He that findeth his life shall lose it

Jesus said,  "He that findeth his life shall lose it" (Mt. 10:39).  He who inordinately gives himself to the preservation of his life in this present world shall finally lose everything, and be a castaway.  "Finding one's life in this world" involves not mortifying the sinful deeds of the body, as well as drawing back from the inevitable suffering that is associated with living by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Losing one's life for Jesus' sake entails crucifying the flesh, and nourishing the new man, or new creature, in prospect of the coming blessedness in the world to come (see Heb. 2:5; 6:5). --Al Stoner

The Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin

The Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin


By William Lee Parsons (Now present with the Lord)


If  men  are  going  to  be  saved  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  they must  be  brought  into  a  lively  awareness  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin.    It  was  for  this  purpose  that  the  Law  of  Moses was  given.    It  was  given  with  a  divine  objective,  and  that  objective  was  much  nobler and loftier than merely providing men with  a  standard  of  living  for  the  time  that  they  spend  in  this world.    It  would  and  has  become  thee  effectual  means  for  unequivocally  showing  men  that  they  “come  short  of  the  glory  of God” (Rom. 3:23).  It would have the ministry of stopping selfjustifying  mouths,  and  making  men “guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19).      Yea,  it  would  and  has  become  the  means,  even  the “schoolmaster”  (Gal.  3:24-25),  for  readying  men  for  the  Savior from  sin,  which  God  has  provided  in  His  beloved  Son.    And this  was  to  the  end  that  men  might  be  justified  by  their  faith  in Christ,  that  God  might  be  glorified  through  His  Son.

Without  the  Law  Sin Was Dead. “For I was alive  without  the  law  once:  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I  died.  And  the  commandment,  which  was ordained  to  life,  I  found  to  be  unto  death.  For  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  deceived  me,  and  by  it  slew me.  Wherefore  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy, and  just,  and  good.  Was  then  that  which  is  good  made  death unto  me?  God forbid.  But  sin,  that  it  might  appear  sin,  working  death  in  me  by  that  which  is  good;  that  sin  by  the  commandment  might  become  exceeding  sinful”  (Rom.  7:9-13).


The  Law  Was  Our  Schoolmaster. The  Law  brought men  into  experiential  bondage,  like  unto  that  of  the  children of  Israel  in  Egypt,  cultivating  in  men  an  earnest  desire  for  the liberty  that  only  Jesus  can  bring.    The  Law  was  a  “ministration  of  condemnation”  (II  Cor.  3:9),  effectually  readying  men for  the  justification  that  is  only  found  in  believing  on  the  Son of  God.    The  Law  proved  to  be  a  “ministration  of  death”  (II Cor.  3:7),  preparing  men  to  earnestly  savour  “the  Living Bread”  and  “the  Living  Water”  (Jn.  4:10;  7:38)  that  is  found only  in  “Christ,  who  is  our  Life”  (Col.  3:4).


“Is  the  law  then  against  the  promises  of  God?  God  forbid: for  if  there  had  been  a  law  given  which  could  have  given  life, verily  righteousness  should  have  been  by  the  law.  But  the scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the  promise  by faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given  to  them  that  believe.  But before  faith  came,  we  were  kept  under  the  law,  shut  up  unto the  faith  which  should  afterwards  be  revealed.  Wherefore  the law  was  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  unto  Christ,  that  we might  be  justified  by  faith.  But  after  that  faith  is  come,  we are  no  longer  under  a  schoolmaster.  For  ye  are  all  the  children of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  as  many  of  you  as  have been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ.  There  is  neither Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither male  nor  female:  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus. And  if  ye be  Christ’s,  then  are  ye Abraham’s  seed,  and  heirs  according to  the  promise”  (Gal.  3:21-29).

The Righteousness of God without the Law

The Righteousness of God without the Law

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:21-26).

This righteousness of God that Paul is drawing our attention to has a particular application and context.  It is an aspect of His righteousness that was not readily apparent before sins were put away by the Lord Jesus Christ.  

The gospel reveals that God Himself did not sin in His forbearance of men's sins.  When Adam and Eve sinned the holy and righteous God did not forthrightly cast them away from His Presence forever with no hope of recovery, but rather He immediately announced that He had provided a remedy for them to return (Gen. 3:15).  

In the diction of the woman of Tekoah, Neither did God respect any person: yet He nevertheless had devised means in the gospel of His Son, that His banished sons and daughters be not expelled from Him forever (see II Sam. 14:14).  

The gospel of Christ reveals that God has devised a means for you and me to be unquestionably accepted with Him, a means that is completely in harmony with His impeccably righteous character and Person.  And that place of acceptance is in Christ, and in Him alone.  It would be a flagrant violation of HIs holy and righteous Person for God to receive men unto Himself apart from the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  He cannot deny Himself.  He does not and will not act work in a manner that is contrary to His own Person. 

But now the righteousness of God without the Law is revealed, a righteousness by which men, who have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, may come unto Him through His beloved Son and received the abundant salvation and remission of sins that He has provided in Christ, who "was manifested to take away our sins" (I Jn. 3:5).  That was the express purpose of God for sending His beloved Son, namely, to take away our sins. 

We praise God for the glad tidings that He has given us to declare in the gospel of His Son!  We urge all men to freely partake of God's salvation in Christ while it is yet "the accepted time".  Al Stoner

The Corruption of Overextended Association

The Corruption of Overextended Association

By Fred O. Blakely

Those who are enamored by the glamor of the cosmopolitan relationship in religion need to consider its devastating effects. Although they are gratifying to the gregarious instinct, few people are able to weather the multifarious and widespread associations without serious injury to themselves and their influence for God. Especially is this the case with those who have been granted an exceptional measure of grace and truth. And it is particularly so in this day, when the genuine faith is so scarce, but its corruption and counterfeit abound on every hand. 

The Testimony of Paul the Apostle. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these [vessels of corrupting influence], he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work” (II Tim. 2:19-21).

Contrastively, the tendency is for the religious confusion and pollution of the times to corrupt the truly spiritual person who mingles with it. The scriptural principle that “evil companionships corrupt good morals” is fully as operative here as elsewhere (I Cor. 15:33, ASV). The divine mandate is unequivocal and insistent. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing” (II Cor. 6:17); “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil” (Ps. 97:10); and, “Let everyone that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity” (Rev. 18:4; II Tim. 2:19; see also Isa. 52:11; Mic. 2:10). 

Departing from Evil in All of Its Forms. The evil and iniquity which one is to loathe and from which he is to separate himself are wholly as inclusive—if not even more so—of religious corruption as they are of what is commonly considered moral defilement. That such disregard of God’s demand for the separation of His people from “the unclean thing” inescapably results in their spiritual contamination and degeneration, is abundantly evidenced by observation and experience, as well as declared by Scripture. 

It has been the universal tendency for the bad apples in a basket, so to speak, to corrupt the good ones, rather than the other way round. Although men, in apparent sincerity of desire to be helpful, continue to mingle indiscriminately with contemporary religionists, they do not escape the consequences. The law of retrogression through imprudent association cannot be defied with impunity. It is observable that the intent of sharing more widely what one has from God tends to boomerang on those who proceed ill-advisedly in the undertaking. Characteristically, Babylon influences its reformers instead of them making any corrective impression upon it. To all practical intents, the effectual sharing generally winds up being done by the other side. Thus, the compelling yen to adapt to current religious society results in the adapter being changed—for the worse—not in him changing that society for the better. 

The Danger of Neutralization of Influence for God. A secondary consequence of unwise religious desire and association is also spiritually frustrative, and to be eschewed. It is that of the substantial decrease—if not outright loss—of vital influence for God and the faith once delivered. It is altogether possible that one, in the ambition to spread himself afar, may spread himself so thin that he actually exerts no determinative influence anywhere. He becomes just another of those many “evangelicals,” among the already superfluity, who is running to and fro, with no clear and convincing word or unyielding loyalty (see II Sam. 19:22-30). It is far better, it seems to us, to be able to make a positive, enduring impression for God and truth upon a few than to so diffuse oneself among the multitude as to not really count with any. We had rather seek to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world”—both the undisguised world and that camouflaged with religious veneer—and bear a genuine message from God than to neutralize both our message and influence by inordinate desire for the masses (Jas. 1:27). To borrow the words of Solomon, we deem it better to “dwell in the corner of the housetop” and retain our full impact for God, than to company with many influence-destroying Babylonians in a “wide house” (Prov. 25:24; cf. ch. 21:19). 

The Urgency of Legitimate Concern for Proclaiming God's Word. These observations and remarks certainly are not directed against legitimate concern and endeavor to sound forth the pure Word of God far and near. It would seem that more than forty years of continued effort by us to that end sufficiently attest to that as fact. By all means, let us, as we are able, “buy up” the opportunities to “testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24; Eph. 5:16, Weymouth). In our zeal for this holy cause, however, let us beware of the dangers of our mission. While we preach to a confused and polluted religious world, let us keep ourselves distinctly aloof from it. It is only in this called-out and separated stance that we can effectually herald the gospel, reprove sin, and retain the unique thrust for Him which God has imparted to those who dwell apart with Him. To in any vital sense blend with the Babylonians, is to be shorn of our spiritual locks, as was Samson, and so to be deprived of our genuine power with God and men. 

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The Prophecies of Christ in Isaiah, by Al Stoner, First Revision

The Prophecies of Christ in Isaiah, by Al Stoner, First Revision (PDF). www.banner.org

This is the Work of God

God said to Satan: "Hast thou considered My servant Job?"  God did not issue such a challenge to the old serpent regarding Adam and Eve.  Thus we see that progress had been made in process of time in the outworking of God's eternal purpose in Christ.  Job's senses had been exercised to discern both good and evil to such an extent that he would not curse God in spite of the sudden loss of family, goods, and health.  Job responded precisely as God knew that he would to the calamities that came upon him.  This is the work of God!

Some Words Fitly Spoken

Some Words Fitly Spoken

"My name is Thomas McKenzie. I’m an Anglican priest, and the pastor of a congregation. I speak here on my own behalf, and not on behalf of my denomination or congregation. I speak as a Christian, husband, father, and American. I’m writing this before Super Tuesday, before anyone is the nominee of either party."

"I do not believe that pastors and churches should endorse political candidates or political parties. I don’t allow “voter guides” or any other kind of party-politics at our church. I don’t even tell people who I’m voting for in elections. I love the fact that people of every political persuasion go to our church, and that my friendships are trans-political."


"I don’t get into party-politics for three key reasons. First, Jesus is Lord. The passing of power from one politician to another does not change that. So why be anxious about such things? Second, no political party or politician has ever fully represented my Christian beliefs. Most don’t even come close. Third, politics divide Christians. If I were to support a particular candidate, it could harm my relationship with Christians who think otherwise (I know this from experience). And, my support wouldn’t make any difference to the result of a national or state-wide election, so why do it?"


"I do believe in talking about issues. When I do, I try to do so through the lens of the Gospel, focusing on God’s mercy and grace, while highlighting personal responsibility. So, if (for instance) I talk about abortion, I’m assuring forgiveness and mercy to those who have had one, but also encouraging people not to have one. I focus on adoption, and care of unwanted children and mothers-in-crisis. And, if necessary, I’ll talk a little about the government."


"All that to say, there is an issue I have decided I need to say something about. And that issue is Donald Trump. I oppose his election as President, and believe that any other candidate now running, from either party, would make a better President. I believe his election would be dangerous to our country, and to the Church."


"I do not believe that Donald Trump has the best interest of our country in mind. Rather, I believe he has shown concern only for himself and his personal advancement. His focus on himself as a 'winner' and others as 'losers,' his obsession with polls, his demagoguery ('I could kill someone and people would still support me'), and more lead me to this conclusion."


"Donald Trump is endlessly entertaining. If this election were a reality show, I’d watch every episode. But it’s not. This is too important. This isn’t funny anymore."


"I believe that Donald Trump holds and proclaims racist, sexist, and violent attitudes that are in direct opposition to the Christian message, and to the good of our nation. Things he has said about women and minorities (in specific and in general), his mockery of a disabled man, his foul language directed at opponents, his declared desire to punch people in the face, his call for America to commit war crimes (by killing the families of terrorists), and more—all of these lead me to this conclusion."


"I believe that Donald Trump is taking the Name of the Lord in vain. He is misusing the Faith by claiming to be “a great Christian” while his actions—not seeking forgiveness from God, mocking the Sacrament, barely pretending to know the Bible, supporting abortion, divorcing twice, cynical pandering to evangelicals, his hatred for Muslims and others—belie this claim."


"I believe that Donald Trump has lowered the level of political discourse to that of a school yard. He acts like a bully. I believe that if he succeeds, this level of vitriol and obscenity will become the 'new normal,' if it hasn’t already."


"I also happen to disagree with Donald Trump on some actual issues, but that isn’t the point. I disagree with all the candidates on certain issues. My opposition to him is not about his political party or his political beliefs; this is about his character."


"That character matters to the Church and to the world. Presidents have limited power in domestic issues; they have to deal with the congress and the courts. But their power is far greater in foreign affairs, particularly in the use of the military."


"If Donald Trump is nearly as aggressive as he claims he will be, I believe he will use military force in ungodly ways. He could make America into a true villain on the world stage, which will only raise up countless new terrorists and destabilize an unstable world. He will have the power to separate us from our allies and strengthen our foes. All of this he could do in the name of Christ, a Name he pulls out whenever it suits him. I have no reason to believe he will show anything like godly restraint. He will be the face of America, and the face of Christianity, to billions of people around the world. Can you imagine Donald Trump in charge of our nuclear arsenal?"


"On Super Tuesday, I will be voting against Donald Trump. If he happens to become the Republican nominee, I'll have to do the same. Prayer is the most powerful tool I have, and I’ll be doing that to. I would prefer to vote FOR someone. I would prefer to find the candidate who most closely aligns with my Christian beliefs. But, not this year. This year I’m choosing to do what little I can to protect us from a Trump presidency."




Jesus is Lord. He reigns no matter what, and nothing can shake his Throne. And, at the same time, evil triumphs when good men remain silent. I trust in the Lord, and I must speak out." --Article Source