GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

GRACE FOR TODAY

Daily Devotional Readings

Don Fortner

Men look upon many things as evidences of divine grace in the heart. Most of those 'evidences' which men look upon and applaud are so many forms of self-righteousness. They are things seen of men, pleasing to men and honoured by men, but they are an abomination to God (Luke 16:15).

But our Lord Jesus Christ has plainly told us that there is one distinguishing characteristic by which all true believers may be identified. 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' If I have in my heart a true love for the people of God, then I am one of God's elect. If love is absent from my heart, grace is also absent from my heart. just in case any do not know how to measure true love, Paul gives us a clear description in I Corinthians 13:4-7.

Love is longsuffering. It is patient with the weaknesses, infirmities and offences of others. Love is not sharp, bitter, quick-tempered and malicious, but kind. Love is not proud and selfish. It does not envy others, promote itself and behave rashly. Love is not self-seeking. Love is not easily provoked. True love for someone will prevent me from being easily offended by him and will cause me to forgive him quickly. Love thinks no evil. Love always looks for and thinks the best of its object. It looks for reasons to think good and not evil. Love does not harbour suspicion and jealousy and resentment. Love patiently bears all things in its object. If I love someone I will bear, without anger or hurt feelings, almost anything from him, because I trust him and believe the best concerning him.

All anger, wrath, malice, suspicion and gossip are contrary to that love which characterizes God's elect. They spring from the old man, from the heart of sinful flesh. We must repent of such things and turn from them. It is my constant prayer that the Lord God will teach me to love my brethren and teach me to show them true love for Christ's sake.

'Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.' This must be our one desire, our one goal, our one ambition. Let us join our Redeemer in this prayer: 'Father, glorify thy name.' In this psalm we have a prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ. Having done the Father's will and put away our sins, the Lord Jesus Christ prays that all of God's children would follow his, example and say continually, "The Lord be magnified.'

1. Who can use this saying? This is distinctly the language of men and women who have been saved by the grace of God. Notice how they are described. They seek the Lord. Feeling their need of him, they seek him by faith in Christ. We seek the mercy of God in Christ for pardon, righteousness, fellowship, honour, glory and immortality. Seeking God in Christ, the believer finds salvation and life. God's children rejoice in him. We rejoice in who he is and what he has done and what he is doing for us. Now, being saved by the power of God, all of God's elect love his salvation. We love the gospel of substitution. We love him who is our Substitute. Once more, the psalm characterizes God's children as those who seek his glory. They say continually, 'The Lord be magnified.'

2. What do we mean by this saying? It means that we desire the honour of God in all things. We want to magnify God in the thoughts of our hearts and in our actions and attitudes before men. The paramount desire of our souls is that our God and Saviour be magnified. Let every redeemed sinner say continually, 'The Lord be magnified.'

3. Why should we say this? No one is worthy of honour, glory and majesty but Christ our God. He loved us. He redeemed us. He preserves us. He will bring us to glory. And we use this saying with confidence, because we know that the Lord will be magnified.

Like wise merchants, we must secure the genuine article - the truth; not something that resembles the truth, not a part of the truth, but the truth. It is not enough to gaze at the truth, admire the truth and talk about the truth. We must buy it. The truth which we must buy is the gospel of God's free grace in Christ. This is the truth which we bind around our necks and is written upon the tables of our hearts.

Far too many take a fair bid for the truth, but are unwilling to pay its price. Herod heard the truth, but he bought it not, loving pleasure more. The rich young ruler made a bid for the truth, but bought it not, loving riches more. Agrippa was convinced of the truth, but bought it not, loving fame and popularity more.

But there are some who are so convinced of the value of the truth that they consider nothing too valuable to give for it. Moses gave up all the 'treasures of Egypt' that he might buy the truth. Paul gave up his Jewish privileges and high reputation that he might buy the truth. The Hebrews 'took joyfully the spoiling of their goods' that they might buy the truth. The martyrs 'loved not their lives unto death' that they might buy the truth.

You who believe have bought the truth of redemption by Christ alone. You consider it more valuable than life itself. You have bought it without money and without price, by the simple obedience of faith in Christ. But you would gladly give all things for it. My admonition to you is this: 'Sell it not.'

Many who appear to have bought the truth do sell it. And they sell their own souls with it. And 'What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' To all outward appearance, Lot's wife, Esau, Judas and Demas had the truth. 'They had it in name, in profession and in outward conduct. But they sold it for nought. Their apostasy clearly proved that they had never received the love of the truth. With them it was only a speculative notion. It was never grafted into their hearts. Settle this question: do you know the truth? Is it written upon your heart by divine power? See to it, my friend, that you 'buy the truth, and sell it not'.

Far too many of God's children miss the blessed message of this text by trying to fit it into their theological system. The Calvinist strives earnestly to make the text read, 'God so loved his elect.' The Arminian tries to make it teach universal redemption, suggesting (contrary to Scripture) that there is no such thing as electing love and distinguishing grace. If we can put aside the prejudices of our theological systems and read this verse as poor sinners in need of divine mercy, we will find much to comfort our hearts and encourage our faith. Here our Lord plainly declares God's revelation of his infinite love to perishing sinners.

'God so loved the world.' He did not have to love the world. There was nothing in the world which merited or constrained his love. He did not need to love the world. But it was eternally the pleasure of God to set his heart upon the fallen sons of Adam in sovereign infinite love! The word 'world', as it is used here does not refer to extent of God's love, but to the character and condition of the people whom God loved, 'The whole world lieth in wickedness.' Men who had broken God's law, who by their own wilful sin had rebelled against God's authority, men who were depraved, helpless, dead, perishing sinners, are the objects of God's love!

'That he gave his only begotten Son.' Our misery was so great that none could deliver us but the eternal Son of God. God's love was so great that he withheld not the Son of his love. At Mt Calvary God gave his Son to die in the place of sinners whom he loved. He gave his Son over to the hands of inflexible justice, to satisfy the claims of justice against our sins, so that we might not die.

'That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' We deserve to die. We were all perishing under the wrath of God. But, by divine revelation, we have seen the Son of God dying as our Substitute. Believing that his blood and righteousness alone can satisfy God's holiness and justice, we have cast ourselves upon Christ. And now we live!

The only King in Zion is Christ, God's anointed King. The only Head of the church is Christ, God's exalted Head. The only Lawgiver in Israel is Christ, God's appointed Prophet. And the only voice of authority in the church of Christ is the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. If ever you prosper under the blessings of God, you must learn this lesson. The church of the New Testament is not a democracy where 'every man does that which is right in his own eyes'. It is a kingdom under the dominion of the sovereign Christ. Therefore I urge you to put away your customs, traditions, by-laws and opinions, and bow down in reverent submission to the Holy Scriptures. Be no longer satisfied with a form of godliness, built upon religious tradition, but void of power. Seek, rather, to submit to the Word of God, seek the power of God and seek the presence of Christ. Let me give you these reasons for submitting all things to the Word of God.

1. The Scriptures alone are given by divine inspiration. In every word and phrase, 'holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God'.

2. The Scriptures alone reveal the way of salvation and life through faith in Christ. It is only through the declaration of God's Word that sinners are brought to salvation, trusting the merits of God's Son, our Substitute.

3. The Scriptures alone are authoritative and profitable. Our doctrine must arise from the plain statements of Scripture. All righteous reproof, correction and instruction come from the faithful exposition of the Word of God.

Let us examine ourselves and our churches by the Word of God. There should be nothing in the church today that was not established in the church by our Lord and his apostles. Any addition is a subtraction. The law of church government, according to the Scriptures, is love and trust. The business of the church is the preaching of the gospel and the purpose of the church is the glory of Christ.

If there is one thing that I want to impress upon the hearts of men and women, it is that Christ alone is worthy of honour, worship, praise, love, trust and glory. I read it in God's book, I hear it in the preaching of the gospel and I have experienced it in my soul: 'Worthy is the Lamb!' The apostle Paul said, 'This man was counted worthy of more glory.' The angels are not worthy, but Christ is. No man is worthy, but Christ is. The church is not worthy, but Christ is. The preacher is not worthy, but Christ is. In heaven, all the saints and angels unite in this glorious eternal song: 'Worthy is the Lamb!'

Christ is worthy of all honour, because he is the divine Creator (Rev. 4: 11). In heaven everyone delights to worship Jesus Christ as God. And if ever a man gets to glory, he will have to worship Jesus Christ upon the earth as God the eternal Son, the Creator of all things. He created the world in the beginning by infinite power. He creates men anew by sovereign power. And he creates all the events of providence according to his own wise decree. In the end, all things will prove to be for his pleasure, his honour and his glory (Prov. 16:4).

Christ is worthy of all worship, because he is our merciful Redeemer (Rev. 5:9-10). God counted him worthy to be the Substitute, Surety and Redeemer of his people, committing the salvation of our souls into his hands as 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world'. His righteousness is worthy to clothe us. His sufferings are worthy to make us clean. His power is worthy to preserve us. His love is worthy to win our hearts. Christ proved himself worthy. As the Lion of Judah he prevailed with God. As the Lamb of God, he redeemed us to God, making us a generation of priests and kings. And now, with our hearts, we say Christ is worthy! He is worthy of our faith, obedience, love and worship!

Christ is worthy of eternal praise, because he is God's exalted King (Rev. 5:11-14). As God's exalted King every creature of God, in heaven, in the earth, and under the earth will say, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!'

'This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of' God' (Heb. 10: 12). The prophet Zechariah realized more truth concerning the mediatorial offices of the Lord Jesus Christ than do the majority of our modern 'theologians'. He knew that our Lord could not be an effectual Priest unless he was also a sovereign King. Therefore he spoke of him accomplishing his work and being exalted as 'a priest upon his throne' (Zech. 6:13). Here the apostle Paul plainly shows us that Zechariah's prophecy was accomplished. Both the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New teach us that Christ's ability as our Saviour is vitally linked with his power as God's exalted King. Here the apostle assures us that Christ is indeed able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him, with two blessed facts of the gospel.

1. The Lord Jesus Christ has put away sin by his one atoning sacrifice. 'This man', this divinely mysterious person, in all of his glorious Godhood and perfect manhood, has put away sin by one all-sufficient sacrifice. Our High Priest has accomplished what the priests of Israel and all the 'priests' of Rome could never accomplish. He took away sin! There is but one atoning High Priest. There was but one sacrifice for sin, and that sacrifice was offered only once.

2. Having perfectly accomplished our redemption, the Lord Jesus Christ was exalted to the throne of glory. The Priest sits upon his throne. Having power over all flesh, he gives eternal life, repentance and remission of sins to as many as the Father gave him. Our Surety sat down for ever in heaven. Jesus Christ stood in the sinner's place. The guilt of all his elect was imputed to him. God accounted him to be a sinner. As such, he could not enter heaven until he had washed that sin away in his own blood. Until those sins of his people were gone, our High Priest could not sit down in the holy place. But, blessed be his name, our Surety is freed from sin and so are we.

'Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.' Modern theologians seem to be bent upon making a mockery out of our Redeemers sacrifice. They have made a substitute for substitution. Their doctrine appears to be that Jesus Christ did something or other which, somehow or other, was in some way or other connected with man's salvation. But David had a better vision of Christ's redeeming work. Looking through the types and shadows of the law, he saw the coming Lamb of God and sang of glorious redemption. He saw that the coming Redeemer King would be God's propitiatory sacrifice, showing his favour to his people. Before it ever took place, he declared the deliverance of the chosen seed.

Looking upon the merits of his coming Redeemer, David sang of the full forgiveness of sin: 'Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou has covered all their sin. Selah. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou has turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.' Then he prophesied of the coming of Christ, declaring that his appearance would be the revelation of divine glory.

Never was the glory of God more fully revealed than in the substitutionary sacrifice of Immanuel at Mt Calvary. At the cross, David foresaw all the glorious attributes of God embracing one another to accomplish man's redemption. At the cross, God's love shines forth in undiminished glory, and his justice appears in blazing wrath! In putting away our sins by the sacrifice of his Son, God is as merciful as if he had never punished sin. And he is as true as if he had fulfilled every threat to the sinner, In mercy, God sent his Son to die in our place. In his love and pity he redeemed us. In truth, he fulfilled every threat of his holy law in the person of our Substitute. As a merciful God, he pitied us, but as a holy God, he could not but hate our transgressions; as a God of truth, he could not but fulfil his own threatening; as a God of justice, he must avenge himself for the offence against him. He gave Christ as a God of mercy and required satisfaction as a God of justice.

'The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings.' These words prophetically describe one great work of the Lord Jesus Christ: he was to come as a preacher. Not only is the eternal Son of God the author of the gospel and the subject of the gospel, he is the only effectual preacher of the gospel. He is 'the messenger of the covenant'. Through his incarnation and death, he created the gospel and it is he who effectually preaches the gospel.

Christ proclaimed the gospel through the prophets of the Old Testament, in anticipation of his atoning sacrifice. They were his mouthpieces. It was he who went and preached to Noah's disobedient generation, when the longsuffering of God waited while the ark was being prepared. When those holy men of old 'prophesied of the grace that should come', it was 'the Spirit of Christ within them' testifying 'beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow'.

During his life upon the earth, our Lord proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom of God, of the love of the heavenly Father for his wayward child and of God's anointed King. It was Christ who condescended 'to seek and save that which was lost'. He went to the publicans and sinners, the dregs of society, and proclaimed God's redeeming mercy. Christ himself brought the good news of salvation to the Samaritans.

After his resurrection, it was Christ who commanded his disciples in all ages to proclaim the gospel to every creature, promising the power of his presence. It was Christ who poured out his Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, through the merits of his death and resurrection. It was Christ who preached the gospel to Saul of Tarsus. And every true preacher today speaks in Christ's name. Rather, Christ preaches through him as his ambassador. Every true gospel preacher can say with Paul, 'We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.'We preach, but Christ alone preaches effectually. He created the gospel, is the theme of the gospel, and in truth he is the one and only preacher of the gospel. He applies the gospel irresistibly by the Holy Spirit. When Christ preaches, salvation comes.

More solemn words than these were never spoken. Prophet after prophet had been sent to Ephraim. Moses, Elijah, Elisha, all testified God's message to Ephraim. They were warned against their sin of idolatry and of God's sure judgement. But they would not hear. They despised God's servant and his message because at heart, they despised God. Finally, the Lord said to his prophet, 'Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.'

Exactly the same thing happened to the nation of Israel. They had the law and oracles of God, the prophets and the priesthood. Finally, God's own Son came among them. But they despised all. As Ephraim was glued in heart to his idols, Israel was joined to her rituals and traditions, and our Lord said, 'Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind' (Matt. 15:14). Judicially, God gave Ephraim and Israel up in reprobation. I fear that such judgement might come upon some of my own generation.

Perhaps you think that this does not take place with individuals. You have always heard that God is at the beck and call of the sinner. Read what God says in Proverbs 1:23-33. My friend, you must hear God when he speaks to you by the gospel, and harken to his voice. I say, according to the Scriptures, if men continually harden themselves against the Word of God, they do but seal up their own reprobation. The day will come when, like Esau, You will seek repentance, but God will not grant it. You will call for mercy, but God will not show mercy. Continued rebellion against God's warnings of wrath, both by his servants and providence, continued disobedience to conscience, continued rejection of the tender wooings of the gospel are the things that bring about this awful curse: 'Let him alone!'

Once such condemnation is passed upon your soul, nothing will move your heart. The sermons of the preacher only serve to harden you. Conscience no longer speaks. Your destruction is sure! Therefore, I urge you, harden not your heart. Receive not the grace of God in vain.

'Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' Our Lord Jesus Christ is that 'grain of wheat' fallen into the ground. But as such he brings forth much fruit. It is not possible that his death could be in vain. Behold the abundance of fruit brought forth by the death of Christ.

1. Through the death of Christ the wrath of God was appeased for us (Rom. 3:25-26). It was not possible that God could accept us without the satisfaction of his justice for our sins. Now our Substitute has fully appeased that justice upon the cross. justice cannot fall upon us, for it has fallen on our Surety.

2. The death of Christ silenced the law (Gal. 3:13). The law of God has no curse, no condemnation, no accusation against the believer. The curse of the law, being executed upon our Surety, can never speak against us.

3. If God is appeased and the law is cancelled, there removal of our guilt must necessarily follow (Eph. 1:7). In the court of heaven, we were declared innocent when the Son of God died for us. When the Holy Spirit gives us faith to trust the merits of Christ, he takes away the guilt of our own consciences.

4. Another fruit of our Saviour's death was the conquest of Satan (John 12:31). Sons of God, rejoice, the tempter's power is broken! The serpent's head is crushed! The accuser of our brethren is cast out! The strong man is bound, and his house spoiled!

5. Perfect sanctification is also a fruit of Christ's death (Titus 2:14; Eph. 5:25). Sanctification does not come by legal obedience. It is accomplished by the daily application of the Savior's blood to our hearts. We are sure that it will be one day perfected in us (in heaven), because Christ died to secure it.

6. Heaven is the sure and final home of all those for whom Christ died (Rom. 5:17; 6:8; 8:23). Jesus Christ not only redeemed our souls, he redeemed our bodies as well. And he will not lose that which he purchased at so dear a price. He will bring all his ransomed ones home to glory!

'By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.' The death of Jesus Christ in the place of sinners was much more than a mere hopeful act on his part. Our Saviour did not die to make redemption a possibility for all of Adam's race. He died as the Substitute and Surety of his people and obtained eternal redemption for us. I want to share with you four blessed truths about our redemption by Christ.

1. Redemption by Christ was appointed by God in eternity. This was an act of loving sovereignty. God was not in any way obliged to redeem fallen sinners. And he had nothing to gain by doing so. Yet, by divine statute, our Lord was set up in eternity as 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world'. And, in the fulness of time, he was 'delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God'. Before the world began, God gave his Son to die for the objects of his love. Christ agreed to bear our sins in his own body upon the tree.

2. Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption at Calvary. We have, by faith, been to Calvary and beheld the Son of God dying in our place. We hear the expiring Immanuel cry, 'It is finished!' And we know the great transaction is done. At that time our sins were put away; our souls were pardoned. Nothing could be added to it and nothing taken from it. It is the work of the God-man, and it is for ever.

3. God Almighty accepted our redemption by the blood of Christ. The resurrection of Christ and his ascension into heaven are proof positive that God has accepted the finished work of his Son as our Redeemer and accepted us in him. The exalted God-man declares that justice is satisfied and God is reconciled to all who are represented in him.

4. This redemption by Christ is effectually applied by the Holy Spirit. He graciously sprinkles our hearts with the blood of Christ and reconciles us to God. By faith we receive justification and the forgiveness of sin.

'He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.' The one message of the Bible is salvation by the substitutionary work of Christ. Everywhere in the book of God we are told that men are perishing and all of Adam's fallen race are in desperate need of salvation. In many places we are taught that Christ Jesus is willing to save sinners. In this verse we read that he is able to save!

Here is one characteristic of God's elect: they all come to God by faith in Christ. If you will not come to God, trusting Christ alone, you cannot be saved. If you do come, with a true heart of faith, you cannot perish. This coming to God is a spiritual act. You do not come to God by walking the aisle of a church. It is an act of the heart, an act of faith. You do not come to God through his appointed Mediator, Jesus Christ. Moreover, the apostle assures us that all who come to God by faith in Christ will be perfectly saved. Christ Jesus is able to save sinners of the deepest dye. And mark this, my friend, he saves us to the uttermost! In spite of all our past sins, our present corruptions and Satan's temptations, Christ Jesus saves us to the uttermost. Though death, judgement and eternity lay before us, we are confident, for Christ saves to the uttermost. Let others speak, if they will, of degrees of salvation, we believe in a perfect salvation. Christ has set out to make his people perfect; and he will accomplish his purpose. This is the secret of our security. We fall, perhaps, seven times in a day, but Jesus Christ saves to the uttermost.

Now, child of God, here is the ability of our Saviour: 'Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.' That very one who died to put away our sin sits as a priestly King upon the throne of glory, and pleads for our salvation. He pleads his perfect righteousness as our Representative and satisfying death as our Substitute, and God will not allow one of those for whom his Son pleads to perish.

Today there is a great emphasis upon what is called freedom and liberation. Everyone wants to have his rights. Another way of phrasing it would be that everyone wants to have his way. Perhaps a word in season is needed. The spirit of this generation is contrary to the spirit of Christ. The worldling asserts his rights. The believer submits to the rights of others. The one place where the truthfulness or hypocrisy of our faith will be known is in the home.

It is the privilege and responsibility of a Christian wife to submit to her own husband. 'Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.' Wife, God has graciously given you a husband to love you and provide for you. He has given you a head, to whom you should delightfully submit. I trust that your husband loves Christ and his gospel. If so, I know that he loves you. He seeks only your good. Is it not reasonable that you should submit to him? His position is not that of a tyrant! But he is as much your head as Christ is the Head of the church. See to it then that you reverence and obey your husband, 'even as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him lord'. You may mark it down, any woman who is not in subjection to her husband is not in subjection to Christ.

Now, husband, if you desire the reverence and obedience of your wife, you must win it, just as Christ has won your reverence and obedience. Husbands must love their wives into subjection. 'Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.' It is true, you must assume your position as the head of your home. But if you would have your wife to reverence you in. her heart, you must win that reverence. You must love her, provide for her, protect her and tenderly nourish and cherish her. Give yourself for her good, even as Christ gave himself for your eternal good. It is not commanded that you should be willing to die for her, though that may be included. But you must give yourself for her.

It is easy for a woman to reverence a man who loves her and it is easy for a man to love a woman who reverences him.

'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Any one sin, of the slightest degree, is enough to exclude us for ever from the presence of God in heaven and to drag us down into hell, But if we are united to Christ by faith we have no sin before God! When David realized this glorious grace, he exclaimed, 'Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin!' How can we enjoy this blessed forgiveness?

John tells us that we must confess our sin – our repentance, faith and confession of sin do not accomplish our forgiveness. That cannot be. The judicial ground of our forgiveness is the shed blood of Christ alone! But until a man confesses his sin, he cannot receive the forgiveness accomplished at Calvary. Our hearts must be reconciled to God and that reconciliation is begun in confession. Our confession must be made in humble sincerity towards God, with faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice. You cannot mention every offence, but you dare not hide one. Confess that you are vile by nature, wicked in practice and evil in heart. Lie down as low as you can at the footstool of mercy. 'He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.'

God's forgiveness of such sinners is both faithful and just. God has promised to forgive repenting, believing sinners for Christ's sake. And he is faithful to his Word. But he can only forgive us in a way consistent with his justice. In holy justice God slew his Son as our Substitute. With that one sacrifice, justice is fully satisfied. And now, upon the ground of the finished work of Christ, the justice of God pleads as strongly as his mercy for our forgiveness! Our forgiveness is complete! If we confess our sins, trusting the blood of Christ alone for cleansing, God will not impute iniquity to us. This is blessed forgiveness.

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