Faith is not our Saviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was not faith that was born at\nBethlehem and died on Golgotha for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was not faith that loved us,\nand gave itself for us; that bore our sins in its own body on the tree; that\ndied and rose again for our sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faith is one thing \u2014 the Saviour\nis another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faith is one thing \u2014 and the\ncross is another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let us not confound them, nor\nascribe to a poor, imperfect act of man \u2014 that which belongs exclusively to the\nSon of the Living God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horatius Bonar<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Enter\nInto Rest” <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hebrews\n4:3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The\ninspired writer declares that “we which have believed do enter\ninto rest.” Believers enter into a blessed fourfold rest by faith in\nChrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WE\nREST OUR SOULS UPON THE EFFICACY OF CHRIST’S BLOOD ATONEMENT (Rom. 8:1,\n34; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7). The shed blood of Christ, the sinner’s\nSubstitute, gives us rest from the guilt of sin and the fear of God’s\nwrath. Nothing can be in two places at one time. If God has laid my sin upon\nChrist, it can never be laid upon me.Justice will not allow the same crime to\nbe twice punished. If the Lord God punished my sins to the full satisfaction of\nhis justice in Christ, my Substitute, he cannot impute sin to me and punish me\nfor it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WE\nREST ALSO UPON THE INFINITE, UNFAILING SUFFICIENCY OF GOD’S SAVING GRACE (II\nCor.12:9; John 10:27-23; Phil. 1:6). The grace of God by which we have\nbeen saved is sufficient to overcome our inbred sins and corruptions,\nsufficient to preserve us in the midst of many and great temptations,\nsufficient to sustain us in trials, sufficient to restore us though we fall\nseven times a day, and sufficient to keep us unto the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WE\nREST OUR LIVES UPON THE GOODNESS OF GOD’S UNIVERSAL PROVIDENCE (Isa. 45:7;\nRom. 8:28; II Cor. 5:18). We find rest, not by arranging the\naffairs of our lives, but by leaving the arrangement of our affairs to our\nheavenly Father who is too wise to err, too strong to fail, too good to do\nwrong, and too gracious to hurt his children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WE\nREST UPON THE INFALLIBILITY OF GOD’S WORD AND THE PROMISES OF IT (Isa. 40:8).\nBecause the Bible is the Word of God, it is infallible. Because it is\ninfallible, its promises are all sure. Three things are promised in the Book of\nGod to every believer which give us rest as we apprehend them by faith: (1) The\nNon-Imputation of Sin (Rom. 4:8), (2) The Resurrection of the Body (I Thess.\n4:13-18), and (3) The Glory of Eternal Bliss in Heaven (John 14:1-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n THERE\nARE SOME PEOPLE WHO MUST ENTER INTO THE REST OF GOD’S EVERLASTING SALVATION IN\nCHRIST (Heb. 4:6). All who were chosen to it must possess it. All for whom it\nwas purchased must enter into it. All who have been called to it by God must\nobtain it. That means that all who trust Christ must enter into his rest. You\ncannot trust him and perish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\nFortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n LABOR TO\nREST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hebrews\n4:11<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-righteousness is the horrid inclination of our proud flesh.\nWe all want to be saved by something we do. Most all religious people talk\nabout grace, and love to sing, \u201cAmazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved\na wretch like me.\u201d But no sinner will naturally give up his own righteousness\nand trust Christ alone for salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n STRIVE\nTO ENTER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If we would rest in Christ alone and be saved by the grace of\nGod that is in him, \u201cwe must lay aside the sin<\/em> (self-righteousness) which\ndoth so easily beset us.<\/em>\u201d We must strive to enter in at the strait gate,\nbecause we all want to walk in the broad way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If we would be saved, we must labor to quit working. We must\nlabor to enter into that great, eternal rest of glory with Christ in heaven.\n\u201c<\/strong>Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/strong>There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.<\/em>\u201d <\/strong>There\nis a great, eternal sabbath to be obtained. In heaven\u2019s glory we will enjoy an\neternal remembrance of redemption, an endless, perfect consecration to Christ,\nand everlasting rest. This is the hope set before us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SOME\nMUST ENTER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some have already entered into that rest. \u201cFor he that is\nentered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from\nhis<\/em>.\u201d I have already shown you how this applies to Christ. But the text\napplies to Christ\u2019s people, too. It speaks of the rest into which God\u2019s elect\nenter by faith here, and in heavenly glory hereafter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many could not enter in because of unbelief. Those who have\nentered in have ceased from their own works. They have quit trusting in\nthemselves. They have quit trying to do something to win God\u2019s favour. There\nare some who \u201cmust enter therein.\u201d <\/em>There is a great multitude,\nchosen in eternity and redeemed at Calvary, who must and shall enter into this\nrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n REST\nOR DEATH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet us therefore labor<\/em> (strive) to enter\ninto that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief!<\/em>\u201d This\nis what Paul speaks of in Philippians 3:7-14. The penalty for not keeping the\nsabbath is still death. We will either rest in Christ or die under the wrath of\nGod (John 3:36).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don Fortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Everlasting Song!<\/strong> You will find no bottom!<\/strong>
\nThe following is from Spurgeon’s sermon,
\n“CHRIST\u2014PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS”
\n
\nIn Christ’s Soul there was an exceeding heaviness even unto
\ndeath, and an agony which no tongue can tell, for we have
\nfound no words in which to speak of it.
\nWe believe that this agony was commensurate with the agonies
\nof the lost in hell- not the same agony, but an equivalent for
\nit; and remember, not the equivalent for the agony of one,
\nbut an Equivalent for the Hells of All That Innumerable Host
\nWhose Sins He Bore, Condensed into One Black Draught to Be
\nDrained in A Few Hours.
\nThe miseries of an eternity without an end, miseries caused by
\na God infinitely angry because of an awful rebellion, and these
\nmiseries multiplied by the millions for whom the man Christ Jesus
\nstood as covenant head.
\nWhat a draught was that, men and brethren!
\nWell might it stagger even him!
\n
\nAnd yet he drained that cup, drained it to
\nits utmost dregs not a drop was left.
\nFor you, my soul, no flames of hell; for Christ
\nthe Paschal-lamb has been roasted in that fire!
\nFor you, my soul, no torments of the damned,
\nfor Christ has been condemned in your stead!
\nFor you, my spirit, no desertion of your God,
\nfor He was forsaken of God for you!
\nIt is done, it is finished, and by your sufferings, Jesus,
\nyou have become perfect as the expiation of your people’s sins.
\n
\nDo, my brethren, remember that your sins are perfectly expiated.
\nDo not let them trouble you as to punishment; the punishment is gone.
\nSins cannot lie in two places at one time- they were put on Christ,
\nand they cannot be on you. In fact, your sins are not to be found-
\nthe scapegoat has gone, and your sins will never be found again.
\nYour sins, if they were searched for, could not be discovered. Not
\neven by the piercing eye of God can a single blemish be found in you!
\n
\nOh! how we will sing, how we will chant his praise when we get
\nto heaven! This shall be the highest note- that we owe ALL to
\nthat bright one, that Lamb in the midst of the throne.
\nWe will tell it over, and over, and over again, and find it an
\ninexhaustible theme for melodious joy and song that He became man,
\nthat He sweat great drops of blood, that He died, that He rose again.
\n
\nWhile the angels are singing “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
\nHallelujah!” we will bid them stop the song a moment, while we say,
\n“He whom you thus adore was once covered with bloody sweat.”
\nAs we cast our crowns at his feet, we will say, “And He was once
\ndespised and rejected of men.” Lifting up our eyes and saluting Him
\nas God over all, blessed for ever, we will remember the reed, the
\nsponge, the vinegar, and the nails; and as we come to Him and have
\nfellowship with him, and He shall lead us beside the living fountains
\nof water, we will remember the black brook of Kedron of which he drank,
\nand the awful depths of the grave into which He descended.
\n
\nAmid all the splendours of heaven, we shall never forget His agony,
\nand misery. And when we sing the loudest sonnets of God’s love,
\nand power, and grace, we will sing this after all, and before all,
\nand above all- that Jesus the Son of God died for US, and this
\nshall be Our Everlasting Song \u2014
\n“He loved us and gave himself for us, and we have washed
\nour robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n(“Every Day!” Author unknown, 1872)
\n
\n“He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities.
\n The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are\nhealed.” Isaiah 53:5
\n
\nDwell, my soul, with wonder and adoration on the glorious grace of your great\nSubstitute. Perfectly pure and innocent-He took the place of the guilty, and\npaid the penalty of the broken law! To redeem us from its curse-He was made a\ncurse for us! In the foresight of all He would have to endure as the Substitute\nof transgressors-He came willingly from the throne of His glory, and “took\nupon Him the form of a servant, and became obedient unto death, even the death\nof the cross!”
\n
\nWith what clearness is the great truth of the substitution <\/em>of\nChrist stated in the Word of God:
\n“Christ died for <\/em>the ungodly!”
\n“He was delivered for <\/em>our offences.”
\n“He gave Himself for <\/em>our sins.”
\n“He has once suffered for <\/em>sins, the just for the\nunjust.”
\n“Who His own self bore our <\/em>sins in His own body on the\ntree.”
\n
\nThe guilt <\/em>of all who believe in Christ was imputed to Him-and\nHis perfect obedience<\/em> is imputed to them. God “made Him\nwho knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of\nGod in Him.”
\n
\nDwell, my soul, upon the grace of the precious Saviour. Drop your\nsounding line into this depth of redeeming love<\/em>-but you will find\nno bottom!<\/strong> No! not while you live here, or dwell in the realms of\nglory-for the love of Christ surpasses knowledge!
\n
\n“May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length\nand depth and heigh; to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that\nye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:18-19<\/p>\n\n\n\n