The following is from chapter 89 ("Hardshell Proof Texts XI" - See HERE) of my ongoing book "The Hardshell Baptist Cult." I publish it here so that it might be further looked at and because I am tired of the false argumentation that Hardshells make on the statement of Scripture that "faith is a fruit of the Spirit."
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Gal. 5: 22, 23)
Scriptures speak of being "born again" of the Spirit (John 3: 3-8), or of being "begotten of God." (I John 5: 18) In this "birth" or "conception" something is begotten or produced. All recognize that "life" is the chief product. Also, that a "person" is created or brought into existence. When a person is "born of God," he becomes a child of God, a "new creature," a spiritual being. But, is "life" and "existence" the only things begotten? Or, are there other things that are "begotten" when life is begotten? What saith the scriptures?
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (I John 5: 4)
"Faith" is here identified as being that which is "begotten." Faith overcomes because it is born of God. When a person is spiritually begotten life is begotten, but so also is faith "begotten."
Some will argue that this proves that one is born again "before" faith, but this would be an error. It would be wrong because the birth experience does not comprehend merely the cause, but also the effect. If we say that one is "begotten before life" we do not mean that one can be "begotten" who does not live and exist. We cannot say that "begotten" refers to the cause separate from the effect. A person cannot be said to be born until he is actually born.
This is why I have opposed the idea of placing a strict chronology on the relationship between faith and birth. They are concurrent, or simultaneous, and so intimately connected together that one cannot experience one without the other. When a man is born again, he is born "unto" something. Effects are immediate and automatic. Those effects include life, faith, hope, knowledge, and love for God and his Son Jesus Christ.
Men are begotten to life, but there is no gap in time between being begotten and being alive. Likewise, when men are begotten to life, they are at the same time begotten to faith, and there is no gap in time between the two, for there is only one "begetting" and not two separate ones.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (I Peter 1: 3)
Peter says men are "begotten unto a living hope," which is similar to John saying men are begotten to faith. Hope implies faith. They are joined together by an unbreakable bond.
If a person does not have Christian faith and hope, then he has not been "begotten" of God.
Hope and faith also implies knowledge and understanding, and if men are begotten to hope and faith, then they are likewise begotten to saving knowledge. Those who are begotten, in scriptures, instinctly and naturally recognize their Father in Heaven, and their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, for this too is a part of what it means to have Christian faith and hope begotten in a person.
"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Gal. 4: 6)
The immediate result of the Spirit entering a soul, in this divine begetting, is the soul crying out, in recognition, of their Heavenly Father.
The verse above also says that people are "begotten" unto "love," as it is said of faith and hope. In our opening passage, love is identified as being a "fruit" of the Spirit.
"Fruit" here is from the Greek word "karpos" and may denote, besides the fruit of trees, the fruit of one's loins, of what is begotten or produced. The context will determine the precise usage. It often signifies "that which originates or comes from something, an effect, result." Thus, love for God and Jesus is begotten.
The Hardshells cite this verse and use it to uphold their view that regeneration precedes conversion, and that the former can exist without the latter. To the Hardshells, "faith" being a "fruit of the Spirit" means "faith is an after-effect of being begotten of God." Then, having proven this, they then take giant leaps in logic and argue that since fruit is what comes after the tree is first in existence, and oftentimes many years later, so also is it with one "begotten" of God. A spiritually born soul may be fruitless (without any effects of being begotten) for many years before he possesses faith, hope, love, peace, etc.
Faith, hope, love, and peace, etc., are "begotten" (produced, as immediate effects) when a person is "begotten." Thus, we have shown what we are begotten "unto." These things define the kind of "life" begotten. To affirm that any unbeliever in Jesus, that any who have not repented and converted to Christ, are "begotten of God," is a severe error, a "heresy."
John Gill wrote:
"Love. This the apostle begins with, it being the fulfilling of the law, the bond of perfectness, and without which a profession of religion is insignificant; it may be understood of love to God, of which every man's heart is destitute, being enmity against God, until regenerated by the Spirit of God; when he sheds abroad the love of God in the heart, and which is the ground and reason of any man's truly loving God: and also of love to Christ, which the natural man feels nothing of till the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ, opens his eyes to see the loveliness of his person, the suitableness of his grace, righteousness, and fulness, and the necessity of looking to him for life and salvation; and likewise of love to the saints, which a carnal man is a stranger to, until he is renewed by the Holy Ghost, who in regenerating him teaches him to love the brethren; and which is the evidence of his having passed from death to life, through the mighty power of his grace. Moreover, love to the house and worship of God, to the truths and ordinances of the Gospel, all which men have naturally an aversion to, may be included in this first fruit of the Spirit..."
Imagine a person who is, supposedly, in possession of the Spirit of God, but who has no fruit of love for God! Yet, this absurd idea, is exactly what the Hardshells attempt to affirm in their interpretation of this passage. If "fruit" is that which comes later, often much later, after one is regenerated, then we are affirming that there are those who have no love for God or Christ who are yet regenerated! But, the scriptures teach that the experience of regeneration is one in which one is brought to love God.
Besides, the "fruit" of faith, hope, and love, are themselves means for obtaining eternal life, just as the "fruit" of sin is a means for obtaining eternal death.
"What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Rom. 6: 21, 22)
"For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." (7: 5)
Notice how the "fruit" of sin is "unto death." Notice that the "fruit" of righteousness is "unto holiness" and "everlasting life."
So, we may say that the fruit of faith, hope, and love, are "of the Spirit," but that they are also "unto everlasting life."
"For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth." (Col. 1: 5, 6)
This verse tells us that Christian "fruit" is not only "of the Spirit" but also "of the truth of the gospel." The gospel "brings forth," or "begets," the blessed fruits of the regenerated state, just as does the Spirit. Like the old confessions, regeneration is by both God's word and Spirit, not his "word alone" nor his "Spirit alone."
"These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots." (Jude 1: 12)
What is the condition of those who do not have the "fruit" of love, faith, and hope? Does not Jude say that such are "dead"? This in itself is enough to destroy the Hardshell notion that people who are without love for God, and faith in Christ, are nevertheless spiritually alive.
Friday, June 17, 2016
God's Library
From "My Daily Bread" (SEE HERE)
God's Library
"As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened." (Daniel 7: 9, 10 NIV)
"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books...If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20: 12, 15 NIV)
"The books were opened." What books? Are they not the books, scrolls, annals, records, logs, journals, of God?
God has a library. He has his place where records and documents are kept. He has his royal "recorders" or heavenly scribes, or God the king's official historians and chroniclers.
In the Old Testament we have several of God's books mentioned. There is the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 24: 7 NIV), and the "Book of the Law of God." (Joshua 24: 26 NIV)
There is also mention of such books as the "Book of the annals of the kings" and the "Book of the annals of King David." (I Chronicles 27: 24 NIV) There is often reference to "genealogical records," and to the records of "vital statistics," a journal of who has been born and who has died, who is among the living, and who is among the dead.
Kings and governmental leaders had their "book of records of the chronicles" (Esther 6: 1 KJV) of their decrees and official acts.
Lord God, being King of kings, and Governor among the nations (Psalm 22: 28 KJV), keeps records and has many books. Some of these books were written before the creation of the world, and may be called "prophetic books" or his book of destiny, and the book of God's judgments, statutes, and decrees. Other books are still being written, for they are record books.
Why are they "opened"?
First, in order to record the proceedings of the trial and thus preserve them. Second, in order to produce the prosecutorial evidence against the criminally condemned. This latter evidence would consist in the statute or law books, together with the records of the witnesses, and other legal documents of the prosecution.
Certainly, by "the books" (plural) would include the book of God's purposes and decrees concerning the fate or destiny of the world, together with every creature in it. They certainly include, as we shall see, the "Lamb's book," or the "book of life," with several other important books in the divine library. Also, all the books of the bible are part of the library of God, at least the ones he has been pleased to share with us. (See Deuteronomy 29: 29)
"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?"(Psalm 130: 3 NIV)
"The guilt of Ephraim is stored up, his sins are kept on record."(Hosea 13: 12 NIV)
Lord God has a record of every deed and every thought and choice of every man, good or bad. This record will be used in the Day of Judgment, when every man is on trial for his sins. When the books are opened, included will be these personal record books that have each man's personal history preserved.
For the acquitted or justified soul, to the believer in Jesus, the"record" has been "purged" and his crimes "expunged," as it were, from the divine record.
A believer in Jesus is no longer "under the law." The law has already exacted its vengeance and penalty upon the believer in his substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the law can no longer condemn him, for this would be a case of "double jeopardy," and an injustice unworthy of the divine being.
"Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure." (Genesis 41: 49 NIV)
Joseph may have been unable to make such a vast record of things in the realm of his governorship, but not so with Lord God. All has been faithfully and accurately recorded so that everything the sinner has said and done "can and will be used against him in the court of law." Said Jesus:
"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." (Matthew 12: 36 KJV)
That is a lot of divine record keeping! To record everything a person has said and done! The billions of people!
"To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD." (Psalm 149: 9 KJV)
The Day of Judgment, the great day of trial for every condemned sinner of our fallen race, is the day when the Lord will finally "execute" the prior "judgment written." He will at that day "carry out" the "indictment" and judicial sentence of heaven's court.
"My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139: 15, 16 NIV)
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10: 30 KJV)
"Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?" (Psalm 56: 8 NIV)
God's private records of every person includes the most minute ofdetails. Besides even the "idle words" that a person speaks, so too with every idle thought, and with personal details like the number of hairs on the head and the record of all a person's "wanderings" or"goings." Every tear that is shed is known and recorded by God.
"Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high." (Job 16: 19 KJV)
Job knew that God was a faithful recorder and omniscient. He realized God had his "books," both public and private, and personal records on himself, declaring his destiny.
"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name." (Malachi 3: 16 NIV)
Here is no doubt one of the favorite books of our Lord! Oh yes, he prizes that record and memorial of the godly tears of his people, but he also loves that book that records the conversations of his people, of the times of their fellowship together! Surely more Christians would meet more frequently together if they realize how precious these times together are to the Lord and how he is recording and memorializing them forever!
"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21: 25 NIV)
But, it is all recorded in heaven! We believe all is recorded. Yet, we are not familiar with the entire record. He has given us a sufficient record book to bring us to a knowledge of God and faith in Christ Jesus and the way of salvation.
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (I John 5: 10, 11 KJV)
"Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.' " (Hebrews 10: 7 KJV)
The bible we have is the book of God that reveals the person and career of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever believes this record that God has given of his Son is promised eternal life.
In the opening words of this study, depicting the Day of Judgment, when all the books are opened, there was mention of "another book," a different kind of book, a very special book, call the "book of life." Here are other scriptures that mention this "book of life" or the "Lamb's book of life."
"But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book." (Exodus 32: 32-34 NIV)
"Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation. May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous." (Psalm 69: 27, 28 NIV)
"Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life." (Philippians 4: 3 NIV)
"He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels." (Revelation 3: 5 NIV)
"All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world." (Revelation 13: 8 NIV)
"The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come." (Revelation 17: 8 NIV)
"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21: 27 NIV)
Friend, you can be sure that your name is written in the Lamb's book, even though it was written before your were born. Every believer in Jesus, every "overcomer" in his name, is declared to have his name recorded in that precious book! Jesus said to his followers - "rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10: 20 KJV)
God's Library
"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books...If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20: 12, 15 NIV)
"The books were opened." What books? Are they not the books, scrolls, annals, records, logs, journals, of God?
God has a library. He has his place where records and documents are kept. He has his royal "recorders" or heavenly scribes, or God the king's official historians and chroniclers.
In the Old Testament we have several of God's books mentioned. There is the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 24: 7 NIV), and the "Book of the Law of God." (Joshua 24: 26 NIV)
There is also mention of such books as the "Book of the annals of the kings" and the "Book of the annals of King David." (I Chronicles 27: 24 NIV) There is often reference to "genealogical records," and to the records of "vital statistics," a journal of who has been born and who has died, who is among the living, and who is among the dead.
Kings and governmental leaders had their "book of records of the chronicles" (Esther 6: 1 KJV) of their decrees and official acts.
Lord God, being King of kings, and Governor among the nations (Psalm 22: 28 KJV), keeps records and has many books. Some of these books were written before the creation of the world, and may be called "prophetic books" or his book of destiny, and the book of God's judgments, statutes, and decrees. Other books are still being written, for they are record books.
Why are they "opened"?
First, in order to record the proceedings of the trial and thus preserve them. Second, in order to produce the prosecutorial evidence against the criminally condemned. This latter evidence would consist in the statute or law books, together with the records of the witnesses, and other legal documents of the prosecution.
Certainly, by "the books" (plural) would include the book of God's purposes and decrees concerning the fate or destiny of the world, together with every creature in it. They certainly include, as we shall see, the "Lamb's book," or the "book of life," with several other important books in the divine library. Also, all the books of the bible are part of the library of God, at least the ones he has been pleased to share with us. (See Deuteronomy 29: 29)
"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?"(Psalm 130: 3 NIV)
"The guilt of Ephraim is stored up, his sins are kept on record."(Hosea 13: 12 NIV)
Lord God has a record of every deed and every thought and choice of every man, good or bad. This record will be used in the Day of Judgment, when every man is on trial for his sins. When the books are opened, included will be these personal record books that have each man's personal history preserved.
For the acquitted or justified soul, to the believer in Jesus, the"record" has been "purged" and his crimes "expunged," as it were, from the divine record.
A believer in Jesus is no longer "under the law." The law has already exacted its vengeance and penalty upon the believer in his substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the law can no longer condemn him, for this would be a case of "double jeopardy," and an injustice unworthy of the divine being.
"Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure." (Genesis 41: 49 NIV)
Joseph may have been unable to make such a vast record of things in the realm of his governorship, but not so with Lord God. All has been faithfully and accurately recorded so that everything the sinner has said and done "can and will be used against him in the court of law." Said Jesus:
"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." (Matthew 12: 36 KJV)
That is a lot of divine record keeping! To record everything a person has said and done! The billions of people!
"To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD." (Psalm 149: 9 KJV)
The Day of Judgment, the great day of trial for every condemned sinner of our fallen race, is the day when the Lord will finally "execute" the prior "judgment written." He will at that day "carry out" the "indictment" and judicial sentence of heaven's court.
"My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139: 15, 16 NIV)
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10: 30 KJV)
"Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?" (Psalm 56: 8 NIV)
God's private records of every person includes the most minute ofdetails. Besides even the "idle words" that a person speaks, so too with every idle thought, and with personal details like the number of hairs on the head and the record of all a person's "wanderings" or"goings." Every tear that is shed is known and recorded by God.
"Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high." (Job 16: 19 KJV)
Job knew that God was a faithful recorder and omniscient. He realized God had his "books," both public and private, and personal records on himself, declaring his destiny.
"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name." (Malachi 3: 16 NIV)
Here is no doubt one of the favorite books of our Lord! Oh yes, he prizes that record and memorial of the godly tears of his people, but he also loves that book that records the conversations of his people, of the times of their fellowship together! Surely more Christians would meet more frequently together if they realize how precious these times together are to the Lord and how he is recording and memorializing them forever!
"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21: 25 NIV)
But, it is all recorded in heaven! We believe all is recorded. Yet, we are not familiar with the entire record. He has given us a sufficient record book to bring us to a knowledge of God and faith in Christ Jesus and the way of salvation.
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (I John 5: 10, 11 KJV)
"Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.' " (Hebrews 10: 7 KJV)
The bible we have is the book of God that reveals the person and career of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever believes this record that God has given of his Son is promised eternal life.
In the opening words of this study, depicting the Day of Judgment, when all the books are opened, there was mention of "another book," a different kind of book, a very special book, call the "book of life." Here are other scriptures that mention this "book of life" or the "Lamb's book of life."
"But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book." (Exodus 32: 32-34 NIV)
"Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation. May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous." (Psalm 69: 27, 28 NIV)
"Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life." (Philippians 4: 3 NIV)
"He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels." (Revelation 3: 5 NIV)
"All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world." (Revelation 13: 8 NIV)
"The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come." (Revelation 17: 8 NIV)
"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21: 27 NIV)
Friend, you can be sure that your name is written in the Lamb's book, even though it was written before your were born. Every believer in Jesus, every "overcomer" in his name, is declared to have his name recorded in that precious book! Jesus said to his followers - "rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10: 20 KJV)
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Christian Music
TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2008
Taken from "My Daily Bread"
(SEE HERE)
Christian Music
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3: 16 KJV)
Christians are encouraged to be regular singers of spiritual songs, to express their joy and devotion to the Lord in making music. It is a part of worship and service to the Lord to sing to him with the soul, spirit, heart, and mind.
Singing that is acceptable and pleasing to the Lord is such that is done "with the Spirit" and "with the heart" and "with the understanding"and "with grace."
"What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." (I Corinthians 14: 15 KJV)
To sing with the accompaniment of musical instruments, such as a harp or organ, is one thing, but to sing spiritual songs to the Lord with the accompaniment of the heart is another.
"My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul." (Psalm 108: 1 NIV)
Not only is singing and making music ("melody') to the Lord a means of communicating the message of God, and of worshiping and serving him, but is also a part of the life of those who are "filled with the Spirit" and who have the "word of Christ dwelling in them richly."
When Christians sing together they are not only giving adoration and praise together to the Lord, but are doing service to themselves and to each other, using this means to both "teach" and "admonish" (or'exhort' and 'encourage') themselves and one another.
Christians are called to sing the word of God, or the gospel, it being a way of communicating ('preaching' or 'proclaiming') the gospel message and also, as we shall see, a means for an individual's memorizing or "laying up in heart" the words of God.
"I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." (Psalm 89: 1 NIV)
"Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world." (Isaiah 12: 5 NIV)
"May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous." (Psalm 110: 172 NIV)
Notice how David connects singing with making known the word of God to others. Singing the word and truth of God is a way of revealing and communicating information about the character and works of God.
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise." (James 5: 13 NIV)
"Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart." (Proverbs 25: 20 NIV)
As a general rule, singing songs of praise, or happy and joyful songs, is not the remedy or prescription for one who is sad, depressed, or in great sorrow of spirit. Such an one does not "feel like" singing, but rather like crying, or praying (petitioning or begging) God for help and mercy.
Yes, there is such a thing as "singing the blues," and of singing in a"minor key," of singing about our sufferings, but of this type of singing the scriptures do not encourage or command. Many of the Psalms were written, in part, in a "minor key," wherein the singer and player of instruments put forth mournful music. But, even in these Psalms, the songs in minor key are within the context of the major, either beginning or ending in the major. No, the remedy or prescription for the grieved and burdened is for them to "pray" rather than to "sing."
"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." (Psalm 30: 11, 12 NIV)
Those who sing spiritually and pleasingly to the Lord sing out of joy and not out of grief. To sing is evidence of joy experienced. Notice too how not only is godly and spiritual singing done from joyous heart but from a grateful heart, being offered not only with grace and with the Spirit and understanding, but also "with thanksgiving."
Singing is thus a way of expressing joy and of uplifting the spirit and encouraging and exciting hope and expectation in the heart, while prayer is a way of dealing with grief.
"And when they (Jesus and his disciples) had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives." (Matthew 26: 30; Mark 14: 26 KJV)
"So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." (Hebrews 2: 11, 12 NIV)
This was a prophecy of Christ. (Psalm 22: 22) It has been literally fulfilled. Christ demonstrated that it was both his duty and privilege to fulfill this service. Surely Christ sang to his Father and of the truth of scripture with grace, with heart and spirit, and with grace, and with understanding!
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zechariah 3: 17 NIV)
Again, this demonstrates that the Lord himself enjoys singing his own praises. The Lord Jesus will yet again sing with the saints in the coming day of celebration upon the return of Christ and his session on the throne of David in Jerusalem.
"And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD. David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals." (I Chronicles 15: 15, 16 NIV)
"The LORD will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the LORD. " (Isaiah 38: 20 NIV)
"Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him...Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy." (Psalm 33: 1, 3 NIV)
"Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp." (Psalm 147: 7 NIV)
These verses give authority for singing praises to God with musical instruments of all kinds and for special groups of the Lord's people to make it a ministry, being gifted of the Lord for such service. Even the saints in heaven and the angels play on harps and musical instrument as part of their exalted devotions.
"Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practise." (Ezekiel 33: 32 NIV)
Here the Lord refers to worldly or carnal music, which has as its primary purpose, not the worship of God or the teaching of his truth, but of the gratifying and pleasing of the sinful flesh, for mere entertainment value to the sensual nature of man. This music is enjoyed mostly because it "feels good," or delights the ear, but not the heart devoted to God. These worldly songs entertain the flesh but they do not improve the morals or heart of the individuals who sing or play them.
"I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me." (Psalm 13: 6 NIV)
"Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might." (Psalm 21: 13 NIV)
"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." (Psalm 59: 16 NIV)
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." (Psalm 90: 14 NIV)
"For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands." (Psalm 92: 4 NIV)
"Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness." (Psalm 51: 14 NIV)
The subject matter of the songs of the Lord's people is the goodness, and righteousness, and unfailing love, and almighty power, and glorious works of the Lord. These topics are also the impetus for singing and rejoicing the heart. There is nothing better than "good news" to cheer the heart! "God has been good to me" should be enough reason to induce every man to at once break out in joyous singing to God!
"Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day." (Psalm 96: 2 NIV)
"I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." (Psalm 104: 33 NIV)
Singing is "praising" and is therefore an act of worship to God. It is a way of "giving back" to God, of giving his his "due." It is also something that the Lord's people do regularly, yea, "all their lives." It is that which characterizes their lives. They are a singing people, a people who "show forth the praises of him who has called them from darkness to light."
"They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness." (Psalm 145: 7 NIV)
Singing praises and making spiritual music to the Lord is an act of"celebration." It is something they do steadily and regularly, day by day, and is jubilant, an uncommon joy, one that is "indescribable" or"unspeakable," and "full of glory." (I Peter 1: 8) Notice also how it is a view and recognition of the goodness and righteousness of God that spurs the soul to sing to the Lord, as way of giving him thanks andpraise.
"Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!" (Psalm 147: 1 NIV)
"Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise." (Psalm 47: 6, 7 NIV)
Further reasons are given for why men ought to sing joyfully to the Lord. Besides being good and righteous, and omnipotent and glorious in his works and ways, but he is "King" or Sovereign of all things and all creatures. It is what men owe to God. Singing praise to God is also a thing good in itself, pleasing to God and beneficial to creatures, being"good" for them, that which is "fitting" and appropriate, what one would expect. It is also that which is "pleasant," both to God and to the singer of praise.
"Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant." (Deuteronomy 31: 19, 20 NIV)
Notice how singing is here stated to be a means of recalling, and remembering, or committing to memory the teachings of God. Those who are expert in memory skills tell us that singing is one of the best ways of remembering verse or words of texts. Often students are taught foreign languages by learning to sing the language. If we would have more of God's word memorized then we should commit ourselves to singing it regularly.
"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD : "I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." (Exodus 15: 1 KJV)
"On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: "When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the LORD! "Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I will sing to the LORD, I will sing; I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel..."You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider the voice of the singers at the watering places. They recite the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous acts of his warriors in Israel. "Then the people of the LORD went down to the city gates. 'Wake up, wake up, Deborah!Wake up, wake up, break out in song!" (Judges 5: 1-3, 10-12 NIV)
Notice how singing praise to God was connected with celebration and with joy. Also, notice how Deborah sang the words of scripture and truth so that they might thereby be better known by the people.
"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. " (Psalm 40: 1-3 KJV)
"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5: 13 NIV)
Friend, will you join in the praise? You are invited and called to join this heavenly chorus. If you but "call upon the name of the Lord" and ask him to deliver you from the "miry clay" or "quicksand" of your sins and sorrows, then he will surely deliver you, and take away your grief and give you a new song in your heart, and a skip in your step.
Friday, June 10, 2016
Make That Four Topics
I must add one more subject area to the three previously announced areas for my future writings on Hardshellism's doctrinal errors. Besides KJV Onlyism, anti instrumental music, and anti premillenialism, I want to write on what the Hardshells have had to say about the great Andrew Fuller or what they call "Fullerism." Hopefully, the Lord will allow me to do these things, and hopefully one day revise the entire work "The Hardshell Baptist Cult."
Like professor Crowley ("Primitive Baptists of the Wiregrass South"), and my dear friend Bob Ross, I think the evidence is becoming clearer, as more and more historical records are discovered, that "Two Seedism" has played a larger role in shaping the history of the Hardshells than they are willing to acknowledge. Thus, like Crowley, I want to do more research on this point. Today's Hardshells do not want to acknowledge that their no means view of regeneration and new birth originated with the Two Seeders. More to come, the Lord willing.
Like professor Crowley ("Primitive Baptists of the Wiregrass South"), and my dear friend Bob Ross, I think the evidence is becoming clearer, as more and more historical records are discovered, that "Two Seedism" has played a larger role in shaping the history of the Hardshells than they are willing to acknowledge. Thus, like Crowley, I want to do more research on this point. Today's Hardshells do not want to acknowledge that their no means view of regeneration and new birth originated with the Two Seeders. More to come, the Lord willing.
Monday, June 6, 2016
The Divorcings of Hardshell Conditionalism
It divorces conviction from salvation. Sinners don’t have to
be convicted in order to be saved.
It divorces faith from salvation. Sinners don’t have to have
faith in Christ
It divorces the object of faith from faith itself. Sinners have faith but don’t need Christ as
its object.
It divorces repentance from salvation. Sinners don’t have to repent to be saved.
It divorces personal holiness from salvation. Sinners don’t have to practice holiness
It divorces experimental sanctification from salvation. God has
not included this as a necessary step in the order of salvation.
It divorces the subjective experience from salvation. Nothing subjective in nature must be
experienced in order to be saved.
It divorces cognition from salvation. Nothing must be perceived or understood in
order to be saved.
It divorces the gospel from salvation. Sinners don’t need to be exposed to the
gospel in order to be saved.
It divorces instrumentality from salvation. Neither the gospel nor men are used by God in
saving souls.
It divorces action from salvation. No action is required by men in order to be saved.
It divorces the mind from salvation. Nothing must be known in order to be saved.
It divorces the heart from salvation. Nothing must be felt
in the heart in order to be saved.
It divorces human responsibility from salvation. Sinners are not responsible to meet certain
necessities in order to be saved.
It divorces free agency from God’s decree. Sinners do not do that which is compatible
with God’s decree.
It divorces God’s permissive will from His will of decree. God’s
permission for something to occur is not part of His decree.
It divorces providence from predestination. God may do something in time but it isn’t the
product of His predestination.
It divorces perseverance from preservation. God does not preserve His people through
their perseverance.
It divorces perseverance from final salvation. Sinners don’t have to persevere to the end in
order to be finally saved into heaven.
It divorces the fruit from the tree. At the time of the harvest, the tree need
show no fruit.
It divorces time from eternity. That which occurs in time is not part of the
flow of eternal salvation.
It divorces God from conversion. Conversion is accomplished by works and
free-will.
It divorces the new life in Christ from final salvation. From the point of regeneration forward to
final salvation, the new life is entirely optional to the children of God as to what they do.
...
In their persistent declaration among their members that they alone ‘rightly divide the word
of truth’, I submit that this is what’s really going on. Yeah, what’s really happening is the dividing
asunder of what God has joined together.
More of these I could probably come up with.
How I Now See Absolute Predestination
Providence is merely the outworking of God’s
predestination. God does nothing in time
which He had not decreed to occur in eternity past. To assert otherwise depicts our God with a mind that is mutable towards the particular act in question until the
time of its execution. If God only “intervenes”
from time to time in those most visible acts of providence while leaving the
events in between up to libertarian free-will or a first cause apart from
Himself, what guarantee exists that these acts will in fact occur? Unless all the circumstances needed for an
event to occur had not themselves been ordered in some way by the sovereign God
then all trust in the fulfillment of prophecies and the certain performance of God's great acts is lost!
My Conditionalist friends of the “Primitive” Baptists do
therefore greatly err by divorcing these two concepts. They are caught between a joyful admission that God works His will "among the inhabitants of the earth" (Daniel 4:35) but a refusal to acknowledge the basis of that truth lest they give semblance to dreaded absolutism! In my former days I can recall many, many times an elder citing some divine act of God in history as an example of His providence, "but He didn't predestinate it", as if the two can be separated. An act of divine providence is the product of the decree of God. One may very well consider it an intervention on God’s part, but it must be understood that this
is only as it is viewed from our perspective.
This is what I personally have come to see, being a former denier of this doctrine. Not only is there scripture and profound statements made by greater minds than my own to support what the London Confession plainly states, but the doctrine makes sense to me when I consider what must be the mind of God in relation to human affairs.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Called to Labor or "Help Wanted"
The following are the notes for a Bible class from several years ago. I hope some might use them for personal study or for teaching others.
Called to Labor and Work
"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard." (Matt. 20: 1)
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." (Eph. 4: 1)
The gospel message involves a call. It is a multifaceted call. It is certainly a call to salvation to those who are perishing in their sins. But, it is also a call for workers, a call by the Lord for servants to come and labor for him in his service. It is a call to those who are laboring in the employment of Satan to come and labor in the employment of the Lord. It is a call to change employers, to change masters. All men are laborers and servants. All do not, however, labor for the Lord and in his service.
"Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." (Mal. 3: 18)
The righteous are identified as they who serve, or work for, Lord God. The wicked are identified as they who serve him not. Further, all they who serve the Lord were once "servants of sin." (Rom. 6: 16-18) They were employed in the service of sin, working in the employment of Satan and his business. Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica:
"For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." (I Thess. 1: 9)
The Labor of Lost Sinners
Prior to becoming Christians and entering into the work and service of the Lord, Christians were employed in the service of false lords and gods. They were employed in the occupation of the Devil, whether they were conscious of it or not. They served themselves, were their own lords. Their "god," said Paul, was their "belly." (Phil. 3: 19) They labored to satisfy their own lusts, to fulfill their own desires, to produce what they coveted after. Or, to put it in the language of the apostle, they "walked according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind." (Eph. 2: 3) They served the money god, whom Jesus called "Mammon."
As it respects service to God and being in his employment, sinners are "idle." In the parable of the laborers, already cited, the householder "saw others standing idle in the marketplace" (20: 3). Such is the state of all men in their lost condition. They are not idle in every respect, for they are very busy in their employment to sin. But, as respects their labors for their God and Creator, they are indeed idle. So it was said of those unsaved Jews in the time of the judges that "they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way." (Judges 2: 19)
"The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." (John 7: 7)
"Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." (I John 3: 12)
"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." (Isa. 55; 2)
Not only are sinners idle as respects their labors for the Lord, but they are slothful or lazy.
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." (Eze. 16: 49)
Laboring for Everlasting Life
"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." (John 6: 27)
"Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Heb. 4: 11)
"Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." (II Cor. 5: 9)
Salvation by grace does not exclude the need for perseverance and good works.
Call To Repentance
"Commit thy works (efforts & activities) unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." (Prov. 16: 3)
"But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." (Acts 26: 20)
"They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." (John 8: 39)
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11: 6)
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2: 10)
"Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.." (Titus 2: 14)
"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Col. 1: 10)
Dead Works and Dead Faith
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God." (Heb. 6: 1)
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9: 14)
"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2: 14-17)
A Mind To Work
"So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work." (Neh. 4: 6)
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor. 15: 58)
"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work." (Titus 3: 1)
"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." (I Tim. 6: 18)
"Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom." (Prov. 23: 4)
Equipping the Saints for Work
"That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Tim. 3: 17)
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." (II Cor. 9: 8)
"Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." (II Thess. 2: 17)
"Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Col. 1: 29)
"Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Heb. 13: 21)
Warnings Against Slothfulness & Exhortations to Labor
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Heb. 6: 12)
"Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." (Rom. 12: 11)
"Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents." (Matt. 25: 24-28)
Characteristics & Consequences of Slothfulness
"He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." (Prov. 18: 9)
"The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets." (Prov. 22: 13)
"I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down." (Prov. 24: 30, 31)
"By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through." (Eccl. 10: 18)
"As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." (Prov. 26: 14)
"The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep." (Eccl. 5: 12)
"And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." (I Tim. 5: 13)
Laborers for the Lord Honored
"Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord." (Rom. 16: 12)
"Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants." (Philip. 2: 25)
"And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life." (Phil. 4: 3)
"That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth." (I Cor. 16: 16)
"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father." (I Thess. 1: 3)
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." (Heb. 6: 10)
"Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours." (II Cor. 10: 15)
"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft." (II Cor. 11: 23)
"For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God." (I Thess. 2: 9)
"And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you." (I Thess. 5: 12)
"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." (Rev. 2: 2-4)
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." (II Tim. 2: 21)
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (I Cor. 15: 10)
The Good Works of Christians
"Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did...Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them." (Acts 9: 36, 39)
"Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." (I Tim. 5: 10)
"I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20: 35)
Laboring In Prayer
"Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." (Col. 4: 12)
Labor in Bible Study
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." (I Tim. 5: 17)
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim. 2: 14)
"Help Wanted"
"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (Matt. 9: 37, 38)
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." (Heb. 10: 24)
Sanctifying our Time to the Lord
"Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." (Isa. 8: 13)
Set apart appointed times to do work for the Lord. Designate certain times to
1) Pray
2) Read God's word and books on bible subjects
3) Study (research) the scriptures
4) Meditate
5) Good works, such as helping the poor, charitable work.
Develop Good Spiritual Habits
1) Talking to the Lord
2) Thinking upon the Lord and his word
3) Talking to others about the Lord
4) Singing in your heart to the Lord
5) Keep a journal of your spiritual activities
6) Attend Sunday school, seminary classes, and preaching services
7) Memorizing scripture, especially the Psalms and Proverbs
8) Listen to recordings of the Bible, and Bible lessons and sermons
Things that Distract
"And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction." (I Cor. 7: 35)
"And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." (Mark 4: 19)
The Danger of Procrastination
"And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9: 59-62)
Need For Diligence (opposite of sloth)
"Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently." (Psa. 119: 4)
"I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments." (Psa. 119: 60)
"He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich." (Prov. 10: 4)
"...he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11: 6)
Neglect
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." (I Tim. 4: 14)
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation...? (Heb. 2: 3)
Called to Labor and Work
"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard." (Matt. 20: 1)
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." (Eph. 4: 1)
The gospel message involves a call. It is a multifaceted call. It is certainly a call to salvation to those who are perishing in their sins. But, it is also a call for workers, a call by the Lord for servants to come and labor for him in his service. It is a call to those who are laboring in the employment of Satan to come and labor in the employment of the Lord. It is a call to change employers, to change masters. All men are laborers and servants. All do not, however, labor for the Lord and in his service.
"Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." (Mal. 3: 18)
The righteous are identified as they who serve, or work for, Lord God. The wicked are identified as they who serve him not. Further, all they who serve the Lord were once "servants of sin." (Rom. 6: 16-18) They were employed in the service of sin, working in the employment of Satan and his business. Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica:
"For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." (I Thess. 1: 9)
The Labor of Lost Sinners
Prior to becoming Christians and entering into the work and service of the Lord, Christians were employed in the service of false lords and gods. They were employed in the occupation of the Devil, whether they were conscious of it or not. They served themselves, were their own lords. Their "god," said Paul, was their "belly." (Phil. 3: 19) They labored to satisfy their own lusts, to fulfill their own desires, to produce what they coveted after. Or, to put it in the language of the apostle, they "walked according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind." (Eph. 2: 3) They served the money god, whom Jesus called "Mammon."
As it respects service to God and being in his employment, sinners are "idle." In the parable of the laborers, already cited, the householder "saw others standing idle in the marketplace" (20: 3). Such is the state of all men in their lost condition. They are not idle in every respect, for they are very busy in their employment to sin. But, as respects their labors for their God and Creator, they are indeed idle. So it was said of those unsaved Jews in the time of the judges that "they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way." (Judges 2: 19)
"The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." (John 7: 7)
"Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." (I John 3: 12)
"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." (Isa. 55; 2)
Not only are sinners idle as respects their labors for the Lord, but they are slothful or lazy.
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." (Eze. 16: 49)
Laboring for Everlasting Life
"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." (John 6: 27)
"Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Heb. 4: 11)
"Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." (II Cor. 5: 9)
Salvation by grace does not exclude the need for perseverance and good works.
Call To Repentance
"Commit thy works (efforts & activities) unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." (Prov. 16: 3)
"But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." (Acts 26: 20)
"They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." (John 8: 39)
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11: 6)
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2: 10)
"Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.." (Titus 2: 14)
"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Col. 1: 10)
Dead Works and Dead Faith
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God." (Heb. 6: 1)
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9: 14)
"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2: 14-17)
A Mind To Work
"So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work." (Neh. 4: 6)
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor. 15: 58)
"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work." (Titus 3: 1)
"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." (I Tim. 6: 18)
"Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom." (Prov. 23: 4)
Equipping the Saints for Work
"That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Tim. 3: 17)
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." (II Cor. 9: 8)
"Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." (II Thess. 2: 17)
"Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Col. 1: 29)
"Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Heb. 13: 21)
Warnings Against Slothfulness & Exhortations to Labor
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Heb. 6: 12)
"Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." (Rom. 12: 11)
"Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents." (Matt. 25: 24-28)
Characteristics & Consequences of Slothfulness
"He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." (Prov. 18: 9)
"The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets." (Prov. 22: 13)
"I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down." (Prov. 24: 30, 31)
"By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through." (Eccl. 10: 18)
"As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." (Prov. 26: 14)
"The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep." (Eccl. 5: 12)
"And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." (I Tim. 5: 13)
Laborers for the Lord Honored
"Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord." (Rom. 16: 12)
"Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants." (Philip. 2: 25)
"And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life." (Phil. 4: 3)
"That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth." (I Cor. 16: 16)
"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father." (I Thess. 1: 3)
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." (Heb. 6: 10)
"Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours." (II Cor. 10: 15)
"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft." (II Cor. 11: 23)
"For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God." (I Thess. 2: 9)
"And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you." (I Thess. 5: 12)
"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." (Rev. 2: 2-4)
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." (II Tim. 2: 21)
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (I Cor. 15: 10)
The Good Works of Christians
"Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did...Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them." (Acts 9: 36, 39)
"Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." (I Tim. 5: 10)
"I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20: 35)
Laboring In Prayer
"Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." (Col. 4: 12)
Labor in Bible Study
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." (I Tim. 5: 17)
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim. 2: 14)
"Help Wanted"
"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (Matt. 9: 37, 38)
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." (Heb. 10: 24)
Sanctifying our Time to the Lord
"Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." (Isa. 8: 13)
Set apart appointed times to do work for the Lord. Designate certain times to
1) Pray
2) Read God's word and books on bible subjects
3) Study (research) the scriptures
4) Meditate
5) Good works, such as helping the poor, charitable work.
Develop Good Spiritual Habits
1) Talking to the Lord
2) Thinking upon the Lord and his word
3) Talking to others about the Lord
4) Singing in your heart to the Lord
5) Keep a journal of your spiritual activities
6) Attend Sunday school, seminary classes, and preaching services
7) Memorizing scripture, especially the Psalms and Proverbs
8) Listen to recordings of the Bible, and Bible lessons and sermons
Things that Distract
"And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction." (I Cor. 7: 35)
"And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." (Mark 4: 19)
The Danger of Procrastination
"And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9: 59-62)
Need For Diligence (opposite of sloth)
"Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently." (Psa. 119: 4)
"I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments." (Psa. 119: 60)
"He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich." (Prov. 10: 4)
"...he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11: 6)
Neglect
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." (I Tim. 4: 14)
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation...? (Heb. 2: 3)
Friday, June 3, 2016
My Policy on Comments
My policy on comments is to not respond to comments left on my blogs by people (mainly Hardshells) who are anonymous or who use blog pseudo names, or leave their profile information blank. If you do not give me your name I will not respond. I may not even post your comments. Further, I will not post any comment that is overly harsh in rhetoric, accusation, or denunciation.
I welcome good intense discussion, but will not tolerate an evil spirit.
I welcome good intense discussion, but will not tolerate an evil spirit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)