YOU AND PHYSICAL FITNESS

Photo taken by B Smith from the Kitchen Window

   248 - YOU AND PHYSICAL FITNESS

   June 10, 1962

   Pastor Henry F. Kulp

 

I Timothy 4: 7 - 11 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, an of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living god, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11 These things command and teach.

Here we are told to refuse profane and old wives fables, and this is rather difficult to understand, but the word, fable, here is the word, myth, and it actually means tradition. In those days, a great deal of teaching was given by story. Today we could call it folk-lore--that is all tradition is--folk-lore. These were used by public speakers traveling from market-place to market-place, and in order to earn a living, they would give what we call lectures. People would stand for hours listening to these myths, to these traditions, to this folk-lore, and Paul wrote to Timothy telling him not to fall into the habit of the popular speaking method of that day.

1/ As you know, many in the church had fallen into this habit, and had fallen prey to this awful, awful habit, traditions, folk-lore and myths had taken the place of sound doctrine in the Bible. 

2/ But, to understand this fully--it is something that we would have a hard time understanding, because it is something that is much harder for a young man like Timothy, or any other preacher of that day, than it is for a young preacher now in our day. Today, we send a young man to Bible school or college and seminary. There were no schools then for young men to go to and prepare for the ministry. Now, when a young man goes to Bible School and College and Seminary, he has time to get quite a library together. He can get books by some of the greatest preachers of our day and days gone by.  Of course, we always recommend that young preachers get good libraries. But Timothy couldn’t do that. Timothy’s reading was limited. He had some of the Pauline Epistles, but he didn’t have other books--expositions on Paul’s writings by some other people, and so it would be a temptation for Timothy to follow the popular method of telling strange stories, or folk-lore, or leaning upon tradition to try to explain things.     

3/ But, you will find there are those who do not care to take time to study the Word--they try to study what everyone else has to say--they are interested in tradition and folklore, so they don’t spend much time in the Word of God, but Timothy is exhorted here--know what the Word of God teaches, and then proclaim it

4/ The word, refuse, is the word, shun. Then you will notice that you have the word, exercise twice--once in vs. 7 and once in vs. 8. In vs. 7 it is exercise thyself unto godliness, and in vs. 8 it says, for bodily exercise profiteth little. It actually should be bodily exercise is of small profit. It has some profit, but not a great deal of profit. 

5/ The word, exercise, is the word from which we get our word, gymnasium, or gymnastics, and it means exercise. Paul says that bodily exercise will do some good, but spiritual exercise unto godliness is the one that is important.

6/ You have heard President Kennedy, and if you have been listening to your radio, and your TV you know there has been much said about the physical culture of our young people, saying that our schools do not have the right kind of exercise. Our children are weaklings—and, so, the emphasis is being put on physical exercise for young people, and of course, this is good. But being a nation of people having strong bodies is not enough. We need a spiritual tone, and spirituality is far more important than physical strength. 

7/ Timothy was a weak individual. He was not a strong young man. He wasn’t a man who could go out and compete in many games and come out victorious. I Timothy 5: 23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities--thy many sicknesses. He had much trouble, and he was sick a good bit of the time. But still Paul says, it is not really important how strong you are physically, but how strong are you spiritually?  

8/ There are many churches that are interested in eating, and they can get the crowds out when they have a meal or have some good food prepared. Or, they can put out some real great athletics. They have a tremendous program for physical exercise or play but exercise would be fine in their place-but they have no part in trying to do away with the spiritual. The spiritual is still the most important.  

9/ Let me show you why Paul words it this way to a young, weak man by the name of Timothy. Psalms 22: 26 and here we read, The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek Him: and notice --- your heart will live for ever.  Your heart will live forever?  Your heart is speaking of the inward individual that is the most important, because that will live on forever and ever. 

Ignancy Jan Paderewski, the great pianist, who spent hours every day on a wrist machine, just to strengthen his wrists, and six hour a day in practice at the piano. He died and what happened? His hands were folded and they were cold and stiff, but the inward man lived on forever. It is better to train the inward person than to train the hands. Physical exercise does have benefit, but certainly it cannot be compared to exercise unto godliness, because that lasts forever and ever. Physical fitness can only be for a short season.

10/ You will notice the end of vs. 8 Godliness is profitable having promise in this life, and the life which is to come. Physical fitness will only be good for this life, but exercise unto godliness will be of advantage in this life, because we will be happier, we will certainly enjoy life more, and we will have benefits in the future life. Because there rewards that we can gain for the future life.

11/ God never condone a weak spiritual believer. There are no excuses for one who is weak spiritually. Notice, Ephesians 6: 10. We are told, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. That is godliness--being strong in the Lord.

12/ Now notice the I Timothy 4: 10 For, therefore, we both labour and suffer reproach, (why) because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.  And it should be, we labor and suffer to the point of exhaustion. It has the thought of agony in it.  We may not do this, but Paul does.  Again, the thought is, which is more important?  The physical which is soon over, even if it is 60, 70, or 80 or 90 years, and Paul said we are willing rather to suffer reproach and persecution.  We are willing to labor to the point where we fall over.  A man may live 100 years old, but if he doesn’t do anything for the Lord Jesus Christ, what value is there in it?  You have heard the saying--There is only one life, it will soon be past, and only what’s done for Christ will last. 

13/ Then notice, Who is the Saviour of all men, especially those who believe.  This is an odd portion of Scripture, isn’t it?  You will notice in your Scofield Bible that the word, Preserver is used instead of Saviour --- He is the Preserver of all men, especially of those that believe.  There is no question here of Christ’s work in salvation.  It is a character of God as creator, as preserver of all men.  Notice, Psalms 36: 6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast, and He does just this. Then also you will remember, Matthew 5: 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Every good and perfect gift cometh from Him and all men whether saved or unsaved should look on God as the preserver of life. He is the one that has created this universe, who has set up its governing laws, so that life might be preserved. Not only on man, but upon beasts as well, but especially on the saved--He does care for us, we are His special jewels, we are part of His body.

14/ He preserves us not only in this life, but in the life to come, for we are to live with Him throughout all eternity.

15/ I Timothy 4: 12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Timothy was probably from 38 to 40 years old at the time, and many of the other leaders of the church was much older than Timothy. Forty is pretty old when it comes to playing baseball or football, but it is young in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. What we can get out of this portion of Scripture is that it is said that Timothy is told not to let men push him around. Timothy was being despised, and it really says, do not allow anyone to despise you--let no one push you around as a boy.

16/ Then notice, Timothy was to be an example. He was to be a pattern of what the believer ought to be. Timothy wasn’t really a young man by worldly standards--but even with his young years he had spent much with the Word. He probably knew more about the Word than many folks because he had been raised with the Word of God.

17/ He was to be a pattern to those who believed. He was to be a model of the believer.  First of all, in the Word--in other words, but what he had to say, by what came out of his mouth, by his speech, and then in conversation. That means, not talk, but walk, or daily behavior. The way he walked in his daily life. Then in charity--that is, of course, in love.  How many people fail to show any love to their fellow men--how they can be critical and harsh and unlovely.

18/ In spirit. Now many folks say these two words do not belong in the original text. If they do, I am sure it means enthusiasm. This is a quality that is strangely lacking in the makeup of many Christians. You can have plenty of enthusiasm for the football game, or an election campaign, but don’t show any enthusiasm for the Lord or you will be called a fanatic, then you’ll be sorry. We should be enthusiastic for our work for Jesus Christ. Then in Faith, and I think the meaning here is faithfulness. We should be faithful in all that we do. Then in purity. That is in a moral sense--in other words, not just with our actions, but with our minds--have clean minds as well. Timothy was to be an example in all of these things. 

19/ Then in vs.13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. He tells him how to have this condition true in his life?  How things come out of his life? First of all, he says, while I am coming--in other words, while I keep on traveling, you want to be sure to give attendance to reading. And here it refers to public reading of the Scriptures in the assembly with comments. In other words, this is by preaching. Timothy is to keep on preaching the Word, making comments on it as he would read it. Then he is to exhort from the Word of God. That means to rebuke, and then in doctrine. Exhortation without doctrine is valueless--that is without teaching.

AMEN

Ref: 06/10/1962 / 248 - YOU AND PHYSICAL FITNESS / 04/01/2020

GOD AND THE WORM

299 - GOD AND THE WORM

June 27, 1965

Pastor Henry F. Kulp

Romans 8: 30 - 34 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Last week we spent our time showing you that in Romans 8 the God-Head is for us--God the Holy Spirit, God the Father, God the Son, and of course, since all members of the Trinity are for us, no one dare be against us. What a wonderful position to be in, as a believer in Jesus Christ. If anything can cause you to say Hallelujah, this should.

1/ As I read this portion of Scripture, my mind automatically goes back to the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah 41: 11 - 14. Behold, all they that are incensed against thee, shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shall seek them, and shall not find them, even them that contend with thee: they that war with thee they shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

This verse tells us that God was for Israel, and of course, this was in a physical way. This is in an earthly way. And God said to Israel--Behold, all they that are incensed against thee, shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shall seek them, and shall not find them, even them that contend with thee:

God said to Israel, you will have enemies--you will have those who are incensed against thee, but what will happen to them? In the long run, they will be ashamed and confounded, they shall be as nothing, and those that strive with thee, they are sure to perish, and when you go to seek them, you will not find them. Certainly, Israel would have said physically here, as far as physical enemies are concerned. If God is with us (Israel), where are the folks who can be against us? They may have been against them, but they didn’t prevail.

2/ But then we come to vs. 14 and we have one of the delicate ironies of Scripture, and this verse brings out so clearly the nothingness of man, and the wonderful power of God on his behalf. Notice what God said to the nation--your enemies will not prevail against you, they will be as nothing, then He says, Fear not, thou worm, Jacob, I will help thee. My, what a partnership! God and the worm. How much Israel lost because they didn’t recognize what they really were. They were worms. When men form a partnership, one man puts up money, another man puts up experience or some other simple division of their various assets, but when we form a partnership with God, He demands that we do it on His terms. We put up weakness, and He puts up strength. We put up sin and He puts up grace, or righteousness. We cast in our nothingness, and He answers with His all-ness. God and the worm. God says, let not anyone dare attack that partnership, but how loath the children of Israel were to accept their own bankruptcy, to have His fullness.

3/ Actually, the same is true today. You will notice that in the New Testament, as we studied last Wednesday night, God said, and by God we mean Jesus Christ, that the Gentiles were dogs, and finally the Jews became serpents and a generation of vipers, and here He calls them worms. They haven’t anything--nothing to offer. The partnership that is formed between the nation Israel and God is strictly all God. 

Today we are in a position where we haven’t anything to offer God, but He brings everything to us, for notice in these verses what He has to say. If God, be for us, who can be against us? He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all--how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect. It is God Who justifieth. It is God--we are not doing a thing here. It is all on God’s side. Take your position before God as a worm and allow Him to do everything for you.

4/ You will notice in the beginning of vs. 31--What shall we then say to these things? This, of course, is a question, and it follows after all these wonderful truths that have been revealed. You will notice in the rest of the chapter Paul sets forth solid answers that must be given to those things by the believer in Jesus Christ. First of all, God is for us. Then in vs. 32 is the second, He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things. I do not believe we think enough of what it meant to God the Father to give His Son. Did you ever stop to think what a home is like when the one who is loved, the best in the home is taken away? I wonder what Heaven was like when the Lord Jesus Christ left and came down to this earth. He gave up everything He had and came down here to have nothing. 

I think you remember Calvin Coolidge who was president of our nation. While he was in office, his boy died. I think the boy was about 17. His son was in school and he was on the athletic field, and he had an accident. I think he stepped on a nail, or something, and blood poisoning set in and the doctors couldn’t save him. After that, Mr. Coolidge had no interest. He lost interest in practically everything, he did the work of his office as best he could, and I don’t think any president was more conscientious, but he lost interest, and when they asked him to run for the second term and he said, no. They asked him for his reason, and all he would say is, I do not choose to run. He wouldn’t say any more than that--he had lost all interest, and he told some folks in private that it was with the death of the boy, he lost interest in life. 

This is not true with God the Father, but I believe it must have been awful for the Father to give up His Son to come down to this earth. In the Gospel of John at least 40 times John quoted Jesus Christ as saying, “I did not come of Myself.” God the Father sent Him here, and He saw God the Son mistreated here on this earth, cast out, hated, finally killed. You will remember, all through HIs ministry, men tried to kill him.

5/ This is a picture of love.

6/ Just this past while back, I was thinking when love began in the Bible, when it was first mentioned in the Bible. You have heard of the law Theologians use called the law of first-mention. In other words, if you want to find the truth out about something, you go to the first time it is mentioned and you will find that it is usually in that same setting throughout the Bible. Love is first mentioned in Genesis 22: 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

And so, how is love mentioned, how is it used in this portion of Scripture? God said, take now thy son, thy only son whom thou lovest, and of course, offer him up. This is the beginning of love in the Bible, and what is it? It is the love of a father for his son. It is the love of a father for a son whom the father was to offer up for a sacrifice. Of course, this is a picture of Calvary, of the cross, a beautiful picture of Calvary. Abraham is the only one in the Bible who stands as a type of a father offering up his son. God said to Abraham, take your son, the son that you love, your only son. Abraham had another son, Ishmael, but God said I don’t recognize him. Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest and offer him up--that is the beginning of love in the Bible.

7/ I want you to recognize the nails that were hammered through the Savior’s hands, were driven through the Father’s heart. The spear that rent the Savior's side, left its mark in the Father’s bosom. The Father suffered both with and in the Son.

8/ (This should be with God and the Worm) As I was thinking of the nation Israel, I thought of another Scripture about God with them. Jeremiah 20: 11 There we read, The Lord is with me as with a mighty terrible one. The best translation I can find of that passage, is THE LORD IS WITH ME AS A MIGHTY GIANT, WHO IS AFRAID? And I believe that is the meaning behind this Scripture. It is a picture of a little boy who has been bullied by the larger boys in the neighborhood, and he is terribly afraid. He is afraid to go out of the house. He is afraid to go out and play because he is constantly being hammered by the other boys. Then one day his father comes to him, and says, Son, let’s go down to the corner store. And to go to the corner store with his father meant he had to go by the bullies who were always there. But now he is not the least bit afraid to go. He walks down the street with his father, and his hand is held in his father’s hand, and he is not the least bit afraid. The neighborhood bullies were there--he sees the boys who have hit him, but he is not afraid, because he has someone who can protect him, someone who is greater, stronger, and mightier than all the bullies in the neighborhood, and that is the picture here. Jeremiah said, the Lord is with me as a mighty giant, and if God is for me, who can be against me? There is no bully who can stand against this giant.

9/ I want you to notice the words, He that spared not His own Son. These are words that are very important for us to notice. Many do not seem to know that God is righteous and holy and that He must punish sin. They think they can live about as they please in this world, and somehow God will spare them and not send them to hell, but this verse shows the folly of all that. 

Have you ever noticed this phrase, spared not? In the Bible. Turn to II Peter 2: 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement; The fact that God spared not His angels that sinned tells us that He will not spare because of the excellency in any of His creatures. Angels greatly excel us in strength and beauty, but when they sinned judgement was immediately pronounced upon them, so don’t think because of excellency, because of beauty, because of strength, because you are in a favored position to God that you will be spared when you sin, for, you won’t. Sin brings damnation, and that’s all it can bring. One may be a great man of the world--a king, a President a Statesman, an industrialist, a scientist, but none of these things will cause God to spare in the day of judgment, for these great men are sinners, and sin must be judged.

10/ II Peter 2: 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; We have the same expression--spared not--there it speaks of the sinners who lived before the flood of Noah’s day--how many perished in that flood, I cannot determine, but one thing is certain, a great number of souls lost their lives at that time. But now the important lesson for us to see is because there were many that did not cause the Lord to spare them. You might say--look at the great number who are not saved--that does not matter--numbers will not cause God to deter judgment upon sin.

11/ Then in the 6th vs. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; He mentions the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Although Peter does not use the same expression--spare not--the thought is still the same. None of these great cities were spared excepting Lot and his two daughters. Sin swept them all away.

12/ Here in Romans 8: 32 we read the same thing--He that spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Sin is such a terrible thing that before a single sin could be forgiven, or a single sinner pardoned, and made righteous, Christ had to die on the cross to pay for that sin, and to die in the place of the sinner.

13/ But notice the rest of Romans 8: 32. But delivered Him up for us all. Now you notice the expression delivered Him up. That means there was a time when God gave the Lord Jesus Christ up--delivered Him over. Gave Him up to something. Notice, the verse doesn’t say God gave Him to us, but it says God delivered Him up for us. And I think if we try, we can find out what the Lord Jesus Christ was delivered up to, then we can understand this verse. There was a time when the Lord Jesus Christ was delivered up to suffering.

14/ Let us study the Garden of Gethsemane experience, I think we ought to read this story and understand it. I don’t care how many times you’ve read it--I think every time you read it you will find something you did not notice before. Luke 22: 53. When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. 

Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane was facing something that made Him tremble, or we could say, that made Him shudder, that might be a better word, and He cried out, Father, isn’t there some other way? Must it be that I drink this cup?

Luke 22: 42 - 44. Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Then He went back to His disciples and He came back into the Garden and fell on His face--flat on His face--and He prayed again. But there was no answer from Heaven to that prayer. That is the point I want you to see. There was no answer from Heaven to that prayer. Three times He did this and He was so weakened that an angel came and strengthened Him. He didn’t have the strength to see it through physically. So, God sent an angel to strengthen Him, but there was no answer from Heaven. Then He comes out of the Garden and in Luke 22: 53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

He met Judas and Judas had a company of soldiers with the Scribes and Pharisees and the priests, and they were armed with staves. They were armed to take Him. Jesus Christ said, When I was daily in the temple with you, you stretched forth no hand against Me, but this is your hour. Notice, these next five words--the power of darkness. That is where Jesus Christ was handed over to the power of darkness. From that moment, He had no word of help from Heaven. On the cross He said, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? Remember, it wasn’t the men that took Him—it was the powers of darkness that took Him and held Him. 

Up to this time an angel had helped Him, but from this time on He has no help. No angel helped Him at Calvary, no angel helped Him when He was in the hands of His tormentors. They slapped His face, they spit upon Him. You have to be close to a man’s face to spit in his face, and they pulled the hair from His face while they were slapping Him. They blind-folded Him and bound Him.

15/ It would be just as if you were walking through a path in the woods, and there sprang out of the bush a mad man with a weapon in His hand coming toward you. You can imagine how you would be startled. That is exactly the picture you have here.

16/ Notice the wording of this verse. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? It doesn’t say, He shall freely give us all things--it says how can He help but give us all things. How is it possible if God has done this in giving His Son that He would withhold anything from us? It is impossible for Him to withhold anything from us, because He gave His Son for us--He gave us all that He had--He gave His all.

17/ Then notice the word, freely. It is a Greek word DOE--RAY--ON and it means without a cause, without a price. ...how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

John 15: 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

Ref: 06/27/1965/ 299 - GOD AND THE WORM / 3/29/2020

OUR RISEN EXECUTOR

Photo taken from B Smith's Kitchen Window

78 - OUR RISEN EXECUTOR 

August 23, 1964

Pastor Henry F. Kulp

Romans 5: 9 - 11 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through hm. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” 

As we start our message this morning, I want you to see something about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, for you will notice in the 10th vs it says we shall be saved by His life, and I want you to understand that statement this morning, and I don’t want you to be confused. To begin with, have you noticed about the blood of Christ in the Book of Romans? I want you to see how important the blood of Christ really is. 

Romans 5: 9 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Justification is everything. Justification is God looking at you and not seeing any of your sins, not seeing your lost condition, but pronouncing you righteous when you are not righteous. And pronouncing you saved just because you believe.

1/ Everything we have in Christianity has been purchased, and I do not hesitate to use the word, purchased. Acts 20: 28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” And here you have the actual word, purchased—the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood. So justification is everything, and it has been purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, notice, Romans 3: 25. “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” There you see it is faith through His blood. People ask me what do they have to believe to be saved? They have to believe in the blood of Jesus Christ, and that includes everything. 

2/ But let us take it another step on the way. Romans 8: 30. “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. And notice, whom He justified, He also glorified—there is nothing between. If you have been justified than you are sure to be glorified. It is an accomplished fact. It is sure. So you see how important the blood of Jesus Christ really is? Without it you have nothing. It isn’t the life of Christ that saves, it is the death of Christ, yet Romans 5: 10 says “we are saved by His life.” What does it mean? Notice, “we shall be saved by His life,” and, of course, this is His life after death. What is this all about? By the death of Christ everything has been bought and paid for, for us, and the moment we believe in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, everything is ours. But do you realize there is no advantage in being a beneficiary unless the testator has wealth to meet the provision, and dies while the will is in force. 

Hebrews 9: 16, 17 “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” For where a testament is—a testament is a will. I know you know that phrase, we still use it—last will and testament, and then it says there must of also of necessity be the death of the testator. A testament is a will that can only be fulfilled by the death of the one who makes it. He had to die to make the will good. A will is of no value whatsoever until the one has died and then we get the blessings from it. The will is enforced after men are dead. Notice, Vs 17 where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 

3/ Now go back to the 15th vs. For this cause He is the mediator of the New Covenant of the new will, and that by means of death. The 16th vs the death of the testator, 17th vs. after men are dead. I want to show you this fact in the Book of John, John 14: 27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” This is when Jesus Christ was telling his disciples that He had to leave them. In the beginning of the chapter, He said let not your heart be troubled, then He went on to tell them He is going back to the Father. Then in Vs 27 He says, “Peace I leave with you.” 

Now look at John 20: 19 “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” This was the day of the resurrection— the same day and evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut, when the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. Notice, before He died, He said, Peace I leave with you—that was His will to the twelve—Now, after the resurrection He comes to be Executor of His will and He says, Peace be unto you. Now, you can have it. He is the Executor of His own will. He had to die or no one could have peace if He didn’t die. He left His peace, then notice, Vs 20 “and when He had so said, He showed unto them His hands and His side”—as much as to say to them--this is the price of your peace. Peace be unto you, and He showed unto them His hands and His side. In other words, I died that you might have peace now. You are going to face many oppositions, you are going to be in an angry world, a world that hates Me, hates My gospel, and you need peace, and I died to give it to you. 

4/ But in Hebrews 9: 16, 17 “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” For where a covenant is, a will is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. Vs 18 “Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.” Blood is the sign of death. 

The other night, I pulled into a gas station to get gas, and there was a car all smashed and there was blood all over it. Blood speaks of death, doesn’t it? Someone was killed in that car. Now notice this 18th Vs “Where upon neither the first will or testament was dedicated without blood. Vs. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to law, he took the blood of claves and of goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people.” 

I want you to turn to that in the Old Testament. Exodus 24: 6 - 8 “And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.” 

They said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient and Moses knew right well they couldn’t possibly do it. He knew they would be under the curse if they did try to do it, so he sprinkled the blood on them—it is the blood that saves. You can’t get to God by doing. Moses, you notice, didn’t care how nicely they were dressed either. I don’t know how many were nicely dressed, all dressed up in their best bib and tuckers, but they went away from that meeting sprinkled with blood, and that didn’t mean a thing to Moses. He was reading the law to them, and said, the law is not grace. I hope this morning you know the difference. The Lord Jesus Christ is not demanding anything in the Gospel of Grace, He wants you to come to Him and let Him save you. 

5/ THE GOSPEL DOESN’T DEMAND,—UNDERSTAND THAT, THE GOSPEL DOESN’T DEMAND. THE GOSPEL GIVES, GRACE GIVES AND NEVER STOPS GIVING. THE LAW DEMANDS, THE LAW WANTS SOMETHING FROM YOU, BUT GRACE IS THE VERY OPPOSITE. THESE PEOPLE CONDEMNED THEMSELVES BY PROMISING TO OBEY GOD, SO GOD SPRINKLED THEM WITH BLOOD TO SAVE THEM FROM THE CURSE OF WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. 

6/ Leviticus 17: 11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that taketh an atonement for the soul.” I have given you this verse again and again and if I continue to be pastor here, I’ll give it to you over and over again. Because it is so important, it should be marked in your Bible, and every Christian ought to know it. it is the foundation of the teaching the blood. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” 

It is only in the last 100 years that the medical fraternity has found that out—the life is in the blood. Doctors used to be called “leaches” and that was because they used to take blood out of a man to heal him. They don’t do that any more. They put blood into man now, to make him better. Moses said that 3,500 years ago, and medical men have just found it out. 

Some people seem to think the Bible is behind the times.The Bible has been waiting 3,500 years for men to catch up with it. It is still ahead of every profession. The basis of everything is the blood of Jesus Christ. So Christ had to die, and then He becomes the Executor of His will. God made a multitude of promises, but these promises were of no value until the death of the Lord Jesus Christ put them into effect, and now He is there to see that we are sure to get all benefits. He left us a vast estate, but how would it be managed? Would it be possible that our assets, this vast estate with all these promises to be dissipated away? Not with our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, He arose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven, sat down on the right hand of God, was made higher than the Heavens, and He became Executor of His own Estates. He lives in order to take care of us for whom He died. The argument of our text is, that since He died to make available to us all the riches of God, much more can we be sure of those possessions because He rose from the dead in order to manage our affairs. That is what He means in Romans 8: 34 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Who also liveth to make intercession for us.

7/ Notice, Leviticus 17: 11 “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given to you, (where) upon the altar.” Not in the veins, but on the altar. 

8/ Now look at Hebrews 9: 20 “Saying, this is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” The word, enjoined, means demanded. God demands it. There is no use arguing with God. There is no use thinking you can bring God a good life, and your baptismal certificate, and your church certificate and He will receive you. No, He says, I want blood, I demand blood, I enjoin blood. Why try to argue with God? Why try to do it any other way? 

9/ Romans 5: 11 “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” This verse, of course, belongs with the 10 Vs. Notice the word, JOY, It should be translated by the word “BOAST”. I like that— we boast in God. We have something to boast about. Not in ourselves, but in God. I can never understand why we are ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why we are ashamed of salvation. We are to boast in it. 

10/ How do you make your boast in God? Let’s look at some Scriptures and see some men who have boasted in God. 

11/ Psalms 71: 17 - 19 “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grey headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed they strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. They righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!”

Let us look at David. “Oh, God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto from that time forth I have declared Thy wondrous works.” He said, From my youth I have declared unto all men Thy works. I have boasted in Thy works. Now also, when I am old and grey-headed. O God, forsake me not, until I have showed Thy strength to this generation. And Thy power to everyone that is to come. He said, boosting is not only for the youth and middle-ages, but it is for the old folks as well--those in old age. Then in the 19th Vs “Thy righteousness”—I boast in Thy righteousness. Yes, David knew how to boast in God when He was young, and when he was old. 

12/ Psalms 86: 6 - 8 “Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.”

Not only did David boast in God in his old age, but also in the day of trouble, for David found there is none like unto our God, and he sings, “Give ear, O God, unto my prayer, and attend unto my supplications. In the day of trouble will I call upon Thee, for Thou wilt answer me.” 

13/ Did you ever listen to Moses boast in God? The great lawgiver? Exodus 15: 11 “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

Here is Moses singing after the Children of Israel had been brought through the Red Sea—“Who is like unto Thee, O God, among the gods. Who is like unto Thee? Glorious in Holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders.” Yes, Moses boasted in God, and so should we. 

14/ I wonder if you have ever noticed, just starting with the first Chapter of Romans, and going now to this fifth chapter, the great astounding distance we have traveled in this Book. In the first chapter, and the second chapter, and the third chapter he has shown that all men are sinners. He sums it all up in Romans 3: 23 by saying, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” But there is a verse in that 3rd chapter that I want you to see. Romans 3: 19 “For we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to those that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.” 

Notice this, all must stand silent in sin. Sin has closed the mouth of every member of the human race. All are condemned, ALL. 

Ref: 08/23/1964/ 78 - OUR RISEN EXECUTOR / 03/28/2020 

WAS THE HUMAN BODY OF JESUS CHRIST DIFFERENT?

Photo of flowers in B Smith's Garden

285 - WAS THE HUMAN BODY OF JESUS CHRIST DIFFERENT?

January 17, 1965, 
Pastor Henry F. Kulp

Romans 8: 1 - 4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin an death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

We said that the judgement day for the believer was at the Cross of Calvary 2,000 years ago. The judgement for sin was upon Jesus Christ, and therefore the believer cannot be judged for sin, because his sins have already been judged.
1/ Than we told you there are two laws, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, and the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death is in every individual born into this world. It started with Adam and has continued from that day. But when one is saved, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which is the Holy Spirit begins to work in the life of a believer, and the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of life gives life to us, He quickens us from the dead. So, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed us from the law of sin and death.

2/ What is the basis for no condemnation, for having the Spirit of life to free us from the law of sin and death? It is all wrapped up in the 3^rd vs. God has intervened, sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. The weakness of the flesh demands the intervention of God. The weakness of the flesh is an impossible barrier to all the efforts of mankind. But it is not a barrier to God’s grace.  Therefore, Romans 8: 3 is the most important text in the Bible.
 

3/ Years ago, when I first came to Altoona, the church that I then pastored was having part in a week of prayer with some of the other churches of the neighborhood. In one of the of the larger churches co-operating with that week of prayer, was a pastor, and we met in his study to discuss the week of prayer. There was to be a meeting in a different church each night. And while we were there, the matter Fundamentalism and Modernism came up. The pastor of this church, who was a rank liberal said, The Apostle Paul mentioned the Virgin Birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He said you give me one Scripture where Paul ever said that the Virgin Birth was necessary. This very Scripture we have today would be incomprehensible without one that he could assume that Christ was God the Son, come into the world without a human father. The truth of the matter is that Paul simple took it for granted. He may not have used the words, Virgin Birth--but definitely, his doctrine would be foolishness without the assumption that Christ was a virgin-born individual.

4/ First of all, it says that God sent His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.  It should be noticed that it does not say that He sent His Own Son in the flesh or the likeness of flesh, but in the likeness of sinful flesh. His body, indeed was a was a body of flesh before and after the His resurrection. This, of course, corresponds with John 1: 14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The flesh which the Lord Jesus Christ had was a physical body, and though it resembled our bodies in outward appearance, it was not made in the likeness of our sinful fleshly bodies. There was a difference so great between His body and ours that it is necessary for us to study the difference.

5/ So, let us look into the Bible and prove that the physical body of Jesus Christ differed from ours.  Acts 2: 23, 24 On the day of Pentecost, Peter introduced the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ by saying, Him, being delivered by the determined council and foreknowledge and knowledge of God, ye have been taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it.

Notice, it is not possible that He should be beholden of death. Can this be said of our physical bodies? Of course, not. Then He quotes a prophecy in which in which Christ speaks of the nature of His Body, for He said, vs 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. What was this flesh that could not see corruption? Therefore, the Bible teaches that these forces of death which exist in all our bodies did not exist in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.        

6/ If you would have gone to the cross of Calvary and you would have been a medical examiner, you would have taken down the bodies of the two thieves and the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and seemingly, outwardly, they were both dying in the same fashion, and you were required to sign a certificate stating the cause of death, you would have to certify differently for the thieves and for Jesus Christ. These men who were dying beside the Lord Jesus, died from wounds and loss of blood. The Lord Jesus Christ, died because, when He was completely ready, His hour had come, He dismissed the Spirit.  John 10: 18 He declared flatly, No man taken my life from Me, I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. While the thieves were slowly dying, The Lord was in complete command of His life. Notice, He did not have His head rolling upon His breast in weakness--- He held it erect until the final moment when He bowed His head and gave up the Holy Spirit. He did not fade in weakness so that He could scarcely do more than whisper, for He cried out with a loud voice after six hours of that experience on the cross. His body did not die in the usual fashion. Notice, Luke 23: 46.  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit, and having said thus, He gave up the Ghost. Then notice, John 19: 30 And when Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished, and He bowed His head. His head had not been bowed, it had not been rolling upon chest as one in great weakness. No, He was in command of all His faculties until the moment He dismissed His Spirit.   

7/ This should be at the beginning of the message. As we have been talking about being free from one law by another law, we have a beautiful illustration of this. 

There on the ground is a little caterpillar crawling. It is something that hated and despised by most people.  But this caterpillar has freedom to crawl about. It has power to crawl, perhaps, up a tree, along the ground, but it doesn’t have power to rise above the ground, or above something to crawl upon.  It cannot lift itself above the ground, it cannot fly. And it has to stay on the ground because of the Law of Gravitation. But after a while it encases itself in what we call a cocoon, and after a certain period of time, that little caterpillar comes out and it is a beautiful butterfly.  It now has wings and it is able to defy the Law of Gravitation. No longer is it earth-bound, but now it can fly above the earth through the air. The Law of Gravitation is still there, but another law came in. This is the law of flying with wings. And the wing gives this insect the ability to rise and to fly.  This is exactly what has happened to us. The law of sin and death has been overcome by the Law of Life in Christ Jesus. We have been set free from the law of sin and death and therefore there is now no condemnation to us who are in Christ Jesus.   

8/ But now back to the thought of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, the flesh of Jesus Christ.  It says that He was apart from sin. Luke 1: 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Where it says wherefore also that the holy Thing--that was the little body that was born, and it was a holy thing--it was infinitely holy. His flesh had no taint of sin. There has been an argument down through the years by some theologians as to whether Jesus Christ could have sinned. Of course, not. He would have to have the law of sin and death in Him to sin. But the possibility was not there, because He did not have sin in Him.   

9/ Why are we so careful to show the body of Jesus Christ, the flesh of Jesus Christ did not have the law of sin and death in Him? Why do we say it was not sinful flesh?  Because I want you to notice, Romans 8: 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

For sin, condemned sin in the flesh. What does that mean? The word (for), or “in the place of”, means that He was made an offering for our sin. And He judged sin, He condemned sin--He condemned sin--where? In His flesh. He had flesh without sin--we have flesh with sin, and when God judges sin it is in the flesh. But if God judges sin in our flesh, we would be lost forever.  But what does God do to save us? God takes the sin that is in our flesh, and puts it in His flesh--His holy flesh--and He died to pay the wage of sin. 

10/ I Peter 2: 24 Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.  Notice, it isn’t the preposition “on” it is the preposition “in”. Who, His own self bare our sins in His own body. He took our sin that was in our flesh, God gave Him flesh--He had to have a body of flesh, but it had to be Holy flesh, and God put the flesh that was in our flesh in His flesh, to suffer for us.  

11/ Galatians 3: 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 

This is what Jesus Christ did for you and me, and this was His flesh.  To understand this portion of scripture in Galatians, we must go back to Deuteronomy 21: 22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon a tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Jesus Christ was hanged upon a tree, accursed of God. And it says here, if a man hath committed a sin worthy of death, that means there is nothing else this man can suffer but death, his sin has to be paid for by death, he is to be hanged on a tree and buried the same day, less there be a curse from the Lord. This is exactly what Jesus Christ bore. All of us deserve to die in our flesh we are sinful, but Jesus Christ took our sin in His flesh and has set us free form the law of sin and death.  

12/ We cannot remove ourselves from the law of sin and death, only Jesus Christ is able to do that.  He, alone, is able to be made sin for us.

13/ Colossians 1: 21, 22.  Vs. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight: These verses tell us what we were, and it is a good thing, often, in our Christian lives to remember what the Lord saved us from. Sometimes we get the big idea in our daily work in Christian life that we are pretty good, we forget that God saved us from the pit, from the miry clay, from sin. He saved us and took our sins away. It is a good thing to remember that. 

14/ Notice vs. 22 In the body of His flesh through death. I want you to notice, there is no punctuation mark after reconciled of the 21^st vs. the last word of that verse, and it should read, (Yet, now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh). That at the cross we were reconciled in the body of His flesh through death. The only way that God and man could be brought together was for the Lord Jesus Christ into this world and take a human body, again stressing that Christ had to be human. He had to have a body of flesh. Scripture is clear, and Paul is clear.  It was in His flesh that He paid the price of our sin.

15/ Then notice, in the body of His flesh through death, to present you, how? Holy.  That’s what the Lord Jesus Christ is going to do for each believer, for each one who has believed in the death of His Son. By His death, He took sin away, and He is going to present you holy. The notice, the last words of this verse--in His sight. The Son is going to present us to the Father, and in the Father’s sight, we are holy, unblameable, unreprovable. My, what creatures we will be when the Lord Jesus Christ presents us to the Father. Not a stain of sin left, nothing to be reproached for. Every sin is gone. No judgement day for us.  Here again there is no judgement. Our judgement day is gone. When we are presented to the Father, and this is important, we will be HOLY, UNBLAMEABLE, UNREPROVABLE, and how can there be a judgement day for believers who are in this condition?    

16/ There isn’t another thing on God’s calendar until the Rapture. There is not another event scheduled. The work will go on, gathering sinners and making them saints, and of course, this is God’s work--all who believe on the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, will be made saints, but a day is coming--it is the day of presentation, when we will be presented to the Father. What a glorious day that will be.      

17/ Then notice, Colossians 2: 9 For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  In the Lord Jesus is the fullness of all the Trinity. Notice, the word, bodily. I read a rendition, a translation, the other day I liked very much. ALL THE FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD DWELLETH IN HIM IN A BODY. That is true, for Christ at the right hand of the Father in the Heavens, now has a human body, a body which God prepared for Him.  A body which was given to him when He was born in Bethlehem.  All the fullness of the Godhead lives in a human body, and that is wonderful.  He still has that body at the present time, that flesh. The Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, is a man just as much as He is God.  He is a true man. Then notice, in vs. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: Ye are complete in Him.  To be complete means there is nothing left out, there is nothing lacking. 

What a wonderful thought. In this Christ, Who now lives in the Heavens, Who died in His flesh, and in His flesh took our sins. We are complete. What a marvelous, wonderful truth. 

Ref: 01/17/1965 / 285 - WAS THE HUMAN BODY OF JESUS DIFFERENT?/ 3/23/2020