Two Minutes With The Bible

[Brother Love]

A TALE OF THREE CITIES

By Cornelius R. Stam

In Thessalonica Paul reasoned out of the Scriptures for
three sabbath days with men who were unwilling to be con-
vinced (Acts 17:1-9). The bigotry of these Thessalonians not
only kept them in spiritual darkness, but it moved them to
bitter opposition to the truth, so that they persecuted Paul
and Silas and even followed them to Berea, stirring people
up against them.

Bigotry has the same effect today. Let us never close our
minds so as to keep error out, for in doing so we will only
shut new light out and close old errors in. Moreover, it is
but a small step from shutting out new light from God’s
Word to engaging in bitter opposition against it.

The Athenians went to the other extreme. They lost
interest in what was old and clamored only to hear new
things (Acts 17:21). Yet when Paul came to them with the
good news of the gospel of grace, some "mocked" while
others, more polite, said: "We will hear thee again of this
matter," and turned away (Verse 32).

The Athenian spirit too is still rife today. Many are con-
stantly giving up the old and looking for something new,
sure that the latest fashions, the latest statistics and the
latest advice must be best. This is why the New Evangel-
icalism has gained so many followers in our day.

Significantly, the story of the noble Bereans falls between
those of the Thessalonians and the Athenians in our Bibles.
These Bereans possessed true spiritual greatness. They
gave man’s word respectful consideration, whether old or
new, but then subjected it to careful examination in the
light of the Word of God. They received Paul’s word, we
read, with open minds, and then "searched the Scriptures
daily, whether those things were so" (Verse 11). For this
God called them "noble." They were the spiritual aristoc-
racy of their day.

May God help us to be neither "Thessalonians" nor
"Athenians," but true Bereans. If we follow men we drift on
a sea of human speculation, for men disagree on the most
vital issues. Only as we stand on the infallible, unchange-
able Word of God can we be sure that we have the truth.





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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

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Berean Bible Society
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[Brother Love]

PEACE WITH GOD

By Cornelius R. Stam

When our Lord was born at Bethlehem, the angels pro-
claimed: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men" (Luke 2:14).

Today we see anything but peace on earth, for He, "the
Prince of Peace," has been rejected, and this world will
never know peace until He is in control. This is why the
Father said to the Son: "Sit Thou on My right hand, till I
make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Matt. 22:41-45).

It is possible, however, for each individual to enjoy peace
with God and to know that all is well as far as his eternal
destiny is concerned.

Job 22:21 rightly says: "Acquaint now thyself with Him
and be at peace," and Psa. 25:12,13: "What man is he that
feareth the Lord? ...His soul shall dwell at ease."

Even when the multitudes were about to crucify Christ,
He said to His own:

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

Every one of Paul’s epistles opens with an important
official declaration which God sent him to proclaim to all
men: "Grace be to you and peace." And he explains how we
may have this peace.

By nature all of us have sinned against God, but in Paul’s
epistles we are told that "He [Christ] is our peace" (Eph.
2:14), "having made peace through the blood of His cross"
(Col. 1:20). In other words, we have sinned against God but
Christ died for our sins so that we might be reconciled. And
those who trust Christ and His finished work at Calvary
are thus reconciled.

Surely this great truth could not have been more plainly
stated than it is in Rom. 4:25; 5:1:

"[Christ] was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification. THEREFORE, BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST."



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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
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Germantown, WI 53022

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[Brother Love]

AN OLD-FASHIONED DOCTRINE

By Cornelius R. Stam

How many there are whose hearts would be thrilled if
they understood the old-fashioned Bible doctrine of sanc-
tification!

Sanctification is not a negative matter: "Don’t do this"
and "Don’t do that." It is rather the positive truth that God
wants us for Himself as a sacred possession, much as a
bridegroom considers his bride his very own in a special,
sacred way.

Bible sanctification is a twofold truth, affecting both our
standing before God and our spiritual state. In one sense
every true believer in Christ has already been sanctified, or
consecrated to God, by the operation of the Holy Spirit.
Thus we read:

"...God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit..." (II Thes. 2: 13). "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spiriit..." (IPet.1:2).

This has nothing to do with our conduct. God did it.
Sanctification begins with Him. Thus Paul could write to
even the careless Corinthian believers and say: "Ye are
sanctified" (1 Cor. 6:11; cf. Acts 20:32; 26:18), i.e., "God has set you apart for Himself." This phase of sanctification is
based on the redemptive work of Christ in our behalf, for
Heb. 10:10 says: "We are sanctified through the offering of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

But now God would have us appreciate this fact and con-
duct ourselves accordingly, consecrating ourselves ever
more completely to Him. This is practical, progressive
sanctification. "For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification" (I Thes. 4:3). Hence Paul’s benediction: "The
very God of peace sanctify you wholly" (I Thes. 5:23), and
his exhortation to Timothy to be "a vessel unto honor,
sanctified, and meet [fit] for the Master’s use" (II Tim.
2:21).

How can believers be more wholly sanctified to God in
their practical experience? By studying and meditating on
His Word. Our Lord prayed: "Sanctify them through Thy
truth: Thy Word is truth" (John 17:17), and Paul declares
that "Christ... loved the Church and gave Himself for it,
that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of
water by the Word" (Eph. 5:25,26).

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
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Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

THE APOSTLE OF GRACE

By Cornelius R. Stam

Did you know that St. Paul was chosen by God as the
apostle of grace? He was God’s great example of grace, the
"chief of sinners" saved by grace (1 Tim. 1:12-16). To him
was committed "the dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph.
3:2). He was sent forth to proclaim "the gospel of the grace
of God" (Acts 20:24).

Paul wrote far more about grace than any other Bible
writer. All his epistles open or close (or both) with the sal-
utation "Grace be to you." He declares: "We have redemp-
tion through [Christ’s] blood, the forgiveness of sins accord-
ing to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7). He shows how this
grace was planned for believers in ages past:

"Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and [His own] grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (II Tim. 1:9).

He shows how this grace will be ours in ages to come:
"That in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through
Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7).

He shows how this grace is greater than all our sins:
"Where sin abounded grace did much more abound" (Rom.
5:20).

He shows how grace gives us a righteous standing before
God: "Being justified freely by His grace, through the re-
demption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).

He shows how God’s grace has given believers a position
in heaven: "[He] hath... made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus... for by grace are ye saved, through
faith...." (Eph. 2:6,8).

He shows how God’s grace is sufficient for our difficulties
and can help us to live consistent Christian lives: "My grace
is sufficient for thee" (II Cor. 12:9). "And God is able to
make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having
all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work"
(II Cor. 9:.

Accept salvation "by grace, through faith" as "the gift of
God" (Eph. 2:8,9), and eternal life is yours.

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Subscribe at:

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
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Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

LEGITIMATE PRAYER

By Cornelius R. Stam

Prayer, in Old Testament times, was based upon a cov-
enant relationship with God, or it was an appeal to His
revealed nature as merciful, gracious, etc. Today it is based
upon the redemptive work of Christ, whose death opened
the way for us into the Father’s presence. This is why ac-
ceptable prayer today is offered "in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ." With our Lord’s departure from this world in
view, He said to His disciples:
         
"I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN COMETH UNTO
THE FATHER BUT BY ME" (John 14:6).
         
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name.... At that day ye shall ask IN MY NAME: and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me..." (John 16:24-27).

Thus today we pray directly to the Father in the name of
the Son.
         
Our prayers, however, are often faltering and sometimes
the way is so dark before us that we do not even know what
to ask for. Thus Paul declared: "We know not what we
should pray for as we ought" (Rom. 8:26). But he was quick
to follow this with the declaration:
         
"AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR
GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE THE
CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE" (Rom. 8:28).

This is why the Apostle Paul encourages God’s people;
         
"BE CAREFUL [ANXIOUS] FOR NOTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING,
BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION, WITH THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD:

"AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTAND-
ING, SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST
JESUS" (Phil. 4:6,7).

"LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF
GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY, AND FIND GRACE TO
HELP IN TIME OF NEED" (Heb. 4:16).


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Subscribe at:

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
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Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

THE TRUTH

By Cornelius R. Stam

The Bible is unique among books as Christ was among
men, in that it is the only book that claims repeatedly and
consistently to be the truth.

It begins with the majestic words: "In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth." It does not argue the
case; it simply states it. The sacramental introduction to
the prophecies is: "Thus saith the Lord," and a hundred
fulfilled prophecies prove that the Bible is indeed the Word
of God -- the truth.

Without apology it refers to:

The "manifestation of the truth" (II Cor. 4:2).

The "knowledge of the truth" (II Tim. 3:7).

Those who "have erred concerning the truth" (II Tim.
2:18).

Those who "resist the truth" (II Tim. 3:.

Those who "hold [hold down, suppress] the truth in un-
righteousness" (Rom. 1:18).

Those who "turn away their ears from the truth" (II Tim.
4:4).

Those who "believe and know the truth" (I Tim. 4:3).

Those who "acknowledge the truth" (Tit. 1:1).

Our Lord said to His Father: "Thy Word is truth" (John
17:17).

Paul wrote to those who were saved when they "heard
the word of truth, the gospel of [their] salvation" (Eph.
1:13).

We are instructed to "rightly divide the Word of truth,"
that we may be "approved unto God... workmen who need
not to be ashamed" (II Tim. 2:15).

Where the truth is concerned God’s Word is all we need,
for:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;

"That the man of God may be perfect [complete], THOROUGHLY FURNISHED unto all good works" (II Tim. 3:16,17).

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Subscribe at:

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD

By Cornelius R. Stam

Because of a failure to understand God’s purposes as out-
lined in the Scriptures some have felt it necessary to alter
many of the plainest statements of Holy Writ. Supposing
that God could not have meant exactly what He said, they
have concluded that these things must be interpreted in a
"spiritual" sense.

Actually there is nothing spiritual about failing to take
God at His Word, and seeking to explain away difficulties
by arbitrarily altering what He has plainly said.

First, this would leave us at the mercy of theologians. If
the Scriptures do not mean what they say, who has the
authority to decide what they do mean? And how can we
turn to the Word of God for light if it does not mean what it
says, and only trained theologians can tell us what it does
mean?

Second, this altering of the Scriptures affects the veracity
of God. It is a thrust at His very honor. If the obvious,
natural meaning of the Old Testament promises are not to
be depended upon, how can we depend upon any promise of
God? Then, when He says: "Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13), He may also
mean something else instead of what He actually says.

Third, this "spiritualizing" of Scriptures endorses apos-
tasy, for it allows men to alter the meaning of God’s Word
according to their will.

The path to a true understanding and enjoyment of the
Bible is not in altering but in "rightly dividing" it (II Tim.
2:15).

Those who have resorted to the "spiritualization" of the
prophetic Scriptures because they cannot account for the
seeming cessation in their fulfillment, will find the solution
to their problem in a recognition of the unique character of
Paul’s apostleship and message. Recognize "the mystery"
revealed through Paul and there will be no need to alter
prophecy.


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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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Web Site:
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[Brother Love]

HOW SMALL WE ARE!

By Cornelius R. Stam

Just behind me, in the super-market check-out line, were
two little boys. I noticed that the older one kept looking up
at me and then down at his brother again several times in
succession. Finally, nudging his little brother and pointing
up at me, he said: "Hey, Joey, look how little you are!"
         
Those who have seen me in the flesh know that I am not
exactly small, physically, and I can easily imagine that,
standing next to these little fellows, I made them look small
indeed!

But all this pertained only to the physical, and as I left
that super-market, I began asking myself: "How big are
you, actually, in the sight of God?" I thought of Psalm
8:3,4, where David mused over the same question:

"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man that Thou art mindful of Him...?"
         
Yet we are so important to the heart of God that He en-
tered the stream of humanity, as it were, and became one of
us in Christ, Son of God and Son of Man. Why? Hebrews
2:14,15 gives us one important reason:

"...that through death [His death for our sins] He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
         
Moreover, insignificant as we are in ourselves, He would
use us mightily to His glory for, according to I Cor. 1:27,28,  
He has "chosen" the "foolish," the "weak," the "base," the  
"despised," and those who "are not" to accomplish His pur-
poses and to bring to naught the plans of the world’s great
ones.


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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
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Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

NO TIME FOR GOD?


By Cornelius R. Stam

Those who have no time for God should consider what
their circumstances would be if He had no time for them; no
time to paint the sunsets, no time to send the warm sun’s
rays or the refreshing showers, no time to make the crops
and flowers grow. We doubt that any thinking person
would actually want nothing to do with God.

Cain despised God’s authority and finally murdered his
brother, but when he was driven from the presence of God
he said: "My punishment is greater than I can bear" (Gen.
4:13).

One of the saddest sentences in the gospel records is our
Lord’s prediction that He would have to say to some: "I
never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity"
(Matt. 7:23).

Just what it will mean to be "cast into the lake of fire"
(Rev. 20:15), we pray God none of our readers will ever find
out, but the Scriptures do clearly indicate that those in-
volved will be cast forever out of the presence of God.

Thank God, it is not He who desires this. He paid for our
sins at Calvary to reconcile us to Himself (Eph. 2:16). St.
Paul declares that God has called believers "unto the fel-
lowship of His Son" (1 Cor. 1:9) and that at His coming for
them they shall "ever be with the Lord," adding: "where-
fore, comfort one another with these words" (1 Thes. 4:17,18).

"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5:20).

God has demonstrated His love for us in Christ. Why not
respond by gratefully trusting Christ as your Savior?

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Subscribe at:

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

WHAT’S HAPPENED SINCE 1909?

By Cornelius R. Stam

In 1909 Dr. C. I. Scofied wrote the following passage in
the Introduction to the Scofield Reference Bible:

"The last fifty years have witnessed an intensity and
breadth of interest in Bible study unprecedented in the his-
tory of the Christian Church. Never before have so many
reverent, learned and spiritual men brought to the study of
the Scriptures minds so free from merely controversial mo-
tive. A new and vast exegetical and expository literature has
been created...."

Even the years that followed the writing of this passage
produced many great Bible expositors, but their number
has since dwindled fast, until today evangelistic-revival
campaigns have all but replaced the great, thrilling Bible
conferences of some decades ago.

Regardless of the popularity of such campaigns, however,
the Church will not make true progress, either in spiritual
power or in the number of genuine converts to Christ, until
it once again places due emphasis on the Word of God, both
in private study and in public ministry.

Unpopular but vital Bible doctrines have stopped many
preachers and Bible teachers short and have hindered them
from bringing to the Scriptures "minds free from merely
controversial motive," largely because the price of standing
for these truths has seemed too great. But until it is the sole
passion of men of God to know THE TRUTH and make it
known, true revival will not come, for the Church has never
made one step of progress apart from progress in the study
of the Word.


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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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[Brother Love]

THE CROSS AND THE CHRISTIAN

By Cornelius R. Stam

Nothing will prove so helpful to a Christian in overcom-
ing sin as an appreciation of Christ’s death for sin at Cal-
vary .The Bible teaches that:

1. The cross stands between the believer and his SINS:
the wrong things he does, or is prone to do, in thought,
word and deed.

"And you, that were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled, in the body of His flesh, through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight" (Col. 1:21,22).

2. The cross stands between the believer and his SIN. It
is not only men’s sins that keep them out of heaven, but
their sin; not merely what they have done, but what they
are and what they will do; not merely their deeds, but their
nature. But Christ’s death took care of this too.

"...by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin...
But... much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many... That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:12,15,21).

"For [God] hath made Him to be sin for us, [Him] who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Cor. 5:21).

3. The cross stands between the believer and his SIN-
NING.

"What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? ... Our old man [nature] has been crucified with Him... that henceforth we should not serve sin... let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof; neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves to God, as those who are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God" (Rom. 6:1,2, 6,12,13).

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
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[Brother Love]

A SOLEMN AGREEMENT


The Apostle Paul, referring to his journey to Jerusalem to
tell the apostles and elders there about the good news that
had been committed to him, says:

"And I went up by revelation and COMMUNICATED UNTO THEM THAT GOSPEL WHICH I PREACH AMONG THE GENTILES, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain... And when James, Cephas [Peter] and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, THEY GAVE TO ME AND BARNABAS THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP, that we should go unto the heathen [Gentiles, nations], and they unto the Circumcision [Israel]" (Gal. 2:2-9).

Here, by solemn agreement, Peter, James and John
promised publicly to confine their ministry to Israel while
Paul went to the Gentiles with his "gospel of the grace of
God." This is striking in view of the fact that the twelve,
not Paul, had originally been sent into all the world.

Were they all out of the will of God in making this
agreement? By no means! Subsequent revelation proves
that they were all very much in the will of God and that
with the rejection of Christ God had ushered in a new
program.

In the light of these Scriptures it is difficult to under-
stand how anyone can argue that Paul’s ministry was
merely a perpetuation of that of the twelve, or that "the
gospel of the kingdom" and "the gospel of the grace of God"
are identical.

If the above passage teaches anything clearly, it teaches
the unique character of Paul’s apostleship and message.
The Apostle devotes almost two chapters of his letter to the
Galatians to the fact that he had not received his message
from the twelve, but rather had communicated to the
twelve.

He stresses the fact that those who had first been sent to
all nations, "beginning at Jerusalem," had now, under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit, agreed to turn over their
Gentile ministry to him that he might proclaim far and
wide "the gospel of the grace of God," as found in Eph. 2:8,9
and Rom. 3:24.

By Cornelius R. Stam


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[Brother Love]

YOU DO NEED HIM

By Cornelius R. Stam

I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Fafher but by Me" (John 14:6).

These are the words of the Lord Jesus. In writing about
them years ago, the late Pastor J. C. O’Hair said:

"A Person is our Savior and our salvation. A Person is
our Life-giver and our life. A Person is our Redeemer and
redemption. A Person is our righteousness and holiness. A
Person is our peace and our hope. That Person is the Lord
Jesus Christ, ’the Man Christ Jesus,’ the ’one Mediator
between God and men.’ By His blood we have been brought
nigh to God.

"We need nothing more than Christ; nothing less will
suffice or avail. To add any religion whatsoever to Christ
Himself is to displease God. In Christ dwelleth all the ful-
ness of the Godhead bodily. In Christ are hid all the treas-
ures of wisdom and knowledge. God was in Christ recon-
ciling the world unto Himself. The believer is in Christ.
The believer is accepted in Christ; complete in Christ;
without condemnation in Christ; the righteousness of God
in Christ. The believer is blessed with all spiritual bless-
ings in Christ. Christ is the superlative need of the world.
He is all that you need, but you do need Him. You must
have Him, or be lost forever."

How wonderful to know that He offers Himself and all
the merits of His redemptive work to sinners everywhere,
no matter what their past. "The law entered that the of-
fence might abound," says St. Paul, "but where sin abound-
ed, grace did much more abound... that grace might reign"
(Rom. 5:20,21). Paul himself was a living example of this
truth, for he was the chief of sinners, saved by grace
through faith in Christ.


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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

BIBLE TEST

By Cornelius R. Stam

A Bible test was sprung recently on five classes of college-
bound llth and 12th graders in an American public school.

Some thought Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers; that the
Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luther and John;
that Eve was created from an apple; and that the stories
which Jesus told were called parodies.

Eighty to ninety per cent of the students could not com-
plete the most familiar quotations from Scripture.

The teacher, Thayer S. Warshaw, was understandably
upset and rightly asked: "Is the student to study mythology
and Shakespeare and not the Bible? Is it important for him
to learn what it means when a man is called an Adonis or a
Romeo, yet unimportant for him to be able to tell a Jonah
from a Judas?"

This writer’s heart is with that teacher and all who are
awake enough to see that the Bible is disappearing more
and more from American life. How can we expect anything
but juvenile delinquency, the rapid general rise in the
crime rate, the growing divorce rate, increasing dishonesty
at every level of business and social life -- how can we ex-
pect anything but these conditions when the Bible is
flaunted and despised? This departure from the Word of
God is bound to get us deeper and deeper into trouble.

But whatever the conditions about you, you may have the
joy and peace and light that comes from that Blessed Book.
The Bible tells us frankly that "all have sinned" (Rom. 3:23)
and that "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23) since a just
God must deal with sin. Ah, but it tells us also that "Christ
died for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3), and that the believer may
have "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom.
5:1).

Read the Bible, especially the Epistles of Paul, who was raised up to proclaim "the gospel [good news] of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). You will never cease to thank God for having given your attention to this wonderful Book.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

GRACE AND PEACE

By Cornelius R. Stam

For many years this writer, along with the mass of reli-
gious people, supposed that the Bible phrase "grace and
peace be unto you" was simply a beautiful, spiritual sal-
utation. Thank God we have come to learn that it is much
more than a salutation. It is an official proclamation.

Every single one of the epistles signed by St. Paul opens
with the declaration: "Grace be unto you and peace, from
God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." This was
the theme of the message which he, as a duly appointed
ambassador, had been sent to proclaim.

To appreciate this fully we must remember that God had
declared in prophecy that He would reply to the world’s
rejection of Christ with judgment. Psa. 110:1 pictures the
Father saying to the Son: "Sit Thou at My right hand, until
I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." Psa. 2:5 declares:
"Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them
in His sore displeasure."

After the crucifixion and ascension of Christ it seemed
that all was ready for the judgment to fall. As the signs of
Pentecost appeared Peter declared: "This is that which was
spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16) and it did indeed
look as if the rejected Lord was about to return to "judge
and make war," as Rev. 19:11 puts it. But now, instead of
judgment and war, St. Paul proclaims grace and peace. Does
this not indicate that in grace God interrupted the prophetic
program to bring in the present dispensation under which
Gods ambassadors proclaim with Paul:

"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound; that as sin hath reigned... so might grace reign" (Rom. 5:20,21).

Indeed, Paul the former persecutor was himself the living
demonstration of Gods grace to a Christ-rejecting world. In
I Tim. 1:15,16 he declares:

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

"Howbeit, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting."


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com