GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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The Middle Wall of Partition
Part 3 of 4

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one,
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." --Eph.2:14

BY RICHARD JORDAN




Sometime later the Law was "added" (Gal. 3:19) and the distinctions were strengthened and fortified. We are plainly told that the Gentiles "have not the law" (Rom. 2:14). The Covenant of the Law was made just with Israel and that covenant and those laws made Israel a distinct and different people in the earth. Moses reminded them of this as they prepared to enter the promised land:

     "Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.

     "Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

     "For WHAT NATION IS THERE SO GREAT, WHO HATH GOD SO NIGH UNTO THEM, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

     "And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?" (Deut. 4:5-8 ).

This priority given to Israel in the purposes of God explains much that otherwise is baffling about our Lord's earthly ministry. Many a preacher and personal worker, for example, have quoted Luke 19:10
--but few there are who know or quote the whole statement made by Christ:

     "And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, FORSOMUCH AS HE ALSO IS A SON OF ABRAHAM.
     "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:9,10).

And how are we to explain our Lord's refusal even to answer the Gentile woman of Matt. 15:22-24, while Himself pleading the case of the woman in Luke 13:16 because she was "a daughter of Abraham?" How is this to be explained except to recognize that the Gentiles were on the "wrong side" of the middle wall of partition?

An often overlooked verse in the Book of John is nonetheless clear:

     "..... we know what we worship: FOR SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS" (John 4:22).

And what were Gentiles to do? God had covenanted with Abraham: "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22:18 ). Gentile blessing, then, could only be had through their submission to Israel and her privileged position. Go back and read Matt. 15:22·28 again and see that this is exactly the order ultimately followed by this Gentile lady--and which Christ sovereignly honored.

That this order was no less true after the cross is clear from the record of the Book of Acts. At Pentecost, three times Peter identified his intended audience:
     " ... Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:"
     "Ye men of Israel, hear these words ...."
     "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly ...." (Acts 2:14, 22, 36).

Standing on Solomon's porch, Peter cries to his nation:

     "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
     "Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities" (Acts 3:25,26).

In fact, as late as Acts 11:19 we are told:

     "Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word TO NONE BUT UNTO THE JEWS ONLY."

Continued

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The Middle Wall of Partition
Part 4 of 4

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one,
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." --Eph.2:14

BY RICHARD JORDAN


Some thoughtful reader will ask, "But didn't we just read where Paul said the middle wall has been broken down? Didn't he declare that the law has been 'abolished' and that Christ had made 'peace'?" Ah, yes indeed, Paul does say this and much more. But remember: It is not until we come to Paul and his message that we learn all this.

The "But Now"of Eph. 2:13 is the same as the "But Now" in passages like:

     "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;

     "Even THE MYSTERY WHICH HATH BEEN HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, BUT NOW IS MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS" (Col. 1:25,26)

     "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of  THE MYSTERY, WHICH WAS KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN,

     "BUT NOW IS MADE MANIFEST, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Rom. 16:25,26).

It is Paul who declares: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested" (Rom. 3:21); that there is "no difference between the Jew and the Greek" (Rom. 10:12; 3:22); that in Christ Jesus "there is neither Jew nor  Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus"(Gal. 3:28 ). It is Paul who gives us this message, declaring that in the Body of Christ "there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all" (Col. 3:11). It is to Paul that this blessed message of "the mystery" was revealed--and through him to us!

     Thus it is Paul who writes:

     "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

     "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

     "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

     "And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

     "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph. 2:14-18 ).

This is the heart of his special message and why it is so dear to us today. No longer must we belong to a special family, follow a certain religion, perform prescribed exercises in ceremonial correctness. No longer must we fear being "too far gone," too far off, too deeply sin stained. Now, even the simplest believers who know that Christ died for them and that He is their peace and life can know for sure they are saved and have personal access to God and are fellowcitizens of His household.

All we need today to go to God is simple faith in Christ:

     "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
     "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:1, 2).

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HOPE INSPIRES BOLDNESS
By Pastor Marvin Duncan



Scripture  II Corinthians 3:12
" Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech"

In Second Corinthians, chapter three, the Apostle Paul is writing about the Gospel that had been committed to him by revelation, even the message of the Mystery (Eph. 3:3) which the Holy Spirit had used to save these Corinthians to whom he was now writing this letter.

The message of Christ's substitutionary death for the payment of the debt of sin is compared with the Law of Moses, in verses six through eighteen. Paul speaks of the Law of Moses as having a glory, but that glory of the Law was not as great as the glory of the message he had received from the risen, glorified, Lord Who is now in heaven.

In the first part of this third chapter, Paul said that he didn't need anyone to commend him to these saints at Corinth. Their salvation was proof that he was God's Apostle and the message he preached was God's message to a world separated from their Creator by sin.

At the time of this letter, Paul was receiving a great deal of opposition as to his Apostleship--- both from the unbelieving Jews and from some members of the church in Corinth. It was in answer to this opposition to his Apostleship that Paul says (II Cor. 3:12) that when he saw the power of the Gospel of the Grace of God changing lives, as was evident from the fact that these Corinthians to whom he was writing had experienced a change in their lives, he was encouraged in the hope that this same message of the Mystery would change the lives of others. Therefore, he would be bold in preaching the message of Christ's substitutionary death for the forgiveness of sin.

Knowing that we, too, have been saved simply by believing the message of the Grace of God, we should boldly preach the gospel of the Grace of God in the hope that this same message will be used of the Holy Spirit to save others and change their lives, as it did ours.

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CALVARY'S SECRET
By Miles Stanford




"Partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world" (2 Pet. 1:4).

We are to find out in Romans 6, through the gracious teaching of the Spirit of truth, all that happened to the Lord Jesus there on the Cross. Then we will know our own position and standing, since we were judicially in Him there.

"Have you ever thought about God's thought about you, that you are 'to be conformed to the image of His Son'? 'It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him' (Rom. 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

"This cannot fail. The Lord Jesus presses on our hearts that He brings us into association with Himself. He 'hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus' (Eph. 1:3). He puts us in this position answering perfectly to His nature, and with a nature to enjoy it."

"He imparts to us of Himself in order to qualify us for Himself."

"Not only is my blessing in heaven, but I need the Lord Jesus' power to enable me to rise above the sense of my infirmity down here; for this world, instead of contributing to me, makes me feel my weakness and need, and that I must rise out of it to find and enjoy my blessing.

"The very infirmity which this evil age makes me conscious of makes me draw upon the power of Christ, as the One outside it, passing into the heavens, so that I take pleasure in the very infirmity which is exposed here, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."-J.B.S.

"God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14).

Lord God of my salvation, thank You for the glorious message of the gospel.
What good news it is to have forgiveness,
eternal life, and daily transformation through Your grace.
 I rejoice that You have taken me out from under the law.
 I now know that I am your inheritance,
 I know you are my life,
 and know that it is you Lord Jesus who brings forth spiritual fruit in me,
 and all the praise belongs to you.
  May Your name be exalted, Amen.

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THE HEAVENLY GIFT
By Pastor Floyd Baker


Scripture  Hebrews 6:4 "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance:"

There are many questions that have been raised as to the understanding of this passage in Hebrews. Do these verses refer to some one who is saved or someone who was close and then drew back? Does it teach that you can lose your salvation? And, what is the "heavenly gift?" At the outset we need to realize that this is written to the Hebrews. We will find "truth for the Body of Christ," but we will not find "Body truth" in this letter.

The focus of the writer from the beginning has been the Lord Jesus Christ and His superiority to all that was associated with Israel's covenants and blessings. It would appear that the "heavenly gift" is the Lord Jesus Christ and His ministry to them. This brings with it all else that you might see the gift to be.

What does the author mean when he states, "For it is impossible if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance"? (verses 4 and 6) In verse 1 he has said, "leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God." He is saying that you cannot go back and be saved all over again. They need to "go on unto perfection." They need to come to a full understanding of who Christ is and all that He has done and not to go back to the former things. Having "tasted" they need to develop a hunger for the Lord.

Dear Lord,
 I thank You and praise You
 for Your great grace toward me.
 May I increasingly know the grace
 of the Lord Jesus Christ,
 through a growing relationship with Him.
May I become an instrument of
 Your grace in the lives of others,
 all for Your glory and honor,
 we pray in the Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen.

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True Biblical Unity

Dear fellow member of the Church, the Body of Christ, of which all of us believers are members under the Headship of our Lord Jesus Christ! This is indeed a time when we need to thank God for leaders who acknowledge Him, and for whom we can confidently pray!!

As we reflect on what the Holy Spirit said to the believers at Philippi via the apostle Paul about disunity and consider how minimal it was in comparison to the sectarianism that exists today, how much more we need to apply what the apostle Paul says to confused Christendom today!

The apostle Paul says: "And this I pray: that your love may abound still more and more in perfect knowledge and all discernment, unto the end that you may prove the things differing, that you may be sincere and without offense unto the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness that is through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9-11).

Paul's answer to the disunity at Philippi was that the love of the Spirit might increasingly control their thinking and mutual relations. He uses the plural form of the Greek pronoun you to indicate that all were to love each other in the Spirit.

Spirit-produced love (Galatians 5:22) will be in accordance and alignment with perfect knowledge and all discernment. Paul is apparently describing the love of the Mystery aspect of the Gospel of Grace. Growing in the love of the Spirit is a prerequisite to acquiring a full knowledge and perceptive understanding, which is imperative for proving and testing the things that differ in the Bible!

As we believers distinguish between the different ways God has and does and will! relate to His people, then, we are no longer a part of confused Christendom. For example, we recognize that for some fourteen hundred years, God's relation to His people Israel was via the Mosaic Law. Following the Mosaic Law, the prophesied Messianic Kingdom was taught and offered to Israel, but rejected by Israel's leaders. Following the rejection of the Messianic Kingdom, God has related to His people via the Church.

The failure of most professed Christians to distinguish between the Mosaic Law economy, the Kingdom Law economy, and the Church Grace economy is one of the primary reasons for the multiplied sectarianism today!

Teaching the Gospel of Grace, Ernest R. Campbell

Dear Lord, I thank You and praise You
for Your great grace toward me.
 May I increasingly know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
through a growing relationship with Him.
 May I become an instrument
 of Your grace in the lives of others.

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LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS
By Pastor Dick Ware




Scripture: Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death).


"Life in Christ" is the answer for a Christian who is having the "Romans 7 experience." The Christian in Romans 7 has a God-given desire to live for the Lord; but is having a dead-Christian experience because the "indwelling" sin nature is still "present," and is overthrowing him ( Rom 7:18-21 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me".) He is also trying to get deliverance by obeying "The Mosaic Law," but it is stimulating the sin nature (7:5). He comes to realize that the sin nature is connected to his physical body, and he is crying for deliverance (7:23, 24). The answer to his cry is found in our verse for consideration: "For ----The Law of the Spirit of Life---in Christ Jesus---has made me FREE from---The Law on sin and Death!"

The new-found position "in Christ Jesus," brings with it "The Law of the Spirit of Life." This "life" is ours because we are "in Christ Jesus," and it is applied to us by the Spirit of God. As a "law of life," it is an established rule; and it works itself out in a body of rules found in the Pauline Epistles for the Body of Christ. It is alluded to in: I Corinthians 9:21; 14:37,38; and in Galatians 6:2.

"The Law of the Spirit of Life---In Christ Jesus," produces "God's life" in our spirits. When we obey it in our spirits, it will even "give life" for God's service to our mortal bodies  (Rom. 8: 11). These bodies that have been used to serve sinful desires, the Devil, and the world system; can now be used for God's service! This is possible because of "The Law of the Spirit of Life" that is ours "in Christ Jesus"!  Therefore, it is only reasonable that we be "transformed by the renewing of our minds," and that we "give our bodies to God" ( Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.)

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PARDON vs. JUSTIFICATION
by C. R. Stam

Did you read, recently, about the man, named Zimmerman, who spent nearly twenty-five years in prison for a murder which, it is now clear, he never committed! The mistake was discovered two years ago, and he was released, of course, but only after spending almost a quarter of a century in prison for a crime he did not commit!

This was a grim mistake, but even at that, it must be wonderful in such a case, to be free -- and to have people actually sympathize with you! Yet, after two years of liberty, Zimmerman says he still feels a bit numb. Waking up mornings he still imagines he hears the harsh sound of the prison bell, and looking about he still thinks he sees bars on the windows.

Things could be worse, though: Suppose he were guilty of the crime, merely pardoned and released. Then everyone would be saying: "There goes that murderer. They pardoned him. Don't get too friendly with him." The stigma would always remain - -as long as he lived.

Let us thank God that believers in Christ are not merely pardoned.  Rom. 3:24 declares that we are "justified freely by [God's] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."  Christ died for our sins and satisfied the just claims of the Law, and more: through the Holy Spirit He revolutionizes our lives and makes new creations out of us, for "If any man be in Christ," says II Cor. 5:17, "he is a new creation."

"For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).

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RISEN IN CHRIST
By John Baker


Scripture I Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first"


One of the greatest hopes of the believer is the resurrection. It is the capstone of our salvation purchased by the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. His resurrection assures that redemption's price has been paid and accepted. For He was "delivered for our offences, and was raised again for (on account of) our justification" (Romans 4:25). The resurrection of Christ not only is the assurance of our justification but also assures our resurrection. "But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept" (I Corinthians 15:20). Therein is the believer's hope, for "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable (or to be pitied)" (I Corinthians 15:19).

An important part of the message revealed through the Apostle Paul was the catching away of believers to be with Christ in glory, which we call the Rapture. "Behold I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; "for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Corinthians 15:51, 52).

At the time of the Rapture some believers will be alive and caught away without experiencing physical death. However those who have died in Christ will join them "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" (I Thessalonians 4:14). This indeed is a "blessed hope" for which all believers expectantly wait with full assurance. This hope is available to all who will believe the gospel (how that Christ died for their sins, was buried and arose again) and put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour.

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SCRIPTURE THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
I Corinthians 15:3-4
by Russell S. Miller


"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (I Cor. 15:3-4).

Well do I remember that night, many years ago now, when I first trusted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I recall how the minister opened the inspired Scriptures to share God's truth with a lost sinner. How kind he was to tell me of the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus. Opening the pages of holy Writ he showed me verse by verse my sinful condition before a holy God, and God's remedy for it.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

Finally when he laid that Book open before me at St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians, I knew that I must trust Christ as my Saviour:

"For I delivered unto you first at all that which I also received, how that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures, And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (I Cor. 15:3-4).

I praise God for that man, that night, when I was convinced by the Spirit of God concerning "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (II Tim. 2:10). How wonderful the peace that came into my troubled soul - "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1). I found peace because the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the Scriptures opened my blind eyes to see how fully I had been identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection -- baptized into Jesus Christ Himself (Rom. 6:3; I Cor. 12:13). And because of the finished work of Christ at Calvary, there is no doubt about the eternal security of the believer in Christ today. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

Praise the Lord indeed, for this passage of Scripture has changed my life, my outlook on life, and my eternal destiny, and because the Apostle Paul's epistles are written to "saints," believers in Jesus Christ become -- "saints". Won't you trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour and experience the change that Holy Scripture will make in your life?

Dear Lord Jesus, You came to give us life abundant.
Please fill my life to overflowing with
 the empowering work of Your Spirit.
 Lord, I am not seeking personal benefits.
 I am asking to become a more effective witness.
 I need the Holy Spirit's power that
 I might reflect the reality of the risen Christ,
 in Your mighty name, Amen.

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THE FLOOD OF NOAH'S DAY
by Russell S. Miller



During Noah's flood the canopy of Genesis 1:6 that "divided the waters from the waters" converged with "the fountains of the great deep" to become one gigantic ocean (Gen. 7:11-16). And God's judgment upon the wickedness of man "flooded" this globe.

"And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground...and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark" (Gen. 7:23).

Genesis 9:9-17 speaks about a covenant that God made with Noah. In short, the "rainbow" is God's "token of [that] covenant" (9:13) with mankind, that He will never again destroy the earth by a flood. God's faithfulness to His Word, here, has been wondrously demonstrated for over 4,000 years.

"I DO SET MY BOW IN THE CLOUD, AND IT SHALL BE FOR A TOKEN OF A COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THE EARTH. ...AND THE WATERS SHALL NO MORE BECOME A FLOOD TO DESTROY ALL FLESH" (Gen. 9:13,15).

Indeed God has also been faithful to His covenant of "day" and "night" (Jer. 33:20-21) since the beginning of time, that's 6,000 years!Though God shall never again destroy the earth with "water", the Apostle Peter declares that after the 1,000 year reign of Christ, earth and space shall be purified with "fire" from all that with which man has polluted it (II Pet. 3:10-12).

Nevertheless before Prophecy is resumed and "that great and terrible Day of the Lord comes" (Joel 2:11,31; Acts 2:20; Rev. 19:11-16) the armies of Heaven shall invade the earth.

"HE THAT SITTETH IN THE HEAVENS SHALL LAUGH: THE LORD SHALL HAVE THEM IN DERISION. THEN SHALL HE SPEAK UNTO THEM IN HIS WRATH, AND VEX THEM IN HIS SORE DISPLEASURE" (Psa. 2:4-5).

Much as He did in the land of Egypt when Pharaoh would not let His people go (Ex. 5:1--14:31). Are you ready for this "Coming" of the Lord Jesus Christ? Probably not, who would be!

But God has some "good news" for you; before His wrath is poured out upon this Christ rejecting world, He shall "catch" us away to Heaven (I Thes. 4:13-18 ).

First, my friend, God wants to save you from your sin, if you will only believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for planning our life
to be during the age of grace.
 We truly have escaped the flood,
 and the age of the law,
 and now enjoy living in the age of grace.
 We truly have so very much to thank and praise you for.
As we in this age have the Lord Jesus Christ
 living within us who is our life,
 and the Holy Spirit within
 to teach and guide us Amen

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THE KINGDOM REIGN OF CHRIST
by C.R. Stam

    The Kingdom Reign of Christ, often called the Millennium, is, of course, still future, but even this dispensation will commence with a clear indication that our Lord's beneficent reign will not change the unregenerate heart. Man is still a failure.

This will be evident from the fact that to put the rebellion down our Lord will have to "break" the nations "with a rod of iron" and "dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" (Psa.2:9). Indeed, He will have to "rule them with a rod of iron" (Rev.2:27). It is not strange, then, that we read in Revelation 20:7-9:

"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

"And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

This final rebellion is followed by the casting of Satan and all unbelievers into the lake of fire and the bringing in of the new heavens and the new earth in which all the reconciled find their all in Christ (Rev. 20:10-21:1; Eph.1:9,10; Col. 1:19,20). It is interesting and instructive to see in the book of Revelation how the Lamb slain occupies the center of the glory of the universe. Not one saint from any age will ever boast of his own righteousness in that day. All will acknowledge their own unworthiness and proclaim the praises of the One who died that they might live and be justified and gloried. And even the unsaved and all demons and angels will acknowledge Jesus as Lord in that day. Because He humbled Himself and submitted Himself to "even the death of the cross... God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:

"THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, OF THINGS IN HEAVEN, AND THINGS IN EARTH, AND THINGS UNDER THE EARTH;

"AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER" (Philippians 2:10-11)

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THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF CALVARY
by C. R. Stam


Three times in Romans 5 we read that Christ died for us. Verse 6 tells us that He died for us in our weakness, Verse 8 that He died for us in our sin, and Verse 10 that He died for us in our rebellion.

First, Verse 6 says: "For when we were yet WITHOUT STRENGTH, in due time Christ died for the ungodly".

Men sometimes try to make themselves acceptable to God by human effort, but they never succeed. We can't walk or run to heaven, we can't even fly there, and we certainly can't climb there —- not even by doing good works, for good works is what we ought to do, and we should not expect them to counter-balance our sinful thoughts and deeds. Anyway, heaven is God's and He says we cannot gain it by works:

"For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph.2:8,9).

Next, Romans 5:8 says: "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet SINNERS, Christ died for us".

Many people feel shut out of heaven, not merely because of a sense of helplessness, but because of a sense of sinfulness and condemnation. To such God proclaims the glad news that "Christ died for sinners", and "came into the world to save sinners" (ITim.1:15). At Calvary He paid the just penalty for sin -— for the sins of all mankind -— so that we, by faith, might be "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom.3:24).

But Romans 5:10 goes even further, offering hope and grace to those who have resisted God's grace and rejected His Son, for here the greatest Christ-rejecter of all time, now gloriously saved and changed, declares:

"When we were ENEMIES, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son" (Rom.5:10).

And so the helpless, the sinful, yes, and the rebellious, can find acceptance with God if only they will turn from their sin and failure to Him. “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED…” (Acts 16:31).

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NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME
Part 1 of 3
by Fred Bachand Phoenix,AZ


In the study of God's Word we find many periods of time in which certain conditions are outstanding. Among these there are three which are of primary importance to us. Each one designates a particular time in which God administers particular precepts to particular peoples. These three periods of time are: The Acceptable Year of the Lord, the Day of Vengeance of our God, and the Day of Salvation.

THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD

"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4:14-21).

Notice that the Lord Jesus read from the book of Isaiah (Esaias), and after reading as far as " ... to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, ... He closed the book. .. " (v.20). We find this portion of Scripture in Isaiah 61:1-2. But when we read verse 2, we find that Jesus closed the book in the middle of a sentence. For we read in Isaiah 61:2: "To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn." and the sentence continues through verse 3.

The fact that the Lord Jesus closed the book in the middle of a sentence shows how accurately He handled the Word of God. By stopping at this point in the prophecy of Isaiah He established a distinction between two periods of time; the Acceptable Year of the Lord, and the Day of Vengeance of our God. By closing the book at this point, in this prophecy, He was able to make the statement recorded in Luke 4:21; "And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." It was indeed that time of the Acceptable Year of the Lord, but it was not yet the Day of Vengeance of our God.

Isaiah's prophecy begins with the words, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me." In Luke 4:14, we read that, " ... Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee." "And John (the Baptist) bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him" (John 1:32). Yes, Jesus was the one of whom Isaiah spoke; and His presence, among the people of Israel, constituted the fulfillment of that prophecy: but only, at that time, to the point at which Jesus closed the book.

This is the answer to what appears to be a problem with John the Baptist in Matthew . 11:2,3. There we read, "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto Him, Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" This does seem to be inconsistent, for John bore record that he had seen the proof that Jesus was the one of whom Isaiah spoke. He said he saw the Spirit descend from Heaven and abide upon Him. Would he now be questioning that which he had previously confirmed? NO! John was not questioning whether Jesus was the one that the prophets said should come. Of this he was convinced. The question was concerning Christ's coming. Was this it? Or was there also to be another one; another coming of a different kind? (The Greek here is heteros). Jesus' answer indicated that there would indeed be another coming of a different kind. He told John's disciples; "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Matt. 11:4-5). All this constituted only a partial fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy; that which was connected with the Acceptable Year of the Lord. What yet remains to be fulfilled is that portion which is connected with the Day of Vengeance of our God; when Christ is " ... to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified." (lsa. 61:2-3).

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NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME
Pat 2 of 3
by Fred Bachand Phoenix,AZ


All the signs associated with the Acceptable Year of the Lord were fulfilled by the Lord Jesus and by those appointed by Him beginning with His ministry and extending through the time recorded in the book of Acts. Therefore, the Acceptable Year of the Lord lasted through the Acts period. But what is of primary importance here is that the Acceptable Year of the Lord, prophesied by Isaiah, was not extended to the Gentiles; it concerned only Israel. At the very time Jesus was proclaiming the Acceptable year of the Lord to Israel, He instructed His Apostles to "Go not into the way of the Gentiles .... But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils ... " (Matt. 10:5-8 ).

THE DAY OF VENGEANCE OF OUR LORD

"Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But i say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee " (Matt. 11:20-24).

Here we find that The Day of Vengeance is now being proclaimed to the cities of Israel. But that day, and the things associated with it, were not fulfilled at that time. The reason for this is that at that time it was still the Acceptable Year of the Lord. Jesus was still doing the works associated with the Acceptable Year of the Lord, and He was still extending the invitation to Israel to enter into His rest, for He said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Matt. 11:20-24).

The Day of Vengeance of Our God did not commence with its proclamation. Indeed it could not commence as long as it was still the Acceptable Year of the Lord. But, after almost two thousand years, the Day of Vengeance and the things associated with it have not yet been fulfilled. The fulfillment of the Day of Vengeance of our God awaits the other coming, the "second coming" of the Lord Jesus Christ as the righteous judge. Then would this indicate that it is still the Acceptable Year of the Lord for Israel?

THE DAY OF SALVATION

"And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isa. 49:6).

We have seen that both the Acceptable Year of the Lord and the Day of Vengeance of our God, and all that are associated with them, are peculiarly associated with Israel. But what about the Gentiles? In Isaiah 49:6, we find the wonderful truth that what Christ is going to accomplish with Israel, one nation, is only "a light thing" with God; for God has appointed Him also "for a light to the Gentiles," all the nations, "that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth." But we must know and understand that even this, as it was prophesied by Isaiah, awaits a future fulfillment; after the Day of Vengeance of our God, at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.