-------------------------<BrethrenVoice>------------------------- [which seeks to be guided solely by the NT Biblical pattern, facilitates free flow of Christian info. To God be the glory!] [eMail Moderator: brethrenvoice-owner@...] [<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> archives/read online: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ezmlm.cgi] <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <23 October 2002> Contents: ----------- 1) <Devotional> "Hope for the sting and victory, Resurrection?"-Ravi Zacharias 2) <Doctrinal> "The complete thing - Prophecy" (Pt-3) - R.E. Harlow 3) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-60)- A.W.Pink 1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> "'HOPE FOR THE STING AND THE VICTORY', RESURRECTION" (PART-7 OF 8) Ravi Zacharias Concluding his famous discourse on Christ's resurrection, the apostle Paul asks rhetorically, "Where, O death, is thy sting? Where is thy victory?" In reference to the resurrection, the answer is obvious. Death has been overcome-in Paul's words, "swallowed up in life." Billy Graham told of a meeting he had with German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, former mayor of Cologne, imprisoned by Hitler for opposing the Nazi regime, and later chancellor of the West German Federal Republic. Adenauer truly deserves the title of "statesman" as he picked up the broken pieces of his country and helped to rebuild it in a fractured world. On this occasion, he looked the evangelist in the eye and said, "Mr. Graham, do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?" Graham, somewhat surprised by his question answered, "Of course I do." Replied Chancellor Adenauer, "Mr. Graham, outside of the resurrection of Jesus, I do not know of any other hope for this world." I have personally heard this same sentiment echoed in two other nations in drastic transition. I sat around a table with six Russian generals as they acknowledged that there was no hope for their country apart from God. And as I finished a lectureship in Johannesburg, South Africa, the framers of the Peace Accord expressed the same. I believe that Chancellor Adenauer and the others were surely correct. It is the resurrection of Jesus that brings hope to our fallen world, and, may I add, to each individual life. Philosopher Walter Kaufmann wrote a book ironically titled The Faith of a Heretic. After explaining our cosmic insignificance, he concluded: "What I want to do and would advise others to do is to make the most of [life]: put into it all you have got, and live, and, if possible, die with some measure of nobility." May I say, my friend, that to tell us to die with nobility when there is no hope beyond the grave is farcical at best. Compare Kaufmann's platitude to Christ's words: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live." These profound words, spoken to Lazarus's sister Martha, were proven true moments later when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Christ's resurrection not only satisfies our longing for life beyond the grave and provides life's fulfillment, but also justifies that very longing, giving us, in the words of the great hymn, "strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow." --- 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) <DOCTRINAL> THE COMPLETE THING (PART-3) MIRACLES R.E. Harlow PROPHECY It is hard to imagine how a church could develop and function without the New Testament. Think of the church of Antioch without 1 or 2 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, 1 or 2 Timothy, Titus, 1 or 2 Peter or 1, 2 or 3 John! All these letters were written after the second missionary Journey which started from Antioch. How could the assembly in Antioch become that mature with perhaps only the books of Mark and James? The New Testament epistles were written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Holy Spirit had been given, for one thing, to inspire the apostles in writing the New Testament. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, John 14:26. He will guide you into all truth, John 10:13. He will show you things to come, John 10:13. He shall glorify me, John 18:14. Three of the eight New Testament writers, Matthew, Peter and John, were present when these words were spoken in the upper room and the Holy Spirit used the other five writers equally. In guiding us into all truth, rather than formulating a creed or doctrinal statement, the Spirit was pleased to give us 21 letters. These letters were written to meet certain specific situations as they occurred in the church over a period of fifty years. But how could the early churches develop without the teaching of these epistles? The Spirit gave to these churches certain gifted men to teach the believers the truth which we now have in written form. While the New Testament was incomplete, a special situation existed. This is comparable to the growth of a foetus. Without air, it develops into an air breathing organism. At the moment of birth, it starts to breathe and the umbilical cord is cut and discarded. Of the twenty gifts mentioned in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4, some were specially needed during the transitional apostolic era. They were not bestowed after the New Testament was completed. For example, apostles, 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11. In Acts we read of the apostles, 4:37; apostles and elders, 15:2; and the elders, 21:18. (Professor John Heading, From Now To Eternity, 1978, Everyday Publications.) There are no inspired apostles today (but lots of missionaries who are "sent ones"). No one is gifted or inspired by God to add to the complete Scriptures. PROPHETS Of the 39 books of the Old Testament, all but 18 were written by "prophets." The historical books, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, were called the former prophets, 1 Chronicles 29:29. These six, plus five by the major prophets and twelve by minor prophets, bring the total to 23. In a sense, Moses and David were also prophets, Acts 2:30; 3:22; 7:37,48. They all spoke about Christ, Acts 10:43. The word prophet was also used of non-writing prophets: for example, Elisha; and in a broader sense, of Abraham, Genesis 20:7; Aaron, Exodus 7:1; etc. Indeed Moses could wish that all the Lord's people were prophets, Numbers 11:29. In the New Testament, the word prophet is used for Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, Daniel and Joel. The Old Testament prophetic line In a special sense, however, started with Samuel and continued to Malachi, Acts 3:24. When the Old Testament was complete, the prophetic gift was no longer granted. The Lord Jesus Himself was called Prophet, Acts 3:22, and in resurrection, He gave apostles and prophets to His Church, Ephesians 4:11. These were to lay the foundation and reveal the mystery of the Church, Ephesians 2:20; 3:5, and they will rejoice when the false church is judged, Revelation 18:20. The prophets had a special ministry in the early church. They were associated with the teachers at Antioch, Acts 13:1. Their messages were revealed to them, 1 Corinthians 14:29,30. The prophets' messages, as in the Old Testament. sometimes included prediction. For example, Agabus foretold a great dearth In the earth, and bonds for Paul, Acts 11:28; 21:10,11. Both predictions were fulfilled. The more frequent elements in prophecy, both Old Testament and New Testament, are edification (building up), exhortation and comfort, 1 Corinthians 14:3. For example, Isaiah's ministry, especially in chapter 40 and onward, was to comfort God's people. Jeremiah was told to build and to plant, 1:10. In the New Testament, the scriptures are for our comfort or exhortation, and the Word of God is able to edify or build us up, Acts 20:32, Romans 15:4. So the ministry of the prophets was similar to that of the Scripture. Silas, a prophet, comforted or exhorted the saints at Antioch, Acts 15:32. Prophecy, like all gifts, must be for the edification of the church, 1 Corinthians 14:14. Even Christ pleased not Himself, Romans 15:3, and self-edification must not be allowed to divide the church; division is the opposite of edification. A heretical man (one who chooses or divides) is a subverted, self-condemned sinner and should be rejected after two admonitions, Titus 3:10-11. When the Scripture was complete, there was no more need for this gift of prophecy. "Prophecy" today consists only in explaining the rich, completed Scripture, not in adding to it, or foretelling the future. [To be concluded] _____________________________________________________________________ 3) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-60) THE RECOVERY AND REVIVAL OF THE BLESSED HOPE ITSELF Arthur W. Pink .... 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. The picture that is presented in 2 Thess. 2 is an exceedingly solemn one. There we learn that the mystery of iniquity which was at work even in the days of the apostle Paul and which has been hindered from coming to complete fruition will yet head up in the appearing of the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition. The coming of this Devil-Man will be "after the working of Satan will all power and signs and lying wonders and will all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish." Then it will be that the Devil is allowed "free rein." Then it is that, through the Anti-Christ, Satan will deceive the whole world. There will be many on earth at that time who in former days had listened unmoved to the preaching of the Gospel and had treated with scorn or indifference its gracious offers. hence, "because they loved not the truth, that they might be saved ** God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." We have said above that 2 Thess. 2 pictures a time when the Devil will be allowed "free rein." This will be the season when all his diabolical scheming will attain its full development in the manifestation of the Son of Perdition. Today it is otherwise. In this Dispensation, Satan is held in check, and his plans are not permitted to fully materialize. Today it is impossible for the Man of Sin to appear on the stage of this world as the above passage clearly intimates. Says the apostle, "Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now until He be taken out of the way" (2 Thess. 2:5-7, R.V.). The "mystery of lawlessness" (in contrast to "the mystery of godliness," i.e. "God manifest in the flesh"--1 Tim. 3:16) will terminate in the Satanic parody of the Divine incarnation--the bringing forth by Satan of the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition. This Man of Sin will be revealed "in his own season." That "season has not yet arrived. The reference is to the Great Tribulation period. There are two entities which are now preventing the appearing of the Anti-Christ. They are referred to in 2 Thess. 2 as "that which restraineth" and there is "One that restraineth now until He be taken out of the way." The former is the Church which is the body of Christ; the latter is the Holy Spirit Himself. The Church which is indwelt and energized by the Holy Spirit is now hindering and preventing the full development of the Mystery of Lawlessness and the consequent appearing of the Lawless One. Not until the whole of the Church and the Holy Spirit leave this earth("until He be taken out of the way") can the Man of Sin appear. Here then is a simple but conclusive argument which all should be able to grasp. Passing by the question of--How would it be possible for the Holy Spirit to be "taken our of the way" while many of those whom He indwells are left behind on the earth--we would point out the obvious fact that no part of the Church can be left behind on earth at the Return of Christ into the air, or, otherwise, there would still be a hindrance to the consummating of the Mystery of Lawlessness. 1 Christ declared that His disciples were "the salt of the earth." They are God's preservative. They are His instrument for preventing everything on earth going to utter decay and rottenness. But in the Tribulation period everything on earth will have gone to utter corruption as is clear from the words of our Lord--"For wheresoever the carcass is, there will be eagles be gathered together" (Matt. 24:28)--a prophetic utterance which will receive its fulfillment at the very season of which we are now treating. We are told that in the days which immediately preceded the Flood "All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth" (Gen. 6:12) and our Lord declared, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24:37) i.e.--His coming back to the earth: the conditions which He will find prevailing here at that time. We repeat, at the Rapture and during the Tribulation period everything on earth will be morally and spiritually rotten. Even God's judgments at that time will have no other effect than to cause earth's-dwellers to "blaspheme God" (Rev. 16:11 etc.). Hence, is it not evident that the whole of the salt(except that which has "lost its savor," i.e., formal professors) must have first been removed: that the church and the Holy Spirit which now make impossible this total corruption must first be "taken out of the way"! ---- It is true that during the Tribulation period there will be a godly "Jewish remnant" upon earth, but they will not hinder the final development of "the mystery of lawlessness" and the appearing of the Man of Sin and that for two reasons. First, this "remnant" will not come to the fore with their testimony until some time after the "Son of Perdition" is revealed (quite a number of Scriptures would have to be quoted to prove our assertion, but note the exact point at which the "two witnesses" of Rev. 11 are manifested), and second, the Jewish "remnant" will not be indwelt or empowered by the Holy Spirit for He will have been previously "taken out of the way." [To be concluded] _____________________<BrethrenVoice>_____________________ Subscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> Unsubscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> FAQs/Faith Statement, eMail: <brethrenvoice-faq@...> <BrethrenVoice> Home: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ <eFellowship> Home: http://groups.msn.com/BrethrenChristiansForum/ "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith." 2 Cor 13:5 "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jn 8:32 _______________________________________________________