Sep 23
7
Election Perverted
Some say God looked down to see if you would believe and saw that you would. So, He elected you to salvation in Jesus Christ. What is said here amounts to this; God saw you would do something, then He predestinated you to do it after He saw you would. That would be the most dishonest thing in the world. God would be taking credit for something He did not do. Pastor Scott Richardson
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” – I Timothy 2:5
I must approach unto God by Christ Jesus because I am unholy. God must approach unto me by Christ Jesus because HE IS HOLY. In Christ Jesus, I, a poor sinner, and God, a Holy and Heavenly Father, have an honest and sincere communion one with another. His holiness is not violated and my sin is not imputed but all is washed away. Oh, sweet fellowship! Oh, holy union! Oh, easy walk! Oh, joyous friendship! Oh, happy me! (I John 1:7)
Pastor Bruce Crabtree
“ …‘draw’ means to ‘drag’… ”
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)
No man can come to Christ except God the Father draw him. The reason a man can’t come is because he is dead in trespasses and sin.
Did you know that the Greek word for “draw” means to “drag?” I understand that God will not drag any man to heaven’s glory, kicking and screaming against his will. God simply makes the chosen sinner willing in the day of His power (Psalms 110:3). But the only two ways to bring or take a dead man with you somewhere, is to drag him or give him life. Thank God, that in Christ, God draws us by the cords of His love, power and grace and gives us spiritual life through a new birth. The saved sinner is made able and willing only because they are made alive unto God (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Pastor David Eddmenson
Naked Before God
It is only when we are stripped of all of nature’s ornaments that God can deal with us. A naked sinner can be clothed, but a sinner dressed up, fit to kill in his own ornaments, must be stripped. This is always true. We must be stripped of all that pertains to self before we can be clothed with that which pertains to God. Bro. Scott Richardson
“When Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed.” Isaiah 53:10.
OUR Lord Jesus has not died in vain. His death was sacrificial: he died as our substitute, because death was the penalty of our sins; and because his substitution was accepted of God, he has saved those for whom he made his soul a sacrifice. By death he became like the corn of wheat which brings forth much fruit. There must be a succession of children unto Jesus; he is, “the Father of the everlasting age.” He shall say, “Behold, I and the children whom you have given me.”
A man is honored in his sons, and Jesus has his quiver full of these arrows of the mighty. A man is represented in his children, and so is the Christ in Christians. In his seed a man’s life seems to be prolonged and extended; and so is the life of Jesus continued in believers.
Jesus lives, for he sees his seed. He fixes his eye on us, he delights in us, he recognizes us as the fruit of his soul travail. Let us be glad that our Lord does not fail to enjoy the result of his dread sacrifice, and that he will never cease to feast his eyes upon the harvest of his death. Those eyes which once wept for us, are now viewing us with pleasure. Yes, he looks upon those who are looking unto him. Our eyes meet! What joy is this!
C.H.Spurgeon
“I am come a light into the world, that whoever believes on me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46.
THIS world is dark as midnight; Jesus has come that by faith we may have light, and may no longer sit in the gloom which covers all the rest of mankind.
Whoever is a very wide term: it means you and me. If we trust in Jesus we shall no more sit in the dark shadow of death, but shall enter into the warm light of a day which shall never end. Why do we not come out into the light at once?
A cloud may sometimes hover over us, but we shall not abide in darkness if we believe in Jesus. He has come to give us broad daylight. Shall he come in vain? If we have faith we have the privilege of sunlight: let us enjoy it. From the night of natural depravity, of ignorance, of doubt, of despair, of sin, of dread, Jesus has come to set us free; and all believers shall know that he no more comes in vain than the sun rises and fails to scatter his heat and light.
Shake off your depression, dear brother. Abide not in the dark, but abide in the light. In Jesus is your hope, your joy, your Heaven. Look to him, to him only, and you shall rejoice as the birds rejoice at sunrise, and as the angels rejoice before the throne.
C.H.Spurgeon
“He hath cast out thine enemy.” Zephaniah 3:15.
WHAT a casting out was that! Satan has lost his throne in our nature even as he lost his seat in Heaven. Our Lord Jesus has destroyed the enemy’s reigning power over us. He may worry us, but he cannot claim us as his own. His bonds are no longer upon our spirits: the Son has made us free, and we are free indeed.
Still is the arch-enemy the accuser of the brethren; but even from this position our Lord has driven him. Our advocate silences our accuser. The Lord rebukes our enemies, and pleads the causes of our soul, so that no harm comes of all the devil’s revilings.
As a tempter, the evil spirit still assails us, and insinuates himself into our minds; but thence also is he cast out as to his former preeminence. He wriggles about like a serpent, but he cannot rule like a sovereign. He hurls in blasphemous thoughts when he has opportunity; but what a relief it is when he is told to be quiet, and is made to slink off like a whipped cur! Lord, do this for any who are at this time worried and wearied by his barkings. Cast out their enemy, and be you glorious in their eyes. You have cast him down, Lord, cast him out. Oh that you would banish him from the world!
C.H.Spurgeon
What Happened At Calvary?
John 12:31-33
Certainly it is not possible for me to state in a few brief lines all that took place when Jesus Christ suffered in our stead at Mount Calvary. But our Lord does tell us plainly that three things definitely occurred as the result of His death.
1. THE CROSS OF CHRIST WAS THE
JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD.
The
world was judged for sin. The world was proven to be guilty and sinful. The
world was found guilty of hating God. When the pure, holy, and spotless Son of
God came to the earth, the men of this world crucified the Lord of glory with
wicked hands.
2. BY HIS DEATH UPON THE CROSS, OUR
LORD SPOILED SATAN OF HIS UNIVERSAL MONARCHY.
The first Adam, by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, was cast out of Paradise. The Second Adam, by dying upon the cursed tree, cast Satan out of his place of usurped dominion. By virtue of his death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ has crushed the Serpent’s head. He no longer has power to accuse us; neither does he have power against us.
3. BY HIS DEATH UPON THE CROSS, JESUS CHRIST HAS BECOME THE CENTRE OF ATTRACTION AND THE OBJECT OF FAITH FOR PERISHING SINNERS.
The boundaries of God’s kingdom have been enlarged to include Gentiles as well as Jews. Now, the crucified, risen, exalted Christ draws sinners from the four corners of the earth, through the preaching of the gospel. He draws sinners who could not come and who would not come to himself. He draws them lovingly and tenderly. And, blessed be his name, he draws them effectually. It is the crucified Christ who conquers the hearts and wills of men. The terrors of the law will alarm you. The fear of hell will torment your mind. But, if ever you get sight of the Son of God dying in your stead, he will break your heart and conquer your will.
Don Fortner
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32.
COME, you workers, be encouraged. You fear that you cannot draw a congregation. Try the preaching of a crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour; for this is the greatest “draw” that was ever yet manifested among men. What drew you to Christ but Christ? What draws you to him now but his own blessed self? If you have been drawn to religion by anything else, you will soon be drawn away from it; but Jesus has held you, and will hold you even to the end. Why, then, doubt his power to draw others? Go with the name of Jesus to those who have hitherto been stubborn, and see if it does not draw them.
No sort of man is beyond this drawing power. Old and young, rich and poor, ignorant and learned, depraved or amiable—all men shall feel the attractive force. Jesus is the one magnet. Let us not think of any other. Music will not draw to Jesus, neither will eloquence, logic, ceremonial, or noise. Jesus himself must draw men to himself; and Jesus is quite equal to the work in every case. Be not tempted by the quackeries of the day; but as workers for the Lord work in his own way, and draw with the Lord’s own cords. Draw to Christ, and draw by Christ, for then Christ will draw by you.
C.H.Spurgeon
“My Gospel”
“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” (Romans 2:16)
Without question, there is only one true gospel. Every other gospel is a false gospel. Those who preach a false gospel are false prophets; and those who believe a false gospel are yet lost, under the wrath and curse of God (Read Galatians 1:6-8). Serious as that charge is, it cannot be ignored or denied.
That one true gospel, the gospel of God, is the gospel of salvation by grace alone. By that statement I mean that salvation comes to helpless, depraved, lost and justly condemned sinners only by God’s sovereign, eternal election (Ephesians 1:3-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; John 15:16), Christ’s particular, effectual, substitutionary redemption of his people (Isaiah 53:8-11; John 10:11, 15; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:12) and the Holy Spirit’s irresistible, effectual call and omnipotent, regenerating grace (Psalm 65:4; 110:3; John 6: 63; Romans 9:16). Salvation is the free, unconditional gift of God’s eternal, immutable grace. It is not in anyway determined by or dependent upon the will, works or worth of the sinner (2 Timothy 1:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 9:11-16).
I once received a letter from a lady who asked, “How can I be sure the gospel you preach is the only true gospel?” That is a fair, honest, and reasonable question. It is a question you would be wise to ask and a question every preacher should be required to answer. This is my answer: I know that the gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone is the only true gospel because…
1. This is the only gospel revealed in all the Holy Scriptures (Luke 24:44-47; Acts 13:38-39).
2. This is the only gospel that glorifies God in all his holy attributes (Romans 3:24-26; Psalm 85:10-11)
3. This is the only gospel that honors, magnifies and satisfies all the demands of God’s holy law (Romans 3:31).
4. This is the only gospel that offers hope to helpless, guilty sinners who can do nothing for themselves (Ephesians 2:1-5).
5. This is the only gospel that gives all the glory of salvation to the triune God alone (1 Corinthians 1:29-31).
6. This is the only gospel that completely forbids the boasting of the flesh (Psalm 115:1).
7. This is the only gospel that compels saved sinners to consecrate themselves to God with grateful, devoted hearts (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 19-20).
This is, as Paul put it, “my gospel.” It is the gospel I believe, the gospel by which I am saved and the gospel I preach incessantly. — “Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed!”
Don FortnerThe cross has not
become obsolete!
(Horatius Bonar, “The Surety’s
Cross”)
“For the
preaching of the cross is foolishness to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1
Corinthians 1:18
The whole world
looked with contempt—indignant at the audacity of a few humble Christians, thus
. . .
affronting and
defying the “public opinion” of nations and ages;
assailing the
religions of earth with the cross as their only sword;
striking down
their idols with this as their only hammer; and
with this, as
their one lever, proposing to turn the world upside down!
From that day the
cross became “a power” in the earth; a power which went forth, like
the light—noiselessly yet irresistibly—smiting down all religions alike, all
shrines alike, all altars alike—sparing no superstition nor philosophy.
This power remains—in
its mystery, its silence, its influence, it remains. The cross has not
become obsolete! The preaching of the cross has not ceased to be
powerful and effectual!
There are those who
would persuade us that, in this modern age—the cross is out of date and out of
fashion, time-worn. But this does not shake us. It only leads us to clasp the
cross more fervently, and to study it more profoundly, as embodying in itself
that gospel which is at once the wisdom and the power of God.
Yet the cross is not
without its mysteries:
It
illuminates—yet it darkens.
It is life—yet
it is death.
It is
honour—yet it is shame.
It is
wisdom—but also foolishness.
The cross is . . .
both pardon,
and condemnation;
both strength,
and weakness;
both joy, and
sorrow;
both love, and
hatred;
both medicine,
and poison;
both hope, and
despair.
The cross is Christ’s
humiliation—yet it is His exaltation!
The cross is Satan’s
victory—yet it is Satan’s defeat!
The cross is the gate
of Heaven—and the gate of Hell!
The cross is the key
. . .
to God’s
character,
to God’s Word,
to God’s ways,
to God’s
purposes.
The cross is the
summary of all the Bible—the epitome of Scripture Revelation