of the seven pillars of wisdom. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars. And when we think of the church of Jesus Christ, it is built upon the foundation of wisdom. Christ is the wisdom of God, as the apostle writing to the church at Corinth reminds us. And Christ is the foundation stone of the church. Wisdom, the wisdom of God, is the very foundation of the church. And we find that the church is built upon the pillars of wisdom. The problem is, of course, brethren and sisters, We live in a day and age when these great pillars, upon which the whole work of God is erected, the pillars upon which the Church stands and is built around, are being torn down, undermined, and the foundations are being destroyed. And then we ask the question, why? is the Church of Jesus Christ in this end-time age in such a sad and sorry state. Wisdom. The Church is founded upon wisdom. This is not the wisdom of the world. It is the wisdom of the gospel of Christ. As 1 Corinthians 1.24 reminds us, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. But you and I want to look very briefly this evening, and I will be brief, otherwise the owls will be footing by the time you get home. We want to look at these seven pillars very briefly, or doctrines, if you like, on which the gospel and indeed the Church of Jesus Christ is built. Every one of these fundamental doctrines is based in Christ. For as the apostle again says in 1 Corinthians 3.11, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Christ is the foundation stone and all things are built upon and around him. But we want to look at these pillars. Pillars which I believe are under attack on every hand today. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Here we have the first pillar, that Christ was incarnate deity. God manifested in the flesh. A few days ago, we were celebrating the Christmas period. For those of us who are saved, well, we ought to know what it's all about. I believe that even amongst God's people, in all the humdrum of the Christmas period, we can very easily lose sight of what it's all about. But nevertheless, we know as God's people that at Christmas time we were remembering the fact that Emmanuel came, God with us, the Savior came to dwell in the flesh among men. And this is one of the great fundamentals of our faith. God was manifested in the flesh God was made flesh and dwelt among us. The Word became flesh. For this great doctrine is detested in this day and age by the apostates and the modernists and the liberal theologians. And we find that all the forces of the wicked one in this world today seek to destroy and demolish this first great pillar of the faith. They will consider Jesus Christ. They will not deny his existence, but they will deny his deity. They will say he was a good man. They will say that he was a martyr, a pacifist, an example to follow and emulate. But when you ask them, do you believe that he was God veiled in flesh? Do you believe that Jesus Christ was incarnate deity? They will say no, and they will pour scorn upon that fact. And yet this great doctrine is fundamental to the faith. If the Lord Jesus Christ was not God incarnate, then all that you and I believe this evening is futile and worthless. John's Gospel, chapter one, and I'm sure you're familiar with it. makes it very clear that He was incarnate. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made, it was made. And then in verse fourteen, And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And so we find Even there in the first chapter of John, this is confirmed. And of course, we believe that the Lord Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin by the Holy Ghost, conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin. We believe in His virgin birth. And the virgin birth is fundamental to the fact that He was indeed God incarnate. Christ was the seed of the woman conceived of the Holy Ghost, not the seed of Adam like you and me. The second person of the Blessed Trinity, as he confirmed to Nicodemus, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, referring to himself. And there in that discourse with Nicodemus, he reminded him that he was God the Son. And the Lord Jesus Christ was incarnate deity, God of us. And yet, brethren and sisters, this great truth, something that you and I in this evangelical church accept. We don't question it. We don't in any way argue against it. We believe it, us believers. But the thing is, out there tonight, There are many, some who would even claim to be part of the Christian Church, and they deny the very deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you and I haven't seen the worst of it yet. I would exhort you to defend this great fundamental pillar, this doctrine of the Church. The deity of Christ, the one who walked this scene of time almost two thousand years ago, was God veiled in flesh. If he wasn't God, then we have no gospel to proclaim. We are all men and women, most miserable. But then, I want you to consider also the second pillar, the unpackability of Christ. Not only the fact that he was incarnate deity, but we need to think of the impeccability of Christ, the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5 and 21, we read, For he hath made him to be sin for us, for that can be rendered, he hath made him to be a sin offering for us, who you know sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Sometimes I would render this verse, For he hath made him to be a sin offering for us, he who knew no sin, for us who knew no righteousness, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. You see, we must believe and defend the sinlessness of Christ. He never sinned. Sad to say, that is under question. And let me say, it is not enough merely to say that he was able not to sin. Some will say, well, he was able not to sin. If I believe that he was God, and I do, then he was not able to sin. That's entirely different. Some will say, well, he lived down here and he was able not to sin. But it's God. And we believe that he was and is. He was not able to sin. There are certain things that God does not do nor cannot do. God cannot sin. God cannot lie. God never contradicts himself. I remember old James Kyle Paisley, a son, a very well-known preacher, a member of parliament, and as a mother, son, a brother, an evangelist. Old James Kyle Paisley was a lecturer in a Bible college in Northern Ireland, and he always taught the students. And I never forgot what he once said. He said, always hold the person of Christ in the highest possible esteem and you will never go off the mark. And I believe that's the problem. The church in many ways is failing. to hold the person of Christ in the highest possible esteem, and by so doing, she begins to question this, that, and the other thing. And if we hold the person of Christ in the highest regard possible, then we will accept, without struggle or reserve, that he was not able to sin, being God the Son. When you and I consider what Christ came to do, then this doctrine is fundamental. You see, these great fundamental doctrines, they are essential as far as our faith is concerned. When we think of what Christ came to do, to be the Saviour of the world, to save fallen sinners from sin, then He Himself had to be sinless. He had to be that Lamb without blemish and without spot in order to be our penal substitute. And in his ministry, it's very clear, the apostle said, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And had he not been sinless, he could not have fulfilled that purpose. What a sin! It is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. So he had to be able to conform perfectly and fully to that law and under no circumstances transgress against it. And I say again, he wasn't able to transgress the law. And that's why he was able to fulfill the law. And had there been any sin in Christ, he could not have kept or fulfilled the law. And the God that said, without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin, also insisted there was innocent blood. Innocent blood. The Old Testament types all point to the fact that Christ was the innocent Lamb of God, our Substitute, Abel's Lamb, who in Genesis is the first type. we see of the sacrificial lamb of God. Later on in Genesis we see Isaac, and the ram is caught by the horns and the thicket of thorns. And Isaac is on the altar, he is under the sentence of death. And God says to Abraham, Stay thy hand, and the substitute is provided. And it is not caught by the flesh, for it has to be without blemish. It is caught by the horns and the thicket of thorns. And we see there the lamb or the ram with the thorns in its head, the perfect type of Christ, a redeemer. For we are not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Even Judas Iscariot knew it. He says, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. Oh, he knew. that he had betrayed the innocent blood. The blood of God flowed in the veins of the Lord Jesus Christ. We often sing that hymn, there's a fountain filled with blood drawn in Emmanuel's veins. Emmanuel, God with us. And the blood that flowed from the veins of Christ in Calvary was the blood of incarnate deity. The impeccability of Christ. He was without sin. He knew no sin. He could not sin. Yet that's under question. And even theologians, many of whom should know better, more learned men than I would ever hope to be, some of them would even question the impeccability of Christ. I want you to see the third pillar. It's the pillar of vicarious atonement. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 3. For I have delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Christ died, says the Apostle, for our sins. He became my penal substitute. I know how the modernists and the enemies of the gospel detest this doctrine. They'll tell you that Christ died as a pacifist, that he died willingly on the cross to prove that he was a pacifist. Others will say that it was simply to prove that he could rise again from the dead. But I believe that the real answer to such arguments are as found in the words of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 53, verse 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions. Not to prove a point, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace, or if you like, for our peace, was laid upon him, and with the stripes we are healed. That's what the church this evening, the true church of Jesus Christ, believes in. That's what it's built upon. That's how you and I must examine ourselves. Are we resting on that, that Christ died for our sins? Alexander Fleming, I may have told you this story before, that great man of medicine, he made many great discoveries. Probably the greatest was penicillin. On one occasion he was being interviewed, and the question was put to him, Dr. Fleming, what do you consider to be the greatest discovery you ever made? And Fleming looked up, man of God that he was, he said, Sir, the greatest discovery I ever made was this, that I was a guilty sinner, but Jesus died for me. Vicarious atonement. He, the innocent, took the place of a guilty sinner and shed his blood for him on the cross. My transgressions lean upon him. That's why the hymn writer said, The wrath of God that was my due upon the Lamb was laid, and by the shedding of his blood the debt for me was paid. It is sad to see even in evangelical circles tonight, and I believe they have lost sight of this great fundamental truth of Scripture, this pillar on which the gospel is built, the doctrine of vicarious atonement, that He, the just, died for the unjust to bring us to God. And all our iniquities on Him were laid. These are fundamental facts that must be defended. There are many issues in the word of God that in the church we can debate, we can have our differences on, we can afford to hold contrasting views and interpretations. But when it comes to these issues, these are fundamental to the faith and they must be defended at all costs. Pillar number four, 1 Corinthians 15 and verse four. 1 Corinthians 15 and four. And he was buried. He was buried. And how important that is. And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Someone maybe says, Sam, what's so important about that particular doctrine? He was buried. Well, first of all, brethren and sisters, it helped to prove that he was really dead. Nicodemus and Joseph removed Christ from the cross carefully, and after anointing and dressing their Redeemer's body, and they dressed the Lord's body as the custom of that day was, and they laid him in Joseph's new tomb. And the Pharisees requested a guard upon the entrance to the tomb, and their argument was, lest any should say he is risen from the dead. So he was dead. And the Pharisees who hated and detested him, as far as they were concerned, he was dead. And they said, in case any should say he has risen from the dead, we want a guard placed in his tomb. And by doing so, they testify unto the Lord's death. So, the fact that our Savior was buried, it proved that he was really dead. Also, let me say that the grave was another part of Christ's humiliation. It was a going down. It is part of the punishment of sin. In Genesis 3 and 19, God said to fallen Adam, Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. He was saying to Adam, Adam, you are going to taste of the grave. You are going to return to the ground from which you came. And Christ had to enter into the grave even though God had said that he would not suffer his Holy One to see corruption. Certainly he was not going to see corruption, but he had to taste of the grace. It was part of the punishment of sin. It was part of Christ's humiliation of going down, the fact that our Redeemer was buried. Let me also say that Christ's burial takes away the fear of the grave. If he was going to remove from your heart and mine, his children, the fear of the grave, then he had to partake taste of it himself. And the Lord can comfort you and me through that fact. And he takes away the fear of the grave from you and me, because he himself has tasted it. And he has overcome sin and death and hell and the grave, and he lives in the power of an endless life, or resurrected and living redeemed. And this is the one who says, Because I live, ye shall live also. In his burial. The fact that our Redeemer, our Savior, has entered the grave and rose up from the grave, it takes away the fear of the grave from you and me. I'm not saying, I'm not pretending, that you and I, if we were to sit down and consider the days of our years down here and how in time, in God's time, they will come to an end, and if the Lord tarries, grave lies before us. I'm not pretending that we enjoy such contemplations. But one thing we do know when we have that blessed hope within us, and we know that the One who has gone before us has overcome the grave, tasted it, and overcome the grave, then you and I find that the fear, that dread, is really removed. And also I believe He was buried in order to consecrate the grave for his people. By Christ's example, I believe that God's people, where possible, should be buried. Now let me say something this evening. In the large cities of this world, and you and I find ourselves as well, living in an burial ground is becoming more and more difficult to obtain. God knows and understands people's circumstances, where they reside and what can and cannot be done. But I want to say this evening in love that I believe where possible God's people should be buried. I think of the Old Testament Abraham, he purchased the field, the cave of the field of Machpelah, for a burial ground. I think of the fact that God himself buried Moses where we do not know, somewhere in Mount Nebo. But this, I believe, proves it. God himself sets the grave as an example for his people to follow. If you look back into the Old Testament, it was only the bodies of those who had sinned grievously against the Lord that were taken without the cap and burned. And yet I say all this in love, because I know that in many places of the world today, where it is almost impossible to obtain burial ground, God's people of no alternative than to be cremated, and burial is not an option. So what I'm saying is said in love may be a matter of debate amongst many, but as the view that I hold, I believe that God set aside the grave and Christ, by emptying the grave, consecrated it for his people. But an important issue is this. He was buried. He was buried, and he rose again from that grief. You see, we need to defend the fact that he was buried because that is essential to the following doctrine, the resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15.4 again, he was buried, but then it doesn't stop there, and that he rose again. The third day, according to the scriptures, the fifth pillar, his resurrection, he rose again. Jesus himself said, I am the resurrection and the life. And because I live, ye shall live also. This is the great encouragement to all believers. You and I can say, O death, where is thy sting? Where, O grave, thy victory? Because Christ has risen from the tomb. There are many theories, of course. There's the swoon theory, which is popular in this age. Well, he wasn't really dead. He was just more or less in a state of semi-consciousness. And then, in that grave, he recovered. They don't explain how he removed the stone. They just say, well, he recovered. And that explains why he rose from the dead. He never really was dead. Then there's also the vision theory. Oh, well, those followers of the Lord were all so distressed at the time of his death that they began seeing things. And such was their state of mind that they had this vision of a resurrected Christ, but he wasn't really resurrected at all. He never was resurrected. And he appeared unto them in their imagination They saw this in their minds because they wanted to see it, such was their distress, but that was not the case. You and I need to defend the great fundamental doctrines. We are to rejoice in the empty tomb, and Jesus shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, as the apostle reminds us in Philippians 3. In Revelation 20 and 12, I saw the dead small and great stand before God. You see, we see there the resurrection of the dead, and as Christ was resurrected from the dead, so you and I will be resurrected. You see, if there was no resurrection of Christ, there is no resurrection for you and me. That's why it's so fundamental. If I do not worship tonight a resurrected Christ, well, then everything that we proclaim is total vanity. If there is no resurrection, of Christ there is no resurrection for you or me. This building, all that's been carried on here down through the years, all that you and I seek to do and all we proclaim, is just a vain and empty show, worthless, if Christ be not risen. But now, says the Apostle, is Christ risen, and you and I know it, and we live in the strength of it. Number six, because I must press on. Acts 1, verse 9, we read, he was taken up. Acts 1, 9. When he had spoken these things while they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. We see there his ascension. What would be the reasons for his ascension in Acts 1, 9? First of all, his work was done down here. He could say, I have finished the work that the Father gave me to do. His earthly ministry was over. He was returning to his father. But as far as his earthly work was concerned, he had a work to do in heaven. John 14 and 3, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. So he left this world to do a work in heaven, having completed his work here. And that work was to prepare a place. for you and me who love him. What a Savior we have. And also, he ascended to the Father's right hand where he ever lives to make intercession for you and me. In Hebrews 4.14, seeing then we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens. Jesus, the Son of God. And he is fulfilling that priest in the office right now. And finally, pillar number seven, Acts 1.11. the Lord's return. Now love this verse. Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Here is the great doctrine that fills our hearts with joy. Jesus is coming again. That blessed hope. Titus 2.13 refers to it as that blessed hope. This is based on Christ's promise in John 14, verse 3, I will come again. When I think of leading church men saying that the resurrection was a conjuring trick with bones and making excuses and pouring scorn upon the doctrine of the resurrection, there is no resurrection, there is no ascension. If he hasn't ascended, he can't return. put out any of these pillars and the whole structure collapses. And the Lord Jesus who was resurrected, who has ascended to heaven, is coming again? I will come again. And they don't doubt that. You and I know that Jesus is coming again. Stand at Tower Hill on a Tuesday and tell those people that the Lord Jesus is turning again and you'll see just how few actually believe it. They think you're an utter I sometimes say, I'm the Lord's fool, whose fool are you? That's the question. But listen, we have that blessed hope. I will come again. Zechariah 14 and 4 of his speech will stand on that day on the Mount of Olives. His return will be personal, visible, literal, and physical. And they shall look upon him whom they have pierced. He will destroy the Antichrist with the brightness of his coming, the two Thessalonians Tony makes that clear. But more importantly, I think, for you and me here tonight, he's coming to receive his people onto himself. What does that really mean to you this evening? I believe that as God's children, very often we get too earthbound. Maybe I'm just judging you by my own standards. But I think at times we get too earthbound. too much taken up with the things of this life, and not saying we're to be careless or live in a slothful manner. That would be contrary to all that the Lord would teach us to be. But we're to live with eternity's values in view, and it doesn't do to hammer the tent pegs too far in. to the earth around us, because our citizenship is in heaven. Jesus is coming again. It's always good to examine yourself and say, what does that mean to me? And am I living in that state of expectancy, ready, like a little battery, ever ready for the Lord's return? How important it is to be waiting and watching. The great fundamentals of the faith are under attack. A young university graduate said to this old lady on one occasion, you don't really believe what the Bible says, do you? That story about the whale swallowing Jonah, do you really believe that? She says, yes, young man, I do. And if God had said in his word that Jonah swallowed the whale, I'd believe that as well. And I believe that's what we have to do. We take God's word. We believe God, we take a mother's word, and we walk by faith. I would encourage you to defend these great truths at all times, and build your faith upon them in the Lord's Blessing.