GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #413
SOUND DOCTRINE
Pastor
Don Fortner
Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road
Danville,
Kentucky 40422-9438
There are but two forms of
religion in the world. One is true. The other is false. One is saving. The
other is damning. Those two forms of religion are free-grace and free-will.
Free-grace declares that
salvation is the work of God alone. Free-will declares that salvation is, at
least in part, the work of man. Free-grace declares that salvation is
conditioned upon the obedience of Christ alone as the sinner’s Substitute.
Free-will declares that salvation is ultimately and finally conditioned upon
the obedience of the sinner himself.
Any doctrine that makes salvation, eternal life, acceptance with God,
and the reward of the heavenly inheritance to be dependent upon, or determined
by you, at any point or in any measure, is contrary to sound doctrine. To
receive, believe, or embrace such doctrine will be damning to your soul (Read Gal. 5:1-4).
Here are five points of
Divine truth by which all doctrine must be examined. Anything that is contrary
to, or in any measure diminishes, these five points of sound doctrine must be
rejected as heresy.
1.
TOTAL DEPRAVITY - All men by nature are both
sinful and helpless, because all are spiritually dead (Matt. 15:19; Rom. 5:12;
Eph. 2:1-4).
2.
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION - God, from eternity, chose a
people in Christ whom he determined to save, without consideration of anything
in them or anything that might be done by them (John 15:16; 2 Thess. 2:13-14;
Rom. 8:28-30; 9:13-24; Eph. 1:3-6; 2 Tim. 1:9-10).
3.
LIMITED ATONEMENT - Christ died for and redeemed
his elect only. The benefits of Christ’s death are limited to the elect. And
his death effectually secures their salvation (Isa. 53:8-11; John 10:11, 15;
Heb. 9:12).
4.
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE - God the Holy Spirit calls sinners
from spiritual death to spiritual life in Christ by the power of his grace
which cannot be successfully resisted (Psa. 65:4; 110:3; John 6:63; Eph.
2:8-9).
5.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS -
Every
sinner chosen by God in election, redeemed by Christ at Calvary, and called by
the Spirit in grace shall persevere in grace unto eternal glory, because they
are all preserved and kept by grace (John 10:27-30; Jer. 32:38-40).
IF ANY MAN PREACHES ANYTHING CONTRARY TO THESE
THINGS, HE IS A FALSE PROPHET AND A DECEIVER OF MEN’S SOULS. LET HIM BE DAMNED.
That is not
a conclusion I have reached. That is the conclusion the Apostle Paul reached by
divine inspiration. You will find it written in Galatians 1:6-8.
"I marvel
that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ
unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you,
and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let
him be accursed."
AMEN.