Rev. Walter J. Cummins has, over the years, sent out many letters, which he has entitled "Dear Beloved of God." His newest letters are reprinted here with his permission. Along with these, there may also be letters written by Daniel J. Bader or others. Each letter will be preceded by the author's name and the date.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Dear Beloved of God
by Walter J. Cummins, Scripture Consulting
July 2011
   
   God bless you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ.

   Having arrived at the age of 65 earlier this year, I have taken the time to reflect with regard to the many years of hearing God’s Word taught, reading and studying God’s Word, and watching people grow in their understanding and appreciation of God’s Word. God has worked in our lives to deliver and to bless all of us in so many ways. There may be bumps in the road, but God’s Word assures us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We all have so much to be thankful for.

   Some of the Scripture studies published by Scripture Consulting began as small projects, which have developed over the years into larger publications. I pray that these publications will continue in the future to help others in their understanding of the Scriptures.

   Some of the young people today have been putting forth a diligent effort in their study of the Scriptures. It is a joy to see that interest among those who will see to it that the Word of God will continue to help and bless others in the years to come.

   One person in particular, Daniel Bader, who has worked with me over the past decade, is vitally concerned with the Word of God continuing to live in the hearts of people. He has opened a book business called Continuing in the Scriptures for that purpose. I have communicated with him often regarding some of the matters pertaining to the Scripture studies that have been published and of other projects that may need to be published in the future.

   Dan has published a paperback book called Dwelling in God: A Study of Love, which is available from Continuing in the Scriptures.
   
   In addition, I have asked him if Continuing in the Scriptures would be willing to handle the books published by Scripture Consulting. We have agreed to an arrangement. Hence, beginning at the present time, all orders for the books published by Scripture Consulting may be conveniently ordered from:
the Continuing in the Scriptures website:
   Orders to be delivered inside the USA may also be placed by postal service using the Continuing in the Scriptures order form.
Daniel J. Bader
Continuing in the Scriptures
P.O. Box 405
Douglass, KS 67039
USA.
   There will, of course, be a transition period during which orders received by Scripture Consulting will be handled by Scripture Consulting. Eventually, all book orders will need to be directed to Continuing in the Scriptures.

   By the way, I am not retiring — just shifting some of the workload. While the books published by Scripture Consulting should be ordered from Continuing in the Scriptures, certain other matters will still be handled directly by Scripture Consulting, including “A Journey through the Acts and Epistles Audio Presentation” and “Introduction to Greek Scripture Study” as well as various conferences. I will also continue to work with others in the further development of materials for future publications.

   The publications and materials made available by these two associated businesses are for the consideration and continuance of what the Scriptures say. In our consideration of what the Scriptures say, we recognize first of all that God is the One Author of His Word as it is recorded in the Scriptures.
II Timothy 3:16:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
   All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It is God-breathed. The words in the Scriptures were breathed from the mouth of God. There were many writers who wrote what God told them to write but only One Author. The pure Word of God as it was originally revealed to holy men of God has integrity, and it is profitable. It gives us God’s communication of Himself and His plans. It communicates God’s will and purpose.

   Whenever a teacher or writer presents exactly what the written Word of God says without personal bias and interpretation, then the written Word of God communicates God’s will and purpose to others.

   In reading God’s written revelation, we have come to appreciate that God’s purpose throughout the ages was in the Christ.
Ephesians 3:10 and 11:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
   God’s eternal purpose is what He planned and brought to pass by Christ Jesus our Lord. God made promises in the previous ages regarding the Christ to come. Jesus Christ was sent by God to fulfill those promises. He believed God’s Word, and he obediently carried out God’s plan for mankind’s redemption and salvation. He fulfilled God’s Word and made available so many wonderful things to the Church of God in the present time. This basic understanding of God’s purpose has been necessary to any further understanding of what God has had recorded in His Word.
Ephesians 2:4-7:
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
   Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished according to God’s eternal purpose, God will in the ages to come show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward those who have believed in Jesus Christ. He has made us alive with Christ. We are saved by grace. God has also raised us up together and caused us to be seated together in the heavenly realm through Christ Jesus.

   Ephesians 2:19 adds that we “are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”

   Philippians 3:20 further explains that “our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Greek word rendered “conversation in Philippians 3:20 means “citizenship, the state or government or political sphere of a citizen.” Our government is in heaven. We are citizens of heaven, citizens together with the saints, and of the household of God. We are seated in the heavenly realm as citizens of heaven because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for us according to God’s eternal purpose.
Ephesians 2:11-18:
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
   By Jesus Christ’s accomplishments, we have peace in one body. We have been reconciled to God, and having received the gift of holy spirit, we have access to the Father by that spirit. God, the Creator of the heaven and earth, is our Father, and He is accessible by the spirit born within us. I Corinthians 12:7-11 tells about the manifestations of that spirit born within us and that those manifestations are for “profit.” We have access to our heavenly Father by the spirit born within us, and we have the ability to manifest that spirit.
Philippians 2:12 and 13:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation [deliverance] with fear and trembling.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
   According to Bishop K.C. Pillai, the phrase “fear and trembling,” which is used in verse 12, was an idiom meaning “reverence and obedience” on the part of obedient servants who did what they were told to do.1 The servant kept his eyes on his master looking for direction from his master.2  Verse 13 adds that God is working in us to will and do of His good pleasure. He is the Master Whom we are to keep our eyes on with reverence and obedience. He is accessible, and we may look to Him for deliverance.

   All Scripture is profitable because it is God’s Word, breathed from the mouth of God. The manifestations of the spirit are also for profit. These are two great realities in our learning from the Scriptures. We have the Scriptures, God’s written revelation, which is profitable. We have the gift of holy spirit and its manifestations for profit. Thus we ought to know and believe those profitable Scriptures, and we ought to become aware of God’s presence and accessibility via the new birth spirit and its manifestations for profit.

   These are great realities, which we have learned from the Scriptures and which some of us learned from teachers who taught us the rightly-divided Scriptures. We have to the best of our abilities endeavored to teach the same great realities from the Scriptures, and we trust that the youth of today will rise up to do the same so that God’s Word may continue to thrive in the years to come.
I Timothy 4:11-13 (WT):3
Charge and teach these things.
Do not let anyone think disparagingly of you as a youth, but be a model to the faithful in Word, in manner of life, in love, in believing, in purity.
Until I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.
   Give heed to reading the Scriptures, to exhorting your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to teaching them the Word of God accurately.

   Thank you for your love and prayers.

Sincerely in Christ,

Walter J. Cummins

______________________________

1For further information regarding this idiom, see Bishop K.C. Pillai, Orientalisms of the Bible, Volume 1 (Fairborn, Ohio: Munkus Publishing Company, Inc., 1969), pp. 27-33.
2Psalm 123:2: "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us."
3Cited from the Working Translation in A Journey through the Acts and Epistles. Copyright © 2006 by Walter J. Cummins. All rights reserved.
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