{"id":6860,"date":"2025-06-24T10:37:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T10:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6860"},"modified":"2025-06-24T10:37:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T10:37:18","slug":"bulletin-edition-june-2025-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6860","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition June 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Three\nWitnesses to the Believer\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saving\nInterest in Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 John 5:8<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, the\nWater <\/em>(the Word), and the blood: and these three agree in\none.\u201d <\/em>The witnesses to Christ\u2019s deity are first, the Word, then the\nblood, and then the Spirit. The witnesses to redemption\u2019s accomplishment are\nfirst, the Father, then the Son, and then the Spirit. The witnesses to our\nsaving interest in Christ are first, the Spirit, then the Word, and then the\nblood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. A saving knowledge of Christ begins with the revelation of\nthe Spirit <\/strong>(1 Corinthians 2:9-10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 No one on earth can know and be firmly persuaded that he\nis one of God\u2019s elect, one of those for whom Christ died, but by the special\nrevelation of God the Holy Spirit. No man can, or should convince another of\nhis salvation in Christ. Only the Spirit of God can convince (John 16:8-14).\nAnd if he convinces, you are convinced. He is called the Comforter, because he\nconveys to our hearts the comfort of our election, redemption, salvation, and\neternal acceptance with God. \u2014 \u201cFor as many as are led by the Sprit of\nGod, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage\nagain to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,\nAbba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are\nthe children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs\nwith Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified\ntogether\u201d <\/em>(Romans 8:14-17). At the time appointed, he manifests the\nglory of Christ\u2019s Person and the merits of his work, creating faith in the\nhearts of elect sinners (2 Corinthians 4:6; Galatians 1:15; 2 Timothy 1:9-10;\nTitus 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:18-20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. This saving knowledge of Christ is based upon the record\nof the written Word of God, symbolised by water <\/strong>(Titus\n3:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The Spirit never operates independently of his written\nWord. He reveals Christ supernaturally in the hearts of men. But he reveals\nChrist only through the instrumentality of gospel preaching. He takes the\nrecord of God in his Word and makes it the voice of God in a man\u2019s heart! He\ndeclares in our hearts that our redemption is accomplished by Christ\u2019s\nobedience and death as our Substitute (Hebrews 9:12-14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. This saving knowledge of Christ is neither more nor less than\nfaith in his blood.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith is the echo of my heart to the voice of God\u2019s Spirit\nspeaking to me by the gospel. The warrant of my faith is the Word of God alone.\nAnd the warrant of my assurance is faith alone (1 John 5:9-13). Faith fetches\nfull assurance to the believer\u2019s heart, not from within, but from without, from\nthe precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the naked Word of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Don Fortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“But God forbid that\nI should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world\nis crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”<\/em><\/strong> Galatians\n6:14<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

J.C.Philpot<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An experimental knowledge of\ncrucifixion with his crucified Lord made Paul preach the cross, not only in its\npower to save, but in its power to sanctify. But as then, so now, this\npreaching of the cross, not only as the meritorious cause of all salvation, but\nas the instrumental cause of all sanctification, is “to those who perish\nfoolishness.” As men have found out some other way of salvation than by\nthe blood of the cross, so have they discovered some other way of holiness than\nby the power of the cross; or rather have altogether set aside obedience,\nfruitfulness, self-denial, mortification of the deeds of the body, crucifixion\nof the flesh and of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremes are said to meet; and\ncertainly men of most opposite sentiments may unite in despising the cross and\ncounting it foolishness. The Arminian despises it for justification, and the\nAntinomian for sanctification. “Believe and be holy,” is as strange a\nsound to the latter as “Believe and be saved” to the former. But,\n“Without holiness no man shall see the Lord,” is as much written on\nthe portal of life as, “By grace are you saved through faith.”\nThrough the cross, that is, through union and communion with him who suffered\nupon it, not only is there a fountain opened for all sin, but for all\nuncleanness. Blood and water gushed from the side of Jesus when pierced by the\nRoman spear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This fountain so dear,\nhe’ll freely impart;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlocked by the spear, it\ngushed from the heart,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With blood and with water; the\nfirst to atone,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To cleanse us the latter; the\nfountain’s but one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Hart<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“All my springs are in\nyou,” said the man after God’s own heart; and well may we re-echo his\nwords. All our springs, not only of pardon and peace, acceptance and\njustification–but of happiness and holiness, of wisdom and strength, of\nvictory over the world, of mortification of a body of sin and death, of every\nfresh revival and renewal of hope and confidence; of all prayer and praise; of\nevery new budding forth of the soul, as of Aaron’s rod, in blossom and fruit;\nof every gracious feeling, spiritual desire, warm supplication, honest\nconfession, melting contrition, and godly sorrow for sin–all these springs of\nthat life which is hidden with Christ in God are in a crucified Lord. Thus\nChrist crucified is, “to those who are saved, the power of God.” And\nas he “is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and\nredemption,” at the cross alone can we be made wise unto salvation, become\nrighteous by a free justification, receive of his Spirit to make us holy, and\nbe redeemed and delivered by blood and power from sin, Satan, death, and hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Lord God is\na Sun.”\u2014Psalm 84:11<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sun, the noblest object in\nthe material works of God, is here enlisted to represent our Lord. In its\nbeauty and in its effects, whether seen by the eye, or felt in its results, it\nteaches largely. It shines not in vain on the terrestrial globe. May it not\nshine in vain, as spiritual instruction! Arise, O Sun of Righteousness!\nabundant source of joy and gladness, and enlighten our minds by the inspiration\nof Your rays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the firmament above, one\nsun<\/strong> meets our view. From the day in which the Creator’s hand hung out\nthis lamp of light, it has admitted no equal or compeer. Lesser luminaries have\nindeed glittered, deriving their lustre from this centre; but its seat has\nalways been supreme. No competitor disputes its reign. To this day it rules\nunrivalled. And the same sun, which gladdened our first parents, shall display\nits brightness to the last descendant of the race of man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, in the scheme of\nredemption, there is but one Saviour<\/strong>, the Lord Jesus Christ.\n“As there is one body, and one Spirit, as we are called in one hope of our\ncalling, so also there is one Lord.” (Eph. 4:4) “There is one God,\nand one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5)\nVast is the family of adopting grace; many sons in faith cry “Abba,\nFather.” Through union with the Lord of Life many are made “heirs of\nGod, and joint-heirs with Christ;” but Jesus alone sits on salvation’s\nthrone. The truth is gloriously established: “Neither is there salvation\nin any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby\nwe must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) A world of lost sinners has one need; one\nSaviour comes rich to supply. Much is required; one is granted in whom\nsufficiency abounds. Jesus is the one. “As by one man’s disobedience many\nwere made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made\nrighteous.” (Rom. 5:19)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the sun is seen by its own\nlight, so Christ reveals not perils only, but HIMSELF. He shows His cross\u2014the\nglorious proof of boundless love. He shows His blood\u2014the precious payment of\nall debts. He discloses the treasures of His word. Then testimonies, and\npromises, and endearing calls, and soothing notes of comfort, spring into\nbrilliant life, as beauties in the sun-lit landscape. He draws back the\ncurtains of His heavens, and we see a reconciled God, and catch the glimpses of\na weight of glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry Law<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n<\/strong>\u201cIt is Done!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revelation 21:6<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How often have you been asked, \u201cWhat is the difference between\nyour religion and mine?\u201d The answer is found in these three words \u2014 \u201cIt is\ndone!<\/em>\u201d All false religion tells sinners to do something for God. The gospel\nof Christ declares, \u201cIt is done!<\/em>\u201d The gospel of Christ is good news to\nsinners who can do nothing for themselves, because it declares that the whole\nwork of grace is done. The whole business of making all things new, the entire\nwork of salvation is finished. \u2014 \u201cIt is done!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Done<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was done before the world began. All the blessings of grace\nand salvation were fully given to God\u2019s elect in Christ before the world began\n(Ephesians 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:9). In him, according to God\u2019s everlasting purpose\nof grace, we were predestinated, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified\nfrom eternity (Romans 8:28-30). The Word of God declares, \u201cThe works were\nfinished before the foundation of the world<\/em>\u201d (Hebrews 4:3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work was done when Christ\ndied.When our Savior cried, \u201cIt is finished\u201d <\/em>(John\n19:30), he declared that the whole work of righteousness and redemption, the\nwhole accomplishment of God\u2019s will by which we are sanctified and made perfect\n(Hebrews 10:5-14) was done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work is done when the chosen,\nredeemed sinner believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.Our faith adds\nnothing to what Christ has done. Faith receives Christ and all that he has\ndone. Yet, no one has any right to claim Christ and the grace of God in him\nuntil he believes. \u2014 \u201cHe that believeth on the Son hath everlasting\nlife: and he that believeth not the Son of God shall not see life; but the\nwrath of God abideth on him\u201d <\/em>(John 3:36). If you believe on Christ,\nyou are a new creature in Christ. Your faith in him is the fruit of his\ncreation, the gift of his grace, and the evidence of your election, redemption,\nand calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Done by Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord Jesus declares, \u201cI am Alpha and Omega, the\nBeginning and the End.\u201d <\/em>Staying with the context, he is telling us\nthat the whole work of making all things new is his alone. He is the Beginning\nof the new creation and the End of it. To put it another way, \u201cSalvation\nis of the Lord!\u201d <\/em>He planned it. He purchased it. He performs it. He\npreserves it. And he perfects it. Therefore, he alone shall have the praise of\nit, \u2014 \u201cThat according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory\nin the Lord\u201d <\/em>(1 Corinthians 1:31).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grace Abundant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the new creation, grace is both abundant and free. The Son of\nGod declares, \u201cI will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of\nthe water of life freely.\u201d<\/em>This spiritual thirst is the thirst of a needy\nsoul for Christ himself, for pardon and righteousness, for communion with and\nconformity to Christ, a thirst for a greater  knowledge of Christ,\n and a  thirst  for the  glories of  his\nkingdom.  This thirst the Lord Jesus promises to quench abundantly,\nwith \u201cthe fountain of the water of life,\u201d <\/em>and promises to do\nso \u201cfreely,\u201d <\/em>without money, without price, without\nqualification of any kind to be met by the sinner. In Christ, grace is free and\nabundant!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Inheritance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe that overcometh shall inherit all things.\u201d <\/em>All\nbelievers shall overcome sin, Satan, and the world, because all believers are\nmore than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:35-39). Overcoming by the blood of the\nLamb, every child of God \u201cshall inherit all things.\u201d <\/em>We\nare \u201cheirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ\u201d <\/em>(Romans 8:17).\nThat means that all that Christ possesses as our Mediator we shall possess in\nhim and with him forever. This one statement from the lips of our Lord should\nbe sufficient to put to silence all questions about degrees of reward in\nheaven. The Son of God declares that every saved sinner \u201cshall inherit\nall things!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everlasting Sonship<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I will be his God, and he shall be my son.\u201d \u2014 <\/em>Christ\nhimself, in whom we were adopted and by whom we have been purchased, is the\nmighty God and our everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6).We are his seed and his\noffspring. Here he promises us his perpetual presence, protection, and\nprovision forever. In heavenly glory, he will see his seed with satisfaction,\nprolong his days, and enjoy the fruit of his toil in us forever. He will\npresent us to himself in the perfection of holiness (Ephesians 5:27), and\npresent us to the Father (Hebrews 2:13) \u201cto the praise of the glory of his\ngrace<\/em>\u201d (Ephesians 1:6). Though now we are the sons of God, \u201cit doth not\nyet appear what we shall be<\/em>\u201d (1 John 3:2). But this we are assured of:\nChrist will forever be ours and we shall forever be his in the fulness and\nperfection of heavenly glory!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don Fortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The path of the\njust is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect\nday.” Proverbs 4:18<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first light that dawns\nupon the soul is the daybreak of grace. When that blessed period arrives, when\nthe Sun of Righteousness has risen upon the long-benighted mind, how do the\nshadows of ignorance and of guilt instantly disappear! What a breaking away of,\nperhaps, a long night of alienation from God, of direct hostility to God, and\nof ignorance of the Lord Jesus, then takes place. Not, however, strongly marked\nis this state always at the first. The beginning of grace in the soul is\nfrequently analogous to the beginning of day in the natural world. The dawn of\ngrace is at first so faint, the daybreak so gentle, that a skillful eye only\ncan observe its earliest tints. The individual himself is, perhaps, ignorant of\nthe extraordinary transition through which his soul is passing. The discovery\nof darkness which that day-dawn has made, the revelation it has brought to view\nof the desperate depravity of his heart, the utter corruption of his fallen\nnature, the number and the turpitude of his sins, it may be, well near\noverwhelms the individual with despair! But what has led to this discovery?\nWhat has revealed all this darkness and sin? Oh! it is the daybreak of grace in\nthe soul! One faint ray, what a change has it produced! And is it real? Ah!\njust as real as that the first beam, faintly painted on the eastern sky, is a\nreal and an essential part of light. The daybreak, faint and glimmering though\nit be, is as really day as the meridian is day. And so is it with the day-dawn\nof grace in the soul. The first serious thought- the first real misgiving- the\nfirst conviction of sin- the first downfall of the eye- the first bending of\nthe knee- the first tear- the first prayer- the first touch of faith, is as\nreally and as essentially the daybreak of God’s converting grace in the soul as\nis the utmost perfection to which that grace can arrive. Oh, glorious dawn is\nthis, my reader, if now for the first time in your life the daybreak of grace\nhas come, and the shadows of ignorance and guilt are fleeing away before the advancing\nlight of Jesus in your soul. If now you are seeing how depraved your nature is;\nif now you are learning the utter worthlessness of your own righteousness; if\nnow you are fleeing as a poor, lost sinner to Christ, relinquishing your hold\nof everything else, and clinging only to Him; though this be but in weakness,\nand tremulousness, and hesitancy, yet sing for joy, for the day is breaking-\nthe prelude to the day of eternal glory- and the shadows of unregeneracy are\nforever fleeing away. And as this day of grace has begun, so it will advance.\nNothing shall impede its course, nothing shall arrest its progress. “He\nwhich has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus\nChrist.” The Sun, now risen upon you with healing in His beams, shall\nnever stand still- shall never go back. “He has set a tabernacle for the\nsun” in the renewed soul of man; and onward that sun will roll in its\nglorious orbit, penetrating with its beams every dark recess, until all mental\nshadows are merged and lost in its unclouded and eternal splendor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Octavius Winslow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three Witnesses to the Believer\u2019s Saving Interest in Christ 1 John 5:8 \u201cAnd there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, the Water (the Word), and the blood: and these three agree in one.\u201d The witnesses to Christ\u2019s deity are first, the Word, then the blood, and then the Spirit. The witnesses to redemption\u2019s accomplishment are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6860"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6860\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6861,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6860\/revisions\/6861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}