There is as much sin left in me as I started with, but I thank God who loved me, chose me, redeemed me, and sanctified me through the blood and righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ. "O to grace how great a debtor I am daily constrained to be..."

The enemies of the free and sovereign grace of God claim that those of us, who believe and preach it, take away sinful man's responsibility. We believe that he is totally unable apart from Divine Grace to do anything good in the sight of God that he is unable apart from being born again to do anything spiritual towards God. Though we believe and preach man's spiritual and moral inability to save himself or commend himself to God there are some things we believe he is able by himself to do apart from being influenced by anything but his own wicked nature;

1. He is able by his own power to sin. He was conceived in sin, shapen in iniquity. (Ps .51:5)

2. He is able because of his nature to be in rebellion against the rule and commands of God Almighty. (Ex. 5:2)

3. He can hate God and righteousness as revealed in Christ; it is shown by his unwillingness to come to Christ for pardon and life.

4.He is able to perform "good works" (though unacceptable to God) as long as he can be recognized for them and get a pat on the back from his fellows.

5. He is able by his own ability to reject the testimony of God concerning his absolute sinfulness, God's absolute Sovereignty, Christ as absolute Savior.

The scriptures say that man is DEAD in his sins. Dead men cannot give themselves life. Our message is this; "Sinner cast yourself at the feet of Christ saying; "if you WILL thou canst make me clean" for He alone can give life to a dead sinner. If men won't come to Christ for life, why should they be angry with God for putting them in hell? - Pastor

~~~ O ~~~

I remember one who when he was converted said, "Well, either the world is new or else I am."

No sin of yours shall ruin you if you believe, but no righteousness of yours shall save you if you do not believe.

A man who was healed before he was wounded, clothed before he was stripped, filled before he was empty, made alive before he was slain, has good reason to suspect whether sovereign Grace has ever laid its hand upon him.

From J.C. Ryle's "Expository Thoughts"

We must not be content with a vague general belief that Christ's sufferings on the cross were vicarious. We are intended to see this truth in every part of His passion. We may follow Him through from the bar of Pilate to the minute of His death and see Him at every step as our MIGHTY SUBSTITUTE, our REPRESENTATIVE, our HEAD, and our SURETY, our PROXY - the DIVINE FRIEND who undertook to stand in our stead and, by the priceless merit of His sufferings, to purchase our redemption.

WAS HE SCOURGED? It was "through His stripes we might be healed"

WAS HE CONDEMNED, THOUGH INNOCENT? It was that we might be acquitted, though guilty.

DID HE WEAR A CROWN OF THORNS? It was that we might wear the crown of glory.

WAS HE STRIPPED OF HIS RAIMENT? It was that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness.

WAS HE MOCKED AND REVILED? It was that we might be honored and blessed.

WAS HE RECKONED A MALEFACTOR AND
"NUMBERED AMONG THE TRANSGRESSORS"? It was that we might be reckoned innocent and justified from all sin.

WAS HE DECLARED "UNABLE TO SAVE HIMSELF"?
It was that He might be able to save to the uttermost.

DID HE DIE AT LAST THAT MOST PAINFUL AND DISGRACEFUL OF DEATHS? It was that we might live for evermore and be exalted to the highest glory.

Let us ponder these things well. They are worth remembering. The very key to peace is a right apprehension of the VICARIOUS SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.