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In our relationship with the first Adam we had no freedom at all (sin had its dominion – Rom 6:14—NC), the members of the old Adam being under obligation to furnish personal righteousness before God (an impossibility before Christ came—NC), as moral beings responsible to Him (not just obedience...

It is essential that we take a moment to consider the inward conflict of the growing child of God. It may be said, “What if a man knows his sins to be forgiven and more, liberty” (which some call “sanctification,” “deeper life,” etc.), “then, surely, every spiritual desire must be gratified...

It is of the utmost importance, in the study of Scripture, to distinguish between God’s moral government of the world (esp. concerning Israel, still and will always be “God’s people”—NC), and the specific hope of the Church. The entire body of Old Testament prophecy, and much of the New, treats...

Surely, it would suffice us to see the Father, but that would not be faith, and if one cannot be satisfied without seeing Him yet, one will never be satisfied; because it would not be faith that sees Him, but our flesh! We should be most encouraged just to know that the Father is ours and we are...

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). Here the Apostle Paul unfolds the blessing of believers according to the purpose of the Father, and therefore their highest blessings. In this great...

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man; ye have put off the old man” (Eph 4:22; Col 3:9). What exactly is “putting off the old man”? It’s not sending it away, for it remains constant with us. To put off someone means not to attend to what they are saying, like putting...

This one is special to my heart! “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jer 31:3). God cannot be otherwise than He is. All of our Father’s actions are perfectly free. His first act, as Paul tells us, was His purpose of the incarnation...

God knew man was going to be a sinner, which answers to His provision for a way out of our sin—which is the Cross of Christ—His only Begotten! His desire for others to come to Him comes from the fact that He made us to be incarnate, and knew we would have a carnal, sinful nature, which is used...

This is the basis for growth—to be so occupied with Christ, as to forget self! While told to reckon ourselves dead, we are looked upon as already dead in Christ. How is this? Christ is looked upon as coming down into the place of death, that there, where I was without stirring, Christ might be...

God condemned man, but that was just the beginning of what His love would show! His intended purpose was not only to condemn, but also to save; and without being guilty of sin man would have never been a part of God’s plan to be in Him, and Him in us. Whatever it takes, we should be willing to...

God makes everything right—always—no matter what, if you’re a believer. Believers are continually being brought to the sense of their wrong, in order that they would know what not to do, in their repentance; We are also brought to the sense of God’s love in order to know what to do (Rom 2:4)...

The believer is never in trouble with God! Everything he goes through is for learning, and never punishment; “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb 12:6). Chastening out of love is God’s way, and not out of man’s anger, for they “chastened us...

The trials and testing of the believer in Christ are ever ongoing and can be quite daunting, but never “grievous” or “troublesome” (1Jo 5:3; Jn 14:1, 27). They may at time seem so but they’re really not, because it’s only God’s way of maturing us in our faith when we exercise it in the Word...

No deeper truth could be uttered than is expressed in the words of Christ, “Ye in Me (by the baptism of the Spirit), and I in you” (by the Spirit’s regeneration – Jn 14:20). That this and all similar truth is wholly foreign to the OT is obvious. Many fail to recognize the vast distinctions...

There is nothing greater than for one being used by the Father in all that He has him to do! His care for us causes us to “desire and do His good pleasure” (Phl 2:13), which keeps us from ever again desiring the way of sin and condemnation. He knows what the exact amount of difficulty we can...

Is the Covenant of Redemption a thing! Yes, and God is a bit mysterious concerning this one, for it is the one that is for those, whom, created after His image, are also after His “good pleasure” (Phl 2:13). These are they who are more precious to God than the angels; for man is the sole being...

It has been well said that “the lost need saved, and the saved need delivered;” that is, from our trials! Also that, “the Blood procures pardon from sin; and the Cross procures power over sin.” The power over sin involves the restraint of “the old man” by remaining “crucified” (“is crucified”...

The purpose of New Testament is to identify the Lord Jesus as the Son of God (because that’s His primary administration for salvation). Though the Three are equal in Deity, power and essence, They are in an order of authority (Father, Son, Spirit - Jhn 10:29; 14:28; 1Co 11:3; 15:24); as the One...

Note: This prologue is a theoretical hypotheses of Israel’s eschatology, and is what I think (and all the Plymouth Brethren) is probably truth; and let us be aware that regardless of what may be considered, it is not essential doctrine, same for any growth truth that has no effect on one’s...

Believers are ever in fellowship with God via “desiring and doing His good pleasure” (Phl 2:13). They are saved by His grace, and manifest their love to Him by their obedience. The place where God has them is in a constant and unbroken state of holiness and acceptability in His Son, the Lord...