<BrethrenVoice>
<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY>
<12 September 2002>
In this issue:
--------------
(1) <Devotional> "Law-grace-kingdom" - M.J. Stanford
(2) <Devotional> "Humility-the way of rescue" - Ravi Zacharias
(3) <Doctrinal> "In the beginning it was not so!" (Pt-15) - C.E.Wigg
(4) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-25)- A.W.Pink
(5) <Apologetics) "Christian Apologetics" (Pt-13) -M. Copland
(1) <DEVOTIONAL>
LAW–GRACE–KINGDOM
Miles J. Stanford
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed" (2 Timothy 2:15a).
"There is an entirely baseless sentiment abroad which assumes that every
teaching of the Lord Jesus must be binding upon the believer during this age
simply because He said it. The fact is forgotten that He, while living
under, keeping, and applying the Law of Moses, also taught the principles of
His future earthly kingdom, and, at the end of His ministry and in relation
to His Cross, He also anticipated the teachings of grace. If this threefold
division of His teachings is not recognized and maintained, there can be
nothing but confusion of mind and consequent contradiction of
truth." -L.S.C.
"Because the thing is in the Bible does not warrant the conclusion that it
is God's will for the Christian. We must seek rightly to divide the Word of
truth. What was formerly right for the Jews is for us nothing but the
elements of the world. These forms pointed to a reality that is now come;
the Body is of Christ. The blessed position of a Christian is, that he has
died even to the best things of the world, religious and otherwise, and he
is alive to the highest things in the presence of the Father; for the Lord
Jesus Christ is his life, in whom he is hidden (Colossians 3:3)." -W.K.
"The Gospels are complex almost beyond any other portion of Scripture, since
they are a composite of the teachings of the law, of grace, and of the
coming kingdom." -L.S.C.
"We realize our privileges and possessions in the Lord Jesus by faith; we
enjoy them by the Spirit."
"Rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15b).
---
© [The Hungy heart series-withchrit.org]
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(2) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY>
HUMILITY - THE WAY OF RESCUE
Ravi Zacharias
G.K. Chesterton once remarked that to disbelieve in God would be like
waking up in the morning, looking into the mirror, and seeing nothing.
There would be nothing to reveal your appearance.
That is what the Bible contends is the effect of sin; it robs us of our
true nature and denies us the vision of who we really are. So much of this
vital Christian concept is misunderstood or misrepresented. Jesus talked
about the great gain that each of us realizes when we recognize our own
spiritual poverty and turn to God for deliverance from ourselves. He began
his Sermon on the Mount with the words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
But does being "poor in spirit" mean being humiliated? No, humbling and
humiliation are not the same thing. Only God humbles us without
humiliating us and elevates us without flattering us.
This point of recognition awakened the slumbering spirit of journalist
Terry Anderson who had been held captive by terrorists in Lebanon.
Anderson said that during his captivity he saw much in his captors that he
hated and despised. The more he saw them and talked to them, the more he
was repelled by them. "Yet," he said, "in a strange way there was nothing
in them that I had not now also seen in myself."
Former automotive tycoon John DeLorean tells us in his book how he found
himself in a court of law as a paid informer bore false testimony against
him. Watching the selfishness with which this lying witness trampled on
decency, DeLorean said he suddenly saw that it was no different to the
blind ambition that had driven him earlier in his own life; for in his
pursuit he too had trampled on what he had once treasured. This inward
look, he said, paved the way for a dramatic transformation in his life as
he sought forgiveness before a merciful God.
Friend, until we come to that point of recognizing our own spiritual
impoverishment, our enslavement is greater than if we were physically
shackled. If we, in our world, are to be rescued from the hell that can be
unleashed in our own hearts, we need to see its cause and cure. That human
condition is corrected only by a humbling ourselves before God and by
allowing Him to refashion us to reflect His work of grace by a transformed
life.
---
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.
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(3) <DOCTRINAL>
IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO! (PART-15)
WORSIP AND WITNESS
Charles E. Wigg
....
The first and perhaps the greatest service that we can render to God is to
worship and praise Him to whom we owe everything. We do not have to go to
college to learn how to do this - it comes most naturally to the newborn
Christian believer. To be able to worship or to pray does not require
training or gift - it is the spontaneous outgoing of the heart of a child
that is loved to the Father who loves them.
It is natural for this to be done first in private and we need to begin each
day by pouring out our hearts in worship to our Heavenly Father and to our
loving Lord Jesus, our precious Saviour. We also need to learn to pray about
everything from the very time that we experience our "new birth" into the
family of God. From that time on, we no longer belong to ourselves, but to
Him who loved us and died for us. So we need to seek His will and His
blessing in everything we do or want to do. As we daily read His word, then
He will guide us through that word and in His own time will show us what He
wishes us to do in any matter.
For married people this exercise will become a family matter immediately
following conversion. We need to pray and to worship in the presence of our
family, and to teach the family members also to do so. It has been the
practice from "THE BEGINNING", for the believer and their family to gather
at least once a day, to read the Bible, to sing praises to God, to worship
and to pray. It is a wise family that makes this the first duty of the day,
thus the whole family go from the home to school or work, fresh from the
presence of God, in the enjoyment of His blessing, and confident of His help
throughout the day. Though we may not realise it at the time, this is the
very best basic training that a person can have. The father who is
accustomed to explaining the Bible to his family in a simple way, will later
be able to minister that same word to the believers who are gathered in the
name of the Lord Jesus.
The next step in preparation for the Lord's service, is to learn to
participate in public prayer and worship in the Church. Men do this is
audibly, and women silently, according to the clear commands of Holy
Scripture. (See 1Cor.14;34, 1Tim.2;9-16, 1Pet.2;1-7, for instructions about
the sister's place and ministry).
To pray audibly in the public meetings of the Church, calls for courage, as
most men will experience embarrassment and nervousness. This is caused first
by natural shyness, and secondly, Satan will use every endeavour to keep
your mouth shut. He hates to hear people pray, or worship. However for those
who in humility and dependence on the Lord Jesus, and the help and guidance
of the Holy Spirit who indwells them from conversion; this is excellent
training, and enables the person to experience the unction of the Holy
Spirit, as He gives them utterance.
To worship God audibly in the public meetings of the Church is also good
training. If we are in the habit of reading the word of God, then we will
learn the language of the Bible, and we will see by faith many of the
glories of the Lord Jesus, and the Heavenly Father. If we treasure these
things in our hearts, we will become spiritually rich. Then when we are
gathered to remember and to worship the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit will
bring these things to our minds. We will then be enabled to Glorify God, in
our offering of spontaneous worship. (Psalm 50;23.)
[To be concluded]
---
[Reproduced with permission of Charles E. Wigg]
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(4) <PROPHETICAL>
"THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-25)
2. THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS FACT (2/2)
Arthur W. Pink
....
Second; another class of commentators regard the destruction of Jerusalem by
the Roman armies in A. D. 70 as the fulfillment of our Lord's promise to
come back to the earth and, untenable as this theory is, strange to say, it
has met with a very wide acceptation among Christian theologians. This
theory is based upon a careless exposition of Matt. 24. At the beginning of
this chapter we learn that His disciples asked our Lord three questions:
First, "Tell us, when shall these things be?" The "these things" look back
to the previous verse where Christ had foretold the destruction of the
temple. Second, "And what shall be the sign of Thy coming? Third, "And of
the end of the age?" Now in order to understand our Lord's complete answer
to these three questions it is necessary to pay close attention to the
parallel passages found in Mark 13 and Luke 21. A careful comparison of
these chapters will make plain the different answers which our Lord returned
to His disciples' questions. In His answers He made a clear distinction
between the destruction of Jerusalem and His subsequent personal return,
though we must remember that as "history repeats itself" some of the signs
which heralded the approach of each event were common to both. When speaking
of the former He said, "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies,
then know that the desolation thereof is nigh" (Luke 21:20); but when
referring to the latter He declared, "And there shall be signs in the sun
and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them
with fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:
for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of
Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things
begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your
redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21:25-28) 1 (see footnote). That the
destruction of Jerusalem did not exhaust the predictions made by our Lord
with reference to His own return is evident from the fact that in the book
of Revelation--written at least twenty years after the destruction of
Jerusalem--He promises, no less than six times, to "come again."
Third; another class of commentators regard the death of the believer as the
fulfillment of our Lord's promise to come back again and receive His own
unto Himself. This error has already been refuted in an earlier chapter so
that nothing further needs now to be said concerning it.
In Acts 3:18 we have enunciated a principle which supplies a sure and
certain key to prophetic interpretation--"But those things, which God before
had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, He
hath so fulfilled." The important words here are "so fulfilled." How had the
Old Testament prophecies concerning the "sufferings" of Christ been
"fulfilled?" The answer is literally. And, in like manner, will be
accomplished those unfulfilled prophecies which speak of the coming "glory"
of Christ. Just as those predictions which made it known that Christ should
be sold for "thirty pieces of silver," that His hands and His feet should be
"pierced," that He should be given "vinegar, mingled with gall" to
drink,--just as these were fulfilled to the letter, so the Scriptures which
declare that he shall "descend from heaven with a shout," that "every eye
shall see Him" when He comes back to earth, that He shall return in power
and great glory and shall be accompanied by "ten thousands of His
saints"--just so shall these predictions be fulfilled to the very letter.
[To be concluded]
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(5) <APOLOGETICS>
"CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS, AN INTRODUCTION - (PART-13)"
M. Copland
....
III. WHOEVER HEARD OF "THE PAVEMENT" (GABBATHA)? - Jn 19:13
A. FOR CENTURIES THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE COURT CALLED "THE
PAVEMENT" OR "GABBATHA"...
1. This caused many to say "It's a myth"
2. And, "See, it (the Bible) is not historical"
B. BUT WILLIAM F. ALBRIGHT IN "THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF PALESTINE" SHOWS
OTHERWISE...
1. This court was the court of the Tower of Antonia
2. The court was destroyed in 66-70 A.D. during the siege of
Jerusalem
3. It was left buried when the city was rebuilt in the time of
Hadrian
4. And was not discovered until recently!
IV. ICONIUM A CITY OF PHYRIGIA? - Ac 14:6
A. ARCHAEOLOGISTS AT FIRST BELIEVED LUKE'S IMPLICATION TO BE WRONG...
1. That Lystra and Derbe were in Lycaonia and Iconium was not
2. They based their belief on the writings of Romans such as
Cicero
3. Who indicated that Iconium was in Lycaonia
4. Thus, archaeologists said the book of Acts was unreliable!
B. BUT IN 1910, SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY FOUND A MONUMENT...
1. Which showed that Iconium was indeed a Phrygian city
2. Later discoveries continued to confirm this!
V. WHOEVER HEARD OF "POLITARCHS"? - Ac 17:6
A. CONCERNING THE TERM "RULERS OF THE CITY" (GREEK "POLITARCHS")...
1. Since the term is not found in the classical literature of the
Greeks...
2. ...it was assumed that Luke was wrong to refer to such an
office
B. HOWEVER...
1. Some 19 inscriptions have now been found that make use of this
title
2. Five of these are in reference to Thessalonica!
CONCLUSION
1. This is just a sampling of the evidence, for entire books have been
written providing further examples
2. Just how accurate is the New Testament in its historical description?
"It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery
has ever controverted a Biblical reference." -- NELSON GLUECK
(noted Jewish archaeologist)
3. Of special interest is the testimony of SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY...
a. Concerning his background:
1) He was trained in the German historical school of the mid-
nineteenth century
2) He was taught that the book of Acts was a product of the mid-
second century A.D.
3) He was firmly convinced of this and started out his career in
archaeology to prove it
b. However, he was compelled to a complete reversal of his beliefs
due to the overwhelming evidence uncovered in his research
c. His conclusion:
"Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his
statements of fact trustworthy, he is possessed of the true
historic sense...in short, this author should be placed along
with the greatest of historians."
4. What have we established thus far in this series of lessons?
a. That Jesus was a historical figure
b. That the New Testament was written during the generation in which
the events occurred
c. That its reliability as a historical document continues to be
confirmed by the field of archaeology
5. But another question remains... "How can we be sure that the New
Testament we have today is the same as that penned by the original
authors?"
Our next study will address that question..
[To be concluded]
---
© M. Copland 2002
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