The problem with people making professions of faith under great stress such as severe illness, sorrow, and the death of a loved one is that, like a drowning man, a soul under this sort of distress will grab at any twig or limb to save his life. But if the Lord intends to save a sinner, he will reveal to the sinner the two great issues at stake – the sinner’s sin and the Lord’s holiness!
Both of these can only be met and dealt with by one means – the Lord Jesus Christ! The awakened sinner can only find hope and peace in a revelation of Christ to his heart. God will not permit one of his sheep to trust and cling to that which will only sink with him.
Too often the shelter sought and found during a sudden storm will be deserted when the sun shines again; but those who are knowledgeable of the on-going, never-ending storm raised by our sin under his wrath must have the one sure hiding-place and refuge. “A man shall be as an hiding place from the storm” (Isa. 32:2).
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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