Mar 22
6
A Sad but Evident Fact
Down through the years there have been many men and women who have heard the truth, and have apprehended the truth, but who have never been apprehended by the truth. They have “gotten hold of the truth,” but the truth has never “gotten hold of them!”
This is evidenced by the fact that they are able to compromise the truth or turn away from it completely. I have seen some turn from the truth of God to fables and commandments of men (II Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:14). Others I have seen turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness, denying the power of God and His grace in the believer’s heart (Jude 4). Still others, like Demas, I have observed going altogether back to this present, evil world (II Tim. 4:10). It would have been much better for them had they never had the privilege of hearing the gospel, than to have heard it and turned away from it (II Peter 2:20-22).
Concerning the truth; that is, the salvation of guilty, hell- deserving sinners by Jesus Christ, there is not the slightest doubt in my mind (and heart) but that what I believe, confess and preach (what we believe) is the truth of Scripture. We have “gotten hold” of that truth, and thus far, by the grace of God, have not been able to compromise or turn away from it. That is because the truth has “gotten hold” of our souls. Christ crucified is no mere doctrine to us. HE IS OUR LIFE!
“Keep us Lord, O keep us cleaving To Thyself, and still believing.”
~Maurice Montgomery
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“Christ Is All!” Colossians 3:11
It is not possible for any mortal to comprehend the full scope of those three words, but here are ten statements that might help to enlarge our understanding of them. After you have read this brief article, carefully study each statement, asking God the Holy Spirit to seal these words to your heart – “”Christ is all!”
Christ is all to be known. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). If you know Christ, you know enough, even if you are ignorant of other things. If you do not know Christ, it is nothing to have all other knowledge. “That I may know him” (Philippians 3:10).
Christ is all to be chosen (Matthew 13:44-46). There is no way to obtain this treasure and purchase this Pearl, but by selling all that you have. If you would save your life, you must lose it to Christ.
Christ is all to be trusted. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). His blood is atonement. His righteousness is acceptance with God. His advocacy is our assurance. His grace is preservation. His providence is our provision.
Christ is all to be loved. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). All other loves must be burned upon this altar, so that nothing and no one comes between my heart and my Savior.
Christ is all to be desired. “The desire of our soul is to thy name” (Isaiah 26:8). Seek Christ to the exclusion of all else; and you will find everything you need in him, supplied from his fulness.
Christ is all our joy. “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). If a person has that which he desires above all else, he rejoices in it, and all who know Christ rejoice in him.
Christ is all to consume our thoughts. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Think on Christ, and think of all things in the light of the knowledge of him (Philippians 4:6-8).
Christ is all to be followed. “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15). The rebel must be ruled by law. The mercenary is motivated by reward. The believer is ruled by love. “The love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
Christ is all in the house of God (Colossians 3:11). In preaching, praise, and prayer, “Christ is all!” He is all our beauty, all our attraction, and all our entertainment. All our activities serve him. All our ordinances remember him and proclaim allegiance to him.
Christ is all our hope before God. “Jesus Christ, which is our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1). His obedience is the basis of our hope, his coming its fulfilment, his presence its satisfaction, and his likeness its consummation. “Christ is All!” Don Fortner
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God’s Holy Law
You will hear men say; “no one can keep the law of God perfectly.” This statement implies that we can keep part of God’s law, just not all of it. Let us state it more clearly. “No man can keep any of God’s law, period.” The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law and make it honorable. Is 42:21. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Rom 10:4. We are not looking to Christ to reward our efforts by, “pushing us over the top.” The Lord did not come to perfect our righteousness. He came to be ALL our righteousness. ~GE
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Two Religions
There are really only two religions in the world – one of Cain and the other of Abel. One is Ishmael and the other of Isaac. One of Esau and the other of Jacob. One of law and the other of promise. One of Mount Sinai and the other of Mount Calvary. One condemns, the other finds no fault. One leads to bondage, the other to freedom. One tendeth to death, the other to life. One of weakness, the other of power. One of merit, the other of mercy. One of the weakness of the letter, the other of the power of the Spirit. ~Tom Harding
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Circumcision of the Heart
Physical circumcision is the cutting away of flesh. Religious circumcision is when men either cut out of their lives fleshly pleasures, or look to fleshly things in hopes of earning favor with God. It is man’s desire to make a fair show in the flesh to avoid suffering persecution for the cross of Christ. Gal. 6:12. Both of these circumcisions are done by the hands of men. Neither of these circumcisions will be of any benefit in saving a sinner’s soul.
Then there is the spiritual circumcision. A hidden work in the heart performed by the Spirit of God. It is when God the Holy Spirit brings a poor lost sinner to see that their only hope of acceptance before a Holy God is the circumcision of Christ (Col. 2:11). When the Son of Man was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of His people (Is. 53:8), God saw the travail of his soul and was satisfied. (Is. 53:11).
We are the true circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Phil. 3:3. We know that we have received spiritual circumcision when we have had cut from our hearts all confidence in all things done in or by the flesh. Truly, “it is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing…” Jn. 6:63. ~GE
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