[Biblemat] A) GOD HAS SPOKEN

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Saturday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article that recently came my way:

GOD HAS SPOKEN

     There is a growing disrespect for the authority of God as
it is expressed in the Scriptures.  This disrespect is growing
among brethren as well as the world.  All that we can know
about the exercise of authority by God toward mankind is 
found in the Scriptures.  God does not visit each person by
signs and wonders or a wee small voice to tell him what he
ought to do to please God.

     Disrespect for the authority of the Scriptures (as the ex-
pressed authority of God) is manifested by rejection of the
Epistles as either not authoritative or not bindingly authoritat-
ive.  This rejection requires one to assert that Paul was wrong when he said, 
"If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet
or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write
you are the commandments of the Lord" (1 Cor. 14:37).  Peter
also must have been wrong (if those who reject the authority
of the Epistles are right) when he said that those who twist
the writings of Paul do so to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:
14-16).  John's commandment, "Do not love the world or the
things in the world", has no power if these who reject the aut-
hority of the Epistles are right.  Furthermore, they would make Jesus to have 
erred when He said to the apostles, 
"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will have
been bound in heaven and what you loose on earth will have
been loosed in heaven" (Matt. 18:18).

     A rejection of the necessity of a pattern of daily behavior
and of worship and spiritual service will not stand up before
the words of Jesus and His inspired writers.  Jesus condition-
ed acceptance before God upon hearing His Words, keeping
them, and doing them (Matt. 7:24-27; Jno. 15:7-9,20).  He pro-
mised His apostles the guidance of the Holy Spirit "into all
truth," even as He brought all things Jesus had taught to
their remembrance (Jno. 14:26; 16:13).  Paul became a pattern to those "who 
are going to believe in Him...", not only
of the mercy of God, but also in manner of life (1 Tim. 1:16; 1
Cor. 11:1; 1 Thes. 1:6).  Paul recognized a pattern, saying, 
"Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard
from me (2 Tim. 1:13).  The Roman saints had obeyed "that
form of doctrine" which they had been taught (Rom. 6:17,18).
Are we not responsible to "make all things according to the
pattern" as Moses was (Heb. 8:5)?  Will you hear and obey
the commandment, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through Him" (Col. 3:17)?   ---- Gilbert Alexander.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070210/b559c557/attachment-0001.html