Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. We see men unite to oppose
the absolute sovereignty of God, to choose one vessel unto honor
and another to dishonor as it pleases Him. As long as the supposed
free will of men is set forth, the men of this world can find
a place of agreement. There is no clearer illustration
of this natural hatred of the rulership of Christ than in the
unity of Jew and Gentile alike in their attempts to destroy
Him. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together.
For before they were, that is beforehand, at enmity between
themselves. Now the chief priests and elders
and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put
him to death. But they cried out, away with
him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, Shall
I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We
have no king but Caesar. These same Jews actually despised
Caesar, yet they were unified with Rome in this one desire
to unseat the king of glory. Peter declared this very fact
to the nation of Israel on the day of Pentecost. Him being delivered
by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have
taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Even this
very wickedness of men was according to the predestined purpose of
him who knows the end from the beginning. Yet this in no wise
diminished the evil which was in their heart in this quest.
Rather it serves to illustrate the unified resolve of men by
nature to not have this man to rule over them. Religious men
will be confederate in their attempts to dethrone him by opposing
the definite atonement of the Lord for his elect bride. In
order to exalt the free will of men, they will minimize the
extent and purpose of the work of Christ, as they promote the
notion that he died for the sins of all men, merely making their
salvation a possibility, which depends upon their action of
belief to make it effectual. In doing so, they deny that he
actually purchased the redemption of his elect with his precious
blood, which then ultimately negates his power to rule in
his kingdom, making men to have the final say rather than him.
This is the foolishness of men. The natural man is not disposed
to love his neighbor even as himself, let alone above himself. It is a rare occasion to see
this exhibited in the world, and unity of brethren in Christ
can only occur as He is pleased to cause them to see eye to eye
by the indwelling of His Spirit. We see this unity and brotherly
love exhibited in the life of the only perfect man who has
ever walked upon the earth. For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even
dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, and that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Christ has shown
us the proper extent of true brotherly love, as he willingly
and gladly denied himself for his brethren's sake. He is our
ideal and example that we should follow in his steps, even as
Paul describes the love of Christ in the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians. Love suffereth long in his kind,
charity envieth not, charity volneth not itself is not puffed
up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth
in the truth. Beareth all things, believeth
all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, charity
or love never faileth. This is the very pattern the
sons of God are called upon and led by the Holy Ghost to follow.
Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look
not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things
of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus. This is that oneness which Christ
desired would be found in those for whom he prayed. To be satisfied
with something less is to deny Christ. Paul's exhortation to
let brotherly love continue is not given to the world, but rather
to those who are called to be his children. Something cannot
continue unless it has already begun. We love him and those
whom he loves, because he has first loved us. A new commandment
I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved
you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. We know
that we have passed from death unto life because we love the
brethren. He that loveth not his brother
abideth in death. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and
knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God, for God is love. To be without brotherly love
is to deny the gospel. Do you love the brethren with
a pure heart fervently? Christ did. To be without brotherly
love is to disregard the work of Christ. For a free CD containing
15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at
windstream.net.