PREACH TO ALL--CHARLES WOODRUFF

Perhaps you, dear reader, are one who believes that it is only necessary to preach to the saved --the sheep --the elect. Not so, my brethren! The example given us by Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch,  Paul and Silas, and Barnabas, Peter, Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla, Timothy, and all through the New Testament tells us what our calling is to be. In examples given, we see some believed, and some didn't. When Timothy was told "Do the work of an evangelist (Greek = bearer of glad tidings), make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5b), this job was not to just carry a message to the sheep, but to all men. Otherwise, how would you identify the lost sheep, i.e., the unsaved elect? He said "My sheep hear my voice" The sheep hear; the goats (non-elect) do not hear. That is how you ultimately tell the difference.Eusebius in the third century (which was about 1400 years earlier than anyone called Baptist, Old Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Methodist, Calvinist, Lutheran, or just about any other group), says: "men do the work of evangelists, leaving their homes to preach Christ, and deliver the written Gospels to those who were ignorant of the faith.” (H. E., 3:37, Fausset’s Bible Dictionary).

Some have the idea that since God is absolutely sovereign, and in control of all of His affairs, that God doesn’t use men, or that He hasn’t used men since the apostles; that the great commission isn’t for us today, and it was fulfilled by the apostles. If the great commission was only for apostles, by the same logic “Feed my sheep---Feed my Lambs” (which some preachers claim is their only obligation), was also only for apostles. Who was told to feed the sheep? Wasn’t it Peter? (See John 21:15-17). What was he, if not an apostle? So, by the same logic, if you are not to preach to the lost today, you cannot feed the sheep either,
since the apostles are all gone! Think about it! This nonsense of “only apostles sent” is totally unscriptural!
Timothy was a bishop (a pastor), not one of the apostles, yet he was told to “Do the work of an evangelist” (II Timothy 4:5), which is preaching to the lost!What we must see is that God still uses men. The true teaching of God's sovereignty shows God uses whom He chooses, when He chooses, and in what way He chooses! The false teaching of some extreme Calvinists generally teaches that God doesn’t use anybody, and nobody can really do anything in the service of God.

It is true no human can accomplish anything for God, unless He divinely enables them, but it is evident from scripture that He has, and still does enable men to do His work. There is a great commission job for us today, just as there was a similar job for Moses in his day, for Elijah in his day, Peter and Paul in their day. It is still the job of men called of God to “Go ye therefore and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Do you know how I know this (besides being called of God myself)? I know because the Lord Jesus in the same verse said “Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20). The part regarding “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” shows that Christ meant for His disciples (not just the twelve, but all His followers), to train others to do that which they were trained to do-Evangelism! This command has never been rescinded. We are to carry it out today, as in the first century! It is valid until the end of the world!

Those He addressed that day certainly did not live until the end of the world, and the commandment is in force until then. Who is going to obey it? Who is going to carry it out? The answer is: all those he has called through the ages. People like Polycarp, John Wycliffe, Hugh Latimer, William Tyndale, John Hus, Samuel Rutherford, John Bunyan, Thomas Watson, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Gill, John and Charles Wesley, Brownlow North, William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson, Amy Carmichael, David Brainerd, Jonathon Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, Arthur W. Pink,George Muller, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, A.W. Tozer, Vance Havner, Leonard Ravenhill and Jim Elliott.These are gone on, but the world is still here, and God still raises up men (and sometimes women), to do His bidding, i.e., His work, even today!

In Ezekiel God warned there would be blood on the hands of the watchman who failed to warn of impending doom. “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezekiel 3:18, 19). Even though this is in the Old Testament, the principle has not been negated. There is blood on the hands of those who sit idly by and do not obey the great commission; because to not obey the great commission is not to obey the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He said “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). So, from scripture we can see that any man who claims he is called to preach, and will not preach indiscriminately to all that he can, is disobeying God, and ought to shut up, or repent! It is the obligation of the preacher to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

If you are not interested in reaching sinners for Christ, you had better examine yourself to see if you are indeed in the faith (see II Corinthians 13:5). It is not enough to believe you are elect,or hope you are elect! Remember He said "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say?" (Luke 6:46)
I weep because of sinners in my own family and all around me.God wants us to have a heart of compassion for the lost. I also weep for some friends who do not see the truth of the necessity of preaching to the lost. They feel it is “Arminian” to advocate doing so. No it is just biblical! Jesus said “And ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”(Acts 1:8b).

In 1 Corinthians 1:21(b) "it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Then in 1 Corinthians 3:4-6 " For while one saith I am of Paul: and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?" Both these verses show the design of God to use his ministers (yes, even unworthy men who have themselves been washed in the blood of the Lamb), preaching His Word, which God alone quickens to the saving of the soul. Listen to the word of God on the matter “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:11-13).

Call it "gospel regeneration" if you will, but that is God's design to save His elect.He regenerates them and opens their understanding in conjunction with His word"Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (James 1:18). These are some of the "every creatures" that are talked about in Mark 16:15 who have been regenerated and converted. Since the word is said to be the instrument God uses in begetting (or birthing), it seems to violate scripture exegesis that one would be regenerated, and then days, months, or even years might pass before he is converted and believes the gospel!Some even teach that you may be regenerated and remain an idol-worshipping heathen
all your life, never hearing of Jesus Christ! Away with such nonsense!

I want you to know that no one believes in the sovereignty of God any more than I do. But I also believe in the declaration of the gospel to all. The great commission was not just for the apostles, it was for all time until He comes again. God is absolute Sovereign in all of His doings. He does the saving. He sends revival when it pleases Him. Saying this, He didn't leave His preachers without tasks.

These are our tasks or obligations. First: glorify God.Think about it.As practically all the catechisms say "What is the chief end of man?" Reply "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” The scripture says “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31). That is first, above all else.Then comes teaching the saved, then reaching the lost, in that order of importance, the way I understand it.

Then you know about John 21:15-17, our obligation to“feed the sheep”(those in the churches who are revealed as elect, appear to be elect, or likely might be).So that is second of our duties as called men. Feed, or instruct the sheep who have evidenced salvation.

Third: there is the obligation of reaching the lost,which is the responsibility that many don’t want to hear about, but you had better hear, my friend! Paul says in Romans 1:14"I am a debtor both to the Greeks and the barbarians: both to the wise and the unwise. So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome also." Paul knew there were elect yet out there who needed the gospel, but he did not know who they were. None of us know who they are.Only God knows who His elect are. Paul earnestly beseeches sinners to be reconciled to God here in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." He is both debtor to the lost, and an ambassador for Christ!

Salvation is all of grace (see Ephesians 2:8-10), yet God uses those He has saved to reach those He will save. Are you usable? You may say “I am unworthy”. We all are that. But, to be usable means that you are saved and walking with God. It does not mean you are perfect, but you are trusting in Christ, and endeavoring to follow His teachings. If you have learned about Him, you will know what to say about Him. He will guide you in the matter. You see, when we are saved, we acquire a hunger to see others saved. We will desire to tell others about Him.It actually becomes a grief to us that so many reject and refuse the gospel. But God tells in His word that it will be this way. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22: 14). “And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not” (Acts 28: 24).

It is not my suggestion that we hold unkindness toward those who differ with us on salvation.God has used men and women who see things differently in regard to His sovereignty.In my judgement however,holding
a weak view of God’s control is a hindrance to the gospel.It is most successful when we see that God is the originator and controller of salvation.Once a person sees this in the Bible he knows that God’s will is going to ultimately prevail. Some of the most useful servants of God through the ages have been those who firmly held a balanced view of God’s sovereignty. I am convinced we need this in our day to find the proper place, the proper view of who God is and see that His purpose will prevail. We cannot have a God who is defeated and wimpy. That is not the God of scripture. Think about it dear friends.

“For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region“(Acts 13:47-49).

As J. I. Packer said in his classic book, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God"When you pray for
unconverted people, you do so on the assumption that it is in God's power to bring them to faith" (1) Thus, true believers are forced to believe in God's sovereignty, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY PROTEST THAT THEY DO NOT! I honestly believe they haven’t really thought it completely through.Actually, I believe,deep inside, every real Christian realizes God is Sovereign, whether he can express it or not.

As Mr. Packer said:"I do not intend to spend any time at all proving to you the general truth that God is sovereign in His world. There is no need; for I know that, if you are a Christian you believe this already."(2) At first, I thought maybe Bro. Packer had not met some of the Christians I had met! But he clarifies: "How do I know that? Because I know that, if you are a Christian, you pray; and the recognition of God's Sovereignty is the basis for your prayers."(3) Then he makes this searching statement: "You would never dream of dividing the credit for salvation between God and yourself. You have never for one moment supposed that the decisive contribution to your salvation was yours and not God's. You have never told God that, while you are grateful for the means and opportunities of grace that He gave you, you realize you have to thank, not Him, but yourself, for the fact you responded to His call. Your heart revolts at the very thought of talking to God in such terms. In fact you thank Him no less for the gift of faith and repentance than for the gift of a Christ to trust and turn to” (4)

(1)Taken from Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer., page 15 ©1961 by Inter-Varsity
Press, England, and used by permission of Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, IL 60515. (2) ibid., p.11; (3) ibid, p.11; (4) ibid, p.13.

CHARLES SPURGEON’S FIRST WORDS 
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE
 
March 25, 1861 — From the Sermon "The First Sermon in the Tabernacle"
Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit  Vol 7, pg. 169, Acts 5:10

I WOULD PROPOSE THAT THE SUBJECT OF THE MINISTRY IN THIS HOUSE, AS LONG AS THIS PLATFORM SHALL STAND, AND AS LONG AS THIS HOUSE SHALL BE FREQUENTED BY WORSHIPPERS, SHALL BE THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. I AM NEVER ASHAMED TO AVOW MYSELF A CALVINIST; I DO NOT HESITATE TO TAKE THE NAME OF BAPTIST; BUT IF I AM ASKED WHAT IS MY CREED, I REPLY —"IT IS JESUS CHRIST."

MY VENERATED PREDECESSOR,
DR. GILL, HAS LEFT A BODY OF DIVINITY, ADMIRABLE AND EXCELLENT IN ITS WAY; BUT THE BODY OF DIVINITY TO WHICH I WOULD PIN & BIND MYSELF FOR EVER, GOD HELPING ME, IS NOT HIS SYSTEM, OR ANY OTHER HUMAN TREATISE; BUT JESUS CHRIST,
WHO IS THE SUM & SUBSTANCE OF THE GOSPEL, WHO IS IN HIMSELF ALL THEOLOGY, THE INCARNATION OF EVERY PRECIOUS TRUTH, THE ALL--GLORIOUS PERSONAL EMBODIMENT OF THE WAY, THE TRUTH, &; THE LIFE.

Published by Charles Woodruff- email: oursong2000@yahoo.com

NECESSITY OF THE RESURRECTION-CHARLES WOODRUFF

“Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (1 Corinthians 15: 12-14).

Once again I am drawn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. The first ten verses of this chapter are often called “the gospel in a nutshell”. Because Easter Sunday is near, we are hearing many things in the media and elsewhere regarding the subject of the resurrection. I recall that in 2006, one of the things that caught my ear was a radio skit on the PBS program, Prairie Home Companion. In the comedy skit, a man and wife were talking. He brought up going to church tomorrow, since it was Easter. He said “after all, that’s when He rose from the grave”. Her answer was “Well, I have my doubts.”  While this was a radio play, this is the position so many take on this subject - “I have my doubts.” I or no one else can convince you, only God can. May He do so!

If you doubt He arose, you doubt the core of the Christian faith. You might as well not claim to be a Christian if you haven’t settled this issue.  I am not speaking here of someone that is very new, as an inquirer in the faith, or one who has never heard the gospel. But there are some, who have attended church for years, and been involved in many church activities and events, may have graduated from a Christian school, got married in the church, and even professed faith, still attend church, yet doubt the resurrection!

Well, you are not alone. The apostle Paul, who wrote the letters to the Corinthians to help them with the same problem, spoke from experience. He had doubted. As Saul of Tarsus, had even hated Christians and persecuted them for teaching that Jesus was alive again. He thought he was serving God by doing so. Yet God revealed the truth to him! On the Damascus road he was knocked down and blinded for a time. He knew it was the Lord whom he had fought against that brought him to his knees. The same Jesus he persecuted had been crucified, dead and buried. At first, he wasn’t buying into “the myth” some Jews were preaching that Christ was raised. Now he knew He was alive! Later when his eyes were opened he became the mighty apostle Paul. Now he is writing to the people of Corinth, and all of us, in this magnificent chapter on the resurrection. I might add that no one could show the resurrection like Paul

He questions particularly why some in the church say there is no resurrection of the dead. We could ask this today.  One of the doctrines that all Christendom claims to believe in their various creeds is the resurrection of Christ. Catholic and Protestant, Orthodox and Coptic, Fundamentalists, Evangelicals and Liberals, Calvinists and Arminians -- All claim to believe this!  Yet like the wife in the skit, many doubt it!

You see the doctrine of the resurrection is not a ritual just to be remembered at Easter time. We observe the resurrection every Sunday, really every time the local church meets to worship Christ, who is risen from among the dead.  When I was in Russia, I saw some of the colorful ceremonies of the Russian Orthodox Church, which generally does not preach the true gospel, but has a formality. One of their rituals on Easter is when the priest says several times “Christ is risen”; the people give a response “Christ is risen indeed!” It is their ritual. Yet this must be our heart response if we are real Christians!

Paul says in verse 13-14, “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain.” (KJV with phrasing modified). Can you grasp what he is saying? If the teaching of the resurrection is untrue, Christ is not risen, and He is still dead! That also means that all the apostles preaching and all the preaching before and since is vain! In other words, as it says in the Amplified Bible, it amounts to nothing!  For those who were preaching in the Old Testament times who were looking for Messiah, and Christ and his disciples who preached with Him while He walked on the earth, as well as those who now preach of his saving grace and his glorious return in the future, are all deluded if He is not risen.

To summarize: Paul goes on to say in verse 15 we are false witnesses because we testified that He lives. He says in verse16: if the dead stay dead forever, Christ is still dead!

In verse 17: if that is so, you are still dead sinners. In verse 18: all those who have died before now, believing in Christ are deluded too- they are still dead!

He sums up this line of thought so marvelously that we ought to remember the following verse every day! “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). Most miserable! Jean Valjean in the great Victor Hugo novel Les Miserables was not as miserable in all he went through as the apostle would be, or as you and I would be, if there was no resurrection.

But, thank God, Hallelujah! There is a resurrection. Christ is risen, and we who have been born again will also be raised from the dead (If indeed we must keep our appointment with death). “And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Some will not have to die, but will be alive when He comes as Paul points out in verses 51-55 of this glorious 15^th chapter of 1^st Corinthians. I urge you to read it all. I trust and pray it will bless you.

To sum up what is taught here, we must say that without a doubt Jesus Christ lived, was judged and crucified for our sins, and most importantly, He rose from the dead. If He did not, all we have is a dead, formal, lifeless religion, which is unable to save anyone. Without the risen Christ, we have nothing! How wonderful that it is, that indeed He is risen from among the dead, and now lives and makes intercession for us. He is the only Lord and savior, for all time. Hallelujah!

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and became the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Published by Charles Woodruff- email: oursong2000@yahoo.com

VARIOUS THOUGHTS--CHARLES WOODRUFF

                                        

                                 Reformed Theology - Sola Scriptura                                       The Arminian doctrine of election states that God looked into the future and chose those people who were going to choose Him. In Romans 8, the Greek word for foreknew means to ‘to know beforehand’ ‘forelove’ or ‘foreappoint’, not ‘look into the future’. The Arminian absurdly believes that the eternally omniscient God looked into the future to gain knowledge from His creations. No being can choose Christ until He is revealed to himself by the Lord. (Cw)

He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease

John 3:30

I would far rather publish the good writings of my brothers and sisters than to seek   glory for myself by always being the one doing the writing, or the preaching. Let Him who “ever lives to make intercession for us” (Hebrews 7:25), receive any glory that comes from these feeble publishing efforts. To paraphrase George Whitefield “Let the name of Woodruff perish, but Christ be glorified!” I only let you know who I am so that I may be of service to you in Jesus Christ. (Cw)

                                                As George Whitefield himself said:

“Unloose my stammering tongue to tell, Thy Love immense, unsearchable”.

                                         Truth Revealed and Truth Concealed

"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." Matthew 11:25

Jesus' words here show us:

To some sinners truth is revealed;

To some it is hidden and concealed. (Cw)

                                              Warning of Unchanging Gospel         

This is a warning I hope we all take to heart. As people of The Word, we have to ask ourselves how we can really expect to improve on a perfect model.  Cautiously I will say that some new ways of applying the unchanging biblical principles are fine...we need to be able to communicate with 21st Century culture, but we must not abandon the heart of the Gospel and basics of authentic discipleship in the process. (Cw)

                                              Which Book is the Truth?

Since most things mankind learns is from books, why would men say that God's book is untrue? The burden of proof is on them, for they are saying some other writings by Bible denying atheists are truer than the Bible. They are actually saying in effect that other books are greater, more accurate, more infalliable than the Bible. The Bible claims to be the word of God; accurate; infalliable. Put it to the test! (Cw)

                                                              Our Eschatology

A lot of eschatology and much of our theology in general, will be straightened out when Christ comes.” (Cw)

                                       From John Newton on Depravity                          "Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior."                                                                     

"I am not what I ought to be.

I am not what I want to be.

I am not what I hope to be.

But still, I am not what I used to be.

And by the grace of God I am what I am."

(Both from John Newton)

                                             Universalism Anyone?

A Universal Notice- “God ---now commandeth all men everywhere to

 Repent.” Acts 17:30.

A Universal Necessity-----“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.” Romans 3:10 (cp. With Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1).

A Universal Neglect----“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God”. Romans 3:11(cp with Psalm 14:2 and Psalm 53:2).

                  LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in

the depths but see thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision. Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine; Let me find thy light in my darkness,

thy life in my death,

thy joy in my sorrow,

thy grace in my sin,

thy riches in my poverty,

thy glory in my valley.

From: The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions,

By Arthur Bennett, Introductory page. Banner of Truth, Edinburgh, 1975