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September 11, 2010

THE FATHER OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE APOSTLE TO THE NATIONS
by Cornelius R. Stam

Millions highly honor George Washington as "the father of our country," but how few know about Paul, God's apostle to the nations!

Not Matthew, or Mark or Luke; not Peter or James or John, but Paul alone wrote:

"FOR I SPEAK TO YOU GENTILES (or, YOU OF THE NATIONS] INASMUCH AS I AM THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES [NATIONS]: I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE" (Romans 11:13).

And remember, Paul wrote this by divine inspiration. But note well that Paul did not magnify himself, but his office, to which he had been appointed by the glorified Lord. In defending his apostleship before the Galatians, he wrote:

"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).

In many other passages the Apostle claims to speak as a direct representative of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 11:23; 15:3; Ephesians 3:2,3; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; etc.). To Timothy Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 concerning his own writings:

"If any man teach OTHERWISE, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing..."

This could not demonstrate more emphatically Paul's claim that his words were "the words of our Lord Jesus Christ," received from Him by direct revelation. To the Corinthians, who questioned this, the Apostle wrote:

"...IF I COME AGAIN I WILL NOT SPARE, SINCE YE SEEK A PROOF OF CHRIST SPEAKING IN ME" (2 Corinthians 13:2,3).

The proof of this claim? This was overwhelming indeed, for Paul was used more than any other apostle to found churches and lead men into the knowledge and joy of salvation. To the Corinthian believers he wrote what he could have written to many thousands of others: "The seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 9:2).

[nChrist]

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September 12, 2010

FEAR OF DEATH IS IT NECESSARY?
by Cornelius R. Stam

Most people live in almost constant fear of death. They do not like to think that man's days are as grass and all his glory as the glory of a fading flower (Psalms 103:15,16). They do not wish to face up to the fact that "it is appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 9:27).

This is natural, for God's Word declares that death is "the wages of sin" (Rom. 6:23) and "after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27) and the "second death" (Revelation 20:14). This is why 1 Corinthians 15:56 says that "The sting of death is sin."

Yet the Psalmist David was not afraid of death. He said: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil" -- but note the reason: "for Thou art with me" (Psalms 23:4). David had come to know God and had been graciously delivered from the fear of death. But we, today, have an even greater reason to be free from the fear of death, for 1,000 years after David, Saul of Tarsus, the chief of sinners, was saved by grace and was sent forth to proclaim the "gospel [good news] of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

He went forth to tell men how "Christ died for our sins" (1 Corinthians 15:3) and robbed Satan of all his claims against us:

"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 2: 14, 15).

When the Apostle himself neared death, he said: "To die is gain" (Philippians 1:21), "to depart, and to be with Christ... is far better" (Ver. 23), and "the time of my departure is at hand... henceforth there is laid up for me a crown..." (2 Timothy 4:6-8 ).

[nChrist]

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September 13, 2010

A STONE OF STUMBLING
by Cornelius R. Stam

Some thirty years after the death and resurrection of Christ, St. Peter wrote to the believers of the Jewish dispersion:

"Unto you therefore which believe He is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
"And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient..." (1 Peter 2:7,8 ).

It is true that Israel's builders, 1900 years ago, "disallowed" Christ as the cornerstone for their building, and that when He became the "Head of the corner," according to Psalms 118:22, it was for them an occasion for stumbling and embarrassment.

But Christ is a "stone of stumbling" to all who reject Him. In Romans 9:33 St. Paul quotes from several Old Testament passages:

"As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."

In Peter's day and in Paul's, those who looked upon Christ as their Cornerstone were never given cause to be ashamed. It was those who disallowed and refused Him who kept stumbling over Him and were constantly embarrassed by Him.

So today, those who put their trust in the crucified, risen Christ are eternally secure and will never be put to shame for having done so. But those who reject Christ keep forever stumbling over Him. They hear Him preached over the radio, they see Him offered as the One who died for their sins, they are constantly confronted with His claims and they are embarrassed. They keep forever stumbling over Him.

Moral: trust Him now as your personal Savior, for "whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."

[nChrist]

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 September 14, 2010

THE BIBLE ON THE FLOOR
by Cornelius R. Stam

"...Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name" (Psalms 138:2).

As I passed by my study the other night, I noticed that I had left a Bible lying on the floor next to a chair. In studying I had put it down momentarily to consult a reference book and had neglected to pick it up again.

Now, as I caught a fleeting glimpse of that blessed Book lying there, it bothered me; in fact it bothered me enough to make me go back and pick it up and put it where it belonged.

Then I began wondering why so trivial a matter had troubled me. Was it because I remembered how dad would never allow anything to lie on top of the Bible? Had mere sentiment confused my thinking?

Surely the Word of God is forever settled in heaven and that book lying on the floor was only paper, ink and a leather cover. Or was it? Was it not also the Word of God as given to us? And as such, was it not representative of God Himself? If our country's flag must be treated with honor and respect; if it is sacrilege to treat it as mere cloth, how much more is this so where the Holy Bible is concerned!

No, it was not merely dad's example that came to mind as I saw the Bible lying there: certainly it was not only that. Rather it was a Scripture passage of which he often reminded us; the inspired words of David quoted above:

"Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name."

To be sure God would have us use His Word as a textbook from which to learn His will. It is no sign of reverence for this great Book to leave it lying untouched on the shelf. He would have us use it and study it, perhaps underlining important passages and marking significant connections. But with all this we must never forget to treat it with the reverence and honor due the written Word of God.

[nChrist]

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September 15, 2010

"A TRUE VETERAN"
by Cornelius R. Stam

Before you have placed your trust in Christ as your Lord and Savior, there is nothing whatever you can do to please God or to gain acceptance with Him. John 3:35 declares that "the Father loves the Son" and cares what you think about Him and do with Him. This is why Verse 36 goes on to say:

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."

But once you have received Christ as your Savior and Lord there is much you can do to please God. You can witness to His saving grace, you can please Him by living a godly life, you can work for Him, you can sacrifice of your means to further His cause, and yes, you can fight for Him. "Fight for Him" you say? Yes indeed, for this world system, our Adamic natures and Satan and his hosts, are all antagonistic toward the Christ who died for our sins. Satan's forces, especially, work behind the scenes to "blind the minds of them that believe not" (2 Corinthians 4:4). These fallen angels, we read, are "the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians. 6:12).

This is why God urges His children to be "strong in the Lord," putting on "the whole armor of God," so as to meet and defeat these evil forces (Vers. 10,11). This is why He puts a sword ("the Word of God") into our hands and bids us "stand... stand... stand!" (Vers. 11-14).

Ah, but a great veteran, who waged many battles in making Christ known to the lost, gives us an inkling of the thrill that goes with being "a good soldier of Jesus Christ." In his last words, just before his execution, the Apostle Paul declared triumphantly: "I have fought a good fight!" (2 Timothy 4:7). It was indeed "a good fight" in which he had been engaged, a fight to bring light and salvation and blessing to benighted souls. And the reward:

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown" (Ver. 8 ).

[nChrist]

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September 16, 2010

TRUE PRAYER
by Cornelius R. Stam

Let us suppose that I have just had the joy of leading a soul to Christ. He was a godless, wicked creature until lately, but now, suddenly, a great transformation has taken place in his life. He is overwhelmed with the joy of sins forgiven. Nevertheless a few things still trouble him.

As he stands there, touched by the love of Christ, he says: "I don't look very much like a Christian. Look at my clothes. And I ought to get a job and work like other people do. Then too, I've been a wicked blasphemer. Swearing seems to be part of my nature. I don't know how I'll ever stop it."

I suggest that we pray about it, but he says he has never prayed in his life and doesn't know how, so I teach him. I tell him how simple prayer is -- that he should simply talk to God and say, "Lord, I need a decent suit of clothes and a job, and oh, please help me to stop swearing. I ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

We arise from prayer, and feeling for the man, I myself get him a suit of clothes and a job and he goes on his way rejoicing.

Now let us suppose that I return ten years later to find that he is happily married, has three children and is living a consistent Christian life. Calling at his home, however, I find that one of his children is seriously ill. We get on our knees to pray for the child and he begins: "Lord, I need a decent suit of clothes and a job, and oh, please help me to stop swearing."

Ridiculous! you say. No man would be so foolish. Yes, ridiculous indeed, yet many people simply repeat prayers in the same way. The so-called "Lord's Prayer" is, of course, a perfect prayer, but it is significant that in giving this very prayer, our Lord cautioned His disciples: "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do... Be not... like unto them... After this manner therefore pray ye..." (Matthew 6:7-9). Yet this very prayer is repeated word for word at funerals and weddings, in storms at sea, before meals and at church services -- on practically any occasion, whether it applies or not.

Thank God for those who know God through the Lord Jesus Christ and can truly enter into His presence in prayer "to obtain mercy and to find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

[nChrist]

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September 17, 2010

PAUL NOT ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES
by Cornelius R. Stam

Occasionally the Lord's apostles are charged with acting arbitrarily in choosing Matthias to take Judas' place. It is said that they first chose two candidates and then asked God which of these two He would have to fill the vacant position. Paul, according to some, was actually God's choice for Judas' place. But this charge is not based upon the record of Scripture.

   1. The apostles, with Peter as their chief, had been given authority to act officially in Christ's absence (Matthew 16:19; 18: 18,19).
   2. They acted upon the Scriptural declaration that another apostle should be chosen to fill Judas' place (Psalms 109:8; cf. Acts 1:20).
   3. Their action was bathed in many days of united prayer (Luke 24:49; cf. Acts 1:12-15), and when two candidates were found they again prayed and left the final choice in the hands of God (Acts 1:24-26).
   4. Probably only two (Matthias and Joseph Barsabas) were eligible, for only those could qualify who had followed Christ continuously from the day of His baptism by John until His ascension to heaven (Acts 1:21,22; cf. Matthew 19:28, "Ye which have followed Me").
   5. Paul would not have been eligible, for he had not even seen Christ during His earthly ministry (1 Corinthians 15:8 ).
   6. The conclusive proof that the eleven acted in the will of God in this matter is found in the fact that the Scripture clearly states that Matthias "was numbered with the eleven apostles" (Acts 1:26) and that "THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT" (Acts 2:4). Men out of the will of God are not filled with the Holy Spirit.

Thus Paul stands separate and distinct from the twelve as the apostle of the present dispensation of grace (Ephesians 3:1-3).

[nChrist]

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September 18, 2010

FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
by Cornelius R. Stam

Man, by nature, is afraid of God. When Adam first sinned, he should have gone immediately to God to beg for mercy and forgiveness. Instead he did just what millions are doing today: he ran and hid from God so that God had to come and look for Him, as it were, calling: "Adam... where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9).

Many people who consider themselves as good, morally, as those about them, or even better, nevertheless feel utterly ill-at-ease in a place of worship, where believers pray and praise God together. This is because in their heart of hearts they know that they have "sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Such, however, may come to know, love and enjoy God through faith in Christ. He was Himself God manifested in the flesh, come to earth in love to pay for our sins on Calvary's cross, so that we might have "redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

Concerning those who respond in grateful faith and trust in the crucified, risen, glorified Lord for salvation, the Apostle Paul says:

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:2).

Peace with God, and the fellowship which naturally results from this is the most precious treasure the human heart can contain. Yet our fellowship with Him here on earth is but the beginning. Read carefully Ephesians 5:25-27 and see how He took upon Him human form, and died, that He might have us for Himself forever:

"...Christ... loved the Church, and gave Himself for it... that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

[nChrist]

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September 19, 2010

ARE YOU SURE?
by Cornelius R. Stam

Would you like to have the knowledge, the assurance and the joy of sins forgiven? Would you like to be sure of heaven?

Well, the first step to heaven is to realize that you cannot get there by trying. You can't walk there. You can't climb there. You can't fly there. Only God can take you there. Many try to earn heaven. They try to climb there on a ladder of good works. They talk about "adding another rung." But look out for that good works ladder! It's not anchored at the top and the higher you climb the farther you will fall.

God's Word says that salvation is "the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). He is not going to have boasters in heaven -- there are enough of them on earth and nobody likes them.

All of us should realize that even the best of us are not good enough for heaven, for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), but in this same statement the Apostle Paul declares that believers in Christ, who died for our sins, are "justified freely by His [God's] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

So, friend, it is not by trying, or crying, or praying, or paying, or doing anything that you will reach heaven: it is only by believing. God says He loves sinners, and that Christ died for our sins. Will you believe this and trust Christ as your Savior? The terms are stated very plainly in John 3:35,36:

"The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."

[nChrist]

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September 20, 2010

REPENTANCE AND GRACE
by Cornelius R. Stam

When the sinner is convicted by the Holy Spirit of the seriousness of sin and of judgment to come, and cries to the Lord to save him, he has, of course, repented, or changed his mind, as the Greek word signifies. Many of God's servants, however, considering only the fact that sinners need such a change of mind, conclude that the way to produce the greatest results in their ministry is to stress repentance.

Such should take note of the response to the three great calls to repentance by which the dispensation of the Law was brought to a close: John the Baptist called Israel to repentance but was beheaded as a result (Matthew 3:1-12; Matthew 14:3-10). The Lord Jesus took up the cry where John had left off (4:17), but was crucified for it. After the resurrection He sent His disciples to preach "repentance and remission of sin...in His name" (Luke 24:47) but Jerusalem refused to repent and it was not long before blood again flowed, as Stephen was stoned to death and a great persecution followed (Acts 8:3).

The guilt of Israel's impenitence increased too, as the call to repentance was intensified, for while John's murder was permitted by the people, Christ's was demanded by them, and Stephen's was actually committed by them. Thus the so-called "Great Commission" was bogged down at the very start, for if Jerusalem and the covenant people refused to repent, what hope was there that the "nations" (Luke 24:47) would do so?

"But where sin abounded, GRACE did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might GRACE reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:20,21).

After calls to repentance had failed, the ascended Lord stooped down to save Saul, the chief of sinners, on the road to Damascus, in anything but a repentant mood. Not by threatening or dealing with him in judgment, but by speaking to him in the tenderest tones He showed him the glory of His grace. This "trophy of grace" was then sent forth to proclaim "the gospel of grace", and the merits of his crucified, glorified Lord.

This is why repentance was emphasized, indeed was the theme of God's message, from John until Paul, while grace, proclaimed through the cross and received by faith, gradually displaced it as the theme of God's message for "this present evil age" (Acts 20:24).

[nChrist]

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September 21, 2010

THE KINDNESS AND LOVE OF GOD
by Russell S. Miller

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

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

"Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:4-6).

If a man is dying, and you have the means to help him, would you let him die?

Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of "the tree of [the] knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis 2:9), and falling into sin themselves, they plunged the whole human race into sin (Romans 5:12). Having been warned of God, "for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17), they were disobedient, and so we are no longer perfect, but sinful, and in need of the Saviour. While it may take 70 or 80 years from the moment we are born, we begin to die, and "dying thou shalt die." Consequently, mankind, that's all of us, were blinded by Satan's lie, and as such, walk in darkness.

"In whom, the god of this world HATH BLINDED THE MINDS OF THEM WHICH BELIEVE NOT, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4:4).

God is the God of eternal values, His principles are the standards by which the universe was created, and by which the universe is held together. Whatever the Eternal God does it shall be for ever. Thus our first parents were created with an eternal soul. The soul of man shall either live forever with Christ, or shall be lost in an eternal hell without Him. And since God cannot compromise His eternal principles how was man to be redeemed? There was only one way. In eternity past the God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit counseled together that God the Son would offer the sacrifice that could redeem mankind. Since we are of "eternal worth" to Him, the "Eternal God" sent "His own Son" to pay for our sins, Himself, at the extreme cost of His own life's blood that we, by faith in Christ, might know the kindness and love of God our Saviour:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? HE THAT SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON, BUT DELIVERED HIM UP FOR US ALL, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? IT IS CHRIST THAT DIED, yea rather, THAT IS RISEN AGAIN, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8:31-34).

It's not "good works," then, but rather a matter of whether or not we believe God's Word. Why else would God have sent His "only begotten Son" into this sin cursed world to die on a cruel cross? It is what Christ did on the cross that God accepts, and as we accept Christ's redemptive work on our behalf, God "accepts" us in His beloved Son:

"To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved [One].

"IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE" (Ephesians 1:6,7).

Therefore God cannot, and will not, accept your good works as substitute for Christ's "finished work" of redemption on Calvary's cross. Do we believe the truth of the Word of God or the devil's lie? God loves us, each and every one of us, with an everlasting, an eternal, love. How MUCH He loves us.

"BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US" (Romans 5:8 ).

"Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: WE PRAY YOU IN CHRIST'S STEAD, Be Ye Reconciled to God.

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, [Christ]Who knew no sin; THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM" (2 Corinthians 5:20,21).

"BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).

[nChrist]

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September 22, 2010

TWO WALLS
by Cornelius R. Stam

We were all doubtless surprised when the East German authorities began opening the Berlin Wall to West Berlin visitors at Christmas time. We can never be sure just what might be up the Communists' sleeves, but for the time being it sounds encouraging. What they ought to do, of course, is to tear the wall down. It is a crime against humanity and a sin against God to confine half a city in a cage, to treat human beings as if they were animals.

The Bible speaks of a wall that separated all mankind into two parts. In Ephesians 2 the Law, the Ten Commandments, is called "the middle wall of partition."

The Law was given to God's covenant people. The Gentiles had been given up long before at the Tower of Babel and God had called out Abraham and his seed and had given them the Law. They broke the Law, however, so that Romans 3:19 says:

"Whatsoever the law saith it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be brought in guilty before God."

Because of the broken Law all men have been placed on the same level, but this was also God's purpose of grace: "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief: that He might have mercy upon all" (Romans 11:32). And thus God offers salvation to all through Christ, who died for our sins at Calvary. This is why Ephesians 2:13-16 says:

"But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who once were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us... that He might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby."

Thank God there is no "Berlin Wall" between God and those who trust His Son, nor between believers who have been made "one Body in Christ."

[nChrist]

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September 23, 2010

"THE WORD OF HIS POWER"
by Russell S. Miller

God is so powerful that by simply speaking, He created "Heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is" (Exodus 20:11). Yes, the Universe was brought immediately into being: "by the Word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3; 2 Peter 3:5)! And neither was His power confined to the animal creation, for He "breathed into the nostrils" of Adam, "the breath of life, and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). He is so powerful that He can "inspire" mere men to write exactly what He wants them to write, in a Book that we call the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). So powerful that to enter the stream of humanity and become a man, He was "born of a virgin" (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35), which, with men is a total impossibility. And again, to show His mighty power, after "He [had] by the grace of God, tasted death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9) HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD (Romans 4:25).

God is so powerful that when we believe on Christ, He makes us one with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection; saves us for time and eternity, and nothing can separate us from His love. This is why the Apostle Paul defends the doctrine of eternal security in his Epistle to the Romans:

"FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD" (Romans 8:38,39).

Some people don't believe in the Bible and all it says about Creation, the Inspiration of the Scriptures, the Virgin Birth of Christ, His resurrection from the dead, and the Lord's Return to catch us away to be with Him for all eternity, but those who do, can say with the Apostle Paul:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).

By the "word" of His power He shall catch us away to be with Him eternally.

"LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE, AND THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST" (Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ).

"In whom WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

[nChrist]

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September 24, 2010

"DOUBTING THOMAS"
by Russell S. Miller

"Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25).

A lot of people today are like "doubting Thomas", they just won't believe. You hand them a gospel tract, with a pleasant word of testimony, and they turn a deaf ear, rejecting the only blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ:

"IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE" (Ephesians 1:7).

But Thomas gave himself an "out". He wanted to see the evidence of Christ's resurrection. Melancholy, yes, Thomas was melancholy, but death is very permanent, and except for the miracle working Christ some 2000 years ago no one comes back from the dead. Even though Thomas witnessed his Lord raise Lazarus from the dead he was skeptical about Christ's resurrection. That the Invincible One had been overcome and conquered by death was the thought upon the minds of them all. Thomas, and all the apostles, those disciples too, together with the Jews, and the Gentiles, saw that Christ was dead. And Thomas was not with the other disciples when, on the third day, our Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead.

Now "after eight days" had passed the Lord appeared again to His disciples, and fortunately Thomas was with them this time or he may never have seen the Lord, and Christ said unto them:

"Peace be unto you" (John 20:26).

The Record of Scripture indicates that Thomas had spoken the words of John 20:25 in unbelief. Our Lord's sudden presence with them was the surprise of his life. It was Thomas' time to see the Lord, and to his utter delight, he heard Him say:

"Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing" (Ver.27).

"And Thomas answered and said unto Him, MY LORD AND MY GOD" (Ver.28 ).

There was no doubt in his mind now that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, nor were any of the others doubtful about the mighty power of God to save.

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" (John 20:24-29).

Those who find the most for which to criticize "Thomas", when presented with the evidence, and the truth of God's Word "rightly divided", often find it convenient to reject "The Light" (2 Corinthians 4:6), and cling to old errors.

My friend, this is where you and I come in, and the Apostle of the Gentiles, for in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, he writes of our resurrected Christ:

"WHO WAS DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENCES, AND WAS RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION" (Romans 4:25).

"THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST" (Romans 5:1).

[nChrist]

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September 25, 2010

HE SHALL PRAY FOR THEE
by Cornelius R. Stam

Abimelech, king of Gerar, had taken Abraham's wife as his own, but had done so innocently.

Sarah was a beautiful woman and Abraham, fearful for his life, had said to Abimelech: "She is my sister". Indeed, Sarah, also fearful, had vouched for Abraham's lie, telling the king: "He is my brother".

But to save the failing couple from the consequences of their own cowardice and sin, God had appeared to Abimelech, warning him that if he valued his life he would immediately return Sarah to her husband -- "and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live" (Genesis 20:7).

Can this be a correct account of what actually took place? Will God hear the prayers of guilty Abraham for innocent Abimelech? Yes, for Abimelech was a pagan who served other gods, while Abraham, with all his failure and sin, was God's child.

Abraham's prayer would, of course, be a confession of his sin and a plea that it might not be laid to the charge of innocent Abimelech, but nevertheless it was Abraham, not Abimelech, who had access to God.

This is an important lesson to learn, for many unsaved people point to the failures of believers and say: "I wouldn't be guilty of that. If he goes to heaven, I certainly will get there". Nevertheless, such "good" people are lost, while poor sinners who have trusted Christ for salvation are saved and "made accepted in the Beloved One" (Ephesians 1:6).

There is only one way to find acceptance with God; this is by faith in His Son. Our Lord said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6), and in John 3:35,36 we read:

"The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).