CHRISTIAN APHORISMS-W.F. BELL

(Let God's People Think)

Aphorism = a short sentence expressing a general truth; maxim; proverb.

MANY DO NOT REALLY BELIEVE THE BIBLE, ONLY WHAT THEY LIKE IN THE BIBLE.

And usually we only like what we already believe. For example, if church people have been taught a pre-tribulation rapture, they usually have no difficulty accepting that as scriptural. But, if someone comes along teaching differently (with proper exegesis of scripture), suddenly they do not "like" the new teaching. Correct? The same thing can be said for numerous doctrines, including the atonement and the resurrection.

YOU CAN'T TELL ANYTHING TO PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING.

"A living dog is better than a dead lion" (Ecclesiastes 9:4). But who knows what that means? We make "dead lions" know more than "living dogs," don't we? The same with "dead" people, for we say "They are not really dead." For sure, "The legs of the lame are not equal; so is a parable in the mouth of fools" (Proverbs 26:7). So, if you already know everything, that is, you are correct on all Bible interpretation, why even attend preaching, read books, or listen to radio and television preachers? Why bother with even reading this? Closed-mindedness is a dark sin!

"ALL IS VAIN UNLESS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY ONE COMES DOWN."

These lines from an old hymn have truly been forgotten in the modern church. We can meet and socialize, go through forms and ceremonies, feel good about being devoutly religious, and totally forget that true worship is all about bowing in humility and praise before the great God heaven. "O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker" (Psalm 95:6). Is there anyone experiencing this regularly in your church meetings? Does the Holy Spirit still "come down" and melt you to tears, in true confession of sin, and praise of Christ? Philippians 3:3.

TRUE CHRISTIAN JOY IS MORE INJURIOUS TO SATAN'S EMPIRE THAN ANYTHING.

So why should we go mourning all our days? "Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart" (Psalm 32:11). Christians who keep themselves in a morbid state displease God, so let us ever be cultivating "joy unspeakable" in our lives, in true praise and honor of our Lord Jesus Christ, "whom having not seen, we love" (I Peter 1:8).

THE BIBLE MEANS WHAT IT SAYS, AND SAYS WHAT IT MEANS.

It also means what it means, because it is inspired. Some say, "The Bible is our only rule of faith and practice," but that expression came from their Confession of Faith! If we uphold and defend everything in our Confession of Faith, that means we venerate it as inspired also. If we say our Confession of Faith is not inspired like Scripture, then we do not need this additional Confession, do we? The Catholics are usually more honest than Protestants, because they say their authority is more than Scripture.

SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE, SO LET IT SPEAK FOR ITSELF.

Once a preacher read Joshua 1:2, "Moses my servant is dead." The preacher said, "We know that Moses is in heaven." Since the text does not say this, the preacher did not believe "The Bible means what it says." Most people do not take the time to correct preachers (out of kindness, maybe), but we should if given the opportunity. Otherwise, we allow man's word to go against God's word. (This goes on craftily all the time even among true Christian people.)

WE NEED AND MUST HAVE FAITHFUL BIBLE TRANSLATIONS.

Those who advocate a certain Bible version over another often forget that their preferred version is just a translation! All translations are versions of the originals. Copies of the original, inspired Hebrew and Greek have been faithfully translated, and we must be thankful that God's Word has been preserved for us in English, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, and numerous languages of the world. This proves the originals were inspired, otherwise they would have passed away! Remember, "But my words shall NOT pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

SOME SAY OUR BELOVED BROTHER PAUL JUST MIGHT BE WRONG.

A man was once asked if he believed in divine election as Paul taught it, and the man said, "No, I don't care what Paul said!" That "election" is a Bible doctrine, hardly no one will deny. But that it is divine, unconditional election is what is quite often vehemently denied. But look again at such clear passages as Amos 3:2, Romans 9:11, and 2 Thessalonians 2:13, to name just three among many, the last two from Paul himself, "an apostle."

"BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND" (Hosea 10:12).

Few farmers are left in our day, and maybe some do not even know what "fallow ground" means, but we will assume you do. Now, to make us think even more, listen to quaint Vance Havner on this verse: "God will not rain showers of blessings on fallow ground, for that would mean only more briars and weeds." Anyway, our hard hearts of unbelief in God's holy Word need "weeding" and "working."

CHRIST ALONE, GRACE ALONE-W. F. BELL

How deceived the religious world is, which thinks "the gospel" is something we are to DO! But the Bible declares that "the gospel" is what Christ has already DONE! "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (satisfaction) through faith in His blood" (Romans 3:25). We are not told to "make" propitiation ourselves to God, but the gospel "sets forth" Christ alone as having done this "for us."

The way to heaven is not our works or obedience, our prayers or Bible reading, our giving or self-sacrifices, but the only way is through the "propitiation" of Christ on Calvary's cross. He Himself is our "mercy seat," and His "sacrifice" alone has appeased God's wrath and justice -- and not anything we do or sacrifice or give.

And the only way we can know for sure that we are among the "justified" and the "redeemed" is by being "created in Christ Jesus" by the "workmanship" of God Himself in His grace and mercy (Ephesians 2:10). It is never by our obedient works or actions (including our repentance or faith), though this "creation" in Christ is "unto good works." Not "by" but "unto." Grace alone puts us in Christ, therefore all the boastings of men in their works are "excluded" (Romans 3:27). Grace crowns all the work of God, so God alone gets all the glory in declaring "His righteousness" through the blood of our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This message by W.F. Bell is exactly what we "Old Path" preachers endeavor to preach. He did very well with it. I want to invite you to use the link to Sermon Audio in the upper right panel and log on to W. F. Bell's message on Propitiation for a further look at this theme. I believe it is the oldest message that we have on the site (1977), but it will bless you. Check it out.

CREPT IN UNNOTICED-W.F. BELL

"For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness, and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 4).

The phrase "crept in unnoticed" is one compound word in the Greek language, pareiseduesan, used only here in the New Testament. This long word is derived from the words "para" (beside), "eis" (in), and "duo" (to sink or plunge), thus meaning "to slip in secretly as by a side door." "Who long ago were marked out" is another long Greek word, progegrammenoi, which simply means "to write of beforehand." This could refer either to the decree of predestination or to written prophecies like that of Enoch's in verses 14-15. Either way, the point made is that these "ungodly men" are not "unknown" to God, though they have "slipped in" without the notice of men.

Note that these "crept in" false teachers deny Christ's Lordship, not only verbally, but by their lewd, ungodly lives (they profess "grace," but are in reality "graceless"). Here we see the explanation for all the foolish teachings and "damnable heresies" (2 Peter 2:1) that plague our world. Not only is our "creed" (what we believe) important, but also our "conduct" (how we live). "Judgment" and "condemnation" await all false prophets, including all those who "follow their destructive ways" (2 Peter 2:2-3). Judgment may be delayed, but it will eventually fall on all apostates, "because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed." What a bad name false "Christians" give to Christianity! Because of this we are constantly exhorted in Scripture to "flee" evil things, and "follow" good things (I Timothy 6:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:22). False prophets are thus known by their "doctrine" and their "deportment." But they are indeed "wolves in sheep's clothing" (Matthew 7:15), for they do not announce themselves as wolves or as being sent of Satan.

When we see men and women in the church of our day belittling the doctrine of God's sovereignty, while making great strides to entertain people, is this not a sign of apostates? And if there is continual, lewd, ungodly sensualness in the lives of leaders in the modern church, does this not prove the validity of these warnings from Christ and His apostles? A marked "strong delusion" (2 Thessalonians 2:11) has gripped modern society (religious and political), and it behooves all of us to be constantly examining ourselves to make sure we are not among those who have "crept in unnoticed." And may we always solemnly remember Ecclesiastes 8:10-13 -- that all sinning will some day be over, and in the end it will only "be well with those who fear God."