August 1^st 2021

9:30 am ------------------------------What Prophets Inquire & Angels Desire – 1 Peter 1:10-12

10:00 am -----------------------------------------------The Saviour’s Sovereign Call – Luke 19:1-10

Our Sins – by Thomas Harding

As the people of God, we don't deny Adam's sin and guilt before God. We also confess and own that in Adam all have sinned, all have spiritually died, and we are all guilty by imputed sin and imputed guilt. (Rom 5:12). However, I have never read in the scriptures of anyone praying forgive me for Adam's sin, or Adam's guilt. Rather, the people of God are always praying, Lord forgive me for my sin, like the publican prayed, or like David prayed, "Against thee and thee only have I sinned.” We must understand, (and that only by sovereign revelation) that we are the guilty party, that we are ruined and lost and guilty before God. Until we do, we will never earnestly beg for pardon, or mercy or say with Job, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42: 5-6).

Good Works – by Henry Mahan

There is a contention always going on about the doctrine of good works; and, instead of taking one side or the other, we shall try to see whether there really is anything to quarrel over if we keep to the Scriptures. We insist, with all our might, that salvation is “not of works, lest any man should boast.” But, on the other hand, we freely admit and earnestly teach that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” Where there are no good works, there is no indwelling of the Spirit of God. That faith which does not produce obedience, good works, and genuine love is not saving faith. Good works must and will be in the believer. They are not the root, but the fruit of God’s salvation. They are not the way of the believer’s salvation; they are his walk in the way of salvation. The desire of men created anew in Christ is to be rid of all sin. We do sin, but we do not love sin. Sin gets power over us sometimes to our sorrow, yet it shall not have dominion over us; for we are not under the law, but under grace. The old nature goes after the flesh, for it is fleshly; but the new nature truly seeks the things of God, for it is spiritual. If you have been created anew, you have been created unto good works. If this is not so with us, then our religion is a mere pretense.

Judge Not– Matthew 7:1

Those who do not know the scriptures wrongly interpret this passage as they do nearly all that is written. We cannot take one verse alone, but scripture must be compared with scripture. In Leviticus 19:15, the Lord said, “In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.” In John 7:24, the Lord said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” So you see, the Lord most certainly did not mean that we should never make judgments. He was speaking to His disciples (and to all believers), telling us not to look down on someone as their superior, condemning and passing sentence as if we were their judge. For if we do not show mercy, we will not find mercy, and if we pass unbending judgment or censure upon someone, with the same judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. Let me illustrate…

Years ago a passenger was traveling on a sailing vessel which had a harsh and cruel captain. One of the sailors was being whipped unmercifully by the captain, and the passenger asked him to show mercy. The captain replied: “I never show mercy!” The passenger then replied: “You better hope then that you are without sin, for if you ever need mercy from God, you will find none!”

Wickedness and ungodly behavior must be judged and condemned by those who love truth and righteousness. Sin must be called sin and exposed for the evil that it is. This is what false prophets and their followers refuse to do, because their own deeds are evil, saying, “Judge Not!”, to keep from offending anyone and losing members and money. A true prophet will condemn sin and warn of sin or else the blood of sinners is on his hands (Ezek.3:18). However, no true prophet acts as anyone’s judge, but only speaks the word of the Lord; reproving, rebuking, correcting, warning, convicting, promising, comforting.