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.

“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.

It is certainly evident that we are living in uncertain economic times. At such times, certain industries fare better than others. For instance, there will always be a need for people to work in the food industry, for people will always need to eat. There will also always be a need for health care workers, since people will also continue to get sick and need health care.

It is equally evident that we are living in uncertain spiritual times. At such times, there will always be a need for Christians who are willing to work to bring the gospel to the lost. There will always be “certain” among the lost who will actively seek salvation (Luke 18:18), but “certain” others will trust in themselves that they are righteous (Luke 18:9), so God’s people will need to reach out to them.

It is also certain that some will continue to oppose Paul’s gospel, “certain” of them opposing it on philosophical grounds (Acts 17:18), “certain” others because they are set in their ways and so naturally resist the new truth that Paul set forth (Acts 15:1).

Who will step up to meet these challenges? In Paul’s day, “a certain disciple… named Timotheus” answered the call (Acts 16:1). How about you, man of God? Why not consider enrolling in our Berean Bible Institute, “that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed” (Luke 1:4). Then go out and “preach the word” and “do the work of an evangelist” as the Lord would have you do (II Tim. 4:1-5).

When Paul preached in Athens, “certain men clave unto him” (Acts 17:34), just as grace believers have today. But just as “a certain young man named Eutychus” fell asleep when “Paul was long preaching” (Acts 20:9), many long-time grace believers have fallen asleep under the ministry of Pauline teaching. If you fear that describes you, why not wake up and follow the example of “a certain man…named Justus” (Acts 18:7) and “a certain woman named Lydia” (Acts 16:14) who opened their homes to the ministry of Pauline truth and helped establish grace churches in their respective cities.

Many Christians are at a complete loss as to knowing what to do in these uncertain spiritual times, but that doesn’t apply to those who know the certainty of Paul’s gospel. We have the answer to the religious confusion all about us! If you’re not part of the movement that is bringing the solution to these poor confused people, you’re part of the problem.

One thing is sure. “We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (I Tim. 6:7). With that in mind, why not begin today to live with eternity in view?

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.

“Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” (I Timothy 1:7).

Since “we are not under law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:15), what possible motive could someone have to teach the law? Well, in Paul’s day, the men most likely to desire to cling to the law were Jews (Acts 15:1). Speaking of them, Paul told Titus:

“…there are many unruly and vain talkers…of the circumcision…who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake” (Titus 1:10,11).

The thing that these circumcision Jews “ought not” to have been teaching was the law, which they taught for the same reason men teach the law today—because there is money in it. Satan always makes sure that undispensational truth is popular, and teaching what is popular is always a lucrative endeavor!

For instance, in time past, God’s message to Israel was that He was going to use Nebuchadnezzar to conquer the nation to chasten her for her iniquities (Jer. 25:9). But false prophets in Israel were assuring God’s people it would never happen, that they would continue to enjoy peace (Jer. 23:17). Which of those two messages do you think was more popular, and thus more lucrative?

Of course, when Israel was obedient to God’s law, His message to them was a message of peace, but when they rebelled against His law, that message became one dispensation too late. Well, today the law is one dispensation too late, but it is as popular and as profitable as undispensational teaching has always been. People are religious by nature, and the law appeals to their religious “flesh” (Gal. 3:3). And that which appeals to a man’s religious flesh is always going to be as popular and as lucrative a business as that which appeals to his carnal flesh (II Cor. 11:20).

When Paul added that those teachers of the law understood “neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm,” that was a polite way of saying they didn’t know what they were talking about! All because they were one dispensation too late in their teaching. What’s that say about all those “desiring to be teachers of the law” in our own day?

Maybe you are thinking, “If the goal of the law is to get us to love God and our neighbor (I Tim. 1:5), and we’re not under the law, does that mean God doesn’t want us to love God and our neighbor?” Of course He does! But now such loving charity is the goal of a new commandment. You see, when Paul said that “the end of the commandment is charity” (I Tim. 1:5), he wasn’t just referring to the goal of the ten commandments.

Remember, Paul opened this epistle by insisting that he was an apostle “by the commandment of God” (I Tim. 1:1), and in the dispensation of grace, the goal of that commandment is charity out of a pure heart. The goal of Paul’s God-ordained apostleship is to get people saved and loving God and their neighbor, just as it was under the law. The difference is, in this dispensation, “the love of Christ constraineth us” to serve Him (II Cor. 5:14), not the fear of what will happen to us if we disobey Him, as was the case under the law. That’s the motivation of love, not law! That’s the motivation of grace.

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.

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

“From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling” (I Timothy 1:5,6).

In football, a player scores a goal when he reaches “the end zone.” God’s “end” or goal in giving the ten commandments was “charity.” That is, His purpose was to get men to love God and their neighbor by telling them how to behave toward God and their neighbor. But some in the Ephesian church that Timothy pastored had swerved from that goal and “turned aside.”

The apostle did not choose that phrase at random, for three times we are told that Israel “turned aside” when they “made them a molten calf” (Ex. 32:8; Deut. 9:12,16). God gave the Jews a Law that said they must make no graven images, and they turned aside from it! So I suspect when Timothy began to preach that “we are not under law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:15) that some in Ephesus claimed, “Timothy is turning aside from the Law.” This prompted Paul to counter by using that same phrase to tell Timothy, “They’re right, we are turning aside from the Law, we’re under grace! (Rom. 6:15). But they’re turning aside from the goal of the Law,” unto something he calls “vain jangling.” So what’s that?

The word “vain” means empty, and “jangling” is an overly loud form of jingling. Jingle bells sound very festive; jangle bells, not so much! Whatever these Ephesians had turned aside to, it was empty, and evidently very jarring. And we don’t have to guess as to what it was, for Paul goes on to say,

“Desiring to be teachers of the law…” (I Timothy 1:7).

Some in Ephesus were turning aside from the goal of the law to focus on the law itself! They were swerving and turning aside from loving charity and focusing on the law that was supposed to produce loving charity. And when the law is taught to members of the Body of Christ who are not under the law, it always leads to the very opposite of loving charity. When some legalists put the Galatians under the law, it caused them to “bite and devour one another” (Gal. 5:15). Interestingly enough, another definition of the word “jangling” is quarreling or bickering. As you know, when men quarrel and bicker it sounds more like jangle bells than jingle bells!

Paul had to write to Titus about the same problem:

“…there are many vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision…” (Titus 1:10).

What do you think those vain talkers of the circumcision were talking about? I’ll give you a hint. The Greek word for “vain talkers” is a form of the same word translated “vain jangling” in our text. Yes, that’s right, the vain talkers in Crete, where Titus was stationed, were talking about the same thing as the vain janglers in Ephesus, the law. The law was once pleasant jingling, but when it is levied on people who are not under the law it becomes vain jangling.

What do you say we all focus on the goal of the law rather than on the law itself? Jangle bells never sound good, but the pleasant jingle bells of love and grace are always in season!

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.