Overcomers In Christ Part I

Overcomers In Christ

Part I

John 16:33

These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

          Should Christians be of good cheer, as the subject verse indicates, because Christ has overcome the world and therefore Christians should be able to overcome the world,  should we expect that we will be able overcome the world in our own strength? Or is there something in Christ having overcome the world that freely gives Christians victory over the world?

            Regarding the first supposition, that since Christ has overcome the world, we shall be able to overcome the world in our own strength, it is false; for it is as Martin Luther, the great reformer wrote(1483-1546): A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal. In the natural man there is not strength to overcome the world, nor Satan who is in the world.

             The second supposition: that there is something in Christ having overcome the world that gives Christians victory over the world: that is true. For Christ Jesus was not present in this world as a private individual at any time; but all He did, was as the Mediator of the everlasting covenant of grace with all His members in Him. (I Timothy 2:5; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:22-23) In His office of Mediator He stood a substitute for His people, His life was lived to their credit, and He died in their stead. In Christ all His members lived a perfect life under the law of God, for Christ as the covenant head of His people and in covenant union with them lived a perfect life being “made of a woman made under the law” (Galatians 4:4). The Word (the Son of God) was made flesh (John 1:14) in order that He, the God-Man and Mediator of His people might bring many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10) the many son who are to be brought to glory “are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” (Acts 3:25). “They which are of faith, (those who seek to be justified by faith, writer’s parenthesis) the same are the child of Abraham.” and are “the Israel of God.” (Hebrews 2:16; Galatians 3:16, 29; 6:16). These are they who have overcome the world in Christ; for it is written “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth the Jesus is the Son of God?” (I John 5:5). Question: but someone may object, saying, but what if one of these who have interest in the covenant of grace does not believe? Answer: faith is the covenant gift of God, and it is “the fruit of the Spirit” as it is written “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Galatians 5:22-24). Where the Spirit of God is the fruit which is “of the Spirit” will be also, and faith in Christ as the Son of God is of that fruit. Belief that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God is not left to the province of the choice of man, but is of the revelation of God “for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) and “No man can come to me, (to come to Christ is to believe on Christ as Savior, writer’s parenthesis) except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44). It is manifest that they who believe that Jesus is the Christ are the spiritual seed of Abraham, and the eternal children of God according to the eternal purpose which God purposed in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:11).

 We have established who has covenant interest in Christ; and that is believers in Christ as the only “Savior of the world” (I John 4:14) that is, Savior of that world whose sin the Lamb of God has taken away (John 1:29) which is the world of God’s elect, for it is written “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:3-7).  It is believers who “have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, and they have that redemption, the forgiveness sins, because they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world; not because of a choice they made while in this word. There is no scripture to give validation to the current error and false teaching that God chose His people according to the choice which He knew men would make in time. God chose His people and “predestinated them to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of His will” and not prescience of their actions and decisions; as it is written “And he said, (the Lord said, writer’s parenthesis) I will make all my goodness pass before thee, name I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” (Exodus 33:19). The Apostle Paul brings this truth into the New Testament in this way “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” (Romans 9:15-18). The children of the covenant are saved because God breaks up their hard and stony heart and gives them a heart to believe the gospel (Ezekiel 36:26) others God gives over to themselves and allows them to walk on in their rebellion against God; God gives men up to their own uncleanness and to vile affections, (Romans 1:20-32). Therefore the saved, are saved, by the sovereign mercy and grace of God; the damned, are damned, because of their own sin, with no one to blame but themselves. (Proverbs 1:24-33). The saved are overcomers in Christ; and to them “it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;” (Philippians 1:29). And though the believer’s portion in this life is sometimes to suffer, yet this world is not the believer’s final portion; for the believer looks for a city to come, whose builder and maker is God. See the writer’s blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com      

A.J. Ison    

Overcomers In Christ Part II

                                               Overcomers in Christ Part II

John 16:33

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the.

            In the first article of this title, the writer set forth on scriptural ground; the truth that Christ Jesus overcame the world in the behalf of His covenant people who were given Him without beginning, and therefore when Christ overcame the world His members in Him overcame the world. In this article we shall look to the scriptures to inform us concerning the inheritance that is to be granted to these who overcome in Christ Jesus.

            Believers have overcome Satan. “I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.” (I John 2:13). The Apostle John here writes to three groups of believers at different stages of maturity in the knowledge of the gospel; some are fathers who are instrumental in the help and instruction of others in the way of truth, some are young men who have overcame the wicked one through the faith of Jesus Christ, and some are little children who have been brought to know God, they have been taught that they are of God, and not of the world (John 17:14-16) and have overcome the world that lieth in wickedness (I John 5:19). Each of these groups have overcome the wicked one, for, they have all known the Father and to know God is eternal life (I John 5:20; John 17:3). Believers may know that they have overcome Satan by this “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (I John 5:4-5) and “no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (I Corinthians 12:3).

            “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;” (Revelation 2:7) the ear of nature is dead to the sound of the gospel, for, though the ear of nature is able to hear in the natural way, yet it is both dead and deaf to spiritual hearing, for “the carnal mind is enmity against God:” (Romans 8:7) and therefore will not hear, and so cannot hear. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (I Corinthians 2:14). But “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.” (Palm 89:15).

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7). When men eat natural food they are nourished, strengthened, and live upon that food. Believers are “bound in the bundle of life (Christ) with the Lord thy God;” (I Samuel 25:29). Christ Jesus is to believers a “fountain of living waters” (Jeremiah 2:13), and believers are “vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory,” (Romans 9:23) into which vessels Christ puts the water of life, that is, as our Lord said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28). Our Lord said to the woman at the well of Sychar “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” (John 4:10) living water is another name for eternal life. Our Lord said “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35). “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the tree of life, the bread of life, the water of life, Christ Jesus is the life of His people, for, “When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4). “There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (I John 5:7, 11). “Verily, Verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47). Concerning the “children of the covenant” (Acts 3:25) who the Father gave to the Son in old eternity (John 17:2; 6:37, 45) to be His spouse: “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 21:9) a picture of her calling is given by the Prophet Ezekiel, “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:” (Ezekiel 20:37). The Holy Ghost visits His children at the time appointed in the covenant of grace and brings them under “the rod of thy strength” (Psalm 110:2) which is the gospel, and binds them to Christ; as it is written by the Prophet “and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people” (Isaiah 49:8; see also Isa. 42:6) as it is written “all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” (Isaiah 54:13). See the writer’s blog at: www.hebrews915.blogspot.com  

A.J.Ison.

          

           

Overcomers In Christ Part III

Overcomers in Christ Part III

Revelation 2:11

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

            “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to his works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 21:10-15.

           Believers in Christ have been delivered from “so great a death,” God has delivered believers by Jesus Christ, through death; as it is written “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doeth deliver: and whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” (II Corinthians 1:9-10). Christ Jesus was put to death in the stead of each of His members; Christ died as the Head of His own body which body is the church of the elect of God, whom the Father chose in old eternity to be the spouse of His Son; and “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (I Corinthians 6:17)

          Those who have union with Christ from eternity have been slain in Him under the sentence of the Law of God and therefore can never be in jeopardy of eternal damnation. For Paul writes “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20) and every believer should know that he is also crucified with Christ for the body of Christ is one, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6: that is, all the Ephesian saints and faithful brethren where ever they are, for to such is the epistle written; Ch.1:1: writers parenthesis) and every member of that body is joined to Christ by the everlasting covenant of grace, and by the vital union of faith. It is by the vital union of faith that the children of God know that they are not of this world but that God the Father has chosen them out of the world, (John 15:19; 17:14, 16). In the reckoning of God all the covenant children of God were crucified with Jesus Christ, and therefore “are dead to the law by the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4), “dead to sin” (Romans 6:2; I Peter 2:24), and therefore can never come into condemnation (John 5:24; Romans 8:1) being “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). These are all covenant engagements and established before the foundation of the world in the purpose and grace of God (II Timothy 1:9). Since believers “shall not come into condemnation” (John 5:24) and since believers are justified by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9), and because believers have the righteousness of Christ imputed to them (Romans 4:24), and since believers are perfectly holy in the holiness of Christ (I Corinthians 1:30) and since believers are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:9): death, the white throne judgment, condemnation, hell, and the second death have nothing to do with them, they have no claim on them, for, Jesus Christ, and believers in Him have overcome the world: see the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com To hear a true gospel message by live streaming on the internet go to www.13thstbaptist.org Pastor James Byrd:  click on Live Messages or Recordings, then watch on sermon audio during service times. 

A.J.Ison

Preaching Christ

Preaching Christ

I Corinthians 1: 23

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness:

Preaching that is centered on anything other than Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sin is not preaching Christ. Preaching that takes the attention of the hearers off Christ and puts them on their own deeds, their words, their thoughts, their actions, anything of themselves for justification, redemption, sanctification, eternal life, is not to focus on Christ but their own self; and that is to bring destruction to the souls of men. Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners (I Timothy 1:15) not to help sinners save themselves. Many have been heard saying “I hope I can be good enough” the scriptures deny any such hope; the scriptures declare that “by deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:” (Romans 3:20). “And enter not into judgement with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” (Psalm 143:20). “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin,” (Galatians 3:22). “There is none righteous,  no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:10-11 see verses 12-19) Therefore to hope that we may be good enough for justification before God through our own works is hoping against the testimony of scripture. It is contradiction of the scriptures, and the Holy Ghost. The Apostle Paul cried “Oh wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:23), Isaiah the Prophet of God said “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6). Those who preach self help to the helpless are mockers of dying sinners.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not a savior in part. Salvation by Jesus Christ is not a cooperative effort; but it is salvation by Jesus Christ alone. The church of God, in scripture, is sometimes called the house of God, (Hebrews 3:6) and the habitation of God, (Ephesians 2:20-22) such that the promise of God is fulfilled in that God, dwells in the church; “what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (II Corinthians 6:16). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the builder of the temple of God. “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (Zechariah 6:12-13). Christ Jesus Himself is the Chief Corner Stone of the house of God, (Ephesians 2:20) He is the Foundation Stone, The Head Stone of the Corner, (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16) “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:” (Ephesians 2:21). The church of God is the house of God and Jesus Christ is the builder of the house; “and He shall bear the glory”. No son of Adam will have anything to boast in when the children of God are brought home to glory, for salvation is “not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). The anthem of the saints of God in glory will, glory to the Lamb “who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, not According to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (II Timothy 1:9).

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?” (Malachi 3:8) In the apostasy of this day men rob God of His glory by ascribing to themselves; that which belongs to God. The scriptures declare that “it is God that worketh in you to both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13). Men contrary to scripture say, it is in the sinners power, to will to come to Christ; if that is the case then all and every sinner must perish to all eternity. For, “the carnal mind is enmity against God:” (Romans 8:7) and salvation is “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13). And it is written “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” And “We love him, because he first loved us.” (I John 4:10, 19). Our Lord Jesus Christ said “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9) Salvation is by Jesus Christ, and not by the cooperative efforts of sinners.

But let us assume that there may be one who reads these lines who knows that he is unsaved, or that one who reads is not sure if he is saved; what is to be done by that person in order to have assurance of his salvation? What will you do? Where will you go to find peace with “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God,” (I Timothy 1:17). “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) saith the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ. The Philippian jailor cried out “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said (Paul and Silas) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:30-31). To come to Christ Jesus for salvation; one must leave all hopes of righteousness by his own works. Our Lord Jesus Christ in great love and compassion has made full satisfaction to the law and justice of God for sin, through his death on the cross of Calvary. By His death he has put away sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness, (Daniel 9:24) Christ Jesus has by His blood justified the whole family of God, (Romans 5:9; Ephesians 3:15). Come to Christ as the Leper of Matthew chapter eight “there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:2-3). Trust Jesus Christ alone for the salvation of your soul, cast your body and soul upon him forever for salvation from the wrath to come. Hide in the Rock of Ages, for the only place to hide from God is in God, therefore come into the ark of God the Lord Jesus Christ. See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com and hear a true gospel message at www.13thstbaptist.org  (webcasting live during listed service times)     

 A.J.Ison