THE HUMAN SPIRIT

Photo by B Smith from the kitchen window

 

258 - THE HUMAN SPIRIT

October 6, 1963

Henry F. Kulp

 

Romans 1: 8 - 14 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

Rome was the capital of the world at the time that Paul wrote, and this church was not founded by the Twelve Apostles—certainly not Peter, because we have no record that he had ever been in Rome. No man founded that church—it was founded by the Christians who came to that city and witnessed to others and helped to set up an assembly.

1/  Now as we look into this portion of Scripture, we find out something about the Apostle Paul that is verified in other portions of Scripture. What is the man Paul, like?  I think I can give you a little sketch of the man himself. Paul had a love for all men. He wanted all to be saved. He wanted all to know the Lord Jesus Christ. And then Paul had a love for all who named the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. As I study the writings of Paul, I realize he put the Lord first, the Church second, the needs of the lost third, and everything else was away back from that point. 

2/  Verse 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 

Here we have something that is a real insight into the type of man Paul was. He calls God to be his witness to the fact that without ceasing in all his prayers, he was making mention of the group in Rome. To me this is extremely revealing, because why did Paul have to call God as his witness that he was praying for them? I believe Paul’s personality was one that did not show affection on the surface. I doubt anyone would call Paul a warm loving individual—that is, on the surface. I am sure he was considered hard by those he preached to. It was in his own heart that he must have longed for the softness of the nature of the beloved disciple, John. The Scripture tells us Jesus loved John, and it was John who leaned upon our Lord’s bosom on the night of the Lord’s supper. When John told the believers that He loved him, they all believed and they felt his warm personality, and they felt themselves as being the beloved of John.  

3/  But this is not true of Paul, when Paul writes to this church and tells them that he loved them and is praying for them, he calls God to witness that is really true, for I am sure there were many who wondered if this was true. We know from his second epistle to the Corinthians that some people did not like him – he was too hard, he was too dogmatic—he was too positive, his blows were sledgehammer blows.

4/  II Corinthians 10: 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

They thought he walked according to the flesh. Remember, he administered in this city a long time—for a year and six months—he had worked and prayed and toiled, laboring with his own hands to support himself, and all the time he preached publicly from house to house, striving to reach lost sinners and bring them to Christ. He had founded the work, and he had seen it grow and develop in a marvelous way, and here these folks said, he is too bold—look at the letter he has written to us—he is too dogmatic, he is too positive. He’s not a loving type of individual at all.  

5/   There may well have been those who came to him and said, show us a little more love, and I believe, he would look at them with his half blind eyes and remain speechless, because he knew he loved them with a burning love, with an intense love, but how could he get it across to them? Here he calls God to witness that it is true. 

6/  If we go later in this very Epistle, Romans 9: 1 - 3 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

He says I have heaviness and sorrow in my heart for these people of my blood. I could wish myself accursed of Christ for my own brethren, but that couldn’t do them any good. How much he loved them, he was willing even to be accursed if it would help them. Here was love beyond understanding, but yet he couldn’t get it across with his own personality. He was unable to show it.

7/  We have another Scripture that bears this out. 

I Corinthians 11: 11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

Here Paul has said that he had not permitted them to pay him, he had worked to keep himself going, to meet his expenses, and he boasted in this fact—this didn’t mean that he disregarded the feelings of the Corinthians in the whole matter—it is not that he doesn’t love them. Paul says, God knows that I indeed love you—and God is my witness.

8/  When God made us up, He gave us all a different personality—and usually being saved does not change this personality. One who is quiet before he is saved is usually still quiet after he is saved. Or one, who is boisterous, is usually the same after he is saved. When he made up Paul, and established the genes, and the chromosomes in the make-up of Paul, He didn’t put anything in there that would cause Paul to be warmhearted in his outward nature. He just couldn’t wear his heart on his sleeve. He was accused of being proud or arrogant, or dogmatic, but that wasn’t true – Paul says, I love and I bear God as my witness.

9/  This love that Paul had for these people at Rome was true love, I want you to realize that true love can never be pumped up. As a matter of  fact, I don’t even think it is given to anyone in answer to prayer. This may startle you, it may cause you to stop and think for a minute, but I believe it is true. You do not pray to God for love for lost sinners, or even for saints—this is not something God hands you on a platter—it is the result of certain workings in your life. You have love for the unsaved when you realize how much God loves them and what ends He went to go save them by giving his own Son to die on the Cross of Calvary for sinners, and when you realize how much God loves them, you can’t help but love them, that is, if you love God. And then, when you look at the Cross of Calvary and you realize the awful price that God paid, you see Him as He hung on the Cross of Calvary and was made sin for us, you can’t help but realize again the awful debt of Calvary, and your heart is filled with love to God—it is a love of gratitude to Him for what He has done. 

10/  There is a great communion among saints, and this is one of the things that is really a thrill of a preacher’s life. I have often said to you, I enjoy going to assemblies, meeting people I’ve never met before and opening the Word of God to them and preaching to them out of the Word of God. 

I can remember when I was down in Haiti, way up in Port-au-pay that is the extreme top of the Island, I remember I preached in a church there that must have had 700 or 800 out that night. They were standing in the doorways, all around the walls, they were sitting in the windows, and when I finished preaching. I was preaching through an interpreter—he interpreted my words into French, there were many “amens” and the people just seemed to be so happy. I went to the back of the church and those people just besieged me—all those black folks came to me and they held out their hands, and they shook my hand, and they pumped my hand and they slapped me on the back, and some put their arms around me. They couldn’t speak my language, I could understand a little bit of French, but not very much from my high school French, but their eyes, the way they lit up, and the smiles on their lips told me they enjoyed my preaching, what I had to say, because they loved the same God, the Lord Jesus Christ that I loved. And there was tremendous communion and fellowship there among these people with me. We were bound together with a common bond.   

11/   Then notice, and we’ll go back a verse to Verse 8  that their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world. 

Now, when we turn to the 11th chapter of Hebrews we have a summary of the faith of certain individuals in the Old Testament—Abel, Jacob, Joseph, it goes on down through the line, and this role of faith covers a period of about 4,000 years. Seldom in all these 4,000 years was there a time of a mass movement of faith. It was rather centered in individuals. Elijah complained that he was the only individual left until the Lord revealed unto him that there were 7,000 others who had not bowed their knee to Baal. However, there wasn’t a great mass expression among those 7,000, or Elijah would have known that they loved God. They didn’t love God enough for they didn’t have their faith expressed enough that it was known to Elijah. It was known only to God who knows the hearts of men. Now, contrast that with what was here in the City of Rome. In Rome, their group faith stood out and it was known everywhere. It was the City of Caesars. Now notice, this faith was spoken of through the world. The word, spoken, is important here. Others knew that they trusted the Lord Jesus Christ and spoke of their faith in Jesus Christ.

12/  There are assemblies that are famous for their buildings—their beautiful church structures, for their stained glass windows, for their altars, for their beautiful carpets and there are churches that are famous for the bones of those who have been buried, even under the floor of the main auditorium. Then there are churches that are famous for their organ, or their choir—some are famous for their preachers, or some are famous because certain millionaires go there. People say, do you know Mr. And Mrs. Gotrocks go to that church? That is their church. So churches can be famous for many things, but here is the thing that is all important. This church was famous for its faith in Jesus Christ.

13/  I know that many churches are famous because they become second class restaurants, or some churches are famous because they flourish on games of Bingo. What a scandal on Jesus Christ. But God doesn’t want these things – He wants churches to be famous for faith. The one thing God wants more than anything else is faith on the part of the assembly.

14/ Verse 9 Now we come to another part that is so important. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit. What does he mean by this? It can only be understood by studying your Bible. True service to God must be in the spirit, and in this case it does not mean Holy Spirit, for notice a verse that is important in our study, Romans 8: 16 The Spirit Himself, beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. There is a great deal of difference between the spirit of the believer and the Holy Spirit. 

We have to understand that man is a trichotomy—man is a trinity, made up of body, soul and spirit. It is necessary to see that there is a difference between the soul and the spirit. There are many who will make them identical, and this is not true. 

Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This definitely shows that there is a difference between the soul and the spirit. But when man sinned, when Adam sinned, the Trinity was wrecked. The body was wrecked. Now the body has five senses, but these senses, because of sin, have been limited. You can only see so far, you can only hear a certain distance, you can only smell a certain distance. The five senses have been marred by sin. And so it is with the soul and spirit. They are in the wreckage. The soul is self-consciousness and through it we know our own individuality, and the spirit is God-consciousness. Through it we are aware that there is an existence of a force that is higher than ourselves. What happens to the soul? We become so self-centered that we shut God out, and our soul is sinful and it is against God, but now, what about the spirit? The spirit is fallen and when the spirit should be obedient to God, it is at enmity with God. It doesn’t understand God. 

I Corinthians 2: 14 tells us, The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. 

And this spirit has been blinded by sin. He can’t understand God, or the things of God.

16/  When one becomes a believer in Jesus Christ, something wonderful happens. God puts into his being a new spirit. Then starts the great struggle between the old soul and the new spirit. The old soul is called the flesh in the Bible. Now we are told in the Bible that the flesh, that is the soul, lusteth or pulls against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh and the two are contrary one to another. 

Paul tells us this in Galatians 2: 20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I, that is the soul, am crucified with Christ, nevertheless, I, the new personality, the new spirit dominated by Christ, lives, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. 

17/  When death comes, death will completely dominate the person. 

I Corinthians 15: 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory

When we read of the resurrection we read that the body has sown a natural body —that should be a soulish body—it is released a spiritual body. That does not mean that we will not have a material, tangible body like unto the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather that is what we will have—but this material body will be controlled by the spirit—dominated by the new spirit, whereas the body we have now, has this fight going on between the soul and the spirit. 

18/  We can see this very clearly when we look at the life of the man called Peter. Peter was an effervescent man. Today, I believe he could be called an extrovert. He was the first to talk at any given occasion. He always had something to say. He was a big-mouthed fisherman, always the first to talk and think afterwards. Did you ever notice in Peter how we have three forces speaking in his life? First of all his human spirit—the time that it spoke, the time the Holy Spirit spoke through him, and then the time the devil talked through him.

19/  John 13: 4 - 9  He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

Here we have the lesson of the feet washing, it was Jesus Christ who went to wash the feet of Peter and Peter says, Thou shall never wash my feet. This was the old nature talking through him. This was Peter thinking that he knew more than his Lord. And when the Lord said, if I wash thee not thou hast no part of me. Peter again with his big mouth spoke up and said, not my feet only, but my hands and head. In other word, wash me all over. This was the human spirit in Peter, rejecting the teaching that God had for him.  

20/  Matthew 16: 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Then we remember the time when the Saviour asked the disciples concerning public opinion about Himself. And He asked them, what do you say? Who do you say I am? It was Simon Peter who answered; Thou art the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Christ Jesus immediately pointed out that Peter had not thought that up by himself, and, of course, when he did this, He intimated that the disciples were not to compare that answer with Peter’s usual line of thoughtless words, they were to recognize that this wasn’t Peter speaking, but that this was God revealing it to him. This was the Holy Spirit speaking to Peter.

21/  Matthew 16: 21 - 23 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

When the Lord Jesus Christ for the first time announced that He was to go to the cross to die, Peter thought his chance had come to tell the Lord that this action was far from what it should be for Him, and once the Lord turned upon him and said, Get thee behind me, Satan. Here, than we have the same human lips, used first of all by the human spirit, then the Holy Spirit, and then the devil. 

It should cause us to pause and consider our own speech carefully, and it should make us see that we have to serve the Lord in our own spirit that is dominated by the Holy Spirit.

AMEN

Ref: 06/19/1960 / 222 - THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING / 01/29/2021

WHAT GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Photo by B Smith from the patio

 

444 -1 WHAT GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT?

September 17, 1978

Henry F. Kulp

 

Ephesians 4: 25 - 32 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

The Book of Ephesians is a marvelous book. It tells us of our glorious position in Jesus Christ.

1/  Ephesians 1: 6, 7 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Here we are acceptable in the beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in Him we have redemption, and his forgiveness of sins.

2/  As I was thinking about these two verses here as we start this message, my mind automatically goes back to Isaiah 1: 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Did you ever wonder why God didn’t say, though your sins be as black or blue or some other color? Why did He say crimson? Red, like crimson. What is the reason for it?

First of all, I believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible. Certainly Isaiah didn’t know what he was talking about, but God does. 

3/  Crimson cannot be bleached. Cleaners and dyers have no acid or chemical that can bleach crimson or blot it out. As you know, paper is made of old rags—these old rags are sorted, all colors being placed in one pile, but not so with red. They are put into another pile, for they cannot be bleached for used in making white or light colored paper. Red rags are used to make red ink blotters—even though your sins be as red they cannot be dyed, they cannot be bleached, they cannot be washed away. How are they taken care of then?—by the blood of Christ. So when a man is washed in the blood of Christ he is cleansed from every sin and he should walk worthy of this position.

4/  But as we see this marvelous position we have in Jesus Christ, we come to a very important verse. 

Ephesians 4: 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Greek says, AND STOP GRIEVING THE SPIRIT, THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.

5/  The Holy Spirit here is seen as capable of feeling and so it is personal. He is a Person. You can only grieve a Person. So the Holy Spirit is capable of feelings. 

6/  Isaiah 63: 10 But they rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

Here we read, but they, Israel rebelled and vexed, that is grieved, His Holy Spirit, therefore He was turned to be their enemy and He fought against them.

7/  Ephesians 4: 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The word, grieved in the Greek, LEW-PET-O, TO CAUSE SORROW, TO CAUSE DISTRESS. 

This gives us a very hard situation. We know that the Holy Spirit has a perfect inner happiness. He has always been perfectly happy, and He always will be perfectly happy. How can we say then that He has sorrow or distress?

8/  No doubt that this is an Anthropopathic (An-Throw-poe-path-ic). It is a term which means that God is represented, or the conception of God with a human form with human attributes, and it is used to describe the condition of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. It actually means the Holy Spirit is not controlling the believer. Remember, God is always happy—there is never a time when He isn’t happy, and there will never be a time that He won’t be happy—this is also true of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Nothing can shake any member of the Godhead. There is no traumatic experience that can cause them to fall apart. But here we are describing God in the terms of man.

9/  There is a principle here in Ephesians 4: 30 we need to see. You can hurt someone else until first of all you hurt the Holy Spirit, for He is living in your body—your body is His dwelling place. When a believer gets out of the will of God, he does that by grieving or going through the Holy Spirit, refusing to be under His control, so I want you to realize that every sin is against the Holy Spirit and it grieves Him.

10/  Let us look at the commands concerning the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. 

Matthew 12: 31, 32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Here we read about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, or speaking a word against the Holy Spirit. And this is a sin that was committed by the Nation Israel in the Book of Acts when they rejected the Word of the Holy Spirit concerning Jesus Christ being their crucified, buried, resurrected Saviour.

11/  Acts 7: 51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Here we have Stephen talking before the Sanhedrin, and he tells them, “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do ye.”

And here they were, committing the sin, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit by stoning Stephen and sending him back to Heaven, with the words, “We will not have this man, Jesus Christ, to rule over us.”

12/  Acts 5: 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Here we have Ananias and Sapphira. They were under the kingdom program as well, they sold a possession, but they kept back part of the price and brought a certain part of it, laid it at the apostle’s feet, and Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and keep back part of the price of the land? 

This was under the Kingdom program, for they were to sell everything and put it in a common pot. So under the Kingdom program there are commands concerning the Holy Spirit, and Israel violated them. They were blinded, they were set aside, they fell.

13/  I Thessalonians 5: 19 Quench not the Spirit.

Here we read about quenching the Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit is given to us to minister to us, to teach us, to guide us, to direct us, to rebuke us. But we have the capacity to quench or stifle the Spirit. What is it that quenches the Spirit? IT IS JUST SAYING ‘NO’ TO GOD. We should always be saying, “Yes, LORD.”

14/  As I was reading about quenching and about grieving the Holy Spirit, I thought about the Book of Hosea, chapters 4 & 5. This is a remarkable Scripture of God’s people, Israel, sinning against the Lord. At the first sign of their sin He rebuked them. 

Hosea 5: 12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

I will be to Ephraim like a moth, fluttering about in agitation, finally saying, Come back, come back, my people. But then God says, when His people are determined to be sinful, they become deaf to His pleadings.

Hosea 5: 14 I will be to Ephraim like a lion, roaring against their sin. 

This is a stronger warning of the hideous development of sin. But they still do not listen. So finally God says, in Hosea 5: 15 I will go and return to my place until they acknowledge their offense and seek My face. 

This is the silence of God that can be so terribly vocal.

15/  Hosea 4: 17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

One of the most terrible verses in the Bible is found here. Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. 

This is what might happen when we quench the Spirit. He remains within us, of course, but He takes a back seat. So God says, this is what you want, O, Christian, so be it—I will take My hands off until you seek my control again. A sad condition, quenching the Spirit.

16/  So the principal we must see at this point is, Galatians 5: 22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 

The Holy Spirit is to be the source of joy in the believer’s life, and when He is grieved, when He is quenched, He cannot do His office work, and the believer has sadness and distress.

17/  Now let us notice, what grieves the Holy Spirit. It happens to be the sins that are mentioned starting with Ephesians 4: 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Here He tells us we are to put away lying. Lying grieves the Holy Spirit. The word, lying, here in the Greek, is a word that simply means FALSE. We are to put away everything that is false. That means, PRETENSE, and SHAM. WE MUST NEVER SPEAK ANYTHING WHICH IS SHAM OR FALSEHOOD, OR PRETENSE. Just the same we are not to live a lie, a falsehood, we are not to live in pretense or sham.

18/  John 8: 25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

And here they came to Jesus Christ and said, Who art thou? And Christ Jesus said to them, even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. The exact rendering should be, ALTOGETHER WHAT I SAID UNTO YOU. What a tremendous statement. There is nothing covered, there is nothing hidden, no sham no pretense. He didn’t cover up. And this is what we are to be. We are never to be false. We are to put away from us everything that is false, with our lips, with our manner of life.

19/  Then notice the motive that is given, for we are members one of another. He is speaking here of especially our relationship to other believers. He is actually saying, Why would you ever attempt to deceive another believer? Why would you ever try to default another child of God? Why should you ever pretend to be something else in front of another believer.

20/  Ephesians 4: 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

This is a portion of Scripture that perplexes many people. There is such a thing as righteous indignation, righteous resentment. 

Verse 26 might be translated IF YOU DO GET ANGRY YOU MUST NOT SIN IN YOUR ANGER.

20/  So this tells us that one can be angry and not be in sin. Our Lord was angry at different times, and of course, it was always apart from sinning—He couldn’t sin. 

Mark 3: 5 And he was angry being grieved for the hardness of their hearts.

21/  Paul got angry, there can be no doubt about it.

Acts 15: 1, 2 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

Here the Scripture says, no small dissension. In other words, a real rip-snorting fight took place, a real argument here. Frankly, I am in the same boat with Paul—I can never be at peace with those preachers who are leading souls to hell with by denying the Grace of God in Jesus Christ.

22/ Ephesians 4: 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Now Paul talks about the matter of stealing. One wonders what the Spirit of God would say about the stealing that goes on in our day. Take our politicians, how it distresses us, for I believe we have the most corrupt government we have ever had, but never forget, when you steal another person’s good name, you are stealing in the same way.

23/  Then there is another exhortation, Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let hm work with his hands, the thing that is good that he might give to him that needeth. Here we see the difference between law and grace. The law says we must not steal. But I want to show you that grace is far greater than the law. It brings a far greater exacting work upon the child of God. I believe it was easier to live under the law than it is under grace. What does grace say—Grace adds something when it says not to steal. Grace has a much higher standard than under the law. You can keep the law by refraining from taking something that is not yours, but grace says, not only are you not to steal, but you are to labor, working with your hands so that you can give to him that needeth.

24/  Ephesians 4: 29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Unholy speech is dealt with next, for it grieves the Holy Spirit. Worthless thoughts are never to be expressed. We need to pray with David, Psalm 141: 3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips. 

The wise man makes God the doorkeeper of his lips. What terrible things our tongues can do.

Proverbs 4: 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

25/  Proverbs 17: 27  He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

This gives us some instruction about the corrupt communications coming out of our mouths. It says, He that has knowledge spareth his words—those who would talk for the Lord Jesus Christ will always learn that they talk too much. All of us say too much, and I am sure you will agree this is true. But he that hath knowledge spareth his words.

26/  Proverbs 26: 20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Here we read, Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out, but where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.

Here is another word of warning about our speech. You know why trouble doesn’t stop? Because folks keep on talking. That is all there is to it. They keep the fire burning by constantly putting fuel upon it. The fire will go out if you don’t put fuel upon it. But the trouble is, people don’t want the fire to go out. Someone will say, Did you hear this, or did you hear that? And all the time they are adding fuel to the fire.

27/  Matthew 12: 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Here we read, Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh—you say that which you have been thinking. If you’ve been thinking that which is unprofitable, that which is corrupt, you can’t help but speak of it, if it has been in your mind.

Philippians 4: 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

AMEN

Ref: 09/17/1978 / 444-1 WHAT GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT? / 01/26/2021

THE HARDEST THING FOR A MAN TO BELIEVE

Photo by B Smith from the patio

235 - THE HARDEST THING FOR A MAN TO BELIEVE

March 25, 1956

Henry F. Kulp

 

Romans 4: 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

It is strange that man should find it difficult not to believe everything in this day and age because science in this past century has conquered so many phases of our lives. If someone living at the time of the founding of our nation had predicted television as we know it today, it would have been very hard to believe, but no one questions its reality. As a matter of fact, modern man seems to be willing to believe anything a scientist predicts.

1/  Just take these little books that are out on science—they sell like hot-cakes, every magazine counter has them, for the simple reason man wants to believe the fanastic. Very few people doubt that we are going to fly to the moon, very few people doubt the fact of flying saucers, they want to believe that which is fanastic and hard to believe.

2/  However, in the realm of the spiritual, there is one truth above all others which man finds exceedingly difficult to believe. Out of years of experience in dealing with men and woman in conjunction with the things of God, I can make this statement, and I am sure those who have witnessed for the Lord Jesus Christ will concur with it.

3/  Many people find it hard to believe in the reality of Heaven and the eternity of hell. Others stumble over the Virgin Birth of our Lord, and still others have trouble with the Deity of His Person. Then, we have those who can never believe in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, and those who mock the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But, the one that is hardest to believe for natural man, and that more people rebel against it than against the reality of Heaven, hell, the Virgin Birth, the deity of Jesus Christ, or the verbal inspiration. The one that is most difficult to believe, that man is justified before God by faith, and by faith alone.

4/  I Corinthians 2: 14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Truly, this verse is seen on this point, that the natural man does not receive the things of God for they are foolishness unto him. Nothing appears more foolish to the unregenerate mind than this doctrine. Man is just saturated with the idea that he must merit divine righteousness, and is certain the idea of simple faith is too fanastic for him.

5/  I wish to deal with this doctrine by unfolding the climatic statement by the Apostle Paul in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia. 

Acts 13: 16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

There we read that Paul stood up and beckoned with his hand and said, “Men of Israel, and ye who fear God give audience.” And then he gives an account of God’s dealing with the nation and the story of Christ’s death and resurrection. And then Paul makes a startling statement in Acts 13: 38, 39 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. And nothing but a miracle of God could open man’s blinded eyes to see this glorious truth.

6/  As I preach on this amazing doctrine, I think it is impossible to overstate or over estimate its importance. The entire epistle to the saints at Rome is devoted to the exposition of this truth, and believe me that no one can preach too often, or too many messages from this inspired book. As a matter of fact, Martin Luther rescued this doctrine from the depths of the dark ages. He was afraid that after his death this truth would be lost.

7/  And judging by the popular sermons which are printed in newspapers and preached over the radio and TV, his fear was well-founded. How many call themselves fundamental and miss this doctrine completely and abuse it to no little extent?

8/  The preaching of this theme by Paul aroused violent opposition on the part of the Jews.

9/  THE UNGODLY FUROR

We read that the next Sabbath day almost the whole city came to hear the Word of God, but when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul—contradicting and blaspheming, and the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women and the chief men of the city to raise persecution against Barnabas and Paul and expel them out of their coasts.

Acts 13: 44, 45 - 50 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

And therefore we read, having declared the doctrine with faithfulness they shook the dust off their feet against them and came to Iconium

Verse 51, 52 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

From Paul’s day to this very hour the teaching of justification by faith and faith alone has been the subject of bitter attack. From the time that Cain in his self-will brought to God his basket of fruits and vegetables to today men have hated and taught against this doctrine and have sought to overthrow it.

One reason for the modern hostility to this doctrine is because it undermines as no other doctrine the isms that are in the world at this hour.

Justification by faith, and faith alone puts an end to all forms and ceremonies, and puts aside all attempts on the part of man to court the favor of God by personal merit.

Galatians 2: 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Here it clearly says, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Now, what does justification mean? It means more than being pardoned, or forgiven. When a man is justified he is vastly more than a forgiven criminal. Justification is an act which originates in the heart of God and removes guilt and its liability from the sinner and makes him blameless. This helps us to understand Colossians 2: 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

That we are perfect in Him. For we have absolute justification. It is not a matter that God has just cleared us from all sin, but He has made us perfect.

It is impossible for a man to have peace in his heart unless he knows that he is justified. Not just pardoned, but justified. 

Last year as I was visiting the zoo with my children, my family, I would stand fascinated as I’d see the wild beasts pacing round and round in its cage, hour after hour with an unsatisfied and with a despairing look. To me this is an illustration of man seeking peace and rest for his soul, which nothing but God through His justification can fill and satisfy.

The Scriptures reveal seven ways by which an individual may be justified, and if we have these truths we shall find a glorious fact for our Christian experience whereby we can have peace.

10/  JUSTIFIED BY GOD

The Word itself is very clear at this point, and leaves no one in doubt as to the source of justification. 

Romans 8: 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

It is God that justifieth. So that means that works cannot be in it if God does the justifying. Its not that man justified himself, but that God justifies him. So God is the source of justification.

Luke 16: 14, 15 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Here we read the Pharisees who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him. They literally turned their noses up at him. And he said unto them “Ye are they which justify yourselves before man, but God knoweth your heart.” 

As long as man persists in seeking to justify himself he is shutting the door against the fact that God can justify him. It is hard for a man to learn that in himself he is not capable of doing one satisfactory thing in the eyes of God.

As far as I am concerned, I would far rather have God do something for me than to do it for myself. My own efforts would be imperfect, but whatever God does it would have to be perfection. How the proud, selfish human nature rebels against such a doctrine but nevertheless it is true and it strips man of any personal credit or merit.

11/  JUSTIFIED BY GRACE

Unless justification springs from the Grace of God what chance does the sinner have? Now there is a point that we must recognize. God justifies only those who stand in need of it. We do not read of angels being justified. Nor do we read of the righteous being justified. But only as Romans 4: 5 says, the ungodly are justified. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Now notice Romans 3: 24 Being justified freely by His (God’s) grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Titus 3: 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

That being justified, declared righteous by His grace. Grace is our only hope—all the plans of man for salvation fade away and show their futility alongside the grace of God.

12/  JUSTIFIED BY BLOOD

Romans 5: 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

This is the price that was paid in order to make possible this wonderful and glorious act of justification. If God were to remain holy and righteous, and He is, He could not merely pass by or overlook man’s sin. He could not just wink at it or forget it—He had to do something about it. And so man’s sin-debt was paid at Calvary.

There is a story of a young woman who called upon the Pastor of a church, who for the sake of the story we will call him Pastor Brown. She said, “How is it Pastor Brown, that you are always so happy.” He said, “You have made a wonderful mistake, for I am not always happy.” “Well, she replied, “You look so happy, how is it then that you say you are not always happy? Are you a sinner?”  “Yes, indeed,” replied the preacher, “But, I do admit that I am happy in the knowledge that I have had my punishment.” She was very much surprised, and exclaimed, “Had your punishment, what do you mean?” This gave the preacher an excellent opportunity to explain the Gospel, so he said, “The punishment for my sin is paid.” “I can’t understand it,” said the perplexed woman. And the preacher said, “Yes, it happened some 1,900 years ago.” In her surprise and simplicity, not realizing just what she was saying, “But you are not that old, are you?” He answered, “No indeed, but it is perfectly true, nevertheless that some 1,900 years ago I had my punishment in the Person of my substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

And every Christian can look upon the dead Christ in the tomb and exclaim, “There I lie, I am free because in the eyes of the law my substitute has died for me.”

13/ JUSTIFIED BY RESURRECTION

Romans 4: 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

The great truth of the resurrection is connected with the justification of the sinner. His resurrection is a marvelous revelation of the satisfaction of God’s justice in the finished work of Jesus Christ. His resurrection is like a receipted bill that shows that our sin-debt is paid.

No wonder it is said in I Corinthians 15: 14 - 17 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

If Christ be not raised, your faith is dead, and you are yet in your sins.

That is why in Romans 10: 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

It tells us, Believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, because it is all tied together in our justification.

14/  JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

Romans 5: 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

There we read, we are justified by faith. All works are expressly forbidden. 

In former superstitious days it was held as unlucky to give a person the present of a knife. In order to prevent it from being a gift a farthing (money) was handed to the giver. A farthing that it might not be of grace, that is, not a free gift. And so therefore, even though it would only be a fraction of what the knife was worth, it would still not be a gift. So, no matter what you would offer to God, no matter how small it might be it would no longer be by grace, it would no longer be by faith.

In the book of the prophet Isaiah, we have a very solemn woe pronounced upon those who justify the wicked. It is a very wrong thing for a judge to justify a wicked person and we have had many complaints in our great cities because public enemies, racketeers, hoodlums of all kinds have been arrested and when they have gone before corrupt judges they have been allowed to go free and prey once more upon the community. And people are right when they become indignant about it, but do you want to know something, THAT IS THE VERY THING GOD DOES — HE JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY.  The very thing we frown upon in an individual in this life. The trouble is, an individual in this life cannot justify a sinner, but God can.

I know it is hard to be justified by faith for the individual, it is the hardest thing in the world for him to believe. 

I read the story of an old man who owned a narrow lot with a poor miserable cabin on it. Lots in his neighborhood had been selling for fabulous prices, and he thought that someday his place would make him a fortune. By and by, a millionaire came along and seeing the possibilities, he said, “I want the whole thing.” So he sent his agent to go in and buy up the whole block and when he came to the old man, he said, ”What would you sell your place for?” The old man named a price that was tremendous, and the agent said, “All right, we’ll take it.” “When do you want it?” The old man asked. “In about two weeks I’ll be around with the deed and you can be ready to sign it. Here is $1,000 to bind the sale,” replied the agent.

The old man was simply delighted, and he thought, well, if someone has brought this place, and he is able to pay all that money I ought to fix it up a bit, so he bought some paint and he went to work and painted the old shack. He bought some glass to replace the old panes. For about two weeks he worked as hard as he could on the cabin, and when the millionaire purchaser and his agent brought the papers for him to sign, he was so nervous, he could hardly hold the pen. He was surprised that the man who bought the place didn’t say anything about he shack. And so he said, “Do you see how beautifully I have painted it up and put in new windows, and I’ve planted some flowers about the shack—it is going to be a nice place, and I hope you’ll be very comfortable in it.” “Oh,” said the millionaire, “I didn’t buy this place for what’s in it, but rather what I’m going to put on it.”

 And that is how God justifies the ungodly. It is not because of what He finds in man, but for what He is going to put in man, and what He is going to do for man. And so the thing that is hard for men to understand is this very point.

15/  JUSTIFICATION BY LIFE

Romans 5: 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

This passage uncovers a very remarkable phase of justification. Two realms are revealed. One is the realm of death and the other is the ream of life.  The contrast is between condemnation and justification, and because we receive the Lord Jesus Christ we are now in the realm of resurrection and endless life and justification.

16/  JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS

James 2: 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Here He says we are justified by works—just the very opposite from what we have been studying from the Apostle Paul, and, of course, James is speaking about justification by works in front of men. Men cannot see your faith, but they can see your works and we who are justified by faith should show our works to a lost and dying world.

AMEN

Ref: 03/25/1956 / 235 - THE HARDEST THING FOR A MAN TO BELIEVE / 01/26/2021