The Brazen Serpent — Don Fortner (Tune: #415 — Ye Christian Heralds — LM)
1. Uplifted at the Lord’s command, The brazen serpent in his hand, God’s prophet cried, “O look and live, And glory to Jehovah give!”
2. Thus Christ was preach’d to Jacob’s race, Thus still poor sinners taste His grace! One look at Jesus crucified, Makes all the weight of guilt subside!
3. So let us lift the Savior high: — Tell sinners they can never die Who look by faith to Christ alone. The Crucified is on His throne!
4. Oft as I feel the serpent’s bite, A bleeding Savior kept in sight, Shall heal my wounded, broken heart, And life, and health, and peace impart.!
The Brazen Serpent
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (Num. 21:4-9), even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14).
Preachers are like the pole to which Moses fastened the brazen serpent. Our only function, our only usefulness is to hold up Christ crucified before sinners. The Gospel we preach is Jesus Christ. We do not merely preach a Christ centered gospel. Christ is the gospel we preach. There is a huge difference. That man must not be considered a faithful Gospel preacher who does not preach Christ; and any sermon that does not tell immortal souls how God saves guilty sinners in and by Christ Jesus is not a Gospel sermon.
“Not By Works of Righteousness Which We Have Done”
Titus 3:5
Good works are very important in their place, the more the better. I hope I do everything within my power to promote good works among God’s saints. But good works have absolutely nothing to do with the accomplishment, preservation or consummation of our salvation. “The kindness and love of God our Savior toward us” is not dependent in any measure upon our good works. Good works do not cause, sustain or improve the believer’s salvation and eternal relationship with God (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:9).
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Every aspect of salvation, from beginning to end, is the work of God’s free grace in Christ. Nothing is dependent upon the works of men.
God’s eternal choice of His people unto salvation was an election of grace, without any consideration of works (Romans 9:11-13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). Our redemption by the blood of Christ was a free grace purchase of our souls out from under the curse of the law (Ephesians 1:6-7; 1 John 4:9-10). All who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ have been regenerated, born again and called by grace alone (John 1:11-13; Ephesians 2:1-5). We are justified freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, without the works of the law (Romans 3:20-28).
Like election, redemption, justification and regeneration, sanctification is a work of grace alone (Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 Corinthians 1:30). We do not sanctify ourselves by our works any more than we can justify ourselves by our works. Christ is our Sanctifier and our Sanctification (Exodus 31:13). God’s saints are all preserved and kept by grace alone; and our preservation by grace is not dependent, to any degree, upon our own works (Jeremiah 32:38-40; John 10:27-29; Romans 8:28-39; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24-25).
And our eternal reward in heaven is the reward of grace alone. In heaven’s glory we will not be rewarded for our works, but for the works of Christ our Substitute; and that reward of eternal life shall be given to us as the free gift of God’s eternal grace toward us in Christ (Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:3, 11, 14; Romans 8:17; 6:23). The glory and bliss of eternal life is the purchased possession of every believer, freely bestowed upon us by the grace of God, without any works on our part.
“Run, Don, run,” the law commands, But gives me neither feet nor hands. Far better news the Gospel brings: — It bids me fly, and gives me wings!
“As We Be Slanderously Reported”
Romans 3:8
I could produce stacks of letters I have received over the years, either warning me or accusing me, asserting that the doctrine I preach will cause people to live carelessly in disobedience, practicing every imaginable evil. Along with every other man who proclaims the Gospel of God’s free grace in Christ, beginning with our Lord Himself and His Apostles, I am constantly accused of being an antinomian, one who is opposed to the law of God, a promoter of licentiousness.
In itself, the accusation is insignificant. I am not much disturbed by what men say about Don Fortner. But the charge is not made against me personally. It is made against the Gospel we preach. Therefore, I cannot be silent.
The charge of antinomianism is leveled against us because we constantly preach the Gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ, declaring that sinners are redeemed, justified, sanctified and kept freely by the grace of God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, without works.
Without apology, we constantly affirm that every believer is entirely free from the law of God and that God will never charge His people with sin, because He has found complete satisfaction for our sins in the blood atonement of His dear Son.
We place no form of legal bondage upon the children of God. We do not threaten God’s elect with punishment or entice them with promise of rewards in order to get them to do what they ought to do. God’s saints are not mercenary servants. They are all volunteers. We preach absolute grace, perfect substitution and immutable mercy, assuring those who believe that God will never cease to be gracious to them.
This is the armor in which I have done battle for forty-three years; and I do not intend to lay it aside until my warfare is over. Let men reproach me as they may. I am willing to have my name and reputation scandalized. If need be, I am prepared to lose friends and family and face bitter, implacable enemies. I am perfectly willing and content to be scorned throughout the world as a vile antinomian. I am accustomed to such things.
But I am determined, by the grace of God, not to drop or conceal one iota of Gospel truth, particularly as it relates to Christ’s glorious, effectual redemption and God’s irresistible, efficacious grace. I am always happy to stand in the company of others. But I am willing to stand alone. In either case, God helping me, I will not alter, or even slightly modify my message!
GRACE BULLETIN
July 26, 2009
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH of DANVILLE 2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438 Telephone (859) 236-8235 - E-Mail don@donfortner.com
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor
Schedule of Regular Services
Sunday 10:00 A.M. Bible Classes 10:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service 6:30 P.M. Evening Worship Service
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