{"id":510,"date":"2011-04-24T06:23:35","date_gmt":"2011-04-24T06:23:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=510"},"modified":"2011-04-24T06:23:35","modified_gmt":"2011-04-24T06:23:35","slug":"bulletin-articles-issue-66-april-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=510","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Articles Issue #66 April 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The sacrifice under the old covenant on the Day of Atonement was a type. A type means it was \u201cas if\u201d the sins of the people were put on the goat. A shadow means God treated the goat \u201cas if\u201d he were sin. A picture means God regarded the sacrifice \u201cas if\u201d sin had been put away. But because it all was only \u201cas if\u201d, the entire picture had to be played out again next year because it was impossible for the picture to actually do what it pictured (Hebrews 10: 1-18.)<\/p>\n<p>The book of Hebrews is the declaration that Christ is the express image of that typified in the shadow (Heb 1: 3; 10: 1.) Animals were not in man\u2019s nature but Christ was made the express nature of the children of Abraham when he was made of a woman (Heb 2: 16; Gal 4: 4). Bulls and goats in shadow and type came under the law but Christ was expressly made under the law. (Gal 4: 4). Bulls and goats had sin laid on them metaphorically, but the LORD himself hath expressly laid on Christ in his own body the iniquity of all his elect people. (Heb 10: 4-10; 1 Pet 2: 24; Is 53: 6, 11-12; 2 Cor 5: 21.) The blood of goats made atonement in a ceremonial way, but Christ blood has expressly made eternal satisfaction (Heb 7: 19; 9: 26; 10: 12-14). The blood of bulls and goats purified the flesh in a shadowy ceremonial way, but Christ\u2019s blood expressly purges the conscious from dead works to serve the true and living God so that there is expressly no more conscious of sins in the believer (Heb 9: 13-14; 10: 1-4.) \u201cSo Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation\u201d (Heb 9:28.)<\/p>\n<p>After that we have heard the truth, let us not traduce this amazing \u201cmystery\u201d to be nothing more than the \u201cas if\u201d of the shadow lest we \u201ctread underfoot the Son of God and count the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite the Spirit of grace.\u201d (Hebrews 10: 29.).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lumps of animated dust?<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><em>From Spurgeon&#8217;s, &#8220;DISTINGUISHING GRACE&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For who makes you to differ from another?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>1 Corinthians 4:7.<\/p>\n<p>PRIDE is the inherent sin of man,<\/p>\n<p>and yet it is of all sins the most foolish.<\/p>\n<p>A thousand arguments might be used to show its absurdity;<\/p>\n<p>but none of these would be sufficient to quench its vitality.<\/p>\n<p>Alive it is in the heart, and there it will be, till we die<\/p>\n<p>to this world, and rise again without spot or blemish.<\/p>\n<p>What are we, after all, but as grasshoppers in his sight,<\/p>\n<p>as drops of the bucket, as <strong>lumps of animated dust!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We are but the infants of a day, when we are most old;<\/p>\n<p>we are but the insects of an hour, when we are most strong;<\/p>\n<p>we are but the wild donkey&#8217;s colt, when we are most wise,<\/p>\n<p>we are but as folly and vanity, when we are most excellent &#8211;<\/p>\n<p>let that tend to humble us.<\/p>\n<p>But surely if this does not prevail to clip the pinions of<\/p>\n<p>our high soaring pride, the Christian man may at least bind<\/p>\n<p>its wings with arguments derived from the &#8220;distinguishing love and peculiar mercies of God&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Who makes you to differ from another?&#8221; &#8211;This question<\/p>\n<p>should be like a dagger put to the throat of our boasting!<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; And what do you have that you did not receive?&#8221; \u2013This question should be like a sword thrust through the heart of our self-exaltation and pride!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><strong>THE DISTINGUISHING GRACE OF GOD<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><em>by Don Fortner<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u201c For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?\u201d 1 Cor. 4:7<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\">The only difference between the  believer and the unbeliever, between the righteous and the wicked,  between the seed of Christ and the seed of the serpent, is the  difference which grace has made. This we must acknowledge. &#8220;By the grace  of God I am what I am!&#8221; God&#8217;s grace is always particular, distinctive,  and distinguishing. Those who are saved are distinguished from those who  are lost by five acts of grace.<\/p>\n<p>1. The first distinguishing act of God&#8217;s grace is his ETERNAL  ELECTION. If you can, with the eye of faith, trace every spiritual  blessing that you now enjoy, and those which you hope to enjoy, back to  the place of their original source, the place of their origin would be  spelled &#8220;E L E C T I O N&#8221; (Eph. 1:3-4; II Thess. 2:13; Jer. 1:4; 31:3).<\/p>\n<p>2. The second act of grace by which God has distinguished his elect  from the rest of mankind is EFFECTUAL REDEMPTION. By his precious blood,  poured out unto death upon the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ has  effectually ransomed God&#8217;s elect from the hands of divine justice, by  satisfying the claims of justice against us (Isa. 53:8-11; Gal. 3:13;  Heb. 9:12).<\/p>\n<p>3. The third act of grace by which the Lord has distinguished us  from the rest of the world is his ADORABLE PROVIDENCE. Our God governs  all the affairs of this world. And he has governed all the affairs and  circumstances of our lives to bring us to the place where we now are,  and to eternal glory in Christ (Matt. 10:29-31; Rom. 8:28).<\/p>\n<p>4. The fourth act of grace by which we are distinguished from all  other men is GOD&#8217;S SOVEREIGN WORK OF REGENERATION. The only thing that  makes you different from any other being on this planet, if you are born  again, is the fact that God has saved you. He gave you life and faith  in Christ by the irresistible power of his Spirit (Eph. 2:1-10).<\/p>\n<p>5. The fifth act of grace by which God distinguishes his elect from  the unbelieving is his MERCIFUL PRESERVATION. The only thing that keeps  us in grace is grace itself. The only thing that holds us to Christ is  Christ himself (Jer. 32:38-40). <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\">&#8212;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The great secret of vital godliness<\/strong> <strong>the great secret of vital godliness<\/strong> is to be nothing\u2014that Christ may be all in all. \u00a0Every stripping, sifting, and emptying\u2014every trial, \u00a0exercise and temptation that the soul passes through, has but one object\u2014to beat out of man&#8217;s heart that cursed spirit of independence which the devil breathed into him when he said, &#8220;You shall be as gods&#8221;. A man must well near be bled to death before this venom can be drained out of his veins!<\/p>\n<p>J.C Philpot<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our refuge! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take<strong> <\/strong><strong>refuge<\/strong>. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation\u2014my stronghold.&#8221; Psalm 18:2. On every side are hosts of <strong>enemies<\/strong> ever invading our souls\u2014trampling down every good thing in our hearts\u2014accompanied by a flying troop of temptations, doubts, fears, guilt and bondage sweeping over our soul. <strong>And we, as regards our own strength, are helpless against them. <\/strong>But there is a <strong>refuge <\/strong>set before us in the gospel of the grace of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, as King in Zion, is there held up before our eyes as . . . the Rock of <strong>our\u00a0refuge<\/strong>, our strong Tower, our impregnable Fortress; and we are encouraged by every precious promise and every gospel invitation when we are overrun and distressed by these wandering, ravaging, plundering tribes\u2014to flee unto and find a safe <strong>refuge<\/strong> in Him.<\/p>\n<p>J.C. Philpot<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take\u00a0<strong>refuge<\/strong>.&#8221;\u00a0Psalm 16:1<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;O Lord my God, I take <strong>refuge<\/strong><strong> <\/strong>in You; save and deliver me from all who pursue me.&#8221; Psalm 7:1<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our only preservation <\/strong><strong>Our only preservation<\/strong> against the winds of error which are blowing on every side\u2014our only safety amid the perils and evils which daily beset us from without or from within\u2014is a personal, experimental knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Grievously wounded in the spiritual battle<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering\u00a0wick He will not snuff out.&#8221; Matthew 12:20. Never deal too harshly with those who, in some unguarded, unsuspected moment, have fallen out of the ranks, or by their own folly or cowardice have been <strong>grievously wounded in the spiritual battle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>John MacDuff<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><strong>His children began to hiss! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Since I last wrote, I have preached in Abingdon Great Church, on Christmas evening. I preached the truth, I trust, to a very crowded congregation, supposed to be (sitting and standing, who were able to get in) about 5,000 people. I pleased the <strong>believers<\/strong>; but <strong>very much displeased the carnally-minded<\/strong>, who were never before so puzzled and confounded in all their lives! I spoke the truth faithfully, and so as all could hear; but I had no idea that the gospel would have given so much offence! <strong>It is the truth that offends and disturbs Satan&#8217;s kingdom!<\/strong> The neighboring clergymen, who are in darkness, say of me, &#8220;Away with such a fellow from the earth; it is not fit that he should live! &#8220;My mind is not moved by the persecution. I believe if God has a work for me to do, I shall do it, <strong>in spite of the devil and all his children!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nature<\/strong> is not changed, the <strong>gospel<\/strong> is not changed, and <strong>Christ<\/strong> is not changed. What reason is there why they should not hate the truth now, as much as in the time of the apostles? I never saw any fruits of my labors until I roused and disturbed the &#8216;roaring lion&#8217;. When, through the grace of God, I began to disturb his kingdom, <strong>I soon found that<\/strong> <strong>his children began to hiss!<\/strong> The world and Satan hate believers. <strong>The Pharisees hate me the most.<\/strong> I cut off all their rotten props, and all their fleshly devotion!<\/p>\n<p>It is not coming near to the truth, it is not the &#8216;mere letter&#8217; of the gospel, that will convert men; but the Holy Spirit. Make the Word of God your study. <strong>Pin your faith to no man&#8217;s views!<\/strong> I scarcely read any other book. Beware of those who want to <strong>exalt man<\/strong> in any manner.<\/p>\n<p>William Tiptaft<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shame on you\u2014O silly heart!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What makes <em>you <\/em>better than anyone else? What do you have\u2014that God hasn&#8217;t given you? And if all you have is from God\u2014why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?&#8221; 1 Corinthians 4:7<\/p>\n<p>Christian! By nature\u2014you are no better than others! What would you be\u2014without the continual influence of the Spirit? O believer, whatever you are\u2014you have nothing to make you proud. The more you <em>have<\/em>\u2014the more you are in <em>debt <\/em>to God\u2014and should you be proud of that which renders you a debtor?<\/p>\n<p>Consider your origin\u2014look back to what you <em>were<\/em>. &#8220;Once <em>you were <\/em>dead, doomed forever because of your many sins!&#8221; Ephesians 2:1. Consider what you would have been\u2014but for divine grace!<\/p>\n<p>It is only God&#8217;s grace\u2014which has made you to differ! Great <em>believer<\/em>\u2014you would have been a great <em>sinner<\/em>\u2014if God had not made you to differ! O you who are valiant for <em>truth<\/em>\u2014you would have been as valiant for <em>error<\/em>\u2014if grace had not laid hold upon you!<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, do not be proud, though you have a wide domain of grace\u2014for once, you had not a single thing to call your own\u2014except your sin and misery!<\/p>\n<p>Oh! strange infatuation, that you\u2014who have <em>borrowed <\/em>everything, should think of <em>exalting <\/em>yourself! How foolish\u2014that you\u2014a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of your Savior\u2014are yet proud! <strong>Shame on you\u2014O silly heart! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Charles Spurgeon.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>&#8212;<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>As each part does its work<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;From him the whole body, joined and held together by\u00a0every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up\u00a0in love, <strong>as each part does its work<\/strong>.&#8221; Eph. 4:16<\/p>\n<p>In a gigantic piece of machinery the <strong>small <\/strong>wheels have their place and purpose as well as the <strong>large <\/strong>ones. God gives His weak ones work to do, for which even His strong ones are unequal.-<\/p>\n<p>John MacDuff<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The sacrifice under the old covenant on the Day of Atonement was a type. A type means it was \u201cas if\u201d the sins of the people were put on the goat. A shadow means God treated the goat \u201cas if\u201d he were sin. A picture means God regarded the sacrifice \u201cas if\u201d sin had been [&hellip;]<\/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-510","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\/510","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=510"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":512,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions\/512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}