LET HALLELUJAHS RISE Tune to JOY TO THE WORLD CM Words by JIM BYRD
1. Come all ye people of God’s choice, And lift to Him your voice; Sing praises to the Son of God, Who on this earth has trod, Who on this earth has trod, Who on, Who on this earth has trod.
2. Glory to God Who dwells on high, He sent His Son to die! The Son of God came from His throne, To seek and save His own, To seek and save His own, To seek, to seek and save His own.
3. Let hallelujahs rise above, To Him Who came in love; His bloody death removed our blame; Sing praises to His Name, Sing praises to His Name, Sing praises, sing praises to His Name. *****
SCRIPTURE READING THIS MORNING: Isaiah 40:1-11
Readings - Dec. 20-26 Sunday - 1 Peter 1-2 Monday - 1 Peter 3-5 Tuesday - 1 John 1-3 Wednesday- 1 John 4-5 Thursday - 2 & 3 John Friday - Jude - Rev 2 Saturday - Rev. 3-6 ***** "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:1, 14) *****
THE WORD MADE FLESH Turn aside, my soul, this day, from every vain and worldly thought, as Moses did at the bush, and behold by faith the accomplishment of what he then saw in type and figure, of this great sight which the Lord hath made known unto thee. The Word, the uncreated Word, even the eternal Son of God, taking upon Him the nature of man, and uniting both in one Person, that by the union He might be a suitable Savior for His people. As God, He was mighty to save, and fully competent to the wonderful act. As man, He was a suitable Mediator, to reconcile and bring together God and man, which by sin were at variance. This was the glorious news angels posted down from heaven to proclaim. This was the song of heaven, for which they sung "glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men." My soul, canst thou join in the song? Yes, if so be thou hast received Christ in those glorious characters; if, as for this divine purpose He was born in our streets, He is born in Thy hearts also, and formed there the hope of glory. Oh it is a blessed thing to have true scriptural views of the Lord Jesus, and so to receive Him, as Jehovah hath sent Him forth, the Christ of God. Amen. –Robert Hawker *****
Conditional Election? There is an unsound doctrine which has been around for years and years and has been trumpeted as truth while being unsound and contrary to scripture. It is called conditional election. Augustus Toplady dealt with it in a sermon years ago, and this error is still with us today. Today this error is taught in this way; it is stated like this: "God looked down through time and chose a people based upon who would choose Him." Nothing like that quote even appears in scripture, yet it is taught as truth while being error. As a matter of fact, the Bible declares there is none who seek after God (Romans 3:11), and there is none righteous (Romans 3:10); we are sinners to the core by birth, nature and choice. Conditional election is nothing but works-based doctrine as it is based upon man choosing God before God can choose them. It makes man sovereign and God at his beck and call.
Make no mistake, the God of the Bible is absolutely sovereign in providence and in grace. He chooses to do what He wills on earth and in the heavens, and none can stop him or question what He does. The very fact that we breathe and have air to breathe is by the mercy of God. That which is called conditional election runs so contrary to what the scripture really says. Here is what the Bible says: And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work (Romans 11:6). Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6).
Here is a quote from Toplady's on conditional election: "Quite opposite is the decision of inspiration (Romans 11:6); where the apostle terms Gods choice of His people an election of grace, or a gratuitous election: and observes, that if it be of grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace were no more grace: but if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise, work were no more work. Conditional grace is a most palpable contradiction in terms. Grace is no longer grace than while it is absolute and free. You might, with far greater ease, bring the two poles together, than effect a coalition between grace and works in the affair of election. As far, and as high, as the heavens are above the earth, are the imminent acts of God superior to a dependence on anything wrought by sinful, perishable man."
If we are ever saved, it is not by our works, it is by the grace of God in Christ who died the sinners substitute before the law and justice of God on Calvary's tree. Oh may God give you the grace to look to Christ by faith. --Pastor Wayne Boyd
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