ZEBULON BAPTIST CHURCH
Weekly Bulletin
Sunday, February 21th, 2010

Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment. They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. Psalm 119:149:152

CURE FOR CARE

1. We have entirely too many fears for a people to whom the Lord has said, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

2. We have far too many doubts and fears concerning God’s mercy, love, and grace for a people to whom the Lord has said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out…I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 7:37; 10:28-30).

3. We spend entirely too much time grumbling and complaining about our trials and troubles for a people to whom the Lord has said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

4. We have entirely too much attachment to this world and to this present life for a people who are looking for a city whose Builder and Maker is God (Hebrews 11:8-10). “We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Original Sin

If you have never felt the weight of original sin, do not call yourselves Christians. I am verily persuaded that original sin is the greatest burden of a true convert; this ever grieves the regenerate soul, the sanctified soul. The indwelling sin in the heart is the burden of a converted person; it is the burden of the true Christian. He continually cries out, “O! who will deliver me from this body of death,” this indwelling corruption of my heart? This is that which disturbs a poor soul most. And, therefore, if you never felt this inward corruption, if you never saw that God might justly curse you for it, indeed, my dear friends, you may speak peace to your hearts, but I fear, nay, I know, there is no peace. George Whitefield (1714-1770)

“Reproach hath broken my heart” (Psalm 69:20)

When the Son of God assumed our nature, though untainted by the fall and without sin, he came as the sinner’s Surety. He took upon him the curse for sin. He was first made sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and then a curse for us (Gal.3:13). As such, he was invested with everything belonging to the frailties of our nature, which might expose that nature to sorrow and suffering and death. The sentence of the fall was, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 3:1). The curse seizing the sinner’s Surety, he sustained everything of sorrow which belonged to God’s curse against sin. Robert Hawker (1753-1827)

“In Him is No Sin”

1 John 3:5

The Lord Jesus Christ was manifested to take away our sins and in Christ there is no sin. Though he was made sin for us, our Lord had no sin of his own. — “He knew no sin, neither was any guile found in his mouth.” — “He was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.” In order for him to be a suitable sacrifice for sin, it was necessary that our Savior be without sin. The sinner’s Substitute must himself be innocent, righteous and holy.

Yet in order to redeem us from our sins and to justify us before God, the Son of God had to be made sin for us. By a profoundly mysterious and infinitely wise transfer of grace, the Son of God was made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Being made sin for us, our guilt was imputed to the Lord Jesus Christ and he was made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). God’s holy law exacted from him the just penalty of our sins. — “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” — “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”

And having taken our sins upon himself, suffering for us the just penalty of our sins, our glorious Mediator in heaven once again has no sin. That one who sits in heaven and makes intercession for us has no sin. We know and are assured that he who was made sin for us is now without sin, because he was “declared to be the Son of God with power” when he arose from the dead, being “justified in the Spirit,” and ascended into heaven, where he ever lives to make intercession for us. Our Advocate and High Priest in heaven is perfect. He is holy. He has no sin. This is the basis of our assurance and confidence with God. We have a perfect Substitute and sacrifice whom the Father has accepted.

But this text is speaking of those who are in Christ. John tells us, by the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, that in Christ we have no sin. In ourselves we are sinners. The old nature of sin is with us and will be with us so long as we are in this world. Anyone who denies this is a liar and makes God a liar. Yet, before God, in the sight of God, those who are in Christ by a living faith have no sin. “He was manifested to take away our sins.” And he has done it! — “And in him is no sin!”

The all-seeing eye of God’s holy law sees no sin in the believer, because we are in Christ; “and in him is no sin!” the believer has no sin. — “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us!” And in that great day, when God shall judge all men according to their works, he declares, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.” Pastor Don Fortner