A Believer’s Peace

Where does a believer find real and genuine peace? On what foundation can we rest and say in truth, “It is well with my soul”? I’ll tell you, it lies in this; that we are justified by faith and not by works. Christ Jesus stood in my stead before God. I was guilty with nothing to pay, doomed to hell; and Christ took my place! He died for me! How can I perish? How can I be punished for sins which have already been laid on Christ and for which He has suffered?

God demands of me that I keep His holy law perfectly. I cannot do it. But Christ has kept it for me. He kept it, magnified it, made it honorable in my flesh. What more can God demand of me? I am washed in the blood of Christ Jesus; I am risen and seated at His right hand in Christ Jesus.

You may ask, “How is all this yours?” I reply, “By the grace of God, through the merits of Christ, revealed by the Spirit of God THROUGH FAITH!” God said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” I do believe, I sincerely believe in Christ; therefore, I have eternal life. Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1987)

“Whether ye be in the faith”

Read 2 Peter 1:1-11

Paul admonishes all of us to make our calling and election sure. He says, ‘Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?’ He does not admonish us to examine one another, but he does tell us to examine ourselves. Here are three points by which I examine my own faith. I urge you to do the same.

1. Is my faith based upon the Word of God? I know this: ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God’ (Rom. 10: 17). If my faith is genuine, it is born in my heart by the Word of truth. True faith arises from a proper knowledge of God, as he is revealed in Christ, in his holy and sovereign character (John 17:3). True faith arises from a proper knowledge of Christ, the incarnate God, in the glory of his efficacious, sin-atoning sacrifice as our Substitute. And true faith arises from a proper knowledge of ourselves, our guilt, our depravity and our inability. Until a man knows what the Bible says about God, about Christ and about himself, he cannot exercise saving faith.

2. Does my faith cause me to have a well-grounded hope of a saving interest in Christ? True faith causes a man to have a good hope through grace. Trusting the merits of Christ’s righteousness and shed blood, the true believer has a confident, assured hope of eternal salvation and acceptance with God in Christ. True faith does not depend upon feelings, works or desires. True faith trusts Christ alone and enjoys peaceful hope of eternal glory in him.

3. Does my faith produce a principle of love in my heart for Christ and his people? Faith causes a man to love Christ as he is and love the people of God as they are in Christ. This love is a self-denying, self-sacrificing commitment to Christ and his people. Any faith that lacks this love is a false faith. Pastor Don Fortner (1950-2020)

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE MESSIAH’S WORK

In Daniel chapter 9, the angel Gabriel was sent to declare and inform Daniel about the certainty of the coming of the Messiah at the appointed time (Gal. 4:4) and the glory and sufficiency of His redeeming work that He would accomplish for His people. It was the same message and maybe the same messenger that declared unto Joseph that Mary would bring forth the Son of God to put away the sin of God’s chosen people (Matt. 1:21). We know according to the record of scripture when the Lord Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh, He perfectly performed all things necessary to accomplish and secure the salvation of God’s elect (Psa. 57:2). Let’s take a close look at the six things mentioned in this scripture; Daniel 9:24:

1). "To finish the transgression," or to restrain and shut it up.
Our Lord said on the cross, "It is finished." He has accomplished a complete victory over sin. By His precious blood atonement our sin has been arrested, taken prisoner and confined. Sin is no longer able to exercise dominion and condemnation over God’s sheep (Rom. 5:20).

2). "To make an end of sins," or to seal it up. Our sins and transgression have not only been shut up, but also everlastingly sealed up. God’s infinite justice has been meticulously satisfied by the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ and the blood of Christ has forever cleansed us from all sins (1 John 1:7; Heb. 2:17; 9:11-12; 9:26).

3). "To make reconciliation for iniquity," or to cover it up (Psalm 32:2). Our sins had separated us from God (Isa. 59:2). But now through Christ putting away our sin by His blood, the cause of separation is removed (1 John 4:10). Therefore the believer is eternally reconciled to God through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:18). Every trace of sin has been removed (Heb. 10:17).

4). "To bring in everlasting righteousness." Christ Jesus has established, provided and imputed perfect righteousness to everyone that trusts Him alone for salvation (Rom. 4:6). He is the believer’s righteousness (Rom. 10:1-4; Jer. 23:5).

5)."To seal up the vision and prophecy." All things that have been written in the scriptures concerning the Messiah and the blessed, redeeming work He would perform; Jesus Christ has fulfilled (1 Cor.15:1-4). We have found Him who is the Christ (John 1:41).