I want you to turn your Bible
to the book of Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20, we find here the
apostle Paul calling the elders from Ephesus to give them his
last words of instruction. In Acts chapter 20, verse 17,
and from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the
church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, you
know from the first day that I came into Asia, after what
manner I have been with you at all seasons. Paul spent three
years with them, preaching the gospel of God's grace, serving
the Lord with humility of mind, with many tears, with many trials,
which befell me by the lying and weight of the Jews. He had
much opposition. But he says, I kept back nothing
that was profitable unto you, but have showed you and have
taught you, taught you publicly and privately, house to house,
publicly, privately, testifying both to the Jews and also to
the Gentiles, repentance toward God, repentance toward God and
faith. toward our Lord Jesus Christ,
and now, and now, brethren, and now behold I go bound in the
Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the thing that shall befall me
there, save that the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, witness in every
city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me." And that was so. You read on through the book
of Acts and you'll see that was so. But none of these things
moved me. Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that
I might finish my course with joy." And the ministry, God gave
this man a ministry. And God gave this man, the apostle,
a message, which I received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the
gospel of the grace of God. Now that's my text, to testify
the gospel of the grace of God. Now let's read a few more verses.
And now behold, I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching,
the kingdom of God shall see my face no more. Wherefore, I
take you to record this day that I am clean from the blood of
all. For I have not shunned to declare
unto you all the counsel of God. Now take heed. Take heed, therefore,
unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost,
the Holy Spirit, hath made you overseers, to feed this church
of God, which ye purchased." We're a bought people, bought
with his blood. You're bought with a price. Therefore,
glorify God in your body and your spirit, which are God's.
to feed the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Who died? Who died to purchase
our redemption, to give us salvation? God Almighty died for us. God manifests in the flesh. Now the title of my message is,
Wherein Do We Differ? Wherein do we differ? When we say we testify the gospel
of the grace of God, wherein do we differ? From all these
others in this city, in this area, where they use the book
that we use. They use the phrases and terms
and the word grace and mercy and faith and redemption and
salvation. They use these same words that
we use. Wherein then do we differ? Wherein do we differ? Now, many
of you have experienced exactly what these believers here in
Kingsport, you who live here in this city, you who have a
burden in your heart to establish a gospel ministry here. Many
of you have gone through the same things that these believers
here are going through. Having heard the gospel of God's
free and sovereign mercy in Christ Jesus. Having been taught by
God the Holy Spirit that salvation is all of God. From election
to glorification, salvation is of the Lord. And having been
taught that message, having heard that message, having that message
burned in your heart so that you not only believe it, but
love it in your heart. and cannot stand to hear others
who say they have a ministry deny the gospel that you have
been taught of God. The Apostle, when he writes his
and pens his last inspired letter, when he writes to young Timothy,
he reminds him of that salvation. He said, Timothy, remember, it's
God who saved us. It's God who saved us and called
us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
God's own purpose. Do you ever notice that word?
Purpose and grace. Purpose and grace which He gave
us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of this world. So having heard the gospel, having
been taught the gospel of God's grace, You begin to seek with utmost
diligence where that message is constantly preached and heard. You seek a place to worship this
God whom you love, whom you've heard, who has convinced you
in your heart that salvation is all of God's grace. Is that
true? That's what's happened here.
These folks have heard the gospel. Not only heard it, but have been
made new creatures in Christ and have been given life to believe
it and love it. And therefore you seek a place
to worship God where this gospel is preached and heard." That's
what this is all about here. That's why we're meeting here.
That's why we're seeking God's will in establishing a gospel
ministry here. I remember very well back in
the early 80s when God crossed my path with the truth. of God's
gospel, God's gospel concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and how
He whittled me down and stripped me and taught me through the
preaching of the gospel that salvation is of Him and Him alone. And I began earnestly to seek
a place where I could hear that message. And you know what? You know where I lived when God
started working with me and teaching me and showing me these things? Ashland, Kentucky. Guess who
had an established gospel ministry there in Ashland, Kentucky? One
Pastor Henry Mahan. Oh, and I was so thankful. I was so thankful when I found
out about that place, about that ministry. And I didn't go there
because I heard he was a good preacher, although he is. And I didn't go there because
that's where maybe some of the well-known people went. That's
not what I was interested in. I didn't go there to be seen.
I went there for one reason and stayed there for 12 years rejoicing in this gospel of God's
grace. I went there for one reason only. And that's to hear the gospel
of God's sovereign, saving, glorious grace that shines so wonderfully
in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, these believers
in Kingsport here have looked around this city. You've looked
around this city. And there are many churches There
are many, many churches. You just drive around this town
and they're everywhere. The buses were out, I noticed
this morning, coming in. The buses were out, running around,
picking up the little ones. There are many churches in this
city. There are many preachers in this
city. The woods are full of preachers. We don't need any more churches.
We don't need any more preachers. But my friend, what we do need
is God called, God sent preachers with the gospel that's honoring
and glorifying to Him. There's no one, as far as we
know, these believers here have searched this city over and have
come to the conclusion that there's no one here preaching the gospel
of God's grace. Is that so? And that's why we,
by God's will, are determined to have a gospel ministry here.
This is exactly why we started meeting here in September 2007.
And this is why we will, Lord willing, continue to meet and
seek the Lord's will in establishing a gospel ministry here. Now,
having said that there are many preachers, having said there
are many churches, where in then do we differ? I believe you know
the answer. We've heard the gospel this week. distinguishing that which is
true from that which is false. Wherein do we differ from all
these other preachers in this city and these churches in this
city that meet each week? Is there a difference? Is there
a discernible difference? So much so, my friend, there
is a difference, yes. So much so that one is preaching
the gospel And those others are preaching another gospel of which
God said they'll be cursed. So much of a difference that
one is telling the truth, and one is an absolute liar on God. So much so, there is so much
a difference that some pray unto a God they cannot save, while
God's people, God's sheep, cry unto Almighty God, have mercy
on me. the center. Wherein then do we
differ? I'll give you five things. Wherein
then do we differ? Now to most of you, these are
going to be most familiar. And I bring nothing new. I think
we need to be very wary of those who say they have something new
and novel because the gospel is old as God. It's the ancient
gospel. The ancient gospel. Now where
in do we differ? Five things. Number one, turn
to Romans chapter 5. Where in then do we differ? Romans chapter 5, look at verse
12. Here's where we differ. What happened in the garden?
What happened in the garden? What happened when Adam fell?
What happened when Adam sinned? God said, in the day you eat,
you'll die. What happened in the garden? Here's where we differ.
Look at Romans 5, 12. Wherefore, by one man, sin entered
into the world, and death, death, one man. That one man was a representative
man, a federal head. He represented that race of those
in him. By one man, sin entered into
the world, and death by sin. So death passed upon all men
in whom all sinned. They write in this chapter, turn
over to verse 18, Therefore by the offense of one judgment came
unto all men to condemnation, verse 19, for as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners. In Adam, 1 Corinthians 15, 22,
in Adam all died. In Adam all died. What happened in the garden? What happened when Adam sinned?
Death, judgment, condemnation. Brought in spiritual death, physical
death, alienation from God, and total separation from God. That's what happened in the garden. Fallen man has no spark of life,
guilty before God, dead. Fallen man has no desire for
truth. Fallen man has no spiritual appetite
for the things of God. We read in the book of Corinthians,
a carnal mind receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.
Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.
No love for the true God. You write there in the book of
Romans, turn over a couple chapters, chapter 8. Fallen, wretched,
guilty man. has no need for the true and
living God left to himself. He'll never see it. He'll never
know it. He'll never understand it. Being
ignorant of God and the things of God. Look what it says here
in Romans 8, 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God. That's
us left to ourselves. That word enmity, there's a strong
word. Deep-rooted, deep-seated hatred
against God. For it is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be, so then they that are in
the flesh cannot, cannot please God. Men, in their depravity
and death and guilt, have no love for the true and living
God, no spiritual appetite. Having men by nature love darkness,
not light, not light. No righteousness of our own.
No ability to produce any. Turn to Romans chapter 3. Wherein
do we differ? Sin, judgment, condemnation passed
upon all men. We preach and believe exactly
what this book teaches. Total depravity, not partial. Total inability. Romans chapter
3, verse 9, he says, In no wise we have before proved, both Jew
and Gentile, that they're all under sin. As it is written,
there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They're all, all gone out of
the way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good. In case you missed it, no, not
one. None righteous. Fallen. Sinful. Wicked. No righteousness. Man and sinners left to themselves
in their fallen state. They have no love for the truth.
They have no righteousness. And my friend, they have no free
will. They have a will. But it's certainly
not free. Their will is in bondage to their
rotten nature. Their rotten nature. That's right. Our Lord said, you will not come
to me that you might have life. Man's will is in bondage to his
wicked nature. It's as free as free running
water. Which way does free running water
go? When you put a garden hose out
in your yard and you turn it loose, which way is that water
going to go? Your will is as free as that
water. It's going to go downhill. I remember reading a book years
ago, I think it was A.W. Pink, he said, man's will is
always self-ward and downward and never God-ward and upward.
Somehow, in our religious day that we live in, they've come
up with this thing called, well, you know, every man to free moral
ages. Every man's a free moral agent.
Well, they're wrong on all three counts. Man is certainly not
free. He's in bondage to his nature.
Man in his sinful wretchedness that we are in the sight of God,
not free, nor are we moral. That's right. Our best efforts Our best deeds. God said it's filthy rags, away
with it. Neither is man an agent. An agent,
if you're an insurance agent, or an adjuster, or that implies
some kind of ability, or of empowerment. We have no ability. We have no
innate ability. We're dead. Man is not a free
moral agent. He's dead. Well, so how dead?
I tell you how dead we are. Spiritually speaking, graveyard
dead. That's how dead, dead in sin,
dead in sin. How totally depraved are we by
nature, unless God is pleased to intervene and give us life
and salvation through Christ Jesus, we shall surely, justly
perish in our sin. Our Lord put it this way, no
man can come to me except my Father which sent me, draw him. Some of you old timers know what
it is to take a bucket and put it down in a well and draw that
water. You don't stand over that well
and say, water, come on up here. No, you have to drop down a bucket
and draw that water. And that's exactly what God does.
He draws us to Himself with His power and His loving kindness. He draws us affectionately to
Himself. And if he does not do this, we'll
perish in our sin because of the extent of our fall, the extent
of our ruin. Now, listen to this. How to pray
for sinners? The very thing sinners need is the very thing they despise
and have no need for. That's true. Wherein do we differ? There's a difference, my friend.
What happened in the garden? Secondly, wherein do we differ?
Turn to 2 Thessalonians 2. Wherein do we differ? Not only
on what happened in the garden, but what happened in eternity.
What happened in eternity? 2 Thessalonians 2. God Almighty chose a people unto
salvation. We call that the Bible doctrine
of election. The Bible doctrine of election. 2 Thessalonians 2. But we are bound. Oh, we are
bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you
to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth, whereunto He called you by our gospel to the obtaining
of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. He called you by our
gospel, the gospel of God's sovereignty. saving grace in Christ Jesus. Had God not chosen us, we'd never
chosen Him. Our Lord said that to His disciples.
You didn't choose me, I chose you. Wherein do we differ? What happened in eternity. Election
is not, as some in religion put it today, well, God voted for
me, and the devil voted against me, and then, well, you know,
you have the deciding vote. Well, in that scheme, who really
gets the glory? That's right. You do. But God
has so determined and fixed salvation that all things work to the praise
of His glory. I want you to find Ephesians
chapter 1. What he says right here in Ephesians chapter 1.
Almighty God sovereignly chose a people in Christ Jesus before
the foundation of the world and gave them to the Lord Jesus Christ
and predestinated those people to be conformed to the image
of Christ. That's what predestination's
all about. You know who really believes in predestination? Those
who are predestinated to be just like Christ. Look what it says
here in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 3, Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessing in the heavenlies, in Christ Jesus, according as
He hath chosen us." Now get a hold of this, and if you read this
carefully through here, this phrase here, in Him. He has chosen
us in Him. You see, my friend, Christ is
the elect. First time that word's ever used
in Scripture. Isaiah 42, 1, Behold my servant,
my elect. He is the elect. We're chosen
in Him. According as He hath chosen us
in Him. Who did the choosing? He did. When? Chosen us in Him before
the foundation of the world that we should be holy. He didn't
choose us because we are holy. We're sinners. But that we should
be holy. How's that? In Christ Jesus. He is my holiness. Without blame
before Him in love. Now look at it. Having predestinated
us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according
to the good pleasure of whose will? His will, to the praise
of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the
Beloved, the Lord Jesus alone." Absolutely none for whom God
has chosen shall ever perish. None shall perish for whom He
has chosen. He said, all that the Father
hath given Me, they'll come to Me, and those that come to Me
I will in no wise. Cast out. I'll show you an example
of this. Turn to John chapter 10. John
chapter 10. The Jews came round about one
day. Recorded here in John 10 verse
22. And it was at Jerusalem. John 10, 22. The Feast of the
Dedication. It was winter. And Jesus walked
in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about
him and said to him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? They blamed him for their unbelief.
If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. The Lord said, I told
you, I told you plainly, and you believe not. The works that I do and the works
that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. And
you believe not because you're not my sheep. You're not my chosen. You're
not my elect. As I say unto you, my sheep.
How do you know you're one of God's elect? Tell you what, election's
known by calling. Your election's known by calling.
We'll see in just a minute here. My sheep, hear my voice, I know
them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life,
and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than
all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
I and my Father are one. Blessed is a man to whom God
chooses and causes to approach unto Him. Turn back to Thessalonians
and find first Thessalonians this time. How do I know if I'm
one of those chosen? One of those elect? I preached
a funeral one time in a little city in Kentucky, Martin, Kentucky. One of the men of our church
requested me to speak at his father's funeral. And he said,
when you do so, I want you to plainly preach the gospel. And
I did. And I took my text from Ephesians
chapter 1 and talked about God choosing us and Christ redeeming
and the Holy Spirit calling and quickening. And I talked about
God delecting grace and His sovereign mercy. And I had some ugly, ugly
looks. But I was determined to do what
this brother asked me to do and to preach the gospel. And as
I exited that building and walked out through the parking lot,
Behind me, I heard a voice of a woman crying and saying, Preacher,
Preacher, stop a minute. I've got a question for you.
I thought, Oh boy, she's going to nail me. She's going to rail
me. She came up to me. She said,
How can I know if I'm one of those elect? That's a pretty
good question. Do you believe in the Lord? Do you believe the Lord Jesus
Christ? and the gospel of His saving,
sovereign grace. Look what it says right here
in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Knowing, verse 4. 1 Thessalonians
chapter 1 verse 4. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your
election of God. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only, but it came in power and in the Holy Ghost. And with much assurance, as you
know what manner of men we were among you for your sake, and
you became a follower. of us and of the Lord, having
received the word in much affliction with joy, and ye became an example."
Verse 8, "...and from you sounded out the word of the Lord." They
wanted others to hear this gospel of God's grace. Wherein do we
differ? What happened in the garden.
There's a difference. Wherein do we differ? What happened
in eternity. Thirdly, thirdly, what happened
at Calvary? What happened at Calvary? What
happened when the Lord Jesus Christ died in the sted room
of sinners? What happened at Calvary? Can
you sum it up in a few words? Well, I can think of several
words to describe what happened at Calvary. Atonement. Atonement
happened. Victory. How about success? How about redemption? That's
a good word. How about salvation? That's what
happened at Calvary. I want you to find Hebrews chapter
10. Notice this. Hebrews chapter 10. Look at verse 14. What happened
at Calvary? For by one offering, Hebrews
10, 14, He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Wherefore,
the Holy Ghost is also witness to us that He has said before,
this is a covenant that I'll make with them after those days,
saith the Lord. I'll put my laws into their heart,
and in their minds will I write them, and their sin and their
iniquity will I remember no more. Now where remission of these
is, there's no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of the Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ. at Calvary, atonement. Now listen to me. The Lord Jesus
Christ did not die to make salvation a possibility for all. The Lord
Jesus Christ died to put away the sin of God's elect. We call
that particular redemption definite atonement. For the transgression
of my people was he stricken? When he by himself purged our
sin, he sat down at the right hand of God, and my friend, he
did not fail to accomplish the putting away of the sin of God's
covenant people at Calvary." Not at all. The only solution
for sin is His glorious blood atonement. No wonder Paul said,
I'm determined not to know anything among you but Jesus Christ. and Him crucified. Now let me
ask you this. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
believer's atonement. No doubt about that. Did He atone? Did He atone? We don't have an
attemptment. We have an atonement. And my
friend, don't ever ask me this question. What is your theory
of the atonement? My friend, I don't have a theory.
I have an atonement. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
atonement. Did he atone? Absolutely. He
atoned for our sin. Full payment. Full satisfaction. The Lord Jesus is the believer's
redeemer. He's our deliverer. Did he get
the job done? Did he redeem? Well, the Scripture
said He obtained eternal redemption for us with His own blood, in
whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sin according to the riches of His grace. He redeemed us with
His precious blood. The Lord Jesus is our ransom.
Did He ransom us? Yes, He did. He paid the debt. And when the debt's paid, the
captive goes free. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath set us free." The Lord Jesus is the Savior. He's
our Savior. A just God and Savior. Beside
Him, there's no other Savior. Neither is there salvation in
any other. Well, did He save? Did He save? Did He try to save
and fail? Not at all. The Lord Jesus is
our Savior and He did save His people from their sin. Call His
name Jesus, He shall save His people from their sin. He's able
to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him saying
He ever lives to make intercession for us. Wherein do we differ? What happened in the garden.
Wherein do we differ? What happened in eternity. God
chose a people. What happened at Calvary? Salvation. He justified them with His own
blood. Fourthly, what happens in regeneration? In the new birth. Turn back to
the book of Ephesians and find Ephesians chapter 2. What happens
in regeneration? Life from the dead. A spiritual
resurrection. The new birth. It's not turning
over a leaf, the new birth, it's God quickening that which was
dead in sin. Ephesians 2 verse 1, and you,
and you who were dead in sin, He quickened. Where in time past
you've walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our
conversation in time past in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
children of wrath, even as others." Now look at this word. Underscore
this if you don't have this underscored. But God, but God, who was rich
in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace
you are saved, raised us up together, made us sit together in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might
show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward
us through Christ Jesus. It's by grace that you are saved. What happens in regeneration?
By almighty irresistible power, the call of God, He gives spiritual
life to the chosen, redeemed sinners who were dead in sin. Faith is a result of life. Whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ, he is born of God. One doesn't
believe to be born, he believes because he's been given life
from above. His almighty God, now listen
to this, Wash your ears out with this. Is Almighty God trying
to save all men everywhere and unable to do so? We hear that
all the time. God's trying to save you, but
you won't let Him. Oh, what kind of a God is that?
It's not the God of the Bible. It's not the God of Scripture.
Is Almighty God trying to save all men and unable? No. He is calling out His people
from death darkness to life and light in Christ Jesus with the
gospel. You see, it's by His will. It's
not of Him that willeth, nor of Him that runneth. It's God
that shows mercy. He will have mercy on whom He
will. He does this with the gospel, by His will, with His Word, of
His own will begat He us with the Word of truth. By His Spirit,
it is the Spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing.
And by His power, By His power! Remember John 17? He prayed,
Father you've given me power over all flesh that I should
give eternal life to as many as you have given to me. He has all power to give life.
Where do we differ? In regeneration. God implants
within the believer a new spiritual nature that was not there before. He calls it, in Scripture it's
called, the believers are partakers of a divine nature that God implants
within. Something that was not there
before. It's a new man. It's a spiritual nature. We have
that old Adam nature and we have that new nature given in the
new birth. He has done a glorious work of
grace for us, and my friend, He does a marvelous, almighty,
effectual, irresistible work of grace within the heart of
the sinner. That's why we don't, when we
close our services, that's why we don't stand down front and
sing 20 verses of Just As I Am and Pass Me Not and compel and
try and invite people to come down front and do things. Salvation's
not down here. Salvation is not in a decision.
Salvation is in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. My pastor
taught me well. Preach the gospel and leave folks
alone. God will work in His people and
He will bring them. And when He does the work, He
does a good work. God who has begun a good work
in you, He will complete it in the day of His power. Wherein
do we differ? Oh, we differ there, don't we?
Lastly is this. Wherein do we differ? Turn to Acts chapter 11. Now,
I use this term advisedly because it's become a meaningless word,
but it is a biblical word. In Acts chapter 11, Barnabas went hunting Saul to
seek him. And when he found him, verse
26, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole
year they assembled together with the church and taught much
people. And the disciples were called
Christians first in Antioch. What is a Christian? What is
a Christian? Now, as I say, I normally don't
even use that word in in conversation because it's become a meaningless
word. Going down this street out here,
Center Street, there's some store out there, it's called, I don't
know if any of you noticed it, The Only Christian Club. It's
some kind of a Christian nightclub. What in the world is that? We've
got Christian schools and Christians this, and it's become a meaningless
term. I like to use the word, are you
a believer? Because most people, they tell
me, 80-90% of the people in this country consider themselves Christian. But really, what is a believer?
You know what a believer is? A believer is a disciple. A believer
is one who has been taught of God. A follower of Christ, like
this. What is a believer? He's obedient
like Abraham. Abraham believed God and it was
counted to him for righteousness. Abraham was not weak in faith,
but giving God all the glory, all the honor. He was not weak
in faith, but he was strong in faith, giving God all the honor
and glory, being fully persuaded at all that God had promised,
he was able to perform. What is a believer? One who is
an adopted son. We've been adopted, believers
have, into the family. We've been made a son of His
love. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon
us that we should be called sons of God. We've been made the heir
of God and a joint heir. We've obtained an eternal redemption
and eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus. What is a believer? One who's committed to Christ.
One who is an adopted son of God. What is a believer? He's
been made an object of God's sovereign love. Jacob have I
loved. Esau have I hated. What is? He's been made an object of God's
sovereign love. He's loved his people with an
everlasting love. God committed his love toward
us in that while we were yet sinners. Herein is love, John
said. Not that we love God. He loved
us and he sent his son. to be our sacrifice for sin. What is a believer? A willing,
loving, bond-servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is made willing
in the day of His power, who serves Him out of love and gratitude,
not out of fear of punishment, not out of promise of reward,
but out of love and gratitude. What is a believer? Those who
persevere in faith, being kept being kept by the power of God.
What is a believer? Those who die in faith. Saving faith perseveres because
we're preserved by the power of God. We're kept by the power
of God. Wherein do we differ? There is a difference. My friend,
these are some of the things wherein we differ. These are
the critical issues of which we cannot and will not compromise. What we believe is determined
by who we believe. I know whom I have believed. Paul said, I'm persuaded he's
able to keep that, which I've committed on him against that
day. Come join with us. Come join with us in this cause
of God and truth. Come join with us as we seek
God's will in establishing a gospel ministry here in Kingsport, Tennessee. Now, I don't know who named this
city Kingsport, but I'd like to rename it. May Kingsport be known as a city
where the King's gospel is preached and where the King's word is
made known. He is King of Kings and he is,
he is Lord of Lord. Wherein do we differ? There is
a difference and I pray that The Lord will give you grace
to consider those things.