Conscience. John 1 – 9

Conscience John 1 – 9

J. G. Bellett. Short Meditations (Cavenagh, 1866.)

In John’s Gospel, we see the Lord coming forth to sinners. He is not so much the Healer of Israel, doing wonders of goodness in the bodies of men, cleansing the lepers, or restoring to health all manner of sickness and disease among the people; but it is rather the soul He seeks, and, therefore, it is the conscience He deals with. If the conscience be not before Him, He has not His subject or His material before Him. He has nothing to deal with, or operate upon, according to the character He is filling or sustaining. This gives us to know what He is, and what are His purpose and His business in every scene. It may be a happy conscience, an awakened, uneasy conscience, a sleepy, unbroken conscience, or a bad conscience. He deals with all this variety — but in it all, we see conscience in some condition or another before Him. In Andrew, we have a simple picture of a happy conscience, or a happy sinner. He had gone to Jesus as a sinner, for he had gone to Him as “the Lamb of God,” and been therefore accepted and welcomed and entertained by Jesus; and he leaves Him happy. His heart is free; and he can therefore think of others, and make it his business to bring Jesus and other sinners, like himself, together. He preaches, as a happy sinner would preach. He tells the first fellow-sinner he meets, and that is his brother Simon, that he has found “the Christ,” language that bespeaks the satisfaction of his soul; and then, in full consistent benevolence, he invites Simon to come and share the Christ of God with him. Here we see a conscience at liberty, because the sinner has found Jesus. But we have other conditions of it. In Nathanael, the conscience had been already awakened. Under the fig-tree, I believe, he had been confessing himself a sinner, meditating on his condition before God — for it is the spirit of confession which, in Divine reckoning, makes us “guileless;” and that is the character in which the Lord recognises Nathanael. And the confessions of the lips are the utterances of the fragments of the heart. They are not real, if they be not this. Nathanael was, thus, a broken-hearted man. The Lord, therefore, had been in spirit already in company with him, before Philip called him, for the yearnings of an awakened soul are over dear to Him. He tells him so — as He had afore announced by His Prophet. “Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.” (Isa. 57: 15) And on His gracious salutation, and letting him know that He had thus known him, Nathanael’s soul is amazed. “Rabbi,” says he, “thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.” This was revival to his heart. The high and lofty One thus made good another portion of that same oracle of the Prophet; “to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Now, this case shows us the Lord’s blessed dealings with an awakened conscience, reviving and gladdening it, or making it a relieved, delivered conscience. In the Samaritan, the conscience was still asleep. It had to be roused, brought into God’s presence with all its burthen and guilt upon it. The Lord, accordingly, forces her to discover herself. All the guilty secrets of her soul were dragged forth to the light. But she stands — though overwhelmed, and though nature, for a moment, set itself to weave a veil between herself and her sin, she remains, as in the light that had detected and exposed her; and that is the spring of her future blessedness – for the Lord quickly fills that place with the tokens of His grace, and no longer allows it to be merely the witness of her guilt and shame. There is something in this mysterious Stranger that works on her spirit — and she names the name of “Messias” in His ear, as One that, in some sense, she was looking for. Then, the conscience having been already stirred, and now the vessel opened, the Saviour reveals Himself; the Stranger proves to be the Messias she had named, and she is blest and satisfied. Here we see what the Lord will do with a conscience that needs to be aroused, if the sinner, in spite of shame and exposure, will still abide His presence. For it is, surely, the way of blessedness, to value Christ more than character. We may say, in a sense, all depends on that. She no longer hid herself, but told her neighbours that she had been thoroughly exposed. In the case of the Pharisees, or the accusers of the adulteress, the conscience is bad. A wicked purpose was filling their hearts all the time they were in the presence of Christ. What must He do with such a people? His presence shall be found intolerable to them. “Being convicted by their own conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last.” What less could be done with such a shocking material? And so will it be by-and-by. All the wicked must perish from the presence of the Lord. Like smoke shall they be driven away. This was not the common way of Jesus; for He came not to judge but to save. “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” But when these accusers of the sinner would fain have her at the fiery hill, and deal in law with her, then the Lord can turn the heat of that place against them, and give in them a sample of the day of doom, when the wicked shall perish from the presence of the Lord. Unlike the poor Samaritan, they valued their character. Being exposed, they would not stand it. They would rather hide their sin, than have it published, and borne away. For such Christ has died in vain. They frustrate the grace of God. They sin against their own souls. Thus, the Lord Jesus is seen to deal with the conscience in different conditions. With the awakened conscience He deals in all grace, giving it, as the contrite heart, to know that He revives it, and dwells on high with it. — With the sinner who will still abide with Him, though under the pain of being exposed and made naked to his shame, He will deal till He relieve and satisfy him. — With the wicked who practise their wickedness, and when exposed will leave Him, and rather keep their place and character among men, than reach the virtue of His presence, He shows that presence to be intolerable. These are Nathanael, the Samaritan, and the Pharisees. He dwells in the high and holy place with the contrite — leads the poor convicted one who will still tarry with Him along the path of light and life — consigns to the fiery hill and to separation from Himself, the wicked who rather practise their wickedness than seek His presence, and value their character more than interest in Christ. In these simple, unpretending narratives, we get these precious secrets of the ways of God in Christ, thus discovered to us. — There remains, however, another, which I must not pass. I allude to the Blind Beggar of John 9. In him we see an honest conscience. It is not a happy, or an awakened, or a sleepy, or a bad conscience. We do not see in him any uneasiness about his soul. He had not been under a fig-tree with Nathanael — nor did the arrow of conviction enter him, through the word of Christ, as it had penetrated to the deepest secrets of the Samaritan. It is not in such quickened conditions we see him. But he is honest. He is true to the light he has, and he will hold to the facts he knows. He suffers, rather than yield his integrity; and the Pharisees cast him out. Religiousness persecutes truthfulness — a common case. Could Jesus leave such an one alone? Could He be indifferent to him? We know He could not. He heard that they had cast him out, and we may conclude that He at once sought him out; for we read, “when Jesus had found him.” He made him His object — and the sight of Jesus and this beggar meeting for the second time is full of blessing and comfort. As yet, this poor man knew Him only in His power to heal him. There had been no exercise of soul as a, sinner, though there was an honest conscience. But on seeing Jesus now the second time, outside the camp, his soul is exercised. Jesus calls him into this exercise. “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” And the poor man is at once made ready to take anything from Jesus. “Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?” And Jesus reveals Himself to him as the One who had given him sight when he was blind, and now takes him up, when all were casting him out. “Thou hast both seen him,” says the Lord, “and it is He that talketh with thee.” The soul then discovers Jesus. Love and power thus combined, and thus acting in Divine virtue, was enough. “Lord, I believe,” he answered, and then “he worshipped Him.” Thus He reached his soul, and dealt with him. And we are conscious, that while he was only an honest man before, he is now a quickened soul. — For an honest conscience is not a saved soul. But in addition to all this, lot me notice Paul’s dealing with the conscience, in his Epistles. He sees none of these varieties. He sees the sinner just as he is, a sinner. He instructs the conscience how it should deal with God and His Gospel, rather than shows us, as in the Gospel, how Christ deals with it. He tells the conscience that it may enjoy a purged condition — not merely an awakened or convicted or honest condition, but a purged condition. This argument is found in Hebrews 9, 10. The Apostle there teaches that we may have a good or a purged conscience, by faith in Christ, because after He had made His one offering, He entered the holiest place, never more to leave it as the Priests under the law left it, His offering being effectual to put away sins, and this, because of the admirableness of such a sacrifice as that rendered “without spot,” and “through the eternal Spirit,” and because this sacrifice met and satisfied God touching sin, answering and fulfilling “His will.” The Holy Ghost Himself, in revealing the new covenant, or God’s covenant, has established also the fact, that sins and iniquities are remembered no more. Thus, under the teaching of the Apostle, the conscience is taught to deal with God, and the sinner exhorted to be happy in His love, and satisfied with His provisions — thus to enter the kingdom as a little child, not reasoning but receiving. In John, we see living cases in which the Lord was dealing with the conscience; in Hebrews, we are taught in what way the conscience is to deal with the Lord, and how it is to reach the condition in which the conscience of Andrew, Nathanael, the Samaritan, the Adulteress, and the Beggar, were left by Jesus. _____________ WE may walk so as to have ourselves in the presence of, or in company with, the Lord. We may act so as to bring our fellow-saints or fellow-sinners into His presence or into His company. We may be living so as to be keeping ourselves before our fellows or companions. The first is the way of a worshipper. The second is the activity of a true servant. The third is the fruit of vanity and want of singleheartedness, and will surely keep us uncertain, without joy and strength, and prove a snare as well as bitterness in the latter end. _____________ MAY we have Himself, not His truth merely! For there is a difference, and there may be a distance between these, as experience tells us. May we reach Himself, through reading, or ministry, or prayer, or communion! We need more affection and attention, that we may have Him personally.

Paul’s Olive Tree Analogy

Dan R. Smedra Theme: Israel in the light of God’s sovereign election and mercy< I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. Romans 11:25 NIV <!– Israel’s corporate election (calling) has been temporarily suspended. The Jews knew that God had exclusively dealt with the Patriarchs and the Nation for nearly two millennia (Deuteronomy 7:6-8), and had provided for those who were not the “seed of Abraham” to participate in Judaism (Acts 13:26).  Israel had been God’s exclusive sphere of election (calling)–His beloved vineyard (Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 7:6; Matt. 21:33-39).  Understandably, the Jews found it near impossible to let go of the idea of their favored and separated status. But with Pentecost things began to change. At first the Jewish believers struggled with the truth that the new work of the Holy Spirit did not recognize their religious tradition that required strict separation between Jew and Gentile.  It would require a special miracle (Acts 10) to alter Peter’s mindset that Gentiles were not racially “unclean.” (Acts 10:28).  In time, other Jewish believers would have to alter their thinking as well. Little did they fathom that the Heavenly Church was neither prophesied nor revealed in OT Scriptures and was a complete mystery until revealed doctrinally by the Apostle Paul.  To Paul would fall the task of explaining several mysteries [truths previously hidden, but then revealed] to both his Jewish brethren as well as the new Gentile believers. In Romans 8:29-30, the Apostle Paul proclaims a number of unique biblical truths: foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, sanctification–the Father’s grand purpose of conforming new creation believers to the likeness of his Son, glorification, as well as the fact that God is assuredly bringing all to a glorious consummation.  With this having been said, Paul then turns to the subject of Israel’s current status (Lo-ammi, not my people) with Jehovah. Please open your Bible to Paul’s epistle to the Romans and read along. ROMANS Chapter 9: 1-5 Something very troubling appears to have befallen Paul’s kinsman and the apostle pours forth heart-felt emotion as he reflects upon Israel’s corporate election and their unique, eight-fold inheritance (verses 4-5). 6-9 For consolation, he explains that individual election has occurred within the sphere of Israel’s corporate election. 10-14 All (both Jew and Gentile) must understand that the basis of all election lies with God, not man.  It is not based on “doing anything good or bad,” from a human perspective, nor is it based on “works”.  Further, God is not unjust in this matter. 15-18 The basis for election includes the display of God’s attributes of “mercy”, “compassion”, “power”, “glory”, and “wisdom” — cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. Election has nothing to do with human “desire or effort”, and everything to do with God’s attribute of mercy. 19-24 Does sovereign election and man’s lack of free will undermine human responsibility?  No!  In spite of men’s feeble attempts to rationalize, the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul says, “No!”  Men have volition and are active participants in the drama of God’s provision of redemption. 25-29 The Jews had played the ‘race card’, and God used it against them.  Israel, God’s elect Nation, is set aside.   Corporate plus individual election, not racial ethnicity and works, is the basis for salvation of either Jew or non-Jew. 30-33 Paul now reiterates some key concepts which he developed in earlier chapters and will touch upon again in chapters 10 and 11: a.  Righteousness is based on individual sovereign election, (God’s mercy and grace the cause), and is appropriated by means of personal faith, not human works. b.  The Jewish nation’s corporate election did not guarantee individual righteousness and a majority of the Israelites missed this truth.  This occurred in fulfillment of the prophetic Word. ROMANS Chapter 10: 1-11 Paul’s heart yearns for Israel’s salvation.  He acknowledges their religious zeal, but their zeal lacks understanding–a polite way of saying they’re ignorant of spiritual truth.  Without a clear understanding of either the cause (election via grace) and/or the means (faith via human volition) as the basis for personal righteousness, the Jew seeks to “establish their own” approach to righteousness via Moses’ law and the principle of merit. 12 Jews continue to have a problem understanding how the Holy Spirit is at work amongst the Gentiles.  They must be repetitively reminded that a substantial change has taken place. 16-21 Again, corporate election does not automatically result in individual faith.  Personal salvation requires personal faith.  God’s plan was to temporarily set aside Israel’s corporate election, then assemble a Body composed of both Jew and non-Jew from “every nation, tribe, language and people,” the entire world (the “all”)–as a testimony against Israel, as judgment against a “disobedient and obstinate people-Nation”.  The sphere of corporate election became the entire world. ROMANS Chapter 11: 1-6 While God has temporarily suspended His corporate dealings with Israel as His elect Nation/His elect People (Deuteronomy 7:6), individual sovereign election is still operative upon the basis of mercy and grace–not merit or works.  In fact, all election was never upon the basis of works! 7-10 God has judicially dealt with Israel; they are corporately “hardened”. 11-12 God enlarged the sphere of election (“riches for the world” i.e., Gentiles) to provoke envy amongst the pride-filled and self-satisfied Jewish Nation, not eliminate them forever!  Therefore, the Holy Spirit via Paul speaks of their “recovery” (11), their “fullness” (12), their “salvation” (25-26) and their eternal place as “loved” (28-29). 13-16 Here, Paul casts a broad net and speaks to Gentiles–saved and unsaved.  Israel’s rejection opens the door to the “reconciliation of the world”–i.e. reconciliation of individuals irrespective of ethnicity.  Contrary to the belief of some, Paul is not arguing that the Gentile’s corporate inclusion in God’s sphere of election guarantees any form of universal redemption.  Rather, he is explaining that the sphere of election has become universal and thus individual election no longer is exclusively among the Jews.   Gentiles need NOT become Jewish proselytes to be “brought near” to God.   cf. Ephesians 2:11-13. 17-21 Paul further seeks to clarify these truths through the use of analogy.  The primary subject is corporate, not individual election. Verses 17-24 must be understood within this context, and particularly the summation–verse 25. The analogy contains six important images. Natural branches National Israel viewed as a plurality–e.g., the twelve tribes.  In verse 17, the “some” are all but the individual elect remnant–the reciprocal of the “some” mentioned in verse 14. Broken off To be removed due, to pride and unbelief, from the sphere where individual election occurs. Wild olive shoot All Gentile (non-Jewish) humanity, often referred to as the “Gentile nations” or simply “Gentiles”. Grafted Included or restored to the realm or sphere where God is at work. Nourishing sap The activity of the Spirit of God. Olive root A source of blessings and life.  Paul likely had in mind the Abrahamic covenant which touches Jews directly via Abraham and non-Jews indirectly via Christ.  See Galatians 3.  Neither the “root” nor the “tree” is Israel into which Gentiles or the Body of Christ are grafted, but a sphere of election. 22-24 In spite of all the Apostle Paul has said, some theologians (typically Reformed, Covenant, and Messianic Judaism) argue that this analogy is speaking of individual election of believers “in Christ” or into Israel’s covenants.  If this were true, verses 19-21 would argue that believers can loose their salvation and would contradict Paul teaching elsewhere. Such an interpretation does grave injustice to the text.Rather, Paul is warning Gentiles, that corporate election is not unconditional, (neither on the front end [Deuteronomy 7:7] nor its continuation) and that like Israel before them, they can be “broken off”, while Israel can and will be grafted back in.  Faith, or the lack thereof, matters. Gentile world take heed–your days are numbered! 25-32 In the most clear words possible, Paul explains a “mystery”.  God’s first corporate sphere of election (Israel) has been temporarily suspended until His work amongst the Gentiles (rest of the world) is complete.  Then the Lord will take up His covenants with Israel again for they are “loved on account of the patriarchs” and “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable”. “We may venture to say that it is only in those who learn to regard themselves as the objects of the Divine mercy, of uncaused Divine compassion, that the deepest foundations for godliness of life will be, or can be, laid.” William R. Newell, Romans, Verse by Verse. < Related reading: The Subtle Errors of Covenant/Calvinist Theology Non-dispensational teachers have endeavored to bring over the many promises of physical and material aspects of Kingdom salvation into the present dispensation, giving hope of material prosperity and physical health, as well as political peace.  Failure to realize these promised goals has caused many to lose faith and to become bitter toward God Himself.  The failure, of course, is not of God, but of teachers who have refused to rightly divide the Word of truth.  MJS Examples of erroneous interpretations: Reformed/Covenant/Charismatic: Healing, Prosperity and Well Being, by Jay Snell Non-dispensational, charismatic Baptist Jay Snell promises earthly healing, prosperity and well being based on Gentile Christians being grafted into Israel!  This sad soul is so oblivious to the Apostle Paul’s heavenly gospel, that he demands materialistic parity for the Church lest “Judaism be superior to Christianity”.  Covenant theology is at the root of this ‘health and wealth’ charlatanism. Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done, by Ron Graff and Lambert Dolphin.  While not as extreme as Snell, both these authors graft the Church into Israel and her covenants.  Thus Christian spiritual growth is sharing “in the nourishing sap” (Romans 11:17) and becoming Jewish in thinking and life style. The description of Gentile believers as wild olive branches grafted into the true olive tree suggests that Gentiles need to become more Jewish in their thinking and life styles as they grow spiritually.  When we meet our Messiah and Savior face to face we shall discover that He is Jewish and was raised in Jewish culture and taught the Hebrew Scriptures.  He was a devout and observant Jewish believer.  Visits to Israel and cultivated friendships with Jewish people are well worth the effort in freeing us from our own ghetto mentalities and the pagan, idolatrous roots from which we have been freed as Gentiles. Chapter 2.

Spiritual Growth Author The New Birth Explained The Green Letters Pauline Dispensationalism The Line Drawn

The Riches of Divine Grace

Lewis Sperry Chafer in his eight volume Systematic Theology lists thrity-three stupendous works of God which together comprise the salvation of the soul. Works that are wholly wrought by God, wrought instantaneously, simultaneously and being grounded totally on the merit of Christ Himself, they’re eternal. In other words, they cannot be reversed or undone for they are wholly the work of God for those who are His in Christ (Col. 3:1-3). It is important that every true believer be exposed to these Biblical truths that he/she might comprehend what has been done perfectly and graciously for them at the moment of faith in Christ Jesus. Below is the list of these works and their Scriptural references: (1) In The Eternal Plan Of God There are five terms that represent the sovereign purpose of God: Foreknown (Rom. 8:29) Predestination (Eph. 1:5) Elect of God (1Thess. 1:4; 1Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:33; Col. 3:12; Titus 1:1) Chosen (Eph. 1:4) Called (Heb. 1:4; 1Thess. 5:24) (2) Redeemed (Rom. 3:24; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12; 1Pet. 1:18) (3) Reconciled (Rom. 5:10; 2Cor. 5:18; Col. 1:22) (4) Related To God Through Propitiation (1Jo. 2:2; 4:10> (5) Forgiven All Trespasses (Col. 2:13; Eph. 1:7; 4:32; (6) Conjoined To Christ (Rom. 6; Col. 2:12; 3:2-3) (7) Free From The Law (Rom. 6:14; 7:2-6; 2Cor. 3:6-13; Gal. 5:18) (8) Children Of God: Born again (Jo. 1:12-13; 3:6; 1Pet. 1:23) Regenerated (Titus 3:5> Quickened (Eph. 2:1; cf. Col. 2:13) Sons of God (2Cor. 6:18; Gal. 3:26; 2Jo. 3:2) A new creation (2Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:15) (9) Adopted (Eph. 1:4-5) (10) Acceptable To God By Jesus Christ: (Eph. 1:6; 1Pet. 2:5) Made Righteous (2Cor. 5:21) Sanctified Positionally (Jo. 17:19; Acts 20:32; 1Cor. 1:2) Perfected Forever (Heb. 10:14) Made Accepted In The Beloved (Eph. 1:6) Made Meet, i.e., Qualified (Col. 1:12) (11) Justified (Rom. 3:24,26; 4:5; 5:1) (12) Made Nigh (Eph. 2:13) (13) Delivered From The Power Of Darkness (Col. 1:13) (14) Translated Into The Kingdom Of The Son (1Thess. 2:12) (15) On The Rock, Christ Jesus (1Cor. 3:9-15) (16) A Gift From God The Father To Christ (Jo. 17:2,6,9,11,12,24) (17) Circumcised In Christ (Eph. 2:11; Col. 2:11) (18) Pataker Of The Holy And Royal Priesthood (1Pet. 2:5,9) (19) A Chosen Generation, A Holy Nation, A Peculiar People (1Pet. 2:9) (20) Heavenly Citizens (Phil. 3:20; Heb. 12:22; 2Cor. 5:8) (21) Of The Family And Household Of God (Eph. 2:19; Gal. 6:10) (22) In The Fellowship Of The Saints (Eph. 2:19; Col. 1:4,12; 1Thess. 3:13 (23) A Heavenly Association: Partners With Christ In Life (Col. 1:27; 1Jo. 5:11-12) Partnership In Position (Col. 3:1; Eph. 2:6) Partners With Christ In Service (1Cor. 15:57; Eph. 2:10) Partners With Christ In Suffering (Phil. 1:29; 1Pet. 4:12-13) Partners With Christ In Prayers (Jo. 14:12-14) Partners With Christ In Betrothal (2Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-27) Partners In Expectation (Titus 2:13; Heb. 10:13) (24) Having Access To God: Access Into His Grace (Rom. 5:2) Access Unto The Father (Eph. 2:18) Access Is Reassuring (Heb. 4:16; 10:19-20) (25) Within The Much More Care Of God: (Rom. 5:8-10) Objects Of His Love (Jo. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1Jo. 3:16) Objects Of His Grace: Salvation (Eph. 3:2-9) Safekeeping (Rom. 5:2) Service (Jo. 17:18; Eph. 4:7) Instruction (Titus 2:12-13) Objects Of His Power (Eph. 1:19; Phil. 2:13) Objects Of His Faithfulness (Heb. 13:5; Phil. 1:6; 1Thess. 5:24) Objects Of His Peace (Jo. 14:27; Col. 3:15) Objects Of His Consolation (2Thess. 2:16-17) Objects Of His Intercession (Rom. 8:26,34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24) (26) His Inheritance (Eph. 1:18; Rom. 8:30; Col. 3:4) (27) The Inheritance Of The Saints (1Pet. 1:4; Eph. 1:14; Col. 3:24) (28) Light In the Lord (Eph. 5:8; 1Jo. 1:7) (29) Vitally United To The Father, The Son, And The Holy Spirit: Believer Is In God The Father (1Thess. 1:1) God The Father Is In The Believer (Eph. 4:6) Believer Is In The Son (Rom. 8:1) Son Is In The Believer (Jo. 14:20) Believer Is In The Spirit (Rom. 8:9) Spirit Is In The Believer (1Cor. 2:12) Believer Is A Member In Christ’s Body (1Cor. 12:13) Believer Is To Christ As Branch Is To a Vine (Jo. 15:5) Believer Is A Stone, Christ The Cornerstone (Eph. 2:19-22) Believer a Sheep In Christ’s Flock (Jo. 10:27-29) Believer Part Of The Bride Of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27) Believer Is A Priest; Christ Is The High Priest (1Pet. 2:5-9) Believer A New Creation In Christ The Last Adam (2Cor. 5:17) (30) Blessed With The Earnest Or First-Fruits Of The Spirit: (2Cor. 1:22) Born Of The Spirit (Jo. 3:16) Baptized By The Spirit (1Cor. 12:13) Indwelt by the Spirit (Rom. 8:9; 1Jo. 2:27; 3:24; Ja. 4:5) Sealed By The Spirit (2Cor. 1:22; Eph. 4:30) Filled By The Spirit (Eph. 5:18) (31) Glorified (Rom. 8:18; 8:30; Col. 3:4) (32) Complete In Him (Col. 2:9-10) (33) Possessing Every Spiritual Blessing (Eph. 1:3) Chafer concludes with these important words: “It would hardly be amiss to restate the truth that salvation is a work of God for man and not a work of man for God. It is what God’s love prompts Him to do and not a mere act of pity which rescues creatures from their misery”. The Believer would do well to study Chafer’s works in his eight volumes of Systematic Theology. We at the Biblicist believe that the study and teaching of Systematic Theology in the local church and many seminaries today has become a lost and forgotten discipline. And as a consequence the Body of Christ is ill-equipped for the work of service, the attaining of unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man. That is, the failure to attain to the fulness of Christ. As a result, many remain “babes” in Christ, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming and, therefore, not growing up in all aspects into Him, who is the Head, even Christ (Eph. 4:11-16). Presented by: Gary Nystrom