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Henry Mahan

Mysteries

John 6:41-45
Henry Mahan • October, 22 1989 • Audio
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Message: 0939b
Henry Mahan Tape Ministry
6088 Zebulon Highway
Pikeville, KY 41501
What does the Bible say about the mysteries of God?

The Bible reveals mysteries related to God's kingdom, salvation, and our relationship with Christ.

The mysteries of God are profound truths that are revealed to believers through divine revelation, as stated in Mark 4:10-11. These mysteries include the salvation message and the deeper understanding of God's will, which is expressed in verses like 1 Corinthians 2:7-10, where it describes the wisdom of God hidden before the ages. This understanding is not accessible to everyone but is disclosed to those who are drawn and taught by God, emphasizing that knowledge of these mysteries comes from spiritual revelation rather than human reasoning.

Mark 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 2:7-10

How do we know that election is true?

The concept of divine election is rooted in Scripture, emphasizing God's sovereignty in choosing people for salvation.

Election is a biblical doctrine grounded in God's sovereign will to choose individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4-5 indicates that God chose us in Christ, reflecting His love and grace that predates our existence. Furthermore, believers can affirm their election through the experience of faith in Christ, illustrating how God's elective grace works in tandem with human willingness to come to Him. This paradox shows that while God elects, He also calls all who desire to be saved, as stated in John 6:37, where Christ invites all who come to Him.

Ephesians 1:4-5, John 6:37

Why is understanding God’s sovereignty important for Christians?

Understanding God's sovereignty reassures Christians that He is in control and orchestrates all things for His glory.

The understanding of God's sovereignty is crucial for Christians as it affirms that God is in control of every situation and event in life. This assurance is found throughout Scripture, such as in Acts 2:22-23, which describes how the crucifixion of Christ occurred under God's predetermined plan. Recognizing that God works through both righteous acts and human failure helps believers trust in His ultimate purpose. This belief fosters faith and resilience during trials, confirming that nothing occurs outside of God's divine providence and that He uses all circumstances for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Acts 2:22-23, Romans 8:28

What does the Bible mean by Christ in you, the hope of glory?

This phrase signifies that the indwelling of Christ within believers assures them of eternal glory and transformation.

The phrase 'Christ in you, the hope of glory' found in Colossians 1:27 encapsulates the transformative power of salvation. It emphasizes that through faith in Christ, believers receive the Holy Spirit and become partakers of divine life and hope. This indwelling presence not only signifies an intimate relationship with Christ but also assures believers that they will be glorified with Him at His return. Understanding this mystery encourages Christians to live in a manner that reflects their identity in Christ, showcasing His glory through their lives and actions as they anticipate eternal fellowship with Him.

Colossians 1:27

Sermon Transcript

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And I get phone calls from people
asking questions quite often. There was one confusing call
yesterday. Religious people are confused.
They're so confused. It's just... And one of the evidences
that a person has not been drawn of God, that a person has not
been taught of God, He's heard men, but he hasn't heard and
learned of the Father. He's heard verses, he's heard
sermons, he's heard religious people. But one of the evidences
that a man and a woman has not been drawn of God and taught
of God and has heard and learned of the Father, One of the evidences
is when they are continually having a problem with the mysteries
of the Word of God, just continually having a problem with these things.
You see, it says here, our Lord told them. See, these people
had a problem with the mysteries, with the revelation of Christ. And they said, how can this be?
And when our God draws a man and teaches a man and a man learns,
He takes him into the mysteries of the Word. Let me show you
that. Turn to Mark, chapter 4. Our Lord takes him into the mysteries
of the Word. He reveals to him the mysteries
of the Word. The man's not confused. He's taught, taught of God, hath
learned of God. In Mark, chapter 4, verse 10
and 11, listen. Mark, chapter 4, verse 10. And when he was alone, they that
were about him, with the twelve, asked of him the parable. And
he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of God. But unto them which are without,
these things are done in parables. Blessed are your eyes, he said,
they see. And your ears, they hear. One
day he asked the disciples, he said, whom do men say that I,
the Son of Man, am? And they said, well, some say
you're John the Baptist, some say you're Elijah, some say you're
one of the prophets. He said, but whom do you say
that I, the Son of Man, am? Peter said, you're the Christ,
the Son of the living God. And he said, blessed are you,
Simon. Flesh and blood didn't reveal that to you, but my Father
which is in heaven. He taught you that. You learned
that from Him. He drew you and taught you and
you heard from Him. The mysteries. Let me show you
1 Corinthians. And I tell you the word mystery.
I'm going to show you something here. I want you to use your
Bible a little bit now. I want to show you something
very interesting in 1 Corinthians 2. Now the word mystery. Mystery. We've already run into
it twice. But here it is in 1 Corinthians 2, listen, verse 7 through 10. The word mystery is used frequently
in the word of God to refer to our redemption and to God's redeeming
grace. Mysteries. Unto you, he said,
it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Mysteries. What are the mysteries? Well,
it's something that's hidden unless you have the key. It's
something that's hidden unless you have the key. It's a mystery.
You can't figure it out. Now, if somebody gives you the
solution, you can. But until you have the solution,
it's a mystery, unknown. Now, listen to 1 Corinthians
2, verse 7. We speak the wisdom of God in
a mystery. Even the hidden wisdom which
God ordained before the world. for us, unto our glory. God ordained it, God purposed
it for our glory, in which none of the princes, the kings, the
leaders, the wise men of this world knew. Had they known it,
they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory. They didn't
know who he was. They didn't know it. But as it
is written, I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them
that love him. But God hath revealed them unto
us by his Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the
deep things of God. You see that? Mysteries. Would you like to see the word
used about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 more times in the Word of God.
Mysteries. The disciple said, declaring to us the parable,
and he said, unto you it is given to know the mysteries. He said,
I speak the hidden things of God in a mystery. Now watch this.
Let's go through the Scripture. Ephesians 1, 9. Ephesians 1,
verse 9. Here Paul speaks of the mystery
of covenant mercies. The mystery. of covenant mercies,
in Ephesians 1 verse 9, having made known unto us the mystery
of his will, according to the good pleasure, to his good pleasure,
which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the
fullness of time he might gather together in one all things in
Christ. That's the mystery of covenant
mercies, is it not? All right, Ephesians 3. Ephesians
3, verse 2 through 7. Listen to this. Ephesians 3, verse 2. If you
have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is
given to me to youward, to you Gentiles, how that by revelation
God made known unto me the mystery. as I wrote afore in few words,
whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the
sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit." What is this mystery? That the Gentiles should
be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise
in Christ. That's a mystery. All right,
we have the mysteries of covenant mercies, the mysteries of the
Gentiles being a part of Christ, in the body of Christ. Turn to
Ephesians 5. And here's the mystery of Christ
and his church, the union of Christ and his church. We take
his name, we're his bride, we're his beloved. Ephesians 5.25. Listen. Love your wives as Christ loved
the church and gave himself for it. You know how we love our
wives? They're precious to us. Part
of us. They're one flesh. The two shall be one flesh. That's
the way he loves you. That's the way he loves me. We
care for them. do anything that would give everything
we've got for their comfort and well-being. And that's the way
he loves us. Listen, read on. Then he might
sanctify it, verse 26, and cleanse it with a washing of water by
the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should
be holy and without blemish. So men ought to love their wives
as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth
himself. No man ever hated his own flesh,
but nourished it and cherished it, even as the Lord the Church.
And we are members of his body, of his flesh, of his bones. For
this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and be
joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. This is a
great mystery. What, a mystery that a man should
be joined to his wife and love his wife? No. The mystery is
that Christ should love us that way. That's the mystery. This is a great mystery. I speak
concerning Christ and the Church. He says, that's what I'm saying.
You know how you love her, devoted, and her, and go right on back?
That's the way He loves you. More. More devoted. More devoted. That's a mystery. I'll show you again, Ephesians
6, verse 18 and 19. Listen to this. Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, Ephesians 6, 18. Ephesians 6,
18. And watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints and for me.
Pray for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may
open my mouth boldly to make known The mystery of the gospel. What's the mystery of the gospel?
How God can be just and justify the ungodly. How God can be God
and holy and righteous and uphold his name in righteousness and
save folks like me and you. That's a mystery. Everybody doesn't
know the gospel. I tell you, a person who really
knows the gospel believes the gospel and preaches the gospel. I hear people say, well, in fact,
I got a letter this week. from some people over in England. They said they were going to
this church and had been going there a year and said their pastor,
their pastor in the privacy of the home and that type of communication
stand 100% for the grace of God and the gospel of God. But they
said when he gets in the pulpit, he just won't preach it. He doesn't believe it. A man doesn't believe anything
who holds it privately. A man believes something who
holds it publicly, and would die for it. That's right. And he doesn't understand it. If he understood it, he'd love
it. Colossians 1. Here's the word again. You see
how I'm going? It's all the way through the Scripture. Colossians
1. Verse 25, mystery, mystery, mystery. Where this started is
these Jews said, how can he be the bread from heaven and the
carpenter? How can he be the Son of God
and the Son of Man? And our Lord said, no man can understand that,
except my Father draw him, teach him, and he learns from God. All right, Colossians 1, 25. Whereof I am made a minister
according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for
you to fulfill, to fully preach the word of God, even the mystery
which has been heard from ages and generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known what is
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which
is What's the mystery? Christ in you, the hope of glory. And you smile and agree with
that, don't you, Mike? But there's a lot of folks who
can't smile, because they don't understand it. Christ in you? He said, I and my Father come
dwell in you. That they may be one as we are
one. Now you figure that out. That's
a mystery. And the natural man can't enter
into it. It has to be revealed. Here it is again, 1 Timothy.
1 Timothy 3.9. There's a mystery of covenant
mercies, the mystery of the Messiah and the Gentiles, the mystery
of Christ in his church, the mystery of the gospel, the mystery
of Christ in you. Now watch this, 1 Timothy 3.9.
1 Timothy 3.9. Holding the mystery
of faith. Now, you hear these preachers,
well, keep the faith, you know, and faith is such an uncomplicated thing within. It's
just have faith. Nothing to it. But Paul calls
faith a mystery. He calls whom having not seen,
we love. Whom having not seen, we love. Believe God. Believe God. When everything is against you and everything is going contrary
to what you think it ought to be doing, still believe God.
That's a mystery. Holding the mystery of faith
in a pure conscience without hypocrisy. And without controversy, without
debate, without argument, great is the mystery of godliness.
What's this mystery of godliness? It is God was manifest in the
flesh. If you understand that, and he was, listen, he was justified
in the Spirit, or by the Holy He was seen of angels. His glory was testified, witnessed
by angels. He was preached to Gentiles,
dogs. He was believed on, actually
believed on in this world, and he was received up into glory.
Mystery of Godliness. Now a natural man, whether he's
in the pew or whether he's in the pulpit, or whether he's in
the world, may have a Bible, and he may know many facts about
this Bible. He may be able to quote facts. He may know some doctrines. He
may memorize some scripture. But the mysteries he does not
know. The mysteries he does not know.
He cannot talk believingly and intelligently about these mysteries,
the mysteries of covenant mercies, the mysteries of the Messiah
and the Gentiles, the mysteries of Christ and his church, the
mystery of the gospel, the mystery of Christ in you, the mystery
of faith. and this glorious mystery of
godliness that God came down here and was manifested in the
flesh. And he was witnessed to by the angels and justified in
the Spirit. Christ justified? Preached to
the Gentiles, believed on. That's a mystery that anybody
should believe. That mutilated body, that mutilated person,
hanging on a Roman tree, deserted by friends and disciples and
hated by enemies and rejected by everybody that was anybody,
dying between two thieves. Two thousand years ago, even
the heavens disowned him and the devil's And the people shot
out their lips and challenged him to prove his power. You mean
that's the Son of God? That's God who made the tree,
made the tree from which they made that cross? That man saying,
I'm thirsty, he's the one that made all the rivers? And that's
your Savior? That's your Redeemer? Now, you
either know something that I don't know, the natural man says, or
you're a fool. See, the natural man figures
if he can sort of do the best he can and kind of keep his head
above water and kind of acknowledge that there's a God and work and
give a little bit, that he'll finally work his way to heaven. But you stand back and say that
even your good works are filthy rags, and you have nothing, and
a holy God can't be pleased with anything you do, yet He's pleased
with that man, and accepts you in Him, and on His behalf, and
that's your hope? Ain't nobody believes that, but
a man that knows something that nobody else knows. Like Noah. That's what, when Noah's building
an ark on dry land, there'd never been a flood, there'd never been
a rain. They'd never seen a ship. And he says, it's gonna rain
so much that the whole world's gonna be destroyed and I'm gonna
float off on this ark. And I'm surprised they let him
remain in town. Mystery. But Noah being warned
of God of things not seen. That's right. Mystery. Mystery. The only man who knows these
things is a man who's been drawn of God, taught of God, and hath
heard of God. Now, when I say that we understand,
now please stay with me here, when I say that I and you understand
these mysteries, I'm not saying that our minds and our hearts
actually comprehend and understand all that God is and all that
God does. I don't. Older I get, the less
I know. I believe the older I get, the
less I know, the less cocksure I am. I know in part, but thank
God I know in part. I preach in a very limited fashion. I preach in part, but thank God
for the part. I see through a glass dimly. I can't make out everything here,
but thank God I see something. You see, if I saw you through
a glass dimly, I may not be able to make out your whole features,
but I do see you. You're there. You're there. And that's the way I look at
my God and my Redeemer. I don't see him in his unparalleled
glory. I couldn't and live. I don't
see and understand and comprehend all that he is and does and will
do, but I see enough of what he's doing to enable me to believe
him. For example, Abraham didn't know
how Isaac would be born, but he believed he would. Abraham,
when he took that boy up on the mountain, didn't know how God
had raised him, but he knew he would. Abraham didn't know where the
city was and what it was like, but he was looking for it. See
what I'm saying? And we see enough, we see enough. For example, let me give you,
and I'll be brief, let me give you several of these mysteries,
several that The natural man just doesn't understand, but
like I said, in part and through a glass dimly, they're real to
me and real to you. Number one, if you want to, jot
them down, but here's what I'm giving you. The Lord our God
is one God, and yet he reveals himself in the scripture as Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. How can this be? I don't know.
But the fact is, it is. Christ said, I and my Father,
I and my Father. Now, if there weren't two distinct
persons, he would have said, I and my Father is one. But he
said, I and my Father are one. Isn't that right? I and my Father
are one. And he said, he that has seen
me has seen the Father. And he said there are three that
by record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit.
And I can't explain that. But the Lord our God is one God,
and yet he's Father who loved us and chose us, Son who redeemed
us, and Holy Spirit who calls us. Secondly, Jesus of Nazareth
is a man. No question about that. He's
a man. But Jesus of Nazareth is God
Almighty. I can't explain that. But I know
in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was made flesh.
And the Word was with God, and he dwelt among us. And the Word
was God, and we beheld his glory. I know that unto us a child is
born, and a son is given. And that child's son That man,
God, or God-man, his name is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty
God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. He's
the desire of all nations. And then thirdly, God is absolutely
sovereign in all things. He accomplishes his will in all
that is done. And yet, men are accountable
and responsible for what they do. I can't explain that, but
that's true. Let me show you that in the book
of Acts, chapter 2. God is sovereign in all things.
You take Moses and Pharaoh. Moses submissive, Pharaoh rebellious. They both serve the glory of
God. They both accomplished the purpose
of God. Moses did what he wanted to do,
and Pharaoh did what he wanted to do. But both of them, doing
what they wanted to do, fulfilled the purpose of God. Is that not
right? Acts chapter 2, listen to this, verse 22 and 23. Ye men of Israel, hear these
words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by
miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst
of you, as you yourselves also know. Him being delivered by
the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by
wicked hands have crucified and slain." God purposed the death
of Christ. He willed the death of Christ. God used the wicked hands of
men to accomplish His purpose, and they were responsible and
accountable. In Acts 4, while you're there,
just turn over one page. Verse 27, "...of a truth against
thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast appointed, anointed, both
Herod Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, the people of Israel, were gathered
together to do what your hand and your counsel determined before
to be done." They did what they wanted to do. In doing what they
wanted to do, they did what God willed to do. Now let me show
you a verse in Psalm 76.10. This is such a powerful, powerful
verse of Scripture. Psalm 76.10. I'm saying God is sovereign,
God will accomplish his will, he'll even use the wrath of man
to do it, and man will be held accountable and responsible for
that wrath. Look at Psalm 76.10. Surely the wrath of man shall
praise thee, the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. God has a lease, a leash. on man. And he does what he wills
to do, only as far as God will let him. He restrains wrath. He restrains it. But it'll serve
his purpose. That's a mystery, and I'm just
saying that when you've drawn and taught and learned of God,
you can rejoice in these things. And while you don't understand
it completely, yet you do believe. and rest in the truth of it.
Number four, God did elect a people in Christ to be eternally saved.
Now he's trying to explain that away now. That's so. And yet, and yet, all who want
to be saved can be. By the way, you're speaking in
riddles, and I'm speaking in mysteries. And I use the word
from the Scripture eleven times. And a person that's confused
about that's confused about the glory of God. God did elect a
people and yet all who want to be saved, all who will to be
saved, all who do come to Christ will be saved. In other words, everybody here
tonight who is saved can look to God's elective grace and say
that is the basic cause why I came to Christ. He loved me. He chose
me. He sought me. But the man who's
not saved cannot look to that divine election and blame it
as the reason why he hasn't been saved. He's got to blame his
own will. Christ said, you will not come
to me that you might have life. That's your problem. You won't
do it. If you would do it, you could do it. The Bible doesn't
say a man can't seek God. It says he won't seek God. And
that's just as clear to me as anything in the Word of God.
That God elected a people. And that's so. But still, any
man who wants to come to Christ and wills to come, come on. The
door of the ark stood open. Anyone who wanted to enter could
have. And when God spoke to Noah, He
didn't say, He didn't take him and put him, He said, you come
into the ark. And Noah did. You think a merciful,
holy, righteous God would have turned anybody away who wanted
to go into that ark? They didn't believe. See, hadn't
a drop of rain fell, they didn't believe. Number five, God is
love. God is love. And yet His love
is a holy love. And this seems to be, people
choke on this. Preachers will not say this,
but the Word of God says it. I don't know a preacher outside
of grace, sovereign grace circle, that will say that God doesn't
love everybody. But God doesn't love everybody.
My soul, that's easy to see. He says he hates Esau. It says
God's angry with the wicked. It says God hateth all workers
of iniquity. It says, he that believeth not
on the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. You know what
the word says? I don't know why we joke on that. But God's love is in Christ. That's where God's love is. Being
in Christ, it can be a holy love. If God loved you out of Christ,
God would be compromising His holiness. Oh, but you say, we
got a solution for that. God hates sin and loves the sinner.
There is no sin without the sinner. The sinner is the source of sin.
There's no sin without the sinner. Sin is not something thrown around
out here. Sin is in you. We are sin. If you could separate
the sinner and sin, you could save them. That's how Christ
saves us. He took our sin in His body on
the tree and left us without sin. And in Christ we are without
sin and we can be loved by God. That's a mystery. But people
who've been taught of God, they don't choke on that. No, they
don't. They let God be God. And in the
next place, salvation is totally by grace. without works. I mean salvation. Now listen
to me. I mean salvation. Redemption. As illustrated by
the thief on the cross who never washed, worked, or witnessed. And yet God saved him. Took him
to glory. Our salvation is as free of anything
we do, think, give, work, or whatever, as if God Almighty
took it and gave it to us, requiring absolutely no return of anything. It's without works. That's so.
Yet, a man who does not have works
is not saved. A man's not saved by praying, but
a man's not saved without it. A man's not saved by working,
but a man's not saved without it. A man's not saved by walking
with God. But a man who's saved walks with
God. That's so. Old Paul in Romans
says we're justified by faith without works, without any consideration
of works. James comes along and says, yeah,
but faith without works is dead. Isn't that what he says? Faith that does not produce godliness
and righteousness and truth and honesty and holiness is not faith
at all. Not faith at all. And then in
the last place, the believer himself is a mystery. Turn to
1 Corinthians 2. And you, I tell you, you're a
mystery to yourself. Think what you are to others.
In 1 Corinthians 2, you mean me, you mean I've entered, God
love me? I'm nothing, nobody. That's what amazed the Apostle
Paul, he said, I persecuted the church, but I obtained mercy. And we're just nothing. But we're, we've entered into the wisdom
of God. 1 Corinthians 2.15. He that's spiritual understandeth
all things. He judgeth all things. Like I
said to you, he's entered into these mysteries. He that's spiritual,
he's been taught of God. He himself is understood of nobody. They don't understand you. You know why? One thing, the believer believes
God, and yet he cries, Lord, help my unbelief. You know why? The believer has a new nature
that pants after Christ, but he's got an old nature that must
be constantly put down. You know why folks don't understand
you? In Christ you're perfectly holy,
but in the flesh there's no good thing. You're a paradox, did
you know that? And in Christ you rejoice evermore
and you're in continual sorrow and heaviness of heart. And in
Christ he said, he said, I know my sheep, I know my sheep, they'll hear
me and they'll be saved. And we know he knows his sheep
and we know that his elect are going to be saved, his sheep
are going to be saved, and yet We never stop praying for our
loved ones and our children and our friends. And we send missionaries
together, everything we can get here to send this gospel. Yet
we know his sheep are going to be saved. But we send the gospel
to everybody we can. They said, if we believed what
you did, we wouldn't send any missionaries. We wouldn't preach.
You see, that's a mystery. I know God's sheep are going
to be saved. Every day, nearly, I'm preaching
to somebody somewhere, telling them about Christ, and praying
that God will reveal it to them. I can't explain that. I'm going
to keep doing it, too. In the next place, we long to
be with Christ, and yet we're content right here. In the next place, I'm aware
of some growth in grace, and yet I know I'm less than the
least of all the saints, chief of sinners. And I know that in Christ I have
all things, and yet I know I'm nothing. That's a paradox. I'm rich. I'm poor. I'm full. I'm empty. I'm happy. I'm sad. I want to go home. I want to
stay here. I'll tell you one thing. I'll
read this and quit. Have I gone over 45? Okay. One more minute. 2 Corinthians
4. Listen to this. 2 Corinthians 4. Paul said this,
2 Corinthians 4, verse 7, verse 6. Let me read verse 6 through
9. 2 Corinthians 4, 6 through 9. The believers are paradox. He's an enigma. He's not understood
by anybody. In 2 Corinthians 4, 6, for God
who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in
our hearts. to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus. But we have
this treasure, this unspeakable treasure, this wisdom and knowledge
of God in an earthen vessel that the excellency of the power may
be of God and not of us. We're troubled on every side,
yet we're not distressed. We're perplexed, but we're not
going to quit. We're not in despair. We're persecuted,
but we're not forsaken. We're cast down, but we're not
destroyed. Mysteries. That's the title of
this message. Mysteries. When we're taught of God, drawn
of God, and learned of God, they unfold more all the time, don't
they, Mike? I tell you, rather than being perplexed and going
back, I have more encouragement to go on. Because I know a lot
more. I don't know very much about
these things, but I know a whole lot more than I knew yesterday.
A whole lot more. And you know something? Tomorrow,
I'm going to know a whole lot more. We know in part, prophesy in
part, see through a glass jamb, but then, boy won't it be wonderful,
face to face. face-to-face. We shall know as
we have been known.
Henry Mahan
About Henry Mahan

Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.

At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.

In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.

Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.

Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.

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