Christ Our Rule Of Faith

"Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments" (I John 2:3).

Throughout this earthly journey, believers strug­gle with inward sin, doubts, fears, trials, and at­tacks from Satan, and are often heard to say with Newton:

"'Tis a point I long to know,

Oft it gives me anxious thought;

Do I love the Lord or no?

Am I His or am I not?"

John says, "This is how we discern daily by ex­perience that we are coming to know Him, if we bear in mind, observe and practice the teachings, pre­cepts, and words of our Lord Jesus (Matt. 22:37-40; John 13:34-35). The true believer loves the words and commandments of Christ in regard to faith, love, forgiveness, humility, works of charity, kindness, giving, witnessing, and all that relates to our daily walk (I John 5:3). The love of Christ and the words of Christ are our rule of faith.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1993)

Preaching And Hearing The Word

“Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

“One of the old preachers is reported to have said, ‘I preach as one who may never preach again, as a dying man to dying men.’ How solemn a thought that is to those of us charged with preaching. Let us not tickle the ears of dying men with the trifles of earthly issues and vain religion. But does this principle not apply in some way to the man who listens? Ought we not say every time we come to worship, “I listen as one who may never hear again, as a dying man among dying men?”

God grant us the same seriousness in hearing as we expect in preaching! Pastor Joe Terrell

Grace Higher Than Our Sins

Look at the mountains of our sins, but grace has removed them. God’s grace is rich above all measure. It is higher than our sins, for it brings us to the throne of the Most High. It is deeper than our sins, for it has reached to the depth of man’s depravity, and brought up jewels for heaven. It is wider than our sins, for it has removed them as far as the east is from the west. As for the length of God’s grace, it is from everlasting to everlasting.

There is a beginning to man’s sin: but there is no beginning to pardoning love! Before there was a sinner, there was a Savior. Before there was a crime, there was a Redeemer. Before there was transgression, there was mercy. Before there was an offended justice, there was a satisfied Justifier. His grace is everlasting!

Pastor Don Fortner

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 5:20-21).

THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls"(1 Peter 2:24-25).

In these words of Holy Scripture we have a clear description of the Lord Jesus Christ's blessed atonement for our sin (1 John 4:10). He came not merely as an example but as God's Servant to accomplish our salvation (John 4:34;17:4; 19:30). Here are at least six things taught from the above quoted scripture about the atonement.

1). His atonement was substitutionary, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." Our sovereign God has devised the wise means whereby He can be a just God and a Saviour (Isa. 45:21). Jesus Christ, the Son of God took our humanity to Himself that He might be an able and suitable sacrifice for the sin of His people (Rom.8:3). As the God-man He had no sin of His own, however God imputed to Christ Jesus all the sin of His covenant people. He is guilty of sin only by imputation (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; Isa. 53:4-7).

2). His atonement was particular, "Who his own self bare our sins." Not all the sin of all men, not some of the sin of all men, but all of the sin of God's elect were laid on the Redeemer. This is what the scriptures plainly reveal. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:15).

3). His atonement was effectual, "by whose stripes you were healed." Christ bearing our sin to the tree and on the cross He made an end of them (Heb.9:26; Heb.10:14-17). His blood cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

4). His atonement was satisfying, “ that we, being dead to sins." Sin and its curse no longer has a claim on the believer (Rom. 8:1; Gal. 3:13; Rom. 6:6-11;). The death of Christ is the death of all our sin and its condemnation, satisfying to God's justice and to the sinners need (Isa. 53:10-11).

5). His atonement was justifying, "should live unto righteousness." The ultimate design of Christ's sacrifice is the glory of God. But that also includes bringing the sinner out of a state of condemnation in Adam (Rom.5:12) into a righteous state of justification in Christ by His blood and righteousness (Rom. 5:9; Rom. 3:24-26; 2 Cor. 5:21).