GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #498

IF GRACE IS BELIEVED, GRACE DOMINATES

Pastor Don Fortner

Grace Baptist Church of Danville

2734 Old Stanford Road

Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

I am not an authority on preaching, pastoring, or anything connected with this the highest of all callings and the noblest of all works; but I am not a novice. I have been doing this work for a long time. One of the things I have observed over the years is this: Wherever the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ is believed and faithfully preached, grace dominates everything. We must not rashly judge or condemn any man or his ministry. Where people profess to believe and preach the gospel of God’s grace, let us be as lenient and charitable as possible in our judgments and statements concerning them. Having said that, I assure you that wherever grace reigns it radically alters these five things.

(1.) THE MESSENGER

A pastor or preacher who has been saved by the grace of God, who knows, believes, and preaches the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ, does not dilly dally in the pulpit, playing with men’s souls. He does not waste his time defending theological positions, promoting programs, inspiring self-righteous morality, or working up frenzied fits of emotionalism. The man who has seen and experienced the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is both humbled and emboldened; and the burden of his soul is that those who hear him know, trust, love, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:1-5).

(2.) THE MOTIVE

The pastor and church convinced of and committed to the gospel are no longer motivated by numbers, appearance, and success. They no longer crave recognition. Instead, they are motivated by and crave the glory of God (I Kings 18:36).

(3.) THE MESSAGE

The message of God’s servants and of God’s church is crystal clear. There can be absolutely no question about what God has sent us to declare. “We preach Christ crucified.” “Christ is all.” The gospel of salvation by God’s free and sovereign grace through the merits of Christ’s substitutionary obedience is the revelation of the whole counsel of God. This is not an occasional theme, but the constant theme of ministry in God’s house. The Word of God is not preached except as the gospel is preached (I Pet. 1:25). Any preacher who believes the gospel preaches it incessantly. Any church that believes the gospel demands that it be preached incessantly.

(4.) THE METHODS

Where grace is believed the methods of Arminian, freewill, works religion are abandoned. The church ceases to be a social club and becomes a preaching center, a house of worship, and a banqueting hall for hungry souls. Gospel churches are built on gospel preaching, by the almighty operations of God the Holy Spirit. Where grace reigns, gimmicks die (Isa. 55:11).

(5.) THE MUSIC

Where the gospel is believed and preached the music reflects the doctrine of grace. In the house of God there is no place for man-centered music, music that focuses on human works, emotion, and rhythm. Gospel music focuses on the praise of the triune God for his glorious persons, his gracious provisions, his good providence, and his great promises (Eph. 5:19-20). AMEN.