Feb 14
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Sovereign Grace Is The Gospel
Let us state clearly our understanding of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospel is the message of God’s love and saving grace to particular sinners by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the God-man. Where there is no preaching of substitutionary atonement, covenant guarantor and representation of sinners by the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no gospel.
Salvation is a completed work, accomplished upon the cross, sure and certain for every adopted child of God. If sinners are required to do something to activate, apply or secure the benefits of Christ’s work, there is no gospel and our Saviour’s dying testimony “It is finished” is bereft of all meaning.
If Christ’s work is offered conditionally to all (“Christ will if you will”) implying grace is available to all upon the fulfilment of a condition, work or action, there is no gospel in it.
If a duty to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation is imposed upon the hearer as an obligation of the natural man there is no gospel in it. “For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit”.
If any human effort is required to obtain righteousness, holiness, sanctification or peace with God, there is no gospel in it. If living obediently, giving generously, doing diligently, praying passionately or evangelising energetically is required to gain acceptance with God or to please God, it is not the gospel for it gives no hope to a lost sinner.
And where there is no gospel there is no salvation (Romans 1:16; Ephesians 2:8-10).
The Gospel is the good news that everything necessary for the salvation of sinners was accomplished and finished on the cross by the Lord Jesus Christ. Every needed grace is sovereignly bestowed as a free gift of God, founded in the eternal purpose of God the Father, secured by God the Son, applied by God the Holy Ghost. Anything else is a false gospel and no gospel at all.
To preach the gospel is to preach Jesus Christ, the only Redeemer and Saviour of elect sinners. It is to preach Him as God and man in all of His divinity and humanity, glory and humility, universal dominion and voluntary submission. lt is to bring a sword of division for it separates between those who belong to Christ and those who do not.
http://go-newfocus.co.uk”
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Of Time and Eternity
Today, men talk about salvation only as something done in the experience of time with eternal consequences. But in the Bible salvation is described as something done by God in eternity past, revealed and experienced in time, and enjoyed in eternity future. Read the Word of God, marking the verb tenses used, and you will see that salvation was accomplished for God’s elect in the covenant of grace before the world began (Romans 8:28-31; 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:3-6).
First, since it was done in eternity, it must have been done by God alone. Without our aid, cooperation, assistance, work, or even our will, God saved us. Salvation is the work of God alone. And that salvation which God gives is the salvation God performs. It is an ‘eternal salvation’.
Third, God’s holy character tells us that He must have looked upon His people as being justified and accepted in Christ from eternity. Had it not been for the chosen seed in Adam’s loins, whom God had eternally justified in Christ, at the moment Adam sinned, the holy Lord God would have wiped our race off the earth. The only thing that keeps God from destroying the world in His wrath right now is the fact that He has an elect remnant in it, whom He has accepted in Christ and is determined to save (2 Peter 3:9).
Fourth, the immutability of God demands that our salvation by Him be eternal. God never changes. Neither does His attitude and relation to men change (Malachi 3:6). God’s will to elect is election. God’s will to adopt is adoption. God’s will to justify is justification. God’s will to save is salvation. That is not to suggest that this is the whole of salvation. Redemption, regeneration, repentance, faith, and perseverance are necessary. But in the mind and purpose of God, His people were as truly saved before the world began as they shall be when all are gathered around His throne in heaven.
“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
“New Focus http://go-newfocus.co.uk”
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Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
Faith is belief, trust and confidence in God and in His Christ. Faith in God (Christ) gives peace, hope, assurance, rest, joy, strength, courage, patience and many more things to the believer. Faith cometh by hearing. In the wisdom and purpose of God, faith cometh by hearing His Word, the gospel, preached. If by His grace we hear it, believe it, and receive it, then all things mentioned will be ours. And all grace, mercy and peace will be multiplied, will grow, as we hear and feed upon the “sincere milk of the Word.” If we do not hear, the opposite is true. If we do not hear the Word:
– Trust will not grow, but doubt will.
– Hope will not grow, but despair will.
– Peace will not grow, but turmoil will.
– Assurance will not grow, but worry will.
– Patience will not grow, but impatience will, impulsiveness will.
– Joy will not grow, but sadness will.
– Strength will not grow, but weakness will.
– Courage will not grow, but fear and cowardice will.
– Godliness will not grow, but worldliness will.
– Knowledge will not grow, but ignorance will.
– Fellowship will not grow, but loneliness will.
– Humility will not grow, but pride will.
– Selflessness will not grow, but selfishness will.
– Kindness will not grow, but meanness will.
– Gentleness will not grow, but hardness will.
– Righteousness will not grow, but self-righteousness will.
– Temperance will not grow, but intemperance will.
– Love will not grow, but hate will.
How important then is the hearing of God’s Word? We cannot live without it. We cannot cope without It. We cannot please God without It. We cannot be justified without it. We cannot live together without it. We cannot have any rest for our souls without it. Hear it again; “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
Paul Mahan
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Christ is Ever with you (Octavius Winslow,1863)
Let me for a moment concentrate your thoughts upon Him whose promise is thus pledged: “I am with you.” Were you assured of the personal presence, ever attending, ever clinging, ever abiding — of a beloved friend selected from a wide and choice circle; and were that one friend the most wise, the most powerful, the most true, the most loving, confiding, and sympathizing — would you not be content to dwell with him through all your future lot — to make him the confidant of your bosom, the partaker of your every joy, the sharer of your every sorrow?
That Friend is Christ! He occupies the preeminent position of being ever near to His people! Everywhere, and at the same moment — His presence is . . .
the atmosphere that enfolds them,
the shield that encircles them,
the sun that guides and cheers their path to the celestial city, where His glorified presence fills . . .
each soul with ineffable happiness,
heaven with its sweetest song, and
eternity with its transcendent splendor!
When Jesus left our earth, He entwined the personal interests of His people around His heart, and bore them with Him to heaven; leaving the gracious promise, that, though personally and visibly withdrawn from the scene of their journeyings, trials, and conflicts — His spiritual presence should ever and everywhere encircle them, until like Himself, they should exchange earth for heaven.
“Lo! Mark! Behold! I the Incarnate God, I who opened my bleeding heart for your redemption on Calvary, I who am your dearest Friend, your Elder Brother — I am with you always, in all places, and at all times, unto the end of the world!”
Saint of God! This is the promise of promises, the richest pearl of all the promises, exceeding in its mightiness and preciousness; while it is the substance, sweetness, and pledge of all the rest! Christ is ever with you, and were this the one and only assurance of the Word of God upon which He had caused your soul to hope, you may gratefully and truthfully exclaim, “Lord! it is enough! with this Staff I will travel onward; and if through fire and through water, You are leading me. Upheld by Your power, and soothed by Your sympathy — I will press forward until You shall bring me into a wealthy place!”
Christ’s presence with His people was once, though not now, physical. He was bodily in the midst of His Church. Oh, it is a marvelous truth, the belief of which imparts a conviction of verity to the whole Gospel, that, eighteen hundred years ago, the incarnate God actually tabernacled upon this earth, trod its soil, sailed upon its lakes, drank of its springs, admired its flowers, bedewed it with tears, and consecrated it with blood. That babe of Bethlehem smiling in its mother’s arms — that carpenter of Nazareth shoving the plane and plying the saw — that young man, pale and thoughtful, standing at Pilate’s bar — that victim of woe impaled upon the central cross — listen, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth — was “the fullness of the Godhead bodily!”
It is written by the pen of the Holy Spirit, and let no profane hand dare attempt its erasure, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” Yes! your flesh, O believer! laden with infirmity, sorrow, and woe. And He wears it still in a spiritual and glorified form, and is with you in suffering and weakness and infirmity — ever sympathizing, ever sustaining. Try your spirit, whether it be Christ-taught, Christ-loving, Christ-trustful — by its firm, realizing faith in this cardinal and precious truth, for, “every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.”
In addition to this, there is Christ’s representative presence with His people in the embassy, fullness, and preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is glad tidings of Christ, it is the message of His grace, the proclamation of His love to lost sinners. The Gospel is Christ first, Christ last, Christ midst, Christ without end.
Christ is the prophet of the Gospel — teaching His people His doctrines.
Christ is the priest of the Gospel — bearing and making atonement for their sins.
Christ is the king of the Gospel — reigning in the hearts of loyal and loving disciples.
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DYING TO SELF “IF ANY MAN WILL DENY HIMSELF” Matthew 16:24
“When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting and hurt with insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger arise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, and unpunctuality, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, and spiritual insensibility, enduring it as Christ Jesus endured it, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you no longer care to hear yourself in conversation, or to record your own works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in far more desperate circumstances, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
Bruce Crabtree
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“Faith is not believing that God will do what you want Him to do. Faith is believing that God will do what He said He would do.”
“Many are searching for the true church and real Christians. I once thought that was a worthy endeavour. However, I have come to the conclusion that it would be better to simply search out that true Christ with the assumption that if I find Him, I will find the true church gathered at His feet and real Christians bowing before His throne.”
Joe Terrell