Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The natural religious man
will often seek to make Christ's teaching to be about morality
and will seek to try by his own endeavor to implement these teachings.
Yet when he has expended all of his energy in this quest,
he will in reality be no closer to the true implementation of
such principles in his heart than when he started. The rich
young ruler is a good illustration of this fact. Just as surely
as someone commits the right kind of affront, he will, without
thinking, rise in anger and vengeance towards this person, even though
it may be but a momentary episode. Sin is bound in the heart, and
men are bound to sin. The teachings of Christ set forth
two basic principles which serve to enrage the righteous and to
humble sinners. The first of these lessons is
that the Lord would have his children to be aware of how their
innate corruption would destroy them were it not to be restrained
by his mercy. The second is that he would have
them know the perfections that dwell in him as he demonstrates
a perfect righteousness before men and God which cannot be copied
or exceeded. He was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin. In like fashion as Christ taught
these principles when he walked among the men of this world,
so too does he send forth men into the world to declare the
exact same things. On more than one occasion, Paul
speaks of the simplicity of speech which he used in the declaration
of the gospel among those to whom he was sent. When he does
so, he is not describing the gospel as a message which is
so simple that men can grasp the true understanding of it
in their flesh. Rather, he is declaring that the gospel cannot
be enhanced or aided in any way by the persuasion or eloquence
of men in order for it to be successful in the calling of
the sheep of his pasture. The gospel message itself, when
indicted by the Spirit of God, cannot be overturned or rejected
by those whose hearts the Lord has opened, as seen in the cases
of the Ethiopian eunuch, the Samaritan woman, or Lydia. The
clearest example of this truth is seen in Acts 13, 48. And when
the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word
of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. It is quite unfortunate that
many religious, and I think in many cases well-meaning men,
think that certain elements of the gospel message should be
hidden rather than simply declared as plainly as the scriptures
speak of them. Some of those are the absoluteness of God in
His decrees. He said, 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.
What can possibly be added to this statement by the potsherds
of the earth? Do not the sons of God rejoice in his majesty
and tremble before him who does according to his will in the
army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth? Can
his hand be stayed? The second is the unconditional
election and predestination of his children unto eternal life,
and his determination to destroy the reprobate who he has ordained
unto destruction and created for this purpose. Nay, but, O
man, who art thou that replies against God? What if God, willing
to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with
much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction,
and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the
vessels of mercy which he had aforeprepared unto glory? Thirdly,
the definite and particular atonement for sin which Christ has performed
in order to redeem those whom he loved with an everlasting
love. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his
own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us. Is it possible that one for whom
he has obtained eternal redemption should ever perish? Fourthly,
the effectual calling of the elect unto Christ, and the application
of the gift of faith to those whom he calls. All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. Can any man enter the kingdom
of God without faith or knowledge of Christ? Lastly, the complete
and total salvation of those whom Christ has redeemed. There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
and that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
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