Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The Greek word which is translated
as reckon in the scriptures is the root word of our English
word logic. It is an accounting term which literally means to
count, compute, or calculate, and is in some ways akin to the
term reconcile, as that term is often used in accounting as
reconciling accounts, which simply means to be sure that they add
up. This is what Paul means when he speaks of reckoning. True
faith is completely logical because it has as its basis the logos,
true logic, or the Word of God. Yet it is completely illogical
to the thinking of the natural man who considers such things
as foolish. But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
unto him. Neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned. We are not surprised when men
count it a waste of time for them to heed the Word of God.
They simply reckon it to be unreliable, and no amount of teaching or
reasoning can change their mind. Yet to those who have been given
the gift of precious faith, the Word of God is that which is
their delight and complete ground of hope. They reckon it to be
more valuable than rubies, diamonds, and gold. The faith which the
religious world generally speaks of is a sort of fantasy or make-believe.
We often hear the hucksters of TV and radio admonishing folks
to believe. They tell the gullible that there
are many blessings in store for those who can muster up the power
to believe as though they possess some ability to have faith. They
claim that they are able to alter the course of history, heal men
of diseases, and grant blessings of one sort or another. Of course,
they desire their hearers to reach in their pocket and send
in a love gift so that they won't lose their blessing or healing.
I reckon such to be a deception and no biblical faith at all.
The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. That
which God grants can be neither lost nor forfeited. The concept
of true faith has been almost completely sidetracked today
by the rise of the concept of the power of positive thinking.
This dogma, which has infiltrated and permeated our society, has
become the fertile ground of deceivers who have led the masses
down Primroe's path of name-it-and-claim-it and other related nonsense. I
reckon that whatever a man believes in, which is not spelled Christ
Jesus the Lord, is but a sideshow. Biblical faith is that which
is purely objective. By that I mean it always rests
on a basis and is not the operation of one's desires, devotions,
or ability, but rather is the gift of God which causes a man
to rest in Jesus Christ. He is the foundation and basis
for true faith. He is our faith. We neither have
or need any other. Prayer does not change things.
God changes men, often through the means of prayer, as the Spirit
of God works in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Paul says, likewise reckon ye
also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through Christ Jesus our Lord. Some tell us that Paul is mistaken,
that we are somehow not really dead to sin, but that we ought
to simply act as though we are dead to sin by mortifying the
deeds of the flesh. Such a thought process is not
in keeping with what Paul means when he says reckon. You cannot
reckon something to be true that has no basis in fact. Paul said,
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. If a man is a new creature in
Christ, then he is dead to sin, and should reckon it so, as one
calculates the basis upon which he stands. So how are the sons
of God dead to sin? When the sons of God were unregenerate,
they walked according to the course of this world. They were
free from righteousness, and willing subjects unto bondage.
Yet Christ has now set them free, and they are no longer in this
bondage. The purpose of the preaching of the gospel is to preach good
tidings unto the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to
them that are bound. Reckon therefore yourselves to be dead indeed
unto sin, and alive unto Christ, if so be that the Spirit of God
dwells in you. This is not make-believe, but
the true work of God in the behalf of His own. We are reckoned by
God as righteous because of Christ, who is our faith. We are presently
reckoning ourselves to be the sons of God if we be in the faith,
those who are delivered from sin and who owe no allegiance
to this flesh which does so easily beset us because of its love
for sin. But we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us and gave himself for us. Do you reckon
Christ alone to be your hope of eternal life? If you would
like a free transcript of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor
at windstream.net.