One Message; Christ is All

The difference between Christianity and religion is free grace, “Everything for Nothing.” Every religion, apart from Christianity, demands some work on the part of man to earn favor with God. God's salvation is all of grace. The fool said in his heart, “No God for me.” That is, he doubts and wishes there is no God. He hopes there is no God.

Most religious people, when they come to hear free grace preached say, “Why could anyone come to hear this fellow? He has no variety in his message.” What sort of variety does a hungry man want? He wants some good food that he has tasted before and liked. What sort of variety does a thirsty man want? He wants the same spring water from which he has already drunk. What variety does a poor, tired man want? He wants his bed to rest upon. What sort of variety does a man want that is bowed down with a heavy burden on his back and is weak and ready to fall? He wants his burden removed. Christ is all I want, and all I need. Pastor Scott Richardson

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent be­guiled Eve through his subtilty, so our minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3).

This godly jealousy in Paul was a mixture of love and fear. He loved them, deeply desired their eter­nal good, and feared lest they should be corrupted by these deceivers. Satan used the serpent to seduce Eve from her obedience to God (Gen. 3:1-6). He was crafty, skillful, and deceptive, as are those men who do his bidding under the guise of righteousness (vs. 13-15). Believers are complete in Christ, who, of God, is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctifi­cation, and redemption. Satan's one goal is to cor­rupt the mind and turn the heart away from this sin­gleness or simplicity of Christ. It matters not to him if it be law, morality, tradition, ceremony, or whatever (good or bad), just so there is a rival for Christ's preeminence and His sufficiency. Christ plus anything in redemption is not the gospel of God's glory and grace (Col. 2:9-10) but is another gospel (Gal. 1:6-7). The foundation of the great Reformation was the scriptures alone, grace alone, and Christ alone. Nothing needs to nor should be added to these (Rom. 5:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:21). In Christ believers are perfectly justified and righteous be­fore the Father.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1993)

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20).

Joseph’s brothers thought Joseph would render vengeance upon them after the death of their father. When they sold Joseph as a slave into Egypt, it was motivated by envy and calculated cruelty. Yet, what they did was under God’s sovereign and gracious purpose to do good to Israel. There is no good intent in any sinful and evil action. But God in His sovereignty uses everything to bring about His purpose of good. God always does what only God can do: bring good out of evil. The most evil thing to take place is men nailing Jesus Christ to the cross! While men’s intention were pure evil, God’s intentions were pure good in Him purposing those men to commit those crimes so that sinful men like this could be saved through Christ’s work on the cross! They mean it for evil! God meant it for good!

Pastor Todd Nibert

What Christ Has Done For Us

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justifted by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:4-7).

These verses reveal unto us the very essence and glory of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1). Divine intervention, "the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared" one thing is most obvious, we did not merit God's grace. We were shut out by sin and on the fast track to destruction, deserving of God's righteous wrath (Rom. 6:23). But our sovereign God intervened and came to our rescue. He was manifested in our nature, in the flesh (Rom. 8:3; Gal. 4:4) to fulfill all righteousness and to make perfect atonement for sin (Heb. 2:17; Heb. 9:26).

2). Divine salvation, "according to his mercy he saved us." Salvation is not by what we do, but rather according to God's sovereign, and everlasting mercy (Rom. 9:11-16). No sinner can produce nor can he possess a justifying righteousness in the energy of the flesh, "not by works of righteousness which we have done” (Rom. 8:8). The only reason for grace is grace (John 1:17). The Lord saves His people out of a clear, unmixed and undiluted mercy and redeeming grace and for no other reason, "by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (John 1:12-13; 2 Tim. 1:9). The new birth is not an option in salvation it is a must (John 3:3-7). The new birth is not something you do, it is something God does in you (Phil. 1:6).

3). Divine blessings, "which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Every spiritual blessing the believer enjoys is through, in and by the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:3). All the promises of God are in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). The love and kindness of God are in Christ (Rom, 8:39). The forgiveness and redemption from all sin is only found in Christ (Eph. l:7). The righteousness imputed to sinners is Christ, the Lord our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5; 1 Cor. 1:30). The hope of salvation is Christ in you the hope of glory (Col. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:16).