“There are many pastors today who, for fear of being branded ‘legalists’, give their congregation no ethical teaching. How far we have strayed from the apostles! ‘Legalism’ is the misguided attempt to earn our salvation by obedience to the law. ‘Pharisaism’ is a preoccupation with the externals and minutiae of religious duty. To teach the standards of moral conduct which …
You Are Being Watched
The eyes of His enemies were continually observing Him. They watched for His halting, and waited eagerly for some word or deed on which they could lay hold, and build an accusation. Yet they found none. Our blessed Lord was ever holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from evil. Perfect indeed must that life have been, in which the bitterest enemy …
Custom, Ceremony, and Tradition…
Custom, ceremony, and tradition have fallen on hard times.  There is a tendency to dispense with the tried-and-proven ways of doing things and to innovate.  We look for spontaneity, newness, the “unstructured,” sometimes thinking that we are on Jesus’ side by so doing, for did He not condemn the Pharisees for clinging to tradition?  It was their clinging to tradition to the …
By Comparison
“What does it signify that we are more moral than ‘other men?’ Â We are all vile and imperfect in the sight of God. ‘If we contend with Him,we cannot answer Him one in a thousand.’ (Job 9:3) Â Let us remember this. Â In all our self examination let us not try ourselves by comparison with the standard of men. Â Let us …
Standard of Living
“The Christian standard of living is different from that of the world. As believers we are to be salt and light in a decaying and dark society. God calls us to be different. Unfortunately, that isn’t easy when we become victims of society. Sometimes, we become so deeply engulfed in the world’s system that even though God’s Word speaks clearly …