“Let the unrighteous man forsake his thoughts” said God, “for My thoughts are not your thoughts”. Isaiah 55:7 and 8.

God has a good deal to say about our thoughts in His Word: He saw that his thoughts are only evil. Genesis 6:5 The Lord understands the thoughts. I Chronicles 28:9. This is comfort to the godly, terror to the wicked. No thought can be withholden from God. Job 42:2. He knoweth the thought of man. Psalm 94:11. It is the desire of the godly that God may know his thoughts. Psalms 139:23. The thoughts of the wicked words are an abomination to God. Proverbs 15:26.

We read several times that Christ knew the thoughts of the wicked religious leaders. Matthew 9:4; Matthew 12:25; Luke 5:22; Luke 6:8; Luke 11:17. He knew that the heart was the origin of the thoughts. Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21.

The Apostle Paul desired to bring every thought into captivity to the Lord, II Corinthians 10:5, and the Word of God is a discerner, or, critic, of our thoughts. The things true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, think on these things: Philippians 4:8. Some dear folks loudly boast of their frankness, because they just say what they think, flinging out the words right and left as they come, no matter where they strike, or whom the wound; for words can be more cutting than sorrows. Call this never frankness or outspokenness, call it rather miserable impertinence, impudence. It is not only extremely rude and crude, brusque and brutal, but it is unethical and unscriptural; for we have no right to unload our bad humors, ill tempers and spites and envies upon our neighbor’s heart. Of every vain word we must give an account by and by.

If we want to unload our hearts, let us go to the Lord and empty ourselves into His great heart. He knows, He loves, He cares. In every pang that rends the heart, the Man of glory has a part, but He has no part in the boasted frankness of uttering whatever rolls over the lips. Lord Jesus, may our thoughts and meditations be acceptable unto Thee!

GOD OPENED THE DOOR

When the fulness of time was come God sent forth His Son, to be the Redeemer. Galatians 4:4 and 5. “We testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” I John 4:14. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. “Christ Jesus was made for the suffering of death”. “Christ Jesus came down from heaven.” “Christ Jesus appeared once in the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” “This man after He had made one sacrifice for sins forever sat down at the right hand of God.” Christ Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He abolished death and hath brought life and incorruptibility to light in the gospel. Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day. So we see it is all Christ. It was by the grace of God that He tasted death for every man. Hebrews 2:8, Hebrews 9:26, Hebrews 10:10 to 14, Hebrews 12:2. God raised Him from the dead and gave Him the highest place in the highest heavenlies. There today, in glory, sits, the omnipotent, eternal Christ, able to, save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him, because He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25.

The world waited 4000 years for God’s fulness of time; for the Second Man to come from heaven to die, according to the Scriptures, and to be raised the third day, according to the Scriptures. By that coming, by that death and resurrection God opened the door of salvation, the door of grace wide open.

Hear these words:

“Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” Revelation 3:8. Who opened the door? God. Good news, sinner, believe it and enter in. Hear this word of Christ: “I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved.” John 10:9. Nothing here to be reasoned out. It cannot be. This is Divine truth; good news for sinners of all kinds. You are just the right kind of a sinner for this message of salvation. It is eternal life. Christ said: “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” John 10:28.

THE CLOSED DOOR

“When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.” Luke 13:25. Who opened the door? God. Who is going to close the door? God. When? It may be soon. For you it may be sooner than soon; for you may put off this earthly tabernacle any moment. Then this door will be forever shut. “After death the judgment.” When Noah went into the ark God shut him in and shut the others out. God longs to shut you in with Christ. He willeth not the death of any man. “If any man enter in, he shall be saved.”

THE OPEN SEPULCHRE—DOOR

“Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” Mark 16:4.

What would have happened had that door of the sepulchre failed to open? Hear the answer: “If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.” I Corinthians 15:14 and 17, Without the bodily resurrection of Christ who died for our sins, there would be no door of salvation. Christians down through the ages have been false witnesses, and Christianity is a fraud or a superstition, if there is not a man, the Man Christ Jesus, alive at God’s right hand in heaven.

That stone was a very great stone. Mark 16:4. Christ called Himself a Stone. He was a very great Stone. In the beginning He made the stones, yea, all the great stones. A very great stone could not keep the door of His sepulchre closed. Before the Mary’s had finished their question, they had their answer: “They saw the stone was rolled away.” Mark 16:4. Within a short time they saw the Stone which the builders had rejected. They saw the resurrected Christ. The Jews had endeavored to thwart the report of His resurrection. They said to Pilate: “Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure.” To them Pilate replied, “Make it as sure as ye can.” Matthew 27:64 to 66. They did. But God loosed the pains of death; “because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” Acts 2:24.

If the door of the sepulchre had not been opened, the Messenger of God could never have said, “Behold a door was opened in heaven.” Revelation 4:1. If you will read the fourth and fifth chapters of Revelation, you may look through the open door of heaven and get a vision of the glorified Christ worshipped as Creator and Redeemer; and perhaps, you can see yourself in that picture, singing with other redeemed ones; “Thou art worthy . . . for Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God.” Revelation 5:9.

GOD OPENED OUR DOOR ABOUT 45 A.D.

“And when they were come, and had gathered the Church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” Acts 14:27.

When Jesus was here among men, He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 15:24. Certain Greeks wanted to see Him. But He refused to see them. Because they were to be blessed by receiving Him as the corn of wheat dying and coming forth; that is, by His death and resurrection. John 12:20 to 31. Even some years after His death and resurrection His disciples preached the Word to none but Jews only. Acts 11:19. It was not lawful for them to associate with Gentiles. Acts 10:28. Peter was directed by the Lord to preach to the Household of Cornelius; and did. Then the apostles rejoiced that repentance unto life was granted unto the Gentiles. Acts 11:18. Cornelius, a most respectable, God-fearing, religious, Jew-loving, benevolent, praying Gentile was unlike many of the Gentiles to whom Paul afterward preached. Paul was debtor even to the Barbarians; and heathen were turned to God from idols.

Now any Jew or any Gentile may enter through the Door, which is Christ, and be declared righteous without a cause, without the deeds of the law, without religion, character or reputation. Romans 3:24 to 28. Salvation is just as free as the air we breathe and will be so long as this day of grace continues; that is, until the last member of the Body of Christ has been baptized into Christ. Some day—and it may be very soon—the door of salvation will be closed. Then it will be too late to enter in. But now, “if any man”, or “whosoever”, or as many as”. You are included. Have you entered in? If not, why not? Don’t be foolish, come on in.

ANOTHER DOOR—IS IT OPEN?

“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds.” Colossians 4:3.

In this Scripture, the Apostle to the Gentiles is asking every Christian to join with him in prayer that God would open a door of utterance. Undoubtedly at that time a multitude of the disciples of Christ were propagating Christianity all over the known world. But here, the Apostle Paul is concerned about a door of utterance for the special phase of Christianity, that specific message which he calls “the mystery of Christ.” He adds that he is in bonds because of that message. We quote also Ephesians 6:19 and 20 touching on the same thought. “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

In Ephesians 5:20 the correct translation is “in chains.” Paul was an ambassador in jail. The jail door had been opened for him but he was concerned about open doors to proclaim the mystery. This message differed from the message that had been proclaimed by the twelve apostles. A few years before Paul’s imprisonment he wrote to the Galatians and said, “I certify that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man . . . but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11 and 12. From this statement it is apparent that Paul was not perpetuating the message that had been proclaimed by the Twelve. The gospel which Paul preached was revealed to him from the risen Christ in heaven. And later on the same Christ added by revelation the glorious truth concerning the heavenly position, citizenship and hope of the members of His Body, and the pure message of grace wholly separated from religion or Judaism. Paul was the recipient and custodian of the special dispensation of grace and that revelation which he designated, the mystery. Ephesians 3:1 and 3; Ephesians 3:8 and 9. Undoubtedly, Satan was unceasingly active in his opposition to that glorious truth, and religious doors were closed against it. In II Timothy 1:12 Paul called it, “my deposit” (original text).

That opposition has not ceased to this day. There are many open doors for the preaching of the Christian religion. But when the servant of the Lord gives forth a message of pure Christianity, without religion, and sounds forth the truth of God concerning Christ’s revelation through Paul, he will find the same opposition, persecution and closed doors. There is an urgent need today for the prayers of God’s people that a door of utterance will be open for the mystery of Christ, which is no longer a mystery, but a revealed truth, although unknown to the great majority of the members of the Body of Christ, because withheld from them by their religious leaders and instructors.

Satan will do all possible to keep the sinner from hearing the unmixed gospel of grace. If not successful, he will keep him from believing it, if possible. Then he will do everything possible to keep the believer from obeying Ephesians 3:9. See what astir has been recently created in the camp of the Fundamentalists because some of God’s children have given themselves to the study of the blessed truth of the mystery.

Christ is now in the heavenlies Head over all things to the Church. which is His Body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:19 to 22.

SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND?

The believing sinner is justified freely by God’s grace; that is, he is declared righteous “without a cause”. Romans 3:24. “Without a cause by His grace”. Little wonder, after the glorious gospel of grace, is presented, beginning with these words of Romans 3:24, “being justified freely” (or declared righteous without a cause) by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”, and on to the close of the fifth chapter of Romans, that the question follows, “shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” It was because the human race, from the days of Adam, had continued in sin, without any human cure, or natural remedy, that the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, was made to abound. Abounding grace is because of abounding sin. Therefore, the question, shall the justified believer continue to live in sin because of the more abundant Divine grace; or sin to make grace abound? The answer is, “Gods forbid”.

You will note that we have changed the reading from “justified freely by His grace”, to “declared righteous without a cause, by His grace.” “Without a cause.” “Without a cause.” The Hebrew word is “chinnam”. The Greek word is “dorean”. The word is sometimes translated “freely”, sometimes, “for nought”, sometimes, “without a cause.” It comes from the verb meaning, to bestow gratuitously. In Genesis 29:15 Laban tells Jacob that he is not to serve him “for nought”; that is, wholly without any wages. This is the word translated in Psalms 69:4, “without a cause”; “that hated me without a cause”. Perhaps you remember the question which Satan put to God, concerning God’s righteous servant Job, “doth Job fear God for nought; that is without a cause, or without pay?” No; Job was a very prosperous man. The word is translated “without a cause” in Lamentations 3:52—Job 9:17—Ezekiel 14:23—Psalm 35:7—Proverbs 1:11—28:29 and 24:28. We quote Proverbs 24:28: “Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.” It is translated “freely” in Numbers 11:5.

In the Book of Matthew, the Greek word “doron” is translated “gift” eight times. The word used by Christ in offering to give to the woman at the well in Samaria the water of salvation is “dorea”. The word “dorean” used in the Scripture, “being declared righteous without a cause” is translated freely in Revelation 21:6 and 22:17, which read

“I will give unto Him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. “And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely,”

Paul refused to permit the Corinthians to pay him for preaching to them the gospel. The word “dorean” is translated “freely” in II Corinthians 11:17.

We are told in very plain language, in Ephesians 2:8, that we are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves. Then are added these words: “It is the gift (doron) of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.” “Doron” excludes any kind of work; so that all boasting must be excluded and all glory go to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God desires the redeemed sinner to say with Paul, “thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. (dorea)”.

Messengers of the unmixed grace of God are few and far between, and what a time they do have trying to convince sinners that eternal life is the free gift of God through Jesus Christ; that salvation is the gift of God, without the requirement of a single work, without any striving or struggling, without any feeling of worthiness, without any religious ceremony.

Perhaps it will help some to see this blessed truth of grace if they will compare John 15:25 with the Scripture “declared righteous without a cause”. We quote John 15:25: “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause”.

Christ was the greatest benefactor that ever ministered unto suffering humanity. Surely He was hated without a cause. He graciously permitted Himself to be hated. The wages of sin is death. He died, but He did not sin. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” “Christ knew no sin.” He was wholly without sin. In that sense He died without a cause. But in the shadow of the cross that meant to Him cruel suffering, He cried; “for this cause came I unto this hour.” He came to die, to save others from the wages of sin. On the cross the Lord of glory was made what He was not: He was made sin. That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. II Corinthians 5:21. Christ’s work was that God might be just and the justifier of all who believe in Christ. Romans 3:25 and 26. As Christ was hated without a cause (dorean), so believing sinners are declared righteous without a cause (dorean).

As we read the remaining verses of the third chapter of Romans and then pass on to the fourth and fifth chapters of Romans we learn that the sinner is made righteous by God with God’s own righteousness, “without works” and without religion, “without the deeds of the law”, Romans 3:28—Romans 4:3 and 4; all on the basis of the substitutionary redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. All boasting is excluded by the law of faith. Romans 3:27. Then on into the sixth chapter of Romans we pass, and learn that the believer has died with Christ, has been buried with Christ, and, has been raised with Christ to walk-in newness of life; that he is not under the law, but under grace. But some would also put him under the water. For what? They hardly know. Some say the water ceremony is efficacious and necessary to give the believer his newness of life. But this makes the other statements untrue, declared righteous “without a cause”, “without works”. The water ceremony is work. Others say; “no, I am a grace preacher” Romans 6:3 is spiritual baptism, but of course, Romans 6:4 is water baptism. Whatever that baptism is, it is meritorious, and is the cause that produces the effect; placing the believer in Christ, dead, buried and raised to walk in newness of life. If the water is meritorious in Romans 6:4, then the believer is not declared righteous “without a cause” or “without works”. If the believer’s salvation is wholly by grace, and if he, by grace alone, by a Divine baptism not made with hands, is brought to the newness of life, then there is no water baptism in Romans 6:4; for the believer is buried and raised by the same baptism that brings him to death in Christ and with Christ.

“Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” God forbid that we should either teach this, or try to prove abounding grace by continuing in sin. On the contrary, the believer should prove by a life of righteousness, peace and joy, that the same abundant grace that saved him from the wages or penalty of sin is altogether sufficient to give victory over sinful practices. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:11 to 13.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that yet always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” II Corinthians 9:8. The unbeliever is without Christ and is dead in sins. The believer is in Christ and is dead to sin. “How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” Romans 6:2. The Divine power of the omnipotent God, that raised Christ from the dead is given to us. Ephesians 1:19. God is the God of all grace. God is faithful who will not, suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but with every temptation will make a way of escape.

“My grace is sufficient”, are the words of the risen Christ: God’s grace and power are altogether sufficient for the believer to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.