Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, June 22, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch #1. The primary significance of the passage considered.The words that form the title of this series of articles occur at the close of a very remarkable Psalm; remarkable in that it insists upon Israel’s peculiar earthly mission among the nations, to whom they will extend the privilege of citizenship of Israel, a sentiment far removed from the narrower exclusiveness of Jewish interpretation. Two lines of teaching regarding Israel’s place in the earth are found in the scr... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, June 22, 2014,
#9. (10) “Go ye and learn what that meaneth,
I will have mercy and not sacrifice” (Matt. ix. 13).Is there a danger in stressing the believer’s full acceptance in the sacrifice of Christ? Is there a danger in emphasizing that salvation is “not of works”? There is, if truth be not presented in all its fullness. We must, however, refrain from putting out our hand to stay the ark of God. We must not minimize by one iota either the completeness of redemption or the believer’s inability... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, June 21, 2014,
(A series of studies on the importance of, and the comprehension of, “meaning”)
by Charles H. WelchNo.1. MeaningThe Holy Scriptures, even though they had been written in letters of burnished gold would not have been a revelation of God to man, if the meaning of those burnished letters was hidden from man. It matters not how fair the script may be, or whose hand wrote the lines—they may even be engraved by the finger of God Himself as were the Ten Commandments, yet they would still fail o... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, June 21, 2014,
#8. (9) A synopsis of a year’s testimony.After the initial testimony, covering the first six months’ witness at the Chapel of the Opened Book, summarized in the preceding articles of this series, our next step was to seek some acquaintance with the teaching of the Scriptures concerning the GOD Who gave them, and MAN to whom they were given.We traversed much the same ground as has been covered under the headings “This God is our God” (Volumes XXII-XXV), and “Fruits of Fundamental Stu... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, June 20, 2014,
 No.13. Prophecy and its Fulfillment.Among the subjects that demand the “balance” for their interpretation and the appreciation of their value, must be numbered Prophecy and its fulfillment.The following paragraphs written by Horne, in his “Introduction” are worth reproducing:“The knowledge of future events is that object, which man, with the greatest desire, has the least ability to attain. By tracing cause and effect in their usual operations, by observing human characters, and by ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, June 20, 2014,
#8. Deity of Christ, and the meaning of the Atonement.Before attempting to speak on these momentous themes, a word or two concerning “God” is called for. What do we know of “God” as He is in Himself? The answer must be “Nothing”. Every title He has assumed has been for our sakes. Every manifestation has been a condescension, every name a limitation. God absolutely and unconditioned is unknown and unknowable by finite beings. When we read “God is spirit” we have a statement of ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, June 19, 2014,
(Suggested by Bro. Dwight Chua) Does God Accept Usefulness in Christian Service at the Expense of Faithfulness?
We reproduce the substance of a private letter, reinforced and expanded in places to make it intelligible to every reader, and only published now at the pressing request of a number who feel the matter to be one of extreme urgency.
We are encouraged to hope that what we have said will not make us appear dogmatic or unyielding. We extract from a letter made by a valued reader upon seein... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, June 19, 2014,
#7. “Foundation Day”, 26th May, 1945.
A summary of two addresses given by the Principal.Inspiration, and right-division of the Scriptures.“Something new” will always catch the ear, but a good preacher can invest the most orthodox of subjects with all the interest of the heterodox if he knows his business. This standard we shall most certainly aim at when we have the joy and privilege of training others to take their place among the ranks of those who have been found “apt to teach” ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, June 19, 2014,
No.12. The Testimony of the Types.Among the fruitful studies of Scripture, the study of the types, with their corresponding antitypes must be given a place in any series that looks at truth in the balance. The word tupos has passed into our language, and means something that is symbolized or figured. The Greek word is derived from tupto “I strike or beat” and tupos means, first “a blow”, as tupis means “a hammer”, then the mark or impression produced by the blow or the impression ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, June 18, 2014,
#11. An examination of several books of the New Testament in
which “balance” is an integral factor in true interpretation.We have put a number of the doctrines of Scripture into the scales, and found that truth is whole when truth is balanced, but when truth is not put into the scales it can easily be perverted. The reader of The Berean Expositor cannot read many of its pages without realizing that this element of balance plays an important part in our arrival at the truth of an epistle, a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, June 18, 2014,
#6. The Preservation of the Inspired Documents.In Psalm xii. there are two statements that we must notice about the words of the Lord. The first assures us of their “purity”, the second of their “preservation” (Psa. xii. 6, 7). And so it is that next to the miracle of their production, must stand the marvel of their preservation. When we come to consider that the Bible we read today is substantially the self-same Book that was read nearly two thousand years ago, and when we further ca... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, June 17, 2014,
#5. Inspiration and the Holy Ghost.In the Greek, the term “inspiration of God” used by Paul in II Tim. iii. 16 is theopneustos, and it is evident that there is a vital connection between “inspiration” and the Spirit (pneuma). On occasion, therefore, we are prepared to find that a specific statement is made in the Scriptures ascribing the authorship of the Book to the Holy Spirit. Let us note these passages.(1) PSALM XCV. 7.—This passage is quoted in Heb. iii., but instead of settlin... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, June 17, 2014,
#10. The Deity and Humanity of the Son of God.If the doctrines of justification, sanctification and salvation can only be seen faithfully and accurately when placed in the balance of the sanctuary, even so does the doctrine of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, demand this even balance. Some of those who maintain the essential Deity of Christ, have gone beyond the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, and intrude the “sonship” of Christ into that sphere and time, when He is denominated ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, June 16, 2014,
#9. The “presentation” and “inheritance” of Col. i. 22, 28
and Col. i. 12 & iii. 24 compared.We have shown that to attempt to compare the teaching of James, concerning the “perfecting” of the believer, with Paul’s concerning the justification of the ungodly, leads to confusion and false statements. The epistle to the Colossians provides an illustration of trying these “things that differ”, for the false principles that we have seen would rob the reader of the truth of the ep... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, June 15, 2014,
![]() #4. The Inspired Book.Many and varied definitions of the term “Inspiration”, when used of the Scriptures, have been suggested. The following adapted from that given by Dr. Henderson may be helpful:--“Divine inspiration is an extraordinary and supernatural influence exerted by the Holy Spirit on the minds of the sacred writers, in such words and degrees as to lead to, and secure, in documentary forms, the depositions of such historical, doctrinal and prophetic truth as Infinite wisdom de... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, June 15, 2014,
#8. By works was faith perfected,
and Gen. xv. “fulfilled” (James ii. 22, 23).We have now seen enough to enable us to set aside the aspersions that have been cast on the teaching of the epistle of James, and can next consider what the epistle actually teaches.As we have already seen, a comparative study of James, Philippians and the Sermon on the Mount brings the word “perfect” into prominence. The Greek word is teleios, cognate with telos, “the end”, and expresses the idea of fini... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, June 14, 2014,
#7. The scriptural relationship of the epistles of Paul
and the epistle of James considered
in preparation for the study of James ii.,
and its bearing upon justification by faith.When quoting the Apostle in the preceding article, there were almost as many occurrences of the words “justified” or “righteousness” as there were of the word we were examining, namely “works”. Had we attempted any notice of this at the time, it would have confused the issues, but now we turn to the matter o... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, June 14, 2014,
#3. “God hath spoken” (Heb. i. 1).In an earlier address of the series, the testimony of creation was considered. We found that in Psalm xix. 1 the word “declare” was the same word that gives us the “scribe”, and the “book” (sepher), and that the word “show” is the word that gives us the “interpreter” (Dan. ii. 24). Associated with the heavens, Psalm xix. and Rom. x. use “speech”, “knowledge”, “language” and “voice”. Rom. i. 19, 20; Job xxxvi.-xli. and I... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, June 13, 2014,
#6. The place of “works” before and after salvation.At the close of the preceding article we quoted part of the prayer of Col. i. 10: “Being fruitful in every good work.” Following up this thought of fruit, let us now consider, as a further example of truth in the balance, the way in which the Apostle deals with “works”, setting them aside when considered as factors in our salvation, but praying for their manifestation after salvation, as “fruit” giving evidence of a healthy ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, June 13, 2014,
#2. “A Threefold Cord is not quickly broken” (Eccles. iv. 12).Q uite apart from the question of inspiration, we should expect that men like Peter and Paul, when conscious that their days on earth drew to a close, would not trifle with truth, nor waste precious opportunities, but that they would speak plainly of those things that were of lasting importance. If this be expected of fallible men, how much more of the Son of God Himself? If therefore we find that in the final scenes of their li... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, June 12, 2014,
#1. “A Pulpit with a Purpose” (Neh. viii. 4).Just as the epistles of Paul written during the period covered by the Acts, and the record of his public ministry which constitutes the bulk of Acts ix. - xxviii., must be taken together and considered as one work, so the written ministry of The Berean Expositor, and the spoken ministry at “The Chapel of the Opened Book” are one. Naturally the two phases of ministry differ in the method adopted to make known the truth, and each appeals to a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, June 12, 2014,
#5. Root and Fruit.
“The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit” (Prov. xii. 12).“Doctrine and Practice”, which we considered in the preceding study of this series, are related to one another as “root” is to “fruit”. This is an analogy that all can appreciate, and one that is much used in Scripture. Both in the material and in the spiritual world, the relationship of root to fruit is that of balance and correspondence, and we must consider this in the series before us. The Book o... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, June 11, 2014,
#4. The Balance of Doctrine and Practice.In the last two papers we have been exercised with a subject so vast, that, while it may be granted to the earnest believer to obtain some glimpse of the perfection of the great purpose of the ages, in this life no one can ever hope to comprehend a tithe of what the Scriptures actually teach on the subject. Let us now leave this vast and overwhelming aspect of truth and turn to something that is within our grasp. Let us consider the necessary balance t... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, June 10, 2014,
#3. The Purpose of the Ages.
The Underlying Correspondence of All Scripture.In our preceding article, we saw that the whole purpose of the ages is set out in the Scriptures as related to a creation that has passed away, a creation that is present, and a creation which is yet to come. The past and the future are, as it were, pivoted upon the present, and it is the purpose of redemption, which covers the whole of the present creation, to rectify the chaos which sin introduced into it, and so bri... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, June 9, 2014,
#2. The Purpose of the Ages.
Peter’s testimony of the three Creations (II Pet. iii. 1-13).In our opening article we introduced the figure of the balances and examined the terms in which this figure is presented to us in the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. It is our intention in this series to test the doctrine and practice of the Scriptures by this principle of balance, and endeavour to discover how far it underlies the ways and will of God.
Scripture opens with the creation of heaven and earth ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, June 8, 2014,
#1. A Preliminary Study of
the Figure of the Balances in Scripture.Every reader of the Scriptures is familiar with that dramatic incident recorded by Daniel, where a finger writes upon the plaster of the wall of the King’s palace the words of doom; Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, which, being interpreted, meant:--“MENE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL: Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting. PERES: Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, June 7, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#14. Separate Features: His Humanity.“Here we see . . . . . that tender friendship which watches over the health of Timothy, even with a mother’s care, that intense sympathy in the joys and sorrows of his converts, which could say, even to the rebellious Corinthians, ‘Ye are in our hearts to die and live with you’. That longing desire for the intercourse of affection, and that sense of loneliness when it was withheld, which perhaps is the most touching feature of al... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, June 6, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#13. Separate Features: Freedom from jealousy.“Here we see . . . . . that noble freedom from jealousy with which he speaks of those who, out of rivalry to himself, preach Christ, even of envy and strife, supposing to add affliction to his bonds, What then? Notwithstanding, every way, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” (Conybeare and Howson). The cause of jealousy is the safeguarding of that which belongs to self. It is with perfect right... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, June 5, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#12. Separate Features: Tender Grief.“Here we see . . . . . that grief for the sins of others, which moved him to tears when he spoke of the enemies of the cross of Christ, ‘of whom I tell you even weeping’.” (Conybeare and Howson). The man who could stand as Paul stood before the Council at Jerusalem (Acts xv.; Gal. ii.) must have had the heart of a lion. In the man who could endure for Christ’s sake that list of troubles about which Paul so reluctantly speaks in ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, June 4, 2014,
#3. “Peace, and at such a time.”
In the world---tribulation; in Me---peace.In the Book of Ezra there are several letters by various people, and it is in these letters that we meet the somewhat curious expression that we have used in the title of the present article—“at such a time”.“And at such a time” (Ezra iv. 10, 11). “Peace and at such a time” (Ezra iv. 17). “Unto Ezra . . . . . perfect peace, and at such a time” (Ezra vii. 12). The Chaldee participle which is translated... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, June 4, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#11. Separate Features:
Impatience of formalism, joined with forbearance.“Here we see . . . . . that impatience of exclusive formalism with which he overwhelms the Judaizers of Galatia, joined with a forbearance so gentle for the innocent weakness of scrupulous conscience.” (Conybeare and Howson). Impatience usually spells disaster, is a sign of weakness, and is scarcely Christian in its connections. Throughout his epistles the Apostle practices and preaches patience, yet... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, June 3, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#10. Separate Features: Self-denying Love.“Here we see . . . . . that self-denying love which ‘will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest he make his brother to offend’.” (Conybeare and Howson). When, as dispensations change, gifts and graces pass away, Faith, Hope and Love remain. When the ages have reached their goal, faith and hope will find their fullest expression in love, which abides. Love is an all-pervading essence, too great, too manifold, too diverse,... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, June 3, 2014,
#2. The enmity that necessitates peace.Wherever there is found the necessity for peace, there must also be some phase of enmity. We have learned something of the basic meaning of “peace” by examining the Hebrew word shalom. Let us now add to our understanding and appreciation of this wonderful legacy, by considering some of the references to enmity that are to be found in Scripture.The Hebrew word for “enemy” is oyeb, which becomes ebah, “enmity”, and gives the name Job, “hated... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, June 2, 2014,
#1. The Meaning of Shalom.The inner portion of the Gospel according to John (chapters xiii. - xviii.) has always been exceedingly precious to all Christians, quite irrespective of their dispensational position. In these chapters we have our Lord’s last words to His disciples before He went forth to betrayal and death; and among them what we may describe as His “legacy of peace”.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you” (John xiv. 27).
Bloomfield states that both the words us... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, June 2, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#9. Separate Features: Refined Courtesy.“Here we see . . . . . that refined courtesy which cannot bring itself to blame till it has first praised, and which makes him deem it needful almost to apologize for the freedom of giving advice to those who were not personally known to him.” (Conybeare and Howson). We have all met the man who boasts that he is “John Blunt”, but we have usually found that he has a “sharp” tongue. To “call a spade a spade” might appear ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, June 1, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#8. Separate Features: Fear of evil appearance.“Here we see . . . . . that scrupulous fear of evil appearance which ‘would not eat any man’s bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that he might not be chargeable to any of them’.” (Conybeare and Howson). There were three orders in the Sanhedrin. The Priests, the Elders and the Scribes. Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin, and therefore could not have been a priest, and as he was a young m... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, May 31, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#7. Separate Features: Dread of Officious Interference.“Here we see . . . . . that dread of officious interference which led him to shrink from ‘building on another man’s foundation’, that delicacy which shows itself in his appeal to Philemon, whom he might have commanded, ‘yet for love’s sake rather beseeching him, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ’, and which is even more striking in some of his farewell greetings, a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, May 30, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#6. Separate Features. Generosity.“Here we see . . . . . that generosity which looked for no other reward than ‘to preach the glad tidings of Christ’ without charge, and made him feel that he would rather die ‘than that any man should make this glorying void’.” (Conybeare and Howson). The word “generous” comes from genus, stock or race, and its first meaning is, “Of noble lineage; high born” and it is so used by Shakespeare, “Most generous Sir”, where... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, May 29, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#5. His Fervid Patriotism.“Here we see . . . . . that fervid patriotism which makes him ‘wish that he were himself accursed from Christ for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites.” (Conybeare and Howson). It was Nurse Cavell, whose patriotism was sealed with her life’s blood, who was responsible for the famous words: “Patriotism is not enough.” If it is untempered and unguided, patriotism may lead to injustice, blindness, narrowness,... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, May 28, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#4. Earnest Indignation.“Here we see . . . . . that earnest indignation which bids his converts ‘beware of dogs, beware of the concision’, and pours itself forth in the emphatic ‘God forbid’, which meets every antinomian suggestion.” (Conybeare and Howson). The Apostle Paul could use great plainness of speech when the occasion required, and he did not hesitate when the truth was at stake, to speak of the enemies of the faith in the strongest terms. The Dictionary... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, May 27, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#3. His Impetuosity.“Here we see . . . . . that impetuosity which breaks out in his apostrophe to the ‘foolish Galatians’.” (Conybeare and Howson).
The reader may at first look askance at the subject to be considered in this article. Impetuosity is a trait not usually put forward for emulation, especially in spiritual things. It must, however, be remembered that we are endeavouring to reconstruct the Apostle’s self-drawn portrait. It is recorded that in reply to th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, May 26, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#2. His Independence.“Here we see that fearless independence with which he ‘withstood Peter to the face’.” (Conybeare and Howson).
The first feature sketched in by Conybeare and Howson is the Apostle’s independence, the particular passage quoted being Gal. ii. Like many other things, the quality of independence can be a very fine or a very ugly feature. The kind of independence that sets aside the fear of man, and originates in a consciousness of the sovereignty of... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, May 25, 2014,
#8. The Ark of the Tabernacle (Exod. xxv. 10-22).I srael, delivered from Egypt by the blood of the Passover, separated by the waters of the Red Sea, and alone with God in the desert, are to be taught the nature of God’s holiness, man’s sin, and God’s salvation. Already they have failed, the tables of stone having been broken. The ark therefore is made, wherein the law, unbroken, may be placed. The Lord does not come a second time to Israel with the law, for one sin places a man irrevocab... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, May 25, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#1. The Portrait as a Whole.Most students of Scripture have at some time or other used Conybeare and Howson’s “Life and Epistles of St. Paul”. In the introduction to Vol. I there occurs one of the longest sentences to be met with in ordinary literature—a sentence containing more than 500 words.The introduction opens as follows:
“The purpose of this work is to give a living picture of St. Paul himself, and of the circumstances by which he was surrounded.”
Later on ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, May 24, 2014,
#7. The Passover.---Exodus xii. 1-20 and 29-33.Divine inspiration has sealed the blessed promise that to every saved sinner Christ is the Passover Sacrifice, and the argument in I Cor. v. 8 is that those who are saved are to seek to be free from the leaven of sin and worldliness. Egypt is a picture of the world, and the Lord’s people, though locally in it, are spiritually redeemed out of it, see Gal. i. 4. In Exod. xii. 2 we have an important but often forgotten truth, which is that redempt... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, May 23, 2014,
#6. Psalm li.The heading of this Psalm gives a true introduction to its “feeling”: “A Psalm of David” (the name, David, means “the Beloved One”) “when Nathan the prophet” (whose name means “a Gift”) “came unto him”. In type, we have here a beloved child of God, convicted of sin by the Given One, Christ, and the spirit and gift of repentance. His only plea is for mercy. Mercy speaks of pure grace and this alone is the sinner’s plea (see Luke xviii. 13).
There is a wond... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, May 22, 2014,
#5. Isaiah’s transforming Vision (Isa. vi.).The historical setting of this vision is full of teaching. In II Chron. xxvi. 16-21 we get the sad story of King Uzziah—the story of a presumptuous man who dared to unite the offices of King and Priest. The uniting of these two offices will be the culminating sin of the Antichrist (II Thess. ii. 4), for the true Priest-King is the Messiah Himself (Psa. cx. 4). In the same year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw his vision of the One Who was right... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, May 21, 2014,
#4. The offering of Isaac.
Genesis xxii.We may consider this chapter from two different points of view:(1) As a record of the testing of Abraham’s faith.(2) As typical of the work of Christ.Let us consider each of these aspects in turn.
Abraham had been declared by the Lord to be righteous as far back as Gen. xv. 6, and Paul uses this passage in Rom. iv. as an argument for justification by faith. The apostle James, however, after alluding to the blessedness of enduring temptation or testing (... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, May 21, 2014,
by Charles H. Welch#2. “Light affliction” and the “Weight of glory”.“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Cor. iv. 17).
A deal of harm may be done if we lift this passage out of its context and press its teaching upon souls unprepared by truth to receive it. It is not true that “affliction”, considered in itself, is “light”. Paul had confessed earlier in this same epistle that he had been ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, May 20, 2014,
#3. The redemption of Christ.
Isaiah liii.“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him—Jesus” (Acts viii. 35). May this be the Divine key-note of all our meditations, and particularly so in connection with this chapter of Isaiah. The word “arm” in verse 1 means “that which sows” or “the seed corn”—so that the passage could be translated, if the N.T. did not settle it for us, “the seed corn of the Lord”. In John xii. 38 we read: ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, May 20, 2014,
- by Charles H. Welch
#1. “My times are in Thy hand.”Many a believer during periods of trial has breathed the words of the Psalmist, “My times are in Thy hand” (Psa. xxxi. 15), and we are sure that the slightest movement towards a more implicit trust in the Lord will always received His encouragement. Yet, like many other oft-quoted passages of Scripture, there is a qualifying context, and our knowledge of this will make the committal all the more real and wonderful.
We observe first th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, May 19, 2014,
#2. Psalm xl.This Psalm, written by inspiration of God, gives us in the first place, David’s own experience as a saved sinner; secondly, the experience of the redeemed in all dispensations; and thirdly and chiefly, the heart utterances of the Lord when here on earth. It may perhaps seem strange at first sight that this Psalm should speak of the perfect, sinless, Holy One of God, but, if we keep in mind the passage considered in the first article of this series in connection with Suretyship,... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, May 19, 2014,
No.7. “Joy unspeakable” (I Pet. i. 8).There are two “unspeakable” blessings which help to fill the believer’s cup to overflowing. We have very lightly touched upon one, “The unspeakable gift”, let us consider the other, “Joy unspeakable”. It has been well observed, that “happiness” differs very essentially from “joy”. Happiness depends largely upon “what happens” and consequently is of necessity superficial. Joy on the other hand is independent of external happen... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, May 18, 2014,
No.6. “God’s unspeakable gift” (II Cor. ix. 15).When Carlyle spoke of “the unspeakable Turk” he used the word in the extremely opposite sense from that of Paul when he thanked God for “His unspeakable gift”, or when Peter spoke of “joy unspeakable”. Tyndale speaks of “God’s ineffable gift” (II Cor. ix. 15), and it is in this sense that both apostles have used the word.
There is, however, a slight difference in the intention of Paul when he spoke of God’s “unspeakabl... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, May 18, 2014,
#1. The Suretyship of Christ (Gen. xliii. 1-10 and xliv. 18-34).T he historic incident contained in these verses is full of teaching, both regarding Christ, the Christian, and the final restoration of Israel. The special thought to be impressed, however, is: The Suretyship of Christ.
“I will be surety” (Gen. xliii. 9).—The word surety, in Hebrew, comes from a word which means “to mix”, and is once translated “woof”, i.e., the threads which run across the “warp” in weaving. Thu... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, May 17, 2014,
No.5. Peace that passeth all understanding.We have seen the beginning (grace) and the end (glory) and have learned that the beginnings of our calling spring from superabounding grace, while glory is associated with love that exceeds knowledge. During the interval, we might perhaps assume, that superlatives would be conspicuous by their absence, that if we have but the assurance of “bread and water” we should be thankful. The children of Israel however, while in the wilderness did experien... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, May 17, 2014,
 Colossians 3:16WORD of God! O what a treasure,
In the written Word we find,
Fount and source of purest pleasure
For the weary heart and mind.
Word of God! How dark without it
Here below our path would be;
Safely led, we cannot doubt it,
Since its blessed light we see.
Word of God! Hath He then spoken,
And shall He not make it good?
Never can His word be broken,
Ever faithful it has stood.
Word of God! Oh! may I ever,
In the sacred pages see
Christ, the Living Word, and ne... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, May 16, 2014,
No.4. Love that exceeds Knowledge.We pass from “grace abounding” the beginning of our salvation, to meditate upon another superlative that is associated with its goal and end.
For this we turn to Eph. iii. where the apostle balances the great chapters of doctrine (i.-iii.) with the corresponding chapters of practice (iv.-vi.), and bridges the interval by a prayer, a prayer which leads on and up until the believer reaches the very goal of the ages.
“That ye might be filled with (“up to... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, May 16, 2014,
#11. Measures of Defence and of Offence.Because there was a war on, the man of the world voluntarily relinquished many legitimate pleasures, forgoed even some necessities, endured a deal of discomfort, and in many ways put into practice, in the secular sphere, the tenets of Scripture laid down for the guidance of the believer in the days of spiritual conflict.
The subject is as endless as life’s experiences, for, from the cradle to the grave, man lives his life in a world of war. We cannot m... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, May 15, 2014,
#10. The Censorship of Information.The full inspiration of the Scriptures and the divinely appointed limits of the subject-matter revealed in them, as, for example, indicated in I Cor. xiii. 12, do not conflict with one another any more than the effectiveness of the electric torch as “a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path”, is nullified because it does not equal the light of day. In this respect the Scriptures are as and what they are because “There’s a war on”.
Another ind... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, May 15, 2014,
No.3. Love that exceeds Knowledge.
Before turning to Eph. iii., where we read of the Love of Christ that “passeth knowledge”, a word or two may be necessary to show the link that exists between this love, and the great act of Redemption which this love exhibits. In previous articles we were pondering the abounding grace manifested in Redemption “Wherein He hath abounded toward us” (Eph. i. 8), and the grace that “superabounds” (Rom. v. 20).
The particle that indicates the superlativ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, May 14, 2014,
#9. “There’s a War On.”
The legitimate use of the Scriptures in a day of darkness and strife.Among the conditions of life imposed by the Great War was one which was called “The black-out”. Like Israel, the believer can have “light” in his dwelling, but the outside world will be found covered with a darkness that may be felt. It is the characteristic of our spiritual foe to work in darkness; our enemies, said the Apostle, are “The rulers of the darkness of this world” (Eph. vi... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, May 14, 2014,
No.2 Grace that Superabounds.At first thought one might say when dealing with such solemn truth as that which pertains to sin and salvation, no flights of fancy can be tolerated, nothing but the plainest of statements can be permissible. Yet experience will prove otherwise.
The very immensity of the subject, either of human guilt or of Divine grace, makes such demands upon the resources and powers of language that one has to adopt the words of Scripture and confess:
“Eye hath not seen, nor ea... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, May 13, 2014,
No.1 The Superlatives of Grace.We are allowing ourselves a certain amount of liberty in the application of the wording of Scripture in this series of articles, our primary object being to minister some word of comfort and strength rather than give a straight exposition of any particular passage.
The Psalmist’s words, “My cup runneth over”, make us think of some of the superlatives that are associated with grace in the New Testament, and to the passages which thus speak we would turn the ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, May 13, 2014,
#8. “There’s a War On.”
Its effect upon the liberty of the subject.Having reviewed the teaching of the Scriptures regarding the existence and character of the conflict of the ages, we now apply the lessons we may learn to the affairs of daily Christian life and experience.
A skeptical objection, which we occasionally met, to the belief that a wise and beneficent Deity still holds sway over this world, may be illustrated by the following conversation, which has been recorded elsewhere. The... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, May 12, 2014,
#9. The Directed Way (Prov. iii. 5, 6).We have considered together a series of experiences that the Scriptures associate with a trust that clings to the Lord, and it is fitting that the last of the series should relate to the leading of the Lord. This need of leading is recognized by all who seek to walk worthy in a world so far removed from the ways and will of God as it is to-day.
The passage that provides us with a message concerning the leading of the Lord and its relation to whole hearted... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, May 12, 2014,
#7. Underlying Principles.It is impossible to read the Old Testament Scriptures without becoming acquainted with war from a great variety of angles. We read of the conquest of Canaan, of civil war, and of war inflicted as a Divine scourge. Under the old dispensation God does not stand aloof from war. Indeed Moses, in Exod. xv. 3, speaks of Him as “a man of war”. We shall, therefore, expect to find that there will be some passages of Scripture, dealing with Israel, and with some particular... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, May 11, 2014,
#8. The Fixed Heart (Psa. cxii. 7).Among the blessings consequent upon trust in the Lord is confidence or, in the language of the Psalmist, a “fixed heart” (Psa. cxii. 7). Of the wicked it is written, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth” (Prov. xxviii. 1). “There were they in great fear, where no fear was” (Psa. liii. 5).
The Psalm that supplies us with our text is Psalm cxii., which, by reason of its alphabetical structure, is bound together with Psalm cxi., with which it should... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Sunday, May 11, 2014,
#6. The Conquest of Canaan.In our last article we devoted most of our space to consideration of the typical character of the Canaanite, and saw that in the Canaanite we have an example of Satan’s method of attempting to forestall the purposes of God, and supplant the true heirs of promise.
It will, however, be observed that, as always, the aggressor is first in the field and, for a time, apparently successful, but it is of the very essence of final victory that it shall be based upon truth a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, May 10, 2014,
#5. The typical character of the Canaanite.While nothing short of a survey of the whole Bible would be necessary to set out full details of the conflict of the ages, we believe that were it undertaken the essential features already adduced would remain unchanged, though they might be more clearly seen in the light of the fuller study. As however we cannot contemplate so exhaustive a study in this series, we pass to others aspects of the subject, and in this article would look rather to the ul... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, May 10, 2014,
#7. The removal of Fear (Psalm lvi. 3).It is a far cry from the story of the men of valour of I Chron. v. 20, which formed the basis of the last article of this series, to the one we are now to consider, where the historic reference over Psalm lvi., “Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath”, sends us back to I Sam. xxi. 13, to find David feigning madness, scrabbling on the doors of the gate, and letting his spittle fall down his beard.
David was “sore afraid of Achish, th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, May 9, 2014,
#6. Prayer and Deliverance (I Chron. v. 20).Trust in the Lord is not confined to one aspect of experience, but, as the Scripture itself enjoins, should be exhibited “at all times” (Psa. lxii. 8), and not only at “what time I am afraid” (Psa. lvi. 3). As we have seen in the case of Hezekiah under the threats and taunts of Rabshakeh and Sennacherib, it is nevertheless true to experience that times of great peril or distress are often occasions when trust rises to its supreme place.
“Th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Friday, May 9, 2014,
#4. Types of the Usurpation.When we read the blessed words, “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth” we know that they refer to Christ; He Who was born at Bethlehem, Who lived as man, and Who died and rose again. When Satan is said to be worshipped in Rev. xiii. 4, his agent, the Beast, who was slain and who had been raised again, is, according to verse 12, worshipped too. Throughout the unfolding of the ages there have been men who were outstanding types and foreshadowings of this final “Man... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, May 8, 2014,
#5. Hezekiah’s pre-eminence (II Kings xviii. 5).It is interesting and sometimes corrective to observe exactly what feature is singled out by the Holy Spirit as of eminence in the lives of those who figure in the Scriptures.
For instance, were we to be called upon to do so, what one thing of eminence should we choose out of all the many incidents in the life of Joseph? It is morally certain we should not have lifted into isolated pre-eminence the fact that Joseph “gave commandment concernin... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Thursday, May 8, 2014,
#3. The Objects before the enemy:
“Dominion” and “Worship”.We have seen from the teaching of Scripture that the great enemy, the prime antagonist, in the conflict of the ages, is Satan. We need not be disciples of Hegel to reach the conclusion that contraries are a very real part of any given thing. Though he stand all day in the market place, no man can be a “seller” unless another becomes a “buyer”. To eliminate the idea of “husband” and to think only of the idea of “wi... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, May 7, 2014,
In :
bible study
#2. “The Enemy.”We meet references to an “enemy” in one form or another in thirty out of the thirty-nine books of the English Old Testament, and in thirteen of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. If we were to widen the scope to include all references to enmity, strife, contentions, war, battle, arms and armour, we should have to include a still larger proportion of the books of both Testament.There is one enemy however who stands out above all others, and who antedates them ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Wednesday, May 7, 2014,
In :
bible study
#4. The association of trust and hope (Psa. lxxi. 5).We have before us at the moment certain blessings and experiences which are linked together in the Scriptures with that form of trust which can be represented by “clinging” to the Lord.
In the present article we consider the relation of “hope” with “trust” which is indicated in Psa. lxxi. 5.
“For thou art my HOPE, O Lord God, Thou art my TRUST from my youth.”
The word “youth” is used with some latitude: it can refer to a ne... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, May 6, 2014,
#1. The Field Surveyed.In this opening article we must explain the general scope of the series, and the object we have in view.
Behind all the enmity that belongs to the world of human history, lies the greater and deeper enmity that exists in the spiritual world. In these studies we shall attempt to survey this conflict of the ages, and seek to discover the respective goals that the conflicting parties have in view. By examining Israel’s history we shall obtain many sidelights on our subjec... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Tuesday, May 6, 2014,
#3. The blessedness of this trust (Psa. xl. 4).In the O.T. there are seven different words translated “Trust”. These we considered in the opening article of this series. We discovered that the first one of this set of seven has the significance of “clinging”, as the Melon plant does by means of its tendrils. Out of the hundred or more occurrences of this word we selected seven, and set them out on page 13. The first of this set of seven was the “blessedness” that was pronounced up... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, May 5, 2014,
In :
bible study
Truth is so vast and its implications so great, that the
mind is compelled to analyze, dissect and separate in order to attain to
some semblance of understanding, but both teacher and taught should
ever remember that truth so dissected is dead: we are but conducting a
post-mortem examination. Consequently we differentiate between faith and
works, and can consider each separately, yet in strict truth “faith if
it hath not works is dead, being alone” (James ii. 17), and so are works
... Continue reading ...
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Monday, May 5, 2014,
In :
bible study
#2. Seven results of a trust that clings.
Having seen something of the scriptural meaning of the seven O.T. words translated “trust”, we now consider a few relative outstanding passages, and note the bearing of the context upon the varied ways in which trust may be exercised.
Confining ourselves first to the one conception of trust which we saw was illustrated by the clinging of the melon by its tendrils, we observe the following conditions which Scripture associates with it:
(1) BLESSING.... Continue reading ...
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About Me
I am a 66-year-old former political activist who became a Christian in 1991. I did not write these articles ( I am not academically qualified to be a writer or bible teacher ), I just gathered them from various sources and re-posted them here "to enlighten all as to what is the stewardship (committed to the Apostle Paul) of the mystery that hath been hidden from the ages in God" - Ephesians 3:9.
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