A message by Pastor Paul M. Sadler from the 2001 Fall Bible Conference of the Midwest Grace Fellowship.
Yearly Archives: 2016
Enriched in Utterance and Knowledge
“I’m a little foggy on the meaning of this passage. ‘That in everything ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you’ (I Cor. 1:5,6).”
The key to understanding this passage is to remember that Paul was writing to the Corinthians during the transition period. The apostle was showing them how they had been enriched by the Lord when He imparted to them the supernatural gift of tongues (utterance) to communicate Paul’s gospel, and the gift of knowledge that they might more fully understand the will of God (I Cor. 12:4-11). This is confirmed for us in the very next verse where Paul said to them, “So that ye come behind in no gift” (I Cor. 1:7). These miraculous gifts were the “testimony of Christ” that was confirmed in them. This was a demonstration that God was now working among the Gentiles. Thus we are introduced by the Apostle Paul to a new creation, which is the Church, the Body of Christ.
Once the Body of Christ was established in the faith, and the Word of God was completed by Paul (i.e., the Mystery), the supernatural sign gifts of the Acts period ceased (I Cor. 13:8-11 cf. Col. 1:25,26). God has replaced these gifts with something infinitely better: faith, hope, and love (I Cor. 13:13). Subsequently, if you want to know the will of God for this present age you must turn to Paul’s epistles for guidance. This is also true as you live for Him day by day
To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.
Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.
Bound to Give Thanks – 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
Summary:
Paul is not thanking God that He saved them from Hell. The word “salvation” has different meanings. Israel was saved from the Egyptians (Ex.14:13; Jude 1:5). Paul talked about being saved from a storm (Acts 27:31). And in the Thessalonian epistles, “salvation” can refer to salvation from the Tribulation. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord” (ITh.5:9). You don’t have an appointment to obtain salvation from Hell, you obtained it when you believed. But you have an appointment to obtain salvation from the Tribulation by the “salvation” of the Rapture (Romans 13:11).
And it is this salvation to which we were chosen, not salvation from Hell. True, the Bible says “He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph.1:4), but it doesn’t say we were chosen to be in Christ, it says we were chosen—in Christ. Christ is God’s elect:
“Behold…Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth…He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:1).
Christ is the only man God could delight in. When we go to the polls, we have to hold our nose and vote for the lesser of two evils. Not God! He delighted to elect Christ to rule the Gentiles in the kingdom. And the way that Jews became part of His elect was by faith in Him. But God also chose Christ to rule the angels in heaven, and when we believe in Him, we become part of that elect (ICor.6:3).
We are also “predestinated” (Eph.1:5), but that doesn’t mean God predetermined our destination to heaven as op-posed to hell, it means to heaven as opposed to the earth where Israel will rule the Gentiles. Remember, “we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated” (Eph.1:11). Our inheritance is to judge angels, but was told, “thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles” (Isa.54:3). But you’re predestination to go to heaven in the pre-tribulation rapture, is thesalvation Paul felt “bound” to thank God for.
“Bound” means under legal or moral obligation. Even
under the Law, thank offerings were voluntary, and Paul wasn’t under the Law (Rom.6:14). But he felt a moral obligation to thank God they were saved from the Tribulation for them, since they were no longer thanking God for it now that they lost the hope of the pre-trib rapture.
Anytime God does anything, someone should thank Him. The unsaved don’t thank Him for the sun and rain He gives them (Mt.5:45), or for “life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25), so we should thank God for them.
We were chosen to this salvation “through sanctification of the Spirit” (IITh.2:13). Sanctification means to be set apart to God (Ex.13:2,12), and we’ve been set apart to be saved by the pre-trib rapture.
Normally sanctification is from the unsaved (ICor.6:9-11), but here it is from the Jewish kingdom saints who will have to go through the Tribulation. That exact phrase “sanctification of the Spirit” is only elsewhere used by Peter to write to “the…elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit” (I Peter 1:1,2). God foreknew the Jews would go through the Tribulation, so the Spirit sanctified them from us, the people He foreknew would be raptured before it. Peter went on, “that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold…though it be tried with fire” (1:6,7) and that’s Tribulation talk (Zech.13:9;14:1)
This is why Paul went on to say that they’d been chosen to be saved from the Tribulation “through belief of the truth,” Paul’s truth, and why they were called by Paul’s gospel (IIThes.2:14). If they were called by Peter’s gospel, the Spirit would have separated them to go through the Tribulation. This explains why Paul called us “them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate” (Rom.8:28). God predetermined that our destination would be in heaven rather than the earth, so He called us by Paul’s gospel to obtain the glory of the pre-trib rapture. Saved Jews under the kingdom program were also called to obtain glory but only after they have “suffered” the Tribulation (I Pet.5:10).
Was Paul Saved Under the Kingdom Program?
“Was Paul saved under the kingdom program?”
No, Paul was “a blasphemer” (I Tim. 1:13) who, as a strict, Law-abiding Pharisee (Acts 26:5), would never blaspheme the Father, but was among those who blasphemed the Spirit when they stoned Stephen (Acts 7:51-8:1). This rendered him ineligible for salvation under the kingdom program, for the Lord had warned, “him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven” (Luke 12:10).
How then could God save Saul? Well, remember that the Lord had warned, “whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (Matt. 12:32). The nation of Israel blasphemed the Spirit in the world that the Lord spoke of as “this world” when they rejected Stephen, a man filled with the Spirit (Acts 7:55). “The world to come” is defined in Hebrews 2:5 as the kingdom, the “world” which God will “put in subjection” under Christ, where people will fully know “the powers of the world to come” (Heb. 6:5) that they only tasted at Pentecost.
Since blasphemy against the Spirit was unforgivable in both those worlds, we know Saul was saved under the program of a whole new world, the dispensation of grace, “this world” in which we live (Eph. 1:21), “this present world” in which we are to walk and please God (Titus 2:12).
To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.
Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.
Berean Searchlight – October 2016
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The Charter of the Church
A message by Pastor Paul M. Sadler from the 2001 Fall Bible Conference of the Midwest Grace Fellowship.
An Example in Forgiving
Recently, the news of the death of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela dominated all newscasts. He was heralded as one of the greatest men of our day. People equated him to Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, and Mother Teresa, “all rolled into one.” His acclaim originated over his stand against racial injustices and inequalities in a country predominately ruled by whites. He spent 27 years in prison for his protests and alleged crimes, even refusing a release that was offered to him on the condition of renouncing his calls to revolution. Once released, he did not seek any revenge against those who had him incarcerated. Instead he preached forgiveness and healing. Eventually, Nelson Mandela rose to the highest office in his country, and at his funeral presidents, kings, prime ministers, and celebrities from all around the world came to honor him at a memorial service.
While witnessing all this worldwide news coverage for days, and hearing the constant acclaim for this man, this writer could not help thinking: “I know a far greater man who gave forgiveness to many and preached the good news of forgiveness.” Do you know this man? It was the God-man, God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Savior came to Israel with the offer of the Gospel of the Kingdom, therein offering the forgiveness of sins. He taught His followers to pray to the Father for forgiveness (on the condition they must forgive others [Matt. 6:12-15]). When He healed a man sick with palsy he stated: “Son…thy sins be forgiven thee” (Matt. 9:2), and He taught Peter the necessity to forgive one who came asking forgiveness and to do so as many times as the one asking was sincere (Matt. 18:21-35).
Actually, the Lord Jesus Christ came offering divine forgiveness to all of Israel. Peter told his fellow Jews that Christ was now exalted to the right hand of God the Father in heaven “to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). This was the message of our Lord throughout His earthly ministry. He told His disciples He had come “to seek and to save them that are lost.”
Once Israel was set aside and the Apostle Paul was raised up by the Lord to minister to Gentiles, the message of forgiveness remained the focal point. The risen Savior explained Paul’s mission was to go to all the world, “to open their (sinners) eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18). This would be done by pointing Jew and Gentile, man and woman, young and old, to personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their only hope for eternal life.
The Savior was the greatest example of forgiveness. Even after His enemies had Him falsely imprisoned, beaten, and crucified, He asked His Heavenly Father from the cross to “…forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). We know He could have called ten thousand angels to command His release from prison or the cross, but He refused, that He might pay the sin debt of the world so that you and I could be forgiven. Colossians 2:13 tells us that every believer has forgiveness so complete that He has “forgiven you ALL trespasses.” This God-man, our Savior, is one most worthy of our love, respect, and dedication. Rejoice in Him. Exalt His name!
To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.
Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.
The Deceivableness of Unrighteousness – 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
Summary:
Paul says that Antichrist will come with “all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” The word “deceive” means to trick someone, but people are tricked by different things. The deceivableness of youth can make you fall for things you wouldn’t fall for if you were older and wiser. The deceivableness of heartbreak will make you fall for any-thing that anyone suggests to get your boyfriend or girlfriend back. But the deceivableness of unrighteousness comes from being unrighteous, unsaved. It makes men fall for things they wouldn’t fall for if they were saved, even things as silly as the Big Bang Theory, or evolution.
Of course, some unsaved people are deceived by some things and others are deceived by other things, but when Antichrist comes he will come with “all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” So when he claims to be Israel’s Christ, the unsaved will be deceived by him. After all, if even the elect can barely escape his deceit (Mt.24:24), the unsaved don’t stand a chance.
Specially since Paul says this deceivableness is “in” the unsaved who perish. That means Satan will have an inside man in that day. He’ll have Antichrist working from without “with all power, and signs,” and from within the unsaved in their natural inclination to be deceived by him.
If you think God is unfair to let Satan work from within and without in the unsaved, notice he will only be allowed to do this “because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (IIThes.2:10). And it won’t be God’s fault they didn’t receive the love of the truth, for if they didn’t receive it, that means it was offered to them.
The “truth” is Christ (John 14:6), and they won’t receive Him for the same reason they didn’t receive Him when He was here, they love sin and know He’s against it (John 3:19,20). If they don’t receive the love of the Lord they will be “anathema,” or cursed (cf.ICor.16:22).
When men do receive the love of the truth it keeps and preserves them (Pr.4:5,6). Remember, “wisdom” in that passage is a name for Christ (ICor.1:24). If they learn to love the Lord in the Tribulation, He will keep and preserve them by saving them and making them part of the elect who will be impossible to deceive. But those who don’t receive the love of the Truth will receive the love of the Antichrist, “and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion” (IIThes.2:11).
This is something God has always done. It was “because that” the Gentiles didn’t glorify God that He gave them up at the tower of Babel (Rom.1:21-24). After God raised up Abraham and taught him and his seed more about Himself, most of them didn’t want Him either, so God gave them up too (Ps.81:11,12; 109:17). If you don’t want God’s counsel, He will let you walk in your own. That’s how God judges men. Is there anything unfair about that?
Paul was probably thinking of Isaiah 66:3b,4 here. Speaking of the same Tribulation Jews that Paul is speaking of, Isaiah predicts they’ll choose something God doesn’t like, so He’ll choose a strong delusion they won’t like. The delusion they’ll choose is to offer animals in Antichrist’s idolatrous temple, which to God will be like offering something unclean (Isa.66:3a). Remember, Antichrist is called “the idol shepherd” (Zech.11:17). It is because they want idols that God will give them strong delusion to believe the lie, the ultimate idol, the beast, “that they all might be damned who believed not the truth” (IIThes.2:12).
Don’t feel sorry for these folks, they will have rejected the witness of Creation (Ps.19:1-3) and so are “without excuse (Rom.1:19,20). They won’t believe for the same reason men always don’t believe, they will have “pleasure in unrighteousness” (v.12). But Antichrist’s idolatrous religion will be for sin, making men think they could offer a sacrifice and be delivered to go out and sin more (Jer.7:9, 10). Idolatrous Christianity does the same thing, making men think they can go to the sacrifice of the mass and continue to sin. They don’t say that, but the Mafia reads them loud and clear. In the movies they kill and get absolution and do it again.
What’s in Your Treasure House?
The Persians kept the records of the executive orders issued by their kings “in the king’s treasure house” (Ezra 5:17), right alongside their riches of silver and gold (Ezra 7:20). Obviously, they considered the commandments of their king to be of equal value as their jewels and other treasures.
At the risk of sounding like a Capital One commercial, what’s in the treasure house of your heart? Can you say with the psalmist, “I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches?” (Psa. 119:14)? Or have you matured in the faith to where you can honestly stand before God and say to Him, “I love Thy commandments above fine gold” (Psa. 119:127), “more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold” (Psa. 19:10). If not, it might be time for a prayerful reevaluation of the spiritual portfolio of your soul.
To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.
Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.
Separated Unto the Gospel of God
A message by Pastor Paul M. Sadler from the 1981 Berean Bible Fellowship Conference.
