Taking God At His Word

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Because of a failure to understand God’s purposes as outlined in the Scriptures some have felt it necessary to alter many of the plainest statements of Holy Writ. Supposing that God could not have meant exactly what He said, they have concluded that these things must be interpreted in a “spiritual” sense.

Actually there is nothing spiritual about failing to take God at His Word, and seeking to explain away difficulties by arbitrarily altering what He has plainly said.

First, this would leave us at the mercy of theologians. If the Scriptures do not mean what they say, who has the authority to decide what they do mean? And how can we turn to the Word of God for light if it does not mean what it says, and only trained theologians can tell us what it does mean?

Second, this altering of the Scriptures affects the veracity of God. It is a thrust at His very honor. If the obvious, natural meaning of the Old Testament promises are not to be depended upon, how can we depend upon any promise of God? Then, when He says: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13), He may also mean something else instead of what He actually says.

Third, this “spiritualizing” of Scriptures endorses apostasy, for it allows men to alter the meaning of God’s Word according to their will.

The path to a true understanding and enjoyment of the Bible is not in altering but in “rightly dividing” it (II Tim. 2:15).

Those who have resorted to the “spiritualization” of the prophetic Scriptures because they cannot account for the seeming cessation in their fulfillment, will find the solution to their problem in a recognition of the unique character of Paul’s apostleship and message. Recognize “the mystery” revealed through Paul and there will be no need to alter prophecy.

God’s Faithfulness And Ours

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Many people suppose that salvation is God’s reward to those who do their best to live good lives. This is not so, for God’s Word says of those who are saved:

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Tim. 1:9).

Referring to this “salvation which is in Christ Jesus,” St. Paul says:

“It is a faithful saying, for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him” (II Tim. 2:10,11).

In other words: The believer, viewing Calvary aright, has “died with Christ.” Viewing the Cross, he has said: “This is not Christ’s death. He was no sinner. He had no death to die. He is dying my death!” And so by faith he is “crucified with Christ”(Gal. 2:20). The penalty for all his sins has been fully paid, for he died— in Christ, and thus has also risen with Christ “to walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:3,4).

This is all God’s doing, and only now is the believer in a position to do good works that will please God. Thus the Apostle writes of believers, in II Tim. 2: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us” (Ver. 12). When the believer’s service for Christ is reviewed some, indeed, will“receive a reward,” but others will “suffer loss,”though they themselves will “be saved, yet so as by fire” (I Cor. 3:14,15).

It will be deeply embarrassing, in that day, for unfaithful Christians to face empty-handed the One who gave His all, Himself, to save them. Yet salvation is by grace, thus the Apostle hastens to conclude his statement in II Timothy 2, with the words:

“If we are unfaithful, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself” (Ver. 13)

Thus our rewards as believers depend upon our faithfulness, but our salvation, thank God, on His!