Sunday, December 23, 2018
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
Monday, November 5, 2018
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).
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).
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