Confidence in Death

But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. – Ps 94:22

In 1Th 4:13, Paul counsels the Brethren not to react to death “as others who have no hope.” Many a Believer’s perception of Death is still a carryover from their Old Man nature. Yet Rom 8:2 says that, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death.”

Death has a sting. It goes beyond the spectre of pain or loss; there’s a deeper reason man lives in full terror of death. This dread is an anthropologically proven fact; all cultures from everywhere in all of history live in fear of Death.

The source of this fear may be philosophised and theorised by sociocultural scholars and anthropologists. But the Scriptures say the source of that fear is Sin! 1Co 15:56 says it plainly: “THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN.”

Therefore, for a Believer whose sins have been forgiven to still quiver and tremble before death is a sign of ignorance of the salvation principle, or what death actually means. And of course, you can be sure that the Devil will exploit that ignorance to full effect. And one way he does that is through the dread of judgment – exactly the way he used to do it before salvation.

Beloved, of what value is the salvation experience if it doesn’t settle something as fundamental as Heaven? Christ is our defence and shelter on the Day of Judgement, (John 3:18, Rom 4:7-8; 5:1; 8:1).

If you’ve not settled that matter in your heart and still live in constant anxiety for your eternal fate were you to die today, I recommend that you make this (death-themed) Sinner’s Prayer from the last stanza of Rev Toplady’s timeless hymn. Say this prayer to Christ, your “Rock of Ages” today:

“While I draw this fleeting breath,

When mine eyes shall close in death,

When I soar to worlds unknown,

See Thee on Thy judgement throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

“Nothing in My Hand”

“For everyone that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.” – Luk 18:14.

Our Lord’s parable of “The Pharisee and the Tax Collector” (Luk 18:9-14) highlights a fundamental problem many people have with respect to salvation. God does not judge us relative to our neighbour, our siblings or even humanity in general. Many people like to gloat at the sin and iniquity of the world around them: the corruption, the immorality, the shameless fashion trends, the apathy…

And why wouldn’t they? In a sense, the evil around them makes them saints, in comparison. But God’s judgment isn’t like our educational system – he doesn’t grade us on a curve. Instead of looking at ourselves and our contemporaries to determine our moral grade, we look to God and rate ourselves by his perfect standard of Holiness.

When we do that, like the prophet Isaiah, we’ll cry out, “Woe is me! For I am undone;” (Is 6:5) this is a core requisite of salvation; an acknowledgement of our helplessness and utter sinfulness. Anything else would be arrogant and foolish pride.

When we come to the Cross, we must cry, like the Rev Toplady in his hymn:

Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress;

Helpless, look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly;

Wash me, Saviour, or I die!

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

The Response For Sin

The apostle John in 1Jn 2:1,2 says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous And He is THE propitiation for our sins.”

There’s a thin line between being sorry for sin and attempting to propitiate for it. Sometimes, the actions we take after sinning are tantamount to adding insult to the injury. Sin is a grave issue with God that required Him sending His Beloved Son to die on the Cross for its propitiation. Therefore, to expect something bad to happen in your life because you sinned is tantamount to a boy etching “GARY WUZ HIA” with a nail on your brand new car and afterwards telling you, “I’m so sorry for what I did. To show you how sorry I am, I’ll not smile when I eat my sweets for the next three days” Would you find that show of remorse appealing? No, as a matter of fact, you would be even more offended as he seems to be trivialising his actions.

Some people say they are so remorseful for their sins that they go on a fast. Some say they’re so sorry that they decide to flog themselves, some decide to wash the church’s toilets, others still cry their heart out. While these may be legitimate instincts we feel for falling short of God’s holy standard, we must be careful not to think that is what God requires or wants to see in us.

The wages of sin is not contrition, the wages of sin is death - eternal separation from God, (Rom 6:23). Remembering this fact puts all our acts of penance into perspective. God’s justice is only fully satisfied by the death of Jesus on the cross.

This is the lesson we learn from the second stanza of our hymn “Rock of Ages”

Not the labour of my hands,

Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;

Could my zeal no respite know,

Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone;

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

The Double Cure

... Be of sin the double cure,

Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

– Augustus Toplady, “Rock of Ages” (Stanza 1)

The first stanza in Rev Toplady’s classic hymn, “Rock of Ages” mentions a vital doctrinal principle concerning the work of the blood of Christ in the Believer’s life. He called it “the double cure”. The blood of Christ saves us from both the GUILT of sin, and its POWER over us.

Through our faith in Christ’s shed blood, we received redemption (forgiveness of sins) and were reconciled back to God (Eph 1:7; 2:13,16; Col 1:14,20). The blood cleanses us to the utmost, purging us and our consciences so that we can stand boldly in God’s presence, (Heb 9:12-14; 10:19-20).

However, the blood doesn’t just cleanse us from the guilt of sin, it also frees us from its power. Because we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness, sin no longer has its previous hold on us. Scriptures declares that we’re now – for all intents and purposes – dead to sin and its influence, (Rom 6:2-11; 7:4). That’s why 1Pet 2:24 explains that Jesus bore our sins on the cross so that “we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.”

Emphasising one of these two truths to the exclusion of the other will create a warped gospel. We can emphasise the forgiveness in the blood so much that we forget that it more than just cleanses from sin, but delivers us from continuing in it. 

On the flipside, some have overly emphasised the latter, going as much as to create a non-scriptural “second work of salvation” in which the Believer is expected to live in perfect sinlessness. This places a new burden on the Believer as they strive day and night to supposedly keep their garments clean and blinds them to the full forgiveness they possess in Christ.

Are you struggling under either of these extremes?  Run to Christ, the “Rock of Ages”, today; and hide yourself in His loving, freeing and empowering arms.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

The Gospel From Burrington Combe

But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. – Ps 94:22

Over two centuries ago, (1763), it’s reported that an Anglican preacher travelling along a gorge in the Mendip Hills of England was suddenly caught in a rain storm. Fortunately, he found shelter in a gap in the gorge. While waiting there, sheltered from the elements by that rock, thoughts of a hymn about salvation came to him that would go on to immortalise both him and that nondescript geologic formation.

The man was the Reverend Augustus Toplady; and the fissure he sheltered in was the gorge of Burrington Combe – a designated “Site of Special Scientific Interest” by the U.K. government that’s more popularly known by the title of the hymn it inspired: “Rock of Ages.”

With one of the most instantly-recognized tunes, Rock of Ages is a classic hymn that has inspired Christians and non-Christians the world over for two centuries. It was regarded as one of the “Great Four Anglican Hymns” of the 19th century and its lyrics described as “Among the most profound, inspiring, encouraging, sacred, devotional and precious words ever penned.”

For some strange reason, the appeal of Rock of Ages goes beyond the walls of our Christian cathedrals and has found its way into musical works for very secular, and very young, audiences. It has inspired orchestral works, various rock albums (including a rock musical film of that same title), and is featured prominently in the bestselling action adventure video game Assassin’s Creed.

As a child, because of the popularity of the phrase, I assumed “Rock of Ages” was a biblical term, similar to “Ancient of Days”. And it’s a testament of the hymn’s scripturality that it can be used as a tool to outline, in simple terms, the principle on which the Gospel message stands.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN