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October 17, 2011

TRUE THANKSGIVING
by Cornelius R. Stam

Many people entertain only vague notions about thanksgiving, just as they do about faith.

They confuse faith with optimism, will power, presumption, imagination, and all sorts of other things. A doctor tells his patient that but for his faith, he never would have come through his illness. Somehow the patient was "just sure" he would recover. A smiling mother encourages her married daughter to "have faith, that everything will turn out all right." But faith in God is believing God; believing what He has said. True faith is based on the written Word of God (See Rom. 10:17).

But unregenerate men have vague ideas about thanksgiving. A man escapes some great harm and thanks his "lucky stars." Another says: "I'm grateful for a healthy body," but to whom is he grateful? He doesn't say. In many cases it doesn't even occur to him to ask. He's "just thankful"!

How refreshing, then, it is to open our Bibles, especially to the Epistles of Paul, the chief of sinners, saved by grace, and to see him giving thanks for specific blessings, and to a specific Person -- God!

"Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet [fit] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. 1:12,13).

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!" (II Cor. 9:15).

"Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory!" (I Car. 15:57).

"Thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph!" (II Cor. 2:14).

It is our prayer for all our readers that you may be especially thankful for "the gift of God [which] is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

[nChrist]

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October 18, 2011

GRACE ABOUNDING
by Cornelius R. Stam

In a letter to his spiritual son, Timothy, Paul wrote, some 1900 years ago, about his conversion:

"I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT..." (I Tim. 1:13,14).

And he follows this with the now-famous declaration:

"THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF" (Ver 15).

Upon reading this statement by Paul, those who know their Bibles will immediately recall the words of Rom. 5:20,21:

"...the law entered, that the offence might abound, BUT WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND; THAT AS SIN HATH REIGNED... SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN..."

These two passages from the pen of Paul have a closer connection than may appear on the surface. The Apostle Paul, once Saul of Tarsus, had led his nation and the world in rebellion against Christ. "As for Saul," we read in Acts 8:3, "he made havoc of the church," and he himself testified to the Galatians: "Ye have heard... how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste" (Gal. 1:13).

Yet God, in infinite mercy, had saved Saul, not only for Saul's own sake, but to make him the living demonstration of His grace. Thus in writing to Timothy, the Apostle goes on to explain:

"Howbeit, FOR THIS CAUSE I OBTAINED MERCY, THAT IN ME FIRST JESUS CHRIST MIGHT SHOW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFER1NG, FOR A PATTERN TO THEM WHICH SHOULD HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM TO LIFE EVERLASTING" (I Tim. 1:16).

Let us, then, take our places with Saul, the sinner, and find salvation by grace through Christ, the Savior. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

[nChrist]

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October 19, 2011

GRACE TODAY AND TOMORROW
by Cornelius R. Stam

Paul learned what thousands upon thousands of God's saints have learned from his day to ours: that it is often more blessed to experience God's grace in suffering than to enjoy deliverance from suffering, for in the former case we lean the harder and pray the more, and so are drawn closer to Him. Moreover, we find that His strength is made perfect in weakness and that when we are weak, then are we strong (II Cor. 12:9,10).

But even better things are in store for God's people: Some day, "in the ages to come," God will display to all the universe "the exceeding riches of His grace." How will He do this? "In His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7).

Dear reader, have you accepted the grace of God in Christ Jesus? Do you believe that He loves you and that He "came into the world" to bear all the blame and shame and punishment that was your due, so that you might be "justified freely by His grace" (Rom. 3:24)?

If not, will you take Him at His Word now and come to know the truth of II Cor. 4:15:

"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God."

Whatever your past; however great or many your sins, take God at His Word. Believe that He loves you in spite of all. Believe that He has already provided the payment for your sins in Christ:

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

[nChrist]

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October 20, 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[nChrist]

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October 21, 2011

HOW SMALL WE ARE!
by Cornelius R. Stam

Just behind me, in the supermarket check-out line, were two little boys. I noticed that the older one kept looking up at me and then down at his brother again several times in succession. Finally, nudging his little brother and pointing up at me, he said: "Hey, Joey, look how little you are!"

Those who have seen me in the flesh know that I am not exactly small, physically, and I can easily imagine that, standing next to these little fellows, I made them look small indeed!

But all this pertained only to the physical, and as I left that supermarket, I began asking myself: "How big are you, actually, in the sight of God?" I thought of Psalm 8:3,4, where David mused over the same question:

"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man that Thou art mindful of Him...?"

Yet we are so important to the heart of God that He entered the stream of humanity, as it were, and became one of us in Christ, Son of God and Son of Man. Why? Hebrews 2:14,15 gives us one important reason:

"...that through death [His death for our sins] He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Moreover, insignificant as we are in ourselves, He would use us mightily to His glory for, according to I Cor. 1:27,28, He has "chosen" the "foolish," the "weak," the "base," the "despised," and those who "are not" to accomplish His purposes and to bring to naught the plans of the world's great ones.

[nChrist]

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October 22, 2011

THREE BRUTAL MURDERS
by Cornelius R. Stam

Every student of the Word should know the three brutal murders around which all history revolves. These three murders represent Israel's response to God's three-fold call to repentance. They explain the unpardonable sin and form the background for the present dispensation of grace.

It was John the Baptist, the last of the Old Testament prophets, who was sent as the forerunner of Christ to call Israel to repentance. He was beheaded by Herod, the wicked and licentious "king of the Jews". After John, Christ Himself took up the cry: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". Him they crucified. Then, at Pentecost, Israel was given a third opportunity to repent, until they shed blood again, stoning Stephen to death.

It should be noticed, too, that their guilt, as well as their bitter enmity, increased with the second and third murders! Had Israel, responded to John's call to repentance Herod would never have dared to even put John in jail. This explains why our Lord did nothing to release him from prison, even though this had offended John. It was not His, but theirs to do something about John's unjust imprisonment and every moment he spent in prison testified against them. Read carefully Luke 3:18-20; 7:19-29; and Matthew 14:1-11. As to the beheading of John the Baptist, they permitted it. As to the crucifixion of Christ, they demanded it (Luke 23:23,24). As to the stoning of Stephen, they committed it, casting him out of the city with their own hands and stoning him there.

And so that generation in Israel committed the unpardonable sin which our Lord warned would not be forgiven, either in that age, or in the age to come. Thus we close this article by quoting those precious passages from Paul's epistles which clearly DENY the possibility of any "unpardonable sin" during the present "dispensation of the grace of God":

"We have redemption through His blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. 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" (Rom. 5:20,21).

[nChrist]

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October 23, 2011

Creation
by Paul M. Sadler, President

Scripture Reading:

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."
-- Genesis 1:3-5

I am a creationist. I personally believe that God created all things in heaven and earth in six literal 24-hour days. A proper understanding of creation is essential, since it is the foundation upon which all the doctrines of God rest. Sadly, some in Christendom have sought to erect an elaborate system known as the day-age theory to accommodate the geologic timetable of billions of years. But does this position pass the Berean test?

Those who subscribe to the day-age theory believe that the Hebrew word "day" (yom) can refer to a 24-hour day or a long period of time. This is true! For example, the day of the Lord is an extended period of time which covers well over one thousand years. Consequently, the context must always be consulted to ascertain the duration of time under consideration. Of course, those who defend this position teach that the days of the Genesis record quite literally cover millions and millions of years, which conveniently accommodates evolution.

Interestingly, when the Hebrew word yom is used with a number, it always refers to a 24-hour day, without exception. In regard to the Passover God instructed Moses, "Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel" (Ex. 12:15).

Would we conclude otherwise that the "first day" here is anything other than a normal day? Furthermore, when perimeters are set on the term yom, such as "the evening and the morning," as found in Genesis 1:4, this limits the day to 24 hours.

But perhaps the most conclusive evidence that each day was 24 hours is found in Exodus 20:11: "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Here Moses uses the term yamin, the Hebrew plural for "days," which exclusively speaks of 24-hour cycles.

If the Holy Spirit had intended to convey that the days of creation were "eras," He would have used the used the Hebrew olam, which is defined as "indefinite time." We accept by faith that God is sovereign and all-powerful; therefore, it was a small matter for Him to speak all things into existence in six days (Psa. 33:6-9).

[nChrist]

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October 24, 2011

WHEN THE LORD ASKED WHY
by Cornelius R. Stam

There are two occasions when the Lord asked "Why?" that stand out from all the rest.

Once it was to God He cried it and once to Saul of Tarsus. Once to the Holy One and once to the chief of sinners. Once He cried it from the shameful cross and once from His glory in heaven. In each case the name was repeated.

In Matt. 27:46 we find the first anguished "Why?" as He cried: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" The other is found in Acts 9:4, where He called from His exile in heaven: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"

These two questions represent the greatest riddles of history and yet strangely, one of them is the simple solution to the other! Why did God forsake His Son? You will find the answer when you ask why mankind, represented by Saul, forsook and even persecuted God's Son. God's action, in giving Christ up to die, was the antidote to man's. Christ's death was the remedy -- the only possible remedy -- for man's sin. It was because of the utter unreasonableness of man's sin that God, to save him, had to be more than reasonable.

Saul had led his nation and the world in rebellion against Christ, but this is just why, in infinite love, God chose him to become the great apostle of grace, telling the world that "Christ died for our sins."

Hear him tell how he had been "a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious" but how "the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant" (1 Tim. 1:13,14). Hear him say:

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting" (Vers. 15, 16).

Since the "chief of sinners" is now in heaven, there is hope for us all if we but trust in the Christ who died for us.

[nChrist]

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October 25, 2011

THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS
by Cornelius R. Stam

Some three thousand years ago, and about one thousand years before Christ, the Psalmist said:

"If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee..." (Psa. 130:3,4).

The Psalmist did not explain, however, upon what basis a just and holy God could forgive a guilty sinner. This was to be proclaimed one thousand years later by the Apostle Paul, himself once "a blasphemer, and a persecutor and injurious"; the "chief" of sinners, but forgiven and saved by the infinite grace of God (Tim. 1:13-15).

Preaching Christ at Antioch, in the province of Pisidia, Paul declared:

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that THROUGH THIS MAN IS PREACHED UNTO YOU THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, AND BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS, FROM WHICH YE COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW OF MOSES" (Acts 13:38,39).

But even this does not fully answer our question, for we must still ask: On what basis does God forgive sins through "this Man"? The answer is: on the basis of His payment for our sins on Calvary's cross. Thus the Apostle wrote to the Romans, explaining how we may be...

"...justified freely by His [God's] grace, THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS" (Rom. 3:24).

Now, thank God, through Christ's finished work, there is not a sinner who needs to remain unforgiven, for:

"In [Christ] we have redemption, through His blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE" (Eph. 1:7).

[nChrist]

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October 26, 2011

THE BABY JESUS AND THE LORD OF GLORY
by Cornelius R. Stam

Each year at Christmas-time, the "baby Jesus" is the subject of discussion and attention. Indeed, all year long the Babe in its mother's arms and the dying Sufferer on the cross are kept constantly before the masses, while our Lord's resurrection, ascension and present glory in heaven are given but scant attention. This is because so few have taken note of the great message of the Apostle Paul about the glorified Lord in heaven. In II Cor. 5:16, the Apostle wrote:

"...yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more."

It is sad that so many still know only "Christ after the flesh." They love to discuss the "gospel stories" about the "Man of Galilee," but find themselves strangers in the great Epistles of St. Paul.

Paul was the apostle for this present "dispensation of the grace of God." It is he who presents Christ in His present glory as the great Dispenser of redeeming grace, through the merits He won at Calvary. In Eph. 1:15-23 we have recorded for us the Apostle's prayer that we might be given "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ" that we might come to experience...

"What is the exceeding greatness of [God's] power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,

"Which He 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 principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [age], but also in that which is to come" (Eph. 1:19-21).

Let us thank God that the baby Jesus died for our sins and became the risen, living Savior at God's right hand, abundantly "able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him" (Heb. 7:25).

[nChrist]

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October 28, 2011

NO TIME FOR GOD?
by Cornelius R. Stam

Those who have no time for God should consider what their circumstances would be if He had no time for them; no time to paint the sunsets, no time to send the warm sun's rays or the refreshing showers, no time to make the crops and flowers grow. We doubt that any thinking person would actually want nothing to do with God.

Cain despised God's authority and finally murdered his brother, but when he was driven from the presence of God he said: "My punishment is greater than I can bear" (Gen. 4:13).

One of the saddest sentences in the gospel records is our Lord's prediction that He would have to say to some: "I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:23).

Just what it will mean to be "cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15), we pray God none of our readers will ever find out, but the Scriptures do clearly indicate that those involved will be cast forever out of the presence of God.

Thank God, it is not He who desires this. He paid for our sins at Calvary to reconcile us to Himself (Eph. 2:16). St. Paul declares that God has called believers "unto the fellowship of His Son" (1 Cor. 1:9) and that at His coming for them they shall "ever be with the Lord," adding: "wherefore, comfort one another with these words" (1 Thes. 4:17,18 ).

"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" (II Cor. 5:20).

God has demonstrated His love for us in Christ. Why not respond by gratefully trusting Christ as your Savior?

[nChrist]

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October 29, 2011

COLUMBUS THE BELIEVER
by Cornelius R. Stam

Everybody knows that Columbus discovered America, but few people know Columbus the sincere believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, who braved the dangers of the ocean vastness mainly because it was his deep desire to bring the gospel to the Indies. His perseverance in the face of almost insurmountable odds should be a lesson to God's people. Centuries before Columbus, Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers:

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

This stirring appeal of Paul to Christians everywhere (I Cor. 1:2), implies that there is a tendency to abandon the work of the Lord through discouragement or carelessness, for he pleads with us to be "steadfast," and "unmovable" -- not easily shaken, reminding us that our "labor is not in vain in the Lord."

How we need the exhortation!

We do not soon abandon our businesses or our homes. We work on in spite of difficulties and obstacles, and when the outlook is darkest we often toil the hardest. Sometimes our bodies suffer for it, but we do not immediately give up.

If this is so where our own affairs are concerned, how much more should it be so where the things of God and the needy multitudes about us are concerned! If it is so where temporal matters are concerned, how much more should it be so where eternity is involved!

Christians, let us awake! Let us "buy up the time!" Life is too short to fritter away the precious moments. Let us rather neglect our own affairs than to neglect the work of the Lord and the perishing souls about us.

[nChrist]

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October 30, 2011

THE NATURE OF GRACE
by Cornelius R. Stam

To a young Christian who kept bemoaning his failures and lack of spiritual growth, and wondering how God could love him, a more mature believer responded substantially as follows:

"When I leave here and return to my home I will pick up my little baby girl and put her on my knee. Tired as I am, I will dandle her on my knee and, somehow, looking into that darling face and those pretty blue eyes, I will soon feel rested and refreshed.

"This is strange, in a way, for she does not love me. She doesn't even know what love is.

"She doesn't appreciate my problems and has no sympathy for me. My heart can be burdened with grief or filled with anxiety, and my mind vexed with difficult problems, but she doesn't even know or care. She just keeps gurgling and giggling at the attention I lavish upon her.

"She doesn't contribute one cent toward the needs of our family; indeed, she costs me a great deal of money and will for years to come. Yet I love that child more than I can say. There is no sacrifice I would not make for her; no good thing I would not gladly give her."

Such is the grace of God toward us, His children. It does not depend upon our faithfulness to Him or our appreciation of His love to us. He loves us with an unspeakable love and keeps lavishing upon us "the riches of His grace" simply because we are His children in Christ, the Beloved One. And strangely, is it not precisely this fact that proves to be our greatest incentive to give ourselves to Him in loving service and sacrifice as we grow in grace?

[nChrist]

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October 31, 2011

A FREE GIFT FOR YOU
by Cornelius R. Stam

It seems that everything is going up in cost these days. Nothing comes down; everything goes up -- up -- up. Wages too are going up, but not as fast as the cost of living, for our dollars are decreasing in value all the time. This is why former President Eisenhower suggested we begin calling them dollarettes!

We should thank God, though, that there is one thing that has never gone up in price -- the salvation of precious souls. No price was ever put on this and none ever will be, for several good reasons:

    Because God is not impoverished; He does not need our money.
    Because if salvation could be bought, the rich would have an advantage over the poor.
    Salvation was fully paid for by God the Son on Calvary's cross, and to charge one penny for it now would be to cast reflections on His finished work.

Even in Old Testament times God made it clear that sacrifices and good works could not buy His favor. In Isa. 55:1-3, the prophet cried:

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
"Incline your ear, and come unto Me: Hear, and your soul shall live..."

Centuries later, after "the gospel of the grace of God" had been committed to Paul, he offered even better things to those who were willing to accept them. He declared that believers in Christ are...

"Justified freely by [God's] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).

"For the wages of sin is death, but the [free] gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

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

[nChrist]

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November 1, 2011

THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
by Cornelius R. Stam

How little most people know about the Law, the Ten Commandments!

First, most people have a hazy idea that the Law was given to Adam; that it existed as long as the history of man. This, of course, is wrong, for in John 1:17 we read: "The law was given by Moses." Moses lived some 2,500 years after Adam, about 1,500 years before Christ. So for about 2,500 years mankind lived without the Ten Commandments.

Second, most people suppose that the Law was given to mankind in general, while the fact is that it was given to Israel alone. It was a covenant made between God and Israel. Before giving it God said: "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people" (Ex. 19:5). This is not to say that the Law does not affect all men, for, as the divine standard of righteousness it affects us all.

Third, most people think that the Law was given to help us to be good. Even some clergymen teach this, though the Bible itself states again and again that the Law was given to show us that we are guilty sinners and need a Savior. Note the following Scripture passages.

Rom. 3:19: "Now we know that what things soever 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."

Rom. 3:20: "By the law is the knowledge of sin."

Gal. 3:19: "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions...."

Thus the Law can only condemn the sinner. But thank God, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Gal. 3:13).