<BrethrenVoice> <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <9 August 2002> Contents: --------- (1) <Meditational> "Weighing words" - Ravi Zacharias (2) <Meditational> "The secret to spiritual progress" - Connie Giordano (3) <Doctrinal> "Scriptural principles of gathering" (Part-5) - A.P. Gibbs (4) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's return" - Introduction (Part-1) - A.W.Pink (5) <From-the-Gleaner> "Outline to the study of the Redeemer's return" (1) <Meditational> <Slice-of-Infinity> WEIGHING WORDS Ravi Zacharias A popular scene in the movie Star Wars portrays a young Luke Skywalker preparing for battle. Looking on, Han Solo offers those infamous words, "May the Force be with you." In the suspenseful flight scene that follows, Luke attempts to pass through the dangerous maze of enemy corridors. Guided along by the Force, the distant voice of his mentor echoes, "Trust your feelings, Luke!" The George Lucas masterworks have generated some of the largest profits in American filmmaking. Many easily consider the works classic, if not sacred, cinematography. Such popularity reaches beyond a desire to be entertained. What is it within us that stands alert at the sacredness of "the Force?" and inspired by the call to "Trust our feelings?" These scenes give our minds permission to wander past arenas of ordinary existence, and we are vicariously swept away, delighted by our role in this bigger picture. Far from the world of entertainment, the apostle Peter had an experience infinitely apart from ordinary existence. Peter was witness to one of the grandest spectacles ever vouchsafed to the human eye. In that momentous event he saw Moses and Elijah descend as the heavens were rent and Christ was gloriously transfigured before his eyes. So overcome by this glimpse of the eternal, Peter wanted to make his home on that mountain and not return to the drabness of ordinary existence. Can we blame him? He too wanted to trust his feelings. Yet, it this very Peter, who warns us in his epistle to stay firm in our commitment to the reality of God not because we feel it or Him, but because "we now have the most sure word of prophecy." (Footnote 1: 2 Peter 1:19) His letter is a worthy reminder to all who tend to get preoccupied with the experiential and lose the propositional. You see, Peter knew the written Word had a more eternal reality than the momentary exhilaration of a single experience. This is what stirs us in our movies: Not the temporary thrills and feelings, but the sense of permanence-an eternal reality; the notion of something beyond ourselves, something awesome, something reachable. Friends, in the beginning was not video. In the beginning was the Word. Amidst a generation to whom life and feeling have become inseparable, how wonderful it is to know the answer in which life and word become inseparable, even as the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. --- Copyright (p)(c) 2001 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. A Slice of Infinity is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries _______________________________________________________________________ (2) <Meditational> THE SECRET TO SPIRITUAL PROGRESS Connie Giordano Spiritual Complacency is more deadly than anything the devil can bring against us in our upward struggle." - A.W. Tozer Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." A. W. Tozer once prayed, "Keep me, Lord, from ever hardening down into the state of being just another average Christian." The Christian life is a struggle, a struggle that requires utmost spiritual striving. In Luke 13:24 the Lord Jesus instructed us to "Strive to enter in at the strait gate..." That word "Strive" means to struggle, compete for a prize, contend with an adversary, and endeavor to accomplish anything. Using the same Greek word, the Apostle Paul in Colossians 1:29 spoke of his personal "...striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily." In Philippians 1:27 he also spoke of all believers wrestling with the forces of darkness and laboring for the Lord while "striving together for the faith of the Gospel." Hebrews 12:4 - Lastly, the writer of Hebrews mentioned the great struggle of the Christian living in a wicked and adulterous age "striving against sin." There is no room for complacency or laziness in this upward walk. It is a fight. In fact, the Apostle Paul likened it unto a race where he instructed the believers in 1 Corinthians 9:25 - "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." In other words, we are to struggle, to compete, and to endeavor to win the prize. The Spiritual life is a life of progress, growth, and constant change and transformation. Job 17:9 tells us about the righteous man - "...and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." Psalm 92:12 tells us that "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Also Proverbs 4:18 tells us that the path of the righteous "is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Stronger and stronger - Spreading farther - Shining brighter - these examples all exemplify Spiritual Progress. No one in the Bible seemed to speak more intently on Spiritual Progress in the believer's life than the Apostle Paul. Nowhere is Spiritual Progress more unmistakably discussed than in his metaphor of the footrace as depicted in Philippians 3:12-14, our opening verse. Within this short passage of Scripture, Paul gives us "The Secret To Spiritual Progress" which can be divided into five major exhortations - #1 Don't Think That You Have Arrived Philippians 3:12 - "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect" The Apostle Paul alludes to the Grecian races. Just as the runner does not consider his race to be finished until he takes possession of the prize, even so is our course undone until we, too, lay hold of the prize. #2 Pursue With Vigor Philippians 3:12 - "But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" With the prize in the distance, we are to run swiftly to reach the goal. We must employ strenuous exertions to obtain it. We must seize it with great eagerness. #3 Have One Great Aim Philippians 3:13 - "This one thing I do" Being distracted by a great number of objects will cause us to accomplish little in our race. On the other hand, having one object, one aim, one concern, and one sole business will cause us to more successfully reach our final destination in heaven. #4 Forget the Past Philippians 3:13 - "Forgetting those things which are behind" In running our race, we cannot stop to look behind us to see how much progress we have made. We must keep our eyes steadily on the goal. If our attention is diverted in any way, it will effect our progress. Looking back at past accomplishments can produce self-satisfaction and self-complacency. Looking back at our failures can produce depression and discouragement. Either one will slacken our pace. In order to progress, we must not look back. #5 Keep Focusing On The Goal Philippians 3:13-14 - "And reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark" The goal for every Christian is the eternal reward in heaven. Just as the runner exerts every muscle and nerve, we must stretch forward with all the strength we could muster to finish our race. We must eagerly seek after our goal of heaven, pressing forward here and now after the things of the Lord. We have been given "The Secret To Spiritual Progress." There is no need for complacency or mediocre Christianity to still remain in our lives. 1 Corinthians 9:26 tells us - Let us run "not as uncertainly." 1 Corinthians 9:24 adds - "Run, that ye may obtain." May God Bless His Word. Connie --- Copyright 2002 by Connie Giordano _______________________________________________________________________ (3) <Doctrinal> SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES OF GATHERING or WHY I MEET AMONG THOSE KNOWN AS "BRETHREN" (PART-5) A.P. Gibbs .... FIFTH: THEY WELCOME INTO THEIR ASSEMBLIES ALL WHOM CHRIST HAS RECEIVED, TO GLORIFY GOD That is, all regenerated persons who are sound in doctrine and godly in their walk before the world. To make any other conditions for welcoming a person to the Lord's supper and the privileges of the assembly, is to act in a sectarian manner that has no scriptural warrant, and which only serves to bring confusion and dishonor to a company of believers. A reading of the book of Acts and the Epistles will indicate that the early churches were composed of professed believers only, and were not a mixture of saved and unsaved. With these assemblies each believer associated himself upon his conversion. There was no need for a person to ask in that day: "What denomination shall I join?" There was only one place for the child of God to go, and that was where believers met together in the name of the Lord Jesus, either for prayer, praise, worship, or the ministry of the word. On the day of Pentecost, those who gladly received the word were baptized and added to the assembly that had already been formed by the Spirit of God (Acts 2:41). Peter and John, after their arrest and acquittal, "went to their own company" (Acts 4: 23) . We are told: "And of the rest (the unsaved) durst no man join himself to them" (Acts 5: 13). Simon, a false professor, was told by Peter that he had "no part nor lot in this matter" (Acts 8: 18-23). Saul of Tarsus, after his conversion, "was with the disciples certain days" (Acts 9: 19). When he "assayed to join himself to the disciples" at Jerusalem, the believers were afraid to receive him because he had been such an enemy of Christians. Barnabas, however, vouched for the reality of his Christian profession and character, and he was then gladly welcomed (Acts 9: 26) . This is the story all through the Acts. The apostle Paul was greatly used of God, through the preaching of the gospel and teaching of the word, in establishing little assemblies of believers who met together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. To these local assemblies every Christian, doctrinally and morally sound was gladly welcomed. In the early days of Christianity, it was the custom for a believer, who left one town to go to another, to take with him a letter from his home assembly, commending him to the love and care of the assembly in the town to which he was going (II Cor. 3:1). By this means it was made reasonably certain that believers and believers only met at the Lord's supper to show forth the Lord's death. While a letter of commendation serves a good and useful purpose; it must not be allowed to become a rigid rule, or made an essential condition ere a believer can be welcomed to the Lord's supper. This is mere formalism. It is with principles and not rules that the New Testament concerns itself in this matter. The spectacle of saved and unsaved, linked together by a common membership of church fellowship, such as we see around us in Christendom, has no counterpart in the New Testament. We read there that "all that believed were together" (Acts 2: 44). The "brethren" have sought to return to these New Testament principles of gathering, and no unsaved person is knowingly permitted to partake of the Lord's supper, or allowed to associate with them in their assembly fellowship. Neither is any person who is unsound in the fundamentals of God's word, or who is morally wrong in his life permitted to continue with them in church fellowship. If any person in their assemblies is proven, after careful and unbiased examination, to hold and teach wrong doctrine, or is immoral in his life, or guilty of the sins enumerated in I Cor 5: 11, he is put away from that assembly until such time as it is quite clear he has been restored in heart to the Lord (I Cor. 5: 11-13; II Cor. 2: 6-8). The "brethren" rightly argue that as the Lord's supper belongs to the Lord, it is for the Lord's people only. The Lord only invites His own blood-bought people to thus remember Him. An assembly of believers simply welcomes the Christian who is sound in life and doctrine, and who has seen from the word of God his privilege and responsibility to be there. If, from what you have seen and heard from God's word, you have been brought to realize that your place is amongst those who meet thus in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, in scriptural simplicity, and apart from the ecclesiastical forms invented by men: make known this desire to an assembly of believers. They, in turn, will interview you to see whether you can give a reason for the hope that is within you, and whether you are sound in life and doctrine. Once this is established they will gladly welcome you to share with them the Christian fellowship and assembly privileges that is the birthright of every true believer in Christ. [To be continued...] _______________________________________________________________________ (4) <Prophetical> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" - INTRODUCTION (PART-1) Arthur W. Pink The Redeemer's Return! Here is a theme which in this day is regarded by many well-meaning people as an ideal of visionaries or as the pet hobby of certain cranks. So grievously has the study of Prophecy been ignored, so little place is given in the modern pulpit to the exposition of eschatology, and so generally is the daily reading of the Bible neglected by those in the pew, that it is an easy matter to persuade the average church-goer that the subject of the Second Coming of Christ is impractical and one that had better be left alone. Moreover, this subject has suffered so grievously at the hands of those who are the enemies of the Cross, that many Christians have been prejudiced against it. Satan has not been slow to avail himself of the wild and unscriptural teaching of such men as Irving and Joseph Smith, and more recently, Dowie and Pastor (?) Russell; nay, he has employed them to cast reproach on those who do seek to search and interpret the Prophetic Scriptures. Yet, notwithstanding, it is the imperative duty of every believer to seriously and prayerfully examine the Scriptures for himself and see what the Word of God has to say about Coming Events. In that Word we are plainly warned that in the "last days" (of this age) there should arise those who ridicule and mock at the very doctrine of which we are now speaking (see 2 Pet. 3:3, 4). Therefore we need not be surprised if we hear and read of those who seek to cast reproach upon this blessed theme; instead, as the Dispensation draws to a close, we should expect just what we now hear and see on every side. The Redeemer's Return! Is there anything that can be compared with this momentous and stupendous prospect? Excepting the Cross of Calvary, the greatest event of all in the past history of the world was the Advent of God's Son to our earth. The Divine Incarnation was the theme of Old Testament prophecy. The very first promise ever given to fallen man was that the woman's Seed should come and bruise the Serpent's head (Gen. 3:15). When the Divine revelation was committed to writing, numerous passages recorded the promised descent of God's Son to this earth. The prophets of Israel made known the fact that the Coming One was to be of the stock of Abraham and a lineal descendant of David, and thus for fifteen centuries the Hope of Israel was the Messianic Hope. And, when the fullness of time was come God sent forth His Son born of a woman. It is impossible for us to fully estimate the tremendous importance of the first Advent of Christ to this earth, The Divine Incarnation is without a parallel in the annals of the human race. Heaven itself was stirred at the miraculous birth of the God-Man. Unto the angels was entrusted the honorous commission of announcing the birth of the Saviour. Heathendom was affected, the good news being conveyed to Chaldea by means of a mysterious "star" which heralded the birth of the King of the Jews. The Coming of Christ to this world changed its chronology, for all civilized time is now by common consent dated from the Bethlehem manger. As the result of the first Advent a new era was inaugurated, a new prospect was set before the sons of men, the door of mercy was flung wide open, and command was given that the glad tidings should be made known to every creature. But wondrous and blessed as was the first Advent of our Lord in many respects, His Second Coming will be even more momentous. At His first appearing He was here in weakness and humiliation, but at His second He shall come in power and glory. When He was here before He was "despised and rejected of men," but when He comes back again every knee shall bow before Him and every tongue confess His Lordship. When He was here before He paid tribute to Caesar, but when He returns He shall reign as King of Kings and Lord of lords. When He was here before His personal ministry was confined to the land of Palestine, but when He returns "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14). Who can comprehend or enumerate the blessings which shall attend the Return of our Redeemer! Then will it be that the "dead in Christ" shall be raised from their graves and the living saints "changed," so that every believer will then be "conformed to the image of God's Son." Then it will be that the Lord's servants will be rewarded for their labors and those that were despised and hated by the world shall be recognized and honored by the Christ of God. Then it will be that Israel shall repent of their sins, receive Christ as their Messiah and Saviour, and be restored to the Holy Land. Then will the promise made to the patriarchs be literally and completely fulfilled. Then it will be that that old Serpent the Devil shall be removed from these scenes where he has wrought such havoc and produced such misery, to be chained for a thousand years in the Bottomless Pit. Then it will be that a groaning Creation shall be delivered from its present bondage, when the Curse which now rests upon all Nature shall be removed, and when the wilderness and the solitary place shall be made glad; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose (Is. 35:1). And, best of all, then it shall be that Christ Himself shall enter into His blood-brought inheritance, when He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Therefore, ought not such a subject, which presents such a glorious prospect, gladden our hearts and secure our most diligent attention! God does not desire His dear people to remain in ignorance of His future purposes concerning them, concerning His Son, and concerning this earth. Said the apostle as he was moved by the Holy Spirit, "We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Pet. 1:19). If then we give diligent heed to the Prophetic Word, if we will prayerfully study that which God has been pleased to reveal unto us concerning things to come, and if we will believe in our hearts all that the prophets have spoken, then shall we be like the Thessalonians of whom it could be said--"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober" (1 Thess. 5:1-6). [to be continued...] _______________________________________________________________________ (5) <From-the-Gleaner> OUTLINE TO THE STUDY OF "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" From this issue onwards, we begin one of our exciting studies on the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and the related events. I have been gleaning in many fields in this respect and have now found that one of the works of A. W. Pink titled "The Redeemer's return" appears to be closer to our understanding of the Scriptures and is available in the public domain. We have however to bear in mind while doing this study that Pink wrote this book before the establishment of the nation Israel in 1948. Arthur Walkington Pink (1886-1952) [who was born in England and later lived in America] like the writer of Ecclesiastes (Solomon) had many ups and downs in his spiritual life. A detailed account of his life will be included in the Biographical section of the <SUNDAY-GLEANINGS> later. A rough outline of the topics that we are going to discuss is given below. I sincerely hope and pray that our study of "The Redeemer's return" would make every moment of our present life filled with joy and excitement of the blessed hope of our Lord's return and completion of the process of salvation He wrought for us (redemption of our bodies). Thank you, Ben OUTLINE STUDY OF THE "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" BY ARTHUR W. PINK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ A) THE NEED OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN 1. The Redeemer's return is necessitated by the declarations of Old Testament prophecy 2. His own affirmations 3. The ratification of the Holy Spirit 4. The humiliation of the cross 5. The present exaltation of Satan 6. The present disorganization of Israel 7. The present degradation and desolation of the world 8. The lamentation of all creation 9. The supplications of the Church 10. The expectation of the dead in Christ B) THE HOPE OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN I. The Character of Our Hope 1. Our Hope is not the Conversion of the World 2. Our Hope is not the Salvation of the Soul 3. Our Hope is not Death 4. Our Hope is the personal Return of our Redeemer C) THE AUTHORIZATION OF OUR HOPE 1. We have the Promise of the Lord Jesus Himself 2. We have the word of God's messengers at the time of His Son's Ascension 3. We have the inspired testimony of the apostles 4. Finally, we have the Promise of the Lord given from the Throne D) THE BLESSEDNESS OF OUR HOPE 1. Because of its bearing upon Israel 2. Because of its bearing upon the Gentiles 3. Because of its bearing upon the Church 4. Because of its bearing upon Christ Himself E) THE FACT OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN 1. The Statement of this Fact 2. The Interpretation of this Fact 3. The twofold bearing of this Fact 4. The Fact of the Redeemer's Return was typified in the lives of Joseph and Solomon. 5. The Fact of the Redeemer's Return was foreshadowed in the Ritual on the annual day of Israel's Atonement. 6. The Fact of the Redeemer's Return is illustrated in the Gospel narratives 7. The Fact of the Redeemer's Return had a spectacular setting forth on the Mount of Transfiguration F) THE TIME OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN (i). Post and Pre-millennialism Defined 1. The position of Post-millennialism 2. The position of Pre-millennialism (ii) Post and Pre-millennialism Examined 1. An examination of Post-millennialism 2. An examination of Pre-millennialism (iii) Post-millennialism Refuted. 1. The condition of the world when our Lord returns proves that His Second Advent cannot be post-millennial 2. The Teaching of Matthew 13 proves that no era of Millennial blessing precedes Christ's Second Advent 3. Our Lord's Olivet discourse shows that there is no universal triumph of the Gospel before His Second Advent 4. The present working of the Mystery of Iniquity proves that there can be no Millennium before the Redeemer's Return (iv) Pre-millennialism established 1. Christ does not "receive the Kingdom" until the time of His Second Advent 2. The "Times of Restitution" can be ushered in only by the Second Advent of Christ 3. The Restoration of Israel is only made possible by the Second Advent of Christ 4. A groaning Creation can be delivered only by the Second Advent of Christ G) THE IMMINENCY OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN 1. Our Lord Himself spoke of His Return in the language of Imminency 2. The Apostles referred to the Redeemer's Return in the language of Imminency 3. Why was the fact of our Lord's Return presented in the language of Imminency and the exact date withheld? 4. Why is it that our Lord has tarried till now? Why has not the Redeemer returned long ere this? H) THE IMMINENCY OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN 1. The Recovery and Revival of the Blessed Hope itself 2. The Apostasy which prepares the way for the Antichrist 3. The Laodicean state of Christendom. 4. The Prophecy of the Perilous Times. 5. The Overturning which is visible on every hand 6. The present Distress of Nations 7. The conflict between Capital and Labor 8. The Rejuvenation and Restoration of Israel 9. The limitations of Earth's great Week 10. The analogy between the two Advents of Christ I) THE SCOPE OF THE RAPTURE 1. Because GRACE is that which characterizes all God's dealings with His own during this dispensation and grace, necessarily, eliminates all distinctions of personal merits 2. Because the Rapture is the CONSUMMATION OF OUR SALVATION and therefore, being an integral and essential part of our salvation it cannot, in anywise, be determined by our personal worthiness 3. Because to make our Rapture dependent upon anything in us is to attack the Finished Work of Christ 4. Because the Rapture of a part of the Church only, would leave the remainder of it still upon the earth and that would prevent the manifestation of the Man of Sin 5. Because for the believer there is "no judgment" and all upon earth during the Tribulation period are unquestionably the subjects of God's judgments 6. Because nothing can separate believers from the Love of Christ 7. Because the inevitable tendency of the partial-rapture theory is to get believers occupied with themselves instead of with Christ 8. Because the partial-rapture theory introduces a situation that is full of Confusion 9. Because the Church Epistles plainly teach that ALL believers will be raptured at the time of our Lord's Return 10. Because there is not a single Scripture in the Church Epistles which, rightly interpreted, teaches a partial rapture J) THE CHURCHWARD RESULTS OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN 1. The Lord's descent from Heaven 2. The Resurrection of the sleeping saints 3. The Translation of living believers 4. The Transformation of each believer into the Image of our glorified Saviour 5. The Examination and Rewarding of the believer's works 6. The presentation of the Church by Christ to Himself 7. The Manifestation of the Church with Christ K) THE WORLDWARD RESULTS OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN 1. The World's Consternation at the sudden and secret Removal of the Church. 2. The Hopeless condition of the left-behind ones L) GOD'S DEALINGS WITH THE EARTH DURING THE TRIBULATION 1. The revelation and career of the Anti-christ 2. The Situation of the Jews during this Period 3. The Battle of Armageddon 4. The Return of Christ to the earth itself 5. The Millennial Reign M) THE MILLENNIUM IN RELATION TO: 1. Satan 2. Christ 3. the Church 4. Israel 5. the World 6. Creation 7. Sin ___________________________<BrethrenVoice>___________________________ [which seeks to be guided solely by the New Testament Biblical pattern, facilitates free flow of Christian information. To God be the glory!] Subscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> Unsubscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> BV FAQs & Statement of Faith, eMail:<brethrenvoice-faq@...> Messages to the Moderator, eMail: <brethrenvoice-owner@...> "BrethrenVoice" Home: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ eFellowship Home: http://groups.msn.com/BrethrenChristiansForum/ _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com