GraceNTheTruth@ COX.NET~OUR ASSURANCES UNDER GRACE

Faith And Hearing 
            by Pastor C. R. Stam
      
“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
This important passage of Scripture is, sad to say, little understood.Many people think of faith in the abstract, as though it had some mysterious power in itself. They speak of faith, but what do they mean?Faith in what? or in whom? Surely it is not possible just to have faith,without something or someone to have faith in.

Faith is not wishing hard, or feeling confident. It is not optimism or presumption or imagination. Faith must have a basis, a foundation. Thus the Christian’s faith is founded on “the Word of God” —on what God has said in the Bible.

The above passage explains: “Faith cometh by hearing.”Isn’t that simple? Isn’t it true? Some have said that“seeing is believing,” but a moment’s reflection will reveal that, like the phrase: “I’m from Missouri,” this saying is an expression of unbelief. When we have seen a thing we need no longer believe it; it has been demon-strated to us. But when we hear [or read] a matter reported, we may either believe or doubt it. “Faith cometh by hearing.” And likewise hearing comes through what has been said. We believe, or doubt, what we hear and we hear what has been said.The Christian’s faith, then, comes by hearing (God) and hearing by the Word of God. All true Christian faith is founded on the Word of God.

Actually the word “hearing,” in Rom. 10:17, however, has the idea of heeding — paying attention, listening eagerly. This is why Gal. 3:5 speaks of “the hearing of faith.” And thus Eph. 1:13,referring to Christ, says: “In whom ye also trusted, having heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” Thus, too, we read in John 5:24 the words of the Lord Jesus:

“HE THAT HEARETH MY WORD, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT SENT ME, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, AND SHALL NOT COME INTO JUDGMENT, BUT IS PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.”

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

Death In Adam or Life In Christ

For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  (1Co_15:21-22)

The new covenant of grace is a covenant of relationship. Spiritual death through Adam made this covenant of grace necessary. Spiritual life through Christ makes intimacy with God possible. Every human who has ever existed inherited a sinful, fallen, earthly life from Adam: "by man came death." Every person who has ever put their faith in Christ has received from Him a righteous, risen, heavenly life: "by Man [i.e., Jesus] also came the resurrection of the dead." 

Adam began with a measure of intimacy with His Creator. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being . . . Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it" (Gen_2:7, Gen_2:15). In the garden, Adam served the Lord and had fellowship with Him, when He would walk "in the garden in the cool of the day" (Gen_3:8). 
Adam could partake freely of all that was in the garden, except for one tree. "Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Gen_2:17). For Adam, as for all of his race, "the wages of sin is death" (Rom_6:23). The day that Adam and Eve disobeyed and ate of the forbidden fruit, they died spiritually. "And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden" (Gen_3:8). Whereas they had enjoyed a degree intimacy with Lord, they now fled from His presence. Ever after, the natural children of Adam would begin there existence "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph_2:1). 

The only remedy for the spiritually dead human family would be through a relationship to a new "family head." "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned . . . if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many" (Rom_5:12, Rom_5:15). There are only two families to which humanity can belong: Adam's or Christ's. There are only two family head's to which anyone can be related: Adam or Christ. Adam passed along spiritual death to his offspring. Christ gives to his own life eternal, life abundant — all by His glorious grace.

Creator God, my Father, I confess that I was born in Adam's sinful line. I have demonstrated my sinfulness on a multitude of occasions. I praise You for sending Your Son to rescue me from Adam's race and to place me in Christ, my new Head, Amen.

    Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

Message  "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material   "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method   "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission   "To Make All See"  Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:" 

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call,   1 623 546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL.  This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

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https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com/viewtopic.forum?t=3265

THREE BRUTAL MURDERS
  by C. R. Stam 
    Every student of the Word should know the three brutal murders around which all history revolves. These three murders represent Israel's response to God's three-fold call to repentance. They explain the unpardonable sin and form the background for the present dispensation of grace.

It was John the Baptist, the last of the Old Testament prophets, who was sent as the forerunner of Christ to call Israel to repentance. He was beheaded by Herod, the wicked and licentious "king of the Jews". After John, Christ Himself took up the cry: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". Him they crucified. Then, at Pentecost, Israel was given a third opportunity to repent, until they shed blood again, stoning Stephen to death.

It should be noticed, too, that their guilt, as well as their bitter enmity, increased with the second and third murders! Had Israel, responded to John's call to repentance Herod would never have dared to even put John in jail. This explains why our Lord did nothing to release him from prison, even though this had offended John. It was not His, but theirs to do something about John's unjust imprisonment and every moment he spent in prison testified against them. Read carefully Luke 3:18-20; 7:19-29; and Matthew 14:1-11. As to the beheading of John the Baptist, they permitted it. As to the crucifixion of Christ, they demanded it (Luke23:23,24). As to the stoning of Stephen, they committed it, casting him out of the city with their own hands and stoning him there.

And so that generation in Israel committed the unpardonable sin which our Lord warned would not be forgiven, either in that age, or in the age to come. Thus we close this article by quoting those precious passages from Paul's epistles which clearly DENY the possibility of any "unpardonable sin" during the present "dispensation of the grace of God":

"We have redemption through His blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph.1:7).

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. BUT WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.5:20,21).  

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 
GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

Access to Grace

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . The grace of our 
Lord Jesus Christ be with you all . . . And God is able to make all 
grace abound toward you. (2Co_8:9, 2Co_9:8, and Rev_22:21)
We have seen that abundant grace is available from the Lord, not only 
for justification, but also for sanctification. Yet, how does a person 
access the sanctifying grace of God? How does one actually live day by 
day by grace? Soon, we will consider the two relational realities that 
God wants to develop in our lives that we might live daily by His grace. 
First, a reminder of where that grace is, and the ability upon which it 
all depends.

The grace we need is always found in a person, not a procedure. "For you 
know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ." Consequently, in order to 
access this grace, we must be seeking after the person in whom the grace 
resides. No wonder that many of the letters of the New Testament end 
with "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all" (Romans 16:20b).

Our God is not one who wastes words. He does not speak vainly. Nor does 
He stand on human formalities. These repetitious conclusions are an 
emphasis from the heart of God. When all is stated on any subject to any 
people, the ongoing need will ever be that they learn to live by the 
grace that is found in Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, upon whose ability does the grace of God depend? We so 
easily become preoccupied with our own ability. "Will I be able to 
please and serve God?" "Will I be able to be an effective witness?" The 
focus of the word of God is on His ability, not ours. "Our God whom we 
serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace" (Dan_3:17). 
"Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to 
God through Him" (Heb_7:25). "Now to Him who is able to keep you from 
stumbling" (Jud_1:24). "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly 
abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph_3:20).

Concerning grace we may even be thinking, "Will I be able to live by 
God's grace?"Again, God's ability is the issue, not ours. "And God is 
able to make all grace abound toward you." If we are willing to rely 
upon the one who is able, God, we will experience His sanctifying grace 
abundantly in our lives.

Dear Lord, Teach me these great matters of access to Your grace. Remind 
me often that grace is found in Jesus. I confess my tendency to explain 
the Christian life by a formula, instead of by a person. Help me to 
remember that living by grace depends upon Your matchless ability. I 
admit my inclination to hope in my inept ability. So, Lord, I now look 
to You to abundantly pour out Your grace upon my life, through Christ 
Jesus, my Lord, Amen.

Lord God almighty, too often we have aimed at pleasing self. At other 
times, our goal is to please people. Thank You for Your patience and 
forgiveness. Now, our hearts desire is to please You and to depend on 
Your life within us. By faith, we know that You exist. By faith, we 
depend on You, anticipating the grand reward of knowing You better and 
better, in Jesus name, Amen.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter 
and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, 
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623 
546 8866, Paris

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Is It Important Who You Spend Time With?
by Pastor John Fredericksen

Whether we realize it or not, we are all affected by the people 
with whom we spend time. Their attitudes, philosophies, language, and 
spirituality (good or bad) have a tendency to rub off on us, even if we 
don't realize it. The Lord warns us about this in I Corinthians 
15:33:"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." This 
isn't true only for young people. It is true for believers of all 
ages.We might not want to think this could happen to us, but the Lord 
encourages us not to be deceived about this important principle.

David realized how important it was to surround himself with the right 
kind of spiritually minded people. His testimony was, "I am a companion 
of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts" 
(Psa.119:63). He intentionally chose to minimize the time he spent 
around the ungodly, or only somewhat spiritually minded, and to maximize 
his time around truly dedicated believers. Doing so gave him continual 
encouragement to walk after the Lord with a pure heart and not after the 
ways of the world.

The Apostle Paul must have embraced this principle for living too. As we 
look through his letters, it is easy to see the close relationship he 
maintained with many saints who were truly living for the Lord. 
Luke,Aquilla and Priscilla, Philemon, Titus, and Timothy are only a few 
he mentions with whom he had consistent fellowship. In contrast, neither 
Paul nor David spent a great deal of time with the lost, or ungodly, 
unless it was with ministry in mind.

We are not suggesting that believers cut themselves off from the unsaved 
or become hermits. We have instruction and examples to the contrary. We 
learn from II Corinthians 5:20 that "we are ambassadors for Christ" with 
the ministry of reconciliation or, in other words, the mission of 
sharing a clear gospel of grace with all that we can. Similarly, 
Ephesians 3:9 tells us Paul's mission was also to "make (or help) all 
men see what is the fellowship of the _mystery._" We too should share 
this goal of seeking to share with everyone the gospel of grace and the 
joyous news of God's secret program of grace that is distinct from 
Israel and the Mosaic Law. So, we should have a ministry-minded outreach 
to others.

The proper balance to find should be in still maintaining an outward 
ministry, yet limiting our time with the lost, unspiritually minded, or 
even marginally spiritually minded. It is important for us to "be not 
deceived" about how others influence us and therefore to choose, like 
David and Paul before us, to make friends and companions of those who 
are so spiritually minded that we will be continually encouraged in the 
Lord. Is it important who we spend time with and how much time we spend 
with them? It certainly is! May God help each of us to cultivate the 
best kind of friendships: those with dedicated, spiritually minded 
believers of like precious faith.

*

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and 
the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till 
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fulness of Christ:"

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, 
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we 
[him] no more. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new 
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become 
new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by 
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To 
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not 
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word 
of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye 
reconciled to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no 
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE “BORN AGAIN”?
Part 3 of 4
BY RICHARD JORDAN

These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Ex. 19:3-6).

God gave birth to a nation which was to be a holy nation “a kingdom of priest.” They were to be the agency and channel through whom His salvation and blessing was to be carried to “all the nations of the earth.” This was what He had promised Abraham, when He had said:

“And I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION, and I will bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and IN THEE SHALL ALL FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED” (Gen 12:2, 3).

This was the hope set before them through the prophets He sent to them. For example, Isaiah declares,

“But YE SHALL BE NAMED THE PRIEST OF THE LORD: MEN SHALL CALL YOU THE MINISTERS OF OUR GOD: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves” (Isa. 61:6).

We do not have to read the sacred page for long however, to learn the obvious fact that Israel failed–failed miserably–to keep the covenant made with then through Moses. Because they did not keep the law, they were under the curse of God. Thus it became necessary for God to bring the nation to birth again–through new covenant and a new deliverer, a “greater than Moses.”

Jer.3l:3l-34 teaches that God was to make a “new covenant” with Israel, one which would provide regeneration and forgiveness of sin for the nation. When this new covenant is realized, it will issue in spiritual regeneration and a resultant physical restoration for the national people of Israel. As it were, the nation will be born in a day (Isa. 66:8).

It was to this prophesied rebirth of the nation that our Lord pointed Nicodemus in John 3 and which he was so painfully unable to comprehend. Notice once again how the Lord used the “thou–ye” contrast as He responded to Nicodemus’ dullness:

“…Art THOU a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

“Verily, verily I say unto THEE, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and YE receive not our witness” (vs.10, 11).

Sadly, even the very teachers and leaders of God’s favored people could not see the nation’s true condition and need! Israel had lived under the Mosaic covenant for nearly 1500 years and had failed to meet their end of the agreement over and over again. Their continued rebellion had led God to allow their deportation and captivity in Babylon so that the land, at least, could have its rest (2 Chron.36:20-21). It was during this time of captivity that Jeremiah had written about the “new covenant” through which God would provide regeneration and restoration for Israel.

This was also the time of Ezekiel and his prophecies concerning the future regeneration of Israel–a regeneration which would result in the glorious physical restoration of Israel and ultimately the whole earth. In fact, our Lord’s words in John 3:5 seem certain to have Ezek. 36:25-30 in mind-a passage dearly describing the Divine preparation of Israel for her kingdom.

Also, in light of our Lord’s words to Nicodemus in John 3:14, it is instructive to note that Psalms clearly associated with His being, “lifted up”–concludes where John 3 beings:

“For the kingdom is the Lord’s and he is the governor among the nations.

“A SEED SHALL SERVE HIM; It shall be accounted to the Lord FOR A GENERATION.

“They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto A PEOPLE THAT SHALL BE BORN, that he hath done this (Psa. 22:28, 30, 31).

The infancy stage of this “born again” nation is to be found among Christ’s followers. He had promised them:

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Thus we are not surprised to find the Apostle Peter later writing to the believers who comprised this “little flock,” 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath BEGOTTEN US AGAIN unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”

“BEING BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, by the uncorrupted, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (l Peter 1:3, 23).

And there can be no doubt as to the hope and calling of those who had thus been born again for he goes on to identify them:

“But YE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, AN HOLY NATION, A PECULIAR PEOPLE; that ye should shew forth the raises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).


Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET


DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE “BORN AGAIN”?
Part 4 of 4
BY RICHARD JORDAN

The new birth spoken of by the Lord Jesus in John 3 is a reference to the future birth of the nation Israel when she is to be spiritually cleansed and then possess her land forever. But what about the Body of Christ and the believer today? If the new birth refers to the future hope of the nation Israel, do saved individuals today experiences a new birth or does God have something else for them? Remember: both Israel and the Body of Christ are regenerated–but into what?

There can be no doubt that today when a person places faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior when you rely exclusively on what Jesus Christ did for you at Calvary where He died to pay for your sins and was raised as the author of eternal live to those who trust Him; when you trust Christ today, that very moment God the Holy Spirit imparts His life to you.

Thus Paul declares: “And YOU HATH HE QUICKENED, WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS.”

“EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SIN, (GOD) HATH QUICKENED US

TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (by grace are ye saved)” (Eph 2:1, 5).

We are therefore said to be “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:10). But just what is it God is creating today? Eph.2:15, 16 spell it out clearly

“Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for TO MAKE IN HIMSELF OF TWAIN ONE NEW MAN, so making peace;

“And that he might RECONCILE BOTH UNTO GOD IN ONE BODY by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”

This is the “new creation” which God is forming during the dispensation of grace. God has temporarily set aside the nation Israel and His program for her (Rom. 11:11-15) in order to form another agency (Eph. 2:11-16) through whom He will accomplish a purpose which He planned “before the world began.” This other purpose is called “the mystery “because He kept it secret –”hid in God” (Eph. 3:9)–until He revealed it to that other apostle, the Apostle Paul. It is summed up in the words of Eph. 2:7:

“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Today God is creating a new species of humanity–”neither Jew nor Gentile.” Just as Adam was not born but was rather created, so we go from the old creation into the new creation as we go from Adam into Christ!

To sum up: Regeneration is associated with God’s program for both Israel and the Body of Christ. Regeneration for a few in the kingdom program made him a part of a born again nation. Regeneration for a person in the dispensation of grace makes him a part of the Body of Christ, a new creation.

A CONCLUDING QUESTION

Every person reading this article was born into this world spiritually dead in sin, “alienated from the life of God” The question is: Have you been regenerated? Have you passed from spiritual death to spiritual life by placing you faith in the finished work of Christ? If not, do so now!

“BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US” (Rom.5:8).

“BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED” (Acts 16:31)


Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE BORN AGAIN?
Part 2 of 4
BY RICHARD JORDAN



A CONTRASTING APPLICATION

Too often the true significance of John 3:7 is overlooked due to a failure to appreciate its usage of the second person pronouns thee and ye.  Notice the verse carefully:

Marvel not that I said unto THEE, YE must be born again.

To the modern reader this may seem unimportant since most of us do not so readily understand the significance of the thee, thou, ye, you contrasts in our Bible. A bit of investigation, however, on this point will yield great rewards.

Thee, thou and ye, you are respectively the singular and, plural forms of the second person pronoun. While our modern English uses the pronoun you for both singular and plural, the older English was able to distinguish between singular (thee, thou) and plural (ye, you). Thus thee, thou refers to an individual while ye, you, refers to a group. This same distinction is made in many modern languages and more importantly, is used by the Greek language of the New Testament.

This explains why God is never addressed in the Bible by the word you. There is one God and He is always to be addressed in the singular. Thus the use of the grave style in addressing God in prayer is not simply a matter of reverence or respect it is also a simple matter of grammar.

Thus our lord was, in fact saying to Nicodemus,

Marvel not that I say unto THEE (i.e., Nicodemus), YE (i.e., the nation Israel) l must be born again.

As an aside, it is interesting to observe that one of the very things often used to complain against the King James Bible is in reality a tremendously helpful study aid!  Try it in other passages, such as Matt. 16:18, 19; 18:18, Luke 22:31-34, etc.

In light of this, we should look carefully at Israels history As a nation, Israel was born the first time when God led them out of Egypt. Two passages that make this very clear are Ex.4:22 and Deut. 32:18. In the former, God declares Israel to be His first born and thus in the latter rebuked them:

OF THE ROCK THAT BEGAT THEE thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

The Exodus from Egypt marks the birth of the nation Israel and stands as the great declaration of Gods purpose for that specially favored people. Paul alludes to this in 1Cor. 10:1, 2:

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, now that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

They were baptized unto Moses and born as a nation. It is almost humoroustragically soto hear Moses arguing with the Lord over His rebellious people, saying …Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

..HAVE I CONCEIVED ALL THIS PEOPLE? HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEM… (Num 11:11, 12).

The point to notice here is that Moses clearly acknowledged that it was God who had conceived and given birth to this nation. They were His!  And we are not left to wonder about His purpose for them:

And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles wings, and brought you unto myself.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

And YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIEST, AND AN HOLY NATION.

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 
GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

Wisdom from God 
Part 1 of 2
By Lori Gardner

"Ask anything of me and I will give it to you."

Can you imagine what your response would be if you heard these words from the God of all creation? When children are asked that question they usually answer with a smile followed by a long list of toys and electronic gadgets. Most adults usually have the same response, except our list consists of larger, more expensive items.

There is one man in Scripture that God put to the test with this statement. In 1 Kings 3, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. He told him, "Ask what I shall give thee." Solomon's reply is a great one, "I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in" (1 Kings 3:7). He had been placed in a position of extreme responsibility. He was king of Israel, a great nation who "could not be numbered or counted for multitude." He knew that he would need extraordinary and divine guidance in order to do the job well. All he asked from God was that he be given an understanding heart in order to judge the people, and be able to discern between good and bad. In other words, he needed wisdom.

This answer pleased the Lord so much that God not only gave him wisdom, but gave him riches and honor unlike any that came before or after him (1 Kings 3:12-13). Along with those gifts, God also told Solomon, "?if you wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments?then I will lengthen thy days." He received an assurance from God of riches, honor, power, and a long life. What more could anyone possibly want or need?

At first, Solomon reigned with so much wisdom that people from all the earth would come to him for advice (1 Kings 4:34). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he wrote 3,000 proverbs and over 1,000 songs. God also gave him the wisdom to build a glorious Temple where the Lord could dwell among His people. After the Temple was completed, the Lord spoke to Solomon again with a blessing and a warning (I Kings 9:1-7). If Solomon continued to walk in integrity of heart and uprightness, and keep all the statutes and ordinances as God commanded, then the throne of the kingdom would be upon Israel forever. However, if he were to turn from following God and serve other gods, Israel would be torn from their land, their Temple would become an object of ridicule and the name of Israel would become a proverb and a byword among all people. It would seem that a man that had been given so much wisdom from on high would heed this warning, but Solomon did not always make the wisest of choices in his personal life.

He had a weakness for women which resulted in a total of 700 wives and 300 concubines. Many of these women came from foreign nations and worshipped false gods. Solomon allowed his heart to be turned away from the Lord. He went from being a man that loved the Lord and walked in the statutes of his father, David (1 Kings 3:3) to doing evil in the sight of the Lord (1 Kings 11:3). He actually went as far as to build special "high places" of worship for his wives to burn incense and sacrifice to their gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). Even though this angered the Lord, He showed great patience to Solomon. He actually appeared unto the king two different times and commanded him to turn away from the other gods, but Solomon would not. This ultimately brought down the kingdom. Israel ended up being a divided nation and eventually became just like they had been in the past; slaves in a foreign land.

The word wisdom simply means having good sense and using it in our minds, words, and actions. Proverbs 2:6 tells us that it is the Lord that gives us wisdom, and out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. It is foolishness to receive wisdom from God and not put it into practice. That's a good description of Solomon in his later years. He became foolish. Psalm 111:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Notice, it is only the beginning. Gaining wisdom is an ongoing process. It is something that we are never to stop striving to attain. Proverbs 2 tells us that we have to diligently seek it out as if we are looking for hidden treasure. According to Proverbs 2:7, "The Lord layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous." The words "layeth up" means it is hidden. God does not make it difficult for us to find, though. He guards and keeps it safe and those that are righteous just have to look for it. We can find wisdom by digging in and searching God's Word. It is the Scriptures that are able to make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15). The more we dig, the more treasure we find.

Seeking wisdom from the Lord is what helps us through the difficult times. It is what guides us when making major decisions in life, and it allows us to seek His will and find His blessings in every situation.

To be continued ...

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

"Captivity Led Captive"
     Part 5 of 5
Conclusion
    By Pastor Russell S. Miller
THE PARADISE OF GOD

In Revelation 3:12, the Lord Jesus Christ inspired and revealed to the Apostle John these words concerning Himself and the New Jerusalem:

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name" (Rev. 3:12).

We next read of this great "city of God" in Revelation 21:2 which, during all that time, from Revelation 3:12 to Revelation 21:2, has still not arrived upon planet earth:

"And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2).

It is during this time of Great Tribulation that all the terrible plagues and judgments of the Book of Revelation shall be poured out upon this earth for its rejection of Jesus Christ. It was concerning this period of time that Jesus warned His disciples of "false Christs" and "false prophets" that "shall deceive many" (Matt. 24:4-14).

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matt. 24:13).

Again, it is the Apostle John who writes by divine inspiration:

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life4 which is in the midst of the paradise of God" (Rev. 2:7).

THAT BLESSED HOPE

The Apostle Paul, unlike Joel and Peter and John, does not exhort believers to "endure unto the end," nor to "overcome," in order to be saved in this dispensation of the grace of God. His words are words of "love" and "grace" and "peace."

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thes. 5:9).

"...Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (I Thes. 4:13-18).

And this is why he exhorts believers to be: "LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE, AND THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST" (Titus 2:13).

But if you're not saved, my friend, you have only "hell" and "the lake of fire" to look forward to without Jesus Christ. For now, however, God still has good news for you. Won't you ask Jesus to save you from your sins? Trust Jesus Christ today as your Saviour.

"God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US" (Rom. 5:8).

"In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

Don't delay another moment, because time IS running out. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (II Cor. 6:2). God wants you to enjoy Heaven with Jesus for all eternity but you must believe in Jesus.

"BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED, AND THY HOUSE" (Acts 16:31).

Endnotes

4. See the writer's article, titled: "The Lamb's Book of Life."

    Lord God of resurrection, I praise You for the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus, my Savior. Lord Jesus, I am so thankful that you have placed me in the body of Christ and that I have been given a wonderful place in the heavens you truly have blessed we Gentiles, thereby missing the day of Vengeance of our Lord.  Please work in my life the richness of Your grace, secured by Your sacrificial death and resurrection victory. In Your mighty name, I pray, Amen.


GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

"Captivity Led Captive"
    Part 4 of 6
    By Pastor Russell S. Miller


WHAT A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE PLACE HELL MUST BE (Rev. 20:11-15).

God wants to save you from hell, my friend, if you will simply trust the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. Ask Him just now to save you from your sins.

"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).

"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

"To declare, I say, AT THIS TIME His righteousness: that He might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:25,26).


CHRIST'S GREAT VICTORY OVER THE DEVIL


The Lord Jesus Christ went down "into the lower parts of the earth" (Eph. 4:9) or "Sheol," called "Hades" in the New Testament (Acts 2:27,31).

"Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth" (Eph. 4:9).

And on that Resurrection morning as He came out of "Hades" He led these Old Testament saints in "Abraham's bosom" triumphantly to heaven.

The Apostle Paul further states in Verse 8 that, "When [Christ] ascended up on high, He led captivity captive...." And who were "captive" if He came out of where He descended, but those in Abraham's bosom!

Indeed, "that Great Shepherd of the sheep" (Heb. 13:20) led a multitude of captives, a triumphal procession, in celebration of His victory over sin, death, the grave and hell, even "triumphing" over Satan himself "in the cross" (Col. 2:15).

"...THAT THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL: AND DELIVER THEM WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH WERE ALL THEIR LIFETIME SUBJECT TO BONDAGE" (Heb. 2:14,15).


"HOW THAT PAUL WAS CAUGHT UP INTO PARADISE"


"It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

"And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

"How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (II Cor. 12:1-4).

Of the three references to "paradise" in the New Testament, not one of them refers to the same location. Our Lord spoke to the dying thief of going "down" into paradise (Luke 23:43). Here, Paul speaks about being "caught UP into paradise" (II Cor. 12:4). But John reveals that paradise is coming "DOWN from God out of heaven" (Rev. 2:7; 21:1,2; 22:1-7).

A question seems to linger, Was Paul actually "caught up into paradise"? He, himself, informs us that he, in fact, was "caught up to the third heaven"2  and this event evidently occurred when Paul was stoned at Lystra in Acts 14:19:

"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead."

Acts 14 informs us that "as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derby" (14:20). This is consistent with Paul's words in II Corinthians 12:1-4. Paul was caught up into paradise.

And furthermore it is consistent with what we have seen regarding Christ having "led captivity captive," a surprise of grace for those Old Testament saints, for the Kingdom of Heaven ON EARTH is promised them (Matt. 8:11), not Heaven above!3


Endnotes

1. One writer has decreed there to be not one shred of Scripture to substantiate these thoughts. But what is this that I read in Matthew 12:40; in Acts 2:27,31; in Romans 10:7; in I Peter 3:18-20. Dr. C. I. Scofield's center column reference on Acts 2:25-31 refers the reader to Luke 16:23 and his note on "Hades" before and after the ascension of Christ. But most importantly is the record of Scripture itself. Consequently the Apostle Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2:25-31, and after coming to see the grace message through Paul's influence (Gal. 2:7-9; Acts 15:7-11), declares in I Peter 3:19 that the Lord did, in fact, preach to those in Hades. And the Apostle Paul makes it very clear in his declarations that the Lord Jesus Christ not only "descended into the deep" (Rom. 10:7), but he also declares this "deep" to be "the lower parts of the earth" in Ephesians 4:9. Furthermore, brethren, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men" (Eph. 4:8). So it would be systematic deception for a man "to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" (Rom. 12:3)! Or, as Paul's words to the Corinthians express it—"to think above that which is written" (I Cor. 4:6). This, of course, would therefore lead to wrongly dividing the Word of truth and handling God's Word deceitfully: "For we are not as many, which corrupt the Word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ" (II Cor. 2:17).

2. Did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob hear those "unspeakable" and "unlawful" words that Paul heard in II Corinthians 12:4? Imagine being "caught up" into the now place of Old Testament saints to receive another installment of "this Mystery among the Gentiles!" Just a thought!

3. Now we see how Paul's words in Ephesians 4:8-10 do not contradict Psalm 68:18, but rather complement the Psalmist. So what is the conclusion of Ephesians 4:(not 7-16 but) 8-10? It is true that Paul quotes a Messianic Psalm (68:10), however he did not minister to the Messianic Church. Nevertheless he did confirm the events that occurred in the ascension of Christ. But the "gifts" that were given, in the context here, are very obviously not those of Mark 16:15-18, nor Acts 2:38, nor those chapters subsequent. Even the office of apostles and prophets were temporary, since only evangelists, pastors, and teachers remain!

4. See the writer's article, titled: "The Lamb's Book of Life."


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"Captivity Led Captive"
    Part 2 of 5
    By Pastor Russell S. Miller

ABRAHAM'S BOSOM

Let's discover, with God's help, where Abraham's Bosom was. Of Abraham it is written:

"Then [he] gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people" (Gen. 25:8).

Surely his grave was not paradise nor did it contain his people. Moses and Aaron were also both "gathered unto their people," but it is clear that neither of them were buried in the same cemetery. See Numbers 20:23-29; 27:12-14; Deuteronomy 32:48-52.

Thus we see that these Old Testament saints were "gathered" to a particular place that sheltered them, just as the blood of the sacrificial lamb "covered" their sins from God's wrath until such time as He could welcome them into His presence.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: SO CHRIST WAS ONCE OFFERED TO BEAR THE SINS OF MANY..." (Heb. 9:27,28).

But where were those saints "gathered"? Luke 16:19-31 speaks of Abraham's bosom, and Abraham was there!

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (Luke 16:22,23).

The word "bosom" is found six times in our New Testaments and is translated "creek" in Acts 27:39. (Twice it is used figuratively—Luke 16:22,23; thrice it is used literally—Luke 6:38; John 1:18; 13:23). Just as that "creek" into which they "thrust" Paul's ship was a shelter from a raging storm for the Apostle Paul, so Abraham's bosom sheltered those kingdom saints until the sacrificial blood of Christ was shed. Interesting! Is it not?

IS ABRAHAM'S BOSOM PARADISE?

Now the question must be asked, "Was the thief `gathered' to Abraham's bosom?" Abraham himself, like Moses and Aaron, was "gathered unto his people," not unto the Lord. Luke 16 confirms that the place to which their souls were gathered was called Abraham's bosom, the place to which all Old Testament saints were "gathered." The dying "thief" would also have been "gathered" unto that same place which our Lord called "PARADISE" in Luke 23:43.

Now if "TODAY" the thief was to be with Christ in "Paradise," Luke 23:43, then it was at the time of His death that he went to "Paradise." Since Christ had "not yet ascended to [His] Father" (John 20:17) and could therefore not be "touched," it is more than logical that "Paradise" was "IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH"1 where "the Son of man" spent "three days and three nights" (Matt. 12:40).

We know from I Peter 3:19 that after His crucifixion, our Lord, "...by the Spirit...went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water" (I Pet. 3:19,20).

The Greek word for "spirit," here, is used of the Holy Spirit of God in Matthew 3:16 and many other places as well. It is also used of demons in Matthew 8:16. Paul uses it of "the spirit of man" in I Corinthians 2:11, and of his own "spirit" in Acts 19:21 and 20:22. Furthermore, God is "the Father of spirits," the Justifier of "the spirits of just men made perfect" and His Word "divideth asunder soul and spirit" (Heb. 12:9,23; 4:12). It is also used of the angels of God, "Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire" (Heb. 1:7).

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:14).

Dear Lord, I thank You and praise You for Your great grace toward me. Just to think that you chose me be for the foundation of the world, and are so gracious even beyond that to allow me to walk in the good works that you did on the cross, your burial, your resurrection, and to know that you have seated me at the right hand of God the Father as you have placed me in Christ. May I become an instrument of Your grace in the lives of others, all for Your glory and honor, in Jesus name, Amen.

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

"Captivity Led Captive"
  Part 3 of 6
 By Pastor Russell S. Miller

There are three Greek words for our English word "hell"—Hades, Gehenna, and Tartarus, none of which are rendered by the word prison. Hades had a section commonly known as "hell" and a compartment known as "paradise," separated by "a great gulf fixed" (Luke 16:26). Gehenna is used of our Lord in the warnings and "danger of hell fire" that the "whole body should [not] be cast into hell" (Matt. 5:22,29,30; etc.). While "tartarus" is found only one time, in II Peter 2:4, to describe the intended purpose for this "hell":

2Peter 2:4 "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast [them] down to hell, ( Gr. tartaroo the deepest abyss of Hades) and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;"  

"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly" (II Pet. 2:4-6).

The context of I Peter 3:18-22, however, tells us that Christ preached to those "disobedient" in the days of Noah. Did our Lord only preach to those antediluvians and demons in the prison? Or did He, like Abraham, have some good news also, a message of deliverance for the captives in "paradise" on that Resurrection morn? No doubt His sermon incorporated glorious victory to the saints, "many" of whom "arose" and "appeared unto many" (Matt. 27:52,53). But what horrible agony and torment must have been the scene in "Hell" that morning! If those poor hopeless souls had no hope before our Lord descended, what hopelessness now existed at His ascension! Their deluded and despairing thoughts were completely shattered now!

"Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth [against the truth], shall descend into it" (Isa. 5:14).


Life is a gift... 
Live it... 
Enjoy it... 
Celebrate it... 
And fulfill it....


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ADMINISTRATION OF THE CROSS
By Miles Stanford 

"For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3, ASV).

It is futile for us to attempt to curb our sins while we ignore their source, the indwelling principle of sin. In trimming the branches (sins), we strengthen the root (self). Rather, as we count upon the finished work of Calvary, the Holy Spirit will apply the Cross to the old life. And as that death cuts deeper and deeper into the root, the branches will wither and fall away.

"The Lord Jesus has been waiting for us to come to the end of our own efforts. He sends the call, 'Come back to the Cross.' At last we can see we have been standing and working on the wrong ground, and we hear Him say, 'It is you who are in My way. I can do My work myself. I simply need empty vessels. You parted with your sins, but you kept yourself. Come now, part with yourself, take your place where I put you. When I died you were in Me on that Cross.'  'Now I see! What next, Lord?' 'Now you pass to another sphere where you become aware that you are joined to Me as your life.' "

"Our identification with Christ in His death was a death unto Sin--- the principle of Sin as a master and a tyrant --- Sin, not sins. The Holy Spirit is ready to apply that finished work of death to the depth of our self-life, until Sin loses its mastery at point after point. It goes deeper than the cutting off of visible and external things. Cause, not symptoms." 

"Christ, who is our life" (Col. 3:4).     
God can do anything He wants to have done. 
He doesn't want what you can do ...
Instead, He wants you. 

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"Captivity Led Captive"
     Part 1 of 6
    By Pastor Russell S. Miller



Our purpose in this lesson is to discover what, exactly, the Apostle Paul meant in the phrase, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive..." (Eph. 4:8).

Whom did our Lord lead "captive"?

The reason this text has been chosen is that much confusion has been generated amongst God's people as to the events and details of this aspect of our Saviour's ascension. Was it those in "Paradise," or some "principalities and powers" that were "led captive"?

We believe that it was "Paradise" that our Lord "led captive." The word "paradise" is found but three times in our Bibles—Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7.

Genesis Two describes what was a Paradise existing in the days of Adam in what the Bible calls, the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:4-9). Did this paradise still exist during our Lord's earthly ministry? When He spoke to the thief on the cross, "Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43), what did He mean? Genesis Three reports that Adam and Eve were "driven" (Vers. 23,24) out of the garden, or paradise. Certainly Jerusalem was no paradise in our Lord's day, nor does the earth contain any paradise today, for the world is definitely not a paradise regardless of the efforts that man puts forth to make it so.

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12).

"VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE, TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE"

Obviously our Lord spoke these words to the dying thief from His cross that before the day was out he would be with Him in paradise.

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

Paradise could not have been the Garden of Eden, for it had long since been protected from Adam by "a flaming sword, which turned every way" (Gen. 3:24) and later, evidently, by drought (Isa. 1:30). Where then was the paradise that Christ promised the dying thief?

We know that only our Lord's body was buried in Joseph's tomb—that tomb was surely not paradise. Matthew 12:40, however, may shed some light upon this subject:

"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

Wouldn't three days and three nights in "the belly of a whale" be more or less "hell" on earth!?! Well, the people of Nineveh must have thought it was! Now Jonas was not actually in "Hades," but this does not mean that the whale's belly did not typify "the heart of the earth"!

Many seem to be without hope today,
 focused upon circumstances, 
 rather than the power of God,
 and His promise.

Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled USA.  We are loosing a great many of our privileges the founding fathers of our great county have protected us by the Constitution of America, there is no country in the world as great as America. Let's stand up and take back our roots.

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

ALONE
By John LaVier

It is human to stand with the crowd; it is divine to stand alone. It is
man-like to follow the people, to drift with the tide; it is God-like to
follow a principle, to stem the tide.

It is natural to compromise conscience and follow the social and
religious fashion for the sake of gain or pleasure; it is divine to
sacrifice both on the altar of truth and duty.

"No man stood with me, but all men forsook me," wrote the battle-scarred
apostle in describing his first appearance before Nero to answer for his
life for believing and teaching contrary to the Roman world. Truth has
been out of fashion since man changed his robe of fadeless light for a
garment of faded leaves.

Noah built and voyaged alone. His neighbors laughed at his strangeness
and perished in style. Abraham wandered and worshipped alone. Sodomites
smiled at the simple shepherd, followed the fashion, and fed the flames.

Daniel dined and prayed alone. Elijah sacrificed and witnessed alone.
Jeremiah prophesied and wept alone. Jesus loved and died alone. And of
the lonely way His disciples should walk, He said, "Strait is the Gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that
find it."

Of their treatment by the many who walk in the broad way, He said, "If
ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are
not of the world ... therefore the world hateth you."

The Church in the wilderness praised Abraham and persecuted Moses. The
Church of the Kings praised Moses and persecuted the prophets. The
Church of Caiaphas praised the prophets and persecuted Jesus. The Church
of the Popes praised the Saviour and persecuted the saints. And
multitudes now, both in the Church and in the world, applaud the courage
and fortitude of the patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and martyrs,
but condemn as stubbornness or foolishness like faithfulness to truth today.

WANTED—TODAY:

Men and women, young and old, who will obey their convictions of truth
and duty at the cost of fortune and friends and life itself.

(Written in March, 1947)

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him,
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Peace And Access 
            by Pastor C. R. Stam

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access…” (Rom. 5:1,2).

“Being justified… we have peace with God”!

What a priceless blessing! We believers are prone to take this blessing altogether too much for granted. Since the day we trusted Christ and the burden of sin rolled away, most of us have never had another question about our eternal destiny. Hence the danger of taking our salvation for granted.

We often fail to appreciate sufficiently what it means to be able to arise in the morning, go about our business during the day and give ourselves up to unconsciousness at night, always assured that through our Lord’s redemptive work we have “peace with God” and our eternal destiny is secure. Surely this knowledge should overwhelm our hearts with constant gratitude and have a profound effect upon our daily conduct.
The companion blessing to “peace with God” is our full and free access into His presence: another blessing of grace far too little appreciated. Think of the wonder of our free access to God; how He, the Ruler of the Universe, invites us to come confidently before His“throne of grace” at our convenience — “in time of need.”

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

We should never forget that this high privilege was purchased for us by the precious blood of Christ, and that having thus been purchased, it is His will that we believers avail ourselves of “this grace.”Could there be greater proof of His love for us?

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

“…a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us,through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.

“….Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Heb. 10:19-22).
                    
    Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

Message  "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material   "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method   "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission   "To Make All See"  Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:" 

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call,   1 623 546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL.  This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

All For Us
by Pastor C. R. Stam

Have you ever thought how much God has done"for us" in Christ?

In Romans 8:32 we read that to save us from sin, God "spared not His 
own Son, but delivered Him up FOR US all". In Titus 2:14 we are told 
that Christ "gave Himself FOR US, that He might redeem us from all 
iniquity...". In Romans 5:8 the Apostle declares that"while we were yet 
sinners, Christ died FOR US". Galatians3:13 says that Christ was "made 
a curse FOR US".

Hebrews 9:12 states that "He entered...into the holy place[the 
presence of the Father], having obtained eternal redemption FOR US". 
And if we trust Him for this "eternal redemption"we may read further in 
Hebrews 9:24 that "Christ is not entered into the holy places made 
with hands...but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of 
God FOR US". Romans 8:34 asks who can condemn the believer in Christ, 
since HE [the Lord Jesus Christ] is now"at the right hand of God" and 
"maketh intercession FOR US".

Hebrews 6:20 declares that our Lord entered the Father's presence"FOR 
US" as our "Forerunner". Hebrews 10:19,20therefore encourages believers 
to come to God in prayer: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to 
ENTER into the holiest by the blood of Jesus...a new and living way, 
which He hath consecrated FOR US...".

Just think how much God has done FOR US in Christ! He delivered His 
beloved Son to death FOR US, Christ gave Himself FOR US, died FOR US, 
became a curse FOR US, intercedes FOR US, entered heaven FOR US as a 
Forerunner, and consecrated "a new and living way" into God's presence 
FOR US, so that we may "come boldly unto the throne of grace" to 
"obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb.4:16). "If 
God be FOR US, who can be against us" (Rom.8:31)?

Dear God of all grace, I am eager to be with You in glory above. 
Meanwhile, I humbly beseech You to develop my life spiritually. Please 
complete what is missing, stabilize my walk, empower me within, and 
ground me in Your love --- all by Your grace, Amen.

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, 
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623 
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other 
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide 
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and 
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

www.graceandthetruth.com

*Running to Win *
* Part 4 of 4*
*By Pastor Ricky Kurth *
Obviously, when Paul says we should keep under our bodies, he means 
we should keep them "as bondmen and bondwomen" unto us. Our physical 
bodies make wonderful servants, but poor masters. We must keep under 
them lest we find ourselves "a castaway."

This doesn't mean we might lose our salvation. In Romans 11 we read that 
God "cast away" the people of Israel (v. 1-15), but that didn't mean 
that faithful Jews who died in faith lost their hope! It rather means 
that as a people they were side lined from competition, because they 
didn't follow the rules!

Paul knew from personal experience what this was like. After he had 
"preached to others" that we are not under law but under grace, he took 
a Jewish vow (Acts 21:18-26) that would have ended in an animal 
sacrifice (v. 26). Rather than let him cast such a dishonorable shadow 
on the Cross of Christ, God interrupted the vow (v. 27), had him 
arrested (v. 32) and subsequently imprisoned, cast away or side lined 
because he didn't follow the rules.

Indeed, it is this unfortunate event in Paul's life that prompted the 
passage we are now considering. In I Corinthians 9:20, Paul regretfully 
admits:

"And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to 
them that are under the law, as under the law; that I might gain them 
that are under the law."

Paul says that he did this "that I might by all means save some" (v.22). 
But are we to use all means to reach the lost and teach the untaught? 
No, we must be careful "lest that by any means" we are too zealous and 
break the rules! Paul's words here are not given to encourage us to 
emulate his methods, but rather as a warning not to follow in his 
footsteps. He means for us to admire the zeal that motivated his 
actions, but to temper this zeal with an unwavering determination to 
play by the rules.

We know that Paul was willing to give up his rewards and be "accursed 
from Christ" for his brethren in Israel (Rom. 9:3). This sounds noble, 
and we are tempted to say, "Amen! You go, Paul!", and be willing to give 
up our own rewards for the sake of those about us. But Paul learned the 
hard way that God doesn't approve of it, and it doesn't work anyway! 
Compromising the rules never accomplishes the goal, it only brings loss 
of rewards. Thus Paul tells Timothy:

"And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except 
he strive lawfully" (II Tim. 2:5).

This passage in II Timothy has yet another tie to our text in I 
Corinthians 9. The Greek word for "castaway" is the negative form of the 
word translated "approved" in II Timothy 2:15. Thus, if we don't rightly 
divide God's Rule Book, we will end up a disapproved castaway! Every 
Isthmian contestant knew he must do more than just follow the rules of 
his competition, he also knew he must not mix the rules with those of 
other events. For instance, while it is perfectly all right to punch an 
opponent in the boxing ring, a runner who slugs a man who is gaining on 
him will find himself disqualified! It is likewise within the rules for 
fencers to use a foil, but the boxer who tries to use one is 
disapproved! In the same way, Christians today must be careful not to 
mix the rules given to us through the Apostle Paul with the rules given 
to the people of Israel, or we will end up "ashamed" at the judgment 
seat of Christ.

Perhaps you are thinking that you aren't concerned with obtaining 
rewards, you would be embarrassed to reign with Christ, you are not the 
type who wants to rule and reign over anyone or anything. When you get 
to Heaven, you'll be content to be "a doorkeeper" in the house of God 
(Ps. 84:10). If this describes you, you should know that while rewards 
may not be important to you, they are important to God. God is tired of 
watching the Academy awards and all of men's other award shows, and 
seeing all the wrong people rewarded for all the wrong things! God is 
eager to see the right people rewarded for all the right things. May God 
help us to be as eager to be rewarded as He is to reward us! May God 
help us to get in the game, and live fervently for Him!

*
**
*
Dear Lord of light, I praise You for bringing me out of darkness into 
Your gracious light. Grant me grace to proclaim Your excellencies. Shine 
Your light into the hearts I hope to reach. Grant them the miracle of 
resting and trusting you in your high calling of us, in the Lord Jesus 
we pray. Amen.

*Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why 
not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one. The Word of God is 
so needed in our troubled USA. We are loosing a great many of our 
privileges the founding fathers of our great county have protected us by 
the Constitution of America, there is no country in the world as great 
as America. Let's stand up and take back our roots.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

Running to Win 
       Part 2 of 4
By Pastor Ricky Kurth           

Our Lord is described here in Hebrews 12:2 as "the author and finisher of our faith." Many race courses are straight lines, and the starting line is different than the finishing line. Obviously, Hebrews 12:2 speaks of the more circular form of race course, where the starting line is the same as the finishing line, for our Lord is the beginning of the Christian life, but He is also the goal! 

But while Christ is our goal, what specifically are we racing for? I'm glad you asked! God doesn't expect you to engage in a race for an unknown prize. Philippians 3:14 says: 

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 

So what is "the prize of the high calling of God"? Well, before we can determine what "the prize of the high calling" is, we must first define "the high calling of God." Paul speaks here of our high calling as opposed to Israel's low calling. While believers in Israel were promised an earthly hope, believers today are promised a heavenly hope. Thus Israel's hope is a low calling only in a geographical sense. 

But what then is "the prize of the high calling"? Again, we find the answer when we compare what we have to what Israel has. The prize of Israel's low calling was greater opportunity to rule and reign with Christ on earth. The twelve apostles were promised thrones in Christ's earthly kingdom (Matt. 19:28), and faithful Jews in general will be rewarded with authority over the peoples of the Gentiles (Luke19:17,19). As the parable in Luke 19 indicates, the extent of their reign will be in direct proportion to the extent of their service. What then is "the prize of the high calling"? Surely it is the extent of our reign with Christ in the heavens, which will be in direct proportion to our faithful service for Him. 

To win this prize, Paul says that he concentrated on "one thing" (Phil.3:13). Before 1871, D. L. Moody was interested in many things: the YMCA, social issues, Sunday School work, etc. But after the great Chicago fire devastated his city and took many lives, he determined to focus on one thing—evangelism! Similarly, there are many issues that Christians today can be distracted by: politics, protesting abortion and gay rights, etc. But let us, like God Himself, focus on one thing, and work with Him to "have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (I Tim. 2:4). 

But after we extend a lifetime of effort in this race, can it be that only "one receiveth the prize" (I Cor. 9:24)? No, Paul offers this by way of contrast to the way participants in the Isthmian games were rewarded. How heartening to read Paul's words earlier in this epistle, where he speaks of how when "the Lord come...then shall every man have praise of God" (I Cor. 4:5). His words in Chapter 9 are given to encourage us to run as if only one were going to receive the prize, that is, with the same intensity as the Isthmian runners. 

"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible" (I Cor. 9:25). 

Here Paul turns our attention from the race track to the Isthmian wrestling arena. We know from Ephesians 6:12 that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places," the demons that currently reign in the heavens, fallen angels who aren't looking forward to members of the Body of Christ taking their place. We must wrestle against the "doctrines of devils" (I Tim. 4:1) that these rulers of darkness teach. We must try to enlighten those whom they would keep in spiritual darkness. 

Dear God of faithfulness, how delightful to realize that my persistence of faith in You hinges on Your faithfulness toward me. I see that I can continue to depend upon You, because you are fully faithful to me. What expectation this gives me as I consider Your great promises! You will be faithful to fulfill every one of them, as I place my trust in You!

Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled USA.  We are loosing a great many of our privileges the founding fathers of our great county have protected us by the Constitution of America, there is no country in the world as great as America. Let's stand up and take back our roots. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET 

Running to Win 
       Part 3 of 4
By Pastor Ricky Kurth 
          

As we strive, we must remember to be "temperate" or moderate in all things. Pastor Stam's father was a workaholic city missionary. He died a premature death, and Pastor Stam never forgot this lesson. He tempered his own ministry by occasionally taking time out for his diversions, which included photography, chess, and other interests. 

The Isthmian wrestlers strove for "a corruptible crown," a leafy laurel that time would corrupt in just a day or two. But we strive for an "incorruptible" crown. Today we often use the word "corruption" to apply to government, when elected officials abuse the public trust. Thank God, when we receive our crowns and begin to rule and reign with Christ, there will never be any corruption in our heavenly government, as there was ages ago when a third of the angels abused God's trust and corrupted the government in the heavens. 

"I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air" (I Cor. 9:26). 

As we run this race with Paul, there are three things we are not uncertain about. First, we are not uncertain about our salvation, for as we said, we are not competing for heavenly citizenship. Second, we are not uncertain about our rewards. We trust God when He says that every man shall have praise of Him. Lastly, we are not uncertain as to the rules of the game. The rules in professional football have changed over the years, and one thing is certain: if you play by the rules of a previous era, you'll be penalized! Likewise in the dispensation of grace, if you play by the rules that God gave to Israel, you are certain to be penalized! 

When Paul says "so fight I," he has switched arenas again, this time to the boxing ring. Boxing is a studied art, but it all boils down to two essentials: hit, and don't get hit! A hard-hitting boxer who can't avoid his opponent's blows will not succeed. But an artful dodger who can't strike a blow is just as ineffective! As Christian boxers, some chant: "We don't smoke and we don't chew, and we don't run with them that do!"—but they don't do anything else either! They can dodge Satan's darts, but can't land a punch for the Lord. But we also have the opposite type, heavy hitters who are preaching and teaching and have the devil on the ropes, but who never learned to duck, and soon are down for the count, having disgraced their ministry by falling into sin. 

Paul was not "one that beateth the air," and neither are we! The only time a boxer engaged in beating the air, or "shadow boxing," was when he was training, and you and I are never without an opponent! Our Berean Bible Institute students may be in training, but as far as God is concerned, they are already engaged in the conflict! 

"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (I Cor. 9:27 ). 

The phrase "keep under" is a peculiar phrase used only one other time in the Bible, and in a way that tells us precisely what Paul means. In II Chronicles 28:10, we read: 

"And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you...." 

Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled USA.  We are loosing a great many of our privileges the founding fathers of our great county have protected us by the Constitution of America, there is no country in the world as great as America. Let's stand up and take back our roots. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

Running to Win
 Part 1 of 4
By Pastor Ricky Kurth 
         
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain" (I Cor. 9:24). 

Did you know that if you are a Christian, you are in a race? Imagine being in a race and not knowing it! When this writer turned 40, he realized he was in a race against time, and time was running out! It was time to get serious about life! As Christians, we too are in a race—not against each other, but against time, and time is running out! (Rom. 13:11-14). Its time to get serious about the things of the Lord! 

While the ancient Olympic games were held in Olympic the Isthmian games were held in Corinth, and so Paul was using an analogy, the details of which these Corinthians understood, but which must be explained to us. For instance, the "prize" they raced for was not Roman citizenship; you had to be a citizen in order to compete in these games. Likewise, Paul is not speaking about racing for heavenly citizenship, for you must be saved in order to compete in this race. Additionally, it is said that participants in the Isthmian games had to be free of all legal entanglements. If a man were guilty of a felony, or even up on charges, he could not compete. Thank God, grace has freed us from all legal entanglements! We are "free from the law," and cleared of all charges by the blood of Christ! 

At the Olympic or Isthmian level, no runner would even think about taking a step backward during a race, for such a step would take you in a direction opposite of your goal! And so it is when you sin, you take a step backward from your goal, and you are losing ground spiritually! Then too, no runner would think of taking a step sideways, for every runner knows that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Sometimes Christians ask if it's acceptable for God's people to watch TV, gamble, or engage in other such marginal activities. While such things are not always wrong, they are often steps sideways, and won't help you win the race at the eternal level. 

The writer of Hebrews seemed to understand this too. He challenges us to "run with patience the race that is set before us" (12:1), and his advice is to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us." Obviously the weights he has in mind are not sins, for he mentions them separately. Doubtless he was thinking of these marginal issues, things that are not steps backward, but things that will weigh you down and make it more difficult for you to run the race successfully. 

This writer was once working as a house painter in an apartment building that had two sidewalks that led to the door. Since trips back and forth to the truck for equipment take time—and time is money—pacing had to be employed to determine which was the shorter route! But in the race in which we are engaged as Christians, time is much more important than money. Thus it behooves each of us to examine our Christian lives and cast aside any extra weight, straighten out the curves, and eliminate all steps backward and sideways. 

When Peter walked on the water through the storm to our Lord, do you think he meandered hither and yon to admire the crashing waves and great ocean swells? Hardly! No doubt the raging sea caused him to set a straight course for the Lord. May the storms that rage in your life cause you to do the same! 

Peter's experience teaches us another valuable lesson, "for when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid" (Matt. 14:30). In order to see the wind, he must have taken his eyes off the Lord, and the writer of Hebrews tells us that we should always be "looking unto Jesus" (12:2). Runners know they must focus on the goal. Sin and marginal issues are a distraction that cause us to take our eyes off the prize! 

Be much with the solid teachings of God's word, and you will become solid and substantial men and women: drink them in, and feed upon them, and they shall produce in you a Christ-likeness, at which the world shall stand astonished.---- C. H. Spurgeon

Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled USA.  We are loosing a great many of our privileges the founding fathers of our great county have protected us by the Constitution of America, there is no country in the world as great as America. Let's stand up and take back our roots. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

*Do you know you are seated in the heavenlies, You say why? If you have 
trusted Christ, for salvation you are in Christ who is seated at the 
right hand of God.*

*SCRIPTURE FOR SEPTEMBER 29. 2014*

*Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together 
with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) *
*Eph 2:6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together 
in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: *
*www.graceandthetruth.com*
The Highest Expression Of Faith 
            by Pastor C. R. Stam
    

      In Rom. 8:26 we read what our hearts must often confess to be true:


“…We know not what we should pray for as we ought…”


But the Apostle hastens to explain that the Spirit makes intercession for us according to the will of God, adding:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28).

Believers may not receive whatever they ask for in the darkness of this age, but

“God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (II Cor. 9:8).

We may not receive whatever we ask for, but by His grace we may have so much more than this, that the Apostle, in a contemplating it, breaks forth in doxology:

“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us;

“Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Eph. 3:20,21).

In the light of all this the highest expression of faith today is found in the words of Paul in Phil. 4:6,7:

“Be careful [anxious] for nothing — but in everything — by prayer and supplication — with thanksgiving— let your requests be made known unto God —and…”

“And” what?
“And 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.”

 
Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

FACTUAL FREEDOM
By Miles Stanford

"You were set free from the tyranny of Sin" (Rom. 6:18, Wey.)
 
There are two extremes that keep many of us in bondage. The one is ignorance as to the possibility of freedom; the other, ignorance as to the extent of freedom. Careful attendance to the facts of the Word will solve both these crippling conditions.
 
"The New Testament teaches that the flesh is represent-atively dead in virtue of the Cross, but it no where says it will become actually dead by standing on that fact. What it does say is that, when reckoning the fact true, self will lose its governing power over me. In Romans Six we find that through the death of Christ, sin shall not have dominion over you --- the idea is of bondage, ruling, governing, dominating. There is no such view presented as the annihilation of the thing, the exclusion of its presence, but the loss of its governing power. So you see if we are looking for the actual death of the old nature in us, we are looking for something that will never come to pass in this life." ---N.D.
 
"Our Lord has never promised that we shall be able to look within, and say that self is gone. Whilst we really believe God's Word that we have died with Christ unto sin, and count upon Him as the Living One to manifest His life through us, others will see that self is inoperative, whilst we are occupied with Christ." 

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ hath made us free" (Gal. 5:1). 

THOUGHT FOR THIS WEEK

If we would see ourselves as God sees us ---
in all the perfections of the
Beloved in Whom
we have been engraced so fully
and loved so deeply -
we would reflect more of what
we have been made to be "in Christ".
----Keith McDonald

*
1Co 1:30 "..... of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness,
and sanctification,
and redemption"


Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled USA.  We are loosing a great many of our privileges the founding fathers of our great county have protected us by the Constitution of America, there is no country in the world as great as America. Let's stand up and take back our roots. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

Shadow and Substance
By Weldon Rightmer

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." (Heb. 10:1)

"Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Col. 2:17)

"Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation (a making thoroughly right)." (Heb. 9:10)

In the matter of salvation it is very important that we arrive at proper conclusions. However, we feel that even here many men miss the mark. They try to impose upon us some of the things which belong back in the shadow days. One should never be satisfied with anything less than the real substance.

For instance, a wrong interpretation is placed upon Ephesians 5:26 and Titus 3:5. Those who believe in baptismal regeneration make a big to do about the meaning of the word "washing" in these two passages. The word is "loutron," meaning "laver" or "bath." This immediately reminds us of the truth brought out in Exodus 30:17-21. It was necessary that the priest and his sons wash at this laver before entering the Tabernacle. Because of the connection between these words, many insist that sinners are saved by submitting to baptism in water. A careful reading of Hebrews 9:8-12 and 10:1 will show the folly of such a notion. The washing in Ephesians is accomplished by the Word. It takes place in the sphere of the Word, not in some baptistry. The washing in Titus could not be by water; for God says, "Not by works of righteous -ness which we have done." The word "regeneration" means "re-creation" or "rebirth." This washing, or cleansing, takes place when we are created anew in Christ Jesus. We feel sorry for those who would rather have the shadow than the substance.

Another case is found in 1 Peter 3:21.

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

This carries us back beyond the shadows of the law. But, in a measure, we see shadow and substance. The word "figure" means "antitype" in this particular passage. If the baptism mentioned here is the antitype, then Noah's experience must have been the type. Noah certainly did not get wet. God shut Noah in the ark, and it was lifted up by the waters, above the judgment sent by Almighty God. The waters beat against the ark, but Noah and his family were safe within. This ark is a type of Christ. The flood waters that beat against our Lord at Calvary will not reach those who are in Him. (See Psalms 42:7). We believe that Peter was speaking of the baptism of suffering our Saviour experienced at Calvary. Read Luke 12:50. This is the baptism that saves.

Even in this dispensation, it is necessary that one be baptized in order to go to heaven. Let us say quickly that we do not have reference to water baptism. In times past there have been "divers baptisms." These were merely shadows. There is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5). We believe that a careful reading of Ephesians 1:13 and 4:3 indicates that this is the baptism accomplished by the Holy Spirit. When one accepts the Lord as Saviour the Spirit of God sets His seal upon the work of Christ. Also, the Lord says that He is talking about the "unity of the Spirit." Why should we bring in a foreign element?

Listen to this verse,

"Buried with him in baptism, the baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Col. 2:12)

This is real baptism, administered by God Himself. As someone has wisely said, "We are the ones who have actually been baptized." Those before us had only the shadows.

Is it necessary for one to be circumcised in order to go to heaven? It all depends on whether we are speaking of shadow or substance. Our readers will immediately say, "we are definitely not a circumcised people." In a sense that is true. "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands" (Eph. 2:11). Compare also Galatians 2:7. We are not the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands. To practice such circumcision for spiritual reasons is to no avail in the present dispensation. See Galatians 5:3-6. It was very important to Israel.

Does this verse contradict what we have just given?

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Phil. 3:3)

We are the ones who have real circumcision. Israel had merely a shadow.

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." (Col. 2:11)

This circumcision cuts away the filth of the heart.

"And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen. 17:11).

Compare this with the 6th verse. "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee." Each time a male child was circumcised, Israel was to be reminded that reproduction was by the power of God, and the seed to the glory of God. This shows the sacredness of the marriage vow.

Because of the circumcision of our Lord and His death on Calvary, we are to reckon our old man to be crucified with Him.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed—that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Rom. 6:6)

The body of the flesh is put off by the circumcision of Christ. Only by the power of God can one be born into the family of God. We should also remember that it is by His power that the individual can be fruitful. This is the most sacred relationship of all.

We do not shy away from the above Scriptures just because of the use of the words "baptism and circumcision." We wouldn't think of relegating to Israel the verses mentioned in Philippians and Colossians. Perhaps we are wrong in applying 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 strictly to the Jew. Let us look into this truth.

"For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

Back in the shadow days the people were required to offer a Passover lamb. It is now in Christ (and because of what He has done) that God passes over our sins. In Him there is reality. Does God see you in Christ? Are you "accepted in the Beloved?" In our dear Lord there is everything the sinner will ever need.

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things." (Rom. 8:32)

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET

Shadow and Substance
By Weldon Rightmer

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very 
image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered 
year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." (Heb. 10:1)

"Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Col. 
2:17)

"Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal 
ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation (a making 
thoroughly right)." (Heb. 9:10)

In the matter of salvation it is very important that we arrive at proper 
conclusions. However, we feel that even here many men miss the mark. 
They try to impose upon us some of the things which belong back in the 
shadow days. One should never be satisfied with anything less than the 
real substance.

For instance, a wrong interpretation is placed upon Ephesians 5:26 and 
Titus 3:5. Those who believe in baptismal regeneration make a big to do 
about the meaning of the word "washing" in these two passages. The word 
is "loutron," meaning "laver" or "bath." This immediately reminds us of 
the truth brought out in Exodus 30:17-21. It was necessary that the 
priest and his sons wash at this laver before entering the Tabernacle. 
Because of the connection between these words, many insist that sinners 
are saved by submitting to baptism in water. A careful reading of 
Hebrews 9:8-12 and 10:1 will show the folly of such a notion. The 
washing in Ephesians is accomplished by the Word. It takes place in the 
sphere of the Word, not in some baptistry. The washing in Titus could 
not be by water; for God says, "Not by works of righteous -ness which we 
have done." The word "regeneration" means "re-creation" or "rebirth." 
This washing, or cleansing, takes place when we are created anew in 
Christ Jesus. We feel sorry for those who would rather have the shadow 
than the substance.

Another case is found in 1 Peter 3:21.

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the 
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good 
conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

This carries us back beyond the shadows of the law. But, in a measure, 
we see shadow and substance. The word "figure" means "antitype" in this 
particular passage. If the baptism mentioned here is the antitype, then 
Noah's experience must have been the type. Noah certainly did not get 
wet. God shut Noah in the ark, and it was lifted up by the waters, above 
the judgment sent by Almighty God. The waters beat against the ark, but 
Noah and his family were safe within. This ark is a type of Christ. The 
flood waters that beat against our Lord at Calvary will not reach those 
who are in Him. (See Psalms 42:7). We believe that Peter was speaking of 
the baptism of suffering our Saviour experienced at Calvary. Read Luke 
12:50. This is the baptism that saves.

Even in this dispensation, it is necessary that one be baptized in order 
to go to heaven. Let us say quickly that we do not have reference to 
water baptism. In times past there have been "divers baptisms." These 
were merely shadows. There is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" 
(Ephesians 4:5). We believe that a careful reading of Ephesians 1:13 and 
4:3 indicates that this is the baptism accomplished by the Holy Spirit. 
When one accepts the Lord as Saviour the Spirit of God sets His seal 
upon the work of Christ. Also, the Lord says that He is talking about 
the "unity of the Spirit." Why should we bring in a foreign element?

Listen to this verse,

"Buried with him in baptism, the baptism, wherein also ye are risen with 
him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from 
the dead." (Col. 2:12)

This is real baptism, administered by God Himself. As someone has wisely 
said, "We are the ones who have actually been baptized." Those before us 
had only the shadows.

Is it necessary for one to be circumcised in order to go to heaven? It 
all depends on whether we are speaking of shadow or substance. Our 
readers will immediately say, "we are definitely not a circumcised 
people." In a sense that is true. "Wherefore remember, that ye being in 
time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that 
which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands" (Eph. 
2:11). Compare also Galatians 2:7. We are not the Circumcision in the 
flesh made by hands. To practice such circumcision for spiritual reasons 
is to no avail in the present dispensation. See Galatians 5:3-6. It was 
very important to Israel.

Does this verse contradict what we have just given?

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and 
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Phil. 3:3)

We are the ones who have real circumcision. Israel had merely a shadow.

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without 
hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the 
circumcision of Christ." (Col. 2:11)

This circumcision cuts away the filth of the heart.

"And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a 
token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen. 17:11).

Compare this with the 6th verse. "And I will make thee exceeding 
fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of 
thee." Each time a male child was circumcised, Israel was to be reminded 
that reproduction was by the power of God, and the seed to the glory of 
God. This shows the sacredness of the marriage vow.

Because of the circumcision of our Lord and His death on Calvary, we are 
to reckon our old man to be crucified with Him.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of 
sin might be destroyed---that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Rom. 
6:6)

The body of the flesh is put off by the circumcision of Christ. Only by 
the power of God can one be born into the family of God. We should also 
remember that it is by His power that the individual can be fruitful. 
This is the most sacred relationship of all.

We do not shy away from the above Scriptures just because of the use of 
the words "baptism and circumcision." We wouldn't think of relegating to 
Israel the verses mentioned in Philippians and Colossians. Perhaps we 
are wrong in applying 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 strictly to the Jew. Let us 
look into this truth.

"For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us 
keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice 
and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

Back in the shadow days the people were required to offer a Passover 
lamb. It is now in Christ (and because of what He has done) that God 
passes over our sins. In Him there is reality. Does God see you in 
Christ? Are you "accepted in the Beloved?" In our dear Lord there is 
everything the sinner will ever need.

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how 
shall he not with him also freely give us all things." (Rom. 8:32)

*

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and 
the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till 
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fulness of Christ:"

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, 
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we 
[him] no more. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new 
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become 
new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by 
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To 
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not 
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word 
of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye 
reconciled to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no 
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

EXPERIENCE SUPERSEDED *
*By Miles Stanford*

*

"And they who know Thy Name will put their trust in Thee" (Ps. 9:10).

Our experiences must be judged by God's Word, never the Word judged by 
our experiences. Normally, the Spirit of Truth will reveal a truth to us 
from the Scriptures and, as we exercise faith in what we have been 
shown, will begin to take us into the experience of it. Abnormally, a 
Christian will yearn for an 'experience,' and then attempt to find 
corroboration for it in the Word.

"Knowledge must carry the torch before faith." Always give God's Word 
first place, "for the Word of God liveth and worketh, and is sharper 
than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul 
and spirit, yea, to the inmost parts thereof, and judging the thoughts 
and imaginations of the heart" (Heb. 4:12, Cony.).

"A person may easily know his sins forgiven, but it is a further truth 
to know that he himself has 'died to sin.' He finds this conflicts with 
his experience. Suppose I tell you a debt of a thousand pounds which you 
owed was paid by someone, it would not be a question of experience, but 
of simply believing my statement. Just so with God. He tells us our sins 
are forgiven, and it is a question whether we believe Him. But when He 
tells us we have died to sin, we look inside and say, 'Ah, sin is still 
at work; how is that?' A person must be taught of God to know really the 
truth that he has died to sin."--J.N.D.

''It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 
word of God" (Luke 4:4).

*
**
*

Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why 
not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one who may be 
defending the USA the Word of God is so needed in our troubled world. It 
is our heart at GRACE AND THE TRUTH and mission to reach as many people 
as we possibly can TO SHARE with them the Word of God and all that the 
Lord Jesus Christ has done for members of the body of Christ.

*2Co 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in 
Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every 
place.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Our Reasonable Service
By Gregg Bing

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you 
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which 
is your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1)

With these familiar words, the apostle Paul begins the portion of the 
letter to the Romans that deals with the daily life and service of a 
believer. Paul beseeches each of us as brethren, as fellow believers in 
Christ, to present our bodies as a sacrifice to God.

The word beseech literally means to "call to the side of" for the 
purpose of supporting, comforting, encouraging, or urging. Paul is 
urging and encouraging us, as believers, to "present" ourselves to God.

To "present" means "to place near or beside; to put at the disposal of; 
to make available for use." The word is used in Matthew 26:53 when Peter 
tried to prevent Jesus' arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus 
asked him, "Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He 
will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?" This same word 
is used in Luke 2:22 when Jesus' parents brought Him to Jerusalem, as a 
baby, "to present Him to the Lord." In accordance with the law of the 
firstborn (Exo. 13:2,12), Jesus' parents consecrated Him and presented 
Him to the Lord. We are urged to do the same thing with our bodies: to 
"present" or "yield" them to the Lord as "members of righteousness to 
God" (Rom. 6:13), that they might be vessels "for honor, sanctified and 
useful for the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Tim. 2:21).

Believers are to present their bodies a sacrifice to God. The word 
"sacrifice" is the same word that is used for the Old Testament 
sacrifices (Heb. 10:1), as well as for Christ's sacrifice to God for us 
(Eph. 5:2). Paul uses three adjectives to describe our sacrifice to God.

A Living Sacrifice

First, it is to be a living sacrifice. Old Testament sacrifices were 
slain and offered to the Lord, but ours is to be a living sacrifice. 2 
Corinthians 5:15 states that "... those who live should live no longer 
for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

A Holy Sacrifice

Second, our sacrifice is to be a holy sacrifice. The word holy means 
"separated or set apart." The Old Testament offerings consisted of a 
lamb or a ram which was without spot or blemish (Lev. 1:3). The Lord 
Jesus Himself was offered to God "as of a lamb without blemish and 
without spot" (1 Pet. 1:19). A holy God requires a holy offering. As 
believers, we are sanctified or made holy by the blood of Christ. When 
we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are placed "in Christ." God sees us 
as He sees Christ: "holy and without blame before Him" (Eph. 1:4). This 
is what we are positionally in Christ, but as a living sacrifice, 
believers should also seek to live holy, separated lives for the Lord; 
lives which are set apart from the world (1 John 2:15-17) with its 
sinful thoughts, desires, words, and actions; lives which are clean and 
pure; lives which are consecrated to a holy God.

An Acceptable Sacrifice

Third, our sacrifice is to be an acceptable sacrifice. The word 
acceptable means "well pleasing;" that which brings delight or pleasure. 
The majority of people, including many believers, live to please 
themselves or to please other people, but Romans 12:1 declares that our 
sacrifice is to be well pleasing to God. Many of the Old Testament 
sacrifices were offerings made by fire. When these offerings were given 
and sacrificed in accordance with God's Word, the smell of the offering, 
as it was burnt, was "a sweet aroma to the Lord" (Lev. 1:13). This means 
it was well pleasing to Him. The Lord Jesus was called by God, "My 
Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17). When Jesus Christ 
offered Himself as a sacrifice to God in our behalf, it was a 
"sweet-smelling aroma" to God (Eph. 5:2). As a living sacrifice, we are 
to seek to please the Lord in all that we do, say, and think. The 
apostle Paul stated this was to be our aim in life, "to be well pleasing 
to Him" (2 Cor. 5:9).

Here is God's desire for His children—that we present our bodies as a 
sacrifice to Him, a sacrifice that is living, holy, and well pleasing to 
the Lord. Paul declares that this is our "reasonable service." The word 
service, as used in the New Testament, refers to service rendered unto 
God. When Jesus was tempted to bow down and worship Satan, He answered, 
"It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you 
shall serve" (Matt. 4:10). The word service is used particularly of 
service rendered to God in the tabernacle (Heb. 9:1,6). It is closely 
associated with the idea of worship.

The word reasonable is the Greek word logikos, which is akin to the 
Greek word logos. It means "reasonable, logical, rational; that which is 
of the mind, thus it is sensible or intelligent." When we consider God's 
wonderful love for us and the indescribable gift He has given us in His 
Son (John 3:16, 1 John 4:10), what should our reasonable response be? 
When we consider that we have been bought with the precious blood of 
Christ and therefore we belong to God (1 Cor. 6:20), what should be our 
logical service? When we consider God's wonderful purpose for our lives, 
to bring glory and honor to Him and to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 
5:20), what is the sensible, intelligent thing for us to do? We are to 
worship the Lord and serve Him only; we are to sacrificially present 
ourselves to God, placing ourselves completely at His disposal to be 
used as He sees fit. This is our reasonable service.

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and 
the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till 
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fulness of Christ:"

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, 
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we 
[him] no more. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new 
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become 
new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by 
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To 
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not 
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word 
of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye 
reconciled to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no 
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Baptized Into Christ
Conclusion
By Dennis Kiszona

By His grace, I made it! Bone of His bones, flesh of His flesh, one body 
and one spirit with the Lord. What more could God say? You cannot be any 
closer than that. You can’t feel it, see it, or touch it, but you know 
it because Christ said it: He is in me and I am in Him.

Being baptized into His Body, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel 
of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with 
the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance 
until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His 
glory” (Ephesians 1:13, 14).

Note the order: First, you heard the gospel. Second, you believed - you 
trusted the Lord as your Saviour. And Paul says that at that moment, 
God’s Holy Spirit moved in with that baptism. It was not only the 
baptism, but also a sealing in Him. We are not part of the vine and the 
branches, where the branches can be cut off if they’re not fruitful and 
be thrown into the fire. We are members of His body and sealed in Him, 
safe and secure.

Being baptized into His Body, we are seated with Christ in heaven - now!

“Even when we were dead in trespasses, [He] made us alive together with 
Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together and 
made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5, 6).

We may be walking about on this earth, but we are members of Christ’s 
body, and our head is in heaven. Because I am one with Him, I am already 
seated with Him in heavenly places. Ephesians chapter 1 and verse three 
tells me that, because I am seated with Christ in heavenly places, God, 
my Father, has blessed me “with every spiritual blessing in heavenly 
places in Christ.”

Being baptized into His Body, we are joined to each other with a 
spiritual bond.

“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” 
(Eph. 4:3).

The same Holy Spirit that came to live in me is the same Holy Spirit 
that came to live in you. I don’t understand how the same person can be 
in me, in you, and in each member of Christ’s body, but this tells me 
that this one baptism by one Spirit into one body has pulled us all 
together - not only individually into the Lord Jesus Christ, but also 
with one another. When you see that unity, you begin to look at fellow 
Christians in a different light. You begin to treasure each one. God the 
Spirit is dwelling in each one to make us one body by this one spiritual 
baptism.

By this one baptism, I am placed into Christ and Christ into me. I 
become one with Him as a member of His body.

By this one baptism, I’m not only in Christ, but I’m sealed in Him forever.

By this one baptism, I have been seated in the heavenlies and have been 
blessed with all spiritual blessings.

By this one baptism, I’ve become one with Him and one with each member 
of Christ’s Body forever.

I believe in baptism - this greatest baptism in all the Bible, baptized 
into the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
A Final Word . . .

Maybe you’ve been baptized with water or had some kind of “religious” 
experience, but you can receive this real baptism. The Lord Jesus died 
on the cross to bear my sins and your sins, to pay for them once for all 
time. Whoever you are, no matter where you’ve come from, no matter what 
you’ve ever done, if you have never trusted in Him, He’s waiting for you 
and He’s inviting you now to trust in Him as your Savior. Stop trying to 
save yourself. Stop depending on a church, a sacrament, some ritual 
prayers, or a religion. God will save you tonight if you will simply put 
your faith in, and rely on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. At that 
very moment, God the Holy Spirit will baptize you and will place you 
into the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. You could never be closer to God 
than that. If you want to be saved right now, trust in the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and God will save you.

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and 
the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till 
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fulness of Christ:"

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, 
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we 
[him] no more. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new 
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become 
new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by 
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To 
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not 
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word 
of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye 
reconciled to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no 
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

The Incarnation of Christ
by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

Historically, it is a well-established fact that Jesus of 
Nazareth was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the King. Matthew 
and Luke record our Lord’s arrival with remarkable simplicity that even 
a child can understand. But it is the Apostle to the Gentiles who 
explains the significance of the incarnation of Christ.

According to Paul

When Christ left heaven’s glory, He as God, emptied Himself of the 
outward manifestation of His attributes. It was essential that the Lord 
veil the glory of His deity so sinful humanity could exist in His presence.

—Philippians2:6,7

Christ’s entrance into the world was through natural means like any 
other birth. He was born of the woman that He might accomplish the great 
work of redemption.

—Galatians4:4,5

Our Lord humbled Himself by stepping into a sinless human form so that 
He might experience all the trials and temptations we encounter. 
Therefore, He took upon Himself the form of a servant that He might 
minister to others.

—Philippians2:7,8

Into this pure, sinless vessel was poured our sins and iniquities. As a 
result, He was made sin for us so that His righteousness might be 
imputed to us.

—II Corinthians5:21

The Manger and the Cross stand at the opposite ends of our Lord’s 
earthly life, but they are uniquely connected by a special revelation 
given to Paul that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.†
It has been said, “Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, 
if He’s not born in you, your soul is still forlorn.â€

Although tradition often overshadows the truth, may God, in His infinite 
grace, use us as instruments to show a lost and dying world the Way, 
which is Christ Jesus.

*

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and 
the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till 
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fulness of Christ:"

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, 
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we 
[him] no more. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new 
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become 
new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by 
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To 
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not 
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word 
of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye 
reconciled to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no 
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Baptized Into Christ
Part 5 of 5
By Dennis Kiszona

We need to realize that in the early ministry of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts, he not only baptized people, but he circumcised them too (Acts 16:3). After all that Paul had written in Galatians about not practicing circumcision, he takes one of the Galatians, Timothy, and circumcises him. Continue reading in the same book and you see how Paul cut his hair to keep a Jewish vow. You observe Paul going into the temple to offer a Jewish sacrifice. You hear Paul speaking in tongues. You watch Paul baptizing people with a Jewish baptism. The question is, “Should we follow him?” or “Is that an example for us?”

Take a look at what he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 1.
“I thank God that I baptized none of you . . .” (v. 14a)

A good Baptist, isn’t he? But then he remembers a few:

“. . . except Crispus and Gaius. . . . I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect” (vv. 14, 16-17).

Among the many things that could be said, I want to make one point: When Paul preached his gospel (the gospel of the grace of God), from the beginning of his ministry to the end of his ministry, he did not have to preach water baptism along with it. When Peter preached his gospel (the gospel of the kingdom), he had to preach water baptism. Everywhere Peter preached he preached water baptism. Christ had sent him to preach water baptism and the kingdom (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15018). Paul says, “I was not sent to baptize.” It was never an intrinsic part of his gospel. In fact, as we read the letters of Paul, we find nowhere that he beseeches, or commands, or exhorts, or recommends, or says anything to the effect that members of the body of Christ ought to be baptized in water.

Why then did he baptize? He writes:
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The Greek word for “dimly” (KJV: “darkly”) is enigma, which means “a puzzle.” At this point in his ministry, during the book of Acts, as Paul looked at his own ministry he could say, “I don’t know it all yet.” We could ask, “Paul, why did you cut your hair, why did you keep that vow, why did you offer that sacrifice, why did you speak in tongues, why did you baptize those people with that Jewish baptism?” There are several reasons, but I believe there are times when Paul would say, “It is kind of an enigma, isn’t it? Even I, at that time, didn’t know the whole thing yet.”

But there came a day when the Lord Jesus Christ completed that revelation of the mystery to the apostle Paul in prison at Rome. At that time he moved into the full light of that revelation that Christ gave to him. We read about it in the prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon - and in the pastoral epistles. Paul says, now having the full knowledge of the mystery, “There is one baptism” - one Spirit baptizing us into one body (Ephesians 4:5). And in Colossians 2:15, he tells us that, when we are in that one body, baptized into Christ, we are “Complete in Him.”

The Effects of the “One Baptism”

I would like to conclude by reflecting upon the effects this has in our lives - being baptized by one baptism into the body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being baptized into His Body, we are made close to the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writes, in 1 Corinthians 6:17, “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” When we were baptized into Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:13), we became one body with the Lord. Now we see in this verse that we became one spirit with the Lord.

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. . . “(Galatians 3:27).

We are Christ’s. We are members of Him. I may forget something that belongs to me, but I will not put down my hand anywhere and forget it. I may misplace a book that is in my library, but I won’t lose track of my foot. My hand and my foot are my members - they are me. Paul says that we have put on Christ. We are baptized into His body and have become one with Him.

“For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. . . . This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:30, 32).


Twenty-five years ago I was graduating from 8th grade at St. Mary Star-of-the-Sea School on the south side of Chicago. At the end of that year, the Sister said, “I want you each to take a piece of paper and write down what you want to do with your life.” Some kids said, “I want to be a teacher,” or “I want to be a mechanic,” or “I want to play for the Chicago White Sox.” But I wrote down on that piece of paper, “I want to live on a mountain and really get close to God.”

Continue tomorrow for conclusion

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  Towit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; andhath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though Goddid beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth.

Baptized Into Christ
Part 4 of 5
By Dennis Kiszona

All of these baptisms that we have seen so far, as beautiful as they 
are, were all part of a prophesied program of God. They were all part of 
a message which promised entrance into a kingdom here on the earth. This 
was God’s plan for the nation of Israel. These were Jewish baptisms. We 
know from reading on in the Bible, through the book of Acts, there came 
a time when God set aside the nation of Israel and postponed their kingdom.

He had sent them John the Baptist. The Lord Jesus Christ had come to the 
nation. The Holy Spirit had come and filled the disciples. Israel’s 
response: murder, murder, murder. They stood by as John the Baptist was 
beheaded. They handed over the Lord Jesus Christ to crucifixion. They 
themselves picked up the stones and stoned Stephen, a man who was filled 
with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 7 and 8, the nation of Israel was cast 
away and that earthly kingdom was put “on hold.”

Then a wonderful thing happened. From heaven’s glory, the Lord Jesus 
Christ reached down in unfathomable grace and mercy to a man traveling 
down a road with vengeance and bitterness in his heart - a man named 
Saul - who was on his way to persecute the saints of God. He was a man 
who was called “the chief of sinners,” and the leader of Israel’s 
rebellion against the Lord. The Lord reached down and stopped that man 
in his tracks, saving him by His grace. This man’s name was changed from 
“Saul” to “Paul” and God made him an apostle.

He was called as an apostle not to the nation of Israel, but rather to 
the Gentiles. An apostle not of an earthly kingdom, but of the Body of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. An apostle not of a prophesied program, but of a 
secret - a mystery - hidden in God from before the foundation of the 
world (Ephesians 3:9).

Part of that revelation called “the mystery,” which the Lord Jesus 
Christ revealed to Paul, was a baptism. It was not a baptism of water, 
not a baptism of oil, nor a baptism of blood. It was a baptism that was 
unknown before the apostle Paul. You can search the Scriptures from 
Genesis up to Paul’s writings and you will not find even a hint of it.

The first mention of this new baptism is in the book of Romans and 
chapter 6.

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ 
Jesus were baptized into His death?” (v. 3)

In 1 Corinthians 12:12 and 13, Paul writes,

“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of 
that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. For by one 
Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, 
whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”

He writes about a baptism that is only part of “the mystery” which is 
found only in his letters - a unique baptism for us who are living in 
the dispensation of the grace of God. Here is a baptism that is not at 
all related with entering into an earthly kingdom, but a baptism that 
brings you into the Body of Christ. It is not a baptism of the 
priesthood - not a washing in water, not an anointing with oil, not a 
sprinkling of blood. It is not even a baptism of Messiah pouring out His 
Spirit on His people. It is a baptism that is an operation of the Holy 
Spirit Himself, taking a believer, the moment he puts his faith in the 
Lord Jesus Christ, fusing him into the body and person of the Lord Jesus 
Christ so that he becomes one with Him (1 Corinthians 12:12). Paul was 
able to look at the church in Corinth and see Christ, not many 
individual members. They were one with Him. They were Christ!

I don’t think there can be any doubt that the “one baptism” of which 
Paul writes in Ephesians 4:5 is the same baptism which he wrote about in 
Romans 6 and 1 Corinthians 12. It is the fact that one Spirit baptized 
us into one body. This is the one baptism for this dispensation of the 
grace of God in which we are living.

Someone will inevitably say, “Hey, wait a minute! Didn’t Paul baptize 
some people with water? And if he baptized some with water and the Holy 
Spirit baptized them, that’s two baptisms, right?” Let’s check it out.

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, 
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623 
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other 
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide 
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and 
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Baptized Into Christ
Part 2 of 5
By Dennis Kiszona


Now flash ahead 1,500 years to the Jordan River and these types that we see become reality. Here came the greatest of the prophets, John the Baptist, and he was saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” What kind of a kingdom will it be? In Exodus 19:6, God says that Israel would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. John comes and announces the imminent coming of the kingdom. The Israelites needed to assume their rightful part in that kingdom of priests. The first thing they needed to do was to be ordained. How were priests to be ordained? Back to Leviticus . . . they needed to be washed with water, anointed with oil, and sprinkled with blood.

And so these people lined up by the river, ready to be baptized with water. The ordination had begun. They had seen this many times in the temple. They had seen priest after priest being washed (baptized), anointed, and sprinkled as they were ordained for the ministry. They knew what it was about and so they came as a multitude down to the Jordan.

But wait! Someone else came.

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness’” (Matthew 3:13-15).

What righteousness did Christ need to fulfill? The righteousness of the law, as commanded by God, in Leviticus chapter 8. The Lord Jesus Christ is to be the High Priest of Israel and needs to be ordained. He comes to the river and John says, “No. I’m not going to do this.” The Lord says, “Yes you are, for we are going to fulfill all righteousness. The law says that I must be washed with water in order to become a priest.” Immediately afterwards, in verses 16 and 17:

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him. And suddenly a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’.”

The Lord Jesus Christ was first washed in the water like Aaron. But unlike Aaron who had oil poured upon him to anoint him to his ministry as a priest, the Lord Jesus Christ was anointed with no one less than the Holy Spirit by God Himself. Peter understood this, for he says:

“That word you know which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. . . ” (Acts 10:37, 38).
Act 10:37  That word, [I say], ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 
Act 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 

God Himself came into the ordination and anointed His Son - not with oil, but the real thing which oil only symbolized as a type. There were many people in the history of Israel who had been anointed - the priests, the kings, and the prophets - but this man was the anointed One. Peter says about Him, “God has made Him to be both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). (”Christ” is from the Greek word Christos, meaning “the anointed Messiah”)Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 
Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET
   
Baptized Into Christ
Part 3 of 5
By Dennis Kiszona
 

How do you become a priest? First, you are washed - baptized - in the water. Then, you are anointed with the oil. Finally, daubed in blood from your ear to your foot. Christ had been washed with water in the Jordan. Then he was anointed with the Holy Spirit Himself. But there was one more baptism.

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled. But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished” (Luke 12:49, 50).

When we see in the Old Testament Moses daubing the blood on the ear, the hand, and the foot of Aaron, then sprinkling him, splattering that blood on the priests, we know now that it was pointing ahead to Jesus Christ, the High Priest. The Anointed High Priest of Israel, after being baptized with water in the Jordan, and being anointed with the Holy Spirit by God, was then baptized with blood - splattered from head to foot - as the whip broke open His skin, as the thorns pierced His brow, and as the nails tore his hands and feet. He was baptized in His own blood that He might complete His ordination and offer Himself as a sacrifice.

We looked at Aaron’s ordination and at the Lord’s ordination, but now we return to the people of Israel. They were to become a kingdom of priests, and they needed to be ordained to enter into Messiah’s priesthood. John the Baptist began this ceremony to prepare the people, but he said,

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

John was, in effect, saying, “I can only take you this far, through one part of the ordination. But the One who comes after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” We turn to the book of Acts and we see the realization of this on the Day of Pentecost.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

What was happening? Peter explains it in verses 16:

“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh’.”

God is baptizing here with the pouring out of His Spirit, the pouring out of the anointing oil on these who desire to enter the kingdom of priests. As we continue in verses 32 and 33, Peter says,

“This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.”

There is one last part to the ordination. In his first epistle, Peter reveals the final stage of the priestly initiation.

“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Peter calls these people “a holy priesthood.” How did they get ordained? They were washed in the water, they were anointed with the Spirit by the Messiah, then, looking in the beginning of the book, we see that they were,

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1:2).

They had been fully ordained - washed in the water, anointed with the Spirit, and sprinkled not with the blood of a goat or ram, but with the blood of Jesus Christ.
Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging Christians to believe what God says. 

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" 

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.  Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 
GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET