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The Carpenter's Chapel

J

Jim1999

<img src =/Jim1999.jpg>
Friday, May 7, 2004

1 Corinthians

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which
God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this
world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory.” 1 Cor 2:7,8

Remember what I said about culture, and its importance in understandng what Paul
is saying in Corinth. The Corinthians were filled and preoccupied with worldly
wisdom. They were not about to surrender this worldly wisdom. It was an integral
part of their culture.

Paul is now telling the Corinthians that they do not have to give up their worldly
wisdom or knowledge. Now we have God’s wisdom, once a mystery, now revealed
in Jesus Christ. The world may have certain wisdom, but it does not yet have the
wisdom of God. This is the mystery. It is like a mystery gift. The wisdom, the
contents, are not unknown, except to the recipient, but are unrevealed. Once the
package is opened the contents are quite clear.

The wisdom of God was before time began and to man it was a mystery. Paul now
brings the Corinthian Christians into the eternal now. The mystery of the cross is
unfolded before men. In reading the Old Testament we fail to comprehend what
God is telling us. We see in part, bit not the whole. We see fragments of the plan of
God in providing salvation, but it is incomprehensible by the human mind. The
mystery of the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament. Grosheide says it
this way: “Mystery, in Paul’s usage, refers to things long hidden but now revealed
(Eph 3:3; Col 1:26). Hidden does not mean totally unknown, but not yet existing.”

Job came to the understanding that “his Redeemer liveth.” He said, For I know that
my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” (Job
19: 25) The mystery of God unveiled. Job says that he will die, and worms will
destroy his body...”Yet in my flesh shall I see God.” He has hope in the resurrection
and the promises of God, once concealed in a mystery package, but now revealed to
His faithful servant.

This revelation, this knowledge, does not come at the wisdom of carnal knowledge,
but at the fancy of the Holy Spirit of God. It is in the Spirit that we too may know
the plan of God. We may obtain great earthly knowledge, but except the Spirit
quicken our hearts, we will come short of the mystery of God. God has entrusted us
with the keys to the mystery. It is called the gospel of Jesus Christ. This same
knowledge which is foolishness to the world, is wisdom to the redeemed. This is the
wisdom we ought to seek in our lives. I can influence some people with my degrees,
my stature, my gift of tongue, but, my friends, I can’t change a toad without the
power of God. Neither can any of us. Education is vital. It is all important. Get all
the education you can. Above all make yourself available to God and the filling of
the Holy Spirit and this will unfold the mystery of God to the people far more than
worldly knowledge. This is what the Corinthians must learn. This is what we must
learn.

Lord, help us to open our hearts and minds to the quiet leading of the Holy Spirit,
that we may dispense wisdom to the world, even Jesus our Lord.

Cheers,

Jim
 
W

Watchman

New Member
Thank you Jim.
But what if this knowledge that can only come from God is dispised by people? It just so happens that this was the topic I had for today.
 
W

Watchman

New Member
Saturday May 8, 2004

"He who dispises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded."
Pro. 13:13.

This is a great watershed principle of the divine economy. A person's attitude toward the word of God determines God's attitude toward him. Hosea writes:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me."
Hosea 4:6

Our first parents, Adam and Eve, dispised God's commandment and brought sin, and it's natural result: death, into the world.
A bible dictionary tells us that the word dispise is from a root meaning "not to respect" and is very similar to the word meaning "be ashamed of." It is a dangerous thing, especially when one knows and understands the basic teachings and claims of the Scriptures, for that person to begin to question, or explain away, or ignore these claims and teachings. It is not my place here to name names, but there are today famous preachers and teachers who have started out so well, but have come to water down their doctrine. If they are in Christ, they cannot be plucked out of their Father's hand, but all of the reward that they will lose is a great tradgedy. It is, however nothing new. The writer of our passage today, Solomon, started out so well, but became "unequally yoked" in marriage to women not of the faith and was led into idolatry.

In our verse today the words "word" and "commandment" are essentially synonymous. Each is used many times in Psalm 119, the great Psalm that uniquely exalts the Scriptures:
"Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your Commandments." v.6
"How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word." v.9
There is such a blessing in the Word! Note just a few of the testimonies concerning it in Psalm 119. "Your word" is forever "settled in heaven," "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path," and "true from the beginning" (vv.89,105,160).

It is strange and sad that so many people today dispise the word-many by fighting it, and many more simply by ignoring it. A genuine awe of the Holy Scriptures, recognizing that they constitute the very words of the living God, will bring eternal rewards, as well as a happy and productive life right now.

Related to this are those who feel that they need to alter, by adding to, or taking from, God's Word. This is what we will look at tomorrow.
 
NaasPreacher (C4K)

NaasPreacher (C4K)

Well-Known Member
I read in my devotions this morning the words of Christ, "Blessed are they which hear the word of God, and keep it."

Thanks for the excellend devotion Watchman!
 
J

Jim1999

<img src =/Jim1999.jpg>
Folks, I am always amazed how closely these devotions compliment each other. We all know that I neither dictate what each writer must discuss nor censor what has been written. There is a certain liquidity about the writings, and yet a sense of solidarity.

Barth was not far off when he talked about the essence of the Word. Corinthians is dealing with this very subject, isn't it.

Elaborating on Dan's comments, We are but a drop in the bucket in the whole scheme of things and yet every hair on our head is numbered by God. We may be insignificant in some respect, and then we are most important to God as we embrace the Word and the word.

Cheers, and indeed, thank you gentlemen, for wanting to be what God would have each of us to be.

Jim, a child of the King, adopted by grace, and therefore, by God's choice.
 
D

Dan Todd

Active Member
Thank you Watchman.

My dad used to comment how something he brought out in the adult Sunday School class would be mentioned again and amplified in the sermon.

We do worship and serve a Wondrous God and Savior!
 
W

Watchman

New Member
Sunday May 9, 2004

"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
(Rev. 22:18-19).

It is a very serious error to try to add some new revelation to God's written word, or to delete passages from it because those passages aren't politically correct, they disagree with some false religion, or because someone just doesn't like what God's Word says in certain places.

Today probably the most flagrant violators of adding to the Word of God has to be the Word of Faith people, who dominate the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Things like: The Lord Jesus is going to come down some day and stand on their stage with them; God is like a man 6ft. 2in. tall with a 9in. handbreadth and lives on a planet out there, somewhere; The sacrifice the Lord Jesus made on the cross was insufficient, He had to suffer in hell; Adam was a "superman" who could fly. All of this was given to them by, "Special revelation", it's from God, trust us.
Can you trust them? They apparently feel that they can say whatever they want without one shread of proof as to what they say. Their teaching is unbiblical and outright blasphemy and should be rejected.

As for the most flagrant violators among those who take away from God's word, it has to be those of the Islamic faith. They do lip service to the Bible, but where it disagrees with Islam in anyway, those passages are "corrupted" and should be lined out or ignored. Any passage that speaks of the Divinity of The Lord Jesus, for example, has been corrupted. This is picking and choosing what some group likes or dilikes about the Bible. They do this at great peril to themselves, as the Bible teaches.

Our passage in Revelation is, by no means, the only passage that speaks of this subject:
"You shall not add to the Word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." (Dt. 4:2).
"Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." (Pr. 30:6).
"And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."
(Mt. 15:9 refering to Is. 29:13)
Notice how the warning concerning this error is consistant throughout the Bible: From Moses to Solomon to Isaiah to The Lord Himself (As recorded in Matthew) to allmost the very end of the Bible. It is not some Old Testament ordinance that we are no longer under, it is a very serious matter, even today.

In the Churches today one must be aware of these "adders" or "subtracters".

Liberals, generally, fall under the catagory of those who will take away from the Word of God, it is, "not for today", or, "times change". The problem is that God never changes. What was sin way back when, still is sin.

Legalists, generally, fall under the catagory of those who will add to the Word of God what is not there. This is the,"...Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.", as noted in Mt. 15:9 above.

In closing, arithmetic was learned by us in grade school and has been a very good tool for us throughout our lives; but addition and subtraction is not for the Word of God.
 
F

following-Him

Active Member
Thank you Watchman.

This is all the more reason why we, as Christians need to get into and know the Word more, so that we can speak out against these people who think they can disregard whatever might not suit them. The Jehovah's Witnesses are also guilty of this. Sadly, not all Christians read the Bible as much as they need to.

God Bless

Sheila
 
W

Watchman

New Member
Originally posted by followinghim:
[qb] Thank you Watchman.

This is all the more reason why we, as Christians need to get into and know the Word more, so that we can speak out against these people who think they can disregard whatever might not suit them. The Jehovah's Witnesses are also guilty of this. Sadly, not all Christians read the Bible as much as they need to.

God Bless
________________________________________________

The Jehovah's Witnesses...
Incredible!
Jim's last post was on how our posts here compliment each other and you post that. The Lord Jesus said that we are not to swear, so I will merely affirm that my passage I had already had planned for next Saturday was 2John 10:
"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed."
It is the J.W.'s specifically that I am going to talk about!
thumbs.gif

Charles
Click to expand...
 
J

Jim1999

<img src =/Jim1999.jpg>
Later to-day, I will start the new chapel forum. I dislike interrupting a discussion midstream, and we are at page 19 now. So, look for the next edition of the Carpenter's Chapel.

Cheers, and thank you,


Jim
 
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