Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Dualism is a system of
thought that basically says there are two forces at work in the
universe. One is a force for good and the other is a force
for evil. As this theory bears fruit in the minds of men, they
generally attribute all of the events which they consider good
as coming from God and all of those which they consider evil
or bad as coming from his archenemy, Satan. I become nauseated even
thinking about such drivel when I look at what the scripture
says concerning the absolute sovereignty of God. I am the
Lord, and there is none else. There is no God beside me. I
girded thee, though thou hast not known me, that they may know
from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none
beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the
light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil.
I, the Lord, do all these things. The devil exists because God
created him and has a purpose for him. He can do nothing that
is not under the control of God, as we see in the book of Job.
His bounds are set, and he is a servant of the Most High God,
even though he despises his master. He is like a dog on a chain who
can only do what he is allowed to do. False doctrine and its
many teachers have been around since the very beginning of time.
Satan was the first, though surely not the last, nor the only one.
The very first lie that he told Eve was, ye shall not surely
die. He is called the father of lies.
Yet as pernicious and wicked as these lies were, they in no
way thwarted or changed the purpose of God, who before the foundation
of the world chose a people he would save through the redemptive
work of his son, Jesus Christ the righteous. The fall of man
was as much in the purpose of God as was his redemption by
Jesus Christ. When false teachers arise and
leave men captive, they do not frustrate the grace of God, but
only fulfill his sovereign purpose. Yet their damnation is just,
because they are ordained unto this condemnation. Heresies arise
for the purpose of manifesting the truth of God. Darkness cannot
be fully discovered except as the light shines in contrast
to it. The Lord Jesus said, I am the light of the world. The world
was in darkness until he came. Arise, shine, for thy light has
come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee. For behold,
the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the
people. But the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall
be seen upon thee. Paul wrote to the Corinthians
explaining that those whom the Lord approves stand out starkly
against the purveyors of error. Men can be lulled to sleep by
false doctrine, but the plain contrast of it with the truth
is often used by the Lord to awaken the true sons of God.
We see this clearly in Paul's admonitions to the various churches.
It is necessary that there be some who would accuse God of
unrighteousness, so that the folly of man might be seen. Woe
unto him that striveth with his maker! Let the potsherds strive
with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that
fashioneth it, What makest thou? Error exists in order that the
destruction of the wicked might be sure. And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,
that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but
had pleasure in unrighteousness. Those who are reprobate not only
embrace error but delight in it and the ungodliness that it
produces. Error serves the purpose of God
just as much as the grandest revelation of truth which God
is pleased to give to his children. The Lord said these offenses
must come but woe to those who bring them. The Lord is a refiner
of gold and silver, and He is presently at work in His people
to manifest His righteousness in them. It is through the buffeting
and heartaches of this life that the Lord is pleased to teach
them patience and reliance on Him. In our weakness He is magnified
as He teaches us that it is in Him alone that we have hope.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my
strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will
I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I
strong. The scripture makes it abundantly clear that though
these errors and their offense to the true sons of God must
of necessity arise, those who are the purveyors of such are
facing sure judgment. Those who would teach the children
of God had best be seeking the Lord for grace, to clearly proclaim
the truth and not to be caught up in men-pleasing promotion
of traditions and the scratching of itching ears. My brethren,
be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater
condemnation. Do you believe the word of God?
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