Psalm 27:5-6

CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S GRACE

Do we really have confidence in the grace of God? If we do, we will be satisfied with His grace and His grace alone. If we have confidence in His grace, we will not try to offer up anything of our own as a reason for God to bless us. If we have confidence in His grace, we will rest secure that, whatever happens in this life, God will preserve us blameless for the next life. If we have confidence in His grace, we will not try to build a church with fleshy enticements but will be satisfied with preaching and teaching the grace of God, knowing that God will call His sheep by that Gospel. If we have confidence in the grace of God, we will not be quick to judge others but will be patient with our brethren, knowing that God grows His people at His own rate and that what His grace has begun, His grace can finish. If we have confidence in the grace of God, we will be much more at rest, knowing that all things are moving in their proper direction to their assigned goal. Pastor Joe Terrell

The Godman

I was talking to a lady some years ago who said to me, “I got saved.” I began to speak of Christ to her and mentioned that Jesus Christ is God. She replied, “I didn’t know that.” I thought of the young man who came to Christ and called Him, “Good Master.” (Luke 18:19) The young man and this lady I spoke with were alike, they saw Christ as a good man only. Remember the Lord’s reply to the young man, “Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.”

By saying this He is saying, “If I am good that is because I am God.” If all that Jesus Christ is, is a good man, then He can do me no good in salvation. A good man cannot save me or anyone else. However the Godman can and does. Jesus Christ is the living God incarnate. He has and is made to me all that I need to be saved, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Now if the “good Master” is God incarnate and He is the one who has saved me, then I am saved. Anyone short of being God will be of no good in salvation. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23).

Pastor John Chapman

Why Men Do Not Come to Christ

In the heart of man there dwelleth no good thing. In the soul of man there is no spiritual life. In the mind of man there is no longing or seeking after God. Men out of Christ are dead men. They are just as dead and helpless spiritually as a corpse is helpless physically. I would as soon expect a dead man to get out of his casket, go into the kitchen and get himself a drink of water, as for a sinner to rise out of his sins and go to Christ who is the Water of life, without the quickening and regenerating work of the Spirit. If a man is ever saved from sin, he will first be effectually quickened by the Spirit of God. Paul in writing to the Ephesians calls their attention to the fact that they were “quickened” to life (Eph. 2:1) by the Spirit. God does not perform this effectual work of the Spirit in the hearts of all men, but only in the hearts of those whom He has purposed to saved.

“Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9) from beginning to end. He saves men on purpose; there are no accidents with God. This talk of, “God has done His part, now you must do your part,” completely destroys salvation by pure grace, and allows it to depend on the works of man which is no more of grace but of deeds and works. Man made his decision in Eden; he chose to disobey God and serve Satan. That decision still controls the hearts of unregenerated men. Now God is calling out His people from every nation under Heaven; He did not tell us that the destiny of men rested upon our talking them into church membership, but He did commission us to preach the Gospel to every creature and leave the work of regeneration in the proper hands, that of the Spirit.

Every preacher in the country has a sermon on the words of Pilate, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” (Mat. 27:22). They use it to try and prove to the sinner that the salvation of his soul rests entirely in his deciding for or against Jesus. But very few preachers ever are fair enough to preach on the reply Jesus made to these words from Pilate. Jesus said to Pilate, “Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:10). There you have it, sinner, you are in the hands of a God who does as He pleases, when He pleases, and to whom He pleases, and He is responsible to no man for His actions. He said to Moses, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exod. 33:19).