Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Psalm 86:3-5

Look And Live!

Throughout the Bible that act of faith by which we receive eternal life is spoken of as a look. Like those children of Israel who were bitten by the fiery serpents had to look to the brazen serpent for life, we must look to Christ crucified for life eternal.

Salvation begins in a look. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22). We must look away from ourselves to Christ for our entire salvation.

Salvation is maintained by a look.“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 on the right hand of the throne of God”(Hebrews 12:2).

Salvation will end in a look. “And they shall see his face” (Revelation 22:4). If you hope to see the Savior’s face with joy in glory, you must look to him now. Look, I say, look to Christ! Look and live! Pastor Don Fortner

His Resurrection and Our Regeneration

The power of God that quickened us and made us to live spiritually is, in the Scriptures, compared with that power which raised Christ from the dead. Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25). We live because He lives; and we are free from sin because our Surety, who bore our sins, is now free from them. But there is a likeness between His resurrection and our regeneration and quickening (Eph. 1:19-20).

1). His resurrection is called a begetting. He is the first-begotten from the dead. Our regeneration is called a begetting (1 Pet. 1:3).

2). His human body was lifeless in the grave, as natural men are dead in sin and without spiritual life (Rom.5:12).

3). His human body could not raise itself, as we cannot give ourselves life (Rom. 9:13-16; James 1:18).

4).His resurrection was the pure, unaided work of God, as is our regeneration (Eph. 2:1).

5). His resurrection led to His exaltation at the right hand of God and is where, in our representative, Jesus Christ, we are already seated (Eph. 2:6).

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1987)

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4).

God’s people rejoice in the Lord always. They rejoice that His grace is always sufficient, that His blood cleanses them from all sin, that by His imputed righteousness they are justified before the law, that His love for them never fails, that by His providence all things work together for their good, that His intercession for them before the Father is never ceasing and that their names, for His sake, are written in heaven. Pastor Marvin Stalnaker

THE GOSPEL PROCLAIMED
(Galatians 1:3-5).

Our Lord sent the apostle Paul to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world. God was pleased to bless the message and call out a multitude of guilty sinners to Himself. Many churches were established in the region of Galatia. After Paul had been imprisoned in Rome for the gospel's sake, many false teachers came among the churches preaching a false message of works salvation. The apostle called it, "another gospel" or a "perverted gospel." He also pronounced a strong curse upon all who declared such a message of, "Christ plus our efforts and righteousness equal salvation" (Gal. 1:6-12).

Let us consider four things Paul plainly states about the true gospel of the grace of God revealed in these verses.

1). The reason why the Lord came in the flesh, "That he might deliver us from this present evil world." It is very obvious that no man is able to deliver Himself from the pit of sin and guilt. Only a fool would say, "I need no Redeemer." This is why the Lord came, to completely deliver and effectually redeem His people from their sin (Matt. 1:21; Rom. 11:26). We can be certain that He did not fail (Isa. 42:4; Rom. 4:25, 8:32). Any preaching that does not set Jesus Christ forth as the complete and effectual Deliverer, is "another gospel."

2). How did He accomplish this deliverance? "Who gave himself for our sins." The redemption of the Lord's sheep came at a great price (Acts 20:28). He purchased us with His own blood (1 Peter 1:18). Atonement and payment for sin can only be achieved by Jesus Christ our great High Priest (Heb. 9:12; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Jn. 4:10). Any preaching that does not declare Jesus Christ's triumphant and complete atonement for sin is, "another gospel."

3). Why Jesus Christ came and why He died, "According to the will of God and our Father." If it had not been for the predestinating purpose of God and His eternal decree, Jesus Christ would not have died (Acts 2:23). If Christ had not died, none would be delivered. Salvation is always accomplished, determined and dependent upon God alone. Any preaching that makes salvation dependent and determined according to the will of men is "another gospel" (John 1:12-13; James 1:18; Rom. 9:15-16).