Lying in the Wicked One (1 Jno. 5:19). Guilty before God (Rom. 3:19). Groaning unto God (Bom. 8:22). Full of Corruption (2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Pet. 2:20). Under the Judgment of God (Matt. 18:7). By one act of sin all was changed. The curse of God rests upon it like a blight. Thornes and thistles decay and death are everywhere manifest and it groans under its burden and sorrow as one with a broken heart (Bom. 8). 3. The Field Beloved. See the attitude of God toward a world steeped in sin. He loved it (Jno. 3:16). Sent His only Son into it (1 Jno. 4: 9; 1 Tim. 1:15). Seeking to reconcile it (2 Cor. 5:19). Sought to give life to i t (l Jno. 4:9). 4. The Field Bought Back. See the price paid for a sin cursed world and the reason He was willing to pay such a price. There was a treas- ure in the field which the Father longed to possess that He might give it to His Son (Matt. 13:44). The price paid (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 Pet. 2: 24). 5. The Field Bequeathed. See how the Lord bestowed the field upon His disciples as a place to sow and reap and gather a harvest; a place to do business for him (Jno. 4:36). Here they are to testify to the love God has for men (Acts 1:8). Here they are to plead with men to be reconciled to God who loves them (2 Cor. 5:20). Here they are to preach the Gospel of the Son of God as Evangelists (Mark 16: 15). Here they are to sow the seed by all waters (Isa. 32:20); morning and even- ing (Eccl. 11:6). Sowing sometimes in tears, but reaping in joy (Psa. 126:5),, Out of the world the disciples are to gather men and women who shall live to the glory of His grace throughout eternity. By faithful service they are to consummate the purposes of God in the completing of the Church so that the Lord Jesus may come and fill the whole world with His glory. He will remove the curse and once again in a cleansed and purified earth there will be a paradise of God (Isa. 55:10-15; Bev. 21: 23-27).
DISCIPLESHIP. (Jno.- 8:31-37.)
I. Two lines of discipleship. They both believe on Christ, yet one line are disciples of truth and the other of error. The one has an intellectual, though evanescent belief that Jehovah is God, that the Word is true, that Jesus is Christ and Savior. This dis- tinction has existed ever since the days of Cain and Abel, both of whom of- fered sacrifice, and made a show of obe- dience. But Jesus makes a sharp dif- ference between them. He divides them as children of God and children of the devil; as freemen and bondmen; as of the lie and of the truth; as seed of the Spirit and seed of the flesh; as true believers and as transient believ- ers. He spoke to those Jews "who be- lieved on Him." II... The test of discipleship. " I f ye abide in My word then are ye my dis- ciples indeed." Staying quality is the test here. All abiders are believers; but not all believers are abiders. The church visible is composed of believers; the church invisible of abiders. III. The progress of discipleship. " I f ye abide ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you f r e e ." The steps are three—"believe," " k n ow ," be " f r e e . " None can know the truth but the true. The mere tran- sient believer does not abide till he knows the truth. Hence he never ex- periences the blessedness of spiritual liberty. They do not acquire a knowl- edge of and assimilate the Bible; they do not practice faith and works and gain an experience. " My word," says Jesus, " h as no place in you." Pro- gress demands solid ground. Moved by the truth, but not to it, a momentary concession is mistaken for a spiritual confession, which time shows had no heart in it. IV. The liberty of discipleship. " Ev e ry one that committeth (makes a practice of sinning) is the bond-serv- ant of sin." No man will sigh for free- dom who does not sigh for the shame and bitterness of bondage. Till men know and feel that they are bondmen of sin, and slaves of Satan, they may assent to the Gospel and to the beauty of holiness, but will never sigh for, nor see, the liberty of the sons of God. Are you an abider or only a believer?
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