Birthdays: Jane Margeson – June 8th ; Kelsey Jones – June 10th
Smith Flynn – June 11th
WE’VE FALLEN AND WE CAN’T GET UP
I have heard many say over the years that they agree with all but one of the doctrines of grace. Some will have none of unconditional election. Others reject the thought of particular redemption. But these are not the real issue. These things are not the main point at which they rebel. The point at which they really rebel is the first. They reject the doctrine of total depravity! By nature they resist the clear teaching of the Bible with regards to the real condition of all men. If they believed what God says that they are, they would believe in the necessity of the other points. If man is totally depraved, that is, if sin has so permeated his whole being, polluted every aspect of his person and left him spiritually dead in trespasses and sin, then salvation can only come by the God of sovereign, omnipotent grace. God must choose him; Christ must die as a Substitute in his place and the Holy Spirit must give him life and faith and preserve him. The Bible says plainly that in Adam all died. It pictures the state of man which requires such almighty grace as being one of spiritual paralysis and death. “You will not come to me that you might have life.” The dead cannot give themselves life nor come to Him who is Life! Listen to Christ in John 6:44: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Again in John 6:65: And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. The word “can” has to do with ability. We are described by God as “lost, dead, polluted, unrighteous, blind,” and much more.” But men deny this truth and give men what they call a “free will.” The truth is, our wills are bound to our fallen nature. Left to myself, I am only free to be me, a spiritually dead, God-hating sinner! God must save us, do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, save us altogether in One outside ourselves, the Lord Jesus Christ. We must BE saved, rescued, made alive and given faith in Him who is Life. The glory of God in salvation is that He has the ability to save us and He has saved a people all by Himself in Christ. That’s the only way they could be saved! No man ever knows his condition until God comes to him in sovereign grace and power and gives him life. Paul said, “I was before a blasphemer.” When did he learn that? When God brought him to life! As one made alive by God he then rejoiced in every doctrine of God’s grace! He thanked God and preached the gospel of God’s free grace wherein He chose us in Christ, redeemed us by Christ, called us effectually by the Holy Spirit and keeps us. All to the praise of the glory of His grace! All fell in Adam but all in Christ He raised up!
--- Gary Shepard
THE DEATH OF CHRIST
Many people, when they hear or read of the sufferings and death of Christ, have feelings of sympathy stirred within them, but the Savior did not die to cause people to feel sorry for Him. As He made His way to Golgotha, some women followed Him "which also bewailed and lamented Him" (Luke 23:27). He said to them, "Weep not for Me" (verse 28). He did not then, nor does He now need or want the pity or tears of anyone. Everything that happened to Him was according to His eternal purpose. His death was not His defeat, but the defeat of His enemies; it was the time of His greatest triumph. His death was the fatal blow to Satan, the removal of our sins, the satisfaction of divine justice and the bringing in of everlasting righteousness. It was the salvation of His people. He died so God could be a just God and a Savior. All for whom His blood was shed had their sins put away, and they will find out about it at the time divinely appointed. Through the preaching of the gospel, the Holy Spirit will quicken them and bring them to rejoice in WHAT has already been done for them and to believe Him WHO did it. It was through the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ that God can pardon sin without compromising His law that demanded death for sin. When we are brought to learn that through the sufferings, death and resurrection of Christ God can be just and justify the ungodly, we will not feel sorry for Jesus, but will rejoice and worship Him. He suffered, bled, died, arose, ascended and took His rightful place at the right hand of God. "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).
--- Pastor Jim Byrd
GOD JUSTIFIED HIS ELECT
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth." (Romans 8:33) He against whom sin is committed, the Lawgiver, and the righteous Judge, justifies them from every charge; not by teaching them the way of justification, nor by infusing righteousness into them, or on account of any works of righteousness done by them, but by pronouncing them righteous through the imputation of the righteousness of His Son unto them: observe, that "God’s elect," as such, are the objects of justification; which proves the eternity of it; the speciality of it as belonging to particular persons, and the everlasting security and continuance of it.
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