FEBRUARY 8, 2024

 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” (Eph. 2:19)

The Ephesian believers were, before, strangers and foreigners but are now fellow citizens with the saints. They were even then, while yet living and maintaining earthly citizenship in Ephesus of the Lesser Asia, becoming citizens of a better country and of a heavenly city which the Apostle here calls “the household of God.” (The Church)

The Ephesians to whom this Epistle was written were of the most foolish and corrupt idolaters among the heathen world. There was no limit to the debauchery that was part and parcel with their temple worship. So infatuated were they with their goddess Dianna that they wearied themselves crying out, “Great is Dianna of the Ephesians!” This gives us some idea as to the drastic change that God’s amazing grace had wrought in them and the wonderful change of which Paul was mindful when he said to the saints at Ephesus, “Ye are no more strangers and foreigners.”

Such, then, were they before the quickening grace of the Holy Spirit brought them out of that miserable condition. It will be good for us to examine the meaning of these two expressions. First, what is it to be a stranger? When someone comes to our town or neighborhood and we can see that everything is new to him, we perceive that he is a stranger. He knows no one; no one knows him. His manner reveals to us what he himself knows and feels; that he is a stranger.

This is very true in a natural sense, but clearly, our text has reference to spiritual strangers. In the spiritual sense, a stranger is one who knows not God. A stranger, in this sense, is one who is not acquainted with the ways and means of grace, nor does he understand the people of grace. This one knows nothing of true prayer, or of the throne of grace. He has no knowledge of his need or mercy. He, therefore, doesn’t understand his lost, ruined condition, and knows nothing of the way of salvation. He is therefore a stranger to Jesus Christ as the new and living way. He knows nothing of the blood of Christ that cleanses from sin and brings us nigh unto God. Obviously, such a one is a stranger to the family of God. Are you a stranger or a citizen? Paul says, “Ye were strangers.” Clearly, these Ephesian believers were no longer in that state but were now beloved brethren in the Church of Jesus Christ.

But there is a second expression that Paul uses to describe what these, who are now Christians, were prior to their conversion. He speaks of them as being no more foreigners. A foreigner seems, if I may so speak, more desperately lost than a stranger. However, what we are to understand is just how dreadful is the condition of every lost soul, for before one comes to know Christ, he is both a stranger and a foreigner.

A stranger comes into town and is marked as a stranger because he is unfamiliar with the place and people. But at least he speaks the language. He can ask questions, receive directions, etc. He can obtain for himself the necessities of life, such as food and lodging. The foreigner, however, in most cases cannot speak the language, is ignorant of the laws, habits, manners, and customs. This one is an alien in blood, lineage, allegiance, and language.

So, in the spiritual sense, a foreigner is one who is “alienated from the life of God.” He is, as a child of the bondwoman, an alien in blood, lineage, and the language of Canaan. His allegiance is to the prince of this world. But the citizen of the household of God, that is, Jerusalem, which is above, the church, knows the language. When God speaks to him in the Word, he understands it. He also knows how to speak with God.

Are you a stranger and a foreigner, or are you by grace through faith in Jesus Christ a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem? Paul said, “Our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

 “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:42-43)

The glory that comes from man is mutable and temporal! It is mutable in that as quickly as man receives another and honors him, he will just as quickly reject and dishonor that very same man. It is temporal in that he may receive and honor another man all the days of his life, but the reception and honor of that man lasts so long as the days of man. The honor received from men is likened unto the life of men, a fleeting breath.

For these men, in our text, to be received by other men and not to be rejected, they had to compromise what they had believed and cling to the traditions of their fathers. One is only received and honored so long as you agree with everything that man says or play the part that man demands of you. Therefore, to disagree or not be the man that others expect is a rebellion against man and earns you dishonor amongst men. While they believed in Christ, they dared not to make that known by word nor by outright following Christ and His teachings because they could not stand the thought of losing the glory of man. Because of this, they had not Christ! They, themselves, chose the glory of men rather than the glory of God. Jesus makes it quite clear, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26) Being ashamed of Christ, these men had found that they had no share with Christ and His eternal abode!

But for all who love the glory of God more than the glory of men find that they shall not be put to shame. While shamed by men because of Christ and His teachings, they are gladly received by Christ Jesus Himself.

Being redeemed and received by Christ, the saint enjoys an eternal relationship with the whole Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! In this relationship, the Lord vindicates His holiness in and through the saint that is despised by men. Through all the shame and suffering of the saint, the glory of God is the great desire of His soul! Therefore, he rejoices in his sufferings because he is persuaded that God will be glorified!

At one point, Peter denied Christ three times so that he may not be shamed and rejected by man. But after his conversion, he rejoiced when he had received suffering from the hands of men for the sake of Christ: “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” (Acts 5:41)

Whose glory do you love more; the glory of man or the glory of God?

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

 “Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God. Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Psalm 56:7-11)

Psalm 56 is yet another Psalm of David, often called a “Golden Psalm.” This title denotes a Psalm that teaches a precious lesson as valuable as gold. This is the second “Golden Psalm;” we have the first in Psalm 16, to which this Psalm has a remarkable likeness. A golden mystery is unveiled in these Psalms, and a pillar is set up because of God’s truth. When the Philistines took him in Gath, David was like a dove in strangers’ hands, and on his escape, he recorded his gratitude. He pleads in earnest hope in Vs. 7-9 and closes with a grateful song from Vs. 10-11.

David wrote this Psalm in response to his experiences in Gath. He had fled there to escape Saul. David pretended to be insane when captured by the Philistines so they would not see him as a threat. The song echoes themes common in Psalms, such as trust in the Lord despite danger and a commitment to praise God for His provision. David prays for rescue from the constant threat of his enemies. Despite this, he resolves to respond with trust in the Lord. David asks, rhetorically, “What possible danger could earthly men be compared to the power of God?”

David’s enemies act with hate and malice, driving him into the wilderness. Yet, David is confident that God knows these struggles, highlighting the biblical teaching that no suffering is purposeless. God sees, knows, and will account for everything in the end. This assurance again leads David to trust the Lord, praising Him. David is committed to publicly thanking God for His deliverance. Faith leads David to trust, fully confident he will once again praise the Lord in safety.

David writes that those ruled by iniquity will be cast down in Vs. 7. A persecuted man finds a friend in the God of love, and this Psalm demonstrates that when men seek to hurt – it is only natural to pray that they may be disabled from their evil designs. What God often does, we may safely ask him to do.

Our Father has counted our steps just like some count their money; even the trials of our lives are precious in His sight. David trusts that the Lord will be so considerate of his tears as to store them up as some do wine. God inclines us to pray, we cry in anguish of heart; He hears, He acts, and the enemy is turned back. God harkens unto the cries of His children and delivers them from even the mightiest of adversaries in an instant. We know that God is for us, and by extension, none can be against us who are worth a moment’s fear. God will be instantly present as soon as we give the signal.

He who obtains help and forgets to return a grateful acknowledgment is a wretch. The Lord is to be praised in every aspect and all of His attributes and acts, but particular mercies especially warrant this praise.

The last two verses are the chorus of the Psalm. We must be sure that our faith is grounded in the Lord alone. David will not be afraid what man can do unto him. Faith has banished his fear. Even if the whole race were his enemies, he would not be scared now that his trust is in God. We need to trust in God the same way.

JANUARY 30, 2024

 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (II Timothy 3:5)

Paul, in writing to his beloved son, Timothy, tells him that “in the last days perilous times shall come.” But why should the last days be so particularly perilous? He says, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”and so on. But were men not always, in every generation, such as here described? Was there ever a time when men were not lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers?” The root of these evils is deeply seated in fallen man, and these fruits must and do continually appear.

Why, then, should their appearance in the last days, make those days more “perilous” than other days? It seems to me that the reason is revealed in the phrase, “Having a form of godliness.” That which makes the last days perilous is that the open profaneness described is covered over by a mask of profession. It is this that makes the times more perilous, for the Church.

“Having a form of godliness” is how the Apostle describes many who engage in the evils here listed. What is “godliness”? This is a question that needs answering because godliness in the Scriptures has two distinct meanings. Sometimes it means the whole work of grace upon the heart; all that makes and identifies a person to be a child of God. This is, in a word, practical godliness, with all the fruits of true religion accompanying. For example, “…exercise thyself rather unto godliness.” (I Tim. 4:7)“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness...” (II Pet. 1:3)

But there are other passages in which the word godliness seems to have a more limited meaning. For instance, Paul’s exhortation to Timothy to “follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience meekness.” (I Tim. 6:11) There, godliness is not seen as the whole of true religion but a particular branch of it, namely, devotedness of heart to the Lord. So also in II Peter 1:5-7, we find that godliness is a particular fruit of the Spirit.

So, in what sense are we to understand the term godliness in the text? It should be obvious that it is the whole of the Spirit’s work upon the soul. It includes repentance, faith in Christ, love of the brethren, the spirit of prayer, the fear of the Lord, and all that springs out of the Spirit’s work upon the soul.

There is such a thing as a form of godliness, which is only a form; it knows nothing of the power of the Spirit. Here, we come to the distinction between the people of God and those who are mere empty professors, who have nothing of the life of God in their souls. God’s true people may often feel a lack of the power of godliness, but that does not mean they are without godly character. But then, there are those who have neither “godliness” nor the “power” of it. They have but the form. What is a form but an outside appearance of the thing without the reality?

It is very possible to have a form of repentance while the heart is not turned from sin. Many have a form of faith, but no vital union with Christ. We see all about us forms and symbols of love and devotion to Christ while the hearts are far from Him. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Why, in these perilous times, are there so many professed Christians who have only a form of godliness without the power of it? No doubt in a great many cases it is because they’ve been led to believe that nothing more than a form is needed. Modern-day Evangelicals have broadly adopted a method of evangelism known as “Easy Believism.” Perhaps “Empty Believism” better describes it. These have replaced the necessity of “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” with instructions to tell God you are sorry, repeat a prayer, and accept Jesus into your heart. Thus, there results an empty form without the regenerating and sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit.

Let none be content with a form of godliness, in which there is no evidence of Divine Power.

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