{"id":1223,"date":"2011-08-20T12:08:37","date_gmt":"2011-08-20T12:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=1223"},"modified":"2011-08-20T12:15:15","modified_gmt":"2011-08-20T12:15:15","slug":"bulletin-articles-issue-84-august-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=1223","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Articles Issue #84 August 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

The offense of the Cross<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased.\u201d Galatians 5:11<\/p>\n

The preaching of the cross of Jesus Christ is offensive to the natural man. We that believe look at the cross and we see grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, and hope; but this world sees a \u201cstumbling stone and a rock of offence.\u201d I want to look at this by asking one question:<\/p>\n

What is the offence of the cross of Christ?<\/p>\n

First, it offends the wisdom of men. This world and its religion believe that man can by wisdom know God. That by sincere and heart felt study, man can know His creator in such a way as to bring him to heaven. They think the preaching of the cross is foolishness and that they by wisdom understand that there are better ways to save sinners. But the preaching of the cross tells us that this message, and means, was ordained of God for the salvation of His People apart from the wisdom of this world. (1Cor 1: 17-31)<\/p>\n

Second, it is offensive to man\u2019s ability. This world believes that all men have a \u201cfree will\u201d in this matter of salvation. That man is the sovereign of his destiny, and he will come to Christ if all the right circumstances exist. But the preaching of the cross of Christ, tells us that no man can come to Christ unless the Father draw him. (John 6:44) This is because all men are born dead in trespasses and sins, which make men both unable and unwilling to come to God by Jesus Christ. The only hope for sinners is that God the Holy Spirit quickens their dead souls to life and faith in Christ. This too is offensive to the natural man.<\/p>\n

Third, it offends the merit of men. All men by nature believe that they can by their will, works, and self righteousness merit the favor of God. But the Psalmist asks, \u201cWho shall ascend to the hill of the LORD . . .? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart\u2026\u201d (Ps. 24: 2-3). But the gospel of the cross teaches us that \u201cthere is none righteous, no not one.\u201d (Rom.3:11-20) The gospel teaches that the only way for man to approach unto God, is to have the \u201crighteousness of God which is by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to all them that believe.\u201d (Rom 3:21-22) This is offensive to the natural man.<\/p>\n

Therefore, how foolish is it for men to oppose the only hope for their salvation. It is like a drowning man despising the rope that is his only life line. Though Satan, devils, and all men oppose this gospel, it shall prevail to save all of God\u2019s elect. It will save all those who believe on Jesus Christ, and see His cross as their only glory. (Gal 6:14) Believers let us not ever be ashamed of this gospel, but rather proclaim it to all and mind not their offense of it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Don Fortner<\/p>\n

\u201cSovereign Grace Hated by the Modern Religionist<\/strong>\u201d
\nBy C H Spurgeon
\nIf anything is hated bitterly, it is the out-and-out gospel of the
\ngrace of God, especially if that hateful word “sovereignty” is
\nmentioned with it. Dare to say “He will have mercy on whom
\nhe will have mercy, and he will have compassion on whom he
\nwill have compassion” (Romans 9:15), and furious critics will
\nrevile you without stint.<\/p>\n

The modern religionist not only hates the doctrine of sovereign
\ngrace, but he raves and rages at the mention of it. He would
\nsooner hear you blaspheme than preach election by the Father,
\natonement by the Son, or regeneration by the Spirit.<\/p>\n

If you want to see a man worked up till the Satanic is clearly
\nuppermost, let some of the new divines hear you preach a
\nfree grace sermon. A gospel which is after men will be
\nwelcomed by men; but it needs divine operation upon the
\nheart and mind to make a man willing to receive into his in
\nmost soul this distasteful gospel of the grace of God. My
\ndear brethren, do not try to make it tasteful to carnal minds.<\/p>\n

Hide not the offense of the cross, lest you make it of none effect.
\nThe angles and corners of the gospel are its strength to pare them
\noff is to deprive it of power. Toning down is not the increase of
\nstrength, but the death of it.<\/p>\n

Learn, then, that if you take Christ out of Christianity,
\nChristianity is dead. If you remove grace out of the gospel,
\nthe gospel is gone. If the people do not like the doctrine
\nof grace, give them all the more of it.<\/p>\n

I preach the doctrines of grace because I believe them to be true;
\nbecause I see them in the Scriptures; because my experience endears
\nthem to me; and because I see the holy result of them in believers.<\/p>\n

The doctrine which I preach to you is the doctrine of Paul, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The Author and Finisher of our faith himself taught the
\nmost blessed truth which well agreed with our text-
\n“For by grace are you saved through faith;
\nand that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Eph 2:8<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

“Your life will I give unto you for a prey in all places where you go.”<\/em> Jeremiah 45:5<\/p>\n

There is a life given to the elect when the blessed Spirit quickens their souls–a life eternal, communicated to them out of the fullness of the Son of God. This life is a personal, individual life; and thus there seems to be a sweetness contained in the expression, “your <\/em>life.” “Your <\/em>life will I give unto you for a prey.” This life which is treasured up in the fullness of Christ is breathed into the soul in the appointed time by the Holy Spirit, is kept alive there by his almighty power, and will burn brighter and brighter in the realms of endless day.<\/p>\n

But we may observe, from the expression made use of in the text, that this life which is given to the child of God, is given to him in a peculiar way. “Your life will I give unto you for a prey.” <\/em>The word “prey” points out that this life is an object of attack. We hear of “beasts of prey,” and of “birds of prey,” and the expression implies a carnivorous animal. Thus the words, “Your life will I give unto you for a prey,” <\/em>imply that there are ravenous beasts that are continually seeking to devour this life, voracious enemies upon the watch, who are eager to prey upon this life, which God the Holy Spirit has kindled in the soul. How accurately and how experimentally do these words describe the inward kingdom of God! Eternal life is given by God; and kept by him when given; preserved by his power from ever being extinguished. And yet preserved by a perpetual miracle, like a burning lamp set afloat upon the waves of the sea; or, to use a figure that I have somewhere seen, like a lighted candle carried over a hill in the midst of a gale of wind.<\/p>\n

Thus, “our life is given us for a prey;” and the power, faithfulness, and wisdom of God are manifested in keeping this life unhurt amid all its enemies. As Daniel was preserved in the den of lions; and as the three men were preserved in the burning fiery furnace; so the life of God is preserved in the soul, in the midst of lions, as David says, “My soul is among lions” (Ps. 57:4), and amid the fires, “Glorify you the Lord in the fires” (Isaiah 24:15). So that the life of the child of God is one continual conflict between faith and unbelief, between enmity and love, between the grace of God and the rebellion of the carnal mind, between the sinkings of the drooping spirit and the liftings-up of the light of God’s countenance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0J.C. Philpot.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Many of the doubts and fears God\u2019s people experience regarding their saving interest in Christ, arise from a failure to realize that every heaven-born soul lives in this world with two natures. In Scripture these two natures are referred to as \u201cthe old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts\u201d and \u201cthe new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness\u201d (Ephesians 4:22-24), \u201cflesh\u201d and \u201cspirit\u201d (Galatians 5:16-17). These two natures are constantly at war, the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.<\/p>\n

Re-generation not Re-formation: <\/strong><\/p>\n

It is commonly assumed that in the new birth man (the natural, carnal man) is changed. That the old man is sanctified, that he who once loved sin is made to love holiness, that the enmity of the heart is slain, and that the old man renewed by grace grows more and more holy in progressive sanctification, until he is ripe for Glory and the Lord takes him home.<\/p>\n

That fanciful dream deludes multitudes, until, after being born again, they suddenly discover that the old lusts are still there. The discovery is sometimes shocking, simply because we have been taught that they would not be there any longer. How many there are who live in constant turmoil, knowing the abiding evil of their nature, but never daring to acknowledge it, lest they be scorned by others who pretend to be holy. The new birth is not a re-formation, but a re-generation. The new birth is not reforming the old nature of fallen man, but a re-creation of life in man by the Spirit of God. The new birth is not transforming that which is sinful into that which is righteous, but the imparting of a new, righteous nature. In the new birth Christ is formed in us, and we are made new in him (Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 5:17).<\/p>\n

Two Natures: <\/strong><\/p>\n

In every believer there are two natures (sin and righteousness), two men (the old man Adam and the new man Christ), two principles (sin and holiness); and these two constantly oppose one another. This fact is plainly declared in Scripture (Romans 7:14-24; Galatians 5:16-22; Colossians 3:9-10; Ephesians 4:22-24). The old man, Adam, can never be sanctified; and the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, \u201cChrist in you the hope of glory,\u201d cannot sin (1 John 3:9).\u00a0Adam lives in us by birth. By natural generation we are made partakers of Adam\u2019s nature. Christ lives in us by the new birth. By regeneration we are made \u201cpartakers of the divine nature\u201d (2 Peter 1:4).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The offense of the Cross \u201cAnd I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased.\u201d Galatians 5:11 The preaching of the cross of Jesus Christ is offensive to the natural man. We that believe look at the cross and we see grace, mercy, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1223"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1233,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1223\/revisions\/1233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}