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The Indescribable Honour of Being "Ambassadors for Christ"
By K. R. Blade
Part 1 of 6



A previous article on not being "ashamed of the gospel of Christ" prompted the desire for this closer examination of the honour and privilege that it is for us to be "ambassadors for Christ," especially in view of Paul 's exhortation in II Corinthians 6:1-2 and the fact that many of us are not very enthusiastic ambassadors.

20 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.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (II Corinthians 5:20-6:2)

Of all of the opportunities that we have to labour together with God in His various operations in this present dispensation of His grace, the one that probably comes to mind first is our ambassadorship for Christ. And indeed it should. For in the process of our sonship edification it is the first such operation that God tells us about, and accordingly it is the first one for which He equips us to labour together with Him. In addition, being "ambassadors for Christ" is an operation in which each and every saint has the opportunity to participate. Besides this it is also an operation for which the ability to participate in it is actually generated by the "gospel of Christ" itself working within the Christian after he believes it, and as he becomes established in it by the effectual working of the doctrines of Romans 1-5. Wherefore it is only natural and logical that this particular operation would occur to our minds first when we think of labouring together with God in what He is doing.

Moreover when we think of our ambassadorship we are also quick to acknowledge that it certainly is an honour and a privilege for us to be entrusted with "the gospel of Christ," and thereby to be used by God to offer unto other people its effectual working as "the power of God unto salvation" that it is. Indeed, how could we think of such an opportunity as anything less than an honour and a privilege. It just naturally possesses such qualities. Therefore all the more does our ambassadorship for Christ naturally stand out in our minds.

An Embarrassing Problem

Now though we readily acknowledge these things, and even talk about this privilege with other saints; and though we also know how to clearly preach "the gospel of Christ" to others so as to faithfully provide for it to effectually work in them as we tell them about it; many of us still have a problem when it comes to actually functioning as ambassadors. And it is a problem that is embarrassing to us because it seems so incredible that we should have it in view of what we know. Yet we have it nonetheless. What we have is a lack of zeal for our ambassadorship. To be frank, we do not have much enthusiasm for actually doing the work of an ambassador; with the result that we usually do not do it very often.

Naturally this is embarrassing for us, since it is so unbecoming. But it is also a cause of consternation to us. For much to our dismay the privilege of being "ambassadors for Christ" does not really seem to captivate our hearts all that much. For some reason our minds seem to come short of being gripped to their full extent by this privilege. Oh we may occasionally witness to people, but we find that we lack a full measure, (as well as a constant measure), of any real ambition and/or zeal to be telling others about "the gospel of Christ." Consequently our ambassadorship is not only frequently subject to waxing and waning, but we find that it is always waning more than it is waxing. In fact for many of us it has been weeks, or months, or maybe even years, since we have even attempted to tell any unjustified person about "the gospel of Christ." In other words we may be "ambassadors for Christ" by virtue of the privilege, and we may call ourselves such; yet we are anything but "ambassadors for Christ" in function.

Even More Embarrassing

To make matters worse, we know that this is not how God has designed for us to be. We realize that we should have a zeal for our ambassadorship that is truly constraining and compelling. It should not need to be constantly stirred up or resuscitated. It should not be characterized by spikes of periodic activity occurring between lengthy spans of idleness. Instead we know from our epistles that the same kind of remarks that Paul makes about zeal when describing, for example, the saints in Rome and Thessalonica, ought to be able to be said about us as well.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. (Romans 1:8.)

8For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything. (I Thessalonians 1:8.)

Not only do verses such as these reprove us, but we realize that if our zeal was on par with that of the saints at Rome or Thessalonica, or if it was like that of Paul himself, then we too would probably be criticized just as Paul was for being too zealous or too enthusiastic; even to the point that we also might be thought of by others as being 'beside ourselves' or fanatical.

So then it should be obvious that if our zeal for being "ambassadors for Christ" is 'hit or miss'; or if it is generally weak; or if it bears little or no resemblance to Paul's zeal; or worse yet if it is non-existent; then something is definitely wrong. We are surely missing something. More to the point, something is not effectually working within us as God has designed for it to work. For ambassadors by nature are not silent. It is contrary to their position and purpose, for they are designed and commissioned to speak.

Therefore if we are 'silent ambassadors,' and if we are honest both with ourselves and with God's word to us, then we ought to want to have this problem rectified.

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The Indescribable Honour of Being "Ambassadors for Christ"
By K. R. Blade
Part 2 of 6


A Common Problem

Many of the Corinthian saints had this kind of problem as well. Though they had been taught and had learned about their sonship status, and they knew full well that by being "sons" they were privileged with the opportunity to labour together with God their Father in a number of His operations, they did not always have the appropriate and corresponding zeal for doing so.

Now pointing this out is not designed to be a consolation to us. Rather it simply underscores the fact that the problem is not an uncommon one for saints. Moreover it also points out that often times when Christians are in the beginning stages of their sonship edification, (as with the Corinthians), they fail to perceive, (or may even fail to be taught), some fundamental issues belonging to their privilege of labouring together with God in His operations. In connection with this what they often fail to perceive are the very issues that ought to generate within them an appropriate and corresponding zeal for engaging in the operation of God that they are given the privilege of participating in. And unfortunately when this happens it makes it so that they are easily subject to becoming either apathetic or neglectful of participating in God's operations. Or they may even abuse or misuse them.

Once again as Paul's epistles to the Corinthians testify, this frequently occurred with many of them in connection with a number of God's operations, including being "ambassadors for Christ."

The Root of Our Problem

With respect to our ambassadorship a common root to our problem is that many of us have not learned, (and so do not fully realize), just how great an honour and a privilege it is for us to labour together with God as "ambassadors for Christ." Yes, we acknowledge the privilege per se, but this is about as far as we usually go. However we should acknowledge much more than this. For not only is there more for us to understand about each and every privileged opportunity that we have to labour together with God in one of His operations, but as God's "sons" we are expected to investigate each of our Father's operations in order to learn more about them. This is a natural part of our sonship responsibility, as well as an important part of our sonship education; though we often neglect it, or overlook it.

Yet when we as 'wise sons' do investigate an operation, we come to realize much more about it. In particular we learn that there are matters of grandeur and glory belonging to each of God's operations. What's more as we learn about an operation's grandeur and its glory, and as we come to deeply appreciate them, this in turn works to produce within us a strong and compelling zeal and delight for participating in the operation. For this knowledge deeply impresses us with just how great an honour and a privilege it is for us to labour together with God in the operation.

Now when it comes to our ambassadorship we usually have no trouble seeing things like the reason for it, or appreciating its worthwhile nature. However its grandeur and glory, (especially the grandeur of what it means to be an ambassador and the glory that is behind this privilege), often either escape our attention completely, or our understanding and our appreciation of them are weak.

So this, once again, is often the root of our problem. And since we have failed to perceive the grandeur and glory of our ambassadorship, our hearts have come short of being fully penetrated by, and overcome by, what in truth can only be spoken of as the indescribable honour that it is for us to be "ambassadors for Christ." Consequently we often lack the full measure of godly zeal and enthusiasm, with its constraining and compelling force, that participating in this indescribable honour is designed to produce within us.

The Solution to Our Problem

A direct-fix-solution to our problem resides in what Paul says to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 5:12-6:2. For in this passage Paul has reason to describe both the grandeur and the glory belonging to our ambassadorship, as he deals with a particular tactic of the policy of evil that is designed to dampen our enthusiasm when it comes to telling others about "the gospel of Christ."

This then is a passage that addresses our problem of lacking zeal. And regardless of whether our lack of zeal has always existed, or whether we have acquired it as the result of discouragement, or dejection, or disappointment, or intimidation, the doctrine that Paul sets forth is able to remedy it.

Wherefore let us briefly look at this passage in order to understand and appreciate the basics of the grandeur and glory of our ambassadorship. This will at least allow them to begin to impact our hearts, as well as begin to generate within us their compelling motivation and irrepressible zeal.

II Corinthians 5: 12-6:2

12For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance and not in heart.
13For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.(II Corinthians ~5:12-13)

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The Indescribable Honour of Being "Ambassadors for Christ"
By K. R. Blade,
Part 3 of 6


As the opening verses to this passage (II Cor. 5) relate, Paul was being criticized, even slandered, by ones who not only disagreed with what he preached, but who also found fault with his enthusiasm for preaching it. They were saying that he must be "beside" himself, both mentally and emotionally, in view of the message that he preaches, and especially in view of the zeal and passion with which he preaches it.

Now Paul himself was not upset or unduly bothered by this criticism. He did not find it to be a cause for shame or disgrace. Nor did he respond to it as if it was a discrediting stigma. He, therefore, was not intimidated by it, as his detractors (and the policy of evil) hoped would be the case.

Yet it was a different story with many of the Corinthians, particularly when they found themselves being criticized as well. They felt ashamed to know that others thought that they were "beside" themselves. Because of this many of them 'pulled back,' so to speak, and were no longer preaching "the gospel of Christ." They were bullied by this kind of criticism, being intimidated by its innuendo. What enthusiasm they used to have was now dampened, being overpowered and displaced by the discomfort they felt in their minds from being criticized. Their minds were now gripped by the uneasiness of their own self-consciousness. And with this being so, their own preaching of the gospel had more or less ground to a halt.

Once again, however, this was not the case with Paul. Though he experienced the same intimidating criticism, (and actually did so far more frequently than the Corinthians), it did not dampen his enthusiasm and zeal at all. For Paul had something powerful and effectual working within him, which successfully withstood the zeal-robbing intimidation. Moreover it was something that God has specifically designed to enable every saint to 'despise the shame' that such criticisms are designed to produce, and thereby to be able to enthusiastically continue on in spite of it.

Now because of this, neither the Corinthians nor we ourselves need to lack enthusiasm, or be robbed of it, when it comes to telling others about "the gospel of Christ." All we need is to have the same thing operating within us as operated within Paul.

And what powerfully operated within Paul was the thrill of what it meant for him to be an ambassador for Christ. Compared to this, the 'slings and arrows' of criticisms, slander, reproach, ridicule, and the like, meant nothing to him. And this is the way it should be with us as well.

Sober, Not Beside Himself

As Paul begins dealing with this intimidating criticism, he opens with a declaration which makes it evident that he is by no means "beside" himself at all, neither mentally or emotionally. Instead he is perfectly "sober" on both counts. For both his mental judgment and his emotional judgment are sound, being logically based, just as he shows.

14For the love of Christ
constraineth us; because
 we thus judge, that if one
 died for all, then were all
 dead:  15And that he died
 for all, that they which live
 should not  henceforth live
 unto themselves, but unto
 him which died for them,
 and rose again.
 (II Corinthians 5:14-15)

Then after making this opening statement, Paul takes up these two components to the criticism and deals with them in detail. Whereupon in verses 14-17 he first pointedly shows and proves the perfect soberness and sound logic that there is to what he preaches. Even though his message says things that are radically different from what has been preached before, nevertheless it is sound and truthful in view of what God has now revealed that He has done through Christ.

16 Wherefore henceforth know
we no man after the flesh: yea,
though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now hence­
forth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become
new. (II Corinthians 5:16-17)

Indeed what Paul, (and we), are given to preach is perfectly logical and sound. In fact in view of what God has done through, with, and in Christ, it is the only message that is perfectly logical and sound. Wherefore we need not be intimidated by any criticisms, reproaches, and/or slander to the contrary.

But then in verses 18-21 Paul goes on to show the perfect soberness and sound logic that there is in his irrepressible zeal to preach his gospel. And this now is where we need to focus our attention. For once again we too ought to have the same irrepressible zeal as Paul did.

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The Indescribable Honour of Being "Ambassadors for Christ"
By K. R. Blade
Part 4 of 6




Our Reason For Irrepressible Zeal


18And all things are of God,
 who hath reconciled us to
 himself by Jesus Christ, and
 hath given to us the ministry
 of reconciliation;
19To wit, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world
 unto himself, not imputing
 their trespasses unto them;
 and hath committed unto us
 the word of reconciliation.
 (II Corinthians 5:18-19)

The particular aspect of "the love of Christ" that constrained Paul to the point of producing an irrepressible zeal for preaching "the gospel of Christ," was his realization of what God did when He gave "to us the ministry of reconciliation"; when He "committed unto us the word of reconciliation." And what Paul realized is that God has given unto us the most phenomenal ministry that He has given unto any of His people. Likewise He has committed unto us the most phenomenal message that He has committed to anyone. And indeed this is just what God has done.

Think of this! And think of the privilege! God, (who brought in this astounding dispensational change with its gospel that Christ "died for all," and with its "new creature," and with its glorious 'new things'; and  who  has "reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ" making us a part of His "new creature"), has actually given to us "the ministry of reconiliation."In other words He has given to us the amazing privilege of being the very ones who actually inform men of the magnificence of what He has done and what He is doing. What a phenomenal honour! For God did not want to give this "ministry" unto angels, or even unto a select group of specially chosen men. But He gave it unto each of us whom He has 'reconciled unto Himself by Jesus Christ.'

Moreover not only do we have the privilege of this "ministry," but in connection with it God has committed unto us "the word of reconciliation"- i.e. the very "word," or message, that has the power to personally reconcile a man to God before it is too late. Wherefore we have the further amazing honour of being entrusted with, and being preachers of, the very message which is God's 'power unto salvation,' and by which a man passes from death unto life upon believing it. What a thrilling ministry!

Even More Phenomenal

This, however, is not all. There is something that makes this privilege all the more honourable and phenomenal; all the more thrilling. And it is the fact that we were granted this privilege by God our Father at the specific request of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. For the truth of the matter is that our Lord, out of His great love for us, asked His Father that we be given the privilege of being His spokesmen and representatives. The Lord, therefore, actually wants us to personally represent Him and help Him.

For this reason we are called "ambassadors for Christ." Not simply because we represent Him; and certainly not because of any inability on Christ's part. But especially because the Lord specifically requested that we be honoured with the privilege of helping Him.

Now it exceeds the limits of this article to deal with the glory of this matter in any amount of detail. Yet suffice it to say that the Lord requested of His Father that we be able to represent Him in this present dispensation of grace, in much the same manner as He had previously requested that the saints of the remnant of Israel represent Him in the final stage of God's program with Israel.

Simply put, in accordance with the Lord's accomplishment of His redemptive work, and in accordance with the need to offer the benefits of His redemption to the ones needing it, the Lord exercised His right to enlist help in heralding the good news of His redemption and in bestowing its benefits. And in both the climactic stage in Israel's program, and in this present dispensation of God's grace, the Lord requested that the help not come from the angels, or any other creature. Instead He requested that it come from the very ones who become beneficiaries of His redemption.

Wherefore in the climactic stage in Israel's program the Lord speaks of His disciples as ones who have been given to Him of His Father, especially in connection with their role of ministering to Israel for Him once He returned to the Father. For this cause the Lord's disciples functioned in accordance with what He had declared back in the prophets when He said ...

18Behold, I and the children
whom the LORD hath given
 me are for signs and wonders
 in Israel from the LORD of
hosts, which dwelleth in
 mount Zion. (Isaiah 8:18.)

As Christ said, the "children" of the remnant were "given" to Him. And indeed they were, especially when it came to labouring with Him in His Father's business. For the Lord requested of His Father that they be given to Him for this very purpose.

So it was, then, that the "children" of the remnant had the privilege of representing the Lord, and of speaking for Him, during Israel's prophesied 'accepted time' and during their 'day of salvation,' just as the opening chapters of the book of Acts relate. And this truly was a phenomenal honour and privilege for them.

Now think of this. If it was a phenomenal honour and privilege for the remnant of Israel to have the Lord Jesus Christ request their help in bringing to pass the operations of God during Israel's "accepted time" and "day of salvation," how much more of a thrilling thing would it be for a similar kind of privilege to be granted to ones who are not even of God's nation? Obviously much more. For if such an honour and privilege is phenomenal to the ones to whom it naturally belonged, much more would such an honour be phenomenal and thrilling to ones to whom no such right belonged. In fact it would not only be phenomenal and thrilling, it would be astoundingly so. For the honour would be given to ones who had no sort of expectation whatsoever of being so honoured, or even of ever being able to be so honoured.

Yet as astounding as this would be, this is exactly what has occurred with us. For we, (who in "time past" were twice-dead Gentiles in the flesh), have now been graciously honoured with the opportunity to be labourers together with God in His operations in this present dispensation. In another, yet unprophesied, "accepted time" and "day of salvation."

Wherefore we, who had absolutely no hope of such an opportunity ever occurring, ought to be awe­struck by the glory of the privilege, to say the least. Our hearts should 'skip a beat,' so to speak, as we come to grips with the glory of what this means to us.

[nChrist]

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The Indescribable Honour of Being "Ambassadors for Christ"
By K. R. Blade
Part 5 of 6



Irrepressible Zeal Indeed

Such, then, is the gist of the grandeur that belongs to the privilege of the "ministry" that we have of preaching "the word of reconciliation"unto others; as well as the basic appreciation we should have for the glory of "the love of Christ" behind the privilege.

No wonder it captivated and thrilled Paul's heart! No wonder "the love of Christ" behind it constrained him as it did, filling him with irrepressible zeal and enthusiasm for telling others about "the gospel of Christ." For as this thrill penetrated and filled Paul's heart, it took over and it could not be budged or displaced from its position of 'being in the driver's seat,' so to speak, within him.

Wherefore the criticism that he was "beside" himself, either mentally or emotionally, or both, could not dampen Paul's zeal or trodden down his enthusiasm. Such criticisms and reproaches were no match for the thrill generated by the honour and the privilege that it was for him to be the Lord Jesus Christ's personal representative and spokesman. Hence his
zeal to witness was irrepressible indeed.

Unabashed Ambassadors

Therefore, instead of withering or wilting in the face of such criticism; instead of being ashamed one whit of being as zealous as he was to preach "the word of reconciliation"; Paul both gloried in the privilege and he passionately went about fulfilling it, just as he proclaims.

20 Now then we are ambassa­-
dors for Christ, as though God
 did beseech you by us: we
pray you in Christ's stead, be
 ye reconciled to God.
21For he hath made him to be
 sin for us, who knew no sin;
 that we might be made the
 righteousness of God in him.
 (II Corinthians 5:20-21)

"Ambassadors for Christ" is what we are, just as Paul joyfully and unabashedly declares. And in view of just how great the honour and the privilege of our ministry is, the title 'ambassador' truly describes exactly what we are, as well as the passion with which we should carry out our ministry.

For in meaning the title first of all denotes the official and serious nature of our ministry, and the glory of the fact that we represent a sovereign. And in being Christ's "ambassadors" we truly do officially represent Him, being sanctioned and commissioned by God the Father in connection with the glory of the Lord's request.

Also in accordance with an ambassadorial ministry, we have serious and urgent business to conduct on our Sovereign's behalf. We have the serious and urgent ministry of bearing God's glorious good news - "the word of reconciliation"--- to ones who are at odds with Him; who are in a hostile position to Him; and who are subject at any time to being judged by Him for being His enemies.

In addition to this, the title also denotes the fact that the ambassador has the honour of personally representing his sovereign to others; i.e. of authentically standing in his stead. He, therefore, presents himself to others as one who possesses the very same mind and attitude that his lord has to them, and he acts with the very same fervent zeal, passion, and/or emotion towards them with which his lord would act. This is something that an ambassador is able to do because he has been directly schooled by his sovereign so that he has his lord's frame of mind and attitude; so that he possesses his very desires and passions; so that he speaks and acts in the very same way that his sovereign does; thereby making it so that as an ambassador he can authentically, faithfully, and effectually represent his sovereign, even to the point of eliciting the same kind of response from his hearers as his sovereign would receive.

Wherefore  being Christ's "ambassadors" we too have received such an education and training from Him.  Whereby we are enabled by Him to speak for Him accurately, and to act for Him appropriately, as we authentically and personally represent Him to His enemies.

Now when we understand and appreciate all of this, and more, our hearts should be filled with the thrill of the great honour that it is for us to be "ambassadors for Christ."

So then in accordance with this thrill, and particularly in accordance with being taught by God our Father to have His and our Lord's desire and passion, we (as Paul) should zealously and passionately preach to men "as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." For by no means is such passionate 'beseeching' and 'praying' the product of abnormal emotional fanaticism. Rather it is perfectly logical in view of the great honour of our ambassadorship, and it is the very kind of passion that should be expected from ones who are soberly constrained by "the love of Christ."

[nChrist]

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The Indescribable Honour of Being "Ambassadors for Christ"
By K. R. Blade
Part 6 of 6




Silent Ambassadors No More

As was pointed out earlier, many of the Corinthians, (like many of us), either lacked real zeal for their ambassadorship all along, or the criticism of being "beside" themselves robbed them of what zeal they had. But from what Paul has set forth, clearly this does not need to be the case with them, or with us, anymore. Instead we should be enthusiastic ambassadors, being overwhelmed in our hearts by the lofty honour of our privileged ministry and filled with an irrepressible zeal to carry it out.

So then with Paul now having given us the godly remedy to our lack of zeal; and in view of the power of its effectual working within us to overcome our inertia; Paul now exhorts us - no, he 'beseeches' us - to be silent ambassadors no more.

1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech
 you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted,
 and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:
 behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is
 the day of salvation.) (II Corinthians 6:1-2)

Being the properly thrilled and fervent worker with God that Paul was, he now earnestly beseeches us not to receive this "grace of God in vain." Not to remain silent anymore. Not to continue to have little, or no, participation in the grace of our ambassadorship.

And without a doubt, for us to receive this "grace of God in vain" any longer would not only be completely inconsistent with the great honour that it is for us to be "ambassadors for Christ," it would also be a direct repudiation of our Father's personal appeal to us to stop being a silent ambassador. For as Paul goes on to relate in verse 2, our Father Himself now concludes this beseeching by personally and individually appealing to us by saying, ...

2( .... I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in
 the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold,
 now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
 salvation.) (II Corinthians 6:2)

Indeed God the Father did hear both you and I "in a time accepted." And "in the day of salvation" He "succoured" us, just as He says. In doing so He not only reconciled us unto Himself when we responded positively to His "word of reconciliation," but He also granted His Son's request regarding us that we be honoured with the privilege of helping Him spread the "word of reconciliation"to others as His ambassadors.

Wherefore our Father says to us, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." And indeed it still is. Therefore we need to act like the "ambassadors for Christ" that we are, and enthusiastically labour together with God in His operation of evangelism, before it is no longer "the accepted time"; before it is no longer "the day of salvation."

Two Questions Remain

Now this has only been a brief and simple look at the grandeur and the glory of our ambassadorship for Christ, and at the lack of zeal for it that many of us possess. Nevertheless it has directed our attention to God's remedy to our problem, and it has described in gist-form the effectual working of that remedy. And though only briefly described, (with many details not even touched upon), clearly the honour we have of being "ambassadors for Christ" is a lofty one, being of the highest order. Without a doubt the full grandeur of the privilege is indescribable; the glory behind it is purely amazing; and its grace is ineffable.

Wherefore two questions remain: Have you been one who has been receiving this "grace of God in vain?" And if so, For how much longer are you going to do so?

- K. R. Blades

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CHRIST - THE BEGINNING
By FLOYD BAKER, Pastor


Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:18

"And He is the Head of the Body, the Church; WHO IS THE BEGINNING, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence." In verses 15 - 17 the apostle has declared that Christ is the means by which all things that are in heaven and that are in the earth were created and as such He is "the firstborn of every creature." Along with this we read at the close of verse 16, that "all things were created by Him, and for Him." Paul then goes on to declare that "by Him all things consist," i.e. are "held together." With this truth he is answering the false teaching of those who made the Lord Jesus Christ no more than one of many angels in a long line of angels from heaven to earth.

In the verse before us the apostle adds another dimension by declaring that Christ is "the Head of the Body, the Church: who is the Beginning, the firstborn from the dead." As far as Paul was concerned he left no area untouched concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. No matter how far back you go in creation He was there: He had no beginning, but all things had their beginning in Him. As to the present and the future Christ is the beginning as well. He sums it all up with the statement, "that in all things He might have the preeminence."

As Ernest R. Campbell writes in his commentary, "The obvious implication is that before the Colossians could or would give Jesus Christ first place in their lives, they had to know who He was and what He had done," It might be that this is true in your life as well, and we would urge you to believe the testimony of God's Word in this matter. We must say though, before you can know Him as the Head of the Church, you need to know Him as your Saviour. (See verses 20-22-).

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FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF
DICK WARE, Pastor

Scripture Reading: I Timothy 6:3-5

The Apostle Paul told the overseers of Ephesus in Acts 20:28-30, that savage wolves would come in among them not sparing the flock. He said they would speak perverse things, to draw away disciples after themselves. Paul warned Timothy in this letter about those who would teach any other doctrine, or fables (1:3). He also told him there would be those who would give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy (4:1, 2).

Who are the "such" Paul tells Timothy to withdraw from in 6:3-5? No doubt, they are some of the same ones Paul has had in mind all along. In 6:1, 2, they aren't teaching the saints submission and humility, but to rise and rebel; to assert their rights. These teachers aren't acknowledging that God committed to Paul: "wholesome words"; "the words of our Lord Jesus Christ"; and "the doctrine which is according to godliness" (vr. 3). They are ignorant and proud at the same time, and are obsessed with arguing and debating over words (vr.4). These are "destitute of the truth", and teach that Godliness is a means of gaining this world's goods (vr. 5). "From such withdraw thyself!"

Timothy was supposed to save (deliver) himself and his hearers (4:16). He was supposed to establish the saints in "the faith" (the body of truth for the Body of Christ.) To do this, it was, and still is necessary to "withdraw" from those who cause the saints to "depart from the faith" (4:1); who cause God's Name and doctrine to be blasphemed (6:1); and those who bring about envy, strife, evil suspicions, constant friction, and confusion (6:4,5) among the Body of Christ. From such withdraw thyself, because we're talking about eternal truths and eternal souls!

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HOME FREE!
By Miles Stanford


"Hath made us alive together with Christ" (Eph. 2:5).

The Father has placed us in His very heart, and He intends for our heart to find its place there.

"Think of the fast embrace with which I find myself held, right to the heart of my Father, when I discern my position in His Beloved Son. Grace, absolute sovereign grace, has set me there - to show its exceeding riches throughout time and eternity. What could effort of mine have done in this matter? What can failure of mine undo?" ---F.W.G.

"The first action of the Spirit in the soul for growth is to assure you of the Father's love for you, and then you are not thinking about yourself or your own state, but of Him; though no doubt you will be greatly exercised as to how you are answering to that love. Now you know you have a living bond with the Lord Jesus, you are linked with Him in spirit, and a new interest altogether is awakened in your heart; it is with Him you are occupied."---J.B.S.

"If I have lost the world and its things, what have I gained? I have a Person, and the love of that Person for my heart. And when I think of who that Person is, and how He has brought divine love to me, and how He draws my heart to Himself in an ineffable scene of divine affections, I begin to taste divine satisfaction."

"The Lord Jesus by His death has undertaken to remove all my unsuitability. And by that death I am entitled to be with the Father and the Son as one set free from all that attached to me as a child of fallen Adam. It is a love which has removed for its own satisfaction everything that I am morally as of the race of Adam, so that I might be free in the presence of that love." ---C.A.C.

"Hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6).

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THE FRUITS OF THE RESURRECTION
  by C. R. Stam


 The fruits of our Lord's resurrection from the dead are many and important.

  First, there were immediate results. It silenced those who had ridiculed His claims, and struck terror into their hearts. It explained how the prophecies would be fulfilled which predicted the death of Christ and the kingdom glory to follow. It heartened His followers, making cowards bold, turning their fear into faith, their sorrow into joy and their despair into glorious victory.

  Then there were also long range results, for our Lord's resurrection is a warning to unbelievers:

 "Because [God] hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31. See also John 5:22,27; Acts 10:42).

 As to believers, first, Christ's resurrection from the dead assures us that our debt of sin has been fully paid:

 "[HE] 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" (Rom. 4:25; 5:1).

 Second, His resurrection gives us a living Savior to help us in our daily walk.

  "WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST THAT COME UNTO GOD BY HIM, SEEING HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM" (Heb. 7:25).

 Third, His resurrection is the pledge of our own:

 "FOR IF WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN, EVEN SO THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING [FROM THE DEAD] WITH HIM" (I Thes. 4:14; cf. Heb. 13:20).

 "BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO, ACCORDING TO HIS ABUNDANT MERCY, HATH BEGOTTEN US AGAIN UNTO A LIVING HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD" (I Pet. 1:3).

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LOVE TRIALS
By Miles Stanford


"I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly unto her" (Hosea 2:14).

As we begin to grow, we are governed; as we begin to mature, we are allured.

"By trial our Father reveals whether we can suffer His will as well as do it. By trial He weans us from the world, draws us to His Son, drives us to the Word and to prayer, and shows us our hearts, and makes us humble. We are to learn to be patient in the days of darkness. Our trials are not meant to do us harm, but good. Our Father chastens us 'for our profit, that we may become partakers of His holiness' (Heb. 12:10)." ---J.C.R.

"The great teaching of the wilderness is dependence upon the Father. The really heavenly man must be in a scene like this the most dependent man; and whenever anyone learns his heavenly calling truly, and walks according to it conscientiously, he ever finds that new circumstances or trials occur, to keep him dependent; so that the truly heavenly man is the best wilderness man."

"If our affections are true to the glorified Lord Jesus, they will make this world a wilderness to us; but if our affections do not make it a wilderness, His government will. The Father loves us too well to allow our hearts to nestle here; and He makes us conscious that it is a wilderness that He may have opportunity in our loneliness and our sorrow to speak to our hearts. The Voice that could not be heard in the din and bustle, and amid the laughter of the city, can be heard in the silence and solitude of the wilderness." ---C.A.C.

"Why has the Father brought you to despair? In order to stop you looking for any ground of hope in yourself; that you should not trust in yourself, but in God Who raiseth the dead."

"For the Father Himself  loveth you" (John 16:27).

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God's Plan for My Pain
by Anabel Gillham

I really resist (or do I resent?) the trite words that are often given as sage advice to someone who is going through difficult times.

Well, just think about poor Aunt Pearl (or your sister, or someone you knew thirteen years ago, or someone you don’t even know). What if you were in her shoes? You can always find someone who has more problems than you do. Be thankful that yours are not as bad as theirs. Just think about that . . . you know, walking in their moccasins for two weeks.

Nope. That’s not what I need to hear. I don’t want my needs or my circumstances to be minimized. They are very real to me. Pressing. Hurting. Stressful. No two problems are alike. Your needs are critically important to you. My needs are critically important to me.

God doesn’t minimize my needs or compare them with "Aunt Pearl’s," but comparing God’s grace with my needs blows the cobwebs out of my thinking wheels. How big is God’s grace? Big enough to take care of my needs? Oh, yes.

But the difficulty arises both in allowing Him to meet my needs--in His way, in His timing--and in determining what my real need is. I may think it’s money to pay a debt when He would say, "No, Anabel. You need to learn discipline in taking care of the material things I have given you." I may think my need is release from a circumstance that I am in when He would tenderly admonish me, "No, my sweet Anabel. You need to practice endurance." I may be praying for release from pain. This, Lord, is my need. Once again He would say, "No, Anabel. You need to learn true compassion."

So once again I say, "I trust You, Lord." You have made me and You are now busy conforming me to Your image. I want that. I don’t want the pain and the stress and the frustration, but I can’t have one without the other. I guess it’s kind of like having a baby. It would be nice to have him without the nine months of being nauseated and the discomfort of carrying him around all the time in my tummy, not to mention the intense pain of helping him make his way into our world. But that’s a part of motherhood. I can’t separate one from the other.

My deepest thanks to You, my precious Lord, for your willingness to go through all of these things with me . . . for me . . . through me . . . and for letting me know the expected outcome: to be like You.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:28,29

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STANDING FAST IN THE FAITH
By JOEL FINCK, Pastor.


Scripture Reading: I Corinthians 16:13

Few things are as important in the Christian life as taking a stand. In a world where being popular seems to be all important, it is rare indeed to find an individual who consistently obeys Paul's admonition, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" (I Corinthians 16:13). Standing fast in the faith involves maturity. This is what Paul means by the expression, "quit ye (literally, 'conduct yourselves') like men."

Taking a stand often involves both the positive and the negative. As believers in the Gospel of the Grace of God committed to the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:24), we must heed Paul's God-given instruction to Timothy, "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God" (II Tim. 1:8.). This is a positive step; standing for the truth of the gospel.

But there is also a need to stand against error and compromise. Paul instructed Titus concerning the "many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers...whose mouths must be stopped," to "rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth" (see Titus 1:10-14).

The Gospel of Grace is under attack today both overtly and through neglect. It is up to us who know and love this glorious message to both proclaim it boldly and defend it from those who would compromise its contents. If we do not do so, who will?

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EPHESIANS 1:21
"Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come"



In the book of Ephesians, Paul has much to say about the "powers" in heavenly places. The Greek word translated "powers" in Ephesians 1:21 and 3:10, speak of DELEGATED AUTHORITY and refers to political authority like that of a magistrate. Thus, in these passages, Paul is speaking of the delegated authority of magistrates who are ruling in the heavenlies. These "powers" are the same "powers" with whom we "WRESTLE" (Ephesians 6:12). These "powers" are the fallen angels to whom Satan has delegated authority to rule over God's creation. Today, Satan, as the "God of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4) and as the "Prince of the power of the air" Ephesians 2:2), has usurped the positions predetermined by God to be filled by the Body of Christ, the Church of this dispensation (Ephesians 1:22,23).

Even though Satan has his magistrates ruling over God' s creation today, he has not won the victory, for Ephesians 1:20 and 21 states that Christ has been raised into heaven "far above all principalities, and powers." 0ne day, very soon I believe, Christ will call an end to this dispensation of the Grace of God and will call the saints of his age up unto Himself in the heavenlies. At that time, Satan and his host of fallen angels will be removed from those  "seats" of authority and these "seats" will be given to the members of the Body of Christ, for we have been promised that if we suffer with Him we will also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12).

Today, the ministry of the Body of Christ is to "make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery" (Ephesians 3:9) "to the intent that ---the powers in heavenly places" (Ephesians 3:10) might know the manifold wisdom of God. They will know this "wisdom" by the position that has been given to the Church, the Body of Christ.


By Pastor M. Duncan

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Now Is The Time
by Steve McVey


The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, describes Martin Luther as a man “whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.” That’s quite a statement to be said about a priest who lived 500 years ago.  The course of history was changed by one man who had the courage to point out that what people were being told at church was wrong and then had the courage to declare the truth.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that after eight years of postgraduate study, I had never actually read Luther’s 95 Thesis until I came across an English copy on the Internet. I’d only studied about it. You may remember that when he began to work toward The Reformation that would ultimately turn the religious world of his day upside down, Luther nailed a paper with his ninety-five complaints about the Catholic Church and the priesthood on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

You can google it and read the English translation of what he had to say. The thing that strikes me is how bold he was. He didn’t mince words, that’s for sure. When told he must recant from what he had written, Luther is reputed to have said, “Here I stand. I can do nothing else. God help me.”

The Reformation came because of the resolute determination of a revolutionary who said, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God.” Luther decided to stand firm on God’s Word even if the whole church world opposed him.

It’s amazing how the religious world has always opposed grace. Jesus dealt with it when He showed grace to people. The Apostle Paul dealt with it when he taught pure grace to the Galatians. Across the ages, those who find their value in their own religious performance have hated grace. They hate it because they’re afraid.

They’re scared that grace might be abused— that people might take it too far and go sin-crazy. They’re afraid that people might stop doing the things at the church that make “the wheels of the bus go ‘round and ‘round.” They’re fearful that, if it’s true, they will have wasted their lives desperately trying to succeed in a system (legalism) that they now would discover isn’t even the right playing field.

What’s the answer for those who know and love the grace of God? Love the legalist and boldly proclaim the truth. I was a hardcore legalist for the first 29 years of my Christian life. I loved Jesus. I wanted to make a lasting spiritual difference in this world. I’ve often said that my problem wasn’t a heart problem. It was a head problem. I just didn’t understand grace for Christian living. Thank God, in 1990, all that began to change. Life has never been the same since.

We live in exciting times. The world has never been more vulnerable to destruction and disaster. That type of environment is ripe for the revolution of grace to gain momentum at an incredible rate.  People are willing to listen when they think that life, as they know it, may change for the worst.  Ahmadinejad, $4.00 a gallon gas, Iraq, Afghanistan, McCain vs. Obama, real estate bubble burst —the list of reasons why our future could radically change could go on and on.

God’s prophets have always shown up in the face of impending disaster. That is happening now. He is raising up a host of grace prophets who are ready to take a stand and proclaim His grace in their towns. They are doing it in their churches, on their jobs, in their homes through Grace Walk Groups. They have a fire in their souls to share this message. They want to be revolutionaries of righteousness.

The time is now. Will you stand with us in proclaiming the grace of God? As you read the articles in this issue of The Grace Vine, you will see ways you can make a difference. Do it. The time is now. We've compromised the gospel long enough. God is doing something big in the arena of grace. Don’t stand on the sidelines. Take your part in writing history—His story—as we spread the message of the grace walk everywhere.