GraceNTheTruth@ COX.NET~OUR ASSURANCES UNDER GRACE

*STAND WHERE YOU ARE! *
*By Miles Stanford*
*

"God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us
... hath made us alive together with Christ ... and hath raised us up
together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus"
(Eph. 2:4-6).

Believers are not occupying their position! At best, most are trying to
attain a victorious position by means of prayer, Bible study,
commitment, reconsecration, surrender, and so forth. But the answer is
simply to abide where we have already been placed --- in our risen Lord
Jesus Christ. Abide above, and keep looking down!

"Our Father has taken us over Jordan and placed us in Canaan, but the
reality of it is never known until by faith we accept the fact on the
basis of having died with Christ, and that therefore heaven is our
place, and we know it to be our place now; and that this side is not our
place, and we know that it is not.

"The more we abide in the Lord on the other side, the less disappointed
we will be here, for when we are there we import new joys and new hopes
into this old world, from an entirely new one, and we therefore in every
way surpass the inhabitants of this lost world." --- J.B.S.

"You must abide in Christ in heaven before you can descend with heavenly
ability to act for Him down here. The great secret of all blessing is to
come from the Lord. Most Christians go to
Him."

"Christian experience is our measure of apprehension of that which is
already true of us in the Lord Jesus Christ." - A.J.

"Stand fast in the Lord" (Phil. 4:1).

*The beauty of grace.....*
*is that it meets us where we are*
*and gives us what we don't deserve.*
*Charles Swindoll*


*THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK *

"God does not give His grace as He gives His sunshine - pouring it out
on all alike. He discriminates in spiritual blessings. He gives strength
according to our need. His eye is ever on us in tender, watchful love,
and what we need He supplies."
--- J. R. Miller

RISEN IN CHRIST
By HAROLD STEINBRON,

Scripture Reading: I Thessalonians 4:16

Resurrection is only for the body. The only ones who will take part in
the raising of these select dead are those who have already been placed
in Christ by the baptism of the Spirit of God. To be IN CHRIST is to
immediately partake of the Life of God: that is eternal life. The body
may become dust before God's program is ready for the Spirit and soul to
be reunited.

At this resurrection, the spirit of those who experienced what Paul
spoke of---absent from the body, present with the Lord---(No soul sleep
there!) will return to earth to see that pile of dust be raised so they
can now be once again in the body now made new and be present with the
Lord, in their new body.

Resurrection for the members of the Body of Christ has already
happened---IN CHRIST! Because He lives, we too shall live! Those who are
born once will die twice. Those who are born twice will die once.
Eternal life is experienced in the Spirit, at the moment of salvation.
Eternal life will be experienced by the mortal body either at this
special resurrection, or at the moment of translation. We shall not all
sleep, and perhaps this generation will be the one to see this glorious
thing happen. Not death, but translation!

IN CHRIST, we have died, we have been buried, and we have been raised
from the dead. Our whole life is now on the resurrection side of the
grave. Eternal life is not only quantitative, it is qualitative.
Resurrection is just one more benefit of being IN CHRIST.

THE TRUTH IN CHRIST *
*By Ralph Balog*

Scripture Reading: Romans 9: I

How wonderful it would be if every member of the Body of Christ could
state: "I say the truth in Christ!" What a unified message of grace
would be proclaimed to a lost and dying world. Paul speaks, in our text
verse, from a heavy heart. He had to defend his Gentile ministry
everywhere he went. And now from the extreme depths of his
compassionate heart comes the call to "hear what I say," because "I
speak the truth in Christ." None of the Jewish Kingdom apostles ever
had to defend their message and ministry in such fashion.

Paul wanted the Romans to know not only his love for them, but also for
"my kinsmen according to the flesh" (vs. 3). He knew what Israel,
nationally, was deliberately passing up ---"truth in Christ"---to follow
the traditions of the early fathers.

In 1984 it is not "truth in Christ" to proclaim the earthly ministry and
message of Christ as "good news" for sinners today. What was once truth
can now be false teaching in the light of new revelations from the
glorified Lord Jesus Christ given to and through the Apostle Paul.
Though for all intents the Body of Christ today is predominantly
Gentile, we, too, know that through Israel's fall we are now made near
to God by the blood of Christ. When we speak "the truth in Christ," we
too can claim our conscience will bear witness with the Holy Spirit and
His written Word, rightly divided.

May we never lose sight of Paul's burden for those outside of Christ. We
too were there once and God's grace is sufficient to save those not yet
in the Body of Christ.

WHEREIN IS EXCESS"*
*By Pastor Bob Hanna*

*

Many denominational churches teach that to let so much as a drop of
alcoholic beverage pass one's lips constitutes a mortal sin. This is not
found in Scripture. Christ's first recorded miracle refutes this
teaching. Jesus and his disciples were invited to attend a marriage in
Cana of Galilee. Those in the wedding party desired wine, and Jesus
obliged. "And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the
manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins
apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they
filled them up to the brim. And He saith unto them, Draw out now, and
bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of
the feast had tasted the water that was made wine ... " (John 2:6-9).

The apostle Paul advised, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess"
(Ephesians 5:18). He didn't say, "Don't drink wine". He simply warned
against over indulgence. When enumerating the qualifications of church
officials, Paul said that they should be "not given to much wine" (l
Timothy 3:8). "Of the elder women as wives and mothers, he wrote the
same advice - that they be "not given to much wine" (Titus 2:3).
Crediting wine with medicinal properties, Paul recommended to Timothy,
"Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities"
(l Timothy 5:23).

Throughout Biblical history, wine was a customary beverage. Wine and
strong drink were not disapproved as such; It was their abusive use that
was unacceptable. Wine was used in celebrations, taken as medicinal
potion, made part of ceremonial occasions and imbibed socially. We are
cautioned to "abstain from all appearance of evil" (I Thessalonians
5:22). Because so many believers are sincerely convinced that any
consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden, we may be well advised not
to partake, observing the principle set forth by the apostle:
'Wherefore, if meat (or wine) make my brother to offend, I will eat
(drink) no flesh (wine) while the world standeth, lest I make my brother
to offend" (I Corinthians 8:13).

FAILING CHRISTIAN LEADERS*
* by C. R. Stam*
* *
*

Have you been disappointed in your pastor or the officers of your
church or perhaps in Christian leaders in general? Have you placed great
faith in some spiritual leader only to be disillusioned and to find out
that your faith has been misplaced? Have you observed the growing
popularity of some evangelist or Bible teacher whom you "know" to be
insincere, while noting that another, whose fidelity and sincerity are
beyond question, seems to get nowhere?

How it helps, in such situations, to be able to "rightly divide the Word
of truth," and to enjoy "the full assurance of understanding" that comes
with "the full knowledge [Gr., epignosis] of the mystery"! (Col. 2:2).

In "this present evil age" we are living under "the dispensation of the
grace of God."

God is not saving good people today, nor even people who will repent and
"do works meet for repentance." Rather, He is saving poor sinners who
will come to Him with all their sin. This is God's gracious response to
man's rejection of the King and the kingdom as offered at Pentecost.

Look at the way believers lived together in love and harmony during the
Pentecostal era and you are apt to exclaim: "Why can't we live that way
today? Let's get back to Pentecost." But look at the way believers lived
together after the raising up of Paul, even among his beloved
Philippians, and you will say: "It is no different today." This is
because the believers at Pentecost were all filled with the Spirit in
fulfillment of a prophetic promise, while today He has in grace
committed His message to failing men and women, who indeed possess the
Spirit, but often grieve Him.

*LET IT GET YOU DOWN*
*by C. R. Stam *
*
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Eph. 3: 14).

When adversity strikes, the world keeps telling us: "Don't let it get
you down," but believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have learned that it
is good to let troubles and difficulties get them down -- down on their
knees.

A native evangelist in Africa sat outside his hut discouraged and
unhappy. Trouble and disappointment had brought "great coldness" into
his heart and he seemed ready to give up. The Lord, he felt, had utterly
forsaken him. As he sat there, though, his little girl kept nudging him
and saying: "Daddy, go inside and pray ." Finally it worked! The
evangelist went inside, poured his heart out to God and arose feeling
sure that the Lord would see him through.

It is good for us to get down on our knees before God. There is no
attitude more appropriate to the redeemed sinner. And as we pray, often
falteringly. ...

"The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should
pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.
"And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the
will of God. "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. 8:26-28).

"Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding. shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6,7).

*

*THE GROUND OF FAITH *
* By JOHN McKAY, Pastor *
* *
*Scripture Reading: Romans 10:17

Some think faith is a "blind leap in the dark" or believing something
that is irrational. While Christians must admit that there are many
things in faith and in science that can't be proven, the foundation of
our faith is firm. It is based upon the written revelation of the
Almighty God Who cannot lie.

Please notice that far from being a leap in the dark, our faith
originates as the work of God. "This is the work of God, that ye BELIEVE
on Him Whom He hath sent" (John 6:29). Our faith is "the faith of the
operation of God" (Colossians 2:12). Human faith that originates in
humans and terminates in human ideas of God the Father and the Son, will
prove itself to be "vain" faith. Read I Corinthians 15:1-4. Perhaps more
enslaving--- although with the same outcome---is the satanic and demonic
faith that brings another Jesus, another gospel, false apostles, angels
of light, and ministers of righteousness to modern religious movements
(II Corinthians 11:1-15). Many of these people have faith in faith
itself and promote the kind of unhealthy super naturalism from below
that produces signs and miracles which are inferior imitations of those
produced for Israel's benefit by the Lord's true representatives (Acts
4:13-16, I Corinthians 13:8-10 and 14:22).

Our faith is not in faith. Our faith comes from the Lord and rests
solidly upon the foundation of the Holy Bible. " .. .faith cometh by
hearing and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17).

The beginning of our faith and the finishing of our faith has the Word
of God as its foundation and the Lord Jesus as its worthy and glorious
Crown.

*WITH CHRIST*
*By **Pastor Paul Hume*
*
There is a well-known Negro spiritual which begins with these words:
'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?' The immediate answer is
'No, I wasn't there.' But after deeper reflection we have to answer
differently, 'Yes, I was there-in the person of Jesus Christ.'

'How do you arrive at that?' we inquire. The Word of God-especially
in the epistles of Paul-sets forth a marvelous truth. It centers in
another 'big-little' word. This word is 'with.'

When Christ was crucified, we were crucified 'with Him. 'When Christ
died, we died 'with Him.' When He was buried, we were buried 'with Him.'
Then when He arose from among the dead, we were raised 'with Him.' When
He ascended and passed through the heavens, we ascended 'with Him.' When
He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on High, we were
seated together 'with Him.' When He appears in His glory, we will also
'appear with Him in glory.' Then the promise is that if we 'endure, we
shall also reign with Him' (2 Timothy 2:12).

Now all of this speaks not so much of our union with Christ as our
association with Christ. We were 'with Him' in His death, burial,
resurrection and enthronement. We are 'with Him' in His glorified life
now. We shall be 'with Him' in the ages to come. This is glorious
'positional truth.' But what about the experiential side of this blessed
truth? How does this affect my daily life here on earth?

It means that by faith, based on the divine facts. I reckon myself
to have died with Christ unto sin and 'the elements of the world'
(Romans 6: 2-11; Gal. 2:20); to have been buried with Christ in death
(Colossians 2: 12); to have been 'quickened together with Christ
(Ephesians 2:1,5); to have been 'raised up together' with Christ (Eph.
2:6); to have been 'made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus.' (Ephesians 2:6.) God has already accomplished these feats, and
it is up to each one of us to believe what God has spoken and to rest
upon them.'

Then it also means that I presently share in the very life of
Christ. We are 'saved by His life' (Romans 5:10). We have been called
'unto the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord' (1 Corinthians
1:9). This involves communing with Him, meditating in His Word of Truth,
engaging in praise and prayer and drawing wisdom, grace and strength
from Him. It means also not only to suffer for Him, but to 'suffer with
Him' (Romans 8:17). Only His grace can enable us to do this, since we
naturally are averse to suffering. But what eternal rewards will be ours
if we do so!

Finally, it means to walk with Him 'in newness of life.' 'How can
two walk together, except they be agreed?' (Amos 3:3.) As we daily
'trust and obey' we can walk together in every circumstance, and
experience what one hymn writer states, 'It is glory just to walk with Him!'

You are not only 'in Christ' but 'with Christ' today?

Him we preach, admonishing every one and instructing every one, with all
possible wisdom, so that we may bring every one into God's presence,
made perfect through Christ. To this end, like an earnest wrestler, I
exert all my strength in reliance upon the power of Him who is mightily
at work within me. (Colossians 1 :28, 29, Weymouth)
... Christ is all and in all! (Colossians 3: 11)

*MORE ON "IN"**
By Pastor P. Hume*

A while back we spent some time looking at the use of the big-little
word 'in' as it relates to the believer being 'in Christ Jesus'. The
emphasis in this truth is that God brings the sinner 'out' and 'into.'
He takes the believer 'out of darkness', and places him 'into His
marvelous light' (I Peter 2:9). How assuring it is to realize again and
again that 'by His doing you are in Christ Jesus' (I Cor. 1:30), We
shall never - even in the ages to come - cease to be in this wonderful
Place!

Now we want to look at another aspect of the truth which employs this
little preposition. It relates to Christ being 'IN YOU, the hope of
glory' (Col. 1:27). The moment we receive Christ by faith, Christ by the
Holy Spirit comes to dwell within our hearts. Several truths cluster
here, and we want to note some of them.

CHRIST HIMSELF IS IN EVERY BELIEVER. So declare the Scripture of truth!
Listen to these words: 'And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead
because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness'
(Romans 8:10), 'My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ
is formed in you' (Galatians 4:19). 'I have been crucified with Christ,
and it is no longer I who. live, but Christ lives in me' (Galatians 2:
20). 'So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith' (Ephesians
3:17). 'But Christ is all and in all (who are saved)' (Colossians 3:11).
'But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts' (I Peter 3:15). These
passages tell us something tremendous. Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, is
actually within every true Christian! Just as we have blood in our veins
and a heart by which it is pumped, so Christ is within our hearts from
the moment we were regenerated until the day we die or are raptured into
glory; and even in the ages to come Christ will still be in us, and
we'll be in Him.

We often are not conscious of His being within, and we do not always
have feelings indicating He is dwelling within us. But nevertheless, he
is there - all the time. And we are to act upon His dwelling within by
faith based on the 'sure promises' of the Word of God. Do you?

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN EVERY BELIEVER. This is clearly declared in the
New Testament: 'Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the
treasure (good deposit) which has been entrusted to you' (II Timothy
1:14). 'Or do you not know that your body is a temple (sanctuary) of
God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?' (I Cor. 3:16.) 'And
because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our
hearts, crying, Abba! Father!' (Gal. 4:6.) 'However you are not in the
flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But
if anyone does not have the Spirit of God, he does not belong to Him'
(Romans 8:9). 'The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we
are children of God' (Romans 8:16). We could add more passages but these
should suffice. Here is a marvelous fact: GOD ALMIGHTY, IN THE PERSON OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT, LIVES IN THE CHRISTIAN!! How this ought to
revolutionize our Christian lives!! Not only is God 'with' me, He is IN me!

'As lives the flow'r within the seed,
As in the cone the tree,
So, praise the God of truth and grace,
His Spirit dwelleth in me.'

Grace, Peace and Love, Pastor P. Hume

LIVING BY FAITH *
*By ROBERT E. HANNA, *
*
Scripture Reading: Romans I: 17; Habakkuk 2:4

"Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I
am the Lord your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my
judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord"
(Leviticus 18:4,5). Such are the unquestionable and irrefutable
conditions of life under the law. There were no exceptions stated, no
shadows of meaning, no gray areas.

But notice another positive and unequivocal declaration- --also the Word
of God! "As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for
it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things
which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is
justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just
shall live in them. CHRIST HATH REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW,
BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that
hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:10-13).

A seeming paradox! But our Apostle provides the answer.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus" (Romans 3:23,24). "For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith [provided by God for our justification] to faith
[received by the believer as the enablement to walk pleasing to God]."
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak in the flesh, God
sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3).

*THOUGHT TO PONDER ON THIS WEEK*

* Affliction comes to the believer not to make
him sad, *
* but sober; not to make him sorry, but wise. *
* Even as the plow enriches the field so *
* that the seed is multiplied a thousandfold, *
* so affliction should magnify our joy and *
* increase our spiritual harvest. *

* -- Henry Ward Beecher *

THERE IS ONE FAITH *
*By HAROLD STEINBRON, Bible Teacher *
*
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:5

Some speak of the Catholic "faith" or the Muslim "faith". I used to,
until I studied God's Word. Since God gave His Word to reveal "one
Faith", all other "faiths" must be spurious. They may be very similar,
but if God has one Faith for our hearts to believe, then we better
detail and define that One Faith, because there is none other! !!! The
more some of these "faiths" look and sound like the One Faith, the more
dangerous they become. Some are so far from the real one, only the most
gullible are deceived.

I believe God permitted a variety of "faiths" to cloud our vision, so
that only the student of the Word of God ever arrives at the One Faith.
The reward for this demanding, even exhausting search, is Eternal Life!
A heart void of offense before God! A life of tranquility in a very
troubled age! If you have talked to some who are searching for "the
truth" or "reality", you see in their eyes the unrest, the unsettled
feeling, the uncertainty. No human is TRULY happy until he has
discovered and settled his life on -THUS SAITH THE LORD. It is not
enough to just read the Bible, good as that is. It is not enough to
study the Bible, rewarding as that is. We must persevere in our reading
and study until we arrive at the ONE FAITH Paul speaks of, lay hold of
it, build our life upon it, and know it well enough to teach others
also, then the joy of the Lord will permeate our being even though
everything may be going wrong.

The price for this attainment is high. Five minutes a day devoted to a
"quiet time" will not suffice.

"There are many dangerous trends pulling folks away from true Bible
Christianity. Many of the newer philosophies of ministry employ methods
that are wholly carnal. Some have adopted objectives that have not one
line of Scripture to support them, and some employ conduct that differs
little from the world. "
----Tozer

How to Have Boldness*
* by Paul M. Sadler, *

Scripture Reading:

"And [pray] for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open
my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am
an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to
speak."
-- Ephesians 6:19,20

In our modern day there is a great demand for instant success. We read
frequently of how many have risen to fame and fortune practically
overnight. Seldom, however, do we hear of the hours of labor, practice,
sacrifice and discipline it took to build that career. Most times we
only hear and see the end result. Many have been deceived and
disillusioned to think that they can have fame and fortune with little
or no effort.

In these days in which we live, the world seems to have a powerful
influence over the lives of many believers. For this reason many
members of the Body of Christ are looking for that book, conference or
seminar that will be a shortcut to spiritual maturity. When it comes to
our spiritual lives and having boldness of faith we want instant results
with little or no effort put into it. As a Pastor, I would have to say
that to have boldness in the faith as the Apostle says, there must be
three key ingredients.

Time:

Just as physical growth takes years, spiritual growth also takes time.
As we come to spiritual maturity we become more and more confident to
speak out for the Lord. It takes time to learn that we have to take our
eyes off of ourselves which causes us to be reluctant to speak because
of the fear of men.

Discipline:

It takes discipline to sit down with the Word of God and study to
acquire a knowledge of the Scriptures. We don't mean just reading the
Bible devotionally. It is said that we retain only about 20 percent of
what we read. But, if we read and study, we retain about 60 percent
when comparing Scripture with Scripture. The better equipped you are in
the Word of God the more comfortable you will be to share the truth,
rightly divided.

Consistency:

If we are to gain the respect of others in order to more effectively
minister the gospel, we must be consistent with the truth. Don't sound
an uncertain trumpet, be able to substantiate what you teach with the
Blessed Book. Not only should we speak the truth in love consistently,
we must also live the truth. Our lives are the only Bibles some men
see. That's why the Apostle Paul warns us to put "away lying, [and]
speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of
another" (Eph. 4:25). True boldness in the faith does not come
naturally, it is something we grow into as we increase in the knowledge
of Him Who has called us into the glorious light.

*~SOLID GOLD TRIALS~*
*By M.Stanford*
*

"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might
through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God'" (II Cor.
4:15).

Since He is both my God and my Father, and since all of the hardships He
takes me through are specifically designed to conform me to the image of
the Lord Jesus, how can I help but trust Him and rejoice in His
faithfulness?

"It is well to remember that the deepest and truest spiritual qualities
are not learnt or established in us by our happy or enjoyable times, but
in the difficult ones! There is nothing wrong in times of great joy and
spiritual blessing; in fact we long for more of them, and look back
perhaps to some days of much blessing in our lives or in the work of the
Lord; but in the securing of Christ in greater measure in our lives, we
find that it is by the things which we suffer that we learn most. So let
us give thanks for the joyful days, and learn all that the Lord intends
by the days of waiting and difficulty." - C.J.B.H.

"Faith asks for no props from the men and things around it; it finds
'all its springs' in God; and hence it is that faith never shines so
brightly as when all around is dark. It is when nature's horizon is
overcast with the blackest clouds, that faith basks in the sunshine of
the divine favor and faithfulness. " - C.H.M.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (II Cor. 4:17).

*LIBERTY FOR ALL*
*By Miles Stanford *
*

"If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as
though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances?"
(Col. 2:20, R.v.).

When it comes to spiritual growth and walk, any help from ourselves is a
hindrance to us. The source is wrong. On the death side, we are to
receive deliverance from sin's power through the Spirit from the Cross;
on the life side, we are to receive growth through the Spirit from the
Lord Jesus. It is a matter of receiving, not contributing. We are
branches, not vines.

"The old elementary legal rudiments of a legal age are for those 'living
in the world' (having an earthly temple and worship). Believers are
seated in the heavenlies in Christ, and are spiritual people with a
sanctuary in Heaven. 'Touch not,' 'taste not,' 'handle not'; such
commandments of men have no value. They perish with the using.

"'Voluntary humility,' 'neglecting of the body,' 'fasting,' etc., have a
show of wisdom. They gratify religious pride and self righteousness,
they 'puff up the fleshly mind,' but they are 'not of any value against
the indulgence of the flesh.' The flesh is not subdued by fasting, nor
pride by whipping, nor worldliness by neglect of the body. These are of
'no avail' though men glory in them. Only the Holy Spirit brings one
into liberty - and that via the Cross. 'The law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death' (Rom.
8:2)." -G.G.

"Stand fast, then, in the freedom which Christ has given us, and turn
not back again to entangle yourselves in the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1,
Cony.).

*Don't trust to hold God's hand;
let Him hold yours.
Let Him do the holding,
and you the trusting. *
*-- Hammer William Webb-Peploe *

THREE TIMES WHEN THE LORD WOULDN'T ANSWER*
* by C. R. Stam*
* *
*

In the various accounts of our Lord's earthly ministry we find
three occasions when He declined to answer those who appealed to Him or
questioned Him.

First there is the Gentile woman of Matthew 15:21-28. Her daughter was
possessed of a demon and in her trouble she appealed to the Lord to help
her, "but He answered her not a word." Finally, in His grace He did help
her, but not until He had taught her the lesson that as a Gentile she
had no claim on Him. As Romans 1:28 tells us, the Gentiles had been
"given up" because "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge."
In this connection we Gentiles should read carefully Ephesians 2:11,12
and see how utterly without hope we are apart from the grace of God.

Next there was a Jewess, in trouble of a different kind. She had been
caught in adultery and was brought to him for judgment (John 8:1-11).
Unlike the Gentile woman, she belonged to the chosen race and possessed
God's holy Law, a distinct advantage -- unless you are a law-breaker.
Our Lord also helped her in grace, but not until He had demonstrated
that the law is the great leveler of mankind, bringing all guilty before
God (Rom.3:19).

But finally we find how it was that our Lord could show grace -- and do
it justly -- to both Jew and Gentile, for in the third instance we find
the Lord Himself in trouble. On trial for His life before the
representatives of Hebrew and Roman law, He is accused of all sorts of
wicked crimes. But on this occasion too, He declines to answer.

First Caiaphas, the High Priest, said to Him: "Answerest Thou nothing?
What is it which these witness against Thee? But Jesus held His
peace..." (Matt. 26:62,63).

Next Pilate, the Gentile judge, said: "Hearest Thou not how many things
they witness against Thee? And He answered him to never a word; insomuch
that the governor marveled greatly" (Matt.27:13- 14).

Why did our Lord not answer and defend Himself? Because He had come into
the world specially to die for man's sins. Had the sinners of all ages
been there to accuse Him of their sins, He would still have remained
speechless for He stood there as man's representative, so that we might
be "justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus" (Rom.3:24).

*THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD*
*By H. Steinbron

Scripture Reading: II Timothy 3: 16·17

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God".... It is so good to have
this clear and absolute statement of what every redeemed one knows,
namely, that we have all the Scripture, and all of the Scripture is
breathed out to us from the creative breath of God. We must never come
under the influence of any unbeliever who casts doubt upon the extent,
content, or origin of the Holy Scriptures.

True believers do not corrupt the Word of God because they know God has
given His Word by inspiration. This word "inspiration" means that God
controlled the human writer of Scripture in such a way that the WORDS
were put down exactly as God wanted man to have them. These inspired
words are therefore infallible and inerrant, which is another way of
saying that they are perfect and have no errors connected with them
whatsoever. The Bible may deal with numbers, history, science,
chronology, the knowledge of God, or man's salvation; and we should be
sure that there is no mistake in the words.

True believers reverence the Word of God for many reasons. (I) "...man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4). (2)
The Bible is the RECORD that God gave concerning His Son (I John
5:9-11). (3) God has magnified His Word above all His name (Psalm 138:2).

True believers should be taught that the Word cannot be lost or changed.
Listen to the testimony of I Peter 1:25. " ... the Word of the Lord
endureth for ever." Is this Word in heaven or some far away place where
man cannot get all of the Scripture? No, it is "the Word" which is
preached unto you! The inspired Word of God!


Ps 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for
thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word
above all thy name.

GREETINGS IN HIS WONDERFUL GRACE. How is your faith? A faith worth
having is a faith worth sharing. May we take opportunities this week to
share the faith

THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST*
* by Russell S. Miller*
* *
*

In I Corinthians 2:6-8 the Apostle Paul declares that his gospel, and
the finished work of Christ, was hid from the Roman authorities as well
as the scribes and Pharisees in Israel. It was hid from the Twelve
Apostles, and most mysterious was it to the angels; and even the devil
couldn't figure it out:

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet NOT the wisdom
of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:
But we speak the wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the
princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would NOT have
CRUCIFIED the Lord of glory. (ICor.2:6-8) .

It is the preaching of the cross in Paul's Gospel alone that is good
news today (ICor.1:18). This wisdom of God was also HIDDEN in a Mystery
and ordained before the world began unto our glory, as Paul goes on in
Ephesians to declare:

How that by revelation He made known unto me the Mystery (as I wrote
afore in few words,

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the Mystery of
Christ)

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is
NOW revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit... (Eph.
3:3-6).

To be sure, the Gentiles are fellowheirs, and of a joint-body and
joint-partakers of His promise in the Christ and, Yes, we are baptized
by one Spirit into the one Body of Christ (ICor.12:13) , but, mark well,
that both Jews and Gentiles are MADE NIGH by the BLOOD of Christ (Eph.2:13).

But, the Apostle Paul declares that his gospel is a secret hitherto NOT
made known (Eph.3:5), ...HID IN GOD (3:9), HID FROM AGES AND FROM
GENERATIONS, but NOW is made manifest... (Col.1:26). Does the Apostle
therefore contradict himself?

It is, of course, blessedly true that where the Body of Christ is
concerned, and this dispensation of grace, the Mystery is NOT found in
the Old Testament. But where the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned it is
even more blessedly true that all the types and shadows of the Mosaic
sacrificial system (Heb.10:1-4) mysteriously pointed forward to Christ
and Calvary's cross:

IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS,
ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE. (Eph.1:7).

The fellowship of the Mystery, in Ephesians 3:9, includes the Church,
which is the Body of Christ, while the Mystery of the gospel (Ephesians
6:19) speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, and His finished work of
redemption. And He is the Head of the Body, the Church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have
the preeminence (Col. 1:18). It is these two aspects of this great
Mystery that even the devil did not know.

Paul does not contradict himself. Could anything be clearer than The
Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans with regards to the finished
work of Christ! Paul declares that the GRACE of God in Calvary's cross
is first revealed to him, in all that God promised (Rom.1:1-4), and in
all that God kept secret (Eph.3:1-9), concerning the Lord Jesus Christ
(Gal.1:15,16) . This is why God raised up the Apostle Paul to reveal the
blood stained cross of Christ and His finished work on Calvary:

By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the
faith among all nations, for His name (Romans 1:5).

*THE WORKS OF THE FLESH vs. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT*
*by Russel S. Miller *
*

Adultery heads the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21,
with fornication and uncleanness following second and third in
succession. There is a world of sinners out there, unrestrained with
unbridled lusts, to which the Lord sends His ambassadors with "the
message of reconciliation" (II Cor. 5:14-21).

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like..."

It was adultery that ruined King David, for when it came time for the
king to go to war, he was on his rooftop:

"And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his
bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he
saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look
upon" (II Sam. 11:2).

Did the Lord have this in mind when He said: "Whosoever looketh on a
woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his
heart" (Matt. 5:28)? It is truly "from within, out of the heart of man,
[that] proceed evil thoughts"; and "adulteries" are at the top of this
list in Mark 7:21-23 also.

Again, in Romans Six, the Apostle Paul speaks of the works of the flesh
as unfruitful and leading to death: "What fruit had ye then in those
things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death"
(Rom. 6:21). In Colossians, we read that these works of the flesh
originate from within, and pointing to the Christ of Calvary's cross,
Paul says: "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED IN THE BODY OF HIS
FLESH THROUGH DEATH, to present you holy and unblameable and
unreproveable in His sight" (Col. 1:21,22).

Consequently, there is real "joy and peace in believing" (Rom. 15:13) as
God's grace saves and transforms lives so that Christ may be seen, and
not the works of the flesh.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is
no law" (Gal. 5:22,23).

It is only right that there are laws against the works of the flesh, but
how could there be laws against the fruit of the Spirit? A striking
contrast indeed!

THE SPIRIT OF PROMISE*
* by C. R. Stam*
*

"[Having] believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise"
(Eph. 1:13).

Of all the wonderful Scripture passages on the eternal security of the
believer in Christ, this is perhaps the most blessed of all.

"[Having] heard the Word of truth you believed," says the Apostle, and
"[having] believed, you were sealed."Now a seal speaks of finality and
permanency, whether it be the official seal on an important document,
the seal on an electric transformer or the seal on a jar of preserves.
But the most blessed fact of all is that the believer in Christ is
"sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." Mark well, he is sealed not
by the Spirit but with the Spirit; the Spirit Himself is the seal.

Here, let us say, is a woman sealing jars of preserves with wax. The
jars are sealed by the woman, but with the wax. Thus the humblest
believer is sealed with the Spirit. It is He Himself who keeps us safe
in Christ through all eternity.

And this is but the "earnest," the first installment, "of our
inheritance" (Ver. 14), for the Spirit keeps us secure in "this present
evil age" so that "in the ages to come" God might show "the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (2:7).

Little wonder the Apostle closes this passage on our security with those
appropriate words: "To the praise of His glory" (1:14).

What some theologians have called "the perseverance of saints" is not
our perseverance at all, but God's faithfulness. We have not persevered;
He has preserved us by His grace for His glory.

*Rest means to trust*
*Jesus Christ as our*
*Life-Source, *
*depending on Him to empower*
*our actions with*
* His strength and direction.*

BUYING UP THE TIME*
* by C. R. Stam*
*

Nineteen hundred years ago Paul wrote to his fellow- believers
in the vicinity of Ephesus: "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as
fools, but as wise, redeeming [Lit., buying up] the time, because the
days are evil" (Eph. 5:15,16). Those were indeed evil days, when a
wicked tyrant ruled the Roman Empire, when Messiah had been rejected,
not only in incarnation, but in resurrection, and Christianity was
fighting a life-and-death battle to penetrate the prevailing pagan
darkness with the light of God's grace. Surely Paul never dreamed that
the dispensation of grace would continue for more than nineteen hundred
years. He expected the Lord to come at any time to recall His
ambassadors and bring the day of grace to a close. Hence the urgency of
his appeal to be "buying up the time, because the days are evil."

But if Paul had reason to suspect that the day of grace would soon
be brought to a close, we today have greater reason to think so. Now
that the light of the gospel has been brought to Europe, America and
many other parts of the world, men are turning their backs on it. Only a
small minority of even Christendom truly believe the Bible and know the
Christ it presents -- and how very few know the riches of His grace!

Meanwhile our governments, our educational institutions and our
social systems are becoming ever more godless. The result? The
newspapers, radio and TV -- even a trip downtown to any fair-sized city,
will tell us all we need to know. Once again "the days are evil" and the
Lord's coming for His own seems imminent. There is still much talk about
lasting peace and prosperity, but no thoughtful person believes that we
are headed in that direction. Rather the world appears to be heading
straight toward the prophesied "day of wrath."

What a comfort it is to the believer, then, to know that "God hath
not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus
Christ, who died for us..." (I Thes. 5:9,10). "For the Scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed" and "whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:11,13).

The Word of God is so needed in our world today, especially in our own
USA, if this devotion has been a blessing and encouragement to you, pass
it on to a friend.


*THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK*
*
I love you and care about you so much. The Christian faith is not a
buffet where you can pick and choose what you want to believe. We don't
get to determine what Truth is, God has already done that and given it
to us in the Bible.

*TREASURED TRIALS *
*By Miles Stanford*
*

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may
exalt you in due time" (1 Pet. 5:6).

The Blesser sends trials because the trials are blessings. Most covet
the "blessing" of having the trial removed.

"I find the brightest summer is when the winter has been longest and
most severe. The wheat, the best grain, passes a winter in the soil. The
bud, the blossom, or fruit, most fragrant of Christ, is the one which
nobody knows what it cost me but Himself; and where one had hardly
noticed it; like the beautiful wild flowers in the hedgerow, contending
with bushes and briars, to shed their fragrance on the unthankful or
unthinking traveler going by."

"I think we are sometimes ready to say to the Lord----Could you not have
taught me without subjecting me to so much sorrow and humiliation? The
answer I have had is, You could not be effectually taught any other way.
The Lord knows the nature of the obstacle in me which He has to
overcome: a less efficient hand might think that it could be dealt with
in some other way.

"A weakness be it bodily or otherwise, is sometimes allowed to continue
in order that there may be dependence, and when there is dependence, the
weakness becomes a gain; the grit---the trying thing---is superseded by
a pearl of great price." -J.B.S.

"The God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by
Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect [mature],
establish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Pet. 5:10).


*The only way to worry about nothing is to pray about everything.*
*Frank A. Clark*

GRACIOUS COMMUNICATION *
*By DICK WARE, Pastor *
*
Scripture Reading:

Proverbs I5:1;
Colossians 4:6;
Ephesians 4:29

"A. soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger
(Proverbs 15:1)." What is said here, is not as much the issue, as the
tone in which it is said. Something said in a harsh Way: is rough,
disagreeable, and irritating. It stirs up anger. It is like Ephesians
6:4, where fathers are told not to provoke their children to wrath.
Something said in a soft way, is smooth, agreeable, and soothing. A
certain man told me; his grandfather was the only one he knew, who could
rebuke someone, and make them like it. That would definitely entail
"speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4: I 5).

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may
know how you ought to answer each one (Colossians 4:6)." You are not to
be saying: 'Take this with a grain of salt." You are to be "... singing
with grace in your hearts ... (Col. 3:16)", and "Let your speech always
be with grace, seasoned with salt...(4:6) ." Col. 4:5,6, is dealing with
buying up the opportunities to witness to the lost through your conduct
and speech. It's not enough to walk wisely before the lost; you're also
to talk to them, and share the Gospel of Grace with them.

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is
good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers
(Eph. 4:29)." Speech is a powerful gift from God. It can be used to
accomplish great amounts of good or evil. Everyone needs edification,
and your speech is God's instrument to impart (communicate) God's grace
to them! With each new day, are you earnestly desiring the opportunities
to communicate God's grace to lost souls, and fellow saints? When the
opportunities come, What are you doing to take advantage of them?

THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

God's Goal is Not to Make us Good

"We
proclaim Him [Christ], admonishing every man and teaching every man
with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete [mature] in
Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power,
which mightily works within me." - Colossians 1:28–29 (NASB).

We don't have to be good for goodness sake!

In
fact, being good may be our worst enemy. It was for the Pharisees!
Their external goodness was a cover-up used to avoid facing what they
were on the inside. Jesus did not approve of their external religiosity!
In fact, he opposed it vehemently.

It
can bring a great sense of freedom to realize that God isn't into
rules, but rather relationships. And his goal isn't to make us good, but
to make us whole; that is, to heal us from the inside out. The end
result will be goodness but goodness that comes from a healed heart, and
not from adhering to external rules and regulations dictated by
legalism.

This
is not an excuse to act out in sinful or destructive behaviors or to
ignore God's laws which are for our protection. Never! As the Apostle
Paul said, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no
means...." - Romans 6:1 (NIV).

What
it does mean is that I need to grow towards wholeness and maturity by
recognizing my inner brokenness, my weaknesses, and my unresolved
character issues and bring them not only to God, but also to a trusted
friend and / or counselor for healing and recovery. As a general rule,
we got damaged (emotionally) in damaging relationships and we get healed
(emotionally) in healing relationships. As James said, "Therefore
confess your sins [and faults]to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." - James 5:16 (NIV).

Again,
God's goal is not to make us good, but to make us whole. It's the heart
that counts with him, not the externals. If all I have is external
goodness, I am no better than the Pharisees. Realize too, that only to
the degree that we are made whole will our lifestyle, our attitude, our
actions, our behavior, and our relationships be "whole-some. "

Prayer:
"Our Loving Father in Heaven, please help me to see my broken parts so I
can bring them to you for healing. Confront me with my reality, make me
whole, and lead me to the help that I need to do this. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I
Pray, Amen."


TREASURED TRIALS *
*By Miles Stanford*
*

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may
exalt you in due time" (1 Pet. 5:6).

The Blesser sends trials because the trials are blessings. Most covet
the "blessing" of having the trial removed.

"I find the brightest summer is when the winter has been longest and
most severe. The wheat, the best grain, passes a winter in the soil. The
bud, the blossom, or fruit, most fragrant of Christ, is the one which
nobody knows what it cost me but Himself; and where one had hardly
noticed it; like the beautiful wild flowers in the hedgerow, contending
with bushes and briars, to shed their fragrance on the unthankful or
unthinking traveler going by."

"I think we are sometimes ready to say to the Lord----Could you not have
taught me without subjecting me to so much sorrow and humiliation? The
answer I have had is, You could not be effectually taught any other way.
The Lord knows the nature of the obstacle in me which He has to
overcome: a less efficient hand might think that it could be dealt with
in some other way.

"A weakness be it bodily or otherwise, is sometimes allowed to continue
in order that there may be dependence, and when there is dependence, the
weakness becomes a gain; the grit---the trying thing---is superseded by
a pearl of great price." -J.B.S.

"The God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by
Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect [mature],
establish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Pet. 5:10).

*The only way to worry about nothing is to pray about everything.*
*Frank A. Clark*

*THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST*
*PART 4 of 4*
*By Gregg Bing*

*
As human beings we are constrained by the finite world we live in. We
are limited in our knowledge and understanding of an infinite God. We
could never completely understand the reasons for the cross. We can’t
truly feel the agony the Lord Jesus Christ experienced being separated
from His Father because of our sins. We can’t fully understand the
abomination that sin is to a holy and righteous God or the terrible
curse and judgment that sin brings. We can’t fathom the depth of
Christ’s love that would lead Him to make such a sacrifice for us, “even
while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8).

The physical pain, the social humiliation, and the emotional pain that
Christ suffered puts Christ’s passion in terms we can more easily
understand.

We can identify with Jesus’ humiliation and shame, for we know what it
means to suffer shame. As we think of the shame Jesus experienced while
hanging on that cursed cross, it helps us understand the shame of sin.

We can identify with Jesus’ rejection by men, being despised and counted
as nothing, for we have experienced rejection and hatred from people at
times in our own lives. This helps us, at least a little, to understand
what Jesus experienced when He was rejected by His own Father.

We can identify with Jesus’ excruciating physical pain. We can imagine
the pain of the whip, the crown of thorns, and the nails, for we have
experienced physical pain ourselves. Maybe the intense level of Jesus’
physical pain makes it possible for us to better understand the terrible
spiritual pain Jesus experienced for us on that cross. If this is the
case, maybe there is some justification for the level of violence
depicted in Mel Gibson’s movie.

But, do we really need such a movie to understand the passion of the
Christ? To grasp the meaning of the cross? To present the gospel of
Jesus Christ? No, God has chosen another way, a better way to convey
this truth.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18) The
“message of the cross” is literally the “word of the cross.” The passion
of the Christ, the meaning of the cross is found in God’s Word. It
pleased God to convey the truth of the cross through the preaching of
His Word (1 Cor. 1:21). It is in God’s Word that we find the gospel of
Jesus Christ: “That Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day
according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). It is in God’s Word that
we find how we can be saved from our sins: “Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). The Word is the power of God
unto salvation to all who will simply believe (Rom. 1:16).

What about you? Having heard the Word of the cross, will you believe and
be saved? You don’t have to see the movie to understand the passion of
the Christ. The message is there in God’s precious Word. You can simply
respond in faith to the Word (Eph. 2:8-9) and experience the joy of
salvation; the peace of knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.


Christ is our life (see Acts 17:28; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21;
Colossians 3:4). To become obsessed with anything other than Him is
idolatry, even if that other obsession is religious rules. Perhaps the
greatest danger in the American church is that we have lost our focus on
Jesus Christ and have been focusing more on "Christian values;" which is
merely morality by another name.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST*
*PART 3 of 4*
*By Gregg Bing*

*
Spiritual Sufferings
The final three hours Jesus hung on the cross were shrouded by a
darkness over all the land. What did this darkness signify? Some feel
that it indicated that Satan, the “power of darkness,” was at work. More
likely, the darkness pictured God’s judgment upon sins—our sins! While
Jesus hung there on that cross, in particular for those last three
hours, He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).
This One who “knew no sin” was “made sin for us that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Peter described it this
way:

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that
He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive
by the Spirit.” (1 Pet. 3:18) Christ “suffered” for our sins. This was
the ultimate passion of the Christ—the pain, the feelings He experienced
while bearing the sins of the world on that cross. Just think how this
holy and righteous person, the very God of glory, would be affected by
even one sin, much less the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). For on
that cross, for those three terrible hours, our sins became His. When He
died, the Lord Jesus Christ paid in full the debt that we owed (Rom.
6:23). Not just physical death, though that was required: “for without
shedding of blood there is no remission” (forgiveness of sins) (Heb.
9:22); Jesus also experienced spiritual death for us as well, being
separated from His Father in heaven.

About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying,

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46) The depth of
Jesus’ anguish during this time is seen in the question He asked: “Why?”
Why had the Father completely and utterly forsaken His Son on that
cross? The answer is found in the 22nd Psalm.

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from
helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the
daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not
silent. But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our
fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried
to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the
people.” (Psalm 22:1-6)
What a vivid picture this passage gives us of Jesus’ death on the cross
and His spiritual sufferings. Earlier on the cross, Jesus had called Him
“Father,” but here His anguished cry was to “My God, My God,” asking,
“Why have You forsaken Me?” “Why are you so far from helping Me?” Why do
I “cry out in the daytime, but You do not hear?” The answer to these
piercing questions is twofold. Verse three of Psalm 22 declares of God,
“But You are holy.” A holy and righteous God simply cannot look upon sin
(Hab. 1:13). Then in verse six of Psalm 22, Christ says of Himself, “But
I am a worm and no man.” Why would He describe Himself this way? Because
bearing our sins on the cross, this is what He was to a holy God: a worm
and no man, one that God must turn away from. How can we even begin to
understand the depth of Christ’s spiritual sufferings? As I thought
about Mel Gibson’s focus on the violent death and physical sufferings
that Christ experienced, I began to wonder why Jesus had to suffer such
a cruel and painful death physically. If Jesus’ spiritual sufferings—His
separation from God for our sins—caused Him the greatest pain, then why
did He have to endure a death of such excruciating physical pain and
public humiliation?


*"May God, Whose grace is irresistible and *
*all sufficient, be glorified!" *

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST*
*PART 2 of 4*
*By Gregg Bing*

*

Social Sufferings
Crucifixion was a humiliating experience. It was a punishment reserved
for the vilest of criminals, for men such as the two thieves who were
crucified with Jesus. Yet, Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, was
"numbered among the transgressors" (Mark 15:27-28).

Crucifixion was also a public spectacle. Jesus was paraded through the
streets of Jerusalem to a place outside the city gates, stripped of His
garments, and hung in open shame upon the cross (John 19:23).

For Jesus, the humiliation was made worse by the insults and taunts of
the Jewish leaders, the Roman soldiers, the two thieves crucified with
Him, even the people who just passed by the place of crucifixion (Matt.
27:39-44).

This would have been a humiliating experience for any man, but how much
more for the Son of God. Yet, even this shame was not the full extent of
Jesus' sufferings.

Emotional Sufferings
Though Jesus Christ is very God Himself, He "became flesh" and lived on
this earth as a Man. The sufferings He went through were emotionally
draining on Him, personally. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the emotional
nature of Christ's sufferings.

"He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised,
and we did not esteem Him." (Isa. 53:3) The Lord Jesus Christ "came unto
His own and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). His own nation,
Israel, rejected Him, but so did the Gentiles, who were also His own,
for He created them. Those whom He loved so much, despised and rejected
Him, and all without a cause (John 15:25). People hid their faces from
Him; they looked at Him with utter contempt, counting Him as nothing. No
doubt, such hatred and rejection brought great sorrow and grief to the
Lord Jesus personally, especially knowing that by rejecting Him they
brought spiritual judgment upon themselves.

Think how painful it must have been for Jesus when Judas, one of the
twelve, betrayed Him into the hands of the Jewish leaders. When Judas
led the arresting party into Gethsemane, you can almost hear the pain in
Jesus' words to him: "Friend, why have you come?"

The twelve apostles were Jesus' closest friends. While Judas was the
only one to betray Him, after Jesus was arrested in the garden, all of
them "forsook Him and fled" (Matt. 26:56).

Later, during Jesus' interrogation by Caiaphas, Peter, who was waiting
outside in the courtyard, denied Jesus three times, saying, "I do not
know the Man" (Matt. 26:74). This was the same Peter who earlier had
vowed, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" (Matt.
26:35). Think of the pain Jesus must have felt when the cock crowed and
He turned to look at Peter (Luke 22:61).

The emotional suffering were part of what "troubled" Jesus' soul (John
12:27). Still, as painful as it was for Jesus to be rejected by men and
forsaken by those closest to Him, it could not begin to compare with
what He experienced His last three hours on the cross.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST*
*PART 1 of 4*
*By Gregg Bing*
*

How would you feel if you knew when you would die? And you knew for your
whole life. You even knew how you would die—a slow painful death at the
hands of cruel men. And you knew that you would have to face it all
alone—forsaken by all those you held dear in life. How would you feel?
This is what Jesus Christ experienced in His life on this earth. This
was the “passion” of the Christ.

The word “passion” is used in the King James version of Acts 1:3: “To
whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible
proofs.” It comes from the Greek word “pascho” which means “to be
affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo” (Strong’s
Enhanced Lexicon). In the Greek, the word can be used in a good sense,
but in the New Testament it is almost always used in a bad sense, of
one’s sufferings, in particular the sufferings of Christ (cf. Matt.
16:21, Acts 3:18, 1 Pet. 3:18). The “passion” of the Christ speaks of
the sufferings that Jesus experienced in His life on earth, especially
the sufferings connected with His death on Calvary. How did these
sufferings affect Jesus’ life? How did He feel?

The recent movie by Mel Gibson, “The Passion of the Christ,” seeks to
allow viewers a more vivid look at what Jesus’ sufferings were like.
There are several problems with a movie such as this. For instance,
there are several scenes in the movie that have no Scriptural basis.
They are, instead, based on extra-Biblical material or are inserted
under the guise of “artistic license.” Another problem is that the
filmmaker’s own religious slant is often evident. In Gibson’s case,
there are many things in the movie that reflect his Catholic beliefs,
especially the great emphasis put upon Jesus’ mother, Mary. Finally, in
the case of this movie, there is a great deal of graphic violence
included. While it may have been an accurate portrayal of the physical
sufferings Jesus went through, it tends to downplay the fact that not
all of Jesus’ sufferings were physical in nature.

Physical Sufferings
There is no question that Jesus suffered extreme levels of pain and
physical suffering. The Romans were very cruel in their treatment of
others. Crucifixion, the form of capital punishment used by the Romans,
was a most horrible way to die. It was a slow, excruciating death that
lasted as long as nine days in some cases (The New Unger’s Bible
Dictionary, page 265). It was considered a curse by the Jews (Deut. 21:23).

Jesus suffered in many different ways physically. He was exhausted from
lack of sleep, being awake all night prior to His crucifixion. He was
scourged with a whip which left many stripes on His back (Matt. 27:25
with 1 Pet. 2:24). He had a crown of thorns pushed down upon His head
(Matt. 27:29). He was beaten on the head with a reed (rod) (Matt.
27:30). He was forced to carry His own cross through the streets of
Jerusalem (John 19:17) until He was unable to continue and had to be
relieved by Simon of Cyrene (Matt. 27:32). His hands and feet were
pierced as He was nailed to the cross (Psalm 22:16, John 20:25). He hung
on the cross for over six hours (Mark 15:25 with Luke 23:44).

As terrible as all this was, the passion of the Christ involved more.


*"May God, Whose grace is irresistible and *
*all sufficient, be glorified!" *