”Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.” | Psalm 119: 129-136

WHEREFORE

Since it is by the Word of truth that the believer is conceived…

Since it is by the sincere milk of the Word that believers grow… “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (1 Peter 2: 2)

Since it is by the Word that believers are comforted… “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4: 18)

Since it is by the Word that believers will be confirmed unto the end… “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1: 4-9)

…the Holy Spirit gives us instruction on how brethren receive God’s Word.

BE SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH

The Pharisees exhibited the opposite of these characteristics toward the Lord Jesus Christ.

The first message that the Word of truth ever preached, declared that salvation is by the sovereign, electing grace of God in Christ, in whom sinners are made complete.

“And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong” (Luke 4: 28,29)

Over the course of one day, the Pharisees attempted to entangle Christ in his words by using the Herodians, the Sadducees, and one of their own best lawyers, all of which the Word silenced.

The scribes and Pharisees claimed by their words to be doing “all for the glory of God.”

However, everything they did was in defense of their dead, rotting corpses.

Therefore they were swift to speak instead of to hear the Word of truth.

Their wrath was against Christ, the Word of truth.

“Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” (Matthew 23: 2-3)

If we would hear God speak, we must give our full attention to his Word and put off the old dead sinner, with our vain traditions and imaginary thoughts of how sinners are saved.

“For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” (Galatians 1: 13-16)

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “The Entrance Of God’s Words”

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Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 8 February, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey