Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The sons of God enjoy a
position of the greatest favor among all of the Lord's creation.
Though the Lord made man a little lower than the angels insofar
as status and power are concerned, yet it is to the children of
God that the Word of God is revealed in all of its splendor. The angel's
desire to look into those things which were made clear to his
elect among men. The Lord told us that there was
joy in heaven over a repenting sinner. And can we not imply
that those heavenly creatures who are sent to watch over the
sons of God are among those who rejoice? Yet they cannot repent
nor understand what it is to be an heir of salvation. Did
they not observe a multitude of their own number cast out
from the presence of the Lord? One can only imagine their amazement
in seeing this same Lord of glory take upon himself the likeness
of sinful flesh in order to be identified with those who are
sinners of the worst sort and rebels against the kingdom of
God. They are no doubt even more greatly astonished as he submits
himself unto the death of the cross in order to purchase the
redemption of these insurgent ingrates while satisfying the
claims which his law had against them. The writer of the epistle
to the Hebrews tells us of two kingdoms, one which could be
shaken and another one which could not. One is the kingdom
of the law given to Moses. The other is the kingdom of righteousness
given by Jesus Christ. The first kingdom was temporary
or of limited power because it could not continue by reason
of the fact that those who are its subjects could not abide
under it. It could only minister death
because it was weak through the flesh. This kingdom could be
and was shaken, and could in no wise ever deliver one of its
subjects unto life. Therefore, he says, for ye are
not come unto the mount, that is, that kingdom, that might
be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and
darkness, and tempest. Then he goes on to say, but Ye
are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written
in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of
just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than
that of Abel. This must be understood to understand
the deliverance which is brought to the sons of god by the lord
jesus christ In his redemptive work and complete fulfillment
of the law for the law was given by moses But grace and truth
came by jesus christ paul speaks of the usefulness of the law
As well as its limited purpose and power in his letter to the
galatians Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us
unto christ that we might be justified by faith But after
that faith has come we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
The law is good, it is just and holy, but it can only minister
condemnation instead of life. Therefore it was necessary that
the patterns be replaced by a more perfect law, which Paul describes
to the Romans. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. This is a law which can never
be shaken, because it is a law which is in no wise dependent
upon the activity of sinful flesh. This is a law whose power is
in the lawgiver, who is the performer of the same. For I through the
law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified
with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by
the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself
for me. I do not frustrate the grace
of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead in vain. In every age there are those
who continually try to bring the free-born sons of God back
under that law given to Moses. They tell us that Christ has
fulfilled the ceremonial law by His death on the cross, and
that He has indeed forgiven us for our many sins. But they tell
us that we are not set free from the law itself, but that the
Lord has left it hanging over our heads like the sword of Democles. The Lord shakes this kingdom,
and the rotten fruit falls by the bushel. For any righteousness
which is defined by an adherence of flesh and blood to a moral
code cannot stand the test of true righteousness which can
be found in Christ alone. That man whose hope is built
upon the perfect fulfillment of the law by Christ will never
be ashamed. See that ye refuse not him that
speaketh, for if they escape not who refused him that spake
on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from
him that speaketh from heaven. Is Christ alone your hope of
righteousness, or do you cling to your own rotten fruit which
will be shaken and fall? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.