Ques. Is the Epistle of James weakened or limited in its application to present day conditions of the assembly of God, by the address to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad; does this confine it to the Jews? R. M.
Ans. The subject of the Epistle is practical righteousness, and this is the fruit of accomplished redemption. We look for practical righteousness in all who profess to know God, and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. And this fruit comes from those who have the divine nature in them, through being born again by the word of truth. This is why he says, "Faith without works is dead." There are no instructions to the assembly as such. It is all individual.
This Epistle is all true, and the word of the living God, and for the obedience of faith. In reading and applying it, we still keep in view that we are heavenly citizens, and that all the grace needed to walk according to this Epistle, like all the rest, is the ever flowing grace of Him who giveth more grace, and that the condition of our souls needs to be like Him who was meek and lowly in heart, for He resisteth the proud and gives grace to the humble.
The principle of 5:14, 15, 16 may be carried out where there is humility, brotherly confidence and love, though we have not official order now, as then when it was written. It is plainly a kind of discipline, and not meant to apply to every sickness. But we have the privilege of taking all to the Lord, and of resting in His ordering for us.
Ques. Please explain Psa. 16:2, last clause, "My goodness (extendeth) not to Thee."
R. M.
Ans. Psa. 16 presents Christ as a man, perfect in all His ways.
"Preserve Me, O God," is the expression of His dependence.
"For in Thee do I put My trust," is His confidence.
"O My soul, thou hast said unto the LORD (Jehovah) Thou art My Lord" (adon, lord or master), this is His subjection.
"My goodness (extendeth) not to Thee: but to the saints that are on the earth, and to the excellent, in whom (or them) is all My delight," this is His lowliness. He is not here claiming equality with God, but associating Himself with the saints on earth. We see this historically in Matt. 3 when He was baptized of John in Jordan, thus fulfilling righteousness, the One who had no sin, taking His place with the believing remnant of Israel in confessing their sins. And here the Father justified Him by giving Him as a sinless man, the Holy Spirit, and owning Him as His beloved Son in whom His delight was. This was His lowly grace expressed in "My goodness extendeth not (up) to Thee," but (down) to the saints, etc.
Verse 4 is His separation from evil. He was all that the godly man should be.
Ques. Did Christ on the cross bear the sins of the whole human race? Or only the sins of those who believe? N. F. A.
Ans. We should notice how the scripture reads, and we shall find that the death of Christ is the righteous ground on which God in grace can forgive sinners. We can mention a few verses: (John 3: 14-16; Rom. 5:6, 8; 1 Tim. 1:15; 2:4, 5, 6; Heb. 2:9; 2 Cor. 5:15; 1 John 2:2.) There we see salvation offered to all-God's love going out to all.
The language of faith, that is, of those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, gives the knowledge of forgiveness of sins. In Scripture language we do not say to the unsaved, "Christ died for your sins," but "Christ died for you." (Rom. 3:24-26; 4:25; 5:1; Gal. 1:4; 3:13, 22; Eph. 1:7; Col 1:12-14; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Cor. 15:3.)
The Lord Jesus said, "If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). The unbelievers will be judged for their sins. (Rom. 1:18; 6:23; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 3:22; 5:19-21; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6.)
So we see the only way of escape is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell Him you will trust Him, then He will say, I bore the judgment for your sins, and we who have believed on Him, may say:
"If Thou hast my discharge procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine,
Payment God cannot twice demand;
First at my bleeding Surety's hand,
And then again at mine."
Ques. Please explain Rev. 20:4; 6:9 and Mark 8:35. We would like a full explanation W. D.
Ans. In Mark 8:35 the Lord is showing how a true disciple should live. Not all of the disciples were saved. Some believed on Him when they saw His miracles, but the Lord would not trust them. (John 2:23-25.) They could turn away just when they pleased; they were not born again, and except they were born again, they would not continue with the Lord. Some were offended and turned away from Him; the true disciples would not turn away. (John 6:66-71.) Judas Iscariot was one of the apostles, yet he was lost, he was a devil.
We that are saved children of God want to behave ourselves in a way that is pleasing to Him. We are to deny ourselves, and take up our cross and follow Him. We do not desire the pleasures of the world as we did before conversion. Their balls and concerts and amusements, their drinking and smoking and card tables and parties are not to our taste now. They are but the pleasures of sin, and for a short season, and they leave a sting behind them.
The pleasures of our new life, are pleasures for evermore. (Heb. 11:25; Psa. 16:11.) If we suffer rejection for Christ, we are strengthened by communion with Him. If our object is self-pleasing, we lose our life. If to please Him is our object in our walk and testimony, we shall save it, and though we may be called to lose it here, we shall be the gainers for all eternity. How many have deliberately chosen the world and were lost for eternity; for it they neglected God's great salvation, so the lake of fire is their eternal portion. They would not own Christ here, and He will not own them as His there. (Heb. 2:3; Rev. 21:8.)
Now look at Rev. 1:19. This verse gives the division of the book.
1st. What John saw in Patmos, "The things which thou hast seen." Jesus as Judge in the midst of the Churches which are the candlesticks or light-bearers.
2nd. "The things that are." That is, the present Church period, from Pentecost till Christ comes for His Church, when she is completed. (1 Thess. 4:15-18.) The wise will go in; the foolish will be left out. (Matt. 25:1-13.)
3rd. "The things which shall be after these things." The future after the Church is gone.
In chapters 4 and 5, we see the glorified saints-the twenty-four elders-seated on twenty-four thrones. They see Jesus, as the Lamb of God, taking the book out of the hand of Him who sat upon the throne, and they praise Him as worthy, because He was slain, and He glorified God, and wrought redemption for them by His blood.
In chapter 6 He begins to open the book, and events are seen taking place. Verse 9 is the breaking of the sixth seal. In it we see some who were martyred for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. "Under the altar" means that they laid down their lives. White rot es are the symbol of God's approval. Their prayer for vengeance, like the Psalms, is Jewish, and they are told to rest for a little season, till others are martyred.
Rev. 20:4 mentions these two classes of martyrs. "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them"; that is, the twenty-four elders, the glorified saints that were caught up. (chap. 4:4.) Then those beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, is the class we saw in 6:9-11. Also those which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands. (13:15-17.) These are seen in chapter 15:2 as victors. They would rather give up their lives than give in to the beast.
"AND THEY LIVED," means that they are raised from the dead-spirit, soul and body united again. Now they are glorified, and shall reign with Christ a thousand years. (Rom. 8:17; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; 2 Tim. 2:12.)
That completes the first resurrection; which means all the blessed and holy, that is believers, from the beginning of the world, that have died, and those of the Church are with them, who have not died, but were changed and caught up.
The rest of the dead mentioned in verses 5 and 12 are those who have died in their sins. They are judged at the great white throne, and cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. (verses 11-15; 21:8.)
Note. The beast and the false prophet are not seen in this present time, but will rise up after the Church is caught up.