The popular gospel is a declaration of man\u2019s\nrights and God\u2019s obligations… \u201cI have a right to salvation if I want it, and\nGod must give it to me if I ask for it.\u201d The Gospel of Christ is a declaration\nof God\u2019s rights and man\u2019s helplessness to fulfill any of the obligations\u2026.\n\u201cHath not the Potter power (authority) over the clay to make of the same lump\none vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?\u201d (Romans 9:21) \u201cThere is none\nrighteous, no not one\u201d (Romans 3:10).\n ~Joe\nTerrell<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ablest minister<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (J. C. Philpot, “Meditations on the<\/p>\n\n\n\n Preceptive Part of the Word of God”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n He is the ablest minister who is . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n soundest in doctrine,<\/p>\n\n\n\n deepest in experience,<\/p>\n\n\n\n most godly in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He must have also a gracious experience in<\/p>\n\n\n\n his own soul of the truths which he preaches,<\/p>\n\n\n\n in their savour, sweetness, and power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n THE WISDOM AND PLEASURE OF GOD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Clay Curtis<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Corinthians 1: 21: For after that in the wisdom of God\nthe world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of\npreaching to save them that believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Due to our fall in Adam, no sinner can know God by own\nwisdom. The wisest heathen never came to a true understanding of God but\nworshipped and served the creature more than the Creator (Rom 1: 22, 25). Then\nGod created Israel and gave them his oracles. Yet, left to themselves, the\ngospel remained a hidden mystery. They worshipped themselves the same as the\nheathen (Rom 2: 3; Jn 1:11; 1 Cor 2: 8) In the history of the world, not one\nsinner ever taught himself the things of God, \u201cneither can he know them,\nbecause they are spiritually discerned\u201d (1 Cor 2: 14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In God\u2019s wisdom, he foreordained that after proving man\u2019s\nwisdom utterly worthless, Christ would send his preachers and save his people\nonly through preaching which gives Christ all the glory. The Lord Jesus\ndeclared that John the Baptist marked the end of the old legal dispensation and\nthe beginning of the new gospel dispensation, saying, \u201cThe law and the prophets\nwere until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man\npresseth into it\u201d (Lu 16:16). Christ even rejoiced in God\u2019s wisdom to hide the\ngospel from the self-wise and self-prudent and reveal it to helpless sinners,\nsaying, \u201cI thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid\nthese things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even\nso, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight\u201d (Lu 10: 21).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understand, the public preaching of Christ is not God\u2019s\n\u201cPlan B\u201d as some erroneously teach. God performs in time what God purposed to\nperform from eternity, \u201cDeclaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient\ntimes the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I\nwill do all my pleasure.\u201d (Is 46: 10) It was the wisdom of God to prove man\u2019s\ntotal inability to know God by man\u2019s own wisdom. After that, it pleased God by\nthe foolishness of preaching to save them that believe from the first hour we\nbelieve until the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Man-made ministers!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From Spurgeon’s, “The Two Effects of the Gospel”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ministry has been very often degraded into a ‘trade’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They are ‘selected by man’, they are crammed with literature;<\/p>\n\n\n\n they are educated up to a certain point; they are turned\nout<\/p>\n\n\n\n ready dressed; and persons call them ‘ministers’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wish them all God-speed, every one of them; for as<\/p>\n\n\n\n good Joseph Irons used to say, “God be with many of\nthem,<\/p>\n\n\n\n if it be only to make them hold their tongues.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Man-made ministers are of no use in this world,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and the sooner we get rid of them the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Providence of God!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Don Fortner)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “And we know that God causes everything to work\ntogether for the good of those who love God and are called according to His\npurpose.” Romans 8:28<\/p>\n\n\n\n Predestination is the sovereign, eternal, immutable,\nunalterable purpose of God almighty, by which He ordained and ordered, according\nto His own will and good pleasure, all things that come to pass in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Divine providence is the daily, constant, sovereign rule of\nour God over all things for the accomplishment of His eternal purpose of grace\nin predestination. Divine providence is the accomplishment of God’s sovereign\nwill and purpose. Providence is God bringing to pass in time (sovereignly,\nabsolutely, and perfectly) what He purposed in eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Predestination is God’s purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Providence is God’s execution of His purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing in the universe happens by luck, chance, fortune,\naccident or by blind fate! Everything that comes to pass in time \u2014 was purposed\nby our God in eternity, and is brought to pass by His wise, adorable, good\nProvidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing comes to pass in time \u2014 that God did not purpose in\neternity, in sovereign predestination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing comes to pass in time \u2014 except that which God\nsovereignly brings to pass in His Providence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that which God predestined in eternity and brings to\npass in his Providence is for the good of His elect, and the glory of His name.\nThis is clearly and incontrovertibly the teaching of Holy Scripture (Psalm\n76:10; Proverbs 16:4, 9, 33; 21:1; Daniel 4:34, 35, 37; Isaiah 46:9-11; Romans\n11:33-36).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Providence is God’s government of the universe. If we have\na proper view of God’s Providence, we will see the hand of God and the heart of\nGod in everything \u2014 in all the experiences of our lives. Believers ascribe\ntheir sorrows, and even the cursing of their enemies \u2014 to the hand of their heavenly\nFather’s wise and good Providence (Job 1:21; 1 Samuel 3:18; 2 Samuel 16:11-12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n God is not idle. He never needs to rest, recuperate, or\nregroup. God almighty, our God and heavenly Father \u2014 is always at work,\ngoverning the world. I have frequently heard preachers and religious leaders\nspeak of sickness, poverty and war, sin, crime and cruelty, famine, earthquakes\nand death \u2014 as things over which God has no control. Nonsense!<\/p>\n\n\n\n God’s Providence is as ‘minute’ as it is ‘mysterious’ (Matthew\n10:30). Our God has ordained the number of hairs on the heads of all. Not even\na worthless sparrow falls to the ground without His decree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God’s Providence is ‘all inclusive’. God rules everything,\ngreat and small, everywhere, and at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He who created all things, rules all things!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing in God’s universe breathes or wiggles contrary to\nGod’s decree (Isaiah 46:9-13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a wise, skilled pharmacist mixes medicine \u2014 so our\nheavenly Father wisely mixes exactly the right measure of bitter things and\nsweet, to do us good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much joy would intoxicate us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much misery would drive us to despair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much sorrow would crush us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much suffering would break our spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much pleasure would ruin us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much defeat would discourage us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much success would puff us up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much failure would keep us from doing anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much criticism would harden us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too much praise would make us proud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our great God knows exactly what we need. By His grace, if\nwe are His \u2014 we will bow to His Providence, accept it, and give thanks for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God’s Providence is always executed in the ‘wisest manner’\npossible. We are often unable to see and understand the reasons and causes for\nspecific events in our lives, in the lives of others, or in the history of the\nworld. But our lack of understanding does not prevent us from believing God. We\nbow to His will, which is evident in His works of Providence, and say, “O\nthe depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How\nunsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The God of Providence rules all things well. How we ought\nto trust Him! Ever remember, our heavenly Father is God all wise, good, and\nomnipotent. He is. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n too wise to err,<\/p>\n\n\n\n too good to do wrong,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and too strong to fail!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A faithful minister!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Letters of John Newton)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Tychicus is a dear brother, a faithful minister and\nfellow servant in the Lord.” Colossians 4:7<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dear fellow pastor,<\/p>\n\n\n\n You have desired a good work \u2014 may the Lord give you the\ndesires of your heart. May He give you . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n the wisdom of Daniel,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the meekness of Moses,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the courage of Joshua,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the zeal of Paul, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n that self-abasement and humility which Job and Isaiah felt\n\u2014 when they not only had heard of Him by the hearing of the ear \u2014 but when they\nsaw His glory, and abhorred themselves in dust and ashes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n May you be taught of God \u2014 for none teaches like Him \u2014 and\ncome forth an able minister of the New Covenant, well instructed to rightly\ndivide and faithfully distribute the Word of truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the school of Christ, you will have to learn some\nlessons which are not very pleasant to flesh and blood. You must learn to\nlabor, to run, to fight, to wrestle \u2014 and many other hard exercises \u2014 some of\nwhich will try your strength, and others your patience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You know the common expression, ‘a jack of all trades’. I\nam sure a minister had need be such a one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n a brave soldier,<\/p>\n\n\n\n an alert watchman,<\/p>\n\n\n\n a caring shepherd,<\/p>\n\n\n\n a hardworking farmer,<\/p>\n\n\n\n a skillful builder,<\/p>\n\n\n\n a wise counselor,<\/p>\n\n\n\n a competent physician,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and a loving nurse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But do not be discouraged \u2014 you have a wonderful and a\ngracious Master, who does not only give instructions \u2014 but power and ability!\nHe engages that His grace shall be sufficient, at all times and in all circumstances,\nfor those who simply give themselves up to His teaching and His service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Be an example to all believers . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n in what you teach,<\/p>\n\n\n\n in the way you live,<\/p>\n\n\n\n in your love, your faith, and your purity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Timothy 4:12<\/p>\n\n\n\n FIVE REASONS GOD SAVES THROUGH PREACHING<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Clay Curtis<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are five reasons why God chose the means\nof preaching to save his people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One, preaching is how God destroys the wisdom\nof the wise and prudent\u2014\u201cFor it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the\nwise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the\nwise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God\nmade foolish the wisdom of this world?\u201d (1 Cor 1: 19-20)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two, God chose to save through preaching\nbecause it pleased God\u2014\u201cFor after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom\nknew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that\nbelieve.\u201d (1 Cor 1: 21)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three, this is how God makes Christ the Power\nand Wisdom of God unto us\u2014\u201cFor the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek\nafter wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock,\nand unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and\nGreeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness\nof God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.\u201d (1 Cor\n1: 22-25)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Four, it is the means whereby God makes his\npeople nothing so that none of us can glory in God\u2019s presence\u2014\u201cFor ye see your\ncalling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty,\nnot many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world\nto confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound\nthe things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are\ndespised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought\nthings that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.\u201d (1 Cor 1: 26-29)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Five, this is the means whereby God brings all\nhis children to glory only in the Lord\u2014\u201cBut of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who\nof God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and\nredemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory\nin the Lord.\u201d (1 Cor 1: 30-31)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those are five excellent reasons why every\ncalled child of God, taught of God in the heart, bows to God and rejoices that\nGod has chosen the means of preaching Christ\u2019s person and work to save his\npeople.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How few have singleness of eye to God’s glory!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (J. C. Philpot)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, how many ministers do I see led by . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n ambition,<\/p>\n\n\n\n pride,<\/p>\n\n\n\n self-interest, or<\/p>\n\n\n\n covetousness!<\/p>\n\n\n\n How few have singleness of eye to God’s glory!<\/p>\n\n\n\n WHERE IS THE WISE?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Clay Curtis<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Corinthians 1: 19: For it is written, I will destroy the\nwisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.\n20: Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this\nworld? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the Jewish scribe to the Grecian sophist to every\nself-made religionist and philosopher in the world God has made foolish the\nwisdom of the world. But apply this to you and I called by God\u2019s grace. Among\nChrist\u2019s true people where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the\ndisputer in Christ\u2019s church? Christ\u2019s true people do not boast of knowing\nChrist by self-wisdom. God is our Teacher. Christ is our Prophet (Jn 6: 45)\nTherefore, true believers do not boast that we taught ourselves his word! Nor\nare Christ\u2019s people debaters and disputers. We have experienced Christ\u2019s Power\nand Wisdom in our hearts through the preaching of the gospel so that we now\nknow that Christ will reveal himself when it pleases him in whom it pleases him\nthrough the simple declaration of the truth of the gospel. We are not talking\nabout all who call themselves by Christ\u2019s name. But in the heart of Christ\u2019s\ntrue people, God makes foolish the wisdom of this world each time he\nregenerates one of his elect to eternal life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The popular gospel is a declaration of man\u2019s rights and God\u2019s obligations… \u201cI have a right to salvation if I want it, and God must give it to me if I ask for it.\u201d The Gospel of Christ is a declaration of God\u2019s rights and man\u2019s helplessness to fulfill any of the obligations\u2026. \u201cHath not […]<\/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-5449","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\/5449","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=5449"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5450,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5449\/revisions\/5450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}