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Henry Mahan

The Righteous Shall Hold His Way

Job 17:9
Henry Mahan • November, 2 1975 • Audio
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Message 0156b
Henry Mahan Tape Ministry
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Job 17.9. The Scripture says, "...the righteous
also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall
be stronger and stronger." the righteous shall hold his
way." Now before believers were called Christians at Antioch,
faith in Christ was spoken of as the way, or that way. Let
me show you that from the Scripture. Turn to the book of Acts. Chapter
9, verse 2. The book of Acts. Let's look
at this. What I'm saying is this. Christians were first call Christians
at Antioch. Now before they were called Christians
at Antioch, faith in Christ, faith in substitution, faith
in the blood, was referred to as that way. In Acts chapter
9, verse 1 and 2, Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter
against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest
and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues,
that if he found any of this way, whether it be men or women,
he might bring them bound in chains to Jerusalem. If he found
any of this way. Now look at Acts 19. You'll find
this all the way through the book of Acts. Chapter 19, verse
9. Acts 19, verse 9. Listen to this. But when divers were hardened,
and believe not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude,
he departed from them. They spoke evil of that way. Now look at verse 23 of this
same chapter, Acts 19, 23. And the same time there arose
no small stir about that way. Now Acts 22, one more verse here,
Acts 22, 4, Paul talking about his own experience before he
came to Christ. He said in verse 4 of Acts 22,
and I persecuted this way even unto the death, binding and delivering
into prisons both men and women. This is a way. It is a way. It is a way of conviction and
repentance. It is a way of faith. It is a
way of the cross. It is the way of holiness, it
is the way of obedience. You who are saved tonight are
in this way. You are of that way. Now once the believer has entered
this way, this way of conviction and repentance, this way of faith
and the cross, this way of holiness and obedience, once he's entered
into this way, listen to me, he must persevere in it, continue
in it, or perish. That's what God's Word teaches.
For the Lord said, If any man put his hand to the plow and
looks back, he's not fit for the kingdom of God. Once a man
has entered this way, puts his hand to the plow and begins this
way and looks back, he's not fit for the kingdom of God. If
any man draw back from this way, my soul shall have no pleasure
in him. Our Lord said again, he that
endureth to the end, once he has entered this way, he that
endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. Now when the
seed, the Word of God, was sown on the rocky soil, it grew for
a while, it sprang up quickly. But the Scripture says, having
no root, when the sun came out, the plant died under the trial
of the sun. When the seed was sown among
the thorns, It grew for a while, it sprang up, but it was soon
choked to death by other interests. And Paul, in the book of Hebrews,
look at Hebrews 3. I want you to look at this with
me. Paul, in the book of Hebrews, chapter 3, twice declares that
we belong to Christ only if we continue in faith, only if we
hold fast our confession firm unto the end." Hebrews 3, verse
6, "...but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house are
we, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope, firm
unto the end." Verse 14, "...for we are made partakers of Christ,
if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the
end." Those are the words of God Almighty. That's the declaration
of Scripture. Once the believer has entered
this way, he perseveres in it, he continues in it to the end
of life, or he perishes. And you can't read it any other
way. Now, our text tonight, Job declares,
the righteous will hold his way. He that hath been cleansed by
the blood will grow stronger and stronger. Now, Job didn't
say that the man of God would always travel with equal speed.
He didn't say he'll hold his pace. Sometimes he might crawl
on his hands and knees, sometimes he might walk, sometimes he might
run and not be weary. But he'll hold his way, that's
what he's saying. He's not saying he'll hold his pace, he'll hold
his speed, he said he'll hold his way. He may not always travel
with equal enthusiasm, but Job's not saying that he'll hold his
excitement. He says he'll hold his way. He may not always travel with
equal success. His growth may not be always
the same, but he'll hold his way. Charles Spurgeon said this,
I like this very much, this is my own convictions about it. And I wish I had the ear of every
Baptist in America. The Scripture does not teach
that a man will reach heaven even if he leaves the road of
faith. It is certainly not true that
one act of faith is all and that nothing is needed of daily faith,
daily prayer, daily watchfulness and daily obedience. Our belief,
Spurgeon declared, is the opposite. That is, the true believer will
day by day continue in repentance, he will continue in faith, he
will continue in the Holy Spirit, he will continually grow in grace
and in the knowledge of Christ. And Mr. Spurgeon closed that
paragraph with this statement, I detest the doctrine It says
a man who has once made a decision for Jesus will be saved even
if he forsakes the house of God, the path of obedience, and the
faith of Christ Jesus. This is an invention of Satan. What we're saying is this. He
who has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit He who has been convicted
of sin and brought to rely only on Christ, he who has been made
alive in Christ Jesus and made one with the Son of God in a
vital union, he who has been brought to saving faith will
continue in that faith. He will not depart from that
faith. If he departs from that faith,
it's clear proof that he never walked in that faith. If he departs
from it, it's clear proof that he never, ever entered. Now, there are many warnings
about apostasy in the Word of God, many warnings. There are
many warnings about turning back in the Word of God. But I want
you to take a new look at these warnings with me. There are about
four or five that I'll call to your attention. You can study
the others at home in your own time. But turn to Hebrews 6.
Now here's a clear warning with which we're all familiar. Here's
a clear warning that all of us know something about. We've read
it. Men have debated it, argued it
all through the centuries. In Hebrews 6, verse 4, the apostle
says, It is impossible for those who are once enlightened and
have tasted of the heavenly gift and made partakers of the Holy
Ghost have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the
world to come, if they shall fall away." He's saying it is
impossible to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to
open shame. But after he gives this warning,
he says in verse 9, "'But, beloved, we are persuaded better things
of you.'" But beloved, we're persuaded better things of you,
and things that accompany salvation, that is, a continuance in repentance,
a growth in grace, a deeper love for Christ, a greater love for
one another. This is true. If a man departs
from Christ, if a man goes back to the beggarly elements, if
a man turns his back on the blood, it's impossible to renew him
to repentance, seeing he crucifies the Son of God afresh. He says
that the blood's not sufficient. Of course it is. But we're persuaded
better things of you, of true believers. Now look at Hebrews
10. Here's another warning with which
you're quite familiar. Hebrews 10, verse 38. It says
in Hebrews 10, 38, This is one you know by heart. Now the just
shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him." Well, that's a clear-cut warning, isn't
it? But listen to the next verse. But we're not of them who draw
back. We're not of them who draw back
unto perdition, but we're of them that believe to the saving
of the soul. Look at 1 John 2, verse 19. Here's one that you know very
well. 1 John 2, verse 19. Here's a warning. John says they
went out from us. He's saying some people left.
They were in the house of God, they were in the circle of believers,
they professed faith in Christ, and they left. But they were
not all of us, John draws this conclusion. For he says, if they
had been of us, if they had been children of God, if they had
been regenerated by the Spirit, if they had been in a living
union with Christ, they would no doubt have continued with
us. But they went out, they left,
and that clearly manifests they were not all of us. Very clearly,
he says to me. A departure from the faith is
a clear indication, John says, It was not real faith. For no
doubt, they would have continued. Now watch this in Matthew 7.
Here's another warning about false professions. And I want
you to listen to the words of Christ. In Matthew 7, verse 22. Many will say to me in that day, many. Have we not prophesied in your
name, and in your name cast out devils, and in your name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto
them?" He doesn't say, I knew you and forgot you. He says,
I never knew you. I never knew you. He didn't say,
I knew you for a while and then I didn't know you anymore. He
says, I never knew you. Never. Those who leave the way
of faith are those who only professed it and never really possessed
it. Those who leave the way of Christ
are those who were never really in that way. And I want to show
you that from the Scripture tonight. I'm going to give you about five
arguments for Job's statement, the righteous shall hold his
way. Now, not righteous in ourselves,
righteous in Christ. He's our righteousness. The sanctified. He hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. He's our sanctification. And
he that hath clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger. Our
hands aren't clean by nature, but they're cleansed with the
blood. Now, here are the reasons why the righteous shall hold
his way. First of all, the believer, the
true believer, will persevere. He will hold his way for this
reason. Because of the nature of the
life which is imparted unto him in regeneration. That's the first
reason why he'll hold his way. Because of the nature of the
life which is regenerated, which is imparted unto him in regeneration. Turn to John 3. Our Lord says
in the 3rd chapter of John, verse 6, now listen to this, John 3,
verse 6, the Lord Jesus said, That which is born of the flesh
is flesh. It's flesh. And that which is
born of the Spirit is Spirit. This new life which is imparted
to the believer in regeneration, in the new birth, is not like
the life we receive from our fathers and mothers subject to
mortality. The life which I got by nature
from my father is going to die. I'm 49 years old. My life is
two-thirds over. This natural life is going to
die. It cannot last. It's got to die. It's appointed
unto me and wants to die. But this new life which we receive
in regeneration is not a natural life, it's a spiritual life.
It's the life of the Spirit, and it cannot die. He has begotten
us unto a living hope. We're begotten again by the incorruptible
seed unto a living hope, a spiritual life. That's the first reason
why it will continue, is because it's spiritual. It's not flesh,
it's spiritual. Now, 1 John 3, here's another
reason why the nature of this life will not allow it to die.
It's a spiritual life, and then over in 1 John 3, it says here
it's a righteous life. It's not subject to the fall.
It's not subject to the penalty of sin. It's not subject to the
curse of the law. In 1 John 3, verse 9, listen
to this, "...whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. Now then, how are we going to
interpret this verse in the light of all the rest of the Scripture
when Paul said, when I would do good evils present with me?
How are we going to interpret this Scripture in the light of
David saying, My sins are ever before me? We know he was born
of God, the Bible says he was. How are we going to interpret
this Scripture in the light of all the apostles' declaration
that they're just sinners saved by grace? that the sinner is
after the saint. How can we interpret this in
that light? Are we saying that the man who
is born of God, the Christian, never sins? No, we're not saying
that. We're saying that the life which is put within him, the
nature which is imparted to him by regeneration, that nature
cannot sin. Now, I know that many people
translate this, whosoever is born of God does not practice
sin, and that's true. But also it's true that in the
flesh no man can please God, that in the flesh dwelleth no
good thing, that the natural man remains the natural man,
and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh, because the Spirit is a Holy Spirit, and it's a
righteous life, and its principle is not evil, its principle is
holiness, and it will prevail. It will continue. Now then, 1
John 4, 13. I'm talking about the life that
is imparted in regeneration. When a man is born again, something
happens. He's a new creature. He's a new
creation. He's a new person in Christ Jesus. And that new person is a spiritual
person with a spiritual life and a holy nature. And 1 John
4 verse 13 says this, 1 John 5 verse 4, I beg your pardon,
1 John 5 verse 4, Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world. This nature overcometh the world.
It wins the victory over the world. And this is the victory
that overcometh the world, even our faith. It's an overcoming
life. It's a strong life. It's the
life of God. It will not surrender. God doesn't
surrender, God doesn't fail, and the life of God doesn't surrender. And the believer may battle,
his head may be brooded, but it's unbound. He doesn't quit. There's no way he can quit. Like
the disciples, he said, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have
the words of eternal life. And then 1 John 4, listen to
this. It is not only a spiritual life,
it is not only a righteous life, it's not only an overcoming life,
but it's a life of love. In 1 John 4, verse 7, Beloved,
let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one
that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not,
he's not born of God. He knoweth not God. God is love. The nature of this new life guarantees
its preservation and perseverance, because it's a spiritual life.
Not a fleshy life, not just a profession, it's not just an experience,
it's not just a decision, it's a new creation created by God. And then it's a righteous life,
it's an overcoming life. Our Lord said to the woman at
the well, you drink of this water, you'll thirst again. You drink
of the ceremonies of religion, you'll thirst again. You drink
of the rituals of sectarianism, you'll thirst again. You drink
of the fountain of the moral law, you'll thirst again. But
he said, if any man drink of the water I give him, he'll never
thirst again. It shall be in him a well of
living water springing up unto everlasting life. It's a well
that can't be stopped, it can't be plugged, there's no way that
it can cease to flow. the water of life. Here's where
the whole thing is being missed. People who join churches and
make decisions and decide to go to heaven and escape hell,
they're not being regenerated by the Holy Spirit. They're making.
That's what the preachers are doing. They're bringing them
down the aisles. They're talking them into religious
profession. They're talking them into church
membership. They're talking them into professions
of faith. They're talking them into experiences.
They're having dreams and feelings. But they're not coming to know
Christ. and not being regenerated. That
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. And this thing is not
of the will of the flesh, it's not of the will of man, it's
of God this new birth is. It's not of him that willeth,
it's not of him that runneth, it's of God that showeth mercy. God gives life, and that's a
spiritual life. that can't die, and it's a righteous
life that can't sin, it's an overcoming life that can't be
defeated, and it's a life of love that can't hate and go on
hating. Can't do it. Now the second reason
why the righteous will hold his way is this. First of all, the
believer will persevere because of the nature of the life which
is imparted to him. Secondly, the believer will persevere
according to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to John
3 again. Now listen to Christ. This is
the Master speaking, and we need to take note. This is all the
Word of God, but especially this is the Word of God that I'm about
to read because God said it. John 3, verse 14. lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish. Should not perish. If a man perishes that believes
in Christ, then Christ lies. It says here, he that believeth
shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Now, I'd rather say that
the man didn't believe than that Christ lied, hadn't you? Here's
a man who believes in Christ, and then he perishes. Now, did
the man really believe in Christ, or did Christ lie about it? Christ
said, he shall not perish if he believes in me, but he'll
have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Look at John 6. Here's the Master speaking again.
John chapter 6, verse 47. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. How long does
everlasting life last? Six months? Six years? Six millenniums? Everlasting
life is everlasting, eternal. There's no end to it. And Christ
said if a man believes on him, he has that life. Look at verse
51, I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any
man eat of this bread, not if any man says he eats of it, not
if any man approves of it, not if any man confesses he believes
that it exists, if any man eats of it, he'll live forever. And the bread that I give him
is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world." Verse 54, "...whosoever eateth
my flesh, and drinketh my blood, not says he does, but does it,
hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
That's the Master speaking. Now John 10. John chapter 10, verse, here's
the Master speaking again, verse 27. My sheep hear my voice, I
know them, they follow me, I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish. And neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hand, for my Father and I are one." Now where is
the power that can pluck out of the hands of an unchanging
Lord one for whom He died? one for whom he suffered, one
whom the Spirit regenerates. Where is the power that can rob
Christ of his children? It would take a pretty strong
force to rob you here tonight of your children. In Matthew 24, let's look at
this, Matthew 24. Matthew 24, verse 24, listen
to this carefully. For there shall arise false Christs
and false prophets, and they shall show great signs and wonders,
insomuch that, if it were possible, they would deceive the elect."
If it were possible. The elect deceived? Not possible,
Christ said. It's impossible for the elect
of God to be deceived. Well, he says these false Christs
will come and these false teachers, and they'll show great signs
and many wonders, and they're going to deceive a lot of people,
and they're going to be so amazing, these signs are, that if it were
possible to deceive the elect, they'd be deceived, but not possible. And then Paul wrote, I'm persuaded
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now then, the third reason why
the righteous will hold his way, and I think I clearly, when I
started this message, told you who the righteous are. And the third reason is this,
the believer will persevere because the Lord Jesus is interceding
for us. He is interceding for us. It
says in Hebrews 7, verse 25, He is able to say to the uttermost,
And one writer said, to the uttermost extent of sin, to the uttermost
extent of time, to the uttermost extent of powers and forces,
he is able to see to the uttermost them that come to God by him,
seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. That's
why. Because I'm not on my own, I have an advocate. Because I'm
not on my own, I have an intercessor. Because I'm not on my own, I
have a high priest in whose hands I have been placed by a sovereign
God, and he's going to deliver me safely over on that shore. Our Lord told the apostle Peter
in Luke 22, 31, he said, Peter, Satan hath desired to sift you
as wheat. But he continued, but I've prayed
for you. that your faith fail not, and
that's the only reason why our faith will never fail. I've prayed
for you. If it left up to us, we'd totally
fail. Look at John 17. John 17, this
is important. John 17, here is, we're talking
about the advocate, the mediator, we're talking about our intercessor,
Christ Jesus. Now, here is actually his intercessory
prayer right here. John 17, look at verse 11 and
12. And he says, Father, now I'm
no more in this world, but these are in the world, and I come
to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine
own name those whom thou hast given me. Keep them. That's the
prayer of Christ. That's the prayer of Christ.
Look, if you will, at verse 15. I pray not that you should take
them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the
evil one. Look at verse 24, Father, I will
that those also, that they also whom thou hast given me, be with
me where I am. That's my prayer, that they may
behold my glory. My friends, our Lord Jesus Christ
prays for us, and we need not be afraid. We need not be afraid
of earth or hell. We need not be afraid of perishing,
because He said, because I live, you shall live. Now then, the
fourth reason why the righteous will hold his way is this. The
believer will have eternal life because of the character and
work of him who bought it. When the angel came down to Joseph
and announced that Mary was with child, that angel said, Joseph,
this holy thing which shall be brought forth for Mary shall
be called the Son of and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for
he shall save his people from their sin." Not he might, he's
going to try to, perhaps he will, he shall save them. In Romans chapter 8, look over
here, the Apostle Paul is confronted by some objections which he knows
will be presented, so he presents them himself. In Romans 8, verse
32, Paul said, "...he that spared not his own son, but delivered
him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us
all things?" What did Christ purchase? He purchased our deliverance
from the penalty of sin. He purchased our deliverance
from the power of sin. He purchased our deliverance
from the practice of sin. He purchased our deliverance
from the presence of sin. He purchased our inheritance.
Now, shall we not get it? He bought it. He paid for it.
Shall I not get it? Look at Romans 8.33. Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justified. God was in Christ reconciling
the world to Himself. Who is He that condemned it? Paul stands forth here and he
issues a challenge. Who is he that condemns us? Anybody in heaven, earth, or
hell? Paul, how can you be so certain of not being condemned,
of being delivered from judgment? Is that because you preached
and wrote some scripture and led some people to a knowledge
of Christ? Listen to his answer. Who is
he that condemned me? It is Christ that died. It is
Christ that died. You know who died? You know who
redeemed us? It's Christ that died. I'm not
saved because I joined the church. I'm saved because it's Christ
that died. Yea, rather, that is risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession
for us. Now, who's going to separate
us from the love of Christ? Who's going to do it? Shall distress,
persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sorrow, who's going
to separate me from him who loved me and came down here and bought
me and went back to glory and prayed for me?" 2 Timothy 1 to 112, Paul
said, I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've
committed to him. And turn to Jude, just one chapter
in the little book of Jude, but look at the last two verses.
in the book of Jude. Verse 24, Now unto him that is
able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to him, to
the only wise God our Savior, be the glory and the majesty,
dominion and the power, both now and forever. Now the last reason. The believer
will persevere because of the nature of the life which is imparted
to him by the Holy Spirit. The believer will hold his way
because of the words of the Lord Jesus. The righteous will hold
his way because Christ is interceding for him. He will hold his way
because of who bought him and redeemed He belongs to Christ,
and last of all, the believer, the righteous, will hold his
way because of the nature of the covenant of grace. It is
an everlasting covenant. Turn to Jeremiah 32. Now here
is the Lord talking about this covenant. Jeremiah 32, verse
40. Listen to this. Jeremiah 32,
verse 40. The old covenant had an if in
it. The new covenant has no ifs. He says in Jeremiah 32, 40, I
will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn
away from them to do them good, but I'll put my fear in their
hearts. They shall not depart from me. Not in a new covenant. They shall
not depart. Hebrews 8, let's look at this
a minute. Hebrews the 8th chapter, verse
8 through 10. Here's another scripture that
has to do with that covenant. God's purposes won't change.
God's plans don't change. In Hebrews 8, verse 8, for finding
fault with them, He said, listen, Behold the days come, saith the
Lord, when I'll make a new covenant with the house of Israel, with
the house of Judah, Not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead
them out of the land of Egypt, because they continued not in
my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. This is
the covenant, this is it, that I'll make with the house of Israel
after those days, saith the Lord. I'll put my law in their minds,
I'll write my law in their hearts, I'll be to them a God, they shall
be to me a people. And the Lord Jesus said in John
6, 39 and 40, This is the will of him that sent me, that of
all which the Father hath given me I will lose nothing, but raise
him up at the last day. In Romans 11, 29, let's look
at this scripture. Now this is very important here.
In Romans 11, verse 29, this is my last scripture, and I want
you to look at it very firmly. Now salvation is a gift, isn't
it? Wages of sin is death, but the gift of God's eternal life.
The gift of God's eternal life. For the gifts and calling, salvation
and calling, not many mighty are called, not many noble, but
God hath called you and me, the call of Christ Jesus. And His
gifts and His calling are without repentance. In that word, repentance,
there's change. It's without change. He said,
I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob,
are not consumed. The believer will persevere.
The righteous will hold his way because of the nature of God's
everlasting covenant. It will not be changed. Can a
woman's tender care cease for a child that she bear? Yes. She may forgetful be, but the
God of glory will not forget me. For His is an unchanging love. It's higher than the heavens
above. It's deeper than the hell beneath. It's free, it's faithful,
stronger than death. I have drawn thee with an everlasting
love, he said. An everlasting love. Having loved
his own, he loved them to the end. That soul that owned Jesus
hath leaned for repose. Not that soul that makes a profession,
a decision, a commitment. that soul that on Jesus hath
leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to its foes. That soul, though all hell should
endeavor to shake, Peter Satan hath desired thee that he might
sift thee, shake thee, like wheat on the screen, to sift thee and
shake thee, I'll never forsake, never. The righteous shall hold
his way, and he that hath clean hands shall grow stronger and
stronger. Our Father, for thy word of comfort
we give thee thanks. This we would make sure, our
calling and our election. We know the righteous shall hold
his way, but are we in Christ righteous? We know that he that
hath clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger. But have we, have
we in that fountain of blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins,
have we been cleansed? We know that none can condemn
or charge God's elect. But are we God's elect? Is Christ our foundation? Is
Christ our hope? Have we been brought to a living,
vital union with Him? Lord, if I have not loved Thee
before, let me love Thee today. Let me find refuge in Christ. Let me build upon that rock,
that tribestone, that cornerstone, that sure foundation, Christ
our Lord. In His name we pray. 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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