When Things Happen in
a Hurry |
From The Primitive
Baptist Jul. 2017
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Elder
Mark Green |
The time
frame of salvation has been different with each individual.
In order for one of the elect to live in heaven, he must
have been redeemed, and born of the Spirit, and his soul and
spirit carried to heaven. (In addition, his body must be
changed.) In most cases, these three events occur over a
considerable period of time. For example, righteous Abel was
regenerated thousands of years before he was redeemed.
Because of his great age, Methuselah likely was born again
centuries before his soul and spirit ascended to glory. Who
knows when the last of God's elect will be born again, but
already it has been several centuries since he was redeemed.
These examples will suffice to show the spans of time that
usually are involved in these several events that must occur
in order to the eternal salvation of God's people.
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Notwithstanding the —
normal examples listed above, in at least one case
the time frame of these events was greatly
compressed — indeed, into a few brief hours. The
thief on the cross had been a hardened criminal and
was wholeheartedly engaged in blaspheming the Savior
to his face, when all of a sudden he began to praise
the Lord and to defend his honor — and to petition
Him for a blessing. The lips that had been engaged
in blasphemy were immediately turned to prayer and
praise. I know of nothing that could accomplish that
remarkable change other than the quickening of the
Spirit. This happened while the redeeming blood of
the Savior was dripping from the cross. In his case,
his regeneration literally happened at the same time
that his redemption was happening. Then, the legs of
the thief were broken to facilitate his death so
that his body would not be on the cross on the
Sabbath. Thus in a matter of just a few hours, at
most, the soul and spirit of the man were delivered
to his heavenly home, just as the Savior had
promised. |
In the
case of Abel, his regeneration and his redemption by Christ
were separated by about 4000 years. In the case of the
thief, there was no such great gap in time.
Just Thinking
From: “The Primitive Baptist” July, 2017 |
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The minister of Christ is not
likely to trouble and destroy the harmony and peace of the
church of Christ by crowding and pressing upon her his new
and far-fetch notions to the grief and distress of his
brethren; but for them and with them he will enquire for the
”old paths.”
This minister is not found in
the fields of worldly speculation, making the duties and
services of religion bow in subordination to his worldly
interests, in pursuit of exhortations, admonitions and
reproofs have weight and influence, for th the temper of
heart and practice of his life accord with the doctrine of
the gospel.
Elder Theodrick Boulware, 1858 |