Dr. C. S. Lovett’s
MARANATHA FAMILY NEWSLETTER
May 2024
WHAT IS THE NUMBER 2 TRUTH OF THE BIBLE?
If I were to ask, “What is the NUMBER ONE truth of the Bible,” you would have no difficulty answering: "Why, it's salvation through faith in our Lord Jesus!" Right, but suppose I asked, "What is the NEXT MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH, the NUMBER TWO truth of the Bible, how would you answer?"
The salvation message so dominates the Christian scene, all other truths are sort of lumped together with few standing out from the others. Salvation is just the beginning of the Christian life.
WE ARE TO GROW UP
Certain truths impact our lives with staggering power, truths that produce NICE CHANGES in us--when we focus on them. But until we single them out, they don't really affect us. God leaves us on earth after our salvation experience so that we can GROW and CHANGE into His likeness. Christians are like TEA BAGS. They come to full strength when you leave them in hot water. And life on earth provides plenty of hot water for bringing Christians to maturity.
It is God's determined purpose that we should CHANGE and "BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON" (Rom. 8:29). Conforming to the likeness of Jesus is a gradual process. It can only be done in a place of change.
GOD’S GENIUS
When we receive Christ, an amazing thing happens. We receive the DIVINE NATURE (2 Pet. 1:4). God does not destroy our old natures, He simply adds the NEW ONE. Thus the believer ends up with TWO NATURES. It is the struggle between his two natures that provides the perfect environment for a believer to develop into the likeness of Christ.
This is the SECOND truth of the Bible – the two natures of the believer. Here is the one truth Christians MUST MASTER and if they don't:
1. They will remain baffled by many parts of the Bible, for some passages pertain to the OLD NATURE only, while others pertain to the new nature only. If they don't know the difference, it will appear to be a contradiction.
2. They won't be able to understand themselves.
To have believers confused about the Bible is awful. Confused about themselves is worse, yet thousands are in this predicament. It puts them in a place where they can't understand why they DO and THINK such terrible things. Others end up believing the Bible contradicts itself. On the other hand, if you acquire a working knowledge of the Christian's two natures, you will never be baffled by these things.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TWO NATURES
The apostle Paul calls the old nature, "the old man" and the new nature, "the new man" (Eph. 4:22,24). In other places, the Bible refers to them as flesh and spirit. These two natures become DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED to each other. The old nature is worldly, the new nature godly. The "tug-o-war" occurring between them provides the stress needed for Christian growth.
This explains why Christians can appear to be saintly one minute and devilish the next. You've heard people say, "I don't see how so and so could be a Christian and do such things!" Satan gets them to yield to their old natures and they act ungodly. He can get the best of us to do this at times.
THEN THERE ARE BIBLE PROBLEMS
Consider the seeming contradiction in First John, Chapter One, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (v. 6). Yet, when we look across to Chapter 3 of the same book, we read (v. 9) "Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin." How do we reconcile these conflicting statements? We can't unless we understand one is speaking of the OLD NATURE, which can only sin, and the other is speaking of the NEW NATURE which cannot sin.
You HAVE read Paul's list of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21). He cites such things as impure thoughts, bad temper, rivalry, factions, and party spirit. Sound familiar? It should. You and I do these things ourselves – if not IN DEED, then certainly IN OUR MINDS, which is the same as far as God is concerned (Matt. 5:28) But look how he concludes the matter, "I solemnly assure you that those who do such things will never inherit the kingdom of God!"
That is bewildering until we realize he is speaking of the OLD NATURE. IT ALONE does such things. The new man cannot. It is the NEW MAN we take to heaven, the old man drops off at physical death.
THE NUMBER THREE TRUTH
I'll mention what I consider the number 3 truth—learning to recognize Satan's attacks and being able to put him to flight! When God gave me a 4-step plan of DEALING WITH THE DEVIL, I was thrilled beyond words. I remember the first time I took authority over Satan and he fled on my command. What an adventure! That has made whopping changes in my life, opening a whole new resource for me in the Holy Spirit. It gave me a powerful weapon for subduing the OLD MAN through Christ.
PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY
These tools are powerful in the Spirit's hands and when they IMPACT your spirit, you will never be the same. Something in you would have to die before you could lay hold of these three truths and remain the same person. The last thing the devil wants is for you to acquire them. He will fight with all he's got to keep you from ordering them. So check with the Holy Spirit to see if I'm on track, then give Satan the brush-off. Go after these three spirit-blasting truths and CHANGE into the likeness of the Lord. Then should someone ask if you know the number 2 truth of Christianity, you can answer and say,
“YES I DO AND I KNOW THE NUMBER 3 AS WELL!”
C. S. Lovett
Copyright © 2024 Personal Christianity. All rights reserved.
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just a Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1 & 2)
TESTIMONIES
FOUND VICTORY: “As a new Christian, Satan was having a great time destroying my life. It was to the point where I was considering suicide. I kept asking other Christians, ‘Why is this happening?’ I got no real answer. Then I bought DEALING WITH THE DEVIL. What a victory you have helped me find. All my confusion and despair had to flee in the light of the knowledge that I received. This book should be next to every Bible.” (B.W.—CA)
GREAT EXPERIENCE: “I shared my DEALING WITH THE DEVIL book with a brother in Christ and he couldn’t put it down. I give the Holy Spirit credit for all that is in it. Thanks to God, I have now experienced the Holy Spirit as a person instead of believing in Him as a doctrine!” (D.V.—VA)
PLEASING RESULTS: “For the Christian who seeks to answer the question, ‘How do I become a Christian?’ this humble book, WITNESSING MADE EASY, makes it simple for both the Christian and the one addressed. Sometimes the best gifts come in a plain paper wrapper. That's true of this self-published book, written and published by pastor Lovett. Having been through many books and classes on this subject, I have used this approach and outline the most with pleasing results.” (Online review by R. Lewis)
BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE: “I am a former Catholic and was never able to understand the book of Romans, but I was blessed to find a copy of your LIGHTS ON ROMANS in our church library. What a beautiful experience it has been for me to finally understand this amazing work of the apostle Paul.” (Mrs. R.B.—AL)
THE PREPARED LIFE: "Personally this book is a 'shocker.' Not because of anything we should not already know but that someone is warning us about a reality that many would never touch because they wouldn't want to come off as 'negative.' I highly recommend it. It is thought-provoking and sobering to the vast majority of those caught up in the easy-belief American 'Churchianity' lifestyle that is a mile wide and an inch deep! This book is a welcome 'slap in the face' that we ALL need!" (Online by D. Ritter)
RESOURCES
NEWLY REVISED--LOVETT'S LIGHTS ON ROMANS (2024): 360 pages. Available on Amazon.com for $15.99 HERE.
LOVETT'S LIGHTS ON ACTS (2023): 407 pages. Available on Amazon.com for $15.99 HERE.
LOVETT'S LIGHTS ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (2022) 372 pages. Available on Amazon.com for $15.99 HERE.
LOVETT'S LIGHTS ON JOHN (2021): 381 pages. Available on Amazon.com for $15.99 HERE.
WITNESSING MADE EASY (2019): 213 pages. Available on Amazon.com for $14.99 HERE.
DEALING WITH THE DEVIL (2018): 242 PAGES. Available on Amazon.com for $14.99 HERE.
THE PREPARED LIFE (2017): 159 pages. Available on Amazon.com for $13.99 and is also available in Kindle form for $7.99 HERE.
CONTACT US:
Personal Christianity, PO Box 918, Middleton, ID 83644
626-338-7333
www.cslovettbooks.com
info@cslovettbooks.com
“Preparing for His Appearing” Since 1951
