Part 2: The Teaching of the Cross

Posted on December 3, 2001 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

As we began our voyage last month, the first port of call brought us to the predictions of the Cross. David gave us a vivid description of the crucifixion of Christ one thousand years before it actually transpired. Psalm 22 is a remarkable testimony of the foreknowledge of God.

With our sails reset, we are now going to consider the teaching of the Cross. As our voyage brings us within view of the crucifixion, we want to study the events preceding and following this great historical event. We are now sailing with Peter, as the drama of redemption continues to unfold. As we sound the depths of the Word of God, exactly what did Peter and the other apostles of the kingdom understand and teach about the Cross?

UNWELCOME WORDS

“From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day” (Matt. 16:21).

Approximately one year before the end of our Lord’s earthly ministry, He began to teach His disciples about His impending death. This is another noteworthy reference to the Deity of Christ. Who among us can predict the place, time, or manner of our death—Christ did! Once again, the Spirit of God demonstrates that both the sovereignty of God and human responsibility were key components in the crucifixion. The term “must” here is a clear indication that Christ’s death at Jerusalem was unalterable according to the plans and purpose of God. This intersects with the foreknowledge of God, which permitted the leaders in Israel to carry out their diabolical plan to have the Lord executed.

After the Lord foretold His death, Peter received them as unwelcome words, therefore he took Him aside and began to rebuke Him: “Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee” (Matt. 16:22). If Peter were around today, he would be the last one chosen to head up a high profile national ministry. In the eyes of many, he was impetuous, ignorant, unlearned—a mere lowly fisherman. But the Lord saw something in Peter, as He does in all believers. In Peter’s case, his greatest asset was a willing heart. The clay was pliable! Thus, the Potter could fashion him into a vessel of honor, fit for the Master’s use. As Peter matured in the faith, he, on more than one occasion, disarmed his critics and left them speechless (Acts 4:13).

As we return to his formative years, Peter couldn’t believe his ears regarding what would soon take place at Jerusalem. It engendered this response, “Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee.” In essence he is saying, “You are the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel. We will defend you with our last breath, if need be.” Peter’s actions proved the sincerity of his love when he drew the sword, the night the Lord was betrayed, and attempted to separate the High Priest’s servant’s head from his shoulders. Malchus apparently took evasive action, or an unseen hand protected him, which resulted in only his ear being cut off. There is no record of anyone ever dying in the presence of our Lord (John 18:10,11).

For one reason or another Peter failed to understand that, according to prophecy, the sufferings of Christ must precede the glory of the kingdom. This first part was partially veiled, therefore he only saw the brilliance of the crown before him. Peter had a classic case of tunnel vision! He was looking forward to the Golden Age—that time of peace and righteousness when Israel’s enemies will be subdued and the faithful will reign with the Messiah upon the earth.

“But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matt. 16:23).

Moments earlier Peter had been the mouthpiece of the Father, when he announced the Master was the Messiah, the very Son of God. How quickly things changed, now he had become the mouthpiece of Satan when he declared, “be it far from Thee Lord,” which demonstrated his indifference to the will of God. Simply because we are believers does not preclude us from being an instrument in Satan’s hand. There is nothing more pitiful than a child of God who’s caught in the snare of the devil. Sadly, those who allow themselves to become ensnared in his web of deceit are usually the last ones to be aware of it.

Peter fell into Satan’s trap by failing to savor the things of God. In this context, the “things of God” speaks of the rejection and suffering of His dear Son to accomplish the plan of redemption, even though this was not fully understood at the time. Rather than accepting God’s word by faith, Peter followed in the footsteps of Satan by relishing the things of men; that is, glory and honor and recognition. The kingdom was just too close to entertain the thought of anything happening to the Master. As we follow this line of thought, it helps us to better understand the Savior’s next statement:

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24).

This passage has suffered greatly at the hands of those who apply it devotionally to believers today. Many say, for example, that “your cross” may take the form of financial reversals, loss of health, or whatever other burdens you may be bearing. But, dispensationally, the Lord is speaking about what the kingdom saints may be called upon to endure for the cause of Christ. Those who denied themselves and followed Him would be rejected and, in all probability, pay the ultimate sacrifice for their faith. According to Church history, all the apostles of the kingdom died a martyr’s death. In the case of Peter, it is said he requested to be crucified upside down out of respect for His Master’s sacrificial work.

AN AMBITIOUS REQUEST

“And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death. And shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again” (Matt. 20:17-19).

Now, in the shadow of the Cross, the Lord takes His disciples aside to give them a more detailed account of the events soon to unfold at Jerusalem. He confirms the words of the prophet, that He would be betrayed into the hands of ungodly men who would condemn Him to death. It should also be noted that the Gentiles would bear the responsibility of carrying out the will of the leaders of Israel. This is the first time that the Lord specifically states the manner of His death. He would suffer death by crucifixion, as foretold in Psalm 22!

What exactly did the disciples and the kingdom saints understand about the death, burial, and resurrection at this point in time? Nothing! Clearly the disciples did not grasp the significance of these events, nor did they place their faith in the coming death of Christ at Calvary to be saved, although this would be the means by which they would be redeemed. According to the biblical record, these things were hidden from them (See Luke 18:31-34).

This sheds more light on why the disciples seemed oblivious to our Lord’s words. They were more interested in the glories of the kingdom and the positions they would have when they reigned with Him. This is substantiated by what follows.

“Then came to Him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him. And He said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in Thy kingdom” (Matt. 20:20,21).

Every mother wants the best for her children, but sometimes her ambition can be a product of the flesh. Concluding that the kingdom would soon be established, the Mother of James and John wanted her sons to have the distinct honor of being seated on the right and left hand of the Master. Of course, James and John competently argued the case. After all, they were among the first who left their fishing nets behind and faithfully followed the Lord. The true intent of their request was to secure positions of authority so they could rule over others, like the Gentiles. But the Gentiles desire for such power was purely selfish.

What they failed to comprehend was, the kingdom could not be established until the Master had suffered and died for the sins of the nation. The Lord also reveals in this portion that they, too, would drink of this same cup. Then He adds, “to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.” Most likely this honor will be given to Moses and Elijah, who represent the law and the prophets (Matt. 16:28; 17:1-3).

You see, the key to greatness in the kingdom was not based upon position and power, things that the Gentiles covet, but character. They were to follow in the spirit of our Lord who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give Himself a ransom for many. Christ was the Creator of all things, yet He humbled Himself and took on the form of a lowly servant. Thus, the Master admonishes His disciples, “whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant” (Matt. 20:23-28). We believe this same principle can be applied to the Body of Christ when we rule and reign with Christ in the heavenlies.

REMOVAL OF THE VEIL

“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day” (Luke 24:44-46).

It was not until after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ that the Lord opened the disciples’ eyes that it was He who was spoken of in the Law of Moses (Deut. 18), and the prophets (Isa. 53), and the Psalms (Psa. 22). The veil that once shrouded their eyes on this matter was removed. It now became clear to them for the first time that Christ was the promised Redeemer the Scriptures had foretold. But let us be careful not to assume that the disciples understood more than they did. They merely understood the fact of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Nothing more!

Armed with this new light, the disciples continued to proclaim Christ in accordance with the prophetic theme, which portrayed Him as a victim. This is confirmed by Peter’s address to his countrymen on the day of Pentecost.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1).

As we enter into the bay of the Book of Acts, we are still sailing in prophetic waters. Peter is going to cautiously steer us through the dangerous shoals created by the traditions and commandments of men. It is important to remember that the early chapters of the Acts record are merely a continuation of the earthly ministry of Christ.

Luke makes this very plain when he writes, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen.” The “former treatise” that Luke refers to here is the gospel according to Luke, wherein he introduced his friend Theophilus to “all that Jesus began both to do and to teach.” But as Paul Harvey would say, “Now for the rest of the story….” “To whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:1-3).

When Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost to address his countrymen, he preached the same message that he had during the earthly ministry of Christ, with one addition—He charged Israel with the death of her Messiah!

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:22,23).

As we have seen, the death of Christ was according to the sovereign design of God, referred to here as “the determinate counsel.” Peter strongly asserts Christ was not delivered into the hands of evil men due to “weakness” or that He was beyond the control of the circumstances surrounding Him. The Scriptures are unmistakably clear that Christ gave His life voluntarily (John 10:17,18).

Interestingly, Peter adds, “and foreknowledge of God.” God chose the most appropriate time, place, and manner for His will to be carried out. Simply because God foreknew the actions of those who would reject and condemn His Son does not diminish from their guilt. Some of those standing before Peter at Pentecost were the very co-conspirators who helped set up the false witnesses against the Lord. There were also those present who cried out, “Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas!” Hiding behind them were the ones who chanted, “Away with him, away with Him, crucify Him!”

Peter wasn’t one to mince words. He effectively exposed the guilt of those responsible for the death of Christ when he stated, “ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” It was as if the blood was dripping off the ends of their fingers. Incidentally, have you heard any good news up to this point? For want of a better term, Peter was preaching the bad news of the Cross. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he tightened the noose with: you crucified Him, but God the Father raised Him from the dead and placed Him at His own right hand until all His enemies are made His footstool. Let all Israel know who committed this evil deed that they are the enemies of God (Acts 2:24-36).

Suppose for a moment you and a friend planned and carried out the perfect murder. Unexpectedly, a couple of months later your friend taps you on the shoulder and says, “By the way, remember that man we murdered, he’s back from the dead and he’s looking for us.” Now that would have your undivided attention! In like manner, Peter had his hearers’ attention when he charged them with the death of Christ. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” That is, what must we do to be saved from this terrible sin we have committed?

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent….” Finally, here’s the good news, “repent” repent of what? Repent of crucifying their Messiah. This would have included belief on His name, that He was who He claimed to be, the Messiah, the very Son of God (John 20:31). “And be [water] baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, [Upon expressing their faith in this manner, they would have been saved according to Mark 16:16], and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

These were the amended terms of salvation under the kingdom gospel after the day of Pentecost. Land ho! We are most grateful to Peter who has brought us safely to our destination where he will give the first legitimate offer of the kingdom to Israel (Acts 3:17-21). Her rejection, however, of God’s gracious offer of repentance will mark a major turning point in God’s dealings with mankind.

One of the things from Peter’s message that we would all do well to remember is, we are always responsible for our actions. The greater the position, the greater the responsibility. Next month we will be sailing with Paul!

Part 1: The Prediction of the Cross

Posted on November 3, 2001 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer to sing the old hymns of the faith. And for good reason: they are objective, that is, Christ is the primary object of the message. If you listen carefully, most contemporary Christian music is subjective. It emphasizes what the believer has done for the Savior. Since singing is an integral part of our worship, all the glory is to be given to the Lord. Although the old hymn writers generally captured the essence of the Scriptures, occasionally they were inconsistent. Perhaps the most beloved of the old hymns is the Old Rugged Cross by George Bennard. In poetic prose he beautifully portrays the sufferings and death of our Savior.

The Old Rugged Cross

On a hill far away stood an old rugged Cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old Cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

Surely we shall never exchange the Cross for a crown, as the last sentence of the chorus suggests. Those nail prints in the Savior’s hands and feet will be a constant reminder throughout eternity of His finished work (Zech. 13:6; John 20:25-29; Rev. 5:5-9). Christ is our Redeemer who “became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.” He didn’t die just any death; He died the death of the Cross. Death by crucifixion in biblical times was one of the world’s most disgraceful and cruel methods of torture. The Jewish historian, Josephus, had witnessed countless crucifixions, which he called “the most wretched of deaths.” Cicero referred to it as “the most cruel and hideous of tortures.” Will Durant writes, “even the Romans pitied the victims.”

As we prepare to enter into a study on the Cross of Christ, we are about to embark upon a great journey over a sea of Scriptures. Our journey begins in prophetic waters with the “Prediction of the Cross.” David will be our captain who will steer us through the afflictions Christ would endure at Calvary.

A PSALM OF DAVID

“My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? why art Thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but Thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.” (Psa. 22:1,2).

As we gather our thoughts around Psalm 22, we have perhaps one of the most detailed accounts of the sufferings of Christ found in the Word of God. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the heading “Aijeleth Shahar” appears above this Psalm, which translates into “The hind of the dawn of the morning,” which is interpreted to mean “the young deer suffers innocently, but the dawn brings relief.” Though veiled at the time, the correlation is to be made with Christ, who suffered and died as an innocent victim, but the dawn of the resurrection brought relief.

There may be another path of thought here as well. Recent arche-ological discoveries suggest that the Hebrews likened the horns of the deer to the morning light. In other words, they viewed the shafts of the antlers to be like shafts of light. Interestingly, the morning sacrifice in Israel was offered as soon as the Watcher on the pinnacle of the temple saw the morning dawn. He would then shout, “Behold the first rays of light shine forth.” Hence, the 22nd Psalm marks the dawn of redemption.

In addition, Psalms 22, 23, and 24 form a trilogy. In John 10, Christ is said to be the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, as depicted in Psalm 22. According to Hebrews 13, Christ is called the Great Shepherd who was brought again from the dead to guide His people through the wilderness of sin and death. This is the theme of Psalm 23. Finally, the Chief Shepherd of I Peter 5 finds its roots in Psalm 24 where Christ returns in power and great glory to establish His Kingdom upon the earth.

One of the remarkable things about the 22nd Psalm is that David vividly described the crucifixion of Christ approximately 1,000 years before the event took place. Another amazing fact is that death by crucifixion had not yet been introduced into humanity at the time of David’s writing. It is believed the Assryians were the first to use this form of execution, for they were well known for their inhuman tortures. But what the Assyrians created, the Romans perfected. By the time of Christ, death by crucifixion was the chief form of execution in the Roman Empire for crimes against the state.

As we study Psalm 22, the Psalm is divided into two parts, the spiritual sufferings of Christ and His physical sufferings. The Psalm begins with “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” and ends with “he hath done this,” (vs. 31) or as the Hebrew conveys, “It is finished!” “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” was one of the seven last sayings Christ uttered from the Cross. The word “forsaken” is perhaps one of the most tragic words in the human language. It is difficult for us to understand how a mother could abandon her newborn, but sadly it’s a common occurrence. We are stunned when we hear about a husband who has forsaken his wife of many years. We ask why? We have trouble believing it, much less accepting it.

But when the Son of God states that He was forsaken by the Father, we stand amazed. If there is one thing that characterized the life of Christ upon the earth, it was the unbroken communion which He enjoyed with the Father. The silence of heaven was broken on more than one occasion when the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” (Matt. 17:5). But now in His darkest hour the Father had forsaken His Son. Why? This was the very question that weighed heavily upon the Son’s heart as He sought to understand, humanly speaking, why He had been abandoned.

As darkness descended from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. the day Christ died, the Son reasoned, “O my God, I cry in the daytime, but Thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent…Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them” (Psa. 22:2,4). Here we have the innermost thoughts of Christ as He hung on the Cross. It is the only place in the Word of God where we are told what the Savior was actually thinking as darkness fell over Palestine. Only the Spirit of God could have given us this remarkable revelation through the prophet. The Son reasoned with the Father, “Our fathers trusted in Thee: they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them.” As the Son pondered the history of His people, He recalled how Samson was delivered from the hand of the Philistines; Daniel from the mouths of hungry lions; and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace. But there would be no deliverance for the Son, who was foreordained to suffer for the sins of His people, indeed for the sins of the world!

The Son answered His own question as to why He was forsaken of the Father in verse 3: “But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” The Father is holy, which speaks of His moral excellence. Sin is, without exception, a violation of His holiness. Our finite minds cannot begin to take in the majesty and holiness of God. He is infinitely pure. This helps us to understand the purpose for the veil in the tabernacle; it separated a holy God from His unholy people. Both King Uzziah and Isaiah had an encounter with God’s holiness with totally different results.

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke” (Isa. 6:1-4).

During the years that Uzziah reigned, he led Judah in a program of peace and prosperity. But while the nation prospered materially, it was bankrupt spiritually. Note that in the year Uzziah died Isaiah “also” saw the Lord sitting upon His throne. This strongly suggests that Uzziah had been exposed to the holiness of God, but with catastrophic consequences. Although the king had done that which was right in the sight of the Lord, he had foolishly intruded into the priest’s office by entering the temple and burning incense on the altar. Uzziah was stricken instantly with leprosy and died shortly thereafter for his intrusion into the holy things of God (II Chron. 26:16-23).

One sin brought death and banished Adam and Eve from the garden. One sin barred Moses from entering the Promised Land. One sin ended the lives of Ananias and Sapphira. You see, a right view of the holiness of God leads to a right view of sin. When Isaiah came into the presence of God and heard the Seraphims cry to one another “holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,” and felt the posts of the door move at his voice, this was Isaiah’s reaction: “Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.” Because Isaiah had the proper view of the holiness of God, he lived, and had his iniquity taken away, and his sin purged (Hebrew kaòphar or atoned—Isa. 6:5-7).

Since sin is a violation of God’s holiness, the Father could not look upon His Son who was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Christ bore the burden of our sins alone. As despair visited like an unwelcome friend, the Savior reasoned, “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” The term “worm” in this passage is the Hebrew word tola. The tola was a small maggot, specifically, the crimson grub. In ancient times they were placed in a bowl and crushed to produce a scarlet dye. As we know, Solomon robed the daughters of Israel in scarlet. May we suggest that the analogy we are to draw from the tola is this: the weight of Israel’s sins (and ours) crushed the life of Christ, who shed His precious blood that we might wear the garments of salvation.

THE PHYSICAL SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST

“Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and Thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me” (Psa. 22:12-17).

It is interesting how many references there are to animals in Psalm 22—the bull, lion, dog, unicorn, etc. Those who were responsible for the crucifixion were like the beasts of the field. They were cunning, vicious, and methodically stalked their prey. The strong bulls of Bashan undoubtedly refer to the religious leaders in Israel, who sought to gore the Lord with their horns of hate (Luke 23:8-21). Like the beast of the field that taunts it prey before killing it, these wicked leaders scoffed:

“He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the Cross, and we will believe Him.He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God” (Matt. 27:42,43). Thankfully, the Savior remained upon the Cross, for had He come down the world would have been swept into the lake of fire forever to satisfy the holiness and justice of God. Christ never wavered in His resolve to complete the work of redemption. The above clearly shows that these religious leaders were not only ignorant of the prediction of the Cross, they also had no comprehension whatsoever of the significance of Calvary.

Death by crucifixion was the death of deaths. The victim’s arms were outstretched and nails were driven through the palm of the hands. Then they tied off the wrists so the nails wouldn’t tear through the victim’s hands. Next, one foot was placed on top of the other and a large spike was driven through both feet. Hence, “they pierced my hands and my feet.” This was only the beginning of sorrows, for death by crucifixion was a slow excruciating process that took two or three days. Three rusty nails secured our redemption—one fastened the law to the Cross, one fastened the sins of the world to the Cross, and one fastened self to the Cross (Col. 2:14; II Cor. 5:14-19; Gal. 2:20).

While not a bone in our Lord’s body was broken, it does appear that when the Cross was placed into its slot the Savior’s arms were dislocated from His shoulders, based upon the statement “all my bones are out of joint.” Hanging by outstretched arms placed such tremendous pressure upon the lungs that it gradually became more and more difficult to breathe. To do so the victim had to push himself up by his feet to inhale. As the carbon dioxide levels increased in the body, the victim began to suffer from pulmonary edema, eventually dying from either a cardiac arrest or suffocation.

Interestingly, the Savior died within a matter of hours after being placed upon the Cross. In His own words He states, “my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels” (vs. 14). Could it be that the Savior died of a broken heart over the sins of the world? As the moment of His death approached, the Son prayed to the Father:

“But be not Thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste Thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog [Gentiles]” (Psa. 22:19,20).

It was the Savior’s desire to voluntarily give His life for the sins of the world and not have it ended by the sword of godless Gentiles. The Father graciously granted His Son’s request, for we read in the gospel according to John, the Savior had already given up the ghost before the sword touched His side: “Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him.But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:32-34).

PRACTICAL LESSONS FOR YOU AND ME

While the word of man is as unstable as water, the Word of God is always accurate and true, as we have seen from the prediction of the Cross and the actual fulfillment of the events nearly 1,000 years later. God’s Word is truth. So when we read a passage such as the following we can count on what is said to be true. “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (I Cor. 15:33,34).

The context of this passage is a warning not to adopt the ways of the world. Since the world had rejected the resurrection, their philosophy was to eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die. Those of the household of faith are appalled at such reasoning. But God says, be not deceived, evil associations gradually destroy good morals. In other words, if you entangle yourself with the world, before long its influence will cause you to question and deny the Word of God. Consequently, sin and the condoning of sinful behavior is displeasing to God. The Corinthians are a prime example of failing to heed this warning, but let us not be guilty of the same (I Cor. 5:1-13; 6:1-8,13-18; 11:20-22).

Psalm 22 teaches us that there is a conflict between good and evil in the world. Christ was the very embodiment of everything that is good and righteous. His enemies, on the other hand, were given to lies and hypocrisy. They hated Him without a cause. Therefore, we should not be surprised when the world hates us without a cause for standing for the truth of the gospel.

Holding Forth the Faith with a Clear Conscience

Posted on October 5, 2001 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” (I Tim. 1:19).

The Civil War was a dark chapter in the history of America. Thankfully, we have lived to see the abolition of slavery with its various forms of cruelty. But few realize that the underlying issue of the conflict was states’ rights, which has never fully been resolved to this day.

Several years ago, our family visited Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Needless to say, it was a memorable experience. The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the defining moments of the Civil War. As we stood on Cemetery Ridge, it wasn’t difficult to envision the battle that took place there on July 3, 1863. General Lee’s strategy was to attack the Union Army head-on and split it into two parts. It was called “Pickett’s Charge.” The idea, of course, was to divide and conquer.

Envision for a moment over 12,000 Confederate soldiers, with guns in hand, yelling at the top of their lungs, charging toward you. The initial wave of soldiers covered an area nearly one mile wide. It would be enough to make a strong man tremble. As we know, the North was triumphant that fateful day, but scores of good men lost their lives in the cause. Lieutenant General John B. Gordon of the South stated after the war that he believed, “It was the providence of God that the North won for had the South been victorious, the nation would have been fragmented.”

THE IMAGES OF CONFLICT

Perhaps the most touching moment of the visit came when we visited the National Cemetery where President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysbury Address. There were 15,000 present the day he spoke these memorable words:

“Now we are engaged in a great Civil War, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.”

Brethren, we too, are engaged in a great conflict—a conflict between good and evil, between righteousness and unrighteousness. The heavenly ground upon which we stand has been hallowed by the precious blood of Christ. Furthermore, it is consecrated by the sacrifices of those courageous soldiers of the Cross, both living and dead, “far above our poor power to add or detract.” Therefore, when the battle grows intense, let us not draw back as some have done. I personally believe this was the intent of Paul’s words to Timothy, “Holding faith, and a good conscience.” In other words, stand fast, don’t be discouraged, never give up the fight, always do what’s morally right!

“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” (I Tim. 1:18,19).

The use of the term “son” by the apostle is a clear indication of his affection for Timothy. Although Timothy’s heart had been cultivated by his mother and grandmother, it was Paul who led him to Christ and nurtured him in the faith. We might have ten thousand instructors, but we normally only have one spiritual father who will naturally care for our spiritual welfare. This was the case with Paul and Timothy. Paul had become a spiritual father to this young man.

As we examine the record, we learn that the battle was so intense at Ephesus that Timothy had apparently become discouraged. Probably every child of God at one time or another has suffered from discouragement. This is another one of those things that fall under the category of: it’s not a matter of “if,” but “when.”

You can be certain that any time we’re discouraged we’ve taken our eyes off of the Lord. We begin to dwell on the circumstances around us. Since that’s enough to depress anyone, we try to deal with things in our own way. It usually goes something like this, “Step aside, I’m taking charge!” Of course, the harder we try to control things, the more complicated they become until we come to the end of ourselves. Then the lamentation is heard throughout the realm, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen!”

This is where Timothy was; he was ready to throw in the towel, as it were. While the counsel of many today would be to visit a psychologist, Paul always sought a biblical solution when dealing with the Lord’s people. He encourages his young friend by reminding him of his spiritual roots. Timothy had been called of God. You see, he had lost sight of that. Paul effectively draws his attention back to the things of the Lord.

Son, remember those “prophecies which went before on thee.” Notice, “on thee,” that is, Timothy. Clearly the prophets of grace, most of whom were probably with the Lord by this late date, had confirmed his calling of God. They apparently foretold what great things would be accomplished through this young man’s ministry to the glory of God.

In essence, the apostle is saying to his young friend, “Timothy don’t dwell on the circumstances, evil as they may be. Get your eyes back on the goal, the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Why are you so astonished that ungodly men are opposing and threatening you, it’s part of the territory, my son? Beloved, you must never forget you are called of Him and entrusted with that precious deposit. If God be for you, who shall be against you?” Thankfully, we know Timothy recovered from this temporary setback because a year later he is still faithfully serving the Lord when Paul writes to him a second time (II Tim. 1:1,2).

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT OF THE FAITH

With the apostle well along in years and facing a possible death sentence at Rome, Satan was turning up the heat on Paul’s companions. He knew the torch of grace would soon pass to them after the apostle’s death. One by one they departed from the apostle leaving the Church without field commanders, which eventually resulted in the religious confusion of the Dark Ages (II Tim. 1:15; 4:10,16).

But Timothy stood fast in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. It could well be that the prophets predicted he would be the lone voice after the apostle’s death to proclaim the message of grace in its purity. Church history bears out that after Timothy’s martyrdom, Paul’s gospel was compromised by the traditions and commandments of men. Sadly, it was diminished to a mere flicker of light until the Protestant Reformation.

For years Paul had been preparing Timothy for the inevitable—his departure to be with Christ. So when Timothy received word that the apostle would soon be executed in Rome, it came as little surprise. After Paul recovered from the initial shock that the ruling had gone against him, he writes to Timothy these touching words:

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (II Tim. 4:6,7).

Paul was a “ready” servant of the Lord. He was ready to visit Rome to minister the Word. Here, speaking of his impending death, he was ready to be offered, which is a subtle reference to the Old Testament libation. The libation, or drink offering, was poured over the sacrifice as an additional act of worship (Num. 28:10-14). The apostle wanted the end of his life to be looked upon as a testimony, one final act of worship, something over and above. In our case, we will probably face some sort of terminal illness, but may our desire be that of Paul’s, to glorify God with our last breath.

For “the time of my departure is at hand.” The word “departure” is a nautical term that has the idea to loose the ship from the mooring and set sail. As far as Paul was concerned, he was ready to set sail to be with Christ, which is far better. The apostle could also confidently say, “I have fought a good fight…I have kept the faith.” In addition to summarizing his lifelong ministry for the Lord, Paul meant this as a word of encouragement for Timothy that he should strive to do the same. It was his prayer that Timothy would be able to say this at the end of his life. Paul didn’t want his young friend to have any regrets.

“That thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” There are many good and noble battles being fought today; the battle over abortion, stem cell research, religious liberty, etc. While Christians should stand up and be numbered on these issues, the Church will never turn the tide of this world system. In fact, opposition against Christian values will grow worse and worse as we approach the Rapture. The answer is not reformation. We will never conform the world to our way of thinking. Rather those who oppose the truth need to be transformed by the gospel.

So then, the only fight that produces lasting results is the good fight of the faith. You see, until the lost are saved and come into a knowledge of the truth, there is no hope for change. In regard to the Church, until it submits itself to “the faith,” Paul’s special revelation, it will continue to flounder in a quagmire of confusion. This is why it’s essential that we stand in the defense and confirmation of Paul’s gospel. Those who understand Paul’s distinctive apostleship and message are the last bastions of hope for the members of the Body of Christ who are fighting the wrong battle.

What battle are we to be fighting? Clearly, it’s to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery—the special revelation that was committed to Paul concerning Christ. Interestingly there are two major revelations of Jesus Christ.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John” (Rev. 1:1).

The Greek word that stands behind the English term “revelation” in this passage is apokalupsis, which means the unveiling. In this context, it has to do with the revelation of Jesus Christ according to Prophecy. The Book of Revelation is merely an extension of the earthly ministry of Christ, which confirms that Christ will one day return in power and great glory to destroy the kingdoms of this world and establish His kingdom of righteousness for one thousand years (Matt. 24:14,29-31 cf. Rev. 11:15; 19:11-16; 20:5-7). The good fight of the faith in the coming day of the Lord will be to stand in defense of the kingdom gospel. This is the basis for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

“But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11,12).

The Greek word that stands behind the English term “revelation” here in Galatians 1:12 is also apokalupsis. In this context, however, it has to do with the revelation of Jesus Christ according to the Mystery. Paul received the unveiling of Jesus Christ in grace. This is the heavenly ministry of Christ concerning the Body of Christ, which was kept secret from ages and generations past. The apostle says, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace.” This special revelation came through Paul; he was God’s divinely chosen apostle to make known the manifold riches of His grace.

The good fight of the faith today then is to stand in defense of the gospel of the grace of God. This is the basis for the fulfillment of the commission of reconciliation. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Commander in Chief is not going to hand out honors to those who were defending the wrong commission. Which commission are you defending? Our marching orders are clear. God will not hold us blameless if we disobey the commands of Christ set forth in the manual of grace found in Paul’s epistles (Acts 20:24 cf. I Cor. 14:37).

MINISTERING THE GOSPEL WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” (I Tim. 1:19).

It is essential to minister the Word with a good conscience. Apparently there were those in Paul’s day that were careless in this regard, which greatly hampered their ministry. Conscience simply means “with knowledge.” When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, “they knew that they were naked” and sinned against God. The moment they partook of the forbidden fruit their consciences were activated, for we are told that they knew the difference between good and evil (Gen. 3:5-7).

Those who lived under the dispensation of conscience were to do all known good and abstain from all known evil. While we are no longer living under the regulations of that dispensation, God has never rescinded man’s conscience. It’s still alive and well in each of us. Luther once said, “It’s a dangerous thing to disobey your conscience.”

Our conscience is an early warning system that warns us against wrongdoing. We might liken it to a railroad crossing. When danger is approaching, in the form of a coming train, red lights begin flashing as the gates come down. But the railroad warning system is powerless to stop you from going around the gates and putting yourself in harm’s way. In a northwest suburb of Milwaukee, a car full of teenagers on their way to school one morning thought they could ignore the flashing lights and beat the oncoming train at the crossing. They were wrong, dead wrong! Objects approaching perpendicular to one another are always traveling faster than they appear to be. In other words, it’s much more difficult to judge distance accurately.

In like manner, the conscience has the ability to warn us of danger, but it, too, is powerless to keep us from sinning. If we fail to heed the warning and sin, we do so of our own volition. There are several consequences for disobeying the conscience, the primary one being guilt. The message Paul was sending to Timothy was this, always do that which is right in the Lord’s work. He was to abstain even from the appearance of evil for the sake of the gospel and his conscience.

We recently saw a news magazine that did an undercover camera investigation of a well-known national ministry. Apparently the tele-evangelist pledged he would pray over each and every letter he received from those who had sick loved ones—God was waiting to heal them!!! He encouraged the Lord’s people to send their requests, and handkerchiefs, along with a generous gift. The following week, what the undercover investigation recorded was the staff removing the checks from the envelopes and discarding the letters without even reading them, let alone praying for each request. The answer to the health, wealth and prosperity gospels of our day is Paul’s gospel.

Brethren, here at the Berean Bible Society every letter is read and every request honored. Whether it’s regarding a question, information, prayer request, or simply a book order. We also issue a receipt and acknowledgement for every donation. Of course, this doesn’t mean that things don’t occasionally fall through the cracks, but I think you’ll find our staff to be very conscientious. We are strong believers in accountability in the Lord’s work. Thus, it is our earnest desire to hold forth the faith with a clear conscience!

The Truth About the Truth

Posted on June 5, 2000 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

It has been brought to our attention that certain Bible teachers are using a quote found in Things That Differ to imply that Pastor Stam would be sympathetic with what they believe to be a fuller understanding of the Word, rightly divided. On page 13, Pastor Stam states:

“Though we have sought to make this book as comprehensive as possible, it is not presumed to be exhaustive for, as we say, the field of dispensational study is as great as the Bible itself. Should there still be some time remaining before the Lord returns to catch His own away, the Spirit will enlighten the hearts and minds of others to see what we have missed and other writers will doubtless improve upon what has been written here.”

While we would never want to discourage anyone from being a Berean, we do want to set the record straight as to what Pastor Stam does and does not believe. This matter has caused a great deal of confusion among the brethren. In fact, we have received an endless stream of letters regarding the subjects that follow. Since we feel Pastor Stam’s views are in full agreement with the Word, rightly divided, they will also serve as the official position of the Berean Bible Society.

Prayer: Over the years, Pastor Stam and I have had numerous discussions regarding the dispensational aspects of prayer. He was so dismayed with those who teach that believers should only pray about spiritual things, he used to say, “But God is our heavenly Father, like any good father He’s interested in every area of our lives. I don’t deny that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, but this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t offer thanks at meals or pray about an upcoming trip, Paul did!! In fact, he encouraged others to pray for his deliverance from a physical prison, didn’t he?” (See Phil. 1:19,20). Mr. Stam writes:

“Be careful [care-full, anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

`And’ what? “Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive?” NO!!

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [garrison] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6,7).

“Here is ample proof that God is not deaf to the cries of His children in this age. He wants them to pour out all their hearts before Him. There is nothing He does not wish to hear about. He says, `Tell me everything and be anxious about nothing for I’ll work it all out for your good.’ He who loves us is working out our future!

“How foolish then to say `What’s the use of praying if we may not even receive what we ask for?’ It is because of the very `darkness of this age’ that we must be willing to leave the outcome with Him. He may grant our request—but if not, He will give us what He knows is better! He is the Head of the Body and, remember, the head always does the thinking.”

—The Berean Searchlight

The Word of God: Although Pastor Stam has always held the King James Version of the Bible in high esteem, believing it to be a faithful and trustworthy translation of the original languages, he has never endorsed the teaching that it is perfect, inerrant, or without proven error, as some teach. He writes:

“Is the King James Version inerrant? If so, which edition? The late edition, which most `Inerrant KJV’ believers use? This would be like the pastor saying, `This Bible, the King James Version, is word-for-word, the inspired, inerrant Word of God,’ while holding up a late edition of the KJV. For remember, the King James Version has been edited and revised several times.

“Is it then the original 1611 edition of the KJV that is word-for-word inspired and inerrant? Then what about the hundreds of marginal notes put in by the translators, suggesting alternate readings? This in itself proves that the KJV text is not inerrant—not even the 1611 edition….But more: if the 1611 edition of the KJV is a word-for-word inspired, inerrant Word of God, it surely must follow that the English-speaking people had no Bible prior to 1611 and that non-English-speaking people today have no Bible at all!

“The `Inerrant KJV’ theory is, as we have said, not merely erroneous; but it is foolish, and especially so when associated with the preservation of the Bible through all generations.”

—The Berean Searchlight

The Lord’s Table: Concerning the Lord’s Supper, Pastor Stam has always taught that the Apostle Paul received a special revelation from our Lord regarding communion. The command of Christ is unmistakably clear that it should be observed until He returns for the Church, which is His Body. Mr. Stam writes:

“We believe firmly that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper was included in the great revelation committed by the glorified Lord to Paul and is therefore an integral part of the `one faith’ to which he refers in Ephesians 4:5, that body of doctrine to which all believers in this present dispensation of grace should subscribe.”

—The Lord’s Supper and the Bible

Chastisement: Based upon the fact we are living in the dispensation of Grace, many teach that God no longer chastises His saints. However, it is Pastor Stam’s conviction that chastisement is a transdispensational truth. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (I Cor. 11:30-32). He writes:

“We do not believe that the weakness, sickness and death referred to in these verses were the result of miraculous judgments dealt out to the recalcitrant believers at Corinth by spiritual leaders. The apostle states all too clearly that they were chastisements from God, inflicted on irresponsible believers that they should not be condemned with the world (ver. 32). This reminds us of that oft-repeated truth of Scripture.” “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb. 12:6, et al).

—Commentary on I Corinthians

While the above brethren are certainly entitled to their opinions, we would greatly appreciate it if they didn’t infer that Pastor Stam, or the Berean Bible Society, would endorse their teachings in any way. As ministers of the gospel may God help us to have a balance as we minister to others.

Copies of the above articles and books are available upon request.

The Wonders of His Grace

Posted on April 3, 2000 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

“Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer” (Phile. 1:1).

Paul’s letter to Philemon is a masterpiece of Christian correspondence. It is a prime example of how to deal with a sensitive issue in the proper manner. In the New Testament the epistles mark a new form of revelation. As we know, in time past the will of God was made known through the law, the prophets, the Psalms, and the Gospel narratives. When God introduced the format of the epistles, He adopted a more personal and direct method to communicate His will.

Like the facets of a diamond, this particular letter is a demonstration of God’s grace from different perspectives. The narrative opens with an affectionate greeting—”Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer.” Paul had a special place in his heart for Philemon, having led him to the Lord. This joyous occasion probably took place while the apostle resided at Ephesus, where it is said “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10). This is what Paul means when he says with all humility, “albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides” (Phile. 1:19).

Little wonder he addresses him, not simply as “beloved,” but “dearly beloved.” So Paul and Philemon had a very special relationship, but grace doesn’t take advantage of a brother in Christ on the basis that a debt of gratitude is owed. Grace is never presumptuous; it always takes into consideration the feelings and preferences of others.

YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE

The story of Philemon unfolds against the backdrop of slavery. Sadly, slavery was a fact of life in biblical times. There were at least four ways to become a slave: If a thief was unable to pay restitution he became the property of another; parents often sold their children into slavery; a man could sell himself into slavery to pay a debt; and one could be born into it. For the sake of the gospel Paul never advocated the abolition of slavery, but he did perceive the gospel would eventually eradicate it, which indeed it has for the most part.

Since slavery was woven throughout the fabric of the ancient world, it should not seem unusual that Philemon was a slave owner, even though he was a believer. While we tend to envision slaves chained together treading through the mud pits of Egypt, many were trusted servants who were given a wide range of responsibilities in their master’s affairs. This was the case with one of Philemon’s slaves named Onesimus. A seemingly trustworthy member of the household, Onesimus took advantage of his position by stealing from his master and fleeing from Colosse. Consequently, Paul says to his friend in the faith, “Which in time past [he] was to thee unprofitable” (vs. 11).

Why Onesimus ran away we are not told. Surely it could not have been that Philemon was a cruel taskmaster. Quite the contrary, he had the reputation of being an honorable man. In fact, his faith and love are crowning virtues in these opening passages. Paul says of him, “For we have great joy and consolation in thy love” (vs. 7). Philemon had received the saints into his home to worship, and, if nothing else, he was at least fair with his servants. It seems more probable that Onesimus had rebelled against his master who had faithfully shared with him the good news that Christ died for his sins.¹

What’s in a name? Back in biblical times names had great significance attached to them. Onesimus means profitable or helpful. But he was anything but helpful. He was a rebellious sinner who hardened his heart against God, betrayed his master’s trust, and ran away. You can run from God, but you can’t hide! God has unique ways of bringing the sinner and the gospel of salvation together. In this regard, I have had more funerals than I care to remember over the years, but one thing I’ve always been conscious of at such occasions is the providence of God. With one turn of the wheel, God alters the path of a sinner who would rarely darken a church door, to bring him under the sound of the gospel.

Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, relates this account from his years of ministry at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England:

Some three years ago I was talking with an aged minister, and he began fumbling about in his waistcoat pocket, but he was a long while before he found what he wanted. At last he brought out a letter that was well nigh worn to pieces, and he said, “God Almighty bless you! God Almighty bless you!” And I said, “Friend what is it?” He said, “I had a son—I thought he would be the stay [support] of my old age, but he disgraced himself, and he went away from me, and I could not tell where he went, only he said he was going to America. He took a ticket to sail for America from the London Docks, but he did not go on the particular day he expected.”

This aged minister bade me read the letter, and I read it, and it was like this: “Father, I am here in America. I have found a situation [employment], and God has prospered me. I write to ask your forgiveness for the thousand wrongs that I have done you, and the grief I caused you, for, blessed be God, I have found the Savior. I have joined a church here and hope to spend my life in God’s service. It happened thus: I did not sail for America the day I expected. I went down to the Tabernacle to see what it was like, and God met with me. Mr. Spurgeon said, `Perhaps there is a runaway son here. The Lord call him by His grace.’ And He did!”

“Now” said he, as he folded up the letter and put it in his pocket, “that son of mine is dead, and he is in heaven, and I love you, and I shall do so as long as I live, because you were the means of bringing him to Christ.”²

While some may conclude that Onesimus ended up in Rome by chance, Paul seems to suggest it was according to the providence of God when he says to Philemon: “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever” (vs. 15). Interestingly, the apostle tells us Onesimus departed, but he does not give us the sordid details of his sinful ways, which were best left unsaid. A good lesson for us to remember!

As Onesimus made his way to Rome he apparently came under deep conviction of his sin. He may have had his liberty, but he was still in bondage to his sins. Unable to function with the heavy burden he was carrying, he recalled that the saints at Colosse had been praying for the Apostle Paul who was a prisoner at Rome. Therefore, he may well have sought out the apostle. Whatever the case, Paul had an opportunity to lead Onesimus to the Lord (vs. 10). He was wonderfully saved by the grace of God! Grace reached down and unshackled him from the burden of his sins.

Centuries later, John Newton, that once old wretched slave trader who was also saved by grace, wrote a hymn to which each of us former Onesimi can surely relate:

“Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

“I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.”

HOW GRACE CHANGES US

Although some seem to think that grace gives us a license to sin, quite the opposite is true. It teaches us to deny ungodliness and to live righteously in this present evil age. The actions of both Paul and his new convert illustrate this—grace changes lives. Like anyone who comes to Christ, Onesimus looked back on his past life with regret. Clearly he had shared with the apostle how he had wronged his master (vs. 11 & 18). A life touched by grace is always characterized by honesty. It was now his desire to set the record straight with Philemon in spite of the consequences, but how to accomplish this was another matter.

Here the apostle intercedes for his new friend. He could have merely instructed Onesimus to return home, throw himself on the mercy of his master and pay restitution. But instead Paul acts in accordance with the mind of Christ. He offers to pay the debt on behalf of Onesimus. “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it” (vs. 18 & 19). That’s grace! Grace is acting on behalf of another who is unworthy and undeserving. If Onesimus got what he rightfully deserved, he probably would have been put to death, or at the very least endured hard bondage the rest of his days.

But Paul makes a compelling argument to Philemon. “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds” (vs. 10). The law commanded, “this do and thou shalt live,” but grace beseeches—I beg you! Philemon forgive Onesimus for the wrong he has done, “even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). Then the apostle adds:

“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly” (vs. 13 & 14).

Paul could have reasoned that the slate of Onesimus was wiped clean; therefore, I will use him here at Rome to minister to my needs. Think how much more I will be able to accomplish in the Lord’s work if I retain him. Surely Philemon will understand! But Paul valued the fellowship of Philemon far too much to take advantage of him. The apostle knew that Onesimus was the property of his friend, thus he would allow him the courtesy of making that decision. You see, grace always does what is right.

It literally takes years and years to earn the respect of others, but it can all be destroyed in a moment of time. This is why it is so essential to maintain a consistent godly testimony, as exhibited by the apostle. In his book, Ten Mistakes Parents Make with Teenagers, Jay Kesler describes a conversation he had with a young lady at a Youth for Christ summer camp:

This particular camp was in Ohio and after one of the services some kids came forward, but one young woman was having a difficult time so the counselors asked me if I would speak to her. We sat down in the front row of the Chapel, and through many tears her heartbreaking story began to unfold. She’d been molested by her father since she was four years old. She had never told anyone about this and carried a great sense of guilt, as though she were to blame for her father’s actions.

As she told me her story, I noticed that both of her wrists were scarred. (If you work with youth today, you see these marks often.) “Tell me about your wrists,” I said. “Well, I tried to kill myself.” “Why didn’t you do it?” I asked. Killing yourself is a relatively simple thing if you really want to do it. If it is just a bid for attention, the attempt is usually feeble. She said, “Well, I got to thinking…we have a youth pastor at our church….”

Oh no, I thought, now I’m going to hear an ugly story about her getting involved with some youth pastor. But that wasn’t it at all. She said, “He’d just gotten married before he came to our church, and I’ve been watching him. When he and his wife are standing in line at church he holds her hand. They look at each other affectionately, and they hug each other right in church. One day I was standing in the pastor’s study, looking out the window and the youth pastor walked his wife out to the parking lot. Now there was only one car in the parking lot; nobody was around; nobody was looking. And that guy walked all the way around the car and opened the door and let her in. Then he walked all the way around and got in himself. And there was nobody even looking.”

That was a nice story, but I couldn’t make the connection between that and her problem of incest and suicide. So I asked why this seemed significant to her. She said, “Well, I just got to thinking that all men must not be like my dad, huh?” I said, “You’re right. All men are not like your father.” “Jay, do you suppose our youth pastor’s a Christian?” “Yes,” I said, “I think he probably is.” “Well that’s why I came tonight. I want to be a Christian, too!”

Why did she want to trust Christ and become a Christian? Because she saw a believer being affectionate and respectful to his wife—when he thought no one was looking. That’s the power of a consistent life in Christ.³

A FINAL THOUGHT

The love that Paul and Philemon had for each other was mutual. Thus, he beseeches his friend on the basis of “love’s sake.” This was another opportunity for Philemon to demonstrate his love for the Lord and his apostle. So it is touching to see how Paul desires that Philemon receive Onesimus as himself. In short, “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself” (vs. 17). The grace and kindness you would show to me when I visit, show to our beloved Brother Onesimus. Put him up in the best lodging, give him my seat at your table, and provide for his needs, as you have done so generously for me. Accept him, even as the Father has accepted us in the Beloved. That’s grace!

In essence the aged apostle says to Philemon, Onesimus may have departed from you wearing the garments of a runaway, thieving slave, but I am sending him back to you clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, receive him, “Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?” (vs. 16). The gospel transforms lives! Onesimus returned a trusted servant and a steward of the mysteries of God with whom Philemon could now fellowship. As the hymn writer has said, “Grace ’tis a charming sound!”

Notes:

Pastor Kurth feels that Philemon may have neglected his responsibility to witness to Onesimus, which is certainly a possibility. Either way, the end result is the same, the providence of God was at work (See Pastor Kurth’s article: “Satan’s Devices”). May we challenge you to be a Berean (Acts 17:10,11).
Spurgeon’s Sermons, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Vol. 10, Page 320.
Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories and Illustrations, and Quotes, by Robert J. Morgan, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, Page 276.

That Precious Deposit

Posted on March 5, 2000 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

The story is told of how a wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.”

The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t very much, I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.” The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. “Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.” The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the great works of art he had collected.

The man died a few months later. Shortly thereafter, there was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having the opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?” Another voice shouted angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!” But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. “We have $10, who will bid $20?” “Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, going twice, SOLD for $10!” A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection.”

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.” “What about the paintings?” “I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!”

God gave His Son 2000 years ago to die on a cruel Cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The Son, the Son, who’ll take the Son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the Son inherits everything! (Author unknown.)

EARTHEN VESSELS

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (II Cor. 4:7).

In biblical times earthen vessels were clay pots that had been thoroughly baked in an oven. They were fraught with imperfections, which meant that no two were exactly alike. Archeologists have discovered that those who lived during that period secretly buried their treasures in clay pots for safekeeping. As we shall see, the master illustrator uses this facet of everyday life to illustrate a grand spiritual truth.

Those who have taken the Son are heirs, joint-heirs with Him. As members of the Body of Christ, we are partakers of His glory, His power, and His reign. In short, we are the recipients of the wealth of heaven! While the believing Gentiles will partake of the blessings of the kingdom, they are not said to be heirs. In the kingdom, heirship is a question of nationality. In the present dispensation of Grace, heirship is based upon relationship. We are one in Him. Therefore, what rightfully belongs to Him, we have come into possession of, and will share it mutually with Him for eternity (Rom. 8:17 cf. Eph. 3:6).

Today when men want to safeguard their riches they place them in vaults made of steel and concrete. But God’s ways are not man’s ways. God has deposited the riches of His grace in earthen vessels. We need not wait until we arrive in heaven to learn what we presently possess in Christ. We have this treasure, that is, the gospel of the grace of God in earthen vessels. Those who have been saved by grace are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. But what we positionally enjoy in Christ must become a practical reality in the Christian experience if we ever hope to maintain a godly testimony among men. For example, we are forgiven in Christ, but grace teaches us that we are to forgive others even as Christ has forgiven us.

In the year 1818, Tamatoe, King of Huahine, one of the South Sea Islands, believed the gospel. He discovered a plot among his fellow natives to seize him and other converts and burn them to death. However, he organized a band to attack the plotters and captured them unawares. Having exposed the plot, he forgave them, and set a feast before his would-be captors. This unexpected kindness amazed the savages, who burned their idols and became Christians. (Paul Lee Tan, Signs of the Times, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, Assurance Publishers, Rockville, MD, 1979.)

But why would God place these unspeakable riches in such an unsecure place? We are unworthy sinners, weak and frail, who have the sentence of death within us. Perhaps the hymn-writer, Robert Robinson, has expressed it best, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” The answer to the question is found in the latter part of our passage. “That the excellency [exceeding greatness] of the power may be of God, and not of us.” While others usually think more highly of us than they should, essentially it is the power of God working through us that produces results in the Lord’s work.

Many years ago I was invited to minister the gospel at a Bible camp in the Rocky Mountains. On the last evening, I spoke on “The Danger of Falling Into the Hands of An Angry God.” Earlier that day I hadn’t been feeling well, due to altitude sickness. In addition to being exhausted that night, I was short of breath. At ten thousand feet it doesn’t take much to get winded. I now understand why it took Moses so long to return from Mount Sinai with the tablets of stone. He undoubtedly had to keep stopping on his way down to catch his breath! As I arose to speak that evening I thought to myself, this is going to be an absolute disaster. It was, or at least I thought it was, until I learned two months later that an entire family was saved that night. Brethren, the gospel is the “power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom 1:16).

At the Judgment Seat of Christ no one will be able to boast regarding what he or she has accomplished, for the power is solely of God and not of us. “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” In the final analysis, God will receive all the glory and honor and praise and adoration for the great things He has done. We are merely vessels through whom God has poured out the riches of His grace to a lost and dying world.

What is your attitude toward the Mystery? When the final chapter of your life is written and the book is closed, will you be able to say with the Apostle Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”? May you have no regrets at that day!

Paul’s Gospel and the Incarnation

Posted on December 5, 1998 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Gal. 4:4,5

While we fully acknowledge that we no longer know Christ after the flesh, the Apostle Paul was careful never to distance himself too far from the incarnation of Christ. We might call the incarnation the “taproot” of Paul’s gospel. As dispensationalists, we like to have things neatly compartmentalized, but sometimes, such as in the case of redemption, God has drawn a single thread throughout the tapestry of the dispensations. Thus, God’s triumph over sin has some aspects that are inseparably linked together. For example, had not the Savior entered the world in the manner that He did, the secret of the gospel, which is Calvary, would have never been possible.

GOD’S APPOINTED TIME

Shortly after Adam’s fall God pronounced the curse, but thankfully, it also included a prediction regarding the coming of the Redeemer. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15). God put enmity between Satan, who embodied the serpent, and the woman. There is a natural hatred between those who are of their father, the devil, and those who love the Lord. This marked the beginning of the struggle between righteousness and unrighteousness. With innocence but now a fading memory, Cain wickedly defied God and murdered his brother Abel, who “by faith…offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice…by which he obtained witness that he was righteous.” Dr. Gaebelein called this endless struggle the “Conflict of the Ages.”

Although this conflict continues to this day, it reached its greatest intensity when the Savior came into the world. Paul etches this historic moment with the phrase “…when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.” In short, when darkness gripped mankind. When all hope was but a fading ember. When Rome ruled the world. When the time of Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled:

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks1, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times” (Dan. 9:25).

According to the determinate counsel of God He had foreordained the day, month, and year of the sending forth of His dear Son. Luke’s phrase “And it came to pass in those days,” and Paul’s “But when the fulness of the time was come,” show us how the sovereignty of God and the affairs of men came together in a wonderful way to accomplish the will of God. With one turn of the wheel God fulfilled a twofold purpose.

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child” (Luke 2:1-5).

After centuries of waiting for the consolation of Israel, the fulness of time had finally arrived. Unbeknown to him, under the guidance of the providence of God, Caesar Augustus determined that “all the world should be taxed.” This particular census required that everyone under the sphere of Roman rule return to the place of their extraction. Since both Mary and Joseph were of the house and lineage of David, it necessitated that they return to Bethlehem to be registered. Of course, by this time Mary was already in the latter part of her pregnancy.

What little money Mary and Joseph had was probably nearly depleted by the time they arrived at the city of David. It made little difference, since weary travelers had already filled every available room in town. Even the stables were overflowing with beasts of burden. Apparently, Mary and Joseph found refuge at one of the outbuildings or caves nearby, which at least gave them shelter from the cool night air. Far from the ivory palaces of Rome, Christ was born in the obscure little village of Bethlehem. There was no pomp or fanfare, only the sigh of the wind as it blew the autumn leaves across the dirt floor.

Once the Word became flesh, Satan focused his attention upon the earthly ministry of Christ. The battle raged for thirty-three years, climaxing in the forces of evil turning the tide of public opinion against the Savior, which resulted in His crucifixion.

Thus, the prediction was fulfilled that the seed of the woman “…shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” At Calvary Christ bruised the head of the serpent. In the Hebrew the term “bruise” has the idea to crush. Any one who has been raised on a farm will be the first to tell you that those reptiles we call snakes are extremely difficult to kill. In fact, unless you crush its head it will normally go slithering away. While Satan crushed the heel of the Savior (a blow that would not prove to be fatal due to the resurrection of Christ) God utterly destroyed the Serpent at the Cross. Calvary drove the proverbial death nail in the coffin of “…him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). Essentially, Satan was stripped of his power; therefore the believer is well served to remember that he is a defeated foe.

A MIRACULOUS EVENT

“God sent forth His Son, made of a woman….” Not just any woman—she must fulfill the word of the prophet—a virgin, one who anticipated the consolation of Israel. Based on Paul’s reference that Christ “knew no sin,” the apostle assumes that we understand that He was born of the virgin. The very premise of the finished work of Christ is based on the virgin birth. Clearly, there is no room for debate on this matter.

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall [miraculously] conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14).

The Scriptures announced the virgin birth through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah 750 years before it took place. He was the first to proclaim to Israel that the Redeemer would be born of a virgin. The Hebrew word used here by Isaiah is almah, which can refer to a woman who has never known a man, but it can also speak of a woman who has known a man depending on the context. Many of the modern translations render almah as “young woman” to avoid the thorny issue of the virgin birth. However, we believe this to be an inferior rendering in this particular context.

We must remember that this unique event would be a sign from Jehovah. Surely, a young woman who had known a man out of wedlock, though wrong, wouldn’t be that unusual. Consequently, the eye of faith would naturally conclude Isaiah meant a virgin who had kept herself pure from immorality. This would be the sign of signs. In addition, the Holy Spirit has built a safeguard into the biblical record, that our faith might be based upon substance rather than what some might call a questionable rendering.

Interestingly, if we compare Isaiah 7:14 with Matthew 1:23 it is quite obvious that Matthew is quoting Isaiah when he states: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child….” Here the Holy Spirit rolls out the sixteen-inch guns, as it were, to safeguard the virginity of Mary. When we move from the Hebrew to the Greek language the Greek word for “virgin” is parthenos, which categorically refers to a woman who has never had relations with a man.

The names given to our Savior also tell a tale of the uniqueness of His first advent. Isaiah writes: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). Notice that Isaiah draws a sharp distinction between a child being born and a Son being given. The child points us to Christ’s birth, which speaks of His coming into human existence the night He was born in Bethlehem. His earthly name was to be “Jesus” (Jehovah saves), because He was to taste of every facet of human life, “yet without sin.”

However, when the prophet turns to the subject of the Son he is careful not to say He was born, but given. The Spirit’s sudden shift here in phraseology is significant. Since the Son of God is eternal He is said to be given to the world—”From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God” (Psa. 90:2 cf. Heb. 1:2). Consequently, His name “Immanuel” means “God with us.” These two names of our Savior join with a united voice to declare that “God was manifested in the flesh.” Although all this goes far beyond our comprehension, we nevertheless accept by faith that Christ was wholly divine and wholly human. And the virgin birth was the vehicle God used to accomplish this purpose.

This lays the foundation to show why the virgin birth is so important to God’s plan of redemption. The Apostle Paul emphatically states:

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers [Gr. koinoneo has the idea to share fully] of flesh and blood, He [Christ] also Himself likewise took part of [Gr. metecho means to share in, but not fully] the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).

This passage clearly states that the entire human race is completely identified with Adam’s sin (Gr. koinoneo). Years ago America’s young people cut their educational eyeteeth on the New England Primer. Today many in our country are willingly ignorant of the rich Christian heritage upon which this nation was founded. But thankfully, they are unable to silence the voice of the past. We find it of interest that early American school children learned their alphabet in the following manner:

“In Adam’s fall
We sinned all.

Xerxes the Great did die,
And so must you and I.”

Since the sin nature passes through the seed of the father, God the Father devised an ingenious plan to bring His beloved Son into the world without being contaminated with our sin. As we have seen, He accomplished His purpose through the miraculous conception and virgin birth. Our Heavenly Father, in His infinite wisdom, caused the Holy Spirit to so work in Mary that she conceived miraculously (Luke 1:35). Thus, when Christ “took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,” it was apart from sin (Gr. metecho). He was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

God’s triumph over sin is inseparably bound to the virgin birth. If Christ was not born of the virgin it must be said that He inherited the sin of Adam. This would mean that the death He died on the Cross was a result of His own sins! Thanks be unto God, however, He was indeed born of the virgin and knew no sin that He might be our sin bearer. He died our death! Our sins and iniquities were laid upon Him that “we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (II Cor. 5:21).

MADE UNDER THE LAW

Paul adds to his statement here in Galatians that Christ was “…made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” It is often overlooked and rarely acknowledged that Christ lived and ministered under the Law of Moses. Thus, the narratives commonly called the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are technically a continuation of the Old Testament. Before you set this article aside in disgust, consider a moment the accuracy of the apostle’s words that Christ was “made under the law.”

During the earthly ministry of Christ, the Master made a profound statement that He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. Furthermore, His followers were instructed by Him to obey those who sat in Moses seat (Matthew 5:17; 23:1-3). He told those that He healed to offer the proper sacrifice in accordance with the law (Mark 1:44). He also taught the law (Luke 24:44), and observed all the Levitical feast days that were handed down by Moses (John 2:23).

The law served as a schoolmaster to bring those under it to Christ, so they might be justified by faith. The purpose of the law was to give those under it a knowledge of sin; therefore it was a ministration of death and condemnation. The Scriptures are clear: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident…” (Gal. 3:10,11).

Thus, Paul says Christ entered the world, “…to redeem them that were under the law.” We are born to live, but He was born to die. That fateful night long ago will echo to the end of time this wonderful truth. Namely, the wooden feeding trough that the lambs frequented cradled the Lamb of God, who would one day hang upon an old rugged Cross. Why? That He might redeem “…us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13).

But what does all this have to do with us? Much in every way! First and foremost, we learn from Paul’s gospel that God’s plan of redemption wasn’t to be limited to Israel. Hence, Paul received a new revelation that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.” Christ gave Himself a ransom for all (I Tim. 2:6). Moreover, the law, which condemned Israel, also pointed its bony finger into the face of the Gentiles declaring that we, too, were under the sentence of condemnation. Consider these solemn words:

“Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19). If God’s chosen people were unable to keep His righteous standard, should we suppose that we would have fared any better had the Gentiles been placed under the law? Christ has redeemed both, Jews and Gentiles, from the curse of the law. Today, then, we are saved by grace through faith alone! We walk by grace alone, and will one day be caught up together by grace alone!

So then, while God’s plan of redemption was gradually unfolded in time past, the Apostle Paul was given the secret of the gospel, which is Calvary. He is the first to reveal the significance of what God was doing in Christ. In other words, Paul explains why the virgin birth was essential, a provision was made for all at Calvary, forgiveness is through the blood of Christ, how we were redeemed from the curse of the law, etc. Although dispensational distinctions are extremely important, may the Lord also give us an understanding as to the importance of the connections between the two programs of God.

An Epitaph

Posted on October 5, 1998 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

I am told that an Indiana cemetery has a tombstone (more than a hundred years old) which bears the following epitaph: (James S. Hewett (Ed.), Illustrations Unlimited, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, 1988, pg. 145.)

Pause Stranger, when you pass me by,
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, so you will be,
So prepare for death and follow me.

An unknown passerby read those words and underneath scratched this reply:

To follow you I’m not content,
Until I know which way you went.

This bids the question, where will you spend eternity—heaven or hell?

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12).

If you are standing at the crossroads of destruction and life everlasting perhaps you need some directions.

The way of destruction is the “way which seemeth right unto a man.” It promises worldly pleasures, acceptance, security, glory, and numerous avenues to earn your own salvation. This road is paved with good intentions, but it leads to eternal damnation.

But, thankfully, there is another path. It promises deliverance from the bondage of sin. This path brings peace, hope, and eternal life. According to the Scriptures, Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,” but by Him. This is God’s way, the way of faith.

THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION

Dear sinner friend, have you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Whether you realize it or not, you are dangling precariously over the lake of fire by one thin thread of human existence.

The Word of God teaches, “The wages of sin is death!” When Christ stepped across the stars into this world of sin and woe, death was powerless over Him. Christ knew no sin, therefore death could not lay its icy grip upon the shoulder of our Lord.

Tell me then, how is it that at the end of His earthly journey He is suffering and dying in shame and disgrace? You see, Christ wasn’t dying for His sins, for He knew no sin. He was dying for your sins and my sins upon that cruel tree. Our sins and iniquities were laid upon Him that He might redeem us back to God through His precious blood.

Now God turns to a lost and dying world with the good news of Calvary. Simply believe that Christ died for your sins personally, was buried, and rose again the third day, and God will wonderfully save you from the wrath to come according to the riches of His grace.

Unsaved friend, there are thousands of ways to leave this life; when you do, make sure you do not leave without Christ. We beg you to remember the chilling voice of those that perished in the days of Noah, “believe, before it’s too late!”

The Bride of Christ

Posted on September 1, 1995 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

As we plow through mountains of correspondence here at the Berean Bible Society, there is often a recurring theme. Of late, many have been inquiring as to whether or not the Body of Christ is the Bride of Christ. We have always taken this to be the leading of the Holy Spirit since these letters come from different parts of the country, indeed, the world. If the ministry has taught us one thing, it is this: Birds of a feather flock together! In other words, if one has a question of this sort others are normally standing in the shadows pondering the same thing.

Although the Bride of Christ falls under the classification of a “secondary issue” the very nature of the subject has a profound effect on how certain passages are interpreted. Through the years, Pastor Stam and I have been in about 85 percent agreement when it comes to rightly dividing the Word of truth. However, one area that we have never seen eye to eye on is the issue under consideration. Brother Stam believes that the Body of Christ is numbered with the company of believers commonly known as the Bride of Christ. We have had a number of spirited discussions on the matter, all of which ended in the old “Mexican standoff.” There were times as we left the room together, he would chuckle and exclaim, “Paul, some day you will see the light!”

Mindful of whom I was discussing these eternal issues with, I have weighed the evidence very carefully under the microscope of Paul’s gospel. After bringing everything into focus, I am more convinced than ever that the Body of Christ is not the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. To me it seems terribly inconsistent to make distinction after distinction between Israel and the Church and then turn around and say that they are one in the same, that is, the Bride of Christ. Of course, some teach that the “Body” is the Bride, not Israel, but this is simply not supported by the facts. One thing is clear in this discussion: the opinions of men are inconsequential in view of the eternal question, “What saith the Scriptures?”

WORDS AND PHRASES

In our quest to rightly divide the Word of truth certain “words” and “phrases” are identified with the Prophetic program while others are associated with the Mystery. Interestingly, the “Bride of Christ” is an unscriptural phrase that is foreign to both programs of God. It is merely a theological expression that originated in the futile mind of man to describe those who will be present at the marriage of the Lamb preceding the kingdom (Rev. 19:7-9). The exact phrase used in prophecy is only found in the Apocalypse where one of the seven angels said to John: “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev. 21:9).

The terms “bride,” “Lamb,” and “wife” (in relation to the marriage of the Lamb) are woven throughout the pages of prophecy. For example: “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom” (John 3:29 cf. Jer. 2:32). “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29 cf. Isa. 53:7). “…for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7 cf. Isa. 54:4-7).

One will search in vain to find any of this terminology in St. Paul’s epistles. In fact, Paul frequently makes reference to Christ as Savior, Lord and Head, but he never speaks of Him as the Lamb of God and for good reason. In prophecy, God had graciously imparted the sacrificial system which foreshadowed the once-for-all sacrifice. Thus, Christ was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God who satisfied the righteous demands of the law. He was consistently portrayed as the innocent victim—a lamb being led to the slaughter (Lev. 4:32-35; Isa. 53:3-8). With the introduction of a new dispensation, Christ is portrayed in a completely different light by the Apostle Paul. Today, He is the Lord of glory, the mighty victor who has conquered sin through His death and resurrection (I Cor. 2:8; 15:20-23).

THE BRIDE IN PROPHECY

Who is the Bride of the Lamb? Thankfully, we do not have to rely upon our own human reasoning for an answer to this perplexing question. The Scriptures are explicitly clear that the “Bride” is Israel. When John the Baptist was asked why all men sought the Master and his ministry was fading in glory, he responded: “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:29,30).

Working in reverse order, clearly the “friend of the bridegroom” is John the Baptist. John says that it was cause for rejoicing upon hearing the voice of the bridegroom. “…this my [John the Baptist’s] joy therefore is fulfilled.” The “bridegroom” is none other than Christ Himself. In the previous verse John stated that he was “…not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him” (vs. 28). He then confirms this by applying the illustration of the bridegroom. John was merely the forerunner to prepare the way for the Messiah. Hence, “He [Christ] must increase, but I [John] must decrease” (vs. 30).

Bearing in mind that the gospel according to John is a record of the earthly ministry of Christ, the “bride” is obviously Israel. John the Baptist plainly declares in this record: “And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to ISRAEL, therefore am I come baptizing with water” (John 1:31). Did not our Lord instruct His disciples to “Go not into the way of the Gentiles….But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of ISRAEL”? (Matt. 10:5,6). Did not our Lord say concerning Himself at that time: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ISRAEL”? (Matt. 15:24).

Moving farther along in the gospel according to Matthew, we have the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). Here we learn that only believing Israel will participate in the actual marriage of the Lamb. You will recall that there were five wise virgins and five foolish. When the bridegroom delayed his coming the lamps of the unwise virgins ran out of oil as they slumbered. Therefore, the five foolish virgins, representative of the unsaved, were unprepared when the midnight cry came “Behold, the bridegroom cometh!” While they went to purchase oil, the Bridegroom came “…and they [five saved virgins] that were ready went in with him to the marriage” (vs. 10). In addition, this portion teaches us that the marriage will take place when our Lord returns in His glory at the close of the Great Tribulation (vs. 13).

The above is confirmed by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Rev. 19:7,8).

Here in the context of the Second Coming of Christ, believing Israel is said to make herself ready. This is in keeping with the Prophetic program insofar as the kingdom saints did not have the assurance of their salvation. Consequently, they were instructed to overcome, seek and ye shall find, endure to the end, etc. (Matt. 6:33; 24:13; I John 4,5). Surely, this cannot be said of the Church, the Body of Christ. We are not only eternally secure, we have the assurance of it. As members of His Body we are accepted in the Beloved and therefore complete in Him (Eph. 1:6; Col. 2:10).

It should also be noted that John refers to Israel as the “wife” of the Lamb. Of course, this excludes the Body of Christ as participants in this ceremony inasmuch as Paul always addresses us in the masculine gender. Christ is our Head, not our groom. But in what sense is Israel the “wife” of the Lamb if she is to be united to the Messiah in the holy bonds of matrimony? The answer lies in the law of the betrothal (Deut. 22:23-25).

In days of old, when a man and woman came together before a rabbi, they were betrothed to one another. Similar to our present day engagement, the betrothal was a binding agreement wherein the parties were actually classified husband and wife. Upon completion of the ceremony, the couple returned to their respective homes for one year. This period was to give the husband an opportunity to prepare a home for his bride-to-be. It was also to ensure that the woman had been faithful, and was not with child. Of course, it was during this time that Mary was found with child before she and Joseph had come together in the intimacy of the marriage relationship (Matt. 1:18-25).

In this regard, Christ has returned to heaven to prepare a place for His bride in the kingdom. Since this aspect of the kingdom of heaven is brought to the earth, it will be like heaven on earth. As the tribulation period runs its course, Israel will be observed to determine who among them have been faithful to the commands of Christ contained in the kingdom gospel (John 14:1-3 cf. Luke 19:11-27).

It is imperative that we glean from all of these principal passages that the marriage of the Lamb will occur on the earth when Christ returns to set up His kingdom. Following the wedding, the Apostle John was instructed to write:

“Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9).

These guests are undoubtedly the kingdom Gentiles who will be invited to enjoy the blessings of the coming Golden Age (Matt. 25:31-46; Luke 14:15-24).

THE BRIDE AND PAUL’S EPISTLES

It is essential that the reader keep in mind that the Church, the Body of Christ was hid in God from ages and generations past. Thus with the advent of the administration of Grace a number of new metaphors are applied to the Church, such as: Body, stewards, ambassadors, etc. Some seem to think that Paul does, indeed, speak of us as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5. But they have failed to distinguish between Paul’s usage of a metaphor and a simile. A well-respected theologian from the turn of the century writes:

“The confounding of the Church as the Bride in Ephesians 5, has resulted from not seeing the Figure of Speech used throughout the passage is that of Simile, and not Metaphor: `Metaphor’ places one thing for another. It is representation. `Simile’ is but resemblance. We must therefore not say when comparing one thing with another that that one thing is another. Observe the continued comparison between Christ and the Church of His Body, and the conduct of wives and husbands. Note the presence of simile in every instance, and the absence of metaphor.”

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, AS UNTO THE LORD” (vs. 22).

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH” (vs. 23).

“Husbands, love your wives even AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH, and gave Himself for it” (vs. 25).

“For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even AS THE LORD THE CHURCH” (vs. 29).

So then, the apostle by using a simile instead of a metaphor is desiring to show the resemblance between the marriage relationship and Christ and His Church. Paul points to the love relationship to demonstrate that “as Christ loved the Church,” husbands should love their wives. In like manner, wives are to emulate the Church by submitting to their own husbands. Nowhere in the portion under consideration does the apostle use the metaphor of a bride. In fact, just the opposite is true: “…and He is the Savior of the BODY” (vs. 23). “For we are members of His BODY, of His flesh, and of His bones” (vs. 30).

“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you AS A CHASTE VIRGIN TO CHRIST” (II Cor. 11:2).

Insofar as the Corinthians had a propensity to live carelessly, the apostle again uses the marriage relationship to show the importance of living a godly life in Christ Jesus. Marriages are built on trust, fidelity, purity of heart and life. Paul was challenging the Corinthians to be faithful to the one who called them into His grace. We should add that since the apostle uses the pronoun “you” in this context it would seem to indicate that he was merely addressing this local assembly of believers, and not the whole Body of Christ. Paul had founded this assembly and naturally had a godly jealously over them as their spiritual father. Of course, we would do well to heed the apostle’s admonition lest we too follow in the footsteps of the Corinthians.

It is our firm conviction that the Body of Christ is not the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. We believe to teach otherwise is to bring a kingdom truth into the Body of Christ where it is not only unnatural, but a forced interpretation. May God in His grace give us a Berean spirit to study to see if these things are so. AMEN!

Cremation

Posted on August 10, 1993 by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” — Psalm 90:10

With the rising cost of funerals these days many families are faced with the decision as to whether or not cremation should be considered as a viable option to burial. Many have concluded that this is an acceptable alternative since the matter is not addressed in Paul’s epistles, and we are living under grace. While there does seem to be liberty here, perhaps it is the better part of wisdom to consult the whole counsel of God.

In Biblical times cremation of the body was primarily identified with the pagan nations of the world. According to the Old Testament there were a few isolated occurrences of this practice, although they always seem to be associated with judgment or cases of emergency rather than merely disposing of the body (Josh. 7:25,26; 1 Sam. 31:6-13).

Consequently, cremation was more the exception than the rule.

Throughout the Scriptures it is said that they buried their dead.

“Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah…”

“Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”

“And the young men arose, wound him [Ananias] up, and carried him out, and buried him.”

In keeping with the Word of God, we believe it is preferable to bury our loved ones even though we may have liberty to do otherwise. Of course, the additional financial burden can be eased by planning ahead for our inevitable departure. The services that normally accompany a funeral bring the unsaved face to face with their own mortality.

Thus, the occasion, heartbreaking as it may be, has often been used of the Lord to bring many sons to glory. Whatever your conviction may be on the matter, it is important to heed the words of the Apostle Paul:

“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Rom. 14:5).