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Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Philippians 2:3

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Wisdom from the Proverbs: The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25

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Stand Fast in Your Liberty!

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Some are in bondage to the law of God, under self-condemnation, because they see that they are not perfect in righteousness, according to that law, in its spiritual meaning. From this bondage Christ makes us free; for He Himself is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who trusts in Him. He is its end as to its penal demands, for He died to satisfy them. He is its end as to the perfect righteousness it requires for full acceptance before God, for by His perfect obedience all His believing ones are made righteous with an everlasting righteousness. In this liberty we need to stand fast.

Others are in bondage to religious ordinances. They know that there is no salvation apart from Christ. They know that His death is necessary for their salvation; but they think that ordinances also are necessary. With them salvation is thus partly by the death of Christ, and partly by the due observance of religious ordinances. This was the bondage into which the Galatians had been brought by false teachers, greatly to the dishonor of the finished work of Christ. They did not reject Christ and seek to be saved by works only. They would indeed rely upon Christ, but they would also rely upon their observance of religious rites and ordinances. This the Apostle told them would ruin all. Christ would profit them nothing. They would still remain under the condemnation of the law of God. Alas! this is what many are doing now, to the great bondage of their souls.

From this bondage, the way of deliverance is to make Christ all. The soul looking to Him and knowing that He is God's only way of salvation, and that God's way is sure, and His work perfect, and His Word true—ceases altogether from any reliance whatever upon religious rites and ordinances, and is satisfied to rest its security on God's way, and word, and work alone.

Thomas Moor

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Psalm 18: 1-3 “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my delieverer; my God, my strength. In whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies."

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Great Comfort

The comfort of a believer's heart lies not in a mere "feeling" that "everything will be all right." It lies in the Spirit of God's application of truth to our hearts and minds. It is comfort based on the promises of God who cannot lie, die, change or fail in any way. Oh, it does produce wonderful feelings. But these feelings are the product of the assurance of faith, faith based upon that which is given us by God's grace through the merits of Christ's righteous blood.

Gary Shepard

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“Salvation is of the LORD" Jonah 2:9

Entirely so, from beginning to end. It is God's "great salvation," in its origination, in its effectuation, in its application and in its consummation.

Man contributes nothing to it whatsoever.

All the Trinity are concerned and engaged in it. The Father is the Author of salvation from sin, Christ the Purchaser, the Spirt the Conveyor. It is the Father who begets the elect (James 1:17, 18); yet they are declared to be the "seed" of Christ (Isaiah 53:10), while they are "born" of the Spirit" (John 3:6).