“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,” and all who are born of God believe that Jesus is the Christ. The title the Christ signifies anointed and includes all the offices of the Son of God. To believe him to be the Christ is to believe him to be that Prophet which Moses said should come, who has declared the whole mind and will of the Father. It is to believe he is that Priest which should arise after the order of Melchizedek and make full atonement for sin and effectual intercession for transgressors. It is to believe he is King of kings and Lord of lords, whom God hath set over all things from all ages and for all time.
This faith in Christ is not a mere assent to his being the Christ nor merely acknowledging it as the demons have done (Lk. 4:41). It is to believe with the heart (Rom. 10:9-10). It is to bow the knee in repentance and to look to Christ, trust in him, receive him as our righteousness, to rest in his blood for cleansing, and to lay hold of him as our Savior, Redeemer, and Mediator.
Such faith is far above and beyond the reach of the human mind. It is the gift of God. It is the result of regeneration and a new birth, for we must be drawn to Christ and taught of God (Jn. 6:44-45).
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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