Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Nothing is more common
among professing Christians than apostasy from the faith which
many at one time seemed to embrace. We should not be surprised at
this, since the Lord taught that such would be the case in His
parable of the sower. Some of the seed fell upon the
stony ground, and immediately sprung up, but soon withered,
not having any root. This is typical of those who
often have euphoric experiences which ultimately fade, and they
have no basis upon which to stand, only to keep searching for another
experience, much like a drunkard seeks to find happiness in his
bottle. Some fell upon the thorny ground,
and even though they expressed some agreement, perhaps even
a measure of human remorse over their sin, the cares of this
world overcame their desire to embrace that truth which they
professed to believe. This is typical of those who
receive not a love of the truth that they might be saved. Like
the proverbial sow that is washed, they return to their wallowing
in the mire. And for this cause God shall
send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that
they all might be damned who believe not the truth but add
pleasure in unrighteousness. Many conclude that this is descriptive
of moral decay, and while such might be demonstrated, yet that
unrighteousness in which the natural man has the most pleasure
and is the source of his greatest damnation is in his free will
religion wherein he thinks to produce and present his own righteousness
unto the Lord. For other foundation can no man
lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The unadulterated
gospel of the glory of the blessed God is this foundation. Christ
is all. Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation
of stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.
He that believeth shall not make haste. This is that gospel which
Paul says that the Galatians have received from him, exhorting
them not to depart from it. For there is no alternative gospel
which can be said to be true. He knows that there will be many
who would pervert the plain message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified,
adding to it all sorts of duties and activities designed to give
them something other than Christ to fix their vision on and rely
upon. Since many of them were Jews,
he knew that their natural tendency would be to seek to mix in some
law with the gospel. That which is of the law is not
of faith. The purpose of the law was to
be a schoolmaster to bring them unto Christ, and not a moral
code or list of duties for those who were made free from the law
of sin and death by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus. He goes on to define the gospel which they had received.
Wherever he went, he was determined to know nothing among them but
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He said this gospel was, first
of all, not according to the natural man's reason. But I certify
you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not
after man. The true gospel is not built
upon the natural understanding of men, nor can it be received
by the same. But the natural man receiveth
not things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto
him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned. This is what the Lord told Nicodemus. Except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Number two,
It is not taught by the power of the flesh, nor the skill of
oration. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught
it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. The same power
which opened his understanding also applies the preached word
to the ears and heart. For we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus'
sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And finally,
it is not resting upon any carnal religion or tradition. For ye
have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion,
and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine
own nation. But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace,
this calling caused him to declare, But what things were gained to
me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I
count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but done, that I may win Christ,
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death. Have you received this
gospel?