Monthly Archives: November 2018
Paul’s Sign Ministry in Ephesus
The Hope of Glory
Despite to the Spirit of Grace and Loss of Salvation
“If someone does despite to the Spirit of grace, will they lose their salvation (Heb. 10:29)?”
“He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy…of how much sorer punishment… shall he be thought worthy, who hath…done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:28,29).
The only other time the phrase spirit of grace is used in the Bible is in Zechariah 12:10:
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications…”
After unsaved Jews in Jerusalem crucified the Lord, God poured His Spirit of grace “upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (cf. Acts 2:17,18). So when Hebrews 10:29 asks about the fate of any who “hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace,” it is asking about the fate of the unbelievers in Israel who blasphemed the Spirit by stoning a Spirit-filled man (Acts 6:5; 7:51). As the Lord predicted, this was an unpardonable sin (Matt. 12:31,32).
However, none of this has anything to do with members of the Body of Christ, living in the dispensation of grace. Blaspheming the Spirit today is not an unpardonable sin.
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.
God’s Ability and Responsibility in Our Salvation
Life-Savers
“The world passeth away” (1 John 2:17).
“The whole world lieth in wickedness (1 John 5:19).
Christians who spend their time and energy in social service, civic reform, programs for the uplift of the community, etc., forget that this world is like a sinking ship. They are wasting their time and energy trying to save the wreck instead of saving individuals from the wreck.
Paul lived in a day when politics were corrupt, when power trampled righteousness under foot, when society was degraded, when purety was laughed at, and immorality was exalted. He saw what was called “art and culture” dragging thousands down as it tempted them from statues that almost lived, and from writings and pictures so vile that they were only surpassed by the actual immorality from Nero’s court down.
Yet you never find him taking part in political campaigns, nor urging social reform. His great aim was to present the Lord Jesus Christ as the One to whom individuals must fly for salvation.
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 – November 2018
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