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Wading River Baptist Church P.O. Box 438, 1635 Wading River-Manorville Road, Wading River, NY 11792

(631) 929-3512; 929-6022 www.wrbc.us office@wrbc.us

A Personal Awakening

In this issue of The Beacon we are reprint-ing the fifth and final chapter of Robert C. McQuilkin’s little booklet, Victory in Christ. We have not customarily reprinted the works of writers from previous genera-tions in this publication, but we did so over the past few months because of the impor-tance of what McQuilkin has to say. Much of this booklet is his own personal testi-mony. The final chapter, contained in this issue, concerns the biblical teaching on spiritual victory, and it is a powerful climax to the experience of this man of God. Please read it thoughtfully and prayerfully, asking the Lord to lead you to victory in your life. Unfortunately, few Christians have ever heard this message, much less thought deeply about it or actually implemented it in their lives. That is because so few preachers and Bible teachers have assimi-lated the biblical teaching of how sin can be overcome in their own lives and then passed it along to their congregations and classes. I must plead guilty on this count. In my own experience, I found that those who embraced this teaching have been scorned, labeled as advocates of the “higher life” teaching or the “Keswick” message (so named for the important Bible conference in England in the last century where this message was the cornerstone of the teach-ing). This position was largely rejected out-right by those of a Calvinistic and Re-formed persuasion because the teaching on

spiritual victory was (unfairly) associated with Arminian soteriology. It was assumed that those who preached this message were following Wesley in advocating the doc-trine of “entire sanctification,” that is, the teaching of the necessity of a second work of grace in the believer’s experience—something that was derived from Wesley’s view of perfectionism (that a Christian could reach a state of perfection in this life). I came to believe this through the reading of that theological giant of a past generation, Benjamin. B. Warfield, who made the case against the so-called “higher life” movement (naming McQuilkin spe-cifically) in his well-known critique, Perfec-tionism. In fact, however, McQuilkin, and other leading men of God who preached this message, were not Arminians at all, but were convinced Presbyterians or Bap-tists. Furthermore, in actually reading what McQuilkin wrote, there is no hint of perfectionism; in fact, in this final chapter, he denies the doctrine and regards it as an error. On the other hand, the teaching of spiritual victory was rejected by those of a Fundamentalist persuasion. They attacked it as an unbiblical “let go and let God” her-esy. The reason, of course, is that these critics tended to view the Christian life in terms of legalism; Christianity, they de-clared, was conformity to a list of “do’s” and “don’ts,” although the list varied con-siderably from teacher to teacher and writer to writer. Theirs was a “gospel” of

trying harder. Thus, the “Keswick” teach-ing was a lazy form of spirituality—tempting the Holy Spirit by sitting back and letting Him take over while doing nothing. But nothing could have been fur-ther from the truth! Well, I have had a personal awaken-ing. The teaching concerning the Chris-tian’s life of spiritual victory is none of this. It is simply the exposition of what the Bible says about reliance upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is all about our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection; it is all about our faith in that work for the power to overcome sin. My eyes have been opened, and I am read-ing, meditating, praying, and believing God for a richer and more obedient Christian life. I am hoping that McQuilkin’s booklet will be only the first step for you on a life-long journey of becoming conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Given the acceptance of sin as normal, even among Christians to-day, this will not be an easy journey. But you will not be alone. Let me once again encourage you to get a copy of Miles J. Stanford’s The Green Letters, and assign yourself to read a chapter slowly, thought-fully, and prayerfully each day. Stick with it. There are some other great books on the subject that I would encourage you to read as you aspire to reach “higher ground.” It will be a life-transforming experience. May the Lord bless you as you read!

⎯ Pastor Ron Glass

Missionaries of the Month – Rev. Tim and Marcia Monahan

Christianity is rapidly facing new cultural hurdles as

Western Europe has been drained, in Rev. Tim

Monahan’s words, by “nominalism and anti-intellectualism.” It is leaving Western Europeans confused and Italy is no excep-tion. Tim Monahan believes that the churches have not responded to the cul-tural changes around them; instead, the churches in Italy have buried their heads in the sand.

There is one Bible school, the Instituto Biblico Cristiano Italia, that is trying to fill the void that exists in the Italian church. This year they had 22 graduates⎯sixteen received a certificate, five received a di-ploma, and one received a master’s degree in Christian Ministry. Tim is also trying to fill the void as he taught Old Testament

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continued from page 1 Survey in a church in southern Italy this past year. For this year, Tim will be teach-ing New Testament Greek, Old Testament Survey, Theology, and Methods of Teach-ing. Most recently, Tim has been teaching at the Bible School in Rome. Marcia will be instructing women in biblical studies; both of them are in need of your prayers, along with the faculty and the students.

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Marcia was in the United States for a couple of weeks during the month of February to spend some time with their children. Their

daughter, Erin, and her husband, Aaron, of almost three years are in south New Jersey. Erin is working as an Italian teacher in Manalpan, NJ, allowing her to talk all day in Italian. Aaron is working for Trinity, a solar paneling company. Tim and Marcia’s

son, Nate, is living in Philadelphia, PA, and working as an ELS (English Language Services) teacher in a grade school in the inner city. Nate has a girlfriend, Aksana. It warms the hearts of Tim and Marcia to see them doing so well; they appreciate all the prayers that origi-nated from the WRBC for their children.

As Italians continue to define them-selves as Christian because of nationality, family, cultural ties, and tradition, Tim and Marcia Monahan will continue to share with them the true definition of a Christian as contained in the Scriptures. It has been one year since they turned the interna-tional church, Il Faro, over to Luigi Esposi-to, a man of God who is growing in his leadership and pastoral capabilities. Praise God that both Luigi and the church are doing well. Also, praise God for how hun-

gry and encouraging the people are in their church for materials produced by Tim that will help them to know the Lord and grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). So Tim is concen-trating on teaching as well as on developing courses that can be used by the Italians in the future. Tim shares his observation that there is a lack of preparation in Italy and most evangelical church leaders do not have and do not seem to desire a deeper level of learning.

So continue to pray for the growth of the disciples in their church. Pray for the expansion of their leadership development program (not just for growth’s sake). Pray for the time and energy to continue to pro-duce materials that Italians can use in the future. Lastly, pray for wisdom in teaching a leadership development seminar in Vi-enna in May. Always remember to pray for their financial needs and their safety.

⎯ Joan Tyska

Getting Acquainted with Marlene Drummond

For those of you that have been faithful to the prayer list, Marlene Drummond will be a familiar name to you. She has had her struggles with medical issues (both her own and her husband’s), adding to the struggles that they have had maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. In spite of some of their hurdles, Marlene has remained faith-ful in reaching out to others in need of prayer. In a way, you might say she has her own little secret mission reaching out to those in need of prayer either with a phone call or a caring note in the mail. Most amazing is her ability to recall all those requesting prayer as she tucks their needs away in her heart in order to communicate her loving concern for them. And equally amazing is her gratefulness for those who reach out to her; Marlene never forgets to write an old-fashioned thank-you note.

Marlene was born in Brooklyn, NY on August 13, 1949. Her father, Lucien Celentano, by trade was a bricklayer but

gave it up to become a Suffolk County Po-liceman. Her mother, Anna Celentano, was a homemaker and the mother of two daughters, Sophia Rose and Marlene (the younger of the two). Her mother also worked in the school cafeteria in Brent-wood and in the Pathmark produce dept.

Marlene attended schools in Brent-wood where she grew up. She began her

education at St. Anne’s Grammar School, followed by her attendance at the Academy of St. Joseph’s. While in school she estab-lished a reputation for being athletic as she participated in field hockey and volleyball. Some of Marlene’s most outstanding memories as a child were the summertime visits to the Catskill Game Farm.

Marlene continued her education at Suffolk Community College as a liberal arts major and at BOCES for 2 semesters, studying and earning a certificate in hema-tology and urinalysis studies. Her desire was to be a medical lab assistant, but she could not quite master the chemistry course that was required.

Instead Marlene took on employment as a clerk in the purchasing department for the Town of Islip for 11 ½ years, followed by working for temporary agencies for an-other 4 ½ years. By 1988, she was em-ployed by the IRS; in 1998 she worked for Big Brothers-Big Sisters. In addition, Marlene has done volunteer work at a nursing home in Port Jefferson Station.

Being raised Catholic, it was not until 1974 that Marlene was witnessed to by her cousin and his wife at which time she was baptized at Selden Bible Church. As Marlene grew in the faith, she began to serve: first as a Sunday School teacher at the First Baptist Church of Babylon, and then as an AWANA volunteer at the Village Lane Bible Chapel in Hauppauge.

By the end of 1977, Marlene began to think about meeting up with someone that might share similar interests and goals and began checking out the ads in the newspa-

pers. It was not long until she found Robert Drummond’s ad and she decided to take a chance and answer it. Three months of letter writing began before the many train rides to meet each other in Port Jef-ferson on the weekends. The relationship grew and on May 26, 1979, Bob and Marlene were married; this year they will celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary.

Bob and Marlene have been coming to the WRBC since February 2006 when they found the church by chance just driving by. They have remained at the WRBC not only because it is close to their home in Wading River but because of Pastor Glass’ truthful perspective and knowledge of the Bible.

Since Marlene has been at the WRBC, she has served as a VBS worker for one summer⎯she thoroughly enjoyed working with the children. But because of medical issues and not having her own transporta-tion, she has become limited in what she is able to do. She tries to get out for prayer meetings on Wednesday and continues throughout the week as one of WRBC’s prayer warriors. Both Bob and Marlene thoroughly enjoy the fellowship through the WRBC and attend the Senior Saints luncheons and as many of the other planned fellowshipping events as they can.

Marlene loves to cook and is always searching for new recipes to try. Both she and her husband enjoy bird watching, a shared interest. Marlene in her spare time likes to do word puzzles and relaxes by listening to music and reading devotions, as many different ones as possible.

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When you ask a person their favorite Bible verse, there is so much revealed about that person in their chosen Scrip-ture. Marlene’s favorite verse, Isaiah 40:31, is definitely a reflection of her soul: But they that wait upon the Lord shall

renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Marlene’s life has not always been easy and at times she must wait upon the Lord. Even Marlene’s height (4’-4”)

can hinder activities that others might take so much for granted. Nevertheless, the Lord continues to renew her strength.

⎯ Joan Tyska

Classics to Contemplate “What Scripture Teaches On Victory”

from Victory in Christ by Robert C. McQuilkin, Part 5

In this personal testimony I have sought to emphasize the elements in my own experi-ence which are common to every such experi-ence, even though each individual has his own dealings with God.

There was the hunger and thirst after righteousness. Some will say that this, of course, should be characteristic of every Christian, and should be continued till the end of this life. But there is a difference be-tween being hungry for more and more of what Christ has, being “unsatisfied,” if the word may be used, and being “dissatisfied.” The first thing a lost man needs is a convic-tion that he is lost, the consciousness that he has a need. In the same way the defeated Christian must have a sense of need.

Second comes the message to the de-feated Christian as to what God’s provision for him is. He may have been ignorant of this provision for victory, the provision for walk-ing “in newness of life.”

When he knows the provision, his part is to yield his life completely to Christ and to trust Him. Faith, of course, includes surren-der, but it is usually helpful to separate these two thoughts. If a Christian is holding any-thing back from the Lord that will prevent his entering into victory, and abiding in Christ as the Lord wants him to do, he needs to surren-der completely. But when a man is willing to have the whole will of God in his life, then the only thing that can keep him from victory is ignorance of God’s provision, leading to a lack of faith. That is why the surrender must be followed by faith. What is faith? Taking God at His Word. There are a thousand state-ments of God on which faith may rest. Many have entered into victory by believing the simple fact: “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Oth-ers have believed: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” Others have thanked God that: “Christ liveth in me.” Others have yielded and thanked the Lord for the Holy Spirit, who is dwelling in them and meeting every need.

These are the elements that are common in every Christian experience. Now what is

the Scriptural basis for these

experiences? For if they be normal Chris-tian experi-ences, they must find

their explanation in Scripture. If there is real faith, it must be faith based on something that God has said. What is this provision that God makes for Christians to live a life of victory? And what is that life of victory?

In answering this question most Chris-tian teachers have divided into two general groups. One group teaches that every Chris-tian should have an experience subsequent to conversion, and this experience is in a true sense a second work of grace. The following teachings regarding such a second work of grace may be distinguished: 1. At conversion a Christian is justified; later he is “entirely sanctified,” and this must constitute a new crisis in the life of every Christian. 2. When a Christian is born of the Spirit, he still has a carnal nature, which causes him to have ex-pressions of that carnal nature in lust or cov-etousness or pride; at a second crisis, this carnal nature is eradicated. 3. At conversion a Christian is born of the Spirit; at a later crisis he is baptized by the Spirit. This bap-tism of the Spirit is evidenced by a supernatu-ral speaking in tongues as the sign of the bap-tism, or by a supernatural gift of the Spirit such as speaking in tongues, or prophecy or some other special “gift.” 4. At conversion a Christian is born of the Spirit, but later he has the baptism of the Spirit for power in service. 5. At conversion a Christian receives the Holy Spirit, but at a later crisis he surrenders his life in a way that he cannot do as a lost man, and he is filled with the Spirit.

The other group of teachers deny that there is any second work of grace in the lives of Christians, but that it is simply a matter of degree in the progressive sanctification of various Christians. All Christians are sinning in thought, word, and deed, all the time, but more and more as they learn of Christ and yield to Him, they conquer sin and live unto righteousness, going on to new obedience.

All of these teachers are seeking to ex-press truth as revealed in Scripture, and as illustrated in their own experience. There is always the danger that we may have an ex-perience, and then seek to interpret Scripture to fit into that experience. After my own ex-perience, I read many books on holiness, seeking to understand the Scriptural doctrine for a life of victory. I got blessing from books by Wesley, and by other writers who taught “entire sanctification”, or “perfect love”; I found many things in these books that

seemed to correspond with my experience, yet I was not satisfied that they truly inter-preted Scripture. I read books on the baptism of the Spirit, and the fullness of the Spirit, and was confused by the various interpreta-tions of good men. It is with the hope that some Christians may be helped in their study of the Word, that I set forth briefly what I believe is the Scripture teaching in the life of victory, or the Spirit-filled life.

This crisis leading to a life of victory is not a second work of grace. There is one great crisis described in the New Testament, when a man passes from death to life, when he is born of the Spirit, when he is joined to Christ. At that time he receives Christ, and with Christ he receives all things. Christ is living in him. His body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Father, Son, and Spirit, have taken up their abode in his heart. What more does he need?

But while there is not needed a second work of grace, there is needed that Christians enter into an understanding of what their salvation means. Many Christians do not recall the time when they were saved and in nearly every such a case a crisis is needed, as in my own case. Other Christians have had a clear-cut experience of regeneration. They know when they passed from death to life. But they did not abide in the truth. They grew cold, or they fell into sin. They need a crisis to get back where they belong, to the place of surrender and faith they once knew.

There are two verses that describe clearly the Bible plan for living the Christian life, one

verse in terms of the work of the Lord Je-sus, and the other in terms of the work of

the Holy Spirit. First, Colossians 2:6: “As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Second, Galatians 5:25: “If we live by the Sprit, by the Spirit let us also walk.”

When a man takes Christ as his Saviour, he is born of the Spirit (John 3:5, 8; 1:12, 13); he has the witness of the Spirit (Rom. 8:16; Gal 4:6); he is baptized by the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13); he is indwelt by the Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19). Now this Christian, who has eternal life by the power of the Spirit, is to walk, or live his daily life, in the power of the Spirit.

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(The expression “if we live by the Spirit”, does not refer to daily living, but to having super-natural life by the Spirit, in regeneration.) This clearly sets forth the relation between the crisis of salvation and the daily walk of Christians. But suppose a Christian is not walking that way? Suppose he is not yielded, although the Scriptures say, “Yield yourselves unto God.” Then he needs a crisis. He needs to get back where he belongs. Or, he needs to enter into a clear understanding, perhaps for

irst time, as to what his salvation means.

The Scripture that explains clearly, and perhaps most completely, what happens to a man when he is saved, is Romans 6:1 to 7:6. Here are given three pictures of salvation, all setting forth the truth that salvation means union with Christ. First, the one who has taken Christ is described as having been united with Christ in His death and in His resurrection (Rom. 6:1-11). Second, he is one who has been the bond-slave of sin, but has been delivered from his old master and be-come the bond-slave of a new master, Christ (Rom. 6:12-23). Third, the believer is likened to a woman who was joined to a husband, as the believer was one time joined to sin, and brought forth fruit unto death. The woman was under the law of the husband, and the sinner was under the law of sin and death. When Christ was made sin for us, and died, then the old husband, sin, died and the be-liever rose in ne

isen Christ.

Now whatever spiritual state these won-derful words describe, it is evident that it is not a special state into which a Christian en-ters by a second work of grace, but is some-thing that is true of all believers. We were set “free from sin” when Christ was accepted as Saviour (Rom. 6:17, 18, 22). The normal thing now is for the believer to live a yielded life, and this is expressed in the command, “Yield yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead.” But it is also true that if a believer is not living that way, the command to yield does come to him as a call for a crisis in his life. This, however, is not a second work of grace in the sense that God must do a new and entirely different thing for the believer. It means that the believer enters into an under-standing of what his salvation means, or that he gives up his rebelli

s to His control.

Now the question comes, What is the dif-ference in this life of victory and a life of Chris

It is not a life of sinlessness. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only human being that lived a sinless life. No believer while he is in this body is sinless. Therefore, the difference between a defeated Christian and a Christian living in victory is not that one has sin, and that the other has no sin. Nor is it accurate to say that one is delivered from all known sin, or conscious sin, while the other is not, al-

though there is some truth in that expression. Nor is it correct to say that it is merely a mat-ter of degree, and that a Christian living in victory sins less than

e is truth in this.

It is a striking fact that all teachers agree that no Christian is sinless, according to the perfect standard of God’s moral law. Wesley and Finney, and other noted teachers, have proposed a different definition of sin, and have made sin to be only that which is in the will. But Wesley himself declared that Chris-tian perfection does not mean perfect obedi-ence to the moral law of God. Under that definition of sin, he agrees that no man is sinless. If we define sin, therefore, as “any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the law of God,” all responsible teachers in all schools will agree that there is no state of grace for a redeemed man duringthis body when he is ut sin.

Again, the life of victory should not be defined as “Christian perfection,” or “evan-gelical obedience,” in the sense of a lowered standard for the Chris-tian. Wesley described

beautifully the characteristics of Christian perfection, or perfect love, and when he did so, he was holding up a very high standard of life as compared with the way Christians in general are living. But it was, by his own defi-nition, a lower standard than that absolute perfection of which our Lord alone is an ex-ample. This teaching of Wesley in multitudes of cases resulted in raising the standard of spiritual life. On the other hand, many who held theoretically to a correct doctrine of God’s perfect standard, were in their practical living far below the lowered standard of Christian perfection that Wesley advocated. So today there are professing Christians whose doctrine is that they are always sin-ning, but that they should strive after holiness and after new obedience, yet in their practical lives they are doing no striving whatever, but living a defeated life, or a self-satisfied life according to standards of their own. On the other side, there are Christians who teach the theory of the eradication of the carnal nature, or instantaneous sanctification, yet in their practical lives they are really striving after holiness and after new obedience, just as the doctrine of the other group requires Chris-tians to do. All of this shows that we should be tolerant of those who have a different view, and consider that there may be truth in what they are seeking, tho

ation be wrong.

It will be seen that the view presented here denies the eradication of a sinful nature. The difficulty of such theories is that they have a view of psychology which supposes that there is some entity residing within a believer which might be eradicated. But a

careful reading of the biblical phrases will show that this is not the conception of Scrip-ture. Every human being is born into a sinful human race. That is, he has a human nature which is fallen. It is not that he has a human nature, and then separate from that nature some entity residing within him which can be eradicated at conversion or at a second work of grace. However, if the expression be used popularly, there is truth in saying that every Christian does have a sinful nature. That is, he is not yet made perfect, not yet made holy. Any teaching that suggests the eradication of that which causes Christians to sin is a mis-taken teaching, and one that will inevitably lead to the danger of not going on with Christ into new experien

of the Spirit.

The life of victory is not the baptism of the Spirit as a second work of grace, either for purity or for power in service. Many teachers use the term “baptism of the Spirit” to de-scribe a genuine and glorious Christian ex-perience. But there is no sanction for this in Scripture, no suggestion that any Christian should seek for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The striking fact is that there is only one sen-tence in all the Epistles that refers directly, by name, to the baptism of the Spirit, and this Scripture, First Corinthians 12:13, states di-rectly that we all have been baptized by one Spirit into one Body. Some make a distinc-tion between this baptism, and the “upon baptism” at Pentecost. But that distinction is not made in Scripture. If it is the duty of all Christians to seek the baptism of the Spirit, then the Epistles, giving instructions to Chris-tians, should be filled with exhortations to seek for this blessing. The fact that there is not a single such exhortation should be enough to show that this is not what Chris-tians are to seek for. Christians are com-manded, “Be filled with the Spirit,” but they are never commanded, “Be bapti

the baptism.”

This life of victory is not merely a receiving of more and more of what one has. It is a definite crisis when a Christian enters into a new attitude in his life. Following that, he should day by day manifest in hi

Spirit,” or “Seek

e of the fruit of the Spirit.

The life of victory is not merely an enter-ing into a mature spiritual experience. There is a distinction between a babe in Christ, and one who is fully grown. There are many de-grees of maturity, and yet there is also a sense in which a Christian who is immature comes into a mature point of view. Yet it is also true that Christians never cease to grow; they are

g on toward the fulness of God in Christ.

There is a glorious truth that men are af-ter when they teach sanctification, or Chris-tian perfection, or the baptism of the Spirit for power in service, or the fulness of the

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Spirit as a second work of grace. It is this truth, and not the error of these teachings, that has caused earnest Christians to seek these blessings. What is that truth? There is also truth in the other teaching that Chris-tians never get to the place of sinlessness in this life, nor to the place where they cease to go on to higher and richer things; about all, there is truth in the insistence on the need of giving

e.

The entrance into a life of victory, as it has been presented in this testimony, is a crisis, and in that sense does emphasize the truth sought after by the teachings of a sec-ond work of grace. But it is presented as the normal Christian life, and not a higher degree of Christian living. There are two ways of living the Christian life, a right way and a wrong way, just as there are two ways of seek-ing to get saved, by works and by faith. The crisis of regeneration is set forth beautifully in the sixth chapter of Romans. The believer has been joined to Christ. Now he is to reckon that he is dead unto sin and alive unto God; as a married man is separated from all other women in the marriage relationship, so he is to be separated from sin. When a Christian has not been clear that this is what salvation means, it does constitute a crisis when he learns this glorious truth, and when he re-sponds to it by reckoning on

ing himself to the Lord.

In the eighth chapter of Romans, the life of living in the Spirit is beautifully described. After that crisis of reckoning and yielding, we are to do what? “If ye through the Spirit put to death the doings of the body, ye shall live

e is God’s program for Christian living.

The doings of the body, or the works of the flesh, represent the things that are not done in the Spirit. Those things are to be put to death, but they are to be put to death by the Spirit. The Christian life is to be lived in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. But it cannot be denied that many Christians are not living this way. It is quite true that no Christian is living perfectly in this way, as the Lord Jesus lived, but this fact does not con-tradict the other fact that there are defeated Christians who should learn what it means: (1) to reckon on the fact that they are joined to Christ, to reckon on the fact that Christ is living in them, and (2) day by day to put to death the doings of the body, not in the en-ergy of the flesh, or in the striving of their own earnestness, but in the pow

it. Our part in this is faith.

Here is a Christian who has a feeling of resentment against someone who has injured him. He knows from God’s standard that this resentment is contrary to the love of Christ. What does he do with it? The defeated Chris-tian goes on with the resentment for days or weeks, perhaps even for years. But a Chris-tian who has tasted the joy of victory cannot go on knowing that his spirit is wrong. But he

has no power to change that feeling of re-sentment. He does have power to put it to death by the Spirit. He knows God’s provi-sion for things of this sort. He knows it is a miracle. Now while it is perfectly true that there are degrees in which different Chris-tians have learned these truths, it is also true that there is a clear-cut crisis in the life of a Christian when he comes to a place of com-plete surrender and when he learns this mar-velous provision of God to live the Christia

y the supernatural power of the Spirit.

This provision was presented in Dr. Trumbull’s testimony by emphasizing the fact that Christ is dwelling in the believer. I be-lieve it is not accurate to say that Christ dwells in is “by the Holy Spirit.” Scriptures clearly reveal that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Triune God, take up their abode in the believer. Christ is living in the believer. The Holy Spirit is living in the believer. God is One, but Christ and the Holy Spirit are not identical. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to take of the things of Christ and make them real to us. All things in the new creation, as in the old creation, come from God the Father as the Source. All things come through God the Son as the Channel. All things come by God the Holy Spirit as the Agent. And all things are given in answer to prayer to that believer who has taken the attitude of faith, who is joined to Christ, an

er of the Spirit.

This, then, is the meaning of the com-mand, “Be filled with the Spirit.” This verb is in the present tense, as though it read, “Be ye being filled with the Holy Spirit.” Thus it is not primarily a command to have a great spiritual crisis. It is a command to “L

n the fulness of the Holy Spirit.”

We have mentioned that when a Chris-tian is converted, he is born of the Spirit, he has the witness of the Spirit, he is baptized by the Spirit, he is indwelt by the Spirit. Now that Christian is to walk by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, bearing the fruit of the Spirit. There are other blessed expressions concerning the Holy Spirit, and three of them belong to the future of our sal-vation. We are sealed by the Spirit unto the day of redemption; we have the earnest of the Spirit, an earnest of our full inheritance. We have the first-fruits of the Spirit, the first-fruits of the completed harvest. The life of victory, therefore, is a foretaste of that glori-ous life which will be completely controlled by the Spirit when we have the resurrection body like our Lord. Our body now is dead, not only in the sense that it shall see corruption if we should die before Christ comes, but also spiri-tually dead, in the sense that we in our bodies are incapable of righteousness, apart from the quickening power of the Holy Spirit. The glorious teaching that the Lord will make alive our mortal bodies by his Holy Spirit, refers not only to the future culmination in resurrection, but to the truth that now, when

we have the earnest of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life to our bodies. This is victory. This is Christian experience. As more than one has said, “the experience of the Christian is not necessarily Christian experi-ence. Christian experience

uct of the Holy Spirit.”

The learning of this truth is indeed a blessed crisis for many, and may lead to a complete transformation of life. When I wrote of my own surrender, I spoke of sur-rendering many things. The glorious truth came later that surrending things, but giving up one person to the control of Another. Is it your desire, and the choice of your will, that nothing matters to you except the will of Christ in your life? If that is so, then you need just to take God at His word and thank Him in this moment that the Lord is your Shepherd, that Christ is liv-ing within you, that the indwelling Holy Spirit is taking the things of Christ and making them real to you, that the Lord’s grace is suf-ficient, that He is meeting every need, that Christ is magnified in your body, that you may cry out with joy, “Thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor

er was not surrender-

nowledge in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14).

Salvation, past, present, future, is always only by grace through faith. The life of victory that we have been considering in these mes-sages is Salvation present, a life lived by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That life, however, can never be separated from the message of salvation past, and the message of salvation future. Any study of the doctrine must take account of the fact that the founda-tion of all victory is in the cross of Christ. There the complete atonement was made for us, when Christ took our place and paid the eternal death penalty of our sin. When we took Christ as our Saviour we were delivered not only from the penalty of sin, but from the power of sin. We were justified to the end that we might be made holy, and these two things must always be vitally joined together. But now in the present we have an earnest of our full inheritance. We look forward to the personal return of our Lord. When we see Him we shall be like Him. When we have a resurrection body like His then are we com-pletely controlled by the Spirit, and our re-demption is complete. In the words of First Thessalonians 1:9, 10, we have turned unto God from idols (salvation past), to serve the living and true God (salvation present), and to wait

e).

For the individual Christian, and for the nations of the world, the one blessed Hope is the personal return of the Lord. For the indi-vidual Christian, and for the nations, the pre-sent command of God as we look forward to

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continued on page 6

continued from page 5

His coming, it to take the message of the one satisfying Saviour to lost men and to a lost world. Thus must doctrine concerning salva-tion ever have its vital outworking in life, a

vital outworking not according to the new schemes that men may devise as the expres-sion of Christian life, but the outworking ac-cording to the written Word of God. As we

live by the power of the Lord Jesus, so we live to do the work of the Lord Jesus. That work is to please the Father, to seek and to save the lost, to preach the Gospel to every creature.

A Month in Review

Winter of 2011 will certainly be remem-bered with legendary stories diminishing all the “when I was a child” stories that we have shared or have been told repeatedly to us. We now have new legends to build on as we struggled in January and into Febru-ary around the mountains of snow in the local parking lots and as we carefully tip toed around the reoccurring nightly black ice. Not much positive thought had been offered in defense of the weather except from the pulpit one Sunday morning with Pastor Glass’ perception of the treacherous weather. In spite of the weekly blizzards and snowstorms, Sunday mornings have remained sunny (giving a new meaning to Sunday); although schools, businesses, and airports were forced to close during the weekdays, not once did we have to can-cel our Sunday morning worship service.

After the dinner, as everyone began to clean up (when the real fellowshipping time begins), Martie Best quickly got everyone’s attention as she began to roll up and store a very long, heavy-duty extension cord in a most unusual way. So unusual it deserved a picture spot in The Beacon.

On February 16th, Pastor and Maureen Glass celebrated 18 years at the WRBC. How grateful we are here at the WRBC to hear the truth proclaimed from the pulpit without compromise. We thank you, Pastor and Maureen, not only for your faithfulness to lead and share your wisdom but to keep the bonds of fellowship so very strong at the WRBC.

The Awana program began back in September and has grown in attendance to about 15 as Chris and Jackie Hallstrom continue to lead. Serving for the 2010-2011 season are Sue Hart, Carl and Sarah Chapman, Peter Albrecht, Liz Hyland; Kaitlyn, Kristen, and Kara Hallstrom; and Kendal Conway. Every Friday evening from 6:30-8:00, Awana meets as Scriptures are shared, songs are sung, and plenty of youthful fellowshipping goes forward with special theme nights such as “Pajama Night”, “What I Want To Be When I Grow Up Night”, and “Crazy Hair Night”.

On Sunday, January 30th, a farewell dinner was held in the Fellowship Hall for the Kellehers, who have returned to their hometown (West Chester, PA) to be closer to their parents. The dinner was Italian, and the Italian cooks were plentiful; the buffet table was filled with such a wide variety of entrees beyond the usual pasta dishes. Tom Kelleher will be leaving a vacancy as a Deacon and Laura Kelleher’s articles in The Beacon will be greatly missed.

On Sunday, February 6th, four new members were officially welcomed into the fellowship of WRBC. Joe and Martie Best have been attending the church for less than a year and did not waste a moment in time in joining the church. On the other hand, Dennis and Joan Tyska first began attending the WRBC back in 1996 and decided it “was about time” to make the coveted commitment.

Sunday evening on February 20th was a Chinese dinner/movie night. It was the first time for the WRBC to sponsor a Chinese dinner night, but I do not think it will be the last time. It was a great success as everyone brought their favorite Chinese dish. Many of the dishes were straight from the kitchen of a local Chinese restaurant, but surprisingly quite a few dishes came from the kitchens of those from the church.

On Saturday, February 12th, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Pastor and Maureen Glass and the Piraino family represented the WRBC as they attended a seminar, Islam: Facts vs. Fiction, held at the Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Merrick, NY. Speakers were David Wood, a former atheist converted to Christianity, and Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, a former devout Muslim converted to Christianity. The seminar turned out to be most informative and was followed up by a quiet dinner at a Chinese restaurant before returning home.

6

Their children, Luke and Evan, will especially be missed by those caring for them each Sunday morning in the nursery. In the photos, Vicki Valentine, John Piraino, and Mina Piraino bid Laura a fond farewell

while Tom cares for his son, Evan.

Continuing with the Chinese theme, we watched the film “Home Beyond the Sun” between dinner and dessert. It is a story of two girls⎯Jenna, a 22-year-old American college student working in China as an English teacher, and Chu Lee, an eight-year-old Chinese orphan. The movie had a strong Christian message of how the Lord and the guidance of His Word enabled them to overcome the adversity of prejudice, persecution and political oppression to find solace and protection in a Christian home in the United States.

Pastor Noel and Nora Faustinoro along with daughter Jewels were back in their favorite pew on Sunday, February 13th. Pastor Noel and Nora have returned to the states from the Philippines for Pastor Noel’s medical consultations.

As world events continue to erupt, the WRBC continues to grow in peace with all eyes on our Lord as we patiently wait for His return. ⎯ Joan Tyska

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MMaarrcchh 22001111

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

2 8:00 AM Ladies Prayer

– Joan Tyska (727-5998)

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

3 4 6:30 PM AWANA

5

6 9:45 AM Sunday

School (Doug Heuzey)

11:00 AM Worship

6:00-8:00 PM Small Group Bible Study of Ephesians at the Hallstroms’ (886-1334)

7 8 7:00 PM Board of Deacons Meeting

9 8:00 AM

Ladies Prayer

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

10 11 6:30 PM AWANA

12

13 9:45 AM S.S.

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

6:00 PM Bible Study

14 15 NYFRF “Legislative Day,” Albany

16 8:00 AM

Ladies Prayer

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

17

18 6:30 PM AWANA

19 1:00 PM

Senior Saints – “Guiding Light”

Fellowship Hall

20 9:45 AM S.S.

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service (Coffee Hour following)

6:00 PM Bible Study

21 22 23 8:00 AM

Ladies Prayer

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

24 25 6:30 PM AWANA

26

27 9:45 AM S.S.

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

6:00 PM Bible Study

28 29 30 8:00 AM

Ladies Prayer

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

31

MMaarrcchh Bible Quiz Questions 1) Jesus was accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24; Luke 11:15 KJV). Who was Beelzebub?

2) Who laid on his left side for three hundred and ninety days?

3) Where in the Old Testament is the coming of the New Covenant declared?

4) In the Book of Revelation, God proclaims, “I am the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13). Where in the Old Testament does God proclaim, “I am the first and the last”?

5) Andronicus and Junia(s) were relatives of Paul – True or False?

Bonus: Which Psalm is known as “The Great Hallel”?

― Felix Acerra

FFeebbrruuaarryy Bible Quiz Answers

1) Aeneas (Acts 9:33-34).

2) Jedidiah, which means “beloved of the LORD” (2 Samuel 12:25).

3) Romans 9:10.

4) Bethuel (Genesis 22:23; 24:15, 24, 47; 25:20; 28:2, 5).

5) Lot (Genesis 19:36-38).

Bonus: Numbers 23:21b. Balaam refers to Israel’s God as King in his second oracle to Balak, revealing that he was helpless to curse and had to bless the Israelites.

Submit the answers and Bible references to: office@wrbc.us

TThhee BBiirrtthhddaayy CCoorrnneerr

March 17th – Shannon Piraino March 25th – Sarah Piraino

6:00 PM each Lord’s Day @ Hallstroms’

PO Box 438 Wading River, NY 11792

8

Our Purpose 1. To glorify God through sharing the good news of salvation by God’s sovereign grace through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. To nurture believers through a strong program of Christian educa-tion, youth ministries, and expository Biblical preaching.

3. To provide an opportunity for Biblical worship, service, and fellow-ship.

4. To extend our ministry through-out America and around the world through participation in home and foreign missions.

WRBC is affiliated with the Conserva-tive Baptist Association of America and the Conservative Baptist Mission to the Northeast.

Wading River Baptist Church

• For the Exaltation of God in All Things

• For the Proclamation of Faith in Christ

• For the Transformation of God’s People