CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune – Depth of Mercy - p. 233)

Sons of God redeemed by blood,

Raise your songs to Zion’s God;

Made from condemnation free,

Grace triumphant sing with me.

Calvary’s wonders let us trace,

Justice magnified in grace;

Mark the crimson streams and say,

Thus my sins were washed away.

Wrath Divine no more we dread,

Vengeance smote our Surety’s head;

Claims of justice fully met,

Christ hath paid the dreadful debt.

Lamb of God! Thy death hath giv’n,

Pardon, peace and hope of heav’n;

It is finished; let us raise,

Songs of gratitude and praise.

TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –

Blessed Are They That Mourn – Matthew 5:4

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• OPENING – Romans 8:28-30

• CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

• HYMN – How Firm a Foundation – p. 268

• READING – Ephesians 1:1-12

• MESSAGE – God’s History, Providence, & Purpose – Heb. 11:23

• CLOSING HYMN – God Leads Us Along – p. 298

Birthdays: Frank Jones – July 21^st

WHY PREACH ELECTION?

Why do we preach election when so many people who call themselves “Christian” hate this truth? We preach it because it is in the Bible, and we are to preach what God has revealed for His glory in Christ. We preach it because the God of electing grace is the Source and Originator of salvation. Without election there would be no salvation for sinners. We preach it because God commands His children to “give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Pet. 1:10). How do we do this? We do it by looking to and resting in Christ and His righteousness as revealed in the true Gospel. We preach it because, as another person wrote, “Every departure from the doctrine of election in any degree has been a departure from the Gospel; for such departure always involves the introduction of some obligation on man’s part to make a contribution to his own salvation, a contribution he simply cannot make” (A. C. Custance). –Copied

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). For his own part, the apostle was determined to glory in nothing save the crossof Christ. He had gone out to Him without the camp, bearing His reproach, and like Moses, he counted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. The cross is here put for the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God upon the cross. This is the foundation which God hath laid in Sion for the hope of the guilty. His own self bare the sins of His people in His own body on the tree; they are justified by His blood, redeemed from the curse; and upon this, and this alone, believers rest their hope. They do not glory in any real or fancied superiority over others. They behold the glory of the Lord shining in the face of Jesus Christ. Through the rent vail of the Redeemer’s flesh, they draw near to their covenant God, seated on a throne of grace; and, beholding the perfection of the sacrifice offered on Calvary, and arrayed in their Redeemer’s everlasting righteousness, they challenge the universe to lay anything to their charge. —James Haldane

SALVATION – A GIFT THAT MUST BE RECEIVED

Many who claim to be “Christians” object to the blessed Gospel truths of God’s election of grace and Christ’s particular, effectual redemption that insures the salvation of all God’s elect, all for whom Christ died. They believe Christ died in an attempt to save all without exception, and His death did not really secure the salvation of anyone. They believe Christ’s death merely made the gift of salvation possible IF sinners will receive it. They will argue, “Salvation is a gift, but we must receive it to be saved.” They believe that it is our receiving it that makes the gift effectual for our salvation. But what does the Bible say?

The Bible reveals that the death of Christ insures the work of faith (receiving Him) in His people, not the other way around (John 6:37-45; 12:32; 16:8-11; 17:1-5; Rom. 8:10; Eph. 2:8-10). Our believing does not make His death effectual for us. His death makes our believing effectual in bringing us to Him for salvation (John 3:14-17)

The Bible reveals that salvation is a free gift from God which none of us by nature desire to receive – “He [Christ] came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11; cf. John 3:19-20; 6:44; Rom. 3:10-12). The reason we do not desire this free gift is because of our natural pride and self-righteousness. Receiving Christ and salvation by God’s grace means pleading Him and His righteousness alone and repenting of the things we naturally esteem as contributing to our salvation. To receive Christ and the free gift of salvation involves taking sides with God against ourselves and all people who do not believe in Him as He is revealed in the Bible.

The Bible tells us that if any of us receive this free gift, it is because God has given us a new heart with new desires and new wills. This takes place in the new birth – “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power [right, privilege] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13; cf. John 3:3-7; 16:8-11).