The Reason Why – Page 3 – The Reason Why

19 : People Not Puppets

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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In Adam all die; in Christ – all ALIVE!

But why did not God make man incapable of disobeying His will and therefore incapable of sinning? Such a question is like asking why does not God draw a crooked straight line or a square round, or make an object black all over and white all over at the same time. Man is a creature with power of intelligent choice, so that the question really is: Why didn’t God make a creature with the power of intelligent choice and yet without the power of intelligent choice at the same time?

If I had the power of hypnosis, I would be able to put my 2 sons into a hypnotic state, thus robbing them of the power of intelligent choice. I could then say, “Sit on those chairs till I return” – “Get up and eat” – “Stop eating” – “Kiss me goodnight” – and unfeeling arms would go around my neck, and unresponsive lips would be pressed to mine. I would have prompt and perfect obedience to my every command, but would I find satisfaction in it? No!

I want boys with free wills, who are capable of disobeying me, but who willingly choose to carry out my instructions, which are the outcome of my love for them and are given for their own good. I cannot conceive of God, who put these desires in my heart and yours, being satisfied with anything less Himself.

God does not want puppets who jump in a given direction according to the wire that is pulled, nor does He want robots in the form of “men” who mechanically and absolutely obey His will as do the planets that whirl through space. God can find satisfaction in nothing less than the spontaneous love of our hearts and our free-will decisions to act in ways that please and honour Him. But it is obvious that this same power of free action enables us to defy and dishonour Him if we so choose.

Thought: To obey or not to obey? The choice is yours.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for giving me a will. Help me to choose to obey You.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

20 : Object of God’s Love

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?

Man is truly a magnificent creature, far above the animal creations around him. There is no “missing link”. But a great gulf is fixed between the highest beast and man, for God has given man the awesome power of being able to say no to God as well as an effective yes. In your own interests, may I ask which are you saying to God now?

What does God care about this little world of ours compared with the vastness of the mighty universe?

Think of our own solar system, with the planet Neptune 30 times as far away from the sun as Earth, so that it takes 164 of our years to make 1 of Neptune’s, and beyond this, suns with planets revolving around them as our solar system revolves around the sun! Of what importance can Earth be to God, and of how much less importance can man be?

So said the astronomer as the faith of his youth fled – this is what the telescope had done for him. The vastness of the heavens had robbed him of faith in his mother’s God, for how could God trouble Himself with man, who is less than a grain of sand in comparison?

But his thirst for knowledge would not let him rest. The heavens were available for study only at night; how should the free hours of the day be spent? Why not a microscope? And lo! Worlds were opened at his feet – worlds as wonderful as those above, and slowly his faith came back. Yes, the God who could attend to such minute details as to make a drop of ditch water throb with miniature life, was sure to be interested in man, the highest form of His creation. The man found balance instead of bias, and balance brought him back to God. John 3:16 was true after all.

Thought: We love Him, because He first loved us.
Prayer: Make me worthy of Your love, O God.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

21 : Faith’s Firm Foundation

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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Hold fast the profession of your faith

Is faith logical? Yes, it is logical. It is a mistake to think that faith is opposed to reason. Faith and reason go hand in hand, but faith goes on when reason can go no further. Reason, to a great extent, is dependent on faith, for without knowledge it is impossible to reason, and knowledge is very largely a matter of faith in human testimony. For instance, I believe strychnine administered in a large enough dose will poison a human being, but I have never seen the experiment performed. Yet I have such faith in the written testimony of men that I would not take a large dose of strychnine for anything.

If you check up carefully, you will find that most of the things you know are a matter of faith in human testimony, written or spoken, for you have not verified them for yourself. Then, having accepted the testimony of men on other matters, will you not accept the testimony of thousands of Christians when they affirm that they have verified the things written in God’s Word and have proved them to be true?

Men will not believe, not for lack of convincing evidence of God’s power, but because of the hardness of their hearts. Recall the stubbornness of Pharaoh in Exodus. The mighty acts of God wrought by the hand of Moses merely hardened his resistance in unbelief. More astonishing and lamentable was the unbelief of the children of Israel in the wilderness. Not even the parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army – still fresh in their minds – could stop their rebellion against God and Moses.

Our faith is not founded in supposition or speculation, but on the words and works of the ever-living Christ, who reigns on high and will soon return to judge the unbelieving world. Hold fast, therefore, the profession of your faith without wavering, till He comes!

Thought: Faith means simply believing God.
Prayer: May my unbelief be removed and replaced by faith in the one, true, living God.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

22 : The Wages of Sin is Death

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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Sin is a merciless master

Why should God judge my sins as worthy of death? It is because of His infinite holiness that no sin could exist in His presence.

In some primitive cultures, a native chief may club his wife to death on slight provocation, without falling in the smallest degree in the estimation of his people. The same act in our land would have to be paid for by the life of the murderer. The act is the same in both lands, but in one instance there is no judgement; in the other, quick retribution. The difference is simply the result of our enlightenment.

If a sin, which in a primitive culture is considered nothing, would cause a man to lose his life in our land, think, if you can, what some other sin, which appears to us as nothing, must look like to an infinitely holy God – “For God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

It may be just, but is it merciful of God to refuse to take us all to heaven even if we reject Christ as our sin-bearer? Yes, both just and merciful.

Would it be kindness to transfer a poor ragged beggar into the glare of a beautiful ballroom? Would he not be more conscious of his rags and dirt? Would he not do his best to escape to the darkness of the street? He would be infinitely happier there. Would it be kindness and mercy on God’s part to bring a man in his sins into the holy light of Heaven if that man had rejected God’s offer of the only cleansing power there is?

If you and I would not wish our friends to see inside our minds now and read all the thoughts that had ever been there (and our friends’ standards are perhaps not any higher than our own), what would it be like to stand before God, whose absolute holiness would reveal our sin in all its awfulness?

Thought: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).
Prayer: Thank You, Father, for Your justice and mercy.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

23 : Hell Has No Exit

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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But no one need go to hell!

Revelation 6:16 tells us of the feelings of those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour and persist in going to eternity in their sins. They would call to the mountains and the rocks to fall on them, and hide them “from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne”. Yet, it is the presence of this same Christ that will make Heaven for those who have accepted Him as Saviour and Lord.

You see the absurdity of talking about God taking us all to heaven – heaven is a condition as well as a place. The presence of the Lord Jesus Christ will constitute heaven to those who are cleansed from their sins, while that same presence would make a hell of remorse in the hearts of any who, still in their sins, should stand in the infinite light of His holiness. Let us be quite reasonable – could you really be happy in the presence of One whose love you had rejected, and whose great sacrifice you had not counted worthy of your acceptance?

Hell is a place of no return, no exit. Those who enter are there to stay. The road that leads to hell is a one-way street. At the entrance to this street is a warning sign: Flee from the wrath of God into the arms of His Son. He that hath the Son hath life! O why will ye die? Let this sign speak to you today.

God sends none to hell but those who spurn His Son. These have none to blame but themselves. John Calvin says, “The wicked have the seeds of hell sown in their own hearts.” And who are these? These are the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idol worshippers, and all liars… these shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone (Rev 21:8).

Thought: Come to the Saviour, make no delay!
Prayer; Yes, Jesus, I come to You, my Lord and my Saviour.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

24 : Christ Our Substitute

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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Christ our passover is sacrificed

We have considered reasonable evidence that God does exist and that He has revealed in the Bible His holy claims on men and women. We have shown that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We have been faced with Jesus Christ, God’s Son, who came to this earth to die for the sin of man. We have also considered numerous objections raised by people who have other ideas about God’s plan of salvation. Now we are going to think through the wisdom and the wonder of God’s plan of salvation for sinful people. In a word, it is salvation by substitution.

God’s love would have forgiven the sinner, but God’s righteousness prevented the forgiveness. God’s righteousness would have judged the sinner, but God’s love restrained the judgement. How to reconcile His inherent righteousness with His character of essential love was a problem that no human philosopher could have solved, but divine wisdom and mercy find their highest expression in the solution – the vicarious suffering and death of God the Son.

“But”, one may object, “does not Christianity fail at its very foundation by basing everything on substitution? Substitution will not stand thoughtful investigation. It makes Christ, the Innocent, bear the penalty for the guilty and thus lets the guilty go free. It is diametrically opposed to our every idea of justice, for we believe that justice should protect the innocent and bring the full penalty upon the guilty.”

At the first Passover in Egypt, the blood of the lamb saved each Israelite household from God’s angel of death. Isaac’s life was spared by a ram. We who believe are saved by our sinless Substitute, the Lamb of God. God’s way is: salvation by substitution.

Thought: The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me.
Prayer: May I always be grateful for Your salvation by substitution, O Lord.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

25 : The Cross Our Glory

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever!

See God’s perfect justice and perfect mercy revealed at the cross. He does not take the innocent and compel him to bear the penalty of the guilty. God acts like the judge in this story: It is on record that of two young men who studied law together, one rose to a seat on the bench, while the other took to drink and wasted his life. On one occasion this poor fellow was brought before his old companion, charged with a crime, and the lawyers present wondered what kind of justice would be administered by the judge under such trying circumstances. To their surprise, he sentenced his one-time companion to the heaviest penalty the law allowed, then paid the fine himself and set his old friend free.

God, against whom we have sinned, in justice sat upon His judgement throne and passed the heaviest penalty He could – the sentence of death upon the sinner. Then, in mercy, He stepped from His throne and in the person of His Son took the sinner’s place, bearing the full penalty Himself, for 2 Corinthians 5:19 tells us that “God was in Christ” – not through Christ but in Christ – “reconciling the world unto Himself”.

Paul’s one unchanging message was “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” By this, perishing souls are brought to life everlasting. The perishing world today rejects or perverts the message of the cross. To them, it is foolishness. To us who are saved, it is the power of God. Men of the world are blinded by pride, so they despise the crucified Saviour.

But the great English hymn writer, Isaac Watts, expresses the message of the cross thus:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Thought: The cross is the way to life for the repentant ones.
Prayer: Jesus, keep me near Your cross!

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

26 : No Fairer Offer

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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Whosoever will, may come!

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one God. The same God against whom we had sinned passed the judgement, paid the penalty, and now offers us full and free pardon, based upon absolute righteousness. That is why the apostle, Paul, writes in Romans 1:16-17 “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth… for therein is the righteousness of God revealed.” I, too, can say I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for no man can honestly find a flaw in the righteousness offered by God to man. That is the righteousness you may possess now, at this very moment, if you will accept it.

But is the acceptance of Christ as my Saviour all that is necessary to save me for all eternity? Yes. I admit the very simplicity of it seems to make it hard to grasp. But if I owe $500 and have nothing with which to pay, and a friend pays the debt for me and gives me the receipt, I don’t worry about it anymore. I can look my creditor straight in the face, for I hold his signed receipt. Likewise, Jesus Christ gave His life in place of mine, He said, “It is finished,” meaning that the work of atonement was completed, and God gave me His receipt. The assurance that He was satisfied with Christ’s finished work is that He (God) raised Christ from the dead on the third day.

Our Lord Jesus told this parable (Matt 22:1-14): Salvation is like a wedding feast to which many of the King’s subjects are invited. The King not only provides the banquet, but also a wedding garment for each guest, free-of-charge. Only genuine guests are given the garments. At the banquet, one man sneaks in without the garment. This quickly identified him as an imposter and intruder and he is instantly ejected into outer darkness.

Thought: Have I received my garment of righteousness?
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for paying for my garment of righteousness with Your life.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

27 : It is Finished

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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Man cannot improve on God’s work

When you receive from Christ His righteousness, like a wedding garment, it is perfect and complete. You cannot add to it your own righteousness which is as filthy rags.

“But I can’t see it,” said a certain cabinet-maker, as a friend tried to explain this to him. At last, an idea came to his friend, who, lifting a plane, made as though he would plane the top of a beautifully polished table that stood nearby.

“Stop!” cried the cabinet-maker. “Don’t you see that’s finished? You’ll simply ruin it if you use that plane on it!”

“Why,” replied his friend ,”that’s just what I have been trying to show you about Christ’s work of redemption. It was finished when He gave His life for you, and if you try to add to that finished work you can only spoil it. Just accept it as it stands – His life for yours, and you go free. Like a flash the cabinet-maker saw it and received Jesus Christ into his life as his Lord and Saviour.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works… “ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is all of God, and all of grace. We come simply with empty hands to receive. We cannot do anything to add to what our Lord has done, or to improve it. He has done it perfectly: it is finished!

Does this mean that after we are saved we are to do nothing? By no means! From henceforth, we are to live for Him who died for us; to live in newness of life, and to live for God’s glory. His work is finished, ours has just begun!

Thought: “It is finished” means “It is finished.”
Prayer: Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.

28 : The Real Difference

July 30, 2024August 26, 2024by The Reason Why

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Alive or dead? You are one or the other, not both

“But,” says someone, “there is one more problem that puzzles me. I know a polished gentleman who is not a Christian and states so quite definitely, and I know a rather crude and uncultured man who is a Christian and who shows his genuine belief in many ways. Do you mean to tell me God prefers the uncultured man simply because he had accepted and acknowledged Christ as his Saviour?”

This question arises from a confusion of ideas. A Christian is not different in degree from a non-Christian; he is different in kind, just as the difference between a diamond and a cabbage is not one of degree, but of kind. The one is polished, and the other is crude, but the one is dead while the other is alive. Therefore the one has what the other does not have, and that is life. And such is the difference God sees between a Christian and non-Christian.

Here is one of the many such statements He makes in His Word. 1 John 5:11-12: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” So that the vital and all-important question for everyone of us becomes not, am I cultured or uncouth, but, am I alive or dead towards God? Have I received God’s risen Son who brings me life from above, the life of God, called in the Bible eternal life? Or have I not received Him and am I therefore classed by God as among those who “hath not life”?

By our first birth, we received physical life from our earthly parents. This equips us for life on earth. After that, what? Jesus says to us, “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” It is the Spirit of God that gives you this life. It equips you for life in God’s everlasting kingdom. Do you have this new life? If no, you are as good as dead! Come, then, and receive life in Jesus, eternal life!

Thought: The second birth gives real life, eternal life.
Prayer: Lord, I want to live with Thee in Thy kingdom.

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This audio CD is approximately 59 minutes, divided into 34 chapters.

Edited by Dr SH Tow

Please note that the last paragraph of some chapter texts may not be present in the audio tracks.