Spiritual growth is in many ways the reverse of carnal growth. When we
\nwere little children we asked, we believed, we were dependent on our
\nparents and we were happy for it to be so. As we grew the sin we are
\nbecame more apparent. Our asking became more questioning than asking. We
\nput more confidence in our own understanding than our father and mother.
\nOur hand was still open for the freebies but we wanted them
\nindependently of submitting to dad and mom. Eventually, we moved out,
\nstopped asking and depended only upon ourselves.<\/p>\n
Reverse that order and we have spiritual growth in the inner man. Christ
\nfinds his elect child completely \u201cmoved out\u201d\u2014separated in sin and death,
\nwith all confidence in ourselves, too proud to ask God for anything.
\nWhen God first converts us we become new born babes. But we still have
\nour old flesh which questions and is far too confident. As God grows us
\nin grace, growing up in grace is to become children in malice. The more
\nwe grow in grace the less we think we deserve the least of God\u2019s favors
\nand the more dependent we become on the God of all grace. Rising to the
\ngreatness of grace is not becoming self-sufficient but becoming more and
\nmore dependent upon Christ and more desirous for the other to have the
\nhonor. It is growing little, simple, and trustful in Christ as a little
\nchild. –Clay Curtis<\/p>\n
The children of the promise<\/p>\n
Romans 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the
\nglory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of
\nGod, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as
\nconcerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.
\nAmen. 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they
\nare not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the
\nseed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be
\ncalled. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are
\nnot the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for
\nthe seed.<\/p>\n
The message of this passage of scripture is simple, clear and
\nunmistakable. The earthly nation of Israel are not God\u2019s people. That is
\nplainly stated in verses 7 and 8. God\u2019s people are called here the seed
\nand the children of promise and being a Jew does not make you one of
\nthose. Only those who are chosen in Christ (the Seed) from before the
\nfoundation of the world are God\u2019s people. Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham
\nand his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of
\nmany; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Galatians 3:29
\nAnd if ye be Christ\u2018s, then are ye Abraham\u2019s seed, and heirs according
\nto the promise.<\/p>\n
All of the promises of blessing in Christ are made to the heirs of the
\npromise, not earthly Israel, but spiritual Israel. Nothing could be more
\nplainly revealed in the word of God. Many consider the earthly nation of
\nIsrael to have some kind of divine protection and favor from God. Let me
\nbe clear about this: If you reject the Lord Jesus Christ being a Jew
\nwill not keep you from suffering God\u2019s eternal wrath in Hell, and if you
\nreceive Him, believe on Him, being a Gentile will in no way hinder you
\nfrom enjoying all spiritual blessings in Him. The favor of God is in
\nChrist, not in bloodlines or family trees.<\/p>\n
Chris Cunningham<\/p>\n
A Perverted Gospel<\/p>\n
\u201cI marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the
\ngrace of Christ unto another gospel; which is NOT another, but there be
\nsome that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ\u201d (Gal.1:6,7).<\/p>\n
\u201cIf thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt NOT build it of hewn
\nstone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast POLLUTED it\u201d
\n(ex.20:25).<\/p>\n
Any perversion of the absolute free sovereign grace of God in the gospel
\nof Christ is an abomination unto our Great God. Whether it be molding
\nthe altar stones to our liking to suit our demands, or putting anything
\nof self to the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary, God is
\nnot honored in it nor will He be tolerant of it.<\/p>\n
Some perversions are very obvious, while others are much more subtle,
\nbut the end result is the same. It is polluted by man and the stamp of
\n\u2018unacceptable\u2019 is upon it. Oh, how I need your prayers as I stand here
\nto proclaim the wonder and mystery of \u2018Christ and Him crucified\u2019. Oh,
\nhow I need your ears to \u2018take heed how you hear as well as to what you
\nhear\u2019. I am thankful that by the grace of God and faith in His blood
\nthat you have not these many, many years tried to add one thing to that
\nperfect altar, that sinless Redeemer! Oh, may He keep us here together,
\nserving Him, worshipping at His footstool and rejoicing in that one and
\nonly Sacrifice for sinners: Jesus The Christ! Drew Dietz.<\/p>\n
The Gospel In Person – The Doctrine Of God<\/p>\n
Tommy Robbins<\/p>\n
\u201cPaul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
\nunto the gospel of God, (Which He had promised afore by His prophets in
\nthe holy scriptures,) Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord \u2026\u201d Romans
\n1:1-3<\/p>\n
Before the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh the gospel of
\nGod was in promise by oath, or covenant, Christ being the Surety and
\nSubstance of that promise – \u201cWho hath saved us, and called us with an
\nholy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own
\npurpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
\nbegan\u201d 2Timothy 1:9.<\/p>\n
HE IS THE PROMISE of the gospel. The gospel and Christ are synonymous.
\nHe is the mystery of the gospel revealed to His people – \u201cBut we speak
\nthe wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God
\nordained before the world unto our glory\u201d 1Corinthians 2:7. The
\npreaching of the gospel is the declaration of Christ, Who has come into
\nthe world and effectually put away the sin of His people by the
\nsacrifice of Himself.<\/p>\n
The Lord Jesus Christ IS the Good News. Make no mistake, if the message
\nwhich we preach is not saturated, permeated, with the person of Christ,
\nwe have not preached THE GOSPEL. He is our doctrine! The Lord Jesus
\nChrist is not revealed in the doctrine of God, the doctrine of God is
\nrevealed in HIM! If we preach the Lord Jesus Christ as He is revealed in
\nthe scriptures our doctrine will be correct. Confused? Let me simplify
\nit; \u201cWe preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and
\nunto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews
\nand Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God\u201d 1Co 1:23-24.<\/p>\n
The gospel is concerned with the Lord Jesus Christ, all He is, all He
\nhas done, and all He is doing. He has preeminence in all things. It is
\nvital to be doctrinally correct. However, there is no correct doctrine
\napart from Christ our Lord. Whether one labels me as a Calvinist or not,
\nis of no concern to me. I pray that it may be said of all who hear me,
\n\u201cHe determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and
\nHim crucified\u201d 1Corinthians 2:2.<\/p>\n
“BUT WE SEE JESUS”<\/p>\n
How do we “See Jesus?” Not by means of mysterious dreams or ecstatic
\nvisions, not by the exercise of our imagination, nor by a process of
\nvisualization; but by faith. Just as Christ declared, in John 8:56,
\n“Abraham rejoiced to see My day and he saw it, and was glad.” Faith is
\nthe eye of the spirit, which views and enjoys what the Word of God
\npresents to its vision. In the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, Revelation, God
\nhas told us about the exaltation of His Son; those who receive by faith
\nwhat He has there declared, “SEE Jesus crowned with glory and honour,”
\nas truly and vividly as His enemies once saw Him here on earth “crowned
\nwith thorns.”<\/p>\n
It is this which distinguishes the true people of God from mere
\nprofessors. Every real Christian has reason to say with Job, “I have
\nheard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye SEETH Thee”
\n(42:5). He has “seen” Him leaving heaven and coming to earth, in order
\nto “seek and to save that which was lost.” He has “seen” Him as a
\nsacrificial Substitute on the cross, there bearing “our sins in His own
\nbody on the tree. He has “seen” Him rising again in triumph over the
\ngrave, so that because He lives, we live also. He has “seen” Him highly
\nexalted, “crowned with glory and honour.” He has “seen” Him thus
\npresented to the eye of faith in the sure Word of God. To him the
\ntestimony of Holy Scripture is infinitely more reliable and valuable
\nthan the testimony of his senses.<\/p>\n
Arthur W. Pink<\/p>\n
“SAVING FAITH”<\/p>\n
The faith of the natural man, the unregenerate man, is reasonable,
\nlogical, and often very influential (Matt. 7:21-23); but the faith of
\nthe Christain is a gift of God, a miracle, and is always the producer of
\na radical change in those who possess it. A man cannot possibly possess
\nsaving faith whose thinking and attitude has not been radically changed
\nconcerning God and righteousness, man and sin, Christ and grace (II Cor.
\n5:14-17). The difference between the two kinds of faith is the
\ndifference between shadows and substance, words and reality: natural
\nfaith believes but saving faith knows! Natural faith merely acknowledges
\nwhat saving faith experiences.<\/p>\n
Pastor Maurice Montgomery<\/p>\n
I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
\n(Psa 13:6)<\/p>\n
Faith keeps the soul from sinking under heavy trials, by bringing in
\nformer experiences of the power, mercy, and faithfulness of God to the
\nafflicted soul. Hereby was the psalmist supported in distress. Oh, saith
\nfaith, remember what God hath done both for thy outward and inward man:
\nhe hath not only delivered thy body when in trouble, but he hath done
\ngreat things for thy soul; he hath brought thee out of a state of black
\nnature, entered into a covenant relation with thee, made his goodness
\npass before thee; he hath helped thee to pray, and many times hath heard
\nthy prayers and thy tears. Hath he not formerly brought thee out of the
\nhorrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and put a new song in thy mouth,
\nand made thee to resolve never to give way to such unbelieving thoughts
\nand fears again? and how unbecoming it is for thee now to sink in trouble?<\/p>\n
John Willison (1680-1750)<\/p>\n
Saving faith is not merely a mental assent to the Word of God, but a
\ntaking hold of God in His Word \u2014 believing God. Therefore, unbelief is
\nnot the mere disbelief of some statements of fact, but disbelieving God.
\nUnbelief is a rebellious heart calling God a liar!!!<\/p>\n
Maurice Mongomery<\/p>\n
NONE BUT CHRIST<\/p>\n
Have you any other rock but Christ? I do not ask you, whether you have a
\nfeeling enjoyment of it? I know you will rejoice in Jesus when the Holy
\nSpirit enables you. But have you any other refuge? Can you go into
\neternity, resting upon any other rock but the Lord Jesus Christ? Have
\nyou any other righteousness but His? Can you lean upon, desire, or want
\nany other than Christ’s righteousness? ‘No,’ says the soul, None but
\nChrist! None but Christ! Bless your poor heart, then, you shall have it
\nas sure as God has wrought the desire in your conscience, and brought
\nyou to trust alone in Jesus for refuge, righteousness, and salvation, by
\nstripping you of all false props and dependencies. Such a soul as this
\nwill trust in the Lord, overcome all opposition, and be more than a
\nconqueror through Him that hath loved him.<\/p>\n
John Warburton<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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