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August 27, 2010

A BOND SLAVE OF JESUS CHRIST
by Russell S. Miller

In Paul's epistles he always opens with his name and, in most instances the phrase, "an apostle of Jesus Christ." But in his epistle to Titus, he opens with the declaration:

"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness" (Titus 1:1).

Saul, as he was also known, commissioned with authority from the chief priests, was anything but godly in his persecution of Messiah's followers. But suddenly, on the road to Damascus, in Acts 9, the Lord stopped him in his tracks:

"And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? ..." (Acts 9:4-6).

When the Lord appeared to Paul, at Damascus, he was most acutely aware of how wrong he had been, and of how ungodly his life had been without Christ, and it greatly humbled him. Years later this once proud Pharisee wrote that it was only God's grace that had made him the man of God he had become--"an apostle" and the devoted "servant of Jesus Christ" in ministering "the gospel of God" to the Gentiles (Romans 1:1-5). In Ephesians 3:7 he further tells us that he was "made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God, given unto me by the effectual working of His power.

"Unto me, who am LESS than the LEAST of all saints, is this GRACE given, that I should PREACH among the Gentiles THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST" (Ephesians 3:7,8 ).

In our text the word "servant," doulos in the Greek and rendered "bondman" in Textus Receptus, refers to one who serves. Paul was now the willing "servant" of Jesus Christ. Thus he exhorts believers not to be blinded by the devil's lies, "For we preach not ourselves, but CHRIST JESUS THE LORD; and ourselves your SERVANTS for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5). And because Paul was a faithful "bond slave" of Jesus Christ, he wrote Timothy:

"Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2 Timothy 4:17,18 ).

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August 28, 2010

A LITTLE LEAVEN AND LOST BLESSING
by Cornelius R. Stam

It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine from Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, just what the Galatian believers thought the rite of circumcision would accomplish for them spiritually. We doubt that they knew themselves, but the Judaizers had come in among them and had captured their attention so that these, who had been so gloriously saved by grace, now "desired to be under the law" (Galatians 4:21). They did not deny the efficacy of the finished work of Christ, but they were interested -- just interested -- in submitting to a religious ceremony which would in itself be a denial of the all-sufficiency of His redemptive work (3:1; 5:2-4). Result: the blessing was already vanishing (5:14) and the Apostle had to warn them: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (5:9). You can't admit a little leaven and expect it to stop there.

With the Corinthians it was rather a case of countenancing moral wrong. One of their members had been living in grievous sin. But then, their number was large, and he was just one, and the congregation as a whole abounded in spiritual gifts. Feeling quite satisfied with themselves, therefore, they simply overlooked this disgrace to the name of Christ. But listen to Paul's -- God's -- view of the matter:

"And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you" (1 Corinthians 5:2).

"Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
"Purge out therefore the old leaven..." (Vers. 6,7).

In these days when both spiritual error and moral wrong are made so palatable, when apostate unbelief and worldliness are presented so appetizingly, we do well to take heed to the Spirit's warning to quickly purge out the "little leaven" that threatens to permeate the whole loaf.

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August 29, 2010

KNOWING CHRIST AS HE SHOULD BE KNOWN
by Cornelius R. Stam

John the Baptist introduced our Lord with the proclamation: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2). Throughout His earthly ministry Christ was known as "the Son of David", the king with whom God made a covenant to establish His Kingdom forever.

The Old Testament prophets predicted that Christ would -- and He will -- reign on earth upon the throne of His father David. While His Kingdom was being proclaimed "at hand", He walked and talked and ate with men as "the Son of Man". Wearied with travelling, He sat at Jacob's well and asked for a drink of water. Pressed by the throng, He got into a fishing boat and addressed the multitudes from the sea. Hated by His adversaries, He was tried, scourged, spit upon, and nailed to a tree. This was indeed "Christ manifest in the flesh".

With regard to His humiliation, however, the Apostle Paul says, by divine inspiration: "God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9).

Again, the Apostle declares that God's mighty power was "wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL..." (Ephesians 1:20). He is no longer to be known as "the lowly Jesus", but as the exalted "Lord" in heaven. And this has its bearing on us too:

"Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, know we Him no more" (2 Corinthians 5:16). Our blessed Saviour is now to be known as the glorified Son of God, the Great Dispenser of Grace to a lost humanity; the One who in love and mercy "tasted death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9).

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 August 30, 2010

CHOOSING COMMISSIONS
by Cornelius R. Stam

How foolish and wrong it is for any of us to use "snatch-grab" methods, as Pastor J. C. O'Hair called them, in ascertaining our Lord's will for us! What right have we to choose some particular segment or segments of our Lord's instructions to the eleven in the forty days between His resurrection and ascension, and to apply only these to ourselves or to the Church today?

Nothing could be clearer than the fact that our Lord "showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). In those forty days then, one Person, our Lord, spoke to eleven men, and gave instructions as to the program they were to carry out after His ascension. In every single case it is crystal clear that these commands were not directed to others, who were to live at some future date, but to the apostles, who were to commence to carry them out after His departure, when the Holy Spirit had endued them with power.

This is emphasized by the phraseology found in all five records of the so-called "Great Commission": Matthew 28:19: "Go ye," Mark 16:15: "Go ye," Luke 24:48: "Ye are witnesses," John 20:21: "So send I you," and Acts 1:8: "Ye shall be witnesses." How preposterous, then, to argue, as so many hard-pressed theologians have done, that one or more segments of the great commission are to be carried out by another generation at a later time!

By what rule of hermeneutics or logic have we the right to exclude from the interpretation of these commands the very persons to whom our Lord gave them, and if this commission is binding on the Church today, what authority have we to choose which part or parts we shall obey?

[nChrist]

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August 31, 2010

WHAT'S BEHIND OUR MORAL DECLINE?
by Cornelius R. Stam

One does not have to be a prude to conclude that our country is suffering a serious moral decline. Our rulers and law enforcement agencies seem powerless to cope with it. Campaigns to check it seem vain. J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI warned us again and again that the alarming rate of this downward trend would spell ruin for America if not checked soon. But what most people fail to realize is that behind this moral decline there is a spiritual decline. America has departed from God and His Word.

Paul's letter to the Romans tells us how the heathen got that way. Rom. 1:21,22 says: "When they knew God they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools," and the verses that follow tell how God finally had to "give them up" to "uncleanness" and "vile affections"--all because "they did not like [wish] to retain God in their knowledge" (Ver. 28 ).

St. Paul further describes them in Ephesians 4:17-19, as walking "in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling [conscience] have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." This, sad to say, is an accurate description of increasing numbers in America today. They are throwing off restraint and going after uncleanness "with greediness."

But this is not liberty, it is enslavement. It is not a sign of strength, but of weakness. It does not indicate superior intelligence, but grossest ignorance, and is the result of alienation from God.

How much better off are those who have come to know God through Christ! Of these the Apostle says:

"And you, who were once 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 unreprovable in His sight" (Colossians 1:21,22).

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September 1, 2010

A FAMOUS YOUNG MAN
by Cornelius R. Stam

Has it ever occurred to you how Timothy became so famous a young man?

H. L. Hastings tells of a group of British archaeologists who, years ago, came upon a huge marble slab, evidently very ancient, high atop a mountain where no one would be apt to find it -- or remove it.

Experts were called upon to decipher the hieroglyphics which covered the marble monument. They found them to be a declaration by an ancient ruler of his great exploits, and an explanation that he had used this means of recording his deeds so as to secure to himself everlasting fame.

The trouble was that no one could find any historical account of a king who bore this name or who had accomplished the glorious exploits recorded on the marble slab! Thus the archaeologists had found, engraved in marble, a glowing self-tribute to -- whom? It might as well have been to nobody!

By striking contrast, young Timothy has been well known by Christian people all over the world for nearly two thousand years! During all this time, without interruption, he has been read about, written about, preached about and used as an example of consistent Christian conduct. Yet, have you ever read one great deed done by Timothy? Have you ever read of one great sermon from his lips, one brilliant book or letter from his pen, one great exploit of any kind? No, you hardly know more than that he was a young preacher, a friend of Paul, and that he had been taught the Scriptures in early life by his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5), so that Paul could now write to him:

"...FROM A CHILD THOU HAST KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEE WISE UNTO SALVATION, THROUGH FAITH WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS" (2 Timothy 3:15).

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September 2, 2010

JOHN 3:16
by Cornelius R. Stam

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Do you believe it?
With all your heart?
Do you believe that God gave His Son because He loved the whole world?
Do you believe that whosoever believes in Him receives everlasting life?
Gentiles as well as Jews?
Do you believe that John 3:16 applies to this age?
SO DO WE!--WITH ALL OUR HEARTS!

We emphasize this because we have been charged of late with putting a dispensational question mark opposite John 3:16.

We not only believe that John 3:16 applies to this age, but that it is more pertinent today than when our Lord first spoke it to Nicodemus.

But first let us turn to two other Scriptures, just as plain, though less frequently quoted.

In Matthew 15:24 we have the plain words of our Lord, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

In Matthew 10:5,6 we read "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

How can we reconcile these Scriptures with John 3:16?

John 3:16, -- "The world...whosoever."

Matthew 10:5,6; 15:24, -- None but "the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

The key to this question is found in Acts 3:25,26 where Peter says to the house of Israel, "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, AND IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED. Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities."

The Old Testament abounds with prophecies that salvation would go to the ends of the earth through Israel. This is why our Lord confined His earthly ministry exclusively to the house of Israel. This is why Peter said to the people of Israel, "Unto you first..."

It was no secret that salvation would go to all the world, but remember that it was to go through the covenant people.

We must not forget that John 3:16 was spoken to "A RULER OF THE JEWS." This makes the words of our Lord doubly significant. It would not be at all amiss to paraphrase them thus: "For God so loved the world, Nicodemus -- not only Israel, but the world -- that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Sad to say, the rulers of the Jews rejected Christ. The glorious message of John 3:16 would never have reached the Gentiles if God had waited for Israel to proclaim it.

As a nation they themselves rejected God's Son. They even persecuted those who preached Christ and Saul of Tarsus became the leader of the opposition.

It was in this crisis that God arrested Saul and saved him so that He might unfold His secret purpose of grace to him and through him.

We quote a few Scriptures from Paul's letters:

"Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but...the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant...that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting" (1 Timothy 1:13-16).

"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned...so might grace reign" (Romans 5:20,21).

"FOR GOD HATH CONCLUDED THEM ALL IN UNBELIEF, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE MERCY UPON ALL. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:32,33).

"For He is our peace, who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us...for to make in Himself of twain one new man...and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body BY THE CROSS" (Ephesians 2:14-16).

This message of grace abounding, of grace reigning was revealed from heaven by the Lord Jesus Christ to the apostle Paul. He says in Ephesians 3:2,3: "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward, HOW THAT BY REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY." This was God's eternal purpose, "kept secret since the world began" (Romans 16:25), "hid in God" (Ephesians 3:9), "in other ages not made known," (Ephesians 3:5), "hid from ages and from generations" (Colossians 1:26), "THE MYSTERY" (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:9; 3:3,4,9; 6:19; Colossians 1:26,27; 2:2; 4:3).

And now, thank God, though Israel, through whom the nations should have been blessed, gropes in darkness and staggers in unbelief, any poor sinner, Jew or Gentile, may rejoice that "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE."

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September 3, 2010

CHURCH ON FIRE
by Cornelius R. Stam

The Chicago newspapers carried an account the other day of a large church, burned to the ground, at a loss of about half a million dollars. Our sympathy goes out to the pastor and congregation who, at best, will have to carry on for a time under makeshift arrangements.

But the account reminded me of the story of another church on fire. The crowds had gathered to see the fire engines pour water on the burning building, when one man spotted a friend in the crowd. "Hi Bob!" he shouted: "This is the first time I've seen you at church!" "Well," responded the other, "This is the first time I've seen a church on fire."

We write this as a special appeal to true, born-again Christians. Isn't it true that if believers were more "on fire" for Christ, more completely sold out to Him, those who are now disinterested would be more apt to become interested and come to know Him as their Savior? We so soon lose interest or become discouraged, and quit. This is why the Apostle Paul, that tireless ambassador for Christ, wrote:

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

This, we repeat, is his exhortation to believers only, for God will not accept our money or our good works, until we have first accepted "the gift of God," which is "eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

Accept this gift; trust the Christ who died for your sins and He will give you plenty to do -- the most rewarding service any man could possibly render.

[nChrist]

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September 4, 2010

A JEALOUS GOD
by Cornelius R. Stam

We heartily thank God for every politician, athlete, actor or even criminal who comes to know Christ as Savior. But conversion alone does not qualify one for a place of prominence in Christian service. This, especially in Paul's epistles, is reserved for mature believers, wholly separated to God and established in the truth (See especially 2 Timothy 2:21).

When hearts beat faster because of the presence of some glamorous personality on the Christian platform; when such personalities receive adulation which belongs rather to the Christ who died for them, God is dishonored and displeased.

True, the motive in procuring such "crowd-getters" may have been to reach greater numbers for Christ, just as some of our spiritual leaders become yoked together with apostate unbelievers in evangelistic endeavors in order to reach souls for Christ, but the end does not justify the means. It is never right to do wrong to accomplish some good end.

Have we forgotten that God's Word says: "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:5) and "I will not give My glory unto another" (Isaiah 48:11)? True we quote here from the Ten Commandments, but remember, Paul in his epistles quotes all the Ten Commandments except one (re the sabbath). The covenant of the Law has been done away but not the moral law itself, and God is the only Being who has legitimate and urgent reason to be jealous of His glory. Christian leaders are playing a dangerous game when they give glory due to God alone to prominent personalities so as to swell their audiences.

It is time for the Church to realize that salvation is the work of God and that true and lasting results will follow only when we conduct His work in His way.

[nChrist]

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September 5, 2010

CONTINUE THOU
by Cornelius R. Stam

"Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse...but continue thou" (2 Timothy 3:13,14).

These were among the last words of the great Apostle Paul, written in view of his approaching martyrdom, to Timothy, his beloved son in the faith.

Circumstances, outwardly, were anything but encouraging. It seemed that the last days of the dispensation of grace were indeed at hand. The apostle had borne many "persecutions" and "afflictions" and now "suffered trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds". There were those who, like Jannes and Jambres, had "resisted the truth" (Verse 8 ). "Alexander the coppersmith" had done him "much evil" and had "greatly withstood his words" (4:14,15). "Evil men and seducers" had risen on every hand and were to "wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13).

There was even defection among his own brethren in the faith, so that now, from his Roman prison, he had to report: "All they which are in Asia have turned away from me...Demas hath forsaken me...only Luke is with me" (2 Timothy 1:15; 4:10,11).

And what, now, is his parting advice to young Timothy? Does he say: "Perhaps I have been too intense. My methods have made many enemies. I advise you to be more diplomatic and tolerant than I have been". Hardly, for the records show Paul to have been of all men most tactful and considerate. His sufferings were not the result of a contentious spirit, but of his faithfulness in proclaiming that message which so embarrasses and enrages "our adversary, the devil", that message which is God's gracious response to man's need and His answer to Satan's slander -- "the gospel of the grace of God".

Thus it is that the Apostle urges Timothy: "Continue thou...be not ashamed...be strong". He well knew that in this sin-cursed world the only hope for the individual is to be found in God's offer of salvation through faith in the redemption wrought by Christ at Calvary.

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September 6, 2010

THE APOSTLE OF GRACE
by Cornelius R. Stam

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus was an amazing event. Saul loathed the very name of Christ. He blasphemed Him and caused others to be tortured so as to compel them to blaspheme that holy name. He led his nation and the world in rebellion against the resurrected, glorified Christ -- the world which had already disowned and crucified the lowly Jesus.

But as Saul went to Damascus, still "breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1), God did a wonderful thing. Rather than crush the leader of the world's rebellion, He saved him. Christ broke through the heavens, as it were, to speak words of pity to His greatest enemy on earth. As a result Saul's rebellious spirit was broken and in one moment the pitiless persecutor became the docile, indeed the devoted follower of Christ.

More than this, Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor, became Paul the Apostle. To him the glorified Lord committed "the dispensation of the grace of God" (Ephesians 3:2) and "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). Now he went everywhere proclaiming grace, telling men how God loved them, how Christ had come into the world and had gone to Calvary to pay man's debt of sin so that believing sinners might be saved.

"The gospel of the grace of God," found in Paul's epistles, does not blame anyone for the death of Christ. Rather it presents the cross as good news. It declares that "we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). It says that "God hath concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all" (Romans 11:32) and that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20). Thus the vilest sinner may believe and rejoice in the consciousness of sins forgiven.

[nChrist]

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 September 7, 2010

I WASN'T PRAYING RIGHT
by Cornelius R. Stam

We were having supper in a restaurant in Albany, Georgia, and had just given our waitress a gospel tract. This brought about an incident we shall probably never forget. The young lady was married and had one child, though still a teenager, but she was a sincere believer and had already learned one lesson which is bound to enrich the life of any Christian.

About ten months previous her little baby, only two months old, had become seriously ill. The little one was taken to the hospital but his condition worsened daily. "I was on my knees so much those days," said the young mother, "begging the Lord day after day not to take my little child, and I guess I got a little bitter one night when the doctor warned me in a kind way not to expect too much.

"I went home again and began claiming promises from the Lord, when it dawned on me that I hadn't been praying right. All of a sudden it came to me, and I said: 'Lord, I'm your child and I know perfectly well that you wouldn't do anything to harm me, so please help me just to trust you and to understand that whatever you do is for my good.'

"I felt better then," she said, "and I guess the Lord just wanted me to learn that lesson, because what do you think! The very next morning when I went to the hospital one of the nurses came to me almost dancing. She said: 'Honey, your baby's going to live. The crisis is over. You should see how well he's doing!' And he was! You should have seen him! And you should see how fine and healthy he is now!

"I'm so thankful. And believe me, I've learned that lesson, and won't go demanding things from the Lord again."

[nChrist]

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September 8, 2010

THE WOMAN OF JOHN 8 AND THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
by Russell S. Miller

In John 8:1-11, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman unto the Lord, taken in the "very act" of adultery. They cited the Mosaic Law, with its condemnation and sentence of death for such transgressions.

"They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

"This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not" (John 8:4-6).

Now whatever He wrote on the ground that day were THE WORDS OF GOD, and the scribes and Pharisees were "convicted" of the Holy Spirit of God by THE WORDS that He wrote on the ground that day!

"And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:9-11).

This woman heard the Words of the Lord Jesus as she had never heard them before. Her reply, "No man, LORD," proves that she knew who He was. There is no mention here of repentance and water baptism so we must ask, What does His message, and exhortation "go, and sin no more," manifest? There was divine wisdom here. The scribes and Pharisees had sought to back the Lord into a corner, or so they thought, to catch Him in His words. But this was no dilemma for the Lord Jesus Christ. HE SIMPLY MANIFESTED HIS GRACE--before the dispensation of grace--and saved this poor woman by His grace. And what could they say about that! God the Son had already foreseen what He would do about those Pharisees and this poor lady caught in sin. God's Word cannot be "bound," neither can God's Son be put into a little box.

Thus this passage in John 8 becomes more blessed than ever before, and is yet another answer to those who deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. And what will you say at the Judgment Seat of Christ?

[nChrist]

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September 9, 2010

THAT BLESSED HOPE
by Cornelius R. Stam

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

"Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2: 13,14).

A rich harvest of blessing was reaped for the Church in those years before and after the turn of the century when the great truth of the Lord's coming to catch away His own was recovered by men of God and the expectancy of His appearing became once more "that blessed hope" to multitudes of believers.

Now some are pointing to such passages as Matthew 24:6-9 and 29, 30 to prove that the Church will go through the tribulation. Others have adopted a "mid-tribulation" view, holding that the Church will go through only the first half of the tribulation period, and will be caught away before the fearful outpouring of God's wrath in the "great tribulation." Still others hold the so-called "partial rapture" view on the basis of our Lord's exhortation to His disciples in Luke 21:36. According to this view only those "counted worthy" will be caught up at the rapture.

And thus the glorious prospect that Paul, by inspiration, holds out to the members of Christ's body as "that blessed hope," is again being lost to growing numbers of sincere believers, simply because they fail to recognized it as a distinctly Pauline revelation.

It is a significant fact that in the very first epistle from Paul's pen he already refers to a prior hope for the members of the Body of Christ, the hope of a coming of Christ which precedes His return to earth to reign. In I Thessalonians 1:9,10 he recalls:

"...how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God,

"AND TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN...."

And in I Thessalonians 4:16-18 he explains:

"...We which are alive and remain...shall be CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

"Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

To those who remain blind to this important fact such passages as Matthew 24 must qualify, if not contradict, I Thessalonians 4, and any attempt to harmonize the Gospel records as to Christ's return with Paul's special revelation as to His coming for His own, must end in the most bewildering confusion.

But we who do recognize the distinctive character of Paul's apostleship and revelation have no such problem to vex us. To us "that blessed hope" glows -- surely should glow -- brighter as the days grow darker.

[nChrist]

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September 10, 2010

MOSES AND THE PROPHETS
by Cornelius R. Stam

Now our Lord, when on earth, encouraged, indeed He even challenged His audiences to "Search the Scriptures" for themselves (John 5:39). Indeed since God revealed Himself and His plan of salvation in the written Word, we are responsible, each one for himself to study the Scriptures. When the rich man Dives begged Abraham to be allowed to go and warn his five brothers about the horrors of hell, Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them". And when the rich man urged that a word from him would be more effective, Abraham answered, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:29,31).

Don't depend upon your clergyman, my dear friend, to interpret the Scriptures for you. See for yourself what God says in His Word. For "every one of us shall give an account of himself to God", says Romans 14:12. And it won't be enough in that day to say, my minister or my priest told me so and so. You are responsible, you, to search the Scriptures for yourself, to see whether these things are so.

Why don't you search the Scriptures, especially the epistles of Paul, our apostle. For it is Paul who says, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles [Nations], I magnify mine office" (Romans 11:13). Learn in his epistles this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory and how it is that Christ's death on Calvary's cross can save you.

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