New Year’s Conference

New Year’s Conference
The Word of the Cross

Once again we gathered for a blessed New Year’s Conference at Brunstad, and the word of the cross was central—the word that Christ’s true followers love. To most believ­ers the word of the cross is mainly the word of Jesus’ atoning death on Calvary. The disciples, Jesus’ follow­ers, take Jesus’ word seriously when He says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23. At the conference we heard abundantly about this love of the cross. The following are excerpts from the meetings.

In Isaiah 60, starting from verse 1, we read so significantly that dark­ness covers the earth, yet the chosen of the Lord experience light and glory. It is the cross that brings all this light and this glory. The cross is a better educator than the best uni­versity. The cross educates us for this life and for the life to come. The per­son who is trained by the cross has a task to fulfill as a member of the body of Christ for time and eternity. On the cross Jesus triumphed over the powers of darkness. Crucified with Him, we can also overcome. Paul wept when he spoke about the many who walked as enemies of the cross of Christ. Phil. 3:18. They weren’t necessarily enemies of the cross of Calvary, but they were enemies of taking up their cross daily, who “set their mind on earthly things.” V. 19.

We need the word of the cross in the church, for it is the power of God. We become one when we are nailed to the cross together with Him. When he was alive, brother Aslaksen spoke so fervently and powerfully about the cross that the newspapers called him “the man of the cross.” And by God’s grace there are many, even in these days, to whom the emptiness of all the preaching that is not the preaching of the cross has been revealed. The church was born on the cross and through the cross.

In Galatians 2:20, Paul testifies that he is crucified with Christ; that he no longer lives for himself but that Christ lives in him. If Paul could live such a live and give such a testimony, then it must also be possible for us! With such a life—being crucified with Christ—we become one! We are one as far as we have developed. This is a life and a fellowship without division. The word of the cross is a power that restores everything—in the home and in the church. In 1 Corinthians 1:17 we see that Paul feared that oratorical skills and choice hu­man ideas and words would weaken the power of the cross. When we acknowledge from our heart that we cannot think a single good thought of ourselves, that we are not able to say or do anything that is genu­inely good, then we become sincerely thankful for the word of the cross. The word of the cross creates sharp divisions. It will result in a sharp division between true discipleship and harlotry. The noble is separated from the ignoble. Righteousness is separated from self-righteousness. The wisdom that is from above is separated from “sensible” ideas that are rooted in the wisdom that is from below, and godly fear is separated from everything that is called a form of godliness. The word of the cross cleanses everything thoroughly.

God or Mammon

When Jesus spoke about making yourself friends with the unrigh­teous mammon and being faithful stewards over earthly things (Luke 16), the Pharisees, who loved money, mocked Him, Misers are not minded to give. When there is talk in the church about being generous, being rich in doing good works and sup­porting the extensive missionary activity that the church is engaged in, then those words are not directed at the misers. The misers are not free from their possessions so they can be used according to God’s working at the moment. In Matthew 6:19-21 we read about gathering treasures in heaven and not on earth. We should always think about the end of our life here on earth so that we will have an abundant entrance in the heavenly habitations. How good it is then to have someone who will receive us into the everlasting habita­tions—someone to whom—by God’s grace—we have done some good.

In Luke 12:16-21 we find the par­able of the rich man who gathered treasures, but was not rich in God. Oh, how poor the person is who has not used his possessions in the ministry of love. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:7-10 that the person who wants to be rich falls into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. This is the result of wanting to become rich. If God makes someone rich, he knows how to provide a “war chest” for himself in order to help people in need, and to use it in the service of love. Such people trust in God and not in uncertain riches.

The prophetic word that we read in James 5:1-5 concerning the last days are extremely pertinent in our days. It describes these rich people as having “heaped up treasure in the last days.” “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” 1 John 2:15. This is an exhortation to all of us. In Luke 16:9 we are encouraged to make ourselves friends with the unrighteous mammon, “that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” This charity ought to be our nature. Be charitable toward all! When we read these words in Luke 16, we understand that it is a very “profitable business.” Mercy rejoices in judgment.

Many brothers and sisters have been wise in these days. They have helped the church to obtain meeting places in several countries where the body of Christ is being built up. In this connection Brunstad is an extremely significant mission center; and when it comes to Brunstad and other meeting places round about we think particularly of our children, the future generation. Through this we learn to be good stewards, and thus we learn wisdom. We receive exer­cised senses to discern God’s work­ings in our heart. Praise be to God for everyone who is wholeheartedly along in this work of love.

Spirit, Water, and Blood

It is a serious matter not to be influenced by the gospel, so that the gospel remains hidden. In 2 Corinthians 4:3 we read that the gospel is veiled [hidden] to those who are perishing. However, in verse 6 we read about a glorious life in which God’s light shines into our hearts so that the knowledge of the glory of God shines from us. Shines from us in trials and tribulations—in all of life’s circumstances. In 1 Peter 4:1 Peter explains clearly how this can happen: Suffer in the flesh and thus cease from sin. Through sufferings to glory! Through death to life, just as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4. In this chapter we also see that if we look at the things that are not seen our tribulations will be light and momentary. If, on the other hand, we look at the things that are seen, they will become heavy.

The apostle John writes that Jesus came with water and with blood, and the Spirit bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:6-10. Here we also read of God’s testimony about His Son who dwells in those who are true believers. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Matt. 17:5. This was God’s testimony concerning His Son. Paul also had this testimony, boldly testifying that he was bearing about in his body the dying of the Lord Je­sus, so that the life of Jesus could also be manifested in his body. Therefore this applies to him as well as to all those who are going the same way: Hear him and hear her! A gifted speaker, who is not going on the way of death to life, the way of suffering to glory, is not worth listening to.

“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:19. All those who live a cruci­fied life bear this testimony within themselves. He who knows that he does the good knows that he is of God. Through faithfulness we must come to the same testimony that God gave His Son and to the testimony of the blood: that our self-life has been sacrificed. Then the Spirit will give us this testimony: Hear him!

Be a Sacrifice!

If we are to walk on the way that Jesus consecrated for us, we must “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” Heb. 10:19-22. There must not be anything in our life that has not been cleared up if it is our desire that the exceedingly great and pre­cious promises be fulfilled in our life. These promises are that we become partakers of divine nature. We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tried in everything as we are, and He overcame in everything. We have been called to this overcoming life: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Rev. 3:21.

As we read in Hebrews 9:10: Now the time has come for the restora­tion of all things. Everything can be restored in a person’s life regardless of how bad it has been until today, for we have a Savior who is a High Priest of good things to come. V. 11. These good things to come are the very object of the promises: divine nature. We read about Jesus that He “in the power of the eternal Spirit of­fered Himself without spot to God . . . so we can serve the living God.” Heb. 9:14. He did this with power and great zeal. Now He has given this Spirit to us—the very Spirit in which He sacrificed Himself.

For example, we read in Hebrews 5:7 of the zeal and the need in His heart with which he sought His heavenly Father. Let us go to the throne of grace with a cry of need in our hearts! Then our prayers will be heard too, just as His prayers were heard. God’s power and wis­dom were revealed through Jesus’ faithfulness, and if we follow His steps, we will live a hidden life with Christ in God. Then God’s power and wisdom will also be revealed by our life. Zeal and a godly fear in our life are required if the life of God is to be revealed and not the “sins of our forefathers.” By being faithful, our human nature can be delivered into death; it is not the intention that our fellow men shall notice that we are spent, in a bad mood, or down­hearted. If we really understand the death of Christ—the hidden life with Christ in God—we can be anointed with the oil of gladness in the midst of our tribulations.

Arm Yourselves With the Same Mind

“Behold, I have come . . . to do Your will, O God.” Heb. 10:7. This was Jesus’ “agenda” in this world; it was the only “agenda” He had. This must also be our testimony. God’s will! Only God’s will! Then we enter into the new covenant, and Jesus be­comes our High Priest and helper. In Hebrews 4:1-2 we read that the Word does not profit us if it is not mixed with faith in us. Then we come short of it, or are left behind. Think of the glory in our life if the Word in 1 Peter 4:1 is mixed with faith in us! There it is written that we shall arm ourselves with the same mind that suffering in the flesh leads to freedom from sin. This attitude of mind is a weapon. We have an all-conquering weapon through a living faith in this Word.

In verse 12 we read that we shall not think it strange when we enter times of tribulation. The apostle writes this precisely because we can so easily think it strange when we come into fiery trials. In verse 13 we read again what the sufferings of Christ lead to; namely, that we can rejoice at the revelation of His glory. There we have this thought again, which we can use as a weapon. May these words be mixed with faith in our hearts. Then we have the weap­ons that give us victory in the hour of temptation.

This was a brief summary of the message that brother Kåre J. Smith had on his heart during the conference. The message that we heard was supported by a number of brothers from Norway and from other countries.