Call To Worship

Mercy speaks by Jesus' blood;
Hear and sing, ye sons of God;
Justice satisfied indeed;
Christ has full atonement made.

Jesus' blood speaks loud and sweet;
Here all Deity can meet,
And, without a jarring voice,
Welcome Zion to rejoice.

Should the law against her roar,
Jesus' blood still speaks with power,
"All her debts were cast on me,
And she must and shall go free."

Peace of conscience, peace with God,
We obtain through Jesus' blood;
Jesus' blood speaks solid rest;
WE BELIEVE, AND WE ARE BLEST.

(Words by William Gadsby)
(Tune: "Depth Of Mercy", pg.233)

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Remember In Prayer This Week:
Tracey Riedstra; Gina and Graham Dison; Kim Mullings;
Pam Austin; Sarah Caniano; Judy Ward; Leroy Moore; Stanley Dison;
Monica Aaron; Tye Wilson; Lael Pedersen; Devonne Lewis; Jackie Gaddis;
Dusty Adams;Ashton Ward; Rayna Kay Bartley; Diane Balsamo;
ALL THE BRETHREN effected by this virus

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A Note From The Pastor
While I am so thankful that our Lord had graciously opened the door for us to live stream our services, nothing is the same as the local assembly of the fellowship of the saints. I have truly missed each and every one of you, being brought to a keen awareness of the importance of fellowship and interaction with those of "like precious faith". May we grow together in an understanding of how fragile this life is, and how gracious God has been to us in giving us a local assembly of saints who believe and love God's Gospel. and the Christ declared in that SAME GOSPEL.

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Happy Birthday This Week:

Kenny Dyess - May 22

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"Justified By An Imputed Righteousness"

The majority of religious people have no idea that the doctrine of justification by an imputed righteousness represents the foundational truth of Biblical Christianity. Most people I encounter don't even know the words "impute" or "imputed" are Scriptural words. Modern religion has convinced lost religious men and women that God has changed the way He deals with men; therefore we have to change our approach to reach lost sinners. Most religion no longer emphasizes the Doctrines of Grace, but have replaced doctrine with emotionalism and sentimentalism. It seems like doctrine (Scriptural teaching) is a dirty word to this generation. Sadly, most people would rather sing, or give testimonies, or be entertained, than hear about the glorious Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. They choose a Church based on what entertainment it provides for their children, or what social advantages it provides them as adults, as opposed to those doctrines which glorify God as a "just God and a Savior", exalt Christ as the ONLY Savior of sinners, and exclude all boasting in human flesh.

To keep it as simple as I can, the sinner's justification before God (being declared legally righteous, having both the penalty, guilt, and defilement of sin eternally removed) , can only be accomplished in one way-"For He (God the Father) hath made Him (Christ the Son) to be sin for us (God's elect), who knew no sin (this refers ONLY to Christ); that we (God's elect) might be made the righteousness of God in Him (Christ the Son)."(II Cor.5:21) In what way could Christ be "MADE" sin by the Father? We know Christ was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens."(Heb.7:26) He never thought an evil thought or performed an evil deed while in the flesh. Even when they hated Him without a cause and nailed Him to the cross, He "loved His neighbor (including His worst enemy) as Himself." The ONLY WAY He could be "made sin" and still be our Savior was through the elect's sins (ALL OF THEM) being IMPUTED (legally reckoned or charged) to Christ-"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."(I Pet.2:24) Now in the same way that Christ was "MADE SIN", i.e., by a legal transaction where God charged all the sins of God's elect to Christ, requiring from Christ as their Sin-bearer the full penalty for their debt ("The wages of sin are death" - Rom.6:23), all God's elect were at the Cross, "made the righteousness of God in Him.", i.e., by a legal transaction, God the Father charged all the merit of Christ's perfect righteousness as the sinner's Substitute to the account of ALL GOD'S ELECT- "Even as David also describeth the blessedness (eternal happiness) of the man, unto whom God imputeth (legally reckoned) righteousness WITHOUT WORKS." (Rom.4:6) How important is this truth? Any sinner who is ignorant of it or who will not submit to it are at present in a state of lostness-Read Rom.10:1-4 prayerfully. God help you to rest in Christ's righteousness imputed as your ONLY HOPE of justification.

Bro.Richard

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"Day By Day" by J.C.Philpot

It seems as if we needed day by day to be taught over and over again our own sinfulness, weakness, and helplessness—and that none but Jesus can do us any real good. True religion is not like any art or science which, when once learned, is learned forever—but is a thing which we are ever forgetting—and ever learning over and over again.

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A Sinless Nature or Righteousness Imputed?

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.".I John 3:9

When I read that "whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin", I wonder how this can be. I hear different ones explaining their theories that if born again, there is a "sinless righteousness" that we have that is created in us, that does not sin. However, as I have questioned these about this, I can never get a straight answer as to exactly how this keeps me from sinning. Some say that it is by this "imparted righteousness" that we can actually love God as we ought, and to pray, witness, believe, etc. And yet, when I ask those who claim to have such a nature to tell me one instance where they have prayed a sinless prayer, or done a perfect work, or believed as they ought, they "hem and haw." For any who are honest and indeed troubled by their sin, I believe there is a clearer explanation that John is writing of, under the inspiration of the Spirit. He wrote earlier in I John 1:9 that if we say that we have not sinned [having sinned in Adam with continuing ongoing effects], we make God a liar. Then again in I John 2:1, John affirms the necessity of Christ's ongoing role as Advocate because of our bent to sin. If there were a sinless nature imparted to us at regeneration, what then would be the need for Christ's ongoing advocacy? Why the call of scripture to be transformed by the RENEWING OF OUR MIND, in Romans 12:2?