Everything God does must be consistent with His character. God is just so God still must be just when He saves sinners. God saves sinners in justice through substitution. Christ, the sinner’s substitute, was made guilty of the sin of God’s elect and, in justice, God killed His Son as the sacrifice for sin. Then God gave His elect the righteousness of Christ, and in justice, God accepts His people into His presence.

I sometimes hear sermons and read articles that appear to have been specifically inspired by the great fear that some of the non-elect might get saved. The gospel is so thoroughly fenced and guarded that the preacher or writer has forgotten to put in even a small gate or narrow door. What a pity! What a waste! The gospel of Christ does not need defending, but proclaiming. Let us ever throw the Door open and urge sinners to enter in by Christ the Door, knowing that all who enter in were brought in by God’s free, sovereign, irresistible grace.

Pastor Don Fortner

There is in every believer two natures: that spiritual nature when we are made new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Peter 1:4) and the old, ruined, and vile nature we received by natural birth in Adam (Romans 5:12). The spiritual nature can’t sin (1 John 3:19), and the old nature cannot produce anything but sin (Romans 3:9-12). The believer is painfully aware of his sinful and corrupt nature and grieves over his sin. However, he never makes the corruption of his heart an excuse for the corruption of his life. We should never use our fallen nature for a reason to sin (Galatians 5:13-17). Because of our indwelling sin it is a daily miracle that we continue and persevere in faith (1 Peter 1:3-5). The enemy would be much easier to fight off if he didn’t have an ally on the inside. One of the worst fears the believer has is the deceitfulness of his own heart (Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21).
 We carry within us an infamous traitor to our own soul! Beware, when he speaks to you of trusting others, rather than the Lord Jesus Christ alone; and heed the warning of scripture (1 Corinthians 16:22). Beware, when he says to you that sin can be put away and we can be justified apart from the substitutionary sacrifice and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; and heed the warning of scripture (1 John 1:7). Beware, when the old nature raises his ugly head and says that the gospel of grace is only for the theologian and the intellect; and heed the warning of scripture (Galatians 1:7-9). Beware, when the old nature says that those sitting, partaking and believing a false gospel are saved; and heed the warning of scripture (1 John 5:11-12). Beware, when the old nature says to you that it doesn’t matter how I live, how I act and what I say; and heed the warning of scripture (Ephesians 4:17-24).
 Beloved friend, the old nature doesn’t grow weaker as the new man grows in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The old nature remains a powerful enemy to our soul and an ally to the devil. Beware!

Pastor Tom Harding

“We are saved by hope” (Romans 8:24). How can hope actually save us? If Christ is our hope (I Timothy 1:1), then we are saved by our hope!