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Sermon #2506[i]Miscellaneous Sermons

 

Title:                 Free-Will or Free-Grace?

 

Text:                 Psalm 115:1

Reading:     Revelation 13:1-18

Subject:            Salvation by Grace Alone

Date:                Sunday Morning — January 26, 2020

Introduction:

 

There is a hideously ugly monster, a beast that has risen up in the world, whose hide I want to nail to the wall. This beast has been around for a long, long time. You can read about him in Revelation 13.1

·     He arose from the sea. — The Pagan, Idolatrous, Gentile World.

·     He has many names; but his name is always “Blasphemy,” ascribing to man the works of God.

·     He is found in every part of the world. — He has seven heads.

·     He is very powerful. — He has ten horns.

·     He is found in high places. — He has ten crowns.

·     He is deceitful, like a leopard.

·     He is destructive, walking through the forests of darkness with the feet of a bear.

·     He is furious, devouring with the mouth of a lion. — Multitudes have perished by him.

·     His number is 666. — Frustration! — Failure! — Defeat!

 

This beast must be slain. He will be slain — not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God — through the preaching of the gospel.

 

Idolatry

 

Nothing in all the world is more foolish, more debasing to humanity, more dishonoring to God, and more assuredly damning to the souls of men than idolatry. It is pathetic to see men and women worship gods that other men have made, dumb gods, made by the hands of ignorant men! (Read vv. 4-8.) Idolatry is a hideous evil.

 

(Psalm 115:4-8) “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. (5) They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: (6) They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: (7) They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. (8) They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone that trusteth in them.”

 

Illustrations:    The Mayan Ruins

Mexicans Worshipping

  The Virgin Mary

Cold Spring, Ky

 

But the most abominable form of idolatry in the world is that which Paul calls “will worship,” the worship of yourself (Colossians 2:23). Those who attribute salvation in whole or in part to the will, work, or worth of man are the most abominably evil idolaters in the world, for they worship themselves. Freewillism is the worship of self. Legalism is the worship self. Free-will works religion makes man his own savior, for it makes the will, work, or worth of man the determining factor in salvation.

 

Now hear me well. — If your salvation in whole or in part is looked upon by you as something that is dependent upon or determined by your will or your works, you are a lost, Christless soul, and idolater. You may talk about God and grace, Christ and redemption, the Holy Spirit and regeneration; but you really worship yourself.

·     You trust in your own decision. Your confidence is in your personal goodness.

·     Your peace is derived not from what Christ has done, but from what you have done. — Redemption is something accomplished for us, altogether outside us. — Our hope is outside us, not in our experience, but in God’s Son!

·     In your opinion the thing that separates you from the damned is not the will of God, the work of Christ, and the call of the Spirit, but your own will, your own work, and your own worth.

 

I want to go directly into the dark, idolatrous chambers of your heart and destroy your gods. My subject is Free-will (the religion of the beast) or Free-grace (the religion of Christ)?

 

Three Characteristics

of Arminianism

 

Arminianism, free-will works religion, has three characteristics by which it may always be identified. It goes by many different denominational names; but it always has these three characteristics, no matter what denominational name it wears. The religion of the beast can always be identified by these three characteristics. Three characteristics of the religion of the beast are…

 

1.   False religion always has an exalted view of man.

 

The Word of God declares that man is dead in trespasses and sins, that all men are guilty, depraved, condemned, and helpless by nature, that there is none that doeth good,” that no man left to himself can or will come to Christ, trusting him alone as Savior and Lord. Is that, or is it not, the language of Holy Scripture? It most assuredly is! Yet, all free-will works religion says that, “Though man is somewhat depraved, he is not dead. Though he is lost, he is not helpless. Though he sins, he is not utterly sinful. Though he is condemned, he still has his free-will. Man needs God’s help. He cannot save himself without God’s help; but his eternal destiny, his salvation, depends upon the work of his own will! It is not God, but the sinner himself who determines whether he will be saved.”

 

2.   False religion always gives a demeaning view of God.

 

God says, “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself” (Psalm 50:21). Arminians, free-willers, idolaters think that God is like man, weak, subject to change, frustrated.

 

·     They do not deny that God is sovereign, but they talk of “limited sovereignty,” making the Creator in some things (in most things!) to be subject to the creature!

·     They do not (in word) deny the death of Christ or redemption by his blood; but they limit the merits of his death and the efficacy of his blood, making the ultimate factor in redemption to be the will of man!

·     They do not deny the necessity of the Spirit’s call; but they make the call of the Spirit to be nothing more than an influence upon the emotions of men that men have the power to either negate or make effectual by their own wills!

 

3.   False religion always gives sinners something to do to get, keep, or improve God’s favor upon them.

 

Though most loudly denounce salvation by works, when examined closely, all false religion is works religion. Augustus Toplady put it this way — “Every religion except one puts you upon doing something in order to recommend yourself to God…It is the business of all false religion to patch up a righteousness in which the sinner is to stand before God. But it is the business of the glorious gospel to bring near to us, by the hand of the Holy Spirit, a righteousness ready wrought, a robe of perfection ready made, wherein God’s people, to all the purposes of justification and happiness, stand perfect and without fault before the throne.”

 

This is what I am saying —– False religion always makes room for the flesh to glory. The great contest between the religion of the world and the religion of Christ is just this — Who is entitled to the praise and glory of the sinner’s salvation? Is salvation by free-will or by free-grace? To answer that question I make no appeal to the preachers and theologians of the past, though I thank God for what he has taught me through the writings of those faithful men who served him in past generations. And I make no appeal to the preachers and theologians of the present, though I truly thank God for his faithful witnesses who minister to my soul. I turn, instead to the Book of God, our only rule of faith and practice (Psalm 115:1).

 

Who is entitled to the praise and glory of salvation? What does the Bible say?“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

Is salvation by the free-will of man, or by the free-grace of God? What does the Bible say? — “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy” (Romans 9:16).

 

What do I mean when I use that vile, ugly, reprehensible term “free-will”? I mean anything decided, determined, or done by the sinner to attain God’s salvation. — Free-will is the religion of Lucifer! (Isaiah 14:12-14).

 

(Isaiah 14:12-14) “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

 

What do I mean when I use that glorious, God-honoring, all-important term “free-grace”? I mean everything decided, determined, and done by almighty God to bestow salvation upon his elect. Free-grace is the sovereign, voluntary, eternal, immutable, unconditional, uncaused, uncontrolled, gratuitous bounty of God, by which salvation in all its branches is accomplished. It is this grace that reigns unto the eternal life of chosen sinners through the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:21).

 

(Romans 5:20-21) “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

 

I want us to briefly examine every aspect of salvation as it is set forth in the Holy Scriptures to see if there is anything respecting the salvation of a sinner that is ascribed, in whole or in part, to the will of man, the work of man, or the worth of man, or if salvation is in its’ entirety ascribed to the free-grace of God alone, determined entirely by the will, work, and worth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

 

Illustration: A local Campbellite preacher recently wrote, “The Bible says that ‘salvation is by grace’; but it never says, salvation is by grace alone.” He is right. The Bible nowhere says it; but it teaches it everywhere!

 

Proposition: It is my intention to show you from the Word of God that God alone deserves and shall have all the praise of salvation, because salvation is the work of God alone.

 

Divisions: Let’s look at what God says about salvation. For the sake of keeping our thoughts in order, we will look at salvation from three directions:

 

1. What God has done for us.

2. What God is doing in us.

3. What God shall do with us.

 

NOTE: As we open the Word of God, if you find any place where any part of salvation is attributed to man’s free-will, I urge you never to hear me again; for, if salvation is by man’s free-will, I do not know God. I am a false prophet. However, if salvation is altogether ascribed to God, then you must never again hear a preacher of free-will, for the free-willer does not know God. He is a false prophet.

 

Past

 

1st — Let’s look back at what God Has Done For Us. Salvation begins in eternity. Long, long before God began his work of grace in us he began his work of grace for us. If your thoughts about salvation are limited to what you experience in time, you have a very limited and perverse view of God’s work. Salvation includes the past, the present, and the future. I have been saved; I am being saved; and I shall be saved.

 

With regard to what God has done for us, is salvation attributed to the free-will of man, or to the free-grace of God? Let’s see!

 

In surveying this momentous, glorious thing called “salvation,” let’s begin where God began, with the eternal election of his people in Christ.

 

To whom are we indebted for this, the first of all spiritual blessings? Pride says, “To me!” Self-righteousness says, “To me!” Free-will says, “To me!” “Election must be based upon something God foresaw in me!” Faith joins with the Word of God and says, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for they mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

“‘Tis not that I did choose Thee,

For, Lord, that could not be;

This heart would still refuse Thee,

Hadst Thou not chosen me.

My heart owns none before Thee;

For Thy rich grace I thirst;

This knowing, if I love Thee,

Thou must have loved me first.”

 

Hear the testimony of the Apostle Paul (Romans 11:5-6).

 

(Romans 11:5-6) “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (6) And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

 

·     “There is a remnant.”

·     “According to the election of grace.”

·     “And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace.”

 

“Grace ceases to be grace unless it is totally and absolutely irrespective of anything and everything, whether good or bad, in the objects of it” — Augustus Toplady.

 

We affirm that God’s election of some to salvation and eternal life was a work of unconditional grace, because grace and conditionality are two incompatible opposites. The one totally negates and destroys the other. They cannot exist together, anymore than two objects can occupy the same place at the same time. If you slip in works, you push grace out. If you establish grace, you push works out.

 

God’s next work for us revealed in the Scriptures was the everlasting covenant of grace, ordered in all things and sure from eternity.

 

Are the blessings of that covenant made between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost conditioned upon our works, or are they conditioned upon God’s work? Is the immutability of the covenant determined by man’s free-will, or by God’s sovereign will? Are repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance conditions of the covenant, or fruits of the covenant? — What do the Scriptures say? (Hebrews 8:8-12; 2 Timothy 1: 9-12; Romans 9:9-16)

 

(Hebrews 8:8-12) “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (9) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. (10) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: (11) And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. (12) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”

 

(2 Timothy 1:9-12) “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (11) Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. (12) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

 

(Romans 9:9-16) “For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. (10) And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (11) (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) (12) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. (13) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. (15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.”

 

Illustration: The Reading of the Will

 

·     The Covenant was established in eternity.

·     The Covenant was put into force at Calvary.

·     The Covenant is read in the preaching of the Gospel.

·     The Covenant is received by faith.

·     Faith itself is a covenant gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8; Jeremiah 32:38-41).

 

(Ephesians 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

 

(Jeremiah 32:38-41) “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: (39) And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: (40) And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. (41) Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.”

 

What do we say, with regard to God’s covenant and all the blessings of it? Was God’s covenant established upon the will of man, or upon the will of God? The will of God! Was God’s covenant put into force by the work of Christ, or does it wait upon the work of man? The work of Christ! Does God’s covenant recognize the worth of man, or the worth of Christ? The worth of Christ! Is God’s covenant the result of man’s free-will, or of God’s free-grace? God’s free-grace!

 

When we think of the covenant then, and all its blessings, let us sing this song —– “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

Then, in the fullness of time, God sent his Son into the world to suffer and die as our Substitute, to make atonement for our sins and redeem us from the curse of the law.

 

Read the Scriptures with me (Isaiah 53:6, 8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18-20; 1 Peter 2:24; Revelation 5:9-10).

 

(Isaiah 53:6) “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

 

(Isaiah 53:8-10) “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (9) And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. (10) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

 

(2 Corinthians 5:21) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

 

(Galatians 3:13) “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:”

 

(Hebrews 9:12) “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

 

(1 Peter 1:18-20) “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (20) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”

 

(1 Peter 2:24) “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

 

(Revelation 5:9-10) “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

 

NOTE: The whole doctrine of the gospel stands or falls upon this one point — How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures!” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Be sure you understand the doctrine of the Scriptures. I am not preaching a theory of the atonement. I am preaching the biblical doctrine of the atonement!

 

(1 Corinthians 15:1-3) “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”

 

·     Christ died by the will of God!

·     Christ died as a Substitute for God’s elect! — “For the transgressions of my people!”

·     Christ accomplished the redemption of his people when he died on the cross, satisfying Divine justice for us!

·     Christ’s work of redemption is a finished work of grace!

 

“‘Tis done! The great transaction is done,

I am my Lord’s, and He is mine!”

 

·     To be redeemed is to be forgiven!

·     To be redeemed is to be justified!

·     To be redeemed is to be accepted!

 

Where in the Bible are these things said to be the possession of all men? Where are these great blessings of redemption attributed to the free-will of man? These works of redemption are the works of God’s free-grace alone!

 

Redeemed sinners in heaven, what say you to the great and glorious work of redemption? Hear their answer – “Thou art worthy, O Lamb of God, for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation!”

 

Redeemed sinners upon the earth, what say you about the redemption of your souls? “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

Those are the great works of God for us, by which we are saved. Not one of them is dependent upon or determined by man’s free-will. They are all the works of God’s free-grace in Christ.

 

·     Electing grace!

·     Covenant grace!

·     Redeeming grace!

 

“To God be the glory, great things he hath done!”

 

Present

 

2ndI want us to briefly consider what God is doing in us (Titus 3:4-7).

 

(Titus 3:4-7) “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, (5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

 

This is the experimental part of salvation. It is as essential as election and redemption. As the work of God for us is altogether of grace, so the work of God in us is a work of grace alone. Listen to the Word of our God. —– “It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profitteth nothing!” ((John 6:63).

 

Regeneration is a work of grace alone (Ephesians 2:1-4).

 

(Ephesians 2:1-4) “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: (2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.”

 

The conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment is the work of grace alone (John 16:8-13).

 

(John 16:8-13) “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. (13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”

 

Faith in Christ is the work of grace alone (Ephesians 1:19; 2:8; Colossians 2:12).

 

(Ephesians 1:19) “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.”

 

(Ephesians 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

 

(Colossians 2:12) “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

 

NOTE: When we declare faith to be necessary to salvation, the Hardshell cries, “There, is not believing a work? Have you not slipped in works?” No! Faith is God’s work in us!

 

Good works are the work of grace (Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 2:10). — “It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure!”

 

(Galatias 5:22-24) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (24) And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

 

(Ephesians 2:10) “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

 

Perseverance is the work of grace alone (John 10:27-28; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; Jeremiah 32:38-41).

 

(John 10:27-28) “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

 

(Philippians 1:6) “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

 

(1 Peter 1:5) “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

 

(Jeremiah 32:38-41) “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: (39) And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: (40) And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. (41) Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.”

 

We believe in the perseverance of the saints because we believe in the perseverance of the Savior.

 

Yes, even sanctification is the work of grace alone. Let me camp here for just a minute. Contrary to the report of some, I do know the difference between sanctification and justification. I know wherein the two differ; and I know wherein they agree. They agree in this — Both are works of grace!

 

Sanctification is holiness. To be sanctified is to be made holy. This great work of God is never once ascribed to the will, or work of man. It is always ascribed to the grace of God alone. Grace makes unholy men and women holy.

·     By imputed righteousness in justification.

·     By imparted righteousness in sanctification.

 

To be sanctified is to be made a saint. It is not the pope who makes men saints. Neither do sinners make themselves saints. Grace alone makes sinners to be saints!

 

NOTE: The word “sanctify” is used six times in the New Testament. The word “sanctification” is used five times. “Sanctified” is used 16 times. But never even once, in those 27 places, is sanctification ascribed to the will or works of man. It is always ascribed to God and his glorious grace.

 

We are said to be sanctified…

·     “Through the truth” (John 17:19).

·     “By faith” in Christ (Acts 26:18).

·     “By the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:16).

·     “In Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:2).

·     “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

·     “By the will of God, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ” (Hebrews 10:10).

·     And “by God the Father” (Jude 1).

 

But never, not even once, in the New Testament is sanctification said to be the result of any man’s will or work. It is the work of God’s free-grace!

 

What does God say about the work he is doing in us? He says, — “My grace is sufficient for thee!” What have saved men in the past said about it? — “By the grace of God I am what I am!” And what do you and I say about it? — “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

Future

 

3rd — Think for a minute about what God shall do with us. The Lord is not done with us yet. There are a few things yet to be done. But none of them depend upon us!

 

Soon the Lord God will bring us safely across the swelling Jordan into our heavenly Canaan (Exodus 15:16-18).

 

(Exodus 15:16-18) “Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased. (17) Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. (18) The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.”

 

Our dear Savior, who has led us through the wilderness of life, will not leave us at the edge of the river. He will bring us into the land of rest. That heavenly city standing before us…

 

·     Is Built upon a Foundation of Grace.

·     Has a Door of Grace.

·     Is an Inheritance of Grace.

 

As God brought Israel into Canaan, not for their righteousness, but for his name’s sake, so he will bring us into glory, not for our righteousness, but for his name’s sake.

 

Illustration: He’s got more to lose than me. If I perish, I’ll lose my soul, but God, He’d lose his glory!”

 

Illustration: Darrell McClung — “Thank God for that man in heaven! Thank God for Christ! O how I thank God for the blood of Christ!” — “I’m still looking for that Man in heaven!”

 

In the Resurrection Day the Lord Jesus Christ will complete his work of grace for us, in us, and with us.

 

1. There will be a glorious resurrection!

 

·     Christ is coming again!

·     He will unite our bodies with our souls!

·     He will conform us to himself perfectly!

·     This mortal must put on immortality!

·     This corrupt, corruptible, corrupting man must and shall put on incorruption!

 

2. There will be a glorious judgment!

 

That judgment will not be to decide who shall enter into heaven, but to demonstrate who is worthy and why! In that great day our God will display in us, to wondering worlds of men, angels, and devils, the wonders of his matchless grace!

 

(Ephesians 2:7) “That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

 

3. There will be a glorious presentation!

 

·     “Then cometh the end!”

·     “Lo, I and the children!”

·     “Holy, without blame, before him!”

 

(Jude 1:24-25) “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (25) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.”

 

4. There will be a glorious introduction!

 

The Lord Jesus Christ will introduce us, a great, glorified multitude, which no man can number, into everlasting glory. There we shall forever increase in the knowledge of, and love for, and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

5.   This inheritance of heavenly glory, whatever it is, is an inheritance of free-grace! It is ours by…

 

·     Eternal Predestination! (Ephesians 1:11).

·     Lawful Purchase! (Hebrews 6:20).

·     The Gift Of God! (Romans 6:23).

 

In heaven’s everlasting glory this shall be our endless, melodious song of praise – “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

The whole work of salvation is the work of God’s free-grace by Jesus Christ. He alone shall have the praise for it. — “This is the word of the Lord…Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts…He shall bring forth the headstone (for the completion of his temple) with shoutings, crying, grace, grace unto it!…(His) hands have laid the foundation of (his) house; his hands shall also finish it” (Zechariah 4:6-9).

 

Application

 

The believer boasts not of his free-will, but of God’s free-grace alone (1 Corinthians 1:29-31; Philippians 3:3).

 

·     Grace chose me!

·     Grace redeemed me!

·     Grace called me!

·     Grace keeps me!

·     Grace shall bring me home to God!

·     To God alone I ascribe all praise for his free-grace. — “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

Let every will worshipper be warned! — If you trust your will, your works, or your worth to any degree, you are yet without life before God (Galatians 5:1-4).

 

(Galatians 5:1-4) “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (2) Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. (3) For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (4) Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

 

“You are an infidel, if you trust your own righteousness…You have, in the sight of God, neither part nor lot in this matter. You are spiritually dead while you pretend to live. Until you are endued with faith in Christ’s righteousness, your body is the living coffin of a dead soul! A Christian is a believer not in himself, but in Christ.” — Augusta Toplady

 

Cast off your righteousness. Come to Christ. Trust his blood and righteousness. If you do, you are an heir of free-grace. You too will sing – “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

Let every believer make a clean, public, permanent break with all false, free-will, works religion (Revelation 18:4; 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1). — Come out of Babylon! Come out and God will receive you!

 

(2 Corinthians 6:17-18) “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

 

(2 Corinthians 7:1) “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting (performing) holiness in the fear of God.”

 

(Revelation 18:4) “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

 

Let every ransomed sinner be humbled (1 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-14).

 

(1 Corinthians 4:7) “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”

 

(2 Thessalonians 2:10-14) “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (13) But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Let it be ours ever to extol the matchless free-grace of God in Christ. — “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”

 

Amen.


 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[i]        Danville — Sunday Morning — January 26, 2020

         Danville — Friday Evening — September 4, 1992

         Redeemer Baptist Church — Louisville, KY — May 1992

         Christian Fellowship Church — New Brunswick, NJ — (09/21/03)

Honiton, ENG — Tuesday Evening — April 1, 2008