Those Who Reject Through His Atonement the Cross of Christ Will Go to Hell (Phil. 3)

By learning to read God’s word through reading and praying, we gradually touch the spirit of the word. We become aware of the great distance which exists between our personal condition and the spirit of God’s word. Take, for instance, the passage in Philippians 3. 18-19, which reads: “For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” We may quite easily and correctly say that these are the enemies of God, whose end is perdition, but we have hardly touched the spirit of the writer of this Scripture passage. If we were to read through quickly, we would fail to touch the spirit of the writer. But if we were to pray and to read at the same time—if we were to put ourselves in the place and the heart of the writer—we would readily see how full of love is his heart.

Let us see that one who was full of love was here being used by God to pronounce a very severe word. Let us see how he said it: “now I tell you even weeping.” These people about whom Paul was writing had the belly as their god; they were the very enemies of the cross of Christ, and their end was perdition. All these were facts which he could not help but assert. Nevertheless, when Paul declared them, he was full of loving affection. It is relatively easy for us to learn to speak severely, but it is quite difficult to have such a loving spirit as Paul exhibited here. On the other hand, it is also simple and rather easy for some of us to be good-natured and always speak kindly of others, but it becomes impossible for us to ever say severe words such as Paul said here.

As we read this Scripture and actually touch the spirit of the writer, we will come to know ourselves as well as know the author. But if we do not touch the inner spirit as we read the word of God, it will leave us empty. Yet by reading and praying, our heart becomes single towards God, our spirit is opened to Him, and we shall be able to touch what is beyond the word. And thus shall we never feel dry, but instead be satisfied with living bread. In short, we shall be fed as we read.

We hope brothers and sisters will be attentive to read the word of God carefully each morning. Do not rush but read deliberately. Read and pray, pray and read. By reading each morning for but fifteen minutes, half an hour, or an hour, you will be fed and strengthened. You will have taken in God’s word, and by so doing you shall experience the strength of the Lord throughout the day.