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March 15, 2010

TRUE BLESSEDNESS
by Cornelius R. Stam


It has been said that the word "blessed," in our English Bible, simply means happy. Thus the "blessed man" of Psalm 1 is a happy man and the "blessed God" of 1 Timothy 1:11 is a happy God. (We refer to the Hebrew and Greek words most often rendered blessed).

To say the least, this is a superficial understanding -- or misunderstanding -- of one of the most wonderful words of Scripture. A fool can be happy, a drunkard can be happy, a wicked man can be happy, but none of these are truly blessed, for one who is blessed has a deeply valid reason to rejoice.

Thus Psalms 1:1,2 says that the man who shuns "the counsel of the ungodly ," "the way of sinners" and "the seat of the scornful" and meditates and delights in the law of God, is "blessed." He is well off and has great reason to rejoice.

Few, of course, would dare to claim that they have fully lived up to this passage in the Psalms, but God's Word has good news even for such. In Romans 4:6-8, St. Paul declares:

"David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

This blessedness is not a mere feeling of happiness. It is rather the state of being well off; with a deep and abiding reason to rejoice.

Thus Psalms 40:4 says: "Blessed is that man who maketh the Lord his trust," and when the Galatians stopped trusting completely in the Lord and began leaning on their own works, the Apostle asked them: "Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?" (Galatians 4:15).

Thus to be truly blessed is to be well off; with the greatest possible reason to rejoice. This is why the believer in Christ, saved and eternally safe in Him, is, like God Himself, "blessed for evermore."

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March 16, 2010

CHRIST AND POLITICS
by Cornelius R. Stam


Astronaut John Glenn in politics -- running for the U. S. Senate! It seems odd to think of him in a political role, but evidently he feels he can serve his country best in politics.

But did you ever think of Christ's relation to politics? He came into this world, remember, as a King. The very opening words of the New Testament are: "Jesus Christ, the Son of David..." (Matthew 1:1). This emphasizes the fact that He came from the royal line. John the Baptist had gone forth as the King's herald, to prepare His way, and the twelve apostles proclaimed His royal rights as they preached "the gospel of the kingdom." This was all in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David..." (Isaiah 9:6,7).

Instead of crowning Him King, however, they nailed Him to a cross and wrote over His head His "accusation": "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."

Actually our Lord had come especially, this first time, to be rejected and crucified for the sins of men. Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 and other Old Testament passages had predicted that at His first coming He would be despised and rejected. Matthew 20:28 says of this coming: "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many."

Our Lord did not die an untimely death; the cross was not a useless sacrifice. He knew that man's greatest need is moral and spiritual -- that his sins must be paid for if he is not to be condemned forever before the court of eternal Justice. So in love He came to be rejected and suffer and die "the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18 ).

He will come again to judge and reign as all prophecy indicates, but for the present He deals with mankind in grace. Ephesians 1:7 says that "in [Him] we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" and Romans 3:24 declares that believers are "justified freely by [God's] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

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March 17, 2010

God's Gifts to His Church
by Paul M. Sadler, President


Scripture Reading:

"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry." -- Ephesians 4:11-13

Paul warns us about those who, whether wittingly or unwittingly, would spread unsound doctrine among us. We are living in a time when some of the brethren seem to deem it important to find something new. Of course, it is not our intent to discourage anyone in regard to exercising the "Berean spirit." However, care should be taken not to undermine the foundation upon which our faith rests. We do well to remember that the "Doctrinal Statement" our forefathers forged for us was a product of intense debate with the denominational leaders of their day. Each plank of the statement was carefully crafted as a defense and confirmation of the Fundamentals of the faith and Paul's gospel. Therefore, let us not be too quick to challenge those things which are "tried and true."

At this late hour, there are those who tell us that the "gifts" of evangelists, pastors and teachers or pastor-teachers are no longer in operation today. Some have even gone as far to say that the enabling "gifts" have also passed. This flies in the face of our "Doctrinal Statement," which has served us well for over fifty years. It states:

"The gifts necessary for the ministry of the Body of Christ are those enumerated in Ephesians 4:7-16. Of these, only the gifts of evangelists and pastor-teachers are in operation today. All the sign gifts of the Acts period, such as tongues, prophecy and healing (1 Corinthians 12:1-31), being temporary in character, have ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8-11)."

Here in Ephesians, one of Paul's later epistles, the apostle sets the tone for the course of this dispensation. Clearly, the context of this portion concerns itself with the gifts God has given to His Church. It is true that the gifts of "apostles" and "prophets" passed with the completion of the Word of God (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 cf. Colossians 1:25). Once the Word of God was dispensed, these two offices and the gifted men who held them were nonessential. We now have something far better, the written revelation that they handed down to us, which is to be obeyed in matters of faith and practice.

There is no indication, whatsoever, that the gifts of evangelists, pastors and teachers have ever been withdrawn. In fact, Paul plainly states their purpose: "For the perfecting [maturing] of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [building up] of the Body of Christ." And how long shall this continue? "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge [Gr. epignosis -- full knowledge] of the Son of God" (Ephesians 4:13).

Surely, it could not be said there has ever been a period in Church history, past or present, that the "unity of the faith" has been attained, much less a "full knowledge" of the Son of God. But this is exactly what we are being asked to believe; that is, the unity of the faith has been attained. Perhaps, we should put this to the Berean test.

Creation: Some believe God created all things in six literal twenty- four hour days. Others teach the "ruin and reconstruction theory" that God created, destroyed and re-created. This is commonly called the "gap theory" which places millions or billions of years between the original creation and the re-creation.

Redemption: The battle has raged for centuries over whether Christ died for the sins of all mankind or merely for the sins of the elect. Which do you believe?

Things to Come: It is well known there are those who believe the events covered in the Book of Revelation are entirely futuristic. Many would challenge this assertion as absurd. They teach that the early chapters of the Apocalypse describe the various stages of Church history up to the present "Laodicean" age. If we agree that there are two camps of interpretation on any Biblical subject, then we have yet to come into the unity of the faith.

There is not one scintilla of evidence that the "unity of the faith" has ever been attained by all. Even in Paul's day, the saints were wielding the sword of the Spirit against one another (2 Timothy 1:15 cf. 2:17-19). In addition, we must inquire: Has the Church come to a full knowledge of the Son of God? That is, of His person, work and present heavenly ministry. We shall answer this question with a question: Has the Church, which is His Body, acknowledged the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery?

The "unity of the faith" and a "full knowledge" of Christ is a goal set before us that will never be fully attained until the Rapture. Thus, the responsibility of Gods gifts to His Church is to proclaim the whole counsel of God in light of the Pauline epistles. Why? that the saints might be established in the faith!

There is also an experiential side to this truth as well. When God called me into the ministry nearly thirty years ago, it was definitive. Other pastors have testified of similar experiences, which confirms that the "gifts and callings of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29). Beware of those who would rob you of this precious truth!

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March 18, 2010

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" (2 Corinthians 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 forgiveness 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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March 19, 2010

PAUL AND THE NEW BIRTH
by Cornelius R. Stam


The Pauline revelation leads us into glorious truths respecting both our position and experience as believers. Indeed, the new birth itself, as it takes place in the believer today, is directly related to the divine baptism by which Christ and the believer are made one.

How was Christ made one with mankind? He was baptized into the human race. He did not merely come to dwell with men. He became man. How? By being born into the race. Was this by natural birth? No, by supernatural birth. He was begotten of the Holy Spirit. But His baptism into the human race did not end with His birth and life on earth. So fully did He become one with man, that He even died man's death on the accursed tree. He was baptized into death (Luke 12:50) and, as we now know, into our death.

And it is there, at the Cross, that we become one with Him. The moment one looks in faith to Calvary, acknowledging: "He is no sinner; I am the sinner. Christ is dying my death"; that moment he becomes one with Christ; baptized into the crucified, risen Lord Himself (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:26,27) not only positionally, in the reckonings of God, but exponentially, by the Spirit. And thus a new life is begotten.

By natural birth? No, by supernatural birth. Some hold that the Epistles of Paul do not teach the new birth, but this is an error. His familiar word teknon, generally translated simply "child" in our English Bibles, means literally, "born one." And he uses this word with regard to our spiritual relationship to God.

Furthermore, the Apostle teaches the very truth of the new birth in Titus 3:5, where he says:

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost."

[nChrist]

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March 20, 2010

THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP
by Cornelius R. Stam


"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption [Lit., sonship], whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15).

The position of the believer in the family of God is amply illustrated for us in the Epistles of Paul. In Galatians 4:1-5 the Apostle alludes to the fact that in the life of every Hebrew boy there came a time, appointed by the father, when the lad was formally declared to be a full-grown son, with all the rights and privileges of sonship.

It was now assumed that the young man would no longer need overseers to keep him in check. There would be natural understanding and co-operation between father and son. And so the "adoption" [Gr., son-placing] proceedings took place, indicating that the child, now a full-grown son, was no longer under law, but under grace.

"And because ye are sons," says the Apostle, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a [full-grown] son" (Galatians 4:6-7).

This is the position of every believer in Christ. He may, like the Corinthians, still be a babe in his spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 3:1), but in Christ he occupies the position of a full-grown son, and to grow spiritually it will do him no good to go back under the Law; he must rather recognize his standing before God in grace. This is why the Apostle says in Romans 8:15:

"Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption [sonship], whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

A recognition of this position will do far more to help us live godly lives than will the "dos and dont's" of the Law.

[nChrist]

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March 21, 2010

ONE THING
by Cornelius R. Stam


Referring to the great Temple of God, which King David so earnestly hoped to build, he said:

"ONE THING HAVE I DESIRED of the Lord; that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple" (Psalms 27:4).

Similarly, when Martha of Bethany complained to Jesus that Mary "sat at [His] feet and heard His Word" while she was left to serve alone, the Lord answered:

"Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but ONE THING IS NEEDFUL, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10: 41,42).

Today, with regard to the message of grace from the ascended, glorified Lord, the Apostle Paul exhorts us: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Colossians 3:16). Wonderful results follow such a determination to know Christ through the Word.

When the Lord Jesus opened the eyes of the blind beggar, the poor man was immediately persecuted by the religious leaders of the day. He could not answer all of their questions but he could answer the one most important to himself:

"ONE THING I KNOW, that, whereas I was blind, now I see" (John 9:25).

The rest of the narrative relates how the blind beggar also received spiritual sight as, face to face with the Son of God, he exclaimed: "Lord, I believe! ...and...worshipped Him" (Ver.38 ).

But what about our conduct after spiritual sight has been bestowed? The most consecrated believer will acknowledge that he often fails to live up to the light he has received. St. Paul, by inspiration, gives us the solution to this problem also, saying:

"THIS ONE THING I DO: forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press [strain] toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3: 13,14).

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March 22, 2010

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF CALVARY
by Cornelius R. Stam


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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March 23, 2010

TWO ANXIOUS MOTHERS
by Cornelius R. Stam


Some time ago, in Chicago, a little baby was kidnapped right out of her mother's arms in a hospital room, while another mother left her baby in a cardboard box on top of a garbage can.

We have the feeling that in all probability the woman who abandoned her baby -- and it probably was a woman -- was just as much beside herself as the one who had her baby stolen from her arms.

A Registered Nurse told us some time ago that the proportion of mothers who do not want their babies is becoming alarming. We do not believe that these women wouldn't want their babies under normal circumstances. Everybody loves a baby! But in such cases sin has come in to bring trouble and shame and misery. Some of these mothers are unwed and have been disgraced; others are separated or divorced from their husbands or would have to bring their babies home to nothing but bickering and trouble. Still others have passed diseases on to their babies and wish that they had never been born.

This is how sin wrecks lives and homes, but it is wonderful to know that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," as we read in 1 Timothy 1:15. How does He save sinners? First He bore the penalty of sin for us: "Christ died for our sins" (1 Corinthians 15:3). But He will save us from sin's control too, if we let Him. Romans 6:14 says to believers in Christ: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace," and millions have proved this to be true.

Salvation is more than a religious term, or a feeling or sentiment, it is actual deliverance from the penalty and power of sin, through the redemptive work of Christ on Calvary, where He "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" for every one who simply but sincerely trusts Him as Lord and Savior.

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March 24, 2010

THE LOVE OF GOD
by Cornelius R. Stam


Millions of people -- even religious people -- are afraid of God and are struggling to earn His favor. They suppose that salvation is the reward of showing enough love to Him. If only they would believe what God Himself says, that if we are ever saved it will be entirely because He loved us and graciously provided for our salvation.

The Apostle Paul, in the Bible, called God "the God of love" (II Cor. 13:11) and John declared that "God IS love" (1 John 4:8 ). Thus John goes on to say:

"HEREIN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US and sent His Son to be the propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins" (1 John 4: 10).

This is why salvation is so often called a "gift" in the Bible. It is the expression of God's love to sinners. And so St. Paul tells us:

"[We] were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)" (Ephesians 2:3-5).

"...after that THE KINDNESS AND LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR TOWARD MAN appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS MERCY He saved us..." (Titus 3:4,5).

Does all this mean that God overlooks sin or condones it? By no means! In His love He paid for our sins on Calvary's cross "that He might be Just, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). This is why we read in Romans 5:8:

"...GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US."

[nChrist]

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March 25, 2010

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
by Cornelius R. Stam


With the knowledge of good and evil man came into the possession of conscience. A sense of blameworthiness smote him when he committed, or even contemplated committing, evil. This has been so ever since. The Bible tells us that even the most ungodly and benighted heathen "show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another" (Romans 2:15).

It is true that man's conscience can be violated so often that it becomes calloused or, as St. Paul puts it: "seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:2), but events or incidents can take place which suddenly awaken the conscience and make it sensitive again. Many a person has indulged in "the pleasures of sin" more and more freely until, suddenly, his sin has found him out and his conscience has caught up with him to condemn him day and night and make life itself unbearable.

The Bible teaches that all men outside of Christ are, to some degree, troubled by guilty consciences and certainly most are "through fear of death... all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:15). But it also teaches that "Christ died for our sins" so that, our penalty having been paid, we might be delivered from a guilty conscience.

The works and ceremonies of the Mosaic Law could never accomplish this, but sincere and intelligent believers in Christ, having been "once purged," have "no more conscience of sins" (Hebrews 9:14; 10:1,2). They are, to be sure, conscious of their sins, but they are no longer tortured by a forever-condemning conscience, for they know that the penalty for all their sins, from the cradle to the coffin, was fully met by Christ at Calvary.

This is not to imply that even a sincere believer may not be troubled about offending the One who paid for his sins, but he knows that the judgment for these sins is past. Thus he earnestly seeks, like Paul, "to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man" (Acts 24:16).

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March 26, 2010

THE STARS OF MESSIAH'S REIGN
by Cornelius R. Stam


"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).

The day is coming when redeemed Israel and all the saints of the Old Testament times will taste the joy of Messiah's glorious reign. But some -- the wise -- will be honored more than others and will shine in that day as the stars of the firmament.

Who are these "wise" ones? Our text answers: "They that turn many to righteousness". Not those who merely knew all the technicalities of the prophetic program, but remained unmoved, but those who, understanding the prophetic plan and recognizing that God must judge sin, did something about it and labored to turn many to righteousness.

These will be the stars of Messiah's reign.

What a lesson this passage holds for us who have trusted Christ as our Saviour in this present "dispensation of grace"!

When we stand before the Lord, all saved by His abundant grace, not all will be equally honored. Outshining the rest will be "the wise", who, understanding God's message and program of grace and, "buying up the time because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16), URGED THE LOST TO ACCEPT "the gift of righteousness" by faith in Christ. Of these we may well say by way of adaption:

"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

[nChrist]

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March 27, 2010

NOT ALWAYS SO BAD!
by Cornelius R. Stam


Have you heard the story of Honus? Honus was a wicked old renegade who lived in a small country town. When he died his body lay in the funeral parlor for three days without anyone even taking notice. Finally, on the day of the burial, a few of his old cronies did stop by to at least pay their respects.

As they gathered, the funeral director said: "Now fellows, we can't bury Honus like a dog. We've got to have some kind of service for him. Won't somebody here take charge?" But the silence was profound, so finally the funeral director himself agreed to take charge.

He began by asking whether there wasn't someone who had some good word to say for Honus before they buried him. Again there was a deep silence, until finally one old man stood up and said: "Well, I can say this much for Honus; he wasn't always as bad as he sometimes was."

To be honest, isn't this true of all of us? Some people take offense at Romans 3:22,23, which says: "For there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." They think there is a difference, and that they have not been as sinful as others. Ah, but while there may be a difference in the nature or the degree of our sins, Romans 3 is right when it says that there is no difference in this: that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." A person may put up a good front, feeling that he is not nearly so great a sinner as others, but whether a bridge is ten feet or a hundred feet short of spanning the chasm, it is still useless, so don't try crossing it.

This is why we all need "the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of [God's] grace" (Ephesians 1:7). And we may have this by trusting in the Christ who died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). "For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8 ).

[nChrist]

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March 28, 2010

PAUL TELLS OTHERS ABOUT HIS GOSPEL
by Cornelius R. Stam


It is true that now there is but one gospel and God's anathema is pronounced upon any who would presume to proclaim any other (Galatians 1:8,9), but those who suppose that Paul proclaimed the same good news which the twelve before him had proclaimed, should carefully read Galatians 2:1-9.

The twelve had been proclaiming our Lord's kingdom rights in "the gospel of the kingdom". The kingdom having been rejected, however, God raised up Paul to proclaim "the Gospel of the Grace of God" (Acts 20:24). In Galatians 1:11,12, this apostle declares:

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."

This is only one of many passages in which he declares that he was commissioned to proclaim a special message by the glorified Lord Himself (Ephesians 3:1-4; Romans 16:25; etc.).

Now in Galatians 2:2, the apostle states: "I went up by revelation [God sent him] and communicated unto them [the apostles and elders at Jerusalem] that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles...." But was he not merely checking to make sure that he and they were preaching the same good news? No, for he goes on to say: "But [I went] privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain".

Verses 7 and 9 then go on to tell how "they saw" and "perceived" the grace that had been given to Paul, so that they publicly and officially gave him "the right hands of fellowship", acknowledging him as the apostle of grace, sent to the world with a message of grace:

"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).

[nChrist]

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March 29, 2010

SOBER CHRISTIANS
by Cornelius R. Stam


"Let us, who are of the day, be sober..." (1 Thessalonians 5:8 ).

Many people entertain the erroneous idea that truly spiritual Christians must always be solemn and long-faced. In fact, they suppose that such Scripture passages as the above teach this.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, for the word "sober," in our English New Testament does not mean solemn, but completely under control. This is also true of the original Greek word from which the English word "sober" is translated.

Sobriety in Scripture, as in modern English, is the opposite of drunkenness. This is brought out in the rest of the passage cited above. Along with its context, the above exhortation reads as follows:

"For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken be drunken in the night.
"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation.
"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
"Who died for us that... we should live together with Him" (1 Thessalonians 5:7-10).

Thus those who are "of the day," and know Christ as their Savior, should not "sleep" on the one hand, or "be drunken" on the other, but should be awake and alert, their faculties completely under control, so that they might witness the more effectively to the saving grace of Christ.

If ever there was a time when true Christians should "watch and be sober," it is now.