ABOUT THE EDITOR
I was pastor of the Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Ohio, when stricken with polio in August, 1955. Paralyzed from the shoulders down I began to search for other avenues of service for Christ. The idea of a devotional paper was conceived in my mind and "TRIUMPH" is the result. The original copy of each issue is typed with a stick held between my teeth. If I have had even a little victory in my affliction, all praise must go to God, "who always causeth us to triumph in Christ."
Editorial
You will note that there is a page missing from this edition. The reason is that I wanted to put in a copy of a tract which I have written and the American Tract Society has printed. I felt that the tract could take the place of the "Dear Shut-In" column anyway, and to keep the paper under the specified weight we had to take something out. Next month, the Lord willing, it will all be there. If you should desire more copies of the tract, send your order to the American Tract Society at the address on the back page (at the bottom) of the tract. The cost is 60 cents per hundred copies. I would appreciate your help is distributing these messengers.
One more word. If you fail to receive a copy of "TRIUMPH" some month, please let us know, for it is easy to skip a name when we handle so many. We will see that you get one. Thank you.
Sincerely, Art Gordon
The Good News
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8,9).
The Apostle Paul in his Philippian Epistle boasts just a bit. He is not boasting to exalt himself, but to prove a point. I too, would like to resort to a bit of boasting and for the same purpose as the apostle.
I was reared in a good home, and taught in a gospel-preaching church. I spent seven years in preparation for the ministry. Two and one half years pastoral work followed. During this time I preached twice on Sundays and taught a Sunday school class. During the week I conducted not less than two services and often, many more. Many hours were spent in study and prayer in preparation for the services each week. Often my family did without things which the average household takes for granted. I could go on, but I won't. Someone says, "what of it?" Somebody else says, "if anybody will get to heaven, you surely will." Stop . . . ! this is the point the apostle would make. The same point is made in the above verse of scripture: WE ARE SAVED NOT BY WHAT WE HAVE DONE BUT BY WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US.
I have no claim to heaven because I am an ordained minister of the gospel. I have no rights to the place Christ is now preparing for His own, just because I preached or prayed or did without. My only claim to heaven, my only right to that celestial abode is in the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for me. The same is true for all men. "Do you mean to say," says someone, "that such men as Billy Graham do not have a better chance than most people to get to heaven?" That is exactly what I mean to say. ". . . How about the pope . . .?" asks another. The pope is included. The preacher, in himself, has no more right to heaven than does the avowed atheist. Only in Christ is there any hope for either of them.
Let us now come down to where you live. I want to say it kindly but frankly: you have no more right to heaven than the drunken vagrant, groveling in the gutter. Don't be offended, for I only say this to help you see your need of Christ. God sees us all alike: sinners, lost, utterly helpless in ourselves. But seeing us in that deplorable condition--God made a way of salvation. He sent His Son to seek and to save the lost.
Your part is not to work and struggle and try in your own strength and goodness to attain God's glory, but to put your trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, as your own personal Savior. In other words you begin to believe that when Christ died on the cross, it was to take away your sins, it was to bring you back to God--in that He paid the penalty for you.
My continual prayer is that many will recognize their need of Christ and accept God's free gift of salvation through Him.
Sermon Series - III
The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians - (Continued)
Having considered the introduction and salutation to this epistle, let us now go on to the first main division which I have called REMINISCENCE. You will remember I said that Paul thought back to the days when they first came together and as he thought, he remembered the character of the Thessalonians. Now, as he begins to write of their character he bursts forth with a note of thanksgiving.
"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers." (Chapter 1, verse 2)
PRAYER
He reminds them that he thanks God continually for them. Not only does he thank God for them but he also asks God for them. Paul realized that it was God who wrought the work of salvation in their lives, who was continuing the work, and who would continue the work. The Bible declares: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). Who else could he thank? Who else could he petition? Oh, he might thank Timothy and Silvanus for helping in the work; he might thank the rulers of the synagogue for permitting him to speak; he might thank the people at Jerusalem for praying for him, but after all who is the one responsible for the salvation of the soul? Is it not God? Surely it is. Paul directed his prayer to God who had led him to the city of Thessalonica and who had called out a people for His namesake. God did the work; God deserved the praise. Of course man has his work to do: one sows, another reaps, "BUT GOD GIVES THE INCREASE."
One very important point is made in this verse which, I fear, many forget. Paul was deeply concerned over new converts and continued to pray for them. Very often, we are concerned about the salvation of a soul but when that one comes to the new birth we soon forget about his growth. The Bible, on the other hand, would have us continue holding that young Christian up in prayer. The Christians in Thessalonica did remain true to Christ through much opposition (as we shall see later in our study). Much credit must go to the Apostle Paul for his faithfulness in prayer.
Sometimes we get a bit discouraged in our prayer life if we do not see things happen immediately as we think they should. But, remember, this is one of the most important ministries in the church. It is not limited to preachers, and full-time workers, but can be done by each member--and should be done by each one.
Next, Paul states that he remembers their work etc. in verse 3: "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father."
VIRTUES
What a list of things he mentions here: work, labour, and patience. All these are commendable qualities and should be held by every Christian. These people were working for Christ. They were doing business for Him. They were active in His service. Not only that but the Record says that they laboured, which means--work in hard circumstances. The root word means "to cut." In other words they were working to the extent that it cut into their time and strength. I wonder how many of us are willing to work for Christ till it cuts: cuts into our bank account, our valuable time, and even our physical strength? It also says of them that they were patient. This word means "remaining under." They remained hopeful and cheerful in tribulation. Their stand for Christ brought them many hard times and heart-aches, but they were patient through it all: they remained, they endured!
Now, these three virtues are wonderful, but they are merely the expressions of something else. This something else these Christians had. What was it? Their faith produced their work. Their love produced their labour. Their hope produced their patience. These things were on the inside of the Christians; they were planted their by God Himself. The natural outworking of these graces is the work, labour and patience. Faith is bound to produce work. Love is bound to produce labour. Hope is bound to produce patience. If anyone claims to have faith and has no works, there is something wrong with his faith. If anyone claims to have love and has no labour then there is something wrong with his love. If anyone claims to have hope and has no patience in trouble, there is something wrong with his hope. It is possible, on the other hand, to have the outward expressions without the inward realities, that is: work and no faith, labour and no love, patience and no hope. We can point to examples of this in our day. There are people who are working for the good of humanity, yet they have never come to Christ and had these virtues of the heart planted within their breasts.
OBJECT
These virtues must have an object: faith must be in something or someone; love must be toward something or someone; hope must be in something or someone. In our present verse (verse 3b) that object is revealed for the Thessalonians, and I trust for you too: "our Lord Jesus Christ." Faith in a project will produce work for that project. Love for a program will produce labour for that program. Hope in an ideal will produce patience 'till the ideal is realized'. But greater than this: faith in Christ will produce work for Christ; love for Christ will produce labour for Him--cutting ourselves short to work for Him; hope in Christ will produce patience under any circumstance until we see Him face to face. The object then is the Lord Jesus Christ. If men can labour long hours for worthy causes, cannot we labour for Christ in the greatest cause of all: winning the lost from the future condemnation?
WITNESS
These virtues also have a witness: "in the sight of God and our Father." (verse 3c). All of these things are in plain view of God, our Father. He sees the work, labour, and patience. He also looks into the heart and sees the faith, love, and hope. Nothing is hidden from God our Maker, our Redeemer.
Not only does He see these virtues but He will reward the one possessing them. The Bible says: "thy Father which seeth in secret . . . shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:4). Eternal life is given to those who have faith in Christ and love for Him and hope in Him. Divine recognition (at the judgment seat of Christ, see I Corinthians 3:11-15) will be given to those who--as a result of implanted faith, love, and hope--have worked, laboured, and patiently endured for Christ. Glorious prospects, indeed . . . ! ! !
(Continued next month)
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Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
--Edward Mote
