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Doubting Thomas
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Don’t believe your doubts. Believe God’s Word.

Said our Lord: “Whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:4).

Said Thomas: “We know NOT whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?” (Verse 5).

Who was right? Of course our Lord was right. He knows us better than we know ourselves. But Thomas, believing his doubts rather than his Lord, found himself not merely questioning, but contradicting Christ Himself.

The trouble was that Thomas was thinking on a lower level than was our Lord. Thomas was thinking only in terms of locality and method, while our Lord had persons in mind. All through these pre-crucifixion chapters of John, our Lord appears to be occupied with thoughts about His Father, He had not been talking about going to heaven, but of going to the Father (13;1; 14:12). Nor had He referred to moral conduct or theological dogma when He said, “the way ye know”. Rather He had referred to Himself, who alone could gain for Thomas an entrance to the Father. “No man cometh unto the Father,” He said, “but by Me” (14:6).

So our Lord was right. Thomas did know whither Christ was going: “to the Father.” And he did know Christ, the way. Had Thomas, rather than our Lord, been right, Thomas would have been a lost soul but, only a few hours later, in our Lord’s hallowed prayer to His Father, He was to say: “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou has sent” (John 17:3).

We must be careful about criticizing Thomas too severely, for while he was apt to look on the dark side of things he was also ready to give his life for his Lord. Of all the apostles, it was he alone who said, when the Lord proposed to go to Judaea shortly before His crucifixion, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11:16).

At our Lord’s resurrection, however, we again find Thomas believing his doubts, in fact, defending them, as he says: “Except I shall… put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). But when, “after eight days,” he was invited to do just that — as he stood in the very presence of Him who is “the resurrection and the life”, he repented the folly of his unbelief and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (Verse 28 ).

Lesson: Don’t believe your doubts. Believe what God says.

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The Way to Heaven
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Perhaps you have heard the story of the man who inquired from a mountaineer the way to a certain destination.

The mountaineer stuttered and stammered and finally said: “You can’t get there from here.”

We may smile at this, but the results would be even more amusing — and sad — were we to ask the average person on the street the way to heaven.

What is the way to heaven? It is interesting to read in God’s Word what many think about this. In Proverbs 14:12 we read:

    “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

What are some of these “ways” that “seem right” to men, leading them to hope for heaven? Joining a church? Being baptized? Doing one’s best? Keeping the Ten Commandments? Loving one’s neighbor as himself? These are a few of the ways that men follow, hoping to gain eternal life, but they all come under one heading: “Do good.”

But what do the Scriptures say about this? In the Gospel according to John there are recorded for us seven “I ams,” which the Lord Jesus Christ used in speaking of Himself.
One of these is found in John 14:6:

    “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”

This passage has a double significance, since it was not only the declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ, but at the same time a declaration of the divinely inspired Scriptures. From this verse we learn not only that Jesus is the only way to the Father, but also that He is “the truth” to be believed and trusted in. Thus we can believe the Lord Jesus when He claims to be the way to heaven.

But according to this passage He is also “the life.” As we place our faith in Him as the One who died on the cross for us, we receive eternal life. “He died that we might live.”

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Where Art Thou? Where Is Thy Brother?
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

One of the first questions of the Bible came from God Himself as He called to fallen Adam, hiding in fear from His presence: “Where art thou?” (Gen. 3:9).

Adam and Eve made a great mistake in running and hiding from God, for their plight was hopeless without Him. But none of Adam’s children have done any better than he. In Psalm 14:2,3 we find the Lord scouring the earth, as it were, “to see if there were any that did understand [their need] and seek God,” but the answer was, “No, not one.” How grateful we may be that in grace He sought us, that the Lord Jesus Christ came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) and that “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).

But another question follows naturally. This question too came from God Himself, as He asked the murderer, Cain: “Where is Abel thy brother?” (Gen. 4:9). Cain countered with another question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” but he soon learned that he was his brother’s keeper as God drove him out of His presence, not only as punishment to him, but to teach us all that we are indeed responsible for those about us.

The unsaved, who have never responded to God’s call: “Where art thou?” should remember that God also asks them, as He did unregenerate Cain: “Where is… thy brother?” By rejecting Christ as Savior men are also keeping others out of heaven — others whom they might have been used to win to Christ, had they themselves been saved.

You say: “God will save those whom He has predestinated.” That is only one side of the coin. Our Lord said to two cities of His day, that if the “mighty works” done in them had been done in Tyre and Sidon “they would have repented long ago” (Matt. 11:21), and God says that He is “not willing that any should perish” (II Pet. 3:9) and has “committed” to His people the “word” and “ministry” of reconciliation (II Cor. 5:18,19).

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Paul, the Pattern -- His Conversion
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

No conversion in sacred history is given so much attention as that of St. Paul. Besides the many references to it, we find three detailed accounts of it in the book of Acts. As Saul of Tarsus, the learned Pharisee, he had led his nation and the world in rebellion against God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

St. Luke says: “As for Saul, he made havock of the church” (Acts 8:3). The believers at Damascus feared Saul’s presence among them, saying: “Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem?” (Acts 9:21). Paul himself later testified: “Many of the saints did I shut up in prison…and when they were put to death, I gave my voice [vote] against them” (Acts 26:10). “…beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it [laid it waste]” (Gal.1:13).

There must have been an important reason why God saved this rebel leader. Clearly it was that He might make Paul, not only the herald, but the living example of “the exceeding riches of His grace” to sinners. Paul himself said:

    “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord…for…putting me into the ministry; who 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….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. HOWBEIT FOR THIS CAUSE I OBTAINED MERCY, 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” (ITim.1:12-16).

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He Gave Thanks
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

At the institution of the Lord’s Supper, as He took the bread and the wine, we read that he “gave thanks” (Matt.26: 26,27; Luke 22:19,20).

Surely on this occasion He did not give thanks for food supplied! He was handling the symbols of His broken body and His shed blood. How we would like to know just what He said at this solemn moment; just what He gave thanks for!

This we shall never know in this life, but there are some basic facts we do know.

It was for love for sinful men that He was to die. He was to pay their debt of sin, and He looked forward to the time when, not only redeemed Israel, but the redeemed of every nation and dispensation will rejoice in sins forgiven and all that this entails for them. As He “gave thanks” in view of Calvary, He will then rejoice at the results of Calvary. The overflowing joy that will be the portion of the redeemed will be a greater joy to Him.

Thus Paul’s words in Hebrews 12:2 give us cause to rejoice in true thanksgiving of our Lord’s finished work of redemption on Calvary cross:

    “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

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Grace Not Earned
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Have you ever noticed that God does not hold the great men of Scripture up to us because of their personal goodness? Almost invariably their records are marred by failure and sin, but God bids us look at their faith, to see what their faith did for them. Even those who lived consistently good lives are not held up to us for their personal worth, because God knows their imperfections. Thus Rom. 4:2,3 says:

    “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory– but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

And Verse 6 goes on to say about David:

    “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.”

This is because man cannot live a life good enough to make him acceptable to God, for with God only perfection is good enough. One sin spoiled the earth; God will not allow one sin to spoil heaven too. This is why in grace He gave Christ to die for our sins and to pay the just penalty for us. Because of the all-sufficient payment of Christ in our behalf, God can now be “just, and the Justifier” of those who place their faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26).

The famous eleventh chapter of Paul’s letter to the Hebrews bears out the fact that salvation, or acceptance with God, is obtained, not by human effort, but by faith. This great chapter on the heroes in God’s “Hall of Fame,” begins with the words: “For by it [faith] the elders obtained a good report,” and then goes on: “By faith Abel …,” “By faith Enoch…,” “By faith Noah…,” “By faith Abraham…,” etc., and closes with the declaration:

    “…these all…obtained a good report through faith…”

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The Hour
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

History records many great and significant events, but none nearly so significant as the crucifixion of Christ on the cross of Calvary. Referring to the time, then still future, when this should take place, our Lord spoke again and again of “the hour,” “that hour” and “My hour,” and so does the sacred record.

When His enemies would have stoned Him at the Feast of Tabernacles, the record states merely: “they sought to take Him: but no man laid hands on Him, because His hour had not yet come” (John 7:30). Finally, when that dread time did arrive, we read:

    “And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him” (Luke 22:14).

    “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.

    “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:23,24).

    “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say: Father save Me from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this end,” (John 12:27).

    “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come… having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

Finally, in His great High-priestly prayer, uttered in the very shadow of the cross, He “lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come…” (John 17:1).

This is the hour to which many of the Old Testament sacrifices and prophecies had pointed forward. This is the hour to which the redeemed will look back with gratitude and praise for the ages to come. There would have been no salvation for sinners without it, nor any hope of a restored earth with the curse of sin removed. Thank God, because Christ was willing to face that dreadful hour “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).

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Euthanasia
by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

Scripture Reading:

    “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
    – Hebrews 9:27

It is our firm conviction that every believer in Christ should strongly oppose euthanasia on the grounds that it runs contrary to the revealed will of God. Euthanasia is the deliberate act of prematurely terminating the life of someone who is hopelessly ill. This is normally achieved through the controlled inhalation of carbon monoxide, by a lethal injection of drugs or withholding nourishment. Those who are advocates of this unwholesome rationale believe that it is morally acceptable to end the pain and suffering of a loved one whose life would otherwise be meaningless. In the name of compassion Michigan’s infamous “Dr. Death” has assisted in many such suicides, proclaiming himself to be an angel of mercy.

Thankfully most physicians still hold to the Hippocratic oath, which states that every effort should be made to preserve life. But even more importantly, man has no moral right to terminate a life that has been given by God. It has been appropriately said: “Suicide doesn’t end the pain, it only lays it on the broken shoulders of the survivors.” Many seem to have forgotten that it is God “in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10). We sympathize, of course, with any family who has a loved one who is terminally ill. Nevertheless, to cut that life short may send them to a Christless eternity when they might have otherwise believed before their natural death. Also, we may never know how many souls in the medical profession have been saved because they were in the presence of a dying saint or family member who was faithful in sharing Christ. The Lord’s consolation at such times is “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE!”

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A Good Job
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

As Loren stood with his father, gazing at a beautiful Minnesota lake, the little four-year-old asked: “Daddy, who made this lake?” “God made it,” replied his dad, “and God made those trees and all this beautiful scenery.”

There was a moment’s silence. Then, placing his hands on his hips, little Loren said: “He sure did a good job!”

Yes, He did, yet this scenery was nothing compared with the glory this earth will know when Christ returns to reign. If earth’s rivers and lakes, its mountains and valleys, its landscapes and seascapes can now be so breath-taking, so awe-inspiring, what will be its beauty when prophecy is fulfilled and the curse removed!

    “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them [God's people, Israel] and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

    “It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.”

    “…for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

    “And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water…”

    “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa. 35:1,2,6,7,10).

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The Sword of the Spirit
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

    “The Sword of the Spirit… is the Word of God” (Eph. 6: 17).

Of all the spiritual armor which believers are told to “put on” in Eph. 6:11-18, there is only one offensive weapon. This is “the Sword of the Spirit… the Word of God.” The Bible is called “the Sword of the Spirit,” because the Spirit of God is its Author. It is called “the Sword of the Spirit” because, thus written by God who knows all, it can cut deeply. This makes it, for the believer, a formidable weapon against Satan and the forces of evil. We are told in Heb. 4:12,13:

    “The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

    “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

As David said long ago:

    “O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me.

    “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psa. 139:1,2).

It is because God knows and understands us so thoroughly that His Word can sometimes cut us so deeply. How wise, then, to bow before that Blessed Book, acknowledge its condemnation of sin and trust the Savior it presents! And, having done this, how wise to “put on the whole armor of God” in our stand against Satan and sin, not forgetting to “take… the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”!

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It's All In the Bible
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

We couldn’t help hearing it! This woman had a voice that could be heard at considerable distance and we distinctly heard her say: “I doped it all out from the Bible.”

“Well, at least somebody’s interested in the Bible,” we said to each other.

But as she prattled on it turned out that she had used the records in an old family Bible to establish her claim to part of an estate. These records, introduced in court, had won the case for her.

There was, after all, no indication that she was interested in the Bible — only in those pages between the Old and New Testaments which, in some editions of the Bible, are kept for family records.

Actually she was no different from the masses about us who go about from day to day interested only in the things of this life and ignoring almost completely the things that really matter: God, heaven, hell and their own eternal destiny.

If these people only knew what treasures are to be found in the Bible! Among these are “riches of mercy” (Eph. 2:4), “riches of grace” (Eph. 1:7), “riches of glory” (Phil. 4:19), “riches of wisdom and knowledge” (Rom. 11:33), “the riches of the full assurance of understanding” (Col. 2:2), “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8 ). And the best part of it is that anyone may have these riches simply for the asking:

    “For there is no difference… for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him,

    “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:12,13).

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Rest
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

In Hebrews 1:3 we read how the Lord Jesus Christ, “when He had by Himself purged our sins, SAT DOWN on the right hand of the Majesty on High”. The tenth chapter of the same book tells us why He sat down:

    “Every priest standeth, daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Christ] after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God …FOR BY ONE OFFERING HE HATH PERFECTED FOREVER THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED” (Heb.10:11-14).

There were several articles of furniture in the Old Testament tabernacle, but no chair. The priest could not sit down, for the work of redemption was not yet finished. His daily sacrifices only emphasized the fact that “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb.10:4).

“But this Man [Christ Jesus] sat down”, because by His death on Calvary — by that one offering — He paid for all our sins and “obtained eternal redemption for us”(Heb.10:12; 9:12).

This is why Paul, by divine inspiration, now insists that salvation is “by grace”, that “it is the gift of God”, received “by faith” and “not of works, lest any man should boast”.

God has much for His people to do, but before we can do anything for Him we must learn to trust Him for our salvation, to rest in the finished work of Christ. God is satisfied with Christ’s payment for sin and together the Father and the Son are depicted as seated in heaven because the work is done. And now God would have us simply trust Him, entering into His rest:

    “There remaineth therefore a REST unto the people of God, FOR HE THAT HAS ENTERED INTO HIS [God's] REST, HE ALSO HATH CEASED FROM HIS OWN WORKS, AS GOD DID FROM HIS” (Heb.4:9,10).

    “Unto him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom.4:5).

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True Evangelism
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

In St. Paul’s mighty Epistle to the Romans he declares “the gospel [good news] of God… concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 1:1-3).

The good news which Paul proclaimed was essentially about Christ. He was always talking about Christ. His epistles were filled with Christ. In his message Christ was everything.

This is in striking contrast to much of modern evangelism, which is not Christ-centered, but man-centered. Dr. A. W. Tozer, shortly before his death, wrote:

    “The flaw in current evangelism lies in its humanistic approach… It is frankly fascinated by the great, noisy, aggressive world with its big names, its hero worship, its wealth and pageantry… This gross misapprehension of the truth is back of much… of our present evangelical activity…

    “This concept of Christianity is a radical error, and because it touches the souls of men it is a dangerous, even deadly, error… It is little more than a weak humanism allied with weak Christianity to give it ecclesiastical respectability… Invariably it begins with man and his needs and then looks around for God, while true Christianity reveals God as searching for man to deliver him from his ambitions.”

Tozer was right in this. God’s good news for the world is about Christ and His power and love in defeating Satan, overcoming death, nailing the Law to His cross and paying for man the just penalty for sin, so that all who believe might be justified. This is why Paul’s gospel is called in Scripture “the gospel [good news] of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) and “the gospel of the glory of Christ” (II Cor. 4:4).

To enter experientially into the truth of this good news is the greatest blessing one can possibly enjoy.

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Paul, The Master-builder
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

In I Corinthians 3:10, the Apostle Paul declares by divine inspiration:

    “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise [instructed] master-builder, I have laid the foundation,and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

In what sense was Paul the master-builder of the Church, and what “foundation” did he lay? Did he not himself say that “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ”? Yes, he did — and in this very passage! He sought to lay no other foundation than Christ, but God had chosen him to proclaim Christ in a new way.

Some years previous our Lord had asked His disciples: “Whom say ye that I am”, and Peter had instantly replied: “Thou art the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). This is how believers in general had recognized Him at that time (John 1:49; 6:69; 11:27; 20:31). Indeed, the Messianic kingdom was to be established upon Christ as God’s anointed Son (Messiah means “anointed”).

But with the raising up of Paul, God began to form “the Church which is Christ’s body” (Eph.1:22,23; Col. 1:24,25). This is the Church of today, and it is founded, not on Christ as King, but as the exalted Lord and Head of the “one body” (I Cor. 12:13).

Paul does not present Christ as Messiah, but as Lord. In Romans 10:9 he declares:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as LORD, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Again in I Corinthians 12:3: “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit”. And again in Philippians 2:9-11, he declares that God has highly exalted Christ and given Him a name above every name, “that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

Have you confessed Him as your Lord and Saviour?

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Deserts vs Grace
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

It is an interesting fact that in this day of godlessness and lawlessness so much is being said about what we all deserve! Ads in the newspapers and commercials on radio and TV ask:

“Don’t you deserve the very finest automobile?”

“Don’t your children deserve the best?”

“Doesn’t your baby deserve Pampers?”

And even, “Doesn’t your dog deserve Alpo?”

Well, do you really deserve the finest car? Please don’t answer that! Do your children deserve the best — always? If so you surely have model children — not at all like their parents! And does your baby deserve Pampers? That’s funny! And does your dog deserve Alpo? That’s ridiculous! Dogs do not “love” or obey you from any moral consideration, nor, for that matter, does your baby, lovable as the darling is. And as to you and your children — including the baby, the Bible has something to say on this subject.

The Bible says that “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men for that ALL have sinned [i.e., in Adam]” (Rom. 5:12). You and I were “in Adam” when he sinned. When he sinned, we sinned. Deny this and you might as well agree with the murderer who argued: “My feet and legs didn’t do it; my ears and nose didn’t do it; only my one hand and one or two other parts of my body did it, so the rest should go free.”

We believers in Christ should thank God that our blessed Lord took upon Him our just deserts when He died for our sins at Calvary. This is why God’s Word says:

    “We declare, I say, at this time, His righteousness for the remission of sins… that [God] might be just, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.

    “Where is boasting then? It is excluded” (Rom. 3:25-27).