Purposed Grace Articles

Beloved, God’s elect, God’s people: we trust not in ourselves, nor in men, we trust not in our own righteousness, we trust not in our own strength, but rather ever so blessedly by God’s grace in Christ, we trust in God’s name, in His righteousness, in His power, in His strength. Oh LORD we trust in you! LORD, let your people ever shout for joy, because “thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name, be joyful in thee!”

Reader, do you know what comfort is to be found in having the Spirit of God reveal to your heart the meaning of this one blessed word, double? You see, our good and ready to forgive God declares that His people have received of His hand double! Not only has God forgiven His people for the iniquity of trying to establish their own righteousness (while they were dead spiritually); He has also forgiven them of all their transgressions! [Psalm 86:5, Romans 10:3-4, Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 2:1]

Beloved, God’s elect, God’s people: we trust not in ourselves, nor in men, we trust not in our own righteousness, we trust not in our own strength, but rather ever so blessedly by God’s grace in Christ, we trust in God’s name, in His righteousness, in His power, in His strength. Oh LORD we trust in you! LORD, let your people ever shout for joy, because “thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name, be joyful in thee!”

Reader, do you know what comfort is to be found in having the Spirit of God reveal to your heart the meaning of this one blessed word, double? You see, our good and ready to forgive God declares that His people have received of His hand double! Not only has God forgiven His people for the iniquity of trying to establish their own righteousness (while they were dead spiritually); He has also forgiven them of all their transgressions! [Psalm 86:5, Romans 10:3-4, Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 2:1]

We see in this verse our brother John, rejoicing in the glorious gospel of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. He knows, as you do beloved, that our Lord gave His life as a ransom for all men. Not just elect men from among one nation, but elect men from among all nations. You see, while our Lord Jesus Christ did not die for the sins of all men without exception — He did die for the sins of all men without distinction; poor and rich, Jewish and non-Jewish. We read in the book of Revelations how our Lord was slain “and hast redeemed us to God by His blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

Reader, are you able to rejoice in this blessed description of the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ? Beloved believing sinner, He is able to save you to the uttermost! What the Old Testament priesthood was unable to do, being but a shadow and not the substance, the Son of God being the reality of redemption is able to save His people to the uttermost! And not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own precious blood, by the sacrifice of Himself.

We see in this verse our brother John, rejoicing in the glorious gospel of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. He knows, as you do beloved, that our Lord gave His life as a ransom for all men. Not just elect men from among one nation, but elect men from among all nations. You see, while our Lord Jesus Christ did not die for the sins of all men without exception — He did die for the sins of all men without distinction; poor and rich, Jewish and non-Jewish. We read in the book of Revelations how our Lord was slain “and hast redeemed us to God by His blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

Reader, are you able to rejoice in this blessed description of the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ? Beloved believing sinner, He is able to save you to the uttermost! What the Old Testament priesthood was unable to do, being but a shadow and not the substance, the Son of God being the reality of redemption is able to save His people to the uttermost! And not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own precious blood, by the sacrifice of Himself.

if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work (Romans 11:16) [Reader,] you must go to Him with all your wrinkles, and all your foulness, and everything else that is hideous and say, “Lord, I have no beauty, I have no merit, nothing to plead, nothing to urge, but my guilt. ‘Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.’” Then you shall be saved. When a man cannot pay to God a penny [on the dollar] of all his debts, then he will be frankly forgiven all; but as long as he promises that he will make [restitution], and do his best to pay what he owes to divine justice, in the [vain] hope that Jesus Christ will make up the rest, there is no hope for him [Proverbs 20:22]. The Lord Jesus Christ will not be a mere make-weight for you. Do you think that you are to get onto the scale, with your ‘beautiful righteousness’, and that you are to be accounted somebody of great importance, and that Christ is to do the little that you cannot do?—that is to be “Christ and Company,” or rather, “Self and Company,” and that you are to be the head of the firm, and Christ to be a kind of [silent] partner? He will not do it; it would be a disgrace to Christ to yoke you with Him in such a fashion. You might as soon yoke a gnat with an archangel as think of your going in to help Christ save you. To join a filthy rag from off a dunghill with the golden garments of the King cannot be permitted [Isaiah 64:6-9]. Christ will be everything, or else He will be nothing; you must be saved wholly by mercy, or else not at all. There must not be even a trace of the fingers of self-righteousness upon the acts and documents of divine grace. It must be all of grace; “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” (Romans 11:6). There can be no more mingling of the two together as the ground of hope than oil will mix with water, or fire will burn beneath the sea. [Reader,] you cannot be saved by your own merits.

…call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) Before our precious Savior was born, yes, even from eternity, He was purposed to come “into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). And in another place our Lord tells us “The Son of man came to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). What a comforting truth this is — knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ will actually and really save His people from their sins. Oh what comfort there is in knowing that all our sins have been forgiven — ALL of them beloved. Sins of the past, sins of the present, and sins of the future! Beloved, there is absolutely no sin left out from His forgiveness; otherwise we could never be saved from our sins. And the certainty of this salvation does not come from something we have done, do, or that we can do, but rather it is because of everything that the Lord Jesus did and does to save us. Indeed, “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Beloved, that is why we know, most assuredly, that ALL our sins are forgiven. Not only because He died and paid for them, but because He rose from the dead and He ever liveth to intercede on our behalf so that we may be saved—never to be lost! Alleluia! Reader, it is of the utmost importance that we make this observation: notice that it is not said that the LORD JESUS will save everyone from their sins; no no, rather the word of God says that He shall save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). This sets forth, how that there is a personal and intimate relationship between Him and His people. This is shown to us in John chapter 10, where our Lord declares: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” — “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” — “…and I lay down my life for the sheep” — “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are One” (John 10:11,14,15,27-30). Beloved believing sinner, rejoice in Christ! and again I say, rejoice! You are one of His sheep, He died for you; and because of what He has done, you have a complete salvation and you will never perish; for He has given you eternal life. May God grant, both the reader and writer alike, ears to ever hear His precious voice and find our feet following Him. May we be among the many that will discover, as John writes ever so blessedly in the gospel that bears his name, “he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:21, Ephesians 1:19). AMEN! Article orignally published in LA MISIÓN DE ITZINCAB weekly bulletin

…Christ is all, and in all (Colossians 3:11) An influential ‘teacher’ recently made the following statement at a ‘Bible conference’… “…there are a lot of things I don’t know, I’ve said this so many times, I don’t even know how my own spiritual life works—I don’t. Look, Paul says in Galatians 2:20 ‘I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live; yet not I…’—he didn’t know either!” And somehow, fearful thing, this moved his audience to laugh hysterically. Reader, it is no laughing matter for any professing Christian to say that they don’t know, or that Paul didn’t know how his spiritual life works; this is someone, I fear, who has not been taught of God to know that Christ is all, and in all [John 6:45]. Well then, did Paul not know how his spiritual life works as this man claimed? Paul writes… “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I—but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). So Paul did know who was responsible for his spiritual life. For he tells us plainly, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I—BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME.” Beloved, everything we hear must pass through this gate: Christ is all. If what we hear is contrary to Christ is all, we need to get away from it. Indeed, if anything we believe runs contrary to Christ being our all, and in all; [all our justification and all our sanctification] indeed all our life, it is not after Christ and it’s dead wrong! [Read 1 Corinthians 1:30-31]. Beloved, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8). AMEN!

if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work (Romans 11:16) [Reader,] you must go to Him with all your wrinkles, and all your foulness, and everything else that is hideous and say, “Lord, I have no beauty, I have no merit, nothing to plead, nothing to urge, but my guilt. ‘Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.’” Then you shall be saved. When a man cannot pay to God a penny [on the dollar] of all his debts, then he will be frankly forgiven all; but as long as he promises that he will make [restitution], and do his best to pay what he owes to divine justice, in the [vain] hope that Jesus Christ will make up the rest, there is no hope for him [Proverbs 20:22]. The Lord Jesus Christ will not be a mere make-weight for you. Do you think that you are to get onto the scale, with your ‘beautiful righteousness’, and that you are to be accounted somebody of great importance, and that Christ is to do the little that you cannot do?—that is to be “Christ and Company,” or rather, “Self and Company,” and that you are to be the head of the firm, and Christ to be a kind of [silent] partner? He will not do it; it would be a disgrace to Christ to yoke you with Him in such a fashion. You might as soon yoke a gnat with an archangel as think of your going in to help Christ save you. To join a filthy rag from off a dunghill with the golden garments of the King cannot be permitted [Isaiah 64:6-9]. Christ will be everything, or else He will be nothing; you must be saved wholly by mercy, or else not at all. There must not be even a trace of the fingers of self-righteousness upon the acts and documents of divine grace. It must be all of grace; “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” (Romans 11:6). There can be no more mingling of the two together as the ground of hope than oil will mix with water, or fire will burn beneath the sea. [Reader,] you cannot be saved by your own merits.

…call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) Before our precious Savior was born, yes, even from eternity, He was purposed to come “into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). And in another place our Lord tells us “The Son of man came to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). What a comforting truth this is — knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ will actually and really save His people from their sins. Oh what comfort there is in knowing that all our sins have been forgiven — ALL of them beloved. Sins of the past, sins of the present, and sins of the future! Beloved, there is absolutely no sin left out from His forgiveness; otherwise we could never be saved from our sins. And the certainty of this salvation does not come from something we have done, do, or that we can do, but rather it is because of everything that the Lord Jesus did and does to save us. Indeed, “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Beloved, that is why we know, most assuredly, that ALL our sins are forgiven. Not only because He died and paid for them, but because He rose from the dead and He ever liveth to intercede on our behalf so that we may be saved—never to be lost! Alleluia! Reader, it is of the utmost importance that we make this observation: notice that it is not said that the LORD JESUS will save everyone from their sins; no no, rather the word of God says that He shall save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). This sets forth, how that there is a personal and intimate relationship between Him and His people. This is shown to us in John chapter 10, where our Lord declares: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” — “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” — “…and I lay down my life for the sheep” — “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are One” (John 10:11,14,15,27-30). Beloved believing sinner, rejoice in Christ! and again I say, rejoice! You are one of His sheep, He died for you; and because of what He has done, you have a complete salvation and you will never perish; for He has given you eternal life. May God grant, both the reader and writer alike, ears to ever hear His precious voice and find our feet following Him. May we be among the many that will discover, as John writes ever so blessedly in the gospel that bears his name, “he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:21, Ephesians 1:19). AMEN! Article orignally published in LA MISIÓN DE ITZINCAB weekly bulletin

…Christ is all, and in all (Colossians 3:11) An influential ‘teacher’ recently made the following statement at a ‘Bible conference’… “…there are a lot of things I don’t know, I’ve said this so many times, I don’t even know how my own spiritual life works—I don’t. Look, Paul says in Galatians 2:20 ‘I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live; yet not I…’—he didn’t know either!” And somehow, fearful thing, this moved his audience to laugh hysterically. Reader, it is no laughing matter for any professing Christian to say that they don’t know, or that Paul didn’t know how his spiritual life works; this is someone, I fear, who has not been taught of God to know that Christ is all, and in all [John 6:45]. Well then, did Paul not know how his spiritual life works as this man claimed? Paul writes… “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I—but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). So Paul did know who was responsible for his spiritual life. For he tells us plainly, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I—BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME.” Beloved, everything we hear must pass through this gate: Christ is all. If what we hear is contrary to Christ is all, we need to get away from it. Indeed, if anything we believe runs contrary to Christ being our all, and in all; [all our justification and all our sanctification] indeed all our life, it is not after Christ and it’s dead wrong! [Read 1 Corinthians 1:30-31]. Beloved, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8). AMEN!

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; 
(for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:23) Our God does not lie to us Beloved, just as sure and steadfast was the promise of God to Abraham, to be both his shield and great reward,so too the Lord Jesus Christ is our shield and great reward. Indeed the Lord Jesus Christ is our shield from every enemy of our salvation: Satan, sin, and death itself [Genesis 15:1, 2 Samuel 22:3, Psalm 62:7]. Our exceeding great reward shall be to be in the presence of Him “that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Beloved, God does not lie, He does not tell us in vain to behold “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” For just as the angel of the Lord declared “He shall save His people from their sins,” we also have His promise, for He saith “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7). Well, has the Lord done His Father’s will? Has He saved His people from their sins? Emphatically, the answer is yes! By His doing and dying, by His blood and righteousness, by His “one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are His people” (Hebrews 10:14). Our God does not leave us The Holy Spirit sets forth, ever so blessedly, the faithfulness of our God is His word, in that the LORD did and does as He had spoken, “the LORD did…as He had spoken” (Genesis 21:1). Again and again, the Word of God sets forth God’s faithfulness to His counsel and His oath. Matthew records our Lord’s blessed oath; speaking to His beloved people, He tells us “I am with you alway” (Matthew 28:20) In the epistle to the Hebrews, written to the “many” the Lord is bringing unto glory, Paul reminds us of the very same promise, our Lord will be with us always, he writes that God has promised “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). The three times this blessed promise is set forth by the Holy Spirit, it is accompanied by words that grant the believing sinner much comfort. Beloved, He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; He “…WILL NOT FAIL THEE,” “HE WILL NOT FAIL THEE,” “HE WILL NOT FAIL THEE” (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, 1 Chronicles 28:20). Our God does not lose us Beloved, the gospel of our Salvation is sure and stedfast for it is founded upon the immutable, unchangeable, faithful character of our God; and because of His faithfulness “ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6) Beloved, His love is immutable, His counsel is immutable, His promise is immutable. And He has promised “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Beloved believing sinner; you who have fled for refuge in Christ, patiently endure—wait on the LORD, and HE SHALL SAVE THEE! (Proverbs 20:22). He has promised, and He will also do it. AMEN!

…O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God [Micah 6:6-8] Reader, with what shall I come before God? How can I be accepted before God? How can you be accepted before God? Only by three things and each of them are made only by Christ. Sinner, do justly; do justly in and through the life of God’s Son. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Sinner, love mercy; love the mercy of God in and through the death and resurrection of His Son. For salvation “is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Romans 9:16). Sinner, walk humbly with thy God; walk humbly in and through the perfection of His Son. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). Beloved, there is no condemnation, for those who look away from the pride of their flesh and look humbly, by the Spirit, to the perfect walk of another, Christ Jesus, their Lord. AMEN!

…they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14) Beloved, you have been CALLED. God our Father has declared “I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.” Indeed, our heavenly Father declares of His people, that He “saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” [Romans 9:25, 2 Timothy 1:9]. Beloved, you have been CHOSEN. God the Son, our blessed redeemer, has asked the Father in the covenant of grace—give me not the righteous to save, but sinners. He declares “I came to call sinners to repentance.” Indeed, he says to His people “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” [Luke 5:32, John 15:16]. Beloved, you have been made FAITHFUL. God the Spirit, the promised comforter, has come and made it know to us, that we are no longer servants of sin, but servants of righteousness. Our inheritance is this: that our faithfulness, our righteousness is of Him, who is always faithful, never fails, and has never fallen! AMEN! (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, Romans 6:18) The Lord is pleased to quicken His people and make known to them, that from the beginning He has chosen them to salvation and ordained that they believe the Truth. Beloved, He has called you, and chosen you, and made you, through the merits of His beloved Son, faithful in His sight, with Him. AMEN! (Read Acts 13:48, Colossians 1:22)

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; 
(for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:23) Our God does not lie to us Beloved, just as sure and steadfast was the promise of God to Abraham, to be both his shield and great reward,so too the Lord Jesus Christ is our shield and great reward. Indeed the Lord Jesus Christ is our shield from every enemy of our salvation: Satan, sin, and death itself [Genesis 15:1, 2 Samuel 22:3, Psalm 62:7]. Our exceeding great reward shall be to be in the presence of Him “that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Beloved, God does not lie, He does not tell us in vain to behold “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” For just as the angel of the Lord declared “He shall save His people from their sins,” we also have His promise, for He saith “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7). Well, has the Lord done His Father’s will? Has He saved His people from their sins? Emphatically, the answer is yes! By His doing and dying, by His blood and righteousness, by His “one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are His people” (Hebrews 10:14). Our God does not leave us The Holy Spirit sets forth, ever so blessedly, the faithfulness of our God is His word, in that the LORD did and does as He had spoken, “the LORD did…as He had spoken” (Genesis 21:1). Again and again, the Word of God sets forth God’s faithfulness to His counsel and His oath. Matthew records our Lord’s blessed oath; speaking to His beloved people, He tells us “I am with you alway” (Matthew 28:20) In the epistle to the Hebrews, written to the “many” the Lord is bringing unto glory, Paul reminds us of the very same promise, our Lord will be with us always, he writes that God has promised “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). The three times this blessed promise is set forth by the Holy Spirit, it is accompanied by words that grant the believing sinner much comfort. Beloved, He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; He “…WILL NOT FAIL THEE,” “HE WILL NOT FAIL THEE,” “HE WILL NOT FAIL THEE” (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, 1 Chronicles 28:20). Our God does not lose us Beloved, the gospel of our Salvation is sure and stedfast for it is founded upon the immutable, unchangeable, faithful character of our God; and because of His faithfulness “ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6) Beloved, His love is immutable, His counsel is immutable, His promise is immutable. And He has promised “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Beloved believing sinner; you who have fled for refuge in Christ, patiently endure—wait on the LORD, and HE SHALL SAVE THEE! (Proverbs 20:22). He has promised, and He will also do it. AMEN!

…O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God [Micah 6:6-8] Reader, with what shall I come before God? How can I be accepted before God? How can you be accepted before God? Only by three things and each of them are made only by Christ. Sinner, do justly; do justly in and through the life of God’s Son. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Sinner, love mercy; love the mercy of God in and through the death and resurrection of His Son. For salvation “is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Romans 9:16). Sinner, walk humbly with thy God; walk humbly in and through the perfection of His Son. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). Beloved, there is no condemnation, for those who look away from the pride of their flesh and look humbly, by the Spirit, to the perfect walk of another, Christ Jesus, their Lord. AMEN!

…they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14) Beloved, you have been CALLED. God our Father has declared “I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.” Indeed, our heavenly Father declares of His people, that He “saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” [Romans 9:25, 2 Timothy 1:9]. Beloved, you have been CHOSEN. God the Son, our blessed redeemer, has asked the Father in the covenant of grace—give me not the righteous to save, but sinners. He declares “I came to call sinners to repentance.” Indeed, he says to His people “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” [Luke 5:32, John 15:16]. Beloved, you have been made FAITHFUL. God the Spirit, the promised comforter, has come and made it know to us, that we are no longer servants of sin, but servants of righteousness. Our inheritance is this: that our faithfulness, our righteousness is of Him, who is always faithful, never fails, and has never fallen! AMEN! (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, Romans 6:18) The Lord is pleased to quicken His people and make known to them, that from the beginning He has chosen them to salvation and ordained that they believe the Truth. Beloved, He has called you, and chosen you, and made you, through the merits of His beloved Son, faithful in His sight, with Him. AMEN! (Read Acts 13:48, Colossians 1:22)

And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only (Matthew 17:8) Believer in Jesus! remember, all your confidence, all your hope, all your comfort flows from the finished work of your Saviour. “Jesus only.” [See that you do not unwittingly add something to the perfection of this work]. You may be betrayed into this sin and this folly by looking within yourself rather than to the person of Jesus; by attaching an importance too great to repentance and faith, and your own doings and strivings, rather than ceasing from your own works altogether, and resting for your peace and joy and hope, simply, entirely, and exclusively in the work of Jesus. Remember that whatever we unintentionally add to the finished work of Christ, mars the perfection and obscures the beauty of that work. “If thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it” (Exodus 20:25). Nothing have we to do but, in our moral pollution and nakedness, to plunge beneath the fountain, and wrap our selves within the robe of that Saviour’s blood and righteousness who, when he expired on the tree, so completed our redemption, as to leave us nothing to do but to believe and be saved. “It is finished!” (John 19:30) — O words, pregnant of the deepest meaning! O words, rich of the richest consolation! Salvation is finished! “Jesus only.” Look from fluctuating frames, and fitful feelings, and changing clouds, to “Jesus only.” Look from sins and guilt, from emptiness and poverty, to “Jesus only.” The veil of the temple is rent in twain, and you may pass into its holiest, and lay upon the altar the sacrifice of a broken and a contrite heart, which shall be accepted through him who “gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweetsmelling savor” (Ephesians 5:2). “It is finished!” Let devils hear it, and tremble! let sinners hear it, and believe! let saints hear it, and rejoice! All is finished. “Then, Lord, I flee to thee, just as I am! I have stayed away from thee too long, and ‘am nothing bettered, but rather grown worse.’ Too exclusively have I looked at my unworthiness, too absorbed have I been with my penury, too bitterly have I mourned having nothing to pay. Upon thy own finished work I now cast myself. Save, Lord, and I shall be saved!” Before this stupendous truth, let all creature merit sink, let all human glory pale, let all man’s boasting vanish, and Jesus be all in all. Perish forms and ceremonies — perish rites and rituals — perish creeds and churches — perish, utterly and forever perish, whatever would be a substitute for the finished work of Jesus, what ever would attempt to add to the finished work of Jesus, whatever would tend to neutralize the finished work of Jesus, whatever would obscure with a cloud, or dim with a vapor, the beauty, the luster, and the glory of the finished work of Jesus, [let it perish]! It was “Jesus only” in the councils of eternity — it was “Jesus only” in the everlasting covenant of grace,— it was “Jesus only” in the manger of Bethlehem — it was “Jesus only” in the garden of Gethsemane — it was “Jesus only” upon the cross of Calvary — it was “Jesus only” in the tomb of Joseph — it was “Jesus only” who, “when he had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). And it shall be “Jesus only” the joy of our hearts, the object of our glory, the theme of our song, the Beloved of our adoration, our service, and our praise, through the endless ages of eternity. O stand fast in life and in death, by the finished work of Jesus. — Octavius Winslow

let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup (1 Corinthians 11:28) Usually, when we think of examining ourselves, we think of examining our lives. How are we dealing with besetting sins? Are we reading the Bible to our spiritual profit? Are we spending time in prayer and communion with the Lord? What does our daily lives say about our love to Christ? Can others see that we are Christians? What did Paul say? Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith: if we gain assurance by how well we are performing, it is a false, works based assurance. [If we conclude, we are not saved because of our failures in these things, we are once again making salvation dependent upon our performance]. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you believe that when He said, “It is finished” the salvation of all the elect was accomplished? (John 19:30) Are you relying on who He is and what He did as all you have for acceptance with God? Then you are “in the faith” and a true child of God.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11) [Beloved] …imagine that moment to have arrived! All of earth’s attraction ceases, all of creature-succor fails. Everything is failing — heart and strength failing — mental power failing— medical skill failing — human affection and sympathy failing; the film of death is on the eye, and the invisible realities of the spirit-world are unveiling to the mental view. Bending over you, the loved one who has accompanied you to the shore of the cold river, asks a sign. You are too weak to conceive a thought, too low to breathe a word, too absorbed to bestow a responsive glance. You cannot now assert your faith in an elaborate creed, and you have no profound experience, or ecstatic emotions, or heavenly visions to describe. One brief, but all-emphatic, all-expressive sentence embodies the amount of all that you now know, and believe, and feel; it is the profession of your faith, the sum of your experience, the ground of your hope — “Christ Is Precious to My Soul!” [My sufficiency]! The dying Christian can give, and the inquiring friend can wish no more. Dearest Savior, be close to me in that solemn moment! Tread the valley by my side, pillow my languid head upon Your bosom, speak these words of heart-cheer to my struggling, panting, departing soul, “Fear not, I Am with you” (Isaiah 43:5). Then, it will be happiness for me to die — death will have no venom — the grave no gloom — eternity no dread; and, from the measured experience of Your preciousness on earth, I shall pass in triumph through the shadowy portal into the full sunshine and perfect realization and eternal enjoyment of all that faith believed, and love desired, and hope expected, of Your full-orbed glory and preciousness in heaven. “In your presence is fulness of joy; and at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore!” [Psalm 16:11]

And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only (Matthew 17:8) Believer in Jesus! remember, all your confidence, all your hope, all your comfort flows from the finished work of your Saviour. “Jesus only.” [See that you do not unwittingly add something to the perfection of this work]. You may be betrayed into this sin and this folly by looking within yourself rather than to the person of Jesus; by attaching an importance too great to repentance and faith, and your own doings and strivings, rather than ceasing from your own works altogether, and resting for your peace and joy and hope, simply, entirely, and exclusively in the work of Jesus. Remember that whatever we unintentionally add to the finished work of Christ, mars the perfection and obscures the beauty of that work. “If thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it” (Exodus 20:25). Nothing have we to do but, in our moral pollution and nakedness, to plunge beneath the fountain, and wrap our selves within the robe of that Saviour’s blood and righteousness who, when he expired on the tree, so completed our redemption, as to leave us nothing to do but to believe and be saved. “It is finished!” (John 19:30) — O words, pregnant of the deepest meaning! O words, rich of the richest consolation! Salvation is finished! “Jesus only.” Look from fluctuating frames, and fitful feelings, and changing clouds, to “Jesus only.” Look from sins and guilt, from emptiness and poverty, to “Jesus only.” The veil of the temple is rent in twain, and you may pass into its holiest, and lay upon the altar the sacrifice of a broken and a contrite heart, which shall be accepted through him who “gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweetsmelling savor” (Ephesians 5:2). “It is finished!” Let devils hear it, and tremble! let sinners hear it, and believe! let saints hear it, and rejoice! All is finished. “Then, Lord, I flee to thee, just as I am! I have stayed away from thee too long, and ‘am nothing bettered, but rather grown worse.’ Too exclusively have I looked at my unworthiness, too absorbed have I been with my penury, too bitterly have I mourned having nothing to pay. Upon thy own finished work I now cast myself. Save, Lord, and I shall be saved!” Before this stupendous truth, let all creature merit sink, let all human glory pale, let all man’s boasting vanish, and Jesus be all in all. Perish forms and ceremonies — perish rites and rituals — perish creeds and churches — perish, utterly and forever perish, whatever would be a substitute for the finished work of Jesus, what ever would attempt to add to the finished work of Jesus, whatever would tend to neutralize the finished work of Jesus, whatever would obscure with a cloud, or dim with a vapor, the beauty, the luster, and the glory of the finished work of Jesus, [let it perish]! It was “Jesus only” in the councils of eternity — it was “Jesus only” in the everlasting covenant of grace,— it was “Jesus only” in the manger of Bethlehem — it was “Jesus only” in the garden of Gethsemane — it was “Jesus only” upon the cross of Calvary — it was “Jesus only” in the tomb of Joseph — it was “Jesus only” who, “when he had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). And it shall be “Jesus only” the joy of our hearts, the object of our glory, the theme of our song, the Beloved of our adoration, our service, and our praise, through the endless ages of eternity. O stand fast in life and in death, by the finished work of Jesus. — Octavius Winslow

let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup (1 Corinthians 11:28) Usually, when we think of examining ourselves, we think of examining our lives. How are we dealing with besetting sins? Are we reading the Bible to our spiritual profit? Are we spending time in prayer and communion with the Lord? What does our daily lives say about our love to Christ? Can others see that we are Christians? What did Paul say? Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith: if we gain assurance by how well we are performing, it is a false, works based assurance. [If we conclude, we are not saved because of our failures in these things, we are once again making salvation dependent upon our performance]. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you believe that when He said, “It is finished” the salvation of all the elect was accomplished? (John 19:30) Are you relying on who He is and what He did as all you have for acceptance with God? Then you are “in the faith” and a true child of God.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11) [Beloved] …imagine that moment to have arrived! All of earth’s attraction ceases, all of creature-succor fails. Everything is failing — heart and strength failing — mental power failing— medical skill failing — human affection and sympathy failing; the film of death is on the eye, and the invisible realities of the spirit-world are unveiling to the mental view. Bending over you, the loved one who has accompanied you to the shore of the cold river, asks a sign. You are too weak to conceive a thought, too low to breathe a word, too absorbed to bestow a responsive glance. You cannot now assert your faith in an elaborate creed, and you have no profound experience, or ecstatic emotions, or heavenly visions to describe. One brief, but all-emphatic, all-expressive sentence embodies the amount of all that you now know, and believe, and feel; it is the profession of your faith, the sum of your experience, the ground of your hope — “Christ Is Precious to My Soul!” [My sufficiency]! The dying Christian can give, and the inquiring friend can wish no more. Dearest Savior, be close to me in that solemn moment! Tread the valley by my side, pillow my languid head upon Your bosom, speak these words of heart-cheer to my struggling, panting, departing soul, “Fear not, I Am with you” (Isaiah 43:5). Then, it will be happiness for me to die — death will have no venom — the grave no gloom — eternity no dread; and, from the measured experience of Your preciousness on earth, I shall pass in triumph through the shadowy portal into the full sunshine and perfect realization and eternal enjoyment of all that faith believed, and love desired, and hope expected, of Your full-orbed glory and preciousness in heaven. “In your presence is fulness of joy; and at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore!” [Psalm 16:11]

Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God (1 Peter 1:21) All false religion is under the delusion th at salvation is granted through something man does; nothing could be further from the truth! I trust you will notice these two blessed words in 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 21 “by Him”. To my awakened brother and sister, I trust those two words testify to your experience in Christ, that “by Him”, by the Lord Jesus Christ, you find yourself believing God. God’s people are not born of blood (a believer is not made a believer because his parents are Christian, as is the case with the Islamists and Roman Catholics). God’s people are not born of the will of the flesh (one does not become a believer because one exercises his or her own will to make a decision). God’s people are not born of the will of man (one does not become a believer because a group of people got together to pray). If you find yourself believing God, it is by God’s redeeming, regenerating power in Christ. Beloved, the eternal gospel declares that His people “were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). Our Lord declared “thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him” (John 17:2) The power our Lord has over all flesh is the life giving power He gives to His people, whereby He grants them eternal life, making them willing and able to truly believe God (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit). Beloved, “by Him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Peter 1:21). If you find yourself believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, it is by Him you believe God. Just as Lazarus was made to come out of the tomb by the Lord Jesus Christ, your coming forth from the tomb of your unbelief was “by Him” beloved. AMEN!

…Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:26-27) The message of the Gospel God’s people, believing sinners, are in Christ “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight” before the Father (Colossians 1:22). The disciples asked this question “who is able to be saved?” Our Lord answered “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:26-27). Only in Christ can sinful men be found holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. Beloved, look to Christ and be saved; the author and finisher of our faith, indeed of all our salvation (Hebrews 12:2). The minister of the Gospel The minister of the Gospel can say with Paul, I am made a minister. You see, he is not self made, he’s not man made, he’s God made. Well, that begs the question; how can you know that a minister is God made and truly sent of God? They fulfill the word of God: how is that? They preach the word of truth. In a word they preach Christ: what does that mean? Our Lord said “He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (John 5:23). Beloved, God’s minister does not shun to declare unto you all the counsel of God. A so called minister that says Christ died for the sins of everyone, neither honors the Son nor the Father; and rejects to declare the Gospel of Christ’s own words “this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING” (John 6:39). The miracle of the Gospel Friend, let me tell you plainly, God is 100% sovereign and you are 100% responsible for your sins. If you neglect such a great salvation, indeed such a great Saviour, and end up in the lake of fire: The blame will be entirely yours and you’ll perish along with your wicked thoughts; wicked thoughts of being reconciled to God through your person and works and not through the blessed person and the finished saving work of Christ. How fearful it will be for those that neglect such a great salvation! (Hebrews 2:3) Repent sinner and believe Christ. It is the desire of every believer, it is my desire, if God be pleased, according to the good pleasure of His will, that you be made to know you are made perfect by the righteousness of Christ for ever. (Isaiah 32:17) I pray that our sovereign God would be pleased to use the gospel of His dear Son to show you the miracle of the Gospel. Beloved, you are found perfect in Christ Jesus to the honour and praise of His name. AMEN! (Colossians 2:10)

…wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee (Proverbs 20:22) Beloved, just before the Lord went to the cross to accomplish our salvation; just before He went to the cross to give His life a ransom for many, His people, He said “I pray for them” (John 17:9). I want to know that when He prayed ‘for them,’ He prayed for me — don’t you? The apostle wrote “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). You see, there is nothing more important than to know if in truth you have the Son. There is no subject of more importance than to know if you are truly united to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many religious pretenders say that they know the Lord, but my friend, the question I want to press is this, does the Lord Jesus Christ know you? Does He in fact know me? If He does, be sure of this, He prayed for you and me and shall save us. In so many blessed places in holy scripture God comforts believing sinners, in setting forth our blessed Lord and Saviour as the God who shall save His people. The proverb of God very blessedly declares “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee” (Proverbs 20:22). Friend, don’t try to fix it! Don’t try to get things right before God, before you come to Christ—you never will. There is only one who can recompense for all the evil you are! Wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee! Are you surprised at my speech evil sinner? Do you consider yourself otherwise? The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save ungodly, evil, sinners. Friend, if God has not taught you as yet, that you are unquestionably evil — I fear that you are, even now, without Christ. The Lord himself declares “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13) Do you remember what our Lord explained to His step brothers? He said to them “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil” (John 7:7). This unbelieving world hates the Lord’s testimony, but oh how I love Him for it! If He had not shown me that I am evil, I would never have come to Him to recompense for all of it, and wait on Him to save me. Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ is the One that does not fall short of the glory of God. He is the One who gives His own glory to those who have given up pretending to have their own. Our Lord declared to our heavenly Father “the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:22). Friend, believe on the Lord, wait on the Lord Jesus Christ and He shall save thee. AMEN! (Acts 18:8, Proverbs 20:22)

Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God (1 Peter 1:21) All false religion is under the delusion th at salvation is granted through something man does; nothing could be further from the truth! I trust you will notice these two blessed words in 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 21 “by Him”. To my awakened brother and sister, I trust those two words testify to your experience in Christ, that “by Him”, by the Lord Jesus Christ, you find yourself believing God. God’s people are not born of blood (a believer is not made a believer because his parents are Christian, as is the case with the Islamists and Roman Catholics). God’s people are not born of the will of the flesh (one does not become a believer because one exercises his or her own will to make a decision). God’s people are not born of the will of man (one does not become a believer because a group of people got together to pray). If you find yourself believing God, it is by God’s redeeming, regenerating power in Christ. Beloved, the eternal gospel declares that His people “were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). Our Lord declared “thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him” (John 17:2) The power our Lord has over all flesh is the life giving power He gives to His people, whereby He grants them eternal life, making them willing and able to truly believe God (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit). Beloved, “by Him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Peter 1:21). If you find yourself believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, it is by Him you believe God. Just as Lazarus was made to come out of the tomb by the Lord Jesus Christ, your coming forth from the tomb of your unbelief was “by Him” beloved. AMEN!

…Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:26-27) The message of the Gospel God’s people, believing sinners, are in Christ “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight” before the Father (Colossians 1:22). The disciples asked this question “who is able to be saved?” Our Lord answered “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:26-27). Only in Christ can sinful men be found holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. Beloved, look to Christ and be saved; the author and finisher of our faith, indeed of all our salvation (Hebrews 12:2). The minister of the Gospel The minister of the Gospel can say with Paul, I am made a minister. You see, he is not self made, he’s not man made, he’s God made. Well, that begs the question; how can you know that a minister is God made and truly sent of God? They fulfill the word of God: how is that? They preach the word of truth. In a word they preach Christ: what does that mean? Our Lord said “He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (John 5:23). Beloved, God’s minister does not shun to declare unto you all the counsel of God. A so called minister that says Christ died for the sins of everyone, neither honors the Son nor the Father; and rejects to declare the Gospel of Christ’s own words “this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING” (John 6:39). The miracle of the Gospel Friend, let me tell you plainly, God is 100% sovereign and you are 100% responsible for your sins. If you neglect such a great salvation, indeed such a great Saviour, and end up in the lake of fire: The blame will be entirely yours and you’ll perish along with your wicked thoughts; wicked thoughts of being reconciled to God through your person and works and not through the blessed person and the finished saving work of Christ. How fearful it will be for those that neglect such a great salvation! (Hebrews 2:3) Repent sinner and believe Christ. It is the desire of every believer, it is my desire, if God be pleased, according to the good pleasure of His will, that you be made to know you are made perfect by the righteousness of Christ for ever. (Isaiah 32:17) I pray that our sovereign God would be pleased to use the gospel of His dear Son to show you the miracle of the Gospel. Beloved, you are found perfect in Christ Jesus to the honour and praise of His name. AMEN! (Colossians 2:10)

…wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee (Proverbs 20:22) Beloved, just before the Lord went to the cross to accomplish our salvation; just before He went to the cross to give His life a ransom for many, His people, He said “I pray for them” (John 17:9). I want to know that when He prayed ‘for them,’ He prayed for me — don’t you? The apostle wrote “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). You see, there is nothing more important than to know if in truth you have the Son. There is no subject of more importance than to know if you are truly united to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many religious pretenders say that they know the Lord, but my friend, the question I want to press is this, does the Lord Jesus Christ know you? Does He in fact know me? If He does, be sure of this, He prayed for you and me and shall save us. In so many blessed places in holy scripture God comforts believing sinners, in setting forth our blessed Lord and Saviour as the God who shall save His people. The proverb of God very blessedly declares “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee” (Proverbs 20:22). Friend, don’t try to fix it! Don’t try to get things right before God, before you come to Christ—you never will. There is only one who can recompense for all the evil you are! Wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee! Are you surprised at my speech evil sinner? Do you consider yourself otherwise? The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save ungodly, evil, sinners. Friend, if God has not taught you as yet, that you are unquestionably evil — I fear that you are, even now, without Christ. The Lord himself declares “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13) Do you remember what our Lord explained to His step brothers? He said to them “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil” (John 7:7). This unbelieving world hates the Lord’s testimony, but oh how I love Him for it! If He had not shown me that I am evil, I would never have come to Him to recompense for all of it, and wait on Him to save me. Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ is the One that does not fall short of the glory of God. He is the One who gives His own glory to those who have given up pretending to have their own. Our Lord declared to our heavenly Father “the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:22). Friend, believe on the Lord, wait on the Lord Jesus Christ and He shall save thee. AMEN! (Acts 18:8, Proverbs 20:22)

…but now commandeth all men every where to repent (Acts 17:30) Observe that the Word of God shows us that the Gospel is not an offer as some men claim, but rather the Gospel is a command. We read in Acts chapter 17 beginning in verse 28… “…in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but NOW commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:28-30). I want you to understand what you are reading in God’s word, and receive it as it is in truth—the word of God. We read in God’s only holy book that the Gospel is a command; God commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel of His Son. Repent of your sin of unbelief and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. My sinner friend, trust Him alone for all your salvation; trusting His blessed person and finished work of salvation… …for ALL your justification, …for ALL your sanctification, …for ALL your glorification, … and ultimately for ALL your acceptance with God our Father. You see, Christ is not made King and Lord by men. Rather, our heavenly Father made Him King of kings and Lord of lords; He is the redeemer and the saviour of His elect. God declares “I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” And further says “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:6,12) Oh what an unspeakable blessing for you who believe on Christ! A full and complete pardon of sin, and a perfect righteousness acceptable to God. Worship the Son, reverence the Son, kiss the feet of God’s King, and be ye saved! Through the Gospel our heavenly Father commands us to repent of our sin of unbelief and to believe His Son. He commands us to believe on His Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in His doing and dying alone for our justification, for our sanctification, for our glorification; ultimately for our complete acceptance before Him. So what is it that you and I must do to obey the command of the Gospel? Our Lord tells us very plainly and simply — “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47)

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27) Beloved, believe it and rejoice. Before the throne of God you are without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; for Christ gave Himself for you that you should and shall be, on that day before Him in love, HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH! Oh Lord, I believe it, help me to believe! [Mark 9:24] Revelation 7:9-14: “…I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” It almost seemed like our brother John had to be reminded… The elder asked John “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?” and John replied almost as if what he beheld was too wonderful to confirm with his own judgement, but rather committed it to the judgement of the elder by saying “Sir, thou knowest” and he said to John “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Beloved, it is by the doing and dying of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, that a sinner like me, and a sinner like you are doubly saved by His hand. We are sanctified by His doing and made Holy by His righteousness. The one who knew no sin, the Lord Jesus Christ, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). And beloved, we are cleansed by His blood—made blameless by our faithful and justifying Saviour, Christ Jesus the Lord, that our heavenly Father “might be just, and the justifier of [the sinner] which believeth in [His Son] JESUS” (Romans 3:26). In the cross of Christ “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Oh what a gospel beloved, may the LORD grant us grace to believe it! Lord I believe it, help my unbelief! “Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation” (Psalm 85:10,7). AMEN!

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ (Read 1 Corinthians 3:11-15) In this day of big business religion, when churches are measured not by their orthodoxy, but by the opinions of men, when a preacher’s success is measured not by his faithfulness, but by the number of names added to the church roll, it might be wise to consider what a successful ministry is according to the measure of Holy Scripture. According to the word of God those preachers and churches are successful who are faithful to the work to which God has called them. Never in the Old Testament or in the New was a prophet, apostle, or preacher measured by the opinions of men. God’s servants never courted the favor of men, and were never favored by the majority of the people. The church of God has always been out of step with society. The servants of God have always been looked upon as peculiar, bigoted dogmatists, intolerant and incapable of compromise. But they were faithful, faithful to God, faithful to His truth, and faithful to the souls of men. Do not be so foolish as to measure God’s work by man’s yardstick. Do not measure the success or failure of preachers and churches by men, by numbers, or by popular opinion. THE ONLY MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR CHURCHES AND PREACHERS IS FAITHFULNESS (1 CORINTHIANS 4:2). Those who faithfully seek and promote the glory of GOD, who faithfully proclaim the truth of GOD, and who faithfully serve the eternal interests of immortal souls are successful. Those who are not are failures. The one will stand the fire of judgment. The other will not.

…but now commandeth all men every where to repent (Acts 17:30) Observe that the Word of God shows us that the Gospel is not an offer as some men claim, but rather the Gospel is a command. We read in Acts chapter 17 beginning in verse 28… “…in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but NOW commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:28-30). I want you to understand what you are reading in God’s word, and receive it as it is in truth—the word of God. We read in God’s only holy book that the Gospel is a command; God commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel of His Son. Repent of your sin of unbelief and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. My sinner friend, trust Him alone for all your salvation; trusting His blessed person and finished work of salvation… …for ALL your justification, …for ALL your sanctification, …for ALL your glorification, … and ultimately for ALL your acceptance with God our Father. You see, Christ is not made King and Lord by men. Rather, our heavenly Father made Him King of kings and Lord of lords; He is the redeemer and the saviour of His elect. God declares “I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” And further says “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:6,12) Oh what an unspeakable blessing for you who believe on Christ! A full and complete pardon of sin, and a perfect righteousness acceptable to God. Worship the Son, reverence the Son, kiss the feet of God’s King, and be ye saved! Through the Gospel our heavenly Father commands us to repent of our sin of unbelief and to believe His Son. He commands us to believe on His Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in His doing and dying alone for our justification, for our sanctification, for our glorification; ultimately for our complete acceptance before Him. So what is it that you and I must do to obey the command of the Gospel? Our Lord tells us very plainly and simply — “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47)

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27) Beloved, believe it and rejoice. Before the throne of God you are without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; for Christ gave Himself for you that you should and shall be, on that day before Him in love, HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH! Oh Lord, I believe it, help me to believe! [Mark 9:24] Revelation 7:9-14: “…I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” It almost seemed like our brother John had to be reminded… The elder asked John “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?” and John replied almost as if what he beheld was too wonderful to confirm with his own judgement, but rather committed it to the judgement of the elder by saying “Sir, thou knowest” and he said to John “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Beloved, it is by the doing and dying of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, that a sinner like me, and a sinner like you are doubly saved by His hand. We are sanctified by His doing and made Holy by His righteousness. The one who knew no sin, the Lord Jesus Christ, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). And beloved, we are cleansed by His blood—made blameless by our faithful and justifying Saviour, Christ Jesus the Lord, that our heavenly Father “might be just, and the justifier of [the sinner] which believeth in [His Son] JESUS” (Romans 3:26). In the cross of Christ “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Oh what a gospel beloved, may the LORD grant us grace to believe it! Lord I believe it, help my unbelief! “Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation” (Psalm 85:10,7). AMEN!

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ (Read 1 Corinthians 3:11-15) In this day of big business religion, when churches are measured not by their orthodoxy, but by the opinions of men, when a preacher’s success is measured not by his faithfulness, but by the number of names added to the church roll, it might be wise to consider what a successful ministry is according to the measure of Holy Scripture. According to the word of God those preachers and churches are successful who are faithful to the work to which God has called them. Never in the Old Testament or in the New was a prophet, apostle, or preacher measured by the opinions of men. God’s servants never courted the favor of men, and were never favored by the majority of the people. The church of God has always been out of step with society. The servants of God have always been looked upon as peculiar, bigoted dogmatists, intolerant and incapable of compromise. But they were faithful, faithful to God, faithful to His truth, and faithful to the souls of men. Do not be so foolish as to measure God’s work by man’s yardstick. Do not measure the success or failure of preachers and churches by men, by numbers, or by popular opinion. THE ONLY MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR CHURCHES AND PREACHERS IS FAITHFULNESS (1 CORINTHIANS 4:2). Those who faithfully seek and promote the glory of GOD, who faithfully proclaim the truth of GOD, and who faithfully serve the eternal interests of immortal souls are successful. Those who are not are failures. The one will stand the fire of judgment. The other will not.

What blessed words are here contained in this verse. May God grant both the writer and the reader of this article, grace to see and understand the gospel of our Salvation declared in this verse, and be comforted in Christ. “…He shall sit…” The prophet sets forth here in these words that our Sovereign Redeemer will finish the saving work of His people. The prophet declares “He shall sit”. Paul writes, in fulfillment of this gospel promise, that our God and King, Christ the Lord “sat down” (Hebrews 1:3, 10:12). Perhaps you’ve heard the expression ‘stop sitting on the job’, it carries with it the idea that someone has unfinished work to do, and rather than finish it, lazily sits around. Beloved, when Paul tells us that our blessed Lord “sat down”, he is declaring the gospel of our salvation. Everything a sinner like me, and a sinner like you, desperately needs to be saved before our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus has accomplished! A full and complete pardon of sins, and a perfect spotless righteousness that lacks nothing. Our Lord declared “It is finished” (John 19:30). Beloved “ye are complete in HIM”! (Colossians 2:10) “…He shall purify…” Throughout this verse the prophet sets forth our salvation, by telling us plainly that “He shall purify”! What gospel comfort is here contained for you beloved. Do you remember what the angel of the Lord declared to Joseph? “[Mary] shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Beloved, the Holy Spirit, tells us through His servant Paul that our Lord Jesus (The brightness of the Father’s glory, the express image of the Father’s person, the One who upholds everything) “by Himself purged our sins” (Hebrews 1:3). Beloved, “All things were made by [Christ]; and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Our God, Christ Jesus the Lord, whom the prophet declared “SHALL SIT” and “SHALL PURIFY” — has “SAT DOWN”! Beloved, He has by Himself “PURIFIED” us from all our sins. Ye sons of Levi, rejoice! He has “by himself purged our sins.”

Those who have been saved are those who “are being saved” (1 Corinthians 1:18; Philippians 2:12,13). Those who have learned of Christ are those who are also “learning” of Him (John 6:45; Matthew 11:29). Those who truly know the LORD are those who “desire to know Him” (Philippians 3:7-10). Those who have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ are those who continue to cry unto the LORD, “I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory” (Exodus 33:18). These are the people who say, from the heart, “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy righteousness” (Psalm 17:15)

“Now I know.” Did not the Lord know before? Oh yes; but He that gave Abraham the faith, now afforded an opportunity for the exercise of it. My soul, how blessed is it to remark, that the largest gifts of grace are dispensed, when there is the largest occasion for them. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” And, my soul, do not forget to remark also, that our Isaacs, our children, our earthly comforts, are most likely to be continued to us, when the Lord gives grace and faith to be most ready at His holy will to part with them. When I can say, LORD, all that Thou hast given me is Thine; and if Thou art pleased to take all, or any part back again, still it is Thine own—not mine, but lent. Oh, for grace, like Abraham, to bless a taking God, as well as a giving God, and to withhold nothing from Him. Pause, my soul, one moment longer over this precious portion. Is there nothing more to be gathered from it? Look again; read it over once more. Pass beyond Abraham, and contemplate the God of Abraham, and see if thou canst not discover the infinite, unequalled, astonishing love of God the Father typified in this solemn transaction; and while we behold Abraham, at the call of God, giving up his son, his only son; may we not behold God, uncalled, unsought, and without any one cause but his own free everlasting love, giving up his only begotten Son, as a sacrifice for the redemption of His people? The patriarch gave up his son but in intention; but God in reality. And, my soul, what oughtest thou now to say to God in the view of this transaction? Methinks I find authority, from these sweet words, to make a paraphrase upon them, and to make application of them, for all and every circumstance with which I may be exercised; and, looking up to God my Father in Christ Jesus, I would say, ‘Now, O LORD and Father, I know thou dost love a poor, sinful, unworthy worm as I am, seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me.’

What would you think of a man who sat down to his Sunday dinner and tried to eat sufficient then, at one meal, to last him for the whole week? And yet that is precisely the method followed by multitudes of people with their spiritual food. The only time they get an adequate spiritual meal is on Sunday, and they make that last them for the remainder of the week. Is there any wonder that so many Christians are weak and sickly! O let us face the fact that our souls are in urgent need of a daily supply of the Bread of Life. Whatever else be left undone, let us see to it that we regularly feed on the spiritual manna.

What blessed words are here contained in this verse. May God grant both the writer and the reader of this article, grace to see and understand the gospel of our Salvation declared in this verse, and be comforted in Christ. “…He shall sit…” The prophet sets forth here in these words that our Sovereign Redeemer will finish the saving work of His people. The prophet declares “He shall sit”. Paul writes, in fulfillment of this gospel promise, that our God and King, Christ the Lord “sat down” (Hebrews 1:3, 10:12). Perhaps you’ve heard the expression ‘stop sitting on the job’, it carries with it the idea that someone has unfinished work to do, and rather than finish it, lazily sits around. Beloved, when Paul tells us that our blessed Lord “sat down”, he is declaring the gospel of our salvation. Everything a sinner like me, and a sinner like you, desperately needs to be saved before our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus has accomplished! A full and complete pardon of sins, and a perfect spotless righteousness that lacks nothing. Our Lord declared “It is finished” (John 19:30). Beloved “ye are complete in HIM”! (Colossians 2:10) “…He shall purify…” Throughout this verse the prophet sets forth our salvation, by telling us plainly that “He shall purify”! What gospel comfort is here contained for you beloved. Do you remember what the angel of the Lord declared to Joseph? “[Mary] shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Beloved, the Holy Spirit, tells us through His servant Paul that our Lord Jesus (The brightness of the Father’s glory, the express image of the Father’s person, the One who upholds everything) “by Himself purged our sins” (Hebrews 1:3). Beloved, “All things were made by [Christ]; and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Our God, Christ Jesus the Lord, whom the prophet declared “SHALL SIT” and “SHALL PURIFY” — has “SAT DOWN”! Beloved, He has by Himself “PURIFIED” us from all our sins. Ye sons of Levi, rejoice! He has “by himself purged our sins.”

Those who have been saved are those who “are being saved” (1 Corinthians 1:18; Philippians 2:12,13). Those who have learned of Christ are those who are also “learning” of Him (John 6:45; Matthew 11:29). Those who truly know the LORD are those who “desire to know Him” (Philippians 3:7-10). Those who have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ are those who continue to cry unto the LORD, “I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory” (Exodus 33:18). These are the people who say, from the heart, “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy righteousness” (Psalm 17:15)

“Now I know.” Did not the Lord know before? Oh yes; but He that gave Abraham the faith, now afforded an opportunity for the exercise of it. My soul, how blessed is it to remark, that the largest gifts of grace are dispensed, when there is the largest occasion for them. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” And, my soul, do not forget to remark also, that our Isaacs, our children, our earthly comforts, are most likely to be continued to us, when the Lord gives grace and faith to be most ready at His holy will to part with them. When I can say, LORD, all that Thou hast given me is Thine; and if Thou art pleased to take all, or any part back again, still it is Thine own—not mine, but lent. Oh, for grace, like Abraham, to bless a taking God, as well as a giving God, and to withhold nothing from Him. Pause, my soul, one moment longer over this precious portion. Is there nothing more to be gathered from it? Look again; read it over once more. Pass beyond Abraham, and contemplate the God of Abraham, and see if thou canst not discover the infinite, unequalled, astonishing love of God the Father typified in this solemn transaction; and while we behold Abraham, at the call of God, giving up his son, his only son; may we not behold God, uncalled, unsought, and without any one cause but his own free everlasting love, giving up his only begotten Son, as a sacrifice for the redemption of His people? The patriarch gave up his son but in intention; but God in reality. And, my soul, what oughtest thou now to say to God in the view of this transaction? Methinks I find authority, from these sweet words, to make a paraphrase upon them, and to make application of them, for all and every circumstance with which I may be exercised; and, looking up to God my Father in Christ Jesus, I would say, ‘Now, O LORD and Father, I know thou dost love a poor, sinful, unworthy worm as I am, seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me.’

What would you think of a man who sat down to his Sunday dinner and tried to eat sufficient then, at one meal, to last him for the whole week? And yet that is precisely the method followed by multitudes of people with their spiritual food. The only time they get an adequate spiritual meal is on Sunday, and they make that last them for the remainder of the week. Is there any wonder that so many Christians are weak and sickly! O let us face the fact that our souls are in urgent need of a daily supply of the Bread of Life. Whatever else be left undone, let us see to it that we regularly feed on the spiritual manna.

Philip didn’t preach a theology, he didn’t preach a personal opinion, he didn’t preach a pet doctrine or an issue, beloved he preached a person; he opened his mouth, and from the scriptures he preached JESUS. All faithful ministers, men sent of GOD, preach CHRIST JESUS and HIM CRUCIFIED; they don’t preach themselves—they are not men pleasers, they are your servants for JESUS sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5) Beloved, I pray that the LORD will ever enable me to open my mouth and preach to you JESUS. That through HIS undeserved grace, HE will ever make me to be your faithful minister of CHRIST. (Colossians 1:7)

Beloved, the reason why Adam and Eve were found clothed in these coats of skins is the same reason why you, who believe on Christ, are found in Him. You see, salvation is God providing for you in Christ, not you providing for yourself. Salvation is GOD clothing you in Christ, not you clothing yourself. If you are in Christ, saved by His blessed person and finished saving work, you are found in Him according to the good pleasure of His will, not yours—though He makes us willing. (Psalm 110:3) You see, salvation is God’s provision for sinners in Christ, not our provision.He who makes Christ to be our coat of salvation, is the one who graciously dresses us in Him, and makes His righteousness to be ours—through that vital living union with Him! Beloved, of God are ye in Christ Jesus! (1 Corinthians 1:30)

The only exchange of words that has ever brought peace to my heart are those words exchanged in the covenant of grace. The words exchanged between the Father and the Son on behalf of His blessed People. Our heavenly Father commands us to behold His Son and hear Him. The Father declares of His Son and all His blessed people in Him. “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (MATTHEW 3:17) The Son declares to the Father “Behold I and the children which God hath given me.” — “Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost.” (HEBREWS 2:13, JOHN 17:12) From before the foundation of the world, we hear each blessed clause, each blessed sentence of the covenant, exchanged between the Father and the Son, and delivered to the believing heart by the Holy Spirit to His people. How prone we are to try and find assurance in the words of others. Or worse yet, to try and give it to others with our own! Beloved, we’ll only find peace, quietness, and assurance forever believing the words exchanged by and within our covenant God, who changeth not. Words exchanged between the Father, His Son, and blessed to the hearts of His people by the Holy Spirit. Beloved, He sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not — he declares to you elect of God — “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” “I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (PSALM 15:4, JEREMIAH 31:3, MALACHI 3:6) LORD deliver us from looking to ourselves. Cause us “to put our trust in HIM.” Grant us to hear the well pleasing voice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, declaring to us once again through the gospel of our salvation, that everything this poor undeserving sinner needs to be saved before a Holy God, has been freely and graciously supplied in and by CHRIST. Our Lord declares “I GIVE unto them ETERNAL LIFE; and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Beloved, no man shall pluck us out of the hands of our Father and His beloved Son. Believer, you can’t even pluck yourself out of the hands of our God; you are sealed by His Holy Spirit and are His Son’s purchased possession. Everything I must be to be saved, he has graciously made me in the flesh of a man. Not in my flesh, but in the flesh and Spirit of His Son, which I now walk after by His grace. Beloved, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (ROMANS 8:1) God grant, both the writer and the reader, grace to behold that the only work that effects assurance to the hearts of His people, is not any work done in our flesh, but rather the righteous finished work of Christ — fulfilling GOD’s LAW on our behalf. On the cross where our blessed Saviour died, He hath purchased [us] with his own blood. The punishing, bloody propitious death of our Lord that paid the penalty of all our unholy sins. And with that righteous life He lived as a man, and now He is risen, and ever lives at the righthand of the Father, fulfilling every demand God requires of me for holiness. God grant, both the writer and reader help! Lord I believe, help my unbelief. Beloved, HE has accomplished and finished the work of our salvation! Amen. (ISAIAH 40:1-2, HEBREWS 4:3)

Philip didn’t preach a theology, he didn’t preach a personal opinion, he didn’t preach a pet doctrine or an issue, beloved he preached a person; he opened his mouth, and from the scriptures he preached JESUS. All faithful ministers, men sent of GOD, preach CHRIST JESUS and HIM CRUCIFIED; they don’t preach themselves—they are not men pleasers, they are your servants for JESUS sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5) Beloved, I pray that the LORD will ever enable me to open my mouth and preach to you JESUS. That through HIS undeserved grace, HE will ever make me to be your faithful minister of CHRIST. (Colossians 1:7)

Beloved, the reason why Adam and Eve were found clothed in these coats of skins is the same reason why you, who believe on Christ, are found in Him. You see, salvation is God providing for you in Christ, not you providing for yourself. Salvation is GOD clothing you in Christ, not you clothing yourself. If you are in Christ, saved by His blessed person and finished saving work, you are found in Him according to the good pleasure of His will, not yours—though He makes us willing. (Psalm 110:3) You see, salvation is God’s provision for sinners in Christ, not our provision.He who makes Christ to be our coat of salvation, is the one who graciously dresses us in Him, and makes His righteousness to be ours—through that vital living union with Him! Beloved, of God are ye in Christ Jesus! (1 Corinthians 1:30)