By Grace are ye Saved

“By grace are ye saved,” (Eph. 2:8)declared Paul as he took the crown off the head of man in every respect and gave all glory to God. He exalted the Lord God, our gracious Sovereign, who will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy.

I wish every preacher would proclaim this glorious doctrine “By grace are ye saved.” This is the doctrine that will shake the gates of hell if it is preached. If you are to ever get any comfort or assurance or hope, it will not be in your morality, works, or freewill; but, it will come from realizing that it is by the grace of God in Christ Jesus that we are saved.

What the sun is to the heavens, that is God’s grace in Christ to theology. Take away the mercy of Christ in substitution and there is nothing left worth preaching or believing.

Pastor Henry Mahan (1984)

TWO GREAT ERRORS OF FREEWILLISM

Preachers of Freewillism tell sinners that they have “free will” through which they may believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.
They thereby commit two great errors!

First, they ascribe to sinners a “free will” that they do not have. Man’s will is not free, for it is subject to his nature. Man therefore cannot act contrary to his nature. Man’s nature is sinful and evil. Since man’s will is subject to his sinful and evil nature, he cannot will to do – much less perform – any deed that is righteous and holy, such as believing in Jesus Christ. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil” (Jeremiah 13:23).

Second, they ascribe to sinners a “free will” that even God does not have. As man’s will is subject to his nature, so is God’s will subject to His nature. As man cannot act contrary to his nature, neither can God act contrary to His nature. God’s nature is righteous and holy. Since God’s will is subject to His righteous and holy nature, He cannot will to do – much less perform – any deed that is sinful and evil. For example, “God cannot lie” (Titus 1:2; Numbers 23:19) – “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18).

As surely as God does not have “free will” to lie, so surely does man not have “free will” to believe.

Pastor and Missionary Daniel E. Parks

“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures” (James 1:18).

The believer’s salvation begins with the will of God, not his own will. The natural will is not to come to Christ. “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John.5:40). However, by the will of God and the Word of truth, the gospel is sown in the heart of God’s child and, in due time, when God gives the increase, a child of God is born. For the first time he is willing to come to Christ. Only God can do such a work. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power” (Ps. 110:3).

Pastor John Chapman

THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF FAITH

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).

The Lord Jesus Christ is “the author and finisher of our faith.” The faith of God’s elect begins with Christ giving us faith in Him by His sovereign will (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 1:1). This faith, that is the gift of God, which is a definite and sure faith, looks back to the Giver, Author and Finisher of faith, Christ Himself, He is the only object of saving faith.

This faith of God’s elect, is also called, “precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1); because it is given to us as a purchased gift of the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-20). This special and saving faith is given sovereignly and exclusively to the church of Christ alone. His sheep hear His voice, His call, they fall in love with Him and follow Him fully to the end of their journey in this life (John 10:27-30; Heb. 11:13).