assembly, but don't become overwhelmed with those difficulties. God allows things to exercise this heart where it's true. But one of the last words that our brother Eric Smith ever spoke to me when I had the privilege of visiting him, he said. Jim, remember, we can still be overcomers, not be overcome, but we can only be overcomers rather than, as we have the perfect example, the perfect object before our souls, And as we're in the enjoyment of the person and worth of Christ, may the Lord give us this desire and keep us.
There are two companies of people said before the Philippians, Saints of those whom Paul refers to as perfect, and then those who were minding earthly things as God was their belly. But it ends up saying who mind earthly things. And in our chapter, as far as Paul was concerned, all that he had on earth was to be made conformable.
Unto the death of Christ and every day of his life was his actual physical life as we refer to it, was in jeopardy of being taken. But that didn't hinder his following of his in Christ, because he knew it was a risen Christ, and so if he did die, he would attain to the resurrection from among the dead. Now that's not the hope of us here.
This afternoon, if the Rapture takes place, we won't be resurrected. That's in connection with death of the body. We will be changed, but the dead will be raised and they that's resurrection. We won't be resurrected because we have, we won't die, we will simply be changed. But Paul said if I die and I have to go through death, I'll still attain by the resurrection this perfection.
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But later the perfection is not only having Christ before our souls, but I would add having Christ in glory before our souls. You might say you could read the 1St 3 gospels and have Christ as the manna come down to earth.
And feed on that in a proper way. But here in Philippians I think the thought is as far as Earth is concerned.
It's all over. It's not a part of our life. A Christ in glory. All he had here was death, but there He was raised from among the dead and in the power of that resurrection life. Paul went through this scene so that if they took his natural life that was all right by him. He was going to attain by resurrection to the perfect perfectness of the end of in Hebrews there that they without us should not be made perfect.
But perfection here that those who had attained to perfection were those.
Whose lives had apprehended the difference between comprehend and apprehended? My thinking is that when you apprehend something, it's that measure in which you are able to take it in. None of us could comprehend Christ and glory, that is taking all the fullness of what that means, but we can apprehend it and every believer that lays hold upon Christ in glory.
To such a degree that life down here is not our object. We don't have Earth as the goal of our life. We, you know you. You have a roof leak. You have to fix it, but you don't have to fix it in the spirit that this roof is important to me. This house is important to me. This is my life. Paul says Earth does not afford my life. All I have here is death.
And if by any means, if I have to go into actual death, resurrection will Take Me Out of it. But the perfection I think, is simply seeing Christ there in glory is our life resurrected from the dead, pursuing him and not minding earthly things.
That's good.
Seems like it's similar to the thought of first love, isn't it?
Well, if you were saved today for yesterday.
For a month ago or 40 years ago.
You could be capable of this verse to be perfect, to be thus minded. It wouldn't mean you're necessarily mature, but Christ is the object. That's first love, isn't it? For everything is for him. Remember years ago a sister was saved out of Catholicism and things were much more.
In contrast in those days. And so they sent a priest out to visit her and I think he came nine different times, forgot now, but anyway.
She was quite a simple soul, but she knew the Lord had saved her soul.
Constant answer to this man was Christ is all, Christ is all. And finally they left her alone.
She's with the Lord now, but the teaching, of course. Christ is everything grace is called. What a goal before the soul. He is the one man who has reached that ghost.
He's tried the whole course of.
Death, resurrection, ascension. Seated at the right hand of God. There's a man there. He's the mark before it, Moe says. He's so wonderful.
That you'll surely want this.
And if in anything you're otherwise minded, you'd surely like to know that so that you could get that straightened out. I don't think we'll lose our first love if we keep that object before we want to leave it, I should say.
They lost it, but they left. They they lost the sight of the goal before their souls.
I think it's beautiful to see the way Paul puts this, like mindedness in verse 15 speaks a lot of being like minded Thistle and certainly is something that is to be desired amongst God's people. But we're living in a day when there's a lot of what is otherwise sometimes and I think we have to face the reality that many times there is not like mindedness.
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All fiction is, I think it's so beautiful. There's the same in the world that you can agree to disagree. Even in Christian circles sometimes that is used. But this to me is so much more beautiful than that attitude to agree to disagree. It is simply to say God shall reveal even this unto you. Sometimes there's differences perhaps because.
We have not become mature in the sense that we have in this verse and we need to allow some time for God to give that. God shall reveal this even in the evening. It's not that I can fresh my brother. You've got to think just like I think or we've got to think always just exactly the same. No, it's something that we grow into brethren. And I think there is the patience. It's nice to see that patience of Paul not to.
Agree to disagree, but to leave it in God's hands that he will reveal even this unto you. And as we grow on the things of God, the proper result will be that we will be like minded.
I think that fits us what I tried to say yesterday about you don't reconcile scripture.
Scriptures always write we are reconciled to God. We don't have to reconcile Scripture. We just have to believe. And in this case here the light comes in just like the Lord Jesus said to Mark, said I not unto thee if thou would believe, thou should seek So if you and I believe the scriptures, we'll get the same mind that Paul had and others who are on the right track. It may take a little while.
And we don't expect to understand everything we're in the primary grades.
And we're never going to understand everything. The person is so limitless, but it's good to be of the same mind, to be like minded with the scripture and those who have written it for us.
There is a measure in which you have a team to be like minded. Verse 16 where two we have already attained Let us walk by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing. There is much that we enjoy like mindedness about Let's walk in that like mindedness, right?
Paul said I believe God. When he was about to be shipwrecked, he didn't know what was ahead of him exactly. He didn't know something about it. He says, I believe God. And then he had the experience of going through it and he saw what God said was true. So you and I should believe this word of God, whether we understand it or not. And in his time he will give us the life that we need for our pastor.
We need to have willingness, don't we? We need to have a willing heart, willing to accept what God has said at His word. Our own wills are often the hindrance to the letting Him of truth. To this man will I look even to him that is foreign, of a contrite spirit, and the tremblant that my word. And so if any man will do his will, or as we have here, if in anything he'd be otherwise minded, that would be our own wills. God on His part is willing to reveal it unto us, isn't he? Yes.
We had some nice words read about understanding today.
In Matthew 15, I think it says these three words here and understand, listen to what God had to say and understand. And in the faith chapter it says.
Through faith we understand and the next last verse of first John says we know now the Christian gets to that place.
We know.
That Son of God is coming. Don't say the case that is come. That is, he came once as a man. He remains there. He is coming, and He has given us an understanding. Did you know that? He's given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son, in Christ Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
00:45:28
So faith brings knowledge of God, Faith gives us understanding. As Brother Hale said, though, it takes the will, the willingness. And I think this verse has been quoted quite often the last two days. John 717. But 18 is important too.
If 717 If any man will do his will, that's it willing not to do his will.
Willingness to abide by his word, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory, but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true. Well, that's that's the wonderful thought. And we ought to mind the same thing, speak the same thing, because we have what we need for that.
We have the spirit of God and the word of God, and if we're willing to do and abide by the word of God, we will speak and do and bind the same thing. And that's the desire of the Lord, That's the desire of all. In fact, he says, I think it's in our own pistol Here fulfill you my joy. Do too ye be like minded of the same love of 1 accord of one mind.
That's it. And you know, it's precious. One brother was mentioning to me how wonderful it is. He was in Mexico recently and he said the crude setting and all this and that. I hadn't been down there. And what he said, it was exactly the same at the breaking of bread. Everything. Well, we find that all around the world because the doctor never changes, Truth never changes. And that's beautiful to see it, but our our apprehension of it.
Does.
Vary. And that's why he says if in anything he'd be otherwise minded. It's not that we agreed to compromise. Well, you understand it that way. I understand it this way. We'll compromise on each a halfway. That's the just the opposite of the teaching of this passage of this passage teaches that when someone is otherwise minded, God shall reveal it. That is, God reveals the truth to our souls. He reveals the truth to your soul, reveals the truth to my soul. There's no question of compromise.
In that case, and the measure in which we do understand the truth, we can have fellowship together and go on together. That's what Bob was saying, and that's really the teaching of this passage. But how deal with the truth as though we can?
Compromise The truth of God.
That is what this passage says you cannot do. God will reveal the truth to those that don't see it yet.
And in the measure in which each of us sees it, we can walk on fellowship together. That's the fourth point of the passage, isn't it? Yeah, that's important, brother Chuck. It's to wherever you have attained in your own soul light. But we're all here with different degrees of of understanding and experience and all sorts. But then I think that's why he says in.
It's verse 17, he followers altogether of Maine. That is Paul had really left them.
Well, as it says here, perfect example of Christian growth. And so he said. But don't be content to stay where you are if you're otherwise minded. God will reveal how you can come into this perfection. And I want you to be all together a follower of me, not don't stay where you are.
And I think that's the point here. He is seeking to help those along who may not have understood or grasped, and probably maybe none of us do this afternoon. But Paul would encourage us not to stop, but to go on to this perfection. Mr. Darby's translation of John 7/17.
00:50:02
Was a great help to me.
It says if any.
Man, if anyone desires to practice his will, he shall know of the dark if.
As we go from these meetings, desiring to put into practice in our life those things which we know are pleasing to the Lord, if anyone desires to practice His will, he shall know of the Doctor. And in the Mr. Darby's translation followers is always rendered imitators. We're not to follow Paul or any other man. We're to follow Christ. But we can imitate Paul who followed Christ. And I think that's the point. There's a difference between following and imitating.
And the right word is imitate.
When we get home, the glory will certainly all be of one mind. And why will that be? Because we won't have any flesh in US. You'll have now we have the flesh in US. And sometimes the flesh asserts itself. And that's the hindrance, isn't it, brethren? Because God, as it's been said, he's willing on his part to make it known. So the hindrance is in US, and Paul is looking forward to that time when we get home to glory. And that's why I believe he speaks of the calling on high. That's the way Mr. Darby renders it in the.
14th verse The prize of the calling on high. The high calling. It's the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus. When we get there, we'll all have the same mind. In fact, I love to think there are many, many things, no doubt with all of us in Scripture that we don't fully understand. But I believe, brethren, when we get home to glory, we're going to understand everything that God had in his mind in giving us this precious book forever. O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.
And in the measure in which our wills are subject to the mind and will of God, He'll teach us here, but we'll never come fully to that. But when we get home to glory called on high, then we will be fully like Him, and we'll think exactly according to his thoughts without any hindrance forever.
I might say that Hebrews 31 agreed very well about being said as to the high calling.
And.
The object before the soul.
A simple, lovely verse, Hebrews 31. Wherefore, holy Brethren? Now that's what he calls those of us who are of the brethren. Holy Brethren, partakers of the heavenly. That's that's where we're called to.
What are we going to think about? Consider the apostle. That's the sent one come down.
In the gospel and I preach, that's the there is one got up on high and God's right hand serving us there. Think about him.
High Priest of our profession. Praise Jesus.
I've often felt, brother.
Where there is a difference in judgment, though, I may feel that I have right to God my soul, which was.
Is any any telling of meekness and Moses after the parent of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have to consider I could possibly be wrong and that could lead to.
A happier and more peaceful walk for those who might be otherwise might.
All truth is spiritually discerned. That is, if you and I this afternoon have any enjoyment of the person and work of Christ in our souls, it's a revelation of the Spirit of God. If the Lord Jesus spoke of the coming of the Spirit, he said that when he was come, he would guide them into all truth. And so it's by the Spirit of God that we enjoy and understand these things. And the reason I say that is because rather than we should never argue the truth or seek to force a point. Maybe sometimes we so enjoy some point of Scripture.
And we see something so clearly for ourselves as a revelation from the Spirit of God, and we desire that others would see it. But it can lead to problems and difficulties. Never argue the truth. We should be faithful in presenting the truth. We read of the early apostles. They went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and they reasoned from the scriptures and presented the truth very faithfully. It's true, we're told, to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints. Never give up the truth. Hold fast.
Earnestly contend for the faith, but I don't believe that it's to argue the truth and to try to press the point. We ought to simply present the truth from the word of God and leave it for a work of the Spirit of God. The gospel is going to go forth here this evening. If the Lord leaves us here, we can't save a soul. I can't save a soul. You can't save a soul. You can be faithful in speaking to individuals and to preach the gospel as the Lord gives opportunity. They sow spake that many believed that's our responsibility, but that's all we can do.
00:55:26
I'm thankful that my that the salvation of souls doesn't depend on our ability to present the Word. It depends on the Word itself, in all its perfection and a work of the Spirit of God. But, brethren, is it any different with the truth? I can't make a soul see the truth. I may present it clearly and faithfully, but I can't cause them to see that only the Spirit of God can do that. And I believe if you read 1St Corinthians 14, you see that Paul recognized that very clearly.
His desire was to speak words easy to be understood, so that he wouldn't speak into the air. Ministry has to fit the needs of those to whom it's ministered. Are you just speaking into the air? As doctrinally correct as it may be, as scripturally accurate as it may be, ministry has to be directed to those to whom it's ministered. And so his desire was to present the truth faithfully that later on in that chapter he'd rather speak 5 words in the church, but by his understanding he might teach others also.
Than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue and so on. But he recognized that that was all he was responsible to do.
To present the gospel and to present the truth faithfully and simply and clearly, and to leave it for a work of the spirit of God. And it helped me in my own soul when I was a little younger, to get ahold of this less young people. We ever become frustrated in trying to speak to souls or to encourage the other young people be faithful in speaking the truth, but then realize that you have fulfilled your responsibility, and now the Spirit of God can take over and reveal these things to the soul.
But Paul had the power as an apostle.
To correct what was terribly wrong in court. But he did not use that power. But he brought them the truth and he trusted that it would work in their conscience and they would act on it. And so that's the really the role isn't it is to bring the truth and then leave it with the Lord and the Spirit of God to use it. And I believe that's the pattern for all of us. I think it's important to see that in our like mindedness.
That much depends, as has been mentioned before, on growth and experience. We vary in that and that's why sometimes there's differences.
When Moses and Joshua were coming down from the Mount of Sinai and they heard the shouting in the camp, Joshua said this is a shout of a fight and Moses said no, it's a shot of those that sing.
And there was a difference there that it was Moses was more experienced, he had much more time than the things of God, and he could discern it better. And so there is such a thing as discernment that you need to recognize.
And realize that sometimes there's differences from lack of growth and lack of experience. But I do think it is important, Jim, what you say, to realize that the truth of God is the word of God.
That is the truth. We sit here in these Bible meetings and speak of the truth of God and trust that God can use it to make it clear to our souls that we can grow in it. But I just like to say for the young people what we say about the Scriptures.
May have something mistaken in it and that's why it's important you have your Bible open for yourself and look at the scripture and listen to what's going to say.
But don't get it just because a brother said such and such. Get it because God says it and you'll have something solid for your soul. Have to confess that I was brought up in the meeting and heard a lot of things, and I think I was well versed in what brethren thought about scripture, but when I got put to the test on some things, I found that I was shaking.
Because I really believe I wasn't grounded in what Scripture said in simplicity. I was grounded in what Brethren said about scripture.
And that isn't solid enough. What brethren say about Scripture is helpful, and it helps us to understand what God's saying. But what will hold the test of time and the attacks of the enemy is to simply be able to say it is written.
01:00:13
Well, that was really the commendation to the Berean brethren, because they were more noble than those of Thessalonica. And why was that? Well, they listened to the Apostle Paul, minister, the Word. Who did they hear the truth from? They heard it from the apostle Paul. But that wasn't enough for the Berean brethren. It says they searched the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. What things? The things that the apostle had presented to them as the truth of God. They listened to oral ministry. Wonderful to sit in the meetings.
I look back and I am thankful for the exercise of godly parents who brought us to the assembly meetings and the meetings for ministry of the word of God. But that isn't enough. So the Bereans, they listen to Paul and then they went home and they got out the scriptures that they had and they searched the scriptures. And young people, you'll never really have it for your own soul till you get it out of this blessed book. Tapes are wonderful. I'm glad when Saints can listen to tapes of meetings and I'm glad that these meetings are being taped. And there's many who aren't here that perhaps will benefit by that ministry. But that too isn't enough. Brother, young people, you've got to get this blessed book out and read it for yourself.
I heard a lot of things in meeting when I was younger and sad to say, I didn't go home and search them out for myself. But when the spirit of God impressed upon me the need to read the scriptures for myself, that's when I began to receive a blessing. That's when you'll receive a blessing when you open this book. And I said this before, but I used to sit in the meetings and hear the brethren say that meditation is becoming a lost art rather than I believe reading is becoming a lost art too. This is the audio visual computer age when everything is before our eyes. But brethren, we need to read the word of God, Search the scriptures. Not just read them, but search the scriptures.
Do you really know what it is to get the word of God out and search it? Do you know what it is to study, to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth? Sometimes we can open the scriptures and read a few verses in the morning and shut them and never consider what we've read. The truth is woven through this book in a way that doesn't encourage laziness. One time I was sitting with our brother Lundin and he was going over some of the precious.
Truth in the illustrations in the Old Testament. And I said this to him, I said, why is it that when you take up a story or an example in the Old Testament that a certain line of truth doesn't fit everything in that story or that?
Chapter. And he quoted me that verse in Proverbs. That was a great help to me. He said it's the glory of God to conceal the matter. The honor of kings is to search out the things. So God has woven the truth in a way that we have to search it out for ourselves. I just encourage you to go home from these meetings and diligently, consistently and orderly. Read the word of God and search these things for yourself. And when you avail yourself of opportunities to sit in the assembly under ministry, wonderful. But go home and search these things out. Be like the Bereans.
Make sure that these things are according to the truth of God.
Notice the walk here in verses 1617 and 18? That's before us.
We probably are impressed and learn more from each other by what we see than what we hear. Our brother Barry, I think said about 90% comes through the eye, about 15% through the ear.
Well, what are we, 858585? Maybe I earned 10%.
Okay the eyes is what we learned so much from. So how am I walking? Because that's what God is bearing before us. Do I walk even as He walked? John put before us? Do I follow his steps, even as Peter puts before us?
Well, somebody's watching, somebody's learning, and we have learned from others, so in verse.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, that is what has gotten into our understanding. Let us walk by the same river. Let us mind the same thing, Brethren, be followers together in the night. Followers together of me now, I said, You watch out, Mark them which walk so as you have us. For an example, there were professors in Paul's day.
01:05:14
There was a Judas that walked along with Christ.
So we can't trust men, but we can learn from them as they follow Christ and imitate Him. But then the sad thing comes. In verse 18, Paul says many walk.
They talked, many walked, 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.
Whose mind, Earthly things, their object is down here, and the sad thing is that we can trace these.
People right into many places in the Book of Revelation.
Those that were earth dwellers, they didn't want the cross of Christ and they don't get heavy, they want earth.
Would you say what you said before about the 17th verse? You know, whether they all drop that or not give followers together.
Oh God wants his people together.
The true testimony of the Church is the one body. It's a company that's in union with Christ by the Holy Spirit and with one another too as the body here on earth. Now that's the powerful testimony that God has. May I be in it, may you be in it, followers together. It's very impressive when we find people that agree with what the spirit of God teaches out of this book in practice, not just in words.
If we read that in the new translation, it's.
Pretty.
There's some significant changes in verse 17.
Be the imitators.
Altogether of me, I don't think it's so much the thought that together we are imitating Paul, but.
We're to follow him altogether. The thought of in every point, I believe.
And I might say about that the imitators, I think it's probably the same word and this is quite an exercise for those of us who are older and should be examples to those coming on.
In Ephesians 5, it's be imitators.
Of God as dear children. I think it's probably the same word, but anyway, it says here.
The imitators altogether of Maine brethren. And fix your eyes on those walking as you have us, Not me, but us. For a model in that little expression, fix your eyes. I've thought of it something like.
A teacher who or an instructor who wants to teach someone how to do it? Well, he'll do it before them and say you do, just exactly.
As I do. Or if you play that little childhood game of follow the leader, you say you follow me as I walk, or whatever I do, you do what I do.
And it's in contrast, as Brother Clem has said.
With those who were doing just the opposite. And we have to understand that the character of the dispensation is opposed. Satan knows what this dispensation is supposed to portray. It's supposed to portray a heavenly people. And so he's going to oppose it by negating that testimony and making us earthly minded.
And so when the revelation comes and the judgments fall, where the Christian profession has gone out, those that it falls on are earth dwellers. They've given up the heavenly calling. And Paul is portraying a man on earth for us who lived in the good of the colonial high of Christ Jesus or in Christ Jesus he portrayed that kind of a man for.
01:10:02
And others too.
That kind of a man, the pattern of a life that lives with Christ as its object, and we have that, that we should be exercised about as older brethren who are a little bit further on perhaps, than some of the younger ones, to give them an object lesson as to how to follow Christ in glory to pursue him.
There's a sort of a contrast, isn't there, with where the path ends. Many of us are going to leave this meeting. We're going to be concerned about where the path is going to end. That is, we're going to Chicago or we're going to Saint Louis or somewhere. It's where the path ends that is important to us. And so he's contrasting. One path ended in glory, the other path ended in destruction and we need to discern. We're very careful that we don't get on the wrong path or even get on the path and go on the wrong direction, you know, and so.
I believe that's the way he's bringing it out here. The worldly minded, the earthly minded, all his thoughts. As our brother said, they're earth dwellers. They're seeking this earth. They're trying to improve this earth and make it a suitable dwelling place. But for us, we belong to heaven and we're to pursue that path that leads to glory. Now no true Christian will get to the end of the path. Lot was living in a city of destruction, but he didn't perish in that city. And so I might possibly get on the wrong path too.
But no true Christian will end in destruction. But I believe the thought in the passage is where the path leads and we need to discern that and if I'm getting taken up of this world I'm getting taken up with a place that's going to be destroyed and that was lots position a little real believer for Abraham as we read he looked for a city which had foundation whose builder and maker was God. And I think the contrast is drawn here and that is clearly brought out where our.
Citizenship is where our whole manner of life is and in glory and to be fully like Christ and the object before the one who's really seeking to please God and do His will.
Paul in 18 and 19, as you were mentioning, Speaking of those who took the place of being Christian but only professed they were not real. And it's a solemn thing what he says. There were many, many even in his days.
Who are actually enemies of the cross of Christ, though they were taking that place and you know that's the same today in prison. But the awful part is the end is destruction because God is their, their God is their belly, it's all flex thereafter and they might earthly things. Now we got the contrast next. But I would just mention the Old Testament example and that's the numbers and I believe it's the numbers.
Chapter 11. It begins with murmuring and lusting. And then God gave them up to their lust. He gave them flesh and let them have it. And that's the sad part. But notice in verse 33. And while the flesh is yet between their teeth ere it was chewed, the wrath of Jehovah was kindled against the people. And the Lord smoked the people with a very great place. And he called the name of that plane.
A kid brought out of a because there they buried the people that lost it. And you know that word, that name means the grave, the graves of the lusting, The graves of the lusting. You know, I believe that warning should be given always. Paul gives it here, but of course he then brings out the other side. We're not like that if we really have a vital life of Christ, if we're real.
Our conversation, our way of life, is in heaven.
That's not looking after earthly things, not lusting for things down here. Not earth dwellers, obviously. But I do think that if those who are real seek that course, they can lose their life, not their soul. They can lose their life for Christ, like demons, you know, for demons anymore. When he forsook false doctrine, having loved the present world, he lusted after those things. We'll see him in glory. And that's what our brother Gordon was bringing out.
A child of God can never be destroyed in that sense, but there is a warning.
01:15:04
All wet. Didn't he think that's something to get a lesson? Sometimes you see souls going a different way and we kind of just let them go and don't feel much about it. Oh, wet, you really felt deeply their departure and they're going in that direction. Another thing to notice, I think is helpful. They were enemies across of Christ. It doesn't say enemies of Christ.
Enemies of the cross of Christ. The cross is that which separates us from this world, and I think that's a tremendously important thing to realize, that we as Christians are separated from this world. We do not form a part of this world's system.
We are not of this world, even as he is not of this world. And there's a tendency sometimes in Christian circles, OK, you can be a Christian, you can participate in a lot that we have for you too. Well, it's breaking down the distinction between what is Christian and what is this world. They were enemies of that which put a distinct division between Christians and.
Gods and and the world.
And another thing I think is good to think about is whose God is their belly? In Second Timothy chapter 3, it gives the characteristics of the last perilous times, and the first thing in that list is.
Lovers of their own selves.
I just feel a real burden, brethren, that we live in a society that is built on the premise of doing things for yourself. You are at the center of your world and you do things for yourself. You often hear in advertising. You owe it to yourself and so it's self that is in the pictures doing things for our own pleasure. We need to challenge ourselves constantly.
Are we getting caught up in that way of thinking? It's easy to happen.
I have to confess how much I've been affected by that kind of thinking. We live in this society and we can't say that we're immune to have been affected by it, but we need to be aware of it. This is the current of things in the age that we live in. We need to be aware brethren, and get on their faces and confess in the Lord. It does not bring satisfaction, self centeredness.
Is an empty life and if you want an empty life, a young person.
Dear older ones too live for yourself. It's an empty light. It will not bring happiness. Their God is their belly. That's what they go after, things that please them.
That was a happy ending to this chapter for those who seek to go on, and it's true of every believer. But we can walk in the joy of it as we're have the Lord Jesus as our object. That is lots going to be in glory and so is Abraham. But it's possible to have a saved soul in a lost life, isn't it? And So what is our only title to the glory is the precious flood of Christ. Everyone in this room, trusting in the precious blood of Christ will be there.
But will be a sad thing to meet the Lord Jesus and having see our lives burned up at the judgment seat of Christ. Benny Man's work be burned. He shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved. Yet so as by fire, it is God's desire, and I trust our desire that our lives would be preserved, so that when they're manifested, they'll be the praise and honor of glory, the revelation of Jesus Christ. So this is the happy ending here when we'll be. He's talking about being like Christ in our plans and our thoughts and our.
Understanding of the Scripture and getting the truth of God by the Spirit. But it ends here with glorified bodies. Who shall change our vile bodies, or bodies of humiliation, that it may be fashioned like under His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Now he's able by His spirit, if we're willing to produce moral conformity to Christ, but in that day he'll be full conformity. Bodies of glory. Everyone there will have a body of glory just like Christ.
01:20:04
We'll all have only that new nature which we already possess. Now we won't have the old man. What a glorious day that'll be. That's what is before us. That's what we're pressing on for. And the desire of the apostle was it might be a practical thing in our lives.
This beautiful sea garden in that last verse, that Christ is the doer but all who who is this that will do it? Oh, the one that has occupied our hearts for the last few days here who shall change our body of humiliation, that it might be fashion like unto His His. Not that we will have glorified body, but it will be just like His.
Just like him, he's going to do it. But he might present to himself a church in glory.
It's going to present this church in perfection of Himself to himself. God the Father will afford him that privilege. For all his blessed work down here. He's going to have His bride presented, presenting her to himself. But it's also beautiful to see how much it's connected with him.
According to the working thereby he is able.
To subdue all things unto himself.
Is the object, is the doer.
So you have in this chapter so beautifully. Christ is our righteousness in contrast with a human righteousness, a legal righteousness. Christ is our object in contrast with other objects that this world would set before us to draw away our our hearts. And finally, Christ is our hope to be like him with him at the end of the journey. Those three things Christ our righteousness. Christ our object. Christ our hope. That's true.
Christianity isn't it?
They saved 260.
It's at 2:50 or 260.
01:25:22
Come let us stand.