Be Not Conformed To This World

"And be not conformed to this world."(Rom.12:2).

The word "world" means the NATURE, CHARACTER, OPIN­IONS, GOALS, and ATTITUDES of unbelieving people.

1. The worldly man seeks the praise of men; the believer seeks the praise of God (Psalm 103:1-4).

2. The worldly man thinks only of himself; the believer thinks of others (Phil. 2:1-6).

3. The worldly man cares for the body; the be­liever cares for his soul (Matt. 16:24-26).

4. The worldly man wants people to know and exalt him; the believer wants to know the Lord and glorify Him (1 Cor. 1:30-31; Gal. 6:14).

5. The worldly man looks upon that which is seen; the believer lives for that which is unseen (2 Cor. 4:17-18).

6. The worldly man is concerned first for what he shall eat, drink, and wear; the believer seeks first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33).

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1993)

Salvation Is Of The Lord

Growing up I heard preachers talk about “the Plan of Salvation” then they would commence to tell sinners how to “get saved.” Salvation is not a “how to plan.” Salvation is of the LORD. It is not how to get saved but who saves, the LORD. The LORD purposed to save a people. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, died for those people and the Holy Spirit calls them by the gospel and regenerates them. It is all of the LORD from alpha to omega. If we are to build a house, let’s talk about the how to plan; if we are talking about salvation, let’s talk about the doing and dying and rising again of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor John Chapman

THERE IS FORGIVENESS WITH THEE

“If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalm 130:3-4).

Even though I am the worst of sinners, there is a good hope that my sins will be forgiven because there is forgiveness with God. I know that there is forgiveness with God because God has promised to forgive sin. “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:34)

I know that God will not withhold mercy from sinners because “he delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18).

I know that God will be merciful to His people because God found a way to show mercy to sinners in justice. God forgives the sin of His people because the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died for their sin. God’s justice demands death for sin. Since Christ has already died for the sin of His people, they can never die. Now God’s justice demands that His elect be forgiven of all of their sin and be given eternal life. Then mercy is sure because the very character of God demands it. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7).

Pastor Frank Tate

Fear Not

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1).

In Isaiah 43 the Lord makes this grand and encouraging statement to His people "Fear Not." Now why has our God instructed His people not to fear? Because we as frail and sinful creatures of the dust are so prone to fear. We have plenty of reason to fear left to ourselves. We are utterly sinful and God with whom we have to do is infinitely HOLY. From this scripture we can find several comforting reasons why God has told believers not to fear.

1. We are God's creation! “Thus saith the LORD that created thee.” The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is His creation. He chose a people in Christ before the foundation of the world to be His bride (2 Thes. 2:13). Everything the believer has before God is by His sovereign grace (I Cor. 1:30; 15:10). We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:8-10). Fear not!

2. God has redeemed us to Himself! “For I have redeemed thee.”

Our Lord Jesus paid the enormous price to effectually redeem the people that were given to Him in eternity (I Peter 1:18-20). Because He fully paid our sin debt and satisfied God's justice there is no condemnation to those who are in Him (Romans 8:1). Therefore, we have good reason not to fear.

3. God has called us to Himself! “I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” God is intimately acquainted with all His people. He has always known their names and will in His own purpose and grace irresistibly call them to Christ in faith (John. 10:3). Fear not!

4. God will be with us in trouble! “I will be with thee; and through the rivers” (Isa. 43:2). His people are a created people, a redeemed people, a called people but they also are a tried people, but they will never be a forsaken people. The Great Shepherd will provide and protect the sheep (Psalm 23:1). "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Read the blessed promise in John 16:33. Fear not!

5. Our God, is the only God and Saviour! “For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour” (Isa. 43:3).

Our God is in Sovereign control of all things (Rom.11:33-36). He is both the Just God and the Justifier of all those who look to Him alone for salvation (Isa. 45:21-22). Since Christ Jesus is God, He has infinite ability to save His people from all their sins (Heb. 7.25). None for whom Christ died will ever perish in their sins (Matt. 1:21).