Monthly Archives: June 2017

Is Christ Your King?

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

Most Christians would answer this question with a resounding yes, but most grace believers would respond with an emphatic no. They know that the people of Israel lived in a kingdom (I Sam. 24:20), and they know that the Lord was born “King of the Jews” (Mt. 2:2) and will one day rule over them in the kingdom of heaven on earth. They rightly reason that a kingdom is ruled by a king, but that believers today are members of “the Body of Christ” (I Cor. 12:27), and a body is ruled by a head. Since Christ is our Head (Eph. 4:15), it is easy to see why some say He is not our King.

But the same apostle who tells us we are members of Christ’s Body also tells us that “the Father…hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Col. 1:12,13). Paul is speaking here of God’s overall kingdom of the saved of all ages, but any kingdom, by definition, is governed by a king.

There are, of course, some dispensational differences. A kingdom has to be governed by law, so God gave Israel a law, a law that said that if your neighbor is hungry you should feed him (Deut. 15:8). But bodies aren’t governed by a law, they are governed by love. When your stomach is hungry, your head doesn’t need a law to tell you to feed it. You feed it because “no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it” (Eph. 5:29). In a kingdom, you have to have laws that say things like “thou shalt not kill,” and “thou shalt not steal,” so God gave the kingdom of Israel a law that said things like that. But our apostle says that laws like “thou shalt not kill” and “thou shalt not steal” are “briefly comprehended in this… Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself…” (Rom. 13:9,10). So after telling the Galatians that we are not under the law but under grace, Paul told them, “by love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). Under grace, we don’t kill or steal from one another because we love one another! But what would happen in the kingdom of Chicago if the mayor announced that he was suspending all laws, and from now on everyone should just love one another? It wouldn’t take long for people to realize that love works well when it comes to governing a body, but a kingdom needs laws!

But despite these dispensational differences, Christ is still the king of the overall kingdom of which we are a part. Someday He will “sit upon the throne of His glory” in the kingdom of heaven on earth (Mt. 25:31). In the meantime, does He sit on the throne of your heart? Why not choose to give “the King” the “honour and glory” He deserves (I Tim. 1:17) by choosing to obey Him.

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 lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

Supposing That Gain Is Godliness – 1 Timothy 6:5-10

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

Summary:

It was the Jews who supposed “that gain is godliness” (6:5) since under the Law God blessed them with gain if they were godly (Deut.28:1-11). But while that was once the truth of God, men who taught that to Gentiles were “destitute of the truth.” Paul calls that thinking “perverse disputings” because the law was now a perversion of the truth. The legalizers in Galatia perverted the gospel (Gal.1:7).

It was no longer true that gain was godliness, but it was now true that godliness is gain (v.6). It gains the profit of a rich and satisfying life in this life and rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ (ITim.4:8).

“Contentment” (v.6) means not wanting more (Lu.3:14). Being content with your wages makes it easier to obey Hebrews 13:5a. If you’re not content with what you have, you won’t find life satisfying because you’ll always want more, and that will affect your rewards in the next life. But if you’re not content, you can learn to be (Phil.3:11). Paul learned by being “instructed” (v.12) that if Christ couldn’t leave him he should be content (cf. Heb.13:5b). You can lose riches (Pr.23:5), so you shouldn’t be content in them.

If you’re thinking it was easy for a great apostle to learn to be content, remember he was profiting financially above many in his day (Gal.1:13,14) but walked away from it. If he could learn contentment, you can. We’re entering into the biggest merchandising season of the year, but the merchandise of wisdom is better than that of silver (Pr.3: 15). The sales of “durable goods” goes up and down, but “durable riches and righteousness” is something of “sub-stance” (Pr.8:12-21). Silver and gold are good sources of gain, but if you want to talk about “great gain” (6:6) you have to stop talking money and start talking godliness.

It’s still true that you can’t take it with you (6:7 cf. Ps.49:16,17). This is “a sore evil” to the unsaved (Eccl.5:15,16), for it means they have “labored for the wind.” You feel the wind a few seconds and it is gone. That’s what life is compared to eternity. So you have to ask yourself, when you die, will you be leaving your treasures or going to them (Mt. 6:20). Of course, if you had riches and lost them, bless the Lord like Job (Job 1:20,21).

You should be content with food and clothing (6:8) because they aren’t guaranteed in the dispensation of grace. Jacob could bank on it after he pitched a deal with God (Gen.28: 20,21) and God honored it (48:15), but He won’t honor it today. After what God did for you at Calvary, you it be easy to be content with no more than food and clothing. By the way, God made the same agreement with Israel (Deut.8:3,4), but your clothes wear out and you have to buy food, so you should be content if you have them. Also by the way, housing isn’t part of contentment. Abraham lived in tents (Heb.11:8) and some lived in caves (Heb.11:38).

There’s nothing wrong with being rich, but those who “desire” to be rich fall into temptation (6:9), the temptation to steal (Pr.28:20). And they fall into “a snare,” something that looks like it will be for your “welfare” (Ps.69:22), but ends up being against your welfare. Like riches. This desire can “drown” men (6:9). People say, “But I only want to be a little rich,” but you can drown in a bathtub as well as in an ocean. Judas drowned in 30 pieces of silver.

The Bible doesn’t say that money is the root of all evil, as the world criticizes it for saying, it says the love of money is the root of all evil (6:10). The world then says the love of money isn’t the root of rape, etc., but when Lucifer wanted to be like the most High (Is.14:14) it meant he wanted to possess heaven and earth (Gen.14:19,22) and all therein (Deut.10:14) including all the money, lands and possessions. And his love of money was the root of all evil.

And it still is. Paul says some coveted after it in the minis-try and “erred from the faith.” Men who corrupt God’s Word for gain, as Satan did in Eden to gain the world, teach all kinds of evil things that lead to all kinds of evil.

The unseen rulers who pierced the Lord thought they were gaining the world, but “pierced themselves through with many sorrows” instead (6:10), as do all false teachers since.

The Paradox of Grace

Posted on by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

In “the gospel of the grace of God” we find a striking paradox: God Himself condemning the righteous and justifying the wicked; forsaking the perfect and helping evildoers.

Behold the spotless Lamb on Calvary as He cries, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”  Judas kisses Him in base betrayal; wicked men spit in His face, mock Him, smite Him, scourge Him, crown Him with thorns and nail Him to a tree!  And God, the Judge of all, does nothing to stop them!  Indeed, He Himself unsheathes His sword and smites the one Person in all history who could truly say, “I delight to do Thy will, 0 my God.”

And this is not all, for on the other hand God saves Saul of Tarsus, Christ’s bitterest enemy, “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious,” his hands dripping, as it were, with the blood of martyrs.  To him God shows “grace…exceeding abundant” and “all longsuffering” (I Tim. 1:13-16).  Indeed, He sends him forth to proclaim openly to all men that:

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

How can all this be right?  The answer is that the One who died in agony and disgrace at Calvary was God Himself, manifested in the flesh.  There, at Calvary, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (II Cor. 5:19).  It was the Judge Himself, stepping down from the throne to the cross to represent the sinner and pay for him the full penalty of his sins.

And who will say this is injustice?  Injustice?  It is perfect justice and more.  It is grace!

Under the terms of the Law we find God “showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments” (Ex. 20:6).  But grace is infinitely more: it is the riches of God’s mercy and love to “the children of disobedience…the children of wrath” (Eph. 2:2-7), paying the penalty for their sins Himself in strictest accord with perfect and infinite righteousness!

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 lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

A Saying That Shouldn’t Go Without Saying

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

“This is a faithful saying…that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (I Timothy 1:15).

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Don’t criticize a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes.” I once heard a comedian add, “That way when you do criticize him, you’re a mile away, and you’ve got his shoes!”

While this addition makes that a humorous saying, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” is a faithful saying. That means if you’re a sinner needing a Savior, you can depend on the fact that Christ came to save you, no matter who you are or what you’ve done.

Don’t you wish all old sayings were that dependable? They say, “You get what you pay for,” but I don’t have to tell you that sometimes you don’t. But even under God’s kingdom program for Israel, the Lord declared,

“They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick…I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:12,13).

I’m barely old enough to remember when doctors made house calls, and my doctor once came to our home to treat my asthma. Of course, he wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t needed medical attention. Similarly, Christ wouldn’t have come into the world to save sinners if men didn’t need salvation.

But if you’re not saved, and are unwilling to admit you’re a sinner, you’re in trouble, for that would mean that Christ didn’t come to save you! If you’re willing to acknowledge that “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23), but you think yourself to be pretty godly overall, you’re still in trouble, for “Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). If that forces you to concede you are an ungodly sinner, but you think you and God are still on good terms, you are still in trouble, for you must admit to being among His “enemies” if you want to be “reconciled to God by the death of His Son…” (Rom. 5:10).

But don’t be discouraged, all of this is actually good news! What if Paul had said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save tall people,” and you are “vertically challenged.” You can’t admit to being tall, but you can admit to being a sinner. Why not admit it right now, and believe that Christ died to pay for your sins, and rose again (I Corinthians 15:3,4). If you’re saved, why not repeat this old saying to someone today! “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” is not a saying that should go without saying!

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 lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

Berean Searchlight – June 2017

Posted on by kevin

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Where Do You Find the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ? – 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

Summary:

When we try to convince people the words the Lord spoke on earth were to Israel (Mt.15:24), so we should pay more attention to Paul’s words, people often quote Verse 3 to say that even Paul said to consent to the Lord’s words. But the last 5 words of Verse 2 say, “These things teach and exhort.” So when Paul then says not to teach “otherwise,” he means other than what he taught in that epistle.

You see, if you believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible, you know Paul’s words were the words of the Lord, in all his epistles (IThes.4:2). People sometimes say, “Paul was just a man, so we shouldn’t take his words over the Lord’s,” but Paul says they aren’t despising a man, they are despising God (ITh.4:8), who inspired Paul to write. This is nothing new, the Jews preferred Moses to the Lord (Jo.9:28,29). People are slow to accept a new spokesman from God, prompting the Lord to say Luke 5:39.

But the question is never who spoke God’s words, the question is always who they are spoken to. The Lord spoke to the Jews (Ro.15:8), Paul spoke His words to us Gentiles (Rom.15:16). To teach “otherwise” than Paul was to teach some “other” doctrine (ITim.1:3), and to deny Paul’s words were the Lord’s words is very Corinthian! (IICor.13:2,3).

“Wholesome” words are words that make you whole. The Lord spoke words that made people whole from sickness (Mt.9:22). Today His words through Paul can make us whole from spiritual death when we get saved (Eph.2:1). Then when our spiritual vitality “dies” due to living in sin (Rom.8:13), we don’t need more salvation, we just need more of his wholesome words! That’s what Paul means when he says his doctrine is “according to godliness” (6:3).

Paul’s doctrine can also save us from the ungodliness of false doctrine (II Tim. 2:17,18). It’ll be godly to say the resurrection is past in the Tribulation, but now it is ungodly, so Paul’s doctrine is according to godliness. The only way to be truly godly is to know where you stand in the program of God (II Tim. 2:15).

Saying the resurrection is past takes doctrine from the future and applies it to today, but here Paul is talking about those who took the Law from the past and were applying it to today (ITim.1:7), another dispensational error. Teaching the Law was godly in time past, but not today. It has a form of godliness, but denies grace, the power of godliness (IITim. 3:5). You know he’s talking about the same people because he says to withdraw from both (ITi.6:5; IITi.3:5).

Jews were “proud” of the law (ITim.6:4), and they were the ones teaching the law in Paul’s day (Tit.2:10-14). “Knowing nothing” (v.4) should remind you of I Timothy 1:7. Any time you teach undispensationally it raises questions (v.4 cf.IITim.2:17,18,23). When Paul says the law causes “strifes of words” (6:4) that’s what the law always does (Tit.3:9). When Paul says the Law causes “envy” (6:4), it did in the legalistic Galatians (5:26). “Railings” (6:4) are tauntings that say someone can’t do something (IIChron.32: 17; Mark 15:29), and lawkeepers always say you can’t keep it as well as they can, and rail on you about it (Isa.65:5).

“Perverse” (6:5) comes from “pervert,” something the law does to grace (Gal.1:7). When the Law was part of God’s program, it was taught by men of sound mind, but now by men of “corrupt minds” (6:5cf.Tit. 2:14-16). When Paul says those who teach it are “destitute of the truth,” the Jews felt they were the only ones who had the truth (Gen.24:27) and all other nations were destitute of it. But there’s been a dispensational change. The law was once the truth, but now the Jews desiring to teach it are destitute of the truth.

“Supposing that gain is godliness” is what Paul thought about the things he thought were gain (Phil.3:5-7), that they made him godly. But with these words, Paul is seguing into talking about financial gain, the subject of the rest of this passage. When Jews were godly, they gained that too (Gen.13:2; Deut.8:18). Today they know God isn’t honoring that promise any more, but many Gentiles who think we are spiritual Israel are teaching that in the prosperity movement. The only thing to do with men like that is “withdraw” from them (ITim.6:5).