July 23^rd , 2017

10:00 am ------------------------------------------------------------Message by Brother Cody Henson

“ Some people believe much better than they reason. I once heard a good old woman arguing in favour of election. ‘Sir’, said she, ‘I am sure if God had not chosen me before I was born, He would never have chosen me after.’”

“ I once heard a poor woman when dying say: ‘I believe God’s Word, and am persuaded, notwithstanding my unworthiness and guilt, that my Lord Jesus will save me from my sins and sorrows, and bring me home to Himself; and if He does, He will never hear the last of it!’” -- Recollections of John Newton, preacher, author of ‘Amazing Grace’

“I am persuaded that if self-righteousness be deadly, self-indulgence is indeed ruinous. I desire to maintain always a balance in my ministry, and while combating self-righteousness, to war perpetually with loose living.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Obedience and Holiness – From the Bible commentaries of Henry Mahan

“As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16)

Live as obedient children of God. Do not conform your lives to the world with its vanities and lusts which governed you before you knew the gospel. As the one who called you out of sin to himself is holy, you, yourselves, also be holy in your conduct, your conversation, and your manner of living. For it is written, ‘Be ye holy for I am holy,’ saith the Lord! (Lev.11:44-45)

“Follow holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” – Hebrews 12:14

There has to be a two-fold meaning here: 1. The holiness or righteousness of Christ, which is to be followed after by believing on him and receiving in him perfect sanctification and acceptance before God. ‘Ye are complete in him.’ (1 Cor. 1:30; Rom. 10:4; 2 Cor. 5:21.) 2. The holiness or Godliness of an obedient walk. ‘If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.’ If he is not a new person with a new attitude, a new character, and a new conduct, he is not in Christ and shall not enter heaven. We are justified by faith, and our faith is justified by our works(James 2:17-21; Gal. 5:22-26).

Election Essential to Salvation– From the last sermon preached by William Huntington, England, 1745-1813

A doctrine essential to salvation, and that must be received and held fast, is God’s eternal election of His people.

This is doctrine which the Saviour Himself when on earth preached, for in His first sermon at Nazareth He preached up election or God’s discriminating grace to some and His rejection of others; and when the Jews heard this account of unmerited grace and favour, they were filled with indignation, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong, in order to break His neck, for they hated such doctrine as this (Luke 4:25-29).