Six Stubborn Statements

Q: What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty?

The Bible affirms that God is sovereign and reigns over all things, commanding creation and guiding the affairs of humanity. The Scriptures clearly teach that God is sovereign, meaning He reigns and governs all aspects of creation. This sovereignty is evident in God's attributes—He is all-powerful, almighty, and supreme over the universe's circumstances. In Acts 20:27, the Apostle Paul emphasizes not shunning to declare all the counsel of God, asserting God's authority in every matter. Moreover, throughout the Bible, God's sovereignty is reinforced by passages that affirm His control over both creation (Isaiah 45:7) and providence (Ephesians 1:11), making it clear that nothing happens outside of His divine decree.

Q: How do we know election is true?

The doctrine of election is supported by numerous scriptures affirming God’s choice of individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world. Biblical election is foundational in understanding God's sovereign grace. Scripture repeatedly confirms that God elected certain individuals for salvation, as stated in Ephesians 1:4, where it is emphasized that believers were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. Romans 8:29 further underlines this doctrine by associating foreknowledge with predestination, signifying God's intentional selection. Furthermore, in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul expresses thanks for those chosen by God, affirming the truth of election as a core tenet of divine grace and purpose in salvation.

Q: Why is preaching the gospel important for Christians?

Preaching the gospel is vital for Christians as it conveys the truth of God's word and is the means by which the Holy Spirit brings people to salvation. Preaching the gospel is of utmost importance for Christians because it is the primary means through which God reveals His truth and offers salvation through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul, in Acts 20:27, emphasizes the responsibility of ministers to declare the whole counsel of God, signifying that withholding any part of the gospel undermines its effectiveness. It is not merely about presenting facts; it is the declaration of divine truths that the Holy Spirit uses to awaken faith in the hearts of the listeners (John 6:44). Evangelical faith comes by hearing the gospel (Romans 10:17), making preaching essential for spiritual awakening and deepening one's relationship with God.

Q: What does the Bible say about the effectual atonement of Christ?

The Bible teaches that Christ's atonement is effectual, meaning it successfully saves those for whom He died. The doctrine of Christ’s effectual atonement emphasizes that His sacrifice on the cross effectively redeems and justifies the elect. Scriptures such as Romans 5:8 affirm that Christ died for sinners, while specific texts like 2 Corinthians 5:21 highlight how Jesus bore the sins of His people to reconcile them to God. The redemptive blood of Christ is not ineffectual; rather, it enables believers to stand justified before God, as expressed in the phrase, 'when I see the blood, I will pass over you' (Exodus 12:13). This certainty of salvation rests on the belief that Christ’s atonement delivers its full intent for those chosen by God.

Q: Do all Christians persevere in their faith?

The Bible assures that all true believers will persevere in their faith until the end, as God preserves them. The doctrine of perseverance, also known as the security of believers, affirms that those who are truly in Christ will not ultimately fall away. Philippians 1:6 assures that He who began a good work in believers will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. This doctrine is rooted in God’s faithfulness and the belief that salvation is wholly the work of God. The Spirit works in the hearts of believers, ensuring they continue in faith and perseverance, as illustrated in Romans 8:30, which assures that those predestined will be called, justified, and glorified.

The Apostle Paul, whom God sent
to minister to the Gentiles, knew that his ministry was coming
to a close. Spirit of God had revealed to
him and to many of his friends that he would soon put off this
flesh and go to be with the Lord. You remember he wrote to Timothy
and he said, the time of my departure is at hand. I fought a good fight. I finished my course. I've kept
the faith." In other words, Paul is saying to Timothy, the end
is near. And it was long about this time
that he sent for the elders of the church of Ephesus. It's recorded
in Acts chapter 20, if you want to turn in your Bibles and follow
as I read this scripture. The apostle Paul sent for the
elders of the church at Ephesus. And when they came to Him and
gathered about Him, He's speaking to them for the last time. This
is the last time He said they'd ever see His face, the last time
that He'd ever preach to them. And He sort of summed up His
ministry among them, and these are the words that He used. Look,
if you will, at verse 19, Acts 20, verse 19. Paul says, I have
served the Lord. I have served the Lord with all
humility of mind." Now, this is not just rhetoric, but the
apostle Paul knew and felt and confessed that he was not worthy
to be an apostle. He said that several times. I'm
not worthy to be an apostle. I obtain mercy. And then again
he said, I'm less than the least of all the saints. He meant this.
He felt this. He said, I'm the chief of sinners.
Christ came into the world to save sinners and among of whom
I'm the chief. And time and again, he said,
I'm nothing. I'm nothing. I know it. I feel it. I am what
I am by the grace of God. He said, actually, I labored
more abundantly than all the apostles, but yet not I, but
the grace of God and the Spirit of God in me. So that's what
he says in verse 19. I've served the Lord. with all
humility of mind. And then look at verse 20. Note
this carefully. I have kept back nothing that
was profitable to you. Now, I've kept back nothing.
I've told you everything that God has taught me and everything
God has been pleased to reveal to me, I've passed it on to you. Like he said in 1 Corinthians
11, what I've received of the Lord, I deliver to you. And I
haven't kept back anything. not out of desire for personal
gain or personal glory. That has not influenced my ministry.
I'm not seeking gain and glory. And he said, neither out of fear
nor covetousness. Fear has not caused me to hold
back anything. I've boldly, with much boldness,
preached to you the gospel of God's grace. So I've kept back
nothing. What God has shown me, I have
passed it on to you." And then look at verse 27. Verse 27. That's on down. I'll skip a few
verses and go to verse 27. He said, now watch this, I have
not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God, all that
I know. Now, Paul didn't know everything
that Almighty God decreed and purposed, but all the counsel
of God which God has taught me, I have not shunned to declare
it unto you." Now, the apostle Paul didn't try to explain the
glorious, mysterious God. He didn't try to reconcile the
purpose and counsel of God with the thoughts of men. He just
declared unto them. He didn't explain the counsel
of God. He didn't say, I have not shunned to explain to you
the counsel of God. He said to declare it. I have
declared His truth, not explained it, I've preached it. I have
declared His gospel. I have declared the glory of
His grace in Christ Jesus. What God has shown me, what God
has taught me, what God has revealed to me, I've not shunned to declare
it unto you. Now, this ought to be the determination
of every servant of God, if he is a servant of God. God didn't
send us to explain Him or to bring Him down to man's understanding. We're to preach what He says
in His Word, preach what He's declared in His Word, just preach
all the counsel of God. And my friends, this has been
and is and I trust will always be my only concern, my determination
to tell men the truth about God, to compromise nothing, to hold
back nothing, to boldly declare the truth about God, the truth
about about ourselves. Let's tell the truth about ourselves.
And let's tell the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ and the
truth about salvation. It doesn't help men or profit
men to hold back something because we fear that they'll not like
it or not receive it. Paul said, if I'm the servant
of men, then I can't be the servant of God. I can't please men and
God. I have no power to make men believe what I preach or
even to believe God. That's the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is sent to reveal the truth of God to the heart.
Only the Holy Spirit can convince a man of sin. Only the Holy Spirit
can reveal Christ to a sinner's heart. Only the Holy Spirit can
bring men to faith in Jesus Christ. I can't do that. I'm a messenger. I'm a messenger sent to preach
a message, to declare a truth. Our Lord said in John 6, listen
to this, it's not the preacher's responsibility to reveal the
gospel, it's the preacher's responsibility to preach the gospel. It's the
Holy Spirit's work to reveal the gospel. Listen to what our
Lord said in John 6, verse 44. No man can come to me except
the Father. which hath sent me draw him."
And he says, "...and they shall all be taught of God. Every man
therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh
unto me." Now, men are not going to hear, and they're not going
to learn, and they're not going to come to Christ if we don't
preach the truth as it's revealed in God's Word. Listen, he said
in Ephesians 1.13, "...in whom you trusted after you heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. So we're to preach
the truth about God and the truth about men and the truth about
Christ and the truth about salvation, not explain it, not try to reveal
it, but preach it and leave it to the Holy Spirit to enable
men to hear and to learn and to come to God. And this is why
Paul declared, and I kept back nothing profitable unto you.
have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."
And how people respond to the truth of God is between them
and God. And I say that to you. When I
preach what God says in His Word, how you respond to it, that's
not between you and me. That's between you and God. It's
required of a servant, a steward, Not that he'd be successful,
but that he'd be faithful. God judges his servants, his
stewards, on the basis not of their success, but of their faithfulness. You remember when he spoke to
the servant, he said, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over
a few things. I'll make thee ruler over many,
enter into the joy of thy Lord. There was nothing said about
success. There was nothing said about numbers. There was nothing
said about accomplishments. The whole basis of this judgment
was faithfulness. And that's our business as preachers,
as pastors, as servants of God, is to be faithful. Faithful to
God, first of all. And I'll tell you, if we're faithful
to God, we'll be faithful to man. Our business is not, first
of all, being faithful to man. It's being faithful to God and
to His Word. And doing that, then we'll be
faithful to our heroes, because if a man pleases God, he'll be
a blessing to God's people. Over 40 years ago, I was brought
to face six stubborn statements. Now, that's the title of this
message, six stubborn statements. Over 40 years ago, I was brought
to face these six stubborn statements, the truth of God's Word, the
truth as it's revealed in God's Word. You know, someone said
one time, when a man is confronted, when he's confronted with truth,
he must do one of two things. He must believe it or reject
it. He must receive it or turn from
it. He must preach it or deny it. There's no middle ground. It's
not truth. Now, not truth. It must be believed
or it must be rejected. It must be received or denied. It must be preached or else denied. And so I'm going to confront
you with these six statements. I want you to listen to them.
If you want to, write them down. Take down these scriptures. Write
to me. Let me send you this tape so
you can study it some more. But here are these six stubborn
statements, and they've got to be handled. They've got to be
dealt with. I had to face it, and you're going to have to face
it. Now, here's the first one. God Almighty is sovereign. He's absolutely all-powerful,
almighty, and sovereign in all things. Or He isn't. He can't
be both now. I hear preachers talking about
God trying to save men. I hear them saying all the time,
God's trying to save you. I hear them talking about God
wanting to do this. God wants you to do this. wants you to do that, but men
won't let him. I hear them saying that God has
a wonderful plan for your life, but you won't let him accomplish
it. Just recently, I listened to
two preachers, one right after the other, and one of them said,
give God a chance. Give God an opportunity to help
you. Give God an opportunity to save you. Give God an opportunity. And I thought, what kind of God
is this? What kind of God is he talking about? A God that's
impotent? The word God and impotence doesn't
go together. A God that's powerless? The name
God and powerless doesn't go together. The name God in power,
the name God in might, God in strength, God in sovereignty,
God who rules over all. God is almighty. What kind of
God is this that wants to do something and can't do it? that
wills to do it and can't do it, that has a wonderful plan that
He wants to put in operation, and the very creatures that He
made Himself won't let Him. That's no God at all. And that's
not the God of the Bible. And that's the reason I'm saying
that you have to make up your mind on this. The God of the
Bible is sovereign, almighty, all-powerful, who does what He
will, when He will, with whom He will. Oh, He's not God at
all. Somebody else is God. You see,
the Scriptures teach that God is sovereign. Now, that word
means, the meaning is in the word. He reigns. He reigns. God is sovereign. He's almighty
in creation. With whom did He take counsel
when He created the world? He created all things by His
power. He created all things for His
glory. He created all things as it pleases
Him. God is sovereign in providence.
The Word of God declares over and over again, He worketh all
things after the counsel of His own will. Whatsoever the Lord
please, whatsoever the Lord please. That's what He did in heaven,
earth, in the seas, and all deep places. Our Lord said, not a
sparrow falls to the ground without your heavenly Father. He said,
I have spoken, I'll bring it to pass. He said, I've purposed
it, I'll do it. Read Isaiah 45 and Isaiah 46. God is sovereign in providence. He rules, He reigns, He knows
the thoughts of men. He directs the thoughts of men.
And God's sovereign in salvation. He's almighty in salvation. He
quickeneth whom He will. I'm going to preach on this next
week. Salvation is of the Lord. From Alpha to Omega, from beginning
to end, it's of the Lord. It's by the power of God. He
lifts the beggar from the dunghill. He washes him in his blood. He
seats him on the throne among princes. Moses said to the Lord
one day, Lord, show me your glory. Show me your glory, your greatest
glory. And God said, Moses, get there
in the cleft of the rock, and I'll put my hand over you, and
I'll pass by you, and I'll reveal the name of the Lord to you.
Here it is, I will be merciful to whom I will be merciful, and
I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. God says, my arm's
not short that I cannot save. Do you, let me ask you something
now. Now, let's do a little, let's reason together, Isaiah
said. Do you really think that there's
a sinner whom an almighty, sovereign, powerful God wills to save wants
to save and can't do it. Now, do you really think such
a thing could possibly exist? He was able to save Saul of Tarsus.
He made him willing. He was able to save Noah. Noah
found grace in the house. He was able to save Abraham.
Abraham was 75 years old when he met God, living in an idolatrous,
heathen, pagan land. And God called his name and told
him to get out of that land. Now, I'm telling you this. God
is able, and that's the basis of Abraham's faith. He believed
that God was able to do all that he promised. Now that's the basis
of true saving faith, and that's Abraham's faith. And you check
Romans chapter 4. We'd better read Romans chapter
4. That's the story of Abraham's faith and the very basis of Abraham's
faith. was not just he believed in God,
but he believed in the God who was able to do all that he promised. Is that your God? If it's not,
you're one of the children of a lesser God. And I don't want
a lesser God. I want a greater God, an almighty
God, a sovereign God, a ruling God, because that's the only
kind of God there is that's let God be God. And I don't understand
this kind of talk. that God wants to do this and
you won't let Him. God wills to do something and
you won't let Him. God desires and God makes plans
and men bust them all to pieces. That's not the God of creation.
And we'll find that out someday. But why not find it out now?
Let God be God and everybody else a liar. All right, second
thing, second thing I face, men, you and me, You know, a man got
disturbed one Sunday listening to me on television because I
pointed at him when I was on the screen. He tuned in the program
and I pointed at him and I said, we got one thing in common, you
and me. You're a sinner and I'm a sinner. And he got upset. Not
because I called myself a sinner. He could agree with that. He
got upset because I called him a sinner. But let me tell you
something now. Listen. Second thing. Men are sinners. They're fallen creatures in Adam.
They're dead in trespasses and sin, or they're not dead at all. I hear preachers say, well, God's
done all He can do. Now it's up to you. What kind
of talk is that? It's up to you. Up to a dead
man to give himself life? Up to a dead man to born himself?
How are you going to born yourself again into the kingdom of God?
Up to a dead man to hear? Up to a dead man to see? Up to
a dead man to walk? You say, what do you mean dead
men? We're dead spiritually, by nature, by birth. The Scripture
says, in Adam all died. In Adam all died. Scripture says,
by one man's sin entered this world and death, death, death
by sin, so death passed upon all men. And you have to be quickened
who were dead in trespasses and sin. I tell you, my friends,
sinners need to be, have to be quickened from the dead. born
of the Spirit of God. They have to be operated on by
God's almighty, powerful, mysterious Spirit. That's what our Lord
said to Nicodemus. He said, you must be born again.
And Nicodemus said, well, how am I going to be born again?
Enter my mother's womb and be born? He said, no, that which
is born of the flesh is flesh. But he said, that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit. Born of the Spirit and of the
Word. And it's like the wind. The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and you hear the sound, and you see the results, but you can't
tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth, even so they that are
born of the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is sovereign.
He'll quicken whom He will. He'll call whom He will. He'll
make alive whom He will. But it has to be a divine operation.
There's got to be an effectual call. There's got to be a divine
operation in which God Almighty gives life to the dead so that
they can hear. so that they can see, so that
they can believe it, believe the gospel. Our Lord said in
John 5, the hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God and live. You say, that's talking about
people in the graves. No, it's not either. Because in two verses
later, he said, and the hour is coming when they that are
in the graves also shall hear the voice of the Son of God and
live. But this is dead sinners who
hear the voice of the Son of God. the voice of the Spirit
of God. All right, here's the third thing.
And I know when you mention the word election, a lot of folks
just get all uptight and upset, but the word elections in the
Bible over and over and over again, about 26 times the word
elected or elections in the Bible. And what I'm saying is this,
God elected a people to salvation or He didn't. Now, which is it?
He did or He didn't? The Scriptures declare that He
did. The Scripture says that God elected a people before the
foundation of the world in Christ and gave them to His Son to redeem
and bring to glory. Now listen to these Scriptures.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who
has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
according to the good pleasure of His will. He chose us to salvation. before the foundation of the
world. God chose us before the foundation of the world that
we should be holy and without blame before Him. In Romans 8,
verse 29, the Scripture says, Whom He did foreknow, them He
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. And
whom He predestinated, He called. Whom He called, He justified.
Whom He justified, He glorified. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians
and said in chapter 2, verse 13, he said, I'm bound to give
thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. My friends,
Christ our Lord prayed that in his high priestly prayer. He
said, Father, thou hast given me authority over all flesh that
I should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me.
And then in John 6, he said, all that my Father giveth me
shall come to me. and him that cometh to me I'll
in no wise cast out." I ask you this, did you love God or did
He love you? Scripture says we love Him because
He first loved us. Did you call God or did God call
you? Did you choose God or did God choose you? Well, when did
God choose you? Well, why did God choose you?
Well, the Scripture says He chose us in Christ before the foundation
of the world according to the good pleasure of His own will."
God elected a people. God elected a people. Heaven
will be populated by a people conformed to the image of Christ
Jesus. Now, here's the fourth statement.
Listen. When our Lord died on the cross, when He died on the
cross, did He fully and freely and completely justify us before
God? Did He pay for all our sins?
When Christ died on that cross, did He for our sins? Did His
blood provide a ransom? Did He bring us to God so that
when judgment passes by, God can say, when I see the blood,
I'll pass over you? Did He or did He not? Well, some
people preach that Jesus Christ died in the same way to the same
extent for every son of Adam, for the whole world for people
in heaven and people in hell. But my friends, I'm not arguing
the extent of the atonement. I'll leave that to someone else.
What I'm arguing is this, the power of the atonement, the power
of the atonement. If His blood was shed for all
men, then His blood failed. If His blood was shed for people
who perish, then His blood failed. And yet the song of those who
are redeemed in heaven is this, unto Him who loved us, and washed
us from our sins in His own blood. The blood of Christ is effectual. The blood of Christ is effectual. In the blood of Christ, you have
an atonement that atones. You have a ransom that is effectual. You have a redemption that redeems. The scripture said He died the
just for the unjust to bring us to God, and He gets the job
done. Second Corinthians 521 says this,
he who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him. And our Lord said, I lay down
my life for the sheep. Yes. If Jesus Christ died on
that cross and bore our sins and effectually paid for them
and put them away, and His blood is a ransom and an effectual
mercy seat and atonement of perpetuation, then that blood was not shed
for people who perish. It was shed for believers. He
died for believers. He died for the elect. He died
for the people of God. Other sheep I have which are
not of this foal, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice, and they shall be one foal. I'm saying that the blood
of Christ is effectual. It's powerful. It saves. Just like in Egypt, the blood
was not on every door. If the blood had been on every
door, then there'd been no death in the land of Egypt. There was
no death where the blood was on the door. And my friends,
where Christ's blood has been shed for a sinner, there's no
judgment. There's no condemnation. There's
therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ. All
right, here's the fifth statement. The Holy Spirit, does He actually
quicken, regenerate all men, or just God's elect? Does He
try to save people in camp? Does He try to call men to Christ
and fail? The Scripture doesn't say that.
The Scripture tells us, You hath be quickened who were dead in
trespasses and sin, and Thy people shall be willing in the day of
Thy power. It's not by might nor by power,
but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." The living God cannot fail to
accomplish what He sets out to do. Now, here's what men do not
understand. There's a general call when the
Word is preached, when God's judgments come, and when God's
providence is enacted, when the law is read. There's a general
call that all men hear. But my friend, the Holy Spirit
gives an effectual call. The Holy Spirit gives a life-giving
call. The Holy Spirit brings the seed
of the Word and begets life. And that regeneration and that
quickening is effectual and powerful. He doesn't try to quicken men.
He quickens them. Now, last of all, and I'll close,
all of God's people, will they persevere? Will they continue
in the faith? Will they be glorified? Or will
some be lost? The Scripture says, he that hath
begun a good work shall complete it in the day of Jesus Christ. Now you write for this tape,
6 Stubborn Statements. Here's the address. Till next
week, God bless you.

Six Stubborn Statements

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty?

How do we know election is true?

Why is preaching the gospel important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about the effectual atonement of Christ?

Do all Christians persevere in their faith?

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Six Stubborn Statements

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty?

How do we know election is true?

Why is preaching the gospel important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about the effectual atonement of Christ?

Do all Christians persevere in their faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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