Soli Deo Gloria

Apostasy & Heresy, The Gospel

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” – John 6:44

Coming to Christ” is a very common phrase in Holy Scripture. It is used to express those acts of the soul wherein, leaving at once our self-righteousness, and our sins, we fly unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and receive his righteousness to be our covering, and his blood to be our atonement. Coming to Christ, then, embraces in it repentance, self-negation, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it sums within itself all those things which are the necessary attendants of these great states of heart, such as the belief of the truth, earnestness of prayer to God, the submission of the soul to the precepts of God’s gospel, and all those things which accompany the dawn of salvation in the soul. Coming to Christ is just the one essential thing for a sinner’s salvation. He that cometh not to Christ, do what he may, or think what he may, is yet in “the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.” Coming to Christ is the very first effect of regeneration. No sooner is the soul quickened than it at once discovers its lost estate, is horrified thereat, looks out for a refuge, and believing Christ to be a suitable one, flies to him and reposes in him. Where there is not this coming to Christ, it is certain that there is as yet no quickening; where there is no quickening, the soul is dead in trespasses and sins, and being dead it cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. We have before us now an announcement very startling, some say very obnoxious. Coming to Christ, though described by some people as being the very easiest thing in all the world, is in our text declared to be a thing utterly and entirely impossible to any man, unless the Father shall draw him to Christ. It shall be our business, then, to enlarge upon this declaration. We doubt not that it will always be offensive to carnal nature, but, nevertheless, the offending of human nature is sometimes the first step towards bringing it to bow itself before God. And if this be the effect of a painful process, we can forget the pain and rejoice in the glorious consequences.

I shall endeavour this morning, first of all, to notice man’s inability, wherein it consists. Secondly, the Father’s drawings–what these are, and how they are exerted upon the soul. And then I shall conclude by noticing a sweet consolation which may be derived from this seemingly barren and terrible text.

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Bible Studies, The Gospel, Theology

Glorious God,
I bless Thee that I know Thee.  I once lived in the world, but was ignorant of its Creator, was partaker of Thy providences, but knew not the Provider, was blind while enjoying the sunlight, was deaf to all things spiritual, with voices all around me, understood many things, but had no knowledge of Thy ways, saw the world, but did not see Jesus only.

Oh happy day, when in Thy love’s sovereignty Thou didst look on me, and call me by grace.  Then did the dead heart begin to beat, the darkened eye glimmer with light, the dull ear catch Thy echo, and I turned to Thee and found Thee, a God ready to hear, willing to save.

Then did I find my heart at enmity to Thee, vexing Thy Spirit; then did I fall at Thy feet and hear Thee thunder, ‘The soul that sinneth, it must die.’, but when grace made me to know thee, and admire a God who hated sin, Thy terrible justice held my will submissive.  My thoughts were then as knives cutting my head.  Then didst Thou come to me in silken robes of love, and I saw Thy Son dying that I may live, and in that death I found my all.

My soul doth sing at the remembrance of that peace; the gospel cornet brought a sound unknown to me before that reached my heart – and I lived – never to lose my hold on Christ or His hold on me.  Grant that I may always weep to the praise of mercy found, and tell to others as long as I live, that Thou art a sin-pardoning God, taking up the blasphemer and the ungodly, and washing them from their deepest stain.

From Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan Prayers

Daily Walk, Devotional, The Gospel

The more I study God’s word and the more I seek to know Him more, the more I am so burdened for the church in America.  We have become so man centered and so activity focused in our churches that we have all but left the glorious gospel of God behind or set the gospel up on a shelf for all to admire from a distance only to be shadowed by “bigger and more important things.”

Over twenty years ago I went through the motions of repeating a prayer from a pastor as I walked a long isle.  Like a magic mantra, I repeated the words of my preacher, was baptized shortly after, and was told subsequently that I was saved.  I had no understanding of sin, repentance, the holiness of God, the justice of God or my condition as a sinner.  I was told to simply repeat a prayer.  While it was an emotional experience it was not one that was wrought by the Spirit of God through repentance and faith.  I am so grateful that my God did later save me.  He transformed by heart of stone to a heart of flesh and my faith is not in a decision.  My faith is not even in my faith.  My faith is an ongoing faith in the person and work of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  And that faith is a precious gift from my God – the God that for most of my life I lived in horrendous rebellion.  Despite that hellish rebellion, He saved me.  That my friend is amazing grace.

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Evangelism, Preaching, The Church, The Gospel

In an age where the evangelical church today focuses more on humanism than the true Gospel, Paul Washer’s brief message below is a stark warning to all professing believers.  May we truly come to an understanding of just what “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” truly means.  (Rom. 3:23)

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To learn more about Paul Washer and his ministry, visit Heartcry Missionary Society

Preaching, The Church, The Gospel

Please watch…  this is so true, and so heartbreaking knowing that this is the problem of American Christianity today….

Evangelism, Preaching, The Church, The Gospel

Daily Walk, Theology