SPRTUAL DEADNESS AND TS REMEDY am reminded everywhere ha go of he realiy of spiriual deadness ha is so prevalen - such a soreness does i bring o he hear! Profession is abundan possession is a a premium! Scarcely can one find an individual ha is saisfied wih ha glorious union wih Chris Jesus ha is found in he New Covenan. Church affiliaion imaginary works of goodness and religious aciviy consumaes in he placaing of he conscience he hardening of he hear and he dulling of he ears. There is much abou us ha passes iself off as Chrisian bu he hear of he elec senses he empiness ha pervades i all. There is nohing here o feed he hear o srenghen he spiri and forify he inner man. To hose ha have eyes o see and ears o hear here is a grea valley of dry bones confroning us in he religious world - and he bones are "very dry." appears clear ha he Geniles have arrived a approximaely he same spiriual sae as did he Jews a he coming of he Son of God "made of a woman made under he Law" (Gal. 14) When our Lord was manifesed here were divisions among he chosen people - secs of all sors essenes zealos scribes pharisees ec. There was a spiriual deadness ha pervaded he whole of he naion - uer lifelessness. Moses and he prophes were read in he synagogues day afer day bu ye he veil remained over heir eyes none receiving he message of ruh in heir hears (Acs 1521). was in his ime ha our Lord "came uno His own and His own received Him no" (John 111). Men's hears were oblivious o he greaness of he revelaion ha had been burs upon hem - he revelaion of "he Lord from heaven". This general condiion was described o 'Ezekiel he prophe in he vision of he valley of dry bones. The "whole house of lsroel" was here unfolded (Ezek. 37 11). is picured as being "in he mids of he valley" (Ezek. 37 1) hus indicaing is lowness in respec o Jehovah God. Whereas He dwelleh in he "high and lofy place" (lso. 57 15; Psa. 1135) srael (His own by adopion - Rom. 94) were dwelling "in he mids of he valley." 0 he ravail of soul ha such a condiion summons forh. Jesus in conemplaion of i sood over Jesusalem and wep as He considered heir provision and heir neglec (Ma. 2337; luke 1334). Paul afer being delivered from ha valley of deah looked a srael and cried; " have grea heaviness of hear and coninual sorrow of hear. For could wish myself were accursed from Chris for he Brehren my kinsmen according o he flesh who are sraelies... " (Rom. 9 1-4). Those of us ha live in God's bosom have a peculiar fellowship in his respec concerning he church of our day. Truly i oo is in "he mids of he valley!"
. 1 The Word of Truh ; Published Auhor and Edior Given O. Blakely Conribuing Auhor Richard Ebler Circulaion Managers Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Powers Publicaion Office 26h and Colfax S. Gary lndiana. (Send no correspondence o his address.) monhly by The Church Meeing and Colfax Sree Gary ndiana. a 26h Business Offices 7903 Hendricks Place Merrillville nd. 46410 Address all correspondence o 7903 Hendricks Place Merrillville ndiana 46410 Sen Free upon reques o all ineresed paries. SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAD AT CROWN PONT NDANA.--------------------------------------~ The Condiion No only was he locaion of he children of srael and he presen siuaion of he professing church in he MDST of a valley; bu heir condiion is mos aply described as ha of "bones"; i.e. wihou life wihou covering wihou moivaion wihou beauy wihou nourishmen wihou vialiy. They were in he "open valley" accessible o he scorching sun and hus were "very dry." No moisure wihin hem; i.e. no hope; everyhing had wihered and died. They were uerly useless and horoughly uncomely. 0 is no his he condiion ha God waned Ezekiel o conemplae and ponder in his hear? Did He no cause he prophe o "pass by hem round abou" (Ezek. 372)? God did no desire for his prophe o hide his face from he sern realiies ha were abou him. There is no room in he faih life for ignormen of uncomely condiions; hey mus be confroned; weighed and correced according o he effecual insrucion of he Lord. Bu hese bones were indicaive of men slain; of a grea slaugher. The children of srael had been slaughered by deceived hears and unfaihful leaders. Did no he Lord command he old prophe o prophesy uno he wind and say "0 breah... breahe upon hese SLAN" (Ezek. 379). 0 he ragedy of a people slain by heir leaders; bu so was i wih srael; "My people have been los sheep heir shepherds have caused hem o go asray hey have urned hem away on he mounains" (Jer. 506); "0 my people hey which lead hee cause hee o err and desroy he way of hy pahs" (sa. 3 12); "The leaders of his people cause hem o err and hey ha are led of hem are desroyed" (sa. 916); "Many pasors have desroyed My vineyard hey have rodden my porion under foo hey have made my pleasan porion a desolae wilderness" (Jer. 1210); "Woe be uno he pasors ha desroy and scaer he sheep of my pasure saih he Lord" (Jer. 231). Ezekiel he prophe saw he resul of false shepherding corrup eaching and wayward hears. Bu dear reader he same siuaion is prevalen in our day. The secs and schisms he errors of docrine and he insiuional "shibbolehs" Page 2 (Judges 126) have all had heir resuls in he professing church. s life has been aken from i and i lies like a field of very dry bones - no mere bones bu dry bones; yea no mere dry bones bu "very dry" - "VERY dry"! There is no similiude of life among hem and hough many come o heir defence ye hose who are given o pass abou he valley sill find insiuions and organized religion "very dry." From across he counry cries of hearache and despair of vexaion and concern are heard from he mouhs of hose ha have been given o see he valley of dry bones. They all conclude he same - "very dry." This is he spiri of deadness of which r speak; of allorness from he Lord God of recepiviy o he spiri of he world. God speaks and hey hear no; He calls and hey conen hemselves o wallow in he empiness of is profession! This general condiion has been brough on in par by he professed represena lves of he Lord. As heir docrine has disilled i has lef he sedimen of fleshly concepions and ambiions. The resul has been a grea body of slain men slain spiriually he life being exraced from heir beings higher moivaions quenched spiriual yearnings buried and he convicion of personal sin covered up wih insiuional aciviy. 0 have you no sensed he condiion abou you; are you no cognizan of he deah ha surrounds you? Do no shrink from he sigh dear reader - i is oo grea o neglec. God carried Ezekiel ou in he Spiri and se him down in he mids of he valley. He also "caused" him o pass by hem round abou (Ezek. 371-2). There was no ignormen of his condiion allowable! Occupaion wih personal maers was no permied; wihdrawing from he deplorable condiio-n ha confroned he prophe was no allowable. He had o squarely face he sae of he people; see i like i was; be impressed wih he spiriual deadness ha exised. To all who live in he bosom of he Lord similar showings are given. 0 i is no pleasan o he hear o see hese hings ye hey mus be seen! The appearing church has been slain and is members lie all abou us as a valley of blanched and dry bones. Recepiviy o he Lord is rare ineres in eernal veriies is virually unheard of in many circles and he Word of God is a relaively closed book. Tha is he condiion of hings - le us peruse i wih hones hears. The Quesion When he valley of dry bones had been horoughly examined by he prophe a quesion was pu o him; "Son of man can hese bones live"? Wha an inerrogaion is his? Bones no men was he sigh! The vision was filled wih dry bones - a picure of uer desolaion and hopelessness. Ye he Almighy plies he faih of he prophe wih he quesion "Can hese bones live"? Le he mind ha delighs o delve ino curious maers o probe ino he dephs of philosophy - le ha mind dwell upon his quesion wih he prophe. View he church as i is before you spli ino facions and secs blinded by he god of his world. Here and here a rue sheep may be found sarving and sruggling amongs he briars of denominaionalism lean and weak from he condiions in which i finds iself. No longer
is he church recognized as "he pillar and ground of he ruh" ( Tim. 315); no! i is a social organizaion an addiion o he communiy a conribuor o social funcions. s minisers are accepable men in he communiy; hey speak a he social funcions and heir churches are recognized as asses o he communiy. s members are par of he world; heir presence on he job in he communiy in he social affairs of life does no consiue a brigh and shining ligh for he Lord. They are neiher sal nor ligh righeous nor frui-bearing. Come now ye ha know "he ruh as i is in Chris Jesus". Wha condiions do you see abou you? How are he impressions ha are lef upon hy soul? Are you oblivious o he spiriual deadness abou you? f no hen ask you he quesion - Can hese bones live? Can here be a revival Oof spiris? Can hears be revived in he pahs ~f righeousness again? Can he conemporary church be fined wih life and vialiy? These are quesions designed o draw ou your faih. They summon us o he Lord and o His srengh and power. Observe he answer of he prophe - i is spiriually hones; "0 Lord God Thou knowes!" There i is - we should no ake impossible decisions upon ourselves! We are no o acquiesce o a view of fae nor reconcile our hears o a coninued sae of deadness abou us! The circumsances abou us are no o affec our judgmen. As he Lord said elsewhere "Judge no according o appearance bu judge righeous judgmen" (Ma. 724). is rue ha he deadness of religion abou us appears o give reason for despair - bu such ough no o be he porion of any believer! Only recenly was wih a group of brehren ha were discussing he coming of he Lord Jesus. They expressed he hough ha he world could no possibly be improved wihou a personal reurn from he Lord; ha he church was so dead i could never again be recovered o is pure sae. Their musings were of course bu he produc of a docrine which hey had embraced. Bu i is beer fool' men o rise above he docrines of men - far above hem - and answer o he inquiries of he Lord "0 Lord God Thou knowes." is ever rue ha impossible circumsances are o be referred o he Lord. His queries es our faih; hey in a way examine us o see if we are in he faih. Le us submi honorably o our Faher's quesions by permiing Him o answer hose hings ha are no eviden o our spiris. The Remedy The Lord did no answer he quesion of he liveabiliy of he bones - He does no always commi Himself o men. The answer was no o be found in a simple "yes" or "no". The Lord has high purposes which may no always be served by shor complee answers. His firs response o he prophe was "Prophesy upon hese bones and say uno hem 0 ye dry bones hear he word of he Lord" (374). Once again he faih of he prophe is esed! To be sure he audience was no a lively one nor was here any reason wihin he confines of he flesh o expec a response o he message. Ye i was o be preached and wha a glorious message was conveyed. was no a message of responsibiliy i was no a series of commandmens nor an unveiling of he condiion of deah ha prevailed. No! Here was he word - a word of wha he Lord was abou o do "Thus saih he Lord God uno hese bones; Behold will cause breah o ener ino you and ye shall live and will lay sinews upon you and cover you wih skin and pu breah ino you and ye shall live; and ye shall know ha am he Lord" (375-6). Glorious message! The proclamaion of he working of he Lord God. No a message of wha could be done nor of wha should be done; bu a message of wha WOULD be done. Tha is he mos effecual message ha can be preached! Observe ha God underook he enire responsibiliy for his valley of dry bones and heir evenual quickening. The message may be summarized in hese wo phrases " will... ye shall". Praise he Lord. No "Ye shall and will" bu " will and ye shall" - ha is he Divine order of hings! This is he message ha we have o bring o he world oday; a message of he Lord's doings which is "marvelous in our eyes" (Psa. 11823). "All hings are of God who hah reconciled us o Himself by Jesus Chris... God was in Chris reconciling he world uno Himself no impuing heir respasses uno hem" ( Cor. 5 18ff). The message of he New Covenan is his " will pu my laws ino heir mind and wrie hem in heir hears and will be o hem a God and hey shall be o me a people and hey shall no each every man his neighbor and every man his broher saying Know he Lord for all shall know me from he leas o he greaes. For will be merciful o heir unrigheousness and heir sins and heir iniquiies will remember no more" (Heb. 810-12). Praise he Lord for ha ruh! A wonderful message indeed has been given o us o proclaim "o every creaure" (Mark 1615). The Gospel consiss of he message of an accomplished work - he work of God! He hah verily "made an end of ransgression" (Dan. 924) having "abolished deah and brough life and immoraliy o ligh" ( Tim. 1 10). The proclamaion of ha ruh in he power and energy of he Holy Spiri dissiminaes he darkness of he Evil one and liberaes he spiri of man. "Ye shall know he ruh and he ruh shall make you free" (John 832). Le every represenaive of he King learn he message of he Gospel ha i is no an announcemen of wha can be done or wha may be done; nor is i an announcemen of requisies ha are o be me by man. is a "repor" (Rom. 1016) - an announcemen or relaing of accomplished realiies; yea a proclamaion of "he Lord's doing" (Psa. 11823). This is why "preaching" is so vial in God's dealings wih men; "Now o Him ha is of power o sablish you according o my Gospel and he preaching of Jesus Chris." (Rom. 1625); "For he preaching of he cross is o hem ha perish foolishness bu o us ha are saved i is he power of God" ( Cor. 1 18); "n hope of eernal life which God ha canno lie promised before he world began; bu hah in due imes manifesed His word hrough preaching" Page 3
T i+ " i Cl a AN OPEN DOOR FOR THE BRETHREN MEETNG AT 26h AND COLFAX Recenly he Lord has opened a door of opporuniy for he brehren meeing a 26h and Colfax. Having labored in he communiy in which we now find ourselves for some en years we have been impressed wih he immuniy ha i possesses oward he Gospel of Chris. For some ime now we have been concerned over his condiion and having lifed i up o he Lord we are beginning o behold His wonderous workings in his maer. We have enaively made an agreemen o procure an abandoned building in ndependence Hill ndiana - no far from where we presenly gaher ogeher. This building was once occupied by he Roman Caholics of his own. The price for which i is o be obained he lord willing is only a fracion of is worh. We desire ha all ineresed readers share our joy in his prospec and join us in earnes prayer and supplicaion for he will of he lord o be done. PEWS NEEDED We sand in need of a raher large quaniy of pews for his new locaion as well as oher financial help. f any of our brehren are able o help us in hese maers we will be glad o hear from hem.! i +! +. (Tius 12-3) "How shall hey hear wihou a preacher" (Rom. 10 14-17). The remedy for he dry bones ha we see abou us oday is o be found in he same holy aciviy o which he prophe Ezekiel was summoned preaching. From around he world he sound mus echo forh "0 earh earh earh; hear he word of he Lord" (Jer. 2229). From barren pulpis and dry hears here mus come he spring of life and vialiy in Holy Spiri anoined preaching! Unless here is a revival of his holy aciviy men are helplessly in unbelief. The shackles of Saan were broken in Jerusalem on he day of Penecos hrough he preached word; Samaria was brough o is knees hrough preaching (Acs 85ff); he Ehiopian eunuch was brough ino communion wih he Lord hrough preaching (Acs 835); Corinh was urned from idols o serve he living God hrough he means of preaching ( Cor. 119). Time and ime again i is emphasized in he Scripures ha we are o "preach he Word" ( Tim. 42). Le all be encouraged herefore in his work of preaching. Perhaps as i is undergirded by he prayers of he elec we oo may see he bones move and come ogeher "bone uno his bone." Yes he remedy for he dryness ha we see abou us is he proclamaion of he "wonderful works of God" (Acs 211). Bu our preaching is o be accompanied by he power of he Holy Spiri. When Ezekiel had preached he message wherewih he was bidden o preach he bones came ogeher sinews and skin covered hem and flesh was here. Bu here Page 4 was no life; no vialiy no "breah in hem" (Ezek. 378). was hen ha he Lord said "Prophesy uno he wind prophesy son of man and say o he wind Thus saih he Lord God; Come from he four winds 0 breah and breahe upon hese slain ha hey may live" (Ezek. 37 9). When he man of God prophesied as he was bidden breah came ino he reconsiued bones before him and hey "sood up upon heir fee an exceeding grea army" (verse 10). 0 ha is wha we need oday - prophes who may cry uno he winds from he four corners of he earh and in he Name of he Lord bring forh he Holy Spiri o breahe upon he slain all abou us. Around us are some ha are no longer mere dry bones. They possess all ha is necessary for appearance; hey are Scripural in heir conduc and conversaion hey confess o he proper hings hey seem o he he righ places a he righ ime - bu heir lives axe absen of Divine power; hey have no spiriual vialiy and exuberance. is he pulsaing freshness of he Holy Spiri ha is missing! The hings of heaven are no vial o heir spiri; he freshness of eernal glory and he joy of jusificaion are absen. 0 such as his are alogeher rying o he spiris of hose ha live in he bosom of he Lord. Thus mus hey boh preach and pray; prophesy o men and o he Spiri. This is he only remedy and when men engage in hese maers a he simulus of he Lord we oo shall see an exceeding grea army (milian and aggressive) sand forh in he Name of he Lord. God hasen he day! ---0--- s Righ To Take ssue? Some of he more refined elemen in religious circles are se agains aking issue wih ohers. Ofen such pople charge hose ha do such wih being anagonisic or facious; bu such is no always he case. There are maers wih which he believer should ake harsh issue. The morals of our day should be exposed by sains for wha hey are and opposed openly and effecually by preachers of he Word. There are grea social injusices abroad in he land; bu hey are no he primary issues. They have only sprang from he looseness of moral sandards ha prevails since he Lord and His Law have been obviaed as an inegral par of our culure. Raher han praling long and hard abou equal righs ec. hose ha know he Lord should be sounding ou agains he deplorable endencies of men o remove moral sandards he aemp o elevae human reasoning he jusificaion of fleshly indulgences and graificaion ec. These are maers ha produce he siuaions ha lie all abou us - men's hears are riveed o he earh and hus heir affecions are deficien. As wachmen on he wall we mus sound ou agains hese hings and ake our side wih he Lord "having no fellowship wih he unfruiful works of darkness bu raher reproving hem" (Eph. 511). Le each believer in his own way and according o his own abiliies ake serious issue by life word and hough wih he rends of our day. Your personal influence agains hese maers is a grea deeren as well as a manifesaion of your relaionship o he Lord God olfabraham saac and Jacob.
Commenary On Philippians By Richard W. Ebler Chaper Two (con.) (vs. 9-11) "Wherefore God also hah highly exaled him and given him a name which is aoove every name Tha a he name of Jesus every knee should.bow of hings in heaven and hings in earh and hings under he earh; And ha every ongue should confess ha Jesus Chris is Lord o he glory of God he Faher." n he preceding verses Paul has spoken of he humiliaion of Chris. Prior o his humiliaion he Logos dwel in ha glory which He had wih he Faher before he world was (John 11175). His majesy was such ha even o behold he hings ha are in heaven He would necessarily have o humble himself. Ye his exaled Being who was in he "form of God" (v 6) ook upon himself he "form of a servan" (v. 7) ha is he form Of mann (who is a creaure of serviude) and made Himself of no repuaion among he spiriworld by laying aside his independen exercise of he Divine aribues. Realizing his was no enough He furher humbled Himself and became obedien uno deah even he deah of he cross. None ever humbled himself as much as Chris. None was ever exaled as much. 'n fac His exalaion was in proporion o His humiliy. Here was he supreme demonsraion of he ruh "He ha humbleh himself shall be exaled" (Luke 14 1'1). Chris's exalaion began from he lowes poin even in Hades iself "he lower pars of he earh" (Eph. 49) and preached he gospel o he anediluvian spiris in prison during he hree-day inerim following his crucifixion ( Peer 3 19 20; 46). However he gaes of hell did no prevail agains he rock of!his diviniy and like Samson He ore off he gaes of he "ciy" and ascended up hrough Saan's erriory he air (Eph. 22) leading capiviy capive and sa down a he righ hand or he majesy on high denoing ha his riumphan work was finished. There from David's hrone he reigns as head over all hings for he good of he church dispensing gifs (as David did Sam. 3021-25) o his chosen people. The fac ha he Spiri was poured ou on he day of Penecos evidenced His reign o Peer and he aposles (Acs 2;16-18 25-33). The glorious exalaion and reign of Chris however like oher myseries of he kingdom is no apparen o he flesh. is only apprehended by faih. Sin appears o ibe an over-hrow of His purposes when in realiy i is serving His purposes by providing a conras o His righeousness and giving occasion for Him o manifes His grace on some and His jusice on ohers. n verse nine we read ha God gave His exaled son "a name which is above every name." Some hink ha he name referred o is "Jesus" (v. 10) which means "8aviour" and denoes ha His work of salvaion brough Him he greaes glory. Ohers hink ha since "Jesus" was a common name in His ime (Col. 411) he name "Chris" is mean (Acs 173). Ohers ha "Lord" (v. 11) is inended. Bu i seems no probable o his wrier ha "name" in verse nine refers o he majesy glory saus auhoriy and digniy of he exaled Son of God. Noe ha he Holy Ghos did no say "he name Jesus" bu "he name of Jesus." When God proclaimed "he name of he Lord" o Moses He proclaimed His arioues and offices (Exodus 345-7). f a good name is raher o oe chosen han grea riches (Prov. 221) hen how rich is our exaled Head! He Himself is a proper objec of our worship. His Divine mehod of obaining a name was in marked conras o ha of he proud and carnal men of Babel (Gen. 114). Chris renounced his glory and hereby ulimaely increased i. No only has he exaled Son received honour bu power as well for every knee shall bow o him a he las day (Rom. 141112; Phil. 21011) and every ongue shall confess Him Lord. This is a reference o saiah 4523 where Jehovah makes his cliam for Himself. From his we see he Diviniy of our Lord. This universal homage o_ he Lamb is also depiced in Revelaion 513. All creaion is seen worshipping Him in whom creaion is unied o is Creaor. God's will ha all men should honor he Son even as hey honor he Faher will hen be fulfilled (John 523). From his passage we also learn ha boh he body and soul ough o be involved in rue worship since our enire being is redeemed. We also see how vain are hose who imagine ha hey can know God apar from Chris (John 146). Some far-feched heological implicaions could be drawn from his ex bu we are o ake i as i sands and le i miniser o us. The marvel is ha here is an exaled represenaive Man ruling he universe as a forerunner of His people who shall ulimaely reign wih Him and fulfill God's original purpose for man o reign and have dominion (Gen. 128). This is esifed of by he wrier o he Hebrews "Wha is man ha hou ar mindful of him? or he son of man ha hou visies him? Thou mades him a lile lower han he angels hou crowneds him wih glory and honour and dids se him over he works of hy hands Thou has pu all hings in suojecion under his fee. For in ha he pu all in subjecion under him he lef nohing ha is no pu under him. Bu now we see no ye all hings pu under him. Bu we see Jesus... crowned wih glory and honour... " (Heb. 26-9). Finally his universal confession on he Day of Judgmen willoe o he glory of God he Faher as he auhor of his grand and glorious scheme of redempion. For when all hings shall be subdued uno Chris hen shall he Son also be subjec uno he F1aher ha God may be all in all ( Cor. 1528). The urimae end of he whole plan of redempion hen is o "bring us o God." Ough his no o be enough o challenge us o earnesly seek afer God in his life? We shall bow he knee sooner or laer eiher now or on he Day of Judgmen. How much beer o worship Him and confess Him as our Lord in his life! Amen! (vs. 12 13) "Wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed no as in my presence only bu now much more in my absence work ou your own salvaion wih fear and rembling. For i is Page 5
God which workeh in you boh o will and o do of his good pleasure." Paul begins wih he word "Wherefore" in order o connec hese verses wih previous houghs; o wi ha in view of Chris's humble subjecion o he Faher and His subsequen exalaion le us follow His example. He calls he Philippians his beloved o show heir endearmen o him and he more o gain heir ear. These were hey who had minisered o him in his necessiies boh in his presence and in his absence from hem. Nex he aposle brings up he maer of obedience. No man will be saved apar from obedience grace nowihsanding for he righeousness of he law is ulfilled in us who walk no afer he flesh bu afer he Spiri (Rom. 84). "Le no man deceive you he ha deeh righeousness is righeous" ( John 37). "f ye live afer he flesh ye shall die" (Rom. 813). We are never o urn he grace of God ino lasciviousness bu o make consan and unremiing war agains our own personal sin les i damn us ( Cor. 927). God's purpose has never changed. is o ge man o obey Him. is rue ha he moral law drives us o Chris for jusificaion (Gal. 324 Rom. 104 Gal. 216). Bu Chris sends us back o Moses wih grace o live a holy life (Rom. 84) o prove ha we have ruly been wih Him. Paul says "no as in my presence only" showing ha he Philippians were no hypocries. True faih obeys in soliude as well as before he eyes of men (Col. 322). On he oher hand i should be a error o he hypocrie o know ha he sins he commis in secre are sill wihin full view of he unseen hoss and God himself. Also our privae ransgressions shall shorly be judged openly before he assembled universe ( Tim. 5 21 Rom. 216). This same fac however will be a comfor o he godly who inwardly srive agains sin nowihsanding heir failures and infirmiies. "Much more" refers o he added diligence needed when exhorers like Paul are no longer presen o spur one on. He says "Work ou your own salvaion." "We mus no only work a our salvaion by doing somehing now and hen abou i; bu we mus work ou our salvaion by doing all ha is o be done and persevering herein o he end. Salvaion is he grea hing we should mind." By using he erm "work" Paul reproves our laziness les our flesh should make he ruh of he grace of God working all spiriually good hings in us as an occasion for sloh. Those who abuse God's ruh in his manner will be found inexcusable for hey have aken he highes form of ruh which was designed o produce he highes degree of holiness and used i as an excuse for sin. By he erm "fear and rembling" he reproves pride and carnal confidence for hese wo arise from an awareness of how wreched we are and devoid of all good. Paul says "You have all hings from God; herefore be careful and humble." "There is nohing ha should rain us more o modesy and fear han when we hear ha i is by he grace of God alone ha we sand and Page 6 ha we insanly collapse if He even in he slighes degree wihdraws His hand. On he oher hand all who confide in heir own srengh grow insolen hrough arrogance and sleep in careless- ness." The aposle does no say our acions work ou salvaion bu Work ou your own salvaion which is much differen. were absurd o say because he Jews were enjoined o ea he passover wih loins gir ha loins gir were eaing he passover." Holy living is he road o glory and on i we mus say if we are o arrive safely home. Bu he road is no he procuring cause nor he propelling cause. Chris's blood procured salvaion for us and His grace propells us on his road because of God's free choice of us from eerniy (Eph. 13-5). Ulimaely holiness is an evidence no a cause of salvaion. On our par i is a hank-offering for our free jusificaion by faih in Chris's meri. A jusifying faih in Chris will purify he hear and bring forh he frui of holiness (Acs 159) bu his faih respecs he embracing of Chris's meri and no he earning of our own. Signing our paycheck does no earn he money. Boasing is excluded because we ough o believe God. When we have done his we can sill say ha we are unprofiable servans. Furhermore God had o give us he faih as a free gif in he firs place. He works in us boh o will and o do of his own good pleasure; herefore since He does all he work of our salvaion He deserves all he glory. Neverheless having a renewed will and having our spiri blended wih His Spiri we are energeically involved in perseverance so ha i is ruly said in Scripure ha we work and we believe ( Cor. 617 Col. 129 Cor. 61 John 336). Noice also ha i is "your own salvaion" ha should be your chief aim. No human friend can work i for you. "Every man shall bear his own burden" (Gal. 65). We mus ake heed o ourselves firs before we can help ohers ( Tim. 416). So le us be doing i! ---0--- f God were no already in heaven all of he faih in he world could no pu Him here. On he oher hand if God is in heaven all of he unbelief and scepicism in he world canno remove Him. We rejoice ha he laer is rue and laugh a he vain aemps of scepics and worldly-wise men o deny wha our hears know o be he ruh. Aiudes really have no bearing upon realiy. Realiy is no variable bu consan. My view of i and response o i really have no effec upon i. Realiy is objecive no subjecive; i affecs us we do no affec i. Once his is ruly seen he "hings of he Spiri" become he cener of our aenion no man's concepion of hem. The difference beween a radiional and a real faih lies in he fac ha one is persuaded by reasonings and he oher by spiriual realiies; one ress upon man's concepion (rue or false) and he oher upon spiriual vision; one is founded upon salesmanship he oher upon experience.
An Appeal To A Godless Naion by Siser Beverly Brunner Oakley llinois When lisen o he news and hear all ha is going on hroughou his land somehing inside of me wells up and eiher have o speak ou or wrie my feelings down on paper. believe i is he Lord compelling me o do his for his feeling is so srong a imes ha have o sop whaever am doing and wrie hem down. The oher day alked o a person who was no able o receive he ways of he Lord. When you ell such people of how God works; ha He works hrough peoples naions evens and so on hey ge a cerain kind of look on heir faces he one of heir voices changes and hey give you he old HEE HAW aiude which is nohing more han unbelief. Wheher hey believe or don' believe i makes no difference; ruh is ruh! God is no a liar; "Le God be rue and every MAN a liar." You can expec his aiude from hose of he world; bu when you alk wih hose ha claim o know God and hey emulae his kind of aiude 0 how i mus grieve he Lord! As bad as i is o scorn God wha an abominaion a person mus be who claims o know Him and ye denies Him in every way. Man haes and he despises war; and why? Because of all ha i sands for; deah and desrucion kill or be killed he maimed and he disfigured he devasaion of counries and lands and families being orn apar. They ask Why 0 why do we have o have war? Bu ask you how can here be anyhing else bu war? Look a yourselves look down deep inside look a his naion look hard! Wha do you see? Your ways are no pleasing o he Lord for i says in he Scripures; "When a man's ways please he Lord he makeh even his enemies o be a peace wih Him" (Prov. 1617). Your houghs are no Godward your ways are no Godward. "All we like sheep have gone asray; we have urned everyone o his own ways" (sa. 536). Search he Scripures and you shall see why here is war and no peace. Whenever srael sinned agains God He would bring he differen naions agains hem and here was war and desrucion and deah and hey were brough ino capiviy o he oher naions. "Oh ha my people had hearkened o me and srael had walked in my ways! should soon have subdued heir enemies and urned my hand agains heir adversaries" (Psa. 13 14). You see no he error of your ways you have been blinded by Saan and are walking in darkness. How can here be peace when you know no wha rue peace is? True peace is peace beween God and man hrough Jesus Chris. Wihou his relaionship here is no such hing as peace! "This know also ha in he las days perilous imes shall come. For men shall be lovers of heir own selves coveeous boasers proud blasphemers disobedien o parens unhankful unholy wihou naural affecion rucebreakers false accusers inconinen fierce despisers of hose ha are good raiors heady highminded lovers of pleasures more han lovers of God; having a form TAPE MNSTRY Recorded sermons and musical selecions are available a very nominal prices o our reading audience. These recordings are made on apes and may be prepared o he exac specificaions of any inquirers. There is a large selecion of sermons from which orders may be compiled. f you 'desire furher informaion concerning his minisry wrie THE TAPE MNSTRY Broher Jerry Wilson 7903 Hendricks Place Merrillville lndicno 46410 Ị... 111010. of godliness bu denying he power hereof" ( Tim. 3 1-3). So weep no so much because of war and because of he loss of someone ha you love bu weep because you and his naion are living in sin. Repen and urn o God! ---0--- A Lesson From Curren News The recen reurn of he American asronaus o earh from a foiled moon-mission demonsraed several facs 1. The imperfecions of man. 2. The unexpeced endency of harnessed power. 3. The inadequacy of purely human innovaions. 4. The reducion of man and his invenions wihin he framework of a larger and more incomprehensible creaion. Nowihsanding here was also demonsraed in ha even somehing which should serve as an incenive for believers in heir crusade agains he flesh. n jeopardy of heir lives and more han 200000 miles from earh hese hree men reained heir composure exhibiing phenomenal prowess and dexeriy in handling heir crippled vessel. Working wih wha faculies hey had he Lord enabled hem o maneuver hrough several very rying siuaions. Their evenual reurn o he earh was confounding o all because of is precision as hey landed bu 300 yards from heir appoined desinaion. As hough upon hese hings was once again reminded of he immobiliy ha oo ofen characerizes Chrisians. n he morificaion of sin in heir members ogeher wih he evidence of esablishmen by Grace more individual effor and ingenuiy could be employed han is generally he case. There are many laen powers in he believer's breas which need o be uilized in he commendable work of "perfecing holiness in he fear of he Lord" ( Cor. 7 1). The ruh is ha if all professed believers were as houghful wise and cunning in geing o heaven as hose asronaus were in geing back o earh - well need any more be said? Page 7
Tanalizing Thoughs by Broher Harold Lohse Broher Harold Lohse is an elder a he church meeing a 26h and Colfax and has blessed us many imes wih his wisdom and percepion in.he Kingdom. While he has passed he fify mark in earhly years he has been in a conscious awareness of God for less han five. Ye he Lord has blessed him wih rapid and firm growh so ha he is ruly an "elder" beloved whom we eseem and honor highly for his works sake. Every Friday evening Broher Harold delivers a message o he brehren here currenly minisering ou of he book of Luke. Below are some analizing houghs ha he presened in connecion wih Luke 419-20. +- * * Jesus was no an enerainer - He was grea wih he Holy Spiri! 7- * * There is a cerain seriousness o Scripure and afer reading i before he Lord as we slowly descend as i were back o earh we oo will wonder a His gracious words and knowledge for He speaks wih auhoriy. * * -l-;- You can hardly plan seeds when anger is all abou you; he fruis of righeousness are sown in peace. We are no exacly promised he keys o he kingdom; all has been unlocked for us and He is waiing for us wih he gae ajar. One full of he Spiri has a definie advanage over he folk in he assembly. * * r. Spiriual admiraion can give way o fleshly familiariy. f we believe "i is finished" Jesus will figh our bales for us and in no ime a all we will be in he promised land. The spiriual live off of he earnes of heir inheriance. True faih * * will sand * wihou he suppor of miracles. * * - Anyime we pu anyhing before God we are guily of forming anoher god. Trus n The Lord by Siser Suzee Weil Trus in he Lord wih all your hear Tha is he way o ge a new sar. He will help in your roubles sruggles and woes By conquering he chiefes of your foes. He will deliver and save your soul And He wil make you compleely whole. He can heal your spiri body and mind And show you how peace o find. Your hear will be filled wih joy and love As you coninue o look o Him above. Problems and empaions will no end Bu amid hem you will find a friend. So rus in he Lord for everyhing And a new full life o you He'll bring. Things by Broher ---0--- Tha Abide Jesse A. Mason The year has passed he record's made Though good or bad i be! 'Twas made by us; bu kep by God Unchanged eernally! Time passes on; bu deeds sill live! All deeds boh grea and small; Kind deeds ha ligher burdens make Harsh words we would recall! Time passes on; bu words sill live; n hears of men hey fall Kind words ha banish grief and pain; Harsh words we would recall! Time passes on; bu houghs sill live To creae words and deeds; Pure houghs ha make men good and grea! Vile words we would recall! The houghs we hink he words we speak The deeds we now perform; Though we ourselves shall pass o dus Will live in lives unborn! Thus all our houghs and words and deeds Live on for weel or woe; To face us a he hrone of God To bless; or curse besow! So while he year is in he dawn Le's firm resolve now make To guard our houghs and words and deeds; And of Chris's way parake! His way is jus and kind and pure; And 'is bes by far o live! makes lives clean and pure and srong; And eernal life 'will give! Amen! The above poem was wrien by broher Jesse A. Mason of Texarkana Arkansas. A sain of over niney years of age broher Mason has a godly concern for hose who live unhoughully. He conveys his hear in his prose speaking o our spiris and urging us oward he perfecion of hear and life which is fiing of children of he King. May we all give diligen heed o hese hings.