They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. Psalm 49:6-9

All That Is Necessary

The Apostle Paul wrote in I Cor. 13:9, "We know in part, and we prophesy in part." That is, our knowledge of divine things is incomplete and imper­fect, and our teaching is incomplete. He adds, "For now we see through a glass dimly." Anytime we ima­gine that we are authorities or that we have arrived in regard to divine truth, we might remember the words of John 21:25. All that our Lord Jesus did and said is NOT RECORDED in the Bible. If all the mira­cles He did, sermons He preached, works He performed, and words He spoke had been written in books, the world itself could not contain the books that must be written; for He is from everlasting to everlast­ing. HOWEVER, our Lord has been pleased to have written all that is necessary and needful for us to know concerning His person and work that we may KNOW HIM, BELIEVE HIM, and BE BROUGHT TO ETERNAL LIFE! John 20:31.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1994)

What We Believe Is Determined By Who We Believe

It is impossible (yes, impossible) to know God and not believe He is absolutely sovereign. If we don't believe He is, we prove we don't really know Him. It is impossible to know Christ and believe He could shed His precious blood in vain. If we believe in a Christ who could actually die for somebody's sins, and they end up being condemned anyway, we are not believing in the Christ of scripture. If we believe in a Holy Spirit who strives to regenerate men but cannot unless they allow Him to, that would be believing in a Holy Spirit that is less than all-powerful. In other words, not the Holy Spirit of the scripture.

What we believe is determined by Who we believe. If we believe the God of the Bible, we of necessity believe the sovereign God! If we believe the Christ of scripture, we believe Him whose atonement is successful! The Holy Spirit of Scripture is Almighty, One Who causes people to be willing. False doctrine concerning God is only the product of believing a false god. False doctrine concerning God's character and how He saves sinners is not merely an intellectual problem. It is idolatry. It is the worship of a false God!

Pastor Todd Nibert

WHO CAN CHARGE US?

Here is what every believer knows from the testimony of holy scripture and from the experience and conviction of his own heart (John 16:8-11). We know, recognize and confess the problem and plague of our own heart, is sin (Rom. 3:9-12; 5:12). But thank God, we also know the solution for sin, Christ and Him crucified (1Cor. 2:2), Christ our propitiation for sin (Rom. 3:25). Christ Jesus crucified (Rom. 4:25), the Substitute (2Cor.5:21), Surety (Heb.7:22), Satisfaction (1John 4:10) and Saviour (Matt. 1:21) is our only answer to every just charge against us, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Rom. 8:33-34).

THE FOUNDATION OF GOD STANDS SURE

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2Tim.2:19).

What great encouragement this promise is to every sinner who finds the only hope of salvation upon this firm and immoveable foundation. Make no mistake, this unshakeable foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Isa. 28:16; 1Cor. 3:11). The Lord pronounced unto Peter, “Upon this Rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).

Notwithstanding all the attacks of the enemies against believers, in spite of all the doctrine of false preachers (2Tim. 2:17-18), regardless of all the doubts and fears in the believers own heart (2Tim. 2:13), this foundation of salvation is certain and sure because it is all based upon Christ Himself, His magnificent person (1Tim. 3:16), His perfect-priestly work (Heb. 4:14-15) and the glorious atonement for the sin of His people (Heb. 2:17; 9:26). He cannot fail (Isa. 42:4)! “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure.”

Oh, what completeness of eternal salvation (Col. 2:9-10) and eternal security we have in Christ alone (John 10:27-30; 1Peter 1:3-5). If this foundation could be removed, what could we do? However, it stands firm, unchanging and sure as the very throne of God upon which the Lord Jesus Christ is enthroned in total victory over all the opposition (Psa. 110:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1). We know it to be eternally true (Rom. 3:4; 2Peter 1:19-21), rejoice in it as our only hope of all salvation (Phil. 3:3; 2Thes. 2:16) and proclaim it as God’s truth to all that will hear (Mark 16:15; 2Tim. 4:1-2).