May I say something again that I have said many times? I will try to say it a bit differently and illustrate what I mean.
“Do not seek assurance—seek Christ! Do not seek peace first—seek Christ first and peace and assurance will follow.” You may have an assurance and not have Christ, just as you may enjoy the peace of a false profession, which is no peace. But you cannot truly know and have Christ without some assurance and peace.
You must have the root of grace before you enjoy the flower of peace. Suppose a child sees flowers blooming in the yard, goes and picks several of the prettiest blooms, and makes her own little garden of flowers. She stands back, admiring the blossoms, and says, “Now, what a fine flower garden I have!” But, to her dismay, the next day all of the blooms are withered and dead. They looked good for a while; but, having no root, no source of life, they died.
Such is peace without Christ; it does not last very long. It would be better to plow the ground, plant the seeds of grace, and wait until they sprout; then you will have the living flowers, not borrowed flowers. If you try to have peace before grace, you have a flower without root. If you seek assurance before you seek Christ, you may attain unto some measure of confidence; but it will not last because he is our peace, our assurance, and our hope.
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.
Comments
Your comment has been submitted and is awaiting moderation. Once approved, it will appear on this page.
Be the first to comment!