Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. We need not fear to use
any word or teach any doctrine which is taught in the Word of
God, whether we like it or not. Election and predestination are
words which some wish were just removed from the Scriptures,
since their inclusion set forth inconvenient truths. In fact,
it appears that some of the newer so-called translations of the
Scripture just leave it out or reduce it to an afterthought.
Yet the truth of God shall stand the test of time and the twisting
of its written form by men. Truth will always exalt Jesus
Christ above all persons and things and leave man no place
to glory before him except in the work which he has done. Perfection
is another word which causes gasp from some who would rather
keep it hidden rather than examine what the scripture means when
it uses the term. Many recall the use of the word
perfection since they think it implies sinlessness or sinless
perfection. There are others who have gone
shipwrecked thinking that it is possible for them to attain
such a sinless state. The words perfect and perfection
are used quite a few times in the scriptures, but never to
indicate a state of sinlessness. Those who think it possible for
them to cease from sinning in this life are either unacquainted
with what sin is or their own corrupt nature. There are several
Greek words which are translated as perfect, but every one of
them conveys the meaning of completeness or maturity. We're instructed
to leave the doctrines of Christ and go on to perfection. Some
have assumed this to mean that doctrine is therefore unimportant.
This is not at all the thought conveyed here. Rather, the opposite
is true. The foundation of sound doctrine
is the only basis from which one can go on to the perfection
mentioned in Hebrews. Paul said that one of the marks
of maturity was not being able to be tossed about with every
wind of doctrine. This is a desired place for the
sons of God to be. If a man does not have a firm
grasp of what the gospel is, then it is not likely that he
will be able to make much headway unto maturity. The weak and beggarly
state of the visible church, humanly speaking, is primarily
due to the dearth of sound teaching in its midst. The average so-called
Christian has little concept of what the true gospel is. Most
are so steeped in the teaching of the sovereignty of free will
that they actually think the true gospel to be false when
they hear it. The passage of scripture found in Hebrews 6.1
is a strong counsel to those who have not only been instructed
in the true doctrine of the scriptures, but who have their senses exercised
to discern good and evil. What we are instructed to do
is not to abandon sound doctrine, but rather to avoid hashing over
doctrines without any desire to see them applied to us in
our everyday lives in a practical way. But be ye doers of the word
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. We never grow
tired of hearing the gospel preached. It is that which fills our heart
with gladness and causes us to rejoice and praise the God who
designed and accomplished our redemption according to his own
purpose and not ours. However, we should rejoice in
the hearing of these things, not just to hear them, but that
in hearing them we might be stirred by them and found to be walking
in obedience to his precepts, and not just endlessly parroting
doctrines we have already learned. Some seem to think that what
they know is more important than what they do. But did not the
Lord say, My brethren are these which hear the word of God and
do it. He also said, If you love me, keep my commandments. Doctrine
that does not melt the heart of the saints of God and stir
them up to love and good works. is probably but an empty shell.
Paul said that that word which he preached was not with enticing
words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and
of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God. Now lest we should be mistaken
into thinking that by such exhortations we are prompting the children
of God to mere morality, let us remember that many of these
Hebrews to which Paul was writing were abandoning their reliance
on the finished work of Christ, to return to a form of Judaism
in which their flesh took comfort. The love and good words which
we are admonished to pursue will always have as its basis and
firm foundation the knowledge that it is 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. Our
pursuit of obedience to him is born out of a desire to 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. Let us therefore, as many as
be perfect, be thus minded. Are you growing in grace? For
a free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net.