Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

February 5, 2012

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Telephone: 615-513-4464

Weekly Schedule of Services

SIN

The Hebrews used several words for sin to express the different aspects of it. But the truth is different words and different sinful acts cannot describe what sin is, for the acts of sin are but the branches; the root is within: so that strictly and properly speaking, in the fallen and corrupt nature of man, sin is the same in every son and daughter of Adam. And the fact that everyone does not commit the same sinful acts is not because of any difference in the nature of man, but in the power of divine restraints. If this doctrine, which is wholly Scriptural, were but thoroughly and fully understood by all men, what humbling views would it induce in all and how endeared to all would be the person, blood, and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ! I beg to leave this on the reader’s mind.  

 Edited from Robert Hawker, Poor Man’s Concordance & Dictionary

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MADE SIN

Our Savior had no sin of his own. He was born without original sin, being even from birth “that Holy One” (Luke 1:35). Throughout his life he “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21), “did no sin” (1 Peter 2:22), “and in him is no sin” (1 John 3:5). But on Calvary the holy Lord God “made him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Just as in the incarnation “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), in substitution the Word who was made flesh “was made sin for us.” I do not know how God could be made flesh and never cease to be God; but he was. I do not know how the eternal God could die and yet never die; but he did (Acts 20:28). I do not know how all the fullness of the infinite, incomprehensible God can dwell in Christ bodily; but it does (Col. 2:9). And I do not know how Christ who knew no sin could be made sin and yet never have sinned; but he was. These things are mysteries beyond the reach of human comprehension. But they are facts of divine revelation to which we bow with adoration. Hard as it is for many to realize, our God is “slightly” bigger than our puny brains.

Don Fortner

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THE DELIVERER FROM SIN

Psalm 7:4:…(yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

Have you ever been falsely accused?  David experienced that.  Saul was his enemy without a cause. David dealt uprightly delivering his enemy not once, but twice (1 Sam 24:1-15; 26:7-25).

Yet, Christ is the only true Just Deliverer.  In like manner as Saul persecuted David without any just cause every natural son of Adam is enmity against God without a cause. God only does that which is right!  We are the unjust.  Like as there was no cause in Saul for David to deliver him the first time, there is no cause in any man for Christ to deliver any of us!  Salvation is by the grace of God. Saul had done nothing to merit the kindness David showed him. That is the case with all for whom Christ died and delivered from sin and death by his own blood on the cross (Col 1:21-23; Rom 5:6-10).

Furthermore, Saul did nothing to merit deliverance from David the second time. We do nothing to merit deliverance from our spiritual death. Christ restores life to dead sinners whom he redeemed on the cross through the Holy Spirit through the word of the gospel.  We see what his grace does in the heart of God’s child even in what Saul did naturally. Saul confessed that David was more righteous than he (1 Sam 24:16-20).  Can we say that there is no good in our flesh that King Jesus is the righteous One?  Saul begged mercy from David (1 Sam 24:21-22).  The grace of God effectually melts the heart of his child so that we cry out for mercy (Rom 2:4; Ps 130:3).  What did David do?  He showed mercy (1 Sam 24:22).  Christ Jesus our Deliverer accomplished this deliverance for his elect on the cross and through his blood he accomplishes it in his children in the new birth.  One day soon, he shall redeem us from this body of death into everlasting glory with him (Rom 8:23).  Christ can say as no one else, “Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy” (Psalm 116:8).

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WHEN CHRIST BECOMES ALL
1 Corinthians 1:17-31

      “Wise and prudent” really describes the nature of all unregenerate men, whether they are unlearned or learned, rich or poor.  Man likes listening to preaching so long as it does not offend and is convenient.   Man loves to argue in a religious debate as much as he does a business or political debate. It tickles the ear.  Men are left with a feeling in their hearts that they are wise and accomplished. Though they may argue for truth, the wise and prudent will compromise with those who preach free will or speak in tongues or teach self-righteousness, self-sanctification or any other thing against sound doctrine. Such fraternity makes a man feel like a gentleman among giants. 

     Yet, when it comes to the message of the unsearchable riches of Christ Jesus, the very same dignity will not allow the wise and prudent to stoop so low as to consistently attend the word from one he regards beneath his own attainments.  The single message of Christ and him crucified, coupled with uncompromising determination, without adornment in speaker, with simplicity of speech, leaves the wise man uneasy. If such foolishness be God-given wisdom then his own is utter ignorance.  If such weakness be the power of God unto salvation then his own is less than weakness and vanity.   

     More than that, the gospel makes man to be the vile thing rather than sin being merely acts or a mere doctrine with which to fence with his fellows as with a fake sword.  It makes Christ a Person who accomplished the redemption of his elect so fully that it gives no glory or praise to the religious act for which man secretly covets honor.  When the Power and Godhead of Jesus of Nazareth is exalted over his church as the Head of his people, governing all things in this earth, who is able to send the gospel to his lost child in truth then the man trying to climb up some other way begins to reason that he might be in darkness or that his beloved family member who worships a stump might be ignorant of the true and living God.  Every man left in his head and highness can only stomach so long that which God says pleases him.  And because there are not many wise, not many noble that are called of God, the majority will justify themselves from the gospel with an excuse as vain as the husks to which they run back to.

     Still, though there are not many, there are some who are the elect of God.  Therefore God will not allow those he has everlastingly loved to go back to the dung of their brainy hog trough.  When God blasts open the hard heart and imparts into a man’s soul the incorruptible Seed then he falls on his face in Damascus-road dust, fasts in God-given repentance from his former feast of vanity and prays for mercy from the only God and Savior who can save him from himself.  That is when the wise become ignorant and Christ becomes Wisdom, that is when the mighty become powerless and Christ becomes Power, that is when a man becomes nothing and Christ becomes All.