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November 27, 2010

THE NEW CREATION
by Cornelius R. Stam

In Romans 5:12 God tells us how we are all related to the first man, Adam:

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin... so death passed upon all men..."

This verse clearly indicates that every child born into the world since Adam has partaken of Adam's sinful nature.

Parents sometimes wonder why their children act as they do. The answer is simple! Every child is related to rebellious Adam by physical birth, and soon rebels like Adam, whose offspring he is.

In Scripture we are told that God "commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8  ).

When you are in trouble and someone comes to your aid, are you not automatically drawn to that person? Should we not then be attracted to the One who cared so much for us that He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:7,8  )?

Through natural birth we partake of the sinful natures of our parents back to Adam, and frequently we even have the same physical features as our parents. How touching, then, to know that the Lord Jesus Christ took on Him "the likeness of men" (apart from sin) and, as the God-man, died for our sins upon the cross, where sinful men (people like us) nailed Him! As we recognize this and place our faith in Him, a spiritual birth takes place and we become the children of God (John 1:12). More than this, we become members of the Body of Christ, God's new creation, for "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation" (II Cor. 5:17). "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

[nChrist]

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November 28, 2010

THE FIRST BOOK TO READ
by Cornelius R. Stam

In years gone by, when life was simpler, men had more time to ponder over the really important questions: What will become of me when I die? Is there a heaven -- and a hell? Can I know God? Will He forgive my sins? If so, on what basis? What must I do to be saved?

The materialism, commercialism and technology of our day, however, have so complicated life that secondary problems hinder many people from even considering at leisure that which is most important.

Yet, despite all the hurry and anxiety, all the noise and distraction, there are troubled souls, hungering and thirsting for true satisfaction, for hearts cleansed from sin, for deliverance from the awful burden of a guilty conscience.

Such people should read Paul's Epistle to the Romans and meditate on its great message of salvation. In fact, this is the first book they ought to read.

In Romans the inspired Apostle declares that "all have sinned" (3:23) and that "the wages of sin is death" (6:23). But this is not all. Romans also proclaims the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" and that therefore we may have "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (4:25; 5:1).

More than this, Romans offers abundant grace to all who trust in Christ. "The law entered that the offence might abound, but where sin abounded grace did much more abound" (5:20,21). Thus believers are "justified freely by [God's] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (3:24) and "the [free] gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (6:23).

We urge those who are not sure of salvation to read carefully and prayerfully this great Epistle to the Romans. You may be thanking God for the rest of your earthly life -- and forever -- that you did.

[nChrist]

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November 29, 2010

THE KEY TO AN EFFECTIVE PASTORATE
by Cornelius R. Stam

The humblest pastor, one who has had little opportunity for formal training and may have few natural endowments, may take heart in the knowledge that ultimately the key to true effectiveness in the pastorate is spirituality. And the greatest pastor, well educated and liberally endowed with natural talents, had better remember this, for a large and "successful" ministry is not necessarily blessed and honored of God, while a seemingly insignificant one may be richly blessed.

Remember, the Apostle Paul referred to himself as "unknown, and yet well known," as "poor, yet making many rich" (II Cor. 6:9,10). He could boast no great organizational backing, yet even his co-workers were called "these who have turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). The truly spiritual pastor may know little about worldly matters, but he will give much time to the study of the Word of God and will be earnest and instant in prayer. He will not be self-satisfied, or high-minded, but will walk humbly, begging God every day to make him the pastor he ought to be.

The truly spiritual pastor will be "crucified unto the world" and will "flee [from] youthful lusts." He will truly love lost souls and the congregation God has entrusted to him and will toil unremittingly for their good. He will conduct himself as a servant of God and will trust God to use him for His glory.

How can such a pastor be a total failure? The key to a truly effective pastorate, then, is not intellectual endowment, or scholastic attainment, or a well-rounded education, or a thorough training, much less wealth or fame or personal magnetism; it is spirituality, with its desire to please God and to know and obey His Word, rightly divided.

[nChrist]

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November 30, 2010

A FAITHFUL SAYING (I TIM. 1:15)
by Cornelius R. Stam

A faithful saying this,
The heart of heaven's scheme:
Christ Jesus came into the world
Vile sinners to redeem.
For love of sinful men
He left His throne on high
And stooped to bear th' accursed cross,
For sinful men to die.
Nor did He only save
From hell and wrath to come,
But raised us from our sinful state
To dwell on high with Him.
How great, how infinite,
The debt of love we owe!
How can we now do less than live
For Him who loved us so?

- C.R.S.

[nChrist]

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December 1, 2010

HE THAT IS SPIRITUAL
by Cornelius R. Stam

"He that is spiritual judgeth [discerneth] all things, yet he himself is judged [discerned] of no man" (I Cor. 2:15).

The truly spiritual man is so far above the wisest sages of this world, yes, so far above the mass of Christians with whom he comes into contact, that he can understand them, but they can never quite understand him.

We should all long to be truly spiritual, but what is true spirituality?

In the Pauline Epistles the human race is divided, by the Spirit, into four classes: the natural man, the babe in Christ, the carnal Christian, and the spiritual Christian.

All four of these are referred to in one passage of Scripture (I Cor. 2:14--3:4) and it should be noted that they are classified according to their ability to appreciate and assimilate "the things of God" as revealed in His Word.

Through diligent, prayerful study of the Word, and with a sincere desire to obey it, the spiritual man has come to know God and the Lord Jesus Christ more and more intimately. Babes in Christ and carnal believers about him cannot "discern" him, simply because they have not come to know God as he. But he, having grown to spiritual maturity, quite understands them. He is among those of whom it is written:

"But strong meat [solid food] belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:14).

[nChrist]

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December 2, 2010

ARE YOU LISTENING?
by Cornelius R. Stam

The Apostle Paul had much that he yearned to teach the Hebrew believers -- wonderful truths that would have thrilled their hearts -- but these truths were "hard to be uttered," or difficult to explain to them, since they were "dull of hearing." The word "dull" in Heb. 5:11 really means "slothful," or indifferent (as in Heb. 6:12). They were not merely hard of hearing, as we say, but were too lazy, too indifferent, spiritually, to pay attention. They were not sufficiently interested.

This is always a serious condition in the light of the fact that "God hath spoken," and that disobedience to His Word will be judged (Heb. 1:1,2; 2:1-3). Yet, alas, this is the condition of the professing Church today. The great majority of religious people are not sufficiently interested in what God has said to engage in diligent, prayerful study and, like those of Paul's day, still have to be taught "the first principles" of the Bible. They have remained babes, spiritually, unable to digest anything but "milk," and so remain "unskillful in the Word of righteousness" (Heb. 5:12-14).

What has brought this condition about? Is it because our Bibles are being burned and the Church persecuted for reading it? Is it because God is unwilling to lead us further into His truth? Most assuredly not. It is because so many men of God in high places no longer have the single passion to know God's Word and to make it known. They could be as greatly used of God in teaching the Scriptures as their predecessors were, but they are "slothful of hearing" and hence can present their hearers with little that is of true value.

This, in turn, is reflected in the religious masses. They "love" their Bibles, but not enough to study them diligently and become workmen whom God can approve. Let us not be numbered among these. Rather, let it be our one great desire to gain a clear understanding of God's Word, rightly divided -- for His sake, for our own sake and for the sake of the needy souls about us.

[nChrist]

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December 3, 2010

Maker of the Universe
by F. W. Pitt

The Maker of the universe
as Man, for man, was made a curse.

The claims of Law which He had made,
unto the uttermost He paid.

His holy fingers made the bough,
which grew the thorns that crowned His brow.

The nails that pierced His hands were mined
in secret places He designed.

He made the forest whence there sprung
the tree on which His body hung.

He died upon a cross of wood,
yet made the hill on which it stood.

The sky that darkened o’er His head,
by Him above the earth was spread.

The sun that hid from Him its face
by His decree was poised in space.

The spear which spilled His precious blood
was tempered in the fires of God.

The grave in which His form was laid
was hewn in rocks His hands had made.

The throne on which He now appears
was His for everlasting years.

But a new glory crowns His brow
and every knee to Him shall bow.

[nChrist]

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December 4, 2010

PRECIOUS HERITAGE
by Cornelius R. Stam

The book, We Americans, published by the National Geographic Society in 1976, depicts a family of eight early settlers, four of whom are holding Bibles in their hands. The caption opens with the words: "Book of books, the Bible, was the end and means of the education of early Americans."

This is confirmed by the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which declares that "The New England Primer... for 150 years widely used as a textbook, was largely composed of Scriptural and doctrinal material. Catechisms were taught in the public schools and prayer was offered twice a day" (EB under School and Curriculum in the United States).

This does not mean that all our Revolutionary forefathers were saved, or regenerated by personal faith in Christ, but the evidence is abundant that they were, as a whole, God-fearing men, and this was bound to have a significant effect on their thinking and their conduct. And, indeed, there were among them many born-again believers.

Revolutionary times conjure up in our minds such pictures as Washington praying earnestly at Valley Forge, the members of Congress kneeling together in prayer for divine guidance, and the precepts of Scripture being pressed home again and again by those high in government, while the citizens in general trembled at God's Word.

It goes without saying that our nation plays a strategic role in the affairs of the world. Our influence is great. However, America will not again exert the right kind of influence in the world until the Church of Christ recovers from her spiritual illness and our national leaders and the populace once more become at least God-fearing. The fear of God does not in itself save from sin's penalty, but it is the first step toward salvation. Moreover, God's Word declares:

"By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil" (Prov. 16:6).

[nChrist]

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December 5, 2010

WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM CHRIST
by Cornelius R. Stam

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom.8:35).

There have been individuals who thought the doctrine of the believer's eternal security in Christ to be a dangerous heresy. They countered every Scripture on the subject with another to refute it. But in each of these cases it was this great truth, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ", that finally persuaded them.

It is significant that the Apostle Paul never tells us about his love for Christ, but he is always telling us about Christ's love for him and for others! The Law commands: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God", but grace puts it the other way, telling us how deeply God loves us -- and this begets love in return. The Apostle experienced discouragements that would have caused him to give up the work of the Lord a thousand times, but he could not. Why? He says, "the love of Christ constraineth us?" (II Cor. 5:14); it bore him along like a strong tide. No doubt he had this very thing in mind when he continued writing in Romans 8.

"For Thy sake we are killed all the day long...accounted as sheep for the slaughter" (Ver.36).

And therefore defeated? Far from it!

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Ver.37).

Not only do we win the battle; we are "more than conquerors", for these adversities serve to draw us into still closer fellowship with Him, thus enriching our Christian experience.

When people or nations engage in battle, generally no one wins; both lose. But Paul's personal experience serves as the foremost example that in the Christian life, "tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril [and] sword" bring us more than victory when borne for Him who loved us.

Thus this great chapter opens with "no condemnation" and closes with "no separation", and the Apostle, gathering all the forces of creation together, whether they be time, space, or matter, declares that none of them can separate us from "the love of God, which is [manifested] in Christ Jesus" (Vers.38,39). Whether it be death or life, heavenly principalities, things present or things to come, height or depth or any other created thing -- none of them, nor all together -- can threaten our security or separate us from the love of God, which He has manifested to us in Christ Jesus.

[nChrist]

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December 6, 2010

WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?
by Cornelius R. Stam

We have shown in a previous article that God is for sinners and desires their good. We have shown how He proved this by paying for their sins Himself as God the Son at Calvary. But if this is true, how much more must it be so with regard to His own children who have trusted Christ as their Savior?

How often -- and how significantly -- the Apostle Paul uses the words "for us" in this connection!

In Eph. 5:2 we read that "Christ... loved us, and hath given Himself for us." In Rom. 5:8 we are told that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In II Cor. 5:21: "[God] hath made Him to be sin for us." And in Gal. 3:13 we read: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."

And the love that brought Him down from heaven to die in shame and disgrace for our sins is not affected by our many failures as Christians now. In Heb. 9:24 we read that our Lord has ascended to heaven "now to appear in the presence of God for us." In Rom. 8:34 we learn that He is "at the right hand of God" to "make intercession for us." And in Heb. 7:25 we read that He is able to save us "to the uttermost" because "He ever lives to make intercession for us."

Our failures now, after having trusted Christ as Savior, may -- and should -- trouble our consciences and thus hinder our fellowship with God, but this does not change the fact that we are God's dear children through faith in Christ, who died for all our sins. Unworthy though we still may be, therefore, God would have us come into His presence to be spiritually renewed.

"What shall we then say to these things? IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?" (Rom. 8:31).

[nChrist]

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December 7, 2010

The Bible
by Paul M. Sadler

Earlier this year, my wife and I had an opportunity to visit the “Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible” exhibit at the Milwaukee Museum. When we entered the exhibit, we were given a small hand-held recorder about the size of a cell phone. As we made our way through the exhibit, we simply punched in the number of the display and were given an explanation of the scroll, book, or artifact and its significance.

In addition to the Dead Sea Scrolls there were numerous biblical artifacts that took you back in time to the days of our Lord. For example, there was a display of the coinage of the period that was embossed with an image of Caesar. This would have been the same type of coin the Lord pointed to when He answered the question of the Pharisees and the Herodians about paying tribute to Caesar (Mark 12:13-17). There was also an exhibit of oil lamps, one of which would have been the type used in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. It was interesting to see how the five wise virgins would have trimmed their lamps (Matt. 25:1-10).

The most fascinating part of the exhibit was the Dead Sea Scrolls, which incorporated the development of the English Versions of the Scriptures, as well as the Guttenberg Bible, the first Bible ever produced on a printing press. I personally accept by faith that we have the Word of God today. But for the skeptic or critic who questions the Word of God, the Dead Sea Scrolls clearly show the providential care of God.

For example, the oldest copy of the Torah prior to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls would have been about the 10th Century. The Torah is the first 5 Books of the Hebrew Bible ascribed to Moses. Archaeologists date the Dead Sea Scrolls between the 1st Century B.C. and the first half of the 1st Century A.D. They were discovered in caves on the sheer rock face of the northwest shore of the Dead Sea by a Bedouin shepherd in 1947. Despite the vast period of time between these two sets of manuscripts there is an amazing continuity, especially in regard to sense. For example:

The English translation of Deuteronomy 8:19 from the 10th Century (Hebrew Masoretic Text) states:

“I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.”

When the Scholars translated this same passage from the Dead Sea Scrolls manuscripts it came out as follows in English:

“I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.”

Hopefully, you will have an opportunity to visit this exhibition which is touring the country; it is well worth your time.

[nChrist]

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December 8, 2010

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH
by Cornelius R. Stam

"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).

How blessed to know that the Author of the blessed Book which has changed so many hearts and lives and homes is "the Spirit of truth."

The Spirit did not, of course, reveal all truth at one time. "The Law was given by Moses;" later the prophesies were penned by men of God as they were "moved by the Holy Spirit" and still later our Lord uttered truth "kept secret since the world began."

But even our blessed Lord, while on earth, did not lead His followers into all the truth which God would have His people know. "I have yet many things to say unto you," He said, "but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16: 12,13).

But when the Spirit came at Pentecost, did He immediately lead the disciples into all truth? Not yet. They still proclaimed the prophetic program, the message which our Lord had taught them and committed to them (Luke 24: 45; Acts 1:2,3).

It was not until some time later that the glorified Lord revealed "God's purpose and grace" to and through the Apostle Paul, and the Spirit in turn caused others to understand it (Gal.2:2,7,9; Eph.3:1-5; IITim.1:9).

The glorious message revealed to Paul is the capstone of divine revelation, thus he says that it was given to him to "fulfil [complete] the Word of God" (Col.1:25).

St. Paul wrote more books of the Bible than any other writer and in them we have the fulness of divine truth as God would now have us know and understand it!

[nChrist]

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December 9, 2010

THE NEW NATURE IN THE BELIEVER
by Cornelius R. Stam

It has been well said that if there is anything good in any man it is because it was put there by God. And something good -- a new, sinless nature -- has been imparted by God to every believer.

While there is still within us "that which is begotten of the flesh," there is also "that which is begotten of the Spirit," and just as the one is totally depraved and "cannot please God," so the other is absolutely perfect and always pleases Him.

Adam was originally created in the image and likeness of God, but he fell into sin and later "begat a son in his own likeness, after his image" (Gen. 5:3). It could not be otherwise. Fallen Adam could generate and beget only fallen, sinful offspring, whom even the Law could not change. But "what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin," accomplished, "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:3,4),

As Adam was made in the likeness of God, but fell, so Christ was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, to redeem us from the fall, that by grace, through the operation of the Spirit, a new creation might be brought into being, a "new man... renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him" (Col. 3:10) a "new man, which, after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4:24). Referring to this "new man," John says:

"Whosoever is born [begotten] of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born [begotten] of God" (I John 3:9).

"We know that whosoever is born [begotten] of God sinneth not..." (I John 5:18 ).

[nChrist]

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December 10, 2010

Two-Faced Christians
by Pastor Ricky Kurth

Our month January is named after Janus, the mythical Roman god of gates and doorways. Janus had two faces which looked in opposite directions, just as January looks back on the old year and forward to the new. Hypocritical people are often called “Janus-faced” or two-faced. Abraham Lincoln, not known for his good looks, was once called Janus-faced. He responded, “If I had two faces, do you think I’d wear this one?”

We can avoid being Janus-faced spiritually by putting off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph. 4:22-24). But many Christians find this difficult. Some feel they could more easily muster up the spiritual fortitude to live a consistent Christian life if they could just speak to the Lord “face to face” on a daily basis, as did Moses (Ex. 33:11). This blessing is of course not available to us during this dispensation—or is it?

When Paul told the Corinthians that one day they too would see the Lord “face to face” (I Cor. 13:12), he spoke not of the day when they would see His face in heaven, but of a face-to-face relationship with the Lord that they actually lived to see and enjoy. You see, as Paul wrote these words the Bible was not yet complete. Consequently, men were able to see God only as “through a glass, darkly.” The crude glass of ancient days gave men an unclear view of what was on the other side.

It reminds me of how before the launch of satellite telescopes, Earth-based telescopes labored under the limitation of having to peer at the stars through the earth’s atmosphere, which distorted man’s view of the heavens. One scientist likened it to bird-watching from the bottom of a lake! But the launch and perfecting of the Hubble telescope gave science a crystal clear image of Creation.

In much the same way, the addition of Paul’s last epistles completed the Word of God (Col. 1:25), and launched our understanding into the heavens (Eph. 1:3). Now as we look into the pages of God’s completed revelation, we are able to see God Himself “face to face.”

Paul used yet another metaphor to drive this point home. Looking into the unfinished Word of God was also like looking into the crude mirrors of those days. Mirrors in Paul’s day gave imperfect reflections, and so while everyone else knew exactly what Paul looked like, Paul himself knew what he looked like only “in part” (I Cor. 13:12). Similarly, with the Bible incomplete, men had an unclear view of the image of God. But once the Word of God was complete, Paul predicted: “then shall I know even as also I am known,” i.e., then he would know God as clearly as men knew him.

Thus there is no excuse for us to be two-faced Christians. As we peer daily into the pages of the written Word of God, we can see God “face to face,” and can sculpt our lives into His image:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor. 3:18 ).

[nChrist]

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December 11, 2010

LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS
by Cornelius R. Stam

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us" (II Cor. 4:6,7).

Any instructed Christian reading this passage from the pen of the Apostle Paul naturally goes back in his mind to the time when God first said: "Let there be light," and dispelled the darkness of the primeval world.

He might also recall the incident related in the book of Judges, when Gideon's army went to battle against the Midianites, each man with a sword in one hand, and a lamp hidden within a pitcher in the other. At Gideon's command the soldiers broke the earthen vessels and the lights shone out to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy, who could not account for the crash and the blaze of light at this midnight hour.

For every believer God has caused light, wonderful light, to shine out of the darkness and fill the heart, just as once He said to the dark and chaotic earth: "Let there be light -- and there was light."

But we believers have come into "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God" by coming to know Christ. Our Lord rightly said: "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). God is unknown and unknowable apart from Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh. It was He who lived a perfect life and then died a sinner's death in order to bring us into relationship and fellowship with God.