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Volume 71 Number 1 Lubbock, Texas 79493 Copyright $12.00 Per Year January 2003 |
Time Salvation Voice of the Past Abortion Numerous issues raised by abortion Discipline of the church Fully effectual gifts House to House Meetings Tour Through the Bible Obituaries
We are living in a period of time among the Primitive Baptist people that the term (time salvation) is being called in question. This bothers me to a great degree especially since I have heard these words used all my life by sound Old Baptists ministers. Is the term time salvation taught in the scriptures and what do we mean when we use this term? We as Primitive Baptists have always believed that there is a work that is done by God outside the work of man, other words God does not and will never use man in the work of redemption, God will not and will never use man in the new birth, that is to give spiritual life to a person that is dead in sin. There is a work that God does for the salvation of his people in the person of Jesus Christ and this work started in Christ before the world was ever created. Eternal life comes to the sinner by the eternal working of God. When we use the words time salvation, we are referring to a deliverance that comes to us in time, that is, as we live in this time world.
For instance as Peter was walking on water and as he took his eyes off of Jesus he began to sink and said Lord save me. Peter was not talking about becoming a child of God, he was already a child of grace, he was already born of the Spirit, but when he called out Lord save me he was about to drown. This deliverance was not an eternal deliverance but a timely one. His life was spared because he called upon the name of Christ. Likewise your belief in the gospel does not give you eternal life, nor do you have to wait for the blessing that comes to you until you reach heaven. This gospel manifests the eternal life that you already have and brings it to light that you might rejoice in it as we live in this time world. Other words there are blessings to be had before we reach heaven and most of these blessings are conditional on our part. It is based upon our belief, it is based upon our calling upon the name of the Lord, and it is based upon our obedience to him that gave us this eternal life to start with.
In 2nd Timothy chapter 1, verse 9 deals with our eternal salvation, "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." I do not suppose that any Old Baptist would disagree that Paul is talking about the work that was done in Christ, that this work began in the covenant of grace before the world began. Now verse 10 takes a change from the eternal deliverance that took place in Jesus Christ to a timely deliverance that can only come to the believer through the gospel. "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." You see verse 10 is not dealing with the gospel giving life and immortality; this was done through the finished work of Christ. The only thing that the gospel does is to bring that life and that immortality to light. This revelation comes to you as you live in this time world. In 1st Corinthians 13:13 Paul says, "And now abideth, faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." As we live in this time world we possess faith, hope and love, but when we enter the glory world there will be no need of faith and no need of hope because heaven will have come a reality. We will have passed from this time world into the eternal glory with God.
I realize as I close this writing that there is much more that could and ought to be said about this subject of time salvation, but space does not permit at this time. I trust that you read this with an open mind. When we use the terms time salvation and eternal salvation we are just saying that there are blessings that we are blessed with as we live in this life, that we do not have to wait until we reach heaven to rejoice in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Have you ever rejoiced in the gospel? If you have, were you here in this time world or have you already gone to be with the Lord? I would suppose that if you are reading this article, it is because you are still here on earth, your time here on earth maybe drawing short, but your faith and your hope points your mind toward that great day of the Lord when he will come to take us home to glory. AMEN:
By the late R. W. Cothern
Lo then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Psa.55:8
For many years I have carried a hurt deep in my soul-like a wound that would not heal. Sometimes it seems as a bitter loneliness-a feeling of remorse for many wrongs, or a knowledge of accumulated failures that weigh heavily on the soul. Even tho' I have realized considerable success in my work. I feel to have failed in my obligation to spiritual things.
Years ago when I was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church I was restless, impatient and over zealous for the Church to prosper. To take hold and do things. I could never understand why they must be the small isolated, unconcerned people that they were. So divided and estranged, not only in my little home community, not only in the great state of Texas, but in the United States, Europe, Australia, they apparently were indifferent to their future as a Church, and made small provision, if any, to carry their ideals over to their neighbors.
So, I proceeded to "advise" them through the columns of the papers, and even though some of it may have been good advice, it saddens my heart now as I read clippings of some of those articles after years of wandering. I have "wandered off" and am resigned to "remain in the wilderness." I have failed the only people that loved me for Christ's sake, and am no longer worthy of their notice. And I am not throwing myself at you--the only reason I am writing this little scribble is because of my old friend, H. G. Richards of Anton, Texas sent me a copy of the Banner and asked me to write "something" and reading the little paper so warmed my heart that I desire to make some little gesture of the mixed emotions it stirred my soul.
Many of the writers are my former friends and to read of their good meetings where patient humble souls assemble and worship, and rejoice in the faith that will not be denied, makes me long so much to be one of them. I am afraid you do not know what a privilege you have. If you are worthy to keep it, I believe you will pray for some of us who languish in desert lands, and would so rejoice in such glorious fellowship of spirit. My heart was moved to learn that old Brother Richards [Elder Hamp] was still living and hobbling on crutches.
I well remember hearing him say once that when he became too old to preach any more he would just point his finger towards heaven for folks to see "to let them understand that all my interests are centered there," he said.
Last week as I drove over the wild rocky wastes between here and Reserve, N.M. I found myself humming an old sacred song-
What peaceful hours I then enjoyed How sweet their memories still, But they have left an aching void, The world can never fill.
I sped along the winding, uncertain highway, that led across high rock hills, deep gulches, and through brown scorched lands of yucca and cacti-"an aching void"--I said to myself, that must be the feeling of the heart so long--yes, I sang that song for thirty years-now I know what it means. I slowed down my car for the propitious decent into Little Dry Creek canyon--the strange irony of the Dry Creeks in Castro County, N.M. is that Big Dry is smaller than Little Dry, but never drier. I turned aside when I reached the bottom just to see if the little hidden spring was still in the grove of trees. I found the place-the most covered rocks were bleached in the sun--the spring was dry.
I was not due in Reserve for two hours, so having a little spare time, I sat down on a stone just to think for a while. I wondered about the poor old woman at Jacob's well who cried, "Sir give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." If I am a child of God, and this is a spiritual thirst that I have, did not Jesus tell the woman that I will be in thee a well of living water? I sat lonely and still-far to the north east the towering Mongolians thrust their dark mysterious peaks far into the sky-the desert was quiet except a small whirl-wind that gathered white dust and fled into the bare hills. I felt so lonely--so tired of wandering alone--my need for Jesus seemed real--my soul so panted for the water brooks of happier days, "When my hearts have wandered far from home, and feel bruised on desert stone." there is not much we can do but quit trying to be a man and just sit down and cry like a child.
When empty hearts are clothed in this The ragged robes of utter loneliness And treasured friendships, crushed beneath the feet Like wounded flowers, one forgets the sweet Of their perfume, and views with bitter scorn This life's dead stem, and its Protruding thorns.
The Banner of Love, July 1, 1945
The title of this article has already evoked different thoughts by some. It will almost certainly appear to some to be a political issue, to some it may be perceived as a woman's rights issue, some may not even want to consider it in any light. In our busy lives, our daily struggles to make a living, raise a family and make ends meet, we barely have time to give it a thought. It isn't pleasant to write on this subject. I would rather be writing on our hope of the resurrection and the certainty of our home in glory, and the reader would probably rather read about that, but this issues from a heavy heart.
In the Book of Beginnings [Genesis 3:1] we read "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made." He hasn't ceased or put his subtlety on hold. It is manifested in his ability to perpetrate the thought that abortion is strictly a political issue, resulting in some feeling that we shouldn't bring politics into the pulpit. We want to stay with the bible and declare "all council of God." It is true that taking the lives of infants has been made a very active political issue for abortion advocates. As a matter of fact it is usually leading the list of issues of a woman's right to choose, sexual preference [this is the latest one], and whatever else that's "in" for the moment. There is no doubt the abortion advocates claim a large voting bloc.
The Centers For Disease Control [CDC] published the number of abortions for the year 1970 to be 193,491. The last published figures for 1997 were 1,186,039. It doesn't take long to say one million one hundred and eighty six thousand and thirty nine - not when it is termed "abortions". That legitimizes it, since it has been given the stamp of approval by the U. S. Supreme Court.
From 1970 to 1997 the CDC has listed many millions, and those are only the figures for the United States. World-wide the number is staggering. The population of San Antonio compares very closely to the number of reported abortions, according to the CDC, and this is each year.
On September 11, 2001, a horrible thing happened when an enemy attacked a people who could not defend themselves; it shook our nation, brought out much good in a lot of people in their effort to reach out and support the hurting people, and for a little while we realized that we are all vulnerable human beings. When we focus on the number of infants that equals the population of one of Texas' largest cities, who have their lives taken, and who are completely defenseless, the impact is removed since it is done out of sight and called by every name but what it really is.
Is there life before birth? It is most amazing how we lay claim to such great wealth of knowledge, yet when it is the issue of life before birth so many take cover behind a cloak of feigned ignorance. Even without the benefit of a degree in medicine we know that action will never precede life. The Law of Biogenesis, "the doctrine that living organisms develop from other living organisms," American Heritage Dictionary, page 80, will never be violated in the natural realm or likewise the spiritual. Follow the logic of this, if it should be so, then this wonderful universe started from nothing. The most marvelous thing we know is that action preceded life in the womb and resulted in what David described as being a human body "wonderfully made" [Psalm 139].
This brings us face to face with the questions "is here life before birth," and, before that, "does life begin at conception? Information cited here is by permission of Baptists For Life, Inc: "modern technology can detect a baby's heartbeat eighteen days after conception. Six weeks after conception signals from the brain can be detected. Long before the mother feels movement, the baby can move spontaneously: kicking, swimming, jumping, and stretching. A baby in the womb responds to touch and sound by the eighth or tenth week, and will move away from pain [of the abortionist's instrument]. All information about the child's sex, hair color, eye color, and much more is already present from the time the egg is fertilized.
Psalm 139:16 says "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. [17] How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O, God! How great is the sum of them."
If I can make one point worth remembering by a young person finding themselves in a situation of panic and crisis, it is that there are organizations to direct them to other than abortion clinics, organizations where abortion is not considered which will end a human life [possibly two.] Otherwise, they may very likely be wondering as the years go by whether their child as a boy or girl, or perhaps entering school for the first time.
There are many married couples who are praying for babies to adopt and any option is better than abortion. It is easy to brush this aside and make it a non-issue or a problem for someone else, but we may have a daughter or granddaughter in this situation, and we should know how to advise them. This becomes of utmost importance when the "problem" has a face.
I do not expect to change the mind of everyone, but maybe the mind of just one person might be changed, one who is consumed by crisis and, in panic, contemplates abortion. There are knowledgeable professionals and wonderful institutions to help in the time of crisis. Any alternative is better than taking the precious life they have nurtured. If only one could be helped, my effort has been worth it.
Elder Bill Walden; Jan. 13, 2003
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Alba, Texas
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In today’s issue of the Banner of Love, Elder Bill Walden has authored a very sincere discussion of the sensitive question of abortion. He has done so in a manner not related to "issues of politics", which is the usual context in which this matter is raised. The fact that he avoided "politics" made us greatly appreciate his writing.
I took time to read, and then re-read, his article when it arrived, and I greatly appreciate the thoughtfulness, and sincere and godly manner in which he has approached the subject. It is not a fun issue to address, and certainly an even more problematic issue to deal with in real life. As Elder Walden stated, it certainly is more enjoyable for him to write on subjects such as our eternal salvation – but he felt burdened to write about this difficult subject.
We have had a number of articles submitted on the subject over the years, and not all have we selected to publish. It was not that we agreed or disagreed with the substance, it was the manner and "attitude" in which they were presented.
We’d like to comment further, not on the substance question of abortion, which we feel Elder Walden very capably handles, but on the numerous "side" issues we have personally witnessed. A number of major issues always accompany the "abortion" issue and further complicate proper consideration.
Many of you are aware that our work profession is in the practice of law. I focus mainly on administrative law before the legislature and governmental agencies dealing with utility service into rural areas. However, one of my personal passions has been to attempt to provide the legal assistance to couples desiring to adopt children. It seems we are having as high a number of teen pregnancies as ever in our country’s history.
My wife and I became adoptive parents and the numerous issues involved (and that we went through) still strike close to my heart.
In my legal work I have had the opportunity to deal directly with and join in counsel of a number of biological mothers (most of them unmarried) who are making the key decisions regarding the future of their expectant child. I have felt wholly inadequate to address all their problems, but I have great sympathy for them, having witnessed a large number of really sad background situations. I have helped to arrange professional counseling to try to get these expectant mothers through these issues. The expectant (usually very young) mother is usually under tremendous pressure and stress. They clearly have made a mistake, and they now know it.
In most cases these usually-young mothers have been abandoned or greatly condemned by their immediate families – and certainly by their peers. They have almost always not had the type of family or church relations or guidance to have avoided their problems. Many times it is the unborn baby’s "father" and/or mother’s family that encourages abortion as the "best" alternative.
One of my pet peeves involves the responsibility (or irresponsibility) of the alleged "father" of the expected child. The mother did not create this problem by herself. But it is the man that usually is the strongest in encouraging abortion, probably to avoid the personal embarrassment and financial obligation.
It is nearly always the mother of the expectant girl (i.e. "grandmother" of the child) that is the strongest in providing strong encouragement for birth and adoption, even though the grandmother will "give" away (usually her first) grandchild. Sadly, not always is the young girl’s mother positive or supportive.
From the practical side of this issue, I strongly encourage adoptions and, like Elder Walden, hope my actions can provide relief to even one expectant mother and the unborn child. But there are many more issues involved that put pressure on an expectant mother. It’s so sad that many feel an abortion is their best, or only, alternative.
What is our approach to these situations? At some point, this issue will hit close to most of our families. It probably is much closer than most of us realize.
First, we have the duty to raise our children with the proper moral instructions. This is not easy, because this type of communication does not come natural and is not comfortable. As Elder Walden says, there are a lot of other more fun things to discuss.
But we have this duty, not only to our daughters and granddaughters, but also to our sons and grandsons.
After the fact, do we condemn the expectant mother? We all know the mistake that has been made.
What did Jesus do when faced with this type of recommended condemnation?
At John 8:3-11 we are told Jesus was in the temple, when the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They wanted to stone her. Jesus confronted them by saying the one of them without sin could cast the first stone at her. All of them then left the room. Jesus refused to condemn her, but told her to "go, and sin no more."
Jesus condemned the sin, but forgave the sinner. We al should hope and pray Jesus has the same attitude toward our own sin.
A woman facing the decision regarding abortion needs a lot of love.
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Mena, AR
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By Elder Berwyn Hand
Matthew 18:7. Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Now to the promise made in my last writing as a type of the Grace age woman "Church" as found in the 16th chapter of Ezekiel, as God found her polluted in her own blood, the time of love, etc. Now, 15th verse, But thou did'st trust in thine own beauty, etc. Please read all the chapter, as to the beautiful verse quoted above Matt. 18:7.
A young man in south Texas pointed out the strange but blessed scripture out to me years ago. My understanding of it was very vague at the time, but, Oh, how it brings light to need.
The world under consideration is the world of the children of God; some on the outside watching the action of the members that are in the church and can see the need of correction in order for the church to prosper in love and order, to receive a blessing and a godly Reveal! If the pastor is taking the oversight by the holy ghost of the flock is not careful of his duty and responsibility to the same; the church will not last long.
But, if he and the church awakes to its action, those are standing around on the outside will still be watching and respond to their duty and will be standing for baptism and cannot wait to get in the water. I know, I have seen it tried. But, some will say, you may hurt the offences brother and he is one of the best paying members we have. Well, the next verse said to cut them off "Scripture", which will you have sir?
Furthermore, it was the God of heaven that gave it to him to give as a blessing in the first place. In addition to that God has promised to provide "for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7 and all the poor brother or sister need do is repent of the offences, make acknowledgement to the church, be reconciled and receive the correction as a blessing. At that time all will see why "offences must need be" and then they will be restored in loving care of the church, and all is well.
Praise God for discipline carried out in a scriptural way. As one of yesterday has well said, "discipline has never hurt a church, but the lack of it has caused God to remove the candle stick from many of them". What say, yes? Is not this one of the great causes of Mount Zion fading out in this our modern times?
Oh how we all ought to be on out knees for the Cause of Christ today and be reconciled to good order as taught in the 18th chapter of Matthew and many others for our learning. We should be long suffering and not too long, for the good of the Cause.
Written for the truth sakes of practical Godliness.
Berwyn Hand; Pastor of the El Paso, Texas and the Carlsbad, NM Church
By Brother Elvin Dick
Gift: Something freely given, unmerited, unearned: implied in Bible; Gave, gavest, Given, giveth, giving.
Since receive and give are antonyms [Webster], does one give eternal life or does he receive it?
Effectual [adj'] Eph. 3:7, "I was made a minister, according to the gift of the Grace of God unto me by the effectual working of His power," producing an intended effort [n.] immediately and directly. You receive the effectual gift, then you accept it after the effect. John 1:12-13
Christ is a gift, John 3:16 "God gave His only begotten son." [gave, not offered] Christ is a gift of the Holy Ghost, Acts 2:38, "gift of the Holy Ghost."
The gift of the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost and includes a diversity of gifts e.g. Faith, Love, belief, 1st John 6:29; atonement, Christ passion, promise, the whole armour of God, Eph. 6:13-18, election, etc.
We are gifts to Christ by God, John 17:6, Thou gavest them to me; John 6:39, "And this is the Father's will that has sent Me, that of all which He hath given me, I should loose nothing."
Christ gifts to us, Eph. 4:11, "and He gave some, apostles, pastors, teachers."
Grace is always a free gift, James 4:6, "But He giveth more grace, Eph 3:8, "Unto me, whom is the least of all saints is this grace given." Ps 84:11, "Lord will give grace," Rom. 3:24 and 8:32.
Rejecting "effectual grace" doctrine is "your works" doctrine "Ineffectual" Rejecting "your works doctrine is grace" doctrine. Rom. 11:6 "And if by grace, then it is no more works ... if it be of works, then it is no more grace." Grace and our works are antonyms, Eph. 2:8-9, "For by works are ye saved through faith; [which is by Him Acts 3:16] and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God"
the [ineffectual] works that some think that they have to do to get eternal live are not gifts to God. They are effectual, free gifts from God. John 3:8, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; So is everyone that is born of the Sprit." John 1:12-13, "born of God" only of god fully, effectually, and instantly. God's free gifts are "effectual", our works are ineffectual." Christ knows nothing about the glory of offer.
An inheritance, [we, being heirs] is a free unearned gift. Does one earn things in grandma's will? These are products of her love, love as by Christ-gifts to us are by His love.
This brings us to Christ's free gift of passion, a powerful emotion, viewing it through a glass darkly, a power that saved some billions back to cave man [Heb 11-12] "Many as the stars of the sky in multitude and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable," and had power to not commit sin. Acts 1 & 3 "to whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs."
Where is this passion among Primitive Baptist today? A lady said, I love all God's people." A preacher I know wears a T-shirt which says, "help your neighbor" Giving, let us give too. Giving is receiving.
Christ's passion gave free gifts [ synonyms] spiritual gifts, spiritual fruits, Gal 5:22 "love, joy, peace, long suffering, godliness, goodness, faith, [belief John 6:29] meekness and temperance and suck, spiritual things such as the gospl [a thing] Rom 15:16-18-27; 8:27-39 1 Cor 2:14. These gifts are not in the least the tender, proposition, offer, compensation by our works.
Rom 6:23, "the gift [not get] of God is eternal life". John 10:28, "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Romans 3:24, "Being justified freely, by His grace through redemption as in Christ Jesus. " Salvation is free.
Father, Son and Holy Ghost are together on free gift in Rom 5:15-18 as shown three times.
The greatest gift of His passion is eternal life. Rev 19:1, "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying, Alleluia, Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God."
Eph. 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved though faith, and that not of yourselves [repeat] it is the Gift of God."
In Christ Love, Elvin Dick
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Please renew the subscription for another year for the Banner of Love. I enjoy the wonderful writings.
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New Braunfels, TX
HOUSE TO HOUSE
Ezek. 43:10 – "Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern."
The prompting of this writing in Holy Writ by this prophet seems clearly to that of idolatry, in many different ways, especially that of breaking the Commandment in – Exodus 20:3--5 – "Thou shall have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them."
This commandment, among all the other nine, but especially this one, has been broken and badly violated from century to century ever since Israel first coming out of Egypt and Bondage. Exodus 32:1---6 = Moses was upon Mt. Sinai receiving the 10 Commandments while the 12 Tribes were dancing around the golden calf, eating and drinking and committing every immortal ungodly act known to man.
The First House of Israel was the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, where the 12 Tribes worshipped for 40 years while in the Wilderness. Then Solomon’s Temple was build in Canaan’s Land and therein was the official House of Worship, lasting until, finally, 586 BC, when their disobedience carried them into 70 years of Babylonian Captivity, then they were allowed to return, but only a Remnant returned back to Jerusalem and begin to rebuild the Temple. This was the O.T. Law House until the coming of John the Baptist, in the Days of Jesus Christ on the Earth. Matt. 3:1-2 – "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Then Jesus stated in – Matt. 16:18 – "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." This was prophesied back in – Dan. 2:44 – "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever."
Now we have the Two Houses in place. The O.T. House of Israel, which represented the Entire Elect Family of God, in Type and Principle. Their House of worship was the Altar, the Tabernacle and the Temple all embracing the Levitical Ceremonial Laws. John 1:17 – "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." So here is the Other House, the N.T. House including the Gentiles. It is a Grace and Truth House.
This O.T. prophecy in Ezek 43 reaches out in its Principle and paints with a large brush that of the Rules of Conduct and Worship, and the penalties for violations concerning Israel of old. Canaan’s Land was historical and literal, being a type of the N.T. Church. Stephen was preaching in - Acts 7:38 – and referring to Moses = "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us."
So, here we are, with all this historical and literal background of the Old Testament, given us a base, a figure, a shadow, a type, as a projector casting the "principles" upon the New Testament Screen of Fulfillment – the N.T. Organic, Organized, Militant, Visible Church Kingdom, after which there will be no more "Church Age or Dispensation," so this N.T. House will last till the End-Time and 2nd Coming of Christ.
From the point of the End-Time, the Entire HOUSE of the Elect Family, will be carried to Heaven itself, to eternally abide forever therein, without the loss of one – Heb. 2:13 – Jesus speaking – "And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me."
John 17:1—4 = "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." This prayer by Jesus to His Father shows that He has completed all the required assignment, of saving and gathering this Elect House together and is now presenting them to the Father. Then this very house needs to now be shown to the Church "house."
However, there are many problems preventing the multitude of the Eternal House from seeing this House – the Church on Earth, which is a visible, organic, organized, militant house, and the Agent and Agency required to do this showing is found in the gospel as preached by God-called Ministers. There is no retirement in this calling, as their assignment is never done. This work will continue until the End-Time.
This is what the prophecy of Ezek 43:10 is projecting. The preaching of the Gospel is not to the Adamic World, but to the Elect House of God. Their Eternal Salvation is sure, but many of the multitudes are lost to the variables of this present, evil and wicked world, wherein sin, trespasses and iniquities abound, as Satan and his demons are always at work to deter, detain, derail and cause failure in many ways. Within this key text we read this again – "Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern." In this "shewing," there is to be positive results. While the N.T. Preacher preaches, he has to two-fold assignment in this "shewing." He is to know that his preaching will only, possibly, be effective to the House of the Elect. Since he does not know exact who they all are, he just preaches to everyone that will listen. Jesus even said many times - "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear." That is "If you have the ability to understand what you hear, then listen carefully. In this deliberation, the preacher is charged within this "shewing," that of not only causing them to hear, receive, understand and keep, but in such message there will become an awareness of their sins and iniquities, and the intensity therein will cause them to become ashamed of such worldliness, Godly sorrow will therein cause Repentance (2nd Cor. 7:10). Then also within this preached message will be a ‘Standard" set forth of Rules of Behavior and Deportment, and these newly gospel converts will be able to "measure the pattern," of Church Discipline. These are usually reflected today and known as "Articles of Faith" or "Abstracts of Principles," and also there is usually a "Church Covenant," and "Rules of Decorum," all based upon the Holy Scriptures themselves. A word about the Holy Bible. It is a Parental Rule Book for God’s Children in the Church "House" for the Disciples of Christ, to continue to "measure the pattern." The Bible is not a road map to heaven, but a Rule Book of Timely and Gospel Life Style.
In closing notice that Jesus mentions this timely gospel house is comprised of members of the eternal elect house. One therein now knows of the other, as in – Luke 12:32 = "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
This little flock is mentioned again in a different way in – Matt. 7:13-14 = as separated from the multitude of humanity, Jesus speaking – "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
How do they find it? By it being shown to them. How is it shown? By the Preaching of the Gospel. Within the Gospel’s various components is the "Showing, the causing of the sinner to see their sinful condition, with emphasis to cause their shame, and then their attitude will be humbled to the degree of being interested enough and attentive to the `measure of the pattern,’ of a Repented and Changed New Way and Life Style of Righteousness."
Finally, this wide gate and broad way to destruction is to turn away from idolatry unto this narrow and sanctified way that leads to life. 1st John 5:21 – "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."
So, let us show the little house to the big house.
Written in Love,
Hulan F. Bass
Lockhart, TX.
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Yours in Christ,
Brother Tommy and
Sister Shirley Pate
Snyder, Texas
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A Sister,
Floella White
Bakersfield, CA.
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In thinking of beginning of the New Year, it's real encouraging to be reminded of Psa. 34:19; also 2 Tim 3:14.
We have a great God who makes us able to overcome.
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In Precious Hope,
Sister Loretta Lilly
Akron, Ohio
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Rule, Texas
Note: Thank you, Sister Beauchamp for the extra. I enjoyed seeing you in Rule.
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Portales, NM Church