Two Minutes With The Bible

[Brother Love]

"THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH"

By Russell S. Miller

Some suppose that somehow, in the final analysis, their "good works" will outweigh the bad works they do and God will accept them into His heaven. But is it good works that save?

Of the first two children born into this world, Cain brought of the fruit of the ground--that, which his works had produced--with which to worship the Lord, while Abel, his brother, offered the sacrificial lamb that God required.

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb.11:4).

God rejected Cains offering because he had not obeyed the Lord God. But a far greater sacrifice than Abels has been offered on our behalf. "CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS" (ICor.15:3). Now the question must be asked, Have you believed the Lord in this? As long as men continue in unbelief, and reject the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, they will remain angry and bitter and wicked sinners in the sight of a thrice Holy God.

Such are the deeds of those who place their will over the written Word of God, as their evil doings are reported daily over radio, TV and in our newspapers.

But God is able to turn "the wickedness of men" into the greatest good, as we have seen. For, when wicked men crucified the Lord, little did they know "that God was in Christ, RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO HIMSELF, not imputing their trespasses unto them..." (IICor.5:19).
Little did they know, that this event in history--the crucifixion of Christ--would bring "to nought" all this worlds wisdom. Little did they know, that God had a secret eternal purpose in Christ:

"Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (ICor.2:.

Study Gods Word, especially the Epistles of St. Paul, and discover that Christ IS the great Victor over sin, death, the grave, and hell. You will also be rejoicing in all that He accomplished on Calvarys cross--"the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (IITim.2:10), and His "more excellent sacrifice", to which all the types and shadows pointed.

"The preaching of the cross" constitutes the obedience of faith today. It is therefore faith, and faith alone, in the finished work of Christ that saves:

"NEITHER BY THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED IN ONCE INTO THE HOLY PLACE, HAVING OBTAINED ETERNAL REDEMPTION FOR US" (Heb.9:12).

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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]

THE GOSPEL PRODUCES ASSURANCE

By Russell S. Miller

"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake" (IThes.1:5).

Many people do not have assurance in these days in which we live. They base their salvation upon what some man has said, or upon some church doctrine, rather than Gods Word. Even their so-called "good works" cannot please God because they have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and refused to believe Pauls God-given "gospel" of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

"In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph.1:7).

The Lord has told us that "the gift of God IS ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.6:23). If Gods "gift" is eternal life, and we are "justified by [Christs] blood" (Rom.5:9), should we not believe what God has said? He is well able to perform that which He has said He will do.

"BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING, THAT HE WHICH HATH BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL PERFORM IT UNTIL THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST" (Phil.1:6).

The "performance", here, also goes beyond our salvation to include our daily walk with Him. It is true that "we are HIS workmanship" (Eph.2:10), but it is equally true that we are to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil.2,12). "Shall we continue in sin [then], that grace may abound?" (Rom.6:1). Paul answers this with an emphatic: "GOD FORBID. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom.6:2). This lifestyle does not produce assurance; it rather produces guilt as we can readily see from the world about us! It therefore behooves every child of God to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

"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 (Rom. 12:1,2).

There is more. To the yielded believer, "God works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil.2:13). Indeed our wonderful Saviour desires greater things yet - "That our hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the FULL ASSURANCE of understanding, to the acknowledgment [full knowledge] of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ" (Col.2:2).

This is the "gospel" that "established" the believers at Thessalonica and also produces assurance in us today. Listen to what the Apostle wrote in his first letter to them:

"For OUR gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance...." When we believe Pauls gospel, we have that assurance of being true "FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD" (IThess.1:5,6).

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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]

TWO SIDES OF ONE COIN

By Cornelius R. Stam

"I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved" (II Cor. 12:15).

The true man of God will faithfully serve the congrega-
tion which the Lord has entrusted to him without thought
of reward. Like Paul, he will "gladly spend and be spent"
for them even if his toil and sacrifice go unappreciated.
Where the congregation is too small to support him fully he
will cheerfully engage in enough secular work to supply the
deficiency. This is as it should be for, in ministering to his
people, he is serving God.

But there is another side to this coin, for Christian
assemblies should appreciate the ministries of their pastors
in their behalf. This is especially so where the minister
gives himself unstintingly for his flock.

It is a sad fact that too many pastors are grossly under-
paid. Most of the members of the congregation would not be
willing to live on the low economic level on which they keep
their pastor and his family living for years on end. He must
be willing to sacrifice, but they must not be deprived of any
of the luxuries to which they are accustomed. They do not
realize how discouraging it can be for the pastor and his
family to constantly have to do without, while the better-
off members of the congregation hardly notice.

This is why the Apostle Paul reproved the niggardly
Corinthians and declares: "Even so hath the Lord OR-
DAINED that they which preach the gospel should live of
the gospel" (I Cor. 9:14). And this, too, is why he wrote to
the large-hearted Philippians:

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction ...Not that I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account" (Phil. 4:13-17).

Where true, Bible-believing pastors are concerned, lets
not be Corinthians; lets be Philippians.

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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]

CHRIST’S DEATH FOR US

By Cornelius R. Stam

Three times in Chapter 5 of Paul’s letter to the Romans
we read that Christ died for us.

Ver. 6: "For WHEN WE WERE YET WITHOUT STRENGTH, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Ver. 8: "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, Christ died for us." Ver. 10: " ...WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son...."

Thus, in our helplessness, in our sinfulness, even in our
willfulness, Christ loved us and gave His life to save us.

But why does the Apostle say that Christ died for us
"when we were yet without strength," "while we were yet
sinners" and "when we were enemies"? Did not Christ die
for us before any of us were even born? Yes, but here the
Apostle writes historically of the whole human race. The
rest of the chapter bears this out.

In Verse 12 he refers to Adam, the "one man" by whom
sin and death entered into the world. This rendered man
truly helpless. In Verse 20 he refers to Moses, by whom "the
law entered, that the offence might abound." Thus by the
law men were condemned as sinners. Finally, in Verses
20, 21, he refers to Christ, "[who] died for all" (II Cor.
5:14,15), that helpless sinners might be saved, yea that
even God’s enemies might be reconciled to Him by grace,
through faith.

By Adam we have THE ENTRANCE OF SIN, by Moses
THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN and by Christ THE FOR-
GIVENESS OF SINS.

Only gradually was the importance of Christ’s death for
mankind revealed, but now we know that the saints of all
ages have been saved on the basis of our Lord’s vicarious
death alone. No one else could have paid a debt so great.

Thus, in our helplessness, in our sinfulness, yes, thank
God, in our willfulness, the Lord Jesus Christ died to save
us. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be
saved" (Acts 16:31).


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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

SPIRITUAL VICTORY

By Cornelius R. Stam

If we go to the Scriptures and claim, by faith, the Spirit’s
help in overcoming our sins, we enter into the enjoyment of
the fullness of spiritual life and blessing. If we fail to do so,
we wither and die -— as far as our spiritual experience is
concerned. We can never lose our salvation, of course, for
"everlasting life" was obtained by faith in Christ, not by
walking in the Spirit. This is confirmed by the fact that the
same apostle who pleads: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of
God," hastens to add: "WHEREBY YE ARE SEALED
UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION" (Eph. 4:30).
         
But failure to appropriate God’s gracious provision for
victory over sin does result in death as far as our Christian
experience is concerned. This is what the Apostle means,
when he says, by the Spirit:
         
"FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH; BUT TO BE SPIR-
ITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE" (Rom. 8:6).
         
"FOR IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE: BUT IF YE
THROUGH THE SPIRIT DO MORTIFY [PUT TO DEATH] THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, YE SHALL LIVE" (Rom. 8:13).
         
To the careless Corinthians, the Apostle Paul exclaimed:
         
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
         
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,and in your spirit, which are God’s" (I Cor. 6:19,20).

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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

214 IS GOING DOWN

By Cornelius R. Stam

I heard something over the radio a few weeks ago, the
like of which I’ve never heard before -- and certainly never
want to hear again. I heard the last words of the pilot on
#214, a big jet plane that crashed to earth with 81 people
aboard.

Because of the weather conditions the planes were
"stacked" rather high around the Philadelphia airport, so
the airport tower had just asked him: "Do you want to go on
or do you want to hold?" The pilot had barely replied that
he wanted to "hold," when he said something about his big
Boeing 707 being on fire! Then came the awful words:
"We’re going down. Two fourteen is going down in flames."
He said it calmly, and the Philadelphia tower answered
back: "We have your message, two fourteen."

Just imagine, hearing the actual last words which the
pilot uttered while he and eighty others were being hurled
more than 5,000 feet to their death amid the flaming parts
of their stricken plane!

Yet, one does not have to be in a plane to meet death
suddenly. He can stumble off a curb and be killed or die
suddenly in a hundred different ways.

The important thing is to be ready. We do not wish to
frighten people into accepting Christ as Savior, but it is a
fact that we ought to think more than we do about the un-
certainty of life. Prov. 22:3 says: "A wise man forseeth the
evil and hideth himself, but fools pass on and are punished."
No wonder Paul wrote in II Cor. 6:1,2:

"We then as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.... Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold NOW is the day of salvation."

We cannot offer salvation yesterday, for yesterday is
passed. Nor can we promise it for tomorrow, for the oppor-
tunity may be withdrawn by then. The best we can do is to
tell you that God loves you, and that Christ died for you,
and urge you to act upon this now. "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

SLAVERY AND LIBERTY

By Cornelius R. Stam

We thank God for Abraham Lincoln and for his part in
emancipating the negro slaves in the United Sates. Yet, in
a deeper sense, there is a slavery from which we all need to
be emancipated.

The children of Adam are slaves by birth. Partaking of
his fallen nature they find it an uphill fight to do right and
easy to do wrong. No mother has ever had to teach her
child to tell lies, or to steal or to disobey. Every child does
these things naturally. All, by nature, are slaves to sin.

Some, on the other hand, have sought to make them-
selves slaves to the Ten Commandments in order to over-
come their natural tendencies toward evil, but this does not
produce the desired results. God did not give the Law to
help us to be good, but to show us that we are bad and need
a Savior. In Rom. 3:19 He says that He gave the Law "that
every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become
[be exposed as] guilty before God" and in Verse 20 He says
that "by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Only believers in the finished work of Christ are lib-
erated from sin and its results. This does not mean that it
is not possible for them to sin, but that it is now possible for
them not to sin -- to have victory in any given case. "For sin
shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the
law but under grace" (Rom. 6:14).

In grace Christ died to pay for our sins and in response to
that grace believers seek to live for Him, just out of sheer
love and gratitude for what He has done for them. This is
the secret of victorious living, and God would have us keep
it that way. Gal. 5:1 says: "Stand fast therefore in the lib-
erty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not en-
tangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Yet, he also cautions believers, who enjoy this wonderful
liberty: "Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours
become a stumblingblock to them that are weak" (I Cor. 8:9).
"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not
liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one
another" (Gal. 5:13). "Happy is he that condemneth not
himself in that thing which he alloweth" (Rom. 14:22).

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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.

[nChrist]

AMEN BROTHER LOVE!

The time for sharing the Gospel of the Grace of God is every day and every hour.

The time for the lost to stop and listen is now. Many people criticize Christians for trying to scare people when they share the GOOD NEWS and the reality that waiting an hour or a day might be too late. Well, that is reality and truth. I don't think that we do the lost any favors by sugar-coating the truth.

The blunt truth is there may NOT be another time to stop, listen, understand, believe, and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 5:1-2  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.

[Brother Love]

Two Minutes With The Bible

THE TRUE BIBLE CHURCH

By Cornelius R. Stam

Many people have truly come to know Christ as Savior
after having been sincere, religious "church members" for
years. Though faithful supporters of some earthly church
organization they had never experienced the truth of II Cor.
5:17: "If any man be in Christ he is a new creation." It is
possible to be a member in good standing of some church
organization, yet be outside of the one true Church of which
the Bible speaks.

This is because the true Bible Church is not an organiza-
tion but a living organism, a spiritual body, with a living
Head and living members. Again and again St. Paul, by
divine inspiration, calls the Church, the Body of Christ. He
says: "We being many, are one Body in Christ..." (Rom.
12:5). "Ye are the Body of Christ, and members in partic-
ular" (I Cor. 12:27). "We are members of His Body" (Eph.
5:30).

How do we become members of this true Bible Church,
the Body of Christ? First, we must acknowledge ourselves
to be sinners in God’s sight, for Ephesians 2 relates how
Christ died for sinful men that He might "reconcile" them
to God "in one Body" by the cross (Ver. 16). Thus, when
believing sinners are reconciled to God by faith in Christ,
they are regenerated, given a new life, by the Spirit, and by
the Spirit are baptized into the Church, the Body of Christ.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).

"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (I Cor. 12:13).

Every one of us should ask himself: "Have I been bap-
tized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ?" If not, trust
Christ as your Savior and become a member of the one true
Bible Church. Then associate yourself with some local as-
sembly where Christ is honored and the Bible taught,
"rightly divided."

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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

GRACE REIGNS THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS

By Russell S. Miller

In addition to those other passages in Paul’s epistles, where "Grace", "Faith", and "Righteousness" are found, The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews contains the following references to "Grace and Faith" as well as "Grace and Peace":

"The THRONE of grace..." (Heb.4:16), so grace reigns.

"The KING of righteousness..." (Heb.7:2). But you argue Christ is the Head of the Church, not King. However the reference is to the mysterious Melchisedec priesthood. Yet I Timothy 1:17 states that our Lord is "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God...". While I Timothy 6:15 calls our Lord, "...the blessed and only Potentate...". Nevertheless, "grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.5:21).

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb.9:12).

"WHOM GOD HATH SET FORTH TO BE A PROPITIATION THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, TO DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, THROUGH THE FORBEARANCE OF GOD" (Rom.3:25).

"...The SPIRIT of grace..." (Heb.10:29), in conjunction with "the Word of grace" (Acts 20:32), teaches us to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Col.1:10).

"Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb.11:1).

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom.10:17).

"...The GOD of peace..." (Heb.13:20). It is so comforting to know that our God is dispensing "grace" and "peace" today. This blessed theme is prevalent in all of Paul’s epistles, the theme that he and Timothy "preached every where in every church" (ICor.4:17).

"GRACE be with you all..." (Heb.13:25).

"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal.1:3).

Indeed, while many find it difficult to believe the Epistles of Saint Paul, may you find comfort in knowing the wonderful and marvelous truth that "Grace and Peace" reign through His "Righteousness" today.

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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

IS GOD DEAD?

By Cornelius R. Stam

"As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand..." (I Kings 18:15).

Is God dead? According to the above passage He certainly
was not dead to Elijah, who knew Him intimately as the
living God. The prophet had used similar phraseology on a
previous occasion when he had declared to the wicked King
Ahab: "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I
stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but ac-
cording to my word" (1 Kings 17:1).

Elijah’s prediction had come horribly true. For three
years and six months there had been no rain nor even dew
in Israel. Rivers and brooks were drying up. The land lay
parched and cracked in the sun. There were no crops, nor
any grazing land for the cattle and they had been dying like
flies.

The king himself had been brought down from his throne
to search for a bit of green grass along the remaining
streams "to save the horses and mules alive," lest they "lose
all the beasts." The king’s humiliation had in turn enraged
the haughty Queen Jezebel, so that she hated Elijah with a
deep and bitter hatred.

Indeed, so intensely was the prophet hated by Ahab him-
self that the king had sent far and wide to find Elijah and
had not given up until he had taken oaths from the heads of
the surrounding nations that he was not to be found.

It was under these circumstances that "the word of the
Lord came to Elijah...saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab..."
(1 Kings 18:1). God was about to use the prophet to publicly
expose the sham and impotence of Jezebel’s god Baal.

As the prophet went to look for Ahab he met Obadiah,
the governor of the king’s house, and said: "Go tell thy lord,
Behold, Elijah is here" (1 Kings 18:. Obadiah shuddered
at these words and begged Elijah not to make him go. He
knew the bitter hatred which the king harbored toward
Elijah and he feared that while he went to convey the news
the Spirit of God might take Elijah away to some other
place.

It was now, when it meant far more than it had meant
three and a half years before, that Elijah replied: "As the
Lord God of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely
show myself unto him today" (1 Kings 18:15). As we know,
he kept his word.

Is all this now changed? Some say yes, that God died in
Christ at Calvary and is now dead! They also deny, of
course, that Christ rose from the dead. But if this be true,
then the story of Elijah is but a stirring memory and the
Christian today is actually an ambassador, a representative
of no one!

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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

THE FIRST BOOK TO READ

By Cornelius R. Stam

In years gone by, when life was simpler, men had more
time to ponder over the really important questions: What
will become of me when I die? Is there a heaven -- and a
hell? Can I know God? Will He forgive my sins? If so, on
what basis? What must I do to be saved?
         
The materialism, commercialism and technology of our
day, however, have so complicated life that secondary prob-
lems hinder many people from even considering at leisure
that which is most important.
         
Yet, despite all the hurry and anxiety, all the noise and
distraction, there are troubled souls, hungering and thirst-
ing for true satisfaction, for hearts cleansed from sin, for
deliverance from the awful burden of a guilty conscience.
         
Such people should read Paul’s Epistle to the Romans and
meditate on its great message of salvation. In fact, this is
the first book they ought to read.
         
In Romans the inspired Apostle declares that "all have
sinned" (3:23) and that "the wages of sin is death" (6:23).
But this is not all. Romans also proclaims the good news
that the Lord Jesus Christ "was delivered for our offences,
and was raised again for our justification" and that there-
fore we may have "peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ" (4:25; 5:1).
         
More than this, Romans offers abundant grace to all who
trust in Christ. "The law entered that the offence might
abound, but where sin abounded grace did much more
abound" (5:20,21). Thus believers are "justified freely by
[God’s] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus" (3:24) and "the [free] gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord" (6:23).
         
We urge those who are not sure of salvation to read care-
fully and prayerfully this great Epistle to the Romans. You
may be thanking God for the rest of your earthly life -- and
forever -- that you did.


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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

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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

THIS IS FOR JESUS

By Cornelius R. Stam

Visiting a young pastor and his family some time ago I
observed a touching example of true Christian stewardship.

It was nearly time to go to church, when the pastor’s wife
reached for a small box containing a few coins and handed
it to her little boy. The coins represented the boy’s earnings
received for jobs done, good behavior, etc.

Seriously the boy contemplated the contents of the box
and took from it two dimes -- a substantial portion of the
whole. Then looking up at me he said earnestly: "This is
for Jesus."

Several Scriptural lessons about Christian giving came to
mind as we observed this simple incident.

This little lad had already been taught the responsibility
of participating systematically in supporting the work of the
Lord (I Cor. 16:2). He gave "as he purposed in his heart"; no
one suggested how much he ought to give (II Cor. 9:7).
After thinking it over carefully, he gave sacrificially
(II Cor. 8:7,9). He "proved the sincerity of his love" (II Cor.
8: for it was with sincere, childlike affection that he said:
"This is for Jesus."

Most of all, perhaps, his gift was a living demonstration
of Paul’s exhortation in Rom. 12:8: "He that giveth, let him
do it with simplicity." There was no fanfare, no boasting, no
evidence of any feeling that he was doing a lot for the Lord;
just an attitude of simple, humble satisfaction that he could
join others in supporting the work of Christ.

How much we, who have too often been hardened
through the years, can learn from children!

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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

UNIONS OR UNITY?

By Cornelius R. Stam

Here is a company of Bible-believing Christians joined
together in, let us say, an evangelistic endeavor. All are
trusting in the shed blood of Christ for salvation, though
some are Baptists, some Presbyterians, some Episcopalians
and some represent other denominations.

Are all these believers one? Yes, in Christ, for "there is
one body" (Eph. 4:4).

What united them? The "one baptism" (Eph. 4:5) by
which the Holy Spirit unites all believers to Christ and to
each other: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one
body whether we be Jews or Gentiles..." (I Cor. 12:13).

Yet these same believers, all trusting in the finished
work of Christ for salvation, remain sadly divided as far
as fellowship in the work of the Lord is concerned. They
may have blessed fellowship in their evangelistic endeavor,
but at its conclusion they go back to their mutually exclu-
sive church organizations.

The reason? Basically it is that they have confused "the
gospel of the kingdom," proclaimed by Christ on earth and
His twelve apostles, with "the gospel of the grace of God,"
proclaimed by the ascended, glorified Lord through the
Apostle Paul (Acts 20:24; Eph. 3:1-3).

Striving over baptismal modes and meanings, most of
them still require their particular forms of baptism for
entrance into their churches, while explaining at the same
time that the ceremony has no saving value and that it is
not required by God for entrance into the true Church.

Can’t we stop being Presbyterians, Baptists and Meth-
odists and just be Christians? Why should the Church of
Christ remain divided and weak, when God says:

"WE BEING MANY ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND EVERY ONE
MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER" (Rom. 12:5).

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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]

Two Minutes With The Bible

"JOINT-HEIRS, JOINT-BODY, JOINT-PARTAKERS"

By Russell S. Miller

"That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel" (Eph.3:6).

Bible prophecy has great things in store for those Gentiles of the future "kingdom of Heaven" on earth, but such a position as "joint-heirs, and of a joint-body, and joint-partakers" is foreign to the prophetic Word of God. Nevertheless such is the rendering of Darby’s New Translation; Bullinger’s foot-notes; and Englishman’s Greek New Testament.

This is why Paul declares that "the Mystery" committed to his trust was "hid in God", "not made known", and "hid from ages and from generations" until it was first revealed to him by the glorified Lord Jesus Christ (Eph.3:1-9; Col.1:26; ICor. 9:17; Gal.1:11,12).

"Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (Eph.3:5).

In all that which the Lord Jesus Christ inherits of His Father, we have been made "JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST" (Rom.8:17), and of His promise to Abraham we are "JOINT-PARTAKERS IN CHRIST" (Eph.3:6). But there is more, in that "one new man" of Ephesians 2:15, believing Jews and Gentiles are a "JOINT-BODY" in Christ today. And all this is a result of the gospel of the grace of God given to Paul.

Thus, the Apostle produces his credentials "WHEREOF I AM MADE A MINISTER, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil 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).

That’s right, Paul, that great architect of grace, is the minister of the Church, which is the Body of Christ. "AS A WISE MASTERBUILDER", he says, "I HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon" (ICor. 3:10).

"...That in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, FOR A PATTERN TO THEM WHICH SHOULD HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM TO LIFE EVERLASTING" (ITim.1:16).

"And to make ALL MEN see what is THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY, which from THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD hath been HID IN GOD, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (Eph.3:9).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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.