August 11, 2009
 
"God . . . hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 4:8)
 
Every believer has some awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, if there is no such awareness, then there is absolutely no relationship with God (Romans 8:9). Just what, then, is the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives?
 
All who have come to God by faith have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit prior to salvation. From the world's perspective, that constitutes His ministry. The Holy Spirit is commissioned by Jesus Christ to "reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8). Acting as God the Father's operative Agent, the Holy Spirit draws us into a personal consciousness of our sin, Christ's righteousness, and the absolute certainty of judgment to come.
 
This reproof has but one goal: to bring about regeneration (Titus 3:5) and give us witness that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16). What is born from above (John 3:3) is nothing less than a "new creature" by the Triune Godhead (2 Corinthians 5:17), created like God in "righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24). The Holy Spirit energizes our "dead" spirit, and causes us to "live" (1 Peter 4:6).
 
And that is just the beginning! Once regenerated, the Holy Spirit sees to it, as the "Spirit of truth" (John 16:13), that we are led (Romans 8:14) into truth--because the Holy Spirit will not invent information, but will take truth directly from the mind and heart of God.
 
With that leading, we are sanctified (both positionally and progressively), having been chosen to salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:13). With the Holy Spirit's power (Acts 1:8), we can exhibit His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) and come under His filling (Ephesians 5:18). May the glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit be yours both as promised and in practice. HMM III
 

 
August 10, 2009
 
"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." (Malachi 3:16-17)
 
This precious promise occurs at the end of the Old Testament, a time of wholesale apostasy on the part of the people of Israel. But there was a believing remnant. Today, Christians again are in a minority (as always), and it does us well to study the former situations, paying attention to the nature of the remnant as well as God's response to them.
 
Notice first the attitude of these believers toward God. We see that they "feared" God when they "thought upon his name." Who could help but do the same as the work and character of God are pondered? Further, a proper attitude and walk with God lead to true fellowship. They "spake often one to another." Too often it seems that mere friendship replaces true Christian fellowship as entertainment of guests replaces true hospitality. Human relationships can never attain the fullness possible unless they center around the Lord.
 
Next, note God's response to the dear saints in our text. He hearkens and hears, evidently paying special attention to the attitudes ("feared the LORD") and the words ("spake") of the saints. Then He registers their history in a special "book of remembrance." We will all give an account one day, but we may be assured that the good will be remembered, for it is in God's special book of remembrance.
 
Likewise, we are assured of salvation: "They shall be mine," He says. We will be spared while others are being judged. The mighty Lord of hosts holds us as dear to Him as "jewels." JDM
 
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August 9, 2009
 
"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." (Romans 1:28)
 
This is a terrifying verse, climaxing the awful indictment (in Romans 1:18-32) of God against a world in rebellion against its maker. This burning passage begins with Paul's declaration that God's wrath has been revealed against all those who "hold the truth"--or, more explicitly, "hold down or suppress the truth" in unrighteousness.
 
Then, in a rising crescendo of testimonies of wickedness and resulting condemnation, one fearful clause appears no less than three times: "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts. . . . For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. . . . God gave them over to a reprobate mind" (vv. 24, 26, 28).
 
As terrible as such judgments seem, the provocations were infinitely worse. They "changed the glory of the uncorruptible God" into idols depicting His creatures (v. 23). They "changed the truth of God into a lie" and rejected Him as Creator (v. 25). They subjected Him to critical philosophical scrutiny, and chose not "to retain God in their knowledge" at all (implied in the Greek "did not like") (v. 28). Thus it was that our God of all grace finally had to give them up!
 
But the frightening thing is that this dark scene describes more than ancient paganism. Every verse is also a precise indictment of this present, evil "post-Christian" world, as we almost seem to be reading therein a documentary of the present age. What a picture it draws of modern evolutionary humanism in practice!
 
Yet the apostle Paul was still preparing to go to Rome, "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," for that gospel was then--and still is--"the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Romans 1:16). HMM
 

 
August 6, 2009
 
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Peter 2:9)
 
The fourth verse of Charles Wesley's great hymn "And Can It Be That I Should Gain?" compares Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison with a sinner's deliverance from bondage to sin. "Peter was sleeping, . . . bound with two chains. . . . And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: . . . And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him . . . follow me" (Acts 12:6-8).
 
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light:
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
 
The Bible teaches that before being delivered, "ye were the servants of sin |i.e., in bondage to sin|, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness" (Romans 6:17-18). We were powerless to gain freedom on our own.
 
But "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6), bringing freedom and life. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened |i.e., made alive| by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18). "And you, being dead in your sins . . . hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses" (Colossians 2:13). If He has done all this for us, how can we do less than follow Him? JDM
 
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August 5, 2009
 
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)
 
The third verse of the hymn which has drawn our attention, "And Can It Be That I Should Gain?," sets the stage for the implementation of His majestic plan.
 
He left His father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace!
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race;
T'is mercy all! Immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me!
 
The plan involved the death of God the Son. The Creator dying for the creation. The righteous Judge taking on Himself the penalty of the condemned. The rejected Holy One becoming sin on behalf of the true sinner. The convicted ones, powerless to alter the situation, simply receiving the offered grace through faith (see our text).
 
First, God had to take on Himself the nature of the condemned, live a guiltless life so that He could die as a substitutionary sacrifice. To do so, God the Son had to leave His Father's throne. And, although "being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God |i.e., was willing to give up his kingly status|: But made himself of no reputation |literally, 'emptied himself'|, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: . . . and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:6-8).
 
Adam had rebelled against his Creator's authority, and all of mankind suffered. "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12), yet Christ's work on the cross changed all that. "For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many" (v. 15). Amazing love! JDM