Sunday, December 29, 2024

The Banner of Truth Fall 2024 Edition

 

The Banner of Truth Fall 2024 Edition

Edited by Albert G. Stoner, Jr.

Feature Articles:
The Confidence of Identity (Pg. One)
The Glory of the Church (Pg. Six)
Today's Need for Moral Courage (Pg. Eight)
Gathering Fruit unto Life Eternal (Pg. Ten)
Things that Faith Does (Pg. Twelve)
The Way to Righteousness (Pg. Thirteen)
God's Blessings unto Preparation for Glory (Pg. Fourteen)
The Sanctification in Christ (Pg. Sixteen)
The Reconciliation Was of Man (Pg. Eighteen)
The Severe Trying of Faith (Pg. Twenty)
The Lamb's Book of Life (Pg. Twenty Six)

The Hope of the Gospel

 

The Hope of the Gospel

From the southern end of Africa extends that long cape which for many ages was considered to be a fatal barrier to all navigators. Whoever was caught in its swirling waters went down to a watery grave. It was called the Cape of Storms. But finally a bold explorer sailed around it and opened for Europe and the world a new route to the East Indies. And he changed the name of it to the Cape of Good Hope.
And, so also there jutted out into the sea of life the black Cape of Death, and all who sailed beyond it seemed to be forever gone. But the Lord Jesus sailed through this dark and awful Cape and emerged "alive forevermore" on the other side (Rev. 1:18). He thus changed it into the Cape of Good Hope for the saints--"the hope of the gospel" (Col. 1:23). From beyond death comes His triumphant shout, "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore!" And "because I live, ye shall live also," is His certain assurance to us who have fled to Him for salvation (Jn. 14:19).
--From the April 1981 issue of The Banner of Truth

The Inconvenient Christ

 

The Inconvenient Christ

By Adah Hutchcraft (Daughter of Given O. Blakely)
The Inconvenient Christ (Mark 5:1-20)
Christ’s grace changes the believing, yet it does not necessarily produce outcomes valued by all who profess peace with him. When worldly allegiances are maintained in the heart, the perception of Christ is warped to accommodate them. Such contortions do not appear far from the truth when wrapped in terms of love and acceptance. Subtly emerges the portrayal of a merciful teacher of a non-judgmental gospel. Such a christ meets us where we are and does not impose fundamental change. This soft savior is a gentleman who makes few (if any) demands on our lives. He conveniently respects the restricted territories one designates as impassable. Indeed, all seems manageable to the flesh until the true Savior arrives, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus was often thronged by eager multitudes seeking respite and healing from serious ailments and spiritual oppression. On one such occasion, Jesus sends the multitudes away and departs by ship to the country of the Gadarenes, a town east of the Jordan. It was occupied predominantly by gentiles, and farming swine was a known trade among them. For these reasons, Gadara was an unlikely place for a Jewish Messiah to visit. No one was expecting him, so it would seem. Perhaps this is one reason Jesus is not met with crowds upon his arrival. He is, however, promptly met by a local man who could not ignore Jesus’ holy presence in his territory.
This man did not appear to be a tradesman, scholar, or a soldier, and his name is unmentioned. Yet, he is well known in Gadara for a most appalling and frightening condition. Day and night his anguished screams are heard resonating amidst the tombs where he tortures himself by cutting. He is a wild man, and although his countryman have attempted to bind him with chains, he breaks their bonds into bits. One can neither socialize with him nor reason with him. No band of men can restrain his violent behaviors. Incantations, medication, nor ligatures can begin relieve his pain or prevent his self-harm. He is a prisoner in his own body, oppressed by an unclean spirit. The host is mercilessly abused, unchallenged. Yet when Jesus steps foot on Gadara’s shore, the oppressor knows a greater authority has arrived.
God incarnate comes to an unprepared Gadara. With no place to hide, the unclean spirit sends its host running to Jesus, casting him at his feet. This is not a demonstration of willing adoration, but the mandatory response for hopeless rebelliousness. Jesus’ authority marks Satan’s condemnation, and a set time has been appointed for his confinement and judgment (Revelation 20:10). The unclean spirit pleads for more time, not to repent, but to express itself. Jesus does not receive the tainted worship, and commands the unclean spirit to come out of the man. This Jesus, the true Jesus, does not come to passively observe his creation, but to “heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and... to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18). This One who created the world demands the name of the pernicious perpetrator. “Legion,” it replies.
Legion must have had a leading spokesman, for at one point it speaks in the first person and at another time in the third person. The name, however, represents them all​. One spirit had made room for another and another. The nature of Satan’s oppression belies the intent of his temptations. One sin makes room for another as it gains stronger hold. We do not know how this man came into such a state because that is not the Spirit’s focus. Standing before the vexed is one greater than his vexor or vexation. Jesus comes to bind up the strong man and plunder his house, far from a passive role​ (Mark 3:27). Preparing for eviction, Legion pleads for another holding place. It begs to be sent into into a herd of swine feeding near the mountains.
The same personalities which inhabited one man now enter two thousand swine and send them into madness. Unclean enters unclean, and the herd immediately leaves grazing in the field, violently stampeding down the steep ledge, and drowning in the waters below. The capacity of the human spirit is expansive, for it is created as a spiritual habitation. We were created to be filled with the fullness of God, and Jesus takes back what is rightfully his by liberating the demoniac (Ephesians 3:19). What had once torn this man from the inside out was now removed by the authority of holiness. The captive is delivered from his oppressor, his torment, and his stolen years of shame.
What an emancipation, not just for one man, but for a whole city. No more would his tortured cries echo from the graveyard where people wished to mourn their loved ones in peace. All would be freed from the sights and sounds of his nakedness and agony, his terrible strength no longer threatening. Yet it was not the cessation of screams which captured the attention of the town. In fact, the only people who seemed to notice were those who fed the swine which had since plummeted to their death. The herdsman announced to their fellow countrymen what they perceived to be a disturbing occurrence​.
The response to this man’s freedom was fear. The Gadarenes made their living on animals that were ritually unclean according to Jewish Law, and it was a stable source of income until Jesus the Jew arrived. Inconveniences such as a man’s demon-possed state had become normalized in Gadara, for he had been possessed a long time (Luke 8:27). At least he did not pose any threat to their livelihoods, because his devils had driven him into the wilderness (Luke 8:29). Suddenly the herdsmen are thrown into disarray. The countrymen unite to investigate their tragic loss. Upon finding Jesus, the formerly possessed is observed sitting clothed and in his right mind. The witnesses are struck by such amazement that they are alarmed​.
Not everyone is glad when they witness the effects of Christ’s authority. His power over what we cannot control conforms his authority over us, too. He brings change whether or not we like it or ask for it, and at times regardless of our preparedness. In this case, one man’s release was considered by others to be a personal loss. One man was delivered from his uncleanness while others were clinging to theirs. If our landscape was so drastically changed with the casting out of one man's demons, what if this Jesus performs more exorcisms among us? What could such superior power do?​ When Jesus delivers people from sin, it often poses threat to the cherished and convenient sins of those around them. As the Holy transforms souls, accommodated transgressions are brought to light and given no place to openly flourish. The flesh considers what it has to lose of higher value than what Jesus gives. The Gadarenes were of this mind and thus pleaded with Jesus to leave. ​ Love and peace on human terms is acceptable, but impositions on livelihoods and lifestyles are unwelcomed by unrepentant hearts, even when it is the outcome of mercy. Jesus is not a convenient Christ, but therein lies his mercy. He is not willing that any should perish, which assuredly would be our end apart from his gracious imposition. Instead, at great cost to himself, he affords eternal life to all who believe on him.
Christ places limits on unrepentant influences, by gives freedom to hearts which fellowship in the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Jesus is not a gentleman, and He will unapologetically prove the foolishness of displaced worship and idolatrous reliance. He is not about making the world a better place for us, but making us a holy place for himself. The Gadarenes rejected Divinity’s presence because Jesus’ authority threatened them and their priorities. Meanwhile, the man who sat clothed and in his right mind​ requested to go with Jesus from Gadara. He wanted to be with this​ one​ who delivered him.
Since the Gadarenes desired the Savior to leave, it seemed reasonable for all of his followers to go with him, including his new convert. A fresh start in a new town would be preferable, and certainly more comfortable given his recent past. Proximity to Jesus could reassure the disciple that he would not become demonically possessed again, and wherever they went other Christ-followers would surely be nearby. Yet the Savior has a different calling for him. Jesus tells this delivered one to stay and “tell his friends the great things the Lord had done for him, how he had compassion on him​.” He had friends-- acquaintances established prior to his possession. ​ Now he will follow Jesus by going to those friends. The man’s life had taken a frightening turn in the direction of shame, isolation and destruction. His friends likely grieved his long season of torment. Now without having sought it, he knew the power and mercy of God like never before, and stood as a living testimony to who Jesus was: the Son of God. Jesus reached into this man’s life and retrieved him from Satan’s clutches, leaving neither bruise nor scar upon him. It was power manifested in anticipation of an even greater deliverance to come, “when he...disarmed the rulers and authorities, [making] a public spectacle of them, having triumphed over them through the cross” (Colossians 2:15). This delivered one’s testimony would prepare souls to receive the risen Lord after he laid down his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).
Welcomed or not, the Savior’s presence will not be convenient for the flesh. He will ultimately remove what unholy even if it is unwillingly relinquished, and he will send us where we do not anticipate going, though not without his power. The gift of salvation and came at a high price to himself, and we too must humble ourselves to receive our Lord. Once infamously renown for his madness, it was not convenient for the former demoniac to remain in Gadara, but it was his calling. Like all disciples of Christ, he had to forsake all to follow Jesus, a sacrifice rewarded with greater joy than sorrow (Luke 14:33). So while Jesus calls us to die to sin and self, it is a death which liberates us from the slavery of sin (Romans 6:6). The life we lose makes place for that eternal life which can never die, and the desires of which will be satisfied without exception (Matthew 16:25; John 11:25-26; Ps 37:4).

About Christ’s Coming

“Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen” (Rev. 1:7).

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).

Saturday, August 26, 2017

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

Sunday, September 11, 2016

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. 




 

 


InJesus

Saturday, September 10, 2016

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

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

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!

Saturday, February 27, 2016

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

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Yet it Pleased the Lord to Bruise Him


 “Yet it Pleased the Lord to Bruise Him”


By Al Stoner

 

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; he hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand” (Isa. 53:10).

 

The Nature of this Bruise or Bruising

 

Other Translations

  • “ . . . to bruise Him” (KJV, RSV, Amplified Bible, Emphasized Bible)
  •  “ . . . to crush him;” (ESV, NASB)
  • “ . . . to crush Him severely” (HCSB)
  • “ . . . to crush Him with pain” (NJB)
  • “ . . . to crush Him with suffering” (God’s Word)
  • “ . . . that he should suffer;” (GNB)
  • “ . . . to crush him, and he made him suffer” (ISV)
     
    Other Uses of the Word “bruise” in Scripture
    The first occasion was when God was publicly pronouncing judgment upon the serpent for beguiling Eve.  “And I will put enmity between thee (the Devil) and the woman (Eve), and between thy seed (the wicked) and her seed (which is Christ); It shall bruise thy head [a wound from which the Devil would not recover], and thou shalt bruise His heel” [this was the heel of Christ’s humanity, the bruising of which was the crucifixion] (Gen. 3:15). 
    In this case both bruisings spoken of here [that of the head, and of the heel] are of the nature of a figure [a figure that startles the reader and prompts him to consider that there is more here than what appears[1]].  Normally, for a man to receive a bruise on the head would not be fatal, and this would be something from which the one receiving it would completely recover.  [But a bruise on a serpent’s head would very likely prove to be deadly.]  Likewise, a bruise [or bite from a deadly serpent] on a man’s heel would, in many instances, could also prove to be fatal. 
    But in this case the One who has bruised the serpent’s head is He who has gone to such great lengths to identify with us, and yet He is far superior to us.  He has become our “near Kinsman” (Ruth 3:9, 12), and as our great High Priest He has now been “made higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26).  This is Christ Jesus, “Emmanuel” (Mt. 1:23), “the Son of Man” (Mt. 12:8, 32, 40; 13:37, 41; 16:13, 27-28, etc.), the Son of God (Mt. 4:3, 6; 14:33; 26:63; Lk. 1:35; Jn. 1:34; 9:35; 10:36; 11:4, 27; 19:7; 20:31; Acts 8:37; 9:20; Rom. 1:4; Gal. 2:20; I Jn. 5:13, 20, Rev. 2:18, etc.), even He who is “God” “manifest in the flesh” (I Tim. 3:16).  This is “the Lord of hosts”, “the King of glory” (Ps. 24:10), “the Mighty God” (Isa. 9:6). 
    He it is also who has received a bruise in the heel of His humanity.  The Lord Jesus Christ tasted “death for every man” (Heb. 2:9), and it was “through death” that He destroyed “him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil” (Heb. 2:14).  “And having spoiled [robbed, plundered] principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in” His Cross (Col. 2:15).  [These were the principalities and powers that followed Satan in his rebellion against the Most High, prophetically depicted in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28].
    When “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14), He was, in accordance with the purpose of God in Christ, placing the heel of His humanity in harm’s way for our sake’s.  Prior to the enfleshment of Christ there was absolutely no way that the Devil could have had any access to Christ’s heel.  The Savior Himself declared, “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father” (Jn. 10:17-18). 
    An Unexpected Miscarriage.  The bruise that was inflicted upon the Lord Jesus Christ by Satan was one that resulted in an unexpected miscarriage for the Devil, as it was through death, that Christ destroyed the Devil (Heb. 2:14). 
    At this point we would like to clarify once again that the Devil is not, and never was, all knowing or all powerful.  And now, we, who are in Christ, “are not ignorant of his devices”.  The Devil is strapped by limitations, over which those who are living by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have been made the victors.  [Those who are outside of Christ are still subject to his wiles and are no match for him, because of their being entrenched, by nature, in “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (I Jn. 2:16)].  But thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!  By His grace we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. 
    At this point let us consider once again the malicious designs and intent of the old serpent.  He is “a liar”, and “a murderer from the beginning” (Jn. 8:44).  He walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour among the sons of men.  The only pleasures that he has to hold before men are “the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25).
    In the gospel record there is recounted the temptation in the wilderness where Satan tried to provoke the Savior to sin, and thereby stop any further Divine working in the accomplishment of our salvation (Mt. 4: Lk. 4).  Similar to “checkmate” in the game of chess, if Satan could have had the upper hand at this point, it would have brought an end to the work of salvation.  The consequences, if he had been successful, would have been incomprehensibly grave, even more so than the serpent was able to grasp.  But as the Lord Jesus Christ said, “the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me” (Jn. 14:30).  Though He was took part of flesh and blood, like as we are partakers, there was no sinful defilement or defilement of conscience in the Savior for the Devil to appeal to.
    And there was also at least one occasion when Satan tried to hinder Jesus from going to the Cross (Mt. 16:23; Mk. 8:33), and there is the other more obvious working whereby the Devil actually had a hand in perpetrating the crucifixion (Lk. 22:3; Jn. 13:2).
    In the Scripture the word “destroy” generally does not mean to annihilate, but rather to dispossess of goods, to plunder or to spoil.  In this case the goods that the Devil was dispossessed of by Christ were those which gave him a firm moral grip upon the sons of men, particularly in the domain of the conscience.  Satan is no longer able to tempt men irresistibly, thus causing men to sin and fall into God’s disfavor. Wherever Christ is believed, and believed on, there Satan is no longer able to defile the consciences of men.  He is no longer able to hold over men’s eyes and understanding the uncertain gloomy forebodings of death and the grave: that is, wherever the gospel is preached and believed.  For in and by and through His death Christ has “abolished death, and” has “brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (II Tim. 1:8-10). 
    The bruise that Satan inflicted upon the Savior, just as the sacrifices ordained under the law, could never take away sin.  But nevertheless Christ’s putting of Himself in harm’s way in our behalf became an ever-enduring demonstration and memorial of His love for us.  If the children were to be set free, it was necessary that their Redeemer, not only be a partaker of flesh and blood, but also that He would taste death instead of them. 
    Death, a Separation, not a Cessation.  Death here is speaking of the second death primarily.  The first death, which is implied by the term “the second death”, is that of separation of the soul from the body.  “The second death” (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8) is a final separation of the soul from God.  “The second death” is clearly identified as “the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14) and “the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone” (Rev. 21:8).  Those who overcome this present evil world by their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not be hurt by the second death.  Jesus said, “He that keepeth My saying shall never see death” (Jn. 8:51). Before raising Lazarus from the dead He declared, “Whosoever liveth, and believeth in Me shall never die” (Jn. 11:25-56).  To John on the isle of Patmos, He solemnly affirmed, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. 1:18).
    An Overshadowing Bruise.  There was another bruise, however, that was inflicted upon the Lord Jesus Christ than the one He received from Satan.  It was that which Christ received from God Himself, because of our sins, and it was received in just retribution.  All of the holy and righteous “fury” (Isa. 51:17, 20; 51:22; 59:18; 63:3, 5; Mic. 5:15; Nah. 1:6, etc.) that had been justly reserved for men, because they had sinned, was poured out upon Christ by God Himself.  Jesus Christ was “smitten of God, and afflicted”. On the Cross it was our peace that was being chastised, and it was for our transgressions that Christ was wounded.  It was for our iniquities that He was bruised. And the Scripture here in our text declares that it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.  This bruise, received from His Father, was indeed “the cup” (Jn. 18:11) which His Father had given Him to drink in our behalf. 
    But by the inflicting of this bruise upon His only begotten Son, the Son would see His seed, even seed that would be His own possession throughout all eternity.  And the pleasure of the Lord would prosper in the hands of Christ, even the Lamb of God, who has taken away the sin of the world.
    The Consequence of Satan being Cast out of Heaven. “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:6-17).
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



[1] A similar figure and expression is found in the Revelation, where the Lord is speaking to the church at Smyrna. “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death” (Rev. 2:11).