SIGNS OF A DYING OR DECAYING CHRISTIAN

Signs of a Dying or Decaying Christian



By George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832)






1. When you are so indifferent to public worship, or frequenting the church of God, that you can be satisfied to come, or not come, at your own pleasure.
2. When, in your most solemn worship, you are quickly weary without warrantable cause.
3. When few sermons will please you; either you like not the matter, or manner, or man, or place.
4. When you think you know enough.
5. When a small occasion will keep you from Christ’s table, or communion with the church of God.
6. When you have usually no great desire for prayer.
7. When reading the Holy Scriptures is more burdensome than delightful.
8. When you are very inquisitive after novelties or new things, rather than wholesome doctrine.
9. When you are so little prepared for the solemn assemblies, that they come before you think of them, or long for them.
10. When you come to the assembly more for fear of the brethren's eye, than Christ’s omniscient and all-piercing eye.
11. When you will rather betray the name of Christ Jesus and the credit of his gospel by your silence, than appear for it to your own suffering and disparagement.
12. When, at a small offence, you are usually so impatient that you commit great sin.
13. When you are more careful to get the words of Christ’s people than the spirit of Christ’s people, the form than the power.
14. When you are not much troubled at your own miscarriages, while they are kept from public view.
15. When you love least those Christians that deal most faithfully with you, in showing you your faults and pointing you to the remedy.
16. When you pray more that afflictions may be removed than sanctified.
17. When under God's calamity you find neither the need nor the benefit of humbling yourself by fasting and prayer.
18. When the thought of your bosom-lust, or any other sin, is more prevalent with you than pleasing God.
19. When you are curious about the lesser matters of God's law, and careless about the weightier.
20. When the Holy Spirit’s help to the great work of mortification seems not of absolute necessity to you.
21. When you are so ignorant of your spiritual standing that you know not whether you grow or decay.
22. When great sins seem smaller, and small sins seem none at all.
23. When a watchful care of a godly life and a Christian conversation is more accidental than habitual.
24. When care for your body is usually most pleasant, and care for your soul usually most irksome.
25. When you are much a stranger to the practical part of meditation on the word and works of God.
26. When the thoughts of a dying Jesus for your sins little dissuade you from an unchristian conversation.
27. When you can commit sin without pain, and reflect upon it with indifference.
28. When you find greater satisfaction in the company of the world than with the people of God.

George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832) was an English Nonconformist divine. In his youth he was an engraver, but in 1776 he began preaching, and was minister of the Independent church at Lancaster from 1778 to 1783. Subsequently he held charges at Coventry (1784 1803) and at Fetter Lane, London (1803-1832). He was one of the founders of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, and the London Missionary Society, and was secretary to the last-named for several years. As editor of the Evangelical Magazine and author of Village Sermons, he commanded a wide influence. A Life (by Henry Forster Burder) appeared in 1833.

SIGNS OF A LIVING OR GROWING CHRISTIAN

Signs of a Living or Growing Christian

By George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832)


THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL FLOURISH LIKE THE PALMTREE;
HE SHALL GROW LIKE A CEDAR IN LEBANON." PSA. 92:12




1. WHEN your chief delight is with the saints, especially them that excel in virtue. Psa. 16:3.
2. When the smitings of the righteous are not a burden to you, and you can hear of your faults with affectionate attention. Psa. 141:5.
3. When reproach for Christ makes you not ashamed of Christ. Mark 8:38; Heb. 11:26.
4. When wandering thoughts, in time of duty, find less entertainment than formerly. Psa. 139:23; 1Cor. 13:11.
5. When length of standing in the profession of Christianity, works increase of hatred to all sin. Psa. 119:104-113.
6. When you carry about with you a constant jealousy over your own heart, that it turn not aside from God and goodness. Prov. 18:14.
7. When every known mercy begets new thankfulness, and that with delight. Psa. 145:2.
8. When known calamity in God's house begets deep sorrow in your heart. Neh. 1:4.
9. When, under deep distress or languishing, the word of God is precious to you. Psa. 119:92.
10. When any condition in the world, though in itself mean, as it comes from God is most welcome. Job 1:21; Hab. 3:17,18.
11. When your chief care, to avoid all sin, is as truly occasioned through fear of dishonoring God and incurring his present displeasure, as of the wrath to come. Neh. 5:15; Gen. 39:9.
12. When every company is burdensome to you, that is not designing your Father's glory, but derogating there from.
Psa. 120:5; 2 Peter 2:7,8.
13. When the sins of others come so near your heart that you walk sadly to see such persons transgress God's commandments. Psa. 119:136.
14. When the company of the pious poor is preferred to that of the ungodly rich.
15. When it is truly painful to you to see sinners going heedlessly on in the broad road to ruin.
16. When you are willing to part with all for Christ.
17. When the yoke of self-denial, as imposed by Christ Jesus, is not grievous, but pleasant to you.
Matt. 11:29,30 ; Mark 10:28.
18. When increase of time in Christ's acquaintance, works increase of delight in communion with Christ. Psalm 92:12-14.
19. When the majesty of the great God, considering how visible you are in his sight, has an awful prevalence upon your heart. Job 31:4.
20. When you are at open war and constant hostility with bosom sin, as displeasing to God, and forbidden by his law.
Psa. 18:23.
21. When you have a thirsting desire to get the power of godliness in your heart, rather than the form of godliness in the head, or outward profession. 2 Cor. 1:12.
22. When the worship of God, agreeable to his word, is highly prized and faithfully practised in the worst of times.
Mal. 3:14-16.
23. When the soul is more hungry for the word of God, than the body is for temporal food.
Job 23:12; Psa. 119:72,162.

George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832) was an English Nonconformist divine. In his youth he was an engraver, but in 1776 he began preaching, and was minister of the Independent church at Lancaster from 1778 to 1783. Subsequently he held charges at Coventry (1784 1803) and at Fetter Lane, London (1803-1832). He was one of the founders of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, and the London Missionary Society, and was secretary to the last-named for several years. As editor of the Evangelical Magazine and author of Village Sermons, he commanded a wide influence. A Life (by Henry Forster Burder) appeared in 1833.

BUT I SAY UNTO YOU

Moses declared in Deuteronomy chapter 18

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Then God reiterates the same thing, stating it himself:
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.


Here it is prophesied that God would send another prophet, like Moses, who coming out of the midst of the nation of Israel (Of thy brethren) will speak the words of God himself. This prophet is to be OBEYED. And those who will not obey this prophets words, will be judged, (I will require it of him).

This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and one of the first sermons he preached, the Sermon on the Mount, had in it the declaration from Jesus that He was indeed that prophet who would speak God's words. And he proceeded to declare himself as a superior prophet to Moses.

His use of the phrases; "Ye have heard that it was said",...(Speaking of Moses)
and then following with; "But I say unto you", was his way of showing that He was THAT prophet that Moses spoke of. And He (Jesus Christ) is the New Covenant law giver. He would also become the fulfillment of the old covenant priest, king, sacrifice. Jesus is declaring that he was superior to all of the types shadows and prophecies of the old covenant. Behold a greater than Moses is here...Hallelujah.

The following text in Matthew 5 is all about magnifying Christ's role as the New Covenant law giver.

***Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

***Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

***It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

***Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

--But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

***Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

--But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

***Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.

--But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;


What has Jesus said unto you?

SUBVERTING THE SOUL

Acts 15:4-31

“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing,

Disputing about circumcision and keeping the MOSAIC LAW. These are the same issues that we deal with today.

Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

It is this giving of the Holy Ghost that made all the difference

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

There it is, note that none of them had their hearts purified by LAW…NO NO NO one thousand times NO!!!! The only purification of any hearts was BY FAITH! Living based on law keeping is not found in the Apostles teachings.

Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

(Note: he never told them that they had to keep the Ten Commandments).

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

You mean Telling someone to be circumcised and KEEP THE LAW, is subverting a person’s soul???

Well that is what the Apostle James said. Note: it was NOT I who made that accusation…it was James, the half-brother of our Lord, the eye-witness of Christ’s death burial and resurrection, the Apostle to the circumcision according to Galatians 2, and the Apostle to those brethren in the Diaspora, and the leader of the church in Jerusalem. Interesting that He James says that you subvert a person’s soul by putting them under LAW.

It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

So anyone laying on a “GREATER BURDEN than “THESE NECESSARY THINGS”…would be guilty of Legalism, according to the Apostles from the Council of Jerusalem.

As for me, personally, I have never eaten meats offered to idols [knowingly], I have never eaten blood or things strangled [knowingly], I have abstained from fornication, so I assume I have done all that I am required to do. See how simple law living is? But you know as well as I do that there is another matter beyond just those restrictions…that is the heart, but to be led by law living would clearly keep one from seeing that.

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.”

This teaching brought “consolation” to the church in the first century…if this teaching is embraced by the 21st century church it will bring consolation to us as well.

THE RULE OF FAITH VS. THE RULE OF LAW

I personally have tried to live under law, and it has brought to my life nothing but destruction and defeat. But in recent years, I have been trying to wean myself off of law and live a life based on faith. It is with that in mind that I have tried to look at the scripture and answer the question; how do I; Jeff Rogers, live by faith. If you have found a way to live by law, you are a better man (or woman) than I. But as for me, I must stick closely to faith for that is where the scripture drives me.

THE RULE OF FAITH VS. THE RULE OF LAW

We are to tread in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised, Romans 4:9-12.
“The promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to him, or to his seed, through the law," Rom. 6:12, 13, and yet affirms, that as many as are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
And this promised blessing, and heirship, was given to Abraham, and to his seed-four hundred and thirty years before the law was given.
What rule did these pilgrims in the walk by being without the law? Who obtained so good a report (or so good a testimony) from God? How did they know what was sin and what was not sin since they lived four hundred and thirty years before the law?
---We are told that Abel offered to God, and obtained witness that he was
righteous by faith-then faith was his rule of worship. Heb 11:4, 12:24
---Enoch walked with God by faith-then faith was his rule of walk. Heb 11:5
---Noah condemned the world by faith-then faith was his rule of judgment. Heb 11:7
---"By faith Abraham, when he was called, went out not knowing whither he went"-then faith was the rule by which he took his journey, though he knew not whither, and his obedience was the obedience of faith. Heb 11:8-17
But if he had been living under the law as his only rule of life, he would have known where he was going, and he would not have gone in ignorance, and his obedience would have been the obedience of the law instead of faith.
---But Paul will have it that all Abraham's children are in the same condition that their father, Abraham was-for they walk by faith, not by sight. Rom 4:12-16
---But if the letter of the law is the only rule that the believer is to walk and live by, then he walks by sight, not by faith. Gal 3:2, 3:5, 5:18 2 Cor 5:7
---He looks at the things that are seen, not at the things which are unseen. Heb 11:1, 7
---It is by faith that Moses saw him who is invisible, and by faith we must look at the things that are not seen,
which are eternal. Heb 11:27

Paul lays it out in the New Testament: (and other passages).
---"He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;" Heb 11:6
Then faith must be the rule of his coming.
---"We have access, by faith into this grace wherein we stand," Rom. 5:2
Then faith is the rule of our approach to God.
---"The just shall live by his faith," Hab. 2:4
Then faith is the just man's rule of life.
---"We walk by faith, not by sight," 2 Cor. 5:7
Then faith is our rule of walk.
---"Thou standest by faith," says Paul, Rom. 11:20
Then faith is the rule of a believer's standing.
---"Whatever ye shall ask believing, ye shall receive," says Christ. Matt 21:22
Then faith is the rule of the branch of worship involving prayer.
---"By faith Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God; but without faith it is impossible to please him," Heb. 11:5, 6
Then faith is a rule that God approves of, and is pleased with. (Nowhere in scripture do we find one who pleased God
following the rule of law),
---"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” Rom 14:23
Then faith is a perfect rule of holiness.
---"He that believes is justified from all things, from which he could not by the law of Moses". Acts 13:39
Then faith is our rule of righteousness.
---It is by faith that we overcome the world. To lay hold on eternal life, is to fight the good fight of faith, according to Paul; "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" 1 Jo 5:41, Tim 6:12, 2 Tim 4:7
Then faith was the rule of his warfare, and the rule of his race; and it was the grace of God
that made Paul obedient to that rule.
---"We have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith," Rom. 1:5,
That is, by Christ we have received grace to save our souls, and apostleship to be of use to the church, not as a reward of our obedience, but to furnish us with power, to make us obedient to the faith, among all nations for his name, Rom. 1:5
Then faith is the rule of apostolic obedience; for it cannot be called receiving grace for obedience to the faith, if faith be not the gracious man's rule of obedience.
---Paul counts all things but dung that he may win Christ, and he found in him; not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, and tells us to" walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing," Phil 3:8
Pauls whole point in Phil 3:8 is that our walk is by the rule of faith NOT the rule of Law.
---If you take this rule of Paul's to be his pressing forward, or any of his attainments, it is answered, by faith he pressed forward, and by faith he attained; for else his pressing and attaining had been nothing but sin; for whatsoever is not of faith, according to Paul's doctrine, is sin. 1 Tim 4:6
If it is not of faith it is sin…to live a life ruled by law is not living a life ruled by faith, so by Pauls own rule, living under law is living in sin.
---By faith Christ dwells in our hearts, and by faith we dwell in him; and in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, which is Christ formed within us: "and as many as walk according to this rule, (the rule of faith—NOT law) peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God," Gal. 6:15, 16.
---Faith is the rule of life according to the revealed will of God in Christ Jesus; "and this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day," John, 6:40.
---Thus faith appears to be the believer's rule of life; according to the will of God in Christ Jesus; and the letter of the law is the bond-children's rule of life-"he that doth these things shall live in them."
---Let him do according to this rule and he shall live.
---The law is not the rule of believing, but of doing; "the law is not of faith, but of works, and the man that doth them shall live in them," Gal. 3:12.
---If to see the Son, and believe on him, entitles us to everlasting life according to God's will. John 6:40
Then faith must be the rule of that life; and one would think that, if he that liveth and believeth shall never die, faith must be a safe rule to live by.
---It is by faith that we apprehend Christ. Phil 3:12-13
---It is by faith we lay hold of him, as the hope set before us, Heb. 6:18.
---It is by Christ that we believe in God, 1 Peter 1:21, and "we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith," Gal. 3:14.
---By this rule we come to a saving knowledge of the Trinity; for the eye of faith is a light by which we see what is the fellowship of the mystery, Eph. 3:9.
---Without the assurance of understanding, there will be no true acknowledgment of the mystery of God [the Holy Ghost], and of the Father, and of Christ, Col. 2:2.
Romans 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was NOT to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Romans 10:4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (I will not be coerced into living by a rule—law—that makes the death of Christ to be in vain).

Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for IF there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (The key word is “IF” the conclusion here is that there is no law that could provide this righteousness. So living by the rule of law must be abandoned in favor of living by the rule of Faith, which is the only rule that can bring about life).

Philippians 3:9 And being found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

FREEDOM!!!

Is there a law in the New Covenant? Indeed there is, but will a New Covenant saint ever be put under the authority of Old Covenant law?

So then are there “Two laws of God”? I would suggest that there are not in active authority more than one law at a time. The Old Covenant law was only in authority when the Old Covenant was active. Once the New Covenant became active and the Old Covenant faded during the first century, then the only law that remains is the New Covenant law. How then do we live under this New Covenant law?

What I believe the scripture to teach is that the Old Covenant law as it was in force in the OLD COVENANT has been abolished because the covenant that it came with has been abolished. Read the passage in Hebrews 7:12”For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” Here again God says that if the priesthood changed, then the law also must change. There is only one law at a time. The problem most people have is with the scripture that clearly and plainly teaches that the New Covenant law has replaced the Old Covenant law.

Romans 14 says that “Whatsoever is NOT of FAITH IT IS SIN”. The New Covenant definition, given by the apostle Paul under inspiration of the Spirit of God is that sin is defined by what is not of FAITH. Sin is not a violation of Mosaic Law. We must recognize the supremacy of Faith over law in the New Covenant.

I am not advocating sanctification by keeping the old law. There is no sanctification in the performance of any law. Unless that performance is the performance of Christ and the credit for that performance is imputed or accounted to our credit.

Let me cite you the words of Jesus where he seems to be teaching that the moral precepts that he (Jesus) brought into the New Covenant are superior to what Moses left the nation of Israel in the Old Covenant.

--Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, (Moses) Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

--Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, (Moses) Thou shalt not commit adultery:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

--It hath been said, (by Moses) Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

--Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, (Moses) Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, (by Moses) An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

--But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

--And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

--And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

--Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

--Ye have heard that it hath been said, (by Moses, do you see the pattern here?)

--Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

--But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

--That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

--For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

--And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

"You have heard it said by them of old"... (MOSES)"...BUT I SAY UNTO YOU".

This is the language of super cession or of contradiction. Jesus is clearly saying that what Moses said was fine…but I am giving you something BETTER…remember that in the new covenant we have a BETTER high priest, a BETTER king, we also have a BETTER law giver, mediator, prophet. These are the roles that Moses fulfilled in the Old Covenant that Jesus is the fulfillment of the type that Moses was intending. WE HAVE A GREATER THAN MOSES in Jesus Christ. The law that came through the mediator of a BETTER covenant is a BETTER law established on BETTER promises. This concept is clearly taught in Hebrews, and here in the Sermon on the Mount Matthew chapter 7 Jesus is illustrating the principle with no apology. Here is what Moses said…BUT I SAY UNTO YOU…! Jesus changed the law from Mount Sinai and gave a greater law from The sermon on the MOUNT.

Some people claim that God's moral precepts have always been the same before the law, during the law and after the Law of Moses”. This is simply WRONG!!! I have just shown the words of Christ which clearly and “Simply” show that the opposite is true.

Are Murder and adultery still murder and adultery? Absolutely! But I do not refrain from them because I am under the Ten Commandments. The bible says that he who violated Moses law would die the death. The punishment under the old covenant for murder and adultery was being stoned to death. This does not apply in the New Covenant. There is no command enjoined on the New Covenant church to STONE adulterers, murderers, Sabbath breakers etc. When you remove the penalty of a law, that law is NO LONGER IN FORCE.

---So then why would I not murder?
---Why would I refrain from Adultery?

VERY GOOD QUESTIONS…I am glad you asked.

The answer is very simple and Jesus gave it in the sermon on the mount, it is because I have a NEW HEART. The law of the Spirit of God, the law of liberty is written on my heart. If the Holy Spirit would lead and guide a person to commit adultery…then well and good…but such would be impossible. The Holy Spirit would never lead me to do such things, and since I am led by God’s Spirit, I need no law to tell me “NO”. I am restrained by LOVE is what Paul teaches. “The love of Christ constrains me”.

If I know of a brother in the Lord who is committing adultery on his wife, I will never pull out the Law of Moses and hit them over the head with it…since it has NO AUTHORITY. I would simply in love go to my brother and ask him…”Brother is this what God through his Spirit is convicting you is right to do?” They have two options at that point, yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and repent, for all of God’s children who have the Spirit will be convicted by that same Spirit. If they say…”yes, this lifestyle of fornication is what I want and I am going to continue in my adultery”. Then I have the authority of scripture to declare that this man is not in Christ, is not a believer and has no inheritance in the kingdom of God. The bible is very clear about this teaching. This is why we have the church discipline procedures outlined for us in Matthew 18 and Galatians 6, and Hebrews 12-13. Repentance is evidence of salvation, rejection of biblical admonition is evidence of the fact that the Spirit of God is not dwelling in him, and if he has not the Spirit of God, he is none of His.

Re-read Matthew 7, I am not commanded not to murder, not to commit adultery…I am commanded and led by the Spirit to not look on a woman to lust. I am commanded to not hate my brother. If I obey through the Spirit the admonition of Christ to NOT HATE MY BROTHER…will I ever kill him?

If I love my brother, thoughts of murder can never take hold in me, and I will never commit murder…and I can achieve that without the mosaic commandment.

Same with adultery, if in my heart, I refrain from lust, then with what motivation do I lay with other woman than my wife. It is inconceivable that a law could better restrain me than the Spirit dwelling in me convincing and convicting me.

Why would I ever go back to living under a system (outward commands and law) that could never deliver me from sin, when I have the living God living in me to deliver me from all manner of sin and evil?

I pity any who think that by keeping commands that they are somehow pleasing God…they are NOT. I pity any who think that they can overcome the world the flesh or sin in any of its forms, by law keeping and duty. The New Testament clearly teaches that this way of thinking is ridiculous and futile. Please cite for me a passage of scripture that elevates law over the ministry of God’s Spirit and I will go back under law today. But you had BETTER give me a passage of scripture for me to make that decision. If not, you will not get me within 10 miles of a life led by law.

Do not worry about my freedom. No individual has the power to violate it. Paul in Galatians 5 tells me that I am to STAND in the liberty wherein Christ has made me free and not to be entangled again in the yoke of bondage. No one can take it from me no one can violate it without my consent. It is my inheritance in Christ and I will keep a good hold on it. It is for anyone to take, but it is mine to surrender. But be assured I am nowhere near the place where I would surrender it. Unless someone can show me something better…which I am very suspicious that they cannot.

This doctrine of liberty is for all believers in the New Covenant. First of all it is Christ’s doctrine taught by Him and His Apostles, I did not originate it. Secondly, I am not out to prove it, I am out to live it. I need not prove anything to anyone. But God by His Spirit has called me to live this life of freedom. I also feel compelled to offer it to those who are still in bondage to the Old Covenant way of living, and to those I offer it, I do not seek to prove it to them either. For if the Spirit of God does not give them a taste for freedom and a desire to be free from bondage, then I am not going to try to overpower God’s Spirit. But if they truly have the Spirit of God, they will yearn for this freedom and wild horses will not keep them from it.

So I offer it, and many eat…and yet many scoff. I am not responsible for the scoffers, nor do I take credit for those who are liberated…but I do get to walk with those who are liberated as true brothers.

I believe that we ought to reason from the scripture. If there is a scriptural principle I am missing, help me out, point it out. But if I were to have it my way, (the way of my flesh) I would still be where I was 15 years ago, under bondage to the Old Covenant with only a trail of destroyed relationships and a futile life behind me. Having it my way…I hope not…I hope to have it God’s way as His Holy Spirit leads and guides. For there is really NO OTHER WAY.

"THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS"

Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord, let me persuade you to close with Christ, and never rest till you can say, "the Lord our righteousness." Who knows but the Lord may have mercy and abundantly pardon you?

Beg of God to give you faith; and, if the Lord gives you that, you will by it receive Christ with His righteousness and His All. You need not fear the greatness or number of your sins.

For are you sinners? So am I. Are you the chief of sinners? So am I. Are you backsliding sinners? So am I. And yet the Lord (forever adored be His rich, free and sovereign grace), the Lord is my righteousness.

Come then, O young man, who (as I acted once myself) is playing the prodigal, and wandering away far away from your heavenly Father's house. Come home. Come home and leave your swine's trough. Feed no longer on the husks of sensual delights.

For Christ's sake arise and come home! Your heavenly Father now calls you. See yonder the best robe, even the righteousness of His dear Son, awaits you. See it. View it again and again.

Consider at how dear a rate it was purchased, even by the blood of God. Consider what great need you have of it. You are lost, undone, damned forever without it.

George Whitefield 1714-1770

THE REFORMATION RESOLUTION

NEW YEARS DAY Approaches. With the New Year typically comes "New Years Resolutions". I hereby resolve to stop drinking soda. I hereby resolve to loose ten pounds. I hereby resolve to exercise everyday...or at least 5 days aweek, weather pending, and if I can squeeze it into my schedule.

How often have we set out to reform a particular area of our lives only to find out that the hard facts of life are we rarely control even our own activities. The scroll on the left illustrates religion that is man centered, self-help driven and based in a personal reformation.

Biblical faith includes none of that. The teaching of the bible is that salvation is God oriented, God directed, and free to the sinner. The bible also teaches in the area of sanctification that this too is the work of God, not the activity or the result of the will of man. Man can do nothing to make himself acceptable to God and all efforts to do so are "Like filthy rags".

A religion that is man centered is by default a religion that rejects God. Biblical religion is God centered and to when we add to that, the efforts of man, it reveals the hopelss and godlessness of that religion.

Romans 11:5-6 "Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. BUT IF IT BE OF WORKS, THEN IS IT NO MORE GRACE: otherwise work is no more work.

Works and grace are incompatable in the salvation of sinners. So for this new year, put aside all human effort. Lean on the finished work of Christ and the will of the father to apply that finished work by the soveriegn Holy Spirit, who, like the wind, blows where he wills and no man can tell where he comes from or where he goes. John 3:8

Happy New Year...May yours be God centered.

(Thank you to my good friend Howard Wilson for the clip art of the 5 points of Arminianism).

ANSWERS TO SABBATH QUESTIONS

ADDED TO ON 4-18-08

Friends and Fellow Bereans...

Questions And Answers on the Sabbath:

For many folks, a conclusion is simply
the place where they got tired of thinking.

--Was the Sabbath a creation ordinance?

ANSWER: Genesis 2:1-3 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 3, And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3, And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

Here in this passage we have the record of GOD resting on the seventh day. Not a word is said of Adam or Eve resting. Nothing is said of God commanding Adam and Eve to rest on this or any other day. This passage will help with the answers to several questions below.

--Did God give the Sabbath as a command in Genesis 1-3? If so, where is it stated?

ANSWER: No God gave no command in Genesis 1-3 regarding the Sabbath. If he did it is not stated or recorded anywhere in the text. An argument from silence will not suffice, we must be careful about reading what the word of God does not say.

--Is there any evidence of anyone from Adam to Noah keeping Sabbath?

ANSWER: No, there is no evidence of anyone in the book of Genesis from Adam to Noah ever keeping the seventh day Sabbath.

--Is there any indication that any of the patriarchs Abraham to Joseph in the book of Genesis ever kept Sabbath?

ANSWER: No, there is no indication that any of the patriarcsh in the book of Genesis ever kept the Sabbath.

--Is the Sabbath even mentioned in the book of Genesis?

ANSWER: No, the sabbath is not once mentioned in the book of Genesis.

--Where is the first mention of the giving of the Sabbath commandment? Is there a record of this?

ANSWER: The first mention of the Sabbath as a command is in Exodus 20 at Mount Sinai.

Nehemiah 9:13-14
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

--What did the Sabbath Commandment actually command?

ANSWER: In the only two accounts of the Sabbath command given in the law, we are told that the Sabbath commmanded to "do no work"> This is the only requirement of the Sabbath. It can be phrased in the positive "to Rest", or in the negative, "Do no work". But bottom line, the only requirement is to refrain from work on the Sabbath; the seventh day; Saturday.

Exodus 20:8-10
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Deuteronomy 5:14
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

--Was there ever a command to worship on the Sabbath? If so; where is that found in the scripture?

ANSWER: No there is not a single reference in the law to indicate that the Sabbath was a day of worship. The only references indicate that it is a day of rest and no work. You were not to leave your home on the Sabbath. You would be stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. No Jew was ever commanded to go to public worship on the Sabbath.

However, there were feast days which were set apart as worship, these days were to be treated as Sabbath days even if they did not fall on a Saturday, this is a different type of Sabbath, it is not the 7th day Sabbath commanded in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy.

--Was the Sabbath 4th commandment a moral or ceremonial commandment?

ANSWER: With any given covenant there are given covenental "Signs" and "Seals". The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant was the circumcision of every male child. To violate this covenental sign was to incur the wrath of God and bring on the death penalty. There is nothing moral about the signs of the covenants, they are signs that represent covenants but they are not moral, they are ceremonial. The sign of the New Covenant is the Lord's supper. Paul in Corinthians declares that some who ate of this covenental sign ceremony, unworthily were put to sleep...death. The sign of a covenant carries the death penalty. So too the seventh day Sabbath; this is a sign of the entire covenant that God made on Mount Sinai with Israel and it bore the death penalty for violation of that sign. It is much lile a wedding ring; if a man were to walk into his house and throw his wedding ring across the room at his wife and then walk out of the house, that man has violated the wedding covenant by treating the sign of that covenant with such disdain. This is why the man who merely picked up sticks on the Sabbath was put to death. Was it immoral to pick up sticks? Not at all. It was though, a criminal act that showed disdain for God's covenant, and it brought the death penalty. Since the Sabbath was a "Sign" of the MOsaic (Old) covenant it was set aside for all those under that covenant. When the old covenant was replace by the New Covenant, the sign was no longer a valid sign of an active covenant. Below you will find passages declaring the Sabbath to be a sign.

Exodus 31:13
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Exodus 31:16-17
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

It is interesting to note that the 4th command was placed directly in the middle of the covenant that God made with Israel. The ten commandments, written on stone are the covenant, and the Sabbath is directly in the middle of it.

Exodus 34:27-28
And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

--Was the Sabbath ever given to anyone outside of Israel? If so, where is this recorded in scripture?

ANSWER: No, the Sabbath was not given to anyone outside of the Mosaic covenant made with the nation of Israel. There is no verse anywhere in scripture that even hints of the command being given to anyone outside of the covenant. Even Nehemiah when he scolded the Jews for buying and selling on the Sabbath, he never said one word to the gentile traders who were also buying and selling outside of the walls of Jerusalem.

--Is there a difference between the seventh day Sabbath and the yearly Sabbath, and the Sabbath of Jubilee every 50th year?

ANSWER: I see the only difference is the duration of the cermony. It was for the neglect of the yearly Sabbaths that Israel went into captivity in Babylon. All three have the same theme, "Rest-No Work". The year of Jubilee is particualarly poignant in its typification of Christ and the setting at Liberty that he accomplished. We have been set free. We can now rest in Chrst. As pictures of Christ each of the Sabbaths pushed the Old Covenant saints toward the New Covenant of "Rest (In Christ), No Work". There is no work to be done in the New Covenant, Jesus himself said he came to work the works fo the Father, and he declared His work to be FINISHED on the cross. We in the New Covenant can add nothing to that finished work...we are to REST!

--If there is a difference, why are they both enforced with the death penalty?

ANSWER: I believe that they carried the death penalty because the were pictures of Gods rest in the New covenant salvation and to work or to violate any of the Sabbaths was to violate the type that was being shown forth.

--Is there a difference between the seventh day Sabbath and the ceremonial Sabbath days associated with the feasts of Leviticus 23?

ANSWER: No difference except that the feasts were linked to them and to do any servile work on those feast days would incur the death penalty because again, they were instituted to proclaim Christ in elemental form to the Nation of Israel. God seems to be very jealous of guarding the types of the New Covenant in the Old.

--Did Jesus actually break the 4th commandment of “rest, no work”?

ANSWER: If the commandment was to rest and not work, then yes he broke the commandment. Many people say that he only broke the stipulations found in the expanded and legalistic pharisaic code. If this was the case, then why did Jesus not take the Pharisee's to task on their adding to God's command. No he did not do this. Also if he was not actually breaking this commandment, then why did he not defend himself and his disciples from this false charge. No if you read the answer Jesus gives, he does not defend, nor does he tell the pharisees that their interpretation was wrong. What he does is amazing. He claims that HE is Lord of the Sabbath. And just as David allowed his men to eat of the shewbread reserved ONLY for the high priests, so too Jesus a GREATER than David has come and his disciples can do anything he allows. He also references the High Priests of the old covenant and makes the application that these priests VIOLATED (profaned) the Sabbath by lifting the bulls onto the altar. This was truly work, and they did it on the Sabbath. Again, a greater than the High Priest has come. I believe that what Jesus is telling the Pharisees is this. You know that David and the High Priest of old violated ceremonial law and they were not held accountable because David was the King, the Priests were in a position of authority and those positions of authority made it necessary that they not be held to account for this for the greater good. Jesus is the Messiah, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lord's and he is LORD of the Sabbath. He cannot be held to answer for this. If he were guilty he would have defended himself...THe bottom line is that a Greater than David, aGreater than the old Covenant High Priest, a Greater than the Sabbath has come. Jesus is greater than the Sabbath, he fulfilled the Sabbath, he reigns as the New Covenant High Priest and King and cannot be called to account for the old shadow that was the Old Covenant Sabbath.

--Did his disciples break that command by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?

ANSWER: See the answer above. As disciples of the Lord of the New Covenant, they would not be held to account for this Old Covenant sign.

--If Jesus and his disciples did not break the 4th commandment, then why did Jesus never defend himself or his disciples from that accusation?

ANSWER: See previous two answers.

--What is the significance of Jesus referring to the High Priest and to King David in his defense of the accusation of Sabbath breaking?

ANSWER: See previous.

--Why did Jesus; instead of defending himself and his disciples, seem to justify the breaking of the Sabbath by himself and his disciples?

ANSWER: See Previous.

--Was the Sabbath ever given to anyone outside of Israel?

ANSWER: NO, There is no text of scripture that shows God giving to any gentile nation or group the Sabbath command. There is no instance in any text of Scripture where God condemns any gentile nation or group for violation of the Sabbath. There is no mention of Sabbath breaking in ANY of the New Testament lists of sins.

--Where in the New Testament can we find apostolic authority for changing the day of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?

ANSWER: No where. There is no evidence in the New Testament of any apostolic word that gave the authority to change the old Covenant Seventh Day Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

--Why is the only reference to Sabbath in the New Testament only speak of Sabbaths plural; as in seventh day Sabbaths, seventh year Sabbaths and jubilee Sabbaths?

ANSWER: Because all old covenant Sabbaths were the same.

--Why is it that this solitary reference to the Sabbath in all the epistles is not supportive of perpetuating the Sabbath in the New Covenant, but is discouraging its perpetuation and seems to be telling us not to condemn people in respect to those practices?

ANSWER: Because in the writing of the New Testament scriptures the old covenant was in the process of passing away, and the New Covenant was coming to light. As the New was ever more evident, so too the Old Covenant with its sacrifice, its priesthood, its temple its nationhood, its law,and its Sabbath were all in the process of passing way once forall forever. The shadows of the old were passing as the reality of the new was being made manifest.

--Why is it that we hear much in the epistles by way of argument and dispute over the circumcision from the judiazers, but not one word of protest over a supposed change in the Holy Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?

ANSWER: Because the Apostles never tried to change the Old Covenant Sabbath as they proclaimed that it was passing away, not being changed.

Please feel free to post your own answers and/or comments.

Any comments, corrections, critiques, condemnations and criticism are welcome.

Happy studying!

THE RAVENS’ CRY—C. H. Spurgeon

I post this quote from C.H. Spurgeon for those who may need prayer. Those for whom I am already praying. We cannot do wrong in prayer for those we love, and for those things in life that are so dear to us.

The Ravens’ Cry—C. H. Spurgeon

He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. Psalm 147:9

Never a sinner prays truly without Christ praying at the same time. You cannot see nor hear him, but never does Jesus stir the depths of your soul by his Spirit without his soul being stirred too. O sinner! Your prayer when it comes before God is a very different thing from what it is when it issues forth from you. Sometimes poor people come to us with petitions which they wish to send to some company or great personage. They bring the petition and ask us to have it presented for them. It is very badly spelt, very strangely written, and we can but just make out what they mean; but still there is enough to let us know what they want. First of all we make out a fair copy for them, and then, having stated their case, we put our own name at the bottom, and if we have any interest, of course they get what they desire through the power of the name signed at the foot of the petition. This is just what the Lord Jesus Christ does with our poor prayers. He makes a fair copy of them, stamps them with the seal of his own atoning blood, puts his own name at the foot, and thus they go up to God's throne. It is your prayer, but it is his prayer too, and it is the fact of its being his prayer that makes it prevail. Now, this is a sledgehammer argument: if the ravens prevail when they cry all alone, if their poor chattering brings them what they want of themselves, how much more shall the plaintive petitions of the poor trembling sinner prevail who can say, ‘For Jesus’ sake,’ and who can clench all his own arguments with the blessed plea, ‘The Lord Jesus Christ deserves it; 0 Lord, give it to me for his sake.’ For meditation: To say ‘For Jesus’ sake’ or ‘In Jesus’ name’ at the end of prayer is not supposed to be regarded as the done thing or as a magic formula. It is a humble confession that we do not deserve an audience with God, but a confident profession of faith in the only one who does (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24).

C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon No. 672, January 14th, 1866

A CAVEAT

A quote from one of my favorite hymn writers.

A CAVEAT AGAINST UNSOUND DOCTRINES


He goes on to style the blessed Jesus our hope.
Ask almost any man, "Whether he hopes to be saved eternally?"
He will answer in the affirmative. But enquire again,
"On what foundation he rests his hope?" Here too many are sadly divided.
The Pelagian hopes to get to heaven by a moral life and a good
use of his natural powers. The Arminian by a jumble of grace and
free-will, human works, and the merits of Christ.
The Deist by an interested observance of the social virtues.
Thus merit-mongers, of every denomination, agree in making
any thing the basis of their hope, rather than that foundation
which God's own hand hath laid in Zion. But what saith Scripture?
It avers, again and again, that Jesus alone is our hope: to the
exclusion of all others, and to the utter annihilation of human
deservings. Beware, therefore, of resting your dependence partly
on Christ, and partly on some other basis. As surely as you bottom
your reliance partly on the rock, and partly on the sand;
so certainly, unless God give you an immediate repentance to
your acknowledgment of the truth, will your supposed house of
defence fall and bury you in its ruins, no less than if you had
raised it on the sand alone. Christ is the hope of glory.

Augustus Montague Toplady - Apri1 29, 1770

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

The picture above was made by my 21 year old daughter, a college junior at Oklahoma University. She told me that she felt deprived from her youth having not ever made a hand turkey for her parents on Thanksgiving. Of course she had to add the political commentary on her very first attempt. She is not an animal rights freak, she just has a good sense of humor.

I wanted to wish all who may read this blog and especially all of you whom I love dearly a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am grateful for each of you. My life is what it is because of the people who God has sent to be a part of it. Thank you. Below is an essay from a newsletter that I receive; The Spurgeon Baptist Association Of Churches, newsletter. Weekly Update ~ November 20, 2007 Volume 3, Issue 46.

**************************************************************
It is time for Thanksgiving. What that means to many people is
time off from work and the opportunity to go spend time with
family or simply go play games as they wish. To some people it
is a time in history that some superstitious people thought that
God helped some ancient people to survive some harsh conditions
in a new land. To a few people Thanksgiving is a religious
holiday. In Scripture giving thanks comes from a heart of gratitude
that is expressed in words and lives intended to glorify the
living God and it is to happen on a constant basis.
On the one hand not giving thanks is a sign of a person or a
people under the judgment of God: “For even though they knew
God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they
became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was
darkened” (Romans 1:21). A people not giving thanks are a
people that have suppressed the truth about God and are being
given over to a hardened heart. Giving thanks does God no
good at all since no man can do any good for God and cannot
serve Him with his hands. When a person gives thanks in reality
it is a sign of a heart that God has softened and enlightened and
so the person with gratitude in the heart expresses praise to the
sovereign God of this universe. But let us not be deluded to
thinking that God needs our thanksgiving.

Hebrews 12:28 teaches us that without gratitude (which is necessary
to give thanks) there is no acceptable service to God:
“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be
shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an
acceptable service with reverence and awe.” We can see from
Hebrews 13:15 that the sacrifice of praise to God is the fruit of
lips that give thanks to His name: “Through Him then, let us
continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit
of lips that give thanks to His name.” In other words, without
gratitude and the giving of thanks there is no true worship or
praise.

We must also not make the mistake of simply thinking that we
should give God thanks because He has given us food and
physical blessings. We must also be careful not just to say
words of thanks to God for spiritual blessings. This would turn
the giving of thanks into something of a mercenary activity.
God gives us something and so we simply say “thank you” or
something like that. We must understand that giving of thanks
with gratitude is a heart that sees that God is the sovereign
Creator and that humanity consists of nothing but sinful creatures.
God only shows mercy and grace because of who He is.
When God grants physical or spiritual mercies it is because He
decides to do so based on His great name. Psalm 26:7 gives the
heart of the issue: “That I may proclaim with the voice of
thanksgiving And declare all Your wonders.” It is with thanksgiving
that His wonders are declared. We should not simply
recite a few things that God has done that we think is to our
benefit, but in thanksgiving declare the wonders and glories of
our God and King.

Colossians 3:16 tells us that our praise should be done with
thanksgiving: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness
in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:17 continues the
thought and tells us that “Whatever you do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to
God the Father.” This teaches us a couple of things that are
missing in our present “worship” services. Larger congregations
hire the finest of musicians and purchase the finest arrangements
of music. But money cannot buy thankfulness of heart
and there is no true worship apart from that. Psalm 42:4 has
another insight which we tend to have backwards in our day:
“For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession
to the house of God, with the voice of joy and thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.” True thanksgiving is with joy
in and to God, not self.

If we are to have a time true thanksgiving this Thanksgiving, we
must look to Scripture for instruction. If we are not truly thankful,
it means that we have a hardened heart and are suppressing
the truth about God. If we don’t have true gratitude in our heart,
we are not truly thankful. If we are not declaring the wonders of
God from that gratitude, it is a self-centered thanksgiving. If we
don’t give thanks to the Father through Christ and that with joy,
we are not offering biblical thanks. As with all other things that
traditions have gobbled up, we must look in our hearts and realize
that Thanksgiving can become nothing more than a time of
idolatry of keeping certain practices with God’s name tacked
on. But then again, the “worship” services at the local church
can be the same way. Our whole lives can be the same way.
Perhaps we should spend time this Thanksgiving examining our
hearts to see if we are truly giving thanks. Then we should
spend time examining our hearts to see if we have thankful
hearts. If we give true thanks, then we truly have something to
be thankful about. It is the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

Richard Smith
***************************************************************************

REFORMATION DAY THOUGHTS

(Citation of Source)
Spurgeon Baptist Association Of Churches Weekly Update
October 25, 2007
Volume 3, Issue 42
Richard Smith

We are approaching the yearly observance of Reformation Day. This Sunday is Reformation Sunday. There are many reasons that people remember the Reformation, and some of them are actually good. What was it that happened in the Reformation that was worth remembering? Was it the doctrines of the Reformation? Was it that the Reformation was a catalyst that sent forth political freedom as well? Was it the restoration of the Gospel? Was it freeing slaves of sin from the superstitious rites and works of Roman Catholicism? Was the Reformation nothing more than a powerful personality controlling the minds of the masses? Was Martin Luther a virtual madman? There are many ways to look at the Reformation. However, we must not miss the most important part; God.

The real issue of the Reformation was God and a returning to a God-centeredness in all things. We must not miss this point or all of our efforts at reform and revival in our day will be man-centered. While there is a “revival” of Reformed literature and to some degree of Reformed theology in our day, we have yet to see a true revival of God-centeredness. A quote from A History of the 1859 Ulster Revival (volume 5 of 7, pp. 9-11) might help us see the true nature of these things. The reason is that the Reformation was a true revival and not just a movement.

Then the Lord raised up a great army of Reformers, and the Reformers were but revivalists. They did not proclaim a new religion. They restored an old religion. They revived a decayed religion. They burst the bars that confined it. They went into the sepulcher of death, in which a corrupt system had contrived to bury it, and disinterred it. A divine voice spoke, and like another Lazarus, religion, true religion, spiritual and saving, came forth and walked abroad in beauty and power, under the protection of God, defiant of all its foes. The Reformation was but a revival. It cast down all the corrupt devices and imaginations of men, and enthroned Jesus as the Savior of men—the only Mediator between God and man. It put down all the pretensions of men, and exalted Jesus, the High Priest of our profession…it put down all trust in human merit, and declares to the sinner the truth of God, that whosoever believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved. And the world felt the power of God’s revived truth when preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and now the first of its nations, England and America, are rejoicing in the truth—in the fruits of the Reformation revival of God’s truth. But a true creed is not a guarantee for true religion. Many a man believes aright in theology who does not believe aright in Christ. Many a man is ready to sign the most orthodox standards while his heart is hard, his soul is still corrupt and endangered. He has never felt that he is a sinner, although he admits himself to be a sinner. He admits his need of Jesus, but he has not felt his need. He allows that Jesus is the chief among ten thousand, just because the Bible declares it—and the Bible is true. But he has never seen, his soul and never thrilled with the perception of Jesus’ loveliness. The rapture of the true believer [rapture in the sense of being caught up with delight and joy in God] he cannot understand. He does not like excitement. He is afraid of physical manifestations. And the Christian whose heart glows with the love of Jesus, and whose tongue testifies to His glory is chilled and frozen in the company of that hard, impenitent, orthodox heart. When he leaves those whose hearts the Lord has touched to go into the society of such a one, it is like a transition out of the warm and balmy air of summer into the chill and frigidity of an ice-house.

What we see from this lengthy quote is the core of true religion and the central issue of the Reformation. It was the life and glory of God. The doctrines that came from the Reformation were not bare truths with aridity to them. No, no and a thousand times no. The doctrines of the Reformation came forth from men who were trained by God to see the depths of their sin and so they were broken from all human merit. Those men studied and meditated on the Scriptures and the Spirit gave them a sight of God and so they were strengthened to set out truth as the life of the living God. The real issue of the Reformation was God and God alone. It was a turn from man-centeredness to God-centeredness. It was a turn from rites and rituals to God in the soul. It was a turn from a creed confessed to truths burning in the hearts of men and women. The Reformation was far more than a discovery of the old Gospel; it was a coming down of the Holy Spirit to give power and life through the Gospel. During the Reformation Roman Catholicism was shown for what it was and that was a dead and lifeless form of religion. It was not just that it had bad theology and superstitious rites, but it was a dead, lifeless religion. Theoretically one could have removed Christ’s name from what was going on and it would have continued with no loss.

If anyone truly wants to see true reformation in the modern day, s/he must understand that it will not happen from pure churches and pure doctrine alone. It will only happen if our sovereign God pours out His Spirit and grants a true revival at the same time. We can recover our doctrine until it is pure, but that does not mean that the power of God is present. We can have pure churches as such, but that does not mean that the power of God is present. We can write the purest of creeds, but that does not mean that the power of God is present. What must happen for a reformation to take place in our day is for men to give up all hope in themselves, their efforts, their theology and their churches. All hope must be lost in anything but God Himself and we must look to Him alone. Theology is not the sole means of revival, but it teaches the truth of God and His glory so that we may seek Him in truth. In our day we look at the Reformation and try to see what we can copy. It is easy enough to copy the outward means of the great revival that took place that we know as the Reformation. But what cannot be copied is the broken hearts over sin and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Contrary to modern belief, even among those that profess that God is sovereign, He is sovereign in fact and beyond our control and any and all points. God is not amused or humored when a speck of dust professes that He is sovereign. He already knows that and our professions do not add one thing to the infinite God who cannot be added to.

God is not humored and pleased when we profess that justification is by faith alone even if we are orthodox about what we mean by that. He knows what the Gospel is and our profession does not mean that we are saved by what we profess. God is not pleased until our hearts are truly broken and Christ lives in those hearts. But can puny man break his own hard heart? Can puny man see into the very Godhead and perceive the glories of the Gospel of God? No, all man can do is seek the Lord. It is the sovereign God alone who can break the heart and make room for His life to flow in. It is the sovereign God alone who can open man’s eyes to see His glory in the Gospel and so draw a sinful dead human being to Himself and give that person life from the spiritual dead. It is not a mere intellectual recognition of God that is enough, but it is the living God taking over that person’s heart and making that soul alive.

It would appear that many in our land that cry out for Reformation don’t understand the real heart of what happened in the sixteenth century. It was a profound revival in which God came down and brought life to dead souls. It was from that life that the doctrines of the Reformation spread. We sing the praises of the Reformers and of the theology of the Reformation in some circles, but we don’t have the heart that God gave them. We don’t have the deep love for the glory of God that they did. We are not willing to suffer as they did and even count suffering a privilege and a blessing. No, we are content with mere academic knowledge and a few conferences where we talk about it. But do we really desire for God to come in and take over? Do we really desire the living God to be sovereign? After all, He is not safe and He may want to do things we don’t like. He may use another and not us. He may cause life to come in other churches and not ours. Down deep, are we afraid of true revival? Are we so hungry for it that we don’t care what happens as long as the glory of God is manifested? After all, our minds know that His glory manifested is what is best in all ways. But do we really love it that way? Do we really believe it?

Let us ask ourselves a few questions. Are we afraid of a person who is excited about God? Are we afraid of people who are thrilled with a sight of the glory of God? Are we afraid of people who have a deep and/or bubbly joy in God? Are we afraid of those whose hearts glow with the love of God? Are we uncomfortable around those who are simply thrilled with the glory of a sovereign God? Are we uncomfortable around those that desire for God to be free instead of human beings? If so, it may be that we have a dead orthodoxy. It may be that when a true believer comes into our presence it is like walking into a freezer for them. It may be that our preaching may be precise in its orthodoxy but in reality belongs in the cemetery more than a church of the living God. It may be that we don’t need peace in the SBC among differing theologies but that we need peace with God. It may be that we don’t need more excitement worked up in our churches but we need the living God to come down with real life. It may be that we don’t need more programs and more entertainment for the carnal people that come to church but that we need the living God to come down. It may be that we don’t need more evangelistic training but need our own hearts broken in order to see the glory of God in the Gospel. Dead people don’t need training, they need life.

What we need in our day is God. That sounds so simplistic and so ignorant to many, yet it is exactly what we need. God does not cost money, though He might require more suffering than you can imagine now. God will not come until our hearts are humbled and contrite. He will not dwell with anyone until the heart is broken and contrite (Isa 57:15). It is not only foolish to try to bring revival apart from God; it is foolish to think that we can enrich our theology or programs in order to bring it about. It is when God comes down that life is brought to our theology. Perhaps what we need to do is to do less or perhaps nothing in order to seek God who alone can bring revival. “Do nothing but seek God and pray? But nothing will get done.” It won’t get done in truth unless He comes anyway. We are simply deceiving ourselves and others if we think it will. The truth of the matter is that it makes us feel like we are helping God by doing our religious duties. We have forgotten what the Reformers knew and that truth is that God is sovereign whether we like it or not. He is sovereign whether we profess it or not. He is sovereign and is not manipulated by our professions. It seems so easy to think that we can manipulate God by professing certain beliefs or doing certain actions. That is nothing but Pelagianism in disguise of Reformed theology. God is sovereign so let us all bow and seek Him for a heart to truly seek Him. We will not see a true Reformation and revival without it. But don’t think that God will send it because we are doing it, but we will only be doing it because He may send it.

Richard Smith

THE HONEY AND THE STING

[Picture I took from the top of Pikes Peak of the Pikes Peak "Cog Railroad" arriving at the peak.]
An allegory.

Two men were walking through a field in late spring. They were walking a few miles apart from one another when the first man came across a honey bee hive.
Being hungry from his walking he approached the hive hoping to satisfy his hunger with a little taste of sweet honey.

Before he could get his hand in the honey he was stung by one of the guard bees. He immediately reasoned that it is not worth the pain of the sting to get the honey, and he turned and went on his way.

Some time later the second man came upon the honey bee hive and thought to himself how wonderful the sweet taste of honey would be. As he eased slowly, closer and closer to the hive he endured several painful stings until finally he had a delicious handful of fresh wild honey.

He went some distance from the hive and sat on an old tree stump relishing the sweet amber of the honey and the honey comb.
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Life is much like this story. We must come to the place where we decide if the risk of the sting is worth the satisfying sweetness of the honey. Many times in life we draw back from the sting and we never experience the sweetness that is part of life that only comes with the sting.

How do we choose?

What is of more importance…the comfort of avoiding the stings of life, or the sweetness that is only found in the honey of life?

The Sweet Honey

To know Christ
A good friend
A college Degree
Falling in Love
Becoming a parent
A broken heart

The Sting

The death of a loved one
The loss of a job
The struggle of trials of many kinds

THE CURCH OF THE SELF-HELP

The Church of the Self-Help

It has not been long since the fad of “The Purpose Driven Life” has morphed into the “Purpose Driven Church”, and then again to the “40 Days of Purpose”, “The Purpose driven Marriage”, Purpose driven Child-Rearing”, and the list goes on ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Is this a marketing ploy? Is this a money making scheme?

I am naturally a cynical person but I am not going to impugn the motives of the authors in this case and say it is done for profit, or gain, (although this series has made its author very rich). I can imagine tables being turned over if Christ came to the lobbies of some churches that have turned into book sellers. Don’t get me wrong, I love books. I read many books. But self help books have never had much of an appeal to me.

Why is that you ask?

Well it is not because I am not in need of help. I certainly need help…but I have found self help to be empty and vain for the Christian. Human effort never accomplishes the work of God. I have moved four times to four different states since 2002 and the biggest challenge I have come up against has been finding a church that preaches Christ and him crucified, apart from the works of the flesh, and the work of man. Every where I have gone I have only found churches doing series on how to have a better marriage, how to raise good children, how to become successful and happy in your work, etc. All of these things are admirable and they certainly draw a crowd. But is that why Jesus died? To make marriages better? Certainly that may be a by-product, but is that the purpose of him going to the cross.

I submit that he came to seek and to save that which is lost. That Christ Jesus was in the world reconciling man to God. As a result of being reconciled to God perhaps we will become better parents, spouses, employees etc. But to hold out a hope of success in becoming pleasing to God through human effort is to make the work of Christ on the cross vain and empty. I am convinced that those who are exposed to the preaching of the cross will either leave in offense or they will be changed by the Spirit of God into the image of Christ. The successful Christian is the one who is being formed by God to more and more, day by day, resemble Christ. I am not one to lecture on marriage, or child-rearing. I have tried to be what I think God would have me be in these roles, but I must admit, I am not an expert nor a role model in either. By the grace of God I have seen some success in many areas of life, but this is not my doing.

So what am I saying? I am saying that we as Christians need to put aside human effort in the pursuit of these things and trust in the righteousness of Jesus Christ in whom all the promises of God in him are yeah and amen. I pray that the churches of this country will forsake the “self-help” gospel of humanism, and return to preaching Christ crucified and let God by his Spirit change his people by his grace and by his power which is always effectual, and whose word will always accomplish his purpose and never return to him void.

FAITH AS A RULE OF LIFE

I am a big fan of the writings of William Huntington. I am also one who believes that the Christian today is being wrongly put under the Mosaic Law, not for salvation but for sanctification, righteousness and for a rule of life. I think all these uses of the law are illegitamate and diminish the value and preciousness of the work of Christ; who is our righteousness. Below is a condensed version-(edited by me) of the article by William Huntington, "A RULE AND A RIDDLE; OR, AN EVERLASTING TASK FOR BLIND WATCHMEN AND OLD WOMEN"

The short title is "A Rule and A Riddle". I like to call it, "Faith as a Rule of Life".

I would love to hear your thoughts.


WILLIAM HUNTINGTON(1745-1813)

We are to tread in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised, Romans 4:9-12.
“The promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to him, or to his seed, through the law," Rom. 6:12, 13, and yet affirms, that as many as are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
And this promised blessing, and heirship, was given to Abraham, and to his seed-four hundred and thirty years before the law was given.
What rule did these pilgrims in the faith walk by? Who obtained so good a report (or so good a testimony) from God?
---We are told that Abel offered to God, and obtained witness that he was righteous by faith-then faith was his rule of worship. Heb 11:4, 12:24
---Enoch walked with God by faith-then faith was his rule of walk. Heb 11:5
---Noah condemned the world by faith-then faith was his rule of judgment. Heb 11:7
---"By faith Abraham, when he was called, went out not knowing whither he went"-then faith was the rule by which he took his journey, though he knew not whither, and his obedience was the obedience of faith. Heb 11:8-17
But if he had been living under the law as his only rule of life, he would have known where he was going, and he would not have gone in ignorance, and his obedience would have been the obedience of the law instead of faith.
---But Paul will have it that all Abraham's children are in the same condition that their father, Abraham was-for they walk by faith, not by sight. Rom 4:12-16
---But if the letter of the law is the only rule that the believer is to walk and live by, then he walks by sight, not by faith. Gal 3:2, 3:5, 5:18 2 Cor 5:7
---He looks at the things that are seen, not at the things which are unseen. Heb 11:1, 7
---It is by faith that Moses saw him who is invisible, and by faith we must look at the things that are not seen, which are eternal. Heb 11:27

Paul lays it out in the New Testament: (and other passages).
---"He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;" Heb 11:6
Then faith must be the rule of his coming.
---"We have access, by faith into this grace wherein we stand," Rom. 5:2
Then faith is the rule of our approach to God.
---"The just [man] shall live by his faith," Hab. 2:4
Then faith is the just man's rule of life.
---"We walk by faith, not by sight," 2 Cor. 5:7
Then faith is our rule of walk.
---"Thou standest by faith," says Paul, Rom. 11:20
Then faith is the rule of a believer's standing.
---"Whatever ye shall ask believing, ye shall receive," says Christ. Matt 21:22
Then faith is the rule of that branch of worship.
---"By faith Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God; but without faith it is impossible to please him," Heb. 11:5, 6
Then faith is a rule that God approves of, and is pleased with.
---"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” Rom 14:23
Then faith is a perfect rule of holiness.
---"He that believes is justified from all things, from which he could not by the law of Moses". Acts 13:39
Then faith is our rule of righteousness.
---It is by faith that we overcome the world. To lay hold on eternal life, is to fight the good fight of faith, according to Paul; "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" 1 Jo 5:41, Tim 6:12, 2 Tim 4:7
Then faith was the rule of his warfare, and the rule of his race; and it was the grace of God that made Paul obedient to that rule.
---"We have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith," Rom. 1:5,
That is, by Christ we have received grace to save our souls, and apostleship to be of use to the church, not as a reward of our obedience, but to furnish us with power, to make us obedient to the faith, among all nations for his name, Rom. 1:5
Then faith is the rule of apostolic obedience; for it cannot be called receiving grace for obedience to the faith, if faith be not the gracious man's rule of obedience.
---Paul counts all things but dung that he may win Christ, and he found in him; not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, and tells us to" walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing," Phil 3:8
---If you take this rule of Paul's to be his pressing forward, or any of his attainments, it is answered, by faith he pressed forward, and by faith he attained; for else his pressing and attaining had been nothing but sin; for whatsoever is not of faith, according to Paul's doctrine, is sin. 1 Tim 4:6
---By faith Christ dwells in our hearts, and by faith we dwell in him; and in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, which is Christ formed within us: "and as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God," Gal. 6:15, 16.
---Faith is the rule of life according to the revealed will of God in Christ Jesus; "and this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day," John, 6:40.
---Thus faith appears to be the believer's rule of life; according to the will of God in Christ Jesus; and the letter of the law is the bond-children's rule of life-"he that doth these things shall live in them."
---Let him do according to this rule and he shall live.
---The law is not the rule of believing, but of doing; "the law is not of faith, but of works, and the man that doth them shall live in them," Gal. 3:12.
---If to see the Son, and believe on him, entitles us to everlasting life according to God's will. John 6:40
Then faith must be the rule of that life; and one would think that, if he that liveth and believeth shall never die, faith must be a safe rule to live by.
---It is by faith that we apprehend Christ. Phill 3:12-13
---It is by faith we lay hold of him, as the hope set before us, Heb. 6:18.
---It is by Christ that we believe in God, 1 Peter 1:21, and "we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith," Gal. 3:14.
---By this rule we come to a saving knowledge of the Trinity; for the eye of faith is a light by which we see what is the fellowship of the mystery, Eph. 3:9.
---Without the assurance of understanding, there will be no true acknowledgment of the mystery of God [the Holy Ghost], and of the Father, and of Christ, Col. 2:2.

Romans 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Romans 10:4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 3:21 [Is] the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: