22 17 Our Lord and His Eternal Word
17 Our Lord and His Eternal Word
Perhaps nothing could mean more to us than to know indeed the relationship between God’s word and our Lord. In this study we want to note some plain-as-day statements that should be learned and never forgotten.
Beginning with David in Psalms 1, we learn the "blessed man" is one whose "delight is in the law of the Lord: and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Let us read it together:
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
Now, look these words squarely in the face. Can you think of anything more easily seen and understood? Here is the secret of absolute success. Can you think of any greater promise than "Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper?"
Note the simple conditions: "Walketh not in the counsel of the wicked." Who has been advising you? Who has been your counselor? Have you had God’s word as a lamp to your feet and a light to your pathway (Psalms 119:105 or have you been walking with "feet that be swift in running to mischief"? Or with him who "soweth discord among brethren"? Or with "a false witness that uttereth lies"? It is well that we study Proverbs 6:16-19.
Remember that instead of walking with "them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned," that you are to mark them and turn away from them. (Romans 16:17). Then you must not stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat with scoffers. But your delight must be in God’s law, and on it meditate day and night. Is this asking too much of us? Here is a man working on an invention, which, if he perfects it, will make him a multimillionaire. Does he not meditate on that invention day and night? Is there a day he does not have it on his heart? Well, remember souls —worth more than all the wealth of the earth—are at stake. We will spend eternity with God and the redeemed, or be cast into outer darkness to be cursed forever. And we have only a short time to stay here, and our attitude toward God’s word determines where we will go when we leave here. Is it too much to delight in God’s law and meditate on it day and night? Really this is exactly what we will do, if we believe as we should.
HOW CHRIST IS REJECTED AND RECEIVED
Those who reject Jesus are those who receive not his word. In John 12:48 our Lord says: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day." The twentieth century translation gives it this way: "He who rejects me, and disregards my teaching, has a judge already—the very message which I have delivered will itself be his judge at the last day." And with these words, 2 John 1:9 should be considered, "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son." In 1 John 5:12 it says: "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." There is no such thing, then, as having our Lord as our Savior without receiving his word.
It is the only way right building can be done. For Jesus says: "Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: anti the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof." (Matthew 7:24-27).
"Great was the fall thereof." When you think of your soul, worth more than all the wealth of all the earth, then the fall of a human soul certainly can be thought of as great. Could there be a greater loss? With these words of Jesus before us, I now introduce another translation of 1 Corinthians 7:19 : "Circumcision counts for nothing, uncircumcision counts for nothing; obedience to God’s commands is everything." Then chimes in the words of our Lord in Revelation 22:14 : "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
There is such a thing as receiving "the love of the truth," that we may be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). Then there is such a thing as knowing what God says and quoting it and arguing about it when there is no love of the truth in our hearts. So this throws us back on that great subject we have already considered —viz., love. Those who have not the love of the truth will be cursed with a strong delusion. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 says: "And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie. " For what cause? Because they received not the love of the truth.
Really, have we in our hearts love for God’s truth? Or is it love for our own hobbies, theories, preconceived ideas and notions that we love so much, and would wreck the church that we sustain? Are we really in love with the truth, or in love rather with justifying our own wrongdoings, and would wreck the church in our efforts to justify self? Well would it be for us to give ourselves a looking over just here. Are we not commanded: "Try your own selves, whether. ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate." (2 Corinthians 13:5).
PARTIAL OBEDIENCE EQUALS NO OBEDIENCE
Love takes all of God’s word. We live not by a few things God has said to us, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4). Partial obedience equals no obedience. Study 1 Samuel 15:1-29. Faith, repentance, and baptism undoubtedly have proceeded out of our Lord’s mouth as conditions of forgiveness for sins of aliens. With our whole heart we must love and teach these words. But just as certain as these are the words of our Lord, just that certain the following words proceeded out of his mouth: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34). "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 4:20-21).
Well, it is bad to be a liar. In Revelation 21:8 it says: "All liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone." And they are classed with murderers. But he that hateth his brother is a murderer. (1 John 3:15). These liars are classed with the fearful. But the fearful are those who do not love. "There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18). These liars are also classed with the unbelieving. When you see men going around hating each other and striving to pick each other to pieces, just know they do not believe. If you will turn to 2 Thessalonians 1:3, you find Paul giving thanks because the faith of the brethren in Thessalonica was growing exceedingly, and, along with that growing faith, love one for another was abounding. Let us read it together: "We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth."
It has been said those who really believe what this old book teaches are going to heaven; they are not going to hell! Who could believe any sane soul would miss what the Bible says about heaven if he really believes what the Bible says about heaven? Who could believe that any sane soul would go to hell if he really believes what the Bible says about hell?
Listen to me! Don’t you think our Lord had it right when he said: "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:23). Does not he tell us that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field, the which when a man findeth it will give all he has for that field? Does he not tell us that the kingdom is like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it? (Matthew 13:44-46).
THE CONDITION OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP
True Discipleship Found. Our Lord says no one who comes to him can be a disciple unless he hates father, mother, brother, sister, and his own life also. (Luke 14:24-33). It can only mean that those who love God will do what he says regardless of all opposition, and they enjoy doing what he says. Just here an old Testament scene comes to me. You remember when Jacob was fleeing from Esau he landed in the home of Laban, who had two daughters, Rachel and Leah. Jacob loved Rachel and wanted her for his wife. Laban told him if he would be his servant seven years he could have her. The record says: "And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had for her." Love in the sense of first choice makes everything easy. Our Lord’s commandments to those who love are not grievous. Solomon says that love in the sense of first choice "is as strong as death", that is, you would die before you would let the object of love go. Such love, Solomon says, "many waters cannot quench, neither can the floods drown." (Song of Solomon 8:6-7). In the light of this, you understand better the words of Paul when he said: "What mean ye to weep and break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." The brethren were begging him not to go to Jerusalem, because the Holy Spirit had testified that the enemy would persecute him and perhaps kill him if he went to Jerusalem. Yes, Paul not only loved Christ more than he did father, mother, brother, or sister, but more than he did his own life, and would lay his life down before letting Jesus go. Do you so love him? If you do, you have a joy that is unspeakable and you have a peace that you yourself cannot understand. (1 Pet. be 8; Php 4:4-7). This all throws light on the following oft-quoted and little- understood statement: "And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Strong language indeed are these words l That man who says he loves God and hateth his brother is a liar, the book says. That man who says he knows God and is not keeping his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him, the book also declares.
Well, let us then know that not what we are going about saying about ourselves proves anything. It is the way we live. Not what we say about how much we love God means anything—it is how we are conducting ourselves toward what he has said. Let us remember that "he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." This is the only thing that we can have that will never be taken from us. Will we not, then, with Mary (Luke 10:38-42), choose the good part that will not be taken away from us? That is, take time to study God’s holy word, and not use all of our time worrying about the perishing things of this life that will soon be taken from us. Remember the "pride of life" is not of the Father. Many church members need, before they ever go through the form of eating the Lord’s Supper again, to confess their sins. Their pride keeps them from it. May God help us to think on these things.
David said: "Thy word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." But to him, he declares that word laid up in his heart was sweeter than honey to his mouth and more precious than gold, yea than fine gold. (Psalms 119:11; Psalms 119:103; Psalms 119:127). When thus we have such love in our hearts for the word of our Lord, we will not knowingly violate one thing it says for us to do or try to be. And when we meet him in the judgment and the books are opened, we will not be ashamed to be judged by the things we have so loved and valued.