He Will Save His People From Their Sins!

Here we stand on holy ground. This verse (Matthew 1:21) is the first explicit announcement of the mission and purpose of the incarnate Son. Before He speaks a word, works a miracle, or calls a disciple Heaven unveils His identity in one radiant sentence. He is Jesus, which means Savior. Not counselor, not social reformer, not moral example, but Savior. He does not come to assist men in saving themselves, but to save them altogether. He enters this fallen world, not to improve sinners, but to rescue them from their sins and damnation. 

The name Jesus reveals the very heart of God toward sinners. The Father ordains salvation, the Son accomplishes salvation, and the Spirit applies salvation. Jesus is God coming down from Heaven to earth, to save His people from their sins. His very name announces His office: He WILL save. Not might save, or try to save, but WILL save His people from their sins. His saving purpose cannot fail, because it rests upon His divine nature and His sin-atoning death. Sin is man's greatest plague. 

Sin alienates from the thrice holy God, blinds the mind, hardens the heart, corrupts the will, and damns the soul forever! All misery in time and eternity, flows from sin! Yet here is the good news: Jesus rescues His people from sin's penalty by His sacrifice, from sin's power by His Spirit, and from sin's presence when He returns. Being a Divine work, this salvation is complete, eternal, and irrevocable. How sweet this name is to sin-wearied hearts. His righteousness satisfies the law which we broke. His sin-atoning death pays the full punishment for our sins. His intercession secures the eternal glory of every soul He redeems. None for whom He died, shall ever be lost. 

Mark the objects of His salvation: His people. Jesus did not come to make salvation a possibility, but to save an actual people whom the Father gave Him before the foundation of the world. He purchased them, effectually calls them, sanctifies them, and will one day present them faultless before His glory with great joy. Their salvation does not depend upon their hold on Him but upon His hold on them. Here, then, is the essence of the gospel: Jesus will save His people from their sins! To utter His name with faith, is to confess both our ruin, and His remedy, both our sin, and His salvation. His name is His promise: Jesus will save His people from their sins. Eternally blessed are all who trust in Him. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Matthew 1:21 ... And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. ❤

I Scarce Can Take It In!

"And when I think that God His Son not sparing Sent Him to die I scarce can take it in That on the cross my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin!" by Carl Gustav Boberg, 1885

The words of this beloved hymn capture something far greater than poetic beauty they express the soul-staggering wonder of the gospel. "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in!" This is the awe-filled confession of a redeemed sinner who has glimpsed the infinite cost of divine love! That the glorious God infinitely righteous and perfectly holy would not spare His own beloved Son but deliver Him up for an ungodly people who had rebelled against Him, is a truth that overwhelms the heart! 

When Abraham was asked to offer Isaac, his only son, as a sacrifice, God provided a substitute. But when the Father gave His Son at Calvary, there was no substitute for Him for Jesus was the substitute! The cross is not merely a demonstration of love it is the only means of salvation. On that cursed tree, the spotless Lamb bore the full weight of divine wrath not for His own sins, for He had none but for the countless, crimson sins of His people! 

"That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin!" The sin was ours. The guilt was ours. The punishment was ours. Yet Christ bore it all, gladly and willingly. This was not a cold transaction, but a mission of infinite compassion. He who knew the joy of perfect fellowship with the Father, took upon Himself the horror of forsakenness and wrath. He who upholds all things by the word of His power, was nailed to the accursed tree by sinful hands for all of the sins of all of His people. 

Who can comprehend such mercy? The angels veil their faces in awe before this redeeming grace, and the saints shall sing of it forever. Let your heart be stirred again by the wonder of the cross. Meditate on the cost. Marvel at the love. Worship the Savior who bled and died to take away your sin. And when you think on such love, such sacrifice, such glory does not be ashamed if you scarce can take it in. Eternity will not exhaust the praise due to Him who gave His life for us. Let every breath now be spent in adoration of the One who bore both your sin, and the divine wrath due to you. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Romans 5:8 ...  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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The Thief on The Cross

How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology? 

No turning from his sins, No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteerism, and no church clothes. He couldn’t even bend his knees to pray. He didn’t say the sinner's prayer and among other things, he was a thief.  Jesus didn’t take away his pain, heal his body, or smite the scoffers. 

Yet it was a thief who walked into heaven the same hour as Jesus simply by believing in Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who he said he was. No spin from brilliant theologians. No ego or arrogance. No Shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. No haze machine, donuts, or coffee in the entrance. Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.” 

For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son so that whosoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) 

I read this today and was reminded of the simplicity of the Gospel. 

[Author Unknown]

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Acts 16:31 ... And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:13 ... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Mark 1:15 ...  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. ❤

False Faith!

There is a false faith in which multitudes are confidently resting. There is a false faith by which multitudes are deceived and will perish forever in Hell. 

A false faith may be greatly enlightened and knowledgeable in gospel truth. (Hebrews 6:4) 

A false faith excites the affections. (Stony Ground Hearers)

A false faith reforms the outward life. (The Pharisees)

A false faith may speak very well of Christ. (The Jews) 

A false faith confesses sin. (Saul) 

A false faith may humble itself in sackcloth and ashes. (Ahab) 

A false faith may repent. (Esau - Judas) 

A false faith may diligently perform religious works. (The Pharisees) 

A false faith may be very charitable and generous. (Ananias) 

A false faith may tremble at the Word of God. (Felix) 

A false faith may experience much in religion. (Hebrews 6:1-4) 

A false faith may enjoy great religious privileges. (Lot's wife) 

A false faith may preach, perform miracles, and cast out demons. (Matthew 7:23) 

A false faith may attain high office in the church. (Diotrephes) 

A false faith may walk with great preachers. (Demas was Paul's companion) 

A false faith may be peaceful and carnally secure. (The Five Foolish Virgins) 

A false faith may even persevere and hold out until the day of judgment (Matthew 7:22-23). 

If you have the faith of God's elect, it will bear examination. If you do not, if you are resting in a false faith, you need to be awakened so that you may flee to Christ in true faith.

[Don Fortner]

Isaiah 55:7 ...  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Joel 2:13  ... And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Acts 3:19 ... Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. ❤

Storing Up Wrath Against Yourself!

Every day that an unrepentant sinner draws breath, is a fresh act of divine mercy and yet, also, a fresh addition to the mountain of wrath that awaits him. Paul's words above, pierce through all excuses and strip away every illusion of safety. The lost sinner imagines that because he lives another day, God must be indifferent toward his sin. But the opposite is true. Every sunrise that finds him unconverted, is not a sign of divine forgetfulness it is an extension of divine patience. (Romans 2:4) 

Yet that patience, if despised, becomes the very means by which his condemnation increases. The apostle does not say the sinner "receives" wrath daily, but that he "stores it up." Each sin each godless thought, each careless word, each act of rebellion adds to a dreadful account that must one day be settled. The longer the unbeliever lives, the more his sins accumulate. His life becomes like a vast reservoir behind a dam, filling higher and higher, until at last, on the day of judgment, it bursts forth in unstoppable fury! 

The day of judgment will be the righteous revelation of God's justice measured, exact, and fully deserved. Every additional day of rebellion is another day of accumulating wrath. Every refusal to repent deepens the sinner's ruin. To live long in sin is not a blessing it is a curse with eternal consequences. It would be a mercy to unbelievers if they died early; for the longer they live the more they sin; and the more they sin the more wrath they are storing up against themselves. Let no one presume upon God's kindness. His patience is meant to lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4) not to grant you more time to sin. 

The righteous Judge has not forgotten, He has an iron memory. "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) The only refuge from this wrath is Jesus Himself who bore the full fury of divine justice on behalf of His people. On the cross He drained the cup of wrath so that repentant sinners might drink the cup of salvation. Every day the ungodly are making deposits into their treasury of wrath. When the bank of vengeance shall be opened there will be a fearful payout indeed! May the dread of deserved wrath, drive you swiftly to the mercy of the Savior! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Romans 2:5-6 ... But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

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"It is The Truth"

My dear Brother, 

My sermon seems to be received among you much in the same manner as I expected. Nature is the same in Rutland as in Berks, I rejoice to say that the doctrines which I preach receive the very testimony which the gospel always did and always will. You will find that scarcely three respectable people will speak well of it, and very few of the poor. But there shall be a remnant to say, "It is the truth." 

When I read the Scriptures, I daily discover that the little I know of the word of God is as a drop in a bucket compared to the whole. The Bible to most is a sealed book. What Ahab said to Elijah, "Are you he who troubles Israel?" may be said of me at Sutton. The Lord has been pleased to enable me to speak such things that I have troubled Sutton and the neighboring villages. Some have learned that they are wrong; whether I am or not, they are sure they are. 

The Lord is making me useful, by bringing many to a knowledge of the truth. But I caused none to cry out, "What must I do to be saved?" until I preached election, etc., boldly. My old nature fought against the truths for a long time, but when the Lord teaches, we must learn. Read your Bible; get well acquainted with it. 

Yours very affectionately, 

William Tiptaft

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The Palm Tree!

The Palm tree brings forth its best fruit in old age. The best dates are said to be gathered when it has reached a hundred years. So it is with eminent Christians: the older the better; the older the more beautiful; nay, the older the more useful; and, different from worldlings, the older the happier. The best Christians are those who improve to the end, who grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ to the very close of life. 

They loved him at first but now they love him more. At first, they were selfish and only sought to escape from wrath; now they are jealous of the Savior's honor, and long to be saved from sin. At first, they only thought of Jesus as the Priest to save them; now they perceive the Priest upon a throne and love not only the Savior's cross but the Savior's yoke and the Savior's laws. 

One Jesus is their King. And they grow in knowledge of themselves. The truth to which they once assented becomes a deep-wrought experience. "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing." And the discovery of this depravity, the knowledge how debased and worthless their nature has become, instead of making them morose and bitter towards their fellow-sharers in the fall makes them lenient and considerate. They know themselves too well to expect perfection in their friends and find brethren to whom they can stick close in the face of obvious failings; and even when they hear of awful wickedness, indignation is chastened by shame and self-consciousness. 

It is something of the old Reformer's feeling when he saw the malefactor led to prison: "There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford!" And they grow in wisdom. Long experience, and still more the secret of the Lord, dispassionate observation and Heavenly mindedness, have given them sagacity; and sometimes in homely adages, sometimes in direct and sober counsel, they deal forth that mellow wisdom. 

And they grow in spirituality. We have seen those aged pilgrims to whom earthly things at last grew insipid; they had no curiosity for the news of the day, and little taste for fresh and entertaining books. They stuck to God's testimonies, and you never went in to see them, but the ample Bible lay open on the table or the counter; and they could tell the portion which had been that morning's food or the meditation of the previous night. The Word of God dwelt in them so richly, that you could see they were becoming fit to dwell with God; for when a mind has become thoroughly scriptural it needs but another step to make it celestial. And the last harvest came, and the last gleanings of their precious words, and when next we went that way their place knew them no longer. 

They were flourishing in the courts of God's house on high, and we should sit under their shadow and be regaled by their goodness no more. But when we recollected how fair their Christian profession was, how beneficent and serviceable they had ever been, and remembered that their last days were their brightest, and their last fruits their fairest, we said over to ourselves, "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green!" 

Dear Christian reader, when your own ear cannot hear it, may this be your eulogy: when your own eye cannot read it, may this be your epitaph. In the meanwhile, for the sake of that Savior who is dishonored by proud and selfish and unlovely disciples, do strive and pray for consistency. And for your own soul's sake, which is dulled by defective views, and depressed by each besetting sin do seek a serene and lofty faith do covet earnestly a blameless life. 

Let your triumphs over self, and your high-hearted zeal for the Savior, let the largeness of your spirit and your Heavenly elevation, let the exuberance of your goodness and the multitude of its special acts, let the fullness of your affections and the freshness of your feelings, and the abundance of your beneficence make the Christian manifest and unmistakable. Let your happy piety be the far-eyed signal announcing an oasis in the desert and pray that your church or congregation may become to weary pilgrims another Elim, where when they came, they found "twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees."

[James Hamilton]

 

Psalm 92:12-14 ... The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; ❤

That is What Some of You Were!

Some imagine that the doctrine of election will lead to pride. Quite the contrary! The truth of God's sovereign electing grace is the very instrument which cuts pride at its root: "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Corinthians 4:7) 

Christian! Look around you and see many of your own family hastening down the broad way that leads to eternal destruction; perhaps wrapped in religious traditions, and slaves of sin and Satan. 

Now, I ask you: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? Look around your town, and see the drunkenness, profanity, degeneracy, prisons, and broken homes and then tell me: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? Look around the world, and see nine-tenths of it bound in sin, superstition, decadence, and spiritual darkness and then ask yourself: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? 

How can a sinner saved by sovereign grace, be proud? Look down into the realms of darkness and damnation, and see the angels that fell, bound in everlasting chains. Look at whole nations who, like the fallen angels, have been passed by in God's wisdom and sovereignty and tell me: Who made you to differ from them? A proud believer would be totally inconsistent with free grace salvation! "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)  

Every true believer will say with the apostle Paul, "By the grace of God I am what I am!" (1 Corinthians 15:10) "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!" (2 Corinthians 10:17) Oh, how sweet it is to believe our names were on Jehovah's heart and engraved on Jesus' hands before the universe had a being! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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A Cup of Cold Water!

Well, I can do as much as that. I can do a kind act toward the Lord's servant. The Lord knows I love them all and would count it an honor to wash their feet. For the sake of their Master, I love the disciples. How gracious of the Lord to mention so insignificant an action even a cup of cold water! 

This I can do, however poor; this I may do, however lowly; this I will do cheerfully. This, which seems so little, the Lord notices, notices when done to the least of His followers. Evidently it is not the cost, nor the skill, nor the quantity, that He looks at but the motive. That which we do to His disciple, because he is His disciple the Lord observes, and recompenses. He does not reward us for the merit of what we do — but according to the riches of His grace. 

I give a cup of cold water, and He makes me to drink of living water. I give to one of His little ones and He treats me as one of them. Jesus finds an apology for His liberality, in that which His grace has led me to do, and He says, "He will certainly not lose his reward!" 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Matthew 25:40 ...  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 10:42 ... And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. ❤

Fixing Someone ...

Only God can change the situation. Pray and give it to the Lord!

"Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference."

[Max Lucado]

Philippians 4:6 ...  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Proverbs 3:5 ... Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Isaiah 41:10 ... Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

1 Peter 5:7 ... Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.❤

For the Ungodly!

To redeem poor sinners, Jesus came down from Heaven, put on the rags of our mortality, agonized, bled, died. Jesus is made His people's substitute, burden-bearer, sin-remover, guilt-sustainer. Their debt is placed to His account. His riches pay the full amount. Sin is removed from the sinner and placed on the Sinless! 

Their curse is rolled on Him and He endures it until no more remains! God deals with Jesus as the guilty one! He, as spotless Deity, receives imputed sins, and fully expiates them all. In the vicarious victim, God's justice is satisfied, and wrath expires! Jesus, in His life, in the garden, on the cross suffers their sufferings, dies their death, and so becomes their uttermost salvation! 

His pains are their pardon! His stripes are their healing! His agony is their recovery! 

[Henry Law] 

Romans 5:6 ... For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

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