Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ungodly: or, wicked - Psalms 1:1
"That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." What is the counsel of the ungodly? It is the so-called wisdom of the world. It is the opinions and philosophy of natural man. This blessed man does not listen to their counsel, nor agree with, nor act according to what these "wise men" think. Peer pressure is no problem for him.
"He does not stand in the way of evil men." The way of sinners is the way of self, pride, materialism, and the way of death. "There is a way that seems right to the natural man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes but the Lord weighs and tries the heart" (Prov. 21:2).
"He does not sit in the seat of the scornful." You meet the scornful every day; the news media, the world of entertainment, the intellectuals, the sarcastic in-your-face crowd. They are not teachable and are seated in the seat of the scornful. How does a person come to be so hardened as to sit in the seat of the scornful?
- First he walks with them, listens to them, keeps company with them, and then…
- He stops and listens to their so-called wisdom, opinions, and philosophy and is impressed, and then…
- He sits down with them and becomes as evil and perverted as they are, and perishes in the way.
“But our delight is in the law of the Lord and in his word do we meditate day and night.” Oh! "Blessed is the man."
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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