Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The Lord will demonstrate
that He does indeed put a difference between His sons and the children
of wrath as they pass through this world of sin and sorrow.
They are a holy people that is set apart unto the Lord. They
are a peculiar people in that he works in them both the will
and to do of his good pleasure, quite in contrast to the men
of this world who are left to pursue their own way unto that
very end, manifesting their appointment unto destruction. For who maketh
thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it,
why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? The evidence
of this work in the sons of God is seen as they are embroiled
in a life and death struggle with their sinful flesh. That
new nature which He has given them does ever strive against
that flesh which once had free reign over them. Therefore, if
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed
away. Behold, all things are become
new. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against
the flesh. And these are contrary the one to the other, so that
you cannot do the things that you would. Paul describes this
warfare and its outcome quite clearly. For I delight in the
law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that
I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank
God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I
myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of
sin. Because of this continuing conflict,
which often leaves the sons of God discouraged and mindful of
their great weakness, the Lord does bring great encouragement
to them by the recognition of the mutual faith which is shared
by those in whom he is pleased to work and causes them to have
fellowship one with the other. Thus we read in Paul's letter
to the Colossians his great joy in considering the steadfastness
of their faith in Christ. The term steadfast means to stand
one's ground, to be resolute or unmovable. The faith of God's
elect is Christ, not Christ plus something, nor anything less
than Christ. He is the rock of their salvation
who cannot be moved. Thus, when Paul speaks of the
steadfastness of their faith, he is primarily considering the
object of their faith. It is impossible to have steadfast
faith if the basis upon which that faith rests is not steadfast. Having established this foundation,
he then considers the faithful work of the Holy Ghost in keeping
them from falling, which men, left to themselves, will surely
do. The saints of God are encouraged
and built up into faith by the mutual and shared belief in Christ
and Him crucified. When we see brethren faithfully
following on to know the Lord and walking in obedience to His
precepts, we cannot help but be strengthened and reminded
of the goodness of the Lord to lead His sheep. We sometimes
doubt our own standing in the Lord, since we are acquainted
firsthand with the self-deception that we are prone to. Yet we
are encouraged by the work of the Lord in our brethren, whom
he has given us great esteem for. This is why a regular assembling
of ourselves together is of such vital need. Over the course of
his life, Paul saw many walk away from the faith which they
once professed. This is why he often warned those
to whom he wrote to watch and pray, to be diligent in that
which the Lord had called them. This is why he warned the Ephesian
elders with tears to beware of wolves in sheep's clothing. There
are multitudes of avenues down which false professors may be
turned aside, but there is only one path wherein the day star
shines and the truth is manifest. So when the Lord is pleased to
enable us to behold the steadfastness of the faith of His elect, we
cannot help but be inspired to fight the good fight and lay
hold upon eternal life. As we see faithful brethren,
we are encouraged and made to rejoice in the Lord, whose faithfulness
is new every morning. The brethren's steadfast faith
reminds us that it is not by works of righteousness which
we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. If he
faithfully keeps our brethren from falling, will he not do
so for us and all who tremble before him? Though we declare
our own weakness in faith, confessing with him who said, Lord, I believe,
help thou mine unbelief. But here come unto Mount Zion,
to the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written
in heaven, and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant,
and to the blood of Sprankling, that speaketh better things than
that of Abel. Have you come unto Him? For a
free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net.