Leaves Of Gold

A Call To Return To Biblical Teaching

"...to contend earnestly for the faith..."

Year One, Number 12                                              DECEMBER                                          2006

 

 

MASTER OUTLINE NUMBER ELEVEN

(Taken from "The Christian Life Bible", Thomas Nelson Publishers,  by Porter L. Barrington)

Angels (Messengers of God)

      Man is not the highest form of God's created beings. David said, "For You have made him [man] a little lower than the angels" (Ps. 8:5).

(1) Angels are greater in power and might (2 Pet. 2: 11) and in strength (Ps. 103:20).

(2) They are superior in wisdom and knowledge (2 Sam. 14:20).

(3) Their knowledge of the future often exceeds that of man (Rev. 21: 9-27). "The Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place" (Rev. 22:6-11).

      Angels are superior to man in his fallen state, and yet they are in no way equal to the God-Man, Christ Jesus. Jesus is "so much better than the angels" (Heb. 1 :4-14, page 1236). He is better:

(1) in name: "He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:16; Heb. 1 :4);

(2) in His relationship with God the Father: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son" (Heb. 1 :5);

(3) in rank: "Let all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. 1 :6);

(4) in position: Angels are created beings, but Jesus is the eternal God.

   Of His Son, God said, "Your throne, 0 God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom" (Heb. 1 :8).

      The study and understanding of the doctrine of angels is a vital force in the spiritual life of the be­liever. Angels are very prominent in fifty-nine books of the Bible. They are not mentioned in Ruth, Nehemiah, Esther, John's epistles, or James. A biblical understanding of angels, Satan, and demons (fallen angels) will equip you with power and knowledge to cope with many of the personal prob­lems of the Christian life.

11-A. Angels: Their Identity (Colossians 1:16)-"For by Him [Christ] all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth" (v. 16). Angels are created spiritual beings with spiritual bodies: "And of the angels He says: 'Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire'" (Heb. 1:7). They were created superior to man. The Lord made man "a little lower than the angels" (Ps. 8:3-5) However, in heaven we will be exalted above angels because we have been born into the family of God and are "joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17). We have a relationship with Christ that no angel can ever know. Paul asked the church of Corinth, "Do you not know that we shall judge angels?" (1 Cor. 6:3). In our glorified bodies we will judge the fallen angels.

(1) Angels are a part of all the things created by Christ, and for Him; they have been "made subject to Him" (1 Pet. 3:22).

(2) Angels minister to Christ and His church. After Christ's temptation in the wilderness, "angels came and ministered to Him" (Matt. 4:11), and they will minister to Christ and His bride forever (Ps.103:19-22).

(3) Angels, although spiritual, participate in human affairs at God's bidding. After the resurrection of Jesus, an angel came and rolled back the stone from the tomb to let the world behold the evidence of His bodily resurrection. Then the angel of the Lord sat on the stone. His face was as bright as flashing Lightning, and his robe was pure white. The angel told the women to "go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead" (Matt. 28:1-8).

(4) Angels, as part of the invisible spiritual world, will endure eternally. Our text tells us that Christ created all things visible and invisible. He created thrones, visible and invisible. He created dominions visible and invisible. He created principalities or powers (angels), visible and invisible. The present visible creation will pass away, but the invisible will continue forever and ever, eternity without end (2 Cor. 4:18). The things, which are not seen, are real and eternal; the things which are seen are real but temporal.

1.11-B. Angels: Their Kinds and Ranks (Hebrews 12:22)-Not only are there various kinds and ranks of angels, they are also innumerable. All are created holy, intelligent, powerful spirit beings. It is reasonable to believe they differ from one another in kind, rank, personality, and power. There are no two human beings exactly alike; there are no two fingerprints alike; there are no two leaves alike on all the trees in the world. Creation tells us that our Creator is unlimited in all things in heaven and on earth. Yet, we often think that angels are all exactly alike, that God made tl1em all from a single mold.

      There are three angels whose names are made known in the Scriptures:

(1)  Michael, the archangel. When he disputed with the Devil about the body of Moses, Michael dared not bring against him (Satan) a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 9). Michael is God's warring general, and seems especially related to Israel.

(2) Gabriel. This angel seems to be a special messenger of the Lord. He is mentioned three times in Scripture:

      (a) In Daniel 8 and 9, God delivered messages to Daniel pertaining to Israel in the Great      Tribulation (Dan. 8:15-27; 9:20-27) ..

      (b) He announced the birth of John the Baptist to his father, Zacharias the priest (Luke 1:8-19).

      (c) In Luke, he told the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah (Luke 1:26-  38).

(3) Lucifer, son of the morning (Satan). This is a fallen angel, who was created a perfect and powerful angel. He was given power and a place in God's kingdom, greater than any other created being (see Master Outline 12, "Satan," ).

      The seraphim (from the Hebrew word for "burn") are found only once in the Bible. They are in the presence of the throne of God, and they cry one to another: "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts." They have six wings-two to cover their faces, two to cover their feet, and two to fly. One of the seraphim, with a coal from the altar of God, touched the lips of Isaiah and pronounced him purged of his sin (Is. 6:1-8).

      "Cherubim" is the plural of "cherub," from the Hebrew word for "draw near." Cherubim were placed in the Garden of Eden to guard the Tree of Life, after the fall of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:24). They are near the throne of God; they cover and protect it (Ezek. 28:14, page 806). Moses made golden images of cherubim to overshadow the mercy seat in the Most Holy Place (Ex. 25:17-22). Satan was the "anointed cherub" (Ezek. 28:14). It appears that he was the head of the cherubim. Some of the cherubim, along with the fallen angels, may have fallen with him (Rev. 12:4).

      11-C. Angels: Their Nature (Psalm 103:19-21)-Angels are created, spiritual beings. They never die; they do not reproduce (Matt. 22:30). It is their nature:

(1) To "bless the LORD" and serve Him. They "excel in strength, who do His word" (v. 20). They obey His every command.

(2) To worship and praise the Lord. "Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts. Let them  praise the name of the LORD, for He commanded and they were created" (Ps. 148:1-6)

(3) To be intellectually superior to fallen man. "My lord [King David] is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth" (2 Sam. 14:20). Angels know all that is in the earth, although they are not omniscient. By comparison, man knows very little.

(4) To dispense the judgment of God on:

      (a) Armies. One angel, with supernatural power, destroyed the Assyrian army of 185,000 in    one night. When the inhabitants of Jerusalem awoke the next morning, they saw the prophecy of Isaiah fulfill, Isaiah  37:33-36.

      (b) Cities. Two angels helped destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because these cities were filled      with gross immorality. When people of Sodom heard that two men (the angels) were in Lot's    house, they went there demanding to have them, that they might have homosexual relations       with them. The angels struck the. homosexuals with blindness, so that they could not find the door. The next morning, after Lot and his daughters departed from the city, God destroyed    Sodom and Gomorrah and all the people (Gen. 19: 1-24).

      (c) Individuals. King Herod delivered an address, and while he was speaking the people cried    'The voice of a god and not of a man!' Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him,    because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died" (Acts 12:22, 23)

(5) To guard and guide the nation Israel. God sent an angel to guide Israel through forty years of wandering in the wilderness (Ex. 23:20-23). God did not reveal his identity, but he had authority over Israel. Exodus 23:21 suggests that this angel may be either:

      (a) The Lord Jesus Christ, who often appears in the Scriptures as "the Angel of the LORD"     (Genesis 22:11,       12;

      (b) Michael, the archangel, "the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your (Daniel's)       people"      (Dan. 12:1).

 

      11-D. Angels: Their Ministry in Heaven and on Earth (Revelation 5:11-14)­

(1) The heavenly ministry of angels:

      (a) John said, "I heard the voice of many angels around the throne" (v. 11). He also saw "living creatures." These living creatures are cherubim they guard the throne of God (Ezek. 1:5-12: 10:15-22).

      (b) The number of the angels was "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousand-," (v. 11).        They were an innumerable host, along with the elders, praising and worshiping Christ the lamb (vv 11-14,      cf  Is. 6:1-9). When God the Father brings His Son, the lord Jesus Christ, back into the world, He says, "let      all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. 1:6). Angels were created t o• worship, praise, and serve God the       Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

(2) The earthly ministry of angels:

      (a) "Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:13, 14). Angels minister to all believers, all who are saved by faith in Christ. If you belong to Christ, you have angels ministering to you in many ways. Believers are seldom aware of their presence. "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels , (Heb. 13:2). Lot entertained angels who came to deliver him from the wrath of God, even though he was not living in complete harmony with the will of God (Gen. 19:1-29). Abraham entertained the same two angels before they visited lot in Sodom. However, there were three men who called on Abraham. This was a. theophany or manifestation of God, and doubtless included a pre-New Testament revelation of Christ, called a Christophany (Gen. 18:1-33).

      (b) Angels assist the servants of the Lord. "Now an angel of the lord spoke to Philip, saying, 'Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' " When Philip saw a chariot on the road, the angel told him to "go near and overtake this chariot" (Acts 8:26-40).  In the chariot was a man from Ethiopia. He was to be one of the heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:13, 14).  Angels minister to those who are to be saved even before they are converted. God is omniscient; He knows beforehand who will believe and be saved, and sends His angels to minister to them. Another example of an angel assisting in the salvation of those who were to be heirs of salvation is found in Acts 10. Cornelius was praying when an angel of God came and told him to summon Simon Peter from Joppa, and bring him to his house. Peter would tell him how to be saved (Acts 10:1-48).

      (c) An angel of the Lord delivered Peter from prison, even though he was chained between two guards. The next morning, when the guards could not find him, "there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter" (Acts 12:1-19). Now Herod had planned to put Peter to death, but God had other plans and sent an angel to rescue him.

      (d) Another angel helped to save the lives of Paul and all on the ship that was taking him to Rome as a prisoner. Paul said to all on board the endangered ship, "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you'" (Acts 27:21-25).

      Have you ever stopped to thank God for your ministering angel or angels?

 

      11-E. Angels: Their Part in the Second Coming of Christ (Mark 13:26, 27)-Angels had a very important part .in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were created by Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). They were created to worship Him (Heb. 1:6), to minister to Him (Matt. 4:11), and to fight for Him (Rev. 12:7). The angel Gabriel was sent to

      (1) Zacharias the priest, to announce the birth of John the Baptist, who was to prepare the       way for the Lord Jesus (John 3:28, cf.  Mal. 4:5; Matt. 17:11, 12);

      (2) the Virgin Mary, to announce the birth of Jesus and John the Baptist (Luke 1:13,26-38).

      An angel of the Lord rolled the stone from the tomb of Jesus and announced His resurrection Matthew 28:1-8). When Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection and the apostles looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, "two men stood by them in white apparel" and announced that He would come again "in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11). The Scriptures do  tell us who the "two men" are. It is believed by some that they were angels.

      It should not surprise us that angels will also have a great part in Christ's second coming, which will in two stages.

      (1) Jesus will come and rapture (take up) His bride, redeemed, out of the world to meet Him in the air and His angels will assist Him. At the Rapture, Christ shall cry aloud and wake the dead (John 5:28, 29); then the archangel (probably Michael) will shout and he, or some other angel, will blow the trumpet (1 Thess. 4:13-18). The resurrected saints and the living saints will be caught up together to meet the Lord Jesus in the air.

      (2) Jesus will come back to this earth with His bride (the redeemed) seven years later to put the world in order. "Then they [the people on earth] will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part earth to the farthest part of heaven" (vv. 26, 27).

      Jesus' angels wlll assist at the rapture of His church before the seven-year Tribulation. His angels will then gather the elect from around the world and bring them to the judgment of the nations, after the Tribulation (Matt. 25:31-46). Jesus will come with an army of angels, all riding on white horses, to establish kingdom and reign for a thousand years as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16).  (These outline studies will continue)

 

The Satanic Trinity

(From the book: "Rightly Dividing The Word" Clarence Larkins)

After the Apostle John had seen and described the 'Beast" that came up out of the SEA, he saw another "Beast" come up out of the EARTH. Rev. 13: 11-17. This "Second Beast," while John does not say it was a lamb, had "Two Horns" "like a lamb," that is, it was LAMB-LIKE. Because of this resemblance many claim that the "Second Beast" is the Antichrist, for Antichrist is supposed to imitate Christ. While the LAMB (Christ) is mentioned in the Book of Revelation 22 times, the de­scription given of Him in' chapter 5: 6, is that of a lamb having "SEVEN HORNS" and not "TWO." This dif­ferentiates Him from the "lamb-like Beast" that comes up out of the earth, who, though he is "lamb-like in ap­pearance SPEAKS AS A DRAGON." See the Chart "The Satanic Trinity," page 104.

The "Second Beast" has a name. He is called the "FALSE PROPHET" three times. First in chapter 16: 13, then in chapter 19: 20, and again in chapter 20: 10. Twice he is associated with the "First Beast" (Antichrist) and once with the "Dragon" (Satan) and the "First Beast," and as they are PERSONS so must he be. The fact that he is called the "False Prophet" is proof that he is not the "Antichrist." Jesus had a foreview of him when He said-"There shall arise 'FALSE CHRISTS' and 'FALSE PROPHETS,' and shall show GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS; insomuch that, if it were pos­sible they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24: 24. Here Jesus differentiates between "FALSE CHRISTS" and "FALSE PROPHETS," therefore the "ANTI­CHRIST" and the "FALSE PROPHET" cannot be the same.

That the "Second Beast" comes up out of the EARTH may signify that he will be a resurrected person. There will be two persons who shall come back from Heaven as the "Two Witnesses," Moses and Elijah, why not two persons come up from "The Underworld," brought up by Satan to counteract the work of the "Two Witnesses?"


      The fact that the "First Beast" (Antichrist), and the "Second Beast" (False Prophet) are cast ALIVE into the "Lake of Fire" (Rev. 19: 20) is further proof that they are more than ordinary mortals, and that the "First Beast" is more than the' last ruling Emperor of the re­vived Roman Empire. He is the Antichrist, Satan's SUPERMAN.

In the· "Dragon," the "Beast," and the "False Prophet," we have the "SATANIC TRINITY," Satan's imitation of the "Divine Trinity." In the unseen and in­visible "Dragon" we have the FATHER (the ANTI­GOD). In the "Beast" we have the "SON OF PERDI­TION" (the ANTI-CHRIST), begotten of the Dragon, who appears on the earth, dies, and is resurrected, and to whom is given a throne by his Father the Dragon. In the "False Prophet" we have the "ANTI-SPIRIT," who proceeds from the "Dragon Father" and "Dragon Son," and whose speech is like the Dragon's. The "Dragon" then will be the "ANTI-GOD," the "Beast" the "ANTI­CHRIST," and the "False Prophet" the "ANTI­SPIRIT," and the fact that all three are cast ALIVE into the "Lake of Fire" (Rev. 20: 10) is proof that they together form a "Triumvirate" which we may well call "THE SATANIC TRINITY."

Again the "Antichrist" is to be a KING and rule over a KINGDOM. He will accept the "Kingdoms of this world" that Satan offered Christ, and that Christ refused. Matt. 4: 8-10. He will also EXALT himself, and claim to be God. 2 Thess. 2: 4. But the "False Prophet" is not a King, He does not exalt himself, he exalts the "First Beast" (Antichrist). His relation to the "First Beast" is the same as the Holy Spirit's relation to Christ. He causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to wor­ship the "First Beast." He also has power to give life, and in this he imitates the Holy Spirit. And as the fol­lowers of Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the "Day of Redemption" (Eph. 4: 30) ; so, the followers of Antichrist shall be sealed by the False Prophet until the "Day of Perdition." Rev. 13: 16-17.

The False Prophet will be a "Miracle Worker." While Jesus was a "miracle worker," He did all His mighty

works in the "power" of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10: 38. Among the miracles that the False Prophet will perform he will bring down FIRE FROM HEAVEN. During the Mission of the "Two Witnesses" (Rev. 11: 1-14), (there will probably be a "FIRE-TEST" between Elijah and the "False-prophet," similar to the one on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18: 17-40), to prove who is God, the Lord or Anti christ. That Satan, who will then energize the False Prophet, can do this is clear from Job. 1 : 16, where Satan, having secured permission from God to touch all that Job had, brought down "fire from heaven" and burned up Job's sheep and servants.

The False Prophet then commands the people to make an

"IMAGE OF THE BEAST."

This is further proof that the "First Beast" is the Anti­christ. It is a strange weakness of mankind that they must have some VISIBLE God to worship, and when the Children of Israel, who had been delivered from Egypt under Moses' leadership, thought he had forsaken them because he did not come down from the Mount, they called Aaron to make them gods which should go before them, and Aaron made for them the "GOLDEN CALF." Ex. 32: 1-6 .. So the False Prophet will have the people make for the purpose of worship an "IMAGE OF THE BEAST." But the wonderful thing about the "IMAGE" is that the False Prophet will have power to give LIFE to it, and cause it to SPEAK, and to demand that all who will not worship it shall be put to death. In other words the "IMAGE" will be a living, speaking, AUTO­MATON.

This "Image" reminds us of the "GOLDEN IMAGE" that Nebuchadnezzar commanded to be made and set up in the "Plain of Dura," in the Province of Babylon (Dan. 3: 1-30), before which, at the sounding of musical instru­ments, the people were commanded to bow down and worship under penalty, for those who disobeyed, of being cast into a "BURNING FIERY FURNACE." Doubt­less there will be many in the "Day of Antichrist" who will refuse to bow down and worship the "Image of the Beast," and who will not escape as did the "Three Hebrew Children," though God may interpose in a miraculous way to deliver some. And as if this was not enough the False Prophet shall cause-"ALL, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a 'MARK' in their RIGHT HAND, or in their FORE­HEAD; and that no man might BUY or SELL, save he that has the 'MARK of the 'NAME OF THE BEAST,' or the 'NUMBER OF HIS NAME.''' This "MARK" will be known as the

"BRAND OF HELL."

This is what the world is fast coming to. The time is not far distant when the various "Trusts" and "Combi­nations of Capital" will be merged into a "FEDERA­TION OF TRUSTS," at the head of which shall be a "NAPOLEON OF CAPITAL." Ultimately this "Feder­ation of Trusts" will extend to the whole world, at the head of which shall be THE ANTICHRIST, and the producer and consumer will be powerless in the tentacles of this OCTOPUS, and no man shall be able to BUY or SELL who has not the "MARK OF THE BEAST" either upon his "right hand" or on his "forehead" This "Mark" will be BRANDED or burnt on. It will probably be the "NUMBER OF THE BEAST" or "666." The number "666" is the "NUMBER OF MAN," and stops short of the perfect number SEVEN. Man was created on the SIXTH day. Goliath the opposer of God's people, a type of Satan, was 6 cubits in height, he had 6 pieces of armor, and his spearhead weighed 600 shekels. 1 Sam. 17: 4-7. Nebuchadnezzar's Image, a type of the "Image of the Beast," was 60 cubits in height, 6 cubits wide, and 6 instruments of music summoned the worshippers. Dan.3:1-7.

       In that day men will doubtless prefer to have the "MARK" on the back of their right hand so it can be readily seen in the act of signing checks, drafts, and receipts. There will doubtless be public officials in all public places of business to see that no one buys or sells who has not the "MARK." This will apply to women as well as men. None can shop, or even buy from the huckster at the door, without the "MARK," under penalty of DEATH. Those will be awful times for those who will not WORSHIP, THE BEAST. If they can neither buy nor sell without the "MARK," they must beg, or starve or be killed. The instrument of death win be the guillotine (Rev. 20: 4), and the daily papers will contain a list of the names of those who were beheaded the .day before so as to frighten the people into obedience to the law. The doom of the "Satanic Trinity" will be, that at the close of that awful time of Tribulation the Lord Jesus Christ will return, and the "Dragon," the "Anti-God," will be cast into the "BOTTOMLESS PIT" for a thou sand years (Rev. 20: 1-3), and the "Beast," the "Anti­Christ," and the "False Prophet," the "Anti-Spirit," will be cast ALIVE into the "LAKE OF FIRE." Rev. 19: 20.

Two good men, Enoch and Elijah, were translated to Heaven without dying, and two bad men, spoken of offi­cially as the "Beast" and the "False Prophet," shall be cast into the "Lake of Fire" WITHOUT DYING. (These studies will continue)

 

Gods Purpose, in "You"" in His Cause

INTRODUCTION: In the eleven lessons studied thus far some basic doctrines and beliefs are:

1. The Bible-Its inspiration, proof of its inspiration, and the importance of the Bible.

2. Understanding the meaning of FAITH as it is taught in the Scriptures.

3.  Each student has studied HOW to rightly divide the Word of Truth as the Bible instructs them to do.

4. Each student has studied about the KEY to this task of rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

5. Then he learned of God's plan in prophecy of the New Testament church institution.

6. The origin of the church was studied, just when, where, and how it began.

7. The three phases of the church as revealed in the New Testament, her growth, etc., were studied.

8. The student learned how to identify a New Testament church by certain scriptural marks.

9. The church as the body of Christ was studied in lesson nine, and why it was called His body.

10.  In the tenth lesson the student studied about why the church is called the house of God.

11.  The last lesson, then, was about the church as His bride.

n these lessons each student studied distinctive doctrines from Salvation by Grace to the Coming of Jesus. Now, WHY WAS THIS DONE? WHAT DO THESE THINGS HAVE TO DO WITH EACH STUDENT as an individual? What part does each believer have in God's work? Why has God saved him? Why does God ask each to work for Him? Why? Why? The questions could go on, but let each come down to the very purpose of these things to his own personal life.

I.GOD HAS CHOSEN TO WORK THROUGH HUMANITY, SAVED AND BAPTIZED, IN HIS CHURCH

1.This is the very reason why God saved each in the first place-that He might work through him, Ephesians 2:10; Titus 1:3; 3:8. He saved each believer from eternal hell, but this is not the main reason for saving one, God loved each one. He loves everyone. For this reason His love reaches out to others through each believer. This, then, is the more noble reason for saving a soul; it gives the one being saved an opportunity at least to express appreciation for God's Grace. Therefore, EACH can work for Him. What a privilege! What a blessing! The saved and Christ belong to each other.

2.In John 15:16 Jesus teaches why He chose those brethren. It is simply stated that the reason is that they might go and bring forth fruit. So, as each life produces some kind of fruit while he lives on earth, it is the will of Jesus that each produces fruit from Him. How is this done? Living for Him, worshiping Him in Spirit and Truth, serving with any talent He blesses each with, and giving to support His cause are ways He works in each one to produce fruit. It has been said that "the fruit of a Christian is another Christian," but the impression that unless one is leading others directly to professions of faith he is not producing fruit is wrong. The fruit of a Christian will result in others being saved, to be sure. But godly living, giving, witnessing, teaching, singing, and the many ways a child of God produces fruit are all counted by the timekeeper of justice, mercy, and truth.

 

3.God calls certain men to preach the gospel; not angels or other beings, but men of God, I Corinthians 1: 17-21; Romans 10:13-15. Any child of God can proclaim the gospel of Christ and is called upon of God to put his light on the candlestick and do so. But God calls certain men to fill a definite office of the ministry, Galatians 1:15,16.

4.This is why Jesus organized and sent His church into the world-that each believer could, through this constituted authority, have a part in this great ministry of the gospel, Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; Romans 1:14-17. So, God uses human beings who will meet with His conditions. And this can be each believer. Each saved person can apply himself to this great cause.

II. GOD CAN SAVE AND USE ANY RESPONSIBLE PERSON IN HIS CAUSE, "Whosoever Will ... "

1.Whosoever will repent of his sins and give his life to Christ can be used of Him. This is made very plain in Matthew 11:28-30 and Ephesians 2:3-7. Note the following:

a.A rich man can be saved, and happily serve the Lord Jesus, Luke 19:2-9 and Acts 4:36, 37.

b.A poor person can be used of God all the same, II Corinthians 8:1-4 and Luke 21:1-4.

c.The ignorant, surrendered to God, willing to learn, can do so, John 7:14-17.

d. The intelligent can be used, of God happily, , Philippians 3:4-8 and Acts 26:24 et al.

e.Fishermen, farmers, tax collectors, jailors, lawyers, thieves, wicked men and women, or boys and girls can be used of God, Titus 2: 1-6.

2.EACH ONE is important if truly surrendered to God.

HE can serve Him in His cause.

a.Some are called to preach because they have what it takes, Hebrews 5:4, I Timothy 3:1.

b.Some have talent to learn to teach others, Titus 2:1-8.

c.Some have qualities for deacons and business matters, "­Acts 6:1-7; I Timothy 3:8-13.

d.Many have talents to sing, to make music, to praise, etc., Ephesians 5:19.

e.Some have talents of administration and good order in the church, I Corinthians 14:40.

      All these talents should be developed to be used in the work of Christ. So, EACH should develop HIS.

3. Everyone can do the following NOW:

      a. He can learn how to witness to others and to do so, Luke 8:39 and John 4:28,29.

      b. Each can invite people to the house of God to hear the gospel, Luke 14:23.

      c. Each can be faithful in the attendance of services, Hebrews 10: 25.

      d. Each can be faithful in the support of God's work, missionaries, and God's cause as He blesses with means to do so, I Corinthians 4:2.

III. WHILE APPLYING THESE THINGS IN A PRACTICAL WAY TO EACH LIFE, EACH CAN ALSO BE:

1.Grateful to God; to His people for their kindness and work and prayers; for food, clothing, his home, family, health, and a land in which he can worship God. In contrast to worry and fretting, all are admonished to be prayerful and thankful instead, Philippians 4:6.

 

2.Kind and considerate; each can practice this as he learns from God's word, Colossians 4:6 and Ephesians 4:32. These are simple things that mean so much to the Christian testimony.

3.Unselfishness, helpful to others, and "laborers together" with God, I Corinthians 3:9. Others were in the mind of God in His great plan of redemption, Romans 5. Others were in the mind of Christ as He served and gave His life for all. Others were in the minds of the churches after Jesus left the world. All are admonished throughout the Scriptures to be considerate of others. There is a song with a line that says, "Others, Lord help me to live for others, that I may live like thee." Selfishness keeps one from serving God. Selfishness keeps one from giving of time, talents, and means to the service of God. Selfishness isolates men to clanish groups for evil purposes. But unselfishness, kind consideration of others, is the Christian Spirit. May God bless EACH with this gracious gift. And may God help each to exercise the same while he lives in the world. (This is the final chapter of this booklet by L. M. Branch and published by the Bogard Press, Texarkana, TX.)

 

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