(All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
8 And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”“You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14.
It is your privilege ever to grow in grace, advancing in the knowledge and love of God, if you maintain the sweet communion with Christ it is your privilege to enjoy. In the simplicity of humble faith ask the Lord to open your understanding, that you may discern and appreciate the precious things of His Word. Thus you may grow in grace, grow in simple, trusting faith....
Be sure that your spiritual life does not become poor, sickly, inefficient. There are many who have need of the words and example of a Christian. Weakness and indecision provoke the assaults of the enemy, and any one who fails to increase in spiritual growth, in a knowledge of truth and righteousness, will frequently be overcome by the enemy.
Genuine faith always works by love. When you look to Calvary it is not to quiet your soul in the nonperformance of duty, not to compose yourself to sleep, but to create faith in Jesus, faith that will work, purifying the soul from the slime of selfishness. When we lay hold of Christ by faith, our work has just begun. Every man has corrupt and sinful habits that must be overcome by vigorous warfare. Every soul is required to fight the fight of faith. If one is a follower of Christ, he cannot be sharp in deal, he cannot be hardhearted, devoid of sympathy.... He cannot be overbearing, nor can he use harsh words, and censure and condemn.
Let faith, like a palm tree, strike its penetrating roots beneath the things which do appear, and obtain spiritual refreshment from the living springs of God's grace and mercy. There is a well of water which springeth up into everlasting life. You must draw your life from this hidden spring. If you divest yourselves of selfishness, and strengthen your souls by constant communion with God, you may promote the happiness of all with whom you come in contact. You will notice the neglected, inform the ignorant, encourage the oppressed and desponding, and, as far as possible, relieve the suffering. And you will not only point the way to heaven, but will walk in that way yourselves.
The true Witness speaks through John to the churches, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” [Revelation 2:4.] And again they are reproved because they have not strengthened the things that remain, that are ready to die.
The Lord Jesus, in bestowing His rewards, will scrutinize every talent; the interest expected will be in proportion to the amount of capital intrusted. By His own humiliation and agony, Christ has paid the purchase money for our salvation, and He has a right to our services. The very name of servant involves the idea of work, responsibility. All our capabilities, all our opportunities, have been intrusted to us for wise improvement, that Christ may receive His own with usury. The heavenly messenger ascended on high and led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men—divine treasures of truth to be presented by His living witnesses to all men. What use are we individually making of these gifts, the talents in our hands? Do not, like the unwise and unfaithful servant, bury these talents in the world where they will bring no returns to God.
It behooves all to improve with careful fidelity the talents intrusted to them. They will increase as they are used for the good of humanity and the glory of God. Every soul should make the kingdom of heaven first in his calculations. He is not to put all the strength of brain, bone, and muscle, into worldly business interests; if he does, he imperils his spiritual interests and will lose an eternity of bliss.
Christ said to His disciples, “Love one another, as I have loved you.” [John 13:34.] Is this commandment obeyed? Do we love one another with that unselfish love which Jesus manifested for our souls? Is not the love of Jesus dying out of our institutions and our churches, and selfish interests taking its place? We are to put from us everything that savors of selfishness, of disagreement, disaffection, or variance. There should be no contentions, no evil surmisings, no seeking the supremacy. They who seek to be the first, the highest, shall be last and least of all. If we are Christ’s, we shall be one, even as He was one with the Father. His grace will unite the hearts of His disciples. Jesus took the nature of humanity in order to reveal to man a pure, unselfish love, to teach us how to love one another.
As a man Christ ascended to heaven. As a man He is the substitute and surety for humanity. As a man He liveth to make intercession for us. He is preparing a place for all who love Him. As a man He will come again with power and glory to receive His children. And that, which should cause us joy and thanksgiving is that God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained. Then we may have assurance forever that the whole unfallen universe is interested in the grand work Jesus came to our world to accomplish, even the salvation of man.
And shall not man on earth co-operate with the great Leader, our Redeemer, who has ascended into heaven for us? Shall we show no special zeal, no devoted interest, in the work that was devised in heaven and is to be carried forward in the world? Shall the men whom the Lord has bought with His own most precious blood, refuse to do the work left in their hands—refuse to co-operate with the heavenly agencies who are doing His bidding on the earth? Will they go if He bids them, even to the ends of the earth, to let the light of truth given them of heaven shine forth to their fellowmen?
We are to be diligent workers. An idle man is one of the most miserable of God’s creatures, and to be idle in the great work which Christ gave His life to accomplish, is the worst kind of idleness.
Our spiritual faculties will perish without exercise. Satan is never idle in seeking our destruction. All heaven is actively engaged in the work of preparing a people for the second coming of Christ to our world. We are laborers together with God. The end of all things is at hand, and we must work while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work. Our interests and all our powers are to be enlisted in the work of proclaiming Christ and Him crucified, preparing the way for His second appearingLift Him up the man of Calvary. Place yourself in the divine current where you can receive the heavenly inspiration, for you may have it. Then point the weary, the heavy-laden, the poor, the broken-hearted perplexed soul to Jesus, the source of all spiritual strength.
Be faithful, minute men, to show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Tell it with pen and voice that Jesus lives to make intercession for us.
Time is passing; the end is near; we must work while it is day. We can unite with the great Master-worker. We can follow the self-denying Redeemer through His pilgrimage of matchless love on earth. Jesus came to magnify the law and make it honorable. He died to exalt the law of God, testifying of His changeless character; and as we proclaim God’s law, we may look unto Jesus and be comforted with the assurance, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:20.]
The same Jesus that walked with His disciples, that taught them upon the earth, that toiled and suffered in His human nature, is with us in His divine power. He is at our right hand to help us in every emergency. Let us lift up Jesus, and reveal the Bible foundation for our true faith. There has been among believers dissension, unbelief and jealousy, and, on the part of some, a firm resistance of light from heaven. I have been shown that those who have resisted light will never see clearly again, unless they humble their hearts before God and confess their backslidings, their prejudice, their hatred of the light which God has sent, which, if accepted, would make them wise unto salvation.
Formality, worldly wisdom, worldly caution, worldly policy, will appear to many to be the very power of God, but when accepted, it stands as an obstacle to prevent God’s light in warnings, reproof and counsel from coming to the world.
He [Satan] is now working with all his insinuating, deceiving power to lead men away from the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with mighty power. If Satan sees that the Lord is blessing His people and preparing them to discern his delusions, he will work with his master power to bring in fanaticism on one hand and cold formalism on the other, that he may gather in a harvest of souls. Now is our time to watch unceasingly. Watch, bar the way to the least step of advance that Satan may make among us.
There are dangers to be guarded against on the right hand and on the left. There will be inexperienced ones, newly come to the faith, who need to be strengthened and to have a correct example before them. Some will not make a right use of the doctrine of justification by faith. They will present it in a one-sided manner; others will seize the ideas that have not been correctly presented and will go clear over the mark, ignoring works altogether.
Now genuine faith always works by love. When you look to Calvary, it is not to quiet your soul in the nonperformance of duty, not to compose yourself to sleep, but to create faith in Jesus, faith that will work, purifying the soul from all the slime of selfishness. When we lay hold of Christ by faith, our work has but just begun. Every man has corrupt and sinful habits that must be overcome through vigorous warfare. Every soul is required to fight the fight of faith. If one is a follower of Christ, he cannot be sharp in deal, he cannot be hardhearted, devoid of sympathy. He cannot be coarse in his speech, he cannot be full of pomposity and self-esteem. He cannot be overbearing, nor can he use harsh words, and censure and condemn.
The labor of love springs from the work of faith. Bible religion means constant work. “let your light so shine before men,that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:16.] “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” [Philippians 2:12, 13.] We are to be zealous of good works, be careful to maintain good works. And the true Witness says, I know thy works.
While it is true that our busy activities will not in themselves insure salvation, it is also true that faith which unites us to Christ will stir the soul to activity.
Those who have no time to give attention to their own souls, to examine themselves daily whether they be in the love of God and place themselves in the channel of light, will have time to give to the suggestions of Satan and the working out of his plans.
Satan will insinuate himself by little wedges, that widen as they make a place for themselves. The specious devices of Satan will be brought into the special work of God at this time.
Many in our institutions are careless in regard to the spirit which they carry with them in their business. They say, Religion is religion and business is business; but all our work in this world, even in a business end is in a sense God’s work, and should be done with a heart full of His love and of a heavenly enlightenment. How much more do we need His grace and help in the work especially connected with His cause. There must be no coldness, no formality, no deadness in His work. The hardness of heart that is manifested in business lines among us as a people is an offense to God.
The men connected with our institutions are intrusted with sacred responsibilities, and I tell you that which the Lord has opened before me again and again—they cannot be safe men unless they make God their trust every moment, unless they are men of earnest prayer and fervent piety, in their home life, in the work appointed them, in their business. There is danger that these men will cheat their souls by neglecting this ever present help from heaven, failing to become channels of light, and hence failing to receive the reward of eternal blessedness hereafter. There is not one who can stand safely in a neutral position.
My soul is burdened. Our publishing institutions lie next to my heart. My guide pointed out some things which, if not corrected, will prove ruinous to our institutions. A strange spirit comes over many who accept positions of trust. Some cease to attend religious meetings that are not of the highest importance to them.
Their voices are seldom heard in the congregation of the saints, they act as if they were now so far advanced that they could do without praying fervently to God. They do not feel their constant need of education in the school of Christ, to learn His meekness and lowliness of heart. They have strong traits of character which must be overcome, else they are not qualified for the place.
All their capabilities and powers need to be brought under the control of the Spirit of God. Those who desire wisdom from God, those who wish to follow Jesus at every step, will place themselves where the true light will come to their hearts. They that feared the Lord spake one to another, and the Lord harkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, of them that feared the Lord and thought upon His name. And the Saviour’s promise is, Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there will I be in their midst.
Those who do not feel the necessity of seeking the assembly of the saints, with the precious assurance that the Lord will meet with them, show how lightly they value the help that God has provided for them. Satan is constantly at work to wound and poison the soul. In order to withstand his efforts we must breathe the atmosphere of heaven. We must individually get hold and keep hold of Christ. The truth of God, dwelling in the heart and guiding the life, will be our safeguard. With the truth in our possession we may humbly and firmly advance from light to greater light, and we shall be guided into every good and holy way.
Unless the truth transforms the character, it is of no value to the receiver. Those who are in earnest about the future life will not neglect the opportunities and privileges within their reach. They will not only place themselves with the learners of the truth, but will feel that they are under obligation to God to learn all that is possible for them to know of spiritual and heavenly things. They will carry every matter in prayer to God.
Coming to God inspires confidence and stimulates the soul to action. The body would die if deprived of suitable nourishment—and so with the soul. In order to have spiritual strength or even life, it must be nourished by the Word, which is spirit and life. It must be constantly fed by the truth which connects the soul with Him in whom we live, and move and have our being.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.