The Recognition of Spiritual Poverty

Dear Weekly Readers!

This week I am short on time since I am leaving tomorrow on a trip to a congregation in the USA for the purpose of sharing with them, and learning from them for the advancement of the Lord’s Work around the world!   Please pray for a safe journey.

Due to my schedule, I am unable to write an article this week, so we will continue our sharing the Principles of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught by the ALCA. 

Please enjoy and comment back as you see fit.

May God Bless your week!    John R.

The Recognition of Spiritual Poverty

A person is thus able to hear the Gospel of Christ and understand with the heart, as stated in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:15,16:

...and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. - Matthew 13:15,16

Jesus explains the parable:

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty - Matthew 13:23

Such a person has found himself to be spiritually poor,

... and the poor have the gospel preached to them (Matthew 11:5).

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3)

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall befitted (Matthew 5:6).

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away (Luke 1. 53).

The Gospel is the Power of God Unto Salvation

Even though the Gospel is recorded in a written language in the scriptures, it has been commanded by Christ to be preached by His servants, in His name, among all nations. This Gospel is to be heard and believed because it is the Word of the Lord.

But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you (I Peter 1:25).

God gives faith into the heart of one who hears and believes His Word.

...The word is nigh thee. even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach (Romans 10:8).

The gospel… is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth ... (Romans 1:16).

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).

It is the power of God to remove unbelief and give faith through the hearing of the Word, as expounded in all the scriptures that concern Christ. An example of this is where Jesus preached to the two sad disciples as they walked toward Emmaus. The disciples had seen Jesus condemned to death and crucified. They could not believe Jesus had been raised from the dead. Jesus said to them:

...O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27).

A most wonderful change took place in the hearts of the two disciples while hearing the Word, even though at the time they did not know that this stranger was Jesus.

And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32).

The two disciples, along with the other disciples, had witnessed the events that took place in Gethsemane and on the cross at Golgotha. However, since they had not as yet been regenerated, they were not able to understand these events with their carnal reasoning. They still did not know that the suffering and death of Jesus was the sacrifice required in order to reconcile the world to God.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned... (Luke 24:15).

Natural man's attempts to comprehend spiritual things through reasoning and carnal intellect must come to naught.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know, because they are spiritually discerned (I Corinthians 2:14).

The next time we refer back to these writings, we will begin with Spiritual New Birth.    In fact, since that is such an important follow-up to this, we will do that for next week, Lord willing! 

Of New Birth, Baptism, and Children

Dear Weekly Readers!


The Bible has so many wonderful teachings for us! God also works through the revelation of the Holy Spirit! It is wonderful to have an article to share with you this week that is faithful to both of these situations!

Children are truly created by God and loved by Jesus! Lord, allow us to become as children, able to believe by faith! Please enjoy an article written by Pastor Steve Wuori.

May God Bless your week!

John R.

Of New Birth, Baptism, and Children

The history of the Christian Church has often been marked by discussions, disagreements and divisions over points of Scripture and interpretations of the will of God in certain areas. One of these concerns the question of whether infants and young children are children of God from the womb, or are in need of a "new birth" experience. This leads further to the matter of baptism—should it be performed on infants or must some adult comprehension or decision be involved? I believe we can come to a clear understanding through study of God's Word as expressed in both the Old and New Testaments. The Word makes abundantly clear that Jesus is a lover of children. He would often hold a young child and use the child as an example of faith and a proper heart condition to those who were assembled to hear Him. In Mark 10:16, Jesus gathered children to Himself ...he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. In this way He was claiming them as His own, putting His blessing upon them, making it clear that in His eyes, they belonged to Him. We see the abundant and unconditional love of God demonstrated through this simple and forceful act of Jesus, for He claimed them without regard to their lineage, the condition of their parents, or even their own thoughts. Jesus' blood was shed for all, and He was that Light described in John 1:9 ...that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Jesus could therefore claim any child as His own, knowing that He would die to save them, and knowing that they belong to no one else.  God has also always instructed that His children be marked with the seal of His love at a young age. This was accomplished through circumcision in the Old Testament, and is accomplished through baptism in the New. Hebrew parents were instructed to bring their male children to be physically circumcised and named on the eighth day after their birth. Genesis 17:11-12: And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.  And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. Luke 2:21: And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS...  In the New Testament, baptism (understood to be the visible sacrament of baptism with water) is to be applied soon after one becomes a believer. In Matthew 28:19 we read: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Recall that the first desire of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) after he became a believer was to be baptized with water by Philip, and Acts contains several other examples of people being baptized unto Jesus Christ mmediately after they believed. So, if baptism is to be performed soon after faith comes, where does that leave an infant?  It cannot be emphasized forcefully enough that all people re children of God (believers by faith in Christ) in the womb.  The reaction of John the Baptist, who leapt for joy in his mother's womb upon hearing of Jesus in the salutation of Mary, is an example. Luke 1:41: And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.  This is a vivid depiction of how even the unborn, with no apparent capacity for thought or reason, respond by faith to the love message of their Creator. To suggest otherwise is to imply that all, or some, unborn are children of the devil. This is impossible, as the devil has no ability to create life, and he only accumulates children who fall from faith into unbelief at some point—perhaps years—after birth. 

The newborn, however, is a believing child of God to whom the covenant of baptism applies, and this covenant has nothing to do with the opinion or decision-making ability of the child!  The Hebrew children were not asked for their views on whether they should be circumcised (marked), Jesus did not ask the children if they wanted to be blessed, and we are not to be concerned about whether an infant wishes to be baptized (marked). Why? Because it is entirely the work of God, who marks children as belonging to Himself with a seal that is good for life. In other words, God's view of the child is constant and unchanging, and even if the covenant is later broken through adult unbelief, it is clear that God did not break it. The beauty of infant baptism is that it is applied when man is at his most helpless and incapable state, leaving the work entirely in the hands of God. Baptism has also been compared to the natural example of the branding of a calf in a cattle herd—the calf will forever carry the mark of original ownership, though it may later be sold to another master. As Luther noted, "to suggest that an adult decision is required for baptism contorts the Sacrament, converting it from the work of God into the work of man." Baptism, once applied, is valid for life, and there is no need to repeat it in adulthood. 

This also clarifies who is in need of new birth, or of being "born again." New birth is only required in those who are dead spiritually, those whose spiritual portion, which was alive at birth, has starved, withered and died through lack of nourishment.  This can occur at any point after birth, and one who has lost their pure God-given faith in Christ must be reborn. Such was the state of the Jewish leader Nicodemus and those he represented, and Jesus admonished him ... ye must be born again (John 3:7). We cannot, however, require new birth of a childhood Christian, one who has never denied nor lost their faith. No spiritual death has occurred, and therefore it is not possible to require new birth. Such a requirement is a heavy burden of man and is not edifying to the believer. I believe that childhood Christians do, and must, and will experience a "piercing of the heart," similar to that which Mary experienced (Luke 2:35), wherein the fallen condition of our flesh, our own failures, forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ are brought home to the heart in a very personal and special way. It is impossible to assess at what age this should happen, and we must therefore leave the timing of such an experience in the hands of God. He is faithful, and may His Word ever be a blessing among His people.

In Christ,
Pastor Stephen J. Wuori
Calgary, Alberta

The Water of Life

Dear Weekly Readers!

I pray that God has revealed through His Holy Spirit the true meaning of the Easter season to you and others in your area!

May He show us what Jesus has done for us, and may He show us the Risen Lord Jesus by whom we are justified!

Lent and Easter is not only a time of year for a Christian, it is who we are as Christians! We live and are kept by the Power of God, made possible by the Risen Lord Jesus making us new creatures in HIM!

We truly thank God for this!

In order to sustain us upon this walk of faith, He provides living water! Please enjoy the following article by Pastor James Johnson of Michigan, USA!

May God Bless your week! John R.

The Water of Life

Water is one of the most important elements
for giving and sustaining life. It is necessary
for all living things. Man cannot live without
water. It quenches our thirst and cleanses our bodies.
How appropriate that the Word of God describes
Jesus as the "Water of Life," for without Jesus, man
cannot live. Without Jesus abiding in our hearts, we are
dead in trespasses and sin. Jesus came to give life and
to give it more abundantly (John 10:10). And you hath
he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ. (Ephesians 2:1, 5)
The invitation is extended in God's Word to come
and drink the Water of Life freely:
…Jesus stood and cried, saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto
me, and drink. (John 7:37)
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)
When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well,
He offered her living water. He said, If thou knewest
the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me
to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he
would have given thee living water… But whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in
him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
(John 4:10-14) Jesus said, He that believeth on me, as
the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive: for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was
not yet glorified.) (John 7:38-39)

Where and how is this water of life dispensed to
thirsting souls? In no other way than through the
preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the penitent.

The Word invites: Let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water. (Hebrews 10:22) Jesus told His disciples,
Now ye are clean through the word which I have
spoken unto you. (John 15:3) Christ gave Himself for
the Church that he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word. (Ephesians 5:26)
God has given a blessed Gospel to His kingdom; we can
assure one another that in Jesus' name and His atoning
blood all sins are forgiven and washed away.
How necessary it is that we are led by the Spirit of
God. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they
are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14) God be thanked for
the Comforter He has sent to us. Without Him we
surely would be lost on the journey, for without Him we
can do nothing. We are …kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time. (1 Peter 1:5) Jesus said unto His disciples:
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot
bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth,
is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall
not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come. (John 16:12-13)

God has bestowed a precious gift upon us: the
gift of the Holy Spirit. For as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have
not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye
have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together. (Romans 8:14-17)

Dear fellow traveler! All signs point to the return of
our Lord Jesus Christ soon to take us to our heavenly
home. Hold fast that no man take your crown. Be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
(Revelation 2:10)