What is back of "the consummation of the eons?" Nobody knows. But it is incredible that there will be an abrupt stop of development. There must be some kind of activity befitting the Infinite. And is it not possible that there is where the real unfoldment of the marvels of God shall commence. That up to that time He has been preparing His instruments of service for a yet greater and more inconceivable program than ever before. Why not?
E.A. Larsen
Covenants of God
But this does not exhaust the Covenants that God makes with Israel, either in the past or in the future, for there is a Covenant that enters into prophecy, connected with the future restoration of Israel to the land and connected with the wilderness of the Peoples, in bondage to which they are to be brought before they Enter into the land. And there is yet another Covenant to follow after their entry, known as the Covenant of peace (Ezek. 34:25 and 37:26) which is not the New Covenant.
But there is yet another Covenant that has been passed over by students and expositors, not that much has been written concerning it, but there has been failure to realise that at Sinai there were TWO Covenants. In regard to the basic commandments they were identical, but in their conditions there was a vast difference.
At Sinai God made two distinct Covenants with Israel. The first was broken when Israel worshipped the golden calf, and was symbolised by the tables of stone cast down and broken by Moses. These had been wrought and written on by the finger of God. The second Covenant was symbolized by the tables of stone hewn by Moses and then written by God and placed in the ark of the Covenant under the covering of the mercy seat.
J.G.H. Steedman
But there is yet another Covenant that has been passed over by students and expositors, not that much has been written concerning it, but there has been failure to realise that at Sinai there were TWO Covenants. In regard to the basic commandments they were identical, but in their conditions there was a vast difference.
At Sinai God made two distinct Covenants with Israel. The first was broken when Israel worshipped the golden calf, and was symbolised by the tables of stone cast down and broken by Moses. These had been wrought and written on by the finger of God. The second Covenant was symbolized by the tables of stone hewn by Moses and then written by God and placed in the ark of the Covenant under the covering of the mercy seat.
J.G.H. Steedman
Let Us Pause
Let us pause for a moment to consider how Paul felt as he wrote what was almost certainly his last epistle, 2. Timothy. His long and wonderful ministry was drawing to its close, not in blazing glory and brilliant success, but with enemies triumphing all around. Throughout the epistle he is handing over the torch to the Apostle Timothy, yet without any prospect of such success as he had enjoyed at first, but only a legacy of persecutions and sufferings (3:10, 11). Any failure as we may be called upon to endure is utterly eclipsed by his, as the importance of the ministry of any of us is eclipsed by his too. Yet do we find him complaining and enlarging on the injustice of the treatment he was receiving, as we all too often are inclined to do? Does he say anything like: "Look how I have served You, Lord; and look how You are treating me!" For that is what we, in the severe weakness of our mortality often in effect complain, even if we do not consciously realise we are doing it. No! Nothing even remotely like it. Instead he accepts with both hands the ultimate sacrifice that awaits him: "For already I am being poured out as a libation and the season of my dissolution has become imminent. The ideal contest I have contended, the race I have finished, the faith I have kept." How many of us could accept and even greet such a sacrifice?
We proclaim the Word of God; and His Word will not return to Him void; but it is an unwarrantable addition to His word to maintan that this means evident success, as we estimate success. In the end, when we are glorified in our celestial bodies, we shall see the whole of human history as God sees it. Then we will know that what appears to us now, in this life, as failure, will in the light of that vision be seen as success far beyond any we could ever imagine in our mortal bodies. His Word will accomplish His purpose, even in the deepest depths of apparent failure. That we know, and that is all we need to know.
R. B. Withers
We proclaim the Word of God; and His Word will not return to Him void; but it is an unwarrantable addition to His word to maintan that this means evident success, as we estimate success. In the end, when we are glorified in our celestial bodies, we shall see the whole of human history as God sees it. Then we will know that what appears to us now, in this life, as failure, will in the light of that vision be seen as success far beyond any we could ever imagine in our mortal bodies. His Word will accomplish His purpose, even in the deepest depths of apparent failure. That we know, and that is all we need to know.
R. B. Withers
Long-Suffering
There is one verse in the New Testament which, in the Greek, always brings a lump to my throat, just as Isaiah 53 must do to any reader. That is 1. Tim. 1:16, which tells of Christ Jesus shewing forth His "entire long-suffering" (or patience). Paul was astounded to the end of his days that the Lord could go on being so patient with him. Yet could we ever picture to ourselves a Christ who lost patience, at any time, with anyone? I must confess that to me the idea is quite absurd and impossible. It is altogether unthinkable. Just here I must press another point. Is it within the sphere of possibility that the Father could ever lose His patience, or wax irascible? Again we are forced to conclude that this is an utter impossibility. We are obliged to believe that God's patience is as inexhaustible as is His Love. That He will exhibit wrath to some does not mean that He will ever lose patience. His wrath will only be temporary. Will His patience only be temporary, or will it be as eternal as Himself?
I would humbly submit that those preachers who prate about the measureless depths of God's eternal love ought to study their own words, with a dictionary in their hands, unless they really know what Divine Love is and must ever be. The Love that "will not let me go" will never let anyone go, eternally. God can afford to wait, and win. But He cannot afford to lose, not even one. It is not His wish that a single one should be eventually lost.
Alexander Thomson
I would humbly submit that those preachers who prate about the measureless depths of God's eternal love ought to study their own words, with a dictionary in their hands, unless they really know what Divine Love is and must ever be. The Love that "will not let me go" will never let anyone go, eternally. God can afford to wait, and win. But He cannot afford to lose, not even one. It is not His wish that a single one should be eventually lost.
Alexander Thomson
Fire and Sulphur
Whatever the fire and sulphur may be, would it be your method to deal with the Principle of Evil by subjecting it to torment? Would it not be better to exterminate it altogether, to kill it outright?The final view which we have of Satan, however, is that he endures torment, which is a most personal infliction, for a very long but limited period of time. Not one word is said about the death of this being. Whatever he or it may be, Satan is not said to suffer death. Therefore, if Satan means merely the Evil Influence, it appears to be eternal.
Let us, however, credit our God with having more wisdom than to torment an abstract quality. Not even a human being would attempt to accomplish that. As human beings, we know what torment or ordeal can be. But what is torment in God's hands, as here? It must surely be salutary and remedial, and cannot be otherwise.
Have you, dear reader, ever undergone a real ordeal? Do you know of anything more fitted to drive you to God? Was not that the purpose of the trial?
What, then, is the divine purpose in the All-Wielder causing His chief opponents to undergo such torment? Assuredly it must be in order to drive these intelligences back to Himself.
Alexander Thomson
Let us, however, credit our God with having more wisdom than to torment an abstract quality. Not even a human being would attempt to accomplish that. As human beings, we know what torment or ordeal can be. But what is torment in God's hands, as here? It must surely be salutary and remedial, and cannot be otherwise.
Have you, dear reader, ever undergone a real ordeal? Do you know of anything more fitted to drive you to God? Was not that the purpose of the trial?
What, then, is the divine purpose in the All-Wielder causing His chief opponents to undergo such torment? Assuredly it must be in order to drive these intelligences back to Himself.
Alexander Thomson
Despite the Untruths
Despite the untruths promulgated by all the false religions down all the centuries, and not least the contradictory nonsense so widely held by the nominal Christian church, so far as Scripture is concerned (and that is our ONLY authority) nothing whatever is known of any form of human disembodied existence. This fact cannot be restated too often, because the almost universal view to the contrary held in the religious world is a root cause of a whole mess of unscriptural teaching. For the truth is that, apart from resurrection, death would mean annihilation; in the sense that human bodies, having been resolved to their original chemical constituents, would so remain; the "person" or soul which had resulted from the union of spirit and soul remaining forever "unseen" so far as any future is concerned.
Cecil Blay
Cecil Blay
The Lord's Death
The Lord's death means as much for you as for anybody else. You cannot obtain the Life of the Ages without having faith in Him. The Life of the Ages is a special salvation which only certain people will obtain. When the Ages are finished, all humanity will live. But we want you to get the Life of the Ages, so that you may never have to stand before the Great White Throne and be judged for your wrongdoings. God is now beseeching all human beings to arrive at a certain standard. That standard is most easy to attain to, because it only means that He wishes you to have faith in Him. If you believe God, and believe that Christ has saved you, God will declare you righteous, so that you can never come into condemnation. You will greatly honour God if you believe what He has said and done for you. You could not save yourself, so God sent His only Son to accomplish your salvation.
Alexander Thomson
Alexander Thomson
Yahweh Elohim
Yahweh first appears as the name of God in Exodus 3:14-15. In Genesis 2:5 occurs Yahweh Elohim of the self-created Creator God. On account of this occurrence of Elohim, Jehovah, and Jehovah Elohim in different parts of these narratives, linguistic critics have divided them into three separate documents by three different authors, one of whom used Elohim for God, another Jehovah (Yahweh), and a third Jehovah Elohim; but the above shows that where the original writer uses these three names for God or gods his choice is governed by a special purpose. He uses Elohim as a singular to obliterate the idea of the many gods of Egypt. He uses Yahweh, the special name of the One God, in contrast to the many; and Yahweh Elohim is used as a direct assertion that Yahweh, Jehovah, is the Creator Lord of Gods. Though Yahweh Elohim occurs in Genesis 2, the fact that it is full of Egyptian influence and ideas precludes the possibility of its being much later. The original document cannot date many years after the Exodus.
Alexander Thomson
Alexander Thomson
"Dispensational Truth"
The term "dispensational truth" has become so encrusted with theories and false assumptions that it is now absolutely necessary to discard it if we want to recover a clear Scriptural understanding of the matters with which it is supposed to deal.
This unfortunately creates a verbal gap which is very difficult to fill. We have got to purge away from our minds the false linkage to time. For the present moment the Evangel of the Uncircumcision is in force and all who receive it become members of the church which is Christ's body. At some moment to come, the body will be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and it will cease to exist on earth, and with it the Evangel of. the Uncircumcision will cease to exist also. That seems to locate it within a framework of time. So it must, because everything that happens is, in the very nature of things, located within a framework of time. But as regard s the body, that is all, so far as time boundaries go. We have no right whatever to assume that during the closing days of the present "economy" the Evangel of the Circumcision will not again, quite properly, be proclaimed to the Circumcision. There was a period during the time covered by Acts when both evangels, incompatible though they are, were being proclaimed simultaneously, though naturally not to the same people. Why should we assume that this state of transition will not occur again? Here we must tread care fully. Whether, in fact, the two evangels are now in operation simultaneously, or ever will be again, is another question, right outside the present theme. All I maintain, here, is that we must not assume this to be impossible and build up dispensational systems upon this and similar assumptions.
Another blessed gain from getting rid of all time-bound economies is that we are freed to enjoy all the Scriptures so far as they are applicable to ourselves. We need no longer say that Paul's epistles alone belong to this economy, and that it is therefore an anachronism to read the other Greek Scriptures as if they had any present application at all. Provided we bear constantly in mind that they belong primarily to an evangel which is other than ours and incompatible with it, and that we must therefore continually measure them against our Evangel of the Uncircumcision; we may apply them to our selves with safety and, what is more, with profit. Take for example an extreme case, Matt. 5 :5. Its primary meaning is fixed, not by its being in Matthew's Gospel, but by the fact that it is concerned with the land or the earth. Thus, as the C.V. note puts it, "there is no happiness in this beatitude for us." Quite so; but there is no need to be dispensational about it. We can understand it without artificial theories. Nor is there any need to "write it off" for the present time. Its basic principle is a perpetual reminder that we are living in an abnormal world-order, and further that what is true morally for those who are to enjoy the tenancy of the earth is all the more true for those whose calling is celestial. So the Apostle Paul enjoins on us meekness (Gal. 5:23; 6:1; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:25; Tit. 3:2); and twice as often as the Twelve (James 1:21, 3:13; 1 Pet. 3:16). This speaks for itself!
R. B. Withers
This unfortunately creates a verbal gap which is very difficult to fill. We have got to purge away from our minds the false linkage to time. For the present moment the Evangel of the Uncircumcision is in force and all who receive it become members of the church which is Christ's body. At some moment to come, the body will be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and it will cease to exist on earth, and with it the Evangel of. the Uncircumcision will cease to exist also. That seems to locate it within a framework of time. So it must, because everything that happens is, in the very nature of things, located within a framework of time. But as regard s the body, that is all, so far as time boundaries go. We have no right whatever to assume that during the closing days of the present "economy" the Evangel of the Circumcision will not again, quite properly, be proclaimed to the Circumcision. There was a period during the time covered by Acts when both evangels, incompatible though they are, were being proclaimed simultaneously, though naturally not to the same people. Why should we assume that this state of transition will not occur again? Here we must tread care fully. Whether, in fact, the two evangels are now in operation simultaneously, or ever will be again, is another question, right outside the present theme. All I maintain, here, is that we must not assume this to be impossible and build up dispensational systems upon this and similar assumptions.
Another blessed gain from getting rid of all time-bound economies is that we are freed to enjoy all the Scriptures so far as they are applicable to ourselves. We need no longer say that Paul's epistles alone belong to this economy, and that it is therefore an anachronism to read the other Greek Scriptures as if they had any present application at all. Provided we bear constantly in mind that they belong primarily to an evangel which is other than ours and incompatible with it, and that we must therefore continually measure them against our Evangel of the Uncircumcision; we may apply them to our selves with safety and, what is more, with profit. Take for example an extreme case, Matt. 5 :5. Its primary meaning is fixed, not by its being in Matthew's Gospel, but by the fact that it is concerned with the land or the earth. Thus, as the C.V. note puts it, "there is no happiness in this beatitude for us." Quite so; but there is no need to be dispensational about it. We can understand it without artificial theories. Nor is there any need to "write it off" for the present time. Its basic principle is a perpetual reminder that we are living in an abnormal world-order, and further that what is true morally for those who are to enjoy the tenancy of the earth is all the more true for those whose calling is celestial. So the Apostle Paul enjoins on us meekness (Gal. 5:23; 6:1; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:25; Tit. 3:2); and twice as often as the Twelve (James 1:21, 3:13; 1 Pet. 3:16). This speaks for itself!
R. B. Withers
Four Accounts
Four accounts have been given us of the ministry on earth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first three are commonly called the Synoptic Gospels because they are supposed to regard from the same general point of view the events narrated in them. This name is unfortunate because it is misleading and because it emphasizes the features common to the accounts which, nevertheless, important though they are, have for us less significance and instruction than those peculiar to each. Automatically we associate the first three together and overlook the very wide divergence which actually exists. Moreover, we are so accustomed to thinking of the four gospels as displaying four aspects of our Lord (as the King, the Servant, the Man and the Son of God) that we overlook other special features of them.
For instance, only one, Luke's Gospel, has a sequel. This, Acts of Apostles (there is no "the" in the Greek title), begins with a preface which speaks of "the first account." Clearly then, a primary object of Luke was to present an accurate history; and this is borne out by the preface to his gospel. As the Concordant Version note to Luke 1:1 admirably puts it, Luke's aim was to write an account which would be accurate and consecutive; but, more than that, we must expect to find that it is History in the widest sense, designed to link up with Israel's history in the past, world history (so far as it was relevant) at the time of writing, and future history of Israel as foretold in prophecy.*In this there is nothing inconsistent with the four aspects as usually understood. The King makes History, God's Son is above it, His Servant is not concerned with it; but as Man the Lord Jesus deliberately brings Himself within the framework of human history in bringing Himself within the limitations of time.
R. B. Withers
For instance, only one, Luke's Gospel, has a sequel. This, Acts of Apostles (there is no "the" in the Greek title), begins with a preface which speaks of "the first account." Clearly then, a primary object of Luke was to present an accurate history; and this is borne out by the preface to his gospel. As the Concordant Version note to Luke 1:1 admirably puts it, Luke's aim was to write an account which would be accurate and consecutive; but, more than that, we must expect to find that it is History in the widest sense, designed to link up with Israel's history in the past, world history (so far as it was relevant) at the time of writing, and future history of Israel as foretold in prophecy.*In this there is nothing inconsistent with the four aspects as usually understood. The King makes History, God's Son is above it, His Servant is not concerned with it; but as Man the Lord Jesus deliberately brings Himself within the framework of human history in bringing Himself within the limitations of time.
R. B. Withers
Was Adam Compelled?
Was Adam compelled to do as he did, because God had already planned out the Atonement? Was the Atonement intended only for Mankind, and not for angels, etc.? Was Judas compelled to betray the Lord, just because something was foretold about a traitor? If there are very clear and obvious signs and indications that tomorrow is going to be very wet, does the rain fall because I have predicted it? God's holy goodness, manifested in His Son, had apparently created within Judas some opposition, instead of loyalty and worship, which developed into Judas permitting Satan to enter into his heart. No human being can be forced to give way to Satan unless he consents to receive Satan.
"Adam and Eve were tested in the garden under ideal conditions, and failed." Agreed, because God cannot act dishonourably. God could not force or compel them to do wrong. But if God intended the Fall to happen, then the conditions were anything but ideal. No good parent would intend his or her child to adopt an evil life of crime, but might foresee the possibility of either a good life or a bad life. If God in any manner used superior force to corrupt Eve, she could have complained that she had been tricked. But God gave adequate warning that a certain tree must be avoided, and thus sought to protect Eve.
Alexander Thomson
"Adam and Eve were tested in the garden under ideal conditions, and failed." Agreed, because God cannot act dishonourably. God could not force or compel them to do wrong. But if God intended the Fall to happen, then the conditions were anything but ideal. No good parent would intend his or her child to adopt an evil life of crime, but might foresee the possibility of either a good life or a bad life. If God in any manner used superior force to corrupt Eve, she could have complained that she had been tricked. But God gave adequate warning that a certain tree must be avoided, and thus sought to protect Eve.
Alexander Thomson
God Complete
One reason that Jesus so often spoke of God in the third person is that he did not want to appear unto men as God, but he wanted to appear as a man just like one of us, as we read in Philippians 2:5-8, NIV:
5. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7. but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Jerry Hayes explains it this way:
Many times the question is asked, "If Jesus was Father God why did he not just say so?" The answer to this question is so completely summed up in Philippians 2:5-8. He was humble. He did not think it a good thing to flaunt his deity before men. He did not choose to appear better than man, although he was better than all men for he was the creator of all men. He choose, instead, to have all men appear better than himself.
When Jesus spoke of the Father it was always in a way that distanced his own identity from that of Father God. This action was in keeping with his character of not appearing as God, although he was. Concerning this very subject Jesus made the following promise: "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall not more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father: (John 16:25). Paul referred to this same event of revelation when he wrote unto Timothy, "Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen" (1 Timothy 6:15-16).
At the time of this great revelation may we all bow low at his feet and whisper in hushed tones of adoration the confession of Thomas, "The Lord of me and the God of me!"
William Arnold
5. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7. but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Jerry Hayes explains it this way:
Many times the question is asked, "If Jesus was Father God why did he not just say so?" The answer to this question is so completely summed up in Philippians 2:5-8. He was humble. He did not think it a good thing to flaunt his deity before men. He did not choose to appear better than man, although he was better than all men for he was the creator of all men. He choose, instead, to have all men appear better than himself.
When Jesus spoke of the Father it was always in a way that distanced his own identity from that of Father God. This action was in keeping with his character of not appearing as God, although he was. Concerning this very subject Jesus made the following promise: "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall not more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father: (John 16:25). Paul referred to this same event of revelation when he wrote unto Timothy, "Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen" (1 Timothy 6:15-16).
At the time of this great revelation may we all bow low at his feet and whisper in hushed tones of adoration the confession of Thomas, "The Lord of me and the God of me!"
William Arnold
Prayer
is objected that prayer is superfluous because God knows more than we can tell Him; that if He is gracious and merciful we need not persuade Him to act accordingly. Some say that God is too great to be concerned with our petty interests. A complete answer is that God invites us to ask of Him. We could say more, but it would be superfluous. Others say that God's sovereignty makes human prayer futile, because God does what He will. A human sovereign can grant more requests than any other in the realm just because he is a sovereign. Such misconceive God's sovereignty as a fatalism that restricts God as well as man, and robs Him of His free agency. Others say that answer to prayer is inconsistent with the fixity of natural law. They seem to think that God is so bound by His own law that He has not the power to respond to His child's cry that belongs to a human father. They forget that prayer is one of His laws, and that He not only invites to prayer, but inspires it. Indeed, all spiritual appeal to God originates with Him.
The silliest excuse is made by some dispensationists, happily very few in number, who say that inasmuch as all things are ours, there is nothing left to pray for, while others say that God is now dispensing only spiritual blessings. They ignore the fact that in the prison epistles prayer is very prominent and the exhortations are more comprehensive than elsewhere. One passage alone should destroy this folly. Philippians 4:6,7 shows that whatever causes worry is to be made a matter of prayer. Economic conditions govern the lives of men more than anything else. These come within the scope of Pauline prayer.
George L. Rogers
The silliest excuse is made by some dispensationists, happily very few in number, who say that inasmuch as all things are ours, there is nothing left to pray for, while others say that God is now dispensing only spiritual blessings. They ignore the fact that in the prison epistles prayer is very prominent and the exhortations are more comprehensive than elsewhere. One passage alone should destroy this folly. Philippians 4:6,7 shows that whatever causes worry is to be made a matter of prayer. Economic conditions govern the lives of men more than anything else. These come within the scope of Pauline prayer.
George L. Rogers
Path of Maturity
Plato says that there can be no greater sin than misleading a fellow creature into a false belief. Yet an intelligent student of God’s Word can make it more difficult for persons to commit this greater sin. Is not the saint exhorted not to be carried about by every wind of teaching, by the slight of men, with a view to the systematizing of the deception (Ephesians 4:11-14)?
Revival of thought is essential for us in our time. We should not accept what the past has to offer without thinking it through; neither should we reject all that has been thought out by others in the past and start afresh on each subject by ourselves. In the present we may borrow from the past with a view to the future; but let us think it all through before we make it our own and pass it on. Let each of us develop an intense love of sifting evidence, and the ability to withstand being swept into thoughtless agreement with superior persons when they talk theology at us. Weigh everything!
The love of truth should not be the faintest of the passions in us. We are accountable to God if we are spinelessly acquiescent followers of leaders who seek to imbue us with the utterly untenable idea that they alone are the sole and final court of appeals in matters of interpretation, and that those who differ should recant or resign. A Christian’s love for his theology or his favorite volumes should not exceed his love for God’s Word itself. Let us believe God! Only along this path does maturity lie.
Frank Neil Pohorlak
Revival of thought is essential for us in our time. We should not accept what the past has to offer without thinking it through; neither should we reject all that has been thought out by others in the past and start afresh on each subject by ourselves. In the present we may borrow from the past with a view to the future; but let us think it all through before we make it our own and pass it on. Let each of us develop an intense love of sifting evidence, and the ability to withstand being swept into thoughtless agreement with superior persons when they talk theology at us. Weigh everything!
The love of truth should not be the faintest of the passions in us. We are accountable to God if we are spinelessly acquiescent followers of leaders who seek to imbue us with the utterly untenable idea that they alone are the sole and final court of appeals in matters of interpretation, and that those who differ should recant or resign. A Christian’s love for his theology or his favorite volumes should not exceed his love for God’s Word itself. Let us believe God! Only along this path does maturity lie.
Frank Neil Pohorlak
Poetry in Action
The Bible does not merely contain poetry. It is poetry. When we consider that in its entirety (as shown in such works as the Companion Bible) it is dominated by a series of structural parallelisms, introversions, etc., we cannot help concluding that it is constituted by such literary architecture one huge poem! The balanced rhythm of its form hints at the harmony which underlies all the apparent discords and discrepancies that may seem to lie upon the surface. If it be true that the portion of Philippians that concerns the self-emptying of the Son of God, His humiliation and subsequent exaltation, is the very structural center of the New Testament, and if it be true that the name of Jesus that occurs there is the very center of the words of the New Testament, this merely emphasizes the poetic, or rhythmic, or measured character of the wonderful Book.
Alan Burns
Alan Burns
Supreme
In Colossians the grace of God in Christ rises over the creature's enmity and hatred. He reconciles the universe unto Himself. In 1 Corinthians the life of God in Christ rises supreme over death in its every aspect. The supremacy of His life is such that it will quicken the Universe and expunge death from His domains. Lastly we remind ourselves of Philippians--the heart of the New Testament writings--and there we learn anew of Christ's supremacy. Then, in that scene of universal worship and praise, the Christ of God will not be one amongst many, the Supreme One of Calvary will be recognized as Lord in all His gracious and glorious supremacy "to the glory of God the Father."
He will be supreme THEN.
It is our privilege to recognize His supremacy NOW.
Alan Burns
He will be supreme THEN.
It is our privilege to recognize His supremacy NOW.
Alan Burns
Luke
Chapter 1
30 And the messenger said to her, "Fear not, Miriam, for you found favor with God.
31 And lo! you shall be conceiving and be pregnant and be bringing forth a Son, and you shall be calling His name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and Son of the Most High shall He be called. And the Lord God shall be giving Him the throne of David,
33 His father, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for the eons. And of His kingdom there shall be no consummation."
34 Yet Miriam said to the messenger, "How shall this be, since I know not a man?"
35 And answering, the messenger said to her, "Holy spirit shall be coming on you, and the power of the Most High shall be overshadowing you; wherefore also the holy One Who is being generated shall be called the Son of God.
30 And the messenger said to her, "Fear not, Miriam, for you found favor with God.
31 And lo! you shall be conceiving and be pregnant and be bringing forth a Son, and you shall be calling His name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and Son of the Most High shall He be called. And the Lord God shall be giving Him the throne of David,
33 His father, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for the eons. And of His kingdom there shall be no consummation."
34 Yet Miriam said to the messenger, "How shall this be, since I know not a man?"
35 And answering, the messenger said to her, "Holy spirit shall be coming on you, and the power of the Most High shall be overshadowing you; wherefore also the holy One Who is being generated shall be called the Son of God.
Second Corinthians
Chapter 5
14 For the love of Christ is constraining us, judging this, that, if One died for the sake of all, consequently all died.
15 And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means still be living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes.
16 So that we, from now on, are acquainted with no one according to flesh. Yet even if we have known Christ according to flesh, nevertheless now we know Him so no longer.
17 So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new!
18 Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation,
19 how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation.
20 For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!"
21 For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him.
14 For the love of Christ is constraining us, judging this, that, if One died for the sake of all, consequently all died.
15 And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means still be living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes.
16 So that we, from now on, are acquainted with no one according to flesh. Yet even if we have known Christ according to flesh, nevertheless now we know Him so no longer.
17 So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new!
18 Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation,
19 how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation.
20 For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!"
21 For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him.
First John
Chapter 4
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, for many false prophets have come out into the world.
2 In this you know the spirit of God: every spirit which is avowing Jesus Christ, having come in flesh, is of God,
3 and every spirit which is not avowing Jesus the Lord having come in flesh is not of God. And this is that of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and is now already in the world.
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, for many false prophets have come out into the world.
2 In this you know the spirit of God: every spirit which is avowing Jesus Christ, having come in flesh, is of God,
3 and every spirit which is not avowing Jesus the Lord having come in flesh is not of God. And this is that of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and is now already in the world.
First Corinthians
Chapter 8
1 Now concerning the idol sacrifices: We are aware that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, yet love builds up.
2 If anyone is presuming to know anything, he knew not as yet according as he must know.
3 Now if anyone is loving God, this one is known by Him.
4 Then, concerning the feeding on the idol sacrifices: We are aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except One.
5 For even if so be that there are those being termed gods, whether in heaven or on earth, even as there are many gods and many lords,
6 nevertheless for us there is one God, the Father, out of Whom all is, and we for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom all is, and we through Him.
7 But not in all is there this knowledge. Now some, used hitherto to the idol, are eating of it as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, being weak, is being polluted.
8 Now food will not give us a standing with God, neither, if we should not be eating are we in want, nor if we should be eating are we cloyed.
9 Now beware lest somehow this right of yours may become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 For if anyone should be seeing you, who has knowledge, lying down in an idol's shrine, will not the conscience of him who is weak be inured to the eating of the idol sacrifices?
11 For the weak one is perishing also by your knowledge; the brother because of whom Christ died.
12 Now in thus sinning against brethren, and beating their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if food is snaring my brother, I may under no circumstances be eating meat for the eon, lest I should be snaring my brother.
1 Now concerning the idol sacrifices: We are aware that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, yet love builds up.
2 If anyone is presuming to know anything, he knew not as yet according as he must know.
3 Now if anyone is loving God, this one is known by Him.
4 Then, concerning the feeding on the idol sacrifices: We are aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except One.
5 For even if so be that there are those being termed gods, whether in heaven or on earth, even as there are many gods and many lords,
6 nevertheless for us there is one God, the Father, out of Whom all is, and we for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom all is, and we through Him.
7 But not in all is there this knowledge. Now some, used hitherto to the idol, are eating of it as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, being weak, is being polluted.
8 Now food will not give us a standing with God, neither, if we should not be eating are we in want, nor if we should be eating are we cloyed.
9 Now beware lest somehow this right of yours may become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 For if anyone should be seeing you, who has knowledge, lying down in an idol's shrine, will not the conscience of him who is weak be inured to the eating of the idol sacrifices?
11 For the weak one is perishing also by your knowledge; the brother because of whom Christ died.
12 Now in thus sinning against brethren, and beating their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if food is snaring my brother, I may under no circumstances be eating meat for the eon, lest I should be snaring my brother.
Working Things Out
A construction engineer has a building under way. Every detail as to how it is to be when finished is found in the blueprints and specifications. Everything that is essential for the accomplishment of the project is pre-planned, and he "works everything according to the counsel of his will" with the fulfilment of the project in view.
But there are thousands of insignificant details that he does not give a single moment's attention to, because they are non-essential.
Whether a workman has pork and beans, or ham and eggs, coffee or tea in his lunch box he does not care a snap about, and whether his men turn their faces east, west, north or south while eating does not concern him one whit. If an unintended accident or incident comes in he deals with it according to his best judgment and ability, but there are thousands of details related to the progress of the project that is not found in either blueprints or specifications, but the absence of pre-knowledge of, or pre-planning of these insignificant and incidental details does not in any way, form or manner, prevent him from "working all things in accord with the counsel of his will" as far as necessary for his purpose.
E.A Larsen
But there are thousands of insignificant details that he does not give a single moment's attention to, because they are non-essential.
Whether a workman has pork and beans, or ham and eggs, coffee or tea in his lunch box he does not care a snap about, and whether his men turn their faces east, west, north or south while eating does not concern him one whit. If an unintended accident or incident comes in he deals with it according to his best judgment and ability, but there are thousands of details related to the progress of the project that is not found in either blueprints or specifications, but the absence of pre-knowledge of, or pre-planning of these insignificant and incidental details does not in any way, form or manner, prevent him from "working all things in accord with the counsel of his will" as far as necessary for his purpose.
E.A Larsen
Soul and Spirit
The popular notion regarding the Soul is that it is that immaterial part of man that lives after death—that goes to hades or heaven till the resurrection; and if question were asked, "And what becomes of the Spirit?" the answer would probably be, "The Soul is the Spirit, and the Spirit is the Soul."
There is reason to suspect, however, that we have ceased to recognise a distinction which was once universally acknowledged, and that soul and spirit are not synonyms. The Bible does not use them as such; and so marked is the distinction, that when we try to ignore it, we are surprised to discover that it is impossible.
The Bible speaks of the danger of a man losing his soul, not of losing his spirit. The Bible speaks of God being a Spirit; we should be shocked were we to hear anyone say that God is a soul. Nor is it only in English that the distinction is made, we find it also in every classic language, from Hebrew downwards.
Alexander Thomson
There is reason to suspect, however, that we have ceased to recognise a distinction which was once universally acknowledged, and that soul and spirit are not synonyms. The Bible does not use them as such; and so marked is the distinction, that when we try to ignore it, we are surprised to discover that it is impossible.
The Bible speaks of the danger of a man losing his soul, not of losing his spirit. The Bible speaks of God being a Spirit; we should be shocked were we to hear anyone say that God is a soul. Nor is it only in English that the distinction is made, we find it also in every classic language, from Hebrew downwards.
Alexander Thomson