Today we live in a day of theological confusion, a day when many so-called churches and so-called preachers do not faithfully preach God's Word! Paul claims in 2 Corinthians 2:17, "For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ." The English word "peddling" is translated from the Greek word kapeleuo which refers to a merchant who adulterates wine with water for personal gain. The Apostle Paul said in his day there were many peddlers of God's Word who corrupted and watered it down for personal gain. In other words, they ignored the truth and told people what they wanted to hear, no matter how they mangled the text of Scripture, and we have many such peddlers of God's Word in our day. The Apostle Peter said of these "peddlers" that they were "untaught and unstable people" who "twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures." And Jude condemned men who distort the Word of God calling them "clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 2-13).

The prophet Amos prophesied of Israel during his day that the people "shall wander from sea to sea and run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it." In the same way, today you can go from place to place seeking the Word of the Lord and not find it because many "preachers" are afraid to preach the Word of God with boldness and conviction. Some have a fear of men, yet the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that God has not given us "a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Some men are afraid to preach the Word for fear of offending members of their congregation. But in 1 Peter 2:8, Jesus is called "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." Others fail to boldly preach God's Word because they are what the Apostle Paul calls "men pleasers." However, Galatians 1:10 speaks very clearly to the issue of "men pleasing": "For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men I would not be a slave of Christ." Many others, who call themselves preachers, shrink back from faithfully preaching the Word because they simply don't understand their calling as a herald. Yet the Apostle Paul told the young preacher Timothy to "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2).

Another reason for "church confusion" is that we live in a day when many church members don't hunger and thirst for the faithful preaching of God's Word. We live in a day when many who call themselves Christians would rather be entertained on Sunday morning than hear the faithful preaching of God's Word. The truth really isn't a concern for many people today. Too many ask: "How does it make me feel?" or "Does it work?" But seldom, if ever, do they ask if it's biblical. That's why there's so much distortion in worship, doctrine, and living in the Christian church. Many church members don't even realize how important the truth of God's Word is in the life of the congregation in general, and in the life of every believer in particular. Jesus said in John 17:17: "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth." Therefore, the greatest need for the people of God today, as in every generation, is faithful pastors who never tire of teaching and preaching to their congregations all things Christ has commanded us in His Word (Matt. 28:20), because "man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God" (Matt. 4:4). In John 21:17, Jesus commanded Peter, "Feed My sheep." And the only food given to the pastor to feed the people of God is the Word of God!

Therefore, in a day of such spiritual lethargy and neglect of faithful preaching of God's Word, it is imperative that the church have faithful seminaries to teach and train men to be bold, faithful expositors of God's Word, who stick to the old paths of delivering the Word of God Sunday after Sunday. Heidelberg Theological Seminary is an institution committed to teach and train men to be the faithful preachers, pastors, and expositors of the Word of God that the church so desperately needs. Therefore, every congregation that embraces a covenantal view of Scripture must take seriously the obligation of supporting faithful seminaries, both prayerfully and financially, if our great, great-grandchildren are going to have faithful pastors who boldly preach that Jesus Christ is "The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1:8). And that "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Rev. Scott Henry
Lancaster, CA

 

Rev. Scott Henry

"Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious" (1 Peter 2:1-3).

One of the most important issues that must be settled in the heart of every believer is the assurance of salvation. Every believer must be confident that they can never be snatched out of the hands of Christ, because the lack of assurance of salvation causes a believer to be unproductive in the Kingdom of Christ. And the lack of assurance is a direct result of a lack of time spent in the Word of God. You see, it's the Holy Spirit working through His Word in the heart that gives the believer the assurance of salvation. 1 John 5:13: "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is why the Word of God must continually be preached, taught, and read!

But we live in a day of confusion, a day when many so called churches and so-called preachers do not faithfully preach God's Word. 2 Corinthians 2:17: "For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ." The word "peddling" is the Greek word kapeleuo, which has reference to a merchant who adulterates wine with water for personal gain. And so Paul said in his day there were many peddlers of God's Word who corrupted or watered it down for their personal gain. In other words, they ignored the truth and told people what they wanted to hear. And we have many such peddlers of God's Word in our day; all one has to do is listen to one of the many TV preachers that are broadcasted on "Christian Television."

Amos prophesied of Israel during his day that the people "shall wander from sea to sea and run to and fro, seeking the Word of the Lord, but shall not find it." In the same way, today you can go from place to place seeking the Word of the Lord and not find it because many "preachers" are afraid to preach the Word of God with boldness and conviction because they have a fear of men. However, Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe." Some are afraid to faithfully preach the Word because they fear offending one of their church members. However, 1 Peter 2:8 tells us that "Jesus is called a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." Others are afraid to preach the Word because they are man-pleasers. But the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10: "For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men I would not be a slave of Christ." Many "preachers" simply don't understand their calling as a herald-one who is called to preach the Word of God in season and out of season; when it's convenient and when it's not convenient! (2 Tim.).

Another reason for confusion is that we live in a day when many church members don't hunger for the faithful preaching of God's Word. We live in a day when many who call themselves Christians would rather be entertained on Sunday morning than hear the faithful preaching of God's Word. The truth really doesn't matter to so many people. People in our day ask: "How does it make me feel?" or "Does it work?" Seldom do they ask if it's biblical. That's why we see so much distortion in worship on the Lord's Day, and why there's so much confusion regarding salvation. Paul wrote to Timothy, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Tim. 4:3-4). The word "fables" is the Greek word moothos, which means tales or fiction. People will run after fairytales and fictional stories rather than the truth of God's Word. What about you? Do you hunger for God's Word? Do you realize how important the truth of God's Word is in the life of the believer?

In the midst of all this confusion in our day, the Apostle Peter says in our text: "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." The word therefore takes us back to what Peter previously wrote in 1Peter 1:22-25, where he said that the living, abiding, eternal Word of God is the source of the believer's new birth and cleansing from sin. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:3: "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." It's the Holy Spirit who transformed us and brought the grace of God to our soul, and He did it through the Word. And since every believer has experienced God's saving work through His Word and Spirit then we ought to desire this continual influence and power in our life. Therefore Peter said, "lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking." This is a command to lay aside all the filthy sin in your life. To "lay aside" originally meant to take off filthy clothing, and in this same manner Peter mentions five things the believer must practice laying aside: "all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking." And we lay it aside by confessing it and turning from it always more and more (HC Q88-90). "All deceit" means "deception, dishonesty or falsehood." It's a word used for a "fishhook" because of the deception of a baited fishhook. Peter is telling believers to continually set aside everything that is deceptive or dishonest in your life.

"Hypocrisy" is something that's not real. It's a fake like the cubic zirconium ring. It may look real and it may even fool many, but the truth is it's a fake diamond. The word hypocrisy has reference to the Greek stage actors who wore a mask on stage. They were called hypocrites who were playing a part. Our text tells us to be real and genuine as followers of Christ. Don't play the hypocrite in any area of life; don't play-act. How many times have people worn a big smile to worship on Sunday morning, but underneath they despised the individual to whom they smiled? Our text calls believers to repent of the sin of hypocrisy. Peter then adds "envy," which means to covet what others have, to desire to be someone else, or resent somebody else's situation because it's not your situation. For instance, envy sprouts to the surface when someone receives an inheritance, money, land, possessions, etc. that someone else did not receive. Envy leads to grudges, bitterness, and hatred, which the Heidelberg Catechism calls the root of murder (HC Q106). And so we must put off envy by confessing our sins to the Lord and asking for the grace of repentance. Peter then says "all evil speaking," which refers to all unkind words or gossip. Peter says if you desire deceptive things, hypocritical things, if your mind is filled with envy, or you get pleasure from slandering others, and if this is the pattern of your life, then your desires are corrupt and you cannot desire the pure milk of the Word of God.

Instead of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking, Peter says: "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby." True godliness is always marked by a love for and a delight in God's Word. John 8:31: "True believers keep God's Word." Job said: "I have treasured the Word of God more than my necessary food." Psalm 1 tells us that the godly man delights in God's Word. In Psalm 19:10, David refers to the Word of God as "more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." This desire for God's Word is what Peter is referring to in our text. He's calling us to desire the pure milk of the Word. The word "desire," which is the Greek word epipatheo (the prefix epi is a preposition that intensifies the verb patheo) means to have a desire that's over and above everything else. Peter is saying above all else in life, believers should strongly desire the Word of God. David illustrates this in Psalm 42:1: "As the deer pants after the water brook, so pants my soul after Thee oh God." In other words, believers are called to thirst for God's Word as a panting deer seeks for water.

Peter uses the analogy of a newborn baby that longs for its mother's milk to describe the believer's longing for God's Word. "Newborn babe" is the Greek term, brephos, which literally means "a baby just born." Peter is clearly talking about a baby that has just come out of its mother's womb and is dependent upon the nourishment of its mother. And the instant a baby is born it has the God-given desire to nurse from its mother, and if it doesn't, then it's either stillborn or seriously ill. A healthy baby craves milk and only milk. This is what nourishes a baby and gives it the necessary antibodies to protect it from disease. And as a baby craves milk, in that same way, believers are to crave God's Word. This is the God-given spiritual desire to all who are born of the Spirit of God. In other words, Peter is saying that a sign that a person has been regenerated or given new life by the Holy Spirit is a hunger for the Word of God. Do you have a real desire for the pure Word of God? This is evidence of the work of the Spirit of God in your soul. And when you have this craving, then worship on Sunday morning, Bible Studies, and Scripture reading at home are not a burden but a joy, a privilege, and a delight! You see, it's the Word that nourishes and protects the believer. The Word gives us assurance, confidence, strength, comfort, wisdom, joy, peace and understanding. The Word of God is "a lamp to our feet and a light to our path" (Ps. 119:105), and it sets us free from Satan's lies (Jn. 8:32). The Word of God enables us to discern truth from error, it teaches us to walk in obedience to the Lord, it causes us to grow as believers, and we should continually desire the Word "if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

Have you tasted the graciousness of the Lord? Has He saved you by His grace? Have you experienced God's goodness and kindness? Have you experienced answered prayers and have you seen God's hand of protection in your life through His wondrous providence? Has He provided for all your needs and comforted the cries of your broken heart, and filled you with joy and gladness in the midst of your trials? All of these things came to you through the eternal Word of God, which lives and abides forever. "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15:4). Today, across the world, we have weak churches filled with weak Christians who are spiritually malnourished because they're fed a constant diet of junk food rather than the pure milk of God's Word. Because of this they've lost the desire for the pure Word of God, which brings consequences that makes the church vulnerable to all kinds of doctrinal error. And the only solution is found in our text, "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

Rev. Scott Henry
Lancaster, CA

The recent devastation in Japan ought to cause each of us to fall down on our faces in humility and ask God's forgiveness for our wicked behavior and our squandering of His wonderful gifts. We have behaved very wickedly in the United States and there is absolutely no reason why God should not devastate the U.S. in the same manner as His awesome power has turned Japan upside down, except for His mercy, which we have despised, neglected and scorned. How many of us act as if we are better than many in other countries and therefore think this type of devastation will never happen to us? I tell you the truth, only God's restraining mercy has kept the U.S. from plummeting beneath a 25-foot tsunami. Think how often in this country we call good evil and evil good, and we think God's hand of Providence will never be turned against us? We must repent of our wicked sins, and seek the unmerited grace and mercy of the Almighty God who upholds the galaxies with the Word of His power¼the One who holds the breath of all creatures in His hand and clearly commands all men everywhere to repent and bow the knee to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

We, the people of the United States, must confess and repent of our scorning of the absolute Truth of God's Word, upon which this nation was established. "The entirety of Your Word is Truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever" (Ps. 119:160). "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Luke 21:33). We must confess and repent of our worship of the god of materialism. "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:51). We must confess and repent of our tolerance of homosexuality. "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them" (Lev. 20:13; see also Rom. 1:22-32). We must confess and repent of our laziness and support of those who are able, but unwilling, to contribute to society by their labor. "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat" (2 Thess. 3:10). We must confess and repent of our killing of unborn children and euthanizing the elderly of our society. "You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13). We must confess and repent of our slothfulness and irresponsible neglect of disciplining our children in the fear and admonishment of the Lord, which has resulted in a nation of selfish, self-centered, covetous people, who think they are entitled to everything on this planet. "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly" (Prov. 13:24). Many other sins could be listed!

Lastly, the church of Jesus Christ in the United States ought to be red-faced for too often allowing ourselves to be conformed to the ways of this world rather than being transformed by the renewing of our mind! (Rom. 12:1-2). The church ought to be red-faced for not standing up and boldly proclaiming the Truth of God's Word and letting the chips fall where they may in the midst of an ungodly society. The church ought to be red-faced for losing her salty savor and hiding the light of the Gospel under a bushel basket. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:13-16).

The church ought to be ashamed for not trusting God's Word, but rather living in anxiety and seeking the counsel of "Mr. Worldly Wise," which is foolishness to God. 1 Corinthians 1:20: "Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" The church of Jesus Christ ought to be red of face for seeking first the kingdom of man and worldly prosperity rather than seeking first the kingdom of God and His absolute righteousness! The church of Jesus Christ ought to be red-faced for being embarrassed by our Lord Jesus, Who has bought us by His precious blood; for the church is certainly quiet in our day about proclaiming that the only Way of salvation is through the shed blood and perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ alone, and if you don't come to Him you will die in your sins! And we think that we are not ripe for a devastating tsunami? We walk around thinking this will never happen to us? Remember the Word of our Lord in Luke 13:1-5: "There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.' "

Is there yet hope? Yes! Jesus Christ! He is the only hope for sinners. He is the only one who promises, and who can deliver what He promises, that even if great devastation should come upon us, even if the earth be swallowed up and removed from its place¼nevertheless, nothing-absolutely nothing-can ever separate those who trust in Him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Call upon Him, for He promises that all who call upon Him will be saved from all their sins! (Rom. 10:9-13).

"Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud" (Psalm 123).

For Christ's Glory and Kingdom,

Rev. Scott Henry
Lancaster, CA

The New Testament word for sanctification is "hagiasmos," and it denotes ethical purification, while including the idea of separation: "the separation of the spirit from all that is impure and polluting, and a renunciation of the sins towards which the desires of the flesh and of the mind lead us." (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 528) "The word, as used in Scripture, very probably came from a root which meant to be cut off, or to be separated." (Herman Bavinck Our Reasonable Faith, 469 ) Sanctification is the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and lives of believers by which they are made holy, delivered from the filthiness and power of sin, and enabled to live in obedience to the Word of God. In distinction from justification, sanctification is a work of Christ in us (justification is Christ's work for us), a lifelong work (justification is once only), a work in which we become active (in justification we are passive), and a work that removes the pollution of our sin (justification removes the guilt and penalty of sin). Being justified is like an immigrant becoming a legal citizen of his new country. Having become a citizen, however, he begins to learn the language, wear the clothing, eat the food, and adopt the customs of his new land in order to live like a citizen of that country. Sanctification is similar; it is God's people learning to live the life of heaven, which is Christ-likeness. Sanctification, therefore, can be defined as "that process by which the believer is gradually transformed in heart, mind, will, and conduct and conformed more and more to the will of God and to the image of Christ, until at death the disembodied spirit is made perfect in holiness¼" (John Murray, Collected Writings Vol. 2, 277)

Although Scripture does mention that all three persons of the Godhead are active in sanctification, this process is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit and it begins with regeneration and grows from that point. Even after the sinner is born anew, the work of the Spirit of God continues in the progressing and growing sanctification of the soul. From the new birth there shall be a new fruit-producing life, or as the Heidelberg Catechism reads, "it is impossible that those who are implanted into Christ by true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness" (Q64). Christ is emphatic in demonstrating the fruit-bearing aspect of the believer; "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them" (Matt. 7:16-20). And likewise He says, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2). This change comes from a true change of the heart (2 Cor. 5:17).

The sanctification of every believer depends solely upon the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit. Though believers become active in doing good works, and they must (Titus 3:8, 14), nevertheless sanctification is always a work of God's grace. When we are sanctified, our salvation is not turned over to us so that we alone become responsible for it. In sanctification we do not suddenly begin to "cooperate" with God so that our salvation is no longer wholly of grace. (Sanctification is monergistic, not synergistic). Though we do good works in sanctification, there is still no merit in these works (Eph. 2:8-10), "¼even though it is God's will to reward them in this life and in that which is to come-the reward comes not of merit, but of grace" (HC Q63). Simply stated, man cannot sanctify himself, "for all holiness and sanctification proceeds from God." (Herman Bavinck Our Reasonable Faith, 469). Gal. 5:25 says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." This operation of the Holy Spirit is accomplished by His will operating within us, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

This walking in the Spirit produces a constant conflict with remaining, indwelling sin, and seeks to put to death the remnant of remaining sin still in the soul. Paul says in Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." The believer is constantly battling "to put off the old man" while at the same time striving "to put on the new man in Christ." The Apostle Paul told the believers at Ephesus to "¼put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-14). And this is a continuous spiritual battle for the redeemed in this earthly pilgrimage. They truly hate their sin, but, inconsistent with the new principle of grace in their soul, they continue to sin and greatly grieve their conscience (Rom. 7). "Yet with earnest purpose they begin to live not only according to some, but according to all the Commandments of God" (HC Q114). And this "earnest purpose" and beginning obedience "to all the commandments of God" and every motivation to good works in the believer's life is done by the Spirit's power in moving the believer's soul to think and live aright. Romans 8:14 states, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

In the process of sanctification, the Holy Spirit imparts a reverence and godly fear for the Lord in the heart of every true believer. The believer no longer views God as the angry Judge, but is now enabled by the Holy Spirit to see Him as a loving heavenly Father. Paul explains, "because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" (Gal. 4:6) This Spirit of adoption implies a hearty sense of gratitude and a principle of supreme love to God, such as a child has towards a forgiving and affectionate father. The Apostle John wrote, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 5:18).

This spirit of love also implies a warm brotherly love toward all those who are members of God's family. This is a new affection that arises from the new relationship we have in Christ, which unites believers with other members of Christ's organic, spiritual body (1 Cor. 12), and now causes us to "¼walk in love, as Christ also has loved us" (Eph. 5:2). And this is a result of "the love of God that has been poured out within our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 5:5). True faith, which is implanted in the soul by the Holy Spirit at regeneration, now motivates believers to so trust God as their Father, "That we may be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and for what is future, have good confidence in our faithful God and Father, that no creature shall separate us from His love" (HC Q28). The remedy for fear in trials that surround believers in this life is to simply return to the childlike faith that one had at conversion-the simple trust that believes "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

Sanctification is beyond our natural power to accomplish on our own, as Paul said to the Galatians, "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:3). Sanctification demands the exercise and operation of the Spirit within us if we will be comforted by His grace. God Himself is the Author of all comfort and He communicates this comfort to every believer through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The early Christians were blessed by this hope and comfort that comes from God, "and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied" (Acts 9:31). Such comfort of the Spirit comes by believing the truth of Scripture; through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, believers are enabled to understand the importance of the Word of God in their lives. Through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit teaches believers the comfort of "¼knowing that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38-39). It's the Holy Spirit who works grace into the believer's heart and comforts him to be assured of the reality of his salvation. "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. 8:16). And "by this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit" (1 Jn. 4:13). Let every believer understand that sanctification is not optional or unimportant in the Christian life. Rather, sanctification is the blessed work of the Holy Spirit who guarantees that the redeemed of Christ will be those who "Sing to the Lord, bless His name, and proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day" (Ps. 96:2).

Pray for the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God in the life of God's people in order that the church would "¼continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb. 13:15).

May the name of the Lord ever be praised!

Rev. Scott Henry
Menno, SD

Today we live in a day of theological confusion, a day when many so-called churches and so-called preachers do not faithfully preach God's Word! 2 Corinthians 2:17: "For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ." The English word "peddling" is translated from the Greek word kap leú, which refers to a merchant who adulterates wine with water for personal gain. The Apostle Paul said in his day there were many peddlers of God's Word who corrupted and watered it down for personal gain. In other words, they ignored the truth and told people what they wanted to hear, no matter how they mangled the text of Scripture, and we have many such peddlers of God's Word in our day. The Apostle Peter said of these "peddlers" that they were "untaught and unstable people" who "twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures." And Jude condemned men who distort the Word of God calling them "clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 2-13).

The prophet Amos prophesied of Israel during his day that the people "shall wander from sea to sea and run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but shall not find it." In the same way, today you can go from place to place seeking the Word of the Lord and not find it because many "preachers" are afraid to preach the Word of God with boldness and conviction. Some have a fear of men, yet the Apostle Paul tells us, in 2 Timothy 1:7, that God has not given us "a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Some men are afraid to preach the Word for fear of offending members of their congregation. But in 1 Peter 2:8, Jesus is called "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." Others fail to boldly preach God's Word because they are what the Apostle Paul calls "men pleasers." However, Galatians 1:10 speaks very clearly to the issue of "men pleasing": "For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men I would not be a slave of Christ." Many others, who call themselves preachers, shrink back from faithfully preaching the Word because they simply don't understand their calling as a herald. Yet the Apostle Paul told the young preacher Timothy to "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2).

Another reason for "church confusion" is that we live in a day when many church members don't hunger and thirst for the faithful preaching of God's Word. We live in a day when many who call themselves Christians would rather be entertained on Sunday morning than hear the faithful preaching of God's Word. The truth really isn't a concern for many people today. Too many ask: "How does it make me feel?" or "Does it work?" But seldom, if ever, do they ask if it's biblical. That's why there's so much distortion in worship, doctrine, and living in the Christian church. Many church members don't even realize how important the truth of God's Word is in the life of the congregation in general, and in the life of every believer in particular. Jesus said in John 17:17: "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth." Therefore, the greatest need for the people of God today, as in every generation, is faithful pastors who never tire of teaching and preaching to their congregations all things Christ has commanded us in His Word (Matt. 28:20), because "man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God" (Matt. 4:4). In John 21:17, Jesus commanded Peter, "Feed My sheep." And the only food given to the pastor to feed the people of God is the Word of God!

Therefore, in a day of such spiritual lethargy and neglect of faithful preaching of God's Word, it is imperative that the church have faithful seminaries to teach and train men to be bold, faithful expositors of God's Word, who stick to the old paths of delivering the Word of God Sunday after Sunday. Heidelberg Theological Seminary is an institution committed to teach and train men to be the faithful preachers, pastors, and expositors of the Word of God that the church so desperately needs. Therefore, every congregation that embraces a covenantal view of Scripture must take seriously the obligation of supporting faithful seminaries, both prayerfully and financially, if our great, great-grandchildren are going to have faithful pastors who boldly preach that Jesus Christ is "The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1:8). And that "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Rev. Scott Henry
Grace RCUS, Lancaster, CA

The recent devastation in Japan ought to cause each of us to fall down on our faces in humility and ask God's forgiveness for our wicked behavior and our squandering of His wonderful gifts. We have behaved very wickedly in the United States and there is absolutely no reason why God should not devastate the U.S. in the same manner as His awesome power has turned Japan upside down, except for His mercy, which we have despised, neglected and scorned. How many of us act as if we are better than many in other countries and therefore think this type of devastation will never happen to us? I tell you the truth, only God's restraining mercy has kept the U.S. from plummeting beneath a 25 foot tsunami. Think how often in this country we call good evil and evil good, and we think God's hand of Providence will never be turned against us? We must repent of our wicked sins, and seek the unmerited grace and mercy of the Almighty God who upholds the galaxies with the Word of His power¼the One who holds the breath of all creatures in His hand, and clearly commands all men everywhere to repent and bow the knee to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

We, the people of the United States, must confess and repent of our scorning of the absolute Truth of God's Word, upon which this nation was established. "The entirety of Your Word is Truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever" (Ps. 119:160). "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Luke 21:33). We must confess and repent of our worship of the god of materialism. "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:51). We must confess and repent of our tolerance of homosexuality. "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them" (Lev. 20:13; see also Rom. 1:22-32). We must confess and repent of our laziness and support of those who are unwilling, but able, to contribute to society by their labor. "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat" (2 Thess. 3:10). We must confess and repent of our killing of unborn children and euthanizing the elderly of our society. "You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13). We must confess and repent of our slothfulness and irresponsible neglect of disciplining our children in the fear and admonishment of the Lord, which has resulted in a nation of selfish, self-centered, covetous people, who think they are entitled to everything on this planet. "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly" (Prov. 13:24). (Many other sins could be listed!)

Lastly, the church of Jesus Christ in the United States ought to be red-faced for too often allowing ourselves to be conformed to the ways of this world rather than being transformed by the renewing of our mind! (Rom. 12:1-2). The church ought to be red-faced for not standing up and bolding proclaiming the Truth of God's Word and letting the chips fall where they may in the midst of an ungodly society. The church ought to be red-faced for losing her salty savor and hiding the light of the Gospel under a bushel basket. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:13-16).

The church ought to be ashamed for not trusting God's Word, but rather living in anxiety and seeking the counsel of "Mr. Worldly Wise," which is foolishness to God. 1 Corinthians 1:20: "Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" The church of Jesus Christ ought to be red of face for seeking first the kingdom of man and worldly prosperity rather than seeking first the kingdom of God and His absolute righteousness! The church of Jesus Christ ought to be red-faced for being embarrassed by our Lord Jesus, Who has bought us by His precious blood; for the church is certainly quiet in our day about proclaiming that the only Way of salvation is through the shed blood and perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ alone, and if you don't come to Him you will die in your sins! And we think that we are not ripe for a devastating tsunami? We walk around thinking this will never happen to us? Remember the Word of our Lord in Luke 13:1-5: "There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.' "

Is there yet hope? Yes! Jesus Christ! He is the only hope for sinners. He is the only one who promises, and who can deliver what He promises, that even if great devastation should come upon us, even if the earth be swallowed up and removed from its place¼nevertheless, nothing, absolutely nothing can ever separate those who trust in Him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Call upon Him, for He promises that all who call upon Him will be saved from all their sins! (Rom. 10:9-13).

"Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud" (Psalm 123).

For Christ's Glory and Kingdom,

Rev. Scott Henry
Grace RCUS, Lancaster, CA

The New Testament word for sanctification is "hagiasmos," and it denotes ethical purification, while including the idea of separation: "the separation of the spirit from all that is impure and polluting, and a renunciation of the sins towards which the desires of the flesh and of the mind lead us" (Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 528). "The word as used in Scripture very probably came from a root which meant to be cut off, or to be separated" (Bavinck, Our Reasonable Faith, 469). Sanctification is the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and lives of believers by which they are made holy, delivered from the filthiness and power of sin, and enabled to live in obedience to the Word of God. In distinction from justification, sanctification is a work of Christ in us (justification is Christ's work for us), a lifelong work (justification is once only), a work in which we become active (in justification we are passive), and a work that removes the pollution of our sin (justification removes the guilt and penalty of sin). Being justified is like an immigrant becoming a legal citizen of his new country. Having become a citizen, however, he begins to learn the language, wear the clothing, eat the food, and adopt the customs of his new land in order to live like a citizen of that country. Sanctification is similar; it is God's people learning to live the life of heaven, which is Christ-likeness. Sanctification, therefore, can be defined as "that process by which the believer is gradually transformed in heart, mind, will, and conduct and conformed more and more to the will of God and to the image of Christ, until at death the disembodied spirit is made perfect in holiness¼" (Murray, Collected Writings. Vol. II, 277)

Sanctification is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit (although Scripture does mention that all three persons of the Godhead are active in sanctification), and it begins with regeneration and grows from that point. Even after the sinner is born anew, the work of the Spirit of God continues in the progressing and growing sanctification of the soul. From the new birth there shall be a new fruit-producing life, or as the Heidelberg Catechism reads, "it is impossible that those who are implanted into Christ by true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness" (Q64). Christ is emphatic in demonstrating the fruit-bearing aspect of the believer; "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them" (Matt. 7:16-20). And likewise He says, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2). This change comes from a true change of the heart (2 Cor. 5:17).

The sanctification of every believer depends solely upon the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit. Though believers become active in doing good works, and they must (Titus 3:8, 14), nevertheless sanctification is always a work of God's grace. When we are sanctified, our salvation is not turned over to us so that we alone become responsible for it. In sanctification we do not suddenly begin to "cooperate" with God so that our salvation is no longer wholly of grace. (Sanctification is monergistic, not synergistic). Though we do good works in sanctification, there is still no merit in these works (Eph. 2:8-10), "¼even though it is God's will to reward them in this life and in that which is to come, the reward comes not of merit, but of grace" (Q63).

Simply stated, man cannot sanctify himself, "for all holiness and sanctification proceeds from God." (Bavinck, Our Reasonable Faith, 469). Gal. 5:25 says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." This operation of the Holy Spirit is accomplished by His will operating within us, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). This walking in the Spirit produces a constant conflict with remaining, indwelling sin, and seeks to put to death the remnant of remaining sin still in the soul. Paul says in Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."

The believer is constantly battling "to put off the old man" while at the same time striving "to put on the new man in Christ." The Apostle Paul told the believers at Ephesus to "¼put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-14). And this is a continuous spiritual battle for the redeemed in this earthly pilgrimage. They truly hate their sin, but, inconsistent with the new principle of grace in their soul, they continue to sin, and greatly grieve their conscience (Rom. 7). "Yet with earnest purpose they begin to live not only according to some, but according to all the commandments of God" (Q114). And this "earnest purpose" and beginning obedience "to all the commandments of God" and every motivation to good works in the believer's life is done by the Spirit's power in moving the believer's soul to think and live aright. Romans 8:14 states, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

In the process of sanctification, the Holy Spirit imparts a reverence and godly fear for the Lord in the heart of every true believer. The believer no longer views God as the angry Judge, but is now enabled by the Holy Spirit to see Him as a loving heavenly Father. Paul explains, "because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" (Gal. 4:6). This Spirit of adoption implies a hearty sense of gratitude and a principle of supreme love to God, such as a child has towards a forgiving and affectionate father. The Apostle John wrote, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 5:18). This spirit of love also implies a warm brotherly love toward all those who are members of God's family. This is a new affection that arises from the new relationship we have in Christ, which unites believers with other members of Christ's organic, spiritual body (1 Cor. 12), and now causes us to "¼walk in love, as Christ also has loved us" (Eph. 5:2). And this is a result of "the love of God that has been poured out within our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 5:5).

True faith, which is implanted in the soul by the Holy Spirit at regeneration, now motivates believers to so trust God as their Father, "That we may be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and for what is future have good confidence in our faithful God and Father, that no creature shall separate us from His love" (Q28). The remedy for fear in trials that surround believers in this life is to simply return to the childlike faith that one had at conversion-the simple trust that believes "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

Sanctification is beyond our natural power to accomplish on our own, as Paul said to the Galatians, "Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:3). Sanctification demands the exercise and operation of the Spirit within us if we will be comforted by His grace. God Himself is the Author of all comfort and He communicates this comfort to every believer through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

The early Christians were blessed by this hope and comfort that comes from God, "And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied" (Acts 9:31). Such comfort of the Spirit comes by believing the truth of Scripture, and through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, believers are enabled to understand the importance of the Word of God in their lives. Through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit teaches believers the comfort of "¼knowing that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38­-39). It's the Holy Spirit who works grace into the believer's heart and comforts him to be assured of the reality of his salvation. "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. 8:16). And "By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit" (1 Jn. 4:13). Let every believer understand that sanctification is not optional or unimportant in the Christian life. Rather, sanctification is the blessed work of the Holy Spirit who guarantees that the redeemed of Christ will be those who "sing to the LORD, bless His name, and proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day" (Ps. 96:2).

Pray for the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God in the life of God's people in order that the church would "¼continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb. 13:15).

May the name of the Lord ever be praised!

Rev. Scott Henry
Menno, SD

Introduction

"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Gen. 1:26)

The first man, Adam, was created as the image of God; and as such, he was called to do the will of God by thinking God's thoughts after Him, declaring God's thoughts in all his words and works, and ruling over the lower creation as God's vice-gerent for the glory and praise of God. And before Adam sinned, he reflected the image of God perfectly. Clearly, man was created a prophet, priest and king under God.

Sin shattered the entire relationship in which Adam stood as a prophet, priest and king under God. His knowledge of God became darkness. The prophet became a liar, and that's what man is today. By our fallen, spiritual nature we are all liars. We don't want God in any of our thinking, but since every man is created as the image of God, the knowledge of the Creator is indelibly etched into our very being. Every man, as the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 1:20, knows enough about God to be left without excuse. Every man knows that God exists, and that we must worship and glorify Him as God. But we deny even this truth in our own minds. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:18-19: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them."

Every fallen, unregenerate man suppresses or holds back the knowledge of God which he knows to be true. He lies to himself by saying, "God doesn't exist. We evolved. There's nothing else in this world but the things we can see." Yet every man sees the wrath of God directed against mankind in all creation because of sin. That is what every man knows of God. But fallen, unregenerate man doesn't want to talk about God. He doesn't want to sing His praise because he doesn't know God as Savior. He only knows God as Judge! That is how every man comes into this world as a child of Adam.

That is why we must have Christ. He came as the Prophet, Priest and King sent from heaven to do the Father's will. We read of Christ in Hebrews 10:7: "Then I said, Behold, I have come; In the volume of the book it is written of Me; To do Your will, O God." As Prophet, Christ stood in the place of His people to glorify the Father in all of His words. While we were yet enemies, Paul writes in Romans 5:8, lying in our sin, shame and death, Christ stood as Prophet in the place of His bride, the church. As Prophet, Christ is and proclaims the good news of the Gospel, and He works His salvation in the soul of every elect sinner by causing them to hear the Savior's voice. 2 Corinthians 4:6 teaches: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

The Believer's Office as Prophet

In Q&A 32 of the Heidelberg Catechism we read: "But why are you called a Christian? Because by faith I am a member of Christ and thus a partaker of His anointing, in order that I also may confess His Name, may present myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to Him, and with a free conscience may fight against sin and the devil in this life, and hereafter in eternity reign with Him over all creatures."

By true faith every believer confesses to be a member of Christ's spiritual body, the church. And as members of Christ we partake in His anointing as God's Prophet so that we may confess His name in all creation. Therefore, every true believer is a prophet as well as a priest and king and is called of God to reflect the glorified and exalted Christ, who lives in us by His Holy Spirit. Christ has come and has realized His threefold office. And He has realized it for us, and now realizes it in us by His Word and Spirit. By the faithful preaching of His Word, the light of God's glory shines upon us in the face of Jesus Christ. Christ prophesies in such a way that He not only gives us understanding of the truth of the Bible, but He lays it upon our hearts, compelling us to speak and to sing the praises of our God. Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."

Christ has spoken the powerful Word of salvation and those who have heard His Word cannot help but proclaim His name in all of creation. The redeemed of the Lord, who are now ruled by the principle of grace, desire to think, speak and live God's thoughts in every area and aspect of their life to the glory and praise of God. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:13: "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "‘I believed and therefore I spoke,'" we also believe and therefore speak." And what we speak, confess and proclaim is the revealed and inscripturated Word of God. We are not prophets in the sense that we are receiving new revelation from God. That age passed with the last apostle and the closing of the canon of Scripture. Hebrews 1:1-2: "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds." God speaks through His Son and His Son speaks in the Word of God for He is the Word of God (Jn. 1:1). Rather we are prophets in that we declare the Word already given to us by God. But the prophetic office of Christ is not the only office of which believers partake.

The Believer's Office as Priest

Jesus is called Christ because He is ordained by God the Father, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, to be our only High Priest, who by the one sacrifice of his body, has redeemed us, and ever lives to make intercession for us with the Father. By true faith we are members of Christ, and therefore we also partake of His anointing as priests under God, presenting ourselves as living sacrifices of thankfulness to Him.

Our priesthood is not one of making payment for sin. That was finished once and forever by Christ for all God's elect. But the sacrifice we offer up as priests is one of continual thankfulness to God. "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15). When we are united to Christ by true faith we are also made partakers of Christ's anointing and we share in His priestly office. And by the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our heart, we are compelled to present ourselves living sacrifices of thankfulness to God.

The effect of Christ's priesthood for us is that we are now free to live unto Him. As High Priest, Christ powerfully works in us so that we are freed from the power of sin in order to serve the true and living God. We are now free to offer ourselves a living sacrifice of thankfulness to Him, who alone deserves all our thanks and praise. We begin even now in this veil of tears to consecrate ourselves unto God in Christ in order "that with our whole life we show ourselves thankful to God for His blessing, and that He be glorified through us" (H.C. #86). And this is first evident by a life of prayer, which the catechism tells us is the chief part of thankfulness which God requires of all those redeemed in Christ (H.C. 116). But we also present our lives as a living sacrifice by striving to walk in devotion to Him in all things. Because of God's grace in us we now "take delight in living according to the will of God in all good works" (H.C. 90).

Because of the great sacrifice of Christ for all those given to Him by the Father (John 6:37), the whole world now belongs to the believer in order that he might serve God by presenting himself as a living sacrifice. Paul said to those who are heirs in Christ Jesus, "Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come; all are yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." (1 Cor. 3:21-22). Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:7: "God has given us all things richly to enjoy," not merely for self-satisfaction, but for the service of our God. In that light it is certainly true, as Scripture teaches, "the little that a righteous man has, is better than the treasures of many wicked." In Christ we are restored to the priestly calling God has given us, so that even if we have little, it is dedicated to God's glory and service. For when we live by faith, acknowledging what God has given us in the priesthood of Jesus Christ, then we take delight when we hear the Word of God in Romans 12:1: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

The Believer's Office as King

As the image of God, man was created prophet, priest and king and was given dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. He was given the anointing to serve God as king in the creation and rule in the name of God over all things.

Because of the fall of Adam, every man now wants to rule without God. By his fallen nature, man is now at war with God and he spends his life trying to keep God out of his every thought. He works with all his might in every area of his life to dethrone God as King of the universe. Apart from Christ, man no longer takes delight in thinking God's thoughts after Him. Fallen, unregenerate man now serves as king of self in every area of life. And apart from the new birth in Christ and His dominion in our life, we are all lying prophets, priests and kings of Satan. We read in 2 Timothy 2:26 that all those apart from Jesus Christ "have been taken captive by him (Satan) to do his will." This is clearly manifested every day by the manner in which the unregenerate man lives.

The purpose of God has never and could never change - Christ shall have dominion! God has set His Son upon His holy hill of Zion. Jesus Christ exercises a kingly authority and power of grace over the souls of all whom He makes subject to Himself by the Gospel. Though the souls of the elect belong to Christ from eternity in the counsel of God; though the Father gave them to Christ, and they are His, and He died for them; yet Satan has possession until Christ sends forth His regenerating Spirit making their hearts subject to the rule of Christ. And those who are citizens in His kingdom are willing subjects to His rule of grace, and they bow their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ! The result of such a spiritual reign of Christ is that the believer repents of his sin, and "with a free conscience fights against sin and the devil in this life, and hereafter in eternity reign with Him over all creatures." This spiritual reign of Christ is manifested in the daily life of every believer by his "heartfelt sorrow for sin, causing him to hate and turn from it always more and more" (H.C. 89). His life is now filled with a "heartfelt joy in God through Christ, causing him to take delight in living according to the will of God in all good works" (H.C. 90).

By true faith, believers now begin to live out of the principle of the new life of Christ within them, and they desire to take dominion in every sphere of life for Christ their King! They now live in enmity over against the wicked ways of this sinful world, which are at war with Christ. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15-17). How shall the subjects of Christ be among the slaves of Satan? Yes, in this world the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan are mingled (Matthew 13:30), and we cannot avoid entirely the company of the ungodly except we go out of the world (1 Cor. 5:7). But the citizens of Christ's kingdom find their fellowship with the saints of God. (2 Cor.6:14-18)

Believers are members of Christ by true faith, and it's His rule that sets us free from the curse of the law. That's what the Catechism refers to when it says "with a free conscience (believers) may fight against sin and the devil in this life..." When we stand in Christ we are no longer under the curse of the law, since Christ bore that curse for us on the cross! Jesus said in John 8:36: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." That freedom is not a freedom from the Law of God as a rule of life. It is exactly in the freedom of Christ that we begin to live according to the Law of God in all good works (H.C. #90, 91), even though we have only a small beginning of such obedience in this life (H.C. #114). The man who rejects the Law of God demonstrates that he does not live out of the principle of grace in Christ, but is still under the bondage of sin.

Yes, sin is still in the believer, and the old man remains under bondage, but the new man in Christ now has dominion. And though the power of sin is still within the believer, its dominion is abolished. Now we delight in the law of God after the inward man (Romans 7:22), even though we see that other law in our members. No longer under the dominion of sin, we now serve the law of God and fight against sin and Satan every day by the Word and Spirit of Christ.

We are called Christians because we are members of Christ by true faith, and partakers of His anointing, and therefore as kings in Him, we shall after this life reign with Him eternally, over all creatures. How blessed are we who have been brought by grace under Christ's dominion! For with the eyes of faith we can see our eternal King leading us to heaven where we shall reign with Him forevermore. As partakers of Christ's anointing, the Christian is truly a prophet, priest & king for the glory, honor and praise of God!

An Exhortation to Graduates from Ecclesiastes

Do you know what life is all about and why you're in this world, in this particular place and at this particular time? After all your years of schooling can you finally say that you understand the meaning of life and why you're here and how you got here? May I be so bold as to say, that unless all your studies had the Bible as their very foundation, then you have no idea how to answer these questions. You see, these are questions that ONLY the Bible can answer because the Bible Alone is God's Word to man. Mathematics, Science, Geography, History & Social Studies are all meaningless apart from a foundation on God's Word. And language courses are at a loss to explain why there are so many diverse tongues in this world unless they begin with Genesis, the first book of the Bible. And that's why we read in Ecclesiastes 12:1: "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth."

The Book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, and it's a book in the Bible that gives us the only true world and life view, and it answers all the questions which are in the heart of every person! The Bible Alone tells us why we are here, how we got here, what life is all about and what our purpose is in this life!

Your Pursuits and Purpose

And in Ecclesiastes, Solomon demonstrates that all the pursuits of man are vain and empty and add up to nothing, and bring only sorrow and suffering in a life that's lived apart from faith in God. If you read Ecclesiastes you'll see that Solomon gave himself for a time in the pursuit of materialism, which is thinking that life only consists in the things you possess. Solomon possessed houses, vineyards, gardens, fruit trees, water pools, servants, silver and gold, male and female singers and livestock-he had it all, but he soon discovered that this is only vanity. Jesus said in Luke 12:15: "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

Solomon also pursued pleasure: sex, alcohol, laughter and partying, but he also discovered that apart from living for God, these things are only emptiness and vanity. Solomon then pursued academic studies and what we might call humanism: trying to do good. But again he came to the same conclusion;-that apart from living one's life in the service of God, all these things are empty, unfulfilling and only produce a life of misery that ends in despair and destruction. And so Solomon comes to a conclusion of the whole matter at the end of the book of Ecclesiastes-there's only one proper view of life. Because God is the Creator and we are His creatures, who are created as His image, there can only be one purpose for man and only one thing under heaven that is fulfilling in the life of every person-Solomon says: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man!"

The Bible teaches us that the whole purpose of life is simply to fear God, which is a holy reverence and childlike trust in God! And you demonstrate that you fear God by loving and serving Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, which means you bow to His Word! You see, love for God is demonstrated by obedience to His Commandments. Jesus said in John 14:21: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." And Scripture teaches that we only obey when we are reconciled to God by grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. When you have true faith you confess your sin and unworthiness, and true faith motivates you to praise, honor and worship God in all you do!

2007 Graduates: Are you trusting Christ? Have you been reconciled to the Creator through faith in Jesus Christ? You see, to remember your Creator means to trust Him in everything and for everything!

God's Judgement

Solomon also teaches in Ecclesiastes 11:9 that youth is a blessing and something to be enjoyed. But he also says the joy of youth must be balanced with the reminder that "God will bring you into judgment." In other words, your adult life is going to reveal the quality of your youth, so don't let your youth be days of vanity and emptiness. Don't think you'll become serious about worshipping and serving God when you get older and that today you can do whatever you want. If that's your outlook, your life is empty and vain. You must now begin serious thought as to your relationship to God and your place of service to Him in this world. Youth is not a time for following the idols of this present evil world or drifting along without a purpose. Solomon says "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth!" The most important thing for you to be focused on in the days of your youth is God.

Remember Your Creator

Solomon says: "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth." What he means by remembering God your Creator is that all your life long, but especially in the days of your youth, you must remember that you have your existence from God. You did not develop by some evolutionary process, nor do you exist as a result of some "big bang." You are not a product of blind chance, nor a genetic code that somehow came into being through a process of millions of years. The Bible declares that God made you! We read in Acts 17:28: "for in Him you live and move and have your being." He determined your purpose and God alone can satisfy you! Remember this teaching as you go out into the world to secure a job or go off to college to gain more education. Whatever avenue you pursue-"Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth!"

And you exist for one purpose: to worship and serve God. Therefore, you are accountable to Him in all that you think, say and do! Remember that! You have one purpose in life: to worship and serve the God of the Bible. If you miss this purpose, your life is empty and vain, no matter what you might accomplish in this life. Only in knowing God your Creator, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, will your life have great significance and purpose!

Now is the Day of Salvation!

And did you notice the word now? "Remember now your Creator." It means that trusting in God for salvation is now-never later. You cannot say to God, "Later." Later may not come. "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:13-14) That's why we read in 2 Corinthians 6:2: "For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Remember God now in your entertainment and in the friends you choose. Remember God now in deciding whom you should marry and what vocation you will pursue. Remember God now when you're tempted to sin, and in the clothes you wear, and in places you frequent. Remember God now in all that you think, say and do. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them."

Graduates, you must remember now your Creator in the days of your youth if you will have the strength to live in the days of old age, which are often days of trial and testing. Once again, the foundation for your life is laid in the days of your youth. Therefore, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil." May God give each of you the grace to "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth" as you prepare to make your way out into the world!

"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Every Lord's Day we confess the Apostle's Creed, but how often do we think about the article: "He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty." How often do we think about the fact that every day we live in the blessedness of Christ's ascension? This is exactly what the writer to the Hebrews reminds us of when he says, "Jesus is our great High Priest, who has passed through the heavens" (Hebrews 4:14).

The book of Hebrews was written to encourage believers who were struggling against sin and needed a word of encouragement concerning their salvation in Christ. They needed to know the sweet assurance of salvation in Christ in order to have confidence to fight the good fight of faith. And the writer to the Hebrews gives every believer this confidence when he says that mercy and grace to help in time of need are always available because Jesus, our great High Priest, has ascended into heaven and now sits enthroned in majesty on high. "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession" (Hebrews 4:14). This verse focuses our attention on the ascended Christ so that believers will have confidence to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

You see, "a great high priest who has passed through the heavens" stands in contrast to the earthly high priest in the nation of Israel, who passed through the veil of the temple to offer the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement. In the Old Testament Leviticial Priesthood, the high priest went into the Holy of Holies behind the curtains to make atonement for sin. He passed out of view even as Jesus did when he was taken up into heaven, but his ministry was on earth. And every time the high priest did the work of atonement, he went into an earthly tabernacle as the only one that could make this offering as the mediator of the people before God. But he first had to offer sacrifice for his own sins, then for the sins of the people. Hebrews 9:7: "But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance." The earthly high priest was but a foreshadow of the great High Priest to come. But since the sacrificial work of the earthly high priest was only temporary, he had to do this same ritual year by year. The repetition served as a reminder to the people that the true sacrifice, "the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), the one sacrifice that could never be repeated, was yet to come. It was also a reminder of their sins and how "it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:3-4).

When the high priest in office completed his duty of offering blood on the mercy seat, he returned through the veil, out of the Holy of Holies, and back to the people. The next year he did the same thing. But that was not the case with our Lord. After His sin- atoning death on the cross, He rose from the dead, appeared to many witnesses, and then "passed through the heavens." This means there is no more Day of Atonement! There is nothing more required by God to satisfy His justice in forgiving sinners. Hebrews 10:12: "But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God." Jesus didn't enter into the Holy of Holies on earth; He was the great High Priest who passed through the heavens because He finished the redemptive work the Father sent Him to do. He now appears in heaven on behalf of all those whom the Father gave Him to redeem (John 6:37), as QandA 49 of the Heidelberg Catechism says, "He is our Advocate in the presence of His Father in heaven." And it's a constant source of encouragement to remember that we have this kind of great High Priest. Therefore, when you struggle with the assurance of your salvation, remember that Jesus Christ has "passed through the heavens" and now sits as our Advocate in the presence of the Father! The work of atonement has been completed. Rest in what Christ has done! "We have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that He as the Head will also take us, His members, up to Himself" (H/C 49). He who is God the Son continues as the true Man Jesus Christ, representing us before the Father; One person with two natures: human and divine. And it's for this reason that we "have a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses...One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was tempted, but was without sin. And this is crucial because if He had sinned then He would have needed a sacrifice for His own sins, and he could not be the perfect sacrifice and high priest that we need. But Scripture is clear; Christ was tempted in every point like us, but He did not sin (Matthew 4). Therefore He can sympathize with our weaknesses! As a man, Jesus knew the loneliness of betrayal, the heartache of rejection, and the grief of his friend's death. Jesus Christ knows the human experience, and is intimately acquainted with our every weakness and temptation. And so the writer to the Hebrews exhorts every believer by saying "let us hold fast our confession," and when we struggle in this life against sin, sorrow and suffering, "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

This is one of the most important contrasts between the Old and New Covenants. The people in the Old Testament could not draw near to the very presence of God with boldness. They were kept at a distance. They were insulated by all of the types and shadows of the ceremonial law. Only the high priest was permitted to go into the Holy of Holies, but only once a year. Also, only the priests entered into the outer chamber called the Holy Place, and they were only permitted to come with sacrifices. The whole emphasis was upon keeping your distance because God is holy and we are not. But now the writer of Hebrews says, "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace" because we have our great High Priest in heaven. He has entered in before us, and ministers before God in behalf of every believer. "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). A citizen in a kingdom had no right to come with boldness before the throne of his king. To do so would be to lose your life. Just think of the account of Esther and King Ahasuerus in Esther 4:11: "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live." But this is not the case with our King! We are called "to come boldly to the throne of grace" which can also be translated, "draw near with confidence." And "to come boldly" is a present tense verb in the Greek which means drawing near to God with confidence ought to be our regular practice. It literally means to keep on continually coming boldly to the throne of grace! Moment-by-moment and day-by-day we are to come before the throne of grace for the mercy we need. And, as believers, we are to come with "confidence" and with a sense of assurance before our God because we are clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ who is seated on the throne of grace. Notice it's not called the throne of judgment, but "the throne of grace." This is because Christ suffered the judgment of God against the sin of every believer. Christ was the propitiation for our sins! He was our scapegoat who satisfied the justice of God, and now, by faith, every believer has the right and duty to come before the throne of grace to find abundance of "mercy and grace in the time of need."

There's an abundance of mercy and grace awaiting every believer who comes boldly to the throne of grace because our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, the One who sympathizes with our every weakness, has ascended triumphantly behind the veil and has entered into the Holy of Holies on our behalf. "Therefore, seeing that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16).