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January 19, 2012

ARE YOU READY?
by Cornelius R. Stam

I wonder what finally became of Molotov? Most of us know only that he was expelled from the Communist Party and was later recalled to Moscow to answer for what Kruschev, of all people, called "barbarous crimes"! Molotov, "the hammer," was active in the Communist Revolution since 15 years of age. A close friend of Stalin, he served Soviet Russia variously as Secretary of the Central Committee, Premier of USSR, its Foreign Minister and its Representative to the UN.

But in 1957 Kruschev, jealous of Stalin's popularity, dismissed Molotov from the Presidium and sent him away as ambassador to 'Outer Mongolia'. Now disgraced along with his old friend Stalin, this once popular hero of the Soviets was discarded by the system he championed. Pathetic, but he deserved it.

Contrast this with the Apostle Paul. He had been great, prospering in his religion above many of his equals, being "more exceedingly zealous" of the traditions of his fathers (Gal. 1:14). But he gave all this up and counted it loss for "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ." Serving Christ amid unceasing persecution, he said:

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel [good news] of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

Yes, and in his last recorded words before Nero beheaded him, Paul said:

"I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown..." (II Tim. 4:6-8 ).

What a triumphant way to go! And you, my friend, can go that way too -- if you can say with Paul, "I am ready."

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

[nChrist]

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January 20, 2012

FOUR KINDS OF MEN
by Cornelius R. Stam

According to St. Paul's inspired epistles, the human race is divided into four categories:

1. The natural man, i.e., the fallen son of Adam, as he is, without God. Of him the Apostle says: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (I Cor. 2:14).

2. The babe in Christ. When a person sees himself as a sinner and trusts Christ as his Saviour, he is "born again" and becomes a "babe in Christ". But babes can and should grow, so these are exhorted: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere [pure] milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby" (I Pet. 2:2).

3. The carnal Christian is one who, though perhaps a Christian for years, has not grown, due to indifference and neglect of the Word of God. He still has to be treated as a babe in Christ. The Corinthian believers were examples of this. Paul had to write them: "I...could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear [digest] it, neither yet now are ye able" (I Cor. 3:1,2). Everybody loves a baby, but the joy that fills the hearts of loving parents turns to bitterest sorrow if their baby fails to grow.

4. The spiritual Christian is one who, through prayerful study of the Word of God, has grown to spiritual maturity. He is no longer merely a child of God; he is a "man of God". We should all "desire the sincere [pure] milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby" (I Pet. 2:2) -- "THAT WE HENCEFORTH BE NO MORE CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO, AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE" (Eph.4:14). Let us then heed St. Peter's inspired exhortation: "BUT GROW IN GRACE, AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST" (II Pet. 3:18 ).

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January 21, 2012

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" (I Cor. 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" (Rom. 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.

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January 23, 2012

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" (Matt. 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 traveling, 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" (Phil. 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..." (Eph. 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" (II Cor. 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" (Heb. 2:9).

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January 24, 2012

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" (Eph. 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" (Eph. 1:7). It says that "God hath concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all" (Rom. 11:32) and that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:20). Thus the vilest sinner may believe and rejoice in the consciousness of sins forgiven.

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January 25, 2012

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" (I Tim. 1:13-16).

"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned...so might grace reign" (Rom. 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!" (Rom. 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" (Eph. 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" (Rom. 16:25), "hid in God" (Eph. 3:9), "in other ages not made known," (Eph. 3:5), "hid from ages and from generations" (Col. 1:26), "THE MYSTERY" (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 1:9; 3:3,4,9; 6:19; Col. 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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January 26, 2012

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 (Psa. 103:15,16). They do not wish to face up to the fact that "it is appointed unto men once to die" (Heb. 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" (Heb. 9:27) and the "second death" (Rev. 20:14). This is why I Cor. 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" (Psa. 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 Cor. 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" (Heb. 2: 14, 15).

When the Apostle himself neared death, he said: "To die is gain" (Phil. 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..." (II Tim. 4:6-8 ).

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January 28, 2012

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": Matt. 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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January 29, 2012

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" (Rom. 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" (Eph. 1:7).

[nChrist]

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January 30, 2012

SIN IS NO JOKE
by Cornelius R. Stam

The present trend in American moral conduct is downward. Increasing thousands all about us are throwing restraint to the winds "to enjoy the pleasures of sin".

We struggle with the problem of juvenile delinquency, but tempt the young in a hundred ways to immorality and violence. We are shocked at the deeds of sex-mad criminals who make it unsafe for women to walk the streets at night, but our women continue to pay less and less heed to the principles of modesty and decency that would contribute so greatly to their own safety.

Most of all, we have disregarded the Word of God. No longer does the Bible hold the first place in our homes. It rather lies gathering dust while our moral and spiritual strength is dissipated by pursuing pleasures that fail to bring true happiness or satisfaction. Yes, we have "a form of godliness" but our conduct "denies the power thereof".

Sin may be "fun" to many. They may joke about drunkenness, indecency and immorality, but God declares that it is no joke to Him. He says: "Fools make a mock at sin" (Prov. 14:9); for, not only does sin in its very nature break down, rather than build up; but, as responsible creatures, sinners will one day have to give an account of their conduct to the God who created them.

To look at the brighter side, we may all rejoice in another indication that sin is no joke to God. St. Paul points it out in I Corinthians 15:3, where he says: "Christ died for our sins". Christ knew the horrible results of sin and the dreadful penalty which justice must visit upon it. Yes, and He also knew that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), and in infinite love He left the glories of heaven and stooped to bear the disgrace and penalty for sin Himself! "Christ... hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (I Pet. 3:18 ), and those who come to know God through faith in Christ experience peace and joy which this world can never afford.

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January 31, 2012

THE BLESSINGS OF CRISIS
by Cornelius R. Stam

The Apostle Paul, who had been through one desperate crisis after another, wrote as follows:

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

How many people have found life going along smoothly for years when, all of a sudden, they have found themselves in the middle of some serious crisis!

Perhaps the sudden death of a loved one changed life completely and presented serious problems wholly unanticipated. Perhaps it was the sudden loss of wealth, so that life had to be completely readjusted. There are hundreds of unexpected incidents that can suddenly bring one face to face with stark and stern realities completely unforeseen.

For believers in the Lord Jesus Christ such crises can prove great spiritual blessings. They tend to draw us closer to our heavenly Father, to cause us to pray more and to lean harder upon Him. They show us the insecurity of all that is temporal and give us a greater appreciation of our eternal security in Christ. They give deeper meaning to the Scriptures we study and even to the hymns we sing. They sanctify and enrich our fellowships.

To those -- and only those -- who truly love God and are "the called according to His purpose," all things do indeed "work together for good" -- caused by God, of course, to "work together for good."

This is why God's Word to the Christian is:

"Be careful [care full] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6,7).

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February 1, 2012

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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February 2, 2012

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.

    The apostles, with Peter as their chief, had been given authority to act officially in Christ's ab-sence (Matt. 16:19; 18: 18,19).
    They acted upon the Scriptural declaration that another apostle should be chosen to fill Judas' place (Psa. 109:8; cf. Acts 1:20).
    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).
    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. Matt. 19:28, "Ye which have followed Me").
    Paul would not have been eligible, for he had not even seen Christ during His earthly ministry (I Cor. 15:8 ).
    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 (Eph. 3:1-3).

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February 3, 2012

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..." (Matt. 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" (Heb. 4:16).

[nChrist]

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February 4, 2012

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 (Matt. 3:1-12; 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" (Rom. 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).