The Four-Fold State of a Believer

Q: What does the Bible say about the fourfold state of man?

The Bible describes four states of man: innocence, corruption, grace, and glory, highlighting the need for grace through Christ. The fourfold state of man, as articulated by Thomas Boston and found in Scripture, begins with the state of innocence, where man was created upright and without sin. Following the fall of Adam, humanity entered a state of guilt and corruption, characterized by sin and death (Romans 5:12). However, through the grace of God, believers move into a state of grace where they are regenerated and justified by faith in Christ, experiencing salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Ultimately, believers look forward to a glorious state, where they will be transformed into the likeness of Christ in eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

Q: How do we know God's grace is sufficient for salvation?

God's grace is sufficient because it's the means by which He saves the elect, and this is established through faith in Christ's work. The sufficiency of God's grace for salvation is grounded in the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Scripture teaches that we are saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves, but as a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). This grace covers our sins and brings us into a relationship with God, affirming that it is His unmerited favor that ultimately delivers us from our fallen state. The apostles reiterate the importance of this truth, highlighting that apart from grace, no one can stand justified before God (Romans 3:20). Thus, the believer's confidence rests on the completed work of Christ, affirming the truth that His grace is indeed sufficient.

Q: Why is it important for Christians to understand their state of grace?

Understanding our state of grace is crucial for spiritual maturity, assurance, and resting in Christ's finished work. Awareness of our state of grace empowers believers to grow in understanding and assurance of their salvation. The state of grace assures Christians that their acceptance before God is based solely on Christ's righteousness, not on personal merit (Romans 5:1). This understanding fuels spiritual growth and maturity, leading believers to become established in their faith and emboldened against doubt (Colossians 2:6-7). The assurance derived from knowing we are in a state of grace enables believers to face life's challenges securely, trusting in God's promises and the efficacy of His grace through all circumstances.

Q: What does the Bible say about the believer's final state?

The believer's final state is one of glory, where they will be transformed and made perfect in Christ for eternity. The ultimate hope of a believer is found in the promise of glory, where they will be transformed into the likeness of Christ at the resurrection (Philippians 3:20-21). Scripture indicates that this final state is characterized by immortality, where corruptible bodies are made incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:53-54). This expectation propels believers to live faithfully in this life with a view towards the eternal one, reinforcing the importance of faith and perseverance. This future glory not only provides motivation for present trials but also affirms God's purpose in redemption, sealing the covenant promise made to His elect.

Q: How do trials affect a believer's faith?

Trials refine and strengthen a believer's faith, demonstrating their reliance on God's strength and grace. Trials serve as critical tests that purify and strengthen faith, as referenced in 1 Peter 1:6-7, which speaks of trials being 'more precious than gold,' tested by fire. Through these challenges, believers discover the depth of their reliance on God's strength and the sufficiency of His grace during difficult times (2 Corinthians 12:9). Thus, it is through trials that Christians can grow in maturity and assurance, learning to trust that their refuge is in the Lord (Psalm 62:7). Ultimately, trials can encourage a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty, grace, and faithfulness in their lives.

Now, let's open our Bibles again
to the passage that Brother Frank Tate read for us, and I'm going
to select for my text four verses of that Psalm 62. Psalm 62. Now, I want you to
listen to this message carefully, carefully, all the way through. I think will be encouraging to
you and challenging to you and interesting to you, some things
I believe need to be said. But let me read the text and
then I'll get into the message. Psalm 62, verses 5 through 8,
those are the scriptures I want to use, verses 5 through 8. wait thou only upon God, for
my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not
be moved. In God is my salvation and my
glory, the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God. Trust
in him at all times, at all times, ye people, for at your heart,
before him, God is a refuge for us." Now, the word Selah is not
to be read. It's a musical term. It means
worthy to be repeated. God is a refuge for us. A long
time ago, many years ago, I read either an article or a small
book written by Thomas Boston, and the title of it was Man's
Fourfold State. Man's Fourfold State. And the subject was this. Thomas Boston was talking about
the human race. and the elect of God, and a fourfold
state that existed. And he started this way. There
was, first of all, the state of innocence. We were created
by God in the image of God in a state of innocence. The scripture
says, God made man holy and upright. Man sought out many inventions,
but he was made holy and upright. Adam was created without sin
in the image of God. So there was a time when men
were innocent, without sin, without evil, without rebellion. He walked with God. Man walked
with God. And then following that, Boston
said man fell into a state of guilt and sin. Scripture says,
by one man, by that man Adam, sin entered into the world. Something that was not here before
came through man. By man, by one man, sin entered
the world and death. Sin entered, and because of sin,
death entered. Death followed. Death by sin,
and so death passed upon all men, the whole human race. And not only was man corrupted
by sin. And death came upon man, but
everything in the world, the vegetation, the animals, the
trees, everything partook of that death, that plague. So that David said, in sin my
mother conceived me, even little babies that follow who are born
of sinful parents, the sin is born in them. When the conception
takes place, they're born in sin and shapen in iniquity and
brought forth speaking lies. The wicked are strained from
the womb. They go astray as soon as they're
born, speaking lies. And that's the state. First,
innocence, holiness, upright. And then the state of corruption
and death and depravity, wickedness, leprosy of soul. And then the
Lord, the Lord was pleased to save some of Adam's fallen race. The Lord was pleased by the person
and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, by his righteousness and by his
precious blood. God was pleased to restore the
souls of some and bring them into a state of what? Grace. Into a state of grace. Or by
grace have you been saved, have you been delivered from death?
You who were dead hath he quickened and made alive. You who were
dead in sin hath he made alive and quickened, and you are saved
by his grace. T'was grace, t'was grace that
called our souls at first. By grace thus far we come. We are in a state of grace. You
are tonight. I am. But some of this race,
by God's elective grace and by Christ's personal work, by the
Holy Spirit's quickening power, regenerating power, we're in
a state of grace, in a life of grace. It was grace that called
our souls at first, by grace thus far we've come. And grace
will help us through the worst, and grace will lead us home. And then the fourth state. We're
looking for and expecting a state of glory. And Paul wrote about
that in 1 Corinthians 15. He said, so, so, when this corruptible,
when this corruptible, and although we're in a state of grace and
our souls have been delivered, the body is still corruptible. It's weak, it's shameful, it's
corruptible, it's mortal. This mortal shall put on immortality. Shame shall put on glory. Weakness
shall put on strength. Corruptible shall put on incorruption. So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption and this mortal, immortality, then
shall be brought to pass the saying that death is swatted
up in victory. Isn't that a beautiful outline?
And I don't have any problem with that. I love it. I believe
it. Well, I know it's according to the Word of God. Man was created
in a state of innocence, and he fell into a state of corruption
and death and sin. And by God's grace, some have
been delivered out of that state of corruption and that state
of grace. We walk not in the flesh, we walk in the Spirit.
with children of God. The whole beloved now are with
sons of God. And there will be a state of
glory. And we're expecting it and awaiting it. And that's all
well and good. And I don't in any way have any
problem with the great purpose of God and the will of God concerning
Adam's race, his covenant mercies concerning his elect in Christ
Jesus. Do you? That's established. I love that truth. And I need
to often look at it, I need often to rehearse it, I need often
to look at God's great design and rediction. Why? That I might
not have a selfish, self-centered, small attitude and thinking and
thoughts, but that I might see the greater glory of God and
be able to rejoice in that greater glory of God. See what I'm saying?
We need to review that, we need to preach that. Somehow I believe
that most preaching today is so designed that all we think
about is myself, my part, my relationship, my decision, my
salvation, my deliverance. But the glory of God is greater
than any single individual. In other words, Paul said in
Philippians, Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every
knee will bow, in heaven, earth, and under the earth, and every
tongue shall glorify him as Lord, shall own him as Lord, shall
praise him as Lord to the glory of God." That's the great design
of God. And then turn over to Revelation. Let me show you this. Revelation
chapter 5. And you know what I'm talking
about. So much preaching today is directed at I, me, and mine. But I tell you this, all of us
are going to serve the greater glory of God. That's what I'm
talking about. And we need a wide view of that. We need to come
out of this personal shell and see the greater glory of the
Lord Jesus Christ in all that God's doing. Listen to Revelation
5, verse 9. And they sung a new song, saying,
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof.
For thou was slain, and thou hast redeemed us to God by thy
blood out of every kindred, and every nation, and every tongue,
and every people. And thou hast made us under our
God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. And
I beheld," listen, and I heard the voice of many angels. Round
about the throne and beast and the elders and the number of
them were 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. Somebody
said that's a definite number for an indefinite number. He
just goes on thousands and thousands and 10,000 times 10,000. Just
all these voices. Now I want my voice to be one
of them. But that's not the major issue. The major issue is not so much
who's singing it, but of whom they sing. You understand what
I'm talking about? If I'm not bad, they're going to sing it
anyway. We somehow seem to get, like
one fellow told me, preached his mother's funeral, and he
told me, standing by her casket, he said, well, if she's not in
heaven, nobody is. Now, hold the phone there, folks.
Jesus Christ is going to be glorified, and there's going to be 10,000
times 10,000 and 1,000 and 1,000 and 1,000, a definite number
for an indefinite number, singing with a loud voice, listen to
verse 12, with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor
and glory and blessings, and every creature which is in heaven,
that's the new heaven, and on the earth and under the earth,
such as are in the sea, and that in them, heard I saying, blessing
and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the
throne unto the Lamb forever and ever. That's the psalm. That's
the psalm. And I need to think about that
a lot. And I need to rehearse it, I need to preach it, the
greater glory of God, the great design of God in redemption,
the great purpose of God, the glorified Christ, and get my
mind off self, and this little circle in which I move, and this
little spot on which I live, and this little thoughts about
I, me, and mine, and get a glimpse of the glory of God. And desire
the praise and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. I tell you, I just,
it's wearisome to hear people make some of the comments they
make, you know, like, if this was not in heaven, nobody is.
If he's not saved, nobody is, or things like that. Well, if
what you're saying is true, then I'm not saved. That has no bearing
on it being true or not. Did you ever hear somebody tell
you that? You talk to them about the grace of God, and the sovereignty
of God, and the elective grace of God, and the effectual work
of Christ, and they say, well, that'd be true, I'm not saved.
Well, that has no bearing on the fact that it's true or not. My absence won't bankrupt heaven.
In fact, honestly, I won't be missed. He's the light thereof. They don't even need a sun in
heaven. He's the light. The Lamb is the light. He gets
the glory. All in the world we do is bask
in the rays of his glory and enjoy his presence forever. And
I want so much to make that clear to all of us that it's Christ
that God has set forth to glorify. It's Christ that's going to be
exalted. He's the heir. He's the heir. We're joint heirs.
We partake of his blessings and his honor and his glory. That's
right. I am me. I am me. Now this is where I'm
coming to. And you're you. And the whole world doesn't live
with this body. I do. I do. I do. And while I rejoice in people
from every tribe, kindred, nation, tongue, under heaven, being brought
to the feet of Christ to worship and adore and exalt and magnify
his name, I don't want to miss it. You understand what I'm saying? I don't want to miss it. I'm
not too crazy about that theme song of the New Orleans Saints
when the Saints go marching in, Lord, I want to be in that number.
But I do. Don't you? I do. And while I believe in God's
great purpose for the universe, I'd like very much to think he
has a purpose for me. Wouldn't you? While I agree with
God's great design to magnify his name by bringing many sons
and daughters from everywhere that he'll gather his elect from
the four corners of the earth, I sure pray by his grace that
he'll be pleased to bring me to his feet. Now that's just
selfish, but that's so, that's so. So I'm going to talk about
tonight, not the fourfold state of man. That's what got me thinking
along this line. I want to talk about the fourfold
state of a true believer. the fourfold state of a true
believer. That's the fourfold state of
men, Bob. That's true in innocence, guilt,
grace, and glory. And that's God's great design
and purpose. But I want to talk about this guy right here, and
that one right there, and the fourfold state of a believer.
Now then, you might ask me, well, what is the fourfold state of
a believer? I'm just so glad you asked, because I waste a
whole lot of time today if you didn't ask that, you know. Give
me time to tell you. I'm going to tell you. That old
black preacher says, they asked him the secret of his success.
He said, well, all my messages have three points. I tells them
what I'm going to tell them, and then I tells them And then
I tells them what I done told them. So that's, I'm going to
tell you. Psalm 62, verse 5. That's my four verses there.
Verse 5 is the first one. My soul, my soul. And we're not talking about what
your body did one day walking down the aisle and signing the
card and shaking the preacher's hand or what your body did in
getting baptized one time or sprinkled on the head when you
were an infant. or going to confession or doing all these different
things. I'm talking about my soul now, my soul. Wait thou
only upon God, for my expectation is from him. My expectation is
from him. Salvations of the Lord. Look
at verse 1. Truly my soul, truly only my
soul waiteth upon God, from him cometh
my salvation." Now state what says, number one, for a believer. There's a time in this pilgrimage,
there's a time in this pilgrimage through the world when every
believer, every true child of God, every sheep, every elect
son of God is going to hear the gospel. He's going to hear the
gospel, not a gospel, but the gospel. He's going to hear it.
He's going to believe it, and he's going to embrace it. That's
right. There comes a time. Now, he may
have spent his years in sin and evil and in the pursuits of the
flesh. I don't know. He may have spent
all of his years from the time of his birth up until that time
when God crosses his path with the gospel. he may have. And then others, and this is
true of me and true of many of you, it's true of the Apostle
Paul, he may have spent his years in religion. In a religion of form, in a religion
of ceremony, in a religion of self-righteousness, in a religion
of Arminianism, in a religion of morality, in a religion of
works, he may have spent his years in religion. But there'll be a time when he'll
hear the gospel, the true gospel. God will send him a preacher. Or that person may have not lived
in open sin, he may not have lived in religion, he may have
just lived in morality, living by the principles of integrity
and honesty or whatever. But there'll come a time. There'll
come a time. And I won't say that it'll be
a certain hour or a certain day or a certain month, but there'll
come a period of time when that person will begin to hear with
spiritual ears, and he'll begin to see with spiritual eyes, and
he'll begin to understand with a regenerated heart there comes
a time when the gospel of truth and the gospel of God and the
gospel of his glory and the gospel of his grace is going to start
sinking in. He may even be in the pulpit.
I was. I was in the pulpit. Been pastoring
three years, been to a preacher school. I did not know the gospel. I knew some scripture I'd memorized,
and I knew some pet doctrines, and I knew all about these different
things that you learn in these preacher factories, but I never
heard the gospel. Now, here's what I'm talking
about. That person, you know, Paul said this, in whom you trusted
after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. You can't trust in him of whom
you've never heard. You can't rest in him of whom
you've never heard. You can't build on a rock with
which you're not acquainted. There'll come a time when you'll
hear the truth about sin. I talked to a young lady up in
Boston just three or four hours ago on the telephone. She teaches
a ladies' Bible class. She's using our Old Testament
studies. She's a schoolteacher, Brother
Butler's daughter. She's a schoolteacher. Her husband
teaches at MIT in Massachusetts. And she uses our material and
our tapes. And she said, I'm teaching a
class of older women, some of them with snow-white hair. And
she said, they're always telling me practically every Sunday.
I never heard that before. I've been in church all my life.
I never heard that before. Nobody ever told me that. I tell you, I don't care whether
you're white-headed or black-headed, whether you're old or young,
if you want to God's sheep, you're going to hear this gospel. You're
going to learn the truth about sin. Our birth in sin, our nature
of sin, our choice of sin, our practice of sin, our nature of
sin. You're going to find out this
heart of sin. You're going to find out the
exceeding sinfulness of sin. And then you're going to learn
the truth of inability. In the flesh, no man can please
God. You make all the decisions you want to, and do all the good
works you want to, and give all the tithes you want to, and keep
all the holy days you want to, and all the ceremonies, and God's
still going to come back to you and say, sacrifice and burn offerings,
thou wouldest not, nor had any pleasure therein. This is my beloved Son in whom
I'm well pleased. In the flesh, no man can please
God. In the flesh, brother, no good thing. We are made aware
of inability. We are made aware of this, that
our very righteousness is a filthy rag in God's sight. Filthy, dirty
crawls. That's the best we do. Think
what the worst we do appears in His sight. If the best I can
pray, if the best I can preach, if the best I can sing, if the
best I can do, if the best I can give is an abomination to God,
what do you think about the worst of my days? We're going to learn
that. We're going to learn that. Sometime
you've got to learn that. Not just here, but here. And
then we're going to learn the truth of justice. God will by
no means clear the guilty. We have the hardest time with
this. Got me to where I don't even like to go to funeral homes.
I don't like to go to funerals. I don't like to have any party
in them. I just, because everybody's going to heaven. Everybody, every
mother's son, every mother's daughter. They think somehow,
they may have never trusted Christ, they may have never believed
the gospel, they may have lived all their lives for self and
sin, but when you get to this point, well, I just believe he's
with the Lord. When are we going to learn that
God will not clear the guilty? You, you, you, you or me. He's not going to do it. The
soul that sins is going to die. You know what scripture says?
David said that. He said, Lord, you're just when
you condemn me. You're righteous when you judge
me. I believe every believer is going to come to the place
where he realizes that if God sends him to hell, it's what
God ought to do. There ain't no place in heaven
for mothers and daddies. It's just placed up there for
sinners, saved by grace. There's no special room in heaven
for preachers, or teachers, or church members. Almighty God
takes to glory those that are blood-washed, born again, regenerated,
saved by his grace. Is that not right? But we're
going to squeeze them in one way or another. But there's just
one way, there's no other. Christ said, I'm the way. No
man comes to the Father but by me. Every believer is going to
find that out. He's going to find out something
about the personal work of Christ. That's what that verse says,
my soul waiting on God, my expectations from him. It's nothing I do,
it's all of grace, salvations of the Lord, my salvations from
him. That's where God brings us. He
brings us to the place of helplessness, hopelessness, inability, shut
up to his grace. Totally shut up. Every door slammed
in our face. That's right. We're going to
learn it. If there ain't but one place you can hear it, you
better skedaddle over there and hear it. That's right. You better run here, because
it's so. We're going to learn of the person
and work of Christ. God set him forth to be a propitiation. God's got to be just if he justifies
you. If God saves me and saves you
and redeems me and redeems you and takes us to glory, he's got
to do it in such a way that he won't have to abdicate. Isn't that right? If God takes
an imperfect person into heaven, somebody's got to leave. If God
takes an unregenerate, takes a person who's imperfect before
his law and before his justice, if he takes them into glory,
then God's got to give up his holy throne, and he ain't going
to do it. He has said, I'll be just and justified. I've got
to find out how he can be both. And I didn't know that, Tom,
before 1950. I did not know it. You didn't
know it when you were in Mormonism. How God can be just, how God
can be God. I hear these preachers saying
God loves everybody. That's not so. A holy God can't love an unholy
object. Well, how does he love you then?
In Christ, in Christ we're accepted in the beloved, nowhere else.
You see, this is the kind of theology that's given birth to
this universal salvation, that God loves everybody, Christ died
for everybody, heaven's for everybody, and that's given place to this
sort of thing. God's holy, heaven's holy, it's
a holy place inhabited by a holy God prepared by holy people. And Adam's son has never produced
one of those people yet. But God's Spirit does. And God's
Son does. And we're going to learn that. If God Almighty has to rope and
hogtie and bury you to learn that, you're going to learn it.
If you're one of his sheep, you're going to learn it. They shall all be
taught of God, the scripture says. No man can come to me except
my Father which sent me, draw him. I tell you, the impossibility
of a man being saved without the power of God is because of
the shape that man's in. That's what makes it impossible.
God has to do it. Every man's got to be here. He
shall be taught of God, taught of God. What does God teach?
He teaches who he is, who you are, who Christ is, what salvation
is. That's what he teaches. You've
got to be taught of God. And everyone that hears and learns
it, He'll come to me, Christ said. He'll come to me. He's going to earn salvations
of the Lord. And that's what I'm saying. That's
that first state. And most religious people are not in that state.
They're in a state of do-it-yourself religion. But this is a state
of regeneration. This is a state of quickening.
This is a state where that person just is shut up. to the salvation
of God. My soul waiteth upon God. From him cometh my expectation. My expectation. From him cometh
my salvation. The acceptance. I don't accept
him. He accepts me. He accepts me. And I bow to him. And then there's a time in a
believer's walk of faith That by the grace of God, there will
come a time when he will be established in that gospel. That's right,
established. You think that's a different
time? I sure do. It's a difference in infancy and maturity. It's a difference in infancy
and assurance. There will come a time when he
will be established. There'll come a time when he'll be settled. There'll come a time when he
says, I shall not be moved. That's what it says in verse
6. He only, there's not another gospel. He's not wavering. He's not being tossed about by
every wind of doctrine that comes. He's established. I've seen it
happen right here in this congregation. I've seen people come to Christ
and believe the gospel. and sit and listen, and after
some time passed and they heard the word of God and God did a
work of grace, there come a time when I see them just settle,
established, no longer uncertain, no longer wavering, no longer
unsure, no longer full of doubts, this is the gospel. I'd die for
it. I'd die for it. That's right.
Let me give you some scripture. What about Peter? Well, Peter,
watch him during those years. You know, hard to tell where
he was going, Bob. Hard to tell what he was saying. He even came
down after three and a half years and sat by the fire and said,
I know not the man. He's not settled yet, is he? He believes.
I believe he loved Christ. I believe he believed on Christ.
He said, I'd die for him, but he backed out, didn't he? But
boy, let me tell you something. When you meet that fellow after
Pentecost, He's established. Everybody else can look to him
and hang on to him. He's going the right way. He
ain't quitting. What about John Mark? You remember
Barnabas and Paul? John Mark was Barnabas' nephew. And old Barnabas, he was a fine
man. Barnabas loved Christ, believed
Christ, but Barnabas was a spoiled brat, evidently. His mom was
a bully. But he caused a fight between
Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas started to
go on a missionary journey, and Barnabas said, we're going to
take John Mark. And Paul said, you're not taking that brat with
me. He's staying home. Barnabas said, he stay home.
I stay home. He said, yeah, that happens. Barnabas says, if he
doesn't go, I don't go. And Paul said, then you don't
go. And he took Silas with him. That's when they split. It was
over John Mark. But Paul wrote later, remember?
He said, John Mark, bring him up here. He's important to me.
He's special. Old John Mark got established.
Dependable. He didn't have to be babied anymore.
You see what I'm saying? He's established. He's a rock.
He's leading others now. He's helping others now. He had
to be always concerned about him, always upsetting somebody,
you know. But he believes he's in Christ,
but spoiled. And there's something right here
between the walls of this building that you're just spoiled. And you need to get established.
You need to get established. You need, instead of being always
taught, you need to start doing some teaching. Instead of always
being catered to, you need to do some catering. Christ said,
I didn't come to be catered to and administered under, I came
to minister. And that's what you do when you
get established. You're a rock. And folks like
rocks. They like rocks. And let me show
you some scripture. Romans 1.11, listen to that.
But that's their state of maturity. Growing up, that's what it is.
Romans 1.11, listen. Romans 1 and 11, Paul said, "'I
long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to
the end that you may be established.'" These are believers he's writing
to, Hal. But he said, I want to come down
there and preach to you and help you and get you established.
Let me just turn to these and read them to you. Ephesians 4,
listen to this. He gave these apostles and missionaries
and brethren. Verse 14, that we be henceforth
no more children. Infants, thieves in Christ, tossed
to and fro, always upset, always got a problem, carried about
with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men, cunning, craftiness
whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth, in love we may grow up. into him and all things, who's
the head, grow up. Now you've got children in your
home, they're children and you love them, they're precious,
but I know you mothers will be glad someday when they get to
where they can do something for themselves. When they can sort
of think for themselves and sort of dress themselves and feed
themselves. Go brush your teeth. How many
times have you said that? Go brush your teeth. Ten thousand
times. You reckon some day they'll come to where they actually will
do it? Huh? You know the one question
asked most in American homes and any other single question?
Have you gotten your homework yet? Won't it be wonderful when
they get in college and you don't have to ask But your children, you love them,
they belong to the family, but he just hasn't grown up. And
this is what I'm talking about. There comes a time in a believer's
life when he grows up. He's established. Let me read
you another one. Over here in 1 Thessalonians. Paul talks about
this quite a bit. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. 1 Thessalonians 3, verses 1 and
2. Listen, "...wherefore, when we
could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens
alone. And we sent Timothy, our brother
and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel
of Christ, to establish you," to establish you, "...and to
comfort you concerning your faith." I tell you, there comes a time
when a believer says, I believe this gospel just as much as that
preacher does. I'm committed to this gospel just as much as
he is. I'm weaned. I'm weaned. I'm on meat now. Not on baby's milk. I'm on meat. I've died for this gospel. Christ
has my heart and my life and my home and my family and everything. Listen to this over in verse
3. I'm established. Listen to Hebrews 13, listen,
verse 9. Be not carried away with divers and strange doctrines. It's a good thing that the heart
be established with grace. That's what I'm talking about.
Now wait a minute. I know, don't misunderstand,
we're subject to the flesh. You mean there comes a time when
I'm not tempted anymore and I'm not subject to the flesh and
its failings and weaknesses and the battle between the spirit
and the flesh? That's not what I'm talking about, is it? You
didn't judge that at all, did you? That's not what I'm talking
about. What I'm speaking of here is a maturity in the gospel.
You understand? A maturity in the gospel. That
battle of the flesh and the spirit will go on as long as you live
it. But I'm talking about a maturity in the gospel. I'm talking about
a commitment to Christ. I'm talking about this point
here in Psalm 62 when he said, He only is my rock. He only is
my salvation. He only is my defense. And I
shall not be moved. Like a tree planted by the waters. Here I stand. I can do no other. That's what Paul... That's what
Paul said in Galatians 1. He said, I'll tell you this,
my gospel is the gospel, and if anybody preaches any other
gospel, let him be accursed. Now, that's how strongly he believed.
My gospel is the gospel. He went further than that. He
said, I don't care if it's a what? An angel from heaven. If he preaches any other gospel,
let him be anathema. There'll come a time when you'll
believe it like that, just like that. You don't try to apologize
or explain it to anybody, you believe it. It's the gospel,
the only gospel. Oh, what a joy it is when you
move into that state. I shall not be moved. I don't
mean that you become hard and callous, you don't at all, you
become more concerned and affectionate, but as far as that gospel is
concerned, no compromise. I said this a few weeks ago,
a man that keeps changing his message is a man that doesn't
believe the message. He doesn't believe it. Thirdly, here's the
third statement, verse 7. What do you get out of this?
In God is my salvation and my glory. He's the rock of my strength. He's the rock of my strength
and my refuge is in God. There's going to come a time
in this pilgrimage, there'll be a time, a special time of
severe testing. I mean severe testing. Some of
you have already been there. But it happens in every believer's
life. See, God's going to try our faith. He said, the trial of your faith,
the trial of your faith. It's all the way through here.
But God is going to put us through the furnace. It's going to come.
I don't know which direction that this trial will take or
how it will come or what form it will take. It's impossible
to say, but I do know this. Listen. Turn over to Matthew
5. Here's what I'm talking about right here. Matthew 5. Matthew
7. Listen carefully. Matthew 7.24. Listen to this. Therefore, whosoever heareth
these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I liken him unto a wise
man that built his house on a rock. Now, Frank, what have we been
reading about? He only is my salvation. He only is my Savior. Rock. Now listen, and the rain
descended. It's coming. It's coming. Trials from heaven, specially
designed and sent by God. And the floods came. Trials from
the earth. The water came from above, and
the floods came from beneath. And then, that's not all. And
the wind began to blow. And the wind began to blow. You
know something about this? And beat on that house. And beat
on that house. No need to define these trials.
Some of you sitting right here listening to me, you've been
through many a storm. Many a storm. Strong conflicts
in your own mind and nature. Heavy grief. Disappointment with
your children. heartache with your children,
grandchildren, sudden death of a dear husband, taken from your
side, or a precious child, loss of health, health here today
and just gone tomorrow, pain, gone through nights of agony
and pain, couldn't sleep, walking the floor, discomfort of body,
disturbance of mind, depression of mind, loneliness, That old
house, I tell you, if it wasn't on a rock, it would have gone
a long time ago. And that's that third, you find
out when these things come, and they come for this reason, you
find out whether you are really on the rock. It's a good time. It's good for us. David says,
good for me to be afflicted. It's good for me to be afflicted.
And that's where in Psalms, he's 62, he said, he's my strength,
he's my strength, he's my refuge. When that wind blows, he's my
refuge. When that little old ship is
tossed by what rains from above and floods from beneath and the
wind blowing, beating upon that vessel, upon that house, I can't
hold it, I can't keep it going where it's supposed to go, but
he can. He's my strength. He's my strength. Oh, wretched
man that I am, Job said the day of my death will be better than
the day of my birth. He said cursed is the day when
they came in and said, you got a man child. But I tell you,
when those times come, where do you turn? To whom do you go? Well, turn to Him. He's my strength. He's my refuge. And you know
what'll happen from then on? That'll be settled. That'll be
settled, and peace and rest will be found. That's right, that's
when it's settled, when the test is really severe enough and strong
enough and hard enough that you know the only thing that sustains
you was that rock on which you stood. Is that right, John? That's right. And it's coming. It has to. God sent that thorn
in the flesh, and he's kept praying about it. Finally he quit praying
about it. He said three times, that's exactly what he said.
Agonized over it three times. But he found out something. My
grace is sufficient. And that's all of it. That's
all we must. I tell you, sir, if by the grace of God, he can
bring us into that state, of contentment and satisfaction in him, whatever
my condition. I'll tell you, it's restful.
I know it is. I know it's restful. I know it's
restful. And that's not beginning, that's
down here. And you can't rush this. He does
it in his own time. But you can't rush it. I've run into people. Some of
my dear friends have come to a little knowledge of grace and
then they want to learn everything today. Not that way. Want to learn everything right
now. Give me a book, brother of mine, I can read and get this
thing all settled. Well, that's just not it, is it? Old Abraham,
watch Abraham and the trials God put him through. When was
his most severe trial? 115 years old. Most severe trial of all. But
every one of them is to bring us to this place, for he's my
strength. Old Eli said, it's the Lord,
let him do what he will. Can we come to that place? I
covered it, don't you? That's a state, 4-4, and then
there's a fourth state, and I'll quit. Now let's talk about the
end. Verse 8, Psalm 62. Let's talk
about the end. Psalm 62, it says here, trust
in him at all times. Now here's a time I'm moving
into, and some of you are, and I want to talk plain to us now.
Let's be realistic. Let's be realistic. We're coming to the end of life,
some of us. And I want to come to the end
of my journey, I want to come to the end of this journey trusting,
rejoicing, expectantly and calmly, resting in my Lord. I want to
give a good witness. Now what did God say to Hezekiah?
He came to him and he said this, he said, set your house in order.
Set your house in order, you're going to die. And that's the place that many
of us are in right now. You know, he said man's days
are, what, three score and ten? That's seventy years. I'm sixty-five,
going on sixty-six, four or five more years. That's just fact.
Let's be realistic. Some of you are seventy, seventy-five.
Let's be realistic. We're going home. We're going
to leave here. I've got to leave. You've got
to leave. I want to, don't you? by his grace. Paul said, I'm
in a straight betwixt the two. I have a desire to depart and
be with Christ. You remember the last time Charlie
Payne spoke here? He said, don't y'all feel sorry
for me. I'm going home. I must commend his wonderful
attitude that God gave him. He knew his days were numbered,
didn't he, fellas? He knew that. And yet, it was
with expectancy and calmness Didn't mind talking about it,
it's all right. Let's talk about it. I've got to leave this pulpit
someday. I've got to turn this church
over to somebody else. This leadership, this posturing,
don't you think I think about that? I think about it a lot. It just makes sense to think
about it. It's just wise to think about it. It's godly to think
about it. It's honoring to Him to think
about it. But we've got these kind of attitudes.
We joke about death, or we ignore it, or we don't want to talk
about it or something like that, but this is the greatest thing
that ever happened to one of God's children. Precious in the
sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. He puts his arms
around them and takes them home and makes them like Christ. And
I'll be satisfied and only then when I wake with his likeness.
Don't mourn for me and weep for me, Charlie said. I'm going home. I'll tell you, our attitudes
need to be, are we going to reach this place where we can talk
rejoicingly and expectantly and calmly about a journey? I'll
tell you this. I know this much about all of
you and me too, if you were going to move your residence two or
three years from now, you're going to pack up everything,
sell out and move to Winter Haven, Florida and live there, you'd
start thinking about it now. You'd start setting your house
in order, you'd start getting your things done, you'd start
making preparation, you'd talk to folks about it, you'd ask
everybody down there, how's the weather down there, you know,
how's the fishing? What's this, that, the other
down there? You'd want to know everything you could about where you was
going. You wouldn't say, well, I'm not going to talk about it. Or you wouldn't say, I'm
not going to move. Yes, you are going to move, too. And you'd
talk about it, and you'd plan it, And you'd make provisions
for those you left here. You'd say, now you take care
of this, and you take care of that, and you take care of the
other. I'm going home. I'm not coming back. So whatever
we do now is done for good. That's good. Can we enter into
that? I wish for all of us this, and
it's not automatic, it's not done in a day, I know that, but
let's get some victory on this subject. Let's get some victory. Spurgeon actually said this,
I think some of you may remember, I bet Ronnie remembers the message
because he runs them and all, but you remember when Spurgeon
said to that elderly preacher, I envy you? You remember that
message? He went to him, he said, Spurgeon was in his twenties.
He said, I envy you. And the old man said, why would
a brilliant young man like you, in full health and vigor and
popularity and gifts and great, why would you envy an old broken-down,
gray-headed fellow like me? He said, you're nearer home than
I am. In just a short time, you're
going to be like Christ, and your journey through this old
filthy world is almost over." And he said, I got years and
years and years and years yet to spend here. That's good talk,
don't you think? And I tell you this, if we learned
to talk that way, and believe that way, we'd encourage one
another, and we wouldn't so much dread this day. That's right,
if we'd encourage one another. and talk to one another about
this. We wouldn't so much dread it, we wouldn't so much fear
it, we wouldn't so much be apprehensive about it. We talk about it, precious
in the sight of God. One of the prophets said, Lord,
let me die the death of the righteous, let my last end be like his. David said, teach me the number
of my days that I may apply my heart to wisdom. And I'll tell
you something else, it encouraged our young people. I don't think
there's any better witness of the true grace of God in a man's
heart than to show our young people dying grace, God's grace. Old Charlie Payne did that, didn't
he? Bill Borders did that. Art Young
did that. Some more. Edgelord did that.
I saw it. Betty Compton did that, do you
remember? So many of them. Your mother
did that, showed us something, didn't she? When they came to
the end, it wasn't that bitterness, you know, that I see so often.
It was praise God. Praise God. I could keep naming
some more that showed us how to die. Showed us how to die. You older folks, and this is
an older folk now. Thirty-five years ago, right
now, Doris and I are standing in front of the preacher to get
married. Forty-five years ago. Happy anniversary. Eight o'clock. Wednesday night prayer meeting.
We got married and prayer meeting on Wednesday night. Forty-five
years ago, right this minute. I'm old too now. Forty-five is
a long time, isn't it? But let's show our young people
by attitude, by preaching, by spirit, by example, let's show
them how to die. Let's show them how to come to
the end of the road. Let's show each other. No reason
not to, because the greatest thing to die is gain. To die
is gain. Just a little crossing of the
Jordan and then all what we gonna see. Crossing the Jordan. That's when I need the grace
so as to get over that river, don't I? He gives it. Is that four-fold state, I bet
Thomas got something there, is that when you learn the gospel? Because all of this other is
impossible without that. You learn that gospel, and then
you're confirmed in it. And then you come through these
trials, tough ones, and that shows you you're confirmed in
it. And then you come to the end, come to the end. And it's all been so wonderful.
I wrote somebody today off somewhere and told them, I tell you, God's
been so good to this church. Do we realize that? Do we realize
how good he's been to us? We have something here that by
how you have to go a long ways to find anything like it. Praise
God from whom all blessings flow. All right, let's bow for prayer. Our Father, thank you for the
Word. I do pray that by the power of
your Spirit, for your glory, by your grace through Christ
Jesus, that you would enable us to hear this message and hear
these words, that we may grow up in Christ Jesus in all things,
that we may in our hearts experience our grace, day after day after
day, growing in grace and the knowledge of Christ Jesus, that
we might look to Thee, rest in Thee, be able to say with David,
He only is my rock and my salvation, my refuge, my strength. All things
are mine in Christ. Strengthen us, comfort us, Assure
us, give us confidence in Christ, and bless our young people. May
we be a faithful witness to them in all ways, for the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. In his name we pray, amen.

The Four-Fold State of a Believer

What does the Bible say about the fourfold state of man?

How do we know God's grace is sufficient for salvation?

Why is it important for Christians to understand their state of grace?

What does the Bible say about the believer's final state?

How do trials affect a believer's faith?

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The Four-Fold State of a Believer

What does the Bible say about the fourfold state of man?

How do we know God's grace is sufficient for salvation?

Why is it important for Christians to understand their state of grace?

What does the Bible say about the believer's final state?

How do trials affect a believer's faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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