Dec 14
6
CHRIST’S WIFE DISTINGUISHED
You would surely think poorly of a wife who speaks little about her husband except perhaps to boast of his wealth and possessions, the things he gives to her, and what she has to do for him. You would perhaps assume she is ashamed of his person. I think the same of false churches, especially their ministers. They claim to be married to Jesus Christ. But what they speak of themselves and Him proves the marriage is a sham. He is as ashamed of them as they are of Him (Mk 8:38).They speak more about themselves than Christ: boasting of their supposed “freewill” rather than His sovereign will; boasting of how they “let” Him save them because He otherwise could not have done so; boasting of “deciding for Christ” and “finding Christ” and “accepting Christ” rather than Christ doing those things for them; boasting of “what I have done for Christ” rather than “what Christ has done for me”. They speak more about the blessings of Christ than Christ the Blesser: more about salvation than the Savior; more about redemption than the Redeemer; more about reconciliation than the Reconciler; more about justification than the Justifier; more about sanctification than the Sanctifier; more about glorification than the Glorifier. And they disdain the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ such as divine election in Christ to salvation, predestination with Christ, eternal acceptance in Christ, effectual redemption by Christ, and eternal security in Christ (Eph 1:3-14).They speak more about the things of Christ than the Christ of those things: more about the church of Christ than Christ its Head; more about the kingdom of Christ than Christ its King; more about the family of Christ than Christ its Father; more about the future coming of Christ than the coming Christ; more about the heaven Christ is preparing than Christ who alone is the glory of that place – and of going to heaven to “see my dear Mother”. The true wife of Christ is the church boasting of Him instead of herself, rejoicing more in the Blesser than in His blessings, and exalting Christ higher than His things. We are not ashamed of Him and His words (Mk 8:38) and His gospel (Romans 1:16) and His testimony (2 Tim 1:8). Christ’s church on earth glorifies God by and in and through Christ alone (Eph 3:21). Daniel Parks
—
“I will betroth you unto Me forever! I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and mercy.” — Hosea 2:19
The most endearing as well as the most exalted relationships of earth are employed to illustrate and symbolize God’s love to His people. He is represented as:
comforting as a mother;
pitying as a father;
sympathizing as a friend;
healing as a physician;
bestowing as a king.
Here He is described as entering into everlasting espousals with His Church, and with every redeemed member of it — in the depths of eternity past, pledging His vow to His betrothed Bride — putting the engagement-ring on her finger; summoning Righteousness, Justice, Love, and Mercy — as witnesses of the magnificent ceremony, to sign and ratify the marriage-contract.
How uncertain are earth’s apparently securest ties! Brother may be severed from brother, husband from wife, child from parent, friend from friend. But, in our union with God — linked to Him in the bonds of the ever-lasting covenant — the pang of separation can neither be felt nor feared. Age can never plough its furrows on the brow. Sickness can never blanch the cheek. Death can never unlock the fountain of tears. The grave can never close over our “loved and lost.” “I will betroth you to Me forever!”
As in the human union which here, as in other passages, is made the type and symbol of the nobler covenant — that Divine espousal is reared on the twofold basis of HONOR and of LOVE. Righteousness and Justice, the two representatives of God’s honor, come first; Love and Mercy follow. It is a union founded on everlasting truth, justice, and rectitude. These attesting witnesses sign the contract around the Cross of Calvary. There “mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” “Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.” What an endless dowry did that mighty Sacrifice purchase and secure for the Bride of Heaven!
Soon the festal-day shall be here; when the betrothed spouse shall be presented to the heavenly Bridegroom — ushered into the blessed pavilion of His own presence! The marriage-procession is even now on foot. The train is sweeping along to the hall of the King’s palace. Righteousness, Justice, Love, Mercy — these are the four torch-bearers lighting the way to the gladsome scene! Have we heard and obeyed the midnight summons, “Behold, the Bridegroom comes! Go out to meet Him!” “Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know Me and understand that I am the Lord who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!” John MacDuff.
—
The Gospel we preach is concerning the Son of God. If we take Christ out of the gospel we have no gospel at all. But this gospel is not the careless casting out of the name Jesus leaving men to their own evil imaginations and wicked minds to form opinions and ideas about. The gospel is no gospel at all without the clear declarations of Holy Scripture and the historical facts that are preserved in the Word of God. We must be told who He is, why He came, what He did, and where He is in order to call seeking sinners to repentance and faith.
The gospel Paul preached to the Corinthians, he declared to be according to the scriptures. We live in a day of much religion with little facts. If I must rest my eternal soul on Christ, let me be assured that He is the Christ of God and not another Jesus. The gospel Paul preached was a gospel that left his hearers standing upon it, hoping in it, continuing in it: God give me the grace to preach such a gospel!
Darvin Pruitt.
—
Why Wont He Encourage Fellowship With Us?
Clay Curtis
I have received encouraging emails from members of various churches here in New Jersey and nearby. I have heard many comments on how their hearts were filled with joy at hearing that Christ crucified and risen is now reigning. On more than one occasion the comment has been made that they do not understand why their pastor seems uncomfortable to encourage fellowship with us. The reluctance may have to do with what we really believe concerning Christ Jesus the Lord.
I really believe that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe. I really believe that Christ is All; all the believer’s righteousness, all the believer’s sanctification and that Christ is the One who keeps his people separated from the evil of self-righteousness, self-sanctification, self-justification, and all other lusts of the flesh. Paul asked the Galatians, “Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
I really believe that when God writes his law on the heart that we behold the everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure in our Savior in whom we are made holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in God’s sight. I really believe that God is able to give the believer a true understanding that the letter of the law killeth – convinces me that all I am and all I will ever be in my flesh is a sinner. I am convinced that the law of God written on our hearts declares that in Christ the believer has fully established God’s law and Christ in the believer means newness of spiritual life, of spiritual worship, of spiritual communion. We look no longer at this flesh: at touch not, taste not, handle not but we follow Christ. I really believe that in Christ every obstacle is removed which once blocked our entrance into God’s presence and now we can fellowship with our God.
Some have asked how, then, do you discipline or govern the church? I really believe that the government of God’s church is on his Son’s shoulder. I really believe that my living Redeemer is the Counselor who directs his people in the heart. I really believe that King Jesus is working in the midst of his church, in the hearts of his saints, and is able both to will and to do his good pleasure because all power is his in heaven and in earth.
Therefore, when I preach the law I do so to declare all flesh is grass. I do not use the law to unlawfully bolster the pride of sinners which already need no help looking away from Christ to the strength of their own hand. I do not use the law to keep believers in the church, or to motivate them to serve him as their rule of life. I preach every word of God with one purpose: endeavoring to set sinners squarely at the feet of Christ, who through his gospel causes us to look out of ourselves, away from this world, to him. I really believe that the gospel of Christ’s faithfulness, of his love for God and his people, of his righteousness in declaring God just and the Justifier of the believer is the word I am sent to declare. I really believe that through the gospel God makes Christ Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption unto his people. I really believe that the gospel of Christ is the message through which Christ makes himself altogether lovely in the heart. In doing so, I really believe he is able to constrain us by his love. I once thought otherwise. But thanks to God he saved me out of those things which I now renounce as dung.
If you rejoice in the message of our Redeemer, find a place where Christ is declared. You will find a place where you are no longer taught to look to your obedience, where you no longer feel the need to compare yourself with brethren, where you no longer have to worry about what the preacher thinks of you, but you can delight yourself in Christ our Rest. There is great peace in knowing the love of Christ and the love of his brethren. True love does not uncover the brethren’s sin, but covers you in love–that is what true Love did. May the Lord bless you.
—
He is the infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent,
gracious, just, holy, and unchangeable I AM!
(James Smith, “The Love of Christ!”)
The Lord Jesus Christ is God — possessed of all divine attributes, and entitled to all divine honors. He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit — God over all, and blessed for evermore! He is naturally, essentially, perfectly, and eternally possessed of everything peculiar to Deity.
He owes His existence to none. He says, “I am Jehovah, and beside Me there is no Savior!” He is God — and there is no other. There is no other name given under Heaven, or among men, whereby we can be saved. He is the Rock of Ages. He is the infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, gracious, just, holy, and unchangeable I AM!
Angels worship Him,
devils obey Him,
saints love Him, and
sinners will bow to Him!
He is the author of . . .
Creation,
Providence,
Redemption,
and Glorification!
He . . .
produced all things by His power,
formed them by His wisdom,
supplies them by His bounty,
rules them by His instruments, and
employs them according to His sovereign will.
He is above all — in the glory of His nature.
He possesses all — by essential right.
He will judge all — according to His righteousness.
All things are dependent upon Him, and
all rational beings are accountable to Him.
Nothing can escape His eye;
none can fly out of His hand!
He is exalted above all,
and remains King forever!
He is . . .
the King of kings,
the Lord of lords, and
the only supreme Law-giver of the universe!
He is naturally, essentially, and eternally God:
one with the Father,
equal to the Father,
and infinite as the Father.
Thus, the Scriptures reveal Him; as such, saints acknowledge Him, and join the angelic host in worshiping, praising, and adoring Him!
As such, He loves all His people — yes, He is love to them.
As such, they love Him — and trust their eternal interests into His hands!
No person can have right views of the love of Christ — who has not right views of the deity of Christ. His divinity gives lustre and glory — to His love. If He were not God — His love would be only a passion like ours, and would fluctuate and change. But being divine — His love is an infinite perfection, and remains immutably the same!
He loves with all the majesty of God — and with all the tenderness of man!
His love has the strength of God — and the gentleness of sinless man!
He is all-loving — and altogether lovely!
“Having loved His own who were in the world — He loved them unto the end!” John 13:1