JUST A WORD FROM, Brother Clarence, ON, FEAR [GEN.3:10] “AND HE SAID, I HEARD YOUR VOICE IN THE GARDEN, AND I WAS AFRAID, BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; AND I HID MYSELF.” The construction is: 1. The Voice of God was once a welcomed sound, but not anymore! 2. The first thing that Adam said after the Fall was, “I was afraid.” 3. He was naked to the Judgment of God, and all sin must be judged. 4. He tried to hide himself from God, even as untold millions have, but never with any success. FEAR The phrase, “And he said, I heard Your voice in the Garden, and I was afraid,” presents the first words which came out of the mouth of our first parent after the Fall. He said, “I was afraid.” Why was he afraid? Concerning this moment, Calvin said: “His consciousness of the effects of sin was keener than his sense of the sin itself.” Lange said: “This is the first instance of that mingling and confusion of sin and punishment which is the peculiar characteristic of our Redemption-needing humanity.” Luther said: “The words, ‘Where are you?’ are words of Divine Law, directed by God to Adam’s conscience. God wanted Adam to know that he who hides himself from Him is never hidden from Him, and that he who runs away from Him can never escape Him.” The type of fear which characterizes Adam is fear brought on by guilt. That’s why guilt is such a hazard; it carries with it a tremendous amount of negative baggage. This type of fear sees God in a completely erroneous way. It sees Him as someone to be dreaded; someone to be avoided. But let the Reader understand this: Sin is a horrible business, actually the cause of all sorrow, heartache, and destruction in this world, and as well always brings heavy guilt; however, sin should be taken to the Lord, as distasteful and shameful as it might be. There’s no one else who can do anything about one’s sin, except the Lord of Glory. And His answer for sin is the Cross, which is the greatest example of love that humanity has ever known. God forbid that we fail the Lord in any capacity; however, regrettably and sadly, the sin problem plagues the whole of the human race, even at times the Godliest. But as bad as it might be, as shameful as it might be, as the great song says, “Take it to Jesus, take it to Jesus, He is a friend that’s well-known.” The great mistake made by the human race, and regrettably even by the Church, is that we take the sin elsewhere. We take it to the Psychologist, which to be blunt, and I mean to be blunt, can do nothing! We take it to fellow human beings, and no matter how Godly they may be, still, they can do nothing. Beautifully and wondrously, John the Beloved told us what to do: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I Jn. 1:9). RESTORATION The Ministry of Restoration should be the Ministry of every Believer. Sooner or later, each Believer will be called upon to aid a Brother or Sister in distress. I speak of one who has failed the Lord. Paul told us what to do in such a case: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). So what did he mean by this statement? There is only one way that one can be restored. The one who is “spiritual,” which means that this particular individual knows and understands God’s prescribed order of victory, which is the Cross, is to explain to the individual who has failed these two things: 1. Why he failed! 2. What to do so as not to fail again! The one who is “spiritual” should patiently explain to the Brother or Sister that he or she has failed because they took their eyes off the Cross, thereby shifting their faith to other things, which is what caused the problem. When this was done, the Holy Spirit simply will not help the Believer, because He will not work outside of the parameters of the Finished Work of Christ. Consequently, such a person becomes an open target for Satan. While he might try with all of his strength to overcome, he will find that despite all of his efforts, he has failed. This is generally very confusing to such a Christian. They don’t understand why they have failed, simply because they have tried so hard. In fact, they didn’t want to do what was done, and tried not to do it. But they found themselves in the same condition as Paul, before he knew the victory of the Cross. He said: “For that which I do I allow (understand) not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I” (Rom. 7:15). And for a Christian to be in such a state, and then for a fellow Christian to berate him or to seek to punish him in some way, only adds insult to injury. What good would it have done to have ridiculed Paul or to punish him, when he was in the Romans, Chapter 7 state? But regrettably, that’s what many Christians seek to do. And please understand as well, God doesn’t have two remedies for sin, one for the Laity, and another for Preachers. The remedy is all the same, which is the Cross. Once the failing one has been told why they failed, which was a departure from the Cross, they are to then be told to get their faith back to the Cross, and keep the Cross as the object of their Faith from now on, which will guarantee victory ahead, simply because the Holy Spirit will now help them. That is the manner in which Restoration is to be enjoined, and that is the only manner that Restoration can be enjoined (Rom. 6:3–14; 8:1–2, 11, 13). HIDING FROM GOD The phrase, “Because I was naked; and I hid myself,” presents a foolish effort. Luther said: “From this we learn how great is the evil of sin. Unless God helps and calls the sinner, he will forever flee God, try to excuse his sin by lies, and add one wrong to another until he ends in blasphemy and despair.” How foolish it is to seek to hide from God. God knows all things; so to hide from Him is impossible. He had heard the Voice of God in the Garden and said that it made him afraid. But had he not heard God’s Voice when He had commanded him not to eat of the forbidden tree? Why was he not afraid of God then, and why did he not hide himself at that time? Believe it or not, men are still seeking to hide themselves from God; however, they do it in strange ways. Many will not go to Church at all, because they surmise that God is in Church, and that He will then apprehend them. They don’t seem to realize that God is everywhere. Concerning God, David said: “O LORD, You have searched me, and known me. “You know my downsitting and my uprising, You understand my thought afar off. “You compass my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. “For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, You know it altogether. “You have beset me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. “Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your Presence? “If I ascend up into Heaven, You are there: if I make my bed in Hell, behold, You are there. “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; “Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. “If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. “Yes, the darkness hides not from You; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to You” (Ps. 139:1–12). NAKED We have already addressed ourselves to this, but it is here that the idea seems to project itself that Adam and Eve, before the Fall, had been enveloped in light. With the Fall, the light disappears, and they are left “naked.” And let us say again that which we have already stated: The word “naked” here carries a far greater connotation than merely being without clothing. They were naked to the Judgment of God. Luther said, not necessarily relating to this one incident, but rather the overall picture, but yet the particulars are the same: “When Moses says that God called Adam, this means that He hailed him before His Judgment Seat. Eve, too, had sinned and fallen from God so that she also was summoned and had to share in this judgment.” This is the main problem: Men are concerned about the Judgment of God, and rightly so! Let it ever be known and understood that God cannot tolerate sin in any shape, form, or fashion. Sin must be judged wherever it is found. Now the Lord has a glorious and wonderful solution for that, Who is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the price that He paid on the Cross. In other words, Christ took the Judgment that the whole of humanity should have suffered. So man has a choice: He can accept God’s Son, with all Judgment being suspended, and for the simple reason that it is not proper to punish for the same crime twice. Jesus has suffered the stroke of God which is death, all on our behalf, which paid the terrible sin debt. When He said, “It is finished,” that meant the debt was forever paid. So if the believing sinner accepts Christ, there is no fear of judgment, and there will never be any fear of judgment. But if the sinner refuses Christ, the Wrath of God remains on him, and of that one can be certain. So the die is cast; we either accept Christ or suffer the Judgment of God. PSYCHOLOGY Modern man has tried to answer the sure Judgment of God by denying it. In fact, the world has been so psychologized that anymore it no longer believes that there will be a judgment. Psychology teaches that man is inherently good. And if he does something wrong, it is because of outside environment, or events beyond his control. So in this teaching, no person is ever guilty, but rather society, environment, others, etc. So in this type of thinking, there can be no judgment, because there is no culpability on the part of the individual. The Bible teaches the very opposite. It teaches that all men are sinful and wicked, and as a result of the Fall. It teaches that man is responsible for his actions, and will have to ultimately answer to God, i.e., “the Judgment” (Rom. 1:18) For the Wrath of God (God’s Personal emotion with regard to sin) is revealed from Heaven (this anger originates with God) against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (God must unalterably be opposed to sin), who hold the truth in unrighteousness (who refuse to recognize Who God is, and What God is); 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them (speaks of the universal objective knowledge of God as the Creator, which is more or less in all men); for God has showed it unto them (means that His Signature is in Creation). 20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen (explains Verse 19), being understood by the things that are made (Creation demands a Creator), even His Eternal Power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse (the Creation tells us of the Eternal Power of God, and is obvious to all): So it doesn’t really matter what crutch man leans on; the Word of God will prevail, and man will ultimately answer. As well, if man is not personally guilty as psychology claims, then why is he plagued with guilt? Psychology claims that the Bible is responsible for that. So if the Bible could be banned, this, they say, would stop the guilt. What they should understand is, the Bible doesn’t make the guilt, but only points out what is already there. Man is not guilty merely because the Bible says he’s guilty, but he is guilty because in fact, that’s what he is. The guilt is a result of his sinful state. But let it be understood, the Bible not only points out the problem, but it also points out the solution, Who is Christ and Him Crucified. (Jn. 3:3] Jesus answered and said unto him (presents an answer totally different from that which he expected), Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again (the term, “born again,” means that man has already had a natural birth, but now must have a Spiritual Birth, which comes by Faith in Christ, and what He has done for us at the Cross, and is available to all), he cannot see the Kingdom of God (actually means that without the New Birth, one cannot understand or comprehend the “Kingdom of God”). [V16 ] For God so loved the world (presents the God kind of love), that He gave His Only Begotten Son (gave Him up to the Cross, for that’s what it took to redeem humanity), that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life. [Col. 2:14–15) Blotting out the handwriting of Ordinances that was against us (pertains to the Law of Moses, which was God’s standard of Righteousness that man could not reach), which was contrary to us (Law is against us, simply because we are unable to keep its precepts, no matter how hard we try), and took it out of the way (refers to the penalty of the Law being removed), nailing it to His Cross (the Law with its decrees was abolished in Christ’s Death, as if Crucified with Him); 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers (Satan and all of his henchmen were defeated at the Cross by Christ Atoning for all sin; sin was the legal right Satan had to hold man in captivity; with all sin atoned, he has no more legal right to hold anyone in bondage), He (Christ) made a show of them openly (what Jesus did at the Cross was in the face of the whole universe), triumphing over them in it. (The triumph is complete and it was all done for us, meaning we can walk in power and perpetual victory due to the Cross.)AMEN. STILL IN CHRIST, SEPTEMBER 10, ON FEAR
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 11:56:02 +0000
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