May-June - The Gospel Magazine

The Gospel Magazine 85
quickens whom He will, who decides the destinies of all men, who is Lord over
all flesh. Present-day evangelism, for the most part, poses to men the question:
"What will you do with Jesus?" Bible or true evangelism poses the question:
"What will the sovereign Christ do with me?" Present-day evangelism says to
men, "Believe and be born again." Bible evangelism says to men: "Be born again
so you can believe." The one makes the new birth depend on an act of men, the
other an act of God. Present-day evangelism takes for granted God's mercy and
grace, rather than marveling at them in adoration and worship. Hear Paul say, "I
obtained mercy"; hear Peter say, "to all who have obtained like precious faith".
How I long to hear this note in the churches today! Salvation today is a physical
rather than a spiritual matter. The preaching of sovereign grace is the need of the
hour if we shall be true to God's Word and true to the souls of men.
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• THE MARRIAGE GOD BLESSES •
BRIAN GARRARD (Basingstoke)
The Civil Partnership Act has serious implications for marriage as we have
understood it for centuries. It will be same-sex marriage in all but name and
Christian believers in particular need to know where they stand on such an issue.
"Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways . ..
thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides ofthine house: thy children like
olive plants round about thy table. ... Yea, thou shalt see thy childrens
children, and peace upon Israel" (Psalm /28).
CONCERNING this portion of Scripture, C. H. Spurgeon wrote: It is a family
hymn - a song for a marriage, or a birth, or for any day in which a happy
household has met to praise the Lord." Dr. George Home could also say: "The
psalm was probably sung at the marriages of the Israelites." As such, it gives a
good description of a happy marriage where the couple are exhorted to fear God
and walk in His ways. The results will be happiness and contentment between
husband, wife and children and blessing upon family life and the Church of God.
In a day when the right concept of marriage is little understood and the whole
institution is trivialised, Christians of all ages, whether married or not, ought to
have a biblical understanding of what it means to be joined to another. Why?
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If married, it may help to bless and strengthen our own relationship, for we
all need to grow in understanding and grace, whether we have been married
for four or forty years.