• About this site

 Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth

• About this site

Gathering Unto His Name - The New Testament contains a clear pattern for how a church should operate. This book summarizes relevant scriptures to what a church is and how it affects our modern day practices.

• About this site

101 Ways to Teach a Memory Verse

• About this site

Gloria Christopherson

• About this site

Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment

• About this site

• About this site

• About this site

• About this site

• About this site

In light of Matthew 22:30" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:30 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:50-54, shall we know one another in heaven?

This is an oft-raised question and one that shews how diverse are men’s minds. To many the very possibility of non-recognition seems unthinkable. If we are to know as we are known, does not that bespeak a deeper and wider knowledge than before, not a feebler and narrower, “when the mists have rolled away”?

Abraham knew Lazarus and the “rich man,” and all about their past; and the “rich man” knew Abraham and Lazarus, and can we suppose that Lazarus, did not know on whose bosom he was pillowing his head? See Luke 16:23, 25." TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:23, 25.

This speaks, no doubt, of the intermediate state, but the principle is the same. The apostles knew Moses and Elias on the Holy Mount. What point would there be in making to ourselves friends with our money, that they may receive us into everlasting habitations? (See Luke 16:9)," TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:9), for how could these “friends” do so, if they could not recognise their benefactors?

I think the true conclusion is that we shall know those whom we have known and all others of the redeemed besides. This does not mean that earthly relations which are of a temporary character, will continue, and this is I think all that Matthew 22:30" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:30 teaches, but nothing is hinted as to a change of personality or a loss of identity. As for 1 Corinthians 15:50-54," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:50-54, surely no changes wrought in the saint by the putting on of immortality or incorruptibility, will exceed the wonderful change wrought in Christ by His glorification, and yet “He is the same” and is recognisable through it all, as John experienced (see Revelation 1:1-10)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 1:1-10).

William Hoste

• About this site

As regards our Lord’s burial, is it right to say that, “Burial is a necessary part of our Lord’s vicarious work”?

“The Gospel includes it as we see 1 Corinthians 15: 3, 4." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15: 3, 4. Adam being guilty, the judgment of God required that he should return to the earth whence he came. The burning outside the camp of the sin- offering when its blood was taken inside the veil, points to this”

It is important to distinguish between the penal and governmental consequences of sin. The former are defined in the words of the Lord God, “In the day that thou eatest therefore thou shalt surely die.” There is no mention till later of dust returning to dust, if we must take that as the equivalent of burial, though it is more a putting out of sight, than physical dissolution. Nor indeed was physical death the death primarily referred to in the above warning: additional precautions had to be taken to ensure that, namely the prevention of access to the Tree of Life—”Now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever (i.e., exist in a sin-haunted body), therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden.” Nothing of an outward physical change seems to have taken place at the Fall, but a mysterious moral gulf had appeared between the creature and his Creator; he was afraid of God and hid himself. This was spiritual death.

In verses 16 to 19, the governmental consequences of the Fall are detailed quite distinct from death. The Christian is saved from the penal consequences of sin whereas he often has to know its governmental consequences. I believe the former were exhausted at the cross as the words, “It is finished,” declare, and as the rending of the veil proves. The Lord before breathing out His spirit was now no longer forsaken of His God for He commends it to His Father.

But as the writer Mr. J. T. well says, “The forsaking would not have been a public matter, had not our Lord uttered the cry.” So the death of the body was the outward and visible sign of that other death which had the much deeper significance of separation from God. I am surprised that Mr. J. T. should understand the meaning of the burning of the sin-offering outside the camp in Lev 4" TARGET="_blank">Lev 4 as burial. The word for “burning” is “araph,” representing Divine judgment; it is Christ’s suffering under God’s righteous judgment, outside the camp.

It is difficult to conceive our Lord Jesus as under Divine judgment when with reverent and loving hands He was laid in Joseph’s tomb. We may remark that His grave with the rich man was not a penalty for sin, but, “because he had done no violence neither was there any deceit in His mouth.” It is perfectly true that Christ’s burial is an eloquent testimony to the complete setting aside of the old man; but could it be said that our Lord was buried vicariously? I trow not. It is part of “the truth of the Gospel,” but as far as I remember, is only once referred to by an apostle in any public address in the Acts, which seems to show that it is not a significant part of the Gospel for the unsaved. But the Gospel is very great and extended, and has a close application to the believer. Perhaps we would be right in saying that the cross is the refuge for sinners, the sepulchre, the receptacle for the old man— Signified by baptism; and “in Christ” risen, the residence of the new man.

W.H.

• About this site

THE “FALLING AWAY” DOCTRINE

Is it possible for one who has been truly converted and has eternal life to be eternally lost?

Surely the terms “eternal life” and “eternal perdition” are incompatible and mutually exclusive. A life that can be lost cannot be eternal. The Lord says of His sheep: “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28)," TARGET="_blank">John 10:28), and again, “He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (lit, judgment) but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24)." TARGET="_blank">John 5:24). Christ is the life of His people (“Christ, who is our life”—Colossians 3:4)" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 3:4) and each true believer is “baptized in one Spirit into one body,” and is a temple of the Holy Spirit and a child in the family of God. Not one such then could be lost, for if so, the Church would be blemished; the temple marred; and the family broken for all eternity. The Word says, “He that hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6)." TARGET="_blank">Phil 1:6). It behoves us then to be sure that this good work has truly begun in us, for as there were false brethren crept in unawares in the primitive churches, so there may be spurious Christians to-day even in the most scriptural assemblies, men who can pass muster with their fellow-men, but who are only counterfeit professors, and who will one day be exposed as such—”Every tree that my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted out.” We should not then take ourselves too easily for granted. Perhaps a few doubts about ourselves now and again are not a bad sign, though we should never, never doubt Christ. I question whether false professors often doubt themselves. How then does God begin His work in a soul? By convicting of sin by His Spirit and then revealing Christ crucified as the all-sufficient Saviour. He continues, however, to shew us increasingly the evil within, till we find that we must look away to Christ for everything, and be content to have Him for our All in All. But if we want to convince others that we are indeed true believers, something more is needed than a profession of faith. We read of some who became antichrists, who had no doubt professed faith, been baptised and broken bread: “They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19)." TARGET="_blank">1 John 2:19). Not even great gifts, successful preaching and mighty works prove reality. Judas Iscariot had all these, and so also have the wonder-workers of Matthew 7: 2, 23," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 7: 2, 23, of whom the Lord utters one of His most solemn warnings: “Many will say unto me in that day, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out demons, etc.?” Yet He will say to them “I never knew you.” They were never possessors of eternal life through faith in Him. Gift is of great profit, where there is grace, but gift without grace is nought. There is a number of tests in the Epistles of John, which we may apply to ourselves, if we would be assured that we have truly been born of God, of which I will here quote two or three: “Every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29)." TARGET="_blank">1 John 2:29). If a man is crooked in his ways, unrighteous in his acts and untruthful in his words, he may well tremble for himself. Then here is another test: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin” (i John . ). This does not mean that a true child of God never sins, for in chapter i. we have God’s gracious provision for the failures of His people, but it means he does not continue in it, like a swine in his wallowing. Alas! with what warning voice to us all do the sad exposures of years of immorality and dishonest dealing of which we sometimes hear, even among professed believers, speak. It is not for us to say glibly of such that we know them to be children of God, because they have long passed as such. The hidden life which has come to light, seems to give the lie to any such theories. One more such test will we quote:
“Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world” (1 John 5:4)." TARGET="_blank">1 John 5:4). The overcomer is not one who is never overcome, but who, like Joshua, overcomes at last (Exodus 17:11)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 17:11). The final overcomers are not some extraordinary kind of Christians; they are true Christians who prove themselves to be such by continuing to the end. For other tests we may see chap. 3. 1 and 14; 5:1; 2 John 1:9." TARGET="_blank">2 John 1:9. Enough has been said to remind us of the solemn words: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”; “Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation!” Thank God for the words of our Lord Jesus, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out”; which not only mean that He will not reject, but that He will not eject the one who comes to Him.

William Hoste

• About this site

• About this site

Sunday School Worksheets

1. Printable Sunday School Worksheets are available for download.

2. Sunday School Activities is another download section that includes 3D models, games and Power Points.

3. Weekly email of a Sunday School activity featuring printable booklets and creative ways to tell a Bible story.
   

1. Lessons outlines and Activities.

2. Sunday School Worksheets.

• You can turn a Bible vese or chapter into a Sunday School class activity in a 3 mouse clicks or use one of the 325 worksheets already made.

 You need have the Acrobat PDF reader, also called Acrobat Reader and a printer.

The Sunday School Worksheets are a source of ideas for lessons and simple crafts designed for appropriate age-group levels: primary aged sunday school students can easily do the Sunday School Story Coloring Worksheets or the fill-in-the-blank worksheets.  Middle school and high school students can do the worksheet activities that have open-ended responses.  Wordfind (or wordfinder puzzles) and crossword puzzles can be done by both primary and secondary age students.  You don't need to have a crossword puzzle maker or a wordfind maker since each Bible story already is completed for you.

The Sunday School Worksheets are provided originally for free download and distribution by Calvary Chapel.  They are a free Sunday School Teacher craft idea resource that cannot be sold according to the original copyright agreement.

• About this site

• About this site