February 2018

WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS

SANDS OF TIME

Alfred King

        “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

        2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

        3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

        4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

        5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came (Gen. 12:1-5).

        Time, coupled with wind, rain, storms, floods, frigid temperatures, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural conditions, have a way of eroding landscape, altering the course of rivers, creating ravines and caverns and many times leaving behind no similarities of former landscapes or civilizations. Time is something referred to by Jesus when He said, “he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 10:22). It is that time of enduring that presses upon every Christian.

        Abram, a man who sought after the true God, lived in Ur of the Chaldees with his father and his father’s family. God spoke to Abram directing him to “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee” (Gen. 12:1). It appears from Stephen’s account in Acts 7:3 that God spoke two times to Abram, calling him first from Ur and later from Haran. When the call came to Abram to leave Ur, Abram’s father, Terah, went with Abram along with other members of Terah’s family to Haran where they settled for a time. But Abram’s call was to the land of Canaan and God reaffirmed the call to Abram in Haran. While God called Abram to leave his father’s house we find many of Abram’s family traveling along. Terah died in Haran which allowed Abram to go further to the land to which God had called him.

        What we see here is when a call is first given, there is much excitement. Everyone wants to be a part of what God is doing, to go to the place where God is calling. But time seems to weed out the majority of travelers. Moses, with Israel, experienced the same effects of time upon the call of God. There was enthusiasm as the children of Israel “borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians” (Ex. 12:35-36). What an exciting time! What confidence the people possessed of the presence and power of God! The atmosphere was electrifying! Who would not want to be a part of this mighty move of the Spirit of God? Even some Egyptians (the mixed multitudes) were caught up in the supernatural work of God and joined the parade of the Exodus. The excitement didn’t last long, for Pharaoh once again hardened his heart and pursued the Israelites while God lead them into a corner where there was no escape from Pharaoh’s army. Moses surely had not thought through his plan of exodus. The jubilance quickly turned to fear and the shouts of praise to murmuring. The great expectations of deliverance were dashed with acute fear and distress when they saw Pharaoh pursuing. This was only the beginning of forty long years of journeying to the promised land. Had they known the storms, the winds and floods they would encounter over the next forty years, one wonders whether they would have preferred to remain in bondage to Pharaoh. The winds of time with all that time brings with it, severely tests our love and allegiance to God.

        Centuries passed and the time finally came when the promise given to Abraham should be fulfilled, that of his “seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 22:18). That Seed was born of a virgin in a little town in Judea. Multiplied prophecies had been given of the coming of Israel’s Messiah and all Israel waited in anticipation for His appearing. Every young woman hoped and prayed that she might be honored and privileged to bear this promised Seed. However, the centuries which passed and the challenges which Israel had faced had not created a people who would welcome the Prince of Peace. Israel had “slumbered and slept” through the centuries. They had proven themselves to be a wayward and rebellious people. They often had fallen into idolatry, immorality and carnality, consequently bringing God’s judgment and falling into the hands of their enemies. The history of Israel is the account of a people who forgot the God Who delivered them from Egypt and who had given them the land promised to their father Abraham. Israel and Judah experienced years of victories and defeats, freedom and slavery, prosperity and famine, blessings and cursings, times when they sought God and times when idols filled the land. After centuries of Israel’s waywardness and countless warnings by prophets and men of God, the time came when God sold them into the hands of Assyria and Babylon. Israel was dispersed, and although Judah was granted the privilege to return and build again Jerusalem, only a few returned and the rest remained in Babylon. Yet as merciful as God was in permitting the Jews to return and rebuild, time again created merely a religious institution, made up of self-righteous egotists who were waiting for that One who would bring back the former glory to Israel and make her once again the envy of the world. Never could they seem to rise above the sensual, the earthly, material things to comprehend that the plan of God was to create a people who would apprehend and enter into a spiritual relationship with God. They trusted in their own abilities and deceived themselves into thinking that they could serve other gods and still retain the blessings, protection and securities of God, merely because of the promise God had given to Abraham. By the time the promised Seed came, sadly, they had totally distorted the promises given and their understanding was darkened so that when He came, they were blinded to their own fallen state and hardness of heart. Iniquity abounded in Israel. Religious pride ruled supreme. The sands of time had eroded any semblance of God’s divine plan in the hearts and minds of most in Israel.

        “Jesus came unto his own and his own received him not” (John 1:11). “The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that (Israel’s) house and it fell and great was the fall of it.” (Matt. 7:27)   The centuries of time had erased any semblance of the glory that once was seen in Israel, such times when Godly kings ruled. Those times when Israel was the envy of the known world. God used His faithful servant, David, a man after God’s own heart, to bring Israel to where the land promised to Abraham was fully possessed. During Solomon’s reign, Israel had arrived at a place where God was truly the “God of Israel.” Short lived were those days of glory, for the storms, floods, adversities, deceptions of false gods, depravity of human men bent on self-service from the time of Solomon’s reign until the birth of Jesus had left Israel desolate of godliness. Israel’s spirituality was at a very low ebb when God sent His only begotten Son into the world. So great was the impact of time upon national Israel that they not only rejected the promised Seed but hated Him, would not that He would rule over them, and finally crucified Him. They destroyed their own Deliverer. “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matt. 6:23). “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten” (Joel 1:4). The fig tree had been thoroughly barked and its death was inevitable and certain. Dunging it another year could not save it. Israel’s only hope was the promised Seed. However, they crucified their Hope and murdered their Salvation. And yet this Seed has proven to be the One to whom all nations of the earth have been blessed. Salvation came through Jesus Christ to a fallen world, a salvation through which sinful man can be reconciled to his Creator. Is there any greater gift offered to mankind than this? What a treasure has been given to these earthen vessels!

        It has been over 2000 years since Jesus came as the “Lamb of God” to take away the sin of the world. After Jesus was resurrected and seen of His disciples for 40 days, He was taken into heaven. He left His disciples with instructions to “tarry in Jerusalem” until they were endued with power from on high. A few days later there were about a hundred and twenty souls in an upper room in Jerusalem and “suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:2-4). A fire was ignited and, like the forest fires in northern California which spread uncontrollably by great winds, so this fire, fanned by the immense wings of the Holy Spirit, quickly spread throughout the known world and thousands were added to the church daily. O that there would be once again, such an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon God’s people!

        Once again, like Israel of old, the enemy has barked the fig tree. We have today a similar condition unfolding before us as that of Israel. The church of this modern era has succumbed to the erosion of time as she more and more embraces the world in her attempt to attract congregants. Instead of the church changing the world, the world is changing the church. The world’s music has replaced worship of a holy God and entertainment has taken the place of Gospel conviction. Psychology and philosophy has replaced soul-convicting preaching of truth, and self-esteem has replaced the cross of self-denial. The cares and pleasures of this life and the deceitfulness of riches have, and are choking the word of God from having its intended purpose in many Christians’ lives today. The church today is too much like Israel of old; they “all slumbered and slept.” O for that soon coming midnight cry that will awaken this sleeping church! And O, God, by thy grace may we find ourselves among those who have oil in our vessels to keep the lamp burning when that cry is given.

        Like Israel of old, the American church has been taken captive by Babylon. There is a cry in the Spirit to “Come out of her, MY PEOPLE, that ye might not be partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4 emphasis mine). The call today is to leave Babylon*, to leave Ur and to seek for that heavenly city, “which hath foundation, whose builder and maker is God.” The sands of time have done its diabolical work, but God is calling and raising up a remnant, those 7000 who have not bowed their knee to Baal, to possess the kingdom. A people, not resting in their own abilities or trusting in some move of God years ago, who will be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. A people who will return to the Lord and love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. A people who will resist erosion of time which the floods, the winds and the rains have produced and will build upon the solid Rock, Jesus Christ. O, God, prepare a people for Thy return, a people who long for you as a bride waits for her husband, for she is the bride of Christ and she waits with great expectation and longing to know You more intimately. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

*Babylon is not just the Catholic Church. Catholicism is only a part of this Babylon from which the church is called out. Babylon is the whole world system, its governments, its religions, its economical institutions, and its social life. Christians are called to enter the kingdom of God, and entering His kingdom requires one to extricate oneself from the kingdoms of this world. Satan is the god of this world and its arrangement. God is our king and ruler. Genuine Christianity is God’s religion. Those who hear God’s word and apply it to their lives are God’s society and family. Those who follow Christ are to take no thought for their lives, what they shall wear or what they shall put on. God feeds the birds, and He is able to feed His people. He knows our needs before we ask. All these things are incorporated in the Kingdom of God. The call is great and may seem impossible, but our God is great and is the God of the impossible!

INNER THIRST

Charles Woodard

        “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).

        We do not drink a glass of water in the morning and expect that to satisfy us for the day, but we drink whenever we thirst. So, in the spiritual, we must continue to drink of Him who is the Living Water in order to maintain our spiritual life. To cease to drink of Him is to dry up and perish.

        In John 4 we have the classic example of spiritual thirst. A woman, the passage tells us, returned to a well day after day to draw water. This is a picture of the natural person unable to quench his inner, spiritual thirst by physical means. Jesus said to her, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water” (John 4:10).

        Only living water can satisfy the inner thirst of a person. This living water is not a well in us but, rather, a spring. It is not a pool but a “river.” It flows into us by the power of the Living Christ and out of us by the power of His Holy Spirit: “Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13,14).

        This water is, in reality, the Spirit of God! We must continually be filled with Him. We must be filled to overflowing. Man’s inner thirst is satisfied only by drinking of Him who is the river of life. Five marriages and a disappointing life had not satisfied this poor woman’s need for love, happiness and true peace. Then she met the Master and asked, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw” (John 4:15).

        Perhaps her request was somewhat shallow. She saw a way of eliminating an arduous trip to the well each day. Jesus gave her more than she asked for. He identified himself as the Messiah, the Son of God: “Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:26).

        But it was not enough for her to simply meet the Master. She must continue to drink of the fountain that never shall run dry. She had to become a living witness of this water of life. She must forsake the natural to drink of the spiritual. The passage tells us, “The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:28,29)

        To satisfy the soul, to quench one’s inner thirst, we must leave the land of the natural and the carnal. We must leave our waterpots of stale religion. Playing church, with its form and ceremony, is only a bondage to human systems. Three songs, a word of prayer and a message that tickles the ear has embalmed the body. O God, give us a fresh drink in the inner man!

        The Word of the Lord satisfies the inner thirst. There is a famine in the land today, a famine for hearing the Word of the Lord. There is much guitar picking, religious bragging and phony faith preaching; there is very little exegetical preaching of the Word. But the Bible says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11).

        That day is here! In a day of religious activity and charismatic festivity, the inner thirst is not being met. People are seeking satisfaction for their souls, only to find the dregs of disillusionment in a watered-down gospel message.

        Before the rivers of living water can flow out of us, they are going to have to flow into us. As the hart will refuse to drink out of a stagnant pool, so must we turn to the Living God: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1,2)

        We shall maintain our spiritual life only as we drink from the fountain of life.

        The world wants a superficial, “quick” thirst quencher. People pay millions of dollars for canned sodas and colas. But the Bible proclaims, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters” (Isa. 55:1). Let us drink, drink, drink!

GROWTH AND THEOLOGY

Curtis Dickinson

        The deep problems of the world are theological. The prime issue of the day – as in any era – is the salvaging of man from the chaos of sin and the judgment to come.

        Only as a man is brought to a confrontation with his Maker and made to see the purpose for which he was created and the ultimate destiny toward which he is traveling will he see the necessity of right thinking and action. Nothing is right unless it is right according to God’s will, and as long as man resists the knowledge of revealed theology, he will continue to create greater chaos and violence.

        The modern clamor for “Church Growth,” while often claiming that it is founded on solid doctrinal truth, tends to shun theology for the sake of gaining the people that are resistant to study and objective thinking. Worship often is a performance staged by professionals, and sermons may be aimed at satisfying the ego, improving one’s self-image or coping with some psychological problem.

        The belief that “big is better” is alive and well among Christian leaders and many are playing the game of power, the sinner being judged on the basis of how big and fast his church grows. No one has to be reminded that this is a far cry from the New Testament example.

        This is not a complaint against the growth of the church. Every Christian is eager to see more converts to Christ being added to the church. The complaint is against the means many are using and the disastrous results being obtained. Instead of challenging people to repent and seek the face of God in humility and service, they are told that all is well, God loves them and they should come to reap the benefits of all the ways the church can serve them. It is not uncommon for visitors who have moved into the area to tell me they are “looking for a church to meet their needs,” not one that upholds the word of Christ and meets the demands of God. They often land in one of the churches that offers them fun and games, because that is the kind of bait used to lure them into the church in the first place.

        Of what value is quantity without the very elements that define a Christian disciple? Lukewarmness is still lukewarmness even if multiplied over and over. A thousand lukewarm members is not better than one genuine believer but a thousand times worse!

        Christ came seeking to save the sinner. His love and concern surely must have been as great as any church-growth advocate of our day. Yet He met people head-on with truth (theology) and drove away those who only gave lip service, who followed Him because it was popular and satisfying to the flesh and the ego. On one occasion they left Him in droves because He insisted that they understand the theology He presented. He asked the apostles, “Would you also go away?” Peter had the good sense to give the only logical answer, “To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). One thing most modern preachers want to avoid like the plague is any discussion about the meaning of eternal life and eternal death!

        Paul was not hesitant to present the hard theological facts right up front, so there would be no question about the necessity of a confrontation with God, sin and the ultimate destiny. Whether to kings or slaves, He preached the implications of sin and judgment and the hope of the resurrection of the dead.

        Peter, who seems to have a reputation of being a crude and obtuse bungler, was nevertheless a theologian who, in his very first sermon, incorporated the foreknowledge of God, the crucifixion of Jesus, the resurrection, the fulfillment of scripture and the guilt of his hearers before he challenged them to “repent and be baptized” (Acts 2). His next recorded sermon is equally as theological, in which he upheld the resurrection, the judgment and destruction of sinners and God’s blessing to those who turn from sin to the Savior (Acts 3:12-26).

        The church of the first century grew because the theology of the gospel was presented in plain terms which demanded acceptance or rejection. People were “added to the church” because they believed, not because they liked to sing in the choir, or liked the colors of the church nursery, the recreation program or the singles’ monthly party!

        In this generation we have seen a retreat from theology and a rise in self-centeredness – improve your image, increase your self-esteem, join the jazzercise class, be successful, find healing, find wealth, find success! Who admires the church which meets in humble quarters in order to spend its money on missions and the poor? And how many will cut loose from a popular doctrine held by the power-brokers of the church because they see it is not biblical and take the unpopular stance rather than compromise in silence?

        In a study by Dr. Win Arn, former President of the Institute for American Church Growth, it was reported that the fastest growing churches are the ones that are noted for their “love” and that their leadership and theology are of much less significance than their “love quotient.” The report simply indicated that churches grew faster where thought and obedience to truth are not required, which is no surprise. But experiencing “love” is not the same as experiencing redemption and a life of faithful obedience to Christ.

        The modern church and church leader is in danger of contracting “megalomania,” the disorder in which the subject thinks himself great and endued with power. It is easy to rationalize that the end (converting more people to Christ) justifies the means (appealing to the worldly desires and goals in order to attract sinners). But Jesus warned that before following Him, one is to count the cost, deny himself and take up the cross.

        Filling church houses with people primarily concerned with worldly success and personal pleasure does not fulfill the great commission.

        Peter warns us against being carried away with the error of the wicked, saying, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (II Peter 2:18).

        Growth is demanded. It is the natural growth produced when the right seed is planted and nurtured, ultimately bearing the fruit of the Spirit. What we are to seek for is not size, but sanctification; not power but purity.

        Our problems and those of all the world can be solved only by an honest and humble effort to bring life into harmony with God as revealed through Christ. This is true of all our concerns: drugs, abortion, immorality, the deterioration of the family, robbery through taxation, loss of freedom and the network of world revolutionaries and their effort to destroy Christian faith. The bottom line is theological, the warfare has to do with the faith, and the sword is the truth of God.

        According to Paul the leadership of the church is given “for the perfecting of the saints…unto the building up of the body of Christ…that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him, who is the head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:12-15).

THE MAN WHO BLAMED THE FURNACE

C. David Mangham

        When Moses had descended from the mountain where he had received the Law he demanded of his brother Aaron an explanation for the golden calf, the worship of which had precipitated among the chosen people a licentious orgy as bad as anything ever seen in Egypt.

        Aaron had been left with responsibility for administering the affairs of the host while Moses was away and was to blame for the condition Moses found upon his return. However, he blandly excused himself with these words, “So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and then came out this calf.” The refusal to acknowledge sin always has been the greatest barrier to keep men from God, and Aaron’s case is a powerful example warning men against such folly.

        As we read the sordid account in Exodus 32 and begin to piece together the details of the story, several things stand out clearly. First, we see that there is no question but that the majority wanted some idol to worship. It is equally clear that Aaron was in no wise disposed to going against the crowd. From other places in the record we also learn that the people were as bent on mischief when Moses was present as when he was absent. Moses, unlike Aaron, would have stood firm in his convictions no matter how great the pressure from the crowd. Aaron’s attitude that “everybody does it” is no good in God’s eyes. Aaron did not have to answer for everybody, but he did have to answer for himself.

        It is probably true that Aaron would have had to stand alone had he objected to making the idol, but how much better it would have been to stand alone for God than to join the crowd in going with the devil. Aaron had seen and known much of God’s working. Surely he was going against all he knew when he made this calf. He had seen the miraculous plagues God sent upon Egypt, and his feet were among those that had trod the dry land in the midst of the Red Sea. He had slaked his thirst at the sweetened waters of Marah and his daily portion was a bowl of manna gathered fresh every morning. Aaron had stood with Hur upholding Moses’ hands as he interceded for Israel’s green army locked in combat with Amalek’s seasoned desert troops. Aaron did not lack knowledge or experience. What he lacked was conviction, and Aaron’s tribe is still among us today. They have experienced God’s healing for their bodies, His protection of their lives and His blessing in many material things; yet they fail Him in the time of crisis. They prefer to go with the crowd rather than with God. Their choice is based on a desire to be like the people among whom they live, and to be accepted by them. Let God be left out, if need be, but never let anything happen which will hamper their popularity with the world. “O purblind race of miserable men,” compromising with evil rather than standing alone with God.

        Aaron’s guilt was deepened because he tried to excuse himself rather than confess his wrong. At first he tried to put the blame on others. “Thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.” He was the victim of bad influences and could not help doing as he did. Had his environment been less evil he would never have thought of doing such a thing. Years later King Saul tried similarly to explain to the prophet Samuel why he did not destroy King Agag and all the possessions of the Amalekites as God had ordered. Every experienced Christian worker has heard the story a thousand times, only with different names and a modern setting. It is “the nagging wife” or “the neighborhood in which I live” or any number of other things which men blame for their committing sin. Rare indeed is the man who will honestly confess and repent of his sin.

        The world as a whole has always been against God, and the man who decides for God must continually go against the current. Aaron did not so much as raise his voice to protest making an idol. In fact, he seemed to jump at the change to throw off the worship of Jehovah and plunge into licentious idolatry. That does not relieve the people from having to bear their share in the guilt, but it removes Aaron’s excuse and makes clear that he was responsible to answer for himself.

        When Moses seemed unimpressed with his attempt to blame the people, Aaron tried to put the blame on the furnace. Judging by Aaron’s statement, it appears that he was the most surprised man in the camp when the molten metal came from the fire in the form of a calf. “It came out a calf”, he said, as if it happened in spite of him. The record mentions a graving tool which Aaron used in “making” the golden calf (verse 4), but these details are conspicuously absent from his report to Moses. He wanted to give the impression that, through no effort of his, the gold earrings and bracelets were transformed into the idol. If there was any blame to be attached, the furnace was at fault!

        Were it not that this incredible tale follows the same pattern as many of our modern excuses we might smile and pass it off as a ludicrous incident. Aaron’s story is no more preposterous, however, than the ones being offered to God today by men and women who are unwilling to confess their sins. They are constantly seeking a “furnace” of circumstances to blame. Like Aaron of old, they fail to realize that the furnace plus the gold but minus the mold and the graving tool does not equal a calf.

        There are circumstances which make it hard for a Christian to take his stand for the Lord, but none of them offer any better explanation for our giving way to evil than did Aaron’s furnace. What hope is there for a man who will continue to make such excuses? None. God’s Word says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper” (Prov. 28:13). As long as Aaron continued to blame the furnace he was justifying himself in his sin, and by so doing he barred the door of forgiveness against himself.

        The only way out for Aaron was the same way that is open to us today. It was the way of humble confession. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Jesus shed His precious blood for us in order to save us from our sins, but He waits our word of confession. As long as any man maintains the plea that it was the circumstances, not himself, to blame, just so long will his sins go unforgiven. Aaron’s hope lay in owning his sin and so does yours. God can and does forgive men their sins, but God cannot forgive a furnace.

THE SABBATH – YES OR NO?

Randall Walton

        One of our readers sent us an article by one of the nation’s popular Evangelists in which he lists the arguments why Christians should not observe the Sabbath saying that the “doctrine of keeping the Sabbath is in error, and it is a hindrance to many people’s spiritual and Scriptural understanding.” In order to refute this man’s claims, we will quote his objections, then answer in rebuttal.

        We do not make a major issue over this particular doctrine. We believe there are many other doctrines which are more important than this, but since we do believe that God honored, blessed and sanctified the Seventh Day and said it was holy, and since there is no record in the Bible that God ever changed His mind or that He ever removed the sanctity from that day, we feel that it is proper that we refute the invalid assertions which have been made.

Quote #1: “Most Christians observe Sunday as a day set apart for worship because, first, it commemorated the resurrection and the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ in His victory over death, hell and the grave.”

Reply: Actually, Jesus did not rise from the tomb on Sunday! Read Matthew 28:1,2. And, even if He had risen then, that certainly would not have lent any sanctification to that day. There is no Biblical proof to support such an idea as this. None of the writers of the New Testament uttered a word to this effect. Jesus rose before sundown on Sabbath, according to Matthew 28:1, but this fact neither adds to nor detracts from the fact that God blessed and hallowed the Seventh Day of the week.

Quote #2: “Secondly, it was on Sunday that Christ manifested Himself to His disciples (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25).”

Reply: Even if this were true, what difference would it make? What holiness would have been imparted to Sunday by His appearance to His disciples? According to Matthew 28:8,9 Jesus revealed Himself to Mary Magdelene and the other Mary immediately after their visit to the tomb which was “In the end of the Sabbath.”

Quote #3: “Thirdly, Christ (as our example) totally disregarded the old Jewish Sabbath. Also, since the resurrection, the first day of the week has taken on the prominence that Saturday held in Old Testament times.”

Reply: The Sabbath was never a “Jewish” holy day. Jesus Himself stated that “The Sabbath was made for MAN, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27,28). And Jesus did not disregard the day. He plainly stated that He came not “to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to Fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

        If Jesus came to fulfill the law then He KEPT IT, not disregarded it! To fulfill does not mean to destroy, otherwise He was guilty of contradicting Himself, and He should have said, “I came not to destroy but to destroy”! How absurd such reasoning is.

        It is true that Sunday has taken on the prominence that once was given to the Sabbath, but not with God’s blessings. Only in the esteem of man is this so. Heaven has never blessed the first day, nor has ever given any recognition to it. Sunday in the eyes of God is the first work day of the work week, and it is more important to honor God than man.

Quote #4: “The outpouring of the Holy Ghost came on Sunday, Pentecost being the first day after seven Jewish Sabbaths.”

Reply: The word Pentecost means fifty, and is derived from the command of God that Israel (not the Jew) was to observe a special feast called the firstfruits on the fiftieth day after the Passover Sabbath (Lev. 23:15-21). It so happens that Jesus as the Passover Lamb was crucified on the Passover Sabbath, which was on Wednesday, not on Friday as tradition has it. Since Wednesday was the Passover and the count of fifty days was to begin on the day following the Passover, then Thursday would be the day to start the count. This then would make the day of Pentecost fall on FRIDAY, not on Sunday! However, this does not make Friday a holy day, nor does it detract from the Sabbath. But it certainly shows the error of proclaiming Sunday as the day of the Pentecostal blessing.

Quote #5: “Actually, neither the Lord nor any apostle commanded that we keep the old Jewish Sabbath (or any other day for that matter), and Paul, in his writings, did admonish us not to be bound by any particular day (Rom. 14:5,6; Gal. 3:9-11; Col. 2:14-17).”

Reply: There is absolutely no basis for assuming that Paul said we should not observe the Sabbath in these passages. The message he gave was that we are not to JUDGE others in regard to the observance or the non-observance of days. He asserts that we do not have the right to use this or other matters as a point of judging other people. He is not ruling on the legality nor the demise of the said doctrine. “Don’t judge” is the message.

Quote #6: “The Bible expressly commands that no Christian should keep it (Col. 2:14-17).”

Reply: The Bible DOES NO SUCH THING! This passage in Colossians is dealing with judging people on the basis of whether they observe certain ordinances. It does not imply, directly nor indirectly, that Christians are not to observe the Sabbath. Such a statement as this is devoid of all truth!

Quote #7: “We must understand, the Lord’s day is a different day altogether. It is not a Sabbath day; it was never a Sabbath day. It was not given to the same people nor for the same purpose.”

Reply: We understand that by the term “Lord’s day” this Brother is referring to Sunday, and speaks as if it were “given” for some other purpose than to labor upon. Actually, Jesus said that the Sabbath is the Lord’s Day, so who are we to dispute what the Lord of glory had to say about it (Mark 2:27,28).

Quote #8: “St. John 5:17,18 would tend to prove the Lord did not keep the Sabbath (Saturday, the Old Testament Sabbath): ‘But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he had not only broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.’ Jesus and His Father worked on the Sabbath!”

Reply: The above analysis of this account is certainly a bold stretching of the truth. Surely our Brother doesn’t place the healings of Jesus on the same level with physical, manual work? This is exactly what the Pharisees did, and of course, they were wrong. They ACCUSED Him of breaking the Sabbath, but HE DID NOT BREAK ANY OF THE LAWS OF GOD! They accused Him of doing many things of which He was not guilty, but we should not fall into the same trap of error which they did. Their denunciations of Him do not lend credence to their accusations. He taught very plainly that it was proper to do good on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was not meant to be burdensome to mankind. It was to be a day of refreshing, or renouncing the burdens and cares of life, and drawing closer to God thereby. There never was a law against working miracles on the Sabbath!

Quote #9: “The Sabbath was, again, commanded as a day of rest, not a day of worship.”

Reply: Leviticus 23:3 says, “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” Strong’s Concordance defines the word convocation as: “something called out, i.e., a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the place); also a rehearsal: assembly, calling; convocation, reading.” So we gather from this that it must have been common practice for a gathering, or assembly of the people to take place each Sabbath. In fact, the book of Acts is replete with just such gatherings on the Sabbath, both by the Jews as well as the Gentiles.

        While it is true that in the Ten Commandments as given at Sinai no mention is made of the holy convocation, it was certainly a specific order as given to Moses later.

Quote #10: “Actually, the law of the Old Testament Sabbath was ceremonial, not moral. Jesus, of course, would never have broken any moral laws whatsoever. He did break the ceremonial law because here was law which man, under grace, would not be required to keep.”

Reply: When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, He wrote them upon tablets of stone with His own finger. He did not add to them nor take away from them (Ex. 24:12; 31:18; 32:15,16; Deut. 5:22; 4:13). This was presented by God as a package, a unit, a complete civil and moral code. There was nothing ceremonial about the observance of the Sabbath. It could be called a Divine Law, or a memorial statute, but certainly not ceremonial, nor moral either. It is very significant that it was placed in the midst of Divine precepts which are based upon ETERNAL principles. In every case, the eternal quality of the command is strikingly evident. It has always been sinful and always shall be sinful to have other gods than the Eternal, Living God, to blaspheme His holy name, to bow down to graven images, to dishonor one’s parents, to murder, to commit adultery, to steal, to bear false witness, to covet one’s neighbor’s possessions. And there among these Eternal, Divine STANDARDS God reminds mankind that HE rested the Seventh day from the work of His creation, and He blessed, sanctified, hallowed, that very day and commanded man to honor it, because He had honored it.

        The keeping holy of this day had nothing to do with salvation. Men are not saved by the observance of anything religious or moral. The fact that most people do not kill others is not sufficient to save their souls. Only the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary’s cross can save a poor lost sinner from destruction. Nevertheless, when a person becomes saved, then he is obligated to walk in obedience to God’s commands.

Quote #11: “Dating back to the day of the apostles, the first day of the week had been set apart by Christians for meeting together in church (as you can see from Acts 20:7 and I Cor. 16:2).”

Reply: In Acts 20:7-12 we have an interesting record of a Saturday NIGHT meeting. Actually, there is not ONE recorded instance of a worship service during the day on Sunday in all of the New Testament! We must remember that in Bible times the days of the week began and ended at sundown, not at midnight, therefore this gathering together was at night on the first of the week, and Brother Paul preached until midnight with the many lights illuminating the upper chamber where they were assembled. He had plans made to leave in the morning. So this can’t be called setting apart Sunday as a day for worship, can it?

        In I Corinthians 16:2 Paul instructs the members of the church to “lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” Not one word was uttered about a worship service or about meeting together in church! This had to do with collections for the poor, or for carrying on the business matters of the congregation. How can anyone construe this to mean a religious meeting?

        Another verse which is used to promote Sunday keeping is in John 20:19: “then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for FEAR OF THE JEWS, came Jesus in the midst…” Nothing is said about a meeting or about worship. They were afraid, and they had come together for this reason.

        There are no other references to any first day religious gatherings anywhere in the New Testament. All other mention of the first day is in regard to the events which took place after Jesus’ resurrection. In Revelation 1:10 John says that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. We already know that “the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath day” (Mark 2:28), so we have no trouble recognizing the Sabbath as the Lord’s day, the day of which John wrote.

Quote 12: “Consequently, at Calvary all of the Law was blotted out (You can read this in Colossians 2:14-17). Nine of the Ten Commandments were reinstated under the New Covenant, but the ceremonial law of the Sabbath was never reinstated.”

Reply: We shall gladly refer to Colossians. Verse 14 starts: “Blotting out the HANDWRITING OF ORDINANCES that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” It is appropriate to stop right here and consider specifically what Paul is trying to tell us. He does not say the LAW of God or the Ten Commandments are blotted out! The handwriting of ordinances is the only thing which is mentioned here. It is pure folly to inject into this that which is not here. The handwriting of ordinances consists of that body of writ which included the ceremonial laws, and particularly those which involved the ministry of the Levitical priesthood and the Tabernacle and Temple rituals and liturgy. To say that this includes the Ten Commandments is to display a gross lack of knowledge of the Word of God.

        There is absolutely no ground for believing that God abolished the Ten Commandments and then reinstated nine of the original. The burden of proof of this premise rests upon the proponent to produce such evidence. A thorough study of the Book of Hebrews with special emphasis on chapters 7 through 10 should prove to enlighten the eyes of those who want to know the truth.

        In conclusion we should like to refer to Hebrews 4:9 where we read: “There remaineth therefore a rest (keeping of a Sabbath, margin) to the people of God.” Many folks tell us that they keep every day holy. This is impossible, for you cannot make holy anything which is not intrinsically holy. We can and should LIVE holy every day, but this is not the same as making a day holy. Only one day in each seven can be kept holy, for God has put His stamp of approval on that day. Therefore it is holy.

        We wish to reassert that the observance of the Sabbath does not save the soul. Too many people feel that because they are Sabbath keepers they have somehow been sealed with a security in God that is unshakable. This is a great mistake. Only Jesus saves; only He can lift the sinner out of the morass of this life and set his feet on the road to glory. No law has ever been issued that could take the place of Calvary. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8,9).

        However, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Rev. 22:14). Keeping the Sabbath holy is one of those commandments.

FELLOWSHIPPING WITH A SHELL

Wesley Owen

It is amazing how the Holy Spirit will teach us if only we will stop to listen. An astounding fact is that one would think Christian fellowship is one of those things that would be readily available to those who are seeking it. But, unfortunately for some of us, it is not that simple. Fellowship by definition means companionship, comradeship, or friendship. For the purpose of this article, Christian fellowship will include those Christian friends who help us develop and mature in the truths of God. This fellowship should enable us to worship, study and discuss the truths of our Lord. However, it may not always mean we will be in full agreement with one another. This fellowship should provide support in our relationship with God.

Where Do You Find It?

You would think that all one needs to do is to go to any church’s assembling place to find this, but this is an assumption that I find is not true. There are difficulties one faces in finding a Christian fellowship. For one thing, most groups have their own “code of worship” that they follow. Look at your own group and see how well you can predict when various activities will begin or end. To me, this can be an indicator that a system of man is at work rather than the Spirit of the Lord. For example, what would happen to you, or anyone, if the Spirit of the Lord came upon you and you would yield to the Spirit and you began to do things totally different from the group’s expectations? How would you be labeled: “strange,” “in the flesh” (whatever that is), or would people praise the Lord for the moving of the Spirit?

Doctrine As A Test

        An even more difficult task is finding a group which bases its beliefs completely upon the Bible. There is no problem in finding groups that make this claim, but what happens when you begin to examine their teachings by the Words of our God? Do you find their beliefs are based upon a system of doctrine proclaimed by this group, but are not necessarily founded upon the plain words of God? If so, beware! What is the reaction when you question their beliefs? Are you given the clear understanding that “we know we are right,” “it has always been this way,” “don’t rock the boat,” or a clean, blunt, “I dare you to question” attitude? If you do, I trust your search will continue.

        You might wonder, why does one continue to search for a Christian fellowship? There is strength in worshiping with others who are in tune to the truths of God and are walking in obedience. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). Paul wrote to the Philippians, while he was in prison, a warning we all should heed: “Join with others in following my examples and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things” (Phil. 3:17-19, NIV). I would also like for you to note that they were not only to “join with others,” but also to “Live according to the pattern we gave you.” Paul also offers this warning: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments (or elements) of the world, and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8). This warning must be taken seriously, especially today when one can find many forms of worship and beliefs. In your search for fellowship, remember well these warnings.

        I personally find it frightening to see group after group completely blinded to their lack of spirituality. Yet, each one insists that they see and are dong well spiritually, which leaves them totally helpless and seemingly immune to any offer of help; but sadder still is that each group projects that the other groups, the groups across the street, town, or state are the ones who are blind.

        We ALL must ask our Lord to use “eye-salve” to anoint our eyes that we might SEE the true state we are in. We MUST seek God that our eyes will be open to God’s truths and not just to our set ideas and procedures that have been passed down to us. (This is not denying that such ideas and procedures were appropriate for the time they were given.)

        But, my dear Brothers and Sisters, we must be attuned to the Spirit of the Living God today. Be obedient to the leading given at this time. This means we must seek out for ourselves “the old paths” upon which the prophets of God’s glory walked in past generations. We must find those cleansing streams of holy fire for ourselves so that we will destroy our own “Laodicean” way of life.

Emptiness

        Let’s face it! The kernel is gone and so many of us are perfectly contented to spend our time admiring the empty shell. We are feeding on the husks that the swine eat, instead of personally returning to our Father’s table. “The glory has departed, and we mend the veil that was rent…and carry on with our worship before an ark that is devoid of the Shekinah. The altars are still there in our churches (or groups), but there is no bleeding sacrifice laid upon it. The dismembered parts of the burnt offering present too bloody a scene…with head, and heart, and liver exposed to the holy fires of God.” (Warnock)

        What does one do under these circumstances? It seems we have a choice to fall into one of the three classes of people found in the churches or groups of today: those who are given over to Christ, those who are given to their own ways, and those who live on the ground of neutrality. This last group is a crowded group of poor people and they seem to be becoming even larger. “They are not really hot…but not really cold. They are not really heavenly minded…but not totally earthly minded. They want Heaven when they die…But they do not want to walk in Heaven where they live. They talk about the cross, sing about the cross…But they do not want to die upon it.

        “Friend, this group is on sinking ground. The day is quickly approaching when they are going to have to make a decision as to which camp they are in, God’s or the World’s. For many, their decision will seem so natural because they are so blinded that they will not realize they are turning from God until it is too late.

        “The time is upon us when we all have to come out for Christ: this means out from the world, its politics, its religious systems, its pleasure, its warfares, its whole way of life…or we will become engulfed in the domain of the Dragon: the political realm of the Beast, and the religious systems of the False Prophet” (Who Are You? Warnock).

        This very well might mean you will find yourself worshiping alone or in a small group. From my own experience, this is not always so difficult. Being deprived of fellowship can force one to a closer walk with God. One thing for sure, you can’t depend upon a group to hold you up when you are alone. It is just you and the Lord. As the old saying goes, “You will either sink or swim.” Your worship might involve singing, praying, praising or even dancing, whatever the Lord moves you to do. It might mean sitting quietly thinking upon the Words of the Lord. But, most important of all, you need to search, seek, and be obedient to the Spirit of God. Suddenly, or ever so slowly the Lord can move, the salve of the Lord will begin to open your eyes, but only after you diligently seek Him through obedience and praise. Gradually, you will begin to see a glimpse of the kernel the Lord is so willing to feed us.

        Even though you seem alone, you are not alone. God has a church which is, for the present time, scattered. This church is in an immature stage, but God is calling for those of us who desire to be part of this church to grow in Him, to stop our immature ways, such as our sectarian ideas, contented in our belief that we are right, when in reality we are only stuck in our own ruts. Have you ever been trapped in an icy rut?

        We must be willing to allow God to move us individually into a new place or level in the Spirit. We too often underestimate the power of our fleshly ways that keeps us in our rut. We can’t go higher until we leave where we are right now, and that is scary, but the Spirit of the Lord will lead if only we will attune ourselves to His leading.

        The secret of our victory is that our eyes are truly set upon Christ. Satan does not fear our little human schemes for evangelism or even our involvement in the political world about us. But he does tremble when he sees a people beginning to WALK IN THE WAY OF THE CROSS!

        “We can’t remove the ‘filthy garments’ just by saying ‘take them off.’ Only the ‘ministration of the Spirit’ can do that (II Cor. 3:6). No wonder there is so much death in our midst. The form may be there…the praise, the worship, the preaching…But if the Spirit of God is not reaching out into the heart of God and ‘taking the things of Christ’ and ‘showing them to us, with all of our righteousness of truth and doctrine there is no vital ministration of the Spirit of Christ in our midst” (Crowned With Oil, Warnock).

        This walk is first alone, with you and the Lord, then as a body that is in union with the Lord. There is a sense of urgency that we as individuals, and then as a group, take hold of the arm of God and walk in the Way of the Cross. We cannot allow the lack of fellowship to slow, stop or hinder in any way, our taking that mighty arm of God in obedience and love and maturing in the Lord!

GRACE TEACHING

(Part 25)

Matteo Pacifico

        Reader, is it not a supremely precious thing to have the eternal God as our Portion, not only on this first of the New Year or a fleeting lifetime, but forever? Of all the creatures of earth, man only is religious. This undeniable fact alone shuts the mouth of Darwin and makes his blasphemous hypothesis inexcusable. It took a desperately wicked, God-despising soul to suggest that man – the glorious God-Man-Redeemer included – descended from apes. Visit any place on earth, or look at any past or present civilization, and religion always features prominently. But O, the eternal difference between mere religion, be it what it may, and GODLINESS! It is the same as the difference between Pharaoh and Joseph, Belshazzar and Daniel, the highly religious Jewish Sanhedrin and the blessed Stephen whom they stoned to death. Of course, the godly man is religious too, but how very few among the world's religious billions are godly. Reader, are you part of the tiny, yet supremely favored minority who have experienced that transition from religion to godliness? If you are, then happy are you, though often confronting tribulation and trials of various kinds, because what was true of Aaron in also true of you: "And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their Land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I AM THY PART AND THINE INHERITANCE AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL" (Num. l8:20). O the indescribable blessedness of the godly!

        We see, then, that when Grace commands us to "Live Godly in this present world" (Titus 2:l2), it is, along with all our Lord's commandments, directing us to pursue and secure OUR OWN HAPPINESS, even though our motive in obedience is always to glorify our God. O Lord, how unspeakably good and kind art Thou! Thou hast not given us a single commandment that does not also aim at our highest possible happiness – especially this command to "Live godly." Yes, dear reader, contrary to the vile suggestions of the wicked one and the suspicions of our own desperately wicked hearts, it is impossible for us to ever render our God any sincere obedience or endure any adversity or tribulation for His sake without our being superabundantly compensated by Him, and that compensation is ever GOD HIMSELF and all necessary things with Him. O, would you not rather have Him than wealth, health, fame – yea, the entire creation? Jonathan Goforth and Fanny Crosby were both deprived of their sight, BUT NOT THE SLIGHTEST PART OF THEIR BLESSEDNESS; if anything, their joy in God greatly increased as tribulations did. With sightless eyes but radiant joy, Goforth was wont to hold up his much-loved Bible and say, "I'll read it again one day!" This godly missionary to China received a savage wound that almost amputated his arm during the Boxer Rebellion. He departed this life blind, severely wounded, but overflowing with the joy of deepest communion with his God – His eternal Portion. And O, how truly rich and happy must godly Fanny Crosby have been to be able to write,

     "This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.

     "Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be –

     “Gladly will I toil and suffer – only let me walk with Thee.

     “Thou my everlasting Portion, more than friend or life to me –

     “All along my pilgrim journey, Savior let me walk with Thee."

        Among the world's many millions who are favored with excellent health and sight, it is very doubtful that any would be willing to change places with this godly, sightless woman, probably confident that the loss of sight would doom their hopes of happiness. And yet the relentless search for happiness always ends in disappointing failure. O the poor, lost, pleasure-hungry masses! The sight is enough to break one's heart. O the tragedy of those words, LOST AND BLIND! Lost because blind to the truth of these few words of divine Revelation: "GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN" (I Tim. 6:6). O glorious light for poor, blind, searching souls! GREAT GAIN, CONTENTMENT (TRUE HAPPINESS) WITHOUT HEALTH, MATERIAL ABUNDANCE OR THE ADMIRATION OF MAN – THIS IS THE GLORIOUS SECRET OF GODLINESS, BECAUSE THE GODLY HAVE GOD HIMSELF AS THEIR INHERITANCE AND PORTION. And so, dear reader, let us never for a moment hesitate to "Live godly," though it is sure to bring persecution in an ungodly world like this. No, it is not calling yourself a "Christian," but "Living godly in Christ Jesus" that brings on the malice of those around you – often even professing Christians (II Tim. 3:l2). But what is this brief trouble compared to the GREAT GAIN of a conscience sprinkled clean by redeeming Blood, the Father's own peace and love shed abroad in our hearts and the heart-sight of our Redeemer's most lovely face? Afflicted lover of Christ, your plans and future seem to have been turned up-side-down, but take heart; remember, "THE LORD HATH SET APART HIM THAT IS GODLY FOR HIMSELF; THE LORD WILL HEAR WHEN I CALL UNTO HIM.” Not only is the eternal God your present and eternal portion, but He has taken you as His portion – PURCHASED at infinite cost, and so dear and precious to Him that HE HAS SET YOU APART – FOR HIMSELF. You could want not more; therefore, leave all to His care, and, while ever striving to live godly, never cease to trust and praise Him.

     “I cast my burdens on the Lord – the Lord sustains them all;

     “My courage rests upon His Word, that saints shall never fall.

     “God counts the sorrows of His saints, their groans affect His ears.

     “Thou hast a book for my complaints, a bottle for my tears.”     – Isaac Watts

BAPTISM OF FIRE!

Pastor E.L. Saunders

(Continued from last month)

        This author believes that many, many people today have hands laid on them for the reception of the Holy Spirit when they have not yet genuinely repented of their sins, who have not had “godly sorrow” for their sins, in fact, have no desire to forsake many “pet sins” which they still love and cherish and harbor in their lives. They do not want a baptism of fire. Like Simon, in Samaria, whose heart was still full of wickedness, yet he wanted the same power that Peter and John had (see Acts 8:18-24), so, many people today want the blessing of God without really yielding their lives to Christ and allowing the baptism of fire to purify and cleanse them.

        This is not only offensive to a holy God, it is extremely unfortunate for the person, for it will be a constant hindrance to him in living the abundant life which is available in Christ. You see, the reason God wants to “burn up” the chaff in our lives is because He knows it is the only way to victorious Christian living. Paul summarizes the life of the carnal Christian with these words, “Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Then he answered his own question with these words, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 7:24; 8:1).

        The Bible tells of many instances where “fire” is used with reference to cleansing, purifying, and sanctifying. One such case is that of Isaiah. When Isaiah beheld the awesome glory and holiness of God he confessed, “Woe unto me! For I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thy iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6:5-8). It is this kind of confession that will light the fire of God that consumes uncleanness. When the “coal of fire” touched Isaiah’s lips he was cleansed and then was prepared to go for God. Oh, for more of that fire today on the lips of God’s servants!

        It was not until Moses met God in the “burning bush” that he realized his unworthiness and his dependence upon God and that God was able to use him to deliver Israel (See Ex. 3:1-3).

        James and John wanted “seats” in the kingdom, but Jesus promised them suffering first. The seats come after suffering. Many preachers are looking for a pulpit with a salary, but they do not want the “pilgrimage” that goes with a separated life. Everybody shows up for the picnic but only a few women “prayer warriors” show up at prayer meeting. Our generation seeks cushions and shies the cross. Why the superficiality? The baptism of fire is missing. The cry of our hearts should be, “Oh, God, make your people aware of the desperate need for a baptism of fire.”

        Now the baptism of fire involves a very important principle which Jesus spoke of in John 12:24,25: “verily, verily I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”

        We have noted the process of separation of the wheat from the chaff. But now we see Jesus talking about a “corn of wheat” falling into the ground and dying. At first observation, it appears ironical that a kernel of wheat having gone through a “threshing,” a separation from the chaff, should now fall into the ground and die. But notice that Jesus said that unless the kernel of wheat dies, it abideth alone.

        Christ, here, is talking about fruit bearing. And we have noticed already that fruit bearing is very essential. In fact, Jesus said that the branch that does not bear fruit is cut off. And the branch that does bear fruit is “purged” or pruned, that it may bring forth more fruit.

        The believers’ presence here on earth is not just to enjoy the blessings that God bestows from day to day. This world is not our permanent dwelling place. We are here as witnesses. We have been delegated with a royal commission to witness to the world that Jesus, the Messiah, is the Saviour of mankind and that God has a plan and a purpose for this world which He desires to work out and come into fulfillment through our ministry.

        But, in order to be really effective in our witnessing, Jesus, using the metaphor of the “kernel of wheat,” declares there needs to be a “death” to self and a resurrection to the life of Jesus. This is the principle of death and resurrection. This principle is exemplified in the ordinance of water baptism. But Jesus is speaking of something we must implement in our lives after our new birth and water baptism. Water baptism is the burial of our past life of sin. We must, therefore, begin walking a new life in Christ – a walk of holiness and separation. This new walk of holiness, however, is not intended to be a life of isolation from the world. Jesus did not call us to be hermits. We are called to be ambassadors. We must have a message of hope and salvation. But this message cannot be carried successfully to the world by our own strength or wisdom. Paul declared, “My preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Cor. 2:4,5).

        This type of ministry demands a total surrender, commitment and dedication, a surrender of our will to the will of God. By this we do not mean that we are to be robots. God gave man a will and He desires us to use our will. But our will must be brought into harmony with God’s will. The Scriptures tell us that we are co-workers with Christ. God appeals to our intellect. He desires that we choose to follow His will because His will is for our benefit and blessing.

        So, we are to choose, as Paul on the Damascus road, to do as our “Lord” directs us to do. The principle of death and resurrection, then, is an overt act of bringing our will into harmony with the will of God. Jesus said the kernel of wheat must “fall into the ground” (humbling ourselves) and die (surrender our will), that it might bring forth fruit. This speaks of “resurrected life.” It is not enough to die to self. Thomas did not ask to feel the wounds in Jesus’ side to know that He had died. He knew that! He wanted to know that the Jesus who died and was placed in the tomb was now alive.

        So, likewise, a crucifixion of our carnal nature must be followed by a “resurrection” – an anointing of those talents and gifts which God bestows to each and every member in His “Body.” We now speak of an anointed ministry, a ministry unctioned by the Spirit of the living God. An intellectual understanding and acceptance of the principles pertaining to God’s plan of salvation is not sufficient. The truths in God’s Word must be incorporated into our very being and implemented in our daily walk. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will take that which God imparts to us and “quicken” it, that is, make it alive. The disciples spoke in tongues “as the Spirit gave them utterance.” It is the life of Christ that motivates the yielded vessel producing the fruit of the Spirit’s anointing. May we open our hearts to a baptism of the Spirit and of Fire!

A REASONABLE SERVICE

Harry Miller

        Man, by nature, is a fallen creature; an alien from the “household of God.” His thoughts, plans, and ambitions are all centered around his physical life and well-being. By nature he loves the things he can see, hear, and handle. The natural appetites are the things which motivate the man of the flesh.

        An individual in such a state is not acceptable in the sight of God, for “they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8). However, the Lord has given an invitation to all men to become subjects of a new hope, and by the walk of faith to embrace the glories of another world. The fallen creature, “man,” can be “regenerated” and then through the process of sanctification become “a new creature” worthy of that heavenly world.

        Through the labor of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the help of the Holy Spirit, the regenerated man is put through a long process of trial and death, which brings the natural, or carnal, side of his nature into subjection to the will of God.

        Some people may think they are not bad people because they have been reared, and have lived, according to a strict puritanical rule of life. But unless the individual is given over to God this is merely self-righteousness, and is not acceptable as righteousness before the Lord.

        “If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8). Sin is an act, a transgression. Taken literally, this verse does not seem very clear, but comparing it with Romans 6:6, which calls that evil thing within us “the BODY OF SIN,” we have an understanding that what we have is actually not SIN, but a BODY OF SIN. This BODY OF SIN is in every man until the day that he has been made perfect. Paul speaks of putting to death the “deeds of the body.” Peter tells us to “abstain from fleshly lusts.” John says: “a man is to purify himself,” and Christ told us to “take up our cross daily.”

        Every true Christian will soon learn that in order to be able to continue in the good graces of his Lord, he must subdue and overcome many desires within himself that are not acceptable in the sight of heaven.

        Through the Holy Spirit, man is given power to repel sinful lusts and worldly passions. A real warfare often rages within the breast of the man who desires to remain a saint. The subtle calls of the deceitful heart of man are often hard to subdue. Many times a choice must be made between man’s Lord and his own earthly desires. When these battles are over and the victory is won, the Christian is stronger, and has grown in godly character.

        As our devotion for our Lord deepens, our love for Him is more evident in many natural ways. Worldly things and pleasures fade away, and the saint learns to become a “pilgrim and stranger” here on earth. His affections are becoming “set upon things above,” his body is being used as “a living sacrifice” for his Lord. Eventually, he finds himself a part of the work of the Lord in the earth; a working member of that great company of Christ’s body who know no sacrifice too great to make for their Lord. Such is true godliness. “If any man will lose his life for my sake, he shall find it.”