Sunday 27 January 2013

Why christian don't go to carnal war




Thy shalt love thy neigbour has thy self Exodus 20, Cor 13

A new commandment give I unto you love one another even has I have love You

I came not to destroy but to save that which was lost.

Thou shalt not kill Exodus 20,

Render not evil for evil but over come evil with good!

Then said Jesus to him ''put up again your sword into his place , for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Matt 26:52-54

Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the sons of God.

 It is written vengeance is my saith the Lord. Heb 10:30, Romans 12:19
                                                                     

Origen: Why Christians Don't Go to War

In the next place, Celsus urges us "to help the king with all our might, and to labour with him in the maintenance of justice, to fight for him; and if he requires it, to fight under him, or lead an army along with him." To this our answer is, that we do, when occasion requires, give help to kings, and that, so to say, a divine help, "putting on the whole armour of God."136 And this we do in obedience to the injunction of the apostle, "I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; "137 and the more any one excels in piety, the more effective help does he render to kings, even more than is given by soldiers, who go forth to fight and slay as many of the enemy as they can. And to those enemies of our faith who require us to bear arms for the commonwealth, and to slay men, we can reply: "Do not those who are priests at certain shrines, and those who attend on certain gods, as you account them, keep their hands free from blood, that they may with hands unstained and free from human blood offer the appointed sacrifices to your gods; and even when war is upon you, you never enlist the priests in the army. If that, then, is a laudable custom, how much more so, that while others are engaged in battle, these too should engage as the priests and ministers of God, keeping their hands pure, and wrestling in prayers to God on behalf of those who are fighting in a righteous cause, and for the king who reigns righteously, that whatever is opposed to those who act righteously may be destroyed!" And as we by our prayers vanquish all demons who stir up war, and lead to the violation of oaths, and disturb the peace, we in this way are much more helpful to the kings than those who go into the field to fight for them. And we do take our part in public affairs, when along with righteous prayers we join self-denying exercises and meditations, which teach us to despise pleasures, and not to be led away by them. And none fight better for the king than we do. We do not indeed fight under him, although he require it; but we fight on his behalf, forming a special army-an army of piety-by offering our prayers to God.




 
 

Chapter LXXIV.
And if Celsus would have us to lead armies in defence of our country, let him know that we do this too, and that not for the purpose of being seen by men, or of vainglory. For "in secret," and in our own hearts, there are prayers which ascend as from priests in behalf of our fellow-citizens. And Christians are benefactors of their country more than others. For they train up citizens, and inculcate piety to the Supreme Being; and they promote those whose lives in the smallest cities have been good and worthy, to a divine and heavenly city, to whom it may be said, "Thou hast been faithful in the smallest city, come into a great one,"138 where "God standeth in the assembly of the gods, and judgeth the gods in the midst; "and He reckons thee among them, if thou no more "die as a man, or fall as onChapter LXXVCelsus also urges us to "take office in the government of the country, if that is required for the maintenance of the laws and the support of religion." But we recognise in each state the existence of another national organization founded by the Word of God, and we exhort those who are mighty in word and of blameless life to rule over Churches. Those who are ambitious of ruling we reject; but we constrain those who, through excess of modesty, are not easily induced to take a public charge in the Church of God. And those who rule over us well are under the constraining influence of the great King, whom we believe to be the Son of God, God the Word. And if those who govern in the Church, and are called rulers of the divine nation-that is, the Church-rule well, they rule in accordance with the divine commands, and never suffer themselves to be led astray by worldly policy. And it is not for the purpose of escaping public duties that Christians decline public offices, but that they may reserve themselves for a diviner and more necessary service in the Church of God-for the salvation of men. And this service is at once necessary and right. They take charge of all-of those that are within, that they may day by day lead better lives, and of those that are without, that they may come to abound in holy words and in deeds of piety; and that, while thus worshipping God truly, and training up as many as they can in the same way, they may be filled with the word of God and the law of God, and thus be united with the Supreme God through His Son the Word, Wisdom, Truth, and Righteousness, who unites to God all who are resolved to conform their lives in all things to the law of God.


Small article of a boy after a nuclear attack in Japan and the pain and suffering inflicted on him because of carnal warfare

 A Boy Who Received Radiation Burns On His Whole Body
This boy had thermal burns on more than one-third of his body, and his chest and the left side of his belly were seriously injured. He managed to leave the hospital after 3 years and 7 months. This person, who miraculously recovered, is now a father of two children, and recollects what happened then; "At that time I was riding a red bicycle on the streets of Sumiyoshi township (about 2 kilometres from the hypocenter). I was 16 years old, and it was my second year as a telegram messenger. The moment of face, I was blinded by the flash and thrown 3 meters away by the blast that came from my rear left, and my bicycle was twisted and bent. It was strange that I was not bleeding and did not feel any pain until I reached an underground shelter 300 meters away. The moment I reached the shelter, I felt severe pain in my back, which ran through my whole body. From then on, for three days and three nights, I kept on groaning in the shelter, and on the fourth day I was finally rescued and sent to a first-aid station." "In the early stages, the only treatment I received for my burns was the application of a mixture of ash and oil as a substitute for medicine. I do not know how many times I yelled "kill me!" because of the severe pain and desperate feeling." "Thereafter, as a result of the several operations I underwent, I escaped death and returned to work. Since I have once given up my life, I wish to dedicate my new life to the struggle against atomic bombs."



























Saturday 26 January 2013

Gambling and the Gospel Edited by Victor.S



Is Gambling Moral or Immoral?Lotteries, Casinos, Slot Machines, and the Bible

Gambling: Is it moral or immoral to gamble? A Bible study about the lottery, betting, wagers, casinos, roullette, slot machines, and raffles. What does the word of God teach?


Gambling or "gaming" for stakes is becoming increasingly popular. A person can bet by lottery, casino, poker, slot machines, raffles, office pools, sports wagers, or online betting. But does God view it as moral or immoral? Should a Christian gamble? What does the Bible say? What about gambling addiction?


 

Introduction:


Gambling is big business.


Consider the following facts:

* Nearly all states allow some form of legalized "gaming." Many allow legal casinos and even more have a lottery. In addition, much gambling is still illegal.

* Americans gamble more money each year than they spend on groceries!

* In Mississippi more money is spent on betting than on all retail sales combined.

* 85% of young people have already become gamblers.

* Usually the people who gamble the most are the people who can afford it the least: the poor and the elderly.

[All statistics cited are from Dr. James Dobson, who served on the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, whose report was issued in 1999.]

The purpose of this study is to consider whether or not gambling is morally acceptable.


We hope to discuss what constitutes gambling and what the teaching of Jesus Christ says regarding its moral significance. Since the Bible is the highest moral standard ever known, and since it reveals the will of the God who created us all, we will appeal to it as the supreme standard (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 1 Cor. 14:37; John 17:17; Matt. 7:21-27).

Note: The following study was written primarily to warn people about the dangers of gambling. For those who already know the dangers of the problem and are looking for Bible information to help the overcome it, we suggest you read our free articles about How to Change Yourself (Self-improvement) and You Can Serve God Successfully. See other helpful articles in the links at the end of this article.



Part I: What Gambling Is




A. Definition of Gambling


In this study "gambling" refers to a wager or bet in which each player agrees to risk losing some material possession to other players in exchange for the chance to win the possessions of other players without compensation to the loser, the winner(s) and loser(s) being determined by the outcome of a game.

Please note four essential elements of gambling in this definition:

1. A game of chance or skill - any event of uncertain outcome.


This may be a game the gamblers play among themselves or may be some event that would have occurred anyway (such as the outcome of an election or sports event).

2. The stakes


Each player places at risk some possession of material value.

3. The agreement (wager or bet)


Before the game each player agrees to risk losing his possession in exchange for the opportunity to take the possessions of others, depending on the outcome of the game.

4. Lack of fair compensation


No goods or services of fair value are given in exchange for what is lost. The loser will give up his possessions without being recompensed, and the winner will gain possessions without repaying the loser.

B. Activities That Are Not Gambling


People sometimes confuse the issue by claiming that certain acts are gambling, even though some essential elements of gambling are missing.

Crossing the street, driving a car


Some people say, "Everything in life involves a gamble." This confuses risk with gambling. Not all risks involve gambling. These acts involve no wager and no stakes. There is no agreement to try to take someone else's possessions.

Games without stakes or bets


The same games, on which people sometimes bet, can be played simply for fun with no possessions put at risk. This too is not gambling.

Farming, owning a business, etc.


Some say this is gambling because one risks losing money. But again there is no wager, but there is compensation. There is no agreement to take other people's property without compensation. The intent is to produce goods or services of benefit to others in exchange for that which benefits us. This is expressly authorized in Scripture.

Investing in stock


Some say this is gambling, but what is stock? Stock is a means for people to become part owners of a company. Buying stock is no more inherently gambling than is ownership of any other business. The intent is to make a profit by producing something of benefit to customers. Investors receive their share of these profits in the form of dividends or increases in the value of the stock.

Further, when stock is sold, both buyer and seller agree on the price. There is no wager - no prior agreement to risk loss at another's expense. If either thinks the price is unfair, they refuse to deal. (It may be possible to gamble or otherwise sin in the stock market, but buying stock does not inherently constitute gambling.)

Buying insurance


Some think insurance is gambling. But again, there is no wager and there is compensation. No one agrees to gain at the expense of someone else's loss. On the contrary, the whole purpose of insurance is to compensate the insured if he does have a loss (such as death, car wreck, hospitalization, etc.). If no such loss occurs, the customer has purchased the peace of mind of knowing he would have been compensated if he had experienced a loss. Regardless of whether or not this is a wise investment, the point here is that it is not gambling.

In short, none of these examples constitute gambling, since no one necessarily wants uncompensated losses to occur. But the gambler always wants financial loss to occur, because he hopes to profit from those losses.

C. Activities That Are Gambling


In the following examples, all the elements of gambling are present.

* Casino gambling: slot machines, roulette wheels, dice and card games, numbers games, etc., played for stakes.

* Racetrack betting on horses, dogs.

* Lotteries.

* Charity and church-sponsored bingo, raffles, etc. If someone says, "It's for a good cause," then just make a donation and skip the gambling!

* Bazaar and fair booths where you pay to spin a wheel and try to win a prize, etc.

* Amateur gambling including poker games for money, office pools, matching quarters for cokes or coffee, playing marbles for keeps. Also included are some athletic leagues where winners are not just awarded a trophy or plaque, but players put money into a "kitty" then play to try to win some of the money.

Even if small amounts of money are involved, such activities still violate Bible principles. Further, they establish a precedent that makes it impossible for one to consistently object to other people's gambling. Where do you draw the line and say, "This much money risked is all right, but any more is immoral?"



Part II: Objections to Gambling




The word "gamble" is not found in the Bible, yet the practice violates Bible principles regardless of the amount of money involved.

A. Rules for Transfer of Property


The Bible authorizes only three morally legitimate ways for money or possessions to pass from one owner to another. Gambling fits none of them.

1. The law of labor ("the work ethic")


One may be paid as compensation for work done to produce goods or services that benefit other people. Scripture strongly teaches this "work ethic."

1 Timothy 5:18 - The laborer is worthy of his wages. [Luke 10:7]

Ephesians 4:28 - Do not steal but labor at good (beneficial) work.

1 Thessalonians 4:11,12 - To meet our needs, we should do our own business and work for an income (not take what other people earned). [Matt. 20:1-15; James 5:4]

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 - Like Paul, people should work so they can eat their own bread (not other people's bread). If they will not work, they should not eat.

We must not try to live off the labors of others. We can expect goods or services from others only as compensation for work we do that produces something of benefit (that which is good - Eph. 4:28). Gambling undermines the Biblical work ethic because, instead of accomplishing productive labor that benefits others, the gambler seeks to get something for nothing by taking what other people have earned.

If someone claims that gamblers must work to win, we respond that this is not the labor described in these verses, because it produces nothing of benefit to others. Instead it attempts to take what others have, without compensating them. A thief also must do some labor; but such "work" is forbidden because it is harmful to others, not beneficial. If gambling were Scriptural labor, then all gamblers should be paid because all are laboring to win.

Someone may argue, "Gamblers are just paying for a form of entertainment." However, in legitimate entertainment the entertainers are paid a predetermined fee for providing a service to others. But gamblers are all providing the same "service" for one another; so if gambling were legitimate entertainment, then all participants should be paid or all should pay. The gambler does not want the other players to profit; he wants to profit at their expense! This violates the principle that the laborer is worthy of his hire.

Gambling undermines the work ethic and leads people to seek to profit by causing loss to others.

(Other scriptures are: 1 Cor. 9:7-10; Gen. 3:17-19; Prov. 31:24; Acts 18:3.)

2. The law of exchange


A person may simply agree to exchange possessions (goods or money) with someone else. Each party is paid or fairly compensated by receiving possessions of fair value in return for what he gives up. Bible examples are:

Genesis 23:1-18 - Abraham bought a field and a cave for money.

Matthew 13:45,46 - A merchant sold possessions to buy a pearl.

John 4:8 - Disciples bought food.

Note that, in a fair transaction, both parties receive what they view as fair value compared to what they give up. Neither party should attempt to take other people's property without giving fair value in exchange. But again gambling does not fit here, because the winner has no intention to compensate the loser. In fact, each gambler hopes other people will lose so he can take their property, while at the same time he hopes no one will take his property. This violates the law of exchange.

(Other passages: Gen. 33:19; Prov. 31:16; Acts 4:34,37.)

3. The law of giving


A person may knowingly choose, of his own free will, to unconditionally give something away as an expression of good will or kindness, with no obligation for the receiver to offer any compensation in return. Bible examples are:

Ephesians 4:28 - One who has earned goods by his own labor may choose to give to others in need.

2 Corinthians 9:6,7 - We should give willingly and cheerfully, not grudgingly. Note: If gambling fits this, then we should all gamble bountifully!

Acts 20:35 - It is more blessed to give than to receive. Do gamblers consider giving to be more blessed than receiving?

1 John 3:17,18; 1 Corinthians 13:3 - Giving must be motivated by love, compassion, and desire to help others. Is this what motivates gamblers? No, they agree to give (if they lose) only because they want to win what others possess!

Again, gambling does not fit this category because gamblers do not give willingly, freely, as an act of love or compassion.

(Other passages: Matt. 19:21; 25:35; 2:11; Acts 2:45; 4:34,35)

God authorizes three legitimate ways for people to obtain property from others. Gambling not only does not fit any of them, but it clearly contradicts and undermines them. Hence, it is a morally illegitimate way of obtaining others' possessions. If it does not fit these categories, then what category does it fit? Consider the next point.

B. Covetousness and Greed


The Bible repeatedly warns against greed and covetousness.


Ephesians 5:5-7; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 - Those who covet will not receive the kingdom of God, but God's wrath abides on them.

Romans 1:29-32 - They are worthy of death, and so are those who approve or encourage their conduct.

1 Corinthians 5:11 - Church members who practice it should be disciplined.

(See also Deut. 5:21; Mark 7:20-23; 1 Tim. 6:6-10; 2 Tim. 3:2; Prov. 1:19; 21:26; 15:27; Heb. 13:5.)

What is covetousness and greed?


In general covetousness is the desire to wrongfully take someone else's property. It is "a desire for the increasing of one's substance by appropriating that of others" (Baker's Dictionary of Theology). So a person is covetous if he wants to take other people's property in a way not authorized by God.

Note some Bible passages.

Acts 20:33-35 - Paul did not covet other people's property but was willing to work to earn what he needed. So covetousness contrasts with the legitimate means for obtaining the property of others. Clearly gambling fits the definition of covetousness.

2 Corinthians 9:5-7 - If a person is compelled to give property against his will ("grudgingly or of necessity"), instead of cheerfully out of generosity, this is here called "covetousness" (v5 - KJV). A legitimate gift involves willingly choosing to give as a gesture of good will and kindness.

If we seek to take someone else's property which he really does not want to give, while at the same time we seek to avoid giving him fair compensation in return, that would be covetousness. Yet this is exactly what gambling involves.

Efforts to rationalize gambling


Someone may say, "Gamblers agree to pay up if they lose, so they do give it willingly." But it is not done in the spirit of good will that the Bible describes, else why does the gambler try to keep others from taking his possessions?

The truth is, gambling is mutual covetousness like dueling is mutual attempted murder. In dueling, each person agrees to let the other person try to kill him in exchange for the opportunity to try to kill the other person. But killing would still be unauthorized regardless of the agreement (Romans 13:8-10). So a gambler agrees to let others try to take his possessions in exchange for the opportunity for him to try to take the other person's possessions. And it is still covetousness, just like dueling is still attempted murder. The agreement simply makes both parties guilty of sin!

Someone else may say, "It's just a friendly game. We don't really care whether we win or lose the money." A professional gambler once told me that people gamble, not to make money, but for the thrill, the high, the excitement.

Have these folks been listening to the advertisements? The people who provide the gambling know that people do care about the money, and that's the way they advertise it.

If people don't gamble for the money, why not leave the money out of it and just play for fun? If you say, "the money makes it more exciting," then I ask why so, if you don't care about the money! The only possible reason why the money makes it more exciting, is that gamblers do care about the money! So the money does matter, and therefore gambling really is covetousness.

When a person wants to take someone else's property that they really don't want to give and without returning fair value in exchange, that person is guilty of covetousness. And that is exactly what the gambler does.

C. The Principle of Stewardship


We are stewards of possessions that belong to God.


1 Peter 4:10,11 - We are stewards of God's manifold blessings and should use these blessings to glorify God "in all things." A steward is a servant who has been entrusted to use his master's property to achieve the master's purposes. The master will judge the steward for how well he used the property. [Luke 12:42-46; 2 Chron. 28:1; 1 Cor. 4:1,2]

Psalm 24:1,2; 50:10-12 - Material property is part of our stewardship in that God ultimately owns all physical things but has entrusted them to us.

1 Timothy 6:9,10,17-19 - Instead of being greedy and loving physical things, we should use them to accomplish God's purposes. This includes providing for the needs of ourselves and our families, giving to the church, preaching the gospel, and helping the needy. Our material possessions are not ours to use as we please. We must use them to do God's will and then give account to Him for our use of them.

[Haggai 2:8; 1 Chron. 29:11-14; Acts 4:32-35; 1 John 2:15-17; Deut. 10:14]

The gambler is an unfaithful steward.


Luke 16:1,2 - Instead of using the Master's possessions for the intended purpose, the unfaithful steward wastes them or risks losing them for selfish purposes. This is exactly what the gambler does. [Matthew 25:14-30]

To illustrate, suppose you give some money to a friend for safekeeping. But then, without your permission, he uses your money as his stakes for gambling. Whether he won or lost, would you not confront him for misusing your money? For his own self-indulgence he risked losing what belonged to you.

But every gambler gambles with money that belongs to God without His permission. He wastes his master's substance and risks losing it in unauthorized activities for his own selfishness. God will hold him accountable.

D. The Law of Love


Matthew 22:39 - The second greatest command is "love your neighbor as yourself." Does the gambler love his neighbor as he loves himself?

Luke 6:27; 1 John 3:16-18 - Loves leads us to do good, not harm, even to our enemies. Note that coveting violates the law of love because it does harm our neighbor (Romans 13:8-10). Love does not seek to profit by taking what belongs to others against their will and without compensation. But the very essence of gambling is hoping other people will lose, so you can profit at their loss.

Matthew 7:12 - Do to others as you want them to do to you. Does the gambler want the other players to take his possessions? No! Then he must not try to take theirs! By definition, gambling violates the law of love because a gambler tries to do to others what he does not want them to do to him.

1 Corinthians 13:5 - Love seeketh not its own.

Philippians 2:4 - We should seek, not just our own interests, but the interests of others. Gambling, by its nature, is selfish and self-seeking. The gambler seeks personal gain and profit by taking other people's possessions without requiting them. Such is completely contrary to love.

E. A Root of Evil


A Bible principle


1 Timothy 6:9,10 - Love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Greed leads to many foolish and hurtful lusts, many sorrows, etc. If gambling is greed, as we have claimed, then we should expect to find it associated with all kinds of sin and immorality.

Matthew 7:16-19 - A tree is known by its fruits. A corrupt tree will surely produce corrupt fruits. If so, it should be destroyed (v19). Hence, if gambling produces many forms of evil, this will confirm our conclusion that gambling is evil of itself.

The fruits caused by and associated with gambling


* Poverty, neglect of families, quarreling, and divorce because gamblers often gamble with money the family needs.

One out of every five homeless people admit that gambling contributed to their poverty. Among the states Nevada, long known for gambling, has the highest rate of divorce and the highest rate of high school dropouts. Even casino owner Donald Trump admitted: "People will spend a tremendous amount of money in casinos, money that they would normally spend on buying a refrigerator or a new car."

And interestingly, about one third of all millionaire lottery winners end up in poverty again afterward!

* Anger, hatred, and even murder directed by the losers against the winners, especially if the losers think they have been cheated.

* Drinking and drugs, alcoholism and addiction. These always abound where gambling occurs. Gamblers who lose seek to drown their sorrow and guilt. One tenth of all southern Nevadans are alcoholics.

* Lying because gamblers seek to hide their habit and their losses.

* Crime - Much gambling is illegal. Gambling of all kinds attracts criminal types and is often sponsored by organized crime syndicates. Gamblers often deal drugs, embezzle, or steal to get money to gamble or to pay gambling debts.

* Influence on government - Why don't lawmakers outlaw gambling? It provides government money without raising taxes. But more importantly, the overwhelming majority of both Republicans and Democrats receive major campaign contributions from gambling interests.

* Prostitution, lasciviousness, and general sexual immorality because of the immoral entertainment provided in gambling houses, and because many women use these means to get money to gamble or to pay gambling debts. The Las Vegas Yellow Pages list 136 pages of advertisements relating to prostitution.

* Suicide as an escape from compulsive gambling or from huge losses. Nevada is first in the nation in suicides.

Truly, "by their fruits ye shall know them," and "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil."

F. Temptation and Evil Influence


Like drinkers and drug abusers, gamblers begin by thinking they can avoid the dangers involved. But participation lures them in deeper and subjects them to the moral dangers associated with gambling. Is it worth the risk?

Note some passages that warn us to avoid taking such risks for the sake of our own self-indulgence.

1 Timothy 6:9 - Those who love money (v10) and are minded to be rich fall into temptation, a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts. Surely no one can deny that temptation is associated with gambling.

Matthew 6:13; 26:41 - We should pray to avoid evil and temptation. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. Is it right to pray to avoid temptation and then deliberately subject ourselves to it, simply for the sake of passing pleasure? Note James 4:3; Matthew 18:6-9.

1 Corinthians 15:33 - Evil companions corrupt good morals. Yet all gambling puts us in the company of evil men and tempts us to participate in other sins.

Proverbs 13:20 - Keeping company with wise men will make us wise, but associating with morally and spiritually foolish people will cause us to suffer. [24:1,2]

Surely the gambler is running with the wrong crowd, subjecting himself to temptation exactly like these passages forbid. Many people will be lost eternally because of gambling's influence. Why submit ourselves to the danger?

G. Example and Influence


Gamblers not only sin and tempt themselves to sin, they also tempt others to sin.

Consider these passages.


1 Timothy 4:12 - Set a good example in word, manner of life, love, faith, and purity. Does the gambler set this kind of example?

Matthew 5:13-16 - Our lives should be like a light so others may see our good works and glorify God. Who will glorify God from seeing you gamble?

Matthew 18:6,7 - Woe to one who tempts others to sin. It is better to be drowned than to be guilty of this.

Whom does the gambler tempt to sin?


* Young people - As with smoking, drinking, and drug abuse, most gamblers start young because of the influence of others: friends, relatives, older people they respect. If you gamble, your example may lead some young person to start or continue gambling.

He may then become trapped in the sins involved in and associated with gambling. If so, you will also be held responsible for his fate. Do you want this on your conscience?

* Reformed compulsive gamblers - As with alcoholics and drug addicts, when a compulsive gambler quits, he must never again return to the practice or he immediately becomes an addict again. If he sees or knows you gamble, your example encourages him to try the practice again. If he does, he is immediately addicted again. And you are responsible.

* Non-Christians - Many people who are not Christians know that gambling is very un-Christlike. If you gamble, you may never be able to lead them

to hear the soul-saving gospel. Yet the Bible plainly obligates you to do all you can to help other people be saved (1 Corinthians 8-10). The gambler will never be a successful soul-saver (Prov. 11:30).

No one gambles alone. If you gamble, you must gamble with others. So every gambler has a bad influence on someone. The only way to avoid this problem is simply to avoid gambling altogether.

Conclusion


We may consider other points regarding gambling. Much gambling is illegitimate. And those who begin gambling legally often end up gambling illegally, because they become desensitized and because the odds are better. But Christians must obey civil law (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15). Also, many young people gamble in violation of their parents' will (Ephesians 6:1; Romans 1:29-32). Many gamblers know that their marriage companion strongly objects. Is this the proper, loving way to treat a spouse (Ephesians 5:22-29)?

Finally, we must imitate the example of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21,22; Matthew 10:24,25; 1 Corinthians 11:1). Can you honestly imagine Jesus playing a slot machine or roulette wheel or betting on a dice or poker game? Honestly now, does gambling harmonize with the example of Jesus and the teaching of His word?

Note: If you would like to study further about related Bible topics, we have a number of other study materials on our web site that should interest you. Please see the links listed below      1985, 2002, David E. Pratte

Tuesday 22 January 2013

marriage ,Remarriage,Divorce, Jesus and the Church

Marriage - Divorce - Remarriage


Correction made to this article Victor.s

“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? [4] And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, [5] And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? [6] Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder”’ (Matthew 19:3-6)
What we see from these above Scriptures is that in the beginning God made Adam and Eve – two became one flesh, and the legal instrument and institution of marriage was made universal and was applicable to ALL mankind - both saint and sinner alike. Jesus declared and commanded in Matt. 5:31 WHOSOEVER... As such, in God’s mind he did not intend divorce. If Adam or Eve would have decided to ‘divorce’ then whom would they have married. In addition, while Adam was created from the dust of the earth, Eve was created from the bone and flesh of Adam. Hence,
“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” (Genesis 2:23)
Moreover, what God personally thinks about divorce we find in the following Scriptures,
“Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. [15] And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. [16] For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” (Malachi 2:14-16)
So what did Jesus have to say on the subject of Divorce and Remarriage?
"It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: [32] But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32)
Thus, according to Jesus the only legitimate and viable Scriptural ground for divorce is for the cause of 'Fornication', which we will define a little later in this article. However, what we see from the above Scriptures is something unique. Hence, if a man/woman divorces their spouse for reasons other than fornication he/she causes them to commit adultery. How could this cause the innocent in a divorce to commit adultery? Look at what Apostle Paul says regarding this subject.
"For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband." (Romans 7:2)
Therefore, if the woman/man marries or lives (shacks up) with another, they commit adultery, because they were not divorced (loosed) from their spouse on legitimate Scriptural grounds.
 .
 So do not make the foolish mistake of thinking that just because the lustful sin you may want to commit is not listed by name in the Word of God, that you have God's blessing. Instead, you must search the Scriptures to see if your intended fleshly lust is proscribed by God under a generalized heading for sin.
Meanwhile, what else did Apostle Paul have to say about divorce and remarriage? Actually what we find in Scripture is that Apostle Paul was extremely conservative on this subject and complied exactly in accordance with God's Law. As such,
"Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? [2] For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. [3] So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man." (Romans 7:1-3)
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord." (1 Cor. 7:39)
Apostle Paul continues by stating,
"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." (Romans 7:4)
So what is Paul saying? He was/is simply making the analogy to the Jews/world that they were once married to the Mosaic Law which had/has become dead due to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ – His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins and brought the Mosaic Law to a close. Paul is only making the point that with the death of one of the marriage partners, in this case the Mosaic Law, the other partner is now free to marry Christ.
However, do not be confused into thinking that God's moral laws are dead. Murder under the Mosaic Law is still murder under the New Covenant of Christ. Theft under the Mosaic Law is still theft under the New Covenant. Fornication under the Mosaic Law is still fornication under the New Covenant. Adultery under the Mosaic Law is still adultery under the New Covenant. This is why Apostle Paul cautioned whenever he declared,
"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, [freedom to sin] but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Galatians 5:13-14)
"For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Romans 13:9)
You have been called to total freedom from all the law, but do not let this cause you to think that you have no responsibility or obligation to live righteously. The New Covenant demands righteousness of all people and the love of your neighbors as yourself.
Moreover, Paul continues by revealing that if you are married, stay married (!!!), and do not go about looking for an occasion to get a divorce. In reciprocity, if you are legitimately divorced do not go about looking for a wife/husband.
"Art thou bound unto a wife [husband]? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife [husband]? seek not a wife [husband]. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you." (1 Cor. 7:27-28)
"For I would that all men were even as I myself [unmarried]. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. [8] I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn." (1 Cor. 7:7-8)
But why would Apostle Paul advocate remaining unmarried?
"But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: [33] But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. [34] There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction." (1 Cor. 7:32-35)
So what happens if an innocent martial partner is left, abandoned, or put away (divorced) due to no fault of their own? What we see from the above and below Scriptures is while Paul emphatically advocated the bonds of marriage many think he left open, depending on your interpretation, the door for the possibility of legitimate Scriptural divorce and remarriage.
"But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace." (1 Cor. 7:15)
However, Jesus declared, that if a spouse puts away (divorces) their spouse for reasons other than fornication they cause them to commit adultery, because they were not legitimately loosed (free from the law) to remarry. Having said this, there appears then to be a paradox between Paul's statement (1 Cor. 7:15) and that of Jesus (Mat. 5:32).
"But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace." (1 Cor. 7:15)
But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."  ( Deu 22: 13-30), (Matthew 5:32)
How could this be? Many eager detractors today have wrongly twisted Paul's statement to imply that he felt that if an innocent individual was/is left (divorced) through no fault of their own they were/are free from the law (bonds of marriage), thus advocating the possibility of remarriage to another on legitimate Scriptural terms.
Paul made no such declaration. Point in fact is that what Paul implied was that a brother or a sister was not subservient to the sinful request and demands of the departing unbeliever. Christians were not to compromise their faith in Christ in order to gain acceptance of an unbelieving spouse. They were not to try and violently restrain a departing spouse just to remain married. Paul clearly stated..."but God hath called us to peace."
Look at the transliterated Greek text from a couple of other well published Bibles that clearly show Paul's original intent for 1 Corinthians 7:15.
"But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another." (Bible in Basic English – BBE)
"If, however, the unbeliever is determined to leave, let him or her do so. Under such circumstances the Christian man or woman is no slave; God has called us to live lives of peace." (Weymouth's Bible –WEY)
As plainly indicated by these Scriptures, Paul in no way suggest the abandoned (deserted) spouse be given the right to usurp God's law and remarry another. They were/are to remain single or to be reconciled to their former spouse. This so-called 'Pauline Privilege' for divorce and remarriage on the grounds of abandonment (desertion) is born out of the pagan practices of Catholicism.
Therefore, the summary of this argument is, if the alleged Pauline Privilege was to be an acceptable instrument of Divorce/Remarriage, it only stands to reason that Jesus would have declared, 'If any man puts away his wife, except for the causes of fornication and desertion, he causeth her to commit adultery...'
In addition, the concept of fornication by 'idolatry' and the perpetual oneness of marriage are plainly illustrated throughout the history of Israel in their relationship to Jehovah. When Israel has attempted to put away their God Jehovah, and marry other pagan idolatrous gods, the result is always the same. God declares them to be an idolatrous, adulterous harlot which results in their being profoundly punished. Therefore, how can Israel ever be legitimately and righteously married to another god other than their one and only true God Jehovah, who shall never die nor commit fornication against them?
Remember YOU and not God are the one who makes the decision on whom you will marry. So take it very seriously.
When we look at the actual Greek word for 'Bondage' we find the following.
douloo, Greek 1402, Strong’s
douloo, doo-lo'-o; from Greek 1401 (doulos); to enslave (literal or figurative) :- bring into (be under) bondage, × given, become (make) servant.
Nowhere in this definition does it ever imply the dissolving of the martial bond or 'God's Universal Law of Marriage and Divorce'. It simply means the individual abandoned is not a slave to keep the marriage together and continue the support of the departing unbeliever at any cost.
Moreover, the Greek word 'douloo' is used in the Perfect Tense: As such the verb means that the Christian is not now, nor has he ever been in the type of bondage indicated by the word bondage. This could not mean marriage.
Meanwhile, Paul returns to the subject by cautioning illegitimate divorces by stating,
"And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: [11] But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife." (1 Cor. 7:10-11) (visa-versa husband depart from wife)
So what was/is Paul saying? Simply, if an individual departs or divorces their spouse for unscriptural reasons they are never again to marry, otherwise it will result in adultery. If they are ever again to have a marriage partner they must return to their former spouse.
Therefore this begs the question, can an individual say that they left (divorced) their martial partner for illegitimate unscriptural reasons while they were in sin, and since that sinful past they have sought the Lord's forgiveness and want to remarry another individual other than their former spouse? After all does not Scripture say that when one comes to Christ, all is made new?
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)
The blunt answer is emphatically NO!!! Why? Let us look once again at what Jesus and Apostle Paul had/has to say on this matter.
"But I say unto you, That whosoever [Christian or Sinner alike] shall put away his wife, saving [Except] for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." (Matthew 5:31) Jesus used this term because he understood the Jewish order of betrothal which is not like how couples in the gentile nations get engaged today. To understand it we have to look at Mary and Joseph in Matt 1 18-25.Joseph was betrothed to Mary when he found out that she was pregnant  with child.The Jewish  laws allowed Joseph to put away Mary because of harlotry. The law concerning vows was binding and the covenant to get married to a man or a woman couldn't be broken saving for fornication. Once wiliness from both parties had been expressed, terms,  money, home,  place, date and time had been agreed by parents and man and woman seeking marriage, Contract accepted, there could be no turning back. Being unfaithfully,having sexual relationship with a third person before the marriage or before the marriage had been properly consummated, could dis annual the covenant, this is what Jesus meant In Matthew 5:31 Deu 22:13-30, Cor 7. In Deuteronomy 22  a damsel covenanted to a man to marry could be stone to death if she did not cry out for help while being found carnally with another man in the city their is the strength of the marriage vow in Israel even before the marry ceremony had taken place. Note the non married man and woman found in the field having carnal relationship were not stoned but they had to marry. No living together has boy friend and girl friend, or cohabiting  was allowed in Israel. Marriage is honorable in all (sinner or saved) and the bed undefiled but whore mongers and adulterers God will judge.

  In early biblical times being a virgin was a honor  to be cherished, protected, held in high esteem not like in the gentile world where it's mocked and scorned upon, something to be ashamed of. To be pure, untouched carnally by a man was looked on as the right thing, the virtuous thing and the chaste thing to do. Liken on to the church keeping it self pure, with out spot, blemish or any such thing  waiting for the glorious and blessed appearing of the  groom Christ.
 Having several partners before marriage causes causes children to have to grow up out side of a stable family unit,hurt, pain, jealousy, envy,  murders, unwanted children, sexual diseases and wrecked life's. 

 [11] But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife." (1 Cor. 7:10-11)
What must be understood about sin is that while the act of the sin within itself can be forgiven by God, the natural consequences of that sin will still remain. For example, if a partner in a marriage commits adultery and an illegitimate child results, the guilty person can seek God's forgiveness. However, the natural consequences of that sin, the illegitimate child, still remains. Again, if someone commits murder, humbly seeks and finds God's forgiveness, the innocent victim is still none the less dead. As such, if it was a heinous premeditated murder God has ordained government to take the life of the perpetrator of such a crime against humanity – murder/sin, even though they have received forgiveness. Therefore, the natural consequences of their sin remain.
Please note that if it is adultery before we seek God's forgiveness it is equally adultery after we have received God's forgiveness, if we continue in the same sinful practice. In another example, if we are a thief who has secured God's forgiveness for a sin of stealing, we are still a thief if we continue the same stealing activity. Hence, 'God Forgives Us Of Our Sins but Not In Our Sins.' If fornication does not carry a natural life long consequence then the marriage vowel of 'until death do we part' becomes absolutely meaningless.
This would ultimately result in the destruction of the universal institution of marriage as is being evidenced today where now one out of every two marriages end in a divorce. With this in mind, what do we see? Get an unscriptural divorce, remarry and go to Church and get forgiveness. Don't like that partner, or God has allegedly told them that the partner they now have is really not the right one He would like for them to have... No problem - just get another unscriptural divorce and simply find a new Church, and you got it, get forgiveness for their sin, remarry and start all over again, infinitely. Thus, in today's society there seems to be no such thing as the sin of adultery.
This should seem to get the attention of those who hold to the permissive 'any reason is acceptable' for divorce/remarriage conundrum. They easily accept a divorced individual from a typical heterosexual relationship, applying forgiveness and remarriage both readily and amicably. However, if the divorce is subsequent to one of the partners being engaged in the habitual repugnant sins of pedophilia (sex with children), necrophilia (sex with dead corpses) or bestiality (sex with animals), this causes an immediate pause. Nonetheless, according to God sin is sin – big or little. So it only stands to reason that anyone, with pleasing God in mind would not advocate or condone a marriage to a fornicator with this type of sin as a perquisite, even though they had been forgiven – the natural consequences remain.

Sad to say one of the most proliferate sins in America today is 'adultery'. Why? The Church has become complacently silent on this particular subject because of fear and financial gain. We need to return to the days when men and women of God gladly bore the Cross of Truth with fire and courage, and stood before the world and boldly proclaimed, 'Thus Saith the Lord'.
In his own words Apostle Paul declared,
"From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." (Galatians 6:17)
"Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. [25] Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [26] In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; [27] In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness...[31] The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. [32] In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: [33] And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands." (2 Cor.11:24-27, 31-33)
In closing, I encourage you to search the Scriptures for the TRUTH, for in them you will either gain Heaven or enter THE Eternal Hell. This is entirely an exercise of your own FREE WILL.

Thursday 17 January 2013

The blood of the everlasting convenant edited by vic stock

Edited by victor.s   http://gospeltruthproclaimed.blogspot.com

The New Park Street Pulpit

The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant


A Sermon(No. 273)Delivered on Sabbath Morning, September 4th, 1859, by the
REV. C. H. Spurgeon
at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.



"The blood of the everlasting covenant."—Hebrews 13:20.
LL GOD'S dealings with men have had a covenant character. It hath so pleased Him to arrange it, that he will not deal with us except through a covenant, nor can we deal with Him except in the same manner. Adam in the garden was under a covenant with God and God was in covenant with Him. That covenant he speedily brake. There is a covenant still existing in all its terrible power—terrible I say, because it has been broken on man's part, and therefore God will most surely fulfill its solemn threatenings and sanctions. That is the covenant of works. By this he dealt with Moses, and in this doth he deal with the whole race of men as represented in the first Adam. Afterwards when God would deal with Noah, it was by a covenant; and when in succeeding ages he dealt with Abraham, he was still pleased to bind himself to him by a covenant. That covenant he preserved and kept, and it was renewed continually to many of his seed. God dealt not even with David, the man after his own heart, except with a covenant. He made a covenant with his anointed and beloved; he dealeth with you and me this day still by covenant. When he shall come in all his terrors to condemn, he shall smite by covenant—namely, by the sword of the covenant of Sinai; and if he comes in the splendors of his grace to save, he still comes to us by covenant—namely, the covenant of Zion; the covenant which he has made with the Lord Jesus Christ, the head and representative of his people. And mark, whenever we come into close and intimate dealings with God, it is sure to be, on our part, also by covenant. We make with God, after conversion, a covenant of gratitude; we come to him sensible of what he has done for us, and we devote ourselves to him. We set our seal to that covenant when in baptism and repentance we are united with his church; and day by day, so often as we come around the table of the breaking of the bread, we renew the vow of our covenant, and thus we have personal intercourse with God. I cannot pray to him except through the covenant of grace; and I know that I am not his child unless I am his, first through the covenant whereby Christ purchased me, and secondly, through the covenant by which I have given up myself, and dedicated all that I am and all that I have to him. It is important, then, since the covenant is the only ladder which reaches from earth to heaven—since it is the only way in which God has intercourse with us, and by which we can deal with him, that we should know how to discriminate between covenant and covenant; and should not be in any darkness or error with regard to what is the covenant of grace, and what is not. It shall be our endeavor, this morning, to make as simple and as plain as possible, the matter of the covenant spoken of in our text, and I shall thus speak—first upon the covenant of grace; secondly, its everlasting character; and thirdly, the relationship which the blood bears to it. "The blood of the everlasting covenant."
   I. First of all, then, I have to speak this morning of THE COVENANT mentioned in the text; and I observe that we can readily discover at first sightwhat the covenant is not. We see at once that this is not the covenant of works, for the simple reason that this is an everlasting covenant. Now the covenant of works was not everlasting in any sense whatever. It was not eternal; it was first made in the garden of Eden. It had a beginning, it has been broken; it will be violated continually and will soon be wound up and pass away: therefore, it is not everlasting in any sense. The covenant of works cannot bear an everlasting title; but as the one in my text is an everlasting covenant, therefore it is not a covenant of works. God made a covenant first of all with the human race, which ran in this wise: "If thou, O man, wilt be obedient, thou shalt live and be happy, but if thou wilt be disobedient, thou shalt perish. In the day that thou disobey me thou shalt die. That covenant was made with all of us in the person of our representative, the first Adam. If Adam had kept that covenant, we believe we should everyone of us have been preserved. But inasmuch as he broke the covenant, you and I, and all of us, fell down and were considered henceforth as the heirs of wrath, as inheritors of sin as prone to every evil and subject to every misery. That covenant has passed away with regard to God's people; it has been put away through the new and better covenant which has utterly and entirely eclipsed it by its gracious glory.
   Again, I may remark that the covenant here meant is not the covenant of gratitude which is made between the loving child of God and his Saviour. Such a covenant is very right and proper. I trust all of us who know the Saviour have said in our very hearts:—


"'Tis done! The great transaction's done;
I am my Lord's, and he is mine."

We have given up everything to him. But that covenant is not the one in the text, for the simple reason that the covenant in our text is an everlasting one. Now ours was only written out some few years ago. It would have been despised by us in the earlier parts of our life, and cannot at the very utmost be so old as ourselves.
   Having thus readily shown what this covenant is not, may I observe what this covenant is. And here it will be necessary for me to subdivide this head again and to speak of it thus: To understand a covenant, you must know who are the contracting parties; secondly, what are the stipulations of the contract; thirdly, what are the objects of it; and then, if you would go still deeper, you must understand something of the motives which lead the contracting parties to form the covenant between themselves.
   1. Now, in this covenant of grace, we must first of all observe the high contracting parties between whom it was made. The covenant of grace was made before the foundation of the world between God the Father, and God the Son; or to put it in a yet more scriptural light, it was made mutually between the three divine persons of the adorable Trinity. This covenant was not made mutually between God and man. Man did not at that time exist; but Christ stood in the covenant as man's representative. In that sense we will allow that it was a covenant between God and man, but not a covenant between God and any man personally and individually. It was a covenant between God with Christ, and through Christ indirectly with all the blood-bought seed who were loved of Christ from the foundation of the world. It is a noble and glorious thought, the very poetry of that old Calvinistic doctrine which we teach, that long ere the day-star knew its place, before God had spoken existence out of nothing, before angel's wing had stirred the unnavigated ether, before a solitary song had distributed the solemnity of the silence in which God reigned supreme, he had entered into solemn council with himself, with his Son, and with his Spirit, and had in that council decreed, determined, proposed, and predestinated the salvation of his people. He had, moreover, in the covenant arranged the ways and means, and fixed and settled everything which should work together for the effecting of the purpose and the decree. My soul flies back now, winged by imagination and by faith, and looks into that mysterious council-chamber, and by faith I behold the Father pledging himself to the Son, and the Son pledging himself to the Father, while the Spirit gives his pledge to both, and thus that divine compact, long to be hidden in darkness, is completed and settled—the covenant which in these latter days has been read in the light of heaven, and has become the joy, and hope, and boast of all the saints.
   2. And now, what were the stipulations of this covenant? They were somewhat in the wise. God has foreseen that man after creation would break the covenant of works; that however mild and gentle the tenure upon which Adam had possession of Paradise, yet that tenure would be too severe for him, and he would be sure to kick against it, and ruin himself. God had also foreseen that his elect ones, whom he had chosen out of the rest of mankind would fall by the sin of Adam, since they, as well as the rest of mankind, were represented in Adam. The covenant therefore had for its end the restoration of the chosen people. And now we may readily understands what were the stipulations. On the Father's part, thus run the covenant. I cannot tell you it in the glorious celestial tongue in which it was written: I am fain to bring it down to the speech which suiteth to the ear of flesh, and to the heart of the mortal. Thus, I say, run the covenant, in ones like these: "I, the Most High Jehovah, do hereby give unto my only begotten and well-beloved Son, a people, countless beyond the number of stars, who shall be by him washed from sin, by him preserved, and kept, and led, and by him, at last, presented before my throne, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. I covenant by oath, and swear by myself, because I can swear by no greater, that these whom I now give to Christ shall be for ever the objects of my eternal love. Them I will forgive through the merit of the blood. To these will I give a perfect righteousness; these will I adopt and make my sons and daughters, and these shall reign with me through Christ eternally." Thus run that glorious side of the covenant. The Holy Spirit also, as one of the high contracting parties on this side of the covenant, gave his declaration, "I hereby covenant," saith he, "that all whom the Father giveth to the Son, I will in due time quicken. I will show them their need of redemption; I will cut off from them all groundless hope, and destroy their refuges of lies. I will bring them to the blood of sprinkling; I will give them faith whereby this blood shall be applied to them, I will work in them every grace; I will keep their faith alive; I will cleanse them and drive out all depravity from them, and they shall be presented at last spotless and faultless." This was the one side of the covenant, which is at this very day being fulfilled and scrupulously kept. As for the other side of the covenant this was the part of it, engaged and covenanted by Christ. He thus declared, and covenanted with his Father: "My Father, on my part I covenant that in the fullness of time I will become man. I will take upon myself the form and nature of the fallen race. I will live in their wretched world, and for my people I will keep the law perfectly. I will work out a spotless righteousness, which shall be acceptable to the demands of thy just and holy law. In due time I will bear the sins of all my people. Thou shalt exact their debts on me; the chastisement of their peace I will endure, and by my stripes they shall be healed. My Father, I covenant and promise that I will be obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. I will magnify thy law, and make it honourable. I will suffer all they ought to have suffered. I will endure the curse of thy law, and all the vials of thy wrath shall be emptied and spent upon my head. I will then rise again; I will ascend into heaven; I will intercede for them at thy right hand; and I will make myself responsible for every one of them, that not one of those whom thou hast given me shall ever be lost, but I will bring all my sheep of whom, by thy blood, thou hast constituted me the shepherd—I will bring every one safe to thee at last." Thus ran the covenant; and now, I think, you have a clear idea of what it was and how it stands—the covenant between God and Christ, between God the Father and God the Spirit, and God the Son as the covenant head and representative of all Gods elect. I have told you, as briefly as I could what were the stipulations of it. You will please to remark, my dear friends, that the covenant is, on one side, perfectly fulfilled. God the Son has paid the debts of all the elect. He has, for us men and for our redemption, suffered the whole of wrath divine. Nothing remaineth now on this side of the question except that he shall continue to intercede, that he may safely bring all his redeemed to glory.
   On the side of the Father this part of the covenant has been fulfilled to countless myriads. God the Father and God the Spirit have not been behindhand in their divine contract. And mark you, this side shall be as fully and as completely finished and carried out as the other. Christ can say of what he promised to do. "It is finished!" and the like shall be said by all the glorious covenanters. All for whom Christ died shall be pardoned, all justified, all adopted. The Spirit shall quicken them all, shall give them all faith, shall bring them all to heaven, and they shall, every one of them, without let or hindrance, stand accepted in the beloved, in the day when the people shall be numbered, and Jesus shall be glorified.
   3. And now having seen who were the high contracting parties, and what were the terms of the covenant made between them, let us see what were the objects of this covenant Was this covenant made for every man of the race of Adam? Assuredly not; we discover the secret by the visible. That which is in the covenant is to be seen in due time by the eye and to be heard with the ear. I see multitudes of men perishing, continuing wantonly in their wicked ways, rejecting the offer of Christ which is presented to them in the Gospel day after day, treading under foot the blood of the Son of Man, defying the Spirit who strives with them; I see these men going on from bad to worse at last perishing in their sins. I have not the folly to believe that they have any part in the covenant of grace. Those who die impenitent, the multitudes who reject the Saviour, are clearly proved to have no part and no lot in the sacred covenant of divine grace; for if they were interested in that, there would be certain marks and evidences which would show us this. We should find that in due time in this life they would be brought to repentance, would be washed in the Saviour's blood, and would be saved. The covenant—to come at once straight to the matter, however offensive the doctrine may be—the covenant has relationship to the elect and none besides. Does this offend you? Be ye offended ever more. What said Christ? "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me: for they are thine." If Christ prayeth for none but for the chosen, why should ye be angry that ye are also taught from the Word of God that in the covenant there was provision made for the like persons, that they might receive eternal life. As many as shall believe, as many as shall trust in Christ, as many as shall persevere unto the end, as many as shall enter into the eternal rest, so many and no more are interested in the covenant of divine grace.
   4. Furthermore, we have to consider what were the motives of this covenant. Why was the covenant made at all? There was no compulsion or constraint on God. As yet there was no creature. Even could the creature have an influence on the Creator, there was none existing in the period when the covenant was made. We can look nowhere for God's motive in the covenant except it be in himself, for of God it could be said literally in that day, "I am, and there is none beside me." Why then did he make the covenant? I answer, absolute sovereignty dictated it. But why were certain men the objects of it and why not others? I answer, sovereign grace guided the pen. It was not the merit of man, it was nothing which God foresaw in us that made him choose many and leave others to go on in their sins. It was nothing in them, it was sovereignty and grace combined that made the divine choice. If you, my brethren and sisters, have a good hope that you are interested in the covenant of grace, you must sing that song—

"What was there in me to merit esteem, or give the Creator delight?
'Twas even so Father I ever sing, for so it seemed good in thy sight."

"He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy," "for it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." His sovereignty elected, and his grace distinguished, and immutability decreed. No motive dictated the election of the individuals, except a motive in himself of love and of divine sovereignty. Doubtless the grand intention of God in making the covenant at all was his own glory; any motive inferior to that would be beneath his dignity. God must find his motives in himself: he has not to look to moths and worms for motives for his deeds. He is the "I AM."
"He sits on no precarious throne,
Nor borrows leave to be."

He doth as he wills in the armies of heaven. Who can stay his hand and say unto him, "What doest thou?" Shall the clay ask the potter for the motive for his making it into a vessel? Shall the thing formed before its creation dictate to its Creator? No, let God be God, and let man shrink into his native nothingness, and if God exalt him, let him not boast as though God found a reason for the deed in man. He finds his motives in himself. He is self-contained, and findeth nothing beyond nor needeth anything from any but himself. Thus have I, as fully as time permits this morning, discussed the first point concerning the covenant. May the Holy Spirit lead us into this sublime truth.
   II. But now, in the second place, we come to notice ITS EVERLASTING CHARACTER. It is called an everlasting covenant. And here you observe at once its antiquity. The covenant of grace is the oldest of all things. It is sometimes a subject of great joy to me to think that the covenant of grace is older than the covenant of works. The covenant of works had a beginning, but the covenant of grace had not; and blessed be God the covenant of works has its end, but the covenant of grace shall stand fast when heaven and earth shall pass away. The antiquity of the covenant of grace demands our grateful attention. It is a truth which tends to elevate the mind. I know of no doctrine more grand than this. It is the very soul and essence of all poetry, and in sitting down and in sitting down and meditating upon it. I do confess my spirit has sometimes been ravished with delight. Can you conceive the idea that before all things God thought of you? That when as yet he had not made his mountains, he had thought of thee, poor puny worm? Before the magnificent constellations began to shine, and ere the great centre of the world had been fixed, and all the mighty planets and divers worlds had been made to revolve around it, then had God fixed the centre of his covenant, and ordained the number of those lesser stars which should revolve round that blessed centre, and derive light therefrom. Why, when one is taken up with some grand conceptions of the boundless universe, when with the astronomers we fly through space, when with we find it without end, and the starry hosts without number, does it not seem marvelous that God should give poor insignificant man the preference beyond even the whole universe besides? Oh this cannot make us proud, because it is a divine truth, but it must make us feel happy. Oh believer, you think yourself nothing, but God does not think so of you. Men despise you but God remembered you before he made anything. The covenant of love which he made with his Son on your behalf is older than the hoary ages, and if ye fly back when as yet time had not begun, before those massive rocks that bear the marks of gray old age upon them, had begun to be deposited, he had loved and chosen you, and made a covenant on your behalf. Remember well these ancient things of the eternal hills.
   Then, again, it is an everlasting covenant from its sureness. Nothing is everlasting which is not secure. Man may erect his structures and think they may last for ever, but the Tower of Babel has crumbled, and the very Pyramids bear signs of ruin. Nothing which man has made is everlasting, because he cannot ensure it against decay. But as for the covenant of grace, well David say of it, "It is ordered in all things and sure." It is
"Signed, and sealed, and ratified,
In all things ordered well."

There is not an "if" or a "but" in the whole of it from beginning to end. Free-will hates God's "shalls" and "wills," and likes man's "ifs" and "buts," but there are no "ifs" and "buts" in the covenant of grace. Thus the tenure runs: "I will" and "they shall." Jehovah swears it and the Son fulfills it. It is—it must be true. It must be sure, for "I AM" determines. "Hath he said and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" It is a sure covenant. I have sometimes said, if any man were about to build a bridge or a house if he would leave me just one single stone or one timber to put where I liked, I would undertake that his house would fall down. Let me if there is anyone about to construct a bridge, have just simply the placing of one stone—I will select which stone it shall beĆ¹and I will defy him to build a bridge that shall stand. I should simply select the key-stone and then he might erect whatever he pleased and it should soon fall. Now, the Armenian's covenant is one that cannot stand because there are one or two bricks in it (and that is putting it in the slightest form; I might have said, "because every stone in it," and that would be nearer the mark) that are dependent on the will of man. It is left to the will of the creator whether he will be saved or not. If he will not, there is no constraining influence that can master and overcome his will. There is no promise that any influence shall be strong enough to overcome him, according to the Armenian. So the question is left to man, and God the mighty Builder—though he put stone on stone massive as the universe—yet may be defeated by this creature. Out upon such blasphemy! The whole structure, from beginning to end, is in the hand of God. The very terms and conditions of that covenant are become its seals and guarantees, seeing that Jesus has fulfilled them all. Its full accomplishment in every jot and title is sure, and must be fulfilled by Christ Jesus, whether man will or man will not. It is not the creature's covenant, it is the Creators. It is not man's covenant, it is the Almighty's covenant, and he will carry it out and perform it, the will of man notwithstanding. For this is the very glory of grace—that man hates to be saved—that he is enmity to him, yet God will have him redeemed—that God's consensus is. "You shall," and man's intention is "I will not, and God's "shall" conquers man's "I will not." Almighty grace rides victoriously over the neck of free will and leads it captive in glorious captivity to the all-conquering power of irresistible grace and love. It is a sure covenant, and therefore deserves the title of everlasting.
   Furthermore, it is not only sure, but it is immutable. If it were notimmutable, it could not be everlasting. That which changes passes away. We may be quite sure that anything that has the word "change" on it, will sooner or later die, and be put away as a thing of nought. But in the covenant, everything is immutable. Whatever God has established must come to pass, and not word, or line, or letter, can be altered. Whatever the Spirit voweth shall be done, and whatever God the Son promised hath been fulfilled, and shall be consummated at the day of his appearing. Oh if we could believe that the sacred lines could be erased—that the covenant could be blotted and blurred, why then my dear friends, we might lie down and despair. I have heard it said by some preachers, that when the Christian is holy, he is in the covenant; that when he sins, he is crossed out again; that when he repents, he is put in again, and if he fails he is scratched out once more; and so he goes in and out of the door, as he would in and out of his own house. He goes in at one door and out of another. He is sometimes the child of God, and sometimes the child of the devil—sometimes an heir of heaven, and anon an heir of hell. cannot endure.
immutable, just, holy, and true, and having loved his own, he will love them to the end, and if he hath given a promise to any man, the promise shall be is kept, and that man once in grace, is in grace forever, and shall without fall by-and-by enter into glory

please note the section in red is the part I don't totally agree with because if a man turns from his righteousness to sin his righteousness will no longer be remembered Ezekiel 33:1-17, Eze 3:20, Eze 18:24, Jeremiah 18:10 


.He is not the God of the Scriptures I am certain, for And I know one man who went so far as to say that although a man might have persevered through grace for sixty years, yet should he fall away the last year of his life—if he should sin and die so, he would perish everlastingly, and all his faith, and all the love which God had manifested to him in the day's gone by would go for nothing. I am very happy to say that such a notion of God is just the very notion I have of the devil. I could not believe in such a God, and could not bow down before him. A god that loves today and hates tomorrow; a God that gives a promise, and yet foreknows after all that man shall not see the promise fulfilled; a God that forgives and punishes—that justifies and afterwards executes—is a God that I he 
   And then to finish up this point. The covenant is everlasting because it will never run itself out. It will be fulfilled but it will stand firm. When Christ hath completed all, and brought every believer to heaven; when the Father hath seen all his people gathered in—the covenant it is true, will come to a consummation, but not to a conclusion, for thus the covenant runs: The heirs of grace shall be blessed for ever, and as long as "for ever" lasts, this everlasting covenant will demand the happiness, the security, the glorification, of every object of it.
   III. Having thus noticed the everlasting character of the covenant, I conclude by the sweetest and most precious portion of the doctrine—the relation which the blood bears to it—THE BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT. The blood of Christ stands in a fourfold relationship to the covenant. With regard to Christ, his precious blood shed in Gethsemane, in Gabbatha and Golgotha, is the fulfillment of the covenant. By this blood sin is canceled; by Jesus' agonies justice is satisfied; by his death the law is honoured; and by that precious blood in all its mediatorial efficacy, and in all its cleansing power, Christ fulfills all that He stipulated to do on the behalf of his people towards God. Oh, believer, look to the blood of Christ, and remember that there is Christ's part of the covenant carried out. And now, there remains nothing to be fulfilled but God's part, there is nothing for thee to do; Jesus has done it all; there is nothing for free will to supply; Christ has done everything that God can demand. The blood is the fulfillment of the debtor's side of the covenant, and now God becometh bound by his own solemn oath to show grace and mercy to all whom Christ has redeemed by his blood. With regard to the blood in another respect, it is to God the Father the bond of the covenant. When I see Christ dying on the cross, I see the everlasting God from that time, if I may use the term of him who ever must be free, bound by his own oath and covenant to carry out every stipulation. Does the covenant say, "A new heart will I give thee, and a right spirit will I put within thee?" It must be done, for Jesus died, and Jesus' death is the seal of the covenant. Does it say, "I will sprinkle pure water upon them and they shall be clean; from all their iniquities will I cleanse them?" Then it must be done, for Christ has fulfilled his part. And, therefore, now we can present the covenant no more as a thing of doubt; but as our claim on God through Christ, and coming humbly on our knees, pleading that covenant, our heavenly Father will not deny the promises contained therein, but will make every one of them yea and amen to us through the blood of Jesus Christ.
   Then, again, the blood of the covenant has relation to us as the objects of the covenant, and that is its third light; it is not only a fulfillment as regards Christ, and a bond as regards his Father, but it is an evidence as regards ourselves. And here, dear brothers and sisters, let me speak affectionately to you. Are you relying wholly upon the blood? Has his blood—the precious blood of Christ—been laid to your conscience? Have you seen your sins pardoned, through his blood? Have you received forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus? Are you glorying in his sacrifice, and is his cross your only hope and refuge? Then you are in the covenant. Some men want to know whether they are elect. We cannot tell them unless they will tell us this. Dost thou believe? Is thy faith fixed on the precious blood? Then thou are in the covenant. And oh, poor sinner, if thou hast nothing to recommend thee; if thou are standing back, and saying "I dare not come! I am afraid! I am not in the covenant!" still Christ bids thee come. "Come unto me," saith he. "If thou canst not come to the covenant Father, come to the covenant Surety. Come unto me and I will give thee rest." And when thou hast come to him, and his blood has been applied to thee doubt not, but that in the red roll of election stands thy name. Canst thou read thy name in the bloody characters of a Saviour's atonement? Then shalt thou read it one day in the golden letters of the Father's election. He that believeth is elected. The blood is the symbol, the token, the earnest, the surety, the seal of the covenant of grace to thee. It must ever be the telescope through which thou canst look to see the things that are afar off. Thou canst not see they election with the naked eye, but through the blood of Christ thou canst see it clear enough. Trust thou in the blood, poor sinner, and then the blood of the everlasting covenant is a proof that thou are an heir of heaven. Lastly, the blood stands in a relationship to all three, and here I may add that the blood is the glory of all. To the Son it is the fulfillment, to the Father the bond, to the sinner the evidence, and to all—To Father, Son, and sinner—it is the common glory and the common boast. In this the Father is well pleased; in this the Son also, with joy, looks down and sees the purchase of his agonies; and in this must the sinner ever find his comfort and his everlasting song,—"Jesus, thy blood and righteousness, are my glory, my song, for ever and ever!"
    And now, my dear hearers, I have one question to ask, and I have done. Have you the hope that you are in the covenant? Have you put your trust in the blood? Remember, though you imagine, perhaps, from what I have been saying, that the gospel is restricted, that the gospel is freely preached to all. The decree is limited, but the good news is as wide as the world. The good spell, the good news, is as wide as the universe. I tell it to every creature under heaven, because I am told to do so. The secret of God, which is to deal with the application, that is restricted to God's chosen ones, but not the message, for that is to be proclaimed to all nations. Now thou hast heard the gospel many and many a time in thy life. It runs thus: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." Dost thou believe that? And this is thy hope—something like this: "I am a sinner. I trust Christ has died for me; I put my trust in the merit of his blood, and sink or swim, I have no other hope but this.

'Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling'"

Thou hast heard it; hast thou received it in thy heart, and laid hold on it; then thou art one of those in the covenant. And why should election frighten thee? If thou hast chosen Christ, depend upon it he has chosen thee. If thy tearful eye is looking to him, then his omniscient eye has long looked on thee; if thy heart lovest him, his heart loves thee better than ever thou canst love, and if now thou art saying, "My father, thou shalt be the guide of my youth," I will tell thee a secret—he has been thy guide, and has brought thee to be what thou now art, a humble seeker, and he will be thy guide and bring thee safe at last. But art thou a proud, boastful, free-willer, saying, "I will repent and believe whenever I choose; I have as good a right to be saved as anybody, for I do my duty as well as others, and I shall doubtless get my reward"— 
if you are claiming a universal atonement, which is to be received at the option of man's will, go and claim it, and you will be disappointed in your claim. You will find God will not deal with you on that ground at all, but will say, "Get thee hence, I never knew thee. He that cometh not to me through the Son cometh not at all." I believe the man who is not willing to submit to the electing love and sovereign grace of God, has great reason to question whether he is a Christian at all, for the spirit that kicks against that is the spirit of the devil, and the spirit of the unhumbled, unrenewed heart. May God take away the enmity out of your heart to his own precious truth, and reconcile you to himself through THE BLOOD of his Son, which is the bond and seal of the everlasting covenant.