Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The time comes in every
age and in every church when sound doctrine is rejected in
favor of a more palatable message, which allows men to bask in their
knowledge, morality, and good deeds. Paul exhorts Timothy concerning
the necessity of preaching sound doctrine to build up the saints
in the present tense, for the days of darkness are not far
removed from any ministry which declares the truth of Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. Much seed is sowed upon the stony
and thorny ground, and it is difficult to discern such from
that which falls upon the good and fertile soil until some time
has passed. Indeed, Satan has planted tares
among the wheat, which grow until the time of the harvest. But
they shall then be identified, even as Paul says, because they
receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 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 had pleasure in unrighteousness. Paul wrote
to the Galatians of this same matter. I marvel that ye are
so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of
Christ unto another gospel, which is not another. But there be
some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. He tells Timothy to preach the
Word. To preach is to declare loudly
with purpose, even as one who is a herald or announcer. He
tells Timothy to preach the Word. To preach the Word is to preach
Christ. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That is the
Word of faith which we preach. It is impossible to preach the
Word with the mixture of any other doctrine. Christ is all.
As Paul said, I determine not to know anything among you save
Jesus Christ and him crucified. He describes the manner in which
he is to preach the Word as being instant. This Word is literally
defined as to stand upon presently. There is to be no equivocation
in the preaching of Christ and Him crucified. Nothing is to
be added. Christ and Christ alone is the
message upon which we stand. And it is here that God's people
are edified, encouraged, and comforted. He tells Timothy to
preach in season and out of season. This literally means when it
is convenient and also when it is not convenient. The circumstances
of time and place must not dictate the preaching of the word. This
is the same message that Paul gave Timothy when he said, thou
therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that woreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this
life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. Singleness of purpose in the
proclamation of the gospel is that which encourages the sons
of God to stand fast. Then he describes the application
of the truth as being reprove, rebuke, and exhort. The gospel
is a message which by its very nature corrects, admonishes,
and encourages the sons of God. This activity is the result of
preaching when the Lord is pleased to empower his truth to the heart
of those whom he is pleased to give ears to hear it. The fashion
and attitude of those preachers who were sent by Christ is to
be with long-suffering. This is synonymous with patience
and forbearance, remembering that we know nothing as we ought
to know, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being
examples to the flock. Proper or sound doctrine is the
whole basis upon which the true message of the gospel rests,
and without which there can be no true gospel preaching, and
the saints cannot be edified and built up in the most holy
faith. The message of the gospel can only be heard by those who
have been given life. The giving of this life comes
as a man is born again by the Spirit of God. Apart from that
new birth, he will remain dead in trespasses and sins. When
Paul speaks of Him who will judge the quick and the dead, he speaks
of those who are alive and those who are lifeless. All men, whether
living or dead, shall stand before Almighty God in the day of judgment.
Those who are alive in Christ shall stand in Him who has borne
their sins, and they are judged as righteous because of Him.
Those, on the other hand, who come into that great a size as
dead men shall indeed experience the second death, for they have
not the life of Christ. He that believeth on the Son
of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath
made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave
of his Son. And this is the record that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Do you
have life in Christ? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.