May 19
15
We welcome you to our Grace Bible Conference. The first grace conference
was held in Acts 15. Some men who claimed to believe added the necessity
of the works of the law to faith in Christ. Paul and Barnabas told the
church at Jerusalem of this and here is what was concluded by Peter as
the spokesman of the church…“Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a
yoke on the disciples which neither we nor our fathers were able to
bear. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we
will be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:10-11). They, the Gentile
believers, will not be saved like us. We will be saved like them. This
could be translated…We have been saved, we are being saved, and we will
be saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s grace is saving
grace. God’s grace saves all He intends to save by it. His grace elects
who would be saved before time began, His grace redeems and justifies
all for whom Christ died. His grace regenerates, preserves, and
glorifies all of those God elected and Christ died for. This is not
reformed doctrine. The Truth never needed reformed. This is not
Calvinism. This is the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To omit
any of this is to fail to preach the saving grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ. May God bless us with His presence, and may we be given ears to
hear and hearts to receive His Word. The only word I love more than
grace is the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Todd Nibert.???
There are two systems under which all men look the same – the law and
grace. All who are under the law look the same: guilty. So their end is
the same: destruction. All who are under grace look the same: righteous.
So their end is the same: blessing. – Joe Terrell
The man who measures things by the circumstances of the hour is filled
with fear; the man who
sees Jehovah enthroned and governing has no panic. – G. Campbell Morgan
Two Things Always Happen
When the Gospel is preached, there are two things always taking place
(even though most are unaware of it); some are being prepared for glory,
others are being hardened. Some are being brought to the light; some are
left sitting in darkness. Some see Christ and His glory; others see no
beauty about Him. Some who hear the Gospel have their hearts made tender
towards sin; others have their hearts hardened in sin. No wonder we say,
“Who is sufficient for these things?” The question we should all be
asking is, “How is the preaching of the Gospel affecting me?”
~Don Bell
God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of
grace he requires no more than he gives, but gives what he requires, and
accepts what he gives.” ~Richard Sibbes
There are really only two religions in the world. One of Cain and the
other of Abel. One of Ishmael and the other of Isaac. One of Esau and
the other of Jacob. One of law and the other of promise. One of Mount
Sinai and the other of Mount Calvary. One condemns, the other finds no
fault. One leads to bondage, the other to freedom. One tendeth to death,
the other to life. One of weakness, the other of power. One of merit,
the other of mercy. One of the weakness of the letter, the other of the
power of the Spirit. ~Copied
“He that believeth on the Son HATH EVERLASTING LIFE”–
John 3:36
The text does not say, “He that believeth on the Son SHALL HAVE
LIFE”, but rather. . . “HATH LIFE”. He that believeth already has
eternal life. That is why he believeth! Faith is proof of life. Just as
a dead man cannot breathe, neither can a dead sinner believe. Just as a
dead man cannot speak, neither can a dead sinner call on the Lord. Just
as a dead man cannot see, hear nor feel, neither can a dead sinner see
God’s glory, hear God’s Word, nor feel his need of Christ. Just as
natural life begins at conception, even so, spiritual life begins when
the Seed or Word of God is conceived in the heart by the Spirit of God.
And that Word is of Christ, the Word incarnate. That Word planted in the
heart is the life-giving gospel of Christ. That gospel takes root in the
heart, breaks the heart over sin, fills the heart with “new things”,
i.e., love for God, love for Christ, longings for God, Christ,
salvation; yes, SPIRITUAL LIFE has begun, “a new creature” has been
formed much like that new fetus in a mother’s womb.
You see, faith is not life giving, but proof of life. Faith is not a
work for salvation, but a work of salvation. Faith is not what saves us,
but is certain proof God has saved us. Faith is not a condition we meet,
but the condition God’s Spirit puts in us to “make us meet” (Col.1:12).
Is all this important? Do we split theological hairs here? NO! NO! For
the Glory of God is at stake! That other (false) gospel says faith is
man’s work, man’s will. But no, faith is “not of yourselves, it is the
gift of God” (Eph.2:8). Faith is “according to the working of His mighty
power” (Eph.1:19). Therefore, it is “to the praise of the glory of His
grace” (Eph.1:6) . . . and not rather “to the praise of our faith.”
~Paul Mahan
Having religion is one thing, but knowing and walking with Christ is
different! Having religion – the world understands and tolerates. But
free grace – the world neither understands nor tolerates! Any two
religious errors can walk together, and permit them both to exist! But
the truth of God’s grace cannot exist with error – for one always must
go! – Henry Mahan
When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be
done away.” – I Corinthians 13:10
When the “Perfect Man” comes, only then shall we see Him as He is and be
made like Him. In the meantime, our faith is mixed with unbelief. Our
love is mixed with selfishness. Our understanding is mixed with
ignorance. Our sorrow for sin is shallow. Our worship falls so far short
of its mark. Our experience of peace is fraught with fear. Our joy is
mixed with sorrow. Truly, “Now we see through a glass darkly…”
Here is our hope brethren… Faith does not look to our experience in
these graces for the hope of our salvation. Oh no! Faith looks to that
Perfect Man in whom all these spiritual graces are full and complete.
May we rest the hope of our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ who
stands in our stead before Almighty God. “Wherefore, He is able to save
them to the uttermost (perfectly) that come unto God by Him, seeing He
ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). – Greg Elmquist
A Holy and Royal Priesthood
1 Peter 2: 5, 9
Christ our High Priest has not only made believers a “holy priesthood”
but Christ our King has also made us a “royal priesthood.” (1 Peter 2:
9; Revelation 1: 6; 5: 10.) What is the significance of that? As royalty
we have free access to his throne of grace and as holy priests we are
accepted in the holiest of all (Hebrews 4: 16; 10: 19-22.)
Clay Curtis.
A doctrine is not true because I believe it or because you believe it;
it is true only if God says it! I do not ask whether you believe what I
preach; perhaps you do not. But I ask you to search the Scriptures and
determine whether these things be so. I am not afraid to submit my
belief in God’s immutable sovereignty, man’s total fall and ruin, God’s
elective grace, Christ’s effectual atonement, the Spirit’s invincible
call, and the perseverance of the sheep to the Word of God. – Henry Mahan
“COMFORT YE, COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE, SAITH YOUR GOD”
Isaiah 40:1
This is the charge which God gives to all who preach the gospel. The
prophets of God are preeminently messengers of comfort (Isa. 52:7). We
come to men in the name of God and proclaim, to all who will receive it,
a message of blessed comfort in Jesus Christ.
Here is a word of comfort: THE GREAT GOD CALLS US “MY PEOPLE”! All men
and women belong to God. He who created us owns us. But there are some
people in this world who are especially loved of God and belong to him,
as children to a father, as a wife to her husband. God says, of all who
are saved by his grace, you are “my people”. We belong to him by special
election, by particular purchase, by gracious regeneration, by his
distinguishing call, by the faith which he has given us, and by the bond
of love which he has created.
It would seem that nothing could be more blessed than this: God says of
us, you are “my people”. Yet, here is something even more blessed and
comforting: THE ETERNAL, SOVEREIGN, TRIUNE GOD SAYS TO US, I AM “YOUR
GOD”! The almighty, infinite, incomprehensible God condescends to be the
personal possession of every believing sinner! He is God. I rejoice in
that. But he is MY GOD! That gives me comfort. Child of God, try to get
a heart grip of this truth: God almighty is YOUR GOD!
And OUR GREAT GOD DESIRES AND DELIGHTS IN THE COMFORT OF HIS PEOPLE!
Just as a father finds happiness in the comfort of his children, our
Father delights in our comfort. He sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
into the world to comfort mourning sinners (Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:17-21).
The primary office work of the Holy Spirit in this world is that of a
Comforter (John 14:16; 16:7). Our heavenly Father sovereignly arranges
all the affairs of providence for the spiritual, eternal comfort of his
people. Let every believer grasp this blessed truth: our great God
delights in our comfort (John 14:1-3).
Don Fortner
TRUE SHARING
I don’t believe any verse of Scripture can be fully understood without
an understanding of eternal union of every elect believer to the Lord
Jesus Christ. Let’s look at just two verses in the light of union with
Christ to show what I mean.
In Psalm 40:12, David writes, “Mine iniquities have taken hold upon
me….”, yet in Psalm 7:8, David writes, “Judge me, O Lord, according to
my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.” On the
surface, most people would see David in Psalm 40 struggling with his
sins, feeling they are too much to overcome…. Yet in Psalm 7, he has
buckled down, gained victory over sin in his life, and has become holy
enough to please God.
Now let’s see what these verses really mean in light of union with
Christ. When nailed to that tree, Christ was the scapegoat of Aaron, and
a complete and total transference of sin and righteousness occurred.
Every single sin of every single elect sinner was transferred into the
body and soul of Christ, and every single righteous act of Christ’s 33
years of perfect law-keeping was transferred into the body and soul of
every believer.
So now the true meaning of Psalm 40:12 can be understood as the words of
Christ on the cross, when God placed the sin of the elect into Christ,
it became His, and He cried, “Mine iniquities have taken hold of me!”
And Psalm 7:8 can be understood as the words of every believer, when God
placed the righteousness of Christ into the body and soul of the elect,
it became theirs, and they cry, “Judge me, O Lord, according to my
righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.”
True sharing is being united to Christ, so that what is mine is His, and
what is His is mine…we are truly one with Christ.
– Brian DuFour