Arise, My Soul, Jehovah Own! — Don Fortner (Tune: O for a Closer Walk with God — CM)
Arise, my soul, Jehovah own, — Our faithful cov’nant God. Of Him, through Him, to Him alone All things are of the Lord!
Of God the Father’s Sov’reign choice, Of God the Savior’s grace, — Of God the Spirit’s quick’ning voice, Lives all the chosen race.
Through God the Father’s faithfulness, Through God the Spirit’s might, — Through God the Savior’s righteousness, We have eternal life.
To God the Father praise belongs — To God the Son we’ll sing- To God the Holy Ghost our songs All praise and glory bring.
New Focus Conference
New Focus Magazine/GO Publications will host a sovereign grace Bible conference at Mickleton Village Hall and Egglesburn Baptist Church in Eggleston, England — April 9th – 11th. Speakers: George Ella, Allan Jellett, Ian Potts and Don Fortner.
For more information contact Pastor Peter Meney. Email: peter@go-newfocus.co.uk — Telephone: 01144-1833-650797
A Distinctive Gospel
Bill Clark
A Question With No Answer
God does not have to save any guilty sinner, and that means any of us. He would be just and righteous if he condemned us all without exception. This is what we merit. But the gospel states clearly (and this is the “good news”) that God chose to save some. Why some and not all? To that question there is no answer, for God has not revealed it to us. Even the apostle Paul did not have the answer. People in his day were asking the same question, “Why doth he (God) yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?” and Paul replies with a reprimand, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” (Romans 9:19-20). The marvel is that God chose to save any. In the day of judgment no condemned sinner will be able to say that God is unjust and that he does not merit God’s righteous condemnation. Nor will any saved sinner be able to say that he merited the salvation which God provided for him in grace and mercy. Could God have saved all fallen sinners if He so desired? He certainly could, but he chose not to.
A Substitute
The “good news” of the gospel is that there is a substitute who has stood in the place of every repentant sinner and bore the wrath of God in his place. He did this for all whom the Father had given him from all eternity. It is for them that he prays in John 17. They are “His Sheep.” The Father gave them to him; and he died for them (John 10:15, 29). Substitution is at the very heart of the gospel. Christ did not simply give his life to make salvation possible for those who contribute their part to what he has done by repenting and trusting Christ. He it is that gives repentance and faith (2 Timothy 2:25; Ephesians 2:8). Christ did not say to the religious Jews of his day that they were not of his “sheep” because they did not believe; rather, he says, “Ye believe because you are not of my sheep.” If they had been his sheep they would have believed. The “good news” is that all whom the Father has given to the Son, and for whom he died will believe and manifest true repentance and faith. This they will do willingly and with gratitude in their hearts. It is God’s work. He cannot fail.
The Only True Gospel
All this is very different from what we are being told today. Today’s “gospels” are centered on man and what he has to do to make the work of Christ effective for him. The good news is that God has done all that is required to satisfy his righteousness and justice, and that all who come to Christ have eternal life through the work of Christ, their substitute, alone. This is the gospel, the only gospel, and we cannot and must not unite with those who do not proclaim it. Anything else is not the gospel.
“Clothes of Service” — Exodus 39:1-43
As the tabernacle was concluded, Moses was inspired of God to give us a description of “the holy garments” that were made for Aaron, those garments Aaron was required to wear whenever he went into the tabernacle doing service before the Lord God as Israel’s high priest. They are called “clothes of service.”
These “clothes of service” were very significant and highly symbolical. They are listed three times by Moses (Exodus 28, Exodus 39 and Leviticus 8). Aaron was not allowed to appear before the Lord God as Israel’s priest to do service in the holy place without these “holy garments,” without these “clothes of service.” They were vital to his priestly work; and we are specifically told that they were “garments of consecration,” “for glory and for beauty.”
These garments were made specifically for Aaron, to show forth the glory and beauty of his work as Israel’s high priest. But they show more than that. These garments were made for and put upon Aaron to show forth the glory and beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, of whom Aaron was but a type and picture.
Atonement Garments
Actually, Aaron had two sets of priestly garments: This glorious apparel, which he wore before Israel and before the Lord in his common, daily functions in the tabernacle, and those holy linen garments mentioned in Exodus 39:28, and more fully described in Leviticus 16:4, which he wore only once a year on the day of atonement. On that great day of atonement, when he went in with the blood of the paschal lamb before the Lord God in the holy of holies, Aaron was robed only in spotless white, portraying the infinitely meritorious obedience and personal righteousness and holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, by which he was worthy and able to undertake and accomplish the stupendous work of putting away the sins of his people by the sacrifice of himself.
Service Garments
The garments described in Exodus 39 were specifically ordained of God to show Aaron’s glory and beauty to the people he represented and served as a priest. These garments are described in great detail for us, so that we might see and be assured of the glory and beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ, as our great High Priest. Aaron wore seven specific, highly symbolic garments.
An Ephod - The priestly apron, with the Urim and Thummim, representing the light and perfection of Christ.
A Girdle - “Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins” (Isaiah 11:5).
A Breastplate – The breastplate on Aaron’s heart, bearing the names of God’s elect, was secured to his apron by God’s order.
A Robe - The priestly robe representing Christ’s righteousness.
A Coat – The coat was actually an undergarment, for the covering of the priests’ nakedness, representing Christ who covers all our sin by his blood and righteousness.
A Miter – The miter symbolized both honor and humility.
A Holy Crown — The crown, emblazoned with “Holiness to the Lord,” speaks of the acceptance of all our works as God’s priests in this world, through the blood and righteousness of our blessed Savior (Ecclesiastes 9:7-8).
Grace Bulletin
March 14, 2010
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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