Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Peter spoke of a calling
on the day of Pentecost when he described to those to whom
the gospel was sent. For the promise is unto you and
to your children and to all that are far off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call. Paul speaks of the specific nature
of this calling when he writes to the Romans. We know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom
he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he
also glorified. This calling is that which all
of the elect children are made partakers of. They all share
a common bond which sets them apart from the world, even as
the Lord told his disciples, If the world hates you, you know
that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world,
the world would love his own. But because you are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you." This common bond which the sons of God share
with one another is that which they share with Christ himself.
As Paul describes his desire to be one with Christ as he denounced
all earthly ties and attainments. But what things were gained to
me, those I counted lost for Christ? Yea, doubtless, and I
count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but done, that I may win Christ,
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith. that I may know
Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might
attain unto the resurrection of the dead. It has been revealed
to the sons of God that they have an inheritance which does
not fade away, to which they are called and prepared by His
Spirit who indwells them. For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the
spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit
himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God. And if children, then heirs,
heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Thus
those who are in Christ are made to be the partakers with Christ
in all things. He is touched with the feelings
of our infirmities by his identification with those whom he loves, and
they are called to remember his sufferings in their behalf, as
they recognize that he has borne their griefs and carried their
sorrows. The kingdom of God is not made
up of freelancers who each go about to establish their own
righteousness. Rather, the sons of God are all made to share
in the one righteousness which is necessary in order to enter
into his presence. For we being many are one bread
and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread.
There is no mixture of those things which are profane and
of this world with those which are from heaven. You cannot drink
the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partakers
of the Lord's table and the table of devils. If a man would feed
upon Christ, he cannot partake of those things which emanate
from darkness rather than light. This is the fellowship of the
saints with Christ their Lord. This is that common salvation
in which all of the saints rest, not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed
on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being
justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the
hope of eternal life. Let no man deceive you with vain
words. Be not ye therefore partakers
with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light
in the Lord. Walk as children of light. The
offense of the cross never ceases. The men of this world and the
purveyors of this world's religion of man's free will will be ever
set against the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. Shall
the sons of God shrink back from declaring and standing upon that
gospel in the face of those who despise it? But rejoice, inasmuch
as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory
shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
We have no grounds upon which to glory, except in that which
Christ has made us partakers of, giving thanks unto the Father
which hath made us meet, to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness
of sins. Have you been told by Christ?