The Christ

“And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69).

All who are born of God believe that Jesus is THE CHRIST! The title The Christsignifies “anointed” and includes all the offices of the Son of God.

To believe Him to be the Christ is to believe Him to be that Prophet which Moses said should come, who has declared the whole mind and will of the Father. It is to believe He is that Priest that should arise after the order of Melchizedek and make atonement for sin and intercede for transgressors. It is to believe that He is that King whom the Father has set over ALL THINGS!

This faith is not a mere assent to the facts nor the knowledge which devils have, but it is a HEART FAITH and LOVE FOR HIM and His glory.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (1986)

MONSTROUS IMPLICATIONS

Let me say at the outset, the Bible does not teach or imply that Christ died for all men without exception. He died for the elect, His sheep, His church. Yet most of what goes on under the name of Christianity teaches He died for all men without exception. There are even men who say they believe in election who still believe His blood was shed for all men without exception. Such teaching and preaching has these six monstrous implications….

1. If Christ died for all men without exception and all men without exception are not saved, then He failed in His intentions.

2. If He died for all men without exception and some that He died for are not saved, His death does not save.

3. If He died for the sins of all men without exception and some of those men are still punished for their sins God is not just. He punishes the same sin twice!

4. If Christ died for men that God loved and they are not saved, God’s love is meaningless. He can love you and you can still be damned.

5. If God loves all men and Christ died for all, God is not immutable. He changes in His disposition toward the men that are under His wrath.

6. If Christ died for all men without exception and all without exception are not saved, salvation is by works. Christ’s death did not make the difference, but what the sinner does or fails to do.

Universal redemption is more than a mistake in theology. It is a denial of the Gospel and a message of salvation by works. The implications of such teaching are truly monstrous.

Pastor Todd Nibert

Stephen, A Faithful Servant

“For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:14- 15).

Stephen had faithfully preached the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in many of the synagogues of the Jews (Acts 6:9). He also preached the gospel to a young Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus who attended one of those synagogues (Acts 7:58). We know the rest of the story, Saul later was transformed by the grace of God and made an Apostle of the Lord. We should never discount the power of the preaching of the gospel. Let us never despair of the grace and power of the gospel of Christ. Stephen had no idea that Saul would later believe the gospel and preach the gospel that he once violently hated and later become the apostle Paul (Acts 8:1; Acts 9:1-6).

As Stephen was being evil spoken and accused of blasphemy for preaching the gospel (Acts 6:11); the court of the Sanhedrin had the power to not only accuse but also to condemn someone to death for committing blasphemy. But while the council falsely accused him, Stephen was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16). His face and countenance was not flushed with embarrassment (2 Tim. 1:12), was not red with anger (Eph. 4:26), nor pale with fright but rather his face and countenance was relaxed with sure confidence as the very angels of God, as the messenger of His God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, ready and willing to serve the Lord in every way (Psalm 110:3); taking care of widows (Acts 6:3) or preaching the gospel.

May the Lord be pleased to enable us to be like Stephen, faithful unto death (Acts 7:54-6), serving the Lord with gladness and singleness of heart and by any means we have been given.