October 10^th 2021

9:30 am Bible Study & 10:00 am Service---------------------Messages by brother John Chapman

DEAD TO THIS WORLD – By Henry Mahan

A young student asked his Bible teacher this question. “How is the believer dead to the world when he lives in the world, works a regular job, raises a family, and owns property in the world?” The teacher sent him out to the gravesite of a friend with instructions to criticize the dead friend, harass him, and find fault, and then praise him with glowing terms and brag on him to excess. Upon his return, the teacher asked, “What did your friend say when you criticized him?” “Nothing.” “How did he react when you praised him?” “It made no difference to him; he is dead!” “That is what it means to be dead to this world,” said the teacher. Its APPLAUSE means nothing and its HATRED means nothing. We neither ADMIRE the people of this world nor do we FEAR them. The riches of this world are but the fancy of fools, and the honors of this world mean little or nothing; for to be a child of God is the highest calling. The religious traditions and ceremonies of the world have no attraction nor meaning when CHRIST IS ALL! That which was once important to us we now consider loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, our Lord. This spiritual life in Christ cannot be explained; it must be experienced.

Be Not Ashamed

--- “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony (gospel) of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner.” – II Timothy 1:8

I am confident that all who know and love the Lord Jesus are determined in their heart that they shall never be ashamed of Christ or His gospel. Peter was. When the Lord Jesus told them that all would be offended in Him that

very night, Peter proclaimed that though others might, he never would, adding that he would die before denying the Lord, yet, he did both that very night (Matt. 26:31-35; 69-75). Sadly, this was not the only occurrence. Years later he did it again at Antioch, compelling Paul to publicly rebuke and correct him (Gal. 2:11-18). Oh, how frail we are, the best of men are but men at best. We must continually come to the throne of grace seeking mercy and grace to help in time of need.

Paul, knowing the danger, instructs and exhorts Timothy against this evil. The old Serpent is very subtil and crafty. When the gospel of God’s sovereign, free grace in Christ is preached (vs. 9-10) according to the word and in the power of the Holy Spirit, It cannot be made in-effectual. However, Satan knows that the weak link is not the gospel of Christ and Him crucified, but those who preach it. For, the best of preachers (our Lord excepted) are compassed about with frailty, faults, and infirmity.

We are not ignorant of his devices. His strategy is to divide and conquer. He uses men of the world (in religion or not) to draw attention to the preacher’s shortcomings or personality traits and thereby drive a wedge between the people and the preacher. Having gained an opening, it is now a simple matter to introduce error and corrupt the gospel of God’s

grace. Study the Scriptures and see if this is not played out over and over. Paul himself was accused of being a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition, a heretic, a mad man, a false apostle, of being weak in bodily presence and a terrible speaker (2 Cor. 10:10). He was now in prison (for preaching the gospel), if he were an apostle of Christ would this be happening to him?

God’s preachers have been accused of all these and more. Their personality, manner of preaching, the doctrine of the gospel, their direction and leadership of the church have all been brought into the fray. In my experience, most all who have been ashamed of their pastor/preacher, soon became ashamed of the gospel and have left the assembly of God’s people. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel and don’t be ashamed of gospel preachers. – Charles Pennington

The Man Must Be Altered – John Chapman

Over the years I have bought a few suits, and had to have them altered to fit me. Not so in salvation. In salvation the man is altered to fit the suit – the righteousness of Christ. God must make me a new creature in Christ. I must be made the righteousness of God in Christ. Christ righteousness is never altered to fit me, I am the one that must be altered, created a new man in Christ.

-- 2 Cor. 5:17, 21

Not far from the Kingdom of God. -- “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him,

Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”—Mark 12:34