October 26, 2009 HOW THE SPIRIT HELPS by Cornelius R. Stam Printer Friendly Version "The Spirit... helpeth our infirmities" (Rom. 8.26). A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. If one link in a chain will hold one hundred pounds, another fifty, and another ten, the chain as a whole will hold ten pounds, no more. This is why James 2:10 says: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Many people suppose that we will be saved or lost according to how good or bad we have been. This is not so. It is not a question of how good or bad we have been, but of whether or not we have sinned. A man need commit only one robbery to be a robber, burn only one house to be an arsonist, kill only one human being to be a murderer -- and commit only one sin to be a sinner. This is why the Word of God says that all are sinners. How wonderful to know that in grace "Christ died for our sins" and that by simple faith in Him we may be saved and fully justified before God! (Rom. 5:6,8,10). But born-again Christians find that the above principle is just as true of them as of the unbeliever. None of us is any stronger than his weakest point. Frightening, isn't it, especially when we consider that Satan constantly attacks us at our weakest point to wreck our testimony if he can. But here is where the believer can rejoice that "the Spirit ...helpeth our infirmities" (Rom. 8:26). He dwells within to help in time of need, so that we need not fail (Rom. 8:11,12). This does not mean, however, that He takes control of us without being called upon, as He did "when the day of Pentecost was fully come." Unlike the Pentecostal believers, we live under "the dispensation of the grace of God." What God provides by grace we must appropriate by faith. Thus in any given case we may have victory. Indeed it is concerning the weak brother in Christ that Paul declares by inspiration: "God is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14:4). To the Reader: Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface: "It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles." We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.