Daily Bread: February 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

Once Forgiven, Are We Forever Forgiven?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

When God forgives a sin does He forget it? Or does He dredge it up out of the depths of the sea where He promised He would dump it?

A verse in Amos 8 seems to say that He will recycle all our sins and hold them all against us at last if we don't "overcome" (vs. 7). And we know that there must come a judgment before Jesus can come the second time, and some people's names will be blotted out of the Book of Life, who at one time served God (for example, Judas Iscariot--he was baptized, preached, even worked miracles). Once forgiven, are we forever forgiven?

God has also said several times, "I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions ..., and will not remember thy sins," and "their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Isa. 43:25; Heb. 8:12). Jesus told a parable of the man who owed 10,000 talents, begged for mercy, got it, was forgiven, then demanded a poor man pay him 100 measly "pence." Then his lord sent him to prison until he paid the original debt (Matt. 18:23-35). Is our original debt of sin hanging over our heads all the time even after we have "confessed" and been "forgiven?

(a) The word "forgive" means the sin is not merely pardoned but is taken away out of the heart. That's true: if you aretruly forgiven you won't do it again!

(b) Christ did pay the full penalty for all our sins. No question.

(d) Why then will the lost be lost? They did not receive the true forgiveness that God gave them in Christ. The man who was forgiven 10,000 talents did not receive his lord's spirit of forgiveness. He was as selfish after he was "forgiven" as he was before.

(e) The lost at last in the final judgment do not die for their sins which were indeed forgiven; God kept his word. They will perish because of their unbelief, their refusal to receive the spirit of forgiveness; they have crucified Christ "afresh" (Heb. 6:6). For that, there can be no forgiveness.

(f) They will be "Esau" all over again, who had the birthright but "despised" it and "sold" it.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 20, 2001.

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Is Being "Born Again" a Program of Works?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

In going through the four Gospels, only once did Jesus say we "must" experience something, and then it turns out to be something we can't "do." He told Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7). And in only one other place in the New Testament are we told we "must" do something, and that is in Hebrews 11:6 where we are told, "He that cometh to God must believe that He is ..." And when the jailer asked Paul and Silas, "What must I do to be saved?" they answered, "Believe ..." (Acts 16:30, 31). Were they teaching the heresy of "only-believism"?

First, let's face reality: John 3:16 does not list all the things we must "do" in order to "have everlasting life." It plainly says, "Believe." So, was Jesus teaching "only-believism"?

Second, when Hebrews 11:6 says we "must believe" it is stating the one and only thing Scripture tells us we "must" do. "The Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). We can't force the Bible to teach salvation by faith AND by works; it teaches salvation "by grace through faith," "faith WHICH works" (Eph. 2:8, 9; Gal. 5:6).

Third, when Jesus says we "must be born again," He is not talking about a program of works. Can't be; nobody can "born" himself (forgive me!)--or give birth to himself. We must be born (passive voice of the verb). And who does the conceiving and "giving birth"? Jesus says in John 3, verse 8, as you can't tell where the wind comes from or goes, "so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."

It is He who conceives in you the new life and gives birth to the new heart; you welcome the new birth, you let it happen, you stop the abortion practice you've been doing all your life prior. Call it cooperation if you wish, but please don't think of it as being 50 percent your own Savior. You cooperate by letting Him do His blessed will in you. And when all is done at last, to Him alone will you give all the glory.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 27, 1997.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

It's True--Our Heavenly Father Wants Us to Be Rich

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

It's shocking, but it's true: our heavenly Father wants us to be rich—not only spiritually, but in money! While it's true that He is especially kind and merciful to poor people, and the famous poor widow who cast in her two mites into the temple treasury is eternally blessed (Luke 21:1-4), the Bible actually says that God wants His people to be materially rich. But wait a moment, let's read what the Lord says, in context:

"God is able to give you more than you need ... [He] will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts" (2 Cor. 9:8, 11, Good News Bible).

He blessed King Solomon with enormous worldly wealth so long as the king was willing to use it wisely (1 Kings 3:9, 12, 13). The key is our readiness to lay aside our natural-born love of self. Jesus was poor in this world's wealth; He had nothing but His clothing as His wealth when He was crucified. Therefore, every poor person in the world can hold his head high in self-respect; God honors him for He has adopted him into His "family in heaven and earth" (Eph. 3:15; 1:5, 6).

But Paul's idea is that God would be honored and pleased if we could grow up "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," out of our childish love of self, so He could trust us with money (cf. 4:13, 14). But let's not waste time yearning to be rich, thinking we are strong and wise enough to use wealth in an unselfish way; we are probably like Peter when he promised he would never deny his Lord (Luke 22:31-34, 57-60).

May the love of Christ move us now to let self be "crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20) so we share what we do have. And then trust the Lord to give us of His grace to "grow up" in due time, when He can entrust us with more.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 27, 2005.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Satan and the Greatest Verse in the Bible

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

We've all heard how sly, cunning, and evil Satan is. Have you known how he has tried to suck the life out of the greatest verse in the Bible? John 3:16 has enough dynamite truth in it to save any sinner, but if its meaning is devalued, its effect on the human heart is weakened.

What kind of a sacrifice did the Father make when He "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son"? There is a time-honored doctrine often labeled as "orthodox" that denies that God ever had a Son before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, that He became a "Father" only at that time. The idea is that God simply agreed for a Twin, or a fellow Board Member, to come to earth and be sacrificed. Gracious, yes, generous even; but ... a sacrifice?

When it comes to thinking about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the "Godhead" is so great that our brains are like little peas trying to understand it. But God is trying to say something to us. According to John 3:16, Christ was always the Son of God, from all eternity: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. ... And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father" (John 1:1, 2, 14).

There was never a "time" in eternity when the Son of God was not! The Muslims say we teach that God had a "wife" of some sorts; No. God has tried to tell us something beyond words: Christ was not "begotten" as we beget children--the word in the Bible does not mean that. It means only beloved One.

The Father's love for His Son was the infinite Antitype of our human love for a child, and God has permitted us unworthy humans to have the experience of parenthood in order that we might understand just a trifle the heart-rending agony in the infinite Father's heart when it came time to "give His only begotten Son." The sacrifice was made in eternity, and it was and is infinite. John 3:16 does make sense; and pea-size brains and hearts like ours can at least begin to appreciate it.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 20, 1998.

Monday, February 24, 2014

An Opportunity "Neglected"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

If you neglect to renew your magazine subscription, does anyone bother to remind you? Yes, you are plagued by reminders! It gets to where you simply resolve your "neglect" into what is a final choice not to re-subscribe. Then months later, finally, the publishers leave you alone.

Does the Savior love us less than those publishers who want us to re-subscribe? Hebrews asks a sober question: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him" (2:3). In other words, if we "neglect" to respond to all that the Savior has done for us, we will be lost.

You can be sure that He sends you Reminders, even more than your magazine reminds you to re-subscribe. They don't want to lose you; a million times more, your personal, infinitely divine Savior who endured your personal hell, doesn't want to lose you! He paid that infinite price to redeem your soul in eternal life. Will He let you be lost simply because you have been so busy doing your Christian duty to support your family, working from dawn to dark, that you have "neglected" the Bible study and prayer you need?

This may seem like too simple an illustration, but it's thoroughly biblical: the Savior keeps knocking at your door (Rev. 3:20), more often than your magazine sends you renewal notices. When you indulge in mindless entertainment, the Holy Spirit pricks your conscience, reminding you of an opportunity "neglected." He will tell you over and over that you do have time for Heaven. If you're not very careful, it will become what that original word translated "neglect" really means: "to despise, make light of." You can see this if you compare that same word as Jesus used in Matthew 22:5 (maleo): He describes "them that were bidden" to His banquet as those who "made light of it." That's the original word for "neglect."

In God's language, the problem is more than an honest, understandable, excusable oversight; it's a day-by-day constant despising of that insistent "knocking." He is pleading with you to "re-subscribe." You do hear it; you dohave time; but you choose over and over to push the Holy Spirit aside. O may the Lord open our eyes to Reality as it is in these last days!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: July 6, 2003.

Friday, February 21, 2014

The Liberty of the New Covenant

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

What good does it do to promise that you will be good? Does it help for you to promise God that you will never sin again? Does He want you to make any such promise?

If you have ever tried to get an alcoholic to stop drinking, or a smoker to stop smoking, or gamblers to stop gambling, you probably have learned that our promises are like ropes of sand.

It may surprise you that God has never asked us to make promises to Him. He has asked us to choose, yes; to make a commitment, yes; but never has He asked us to PROMISE to keep His Ten Commandments. Rather, He has asked us to BELIEVE His promises that are in those ten. James calls the Ten Commandments "the law of liberty" (James 2:12). Rightly understood, the Ten Commandments are ten promises that if we will believe that the Lord has brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, He promises that we shall never tell a lie, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, etc. And if we BELIEVE the glorious Good News of His deliverance, we shall "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." And we shall honor our father and our mother; and we shall never take the Lord's name in vain.

Abraham got out from under the old covenant when "he believed in the Lord," and his faith "was counted unto him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6). The Lord made seven fantastic promises to him in chapter 12:1-3, but Abraham made no promises in return. He simply "believed in the Lord." That's all God wanted him to do; that was the new covenant; and all the obedience and the works followed. But Abraham's descendants, coming out of Egypt 430 years later, made a promise to the Lord in Exodus 19:8, "all that the Lord hath spoken we will do." That was the old covenant. It's that simple!

Are you living under the new or the old covenant? If you're in "bondage," the reason has to be the old covenant. Come, get under the liberty, the freedom, the joy, of the new covenant!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 23, 1998.

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

A Serious Question--Why Didn't Jesus Sin?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Why didn't Jesus sin? The usual answer is that He couldn't--impossible. But that's not true. We read that He "was in all points tempted like as we are" (Heb. 4:15), and temptation is not temptation unless there is the possibility of falling. Another answer is often given, Jesus didn't sin because He simply chose not to sin. And that's true; but why did He choose not to sin? Everybody else born into this world has chosen to sin.

The question is a serious one. We need to know the answer. And that takes us to 1 Corinthians 13, about "love." But it's not about what we flippantly speak of as "love." The word is agape. We read in 1 John 4:8 that "God is agape." And what is agape? Verse 9 tells us it is the motivation that led the Father to give His only begotten Son to die for us "that we might live through Him." It is a special kind of love that is willing to die the second death so that we might live eternal life. It is a love that is willing to go to hell so that we might go to heaven. It is a love that chooses to die on a cross rather than indulge self.

If "God is agape," and if Jesus is the Son of God, then in His incarnation Jesus is agape in human flesh. Charles Wesley's hymn is true--Jesus "emptied Himself of all but love" when He came to earth. All the prerogatives of divinity He laid aside, but He could not empty Himself of agape. And that's why He chose not to sin--He chose a cross instead.

There is some Good News here for us today: unless we choose to resist the grace of God, the Holy Spirit will "shed abroad in our hearts" that same agape (Rom. 5:5). No one is ever born with agape, except Jesus; our human hearts are empty of it. But it can be installed! And thus by faith we can become partakers of the nature of God. Faith is what appreciates the length, breadth, depth, and height of agape (Eph. 3:18, 19). Do you want it? OK, receive it!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 5, 1998.

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/dailybread/
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The Lord Jesus Is on Our Side

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The cross today is the most highly honored religious symbol in the world. But in the first century A.D. it was the most terrible and dreaded. Runaway slaves especially were sentenced to crucifixion, as were violent robbers. The sign of the cross and public crucifixions were considered necessary for the preservation of law and order in society. Violent robbers were crucified on the main roads, the awful sight intended to instill fear in the hearts of the public. The cruelty and shame were unspeakable.

And yet, ... think of it! When the divine Son of God became one of us incarnate, the people of God of His day (the Jewish believers in the Old Testament in Jerusalem) could think of nothing else to do with Him, except to scream about Him in Pilate's Judgment Hall in Jerusalem ... "crucify Him!" (Luke 23:21).

We can pat ourselves on the back in smug self-satisfaction, saying, "It wasn't I! I'm not to blame! I wasn't there!"

But "our beloved brother Paul" tells us that "the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7). And in 1 John 3:15, the apostle reminds us that "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer," already. In other words, if our carnal mind is "enmity against God," that means that if we had been there that Friday morning as a faithful Jew in Pilate's Hall, we would have joined in the cry, "Crucify Him!"

The murder of the Son of God is the corporate sin of the human race; unknown to "us," indeed; but nonetheless there in those unknown, unrealized, labyrinthine depths of our souls.

We have not been "tested" yet; the "test" is stlll future. A wise and inspired author says that the books of heaven record the sins that we would commit if we had the opportunity; that is not bad news, it's simple fact. They also record the good that we would do if we had the opportunity.

The Lord Jesus has been appointed to be our Judge in the final judgment; chosen for the job because He has been one of us and can sympathize with us. Let's be profoundly thankful that we have this, another day, for repentance. The Lord Jesus wants ALL of us to be saved, says 1 Timothy 2:3, 4. He is on our side; Thank Him today, that He is your Friend.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 16, 2009.

Friday, February 14, 2014

What Has Kept God Busy Since Creation?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

There have been no new worlds or planets created in the universe since God kept that first Sabbath. "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them," says Genesis 2:1. What has kept God busy since then? The answer: a work of reconciling heaven and earth, because "there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels" (Rev. 12:7).

The great controversy has involved the universe as well as this fallen planet, for verse 12 says that because of the victory won in this reconciliation, "Rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them." Finally, it will be said: "The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation" (The Great Controversy, p. 678). This blessed harmony will be the result of God's work on His cosmic Day of Atonement--which means simply, His Day of Reconciliation, the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, the ending of alienation.

Is your human heart reconciled to God? Are you alert to realize that your natural human heart "is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7), except through the atonement of Christ? Do you still wrestle with a lingering sense that somehow you must make yourself good before He can be reconciled to you, and before He can really accept you and respect you? Do you have that nagging feeling that He cannot truly be your Friend until you are worthy? While you are sitting in the pigsty, do you wish you had a Father who would forgive and accept the prodigal? If so, you need to know about the Day of Atonement.

As never before in world history the world's attention is directed now to the atoning sacrifice of Christ where "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ... We beseech you ... in Christ's stead, be YE reconciled to God"! (2 Cor. 5:19, 20). But you CAN'T "be" unless you first believe He is reconciled to you! So, "spend a thoughtful hour" contemplating the cross where that reconciliation was accomplished.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 28, 1998.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

"A Lamp Unto Our Feet"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The divine Author of the Holy Bible evidently intended that Daniel and Revelation should be read in the context of the other 64 books that make up the written word of God. Thus the symbolism of those two books is not hard for any thoughtful reader to understand (Jesus told the woman of Samaria that "the Father is seeking such to worship Him," John 4:23). "Beasts" = nations or kingdoms; "sea" = large populations; whirlwind storms ("four winds") = war; "horns" on beasts = prominent leaders or kings; and time expressed in "days" = literal years, thus a "month" = 30 literal years, etc. Abundant evidence discloses these and other correlations.

It's obvious that our divine Author is not trying to hide truth from the world, but He wants to reveal it, hence the name "Revelation." The book is for everyone to understand. That's why it went through a special process of being "signified"--a literary task committed to a special "angel" whose job was to translate its message into inspired cartoons (see Rev. 1:1).

Reverent-minded Bible students accordingly concluded centuries ago that the time symbolism in the "sixth trumpet" of Revelation was intended to pinpoint the identity of Islam (9:13-15). They recognized that the "hour, and a day, and a month, and a year" led to August 11, 1840 when the Muslim political power of the Ottoman Empire collapsed. In God's providence this event was widely published, resulting in the conversion of many atheists to biblical Christianity.

To see Islam in Bible prophecy was pivotal in the rise and progress of the great second advent movement that shook the world in the 1840s. It laid the foundation for a world movement today that proclaims that the second coming of Jesus is near. The prophecy in God's word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (cf. Psalm 119:105). Be thankful!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 5, 2005.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

What Does the Cross of Christ Mean?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

What does the cross of Christ mean? Is it important to understand what happened there? Or is it a theoretical puzzle that only scholars and theologians should wrangle about?

Consider Scenario A: Christ died so as to make it possible for "every man" to be saved IF HE DOES SOMETHING FIRST--believes and obeys. And if one does not believe and obey, then the death of Christ on His cross does him no good. The sinner will then have to die for his own sins. He will die the second death just as if Christ had not already died his second death. (Thought through logically, in this view, Christ didn't.)

This view is very reasonable and superficially logical, and is widely popular. The sinner's faith must be exercised prior to his being justified.

Consider Scenario B: When Christ died on His cross, He not only died for every man; He did more--He died the second death of "every man." Thus there is no reason under heaven why any one should ever have to die the second death; Christ already died it for him! The sinner who dies the second death at last is not dying to pay for his sins because his sins were already paid for by the sacrifice of Christ. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." The sinner dies at last only because of his unbelief, because he despised what Christ actually and already accomplished for him (John 3:16-19). Many do!

Further, in the view of Scenario B, the sacrifice of Christ has enabled the Father to treat "every man" as though he had never sinned, because Christ's death has given "every man" a "[judicial] verdict of acquittal" (Rom 5:15-18, NEB). What Christ has already done for "all men" has preceded any man's personal faith. It's something called "grace."

Does it make any difference to your heart which view you believe?

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 14, 2002.

Thursday, February 06, 2014

The Crisis of the Ages

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Are we sure that the Bible teaches that God's "church" is a visible organization, and not an invisible number of scattered believers?

The only times we read that Jesus mentioned His "church" were twice--Matthew 16:18 and 18:17. He used the wordecclesia, which means "called out," a people designated and separated from the world, defined and denominated in a form that the world could recognize as an entity.

The apostles called ancient Israel a "church in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38), and we read that Israel was a visible organization that the world could see as God's denominated people. In Matthew 18 Jesus outlined what should be done if a member in the church disgraces its name--he should be disciplined. Unless the church is organized, this cannot be done.

Paul thought of a beautiful illustration of what the church is--it's a "body." "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular ... in the church" (1 Cor. 12:12-28).

Perhaps the reason for our question is the problem of apostasy and worldliness in the church, which is discouraging to a thoughtful, sincere Christian. Please think about Jesus: He is even more pained by this than you are. Be joined to Him by faith, share His heart burden for His church. It's the great crisis of the ages. He wants to lead her to repentance, not to ruin.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 25, 2005.

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

The Word of the Lord Is Always the Word of Love

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

King Hezekiah was one of the best men who ever lived. He did everything just right. The Bible says nothing evil about him. In his days, he led the nation to celebrate the finest Passover they had observed in centuries.

There is not the slightest whiff of evidence that he will not find a place in the Lord’s eternal kingdom, when the resurrection occurs at the second coming of Christ (“the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first,” 1 Thess. 4:16).

But when he is resurrected, he will have to learn about the history that followed him. Revelation 21:4 does not say that there will be no tears on the resurrection morning--there won’t be any tears in the earth made new.

When Hezekiah was only 49, the Lord sent him a message by the prophet Isaiah that he should “set [his] his house in order,” for the time had come in the Lord’s infinite wisdom that he should die (2 Kings 20:1). But this time the good king rebelled against the Lord’s will, set his face against the wall to cry; he told the Lord that it’s not fair--he’s been a good king, etc. So the Lord added 15 years for him to live.

During that added space of grace, he sired a son, Manasseh, who became the worst king the nation had ever had. Hezekiah would have been wise when the Lord said, “The time has come for you to die,” if he had said, “Amen, Lord! I trust You. Thy will be done” (see the story in Isaiah 38:1-5).

The word of the Lord, even if it comes with disappointment, is always the word of love that the Lord has for us. May He give us of His much more abounding grace to believe it. If, for that grace, He extends our life, may we use it for His glory. Then we will be happy in the resurrection morning.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: July 21, 2008.

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

How Do You Think God Relates to You?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

When you think of God, how do you think He relates to you? Probably all church members view Him as making salvation available to "all men." But in what way? Is He like a shopkeeper who has his goods available to "all men," his doors open always night and day like a gas station open 24 hours, 7 days a week? All the customer has to do is go there and obtain what he wants; do you think of God in that way? Never turns any "customer" away who "comes"? Sounds like Good News, doesn't it? Yes, it is!

The Jews thought of themselves as His agents, His "shopkeeper." They had the "goods" of salvation; if the Gentiles wanted it, they could "come" and get it. But Jesus had an even better idea: He would not only "open shop" but He would go in search of customers! He would become a divine Salesman (Good Shepherd?), and through the Holy Spirit would "knock" on every man's "door." And if someone would open the door to Him, He would do more than "sell" His goods of salvation, He would "give" what He had "without money and without price" (Isa. 55:1). It's as though He would take "every man" (that means every person) by the hand and say, "Come, let's go to heaven! You're welcome! When My Father accepted Me, He accepted you; He has a place for you in heaven!" Short of actual coercion (for He will never force anyone against his/her will), He says, "Come, you simply MUST be saved!"

That's what Peter meant when he said, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). In other words, the religion of Jesus (rightly understood) is the only one in heaven or earth that goes beyond the Shopkeeper version and says, "God insists! You MUST be saved!"

The first version is good, orthodox, lukewarm righteousness by faith--your salvation depends on you taking the initiative. The second ... ? Sounds like your salvation depends on God taking the initiative, and your heart is melted by His love, by appreciating what it cost Him to save you.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 29, 1998.

Monday, February 03, 2014

What It Means to "Glory in the Cross"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

What does it mean to "glory ... in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" as the apostle says in Galatians 6:14--"God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"? To "glory" in something is to revel in it, to be absorbed in it, to think of it day and night, to live for it; we do that all the time when we "glory" in our speed boat, or in our wardrobe, or in our palace-like house, or even in our garden, or in our special abilities that make people envy us. How can we learn to "glory in the cross"?

To "glory" in earthly things is idolatry; and the end is boredom. To "glory in the cross of Christ" would be a delightful experience if one knew how to do it; but what does the cross mean to us?

Christ suffered for us, but soldiers on the battlefield are also suffering; some of them lie in agony, wounded, for longer times than Jesus suffered on His cross. What is so special about the suffering of Jesus? When Paul "gloried in the cross" the world itself was "crucified to [him]" and he was "dead" to its alluring temptations; the cross of Christ had done something for him and to him. The love (agape) demonstrated there impacted him so deeply that "henceforth" he was "constrained" to devote himself to the cause and mission of Christ; he was "crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20). It wasn't because Paul was a super-hero; he was a sinner by nature as much as any of us; he said he was "less than the least of all saints [sinners]" (Eph. 3:8).

What the apostle "saw" we can "see" today: the death that Jesus died on His cross was not the ordinary "death" we know; He died "the second death" (Rev. 2:11; 20:14), which meant under "the curse of God," the horror of the endless darkness of hell; and Christ suffered it for every human soul on earth (Gal. 3:13; Heb. 2:9). Let the solemn truth stretch your mind and "enlarge [your] heart" as David prays (Psalm 119: 32), so you can "comprehend" its vast dimensions (Eph. 3:14-19).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 22, 2007.