In The Image Of God

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."  Genesis 1:27.  That which is created comes from nothing making certain the divine sovereignty of God.  Without God there is no creation.  Man, therefore, is the handiwork of a Creator.  God took the dust which He had created and made man.  Man was created in the likeness of God.  No other creature of creation was created in God's likeness.  So man is superior to all the rest of creation. Man has a soul which is that eternal part of man.  The body of man will return to the dust from which it was taken, but the soul will not cease to be.  As God will always be, so man will always be.  Man was also created with knowledge and understanding.  Man was also created in the righteousness and holiness of God until the fall.  Special to the creation was male and female.  Marriage was to occur and the race was to be reproduced.  So in the very beginning, God puts forth His plan for the continuance of His creation.  As the image of God, we are to honor and please God in all things.

Put Off This Tabernacle

"Knowing that shortly that I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me."  II Peter 1:14.  Humanity has been created for better things than this old world.  We are engaged in a great journey.  We are traveling from here to eternity.  This old earthly pilgrimage will be completed when we put off this earthly tabernacle.  We will move out of this old body into a body like unto the Lord Jesus Christ.  This earthly tent will be discarded for that which is more perfect and forever lasting.  We must all be aware that this will take place shortly in our life.  We know for certainty that this tabernacle grows older with the passing of time.  Soon it will become such that we can no longer live herein.  The years take their toll, and repair is impossible.  So, we know that we must move on.  But, how joyous that will be.  When we discard this old body for that new creation from God, we will shout forever.  An earthly house will be laid aside for a house that is eternal in the heavens.  Praise God for such a hope!

The True Light

"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."  John 1:9-10.  Light is necessary for direction.  Light prevents one from stumbling in the darkness.  Light insures that we are on the right path.  Jesus Christ came to be the Light.  He is the Light that directs our way in a world of darkness.  He is the Light that insures our travel that we are in step with God.  He is the Light that prevents our falling.  As the Light, Jesus drives out the darkness of evil from our soul.  Jesus is the Light house of our life offering a safe guard against the dangers that lurk in the darkness.  Jesus is the Light that guides us safely into the harbor of refuge.  With Jesus as our Light, we are secure and guarded against the dangerous pitfalls of Satan.  But, unlike the world, we must know Him.  Jesus must be our Light that shines in our soul.  Light gives joy and peace.  Such is true with Jesus as our Light.

No Place For The Hypocrite

"He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him."  Job 13:16. In no place other than God can salvation be found.  God saves from sin, disaster, affliction, and all other earthly maladies.  Indeed, God is the One who saves.  But whom does He save?  Because a hypocrite has no place before Him, God saves those who are sincere.  Job had indeed maintained his integrity.  His affliction was not because of sin that he had committed.  The hypocrite seeks salvation without integrity.  The hypocrite professes to be of high character and unblemished spirit.  That which is claimed by the hypocrite is not the true personality.  The heart of the hypocrite is blackened, and thus, cannot truly see himself.  But, others see him.  And, God surely knows him.  God will not allow one who claims, but does not do, to come into His holy presence.  A heart that sees its own misdeeds can come into the presence of He who desires to save.  God wants us to see our sin, and thus, our need of His salvation.  Let us remove the garments of hypocrisy, and come to the God who promises to save us.

The Godly Have Ceased

"Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men."  Psalm 12:1.  When the godly cease, we do need help.  In such a condition, help can only come from the Lord.  When the godly cease and the faithful fail, look at the conditions that will prevail.  The lips will speak falsehood.  The tongue will be filled with pride.  The poor will be oppressed, and the needy will be ignored.  The wicked and the vile shall be exalted.  All manner of evil and sinfulness will hang like a dark cloud over the habitation of humanity.  Mankind will follow his own way, and decide what is right and what is wrong.  When such a condition arises, very little if anything will be considered as wrongdoing.  Help us O Lord.  His words will keep and preserve the godly and faithful.  In the midst of the abundance of sin, let us hear God as He speaks through His truth.  The generation of righteousness will not perish from the earth for the Lord shall keep His people.

Cut To The Heart

"When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them."  Acts 5:33.  The end that is desired of the gospel being preached is for the heart to be pricked or cut.  The gospel is ineffective if the heart is not affected.  Sometimes the gospel will be heard by a heart that is hard and cold.  This heart will not respond to the gospel.  In the passage before us, the heart was cut, but a negative response was made by those who heard.  They wanted to slay the messenger.  God wanted them to be mindful of their sin by a pricked heart so that they would repent.  The desire of the pricked heart is change.  These people did not want to change, and neither did they want to be reminded of their sin.  The messenger can be slain, but the message will continue.  Some other messenger will always take the place of the one who is slain.  God's word will continue to travel through the land.  The word of God can not be stopped.  When your heart is cut, what is your response?  Do you want to slay the messenger or change your life?

A Hindrance To Baptism

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"  Acts 8:36.  We understand in this conversion of the eunuch that baptism is necessary for salvation.  Salvation from sin does not take place before one has been baptized into Christ.  We understand also that water is necessary.  We also understand that baptism is a burial in the water.  Christ was preached, and the eunuch was baptized in order to enjoy the blessings of salvation that are offered by Christ.  What can hinder one to be baptized?  Unbelief, either in Christ as the Savior or in baptism's power to save, can prevent one from submitting to baptism.  Repentance can certainly hinder one's obedience to baptism.  Repentance is a departure from sin and a turning unto God.  Confession can prevent one from being baptized.  Christ must be confessed as the Son of God.  If one does not believe in the deity of Christ, this would certainly become a hindrance to baptism.  We see that none of these things hindered the eunuch.  He was baptized into Christ and went on his way rejoicing.  What hinders us from being baptized?