Beloved, where faith is found, it is the gift of God. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “We are saved by grace through faith and that faith is not of ourselves; it is the gift of God.” Where faith is found, it is the mark of divine election. Paul called it “the faith of God's elect” (Titus 1:1).
Our Lord told the Pharisees that they did not believe because they were not of his sheep; “My sheep hear and follow.” Where faith is found, spiritual life is found. We are not born again because we believe; we believe on Christ because we are born of God, just as a newborn infant sees, hears, and cries because it has life! We hear his word, see the glory of God in Christ, and call upon him for mercy because he has come to us in awakening power. Where faith is found, loving obedience is evident. This is the very theme of the book of James. True faith is not in word only but produces works of faith, labors of love, and patience of hope. Godliness, obedience, and good works are not a condition of salvation but the evidence of true salvation. Faith without works is dead! Where faith is found, it will continue to be found when this life draws to a close. When the Apostle talked of our fathers in Hebrews 11, three things are clear. They believed God! Their faith produced sincere obedience! They were still believing God when they died! “They all died in faith” (Heb.11:13).
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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