“Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre.” (Psalm 45:6) ***** THE SINNER’S FRIEND Tune “O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST” CM Words by JIM BYRD
Christ Jesus is the sinner’s Friend. A sinner, Lord, am I; Without His blood and righteousness, I must forever die.
O what a precious gospel word - Christ Jesus bled and died, To save His people from their sin, The law He satisfied.
Lord, I am sinful, helpless too, No goodness can I claim; I have no hope of righteousness, Except in Jesus’ name.
I bow before His sovereign throne, No merits do I bring, Accept this sinner in Thy Son, To Him alone I cling.
Believing Lord Thy gracious Word, (Though I am sinfulness;) I am redeemed, set free, forgiv’n, In Christ my Righteousness. *****
“I REALIZE AND KNOW THAT I AM A SINNER” When a person comes to a realization of his sinfulness, what does that mean? It can mean different things to different people. Some simply mean, I know I’m not perfect, but I am as good as most people – better than some, worse than others. Others mean, I am wretched, vile, and worthless. I had better join a church, get baptized, and start serving the Lord. Still others may mean, There is no hope for me at all. What is the point of this? All of these realizations of personal guilt, sinfulness, and defilement are just as damning to the souls of men as those who imagine and judge themselves to be righteous in their own sight. Why? It is because they do not drive a sinner to Christ the Godman and only Mediator between God and men. They do not leave the sinner with no hope of salvation but the finished work of Christ to put away sin and work out perfect righteousness for His people. It takes a work of the Holy Spirit under the preaching of the Gospel of God’s grace in Christ to bring a person to a saving realization of sinfulness and depravity (Philippians 3:7-9). God the Holy Spirit convinces God’s elect of sin because they believe not on Christ (John 16:9). He points them to Christ for salvation, righteousness, forgiveness, life, and glory. All realizations and admissions of sinfulness without preaching Christ crucified leaves sinners either in false refuges of lies or in a sad state of hopelessness. It is not simply, I realize and know that I am a sinner; it is, I realize and know that I am a sinner and MUST have Christ, else I die. —Pastor Bill Parker
***** LOOK TO CHRIST, NOT YOUR OBEDIENCE Those who profess to believe on Christ but who do not seek to follow the Lord and honor Him in their lives have an empty and worthless profession. Christ said, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” A sinner who has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and brought to genuine faith in the Son of God will seek to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” (Titus 2:10). Though we know we are sinful in ourselves, yet we do seek to glorify the Lord as we go about our daily activities. However, we must never look to our obedience (which is imperfect at best), in any measure, as the means of acceptance with God. Those who seek God’s approval by any other way than the blood and righteousness of Christ will someday learn they made a fatal mistake.–Pastor Jim Byrd *****
THERE IS 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 not 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. –Bill Clark
Older
Top
