"Salvation is of the LORD." -Jonah 2:9

The Gospel & Authentic  New Testament Ministry , Part II by D.G.  Miles McKee   The apostle Paul proclaimed the gospel evangeli stically (I Corinthians 4:15) , but he knew that this was far from its exclusive use.  Unfortunately, many preachers don‘t seem to have this same insight. According to them the Gospel is exclusively for the lost. They foolishly imagine that spiritual growth is divorced from the Gospel and its applications. Yes it´s true, Paul preached evangelistically but as an apostle, Paul’s central burden for the Churches was to establish them in the faith.   This apostolic ministry of establishing, however, was accomplished only by and through the Gospel. He writes,  Now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ ...  (see Romans 16:25) .   According to Romans 16:25, Gospel preaching establishes believers. It is the Gospel of Christ that makes the believer stable and...

"Wisdom is justified of all her children." - Luke 7:35 [KJV] “O! could I but know, and be sure, I am a child of God, I should be quite happy. The want of this makes me very uncomfortable.”  Such is the language of many a doubting believer.    Well, soul, here is a mark laid down: by it judge of thyself, and know thy state. Art thou a child of wisdom? If so, thou wilt justify wisdom. But what is wisdom? What is it to justify wisdom?  (1st.) Thy Saviour is “the wisdom of God”   (I Corinthians 1:24.) He is not only wise to win souls, but is wisdom itself. He makes all His children wise unto salvation, by knowing Him, “of God, made unto them wisdom” (I Corinthians 1:30.) Wisdom is here arraigned, and His ways censured by the calumny of fools. He is condemned as a licentious person; a sot; an epicure; a jovial friend, and companion of wicked sinners.    If you are a child of wisdom, you will also meet with the same treatment from a carnal wor...

"He sent His word and healed them." -Psalm 107:20 [KJV] Of all the subjects to comfort our minds in the recollection of the mercies in Jesus, the authority and name of Jehovah in the appointment comes home with the greatest comfort to the heart. This is faith's warrant—this is faith's confidence. Who sent Jesus; who sent His word; who is it that gives validity and efficacy to salvation? Jehovah .  "Beware of Him , "  saith the LORD, "My name is in Him."  And how then can my soul fail, or any promise in Christ pass unfulfilled, when Jehovah sends and Christ completes the work the Father gave Him to do? Blessed Jesus! may I always look to Thee under this precious character; and may I hear Thee speaking under that solemn, but blessed title, "I am the LORD that healeth thee." -preacher Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)  

"They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."   -Matthew 9:12 [KJV] A physician is useless without a case; and the deeper the case, the wiser and better physician we need. Thus a guilty conscience is a case for atoning blood, a wounded spirit for healing balm, a filthy garment for a justifying robe, a drowning wretch for an Almighty hand, a criminal on the gallows for a full pardon, an incurable disease for a heavenly physician, and a sinner sinking into hell for a Saviour stooping down from heaven.  A man with a real case must have a real salvation. He is no longer to be cheated, deluded, and tricked with pretences, as a nervous patient is sometimes cured with bread pills; but he must have a real remedy as having a real disease. Christ in the Bible, Christ sitting as an unknown Saviour in the heavens, Christ afar off, unmanifested and unrevealed, is no Christ to him.     "Near, near; let Him come near; in my heart, in my soul, revea...

"...lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." -Judges 7:2 [KJV] Thus the LORD reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of His own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.”   But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian— against Me . Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. “Thou vauntest thyself against the LORD.”  Thou ar...

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."   -I Peter 5:7 [KJV] Yes, blessed Jesus, I would cast all upon Thee: sins, sorrows, trials, temptations. Thou art the Almighty Burden-bearer of Thy people; for the Lord Jehovah hath laid on Thee the iniquity of us all. And as Thou bearest all our sins, so Thou carriest all our sorrows. And dost Thou not bear all the persons of Thy redeemed? Dost Thou not bear all our troubles, all our exercises, all our temptations, trials, difficulties? The government is upon Thy shoulder; the care of the churches is all with Thee.  And shall I not cast all my care upon Thee? Shall I be careful for many things, while Jesus saith, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee?"  Oh for grace to sit loose to all things, and to leave all things with Thee. Lord, do Thou bear me up when I am falling, support me when weak, uphold me against all mine enemies, carry me safe through a life of grace here—an...

"And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."   -I Corinthians 3:23 [KJV] "Christ is God's."  These are remarkable words, and need to be carefully and reverently opened up. The fulness of the mystery is beyond our grasp. Still, we may attempt to look at it in faith and godly fear. How, then, is Christ God's? First, He is God's Son—not a Son by covenant or by office; in other words, not a nominal, but a true and proper Son—a Son by nature, by His eternal mode of subsistence as a Person in the Godhead. "This is My beloved Son"  was twice proclaimed by God the Father with an audible voice from heaven.  Second, but He is also God's servant. "Behold My servant whom I uphold" (Isaiah 42:1) . "It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob" (Isaiah 49:6) , and this He was as Messiah. But because He is by office God's servant, He is not less by nature God's Son. He...