Faithful Preaching

Q: What does the Bible say about the interpretation of Scripture?

The Bible teaches that no Scripture can be interpreted in isolation; it must be understood within the context of the entire Word of God. According to 2 Peter 1:20-21, no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. This means that each verse cannot stand alone and must be understood in light of the full counsel of God's Word. The unity of Scripture is crucial; it declares one gospel through the Lord Jesus Christ. Taking verses out of context can lead to misinterpretations, as seen with the misuse of passages about baptism in Acts. True understanding requires holistic engagement with Scripture.

Q: Why is faithful preaching important for Christians?

Faithful preaching is essential because it accurately communicates the truth of Scripture and properly reveals the gospel of grace. Faithful preaching emphasizes the authority and inspiration of Scripture as God's Word. This is reflected in 2 Timothy 3:16, which asserts that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable. The role of the preacher is crucial; they are tasked with delivering the gospel truth without distortion. Furthermore, preaching that aligns with the entire counsel of Scripture fosters a correct understanding of salvation by grace and encourages believers to maintain good works as a reflection of their faith.

Q: How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

Salvation is by grace alone, as affirmed in Ephesians 2:8-9, and it is highlighted in preaching and teachings throughout the New Testament. The doctrine of salvation by grace is foundational in Reformed theology, clearly stated in Ephesians 2:8-9, which tells us that we are saved through faith, not by our works. This is echoed in the teaching of Paul, who emphasizes in Titus 3:5 that it is not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy that we are saved. The gospel message consistently points to grace as the unmerited favor of God, emphasizing that our good works are a response to grace, not a prerequisite for salvation.

Q: What is the meaning of 'God-breathed' in relation to Scripture?

'God-breathed' means that Scripture is inspired by God and holds divine authority, as expressed in 2 Timothy 3:16. The term 'God-breathed,' found in 2 Timothy 3:16, indicates that Scripture originates from God Himself. This divine inspiration ensures that while human authors wrote the texts, they did so under the influence of the Holy Spirit, making the Scriptures reliable and authoritative. Each book of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is part of God's revelation to humanity, conveying His will and purpose for salvation. The supernatural nature of this inspiration allows the Scriptures to transcend time and culture, appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds.

2 Peter chapter 1. The title of the message today
is Faithful Preaching. Faithful Preaching. 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 20. Let's read this carefully. Knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the Scripture No writings of the scriptures is of any private
interpretation." Now, this statement really has a two-fold meaning. No writings of the scriptures. We're talking about the Old Testament
mainly, but the Old and New Testament. In other words, he's saying here
there's two interpretations. The first is this. When you read
the Bible, You and I must always remember this, that no single
verse in the Scripture, no, you can't take one verse, or even
one portion of Scripture, and let it stand alone. It just will
not do it. I hear preachers preach all the
time, and they say, the Bible says this, and they'll go back
and pick one verse, and read that one verse. And if you do
that, you can almost make the Bible say anything. in agreement
with what you're teaching. For example, let me show you
this. Turn to the book of Acts, chapter 22. Now let me show you
an example of this. Suppose, suppose that this morning
that I was trying to convince you that baptism is essential
to salvation, that in baptism sins are put away. that in baptism
sins are washed away. Suppose that that were my purpose
today, to try to convince this congregation that baptism, going
down beneath the water, was essential to salvation. Well, all I'd have
to do is turn to one verse of Scripture. Acts 22 and verse
16, And I said to Paul, And why, and now why tarriest thou? Arise,
and be baptized, and wash away thy sins. calling on the name
of the Lord. Now, I hear preachers say, well,
brother, that's what it says. I know that's what it says. That's
not what it means. Or I could turn to Acts 2.38,
and this has been rolled over and over and over again, where
Peter said, when the people of Pentecost said, what must we
do? Men and brethren, what shall we do? And he said, repent and
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. So that verse, neither of those
verses will stand alone. In other words, no prophecy of
the Scripture, no verse, no writing, is of any private, single interpretation. It can't be interpreted in the
light of itself. It won't stand alone. It's got
to be interpreted in the light of the rest of the Word of God,
because this is one book, written by one God, declaring one gospel,
through one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now let me show
you a verse that you'd have to read along with Acts 22. Turn
to Revelation 1. Revelation chapter 1. Revelation
chapter 1, verse 5 and 6. Now here's the revelation of
Jesus Christ. Here's the song of heaven. Here's
the song of the people in glory, Old and New Testament people.
Revelation 1, verse 5. And from Jesus Christ, who is
the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us,
and washed us from our sins in his own blood." It's not water
that washes our sins, it's the blood of Christ. It's the blood
of Christ that cleanseth us from all sins. But when a person is
baptized, in other words, Paul's baptism, when Anna and I said
to Paul, arise and be baptized. and wash away thy sins, he's
saying this, your baptism is not going to wash away your sins,
but in baptism you're confessing Christ who did wash away your
sins. That's what Ananias is saying
to Paul over there. He's not saying, now Paul, when
you go beneath the water, your sins will be put away. Our sins
were put away at Calvary. Our sins are washed in the blood
of Christ, but when a person confesses Christ and follows
the Lord in baptism, he is confessing that by the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ, his sins are put away, washed away in
the blood. So that's the first interpretation
of verse 20. Go back to the text now, 2 Peter
1, knowing this person, will you remember this person? That
no prophecy of the Scripture, no verse, no single statement,
no single verse, no single portion, is of any private interpretation. It will not stand alone. It's
got to be interpreted in the light of all the Word of God. Cecil, is that not correct? In
the light of all the Word of God. And so, when you read something
in Scripture, it says what it says, but it means what it means. That's exactly right. It means
what it means. Alright, there's another, there's
another There's another meaning to this verse also. Now, God
used men to write the Bible. Forty different men. God used
forty different men, starting, we believe, with Job. Most people
believe Job was the first book of the Bible. Of course, Moses'
writings are placed first in the Bible you have in your hand,
but it is believed that Job wrote first. from Job to John on the
Isle of Patmos, 40 million. God used 40 million to write
the scriptures over a period of almost 1,600 years. The first
entry in the book was 3,500 years ago, 3,600 years ago. And the
last entry in this word was 2,000 years ago, 1,900 years ago. And although God used men to
write the scriptures, these men were not free to write their
own thoughts, their own translation or interpretation of God's purpose
and will. But these men wrote as they were
inspired and taught and moved by the Holy Ghost. Now let me
show you that. Turn to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 3. 2 Timothy chapter 3. God used men to write the scriptures. God wrote a time or two. We read
where the finger of God wrote. He wrote the law when he gave
it to Moses, the finger of God. And then when Belshazzar, the
king, the wicked king, was under the judgment of God, God's hand
wrote dark weight in the balances and found wanting. God wrote
in law and God wrote in judgment. And the third, can you name the
third time God wrote? We know that God wrote with his
own finger. He wrote in grace and mercy.
They brought him a woman found in the act of adultery, and he
stooped down and wrote with his finger in the sand. And as he
wrote, her accusers all faded into the darkness. He wrote in
forgiveness and grace. But God didn't write this book
with his finger. He wrote it using the hand of
men. Now let me show you 2 Timothy
3. 2 Timothy 3, 15. And Paul's writing to young Timothy.
He called him his son in the faith, son in the ministry. And
he says, Timothy, from a child, from a little boy, you have known
the Holy Scriptures. Where did he learn these Holy
Scriptures? From his grandmother and his mother. Grandmother Lois
and his mother Eunice, or vice versa, but he, like your boys
and girls are sitting listening to these ladies that teach, Doris
and Danita and Sheila and these ladies that teach in the classes,
your children are listening to them and they're learning the
Holy Scriptures. Doris, she's sitting there studying yesterday
and last night, and I got up this morning and came in and
she's sitting there studying. She teaches first graders. I said
I wish all the preachers were diligent in studying for their
messages as you are teaching these children. Wouldn't that
be a blessing of God? Studying to teach these little
ones. But I tell you, that's where it starts. And don't you
think they're not hearing? They may be looking out the window,
they may be writing, they may be sucking on one of the lemon
drops that get off my desk, but they're hearing. And he says, from a child you've
known the holy scriptures that are able to make you wise unto
salvation. God's going to use the scriptures
in the life of whomever he blesses, whomever he saves. We've got
to teach them the scriptures. Don't try to motivate them to
do something or come down the aisle or make a profession. Leave
them alone. Just teach them the scriptures.
Pray for them and leave them alone. And that's the way Timothy's
folks taught him the scriptures and these scriptures in your
head Even they may not have reached your heart, but in your head,
they're able to make you wise on the salvation You got to know
whom you believe before you can believe Through faith which is
in Christ. Now watch verse 16 for all scripture This scripture that's able to
make you wise all scripture is given by inspiration of God,
you know what that word is God breathed. God breathed. Yes, sir, these men, this is
a supernatural book. These men wrote, Moses, David,
Paul, all of them. But they wrote, God breathed.
This is all scriptures. God breathed. It's inspiration
of God, and all scripture is profitable. Even the genealogies
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, that is,
mature, throughly, throughly furnished unto all good works. This supernatural book, inspired
of God? Let me ask you a question. This book has overcome barriers
that have proved fatal to the writings of men. For example, time. Where are
the books written by men even 500 years ago? Where are they? We may have a few. Ignatius,
Polycarp, Josephus, some of those way back there. But they're few. But this book has overcome the
barriers of time. The last entry in this book was
1900 years ago, and it's still as fresh and as vibrant as it
was when it was written. What about nationality? This
book has been translated into over 1,000 languages. It's read
by Russians, Chinese. It's read by English-speaking
people. It's read in Portugal, in Argentina. It's read in the islands of the
Pacific. It's read in the countries of
Africa. It's read around the North Pole. It doesn't matter.
But where are the books in your library about Chinese people?
Indian people, or Russian writers. You teachers have some books,
but most of them are for reference. And this book has overcome the
barrier of age. Young people read the Bible,
and old people. I get letters from people 80
and 90 years of age who read the Bible and enjoy it, and yet
these boys and girls enjoy reading the Bible. But where are the
books that men write that appeal to both old and young? What about
education? The most learned people read
God's Word. Quoted. And you take a man with
a second or third grade education. He loves it. It appeals to him. It meets his needs. It reaches
his heart. What about position in life?
The lawyer and the laborer read God's Word. The teacher and the
pupil. The master and the servant. The lady in the White House and
the cleaning lady. You see, because God's Word is
everlasting truth, how pure is every page, this holy book will
guide my youth and support me in old age. It's God's Word. And another thing, I pick up
a book by a man and I read it once. If it's real good, I may
read it twice. If it is especially good, I may
read it three times. But I'm not going to read it
anymore. I'm about exhausted all he had to say. And now I
can probably write as good as he can. But this, you know how
long I've been reading this book? And preaching from it? But I
tell you, when I prepared this message for you this morning,
it just vibrated in my heart. I just wanted to get up here
and say these things because they're so beautiful, and read
that. It's so rich. John never gets old, does he? Well, it's got to be. It's got
to be of God. And here's another thing now
from this text. First, let's go back to our text,
2 Peter 1, verse 20 and 21. Verse 21, Father, prophecy came
not in old time, in times past, in any time by the will of men,
or the will of man. But holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit. But do you know something? God
breathed it, and God used men. But the strange thing, thirdly,
is God did not rule out the personality of the man. That's what's amazing. He didn't rule out the personality
or characteristics of the men who wrote. You can read a psalm
of David and know David wrote it. You can read an epistle. That's the reason we believe
Hebrew is written by Paul. It doesn't have any official
recognition of his being the writer, but I believe he wrote
it because it talks like him. It writes like him. And so God
Almighty, while it is the Word of God, you can often identify
the writer by his style, by his phrases. For example, did you
know this? Paul uses the phrase, God forbid, when he comes up
on something that's utterly ridiculous, like for example, he says, shall
we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. And then he talked about human
glory and human pride, and he says, God forbid that I should
glory save in the cross. You know how many times he uses
that in his writings? Fourteen times. Paul uses that phrase
Fourteen times, God forbid. Well, God forbid. You know he's
the only one that uses it? It's not found in the New Testament
except where Paul uses it. Found in the Old Testament, but
not in the New Testament. Another statement Paul uses is
this, and I want to show you three things or four things that
he says. Another thing he uses, strong writer, but God breathed. This is a faithful saving. This is a faithful saving. What does faithful saving mean?
This is sure, this is steadfast, this is truthful, this is trustworthy,
this is to be perfectly relied upon by all. That's the statement
he uses that I want us to look at just three or four places
now. Here's the first one, 1 Timothy 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1. Paul says in 1 Timothy chapter
1, verse 15, this is a faithful
Savior, and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. You know, sometimes
when men are exposed to the gospel, to the truth of the gospel, the
gospel of Christ, the gospel of God's grace in Christ, their
natural heart whispers with these human doubts, maybe
this is not true. Maybe it's not true. You know,
so many religious voices, Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, Christian,
all the voices through the years, and you hear, here comes along
another preacher. of another religion. And he says,
he talks about Christ and his sacrifice on the cross and these
things. And the natural heart says, well, who's right? Are
they all wrong? Maybe this is not true. But Paul
declares it is true. It's a faithful saying. This
is a faithful saying. This is a true saying. And then
that same person may say, well, granted it's true. Granted what
Paul is saying here is true. This is of God. Granted, this
is of God. But maybe it's not for me. Maybe
it's not for me. But listen to what Paul said.
This is a true saying, a truthful saying, one to be relied upon
and worthy of what? All acceptation. Acceptation
by all men. It's a faithful saying and ought
to be universally accepted. What is this statement? Listen.
Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. And that's sufficient
to identify Him. Christ, the anointed. Christ,
the ordained Messiah. Christ, the promised Redeemer.
Christ, Old Testament prophecies and patterns. Jesus, called His
name Jesus. Jesus is His name. Christ is
His office. Christ Jesus. Christ, His heavenly
title. Jesus, his earthly name, Christ,
Son of God, Jesus, Son of Man. What did he do? He came into
the world. He came into the world. He was before the world. He said,
Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with thee before
the world. Was. In the beginning was the Word.
In the beginning was the Word. He was before the world, he made
the world, and all things were made by him. And without him
was not anything made that was made, and he was in the world.
Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. He came into the world. Jesus Christ did not begin his
life in Bethlehem. Unto us a child is born, but
a son is given. The Son of God inhabited that
body. He said, a body you prepared
me. He came into the world. Why did He come? Listen, to save
sinners. He didn't come into this world
to condemn sinners. We were already condemned. He
came to save us. I tell you, a lot of folks in
their preaching seem to indicate that the worst thing you could
do is hear about Jesus Christ, because that's when you become
condemned, when you reject Him. I heard a preacher say one time,
well, the only thing that will send a man to hell is rejecting Jesus.
Well, don't tell him about it then. For peace sake, if the only thing
that will send a man to hell over there in Africa or Mexico
is for him to reject Jesus, then don't go over there and tell
him about it. And he won't reject it. If you can't call on one in whom
you have not heard, how are you going to reject one of whom you
have not heard? He didn't come into the world
to condemn sinners. The Scripture plainly says He
came not into the world to condemn the world. The world was what?
Already condemned. That's why He came, to save,
not to condemn, not to damn, but to save. He didn't come to help us save
ourselves. He didn't come to save us in
part and leave the rest to us. It says here He came into the
world to do what? The word save is deliverable.
If he does not save, his coming is a failure. If he came to save,
then there's no other way to save. If he came to save all
for whom he came to save, he'll say he cannot save. What's this? He came to save sinners. Oh,
I think we're laboring on the impression that God helps those
that help themselves. Well, if that be true, we're
all in bad shape. He came to save sinners. Our Lord was eating
with some publicans and harlots and some gross sinners, some
people that folks looked down on. He was eating with them and
talking with them. And the religious Pharisees said,
their disciples said, what's he doing eating with those folks? Doesn't he know what they are?
And he knew their thoughts. And he spoke up, our Lord spoke
up and said, Well, people don't need a doctor, but they that
are sick. Now, you go learn what that means.
I didn't come into this world to call good people righteous
people. I came into this world to call
sinners to repentance. The Son of Man has come to seek
and to save the lost. He came to save sinners. Is there
a sinner here? sinners of all nations, every
tribe, kindred, nation, and tongue, sinners who have no other qualification
except they're sinners. I hear preachers talk about an
awakened sinner, a quickened sinner, a disturbed sinner, an
interesting sinner. I'm just looking for a sinner.
I don't care whether he's interested or awakened or quickened or what
he is, if I could just find a sinner. Don't qualify it. Well, I'm not
such a bad sinner, a fellow told me one time. Bad sinners and
good sinners? You know, Christ came to save
sinners. That's all it says. Not awakened
sinners, sinners. Lust people. Sinners who have
no other qualification except they're sinners. Come ye sinners,
poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore. Jesus ready stands
to save you, full of pity, love and power. You weary, heavy laden,
bruised by the fall, if you're tired till you're better, you'll
never come at all. Let not conscience make you linger,
nor fitness fondly dream, all the fitness he requires is to
feel your need of him. You got a need? A lady fixes a fine meal, she's
not looking for well-dressed people, she's looking for hungry
people. Hungry people. Our Lord came
to save sinners. Sinners in their sins. Sinners
in their sins. Well, I'm going to get a little
better and then I'll make a profession. He didn't come to save folks
that were getting a little better. I don't find even now that I
believe on Christ I'm getting any better. I think I'm learning
a little more about Him, but I'm also learning a little more
about me. But we get better and better.
Let me know about that a little later, will you? Sinners in their sins, for they'll
always be in their sins unless he saves them. Look at Paul here, of whom I'm
the chief. Chief. Somebody said the Lord's tribe
is a tribe where everybody's the chief. And that's not in leadership,
that's in confession of sins. I'm the chief of sinners. And
somebody out there has already said, no, he's not, I am. And
somebody else said, no, he's not, I am. Paul said, none of
you, I am. Paul didn't point his finger
at someone else and say, he came to save a fellow like you. He
said, he came to save a fellow like me. Isn't that good preaching? Oh, John Newton, he wrote Amazing
Grace. was sitting at his desk one day
studying, and William J., another pastor of that particular time,
came into his study. They were friends, and William
J. said, Brother Newton, I've got
good news, wonderful news. He said, you know, he said the
Lord has saved Mr. McKinley of Bath County. You've heard of Mr. McKinley.
Newton said, I've heard of him. He said, the Lord has gloriously
brought him to repentance and faith. And Newton said, well,
I'm so pleased, I'm so happy about that. He needed Christ. And Mr. J said, you know, Brother
Newton, he said, boy, since the Lord saved that man, I'll never
despair of anybody. And Brother Newton quickly said,
Brother J, since he saved me, I've never despaired of anybody.
If his grace can reach this center, it can reach any center. You
know what Paul said? Here's a sure saying, Christ
Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I'm the
chief. Let me show you another one that
he uses in 1 Timothy 4, just over a page. 1 Timothy 4. He says here in verse 8, bodily exercise profiteth little. bodily exercise profiteth little. But godliness is profitable unto
all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of
that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and
worthy of all acceptation. Once you're talking about me,
you know, exercise nowadays is a popular, popular occupation,
or vocation, or whatever, or hobby. riding bikes and walking
around the park and all that, that's not what he's talking
about. This is the reason no scriptures have any private interpretation. Read the verses before and you'll
see, listen to this, verses, starting in verse 1, chapter
4. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits
and doctrines of devils. speaking lies and hypocrisy,
having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to
marry, commanding to abstain from meat, which God had created
to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know
the truth, every creature of God's good, nothing is to be
refused if it be received with thanksgiving, or it is sanctified
by the Word of God in prayer." In other words, here's some men
came along denying the free grace of God, and they said, now you've
got to tithe, you've got to keep the Sabbath day, If you don't
marry, you can serve God better, forbidding the marriage. Don't
eat pork, don't eat certain meat, don't do all these things, and
you'll have acceptance with God. Going back to the old law, the
old duties and ceremonies and all of the law. And he said now,
verse 6, if you put the brethren in remembrance of these things,
that all things are to be received by prayer and sanctified by prayer.
You'll be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in
the words of faith, of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
Refuse these profane, old, wise fables, and exercise yourself
rather to godliness. This exercise of kneeling and
keeping a day, and these exercises of not marrying, and these exercises
of doing certain duties and details, Exercise yourself rather than
knowing God in your heart, godliness of heart and soul and mind. Verse 8 then says, bodily exercise
profits little. There was a day when these things
were commanded, the observance of the Sabbath day, the giving
of the tithe, the coming to the different feasts in Jerusalem,
not walking so far on the Sabbath day. There was a time when these
things had a reason. They were types and pictures
and patterns. But they profit little. But godliness,
godliness is profitable unto all things. And in godliness
is the promise of life that now is and life that is to come. I read a story one time about
Sir Walter Raleigh. He was to be beheaded. and uh... he was quite famous and uh... folks felt like he shouldn't
be beheaded and so they put his head down ready to cut his head
off and someone said to him someone in official capacity said to
him said Raleigh is your head resting comfortably? and he replied
It is not the comfort of the head, but the comfort of the
heart that's important. Nor is it the position of the
head that matters, it's the condition of the heart. And that's what
this is saying right there. I may get up here and to impress
you and bow, get down on my knees and go through some kind of prayer. And that's all right. Perfectly
all right. But make sure it's genuine or
don't do it. Now, I see these people doing
all of this, and that's kind of impressive when 2,000 people
are all chanting and waving and saying that. But let me tell
you something. It's a whole lot better to praise God in here
and be genuine and truthful than to carry on this foolishness
here. And I hear people, every other
word is hallelujah, and every other word is praise the Lord.
Let me tell you something that Paul's saying here, that's the
faithful saying, and it's worthy of all acceptation. Hallelujah
in here is worth ten outside, if it's genuine. Tom, you see
what I'm saying? That's what he's saying. Exhibitionism
and bodily exercise, it may impress, it may get attention, it may
even help you. That's all right. The times I've
prayed when I just felt like lying on my face. But I tell
you, I want to lie on my face in here and not just out here. Out here, all right, fine. If
it's something, if you fast and pray and call on God in sincerity
from your heart, the bodily exercise matters nothing. All right, I've
got to go on. I'll be here all day. 2 Timothy
2, let's go over there a minute. Another fateful save. Verse 11. Some of you might reply, well,
we won't be here with you. Like the fellow was preaching
through the Bible, he had something to say about every chapter, and
he got to Malachi, and he said, now, what place shall I give
Malachi? And one fellow said, he can give him my place. I'm
going home. All right. 2 Timothy 2, verse 11. Listen.
It's a fateful save. If we be dead with Christ, we
live with Christ. What's that say? Well, if we're
in Christ, in covenant mercies, in saving grace, when he lived,
we lived, when he died, we died, when he's seated, we're seated.
If we're in Christ, in Christ, died in Christ, then we'll live
with Christ and we're dead to the Lord. That is as a curse. We're not dead to God's law and
God's commandments and God's statutes. We're dead to the laws
of the curse. That's right. Condemnation. Secondly,
he said, if we suffer with him, we'll reign with him. That's
right. You stand up and be counted,
and you'll receive some persecution, some hatred of the world, but
you'll reign with Christ. Now watch this. Here's one I
want to get to. If we believe not, He about is faithful, he
cannot deny himself. Does that mean that unbelievers
are saved? No. It means this, there's not a
believer on this earth whose faith is perfect. There's not
a believer on this earth who does not sometimes unbelieve. Isn't that right? There's not
a believer on this earth that sometimes does not get quite
low, filled with doubts. That's right. And disbelief. You may fail him, he'll never
fail you. That's what it says. You may
go through periods when you think, well, I'll just tell you. I don't
know whether I believe anything or not. Well, I know better than
that. You do too. And he does too. And that's what it says. If we
died with Christ, we live with Christ. If we suffer for Christ,
we'll reign with Christ. If we have times of doubt and
disbelief and failure, He abideth faithful. He cannot deny himself,
and you're part of him. But if we deny him consistently, he'll deny us. See that back there in verse
12? All right, here's the last one, and I'll close. Titus chapter
3. Titus chapter 3. Let's look at
this one, and then we'll have Desi sing for us. Titus chapter
3. Verse 5, it's not by works of
righteousness which we've done, but according to His mercy He
saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost,
which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying. And
these things I will that you affirm constantly. that they
which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works."
These things are good and profitable to me. This is a faithful saying.
Two statements here. Verse 5 says, it's not by works. Verse 8 says, maintain good works. Now, no preacher or otherwise
understands the gospel who cannot expound these two statements. No man understands salvation
by grace through faith who does not have a proper understanding
of not by works, and we are his workmanship created unto good
works. It is not by works or merit that we are saved. We are
justified by grace alone. Salvation is not by merit but
by mercy. But they who believe are careful
and diligent to maintain good works. But while their souls
are justified by faith, their faith is justified by works. And a person who constantly,
deliberately, walks contrary to God's law and God's truth,
and does not maintain a life of holiness and honesty and integrity
and righteousness, does not belong to God. Because this is a faithful
saying, they are careful. They are careful. careful of
their witness, and careful about their attitude, and careful about
their testimony, and careful about their lives, careful to
maintain good works. Good work. That's a faithful
saying.

Faithful Preaching

What does the Bible say about the interpretation of Scripture?

Why is faithful preaching important for Christians?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

What is the meaning of 'God-breathed' in relation to Scripture?

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Faithful Preaching

What does the Bible say about the interpretation of Scripture?

Why is faithful preaching important for Christians?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

What is the meaning of 'God-breathed' in relation to Scripture?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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