{"id":5587,"date":"2020-02-18T07:04:54","date_gmt":"2020-02-18T07:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=5587"},"modified":"2020-02-18T07:04:54","modified_gmt":"2020-02-18T07:04:54","slug":"bulletin-edition-february-2020-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=5587","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition February 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A soporific influence?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(by Horatius Bonar)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Let us not sleep as\nothers do.” 1 Thes. 5:6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all have a tendency to\nslumber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the disciples, both on\nthe transfiguration<\/p>\n\n\n\n

hill and in Gethsemane, fell\nasleep, so do we<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in the most solemn\ncircumstances and times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The atmosphere of earth\nseems loaded with<\/p>\n\n\n\n

slumberous vapors. This\npresent evil world<\/p>\n\n\n\n

exercises a soporific\ninfluence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Satan, its god, the prince\nof the power of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the air, does all he can to\nlull us asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a struggle to keep\nawake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence the necessity for the\nsolemn and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

startling words “awake,”\n“arise,” “watch.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be ever on your guard, as\nsentinels at their<\/p>\n\n\n\n

post; as watchmen on the\ntowers of some<\/p>\n\n\n\n

beleaguered fort; as seamen\nnavigating<\/p>\n\n\n\n

some difficult stream with\nwindings, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

sand banks, and rapids; or\nas servants<\/p>\n\n\n\n

sitting up at night to wait\nfor their master’s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“What I say unto you, I\nsay unto all, watch.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Be vigilant, for your\nadversary the devil<\/p>\n\n\n\n

walks about as a roaring\nlion, seeking<\/p>\n\n\n\n

whom he may devour.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the midst of a heedless\nworld and an<\/p>\n\n\n\n

unwatchful church, how\nneedful the perpetual<\/p>\n\n\n\n

warning, “Watch.”\nAnd all the more as we see<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the day approaching. The\nmore that we see a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

world “sleeping;”\nor wasting its hours in vanity,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and pleasure, and lust, and\ngaiety, the more<\/p>\n\n\n\n

let us feel the necessity\nfor resisting the wide<\/p>\n\n\n\n

spread influence, and\nkeeping awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Let us not sleep as\nothers do.” 1 Thes. 5:6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fictitious god?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winslow’s, “The Enmity\nof the Carnal Mind”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The carnal mind is\nenmity against God.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romans 8:7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How completely this\ndeclaration sweeps away<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all the fancied reverence\nand admiration for God<\/p>\n\n\n\n

which floats before the\nimagination of the carnal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

mind in its profound\nslumber! The carnal mind may<\/p>\n\n\n\n

own its belief in the\nexistence of a god. But what<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God? Plainly not the God of\nthe Bible; but a deity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of its imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The god of whom he has thus\nbeen dreaming, is not<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the God of Scripture, but\nthe god of his own creation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is not the holy God whom\nthe Bible makes known;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of whom Jesus is the living\nand visible embodiment;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

but an imaginary being\nclothed with attributes, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

administering a government\nharmonizing with the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

corrupt tastes and sinful\npropensities of his carnal mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Away with your religion of\nnature, of sentiment, of poetry!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The god whom you profess to\nadore and worship is not<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the God manifested in\nChrist, whose justice and holiness,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

whose wisdom and truth, are\nblended and harmonized<\/p>\n\n\n\n

with grace and love in the\ncross of Calvary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Anyone who hates Me\nhates My Father as well.” John 15:23<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of what value is your\nfancied admiration of God’s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

character, while yet hating,\ndespising, and rejecting<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the Son, who is the\n“radiance of God’s glory and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the exact representation of\nHis being”?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your heart is a stranger to\nholiness, and your mind<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to peace, while prostrate\nbefore a deity of your own<\/p>\n\n\n\n

imagination; a fictitious\ngod!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is nothing in your\ncreed; nothing in your vague,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

shadowy, unreal conception\nof deity, to fix your thoughts,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to soothe your spirit, to\nallay your fears, to awaken your<\/p>\n\n\n\n

affections, and to inspire\nyour hope. Your altar is reared,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and your incense is offered,\nbut it is to the “unknown god.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No oil?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Bonar, “Religion Without\nthe Holy Spirit”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The five who were\nfoolish took no oil for<\/p>\n\n\n\n

their lamps.” Matthew\n25.3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This parable has many sides\nand aspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is prophetical; it is\nalso practical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It suits all ages, but\nespecially the last days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It suits the world, but\nespecially the church of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is searching and sifting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also quickening and\ncomforting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It suits us well in these\ndays of . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

profession,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

fashionable religion and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

religiousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a parable for the\nchurch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes in to the inner\ncircle of Christian<\/p>\n\n\n\n

profession, and sifts it,\ndivides it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are points of likeness\nbetween the two classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They get the same name,\nvirgins;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

they wear the same dress;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

they are on the same errand;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

they both have lamps;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

they both slumber and sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have thus many features\nin common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peril of mere\nexternalism is that which our<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord points out here. This\nexternalism may not<\/p>\n\n\n\n

always be hypocrisy, but it\nis imitation. It is not<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the flower in its natural\ncolor and growth, but<\/p>\n\n\n\n

painted, artificial. Let us\nwatch against an<\/p>\n\n\n\n

artificial life, and an\nartificial religion. What<\/p>\n\n\n\n

does it profit now? What\nwill it profit in the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

day of wrath? The name, the\ndress, the lamp,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the outward show, will all\ngo for nothing in<\/p>\n\n\n\n

that day of universal discovery\nand detection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though in most respects they\nwere all alike,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

yet there was a difference.\nIt was within; it<\/p>\n\n\n\n

was imperceptible from\nwithout; it could only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

be discovered when the\nbridegroom came. Up<\/p>\n\n\n\n

until then all were\ncompletely similar. Only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

then the deficiency came out\nin the foolish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then was it seen who were\nwise, and who<\/p>\n\n\n\n

were foolish. That day is\nthe day of certain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and unerring detection. It\nis the day of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

weighing in the balances! It\nis the separation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the false from the true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The difference was confined\nto a single point,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the lack of oil. The oil is\nthe Holy Spirit. Thus<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a man may be very like a\nChristian, and yet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

not be one. He may come very\nnear the kingdom,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and yet not enter in. He may\nhave all the outward<\/p>\n\n\n\n

features of a Christian, and\nyet be lacking in the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

main one. He may have the\ncomplete dress of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the saint, and yet not be\none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may have a good life, a\nsound creed, a strict<\/p>\n\n\n\n

profession; he may be one\nwho says and does<\/p>\n\n\n\n

many excellent things; he may\nbe a subscriber<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to all the religious\nsocieties in the land, a member<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of all their committees, or\na speaker at all their<\/p>\n\n\n\n

meetings, and supporter of\nall their plans; he<\/p>\n\n\n\n

may profess to be looking\nfor Christ’s coming,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and going forth to meet the\nbridegroom, yet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

not necessarily a Christian!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may lack the oil, the\nHoly Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A religion without the Holy\nSpirit profits nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is the religion . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the intellect,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the sense,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the imagination,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the flesh,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the creed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the liturgy,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the catechism,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of nature,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of poetry,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of sentiment,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of mysticism,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what are these without\nthe Spirit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity without Christ,\nwhat would that be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worship without God, what\nwould that be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So religion without the Holy\nSpirit, what would that be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The five who were foolish\ntook no oil for their lamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Sir! Sir!” they\nsaid. “Open the door for us!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But He replied, “I tell\nyou the truth, I don’t know you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

False faith!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Don Fortner)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a false faith in\nwhich multitudes are confidently resting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a false faith by\nwhich multitudes are deceived and will perish for ever in Hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may be greatly\nenlightened and knowledgeable in gospel truth (Heb. 6:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith excites the\naffections (Stony Ground Hearers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith reforms the\noutward life (The Pharisees).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may speak very\nwell of Christ (The Jews).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith confesses sin\n(Saul).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may humble\nitself in sackcloth and ashes (Ahab).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may repent\n(Esau – Judas).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may diligently\nperform religious works (The Pharisees).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may be very\ncharitable and generous (Ananias).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may tremble at\nthe Word of God (Felix).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may experience\nmuch in religion (Heb. 6:1-4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may enjoy\ngreat religious privileges (Lot’s wife).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may preach,\nperform miracles, and cast out demons (Matt. 7:23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may attain\nhigh office in the church (Diotrephes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may walk with\ngreat preachers (Demas was Paul’s companion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may be\npeaceful and carnally secure (The Five Foolish Virgins).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may even\npersevere and hold out until the day of judgment (Matt. 7:22-23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have the faith of\nGod’s elect, it will bear examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do not, if you are\nresting in a false faith, you need to be awakened so that you may flee to\nChrist in true faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their religion is hollow,\nunsubstantial, and unreal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(From Winslow’s,\n“Christ’s Intercession for Tried Faith”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most beautiful ritual,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the most accurate creed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the most costly religion,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the most splendid\nprofession,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

without Christ in the heart,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

is but as fuel preparing for\nthe<\/p>\n\n\n\n

final and eternal\nconflagration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What, my reader, if your\nreligion<\/p>\n\n\n\n

should prove to be nothing\nbut chaff?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does the bare probability\nstartle you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ah! there are multitudes\nwhom it might well<\/p>\n\n\n\n

startle; for multitudes are\nthus deceived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not a grain of saving grace\nis found in their souls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

no vitality in their faith,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

no solidity in their\nprofession,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

no substance in their\nreligion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before every wind of false\ndoctrine they bend, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

by each blast of temptation they\nare carried away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stubble of the field,\nand the chaff of the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

threshing floor (fit emblems\nof their profession),<\/p>\n\n\n\n

are not more unsubstantial\nand fleeting than it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All is woeful deception!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have substituted….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a form of godliness for its\npower;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

union to the church for\nunion to Christ;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the baptism of water for the\nregeneration of the Spirit;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

gospel ordinances for\nsanctifying grace;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

works of benevolence for\nfaith in the Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And thus their religion is\nhollow, unsubstantial, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

unreal; possessing a\n“name to live, they are dead.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what will be the end of\nsuch?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Departing into eternity in\nthis state of soul deception;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

building their hope of\nheaven upon this false foundation;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in their sad experience must\nbe realized the awful<\/p>\n\n\n\n

description which the\nevangelist gives of the judgment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

power of Christ; “whose\nfan is in his hand, and he will<\/p>\n\n\n\n

thoroughly purge his floor,\nand gather his wheat into his<\/p>\n\n\n\n

barn; but he will burn up\nthe chaff with unquenchable fire.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus will perish….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all human religions,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all false hopes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all hollow professions,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all soul destroying\ndoctrines;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the ‘wood, the hay, the\nstubble,’ of a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

form of godliness, destitute\nof the power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intolerant!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spurgeon, “Fire: the\nWant of the Times”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of all things under heaven,\nthe most<\/p>\n\n\n\n

intolerant is the gospel of\nJesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gospel demands obedience\nto itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within its own realm its\npower is absolute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its arguments cut and kill\nerror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its teachings lay low every\nproud<\/p>\n\n\n\n

hope, and expose every false\nway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gospel is merciful to\nthe<\/p>\n\n\n\n

sinner, but merciless to\nsin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will not endure evil, but\nwars against<\/p>\n\n\n\n

it to overturn it, and to\nset up a throne<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for him whose right it is to\nreign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gospel of Jesus Christ\nwill never<\/p>\n\n\n\n

join hands with infidelity\nor Popery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will never enter into\nleague with idolatry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It cannot be at peace with\nerror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

False religions can lie down\nside by side<\/p>\n\n\n\n

with one another, for they\nare equally a lie,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and there is a brotherhood\nbetween them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the true religion, will\nnever rest until<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all superstitions are\nutterly exterminated,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and until the banner of the\nKing eternal,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

immortal, invisible, shall\nwave over every<\/p>\n\n\n\n

mosque and minaret, temple\nand shrine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A soporific influence? (by Horatius Bonar) “Let us not sleep as others do.” 1 Thes. 5:6 We all have a tendency to slumber. As the disciples, both on the transfiguration hill and in Gethsemane, fell asleep, so do we in the most solemn circumstances and times. The atmosphere of earth seems loaded with slumberous vapors. […]<\/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-5587","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\/5587","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=5587"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5588,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5587\/revisions\/5588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}