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MAILBOX BIBLE COURSE
GLENWOOD R.R. # 1
NOVA SCOTIA
CANADA
B0W 1W0
WELCOME PAGE
Welcome to our Mailbox Bible Study Course. We are glad to be able to serve the Lord and you in this way. Many are being saved and helped through these simple Bible lessons.
We suggest that you try to do one each week. This will keep your interest in them active.
We suggest that you print these out and put them in a binder for study now and for future use.
Please do the test page, copy it, and return that ONLY by email. We will then correct it and send you your next lesson.
May God richly bless you as you proceed.
Your Instructor
Cheryl Devine
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DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES or Brief Expositions of Important Scriptural
Truths and Doctrines
DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR DEVOUT READERS OF THE BIBLE. by Walter Scott
CONTENTS
Lesson 1. The Gospel and Evangelists
Lesson 2. The Holy Scriptures an The Holy Spirit
Lesson 3. Righteousness: Doctrinal and Practical
Lesson 4. Man and Utter Ruin, The New Birth, Eternal
Life
Lesson 5. Children and Sons, Regeneration
Lesson 6. Repentance, Sanctification and Justification
Lesson 7. The Priesthood of Christ and of Believers
Lesson 8. Atonement, Propitiation, Substitution
Lesson 9. Reconciliation, Advocacy
Lesson 11. Headships of Christ and of Adam
Lesson 12. In the Flesh and the Flesh in us, Certain Scriptural
Terms
Lesson 13. The Celebrated Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks
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LESSON
1
THE GOSPEL AND EVANGELISTS
The Gospel is the disclosure of God's love,
and
of God's work on behalf of a ruined world. The fine old Saxon word,
Gospel,
meaning glad tidings, is used in various connections in the Scriptures
(see Heb.. 4. 2; Mark 1.14; Gal. 3. 8; I Cor.. 15. 1; I; Tim. 1.11;
Rev.
14. 6). In the Irish language "Gospel" signifies "The Story of Peace."
It would prove an interesting and profitable study to examine the use
of
the word Gospel throughout the Scriptures; but in our present remarks
we
refer to the evangelical sense of the word, which is one, thank God,
which
every saved person knows the truth of in his own soul.
God's love to the world was not made known to
patriarchs of old. Israel was made acquainted with Jehovah's tenderness
and care, but not with His heart's deep love, measured by the gift of
His
Son. The prophets grandly told of the future, of the Messiah's power
and
glory, but "God so loved the world" never trembled on their lips. The
eye
of the seer might rest on coming glories, and his heart be entranced,
as
piercing through the gloom of ages scenes of surpassing delight met his
enraptured gaze. But glory is not love, and God's love was hidden from
his sight. Christ alone could bear witness to what was ever in the
heart
of God. In the Divine bosom was heaped up a love which none
could disclose, save He Who ever is in the bosom of the Father (John
1.18). He alone knew it, and so none but He could unfold it. God's love
was a deep and hidden secret, too grand for human mind to fathom or
human
lips to express. God's Son, come down from Heaven, alone knew and alone
could interpret the great heart of God.
The theme "God so loved the world" (John.
3. 16) is one so vast, so bold, so mighty, full, and overwhelming in its
conception, that to the Son only could the glory be reserved of
publishing it in word -Himself the expression of it in His life and on
the Cross.
God's love conquers, and has conquered
John 3: 16 numbers its trophies and victories by millions, "numberless
as the sands on the sea shore;" nor will the tide of conquest be
checked
till the weary world is wrapped round in the folds and plies of God's
mighty
love, and each inhabitant of the redeemed and eternal earth echo from
the
depths of his ransomed soul the glad refrain, "God is love."
Oh, that the mantle of the Master might
fall on all evangelists! That they might preach God's love as did the
Lord,
a love which embraced the sinner while it rebuked sin, a full, free,
yet
holy and righteous love! It is not true love which compounds with the
guilty,
which abates an iota of the throne's most righteous claim. God's love
has
become our soul's refuge; for, while it exposes sin, it has won the
poor
heart and made it a right willing captive for ever. Preach this love.
Yes,
preach it fully and preach it boldly, and without the slightest
reservation
in the soul.
God has not only loved the world, but He has wrought for
righteousness for us. The Gospel is termed the Gospel of God (Rom. 1.
l)
because He is its blessed source; it is also spoken of as the Gospel of
His Son (Rom. I. 9), as the Peerless One of God is the all-glorious
object
which it unfolds God is its source Christ is its object, and every
creature
on earth its subject .. Mark 16. 15).
Righteousness is the sure basis on which God's
mighty work of sovereign grace reposes. This must be so. Grace at the
expense
of righteousness would be a dire calamity. Grace reigns through
righteousness.
Law reigned in the past. Righteousness will sway the sceptre in the
coming
age. The salvation of all who believe on Christ is a righteous
salvation.
It cannot be called in question, for God is "just and the Justifier of
him which believeth on Jesus" (Rom. 3. 26). Satan's accusations none
need
fear, for he is a beaten (Heb. 2. 15), rebuked, and silenced the foe
(Zech.
3.2). and will be trodden under our feet shortly (Rom. 16.20). There is
none other, then, but God Himself Who may question
our salvation, and this He cannot do. "He cannot deny Himself."
He has saved us and justified us. Believers are eternally saved. "I
know,"
said the preacher, "that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever"
(Eccl..
3. 14).
Ours is a present salvation, fixed and final
as the throne of the Eternal. God's nature and our salvation are bound
together, so inseparably linked that they stand or fall as one. God's
righteousness
is at stake, we may say, in the present and ultimate salvation of every
soul who has clung to His Word. In this, therefore, consists its
strength
and glory. It is God's salvation, and in it we triumph, as did the
redeemed
host of Israel on the eastern banks of the Red Sea. "He hath triumphed
gloriously .... The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my
salvation"
(Exod.. 15. 1,2). Singing of or about ourselves, or of our joys, will
never
minister strength to the heart; nor are our experiences, however rich,
full, and varied, worth singing about. "Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto
Him talk ye
of all His wondrous works" (1 Chron.. 16. 9). Rehearse in story
and song God's mighty work of delivering grace, what He is, and what He
has done, how He has loved and saved, and at once you are taken out of
your littleness and made strong in the greatness of God and happy in
the
joy of God. How full, then, will be the experience of that soul who
thus
loses himself in God!
Christ in death "for our sins," and raised
"according
to the Scriptures," constitute, in brief, God's work in love and
righteousness for sinners (1 Cor. 15. 3,4; Rom. 4. 25). God was
at the Cross and Tomb, not as a spectator, but as an actor. Christ
judged
sin, and in that very judgment triumphed over it. God, to whom the
sacrifice
was offered, showed His acceptance of it by rending the veil from the
top
to the bottom (Matt. 27. 51), and in that significant act opened the
door
for the vilest wretch on earth -- purged, cleansed, and saved -- into
His
own immediate presence. The veil is rent, and through it by faith we
enter
into the Holy presence of God; rent sufficiently to let out the rays of
the Divine glory, and to let in any sinner who will but come (Mark 15.
38; Heb. 10. 19).
We would earnestly press upon every evangelist
to urge upon his hearers the facts of the Gospel, and never to
dissociate
these facts -- death and resurrection -- from the causeless love of
which
they are the fruit. It is a light and frivolous age, and sensationalism
is characteristic of the day. The Christian taste is vitiated. The
triumphs
of the Cross in apostolic times were won by the preaching of the Gospel
in words clothed in the power of the Holy Ghost, and in a preaching of
which facts were the prominent feature; the resurrection of the Lord
being
the pivot on which all was made to turn (see Acts 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 17).
In the desire to produce "startling results" modes and methods of
work are resorted to which were utterly unknown to the early heralds
of salvation, and which in their nature practically ignore the
necessity
of the new birth and the utter ruin of man.
The Gospel of Paul, of John, of Peter "is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth" (Rom. 1. 16). Evangelists, aim
high
and labour to produce in the power of the Holy Ghost solid and enduring
results. What is the value of gathering a quantity of chaff?. You are
thereby
collecting fuel for the coming fire. Let quality rather than quantity
be
the object of your high ambition.
We desire to tender a few words of loving advice
and earnest remonstrance. Many a promising work has been spoiled, the
growth
of converts checked, and servants morally ruined through the neglect of
strict self-judgment. "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord"
(Isa.
52. l 1). God will not tolerate unholiness in any of His people, much
less
in those who ostensibly occupy a place in the forefront of the battle.
Paul's doctrine must not be separated from his manner of life (2 Tim.
3.
10). A certain amount of intellectual ability (Matt. 25. 15) is
required
in every public servant -the vessel is naturally fitted for the gift
bestowed
-- but besides natural capacity, moral fitness for the' position
assumed
is equally needful.
We do not consider it according to the genius
of Christianity to have young people of either sex in the front -- "not
a novice," says Scripture. Young men even of recognized zeal and gift,
but brought up amidst circumstances of impurity and lax principles, are
not, in our judgment, as a rule fitted to occupy places of public
service
for the Lord. It is, of course, one of the possibilities of faith so to
walk in the power of the Spirit that early habits, thoughts, and
actions
of an unholy character may not appear in the life; but the fact is that
deeply-rooted habits, and a morally low home-training, do reassert
their
power at times; we need not deny it, however unpleasant the admission.
A narrow sphere would best suit such persons.
An evangelist is a man for the world. To
be a leader, either as teacher, pastor, or evangelist demands a
character
and moral fitness in keeping with the ministry. To mix publicly amongst
all classes, and minister Christ in the truth and courteousness of
Christianity,
necessitates a certain amount of culture and education. The manner of
life
before conversion is an important factor in this connection. A very
illiterate
person, and one whose early home surroundings have been anything but
holy
may be used in public service, but it is attended with danger. Here,
however,
we tread on delicate ground.
To teach or preach for money is an
awful snare. To take it up as a profession is to repeat the sin of
Balaam
(Jude. 11). Every public servant of the Lord, whether possessed of
private
means, or moneyless, should drink into the spirit of the apostle who
preached
the Gospel as a necessity laid upon him. Means withheld, and hunger and
need, for a time was the sad lot of the brave apostle to the Gentiles,
but preach the Gospel he would. "Yea, woe is me if I preach not the
Gospel"
(I Cor. 9. 16). The apostle pleads earnestly for the temporal support
of
the divinely-called labourer; and it is the responsibility, nay, it
ought
to be the happy privilege of the saints of God to lovingly care for the
dependent servant, whether evangelist. (1 Cot. 9), teacher (Gal. 6. 6),
or elder ( 1 Tim. 5. 17, 18). On the other hand, let every servant
remember
that his dependence for temporal supplies must be exclusively on the
Lord.
Here many break down.
They look to the rich and wealthy, and are, of
course, disappointed. The eye of the servant must be directed to the
Master alone, and thus responsibility to minister in temporal things
and independence in serving in spiritual things are fully secured. In
all
cases, and under all circumstances of need, no servant of God should
ever
appeal to man. God is his portion, and He will see to the wants of His
poor servant. The servants of the Lord should live in a sphere where
mercenary
motives are unknown, else they are sure to be entangled, and a complete
breakdown ensue.
To all, we would say, serve Christ in
quietness,
yet in fervour of spirit, and let every servant of Christ so walk with
an exercised conscience that the ministry be not blamed. The moral
qualifications of servants of God are set forth in 2
Corinthians 6, a chapter replete with interest to every truehearted
labourer.
TEST 1 SUMMARY
Place an X or fill in the blanks with CAPITAL LETTERS.
1. What does the word "gospel" means? __________
2. God's love can be measure by___ _______ of His _____
3. The love of God conquered sin T___F___
4. What does the "gospel of God in Rom. 1:1 mean?__________
5. True born-again believers can be lost again T___F____
6. Do we need modern methods to reach people with the gospel YES____NO____?
7. It is all right to witness for Christ even if we are living in sin. YES____NO_____
8. Collection plates should be used in gospel meetings T___F____
9. God's people should support God's servants T___F____
10. All Christians should witness for their Lord and Saviour T___F___
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