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Henry Mahan

Christ Is All and In All

Colossians 3:11
Henry Mahan • May, 30 1976 • Audio
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Message 0196a
Henry Mahan Tape Ministry
6088 Zebulon Highway
Pikeville, KY 41501
What does the Bible say about living a holy life as a Christian?

The Bible encourages believers to live a holy life in light of their new identity in Christ, emphasizing that they are risen with Him.

In Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul exhorts believers to live godly lives by reminding them of their identity in Christ. He calls them to 'mortify' their earthly members and put off sinful behaviors. Paul does not use legal arguments to motivate this exhortation; instead, he appeals to the grace of God, stating, 'If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.' This reflects the understanding that true motivation for holy living comes from recognizing one's union with Christ, being crucified with Him and now living a new life. Believers are called not to follow a covenant of works but to recognize that they are under grace, which empowers them toward holiness.

Colossians 3:1-3, Colossians 3:5-9

How do we know that Christ is central to our salvation?

Christ is central to our salvation because He is the one through whom we are justified, sanctified, and redeemed.

The centrality of Christ in salvation is made clear through the theological understanding that all believers are justified and sanctified in Him alone. The Scriptures affirm that God can be just and justify the ungodly through faith in Christ. As stated in Hebrews, Christ is our High Priest and mediator, and through His sacrifice, we have gained access to the presence of God. He is our source of life and hope, and without His work, any efforts at righteousness or holiness are in vain. Christ embodies our justification, sanctification, and ultimately our glorification, making Him central to the entire plan of salvation.

Romans 3:26, Hebrews 4:14-16, Colossians 3:4

Why is understanding Christ as our life important for Christians?

Understanding Christ as our life is crucial because it shapes our pursuits, motivations, and identity as believers.

Recognizing Christ as our life is a foundational aspect of the Christian faith. Paul articulates this in Colossians when he states, 'When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.' This understanding dictates how we live and what we prioritize. If Christ is truly at the center of a believer's life, it influences our desires, pursuits, and relationships, turning our focus away from worldly things toward the eternal. By understanding that our life is hidden with Christ, we are encouraged to seek His glory in all areas, serving as a true reflection of His character and love in a world that desperately needs Him.

Colossians 3:4, Philippians 1:21, 2 Corinthians 5:17

How does the concept of being 'crucified with Christ' relate to Christian living?

Being crucified with Christ signifies that believers have died to sin and the world, which affects how they live and conduct themselves.

The theological concept of being 'crucified with Christ' indicates a profound transformation that occurs in the life of a believer. Paul writes, 'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.' This represents the believer's identification with Christ's death, which frees them from the dominion of sin and worldly desires. Because they are crucified with Him, they are empowered to live anew, with Christ as their source of righteousness and strength. This truth fosters a life of holiness as believers strive to walk in the Spirit, rejecting the old ways and embracing a life that reflects the character of Christ.

Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:6, Colossians 3:3

What does it mean that 'Christ is all and in all'?

'Christ is all and in all' expresses the belief that Christ is central to every aspect of a believer's life and existence.

The phrase 'Christ is all and in all' encapsulates the idea that Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of identity, purpose, and being for believers. Paul emphasizes this in Colossians, where he declares that every distinction falls away in light of who Christ is and what He has accomplished. In the spiritual realm, distinctions of race, status, or gender become irrelevant, as believers find their unity and significance in Christ. This truth invites believers to see Christ as the very center of their lives, shaping their thoughts, actions, and relationships. The understanding that Christ is our all serves as a powerful motivator for living in accordance with His will and reflecting His character in the world.

Colossians 3:11, Galatians 3:28, Philippians 1:21

Sermon Transcript

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Colossians, the third chapter. Now the Apostle Paul is arguing
for godly living on the part of believers. Look at verse 5
and verse 8. He says in verse 5, "...mortify
therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affections, evil concupiscence, covetousness,
which is idolatry, and then verse 8, but now you also put off all
these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communications
out of your mouths. He calls on every believer to
keep the flesh in subjection. Now in condemning these sins,
and in calling for holy living on the part of the believer,
I want you to note carefully that Paul does not bring forth
one legal argument. Not one. The Apostle Paul does
not resort to arguments that are inconsistent with the gospel
of free grace. He does not resort to arguments
such as these. If you do not keep these laws,
you lose your reward. He does not resort to an argument
like this. If you do not walk in these commandments,
you lose your salvation. He does not say, you wouldn't
want to be caught doing these things when the Lord Jesus comes
now, would you? He does not say, if you do these
things, we'll exclude you from the church. Paul knew he was
writing to believers. Paul knew he was writing to people
who knew Christ and who were not under a covenant of works,
not under a covenant of law, but who were under the grace
of God in Christ Jesus, so he uses arguments consistent with
the grace of God. In exhorting the people to holy
living, to godly conduct. He does not use legal arguments,
but he uses those arguments that are consistent with the gospel
of God's grace. For example, let's look at verse
1. He says, Are you risen with Christ? If you then be risen
with Christ, seek those things which are above. where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God." Are you risen with Christ?
Then how can you be content to still lie in the grave? How can
you be content to wear the grave clothes of sin? If you are risen
with Christ and seated with Christ on God's right hands, your affections
will be where you live, in the heavenlies. So in exhorting the
believer to godly living and righteous conduct, he does not
say, now if you don't do this, you'll lose your reward, you'll
lose your salvation. You wouldn't want to be doing
this when Jesus comes, now would you? But here he starts off this
way. Are you risen with Christ? Then set your affections on things
above, not on things of this earth. What's his second argument?
Verse 3. Are you crucified with Christ? Are you dead with Christ? You
are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Are you crucified
with Christ? Then with Christ you died to
the world. You died to the world's opinions. You died to the world's philosophy.
You died to the world's concern. You died to the world's practice. You died to the world's conduct
and ways. Your primary concern is not the
world, your primary concern is the kingdom of God and his fellowship. If you're crucified with Christ
and your life is here in God with Christ, then you're not
interested in this world. You've been delivered from this
world's opinions, philosophies, and concerns. Look at his third
argument, verse four. Is Christ your life? When Christ,
who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with
Him in glory." Is Christ my life? Is He the very beat of my heart
and the thought of my mind and the concern of my soul? Can I
say with the Apostle Paul, I count all things but done that I may
win Christ and be found in Him? I count all tradition, custom,
legalism, ceremonialism done, that I might win Christ? Can
I say with Paul, O that I may know him and the power of his
resurrection? I labor, whether present or absent,
only to be accepted of him, whether I live or whether I die. I am
the Lord's. And then look at his next argument
in verse nine. Have you put off the old man?
He said, I exhort you to godly living. I exhort you to righteous
conduct and righteous behavior. And I'm not going to fall into
this pattern of legal arguments. If you do this, God will do this.
If you don't do this, then God will do something else. Paul
says, are you risen with Christ? Are you seated with Christ? Are
you crucified with Christ? Is Christ your life? Now, in
verse 9, he says, have you put off the old man? The old man
was a liar. The old man was a bigot. The
old man was a fornicator. The old man was a filthy talker. The old man was a blasphemer.
The old man was selfish, unmerciful, unlovely, unforgiving. If these
are my characteristics, then it's true I have not put off
the old man. He says in verse 9, lie not one
to another, seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds. When the old man is put off,
when the old man is crucified, the deeds of the old man are
put off. The ways of the old man are put off. The conduct
of the old man are put off. Are we new creatures in Christ
Jesus? Look at his next argument. Have
you put on the new man? That new man which is renewed
in knowledge after the image of Him which created him, have
you put on that man that is conformed to the image of Jesus Christ?
If you have, then you'll be like Christ in submission to the Father's
will. Our Lord prayed, not my will,
but thy will be done. You'll be like Christ in love,
that you love one another, He said, as I've loved you. You'll
be like Christ in humility. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, who thought it not robbery to be
equal with God, and yet made himself of no reputation, and
took upon himself the form of a servant, and was in subjection
unto the will of God, even unto death. The death of the cross. Like Christ in forgiveness. Father,
forgive them. They know not what they do. Like
Christ in compassion. the friend of sinners. Have you
put off the old man and put on the new man, that new man which
is renewed in the image of him who created him? While passing
through this world of sin, can others see Jesus in you? Be clean
and pure without within, can others see Jesus in you? your
life a book before their eyes? They're reading it through and
through. Does it point them to the Lord? Can others see Jesus
in you? Can others see Jesus in you? Can others see Jesus in you? Are you telling the story? Are
you faithful and true? Can others see Jesus in you? Those are Paul's arguments. He
doesn't resort to legalism. He doesn't resort to threats.
He doesn't fall back into the old covenant of works, do this
and live. But when he exhorts the believer,
the man who is in Christ Jesus, to godly living and righteous
conduct and Christian behavior, he says, these are the reasons
you're risen with Christ. You're dead with Christ. Christ
is your life. You put off the old man with
his deeds. and you put on the new man."
And then he brings forward the final and chief argument for
godly dedication of life. Then he brings forth the final
and chief argument for godly dedication of conduct. He says,
in the kingdom of God, Christ is the distinguishing mark. Look
at verse eleven. Where there is neither Greek
nor Jew, no national distinctions, no national distinctions, where
there's neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, no ceremonial,
legal distinctions, no Baptist, Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox,
where there's neither bond nor free, rich nor poor, slave nor
master, where there's neither male nor female, but Jesus Christ
is all and in all. Christ is Now brethren, these three words
are the essence and the substance of true Christianity. These three
words right here are the essence and substance of true Christianity. In bringing forth this argument
for godly living, the Apostle Paul said, you're risen with
Christ. You're dead with Christ. You're seated with Christ. Your
life is Christ. You put off the old man and put
on the new man, which is created in the image of Christ. For Christ
is all. Christ is all. This is the key.
Christ is all. And a right knowledge of Christ
is the right approach, not only to justification, And I fear
too many of what we call orthodox fundamental Christians stop with
justification. A right knowledge of Christ is
not only the right approach to justification, it's the right
approach to sanctification. I am forgiven for Christ's sake.
I am redeemed for Christ's sake. But I live for Christ's sake.
I walk for Christ's sake. He who seeks mercy will make
no progress till Christ to him is all. He who seeks forgiveness
will make no progress until Christ is all. He who seeks the atonement
will make no progress until Christ is all. All, alpha and omega,
beginning and end, author and finisher, Christ is all in justification. But also, he who follows after
holiness will make no progress until Christ is all in sanctification. A man who follows after forgiveness
will make no progress until Christ is in his rightful place as the
Redeemer, as the High Priest, as the Mediator. But he who follows
after holiness of life, sanctification of life, will make no progress
until Christ has his rightful place thereto. He is our sanctification. We don't begin in the spirit
and are made perfect by the flesh. We don't come to Calvary for
justification and then run to Sinai for sanctification. We
find at Calvary wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Now, you want an argument for
godliness? You want an argument for crucifying
the flesh? You want an argument for honesty?
You want an argument for being merciful and loving others and
walking in righteousness and holiness and integrity? Then
here it is, Christ is all. Christ is all. You're risen with
Him, you're seated with Him, you're crucified with Him. Christ
is your life. You have put on a new man. which
is renewed in the image of Christ. And to you, Jesus Christ, is
all. He's everything." Now, there are four things I
want us to see in this statement, Christ is all and in all. First
of all, Christ is all in the counsels of God concerning us,
concerning Adam's race. Christ is all in the counsels
of God. in the purpose of God, in the
program of God, in the plan of God. Christ is everything. In
God's overall plan, in God's overall purpose, in God's eternal
counsels, Jesus Christ is everything. Everything. First of all, before
the world began, He was with God, He was God, and all things
were made by Him. That's what the Scripture says.
In John 17, 5, he said, Father, glorify thou me with the glory
which I had with thee before the world was. Before this world
came into being, Jesus Christ was with God, was God, and all
things were created by Him and for Him. And then when God made
the eternal covenant of grace, all the elect were chosen in
Christ. The Scripture says He is the
surety of the everlasting covenant. His blood is the blood of the
everlasting covenant. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies, according as He chose us in Christ. He loved us in Christ. He elected
us in Christ. He set His love upon us in Christ. He predestinated that we should
be conformed to the image of Christ. As Brother Ralph Barnard
said, God loved his only begotten well-beloved son so much that
he wanted a whole house full of folks just like him. So he
chose some, and determined to make them like Christ. In the
fullness of time, Christ came to be our substitute. The Scripture
says, in the fullness of time, God sent forth his Son, made
of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under
the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. After he
died on the cross and was buried, God raised him from the dead
and seated him at his right hand. Turn to Philippians chapter 2,
beginning with verse 9. It says, Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven
and in earth, and under the earth, and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
God hath given him a name above every name." Turn to Colossians
1, just one page over, verse 16, "...for by him were all things
created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers,
all things were created by him and for him." And He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist, and He's the head of
the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead. That in all things, that in all
things, from eternity past to eternity future, that in all
things in heaven, earth, and hell, that in all things in God's
purpose and God's plan and God's providence, that in all things
He might have the preeminence. When this world shall end, Christ
shall be the judge of the wicked. The Scripture says, The Father
judges no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. When
this world shall end, Christ shall be the song of the redeemed,
for they shall cry in heaven unto Him who loved them and loosed
us from our sins. in his own blood, and made us
kings and priests under God. Christ is all in the counsels
of God concerning men, in the counsels of God concerning salvation,
in the counsels of God concerning redemption. Jesus Christ is everything. He's all and in all. It's all in Him. Out of Christ
is nothing but wrath and judgment and condemnation. In Christ there's
grace, mercy, and love. Chosen in Him, redeemed in Him,
forgiven in Him, accepted in Him, risen in Him, seated in
Him, loved in Him, and throughout eternity made like Him. Christ
is all. And then the second thing, now
turn to Acts chapter ten, verse forty-three. Christ is all in
the inspired books that make up this Bible. Christ is all. Acts 10, 43. Listen to this.
And this ought to be underlined in your Bible because it's a
key to the whole Scriptures. To Him. To Him give all the prophets
witness. To Him. I don't care if it's
Joe, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Peter, Paul,
John, to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sins." Our
thoughts ought to be taken up with Christ. Christ is the object
of our faith. Christ is the goal of our love. Christ is the center and essence
of our lives. Christ is our hope. It was Christ
to whom Abel looked when he offered a better sacrifice than Cain.
It was Christ of whom Enoch prophesied in the days of wickedness before
the flood, saying, The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints
to execute judgment. It was Christ whose day Abraham
saw when he left his father's home, when he offered Isaac on
the altar. Abraham saw his day. It was Christ
of whom Job spoke when he said, I know my Redeemer liveth, and
upon this earth he shall stand. And I myself, not another, with
these eyes, I'm going to see him. It was Christ of whom Isaiah
wrote, he was wounded for our transgression, bruised for our
iniquities. By his stripes we're healed.
It is Christ who is set forth in every Old Testament sacrifice. He is not only the sacrifice,
he is the priest, he is the altar, he is the lamb, he is the mercy
seat, he is the atonement. It is Jesus Christ to whom David
looked when he said, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not walk,
he restores my soul. The Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John are Christ's living and speaking among men. The Acts
of the Apostles is Christ preached, published, and proclaimed. The
Epistles are called, written, explained, and exalted. To study
the Bible and leave out Christ is to study the solar system
and leave out the sun. The third thing, Christ is all
in the counsels of God concerning men, in the purpose of God, in
the plan of God. It's Christ. He's everything. He's all in it all, from beginning
to end, and all in between. Christ is the sum and substance
of this entire Bible. If you can read a chapter in
this book and not see Christ, go back and read it again. And
then the third thing, Christ is all the faith, the hope, and
the salvation of every true believer. In Him alone God can be just
and justify my soul. In Him alone I can come boldly
before the throne of grace because He by His blood has opened for
me into the presence of God Himself a new and living way. In him
alone I can have peace with God. Therefore we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is my sanctification. No man is holy until he's united
to Christ. Till then our works are what?
Works of iniquity. But Lord, I preached in your
name, I cast out devils, I did many wonderful works. Depart
from me, ye that work iniquity. Till I am united to Christ, my
works are works of iniquity. He is my sanctification. He makes my prayers holy. Without
Him, they're unholy. Looking to Christ, I become like
Him. Looking to Christ, I learn to love. Looking to Christ, I
learn to forgive. Where would you take a man? If
you wanted a man to understand righteousness, holiness, where
would you take him? Would you take him to Sinai?
Would you take him to the law? Would you take him to the Ten
Commandments? I say take him to Calvary. And there he learns
something about humility. Who is this on the cross? This
is the King of kings and Lord of lords who humbled himself
even to the death of the cross. Here is love. Here is love. Greater love hath no man than
this. that he lay down his life for
his friends, for his enemies. Here is mercy. Here is mercy. Christ dying for the unlovely,
Christ dying for the ungodly, Christ dying for sinners. Here
is forgiveness. Father, forgive them. They know
not what to do. Here's sacrificial giving. Christ
gave Himself. Not 10 percent or 15 percent
or 20 percent. Gave Himself 100 percent. I pity those who try to be holy
without Christ. They're building a house on the
sand. I pity those who try to walk with God without Christ.
I pity those who try to be accepted of the Father without Christ.
He is our justification. We live because He lives. He is our sanctification. We
are holy in Him. He is our comfort. Turn to Hebrews
4. In the fourth chapter of Hebrews,
verse 15, listen to the Scriptures. We have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities? You going
through sorrow? Christ knows what sorrow is.
He was a man of sorrows. He was acquainted with grief. Are you going through temptation?
He was tempted. Scripture says, in all points,
look at that verse, He was in all points tempted as we are,
yet without sin. You going through loneliness?
never lived on this earth, a man who was as deserted as Jesus
Christ. Never. You say, what about those
old martyrs that died in the flames? God was with them. But
when Jesus Christ our Lord died on that cross, even the Father
turned his back on him. Deserted by his disciples, sold
by his disciples, denied by his disciples, hated by the religious
leaders, the whole multitude turns against him, he walks alone,
he was forsaken. He knows what loneliness is.
Do you know what poverty is? He knew what poverty was. Scripture
says, he had no place to lay his head. Foxes have holes, and
birds of air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where
to lay his head. You say you're going through
suffering? Christ knew what suffering was. He died on a cross. That's the
reason he says, cast all your cares on him. He cares. He cares. We don't have a high
priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
He was in all points tempted as likely as we are yet without
sin. Verse 16, let us therefore in sorrow, temptation, loneliness,
poverty, suffering, grit our teeth and determine we're going
to win the victory. No, sir. Come boldly unto the
throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
us in time of need. In time of need. Christ is the
faith, the hope, the sanctification, the justification, and the salvation
of all who believe. He's all. He's all. Turn back to the text. Colossians
chapter 3. Christ is all. He's all in the
counsels of God, in the purpose and plans of God, regarding the
believer. He's everything. Throughout this
Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, Christ is all. To Him give all
the prophets witness. In the justification, in the
sanctification, in the redemption, in the comfort of the believer,
he's all. And then last of all, Christ
will be all in glory. The presence of Christ shall
be our glory. He turned to the thief on the
cross and said, today thou shalt be with me, with me in paradise. The Apostle Paul said, I am in
a strait betwixt the two. I have a desire to depart and
walk straits of gold and gaze upon walls of precious stones
and gates of diamonds and ivory. I have a desire to depart and
be with Christ. For he said, to be absent from
this body is to be present with the Lord. The presence of Christ
in heaven will be our glory. and the praise of Christ will
be our song. Turn to Revelation 5. I want
you to read this yourself. Revelation 5, verse 9. Look at
it. The praise of Christ will be
our song, 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 tongue and people and nations, and hast
made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on
the earth." The service of Christ will be our occupation. The Scripture
says we'll serve Him day and night in His temple. In the likeness
of Christ, The likeness of Christ will be our destiny. Turn to
1 John chapter 3. Beloved, behold what manner of
love, 1 John chapter 3, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore
the world knoweth us, not because it knew him not. Beloved, now
are we the sons of God. and it doth not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know this, that when he shall appear We
shall be like him, or we shall see him as he is. Now, if this
doesn't motivate you, all the legalism and all of the threats
and all of the black snake whips of fear of judgment and fear
of hell, it won't do it. It won't do it. Paul comes at
us and he says, for us to mortify these members, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, evil concupiscence, covetousness. He tells us to
put off these things that are unbecoming to a child of God,
anger and wrath and malice and blasphemy and filthy talking.
All of these things, put them away. Lie not one to another.
The old man was a liar, but not the new man. And our sole source
of motivation and our sole source of determination is Christ. I'm risen with Him, I'm seated
with Him, I'm like Him, and He is my all in it all. Because of Him I live, in Him
I live, and for His glory I live. Back many years ago, there were
wagon trains moving west. They feared many things. There
were many dangers. Many of them didn't make it to
the west because of Indians, because of disease, because of
winter's weather. There was a wagon train moving
west, and the wagon master looked his head, and he saw smoke billowing
up The river was on one side and the steep hills on the other
side, and they were going through this thick, deep grass, prairie
grass, dry, and this smoke was billowing up in the distance. So the wagon master got all the
men together and they went back here and started a fire. They
burned out a huge place back behind the wagon train. Then
they took all the wagons, and they put all the wagons in a
circle right inside on this burnt ground. And all the people got
inside the circle. They burned out a huge place,
and the wagon train was around here on the burnt ground, and
the people were inside, and the fire was coming, just burning
everything in its path, consuming everything in front of it, just
burning it up. And as the people sat inside
this huge circle on burnt ground, one little boy sat in his daddy's
lap and he was just shaking like a leaf. And his daddy looked
at him and he said, Son, why are you afraid? Well, he said,
Daddy, I'm afraid of that fire. He said, Son, You can be at peace,
you're on burnt ground, and that fire can't touch you. The fire
can't burn where it's already burned. And my friends, I'm telling
you this, At Calvary's cross, the fire of God's wrath against
my sin burned itself out in the person of my Lord. The arrows
of God's wrath against my sin pierced the hearts of my blessed
Lord, the heart of my Lord. The sword of God's wrath against
all my sin was plunged into the soul of my Lord. And because
Christ lived for me and died for me and rose for me and is
seated for me, I'm on burnt ground. And the fire of sin and the wrath
of God cannot, it cannot, it cannot twice demand, first at
my bleeding surety's hand and then again at mine. I'm crucified
with Christ. I'm buried and risen with Christ
and already seated with Christ on God's right hand. That's my
motivation. That's my motivation. That's
my goal. The love of Christ constraineth me. At Calvary, I find my justification. At Calvary, I find my redemption. At Calvary, I find my sanctification. At Calvary, I find my acceptance.
And I don't plan to be motivated by anything else. If Christ can't
motivate me, I can't be motivated. Our Father in Heaven, bless this
message and use it for the praise and glory and honor of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Help us, O God, because of Christ,
to walk through this world in such a way That we might glorify
him who loved us and gave himself for us. That others might be
able to detect that we've been with Christ. That we've been
with Christ. Give us the humility. and the
forgiving spirit and the love and the faith and submission
of Christ Jesus our Lord make us more like the Master. Oh God,
fill our hearts and shut our mouths. Strip us of all our self-righteous
rags and clothe us in the righteousness of Christ. Let our thoughts and
our hearts and our ambitions and our pursuits and all things
be not for selfish goals, but for Christ's sake. He's all and
in all, that He might have the preeminence. In His name we pray
and for His sake. Amen.
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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