The Testimony To God\u2019s Glory
\nAnd the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. Isaiah 40.5<\/p>\n
The heavens declare the glory of God, and even the earth in its fallen
\nstate is a testimony to the greatness of the God Who made it. But
\nnothing has glorified God as did the Son of God when he was \u201cborn of a
\nwoman, made under the law\u201d and in that state performed the will of God
\nto perfection. “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work
\nyou gave me to do.” (John 17:4) Man seems to think God is glorified by
\nthe great works of men. The lofty cathedral, the massive choir, and the
\nsuccessful \u201cChristian\u201d business are all supposed testimonies of God\u2019s
\nglory. But God\u2019s glory was revealed in a baby of obscure parentage, a
\nyoung boy of exceptional spiritual wisdom, a preacher outside the
\nmainstream of popular religion and a crucified substitute. All that man
\ncalls wisdom was confounded. All that man calls power was overthrown,
\nand the glory \u2013 the true glory \u2013 of the Lord was revealed.
\nJoe Terrell<\/p>\n
Dead Religion
\n\u201c\u2026Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here\u2026\u201d Luke 24:5-6<\/p>\n
Are you trying to seek the Lord among this worlds \u2018dead\u2019 religion? I
\ndon\u2019t care if you are very sincere, very knowledgeable or even
\nfanatical; if you think that you can find Christ by dead works, ceremony
\nor law you are seeking Him, the glorious living one, amidst life-less
\nand vain religion. And the word from God directly to you is: He is not
\nhere. – Drew Dietz<\/p>\n
True or False Professor?
\nThere is a distinguishing difference between a true child of God and a
\nfalse professor. The Bible is filled with illustrations of this truth –
\nMt 7:22-23; Mt 23:27; Mt 25:32; John 14:21; 1John 3:14. This discernible
\ndifference is characterized from an inward presence of the indwelling
\nSpirit of God which is produced and manifested by the love of God in the
\ntrue believer, and is absent in the false professor. The child of God,
\nby his grace, loves God, loves his Son, loves his Gospel, loves the
\nbrethren, and loves his work.<\/p>\n
Although this inward nature can be imitated outwardly by the false
\nprofessor for awhile, to some degree, it can never be counterfeited in
\nthe heart. What a person loves and gives himself to is, at some point,
\nrevealed in his life – For where your treasure is, there will your heart
\nbe also Luke 12:34. There are those who profess their allegiance and
\nlove to Christ and His Church, yet can never bring themselves to a
\ncommitment to the same. They remain their own person, not Christ\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The true children of God have a new nature, the Divine nature, which
\ncontinually causes them to give themselves to the things of God. The
\ntruth is that the distinguishing difference is LIFE and DEATH. To those
\nwho know him, he is their life. Those who only profess to know him,
\ntheir life consists of themselves, which is death.<\/p>\n
It is of a truth that the true believer\u2019s life revolves around Christ,
\nand that to the false professor Christ revolves around his life. It is
\ncomforting to know that God has a people, in this world of falseness and
\ndeception, and that they, having the divine nature, live for his glory.<\/p>\n
No, they are not perfect in themselves! But they are perfect in him and
\nseek to honor him and his cause by his distinguishing grace. WHICH ONE
\nOF THESE PROFESSORS ARE WE?
\nTommy Robbins<\/p>\n
A SIGN OF VAIN RELIGION
\nOR
\n(A WARNING AGAINST VAIN RELIGION)
\nJames 1: 26: If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not
\nhis tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
\nA man may appear religious, yet, an unbridled tongue comes from the
\nspirit of a self-righteous heart puffed up in the vanity of the carnal
\nmind. All God’s saints say things on occasion that we wish we could take
\nback. But this text speaks of a man whose tongue continually reveals the
\nhidden thoughts of his heart. Here are some ways the tongue runs wild.
\nIf a man insists on ascribing any part of salvation to “self” rather
\nthan every part of salvation to the triune God then the Holy Spirit says
\nthis man’s tongue reveals he has deceived his own heart. When he speaks
\nof how he made Christ “lord of his life” instead of confessing Christ is
\nthe Lord and the Life who graciously gives spiritual life to dead
\nsinners then his unbridled tongue reveals his true god. As he
\ncontinually speaks of “his faith” instead of Christ who God says is the
\nonly Faithful One then he proves himself a wild ass unaccustomed to the
\nbit. When he brags of his “fleshly moral reform after conversion”
\ninstead of speaking of the holy, complete and perfect life that the
\nsaints have in spirit in Christ at God’s right hand, his run-away tongue
\nbrays into the wind like a stiff-necked mule bucks at the bridle. And a
\nfavorite of all, the untamed tongue justifies his own unfaithfulness by
\nkicking Christ’s redeemed into the mud by exposing their fleshly faults.
\nIn short, an unbridled tongue is one which constantly exalts self while
\nbelittling the Lord Jesus Christ and those who are complete in him. The
\nHoly Spirit says this man’s religion–his attending worship services,
\nhis support, his reading scripture, his prayers, his singing, his
\nwitnessing unto others, his faith, his hope, his assurance, and every
\nother part of his religion–is vain. He loves self and hates God.
\nOh, may God reveal the greatness of his glory in the face of Christ
\nJesus. When sinners behold Christ our Holiness they become submissive
\nnobodies in reverence to him who alone is holy, just and good! Only God
\nbridles the tongue of the old corrupt nature when he creates the inward
\nspiritual man. The believer’s boasting ceases to be of his
\naccomplishments but of the Excellencies of his Lord and his Savior,
\nJesus Christ the Son of God! (I Co. 1: 29-31)
\nClay Curtis.<\/p>\n
If there is one thing in this world that everyone wants and very few
\nhave, it is rest, real rest of heart and soul before God. Fools imagine
\nthat money, property, position, and power will give them rest. Many seek
\nrest by giving vent to the pleasures of their vile lusts. Others try to
\nobtain rest by morality, works of charity, or the services, rituals, and
\nceremonies of religion. But all who seek rest in such places must, if
\nthey speak honestly, confess, \u201cthe bed is too short to stretch out on
\nand the cover is too narrow to wrap up in\u201d (Isa. 28:20).
\nIf your religion does not give you rest, your religion is false (Jer.
\n6:16; Matt. 11:28-29; Heb. 4:3). If you make lies your refuge, you will
\ntry hard to convince yourself that you have assurance and peace before
\nGod (Isa. 28:14-20). But in the dark, lonely watches of the night, when
\nyou contemplate judgment and eternity, you have no rest! Your soul is in
\nturmoil. The fear of death yet holds you in bondage. But all who trust
\nin the Lord Jesus Christ have entered into rest, knowing that all things
\nnecessary for their salvation have been done for them. God has chosen
\nthem as the objects of His grace in eternal election. Christ has paid
\ntheir debt to the justice of God by His blood atonement. Righteousness
\nhas been imputed to them for justification and imparted to them in
\nregeneration. For such people salvation is an absolute certainty. We
\nhave God\u2019s Word for it. Why shouldn\u2019t we rest? Does your religion give
\nyou rest?
\n\u2013Don Fortner<\/p>\n
NOT HOLDING THE HEAD
\nAnd not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands
\nhaving nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the
\nincrease of God (Col. 2:19).<\/p>\n
It is a clear commentary upon someone\u2019s religion when they are more
\ninterested in talking about their own thoughts and opinions; their will,
\nwants and wishes; their denominational beliefs, church creeds,
\ndiscipline, traditions, rules and practices, rather than the Word of
\nGod. The apostle Paul said these are those who are, “NOT HOLDING THE
\nHEAD” (Col. 2:19), but would rather talk about the body (church). “But
\nyou have not so learned Christ.” Those who have truly seen the “Glory of
\nGod in the face of Jesus Christ,” are altogether taken up with Him; with
\nHis person, and His work. While the conversation of the mere professor
\nof religion is of his religion, the speech of the true “Christian” is of
\nHis CHRIST!
\nPaul Mahan<\/p>\n
Divers Doctrines: a variety. Doctrine means teaching. The pack of snacks
\nmom brings home with all different kinds of goodies in it is called
\na\u2014”variety” pack. It has “various” flavors and colors for whatever
\nappeals to your taste or your eye at the moment. Those are “divers”
\nsnacks. Man has invented a “variety” of teachings concerning God,
\nconcerning man’s condition and concerning salvation. Such teachings are
\ndesigned by man to appeal to whatever men’s taste may be at the moment
\nbecause men change. God’s doctrine is one. It does not change. The
\nteaching of God is always, continually the same because it is concerning
\nJesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13: 7-9.)
\nClay Curtis.<\/p>\n
The Only Reason For Salvation
\n\u201cI write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you
\nfor his name’s sake\u201d (1John 2:12).<\/p>\n
There is only one reason revealed in Holy Scripture that any sinner
\nwould be pardoned from all sin. That one reason is Christ alone
\n(Eph.4:32). Christ Jesus was manifested to take away our sin and in Him
\nis no sin (John 3:5). The only reason for grace is Christ (John 1:16).
\nThe only reason for mercy is Christ (Titus 3:5). The only reason for
\nsalvation is Christ (Acts 4:12). The only reason for sanctification is
\nChrist (1Cor. 1:30). His name’s sake includes all these things and much
\nmore (Rom. 5:20). Salvation is not because of our merit, nor our
\nbaptism, nor our works, nor our prayers, nor our repentance nor our
\nfaith; but for the sake of Christ, his blood, sacrifice and
\nsatisfaction; and it reaches to all our sins, original and actual,
\nsecret and open, past, present, and future. The only reason for our
\nsalvation is not found in us, but rather in the Lord Jesus Christ alone
\n(Isa.43:1-7; 44:21-23).
\n~Tom Harding<\/p>\n
People do what they want to do. They do what they do freely and
\nuncoerced. People were not forced to crucify Christ. Pilate was said to
\nhave, \u201cDelivered Jesus to their will.\u201d While they were acting freely and
\nuncoerced, they were doing neither more nor less than \u201cWhatsoever thy
\nhand and thy counsel determined before to be done.\u201d Men do precisely
\nwhat they want, and God exercises absolute sovereignty over man\u2019s will \u2013
\na paradox; but certainly not a contradiction. They are both true. ~Todd
\nNibert<\/p>\n
\u201cMy soul, hast thou sinned? God in Christ pardons thy sins. \u2013 Art thou
\ndiseased in body and soul, by reason of sin? God in Christ healeth all
\nthy diseases. \u2013 Art thou ruined and undone in all the circumstances of
\nnature, by reason of the fall? It is God, in Christ, that redeemeth thy
\nlife from destruction, and crowneth thee with all that is needful for
\nthee in grace. \u2013 Art thou feeling decays, and is the event of mortality
\nhastening upon thee? God in Christ will renew thee, as the eagle is
\nrenewed in old age. \u2013 Precious, precious salvation! And all eternally
\nsecured and made certain from a God in Christ.\u201d ~Robert Hawker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Testimony To God\u2019s Glory And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. Isaiah 40.5 The heavens declare the glory of God, and even the earth in its fallen state is a testimony to the greatness of the God Who made it. But nothing has glorified God as did the Son of God when […]<\/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-5155","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\/5155","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=5155"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5155\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5157,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5155\/revisions\/5157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}