“As Far as the East is from the West”

If there were some precise point of distance from the East to the West, it must follow that there is some place where our sins may be found (Psalm 103:12), they are not really taken away, they may yet be found by God and charged to us, Christ is a failure, redemption is a hoax, and the gospel we preach is a delusion.

Rejoice, O my soul, rejoice! There is no place where my sins are found. The Lord Jesus Christ purged them, removed them, took them all away. Children of God, rejoice! Your Savior’s precious blood washed away our sins. Jehovah has cast them behind his back. He who knows all things and forgets nothing has forgotten them forever. And in that great day when he searches the books, they shall not be found (Jeremiah 50:20). Pastor Don Fortner

The Ministry of the Eternal Christ

“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation” (Hebrews 13:7).

In Hebrews 13:7 Paul exhorts believers to respect, acknowledge, and follow the faithful pastor and spiritual guides whom the Lord has been pleased to give them and to consider the subject and object of their ministry: “JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER” (Heb. 13:8)! A faithful pastor will preach Christ. The goal of His life and ministry will be to know Christ for himself and then to lead his hearers to know Christ for themselves.

1). Christ is the same in His glory, His offices, His purpose, and His work YESTERDAY. In the beginning of the world He was the everlasting I AM, the Surety of the covenant, and the Lamb slain. He is the substance and sum of all Old Testament promises, sacrifices, and types.

2). Christ is the same TODAY! In His person, He is the God-Man; in His offices, He is Prophet, Priest, and King! He is the ONLY REDEEMER.

3). Christ is the same FOREVER. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and His priesthood an unchanging one. His love and care for His people never change.

If you are brought by God’s Spirit to love, believe, and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ as your wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, you will be eternally blessed beyond description, and my goal will be realized. But, if not, God will yet be honored and our ministry of warning and exhortation will be owned by the eternal King whose justice also must be glorified!

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1984)

Who Is The Lord Jesus Christ?

“Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” (Rom. 9:5).

What a bold and clear statement the Holy Spirit makes concerning the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, concerning His real humanity and His real Deity. Jesus Christ is indeed the God-Man and God our Saviour! Divine Son of God, and the Son of man.

Concerning the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, He is called the Son of Abraham and the Son of David (Matt. 1:1). You can trace His ancestry all the way back to Adam (Luke 3:23-38). Why is this important, because just as God promised the Messiah would come through certain men, He did; of all that God promises not one word can fail (Joshua 23:14; 1 King 8:56). Nevertheless, Lord Jesus Christ had no sin in His humanity; He is the perfect and sinless Man. He is born in the likeness of sinful flesh but with no sin (Rom. 8:3) The scriptures declare He had no sin (1 John 3:5), He did no sin (1 Peter 2:22) and that He knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21). He had to be virgin born, conceived of God the Holy Spirit in order to be the spotless Lamb of God to put away our sin (Gal. 4:4; 1 Peter 1:18-20).

However, the Lord Jesus Christ is not only a real Man, but He is truly, completely and eternally God. He is both truly and totally God and truly and totally man in one blessed person (John 1:1, 14; 1 Tim. 3:16). As it declares in our text, “Over all and God blessed for ever.” The Lord Jesus Christ is called God our Saviour (Titus 1:3). His Deity gives infinite power to everything He performed for us. For the scripture declares, “God brought the church with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). He redeemed us with His own blood (Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:11-12; 1 John 1:7-9).