Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Here in the South, the
Bible Belt, if you will, religion of one sort or another has always
played a big part in people's lives. Almost everybody in past
generations was raised to go to church on Sunday, especially
Easter Sunday. It is such a warm tradition that
causes the minds of more mature folk to be drawn back to a simpler
place and time. Sadly, many confuse such traditions
and memories with the reality of following Christ. When they
desire old time religion, they only desire to go back a certain
number of years. Some are satisfied with the 40s,
some the 19th century, or some who really desire to go back
may define old time as coming from the 16th or 17th centuries.
But in reality, the basis for the faith once delivered to the
saints must go back 2,000 years. The followers of Jesus Christ
were first called Christians at a place called Antioch in
the country of Turkey. The term Christian literally
means like Christ or follower of Christ. The early believers
in Antioch were given this name by those who were unbelievers.
It seems that their love and devotion to the teachings of
Christ were so plainly evident that even those who had no faith
easily recognized those who were the followers of Christ. Things
have changed quite drastically in 2,000 years. The heretical
doctrine of decisional regeneration has filled up churches with great
numbers of religious folks who cannot be distinguished from
the world unless they are wearing a t-shirt with some catchy gospel
slogan on it or they put a bumper sticker on their car advertising
that they are Christians. Churches often compete with one
another for members with enticing programs and entertaining worship
services, not to mention bigger and better and more elaborate
buildings, classrooms, and buses and vans equipped to deliver
the faithful to this fun destination or that. Nowhere in all of the
scripture can we discover anywhere that the early followers of Christ
ever engaged in any such campaign to enlist or entice people to
join up with them, or that they needed some calendar of activities
to keep them active. The scripture does say the Lord
added to the church daily such as should be saved. The Lord
is quite able to call His own unto Himself in His own time,
as He sends men into the world to preach the gospel of the glory
of the blessed God. The Bible as we know it was not
completed until the death of the Apostle John, who wrote the
last book in it, which is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which
the Lord gave him. Then centuries passed before
it was readily available to the common man. Yet the Church of
God flourished, because that which the saints of God must
be taught in order to be the followers of Jesus Christ cannot
be communicated to them by men, but only by the Holy Ghost, who
is our Teacher, and does not speak of himself, but speaks
plainly of Christ. The Lord has blessed us in placing
within our hands the completed canon of Scripture. But apart
from the supernatural work of the Spirit in opening up our
understanding, it may as well be written in a foreign language.
But He is faithful to lead His people into all truth. He said,
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free. Sunday schools have produced many who can quote the Scriptures,
but yet know nothing of the Word of God. The Spirit of God produces
the likeness of Christ in those whom He calls, and teaches. The
scripture plainly says, for whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son. God
is not attempting to bring this to pass, but is accomplishing
exactly what he said he would do. The decisional regenerationists
have produced a group of folks who give no evidence of this
work in them. so that they have come up with a designation for
them, designating them carnal Christians. The scripture knows
nothing of this. When the Lord saves a man, he
makes him a new creature. Old things are passed away, all
become new. He gives his children a love
one for the other and a desire to gather together to worship
him. The carnal Christian can be satisfied with occasionally
assembling with the saints. The true sons of God, however,
feel in themselves a great need of such gathering. This is caused
by a twofold motivation, the love of the brethren and the
need to be fed and nurtured in the most holy faith. Those who
have been taught of God know themselves to be in need of that
which only the body of Christ can supply. And hath put all
things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things
to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth
all in all. Have you been taught by men or
by the Spirit of the living God? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net