Read or download Study for the Month March 2012: The Seven Churches of Revelation (SMYRNA)
How these impossibilities are made possible (Matt. 19:20; Mark 10:27; Luke 18: 27) is rendered clear in the principles at work in the co-operative relationship between the righteous God and the working faith of man in Christ. To wit (emphasis mine) :
“The work of gaining salvation is one of co-partnership, a joint operation. There is to be cooperation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient.
Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works, and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness. God wishes us to have the mastery over ourselves. But He cannot help us without our consent and co-operation. The divine Spirit works through the powers and faculties given to man.” —Acts of the Apostles, pp. 481,482.
“The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a love stronger than death. In giving up His Son, He has poured out to us all heaven in one gift. Through that gift there comes to us day by day the unfailing flow of Jehovah’s goodness. Every flower, with its delicate tints and sweet fragrance, is given for our enjoyment through that one Gift.
The sun and moon were made by Him; there is not a star that beautifies the heavens which He did not make. There is not an article of food upon our tables that he has not provided for our sustenance. The superscription of Christ is upon it all. Everything is supplied to man through that one Unspeakable Gift, the only-begotten Son of God. He was nailed to the cross that all these bounties might flow to God’s workmanship.
Without this cross-bearing of self-denial, we can be perceived and even believe to be followers of Christ, but not His disciples. Luke 9:23. Matt. 15: 8; Isa. 29:13.
We can be visibly, and at times, pompously identified as part of the “Ten virgins waiting for the appearing of the Bridegroom;” but we may, in heart, actually belong to the class of the foolish virgins! Notice the following very carefully and examine your own hearts by it, ask yourself this question after: “Am I prepared for emergency?”
“The class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They have a regard for the truth, they have advocated the truth, they are attracted to those who believe the truth; but they have not yielded themselves to the Holy Spirit’s working. They have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and permitted their old nature [the “old man,” Rom. 6:6) to be broken up [see Isa. 28, 13, 9-12].
The divine ownership over mankind; the human access to divinity
Jesus our Creator and Redeemer owns us twice: by the divine act of creation and by the
Divine-human act of redemption. As the sacred purchase of His sacrificial life, He ratified the eternal covenant of peace with His own blood, one that is based on the unquestioning willingness of the Giver to give all heaven in that one gift of His Son and unquestioning obedience of faith based on a willing and spontaneous response of love of the redeemed.
This is a distinct specification of this everlasting covenant. Those who will be eternally saved exercised their choice as free moral agents to be saved in God’s chosen way—through his plan of redemption.
Study for the Month of December, 2011
The Unfair Exchange
By Nathaniel Fajardo
Whole Gospel Ministries
Email:[email protected]
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For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own 0wn soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Mark 8: 36, 37.
The Bible teaches that true Christians are “living epistles seen and read by all men” (2 Cor.3: 2, 3). They are known for their Christlike love or charity which is manifested in honesty, integrity, justice, knowledge, kindness, mercy, patience, temperance, forbearance, meekness, benevolence, and fairness in all their dealings and transactions. They literally love, not hate their enemies. Matt. 5:__Rom.___.
In the world but not of the world (John 17: 14-17) they have been called out from their past sinful, world-loving ways to trained of God to become ambassadors of His spiritual kingdom on earth, which is one with the church above. Eph. 3: 14, 21.
Joseph, as well as Daniel exemplified these graces and virtues in their lives and works.
Joseph was a type of Christ in very specific aspects of his life and works. Notice: