Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The Religion of the Flesh places
great emphasis on the opinions of men, doctrinal novelty, and
the discovering of new methods of attaining various heights
and stages of spirituality. There is no shortage of how-to
books which have been written to instruct and coerce those
who profess faith in Christ in these areas of obedience and
endeavor. Clever ideas for spiritual growth
are concocted by learned teachers, whose own growth is seen in their
bank accounts as men buy their newest offerings of entertaining
advice, masquerading as scriptural truth. Great numbers of those
who would call themselves believers and followers of Christ are actually
modern Athenians, who under the spell of these hucksters fork
over loads of cash to build massive worship centers and cathedrals
of praise, and then proceed to fill them with all sorts of entertainments
of the flesh in order to attract others to hear and tell these
new things. Modern so-called worship meetings are completely
unrecognizable compared to those meetings of the saints which
are described in the scriptural record. The leadership of the
Spirit has been replaced by trained worship leaders and entertainers.
The ministry of the brethren, one to another, has been supplanted
by those who promote pastoral authority and one-man ministries
to the exclusion of every joint supplying that which the body
is in need of. True worship is singularly centered
in a consideration of the finished work of the Redeemer of sinners
and the triumphs which He has accomplished as the King of kings
and Lord of lords. The awakened sons of God are
not seeking some new thing, but rather are interested in the
unchanging gospel of an immutable Savior. and the demonstration
of love one to another, according to the work of him who causes
such to abound. Paul declared to the Athenians
of ancient Greece that judgment was sure and that Christ Jesus,
the risen Lord, is the one seated upon that throne. This simple
but profound message forms the basis of all that those who are
born again seek after. A continual consideration of
the preaching of the cross is considered by modern Athenians
as too elementary and lacks the pizzazz of learning how to triumph
over their problems, get what they want from God, and convert
the masses into those who emulate their own quest. Yet the transcendent
glory of Christ can only be set forth in the message of redemption,
which declares his utter and absolute triumph over all his
enemies, and his accomplishment of the redemption of that bride
which he has loved with an everlasting love. This redemptive work is
demonstrated as the members of his body love one another, esteeming
the other better than themselves. This is not an endeavor of the
flesh, though it is most surely demonstrated in the lives of
those who are called according to his grace. We know that we
have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.
He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. It is the seeking
of a new thing for men to profess that they love the truth when
they do not manifest an abiding love for those who are themselves
the disciples of Christ. This is contrary to that simple
and ancient teaching which came directly from the lips of our
Lord. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another,
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another. Preaching and teaching is but
a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, if it is not coupled
with a fervent love for those who are the called according
to his purpose. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying
the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren,
see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently,
being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. To delight
in the letter of doctrine and to glory in the same without
a love for Christ, which manifests itself in a love for the brethren,
is to emulate the Athenians who sought some new thing. The name
of Christ is magnified not simply in the verbal preaching of His
word, but in the demonstration of the power of His gospel, applied
by His Spirit as the children of God love one another. For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself. Some preachers and their hearers
take great delight in the sound of their voice. Paul was not
such a preacher, nor did he desire hearers of that sort. Rather,
he declared, And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in
much trembling, and my speech and my preaching was not with
enticing words of man's wisdom. but in the demonstration of the
Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the
wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Ye are our epistle written
in our hearts, known and read of all men. This is no new thing. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.