Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. From the very beginning,
the Lord has been pleased to differentiate between those who
are His people and those who are not. We know that He will
differentiate between those to whom the kingdom is given and
those to whom it is not. In order to illustrate this truth
to those generations to come, the Lord chose a nation, Israel,
in the earth to demonstrate His everlasting love to that remnant,
which He has made His own from every kindred, tribe, and tongue.
This truth was hidden in a mystery which was not revealed until
the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world and was manifested
as the Redeemer of the true house of Israel. He gave to the Jews
many laws which were specifically for them and which to the carnal
mind seemed quite arbitrary in many cases. Yet the reason for
those laws and restrictions was to demonstrate that he had set
them apart from the rest of the world. For thou art an holy people
unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a
peculiar people unto himself above all the nations that are
upon the earth. Thou shalt not eat any abominable
thing. Thus he gave them many dietary
laws which they were commanded to follow. They did not become
holy by adhering to these laws, but rather they were to adhere
to these laws because the Lord had made them a holy people,
or a people who were set apart. It is very important that we
have a clear understanding of this truth, for a lack of understanding
of that causes men to go about to establish their own righteousness
by the keeping of his law. The Lord calls His sheep from
the world because they are His sheep, and He has sanctified
them, making them holy in His sight. This is that holiness
without which no man shall see the Lord. Peter speaks of it
when he says, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
and holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the
praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness and into
His marvelous light. which in time past were not a
people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained
mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech
you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which
war against the soul, having your conversation honest among
the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers,
they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify
God in the day of visitation. The Lord gave Peter a vision
wherein he saw a sheep come down from heaven with all manner of
abominable animals in it, and was commanded to eat them. Peter,
being a good Jew, recalled the idea and expressed his disdain
for that which he considered unclean. The Lord told him that
whatever he makes clean is clean every whit, and should not be
called unclean. The Lord was not instructing
Peter about what foods to eat, but rather the fact that those
whom the Lord makes holy are forever holy in Christ. Those
who believe do not become holy by their act of believing, nor
by any pursuit of obedience, nor any abstinence of any substance
or activity on their part. Rather, they are called and given
faith to believe because they are made holy in Christ. That
which God has cleansed should not be called unholy or unclean,
for it is he who sets his people apart. For this reason he sent
Peter to Cornelius' house to declare the unsearchable riches
of Christ to him, whose heart the Lord had prepared to receive
it. The Lord demonstrated his acceptance
of Cornelius and those in his house by giving them ears to
hear the gospel, which Peter proclaimed, pouring out his spirit
upon them. They demonstrated the efficacy
of his work in them by believing the word which Peter preached,
being baptized, and having a desire to hear more of Christ. Nevertheless,
the foundation of God standeth sure. Having this seal, the Lord
knoweth them that are his, and let every one that nameth the
name of Christ depart from iniquity. The man who walks in holiness
is not observed by what he eats. Rather, that man is given a desire
to be found in the obedience to Him who has called him out
of darkness and into the light. He will hear the exhortations
of the Scriptures and seek to be found walking in a fashion
which brings no reproach upon the name of Christ. Therefore,
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are
passed away. Behold, all things are become
new. Though he finds that in his flesh dwells no good thing,
yet he is given the earnest of the Spirit, crying, Abba, Father,
as the Spirit wrestles against that flesh, bringing him into
conformity with Christ. Are you set apart in Christ by
His Spirit? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.