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April 14, 2010

WHAT ABOUT ME, AND THE FUTURE?
by Cornelius R. Stam


Is it not amazing that men who can produce intricate electronic mechanisms, build giant sky-scrapers, fly men to the moon and back -- is it not amazing that such men often do not even know what will finally become of themselves! And what is more amazing still is that most of them do not even try seriously to find out.

They are intelligent enough to plan carefully for the future where temporal affairs are concerned, but foolish enough to neglect their eternal welfare. They make plans for themselves in case they become ill and need additional funds for surgery, medicine and hospital care. They even make plans for their loved ones in case of death and bereavement, but fail to ask themselves: "What will become of me after death?"

Daily "the wise of this world" witness the truth of Hebrews 9:27, that "it is appointed unto men once to die", and most of them know that the Bible adds: "after this the judgment". They may hope that this is but a false alarm, but they do not know. They can only wonder and worry. Hebrews 2:15 declares that "through fear of death" they are "all their lifetime subject to bondage". Like Adam, they run and hide from God instead of running to Him and asking: "What must I do to be saved?" Too cowardly to face up to their own grave, no hope beyond the tomb -- too afraid, generally, to even discuss death.

The believer in the Word of God is not left thus in the dark. He glories in the truth of the passages from which we have quoted in part above. We quote them now in full:

Hebrews 2:14,15: "Forasmuch then as the children [of Adam] are partakers of flesh and blood, He [Christ] also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

"And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Hebrews 9:27,28: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without [lit., "apart from"] sin unto salvation."

[nChrist]

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April 15, 2010

WHEN THE LORD BECAME ANGRY
by Cornelius R. Stam


"And He saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

"And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man. Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other" (Mark 3:4,5).

Why did our Lord become angry when the Jewish leaders refused to answer His questions? He was "grieved for the hardness of their hearts." Their silence was not the silence of ignorance but of willfulness. They had "watched Him whether He would heal... on the sabbath day; that they might accuse Him," but they could not tell Him what was wrong about it. Indeed, when He asked them what was wrong they refused to answer His questions.

How inconsistent! How unreasonable! How unjust! And, as we read the context, we are amazed to find that this sullen, stubborn opposition came not from the Sadducees but from the Pharisees, not the religious "liberals" but the "conservatives," the Bible-believers of the day!

They were the orthodox group. Nevertheless, because of their pride and bigotry generations following have looked down upon them and have pronounced with contempt the name Pharisee.

Paul stood with them, doctrinally, against the Sadducees. He said: "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee" (Acts 23:6), nevertheless the Pharisees had joined the Sadducees in their opposition to him and to the glorious message he proclaimed. In this respect times have not changed, for those who stand boldly for God's message and program for our day will find themselves still opposed by Sadducees and Pharisees alike.

[nChrist]

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April 16, 2010

RESURRECTION POWER
by Cornelius R. Stam


How comes this flower to bloom so fair,
With loveliest fragrance to fill the air?
A short time ago the seed lay dead,
The cold, wintry ground its desolate bed.

But now, behold, from the dampened earth,
Without a sound to betray its birth,
This thing of beauty has blossomed and grown
To possess a loveliness all its own.

And as we view it, standing there
With a majesty quite beyond compare,
A mighty conviction grips the heart:
This beautiful flow'r has a counterpart.

Our Savior once suffered and died for sin.
Though no one so righteous as He had been.
It seemed that the devil had sealed His doom
As they buried His body in Joseph's tomb.

But what is this wonder that greets our eyes
As the rays of the third morning's sun arise?
Behold, He is risen! The grave could not hold
The Author of Life; the Anointed of God!

And now the dead who have trusted in His name,
Though sleeping in Jesus, will rise again
With bodies more glorious than this flower
--Sown in weakness, but raised in power!

C.R.S.

[nChrist]

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April 17, 2010

BUYING UP THE TIME
by Cornelius R. Stam


Nineteen hundred years ago Paul wrote to his fellow- believers in the vicinity of Ephesus: "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming [Lit., buying up] the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15,16). Those were indeed evil days, when a wicked tyrant ruled the Roman Empire, when Messiah had been rejected, not only in incarnation, but in resurrection, and Christianity was fighting a life-and-death battle to penetrate the prevailing pagan darkness with the light of God's grace. Surely Paul never dreamed that the dispensation of grace would continue for more than nineteen hundred years. He expected the Lord to come at any time to recall His ambassadors and bring the day of grace to a close. Hence the urgency of his appeal to be "buying up the time, because the days are evil."

But if Paul had reason to suspect that the day of grace would soon be brought to a close, we today have greater reason to think so. Now that the light of the gospel has been brought to Europe, America and many other parts of the world, men are turning their backs on it. Only a small minority of even Christendom truly believe the Bible and know the Christ it presents -- and how very few know the riches of His grace!

Meanwhile our governments, our educational institutions and our social systems are becoming ever more godless. The result? The newspapers, radio and TV -- even a trip downtown to any fair-sized city, will tell us all we need to know. Once again "the days are evil" and the Lord's coming for His own seems imminent. There is still much talk about lasting peace and prosperity, but no thoughtful person believes that we are headed in that direction. Rather the world appears to be heading straight toward the prophesied "day of wrath."

What a comfort it is to the believer, then, to know that "God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us..." (1 Thessalonians 5:9,10). "For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed" and "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:11,13).

[nChrist]

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April 18, 2010

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH vs. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
by Russell S. Miller


Adultery heads the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, with fornication and uncleanness following second and third in succession. There is a world of sinners out there, unrestrained with unbridled lusts, to which the Lord sends His ambassadors with "the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:14-21).

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revel-lings, and such like..."

It was adultery that ruined King David, for when it came time for the king to go to war, he was on his rooftop:

"And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon" (2 Samuel 11:2).

Did the Lord have this in mind when He said: "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28 )? It is truly "from within, out of the heart of man, [that] proceed evil thoughts"; and "adulteries" are at the top of this list in Mark 7:21-23 also.

Again, in Romans Six, the Apostle Paul speaks of the works of the flesh as unfruitful and leading to death: "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death" (Rom.6:21). In Colossians, we read that these works of the flesh originate from within, and pointing to the Christ of Calvary's cross, Paul says: "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight" (Colossians 1:21,22).

Consequently, there is real "joy and peace in believing" (Romans 15:13) as God's grace saves and transforms lives so that Christ may be seen, and not the works of the flesh.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22,23).

It is only right that there are laws against the works of the flesh, but how could there be laws against the fruit of the Spirit? A striking contrast indeed!

[nChrist]

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April 19, 2010

ENEMIES OF GOD AND WORSHIPPERS OF SATAN
by Cornelius R. Stam


"...we were enemies..." (Romans 5:10).

"...the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..." (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Many religious but unsaved people will not accept the fact that they are enemies of God, and fail to understand why the Bible should insist that they are.

But the God who says that they are sinners, worthy of everlasting judgment; that their only hope of salvation lies in the One who poured out His life's blood to pay the penalty for their sins -- this God, the God of the Bible, they cannot abide. Let one of His servants tell them what He says about them and they are insulted. When this God, the true God, refuses to accept their "good" works or their "righteous" conduct they react like Cain, of whom we read: "And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Genesis 4:5). They simply will not bow to this God, and their attitude betrays their enmity against Him.

But why will they not turn away from their self-righteousness and trust in Christ, who died for their sins?

Simply because they worship Satan, "the god of this age," who "hath blinded the minds of those who believe not." Worship Satan? This too is hard for the unregenerate man to believe about himself. As he has his own conception of God, he also has his own conception of Satan -- a wrong one.

Unbelievers do not know that the real Satan, the Satan of the Bible, has a vast wardrobe and, in this dispensation of grace, doubtless appears most often as "an angel of light" with "ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14,15). This Satan they do indeed worship. They adore him, and try to live by his precepts, convinced that the way to salvation is to do and be good.

[nChrist]

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April 20, 2010

STANDING, WALKING AND RUNNING FOR GOD
by Cornelius R. Stam


In a way the Christian life is a stand; in another it is a walk, and in still another a race.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1 the Apostle Paul writes of "the gospel... wherein ye stand" and in Romans 5:2 of "this grace wherein we stand," while in Galatians 5:1 he bids us: "Stand fast... in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." Perhaps all this is well summed up in his appeal to his beloved Philippians:

"Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown... stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved" (Philippians 4:1).

But the Christian life is more than a stand -- it is a walk (which in Scripture refers to conduct). Once, says Paul, we walked "in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1,2) but having been saved by grace, through faith in Christ, we are now to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Thus the Apostle bids us to "walk worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:10), to "walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16).

But the Christian life is even more than a walk; it is a race. Sad to say, many Christians whose "walk" is consistent and commendable, have never come to look upon the Christian life as a race. These never put enough into it so that it might be said of them that they are running. Yet the same great Apostle wrote, by divine inspiration:

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1).

The word "patience" in this passage points up the fact that the Christian life is not a short "hundred-yard dash"; it requires much endurance. Thus we should put into it all that we have. "They which run in a race," says the Apostle, "run all," but they do not all receive the prize. Hence the admonition: "So run that ye may obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24).

Those who have not trusted Christ as Savior have not even begun to stand, or walk, much less to run a race for Him. These might as well forget rewards until they first accept "the gift of God... eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

[nChrist]

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April 21, 2010

THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY
by Russell S. Miller


"How that by revelation He made known unto me the Mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

"Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

"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;

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

When the world was ripe for the judgment of God to fall, the Lord Jesus Christ in mercy and grace reached down from heaven to save "the chief of sinners," and in so doing "shewed forth all longsuffering" to this doomed world. Unlike the Twelve and their Kingdom gospel, Paul was made a minister of the Church and a dispenser of God's grace today. In Colossians, the Apostle Paul says:

"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body's sake, which is the Church:

"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:

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:25-27).

Paul declares that those things concerning the Church were a "secret" hitherto "NOT made known" (Ephesians 3:5), "...HID IN GOD..." (3:9) and, "HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, but now is made manifest to His saints" (Colossians 1:26). He says that "this mystery" is NOT found in the Old Testament scriptures. Search and see that its absence is conspicuous. And furthermore, in Galatians, he states again exactly how he got his message:

"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" (Galatians 1:11-12).

Paul got his gospel from the Lord Jesus Christ. No man taught Paul the gospel that he preached. He "received" it "by the revelation of Jesus Christ." The fact that PAUL got this "knowledge" from the glorified Lord, Himself, boldly proclaims that he DID NOT preach Jesus Christ according to a prophetic gospel; rather Paul is specially "chosen" of God through whom "this Mystery among the Gentiles" was to be revealed to the world. The message that he preached in all fourteen of his epistles concerning "the revelation of Jesus Christ" are summarized in the words of Romans 16:25-26:

"Now to Him that is of power to stablish you ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL, AND THE PREACHING OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY, WHICH WAS KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN,

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

[nChrist]

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April 22, 2010

GOD'S POWER PERFECTED IN WEAKNESS
by Cornelius R. Stam


To Paul was committed the greatest revelation of all time. He was divinely commissioned to proclaim the glorious all-sufficiency of Christ's redemptive work. He made known God's offer of salvation by free grace to all who trust in Christ, along with their heavenly position, blessings and prospect in Christ.

Lest he should become puffed up by the glory of these great truths, God gave him what he called "a thorn in the flesh," an aggravating physical infirmity of some sort. "For this thing," he says, "I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me" (2 Corinthians 12:8 ). But the Lord knew better than Paul what was good for him:

"And He said unto me. My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (Ver. 9).

How right God was! Every Christian knows that with brimming health and "good fortune" comes the tendency to forget our need of Him, while infirmity causes us to lean harder and to pray more, and this is where our spiritual power lies. Every believer should acknowledge this and say with Paul:

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities... for when I am weak, then am I strong" (Vers. 9,10).

Infirmities of the flesh are common even among God's choicest saints. What satisfaction there is, then, in resting upon God's Word: "My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

[nChrist]

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April 23, 2010

"GRACE ABOUNDING IN PAUL'S MINISTRY"
by Cornelius R. Stam


"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and THE MINISTRY WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD JESUS, TO TESTIFY THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD."
--The Apostle Paul in Acts 20:24.

* "GRACE to you, and peace" (Romans 1:7);

* "Being justified freely by His GRACE" (Romans 3:24);

* "we have access by faith into this GRACE wherein we stand" (Romans 5:2);

* "the GRACE of God, and gift by GRACE...is by one Man" (Romans 5:15);

* "the abundance of GRACE and of the gift of righteousness" (Romans 5:17);

* "where sin abounded, GRACE did much more abound...that GRACE might reign" (Romans 5:20,21);

* "for ye are not under the law, but under GRACE" (Romans 6:14);

* "not under the law, but under GRACE" (Romans 6:15);

* "there is a remnant according to the election of GRACE" (Romans 11:5);

* "if by GRACE, then it is no more of works; otherwise GRACE is no more GRACE.... But if it be of works, then is it no more GRACE" (Romans 11:6);

* "By the GRACE of God I am what I am; and His GRACE... was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the GRACE of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10);

* "that the abundant GRACE might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:15);

* "receive not the GRACE of God in vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1);

* "ye know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 8:9);

* "God is able to make all GRACE abound toward you" (2 Corinthians 9:8 );

* "the exceeding GRACE of God" (2 Corinthians 9:14);

* "My GRACE is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9);

* "I do not frustrate the GRACE of God" (Galatians 2:21);

* "the praise of the glory of His GRACE" (Ephesians 1:6);

* "the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His GRACE" (Ephesians 1:7);

* "the exceeding riches of His GRACE" (Ephesians 2:7);

* "For by GRACE are ye saved, through faith" (Ephesians 2:8 );

* "the dispensation of the GRACE of God... given me to you-ward" (Ephesians 3:2);

* "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly...singing with GRACE in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16);

* "the GRACE of our Lord was exceeding abundant" (1 Timothy 1:14);

* "who hath saved us...according to His own purpose and GRACE, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Timothy 1:9);

* "Be strong in the GRACE that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:1);

* "GRACE be with you all" (Titus 3:15).

[nChrist]

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April 24, 2010

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY; PAST OR FUTURE?
by Cornelius R. Stam


Did our Lord actually ride in triumph into Jerusalem to become King of the Church? Or is His true triumph still to come?

True, the townspeople cried: "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord" (John 12:12,13). But Jesus responded by entering the city, riding "an ass's colt" (Verses 14,15). Surely this was not a very regal sight! Once before, when He knew that they "would come and take Him by force to make Him a King, He departed...into a mountain Himself alone" (John 6:15).

He knew that it was not yet time for Him to reign. First must come the cross, then the throne. Zechariah had prophesied of this entry into Jerusalem, saying: "Behold thy King!" Look at Him! and then he describes His entrance: "Lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass" (Zechariah 9:9).

At this entry, "When He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it" (Luke 19:41). At this entry He entered into the temple, looked about and went out again (Mark 11:11). It was His Father's house, but He could not worship there. It had become a den of thieves. No, this was no triumphal entry. Look at Him, meek, lowly, riding on an ass's colt, and then see Him coming again as Revelation 19:11-16 describes it. How different the symbolism!

Once meek, lowly, and "having salvation." Now, "in righteousness doth He judge and make war." Once, riding "an ass's colt." Now, "Behold! a white horse!" And those eyes, once filled with tears are now "as a flame of fire."

Our Lord's true triumphal entry is still future. According to prophecy He will come again, put down all rebellion against Himself, and reign in glory and power. Thank God He has not yet done so! In love He still points to Calvary, where He died for our sins and offers us the riches of His grace.

"Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25).

[nChrist]

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April 25, 2010

THE HIGHEST EXPRESSION OF FAITH
by Cornelius R. Stam


In Romans 8:26 we read what our hearts must often confess to be true:

"...We know not what we should pray for as we ought..."

But the Apostle hastens to explain that the Spirit makes intercession for us according to the will of God, adding:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28 ).

Believers may not receive whatever they ask for in the darkness of this age, but

"God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8 ).

We may not receive whatever we ask for, but by His grace we may have so much more than this, that the Apostle, in contemplating it, breaks forth in a doxology:

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

"Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20,21).

In the light of all this the highest expression of faith today is found in the words of Paul in Philippians 4:6,7:

"Be careful [anxious] for nothing -- but in everything -- by prayer and supplication -- with thanksgiving -- let your requests be made known unto God -- and..."

"And" what?

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive"?

NO!!

"...and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [garrison] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

[nChrist]

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April 26, 2010

"WHY CELEBRATE THE LORD'S SUPPER"
by Cornelius R. Stam


The Lord's Supper was first instituted by our Lord after His last observance of the Passover (Luke 22:14-20). The main elements of the Passover feast were roast lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8 ) while at the Lord's Supper they were bread and wine (Luke 22:19,20).

Furthermore, the Lord's Supper was given by Paul to the Gentiles as a celebration of what Christ had done for them. Here let us be Bereans and ask a question or two from Scripture. Was not the Old Covenant made with Israel (Exodus 19:3-6)? And does not this covenant affect the Gentiles?

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that EVERY MOUTH may be stopped, and ALL THE WORLD may become guilty before God" (Romans 3:19).

It is significant that Paul calls himself and his coworkers, not Peter and the eleven, "able ministers of the New Covenant" (2 Corinthians 3:6). And remember he was "the apostle of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:13) and wrote this to Gentiles. As with the Old Covenant, so with the New, full light was not given until the revelation of the mystery to Paul by the exalted Lord.

The simple fact is, that what was promised to Israel and Judah under the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) we, Gentile believers, receive by grace. As we came under the condemnation of the Old Covenant so we also come under the blessing of the New -- by grace, for remember, the blood of the New Covenant, shed at Calvary, was also shed for us. It is that blood whereby we are saved. He shed no other.

But, beloved reader, has it ever occurred to you that to accomplish this, our blessed Lord had to be baptized into the human race -- become bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh--one with us, yea, one of us? Before we could be baptized into Deity, He had to be baptized into humanity. Before we could be baptized into His death, He had to be baptized into our death (Luke 12:50). To lift us from earth to heaven, to bless us with all spiritual blessings, He had to take on Himself a physical body to be beaten and scourged and spit upon and crucified.

God would have us remember this. And not only would He remind us of this stupendous fact and have us live in the light of it (Colossians 1:21,22): He would have us show it forth to others as well.

"THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME."

"FOR AS OFTEN AS YE EAT THIS BREAD, AND DRINK THIS CUP, YE DO SHEW THE LORD'S DEATH TILL HE COME" (1 Corinthians 11: 24,26).

[nChrist]

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April 27, 2010

"GOOD FRIDAY"
by Cornelius R. Stam


There has been much debate among theologians as to whether the Lord Jesus Christ was actually crucified on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Traditionally, of course, it is supposed to have taken place on Friday, but this writer has never been able to get very excited about such details. What matters is that Christ, the Creator, God in flesh, died in shame and disgrace and agony for sins He had never committed -- for your sins and mine.

But have you ever considered that this in itself is not necessarily good news? Many an innocent person has died in the place of some guilty criminal who has gone free through some miscarriage of justice. We didn't see anything good about this. When St. Peter addressed his kinsmen he blamed them for the crucifixion of Christ, saying: "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you... as ye yourselves also know... ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2:22, 23), and later he faced the Supreme Court of his nation and charged them with His death (Acts 4:5-11).

What then, was "good" about the death of Christ? Well, we come to this when we reach the Epistles of Paul in our Bibles. There the chief of sinners, saved by grace (1 Timothy 1:15), exclaims: "He gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). He says: "God hath made Him to be sin for us... that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). He does not blame us for Christ's death -- though our sins helped to nail Him to that cross -- but proclaims the glad news that, "We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). And why did He do this for us? "That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7).

So, for us who have trusted Christ as our Savior, the death of Christ at Calvary is indeed good news. We rejoice in it, sing about it, preach about it and all it has accomplished for a lost humanity. Little wonder Paul declared:

"God forbid that I should boast," except in one thing: "the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).

[nChrist]

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April 28, 2010

FAILING CHRISTIAN LEADERS
by Cornelius R. Stam


Have you been disappointed in your pastor or the officers of your church or perhaps in Christian leaders in general? Have you placed great faith in some spiritual leader only to be disillusioned and to find out that your faith has been misplaced? Have you observed the growing popularity of some evangelist or Bible teacher whom you "know" to be insincere, while noting that another, whose fidelity and sincerity are beyond question, seems to get nowhere?

How it helps, in such situations, to be able to "rightly divide the Word of truth," and to enjoy "the full assurance of understanding" that comes with "the full knowledge [Gr., epignosis] of the mystery"! (Colossians 2:2).

In "this present evil age" we are living under "the dispensation of the grace of God."

God is not saving good people today, nor even people who will repent and "do works meet for repentance." Rather, He is saving poor sinners who will come to Him with all their sin. This is God's gracious response to man's rejection of the King and the kingdom as offered at Pentecost.

Look at the way believers lived together in love and harmony during the Pentecostal era and you are apt to exclaim: "Why can't we live that way today? Let's get back to Pentecost." But look at the way believers lived together after the raising up of Paul, even among his beloved Philippians, and you will say: "It is no different today." This is because the believers at Pentecost were all filled with the Spirit in fulfillment of a prophetic promise, while today He has in grace committed His message to failing men and women, who indeed possess the Spirit, but often grieve Him.