Two Minutes With The Bible

[Brother Love]

LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS

By Cornelius R. Stam

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us" (II Cor. 4:6,7).

Any instructed Christian reading this passage from the
pen of the Apostle Paul naturally goes back in his mind to
the time when God first said: "Let there be light," and dis-
pelled the darkness of the primeval world.

He might also recall the incident related in the book of
Judges, when Gideons army went to battle against the
Midianites, each man with a sword in one hand, and a lamp
hidden within a pitcher in the other. At Gideons command
the soldiers broke the earthen vessels and the lights shone
out to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy, who could
not account for the crash and the blaze of light at this
midnight hour.

For every believer God has caused light, wonderful light,
to shine out of the darkness and fill the heart, just as once
He said to the dark and chaotic earth: "Let there be light --
and there was light."

But we believers have come into "the light of the knowl-
edge of the glory of God" by coming to know Christ. Our
Lord rightly said: "No man cometh unto the Father but by
Me" (John 14:6). God is unknown and unknowable apart
from Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh. It was He
who lived a perfect life and then died a sinners death in
order to bring us into relationship and fellowship with God.

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

Two Minutes With The Bible


A CHRISTIAN OBLIGATION

By Cornelius R. Stam

Three times in Rom. 1:14-16, the Apostle Paul uses the
phrase "I am," and each one carries an important message
for every true believer in Christ.

First he says in Verse 14:  "I am debtor" -- debtor to all
men, to tell them about the saving work of Christ.  But why
was he indebted to people he had never even seen?  For
several reasons.

First, he had in his hand what they needed to be saved
from the penalty and power of sin.  If I see a drunkard lying
across the railroad track and I do nothing about it, am I not
a murderer if he is killed by the train?  If I see a man
drowning and I have a life buoy in my hand but do not
throw it to him, am I not a murderer if he goes down for
the last time?  If I see millions of lost souls about me and,
knowing the message of salvation, do not tell them, am I
not guilty if they die without Christ?

Further, Paul felt himself a debtor to others, because the
Christ who had died for his sins had also died for the sins of
others.  As he says in II Cor. 5:14,15: "Christ died for all,
that they which live should not henceforth live unto them-
selves but unto Him who died for them and rose again."

Finally, the Christ who had died for Pauls sins, had
commissioned him to tell others of His saving grace.  Thus
he says in I Cor. 9:16,17:

"Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel!  For... a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me."

Paul could say further what every true believer should be
able to say:  Not, "I am debtor, but," but rather, "I am debt-
or... SO, as much as in me is I AM READY" (Rom. 1:15).  
He was ready to discharge his debt because he had that
with which to discharge it -- the wonderful "gospel of the
grace of God."  And he did indeed make this message known
to others with all that was in him.

And now the third "I am": "I am debtor... so I am ready
.. for I AM NOT ASHAMED of the gospel of Christ, for it
is the power of God unto salvation to every one that be-
lieveth..." (Ver. 16).  Paul was always proud to own Christ
as the mighty Savior from sin.  Do you know Christ as your
Savior?  Do you tell others about Him?

[Brother Love]

Two Minutes With The Bible

GO, AND SIN NO MORE

By Cornelius R. Stam

The self-righteous Pharisees had brought a fallen woman
to Jesus and "when they had set her in the midst," they be-
gan to accuse her, saying: "Now Moses in the law command-
ed us that such should be stoned, but what sayest Thou?"
(John 8:5).

They were using this fallen woman to embarrass the Lord
into either agreeing that she should be stoned, or else leav-
ing Himself open to a charge of repudiating Moses law.

At first He made "as though He heard them not," but
when they continued asking they got what they asked for!
Simply answering: "He that is without sin among you, let
him first cast a stone at her," the Lord turned away again to
let that sentence do its work. They had "set her in the
midst." Now He had set them in the midst and, "convicted
by their own consciences," they "went out one by one" (Ver.
9).

There stood the woman now, alone before Him. What a
combination: a great sinner and a great Savior! Since none
of the Pharisees had dared to cast a stone at her, the Lord
said: "Neither do I condemn thee. Go, and sin no more"
(Ver. 11).

Thus the Lord graciously forgave the sinner-woman, yet
without ignoring the demands of the Law. He had not
denied that the woman deserved punishment. He had only
pointed out that the Pharisees themselves were sinners;
that they, like she, needed a Savior.

Thank God! Since "Christ died for our sins," God can
justly forgive us -- and He will, if we but acknowledge our
sin and our need of a Savior, and do not join the self-
righteous who forever keep "going about to establish their
own righteousness" (Rom. 10:3).

God is very gracious to those who will acknowledge their
sin and their need.

"FOR THE SAME LORD OVER ALL IS RICH UNTO ALL THAT CALL
UPON HIM, FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF
THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED" (Rom. 10:12,13).

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Subscribe at:

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

JUDGMENT IN THE KINGDOM

By Russell S. Miller

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again...." (See Matthew 7:1-6).

Many precious souls have "wrongly divided" this passage of Gods Word, and consequently feel quite ill at ease when a brother corrects their doctrinal and practical errors with the revelation given to Paul in his epistles.

It was Pauls earnest prayer that believers would judge the things that are more "excellent" regarding the truth of Gods Word, "rightly divided":

"AND THIS I PRAY, THAT YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND YET MORE AND MORE IN KNOWLEDGE AND IN ALL JUDGMENT;
"That ye may APPROVE things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the Day of Christ" (Phil.1:9-10).

So now we have a contradiction! In one place it says, "Dont judge", but here in Pauls Philippians epistle, it clearly says that we are to "judge". What are we to do? What are we to believe? Who is right, our Lord, or His Apostle, Paul?

Since our Lord Himself first revealed to Paul "that blindness in part [has] happened to Israel" (Rom.11:25), which has resulted in the setting aside of the favored nation, it would be wise to FOLLOW PAUL AS HE FOLLOWS CHRIST (ICor.4:16; 11:1; Rom.11:13; 16:25,26).

Remember, the constitution of "the Kingdom of Heaven" is found in "the Sermon on the Mount" of Matthew 5,6,7. It deals with Gods earthly people Israel (Matt.5:3,5,10,19,20), not with us, the members of the Body of Christ. This is the same Kingdom that was given to David (II Sam. 7), spoken of by Daniel (2:36-45), promised in all the prophets (Isa.11:1-10; 35; Jer.23:5; Eze. 37:24,25), and proclaimed "at hand" by John the Baptist, Christ, and the Twelve (Matt.3:2; 4:17; 10:7).
And, during the days of Pentecost this very Kingdom was actually offered to Israel and her leaders (Acts 2:14,22,36; 4:5-12) by the Apostle Peter:

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
"And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of [restoration] of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:19-21).

But Israel continued to reject Messiah, stood by that murderous, awful deed of Christs crucifixion, and refused the Lords gracious calls to repentance through water baptism (Acts 2:38), committing yet another wickedness, the unpardonable sin of Matthew 12:31,32 in the stoning death of Stephen in Acts 7:54-60.

In this Kingdom, Christ "shall sit in the throne of His glory" and the Twelve Apostles "shall sit upon twelve thrones JUDGING the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt.19:28). There will be no room for the "hypocrite" with "the beam in his eye".


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Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

THE RESURRECTION MOURNING

By Cornelius R. Stam

"But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John
20:11). Why did she weep? Because the tomb was empty!
What needless sorrows follow in the wake of unbelief!

Those tear-dimmed eyes did not see the evidence of the
Lords resurrection. And when the angels asked: "Why
weepest thou?" she said: "Because they have taken away my
Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." Poor
woman! She would rather have found His body there!

But here are two on their way to Emmaus, no less sor-
rowful. They are talking together about all that has hap-
penned during the past few days and "[as] they communed
together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near and went
with them, but their eyes were holden that they should not
know Him. And He said unto them: What manner of com-
munications are these that ye have one to another, as ye
walk, and are sad?" (Luke 24:15-17).

The word "walk" here does not mean to walk on but to
walk about -- to wander aimlessly. They were on their way
to Emmaus, but they were so brokenhearted that they did
not care whether or not they got there.

What had caused them to give up hope? Listen to their
own explanations: "We trusted that it had been He which
should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the
third day since these things were done" (Luke 24:21).

They had given up hope because this was the third day
since the Lords crucifixion, yet this was the very day He
was to rise from the dead, according to His own oft-
repeated promise.

Mary weeps because the tomb is empty! The two disciples
are brokenhearted because this is now the third day since
His death! We smile at the irony of unbelief.

But what about ourselves? The risen, glorified Christ
exercises far greater power and offers far greater blessings
to believers now than His followers of old knew anything
about.

"Oh, what peace we often forfeit! Oh, what needless pain
we bear!" All because we do not take God at His Word.


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Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

THE BIBLE ON THE FLOOR

By Cornelius R. Stam

"...Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name" (Psa. 138:2).
       
As I passed by my study the other night, I noticed that I
had left a Bible lying on the floor next to a chair. In study-
ing I had put it down momentarily to consult a reference
book and had neglected to pick it up again.
       
Now, as I caught a fleeting glimpse of that blessed Book
lying there, it bothered me; in fact it bothered me enough
to make me go back and pick it up and put it where it be-
longed.

Then I began wondering why so trivial a matter had trou-
bled me. Was it because I remembered how dad would
never allow anything to lie on top of the Bible? Had mere
sentiment confused my thinking?
       
Surely the Word of God is forever settled in heaven and
that book lying on the floor was only paper, ink and a
leather cover. Or was it? Was it not also the Word of God
as given to us? And as such, was it not representative of
God Himself? If our countrys flag must be treated with
honor and respect; if it is sacrilege to treat it as mere cloth,
how much more is this so where the Holy Bible is con-
cerned!
       
No, it was not merely dads example that came to mind as
I saw the Bible lying there: certainly it was not only that.  
Rather it was a Scripture passage of which he often re-
minded us; the inspired words of David quoted above:
       
"Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name."
       
To be sure God would have us use His Word as a text-
book from which to learn His will. It is no sign of reverence
for this great Book to leave it lying untouched on the shelf.  
He would have us use it and study it, perhaps underlining
important passages and marking significant connections.  
But with all this we must never forget to treat it with the
reverence and honor due the written Word of God.

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Subscribe at:

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

GODS PROMISE vs. MANS EFFORTS

By Cornelius R. Stam

"For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath..."(Rom. 4:14,15).

This should be self-evident to us all. If blessing is gained
by the works of the Law, it is earned. This is why Gal. 3:18
says: "If the inheritance be of the law it is no more of prom-
ise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise."

The Apostle Paul, Gods great apostle of grace, declares in
Rom. 4:4,5:

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

But lets go back to that phrase: "the law worketh wrath."
Many people somehow do not see this. Even some clergy-
men tell us that the Law was given to help us to be good.
But God Himself says, "the law worketh wrath." Every
criminal knows this, and every sinner should know it. God
certainly places strong emphasis upon it:

"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of
transgressions" (Gal. 3:19), "that every mouth may be stop-
ped, and all the world may be brought in guilty before God"
(Rom. 3:19). "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowl-
edge of sin" (Rom. 3:20).

If we come to God expecting eternal life because of our
good works, are we not offering Him our terms, which He
can never accept? He will never sell salvation at any price,
and certainly not for a few paltry "good" works, when our
lives are filled with failure and sin.

Our only hope? God has promised to give eternal life to
those who trust in His Son (John 3:35,36; Acts 16:31; etc.).
"The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our
Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

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Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

THE NATURE OF GRACE

By Cornelius R. Stam

To a young Christian who kept bemoaning his failures
and lack of spiritual growth, and wondering how God could
love him, a more mature believer responded substantially
as follows:

"When I leave here and return to my home I will pick up
my little baby girl and put her on my knee. Tired as I am, I
will dandle her on my knee and, somehow, looking into that
darling face and those pretty blue eyes, I will soon feel
rested and refreshed.

"This is strange, in a way, for she does not love me. She
doesnt even know what love is.

"She doesnt appreciate my problems and has no sym-
pathy for me. My heart can be burdened with grief or filled
with anxiety, and my mind vexed with difficult problems,
but she doesnt even know or care. She just keeps gurgling
and giggling at the attention I lavish upon her.

"She doesnt contribute one cent toward the needs of our
family; indeed, she costs me a great deal of money and will
for years to come. Yet I love that child more than I can say.
There is no sacrifice I would not make for her; no good
thing I would not gladly give her."

Such is the grace of God toward us, His children. It does
not depend upon our faithfulness to Him or our apprecia-
tion of His love to us. He loves us with an unspeakable love
and keeps lavishing upon us "the riches of His grace" sim-
ply because we are His children in Christ, the Beloved One.

And strangely, is it not precisely this fact that proves to
be our greatest incentive to give ourselves to Him in loving
service and sacrifice as we grow in grace?

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Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

HOW THE SPIRIT HELPS

By Cornelius R. Stam

"The Spirit... helpeth our infirmities" (Rom. 8.26).
       
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. If one link
in a chain will hold one hundred pounds, another fifty, and
another ten, the chain as a whole will hold ten pounds, no
more. This is why James 2:10 says:
       
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
       
Many people suppose that we will be saved or lost ac-
cording to how good or bad we have been. This is not so. It
is not a question of how good or bad we have been, but of
whether or not we have sinned. A man need commit only
one robbery to be a robber, burn only one house to be an
arsonist, kill only one human being to be a murderer -- and
commit only one sin to be a sinner. This is why the Word of
God says that all are sinners.
       
How wonderful to know that in grace "Christ died for our
sins" and that by simple faith in Him we may be saved and
fully justified before God! (Rom. 5:6,8,10).
       
But born-again Christians find that the above principle is
just as true of them as of the unbeliever. None of us is any
stronger than his weakest point. Frightening, isnt it, es-
pecially when we consider that Satan constantly attacks us
at our weakest point to wreck our testimony if he can.
       
But here is where the believer can rejoice that "the Spirit
..helpeth our infirmities" (Rom. 8:26). He dwells within to
help in time of need, so that we need not fail (Rom. 8:11,12).
This does not mean, however, that He takes control of us
without being called upon, as He did "when the day of Pen-
tecost was fully come." Unlike the Pentecostal believers, we
live under "the dispensation of the grace of God."  What God
provides by grace we must appropriate by faith. Thus in
any given case we may have victory. Indeed it is concerning
the weak brother in Christ that Paul declares by inspira-
tion: "God is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14:4).


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Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

"WITHOUT FORM AND VOID"

By Russell S. Miller

"I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light" (Jeremiah 4:23).

The reason that "the earth" was "without form, and void" in this passage is not because God had created it that way. Rather the "fury" of His wrath had "come forth like fire" upon Palestine (Jer.4:1-31).

But some supposed the "without form, and void" in Genesis 1:2 is the result of His judgment! But how can this be! Sin had not entered until Adams fall (Gen.3:1-24). Satan was still "Lucifer, son of the morning", and had not yet "fallen from heaven" (Isa.14:12-17; Ezek.28:13-19). Rather we believe that it is exactly as Gods Word records creation:

"...AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVED UPON THE FACE OF THE WATERS" (Gen.1:2).

Thus, "In the beginning", upon the first day, when "God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen.1:1) "without form, and void" (1:2), it was empty and desolate because He was not finished with His creation. And upon this "ocean" of His creative genius, He but spoke the words and His almighty power brought forth this beautiful earth in six successive days, as recorded in Genesis 1:1-31.

"THUS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE FINISHED, AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM. And on the Seventh Day God ended His work which He had...created and made" (Gen.2:1-3).

Genesis One records the day by day account of the creation of heaven and earth. Otherwise "sin" would have "entered" the world before Adam which, of course, is not only unscriptural, but it is not even Pauline (Rom.5:12).

However, as God commanded Nebuchadnezzar to march against Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, in Jeremiahs day (Jer.4:6,7), so the Great Commander of all the Hosts of Heaven shall issue a counter declaration of war upon all mankind for its rejection of Christ. Revelation 19:11-16 describes "the King of kings, and Lord of lords" riding upon "a white horse...and in righteousness He doth judge and make war".

But for now God has "good news" for you. He loves you with an everlasting love. This is why He sent Christ to die for our sins on Calvary.

The Apostle Paul preached that "the forgiveness of sins" (Eph.1:7) is based upon the shed blood of our Redeemer, Saviour, Creator, and Friend; the Lord Jesus Christ.

"GOD IS FAITHFUL" and you can trust Him. He wants to save you from your sins. And, my friend, He will save you from "the wrath to come" also, if you will only believe Him (IThes.4:13-18).
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Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com



2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

WHOS BEEN GOOD TO WHOM?

By Cornelius R. Stam

As I left a restaurant, recently, the cashier and part
owner asked how "the pastor" was feeling. I replied: "Fine.
The Lord has been very good to me."
       
With this she began to tell how good the Lord had been to
her. She had come to America from Greece and had raised a
family and prospered here until now, with her family, she
owned and operated a good-sized restaurant. "So," she said,
"the Lord has been good to me," and after a moments hesi-
tation, "but then, Ive been good to Him too!"
       
Imagine! How He needed her! It is sad, but this is the low
conception of God held by many religious, but unsaved
people. They entertain the strange notion that if they put a
few dollars into the Church, God ought to bless them -- or
the still more foolish notion that if they are good to others,
He ought to be good to them!
       
But He owes us nothing just because we may have been
good to others! And even if we sought only to please Him,
this would not make Him our debtor. He does not need us.
There is nothing we can do to enrich Him. This is why
Eph. 2:8-10 declares that salvation is "not of yourselves,"
and "not of works, lest any man should boast."
       
No, we cannot gain His favor by "being good to Him."
Yet, it is true that His children will be rewarded for faith-
fulness to Him. This is not a dispensational matter; it is a
promise that God has always held out to His people (Dan.
12:3; Matt. 25:21; I Cor. 4:5; I Thes. 2:19; II Tim. 4:7,8;
I Pet. 5:1). But such rewards are "rewards of grace."
       
Let us who know Him, then, seek above all else to be
faithful in our service to Him, not to gain acceptance with
God, for He has already "made us accepted in the Beloved"
(Eph. 1:6), but rather out of love and gratitude to Him who
gave Himself for us.

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Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com



2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

SATAN AND THE TRUTH

By Cornelius R. Stam

"If any man be in Christ he is a new creation..." (II Cor. 5:17).
       
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus..." (Eph.
2:10).
       
"And ye are complete in Him..." (Col. 2:10).
       
"In Christ!" What a glorious truth! What a high and holy
position! No religious ceremony, neither circumcision nor
baptism, needed to make us spiritually complete. God only
asks now: "Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are
called" (Eph. 4:1).

Many Christians are satisfied with salvation through the
blood of Christ, but God wants us to have much more than
this. He wants us to have "the full assurance of understand-
ing" (Col. 2:2), to know the security, the blessedness, the
glory of a position in Christ. He wants us to know "the ex-
ceeding riches of His grace" (Eph. 2:7), and to enjoy "all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3).
       
But Satan does not!

For proclaiming these glorious truths the Apostle Paul
was bitterly opposed on every hand, even by some saved
religious leaders of his day.

And Satan has not changed!

Proclaim this message today and "your adversary the
devil" will soon be roused to action. He hates this message
of grace which the glorified Lord revealed through Paul
(Eph. 3:1-3) and let us not be asleep to the fact that, as in
Pauls day, he will again seek to use even saved religious
leaders, evangelical "big guns," if he can, to oppose it, thus
robbing Christ of His glory and believers of their blessings.


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

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

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

Web Site:
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2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

THE DAY OF ITCHING EARS

By Cornelius R. Stam

For the professing Church the day of theological con-
troversy has passed. Ecumenism is now the word on every
tongue. Church leaders appear to have become convinced
that the stifling confusion in the Church can be overcome
only by all of us getting together, minimizing our differ-
ences and emphasizing those doctrines on which we all
agree. As a result some of the most important doctrines of
Scripture are neither denied nor affirmed; they are ignored.
But little matter, for the objective now is not to be true to
the written Word of God, but to see to it that the Church is
"strong" and commands the worlds respect.
       
Ecumenism, sad to say, has made significant inroads
among evangelical believers too. All too seldom do men of
God stand up to defend by the Scriptures the truths they
believe and proclaim. Theological debate has given place to
the dialogue, in which two individuals or groups sit down
together to discuss their differences and see if there is not
some basis for agreement. This appears generous and objec-
tive but too often convictions are compromised and the
truth watered down by such undertakings, with the result
that the Spirits power is sacrificed for numerical strength.
No man of God can speak in the power of the Spirit when
he places anything before the Word and Will of God. Nor
can the Church ever be truly united and strong unless she
puts Gods Word and Will first and takes her place in the
world as Christs embassy on alien territory (See II Cor.
5:20).

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

Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com



2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

A TWOFOLD PURPOSE

By Cornelius R. Stam

Have you ever noticed the wording of the majestic state-
ment with which the Bible opens?
       
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1).
       
It does not say that God created "the universe," but "the
heaven" and "the earth."

This is because God had a special purpose for the earth
quite distinct from His purpose for the rest of the universe.
This purpose concerning the earth and the nations to dwell
upon it is progressively revealed in the Scriptures. We look
forward to its glorious consummation when "the earth shall
be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the
sea" - when the Christ who was crucified here shall come
into His right, reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords.
       
But God also had a very special purpose concerning heav-
en which He kept hidden in His own heart of love until
mans sin and rebellion had reached their climax. Then He
stooped down, saved the "chief of sinners" and used him to
make known the wondrous secret of His purpose to offer
to sinners everywhere, salvation by grace through faith
alone, reconciling them to Himself in one body by the cross
and giving them a present position and a future prospect in
the highest heavens.
       
Gods purpose concerning the earth and Christs reign
upon it is the subject of prophecy (Luke 1:68-76), His pur-
pose concerning heaven and our exaltation there with
Christ is the subject of "the mystery" (Eph. 2:4-10; 3:1-4).
Into these two great subjects the Scriptures are basically
divided.

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

Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com



2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

UNTIL WHEN?

By Cornelius R. Stam

One of the greatest prophecies of Scripture is found in
Psalm 110:1 where David wrote: "The Lord said unto my
Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies
Thy footstool."

In Matt. 22:41-46 our Lord explained that this was a
prophecy about Himself, Davids Son and Lord. Men might
hate Him and cry "Away with Him!" They might nail Him
to a tree and laugh and sneer at Him, but God the Father
responds by saying: "Here, come sit at My right hand until I
make your enemies your footstool."

We should never forget that according to Bible prophecy
Gods response to mans rejection of Christ was to be judg-
ment and wrath. In Psalm 2 the question is asked why
the nations rage and the people of Israel imagine a vain
thing: that they can get along without the One whom God
has anointed to be King. The Psalm depicts God laughing
at their attempts to thwart His purposes and predicts that
"the Lord shall have them in derision" and "speak unto them
in His wrath."

At Pentecost all was ready for the judgment to fall.
Christ had been crucified and "the last days" had begun, as
Peter declared in Acts 2:16,17, quoting from the prophet
Joel. But strangely, while some of Joels prophecy was ful-
filled, or began to be fulfilled, at that time, the rest of it
was not, for God did not -- and has not yet -- sent the proph-esied judgment.

Thank God, in infinite grace He interrupted the prophetic
program, delayed the remainder of its fulfillment and re-
vealed to the Apostle Paul His secret purpose to offer to His
enemies everywhere salvation and reconciliation by free
grace, through faith in the crucified, risen Savior.

In His Ephesian letter the Apostle asks whether they
have heard of "the dispensation of the grace of God, which is
given me to you-ward; how that by revelation He made
known unto me the mystery" (Eph. 3:1-3). Now, thank God,
His eternal purpose in Christ is no longer a secret. While
the day of grace lasts we may be "justified freely by His
grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom.
3:24).

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

Subscribe at:

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

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

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

Email: berean@execpc.com



2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.