8. God Gives Us The Desire And Ability To Do His Will Many believers understand biblical truths intellectually yet fail to experience the spiritual reality God intends. In this message, the true meaning of the Sabbath is revealed as a life of rest in Christ rather than mere observance of a day. Jesus invites…
The Reenactment of Christ’s Supernatural Power Through Us The reenactment of Christ’s supernatural power through us is the third outstanding mark of a Spirit-filled life. All power belongs unto God, and He has delegated this power to His Son, and the Son, in turn, transmits that power to the one whose life is united…
7. The New-Covenant Sabbath This study examines the New Covenant meaning of the Sabbath as presented in Hebrews 4. Unlike the Old Covenant Sabbath, which emphasized ceasing from physical labor, the New Covenant Sabbath points to a life of resting in God’s work of sanctification. Using examples from Genesis, Exodus, and Hebrews, the message…
6. New-Covenant Parent-Children Relationship Biblical parenting is far more than teaching children good behavior; it is the sacred responsibility of bringing them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Parents are called to seek God’s glory rather than human approval, teaching their children respect, obedience, truthfulness, and reverence for God through both…
5. New-Covenant Husband-Wife Relationship This teaching presents a deeply biblical view of Christian marriage and family life rooted in the New Covenant. Emphasizing that all aspects of home life should glorify God, the message highlights mutual submission between husbands and wives, Christ-centered leadership, Spirit-filled relationships, and the importance of walking with a clear conscience…
4. Worshipping God In Spirit And Truth This message explores the profound biblical meaning of true worship under the New Covenant, emphasizing that worship is far more than emotional praise or outward expressions. Drawing from passages such as John 4:23-24 and Romans 12:1, the teaching explains that genuine worship occurs when believers surrender themselves…
3. The Blood Of Christ And Justification This message explores the profound difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ. Emphasizing Hebrews 9 and Romans 5, the teaching explains how Christ’s blood not only forgives sin but justifies believers—declaring them righteous before God. The speaker highlights the…
The Realization of Christ’s Abiding Presence Is not the realization of Christ’s abiding presence the greatest need, as I dare say, it is the deepest desire of some of us? He said, “I will come unto you,” and with our intellect we believe He has come, but our hearts cry out for a deeper…
2. Seeing Christ’s Glory – And Becoming Like Him This message presents a powerful contrast between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, emphasizing that true New Covenant living is marked by continual spiritual transformation “from glory to glory” through the work of the Holy Spirit. Drawing primarily from 2 Corinthians 3, 1 John…
1. God is our Father, and Satan has been defeated The message presents the profound difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ. Emphasizing passages from Hebrews, Matthew, and James, the speaker explains how the Old Covenant was unable to fully accomplish God’s ultimate purpose for humanity until Christ…
This concluding study in the series “All That Jesus Taught” focuses on the Great Commission and Christ’s command to make disciples by teaching believers to obey everything He commanded. The message emphasizes that true Christian service must flow from submission to Christ’s authority rather than merely responding to human need. It explores the difference…
This lesson explores the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the most important event in human history, emphasizing that Christ’s resurrection uniquely conquered death and proved Him to be the Son of God. Drawing from Matthew 28 and numerous supporting Scriptures, the teaching explains how the resurrection validates the Gospel, secures the believer’s justification, and…
This message explores the profound spiritual significance of the torn veil at the death of Jesus Christ in Matthew 27. Drawing from Hebrews, Galatians, John, and other passages, the teaching explains how the veil symbolized the barrier of self-will that separated humanity from the presence of God. Through His life of perfect obedience and…
THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE In one terse, concise command, God shows us the highest point the believer can reach in his relationship to the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” You, who have the Holy Spirit in you, give Him full right-of-way…
This study in Matthew 27 explores the profound events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and highlights how every detail fulfilled God’s eternal plan as foretold in Scripture. From Christ’s refusal of the anesthetic drink to His final words on the cross, the message emphasizes Jesus’ complete sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and unwavering…
This message from Matthew 27 explores the suffering, silence, and steadfast obedience of Jesus during His trial and crucifixion. Through the failures of Judas, the weakness of Pilate, and the hatred of the religious leaders, believers are taught profound lessons about repentance, forgiveness, humility, and trusting the sovereignty of God. The study emphasizes that…
This lesson from Matthew 26 explores the deep spiritual lessons Jesus taught through His suffering, arrest, trial, and Peter’s denial. The central emphasis is the priceless value of maintaining fellowship with the Father, which Jesus valued above all else—even enduring the cross so believers could remain in unbroken fellowship with God. The teaching highlights…
This lesson explores the profound spiritual lessons found in Matthew 26 during Jesus’ time in Gethsemane. The study emphasizes Peter’s self-confidence and how God must break human self-reliance before a believer can become spiritually useful. Through Christ’s interaction with His disciples, we see both His humanity and humility as He experienced grief, distress, and…
THE HOLY SPIRIT — CHRIST’S GIFT TO THE BELIEVER We are left in no doubt as to what this gift was, for the Lord Jesus states most explicitly that it was the gift of the Holy Spirit. John 7:39 “But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to…
This message from Matthew 26 examines the final Passover meal Jesus shared with His disciples and reveals profound truths concerning discipleship, betrayal, covenant, and the Cross. Through Judas Iscariot’s betrayal, the study warns believers about the danger of loving money, hypocrisy, and secretly denying Christ through worldly compromise. In contrast, the disciples’ attitude of…
This study from Matthew 26 explores the final teachings of Jesus before His crucifixion, emphasizing faithfulness, spiritual readiness, sacrificial worship, and complete trust in God’s sovereignty. The message contrasts outward ministry with inward purity, showing that God values humility, love, and obedience more than impressive religious works. Through the account of the woman who…
This teaching from Matthew 25 examines several parables Jesus gave concerning readiness for His second coming. It highlights the necessity of being filled with the Holy Spirit, faithfully using the gifts God has entrusted to believers, and living with eternal accountability before God. The Parable of the Talents emphasizes that believers are stewards of…
This teaching from Matthew 24–25 emphasizes that the true focus of Christ’s return is not predicting the timing but cultivating readiness. Jesus calls believers to live in constant watchfulness, like faithful servants and wise virgins who are prepared both outwardly and inwardly. While many may appear ready, only those filled with the Holy Spirit—symbolized…
Today’s lesson on Matthew 24 emphasizes Jesus’ urgent warnings about deception, tribulation, and spiritual endurance in the last days. Rather than focusing on escape, Christ calls His followers to remain steadfast in truth, love, and obedience, highlighting that many will fall away due to unpreparedness and false teaching. The message underscores that tribulation is…
This lesson from Matthew 23–24 emphasizes that true Christianity is not about outward appearance but inward transformation. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, comparing them to whitewashed tombs—clean on the outside but corrupt within—highlighting that a transformed inner life naturally produces righteous outward behavior. Using powerful illustrations, the message contrasts law and grace,…
The Spirit-filled Life In our studies so far, we have considered God’s wondrous plan of salvation as wrought out in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have seen what Christ came to do for us, to be in us, and to work through us. We have faced what life in Christ may be and, therefore,…
This teaching from Matthew 23 exposes the critical difference between outward religion and true discipleship. Jesus warns that it is possible to have correct doctrine and an outwardly moral life while remaining inwardly corrupt, as seen in the Pharisees. The danger lies not only in personal hypocrisy but in producing false converts—people who believe…
This message explores Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 23, revealing the critical difference between a Pharisee and a true disciple. While the Pharisees possessed correct doctrine and outward righteousness, they lacked inner purity—making them hypocrites in the eyes of Christ. True disciples, however, not only believe rightly and live outwardly upright lives but also cultivate…
This teaching from Matthew 22 highlights the essential truth that believers can only stand before God through the righteousness of Christ, not their own. It distinguishes between forgiveness and justification while emphasizing the necessity of humility, spiritual discernment, and dependence on Christ alone. Through Jesus’ responses to the Pharisees and Sadducees, we see the…
This teaching from Matthew 21–22 exposes the critical difference between outward religion and true obedience to Christ. Through the parables of the vineyard and the wedding feast, Jesus reveals that God rejects self-righteousness and seeks those who produce spiritual fruit through repentance and submission. The message emphasizes that religious activity without obedience is empty,…
This lesson reveals a balanced and often overlooked view of true Christlikeness by examining Jesus’ actions in Matthew 21. While many emphasize His gentleness, this message highlights His boldness in cleansing the temple, confronting corruption, and upholding purity in God’s house. It also uncovers the spiritual power of praise through a comparison of Matthew…
THE LORD JESUS IN CONTROL We Must Clothe Ourselves with Christ Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Did you discern in…
This lesson from Matthew 20–21 reveals key spiritual lessons from Jesus’ actions and words, emphasizing persistent prayer, specific and honest requests before God, and the importance of faith. Through the healing of the blind men, believers are encouraged to cry out to God despite opposition and trust Him to meet genuine needs. Jesus’ triumphal…
This teaching from Matthew 19–20 reveals that the greatest obstacle to entering and progressing in God’s kingdom is pride rooted in self-sufficiency, whether through wealth, ability, or status. Jesus emphasizes that true spiritual life requires continual humility—becoming small in our own eyes. Through the parable of the laborers, He exposes the danger of serving…
This teaching explores critical truths from Matthew 18 and 19, emphasizing that forgiveness is not optional but essential for receiving God’s forgiveness (Matthew 6:15; 18:35). It warns against the dangerous deception that salvation is guaranteed apart from obedience, highlighting that unforgiveness can have eternal consequences. The message then transitions to God’s original design for…
This teaching from Matthew 18 highlights the heart of Jesus in seeking and saving the lost—especially children—and emphasizes the responsibility of believers to guide them into faith. It transitions into instruction on church discipline, outlining a clear, biblical process for addressing sin within the local church while maintaining spiritual authority through unity and obedience….
THE LORD JESUS IN CONTROL We Must Cooperate with the Holy Spirit in Keeping Christ Enthroned It is not crowning Christ as Lord that troubles many an earnest soul, but the keeping Him enthroned. It is not reaching the high altitude in the spiritual realm, but it is the maintaining of life on that…
This lesson explores key teachings of Jesus on humility, avoiding unnecessary offense, and the importance of childlike faith. Drawing from passages such as Matthew 17–19 and 1 John 2:6, it emphasizes that true Christian living is not about asserting personal rights or seeking recognition, but about walking as Christ walked—with humility, wisdom, and love….
This teaching from Matthew 17 reveals the supreme place of Jesus Christ above the Law, the Prophets, and all human leaders, emphasizing that believers must ultimately “see Jesus only.” While Scripture and spiritual leaders play important roles, they are meant to direct us to Christ—not replace Him. True faith comes not from intellectual study…
This message explores Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 16 on the true nature of building His church—not as an organization, but as a living, spiritual body connected directly to Him as the Head. The foundation of this church requires divine revelation of Christ, spiritual authority given by Him, and believers who deny self-interest to pursue…
This teaching from Matthew 16 exposes the spiritual blindness of those who seek signs rather than truth and warns against the subtle danger of hypocrisy, described as the leaven that corrupts the heart. Jesus emphasizes that true understanding comes not through intellect but through divine revelation—revealing Him as both fully God and fully man….
This teaching from Matthew 15 reveals that true defilement comes not from outward things but from the heart, emphasizing the necessity of guarding one’s inner life against sin. Jesus challenges believers to value holiness over physical well-being, illustrating that spiritual sensitivity is marked by a quick rejection of sinful influences. Through the example of…
THE LORD JESUS IN CONTROL But the conquest of the old nature is but the negative side of a life that is spiritual. The positive aspect of it is the supernatural control of every department of the believer’s being by the Lord Jesus. It was not enough that the children of Israel should cross…
This study explores how Jesus taught believers to overcome the “law of sin and death” through faith rooted in God’s Word and empowered by His grace. Using the example of Peter walking on water, it emphasizes calling on the Lord at the moment of weakness rather than after failure. The teaching highlights that every…
This message explores the often-overlooked command of Christ to not only believe but to obey everything He taught, emphasizing that Jesus lived as a man who depended fully on the Father through prayer, humility, and obedience. Drawing from the account of Jesus walking on water and Peter stepping out in faith, the message reveals…
This teaching emphasizes that fulfilling the Great Commission requires far more than intellectual understanding—it demands a life of obedience to all that Jesus commanded. Drawing from Christ’s parables and ministry, the message highlights the critical transition from being a “scribe” who knows Scripture to a true disciple who lives it out through surrender, sacrifice,…
This lesson explores the parables of Jesus in Matthew 13, revealing profound truths about the Kingdom of Heaven and the nature of true discipleship. Through the parables of the wheat and tares, the mustard seed, the leaven, the hidden treasure, and the pearl of great price, Jesus exposes the coexistence of genuine believers and…
This message explores Jesus’ warning about the danger of an empty heart and the deeper meaning of the Parable of the Sower, emphasizing that spiritual transformation requires more than removing sin—it requires filling the heart with God’s truth and Spirit. Through vivid illustrations of different types of soil, Jesus reveals how the condition of…
This lesson from Matthew 12 emphasizes the direct connection between the condition of the heart and the words we speak, revealing that speech is not incidental but a clear indicator of spiritual reality. Jesus teaches that just as a tree is known by its fruit, so a person is known by their words, and…
3. Ignore the claims of the flesh. Romans 8:12 “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.” “The flesh” is a fighter and will never abdicate the throne of its own will nor will it ever renounce its claim upon the believer’s life. We owe “the flesh” nothing:…
This message centers on the call to true discipleship as defined by Jesus, emphasizing that the Christian life is not merely about believing or seeking heaven, but about wholehearted obedience and transformation. Drawing from passages such as Matthew 12:30 and Luke 9:50, it clarifies apparent scriptural tensions and highlights the importance of aligning with…
This message from Matthew 12 reveals the heart of Jesus toward the broken and discouraged, illustrated through the imagery of the “battered reed” and “smoking flax.” Rather than discarding those who have failed, Christ restores, heals, and patiently leads them into victory. The teaching corrects common misconceptions about healing, emphasizing that while God does…
This teaching explores Jesus’ invitation to find true rest through obedience to Him, emphasizing that His yoke is easy and His burden is light—not oppressive like legalistic religion. Drawing from multiple Scriptures, the message contrasts the freedom found in Christ with the heavy, man-made rules of the Pharisees, highlighting how God values compassion over…
This message explores the deeper meaning of Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28, revealing that true rest is not merely relief from burdens but the result of knowing God as Father through Christ. It teaches that unrest—manifested in anxiety, insecurity, jealousy, and striving—is rooted in a lack of an intimate relationship with God. By coming…
This teaching emphasizes that true spiritual understanding does not come through human intelligence, education, or effort, but through divine revelation granted to the humble. Drawing from Matthew 11:25 and related scriptures, it highlights how pride—often linked to intellect, wealth, or ability—can hinder one’s ability to know God, while childlike humility, trust, and openness invite…
We Must Cooperate with the Holy Spirit in Keeping the Old Man Crucified 2. Make no provision for the flesh. Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Galatians 6:8 “For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the…
This message explores Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 11, emphasizing the prophetic role of the Spirit of Elijah in the last days as a call to repentance and restoration. It highlights the importance of turning hearts within families and the church, preparing the way for Christ’s second coming. The teaching contrasts true devotion to God…
This message explores Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven, emphasizing the vital distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Jesus commanded His followers not merely to teach His words, but to live them out, demonstrating obedience before instructing others (Matthew 28:20; Acts 1:1). Through the example of John the Baptist (Matthew…
This teaching from Matthew 10 presents a sobering and powerful call to true discipleship, emphasizing that following Jesus requires courage, endurance, and a willingness to suffer rejection—even from family and society. Jesus teaches that a disciple is not above his master, and just as He was persecuted, so will His followers be. Believers are…
This teaching on Matthew 10 carefully examines whether Jesus’ instructions to His disciples were meant for all believers today or were specific to a transitional period before the New Covenant. By comparing passages such as Luke 22 and other New Testament teachings, the message emphasizes the importance of interpreting Scripture with Scripture rather than…
We Must Cooperate with the Holy Spirit in Keeping the Old Man Crucified What Christ has made possible for us, the Holy Spirit makes real within us, but only with our intelligent cooperation. God states very clearly in His Word what our part is, and it is the duty of every believer to know…
Today’s message explores the foundational biblical principle that what a believer receives from God is determined not by desire but by faith—“according to your faith.” Drawing from the healing of the blind men in Matthew 9, the teaching emphasizes the importance of specific prayer, trusting in God’s ability rather than our own, and the…
This lesson explores how Jesus lived not by rigid rules but by the continual leading of the Holy Spirit, providing a model for true Christian living. Through examples such as the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, the raising of Jairus’ daughter, and the selective healing at the Pool of Bethesda,…
This teaching from Matthew 9 highlights how Jesus calls individuals from their place of work, emphasizing faithfulness, sacrifice, and genuine calling. Through the example of Matthew, it reveals that true discipleship often involves leaving behind security to follow Christ. Jesus also demonstrates compassion toward sinners while confronting the hidden pride of the Pharisees. His…
This study from Matthew 8–9 highlights the authority of Jesus over demons, sickness, and sin. Jesus cast out demons with a single word, demonstrating that spiritual authority flows from faith and submission to God rather than dramatic displays or prolonged rituals. The account of the demons entering the pigs reveals how easily people value…
This study from Matthew 8 explores how Jesus not only calmed the storm on the sea but also came to deliver believers from the deeper storm of fear—especially the fear of death. Drawing from Hebrews 2:14–15 and other scriptures, the teaching explains that Christ’s death not only forgives sin but also breaks Satan’s power…
This study explores Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 8 about the true cost of following Him. When a scribe offered to follow Christ anywhere, Jesus immediately revealed the reality of discipleship: “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Through examples from the Gospels, including John 7–8, we see that Jesus lived with…
We Must Consent to the Crucifixion of the Old Man Having condemned “the old man” as a hideous, hateful, heinous thing, we are prepared for the next step God asks us to take. He has declared “the old man” worthy of crucifixion; in fact, He has already accomplished his crucifixion with Christ. Now God…
This teaching examines Matthew 8:14–17 and the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law to highlight key principles about discipleship, faith, and biblical interpretation. It emphasizes that when Christ touches a life, the natural response should be grateful service, just as Peter’s mother-in-law immediately began serving Jesus after being healed. The passage also reveals the deeply personal…
This study from Matthew chapter 8 continues an examination of “all that Jesus taught” as commanded in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20). The passage highlights two key encounters in Christ’s ministry: the healing of a leper and the extraordinary faith of a Roman centurion. Through these events, Jesus demonstrates compassion, humility, and obedience to…
In this study on “All That Jesus Taught,” the focus is on Jesus’ warning in the concluding section of the Sermon on the Mount that the true test of a disciple is not spiritual gifts but spiritual fruit. While salvation comes through repentance and faith in Christ, genuine faith produces a transformed life that…
In this study on “All That Jesus Taught,” the focus is on Jesus’ warning in the concluding section of the Sermon on the Mount that the true test of a disciple is not spiritual gifts but spiritual fruit. While salvation comes through repentance and faith in Christ, genuine faith produces a transformed life that…
This message examines Jesus’ concluding warnings in the Sermon on the Mount, focusing especially on His command to enter through the narrow gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). The teaching emphasizes that the standards Jesus laid out in Matthew 5–7 are not optional but describe the true path of discipleship, a path that…
We continue the study of “All That Jesus Taught” by examining Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:7–12, where He commands believers to ask, seek, and knock. The Sermon on the Mount presents a standard of righteousness that appears impossible for human beings to fulfill—freedom from anger, lust, love of money, and hypocrisy. However, Jesus reveals…
This teaching explores Jesus’ statement in Matthew 7:6, “Do not give what is holy to dogs or cast your pearls before swine,” as part of the concluding section of the Sermon on the Mount. The message explains that Jesus was not despising people but teaching spiritual discernment—recognizing that different people require different truths depending…
This study continues the exploration of all that Jesus taught in connection with fulfilling the Great Commission in Matthew 28:20. Focusing on Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, it examines the final “wrong attitude” that Jesus warned against—judging and condemning others. Drawing from Matthew 7 and other passages of Scripture, the message…
In this study from Matthew 6:25-34, we examine Jesus’ repeated command not to be anxious and confront the common misconception that anxiety is merely a weakness rather than sin. Just as anger, lust, lying, revenge, and the love of money are condemned in the Sermon on the Mount, so too is anxiety. Jesus teaches…
In this study from Matthew 5 and 6, we examine Jesus’ correction of wrong attitudes—particularly seeking honor from men and the love of money. Jesus teaches that giving, praying, and fasting must be done in secret (Matthew 6:1–18), with the Father alone as our rewarder. He then warns that earthly treasure captures the heart…
In this study on Matthew 6:9–13, part of the broader command in Matthew 28:20 to teach “all that Jesus commanded,” the focus is on how Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Rather than repeating a formula mechanically, believers are instructed to approach God as “Our Father,” recognizing both His intimate love and sovereign power….
In this continuation of the All That Jesus Taught study, this message explores Matthew 6 and Jesus’ command that giving, prayer, and fasting must be done in secret before God rather than to gain honor from men. It contrasts Old Covenant practices such as public tithing with New Covenant principles of cheerful, voluntary, proportionate…
The Hard Truth of Jesus There is a statement Jesus made that may be the most sobering words ever spoken. It is not obscure. It is not unclear. It is not difficult to understand. It is simply difficult to accept. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is…
The Myth of the Majority: Why God Only Saves a Remnant A Pattern We Would Rather Ignore One of the most uncomfortable truths in Scripture is also one of the most consistent: God has never saved by majority. From Genesis to Revelation, the testimony of Scripture stands against human assumptions about numbers, popularity, and…
In this study from Matthew 5, we examine Jesus’ radical commands concerning revenge, mercy, lending, and loving our enemies. Moving beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of Christ’s teaching, this message explains what it truly means to “turn the other cheek,” lend without expecting return, bless those who curse us, and…
In this study on All That Jesus Taught, we examine Matthew 5:33–37 and Christ’s command that our “yes” must be yes and our “no” must be no. Jesus raises the standard beyond the Old Testament prohibition of false witness and calls His disciples to radical inner truthfulness empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit…
In this message from the “All That Jesus Taught” series, the focus is on Matthew 5:27–32, where Jesus declares that lusting after a woman is adultery in the heart and that divorce (except for unchastity) also constitutes adultery. The teaching emphasizes that overcoming anger, lust, and compromise requires more than outward religion—it demands the…
In this continuation of the “All That Jesus Taught” series based on Matthew 28:20, this message emphasizes that Jesus came not only to forgive sins but to save His people from them (Matthew 1:21). Focusing particularly on anger and lust from the Sermon on the Mount, the study challenges believers to examine whether they…
In this study, we examine Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 28:20 and the Sermon on the Mount that true discipleship means teaching believers to obey everything He commanded—especially in the areas of anger and lust. Jesus raised the Old Covenant standard from avoiding murder and adultery to dealing with anger and lust at the heart…
In this continuation of “All That Jesus Taught,” we examine Jesus’ sobering words in Matthew 5:20 that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees if we are to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Moving beyond external obedience, Jesus exposes the heart-level sin behind anger, bitterness, and unreconciled relationships, revealing that internal…
In this continuing study on All That Jesus Taught (Matthew 28:20), we examine Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13–20 where He calls His disciples to be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” Emphasizing quality over quantity, this message highlights how God often works through a faithful remnant—whether in Genesis, Jeremiah,…
In this continuation of the study on “All That Jesus Taught” from Matthew 28:20, this message examines the final Beatitudes in Matthew 5:9–12, focusing on the marks of true sons of God: peacemaking, standing for righteousness, and enduring persecution for Christ’s sake. A genuine disciple pursues peace by dying to self, refuses grumbling and…
In this study from Matthew 5, we examine what it truly means to hunger and thirst for righteousness as part of fulfilling the neglected half of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:20). Jesus teaches that desperate longing for holiness, mercy toward others, and purity of heart are essential characteristics of true disciples. Drawing from Jeremiah…
In this lesson from the “All That Jesus Taught” series, we begin exploring the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), focusing on the first three Beatitudes: being poor in spirit, mourning over sin, and walking in meekness. Jesus spoke these words primarily to His disciples, revealing the foundational attitudes required to possess the Kingdom…
In this continuation of our study on All That Jesus Taught, we examine Matthew 28:20 and clarify that Jesus did not command believers to replicate His healing ministry, but to teach disciples to obey everything He commanded. By comparing Matthew 10, Mark 16, Luke 22, and John 14, we see that Christ distinguished between…
In this lesson from the All That Jesus Taught series, we examine the often-neglected command in Matthew 28:20—Jesus’ instruction to teach believers to obey all that He commanded. While much emphasis is placed on evangelism and baptism, true fulfillment of the Great Commission requires forming disciples who walk in lifelong obedience. This study challenges…
In this lesson from the All That Jesus Taught series, we examine Jesus’ command “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19) and uncover the profound meaning of biblical discipleship. Christ, though fully God, emptied Himself of divine privileges (Philippians 2:6) and became fully man (1 Timothy 2:5), tempted in all points as we are (Hebrews 4:15), so…
This study continues an in-depth examination of all that Jesus taught, focusing on the often-neglected command to teach believers obedience to everything Christ commanded. Tracing the consistent biblical message of repentance from John the Baptist through Jesus, the apostles, and Pentecost, it clarifies the true nature of the Kingdom of God—not material prosperity or…
This study explores the often-neglected half of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:20—Jesus’ command to teach disciples to obey all that He commanded. Using Jesus’ own words, the message contrasts conversion-focused Christianity with true discipleship, emphasizing obedience, undivided loyalty to God, and worship in spirit and truth. Believers are challenged to examine their…
In this teaching from Matthew 21–22, Jesus exposes the danger of religious hypocrisy by contrasting outward profession with inward obedience. Through the parables of the vineyard, the cornerstone, and the wedding feast, He reveals that God’s Kingdom is entrusted only to those who repent, bear fruit, and submit to being broken. Religious knowledge, activity,…
In this video, Zac Poonen teaches that the Great Commission extends far beyond conversion and baptism, calling believers to a lifelong pursuit of obedience to everything Jesus commanded. He challenges churches that prioritize music, programs, or outward excellence over the spiritual maturity of their members, stressing that true discipleship requires teaching people not just…
This video explores the often-neglected second half of the Great Commission—Jesus’ command to teach believers to obey all that He commanded. While evangelism brings people into the body of Christ, true discipleship transforms them into functioning, Christlike members through sustained teaching, shepherding, and obedience. Using Scripture, practical illustrations, and decades of ministry experience, the…
This video emphasizes the importance of fulfilling the Great Commission in its entirety, as outlined in Matthew 28:18-20, not just the evangelistic aspect in Mark 16:15. True discipleship involves more than having sins forgiven and being baptized; it requires a total commitment to Jesus as Lord. Understanding God’s truths comes through divine revelation by…
Christianity has largely failed to maintain an appropriate balance in fulfilling the Great Commission, prioritizing evangelism over discipleship. While most Christians, churches, and missions emphasize preaching the gospel as commanded in Mark 16:15, the equally vital command in Matthew 28:18–20—to make disciples—is neglected by the vast majority. Imagine many people lifting one end of…
THE CONQUEST OF THE OLD NATURE God gives us very clear and definite instructions regarding our part in the dethronement of this usurper self and the enthronement of Christ as sole Possessor and only Ruler over His inheritance in us. We Must Condemn the FleshGod condemns the flesh as altogether sinful (Romans 8:3); He…
THE CONFLICT OF THESE TWO NATURES IN EVERY BELIEVER To admit the coexistence of these two diametrically opposed and mutually exclusive natures is to acknowledge the necessity of fiercest conflict. It is indeed the agelong conflict between Satan and Christ, with the believer’s inner life as the battlefield. It is self contesting Christ’s right…
There are two kinds of Christians, easily identified and clearly distinguished from each other. How can there be such a paradox? It is the question that must present itself to every thoughtful mind. The fountainhead of the Christian life is the same for all. Then how can two streams from it flow so widely…
It is a Life of Winsome Holiness Exodus 15:11 “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; Because…
It is a Life of Devoted Separateness 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.” Hebrews 7:26 “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” John 14:17 “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot…
It is a Life of Constant Growth into Christlikeness 2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.” There is nothing static in true spiritual experience. The…
It is a Life of Abiding Peace John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 16:33 “These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might…
It is a Life of Adulterous Infidelity James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” 1 John 2:15-16 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the…
It is a Life of Protracted Infancy The carnal Christian never grows up. Stunted and dwarfed, he remains a mere “babe in Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and…
The up and down line in the diagram is photographic. It is almost cruelly self-revealing. It visualizes the average church member. It is like a costly picture cheaply framed or an exquisite garment illy fitted. One look tells you that something is wrong, and no matter how often you look, it never seems right….
That God has made ample provision in Christ for each person to live his life on the highest plane is evident from our previous studies. But that every believer does not exercise this privilege needs no argument. We feel how far short of it we ourselves fall, and we observe the low spiritual level…
IT IS A LIFE LIVED ON GOD’S APPOINTED PLANE As God has never had but one plan for the life of man, and that is a spiritual one, He has never had but one plane on which He means man to live, and that is the plane of the spiritual. Life lived on the…
IT IS A LIFE FASHIONED ON GOD’s ORIGINAL PLAN (3) The human body becomes the habitation of the triune God on earth. The spiritual man apprehends the spiritual significance and sacredness of his body. Under the Holy Spirit’s illumination, he learns what it becomes through the new birth. 2 Corinthians 6:16“And what agreement hath…
Through this act of God in regeneration, the maladjustment within the believer’s human personality is remedied. A proper balance between the constituent parts is restored; the sovereignty of the spirit over the soul and body is revived. The human spirit is again the premier in the governmental affairs of the human being, and the…
In God’s original plan, the human personality was a unity. The human spirit, dominated and directed by the Holy Spirit, was supreme in authority over the soul and the body, so the Holy Spirit, through the channel of the human spirit, made and kept the whole being spiritual. As we have seen in chapter…
IT IS A LIFE FULFILLING GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE Before the world was created or man was made to inhabit it, God had a purpose that He intended to carry out through His Son. Ephesians 3:11 “According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:9 “Who hath saved…
IT IS A LIFE PERFECTED BY GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE I hasten to this point because I would not have anyone think even for an instant that conformity to the image of Christ is affected by imitation of a pattern, no matter how perfect. Such conformity as the Bible speaks of is not wrought in…
IT IS A LIFE CONFORMED TO GOD’S PERFECT PATTERN (CON’T) But the perfection of His character did not consist so much in the negative quality of sinlessness as in the positive one of holiness—a holiness so rare, so wondrous, so unearthly that it compelled His Father to break the silence of heaven three times…
IT IS A LIFE CONFORMED TO GOD’S PERFECT PATTERN The purpose of the wondrous plan of salvation wrought out in the eternal counsels of the triune God before the world or man was made was the complete conformity of the penitent, believing sinner to the image of his perfect Savior. God laid the foundation…
IT IS A LIFE SAVED THROUGH GOD’S GRACIOUS PROVISION The salvation which God has provided for the sinner is a perfect salvation. It is without flaw. It provides for his past, present, and future. It covers every need of every part of his being under every circumstance. It relates him rightly to heaven and…
In a quiet Swiss village, God taught me valuable lessons about ascending to life’s highest plane. From my window in Grindelwald, I marveled at four towering, snowcapped peaks, feeling completely satisfied—until glimpses of hidden summits stirred a desire to climb higher. One day, a group set out on such a climb, following green-marked paths….
THE CONQUEST OF THE ENEMY In Ephesians 6:10-18 our Captain tells us that the power to stand against the enemy depends upon our position and upon our protection. Ephesians 6:10-11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye…
THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOST Satan ensnares some believers because they fail to realize his power and to recognize his tactics. But others make the equally fatal mistake of overestimating his power and overemphasis his activities. He is mighty, but there is One infinitely mightier. He is powerful, but there is One who is…
But the devil goes still further and presses on in an attack upon the individual members of Christ’s Body who have entered into real oneness with their Lord. He sends forth his fiery darts to carry depression of spirit, delusion of mind, distraction of heart, deflection of will, and distress of body. The human…
Against the corporate Body of Christ, Satan is working in two very distinct and definite ways at the present time: through degeneration and through division. First, he is sowing tares among the wheat. He is placing his emissaries in the pulpit and pews for the sole purpose of leavening the whole. He is mixing…
In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the devil making his final attack upon the God-man by trying to drive a wedge between the Father and the Son. To accomplish this, he aimed his fiery darts at our Lord’s spirit, soul, and body. All the hosts of hell were united in that spiritual battle…
“In Christ” in the heavenlies is the believer’s promised land. This is his God-given inheritance promised even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11). “In Christ” in the heavenlies, every spiritual blessing is his possession by right (Ephesians 1:3). Through his identification with Christ, the believer has already entered into the heavenlies…
When Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, He went as Conqueror over the evil one and all his hosts. When God exalted Him to Lordship over the universe, He set Him at His own right hand far above all the principalities and powers that belonged to the kingdom of Satan and put them all under…
But the divine-human God-man can never be satisfied with negation if He died and rose again to separate us from sin. He ascended into heaven and was exalted to the throne that He might separate us unto the Lord. The work of the cross is to be perfected through the work of the throne….
The Believer Becomes “Alive Unto God” Having been born into God’s family as a child and into His Kingdom as a citizen, his whole life is now centered in the family and Kingdom interests. Having been accepted as Savior, united with as Head, and crowned Lord, Christ has become both the center and the…
The Believer Becomes Dead to the World Christ, as our sanctification, brings out a very radical reversal in the believer’s relationship to the world and in its relationship to the believer. The apostle Paul uses a very strong expression in stating it. Galatians 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the…
The Believer Becomes Dead to Self The exact words are not in Scripture, but the thought is clearly there in the following passages, which show the believer’s radical reversal in his relationship to self. 2 Corinthians 5:15 “And he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto…
The Believer Becomes Dead to the Law If one is to come into real liberty in the Lord and be released from the futile striving to attain by his own effort what by faith he may obtain as God’s gift, he must apprehend this second reversal in his relationships. In light of his own…
The Believer Becomes Dead to Sin God does not speak of being dead to “sins” but to “sin.” He does not talk of “victories” but of “victory.” He does not command us to be troubled over our sin but to be “dead” to it. He makes it very clear that He does not mean…
This positional victory over sin through grace is perfect. In Christ, God has taken the believer beyond the necessity of sin’s lordship. In Christ, sin’s power is broken, and its claim is canceled. Several times in Romans 6 God declares the believer’s perfect freedom from the power of sin. Romans 6:18, 22 “And being…
Entrance into the new sphere involves a decisive, clean-cut reversal of every relationship obtained in the old sphere. What the sinner was alive to the saint becomes dead to, and what the sinner was dead to the believer becomes alive to. The radical change wrought in the believer’s position demands a complete reversal in…
A holy God must have a holy people. That which God has taken to be His own, which He has separated unto Himself must be holy even as He is holy. God took Israel out of Egypt into Canaan that they might be made a separate people shut in to Himself that through His…
When, where, and how is the believer sanctified? At what point of time, at what stage in spiritual experience, and through what means is the believer wholly separated unto God and set apart as the special possession of the Lord? There has been much confusion on these points that has led to bewilderment on…
The Christian is a new creation, in a new sphere with a new Sovereign, living a new life, which speaks of differentiation and distinctiveness. The Christian is a marked man. There is a distinct line of cleavage between the man “in the flesh” and the man “in the Spirit.” There is a definite boundary…
The spiritual history of a believer could be written in two phrases, “Ye in me” and “I in you.” In God’s reckoning, Christ and the believer have become one in such a way that Christ is both in the heavenlies and upon earth, and the believer is both on earth and in the heavenlies….
Christ Jesus was made like us so that we might be made like Him. In the incarnation was the union of Deity with humanity; in regeneration, there might be the union of humanity with Deity. When the Holy Spirit begat in the believer a new nature, He opened the door to a living, organic…
The believer enters the Kingdom of God through the new birth, where God’s will is supreme. The life of every loyal subject is lived wholly in the will of God. The government of God has spiritual laws that operate beneficently for the well-being of both the individual and society in every department of life….
In Christ Jesus, the believer shares with Christ all His possessions. Every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ. Dare we believe it? All things are ours in Christ. Dare we act as though we believe it? Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with…
The believer in Christ is where Christ is. Christ is in His Father’s immediate presence, at His Father’s right hand, and in His sight; so is the believer in Christ. Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.” Colossians 3:3 “For ye are dead,…
The moment a repentant sinner puts his faith in the atoning blood of the crucified Christ, that moment he steps out of life “in Adam” and enters into life “in Christ.” Forever after, he is ensphered and environed by the Lord of glory. He is “in Christ Jesus” and will be through the ages…
Co-crucifixion opens the door into co-resurrection. Death is the gate to life. Identification with Christ in His death and burial is but the beginning of the believer’s union with Him in endless life. Death is both an ending and a beginning, an exit and an entrance. Romans 6:5 “For if we have become united with him in…
What, then, shall be done with this most stubborn foe? This most tyrannical sovereign? This bold usurper of God’s place? God has plainly declared what He has already done with him in His Word. He has but one place for “the old man,” and that is the cross, and but one plan for the…
Self-trust—”the old man” is very self-confident and feels no need for one wiser and stronger than himself. Trusting in his own powers and resources, he is prone to say, “Though all men shall deny Thee, yet will not I.” Self-sufficiency—the self-confidence of “the old man” fosters an egotistical, smug self-satisfaction that leaves him stagnant….
Let us, then, pause for a moment to take a full-length portrait of this hideous, heinous self; let us face his manifold operations honestly and see if we are not forced to accept God’s estimate of him and to acquiesce in the method of deliverance from his sovereignty. The foundation of life in the…
The vast majority of Christians stop short in their experience of the blessings of salvation, with the joy of forgiveness of past sins and the hope of heaven in the future. But the present is a forty-year wilderness experience full of futile wanderings, never enjoying peace and rest and never arriving in the promised…
In each of these spheres is a sovereign who purposes to rule with undivided authority. Colossians 3:9-10 9 ”Lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”…
Crossing God’s bridge of salvation, the believer enters into a totally new sphere, which requires the enthronement of a new Sovereign over his life. The Head of the new creation must become its Lord if all things are to become new. When the risen Christ ascended to heaven, His Father exalted Him to the…
The new order demands a new standard of life. Self-exaltation was the norm of the old life. Sin was less sinful than it really is, and holiness was less holy than it really is. In this new creation, there is a new conception of sin. Things that before seemed altogether right now seem entirely…
The new birth entitles the believer to membership in the new order of beings, of which the risen Christ is the Head. The implantation of the divine life and the impartation of the divine nature in the believer form a completely new entity. The man in Christ is a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17…
The Lord Jesus has told Nicodemus of the necessity, the nature, and the Author of the new birth, but he still said, “How can these things be?” Was it a personal question? Did Nicodemus want to know how such a miracle as regeneration could be wrought in himself, even though he might still be…
“Born” — “not of the will of man.” Regeneration has no connection with natural relationships. God uses the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word by pastors and Sunday school teachers, the believing prayer of parents and friends, the earnest exhortation, warning, and pleading of the personal worker to show another his need of…
But Nicodemus did marvel at what our Lord was saying and could only reply “How can these things be?” Nicodemus like many others today had preconceived ideas and prejudices which made it difficult for him either to understand or to accept the divine simplicity of God’s plan of salvation. “He had to descend from…
What then does God purpose to do to equip a repentant, believing sinner for membership in the new order of heavenly holy men? He purposes to endow him with a new nature that fits him for citizenship in His Kingdom and for sonship in His family. He purposes to bestow upon him his own…
Jesus has expressed to Nicodemus the imperativeness and inflexibility of the necessity of a new birth for the implantation of the new life. But has Jesus made an arbitrary, perhaps even unreasonable, demand, or has He only stated a law of the spiritual Kingdom, which is as reasonable as the law that governs the…
John 3:4 “Nicodemus said unto Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” What could Nicodemus have thought a man could gain through a second physical birth that he had not received through the first? What additional inheritance…
Crossing God’s bridge of salvation begins with the believer’s justification. Still, it does not end there, for justification in its twofold aspect deals mainly with our past and carries us only over the borderline into the new sphere. It gives us a new standing before God but does not equip us to live in…
THE GREAT REFUSAL (2) Every sinner is guilty of countless sins, but there is one above all others for which God is today condemning him and holding him accountable, and that is the sin of refusing Jesus Christ as his Savior. Wrapped up in that sin are all the others. That is the sin…
THE GREAT REFUSAL (1) Jesus Christ spoke some very sad and solemn words during His earthly ministry, but among the saddest and the most solemn are these: John 5:40 “And ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.” These words were spoken to men who professed to believe and love the…
THE FIRSTFRUITS OF FAITH (2) But the forgiveness of sins is but half, and that is the negative half of the first fruits of faith. Merely removing the penalty for and the punishment of sins does not undo all the work of sin. The natural man is a sinner, rebel, and outlaw. He needs…
THE FIRSTFRUITS OF FAITH The inheritance into which the believer enters as a son and heir of God is a very rich and beautiful one and includes every spiritual blessing in Christ. But the blessing primarily coveted is relief from the burden of sins, the sense of forgiveness, the assurance of pardon. The circumstances…
THE RESPONSE OF FAITH Faith is very simple, yet it is a very comprehensive thing and involves in its operation the mind, the heart, and the will. Faith includes belief, which is the assent of the mind to the things written in God’s Word concerning the Savior. We believe He is the Christ, the…
THE RESPONSE OF FAITH In the parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:1-52), Christ likened the Kingdom of heaven to a field in which there were both wheat and tares, and to a net in which were both good and bad fish. He states that no attempt will be made to separate them until the…
THE RESPONSE OF FAITH — THE BRIDGE CROSSED Man has had nothing to do with building the bridge of salvation. That was God’s work and His alone. God furnished both the material and the workmanship by which this wondrous bridge was built. “By grace are ye saved.” Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God…
THE GRACIOUS INVITATION God not only provided a Savior for every sinner, but He has, through the Gospel, sent forth an invitation to those “of every tongue, and people, and nation” to accept His gift, to partake of His feast, to inherit His riches, to share the blessings of His heavenly home. His infinite…
In this book, we are writing, as it were, the spiritual biography of man. Our story encompasses his life in creation, in the Fall, in grace, and glory. We have seen what God meant for him to be in creation, what he became in the Fall, and what God has done for him through…
THE MOST TRIUMPHANT WORDS ever spoken were those which fell from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ when on the cross He said, “It is finished.” It was the divine proclamation that grace had triumphed over sin. It was God’s pronouncement to the world that all that had been lost both to Him…
THE RESULT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S BAPTISM Through His death, resurrection, and exaltation, the Lord Jesus removed the penalty of sin and broke its power. Through union with Him by faith, He made it possible for the believer on earth to live the same life of victory, power, and holiness as He lived in…
THE PROMISE OF CHRIST FULFILLED Christ had promised that if He went away, the Holy Spirit would come, and His promise was fulfilled literally. He died and rose again. He met the disciples individually and collectively several times, revealing Himself to them as their risen Lord. He gave them a last commission, then repeated…
There remains yet one thing to be done to perfect God’s gracious plan of salvation. A connecting link between the Savior in Heaven and the sinner on Earth is needed. The finished work of Christ by some means must be made applicable to and operative in the souls of men. A way must be…
The Sympathetic Advocate God cannot condone sin nor company with it, whether that sin is in the sinner or in the saint. Sin always, everywhere, separates from God. When the believer sins, his fellowship with God is broken, but he cannot restore himself any more than the sinner could save himself. As the sinner…
THE PRESENT WORK OF THE LIVING CHRIST There are three tenses in salvation: past, present, and future. Three statements may be made regarding the sinner, which are apparently contradictory yet absolutely true: the believer has been saved, the believer is being saved, and the believer will be saved. There is a salvation that is…
There remains but one double span to complete God’s wondrous bridge of salvation. The God-man, crucified, buried, and risen, must go back to His Father in glory and be exalted to the place of honor and power at His right hand. Only then would His work be completed. At the resurrection, Christ Jesus was…
THE RESURRECTION — A SURE PLEDGE The body that had been specially prepared for Him in the incarnation (Hebrews 10:5), that had been laid down in death upon the Cross (Hebrews 10:10) was now raised and came forth from the tomb. Matthew 28:5-6 5 “And the angel answered and said unto the women, “Fear ye…
THE RESURRECTION — A CONSUMMATED VICTORY Acts 2:23 “Him, being delivered by the determinate will and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” In undertaking the reconciliation and redemption of the world, God obligated Himself to deal fully and finally with sin and all its consequences. Every…
Having granted that incarnation and crucifixion are necessary spans in the bridge of salvation, one is driven to the acceptance of resurrection as the third span or all that has been gained through the other two will be lost. The intimate relationship between these three fundamental truths, their unbreakable connection in fact, is brought…
THE CROSS OF CHRIST — THE PLACE OF DECISION THAT DETERMINES DESTINY “The cross of Christ has measured out the moral distance between God and man and has left them as far asunder as the throne of heaven and the gates of hell” (Sir Robert Anderson, The Gospel and Its Ministry, p. 25). Scripture…
THE CROSS OF CHRIST — A DIVINELY PREPARED TURNING POINT A double barrier separates God and the sinner. Sin has caused man to be offended toward God as truly as it has caused God to be offended toward man. The cross of Christ shall have failed to deal adequately with sin if it only…
But how could a righteous God be just and the justifier of sinners (Romans 3:26)? How could God maintain His holiness in His dealing with sin and at the same time manifest His graciousness in mercy toward the sinner? How could God provide such a meeting place and not deny Himself through compromise? Before…
THE CROSS OF CHRIST — A DIVINELY PROVIDED MEETING PLACE In becoming the Sin-bearer, Jesus Christ fully met and solved the problem of sin. “In His death, everything was made His that sin had made ours . . . everything in sin except its sinfulness” (James Denney, The Death of Christ). The cross of…
THE CROSS OF CHRIST — THE PLACE OF VICTORY God has but one problem in His universe, and it is sin. All other problems of whatever nature emanate from this one. The sweat of grinding toil, the suffering of broken hearts, and the sorrow of the world’s crushing maladjustments all have their beginning in…
THE CROSS OF CHRIST — THE GREAT DIVIDE The cross of Christ makes a clean-cut cleavage between the two spheres, the sphere of death, darkness, and disorder, and the sphere of life, light, and liberty, and it challenges sinners to decide in which they purpose to live. The cross of Christ is the battlefield…
But the weight and wickedness of the world’s sin was not all the “cup.” Sin separates from God. God cannot stay in the presence of sin even when that sin is upon His own beloved Son. The Son of Man in the garden faces this awful consequence of Saviorhood. Could He assume this consequence…
But, would the death of Christ also deal with the sin question in such a way as to bring satisfaction to God? God has an unalterable, irrevocable attitude toward sin, which is most clearly revealed in His judgment upon it. ” The wages of sin is death.” Death is the expression of God’s implacable…
But why should He dread the inevitable “hour” or shrink from its approach? But an hour or two before, He had said, “Now I go my way to him that sent me.” Would not death be to Him an hour of glorious release from a life environed by sin, suffering, and sorrow? Would it…
Christ Jesus not only came into the world to die, but He knew that He came for that purpose. From the very beginning of His public ministry, the Son of Man had a brooding anticipation of “an hour” that was to come — an hour which, in some eventful way, would be the culmination…
Incarnation brought God to man, but it could not bring man to God. The first span in the bridge of salvation demands a second. In the incarnation, God had not yet dealt with the sin question. He could go no further through the revelation of His own sinless, perfect life than to show men…
The revelation of God in Christ to man and the redemption by God in Christ of man were undoubtedly the preliminary and the primary purpose in the incarnation. But they do not exhaust the exceeding riches of God’s grace in salvation nor complete His purpose in sending His only begotten Son into the world….
But the temptation in the wilderness was humanity’s test as well as Christ’s. God was giving man another chance, a last chance. Therefore, the victory was humanity’s victory. The Lord Jesus was there as God’s second Man qualifying to become man’s Savior and as the last Adam preparing to become the Head of a…
In this wilderness conflict, the God-man is there not alone as a man but as the Son of Man, not only as an individual but as the Representative of mankind. Satan is there not only as a personal enemy of “the seed of the woman” but as the avowed foe of God and of…
In coming into the world, Christ Jesus declared that the purpose of the incarnation was to do His Father’s will. John 6:38 “For I came down from Heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” Part of His humbling in becoming the Son of Man was His…
God’s second Man had a tripartite human nature. Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” And having said thus, He gave up the ghost.” Matthew 26:38 “Then He said unto them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;…
God was faced with two necessities in any effectual plan of salvation: first, the sending forth of a second Man who would fulfill His original intention in man’s creation; second, the providing of another Adam who would act representatively for the human race as the Head of a new order. The Man Christ Jesus…
Revelation in itself is not a sufficient reason for the incarnation. God was not manifest in the flesh to mock sinners by giving them an example of a perfect life that they had no power to imitate. The God-man is an example for the saint to follow but not for the sinner. Again, Jesus…